Maine Books

I used this book for a virtual tour using a mapping program. Hopefully, I will someday have the time to do the trail or at least some of it. I will definitely get this book each year.

I've used the Thru-hiker's guide in planning hikes of 35 to 250 miles on the Appalachian trail and have it extremely valuable.

This guide, which is updated yearly, is a wonderful resource for planning long-distance hikes on the Appalachian Trail and for consultation along the way. It provides specific information about resources available on and near the trail, including shelters, water sources, campsites, stores for food and other supplies, post-offices, restaurants, hostels and transportation. It also contains accurate mileage information (to the 1/10 mile) for distances on the trail and basic directions and mileage information for off-trail resources.

While the authors provide some information about each region through which the trail travels and does list some of the side trails and the many interesting destinations to which they lead -the clear focus of the guide is on the pragmatics of getting around on and near the trail. Because many people who hike the entire trail or large sections of it will carry the book (or one piece of the book at a time) with them, the information is presented in a highly condensed format. In this sense, the book is a highly specific tool - well designed for a very specific purpose. Those looking for a guide to gear for thru-hiking will need to look elsewhere, as will those who are looking for a good deal of colorful information about the areas they travel in, reviews about the strengths and weaknesses of the various hostels and restaurants along the way. Most long distance hikers would not want to carry a book with that kind of detail.

Many people who have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail have also used the "Thru-hikers planning guide" workbook, which can be used as a companion to this guide.

This review is for the Southbound book. I encourage Southbounders to use Wingfoot if for no other reason than the ATC book patronizingly entreats "would be southbounders" to beware of blackflies, etc. as if they are trying to discourage a southbound hike. But Wingfoot has a lot of great information, sometimes too much information, and the book is large and heavy as a result. I could have torn off the pages as I went, but I wanted an intact record of my hike. If Wingfoot would edit this book down to a more compact size, and include some decent maps, his book would be, without a doubt, the best out there.

I have used Dan's guide books for a few years and find each new
edition to be better than the rest. I used the information to do
a 300 mile section hike in May and June of this year. It was
extremely helpful in planning my town stops and resupply points.
The inclusion of historic information as well as plant and fauna
descriptions elevate it above just facts and figures.
In the back of the guide is a section to submit updates on
anything the reader finds has changed since the guide was

published. This gives everyone the chance to participate in
keeping the guide up to date.
I am extremely happy with "The Thru-Hikers Guide" and will
choose it for all my future Appalachian Trail hiking needs in
the future.

After ten years of section hiking the AT, I have completely given up on Wingfoot's (so called) Trail Guide. In a word, it is hopelessly out of date and not worth the investment. I hiked several miles in the wrong direction on my last hike in Vermont because Wingfoot mis-directed hikers to a shelter that had been moved three years prior. Wingfoot is resistant to change and needs to thru-hike the AT again to bring his guide up to date.
I highly recommend the "Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker's Companion."

Big E

The mystery of this book takes place in a library. (One of my favorite places!) The librarian is murdered. Lucy Stone is determined to find out who did it and why.

Lucy and I have so much in common: 4 kids (3 girls and a boy); a rugged husband; We both love our kids so much and spend lots of quality time with them; We both love mystery novels; We both love historical houses; We both have generous hearts when giving to food banks or people in need.

This book takes place in the really cold winter. These wonderful Lucy Stone books are as close to Maine as I will ever get. Maine is cold anyway, but this particular year had an even colder and more severe snow storm. Thinking about the cold weather made me shiver! But, as bad as the weather was, it was actually good, because a snow drift is what saves a life! (I won't say who or why - I don't want to ruin it!)

I love both the cozy atmosphere and the mystery/plot. This is a wonderful, awesome book.

In the 5th installment in the Lucy Stone Mystery series, love is certainly not in the air on the library board in Tinker's Cove, Maine. Lucy has become the newest board member, and is looking forward to the opening of the new addition to the beloved town library. But at Lucy's first board meeting, she stumbles upon the dead body of the controversial librarian, and discovers that the board has a lot of secrets that it has been keeping. When another board member is found dead, Lucy starts to fear for her own safety, and the safety of her family.

As in previous books in the series, the Valentine Murder deals with another complex issue. This time the topic is gambling. Lucy is writing a feature story for the Pennysaver regarding this subject, and while doing research, she discovers that a large percentage of the town is purchasing lottery tickets as a way to win big. The economy has been tough for the residents of Tinker's Cove, and Lucy is shocked to discover that she was not aware of the gambling problems of many in her small town. Instead of bread and milk being the hottest sellers at the local convenience store, Lucy discovers instead that lottery tickets are the item of choice. And when one of the library board members is found to have a gambling addiction, Lucy is determined to find assistance for her town.

I have really enjoyed all of the books in the Lucy Stone series. Reading them in order, I have watched Lucy's children grow, and have also glimpsed a change in the relationship between herself and her husband, Bill. In previous books, Bill has been portrayed as a grouchy, demanding husband. However, in this book, he has been portrayed as much kinder and loving...a welcome change to the series. I look forward to reading more Lucy Stone mysteries for years to come!

The first book in the series is called "Mistletoe Murder". Enjoy!

In this fifth Lucy Stone mystery, small-town Maine mother of four and part-time newspaper reporter Lucy Stone has volunteered to be the newest member on the Tinker Cover Library board. Lucy begins to wonder what she's gotten herself into, though, when the town's librarian is found shot in the library's basement during the first library board meeting that Lucy attends. Lucy can't seem to keep her nose out of investigating the murder, though, and rapidly becomes engrossed in interviewing the other library board members, as they seemto be the most likely suspects. As Lucy investigates more deeply, she finds that most of the library board members are not quite what they seem. And when Lucy's family starts experiencing a string of mysterious "accidents", Lucy knows that she must be closing in on the murderer's identity.

The mystery was a good one, but I only gave this book four stars because Lucy continued to do a few things that really disturbed me throughout the book. One, she leaves her four-year old daughter Zoe strapped in her car seat in near-zero temperatures when she "dashes" into the library. Secondly, Lucy suggests sledding down the twisty road leading to their house to her children, a very dangerous activity that nearly gets two of the children hit by a truck. I've really enjoyed the stories in this series, but I'd like the heroine to use a little common sense, please.

I really enjoyed this book and all her others. Librarians generally don't gossip about their patrons though. Well the ones I know don't. I like how Lucy throws in some family time and time to clean and do other chores along with solving mysteries. Leslie Meier writes good.

A murder in the library? Lucy begins her service as a library board member by finding a body in the basement. Lucy finds herself investigating another murder because she has more than one mystery to solve. Something is not quite right in the library. I suspected many people of the murder until the real killer was revealed. This was an interesting quick read that will hold your interest. I look forward to more books by this author.

Interesting main character and terrific description of Maine. it is not a rushed sort of book, which means that one can get slightly Mainiac and into the way of living in a rather remote house with just a dog and an interest in fishing. Which means finding a lost young man in Bitch Creek suddenly wakes one up to pay attention to what happens from then on. Which is a lot!
Linda Sheean

Tapply has created a great new character for his readers: Stoney Calhoun.

As most fans probably read Robert Parker as well, I'd have to say I like Stoney Calhoun at least as much as Jesse Stone, if not more. It's great that Tapply and Parker have moved into new characters because like Spenser, Brady Coyne is/was getting too old for his exploits. Not that I'd like to see Brady Coyne novels stop entirely of course. This new series allows for much much more fishing than lawyer Coyne, and is set up in Maine with the main character being a fishing guide, no less. So Tapply is better able to draw on his fishing magazine career and the novel really genuinely creates a natural rural Maine environment.

Great relaxing mystery with a new mysterious main character. Good Stuff!

Reviewed by Ellen Hogan for Reader Views (7/06)

Stonewall Jackson Calhoun is a man without a past. He has no recollection of anything that happened in his life before he woke up in a Virginia Hospital. He was told things like where he was born and who his parents were and that he was divorced. But none of that told Stoney what kind of man he was and what he did to make a living. When Stoney left the hospital he was pulled to Maine, something told him that was the place for him to be. He had money in his pocket and more was deposited in an account for him every month, where the money came from he did not know. Stoney heads out to Maine and ends up in a little town called Dublin. He finds the perfect piece of land and decides to build a house on it. One day as he was working a young man came up and introduced himself as Lyle McMahan. Stoney hired him to help him build his house, when they were not working they were fishing. Lyle knew all kinds of good out of the way places. The two became very good friends. Around this time Stoney also met Kate Balaban. She owned a bait and
tackle shop and hired Stoney to work for her. They decided to also offer guided fishing trips, when Kate was looking for another guide Stoney told her about Lyle and she hired him.

Five years later Stoney was working in the shop when an older gentleman came in and wanted a fishing guide. Stoney did not care for him and called Lyle to come and take the man out. But, the next day Lyle had not shown up at home or his girlfriends and Stoney got worried. With a feeling of dread Stoney started investigating what happened to Lyle. After several days he found Lyle's body in a pond, he had drowned. There was no sign of the man he took fishing. Stoney decides it is his fault that Lyle is dead, since he should have taken the man instead. He throws himself into finding out the truth about what happened that day. During this time he gets the feeling that he must have been in law enforcement of some kind. Stoney questions many people and starts putting pieces of the puzzle together. With Kate's help they catch the men who killed Lyle and learn why they did it. Of course there is much more to the story but you will have to read the book to find out what.

Mr. Tapply did a great job with descriptions and dialogue, it is a book that does not want to be put down. It draws you into the story and you just have to keep going to find out what will happen next. Even though a lot of the book talks about fly fishing and different flies, it would still be interesting to anyone.

I really enjoyed this book very much and would look for more of Mr. Tapply's books. "Bitch Creek" is a laid back mystery that grabs you and won't let go.

There was only one thing that dropped my rating down a notch. It's clear this is the beginning of a new series, and the element that indicated that was the one thing I found more annoying than intriguing about this book. It felt too contrived. However, the basic plot of this book was good. I liked the characters, the dialogue, sense of place and all the elements that are important to me in a book. Will I read the next in the series? Perhaps, but a bit begrudgingly.

Previous reviewers have summarized the story. Regarding the book's strengths and weaknesses: for about 2/3 of the story I was fascinated and puzzled. The solution, however, does not hold up well when I look back over the book from the end. For one thing, given the solution, the killer acted very irrationally, which is never satisfying. In addition, I think the pacing of the story was off -- too many facts emerged in the last few pages, in an Agatha Christie-like, rabbit-out-of-a-hat manner. Many of these late-discovered facts should have been known to the characters sooner, and their ignorance makes the ending more strained.

Author Athol Dickson won a much coveted award for his 2006 release River Rising. Being aware of this it was with much anticipation that I awaited for his next release, The Cure.

Riley Keep is washed up. Once a successful husband, father, teacher, pastor and missionary he's made a mess of his life in each of those areas. As the story begins Riley is homeless and an alcoholic surviving on the streets in Florida. But word has come around that there's hope in Maine. A cure for alcoholism. Riley and his friend, also an alcoholic, head out for Maine in hopes of finding there salvation from the demon spirits.

As word has travels the local shelter and, indeed the whole town, are overrun with the homeless who seek shelter and hope. Along the way Riley Keep might just make a turn for the better in his spiraling downward life.

When folks speak of the works of Athol Dickson you're bound to hear words like "profound" and I couldn't agree more. Athol has a way of taking the most fallen of characters, making us care about them and follow them on their journey to redemption.

Here in The Cure, as always, the characters are vibrant and real. Flawed and yet courageous. And this author's prose sings without being overwhelmingly poetic. This is one of those rare stories and rare authors. Athol and his stories are able to touch you deeply with a message of hope in Christ in a way that few can.

Highly recommended! One of my Top 10 Novels of 2007.

When you pick up a book by Athol Dickson, you are welcomed into a personal art gallery. With a canvas that offers only words, the picture is painted, sometimes not so clearly. But sometimes in time, you finally see the big picture near the end. I started reading "The Cure" with some big expectations, and the big picture was always there. But it wasn't always what I was looking for.

You meet a rough looking bum in the beginning in the form of Riley Keep, and his buddy, Brice. You are welcomed, somewhat coldly, to Dublin, Maine. Like a lot of homeless people, Riley had a tendency to tip the bottle. Always longing for a drink. But Dublin has ghosts, and Riley is all too familiar with them. And he finds a people who desperately need help and healing, a plea he's known all so well. Once again, welcome to Dublin, Maine, home of Riley Keeps's past. He used to be known as Reverend Keep before he disappeared. What kind of hope can a man like Riley offer? He can't exactly work miracles, or can he? Why are people so convinced that he has a cure?

Like I said, Athol Dickson paints a picture. In the end, although the ending was quite satisfying, it wasn't easy to swallow. It was kind of like nasty medicine, the liquid kind where you have to count to three, and then choke it down with a big swig! I don't think that Athol Dickson intended for this to be all comfy and cozy. Not at all. This was a good read, as well as a reality check. There is no eliminating temptation. But there is a way to deal with it, and it can either be uplifting or destructive. And through it all, there is always the hope in Christ Jesus.

I like a good dose of strong medicine every now and then. I also like the way Athol Dickson writes a story. You'll see the big picture soon enough. Don't worry about that. Let the painter do the painting. I'll be looking for more big pictures from Dickson in the future!

Excellent read, very well written and thought out. This is not a book just about alcoholism but a book about love, patients, forgiveness, commitment and the human condition entwined with their reliance on a sovereign God. The story does however go very slowly for nearly half the book and the flash-backs to the jungles of Brazil are very confusing (but for a very good reason). Stick with it and you'll find a great story that you'll be glad you read. I did like "River Rising" better so if you haven't read it yet I highly suggest doing so after read "The Cure". In fact, order them both. And no, I don't work for Amazon or Athol Dickson. =)

1 Star = I've been robbed!
2 Stars = Why'd I finish it?
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

Dangers in the Amazon, urban riots with homes torched, and innocent persons locked in an auto's trunk bring adrenaline at just the right time in Athol Dickson's latest and best novel, The Cure. Snaking through these events is the chimera of guilt indwelling Riley Keep, college professor, missionary, and homeless, hopeless alcoholic. In coastal Maine, miracles, or maybe an exotic drug, are sometimes healing, sometimes damning, a smattering of alcoholics. What will happen when Riley makes his way there? In Dickson's novels, Christians are not always good, and death doesn't necessarily spare the decent. Real life and real issues are delivered to the reader. Both exciting and edifying, The Cure sometimes kept me awake at night. Pure enjoyment!

THE CURE by Athol Dickson
October 3, 2007

Rating: 5 Stars

THE CURE is one of the few times I have given out a 5 star rating. For me, giving out 5 stars doesn't mean that everyone will enjoy the book. It is an opinion that comes from one person. However, a 5 star book has to be well-written, have characters that work in the overall scheme of things, and that all other important parts of the story come together to make it a perfect book. With that said, it also is a matter of taste, and in this case, THE CURE was a book that I particularly enjoyed because I like to read about characters that are down on their luck. THE CURE is not an upbeat story, but it is one about redemption and forgiveness, about a man that is trying to make right something that had gone horrifically wrong in his past.

In THE CURE, Riley Keep is an alcoholic who at one time was a highly respected minister in this small town that he has returned to, after many years living in Florida, living the life of a street person. He returns to the town of Dublin, Maine because of a myth being told on the streets about a cure for alcoholism, and that it has been saving the lives of many. Riley returns to his old hometown with a friend, Brice, who is dying from the affects of alcoholism, and they are in desperate need to find the cure before it is too late.

When Riley thinks he's finally found the cure, given to him on a slip of paper and a bag of white powder while in the church he once preached in, he takes a taste and loses his appetite for alcohol instantly. However, the slip of paper warns that if he drinks alcohol again, his desire for it will increase more than ever.

There is a subplot involving a woman who takes care of the homeless. She has a secret that has led her to this town, and it is connected to Riley and his past spent on a mission in South America. She is somehow involved in the cure, and what she knows about it has endangered her life. She is hiding out in Dublin, but her time may be running out, since the news that Riley has the cure has now spread.

The book moves along at a fast pace when the woman disappears and is thought to be dead, and Riley is accused of murdering her. The men and women on the streets have learned that Riley has the cure. He wants this miracle wonder to be available to everyone and tries to make a deal with a pharmaceutical company who he thinks will be able to reproduce this product and allow rich and poor person alike to utilize it. What happens, however, changes the outcome of what Riley hopes to accomplish, and changes again the course of his life.

Riley is also dealing with his ex-wife Hope, who is now the mayor of the city, and their relationship forms another subplot. What happened between them again is related to the origin of the cure, and their story is told in flashbacks, where they were missionaries in South America.

I don't think THE CURE is everyone's cup of tea. It's not an upbeat happy-ending type of story, but I think the range of emotions that come from the characters that make up the story rings true. I found these characters to be true-to-life realistic persons, and while the actual "cure" is something that doesn't exist in today's world, the main theme of the book is not really about the cure for alcoholism but a need to right a wrong that was done decades ago. It's about a man consumed with guilt for something he thinks he's brought about in his past, and his whole future changes because of what he believes he's done. THE CURE deserves a 5 star rating and will most likely be on my list of favorite books read this year.

Contrary to the way the books are written, you should read Brian Kelly Route one first. It lays out the background for Maggie May's diary and makes this book more enjoyable. This book started out strong. I was so intriqued by the character of Maggie. Faced with a pregnancy at 15, she moved on and made a great life for herself. The love story is classic and will make anyone believe in true love. The one disappointment of this book was the ending. I feel like Coughlin was in a rush to finish the book and rushed the ending with a forced epilogue. I hope that Obscene Bliss carries on in the same fashion as Brian Kelly and Maggie May's Diary. A great love story to follow through to the end.

My family has vacationed in Wells for years. I picked this book up last summer and loved it. I am reading it for a second time now and loving it all over again. I would highly recomend it.

Thomas Coughlin is a outstanding auther. Take the journey to Brian Kelley route 1 and Maggie May's diary and you will be lost in a world you won't want to end.The first chapters grab you and there is no putting the book down.You will feel like your there in lowell, maine and all the places this book will take you. Thanks Thomas and please write some more.

I picked up Maggie May's Diary ... The storyline caught me quickly and was a pleasent and page turning read. Would highly recommend to everyone and have just ordered the companion book. Hope more books keep coming as the characters grow on you. Great Book !!!

I have never read any of Thomas E Couglin books,but when we were vacationing in York Maine, I saw in a book store, they had him listed as a local author,I have since read the book when I returned to florida,Mr Coughlin made you feel like you were part of Maggie Mays life,and his writeing is so efficient I actually could picture the different areas of Maine he was writeing about.
From the minute I purchased the book,I was so intrigued by it I couldnt put it down,trust me this book was worth every penny.I cant wait to read Route 1.
Thank-You :-)

With the purchase of this map, we've located successfully every lighthouse on land and a few from the water. This is our third copy as we've worn out our previous two copies. Can't wait to go and explore again! Great value, low cost, loads of memories!

This is an excellent map to use if you want to see the lighthouses of Maine! Good information, some great watercolor renderings of many of them. I didn't realize there were so many there to see! This combined with a Maine guidebook (some lighthouses are not accessible by land) would be a great addition to any trip.

This guide is a concise and fairly informative pamphlet for those travelling along the Maine coast. It is very inexpensive, and does not take up much space, but covers all the lighthouses one might run into along the coast.

This guide will surely come in handy, but as someone has already stated, real lighthouse pictures would have been better than illustrations.
Still, I wish I had had(?) one of these for directions to lighthouses in other trips we've made to New England. So many are really hard to find...especially for tourists!
It was "as advertised."
Thanks.

I actually expected a booklet. All you get is a single piece of paper folded like a map. The descriptions are OK, and it does point out locations accurately. But, I really expected more.

I discovered this series mid-series, but have gone back and read all the books now. This is definitely a fun series, a combination of murder, prints and history. Maggie is a very likeable and fun character with a lot of depth for a murder mystery. Definitely a series worth reading!

Recently widowed Maggie Summer is participating in the Rensselaer County Spring Antiques Fair. She owns Shadows Antiques.

There have been some deaths of antique dealers, so everyone is on edge. Security has been hightened for the show as well.

Many of the same dealers who were at the show where John Smithson died of a poisoning last week are at this show. The dealers make the identical circuit each year and seem to know each other well. But do they really?

On opening night there is another death. The show goes on, but Maggie spends almost as much time investigating as she does selling antiques. She is determined to help prove that her friend Gussie's nephew Ben, who has Down's syndrome, is not the killer. Hardest part is trying to prove who is. She can't believe any of these people that she knows could be a killer.

I really enjoy this series. Maggie is such an enjoyable character. The interspersing of information about antiques really moves the story. I found myself having trouble putting the book down. I'm not an antiques enthusiast, but the way she weaves the story and the antiques information together really makes it interesting.

I highly recommend this book and the whole series.



Please check out www.mysteryloverscorner.com

If you are looking for a refreshing cozy with interesting facts, Shadows at the Fair is for you. The mystery was not hard to figure out but I did enjoy getting there. I fully intend to read the other books in this series simply because they are enjoyable to read.

I've waited too long to start this series by Lea Wait - featuring a part-time antique print seller and college professor Maggie Summer. Maggie travels to antique shows all around the north-eastern area of the US in between teaching semesters. When one of Maggie's fellow antique dealers dies at their latest show, Maggie struggles to prove the innocence of a friend, and herself, as well. Subtly romance is blooming for Maggie with Will Brewer, but Maggie gets distracted when another dealer dies - and she wonders, could Will be the killer? With only a weekend to solve the mystery, Maggie manages well to close the case before everyone departs for their next show. I've enjoyed the storylines, and am envious of the northern fare. I've learned bits & pieces about prints, and regret some of the book donations I've made!

The first in the Anique Print Mystery is an exciting beginning. Maggie Summers, recently widowed, is back selling her antique prints at the Rensselaer County Antique Fair. (Initially that's why I bought the book, because of the name of the county and the name of my town. Am I ever glad I did.) Maggie is happy to be back selling her wares to take her mind off her husband's recent death and discovery of his philandering. But soon a murder of an antique dealer and then his wife, has her searching for clues to clear a friend's nephew and to find the true murderer. The inside look at the antique fair business is interesting. Those who watch the Antique Roadshow may find this of interest.

This is the first of Ms Hall's books I have read - don't know how I missed them for so long as I am an avid mystery reader! It will definitely NOT be my last! It kept you questioning all through the book with many surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am on here looking for more of her books.

As all the other fiction titles by this author, I truly enjoyed Steal Away. Teri Blake-Addison, the sleuth of this new series, is not annoying and pretentious like many mystery sleuths, however, she is not as well developed as she could be. I imagine that will happen slowly in the next installments. The story of Steal Away, the missing wife and strange, often endearing characters Ms. Blake-Addison encounters while seeking her answers, make for an interesting book that's hard to put down.

An attractive, well-thought-of minister's wife in Philadelphia, a woman who grew up on the water, is missing. Her sailboat, with two close friends aboard has gone unreported. Now her widower, Dr. Carl Houseman, wants some answers. He turns to private investigator Terri Blake-Addison, a scrappy woman who pulls few punches and has a clear understanding of her limitations. No superwoman here, just real folks.

There is a problem. Terri is locked in a distracting process with members of her church because she wants to teach Sunday school and there are apparently some who object. Other problems occur. Dr. Houseman is the head of a vast and growing media ministry that's finally worth a whole lot of money. And, the case is already old; his wife died five years ago.

Blake-Addison takes the assignment and follows the trail to a remote Maine village where Ellen grew up and where she apparently died. The more the investigator probes and peels back old and new secrets, the more complex becomes the picture. Author Hall has done a first rate job of balancing two interesting threads and keeping the reader aware of their intersections. Why did Ellen Houseman become unhappy in her role in the Houseman Empire? How much antipathy and jealousy were present in the second rank of executives? How did the secret relationships among residents and visitors in the tiny Maine village affect Ellen and her friends? What really happened to Ellen Houseman?

The exploration of religious empire building and the very human intercepts played out against the tiny but important individual crises and triumphs in Maine is enthralling and constantly interesting. Hall has done a fine job with this book.

I don't usually like Christian fiction because it's often poorly written and the characters are shallow. A friend lent me this book, and frankly, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up until the early hours of the morning reading it. The story is believable and engaging, the characters have depth and are complicated like people in real life, and the religious aspects of the story are very natural--not simply tacked on. The implied criticism of the judgementalism of some Christians is also well done. I'm ordering the next book in the series and hope Linda Hall will write more soon! Thanks for a good read!

This was a great mystery. The author did a great job in presenting a mystery with so many questions to be answered. What happened to Ellen? Was she alive? Who was the mysterious Garda and her daughter. Why was Ellen so unhappy? And mixed in with the main story was Teri, the PI who was trying to solve the mystery for Ellen's husband Carl. She is struggling to fit in with the church, as well as struggling with the ghost of her husband, Jack's 1st wife.

The book not only presented a great mystery of betrayal and deception, but demonstrated the theme of grace and forgiveness. The book showed that no matter how far you stray from God, forgiveness is always there, no matter how "big" the sin is.

I do think that some things were rushed towards the end. What happened to Jimmy Jarvis? There was some speculation, but nothing was really resolved. Maybe that is just one of those things that will leave the readers guessing. Also, what happened to Audrey towards the end?

I would have liked to see the marriage between Teri and Jack explored more. I know that Teri felt that she was competing with the ghost of Jack's first wife. Maybe this will be explored in future books in the series.

Again, a great mystery book! I look forward to reading Chat Room.

Aside from the third of this book that was really about lobstering and its lifestyle, I found this book terribly boring.

The last quarter of the book was entertaining (the whale) but when the author has several great climaxes he does nothing with them (she just threw it overboard?) and the ending, in my opinion, is the epitome of a bad ending. It was completely anti-climactic and by this point in the book I really didn't care about imaging what was, or could have been, for Lucky Lunt.

I don't write many recommendations but had to contribute one after seeing that just about everyone who reviewed this book gave it a 5-star rating. I'd love to be able to recommend a better "lobstering book" but I haven't found any others yet. Unless you're hell bent on learning some lobstering lingo and getting a vague idea of the life of a lobsterman, I'd suggest skipping this book.

Outstanding! A good friend of mine who owns and operates a commercial fishing supply store on Cape Cod gave me a copy of this book. Bravo Mr. Carpenter! You did your homework. (Not too hard when you live among these finest-kind of fishermen). A very entertaining and humorous account of a Maine lobsterman and the sometimes tumultuous life that goes along for the ride. A very good read. I recommend it highly!

This wonderful novel has none of the mushy psuedo literarism of the Oprah novel age. At times it reminded me of Ken Kesey and J.D. Salinger. Well written and intelligent. A must read.

Vivid, irressistible characters and a climax worthy of Melville.
Rarely have characters so clearly represented working-class America and the struggle for survival in our lower income classes. Not to mention, it's a hoot. I laughed out loud too many times to count.
Read this book. You'll never forget it or regret it.

As a coastal Mainer I can comfortably say that the characters Mr. Carpenter depicts seem reasonable, if not somewhat under-represented. Of course, this is simply the framework of a larger message. True to what the reader's guide later mentions, this author lures the reader into a supposedly humorous story, and then pulls the rug out from underneat. This book is not a comedy. In this respect, it reminded me of "A Fine Balance," in that it got worse and worse. Forget about allusions to Moby Dick, or anything else -- this novel is original. It is hoped that in the end, the reader will sympathize with the main character, appreciating his raw and enviable humanity. While rough around the edges, and mostly to the core, Lucky Lunt will be there when you need him. I could not put this book down.

I don't know what it is about this book. I fell in love with it the very first time I read it, at least 20 years ago. I've borrowed it from my library at least once a year ever since, and finally got enough sense to buy my own copy. It haunts you, and the more often you read it, the more details you notice. It's one of the few books I return to over and over.

I WILL READ THE BOOK OF "THE CRYING CHILD" AFTER I WATCHED THE MOVIE OF THE SAME TITLE. IT WAS THE GOOD AND SAD MOVIE!!!

I found this to be a very chilling tale. I couldn't put this book down and I look forward to reading other titles by Mrs. Michaels. The suspense is amazing as you find there are more than plenty of suspects, but that you never suspected the actual evil doer.

A genuine ghost story which made for an entertaining read. Often Michaels opts for a more logical conclusion leaving the supernatural events to be explained by a nefarious slight of hand by one of the characters. In this book the ending is as gothic as the house in which the story takes place.

I'll have to admit out of all Barbara Micheals' books that I have read so this one is the most chilling/scary one I have ever read. When you start reading it. It seems a bit slow at first but gets better because you can almost feel that erie coldness and chill down your spine. It a while to walk off the feeling of uneasiness after reading the book even after I read a second time. I recommend this book to all fans of Barbara Micheals and those that love books that send chills to your bones.