Maine Books

A very good read for anyone who dreams of ditching the rat race and living a more relaxed life that is in harmony with nature.

From what I've been able to piece together Helen and Scott must have been a couple of outcast university professors that were scorned for their anti-establishment (socialist?) teachings. I think they must have been what would later become beatniks (and later hippies).

Throughout their book (actually 2 books) they forecast the social disintegration of the US.

They believe people should only work 4 hours a day and play the rest of the day. To me they actually seem lazy.

They say that when they feel a cold coming on they do as the neighborhood dogs and cats do, they quit eating until they feel fit again. To me, that's a very silly way of treating a cold. When animals quit eating it's because they don't feel like eating. They don't say, "I must be sick so I shouldn't eat." Ridiculous.

They preach about not using animals for food or labor. They also refer to milk as a food not for adults but for baby animals and talk about being vegetarians. Then in one chapter they talk about 3 girls down the road that regularly deliver milk to their house (contrary to their teachings). There is also a photo of them using horses to plow a field and another photo of Helen driving a pair of horses (two more examples of them not following their own teachings) on a snow covered road while she's riding in the wagon or sled (can't tell which since the picture is taken from in front of the horses). ??? Were they hypocrites? Did they eat shrimp cocktail and prime rib on Sunday afternoons?

There is a lot of information that is repeated in the book.

This book is way overrated. It's more of a 'do as I say, not as I do' book. I got very annoyed at the often repeated refences to America's 'disintegrating society'. (Here were are fifty years after the first of the 2 books were written.)

I felt that they may have been frustrated by not being able to establish a large following (as prophets?) so they could create a large commune. Instead, people seemed to come and go from their homesteads.

It seems to be more of a treatise against capitalism and self motivation than for homesteading and self sufficiency. They simply wanted to barely get by. Were they lazy? (People that visited were talked out of working more than 4 hours a day.)

I'm reading it for the 3rd time in 25 years and it is enjoyable to read. There are much better books out there for those considering homesteading. If you are considering homesteading then read some books that are more up to date and don't have such political influences.

This is a fairly well written and somewhat entertaining book (actually 2 books in one) but it's worthless as a reference book for homesteaders.

I am profoundly grateful that the Nearings took the time and trouble to write this book. I am trying something similar in North Central Florida, and while their conditions in New England were quite different in some ways (a shorter growing season, and the availablity of stone are examples), their advice, enthusiasm and encouragement across the years are a great comfort, as well as a good read (by oil lamp!). This is an American Classic, and should never be forgotten.

They didnt fit in urban society and when they moved to the vermont woods the natives thought they were whacko's .Okay so they were communists/marxists but they were very interesting people,learned, avante guarde and diverse, helen was even into UFO research.In this book you will see there experiment was basicaly a failure even they admit it at one point.the mistake i believe they made was there constant building projects and basicaly what became makework in my view. they brought into the woods there modern urban assumptions such as the view of work for works sake ,they even buy a rock quarry and start mining so they can get more rocks.Hauling stones around and garden food did keep them in shape but they were terribly dependend on trucks ,draft horses and had constant maintanance work[something early on they vowed never to do}. Seems like alot of work for subsistance living,very engrossing read though.

These books have inspired me to start my own farm and live a life of simplicity and hard work. I share some of the strong principals that Scott and Helen Nearing had. I only wish I had their courage.

Once you have read their books do some research on Scott and Helen then you will learn why they were the way they were. Scott was a real Pain in the *** to a lot of folks prior to the great depression. His ideas on child labor were way ahead of his time. Helen was his soul mate and partner and a darn good writer in her own right.

They both lived long lives Scott 100, Helen 91 she was killed in an auto accident. With their strong beliefs and not always endearing manners they weren't always appreciated by their neighbors and friends.

However, they were right about so many things and inspired so many people they became cult heros during the sixties and beyond. These books are about them as much as about their farm.

Imagine a combination of "The Premature Burial," "Double Indemnity," "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Body Heat"..that's what you get in this incredibly good thriller. Michael Kimball weaves a complex plot of betrayal, seduction, incest, murder and blackmail, and does so with such finesse one can hardly believe what they're reading.
Bobby Swift and his deliciously gorgeous wife, Noel, have a perfect plan: fake his death, bury him, dig him up and off they go to the Cayman Islands to spend the two million dollars he extorted from one of his associates. Add a wizened and weasly mortician named Wicker and you have a seemingly perfect plan. Enter Sal Erickson, Bobby's best friend, who becomes embroiled in the plot in the most despicable of ways. He's an alcoholic, who has tried to reform, but alas, can't stay away from the bottle. Sal is so bad that on many occasions, he has gotten so drunk that he can't remember what he did...hint, hint. Add his wife's sex-crazed brother, Jerry Royal; a couple of cops and detectives; Sal's wife who harbors a dark secret; and all hell breaks loose. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Kimball adds another twist that keeps you guessing.
A tense, compelling and quite enjoyable thriller.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Description from back of the book:

Late one night, Sal Erickson's best friend calls him outside for a walk by the river. "Who do you trust?" he asks Sal. "Who would you trust with your life?"

It is this fateful question that will send Sal's precariously balanced life spinning out of control--propelling him into a strangely irresistible arena of passion and violence. For Bobby Swift and his stunningly seductive wife Noel are planning the scam of the century. And Sal, against his will, is about to be entangled in their plans.

It is a meticulously crafted scheme, one that Bobby and Noel have pieced together for five long years. Now they are ready. Bobby will use ingenious techniques to fake his own death. The small town doctor will be fooled. The greedy undertaker has been paid off. Bobby will be eulogized and buried alive until Noel can come to dig him up and they can run away together forever. They've got two million dollars hidden away in a bank in the Cayman Islands, and if they pull off the scam, they'll spend the rest of their lives basking in the Caribbean sun.

But the plan contains hidden twists that are yet to be revealed, and lurking at its heart is a betrayal of monumental proportions. Before he knows it Sal Erickson will be drawn into a web of seduction, lies and deceit-the like of which the small town of Gravity, Maine, has never before seen. Soon Sal will be fighting for his very life.

* I absolutely hooked on this book & it was near impossible for me to put it down. There was so much suspense & action going on that makes you want to finish it in one day. My only negative about the book is that it left me with several questions unanswered. What name was on Nell's plane ticket? Why did Iris dislike her mother? What was up with Sal's parents? & What really happened to his brother? I would've liked some of these answers but it didn't take away from the excellent story. I highly recommend this book. I'm now off to find the other Michael Kimball books out there. He just may be one of my new favorites.

This book had me hooked from page 4 until the end....a page turner that is very tough to put down. First time I read from this Author I will look for other Books from this Guy...great job!!

Maine writer Kimball's dark and riveting second novel is pure noir.

Bobby Swift has come up with the perfect plan to get his hands on the millions he's scammed from the government. He'll fake his death, his wife will dig him up, and off they'll go to the Cayman's.

But Noel Swift has a different plan. Hers doesn't involve Bobby.

Enter Sal Erickson, Bobby's best friend, and an earnest family man with a demon - alcohol. Sal thinks he's beaten it, but Bobby's sudden death has unnerved him. With a little nudge from Noel he takes a plunge that costs him his job and his marriage - and gains him Noel.

But strange things are happening in this small Maine town. The undertaker who schemed with Bobby is found dead in the grave and Bobby's coffin is empty.

Did Bobby escape? Is he watching Noel and Sal, biding his time for revenge?
Kimball ratchets up the psychological tension with terse byplay between the characters, all nurturing their own agendas, except for the hapless Sal and the canny town constable whose contributions are dismissed by the Staties.

And when the tension threatens to flag, Kimball pours on the action, raising the stakes with the knowledge that some people will go to any lengths, no matter how horrific, to get what they want.

Kimball's writing is charged with atmosphere and tension and his pacing is electric, right up the to explosive ending. A winner.

Sal Erickson is awakened in the middle of the night by Bobby Swift, his lifelong friend. Bobby convinces Sal to take a walk by the river behind his house, where he begins to talk about their friendship. Bobby asks Sal who he trusts, completely, implicitly. Sal answers, "Myself." The conversation ends abruptly. Bobby dies suddenly the next day, leaving Sal to reflect on the strange conversation, little realizing that he will soon be forced to answer Bobby's question in order to save his own life.

You see, Bobby has been keeping secrets from Sal. Eight years ago, Bobby fraudulently obtained an illegal three million dollar business loan. A year later, he declared bankruptcy and defaulted on the loan. But Bobby didn't spend the money--he stashed it in a bank in the Cayman Islands. To get their hands on the money, he, his sultry wife, Noel, and the town undertaker, Elliot Wicker, concoct an elaborate scheme to fake his death. It seemed foolproof, if only he could trust his co-conspirators...

Undone is a solid tale of suspense, very much in the tradition of Double Indemnity or Body Heat. The reader, hip to most of what's going on, is forced to watch helplessly as Sal, a very likable protagonist, is sucked further into the vortex in each succeeding chapter. Kimball keeps the action intimate and unfurls his plot at a leisurely pace, increasing the reader's anxiety and frustration.

The novel contains a variety of pleasures, but the greatest is Kimball's rendering of the characters who inhabit the small town of Gravity, Maine. Like Stephen King (apparently a potent force in Kimball's career), Kimball really makes you care about the people who populate his novel. From Alston Bouchard, the Columbo-like town constable, to the less than savory Jerry Royal, Undone is full of memorable characters who threaten to take over the book at any given moment.

Once you read Murder with Puffins you'll want to read every "Meg Langslow" mystery Donna Andrews has ever written! I am a huge fan of this series that allows us to trail along with Meg, an independent gal who still needs her man (and he's a hunk, of course!)and her crazy family! You'll laugh, cry and you will be puzzled..Andrews weaves a great mystery with lots of fun, red herrings and ..well..birds. But this book isn't for the birds! It's a rare bird of mystery writing that never gets "formulaic". Donna Andrews takes us to Maine for this book..Murder with Puffins.. and gets us into the scenery, the local flavor and of course.. her confusing (or confused) family antics. A getaway with Michael turns to murder for Meg.. but she's always up to the task of sticking her nose in where others fear to tread! Love this book and the series. It's one of the few books I actually bought and keep. Enjoy!

I love mystery stories in general and when I spotted this book containing puffins - one of my favorite birds - I grabbed it immediately. However, it was apparent within a page or two that this was a sequel, and that I'd be quite lost if I didn't track down the first one to read before this. After a few months of watching my local bookstores for it and never seeing it, I finally just ordered Murder with Peacocks from Amazon so that I could get the book off my dresser and into my life!

Having read Peacocks and then Puffins pretty much back to back, I have to say that I appreciate greatly how Meg has "matured" between the two books. The Puffins story picks up pretty much exactly where Peacocks left off - Meg is still newly in love with Mike, and the big hullabalo over her "solving" of multiple murders has her hometown in a swirl. She spontaneously decides to run off with Mike to a relative's cottage on a quiet island in Maine for some time alone. Of course, in a plot twist that only a cozy mystery can try to pretend is plausible, her entire family has the same spontaneous idea - including bringing Mike's annoying dog - and now the cottage is chock-full of eclectic personalities. Oh yes, and there's a hurricane this exact weekend, too.

You have to just grin and bear it when these sorts of things happen. There's going to be MANY more coincidences springing up. It just happens to be the weekend that the local rich guy has brought in a buyer for his plan to turn the entire island into a resort. A local escaped prisoner just happens to be lurking around. You have to assume that all of these people live in some sort of alternative reality where coincidences are standard and always work to further the plot along.

My complaint with Meg in the first book is that she had been a perpetual doormat, and it was depressing if not frustrating to read about her just giving in to everyone. She has suddenly grown a backbone in this book, which is great. She finally stands up for herself and for her family. However, Mike seems to have suddenly lost HIS personality! Now he's like an anemic Dr. Watson, just tagging along gamely whereever Meg goes. I'm all for partners who can roll with the flow - but they should still have some intelligence and spark.

The book loves to make fun of birders as being boring and dumb, which is odd since you would think a book about puffins would appeal to birders. It's why I got the book :) I've been out to Machias Seal Island to see puffins, and I could relate easily to the landscapes and environments she described. I'm not quite sure why she was deliberately trying to ostracize one of her target audiences. It's one thing to gently poke fun at stereotypes, but she was rather heavy handed and repetitive here. In the first book she was targetting brides-to-be, but that portrayal was more cute than nasty.

Really, the overreaching problem here is that numerous characters and situations just didn't make sense. Some individuals were very one dimensional. The actions of the police and other characters in charge weren't logical in several situations. I was grateful that there weren't 80-trillion murders like in Book 1, but even so the reasons that things happened and how things wrap up are a bit tenuous.

It almost seems that the author got complaints about the first book - so she fixed up those issues but then in the process introduced some new issues. I really did enjoy reading both books in general, and have high hopes that future books will "settle down" and have well rounded characters with plausible plot lines that are fun.

Funny, upbeat and well-written mystery that's not predictable. I enjoyed Ms. Andrews sense of humor and recommend the book.

I really enjoy this series - I've read all that are in paperback and would recommend them to anyone who wants an amusing time with the only sane member of a wacky family. Not recommended for the serious minded.

Meg Lanslow's relationship with her boyfriend Michael is going strong, but they are having a hard time finding some private time together. Meg thinks she knows the perfect place for a romantic getaway - her Aunt Phoebe's cottage in Monhegan, Maine. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned, the boat trip is rough because a hurricane is headed their way and once they reach the island, Meg and Michael realize it's been invaded by avid bird watchers. Even worse, once they get to the cottage they find that Meg's Aunt Phoebe, brother, and parents are already there! Due to the impending hurricane, Meg and Michael are stuck there and try to make the best they can out of the situation. But when a famous painter is found murdered on the island and Aunt Phoebe confesses to the murder and her father is a suspect, Meg is knee deep in murder once again.

"Murder With Puffins" is a nice cozy mystery. There's a nice sense of humor throughout the book, including the title of each chapter: "The Agony and the Puffin", "East of Puffin", and "A Cat Among the Puffins" are some examples. The book is full of eccentric characters, including everyone in Meg's family. Meg is a spunky heroine but Mike is a bit bland in this book. The mystery itself is well plotted with plenty of suspects and plenty of motives, although the way the murder itself is committed is a bit unbelievable. I liked the fact that, unlike in most cozy mysteries, Meg doesn't want to confront the murderer herself but wants to go for the police instead.

Nicely done.

First, this is two books in one. One skims over the surface of Sydney's life and family in Maine and the other deals with the plight of Jews in Denmark during WWII. Of the two parts, the Denmark section is by far the more compelling. However, the linkage between the two stories is very weak--beyond the obvious marriage/family connections. As I read the book, I kept thinking "And what...?" and "So...?" The interview with the author in my copy didn't help much: "America and Europe." OK. Sure. Whatever. I assume that there was a reason this novel was called "Leeway Cottage" and not "The Resistance in Denmark" but I am not sure what it is.

Sydney and her family are boring people. We learn next to nothing about them beyond what is on the surface. They have money and a house in Maine and go there and have a wonderful time sailing and socializing. OK. She changes her name from Annabelle to Sydney. OK. She has a selfish, egocentric, not-very-nice mother, who tries unsuccessfully to be controlling, but who is nonetheless far from a life-spoiling "monster mother." OK. She has a spoiled brat of a son who seems to have turned out more-or-less well in the end after much minor trouble. OK. She has a long marriage that works and doesn't work in equal parts, but this is never really explained or explored. OK. She has a sister-in-law with whom she initially wants a warm relationship but can't establish one because their life experiences are too different and then resents her. (Are we supposed to understand this novel as a contrast between Sydney and Nina and their experience of life? Between America and Europe? If so, what nonsense!) She has an affair of some sort with a longtime friend and neighbor. OK. She doesn't understand other people at all and doesn't care. OK. As a old lady, she is bitchy to the hairdresser. OK. It goes on and on.

The book often seems like no more than a list of biographical facts as the characters march through time. It is flat and one dimensional mostly.

But just what does the author think that all this means? Who are these people? What do their experiences tell us about the human condition? What can we learn from them? Not much, I think. In the best novels, the characters live on the page and teach us about what it means to live. In the best novels, we are educated as well as diverted and entertained, often without realizing teaching is going on. In the best novels, we see the world in new ways and our experience is expanded. We come to understand the characters, their successes and failures, their essential humanness.

To my mind, this novel does not do any of this. To my mind, this novel is a failure. I think the author would have done much better writing a thriller about the Danish resistance. Why is it that a theme that is removed in time and place--the subject of "research"--is more vivid and real than the theme that is "closer to home." It does seem to turn the advice to write what you know on its head. It does make one wonder what the point of it all is.

i hate spending hours getting to know characters..then not knowing the rest of their story. the entire book held on to me until the ending. i kept waiting for closure that i never got. i LOVED More Than You Know by Beth Gutcheon and had high standards, and don't get me wrong, I loved parts of this book too, but the loose ends are DRIVING ME INSANE!!

Leeway Cottage by Beth Gutcheon is a wonderfully written story that is a blend of her vivid storytelling and obvious research. She paints such a clear picture of life in summer village in Maine, as well as the contrast between the summer residents and the lives of those upstairs and downstairs. The other portion the novel reveals a part of history that is unknown by many of the readers--wartime Denmark. I was familiar with the version of history where Denmark handed over the nation the Nazis but was certainly not aware of the nation's struggle to protect and preserve its Jewish population, and that it was done with such a massive success.

Through the course of these two landscapes, Gutcheon details the life of a marriage and how that changes and evolves between two people, especially between two people from such different worlds. Her characters will have you switching allegiances throughout the book, an impressive feat.

I finished reading this book with a feeling of love for Leeway Cottage as deep as that of the characters who spent their lives there. It is certainly a book that I will continue to recommend. It was purchased by my mother, who purchased a copy for me, and I then purchased a copy for my father-in-law.

I am giving this book three stars, because it is involving and you want to keep reading. The loose ends really bother me. Early on we learn that Sydney's father's first wife died from complications of childbirth. Later we are told she committed suicide and then nothing more. Very frustrating! It is hinted that Sydney may have been in love with a woman while Laurus is in Europe. We never learn more. Is this just a crumb to titillate or to indicate a change in Sydney? If so it is too inconclusive and leaves the reader feeling of dissatisfied. Jimmy, Sydney's son, drops out and does drugs for ten years. Other than Laurus getting him a job on a lobster boat early on to straighten him out--nobody seems to care. Wouldn't there be some parental hair pulling over this? So while it is a readable book I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction.

I get the feeling that Beth Gutcheon knew a bit about the Danish resistance during WWII and created a story to fit around it. After doing extensive research of the role of the Danes in saving their Jewish population, she wrote the book. Unfortunately, the stories just don't mesh.

I found Sydney to be an interesting and complicated character. I didn't care for her for most of the book, but I understood how she became the woman she was. All she's looking for is acceptance and strives her whole life for her mom's approval, even while taking joy in irritating her. The fact that Sydney herself alienates her daughters as her mother alienated her makes perfect sense. After all, her mother's behavior toward her guarantees that Sydney will never feel loved enough. In her mind she's under-appreciated and for once wants to be the center of attention. She achieves that with her frequent angry outbursts and by being difficult with everyone. She finally gets a measure of acceptance from her troublesome son, Jimmy, but only as long as she lets him do whatever he wants and defends him, no matter what the charges are and how guilty he is. Yes, Sydney drinks too much, is self-absorbed and spoiled and has no concept of the enormity of what happened to Jews in Europe during WWII, but she herself mentions how small her world is. Her experiences are simply too narrow. How many of us would have been the same way if we lived during that time?

I was disappointed with the lack of info on Berthe's suicide after Sydney found out about it. What happened? And what about Sydney being found in the embrace of an obviously gay woman? What happened? After Candace and whats-his-face die, what happened to The Plywoods?

The portion of the book spent in Europe was absolutely compelling. I would like to read an entire book on that alone. It was well written and inspiring. I put myself in Nina and Per's position and wondered if I would've risen to the challenge. The last chapter, which I presume to be part of Laurus's life movie, was brutal and I'm glad there wasn't more of that in the book, to be honest. But in the other parts of the book, Nina is no more a major character than her parents, Gladdy, etc. So, how strange that the only portion of the movie we see is about her, and not all of Laurus's life, like why he stayed with Sydney.

One more thing - I reread the first chapter of the book, as I frequently do when a book starts in the present and then goes back in time. I'd forgotten about the big deal the kids made about The Dress they found in an upstairs closet. I had to really think about it and then realized it was the dress that Sydney wore at her Coming Out, when her mother came down in the exact same dress. I don't know. While it was a turning point in that it pushed Sydney out of the house, it just didn't seem memorable enough to warrant the treatment it got in the first chapter as if we were supposed to expect some big scene with the dress.

Aaaanyway, I know I had some other issues with the book and would love to sit in a room with the rest of the people who wrote reviews, esp. the 5-star reviews, but I'll have to be content with reading further reviews to see if anyone can give me the insight I missed.

One more thing, I read More Than You Know recently and didn't find it to be the Tour de Force that everyone seems to think it is. I obviously missed something!

I read the Strangler first and later saw Mission Flats on the shelf in the library so I picked it up. It was a great read. I enjoyed the characters and the feeling of Boston and Maine. As in the Strangler Landay has the ability to make you experience the locales. The characters like Officer Kelly and his daughter were wonderful. I loved the description of swinging the night stick.
I would give the book five stars, but then I read some of the other reviews on Amazon. The ending is a problem. Without giving anything away we only learn at the end that the narrator Ben Truman knows more than he had told us. It is unfair to the reader to withhold the information. I am not sure if that is right so I lowered my rating by a star, although I doubt anyone will really take my rating too seriously.

I await Mr. Landay's next effort. He is a star writer

What is up? Struck out again. A cop mystery. Ben is a small town cop who gets dragged into a 20-year-old mystery involving several Boston cops and a drug lord. Lots of violence and bad language. I did figure out who one of the top baddies was, though. This is one of the rare books I wish I had not read. Disturbing. (Side note: as some have complained, the narrator violated the contract with the reader; that is, he lies about his involvement in the case. We don't know if he is a reliable narrator, an honest story-teller. ...But this was a minor complaint of mine. Even without this strike against the book, it has plenty of other reasons I didn't enjoy it.)

I enjoyed MISSION FLATS, but I don't think it lives up to the largely ecstatic reviews it has received.

The first 100 pages of this novel are indeed superb. This novel begins by detailing the everyday life of a young, inexperienced police chief of a small town in Maine. A murder takes place, and the state police swoop in, quickly relegating the police chief to the sidelines. The first 100 pages are a brilliant character study about the police chief's life in this small town, and I really enjoyed them.

Unfortunately, after the first 100 pages, Landay takes MISSION FLATS into a very different direction. The small-town police chief travels to the big city of Boston, and begins investigating the murder on his own. At this point, the plot begins to spin out of control and loses all credibility. Our young hero suddenly becomes a brilliant cop, beds the DA on the case, runs into key witnesses by coincidence, exposes a long-dormant conspiracy, and so on. None of these events develop naturally or believably.

There is an effective twist at the end of MISSION FLATS, but it is based on the narrator deceiving the reader, which really isn't playing fair. The deception does leave something of a bad taste in the reader's mouth. Still, I found the ending a true shocker, and I admire Landay's courage in coming up with an unconventional resolution to the story.

Overall, MISSION FLATS is a good book, but I can't recommend it with enthusiasm, largely due to the plot weaknesses I outlined above.

This is an excellent book. Being that it's a debut novel makes it all the more impressive. Many people are comparing it to Mystic River but that's not really fair as Mission Flats is MUCH better. It's longer, more in depth, better researched, etc. I enjoyed Mystic River but this is just so much better.

It's also been called a "proceedural" which isn't correct either. Wamabugh was goiod in a way that he had a formula that worked - over and over and over again - but this author is totally original in his set up, delivery and style.

Again, I read the negative review on here and can't really beleive that he read the same book (oh wait, he only read part of it he says)that I did.

Mission Flats is engrossing, inteligent, and very tricky.

* The author's next novel is about the Boston Strangler - so played out and lame - so we may have to wait a while for another good story from him but Landay is DEFINITELY worth watching.

It's a murder mystery: the protagonist finds a dead body early on and spends the rest of the book solving the murder. The quest sends him to the seamier sides of Boston, wherein the hoods, the cops and the district attorneys are morally indistinguishable from each other. This behind-the-scenes look at how crimes "really" are solved is the book's strong point. It is a dirty, gritty process, and all the secrets are spilled here -- nicely done as a police procedural.

The problem for me comes is HOW the story is told. You see, our protagonist, the narrator Ben, is given to us as the epitome of integrity and reliability. He is smart, earnest and credible, a former history graduate student, now a small-town Maine police chief. His steady character and determination guide us through the swampland of questionable ethics that is the Boston crime scene.

Now please read closely the Publishers Weekly review presented above by Amazon.com. Please note the lines:

"Ben occasionally seems in danger of violating one of the rules of crime fiction-that the narrator shouldn't lie to us about his role in the story. But Landay's book is such a rich, harrowing and delightful read that few will complain."

Well, I'm complaining. Ben lied to me. More precisely, he did not reveal crucial information about the crime until the last scene of the book, where he gives it in a narrator's flashback. I don't see it as a case of the "unreliable narrator" (viz. Holden Caufield or Ishmeal) whose personal perspective colors his/her reportage. That can be an enjoyable ride in the narrator's world. This was a cheap theatrical trick generated by the author to create suspense where there otherwise would be none. He wants our narrator to be both reliable and unreliable at the same time. That violates the contract.

Constructively, this same plot told by an omnicient narrator would not have had the same pitfall. The same surprise ending in that case would be nicely ironic, rather than self-contradictory.

Nice, gritty story. Poor choices made in presenting it.

The Canning Season is one of the best books I've ever read. It is quirky, funny and very insightful. (If you are not into the quirky, however, you will probably find it more weird than amusing.) Both adults and kids can appreciate this book and its advice. My parents loved it!

This book is about a shy girl named Ratchet who lives with a verbally abusive mother who doesn't let her have any friends. Not far into the book, her mother ships her off to stay the summer with her great-aunts in Maine.

There are several little twists in the story. Another girl is dropped off at the great-aunts' house. Ratchet learns to milk the cow. Ratchet's mom finds a boyfriend. Ratchet learns of her aunt Tilly's marriage.

To me, this story is about small joys in life, like gardening, milking cows, going swimming, and good people. I really liked it, but I think it's a personal thing. Also, it has the "f" word in it, so beware. I wouldn't want to shelter my kids from this book- this is a great story. If you're a teacher or librarian, I'd be wary of this book.

My 9 year-old and I read this book together. It is wonderful, touching, funny, and fairly sophisticated. I must warn you that if you are upset by curse words and unplanned pregnancy, then this book will upset you. However, it is a great story about Ratchet's summer with her elderly aunts in Maine. There is no sugar-coating of adult subjects, but rather honest treatment of them from a child's perspective.

After reading this book from the library - I turn here to buy it and thought I would check out the ratings.....for me it was 5 star all the way...no sugar coating here but a warm and straight forward tale - one that I am more then willing to pass along to my daughter and maybe if I can twist my sons arm - him as well. A few "F-bombs" aside (which they use maybe 2 times in almost 200 pages - believe me even though this isn't a word that we use - I have heard it and worse from the kids at the school where my children attend in their fine up-scale middle/upper class neighborhood), Why would I want to hide such a wonderful story about life from my children? As a parent I don't own rosy colored glasses nor would I put them on my children....as a parent we try to protect our children but I am not keeping my children in a box - what happens when they turn 18 and are no longer in the boxes we put them in? Who is there to shelter them then?
This is a story filled with warmth and humor and truth about realtionships that we have no control over. It's about change ( even thought for 72 years nothing had changed - when those two girls hit the house things changed) and love and finding happiness in who you are....
"Penpen said that Tilly lived the way she had chosen, in the woods, uncluttered and undisturbed and that we have to love people as they are, free from what what we want them to be..."
Two ladies live in a way that makes them happy and give two teenage girls a home, stability and love - something that neither have had in any great supply. It's an honest story...one that I have no shame in claiming that I love.

If the premise of the book sounds good to you, then I guarantee you will enjoy it. The tale is whimsical and meaningful, a rare combination. Though, I am not really certain the appropriate age group for the book, as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ignore the negative reviews unless you, like the nay-sayers, are prudish and uninspired, then simply skip this little gem.

This was probably the worst of all of the AT guide books out there. The information was not very thought out at all. I was also personally banned from the author's web page (...) for the mere fact that I am a republican and supported the president and our troops overseas. I couldn't believe it. He told me that supporters of the president were not welcome unless I could "keep my mouth shut." Despite any personal biases I have towards him, I objectively claim that ANY other books out there regarding the AT are going to be more useful.

Sorry for the 1 star.. It's a tentative rating, as I haven't read the book yet.. Lotta controversy surrounding the author it seems.. I was going to purchase the book, but after reading the bronx cheers, I'll check it out at my local library first.. After all 16 bux is 16 bux..

This is the only book I carried for the entire Appalachian Trail. It has all the services, shelters, water sources, and trail data in it. It's the only book you need.
I started out with the whole book--minus the cover--and tore out the pages I didn't need any more as I hiked. A new one is printed every year; get it at [...]

Information is very outdated. Doesn't seem to know about any trail changes made in the last four years. Only seems to list half of the services in most towns, and quite often lists things that have been closed for years. Author claims seven thru-hikes, but they must have been many, many years ago. Basically worthless, no thru-hikers on the Trail ever use it.

This is an excellent resource for anyone planning a hike on the Appalachian Trail. The information is accurate, concise and in a format that is useful to the long distance hiker as well as the day, week, or week-long hiker. I relied on Wingfoot's 2000 and 2001 Handbooks for my entire hike of the AT. If you only buy one book for your hike make sure it is this one. Wingfoot's book is a 5 star.
Little Steps
GA-ME 2000/01

This book was quite possibly the best biblical fiction book I have read in the past few years. Fallen is the story of Cain and Abel, and alternately, Adam and Eve. The book begins with the ending and cleverly winds it's way back to the beginning, with the body of the story told in shifting time-lines. Maine brilliantly manages to keep the story line comprehensive and lucid. I was very struck by the spare, yet visceral language throughout the book, and the motivations of the characters were portrayed extremely well. I raced ahead to finish the book, all the while trying to slow myself down so there was more to savor. Though the story is familiar to most, the nuances and subtleties that were infused throughout the book made this a one of a kind story, one where even though the outcome is predicted, the road getting there is anything but.

Most know the infamous story of the two brothers, Cain and Abel, but what is portrayed here is so much more. Maine has managed to take small snippets of those famous verses in the Bible and make them delectably consumable, and downright wonderful. Cain is portrayed as a difficult and tractable young man, bordering on heretical. He is forever feeling slighted and wronged, and his attitude only makes things more difficult for himself. It is hard to find sympathy for Cain; he is virtually unlovable, and remains so for the entirety of the novel. It becomes easy to see him follow his path from anger to murder. Even in his exile, he curses and berates God, making him seem all the more recalcitrant and miserable. His reflections upon himself and his inherent differences from his family are captivating, and make him a full and interesting character.

Abel, on the other hand is wonderfully compliant, kind and friendly. Though he tends towards platitudes and bossiness, the goodness in him shines through. Abel, his mother's favored child, strives for peace in the family, and is usually the one to try and persuade Cain to abandon his fits of pique. He is loving and forgiving, and he is truly humble to the Lord. He is constantly trying to find his brother's heart and make him see reason. It is clear to see that Abel is light to Cain's darkness. The insight gained regarding Abel's unselfish love for his brother make Cain's act all the more incomprehensible. Though Abel is more of a simple man, his devotion to his family and his God are very moving.

As the story moves forward, the focus is on Adam and Eve and their flight to safety after being banished from the Garden of Eden. It is a sorrowful trek that visits many misfortunes and hardships upon the two. Everything that could possibly go wrong for them does so from the beginning. Adam's staunch belief in the Lord pulls him through the struggles, and makes him accepting of any travail that comes their way. Eve is not always so emotionally compliant. There are scenes in which she doubts the intentions and safeguarding of God, and in these moments, Maine has cleverly elaborated on what can only be speculated upon. The awareness of the characters was also a great touch. These fictional characters see themselves as we would see ourselves today, their hopes, fears and dreams are fully realized within the story, and the effect is that all the characters are living, breathing and thinking entities who can be understood and appreciated.

At the close of the book, the story has finally come around to the beginning. God has banished the couple from paradise for their sin, and they are left wondering how and where they will survive. The fear they feel is perceptible, and their reactions to it recognizable. This story has been heard countless times before, yet what is different this time around is the cognizance of the sinners. It is so much clearer to imagine, in this novel, who and what Adam and Eve were like, and what they were thinking. By making them so human, the author has made them so much more plausible and believable. One can imagine feeling the same way today if one were faced with these overwhelming situations. The dialogue was also very solid. Both the children and the parents contemporized and tended towards philosophical understanding.

Another lovely touch was the depictions of the world around the characters. It was easy to see the hardship once the barren and wasted landscape was described. The deserts felt hot, the river felt cool. The effect was masterful, as the panorama wasn't excessively described. It was hinted at, and sparingly related, yet so much more revealing than if countless pages of scenery had been described. It was also interesting to see deftness of the period detail.

This was a wonderful book. It had so many multi-layered parts that came together seamlessly and satisfyingly. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Biblical fiction, or anyone who would just like to read a good story. This book is one of three books of biblical fiction by the same author. I will most definitely be reading the others.

People. I think at times we lack, as a society, any originality. I am a christian, and i am only 18 and i followed the novels reverse chronology just fine, and manage not to get offended by a some a forein thing to some people called artistic liberties. It's a book. Believe it or not, some people have ALTERNATE forms of writing and can be something called CREATIVE. I had some issues with the book, obsenities that i didn't find to be warrented, but seriously. He is brilliant, he makes people from history real. He makes them alive. He shows us that they had feelings and lived a life, and i think it is an excellent choice. I apologize if i misspelled or didn't indent. GREAT BOOK. Even for a fairy tail.

This book was horrible. Our book club read it and not a singe person liked it. It had one gimmick (that it read in reverse), but that was it. It completely lacked in creativity.

To take a story as familiar as this one, and make it different is truly a feat! Maine writes beautifully and gives a new perspective on Cain, Abel, Adam and Eve. A human perspective.

A very entertaining and enjoyable read. I even laughed a few times (though maybe I wasn't supposed to.)

David Maine is a master of prose, lending archaic stories a stark relevance and realism. In "The Preservationist," he took us into Noah's life and family. In "Fallen," he gives us a peek into the minds and motivations of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and perhaps even God himself.

With deft skill, Maine starts his story from Cain's perspective. As the narrative winds backwards through time to the Fall in the Garden--possibly losing some of its tension, since we know the outcome--we do find deeper insight into the lives of the first family. What modern family doesn't struggle with these same issues: conflict between teens and parents, sibling rivalry, and sins of the fathers (and mothers)? Maine makes these very issues seem pertinent to our own culture; his true magic is his ability to show that the biblical stories still have lessons to teach about our future.

There is one caveat I must mention. Maine chooses an uncertain approach to the root of man's disobedience (one mirrored by prudish leaders in church history), showing that Adam and Eve only experienced physical union after the Fall, as though their awareness of their nakedness is a sexual awareness alone. In fact, the biblical account mentions the "cleaving to one another" and "becoming one flesh" before the Fall, implying that its beauty and transcendence was a divine gift.

That aside, this is a wonderfully told story, full of beauty and rage and humanity. Maine's research and insights are woven throughout the narrative, and I can't wait to see which biblical account he dives into next.

Mr. Moore lays out a very factual and convincing case about how the wrong person was convicted for the heinous murder of Sarah Cherry. Within just the past decade, the national news has been replete with prisoners being exonerated because of over-zealous prosecutors and law-enforcers squelching or altering evidence in their pursuit of misguided "justice." Dennis Dechaine's incarceration is one of those instances. Oodles and oodles of mistakes were made during this hasty investigation. Mr. Moore's writing style is blunt, mostly colorless and repetitious to the Nth degree. But the story is very compelling and the author does a fine job of guiding the reader through the evidence. The State's great reluctance to release public records speaks volumes about bureaucratic malfeasance. Public officials' posturing and condescension towards people advocating for a retrial I find infuriating. Read it and weep.

(Public disclosure: I grew up in Madawaska and attended school at about the same time as Dennis Dechaine. We were not friends nor did we travel in the same social circles.)

It was hard not to read this book in one sitting. The investigation conducted by Mr. Moore was through and fair. He did not go into his investigation to prove Dechaine innocent - it just happened that the facts led him to that conclusion. It is interesting to note that despite some of the previous reviewers' bashing, no one, not a single person, has come forward to claim the $1000. reward Mr. Moore has offered for anyone who can prove that any of the evidence he outlines in his book is incorrect. That's quite telling, I think. Read the book, look at the facts and come to your own conclusion based on facts not on a guilty conscience.

This 2nd edition of "Human Sacrifice" includes evidence unearthed after publication of the first edition -- proof from OFFICIAL FILES proving even more evidence concealed by prosecutors and documentary proof (in their own contemporaneous noted) that detectives perjured themselves when recounting the defendant's alleged confession!
The untold tragedy is the silence of the entire law enforcement community. It's as if nobody in Maine's justice system cares that an innocent man was framed the a bestial killer was allowed to go free.

The alleged writer of the preceding "review," fails to specify a single error or mis-statement in this book. He falsely states that the author never investigated a homicide, he falsely states that the book was self-published, he ignores the proven fact that detectives' own contemporaneous notes (previously concealed) dispute their allegations that Dechaine confessed - poor Cameron can't even spell Dechaine's name correctly. This "review," fails to mention that Mr. Dechaine is the ONLY murder suspect I ever heard of who requested DNA testing BEFORE his trial, offered to pay for it and to share the results with the state. But prosecutors opposed DNA testing (which has now excluded Dechaine as a possible donor to the male DNA in the blood under the girl's fingernails) and the court refused to allow DNA tests before the trial. The Cameron review is on a par with the professionalism of the detectives who investigated this case and the prosecutors who concealed evidence from the jury. Maybe that's because James Cameron of Hallowell, Maine is an attorney employed by the state.

I was a young person when this case broke locally and decided to read Human Sacrifice because I don't have many opportunities to read about true crime set in Maine. The only thing this book did for me, however, was further convince me of Dechaine's guilt. Not only did he have no recollection of what he'd been doing when he was within a stone's throw of the spot where Sarah Cherry was killed, but his documentation was found in her driveway. Come on now! Dechaine was "railroaded" like OJ Simpson was railroaded-- which is to say, not at all. I think Maine is populated by a lot of bleeding-heart hippies who hate The Man and are paranoid that The State is out to get them; thus, their willingness to sympathize with Dechaine and doubt his culpability. It's too bad, really, because all that emotional energy used by Dechaine's advocates could be better used to protect the rights of children like Sarah Cherry.

The world became aware of Linda Greenlaw when her exploits were chronicled in the book "Perfect Storm" and she was portrayed by actress Mary Elizabeth Mastratonio, the captain of the other fishing boat in the George Clooney movie of the same name. Capitalizing on her new-found fame, Linda turned to writing and turned out three excellent non-fiction books: "The Hungry Ocean," "The Lobster Chronicles," and "All Fishermen Are Liars," plus a cook book co-authored with her mother, "Recipes from a Small Island." Now, she turns to fiction with "Slipknot." For a first novel, it is an excellent effort. She has created a singular character, Jane Bunker - former big-city homicide detective from Florida, current marine insurance investigator in Maine. Not much is revealed about her past, including a secret mentor. I suspect she is saving that for future novels. But, what we see of her character is fascinating indeed: a penny-pinching, soon-to-be old maid, with romantic overtures and appreciation for the look of her own breasts. She lays out the mystery in "Slipknot" with ambiguous clues, the occasional red herring, flashes of humor, and a host of interesting characters. For suspense, she gives us a number of surprising events that put the heroine in life-threatening jeopardy, and keep us reading until the end to find out what is really going on. As a mystery writer, she's got the skills down pat. But, she does have a few tell-tale signs of being a novice. First, everyone speaks in the same voice. With the interesting variety of accents available from Maine, she uses none of them. Each of the characters speaks like everybody else. Secondly, sometimes she forgets not-so-incidental occurrences. For example, during her last harrowing adventure, she breaks several ribs. But then, mostly forgets about them. I have broken ribs twice; I know they are not easily forgotten. For example, she lifts four gallon buckets of water (that's over 32 pounds each) over and over with no apparent pain. When she does remember the ribs, it's when she pulls apart a Velcro strip. She also goes overboard in showing off her fishing knowledge with a too-long explanation of cod fishing. But, I am definitely looking forward to her next book and the ones after that, too, with the improvements I know she will insist on making. Linda Greenlaw doesn't have to fish any more, unless it's angling for the right adjective.

Dade County Chief of Detectives Jane Bunker feels no regret at leaving her rising career as a homicide detective. More than a decade spent chasing down drug runners in speed boats and hauling illegals in inner tubes ashore in her Miami beat has left her yearning for a less stressful career. The peace and quiet of the sleepy little coastal Maine fishing village of her childhood beckons.

The pay cut as a marine insurance inspector is worth it. She has missed the winter snows, the cool summers, and the opportunity to touch base with her old friends and family.

She has barely moved into a tiny apartment above a tourist trap gift shop with a view of the harbor when she starts her first day of work, checking out a fish processing plant for a policy renewal. It is dawn, and as she walks around the building, she sees a body washed up on the beach in front of the plant and a small group of people clustered around. She recognizes the victim as a man who raised a ruckus at a community meeting the night before. Her police instincts kick in, and she starts taking notes and asking questions of the locals, who look upon her nosiness with little favor. The death is ruled as an accidental drowning or a possible suicide, but her instincts tell her otherwise. She convinces the local authorities to take a closer look at his death, embroiling herself further into the case.

The village's fishing industry is threatened by outside conditions. Over-fishing is depleting once-abundant supplies of popular food fish, and a profitable offshore wind farm for electrical generation is being proposed that has come up against local fishermen as a threat to their livelihood. The body on the shore is that of a proponent of the wind farm who made no secret of his interests at the meeting.

Jane tries to stay out of the investigation, carried out by a handful of small town would-be cops, but when clues quite literally fall into her lap, she feels compelled to do some checking on her own. She soon discovers that drug running, blackmail and smuggling activities are not confined to the big cities.

In a lively, fast-paced adventure, Jane soon finds herself in personal jeopardy as she peels back the cover-up of fraud, embezzlement and illegal environmental activity. As she is drawn deeper into the investigation, her life is endangered as she stows away on a fishing boat. A heart-pounding fight for survival during an ocean gale very nearly ends Jane's career as an insurance inspector --- and her life.

Linda Greenlaw has written three bestselling nonfiction books: THE HUNGRY OCEAN, THE LOBSTER CHRONICLES and ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS. She was the real-life swordfish boat captain who survived THE PERFECT STORM by Sebastian Junger. Don't let Greenlaw's petite appearance fool you. Her considerable skills as a tough fishing boat captain, successful writer and cook (she co-authored a cookbook with her mother, RECIPES FROM A VERY SMALL ISLAND) make her an icon among successful women.

In SLIPKNOT, Greenlaw's first mystery, we are introduced to the intriguing and diverse cast of characters of Green Haven, Maine. I would like to predict that we will see more of our insurance inspector/sleuth Jane Bunker.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

I listened to Slipknot. I enjoyed the story, but as others have said, there was room for improvement. It is a light read and I am awaiting another Jane Bunker story. I liked Jane and know there are more stories that can be written about her. As for the audio reader, please do NOT try to do Maine accents. She couldn't seem to decide between a very bad Maine accent or a very bad southern accent (though I am sure she thought it was a Maine accent). It really takes away from the enjoyment. Also, please research how the locals say a ciy's name. It is Bang-gore, not Banger, when refering to Bangor, Maine and learn the correct pronunciation of Gloucester, MA.

My 4-stars are for the story, not the audio. I would lower it to 3-stars for the audio version.

Jane Bunker moved north from Miami only days before Nick Dow, the town drunk of Green Haven, Maine, washed up on the beach with his head bashed in--possibly the result of a drunken fall, but maybe not. Jane, who'd been a homicide detective in Florida, is among the first to see the body, and though it's no longer in her job description--she's now a marine insurance investigator--she decides to investigate the death on her own by way of having a hobby. The more she looks into the death, the more fishy it seems to be. Jane suspects it's connected to the hot-button issue that's got the town riled up, the proposed creation of a wind farm off-shore, which would likely have an adverse effect on the town's cod fishing industry.

Jane is a likable protagonist, frugal in speech and finances. We're given to understand that she is running away from her old life in Florida while at the same time returning to her roots. Jane's mother was from Green Haven. She left family behind when she abandoned Maine--running away from something, just as her daughter would--during Jane's childhood. This back story will presumably be fleshed out in subsequent installments in the series. Greenlaw here introduces a number of characters who will likely be regulars: the laconic, slightly hunchbacked Cal, who's fast becoming her friend and accomplice; her frequently sloshed landlords, who are moving into position as surrogate parents; the brash young waitress at the local diner; a potential love interest. It's a cast I'll be happy to spend further time with.

Greenlaw has previously published a handful of nonfiction books, including The Lobster Chronicles and All Fishermen are Liars (see my review) based on her years of experience at sea. (In addition to writing, Greenlaw is the captain of a lobster boat.) Her first foray into fiction reads well for the most part. The mystery held my interest. The writing and the story flow well with a couple of jarring exceptions. There are two scenes in the book which don't work because they are so unrealistic: one at the diner in which Greenlaw has the waitress dramatically narrate events from the previous night's town meeting, and later in the book a sort of catfight between Jane and a local socialite. There is in addition one character--Ginny, a monster of the local fishing industry--whose behavior is too over-the-top to be credible.

My lack of familiarity with naval terminology was not an issue for most of the book, but there is a climactic scene toward the end that I probably would have enjoyed more if I'd had a better idea of what was happening. But even without knowing a turnbuckle from an outrigger I could understand the tenor of what was going on--grave peril and high drama at sea.

I liked Slipknot and look forward to more from Greenlaw. Next up is the series' second knot-titled installment, Fisherman's Bend.

-- Debra Hamel

I loved Linda Greenlaw's, "The Hungry Ocean", and plan to read her other titles, but first, I decided to see how she does as a fiction writer.

Not as well. Although Slipknot shines at times, particularly during the scenes on the water, the author's first person portrayal of Jane Bunker is a bit too uneven. The woman is in her 40's and still single. That doesn't happen by accident - but here it's never explained to reader's satisfaction. Does she fear commitment? Is she still a virgin? What is it that's kept her single? In non-fiction, an author can get away with shallow characterization, but in fiction, the reader needs to know the person inside because that's how their transference takes place. This woman is 42. She has to be hardened by now, yet she reacts like a teenager when the first guy smiles at her. That's out of character. She's supposed to be a veteran big city detective, but she seems oblivious of the danger she routinely puts herself in as she prowls the small town. That's out of character too.

I don't know why a person who has as much in-depth knowledge of the ocean and love for all things nautical as Linda Greenlaw would start writing land-based detective fiction. Whatever the reason, she did. Does she succeed? Yes. A person like Linda will succeed in whatever she sets out to do, but this time out, not to the same degree as in her non-fiction work: the best scenes in Slipknot take place aboard a fishing vessel during a storm, and that's where I recommend the author set her next fictional story.

Art Tirrell is the author of The Secret Ever Keeps