Windsor Books

Though like LITTLE WOMEN this is a chronicle of the lives of sisters and their mother in wartime, the resemblance virtually ends there. The setting is pre WWII Glasgow, Scotland. Although most of us imagine that mafia stories will be set in Italy or perhaps a major U.S. city such as New York, organized crime is rampant in this pastoral town, and two of the three sisters are married to mob heirs.

Polly, the eldest, lives a pampered life, yet despite this, she dances dangerously on the edge, having an affair with another man, who is in turn tempted by yet another woman. Babs is also married to a criminal, and their real father is suspected of crimes, though to all appearances he is dead. The most peaceful of the sisters is the youngest, Rosie, a deaf girl who works in, ironically, a florist's shop. However, when love enters her life, the sisters' world is rocked because he is a policeman. Young Kenny finds himself caught between two worlds, as he is falling in love with his assignment, the daughter of a criminal, though he is sworn to uphold the law. On top of that, with war with Germany looming like an advancing storm, he may be called up for active duty before he can convince Rose of his love. The sisters also face the reality that war could mean that they suffer the same fate as aliens in Scotland, since Italians have become part of their family in marriage.

***** Realistic and gritty, this novel reads like a mini series, interweaving multiple plotlines skillfully to form a whole tapestry. Like Dickens, Ms. Stirling does not scimp on the grimness of the world she has created in order to make a light read. Rosie is the most admirable of the sisters, perhaps because of her handicap that has shielded her from some of life's ugliness, making her a bit more unspoiled than they. If you want a fun read, look elsewhere; if you want something with depth and great historical value, this one is for you. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

The attractive blonde was propped up against the tree, in the rain. Nobody knew who she was or what she was doing there...but no one could miss the fact that her throat had been slashed. RCMP Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg has no clues to go on, and to make matters worse, he finds himself distracted by the local librarian, Cassandra Mitchell, and her flirtation with a visiting actor. A second murder jolts Karl back into focus, and he realises that he must identify the killer before anyone else suffers.

Wright has a gift - she can make you feel like you're right there with the characters, experiencing the events with them. Her characters are so real, and her descriptions of locations and events suck you right in! In this book, she also manages to create a fantastic sense of mystery and suspense. Time will truly fly by while you're reading this book.

Terry is a very successful con artist who is not opposed to stealing cars or other items either. Alice is an old lady who sold her house so her son and his wife could buy a better one but has been harshly treated by her daughter in law who just wanted her money and not her living with them. A car accident brings them together where Terry also meets Alice's neighbour Sue, a female version of himself although not as experienced. Who is the ultimate villain though? Who will succeed with their dreams and whose life will be ultimately be shattered. A sensational read which you will not want to put down until the final page.

I really loved this book. It had so much depth and was so unique. Recommended!

Frederick Faust, Max Brand and Evan Evans--and an assortment of other names--were one fantastic feast of American "Westerns" for me. Only Faust was a "real" person but Harrison Destry and a stageful of others became personal heroes to this then-young reader and I recall the paperback SONG OF THE WHIP as the cream of the cream--the best western I ever read!

Local historian Simone Wilson wrote this fine general history (with index) of Sonoma County in 1990. It includes chapters on "Legacy of the Past" (on the Native American peoples), "Forts and Haciendas," "Building Main Street" (the establishment of towns in the county), "Commerce in Motion" (railroads and river commerce), "Immigrants and Agriculture," "Quake to 1940" (the early years of the 20th century), and "A Toast to the Future." It also has an extensive bibliography. Glossy paper and tons of vintage photos make it a quality gift book that can be a good souvenir for visitors, as well as a staple of one's local history library.

This book is written by the former BBC correspondant for Russia who was thrown out for allegedly spying,so he knows his stuff!!! Tim Sebastian @ the height of his powers and proving to be one of the up-and-coming authors of his generation.A must.

Picture this: Parker and friends have pulled the perfect heist and Parker is holding the money till the heat cools down. Then an AMATEUR sneaks in, kills Parker's girl friend of the moment, finds and takes the stash, takes a couple of shots at Parker, and sets him up as the patsy for the murder. --- Parker is less than pleased.

From here on in it is non-stop action with all seven members of Parker's team hunting down the Amateur (who has a phobic fear of gunfire-someone else's, that is.) The cops get in the act and chase everyone while the body count rises.

Parker's partners are well drawn and each is sharply defined. By getting to know them, like in many Parker novels, you find yourself rooting for the bad guys. "The Split" like "Slayground" is almost total action, but Stark somehow gives us a sense of people and place, on the fly as it were. The Amateur, who is being stalked relentlessly, pauses for breath and thinks, "That's what death is; getting your heel caught in a crack of time."

This is an elegant, dark side of Donald Westlake. He should write the manual on anti-heroes. Highly recommended.

I happened to pick this book up in Portugal while there on vacation. I used to be an avid reader but like everything else, I lost time to endulge in this pleasure!
The book was laying amongst a lot of other dicarded books and the cover caught my eye.
From the first page on, I was hooked. It is funny, lots of characters to follow without being difficult, lots of laughs! I liked it so much I brought it back to Canada with me and now I am on the hunt for the rest of Jill Mansell's books.
I would reccommend her books to anyone who likes a good, funny and romantic story. There is nothing in this book that is offending and no violence!
Thank you Ms Mansell for giving me back the ability to MAKE TIME TO READ.
Janet Brito
Vancouver
Canada

This is a gem of a mystery in the amateur-female gumshoe field. Tucker has fashioned a solid, engrossing plot, a unique setting (rural and borderline redneck Ohio), a small cast of believable characters, and a strong, distinctive heroine. It's one of the few mysteries I've read that don't overwhelm you with too many red herrings, yet present just enough information to make the puzzle challenging. It even has a great canine character too!