Nova Books

This is the second Jack Reacher Novel, by Lee Child. My Aunt sent me "One Shot" which I loved, so I decided to read the Jack Reacher Novels in sequence. I didn't like this as well as "Killing Floor" but still found it above average. Liked the Kidnapped Female Agent who is the center of the Novel. But I didn't think the book needed two traitors within the bureau. This book is a fun, thrilling read.

Lee Child has taken reacher into another situation not of his own making. H estumbles into a kidnap by accident. Jack Reacher is in both the wrong and the right place at the same time when FBI Special Agent and daughter of the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Holly Johnson is abducted from a Chicago street. It is the wrong place because Reacher, a former army major drifting around the country, is kidnapped as well. It is the right place because only he has the instincts to foil the complex, deadly plan of the kidnappers, a Montana militia group headed by a charismatic, brilliant, but psychotic leader. Child's tale, very well read by Dick Hill, engrossingly portrays Reacher's efforts to manipulate the captors; the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the FBI, the army, and the White House; and the many unexpected roadblocks thrown in his path. As usual he right all the wrongs and leaves town without a trace, marching into the next Reacher novel. Excellent.

An OK book, but not at the level of John Sanford. I got very tired of the author using the word "right" at the end of everyone's dialogue. It gets old after a while, right?

Just finished this one. Awesome. Ultra-violence. "24" in a novel. Absolutely absurd. Plot that makes no sense, and lots of nonsensical twists. 2D villians. Superman and superwoman. Still great. Compelling reading. "Moby Dick" for sniper rifles. Does not disappoint. Writing is actually very skilled if not very deep. Complicated plots, but not so hard to follow. I am sure I will go through all of the Reacher books, in order. So far, not sure which is better, this one or the first one, "Killing Floor." Can't believe this author is a Brit! This is a long way from MC Beaton and Rebus.

What a great read as usual !!! I love Reacher books but if you enjoy them look at new Author Conrad Jones and the novel Soft Target that is a gripping thriller if ever I read one, absolutely fantastic. I thought it might be written by Lee Child on Steroids !!! more of both please !!!

Love Christopher Rice books and wish he would write another. All of his books are worth reading.

This authors first book was phenominal! Absolutely heartbreaking and then redeeming. It seemed to be almost autobiographical. This second book, far below the quality of the first. Really had to imagine it was written by the same author. The characters werent developed well and by the end so many red herrings and unnecessary plot twists were used it was ridiculous. Leaving me with thinking the book was as believable as an old Gilligan's Island rerun. This book keeps me from really being interested in any of his current work. I will re-read the first!

I just finished The Snow Garden and like Density of Souls, I found it interesting but both novels were confusing in many places and a lot of reasons "why" events were happening were never brought to light. We needed to know more about Jesse, whom I feel stole the show. Although some of the plots get twisted up within themselves, I believe that Christopher is on his way to becoming a good writer. He's young and just getting started - he will grow into his stories.

I will admit I'm a little torn here. I liked this book a lot more before I read the horrendous `A Density of Souls' and that experience alone tarnished my view of Christopher Rice in general. That said, `The Snow Garden' is a much better book than his debut, but it still falls into some of the same pitfalls, it just has a few extra redeeming qualities this time around. Again, Rice was able to paint a very eerily detailed picture for the reader, something he also did in `A Density of Souls'. A characters surroundings and atmosphere is the first key to grabbing the attention of the reader and so in that regard this novel excels.

The characters in this novel are also more intriguing and all around more entertaining than those in `A Density of Souls' but once again Christopher falls into stereotypes, the same stereotypes that made his previous work annoying. He also tends to get off subject too much, lacing every characters background with so much tragedy and so many dark secrets that they come off, bluntly put, unreal. I mean, one tragic story is enough...there's no way everyone in that school has suffered their share of trauma. That aside, these sub-plots and or flashbacks still aren't enough to make me despise this book. They are no where near as off-putting as those found in `A Density of Souls'.

The plot here is better crafted as well. Yes, as some have mentioned, it gets a little chaotic, and there were times when I chuckled at the amateurish tendencies Christopher gives some of his characters (I couldn't help but think `Hardy Boys' when Tim and Randall where in the storage locker...or laugh a little to myself at Randall's sudden surge of manliness as he stands up to Eric...I mean where did that come from). That aside, the main storyline involving murder, betrayal, sex and adultery fit a little nicer this time around. Despite all the intertwining sub-plots and character development points Christopher was able to meld them all together in at least a decent and satisfying way.

So, in a nutshell, this is the basic synopsis of the novel. Randall is our main character. He's a gay student who has been carrying on an affair with his married Art Professor Eric behind everyone's back, including his best friend Kathryn. When Eric's wife dies in a horrific car accident that may or may not have been murder Eric quickly finds himself the main suspect, even in the eyes of his beloved Randall. As Randall tries to get to the bottom of things himself, determining whether or not Eric is a cold hearted killer, we are introduced to a cast of characters that in ways add and in others take away from the grit of the novel.

One of the biggest issues I have with this novel was its lack of depth given to the most interesting character, Jesse, Randall's roommate. Jesse stole the entire show with his psychotic ways of using sex and need to destroy everything and everyone he touched, and his sheer magnetism that obviously affected everyone around him also drew me further into the novel only to have any real explanations of his intentions and purpose completely disregarded and glossed over. He was far more interesting than Randall, Kathryn, Tim and maybe even Eric (although I liked his character quite a bit) and deserved to be fully explored.

As many have also mentioned, the editing of this novel is so bad it's embarrassing. There were plenty of times it got so bad I was confused and had to reread sentences before realizing it was the authors mistake and not my eyes. But still, it's not enough for me to really truly hate this novel, for as I mentioned, I actually like it.

And so here we come to the most redeeming quality to book possesses and most likely the main reason why I will recommend and stand by it...and that is the impressive and completely blindsiding ending that just ransacked me in such a good way. When we finally uncover the dark secrets that matter...granted some of them really don't, but at least the dark revelation behind Eric's closeted homosexuality and his wife's untimely death (that whole orgy thing was just a fantastic inclusion)...we are brought to this otherworldly place that makes up for the grammar, the stammering and the overexposure of one too many characters (and the underexposure of the most important).

At times I get the feeling that maybe Christopher somewhat made things up as he went along, starting from chapter one and then every-once-in-a-while just going "I think this character should do this" or "maybe he should have undergone this" and just went with it. That would at least explain why some plot points are never expounded upon and some are over analyzed. He's lucky that it fits together better than his mess of a debut (have you noticed I truly despise `A Density of Souls' yet?) and he's extra lucky that the last third of this book is so engrossing. I recommend giving it a read through for it really is decent in most respects, just don't expect a masterpiece. Oh yeah, and is it just me or is the cover art just brilliant...makes you want to, no need to read this book! Good move.

Over the years I've read three of Christopher Rice's novels - all of which have a similar theme - the trials & tribulations of young folks (largely gay) with deep dark secrets. The same problems that plagued the first and second novel also are present in this one:

(1) Too many charaters - Yes, after a few 100 pages they begin to come into focus but the avalanche of names and relationships can cause problems
(2) Too many subplots - ALthough he somewhat manages to tie them together the result is unsatisfactory. Every single character does not need a deeply involved past with numerous branches leading to yet more subterranean veins of action.
(3) Too autobiographical - Sure, all novels are in a sense about the author but this is the third coming of age story of a young gay guy with sordid secrets.

The author has wonderful insights, an almost poetic way with the English language and terrific character development. In THE SNOW GARDEN there is just too much conflicting action between all the characters - a is mad at b who is friends with c who likes d who dated a but wants to date b... One other criticism - there are just too many gay folks for a realistic setting. It seems every other student at this college was/is/wants to be gay. Plus, as in the other novels, the straight dude finally falls for the hero - a not so well-disguised Rice. In this case, Jesse almost stole the show with his sociopathic and intensely creepy agenda of using sex to psychologically destroy a person.

This is a book that should not be set aside lightly. It should be thrown ... with great force. I bought this book while on vacation, just looking for a little mindless escape. I had just finished reading the latest from Jeffrey Deaver, so I was in the mood for another good mystery. This one isn't. The characters are cardboard, the romance is corny and contrived, and the plot - such as it is - just plods on. I kept thinking that it would get better if I just kept going a little bit further, but found myself skipping whole paragraphs until I finally gave up after 116 pages. That's when I turned to the Amazon reviews and my suspicions were confirmed. And to think that there's a sequel that's even slower than this!

I've come across this book after watching the movie based on it. The movie was really good and I wanted to check the book out. I wasn't disappointed by the book. It's a very thick book but one can read it under a week, easily.

This book was entirely too predicatble. You could read the first 50 pages and the last 50 pages and not have missed anything but confusing sex and a dragged on plot line. Subtle hints the kidnappers left were supposed to leave you on the edge of your seat, but all they did was make you sick of them because they were repeated over and over to the point where you just skip over it. This book was a big let down froma good author.

As far as romantic suspense novels go, I liked this story. I liked the characters, plot & tidbits of info. about MN.

However, I didn't care for the "romance." The whole thing about Megan sleeping w/ her boss, after just meeting him, when she has so much to lose, all while there is this big case going on, just seemed unbelievable. I mean she's this detective that has worked so hard to establish herself & be taken seriously & has this rule never to date cops, but then she sleeps w/ her co-worker a couple days after meeting him - Please! If she is gonna sleep w/ him fine, but describing her as a no-nonsense/professional woman who can count the # of relationships she has had on 1 hand, didn't work for me.

My BIG gripe - the ending.... D NOT read this bk. if you want loose ends tied up & your ?'s answered/explained. Do NOT read/buy this bk. unless you don't mind buying/reading Guilty as Sin. Yes, you will need to read Guilty as Sin to find out what happens & why. Well, at least I hope Guilty as Sin answers all my ?'s from this bk.!

Even though I had some complaints about this bk., I still enjoyed it.

It seems that I start every review of a Tami Hoag novel the same way: I love Tami Hoag and would read just about anything by her. This was a pretty good story which was left open for a sequel which I am about to order. The story was good, the crime was good and I liked the characters. What I did not like was that the two main characters, Mitch and Megan were so eager to make love and fight with each other in no particular order. Some of the passion scenes were absolutely laughable. These two were so hot for each other it was silly right from the first meeting. Also, the clue that brought the whole thing together and put the game in motion was completely overlooked by the investigation team, although I figured it out by page 15. I also correctly guessed the bad guy (well, one of them anyway). I guess the other is ready for the sequel. Anyway, this book is 540 pages long. Skip the love scenes. They are silly. Also, I hope Mitch gets over his guilt and poor me complex. Maybe Megan can develop a relationship outside of her desire to carry a badge. Not a bad book. Not the best by Tami Hoag, but as I say in many reviews: An average book by Tami Hoag is generally an above average book.

In searching the literary landscape for good historical fiction, it is always great to find good ole Wilbur. I would like to meet him and thank him for a wonderful yarn. It is not fair to compare this to his others novels, each are deserving of a read from historical readers, and other than Rutherford and Jennings there are no other historical authors who begin to stack up.

Intricate plotline, characters who demand emotion, and a backdrop steeped in fact and fantasy make this series thoroughly enjoyable. Mr. Smith will transport down the Nile and away from your everyday life. I love to escape in one of his books. If you like historical fiction do yourself a favor, read River God first and then make the rounds. This is just good stuff.

This was a good read and and interesting follow-up to the River God. However, it didn't add much about Egyption history and many parts of the book were overly predictable. I would recommend it for Wilbur Smith fans, especially those who have read River God.

In "Warlock," Wilbur Smith demonstrates his masterful handling of obtuse materials with excitement, clarity and "page-turning" skills.
My only regret -- as a long-time reader of Smith's books -- is his jumping some thirty years from "River God" to "Warlock," leaving the years of the young pharoah's Egyptian leadership untouched. This leaves space for another story of intrigue and mayhem leading up to "Warlock." And, of course, "Warlock" leaves the door open for another follow-on sequel as well. I will be lookling forward to Smith's filling-in both gaps . . . and soon.

I've read Wilbur Smith's novels, "River God" and "The Seventh Scroll", and although I thought both went on too long and tried to do too much, I loved them for their originality and the excellent drawing of the principal character, the eunuch Taita.

In Warlock, as in the two "Taita" novels mentioned above, Smith again tries to bite off just a smidge too much scope but where the earlier stories were so strong I found myself able to overlook this flaw, now the novelty of the setting has worn off and this time the characterization is less satisfying - much like Hollywood sequels that fail to measure up to the original films because they slavishly try to mimic the elements that made the original a success.

Additionally (regrettably), Warlock grants POV's (points of view) to a veritable slew of characters, and the resulting stew ends up as a multitude of mid-paragraph POV swaps, pat dialogue, and thin characters. There's Taita, of course, but I much preferred him as the egotistical, lustful-but-incapable, boasting genius in River God and Seventh Scroll. There, his flaws glared but you couldn't help but love him. Here, he is boringly perfect no matter who or what the opposition.

Of the others, Young pharaoh Nefer is perhaps the most rounded. He experiences setbacks and tries harder the next time. Although we never really know him well enough to make the transfer into his skin, his character arc rings true as he grows toward manhood. Less convincing are the shallowly drawn love interests and the two bad guys. Between the antagonists they don't do a single redeeming thing in the entire story. Sorry, but I've come to like characters with a little depth, and here there isn't much to enjoy.

To his credit, what Smith does give is a strongly imagined story painted in broad, colorful strokes. Smith is expert at setting the scene and Warlock holds the reader while trying hard to exploit the presumed familiarity of the reader with Taita. Sorry, it just doesn't convince. The plot is convoluted enough, but each "homestretch" is easily predictable, and I guess the broad strokes are to be expected when the writer is cranking out a 650 page novel every year.

In my experience with his works, Wilbur Smith is best when he uses his rich imagination to tackle an entirely new theme with fresh characters and an exciting original hook. The Courtney's come to mind. The initial novels were by far the best of the lot. Of course, as an author myself, I know starting fresh is also the most difficult way to write, and not the kind of thing that lends itself to the one-a-year pace this author has been keeping of late.

In the end, I'm still a fan. I'll be reading the next one, and the one after that.

If Wilbur Smith lived on the great lakes, he'd have written "The Secret Ever Keeps". He lives in Africa, so I had to do it for him. If you like Wilbur Smith, you'll love "The Secret Ever Keeps". Here's the Amazon page. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601640048/ref=cm_arms_pdp_dp/104-6302050-9055104

This was an awesome book! I want to read more from this author!!!

Alice Hoffman writes stories that reverberate with her audience in unexpected ways. Her prose is lyrical, her characters provocative, and her themes of love, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness poetically descriptive. I was into the book almost ½ way before it really caught fire for me but then I couldn't rest until I found out how it ended. And, thus is the talent of Alice Hoffman. I haven't read all her books (shame on me) but those I have read have always held a hidden charm and warm reward. Blue Diary is no exception. Hoffman has the ability to capture the nuances of young people as well as adults in a seamless manner that makes you certain these characters are real.

It is true that few writers can manipulate a plot with such grace and compassion on a subject that many writers might not even attempt, but Hoffman manages to do just that, illuminating real life as we puzzle over the characters choices as if they were ours to make.

Hoffman makes extraordinary use of imagery from the natural landscape and I felt that I was often seeing the silver moonlight and watching the lilies die. This book will deliver the sucker punch of the summer and if you're like me, you'll put yourself in the place of Jorie Ford and ask yourself how you would keep your life together and what decisions would you make if this tragedy was to be visited upon you. And, I hope you'll cheer for Jorie as she seems to make the only decision that can save her family. The novel is rich with complex characters and a compelling plot that will haunt you long after you finish the book.

This is a graphic novel that should provoke discussions among its readers. It may have you arguing over the meaning of loyalty and forgiveness and it certainly begs the question of whether our past deeds should be used to judge our present lives. Certainly they should inform our future and adjust our decisions but at what point should they continue to be used against us? I think most readers will agree that this past act is one that can not be washed away by the good deeds of future acts but must stand and be judged on the humanity of the deed, or lack thereof.

Again, Hoffman has given us a book full of characters that will take hold of your heart, show you what it means to be human, and leave you panting for more. It's always a great disappointment when Alice's books are over. I highly recommend this book, buy it, savor it and take time to reflect on the topic.

I picked up this novel, a New York Times Notable Book, with real anticipation, and was quickly drawn into the plot. However, I became increasingly distracted by the overwrought and cliche-ridden prose, silly metaphors, and unbelievable extremes with which some of the characters are drawn. I couldn't finish it.

Husband and wife are in love; really, REALLY in love. Town is picture-book idyllic, with fauna and flora and lots and lots of apple trees which all the residents seem to notice all the time, and the sky is blue, as one chapter mentions no fewer than 20 times, "painfully azure" or sometimes "damson" or "inkberry" but no doubt about it, the sky is blue. Husband is a good man; a really REALLY good man, a heroic pillar of town and so very good. But soon we learn how "downright evil" he was in a former life, as another poster here has described well: "a pathological criminal from a young age, a vain destructive boy-thief, already living off women as a teenager, serves time in prison, rapes & kills a girl and then changes into a saint in one night after falling in love with a woman in a bar." The 12-year-olds are wise beyond their years, pondering the soul and the loss of youth, yet the wife doesn't think it odd that her husband has no family or past.

Come on.

Hoffman's "Local Girls" was terrific; it's hard to believe this was written by the same author.

As an aside, are the chapter titles related to Tarot cards? "Hanged Man" "Knight of Swords" "The Conjurer"? They make no sense to me. What an unfortunate patchwork of focus this book is.

This is my first Alice Hoffman book and may be my last. Her writing style rambles and switches points of view so rapidly I felt whiplash coming on. Her main character, the murderer, is so despicable when we initially see him commit his crime that it is quite unfathomable for us to think he has "changed" so much. The premise was enticing, yet the story and characters never really developed. Hoffman's writing style is to switch viewpoints every chapter, yet I felt jipped that we weren't in Ethan's point of view longer, if not to help us understand this great metamorphasis we were supposed to buy into. I don't think I'll read another.

This is not the first Hoffman novel I've read; I always enjoy her. Blue Diary keeps you reading and I like that. Her prose is poetic and her characters well drawn. I'm not going to recite the plot since that's been done in numerous reviews before mine. I just want to add that I think the strength of the novel is that by looking primarily at how other people see Ethan, Hoffman is able to perform the magic of slightly tilting our view, so that the man we saw in Chapter one is not the man we come to know at the end of the novel. The author correctly keeps us out of Ethan's POV most of the time. This is not really his story. He doesn't really change and that is the real surprise that Hoffman has for us. This is the story of the ripples from something he did 15 years ago and how these ripples affect so many people in his world today. I think Jorie made the right choice in the end.

This was my first Alice Hoffman book and it won't be the last. Blue Diary deals with the age old question, "How well do you really know someone?" even if you're married to them... It was refreshing that Hoffman didn't have Jorie's take the more traditional "stand by your man" approach when faced with the discovery of her husband's past. And Kat, having such definite views on things. What a 12 yr old! My heart broke for Collie, having to figure out which side he was on - the community or his mother's.

I was surprised by some of the bad reviews this book recieved. I thought this book was wonderful. The two main characters are interesting and their romance obvious, but thrilling. Although my personal favorite by Woodiwiss is A Rose in Winter, I found this one much to my liking as well. It was a little less stormy then The Flame and The Flower. The sub-characters were also well developed and amusing. All in all a good read.

The Elusive Flame the much awaited sequel to The Flame & The Flower was not at all what I expected my own fault I must admit I went into this book highly expecting the man/woman undeniable desire which this book surely lacked it had more of a teasing teenage first love scenario which by all aspects was written fairly well
Beau Birmingham was a gallant (mentioned quite a lot though out the book) a through and through gentleman Cerynis was an awed stuck naive girl she did play the virginal role well at first !! Won't go into to much detail about the lust fevered first time ~ya'll that read the book know what I am talking about ~ I wasn't buying it
it was written well enough but it bother me on how it happened
I loved reading about Heather and Brandon (from Flame & the Flower) and how they faired in a long desirable marriage it was like visiting with old friends
The villains were laughable at best the bubbling buffoons
All in all the book was good but lacking in some aspects but faired really well in the other parts
Beau was a wonderful husband to Cerynis and like wise she was a wonderful wife you could see that love was blossoming but like I stated earlier it lacked the desire but that is only my opinion
If you think that this book will hold a torch to the Flame and the Flower you will be disappointed but the Elusive Flame has a flare of it own , read the book and make your own conclusion but it is sure a good book to waste time away from your ordinary lives

I havn't read it yet but I've waited 30 years for a seaqual to The Flame and The Flower, which was the very first romance novel I ever read and I was hooked from then on. I hope this seaqual will up to her talent and my expetations! If it dose it will be a very good read, one you won't want to put down or end either.

In "Elusive" there isn't much character development with the protagonists (we're supposed to be satisfied with the information that they've known each other since youth) but you'll get plenty of saccharine descriptions of Beau and Cerynise's mutual affection (Ms. Woodiwiss went so far as to describe theirs as a love that rivaled anything written by Shakespeare). Hmm. The high action saved until the very end was overly contrived as well (gotta love those villains who explain to each other, in great detail, what had just transpired and what will happen - all within earshot of someone).

This is my second and probably last Woodiwiss. I just haven't read anything by her worth the praise I've seen in the other reviews for her work.

Watery romance, thin plot, poorly developed characters. This author produced much better work earlier in her career.

Dave Barry's "Big Trouble" is one of the funniest novels I've ever read. Unfortunately, this is a review for Tricky Business. It's still kind of funny, but it's not as fresh and surprising as Big Trouble is. It's also a lot more "adult" -- a lot more sex and adult language/violence than Big Trouble. It feels like a little too much for a supposedly light, humourous romp.
The book also recycles more of Barry's humour column material -- like funny band names, etc.
It's an easy, light read, but if you can only read one Dave Barry novel, pick Big Trouble.

Dave Barry writes great novels! It is easy to visualize his characters and his witty writing stays with you. This book is a little darker than Big Trouble, but definitely worth reading. The beahvior of the newscasters will have you laughing out loud!

I found Barry an entertaining read, but didn't have the "bite" of a Hiassen or Dorsey.

As a parody it's not very funny, but it's too silly to be taken seriously as a crime novel. Parts of it may make you smile. It's a good book to pass the time in a waiting room, as long as you have a strong stomach!

I'm clearly in the minority on this one, but I actually thought Tricky Business was a little better than Big Trouble. Dave's fiction style has improved--he's not just trying to write a novel in the style of one of his humor columns this time. Consequently, the over-the-top silliness is toned down somewhat here, leaving a good crime thriller bordering on spoof.

The audio version is well-read by Dick Hill, although he doesn't seem to be as into it as he was reading some previous Barry books.

This is my 1st Tami Hoag book. I thought this story was great. Granted it is a love story, with some suspense. But the developement of the characters is wonderful. They are all disfunctional with lots of baggage and then to see how both Laurel and Jack (especially Laurel)get stronger
as the book progresses. All the time I kept trying to guess who the killer was, and pretty muched guessed who it would be before it was revealed. I love any story that takes place in the south, especially bayou country. I didn't want this one to end. Cant'w wait to read another of her books.

I thought she should have spent more time in South Louisiana reserching for this book. First of all resturants around here do not sell Rhubarb pie. At the very least she could have used real "Cajun" last names along with the names of towns and Parishs. There is nothing "Cajun" about this book. As far as the story goes I am still wondering why "Jimmy Lee" was even included in the story, or the fight between Savanah and Annie. The way that Hoag would describe items, places or individuals went way beyond then what was necessary. Jack felt sorry for himself, not deserving of anything the entire book, what a bore that was. Laurel, what a pity she was wanting to cry at every turn. This the second Hoag book I have read and it will be the last.

Cry Wolf involves the unlikely relationship between two characters because of their "baggage." This wasn't my favorite Hoag book because I found the lead characters hard to really like. Now there have been other books with bad boys that slowly draw you in, but in this one, Jack is different. Laurel was okay and Savannah was a great character that I could visualize as well as many of the other lesser characters. Trademark Hoag style threads itself throughout the book which makes it worth finishing, but to recommend a Hoag book, this would not be it.

This was my first book by this author and I was very disappointed. While she does get a A++ for her research of the locale and Cajun dialect, I found the heroine , Laurel Chandler to be very annoying. If she was going to rehash her past experience as a DA and the case that lead to her downfall one more time I was ready to put the book in the trash. I wanted to scream, Get Over It and Move on! The rest of the characters , including Jack (who I failed to find appealing or sexy) were fair to midland. I found myself intrigued with what the handsome DA Steven was wearing. His wardrobe sounded straight from GQ. So much for the story!

I have read a number of books by Tami Hoag and have pretty much enjoyed them all. Some I have enjoyed more than others, but generally, it is pretty safe to pick up one of her books and expect a good work with interesting characters and heroes and heroines you might actually care about. Laurel and Jack are difficult to care about. Since when are charm and obnoxious the same thing? Jack (es-corporate lawyer - what a hoot) and Laurel (Wallowing in self pity and self martyrdom-Get over it! Watch Law & Order. Even Jack McCoy loses a case now and then) Savannah? Let us not go there. She was so completely unlikable...I think the only mystery is why someone hadn't killed her earlier. I kept going in this book only because of Hoag's other works. This one was the earliest work by her that I have read. You know what this means, right? This is one of her Prior Bad Acts. Sorry. Anyway, this is not her best work. Had this been the first Tami Hoag book I had read, I would have not tried another. Fortunately it was not the first for me.

While most reviews that you read, give you the opinion of the reader on that particular book, I tend to read as many books as possible by that author and then rate the book(s). I've always preferred history, biography and romance novels until my eldest daughter introduced me to a new mystery writer at the time...Tami Hoag. I started reading as a skeptic as mystery never really did anything for me; with an over populous of mystery writers, it was always the same storyline, thus I was always disappointed in the end. I have to say Tami's writing gave me a new respect for mystery. I have yet to read any other mystery books that I enjoy as much as Tami Hoag's. I recommend, Cry Wolf, Still Waters, A Thin Dark Line, Dark Paradise, Night Sins and my favorite, Guilty as Sin. I think what I love the most about her books is even when you've figured it out, your wrong, yes you are wrong fellow readers. Even when you finally know who "don-it" you still can't put her books down. As Tami's storylines unfold, I found them to be wickedly deceitful. The ending in Guilty as Sin shocked me and left me wanting to read more of her works. Full of suspenseful twists that only the written word can truly master, much like the old black and white Alfred Hitchcock tales did for the screen.

This book finishes the story started in Night Sins. The movie based on this story actually includes only the first book and I guess it's for a good reason: Night Sins is way better than this one. Well, this one is entertaining but in comparison to the other one this one is boring. Read it if you need to know who is the master mind behind the crimes.

This is a sequel to Night Sins, but it lacks the plot and mystery of the first book. Main character Jane is a few years older now and living on her own when she is targeted again. The unfortunate decision to bring back her "love interest" from the first book was longlasting. Most of the book is spent on arguements between the two,flirting, and sex scenes. I did a lot of skimming. Worst of all was that the matchup of the two lacked any chemistry and bordered on being a disgusting age difference especially considering they had met when Jane was a minor. Stick to the first book, this adds nothing but romance under the guise of mystery.

As written by several others here, 'Guilty as Sin' is the sequel and/or continuation of 'Night Sins'. Mitch and Megan are still around although with decidedly reduced roles. This book focuses on Ellen North and Jay Brooks. The two books together kind of remind me a bit of a 'Law and Order' episode, where one book is centered on police work and the second is centered on convicting the criminals. Ellen North is an assistant district attorney in Deer Lake, Minnesota and is simply one of the finest female (or male for that matter) characters I have ever seen in a novel. She is described in some reviews as the 'Ice Queen', but I don't see her that way. I see her as the Ice Queen wannabe. As for the dangerous love interest, Jay Brooks fits the bill well. Their attraction to each other is kind of funny at times as are most of these dangerous attractions in Tami Hoag's books, some bordering on laughable, but this one took more time to develop. Ellen North was tough and wanting to be in control of her emotions but she was constantly trying to reign in her anger or if she wasn't reigning in her anger, she was letting it fly uncontrolled. I loved her. I'm not sure about Jay. He took some getting use to as he was kind of obnoxious at the beginning as are many of Tami Hoag's hero types. Unlike 'Night Sins', I pegged the second bad guy in this book early and held firm in my suspicions right up to the end where I was proven right. The epilogue is kind of a chiller though...Is there another sequel in the works? hmmmmm... Anyway, this book was over 600 pages long and not dull at all. Probably the only thing I did not care for was Megan's replacement, Agent Wilhelm. Did Tami really have to make him so totally incompetent? If he rose to the rank of special agent, wouldn't he have at least some degree of intellignece when it came to investigation? Anyway, this is an exciting book that really deserves the title: Page Turner. Good characters, good plot, lots of chills and lots of twists. I would recommend this eagerly especially if you are a Tami Hoag fan, which I am. if you are not, well maybe you should be. Great book

This is a continuation of Night Sins. Josh Kirkwood, the little boy that had been kidnapped, is returned to his home, but won't say a word to anyone about who took him or what was done to him. ADA Ellen North is sure Dr. Wright (a prof from the local college) is the mastermind. Will she be able to nail him? Add in other subplots, creepy characters, a wacko woman, and a few twists and turns of fate, and you get a story that's a bit too long, but most loose ends are tied up; or are they?

Killjoy is a pretty good book. What gives is 4 stars is the lack of tension between the 2 until the middle of the book. Great mystery and once the tension was there, it was good. Avery was tough and a true match for John Paul. It was fast paced and a very enjoyable read.

Two words will make you run for this book: John Paul. The deadly loner from the swamp is baaack (pant, swoon). This time he's on the trail of Monk, the hitman from Mercy, who got away. Monk tried to kill John Paul's sister, so John Paul is still patiently and systematically flushing him out. Whether he will bring Monk to justice legally or illegally remains to be seen... John Paul discovers Monk is playing killing games with three women. One has a niece, Avery, an FBI typist who is an excellent strategist and thinker. When Avery sets out to track her missing aunt down she tangles with the enigmatic, tough, opinionated Jean Paul. He has his own guerrilla agenda and doesn't want to deviate from it, even when they discover there's a more sinister reason for Monk's deadly hit than was apparent at first. Watching these two go head to head is sensual dynamite. And yes, Noah's back again, teasing us with his cheeky grin and flippant insults. Settle back for testosterone overload and enjoy... (Worth it just to hear John Paul grumble about Theo, his brother-in-law, and how Theo's likely to shoot himself in the foot if he has to get his gun out.)

When it comes to compelling novels of relentless suspense, Julie Garwood is in a class by herself. She is a dominating force in the craft of creating living, breathing characters in gripping situations. This offering takes us into the life of Avery Delaney, abandoned by her mother 3 days after her birth and raised by her Aunt Carrie and Grandmother Lola.
Now an adult, Avery works as a crime analyst for the FBI and possesses an uncanny talent for scrutinizing and deciphering clues. She must utilize her deductive gifts to find her Aunt Carrie, who has disappeared as well as stay one step ahead of a killer named Monk.

Although Garwood will never win the Nobel, the Booker, or any of the other prizes bestowed for writing prowess, she definitely takes home the gold in the category of "Fun light reading, no in-depth analysis required".

It's been a while since I've read Garwood and this is the first of her contemporary novels I've read. This is a mystery with a little romance thrown in. FBI agent Avery Delaney's aunt is kidnapped by Avery's sociopathic mother and hitman Monk. Monk is being pursued by John Paul Renard, so Avery and John Paul cross paths, hence the romance. I found the story line some what concocted and it became unbelieveable. The murders' plans fail too many times which made the book drag on. I felt cheated at the end when the Avery relates how they captured the villians in a conversation with her boss, instead of getting to read how they were captured. It was almost like Garwood decided the book was too long and she needed to finish it in as few pages as possible.
I did like Garwood's characters. She has a variety that you can like and dislike. Some of the minor characters in this book were unnecessary, like Anne. But I think Garwood does a good job writing realistic dialogue.
This was definitely a light read. I found it mildly entertaining, but not engrossing.

Julie Garwood writes good suspenseful books like Killjoy. I read it in four days, I could not put it down. The characters and the situations they found themselves in are really well written. And I agree with one of the other reviewer's about having Noah Clayborne as the main character in a novel, I would definately buy that one as well.