Dunne Books

An Audience Participation Mystery
By Craig Sodaro

Cast: 7M, 10F
Set: Interior set
Time: About 90 minutes

Sam Slade, a famous (although rather inept) detective, needs the help of your audience in solving this delightful mystery. Sam has come to the Clam Cove Inn island resort in a marital pursuit of his girlfriend, Lila Dean. Lila, however, has her sights set on introducing her recipe of fried clams to Colonel Horace Clamskey, the stingy and generally nasty owner of the Crazy For Clams chain of restaurants. He's accompanied by his secretly adoring secretary, his spoiled niece and her doting cowboy suitor, his spinster schoolteacher sister and his irritating cousin, Calvin Cobb. Sam finds Lila, but also stumbles upon the murder of the Colonel. Motives are discovered among the many guests as a vicious hurricane bears down on the island. The web of sticky spine-tingling suspense continues as our criminal strikes again--the Colonel's niece is kidnapped. Who could it be?! The Wiltons with their obnoxious children? A bird-watching widow? An eccentric New York cartoonist looking for peace and quiet? Or the Beaupree Sisters, Faith, Hope and Charity, who manage the Inn left to them by their late father? Sam Slade untangles this twisted plot of intrigue, eventually apprehending the killer, thanks to the help from your audience.

This book was on my reading list and as usual I thought it would be a boring book. To my surprise, only the first couple of chapters were boring and the rest was all extremely exciting. The detail that the author used also helped me in picturing what was going on in the story.

The obituaries of John Gregory Dunne led me to VEGAS, a fictionalized autobiography that cuts between the author's residence in 1970s Las Vegas and his youth of 20 years earlier in Connecticut. It is a strange book filled with fascinating Vegas characters -- the comic, the bail bondsman, the hooker -- and their back stories, played out against the author's life story and his quest for, what exactly? Well, he lives a disconnected life, and finds meaning in the stories of others, but doesn't want to get too close because that would require an investment in time and care he isn't willing to make. He is a reporter. He is also a brilliant prose stylist, very funny, sharp, with keen observational and descriptive skills. A terrific book.

The first three-quarters+ of the book is excellent. It provides a good overview of Venetian history and explains how/why the city is essentially sinking. The author then gets into a TREMENDOUS amount of depth (no pun intended) concerning funding for a proposed gate project, various changes of Italian government, etc.-- probably more than you need to know, certainly more than I needed. Overall, though, the book was very good, even for someone who knows Venice as well as I do.

Thirty four years ago on a bright July day, young teenager Lindsay had an important rendezvous to keep so she places her cousin Alistair in charge of the little ones. She ventures around the rocks on the nearby beach only to not be seen alive again even after a thorough two-week search. The people she left behind mourned her and were never quite the same afterward.

In the present, Lindsay's cousin Annie desperately wants to conceive, but after years of failure her husband Graham gives up trying. Alistair's son stays with Graham and Annie indefinitely. When the wife to Lindsay's brother Jaime becomes pregnant, she wants an abortion while he wants the child. The survivors of Lindsay's disappearance return to High House seeking solace and wanting to make some sense out of their lives.

The irony of this tale is that while Lindsay's family receives reader empathy, their spouses and parents earn hisses and boos as villains normally do. Waiting for LINDSAY is a complex drama that studies how people cope with a sudden tragedy. The story line moves deliberately slowly to enable the audience to catch the essence of the survivors in a way not often found in a novel but Moira Forsyth beautifully delivers a complex character study.

Harriet Klausner

Scottish lass Maggie Dunlop works as a nursery maid at Dulcimer Hall when war breaks out in Europe. Maggie and others are evacuated to America where she meets and falls in love with her employer's cousin David Voist, married with children. Because David's eyes and secretly his heart constantly search for Maggie, her beloved's spouse sends her back to England.

As the war hits England hard, Maggie joins the effort as a driver. When she goes to pick up an American airman, she meets David. Though both recognize their mutual love for one another, she knows he would never leave his wife for he cannot "abandon" his children. Even as Maggie tries to start anew back in her homeland of Scotland, she dreams that, one-day when David's children are adults, they will be together.

Though the probability of David and Maggie encountering each other by chance during the war seems somewhat remote because the circle they share is so vast, readers will appreciate the depth to this World War II romance though the war itself plays a tertiary role. The background brings to life the era more so in England, but somewhat in America also. The cast is fully developed so those key secondary players enable the audience to value the star-crossed lovers and obtain a sense of 1940s life while demanding Sara Hely deliver more period pieces like this delightful historical.

Harriet Klausner

This Christmas, just last week, I read this final installment in the continuing series of books by William Horwood. I've read his other three, and of course, Grahame's endearing and unforgettable template. This one, The Willows At Christmas leaves me wishing that there were more of the stories to read.

I am old.
But these stories refresh me, and rekindle the youngster in me.

All that Mole wants is a nice peaceful Christmas (don't we all?)... to have a little party on Twelfth Night, and sip his famous "sloe and blackberry" with his newly acquired friends Toad, Badger, Ratty and Otter. Along with this, a reunion with his long-lost sister would be nice also. He begins to try to arrange a get together at Mole End, but soon finds that a guest at Toad Hall is throwing the countryside into a state of fear and downright Yuletide attrition! Horwood introduces us to the villainous Mrs. Ffleshe... the veritable Cruella DeVille of the Riverbank! She has taken over Toad Hall and the once proud Toad is reduced to humiliating servitude until (no real surprise) even WORSE things happen to him!
Yep. Only THIS time Mole is also caught in the same trap, and Christmas joy of any kind now seems to be definitely beyond reach!
Every available resource and ingenuity must be called upon if Mole and Toad are to be rescued, and Christmas restored to its proper place of peace and joyful togetherness.
The Willows At Christmas is a great story about the power of friendship and loyalty, justice and forgiveness, and the beauty of reunion.
Horwood once again proves that he is worthy of carrying on in the tradition of the one and only Kenneth Grahame. A lofty task.
Is it only a book for kids?
Yes, but no matter what AGE they find themselves to be!

With characteristic precision, Mr. Buchanan details the confluence of Marxist ideologies, Hell bent (literally) on permanently destroying any vestige of Judeo-Christian influence in Western European and American culture.

Promoted through the cooperative support of the Mass Media, and featuring such pet causes as the Civil Rights movement, Afro-centrism, the birth control pill, the push for legalized abortion, free love, Women's Liberation, gay rights, and provided with a lap dog, tongue hanging, captive audience of bored, disaffected, post war affluent youth, this subversive coterie virtually created the world we now call "politically correct."

Never mind that their agenda boasted and promoted sins and social maladies long considered anathema by previous generations.

The result we see all around us--the stench of the deconstuctionist, high tech, sexually libertine, post Christian West. No it's not a pretty picture.

Yes, the cultural well has been poisoned, but Mr. Buchanan has at least hung out a warning sign--"Don't Drink From This Well!"

Highly recommended.

This is an excellent, interesting, thought provoking book. I enjoyed it so much I have read it twice and have discussed the issues raised in the book with many people. I recommend it as essential reading for any westerner.

This is a very eloquently written book that breaks down the immigration problem in a way that is flawlessly logical and interesting. This is a book that will never be dated and should be read by all Americans and beyond. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

If birth rates are the best indication of a how much a people values itself, it's customs and it's traditions, then certainly Europeans and White Americans are in the pangs of self-loathing and self hatred. Nations and cultures usually die from internal causes and certainly the European way of life is rotten at the core. Europe and the American culture inherited from Europe is literally suicidal. Bucahanan does an outstanding job of laying out all of the grim statistics. The most important statistic is this: birth rates are exploding in the third world and developing nations while birth rates are exceedingly miniscule in the most developed nations of Europe, North america and Japan. What this means for the future no one can be certain but it is certainly an important phenomenon (maybe the most important trend in all of sociology) and one that for politically correct reasons does not receieve its due consideration in the mainstream media.

"Death of the West" is a prophetic look at immigration and the state of our nation. One does not have to look very hard to see that this issue is of paramount importance in today's day and age. Buchannon sounds the horn, but will anyone listen to the discussion.

While the premise of the story is good, the movie did a much better job of capturing the characters. Her writing style needs polish and she writes as a 22 year old pretending to know what it's like to be 30 and widowed. The characters have no depth and you find yourself saying over and over again "that wouldn't really happen". Phrases are used repetitively and dialog is weak. There were some charming moments, but overall it reads like a high school paper. The author needs to mature a little and get some life experience. Skip the book and rent the movie.

The prelude to this story had such an amazing idea- such a wonderful thought! A young married- so in love- couple finds out the husband is dying and will be gone within months. We quickly learn how they met, how and why the fell in love... and then he dies. Within days of his funeral the wife receives a package- it is from her husband. Once per month over the course of one year, she consistently receives surprise packages or letters from her dead husband, helping her to cope iwth him missing and lists of things to do to get on with her life.
This could have been such an amazing story! The idea of a man planning this for her was so romantic!
But Cecelia Ahern disappointed me. I just could not connect with the main character. I didn't FEEL like I had missed out on a life and love so amazing. I didn't believe they were truly in love, nor did I enjoy most of the letters. If my husband had died untimely an dI had to wait month after month for a letter, I would hope to receive more than one line from him telling to go and buy a lamp, or a new dress. How about listing a great memory of us together? How about how much he loves my smile? How about describing our unborn children? How about explaining what our life together could have been like? You have to live through it to let it go sometimes.
I just wanted more. It had so much potential. The premise of the story was fantastic- it was just lacking that certain "something" that makes a story special. "PS I Love You" was a huge disappointment.
If you did happen to enjoy it, try "Catch & Release" on DVD. That movie I've seen 3 times and enjoyed it very much!

As an "International Bestseller" with a feature film spin off, I bought this book expecting a decent read. Instead, I muddled through it in constant amazement of just how bad the writing was. I couldn't even believe that it had been made into a book until I read somewhere that the author is the daughter of Ireland's Prime Minister.

The storyline itself has potential, but all was lost as a result of the author's poor prose and consistently corny dialogue. Bottom line... I would not recommend this book to anyone who reads or thinks above a 5th grade level.

The book is a lot like the protagonist, Holly, flawed but sweet. The heart of the story, truly what I found the most moving, was any scene with Holly reading and cherishing the monthly letters from her unfortunately deceased husband, Gerry.

Strangely enough, I found Gerry to be one of my favorite characters despite the lack of his physical presence in much of the novel. He seemed much more charming and likable than other characters of the novel. (Perhaps because the novel drew on his adoring widow's perspective.)

I wish we had learned a bit more backstory about the many characters of the novel, but alas.... we did not.

Though the writing was sappy and drawn out at its worst, it is very sweet and poignant at its best. P.S. I Love You was an enjoyable read about prioritizing one's life, coping with grief and loving yourself.

I have read the book and have never seen the movie. I don't want to because the book holds a pretty special place in my heart and I fear the movie will ruin it. This book hit home from the moment I started for an entirely different reason then I have seen in the other reviews. My fiance is in Iraq and as I read I realized that over the last year I have been basically dealing with his "death" in much the same ways as the main character. I laughed, I cried, I promised to appreciate people more, I prayed, I just loved this book.

I loved "Leaving the Saints," not because it was the best book ever written (not quite there, but still good) but because it was a woman, and not a man who had the courage to both honor and expose The Latter Day Saints.

As an ex-member, I have kept many good teachings from the church. I have them to thank for my ability to control my finances, stay clear of harmful substances, store food and other essentials for a rainy day, and value family.

However, as a woman, I know that the church is ultra patriarchal, has a history of sexism, racism, and homophobia. I do not believe in its ideas of men becoming gods, with the "ability" to have multiple wives in heaven. Sorry, but I am not here to "help" men achieve heaven, at least not in the way they intend. And I fervently believe that anything touched by mortality is tainted. So I am not surprised at the number of accounts of abuse coming from church members.

At 15 years of age, one of my then good friends was sexually abused by her father, a priesthood holder. She was told by our Bishop to pray for him, and I told her to call the police. At that moment I realized that this church is more preoccupied with saving face, then saving the daughters and sons it supposedly "loves."

I love Martha's ability to speak out, and to see both good and bad in the church, and run from neither. Perhaps if the church were to do the same, it wouldn't be seen as a cult, but as an institution that tries to get better by admitting their humanity, and facing the truth.

I found Martha Beck's book very healing. Having grown up near Provo Utah, I could really understand and identify with the situations and challenges she talked about. Seeing Mormonism from a more objective viewpoint I could let go of some of the guilt I have felt and understand why some of the beliefs just didn't feel good.
Thank you Martha, I can't believe you really said that.

I'm always intimidated to write a review for a really good book because I'm afraid I won't do it justice. This woman is one hell of a writer. If her father had one half of her talent for language I can understand how, through the "apologies" he wrote, he would be able to keep people faithful to a religion that is KOOKY at best. I'm sure this story of Martha's successful journey through her dark night of the soul into true spiritual peace and understanding will be a beacon for others who have experienced any kind of personal tragedy or challenge. The insider's view of the history and workings of the Mormon Church is enough of a reason to read it.

Anyone who knows both Hugh Nibley and Martha Beck knows who is telling the truth--it isn't Mrs. Beck.

I honestly have nothing to say about whatever supposed "anti-Mormon" slant the book has. I knew all the back-story stuff about Mormonism when I started reading the book; that wasn't what interested me. I had no idea who Martha Beck's father was or that he was some bigshot in the Mormon church - that didn't interest me either.

What did interest me was Martha's heartfelt and candid exploration of going through remembrance of her childhood sexual abuse, through anger and bewilderment to forgiveness. Regardless of what anyone else (and it's usually someone with an ulterior motive) has to say about the veracity of "recovered memories," they do happen. I was molested as a young child, by a male babysitter, and did not fully remember the details of the incident until I was much older. I did not have my revelation as a result of therapy; it happened one night as I was alone in my room reading. I did end up in therapy as a result but my therapist did not focus on "recovering" any more details of the incident; she only wanted to discuss what I was able to remember unassisted, and help me to move past it. Reading Martha's recollections brought back terrible and wonderful memories for me, of my own journey through anger into forgiveness. Perhaps people who have not had the experience cannot understand, but really there is no reason for someone to make up or embellish memories of sexual abuse, and it shouldn't be difficult to understand why people would repress memories of it. It's not exactly the kind of thing you want to remember.

This is a wonderful book, full of humor and love and Beck's amazement at her own awakening. Beck speaks with a voice that is so honest, so raw, so open that it was impossible for me to doubt one word of what she said. The fact that her siblings, ex-husband etc. tried to cast aspersions on what she said (one of her siblings attempted to do this by saying that Beck had been 'melodramatic as a child' - gee, I wonder why?) says, to me, that there is truth in her story; otherwise why would people be so eager to discredit it? If it was made up out of whole cloth everyone would have laughed off the allegations and that would have been it. The fact that so many people put forth such concerted effort to slander Ms. Beck and her account lead me to believe that she is telling the truth, not that she is a histrionic attention-seeker. My mother had a similar reaction to Beck's mother when I told her about my remembrance - saying at first that she "had always known" something had gone on, but then telling me that abuse is "not that big of a deal" and that I should just try not to think about it ever again. My therapist helped me to understand that many mothers react this way to abuse revelations because it's easier for them to disbelieve and/or discount than to face the idea that they failed to protect their child from something horrific - especially if they themselves suffered abuse as children.

The main reason why I would recommend this book to any other survivor of childhood sexual abuse is because of its focus on freedom, and letting go. As long as you hold hate and anger in your heart about your abuse, or toward your abuser, you cannot be free. If you live your life from a place of anger, eventually that anger - and therefore the abuse - will begin to define you as a person. And who wants to be defined by abuse, or by their abuser? Abusers take much from their child victims, but they do not take away their ability to get clear of the abuse and define themselves. Abuse victims do not have to forgive - just accept, and move forward. By the same token, if you do not face your memories and come to terms with what happened, you cannot be free either. I wholeheartedly believe that Martha's intent in this book was not to slander anyone or ruin anyone's life; she is doing what she felt she needed to do to get free of what happened to her. I could actually care less about the Mormonism stuff in the book, although people who are anti-Mormon will find plenty of fuel for their fire in here - I highly recommend this book to people who are struggling to come to terms with the fallout of their own abuse memories. Beck's story is one that is easy to relate to, and her attitude about moving on is ultimately incredibly healthy and positive. Kudos to her for having the courage to tell her story.