Dunne Books

the book was great as all his other titles have been and the seller was speedy and accurate with the service

I read this one because I like adventure and because I know that a lot of folks are keen on the Roman thing though I'm not myself. Still, I wanted to see what all the excitement is about. Rome never seemed like anything but history's heavy, to me, and I wanted to understand why it exerts such a hypnotic pull on so many readers. After following Scarrow's two centurions, Macro the brawler and his clever but inexperienced young pal, Cato, I am still left wondering. The story takes our heroes from a rundown tenement in Rome, where they are camped out as they await a new assignment, to Ravenna and the Adriatic fleet in pursuit of pirates who have scored a valued prize which our heroes' secret sponsor and, possibly, nemesis wants back at all costs. The two down-on-their-luck centurions find themselves under a possible death sentence with the only way out being to redeem themselves by serving their "patron's" imperial purposes.

Following Macro and Cato we get a close up look of what it might have been like to have been a Roman soldier though it seems awfully like what it might be like to be a British one, given the many Britishisms that infect their speech. Less endearing is the sometimes comic bickering of our two heroes who seem as much like an old married couple at times as they do a couple of pals. On the road to Ravenna, Mac and Cat stumble into a bit of trouble when another of their old nemeses shows up as their superior on their special mission and they rescue a merchant who appears in dire need of succor. By the time they hit Ravenna they're ready for anything and they soon get it as they take over as officers of the Roman marines. Scarrow gives a very nice look at what the Roman navy might have been like and the somewhat drawn out struggle with the pirates is well done. But I found it hard to feel any affinity for these Romans who torture and slaughter their enemies and enslave or crucify the survivors. Even the finer sensibility of young Cato does little to mitigate the sense that we are reading about the bad guys, not the good guys. Indeed, I felt more sympathy for the pirates, only sparingly portrayed, than for the Romans assaulting them.

Still, the book was a relatively easy read and moves along at a nice clip. If you like fiction about imperial Rome this one will probably please you. It just wasn't my cup of well watered wine.

SWM
author of The King of Vinland's Saga

If you enjoyed the previous titles in this running series you won't be disappointed here. Cato and Macro are re-united with their nemesis Vitellius who is once again out for self fullfillment. Unlike the books in the earlier parts of the series Cato and Macro take to the sea to battle a pirate fleet that has been crippling the trade routes that keep the Roman Empire running. Cato and Macro are put under the leadership of Vitellius and are ordered to eliminate the pirate threat. However eliminating the pirate threat is only a cover up for what their real mission is. As usual Cato and Macro will be thrown into situations of impossible odds making it rather difficult to put the book down. A must read if your a fan of the running series.

Scarrow has turned in another solid work. While not as good as some of his other Macro and Cato adventures, this one packs a fair amount of intrigue, action, and harrowing escapes.

Scarrow seems to stretch at points, having characters do things that seem to contradict expectations, but overall has delivered a fun story. The focus is on Cato for most of the story, with Vespasian figuring prominently later in the book. I recommend it as a quick summer read.

This book is a very enjoyable read, but not quite as good as some of the others in the "Eagle" series, which are some of my absolute favorite books. The action is, as always, very well described, and the plot moves along well. There are a number of convenient coincidences in the plot that make it a little less believable than most of the previous novels. Nevertheless, I highly recommend the book and will eagerly read the next installment.

This book, written in a beautiful, almost poetic prose, is engrossing, informative, and covered commonalities of the immune system, human behavior, genetics, family relations, faith, reason and science. I particularly liked the parallels between paranoia and immune system. In paranoia, the mind views almost everything as a threat, and may even inflict damage on innocent parties. In the latter the body attacks itself and other non-threats, causing injury to itself. Also, the details on how the immune system "remembers" and how the various organs police the system was fascinating. Not all of the personal family story snippets tied strongly to the central theme, but all were excellent writing and emotionally powerful. Anyone wanting to expand their horizons and view the world from a unique viewpoint could do well to read Callahan's fine book.

I didn't know a darn thing about the immune system, and it wasn't high on my list of must-research material, but this book is the best one I've read this year. What an amazing book! Absolutely fascinating -- and not just for science minded folks.

This book oddly jumped between an interesting view of the human body and, in particular, the immune system, to creepy and morbid personal memories of the author. Ick.

Callahan is that genre of author I like to describe as "scientifically based mystic." Scientist in that, true to his craft, he primarily uses the scientific method to probe the answers to life in the biological sense. Mystic in that he recognizes that science can provide many wonderful answers and statistics, but seldom the "meta" answers man has yearned for since we can remember.

"Who am I?" and "What is my place in the universe?" are questions seldom answered satisfactorily by science, and more comfortably by religion. Using his considerable experience and knowledge in the science of immunology, Callahan tackles these questions in a much different way then most scientists would, yet without an appeal to religiosity. Always with a healthy respect for the unknown, unseen and unknowable, Callahan deftly explores the hidden relationships between ourselvs, our parents and every other living thing comprising life.

He'll make you think in ways you possibly haven't thought before, and even tug at your heartstrings while recounting intensly personal stories experienced by us all. Highly recommended.

I call "Faith, Madness..." scientific poetry. It is a work of humanity, written in earnest, baring its flaws and uncertainty to reveal a possible truth about WHY and maybe more importantly HOW we are what we are. Callahan weaves snippets of insightful, passionate prose with personal ancedote to illustrate his theory that our immune systems help to define our individuality. I have been touched by this book. Not only does it speak to my thirst for scientific understanding but it lightly stroked my sense of spirituality. Science books like this don't come around very often.

Carly Stone's gut tells her there's something wrong about her new husband, but she drowns out her suspicions filling time with her job as a legal mediator and newlywed in New York. When she catches him and a neighbor in a compromising position--in her own bed--she knows it's time to head south.

Each mile closer to her home in Charleston, SC, Carly feels the warm, non-judgmental arms of her family reaching to take her in. What she finds when she gets there, however, is the unpleasant surprise that her father is closing the family hardware store. Though her father isn't ready to retire, he seems to have accepted as fact that the new big-box store going in across the street will force him out of business.

Carly's investigation of the retail invader brings her face to face with the most gorgeous man she's ever seen, Trent Protter, who happens to be the son of the developer. Despite the fact that she's legally married and that she tries several tactics to get the construction site shut down, the chemistry between the two is undeniable. When a criminal act causes a man to die at the construction site, Carly and Trent join forces to solve the mystery.

Fool Me Once is a fast read filled with the hilarious characters of Carly's southern family, from sweet tea pushin' Mom, television-personality twin sister, plain-speaking twin nieces, a two-year-old nephew with a fondness for bad words, and a perpetually growling, aged Chihuahua, to Granny, who sometimes inhabits the current world but sometimes lives in a world of her own. This book is a load of fun that will have you laughing from cover to cover.

First chapter explodes with conflict and energy. This is a good summer read.

This was a cute story for a quick read to end the summer on. Plot was somewhat predictable, but the main character was likeable and interesting. The grandmother and the dog made the story!

Well, here we have at the beginning of the twenty-first century a new writer, T. Lynn Ocean, who reminds this reader of the famous, cherished, prolific writers of the latter half of the twentieth century: Jesse Stuart and Wendell Berry. These three regional writers writing of Kentucky, the Ohio Valley, and the Appalachian culture (Stuart and Berry); and the region of Charleston, South Carolina and the Rice Plantation culture of the Low Country (Ocean) bear comparison...that is only if Ocean will remain a regional writer, sustain a prolific publication of quality works without losing the loving intimacy she gives in this first novel, FOOL ME ONCE. Dare the reader hope? Does one overestimate this writer. Well, yes, and well, no. Time will tell.

Shall the reader hope for the same warm family, the funny, sad, good people who share the largess of life around a kitchen table (the deepest heart of any region of America) where the reader's most treasured values are protected and preserved. Shall we again encounter more of good characters who are put upon by life's villains? First, threatened by the monster of progress represented by big business with a voracious appetite that devours the treasured old ways; secondly, happiness endangered, by a familiar, repeated theme harkening from our collective past: innocent spouse betrayed by husband or wife which is ingrained in our mythology and in our reality. If the reader is approaching page 93, please wait until cocktail time, lift a glass and read aloud the heroine's remark, "You shallow piece of scum!" Then read aloud to one another. Continue the toast as one experiences his/her own expiation of the hurt as Carly (You GO girl, Carly) takes quick, assertive, thorough justice. Ocean ameliorates the collective conscious and unconscious universal wound with strong, healing justice. Carly never wishes she "had" done a thing: she did it all...all that one remembers he/she should have done and did not do.

Because Ocean touches on IMPORTANT themes, creates strong, unforgettable characters (including coons, dogs, people, and especially a raunchy, alzheimers-affected hilarious grandmother
who delivers unexpectedly a wisdom so simple and so wonderful that she lives forever. Grandma is old, demented, and strong: she can grab the "cat by the tail" and wrestle a danger to her family into a wounded pussy cat. Ocean knows her culture, makes you know and cherish it as she does, gives back to the reader of good and of right as Stuart and Berry did for the reader of an early time. Oh, please, Ocean, give more of the same, over and over and over. Give the reader hope for excellence in the regional writing of the twenty-first century. You GO girl, T. Lynn!

Don't be bamboozled; Southern author T. Lynn Ocean's debut novel, Fool Me Once, is anything but a mindless summer read.

Though the plot appears formulaic--girl meets boy, girl marries boy, boy cheats on girl, girl leaves boy--Ocean makes it her own with an endlessly amusing parade of tenderly-rendered characters, a believable storyline and mediator Carly Stone, a saucy heroine who's no fainting flower.

Stone, a native Charlestonian, finds herself in a bit of a fried pickle: She strolls into her newly-purchased New York home to find her new husband Robert "breaking in" her yellow cotton sheets with a neighbor. Heartbroken, she heads home to Charleston and finds things a little different than she left them. Her forgetful, randy granny has moved in and the family hardware store faces competition with a hardware megastore being constructed across the street.

Armed with her University of South Carolina law degree and a fierce new attitude, Stone faces off with Protter Construction Company only to find herself falling in lust with Trent, the owner's hunky but stubborn son. (After all, what self-respecting summer novel wouldn't have a hunky stranger?) The sexual tension mounts as Stone and Protter engage in a deadlocked battle of wits . . . with surprising results.

Though Ocean pumps her story full of intrigue (a crisis and a courtship), it's her vivid, unique characters that steal the show. There's Granny, Stone's aging but whip-smart and hysterical grandmother. (Watch for the scene when she tells Stone how to fix her philandering husband's "peg.") There's the Southern belle mother and the down-home patriarch. There's the outlandish drama queen sister and her loudmouth brood. There's even an ill-tempered poodle who nearly meets her maker after one too many growls at Granny.

Carly Stone is the real star, though, with her razor-sharp wit, intelligence and tough but fair attitude. Here, Ocean redefines the Southern belle image, giving readers a strong, sassy and soft-hearted woman who sticks to her guns and never forgets her roots. Delicate? No way. Determined? Absolutely, bless her heart.

Best of all, the dialogue is realistic, snappy, fast-paced and always hilarious. Forget Sweet Home Alabama; this is how Southerners really talk.

For some trashy summer romance run, look to Harlequin. For light, breezy fiction with heart and smarts, give Ocean's Fool Me Once a try. Rest assured that Granny would approve.

I loved this book. It is set in Pennsylvania, and revolves about an ordinary young woman who inherits an ordinary little house in an ordinary little community. I could really relate to this nice woman who loves her new house, with a climbing rose growing up the porch and a creek in back. She begins an instant friendship with the woman next door, adopts the ugly dog that has been hanging around, and meets two eligible bachelors who seem interested in her. The only problem is that someone seems to be coming in her house and searching for something, and then things start getting worse. Meg is really great: a very practical, good-natured woman for the heroine of a thriller. The dialogue is a little arch and breezy for real life, but other than that, I consider this the perfect suspense book.

This is the story of a young woman who inherits her aunt's house out in the country. She moves in and begins what she hopes will be a peaceful life. Meanwhile things are moved around in her house in the middle of the night and when she's not home. At first she thinks it's just her imagination, then she realizes there is a more sinister force at work -- who is doing it? You'll have to read to find out.

Meanwhile, enter a cast of diverse characters, one of whom is the murderer who murdered the former renter of her aunt's house ... but no one knows she was murdered, they all think she moved off to Boston (not giving anything away here, the victim is killed at the very beginning of the book).

This book is about the slow unraveling of the mystery, wherein the murder is discovered and the killer is unveiled ... Ah, but not until the very end. Ms. Gleiter keeps you guessing all through the book about who the killer is - you don't find out until your reach the final pages of the book when you find out it wasn't who you expected at all. Her writing style is very much like Barbara Michaels, spunky heroine, all sorts of nice people around her, one of whom is evil. Yet this book isn't predictable in any sense.

Set aside a whole day to read and enjoy - you'll enjoy this book so much you won't want to be interrupted. It will also make you want to find all the books this author has written and devour them as well. What a great read!

Ok, first I want to say that the title is actually "A House by the Side of the Road." There was some confusion about the title when it originally got promoted, but if you are looking to purchase the book or borrow it from a library (you should definitely do one of the two), then be ready to look under either "A House by the Side of the Road" or "The House by the Side of the Road." With that out of the way, I want to add my comments about this book. I really loved it. It is my mom's second novel. After reading her first mystery, "Lie Down with Dogs," I said to her, "Mom, there is no way that you could ever write a book that is better than this. Are you going to be disappointed if your next book isn't as good?" Well, I've got to say, this book is no disappointment! It is a slightly different style from her first, so I can't say which is better. All I can say is that they are both excellent! I'm not just saying that because she's my mom, either. (Afterall, what would she do if I said something bad about her books? Stop paying my tuition?) In case you're curious, Jane, the little girl in the book, is modeled after me when I was her age! It is funny to read about her and think, "So this is what my mom thought of me." "A House by the Side of the Road" is awesome. I've read it two times and would read it more often except for the fact that my college professors think they should give me reading to do. They just won't buy my reasoning: "But I have to read this excellent mystery again!" So, I'm not going to summarize the book, because the other reviews have done a lot of that. If you would like to talk about the book or my mom, you are welcome to e-mail me. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

This mystery is a pleasant, quick read which keeps you guessing. Cogently written in spare, lean prose, the author expertly moves the plot along, though she falls prey to creating certain situations which strain belief. This is a fault of characterization, however, and not of plot. It does not diminish the mystery.

The book is about a young woman , Meg Kessinger, who inherits her great aunt's house in a rural area of Pennsylvania. The house is every thing she has ever wanted and then some. Were it not for the sense that someone is entering her house and moving her things around, as if they were looking for something, she would be perfectly happy.

As it turns out, the mysterious events in her home are tied in to the death of an elderly next door neighbor, who appears to have been the victim of some skullduggery. Meg's sleuthing takes some interesting twists and turns. It should keep the reader guessing as to who is the culprit responsible for the nefarious doings.

I really enjoyed this story! The characters came alive and endeared themselves to me right away. They kept me guessing right up to the end.

A HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD is well-crafted; it is expertly woven together with strong threads of continuous suspense, witty dialogue and small-town warmth. Great entertainment!

I have read all of the Jackovich series, but this one is a stinker and it isn't up to Robert's usual standards. Descriptions of streets and places in Cleveland were just too much, even for a former Clevelander like myself. The book was also very preachy burdened with trivial descriptions of eating habits and dissertations that detracted from the story.

At least one review has called Les Roberts a 'hard-boiled' writer. Not so! "The Indian Sign" is a mystery of intricate structure, and overtones of Greek tragedy...with traditional elements from the tragic hero/stoic Indian grandfather to the chorus of whining women who populate the novel and comment mournfully on the action. And it all rests upon the human shoulders of Milan, the flawed detective whose very human-ness moves the action to the surprising ending.

One of the best Milan Jacovich adventures yet, this one raises disturbing ethical questions for the Slovenian private investigator that the wily Roberts leaves for the readers to answer. From the first glimpse of the elderly Joseph Ettiwagishek sitting stoically in full tribal regalia on a park bench in a northern Ohio snowstorm to the exciting shootout at an upscale Cleveland shopping center, the images in this book are haunting. And though Jacovich's separate cases--the murder of the old Indian and the possible espionage in a local toy company--might seem disconnected, they are not at all; they both deal with issues that affect children. An exciting and thought-provoking addition to one of the best series around.

"The Indian Sign" was the second Milan Jacovich novel by Les Roberts that I have read. I really like the character, as well as Roberts' writing style. Milan has two cases in this novel. He is working for Armand Treush, owner of TroyToy, who is suspicious that his accountant might be a corporate spy. His other case comes to him by circumstance. He notices an old Native American sitting all day on a bench outside his apartment in the frigid February cold. When he hears that the old man has been murdered, he goes to the police and identifies the man as the one he had seen. He then gets a visit from Eddie Ettawageshik, who is the grandson of the old man, Joseph Ettawageshik. Eddie tells Milan that his grandfather was in Cleveland looking for his great-grandson, Andrew Takalo, a baby who had been kidnapped from his home in Cross Village, Michigan. Milan agrees to help Eddie locate his nephew. This book is an excellent addition to the series and is highly recommended.

Roberts always fascinates me with his ability to make Milan hard-boiled and intelligent at the same time. As this series goes on, Milan is becoming more and more mature and culpable for his actions and the actions of others as well. I have personal knowledge of the Slovenian Community and although he is a transplanted Clevelander, Roberts has made good use of his resources here to project a very believeable character. The moral dilemmas he presented in THE INDIAN SIGN still have me uncomfortable and undecided after 8 months. Roberts is becoming more confident in his success with this series as he writes each book and relies not so much on the shoot 'em up and punch 'em out as he does on making Milan Jacovich a very believeable character. And if anyone knows anything about characters, it's Roberts.

Sean Michael Flynn didn't save the world when he went to Alaska; he didn't feed the bears or teach the Eskimos and he didn't climb the highest mountain. But that's not what he set out to do. Flynn was stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in the Alaskan Interior, and while there he decided to make the best of an opportunity to do things most people never get a chance to do. Here he delivers an immeasurably entertaining trip through his first year on the Last Frontier, filled with first-hand experiences written with a wit and humor that would make Dave Barry proud. (At times he made me laugh unlike any writer has been able to do since Lewis Grizzard. Yet is humor is refrshingly effortless...Flynn isn't the class clown, but he's the guy you know who can tell a story that'll leave you rolling on the floor.) Flynn never tries to be a hero, instead using a self-deprecating manner that lets you know he's 'one of us'". His "likeability" makes this a truly refreshing read. You'll really begin to enjoy the time you're spending with him (and that's not easy to accomplish with the written word.) He'd never say so himself, but the reader can tell that Flynn's an all-American guy-next-door...the kind of guy that other guys would like to hang out with and girls would like to take him home to their parents. In this book, he conveys that although the real Alaska might not be everything it's cracked up to be, in many ways, that's one of things that makes Alaska so much more. What's great about this book is everything that it's not---it's not a book about someone who goes to Alaska to communicate with the bears, or live off the land, or become a bush pilot, nor is it one of those books about someone who goes to Alaska to try to find himself. But in the end, that's exactly what he ends up doing. An absolutely fantastic read!

Having been stationed at Eielson during the same time as Flynn, I can vouch for his accuracy in the descriptions of the whole "Interior of Alaska" experience. I'm thankful that he wrote this, because now when people ask what it was like up there, I just tell them to buy the book. Overall I liked his stories and his range of topics, but sometimes they seemed to drag on a bit, especially when they dealt with his lack of female options. He more than makes up for that, with poking fun at a sometimes stuffy US Air Force, and his quest for becoming a sourdough. A great book to pick up when you think life in the lower 48 is tough and you need a chuckle.

Sean's style and story-telling ability flow quickly, easily and smoothly. You're happy to go along for the ride, and during the trip you learn so much about one of the smallest, most unique cultures in this American sea of cultures, and about one of the most beautiful yet challenging places on the planet. Things you could learn only by living them. But just as importantly, you laugh as you watch him grow from cheechako to sourdough. A must-buy for anyone into reading humor, or about the military, or Alaska. Get it now!!

I was stationed at Eielson at the same time as Sean but mainly knew him from his hilarious and entertaining (and eventually banned) columns in the base newspaper. I found the book by accident years later while stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, AK. Sean's account so perfectly encapsulates life as a Cheechako in the interior of Alaska it has to be a must read for anyone thinking of moving to, or even visiting, the heart of the last American frontier. Sean's newspaper columns were the topic of conversation every week in what was probably the most read USAF base paper in history - and his book is an ongoing laugh-fest with a style all his own, though very reminiscent of great humorists writers like Dave Barry. His experiences, while typical of a young, single guy (as I was at the time), give a true picture of what Alaska is all about. You don't have to know about Alaska or like the military to find this book a fascinating and eminently enjoyable read - but if you've ever been in the military, visited or thought about visiting Alaska - this is a book you can't pass up!

Well-written, insightful, educational, and entertaining. Funny without making fun of people. Really brings Alaska and its residents to life, providing a fascinating glimpse of the state unavailable to most visitors (i.e., way beyond the typical 7-night cruise ship experience.) I began reading it because of my interest in military history (the author was stationed there as an Air Force officer), but the quality of writing and greater focus on non-military experiences was a pleasant surprise. I now want to quit my job, pack my bags, and head immediately to Alaska.

Walter Sorrells has brought Charles Sloan back to life; he was originally created by Willima J. Coughlin who died in 1992. His best-selling books included SHADOW OF A DOUBT, IN THE PRESENCE OF ENEMIES, THE JUDGMENT OF MYSTERY, etc. He was a judge and a defense atty. in Detroit in addition to his novels.

Sloan has been summoned to the mansion at Pickeral Point, Michigan, by Miles Dane at 4 a.m. to fine Mrs. Dane savaglely murdered in her bed. The police were called, and the first on the scene was a youngster who strung up the crime-scene tape. Fifteen minutes later, a woman with the unforunate name of Sandra Ham Denkerberg, showed up to investigate the murder.

She was a tall, handsome woman of about fifty, her severe black pageboy punctuated by a white streak over the left ear, with painted on eyebrows and false eyelashes. She asks Miles, "So your client is a liar. Does that make him a murderer, too?"

After an ordeal with mystery surrounding the death of his wife, Miles sold the house to a 16-yr-old rap star from Detroit and moved to Los Angeles. He became a squire of young actresses at movie openings. Then in the 'Free Press' a story appeared, "Controversial Author Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot."

He'd admitted to his attorney that he had killed his wife and gotten away with it, but who knows. As Daniel Rourke, a detective, said on the stand: "In the end, Miles Danes' creations always got their just desserts." Could it have been cake? This was printed by Thomas Dunne Books and attributed to Ruth Coughlin and Walter Sorrells. Hopefully, she won't be anothre V C Andrews clone.

I enjoyed this book, it was funny, the mystery was good and it kept you guessing to the end. I would definitely read this author again.

I loved this book. The Characters were very enjoyable and the book flowed really well. I was very disappointed when I finished reading this book since I became very attached so, I'm getting another Charlie sloan book right away. Happy reading. Kath

With great aplumb, Walter Sorrells revives the late Walter Coughlin's infamous alcoholic attorney, Charley Sloan. A middle-of-the-night phone call from local tough-guy writer Miles Dane propels Sloan into a case that appears as flimsy as tissue paper.
Charley, with the help of his drop-out, alcoholic, daughter, Lisa, set out to determine the truth of 'who bludgeoned to death Miles Danes beloved wife. "Proof of Intent" is non-stop action at its very best, a well crafted who-done-it that left me unprepared for its suprise ending. I hope Sorrells will pen more Charley Sloan narratives.
Beverly J Scott author of "Righteous Revenge" and "Ruth Fever" ...

Arriving at the home of best selling crime writer Miles Dane after receiving a cryptic phone call from the reclusive author in the middle of the night, attorney Charley Sloan doesn't know what to expect. Entering as instructed through the back door, he comes upon a disoriented Dane, who takes him to the master bedroom, which contains the bludgeoned corpse of Dane's wife, Diana.

After Charley summons the police, Dane relates the story of how he discovered his wife's body upon returning to their bedroom after completing a late night writing session. Minutes later, he tells the police he heard a loud noise, ran upstairs and came upon an intruder, who then leapt out the window. Miles' odd behavior, and the subsequent discovery of seemingly incontrovertible evidence against him, does little to inspire Charley's confidence in his client. Nevertheless, he resolves to do his best to win Dane's freedom, in what the media quickly blow up into the next "trial of the century."

Despite the familiarity of it's plot--a beleaguered defense attorney battles aggressive detectives, a wily prosecutor, unreliable witnesses, and an irascible judge, all in an effort to secure a "not guilty" verdict for a less than forthcoming client--Proof of Intent should prove popular with most readers, due in large part to the presence of it's likable narrator, the colorful Charley Sloane. Painfully self aware and self deprecating, the alcoholic attorney provides a wry running commentary on the case, never missing an opportunity skewer a hypocrite, whether it be an opponent, an ally, or even himself.

St. Martin's has made a canny business decision in resurrecting Charley Sloane and placing him in the hands of the capable Walter Sorrell. Hopefully, sales will justify another entry in this newly energized franchise.

Milan Jacovich and the Hollywood viewpoint. Author Les Roberts draws upon his years in the glitz capital and his work in the entertainment field (Hollywood Squares) to produce a novel in this series that is different than the others in thematic appproach. Roberts always produces a good mystery novel.

Local detective Milan Jacovich is a big, square kind of guy. In more ways than one. He tends to see things in black and white, strongly filtered through his own unique sense of ethics. Would there more people everywhere like him.

This book, in particular, also abounds with terrific philosophical sayings such as: "Michael Jordan says that you always miss the shot you don't take." Yup. You do. Which ought to convince folks to make more attempts at the things that mean the most to them. Six pages earlier was my favorite: "A very wise Clevelander once told me that gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all the others."

As a devoted reader of this series, I was very upset when, in the previous book, Milan's boyhood pal, Lt. Marko Meglich took a bullet intended for Milan. (Not that I wanted to lose Milan, because I certainly didn't. I just didn't want to lose Marko, either.) It was somewhat appeasing that six months later, Milan is also still suffering the loss. It is in order to shake him up some that another old friend, the newspaperman Ed Stahl, recommends Milan for a job with a Hollywood film company that's shooting in Cleveland. The job is as a glorified baby-sitter for the young male star of the film - the 24 year-old Darren Anderson.

Darren, however, resents the 'tending' and point blank tells Milan to leave him alone for one particular Sunday, the end of which sees Darren in a new role--that of corpse. Milan takes it personally, and sets out to find the killer, even if he no longer has a real client. Along the way, we meet some familiar folk from previous books, as well as a new love for Milan. This is good, as he definitely needed one.

If you've ever wondered about Cleveland, the Milan Jacovich books will show you the real thing, warts and all, but subtly mixed in with the rest of the cityscape that those of us who live here, love as much as Milan does. His descriptions of the places he visits should endear him to the Chamber of Commerce, while the taut story lines, unique characterizations and marvelous writing should endear him to readers of all kinds of books.

This was a good mystery to read. It kept you guessing and it was also about Hollywood which I love so it was great.

By juxtaposing the glitz and glitter of a major Hollywood film shoot with the no-nonsense, working-class city of Cleveland, Les Roberts has managed to blend tension, action, and humor into a most enjoyable reading experience.

His Hollywood-type characters ring true, and he manages to make the spoiled young movie star, Darren Anderson, sympathetic and appealing all the while he is being a louse. And hulking, tattooed muscle-for-hire Albert Wysocki is one of those indelible bad guys you love to hate - - quirky and funny while being chillingly sinister.

It is Cleveland private op Milan Jacovich, in his ninth and best-yet outing, whose presence is the glue that holds it all together. His wry wit is in full throttle, and his often rigid principles cost him dearly here, as they usually do, and we find ourselves rooting for his budding relationship with a bright, funny woman who matches his strength and determination.

A fast-action and highly entertaining entry in a superior series.

Boring! Cliche, trite, what else can I say. It baffles me how this book got into print. The main character is one dimensional. The plot is weak with obvious red herrings. Watch out! You'll be dropping this one off at the used bookstore pronto!

This is the fourteenth installment of the Alan Lewrie naval series. As with the other volumes in the series, it contains a great cast of characters. Many of them you are not sure if you like or hate them, but you can't help wanting to know what they will do next. This is even more so, with Alan Lewrie. He is a rogue, philanderer, coward and hero all in one. In this book, Lewrie is being tried for stealing slaves. Slavery is illegal in the British empire, but it is a hanging offense if he is convicted (you need to read the book to figure that one out). His wife has kicked him out of the house. The hard drinking Lewrie's main support is from the Abolutionist society and a Mr. Twigg, a behind the scene mover and shaker in the government. Is he really trying to help Lewrie or just using him, again? This is a great read full of fun, adventure and even suspense. I encourage you to read this volume alone with the entire series. If you like Horatio Hornblower and the Aubrey/Maturin series, you will love this series by Dewey Lambdin.

Ho hum. I think it's time this series swallows the anchor. Mostly boring. There was a chance for a good adventure with the slave owners chasing the brave captain....but alas the author dropped the ball. What to do with the book? Donate it to the unsuspecting.

nearly 200 pages before any sea action. Lambden's style is one of my favorite in genra. That's all that carries this one.

I've been reading the Alan Lewrie series for quite a while, and they always manage to please. This one throws in a bunch on English social color and commonlaw procedure as well as the usual Lewrie derring-do at sea, ashore, and at home. Read it!

Dewey Lambdin wrote a good book and he writes a good series. He is not Patrick O'Brian or C.S. Forester, though. I would guess that if they were "A" writers of naval fiction, then Lambdin would be about a "B" or "B+." I like the stories a lot, but at times in the series, the characters seem a little too unreal. I plan on buying future books in the series. If you like excellent historical fiction, let me put you on to Sam Barone who has written a two book series: Dawn of Empire and Empire Rising. These books are long, detailed, and fascinating. Furthermore, if you like to read about battles, Barone's final battles last a hundred pages and more. None of it is dull! I never did get to bed before 2:00 AM while reading this book so you are warned! The author is a nice fellow who returned my email when I sent him my thanks for writing such a fine series. Barone reminds me a lot of a cross between Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith, and oddly enough, Zane Grey.

Two Gun Cohen is bigger than life. Like most biographies it is not a fast reading book, but it is a great book for anyone interested in the history of western Canada, China or interested in Jewish biography. I read the book after visiting places in England where Two Gun Cohen spent his youth,in the cities of western Canada where he spent his youth and China where he spend his mid life. The book is not for anyone that is not interested in history or biographies of unusual people. For me it was a great book; I wish that it was still available in hard cover, I am buying two addional copies for two friends of mine.

Levy does a remarkable job of telling the story of Two-Gun Cohen, from his humble roots as an immigrant Jewish youth in London to his early days in Canada to his glory days in China as a bodyguard for Sun Yat-Sen. It is the remarkable tale of a self-made man that reads in large part like a "boy's adventure" story of the mid-1900s -- except that the whole thing is true. Some may take issue with Levy's debunking the many myths that Cohen erected around his life, but such scholarship does noting to diminish the character, charm and accomplishments of the man.

It's rare when I...(leave a)...biography unread. But I gave upabout halfway through what should have been much more fascinating andreadable. Instead, Daniel Levy writes a rather dull portrait ofCohen, making him into just another hoodlum. There's no verve or excitement here, despite the criminal life Cohen leads in Canada or the revolutions he sees in China. It also doesn't help that this book is rife with bad grammar and sentence structure. Didn't anyone edit this?

A dull book all the way to the point when I said, "enough!" END

First of all, I should say that my primary reason for reading this book was not because of some particular interest in the story of Two-Gun Cohen. My first attraction to this book grew from my interest in the history of China, and particularly modern China, which I date from the Macartney's mission in 1783. This book did not disappoint. It is a very useful addition to the study of China in the period from the 1911 revolution through the Communist revolution of 1949 and beyond. It gives very little insight into the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), but there is lots of stuff written on that period.

I have not read anything else by this author, so I cannot make comparisons to his other work, but I will say one thing: I like a guy who does his homework. This book is nothing if not well researched. That is, in fact, it's main strength. I used to be a country school teacher-believe me, I have heard every excuse in the book for why the homework wasn't done. And I have become weary in recent years of "historians" who pretend to be writing history, but in fact have no interest in what actually happened. Ever go to a library and try to get Gore Vidal's "Lincoln?" It's in the fiction section. Or how about Oliver Stone, who openly admits (without any sense of shame) that he plays loose with the facts? That kind of stuff sells to a nation of people who are products of the American public school system. But for those who really care about what actually happened, a higher standard must prevail. Daniel Levy holds to that standard, and even helps to establish it, because his careful workmanship serves as an example to those who would address the same period. Bottom line: this is just very good history.

Now to the story. This book addresses the question of who Cohen is in comparison with how he presented himself, or allowed himself to be presented. Cohen was not the "mover and shaker" that he is sometimes said to be. But he was not just a worthless pretender, either. As I see it, Cohen distinguished himself in two areas: He was a very good body guard for Sun Yat Sen, and he also had the dubious distinction of being a first rate gun runner. Other than that, he doesn't seem to have been able to get by without some kind of a hustle. He started life as a petty crook, and this set a pattern that really prevented him from having dependable, gainful employment when the chips were down. I don't mean that he could never get away from the life of crime. What I mean is that, because he took the easy way out as a youth, he never took the time to learn a trade. I always encourage young people to develop a marketable skill that they can fall back on if they ever need to. This is something Cohen never did, and there was a time in his later life when it really would have come in handy. While Sun Yat Sen was alive, Cohen was riding high. But after he died, and especially after World War II, Cohen suffered a long period of marginal or nonexistent employment. Nothing wrong with being an adventurer, but it really helps if you have a trade skill to take you through the dry periods.

Toward the end of his life, Cohen did manage to secure some very good work as a consultant because of his contacts in China. These connections, by the way, were genuine. It would be grandiose in the extreme to suggest that Cohen shaped the future of China. But he was well acquainted with some of those who did. That part of his self-presentation was not made up.

I gave this book five stars because it was so well researched. But it is also a very personal story of a man that I think, in some way, we all aspire to be. I respect Cohen for daring to step out and discover a world that so many of his peers shied away from. He was not satisfied with the ordinary. And he was in many ways a very likeable, if sometimes pathetic person. This was a very enjoyable book. It is not as quick a read as some others, partly because the author went to great lengths to verify his assertions. But I think any honest reader will find it to be a worthy contribution to the literature.

I long ago heard of Two-Gun Cohen, and was pleased when I found out that there was finally a biography of him. Daniel Levy has crafted a clear, well written account of Cohen and taken the time to delve deeply into his life. I was amazed at what Levy uncovered, from Cohen's World War I medical files (I am surprised that such material still survives), to the dossiers the State Department kept on him and the depositions chronicling Cohen's various court visits. More importantly, Levy obviously took pains to get Cohen's life right and to track down those who knew him well. For by going through his encyclopedic footnotes and seeing all the people he spoke to, one realizes that if Levy solely relied on the cold documentary history of records and newspaper clips, Cohen would have come across as a less interesting and much rougher character. What Levy has presented us with is a well-rounded view of this adventurer, and written a riveting and graceful history of an amazing man.