Perry Books

Abandoned by her father, Necie Bramhall has dedicated her life to bring down everything he stands for. She is a DEA Agent and he is a drug lord. On the day she succeeds in capturing him, she looks forward to going forward with her life. Sadly, it is not meant to be.

Her whole life Maria Barnes has hated Necie, the half-sister she could never compare to. After her father's arrest, she decides it is time to do something about her feelings. Maria will destroy her sister, one aspect of Necie's life at a time.

Necie will need her estranged father's help to get her daughter, and her life back. Her greatest enemy may just be her only saving grace.

An intense thriller, Paint it Black, starts fast and keeps the pace flowing. Ms. Perry writes, with grace and fervor, the characters of an incredibly dysfunctional family. She maintains the suspense from the first to last chapter, throwing in some extra twists and turns that keep the reader entertained and wanting more.

Emma
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Denise is a DEA officer bent on revenge against the drug-lord father she thought deserted her and her mother when she was young. She thought his arrest would give her satisfaction. Unfortunately, it is just the beginning of her problems. She has a half-sister Maria, who is bent on her own revenge for the arrest of their father.

I liked this book. It was fast moving. All does not go well for the heroine. She is unhappy in her marriage, she struggles with demands of work and family life. Her interactions with her co-workers are engaging. They are a close knit group and I felt the caring and love they felt for each other. There was a perfect balance between the romance and suspense.

Why didn't I give it 5 stars? There is a rape scene and that seemed to change the rhythm of the book. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

**********SPOILER*************


It was bad enough that the hero of the piece was raped, but to subject his character, as well as the readers to ''issue'' from said rape, was vile, unsettling, and completely unecessary. And the heroine's all too simplistic ''advice'' to the hero in acceptance of said ''issue'' was shamefully unrealistic. The ending left an opening for a sequel, that I frankly could have done without. Dealing with the ramifications of a rape in a relationship would have been suffice. I don't know why Ms.Perry would want to prolong that ''ugliness' throughout another novel.

Again, I thoroughly enjoyed this book until it's very disappointing end.

This isn't a book I'd have normally purchased, but I picked it up on a recommendation and I'm glad I did. It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other. The author really made it easy to get inside their heads.

The story is about Necie, a DEA agent in a loveless marriage. She tries to stick it out for the sake of her 6-year-old daughter, but as her husband's drinking problem gets worse and he becomes abusive, she files for divorce. As if that's not stressful enough, her best friend and partner, Cougar, is in love with her and, recently she's started to have romantic feelings toward him as well (though they don't act on them until she's divorced).

When Necie and Cougar arrest Necie's estranged drug-dealer father, she incites the wrath of her half-sister, who sets out to destroy Necie's life and ruin everything she holds dear.

This was a great, action-packed book, very well written and easy to read. My only complaint is that the ending seemed a bit rushed to me. I'd have like the book to be about 20 pages longer, but it didn't bother me enough to drop the star rating to a 4.

I bought this book ater reading about it on the Romance Forum and i am so thrilled that i did..this book was THE best romantic suspense thriller that i have read in a looong time.

I had previously purchased "In Enemy Hands" by the same authour and i couldn't even finish it,IMO there was no character depth and they didn't grab me at all.
THIS book however had me in by the second page and didn't lose me for a minute.

All the main characters were not cudboard cutouts but seemed "real" to me and i cared what happened to them.
Cougar was an awesome hero,you get an insight into his family life in an adorable phonecall with his mum..and see a beautiful,alpha man with a sense of humour,sex appeal AND a softer side (i want one)

The suspense was thrilling without being too scary.
I was most impressed with the emotional depth to the story and i did cry at one point and laughed out loud a few time (makes it an automatic 5 stars in my book!) which is rare in a romantic suspense novel.

Bravo Ms Perry - i will definitely be buying your next book (and hoping for Angel's story!)

I like Laurel a lot. She's a great role model which is something not many Young adult novels have these days. She's a great Christian but I have to say one thing I don't like about her: She's kind of self righteous. I mean she thinks her own friends are spoiled and kind of carries around a holier than thou attitude.

Purity Reigns is about trusting God and prayer. You have to believe God for whatever you need. Mrs. Moore also lets us know that sex is not the way to go.

Foster is a very good example of a good Christian. He is always there for Laurel whenever she is in trouble. Purity Reigns is a very good book. It touched my heart and my soul. I hope that Mrs. Moore continues to write more of these books.

Reviewed by: Lauren
OOSA's Teen Reviewer

I picked up this book and read it in 3 days. It was a wonderful story of a teenagers life and the things she faces!! I couldnt wait to get home from school just so I could pick up this book again. There was only one thing that I did not enjoy and that was Laurel finds the perfect man at the end of the story. He is so perfect that no other boy could ever conpare. I think the author should have been a little more realistic and guys. I do think that this is a book that every girl should read. It reminded me that I need to stay close to God no matter what.

This book was awesome. The typical teenage life of Laurel is easy to relate to. As she struggles with her faith, you learn with her. This book taught me new things about God. Even if you are not a Christian, I definately recommend it! The plot is good, and God just might tell you something. Read it today.

Laurel Shadrach is a teen who is being pressure to take her relationship with her boyfriend to the next level. Because of her strong faith and reliance on God (she prays a lot!) and relationships with other adults, she works through her struggles. The reader gets to feel Laurel's pain and uncertainty with every prayer and conversation. Another book you might want to check out is If I'd Only Known... by Edee Wilcox. The main character doesn't seek God until after her decision of moving to the next level has been made, so it offers somewhat of a different perspective. Both books are quick to read and keep you interested.

Story is interesting but not mind blowing. Still, worth a look.

This is Perry Sachs book #2, so I realize that I'm a little bit behind on a few Gansky thrillers. I guess I always have some catching up to do. But this was great! For me it took a few pages for this to pick up, but once it did it happened rather nicely. So, if you happened to read "A Treasure Deep," then you can expect appearances from Jack Dyson, Gleason, and if you know Gansky's writing, a few surprises. With a title such as "Beneath the Ice," it isn't a shock that Antarctica is the setting for this, HMM, (how exactly do you put it?) CHILLER THRILLER!

So, as the title obviously suggests, there IS something beneath the ice, and Perry and his crew just might be the ones to discover it. I probably made the mistake of picking this up in the beginning of Fall, so I guess the chills of Winter won't hit me too bad. The question is, what is beneath that ice? Some suggest a pyramid, some a ziggurat. What's the difference, let what alone is a ZIGGURAT? Read it and find out. It really is quite interesting. What you can't really get past with Gansky is this: There will be adversity! And it won't be pretty either. This also has the undertone of idol worship in it. In The Bible, there were a lot of false gods, and Marduk is the focus of the enemy in this. Gansky happens to mention Baal, which I give him credit for. Baal was notorious for hideous things. Baal Molech was specifically hideous. SO, to not really give anything away, this might be a reminder to some the first commandment... YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME! This also spoke to me as a message of doing your best for our Father, despite the circumstances.

Alton Gansky has done it again! You can never accuse him of cooking up a boring plot, and if you DO accuse him, you most likely won't prove it. If I were to compare this to a meal, I'd say that frostbite would easily be the main course, with plenty of chills to tease the appetite! Finish the meal, and you just might get some pie for dessert. Hey, with all things considered, it goes down pretty well. Awesome job!

Overall a good book and a well done continuation of the Sach's Engineering group. If you've read the first in the series "A Treasure Deep" you've got to admit Perry and his crew are a great group of guys. Their dedication to the job, one another and to Christ makes for a real catechism between themselves and the bad element in the book. Alton Gansky weaves a compelling story and once it gets going it's quite a page turner. My problem with the story is that the bad guys were a bit over-the-top. Did they really need to be involved in a world-wide conspiracy? Couldn't they have just been a cult of evil that had money and a goal to resurrect their god? If you think about it did they really have a chance of getting away with their plan? I don't think so. Common sense aside it's a fun book, Jack is hilarious as usual, Perry is a strong leader and the characters make for a very good book. Read it under a blanket while drinking hot tea...it's a really cold story.

This is first book I have read by Alton Gansky, but based on how much I enjoyed this one it will not be the last. I picked it up to use some time on an airplane flight recently and was so captured by the story I quickly finished it from home.

The book starts with a discovery of a building under thousands of feet of ice in Antarctica, which was just a coincidence given that the research team was there to try and understand why an underground (under ice?) lake was expanding. So, from the outset you are wondering which direction the book would take? Global warming? UFO discovery? Scientific exploration?

I will not spoil the plot further by giving away the story, but suffice it to say that you will enjoy the book. The main characters are depicted with some depth to give the story realism and the action and suspense never stop. By combining ancient religious beliefs, modern technology and discovery into secret societies and infiltration all the way to the White House, it has all the makings of a great mystery thriller. You can't ask for more than that. Well written, and enjoyable. When is the movie coming?

except for the irritating inconsistancies and inaccuracies in the author's descriptions of the aircraft used in the story. Granted, these would go unnoticed by many readers but I am an avid aviation enthusiast (some would say "nut") and these things bother me and show a lack of technical research done by the writer. Specifically, he mentions the C-5 Galaxy cargo plane numerous times. For one thing he describes it as being ski-equipped for landing on the ice. First, no C-5 I'm aware of has ever been equipped with skis. I have seen pictures of real ones having landed on the Antarctic ice and they use their wheels. Besides the stuctural and aerodynamic complications of equipping such a huge aircraft with skis, imagine the results of landing on a conventional runway when it returned to it's base! Even worse, several times in the book he describes the C-5 as being propeller driven! That is inexcusable. OK, many reading this will think I'm being picky, and you may be right, but the little things are what seperate a good book from an excellent book.

That rant aside, I will admit that I am a big fan of Gansky's books and this is definitly a page turner. Highly recommended!

I've had trouble getting through most Perry Mason mysteries I've read in the past; none of them managed to "pull" me into the plot like Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe, Spenser or even Ellery Queen stories always seem to do.

This one was the exception to that case, perhaps it was because it involved a parrot. Actually, it involved not one, not two, but three parrots.

They play a key role, used in a manner similar to the "old shell game" - except with parrots.

The story involves the murder of wealthy businessman Fremont Sabin, who may or may not have been killed before a divorce from his wife went through. Several clues point to the fact he may even have been committing bigamy. As usual, all his heirs are fighting over the issue, especially given the fact there is no will.

The parrot angle involves Sabin's beloved pet parrot Casanova, found at the scene of the crime. However, it becomes apparent a switch was made by someone (the murderer? one of his wives? Sabin himself?) as the parrot found at the scene proves to be a foul-mouthed imposter, and there does not seem to be any rational explanation as to why a switch was made, or where the real Casanova may have gone.

Pretty soon, Mason is playing musical parrots himself to help solve the case. One of them (the real one? an imposter?) keeps repeating the phrase, "Put down that gun, Helen! Don't shoot! My God, you've shot me!"

Helen is the name of both the wife Sabin tried to divorce and a woman with whom he may have committed bigamy.

There are plenty of other twists and turns and although I figured out one aspect of the story before the climax, I did miss figuring out the identity of the murderer. All in all, it's a good little page-turner, especially if you like parrots.

The hook was baited. Mason was summoned from the dead of night to his office, where he received $2,000 in cash, and the small end of a $10,000 bill. The client was a masked woman, and he had no way of knowing who she was, and how to prepare her defense.

Mason stumbles around trying to figure out how to protect his mystery client. Then even after he unmasks his client, he finds himself the victim of a frame-up by a suspect who tells a story which the district attorney is happy to believe.

In The Case Of The Perjured Parrot, an eccentric millionaire is found murdered in his mountain cabin, his parrot loose from it's cage. Famous Lawyer Perry Mason is hired to represent the victim's son, who expects an inheritance battle with his father's ex-wife, Helen Sabin. Mason, his competent secretary Della Street, and Private Eye Paul Drake investigate, turning up another parrot in the home of another woman named Helen -- Helen Monteith. And this parrot repeats the phrase: "Drop the gun, Helen . . . Don't shoot . . . My God, you've shot me." Mason decides to protect this second Helen, and has Della take her away. The police, as yet unaware of the second parrot, find that the murder weapon came from Helen Monteith's work place, and accuse her of the murder. She claims to have been married to the victim recently, though his divorce wasn't final. She knew nothing about his other marriage.

This one is very well-written and readable, a real page-turner. The set up is very effective, keeps you reading to figure it out, and Mason's final solution of the case depends more on the clues than on breaking down witnesses like on the TV shows. There's also another big plot twist at the end, other than the murder revelation. The conclusion is consistent with the clues yet surprising, not a disappointment in any way.

A masked woman, a third-part of a ten thousand bill, a dubious deal and a nice murder (of course!): these are the elements in yet another great case in which Perry Mason displays his astonishing abilities to unveil the truth. Alibi analysis is fundamental in this one!

This is the 30th Perry Mason novel I've read (the 14th in the series), and it's the best one so far! A spinster librarian finds love. He's a bit older than her and unemployed, but he's such a wonderful man that she marries him and enjoys the happiest months of her life. But alas, when he is found murdered in their honeymoon cabin, she discovers his real identity--that he was actually a multimillionaire who was married to another woman. Such betrayal! and all the evidence points to her as the murderer, including a parrot who repeats the murder dialog over and over again. And everyone but her has an ironclad alibi for the time of the murder. I won't give away the solution, except to say that it's so good that you'll want to study cinema just to bring it to the screen.

Lawyer Perry Mason knows there's something funny about this case. Nobody is going to hire an attorney famous for criminal defense work if they really want to minimize publicity. But that's the story when he's asked to help an apparent amnesia victim who claims to remember nothing for a mysterious two week period--a period which, it turns out, included the death of her boyfriend, or husband, or exactly what isn't clear. What is clear is that District Attorney Hamilton Burger is sure he's going to win this case. Unfortunately for Mason's track record, Mason suspects that Burger just might be right, this time.

Perry Mason brings in private investigator Paul Drake and tries to find evidence that will clear his client. He finds plenty of evidence all right--including a treasure of jewels hidden in the amnesiac's luggage. Unfortunately, everything he finds seems merely to nail the coffin tighter around beautiful Elanor Corbin (Hepner). Mason is stumped, and when he can't come up with a case of his own, he starts looking for loose ends in the prosecution case. Still, even the most clever cross-examination can only do so much in an open-and-shut case like this--right?

Author Erle Stanley Gardner combines courtroom theatrics with solid investigation (using techniques such as ultraviolet light and metal detectors that were state of the art for the 1950s when this book was written) to produce an enjoyable mystery. Mason is slightly pompous, but less so than his adversary, the District Attorney. Sidekick Della Street has a definite appeal of her own--and a snappish personality that will definitely bring a smile to the reader.

Gardner's story is certainly a product of the 1950s. Race doesn't seem to exist, women are universally emotional and prone to outbursts (and definitely not attorneys or judges), and people smuggle gems as they cruise between Europe and the United States. Still, finding the truth trumps these limitations--even as they provide a useful look into a past that never really was.

This book, like all of the other Perry Mason books, far succeed their t.v. counterpart. This book was very good and surprising. It's always interesting to find out whodunit. It's never the one you think it is. Great read. Highly recommended.

The Case of the Glamorous Ghost, by Erle Stanley Gardner

The `Foreword' dedicated this book to George Burgess Magrath, M.D. who blazed a trail in homicide investigations that many have followed to examine unexplained deaths. Dr. Magrath's devotion to the truth was his greatest contribution.

A young woman was seen in the park late at night, nearly nude. The police were called, and find the woman, an apparent amnesia victim. Della shows Perry this news article, then tells him the half-sister wants Perry to represent Eleanor Corbin, the subject of that story. The half-sister warns Perry that Eleanor must be in another jam, after taking off with Douglas Hepner two weeks ago. We learn that Eleanor met Douglas on a return cruise from Europe, and their family is wealthy.

Eleanor tells Perry that she married Douglas, they were in an automobile accident, and she remembers nothing. But Douglas has disappeared and can't be found. The investigation finds out a number of hidden facts in the background of this newly married couple. But were they in fact married? Other statements don't check out, and lead to new people who are connected to this pair. Soon a dead body shows up, and the found evidence points to Eleanor. Her story sounds incrimination, and her only witness is the murder victim! But Perry figures out where the loose ends are, and unravels the cloak over the mystery in order to free his client. Like other stories, one fact leads to another until the case is closed. The innocent is cleared, the guilty are revealed in another dramatic court trial. Another example where murder is used to try to hide other crimes. Note how Perry draws the right conclusion from the contents of the dead man's pockets.

This one isn't Perry Mason's most riveting case, but the unlikely opening gambit of an [unclothed] ghost in the park hooks the reader quickly, and as with most of Gardner's books the surprises come fast and furious. I figured out most of the case (for a change) before Perry unraveled the rest of it for me. If you have an hour to while away on a plane or a beach or just over lunch, this book is an enjoyable, though not brilliant, companion.

Erle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) wrote more than one hundred novels over the course of his long career. A trail lawyer himself, Gardner's best known creation was Perry Mason, a flamboyant criminal defense attorney who earns his large fees by virtue of a remarkable talent for using the law to uncover the truth on the witness stand.

Gardner was at the peak of his powers during the 1950s, and THE CASE OF THE GLAMOROUS GHOST, published in 1955, is a very sharply written and very clever work. Written in a staccato, dialogue-heavy style that recalls the works of Hammett, it offers the story of Eleanor Corbin--a flighty young woman with a history of getting into "scrapes." And her current one is a dilly: Eleanor has been arrested for wandering around a park in a nearly naked state. Mason steps in at the request of her mortified family in an effort to control both Eleanor and the press... but when the headlines break it isn't long before Eleanor finds herself on trial for murder.

GHOST has a particularly complicated plot that ranges from lying clients to blackmail to smuggling, but Gardner is adept at keeping every element in the air until the last few pages, at which point they all click into place with unexpected logic. Although laws--and certainly police procedure and forensics--have changed a great deal since this novel was first published, it is a tremendous amount of fun from start to finish. Among Gardner's best. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I've read quite a few of the Perry Mason books, and this wasn't one of his best. I like the courtroom drama, and that was shorter than usual in this book. There is some interesting interplay between Perry and Della, though. For those who have not read these books, they're a lot of fun, and Perry is quite the dashing bachelor with the dramatic flair in the courtroom that is so much fun to read.

If you like the usual whirl with Perry, Della, and Paul, then this is one of the early-1950's classics. Great period feel and just the right touch of LA 50's sleaze to remind you of the grit that the best ESG work can have.

The `Foreword' is dedicated to Dr. Robert P. Brittain, barrister and doctor of medicine. Harvard Medical School holds a class that covers everything pertaining to murder, from detection to an actual post-mortem. Its purpose is to educate police officers so they can do a better job in detecting criminals. Dr. Brittain is one of the teachers. Whenever an innocent man is convicted it leaves a guilty party free to menace society. [This 1950 book cannot be referencing the Marilyn Sheppard murder.]

Chapter 1 begins in a long-gone environment: an urban downtown busy with people. A woman calls Perry Mason and inquires about a package. When she sees a man enter the drugstore she drops the phone and leaves the booth. Perry and Della are dining out. A cigarette girl tells them about what happened to her child. Perry notes this event, and later is given a package. Perry then visits the name given by that woman (Chapter 2). Perry and Della meet M. D. Carlin to give him the message; Carlin says he knows nothing. But Della and Perry don't believe him, and take action. The private detectives watching the Carlin house report a fire, so Perry shows up to investigate (Chapter 4). Later a telephone call tells Paul Drake and Perry that a body was found after the fire was extinguished. It matches M. D. Carlin, and Lt. Tragg is on the job. Perry surmises about the woman who telephoned him, and asks Paul to find this unknown person (Chapter 6).

Paul Drake gets the names of customers at that nightclub. Perry visits the one living close to that drugstore, then asks Paul to have Arthman D. Fargo watched. Perry returns with Della to look at Fargo's house as prospective buyers. They find a dead body, and Lt. Tragg finds them (Chapter 10). Perry's fingerprints are found on Fargo's safe (from his earlier visit), and Lt. Tragg asks if Perry removed any paper from that safe (Chapter 11). Paul Drake gets the name of Arthman Fargo's girlfriend Celine Gilson and Perry goes to question her. [This tells about life in Los Angeles.] The conversation ends when Lt. Tragg shows up (Chapter 12). Perry learns that Mrs. Fargo is on a bus to Sacramento, and arranges to meet the bus in Stockton with operatives to question the passengers (Chapter 13). Myrtle Fargo denies making that telephone call, but Della notices something. The police take Myrtle away, and Paul Drake calls with bad news: witnesses who identify Myrtle and contradict her alibi (Chapter 14)! In Chapter 15 Perry sums up the case, and comments about eye-witness identification.

Myrtle Fargo continues to deny calling Perry or sending the package, but asks him to represent her. Perry will raise the issue of reasonable doubt (Chapter 16). Perry learns that Celinda Gilson was married to the headwaiter at that restaurant (Chapter 17). Chapter 18 tells that the general public, who read the newspapers, was convinced that Myrtle Fargo was guilty as sin. Perry points out that showing pictures of the defendant to a witness was followed by the identification in a line-up. Perry's cross-examination of Mrs. Newton Maynard is the high point in this chapter. Then Perry's subpoenaed witness testifies about the repaired glasses. In Chapter 19 Perry reconsiders the events at that nightclub, and comes up with an idea to spoof a witness. Perry visits this witness, converses, then gets a big surprise (Chapter 20)! This witness tells about the racket that is behind the crimes. In Chapter 23 Perry asks Mrs. Maynard to test her eyesight by identifying a person in court; she does this, but reveals a fact that helps to clear Perry's client of the murder charge. Perry explains it all in the last chapter.

A client sends over a mysterious retainer and then (apparently) denies being Perry's client. Another man turns up dead, and then another. Perry Mason's fingerprints are all over the case. Della is bemused; Tragg is furious; Perry has to penetrate the mystery to find out what really happened and clear his name.

Although Gardners writes as stylishly as ever, the plot is this time slightly thinner than usual. All the same, if you are already a Mason fan or are in the mood for a breezy, fun read then The Case of the One-Eyed Witness is a good choice for you.

36th Perry Mason Mystery written in 1950. Openings of Mason Mysteries are always strange, but this book's opening is rather unusual. When Mason has a pleasant time at a night club, he receives a phone call from an anonymous woman who urgently asks his help for a seemingly not-so-urgent matter. Mason ordinarily tosses away such an anonymous request, but he is moved by the woman's frantic, horrified tone.

At last, Mason traces a highly likely woman, but she stubbornly denies that she called him. WHY? This riddle is the most interesting in this book. The answer doesn't fail my expectation. And the meaning of the "One-Eyed Witness" is not so simple such as the witness has a bad eyesight. That doesn't fail my expectation, either.

A sensational collection of short stories with great female characters by leading authors including Connelly, Deaver, McBain, Lippmann, Leonard, Perry. Like all compilation collections by different authors you have superb masterpieces along with stories which aren't that great. There are enough masterpieces within though to make Dangerous Women a must read!

The first story Improvisation by Ed McBain starts of with the response by a beautiful blonde (Jessica) to a guy's (Will) bar pickup line of "What do we do for a little excitement tonight?" "Why don't we kill somebody?" Will thinks she's flirting and as she pints out an unattractive loner woman to be the victim he suggests ways how they do this then still thinking its all a game asks the victim to join them.

Improvisation is not the only masterpiece within. Laura Lippman's Dear Penthouse Forum (A First Draft) has a stranded passenger who needs to sleep overnight in the terminal being offered money for a hotel by an older good samaritan lady which his conscience just won't let him take. She then offers him to stay in her guestroom at her nearby house he decides he can do this since he'll give the lonely woman certain favours in return.

Rendevous by Nelson De Mille has a Vietnam veteran recounts the tale of a beautiful sniper who targets the squad he led on patrol as lieutenant and they feared more than any male counterpart.

Ian Rainkin's Soft Spot has a pathetic prison censor named Denis who reads all incoming and outgoing mail. Like all the guards he would like a piece of the beautiful Selina who is the wife or jailed mobster Blaine. Becoming obsessed with her he learns she is having an affair and is selling Blaine's house obviously about to do a runner. He may well be able to blackmail her for his pleasure to keep certain things from her husband.

Born Bad by Jeffry Deaver has a daughter who never got along with her parents who chose never to raise a hand to discipline her. As she got older they became more and more disappointed in her rebellious lifestyle. Now she is grown up, the mother is a widow and has tracked down her daughter. The daughter has accepted to see her but the mother does not know if she has accepted because she has turned her life around or if the rage has developed further and she will want to kill her.

If you enjoyed this collection and are looking for more sensational books with great female characters also check out either the Jessica Jones or Anna Fehrbach series by Christopher Nicole. Gerald Hammond has also written his fair share of great female leads. Kate White's Bailey Wiggins character is another series worth checking out as well.

With a few exceptions, I am disappointed in this collection of shorts. Great concept but what a bunch of lousy submissions apart from Jeffery Deaver's 'Born Bad'. The book is worth it just for this story.

Did these, for the most part well known and highly regarded writers, do a quickie favor for the editor? It would appear so. The average reader will be able to guess at the ending about a paragraph into the story. Second, the "dangerous women" seem to be stuck on sadism against men originating in lack of or too much of - you got it, sex. And finally, apart from one or two selections, the shorts derive their plot line from mainly noirish elements...cops, tough guys...bleak urban landscapes, and yes...dangerous femmes fatales...give me a break.

You want dangerous women? See Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity or read the novel by James Cain.

Dangerous Women is an audiobook anthology of original short stories featuring femme fatales and deadly anti-heroines. Some written in the spirit of ancient legends, others very much owing their heritage to modern popular culture, these women range from seductive to murderous to superbly manipulative. Featuring stories by Ed McBain, Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Connelly, and many more, these suspenseful tails are sure to keep the listener guessing about what's in store - whether for the predatory female or the males who come too close. 10 CDs, approximately 11.5 hours, unabridged.

Otto Penzler has knows how to build to a climax, that's for sure, and of all the hot noir anthologies he's put together, this could be the best. Kudos for stating the obvious (aren't all women dangerous?).

Two of the stories in this anthology (BORN BAD & HIS LORD AND MASTER) are up for Edgar Awards in 2006, and that's just the tip of the...iceberg, so to speak. Laura Lippman's story might be my personal fave, but then again I AM a girl and many men would not be up to this one - be forewarned, boys. Nelson DeMille's story is fabulous. So is Elmore Leonard's. Come to think of it, I didn't meet a story in this book that I did not like.

The writing is fabulous and groundbreaking from start to finish. The entire book is brimming with great writing and sometimes disturbingly surprising sensual undertones.

Incredible here-and-now entertainment of the though-provoking kind. Highly recommended.

Having learned to trust editor Penzler's tastes over the years through reading installments of The Best American Mystery Stories and The Best American Crime Writing, and such memorable anthologies as Murder For Revenge and Murder and Obsession, I eagerly anticipated reading his latest offering, Dangerous Women. After reading the first few tales, I knew the master hadn't lost his touch. Of course, when you're dealing with the work of writers of the stature of Ed McBain ("Improvisation"), Joyce Carol Oates ("Give Me Your Heart"), Elmore Leonard ("Loudly and Pretty Boy"), and Nelson DeMille ("Rendezvous"), it's hard to go wrong.

Although the "old dependables" above deliver some truly memorable tales (DeMille's entry, about a female Vietcong sniper, is especially gripping), they by no means outshine any of the other thirteen stories, including Michael Connelly's "Cielo Azul," featuring his popular characters Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb, Jeffrey Deaver's surprising "Born Bad," Anne Perry's oddly touching "Sneaker Wave," and John Connelly's macabre "Mr. Gray's Folly." Penzler delivers plenty of variety, enough to satisfy almost any taste.

In his introduction, reflecting on Sherlock Holmes' and Nero Wolfe's views on women, the editor notes:

"...neither Holmes nor Wolfe ever met the dangerous women on these pages. They would have been shocked and appalled. But, as I predict you, too, will be, they would have been fascinated."

Penzler's prediction is entirely accurate. Acknowledging that it's still very early in the year, I'd have to say that he's compiled a certain contender for Best Anthology of 2005.

This is the thirteenth outing for Inspector Thomas Pitt of the Metropolitan Police in London of 1890 -- and also his last before being promoted to Superintendent of the Bow Street station. The social theme this time (Perry always includes one) is the superstitious viciousness of Victorian antisemitism and the violence that sometimes resulted. Five years before, a gentleman was not only murdered in a blacksmith's yard at night, he was crucified to the stable door with horseshoe nails. Only a Jew would do that, right? Public horror, combined with a rush to judgment on the part of the police and the courts, results in the hanging of an actor whose sister has been agitating ever since to prove him innocent. Then Pitt nearly witnesses the death by poisoning of one of the appeals court judges at the theatre one evening, and the whole thing has to be reopened, whether anyone likes it or not. His wife, Charlotte, takes part together with her mother, Caroline (sister Emily is off in the country, pregnant) -- who has also developed an unfortunate attachment to another Jewish actor, about which Charlotte is naturally upset. The investigation of what eventually becomes three murders is interestingly done -- and without the deus ex machina of the Inner Circle, this time.

Anne Perry always astounds with her inticate yet warmly drawn characters and plots. This story is a BEST on my list -her writing always satisfies, and educates. I am amazed at the talent of this woman.

If you are looking for a good book, I suggest getting this book, because I have only read 2 chapters and I am already captivated! I also suggest a book by Jill Jones, Bloodline, WHICH IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!

The murder of a judge is wittnessed by the Pitts. It leads Thomas to open a five year old case, a murder for which a man was hung. Step by step the author leads us through a 19th century maze of prejudices and social barriers. An additional murder ups the stakes. Charlotte has her own problems. her mother has fallen in love with a Jewish actor fifteen years her junior and to make matters worst he is a suspect in the murders. As always Anne Perry is letter perfect in her depiction of the period. Her plot is particularly puzzling. I enjoyed the twists.I highly recommend this book.

This novel is somewhat slow reading, perhaps because there seems to be an excess of extraneous details, e.g., you may learn more than you want about baking fruitcakes. On the other hand, some details related to the case never seem to be fully explained. The plot is somewhat transparent for a whodunit, i.e., you can guess the identity of villains before they are exposed.

The setting is London in 1889. Five years earlier a brutal murder had outraged the public. Police were previously criticized for not catching Jack the Ripper. Pressures for an arrest in this case led to the conviction and hanging of a Jewish actor. Anti-semitism had run high with attacks on Jews and Jewish owned businesses. Now questions have been raised.

A Justice who had served on the appeals court for the case is looking into it again. When he dies during a theatre performance, Inspector Thomas Pitt is assigned to investigate, and he re-examines the old case the Justice was reviewing. There is strong pressure not to rock the boat. A reversal in the five-year old case would embarass many people from individual policemen to Justices of the appeals court. Some surprising facts are revealed as the case draws to its conclusion. As a sidelight, Charlotte's maid Gracie acquires a young admirer.

Like other novels in this series, we are provided with a picture of Victorian era society in London. The novel has some amount of violence and some references to sexual encounters.

i loved the book so much that if i hadn't bought it i would have bought it again. my family said i turned into a vampire while i read it because i didnt go to sleep for 2 days because all i did was eat and read. if you havent bought this book you should buy it now.

I liked it! I dont particularly like combined alien predator stories, or stories in that series that are too futuristic. I like contemporary Earth setting and a person taking on preds (like the original film). This book delivered.

Here is why I did not give it five stars: I think it should have been discovered that her brother was killed by preds instead of bears, that would have been more interesting. Also, an ending where a bunch of the predator's friends show up to congradulate the main character sort of like what happened at the end of predator 2 would have been neat!

For anyone that seems to not think this is a great Predator novel, I think you're missing the point here. Yeah, it's not all about the predators hunting and deals with humans a lot, but this is a complete homage to the first movie.

We get an ex-marine sniper who knows how to hunt with the best of them, loaded with the latest and greatest technology, who is a survivalist at heart and can take on the best and baddest. He's basically Dutch at 60.

We get to see a new spin on what made the first movie so great, a fight between man and Predator on a somewhat level playing field. Rather than an all out shoot em up, this takes some great setups and trap tactics to tell a very convincing story about how most of us would love to live through.

Regardless, this story has great characters that you actually feel for by the end and some really neat ideas of how this type of battle would go down. If you remotely like any other novels in these series (Aliens as well), this is a must buy.

Not to mention Perry and daughter have been writing these things for years.

Plain and simple: former Marine sniper, Sloane is now a park ranger in Alaska. A group of poachers are in his park taking a toll on the bears for blackmarket resale purposes. Mary shows up to visit the death site of her brother. Meanwhile the predators are having their Hunt on the bears but then focuses on the humans too. This is more a book about an old sniper taking out pent up aggressions on the poachers and the predators are bit players at best in this outing. I didn't mind the story but it could have been much better without Mary and with some more predator side action (describe a few Hunting scens for them please). This is a bit like the mini-series comics put out by Dark Horse Comics in the late 90s. Its alright but definitely need more predator action.

Rating 2.5 is what we have given this newest novel since we've been a big fan of Steve Perry's writing for a long time since his once highly-acclaimed Matador series days.

But for a duo franchise that Predator and Aliens needs, unfortunately Steve and his daughter produced twin stinkers here. (What happened to this once great writer?)

Sure it is in an exotic setting of Alaska. Sure the storyline is quite simple, and does have some inventive and different takes for the Predator Hunt. Having an old sniper go against a small group of Predators was cool.

But having the Predators barely in it at all was a huge mistake. Kodiak bears play a more major role in this book than what the bloody book title suggests its Supposed to be! Predators! Weak character development here.

I guess John Shirley is the only writer here to step up and write solid outings in both franchises. The next Predator novel will have a new addition to the writers of the Predator franchise.

Lets hope he does a more solid and imaginative job that this franchise desperately needs. Hollywood is destroying both franchises, and now it seems the small team of writers besides Shirley are doing the same.

I'm sorry Mr. Perry, but you lost your edge here.