Suicide Books

I love all of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's books. This story is based on the use of a computer to determine the perfect mating of man and woman. But the computer is diabolical and kills some of its best matches and makes it look like suicide. It requires an eminent psychiatrist to go up against this "dating" computer. Some interesting concepts about how computers can conceivable control our lives. Fun Read!

I am a big fan of suspense thrillers. I also enjoy the Preston and Child's novels so I was excited to read this this book by Lincoln Child. I thought it was okay...a good story; but not as exciting to read as the novels by both authors.

Eden Inc. is the largest and most successful company in the matchmaking business. Using highly proprietary screening methods and exceedingly sophisticated computerized processes, they've matched more "perfect" couples than any of the competition. Eden Inc. is the brainchild of brilliant computer scientist Richard Silver, originating from parent company PharmGem before branching off as a privately held company. But something recently has gone very wrong; of the five "supercouples" matching 100% at Eden, the first of them, Lewis and Lindsey Thorpe, are found dead of what looks to be mutual suicide. How could this happen to a perfect couple?

Silver and his corporate director Edwin Mauchly call upon the aid of Dr. Christopher Lash, currently a psychologist specializing and family and marital relationships. But it's Lash's past experience as a special agent in forensic psychology for the FBI's Behavioral Science program as a criminal personality profiler that really interests them. Dr. Lash left the FBI after a particularly bad run-in with serial killer Edmund Wyre, which was also the cause of his divorce from his wife Shirley.

Dr. Lash has difficulty uncovering any reason for the couple's suicide, until the next 100% "supercouple" also commit mutual suicide. Now Silver knows it was no coincidence. Lash gains access to the inner workings of Eden Inc. and meets the enigmatic Richard Silver, and his self-aware computer system Liza. Teamed up with Tara Stapleton from systems security, Lash continues his search. As a research project, Lash himself goes through Eden's screening process and is rejected, yet somehow his Avatar gets placed in "The Tank" and is matched to a potential mate. According to Tara, such a mistake is impossible. Impossible or not, the more Lash and Tara uncover, the more unrealistic the suicides seem to be. But they must work fast to find the answer, because there's still three more "supercouples" left.

This enticing story is interspersed with chapters from Lash's past against serial killer Edmund Wyre, adding an intriguing subplot to the novel. The characters are thoughtfully constructed and the "self-aware" computer personality made believable. Like most of Child's novels, the "whodunit" factor is usually easily guessable, but the tension at the build-up is exciting and enjoyable anyway. I've found novels by Lincoln Child to be peculiarly addictive, whether written on his own or with co-author Douglas Preston. While not perfect, they contain a substance to them that is attractive; good storylines and plot-development being a couple of factors to mention. With the popularity of the "computerized dating" businesses growing, 'Death Match' is a modern and tantalizing tale. Check out other novels by Lincoln Child also. Enjoy!

What a fun, imaginative, suspenseful ride this novel was. I loved it. I am not usually a fan of science fiction type books buth this novel is an excellent mix of suspense thiller and techno thriller. The premise is extremely intriguing and gives the book the great plot it needs to succeed.

We have Eden, Inc. a highly developed matchmaking service - it uses high tech artificial intelligence to try to match people on up to 1 million separate pieces of criteria. It is expensive, very popular and succesful. People are finding their soul mates. But 2 "super couples" have committed double suicide. A "super couple" is a couple that matches on all 1 million pieces of criteria. The deaths are a problem and Eden, Inc. needs help so they call in Chris Lass, a psychologist on marital relationships who used to work for the FBI. He is given all he needs to try to figure out why these couples are killing themselves - or are they?

This novel is excellent escape fiction. Many have given it 4 stars saying that the ending was predictable or not believable. What I love about this book is just that. It is not reality based. But it is so expertly, intelligently written that we get caught up in Eden, Inc. and their computerized matchmaking. We go into another world and it is exciting. The characters are superbly developed. None of them are thin or caricatures. They are all fully developed and carefully crafted just as Eden is detailed to expert precision. Some characters you will root for, some you will hate, some will surprise you.

The suspense starts at the beginning and never lets up. Someone is not happy with Chris Lass looking into the working of Eden and they start causing serious problems for him. The journey Chris goes on and how expertly we are made a part of it is what carries this novel. The ending may be a little over the top but for me it followed the rest of the book and was very satisfying.

I highly recommend this book for intelligent, well crafted escape fiction. The suspense is awesome and you will be on the edge of your seat.

The premise was great. The writing in the early part was absorbing. I was hoping against hope the ending would be different. But it became the boring, flat ending I was afraid of.
As to Eden, while the premise of an all-knowing computer was intriguing, the extent to which it was pushed, & for a purpose like match-making, made it rather implausible, if not laughable. It is conceivable a computer can hack into that much data. It is rather dubious it can do that a million times without anybody detecting anything.
Would have preferred if the novel had taken another direction, like, how all the information in the world still can't predict a perfect match...a little misinterpretation can ruin all the hard data...

Definitely one of my least favorite Poirot books. As other reviewers have mentioned, the solution to this mystery is quite apparent about halfway through the novel. I sort of wanted to shake Mrs. Oliver and Poirot and ask them how they could be so obtuse and not realize the solution. The quirks our beloved Poirot typically display are all gone here; all that is left is rather dry prose and a mystery that should have been shortened by about sixty pages. Having said all of that, it does make for a quick read that does not require much thinking. If you are looking for a great example of a murder-in-retrospect book by Christie, I would recommend "Five Little Pigs" instead.

REVIEW: Not exactly the best book to start with if you're curious about Christie; and her expertly crafted, wildly plotted crime novels. Still, "ELEPHANTS CAN REMEMBER" does have its charms and its moments of glory. The story concerns the murder/suicide of General Ravenscroft and his wife Margaret on a lonely cliffside at their house in Cornwall some twenty-odd years before the book's opening scene. Famed mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver (Christie's alter-ego) is approached at a literary luncheon by the overbearing presence of a Mrs. Burton-Cox who wants her to find out the truth behind the tragedy as it involves Mrs. Oliver's goddaughter, Celia Ravenscroft, who just so happens to be engaged to Mrs. Burton-Cox's son, Desmond. The reason why she wants the whole affair dug up is puzzling to Mrs. Oliver, and so she pays a visit to her old friend M. Hercule Poirot who (though at first reluctant) decides to help Ariadne uncover the truth about the deaths. The solution to the killings is sound (if trite), yet no where near as intriguing as Christie's other "murder in retrospect" cases. On top of that: the book rambles on too much and is too leisurely paced for a lengthy novel (as a short story it might have had more success). Still it's hard to dismiss "ELEPHANTS" as an all-out failure. It is flawed yet engaging, and the sheer joy of reading along with such wonderful characters as Ariadne and Poirot makes it all worthwhile. Alas, there is an excuse for Dame Agatha's slightly below par performance: after all the woman was eight-two-years-old and in diminishing health when the book was written. HARSH LANGUAGE: none. VIOLENCE: about 8 instances. SEXUAL REFERENCES: none.


THE MORAL COMPASS: Agatha Christie will always be known as a treasure trove of first-class entertainment, and as such (and in comparison with her classic detective novels) "ELEPHANTS CAN REMEMBER" remains a terribly disappointing work. Luckily this was not to be the final Poirot case released before her death in 1976 (the wickedly twisted "CURTAIN" would have that honor). Hoever, if the reader doesn't expect too much from this book then the initial sense of disappointment will be lessened, while the die-hard Christie fan can appreciate the autobiographical asides that she infuses through the character of Mrs. Oliver. It is these little bits of insight into the mind of the author that proves the most amusing thing about "ELEPHANTS". Still, Christie manages to describe a most horrible crime with tact, and the handling of certain "manic" tendencies of the murderer is sympathetic yet not without a sense of Godly righteousness in how to deal with the consequences of such insanity. The use of suicide is also presented as understandable under the circumstances of the story even though it is viewed as wrong in the moral sense. But overrall: the tragedy of General and Molly Ravenscroft is quietly portrayed with taste and dignity, and with no foul language or sexual descriptions. As such the book's content should earn a strong ACCEPTABLE rating.

Whose work are we actually reading at this point? There were major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins and Dodd Mead editions of this novel. There were further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further additions still in the recent Signet, Berkley, and Leventhal and Black editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. Here the publishers at Collins, dissatisfied with their own earlier efforts, put still more distance between author and public with a "New Ed" edition. What's the matter with these publishers? Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has been committed.

Detective novelist (and Christie alter ego) Ariadne Oliver has been coaxed into attending a literary party, something she, like Christie, did not enjoy and avoided whenever possible. Mrs. Oliver's experience at this one would ensure that it would be a long time before she attended another. An overbearing woman, Mrs. Burton-Cox manages to corner the author cross examine her about her goddaughter, one of many Mrs. Oliver has managed to acquire through the years. And now that the young woman, Celia, is quite grown up, one with which Mrs. Oliver has quite lost touch. It seems that Celia and Mrs. Burton-Cox's son are engaged, or will soon be, and Mrs. Burton-Cox wants to know if Celia's mother killed her father or did her father kill her mother. Mrs. Oliver was quite shocked by the rudeness of the encounter and troubled about what to do about it so she contacted her friend, Hercule Poirot, for guidance in the matter. Soon the pair, each in their own unique way, begin to tackle the problems, re-establishing contact with Celia, investigating the old tragedy and finding out just why Mrs. Burton-Cox is so insistance on knowing the answer.

For fans of Ariadne Oliver this is a particular treat, giving the reader more information into her (and perhaps Christie's) personal life, than any previous stories. It is interesting to see Oliver's and Poirot's different approaches to investigation, even to the point of different interpretations of what the actual problem is.

This is not the cleverest mystery that Christie ever wrote, nor even the best written but it is a very enjoyable one none the less and is a definite must read for any Poirot or Oliver fan.

"Elephants Can Remember" does not read like a typical Hercule Poirot mystery. Agatha Christie's famed detective is drawn into an old case by his friend, the amateur sleuth and mystery writer Ariadne Oliver. The case involves what was apparently the double suicide of a loving husband and wife, and the concern that these past actions might have left a horrible impact upon their children.

The story switches between the findings of Ariadne Oliver and Hercule Poirot as they each go in search of 'elephants' who might remember what happened around the time of the accident, because after all, an elephant never forgets. While there is no definite evidence as to what happened, there are those who have never accepted the double suicide theory because they couldn't answer the question why. But with Poirot and Mrs. Oliver working together, a long-unspoken truth is certain to be uncovered.

"Elephants Can Remember" is classic Agatha Christie, in terms of mystery. It's central mystery has a unique, if perhaps a little predictable, twist, the denouement of which is quite evenly paced and satisfactory. However, this might be one novel where the time period of the plot is more glaring than others. The prose is heavy-handed at times and one does get a little sick of all the mentions of 'elephants'. The characters are borderline two-dimensional and, therefore, the reader does not care about them, even if they are still interested in the mystery at hand.

What's Wrong with Timmy? This is a wonderful learning Christian book that in a delight story explains how God created every person and every person is special in their own way. This story is told from a little girl's perspective upon making a friend at the park who has physical and mental challenges and the loving answers her mother gave for her many questions. My son and I enjoyed this book very much.

What's Wrong with Timmy? is a children's book about a boy with a developmental disability. In this book there is a girl named Kate and a boy named Timmy. Kate meets Timmy at the park and learns that he has a developmental disability. Kate learns what this means and develops a friendship with Timmy. This book explores what a developmental disability is, difficulties Timmy has at school with his studies and with the other children. Kate begins to understand that there is nothing wrong with Timmy, he is just different from her in some ways, but she also learns that they are the same in some ways. This book is good for teaching children to look at what a child with special needs can do, not what they cannot do.

This book is a real nightmare for children with disabilities. Maria Shriver does attempt to impart the message that nothing is wrong at all- unfortunately, she's already planted the seed in the young minds of her readers with the mere title of the book. She then spends an exhaustive twenty pages trying to be sure she'd convinced them of it. I'd recommend "Russ and the Almost Perfect Day" by Janet Elizabeth Rickert instead.

I am a Lutheran Church librarian in Florida who bought this book for our church library. It stresses that though we may have different traits and characteristics we are all worthy of love, respect and human dignity. It discusses a mentally-challenged little boy and how he can be a good playmate even though he is a little slow. So what? He is still a persdon worthy of dignity and acceptance. This book stresses kindness on a personal level and a live-and-let-live attitude. This is a vital life lesson for our children to learn early on, and is a great conversation starter. This book will help cut down on bullying, marginalization and dehumanization of the mentally and physically challenged among us. After all, who among us does not have some sort of shortcoming? Children need to know that perfection is an impossibility and so they should expect people to do the best job they can but not expect perfection in themselves or others. The illustrations appear to be done in pastels and are very attractive. Great Job, Maria! Keep them coming!

Just as with What's Heaven, this story has Kate as well. I think every parent that has a child with special needs would hope that friendship and acceptance would come as quickly to them as it does to Timmy in What's Wrong With Timmy?

The story begins with Kate and her mother at the park. Kate is always so full of questions and wonders why the boy she observes playing basketball seems different. Kate learns his name is Timmy from her Mom who happened to be friends with his Mother before they moved away when both kids were babies. When Kate asked her Mother about Timmy her Mother proceeded to speak in the same way as when she has something important to say.

It turns out that Timmy is a child with special needs. He talks slower, cannot walk or run as fast as Kate but he wants the same things as other children do. Kate kept asking her Mother more questions indicating that she was scared of Timmy because of his differences. Her Mother explained that when we first come in contact with someone different we may feel uncomfortable and that is okay. She than relays in detail about a friend of hers when she was in school who had a sister that was in a wheelchair. To this day Kate's Mother cannot recall if she ever said hello to Rosie the first time she met her when playing with Tina. Kate says that back in those days people were in institutions or just stayed in their homes.

I am not sure how many typical developing children are as inquisitive as Kate, but find all her questions and feelings quite fascinating. As a parent to two special needs children it is hard to know how other children view those who have disabilities and are different.

This is certainly a story that can be read to children before they enter the school system and learn about all types of children they will encounter. We should be encouraging all children not to fear another child because they are different but to seek out the similarities within

Dirty Secrets Club is the first book in a new series from Gardiner about Jo Beckett. I found this book to be shadow less intense than her series about Evan Delany, because there is slightly less urgency in forensic psychiatry, though in this case Beckett is racing against time to prevent further murder-suicides from occurring. The plot was not quite as fine tuned as her other series, but still a dramatic page turner. Although you are introduced to the villains quite early on in the novel, there are still lots of nice twists along the way.

I think this was a great introductory novel for this series, and her first publication in the states. If you want a true sense of Gardiner, though, I highly recommend that you start with the Evan Delany series, now available in paperback here in the US, of which China Lake: An Evan Delaney Novel (Evan Delaney Mysteries) is the first novel.

With an endorsement by best-selling author Stephen King and a vast majority of those writing suspense fiction today, you have to wonder why Meg Gardiner hasn't broken through in a big way here in the United States. From what I understand, she's published several successful novels in the UK, all of which are being published here over the next several months.

After reading "Dirty Secrets Club," I can see why she has the ringing endorsement of Mr. King and others. And I can definitely see her being the next "big thing" not only in the mystery/suspense genre but also in the publishing world as a whole.

Set in San Francisco, "The Dirty Secrets Club," is a secret society of people, all of whom have a dark secret from their past that they've shared with members of the group. Run in cells to keep one person from having too much power, members of the group are dying at the rate of one every three days, all in spectacular fashion and in a way that looks like suicide. The latest victim works for the district attorney's office and is one of the founding members of the club.

After her death, the case is given a high priority to be solved, leading to foresnic pyschologic Jo Beckett being brought onto the case. Beckett's job is to explain the why of the death and the pyschological state of the victim of a crime. But just like the victims, Beckett has her own secret from the past she doesn't want brought into the light of day.

Fast paced and exhilerating, "The Dirty Secrets Club" is one part pyschological drama, one part character study, one part suspense thriller and one part mystery. Gardiner shifts efortelessly from scene to scene and follows several characters in the story, weaving together a story that is suspenseful, exciting and one hell of a good read. I will warn you that this is not a book to read as you're getting ready to turn out the light and need to be up early the next day. Not only can Gardiner draw you into her universe with the story unfolding, but her writing style is effortless and addictive to read. You'll find yourself up way past bedtime, just wanting to read one more chapter to see what happens next.

Along the way, there are revelations, twists and turns to the story all of which are surprising and well set up by the early stages of the story. Nothing comes entirely out of left field, making the reader roll their eyes. Instead, the twists will shock and then begin to make sense based on what we know about the situation and the characters.

Meg Gardiner could be the next big thing in the writing world. But don't let it be a dirty secret...share her writing and this great novel with not only yourself but everyone you come in contact with. This is a great book and I highly recommend it

Like many Americans, I first read the name Meg Gardiner in a column that Stephen King, probably her fiercest champion, wrote in Entertainment Weekly more than a year ago. King decried the state of the United States publishing industry, which had overlooked Gardiner, a native Californian who now lives in England. The fact that her novels weren't available in the U.S. was a publishing shame, King argued; here was an unsung, talented "suspense superstar" who "deserves an audience." Now that I've read THE DIRTY SECRETS CLUB, her first novel to be published in the U.S., I'm beginning to see what King was talking about.

THE DIRTY SECRETS CLUB is actually the start of a new mystery series for Gardiner, whose previous novels have revolved around the character of Evan Delaney. Her latest focuses on Jo Beckett, a forensic psychiatrist who lives and works in San Francisco, which, during the course of the novel, is being rocked by a series of increasingly destructive earthquake tremors. This is the last thing Jo needs; although she's professionally savvy and competent, this tough rock climber also has some emotional scars from the past, one of which is linked to a long-ago earthquake.

Jo is going to need to grit her teeth and overcome all her phobias and fears, however, as she tackles one of the most extraordinary cases of her career --- a case that will challenge her to delve into her own hidden secrets. The story opens with the death of Callie Harding, a prominent prosecutor, in an apparent murder-suicide. Callie drives her brand-new luxury car off a bridge and onto a shuttle bus below. Jo and the police find important clues on Callie's body, though --- the words "Dirty" and "Pray" written in lipstick. It turns out that Callie's demise is just the latest in a string of violent deaths of rich and prominent San Franciscans. Jo begins to suspect that these people are connected via membership in the so-called Dirty Secrets Club, an organization with which Callie seems to have been intimately involved.

The club invites members to join by confessing (and proving) their darkest, most shameful secrets. But it hasn't stopped there; a series of dares has pushed its thrill-seeking members to commit new, more shocking acts. Is it possible that one of their former members is taking revenge on a dare gone wrong? Or is the club, with its obvious potential for blackmail and public humiliation, simply crumbling under its own weight? When Jo herself is invited to join the Dirty Secrets Club, she knows she must not only uncover the truth, but also the skeletons in her own closet.

Jo Beckett is a compelling and likable heroine, and her blend of toughness and emotional vulnerability should be a good foundation for this new crime series. Some readers may quibble that Jo, a practicing psychiatrist, seems to focus more on sleuth work and intuition than she does on medicine and psychology. But that's a minor point in what is otherwise a terrific suspense novel, as high-octane and fast-paced as Callie Harding's BMW. When Stephen King talks, publishing people listen --- and fans should rejoice as this new star of suspense finally gets her chance with audiences on this side of the Atlantic.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I was so excited to read this book. The plot sounded original and inventive and there are many positive reviews here. Sadly, none of it happened for me. I loved the idea of a forensic psychiatrist. How original. And the idea of a dirty secrets club was very intriguing.

The opening scene which I think was supposed to be thrilling and a shocking intro was just over the top and not realistic in my opinion. As the novel goes on it didn't improve much. The author clearly can write well. That is not the problem here. Usually when I read a book I give it like 75 pages and then if I just can't bear to pick it up I move on to another. That was the case with this one but it was well written and still seemed to be propelling forward just a little under the level of true excitement that I gave it 150 pages. Sadly, at that point I found the characters one dimensional. We knew a little about the life of Jo Becket, the forensic psychiatrist. But she was not a fully developed character. And the plot which had a few minor hits at possible suspense never gelled and just lost me.

Reviewers say this is an exceptional thriller with shocks and twists galore. I don't know where they were. Maybe they all popped up in the last half but a reader should not be boringly led on for half a novel before the action begins. I hate to trash a novel and that really isn't what I am doing here. I thought the idea had promise and feel that the writer can write as I said but I can in no way call this book a thriller. It certainly was not the worst book of the year as someone else said, just not the best from this author. The promised exciting suspenseful plot just did not happen.

It is very sad to pick up a book you highly anticipate reading just to be led nowhere. I leave it up to you to form your own opinion.

This novel kept me turning the pages so rapidly that I didn't actually stop to analyse the story. Which is probably a good thing: I'm not convinced that the various elements hang together well enough to provide a totally satisfying whole. Does it matter? Well, not to me. I was looking for an escapist novel and this book delivered.

There is a lot of action in this novel: not always coherent and not always believable. That will matter to some readers, and ordinarily it matters to me. But sometimes, it is good to suspend reality and just hop onto the rollercoaster.

Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist who profiles victim's lives in order to try to help solve their deaths. Lieutenant Amy Tang calls Jo Beckett to the crime scene after a high speed pursuit in San Francisco ends with four people dead and five injured. So, why did Callie Harding drive her car through a bridge railing? What is the Dirty Secrets Club, and what can Jo do to try to prevent what appear to be a related series of murder/suicides by high profile people? Jo herself looks to be an interesting character as do many of the other `good guys' in this novel.

This was the first Meg Gardiner novel I've read, and it probably won't be the last. I'm intrigued without (yet) being totally hooked.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

A very engaging short novel from British mystery writer (and real life convicted murderer) Anne Perry. The action takes place in Victorian England, during the 1850s. During a party in early december, one of the attendees, Isobel Alvie, makes a cruel remark about Gwendolen, a rival in the attention of an eligible bachelor. The next morning, the body of Gwendolen is found on the lake next to the house, a clear suicide. Isobel is considered by the other guests as the person guilty of driving Gwendolen to suicide. One of the attendees proposes a medieval solution that would allow Isobel to redeem herself. She would have to go to Scotland, in a long journey in the cold of the winter, to deliver the news of Gwendolen's death, and her last letter, to her mother. Isobel reluctanctly accepts, and her friend Vespasia, offers to accompany her. The journey is much longer and complicated than they originally thought, leading them to some of the most remote parts of Great Britain. During the course of the voyage, the motives behind Gwendolen's suicide slowly begin to appear. I don't want to reveal more, but this is a great and smart mystery book.

Let me start by saying that I really appreciate Anne Perry and enjoy her books. This story, if it was a stand alone having nothing to do with Christmas, and all to do with Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould, would have been better received. The short book was enjoyable; as an average book by Ms. Perry is better than many authors' best work. However, if you are looking for a story about England at Christmas, I would suggest looking elsewhere. There were only a couple of times that the holiday was mentioned, and it had little to do with the story. That said, if you want to learn more about Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould (One of the truly great characters from the Thomas and Charlotte novels) this is a great way to do it.

I read a book called A Christmas Journey by Anne Perry. I would recomend this book to anyone from ages 12 and up. This book has some mild violence and lots of suspense. For example, when Viola is found dead in the river below a famous bridge, everyone begins to wonder if someone had supposedly pushed her that night or if it was a suicidal act. Also, towards the middle of the story, another murder happens with one of Viola's friends. This story gave so much detail that I was able to draw vivid pictures in my mind. I hope you enjoy the thrilling and exciting story, A Christmas Journey.

I picked up this book tonight to read it and made it almost all the way through before I realized I had read it before. It made little or no impression on me at the time, because I certainly didn't remember having read it and I did not remember how it turned out.

In this little book, Anne Perry focuses on Aunt Vespasia of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt novels. The book occurs when Vespasia is a young woman and she is a guest at a week-end party when one of the attendees commits suicide after an insulting remark made by one of the other attendees.

This book is not really so much of a mystery as a journey-- in undertaking a journey to tell the mother of the young suicide victim of her daughter's death, Vespasia also takes a journey into her own past. Its main interest is more in its picture of the times and the emptiness of women's lives-- how horrible it must have been to be a member of the upper class and have nothing to occupy your time but attend parties and snipe at each other. This book made me wonder if women of that time really had friends or if they spent their entire lives in the loneliness of a crowd.

The book itself is a pleasant enough little diversion-- and I probably would have given it more stars if it had just left more of an impression. As it is, I have the feeling that in about a year, I could probably pick it up again and re-read it, having forgotten that I have already read it-- twice.

Before reading this book, please take the time to be prepared to understand the social attributes of 19th century England, and especially for the gentry social class. Life for these people was honor bound, but also extremely chauvinistic. As a result, I gave this book a 4 star rating, simply because two women would not necessarily be allowed to do what Lady Vespasia and Isobel set out to do alone had it not been fiction.

However, I found this book charming, as well as one that could talk to our senses of morality, charity, love and friendship. Friendship is either a trust situation, or not, and this book addresses that nicely. Having everything conclude at Christmas helped tie in the friendship aspect of the Blessed Season, and for that, I was appreciative.

A short book ... a novella really. Won't take long to read! May I suggest listening to the audio version? Terrence Hardiman does an excellent job reading Perry's book! A real treat hearing a male voice reading a book largely about women!

When you think about it, almost every death is a suicide. Most americans right now are committing suicide by eating loads of sugar, saturated and trans fats and empty calories in the form of junk food when they very well know it is clogging their arteries and eventually will kill them if they don't stop and lose weight. Yet, they keep eating those foods. They are committing suicide slowly. People who smoke are committing suicide because they know smoking causes lung cancer. People who practice extreme sports know very well the dangers that they face yet they keep doing what they do. People who abuse alcohol and drugs knowingly slowly commit suicide. Many people who have been diagnosed with cancer decide not to fight the disease and they let themselves go while others face the challenge head on and decide to beat it.

Every time someone with an illness dies, it is because they have chosen to. They decided to let go while others may decide to hang on and beat the odds.

If someone smoked for 40 years and their doctor TOLD THEM THAT IT WOULD KILL THEM and they continued to smoke and then developped lung cancer and died, THEY HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE.

The only difference between the smoker and someone who takes a gun and shoots themselves in the head is that the last one died instantly. BUT THEY ARE BOTH SUICIDES!!!

So this load of BULL that people who take their own lives are being punished karmically is so beyond ridiculous because most people take their own lives in one form or another by treating their bodies like trash cans.

I also don't believe one bit in channelling and James Van Prague and John Edwards have been proven to be complete frauds who practice cold reading.

I don't know what to think of this book. I have never talked with a spirit so I am not sure about it. I just want to know why when Jesus knew he was going to die that he did nothing to stop it when he could have stopped it. To me that is suicide all the way. Why is it bad for others to do it then?

Suicide: What Really Happens in the Afterlife is well researched, including historical, cultural, spiritual and psychological aspects of both suicide and channeling - for instance, how channeled messages have changed over time as the beliefs of the in-body mediums and society have evolved. It also offers many examples of communication from the interlife for various scenarios (accidental suicide, suicide from depression, from loss, suicide bombings, etc.). As a research and reference guide, it is well worth having. It would be a great first book to have on this topic.

This book, truly, should have been about 200 hundred pages shorter. How many times can you really just probe the same message? Apparently, enough spirits hung around long enough to explain to the living that suicide is not an answer but failed to give any other information : ie. What is the meaning of existence in general? or Why does anyone have to work out problems and learn a "greater" lesson? Why can't we just pass into nothingness. This books answers no questions and seems to do what society and religion in the west has been doing for thousands of years : scaring you into submission.

Lame book.

Having read numerous messages purportedly coming from the spirit world, I know that there is much conflicting information passing through mediums. The discerning reader comes to understand that spirits are not all-knowing, that some know little, if anything, more than they did when incarnate, that some are devious and intend to mislead, and that for the well-intentioned spirit, explaining celestial matters in terrestrial terms can be extremely difficult. Moreover, messages are often unintentionally "colored" by the mind of the medium, or they can be misinterpreted by the medium.

However, there is one subject on which the spirit messages all seem to agree - suicide. While there may be some conflicting messages relative to suicide by terminally-ill people, the messages overwhelmingly condemn traditional suicide. They strongly suggest that the individual who hopes to escape from his or her problems here in the material world does not so. He takes those problems with him.

This very interesting book explores all aspects of suicide, including socio-cultural perspectives and psychological perspectives. But it goes beyond any other book on suicide that I am aware of by examining the messages channeled from the spirit world, including communications purportedly coming from those who have committed suicide. (The authors prefer to use "channeling" to mediumship.)

The authors are Pamela Rae Heath, an M.D. and board certified anesthesiologist who continued her education with a Psy.D. in psychology while specializing in parapsychology, and Jon Klimo, Ph.D., who has done extensive writing and teaching in parapsychology, consciousness studies, alternative medicine, and metaphysics. While clearly recognizing that there are various theories explaining the purported spirit communication, including fraud, telepathy, super ESP, etc., the authors have gathered hundreds of channeled messages relative to the immediate afterlife environment and suicide in particular, offering them for whatever the reader wants to make of them.

In the Introduction, they explain that the book was written to examine the following interrelated questions: "What, if anything, happens when and after we die? Is there some kind of afterlife, and, if so, what is it like? Is there a relationship between the life one has lived prior to death and the life after death, and, if so, what is that relationship?" The main focus of the book, however, is what happens to people who have taken their own lives.

Part I of the book deals with traditional and assisted suicide, while Part II covers murder-suicide and suicide bombers. I was especially interested in the latter subject as it presents a real dilemma for the person wondering how divine justice applies to people who believe they are doing God's will and acting as martyrs for a cause when they are murdering others and taking their own lives. It is extremely difficult to believe that such horrific actions would be rewarded; yet, at the same time, it is equally difficult to believe that the suicide bombers would be severely punished if the intent was, in their eyes, an honorable one.

Since channeled material started coming through and being recorded 160 years ago, there have been many messages about suicide. Many of those who commit suicide apparently are slow to realize they are "dead," while those who do realize it almost always seem to regret it. One channeled message about Ernest Hemingway, the distinguished author, indicated that his suicide had somewhat undone the tremendous advances he had made. "He will be working on this for some time yet. He had everything: fame, friends, wealth, talent. But he took his own life. Must never do it!"

Finding that there had been little recorded or published about suicide bombers, a fairly new activity, the authors asked several channelers to contact the souls of the suicide bombers, their guides, and others to determine what they were experiencing in the afterlife. The messages were taped and make for very intriguing reading, as does the entire book.

I have had two relatives commit suicide. If only this book had been available to them beforehand and to their loved-ones afterward, it might have saved much grief.

It's easy to see why Maron is a queen of mystery. Her stories seem to flow from her pen without much hesitation or loss of narrative thread.

However, it may be this very ease that makes this story lacking in depth. Maron writes a good mystery, but it could be a great one if she gave more time to character development, interaction, and plot.

While her characters are interesting, they seem flat, two-dimensional, as does the plot. The resolution of the mystery and the various relationship issues between the characters was a letdown, ending with a whimper, not a bang.

Still, a decent story. But what does the title have to do with the book? Hate that.

Maron's Deborah Knott series offers tightly structured, clever plots suffused with Southern Americana. _Last Lessons of Summer_ reads more like a Mary Higgins Clark mystery and I'm afraid I don't mean that as a compliment. The plot lurches along with such obviousness that chapters ahead you can predict future story developments. The characters are not well developed and thus make such unexpected transitions that I was put to mind of _Little Women_ in which Louisa May Alcott succumbed to pressure to "mate up" all the characters by the end, resulting in the deus ex machina of Professor Bhaer as a love interest for Jo. Maron does interweave much information about entomology in to her story, and those passages are almost lyrical, but in the end that is not enough to save this clunker.

Amy, a New York City heiress to a toy company, who is made out to be flighty, returns to Raleigh, North Carolina after her grandmother's murder. While she is clearing out the house, she finds herself investigating her grandmother's murder and the apparent suicide, years before, of her own mother. The heroine urges herself on with sayings from a beloved book about two stuffed animals: "What do you think, Pink? What'll we do, Blue?" This comes across as jeuvenile. Amy doesn't so much solve the various mysteries as stand around while people decide to divulge their secrets.

Amy Steadman, a generally content young woman comes to North Carolina to dispose of her grandmother's posessions. As Amy explores the old house, her doubts and concerns emerge: about her grandmother's murder in an apparent burglary; about Amy's own marriage, and most of all about Amy's mother's suicide in the house when Amy was three.

In the process Amy finds some answers about her family, about herself, and about the murderer.

While at times unnecessarily melodramatic, for the most part the book features well-described characters, and Amy herself is sympathetic enough to attract reader's sympathy. The plot's twists keep up the suspense, and although not a classic detective story, there is enough of that to appeal to mystery fans.

--inotherworlds.com

I'm on Tape 2 of the unabridged audio version, and find myself unable to continue. It was very difficult to keep the characters straight when they were all introduced at the business meeting (no family tree on tape!). However, I kinda managed to get past that. My problem is the mystery angle; I just don't care who offed the old lady! These are stock characters to me, with a bit of melodrama thrown in.
I can fully understand the author's wanting to branch out beyond Judge Knott (whose books I really like). This effort seemed a slightly wishy-washy way of doing so in having a similar enough protagonist and being set in the same area as the Knott series.

To couch this review and Posner's argument, I paste a quote from Posner himself found the in The New Republic. "If torture is the only means of obtaining the information necessary to prevent the detonation of a nuclear bomb in Times Square, torture should be used--and will be used--to obtain the information. ... no one who doubts that this is the case should be in a position of responsibility." Who will argue with this? One person versus millions? Obviously everything needs to be considered rationally, weighing the issues, looking at expected costs and benefits. If on average we can stop more terrorist attacks with torture, it is probably worth it from a detached perspective.

As a layman I found Posner's book to be a very interesting way to learn about the issues with constitutional law not only in a time of crisis, but in general. He starts out with a discussion on how constitutional rights are created. It clarified many of the questions I had in my mind on how the constitution could be interpreted the way it is. It even made sense. He then explained how national security shapes those rights. He argues for a balance between security and rights.

The next four chapters discuss the rights against detention, the rights against brutal interrogation and searches and seizures, the rights of privacy, and finally the right of free speech. These chapters brought out the arguments based on security and also the arguments of civil libertarians. Posner tended to argue for a balance between those views that changes given the circumstances. In case of dire emergency, the president should be able to suspend some rights. I thought the discussion in the concluding chapter on Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus was a good way to illustrate his point. Should the constitution be amended to allow this action, or should it continue to be illegal? He brings up the pros and cons of each and his conclusion makes sense to me.

Posner's writing style is very clear and I found that as a layman this complex issue was understandable. Do I agree with all of his conclusions? Probably not; but the general concept of balancing personal security and rights does ring as a principle worth considering. I recommend this book for anyone with an interest in constitutional law and the current war on terror.

Federal Appeals Court Judge Richard A. Posner is known for being both prolific and controversial. In addition to authoring one of the most important academic treatises in the field of law and economics, he is also known for writing on more controversial topics ranging from the 2000 Presidential election to sex. And it's when he writes on these topics, covering areas that are both controversial and likely to be the subject of high-profile Constitutional case law, that he's often at his most interesting, even when you don't agree with him.

In Not A Suicide Pact: The Constitution In A Time Of National Emergency, Posner examines the questions and conflicts that have arisen between national security and individual liberty in the wake of the War on Terror and asks the question of just how far Courts should go in either protecting liberty or granting leeway to the state to deal with a perceived emergency.

Posner's entire thesis with respect to the roles that liberty and safety should play in Constitutional jurisprudence can be summed up in the paragraph that opens the conclusion to the book:

"Constitutional rights are largely created by the Supreme Court, by loose interpretation of the constitutional text. Created as they are in response to the felt needs and conditions of the time, they can be and frequently are modified by the Court in response to changes in those needs and conditions. A constitutional right should be modified when changed circumstances indicate that the right no loner strikes a sensible balance between competing constitutional values, such as personal liberty and public safety. A national emergency, such as a war, creates a disequilibrium in the existing system of constitutional rights. Concerns for public safety now weigh more heavily than liberties in recognition that the relative weights of the competing interests have changed in favor of safety. That is the pragmatic response, and pragmatism is a dominant feature not only of American culture at large but also of the American judicial culture."

If you're someone like myself who views individual liberty and the protections guaranteed by the Bill of Rights as immutable, a paragraph like that is bound to make your blood boil. And, I will admit that there were several times when I found myself wanting to argue with Posner over one obscure point or another (which I imagine would be a fascinating intellectual experience in itself).

Posner's approach, however, is entirely understandable for two reasons. First, it is entirely consistent with his broader adherence to law and economics, which is all about balancing, and pragmatism, and finding efficient outcomes, as a legal philosophy. Second, he's a Federal Judge and, with rare exceptions, the approach that he suggests in this book is entirely consistent with the way that most Federal Judges seem to view questions of the proper line to draw between individual liberty and public safety.

That doesn't mean that Posner is correct, though.

First, there's his view of individual/constitutional rights as something that are strictly judge made, rather than something that exist independent of the whim of the judiciary. Because of what Posner contends to be the inherent vaguenesss of the Constitutional text, it is up to Judges to determine the boundaries of constitutional liberty. The problems with this approach are replete and exist throughout the 200+ years that the Supreme Court has existed. All too frequently, judges have interpreted portions of the Constitution too narrowly, or too broadly, or just ignored it entirely and ruled based on how that though the case should be decided. Leaving the definition of civil liberties strictly and exclusively in the hands of an unelected judiciary is, in the end, a recipe for disaster.

Given Posner's views on the malleability of constitutional rights, it isn't entirely surprising where he comes down on the debate over when and how much individual liberty should be sacrificed in the name of public safety at a time of supposed national emergency, such as that represented by the War on Terror. With very few, though very interesting exceptions, Posner would give more power to the state to fight the threat posed by terrorism -- notwithstanding the fact that, except for September 11th, there hasn't been evidence of a single foreign terrorist plot on American soil in over five years -- at the expense of individual liberty and privacy.

Another area which Posner brushes over is the fact that national emergencies have, in the past, served as the justification for increases in the size, scope, and power of government. Posner briefly addresses this issue by citing examples from the Post-WW2 and Cold War eras of government regulation that has since abated. In reality, of course, the end of each of these supposed emergencies still resulted in a Federal Government that exerted more control than it did at the time the "crisis" started.

Of course, much of that is explained by the fact that local incumbents in law enforcement find it in their interest to point out how bad things would be under a second term.

There are some points one which I must admit that Judge Posner is right. There is a distinct difference between law enforcement and intelligence gathering. And there seem to be far fewer Constitutional limitations on intelligence gathering, which logically must be considered part of the Article II power of the Executive Branch, than on law enforcement, which finds itself limited by the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments, just to name a few.

And maybe that makes sense.

The purpose of intelligence gathering is, or at least, should be, preventing attacks on the homeland, whether from terrorists or foreign nations, from happening. Law enforcement steps in only after an attack has occurred. In the case of terrorism, law enforcement is an admittedly ineffective tool.There's no point in filing criminal charges against the 19 men who hijacked planes on September 11th, but if we'd been able to break up that conspiracy on September 9th........well, that wouldn't have been a bad thing after all.

In the end, as Posner points out, and as reluctant as I may be willing to admit, it may well be true that there is a trade-off between liberty and security that we all will have to make a decision on in the near future.

On each side, there's an extreme that is entirely unpleasant. Too little government vigilance in the face of a real terrorist threat could lead to the deaths of millions. Too severe a restriction on individual liberty could lead to a free reign for destruction.

This is an intellectual approach towards whether or not we allow civilian rights to be infringed upon in times of crisis and what that allows, leading towards an almost totalitarian state by goverment. Agree or disagree, the arguments are presented well here.

In another, perhaps better world, Judge Posner would have been a Republican nominee for the Supreme Court. His age reputedly barred him in this one.

Unfortunately, for this book, you could probably stop at the title, and that would give you the gist.

Judge Posner's thesis is that at a time of war, noone can be allowed to second judge the nation's security establishment. Moreover, he argues that judges are particularly unsuitable for the task. He offers examples from history to buttress his thesis.

Unfortunately, unless one starts out with the premise that his conclusion is intrinsically correct, his arguments read, at least to my eyes, as somewhat cyclical and self-serving.

After all, judges balance competing consideration in a vast array of other types of cases all the time. Why not in matters of national security? He also ignores key problems, at least in my reading:

1. Lincoln's actions WERE widely condemned, often fiercely resisted, and are considered by legal historians to be a blot on his legacy.

2. Korematsu, the Japanese internment case, was based on submissions to the Supreme Court that the Justice Department KNEW to be untrue. So the most famous instance of the Constitution not being a suicide pact was based on a lie, a lie that many DOJ official vigorously protested at the time.

As Judge Reinhardt said about Judge Posner, the problem is not in his writing. He is a fine writer, and his writing is enjoyable. The problem is with his thinking and conclusions.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Plath's literary and personal mythology is the need for so many others to give voice and interpretation to a highly educated, highly vocal woman who muted herself. Becker joins the ranks of numerous scholars and critics by putting in her analysis as a friend and admirer of Sylvia. Still, I fail to see how Becker delivered much of worth.

Do we really need this book? No. Did I get it because of my morbid fascination with the lost last days that Hughes relegated to assumption because he burned her final diary entries? Yes. Am I satisfied? By no means.

I agree with several other reviewers who stated this could have better had it been relegated to essay or article format. The book is quite short, especially on the final days of Sylvia Plath's life. It is skimmed over so quickly, with little recollection of actual events that the reader is left with the haunting mood Plath left Becker with on that final night. After these several inadequate pages, Becker explains her thoughts on the funeral (something I had never read about). And then we are taken through a long redundant explanation of how no one could help Sylvia, and Hughes should assume his responsibility for what happened.

Becker brings in a couple of Hughes and Plath's poems to aid her in explaining how she came to some of her conclusions about their relationship. And then Becker delves into which of the two was an anti-Semite(?!). She ends the book with how ironic it was that the feminist movement appropriated Plath as the eternal victim of male aggression and oppression, when in fact Becker thought of her as happy in her feminine roles (she does contradict this point in the text). One interesting line was how Sylvia did not like her name pronounced to rhyme with "math," it should have been pronounced "Plaath."

Maybe I expected too much from such a slim volume. But I think Becker mislead her readers as well. I recommend this only for fans of Sylvia Plath that must read it all--regardless of how good/bad, positive/negative a book may be. Read Sylvia Plath's poetry and prose for a truly rewarding read, her own words serve her best.

Becker helped Plath during the last days of her life. She provided a place to stay and helped with the care of her children. She tells the story of Plath's last few days from the point- of- view of a sympathetic friend. She is critical of Ted Hughes who she blames for the abandonment of Plath. According to Becker Plath was totally broken by this abandonment and could not get herself together.
This is a very sad tale.

This is a short, but very fulfilling look into Sylvia Plath's last days as told by her friend Jillian Becker. It is brutally honest; Becker even speaks of how it became a burden to take care of Sylvia in her last days. It paints a heartbreaking, forward picture of the troubled author's last days. As for why she killed herself, look no further than Plath's hauntingly beautiful poetry and semi-autobiographical The Bell Jar. Long having battled depression, her husband Ted Hughes' infidelities finally pushed her over the edge. Some have also speculated that the combination of medication she was on may have led to suicidal thoughts.

Heart-breaking and informative, this was a compassionate look in Plath's last days that any fan will appreciate.

And if you really want to despise Ted Hughes, check out the biography of his mistress, Assia Wevill who took her own life for reasons not so different than Sylvia's. It is a wonderful biography. It can be found here: Lover of Unreason: Assia Wevill, Sylvia Plath's Rival and Ted Hughes' Doomed Love

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I do find most reviewers glean the wrong thing from this book. Jillian Becker KNEW Sylvia Plath, knew her personally-- went to her home, gathered her belongings, allowed Plath to stay in her home, she even took care of Plath's children when Sylvia could not find the will to do so herself.

Another thing people misunderstand is the notion of suicide. If you are looking for the answer to WHY..the big WHY she "did it" then you have very little understanding of Sylvia herself, depression, and suicide. This book is not going to tie up any loose ends or give anyone anything they didn't have before--that's not what it's supposed to do...
It's a way of filling in the gaps; where the previous biographers, journalists, reporters, only knew the Plath they saw, spoke to, -- that which was reflected in her poetry -- no one really knew her like a good old friend, a friend that Jillian Becker was.

Beware: Becker is very honest, which is a good thing but some may not view it as such.

The book is very short, and rightfully so. Only a small amount of time (I believe it's 3 days or so) is covered here, and that's perfect. The back cover of the book contains a review from "The Independent" (London) which puts it perfectly: "Jillian Becker fits in more good sense and compassion on the subject of Sylvia Plath than books ten times as long."

Best line: "Just as kindness is inadequate, and beauty hard to bear, happiness itself can be intolerable."

In Jillian Becker's Giving Up, she revisits the last moments she spent with her friend, Sylvia Plath. Her memories are solid at times and shaky at others, but she is quick to note when she doesn't recall an event in detail. Giving Up is only 73 pages and I read it in under an hour. Still, Becker's words resonate with the time and thought it took her to get to a point where she can write about her friend from the perspective of someone who shared her last moments. Becker mentions other Plath biographers who asked her to tell them her story, but apparently none did it to her satisfaction or with the degree of accuracy she felt was necessary, causing her to write this little book. As someone who is fascinated with the legend that Sylvia Plath's life and death has become, this book was fulfilling and full of useful information. However, it's not a novel, and Becker's views are definitely skewed to paint Ted Hughes as the bad guy in their marriage as well as the ultimate cause of Plath's untimely death (not a new notion, by any means, but I haven't seen it written before with such malice). That being said, I did think this book was worthwhile for anyone who likes Sylvia Plath and is fascinated by the mystery surrounding her life and death.

Saw the movie version of the book at the Sundance Film Festival and felt it left me with questions. The first half of the book is similar to the movie but the book goes in a different direction which I really enjoyed. I could not put the book down.

Chris Cleave, Incendiary (Knopf, 2005)

Dear Osama,

With these two words, Chris Cleave kicks off his powerful novel Incendiary, and you know it's not going to be something you've seen before. And indeed it is not. The entire thing is written by the unnamed protagonist in a letter to Osama bin-Laden after al-Qaeda bombed a stadium during a big match, taking the lives of her husband and son. She tries to make a go of life afterwards, but while she never explicitly asks the question, it's embedded in every word: how does one regain one's own sanity when the entire world has gone crazy?

The first, and perhaps biggest, thing to note here is that, as it's written as a letter, the entire book is in the voice of the protagonist, who is not terribly well-educated and eschews the use of commas. Twenty-five pages into this book, I was sure I was going to offer it up as a sacrifice to the gods of reading by lighting it on fire and tossing it into a random trash can, but I got used to the narrative style pretty quickly after that. Once you've fallen into the rhythm of the prose, the story itself is gripping-- our narrator is trying to get on with her life, just as England is, and the two are often compared to one another between the lines as a measuring stick, making sure we've got the idea in the back of our heads that the end of the book is a given. (And Cleave doesn't fail us, though we don't get exactly what we think we're going to.) A startling, and excellent, piece of work, this. ****

Though