Crime Books

I wouldn't say that this was one of the funniest, or even best books that I have ever read, but it did keep me entertained until the very last page. This book had many unexpected, but clever turns that helped the story better progress. I would recommend this book for someone who isn't looking for something amazing, but for a book that is defiantly worth $6.50. (Which is what I paid for it.)

This is a very good book that I have read!! It is very good for teenagers!!!!!

This story by Caroline B. Cooney was delightful. I could not put this book down and read it in a day. The book is written using relatable context and has a similie so adorable, that I can't get out of my mind:

"Nannie was wearing a mauve silk suit and looked rather like a tulip."

I simply loved this book and hope there will be more adventures with Brit and "the girls"!

Caroline Cooney is a master at rapid paced action that takes your breath away.

When I bought HIT THE ROAD, I thought this one looks kind of tame and will be just a light read about a girl helping her grandmother -- NOT! There was nothing light or tame about this exciting adventure. The heroine's downhill race into danger and risk is thrilling. Just when you think things will get better, the danger increases. Caroline Cooney doesn't hold back with consequences, turning a simple drive into a perilous journey.

I couldn't stop flipping pages, eager to find out what happened next, surprised by a few plot turns, and completely satisfied when justice finally prevailed at the end.

It's no wonder that Caroline B. Cooney is one of my favorite authors. Next book I plan to buy of hers: CODE ORANGE.

Linda Joy Singleton

Hit the Road by Caroline B. Cooney is another terrific YA title by a prolific author. 16 year old Brit's parents have gone on vacation, leaving her under the care of her grandmother, Nannie. But Nannie has no intention of babysitting her teenage granddaughter or being babysat as well. Nannie and her two lifelong friend are determined to make it to their 65th college reunion, and if that means non-licensed Brit doing the driving and kidnapping a friend as well, so be it. Cooney has a real talent for getting inside teenagers' minds. Brit is selfish and rebellious, all without being unsympathetic. The idea of spending time with Nannie isn't what she wants to spend her free time. But as she spends time with her grandmother, she finds that they are in similar places in their lives. Both are on the verge of independence. Brit is about to break free from her parents' authority, while Nannie is just coming under it. Both struggle with the restraints place upon them, and Cooney manages to make the reality of growing old come alive even for a teen audience. This wonderfully written book is enjoyable to read and has a good message a well about doing what's right, even when it hurts.

Here's a serial killer on the loose killing talk show hosts in New York City, with a wizened, long-time detective on the trail. If you expect some formula novel where you'll guess "who done it" midway through, you're in for a surprise. The plot is brilliant. Each murder is skillfully crafted, and the killer's identity is carefully masked.

Charlie Marchetti is an urbane, street-smart detective who is a fully fleshed out hero, warts and all, with a penchant for mulling over clues at his favorite corner bar. While he and his female partner are running up blind alleys, you're sitting on the edge of your chair waiting for them to get it right. When the clues fall into place, you'll appreciate the intelligence and creativity that went into writing Host of Homicide. The suspense keeps building, and you won't figure it all out until the book ends. When it did, I was happy I went along for the ride. I only have one request for the author. Give us more Charlie Marchetti, please!

A madman with a grudge decides to improve the quality of television, by murdering the hosts of trashy TV shows. This is a fast-paced novel with a very believable plot. And it's scary enough to make Jerry Springer hire a bodyguard!

A fascinating intelligent murderer, worthy of the Unabomber and his challenges, concentrates on his mission to eliminate the sleasy hosts of TV talk shows. Richard Wolf knows N.Y. & NYPD; he uses an omniscient narrator, putting us inside the mind of the serial killer, maddening us not to know who 'he' is. In brilliant plotting, Wolf creates a pair of credible, amusing detectives who almost get themselves killed in following these taunts."Didn't these poor schmucks realize that there wasn't any equal justice under the law? Only the law." A thrilling page-turner!

There's a killer loose in New York City and he's targeting talk show hosts. He's brazen and clever and has law enforcement running around in circles. Detectives Charlie Marchetti and Angela Buonfiglia, lead investigators on the case are at a loss, following leads that go nowhere and hitting nothing but blank walls. But with the brass breathing down their necks, wanting this case solved, yesterday and the body count steadily rising, there finally might be a break. The murderer has decided to make the "game" a little more interesting and sends Marchetti a letter..... Richard Wolf has written a fast paced, page turner that's about to keep you up reading, all night. This is a mystery/thriller that has it all...smart, crisp writing, interesting, well drawn characters and a tight, compelling plot full of vivid, riveting scenes that sends you on a roller coaster ride to the stunning climax and very satisfying ending of the story. Host to Homicide should definitely be on every mystery/thriller fan's "must read" list and is hopefully the beginning of a terrific new series. I look forward to meeting up with Marchetti and Buonfiglio again in the near future.

Leitenant Charlie Marchetti is everyman, he just wants to do the best he can and see the good guy win. Though sometimes hard on himself, Charlie is the underdog who finally makes good when he outsmarts a killer at his own game. Taunted and confused by a psychopath who is slowly killing off talk show hosts, the chase hits close to home when the killer begins taunting him with clues and the higher ups in the NYPD are breathing down his neck to wrap up the case and bring the killer home. Richard Wolf captures the heart and soul of us all, when we humans have the strength and faith to keep on keeping on. Wolf also writes some of the most genuine scenes between a man and a woman, as he and his partner, Angela Buonfiglio show that they know and trust one another deeply and complement each other perfectly in order to get the job done. If you've ever had pizza in Bensonhurst, rode the "N" train, smelled fresh bread baking in Little Italy, or wished that you knew what a detective thought about on his days off, or if you just want a smooth down to earth read filled with with mystery and suspense, check this book out!

I heard about this book because I had recently started working at the same hospital as the author. I started reading it for that reason only. I was so glad I did. It's been a long, long time since I picked up a book and didn't put it down all day until I was done! Thoroughly enjoyable. Ms. Rose paints a very realistic picture of an everyday woman who is forced to change herself in order to survive. The suspense and turns in the story kept me guessing until the very end. My daughter was home sick from school and asleep the morning I started the book, and the weather was cloudy. I can't remember when I've sat cozily curled up on the sofa, wind blowing outside, so absorbed in a book that I felt a part of it, until the sun went down. Everyone should do that from time to rime. When her next book comes out I'll treat myself again!

THIS BOOK WILL KEEP YOU GUESSING ALL THE WAY TO THE EXCITING CONCLUSION. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN AND WHILE THE TWISTS AND TURNS WERE MANY, THEY WEREN'T CONFUSING. RIGHT ON TRACK. I WANT TO SEE MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR.

I was very impressed by this book. The story was intriguing. The characters were very real and true to life. Great Work!!

I absolutely loved it! I could not put the darn thing down.

In Booker Bend, Oregon, schoolteacher Susan Ryker waits at the airport to give a ride to fellow teacher Casper Rickert when she witnesses a murder. The killer looks right at Susan, knowing she might be able to identify him. He plans to clean up this nuisance later.

The FBI and local police interrogate Susan in hopes she will provide a description of the murderer, but she insists she cannot. Susan learned a recent lesson of what happens to a good Samaritan when she gave a statement to the police identifying a thief only have the cop shout out her address. However police officer Gene Udell knows she is hiding something, but will risk his life to keep Susan safe beyond the call of duty as he has fallen in love with her.

THE HUNT is a solid police procedural romance that will keep the audience on the edge of the seat as Susan finds avoiding her responsibility fails to protect her. The "Assassin" is an intriguing protagonist as he is a cold-blooded killing machine treating murder like a day at the office. Though the FBI acts like the stereotype of the old image and not the "improved" model as related to Congress, Christie Rose's tale is a fine novel that will spur readers to desire more romantic suspense novels from this budding star.

Harriet Klausner

This Madeline Bean series is a winner. The books are well-written, and in this case, the plot moves swiftly. I find that I'm really getting to like Maddie and her crew. I find that I always get hungry when I read one of these books because the food is always divine. In this one Madeline is working with Wes and Holly to plan a breakfast for 200. One of the guests is no other than the Pope. But stuff starts happening and there appears to be a number of dead bodies found around. When Maddie tries to put it together she finds she has to delve back into history a bit. At least as far back as the Second World War. These books are surprisingly good and quite unique. Definitely this series is recommneded for mystery buffs who like a mystery with a bit of humour and a bit of fun.

After an unexpected windfall at the end of the first book in the series, Madeline Bean and her partners have branched out from catering to complete event management. With the reappearance of Madeline's old flame, now a Jesuit brother, they have the ultimate plum assignment: catering breakfast for the Pope and 2000 of LA's movers and shakers. A mysterious note found tucked into an old cookbook, the inexplicable murders of first one and then another seemingly unconnected members of the clergy, and threats of bodily harm all distract Madeline from the business at hand, however. The deeper she delves into these troubling events, the more sinister the secrets become.

Once again, this second installment in the series is outstanding. The writing is brisk and sharp, and laced with humor. The characters are well-developed and quirky. The heroine is bright, determined, spunky and funny, and the added information about her history is interesting and well-handled by the author. There is a good sense of place; perhaps the geography is a bit less developed than in the first book, but the culture of Hollywood is almost another character here.

So why only 4 stars? There is one major, blatant clue in the first murder that Madeline overlooks, and even later when it occurs to her she neglects to give it the consideration and attention it obviously merits. The progression through Maddy's investigation to the ultimate solution is just slightly and vaguely less satisfying than in the previous book. Ultimately, the balance here has tipped from the mystery to the personalities involved. Nevertheless, it is overall an engaging book, well written and well worth reading.

Continuing with my Madeline Bean theme of late, I read Jerrilyn Farmer's second book Immaculate Reception. This was an excellent follow-up to her first installment with Madeline Bean...

Now that Mad Bean Events has recovered from the poisoning episode of book #1 and have all the money they'd ever need, there's more of a focus on creating events instead of just catering. And they've hit the big time with their first event... they've been asked to do breakfast for 2000 people and the Pope. While there's no problem setting up the event, there are some major issues surrounding it. Brother Xavier, who is doing preparation for the event, was at one time engaged to Madeline before leaving her for his religion. While doing some planning, they find part of a letter in an old cookbook that points to a murder confession involving the Catholic church. The deeper they dig, the more the story points to a major cover-up of an event that happened during World War 2. And when a fellow Brother of Xavier is murdered and Mad is threatened, the breakfast event might just be their last.

As usual, Farmer does a great job with her writing. You find out more about Madeline's background, as well as why her relationships are what they are. 20/20 hindsight (reading this book after some of the later ones), you also get the stage set for some of the material that shows up later. Wes is still somewhat of a mystery, but you get a bit more clarification of his personality here. And I'm impressed how Farmer was able to weave a bit of historical fiction into the storyline.

Great job, and another great read...

This is the second of the Madeline Bean Culinary Mystery series, and this one is just as engaging as the first. Madeline and her colleagues have been slated to prepare a 2000-person breakfast for the pontiff, but they are nothing if not ambitious, managing to take on a murderer, an exhibitionist star, a parchment that may be a confession to murder, and even go out on the town a few times! The characters are very entertaining -- problem-solving Madeline, her omniscient partner Wes, their goofy employee Holly and her Donald (who has just written a successful screenplay), and Maddie's part-time beau Arlo. There is a lot of activity here, a bit of Hollywood name-dropping, colorful portraits of the star lifestyle we love to ridicule, and even a decent mystery. Do yourself a favor and check out this delightful series by talented author Jerrilyn Farmer.

Madeline Bean has just been given the event of the year to cater - the official Los Angeles welcome breakfast for the Pope's visit. Still, this is the least of her worries. First, she's struggling with her feelings for ex-fiancé Xavier Jones who left her to become a Jesuit Brother. Then there's the old letter she finds that seems to be a confession to murder. But who's confessing, when, and why? Then a priest, a friend of Xavier's, is murdered in a TV star's trailer, and things really start to heat up. Madeline is going to have to dig up some old secrets to figure this out before the Pope must cancel his visit to LA.

This is a thoroughly entertaining read from start to finish. The characters are charming and easy to like. The plot flows well with just the right mix of mystery and humor culminating in a perfectly logical and surprising ending.

I can't recommend this series highly enough. Start with the first, Sympathy for the Devil. You will enjoy this entertaining mystery series immensely.

This book was recommended to me by a man I met at Burger King. He had to read it for school, and he said it changed his faith. It's incredibly hard to read, because it is wrenching and graphic and painful. You come to love this family and admire their integrity, and the strength that they displayed for their community. It is written by newspaper and media reporters, and it reads like it, but I think they did a great job with a hard subject. It is for sure biased towards the prosecution and the Polleck family. I came to think of the defense attorney as one of the criminals in the case because that is how he is protrayed. This book is not for you if you have a weak stomach. It has detailed descriptions of an incredibly brutal killing of an innocent teenager. I don't think I would have been as connected to the victim's family if it didn't.

i read this book as soon as i heard it was published. i did not know eddie but my best friend of 5 years knew him, her whole family knew the polecs. it made me want to read it and understand what they all went through. that whole community suffered such a horrible tragedy, and somehow they all still came together to give comfort and hope to eachother. it is such a powerful book, the way it draws you into the polecs lives. every teen in highschool should read this book and come to an understanding that violence doe not solve anything. and it never will, it is sad that a sweet, young and innocent guy had to die in order for our justice system to improve just a little bit and it is sad that he had to die so that people could now see what this type of violent behavior has not only done to a family, but the entire community. i now know the polecs and they are the strongest people i have ever met, god bless them and may god give them strength and hope throughout all the days of their lives.

I was forced to read this book, and I thank God everyday that I was. I am now a graduate of Cardianl Dougherty High School, where Eddie would of graduated, and at the time when I entered CD all incoming freshmen were required to read In Eddie's Name. Well I myself can't stand to read, and I never did summer reading in grade school and I wasn't about to start in high school. Well something inside of my told me to read this book, so I did. And it usually takes me months to read a book but I couldn't but this book down at all, I finished it in a week. I cried my eyes out at most of the book, but at the end I learned a valuable lesson, that violence is not the answer to anything. I was fortunate enough as a freshmen as Dougherty to not of only learned this from the book but to also of learned it from John Polec, Eddie's father, himself when he came and talked to us during Increase the Peace Week. At Dougherty we were taught everyday that violence is not the answer and we have a story to go with why, and this past year another story was added to it, unfortunately. At the end of this school year,2005, a junior at Dougherty, Kenny Baptist, was killed. He was shot to death on his front steps by his sister's ex-boyfriend. I know that for sure violence in America must be stopped, but especially among teens, and that is why I have decided that I am going to promote non-violence by going to other schools and talking about Eddie's and Kenny's stories. And to each one I go to I am also going to recommend to each and every teen that they should pick up a copy of this wonderful book and read it, because in the end it is all worth while!

After watching the Polec's on Dateline NBC recently, I got this book from the library, read it and cried almost halfway through it. I was hoping that the book was fiction and not true but that was not the case. I have every respect for the Polecs, wanting to make the community a better place inspite of tragedy to their son Eddie,They had a wonderful son whose life was taken in a senseless tragedy. I recommend this book to anyone who has children.

I am 17 years old, and in june 2000 I was brutally assaulted by 3 kids with baseball bats and had to have reconstructive surgery on my skull. This happened about a mile from where eddie was killed, and I'm also a senior at cardinal dougherty high school, where eddie was enrolled. I read this book, and I must say it hit me hard because I was so close to receiving the same fate as eddie. Please if you can take some time to read this book so that we may spread the message of peace to the world, and stop future things like this from happening.

This is one of the more original mysteries I have read. As a foreigner who has lived in Korea for three years, I still learned a thing or two from the author reading this book and enjoyed hearing about the dark side of Korea. Although presently things have really changed since the timing of the book, I still walked around Itaewon afterwards and spotted some of the places Limon had mentioned. You also end up having a love-hate relationship with the main character, he obviously feels bad for the prostitutes he comes in contact with and seems to care for their welfare, but yet doesn't mind going into a whorehouse for a quick screw and every woman he comes into contact with, whether a working girl or not, is quickly rated on her appearence. The main character also seems to carry around a lot of the stereotypical attitudes military men here seem to have, but yet he also has learned to immerse himself in the culture and language and seems to have great respect for Korea. I will look forward to reading the next two books by this author, and recommend this to anyone who likes suspense and intrigue mixed in with an exotic background.

One of the best of the genre I've ever read. The setting, an army base in Korea in the 70's, comes alive through Limon's deft descriptions. Feels like noir. Dark winter atmosphere, desperate characters and unexpected humor. You pull for the "good guys" even though they're not so likable.

I usually sell my old mysteries to the used book store--not this one. This one I keep.

This is a simply fantastic novel!! Noir, dark and darkly humorous, gritty, seedy, pulsing with human vice and need, and chock-full of knuckle-dusting action, gun fire, and labyrinthine mystery. The story line revolves about two men, military detectives, investigating the steaming underbelly of the local black market Korean/American military economy and the concurrent trade in prostitution, despite the endearing fact that they themselves are active and daily participants in the party. The characterization in Jade Lady Burning is superb, authenticity in setting and detail perfect, the action is exciting, the characters memorable, the story and plot excellent.

To this day I find it mind-boggling that this book and author have been so completely overlooked by both the publishing mainstream and the general readership. There are few delights more enjoyable that stumbling upon a book and author you have never heard of that is so wonderful, enjoyable, and captivating that it catapaults straight to your all-time favorite lists. Finding and reading this book was a revelatory experience like waking in July to Christmas morning, or finding an overlooked bottle of stupendous, world-class wine and buying the entire stock of six cases for $12 a bottle (Yamhill Valley 96 Pinot in case anyone is interested.) Yet books like this should be shared and savored by all.

Despite the puzzling lack of popular acclaim, this book is easily one of my favorite reads. I found it in the public library seven or eight years ago, devoured it, and then went on to read his next two as quickly as possible. What a thrill ride! Since then I have been disappointed that the author, Martin Limon, has not published any other novels....so imagine my surprise and delight when I see on Amazon today that he has a new one arriving in a month. I just pre-ordered mine. With the advent of his new novel perhaps Mr. Limon will win the attention and readership he deserves. I hope so, and to that end, I share with my fellow readers why this book is so darn good and why, if his upcoming book is in the same vein, that it deserves to be on the bestseller lists.

In Jade Lady Burning Mr. Limon introduces us to his protagonists, Ernie Bascom and George Sueno, military investigators stationed in Korea in the seventies. I am a sucker for complex characters that are vividly brought to life, who struggle through thorny and complicated moral situations, and who grow throughout the novel as their basic humanity is challenged by the assaults life throws at them. Mr. Limon delivers in spades with these two likeable rogues in the characterization department. Even more impressive is his command of setting and atmosphere. His depictation of Korea, a byzantine and complicated place with differing social mores, expectations, values, and outlooks, is spot on and he captures perfectly the soupy, complicated moral morass than can come about when two cultures meet and try to function side-by-side.....particularly when one of the cultures is represented by an occupying military force, with it's own needs, vices, social structures, and attitudes.

The Publishers Weekly review dings this book for a "strangely, leisurely pace"; I never criticize other reviews because I know how hard they are to write, but I believe this remark completely undermines this novel and is representative itself of those differing cultural outlooks I referenced above. This book is set in Asia, and in Korea in particular. Life moves at a more languid pace there than in America and matters of custom are sometimes more important than matters of truth, which Ernie and George themselves so often discover in the course of their investigation. The fact that the author could make the novel move at a Korean pace was a brilliant bit of writing that makes the setting absolutely believable. I actually feel like I am back in Korea as I read his novels; his spare yet hauntingly evocative writing is that good. Despite the ding, my belief is the Korean characters should act like Koreans, and more over, Ernie and George should act like what they are, two soldiers stationed in Asia, with access to a Disneyland of earthly delights but yet with some nominal duty to police it so that while the army can blow off steam, nothing gets out of control. Mr. Limon does exactly that and it is the friction and differences between the cultures that drive this novel so convincingly and make it so enjoyable. Order this book folks and treat yourself to a rare read.

This is one of the better books i've read recently. For any military or ex-military personnel who have been to korea, this book will most likely bring back vivid memories of the experience. A difficult place to put into words, Martin Limon acurately describes the way life is over there as far as the american military experience is concerned. Beyond that is also a well thought out and written story that should keep any reader of detective novels very interested. I highly recommend this book as well as "slicky boys".

Ignore PW. The New York Times rated this book as one of their Notable Books of 1992, a rare acheivement, especially for a first time mystery writer. Martin Limon is one of the few writers I go out of my way to find. He is so good at capturing the Korean culture, the military culture and the way the two cultures affect each other that you feel that you served a tour of duty in 1970s Korea yourself. The mystery and the characters are wonderful, too.

Relentless, depressing, more carefully delineated than anything in Dreiser, this semi-autobiographical novel grabs you on the first page and swings you around like a dead cat till you hit the end.

What makes this more than a simple juv-prison tale is the period detail of the Los Angeles area in the 1940s. It's very much like what you find in cheap movies and film noir of the period, except that in the movies the authentic setting is there by happenstance, whereas in Bunker's novel it is put there with conscious purpose as vital background to the plot.

I had only read Edward Bunker's 1st novel before I was arrested for armed robbery and I had this book sent in to me when I was in Snohomish County Jail awaiting sentencing and it gave me a strange courage when I read it. Edward Bunker is the real deal.
Nobody can touch him in terms of understandng and experience. Prison is like war; you can never understand it unless you've experienced it firsthand.Most people will never have to endure what Eddie Bunker(and me) have had to endure but because Bunker is so talented, they can get a little taste by picking up any one of his books; I've read them all and they're uniformly awesome. My first book STONE HOTEL was strongly influenced by him. I think he's the greatest.

I have read all of Bunkers books and love this one . A story of a boy and the cycle of a life of crime , and desperation... if youve been there you know already. So there is hope out there a way out of the darkness.. Read all his books.. real gritty gangsta ..

California in the post WWII era was as bad as it was in the early 1990's. Unemployment, drugs, juvenile crime, sex offenders, you name it. It was all there, and there was no protection for anyone, children or adults. Read this book and you'll feel sorry for anyone who grew up in that era. Anyone who talks of the good old days has false memory syndrome!

All I can say is that "Little Boy Blue" is a blueprint for how a troubled boy can be transformed into an adult sociopath. Ironically, the system that is supposed to reform him is the culprit in pushing him toward further hopelessness and delinquency. Alex Hammond is basically a good kid with good instincts who is battered by authority until he lashes out and becomes submerged in hatred. There are many instances when he can choose between obedience and rebellion, and even though he inevitably decides to rebel, he often seems to have little choice. Frustration with a dictatorship of adults who have little patience or tolerance for the special needs of this disturbed boy sends him hurtling on a collision course with tragedy. Especially troubling is the scene where Alex is placed with relatives who are inflexible in their method of discipline--he seems to be making slight progress when a fabricated lie shoves him back down the mudslide. Here Alex actually shows a hint of conscience--or has he simply gained dominance over the aggressor? The harrowing course of his life is told in uncompromising, brutally-honest terms. Every professional involved in rehabilitating children should own a copy of this book. It chronicles the downfall of innocence, introducing a doomed child whose life is always threatened by an undercurrent of depression.

A John Irving-esque cast of colorful characters, ranging from drag queens to call girls to hard-drinking Irish reporters, with names like Buzz and Piper and Elvis, make this a fun Chicago mystery novel. This insistently Chicago story takes you on a crazed pub crawl from Ginger Man to Sheffield's to the Manhole, invoking, along the way, ghosts of Cubs past, like Kenny Hubbs, Tuffy Rhodes, and even ballgirl/Playmate Marla Collins. This goes down like your fifth after-the-game Honker's Ale.

Though based in a comfortable setting for Chicago familiar readers (bars, Cubs, Honker's Ale and a very, very large hole in the ground), Lost in the Ivy folds in intriguing characters and steamy romance to keep the reader on the edge as the mystery slowly unfolds. A great read further demonstrated by the amount of sleep I skipped to read it...

Genre: Mystery/ Fiction
Title: Lost in the Ivy
AUTHOR: Randy Richardson
Charley Hubbs arrives in Chicago carrying a lot of emotional baggage and without a job, a home or a friend. Fate directs him to the Ginger Man tavern where he meets Lizzy, the bartender and life gets instantly better for our dejected hero.

Soon he finds himself working for Buzz at the "Beat" as a court reporter and although Lizzy and Charley put their relationship on hold, things start to look better until he meets "Catwoman."

The next thing Charley knows "Catwoman" is found dead in a dumpster and Charley is arrested for the murder of his transvestite neighbor, Jimmy Dart. Things really begin to happen when Charley escapes from the courtroom in order to prove his innocence. While the present is pressing down on him like a vice, the past resurfaces to haunt him- Charley is in deep trouble.

Colorful, life like characters make this an enjoyable read that you do not want to put down. Set in Chicago's Wrigleyville, "baseball" references add just the right local flavor to set the stage. The plot moves along quickly but takes enough twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes.

First time author, Randy Richardson spent time as a newspaper reporter, lives in Illinois and is a die-hard Cubs fan. His life experiences added authenticity to his novel.

Recommended by Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.
Books may be purchased directly from the publisher and available on: www.amazon.com

Title: Lost in the Ivy
Author: Randy Richardson
Publisher: Publish America
ISBN: 1-4137-7750-3
Pages: 194
Price: $n/a

This book has it all, a love story, murder mystery and even sports trivia. I loved the way the story began with the judge in the chamber, and then flowed through to the big scene at the courthouse. The characters introduced in the beginning were very well developed as the book went on. The best part was that I had no inkling until the last chapter, who was actually doing what to whom. A true mystery and expertly written. I would reccomend this book to all of my friends, whether they are sports fans or not. A truly great read!

This is a great mystery. The story is suspenseful and it keeps you guessing. Like the other reviewers, I found it hard to put the book down. The writer does an excellent job of helping you visualize the settings and the characters. I love the Cub innuendos (i.e. reporter Grace Marks). Great book for the avid Cubs fan---I know there are a lot of you out there! When is the movie coming out? John Hughes can direct and I see John Cusack as Charley.

My 10-year-old son discovered the Geronimo Stilton books in his classroom. He has ADHD and he can't put these books down! I bought him a few for Christmas and he keeps asking for more. The text is written in a very unique way. Some of the words are in colors and different fonts and sizes. They appear to "pop out" at you, making it very engaging. There are also pictures scattered throughout the text and the stories are humorous. 5 stars I HIGHLY recommend these books!

It all started when Thea found an old map with an x for the spot where the treasure was. She dragged her brother Trap and her cousin Benjamin on to the trip. They took a boat there and a few days later a hurricane struck. Find out what happened to Benjamin, Thea, and Trap.
I really recommend this book because the details were great. It's a great adventure and this book is good for kids from second grade to fifth grade. You should read this book.

Casey,11, R.I

This is the first in a series of books, that my son was introduced to by a friend. The unique thing about the series is that although there are pictures, many of the words are written in creative text or printing, in a variety of colors, right in the paragraphs as well. This really makes for keeping a young reader engaged with the story, especially for those that are transitioning from books with pictures to chapter books, and chapter books that are all text.

My son is currently in 2nd grade, but is reading well above grade level, independantly. The challenge for him is that what he CAN read, he's not intested in yet, and what is at his grade level doesn't hold his interest. He has been devouring these books in around a week each. We also read aloud to each other from them, and they are very entertaining, even as adults.

A wonderful series, great, I think for boys and girls alike as there are very strong, positive main characters that are both male and female.

If you are looking for a new book series, this should be it! There are 24 books out so far, and I have read them all. They are funny, clever, and have lots of funny mouse jokes. They are perfect for ages 7 and up, and come out bi-monthly. They are the best series of books ever. They originally came from Italy, if you're wondering. They are great, so read them ALL!!

There's one fine line between well-played and over-played layouts. The full Geronimo Stilton series falls into the well-played category: the outcome is pleasant and not too loud and the fonts / colour used are really a statement on their own.

Another point to note is the translation involved. While this is not "literature" literature, the adaptation in cultural and linguistics aspect are well taken care of.

I don't know any Italian but have compared the Chinese and English versions of the same book (yes, my colleague at work has the entire Chinese series while I'm catching up by matching the English version). The funny bits are transformed elegantly.

Recommended to not only children, but anyone who's intersted in translating humour and layout.

Being a reader of comics for over 30 years, I've become jaded when I hear of a new book with a female lead. Years of bad stories and idiotic t&a art made me question whether or not to even bother with this. This book breaks the mold. Marc Andreyko writes a mature, human, and smart lead in Kate Spencer. Exceptional art by Javier Pina only adds to the goodness that is this collection. Well worth the money.

This collection contains the first five issues of Marc Andreyko's "Manhunter" series (if it was a Marvel title, it would have acquired the prefix "The Uncancellable" for having escaped the axe twice in its thirty-issue history). There have been six previous DC universe heroes to have used the Manhunter title, all male, but Kate Spencer is rather unlike her predecessors, not least because sehe's female. Kate is an LA prosecutor who has seen one too many villains get off and go on a killing spree, and so she dons various items fromt he district's impound and becomes a vigilante out for blood (but unlike Marvel's Punisher, she is rational and not a psychopath in her use of lethal force; she gives the system time to work before she kills). Kate's willingness to kill villains makes her something of a rarity in the DC universe, and Andreyko plays with that; in this story, she dodges the Justice League of America, fearful that her fellow heroes will arrest her for her actions, and has dreams where Batman (apparently well-known for his sanctimonious behaviour even amongst the DC populous) condemns her. However, she never compromises her beliefs.

Andreyko does not neglect to give Kate a personal life, and a strong supporting cast. First and foremost is Dylan Battles, a former villain's lackey who Kate blackmails into becoming her tech support in the war on crime; Dylan, a rather stereotypical loser nerd, is hilarious. Elsewhere there is her ex-husband, a novelist, and her young son, who she tries to do right by in spite of her busy life. Many writers don't bother giving their characters personal lives anymore, favouring a "we live in our costumes" approach, but Andreyko understands how to mix the personal and the superheroic, and does so excellently. This collection is highly recommended.

Forget Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The real shining star at DC Comics is Manhunter, the coolest heroine since...well, EVER. What I love most about Kate is that she isn't the squeaky clean, self righteous, supermodel in spandex that we see so often in comic books. She makes mistakes that can get her killed. She can be quite ethically challenged. And while she's just as likely as Batman to follow a nasty villain into the sewers, she'd rather shoot him in the face than lock him up in Arkham Asylum.

Normally I don't go for DC Comics, because the characters usually feel so cardboardy. After reading the first few issues, you'll be amazed that DC didn't release this under the Vertigo imprint because it is much edgier than any other superhero book they have on the shelf. Marc Andreyko not only does a great job with Kate, but he's peppered the book with an excellent supporting cast, particularly Dylan Battles, the former henchman-for-hire who manages her weapons and technology. I love a book that puts characters ahead of mindless super-battles!

I've only been following this series for a few months, and I can't wait until the third trade paperback comes out this summer so I can catch up on the issues I haven't read yet.

This is one of the better comic book stories featuring female characters. Why? Because most comic creators know that sex sells, and dress up their femme fatales in accordingly skimpy getups (one of the worst offenders is DC's Power Girl.) In this environment, MANHUNTER stands out as a comic that doesn't rely on the character's chest to drive sales. Instead, the Manhunter character draws us in by being human, and kicking butt without becoming a "girl power!" cliche.

Kate Spencer lives works as a DA in a city without "capes", or superheroes. As Superman patrols metropolis and Batman swings through Gotham, Los Angeles remains dirty, unclean, but still full of "metahumans" (super-villians, basically.) When one of these fiends wriggles out of the legal system, Kate decides enough is enough and dons a costume of her own.

What's remarkable about MANHUNTER is how it balances fight scenes and genuine drama--each chapter contains enough of both to keep the story going. MANHUNTER also gets a thumbs-up for explaining why most of the "real" cities in the DC Universe don't have superheroes protecting them.

Kate Spencer is a California prosecutor who, after losing another case against a killer metahuman, takes it upon herself to beginning meting out her own brand of lethal street justice. Arming and outfitting herself with various paraphenelia from the evidence store rooms (obtained from various villains) she takes on the identity of Manhunter (a popular moniker for DC characters, as someone in the book points out) and begins her vigilante career. That's "Manhunter" on the surface, sounding like an attempt to give the DC Universe its own Punisher-type character, or even like an attempt to amp up the aggressiveness-level of DC's own Green Arrow from his 80s/early 90s modus operandi. But rather than try to just copy the success of Punisher or Green Arrow, or other violent, on-the-edge, vigilante characters, there's some different factors at play here to give the "Manhunter" title its own identity.

There's considerable doubt about Kate's motivations. A hostile, cynical person to begin with, it's quite effective the way that, after her first kill, she's not only surprised by her total lack of remorse and by the strange satisfaction she feels, but the way she goes about things next. We see her going through the justice department (not to be confused with the Justice League) files looking for potential next targets, in an almost leisurely browse. One is left with the feeling that it's possible that she may not be entirely driven by a need for revenge and defending the innocent, but may be starting already to edge toward the path of using revenge and justice as her excuse, with killing itself being the real motivation.

Equally plausible is another scenario: Kate is socially dysfunctional, has a tenuous-at-best rellationship with her young son, an openly warring one with her ex-husband and is not the most personable or friendly towards much of anyone. There's a possibility that her whole career as a prosecutor has been an attempt to - what's the best way to phrase this? - to be a part of a society that she wants to be more integrated with, and to contribute, partly as a substitute for what she feels are lackings in her outward life. In this scenario, we have an outwardly hostile, mean-hearted character who's very different on the inside. And now that she has the mask and the identity, she's going much further than she ever has before. In this scenario, she's driven by noble motivations, but doesn't seem to realize how she's already dangerously close to losing control. She even seems to be developing a strange fixation on her first kill.

Those are two very different takes, but the opening issues of the "Manhunter" series are raising a lot of questions. There's the usual, subjective question of 'are her methods justified?' because it's clear from Issue 1 that Kate's not just setting out to take these characters down and sometimes being left with no choice but to kill - killing is the objective, and apparantly not just against certain extreme cases but as a general modus operandi in her new crimefighting career. We're left wondering just how far she's going to go in this, we're left wondering about her true motivation, we're left wondering if the path she's taken is going to take her a Lot further than she actually wants to go, we're left wondering a lot. And that's good. There are a lot of different ways they can go with this. Another aspect of the whole 'split possibilities' thing is that the new Manhunter finds herself - to her own surprise - dreaming about being accepted into the DCU's hero community, and at the same time increasingly afraid that they're going to be hunting her down because of her very bloody methods.

Kate Spencer isn't as immediately likable as DCU heroines as Zatanna or Wonder Woman, but she is interesting, and starts growing on one before too long. The thing is, whether she emerges as a champion or journeys all the way not just to, but crosses, the line between good and bad, it's going to be a very interesting ride, and leave us with a good addition to the DCU's cast of characters.

This collection reprints Numbers 1 - 5 of the Manhunter series, with No. 5 tying into DC's grand "Identity Crisis" crossover.