Maine Books

In this second installment of the Lucy Stone Mystery series, Lucy is running on empty. Being 6 months pregnant with her fourth child, Lucy has too much to do and almost no time to do it. In between getting ready for a ballet recital, the upcoming birth of her child, and fitting in endless amounts of activities for her children has her exhausted. She barely has time to cook, and when she does, husband Bill complains about the limited menu of burgers or fish sticks. But nothing prepares Lucy for two seemingly unrelated events that shake the small town of Tinker Cove. First, a highly respected dance instructor goes missing. Normally, Caro is punctual to a fault, and highly organized. One day, she takes a long walk with her dog and disappears. Did the elderly lady get confused and wander off, or did something horrible happen to her?

While the town is busy organizing search parties, a murder occurs. A tightfisted shopkeeper is murdered, and one of his valuable employees is accused of the crime. When the employee's past comes back to haunt her, it looks like the prosecution's case is neatly tied up. But Lucy does not believe that her friend is guilty. She works both cases at once, and discovers a deep, dark secret that several people in town are willing to do anything to keep.

This was a bit darker than many cozy mysteries that I have read in the past. The book deals with the subject of sexual abuse...both of adults, and of very young girls. I was shocked, and wasn't quite expecting some of the things that happened in this "cozy". Probably not a good read for young people...

I also found myself a little annoyed with Lucy's husband. I was a little surprised that he drank a beer before coaching Little League, and griped at Lucy for making hamburgers one night, and fish sticks another. (He wanted mashed potatoes and gravy, with meatloaf). I hope his character becomes a little less needy and whiney in future installments.

I do however, really enjoy this series. Lucy is a believable character. She is like many mothers...overworked and underappreciated. She seems very real, and the problems that she faces with her family are issues that many moms face each day. Other than the tough subject of sexual abuse that was tackled in this book, and her complaining husband, I really enjoyed this book.

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

I absolutely loved this book! I love Lucy and her cozy family. I love Tinkers Cove, Maine. I love all the characters.

Lucy is very realistic, and someone I can definitely relate to. In this book, she has 3 children and expecting the 4th. She is a good mother and wife, has a busy schedule, and crams a lot into her days. Her son goes to baseball practice; her 2 daughters go to ballet practice. She doesn't miss the kids' awards ceremonies. She is an active mother that is involved in her kids' lives. I love and adore her so much!

And in addition to the cozy family atmosphere, I absolutely loved the mystery/plot/story line, which was very clever. One resident is missing; one resident is murdered. Are the two occurances related or just a coincidence? This author is a winner.

I love Lucy and her family and Tinkers Cove so much, I am reading all of the books, in order, except for having read the Halloween one first. That was because it was Halloween, and I was looking for a Halloween book to read and I saw "Trick or Treat Murder" on the book shelf in the mystery section. I am so grateful that I bought it. This is absolutely the best mystery series I have ever read.

Loved this book for how easy it was to throw it in the diaper bag and pick it up to read when I had a few moments! Long enough to develop characters well, but short enough for us busy Moms to read through the whole thing in less than a week (in between basketball practice and diaper changes). Thanks to Leslie Meier for providing a really fun mystery that was actually full of suspense to the end. A couple of times I thought I had it figured out, only to find later there may be yet another answer out there! Great Book!

This was my first Lucy Stone novel. I became interested in this series after I read a short story about the character in Candy Cane Murder. This book was very good. I enjoyed every page. It had a lot if surprises in the plot.
Lucy is a typical mom taking the kids to school and other activities. She is one of the last people to see her neighbor before she disappeared without a trace. Twists and turns in the plot take you down unexpected roads.
I think most readers would love this book. I look forward to more in this series.

A summer afternoon is the perfect time for enjoying the exploits of Tinker's Cove murder meddling sleuth Lucy Stone, and I recently decided to catch up with three such mysteries that have been sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read. So along with a blanket and some refreshments I took the first (The Tippy Toe Murder) to Forest Park, the legendary birthplace of the hot dog, the ice cream cone and iced tea at the 1904 Saint Louis World's Fair.

Settling under a very shady tree, I opened the book to discover that the annual ballet recital of the Tinker's Cove Academy of the Dance had been scheduled for June 18. But before that can take place Caroline Hutton, the retire ballet instructor disappears. Naturally Elizabeth and Sara, Lucy's daughters, are going to dance in the recital and Lucy is planning to videotape their rehearsal. Unfortunately, it seems that the Stone video camera is the only one in Tinker's Cove and Lucy is forever loaning it to someone. This time she has loaned it to Franny Small, and when Lucy goes to pick it up she discovers that it has been used to bash in the head of the town curmudgeon Morrill Stack.

Now with a missing woman and a murder, there's no way to keep Lucy from getting involved even though she is pregnant with her fourth child. As usual she is convinced the police have arrested the wrong person in the murder and she is determined to not only identify the murderer but also locate the missing woman both of which could have dire results for her. But when did that ever stop Lucy Stone?

Unfortunately in this book, the domestic violence/child abuse theme that runs through it gets in the way of the plot at times. Surely not every husband and wife in Tinker's Cove are abusing one another. And while Lucy's husband Bill has always been a bit of a dolt and Maine's answer to the King of Siam, for Lucy to imagine him as a wife beater is a little heavy handed. Other than that, this book is a perfect summer reading adventure in the park or wherever you want to a lazy day.

This is the first book in the 5-volume Calhoun series, and it is the best of the lot by a rather wide margin. It should also be read first, but I read it after the other four books.

The writing here is more focused, tighter. There is no lurid bedroom distraction--the first Nora Roberts book I've read without one. Somehow it works better that way. The plot works nicely. C.C. Calhoun is a shapely if rather oily auto mechanic heroine, and Trent St. James is a thirtyish businessman, bent upon buying the sisters' castle and turning it into a luxurious hotel. The conflict of personalities and life aims is certainly there and keeps the book moving.

But once again, what makes most Nora Roberts books worth reading is her ability to create a place and take the reader there. This time it is a century old stone castle overlooking the ocean in Bar Harbor, Maine.

The characters and dialogue are OK, like the plot. It is Bar Harbor and the castle that kept me reading and interested me.

The four Calhoun sisters and their Aunt Coco live in The Towers, their crumbling old family mansion. They have jobs, and they've been selling things off a little at a time to make ends meet, but it's just not working, and they've finally decided to consider selling.

Enter Trent--Trenton St. James III, of the hotel St. Jameses, visiting with an eye toward adding the Towers to the family's hotel chain at the behest of Aunt Coco, who's "forgotten" to tell her nieces he's coming. He meets CC, the youngest sister, who's an auto mechanic, and they immediately start annoying each other, much to Aunt Coco's delight.

The first time I read this, I thought it was fun, and clever. This time, it didn't seem very realistic to me. Not that it's unrealistic for a woman to be a mechanic, but it didn't seem that Nora was as thorough with it as she usually is. Generally when a main character has a specific job in one of Nora's books, you come away half-believing that Nora's done that job herself, and that didn't happen here. Maybe it's just because it's an earlier Silhouette.

CC starts off the book angry with Trent for buying their home. Ridiculous--he's not forcing them to sell, nor is he trying to cheat them--but it's understandable. But it's not just that--it seems everything about him annoys her. So I really didn't get it when she told him she loved him so soon. It was like she went from despising him to loving him without any ah-ha! moment in between. I think that's what I was missing, was that moment when she realizes it herself.

I did enjoy the scene at the dinner table when Aunt Coco was trying to figure out which of her nieces should be paired up with Trent. It was one of the brighter, more humorous parts of the story.

So the romance itself was iffy, but then there were the flashbacks. See, an ancestor had a miserable marriage, a love affair with a painter, hid a priceless emerald necklace, and committed suicide. And there are periodic flashbacks to Bianca's story throughout the book.

I didn't see any reason at all for those flashbacks. Bianca's story didn't relate in any way to the current story, other than to show the necklace, and I think that part of the story was better told in the seance and visions, etc. As for Bianca's story itself--it was depressing and pitiful. Maybe if I found Romeo and Juliet romantic rather than stupidly tragic, I'd have enjoyed that part more, but I doubt it--even if Bianca's story had been a happy one, it still had no purpose.

COURTING CATHERINE is the beginning of a series revolving around the Calhoun women. This story tells of a strong female (Catherine or CC) who would rather work in her auto repair business than worry about attracting men. She's happy with her life, herself and wouldn't change much. If only we all could have the amount of self-esteem that CC has!

The exception to her happy life is the fact that she's being forced to sell her family home to a hotel conglomerate. And then there is always the fact that she and her family are unable to find the truth about a story of missing emeralds whose legend has spanned many generations. Is the story true and are the emeralds real, or is it a tall tale handed down from generation to generation?

Trenton St. James III is the owner of the company buying the Calhoun mansion (with a name like that, you know he has to be wealthy). He goes to the coast of Maine to arrange the final details. A spit and polished business man attracted to a pretty grease monkey -- sounds far-fetched but Nora Roberts pulls it off as only she can. COURTING CATHERINE will have you cheering for CC's spunk and understanding how Trent can fall hopelessly in love with her.

This romance goes well, but the future of the emeralds must wait until another book in the series. COURTING CATHERINE doesn't have much in the way of cerebral exercises, but will definitely have you smiling and saying, "Ah...".

I loved listening to this audio book recording of Nora Robert's Courting Catherine, it is about a young lady named Catherine Calhoun who is called C.C. by everyone, she is a mechanic and meets a wealthy guy named Trenton St. James when he comes into her garage, it is a great story and as some spooky moments while they are looking for the lost necklace in the spooky old mansion and talk about the ghost and there is also a sinister villain who is up to no good! This audio book is a keeper!

Courting Catherine is a title from a series The Calhoun Women which was first published in 1990 and has recently been reissued. Once again it is similar to Nora Roberts' other romance books from series but still worth the journey and destination.

An eligible bachelor is invited by an aunt to possibly buy the home of her four nieces. Her nieces parents died years before in a plane crash and now the white elephant of a home is slowly becoming a burden none of them can afford. Aunt Coco has invited Trent St. James to the house for a few days. He is interested in possibly acquiring the property and house for his conglomerate, but Aunt Coco also has another type of merger in mind with four eligible nieces. What Trent and one of the sisters, Catherine doesn't expect though is to fall in love.

There is also a mystery angle to this book as the sisters and Trent try to find an unbelievable and legendary emerald necklace given to their great grandmother by their great grandfather. And as an added element to the book is a glimpse into the life and love of their great grandmother Bianca.

Like most of Ms. Roberts romance books, I did enjoy Courting Catherine and look forward to reading the other four titles from this series.

Too over the top unbelievable for a book that was not meant to be. How can we truly believe that Thea would be allowed to go "undercover", find out so much so fast, and then return to "work" after her medical problem - just to name a few of the most ridiculous plot points?

I first read Kate Flora's books a few years ago when they were recommended at my local book store. I missed her first couple of books -- they are hard to get-- but I have read the rest of them. I loved Death by Paradise--it was much better than her previous books. I was very glad to see that she had a new book out. I loved it! Thea, the main character, is great. I love strong female main characters--Kinsey Milhone, Stephanie Plum--and Thea! If you haven't read Thea before--jump right in. I'm glad she's back, and I hope Kate doesn't take so long in between Thea's next adventure!

Pregnant Thea Kozak stands at the altar waiting for the arrival of the groom, her beloved State Trooper Andre Lemieux, to exchange I do. However, instead of her beau, Thea learns that a domestic terrorist cell the Katahdin Constitutional Militia has kidnapped her future spouse. The group demands a trade for an incarcerated member, Jed Harding, who went berserk when the VA rejected his medical claim for his ailing son.

Though Andre's boss and peers prefer Thea stay out of the mess, she has dealt with murder and death before so she insists on participating in the rescue. Andre's supervisor Jack Leonard provides Thea with the cover of a battered runaway spouse Dora McCusick. Thea travels to Merchantville, Maine where she obtains employment as a waitress at Mother Theresa's restaurant. As Thea does what she is not supposed to do (investigate) she begins to learn why Jed prefers jail than the militia as paranoia runs rampant in this part of Maine.

Thea is a powerful lead protagonist who propels the story line forward with her unwelcome involvement yet ironically her soliloquies disrupt the action. Fans of the series will appreciate the lead character that just cannot sit idly by and take notes. Newcomers will need to adjust to this feisty in your face female especially when she provides asides. If given the chance, the tyro will soon gain new fans, as LIBERTY OR DEATH is a fabulous amateur sleuth-police procedural combo that highlights Kate Flora's abilities to entertain the troops.

Harriet Klausner

Thea Kozac just keeps getting better. This is a well written, evenly paced story that brings a new dimension to the story of Thea and her Andre. In the hands of a most skillful author, readers will laugh, cry, despair, and rejoice right along with the characters. Some of the other reviewers have revealed the basic plot. All I will add is DO NOT START this book late at night or you will get absolutely no sleep. It is impossible to put this book down until the end.

Thea Kozak is in her wedding dress and about to walk down the aisle when she gets the news. Her fiance and the father of her unborn baby, Maine State Trooper Andre Lemieux, has been kidnapped by the Katahdin Constitutional Militia. This terrorist, anti-government organization wants to exchange him for one of theirs, a Jed Harding sitting in jail. Thea, knowing she'll never be able to simply watch the investigation from the sidelines, convinces the State Police to let her go undercover as a waitress in Merchantville -- the little northern town now turned hotbed for militia activity -- and see what her ears pick up. But, being Thea, it isn't long before she's not just listening but also doing and has gotten herself in as much trouble as her beloved.

LIBERTY OR DEATH, the sixth book in Kate Flora's series about the educational consultant often turned PI, Thea Kozak, has been a long time coming. And it's a bittersweet experience. Since Flora has always done an excellent job of characterizing a Maine State Trooper, I was disappointed to discover Andre hardly appears in this sequel at all. I understand the plot didn't need him (present, anyway), but I still missed him. Thea herself has toned down some. She's still sassy and in-your-face, but losing her rock seems to have made her more mature (though still willing to throw herself at danger on every other page). The description of the unofficial militia movement is accurate and timely; so is the portrayal of a small Maine town in which everybody's news is everybody else's. Flora tends toward long winded accounts of every thought going through Thea's head, but at least some of the thoughts in this book (contrary to previous enstallments) haven't already been described several times over. And while her writing style never sings, it grows more solid with each attempt. I do have a major complaint with the plot -- the Maine State Police allowing the civilian fiance of one of their Troopers to go undercover? But it does make for good fiction and I certainly enjoyed this latest addition to the Kozak world.

Thea may at times remind the reader of an oversized Nancy Drew, but in LIBERTY OR DEATH she is strong enough to make you both laugh and cry. And want more.

Although I enjoyed most of the book, I would have liked to see a little more research.
Molly seemed genuinely shocked that she had toxemia. This is something that is talked about to all moms to be. The swelling she had would have been on the list of symptoms to watch for. Now, I am sure there will be some women out there that will comment and say, they didn't know about it and not all doctors talk about. Most do. And if yours didn't, you need a new doctor. Also having a baby that weights "almost 5 pounds" a couple of weeks past 34 weeks along is pretty small. Smaller than a baby most likely would be. (Mine was born at 31 weeks and weighed almost 5 pounds.)

Ms Meier might also be surprised to know that the Catholic church does not approve of birth control pills, regardless of what she thinks "most Catholics" do. Calling the Pope some "silly old man in Rome" seemed a little harsh, considering that she has already shown that she doesn't know the teachings of the Catholic church.
And although it has nothing to do with research, it is hard not to comment on the characters hating Moira throughout the book, then loving her. Who does that? She was a vicious witch throughout the book. But by the end they were toasting her with Irish drink.

This book started out strong but once again the ending disappoints. I don't want to give anything away but I thought the ending was ridiculous. Moira and her hubby (forgot his name already) were not likeable and all of a sudden everyone likes them? The reader won't! And come on, the petrified brain? I mean, really! I also thought when Lucy comfronts the killer was too similar to the ending of Trick or Treat Murder. As a cozy mystery I still enjoy this series but Ms. Meier come on, I know you can do better!!!PLEASE.

This installment in the Lucy Stone series is the best one yet. It is obvious the author did a lot of research on the Celts and Irish culture. Set around the St. Patrick's Day holiday, the author gives us that inside look into modern family life and issues that we all face daily. The book hold your interest while Lucy solves yet another murder. Lucy seems more together and polished in this book. She pays attention to detail and sees things the police do not see. This not only helps her solve the murder but helps her save a life. I am already looking forward to the next novel by Leslie Meier. Well done!

Old Dan was a popular bartender at his Irish bar where he conned and connived people into lending him things to keep the derelict play going. He'd sought financial help from his actor brother, Dylan, of the Dublin scene. But when he turned up dead on Saint Patrick's Day there in Maine, the unexpected appearance by Dylan who'd come there to direct the play, "Finian's Rainbow", for the local Catholic church's annual celebration. As the story develops, we learn that they are relatives to two diverse brothers who felt cheated by their father. Dylan attempted to turn Old Dan's bar into an upscale restaurant/pub like those on Gay Street. Lucy Stone investigated the background of the Malone brothers for her article in the Pennysaver newspaper. We all know how the Irish are noted for their penny-pitching and temper when mad.

Leslie Meier's 13th has a surprise ending. This one taking place when it did as all of them are portrayed around a holiday like Valentine's Day, Halloween, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day -- plua birthday, wedding and back-to-school. With the shamrock's allure and the Irish music abounding in the play, good luck galore for everyone in the misty moonlight. Even Lucy learns that she will soon be a grandmother, like the villagers of Brigadoon learned to live again. I'm sure Lettie Lane was Irish and would have loved Old Dan. She did love life. Discovering who killed Dan and tried the same on Dylan is intriging and Lucy's involvement was dangerous but exciting.

I loved the book but I read the Candy Cane Murder which was had a story story with Lucy Stone before reading this book since that this the order they came out...........but story line wise read this book first and then the Candy Cane Murder it takes place Christmas after this St. Patrick Day but regardless it was as fun to read as all her books.

I guess having my picture in this book makes me biased. Regardless of the authors' backgrounds, this book captures many of the truly unique stories on the AT and covers topics normally not found in other thru-hiking books. The pictures alone are worth the price of the book.

I read several of the individual newspaper articles originally written by these journalists and was hooked on the story. When I bought the book I was not disappointed. The photography is marvelous and I love the anthology of the different writers. Each journalist and photographer brought their own perspective and "eye" to the project. I definitely recommend this one, but not necessarily as a preparation to hike the AT. It does a better job convincing you that you want to make the hike.

Bryson does it again. First, the hilarious "The Lost Continent" and now this. Both books cater to those of us with wanderlust. This guy is great and funny. The Katz character cracked me up, especially the whole deal with Mary Ellen. I busted a gut - and wanted to take off on the trail at the same time (I hike a lot). Required reading for anyone I (anyway) know.

I especially found the full page picture (near the beginning of the book) of the three little Chandler girls catching frogs to be very inspirational. If little ones like that can be out there hiking the trail, I sure can get out there and do some! Very nice "coffee table" type book to own.

While working on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, I had the misfortune of running into this group (or at least part of it). They hiked the AT with purely commercial interests. They were a miserable lot. Overall, the book doesn't say much that hasn't been said already in countless other publications. Just go hike the trail and be happy.

"Lively Lady," delivers plenty of the sinewy narrative and strong character development that typify Kenneth Roberts' previous novels, "Arundel" and "Rabble in Arms." But it differs from its predecessors in its compactness. It is like a string quartet compared to those more orchestral works, producing a sound and feeling that is just as powerful if not as loud or lengthy.

Set during the War of 1812, most of the action takes place aboard ship or inside the walls of the infamous Dartmoor Prison. In such close quarters, the narrator's psyche tends to loom large.

The result is a compact novel that, despite its size, really packs a punch. I recommend it.

This book starts off in Arundel where Captain Mason falls for a young girl maried to a older cold husband. The young captain Mason enters the Revolutionry war but is captured and put in Dartmoor prison. After a sucessfull escape he is caught with the young girl by her husband. He sends the man back to Captain Nason back to jail and has his own wife arrested. Captain Nasoon survives a massacre in Dartmoor prison but is realeased and is reunited with the youg girl.

I did not like this book. Not that the book was bad but I do not believe it was good. I'm writing a report on the book and I will try to post it on the internet so I can spare anybody the waste of time in reading this book.

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Lively Lady's protagonist is the son of two of the main characters in the earlier Arundel books: Arundel and Rabble at Arms. While not as epic as either of its precursors, Lively Lady illuminates a little-known episode of this country's history, when our war against Britain in 1812 (in effect a side-action of the Napoleonic Wars) was conducted at sea largely by private vessels licensed by our fledgling government to attack, capture, and destroy Britain's ocean-going commerce.

Roberts can come across as a bit stodgy and old-fashioned--and certainly not "politically correct"--to modern readers, but if you make allowances for his writing reflecting his times, you'll be richly rewarded with fascinating details and great storytelling.

Don't take me wrong: "The Lively Lady" is a darn good read. I've read enough of Roberts now to know his basic formula: take a stock love story (boy sees girl, circumstances come between boy and girl, circumstances clear up by end of book and boy gets girl), interwine it with gripping battle narratives, and inject oodles and oodles of history into the narrative. Roberts is a good enough writer to always get mileage out of these basic ingredients.

They're all here in "The Lively Lady," but never jell as well as they did in the earlier novels I mentioned. I think Roberts was running out of steam by the time he came to write this, the third installment in his "Chronicles of Arundel" series. This time out, Roberts' narrative pace is in hyperdrive. The book has a third as many pages as either of the first two books, and it shows: "The Lively Lady" reads like a Reader's Digest version of "Rabble in Arms." Characters are described rapidly, without really being developed: the character of King Dick appears all at once as the acknowledged "King" of Dartmour Prison. But how white prisoners in 1814 would have come to accept a black - even a physically powerful and intelligent one like King Dick - as a leader is never really explained, as though racism and slavery didn't exist. Even the history Roberts typically teaches is shortchanged: precious little is said of the reasons for the War of 1812, and the lasting effects of that conflict - a new sense of American nationalism - is explored in a mere paragraph or two. That is in sharp contrast to Robert's superior (and far longer) novel, "Oliver Wiswell," which reads at times almost like a history lecture on the Loyalist viewpoint during the American Revolution.

The love story suffers likewise; we are simply told that Emily falls in love with Richard Nason almost at first glance... but never learn why she is attracted to him, save for a bad marriage.
The relationship seems a bit too obviously contrived for the sake of the narrative.

Still, I have read reviews of "Oliver Wiswell" on Amazon complaining the book is too long and boring; if you want "Roberts Lite" in a condensed version: "The Lively Lady" is it. It's probably the Roberts book of choice who want to enjoy a Roberts book without investing the time to read his better, longer work. I do think anyone who likes Roberts should read this book - you'll enjoy it, but don't expect the same sense of satisfaction you had reading "Arundel" or "Rabble in Arms" if you love history.

This novel, first published in 1931, has gone through many editions. It is written in the style of the period, e.g., Errol Flynn type stories. It goes into excessive detail at some points which can make the story drag a bit. In some ways, it reflects a Thomas Hardy type writing style. It is a narrative style as told by the main character. Some parts of the action were borrowed by later writers.

The setting is March 1812 to April 1815. Merchant captain Richard Nason is trading with the British, carrying supplies to the British Army in Spain, and is generally opposed to the war, when he is pressed aboard a British Royal Navy sloop. His attitude changes and (after escaping) he takes a privateer to sea in July 1812 after war is formally declared. Details of sail handling and such are held to a minimum, and much of the story takes place on land. He becomes enamored with the young wife of an older English landowner, Sir Arthur Ransome, first meeting her before the war, then again aboard a ship he captures.

After various adventures he is captured and imprisoned at Dartmoor along with his crew. A major part of the novel is concerned with Dartmoor prison commanded by the evil Royal Navy Captain Shortland. The prison was par for the course for that time period. Similar conditions were found in both Union and Confederate prisons during the American Civil War 50 years later. Deaths from disease were common in active Army and Navy forces, usually higher numbers than battle deaths, and deaths in prisons were undoubtedly higher (smallpox, typhus, etc.). The novel describes the deliberate massacre of American POWs three months after the war ended.

Captain Nason, of course, survives (narrators usually survive), meets the woman again, etc.

Good book and the descriptions are accurate.
If you haven't been to Acadia, this is a good book to get.
Acadia National Park is very big and has a lot of different areas with many options, so this book really helps you make informed decisions.

My wife and I just got back from Acadia. It was amazing. However, this book was useless for planning hikes. It has less information than what you can get from the park hand-out you get. We stayed at the Atlantean B&B and they had a book with a man and his 3 dogs on the front. It was excellent. I did not get the name/ISBM, sorry.

However, we really enjoyed the extended Bubbles, Beehive and Goram (sp?) hikes. The beauty of this area rivals the Rocky Mts.

This guide is a scaled-down version of the longer "Hiking Acadia National Park" by the same authors. Included in this guide are 21 day hikes within the national park boundaries, some of which follow along the coast while others go to the more accessible mountains. Each hike contains directions to the trailhead, an adequate though not particularly detailed map, and a brief but adequate description of the hike. Length ranges from 0.5 mile to 5.8 miles, with the average falling at around 2 miles.

There are a couple of things you should know before purchasing this guide. The book is only 84 pages long and only measures 6" by 4". This small size makes the book easy to carry, but at a cost. Specifically, only hikes on Mount Desert Island are included in this guide, with the rest being left on the cutting room floor from the larger version. So, if you are only planning a few days vacation to Acadia (like I did), this book will probably fit the bill. If you want a more comprehensive guide to Acadia hiking, you will want to look elsewhere.

Second, the term "easy" in the title is relative. True, there are no multi-day backpack journeys described here, and the handhold rock climbs do not appear in this guide, but not everyone in even decent health will be able to hike all of these trails. For example, as an experienced day-hiker with average conditioning, I could have hiked any trail in this guide. However, my 60-something mother would have struggled on many of these trails even though she has no major health problems. My point is simply that not all of these trails are easy strolls on a level path, and I think you should know that before buying this guide. You may still need to choose a trail for your ability, and given the guide's size, your choices are somewhat limited.

In summary, I gave this guide a good rating because I felt that it accomplished what the authors intended, namely a compact guide designed for short-term park visitors. However, depending on what kind of trip you are planning, this guide may not be for you, as I described above. So I recommend that you decide what kind of Acadia visit you desire and then use this review and others to choose the guide that will help you the most.

For a party with kids, this book is just what we needed. The descriptions and difficulty ratings were right on. The directions to the trail heads were very clear (unlike in many hiking guides). Perhaps the best thing about it was the size. The book fit easily into my back pocket. No taking off my backpack everytime I wanted to check the map!

I found this book to be very helpful in planning my vacation in Acadia. I have 2 boys aged 5 and 13 and needed hikes that were doable for the youngest one. He turned out to be the best hiker of us all! This book gave me a good sense of what the trails would be like. We only did easy and moderate and one strenuous one (South Bubble Trail). You will need to buy a more detailed map (like from the AMC) but the trails are well marked. I liked the section on the authors' favorite hikes. We did most of our hikes from their recommends. Don't miss the Wonderland and Great Head trails if you go! Happy hiking.

I also liked that this book has a strong relationship between Maddie and her father and Maddie and her aunt. Actually, my favorite character was the middle-aged Aunt Margaret, a person totally comfortable with who she is. I enjoyed Patrick and Maddie's discussion in Chapter 10 about the importance of men and women finding a profession they love--and if that passion is teaching an appreciation of history, so much the better! The French Creole and Irish phrases scattered through, plus quaint terms of yesteryear such as "mitten money" added greatly to the book.

I enjoyed Finding Fiona as it combined a historical fiction with tracing family lineage and a compelling love story. Also the possibilities of paranormal and psycic abilities by the characters held my interest to the end.

Finding Fiona is a delightful combination: contemporary love story, historical fiction, detective story, time-travel, mystery, and suspense. All topped-off by embedded French and Irish phrases and Maine accents. Schoenecker has crafted a well-written and well-researched novel that entices one to keep reading! Her characters are believable and likable ...well, most of them! Their lives are woven together by incidents beyond their control. Anyone who lives in, has visited, or loves the state of Maine will recognize many of the place names. A clever and captivating tale with heart!

Finding Fiona includes elements of love, desire, angst & a bit of mystery beautifully. This book was truly captivating from the first page to the last. I loved that there were pieces of history from that area of Maine - I didn't want it to end!

FINDING FIONA IS AN EXCELLENT READ. GRABS YOU IMMEDIATELY & DOESN'T LET YOU PUT IT DOWN. SCHONECKER'S SKILLS AS A WORDSMITH BETWEEN TWO SEPARATE TIME PERIODS DODGES IN & OUT SEAMLESSLY. ENTERTAINING, WELL RESEARCHED & SLIPS A LITTLE HISTORY IN YOUR BACK POCKET.
........ED KIMMEL, CAPE HAZE, FL.

Of the three books that I purchased on the subject of owning a Maine Coon Cat. This book has the most spectular pictures of these breathtaking animals. The photographer did an outstandling job to catching the image and personality of each animals.

The basic content of this book is generic to all cats, but what sets it apart from others is the very high quality of its pictures.

The reader can get a very good idea of all the background, behavioral characteristics as well as colors and patterns without a lot of further research. Easy reading for the new MC owner but not as complete as "That Yankee Cat," or "This is the Maine Coon Cat."

The first half of this book is very good detailing the Maine Coon breed, history and standards. Wonderful photos. The second half fails miserably. It is too generic. It does not go into specific details about this particular breed. It just gives the general feeding and caring patterns which are similar to other cats and other books that I have read. It does not tell you what the ideal weight should be, etc. Another area that it fails is to tell you about a specific hereditary trait which I found out about on the internet: hip dysplasia. So only two stars for this book.

"Guide to Owning a Maine Coon Cat" starts out strong with a detailed exposition of the various Maine Coon origin theories: the 'Marie Antoinette'; the 'Viking'; the 'Racoon cross'; the 'Lynx cross', among others (I favor the 'Viking' since Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats look an awful lot alike).

The author then spends a good deal of print on the Maine Coon personality and the breed standard and colors. The photographs are beautiful, professional and in color.

It's when we get to the chapters on care, grooming, and feeding that this book strays away from Maine Coons and becomes generic and uninteresting. The photographs deteriorate into advertisements for various grooming and food products. Some show the covers of other books from the same firm that published this book, i.e. T.F.H. Publications, Inc.

Go ahead and buy this book, but buy it for the first 38 pages.

The basic content of this book is generic to all cats, but what sets it apart from others is the very high quality of its pictures.

The reader can get a very good idea of all the background, behavioral characteristics as well as colors and patterns without a lot of further research. Easy reading for the new MC owner but not as complete as "That Yankee Cat," or "This is the Maine Coon Cat."

Home Body is another solid effort from Gerry Boyle. This is the eighth title in the Jack McMorrow series, and I have read them all without being disappointed. McMorrow is a former New York Times reporter who works for small-town newspapers in New England and freelances. He has a knack for putting his nose where it doesn't belong.

Boyle does his usual fine job of keeping the pace moving, unfolding an interesting story, and giving the reader a sense of small-town Maine. I think Home Body, however, could have been 50 pages shorter and not suffered. This series is definitely worth a reader's time.

Boyle's career as a journalist is evident in his novels. The Jack McMorrow tales are as gripping as any crime thrillers and Boyle's work on the streets ensures that his books are authentic and gritty. Read one, you'll want to read them all.
-- Mark LaFlamme, author of "The Pink Room."

This was the weakest addition to the McMorrow series by Boyle. He has produced consistently underappreciated "mystery" novels in the series and McMorrow is a very interesting protagonist, who we the reader have come to know and grow with througout the series.

The novel centers around McMorrow's borderline obsession with a young boy living on the streets named Rocky, and McMorrow's quest to find out why the boy is on the streets and what his story is for being on the streets.

Rocky incessantly appears to McMorrow and then disappears everytime leaving questions unanswered, but Jack (McMorrow) still chases after him. The story is rather slow, Rocky is not a sympathetic character, though at times sympathy is attempted to be induced by Boyle. The characters are not altogether interesting, the story is slow, and we learn nothing of value about Jack, or Roxanne for that matter, except they are expecting a baby.

I think this was just a speed bump for Boyle. He is a great author and I will read whatever he decides to put out next, but for first time readers of McMorrow's exploits, start with another book from the series, any book from the series, because they are all far, far superior to this outing.

Boyle does a wonderful job with setting, providing a real picture of the cities and towns of Maine yet the solitude, which exists immediately outside them, and the cold of winter. You also feel Jack's reluctance to become involved with Rocky yet his inability to walk away. There is a strong element of pathos to this story, but it's still suspenseful and a page-turner.

Boyle shows fine form in his eighth novel to feature wise cracking Maine newspaperman Jack McMorrow. This time out, the tale is more personal, as the action doesn't stem from Jack's pursuit of a hot news story, but rather from a simple act of kindness on his part. Traveling to Bangor, Maine, Jack gives a ride to a homeless teenager he met earlier that day through his girlfriend, social service worker Roxanne Masterson. Because of that gesture, Jack subsequently becomes embroiled in a sixteen-year-old unsolved murder case; he also finds his altruistic motives in helping the teenager being questioned by skeptical police and child welfare workers.

Home Body finds McMorrow at a crossroads in his personal life, as his significant other Roxanne is mere months away from delivering his baby. The book itself is deeply concerned with responsibilities of parenthood, and the inherent difficulties of raising a child, as Jack comes to realize the damage parents can inflict on their progeny through his experiences with the runaways who feature prominently in the book. Seeing their sorry state, and realizing that even the most well meaning of parents often fail to connect with their children, causes him grave concern about his own impending fatherhood. It's amazing how subtly Boyle raises these points amid the often harrowing action of the novel; distracted by the those sequences, and by Jack's trials and tribulations, readers will only realize later that Boyle has also been making them think.