Crime Books

First time I have ever written a book review but Boca Moon is worth it. This is just a great book. Intriguing characters; realistic setting. Bravo.

Frank foster's first novel is a real thriller. I could not put it down. His heroine, Lynn Woo is good looking, smart and resourseful. Foster's descritions of characters and Florida scenery is so good you feel as if you are right there in the middle of the exciting story. I collect Carl Hiasson, Stuart Woods, and John Grisham novels. As long as I'm alive I plan on adding all of Frank Foster's novels (hopefully autographed)to my library. Let's have the next one soon Frank!

Frank Foster's Boca Moon is a spell-binding story that holds your interest from the start. The author captures your imagination with great characters and a unique setting. His wonderfully descriptive writing style is vivid and powerful, and the plot is filled with suspense and surprises. It's a great read that any mystery fan should not miss.
Nis Nissen
Lakeland, FL

A fast and fresh thriller. Boca Grande really comes to life here. I look forward to getting to know these characters better. When's the next one coming?

Loved the quirky characters; the north Florida and Boca setting; the thrills and chills, twists and turns of the plot; the colloquial expressions ...an enjoyable summer read!

Fabulous book! The detail of the dead man floating with maggots crawling under his skin.....I could actually see it. I really enjoyed every page of this great story. I loved the autopsy. I was proud of Cameryn for asking about the odor and the skin color after the Dr. tried to intimidate her to silence. Can't wait to start the second book.

This book reminded me a lot of Nancy Drew, but ten times better. The story takes place in the small town of Silverton, Colorado. Cameryn Mahoney is the daughter of the town's coroner, and wishes to follow in her father's footsteps. She finally convinces him to allow her on as his assistant and soon enough a dead body is found in the mountains.
Cameryn misses nothing, taking into account even the smallest details that in the bigger picture don't quite add up for her. Who is the malicious Christopher Killer? Could it be one of her friends? Cameryn's determined to find the killer and her fortitude leads to a suspenseful ending.
This book doesn't skim on the forensics; Alane Ferguson makes the science real. You can tell she's done her research. A must read for those who love mystery and suspense.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson is a well-written and logical science vs. pseudoscience mystery whose heroine is a female high school "nerd" who wants to be a forensic pathologist. The story has a lot of colorful western small town personalities, along with a serial killer to keep the plot moving. Much of the plot interaction is among high school students, which should make this book especially suitable for teen readers --- especially girls. No "saucy stuff", just a good mystery read!

Silverton Colorado is the scene of Alane Ferguson's new forensic mystery series for young adult readers. When a young woman is found murdered, Cameryn Mahoney joins her father, the local coroner, in the search for the killer. From autopsy to investigation, Cameryn comes closer to the case than she bargained for. Once again, Ferguson has written a well-researched thriller that seems more fact than fiction. Even the most reluctant reader will be caught up in the intrigue and suspense of Cameryn's involvement in her father's work. The Christopher Killer is the first in this series and is highly recommended for the young adult library collection.

In the quiet, small town of Silverton, Colorado, eighteen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney is planning to follow in her father's footsteps and pursue a career in forensic pathology. Her dad, the unassuming yet efficient Pat Mahoney, is the local county coroner, and Cameryn is determined to follow his lead--much to the chagrin and near-disgust of her Mammaw. Cameryn's grandmother is convinced that her "love" of death and dying, and her insistence on not becoming a "real" doctor, along with her inability to cook, will lead her down the wrong path.

But Cameryn is determined, and she's also thrilled when she finally talks her dad into letting her assist him. After all, sure, the county coroner does deal with death occasionally, but they haven't had an actual murder in decades, so her father figures there can't be any harm in letting his daughter tag along to scenes or assist with autopsies. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

There has been a murder in this sleepy Rocky Mountain town. And it's not just the murder of a stranger, but Cameryn's friend, Rachel Geller. Added to that is the fact that it's not a random murder, but seems to be part of a serial killer's spree. The murderer always leaves a St. Christopher medal on the victim's body, thus earning him the moniker The Christopher Killer. As Cameryn sets out to assist her father, she suddenly finds herself drawn into a murder investigation. As the police in this small town search for clues as to who may have murdered the lovely Rachel, Cameryn is determined to start putting her knowledge of forensics to good use.

This is a great book, similar to the style and stories of the television show CSI. If you're interested in forensics or just like watching the process on television, you're going to thoroughly enjoy the mystery that is THE CHRISTOPHER KILLER. Not to mention the fact that this is just the beginning of a new series, so there will be more books starring Cameryn down the road! The other great thing about the book, besides its excellent characters, dialogue, and storyline, is the fact that even though it's a mystery that deals with murder, it's a good fit even for middle-school readers. You won't go wrong picking up a copy of this first book in the FORENSIC MYSTERY series!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Secrets from the past come back to haunt. Lies and deceit follow where ever we go. For Carla Radling, her buried secret just happens to be intertwined with a powerful presidential candidate. The choices she made 16 years ago come rushing back to her when a perspective client turns out to be a well paid hit man. Fleeing for her life, Carla finds herself reliving her past, searching for a way to survive for the future. However, someone else knows her secret and after years of living with the guilt, Tanya Evan's ready to tell the truth, but will she live long enough to do so?

Crimson Eve is a powerful book focused on choices. The decisions we make can have far reaching effects and this book paints those effects in brilliant color. The decisions of Carla Radling, stand as a bold example to all who try to use deceit and lies to gain what they desire. It also stands as a beautiful example of God's forgiveness. At times it's hard to believe that someone would make the choices that Carla made, however, I think we all have our secrets we'd like no one to know. We've all made decisions based on our own best interest, and we've all told a few lies to help our own cause. This book is a great reminder of how lives can be destroyed as a result of one lie that compounds into many. It's also a great reminder of God's knowledge, presence, and forgiveness.

Kanner Lake realtor Carla Radler has a nibble. Possibly a whole bite. She's positively elated about the chance to sell Edna San's estate to a tall, dark, and handsome. But Carla keeps her poise in front of this charming man with rich brown eyes. When she learns that this British gentleman with a cocky James Bond attitude will pay cash if he likes the place, she really gets excited. Who wouldn't?

What Carla soon finds out is that things are not as they seem.

Fast forward to a phone call at Bailey Truitt's coffee shop, Java Joint. Carla's in more trouble than Bailey knows. She can't let Bailey know what's going on. What if the phone lines are tapped?

Carla's run for her life takes a desperate turn. No one can know where she is. No one. Or he'll kill them too.

Brandilyn Collins reveals the secrets of Kanner Lake residents one by one in this series. In Crimson Eve, she again mixes real-life with fiction in her references to a real blog called Scenes and Beans, which is based in a fictional coffee shop called Java Joint.

She has woven another well-paced suspense in Kanner Lake, only this time we leave town.

"Crimson Eve," the third book in Brandilyn Collins' Kanner Lake Series, is, simply and truly, a great book... terrific suspense, an underlying tribute to faith, and well-crafted characters, about whom a reader cares (or, in some cases, hates). Having read and enjoyed all of Ms. Collins' novels, this is her very best. To use a cliché, 'a real page-turner!' My wife and I highly recommend "Crimson Eve," and we eagerly await the fourth and final installment of the Kanner Lake Series.
--Ron Howe (a.k.a., Toby Martin II) Erskine, Minnesota.

I loved this book. It grabbed me and I started running and couldn't stop until I was finished with the story. This is fast constant action and I enjoyed it very much. Brandilyn writes with good description and you are right there pushing her characters, trying to help them stay out of trouble.

Paulette L. Harris Author/Speaker

A woman on the run from a dangerous secret. Another woman, with a key to open the mystery. And men desperate to shut them down before positions of power are shaken at their foundations. Hmm. This could play right into some of the things we see in politics nowadays.

The amazing thing about "Crimson Eve" is that Brandilyn Collins takes high stakes and big concepts and fits them into a small-town story. She stays focused on the characters who have so much to lose, rather than turning this into an over-the-top political thriller. Once again, we start out in Kanner Lake (boy, this town sees a lot of action), but Collins wisely detours into outlying areas, allowing us a break from that besieged town, while keeping us in touch with some of our beloved friends from previous books. She does this in ways that seem fitting to the story, never forced.

The first two Kanner Lake books were mysteries with some great suspense. This book is a full-speed-ahead thriller, with some mystery thrown in. I was reminded a number of times of Harlan Coben (one of my favorite authors). Sometimes, Coben comes up with so many twists that it seems almost too much. Here, too, Collins uses some story ideas that push that edge of credulity, considering the four or five people all complicit to make this mystery work. Never fear, though, Collins is a master at her craft and she has us buying into this conspiracy theory while also relating deeply to the struggles of her main characters. She uses diary excerpts to great effect, allowing us to understand what has gone before, and what is to come.

I don't know how Collins keeps coming up with these great stories. She's consistent. The stories are fast-paced. And the characters come to life. When it comes to Christian suspense, Collins is one of those leading the charge.

This a a must have for all the True crime collectors! Corey Mitchell has done an excellent job with showing us a little different view of Hollywood. Highly recommended!

Hollywood Death Scenes makes a great substitute for those who are unable (or too ashamed) to take one of those tacky guided tours through Tinseltown's more notorious sin spots.

A handy book to keep next to your volumes of Hollywood Babylon, Hollywood Death Scenes examines `True Crime and Tragedy in Paradise', with sections devoted to Hollywood homicides (Sam Cooke, Phil Hartman, Sal Mineo), suicides (Margaux Hemingway, Brian Keith, Freddie Prinze, porn starlet Savannah), overdoses (John Belushi, Janis Joplin, Lenny Bruce), unsolved mysteries (Superman George Reeves, the mugging of Eraserhead star Jack Nance, the Wonderland Murders involving John Holmes) and serial killings/murder sprees (which, apart from a great section on Charles Manson, features Night Stalker Richard Ramirez and the Hillside Stranglers, Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi).

Encompassing 25 pages (one of the largest sections in the book), the Manson chapter is broken down into segments profiling all the major and minor players (including Lotsapoppa and the Beach Boys), the crimes and locations. Like most of the entries in the book, photos (vintage and recent) of all the crime scenes, jail and court houses, etc. are included, along with relevant address information. A sidebar details some of the people who have occupied 10050 Cielo Drive both prior to and after the murders (including Cary Grant, Henry Fonda and Candice Bergen), and it's nice to see a couple of fairly uncommon (B&W) photos mixed in with some of the more familiar images.

While not designed to outwardly provoke or horrify, Hollywood Death Scenes does make for a suitable coffee table curio, allowing the reader to trawl through the sewers of America's sin city without having to abandon the security of their living room....

This book will keep you turning the page. He explores several different crime scenes and explains in detail the story behind the scene. I love murder books and this one is one of the best. It does have some great pictures too. I say Buy It, Buy It, Buy It.

The pictures in this book alone are worth the buying...and ofcourse an incredible author, as usual :)

I am a huge fan of author Corey Mitchell's work. I have given all three of his paperback releases with Pinnacle 5 star reviews. I was hesitant, however, to plunk down $50+ for his first book which is long out of print. Well, I didn't have to as my wife bought one for me this Christmas and I am glad she did. Mitchell's first book is fantastic. While the writing is not as strong as his current writing in "Evil Eyes," he still is a fantastic writer. It's fascinating to see the progression in the quality of his writing.

As with all his following books, his research is top notch. There are several cases here I had never heard of like Rozz Williams, Hillel Sloak, and Jason Thirsk. There were also tons of new facts on familiar cases such as the Charles manson Murders, The Hillside Stranglers, and the Night Stalker that I had never read anywhere else. Not to mention that Mitchell shot and included over 500 photographs, a couple of hundred crime scene addresses (including updated versions), and that stylistically the book looks killer. My wife is the greatest and I believe the book is worth every dollar she paid for it.

I hope Mitchell continues the series. He mentions in the back of the book that a New York version was next. I guess after the death of his wife (as mentioned at the beginning of his next book "Dead and Buried") he put the "Death Scenes" books aside. I would love to see one of these books for my hometown.

LZJ

In his third novel, Michael Swiger has woven yet another suspenseful tail of deception, power and murder that is a page turner. I finished this novel in one day: It's one downside is that Swiger has managed to produce a novel that has no weak points at which putting it down is an option. Well done Mr Swiger, we are ready for the follow up.

If you haven't read Michael's other two books you should. That being said, this is his best book so far. His story telling abilities continue to grow with each novel and this one definitely proves that his skills have matured. I'll be looking forward to his next novel.

Wow! Once again, Michael Swiger gives you more than what you expected! Lethal Ambition is an outstanding read. I thoroughly enjoyed this literary journey, and I will revisit the pages again. Masterfully written, Lethal Ambition is much more than just a great story. It can be enjoyed on many levels. I appreciated this engaging book throughout, and well after I finished reading it for several reasons. Two primary among these are the various considerations it sparked, and the many paths that it allowed my mind to walk. I am enthusiastically looking forward to Swiger's Edward Mead encore.

I'm a traveling reader. It helps one get through the trials and tribulations of today's business air travel by providing an escape of the stress. If you are like me and are always looking for something riveting, engaging and entertaining all at the same time the novel Lethal Ambition, by Michael Swiger, is definitely just what the doctor ordered. You will become so completely entranced in this who done it thriller that you will actually be upset when you have to put it down and head to the next leg of your flight. The development of the characters who will seem germane to anyone reading, along with the ever twisting plot will keep you eagerly turning page after page. Finishing this story found me wishing for more, I'll be on the look out for the next Edward Mead tale. This is the best work yet from Michael Swiger.

Excellent Read - A Great Page Turner!
The plot is a true legal thriller with murder, politics, suspense, love and humor. The characters are believable and well created with detail. I was so immersed in the story; it's the kind of book you can't put down. The plot twists and you'll be guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book if you are looking to absorb yourself in an outstanding page-turner. Michael Swiger has proven himself as a first rate author - can't wait for the sequel!

I saw James Swanson giving a speech about his other book "Manhunt" and found him fascinating to listen to. he knew facts that I had never heard before and could describe them with such detail I felt like I was watching it happen. I read "Manhunt" and was thrilled to have the details of those twelve days come to life. When I saw this book I snatched it up as quickly as I could. It is the perfect book for both the avid reader and for those who like to look at artifacts and photographs of the era. This is by far my new favorite Civil War book (and I have many). James and Daniel did an excellent job of laying out the story then showing artifacts and pictures from the event. I've looked at this book for hours and am only through the second chapter! Not that it's hard to get through, just fun to look at and read.

This text dovetails nicely with Swanson's recent effort "Manhunt", but more from an artifact perspective than a written one. Many of the pictures are one-of-a-kind, especially Alexander Gardner's entire collection from the courtyard at the D.C. prison where the conspirators were hung. Again, this is not a complete text (nor does it aspire to be), but a great addition to any historical collection regarding the Lincoln assasination.

James Swanson has done a super job at presenting Lincoln's assassins thru the the use of pictures of the individuals as well as documents of the time. An excellent source for teachers dealing with the capture, trial, and execution of those associated with Lincoln's assassination.

This is more of a picture book than a text-laden history book, but it's the appeal of the many photos, pictures, illustrations, and even cartoons that make this book a fascinating one to read. The book includes photos of all the conspirators, in life as well as death, along with other interesting details such as a letter Booth wrote as a teenager. Today few remember that John Wilkes Booth was the teenage heart-throb of his day, making it all the more shocking when he was involved in the assassination.

The details of the trial sound like something from some fantastic kangaroo court, not the U.S. For example, the defense had no time to marshall their case, interview or call witnesses, or even to meet much with their clients. The jury was composed of generals and military men, not civilians, and their decision would be final, with no right of appeal.There were indeed judges in the courtroom, but they were watching from the audience.

The public and the press constantly talked about their favorite conspirators, of which the young, handsome and dashing looking Lewis Powell was the favorite, who attempted to kill secretary of state William Seward with a Bowie knife on the night of the assassination, rather than the president, but was foiled. Even the decision of who to prosecute left many questions unanswered, as several suspects with far more incriminating evidence weren't even brought to trial, whereas others with less evidence were tried and executed. The authors suggest that this might have had more to do with who actually plotted the murder vs. who was involved with post-assassination attempts to shelter Booth.

However, it's the stunning visual presentation here rather than the now well known history that is the star here. This book will be enjoyed by any history or Americana buffs or anyone interested in a well done presentation of a unique event in our history.

Excellent addition to any Civil War library. Text has nothing really new but reads very easily. The "gold mine" in this book are all the photos, some of which are new to me.
Quick read and terrific service from the vendor.

In his imaginative debut, MY NAME IS RUSSELL FINK, Michael Snyder pens the occasionally tangential story of a 26-year-old Nashville copier salesman who can't seem to get his life together.

It's a quirky and engaging read. Russell Fink is a budding artist who still lives at home with his parents and seems stuck in his career and his relationships. His family has its own troubles: Mom hits the bottle at the first sign of tension, while dad, a miracle-working evangelist with a checkered past, auditions for a possible television gig. Russell's older brother Peter has a slew of things going on as well: He runs a coffee shop, always seems to be short on cash, is paranoid about being followed, and carries a notebook to record his memoirs of growing up in an oddball Christian family. His disappearance (and apparent kidnapping --- or is it?) is only one of the many plot threads in the story.

Russell wrestles with guilt over everything from the death of his twin sister Katie from leukemia at a young age to his own inability to get a grip on what's important. Complicating things is his fiancée, Alyssa, an actress who is (she believes) on the cusp of the big time and who stages protests at the local and cutely named "As a Jaybird" strip club to try to get media attention. For two people supposedly in love, the relationship seems...well, dysfunctional might be too kind.

At work, Russell charms the boss at Hengle's Supply even as he repeatedly misses days at his desk. But when the boss's son takes the company helm, it appears Russell's life as a copier salesman is about to end. And when his beloved basset hound Sonny is inexplicably murdered, it catapults Russell into a series of events that will jar him from his lethargy and help him begin to make sense out of his life, his calling and his faith.

Snyder's characters are an interesting but strange group --- from Dan, the eccentric tekkie who takes Russell on as a roommate, to Geri, the down-to-earth girl with a talent for making unusual clothing. If there's any criticism of the novel, it might be a tendency toward too many unusual character quirks (a little goes a long way) and a lot of different storylines going on. But somehow, the author manages to hold everything together and keep the story moving.

Snyder portrays Russell's continual blunders as both exasperating and endearing --- and they are. Russell's relationships with his family members provide glimpses into how he became the person he is at 26. But can he learn from his past to change his future? One of the best "aside" moments in the book comes when Russell forges an unlikely connection with an ill and bitter neighbor, and renders an act of kindness. No matter what the relationship between characters, there are always enough zany elements to keep things just slightly off-kilter.

Chick-lit fans will enjoy the romance elements between Russell and Alyssa and Russell and Geri, as dysfunctional as both relationships are. Readers will see Russell's long-time crush on Geri long before Russell recognizes it; however, Geri has a secret that may change the nature of their relationship. How this is resolved helps provide a happy ending to the story.

Zondervan has included some fun extras with the book, including a tongue-in-cheek reader's guide ("What kind of name is Russell Fink, anyway?"), an interview with the author, deleted scenes, back cover endorsements from his characters (from Alyssa: "He's not a particularly good kisser") and excerpts from his forthcoming sophomore offering, RETURN POLICY, due out in December. In the interview, Snyder acknowledges he began writing the novel by penning a series of short stories, which explains much about the tangential plot lines.

Faith readers will appreciate that Snyder includes themes of grace, forgiveness (especially of ourselves), vocation and calling, and the nature of miracles throughout the novel. Audiences will come away with plenty of smiles and look forward to Snyder's next outing, which promises to be a good one.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Unique writing voice. Wonderful characterization. Great story. You will love Russell Fink (and new author Mike Snyder).

My Name Is Russell Fink by Michael Snyder--what can I say? Along the lines of Nick Hornby's About a Boy and High Fidelity and Richard Russo's Straight Man, Russell is a guy who can't seem to grow up and get his life together. A closet artist, he's living with his parents, working as a salesperson for an office supply company, and engaged to a drama-queen because he can't seem to ever make a clean break. He's never really made a decision that he could call his own.

Until he discovers his dog dead.

Now, Russell has to deal with the guilt that he might have contributed to Sonny's death through alcohol poisoning (on top of dealing with the guilt almost his whole life of giving his twin-sister cancer), investigate who else poisoned Sonny, move out of his parents house, and figure out how to make a sale in order to keep his job. On top of that, he's falling in love--and the girl ain't his fiance.

It's funny, folks. These characters, strange as they are, are real.

And you know how I love my metaphors. Oh, the metaphors! "Sleep eludes me like a watermelon seed on freshly waxed tile." Or "the whole break-up ordeal feels as hollow and pointless as renouncing my spleen." And they're all over the place!

This story deals with forgiveness and the issue of the problem of evil. It's honest. There are no easy answers. Between laughing at the witty dialogue and the quirky characters, you'll find yourself grappling with the same question Russell does--if God is good, where is He?

I've read this book in its entirety twice. There are few books I do that with. I suggest you read it at least once.

Russell Fink, the main character in the novel, is a man with many issues. At his core, a painter, he's trapped in a job he hates, selling office products. He's engaged to a woman more enamored of fame than Russell. He lives with his parents--his father, a disgraced faith healer and his alcoholic mother. His older brother Peter has money issues in the form of bookies, bets, and lack of cash to pay them all off. But most of all, Russell carries deep within the grief and guilt of his twin sister's death years earlier. Sonny, Russell's aging basset hound is his closest friend and confidant. Throw in a college friend he fell in love with years before, her eccentric inventor cousin, Dan, a mysterious private investigator, and Russell's life is anything but boring.

A good first novel from this author and I look forward to reading more.

Michael Snyder's has written a brilliant debut novel. It's funny, thoughtful, with one great character after another. But for me, what made My Name Is Russell Fink a cut above the rest, was the way it managed to juggle its themes and storylines seamlessly and to such a satisfying end.

It's true to life in that way. Russell is a struggling salesman, trapped in a narcissistic loveless engagement, he continues to deal with guilt over the loss of his sister, and he's investigating the murder of his clairvoyant basset hound (which, come on, how cool is it to have a pet that can see the future?).

Any of these would plotlines would be more then enough for your average book.

But Snyder's story is smarter then that. He understands that in life problems don't come to us one at a time--so why should they in our stories? Russell is just starting to understand one issue when another pops up. It seems that it'd be easy for him to drown everything around him but he doesn't. And for that he's heroic. He continues to search for who murdered his dog, to find true love, to find faith, to reconcile family, and maybe in the own process to regain his soul.

His journey is unique, funny, sometimes sad, but always engaging and worth the read. I saw a lot of myself in Russell and imagine you will too. I think that's why he's such a memorable character and this is such a memorable book.

Now stop reading this and get yourself a copy.

We received this as a Christmas present for our daughter and we all enjoy it tremendously. I'll never forget reading it to her as a toddler and coming to the page where the boy and his dog are thinking of each other and her saying "he loves the dog, the dog loves him. love, love.. two loves!" The illustrations are adorable and the message is as simple as that: love, love. I highly recommend this book!

This book is so colorful and fun. This book really talks about the qualities of a good person in a fun way for your child.

I love this book and have bought 4 copies of it to give as gifts. I originally stumbled across it in a store and gave it to my niece for her 2nd birthday. Since then each time my wife and I have been presented with the need for a gift for a small child we have come to Amazon and bought the book. I also got one for our church's childrens library. The pictures and colors are great. One line of text per page and the message is awesome. In a world where "Peace" is so often defined as the absense of war, it is nice to see a book with many interpretations that help to define the word for children in positive terms, not by what it is not.

"Peace is having enough pizza in the world for everyone!" What kid won't understand that?

The book also comes in two sizes. Both are fine, but if you are planning on using it to read to a group of children (at church, school, or a library) I would recommend the larger size.

A four year old boy seems to think if you are for peace you can't enjoy the power rangers and other toys with weapons. This book explains what peace is. This four year old boy seems to get it.

I really like this book and my daughter (4) likes it too. It's a great way to talk about all different kinds of people, music, clothes, etccc

I love Rumpole. I've loved all of Mortimer's Rumpole books and this is no exception. I wouldn't suggest starting with this one. Perhaps one of the omnibuses instead. But this one is still awesome and a worthy addition to anyone's library.

In this book of six stories we see Rumpole as he comes back from a heart attack that took him at the end of the last book. And does he ever come back! He is vigorous and apparently healthy, but just as curmudgeonly as usual in this book of stories. The stories in this book are all equally wonderful. They are witty, tricky and the loveable Rumpole rules over them all. Rumpole is not just a character, he is a literature icon like Jeeves and Bertie Wooster or Albert Campion. As usual I like to pick a favourite out of these stories. They are all excellent, but I think I enjoyed Rumpole and the New Year's Resolutions the best. The mistaken email that is sent to the new Director of Marketing by Soapy Sam is so funny, and the way that Rumpole deals with Ballard's embarassment is priceless. Not only that it's so realistic because this sort of thing happens with emails all the time. My only complaint is that these stories end too soon. I love Rumpole, and reading his books is a huge high for me. Never once does Mortimer ever let his characters slip from their own reality. They are true blue throughout each book, and this makes them appear so real. Mortimer is a master storyteller.

I have been a Rumpole fan for many years, and although I agree that these stories are not quite up to some of the earlier stories, I still find them highly enjoyable.

At the end of the previous book, Rumpole Rests His Case, we were left with a Rumpole who was clearly dying -- giving his final summing up from his hospital bed to a room full of fellow patients. But the beginning of RUMPOLE AND THE PRIMROSE PATH brings a Rumpole on the road to recovery, finding an interesting mystery while still confined to his hospital room. Of the death of his fictional creation Inspector Morse, author Colin Dexter said that he didn't kill him; he simply let Morse die. Somehow I don't think John Mortimer is ready to let go of Rumpole just yet.

The fictional universe inhabited by Rumpole is a strange place. Ever since the series began in the late 1970s, Rumpole has been on the cusp of retirement. But as we reach ever further into the 21st century, Rumpole hasn't seen to have significantly aged. (It should be noted that it was back in 1980 that Mortimer first utilized the "Rumpole returning from retirement/illness" plot line.) Some fans may find this bemusing. I actually find it very entertaining. The anachronistic Rumpole living in a world where his old-fashioned Chambers has both a website and an image consultant provides amusement for those of us who have been following his adventures for some time.

In this particular collection of short stories, Rumpole sees himself slowly working back to full strength after the heart attack he suffered at the end of the last book. Paying as much attention to medical advice as he does to judges and instructing solicitors, he leaps back into the swing of things, annoying his coworkers and defending the apparently indefensible.

The stories here follow the usual pattern that Mortimer has developed over the years. Rumpole is given what appears to be an utterly hopeless case (alternatively he may be forced to have a leader or for some other reason isn't the chief defender). The themes brought up by the case will be mirrored either in his dealings with his fellow members of chambers or in his relationship with She Who Must Be Obeyed (his wife, if you didn't know). Rumpole will discover some missing element, which turns the main plot on its head. The jury will then decide whether Rumpole has produced enough reasonable doubt. The jury's decision will neatly temporally coincide with the resolution of the subplot.

It may seem like I'm criticizing the Rumpole stories by reducing them to their constituent elements but I'm not. I enjoy the Rumpole stories, and I enjoy Mortimer's formula. There is usually enough variation to keep each story fresh. Although I must say that in this particular collection Mortimer one too many times kept the reader from following the trail of the mystery by withholding some crucial fact until the mystery's revelation.

In any case, it isn't always the mystery that is the fun part. Sometimes, it's the journey. Whether it's the humor (at one point a very matter-of-fact Rumpole interviews a stripper in the middle of her floor routine) or the hints of the autobiographical (Rumpole fleetingly refers to learning the law in his youth from an "old, blind law tutor"; John Mortimer's father was a blind barrister and a strong influence on his son), there's a lot to enjoy. But despite my praise, I am not sure if I'd recommend this to someone unfamiliar with the Rumpole canon. Some of the stories are a little too formulaic and the mysteries themselves are weaker than what Mortimer has produced in the past. It's a fun, nostalgic good time, but long-times fans will probably appreciate it more than new-comers can.

The more I read the Rumpole series, the happier I am and want more. I seem to be reading the series backward in time, but that's working. Apparently, Rumpole suffered a heart attack in an earlier book (perhaps in RUMPOLE RESTS HIS CASE) and the six stories that comprise THE PRIMROSE PATH occur across the year following that event. The first in the collection, the title story, was on the short list for an Edgar Award when it was published. It finds Rumpole consigned to a convalescent home. When the only bright light in the place, a pleasant nurse, is accused of murdering another patient she befriended, he gladly makes his escape to help her and proves to everyone around him that contrary to their expectations, there's quite a bit of life left in him. The other stories include "Rumpole and the New Year's Resolutions," "Rumpole and the Right to Privacy," "Rumpole and the Scales of Justice," "Rumpole and the Vanishing Juror," and "Rumpole Redeems Himself." Author Mortimer works from formula, but who cares? It's his original formula and he makes it work over and over and over again. This is a strong batch of stories that as usual satirize contemporary zeitgeist while sorting out very real issues like of privacy rights vs. public interest, evidence vs. appearances, and juror regulations. Rumpole's is a witty, garrulous voice that asks the other characters in his life to turn down the volume on assumptions, pretentions and biases just long enough to hear the truth.

Author Carol Pogash does something miraculous: she reinvents the true crime genre to such a degree that other authors will find it difficult to match her! From the first page to the last, you're riveted to this real life drama of a psychotic and dangerous woman--Susan Polk--who butchered her husband--and then tried to blame it on that favorite alibi of many female killers: the battered wife syndrome. We first find Susan Polk puttering around her kitchen while the body of her psychologist husband rests in a river of blood in the nearby pool house where she forced him to live. She waits for one of her sons, Gabe, to find the corpse and then shows no emotion when her son tells her the news. With this introduction, you're led through their lives in fascinating detail--from Susan's mentally disturbed childhood up to the reasons she finally decided to murder her husband. Pogash creates each of the leading characters in colorful detail--and you're taken through the various psychological fads--such as the satanic child abuse craze of the 70s and then through the repressed memory cycle. Susan threw herself into each of these crazes--first, convinced that somehow that one of her sons was abused in satanic rituals. Then she was convinced through repressed memory that her husband, Felix, had hynoptized her and used drugs to seduce her as a teenager aganst her will. She became convinced he was a Mossad agent of death and that he knew 9/11 was going to happen. Yet, she's shown as being aggressively involved in the seduction of Felix. Pogash then goes into an even more fascinating part of this saga by covering the murder trial of Susan Polk. You're introduced to the attorneys, the witnesses and the courtroom junkies. Susan ends up representing herself and her madness is now seen by the public and jurors. Her bizarre courtroom antics--laughing, crying and shrieking at the prosecutor and judge--turned her case into a circus sideshow. While she claims to have been severely abused as a wife, you realize that her poor husband was forced to live in the pool house and was terrified of this woman. Yet, until the end, Felix told people how much he still loved her-even after she warned him that she was returning from a vacation in Montana with a shotgun and that she was going to kill him. This is what is so mystifying about this man. Even after continual threats against his life by his wife, he refused to move out and proclaimed his great love for this woman who now hated him. During the trial, one son, Eli, never wavered in defending his killer Mother. Two other sons depicted her as evil, psychotic and a relentless trouble-maker both in their home and to the neighbors and school staffs. I dreaded coming to the end of this book because it was so brilliantly written. Bravo to the author for breathing new life into the true crime genre which, unfortuntately, consists of too many books that are badly written and consist of nothing more than a cut-and-paste job by hack writers.

"Seduced by Madness" is the biography of Susan Polk, who stabbed her psychologist husband to death one night.

This book raises as many questions as it answers, and many of them are troubling questions indeed. Susan Polk became the patient of the wealthy and well respected Felix Polk when she was 14. By 18 they were lovers, and shortly after, married.

How could Felix have seduced his young patient? In the late 60s, close relationships between patients and therapists were not considered immoral.

How could Felix have wanted to marry a woman so clearly troubled? Soon Susan convinced Felix to see satanic abuse everywhere. Susan and Felix were convinced that their sons had suffered abuse from a vast satanic cult that was nationwide and killed babies and children in sacrifice to their dark god.

Later, Susan and Felix were part of the craze for recovered memories, another fad in the therapy movement. Susan eventually believed she had recovered a memory of being drugged and raped by Felix when she was 14. But then, she also thought Felix was a Mossad agent who had known about 9/11 before it happened.

Susan was delusional, clearly. But how much? Was she able to tell right from wrong? And why, why was her husband so in love with a woman so flawed? When she kept threatening to kill him, why didn't he run away? Why did he become so involved in her delusions? And what does it say about the field of psychology that it went from one fad after another, and that one of its most respected therapists had a family life most people would call insane?

A fascinating read.

Carol Pogash's SEDUCED BY MADNESS chronicles the relatively well known case of the murder of psychologist Felix Polk by his wife Susan. Pogash's book begins with the childhoods of Felix and Susan, the twisted beginning of their relationship, the births of their three sons, and the dysfunctional life of the family up to and including Felix's murder.
The family breadwinner was an emotionally flawed Felix, who, while he appears to have been a good and loving father and husband, fatally poisoned the marriage, which took place when Susan was around 20 and Felix around 45, by initiating a sexual relationship with Susan when she was a teenager and his patient.
Their three sons were the victims of an upbringing which consisted of basically Susan, who - for example - encouraged her children not to attend school as, in her own mind, no one was really competent to care for or teach her children except herself.
And then there was Susan. Susan is shown to be a cultured, literate, and extremely intelligent woman who was also manipulative, vindictive, socially strange, in many ways unpleasant, and increasingly paranoid and delusional. If Felix provided the financial support - Susan never worked -Susan was, in an interesting role reversal, the family's psychological leader - the one who set the tone of the family's life - while Felix pretty much went along with whatever her agenda was at any given time and while the boys, whom Susan totally loved, were raised in an environment which was, like Susan, askew like a mildly distorting fun house mirror.

The last half of the book recounts the most bizarre trial you will ever read about, pitting DA Paul Sequeira against Susan Polk who was not a lawyer but chose, since she was convinced no one was smarter than she was, to defend herself. I generally feel that, with occasional exceptions, trial segments of true crime books are among the most boring. However the trial is one of the major components in the Susan Polk saga. Many of the true crime writing mediocrity, the rush to printers, would write this section by, for all intents and purposes, copying the trial transcript. I am happy to report that Pogash does not do this. It is in this case mandatory to provide the reader with a detailed account of the trial while being a writer rather than a copier, and Pogash handles it beautifully.

Carol Pogash clearly set out to write an outstanding book, and she has succeeded. The research is exhaustive and impeccable, the writing is crisp and intelligent, and the tone and feel of the book are adult and literate. There are no false steps, no insertion of the author's asides and comments (an increasingly unfortunate occurence among the hacks who litter the true crime landscape) and no filler.

You won't find true crime better than SEDUCED BY MADNESS. I recommend it unreservedly.

I had to put it down...but only because I did not want to reach the end of this book. The prose by the author is so far above what one typically finds in the true crime or courtroom drama genres. Ms. Pogash has a depth to her writing style that was so compelling I found myself marveling at nearly every sentence. When the superb writing is coupled with the intriguing story of life at the Polk house, the reader is left with a feeling of knowing the parties involved, and even caring about each and every one of them. It was clear to me from watching the news reports during the trial that Susan Polk is a fascinating yet complex and difficult woman. Felix Polk was equally enigmatic. The descriptions of Dr. Polk were interesting to anyone who lived in Northern California during the 1960's and 1970's, especially those who had any contact with the psychotherapeutic community. Felix's professional endeavors exemplified that era and his lack of professional boundaries was never updated or modified to meet current standards (right up until his death). When you read Seduced By Madness, it's like watching sausage being made. The path, the events and the results all make sense, but it feels like something you should not be privy to, and yet you will not want to stop. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This story illustrates the old axiom that truth is stranger than fiction. The fascinating tale has so many bizarre twists and turns that one cannot help but be transfixed. Susan Polk begins seeing her therapist at age 15, marries the much older man a few years later, and a quarter of a century later stabs him 27 times, leaving him in a pool of blood in the pool house of the family's luxurious estate.

In between these bookends, journalist Carol Pogash tells the story of Susan Polk's deepening personal madness embedded in the cultural madness of the psychotherapy world of the 1960s and 1970s in Berkeley, where therapist-patient sex was tolerated, psychodrama and EST were treatments du jour, and cocaine use was rampant. The Polks even crusaded against mythical Satanic ritual abusers, claiming that their eldest son Adam had been kidnapped, raped, and made into a multiple personality. And if all that isn't enough, we've got exorcisms, psychics, and repressed memory claims.

Pogash's rendition of the four-month trial is a riveting page-turner. Susan Polk fired attorney after attorney and ended up representing herself. On center stage, the intelligent but delusional defendant demonstrated a stunning ability to "take any set of facts and mold a story where she was both victim and hero." It is painful to read about her brutal cross-examination of two of her three sons. Pogash chronicles the Freudian slips that give glimpses into her pathology, as she called her dead husband her father and her favored middle son her husband.

I am intrigued to ponder how Ms. Polk's trial outcome might have been different if it came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling of June 19, 2008, in Illinois v. Edwards. Now, a mentally ill defendant may be barred from representing herself if she is delusional to the point that she is unable to effectively represent her best interests. (For my report on the Edwards case, type shurl.org/insane into your browser's address bar.) Perhaps that will be grounds for appeal of her second-degree murder conviction?

From the point of view of a forensic psychologist, I especially appreciated the depictions of the expert testimony. We had the cagey forensic pathologist who disappeared in the middle of the trial when the judge insisted he produce his files, and the seasoned psychologist who testified for the defense, based mainly on what Ms. Polk had told her and without benefit of any formal psychological testing, that the defendant was a battered woman who suffered from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

I thought Pogash remained remarkably balanced and fair in her reporting, especially as compared to many pundits who flock to the true-crime genre. Being personally acquainted with upwards of a dozen of the participants whom she included in her account, I can say that by and large she portrayed them accurately and fairly.

Seduced by Madness is a riveting page-turner, a fascinating history, and a balanced portrayal of a high-profile trial that shined a spotlight on one family's dark pathos. I recommend it.