Windsor Books

I don't know why or how, but somehow I managed to go 27 years without reading Georgette Heyer. Thankfully, that has been remedied. Friday's Child was the first book of Heyer's that I picked up, and it sold me on all of her others.

Heyer's writing is so much fun. There were times when I laughed outloud. The book is obviously well-researched and manages to pull off the jargon of the time-period without it sounding forced. The characters are really well-done. It is amazing how much emotion they illicited from me. First I hated them for being dumb, then I pitied them, then I loved them. Heyer was a true story-teller. I am in awe!

As an avid regency era reader, i have read most of georgette heyers books, but this one (and Cotillion) is by far my favorite. It has many unexpected twists and turns, and not just another copy cat plot. Most of the romance stories I read have a predictable plot they meet each other and after a few minor set-backs agree they are the only two people for each other. Fridays Child is on a whole other level. Upon being rejected in love Lord Sherringham marries the first lady he meets on a whim, his young country bride ends up getting in hysterical scrapes that he has to get her out of. But does he really love her, when he married her to spite another?

I won't go through a general review of this book, except to say that although it is a great book, I preferred Cotillion. The story lines are very similar, but I found the hero in Cotillion (Freddy) more likeable than the hero in Friday's Child (Sherry). Also, you get to see more of Freddy's falling in love than you do of Sherry's.

Friday's Child is the perfect introduction to anyone who wants to give Heyer a try. Can a book just be too cute for words? Friday's Child is definitely a "cute" read with lovely characters and a story that had me laughing from beginning to end. There are no undercover spies or evil villains popping up to do the hero and heroine in. This is simply a story about a man who marries a childhood friend for convenience. The fun in reading is seeing him come to his senses as he falls in love with his precious wife.

Lord Anthony Sheringham has decided it is time for him to marry and he believes he has found the right woman. Her name is Bella Milbourne and she has been nicknamed the Incomparable by the Ton. Sheringham, or Sherry, as his close friends call him, has known Bella since they were children. He loves her, or so he tricks himself into believing. If Bella marries him, he will come into his inheritance and out from under the thumb of his uncle who he can't stand. Bella holds Sherry in great affection but turns him down because she longs for another. Sherry's pride is hurt and promises to marry the first woman he sees, which happens to be a very young, penniless orphan, Hero Wantage.

Hero is very starry eyed around Sherry, ever since they were children, and she thinks he is so very perfect. Sherry puffs up whenever he is around Hero because she praises his various virtues.

When Hero tells Sherry she is about to be cast out from her aunt's house and must either become a governess or marry the horrid local curate, Sherry decides to save Hero and marry her himself! Sherry has always gotten along very well with Hero and will take care of her as long as she doesn't cling to him to him too much and allows him the same freedom he had when he was a bachelor. Sherry gives Hero a new nickname, of Kitten since she reminds him of one.

Soon Sherry marries Hero. Sherry doesn't keep Hero hidden away, and even introduces her to his various other bachelor friends. Sherry's friends are a very friendly sort and they welcome Hero into their group with open arms. Things couldn't be better, until, Sherry bring Hero to London where she feels so out of place. And, because of that she makes some mistakes in society's eyes and tends to embarrass Sherry. (It doesn't help that she points out a past mistress of Sherry's to everyone) Plus, when Sherry's friend George, Lord Wrotham seems a bit too close for comfort with Hero, Sherry becomes jealous. He is not sure what to do with his Kitten who keeps finding herself in certain scrapes. Hero just wants to help George, who is in love with Bella, but Bella plays with his emotions. Soon there are rumors running all over the place about George and Hero, and Sherry is ready to duel his friend over Hero's affections.

Friday's Child is a wonderful tale of regency England by master storyteller, Georgette Heyer. I could not stop laughing at the antics of Sherry and Hero as they try to come to terms as a new married couple. I found myself laughing too many times to count and I wanted to smack Sherry over the head because it took him forever to finally realize he loves Hero as a woman and not just his friend. Friday's Child is a lovely book with some slapstick comedy that would be wonderful to see on the big screen. If you are a fan of regencies with great comedy and endearing characters, Friday's Child is the book for you!

Katiebabs

Is it because of the extremely funny dialog? Or the well-rounded characters, both primary and secondary? Perhaps it's the sweetness behind the story, in which a heedless young rake has to grow up in a hurry, after marrying a bright but innocent teenager who can't manage high society without a little guidance. Maybe those throwaway lines, which don't necessarily further the plot, but provide endless entertainment, are what stick with you. Whatever the charms, and they are many, this book will find a place on your Keeper shelf.

When my book club decided to read The Glass Key, I thought it would be a fun change from the literary, often depressing books we sometimes choose. I was wrong. We unanimously hated it. None of us cared one hoot about who did it or to whom or why. Not only that but the writing was at times laughable. Here are only a few of my favorite passages:

"Presently a path came under his feet."

"Ned Beaumont looked, with brown eyes wherein hate was a dull glow that came from far beneath the surface, at the card players and began to get out of bed."

"Knocking sounded on his door."

"Madvig addressed to another man a question having to do with the size of the campaign contribution to be expected from a man named Hartwick."

Obviously writing wasn't the talent Lillian Hellman saw in him.

Dashiell Hammett, along with Raymond Chandler, reinvented the detective genre in the 1930's and 1940's. They moved the genre away from the amateurish and simple parlor detectives that had previously dominated the genre to hard-boiled action characters who knew what was what and didn't mind taking a beating to get the bad guys. And along the way they produced some very memorable literary characters as well. Nick Charles, Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe are well known exemplars of the action detective.

In The Glass Key Hammett takes a little different run at that same idea. The protagonist this time is not the usual detective but an old fashioned political `fixer'. No, not the `spin doctor' or `flak' of modern media-driven politics but the older handler of the retail politics that counted in local urban scene with the added factor of a little off hand, old fashioned mob influence. Nevertheless, the `fixer' Ned Beaumont has all the resourcefulness, toughness, loyalty, and hard-boiled common sense that we have come to expect of Hammett's real detectives.

The plot revolves around the familiar problem of electoral politics-getting elected. In this case getting a Senator with a beautiful daughter, Janet, and an errant son, Taylor, reelected. Add in some political factions, also mob-dominated, a fair share of corrupt officials, an off hand murder and other crimes and misdemeanors and you would hardly know we are not dealing with a `normal' Hammett novel. Further add in a slowly involving romance between Ned and the afore-mentioned Senator's daughter who is also the object of his boss's affections and you have quite a mix. Frankly, I prefer Hammett's detectives but any time you can get your hands on one of his books do so.

Dashiell Hammett creates a world of authentic tough guys in The Glass Key.
This is the tale of what happens when people aspire to "love" in order to move up in the world. When a man is framed for murder, the question becomes, did he do it for love or did someone frame him using his love interests to make him a prime suspect.
As usual, the dialogue is fast paced, precise and as clear as filtered water. No words are wasted. No clarification is needed. The tough guy steps in and does what needs to be done. Generally this tends to include alcohol, tobacco and more than a few women!! This is another classic detective novel by the master, Dashiell Hammett!!

this was my first dip into the genre of early american murder mystery writers like hammett. i come away with the same feeling you do after watching an old black and white movie--nostaligic.

usually i don't read light books like this, but i took this on a plane trip for vacation. figured it would be attention grabbing easy reading. easy reading it was, but most certainly not a page turner. let's start with what it is not. it is not a who done it! there are not enough clues given to lead the experienced murder mystery reader to solve the case (to explain more would give away the plot). it is not a serial killer, blood and guts story that draws you in. it is not a psychological study of a murderer.

so what is it? it is a simple story of big city political corruption that leads to a murder which is solved, not by the police or a detective, but by a political confidant of one of the characters. never do you feel the excitment of a pending murder. never do you feel pending danger for one of the characters. the story just marches on to resolution.

i do however, recommend it. it is an interesting period piece. it would never fly today in the world of paterson and all the serial killer tales, but it is a prelude to those stories. maybe it simply shows the deterioration(or some may call it the move to realty) of american entertainment tastes. we see it in murder mysteries from hammett to paterson, in tv from happy days to almost any comedy show today, or in movies from the trend of "G/PG" rated to "R". maybe its this nostalgia piece that makes it interesting. if you like old movies, you will find this book refreshing.

Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) essentially created the American P.I. novel, first in a series of short stories and then with five novels, many of them incorporating his earlier short fiction. Critics regard THE GLASS KEY as his weakest work; it was, however, Hammett's own favorite, a very convoluted tale of that mixes organized crime, political corruption, and a traditionally-styled murder mystery.

The central story concerns gambler and tough-guy Ned Beaumont, who has been on a loosing streak until his luck turns with a major racetrack win. When the bookie goes on the lam with the winnings, Beaumont pulls strings to have himself declared a special D.A. investigator and uses a recent unsolved murder of a senator's son as leverage to force the bookie to pay up. But his success in this area entangles him in the murder itself: the senator is backed by crime boss Paul Madvig, who is in love with the senator's daughter, and who may or may not be involved in the murder.

It may have been Hammett's favorite, but I have to agree with those who consider it his weakest. Like most Hammett novels, THE GLASS KEY is very convoluted in terms of plot--but in this novel he simply jumps from point to point and scene to scene without offering the reading much in the way of information. The characters are also weak. Paul Madvig is too stupid to be a successful crime boss; it is hard to understand how he manages to command such loyalty from tough-guy Ned Beaumont, and Beaumont himself is very inconsistently rendered. But the novel does have a saving grace that makes it worth reading: Hammett's prose style.

It was, in a word, unique. Hammett effortlessly mixes terse toughness with unexpected flashes of poetry and insight and the result is indeed breathless and intense. Many writers would tear a page from Hammett's style, and a few--James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler leap to mind--would go on to create their own unique and equally powerful styles from Hammett inspiration, but no one ever did Hammett as well as Hammett himself. THE GLASS KEY may be the weakest of Hammett's novels in terms of plot and character, but Hammett's way with words carries him though. Ignore the book at your own risk.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I am enjoying The Raj Quartet which is the first in a series of several volumes about India and the struggles between Indian and British prejudices among other things. All the characters Paul Scott introduces become involved with one another through circumstances beyond their control. I can't wait to purchase the next volume.

In the India of 1942 two rapes take place at the same time - that of the English girl Daphne Manners in Mayapore and that of India by the British. In each physical violence, racial animosity and the domination of the weak by the strong all play their part, but playing a part too are love, affection, loyalty and recognition that the last division of all to be overcome is the colour of the skin. As the story unfolds the whole spectrum of Anglo-Indian relations is vividly evoked in a flurry of emotions, personal clashes and historical reasons which eventually prise India - the Jewel in the Imperial Crown - from its setting.
The two virtues of the novel are the colourful range of characters it skilfully portrays and its powerful evocation of the last days of British India, now quietly slipping away into history.

I know this is a classic, I know it made it to Masterpiece Theater, but I just cannot grab hold of the story. It is our book club's choice this month and I struggled to read the entire book but only made it half way through and was easily distracted by many other books.

My perception is of an old and fussy book, much like the main character. It's dense and slow and just couldn't hold me.

An Indian father brings his small boy to England and raises him there. When the boy reaches 19 in 1942, circumstances require him to return to India. Once there he finds that he has nothing in common with the Indians, and he is accepted by neither the Indians nor the British. He then develops a relationship with a British girl that heads toward a disaster.

This is an unusual book that often proceeds so slowly that you sometimes think you are reading a novel written by Proust. The first 63 pages, for example, focus on a British woman teacher who then all but vanishes from the rest of the book. Much of the story is told through the reflections of different characters who see things from different viewpoints.

The beauty of the novel is its immersion in a period of Indian history that is just 5 years short of the country's independence. Some knowledge of Indian history will help the reader to appreciate the period in which the novel takes place. On the other hand no real historical acquaintance is necessary to enjoy the story. At one point in the book an uprising takes place in one of the towns, and we see this incident from the viewpoints of a British Brigadier, and a British administrator. This section is an excellent illumination of the British philosophy, civilian and military, toward the rule of India.

This is an elegantly written book, the first of the Raj Quartet. I should perhaps stress once more that its pace is quite glacial. When you do finish it, however, you will have assimilated an interesting aspect of the final years of British rule in India.

Jewel in the crown in the first novel in a series of four that are collectively known as the Raj Quartet. I had to struggle through the first hundred pages or so but after that was completely engrossed in the story right till the end. Paul Scott not only had an amazing gift to understand the complexities of human emotions but also to articulate them in a fashion that one finds it hard not to sympathize with his characters whether one agrees with them or not.

The story takes place in the early 1940s when anti-British feelings were at an all time high in British India. During this period of unrest, two British women - both of whom, ironically, loved India and detested the snobbery and superciliousness of the ruling British - were brutally assaulted, but decide not to cooperate with the imperial police. With this as the background, Paul Scott does a masterful job (through many interesting characters) of examining and explaining the issues of racism, love, sexuality, jealousy, etc. I can't wait to read the rest of the novels in this series.

I don't think this book was quite as good as the last one but it was still very good. I liked that he finally got a "student".

Merlin, working through and with Arthur has managed to establish
Camelot, and end the wars for conquest of Britain. He now sits as a
counsellor for Arthur.

He is aging, and his powers leaving him, so he decides to train a
successor. Arthur's relatives in the north have different ambitions to
Arthur and Camelot.

Mary Stewart's rendition of this legend is my favorite by far. I take the time to read the set every year. Wore my old copy out. Thanks seller for the great experience.

Anybody who loves tales of Merlin and King Arthur will love this book! This is the third book in Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga, written from the viewpoint of Merlin, it tells the tale of how Arthur came to be the legend that everyone has heard of.

Unlike many tales of Merlin it is not a fairy tale of unbelievable magic rather it is a brilliantly written story of a man who is extremely powerful, intelligent and gifted, who has a vision of a united Britain and has found the one person who can fulfill this dream, Arthur.

Based on the Legend of Arthur it is rich in detail both of character and landscape, and genuinely takes the reader back in time to the days of chivalry and Camelot!

Arthur is now firmly on the thrown, but his worries are not over. Treachery is around him and within his own family, with the plotting of his sister Morgause and the bearing of his illegitimate son Mordred, the series continues to entertain.
The Series is completed with the next novel The Wicked Day (The Arthurian Saga, Book 4)

An OK read, but hard to take seriously a heroine so foolish as to repeatedly put herself in danger for little reason. Some excitement, but not really a page turner (little is at stake and not much reason to care about the characters). Hard to see how so many gave it 5 stars when there are so many much better mysteries out there (by this author and others).

The second Vicky Bliss book, this novel introduces us to the suave, debonair art thief, John Smythe. Vicky is intrigued when an amazing jewelry forgery shows up in Munich, where she is working for the National Museum. She decides to travel to Rome to see if she can figure out who is behind this. What she finds is a hotbed of intrigue, forgery and murder.

This is my second favorite of the Vicky Bliss novels (my favorite is the last). It is well written and Vicky is a wonderful, liberated woman.

It's been awhile since I've read a book that I've taken such delight in. Vicky Bliss is a methodical detective much like Mary Russell from the Laurie R. King series. In "Street of the Five Moons", Vicky meets her match in "John Smythe", secretary to a nobleman and art collector, who strongly resembles Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey. His playful evasiveness is a delightful foil for Vicky's determination. Peters describes Germany and Italy like she's a longtime resident and makes clever allusions to more than a few literary classics.
"Street of the Five Moons", like many series' second books, seems stronger than the first installment and has more compelling characters. Vicky's asides to the reader are also a fun device. I look forward to finishing this series and strongly recommend "Street of the Five Moons".

Elizabeth Peters excels once again at fun, suspenseful, comedic mysteries with this series. I could not put down this book. This is a great read!

As soon as I finished this book, I immediately went to the library and read the 4th and 5th in the series (I couldn't even wait to read the 3rd!) and I couldn't put them down either!! You'll stay up late just to finish them and love every minute of it!

It's been a long time since I've picked up a mystery book, and enjoyed it so much! I was up till 3 in the morning reading, I couldn't put it down. I loved the author's style- very brisk and believable, with humor and romance in all the right places. Plenty of adventure and danger too. Basically Vicky goes to Rome to find the creator of fraud jewelry. There she meets her match in "John Smythe". Whose side is he really on? And how is Vicky supposed to solve the mystery with such a distraction? I can't wait to read the other books in the series.

Page turning mystery stories had lost their appeal for me, until I was recently introduced to P.D. James via her Adam Dalgliesh mystery novel, "A Taste for Death". My renewed excitement for the murder genre is the result of enjoying the vivid writing and thoughtful character development of P.D. James. Her detailed mystery plots are creatively woven inside the fabric of engaging characters who often lead ordinary lives, before being caught in a net of intrigue. "A Taste for Death" is especially interesting for London lovers, who will find a sense of place evident in every chapter of the book's page turning plot. A new found respect for the whodunit is likewise revitalized by the originality of the very simple clue leading Dalgliesh to the killer - and the curious insight the clue brings to the lives of two innocent characters. Identifying the killer is only the beginning of the book's fast paced ending, as P.D. James introduces Inspector Kate Miskin's ordinary life into the plot. Miskin's reluctant call to family duty suddenly becomes the matrix for riveting emotion and death defying action. This P.D. James novel left a taste for reading many more murder mysteries by this gifted writer. My introduction to smart Adam Dalgliesh will result in reading many more enjoyable novels.

PD James, in this excellent 1986 murder mystery, proves once again that she is a master of her craft. James couples the best characteristics of writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, without some of their blemishes. Her plots are less contrived than Christie's, and her characters have more depth than Sayers'. James builds plots that lead towards the ultimate climax in a very logical way, so that if the reader is observant, they may uncover the truth before the very end of the book. I personally find this style of mystery much more rewarding than those that rely on a `twist' at the end, or a jarring change of direction from a single clue.

James writing style is precise, detail oriented (sometimes too much so) and filled with careful observations of character, including those who play only a perfunctory role in her books. She is honest in her writing, as open about her characters' faults and vices as their more admirable traits. Characters are also developed logically, especially her protagonist Dalgliesh.

In this novel, there is as special focus on Kate Misken as she is introduced as the first female member of the Special Crimes Unit. I enjoyed seeing her character developed, but did find it at times to be slightly out of sync with the pacing of the novel. Understandably James wanted to present Kate as a well rounded character, and the special emphasis she receives is not overly distracting.

If you enjoy James, or a good mystery that is also well written, you can do much, much worse. This is probably one of my favorite Dalgliesh novels, right up there with "The Murder Room" and "Death in Holy Orders." It has certainly increased my own taste for death, if only in the realm of fiction.

A police procedural set in London in the seventies (I think- UK publication date is 1986- typewriters and illegal abortions and no DNA) involving the solemn and saintly Adam Dalgliesh.
PD James offs her victims quite soon but after that can be slow going until you get involved in the whodunnit. If you're new to PD James I'd recommend persevering thought the first 20 pages and then you'll be hooked. You'll be in for a long ride at 460 pages.
My usual blasphemous criticisms of her ladyship. There's so much description of architecture it gets like reading Pevsner at times. For example "Between the windows, mounted on incongruous corbels which looked more Gothic than neo-classical were stone caryatids, whose flowing lines reinforced by the typically Soanian pilasters ..... "
She has a tin ear for dialog. The educated upper classes address each other in long formal speeches. The lower classes say "I reckon" a lot and have apostrophes to show that they leave off the g's in their present participles. There's almost no humor (except slightly in the first sentwnce).

"A Taste For Death" can perhaps be considered the first of the more modern novels in the Adam Dalgliesh series. It is in this novel that readers see the special murder investigation squad form and that readers are introduced to Kate Miskin. As always, James has crafted an intriguing mystery, filled with a wide cast of characters and twists that throw the reader off the case.

When two men are found dead in the vestry of a declining church, it seems a straigtforward case of murder-suicide. Yet one of the men was Sir Paul Berowne, a baronet and a political figure, causing the police to bring in Adam Dalgliesh and his investigating team. The straightforward case of murder-suicide is too tidy for Dalgliesh, and he must prove it to be murder, with little cooperation from anyone connected with Sir Paul Berowne.

Dalgliesh and his team must wade through stories shaded with every degree of self-preservation and deception in order to uncover the truth. But learning the identity of the murderer is not enough without one shred of evidence to connect that person to the crime. Dalgliesh and his team are thoroughly worried that their first case might end in failure. Add to that the three mysterious deaths that Sir Paul may have been involved with, and the detectives have a more complicated case than they could have imagined.

As always, James has written a first-class mystery complete with the requisite twists and turns. It seems as if every character had a perfect motive to want Sir Paul dead which makes it hard for the reader to uncover the real offender. Her novels are always a joy to read, not only for the mystery, but for the detail she lovingly gives to people and places, and for the development of characters readers will encounter time and again, or for only a short chapter or two.

Here is one of the best mysteries I have had the pleasure to read. Though I still have a few remaining works of Ms. James on my list, this book has a resonance that few authors manage to achieve. The characters and the themes blend to create a work that is greater than the sum of its parts. At its heart, this is the story of a man who after achieving everything for which he has sought finds himself curiously unsatisfied with both life and the rewards of his efforts. Accordingly, solving the mystery not only means finding out who did the deed, but why our victim was distraught and unsatisfied despite tremendous achievements. Readers of this author will immediately recognize that her protagonist struggles with related issues and the pages of this book are devoted to the creation of several like-minded characters who each add their perspective to what is in reality an attempt to solve the mystery of life itself; where can one find true happiness and satisfaction?

I believe that the special quality of this book is found in its characters; I should think that the mix is so broad that any reader can find at least one with whom to identify. It does no harm to the mystery to remark that though the victims could not be further apart in terms of social standing and achievement, the author teaches that we are all ultimately equals in death. The author also manages to keep multiple story threads open and believable--this is far more difficult a task than it sounds. Until I encountered P.D. James, I found mysteries to be much like old episodes of Star Trek--if the character who transports to the surface is not one of the regular cast you instantly know that the character has but moments to live. Likewise, too many mystery novelists betray the story early in the book or else they create characters that are incapable of stirring the emotions of the reader--flaws thankfully avoided by P.D. James.

The best fiction encourages one to think about one's own life; it encourages and suggests how we may better ourselves and the world in which we live. This book leaves its reader a better person for having encountered the story; if not, it is not the reader who is without excuse.

Highly Recommended.

Personally, we enjoyed the Matt Scudder and Keller novels by Lawrence Block better than the Bernie Rhodenbarr series! But according to Craig Ferguson, Mr. Block prefers bumbling, burgling Bernie, so what do I know? If you haven't read the 16 Scudder novels, or the 4 Keller novels yet, what the heck are you waiting for???

Bernie Rhodenbarr's a thief. Actually he's a burglar, not a thief. Thieves steal purses, pickpockets, shoplift, frequently use weapons, and occasionally hurt people. Bernie wouldn't do that. Slipping into a condo while the residence are at the theater is more his style. Burglary is a solitary endeavor. Add people to the equation and things are bound to go wrong.

That eidetic proved to be true in Burglars Can't Be Choosers. Bernie accepted a commission, something he normally didn't do. But the money was good and all he had to do was go in and retrieve a box. The apartment would be empty and the blue leather-bound box was in the roll-top desk.

If only it were so easy. First, the box wasn't there, second, the police caught him in the act, and third, there was a dead body in the apartment. Bernie panicked, as would any basically honest burglar, and took off. The cops thought he was guilty of murder.

At this point Bernie had a choice, he could hid at his friend's apartment until he returned to the city and then find another place to hide or he could figure out who murdered J. Francis Flaxford.

Burglars Can't Be Choosers is an entertaining mystery and as with most mysteries, the good guy wins. Okay, so in the alternate reality created by Laurence Block, the good guys are really the bad guys and the bad guys are really the good guys. I can accept that. I'd rather deal with an "honest" burglar than money-loving cops any day of the week.

Burglars Can't be Choosers is the first in a series of seven mystery's featuring the light fingered Bernie Rhodenbarr. While they're all great in their own right, it's best to read them in order. Enjoy it, I did.

This is the third Lawrence Block book I have read. He hasn't disappointed me yet. This is a nice page turner. Block's dialog is second to none. His character's are always intriguing, and his plots fascinating. Lawrence Block is a rare breed. I found this book a great introduction to the lead character "Bernie Rhodenbarr". If you are looking for a good mystery, this a a great choice. Happy reading!

What can I say. I am a sucker for dry wit and a nifty mystery. This book feature a great amount of both. This book was an enjoyable brisk read that left me wanting to read all of the books in the series. I have yet to try any of Block's other books or series, but if they are as good as this book, I am sure they are enjoyable as well. I really like books that teach you something, this book was no exception. Although lock picking is not something I have an interest in taking up, it was fun to read about the intricate steps involved.

3.5 stars out of 5.0

The first book in Lawrence Block's Burglar series is actually the second one I read. I picked up the Burglar in the Closet, the next book, thinking it was the first, and was a little ways in before I realized my mistake. But that book was good enough that I wanted to come back and read the original book that introduces Bernie Rhodenbarr.

This book has the same lighthearted attitude. It definitely doesn't take itself too seriously which is probably a good thing since the hero is a "bad guy" in most people's eyes. The mystery isn't your typical detective style. Rather, it is a mystery that must be solved to get Bernie out of the hot water that he shouldn't be in. Well, mostly shouldn't be in. He is still a thief.

Block does nice job of introducing and developing characters. Nothing seems too cliché, which is refreshing. And for the most part, the story is plausible. Where it lost me a bit is at the end when explanations are given. The coincidences are too, um, coincidental. As Block rounded out the novel, I felt as though some things were too much of a stretch and this lessened the surprise. He redeemed himself a bit as the explanation expanded but it was still a bit of a letdown compared with how the book had been going.

Overall, a very good, easy read. Eventually, I'll pick up the third book to read and see if I want to keep going.

I wasn't crazy about the style of this book-page after page of psychoanalytically-influenced dialogue between hyperarticulate and hyperaware characters-but the themes were intriguing. The glittering image of the title refer to the face that each of the characters presents to the world, masking the true insecurities and sins beneath. Howatch does a remarkable job of pulling her characters out from behind these images, then showing them slip back behind them in denial and fear. I also thought the book was an intriguing exploration of sin and lies, and took a realistic, complex approach to human sexuality and behavior (unlike most sanitized "Christian" fiction). I am very interested in the history of the 20th Century church, so I enjoyed peeking behind the curtain at the Anglicans.

This book probes into the human mind and soul, always wondering what will happen next. I was hoping for more theological insights. It had more romance, mystery, and just plain novel that I had expected. But an overall thought provoking book on divorce within the church and how one can be redeemed in Christ. Good book for a christian or a non-christian.

No blood. No gore. It takes a skilled writer in this day and age to write a suspense-filled story and yet dispense with what others consider almost essential elements these days. Much of the story is about what goes on in the mind of the main protagonist. Themes are sex, God, repentance and an Anglo Catholic version of psychoanalysis. Slow reading, but well worth the effort.

It's hard to believe that the same author who wrote "Glittering Images" also wrote "Wheel of Fortune" and "Cashalmara" which I loved. "Glittering Images" is the most boring, stupid book I've read in many a moon. The main character, Charles, has a breakdown early on, and what follows is almost unreadable-- pages and pages of boooooring text. The funny thing is, it's not clear why he had the breakdown-- his problems were serious, but hey-- he was a clergyman, and solving problems should have been withing his ability. He falls in love, at first sight, with one woman, then he has sex in the woods, but practically in public, with another woman he has known one day. Three times in a row !! What a guy!! The archbishop Charles has been sent to investigate wants to jettison his faithful wife because she doesn't make the grade in the bedroom, so he, the wife, with her assistant, have a do-it-yourself divorce, and then he and the assistant "get married", while the wife looks on smiling. I couldn't believe I was wasting my time reading this. But, the book has a totally fatal flaw. It's boring, folks !! Here again, I've made a mistake I've made before---- I bought the whole series before I read "Glittering Images." A waste of time and money.

Glittering Images is Howatch's first book in the "Church of England" series. It follows the main character, Charles Ashworth, as he sinks into a profound spiritual crisis and slowly emerges while reconciling himself with the familial and societal pressures he faces.

Howatch's biggest strength is her gift for dialoge, which is sharp and witty, and her understanding of Anglican theology and theologians. Her characters undergo religious psychoanalysis, and do so in a way that allows the reader to not only identify with them and their struggles, but also learn from their spiritual achievements, even if the reader is not spiritual themself.

I highly recommend this book, as well as the rest of the series, to anyone seeking an intelligent fiction novel.

I love that it takes place in the early 80's of Garden District. Ruby and her family are finally happy!

I didn't like that the handsome -tanned sultry with soft pink lips- Beau turned into a secluded bachellor! Not there is anything wrong with that!!!!! Ruby looks awful and rented out- like another D!! I love the magic which is needed in order for Pearl to bring her family together again!

The finale of finding "mom" was so freakish to me! That's what created a thrill for US- the gay readers! I also love the how Pearl finally learned the ways of "earning her juice" at the end of the book!!!

This book for me was a little boring in the beginning. I felt as though it would have been more interesting if Ruby was narrorating the story.But as I read it more, it really did interest me. My favorite book from the Landry series is "All that Glitters". All in all, it was a good book, glad that they all were happy in the end.

I thought the first 3 book in the series were just o.k. & I was glad to see that this 4th book finally pulled me into it. This book is about Pearl, Ruby's daughter. This book was adventurous & took you back & fourth to the Bayou. I couldn't understand how Pearl recall as much as she did from her childhood when she lived in the Bayou because wasn't she like 9 months or something like that when she lived there? This is my least favorite series of V.C. Andrews's series but I did enjoy this book.

Pearl is a lot smarter than some of the other VC Andrew's characters, but I found some things to be odd. I couldn't figure out why she called her parents "mommy and daddy" when she is 17 years old. She was very strong when she tried to find her mother, but I felt like when she found Jack, she fell for him a little quickly. He could have easily just turned out to be some jerk. This story line is a little different than the other novels, there are not as many twists and turns. Basically the biggest part of the novel was finding her mother Ruby. I give it 4 stars because I didn't find it as interesting or unique as the other novels, but it is good.

Ruby drove to the brink of instanity pearl goes to find her back in her roots the Buyou while shes their she meets a Loveing man I feel in love with Jack colvis! Hes what a man should be and remenber you can fall in love in an instant and thats what happened between them! Beutiful I was really happy at the end! Read this BOOK!

Okay, so it's dated. Big deal. It's absolutely impossible not to be charmed by the characters in this lighthearted tale. I just wish there were more books with Sister Hyacinthe and crew to follow this one!

Dorothy Gilman has certainly created two memorable characters in Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe in this amusing 1975 mystery. Oh and Sister Ursula is pretty memorable as well, although for entirely different reasons. You'll have to read the book to see what I mean.

The sisters are members of a cloistered convent and are give the task of taking inventory of a property mysteriously willed to their order. Having been cloistered for many years the two nuns are often bewildered at various changes in society, particularly when they meet a group of Sixties-influenced "dropouts." The sisters find the terms mugger, Watergate, and yippies to be completely foreign, but make up for it by learning quickly from their new friends.

The property comes with a lot of unexpected assets that bring no end of trouble to Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe. There's also a parade of visitors who show up at the most inconvenient times, including a sheriff who wins no awards for personality. In fact so much happens in the space of a week that it's a wonder the sisters don't pack up their van and return to the convent.

Fortunately for the reader, the sisters dig in and persevere. The book runs the risk of collapsing from several clichéd characters and plot elements, but the dry humor and genuine respect for each other shared by Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe keeps the story firmly centered. Add to the mix several charming supporting characters and you've got a perfectly good read for the beach or a rainy Saturday.

A number of reviewers have referred to this book as `dated.' Of course it's dated. It was written more than three decades ago. The story is set in the seventies. To my way of thinking, calling this book dated makes about as much sense as watching a World War II movie and then complaining because the cars, fashions, and music all went out in the nineteen-forties. (End rant.)

Aside from the obvious fact that it doesn't read like it was written this morning, this is a wonderful book. Not really a mystery, not quite a suspense novel, and not exactly a comedy, `A Nun in the Closet' has elements of all three.

Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe are quite a hoot on their own, but the real fun doesn't start until Sister Ursula puts in an appearance. If you pass this one up, you'll have to answer to the Mother Superior.

- Jeff Edwards, award-winning author of Torpedo

The hippies, thugs, herbs and drugs were just too 1960s for me.

I have reread the Pollifax books many times and love all but her last one. I have also found Kaleidoscope is just as delightful as the Pollifax stories. Am very sorry to hear that one reviewer was turned off to Mrs Gilman by this book but I can understand why. I would have been too if I started with this one.

I had been considering reading Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Polifax series even though the premise of Grandma in the CIA seemed a bit improbable. So many folks were praising the series. However, I read "A Nun in the Closet" first, and it put me off reading anything else by Ms. Gilman.

The book isn't terrible; it's even funny in spots. But those spots are few and far between, and it's very dated. Plus, as a product of Catholic schools, I can tell you that nuns aren't this naive or foolish. Nor are mobsters this stupid or good-hearted. I'm a bit young to remember, but I doubt hippies were this clueless, either. I'm willing to suspend belief a bit as I read, but this book asks you to turn off your brain completely.

If you're looking for a wholesome read, stick with Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Charlotte MacLeod's Sarah Kelling series. If you're looking for a wholesome but comical mystery, try the excellent Mma Remotswe series, which begins with "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" or Simon Brett's lovely Mrs. Pargeter series. You'll like these books much, much more.

As I said, this book isn't terrible. It would worth picking up if you don't have anything better in the house to read. But life's too short to read "A Nun in the House" if you can get out of the house to buy or check out something else.