Burr Books

The Sculptress is a superbly plotted and terrifyingly good read from one of the UK's reigning mystery goddesses, Minette Walters. As inept as I am in composing plot synopses, I'll give it my best shot here. I apologize for its length, but rest assured I have no spoilers to diminish prospective readers' enjoyment of this novel.

After a profound personal loss, Rosalind `Roz' Leigh, an author of some renown, is finding it difficult to carry on with her writing and life in general. She's entertaining thoughts of suicide and agent and friend, Iris, would like her to get on with it, at least to assuage Roz's publisher. Reluctantly, Roz accepts the publisher's ultimatum--a book covering the grisly story of Olive Martin, who's incarcerated after confessing to the slaughter of her mother, Gwen, and her sister, Amber. Olive earned the nickname "sculptress" for having rearranged her victims' body parts after cutting them up and a later penchant for carving small wax figures in prison. Roz is put off at her initial sight of Olive. Olive is described as a "grotesque parody of a woman," and is made even more repulsive by the very gruesomeness of her crime. As the singsong rhyme of Lizzie Borden reverberates in her head, Roz soldiers on, and as she painfully coaxes bits of information from Olive, becomes convinced that Olive is innocent. What ensue are her all-consuming attempts to piece together an intricate puzzle out of the morass of characters, primary of which is Olive's dysfunctional family. Adding to the challenge is the abundance of conflicting and puzzling accounts of those whose lives were in one way or another connected to the tragedy. As if this weren't enough, she has fallen in love with Hal Hawksley, Olive's arresting officer, whose life is being threatened by thugs determined to oust him from his restaurant.

Ms. Walters' writing style is contemporary, far removed from the elegant narratives of British mystery icons like Josephine Tey or Dorothy L. Sayers (even when said icons were writing about carnage, their language was very much "drawing-room prose"). Neither is it nightmare-inducing as a good Mo Hayder novel would be, despite its subject matter. Instead, The Sculptress' lingo immediately establishes the grittiness and no-nonsense characteristics of the present day and its inhabitants. It effectively conveys (a) the various characters' human frailties, (b) Olive Martin's alienation, crippling loneliness, and disturbing cunning, and (c) the gruesomeness of the crime, but without the aid of a Dramamine. It is descriptive without being overdone. It's also a refreshing compromise for a reader like me who sometimes alternates between the extremes of classic mysteries and horror.

Ms. Walters is very much the mistress of her novel. She provides the clues when she's good and ready and not any sooner. She leaves the reader perplexed about certain details even when the reader fully comprehends the story. She offers no excuses for the ambiguity of her ending. Unlike some readers, I actually prefer this as I revisit the story in my head, hoping to infer a conclusion very near that of the authoress'. But this preference of mine is not absolute; thus, I can understand how the ambiguity would bother some readers, especially fans of neatly resolved mysteries. There are stories that would indeed suffer if the answer to the mystery was not properly revealed at the end. However, The Sculptress, in my opinion, is not one of them. A recurring theme in the narrative is Olive Martin's intelligence, which translates really into cunning. There is constantly, somewhere in the back of the reader's mind, a suspicion that Olive is surreptitiously controlling Roz through her revelations, imagined or otherwise. But we really do not know, do we, who is controlling whom? With Olive Martin, what you see isn't necessarily what you get. Having said this, I find it only fitting that the ending be as oblique as Olive herself. It also offers the added bonus of giving you the creeps.

The only reason I could not give The Sculptress five stars is due to the subplots of Hal Hawksley's fight to retain his restaurant and the blossoming love between Roz and Hal. I can be a sucker for a fine romance laced with intrigue myself, but these bogged down what was an otherwise brisk pace and contributed no relevancy to the main narrative. If anything, they took attention away from what was already a riveting story and their tangential connection to the main plot was a weak effort. It is not too sore a point with me so, I still consider the novel a winner.

(Incidentally, the made-for-TV adaptation of The Sculptress is equally good and worth the nearly four hours of viewing. The English are faithful in their adaptations and no detail in the book was sacrificed. For those who enjoyed the book, I highly recommend the film as well.)

Minette Walters is recognized by many as the Queen of the British psychological mystery and for good reason. I would not hold them in the same class as Elizabeth George's fine novels but they are close and for sheer invention, they are superior. It is the hallmark of a great author that they can transform a rather overworked subject (woman chops up family) into an intense thriller and who should be the star but an obese woman who may or may not be telling the truth.

Ms Walters's writings remind me of the what the producer said about "The Thomas Crowne Affair" - it was a movie of, for and about adults. That could be said about Walter's writings that have intelligent, complex individuals far from their high school years. In this case, the heroine is a reporter who, through chance and pressure, decides to write a book about a famous crime for which the woman confessed. She is drawn (like the reader) into the real story of what happened and her convictions begin to form almost against her will. Is she being manipulated or is Olive Martin an innocent victim.

Along the way we are introduced to another character, a former cop now a restaurant owner and a a quirky romance develops (the best). Walters will most likely never have a hero or heroine walk into a bar, "eye a stranger" and bounce the bed springs two minutes later. Yes, that's the calibre of writing for most of today's movies and books, admittedly easier but such a copout. Instead, her characters develop, think, change and only slowly admit their deepest passions. A tremendously satisfying work - A+

The story is intense, sometimes disturbing and completely gripping. The characters are unique, complex and have both character flaws and assets, which makes them believable. A touch of romance adds some humour and lightheartedness contrast well with the rest of the dark story.

The premise of the story was interesting and the prose makes for smooth reading. But given the award and glowing reviews, I was expecting it to be much more than above average. The ending does not floor the reader as it should, given the nature of the ending. All in all, above average but overrated. Nevertheless, I'm still game to try another book from this author in the future.

I don't understand what so special about this book. The first half of the book is quite exciting. But in the later half - especially towards the ending - it becomes complicated, boring, almost incomprehensible.

The restaurant part of the story is so unnecessary and has nothing (or just a little bit) to do with the main storyline. The 'Olive doing her carvings and sticking pins on wax figures' constantly repeated and has nothing to do with the storyline. The conclusion is very confusing. We can never be so sure why the killer killed.

Sorry......this book is not good enough.

take Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine anyday.......

The book arrived promptly, in good condition, and I can recomend this seller, thanks, I will buy again

Unlike many of the other reviewers, I LOVED this book. Read it in 2 days. I concur with what "Publishers Weekly" put on the back cover -- "The reader keeps turning pages just to make sure the heroines find the happiness they deserve."

I read a lot of Nora Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann, etc., so I have a lot of books within this genre with which to compare and contrast this book, and I say 5 stars Eileen!

This is a story of three grown sisters. They come back for their parent's anniversary. Their dad, a doctor, is murdered. The three sisters don't want their mother to plead guilty.

One sister wants a baby so badly, one sister needs money, and one sister wants to write/publish their journals. Will all three sisters get their wishes?

There is a very interesting lady character and her grown daughter (who has a deformed son). I will not say anything about them, as to not give away a very interesting fact. But they play a big role in this book. High drama.

The story line was pretty good, but it had too many pages. The story could have been told on half as many pages. I read part of the book - got so bored with it - put it down for several months - and then finally picked it back up and finished it. I was disappointed that Kitty's Tea Room wasn't visited very often in the book and it didn't play a big role in the book, and that her sticky buns (and other foods) weren't described more. I did not like what happened to the mother at the very end.

I got this book in a box of many others, and although i wasn't sure if this book was interesting at all, i decided to read the book, and I definetly do not regret reading it. "One Last Dance" is one of the best books I've read for a while. I think the story is very good. I personaly found Daphne and Alex's lives boring at the begining, but closer to the end, all of the charactors were fasinating people.
I really liked how the bood ended, what with Jonny and Daphne, and Alex and Jim ending up back together, and Kitty ending up with Sean. I think what happened to Lydia Seagrave is VERY depressing, but not everything is gonna end up perfectly.

I read the first quarter of the book, but then lost interest and skimmed the rest. Something was lacking with the characters. The mother pleading innocent from the beginning left little mystery, figured the husband was cheating on her. I wouldn't recommend anyone buy this. I don't even know what happened to the mother and really don't care.

I another great installment in this terrific series. I read it in less than 2 days, couldn't put it down.

While it's not necessary to read the other books in this series, I would recommend doing so. I always enjoy a visit to Cedar Cove.

I am a huge fan of Debbie Macomber, even though her novels are very unlike most of the kind of books I enjoy. I have followed her "street" series from the beginning and this is a fine addition to it.

Debbie Macomber returns to the fictionalized setting of her own home town in this eighth book of the Cedar Cove series. Favorite characters are revisited and they are involved with everything from health problems to romantic troubles. Pastor Dave Flemming and his wife Emily are featured, but some of the subplots involving Judge Olivia Griffin, Rachel Pendergast, Sheriff Troy Davis, and Christie Levitt are actually more interesting. Several of the plots are left unresolved, as the book "Cedar Cove Christmas" came out just a month after this book, and fans are directed towards next September's entry in the series "92 Pacific Boulevard". This is an entertaining series which keeps up reader's interest by including stories about several Cedar Cove characters which occur simultaneously.

My only complaint is that it takes too long for the books to come out.

This book was sent to me in very good condition and quickly. It is an interesting, suspenseful book. I recommend to read the first two books of the wind dancer before reading this one.

This book was likely the least-engrossing book I've ever attempted to read. I've tried to get through it in four different stints and have gotten bored and frustrated enough each time to give up in favor of another (better) book. The sex scenes seem as if they were written by a horny 12-year-old and seem to be randomly dropped into the book-- they're not convincing in the least. Well more than 100 pages in there still seemed to be no story. The characters are shameless stereotypes: the young woman with a broken family who had to grow up too early and keeps herself so determined and busy so as to ignore her sorrow, she's a country girl who has never known the world, and the dark, mysterious, aloof millionaire who seduces her and finds himself seduced as well. Unfortunately, the writing is as bad as the story is tired, and their relationship isn't able to transcend the pages at all. As the pages went by I found myself wondering when things would come together to make this book more than empty words on paper, but they never did. Don't waste your time.

Well, this turned out to my favorite of all of I.J's books. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did. I fell in love w/ the characters. Caitlyn & Alex's relationship was well written, and drew me deeper into the book. Kemal is awesome & what a cool twist at the end! I still can't figure out how Melis is related to Kemal, he says she is his niece, but is that indeed true? I wanted to cry for Melis, and Kemal's character was just brilliant! I will miss Alex & Caitlin & crew! Kemal could fill up a book on his own. Maybe one day he will, with references back to Reap the Wind. LOVED IT!!!!

The shipment was very fast. I was very glad to find this book I have been lokking for it after I read Wind Dancer. It is a wonderful book.

I have certain criteria which needs to be met in order for me to give a book an excellent rating. One of those mandatory items is good editing. The author could write a fantastic story, filled with intrigue and characters that burst out of the pages at you, but if the editing is substandard, then I can't get past it. Thus causing my rating of the book to go down a notch. This was the case with Reap the Wind - those glaring typos and a couple of minor storyline errors jumped out and spoiled the scene in my eyes. Of course, this book is a reprint of an earlier work by Iris Johansen and I'm thrilled that her editor is either now more efficient, or she has a new one!

Reap the Wind focuses on Caitlin Vasaro, a woman who has always had a love for the Wind Dancer. The Wind Dancer, an antique statue shaped like a Pegasus, is said to possess mystical powers. The statue has been passed down in the Andreas family for many generations and is often fodder for rumor and speculation, as well as plots for stealing it. The myths surrounding the statue include stories of untold power for anyone in possession of it.

Caitlin, as a distant cousin to the owner of the Wind Dancer, had studied the statue's history while in college, and pours over a family journal, which contains portions focusing on the statue. She currently has returned to oversee and run the family flower farm in Italy and has produced a perfume that will "rock the world". She always seems to be one step ahead of the bank mortgage and worries about them repossessing Vasaro (the name of the farm). Vasaro is depicted as Utopia - fields of flowers, fruit trees, vineyard, mansion, and various outhouses. Yes, sounds like Utopia to me!

Caitlin's life is high stress constantly wondering if the elements will destroy the flower crop, and if so, how she'll make the next mortgage payment or payroll. Then an opportunity that's too good to be true walks into her life. That opportunity comes in the form of Alex Karazov, a wealthy businessman, ex-CIA/KGB man, who makes her a business proposition she can't refuse. He's willing to put up his money to market her perfume, thus paying off the mortgage on Vasaro. She enters the deal, knowing there is more to it than she is being told.

Most people can see where this story is going. Yes, Caitlin and Alex begin a mad, passionate love affair (and some of those scenes in the book are very steamy and not for those that blush at the mere mention of sex). But the surprise is the mystery that comes along with the romance. It seems others of a more evil nature are planning to steal the Wind Dancer while on loan for the perfume advertising campaign.

(NOTE: This section contains key information about the plot - skip if you are planning to read the book)The story takes you on a wild run through Europe in a chase to get the Wind Dancer back once it's stolen. At times the action is a bit far-fetched, but it will definitely have your heart pumping. The identity of a key villain, The Gypsy, was predictable, but the ending had a few twists and turns to keep it interesting.

There were also scenes that are definitely overkill, such as guys repealing out of helicopters to torch Vasaro with flame-throwers. Another hard one to fathom is the scene where the captain of a whaler shoots his harpoon at the people on the ship trying to save the whale. But hey, there are only a few of those type scenes and it doesn't take away from the overall good story.

This book is definitely one to read, as long as you don't focus on the typos and can get past the site seeing/shopping adventures. Never mind, don't ask about those! And if you blush at romance scenes, you'll want to skip over the few very erotic, xxx, love scenes that will leave you wondering how Iris Johansen comes up with this stuff!

The world became aware of Linda Greenlaw when her exploits were chronicled in the book "Perfect Storm" and she was portrayed by actress Mary Elizabeth Mastratonio, the captain of the other fishing boat in the George Clooney movie of the same name. Capitalizing on her new-found fame, Linda turned to writing and turned out three excellent non-fiction books: "The Hungry Ocean," "The Lobster Chronicles," and "All Fishermen Are Liars," plus a cook book co-authored with her mother, "Recipes from a Small Island." Now, she turns to fiction with "Slipknot." For a first novel, it is an excellent effort. She has created a singular character, Jane Bunker - former big-city homicide detective from Florida, current marine insurance investigator in Maine. Not much is revealed about her past, including a secret mentor. I suspect she is saving that for future novels. But, what we see of her character is fascinating indeed: a penny-pinching, soon-to-be old maid, with romantic overtures and appreciation for the look of her own breasts. She lays out the mystery in "Slipknot" with ambiguous clues, the occasional red herring, flashes of humor, and a host of interesting characters. For suspense, she gives us a number of surprising events that put the heroine in life-threatening jeopardy, and keep us reading until the end to find out what is really going on. As a mystery writer, she's got the skills down pat. But, she does have a few tell-tale signs of being a novice. First, everyone speaks in the same voice. With the interesting variety of accents available from Maine, she uses none of them. Each of the characters speaks like everybody else. Secondly, sometimes she forgets not-so-incidental occurrences. For example, during her last harrowing adventure, she breaks several ribs. But then, mostly forgets about them. I have broken ribs twice; I know they are not easily forgotten. For example, she lifts four gallon buckets of water (that's over 32 pounds each) over and over with no apparent pain. When she does remember the ribs, it's when she pulls apart a Velcro strip. She also goes overboard in showing off her fishing knowledge with a too-long explanation of cod fishing. But, I am definitely looking forward to her next book and the ones after that, too, with the improvements I know she will insist on making. Linda Greenlaw doesn't have to fish any more, unless it's angling for the right adjective.

Dade County Chief of Detectives Jane Bunker feels no regret at leaving her rising career as a homicide detective. More than a decade spent chasing down drug runners in speed boats and hauling illegals in inner tubes ashore in her Miami beat has left her yearning for a less stressful career. The peace and quiet of the sleepy little coastal Maine fishing village of her childhood beckons.

The pay cut as a marine insurance inspector is worth it. She has missed the winter snows, the cool summers, and the opportunity to touch base with her old friends and family.

She has barely moved into a tiny apartment above a tourist trap gift shop with a view of the harbor when she starts her first day of work, checking out a fish processing plant for a policy renewal. It is dawn, and as she walks around the building, she sees a body washed up on the beach in front of the plant and a small group of people clustered around. She recognizes the victim as a man who raised a ruckus at a community meeting the night before. Her police instincts kick in, and she starts taking notes and asking questions of the locals, who look upon her nosiness with little favor. The death is ruled as an accidental drowning or a possible suicide, but her instincts tell her otherwise. She convinces the local authorities to take a closer look at his death, embroiling herself further into the case.

The village's fishing industry is threatened by outside conditions. Over-fishing is depleting once-abundant supplies of popular food fish, and a profitable offshore wind farm for electrical generation is being proposed that has come up against local fishermen as a threat to their livelihood. The body on the shore is that of a proponent of the wind farm who made no secret of his interests at the meeting.

Jane tries to stay out of the investigation, carried out by a handful of small town would-be cops, but when clues quite literally fall into her lap, she feels compelled to do some checking on her own. She soon discovers that drug running, blackmail and smuggling activities are not confined to the big cities.

In a lively, fast-paced adventure, Jane soon finds herself in personal jeopardy as she peels back the cover-up of fraud, embezzlement and illegal environmental activity. As she is drawn deeper into the investigation, her life is endangered as she stows away on a fishing boat. A heart-pounding fight for survival during an ocean gale very nearly ends Jane's career as an insurance inspector --- and her life.

Linda Greenlaw has written three bestselling nonfiction books: THE HUNGRY OCEAN, THE LOBSTER CHRONICLES and ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS. She was the real-life swordfish boat captain who survived THE PERFECT STORM by Sebastian Junger. Don't let Greenlaw's petite appearance fool you. Her considerable skills as a tough fishing boat captain, successful writer and cook (she co-authored a cookbook with her mother, RECIPES FROM A VERY SMALL ISLAND) make her an icon among successful women.

In SLIPKNOT, Greenlaw's first mystery, we are introduced to the intriguing and diverse cast of characters of Green Haven, Maine. I would like to predict that we will see more of our insurance inspector/sleuth Jane Bunker.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

I listened to Slipknot. I enjoyed the story, but as others have said, there was room for improvement. It is a light read and I am awaiting another Jane Bunker story. I liked Jane and know there are more stories that can be written about her. As for the audio reader, please do NOT try to do Maine accents. She couldn't seem to decide between a very bad Maine accent or a very bad southern accent (though I am sure she thought it was a Maine accent). It really takes away from the enjoyment. Also, please research how the locals say a ciy's name. It is Bang-gore, not Banger, when refering to Bangor, Maine and learn the correct pronunciation of Gloucester, MA.

My 4-stars are for the story, not the audio. I would lower it to 3-stars for the audio version.

Jane Bunker moved north from Miami only days before Nick Dow, the town drunk of Green Haven, Maine, washed up on the beach with his head bashed in--possibly the result of a drunken fall, but maybe not. Jane, who'd been a homicide detective in Florida, is among the first to see the body, and though it's no longer in her job description--she's now a marine insurance investigator--she decides to investigate the death on her own by way of having a hobby. The more she looks into the death, the more fishy it seems to be. Jane suspects it's connected to the hot-button issue that's got the town riled up, the proposed creation of a wind farm off-shore, which would likely have an adverse effect on the town's cod fishing industry.

Jane is a likable protagonist, frugal in speech and finances. We're given to understand that she is running away from her old life in Florida while at the same time returning to her roots. Jane's mother was from Green Haven. She left family behind when she abandoned Maine--running away from something, just as her daughter would--during Jane's childhood. This back story will presumably be fleshed out in subsequent installments in the series. Greenlaw here introduces a number of characters who will likely be regulars: the laconic, slightly hunchbacked Cal, who's fast becoming her friend and accomplice; her frequently sloshed landlords, who are moving into position as surrogate parents; the brash young waitress at the local diner; a potential love interest. It's a cast I'll be happy to spend further time with.

Greenlaw has previously published a handful of nonfiction books, including The Lobster Chronicles and All Fishermen are Liars (see my review) based on her years of experience at sea. (In addition to writing, Greenlaw is the captain of a lobster boat.) Her first foray into fiction reads well for the most part. The mystery held my interest. The writing and the story flow well with a couple of jarring exceptions. There are two scenes in the book which don't work because they are so unrealistic: one at the diner in which Greenlaw has the waitress dramatically narrate events from the previous night's town meeting, and later in the book a sort of catfight between Jane and a local socialite. There is in addition one character--Ginny, a monster of the local fishing industry--whose behavior is too over-the-top to be credible.

My lack of familiarity with naval terminology was not an issue for most of the book, but there is a climactic scene toward the end that I probably would have enjoyed more if I'd had a better idea of what was happening. But even without knowing a turnbuckle from an outrigger I could understand the tenor of what was going on--grave peril and high drama at sea.

I liked Slipknot and look forward to more from Greenlaw. Next up is the series' second knot-titled installment, Fisherman's Bend.

-- Debra Hamel

I loved Linda Greenlaw's, "The Hungry Ocean", and plan to read her other titles, but first, I decided to see how she does as a fiction writer.

Not as well. Although Slipknot shines at times, particularly during the scenes on the water, the author's first person portrayal of Jane Bunker is a bit too uneven. The woman is in her 40's and still single. That doesn't happen by accident - but here it's never explained to reader's satisfaction. Does she fear commitment? Is she still a virgin? What is it that's kept her single? In non-fiction, an author can get away with shallow characterization, but in fiction, the reader needs to know the person inside because that's how their transference takes place. This woman is 42. She has to be hardened by now, yet she reacts like a teenager when the first guy smiles at her. That's out of character. She's supposed to be a veteran big city detective, but she seems oblivious of the danger she routinely puts herself in as she prowls the small town. That's out of character too.

I don't know why a person who has as much in-depth knowledge of the ocean and love for all things nautical as Linda Greenlaw would start writing land-based detective fiction. Whatever the reason, she did. Does she succeed? Yes. A person like Linda will succeed in whatever she sets out to do, but this time out, not to the same degree as in her non-fiction work: the best scenes in Slipknot take place aboard a fishing vessel during a storm, and that's where I recommend the author set her next fictional story.

Art Tirrell is the author of The Secret Ever Keeps

In this season of charity and goodwill, we concentrate on the reason we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the son of God who came to save mankind. Mary felt something flare like a spark from one of the frayed electric cords strung like Christmas lights along the walls as she ponders on the untimely death of her best friend. Just today, I was tempted to buy a whitesparkly aluminum Christmas tree just the right size for one's desk; it made me think of Eva Ezell's original prized aluminum tree stored out in her garage which had many pleasant memories for her.

My favorite poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote "Three silences there are: speech, desire, thought..." In the autistic mind, speech is silent as Eric frantically ran from place to place in the restaurant. Speech comes early to some like Alec at seven months, as he tries to form words; later to Kyle who has just turned three years old and can't form sentences, only his mom understands and interprets his phrases. He has not learned how to be quiet and listen, as he is constantly bombarded by sounds from educational videos. He can say, "Can't Hear" to get his doting mom to turn up the volume. Perhaps that is today's young mothers' attempts to create a genius. A genius is not made by man, but is created thusly by providence, perhaps by God. When I was a young mother, it was reading which shetted their appetites for knowledge and simple toys used to create fascinating and creative plays, stories, and artwork. Sweet words are all you need. You reflect on recent conversations and realise there is something you could have said but didn't. Now is an opportunity to take a second chance with someone, especially if you harbor unspoken feelings for them. Its important to verbally express yourself now. You might stumble over your words a little, but your intentions are clear. What you have to say is received with affection. Whatever it is you want, stop stewing over it and tell someone. Ideally, someone who has the influence to help you get what you crave.

Today's world is too much electronic with loud noises and no silences. Some people are unable to speak at all, some haltingly so. Some people never learn to speak. There is a young man who rides the buses who makes animal sounds to communicate; another who grunts and growls like a gorilla. So often it's about choosing to think positively. After all, no one can predict the future, so no one really knows whether you're right or wrong. Desire comes later as one learns how to express his needs. Children desire things of their own; their main desire is to be loved.

Adults desire the companionship of others and also the need to be loved for themselves. At different ages, the desires will be constantly changing according to existing circumstances and expectations. We desire to be desired. Our omnipresent desire is to be successful in some field and to live life to the fullest. Desire for material things, large automobiles, a place to find the first and foremost desire, silence, a childhood wish for a piano, a trip to Hawaii, usually can be attained with a little help from your friends and a good banker like David Sharp.

The desire to perpetuate the cycle of human evolution is what makes the world go 'round. Longfellow was a thoughtful poet "and the night shall be filled with music" (thanks, young Bill Ross for your guidance). Thought begins at birth; the expression of thought revolves as the child matures and grows. Thought is the most importand 'silence' as it is cerebral and can be expressed by actions, words, sign language, musical talent, and in writing. Without thought, it would be a dead desolute world. Just say the word; "the problem is I haven't known where to find me." He was looking for a sign of what the future might hold. No one knows.

Some people, those who can't hear, are caught in a world of silence. Silence can be beautiful, or silence can be an imprisonment. Some people think too much and don't take the time to let those thoughts sink in so as to make life worthwhile. More people than not talk so as not to have to think at all. Some people are deep thinkers, some not. A certain class of today's society have not been taught how to think on a high level, which holds them back and they exist in a netherworld of violence. Some kids considered hyperactive are drugged so they can't think rationally or any other way; they're turned into zombies to allow the smartest to excel, while they have reached a stalemate in a world where they will never fit in but, eventually, rebel in an explosive way.

Institutions used to be full of these problem people, but now they are out on the streets causing havoc and getting hurt by criminals. They're being mainlined into today's social world in which they can't cope, like the mentally retarded and handicapped were in the school system. It was called special ed. Most will withdraw down into their own little fantasy world. I see them every day on the local buses, at the library, sleeping on the sidewalks. There is one bus passenger who dons a red velvet jester's hat every winter until up into the summer months. He doesn't realize how dumb he really looks and a lot of lower class citizens who don't know any better make fun of him. That "dummy" headdress is the only way he's able to express himself. I say he just wants attention, to be noticed, and to be acknowledged of his existence.

Many such poor people fall through the cracks while the rich "beautifully dressed and coiffed" so-called society people (though not exceptionally smart) look the other way and booze themselves into oblivion. They are morally corrupt but simply do not care. If they could live one day as one of us who have nothing, the world would change for the better. "God, how I wish it." To walk a mile in the other man's shoes. The second silence, desire, with a few twists of imagination, is for a safe place to live in a peaceful world without wars.

I was intrigued by the title and have never read anything by Eileen Goudge, but I was pleasantly surprised. The Second Silence has an excellent balance of mystery and romance -a moving relationship drama. Very enjoyable! Also recommend Shade of the Maple by Kirk Martin and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks-two incredible relationship dramas.

I really enjoyed this book. It is my first experience reading an Eileen Goudge book, and I was impressed. This was the perfect summer book, nothing too deep or confusing going on. It centers on a young mother, Noelle, trying to win back custody of her 5 year old daughter whom her husband has kidnapped. Her husband, Robert, then goes on a ruthless campaign to portray her as an unfit mother, and he even stages several things to further that impression. Along for the ride are Noelle's long divorced parents, Mary & Charlie, who despite being divorced for roughly 30 years still have very strong feelings for each other, her ailing Grandmother Doris, whose very strong opinions she seldom keeps to herself, and her half sister, Bronwyn, a sort of teenage Nancy Drew. All in all a good story, that ultimately centers on love between mother, daughters and sisters and also letting go of past hurts to open oneself up to love again. I would definitely recommend it.

I love Eileen Gouge's style and characters. In my opinion, and I have read them all, this is the best book Eileen has published. I couldn't put it down. It was not entirely predictable. There were interesting twists and turns, tangled families, certainly more mystery and excitement than usual. I could relate to the people; they were "real." I loved this book. I recommend it to anyone who loves Eileen's style, and to anyone who likes a mystery that is not gory or violent, spiced with love and romance. This is a five for sure. Eileen this is sure to be your best selling work.

It amazes me how 10 people can read the same book and either love it or hate it. This is the first book by Goudge that I have read; I went into it cold and did not read the reviews until I finished it. Not being an avid reader of romance books, it was a surprise to see that it was combined with my favorite genre: mystery-thriller. You can get the details from other reviewers if that is what you are looking for but I say, read it and judge it for yourself. True, it may sound like a soap opera but aren't our lives the basis for those soaps?Every body has to make decisions that ultimately affect the lives of others and your decisions will have great impact that you never in your life could imagine. In this story, decisons made 4 generations ago lead to a terror-riden climax with a beautiful ending. See if you can identify with the different characters in your own family's generations. I did and saw a lot of "what if"s as we all do. Enjoy the book just to get away from all the stress and obscentities of today's pressures.At least you can put the book down but you can't put your own life on hold!!

If you like/love Tracy and Hepburn in movies, you'll love this book. It's a true account of their lives and how their affair came about, how it was hidden to the world (insiders in Hollywood knew all about it). In fact, it was so well hidden (Kate used to always slip in the back way at hotels), that Tracy's wife upon meeting Hepburn told her she was shocked, that she thought the affair was only a rumor. A very good read, you won't be disappointed.

I have always thought that Tracy and Hepburn were a Great couple in Movies, but they were amazing in real life too. The book was a very good history of each of their lives and how they became intertwined. I think it is one of the best books that I have ever read.

I have been looking for years for a Spencer Tracy biography and this is about as close as I could find. I have to say I was very pleasantly surpried by this book. First off, it is a quick and easy read and is especially well written for one of these Hollywood tomes. Secondly, rather than just telling the story of the Tracy/Hepburn love affair, it gives you so much background on both stars that I feel as though I have gotten my long sought after Tracy bio. Finally, the book helps the reader to understand that there really is no understanding a love like Tracy and Hepburn shared. Neither could put it into words and neither seemed interested in doing such. Rather than a lot of psycho babble that you usually get in these types of books, the author realizes that there is no accounting for taste and there is no explaining love.

I found An Affair to Remember a truly remarkable portrait of Hepburn and Spencer's lives (before and after they met). The book was interesting and well written. A great pick for anyone interested in either actor.

These two screen giants met on the set of Woman of the Year in 1942 and were together until Spencer died of a heart attack, shortly after wrapping up Guess Whose Coming to Dinner in 1967. This book chronicles their remarkable, romantic pairing in an era where a movie star's private life could remain hidden from a prying public. Spencer was married to a devoted Catholic, Louise, and he refused to divorce her. He also felt a tremendous sense of guilty about his deaf son. So marriage was out of the question, but Kate didn't care, she just wanted she be with Spencer, and she was, following him all over the world to sit worshipfully at his feet.

Andersen dutifully chronicles the nine classic Tracy-Hepburn films and gives some intriguing behind-the-scenes glimpses into each movie. There is also much information about Tracy's legendary bouts with the bottle, his brief fling with Gene Tierney in the early 50's and Kate's affair with Howard Hughes in the 1930's. All the bases are covered, but I wish Andersen would have interviewed more people close to the duo. Still, an engrossing read and essential for anyone enamored with either Spencer or Kate.

Hale gives us a small but powerfull treatise on patriotism here.A reminder that as Americans we can't abandon our beautiful land.My father once mentioned this story during one of our conversations and it struck me funny that he would know of this since he was not a big reader and I couldn't help but think that for him to remember it, it must have left a lasting and powerful image on him.I never read it in school and I now find it odd that it is not required reading but should be.Yes I know all the current troubles we are having with the alleged war with Iraq and all the other never ending Middle East garbage we have had to contend with lately but trust me, this will pass.I can only hope that we turn inward and try to fix our own problems instead of trying to fix everyone else's.This book concerns one Phillip Nolan, who turns his back on America and who pays the price of living without her for the rest of his life via an intricate method devised to keep any and all reference or news about America from him.His misery is palpable and he realizes just what an error in judgement he brought down upon his being as he is not only viewed as an outcast to be shunned but as a traitor,a fate most unpleasant.Kept at sea,transfered from ship to ship before reaching sight of land permenently kept him isolated and imbedded the feeling of isolation to an almost unbearable degree.His last days of longing for any news about America no matter how small or insignificant brings a sympathetic mate to his side but even then information is not brought forth without disregard to the initial nature of the crime and is delivered in metered amounts.If your patriotism ever weakens, read this book. Its brief, but imparts a strong message to us.We must always stand together in times of war and peace.America is the best country in the world despite world opinion.The deep, psychological punishment inflicted on Nolan can only serve to remind us what life would be like without our country even with all her imperfections.She is still the best the world has to offer as far as freedom and opportunity are concerned.Why would everyone be trying to get in as opposed to out.This little gem of a story makes plain why we need to stand together as Americans, more now than ever and should be read by every American both old and new.

Appearing at first to be a true story, this is really a tale of mythological quality. It tells about a man who swears off his own homeland and is banished from it in turn. For fifty-seven years he is doomed to sail with the Navy like a lost Odyssevs, never allowed to cast his eyes on his native land, and never allowed to hear any news from home.

This story was written during the Civil War, and is of course an attempt to remind Americans of their patriotic duty. It does, however, go deeper than this simple didactic point, and contains a more universal message about the value of loyalty and identity. By present standards it might perhaps be deemed overly sentimental, nonetheless I found "The Man without a Country" a fascinating and thought-provoking read.

The man without a country, Philip Nolan who is condemned to sail the world without ever hearing again name or news of the country, that he has at his court-martial for an involvement with Aaron Burr, cursed. In the course of his wandering and through the many lonely years his longing for his country and his love for it becomes apparent. The great poem of Scott which he keeps in his heart and mind says it all for him ' Breathes there a man with soul so dead / who never to himself hath said/ this is my own , my native land/ Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned as home his footsteps he hath turned/ from wandering on a foreign strand/ If there such breeds / Mark him well/ For him no minstrel rapture swells/ High though his title/ Proud his name/ Boundless his wealth as wish could claim/ Despite these titles / power and pelf/ The wretch concentred all in self/ Living forfeit fair renown/ and Dying doubly shall go down/ To the vile dust/ From whence he sprung / Unwept, unhonored and unsung.
Philip Nolan sings the song of his own ignominy , repents , and shows his great love for his country.
As a child in school this book moved me very deeply. It is a true American classic. And it teaches the meaning and value of a patriotism which is not the refuge of scoundrels, but rather a genuine reflection of love of one's own native land and home.

Ugh! Ideal-mad, patriotic tripe. The protagonist wishes never to see or hear about his country again, and instead of being unloaded in, say, France or even Africa - which would get him out of America's hair and comply with his wishes - he is tortured by being carried around on ships for the rest of his life. What the...?

I originally read this book in eighth grade, and recently had the desire to reread the book. The book was just as I remembered it. However, with a greater understanding of the world, I have learned to appreciate this classic even more. While an American may not agree with that the United States does, a perfect country or government has yet to be created. Philip Nolan made a statement in which he disowned his country in his younger days. It was a statement that he would quitely regret for the rest of his life. Even in exile, Nolan reflects loyalty to his country in his behavior. On his death bed, Nolan only wants to learn of what has happened to the country since he was exiled. He was able to die a happy man knowing how the country he loved had prospered.

The story is intended to made readers appreciate their country. Sometimes it may be difficult to agree with the government. In the end, one realizes that they love their country like a parent or their own child. Nolan had to learn this lesson the hard way.

The product was in excellent shape and came before I expected it to come. I will use the site again.

My primary interest in checking out MY SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE from the library was to learn more about the Jezebel spirit, as that is the only book that came up under that keyword search. I did find a rich chapter on that and many other chapters on so much more.

Juanita Bynum, the author writes of the importance of one's relationship with their pastor, their spiritual parents, in God's divine order of releasing His power in and through His children. She writes that as a person's relationship is with their pastor, so is their relationship with God. This is almost identical to a statement I had heard several months ago from a pastor in his own pulpit, a pastor who said: As your relationship is with God, so is your relationship with your spouse, that in the same message where he also said that a rebellious nature is like trying to hold on to something slipping through your hands like sand. Both statements point out the critical importance of these intimate, yet temporal relationships in terms of our ultimate accountability to God, who is jealous over His own. Bynum speaks of divine relationships, known first in the spiritual realm, and then on earth, and she cites scriptural precedents (e.g. Samuel knowing Saul before they met).

In Chapter 1, "The Voice of the Father," the author counsels, "Remember this: Any place where you are not receiving the manifold blessings of God is your spiritual Egypt," a truth I had learned through other avenues only during the past year or so.

In Chapter 2, as soon as that, she addresses, "The Power of Obedience," in such a way that reminded me of a key message entitled, "No Substitute for Obedience," given by Pastor Phillip Gregory Johnson, SonCoast Pentecostal Church in Hudson, Florida, on September 3, 2006, a message from which I borrowed the title for this review, for truly there is no substitute for obedience. Bynum writes quite a bit about rebellion (as the sin of witchcraft) and the irreplaceable importance of uncompromising obedience to God.

In Chapter 11, "The Seduction of Jezebel," Bynum makes several salient points about dealing with this most destructive spirit: a) Jezebel is not the root, she is the deception, the decoy; she is controlled by the "proud and lofty thing" that controls her, Baal and Ashtoreth; therefore, we are not just fighting against a mere "woman" (that can manifest in men or women), but against a stronghold of Satan; b) Since Jezebel operates legally (based on legitimate authority that has been yielded to her) this spirit cannot be dealt with by rebuking it; c) Obedience to God, uncompromising obedience to God (not my will, but Thy will be done) is the primary means of dealing with this stronghold of Satan; d)"As a people of God, we have to come against Jezebel as a company. We cannot be divided--because when we stand as one and all say the same thing, Jezebel cannot find a corner to whisper in." (p. 221)

Speaking as true prophetess herself, Bynum advises that a false spirit (e.g. a Jezebel spirit, which acts as a chameleon, changing into whatever it needs to be to deceive) may also prophesy, may also bless, however, a false spirit will never prophesy the *process* God will take you through in getting you to where He is taking you. So, if someone in a spirit of prophesy, for example, tells you that God is going to bring His truth home to you by burning through certain imperfect bulwarks you have built in your life and will do so with His own holy fire, then that is a word of God through that person that should be heeded; that, as well as whatever else God may have to say to you through them.

The author is so balanced, so skillful in handling scripture, so authoritative in how she handles the subject matter, that (other than the chapter on generational curses, a concept I question) I do feel this book is well worth reading. I see that she has also developed some study aids to go along with it, and I believe the content is rich enough to warrant that depth of delving into this subject matter, which is so relevant for this time, this generation.

Bynum recommends Jezebel Vs. Elijah: The Great End Time Clash by Bree Keyton, a book I definitely plan to read because Bynum recommended it.

I got a few good things out of this book. But much of it was about the dominance of leadership and how to keep the flock in check.
I have come to realize overtime that just because someone has a title does not mean that they care about you.

Just because someone is a pastor, elder or prophet does not mean they have your best interest at heart. I believe our destiny will come to pass period. This book was written for people who want to be famous in God. When you have a celebrity like Ms. Bynum as a minister or pastor-she has to be like this hard driving slave driver.

Pg.172 she compares Saints of God-Human beings to "Spiritual race horses" reducing people to animals. This is exactly how Willie Lynch suggested the "Negro Slave" be broken and psychologically driven by the Master. Check it out:

"First of all we need a black nigger man, a pregnant nigger woman and her baby nigger boy. Second, we will use the same basic principle that we use in breaking a horse, combined with some more sustaining factors. We reduce them from their natural state in nature; whereas nature provides them with the natural capacity to take care of their needs and the needs of their offspring, we break that natural string of independence from them and thereby create a dependency state so that we maybe able to get from them useful production for our business and pleasure.

1) Both horse and niggers are no good to the economy in the wild or natural state. 2) Both must be broken and tied together for orderly production. 3) For orderly futures, special and particular attention must be paid to the female and the youngest offspring. 4) Both must be crossbred to produce a variety and division of labor. 5) Both must taught to respond to a peculiar new language. 6) Psychological and physical instruction of containment must be created for both.

NOTE: Neither principles alone will suffice for good economics. All principles must be employed for the orderly good of the nation. Accordingly, both a wild horse and a wild or natural nigger is dangerous even if captured, for they will have the tendency to seek their customary freedom, and, in doing so, might kill you in your sleep. You cannot rest. They sleep while you are awake and are awake while you are asleep. They are dangerous near the family house and it requires too much labor to watch them away from the house. Above all you cannot get them to work in this natural state. Hence, both the horse and the nigger must be broken, that is break them from one form of mental life to another, keep the body and take the mind. In other words, break the will to resist.

Now the breaking process in the same for the horse and the nigger, only slightly varying in degrees. But as we said before, you must keep your eye focused on the female and the offspring of the horse and the nigger. A brief discourse in offspring development will shed light on the key to sound economic principle. Pay little attention to the generation of original breaking but concentrate on future generations. Therefore, if you break the female, she will break the offspring in its early years of development and, when the offspring is old enough to work, she will deliver it up to you. For her normal female protective tendencies will have been lost in the original breaking process. For example, take the case of the wild stud horse, a female horse and an already infant horse and compare the breaking process with two captured nigger males in their natural state, a pregnant nigger woman with her infant offspring. Take the stud horse, break him for limited containment. Completely break the female horse until she becomes very gentle whereas you or anybody can ride her in comfort. Breed the mare until you have the desired offspring. Then you can turn the stud to freedom until you need him again. Train the female horse whereby she will eat out of your hand, and she will train the infant horse to eat of your hand also.

When it comes to breaking the uncivilized nigger, use the same process, but vary the degree and step up the pressure so as to do a complete reversal of the mind. Take the meanest and most restless nigger, strip him of his clothes in front of the remaining niggers, the female, and the nigger infant, tar and feather him, tie each leg to a different horse faced in opposite directions, set him a fire and beat both horses to pull him apart in front of the remaining niggers. The next step is to take a bullwhip and beat the remaining nigger male to the point of death in front of the female and the infant. Don't kill him. But put the fear of God in him, for he can be useful for future breeding." http://www.informationman.com/lynch1.htm

Juanita Bynum clearly borrowed the idea from an old white man who needed to systematically keep Negroes in check. Read Page 172 of her book and compare the "Let's Make a Slave" write up.
All I can say is, the black church is in a state of chaos.
It's shameful and frightening. All your spiritual ambitions will come true if you let me break you down and don't forget "just keep quiet and keep walking because you are still wild" as Ms. Bynum says. Remember it is for your generations that will come after you.It's also so when you are publically rebuked you are actaully saving others in the congregation and your offspring. Pg 146. Willie Lynch said the very same thing.

We should submit, support and aid those who love and truly care for our souls.

Although Bynum does not have enough historical knowledge to be aware of it, this dangerous little book attempts to revive the dangerous teachings of the shepherding movement of the '70s, which elevated the authority of pastors over that of the still, small, internal voice of the Spirit. Bottom line: Obey your pastor, even if he's wrong. God will bless you for it. If you don't, you'll never get your "spiritual inheritance."

first of all 95% of the reviews i have read on this book are pure rubbish.you people that are writing those trash about this book are dead spirituallly and blind,you cant see.the truth hurts but it will set you free.anyway,this book is so powerful,i bought it last year and it tremendously changed my life,it taught me tremendously about spiritual authority.if you want to be in authority,you have to be submitted to authority.the power of a spiritual father/mother will change your life forever.it changed my life and will change yours forever .my spiritual father is an awesome blessing to my life,and through him i received my spiritual inheritance.the jezebel aspect of it was also fantastic and revealing.the holy spirit compelled me to read this book and it was life-changing.

Dana Svenssen is a corporate lawyer who has a very bad day. A Pennsteel helicopter has crashed with a private plane right over Alpine Valley, an amusement park. What makes this bad is that Dana was talking on her cell phone to her client who was in the helicopter. What makes it even worse is that her two daughters were at a field trip at the amusement park.

She wastes no time and rushes to Alpine Valley to look for her children. Once she ascertains that they are fine she gets to work. Dana starts collecting evidence and taking pictures of the site for the class action lawsuit Pennsteel is likely to face. There is someone who does not want her to succeed and it will do whatever it takes to stop her. The story gets intense and has an O. Henry twist at the end of the novel.

When the story reaches its resolution the author uses the novel as an editorial for class action lawsuits. She writes how big companies are forced to make budget costs in order to pay for lawyers defending them in all kind of lawsuits. Ms. MacDougal makes some interesting points but all this rhetoric loses the entertainment value the book might have had.

A roller coaster legal thriller. Keeps you in suspense at all times of who committed what crime and why

I had already read Breach of promise and hurried out to find Angle of Impact. I sent in the coupon in the back of the book and was thrilled the other day when my autographed copy came in by Federal Express. I am usually not lucky enough to win and I consider thi a real win! Gotta go now, my new book is waiting and i can't wait any longer. Ev Alvis

Flowing storyline with well developed characters and scenes. Action keeps rolling with very few lulls. About as deep as a Grisham novel, with ample twists and turns. Very good narration with emphatic voice characterizations and distinct personalities. Hard to put down.

I know a lot of people seemed to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I managed to finish it, but I do not recommend it. Boring plot, boring characters. Very little suspense. Don't bother with this one.