Nova Books

I really enjoyed this book. I have to agree with some of the posts that say it was not a mystery. It wasn't. I think it couldv'e been, had the author left out the truth in the first 2 chapters, but I also think that is kept us wondering when everyone would learn the truth. I liked the characters. They were sometimes unlikeable, which is real. I will have to read more of Eileen Goudge's books.

I loved this story. It was awesome and interesting. The main character had a baby at a young age that was kidnapped, and then she was determined to adopt another one after she became a psychologist. That attempted adoption is very interesting - I won't say more in case you haven't read the book yet. I probably would have given it a 5 if it had of been a little shorter. This story didn't need so many pages to be told.

Not my cup of tea... no suspense.. too much heartrending emotions that went on and on but not convincing..

Is it just me, or was the whole plot written on the front flap of the book? I think this author should have kept some of the details secret, keep the reader in suspense & surprise us as the story unfolds. Like the majority of good books. How great is it when you are reading along & something amazing & shocking happens that you didn't see coming? I read about 35 pages of this book & I put it down. I just couldn't get into it. I found the dialogue very dry. I also felt like it was being written almost in movie format, not first person. Some of the thoughts were very over-dramatic. And I really just felt like what was the point in reading this book, when I knew what was going to happen from the flap? Maybe I should have stuck it out & tried reading more, but this book lost my interest, quick.

In her book, Trail of Secrets, Goudge tells of 3 protagonists. All of them are linked together by a secret that only one ofthem knows, which is Kate, and that is that her adopted daugther, Skyler, is the daugther of Ellie, whom she will meet up with years later. This secret will continuely hunt Kate, which boils it all down to the fact that she has kept this secret from her daughter which in the end, almost breaks her bonds with her daughter. Other things that also come into play in this book is that the reason the secret has become so important is because Skyler has a child, by accident, and gives it up for adoption, and who else none other than Ellie? So it is fate that brings all of them together which will wear down their defenses.

I felt that this book was really good. I mean, it describes in beautiful detail the horrors of losing one's own child and what happens when you find her again. And I love how the author just brings everything together so beautifully. If you enjoy a good book, this is one to read!

There's not just one conflict of interest in this legal drama, but several, as families and colleagues of the prosecuting protagonist sort out their lives while sorting out a complex couple of murders. Families are torn, and healing takes place in unexpected ways. Teens rebel, then rather quickly find their center of maturity. Lawyers on opposite sides of a case find an unlikely romance, and a detective's mysterious background makes him a valuable asset in solving other mysteries. An excellent light read, with enough character development to maintain interest, as well as the requisite pleasant surprises at the ending.

Nancy Taylor Rosenberg is one of the recognized big shots in the legal thriller genre, a name that stands right alongside Lisa Scottoline or Perri O'Shaughnessy as top women legal thriller authors. Her debut work Mitigating Circumstances & the subsequent Interest of Justice were marvelous reads, & I was looking somewhat on those lines when I started Conflict of Interest. However, it's not on par with the author's other works.

Joanne Kuhlman, a feisty & dedicated District Attorney is assigned the task of bringing to book three defendants accused of robbery, Tom & Gary Rubinsky & the developmentally disabled, Ian Decker. Decker's attorney Arnold Dreiser, & his mother insist that Ian was a victim of exploitation by the Rubinsky brothers, & that he did not know that he was committing a crime. Kuhlman is sympathetic towards Decker but cannot bring herself to believe that he should be absolved from liability. A couple of days later Decker disappears & it is feared that he might have been done away with by the Rubinsky brothers. A mysterious telephone call that Decker has been killed prompts Kuhlman to investigate more into the matter & what follows is a suspense-filled adventure where the attorney finds the half-truths & the full truths.

Conflict of Interest, like other Rosenberg works is action- & plot-packed. However, readers looking for legal drama or courtroom action concerning the nature of liability that can be fixed upon a developmentally disabled person are bound to be disappointed, as the work does not delve much into this aspect, though the author acknowledges that the issue is of great significance.

On a side-track, there is the story of Kuhlman's troubles with her former husband, there is also a flashback of the life of Eli Connors, a former CIA Agent who keeps a watch on Joanne from any possible attack from her former husband. However these sub plots & stories scantily help in character building or in plot building in the final scheme of things.

Personally, I feel that an ideal ending for the work should have been a courtroom drama where the issue of the developmentally disabled are brought to light, as John Grisham did with The Chamber when he brought to fore the justifiability of the death penalty; or, the rights & privileges of gays & AIDS patients as Ron Nyswaner did with Philadelphia (yes, the Tom Hanks movie!); & the reader be given the opportunity to delve more into the legal issue & form his own opinion.

The author missed a golden opportunity to deal in the same manner to bring to fore legal issues of the nature of liability of developmentally disabled persons.

As an ordinary thriller the book is engrossing, but for the devotees of Rosenberg novels, Conflict of Interest is a disappointment. The blurb promises a lot, but in the end it's just not up to the Rosenberg standard.

This book, like all of the books I have read by Nancy Taylor Rosenburg, is awesome. I couldn't put it down! She has a way of making a leisurely activity into a full-time job. Kudos to the author.

The author doesn't stay true to her characters. The plot may have been a good one but she's telling to many stories in one book and no one stays true to their character. What is anyone's motivation! Only the criminals make sense.

Joanne Kuhlman has been through a lot the last couple of years. Her children were kidnapped by her husband who is now spending time in jail awaiting his trial for those charges plus embezzlement. Since their return, she has had nothing but trouble from her 15-year old daughter, Leah. The child adores her father and believes every word he said about Joanne while he had them hidden away from her.

Now, on top of the ongoing repercussions from that situation, she is faced with prosecuting three young men for armed robbery and car theft. The problem is, one of those men, Ian, is developmentally disabled. Ian's handsome attorney, Arnold Dreiser, is trying to convince Joanne that Ian was forced into the very small part he played in the robbery. Joanne, however, doesn't have the time or the inclination right now to be sympathetic or give Ian a chance.... at first.

When she finally relents to at least look at his school and psychological records, Joanne finds evidence that Arnold may be right. That possibility gets put on the back burner, however, when Ian turns up missing--presumably having gone on the run. His mother is convinced otherwise when she receives an anonymous phone call that her son has been murdered by his "buddies" and gives her an idea of where to search for his body.

Joanne is filled with guilt and finds herself facing more than one conflict of interest.... helping the mother of the boy she was prosecuting and falling in love with his attorney who has become her investigative partner. And while all of these things are happening, the unexpected is taking place right beneath their noses.

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Nancy Taylor Rosenberg almost joins the ranks of Brad Meltzer and John Grisham with this latest novel full of legal suspense. The one thing that holds her back is the plot that temporarily resembles Swiss cheese with all its holes. As the story unfolds, tidbits of intriguing information are laid out here and there that make the reader wonder if this is a sequel. Thankfully, a sprinkling of explanations is given for each unanswered question as the book progresses. The manner in which this is done, however, causes it to appear as though some of the information was put in as afterthoughts.

Approximately, 75 percent into the book, all the previous grievances will be forgotten as the reader is suddenly drawn into shocking situations. Events have twisted to reveal a secret that no one could have expected. And, although the ending tends to be a bit "too good to be true", the story evens out to be quite a pleasurable read indeed.

I am a huge fan, but his book was extremely inconsistant. Hathor was found in the Mayan pyramid in Mexico in Season 1 Episode #13. The Abydos people never left their planet to go to Earth to learn from anyone. Kawalsky died in Season 1 Episode #1. They never fought on Ballas and all the planet names were PX with numbers after them. Daniel's wife never divorced him she was taken by the Gould before Hathor charmed him. They never ran into a supeior cat species. I own all 7 Seasons on DVD and watched all of them and all of season 8 on the Sci-Fi channel. I haven't read the earlier books, but if they are anything like this one I'll be extremely disappointed. Samatha Carter and Teal'C came into the SGC in Season 1 Episode #1. If I spoiled anything for someone I am sorry, but this is just my opnion that I HAD to express. The books need to be written with the facts those of us that are fans already know and used to grow new facts based on what we already know.

The last book in Bill McCay's Stargate series, called Resistance, shows us how tough trying to colonize a planet can be. The alien cats are back and they are back in numbers. Armed with golden power suits, superior firepower and a predator's skills they pour through the Stargate like a flood of fanged death.
But the humans are not as easy to take down as the furry aliens might think. Humans have powerful tanks, deadly gunships and indirect artillery fire which cause the invaders lots of problems. The humans fight like insane soldiers, running one second and fighting like cornered rats the next for no reason.
Why do the invaders want the planet so much? Can the defenders last long enough for help from Earth to reach them or are they doomed? Will Daniel Jackson get back together with his wife? Will Colonel Jack O'Neil have enough men and supplies to hold the planet? Will we ever meet an alien who says hi first BEFORE attacking us?

If I am curt, I apologize!

I LOVE STARGATE SG-! I REALLY LOVE STARGATE-the movie, and the five books that spring forth from it.

For those that only want to read the further adventures of SG-1, there are books on the subject (with PRETTY pictures of the "whole SG-1 team" for the faint of mind that will not or cannot read the damn book cover!!!).

However, these books are a continuation of the Movie STARGATE. The characters places, names and faces are different. Even the relationship between Dr. Jackson and Col. O'Neil is "FRIENDLY", but nowhere near as bonded as the one between the same characters on STARGATE SG-1 (the TV show has the movie beat in that department in my loud mouth opinion). As a matter of fact, they almost never seam to talk to each other in these books (sad, but true).

The best thing that I admired about these books is that it is a more realist version of how the government "may" act while dealing with people on the other side of a star gate. By that I
mainly mean the abuse of the people of Abydonians in the second book in this series.

I agree with some of the folks that say the book series ended in a very anti-climatic way. I, too, am disappointed that it was the final book, more could have been offered. However, the worst part of all of this is that people, as in some of the folks posting here, cannot seem to understand that this book series was started in 1995. That's 1995, as in before the TV series that whitewashed the characters so they would become more TV friendly. PLEASE read the back before making a judgement call such as..."it doesn't follow the series at all..." For all intents and purposes this series far exceeds the TV series as it allows your imagination to fill in the gaps, not relying at all on your television. I am trying not to rant but please read the SG-1 book series if you want candy, read McCay's series if you want substance.

Just an FYI, these books are based on Stargate the movie and not Stargate SG-1 the TV series, which is much better than the movie. SG-1 expands on the different worlds that could be dialed up on the Stargate which could- and does lead to all kinds of adventures, making the TV series much more interesting especially with the excellent choice for of a cast.
This is the final book out of 5 in the series. The problem that I have is that the whole book series is very drawn out with various sub plots that could have been shortened and probably bring the series to 3 books instead of 5. I also find this series somewhat more bland then the SG-1 series because of the lack of the other characters. All in all it was still interesting reading and I am glad I did.

Listen to Your Heart by Fern Michaels is a delightful, joyous, uplifting story. It has a gentle plot and a feeling of sunshine throughout. The reader can almost smell the flowers and the Southern cuisine. If you are a pet lover, you will delight in the antics and personalities of the animal characters. Don't be put off by the sourpusses who want gritty plots. This is one happy book and not to be missed. I highly recommend it!

I have been a long-time fan of Fern Michaels, but occasionally you run into one of her novels that does not sound as if she wrote it. Late Bloomer, No Place Like Home, and Cinders to Satin were wonderful reads. Her book The Future Scrolls was disappointing and defintiely not of the same caliber. Unfortunately Listen to Your Heart is another example of one of her poorer writing efforts.

While reading Listen to Your Heart I couldn't help but wonder if this was written by a member of a stable of writers that call themselves Fern Michaels, a very junior member.

The story line was contrived and predictable. The characters were shallow, and the conversations unbelievable. There was no plot development, save for the detailed explanations given during conversations between the characters. One example is the first time that one of the principle characters, Josie, meets a new business client. The client compliments her on her place of business. Jose responds by saying,

"My sister and I have only been here three years. Our parents operated the catering service until their death. There was a gas-line explosion that killed them. This has all been redone and landscaped. We added more flowers, some shrubbery, and we repainted the ladybugs and the cottage. I apologize for the condition of the carpet, but we had a bit of an accident this morning. I had to take the screen door to the hardware store for repairs and didn't get to the floor. Step carefully."

Please, enough! Information overload! Poor writing. Skip this one.

This book has the potential for a wonderful love story, but I felt it was written in a rush. First of all, there were mistakes that weren't even caught, using the wrong names for characters, Paul when it should have been Jack, etc.

I really felt I was reading an "abridged" version of the book, there was no time to get to know the characters, no development of their relationships, no detail into their past. I felt more like I was watching a movie. My first Fern Michaels novel, and a bit of a disappointment.

Josie runs a catering business with her twin sister Kitty after her parents' death. Josie's only relationship is with her dog when suddenly Paul and his giant Boxer smash into her life.

This was the most pathetically contrived book I've read in a long time. I really have little respect for a romance that goes from "I'm not sure I like him" to "Let's get married" with little or no development. This book did that and had little else to redeem itself. Even the lush setting of New Orleans was barely explored. The dialogue was pure torture, rambling sentences and interruptions. Sure, the dog thing is cute, but it will only get you so far in a romance.

This is my first Fern Michaels book.

This was a pleasant story about a "work alcholic" twin and the love she finally meets. The story tells a lot of details about life in the "richer" part of the south and paints a real good picture in your mind so it is easy to see the setting. The story centers around a maltese and a boxer (dog) and their owners. It is love at first sight for the dogs and this leads to some rather humorous situations.

I did think that the book was VERY predictable as to what would happen next which I found to be a bit dissapointing. Which is why I only gave it 3 stars.

I did find all of the references to the "dead mother" giving signs a bit far fetched and I thought it actually took away from the story.

This refers to the unabridged audio version.

Old-age Nazi members are being eliminated one after another across different continents. An FBI agent, Taz Fallon, starts to slowly investigate these bizzare incidents. He comes on a trail of someone known as The Curator, who is collecting Hitler's stolen art masterpieces from former Nazis in order to prepare for the birth of the next Reich Movement. Along with an art historian, Taz comes face to face with hired killers, art masterpieces and history which buries many old secrets. Great action and fine moving story-line.

May not have been the best book ever written and I can't say there is anything original in this one. The most annoying part was having to sit and listen to the FBI agents discover what Deker and his partners in crime had discover 20 pages ago. You could also see the "plot twists" coming from 5 miles off.

I am always a sucker for books dealing with a resergeance of the Nazi idology. I was surpised with how much I enjoyed this book it does a wonderful job of keeping you awake

Of the four Paul Lindsay books this is the weakest. It starts out well with the attempted recovery of a cache of masterpiece paintings stolen by the Nazis in WW2. There is some ingenous linkage with numbers on the frames to the location, but as the plot moves along it becomes more and more ridiculous with the mandatory romantic interest and wild shoot-em-ups. The ending is so preposterous that, unlike one review that said "it will leave readers gasping" it left this reader ready to throw up.

This was a very good book to read. The book had two heroes,Taz
Fallom and Sivia Roth. Our villains were Curt Decker and the Curator.The Fuhrer's Reserve is a cache of old and valuable paint
ings that were stolen and hid by the Nazis(from the Jews of Europe).The paintings are being hunted by a group hoping to bring
the Nazis back to power. Fallon and Roth are in hot pursuit of the Criminals hunting for the paintings.There is nonstop action
from start to finish of this book.The final identity of the evil
Curator is a surprise. There is also a conspiracy that is to be
undertaken. This all makes for a surprise ending. You will enjoy this book.Read it.

The Fuhrer's Reserve is a very readable book. Lindsay gives some depth to the main character, FBI Agent Taz Fallon, by giving him emotional issues. The problem is, you still do not really care about him. He is merely an instrument providing a means to an end.

The plot is original, and littered with attempted plot twists. What I am trying to say is that I enjoyed reading this book, and I am not upset that I spent my time reading this book, but the plot twists and revelations were as easy to anticipate as sunrise and sunset.

What a good series and each book made you know the family just that much better. They became real to you and this was the last book in the series so I had to have it. Very good reading.

I LOVED THIS BOOK AND THIS TRILOGY. WHEN I STARTED THIS LAST ONE, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I LONGER FOR ANOTHER BOOK IN THIS SERIES.

I am baffled as to how a book like this gets published. I checked it out of the library because of the title. As a native Kentuckian, I thought it would be a good read. I was sorely disappointed. The writing is juvenile at best. The dialogue is completely absurd and the author repeats everyone's name in the dialogue to the point of distraction. Every time someone speaks, they include the name of the person they are speaking to! The characters also speak in ridiculously long paragraphs. The author must have never had a conversation with a real person because real people simply do not talk this way. And as for the racing industry theme...it is barely touched upon. We see no real interaction between the main character and the horses - nothing of substance. I was hoping for some real insider viewpoint on horses and racing; but, there is none. The characters in general are unbelievable. Almost everyone has an annoyingly weird name and no one makes any mistakes. Their lives are all grand and everyone has spectacular abilities, connections, etc. The plot is told almost completely through the overblown dialogue. Instead of showing us anything about the characters, we are treated to paragraphs long descriptions by another character. Again, people don't talk this way and there is no real story writing in the book. I am certainly glad I wasted only a bit of gas on the way to library on this one. I would have been angry if I spent any money on it.

Ok I loved this series and in between books, I read the others to catch up on characters and it made everyone of them fall into place. Texas & Vegas series help you with the characters in the Kentucky series and I thought all of it was good I couldn't put the books done.

Fern Michaels is the best romance writer I've ever read. For those of you who like romance in a book but don't want to read about the sex details for 5 pages, this is the author for you. Fern Michaels has a way to make her characters come to life. You really feel like you involved in the story by feeling sympathy, happiness and sadness right along with the characters in her stories. The Kentucky series is a must have for any reader who loves a good romance story with a whole lot more.

This has been the most compelling crime drama I have listened to in along while. The author expertly combines the conflicts ethnic culture, personal tragedy, and work promblem into a into a court room drama. The plot is the difficulties of doing a child rape trial where the victim is silent. The author also shows the personal and work difficulties the D.A. Jin has to overcome to mount a successful. The only drawback is the subject of child rape is gruesome and I personal had to stop reading at times to control my emotions. I am anxious to look forward to more novels about D.A. Jin.

The plot has some interest but Mr Lee is, to be frank, not quite literate. He simply can't write English -- and also has the annoying habit of peppering each short paragraph with one, may be two one-liners. The situations are also constantly unrealistic, for instance, the protagonist's ex-lover, a beautiful lawyer (yes, it's that kind of novel) who practices both corporate anti-trust law AND criminal defense of pederasts. Uhh, sorry, not believable. I am amazed that anyone could give this novel 4 or 5 stars, considering the fact that Mr Lee needs a introductory course in writing.

A complicated moral man wrestles honorably with the unpredictable complexities of evil, and the plot is great, and somehow you can't put the book down. Gus Lee reminds me of Scott Turow. The style is different, Lee's spare and vivid and Turow's discursive and courtly, but the moral center holds with both, and the superior writer's touch. I hope Gus Lee is hard at work on the next one, because this guy is really, really, really good.

As a trial attorney, I found this book almost unreadable, to my great disappointment, since I very much enjoyed Mr. Lee's HONOR AND DUTY. The author clearly lacks any knowledge or experience of how our legal system works or how the people within it do their jobs. At the outset, the police all bear a grudge because of misbehavior by the D.A., and no longer cooperate in prosecutions. What kind of fantasy is this? The police want successful prosections a whole lot more in the real world than anything else and would NEVER respond in this fashion. Nor does the political infighting in the D.A.'s office make much sense. I have seen plenty of political infighting in my time, but Mr. Lee's account of it is quite fantastc and unbelievable. His knowledge and understanding of criminal investigations and prosecutions is pathetic. Any reader who thinks criminal law really works like this is very mistaken. His turning criminal defense lawyers into morally compromised monsters bears no relation to real life, where such attorneys often work long hours for very little compensation simply out of a dedication to justice, and whose personal lives are above reproach. On the whole, a sadly failed effort.

Chinese American Writer Gus Lee explores an important area of criminal abuse in this new legal thriller. But Lee, author of four fine novels, experienced deputy district attorney, Army judge advocate, FBI trainer, and executive of the California state bar forgot to review his notes on how the system works. Lawyers and politicians will probably hate this drama. Readers will turn the last page knowing the law is not handled this way, yet will appreciate his passion for what is right, and his love for children and family. His window into the human soul saves this tangled story. A little polish would have helped as Lee creates great sentences in difficult paragraphs and confusing chapters.

This book is engrossing despite its flaws. Josh Jin's career and his personal life are slipping away due to his emotional collapse caused by the death of a daughter. Resulting mistakes caused him to lose respect and position. Jin is forced into a case in which he finds himself conflicted from grief, loss of status, ugly politics and morals, cultures, and outrage. A 13-year old rape victim refuses to talk. There is no physical evidence. He has nobody's confidence and no professional support. The accused ex-con may not be the one. Worse, his legal adversary is a powerful ex-girlfriend he once jilted who knows how to pull his chain. He cries in court and colleagues think he is without hope.

Jin struggles back from the edge while pulling another from disaster. The reader learns a bit about the Chinese-American culture and very real child sexual abuse, accurately rendered. As the story unfolds, there are surprises aplenty.

This BOMC alternate is awkward but remains a page turner. It is a complex crime story based on what is really happening, though a bit overplotted. A tale of lives in crises, untidy politics, horrifying crime, sleazy judges, shoddy legal work, messy lives, committment and personal salvation. Lee toys with the reader right up to the last few words. This is a book of passion dotted with clever observations and characters that resonate. Readers will think about this book for a long time despite it's rather unbelievable legal, political core. Gus Lee could do better and has done so(Honor and Duty) than this sometimes confusing book, but "No Physical Evidence" remains a worthwhile read.

This was my first Elizabeth Adler book and found the storyline different and interesting. There were several villianous people going into the past and difficult to read of the character of Bea's father and such an abusive childhood. There were a few too many abusive situations in the book and found I just had to skim some of them. Another thing I don't think I had found in a book by any of my favorite authors was for the main character to have a love affair with the villian. She was a Psychiatrist and she couldn't figure out he was psychotic?? His first jealous rage would have had me running to the nearest exit. Of course Detective Mahoney was my favorite character and again Ms Adler ended the book and leaving you guessing whether he and the heroine end up together. Actually I wasn't sure who the main characters were. The villian plays such a large role, it sort of makes him a main character. I would have liked Mahoney to have played a bigger part in the book but it just seemed there were too many main characters. It was still a good read tying all the characters from the past and present together.

Elizabeth Adler's "Secret of the Villa Mimosa" tries to combine romance with a thriller, and it works as neither. Dr. Phyl Forster is drawn to a "Jane Doe" who has amnesia. She is named "Bea French" by the doctor, mainly because she could speak French fluently. Then, Phyl tries to restore the woman's memory, while keeping detective Franco Mahoney at bay. We know instantly that these two will become close, as both try to discover who almost killed "Bea." Then, Bea gets a job with a rich French socialite, and start having her memory jogged in France, while Phyl has a chance meeting with Brad Kane, a rich Hawaiian with a terrible secret. The thriller unfolds as the reader is keyed into the connections between the Kane family and Bea, and the reader starts to feel that things would have added up quicker if Bea and Phyl had talked more in the second half of the book.

I enjoyed the book. I don't remember reading any of her books before, so was pleased that it kept me entertained till the end. I would probably give it a three and a half star rating as the story line was a little too coincidental and Cinderella like, but I enjoyed it. Dr. Phil Forster sees on t.v. that an unidentified woman has been found in a ravine. At first they think the woman is dead but she is still barely alive and she is rushed to the hospital. Phyl is drawn to her and soon is treating the young woman who, when she finally comes to, has amnesia. Franco Mahoney, a likeable homicide cop is assigned to the case and he is trying to identify the woman, but is not having much luck. It looks like a homicide attempt. Through the course of the story Bea French (made up name for victim) ends up going to France while working for a rich lady as a companion of sorts. Bea can speak French that much she knows and she remembers a house but doesn't know where it is until by chance she runs across it and discovers another murder years before was committed in that very house. The story keeps your interest til the end. Not a spectacular mystery but still a decent one. I would read more of her books.

This book definitely is not a thriller, but is a good story that will keep you reading, sometimes it goes out of the main story and the way that Phyl met Brad the first time is one in a million. This is a very easy book to read so you will read it very fast, and as many books, the end is like Cinderella but that doesn't mean that the book or the story aren't good.

From a writer who delivers great novel after great novel, comes one that truly has everything. The suspense and mystery are first-rate as clues to a decades old murder are revealed. An amnesiac searching for her past, two orphans looking for their future, a handsome stranger, a dedicated psychiatrist, and an elderly eccentric are some of the characters you will take to heart. But it is homicide cop Franco Mahoney who is my personal favorite as he combines the best of Irish charm and affability with his innately Italian love of opera and gourmet cuisine.

Set in San Francisco, Paris, and Hawaii, this story follows the key characters as their lives overlap in a well-plotted, page-turning story. Accident victim Bea French finds a true friend in psychiatrist Phyl Forster who has forgotten what a personal life is. Naturally, Franco Mahoney hopes to give her one, until a handsome stranger with an erotic obsession whisks her off to his private island. Can the good guy win the girl? Will ancestors long dead be avenged? Will Bea's memory return, and at what price? Will a cat named Coco and a dog named Poochie save the day? This is one you won't want to put down and one that leaves you wanting more from these characters and this writer.

My first time reading Deutermann. Believeable plot ruined by an introduction of a "rogue" element. A quick read.

I've never been able to "get into" mysteries that _tell you who the criminal is and how he does his deed_ in the opening pages.

Very descriptive of the Monster and its workings. Could have been a little overly stated. As the story progressed my interest perked and suddenly it turned into a full fledged rampant read.
The chenical weapons of the world could reek more havoc than any army in history has. The sad fact is most countrys have a great array of these killers and the ability to produce many more. Let us hope that this fiction never turns into fact for the sake of humanity. The last fifty pages will surely give a cold feeling up your spine.

This is my first P.T. Deutermann novel. It started out a little bit slow but was rich in background. By the time I reached the back cover I felt I knew my way around a DRMO. The story line is believable, current and frightening. By the end this book was moving like an inbound rocket. I definitely recommend it and will be looking for other Deutermann titles.

David Stafford is a disgraced government bureaucrat, recently consigned to Siberia (Atlanta). Wendell Carson is a government bureacrat in good standing, but definitely on the take. His latest scheme involves a cylinder of the deadly "Wet Eye"--weapon of mass destruction beyond your wildest dreams--which he has acquired and is somehow planning to sell. The girl in the airport is mute but communicates in sign language and--get this--she is psychic, especially around bad guys. Throw these characters together and you have the makings of Zero Option, an improbable but gripping thriller.

So, will Carson really sell the cylinder for 1 million dollars? Will Stafford rehabilitate himself? Will the government do what is right or just try to cover up the loss of the cylinder? What do you think? Is this America? But, you will just have to read the book to find out for sure.

Is it perfect? Not quite. There are a few too many characters, especially in the beginning, and a few too many acronyms for government agencies and programs. Does it matter? No. Start reading and you quickly figure things out. This is a book that, as they say, you can't put down. Author Deutermann knows how to hold your attention, and he has worked with these guys, so he knows what he's talking about. Recommendation: get the book and start reading. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

I loved the story line, but it was too drawn-out. If it had of been written on half as many pages, I probably would have given it 5 stars. The story was great, and I don't want to say much so I don't mess it up for those who haven't read it yet. But I will say that there is one particular coincidence that I really liked. (Eileen is known for her coincidences, but I love that about her.) On a lighter note, I am glad the senator's widow found a new husband - she deserved it.

Blessing in Disguise is more like a blessing to an over worked mind that needs a bit of mind candy. The character of Grace Truscott, the intelligent and privileged daughter of a former senator, undertakes the task of writing her idolized father's biography. However, after only the first draft, a myriad of difficulties surface. To start, after crossing each of the many bridges on her journey, she finds she is writing a biography about a man she hardly knows. A man that lived a life very different than the one his daughter had imagined. Although these many complexities initially draw the reader in, they become an annoyance after a while, especially the complexities that take place in Grace Truscott's personal life. For one, I find it hard to believe the author, who at first introduced Grace as a strong and determined woman would bring her to points of desperation with the man she loves. The passion is not what I am knocking, but I could do without her insatiable desire to marry her lover Jack. I should add however, that while this bothered me, it in no way bothered me as much as many of the other characters, namely Jack's son Ben, and Grace's selfish and social conscious sister, Sissy. It should be said however, that one of the truths Grace finds when researching the bio leads her to the discovery of Nola, her half sister. The story itself was heartwarming, but little else. At times it is a wonder that Grace's biography ever gets finished and her personal problems ever get resolved. Nevertheless, Blessing in Disguise has a typically "happy ending".

I listened to the audio version of blessing in disguise (all 16 hours!), and found myself strangely compelled by the lives of Grace, Cordelia, Jack etc. The story is the tale of Grace Trescott, the daughter of renowned civil rights leader. She is writing a controversial novel about her father. She is also involved in an interfaith relationship with an older man with older children. As if this weren't problematic enough, Grace discovers the truth about her father and his relationship with his secretary and this strains the relationship between her and the rest of her family.

While I liked "Blessing in Disguise" it was not without flaws. Number 1. I got really really tired of Jack, Grace's boyfriend. He was whiny, "I'm too old for her....." Yep, agree with him there. He was also too immature, and too focused on his own children. I thought the age difference was icky and did not work for me. The problems with an interfaith marriage weren't even touched upon. Overall, I was really sick of Jack by the end. Grace was better off with the veterinarian.

2. Ben. Hated the character. He is an abusive user and gets away with it. I don't buy the 'therapy cure-all' excuse at the end of the book. Ben needed more than just therapy, he needed to be locked up. His "Feel sorry for me, I'm a poor little rich kid" just wore thin... Get over yourself Ben!

3. Cordelia: liked her. Liked her relationship with her gardener boyfriend. But what is with Goudge and writing characters who are in relationships with much older people? Seriously, two romances in one book between two people with a large age difference began to skeeve me out...

4. Also, while I appreciated hearing about Hannah, Ben and the other minor characters, there was WAY too much time spent on the children. I would've preferred more character development between the main romantic couples and less time spent with the two teenage malcontents. (The scene where Chris ran away had me rolling my eyes in pain.

Overall, despite my criticism of this novel, I felt it was extremely well-written. Goudge made you feel for the characters, and is an extremely talented author, making even the most trite stereotypes seem fresh. While I didn't care for some of the subject matter: older man/younger woman, younger woman/older man, rape, adultery etc. I felt she handled the topic well.

This was one of the most interesting books I have read, and my first I've read of Eileen Goudge. I wasn't disappointed.
The story is really very sad as the father had had an affair long ago that he had never talked about; and in that affair, he'd had a child, unbeknownst to his wife until after he died. The beginning of the book captures your attention right away with a tragic event, and moves forward from that point on. A lot of family difficulties and situations arise in this book that make it great to read and hard to put down.

This was my first Eileen Goudge book, and I think the general premise and story is pretty good. I also liked most of the main characters, but I also got frustrated with the repetition and indecisiveness of those characters. I believe this could have been an equally good, or better, book and been two-thirds as long. (I do hestitate to say something like that because I have great respect for writers' autonomy and integrity.)

Eileen Goudge is particularly good at descriptions--her house and garden descriptions here are wonderful. Her character development of Cordelia Truscott is also excellent. Cordelia is ultimately the strongest and bravest character in this book, and it is fitting that it ends with her.