Perry Books

This is a five star book as are most of Ms. Perry's (except the WWI novels. I've never been able to get into them. My comment is prosaic at best but I couldn't let the anacronism pass. Tallulah Bankhead was the most famous of all the Tallulahs. In fact it is probably pretty certain there wasn't another Tallulah before her. Her father was the Powerhouse U.S. Senator from Alabama when his little girl was born and he named her Tallulah, a Native American name for a principal river in Alabama. So there is no way that Ms. Perry's character could have been named Tallulah. (It's still a five star read, tho.)

In the earlier books in this highly successful series about Detective Inspector Thomas Pitt in Victorian London, the author often got carried away with her fascination with the period and slighted the solutions to the mysteries she set up, in favor of sociological commentary. This is the sixteenth outing for Pitt and his wife and sister-in-law, and Perry seems to have finally reached a balance between period and mystery plot. It's 1890, Pitt has recently been promoted to Superintendent of the Bow Street station, and London society keeps ticking right along. In the poverty of Whitechapel, however, the torture-murder of a young prostitute gets Pitt's attention because a gentleman's club pin has been discovered beneath the body which implicates Finley Fitzjames, moneyed ne'er-do-well and son of a ruthless capitalist with lots of enemies. The investigation proceeds slowly, with Pitt sifting evidence, and finally comes to a conclusion with the conviction of the girl's pimp, who is then hanged. It all seems to be neatly wrapped up -- until the murder of a second prostitute, identical to the first. Did Pitt hang the wrong man? As always, Pitt's wife, Charlotte, and Charlotte's sister, Emily, poke their noses in, asking questions where Pitt cannot -- and, in fact, going too far by manufacturing misleading evidence. There's a certain amount of stylized melodrama, as in Jago Jones's dedicated ministering to the poor and Tallulah Fitzjames's ministering to him, but it's not too overdone.

I haven't read this book yet, but I really, really, enjoy Anne Perry and look forward to reading this book.

In 1890, two years after London roiled in the wake of the unsolved murders of Whitechapel prostitutes by a sexual misfit who called himself Jack the Ripper, the brutal slaying--in this case via strangulation---of yet another woman of the East End streets has society in a cold uproar. Shortly after beginning his investigation into this act of murder, Inspector Thomas Pitt finds clear evidence which links the killing to a young aristocrat named Finlay FitzJames. While the crime scene evidence is clear, Pitt is at a loss as to motive in the violent murder, heartily denied by the haughty and disdainful FitzJames, and while some among his superiors argue for an immediate arrest, Pitt's instincts tell him there is more to the matter than there seems. The plot soon mushrooms to dimensions unguessed-at in the early pages of this capable tale, and before she is finished here, Anne Perry delivers a story of long-fomenting hatred, bold revenge, diabolical plotting, and cold-blooded murder, all set in a convincingly recreated Victorian megapolis at the height of Britain's global empire.

Thomas Pitt is called upon to investigate the murder of a prostitute in the same part of London where the Jack the Ripper murders had occurred, in this page-turner. Pitt's services are required due to the political sensitivity of investigating the son of a prominent family. Although I had anticipated much of the conclusion, the final unfolding of events was nonetheless riveting.

In order to understand the primary characters, it is helpful to read some of the earlier works in the series first. That caveat aside, this is an enjoyable read.

Although I read all of Perry's "Thomas Pitt" murder mysteries first, I'm nevertheless developing a liking for this series, set a generation earlier, in London of the late 1850s. William Monk, police inspector turned private eye, and still dealing with amnesia in this fifth outing, is not a particularly likeable person. He's rude, arrogant, and self-righteous -- but so is his frequent investigative, nurse Hester Latterley, lately returned from the Crimea. The third leg of the narrative tripod, defense attorney Oliver Rathbone, is much less so, but he can be rather stuffy, too. This time, Perry sets the crime, Monk's investigation, and the subsequent trial in Edinburgh, which gives her the opportunity to explain on numerous occasions the function of the Procurator Fiscal and to bring in the uniquely Scots trial verdict of "not proven." (She also makes Monk travel by rowboat and horseback to the remote village in the far north of the Highlands where she herself now lives.) The plot, which involves family secrets and a murder committed to protect them, is one of Perry's better efforts in recent years. This is also the first novel in either of her mystery series in which there appears to be no prominent social issue or failing for the characters to struggle with and fulminate against.

Sins of the Wolf (William Monk Novels)
i just started reading this mystery series and it is fabulous. This book in particular had me on the edge. I have just finished the next one in the series. I enjoy the character development from one book to the next.

I love all of Anne Perry's writing but I particularly enjoy the books written with William Monk at the lead. The time period of her books is also a strong drawing point to me.

I enjoy envisioning the places, people, time.

This book is a backward look at Monk as I have been reading her more recent issues. Just love her books.

I am in the process of reading Perry's Monk books in order. All have been excellent, however, the climax of Sins of the Wolf was so surprising and exciting, it has won the title of best in series (so far). The last 30 pages will leave you amazed.

Nurse Hester Latterly is engaged to escort Mrs. Farraline, an elder lady from Edinburg to London. But the journey takes a lethal course: Next morning the lady is dead, an extra portion of her medicine (digitalis) missing, and an expensive brooch is found in Hester's bag. She was obviously framed up by a member of Mrs. Farraline's family - heirs to her estate. Ex-inspector William Monk and star-attorney Oliver Rathbone rush to Hester's defense. But the Farralines, an old-established family, are such a model of honorableness...Sins of the wolf (depravity, deception, treachery) is first-rate reading and there is a surprise ending: you will be amused to learn the origin of the Farradine's wealth - but I won't reveal more. Anne Perry's victorian thrillers are excellent, not one is weak. Gripping, profound and atmospheric!

On a par with CS Forrester's Hornblower series. I can't wait for the next installment.

My enjoyment of Napoleonic Wars maritime fiction was beginning to wane until I came across first Julian Stockwin, with his excellent "Kydd" series, and now Sean Thomas Russell with "Under Enemy Colours".

Both of these authors, to my mind, improve on the earlier 'greats" of this genre, and leave some other pretenders ("Alexander Kent" comes to mind) wallowing in their wake.

Russell and Stockwin can both write. There is nothing stilted about the expression in these books. Nor is there any feeling that you are simply reading something churned out to meet a deadline from a publisher of nautical pot-boilers.

These novels are more rounded, more realistic, more honest in approach than most of those that have come before them. Yet they are immensely entertaining.

For the first time in quite a while I find myself waiting eagerly for the next offering from each of them, while at the same time praying that they won't succumb to the pressures that ultimately turned even O'Brien and Forester's later books into something sadly formulaic.

The year is 1793. The French Revolution is entering its "wretched excess" stage, Napoleon has not quite appeared, and the Royal Navy is doing what it does best. Familiar territory for O'Brian readers, although a trifle earlier, chronologically, than Master and Commander. Our protagonist is Lt. Charles Hayden, son of a French mother and English father, with strong ties on both sides of the channel- and conflict. Because of his parentage he is regarded with some suspicion by the RN establishment, and lags somewhat in promotion behind his friend Robert Hertle, who has just made Post Captain. Somewhat at loose ends he is suddenly summoned into the presence of Phillip Stephens, First Secretary of the Admiralty, and offered a post as First Lieutenant of an almost brand new frigate. There are, however, strings attached.What follows involves intrigue, the writings of Tom Paine, a lovely lady, a shy Captain, and a good deal cannon fire as Hayden, on HMS Themis engages in battle with his mothers country. There is a clever doctor, a dashing frigate Captain, a scurrilous gent named Hart, and a rather wise beyond his years middy named Wickham. I seriously doubt that either Wickham or Hart are named accidentally, although our Mr. Wickham is the opposite of Miss Austen's character of the same name.This is rousing good stuff! Russell is a sailor of considerable experience, so he gets that end of it down well. As a writer he isn't O'Brian- but then who is? I do place him several cuts above Alexander Kent and his ilk- somewhere in Jim Nelson territory although without Nelson's consistent sense of humor. There are some funny bits- the occasional pun, a very deliberate "There is not a moment to lose!" and a well done birding expedition to lighten the tale.Under Enemy Colors is, to be sure, a first novel. There are some fortuitous coincidences to get our hero out of trouble a couple of times, although this does get acknowledged later in the book. Along toward the end there is an escape that is based on either something in the O'Brian canon, or right out of Hornblower- I can't remember which.The action sequences are nicely done, as are the periods ashore. Hayden's burgeoning relationship with his young lady are handled well, although the future seems pretty clear, unless Russell throws a curve ball. There is another volume due in 2009, and I, for one, will have it on the "hold" list at my local library when it appears. Russell will nicely fill the gap until Nelson starts writing fiction again.

I'll keep it reasonably short and sweet, and try not to rehash what's been already mentioned in prior reviews. To me, Under Enemy Colors is a first-rate (pun sort of intended) addition to a growing canon of novels featuring the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars.

Having read some of the best-known masters of the craft, particularly O'Brian and Forester (in that order, at least for me), as well as a fan of Marryat too (Mr. Midshipman Easy anyone?), I find Under Enemy Colors to be more than worthy of being cast in a similarly favorable light.

And I, too, found myself not being able to put the book down as events progressed, particularly in the last third of the book. In fact, you know it's a good sign that as eager as one may be to continue reading on late into the night, there's a sense of dread in knowing that you're also another page closer to the end -- and then, 2009 seems like a long way off.

Fair winds and following seas, Mr. Russell!

S. Thomas Russell's "Under Enemy Colors" is the first of a presumed series of novels centering around Charles Hayden of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It is ground previously trod (or water sailed) by authors such as C.S. Forester (the Horatio Hornblower novels) and Patrick O'Brian (the Jack Aubrey-Stephen Maturin books). I would certainly not set Russell to be the equivalent of Patrick O'Brian (Russell cannot yet equal O'Brian's command of characters, elegance of language, or humor) but he certainly can construct a page-turning tale (indeed, it might be argued that there is too much action packed into the pages of a single novel). Charles Hayden, with an English father and French mother, perhaps owes as much to O'Brian's creation of Stephen Maturin as to Captain Jack Aubrey. And Russell carefully begins his tales in 1793 (at the beginning of the French Revolutionary wars) to allow plenty of room for future adventures. The details of seamanship appear authentic (although Russell does commit a few minor errors regarding uniforms -- RN lieutenants did not wear epaulettes in 1793, for all love -- and the titles of English nobility), but overall he seems to have a commendable command of historical authenticity. I don't expect that Russell's series of novels will cause me to pull Patrick O'Brian's novels from my bookshelves, but possibly Russell's books may find a place beside them.

It's 1889 and Inspector Thomas Pitt of the London police, who has become something of a specialist in politically sensitive cases, has been called in on the case of a murdered loan shark -- not his usual sort of case. The man was also a blackmailer, however, with several society gentlemen among his victims -- and also two ranking members of the police force, which makes matters even more touchy. Pitt gradually works through the possibilities, making this one of the better efforts in the series, even though a secret political conspiracy turns out to be responsible. The characterizations are well done, too. Emily's new husband, Jack Radley, is attempting to get himself selected as a candidate for Parliament and because she's pregnant, Charlotte (Emily's sister and Pitt's wife) has to step in for her as political hostess. This allows several parallel sociological and romantic plots, but they're less intrusive than usual. (Secret societies and usury are less controversial than women's rights, I guess.) The author also manages not to telegraph the entirely believable ending this time -- a weakness of which she is sometimes guilty.

I would not typically pick up a mystery novel like this, but needing something to read on the plane returning from a visit to my mother, I decided to borrow this from her. It was quite an enjoyable read. The details of Victorian life, well-developed plot line and believable, sympathetic characters show that Ms. Perry is quite a skilled story teller. Men will find the descriptions of ball gowns and hair-do's a bit tedious, and the ending is overly abrupt, but all-in-all this book is well worth the time invested.

I've read all 23 of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books, and this entry has more than any other of what we love Anne Perry for -- the beautifully drawn descriptions of high and low Victorian life; the interweaving of Charlotte's family's goings-on with the main plot; wonderfully realized secondary characters; etc. In Belgrave Square, we learn for the first time of the deadly secret society known as the Inner Circle, which will return to haunt Charlotte, Thomas, and their families in future books. The main police business at issue -- who blew the head off nasty userer William Weems -- is slightly over-the-top, if undeniably dramatic; but it has several rivals for the reader's attention, including the compelling romance of Micah Drummond and Eleanor Byam (very touching and believable) and the love triangle of Fanny Hilliard, Fitz Fitzpatrick, and Odelia Morden. Thomas and Charlotte themselves continue to grow in interesting ways; here, Charlotte is forced out of her happy-married-woman complacency, learning a new sympathy for the travails of others even when they are not particularly likeable people. There's even a fascinating lesson in colonial economics tucked away in all the plotting and subplotting! But the capper of the book for me is the delicious encounter between Lady Vespasia and Lily Langry at an upper-crust garden party. Every time I reread it, I'm impressed anew by Perry's ability to set a vivid scene and draw her readers into the absurd but deadly serious etiquette games of another time and place.

Out of the ten Pitt books I have read so far this is the one I like the least! My main objection is the long tedious sections involving charlotte's social outings. Nothing happens for page after page. This can happen in other Pitt books as well I find, but this one is the worst. Anything in this series from The Whitechapel Conspiracy onwards is very good though, as is Traitor's Gate, Bedford Square and Farrier's Lane. (Everyone else here seemed to like this book except me).

I've read the 11 "Pitt" books prior to this, but I enjoyed this the most.
Some thoughts:
-It's not necessary to have read previous books in the series to find one's way around the characters and setting.
-The book is populated with interesting characters.
-Our friend Micah Drummond also plays a noteworthy expanded role.
-Most important for a mystery like this, the ending needs to be satisfying. And did I love this ending! (No peeking!)

Mike Huckabee is an amazing man, he continues to inspire me with his insight. This book is a must read.

Governor Huckabee seemed to have come out of nowhere during the campaign season, to have won Iowa in the Republican Primary. Sometimes that success gets credited to the media (or even to Steven Colbert, Conan O'Brian, and others whose shows he frequented- and who jokingly fought over who "created the Huckabee phenomenon"), but after reading this autobiography on Mike Huckabee, you will understand how he got where he is, why he won Iowa, and how he would lead. It is obvious from reading this autobiography and learning where Governor Huckabee comes from, that he will continue to be a major player in politics.

First let me say I'm a Democrat who was raised by social-conservative Republican parents in Texas. That being said I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book last year, but I was half expecting a self-serving bit of prose from a man who was expecting to run for the presidency the following year. But, with summer reading largely consisting of romance novels and cookbooks, I thought I'd give this one a try. I'm glad I did.

Governor Huckabee doesn't pull any punches in telling you where he came from. He embraces his religious roots, talks about his human weaknesses as well as his strengths, and talks openly about the political bickering that goes on in churches and how exposure to such an atmosphere prepared him for a career in politics. Due to his humble beginnings he has a real empathy for the little guy. I think that's why he scared so many neocons when he had some early success in the Republican primaries. A REAL compassionate conservative??? The national Republican party can have none of that! A FAIR tax??? Life isn't supposed to be fair unless you're a CEO!

Mr. Huckabee could be the future of the Republican party given his natural likability and gift for oratory. However, his religious views will no doubt scare off the secular Northeast and West Coast. I'm sure he realizes that, yet he doesn't shrink from his background nonetheless, which is a sign of character in itself. Compare this to Mitt Romney, the blow-dried poll-tested candidate who went down in flames. If you've wondered just what makes Mr. Huckabee tick, try this book. I think you'll come away admiring him regardless of whether or not you agree with his legislative goals.

I enjoyed this book very much. Huckabee is a man of character and in this book he tells us what character should look like in our leaders. It also caused me to pause and evaluate my own life. What kind of example am I setting?

This book is very well written and comes across as sincerely from the heart. It's a great perspective at an event in recent history where you can hear "the rest of the story", or at least the behind the scenes part. Mike Huckabee just comes across as that guy we've all been searching for who embodies the values missing in our present society and spotlight today. If the phonecall from God dosn't push you off the fence, Character Makes a Difference will.

Very informative book on how to manage and increase your property's cash flow with realalistic approaches. Well worth the money and time reading

Rating for beginners: 4
Rating for others: 3

This author goes through the motions on what you can expect from running a rental property. As the title indicates, his focus is on maximizing profits. Of course, the tradeoff is greater time outlay on the landlord's part.

If you're just starting to consider landlording and don't own any properties, this book isn't a bad starting point but much of it is common sense.

A better addition to your library would be "Property Management for Dummies". It is more complete and a great source for all levels of landlords (newbies on up). The Dummies' author, Robert S. Griswold, covers all the subject matter in Perry's book plus insurance, evictions, and other lawsuits in greater detail with more graphs and charts to illustrate the author's points.

We had a problem. We wanted to get rid of our rent house and get out of the business.

We looked through lots of books and settled on this and another one. The other turned out to be for more professional rent house owners.

This one spoke DIRECTLY TO US.

We were surprised at how this author seemed to be talking directly to us, in a manner that a friend would do. He told US advice, not just on how to sell our rent house but how to make it work if we kept it. We decided to give it another round of tenants but ony if we followed the advice in these pages. Much of it, such as the open house concept that we'd only thought applied to houses for sale, dramatically worked to change EVERYTHING about rent houses for the better! We now love being rent house investors and we are looking for more properties. If this book had cost twice as mich, it would be worth only a fraction of its value even then. I strongly encourage you to read this if you really dislike being a landlord.

You'll get MANY tips in this but the open house concept that Perry teaches is brilliant and one I'd never thought of.

The book just gets better for the struggling landlord (or landlady as Perry says). But for me, the first 2nd chapter changed my life as a landlord.

This book is good for those who have very limited experience in managing rental properties. It's main focus seemed to be on managing time and for those of you who don't know the secret I will let you in on it. Excellent Tenants = Minimal Time. It's finding and keeping the excellent tenants that require some time. This book goes into detail about how to do just that. If you are a struggling landlord or a complete newbie than this book is for you.

However, if you have some experience in this area, or are an effective manager outside of rental properties you will probably be an effective rental manager. Other things to consider is that Mr. Perry seems to specialize in very low cost rentals so much of his ideas are drawn towards those crowds. For Example

Getting Tenants the book says advertising the local newspaper is the best, it does work but for higher cost rentals I average about 70% of new tenants from the internet.

Dishwashers and Garbage Dispoals - you might be able to get away without them in cheap units, but try renting a unit at 1500 a month without them - it just wouldn't work.

Wainscot - Again nice idea for those low income units, but most people look at wainscot as that cheap stuff you had on your vacation home when you grew up.

Electric Water Heaters - Keep gas if you have it already, electric heaters are always more problems and will cost more in the long run - gas is always easier and better. BTW, if you go to a plumbing wholesale warehouse (usually open only to licensed plumbers) the gas units are cheaper than electric.

When buying a home Mr. Perry seems to think that plumbing problems are easily fixed. Caveat Emptor - A person who bought a house that I passed on due to plumbing problems just spent $22,000 in getting it re-plumbed. From my experience I walk away from any house that 1) has foundation problems 2) has flooded recently 3) has major plumbing problems. I am highly suspicious of any house that has 1) Roof Problems 2) Electrical problems.

Things not mentioned that might help you out.

Automatic Rent Payments - I have about 50% of my tenants on automatic rent payments. It's easy to set up (talk to your bank) and you get your money every month on the same day.

If you have more than 5 units I strongly urge you to look into incorporating. It limits you liability and there are positive tax reasons to do so. This book barley mentions corporations and in a slightly negative way too.

If you buy in the right area and market your unit accordingly it is very easy to get some long term leases written up. I have approximately 70% of my tenants on 3 year or longer lease agreements.

While mentioned I have had a great deal of success with Townhomes and Condos - just be aware that this is very AREA sensitive. The plus side to these is that you can be a truly hands off landlord. Write your rental agreements that the tenants agree to take care of all repairs inside including AC/Heat. The associations take care of everything outside and all you do is collect the rent. True your returns are not as high, but it is the simplest form of rental management that I know of. Also, if the townhome/condo is slightly upper scale you will find that your vacancy rates drop considerably. The shortest tenant I have ever had in a townhome/condo was 1 year with my average being around 6 years.

Anyhow, This book is good for the beginners, that is why I gave it 4 stars.

This is a children's book. From the inferences in the book, I am sure the movie is a good thriller. I could "see" how the visual effects would be great. The problem here is that the authors did not try to fill in the background colors too well.

I find almost all the action to be unlikely. The Drej arrive just as Cale is about to be picked up after 15 years. Akima is kicked out the airlock in a pod that allows her to live so the slavers can get her. The slavers who are heavily armed and have an incentive to keep their property, allow the team to break in and steal her away. And on and on. This is an action film, but the book does not adequately show the special effects. An action flick does not have to spawn a great masterpiece of literature, but the authors could have at least filled in more of the reasons why the people are doing what they are doing without the same jerkiness you get in an action film.

I have not seen the movie. People who have say it is great. See the movie. Skip this book unless you are a child.

This book was very in depth to everyones story and had excellent details. it gave details on everyone and all of the places and ships in the story. So I plan on reading this book again and i recommend it to you too.

I cannot describe how good this book was. I thought nothing could be better than the movie and I was right, but this book is the closest thing out there. I feel that Titan A.E. is actually BETTER than Star Wars. The way that Cale's and Akima's stories tie in together is very intuitive and well planned out. I recommend this book to sci fi lovers and people who just like to listen to cool stuff happen.

After I saw the movie I was like totally envolved with anything that dealed with Titan AE. (I luved the movie in case u r wondering) I was looking through the bookstore one day and I found this book and Cale's story and Akima's story. Let me tell u, they are all the best books ever. This novel is just a tiny bit different from the movie but that doesn't really matter... It makes it even better in a way. I sugjest though, that u get Cale's story or Akima's story before u read this book because those stories will help u understand the novel better. I hope u find this review helpfull and anywayz, if u get the book I'm totally sure that u'll like it cause I did and also that I would mostly recomend it to Titan A.E. Fans or just science fiction readers,....

I first bought this book after seeing the movie back in June 2000. Titan AE really captured my heart as a movie, I just felt it was so well done and had such an interesting (and hardly seen) plot and characters, perhaps one of the best science fiction stories I've ever read or watched, and I felt really inspired me as a writer and an artist.

I raided the book store after seeing the movie and picked out this book along with both Cale and Akima's stories, and this one was, perhaps, one of my favorites. I think it's great that they did an adult novelization of it, because not all of us are ten year old boys whose only interests are the lasers and the big bad aliens. I haven't read the book in a long time now, being caught up in other books since I discovered the fantasy genre (Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings in particular), but in a way, I felt the novelization was /better/ than the movie, just in the extra depth it put into the stories and the characters. The novelization is based on the earlier version of the film, so it has some scenes that didn't appear in the movie, which are interesting to read.

I really enjoyed reading a novelization more on an adult reading level, and for sure I'd recommend this to anyone, even people who have not seen Titan AE yet, and if you haven't, I highly encourage you to. Don't let the box office fool you; this movie, for sure, was one of those small gems that just got out at the wrong time. It is highly unfortunate this movie didn't get the attention and credit it deserved (Disney exactly a year after Titan AE's theatrical release brought out the movie Atlantis, which I felt was like their imitation of Titan AE in both quality and style, though it didn't live up). For sure seeing this movie was one of the best things I've ever done, but it's all a matter of opinion. Find out for yourself.

I've been reading mostly mysteries and histories of WWI for a few years now. I was recommended to this series, and though I don't read Perry's other mysteries and haven't for many years, I enjoyed this series of hers. It prompted me to go online looking for good historical sites on WWI, and learning about our past is a good thing.

This last book of hers, though I read it quickly, was very preachy and rambling. Part of the reason I continued to read it so fast is I agree with most, if not all the points Perry was trying to make in this book. The plot was fine, it just took a very long time to get to the end that readers had been waiting so long for. The Reavley brothers and sisters continued their quest to bring down the Peacemaker, even though the end of the war is near. They fear that he will attempt to sabotage the treaty in order to enable Germany to rearm itself again in order to seek an Empire of its own, and on its own terms. Those terms will include the curbing of individual rights and the freedoms that the British (and the Americans) at that time held so dear.

This was the culmination of this series. Perry used this book (more than the others) to cover several topics important to her about equality of women, the ability of individuals to make their own choices, etc. It wasn't that she didn't have the right to discuss this even in a mystery, but rather that she kept returning to the topic again and again. this is a problem that maybe her reviewers/publishers should have brought up to her prior to printing the book. But she is such a famous and lucrative author, they probably decided to let this problem alone.

Nevertheless, this series is well-done and enjoyable for the most part. It taught me a lot and I will probably go dig out some more WWI history books to gain more insight into what happened. Again, I am sorry that our history classes in high school did not spend enough time on this topic, so we can avoid an all-out war involving the whole world.

Karen Sadler

Anne Parry's series set in WWI began as an enthralling tale of murder and espionage. Unfortunately, there is only so much mud and blood one can absorb before interest lags and the tale becomes repetitive and tiresome. Her four part series could easily have been shortened to three.

Since last November, I've been reading Anne Perry's series of novels about the Reavley family and their involvement in World War One. Each novel of the five volume series is set in succeeding years of the conflict that really marked the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth.

For the Reavleys, the war has been more than just a conflict. Their parents, John and Alys, were murdered on the day when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, and the great European powers were drawn into a massive war that took a terrible toll in human lives and toppled empires. In John's possession was a document that would have brought a lasting peace, but the price would have been a terrible one. Now his children -- Joseph, Matthew and Judith -- are struggling to find the identity of the person behind their parents' murder, known only as The Peacemaker.

Joseph has spent the last five years as a chaplain on the front lines in Belguim, trying to save what lives he can by bringing back the wounded from the front, and giving what comfort he can to the dying. In addition to what he has seen in the midst of battle, he has some deeply rooted scars from his past that still simmer. Working alongside him as an ambulance driver is his youngest sister, Judith, who has proven herself again and again, facing the same shortages as everyone else, and the same dangers. Matthew is working in London as an intellegence officer, desperately trying to find the truth about the Peacemaker.

Now it is November 1918. The Germans are still fighting, but thousands of them are putting down their weapons and surrendering. The war could be over in a matter of months or even days. But there are still plenty of dangers for all of them -- the British soldiers are roughing up the Germans, and tempers are getting frayed and ugly. In London, Matthew recieves a surprising offer -- the Peacemaker's counterpart in Germany is willing to come and reveal the identity of the Peacemaker, without any conditions. For it seems the Peacemaker has come up with an even more appalling plan -- he wants to continue the war, creating a never ending war, and reviving the German empire from the ashes.

To complicate matters, one of the nurses, Gwen Price, has been found brutally murdered, her naked body flung on a rubbish heap. Joseph is called upon to find who did it, but before he can unravel the mystery, the German officer with the information appears, and is charged with the murder. To complicate matters, his brother Matthew, who has arrived to escort the officer and the valuable information back to London is also arrested for the crime.

There are quite a few red herrings and subplots that are being wrapt up in this book. Lizzie Blaine, from a previous novel, reappears, forcing Joseph to contemplate a life beyond the endless warfare, and so has Richard Mason, the war correspondent that Judith has become close to. Along the way there are vivid descriptions of life and especially death on the Western front, with all of the attendant misery, mud, filth and lost lives.

While the ending is a bit too pat, all of the loose ends are tidied up, and there's even a promise of happiness in the future, short lived as we living in the here and now will know it will be. Perry manages to pack an awful lot of action into the space of a few days, all of it moving at a near breakneck speed. In between all of that, she has her characters endlessly thinking about the past, what is happening now, and what they can do to stop the onrushing disaster that will happen if they can't stop the Peacemaker.

In fact, it's that rumination and raking over the past that caused me the greatest amount of annoyance with the story. Over and over, Ms Perry tells us once again the how and why and who the Peacemaker has murdered -- just as she had done in the previous four novels. It gets tiresome, and assumes that the reader has the attention span of a rabid gerbil. It does very little to push the story along, and instead slows it down very much.

Now that I've completed reading the series, some thoughts overtook me. Perry has managed to do something very different than her ongoing series set in the Victorian World. For one, these five books have a definate begining and end, and she lets her main characters mature, instead remaining the static observers of the mysteries. Everyone in this one makes mistakes, rash decisions, and moves forward in their thinking and maturity. I do hope that Ms. Perry will continue along with sort of writing, and expanding beyond the 'whodunit' novel.

Another valid point is that Ms. Perry is very much a pacificist, and she draws comparisons to the warfare of the 1910's with our own modern times, and while it does take a strong stomach to read some of her descriptions of death and humans caught up in misery, she does it without getting too preachy about it.

Overall, the series gets about a four star rating. It's better than most novels set in World War One, and she works very hard to capture the feel and nature of warfare that is brutal even by modern standards. One caveat is that the series really does need to be read in order, as so much of the narrative relies on what has gone on before.

If you want something different than the usual rah-rah valiant hero in the middle of chaos of war, then this series should satisfy. While I doubt that I will ever reread these in the future, they are an excellent series of books, and worth the effort to get through.

Four stars. Recommended.

Anne Perry used all five books in this series to paint a multidimensional portait of the Reavely family. I mourn their parting. I especially loved Joseph Reavely who desperately held onto the threads of his faith, even while facing the worst situations humankind could throw at him. He was humble and authentic and did not leave anyone to die alone. Anne also painted a portrait of our world during this uncelebrated and mostly forgotten era. I enjoyed every page.

With war finally coming to an end, leaving millions dead and the landscape of Europe forever changed, Anne Perry concludes her World War I spy/mystery saga. This five-book series paints the themes of honor, loyalty, betrayal, heroism, good and evil on the large canvas of world war, but it also develops storylines of daily life on the battlefields and at home.

It is now November 1918, years into a war that was only supposed to last months. And the war is coming to end. Members of the Reavley family --- Joseph, the army chaplain; his brother Matthew, the Secret Intelligence Service officer; and their sister Judith, the ambulance driver --- are together under dire circumstances as they strive to unmask the Peacemaker. They now have the means to find out exactly who he is and bring him to light. The Peacemaker has already cost them their parents, friends and others of importance to England.

A messenger dressed as a Swiss priest comes to see Matthew with news. They now have an ally against the Peacemaker in Germany. This man, Manfred von Schenckendorff, is willing to come across enemy lines to London and expose the Peacemaker to tell the Prime Minister. His own country will be betrayed by this decision, but he hopes his defection will help with the peace process. When Matthew is asked where Manfred should come through on the Western Front, Matthew sends him to Yrpes where Joseph is stationed. When Matthew tells Joseph what he knows, Joseph can hardly believe it and questions if it's true.

The Peacemaker has big plans for England, Germany and Europe. He has argued that the greater end justifies the smaller ugliness of his means. And he reminds the war reporter Mason of just that point when he visits. Mason takes this philosophy to mean that the Peacemaker had used means that he despised, which allows Mason to continue to sympathize with him.

Mason has been a supporter of the Peacemaker's plans because of the horrors they both experienced in the Boer War. Mason returns to the Western Front to report on the end of the war and renews his acquaintance with Judith Reavley. He has come to realize that the Peacemaker is an armchair warrior using other people's blood for his own purposes. In this case, the Peacemaker's plan is one of domination of the Western World by governments who believe as the Peacemaker does.

Meanwhile, Manfred arrives in Ypres with a bayonet injury to his foot. As Joseph and Matthew wait to take him to England, a nurse is murdered. She was a flirt and not well liked; anyone could have killed her. Was it a German prisoner? Or one of their own soldiers?

A civil policeman investigates, and the commanding officer requests Joseph's help. However, when Matthew is arrested for her murder, Joseph and Judith work together to find the real killer. In their race against time to get Manfred to London, they find evidence that frees Matthew --- only to have Manfred arrested. As they dig deeper, the private lives of the nurses and troops lead them to uncover the murderer.

With the murder solved, the three Reavleys, along with Manfred and now Mason, borrow an ambulance in order to catch a boat for London. Perils await them as they make the trip, but they arrive to see the Prime Minister. They have the necessary evidence, testimony and knowledge to identify and make their case against the Peacemaker.

Anne Perry has honored this time in history with her series. The struggles portrayed by the characters --- both those of impeccable character and those who are flawed --- are memorable. The overall series mystery of the Peacemaker's identity keeps readers on the edge of their chairs all the way to the end. The underlying tensions of a world at war bring to the audience an awareness of the costs of war, government decisions during chaotic times and the toll on humankind. WE SHALL NOT SLEEP (along with the entire series) will stay on this reviewer's shelf and is definitely worth a yearly read.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer McCord

I've been reading mostly mysteries and histories of WWI for a few years now. I was recommended to this series, and though I don't read Perry's other mysteries and haven't for many years, I enjoyed this series of hers. It prompted me to go online looking for good historical sites on WWI, and learning about our past is a good thing.

This last book of hers, though I read it quickly, was very preachy and rambling. Part of the reason I continued to read it so fast is I agree with most, if not all the points Perry was trying to make in this book. The plot was fine, it just took a very long time to get to the end that readers had been waiting so long for. The Reavley brothers and sisters continued their quest to bring down the Peacemaker, even though the end of the war is near. They fear that he will attempt to sabotage the treaty in order to enable Germany to rearm itself again in order to seek an Empire of its own, and on its own terms. Those terms will include the curbing of individual rights and the freedoms that the British (and the Americans) at that time held so dear.

This was the culmination of this series. Perry used this book (more than the others) to cover several topics important to her about equality of women, the ability of individuals to make their own choices, etc. It wasn't that she didn't have the right to discuss this even in a mystery, but rather that she kept returning to the topic again and again. this is a problem that maybe her reviewers/publishers should have brought up to her prior to printing the book. But she is such a famous and lucrative author, they probably decided to let this problem alone.

Nevertheless, this series is well-done and enjoyable for the most part. It taught me a lot and I will probably go dig out some more WWI history books to gain more insight into what happened. Again, I am sorry that our history classes in high school did not spend enough time on this topic, so we can avoid an all-out war involving the whole world.

Karen Sadler

Anne Parry's series set in WWI began as an enthralling tale of murder and espionage. Unfortunately, there is only so much mud and blood one can absorb before interest lags and the tale becomes repetitive and tiresome. Her four part series could easily have been shortened to three.

Since last November, I've been reading Anne Perry's series of novels about the Reavley family and their involvement in World War One. Each novel of the five volume series is set in succeeding years of the conflict that really marked the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth.

For the Reavleys, the war has been more than just a conflict. Their parents, John and Alys, were murdered on the day when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, and the great European powers were drawn into a massive war that took a terrible toll in human lives and toppled empires. In John's possession was a document that would have brought a lasting peace, but the price would have been a terrible one. Now his children -- Joseph, Matthew and Judith -- are struggling to find the identity of the person behind their parents' murder, known only as The Peacemaker.

Joseph has spent the last five years as a chaplain on the front lines in Belguim, trying to save what lives he can by bringing back the wounded from the front, and giving what comfort he can to the dying. In addition to what he has seen in the midst of battle, he has some deeply rooted scars from his past that still simmer. Working alongside him as an ambulance driver is his youngest sister, Judith, who has proven herself again and again, facing the same shortages as everyone else, and the same dangers. Matthew is working in London as an intellegence officer, desperately trying to find the truth about the Peacemaker.

Now it is November 1918. The Germans are still fighting, but thousands of them are putting down their weapons and surrendering. The war could be over in a matter of months or even days. But there are still plenty of dangers for all of them -- the British soldiers are roughing up the Germans, and tempers are getting frayed and ugly. In London, Matthew recieves a surprising offer -- the Peacemaker's counterpart in Germany is willing to come and reveal the identity of the Peacemaker, without any conditions. For it seems the Peacemaker has come up with an even more appalling plan -- he wants to continue the war, creating a never ending war, and reviving the German empire from the ashes.

To complicate matters, one of the nurses, Gwen Price, has been found brutally murdered, her naked body flung on a rubbish heap. Joseph is called upon to find who did it, but before he can unravel the mystery, the German officer with the information appears, and is charged with the murder. To complicate matters, his brother Matthew, who has arrived to escort the officer and the valuable information back to London is also arrested for the crime.

There are quite a few red herrings and subplots that are being wrapt up in this book. Lizzie Blaine, from a previous novel, reappears, forcing Joseph to contemplate a life beyond the endless warfare, and so has Richard Mason, the war correspondent that Judith has become close to. Along the way there are vivid descriptions of life and especially death on the Western front, with all of the attendant misery, mud, filth and lost lives.

While the ending is a bit too pat, all of the loose ends are tidied up, and there's even a promise of happiness in the future, short lived as we living in the here and now will know it will be. Perry manages to pack an awful lot of action into the space of a few days, all of it moving at a near breakneck speed. In between all of that, she has her characters endlessly thinking about the past, what is happening now, and what they can do to stop the onrushing disaster that will happen if they can't stop the Peacemaker.

In fact, it's that rumination and raking over the past that caused me the greatest amount of annoyance with the story. Over and over, Ms Perry tells us once again the how and why and who the Peacemaker has murdered -- just as she had done in the previous four novels. It gets tiresome, and assumes that the reader has the attention span of a rabid gerbil. It does very little to push the story along, and instead slows it down very much.

Now that I've completed reading the series, some thoughts overtook me. Perry has managed to do something very different than her ongoing series set in the Victorian World. For one, these five books have a definate begining and end, and she lets her main characters mature, instead remaining the static observers of the mysteries. Everyone in this one makes mistakes, rash decisions, and moves forward in their thinking and maturity. I do hope that Ms. Perry will continue along with sort of writing, and expanding beyond the 'whodunit' novel.

Another valid point is that Ms. Perry is very much a pacificist, and she draws comparisons to the warfare of the 1910's with our own modern times, and while it does take a strong stomach to read some of her descriptions of death and humans caught up in misery, she does it without getting too preachy about it.

Overall, the series gets about a four star rating. It's better than most novels set in World War One, and she works very hard to capture the feel and nature of warfare that is brutal even by modern standards. One caveat is that the series really does need to be read in order, as so much of the narrative relies on what has gone on before.

If you want something different than the usual rah-rah valiant hero in the middle of chaos of war, then this series should satisfy. While I doubt that I will ever reread these in the future, they are an excellent series of books, and worth the effort to get through.

Four stars. Recommended.

Anne Perry used all five books in this series to paint a multidimensional portait of the Reavely family. I mourn their parting. I especially loved Joseph Reavely who desperately held onto the threads of his faith, even while facing the worst situations humankind could throw at him. He was humble and authentic and did not leave anyone to die alone. Anne also painted a portrait of our world during this uncelebrated and mostly forgotten era. I enjoyed every page.

With war finally coming to an end, leaving millions dead and the landscape of Europe forever changed, Anne Perry concludes her World War I spy/mystery saga. This five-book series paints the themes of honor, loyalty, betrayal, heroism, good and evil on the large canvas of world war, but it also develops storylines of daily life on the battlefields and at home.

It is now November 1918, years into a war that was only supposed to last months. And the war is coming to end. Members of the Reavley family --- Joseph, the army chaplain; his brother Matthew, the Secret Intelligence Service officer; and their sister Judith, the ambulance driver --- are together under dire circumstances as they strive to unmask the Peacemaker. They now have the means to find out exactly who he is and bring him to light. The Peacemaker has already cost them their parents, friends and others of importance to England.

A messenger dressed as a Swiss priest comes to see Matthew with news. They now have an ally against the Peacemaker in Germany. This man, Manfred von Schenckendorff, is willing to come across enemy lines to London and expose the Peacemaker to tell the Prime Minister. His own country will be betrayed by this decision, but he hopes his defection will help with the peace process. When Matthew is asked where Manfred should come through on the Western Front, Matthew sends him to Yrpes where Joseph is stationed. When Matthew tells Joseph what he knows, Joseph can hardly believe it and questions if it's true.

The Peacemaker has big plans for England, Germany and Europe. He has argued that the greater end justifies the smaller ugliness of his means. And he reminds the war reporter Mason of just that point when he visits. Mason takes this philosophy to mean that the Peacemaker had used means that he despised, which allows Mason to continue to sympathize with him.

Mason has been a supporter of the Peacemaker's plans because of the horrors they both experienced in the Boer War. Mason returns to the Western Front to report on the end of the war and renews his acquaintance with Judith Reavley. He has come to realize that the Peacemaker is an armchair warrior using other people's blood for his own purposes. In this case, the Peacemaker's plan is one of domination of the Western World by governments who believe as the Peacemaker does.

Meanwhile, Manfred arrives in Ypres with a bayonet injury to his foot. As Joseph and Matthew wait to take him to England, a nurse is murdered. She was a flirt and not well liked; anyone could have killed her. Was it a German prisoner? Or one of their own soldiers?

A civil policeman investigates, and the commanding officer requests Joseph's help. However, when Matthew is arrested for her murder, Joseph and Judith work together to find the real killer. In their race against time to get Manfred to London, they find evidence that frees Matthew --- only to have Manfred arrested. As they dig deeper, the private lives of the nurses and troops lead them to uncover the murderer.

With the murder solved, the three Reavleys, along with Manfred and now Mason, borrow an ambulance in order to catch a boat for London. Perils await them as they make the trip, but they arrive to see the Prime Minister. They have the necessary evidence, testimony and knowledge to identify and make their case against the Peacemaker.

Anne Perry has honored this time in history with her series. The struggles portrayed by the characters --- both those of impeccable character and those who are flawed --- are memorable. The overall series mystery of the Peacemaker's identity keeps readers on the edge of their chairs all the way to the end. The underlying tensions of a world at war bring to the audience an awareness of the costs of war, government decisions during chaotic times and the toll on humankind. WE SHALL NOT SLEEP (along with the entire series) will stay on this reviewer's shelf and is definitely worth a yearly read.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer McCord

If half of what the Doctor says in this book are true, then maybe we as fans should stop and think about who we revel as heroes and for what. Dr. Robs book is a great read, I finished it in two days, It should be said that this could apply to any team in the NFL. Al Davis loves to win and will go to any length to get there but that applys to every owner and head coach (With the exception of the Bidwill's (Arizona) of course) I find it fascinating that players go to such extremes but that is all part of the glory, The deaths of Mike Wise and Lyle Alzado remind us that the game is everything to these men and some cannot handle being without it or are a casulty of what happens when the cheering stops.

This book takes on more meaning in light of recent injuries and player's petitions for more health care after retirement. I bought it because it deals with the Raiders mostly, but the same medical issues could be from any team in the league.

Doctor Rob Huizenga (MD) puts us on the sidelines as recounts his job as team internist for the L.A. Raiders from 1983-1990. Huizenga describes what he saw, including acohol abuse, steroid use, plus how some NFL players need pain killers to get through the season. The doctor describes treating players on the sidelines, injecting them with pain killers during breaks in the actions, and arguing with the team orthopedist about the extent of player injuries. Readers may smile at the author's description of colorful defensive lineman Lyle Alzado, but not at receiver Bob Chandler's hospitalization for an injured spleen. Chandler (46) and Alzado (43) both died young, the latter attributing his cancer to steroid usage and warning others to beware. We don't know if football caused their demise, but Dr. Huizenga quit his job due to conflicts between medical ethics and the needs of his team.

This eye opening book makes us fans face the darker side of football. I liked that the author had suggestions for making the game safer, and one suspects that weight limits, better padding, and banning steroids might help.

I am in the field of sports medicine and an avid football fan. I must confess to despising the Raiders. However, this was an good book. It does give you some insight into the professional football training room, but you do have to remember that it is written by an M.D. It is smattered with the author's love of self. It is not dripping from the pages, but it did leave an off taste in my mouth. I am certain we are not getting all of the facts, and definately not both sides of the story. Still, it is mostly a good book for those interested in sports medicine or football in general.

For anyone interested in pro football and medicine this is the book for you. Not only is this book chocked full of behind the scene stories but there are enough humorous stories about some of the outrageous things that go on to fill a second book. The author also describes the problems with starting a medical practice, the lenghts teams will go to be sure their players are on the field, steroid abuse, his disgust at some of the things he witnessed. Over all the book has the propensity to change the way an individual watches pro ball. This was an informative, sometimes shocking, sometimes funny, sometimes sad account of life as a professional football player.