Windsor Books

I read this book many years ago and enjoyed it immensely. Recently working in Texas, I decided to do a little background on the "real" Cullen Baker. Turns out Mr. L'Amours research is not as careful as he and others would have us believe. I understand the concept of poetic liscense but this isn't even close. The Cullen Baker of history bears absolutely no resemblance to the man immortalized in L'Amours novel. It would appear that L'Amour only bothered to reference a few popular stories and none of the solid historical records available on Baker. Cullen Baker was a vicious, opportunistic thug who bore no allegiance to anything or anyone but himself. The concept of fair play didn't seem a part of his makeup. There is no reliable historical evidence that Baker was ever a quickdraw artist. Looking for a good story? Read the "First Fast Draw". Looking for reliable history of the man-avoid L'Amours fantasy book.

Answers.com, Wikipedia,and Thomas Orr, Baker's sworn enemy, portray Cullen Baker as a Reconstruction period desperado, outlaw and thug who killed hundreds of people. And that well may have been true! But as we all know, history is written by the victors in any conflict.
Louis L'Mour's "The First Fast Draw" is a romanticized interpretation of Baker's life. Like the historically accurate books of the Revolutionary War period by Kenneth Roberts, L'Mour shows us Baker's life from his own perspective. Like all of L'Mour's books, the writing is superb, the characterization excellent and the story is compelling. L'Mour was known for his accuracy in describing the Western landscape, and for his careful research. Written in the first person, "The First Fast Draw" is an idealized portrait of a temperamental, physically gifted man who struggled with his inner demons and eventually conquered them.
After reading the First Fast Draw, you may experience, as I did, a longing for times past and the realization that the risk-averse, corrupt and hypocritical society that has evolved from Baker's time in 1869 is a far cry from the "land of the free and the home of the brave."

Actually, years ago, this was the first L'Amour I read. I have been hooked ever since. The post Civil War years are rather fastinating and L'Amour is able to capture, in fiction, the general feeling and plight of those who lived those times. As an added bonus, like all L'Amour books, the setting of this story is quite well handled. East Texas is still East Texas and the author's discription and feel for the country is wonderful. This is a very easy book to read and I certainly would recommend it to the younger reader interested in this particular genre. All in all, great fun!

The book "The First Fast Draw" takes place after the Civil War. The genre is a western setting, in the south west part of the United States. The reading has a lot of action and it is really easy going, and not hard to read or comprehend at all. It is a great high school reading book, because it is short, easy to read, and has a good genre. I would give this book five stars and a pat on the back for its excellence.

The plot of the book is when Collin Baker decides he needs to go back to east Texas, to regain and farm his fathers' land. The problem with him doing this is that when his family first moved to east Texas he became known as a troublemaker. He ended up beating up a bunch of boys that were older than he was, but he was doing it in self-defense, therefore he has many enemies in East Texas. Also the carpetbaggers and the Reconstructionists have other plans for his land. Collin Baker returns to his home, but the first night he is home he already runs into trouble. At first, Baker thinks he beat his enemies by himself but learns very fast that he needs friends and to learn to shoot very fast and quick. He quickly found Bob Lee, Bill Longley, and Matt Kirby, who were also having the same problems. Bob Lee is a character who is always ready to fight and looking for action. Bill Longley grew up with Collin, so they knew each other and were also one of Collins few friends. Matt Kirby is woods men that stayed in the swamps trapping. The four of them hide in the woods were nobody knows of. They train and Collin keeps on getting better and better with his gun. Finally its time for them to regain what is rightfully theirs. They kill of bunch of their enemies, but Collin gets caught in the process. He gets thrown in jail and is scheduled for a hanging the next day. While he is in jail he doesn't worry about his problems but worries about his friends trying to get him out and getting caught in the process. He friends come anyways and they all escape. They know now that they need to flee the area so they all head out west together and start over. I believe the main theme of the story is to know how good your friends are to you. Never let anything happen to your friend that you wouldn't want to happen to you. Know that your friends will be there for you when you need him the most. I really liked this book and the tone of it too. The author did a great job of giving great detail and describing everything. I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone who likes the woods and guns.

While the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline tends to get the most attention, the Armor Wars saga remains my all-time favorite Iron Man storyline. The Armor Wars ran in issues 225-232 of the original Iron Man series, and featured the creative team of David Michelenie, Mark Bright, and Bob Layton. This team was responsible for a particularly good run of issues, of which Armor Wars was the highlight.

In this storyline, Tony Stark discovers that some of his Iron Man technology was stolen and passed on to various armored villains. Agonized at the thought that his technology was used to cause the suffering and death of others, Stark dons the Iron Man armor and starts hunting down these villains and destroying their armor. It seems simple enough, but what about the technology he provided to the government, such as SHIELD's Mandroids or the Guardians at the Vault? Iron Man's quest soon has him taking on friends and allies like Stingray and even Captain America, and ends up costing him his Avengers membership (though to be fair, it was just the West Coast Avengers, and they hardly count).

This is a fantastic tale of obsession, guilt, and justice, not to mention a seriously cool chance to see Iron Man taking down a whole bunch of armored bad guys. It's about as good a tale as you're likely to find in an 80's mainstream comic book. Michelenie does a great job with the story, and the artwork by Bright and Layton remains the standard by which I judge all other Iron Man artists. The chilling epilogue by the legendary Barry Windsor-Smith ends things on the perfect note, and may be the best modern single-issue Iron Man tale ever.

If you're an Iron Man fan, this is a must-have trade paperback. Marvel fans in general should check it out as well.

I remember reading each issue as it came out when I was only 11 years old. I couldn't believe what ol' Shellhead was going through! And the new armor that came out of it combined with the way the new IM handled his opponent, awesome! Michelinie/Bright/Layton's finest finest finest work!

(Tied with it is the vol. 1, #s 280-300 by Kaminski and Hopgood--we need a TPB!)

I thought this book was an excellent read as it showed how Tony Stark went off on an action-packed costly quest to get his technology out of over people's hand's after discovering it had been stolen from him and used to harm innocent people, wanting to assure it was never used to harm people again, he caused a few deaths along the way and almost crossed the line beyond redemption.

It shows him hunting down armoured villains and attacking government agents. He goes toe-to-toe with the world foremost secret agency, armoured agents from other countries and one of his oldest friends. Not to mention one hell of a near death experience and a change in Armour.

Basically it has everything you need in a good novel, book or comic.

Tony Stark is a man on the brink of deadly obsession over his stolen technology gone awry. This storyline has all the elements you could ask for: action, intrigue, suspense, drama. Iron Man takes on friend and foe alike in his quest to eliminate the product of his genius, and woe be unto anyone who gets in his way! David Michilinie, Mark Bright, Bob Layton, and Barry Windsor-Smith weave a tale that simply shatters the boundaries of comic book fiction, and shows us a side of Iron Man seldom seen. Worth every penny, and then some!

Consistently voted online and off as the best of all Iron Man storylines, this Michelinie/Layton gem details how Tony Stark/Iron Man must attempt to nullify his secret armor technology that has fallen into the wrong hands. The original comics were Iron Man #225-232, and are virtually impossible to find. Nab this TPB whenever you can.

While usually a reader who takes her books on the serious side (no humor, thank you very much) Kate Brannigan mysteries are a rare exception.

Val, her readers' fondly call her like a friend from childhood, has a sense oh humor that wipes the "ordinary" right out of "extraordinary". It's sarcastic, without being bitingly so, and I think you'll find yourself smiling, if not outright laughing, incessantly throughout this novel.

Like the paintings the plot revolves around, this first little story is quite a masterpiece. It's not hard to follow and introduces us to the need-to-know characters for the rest of the Brannagan novels.

This book deserves a place on every reader's shelf!

Almost simultaneously, PI Kate Brannigan begins the investigation into the rip off of her best friends deposit on a house and then why the bank has mysteriously withdrawn its support from a local, and very successful, conservatory builder. As she delves further into both cases, with the aid of electronic equipment, all night survelliances and general noseying around, it becomes evident that the two cases are connected and that a major scam is going down. A brother and sister team has worked out a scheme where houses are sold and resold illegally, with even the conservatories being removed overnight and sold again. Kate is an adept at Thai kick boxing which eventually saves her life and the whole story moves along at a cracking pace. Parts of the plot got a bit too bogged down in the details of corporate crime for my taste but overall it's a good story.

In Kate Brannigan's second novel she is investigating (as Kate puts it) the mystery of the missing conservatories. She is working for a contractor who is being pressure by the bank to pay off his loan because the bank suspects him to be involved in a fraud. He has made his payments on time and has not had any previous problem with the law, however when he does his own investigation he notices that the conservatories (greenhouses) he has put up have just vanished.

Kate's friend, Alexis, also has a problem. She has been conned out of 5,000 pounds from a real estate scheme and she wants Kate's help. What makes this a bit unique is that the two cases are somewhat related to each other as the story moves along. The story is full of twists and turns and a lot of action. I am sorry this was a quick read but I just love her work.

Kate is a firecracker. She is ready to go at bat for her friends and does not like to leave any stone unturned. She is resourceful and she knows how to kick butt when the time comes. If you want to get on her good side, you do not serve her substandard Chinese food. You might regret it.

McDermid knows how to tell a good story and it is great to know that her earlier novels are just as good as her most recent work. I highly recommend A PLACE OF EXECUTION if you still have not read it. It is her best book up to now bar none.

This is one of those books I read on a whim, and I'm very glad that I did. The character of Kate Brannigan has become one of my favorite private eyes (Philip Marlowe is still my number one) over the few days it took me to finish the story. Kate is perky, polite with words but pleasantly cynical in thought. Her workout of choice is kickboxing, but Ms. McDermid doesn't turn it into an over-the-top [method] of destruction while encountering no-goodnicks in puruit of her cases. She has a [carefree] rock journalist boyfriend who enjoys smoking [illegal substances], and their greatest bond seems to be the perpetual quest for palatable Chinese food.

This is the first work I have read by V.L. McDermid, and I absolutely love her story telling, characters and use of dialogue from start to finish. The spark of the novel is an odd case of disappearing and/or phantom conservatories; a bland subject to start with, but blends into a fascinating tale of low profile [con] artists. Detective Brannigan is close friends with a lesbian couple, and I love how Ms. McDermid introduces them as one would introduce any loving couple, without trying to make contrived statements regarding alternative lifestyles.

The only thing that keeps me from delivering that final fifth star is the proofreading. There are enough typos and errors in this edition that it really started to make a great story look, at times, amateurish on paper. I rarely make an issue when I see a typo here and there, but the frequency of mistakes here was distracting.

Do not let that criticism stop you from picking up this book. The pace, characters and plot twists keep this story slick! I plan to read every Kate Brannigan caper in existence.

It's too bad Val McDermid's mysteries are so difficult to find in the U.S., because she's a terrific writer, and Kate Brannigan is a terrific private eye. "Kick Back" is the first of the Brannigan series and can be addictive. Based in the county of Cheshire in England (near Manchester), the very cool Kate encounters all manner of English dirty dealing and bad Chinese food. Every time I go to London, I pick up whatever new Val McDermid paperbacks are available, with Kate the first priority.

The late Frank Sinatra sang in his 1955 hit song of the same title,"LOVE AND MARRIAGE go together like a horse and carriage." In this book the Doctor Of Comedy tells about romance and his personal romantic non-sexual experiences. One of them is his 1964 wedding to Camille Olivia Hanks in Olney,Maryland. Bill and Camille Cosby are still husband and wife today. Sorry,there is no mention of the marriage of Dr. Heathcliff and Clair Hanks Huxtable(Cosby and Phylicia Rashad on NBC's The Cosby Show). The Cosbys have adult children who have married themselves(not all of them). Take note of Cosby surrounded by dozens of beautiful red roses on the cover. Hey,who knows more about LOVE AND MARRIAGE than the college-educated Cosby? Many people who read this book also read TIME FLIES and FATHERHOOD.

Having recently read "Fatherhood", I had high hopes for "Love and Marriage". In "Fatherhood", some genuine parenting advice was presented. After reading the first chapter of "Love and Marriage", I was expecting similar tidbits to be present in this book. I was disappointed.

The book really falls apart after the first few chapters. These chapters give an enlightening look into the youthful period when we discover the other sex. After this analysis, the book goes into Cosby's dating disasters that rage on until he meets his wife. The remaining chapters discuss his marriage. These chapters digress into jokes about the differences between the sexes and other humor. While these diatribes are moderately entertaining, they lack the wisdom I have come to expect from Cosby.

Because the trademark wit did not accompany the wisdom, I found myself to be disappointed with this book. While I would encourage you to read the masterwork "Fatherhood", I do not have high regards for this book.

Bill Cosby shares his humorous and disaster strewn search for amour as well as all the silly lessons his longtime marriage to Camille have taught him. There really isn't much `advice' he can give, as he admits, so he just shares his observations and experiences (some of which are from his comedy routines) and that, it turns out, is quite enough. A quick, sweet and very funny read.

I love this book. A must read. Sweet and so real and so true.

It took me a while to get accustomed to Cosby's writing style. His writing voice is very different from his speaking. I admit, this is my first endeavor into reading Cosby's wit, but I found it quite enjoyable. As I read more, I found it very insightful. I would definitely recommend this book.

A page-turning, psychological exploration,with the feel of a sprawling family epic in a spare 290 pages. Tilghman crafts insightful and absorbing portraits of an array of disparate characters to tell the story of Edward and Edith Mason, who return to America at the end of the Depression with their two sons after years living in England, and the musty Victorian atmosphere of both their family relationships and the expectations of their place in the world are a potent ingredient. Their fading pretentions of British class-superiority there have been devastated by bad business decisions and they have been forced to move to the yet-unseen Mason manse, the Retreat, on the Eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay. Set in the two years leading up to the outbreak of World War II, the tensions among the four Mason family members ripple throughout their community, to include friends, lovers, and most strikingly, to their employees, including two black housekeepers and the farmhand Robert, whose racial situation in the Depression-era, rural South is rendered to clear-headed, stunning effect in many of the book's scenes.

The assured writing and psychological surprises reminded me of Thomas Mallon's "Henry and Clara", and the gathering sense of doom and inexorable tragedy, mirrored in the offstage story of Europe in 1939 reminded me again and again of Ian McEwan's "Atonement", highest of praise from me.

How does a slender 30-something mother of two make a real life for herself, when her loudmouth misfit ... of a philandering husband departs for England and a dashing young yachtsman comes calling? Tend to her garden? If her husband is her choice, how does she aid him to overcome the disrespect of practically everyone who knows him, including her parents, the hired help, even their teenage son? There are the makings of a good story here.
Unfortunately, I found this first novel to be very much a freshman effort. The main failing was lack of gut-wrenching scenes, those that draw the reader in emotionally. I recall only one, and the author rushed through that one. The characters are hardly able to engage with one another and remain disconnected throughout. Most disappointing was the treatment of the Mason family estate, Mason's Retreat, which was never allowed to reveal its dark secrets.

Wonderfully drawn characters and a masterfully haunting sense of time and place. Characters include very real children (so much of literature is made up only of a world of erudite adults -- clearly not the planet I live on). I think of this book every time I go to the Eastern shore. Does anyone know if the author is in fact related to the folks that Tilighman is named after?

Our book club read this as a monthly selection and we liked it. The characters are well-developed and the story continues to keep your interst. The setting on the Eastern Shore of Maryland had a particular interest for our Maryland book club but it is also informative for those not familiar with the "shore". The description of the time in history and the various relationships between different classes and races only adds to the character of the story.

Mr. Tilghman has created a gem. In a deceptively simplistic way, he allows the reader to explore the nuances of the characters' relationships. As someone who is familiar with the Eastern Shore, every detail evoked this solitary but lovely place. This is a book you'll reflect on long after the last page is read.

I have read many Regency novels, and I believe Minerva is my very favorite. I love the way Minerva comes to terms with the world around her while not embracing the way everyone else acts. I also enjoyed the interactions between Minerva and Comfrey, the hero of the tale. Minerva's father makes a great supporting character. This book is Chesney's finest!

Minerva is the first in the Six Sisters series, a set of Regency-era romances by Marion Chesney (who also publishes other romances and mysteries under several pseudonyms). Chesney produced a number of Regency series (Rake's Progress, House for the Season, Mannerling Series, et.al.) but the Six Sisters is her finest romance work by far. Each of the six Armitage sisters has her own complete story;Minerva sets the tone for the whole set-- each girl is beautiful but distinct and flawed, not a perfect doll-like character with no depth. As the eldest of the girls, Minerva must make her way through the perils of London, while falling in love! The supporting cast of hunt-obsessed father, hypochondriac mother and grand dame chaperone who refuses to age gracefully add a backdrop of hilarity and consistency to the stories. Chesney's writing is a standout in this genre because the situations and characters and funny and quirky but not awkward or tedious.
Chesney also adds lots of intersting cultural and historical information, blended so well into the narrative that it serves to make the characters more fascinating. Once you read Chesney's work, you won't be able to read the standard dull, pretentious Regency romance-type again. One of my favorite relaxing-reading sets of stories. I only wish the stories were longer--each only runs about 150 pages.

I loved Minerva, it was a great start to the 6 sisters series, it made me run out to track down the remaining 5 books of the series. You will definitely find yourself laughing out loud at this book and the others, as well. I love marion chesney.

Half the fun of Marion Chesney's books is that they are usually part of a series of six. Minerva is the first of its series, and Chesney does a sparkling job of introducing prosing Minerva, her fox-hunting vicar father, the scandalous old malaprop Lady Godolphin and the rest of Minerva's sisters, each of whom have their own stories. Minerva, beautiful and a bit too full of holier-than-thou zeal, is taken down a peg or two by her beloved Lord Sylvester in delightful ways. Excellent villains plot her downfall and all ends happily when Sylvester saves the day.

When the Reverend Charles Armitage, a country vicar in Regency England, announces that Minerva, the eldest of his six daughters, is to have her coming-out in London, the news is not well received by the rest of the family. Mrs. Armitage has one of her Spasms ("her ultimate weapon") and has to be brought round by burning a quantity of feathers under her nose. Annabelle, the nearest in age to Minerva, is clearly jealous, the boys are all surly, and the other girls just start off crying. But the other five daughters will all get their chance, because "Minerva" is but the first volume in The Six Sisters series by Marion Chesney.

Minerva, the eldest, is beautiful but a prude. While her mother reclines on a chaise longue coming up with new malaises and her father is off hunting instead of worrying about the dowries the girls need to be married off. But then Papa decides the boys should be sent to Eton, which requires money, and his solution is to marry Minerva off to some man with a fortune. So she is dispatched to town, where a man is walking around wearing nothing but green (Minerva is shocked), for her first season and her first target, Lady Wentwater's nephew. It goes without saying that this match is not going to work out and that reducing marriage to an economic transaction is never going to pan out in a romance novel.

The comic irony here is that the man who is perfect for Minerva is one who has a ringside seat to her failed machinations. A common theme of Chesney's book is that poor Minerva is scandalized by life in the big city. She is being tutored on how to act in society by an elderly relative, Lady Godolphin, but nothing will stop Minerva from making her moral superiority known to one and all. Consequently, she becomes the subject of a rather inappropriate wager among the supposed gentlemen of Regency London. Time after time, Minerva finds herself in extremely compromising situations with a certain gentleman, who has wagered 50,000 pounds of the matter, but who insists he is not the marrying kind.

Poor Minerva. A prude being seduced is going to be a tale ripe for humor and Chesney indulges in some ribaldry (I was shocked, shocked I tell you, that the word virgin escapes Minerva's lips). The emphasis is clearly on the comedy more than the romance, and my favorite point is when Lady Godolphin demands to know a gentleman's intentions towards Miss Armitage only to be told "You ask me my intentions, ma'am. Well, they're the worst, damme! The very worse!" Then the guy strides away. Now, I realize that could read like something serious, but it really is pretty funny. In comparison to the obvious reference point of Jane Austen, Chesney's offering displays a broader sense of humor, which should be enough to tell you whether or not you would find this book and this series appealing. After all, the vicar still has Annabelle, Deirdre, and three more daughters to marry off as successfully as he manages with this first one (ahem).

I first read Nine Lives to Murder several years ago and found it great fun. Although I seldom remember the details of my leisure-time escape fiction reads, the dilemma of the switched brains/bodies of the actor and the cat remained with me.

This week I revisited this book by listening to the unabridged audio version and I enjoyed it even more this time. From the first moment of Winstanley Fortescue's awakening (after a bad fall) in the body of Monty the theatre cat, through his adjustment to that state and his efforts to prevent the murder of "The Instrument" - Fortescue's human body now occupied by Monty's cat brain - to the final scene, this was a perfect hoot and a great escape. The story rolls along with charm, humor (some of it sly), and enough suspense to keep the reader/listener alert.

Babson's a master storyteller who knows cats, and humans, and London. I always enjoy her books, and this is my favorite of them. At least for now.

I read this book because it looked interesting, a man and a cat switching bodies, I kind of figured it would be fun. It was. Some parts of this book are very funny and had me laughing out loud. You can tell Marian Babson really got into the cat's mind and it seemed like some parts really were written by a cat. That evil stagehand Woody was really mean and I'm glad he got what he deserved in the end. Also it's good that Winstanley Fortsecue and the Monty got their old bodies back . . . the ending was a happy one . . . that's always good. It was a great mystery and a really fun book to read.

This is a book in the ultra-cosy mystery genre. The feline capers are well-written and it is clear that the author has made careful observations of cat behaviour. The human characters and their motivations, and the situations they find themselves in, are somewhat two dimensional and predictable but that pretty much goes with the cosy territory.

It is a delightful, undemanding read and I look forward to reading more cat mysteries written by this author.

I admit it. I'm a smart woman who is a sucker for cat mysteries. I can't help it.

I just started reading Babson's books, picking them up here and there, and I very much enjoy them. I like having different characters in every book (rathering than wondering which character in the little town of Catville is going to get murdered this year).

Babson's books are a joy to read. They do not insult your intelligence (as much as other books in this genre), the characters are developed, the stories are interesting.

If you like cat mysteries and have never given Babson a try, please do. You will be very pleasantly surprised. She's quite a good writer, her stories are fun...and you can always be sure the cats never get seriously hurt. ;-)

English thespian Win Fortescue and Monty Mousa, theater cat, are thrust into each other's lives by the intervention of someone with murder in mind. Quirk and serendipity lands Win in Monty's body and vice versa; will the murderer finish the job, will the cat and the man be trapped forever in the other's frame? Wives and mistresses past and present decorate the scenery; actors, stagehands, Dames, managers, the wardrobe mistress, a celebrity reporter, a scandal photographer, doctors, Matrons, nurses, The Dutchess of Malfi, a siren called Butterfly, theater mice, and even a dog parade across the page. The resulting draught of their passage causes the mists of obfuscation to pale till, like in all good stories and plays, the truth is revealed. Will Win and Monty get back their own bodies; can all be made right? To know the answers you will just have to read Nine Lives to Murder for yourself.

THE PLAYBOY AND THE WIDOW

An earthy widow and mother of two was a far cry from the stylish glamour girls dashing man-about-town Cliff Howard usually dated. But one look into Diana Collins's soulful brown eyes had him thinking about apple pie instead of "cheesecake." Her irresistible blend of womanly strength and heartbreaking vulnerability enticed him as beauty never had.

Try as he might to resist, "ladykiller" Cliff was soon forced to admit that this plucky widow and her rambunctious daughter could grow on a man. But could they start a dyed-in-the-wool playboy dreaming of domestic bliss?

I just loved this book, it was by far one of the best i have read. It took me only hours because i could not put it down. I just love this authur and her stories, they are never boring always fast pace.

I have read many Debbie Macomber books, but this is my favorite. I really felt as though I knew Diana and Cliff. I like the way Cliff seemed to put Diana first. I wish there was a sequel !!

The Playboy and the Widow tells the story of a struggling widow with two preteen daughters who meets a man describable only by the word playboy. This book has characters who are ordinary, believeable, realistic. It is so nice to read about people who have everyday problems. It is so easy to relate to them and share in their victories. After all, not everyone is rich and set for life. Ms. Macomber did an excellent job of combining humor, seriousness and steamy love scenes. Wow!!!

If you want a read that is easy, sweet, realistic and just a good story- this is it. It is one of DM's earlier books but I did enjoy it. I found it on the library shelf and thought why not give it a try. Glad I did. It is a story of Diana, a struggling widow raising 2 preteen daughters. She just isn't ready to give up the ghost of her dead husband- the thought of meeting and dating others is just not appetizing to her. By accident Diana meets Cliff when Cliff comes over to help with a plumbing matter. Cliff was at the neighbors' house when Diana called for help. Cliff is a playboy- good looking, has money, a prestigious job and dates models- no doubt about it and has NO plans to change his lifestyle. But there is just something simple, sweet, and desirable about Diana - and her girls. And Cliff can't get enough... He realizes that he's not happy with his life the way things are. Diana on the other hand has to decide whether Cliff is worth taking a risk of being hurt- and how is he going to fit in with the girls?

This book is mysterious and mind puzzling, you cant put it down! you would be able to stay up all night and day while reading this book. you are always wondering what is coming next.

Almost impossible at times to put down! A must read!

This is an excellent mystery novel with a twist! The characters were excellent! And the fact that the heroine has psychic abilities is done very tastefully. Phyllis Whitney is an excellent author! I could not put this book down, I didn't sleep for fear of missing some revelation in the story!! Read this book.

Rainbow In The Mist is written with a fine hand. Lili reminded me of a famous true life psychic. The characters were definitely developed to the point they interacted well together and complimented each character in turn. A real page turner, it was hard to put down and I finished it in one day. It holds a surprise ending. For once, this writer has written a book that I did not guess the ending or the coming events. Absolutely superb!

I loved this book. When I first started reading it I couldn't put it down and I hardly ever read books! I encourage you to read this book because it is well written and has a great story line.

This book shows the state of the world in the 1930's, before the outbreak of WWII.
A great love story and after all sorts of setbacks and disappointments, true love finally prevailed.
It was written after all the convulsive changes had taken place -
the end of British rule in Asia; the lessening of racial bigotry between whites and non-whites; the eroding of tension between Malays and Chinese. All these had gradually taken place after end of WWII.
It had a retrospective look but it was done marvellously well.
I am somewhat surprised that the author was not really a novelist but a journalist. He did a great job in producing this novel

One can tell Noel Barber thoroughly knows his Malayian history. I was excited to read about a place and time in history I hadn't found in any other novels. It is set before, during, and after WW2 in Singapore. It focuses on two wealthy families, the Dexters-British and the Soongs-Chinese. John Dexter and Julie Soong fall in love. Although the families are quite good friends, Singapore still has a racial line that makes their love forbidden.

This story has been told many times, many ways, but what sets Tanamera apart is the historical background. Mr. Barber takes you through Singapore before the war, during the war, and the effort to reclaim Singapore from the Japanese. He makes you feel like you have a vested interest in the characters. The characters are well written and multi dimensional.

Highly recommended.

The best historical fiction ever written about the II World War and the action of the allied and axis forces in the Pacific. A MUST read for every one who is interested in this part of the XXth Century.

THE NOVEL REFLECTS THE SENTIMENTS OF THE 30'S AND 40'S ABOUT INTER-RACIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN SINGAPORE SOCIETY. IT SHOWS THAT TRUE LOVE, DESPITE THE WAR AND SOCIETAL NORMS, HAS NO BOUNDARIES. THE NOVEL HAVE THE SCENIC BACKGROUND OF MARGARET MITCHELL'S "GONE WITH THE WIND" COMBINED WITH THE MYSTICISM OF THE SOUTHEAST AND THE PASSIONATE ROMANCE OF SHAKESPEARE'S "ROMEO AND JULIET." ____________________

"TANAMERA" --- along with "TAI-PAN", "SHOGUN", and "THE THORN BIRDS" --- is one of the best "epic" novels I've ever read. This is a novel you simply will not be able to put down! Noel Barber gives the reader a rich, earthy feel and insight into the history, culture, and development of Singapore from the late 19th century up to the late 1950s through the interconnected lives of 2 families - the Dexters and the Soongs.

Mainly "TANAMERA" is a tale of a constant and abiding love between John Dexter and Julie Soong and the struggles and pain they endure through war and separation. In reading about their lives, I felt deeply for them and the world as it was changing around them.

Barber is a consummate writer who knows his subject well. In "TANAMERA", you experience life vicariously, its ups and down, its joys and sorrows. Never a paragraph is wasted.