Chamberlain Books

My first book by Chamberlain and I was VERY impressed. I read this book in about five hours nonstop. I couldn't put it down!!

After her father died, Laura Brandon felt obligated to carry out his last wish...meet an old woman in a nursing home that is in the early stages of alzheimers. Laura is mystified and has no idea what to expect. What she didn't expect was her husband's violent reaction to her visiting Sarah Tolley. Going against her husbands wishes, Laura visits Sarah with no more answers to the truth than before. When she comes home, she finds her daughter screaming and her husband dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound. Before the day is over, Laura realizes that her five year old daughter, Emma, has not uttered a single word.

After eight months have passed with no progress with Emma, Laura remembers her promise to her father and again visits Sarah Tolley. She has no idea if she should believe the extrordinary tales of terror that Sarah has to tell her, but she listens anyway. She also does the one thing that she swore she would never do...she seeks out Emma's birth father with hope that Emma will learn that not all men are angry and yell at little girls.

Dylan Geer is stupified when he receives the call from Laura. Not only does he deny it, but it also spikes his anger. When Laura tricks him into looking at a picture of Emma, there is no doubt in his mind that the little girl is his. Now he'll do all he can to help Emma, and help Laura who he is developing deeper feelings for than he expected.

Breaking the Silence is a heartbreaking tale in the present and the past. The way that Laura, Dylan and Emma come together is heartwarming, while the tale of Sarah and Joe Tolley is heartbreaking. There were many times that tears came to my eyes throughout this book, especially at the end. If you like a great book, don't miss this one!

Astronomer Laura Brandon makes a promise to her father on his deathbed, to visit an elderly woman in a nursing home. She has no idea who this woman is or why her father was so insistent and so, ignoring her husbands petulant demands that she devote herself to his needs only, she visits her in the nursing home. Sarah Tolley is in the early stages of Alzheimers and, while being unable to cope with everyday things, has total recall of all the horrific events which happened to her in the Fifties. She was a pyschiatric nurse, working in a hospital where new methods of dealing with mentally ill patients were being tried, and where patients were subjected to the most horrific drugs and brain washing techniques. Laura has a five year old daughter Emma who was the result of a one night affair with a man whom she hasn't seen since then, so when a much older male friend offers to marry her, she accepts to give her child a father. Lauras husband Ray is a chronically depressed individual who suicides in view of Emma who becomes mute as a result of the shock and when a therapist suggests that Laura contacts Emmas birth father to try to help the situation, their love story begins. Lauras and Sarahs stories intertwine so much that we are watching two stories simultaneously. The love stories are well done but I must admit to finding the treatment of the mental patients distressing in the extreme and while not doubting that these practices took place, some of them even government sponsored, I found them to be unpleasant reading which left me shaken.

I recently had a very stressful three-day weekend during which I could barely sit still. But in an attempt to get my mind off the stress, I picked up this book. Wow, I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. I really loved the story, it was sad, beautiful, happy and 'all that'. I actually shed a tear at the satisfying end of the novel. Good job Chamberlain! I will be reading more of her work as soon as possible.
Thank you to the author for getting my mind off some awful stress.

This is my second book by this author and I do like her style. This was a little more unpredictable then the first one I read, "Her Mother's Shadow." I liked this story because you are actually reading two stories at one time. It's like reading two love stories at the same time. The plot is a little far fetched but it still really held my interest and I found it hard to put it down. I read it in one day. I recommend it to anyone who just wants a book you can get lost in.

My first book by Chamberlain and I was VERY impressed. I read this book in about five hours nonstop. I couldn't put it down!!

After her father died, Laura Brandon felt obligated to carry out his last wish...meet an old woman in a nursing home that is in the early stages of alzheimers. Laura is mystified and has no idea what to expect. What she didn't expect was her husband's violent reaction to her visiting Sarah Tolley. Going against her husbands wishes, Laura visits Sarah with no more answers to the truth than before. When she comes home, she finds her daughter screaming and her husband dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound. Before the day is over, Laura realizes that her five year old daughter, Emma, has not uttered a single word.

After eight months have passed with no progress with Emma, Laura remembers her promise to her father and again visits Sarah Tolley. She has no idea if she should believe the extrordinary tales of terror that Sarah has to tell her, but she listens anyway. She also does the one thing that she swore she would never do...she seeks out Emma's birth father with hope that Emma will learn that not all men are angry and yell at little girls.

Dylan Geer is stupified when he receives the call from Laura. Not only does he deny it, but it also spikes his anger. When Laura tricks him into looking at a picture of Emma, there is no doubt in his mind that the little girl is his. Now he'll do all he can to help Emma, and help Laura who he is developing deeper feelings for than he expected.

Breaking the Silence is a heartbreaking tale in the present and the past. The way that Laura, Dylan and Emma come together is heartwarming, while the tale of Sarah and Joe Tolley is heartbreaking. There were many times that tears came to my eyes throughout this book, especially at the end. If you like a great book, don't miss this one!

THIS IS ABOUT THE NIGHT WILT CHAMBERLAIN SCORED 100 POINTS IN AN NBA GAME. I FOUND MOST OF THIS BOOK TO BE GOOD BUT AT TIMES IT HAD ALOT OF THINGS THAT WERE JUST PLAIN BORING. THE AUTHOR TRIES VERY HARD TO GIVE US THE NOSTALGIA AND ATMOSPHERE OF 1962, BUT I FOUND THE DETAIL TO THE GAME TO BE LACKING. I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT MUCH ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF GOTTLIEB AND ZINKOFF. SEEMS IT WAS USED TO FILL SOME PAGES. WHEN THE BOOK STICKS TO GAME ACTION AND DETAILS THE BOOK EXCELS. BUT THE ONLY REAL DETAIL OCCURS IN THE 4TH QUARTER. I ALSO LIKED THE INTERVIEWS WITH VARIOUS PLAYERS AND COACHES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS GAME. ALSO LIKED THE STORY OF THE STOLEN BASKETBALL AND THE LATER YEARS OF WILT'S LIFE. OVERALL THIS IS A GOOD READ AND I RECOMMEND FOR ALL NOSTALGIC BASKETBALL FANS. ALSO A BOX SCORE OF THE GAME WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE TOUCH.

This is a fascinating read about one of the most charismatic personalities to play basketball on the professional level, Wilt Chamberlain. Although the book focuses on the night the record was made when Wilt scored 100 points the book reads like a sophisticated movie complete with flashbacks into Wilt's past. This allows the reader to see Wilt in very real terms in spite of the superhuman feats he performed, culminating with the 100 point game. There are many anecdotes that bring the story to life for a compelling portrait of the man and his times. This is a thoroughly good book that can be enjoyed by a variety of levels of reading ability. With slightly over 200 pages of interesting material this is a good book for the student of the game of basketball who may be attending high school. This book would be good for writting a book report on a sports biography.

As you have probably read by now: In a basketball game back in March of 1962, Wilt Chamberlain, scored one hundred points for Philadelphia in a game against the New York Knickerbockers, an amazing achieve-ment in any era. Back in 1962, the National Basketball Association was undeveloped and the players traveled on buses and trains. Along came Wilt Chamberlain a strong and coordinated seven-footer and changed the dynamics of the NBA. The author conducting more than 250 interviews to recreate in detail this amazing performance that had not been televised at the time.

In the early 1960s - light years before the era of 24 hour cable sports coverage - most pro basketball games might as well have been played on the Moon due to the lack of national media interest and with "home" games being played at neutral sites for bigger gates.

That was the case for the 1962 Philadelphia Warriors, a franchise on the brink of being sold, though it featured a hometown legend, Wilt Chamberlin, and had a history of legendary high-school and college teams.

On March 2 in Hershey, Pa., Wilt accomplished the impossible; scoring 100 points versus the New York Knickerbockers. The arena - with a capacity of 8,000 - was about half-full, the game was not televised and there were no New York sportswriters in attendance. Author Gary M. Pomerantz breaths life into the grainy photos from the event through interviews of referees, players, fans, reporters and team officials.

Though the book breaks the game down into four quarters, it is not simply a history of that night. The early 1960s was a bridge for many black athletes to articulate about the rampant racism in society and sports. Pomerantz aptly writes about Wilt the individual - who was very vocal about the racial quotas on NBA clubs - and businessman as much as Wilt the athlete.

And Pomerantz outlines the biggest controvery from the game; who got possession of the basketball.

It is a record that may never be broken, but there was more to that evening than the game on the court. Wilt, 1962, again shows how sports mirrors society and even the greatest feats on a field of play cannot escape the reflection in black & white.

One of the more interesting points of this book is that the day of 100 points kind of became forgotten. The authir attributes one of the reasons to Wilt himself who stopped talking about the game.

The authors opens up this book with Wilt's death in bed and the circumstances around it. he then takes us thru each quarter of the game with story of witls life between each quarter.

One of the most interestingparts of this book is the detail the author descibes how one young kid stole the game ball and years later put it on EBAY for sale. Great research for that part.

Jackie Curtis was a close friend of the guy who ran the James Dean Gallery. It was through him and my interest in James Dean and the link to Jackie Curtis through the line in 'Walk On The Wild Side, that I decided to find out more about him and the lifestyle of those around him, Andy Warhol and the era. I wasn't disappointed. The five stars rating is based on me getting what I wanted. It is an easy read. A series of short anecdotal interviews with those who knew this person well. It is open and honest. The accompanying DVD is well-produced and brings to life the book itself. Fascinating.

Jackie Curtis was great - this book and DVD are a rich history of one of Warhols' Drag superstars - the smartest one of them all

I finished: Superstar in a Housedress, as well as watching the DVD. Thank you Mr. Highberger for providing a most interesting and sincere look into Jackie Curtis.


The format was so nice, to hear from so many people who were close to this incredible person really gave me a better idea of who Jackie was and how she lived. I have had the opportunity, as a transsexual entertainer, to travel the country and meet many transgendered performers. They obviously do not get the press or opportunity they deserve. This book is a fitting tribute to a person who helped shape todays theater and bring attention to gender expression.

Jackie was obviously a genius who in many ways helped to shape the character of what we know Broadway play to be, and from the off off Broadway level. He/she lived the street life and was a very real person, on a real level facing the challenges life on that level brings regardless of the day to day persona she would take on.

The book/CD focuses on commentary from her friends and aqauintences and whether from a gay/trans or straight perspective, Jackie Curtis was the epitome of living life as one's own self and creating from the most sincere inner feelings in the face of great odds. Many exerpts of her plays, notes and writings are included to give the reader a more intimate view of Jackie and the person within the personna, whether that be Jackie, James Dean or some other form of self expression.

Obviously she can be an inspiration to those who strive for individuality and to leave a positive mark through their works regardless of her tragic finality.
I would highly recommend viewing this documentary and reading the book as well for anyone interested in life, humor, love, tragedy and the very real Star that Jackie Curtis was.

If, like me, you ran across the book 'Superstar in a Housedress' while looking for the documentary of the same name, it may have taken you a few minutes to figure out that buying the book is, apparently, the only way to get the DVD.

Yes, this is the full, ninety-plus minute release of the DVD available for rent from Netflix and other rental venues. How the choice was made to market the film as a "companion piece" to the book, without (as far as I can tell) releasing it as a stand-alone purchase, I dunno. I hope it will be released separately in the future, since the current marketing format, I'd think, would tend to lessen its circulation to a wider audience.

Not that there's anything wrong with the book: it's a compendium of reminiscences by people who were close to Jackie. Some of the material repeats what's in the film, and some fills in gaps in backstory that 90 minutes can't provide, such as details on the life and death of the remarkable (and remarkably messed-up) Andrea Feldman. Still, a nice chunky paperback book of commentary in a boxed DVD set might have been a better way to sell the package, which is truly a good one. It's just that the DVD overrides the book in its excellence. There's no good reason why the book needed to be published in hardcover; it's really liner notes for the DVD.

And then there's the strange, spooky, *sealed* envelope that the DVD itself comes in. Glued furtively into the back of the book, there's a lengthy disclaimer proclaiming in no uncertain terms that you MUST NOT OPEN THE PACKAGE ("Simply return the sealed package.") if you think that the DVD might in any number of (enumerated) ways ruin your life. Talk about user-friendly!

But the good news is -- once you get over the fear, and open the potentially-deadly "package", you find that after all it's just an ordinary DVD, and a great one, at that. Densely packed with interviews, historical stills, film clips, and even a fair amount of very early videotape, this documentary is a detailed and very loving portrait of one of the most defiant gender-bending artists in the history of gender-bending and the stage itself.

The past several years have seen the release of the Paul Morrisey/Andy Warhol films on DVD, and that's brought these previously hard-to-get-at movies to a new audience. This in turn has increased curiosity about the Warhol scene in the 60's, 70's, and later; and that period is increasingly interesting, as civilization lurches inexorably (or so it seems) toward a dessicated, triple-filtered, don't-drink, don't-smoke cultural puritanism.

What was going on in New York in the 50's, 60's, and 70's transformed the American culture. A whole lot of the sexual freedom that we have today, whether it's embraced or bemoaned by whatever faction, comes from the crazy explosion that was the 60's and 70's. There's no shortage of information on the cultural revolution that happened then, but there's also no end to what can be added to it. This story about Jackie Curtis is no small addition.

As a smart kid escaping the wilds of Connecticut who started hustling the streets in NY at 16, I knew a number of the people in this film peripherally, and for the most part they were the people who informed my perception of what life was all about. There was a communality, and a total lack of hierarchy (but for a few bitchfests) and everyone was welcome; I think, in retrospect, that this was what the hippieness of the 60's led to: a kind of a hybrid of the rejection of popular culture with the co-opting of it. At the time, the most visible manifestation of pre-packaged pop culture that could be harvested was the Hollywood star system of the 30's and 40's. Jackie Curtis was hip to this, but also added a Dada-style twist to it. Warhol became the catalyst, but what 'Superstar in a Housedress' demonstrates is that he couldn't have done the things that he (or rather, Paul Morrisey, working under his aegis) did without girls like Jackie, Candy Darling, or Holly Woodlawn (whom, I have to say, is looking absolutely GREAT in this doc, and QUITE the polished lady.)

This is an absolutely essential documentary for those interested in the period, its quirks, and its consequences. But moreso, it's a great tribute to the unbridled, mad creativity of Jackie Curtis, who should never be forgotten. Hopefully, this DVD (and its companion piece, the book) will help assure that.

Also -- at the time of this writing, the book and DVD are pretty consistently available from housing_works_bookstore @ Amazon at a cheap price. Housing Works supports homeless people affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City, so purchasing from them is a win-win thing. They got my order to me very quickly and in perfect condition, so what could I do? I ordered another one from them right away. Somebody's getting it for Christmas. Don't know who yet. Somebody who will have been REAL good this year!

Seriously, though -- if you're interested in the history of the NY art scene in the period, this is very much worth buying.

That's a quote used in the movie. And now one of my top 3 favorite quotes to be used forever after.

There was so much to like about this person and movie. Jackie was a phenomenal character. She/he was iconic in the strongest sense of the word. Total belief in herself and her plan (mad though it was at times) and such charisma that all around her believed in her and themselves as much as she did. She altered paradigms.

This particular subculture fascinates me to no end and it is covered well in this DVD. It's classic David and Goliath except David's gotta push it by wearing a dress. I couldn't respect that in-your-faceness more if I tried. I wish I could better convey what I mean. And it's not a movie about sexual preferences. No agenda is forced on you in any way. It's just completely unique.

The fact that this is a documentary and these things really happened and these people really did exist as they did, simply adds to the magic of this movie. Of course, many of those people are still with us and told their tales within. And most of them are extremely interesting as well. It covers more than just Jackie. The world Jackie became famous in is explored in depth as well.

Just as a comparison, it is like the Grateful Dead shows. Nothing like this will ever happen in this way ever again - nothing this new, different, odd, and perfect just for what it was, and it's tragic if you think you may have wanted to be part of it in some way, witness it, but didn't. And if you did, you're breathing the rare air.

I collect information and write about local servicemen who died in World War II. That's how I came across this book, just typed in the name of our town and the book came up as a reference. Just the title was intriguing. Little did I know I was going to discover what may be the best book concerning WW II that I've read, and we're talking hundreds! Bill Warnock is an excellent writer. I found myself feeling, smelling and hearing the sounds of the Belgium forests as the group went about their searches. He was able to introduce us to these men who had been lost, put a face on them if you will, the way I've tried to do with our local boys over the years so that the youngsters of today will see them as real people. His passion and devotion to "the cause" as well as the other men involved in this endeavor is overwhelming. I also was fascinated by the forensic information and about how the Henri-Chappelle cemetery was built and maintained . . . I had no idea how they kept the crosses so straight! I've ordered two more of the books for others, one for a friend and another for my son who's a history teacher. I wish every high school student in the U.S. was required to read this book, to see these fallen soldiers as like themselves but also understand that sometimes our government does do something right. I was pleased at the expense and respect that was expended even 60 years after the fact.

Bill:
Great book and a great testament to the members of the greatest generation who gave all during the battle of the bulge. A easy read and very informative. Known Bill since we were both kids but it has been a long time since I seen him. Your tireless pursuit of closure to the families of the MIAs from the Bulge is commendable. Your portrayel of the compassion that many locals still feel for for the American GI in Europe is very neat. Keep it up and write another book.

This brilliantly written story follows the efforts of a group of people who dedicated themselves to locating the lost remains of the men who served with the 99th Infantry Division at the Battle of the bulge. THE DEAD OF WINTER begins with an introduction of two Belgian artifact hunters, Jean-Louis Seel and Jean-Philippe Speder who, in 1988, stumbled upon the remains and dog tags of an American soldier.

Readers will gain a true respect for the difficulty involved in researching, reconstructing and execution of actual artifact hunting undertaken by the dedicate group to find and identify the remains of American soldiers lost for half a century. For each of the soldiers that the team finds, Warnock gives the reader a detailed synopsis of his life (including excellent pictures of the soldiers and their surviving family members). Next he recreates how the soldier died on the battlefield and how he paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country. It is certainly a fitting tribute to these men and their accomplishments.

The author also gives an excellent overview of the contributions of the 99th Infantry to the Battle of the Bulge. The overview is supported by numerous first hand accounts. This covers the Bulge from the tactical, logistical and personal levels. Thanks to Warnock and his teams efforts, many lost members of the 99th Infantry have found their rightful place and final tribute.

The book is exceptionally well written and will be greatly appreciated by history lovers.

Bill Warnock has written a spectacularly detailed and wonderfully crafted tale of which he is a main protagonist -- a selfless American who has dedicated the last 20 or more years of his life to reuniting the dead heroes of World War II with their families. I must admit to the favoritism I feel toward Bill because he and I met on the Ardennes battlefield back in the early 1980s while I was researching my first book, The Key to the Bulge. Many of the people in this great work are close friends of mine. Even with this foreknowledge, I cannot help but stand in awe of Bill's skillfully written and masterfully researched chronicle of his team's efforts to discover and return to their homes the lost heroes of the Battle of the Bulge. This book is more than a simple tale of how a group of dedicated Americans and Belgians sought the final resting places of those men who went missing during the Bulge. Instead, it is a tale of devotion, Herculean persistance, and selfless dedication. The only reward that Bill and his team sought for their actions was the satisfaction of recovering the remains of our dead heroes and giving closure to families whose pain remained unhealed for 50 or more years. This book is a gem and a lasting testimony to those who truly appreciate the sacrifice of America's fighting men and women. Thanks, Bill. Well done.

"The Dead Of Winter" by Bill Warnock, Subtitled: "How Battlefield Investigators, WWII Veterans, And Forensic Scientists Solved The Mystery Of The Bulge's Lost Soldiers". Chamberlain Bros. Penguin books, New York, 2005.

The subtitle sums up the entire book. Bill Warnock, however, has written a book that combines History with story-telling, with the science of forensics, with the lives of Americans and Belgians, and with the honor of being World War II veterans who had fought and bled in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944. The book is excellent.

While serving with the United States Air Force, the author opts for an assignment in a small corner of Europe, near some of the more important battlefields of the Second World War. His life has not been the same since. His initial curiosity becomes what appears to be a life-long obsession, as Warnock and his Belgian friends search for the remains of those soldiers long since dead on the battlefield. But, it is not enough just to find the remains, Mr. Warnock follows through with modern techniques of identification of the deceased, and documents the entire process in an interesting and understandable fashion. While working on each individual solider, Warnock develops a story-book tale of how that individual lived prior to the war, how he entered the U.S. Army, and the probable cause of his death. It is surprising to me how many of the subjects of this book were members of ASTP, Army specialized Training Program. Further, I was surprised to see that my alma mater, Manhattan College (see page 238) had ASTP training. (Manhattan College is in the Bronx.)

Warnock's book is enjoyable and well documented. For example, Appendix B, entitled, "U.S. Army Dog Tags In world War II", had me pulling out my Navy dog tag (now fifty years old) for comparison. The dog tag had "...corners rounded and edges smooth" (page 286), with blood type and religion and service number, as in the appendix, but, in the left corner, mine had the term, "USN".

One little issue: page 118 had "... Camp Myles Standish near Taunton, Massachusetts." Myles Standish is about 30 miles, or so, from Taunton. The camp, now Myles Standish State Forest, IS located in the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, best known, I would think, for being the place where the Pilgrims came ashore in 1620.

Beverly Connor is a jewel of an author who has yet to be discovered by the masses. But she will be. No mystery writer this good can go long without topping the bestseller list. In this installment of her Lindsay Chamberlain series, Beverly does it again with clever twists and turns and sharp writing. She's a smart writer for an intelligent reader. I never read a Connor book without learning something and, quite frankly, that's the kind of fiction I like to read. Buy this book and I promise you won't be disappointed.

I honestly only started reading the Lindsay Chamberlain series because I had read all the Kathy Reichs, Patrica Cornwell etc books. Never did I think that any writer could be as good as thiers. But I am hooked after the first book I had to get the rest. I love the character Lindsay and her interactions with others. How she gets herself in trouble so much cause she cant say no to a good mystery.

Wonderful read and have already recommended this series to other people. Cant wait for her new one Kill Site to come out. waiting in anticipation.

3rd in the Lindsay Chamberlain series, the story begins with Lindsay sniffing through a field looking for a missing art teacher from the university where Lindsay works. Finding the woman is one of Lindsay's few pieces of luck, though, as various household expenses keep adding stress to her finances. On top of that, she's worried about the possible upcoming merger of departments at the university; as a non-tenured faculty member, she could be job hunting soon. In the midst of all this, Lindsay's brother shows up unexpectedly with a truck load of her grandfather's leftover property - crates from a shed in his backyard, a shed of which no one was aware. If Lindsay didn't have enough on her plate, they find a skeleton in one of the crates, and then artifacts are discovered to be missing...and Lindsay seems to be the main suspect.

Look out Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs. Beverly Connor's books are as good as anything written by the two reining queens of forensic science. Connor's heroine is a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones. Her books are fast paced and extremely entertaining. If you like archaeology or forensics, or if you just plain like a good mystery, give Beverly Connor's books a read. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Lindsay Chamberlain never invites danger into her life; it just happens upon her frequently like an unwanted guest. In this tale Lindsay is in danger...this time of losing her job at the University of Georgia's Archaeology Department due to a merger with another department. If that were not enough to worry her, a cache of priceless artifacts delivered to her by her father is stolen, and all eyes are on Lindsay. Lindsay also becomes involved in the murder case of a long-missing UGA professor whose skeleton is recently found? Friends and strangers linked to Lindsay are either injured or killed trying to help, and Lindsay must put together all of the strewn puzzle pieces before she is next on the hit list.

I have enjoyed Beverly Connor's series for many years; Lindsay Chamberlain is one of the most original and dynamic sleuths to have been created in recent years, and Dressed to Die is well worth the cover price.

This will be my all time favorite book. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough but never wanted it to end.

This was an amazing story that quite literally gave me a lump in my throat from the very beginning to the very end - and I am not even a fan of contemporary novels! It starts with an emotional and intense opening as a woman is rushed into a small coastal emergency room suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. It was Christmas Eve as Dr. Olivia Chase was waiting to end her shift and go home to her husband. Sizing up the situation quickly, Olivia realized that there was only one possibility of saving the patient and that was to operate and try to stabilize her then rather than airlift her to a trauma center - travel time that the patient would never survive. It would be later that Olivia would realize that her patient was Annie O'Neill, the woman whom her husband, Paul Macelli, was obsessed with.

From the very first pages the author establishes and introduces you to a woman dubbed in her community as Saint Anne - paragon of virtue, kindness, and generosity of spirit. Annie O'Neill's death changed the course of so many lives, that night; Annie's husband Alec; her two children, Clay and Lacey; Dr. Olivia and her husband Paul. As they each become obsessed with the memory of this woman, they join together to save the lighthouse that she loved. As the months pass by, a complex triangle of passion, love, deceptions and lies begin to emerge into an explosive and emotional confrontation finally brought out into the open by the `keeper of the light'.

The descriptive emotional intensity of the writing by this author is totally awesome. I sincerely hope that any who read this review accept my word that this is an author to put on your list as an automatic buy, and rush out to get a copy of this unparalleled read.

In 1992, while browsing at the library I came across the book Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain. At the time Ms. Chamberlain was an author I wasn't familiar with but one I was soon to become acquainted with not only through her books but also through an early online book group. I also had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Chamberlain in person on several occasions. I can still remember vividly how I felt after I read Keeper of the Light and how I felt when I realized that a certain screen name was for the author who wrote one of my favorite books. Now eleven years later I reread Keeper of the Light, something I seldom do, in anticipation of reading the second book in a trilogy Ms. Chamberlain wrote about the people and area known as Kiss River, located in the Outer Banks. And as I hope my thoughts on a second reading of Keeper of the Light was that this book was just as good as the second time and I would be happy to reread it again and again.

Keeper of the Light begins on the Outer Banks on a winter's night in the shadow of an old and grand lighthouse when a woman is brought into a hospital with a bullet wound. Dr. Olivia Cole, new to the area tends to the woman's wound but her injuries are too extensive and the woman dies. Only later does Olivia find out that this woman was Annie O'Neill a stained glass artist, known to the locals as Saint Annie for her many good deeds. What Olivia is soon to learn is that her husband Paul Macelli has a history with Annie which after her death will impact on not only Paul and Olivia's life but Annie's husband and children. While there are many secrets at Kiss River between these two families, the key to what happened many years before and continuing to Annie's death has been held by the lighthouse keeper Mary Poor who has been like a mother to Annie all of these years.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review I seldom if ever reread a book for fear that I may not enjoy the book as much the second time. In this case I think I enjoyed this book a bit more than the first time which I never thought possible. And the best part is that now I can look forward to reading the second book in the trilogy, Kiss River, and revisit the Outer Banks and find our more about characters I feel as though are part of my family.

I bought and read this book when it first came out, and I remember loving it. I must have, because I kept it on my bookshelf. When Kiss River, the sequel, came out I decided to re-read Keeper first, just to be up to date.

The second time was as wonderful as the first. The characters are multi-faceted, sympathetic, but still completely human. You'll be looking for them if you ever visit the Outer Banks, expecting to meet them on the dunes or in a sunset-flooded restaurant.

Now I have Kiss River to look forward to, as well as a second sequel coming out sometime in the near future. I'm so glad Diane Chamberlain decided to revisit these characters and this story. Bravo to her publisher, who made sure a new group of readers would have the chance to savor Keeper. I certainly did.

If you are wanting a quick and easy read, this is not the one for you. From the very beginning, the story starts off intense and is like that all the way through the book. A quick review of the story... Christmas night, Dr. Olivia Cole is about to finish up her shift on-duty when a woman is brought in with a fatal gunshot wound. Annie O'Neill was working in a woman's shelter serving supper along with her daughter when an upset husband came in threatening to shoot his estranged wife, shooting Annie instead. Realizing time is against them, Olivia makes the decision to operate, losing Annie on the operating table.

Annie O'Neill was a local stained-glass artist, married to Alec with 2 children, and well-loved through out her community due to her giving heart. When Olivia arrives home from the hospital and tells her husband, Paul of Annie's death, Paul becomes distraught and tells Olivia he has been living a lie and leaves her. Olivia becomes obsessed with wanting to findout what it was about Annie to draw Paul away from her. Through learning about Annie's life, Olivia discovers Paul and Annie went wayyyyyy back. Through her obsession, Olivia gets to know and become important to Alec and his children. There is definitely a triangle going on between Olivia, Paul, and Alec. Secrets come out that have been kept by the Keeper of the Lighthouse, Mary Poor whom Annie had become like a daughter to. Secrets you will never guess!

It's powerful, intense, and was emotional for me. My heart really went out to Olivia but also to Alec- you get to really know him as well. Through Olivia's search about Annie, she gets to really find herself! It is definitely a book to get and read! I highly recommend it. It was a keeper for me!

I've just begun reading the Lindsay Chamberlain series, and I really am enjoying it. There's a lot about archeology which has always been an interest of mine, and Ms. Connor has a very unique way of bringing back bygone times with the inserts that she spaces throughout the book. In this one we go back to the late 16 Century when the Spaniards were in the US trying to pass on their religion to the savages (as they called the Native American Indians), and also trying to take what wealth they could out of the country. Lindsay goes to a couple of digs and starts unearthing this 400 year old story, but she is also making enemies of her own about a modern-day mystery that is threatening her life. The book kept me guessing throughout, and the mystery was a good one. This is a very worthwhile series.

There must be a reason why Beverly Connor's mysteries starring Lindsey Chamberlain are not as well known as Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta mysteries, but I'll be darned if I can figure it out. They are fantastic reads! I've read all five in the series -- bought two and borrowed three from the library -- and know I must buy the ones I don't have, so I can have the pleasure of re-reading them.

Questionable Remains is my favorite of the series, since it seamlessly blends a modern mystery with one hundreds of years old. The details are fascinating, and Lindsey Chamberlain is a protagonist to celebrate -- she's smart, resourceful, doesn't take any guff from anyone, yet she's not SuperWoman or perpetually angry, like the aforementioned Kay Scarpetta, whom I have grown to dislike intensely.

My only complaint would be that Ms. Connor cannot possibly write as fast as I can read. Next book, please!!

This is the best of the three Connor/Chamberlain books I've read. It is a pleasurable tour-de-force of multiple story lines always clearly related to the main mystery (ah, but which one is that?). There's harassment against expert witness Chamberlain in one murder case, archaeological digs finding inappropriate bodies, Chamberlain's lightly treated forensic investigations of discovered bones and teeth, a terrifying spelunking adventure after uncovery of more suspicious skeletons, and what seem incidental accusations of financial hanky-panky. Finally, an anthropological story of ancient Spanish perfidy among Georgia and Tennessee Indians is a wonderfully oblique commentary on the other mysteries and worth reading alone. Connor keeps all these threads intertwining to press the story(s) forward and drop clues along the way. The forensics, archaeology, and history are convincingly authentic. Her writing is marred only by wooden romantic interest, some bland subsidiary characters (including the villains), and a final outrageous coincidence to wrap up the hunt.

This is a terrific mystery series. Beverly Connors weaves tales from the present and the distant past together to create an exciting novel. You'll love Lindsay Chamberlain, she is an ambitious, smart woman with an uncanny ability to read a murder scene-even one centuries old. You will not be disappointed in any of the books in this series.

This second installment of Beverly Connor's Lindsay Chamberlain series is better than the first. The author used a lot of very intricate plotting, but with a very smooth flow within the story. I loved the way Ms. Connor weaves all the "small" details into the big picture. She shows us that if you just look at one or two details, you will miss the whole story. In this story, the author uses all these seemingly unrelated events to put together a wonderful story. Of what life was like when the Spanish was discovering this country. And what greed will do to people both past and present. This is a wonderful series, it has good character development and plots. I have still to get the murderer right! Even the past plot line fools me. I thought I had at least that one figured out. Once again, Ms. Connor tricks the reader into thinking things are as they seem. Again, I recommend this book to you. If you like a bit of history mixed into your mysteries, all the better. You don't have to be a history buff though to enjoy this excellent series.

Skeleton Crew, Connor's fourth volume, is the best Lindsay Chamberlain forensics story yet. It benefits in focus by occurring on a small island 5 miles off the Georgia coast, where University of Georgia Athens has a luxurious archaeological project underway to raise a sunken Spanish supply galleon--in dangerous competition with lurking privateers who think it was a homeward bound treasure ship instead. The archaeology of the dig is realistic, with normal procedures and lab techniques actually contributing clues to the modern mystery of suspicious attacks, disappearances, or death. A set of maps helps make the excavation, as well as the adventure, intelligible. Lindsay's fascinating specialized contributions on bone analysis (given with a light touch) actually are focused on the intriguing parallel story of a newly discovered journal written by one of the sailors actually on that ill-fated galleon. That unusual old account, too, has its mysteries, ones gradually resolved during its translation while also becoming entwined with the solution to the modern puzzle. This plotting of two stories, one ancient one modern, each informing the other, is a happy device to animate dry archaeological detail that Connors first used in vol. 2, the memorable Questionable Remains, to equally great effect. And you get two stories for the price of one!

Still lighter in touch than Cornwell's Dr. Scarpetta, Connor's skeleton detective has a number of serious adventures, a spectacular hurricane danger, and many osteological discoveries recreating the lives of the departed. These are stories of character and Southern customs, as well as leisurely unfolding mysteries. It is wonderful to see Connors becoming a skilled writer. Her villains are still a bit obvious, but then again they are often red herrings! I am also so glad Lindsay has dropped her fading beau of the first three novels, Derrick. Their relationship was becoming an annoying distraction, a romance cliche, dysfunctional, and detracting from the image of Lindsay as an intelligent independent woman. Instead we now find Lindsay growing a mature relationship with a Native American antagonist from a previous book, and it is a real contribution to the development of the plot and our interest in these characters. In addition, Lindsay has a new boss--hopefully to become a series character--who adds his slightly devious and moneyed machinations to help speed the plot along. All in all these books are ever more fascinating reading.

This is another can't-put-it-down mystery from Beverly Connors. Her trademark has become the telling of a story within a story. In this case greed over a centuries old treasure leads to death. The moral; murderers may change, but the motives remain the same. Get this novel and you will find yourself voraciously reading the entire Lindsay Chamberlain series and begging for more.

Lindsay Chamberlain, in her 4th outing, is has been assigned by the new head of the division at the university of Georgia to assist in the excavation of a site on the ocean floor off the coast of Georgia. It is the site of a sunken Spanish galleon that was headed for the New World. John West, a friend of Lindsay's from a previous book, is risking his construction company on the safety of the cofferdam that encircles the site.
Lindsay's research reveals, from a diary found, a survivor. The diary is slowly translated, allowing the readers and the characters glimpses of the passage while they uncover the clues from the sixteenth century - of murder!
The diary reveals clues that provide Lindsay with suspects, which, of course, almost gets her killed - again - by modern-day pirates and natural disasters, as she tries to solve old & new murders.

Having read the first five (hoping there will be more to come) Lindsay Chamberlain novels, I have to rate this one as my favorite. Connor had me imagining myself out there in the coffer dam with the crew! The intertwining of the two mysteries works better in this than in Connor's previous books, and I was hooked on both stories. The maps of the galleon and the dam were quite valuable in getting a sense of placement, but they did give away a little more than I would have liked to know going in to the story. Reading these books makes me consider changing my major from English to Anthropology! My only problem with Skeleton Crew was that it ended too soon!

I hope that Beverly Connor has more Lindsay stories to tell and that her publisher has the foresight to print and release them!

In 1558 a Spanish galleon headed for the New World with supplies for the Spanish colonies was damaged in a storm and sank off the coast of Georgia.

Lindsay Chamberlain, an archeologist from the University of Georgia, is called to help excavate the site believed site of the ship. They are excavating on the ocean floor inside one of the largest cofferdams ever built for archeology. A cofferdam is a round structure that keeps the ocean out of the excavation area.

Francisco Lewis ("Lewis") is the new head of the Division of Anthropology and Archeology at the University of Georgia. John West is a Native American and friend of Lindsay Chamberlain. His construction company designed and built the cofferdam.

A diary is discovered that is believed to belong to one of the passengers that survived to tell of the ship's voyage and destruction. Harper is translating the diary while the excavation is ongoing. As they discover skeletons in the shipwreck, Lindsay uses the translated diary to help identify each skeleton. She draws what she believes the person would have looked like from studying the skull.

Various accidents as well as 2 murders plague the archaeology project. Only a few select crew members are aware that they are also searching for a possible 2nd ship that was supposed to have sunk in this same area full of treasure. They especially have to try to keep this information from modern-day "pirates" also
searching the waters.

There is lots of tension between the archeologists and the biologists who were on the neighboring island and have been displaced due to this project.

Lewis asks Lindsay to help solve the murders so that the project won't be jeopardized.

I enjoyed this book. I've never read an archeological mystery before so I learned alot about archeology along with enjoying the mystery.

I found the charactes to be likeable and very real. Many times I felt as if I was there with them.

I look forward to reading additional books in this series.

I picked up Cypress Point at a book store when I was on vacation and needed a book. I had never read Diane Chamberlain before.I was very happy to have chosen a book that kept my attention with every chapter.I look forward to reading more of her books.

I've loved Diane Chamberlain's work from the moment I discovered her and have bought and read all of her books. CYPRESS POINT is one of my favorites--a complex mix of mystery, romance, and family drama--the kind of book Ms. Chamberlain does so beautifully. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking how much I wished I'd thought of this plot first, which is the highest compliment a writer can give to another writer. Diane Chamberlain is one of the very best voices in women's fiction today. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This is a story of two women, Joelle and Carlynn, whose lives run parallel, yet are more intertwined than meets the eye. There are two separate stories. One traces Carlynn's life beginning in 1937 at the age of 7; the other begins with Joelle's birth in 1967. The two stories merge into one where deep rooted feelings and secrets are revealed between the two women and that of their loved ones. Diane Chamberlain is best known for underlying themes where things are not always what they seem. "Cypress Point" will not disappoint the reader in line with that theme.

When her best friend, Mara, had an anerysm (sp?) during the delivery of her son, Joelle D'Angelo was heartbroken. Not only for the little boy that would grow up without his mother, but for Mara's husband, Liam. Because she loved Mara like a sister, Joelle did all she could to ease Liam's heartbreak. She spent time with their son, Sam, and even helped find a home to put Mara in when it looked like she would not be recovering. There friendship took a drastic turn one night when they slept together. For Joelle, she was sleeping with the man she loved, while for Liam, all he saw was the betrayal of his wife.

Now Joelle is pregnant herself. Having had a hard time conceiving with her ex-husband, Joelle is estatic, even though she knows that Liam won't show her enthusiasm. Before she moves away, she wants to do one more thing for Liam and Mara. The woman tha saved her life when she was born was said to have worked miracles, and Joelle wants that miracle for the man she loves. Even if the woman he loves isn't her.

Chamberlain again delivers in this intensely emotional read. I was entralled by the story of Lisabeth and Carlynn as well as Joelle and Liam. It made my heartbreak to see what Liam was putting himself through by trying to remain faithful to a woman that simply didn't exisist anymore.

Don't miss it!

I first began reading Diane Chamberlain in 1992 with her book, Keeper of the Light. After that title I made it my business to find and read every book she wrote and then buy all of her new books almost as soon as they are published. For some reason I saved Cypress Point which I bought at a reading featuring the author in 2002. And while Keeper of the Light and the Keeper trilogy which include Kiss River and Her Mother's Shadow will remain my favorite book, I do think I saved one of the best for last since Cypress Point was a most wonderful read.

Cypress Point takes place in the beautiful area of Monterey, California surrounded by the cypress trees we all marvel at whether we live there or visit. And what better place than to tell the story of a medical healer and the young woman she saves at birth whose paths once again are about to cross.

Carlynne Shire knew she was a medical healer at an early age. And while she has always been treated special by her family her twin sister, Lisbeth, didn't possess the same gift and was virtually ignored by her mother. Growing up and treated differently, Carlynne becomes a gifted doctor while her sister only attends secretarial school. Both sisters find love although neither of them have quite as traditional marriages as one would think.

Then sometime later when Carlynn saves a young baby born on a commune, little does she know that in the future years later she would be asked to save this woman's best friend. Or how this birth at the commune would effect the life of her sister, herself or their husbands.

For Joelle reaching out to the woman who saved her years before may be both a blessing and a curse if she is able to help her. Joelle needs Carlyn to try and help heal her best friend who suffered a brain aneurysm while giving birth to a son. But if Mara regains her abilities and life, what will happen to the love Joelle feels for Mara's husband, Liam. How the medical healer and Joelle meet after more than 30 yearsprovides readers with a wonderful novel filled with romance and a bit of a mystery.

As the author Diane Chamberlain provides readers with in most of her books, this one really captivated me and I hated to see it end. I highly recommend this book as well as all of Diane's books. They are emotional stories with characters you will think about long after you finish her books. Now that I also read Diane's latest book, The Bay at Midnight, I will be anxiously waiting for her next book to arrive on the bookshelves.

Hi, I haven't read the book yet but I am going to order it now b/c my friend told me all about and how I just had to read it. Their ship is called the "sinfull sausage' what isn't to like?

This book was a good charming mystery. It had just the right amounts of twists and turns to make it a good, curl up by the fire book. The pirates give this book, just the right amount of jazz and the thousand islands in this book, gave it just the right touch of fantasy. Overall I'd rate it 4 stars!

This book was a very charming mystery. It had just the right amount of twists and turns to make it a good cozy curl-up-by-the-fire book. The pirates gave this book just the right amount of jazz, and the Thousand Islands really gave this book a nice touch of fantasy. Overall, I'd give this book 4 stars.

The book that Mahy wrote was one of the funniest books that I have ever read. This book was full of many laughs and suprises. It is about these middle age men who work very hard in a teashop and they are very tired of working. They want to do something they always wanted to do and that was to go on a voyage as pirates. So one day they just dropped eveything an set off to the thousand islands hoping to have fun. Before they set off the harmless bunch of pirates kidnapped a famous inventor to help seach for one of thoughs action filled adventures that pirates always have. If you are trying to find a funny book then this is the book for you.

The book that Mahy wrote was one of the funniest books that I have ever read. This book was full of many laughs and suprises. It is about these middle age men who wor very hard in a teashop and they are very tired of working. They want to do something they always wanted to do and that was to go on a voyage as pirates. So one day they just dropped eveything an set off to the thousand islands hoping to have fun. Before they set off the harmless bunch of pirates kidnapped a famous inventor to help seach for one of thoughs action filled adventures that pirates always have. If you are trying to find a funny book then this is the book for you.