Murder Books

Lantern's Passage is an alluring poetic insight as seen through the eyes of author MacNair's powerfully developed cast of characters. Life twists and turns with every page, pushing the limits of the reader's insight.

Young Maggie is thrust into adulthood under siege, with her mother's mental illness and a handicap younger brother, while her best friend Drew listens, watches, and learns. The two come from different worlds, yet their summers on the outer banks of North Carolina, lead them on a journey which forges their friendship, leaving the reader embracing their poignant real-life experiences, prompting us all to retrace the profound and long forgotten learning experiences we have all had as children growing up. Lantern's Passage is a compelling, powerful celebration of life that we all should experience...a must read...

I could feel the wind on my face, the sand on my feet and taste the salt in the air! This is a wonderful story of a boy spending summers on the beach with his family and friends. I laughed and cried while reading this story. There's adventure and mystery along with life lessons learned along the way. Great, Great book!!

Andrew Lomac-MacNair's Lantern's Passage is a wonderfully written story of a young boy's summer vacation at his family's beach home on the North Carolina outer banks. Summer days are continual reminders of the eccentricities of the year-round residents, the specialness of new friendships, the strength of family, vestiges of racial bigotry, and the ravages of living with a parent with severe mental illness.

Add to this the discovery of a long-buried navy landing craft, surviving the hurricane from hell, and the meeting and sharing of experiences with that first very special girl.

Lantern's Passage is a window into the blissful days of our youth, but it is also a reminder of the uncertainties of life at any age.

I read 'Lantern's Passage' and found it to be one of the best books I've read in a long time. In the Prologue there is a description of a photograph of a cabin in a blue frame. In retrospect, I felt as if I had stepped through the blue frame, went back in time, and into a whole new world. The author painted such a vivid picture of both the scenery, I swear I felt a breeze as I buried my feet in the sand, and the people who populated the town in the story, I felt as if I had met them personally. There is something for everyone in this book, love, adventure, discovery, growth, relaxation and mystery, all brought together in a heartwrenching dramatic conclusion. The journey was fulfilling and I look forward to future books by this author.

The descriptive narrative of Lantern's Passage enthralls the reader into life on the outer banks of North Carolina. I can still feel my toes curl into the sand and prostrate myself on the beach before the glorious rays of the summer sun. Passing into adulthood, Drew shares his awakening awareness of his surrounding world. Intrigue and adventure await the reader as they live Drew's experiences in fist love, rival sibling's squabbles, first job and solving a murder.

Taking on responsibilities never felt so good as you interact with characters described so life like that they may be your next door neighbor. Lantern's Passage by Andrew L. MacNair was a delight to read. I highly recommend reading this book to all ages.
Sondi

Rachel Howard tells a compelling story in "The Lost Night," a memoir that reads like an extended episode of crime documentary shows like "48 Hours Mystery." A pre-teen when her father was stabbed to death in what seemed like a botched break-in, the loss haunts Howard until she can find a way to make sense of it. Suspicion surrounds Howard's step-mother, whose brother is questioned by police, but it is eventually cold cased. As an adult, Howard investigates further, a decision which brings her back in contact with both her father's family and her dreaded step-mother (who has since married again and moved away.)

The book effectively sets the scene in California's Central Valley, and Howard successfully plumbs the psychological effects of growing up without a murdered parent. She is candid about many of her struggles with men as a result of the loss, although she is slightly dreamy about her wedding and happy relationship with her husband. (This aspect of the memoir seemed overly one-sided and idealistic.) Her father's murder is never solved, but Howard does find a way to come to peace with it, including an acknowledgment of her own biases against her former step-mother, who makes a memorable reappearance in some of the book's best latter moments.

What we end up learning about in "The Lost Night" is the effect of crime on those left behind, and the mysteries that remain when crimes aren't solved. Although the writing is no where near the quality of classics of the true crime genre, this is a worthy effort and worth a read.

Met the author at a book signing and was impresssed by her impeccable poise and story-telling ability. Then I went home and read the book. Wow. I had the same experience as the other readers. This is an excellent and poignant memoir.
One feels the you-are-there quality of a little girl awakening in the middle of the night to see her father covered with blood on the floor. The people in her book are like characters in a Dickens novel, yet they are (were) all very real. Howard captures the cultural milieu of Merced California in the mid '80's. Her father loved Rod Stewart with a passion and the lyrics of his songs weave through the true story of a child trying to make sense of what is going on around her.
The child matures into an adult and becomes a writer! What an awesome contribution to the memoir genre. I do hope that the killer is eventually caught.

This is a wonderful combination of memoir and true crime. I felt as though I realy got to know the author. Her willingness to examine the fragility of memory and adjust her conclusions accordingly made her more appealing. The change in her attitudes toward the people in her life caused me to re-examine my own feelings toward people in my life. This book is a definite addition for anyone's library.

William Grimes has always been one of my favorite NY Times reviewers. Although he tends to be negative, when he waxes effusive, I take notice. When I saw this....
------
"As a memoirist, she succeeds BRILLIANTLY. "The Lost Night" is ENTHRALLING, a skillfully narrated story that begins as a tale of detection but quickly becomes something more."
--William Grimes, NEW YORK TIMES

I figured I'd take a chance. Well, it's been sitting on my nightstand for 6-months now and damn if it's not enthralling. Although I was hoping for a bit of a who-done-it, I couldn't put it down. The descriptions of the messed-up Central Valley(to put it delicately)were terrific. With some sex, drugs, and even some 80s Rod Stewart in the mix, for good measure, it was a joy to read.

Lost and Found - a past reclaimed

I finished Rachel Howard's "the lost night" at 3 this morning. From the minute I cracked its spine, the pages turned themselves, inviting me to ignore every routine chore of mine: dirty dishes, daily exercise, even meals (though I did manage to go to work and feed the cat).

Masterfully written, the book tells a riveting story of the murder of Rachel's father when she was only 10 years old. How she handled the loss of this beloved man, her protector and playpal, is a glimpse into how children cope with tragedy of this magnitude. The experience retrospectively defined Rachel, her relationship with her family and also with her stepmother Sherry, her father's third wife when he was murdered. Rachel, the product of divorce, was spending a few summer weeks at her father's home during this time. She was witness to his last waking minutes and remembered details that would replay themselves with increasing vividness as time went by.

But memory is elusive...and selective. The author comes to realize that her memories were circumscribed by the limited frame-of-reference of a young life.

What I found so compelling here is the child's perspective. I have read (and probably own!) just about every true-crime/courtroom/forensic book that exists, yet I never read such an account from a 10-year-old point-of-view. Rachel illustrates the sometimes graphic, sometimes muted terror-of-the-night children of murdered parents are heir to, their wispy and unexpressed--indeed unconscious--suspicion of significant-others, and their necessary dependencies on adults who, often not comprehending the nuances involved, believe that by trotting the kid to therapy, they absolve themselves of the pain of revisiting the circumstances themselves. In Rachel's case, her father's family remained largely silent with her about that night. They may have felt that openly speaking about the murder with someone so young would somehow legitimize it for her. In fact, their passivity had the opposite, and quite damaging, effect on a young mind hungry for assurance and validation.

Palpable throughout Rachel's memoir is its raw honesty. The writing is often brutally introspective, devoid of the self-pity and lachrymose language which the author might easily --and justifiably-have indulged. She is seeking information and answers, and by the last page, I realize she has found those things, and some peace along the way.

Therese Hercher

I don't imagine anyone would ever call this a 'great literary masterpiece", but it was fun! That is what is so delightful about Jennifer Colt's books - they are fun! I love Terry and Kerry, identical twins who are anything but identical in personality, who are private investigators trying to scratch out a living in southern California. Jennifer Colt's writing puts me in mind of Sue Grafton with Kinsey Milhone - at times I laughed out loud reading this book.
It is a fun read and I enjoyed it so much I bought all of Ms Colt's other books about Terry and Kerry McAfee. Truly a lot of fun.

Another entertaining installment in the McAfee Twins mystery series. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed the first. These books are too much fun!

If you like the genre of humorous mystery, you should also try the "In High Heels" series by Gemma Halliday.

> The red-headed twin PIs are at again. In a fast-paced, action-packed
> story, they manage to save a plane from terrorists and come off
> wearing bags over their heads to trying to keep their rich aunt and
> idler cousin from being charged with murder by an eager-beaver prosecutor.
>
> They look guilty to any and all when a headless corpse is found in one
> of aunt's rugs and the cousin turns up carrying the head but he can't
> remember how he got it. Involved in this messy situation are the
> denizens of the posh Malibu Canyon area. Will the girls be able to
> ferret out the killer or could they become his or her next victims.
>
> Add a cult of the rich and famous who believe in alien abduction to
> the tale and you have a tongue-in-cheek tale that will have you
> wanting to ride with the girls on your own pink Harley. The cast of
> fun characters includes producers who take advantage of starlets and
> those who want to join the movie star fraternity, trophy wives, cast
> off wives, and other members of filmdom's population, a cross section
> of that world that will have you laughing even as you consider the
> seriousness of the murder.
>
> A fun read that I'm pleased to recommend to any mystery fan who enjoys
> a lighthearted look at life in the fast lane. Beware the coke
> snorters and settle back for some enjoyable hours.
>
> Enjoy. I sure did.

After enjoying The Butcher of Beverly Hills so much, I couldn't wait to read this book. I hoped Colt wouldn't lose her touch, and she doesn't disappoint. She's a clever plotter and a pro at creating realistic dialogue and quirky characters. The fun starts immediately and never lets up, keeping you guessing the whole time. I look forward to The Vampire of Venice Beach, and hope that Colt has more Kerry and Terry adventures in store for her readers. Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will find plenty to like here, but Colt has created an original series that can stand on its own merits. Skeptics might also enjoy the plot's zings at certain well-funded alien-centric Hollywood religions...

Double the fun! Twin sisters Kerry and Terry McAfee are PIs in Los Angeles. You can't miss them with their bright red hair and hot-pink Harley. They are a hoot!

Their rich aunt Reba finds a decapitated body in her new Malibu beach house. Detective John Boatright, the hunky detective Kerry is interested in, arrives to investigate. Then in walks their cousin Robert with a blonde-haired head in a mesh bag. He has no idea where he's been. Soon both Robert and Reba are confessing to the murder and end up in jail.

Terry and Kerry know they have to find the murderer to clear their cousin and aunt. In the process, they end up involved with Malibu movie producers, actors, cultists, and visitors from outer space. Can they sort through all the possible suspects and find the killer without putting themselves in danger and before Robert and Reba are convicted?

This series is fabulous. I just discovered it and can't wait to read the next book, The Vampire Of Venice Beach. There's also the first in the series, The Butcher Of Beverly Hills. I hope these girls will be around a long time. The writer has such great wit. I ended up laughing out loud many times from their antics. Kerry and Terry are quite different and that's what makes this work so well.

I highly recommend this book and series.

I like this book as well as anything I've read in a long time. Adam is a
former FBI agent who develops a psychic talent after an accident. Those
of you who are not paranormal mystery fans should not let that put you
off. This thread does not, in the least, overpower or get in the way of
an excellent, well-written story. Those of you who are paranormal
mystery fans won't want to miss this. Adam is a warm, extremely
likeable person, with a wry sense of humor I enjoyed. He has close
friends who support him, worry about him, and love him. They share some
very dry, funny, and quite believable bantering that only old and close
friends are able to do. Adam befriends a homeless man who I think is
one of the most interesting characters in the book. He breaks your
heart and makes you smile all at the same time. There are also a couple
of additional supporting characters, including a budding love interest,
who are extremely engaging and who I'd like to get to know better. This
has all the makings of a great series. I'm hoping for the next, and the
next, and the next! Mr. Staggs has published many short stories and
has won several awards, including a Derringer Award. He has also served
as President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

You don't have to read minds to know why this book has the ratings it does. This is a first-class product. It is not just readable, it's enjoyable, thoroughly. It has twists that will keep you guessing right up till the end and characters you will want to see again and get to know even better than you do when you close the book--which is saying something, because Earl Staggs has a good true hand with a character sketch. You'll know them well, and still want to know them better.

I'd like to read minds like Adam--then I could read Earl Staggs' and find out when the next Adam Kingston book is coming out!

Earl Staggs' protagonist Adam Kingston is a very believable character. He has a talent of psychic ability, but it isn't a perfect talent. Rather than create an infallible clairvoyant, Staggs wrote this character in a fashion that makes him credible and by extension, it makes his psychic talent credible.

The other characters in this novel ring true as well. From the driven, single detective, the rookie detective, the dupe, the victim, the villian...all are believable characters with realistic motivations. Anyone can set up a straw boogeyman and then knock it down. Creating complex characters who can be understood (even if, as in the case of the villian(s), they are despised) is a clear sign of masterful writing.

Highly recommended.

Widowed Adam Kingston is a man with many memories; unfortunately, some of them aren't his own. A tragic accident left him with psychic abilities. Retired from the FBI, he quickly found out that murder has no jurisdiction. He finds himself embroiled in cases, both as a consultant for the FBI and in his personal life, and often wonders why in the world he ever agreed to the interview in Newsweek?.

Enter Charles `Chip' Weathers, a man with no memory of the past. He has a strange request for Adam, to find out if he is a young woman's killer. Adam sets out to help Chip find out about his past. But someone else seems to be interested in keeping Chip's memory a blank, permanently. After Chip is shot, Adam is more determined than ever to find out what his dark visions mean.

Brenda McCort is a Homicide Detective with the Baltimore City Police Department. She's got a knack for solving John and Jane Doe cases and knows that cases are solved by good solid police work, not psychic mumbo-jumbo. So, when a call to her boss reveals that some psychic might have information on not only one, but two of the cases she's working on, she takes off for Ocean City with a not-so-open mind.

Then Brenda McCort meets Adam Kingston and bullets and sparks fly. Brenda is determined to arrest Chip for murder and Adam is determined to keep Chip free long enough to recover his memories. Although Brenda would like to dismiss Adam's talents, she finds herself relying more and more on his visions as they try to stop the killer. . . before he strikes again.

Earl Stagg's Memory of A Murder is a well-plotted puzzle. Its twists and turns are filled with non-stop action and compelling characters all the way to the surprise denouement. Adam Kingston is a likeable guy with a wall of memories that he can't bring himself to dismantle and Brenda McCort is a tough city cop who has seen it all, and then some. Together they make a memorable team - could there be more than just a working relationship in their future?

So, grab a cup of coffee and a chocolate doughnut, sit back, and enjoy. Hopefully, your memory of a murder is as good as mine!

Earl Staggs has published many short stories and has piled up numerous writing awards, including a "Derringer Award" for best Short Mystery Story in 2002; was named finalist for the 2003 "Derringer Award"; and has received a "Pushcart Prize" nomination and the "Kathy Clarey Mystery Writer Memorial Award" for Best First Chapter. Staggs has served as FUTURES MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY MAGAZINE Managing Editor and as President of the SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY. He is Mr. Short Story.

Adam Kingston is a former FBI agent who has a strange gift after a nasty injury. He is a true clairvoyant, and his newfound fame also sets him up as a target for an old and particularly nasty enemy. Kingston is also recovering from the loss of his wife, with his good friends acting as cheerleaders. When a new string of murders erupts, he is once again caught in the law enforcement net. An amnesiac homeless man named Chip appears at his door asking him to use his expertise to untangle an old family murder that he thinks he may have committed. But before Adam can uncover any real clues, Chip is shot as they leave the front entrance of the Colonial Towers after a breakfast meeting:

"Chip groaned and tried to turn over. Adam helped him. Now lying on his back, Chip's hands clutched tightly into his own stomach. Blood seeped through his fingers. His teeth were clenched, and his face contorted in pain. He muttered, 'I think I've been shot. Jesus Christ, Adam, somebody shot me.'"

Earl Staggs has a way with juxtaposing completely creepy characters with the flawed but nice guy cops. Adam Kingston is a wounded good ex-agent trying to put his life back together after the death of his wife. But with his newfound paranormal gifts, trouble just keeps coming his way. A new love slips in, not unnoticed by Adam, and that fledgling relationship has to wait for the action to cool before it can bud. Staggs takes the reader through the same pain that Adam feels, enters the bad guy's head, and manages to bring us out the other side to redemption. This is a powerful story by a writer who has honed his chops, and it shows. The plot is engaging, the action is nonstop, and the ending is quietly satisfying.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING BOOK FILLED WITH NEAT STORIES THAT WILL KEEP THE READER ENTERTAINED FOR HOURS AND HOURS! I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH AND THINK IT WILL BE FUN TO GO BACK AND READ STORIES OVER AND OVER AGAIN! IT WOULD ALSO MAKE A GREAT GIFT!

Have you ever been reading along only to start laughing so hard that you actually dropped the book? Well, I just did. The author who gave me that unique literary experience is Keven McQueen and the book is Murder in Old Kentucky.

The book chronicles eighteen true crime stories from Kentucky's bloody past, and as the author points out and then proves, "most tragedies are entwined with moments of comedy." I loved it! When the book isn't hilarious, it's plain interesting and the quality of the writing is absolutely exceptional, making this author a standout in the genre.

A tiny sampling:

"....Richard Shuck soon lived up to his reputation for not being terribly bright. Later that afternoon, he rode to Owenton, where he could not have drawn more attention to himself if he had walked around on stilts and worn a crimson sandwich board reading 'I am a murderer.' Indeed, his actions are an encyclopedia of things one should not do after committing a homicide...."

"The hanging went without a hitch -- so to speak...."

Enjoy!

In one of the old TV "Avenger" episodes, John Steed was about to be shot by a firing squad. Steed helped the nervous commander of the squad with some trifle, saying in his prim British manner, "It is important to do these things well."

Keven McQueen has told his stories well. With his keen eye for detail and an incisive sense of humor, he has taken old stories from the dry, dusty pages of newspapers and made them highly interesting. He writes well.

As a great-grandchild of a near-victim in Keven's book and a writer of such stories myself, I am qualified to say that "Murder in Old Kentucky" is an fascinating, entertaining and accurate portrayal of historical Kentucky and even the rest of eastern United States.The Courage Place

Kentucky literature is very popular in our area and Mr. McQueen's books are both well researched and entertaining. I work at a public library and his books are checked out as quickly as we can display them.

Murder In Old Kentucky: True Crimes From The Bluegrass by Keven McQueen is an interesting collection of memorable stories taken from historical homicides which took place in the Commonwealth between the years 1826 and 1937. Included is the murder of the famous Beauchamp-Sharp, the "Ashland Tragedy", and the Lucretia Mundy poisoning. Exceptionally well written, Murder In Old Kentucky is very highly recommended to true crime buffs, students of criminology, and anyone interested in the darker side of Kentucky history.

This book is so good that I finished it in one sitting. There is not one wasted word and I was in for a thrilling ride once I started. The mystery is taut, intense and captivating, the entangled romance sensitive and touching. The hero, Kyle, with a weak heart, is immensely likable and well potrayed. It is a rarity that a character could stand up so well in short mystery novel but Kyle does. Kyle finally accepting the loss of his father and the revelation of a half brother he would never have a chance to acknowledge gives a touch of melancholy to the story. Definitely one of my favourites.

Colin Dunne cleverly blends a painting's subject with the story of some gay friends and the story of a missing artist (and his missing painting). The resulting tale always intrigues, with a focus on strong dialogue and character development. You don't have to be gay to enjoy this book. Nor do you have to like mystery novels. Just the characters and conflicts that start the novel would have kept my attention, but the added dimension of the murder and the painting made me read quickly to the surprising twists of the novel's closing chapters.

This story fascinated me from beginning to end. Colin Dunne's elegant, lyrical yet dialogue-driven style -- no word wasted -- fits the subject...so do the setting and the choice of 'gay protagonists.' Using the 'first person' voice is a classic method of suspense writing...Dunne makes it look easy. The mystery puzzles, the romantic element heightens the excitement, and the cast entertains. Well done!

I found this book to be immensely well-written, with plausible characters (if implausible names), a plausible story-line, and thoroughly enjoyable. I'm a great fan of murder mysteries and this book is as good as the best of its type. It isn't a 'police procedural' however, like so many recent muder novels. It's more a delving into the minds of a very closed community, an examination of motives, desires, and personas.

It is, in fact, very "Agatha Christie".

Well worth reading.

This book is a very interesting book, I usually don't read mystery, but I found myself reading through it, unable to put it down for long. The plot is appropriatly suspensful, not letting you know what was really going on until near the end. The romantic subplot going on through out the story was not over done to the point where you forgot that the story was a mystery and not a romance.

If this writer were to write more books I would probably not hesitate to buy them, despite not being a fan of the genre.

Strong female protagonist, timely issue, pungent turns of phrase and lively plotting! Schulenburg's first published novel is a delight and a page-turner. Looking forward to seeing Sabina's future exploits...

Schulenburg delivers a great page-turner, and something more: a compeling exploration of the "dark side" of the First Amendment. She weaves her clever "who dun it" around a thoughtful discussion of the connection between free speech and violence in our culture. She centers her exploration on a novel concept: The First Amendment gives newspapers the right to refrain from publishing socially-damaging information. "Murder Off the Record" is simply a very satisfying book, and I look forward to this author's next release.

I owe my enjoyment of this book to its author. Schulenburg has a great command of her language and her story, her characters and their world. People should read this book for a lot of reasons, but certainly for an encounter with a thoughtful author with a keen eye.

This is the thinking person's mystery. It has all of the ingredients of a good read: a page-turning, suspenseful plot, interesting characters, and just the right touch of humor. What moves this book a notch above the rest is its exploration of free speech in a society that pays far too much attention to violent acts. Schulenburg presents a compeling argument for less rather than more exercise of certain First Amendment rights -- and all within the context of a good mystery.

Schulenburg has rare and wonderful turns of phrase as well as complex characters with which the reader can identify. The original and fast-moving plot make this book worthy of anyone's reading time.

As a frequent traveler to Hawaii and a big mystery fan I like to combine the two and read books with Hawaiian settings. So often it quickly becomes clear that the author's use of a Hawaiian setting is a gimmick and/or based on travel brochure myth of what The Islands are like. Not so at all with Chip Hughes' books in the Surfing Detective series, Murder on Molokai and Wipeout. I was recently in Hawaii and was scanning bookshop for local authors and found the first two books in this series. Two days later after reading them both straight through, I was surprised and delighted to find both books rich in Hawaiian flavor and well written with interesting stories and characters. I highly recommend both books for fans of Hawaii, mystery detective PI fiction or just good books to read!

Excellent book, amazing imagery and captivating all the way through. It's not excessivly long and drawn out.

Murder on Molokai is a thouroughly enjoyable read. This murder mystery novel grabs your attention from the first page and the surprising plot twists keep you on your toes.

Chip Hughes writes a very entertaining murder mystery. He also refers to many places and people on Oahu and Molokai that will pleasantly jog the memories of those who have visited there, and make those who haven't visited there want to.

I read this book while vacationing on the island of O'ahu, and I simply could not put it down. This is one mystery that kept me turning pages until I was finished, and the character of "The Surfing Detective", Kai Cooke, is a great one. While making this character totally unique, Chip Hughes has taken some of the better attributes of some of our most beloved detectives and given them to Kai Cooke. If you can picture Magnum, P.I. with a touch of a Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler, you would have Kai Cooke. I thoroughly urge you to give this author and this story an opportunity to impress you as I was impressed. You will finish the story with a 'Mahalo' to Chip for one fine story! I cannot wait until further volumes about the surfing detective become available.

I admit that I am always intrigued by the reworking of fairy tales for adults since the layered nuance and the symbolism of fairy tales are as important to adult psychological development as they are to that of children. Robin McKinley's work in this area stands out for me (including her adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast", called "Beauty.") Therefore, I was delighted to discover Mary Lennox and hope that "My Lord Beast" is not her sole attempt at the genre.

In this instance, the setting and time frame Lennox chooses (19th century England) allow for some social commentary that is as applicable to the 21st century as it is to that era. The characters are nicely developed and considerably more real than the norm for romances (and fairy tales, for that matter). The addition of some understated elements from "Bluebeard" add to the richness of the characters and the plot. Without giving away too much, it can be said that Lennox has added some intriguing twists to the original characters from "Beauty and the Beast" and adds two (the "Indian" Ram Dass, and Lord Beast's cousin). Both choices work well.

If you would like a good read for the beach, a vacation, a plane ride, or an evening in front of the fire, this is a good choice.

Lord Breme (Aubrey Drelincorte) is a man tortured by a memory that he can't remember. On a trip to India in 1842, Aubrey found out that his lovely wife Susannah had been having a long time secret affair with his cousin and heir apparent Rupert Hindley. Aubrey was devastated by the news and aimed to confront the pair. Though he remembers nothing of this incident, Aubrey was told that he shot and killed Susannah and was then himself mauled by a tiger. Sure that he had killed his wife, injured, and suffering from malaria, Aubrey fled back to England.

Lilias Merrit is the youngest daughter of a merchant. Lilias' sister Pamela had recently wed Squire John Trevell for a sizeable dowry. Now the girls' father has arranged a marriage between Lilias and Richard Landham, a good looking wealthy man with an unattractive personality. In an effort to flee from Richard's grips, Lilias petitions Lord Breme for help.

My Lord Beast is a historical romance with a well developed storyline. The author has done a very good job at seamlessly interweaving historical relevant issues and cultural norms into a timeless love story that can be both enjoyed and appreciated by the modern reader. Thus, the romance portion of this book seems a natural extension of the events of the story rather than the complete point of the entire book.

As romance books go, this 1 is both literate & charming. Mixing -Beauty & the Beast-, -Rebecca-, &-Kim- [at the very least], Lennox creates many charming people in this tale of a man mauled by a tiger & the pretty maid who rescues him when he returns from India. From their first meeting, Lord Aubrey is captivated by Miss Lilas Merrit, a non-traditional Englishwoman w/non-traditional beauty. Forced to marry & breed an heir, he quickly discovers the charm of her musicial, Gypsy-loving free spirit.

Nothing outstanding, but i *did* enjoy identifying the sources!

Reviewed by Rebecka Vigus for Reader Views (3/06)


Step back in time to England where arranged marriages were often marriages of convenience. We are first introduced to Audrey Drelincourte, Earl of Breme, arriving home from India to save his reputation, his family home and to wed and produce an heir. Is he the beast everyone believes him to be?

Then we meet Lilias Merritt, feisty, outspoken second daughter of impoverished merchant Geoffrey Merritt. Lilias flees her father's home to avoid an arranged marriage to Richard Landham. In her escape she runs to the gypsies who plant her on the doorstep of Breme and directly in the path of Lord Breme himself.

Read along and see how the two clash and strike out against the feelings that pull them toward their destiny.

Having his carriage stopped on the road, Lord Breme listened to his man, Ram Dass carry on a conversation with a lady on horseback. As the carriage started again he commented, "Rather cheeky assassin." His thoughts stayed with Miss Merritt as he wondered about a woman "who went out on a winter eve with no groom, when a gentlewoman would have taken a carriage and an abigail. But she spoke like a lady and had just taken to task the owner of a coach and four with a gold crest emblazoned on it." Even ill, Audrey could find amusement in that.

Arriving at Breme, Lilias proposes to be a nurse the ailing master of the house. Only to be told, "I don't need a well-bred nurse-companion." With hopes of sanctuary here dashed, Lilias wonders what will become of her.

Although Lord Breme relents and keeps her on, their relationship is rocky and built on distrust. She wonders about the rumors, and he is there to stop the flow of rumors.

Did Lord Breme kill his wife? Can he clear his name? Can he remember what happened that fateful night? Will he be able to marry and produce an heir, and save his home? How does Lilias fit into all of this? Does she avoid marriage to Landham? Can she earn the trust of the lord of the manor?

All this and much more will be found in this book. Mary Lennox gives you very believable characters. Her sense of the times is uncanny. England's ton can make or break a person and she uses this knowledge to further the plot. It was a delightful read.

I loved this gothic-style interpretation of the beauty and the beast story. Lilias doesn't consider herself a beauty, nor does she consider Aubrey a beast. Lilias is strong and works hard to help herself and the man she loves. I hope Ram Dass has his own follow-up story.

What a miserable life our Frost leads!

However, I don't feel sorry for him, because I know everyting will be all right with him in the end of the story.

I like happy-ending stories, and so I like this seiries of Inspector Frost.

Incredible. This was the first Frost book I read after seeing the inferior TV show first. In my opinion it's the best of all five Frost novels, with good mysteries, likeable (and unlikeable) characters, just about everything.

Whether you're British or American, you'll love this book (and the others in the series.) Here's hoping Wingfield writes more!

After reading all the Colin Dexter Inspector Morse books and feeling at a loss as to what could possibly satisfy me after such a delightful and rich reading experience, I was lucky enough to find Frost.Definitely not politically correct but what fun to read ! Great stuff.

Frost is a new series character for me and I will enjoy following him in this series. He is brash, rude, profane, obscene, callous, rough-edged, filthy minded and has poor personal hygiene. Nonetheless, he is also relentless and compassionate. He gets his bad guy and also shares the credit.

Most of the police have the flu and -- of course that's when a whole series of crimes take place, piling up on the exhausted Jack Frost. (Would someone's parents really do that to a child?) meanwhile, his vicious and incompetent superior is looking over his shoulder trying to find an excuse to scrape the Frost out of the force.

This is my first Frost book and I'm an immediate fan. I've watched all of the TV series and loved them and am now enjoying the book too. The TV people have cleaned him up quite a bit physically and cleaned up his language too, as they'd have to in order to pass the censors but he still makes a wonderful character. The dishevelled, grubby, newly widowed Frost is joined by a new offsider, Det.Sgt.Frank Gilmore, only 24 years old, and totally unable to comprehend how this grubby, crumpled older man could possibly be the crack policeman that he is. As usual, the always fussy and inept Police Superintendent Mullett is always there to exasperate Frost, who does his job expertly, but in his own unorthodox way. There are two separate cases taking place, one the serial murders of old age pensioner women who are found with their throats slashed, and the other being a case of arson and murder. The writing is tight and the book flows seamlessly as the overworked police team from Denton moves in on the criminals. It's a great read which I can't praise highly enough.