Breton Books

i love laurie breton's books. i do not find them in local bookstores, which surprises me; they are much better than many of those which remain on the shelves.

this particular book was a good read. i wasn't sure i'd like the female lead because she is a 3-time divorcee. it was also a surprise that a priest would be drawn to such a woman. somehow, however, it works because Clancy is depressed from overwork and emotional loneliness, and sarah has her own issues.

as a life-long roman catholic, i've had a number of priest-friends over the last 30 years. all good men. all hard-working. all faithful to their vocation. i've also known men who have left the priesthood to marry. that is a complicated subject.

although i loved this book (i read it from the library, but will be ordering one for myself), an issue i have in novels about the catholic church is repeated here: the catholic church has no laws against divorce. the church does not want people to stay in abusive situations when counseling does not work. people who are faithful catholics are diorced. they are permitted to receive communion. the issue of divorce comes into play when a divorced person wishes to remarry in the church.

i am vey far left in the catholic church -- about as far left as one can be and remain in the church. i disagree with most "church laws". but, i know what they are and wish they were described accurately in novels instead of adding baggage to an already beleagered church.

clancy's spiritual and emotional demons are well-done. he is a more complex hero than most.

With in-depth plotting and characterization, Laurie Breton is sure to pull you into her stories, and MORTAL SIN is no exception.

Sarah Connolly's fifteen-year-old niece, Kit, has run away from home, and Sarah is desperate to find her. Park Square is home to all kinds of nefarious activity that'll suck a young, innocent teen right to the core of it. Sarah had moved to the cold north to start her life anew without the added complication of a relationship. So how dangerous could it be to her heart to spend time with a priest while he helps her find Kit?

Father Clancy Donovan is tired down to his soul and frustrated by the leash the Catholic Church keeps on him with their archaic rules. The only solace he finds these days is prowling the streets looking to save young, desperate girls from drugs, prostitution, and unscrupulous men. Until, that is, Sarah walks into his office asking him to help find her niece.

I love the way Ms. Breton handled Father Donovan's character. He questions his place in God's plans, but never questions his faith in God.

MORTAL SIN is a well thought out story with colorful characters and an intrinsic plot. This new author of suspense is going places on the best selling lists, and I plan to follow her career from novel to novel. Don't miss her!

I enjoyed this book the most out of all of Ms. Breton's (though I still haven't read Criminal Intent.) She has a great balance of romance and suspense with a subtle style. Her characters are believable and likable. I empathized with the Priest's inner struggles and his character was not weakened in any way by this turmoil. Give her books a try - you won't be disappointed.

The story is good, and the heroine plucky, but I could not get over the idea of a priest as the romantic hero. Father Clancy was a great character, but the breaking of his vows, in the light of all recent news events, was difficult to swallow. I far prefer Final Exit, her first work.

In Kit's eyes, her Aunt Sarah rivals Snow White and Cinderella's wicked stepmothers for the Queen of Mean. When Sarah says "no" once too often for her liking, the teen ager takes off, heading to the big city and "fame." Sarah, however, is not the wicked witch of the north, but a kind woman who loves her niece and has done her best for her. Fearing the worst, she sets out to find Kit, but runs into brickwall after brickwall. Her only hope lies in the help of a priest whose life work is to save girls from the streets. Clancy Donovan is no gentle oldster, but a handsome, troubled young man. The attraction between Sarah and Clancy is quick to light, but they must ignore it. Kit takes priority, and Clancy may be a rebel, but intends to keep his vows, no matter the temptation to love.

Finding a pretty teen age girl in a city the size of Boston when she doesn't want to be found is like finding a needle in a hay field, add in thugs who want to keep her lost, and the problem is compounded. Despite beatings and threats, Clancy and Sarah are not deterred, even if the price is terribly high.

***** Clancy Donovan is a hero that will win your heart in a page or two. He is more appealing and sexy than Father Ralph de Briquasa of Thorn Birds fame, admitting his weaknesses and dealing with them rather than self righteously denying that they exist. Yet, you can not begrudge Sarah his love, for she is a kind soul, though troubled. The action never lets up, nor does the sexual tension, which is most expertly handled, revealing very little, and creating anticipation. This stays on the keeper shelf. *****

This book was incredible. The characters were real, the heroine had depth. It was a great thriller, with just enough romance. I love this author and after I read this book I went on line to find anything else she had written.

Laurie Breton's first work of romantic suspense successfully emphasizes the suspense of the story, providing an engaging serial killer chiller.
FBI agent Carolyn Monahan heads up a task force to catch a serial killer terrorizing Boston, sometimes called Mr. X. However the lead detective on the case Lietenant Conor Rafferty shares a steamy past with Monahan. Putting their attraction aside, they work together to find and apprehend the killer.
The suspense builds when the team discovers the killer is targeting Carolyn specifically. She and Rafferty's torrid relationship while trying to dodge a killer does provide some entertainment. However, the steamy scenes slow down and detract from the story as a whole.
A wonderful first novel. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Breton.

i picked up this book to read on the beach this summer and was surprised with how much i enjoyed it! its a great summertime book and was easy to read- the pace of the book moved right along and kept my attention.

the heroine is carolyn, an fbi profiler, who has her own past tragedy when her sister was murdered. carolyn has always felt guilty about her sister's death and broke up with her then boyfriend conor to run away to boston. She returns years later to help the local police catch a serial killer- and Conor is in charge of the police investigation. Of course both are drawn to each other again. in the midst of the investigation, it is discovered that the killer has a personal connection with carolyn.

The book has a great ending and the subplot of the love story between the two characters is interesting and makes the novel fun to read. A++

Excellent suspense and plot development. The relationship between Caro and Conor was heartbreaking at times and heart pumping at others. This is a wonderful first book and I will definitely be looking for more from this writer!

This was my first Laurie Breton book. I have to say it was very good. It had a couple decent twists and even a surprise ending. My only problem with the book was her excessive wordiness to constantly interrupt dialogue with actions as if it were a screen play and we needed to know the blow by blow of what the characters did with their hands.
The book was about a serial killer, yet we only had one actual look at how the killer worked and only one victim's body. Therefore it lacked a little of the intensity and fear that a serial thriller may have. Nevertheless, the attraction between the two characters was not immediate in the sense that the reader could feel the emotion, but built quickly and only got intense from there.
All in all, I think the author has potential and I hope to read more of her books.

Romance, heartbreak, sex and love combined with the beauty and danger of the Great Lakes: This novel touches one's heart and spirit with its vivid characters and strong writing. The author has a talent for storytelling and this becomes a story too good to end. Perhaps a sequel should be in order or it could be brought to the silver screen.

Clair was a typical adolescent growing up in the midwest, chafing under the strictures of rural family life. This is the story of her coming to terms with her womanhood, the world beyond the farm, and the world of young men.

The novel is written in an often breathless style, with carefully crafted scenes and dramatic flourishes as befitting the historical romance novel genre.

The author is to be congratulated on a book that will entertain women and some men with a rip roaring romantic read. Not the kind of book I usually read, but I found it interesting and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates romance novels.

While reading The Old Mermaid's Tale, I truly left the world I live in and went to Port Presque Isle in the 60's. Kathleen Valentine writes with a sure and loving hand of place; she brings this Great Lakes town to vivid life,as well as the farm town her main character escapes.

Even better than the sense of place is her way with characters. The loving Clair, the charismatic Baptiste, the tragic Pio, the sadder-but-wiser Tessie and many other secondary characters are all fascinating in their flawed humanity. Their lives and fates ring true, even when the results are not what one would expect or even hope for. This book, ultimately, is a most satisfying novel of recent history and of healing love beyond understanding.

I was totally captivated by Clair Wagner, the storyteller of Valentine's lyrical novel, The Old Mermaid's Tale.

The story is set in a 1960's Lake Erie town. It's Clair's coming-of-age tale mixed with two love stories: Clair and Baptiste sandwiched between Clair and Pio.

Valentine sprinkles her book with delicious folklore tidbits: Baptiste's Breton sea-lore, Lake Erie seamen tales, and tales and folk music from the early sixties. The setting evokes memories of the unique life of each town before chain stores and hotels took over.

The characters are full-bodied. Sal, Baptiste, Tessie, Pio: they all deserve their own books. Valentine teased me with glimpses of their lives outside of the confines of this tale, and she left me with a longing to know more.

I was afraid that this would be too much of a "girly" book for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and was sorry when I finished it. I'm looking forward to more tales from Valentine.

The Old Mermaid's Tale is an engrossing, captivating, moving story of growth, sorrow, joy, love, loss and second chances. I could not put it down. The descriptions are rich and vivid, from the full busyness of daily life to the quiet yet spellbinding moments when Clair is contemplating nature. Clair's progress from girl to woman is told with nuance, depth and compassion. Baptiste is the most hypnotic, sexy, unforgettable male character I've seen in a long time. His mystery and dark charisma draw you in, and yet up close, you discover his all-too-human, aching vulnerability. All the characters are fully alive and they really held my interest. I cared about all of them and what happened to them. A wonderful read that I strongly recommend.

The book I read was Sosa and it was great.It was all about sammy Sosa and I think they did great job on an autobiography about him and telling what Sammy Sosa was like when he was a little guy,growing up. A professional athlete,it was amazing how he was a little kid to an adult. He is a great and this book was excellent. I also liked the pictures and the information that they have. I would recommend this book to others.

SOSA IS A BOOK ABOUT ONE OF GREATEST THE RAGS TO RICHES STORIES IN RECENT YEARS. SAMMY DOES A GOOD JOB TELLING OF HIS LIFE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AS A CHILD AND TEENAGER. HE THEN GETS INTO HIS TREMENDOUS RISE TO ONE OF THE MOST FEARED SLUGGERS IN THE GAME TODAY. I ADMIRE HIS MODESTY, VALUES, CONFIDENCE, AND INNOCENCE. HIS LOVE FOR HIS MOTHER IS TRULY ADMIRABLE. SAMMY IS TRULY A GOOD PERSON AND A GREAT PLAYER. SAMMY HAS MANY VALUES AND BELIEFS THAT ARE TRULY NEEDED BY MOST OF TODAYS ATHLETES. SAMMY IS TRULY A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN HIS ENTHUSIASM AND LOVE OF THE GAME. THE BOY IN SAMMY IS ALIVE AND KICKING. I ADMIRE SAMMY A LOT MORE NOW THAT I HAVE READ THIS BOOK. A MUST READ FOR ALL BASBALL FANS AND FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED SOME GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY IN THEIR LIFE.

A quick and pleasant read (REAL quick if you skip the stats that comprise about thirty percent of the text). Autobiographies seem to fall into three categories: (1) "tell it all before someone else tells on you" (Billie Holiday's LADY SINGS THE BLUES), (2) "getting even with one's enemies" (Nancy Reagan's MY TURN), and (3) "Gee, I can't believe people pay me to do what I love" (Xaviera Hollander's THE HAPPY HOOKER).

Cynically, you could say there's a fourth category--the market-driven, "strike while the iron is hot" autobiography. Sosa's book probably falls into this last category, though it is presented as a "Gee, I can't believe it" type (but with touches of the defensiveness found in "getting even" types of autobiographies). Hispanic journalist Breton had done a good job of interviewing people in Sosa's life and arranging testimonials in a way that keeps Sosa's story moving. Baseball fans will probably enjoy reading what Sosa has to say about how he improved his batting technique, how he handled the disappointment of being sent back to the minor league, how he viewed his home-run competition with Mark McGwire in 1998. Young people looking for a sports hero will benefit from what Sosa ("Mikey" to his friends and family) has to say about loyalty to family, remembering where one comes from, learning from ones mistakes, handling gossipers and nay-sayers, believing in oneself, and giving back to one's community. People looking for a profound psychological portrait of the author or an insightful take on the business and game of baseball will be disappointed. While no-one would expect someone as guileless as Sosa to trash his teammates and fellow ballplayers, the book could have used a few more clubhouse anecdotes.

Sammy Sosa is arguably the greatest Latino player in major league baseball. His magnificent 1998 home run race with Mark McGwire captivated the nation. Afterwards he was invited to the White House and made a special Ambassador to his native country, the Dominican Republic. However, what few people know is how hard Sammy Sosa worked to reach stardom.

"Sosa an Autogiography," is a special story. In fact, it is inspiring. Sammy Sosa grew up poor. He was skinny and initially wanted to be a boxer. However, his talent for baseball came out from urging of his older brother and the support of his devoted mother.

Co-author Marcos Bretón details the early years of Sosa's early major league career in Texas and then with the Chicago White Sox. It was a difficult time for Sosa, going up and down from the major and minor leagues. Nevertheless, Sosa worked hard and never lost hope. The trade to the Cubs and his rise to stardom was the result of a strong dedication to excellence.

Perhaps, the greatest part of this book is Sosa's loyalty to his family, the people of the Dominican Republic, and the fans of the Chicago Cubs. Although Sosa has reached great heights he still wants the fame that is associated with winning the World Series. This is a great book for kids and adults alike...the bottom line is "hard work works."

Sammy Sosa is not a robot. He, like you and me, is a fallible human being who is largely the product of his upbringing. In "Sosa: An Autobiography," readers have the opportunity to gain insights into not only Sammy Sosa and professional baseball, but the larger American culture and each of us. A superficial read of this book may leave some wanting more. And certainly there is more to tell. But Sammy's smart enough to know there's a time and there's a place. This book, at this time, is neither.

But to those who recognize the implications, there is plenty of meat: (1) Has baseball exploited Latin players? What should baseball be doing differently for them? (2) Should all players on a team -- all people in any organization -- be treated the same despite their different personalities, their different backgrounds, their different perceptions? (3) What is the value of trust, respect, fairness, honesty, loyalty?

Speaking as someone who spent five years as a Major League scout and 2O years coaching baseball, on a more baseball specific level, how can someone like Walt Hriniak be a Major League hitting coach and try to force everyone -- Sammy Sosa and Ozzie Guillen -- to hit the same way? Someone like that shouldn't be coaching baseball at ANY level. Why aren't all Major League coaches and managers as insightful as Cubs' hitting coach Jeff Pentland? As any excellent teacher or coach knows, whether you're teaching Shakespeare or the circle change, you're not teaching a curriculum, you're teaching people.

Reading Sammy's story allows the intelligent reader to see that Major League baseball is as political as Congress and just about as effective in dealing with real people. Sammy demonstrates that lack of trust and lack of respect will destroy any relationship, any organization. But mutual trust and respect will allow any relationship, any organization to thrive.

If you want everything spelled out for you, buy a dictionary. If you want something to think about, buy "Sosa: An Autobiography."

This is a great resource for statistics classes. That being said, the text is certainly applicable as a self-help text to the statistics world. The text is easy to read, the concepts spelled out, and the examples very helpful. In the back of the book one will find answers to odd numbered questions, enabling one to constantly check on their success in learning the material. Statistics tables are also contained in the back, as with any statistics book. For those that want to brush up on their basic mathematical skills, the appendices also contain a basic mathematics review. Finally, there is a statistics organizer as the last appendix, which gives definitions for the statistical techniques, decision maps to aid in choosing the correct technique, and the required formulas for each technique. Suggested (but obviously not required) is the Study Guide for Gravetter and Wallnau's 5th Edition book. Although I didn't use this guide very often, it could be a very helpful aid to some, especially those that are learning statistics with minimal instructor feedback (such as an online course).

My first impression was that this book was priceless since it really helped me through the first couple of chapters in the main text. At the beginning it goes into lengthy, step-by-step instructions. I may not have felt as confident in the class if it had not been for this supplement. Once I reached chapter 6 and 7 it was all over!There was not enough information to help me understand what the book was losing me on, I needed to seek private tutoring at this point. Occasionally I still go to the book in the hopes that it can pick me up and get me through the homework but it does not. These later chapters may be too complicated to go into in a study guide but what would a study guide be for if not walking you through the steps? I am glad I bought it, just dissappointed that it quit so early.

This is the very best statistics book that I have purchased (and I have purchased 5 others trying to help me get a grasp on this subject)! I would recommend it to anyone who needs an easy--to-read and easy-to-understand textbook on this difficult subject! I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me!

This book is absolutely excellent. I have looked through other stats books and lost interest immediately, but this book is written in such a way that it actually makes you want to learn the material. Rather than just telling you how to solve the problem, the authors inform you as to why learning it is necessary, and frequently give you real-life, interesting scenarios regarding how specific formulas are used by psychologists.

Statistics, of course, becomes progressively more difficult over time, and you may need to seek outside help once you reach the last few chapters in particular. However, I believe that this book is the best of its kind, and it might be worth purchasing even if it is not your primary source for class, etc.

Having seriously struggled for the last two years with the statistics side of my Psychology studies, this book has really made things so much clearer. An excellent book for anyone struggling to grasp the basic statistical concepts required in behavioral sciences.

I love books where I don't have to wait for chapter after chapter to get to a good part, and LETHAL LIES definitely delivers to my tastes. Chapter one starts off with a bang, and the action, adventure, suspense, mystery, and passion never slow down after that.

Investigative reporter Chelsea Logan is finally ready to file the story of a lifetime. Life in Serenity, Maine, has always seemed quiet and calm to outsiders, the kind of small town where anyone and everyone would love to raise their family. Hadn't she moved back to accept a job at the local paper, living in the house she'd grown up in, believing that she'd finally found the right place for herself and her fifteen-year-old daughter, Jessie? Chelsea soon learns, though, that all is not what it seems in Serenity, and she's finally ready to go to the Chief of Police, Ty Savage, with her allegations before her story hits the paper.

Her middle-of-the-night trip never reaches fulfillment, however, when Chelsea plunges off of a deserted road and into the river below. All too quickly, Chelsea Logan and her unfiled story are history-just the way that a certain someone has planned it. Since she never got to Ty, never had her story on the front page of the River City Gazette, person or persons unknown in Serenity are now breathing easier.

Easier, that is, until Faith Pelletier returns to town. Chelsea's cousin and best friend, Faith uses the need to take care of Jessie as her reason to return to the hometown that she swore never to step foot in again. But she knows the truth-she doesn't believe that Chelsea's death was a suicide, and there are too many unanswered questions surrounding not only her friend and cousin's death, but the circumstances surrounding it. What exactly was Chelsea doing driving down a dark and deserted road after midnight? Who was she going to see, and why?

As the placid calm of Serenity, Maine, is shattered by a world of violence, drugs, and scrupulous men and women, Faith knows that she's on to something-something, some reason, that contributed to her cousin's death.

With Ty Savage, a man that she's always secretly been a little in love with, the only one to turn to with her suspicions, Faith realizes that she might be in danger, not to mention Chelsea's daughter, Jessie. As secrets are revealed, as passions build, as the danger in this once-peaceful small town comes to a head, LETHAL LIES will have you on the edge of your seat.

Ms. Breton has written a winning romantic suspense story with a twisting, turning story line and truly remarkable characters. With LETHAL LIES, you'll have a hard time guessing what will happen next, and that is one sign of a great mystery story.

The suspence just kept building. The characters were well developed and very real. I hated to see it end and plan to read everything else this author has released.

Popular author Faith Pelletier has not been able to write since her spouse died eighteen months ago. Though pressured to produce her next novel and having spent the advance on her husband's medical bills, Faith drops everything when she learns Chelsea, her best friend since childhood, died in what appears to have been a suicidal drive into the Androscoggin River. Worried about Chelsea's daughter fifteen years old Jessie, Faith heads to River City, Maine to attend the funeral and bring the teen back with her to New York.

Though ruled a suicide, Faith believes otherwise because she knows how much Chelsea loved Jessie. Police Chief Ty Savage also has doubts, but has not found one iota of evidence to prove murder occurred. Urged on by the River City Gazette where Chelsea worked as a reporter, Faith tries to track her friend's last unfinished story, but soon finds herself in deep trouble from a killer who wants his actions and her buried along side of Chelsea.

LETHAL LIES is an exhilarating romantic suspense that grips the audience as they go on the road with Faith who believes Chelsea's former husband drugged and killed her. The story line never slows down from that stunning start as Faith picks up the gauntlet and continues the inquiries over the fears of Ty, who loves her. Fans will appreciate this strong Maine thriller filled with fantastic misdirection and clever red herrings.

Harriet Klausner

This book was great from about page 277 until the end. I couldn't put it down. It was suspenseful and surprising. However, the beginning is slow. I noticed this before from this author that she is very descriptive, almost too much. I found myself skipping over huge chunks of needless information. For instance, there is no reason to describe each building of a town, who owns it or works there and what relevance they had to the character as that person drives down the road unless those people matter, but they don't. Dialog is interupted with meanless descriptions of what the character is doing second by second, like mixing the coffee, and each sip they take. It just gets so boring and breaks up too much of the suspense and plot.
On the other hand, the story is fairly basic, but does build at the end to a nice reveal. Not much of a romantic suspense, but this author is fairly new, so perhaps there is hope. She has a great deal of potential, if she would just condense her descriptions down a little.
I wish I could have given it more stars, but except for the last third of the book, it just did nothing for me. I forced myself to keep reading, because I am familiar with this author's works and I did have high hopes. I think I will give her a few years to fine tune her writing and try back again. In my opinion though, I have now bought two of her books based on viewer reviews and am disappointed that I spent the money.

Reporter Chelsea Logan is about to file the story that could catapult her from her small Maine town to a big city paper - she just wants to go over what she has found out with Serenity's chief of police, Ty Savage. But she never makes it to the police station, as she is drives into the river, and townspeople assume it is a suicide. Ty does not think so since though Chelsea had a lot of problems, she was devoted to her teenage daughter, Jessie. Chelsea's will left custody of Jessie to her cousin Faith Pelletier. But the evidence does not prove otherwise.

Faith left Serenity after high school graduation and never looked back. Still nursing a broken heart eleven months after burying her terminally ill husband Ben, the last thing she needs in her life is to return to the town that brings back so many bad memories - many of which include her best friend and love of her life, Ty - who betrayed her by sleeping with Chelsea. When Faith does return to Serenity it is with the intention of leaving as soon as the funeral. But all is not what it appears, and it looks as though racism and a deadly drug cartel might have taken up residence in the small river town. As Faith and Ty investigate the evil doings, both try to refrain from giving into their deepening feelings for each other.

Breton has created a tense and riveting drama that manages to plop a couple surprises on jaded readers who think they know what is coming next.

Book was in good condition...save me a lot of $$$ on buying the new edition...

Make no mistake; the author is clearly a smart man who knows what he is talking about. Unfortunately, this book does a horrible job with the overall presentation, making it difficult to understand. I have had several textbooks throughout college and I find this to be one of the most boring textbooks I have ever encountered. I only wish that the author would bring this book to someone to fix out the format and layout in order to make it a more interesting, understandable read. All textbooks give over tons of information; pick one that is not so incredibly boring.

I took a sensations and perceptions psychology class last year, and suffice it to say, I was in over my head. My teacher did a horrible job at explaining things and his notes were even worse. When I got this book, I thought it was a god-send. Goldstein explained all the topics in such a clear and concise manner that I found myself wondering why I didn't understand it before. Turns out the topic wasn't so hard to understand, it just takes great talent to explain it in a good way. Fortunately, Goldstein has that talent. I learned so much from the book, which was also interesting to read.

I have the 4th edition of this fine text, and it is a terrific reference. Any time I have a question about my senses, I turn to this book. If you've ever wondered how it is that you perceive sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, this is really informative. It thoroughly describes the "input devices" (skin, eyes, ears, etc.) and how they interact with the CPU (brain).

If you don't need it for class, buy it used. If you do need it for class, don't sell it back for beer money.

Even though I am an Architectural Studies at Pitt, I nevertheless found myself in Dr. Goldstein's Sensation and Perception class this summer. I think the book is excellent and truly conveys Dr. Goldstein's personality. He is a fun guy, and an expert on the subject. He shares many of his "tips" for understanding sensation and perception to those of you who aren't fortunate enough to hear him lecture.

Very well-written in REAL language, great diagrams.

...

May just have to try some of her other books. This one was a good read - although somewhat contrived in parts.

This wasn't the greatest book I've ever read, and probably would normally receive a 3 start rating, but for the likability of the characters, particularly Mia, Doug, Lorna and Gracie. Even Sam had his redeeming qualitites. A realtor disapears and a body is discovered where she had last been known to have been located at. Enter the detectives, Lorna the parent and Doug the perfect. (Maybe a bit too perfect). A little less perfection on Doug would have made him more believable and I think more interesting but he was still a good character. Sam, the husband was one pathetic soul. By the end of the book I was cheering for Sam. I even thought Melissa was a terrific character, short as her time in the book was. Melissa was intelligent, understanding and funny. Mia and Melissa could have been friends. Both the teens, Gracie and Kevin seemed very believable in their teenage worlds. Finally, Mia. I loved Mia. Mia was smart and attractive and vulnerable. She could have been a truly great thriller character had there been a little more action in the book. The one thing that I did not care for in this book was the suspense. I never at any time felt that any of the characters was in any real danger and that includes the climactic scene at the end of the book. It just seemed kind of ho-hum, time to wrap it up. All in all, this was a pretty interesting novel but it could have been a lot more. Not a bad read though.

A high-powered, lady realtor whose star is on the rise disappears and a John Doe's body is found in the last place she was seen, along with her personal possessions. To the cops investigating, none of the scant clues add up in any way that makes sense. Where did she go? Who is the body? Where does her husband fit in? Complicating matters is the fact that one of the detectives finds himself attracted to the vanished woman's sister-in-law, jeopardizing their investigation with a conflict of interest. None of them could have foreseen how complicated everything would become though.

**** Ms. Breton without fail brings her readers intense character driven stories that draw you in from the outset and don't let you go. Her words paint a vivid portrait that comes alive, like a movie for the mind. You will not be able to guess the outcome of this mystery, no matter how clever you are. ****

The mystery was good and kept me guessing until the end. It's rare when I can't figure out what's happening, but Ms. Breton fooled me - good for her! There was romance in the story, but it wasn't over the top as with most Mira novels. I look forward to reading another of her books.

Boston realtor Kaye Winslow is meeting a potential buyer of the 6.5 million dollar Worthington House. However, when the client Philip Armentrout arrives he finds a male corpse and no Kaye. Police detectives Doug Policzi and Lorna Adams head the inquiry into the John Doe homicide and the missing realtor.

The cops interview Kaye's spouse Sam, a college professor up for tenure, and his sister Mia Delucca, Kaye's business partner. Soon evidence begins to appear that Sam may have killed Kaye, his second wife, but the detectives wonder why someone is going out of their way to hang him by sending them evidence that includes hints that he killed his first wife too.

POINT OF DEPARTURE is an action-packed police procedural with a series of mysteries such as who is the dead John Doe, where is Kate, why does she have no history prior to five years ago, and what is Sam hiding from his sister and the cops. No question that Sam is the prime suspect as he has no alibi and his rosy description of his marriage is destroyed by the divorce papers he receives. Only the doubts of Mia and the two cops especially Doug seeing a too perfect frame keep Sam from being arrested. Filled with twists and unexpected turns mystery fans will enjoy this strong thriller that keeps the romantic sublot in the background.

Harriet Klausner

Robin Spinney is running away. Her husband Mac was murdered and now the man she confided in about it is dead too. Robin and her daughter Sophie leave town to hide from Luke Brogan, the man responsible for the deaths. Robin changes her name to "Annie" and she and Sophie go to Serenity, Maine, where they buy a rundown motel and video store in an attempt to start over.

Davey is the temporary sheriff in Serenity. He has many doubts about his abilities to do this job but he figures he can handle it for two short months.

Annie and Davey meet when Annie's car breaks down and he stops to help her. They are clearly attracted to each other but Annie knows the last thing she should be doing is starting a relationship with anyone, considering the situation she is in. Davey lost his ex wife a few years back and the last thing he wants is another woman in his life. Between that and his dysfunctional family, Davey thinks he is no good for Annie. Still, they are helpless to stop a romance from blossoming.

Brogan has hired Louis, a private investigator to track down Annie. Marcus, Louis's brother, is running for a judicial seat. He hires Teddy, a hit man, to tie up all of the loose ends. Annie's video store is broken into and one of the fingerprints found at the scene is from "Robin Spinney". Davey investigates and discovers that Annie is not who she says she is. Just as Annie decides to tell Davey the truth, Louis finds her and Teddy is not far behind him. When Davey finds out about the danger Annie is in he races out to save her. But will Louis or Teddy reach her first?


Criminal Intent is emotional and exciting. There is a lot of depth and emotion in Davey and Annie's story. I felt very connected to them. Davey is described as not very handsome but I found him to be irresistible anyway. Annie is great. She is strong and a good match for Davey. I would recommend reading Lethal Lies by Ms. Breton before Criminal Intent. It's not necessary bit things will make more sense then. I really enjoyed Criminal Intent. It's a satisfying romantic suspense story.

Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Are you ready for a great, well written romance that doesn't push the boundaries of reason and religion? This one is for you. Grounded in the day-to-day reality of police corruption, a single mother and her daughter run for cover in a small town. They meet up w/the "temp" town sheriff and sparks fly. Simple plot but what works is the clarity of feelings, the easy familarity of acceptance in a small town but still a good suspense story to keep things interesting. The character of the hapless private dectective hired by the bad guys to track down the small family reminds us that appearances count for nothing. Keeps the reading real and worthwhile.

After two good men die under mysterious circumstances, Robin knows that she and her daughter could well be next. Her husband and his best friend both had learned the same secret implicating powerful men in criminal activities that she also knew about. With no one to turn to, Robin takes her daughter and enters her own make-shift witness protection program. Months later, rechristened as Annie Kendall, she and Sophie are well on their way to building new lives, then someone begins getting closer to her trail. Interim sheriff Davy Hunter is attracted to the young widow, and admires her spunk and grit, but feels he does not deserve her. Then, he begins to learn the truth, almost too late.

**** Subtle suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat as the characters spring to life from the pages of this book. You will really care what happens to them, even the one of questionable character. Humor, romance, mystery, and action, this book has it all. Ms. Breton can always be relied on for a good read. ****

In Atchawalla, Mississippi, widow Robin Spinny finds documents her late spouse Deputy Sheriff Mac left behind that incriminates his boss Sheriff Luke Brogan of doing illegal activities. She took the evidence to Mac's best friend Deputy Boyd Northrup, father of two with a third on the way, who officially commits suicide. Robin believes otherwise and feels that Luke and his brother murdered Boyd and her husband, who two years ago allegedly died in a car accident. With her daughter Sophie, Robin flees with intent to hide in plain sight elsewhere in the country.

Robin changes her name to Annie Kendall and two years later with teenage Sophie she opens up the Twilight Motel & Video Store in Serenity, Maine. As acting police chief for two months, disgraced former DEA Agent Davy Hunter finds Annie quite attractive, but believes she is hiding something. At the same time Luke is closing in on the woman who could expose him. Only Davy and a deputy not happy with his appointment stand in their way, but Luke has killed two law enforcement officials and has no problem with adding one more to his list.

CRIMINAL INTENT is an exhilarating suspense thriller with a romantic subplot that takes a back seat to the action. The story line centers on the woman (and her daughter) in peril from lethal law enforcement officials who want to insure her silence even two years after she vanished. The hired gun though he makes limited appearances is an intriguing character while the Brogan siblings don't appear enough to make them as dangerous as they apparently are. Davy sees the Kendall females as his redemption, but has doubts he can do the job. Fans will enjoy this solid romantic suspense thriller with the emphasis on the paths leading to a High Noon confrontation.

Harriet Klausner

Breton's work is one of the seminal classics of twentieth century art and literature and deserves to be read, if for no other reason, purely for historical ones. However, the intersted historian will quickly be transported beyond the realm of antiquarian curiosity and into an embodied philosophy of life that profoundly critiques and challenges the status quo. In many ways, the critiques/alternatives offered by Breton and the surrealists are more desperately needed now in the beginning of the 21st century than they were in the beginning of the 20th.

As to the previous reviewers rather shallow critique, I can only say that Breton (still read in France as one of their major 20th c. poets) has written these as witty, playful, often beatiful sometimes even rambling texts. To call them terse is to either radically misuse the word or to lack an aesthetic sensibility, or perhaps both. As for the supposed rehashing of an "old, dilapitated art school that has nothing more to say", such an unsupported critique reveals far more about the reviewer than about Breton.

Enjoy this book.

It is hard to exaggerate the importance and the relevance of this book and the greatness of it's author, Andre Breton. Although a flawed and decidedly ambivalent man, Breton was the first out and out surrealist worthy of the name, seeking the spirit of magic and 'immanent transcendence' of a sort in the marvelous, a sense of mysticism and wonder in no way supernatural or otherworldly. Breton exhorts us to break the sterile and suffocating chains of rationalism and logic, and to realize the relativity of perspectives and perceptions of reality, thereby freeing both our intellect and the supreme weapon of the human mind, the imagination. The surrealist lifestyle is nothing if not a furious attempt at total liberation, and Breton knows that this cannot be said often enough. The mad, the imaginative, the dreamy and the alienated are true 'surrealists' and unwittingly live this defiant philosophy of rebellion through their resolute refusal to conform to society's norms and to replace their own thoughts with those of the uninspired, the average, the ordinary. The literary and poetic precursors Breton cites are absolutely perfect and in accordance with the ideology he is formulating:anyone who has deeply felt the power of imaginative art has felt the spirit of surrealism, and Breton was possessed by it. He once screamed furiously, "I AM SURREALISM!"--and far from seeing it as arrogant or pompous, I think he was right.

Basically, if you can get past the terse text you will find a very, very out-dated system of thought. Andre Breton may have been revolutionary then, but now it is just a re-hash of an old, dilapitated art school that has nothing more to say.

"Manifestoes of Surrealism" is an extraordinary book that defines the timeless vitality of the Surrealist spirit. Speaking as a supreme oracle of Surrealist enlightenment, Breton gives us the keys to freedom from the limitations of reason, morality and aesthetic concerns. He instructs us on how to become a total Surrealist that no censorship or logic will ever stop. The texts in this volume take us into a realm where all taboos become taboo, where it is forbidden to forbid. Surrealism is defined not merely as a literary, artistic or philosophical movement, but as an explosion of the social order and a transformation of life itself. The opening section of the book is the original "Manifesto of Surrealism" from 1924. This text is the earliest formulation of the essence of the classical Surrealist spirit in its purest form. The next section, entitled "Soluble Fish," makes use of automatic writing and shows that the dream is the great vocabulary of Surrealism. The latter half of the book includes the "Second Manifesto of Surrealism" and a number of more politically oriented tracts which illustrate Breton's attempts to reconcile Surrealism with communism, an effort that ultimately proved to be untenable. What is exciting about this book is its revolutionary approach to life and its uncompromising nonconformist stance. It is a book ideally suited for the poet and the samurai, the lover and the disciple, the astronaut and the valkyrie. With these texts, Breton has tapped into the most impossible reaches of the mind and spirit, and his contribution must not be underestimated.