Bishop Books

Reading Basil on the Holy Spirit, and the controversy in the 4th/5th Century helps to put things in perspective. Basil addresses the Holy Spirit more from a pragmatic angle - how the Church has practically approached the person of the Holy Spirit in liturgy (lex orandi, lex credendi est). What is helpul is that this early Church pastor shows loads of wisdom in addressing those who disagree. Reading his sound and solid thinking is a breath of fresh air in this age of hyper-experientialism. The 30th chapter will open the reader's eyes to a very modern picture of the divided, beaten-up Church. A delightful, serious read.

Among the names attached to patristic literature, Basil is among the most celebrated in early church conflict. Some scholars have suggested that he was the most capable writer in Christian antiquity. He was one of ten children, raised as a product of atavistic Christianity, and educated in the classics at Athens. As founder of Western Monasticism, this Cappadocian Father spent most of his theological career promoting the ecumenity of the Church in light of the proliferation of theological dissension. This present exposition is a defense of orthodox Trintarianism, conducted in a confutation of Arianism, a multi-faceted heresy that enjoyed a popular dissemination within the church in the East during the 4th CE. However unintentional, Basil's denunciation of Arianism and its various proponnets, as scurrilous detractors, is evidenced in his own work which manifests the same vitrolic intensity in objection to their position. The antagonistic discourse was a putative activity among disputing schools of theology and this element is predominant throughout this exposition. Although a modern scholar will find Basil's methods of refutation unimpressive and possibly infantile, it is important to avoid the interposing of contemporary value on a work that appeals to theological identity exclusive to its age and prespicuous to its opposition. What remains fascinating for the contemporary linguist is the development of argument centralized on a few pivotal words which Basil believes have suffered superfluous exaggeration in the propagation of Arian opinions. However, pretentious his motivations are, Basil admits that his ultimate objective is to reunite the vacillating church in the midst of insurmountable oppression from the heterodoxy. For the theological enthusiast, this short but impressive work defines a crucial juncture in the formation of church thought. Ironically, the literary critic will find redemption in the exhaustive linguistic argument and the unilateral dedication to the niceties of grammar. As I previously stated, the only discouraging aspect of this purveyor of moral perscription is the interspersed derision introducing virtually every theological refutation. Endeavoring to maintain the unanimity of the Church, Basil's fasetious derision is at times inappropriate and such audacity can denigrate his position as well as his character. After all, ad hominum arguments are delicate when you are purporting your spiritual superiority in matters of divine importance!

All too often we in the West tend to forget how influential Christianity has been on shaping and forming our culture. In St. Basil's work on the Holy Spirit we see how exacting the early Christian faith was in articulating its beliefs. St. Basil the great is known in Orthodoxy and one of the fathers of the Christian Church to bear the title, "Great." When you read this seminal work you can feel the passion and intensity that St. Basil has when dealing with the distortions to the faith. Yet, there is always a sense of hope, humility, and compassion for those who were outside of the Orthodox Church. Read this work and see how important a few little words are to the Christian Faith.

Hemlock Falls is a beautiful community in upstate New York, but its depressed economy is troubling to Quill and Meg Quilliam, sisters who are the proprietors of the Inn at Hemlock Falls. Their only guests are the Crafty Ladies, a group of senior citizens who make things out of plastic spoons, boat seats, and whatever else they can find. They seem a bit eccentric and giddy, but a murder sobers them up quickly. Quill wants to solve the murder so that her business can resume as normal. Added to this, she is balancing an impatient fiance, employees who are leaving because they're not being paid, a stray dog, an aggressive insurance man, and the usual characters from town. The suspects include other guests and the townspeople,and Quill speculates about several of them until she stumbles upon the killer. This is an enjoyable mystery and the characters are not quite as "over the top" as in some other books of this genre.

I LOVE this series. I was surprised by some of the changes that happen in this book, but I think they will make for an even more interesting series. I really enjoy Meg and Quill, the 2 sisters that run the Inn. When I read one of these books, I feel as if I'm reading a letter from an old friend as I've gotten to know the characters and especially enjoy it when they stay in their home town as I've gotten to know most of the townfolk as well.

The depressed economy of central and upstate New York is hurting the business of the Quillian sisters, proprietors of an inn, since most people are not going on vacation. The only solid booking they have is the "Crafty Ladies" society, a group of senior citizens who sell craft kits.

As Meg and Quinn worry over their sagging hotel business, a fire breaks out in one of the rooms where one of their elderly guests is staying. When the blaze is extinguished, it is obvious that the woman was murdered. As more members of the club are killed, Quinn conducts an investigation to learn who and why someone wants to kill defenseless elderly women.

Claudia Bishop delivers a first class mystery that includes two well-designed surprises. Though the clues are provided, the villain remains a complete shocker and the motives for murder even more stunning. An added bonus is that the Quillian siblings' lives take an unusual twist that will leave readers wanting to learn more about what happens to them in future novels. A TOUCH OF THE GRAPE is an intoxicating novel that leaves the audience feeling pretty good.

Harriet Klausner

This must be the best book in its category. Hundreds of breathtaking pictures (color and B&W), very interesting text, well documented, very clear structure, well thought page layouts. Don't hesitate!

This semi-large format book covers all the aircraft used in the Vietnam conflict, with a chapter for 1949-1959 and then a chapter for each year 1960-1975. In each chapter there are many color and black and white photos, color engineering drawings of important aircraft, descriptions of strategies and tactics, many firsthand war stories and profiles of significant aviators. The focus is on U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy aircraft, and there're all here: choppers, counterinsurgency craft, recces, patrol and SAR platforms, bombers and fast movers. There is also relatively limited material on the South and North Vietnamese air forces, North Vietnam's air defense system and neighboring countries' aircraft. The pre-1965 years, often forgotten, are particularly interesting; did you know that when the French returned after WWII they used some abandoned Japanese military aircraft?

Appendices summarize U.S. and South Vietnamese air force order of battle throughout the war, list all carrier deployments and associated carrier air wings from 1964-75, a chronology of all U.S. Mig kills with details for each shoot down (including two by enlisted B-52 .50 cal gunners!), a very useful alphabetical reference with brief technical details for all U.S. and foreign made aircraft used in the theater from 1945-1975, and an excellent index for finding all references and photos for particular aircraft types.

Another reviewer asserts "there are a lot of errors in the text and captions in this book", but fails to provide a single specific example. There are hundreds of picture captions and hundreds of pages of text, and the material seems consistent with other sources so the bulk of the material must be accurate. Perhaps that reviewer's particular area of interest or expertise was slighted or had some errors.

I enjoyed this book, pull it out to read often and recommend it highly. It is a "must" for Vietnam and Cold War history buffs, model aircraft builders and Vietnam vets.

Bob Dorr is a friend of mine and I respect his work, but there are a lot of errors in the text and captions in this book. The one good thing about it is that there are a lot of photographs. But don't expect to learn a lot about the details of the Vietnam War. It's worth the price for the photos alone but without them I'd give it a two.

Sam McGowan
Vietnam Veteran and author of "The Cave," a novel of the Vietnam War.

The Bishop on this tape is a surprise. She reads easily, congenially, interrupts herself to comment on what she's doing. She's funny, and the humor that's under the surface of the poems gets to bubble up at odd moments. It's a great selection of poems, and it's fantastically handy to have the booklet of the texts of the poems (some of which are interestingly different from the versions Bishop reads) tucked into the pocket in the front of the elegant package. J.D. McClatchy's introduction to her work is, as always, illuminating.

Elizabeth Bishop disliked the sound of her own voice, and often refused to permit recordings (even private ones) of her readings. Bishop's executor, Alice Methfessel, respected the poet's keen protective instincts, and allowed no commercial issue in the two decades since Bishop's death. As a result, the speaking voice of this great poet has remained a mystery, even as Bishop's following and reputation has grown by bounds.

I still remember the shock of hearing Bishop's voice for the first time. Bishop's voice is so -- I don't know any other word for it -- so ordinary. This is as true on her early recordings (from the late 1940s) as on her mature readings (mid 1970s). At times, the listener is tempted to think she does not understand the meaning of what she is saying: she is so shy about drawing attention to her poetic craft, and so embarrassed about revealing any hidden emotional content, that she almost seems to be reading the work of another person. "Don't you realize," I want to shout, "that you are speaking some of the greatest lines in American poetry?" But we must remember that Bishop's self-effacements, however ineffective in a public reading, are part of the reason why her poems are so emotionally satisfying. Meaning and memory resonate in the most lightly observed surface details.

I would highly recommend this recording to anyone who already knows Elizabeth Bishop's work and biography -- it is an excellent reference, even if it is not the most entertaining recording. However, I would caution a newcomer to Bishop NOT to start here. It is far better to read the poems and the letters first so that you have a sense of the many masks this poet wears. Another good place to start is the hour-long documentary on Elizabeth Bishop in the "Voices and Visions" series, which appeared years ago on public television (available in many libraries). James Merrill and Mary McCarthy are interviewed about their friendship with Elizabeth Bishop and make many illuminating comments. Blythe Danner -- Gwyneth Paltrow's mom! -- reads the poems of Bishop, and frankly does a better job of it than Bishop does.

i bought this tape on a road trip and logged the miles spellbound by how Bishop's voice and inflection turned the poems I blew through in college into delightful, insightful stories. This tape, and i'll bet the others in this series, is an example of why poetry needs to be heard, rather than read. Send these tapes to schools everywhere!

This is a gripping, readable story, but take warning: it is essentially a sad one. I had trouble being completely satisfied with it. For one thing, only a tragedy can finally allow the lovers to be together--and there are some good questions about how guilt might poison their relationship.

For another, I wasn't sure I liked the hero. Bishop originally shows him as a not very likable man, and that was hard to shake. There is an interesting scene near the end where, based on a misunderstanding, the heroine pithily sums up his character. Although all is cleared up in the end, I couldn't help but feel there was some truth in that summing up. And you know, the ideal romance is one where you are as in love with the hero as the heroine is:)

Bishop's intelligent observation of people and relationships is here, though. There is always the sense in her books that you are dealing with real people living through trials and learning from them the way people really do.

Her Edith grows from a young, untried girl to a poised woman. The character of the Duchess is handled nicely, although I find it sad that she suffers so much guilt for a kind of infidelity it's taken for granted her husband has the right to commit.

There is also some nice inclusion of children in the story, and their characters add an extra dimension you don't usually find in romance novel.

So, recommended, but don't expect a frothy story a la Georgette Heyer.

As far as Regency romances go, most are strictly light reading, with variations on the same old plot devices. I have not read too many books by Sheila Bishop, but her Lucasta was more Gothic than a romance. A WELL-MATCHED PAIR is a gem of a book, as far as Regency romances go. Of course, this comparison is made with other traditional Regencies and with Regency romances in general.
I would strongly recommend this book, along with a few by Carla Kelly (MISS MILTON SPEAKS HER MIND and THE LADY'S COMPANION), and Laura Kinsale's FLOWERS FROM THE STORM for anyone who thinks that modern Regency romances (pre- and post-Heyer) are just love stories, with humor at best being their only merit.

A bit about the story - (unusual, along with the plots of the other books I have listed above): a young woman is rescued from a road mishap by a house party of lords and ladies, and falls in love with a personable young man who is a rising politician. She travels to a ducal seat, where she soon realizes that things are not what they seem. Her suitor - who is genuinely attracted to her - has had an affair with a married woman, the wife of his best friend at school, and she is now pregnant. The child is apparently his, and the angry husband fights a duel with the suitor (who is rejected by our heroine when he discovers the truth). The unhappy wife is sent away to have her child in seclusion, and everyone pretends that the child was born too early and died young. Oddly enough, the heroine develops a genuine liking for the adulterous wife (to whom she is now acting as companion), and also falls in love with her husband.

However, the husband and his wife's companion do not have an affair, although they acknowledge their feelings to each other. The wife dies in an accident, and the heroine learns that a) the wife always loved her husband who had grown indifferent to her after the birth of their son; and b) the wife learned that her husband and her friend were in love. The guilt felt by the heroine and the new widower drive them apart, as much as does social convention (it is now impossible for the couple to meet or to correspond). Later, the heroine comes to London, where the widower (now the hero) acts strangely cold towards her, forcing the heroine to contemplate marriage to her former suitor (the former lover of the hero's wife and the father of their child).

I won't go into further details, except to say that the heroine and hero do end up together. All the major characters, including the adulterous wife and her lover (the heroine's former suitor), are beautifully drawn, and are living and breathing people, for whom you can feel. In fact, the story reminded me of a cross between Mansfield Park (the lover/suitor being Henry Crawford, but less indolent), and the sad love affair of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, upto a point.

This was a great read, and well worth my time (it kept me up until 1:30 AM). If you find this, and you are tired of melodramatic plots but want a story about adultery, platonic infidelity (unconsummated extramarital love), friendship, forgiveness, and the like, try this little gem.

If you are looking for a conventional romance with an unselfish hero (or a hero who reforms quickly) look elsewhere.

The happiness of the heroine does depend on the convenient accident to the hero's wife, but I do not believe that the hero leads the heroine (a young girl) on - despite what the Nonesuch (Good Ton website) says. By the way, I strongly recommend that site for a list of titles by authors of Regency, although her decision to exclude most Regency historicals makes little sense to me.

Sheila Bishop does not write conventional romances in my view. The first book I ever read by her was LUCASTA where the young girl you might believe to be the heroine dies midway; the real heroine is a friend of hers, keeping a diary about what happens to Lucasta and her friends. I also read a story of hers set in the early Stuart or late Tudor period (MY FAVORITE SISTER) about the adulterous affair of Penelope, Lady Rich (sister of the Earl of Essex who was connected with Elizabeth I). If you will not touch a book about adultery, avoid this book - it is more historical fiction than period romance, anyway.

A WELL MATCHED PAIR is more a Regency novel than a Regency romance (in the way that American publishers now understand it). In short, the couple who are the protagonists must deal with messy realities in which married women have affairs and young unmarried women fall in love with married men.

Bishop also writes in a different style from what is now preferred by publishers and editors (and what the readers are now used to). The style is more that of an "omniscient narrator" who sees everything. We don't go deep into the minds of the hero and heroine, and sometimes we must guess at what they are thinking. [They are also less likely to blurt out their feelings through interior monologues or dialogue]. The general writing style is also a lot more formal. This was the period when the romance (set in the Regency) was transitioning from Heyer to Gothic (1980s being the high point) to whatever we have today. AWMP is not a Gothic, although other novels by Bishop do have slightly Gothic overtones.

I should add that Bishop cannot really be compared even to Carla Kelly (although both deal with some very serious issues). She is not Georgette Heyer either; although her knowledge of the period seems impeccable, she does not use as much cant as Heyer did, and her dialogue is not witty nor light-hearted. Bishop does not write quite as much about titled personages, and at times her characters seem more Austenesque than Heyeresque. She might be comparable - in some respects - to Laura Matthews. I cannot say for certain that if you like Matthews, you will like Bishop, but the two authors share some fans in common.

I am also told that Bishop's A WELL-MATCHED PAIR is very unlike the rest of her ouevre. I am not so convinced of that, given that I have not read enough of her work. What delights me about Bishop, apart from her ability to convert unsympathetic characters into likeable people with major flaws, is that she can switch from an almost-Austenesque story here, to the pseudo-Gothic LUCASTA to the Elizabethan story MY FAVORITE SISTER, to somewhat more conventional Regencies and Georgian-era romances. I cannot think of any other author (Heyer aside) who can handle the Regency and the Georgian period with equal ease, and yet in her writing, pinpoint the differences in customs and manners between Georgian society and Regency society.

The Abbe Gregiore is one of the most controversial figures in the French revolution. He was an ardent revolutionary and argued viciously against the continuation of slavery. His ideals were tied with the Caribbean and what happened domestically in France. For those looking for a book that will help explains the problems of the enlightenment and how they relate to the French revolution this is a good place to start. This is not a book for beginners and some knowledge of the Caribbean and the French Revolution are necessary. Sepinwall also adds an interesting idea on what biography should be although falls back into her own trap by the end of the book. For those studying the French Revolution this is a great book to add.

Superbly written and extremely well-researched, Sepinwall's book examines an interesting and somewhat unusual figure from the period of the French Revolution. Virtually unknown in the US, the Abbe Gregoire remains somewhat of a hero in, of all places, Haiti. As a comparitively liberal clergyman, Gregoire supported unpopular goals, even for the French revolutionaries, including rights for women, blacks and Jews. However, Sepinwall skillfully describes and explains the many contradictions in his beliefs including the idea that the previously mentioned groups were in some ways inferior to the white, Christian male. Unlike many of his peers, on the other hand, Gregoire also believed that women and minorities were not genetically or inherently inferior, but could be "brought up" to the level of French Christian males through conversion and education. His support for the Haitian Revolution also showed that he bravely followed his convictions despite the unpopularity of the causes. Sepinwall's book does not only follow the life of a great, but virtually unheard of man, it also examines the French Revolution from the points of view of women and minority groups that have been generally ignored by other French historians until recently. Also important, Sepinwall provides some background to the Haitian Revolution, which helps American readers to better understand that country's history and how it was unable to develop despite its democratic goals and values. Sepinwall's Gregoire is both a man of his times and a man who transcends time in that he is saddled with many of the preconceived notions of race, religion and womanhood, yet was not afraid to think and speak for himself and against the norm if he felt injustice was being done, often at risk of his own life. Alyssa Sepinwall's book about the Abbe Gregoire teaches us much about our history, but it tells us even more about ourselves, our times, and what it means to be a 'great' person. Though Dr. Sepinwall is a professor of Modern French History who generally writes for an academic audience, this is one of the few scholarly books that is very readable and accessible to the general public. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, biographies, or just a really good read.

E.J.Burford explores an aspect of English life ignored by the orthodox historians. He reveals the true reality behind the facade and throws a schril light on English society.

The close connection of prostitution and religion can be traced back to the beginnings of urban civilization. Very early religious records clearly demonstrate this immensely profitable method of enslavement of females.
Pope Sixtus IV (15th century) became the first pope to issue licenses to prostitutes and to levy taxes (couillage) on their earnings.
Priests themselves sold girls or forced them to become their concubines.
Kings (William the Conquerer), bishops and even nun congregations exploited brothels.
The Church promoted (in)directly prostitution, for it forbid sexual intercourse between married couples 'on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, forty days before Easter and forty days before Christmas, not to omit the three days before attending Communion.'
These rules confirm Matt Ridley's thesis (The Red Queen) that the Church tried to prevent married men to sire a legitimate heir. The Church Fathers were not first sons. If the first son had no heir, he had a chance to take his place or the Church could accaparate his belongings.

As a contemporary ballad said:
Methinkes it must be a bad Divinitie
that with the stewes hath such affinitie

The social condition of women was appalling. Female children were considered as useless mouths to feed. Parents sold their female children from the age of eleven. Wives were still being sold in English provincial markets as late as 1720.
The English rulers wiped out hundreds of thousands of menfolk, reducing the countryside to desolation and compelled women to trek to the urban areas to seek food, sustenance and work...

Life in a brothel was hard, the discipline strict (no paramour, only copulation for money), the extortion vast. Within three or four years the girls would be worn out, even if they were lucky enough to avoid VD's. There was no minimum age for the girls. Brothels with children from seven to fourteen years were no exception.
The clients were fleeced or even murdered.

E.J.Burford's picture of London is brutal. Streets were dangerous by day and by night. By day, lazy maids emptied chamberpots of excrement into the centre gulley. At night, men lurked in the unlit streets ready to murder, rob or rape. Life expectancy was very short. Only 10 percent of the population reached the age of 40. Females had a shorter life than men. Bull- and bear-biting were the most popular attractions.

E.J. Burford's book is a necessary but depressing look at 'real' life of the vast majority of the English population till the 19th century. Orthodox historians looked away and preferred to analyze the territorial and power wars of a tiny minority of hypocrites.

This book contains excellent graphic material and is a must read.

I read this book for a report in an upper level theatre history class. While it did not contain much about the theatres, just a reffernce to their residence in Southwark, it did however tell a fascinating story of the horrible life these women had. A very interesting book, and for anyone interested in history or women's lib a must read!

As a layman who likes to study history, I enthusiastically give this book a rating of five stars. Many history books give broad descriptions and interpretations of trends and events. Others attempt to popularize or modernize history by interpreting old events from the perspective of the late 20th century. "The Bishop's Tale" does none of this. Instead, it virtually transports the reader back to Flanders in the late 1500s and early 1600s, treating him to a small but rich slice of history in a small but fascinating corner of Europe. The authors -- who were fortunate enough to have found one volume of an extensive journal kept by the Archbishop of Mechelen during this period -- provide us with a series of wonderfully detailed pictures of religious life in what was then known as the Spanish Netherlands. Each chapter forms a separate window through time that provides the reader with a close-up view of the goings-on surrounding a specific issue, event, or person. The common thread running through all sixteen chapters is the archbishop and his efforts to build a stable Catholic community in a turbulent time and place. The authors don't try to overly interpret events or force them to fit into some sort of grand theoretical framework, as do many academic historians. Instead, it seems that Craig Harline and Eddy Put want to directly expose the reader to history in a way that enables him to develop a good "feel" for what it must have been like to be Catholic and Flemish around 1600. I found myself wanting to read the book slowly, so that I could savor every page.

In the reviews I've read, this book has received nothing but praise. In many ways, this is an excellent work of academic research. The authors show sensitivity and a deep understanding of the institutional framework within which archbishop Hovius could operate. Most emphasis is put on the human and local particularities controlling the relations between an archbishop and the man and women manning the diverse strata of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The preponderance on the human side of archbishop's dealings with the people surrounding him lead to excellent small stories which are impressively placed in the wider context of the political and religious strife of early 17th century Europe. Moreover, the book is very well written. It was an easy read.

Yet, despite all the book's cleverness, I grew increasingly uncomfortable while reading. Harline and Put have written a book on religious life in late 16th/early 17th century Europe. Still, I have not read much about religion. In fact, in this book, religion comes out as a very mechanical thing. We read about cardinals, nuncios, priests, rituals, processions, pilgrimages etc. But we do not get a glimpse of what it could have meant to *be* a Christian in this particular time in history. We do not read how Hovius (could have) *lived* his religion. We get no sense at all of a religious feeling which - unlike today - must have been overly present everywhere. Instead, the narrative is littered with much misplaced irony on the nature of christianity or even religion. Harline and Put consider the Catholic Church as nothing more than a big bureaucracy. Hovius, travelling around his bishopric, is portrayed as the 16/17th century version of a district area manager of Coca Cola, trying to reach his production quota for next year, and fighting to protect his market share against competitors. The book is a product of the 21st century. It might easily be used as a leadership guideline, to be read by management consultants and managers.

First, the Apocryphile Press are to be given a hearty, "THANK YOU" for reprinting (in both hard and soft covers) this long out of print book. Second, for those of us who are seriously, or even casually, interested in alternative religions and the lives of people involved in them, and, more specifically, the independent, sacramental, Catholic churches that make up a part of those alternative religions, this book is like no other. Anson did an astounding job of compiling information to write this book. The book is not an encyclopedia. Rather, it is more of a biography of the churches and their founders. I found the author's writing style to be at once, engaging, witty, and where appropriate, humorously sarcastic. It is a sheer joy to read. He does not write without bias (a typical example of this can be seen in the otherwise excellent section on Joseph Renee Vilatte (may his memory be eternal), but I did not find that so distracting as to diminish the value of the book. It is massive and exhaustive in content though, sadly, very dated at this point...it was first published in 1964. A lot of water has gone under the Indendent Sacramental bridge since then. An updating of the book is desparately needed. Other than that, this book is a delight. A must have for your library!

This reprint of Anson's classic history of the episcopi vagantes is a really fascinating read, with far more detail than Brandreth's book on the subject. But like Brandreth, Anson is quite biased. The last couple of pages highlight this bias more than any other part of the book: he questions whether these churches could have any value at all because they all had problems early in their lives (ignoring all the dissension described in Paul's Epistles, occuring in the early church!). He wonders whether the churches have done any good works along the lines of feeding to poor and helping the marginalized, but he doesn't tell us from his own research whether they did or not. We're invited to decide about their worth based on a number of criteria Anson gives no attention to in over 500 pages. It's worth reading for anyone seriously interested in the history of the independent sacramental movement, but it must be read very carefully and should be supplemented with a lot of experience with these churches' descendants, which are doing many of the good works Anson asks about.

The Inn at Hemlock Falls in Upstate New York is owned by twosisters, Meg Quilliam who is a three star chef and Sara Quilliam-McBride runs the hotel. Since the opening of a nearby upscale resort, business has been bad and the siblings fear they may have to shut their hotel down. The bank is working with them by sending over an efficiency expert to find ways of improving service while reducing costs.

They also sign a deal with L'Apertif magazine who will feature their jams and jellies and televise a show they are producing four times a year. They will tape the cooking show Good Taste at the inn and it will last a month for each taping. Lydia Kingsfield is the star of the magazine and the show and her husband Zeke, who is even more obnoxious than his odious wife is a notorious larger than life business man who has cheated many people out of their money with his unethical ventures. His body is found at the Inn's ski run; it looks as if he was killed by negligence, but Quill believes otherwise. She sets out to prove murder occurred, but finds half the State had a motive to want Zeke dead.

A CAROL FOR A CORPSE is a charming cozy that puts readers in the holiday spirit due in large part to the vivid picturesque descriptions of Christmas décor, the mouthwatering food, the feeling of good will, but especially the Scrooge attitude of Quill. She is ruthless when it comes to keeping her cherished sister safe and is passionate about the inn. Thus she needs no more motives to investigate the death of Zeke than the possible harm to Meg or the loss of the inn, as she rejects the negligence ruling. Fans of the series will enjoy the freshness in the story line due to a couple of interesting surprises, making this a merry Yuletide amateur sleuth tale.

Harriet Klausner

This uthor always comes up with a plot that is believable & well written. Her characters are well drawn. I am looking forward to the next book