"L" is for Lawless Author: Grafton, Sue ISBN: 0-312-37313-9

Audio Cassette - Abridged St. Martin's Paperbacks

Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Both new readers and old fans will welcome this 12th Kinsey Milhone adventure in the "A" is for Alibi series by Sue Grafton. In this case, Kinsey agrees to do a favor for a friend of a friend and gets herself into so much trouble that she promises at the outset never to do such a thing again without careful consideration. Henry Pitt, her longtime landlord asks her to help a fellow neighbor find evidence that his grandfather served in the military during the Second World War. With such proof, the man can be decently buried, courtesy of the U.S. government. It seems such a simple thing, but with Kinsey, it rarely is. Before long she finds herself entangled with an eccentric and quarrelsome family as well as a long lost buddy who has turned up just in time to get himself beaten up in a robbery attempt of the alleged veteran's apartment. It seems there is a reason the Armed Services have no record of the dead man's service. Kinsey sets out to determine what he might have been doing instead of fighting against the Japanese and why someone might think his shabby apartment worth a burgle. Typical of the series, the mystery is not the central point of the story, but rather a starting point for Kinsey to become embroiled in a suspenseful (and delightful) search-and-rescue operation, usually against her better judgement. In this case, a gun-toting, arthritic octogenarian and revelations of the inner workings of bargain-rate motels are all part of the adventure. This is an easy and enjoyable read, and a solid addition to Grafton's string of alphabetical hits. --K.A. Crouch --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Bemused, beleaguered and begrimed, Southern California's premier PI, Kinsey Millhone leaves her hometown of Santa Teresa in an adventure (her 12th in the alphabet series) that begins straightforwardly enough but quickly twists into a knotted string of untruths. While getting ready for the Thanksgiving Day wedding between a local tavern keeper and the elder brother of her landlord, Kinsey agrees to help the family of recently deceased neighborhood WWII vet, Johnnie Lee, find out why the military has no record of his service. Soon after Kinsey has finished looking (fruitlessly) through his papers, Lee's rooms are burgled, and Ray Rawson, who claims he is an old friend recently arrived in Santa Teresa unaware of Lee's death, is beaten up. Kinsey soon finds herself on a plane bound for Florida, in possession of only the clothes she's wearing and her purse( with an extra toothbrush), trailing a young pregnant woman in possession of a duffel bag spirited from Lee's home. On a stopover in Dallas/Fort Worth, Kinsey sleuths disguised as a hotel maid dusting baseboards ("tough to picture the boy detectives doing this," she reflects), meets the increasingly unreliable Rawson again and encounters yet another figure from Lee's past, a violent, vengeful psychopath. While gradually sorting out the connections among this cast, Kinsey travels to Louisville, where Rawson's 80-something mother proves her mettle and Kinsey, determining that lawless, in this case, is neither adjective nor collective noun, unravels a decades-old mystery. 750,000 first printing; Literary Guild, Mystery Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections; author tour. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

"P" Is for Peril: A Kinsey Milhone Mystery (Sue Grafton) [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Grafton, Sue Kaye, Judy (Narrator) ISBN:

Audio CD Random House Audio

Amazon.com When Dowan Purcell, a respected physician who operates a nursing home, disappears, his ex-wife hires Santa Teresa PI Kinsey Millhone to look into it. Fiona Purcell is still seething over Dow's affair and subsequent marriage to Crystal, a former stripper, yet they're still friends, and she seems worried. But when his body is discovered, she's among the suspects. Both of Dow's wives, at least one of his business partners, and perhaps even Crystal's teenage daughter had motives to kill. While in her most recent adventures (N Is for Noose, O Is for Outlaw) Kinsey has acquired new digs, an extended family, and a few more gray hairs, in this one (which takes place some time in the mid-'80s), she's 36, still living in the remodeled garage that was blown up in an earlier novel. Easier than a facelift, and while Sue Grafton is a solid enough writer to pull it off, dedicated Kinsey fans will miss the more complex and multidimensional character who aged so ruefully and interestingly in the '90s. This isn't Grafton's strongest case; it's hard to care about any of Purcell's women or his associates. More exciting is the secondary plot, which involves a handsome landlord who offers Kinsey the new office space she's been seeking and turns out to be a lot more trouble than she bargained for. Despite its somewhat plodding pace and the echo of a more evolved heroine that rings through its pages, Grafton's many fans will probably shoot P Is for Peril right to the top of the bestseller list. --Jane Adams --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly PI Kinsey Millhone's trademark dry sense of humor is largely absent in the first half of the 15th book in this justifiably popular series, though it resurfaces as the suspense finally begins to build in the second half. In the bleak November of 1986, Kinsey looks into the disappearance of Dr. Dowan Purcell, who's been missing for nine weeks. Dr. Purcell is an elderly physician who runs a nursing home that's being investigated for Medicare fraud. His ex-wife, Fiona, hires Kinsey when it seems as though the police have given up on the search. Fiona thinks that he could be simply hiding out somewhere, especially since he's pulled a disappearance stunt twice before. However, Purcell's current wife, Crystal, believes that he may be dead. Kinsey is dubious about finding any new leads after so much time has elapsed. She's also worried about having to move out of the office space she now occupies in the suite owned by her lawyer, and between her interviews with suspects she tries to rent a new office from a pair of brothers whose mysterious background begins to make her suspicious. Grafton's Santa Teresa seems more like Ross Macdonald's town of the same name than ever before, with dysfunctional families everywhere jostling for the private eye's attention. The novel has a hard-edged, wintry ambience, echoed in Fiona Purcell's obsession with angular art deco furniture and architecture. Unfortunately, Grafton's evocation of the noir crime novels and styles of the 1940s, although atmospheric, doesn't make up for a lack of suspense and lackluster characters. (June 4)Forecast: With a 600,000-copy first printing and a national author tour, this Literary Guild Main Selection is sure to shoot well up the bestseller lists. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

(07) Killing Zone Author: Burns, Rex ISBN: 1-58807-671-7

Audio Cassette Americana Publishing

(08) Undying World Author: Lord, Jeffrey Westgaard, Odin James, Lloyd ISBN: 1-58807-781-0

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Undying World

Audio Cassette Americana Publishing

(15) Towers of Melnon Author: Lord, Jeffrey ISBN: 0-523-41722-5

Audio Cassette Pinnacle Books

12) King of Zunga (Richard Blade Adventures, [ABRIDGED] Author: Lord, Jeffrey ISBN: 1-58807-367-X

Audio Cassette Americana Publishing

16) The Crystal Seas (Richard Blade Adventures [ABRIDGED] Author: Lord, Jeffrey ISBN: 1-58807-004-2

Audio Cassette Americana Publishing

17) The Mountains of Brega (Richard Blade Adventures [ABRIDGED] Author: Lord, Jeffrey ISBN: 1-58807-005-0

Audio Cassette Americana Publishing

3rd Degree Author: Patterson, James Gross, Andrew McCormick, Carolyn ISBN: 1-58621-598-1

Audio Cassette Hachette Audio

From Publishers Weekly From the start, Patterson's Women's Murder Club series (1st to Die; Second Chance) has felt like high-concept TV with a smart edge, featuring an appealing and reliable cast of four female crime busters (a cop, a prosecutor, a medical examiner, a reporter) who race along byzantine plot lines humming with blood and sex, romance and heartbreak. But Patterson is an author who will detonate readers' presumptions for the sake of story, and in the series' third installment, the prolific author, working with frequent collaborator Gross (The Jester, etc.), defies expectations in a shocking way. Readers will love him for it. San Francisco Homicide lieutenant Lindsay Boxer, who narrates most of the action, is jogging with assistant DA Jill Barnhardt when Lindsay notices two things: first, bruises on Jill's shoulder; then the explosion of a nearby townhouse, into which Lindsay rushes to save a child. With the juxtaposition of these two plotlines, Patterson jumpstarts this enjoyably convoluted tale. The townhouse, home to a greedy CEO and his family, was destroyed by members of a terrorist group calling itself "August Spies"; Lindsay's chase after the group, which commits further killings, brings her into close proximity to what promises to be a new series regular, Joe Molinari, deputy director of the Office of Homeland Security. Love blooms for Lindsay but, meanwhile, love has curdled at Jill's house, where Jill's husband is abusing her. Then comes the big surprise, and the story's remainder plays out at high emotion and warp speed. There's a calculated feel to all that happens, but clever manipulation of an audience serves Patterson as well as it served Hitchcock: his fans will only clamor for more. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. From AudioFile Running with her dog on a quiet Sunday morning, Homicide Detective Lindsey Boxer witnesses the explosion that starts a week of terrorism in San Francisco. Carolyn McCormick's performance strikes the right balance of professionalism and horror in Boxer's first-person account. McCormick portrays the detective as both detached investigator and sensitive woman, those qualities fighting for dominance in each area of her life. Other characters also receive careful attention, with a light touch of regional accent here and there to polish their personalities. Occasional muted sound effects and musical interludes enhance the performance. R.P.L. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The 6th Target Author: Patterson, James McCormick, Carolyn ISBN: 1-60024-493-9

Audio CD Hachette Audio

Editorial Reviews Review "Another outstanding addition to an already impressive body of work." (ArmchairInterviews.com ) "Another masterpiece." (1340magbooks.com ) "It doesn't get much better than this--so sprint to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy." (nightsandweekends.com ) Product Description When a horrifying attack leaves one of the four members of the Women's Murder Club struggling for her life, the others fight to keep a madman behind bars before anyone else is hurt.


And Lindsay Boxer and her new partner in the San Francisco police department run flat-out to stop a series of kidnappings that has electrified the city: children are being plucked off the streets together with their nannies--but the kidnappers aren't demanding ransom. Amid uncertainty and rising panic, Lindsay juggles the possibility of a new love with an unsolvable investigation, and the knowledge that one member of the club could be on the brink of death.


And just when everything appears momentarily under control, the case takes a terrifying turn, putting an entire city in lethal danger. Lindsay must make a choice she never dreamed she'd face--with no certainty that either outcome has more than a prayer of success.

The 6th Target Author: Patterson, James McCormick, Carolyn McCormick, Carolyn (Read by) McCormick, Carolyn (Read by) ISBN: 1-59483-895-X

Audio CD Hachette Audio

Editorial Reviews Review "A maddeningly compelling read - the kind that only Patterson can assemble." (EdgeMiami.com ) "Another outstanding addition to an already impressive body of work." (ArmchairInterviews.com ) "Another masterpiece." (1340magbooks.com ) "With THE 6TH TARGET, James Patterson once again proves that he is a great writer who can deliver a fast-paced story that can grab the readers and hold on to them until the very last page." (ReviewingtheEvidence.com ) "It doesn't get much better than this--so sprint to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy." (nightsandweekends.com ) "Patterson and Paetro deliver an engaging, accessible, fast-moving read, with several intriguing plot threads and regular surprises up to the very last page. I always enjoy spending time with the Women's Murder Club and look forward to the inevitable shockers ahead in their seventh outing together." (Bookloons.com ) --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Product Description When a horrifying attack leaves one of the four members of the Women's Murder Club struggling for her life, the others fight to keep a madman behind bars before anyone else is hurt. And Lindsay Boxer and her new partner in the San Francisco police department run flat-out to stop a series of kidnappings that has electrified the city: children are being plucked off the streets together with their nannies-- but the kidnappers aren't demanding ransom. Amid uncertainty and rising panic, Lindsay juggles the possibility of a new love with an unsolvable investigation, and the knowledge that one member of the club could be on the brink of death. And just when everything appears momentarily under control, the case takes a terrifying turn, putting an entire city in lethal danger. Lindsay must make a choice she never dreamed she'd face--with no certainty that either outcome has more than a prayer of success.

7th Heaven Author: Patterson, James Paetro, Maxine McCormick, Carolyn ISBN: 1-60024-078-X

Audio CD Hachette Audio

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly At the start of the gripping seventh Women's Murder Club thriller from bestseller Patterson and Paetro (after 2007's The 6th Target), San Francisco is still haunted by the disappearance of Michael Campion, the much-adored teenage son of a former California governor, three months earlier. Following up on a tip that Michael was last seen entering a prostitute's house, homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer and her new partner, Rich Conklin, are shocked when the hooker immediately confesses that Michael, who had a heart defect, died during sex and she disposed of his body. Lindsay's ADA pal, Yuki Castellano, is sure she has a slam-dunk case, but the trial soon takes a bizarre turn. Lindsay and Rich also scramble to track down a serial arsonist responsible for murdering a string of wealthy couples. Lindsay races to put the pieces together before the fires hit too close to home. In true Patterson style, the reader is privy to Lindsay's thoughts as well as the killers', ratcheting up the suspense an extra notch. Fans won't be disappointed with the twist at the end that not even Lindsay sees coming. (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Review "Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried...There's no stopping his imagination." (New York Times Book Review ) "When it comes to mysteries, you can't beat the amazing mind of James Patterson . . . Richly woven. The story twists and turns and the ending will leave you open mouthed." (AllThingsGirl.net on 7th Heaven ) "Riveting . . . fascinating . . . moves at breakneck speed . . . a must-read." (BookReporter.com on 7th Heaven ) "The opening two chapters of 7TH HEAVEN should be set to the Mission Impossible theme song. Tension and violence races through those first few pages as surely as that burning fuse tracked across the screen. And you won't be able to stop there." (BlogCritics.org on 7th Heaven ) "A fast-paced thriller . . . a swift and pleasurable read." (ArmchairInterviews.com on 7th Heaven ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Absolute Zero [ABRIDGED] Author: Logan, Chuck J.K., Simmons (Narrator) ISBN: 0-06-008342-5

Audio Cassette HarperAudio

From Publishers Weekly Ex-cop Phil Broker, hero of Logan's previous three thrillers (The Big Law, etc.), takes a break from managing his small Minnesota resort in this latest outing and fills in for his uncle as a wilderness guide in the northernmost reaches of the state. It's hardly a pleasure trip: Broker's soldier wife, Nina, has just split with their child, and one of Broker's three clients, action writer Hank Sommer, is constantly fighting with his wife, Jolene, by cell phone while Dr. Allen Falken and lawyer Milt Bane look on. Caught by a sudden blizzard as they are kayaking, Broker nearly drowns until Sommer fights their kayak across the lake, but ruptures his colon in the effort. At a minimal hospital with no surgeon in snowbound Ely, Falken operates with local nurse anesthetist Amy Skoda, but Sommer goes into post-op coma and Skoda gets the blame. Then Sommer's sexy wife takes Sommer home early, and the kinky death of a CPA, Cliff Stovall, hits the news. Pondering Sommer's last words "tell Cliff to move the money" Broker teams up with Skoda to visit Sommer and Jolene, but Skoda gets info that puts their lives in danger. Lured back to Ely and tricked by experts, Broker and Skoda are put out of action, and the scene is set for a shattering surprise ending. Logan parlays the plot elements with the icy finesse of James M. Cain and draws characters so real you can feel the body heat steaming off the page. Once again, he proves himself an awesome storyteller with a unique voice and a flawless sense of place and mood. Major ad/promo; 6-city author tour; Harper Audio. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Library Journal Continuing his winning streak, Logan (The Big Law) brings back recurring character Phil Broker, now as a wilderness guide rather than an undercover police officer. Broker leads three minimally equipped men deep into the Minnesota woods to hunt moose. Before they can bag a beast, however, a massive storm destroys most of their supplies and critically injures one of the men. As the troupe's guide, it falls to Phil to get to civilization and bring back a rescue team before the man dies. The rescue and subsequent events connect their four lives in unexpected ways. Readers will delights in the first-rate characterization and compelling plot filled with unexpected twists. Recommended for popular fiction collections. Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

After Dark (4 Cassettes) Author: Margolin, Phillip Whitten, Margaret ISBN: 0-553-47391-3

Audio Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group

ABOUT THE BOOK After Dark (4 Cassettes) FROM OUR EDITORS A judge is murdered, and the suspect is his estranged wife, a star prosecutor. The story races rapidly through the legal intrigue of death-penalty cases in Oregon's Supreme Court to the roller-coaster suspense of a bizarre murder investigation. ANNOTATION The bestselling author of Gone, But Not Forgotten offers an equally gripping novel--a roller coaster ride of legal suspense that begins with a pair of seemingly unrelated murders . . . and climaxes in a truly startling ending. Sure to be one of the summer's biggest hits. FROM THE PUBLISHER Laura Rizzatti, a law clerk for Oregon Supreme Court Justice Robert Griffen, is found slain late one night in the deserted courthouse. Her office has been ransacked - but nothing seems to be missing. There are no suspects and no clues. The following month Justice Griffen himself is killed by a car bomb in the driveway of his Portland home. This time, though, there is a suspect: In a shocking turn of events, Abigail Griffen, star prosecutor in the Multnomah County district attorney's office and estranged wife of Justice Griffen, is charged with first-degree murder. Abbie hires Matthew Reynolds, a legendary attorney who specializes in death-penalty defenses, to represent her. Reynolds is assisted by Tracy Cavanaugh, a young lawyer who had clerked with Laura Rizzatti on the Supreme Court. As Tracy investigates the Griffen case for Reynolds, she stumbles upon information that initially makes her think the Griffen and Rizzatti murders are related; she soon finds further evidence that hints of serious corruption on the Court. Ultimately, though, as she pieces the puzzle together, Tracy begins to suspect she's uncovered a plot so bizarre that she is no longer sure whom to trust, or where to turn. Meanwhile, Matthew Reynolds is confident of winning Abbie's case and setting her free... FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly Margolin's legal thriller, in which a killer claims that a local female prosecutor hired him to murder her husband, spent two weeks on PW's bestseller list. (June) Library Journal If Margolin's new novel of legal intrigue isn't hot stuff, a lot of readers will be disappointed; his Gone, but Not Forgotten (LJ 6/15/91) sold over a million copies. Here, a high-profile prosecutor is accused of murder.

All The Pretty Horses Author: Mccarthy, Cormac Muller, Frank (Reader) ISBN: 0-694-52280-5

Audio Cassette HarperAudio

Amazon.com Review Part bildungsroman, part horse opera, part meditation on courage and loyalty, this beautifully crafted novel won the National Book Award in 1992. The plot is simple enough. John Grady Cole, a 16-year-old dispossessed Texan, crosses the Rio Grande into Mexico in 1949, accompanied by his pal Lacey Rawlins. The two precocious horsemen pick up a sidekick--a laughable but deadly marksman named Jimmy Blevins--encounter various adventures on their way south and finally arrive at a paradisiacal hacienda where Cole falls into an ill-fated romance. Readers familiar with McCarthy's Faulknerian prose will find the writing more restrained than in Suttree and Blood Meridian. Newcomers will be mesmerized by the tragic tale of John Grady Cole's coming of age. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Muller's straightforward, unembellished reading suits the spare drama of McCarthy's acclaimed novel, which has recently been released as a movie as well. John Grady Cole and his pal Lacey Rawlins set off on horseback for Mexico in the late 1940s in search of work and adventure. Along the way they are joined by another man, named Blevins. On a hacienda in Mexico, Cole displays his uncanny gift for working with horses, and he and Alejandra, the beautiful daughter of the hacienda's owner, fall in love--a love that is displeasing not only to Alejandra's father but also to her imperious but not unsympathetic great aunt. Muller's accent in conveying Mexican voices is as convincing and unforced as his others, and he evokes equally well a distinctive personality for each character--the laconic and stalwart Cole; the more emotional and impatient Rawlins; Blevins with his concomitant braggadocio and fear--and yet this tale is perhaps not best suited to the unabridged audio format. Long stretches of text convey slow-moving action or no action at all, but rather McCarthy's lush evocation of the wild landscape. Listeners may opt for the abridged audio version of this National Book Award winner. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Alone [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Gardner, Lisa Graham, Holter Graham, Holter (Read by) ISBN: 0-7393-1306-1

Audio CD Random House Audio

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly For 300-some pages, Gardner (The Perfect Husband) keeps readers spellbound--not just by her plot but by the beautifully realized character of Massachusetts police sniper Bobby Dodge. He meets his match in Catherine Gagnon, who as a girl was snatched, raped and nearly murdered. Now she's the wife of erratic, rich Jimmy Gagnon and mother of perpetually ill four-year-old Nathan. When Bobby kills Jimmy during a hostage situation at the Gagnons, he does it to save Catherine and Nathan. But was it a righteous shoot, or did Catherine engineer the killing? Judge James Gagnon and his wife, Maryanne, think Bobby murdered their son out of lust for Catherine. As other people start dying, very messily, and the DA and cops come down hard on Bobby, Gardner keeps the tension high and the pace fast. But resolution comes in what may be the clunkiest chase crafted by a pro this year: "Bobby processed everything at once. Three open doorways, three bedrooms. He ran by the first, then the second, and came sprinting into the third just in time to see Maryanne staggering back." Ten pages later, so many characters have run into so many rooms, it's amazing that the right person finally gets his head blown off by the right avenger. But Garner then ends with a neat postlude offering one more twist; her fans will feel requited. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist It was bad enough that Catherine Gagnon survived a horrible childhood abduction where for a month she lived in a cave and was the plaything for her sicko abductor. But now, 25 years later, she faces tragedy again as she fights to keep her son, Nathan. One chilly November night, a police sniper kills her husband, Jimmy, in response to her 911 call claiming he was about to hurt Nathan. Jimmy's death means that his parents, an influential judge and his blue-blooded wife, are more determined than ever to take Nathan from Catherine, whom they see as unfit to mother their only grandchild. True, the birth of Nathan mentally paralyzed Catherine, who could not get past the memories of her abduction and her emotionally absent parents. But is she really the monster the Gagnons and their PI make her out to be? Massachusetts state police special-ops officer Bobby Dodge, the sniper who took out Jimmy, doesn't think so, and unwittingly falls under the spell of the manipulative widow. A twisted, effective psychological thriller. Mary Frances Wilkens Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

AMBER SERIES #01: Nine Princes in Amber Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-502-8

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Nine Princes in Amber ANNOTATION Exiled on Shadow Earth for centuries, Prince Corwan will try to return to his throne, but his path is blocked by things beyond his imaginings. 2 cassettes. FROM THE PUBLISHER Amber, the one real world, wherein all others, including our own Earth, are but Shadows. Amber burns in Corwin's blood. Exiled on Shadow Earth for centuries, the prince is about to return to Amber to make a mad and desperate rush upon the throne. From Arden to the blood-slippery Stairway into the Sea, the air is electrified with the powers of Eric, Random, Bleys, Caine, and all the princes of Amber whom Corwin must overcome. Yet, his savage path is blocked and guarded by eerie structures beyond imaging-impossible realities forged by demonic assassins and staggering horrors to challenge the might of Corwin's superhuman fury. FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly Some fans of Zelazny's dense, brilliant writings from the '60s have been dismayed at the time and effort he has invested in his Amber series during the past 16 years. If these fantasy adventures are simple and formulaic compared with his best work, they have earned him a whole new audience by virtue of their elegance, humor, literacy, vivid action and lightly applied but complex background of tarot, alternate worlds, Olympian gods, and a magic so neat and clear that computers can learn it. In this seventh installment, the sorcerer Merlin of Amber -- aka Merle Corey of San Francisco -- learns the identities of two would-be assassins but makes a truce with one to pursue the greater, more dangerous power beyond them. Once again, the limited plot is enlivened by Zelazny's irony, his bravura sequences (particularly a harbor visit that turns nasty in Death Alley) and his laconic sense of the incongruous (are magicians the ultimate surrealist artists?). Paperback rights to Avon; Science Fiction Book Club main selection. (September 25)

AMBER SERIES #02: The Guns of Avalon Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-506-0

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK The Guns of Avalon

AMBER SERIES #03: Sign of the Unicorn Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-510-9

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Sign of the Unicorn

AMBER SERIES #04 The Hand of Oberon Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 0-380-01664-8

Audio CD MP3 Avon

Editorial Reviews Product Description Returning to Shadow Earth to investigate a threat against his life, Corwin discovers that the Jewel of Judgment has been stolen by his traitorous brother, Brand, who plans to use the enigmatic gem to reshape the universe. Reissue.

AMBER SERIES #05:The Courts of Chaos Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-518-4

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK The Courts of Chaos

AMBER SERIES #06 : Trumps of Doom Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-522-2

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Trumps of Doom

AMBER SERIES #07: Blood of Amber Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-526-5

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Blood of Amber ANNOTATION Pursued by a fiendish enemy, Merle must battle through an intricate web of vengeance and murder that threatens more than the San Francisco Bay area. For Merle Corey of California is also Merlin, son of Corwin, vanished Prince of Amber; and the forces, seeking to destroy the royal house, have unleashed sorceries that can strike anywhere, especially at the very heart of Amber. Reissue. FROM THE PUBLISHER Pursued by a fiendish enemy, Merle Corey, the vanished Prince of Amber, must battle an intricate web of vengence and murder that threatens the San Francisco Bay area and beyond. The forces seeking to destroy the Royal House have unleashed mad sorceries that can strike anywhere...even at the heart of Amber.

AMBER SERIES #08: Sign of Chaos Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-530-3

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Sign of Chaos FROM THE PUBLISHER The epic story of the royal family of Amber enters an exciting new chapter as Merlin, son of Prince Corwin, pursues his noble destiny against a shifting panorama of shadow worlds and deadly intrigue, powerful computers, and magic gone out of control. A violent vendetta, renegade sorcery, and whirlwind adventure lead Merlin to a monumental confrontation at the Keep of the Four Worlds, where astonishing secrets and mysterious identities will at last be revealed.

AMBER SERIES #09: Knight of Shadows Author: Zelazny, Roger ISBN: 1-58807-534-6

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Knight of Shadows FROM THE PUBLISHER Merlin pursues the mysterious disappearances of the two people dearest to him: Julia, once murdered and now reincarnated as his enemy; and his father, Corwin, who, never visible, leaves behind tantalizing signs of life. But, the powers of Order and Chaos intervene, attempting to force Merlin to choose once and for all where his allegiance lies: the Courts of Chaos, Amber, the Lorgus, or the Unicorn. Deftly woven of suspense, intrigue, and imagery, Knight of Shadows is another colorful piece of the Amber puzzle, as well as a work of sophisticated fantasy by one of our leading word magicians.

AMBER SERIES #10 : Prince of Chaos Author: Zelazny, Roger Watson, Bruce ISBN: 1-58807-538-9

Audio Americana Publishing, Incorporated

ABOUT THE BOOK Prince of Chaos FROM THE PUBLISHER Having survived the blackest betrayal and a near assassination, Merle Corey, aka Merlin, discovers he is third in line to occupy the throne of Chaos. However, his ascension is aided by a series of conveniently fatal "accidents" engineered by Dana, his mother, and his uncle Mandor. But Merlin's trials are far from over. Deadly plots and dark enchantments await Merlin on the road to ultimate rule. Yet, he has determined to triumph and silence the murderous discord between Amber and Chaos...for the moment, at least. And at the end of his visionary quest lies an unsettling destiny: his father, Corwin, who was long believed to be dead, had been secretly imprisoned by a villain's magic.

The ANGEL OF DARKNESS CASSETTE [ABRIDGED] Author: Carr, Caleb ISBN: 0-671-57748-4

Audio Cassette Simon & Schuster Audio

Amazon.com Author Profile Read about the author. From Library Journal Boyd Gaines skillfully delivers a wide range of voices and characterizations in narrating this potboiler (LJ 10/15/97), the sequel to Carr's The Alienist. The time is June 1897. The place is New York City. The story is narrated by 13-year-old, streetwise Stevie Taggart, who is a member of a team of detecting irregulars. The kidnapping of an 18-month-old child sets the story in motion. The ongoing investigation uncovers a sociopath named Libby Hatch, who is a suspect in the deaths of a frightening number of children, including her own. Using the relatively new fields of forensics and psychoanalysis, and calling on the assistance of some well-known "names" (Teddy Roosevelt, Franz Boaz, Cornelius Vanderbuilt), the team runs Libby Hatch to earth. But where is the child she recently abducted? The clever zigzags of this thriller finally answer this question. Well recommended.?Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Sch. of Continuing Education, Providence Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Angels in the Gloom Author: Perry, Anne Page, Michael ISBN: 1-59600-864-4

Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. This powerful and intense third novel in Perry's WWI series (after 2004's Shoulder the Sky) continues the Reavley family's anguished search for the "Peacemaker," a shadowy figure responsible for their parents' murders two years earlier, and now intent on Anglo-German world domination as a means toward world peace. After Chaplain Joseph Reavley is badly wounded in Flanders attempting to rescue fellow Brits under fire, he returns home to bucolic St. Giles for rehabilitation, but finds the village consumed by issues raised by the war. Perry's deeply held antiwar feelings are again apparent in this moving story in which "the searing scarlet of grief" destroys families of loved ones lost in the service, and the local vicar questions fundamental beliefs in the wake of mounting casualties. When Theo Blaine, a scientist working on a secret weapon to end the war, is mysteriously slain, the town is torn apart by fears of a spy in their midst. Joseph's brother, Matthew, an intelligence expert, must work with seductive Irish double agent Detta Hannassey to determine the extent of Germany's knowledge of Britain's war strategies, despite his revulsion for her duplicity. A climactic U-boat hunt and naval battle conclude this stirring work. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist The third entry in Perry's World War I series moves from the horror of the trenches to the English countryside, where chaplain Joseph Reavley, wounded at the front, has returned to recuperate under his sister's Hannah's care. Still fresh is his grief for their parents, both killed by the mysterious Peacemaker, who, in the guise of seeking an end to the conflict, is sabotaging Britain's war effort. The murder of a scientist whose work might have ensured Allied success leads Joseph (and his brother, Matthew, who works for British intelligence) on a twisted trail that they hope will lead to the Peacemaker. As in previous books in this series and in her Victorian detective series, Perry creates a meticulously detailed backdrop, whether home front or frontlines, while leaving plenty of room for her characters to contemplate issues of honor, loyalty, and love: Will Joseph return to the front or minister to the bereft at home? Will Matthew's growing affection for Irish double agent Detta Hannassey interfere with his mission? The characters, familiar now after two books, grow stronger and richer here, as Perry illuminates the emotional and physical character of war and asks the inevitable question, At what cost peace? Stephanie Zvirin Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

ATLAS SHRUGGED (Highbridge Classics) [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Rand, Ayn Herrmann, Edward ISBN: 1-56511-127-3

Audio Cassette Highbridge Audio

Publishers Weekly, January 6, 1997 Winner of the Listen Up Award-Best Packaging/Cover Art of 1996 [brought to you by HighBridge Audio] Book Description At last, Ayn Rand's masterpiece is available to her millions of loyal readers in trade paperback. With this acclaimed work and its immortal query, "Who is John Galt?", Ayn Rand found the perfect artistic form to express her vision of existence. Atlas Shrugged made Rand not only one of the most popular novelists of the century, but one of its most influential thinkers. Atlas Shrugged is the astounding story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world--and did. Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged stretches the boundaries further than any book you have ever read. It is a mystery, not about the murder of a man's body, but about the murder--and rebirth--of man's spirit. * Atlas Shrugged is the "second most influential book for Americans today" after the Bible, according to a joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Back to the Bedroom CD [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Evanovich, Janet Critt, C. J. (Reader) Critt, C. J. ISBN: 0-06-073697-6

Audio CD HarperAudio

Product Description She was the mysterious woman in the long black cloak. He was the sexy guy next door. They shared a common wall between their Capitol Hill townhouses and not much else ... until disaster scored a direct hit on the mystery woman's bedroom and the sexy guy's heart. He baked her a cake, she learned to throw a football, there were some misunderstandings in the living room, some mishaps in the yard, and some romantic moments everywhere. Performed by C.J. Critt About the Author Bestselling author Janet Evanovich is the winner of the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award and multiple Romantic Times awards, including Lifetime Achievement. She is also a longstanding member of RWA.

The Bear and the Dragon (Tom Clancy) [ABRIDGED] Author: Clancy, Tom Muller, Frank (Narrator) ISBN: 0-375-41582-3

Audio Cassette Random House Audio

Amazon.com Power is delightful, and absolute power should be absolutely delightful--but not when you're the most powerful man on earth and the place is ticking like a time bomb. Jack Ryan, CIA warrior turned U.S. president, is the man in the hot seat, and in this vast thriller he's up to his nostrils in crazed Asian warlords, Russian thugs, nukes that won't stay put, and authentic, up-to-the-nanosecond technology as complex as the characters' motives are simple. Quick, do you know how to reprogram the software in an Aegis missile seekerhead? Well, if you're Jack Ryan, you'd better find someone who does, or an incoming ballistic may rain fallout on your parade. Bad for reelection prospects. "You know, I don't really like this job very much," Ryan complains to his aide Arnie van Damm, who replies, "Ain't supposed to be fun, Jack." But you bet The Bear and the Dragon is fun--over 1,000 swift pages' worth. In the opening scene, a hand-launched RPG rocket nearly blows up Russia's intelligence chief in his armored Mercedes, and Ryan's clever spooks report that the guy who got the rocket in his face instead was the hoodlum "Rasputin" Avseyenko, who used to run the KGB's "Sparrow School" of female prostitute spies. Soon after, two apparent assassins are found handcuffed together afloat in St. Petersburg's Neva River, their bloated faces resembling Pokémon toys. The stakes go higher as the mystery deepens: oil and gold are discovered in huge quantities in Siberia, and the evil Chinese Minister Without Portfolio Zhang Han San gazes northward with lust. The laid-off elite of the Soviet Army figure in the brewing troubles, as do the new generation of Tiananmen Square dissidents, Zhang's wily, Danielle Steel-addicted executive secretary Lian Ming, and Chester Nomuri, a hip, Internet-porn-addicted CIA agent posing in China as a Japanese computer salesman. He e-mails his CIA boss, Mary Pat "the Cowgirl" Foley, that he intends to seduce Ming with Dream Angels perfume and scarlet Victoria's Secret lingerie ordered from the catalog--strictly for God and country, of course. Soon Ming is calling him "Master Sausage" instead of "Comrade," but can anybody master Ming? The plot is over the top, with devastating subplots erupting all over the globe and lurid characters scaring the wits out of each other every few pages, but Clancy finds time to insert hard-boiled little lessons on the vileness of Communism, the infuriating intrusions of the press on presidential power, the sexual perversions of Mao, the poor quality of Russian pistol silencers ("garbage, cans loaded with steel wool that self-destructed after less than ten shots"), the folly of cutting a man's throat with a knife ("they flop around and make noise when you do that"), and similar topics. Naturally, the book bristles like a battlefield with intriguingly intricate military hardware. When you've got a Tom Clancy novel in hand, who needs action movies? --Tim Appelo --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly "Klingons" is how hero Jack Ryan describes the villainsDthe Communist Chinese PolitburoDof Clancy's mammoth new novel; other Yanks refer to Chinese soldiers as "Joe Chinaman." It's not for subtlety of characterization, then, that this behemoth proves so relentlessly engrossing. Nor is it for any modulation in the arc of its action, which moves insistently from standstill to hurtle. Nor is it for the author's (expressed) understanding of life's viscissitudes; in this Clancyverse, no white hat with a name dies, but every black hat gets whupped bad. Partly it's for the sheer bulkDif ever a book should come equipped with wheels, it's this oneDwhich plunges readers into a sea of words so vast that, after hours of paddling happily through brisk prose, the horizon remains hidden from sight. Mostly, though, it's because that sea glitters with undeniable authority. Clancy has demonstrated in earlier books (Rainbow Six, etc.) that he towers above other novelists in his ability to deliver geo-political, techo-military goods on a global scaleDand here he's a

A Bend in the Road [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Sparks, Nicholas Ganser, L. J. (Reader) ISBN: 1-58621-178-1

Audio Cassette Hachette Audio

From Publishers Weekly Sweet, accessible, uplifting and predictable, the latest love story from Sparks (The Notebook) leaves the reader with just one burning question: Why is this consummate beach book being published in the fall? The nearly thwarted but eventually triumphant romance of deputy sheriff Miles Ryan and second-grade teacher Sarah Andrews goes down as easily as marshmallow fluff and offers about as much real nourishment. Miles's high school sweetheart, Missy, was killed in an unsolved hit and run accident, leaving him to raise their son, Jonah, in New Bern, N.C. Sarah's politically ambitious husband, Michael, dumped her when her ovaries proved inactive, and she fled to New Bern to teach, and love, other people's kids. Miles and Sarah meet at a parent-teacher conference, and the sparks fly. But there's a fly in the ointment as well; an italicized voice threaded among the happy chapters alerts us that Missy's death was caused by someone whose identity, if revealed, could destroy Miles and Sarah's newfound joy. In Sparks's heaven, clouds exist to make silver linings look the brighter. As tough truth shadows their landscape, Miles and Sarah find depths within themselves, and their rekindled light illumines all. New Bern becomes a city of the reborn. Charlie Curtis, Miles's stickler boss, learns to bend; Missy's aimless killer morphs into a healer; and Jonah once again knows a mother's love. The opposite of edgy, with simple sentences and soft-pedaled sex, Sparks's plain vanilla morality will doubtless sell like ice cream on a steamy day. (Sept.)Forecast: Major television and print advertising and an 18-city author tour will broadcast Sparks's latest from the rooftops; expect instant bestsellerdom. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal A man loses his wife, lives in a haze, and then finds healing new love until the secrets start popping. nonfiction Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Berserker's Planet: Library Edition [UNABRIDGED] Author: Saberhagen, Fred James, Lloyd (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7861-9577-0

Audio CD Blackstone Audiobooks

When a group of decadent Earth people set out for Hunter's World, they hope to find some sort of dangerous entertainment that will break the boredom of their spoiled lives. They hear that there is a special tournament being held in the honor of the war god Thorun, a tournament where 64 of the planet's greatest warriors will fight to the death, until one man stands supreme. However, there's an evil lurking on Hunter's World, and the jaded young Earthlings are walking into more excitement then they could have imagined!

Bitterroot [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Burke, James Lee Patton, Will (Reader) ISBN: 0-7435-5519-8

Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio

Product Description JAMES LEE BURKE'S BLOCKBUSTER BESTSELLER AT A NEW LOW PRICE! BITTERROOT Read by Will Patton Billy Bob Holland's friend, Doc Voss, has been battling against a local mining company whose operations would severely threaten the area's economy. Despite Voss's best efforts, the mining interests make it clear that they will resort to any means to see that Voss backs off. What Billy Bob doesn't know is that one member of the pro-mining faction is Wyatt Dixon, a recent prison parolee intent on exacting revenge for his imprisonment and his sister's death, both events he believes were Billy Bob's doing. His apparent support of the mining company is merely a clever cover for his plan to silence Billy Bob for good. About the Author James Lee Burke, a rare winner of two Edgar Awards, is the author of twenty-three previous novels, including such New York Times bestsellers as Bitterroot, Purple Cane Road, Cimarron Rose, Jolie Blon's Bounce, and Dixie City Jam. He lives in Missoula, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Will Patton's numerous film credits include Remember the Titans, The Punisher, The Mothman Prophesies, Armageddon, and The Spitfire Grill. He starred in the TNT miniseries Into the West and on the CBS series The Agency, and won Obie Awards in the theater for his performances in Fool for Love and What Did He See.

Black Author: Whitcomb, Christopher Ganser, LJ (Narrator) ISBN: B0002P0FC6

Audible Audio Edition Recorded Books

Editorial Reviews Product Description For those chosen to fight terrorism at its source, secrecy is the only imperative, a rule Special Agent Jeremy Waller is about to find out the hard way. Selected for the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team, Agent Waller gives up a life he thought he understood to dive headlong into a violent world of trapdoor truths and shifting alliances where the greatest threat may be his own sense of right and wrong. He is not alone. Sirad Malneaux, a beautiful executive at one of the world's top telecommunications companies, turns out to be more adept at murder than marketing. Her true role as a CIA Nonofficial Cover operative will turn a simple assignment into a secret Waller can never divulge. Jordan Mitchell, CEO of Borders Atlantic and one of the world's richest men, threatens to trade national security for market share by selling a new encryption technology to the Saudis. His shameless love of money is surpassed by just one other passion, a passion only Jeremy is capable of discovering. Senator Elizabeth Beechum, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and front-running presidential candidate, vows to stop Mitchell at any cost. Unfortunately, even her security clearances and insider status cannot protect her from being charged with an unspeakable crime. Racing from the FBI's secret training rooms to Arabian deserts, from the halls of Congress to the back rooms of Wall Street, and told with a voice only an insider like Christopher Whitcomb could summon, Black lifts the curtain on a world of secret operations, corporate manipulation, and classified technology. It is a world where everything you thought you knew about justice comes to an end, a world where Agent Waller discovers that sometimes the only way to get out of the darkness is to head even deeper into the shadows. ©2004 Christopher Whitcomb; (P)2004 Recorded Books

Bleachers [UNABRIDGED] Author: GRISHAM, JOHN ISBN: 0-7393-1016-X

Audio CD Random House Audio

Amazon.com With Bleachers John Grisham departs again from the legal thriller to experiment with a character-driven tale of reunion, broken high school dreams, and missed chances. While the book falls short of the compelling storytelling that has made Grisham a bestselling author, it is nonetheless a diverting novella that succeeds as light fiction. The story centers on the impending death of the Messina Spartans' football coach Eddie Rake. One of the most victorious coaches in high school football history, Rake is a man both loved and feared by his players and by a town that relishes his 13 state titles. The hero of the novel is Neely Crenshaw, a former Rake All-American whose NFL prospects ended abruptly after a cheap shot to the knees. Neely has returned home for the first time in years to join a nightly vigil for Rake at the Messina stadium. Having wandered through life with little focus since his college days, he struggles to reconcile his conflicted feelings towards his former coach, and he assays to rekindle love in the ex-girlfriend he abandoned long ago. For Messina and for Neely, the homecoming offers the prospect of building a life after Rake. Physically a narrow book, Bleachers is a modest fiction in many respects. The emotional scope is akin to that of a short story, with a single-minded focus on explorations of nostalgia and regret. The dialogue, especially that of Neely's friend Paul Curry, is sometimes wooden as characters recall Messina history in paragraphs that were perhaps better left to the narrator. But Grisham has otherwise written a well-made, entertaining--if a bit sentimental--story. --Patrick O'Kelley--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Grisham demonstrated he could produce bestsellers without legal aid with The Painted House and Skipping Christmas, and he'll undoubtedly do so again with this slight but likable novel of high school football, a legendary coach and the perils of too early fame. Fifteen years after graduation, Neely Crenshaw, one-time star quarterback of the Messina Spartans, returns home on hearing news of the impending death of tough-as-nails coach Eddie Rake. Neely knows the score: "When you're famous at eighteen, you spend the rest of your life fading away." It's a lesson he's learned the hard way after destroying his knee playing college ball and drifting through life in an ever-downward spiral. He and his former teammates sit in the bleachers at the high school stadium waiting for Rake to die, drinking beer and reminiscing. There is a mystery involving the legendary '87 championship, and Neely has unfinished business with an old high school sweetheart, but neither story line comes to much. Readers will guess the solution to the mystery, as does the town police chief when it's divulged to him (" `We sorta figured it out,' said Mal") and Neely's former girlfriend doesn't want to have anything to do with his protestations of love ("You'll get over it. Takes about ten years"). The stirring funeral scene may elicit a few tears, but Neely's eulogy falls curiously flat. After living through four hard days in Messina, the lessons Neely learns are unremarkable ("Those days are gone now"). Many readers will come away having enjoyed the time spent, but wishing there had been a more sympathetic lead character, more originality, more pages, more story and more depth. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Blood Is the Sky Author: Hamilton, Steve Bond, Jim (Reader) ISBN: 1-59086-993-1

Audio Cassette Brilliance Audio Unabridged

Amazon.com One of the most promising secondary figures in Steve Hamilton's series about reluctant northern Michigan PI Alex McKnight has always been his teetotaling Ojibwa Indian pal, Vinnie LeBlanc. But Vinnie remained mostly to himself through the first four McKnight adventures. Blood Is the Sky finally lets him loose, and it's both a pleasure and painful to see what results. Vinnie's younger, ex-con brother, Tom, has disappeared. In violation of his parole, Tom had guided a small contingent of moose hunters into the pacific forests of Ontario, but none of them had returned home on schedule. To assuage Vinnie's worries, McKnight agrees to drive with him into Canada and look for the men. No luck; the owners of a money-losing lakeside lodge where those sportsmen had stayed say they departed days ago. So where did they go? Who were the two other, unidentified guys who came looking for them in advance of McKnight and his friend? And why was the hunters' vehicle abandoned, with their wallets inside, near an Indian reservation? Looking for answers, the detective and Vinnie set off into the woods, where hungry bears are by no means the most dangerous creatures they'll have to face. Despite its Deliverance-like moments, and an explosively violent conclusion that's not sufficiently foreshadowed, Blood Is the Sky is really a gracefully composed study of character, as focused on Vinnie's strengths and failings as Hamilton's previous novel, North of Nowhere, was on the backstory of another series regular, bar owner Jackie Connery. Yet McKnight shines here, too, his self-effacing humor keeping readers amused, when they aren't amazed--again--by the lengths to which this supposedly lonerish sleuth will go to help a friend in trouble. --J. Kingston Pierce --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Edgar winner Hamilton's engrossing novel of revenge, the fifth in his Alex McKnight series (after 2002's North of Nowhere), alternates between well-paced action fraught with danger and Alex's slow, meticulous inquiries. A former Detroit cop sidelined by a bullet, Alex is living quietly in Michigan's remote Upper Peninsula when he agrees to help an Ojibway friend, Vinnie Red Sky LeBlanc. Vinnie's searching for his black sheep brother, Tom, who hasn't returned from a job guiding a hunting party of wealthy Detroit men in the Canadian wilderness. The staff of an isolated lodge on an island-dotted lake arouses Alex and Vinnie's suspicions with their unsatisfactory explanations about the hunting party's trip. Then the anxious wives report their husbands are missing to the Ontario Provincial Police, leading Alex and Vinnie deeper into an investigation that eventually points to a crime in Detroit in 1985. The fate of Tom's hunting party becomes apparent early on, as the reader gets drawn into a complex series of inexplicable, and highly improbable, coincidences. Nonetheless, Hamilton develops his plot carefully. A fine writer, he excels at describing the lonely locale as well as depicting such memorable characters as tough-minded cop Natalie Reynaud and Maskwa, a 70-year-old Cree still flying his clapped-out plane around the Canadian skies. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Blood Orchid (Holly Barker) Author: Woods, Stuart Hill, Susie Breck and Dick (Reader) ISBN: 1-59086-066-7

Audio Cassette Brilliance Audio Unabridged

From Publishers Weekly In Woods's 24th novel-his third in the Holly Barker series (after Orchid Blues)-the prolific bestselling novelist revisits savvy, sexy ex-MP officer (and her dog, Daisy), now police chief of the small Florida east coast town of Orchid Beach. As the fast-paced but fluffy and rather predictable thriller begins, two out of three Miami bidders for a glitzy, gated residential complex with golf course are shot and killed. The third bidder, orchid fancier Ed Shine, a former New York real estate mogul and new resident of Orchid Beach, narrowly escapes the same fate. Shine renames his newly acquired property Blood Orchid, after an exotic hybrid blossom he has developed-a name that seems gruesomely prophetic when it turns out that the Miami mob may be involved with the property. Meanwhile, Barker, investigating the case and trying to discover who is bugging her beach house, spots the intruder's van from the plane of her flying instructor, Ginny (who is also her dad Ham's new bedmate). The two women make an emergency landing on the beach and scare the perp away, but his body is soon found floating in the Indian River. The trail leads to a shifty Cuban locksmith in Fort Lauderdale and the late intruder's fiance‚. Enter a Miami restaurateur with mob ties, and corpses pile up as the plot thickens. Woods writes strong action scenes, but his usual flair for tight, creative plotting is sadly missed here. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Forget Sneaky Pie and Koko here's a detective who gets help from her Doberman, Daisy. In her third outing, Chief of Police Holly Barker battles a nasty real estate scam even as she recovers from the loss of her fianc . Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The Blue Zone CD [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Gross, Andrew Kadushin, Ilyana ISBN: 0-06-125658-7

Audio CD HarperAudio

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Having coauthored five bestsellers with James Patterson (Lifeguard, etc.), Gross makes a solo debut superior to his collaborative efforts, if short of the first thriller rank. His engaging heroine, Kate Raab, a medical researcher in the Bronx, is shocked when the Feds arrest her beloved gold trader father, Benjamin, and charge him with laundering money for a Colombian drug cartel. A hit team's attempt to kill the entire Raab family prompts all of them, except Kate, to start their lives anew in the witness protection program. Kate's choice, predictably, places her in continuing danger, even as she begins to suspect that her father's involvement with the narco traffickers was more deliberate and extensive than he's willing to admit. The secret revelations at the heart of the plot may strike some as a little far-fetched, and the details about the witness protection program fail to convince, but Gross shows sufficient talent for readers to want to see more from his pen alone. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Review "Gross makes a solo debut superior to his collaborative efforts...[He] shows sufficient talent for readers to want to see more from his pen alone." -- -- Publishers Weekly "Gross offers much that will please: an intriguing premise, shocking twists, a gripping plot, and a sympathetic female lead who faces heartrending dilemmas as she grapples with the truth. Highly recommended." -- -- Library Journal "Real fear, real thrills, real suspense ... real good." -- -- Lee Child, author of The Hard Way "THE BLUE ZONE is a tense and chilling thriller with a whole lot of heart." -- -- James Patterson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Body Double [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Gerritsen, Tess Heche, Anne ISBN: 0-7393-3345-3

Audio CD Random House Audio

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Pregnant women play key roles in this bone-chilling fourth novel in Gerritsen's edgy, suspenseful series of thrillers featuring Boston Medical Examiner Maura Isles and Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli. Both of the usually gritty crime fighters are uncharacteristically vulnerable. Rizzoli is carrying her first child, and Isles--divorced and alone at age 40 and suddenly, unsettlingly aware of her biological clock--is experiencing decidedly unspiritual feelings for her priest. As the novel begins, Isles--an adopted child who never knew the identity of her birth parents--is confronted by the corpse of a murdered woman who is apparently her identical twin. Another detective, Rick Ballard, comes forward to say that he knew the victim and is certain her killer is a powerful pharmaceutical baron known to have stalked her. Isles falls for the handsome Ballard, but she isn't convinced by his theory, and she launches an investigation into her sister's past, following the trail to a state correctional facility and a schizophrenic inmate who may be her mother. This opens the cobwebbed pages of a nightmarish family album and leads Isles to a remote cabin in Maine where the long-dead body of a pregnant woman is discovered buried in the woods. The killer, Isles discovers, has been murdering pregnant women for decades, making periodic sweeps of the country. Meanwhile, brief scenes chronicle the diabolical kidnapping of an affluent pregnant housewife who is kept buried in a crude coffin. An electric series of startling twists, the revelation of ghoulishly practical motives and a nail-biting finale make this Gerritsen's best to date. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Booklist Last seen in The Sinner (2003), medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles has just returned from a trip to France to encounter a grisly discovery. A woman has been found shot to death in front of her home, and the woman is a dead ringer for Maura. The woman, whose name is Anna Leoni, turns out to be Maura's twin; both were given up for adoption 40 years ago. The mystery deepens when Officer Rick Ballard shows up and tells Maura and Detective Jane Rizzoli that Anna was on the run from an abusive boyfriend and under police protection. But that still doesn't answer the question of what led Anna to Maura's door, and that question leads Maura to trace her sister's steps to an old house in Maine. Things get even more perplexing when decades-old human bones are found nearby. The human remains lead Maura to her birth mother, Amalthea Lank, who is now in jail for the brutal murder of two women. Maura is unsure whether and how her mother is connected to Anna's death, and she's confused by her growing feelings for Rick, who may have been in love with her sister. Gerritsen's latest taut thriller is sure to appeal to fans who have followed Rizzoli and Isle's previous adventures. Kristine Huntley Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Bones of the Dragon Author: Weis, Margaret Hickman, Tracy ISBN: 0-7653-1973-X

Audio Book Tor Books

Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly In this barely disguised Viking pastiche, the dragonships have real dragons and the gods fight side by side with their heroes. Named Chief of Chiefs of the sea-raiding Vindrasi, Skylan Ivorson discovers that his victory over the last chief came through another's treachery, his betrothed is in love with his best friend and his gods may be dead. Impetuously, he plunges ahead on a quest to recover the sacred Vektan Torque, but betrayal leaves the voyagers in chains. Despite some clumsy alterations to Norse myth and history, Weis and Hickman (Dragons of the Highlord Skies) have created a believably human story out of their mix of saga and sorcery, and the problems of ruling after the glee of seizing the crown make Skylan a more honest and sympathetic hero than the typical, overly successful fantasy protagonist. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review "The authors of the Dragonlance series again demonstrate their talent for vivid world-crafting and strong characterization in a novel that will appeal to fans of epic fantasy."--Library Journal on Forging the Dark Sword, from the Darksword series "Another smash hit."--Kirkus on The Hand of Chaos, from the Death Gate Cycle "Bestselling authors Weis and Hickman have made another admirable addition to the history, lore, and ways of Krynn."--Publishers Weekly on Dragons of a Vanished Moon, from the Dragonlance Saga

Boogers Are My Beat : More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism from Dave Barry [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Barry, Dave Hill, Dick (Narrator) ISBN: 1-59086-932-X

Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged

From Publishers Weekly Oftentimes, the best way to experience a work of humor is to hear it delivered by the author himself, but regrettably, Barry does not lend his voice to this production. Instead, Hill reads this collection of columns--covering everything from the 2000 presidential election to the trials of fatherhood and ice fishing--in a halting manner, his cadence as uneven as a dirt road in North Dakota (a state which Barry good-naturedly makes fun of and which retaliated by naming a sewage pumping facility after him). Although Hill's voice is pleasant enough, his tendency to overemphasize unimportant words and de-emphasize others to the point where they're almost inaudible detracts rather than adds to the humor in these pieces. Indeed, the best segment of this audio book is the last and least humorous, when Hill adopts a straight face and a smoother rhythm to read Barry's moving essays on life after 9/11 and what it means to be a hero. Listeners will be left wishing Hill had employed this reading style throughout instead of trying to add drama and humor to these already amusing pieces. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile Dave Barry is funny, but Dick Hill's reading is overly enthusiastic. Hill reads clearly in a resonant voice, but often too loudly and with overdone expression. It isn't hard to miss a Dave Barry joke, so some of the humor wears thin as Hill rattles off the lines in a staccato fashion. Most of the humor is recursive, that is, returning to the same topics over and over again. While Barry's material may be difficult to imbue with a sense of surprise or tension, Hill's reading is too obvious. R.F. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Book 01 Pacific Vortex [UNABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive Prichard, Michael (Narrator) ISBN: 5550175401

Audio CD MP3 Books on Tape

Review For Raise the Titanic!: 'A great adventure thriller which spins from one dizzying climax to another ... Riveting ... simply super and very cleverly done' Publishers Weekly ** --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description Undersea adventurer Dirk Pitt faces the toughest challenge of his life when he plunges into a deadly sea zone to rescue the gigantic Starbuck, America's nuclear arsenal, while battling deep-sea assassins. Reissue. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Book 01 The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Author: Tolkien, J.R.R. Inglis, Rob (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7887-8981-3

Audio CD MP3 Recorded Books

From Library Journal New Line Cinema will be releasing "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in three separate installments, and Houghton Mifflin Tolkien's U.S. publisher since the release of The Hobbit in 1938 will be re-releasing each volume of the trilogy separately and in a boxed set (ISBN 0-618-15397-7. $22; pap. ISBN 0-618-15396-9. $12). Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review 'An extraordinary book. It deals with a stupendous theme. It leads us through a succession of strange and astonishing episodes, some of them magnificent, in a region where everything is invented, forest, moor, river, wilderness, town and the races which inhabit them.' The Observer 'Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.' Sunday Telegraph --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book 01 - One for the Money Author: Evanovich, Janet ISBN: 0-7435-5208-3

Audio CD Simon & Schuster

Amazon.com Stephanie Plum is so smart, so honest, and so funny that her narrative charm could drive a documentary on termites. But this tough gal from New Jersey, an unemployed discount lingerie buyer, has a much more interesting story to tell: She has to say that her Miata has been repossessed and that she's so poor at the moment that she just drank her last bottle of beer for breakfast. She has to say that her only chance out of her present rut is her repugnant cousin Vinnie and his bail-bond business. She has to say that she blackmailed Vinnie into giving her a bail-bond recovery job worth $10,000 (for a murder suspect), even though she doesn't own a gun and has never apprehended a person in her life. And she has to say that the guy she has to get, Joe Morelli, is the same creep who charmed away her teenage virginity behind the pastry case in the Trenton bakery where she worked after school. If that hard-luck story doesn't sound compelling enough, Stephanie's several unsuccessful attempts at pulling in Joe make a downright hilarious and suspenseful tale of murder and deceit. Along the way, several more outlandish (but unrelentingly real) characters join the story, including Benito Ramirez, a champion boxer who seems to be following Stephanie Plum wherever she goes. Janet Evanovich shares an authentic feel for the streets of Trenton in her debut mystery (she developed her talents in a string of romance novels before creating Ms. Plum), and her tough, frank, and funny first-person narrator offers a winning mix of vulgarity and sensitivity. Evanovich is certainly among the best of the new voices to emerge in the mystery field of the 1990s. --Patrick O'Kelley --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly First novels this funny and self-assured come along rarely; dialogue this astute and raunchy is equally unusual. The gutsy heroine introduced here is Stephanie Plum of Trenton, N.J., a recently laid-off lingerie buyer who has no job, no car and no furniture. She does have a hamster, a deranged grandmother, two caring parents and several pairs of biking shorts and sports bras. Finding work with her cousin Vinnie, she becomes a bond hunter and scrounges money enough to buy a gun, a Chevy Nova and some Mace. Her first assignment is to locate a cop accused of murder. Joe Morelli grew up in Stephanie's neighborhood. Possessed of legendary charm, he relieved Stephanie of her virginity when she was 16 (she later ran over him with a car). In her search, Stephanie catches her prey, loses him and grills a psychotic prizefighter, the employer of the man Morelli shot. She steals Morelli's car and then installs an alarm so he can't steal it back. Resourceful and tough, Stephanie has less difficulty finding her man than deciding what she wants to do with him once she's got him. While the link between the fighter and the cop isn't clear until too late in the plot, Evanovich's debut is a delightful romp and Stephanie flaunts a rough-edged appeal. Mystery Guild alternate; author tour; film rights optioned to Tri-Star. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Book 02 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Author: Tolkien, J.R.R. ISBN: 0-7579-1205-2

Audio CD MP3

Product Description Featuring the music of Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore, this new Two Towers folio includes eight pages of magnificent full-color photos from the motion picture and P/V/C arrangements of the soaring soundtrack -- all printed on high-quality antique paperstock. The titles are: The Riders of Rohan * Evenstar * Breath of Life * Forth Eorlingas * Isengard Unleashed * Gollum's Song.

Book 02 The Mediterranean Caper Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-425-19739-5

Audio CD Berkley

Review "Nobody does it better than Clive Cussler." Product Description Dirk Pitt rides a tidal wave of intrigue in this classic Cussler. On an isolated Greek island, a World War I fighter plane attacks a modern U.S. Air Force base--a mysterious saboteur preys on an American scientific expedition--and Dirk Pitt plays a deadly game of hunter and hunted with the elusive head of an international smuggling ring.

Book 02 - Two for the Dough Author: Evanovich, Janet ISBN: 0-7435-5209-1

Audio Simon & Schuster

From Publishers Weekly Sassy, brassy Stephanie Plum, the bounty hunter from Trenton, N.J., introduced to acclaim in last year's One for the Money, returns to track a bond jumper through her blue-collar neighborhood known as the "burg." A local funeral home, a slimy undertaker and mutilated corpses figure large in the search for Kenny Mancuso, who, having shot an old high-school friend in the knee, posted bail with Stephanie's boss, her cousin, and then disappeared. When the old friend is shot again, fatally, Stephanie reluctantly joins forces with her sexy enemy and love interest, Trenton homicide cop Joe Morelli. While looking for Kenny, Stephanie also searches for 24 caskets stolen from Spiro Stiva, heir apparent of Stiva's Mortuary and also a high-school buddy of Kenny's. As body parts, cut from "clients" on view at Stiva's, are used to warn people off the case, Stephanie and Morelli spar in a lively if expected fashion and Stephanie's feisty gun-toting Grandma Mazur forsakes her usual routine of talk-show TV and attending wakes to join the fight against crime. Readers will likely stay a few steps ahead of the sleuths, but the sharp repartee and Stephanie's slightly cynical but still fond relationship with her family and the burg hold a treasury of urban-style charms. $100,000 ad/promo; Mystery Guild selection; Literary Guild alternate selection; author tour. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Library Journal Evanovich's first novel, One for the Money (Macmillan, 1994), introduced Stephanie Plum, a gutsy heroine who wormed her way into a job with her bond-agent cousin Vinnie. With the aid of vice cop Joe and her Grandma Mazur, Stephanie pursues a bail jumper and knows that a vice cop wants them both. A winning adventure. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Book 03 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Author: Tolkien, J.R.R. ISBN:

Audio CD MP3

Amazon.com This five-disc set caps off the "complete recordings" series, which offers extensive versions of Howard Shore's score for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The main problem lays in its being the last installment: Most of the main characters, along with their themes, have been introduced in the previous two sets, creating a certain sense of familiarity. But there is still plenty to please fans here, and then some. Though it includes the climactic trek to Mount Doom, the overall mood is less dark than in The Two Towers. The London Philharmonic Orchestra handles the heavy lifting, with help from adult and children's choirs, and well-selected guest stars. Soprano Renée Fleming, for instance, lends a particularly eerie, otherworldly touch to disc 1's "The Grace of Undómiel," and disc 4's "Mount Doom" and "The Eagles." Meanwhile, flutist James Galway provides a quasi-spiritual counterbalance, a musical ray of hope on tracks such as disc 3's "The Mouth of Sauron." And of course, Annie Lennox's Academy Award-winning "Into the West" is here, incorporated in disc 4's "Days of the Ring." Finally, the fifth disc is a DVD-Audio that includes the score in super-duper surround sound. It may seem like overkill, but too much is never enough for LOTR fans--and besides, people buying this set are exactly the kind of people who own the type of equipment required to make disc 5 explode. Finally, the packaging includes new artwork and liner notes written by Doug Adams, an expert on the music from LOTR. --Elisabeth Vincentelli Product Description The final film in The Lord Of The Rings blockbuster trilogy features the climax of the epic journey that brought Tolkien's world before our very eyes. The Complete Recordings series featuring the soundtrack albums have been hits and award winners. Now with The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King featuring "Into The West" by Annie Lennox, this album from the series' composer Howard Shore is sure to score with movie fans. For fans of The Lord Of The Rings films, and those who purchased last year's The Fellowship Of The Ring-The Complete Recordings and The Two Towers-The Complete Recordings, this incredible package completes a now classic set of soundtracks. Lord of the Rings Photo More from The Lord of the Rings

The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring (The Complete Recordings) [BOX SET] [SOUNDTRACK]

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [SOUNDTRACK] [ENHANCED]

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (The Complete Recordings) [SOUNDTRACK] [BOX SET]

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King [ENHANCED] [SOUNDTRACK] The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [ENHANCED] [SOUNDTRACK] The Lord of the Rings 3 CD Set [BOX SET] [SOUNDTRACK] Book 03 - Three to Get Deadly Book 03 - Three to Get Deadly Author: Evanovich, Janet ISBN: 0-7435-5211-3 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Simon & Schuster Synopsis Stephanie Plum--the sexy, sassy, brassy, bounty-hunting Jersey girl--is back on the job in her third novel, and things just aren't going great. She's having a bad hair day--for the whole month of January. And she's been given the unpopular task of finding Mo Bedemier, Trenton's most popular citizen, who's gone no-show for his court appearance after being arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. Industry Reviews "I love the Plum books--Janet Evanovich has a fabulous voice and the freshest twist on romantic suspense in years." "Great plots, great humor, fabulous sexual tension, and unforgettable characters. No one beats Janet Evanovich!" "Stephanie Plum is destined to join ranks with Kinsey Millhone and Carlotta Carlyle. Janet Evanovich has crafted a heroine for today, tough, vulnerable, resourceful, and impulsive." "Here's Stephanie Plum, a bail-bond agent from Trenton, NJ, clumping onto the PI scene in Doc Martens, with a sassy lip that would stop Philip Marlowe. Her equipment includes button-fly Levi's, a .38 and a sprightly Italian granny who loves mysteries. Stephanie crackles with '90s 'tude." Roberts "As more dealers with connections to Uncle Mo are knocked off, Stephanie becomes so rattled that she dyes her hair orange. But even this fashion blunder looks good on the adorable klutz, whose manic excesses are an indelible part of her charm." Stasio "The dialogue is snappy, the action is swift and the plot is sound. With this Plum, Evanovich has got the whole pie!" Prescott Book 03 Iceberg Book 03 Iceberg Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-425-19738-7 Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Compact Disc - Unabridged Berkley Editorial Reviews Review New York Daily News "Get-to-the-next-page excitement... Dirk Pitt is a combination James Bond and Jacques Cousteau...." -- Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description Frozen inside a million-ton mass of ice--the charred remains of a long-missing luxury yacht, vanished en route to a secret White House rendezvous. The only clue to the ship's priceless--and missing--cargo: nine ornately carved rings and the horribly burned bodies of its crew. Book 04 Four to Score Book 04 Four to Score Author: Evanovich, Janet Critt, C. J. (Reader) ISBN: 1-59397-749-2 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Macmillan Audio Amazon.com Review Stephanie Plum, the trash-talking New Jersey bail bondswoman of this popular series, is tracking Maxine Nowicki, who's wanted for skipping out on a car-theft charge lodged by her ex-boyfriend. Now the ex-boyfriend's very interested in getting back the love letters he supposedly wrote to Maxine. But what he's really looking for is the secret on which Evanovich hangs her screwball cast of colorful minor characters, including Sally Sweet, a cross-dressing drag queen; Lula, the 250-pound ex-hooker who works for Steph's boss; Cousin Vinnie, the bail bondsman; Grandma Mazur, who packs a Glock and is always looking for a little action; and Joyce, a wannabe bounty hunter who's been cramping Steph's style since she played pass the salami with Steph's ex-husband. The action doesn't get much farther from Trenton than the Jersey Shore, but when Steph's apartment and car are blown up by the others on Maxine's trail and she moves in with Joe Morelli, the handsome, arrogant cop she's been hung up on since high school, it gets hotter than the craps table in Atlantic City. Plum's fans won't be disappointed in this fourth outing in the series, and they're likely to be even more interested in the snappy patter and sexy shenanigans than in the mystery that holds it all together. --Jane Adams --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Half-Hungarian, half-Italian and all-Jersey, Trenton's best-known bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, is a raucous delight in this fast-paced sequel to Three to Get Deadly (1997). There's no such thing as a simple assignment for Stephanie. When Maxine Nowicki, charged with stealing her boyfriend's car, skips her court appearance, she's fair game to be hauled in?no big challenge, thinks Stephanie. Wrong. Before the case is over, Stephanie will invade an Atlantic City casino with her intrepid allies: sneaker-shod Grandma Mazur; her colleague Lula, "a two-hundred pound black woman with blond baloney curls all dressed up like Cher on a bad day"; and Sally, a seven-foot transvestite rock singer. Although Stephanie is the bounty hunter, she's the only one of the quartet who isn't armed. She also loses another car and her apartment, moves in with handsome cop and longtime love interest, Joe Morelli (causing a stir in his family and hers), has several memorable run-ins with arch rival Joyce Barnhardt, discovers a corpse and, finally, catches her quarry. With her brash exterior and high emotionality, Stephanie Plum is a welcome antidote to suave professional PIs. The supporting cast members, eccentric and recognizable, are as entertaining as those devised by Westlake and Leonard. Major ad/promo; author tour. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 04 Raise the Titanic! Book 04 Raise the Titanic! Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-425-19452-3 Category: Military User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Compact Disc - Unabridged Berkley Editorial Reviews Review Ingeniously crafted...a ripping good story. -- Minneapolis Tribune Product Description The President's secret task force has developed an unprecedented defensive weapon that relies on an extremely rare radioactive element--and Dirk Pitt has followed a twisted trail to a secret cache of the substance. Now, racing against brutal storms, Soviet spies, and a ticking clock, Pitt begins his most thrilling mission--to raise from its watery grave the shipwreck of the century... Book 05 Grave Secrets Book 05 Grave Secrets Author: Reichs, Kathy Borowitz, Katherine ISBN: 0-7435-2627-9 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Simon & Schuster Audio ABOUT THE BOOK Grave Secrets FROM OUR EDITORS Twenty years ago, soldiers stalked into a Guatemalan highlands village and executed everyone in sight, including women and children. Now, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan must dig into the shallow, hastily dug graves to search for unidentified victims. But while investigating this old massacre, Tempe begins to uncover evidence of a new one. What happened, she wonders, to the four missing girls of Guatemala City and who was the woman on the phone, screaming until her last breath? Another realistic and thoroughly chilling Kathy Reichs novel. FROM THE PUBLISHER "It was a summer morning in 1982 when soldiers ravaged the village of Chupan Ya, raping and killing women and children. Twenty-three victims are said to lie in the well where, twenty years later, Dr. Temperance Brennan and a team from the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation now dig. No records were kept. To their families, the dead are "the disappeared."" "Forensic anthropologist for the medical examiners in North Carolina and Montreal, Tempe is in Guatemala for a month's service to help some families identify and bury their dead. She digs in a cold, damp pit where she finds a hair clip, a fragment of cloth, a tiny sneaker. Her trowel touches something hard: the hip of a child no more than two years old." "It's heartbreaking work. Something savage happened here twenty years ago. The violence continues today. The team is packing up for the day when an urgent satellite call comes in. Two colleagues are under attack. Shots ring out, and Tempe listens in horror to a woman's screams. Then there is silence. Dead silence." Tempe soon finds herself in a dangerous web that stretches far beyond Guatemala's borders. The stakes are huge. As power, money, greed, and science converge, Tempe must make life-altering choices. SYNOPSIS Summer, 1982: Soldiers enter a Guatemalan village and massacre its women and children. Today, families refer to their lost members as the disappeared. Enter Temperance Brennan, about to confront the most heartbreaking case of her career. Out of shadow graves fading clues emerge. Something savage happened in the highlands two decades ago. Is it happening again? Four girls are missing and a human rights investigator is murdered as Tempe listens to her screams on the phone. Will Tempe be the next victim? Weaving cutting-edge science into a chillingly realistic tale of suspense, Grave Secrets is Kathy Reichs' most accomplished novel yet. FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly Fans of the Temperance Brennan series will be pleased by forensic anthropologist Reichs's latest installment (after Fatal Voyage; Deadly Decisions; etc.). Grave Secrets finds Tempe plying her pathology trade in Guatemala, investigating a massacre site as a favor to a Guatemalan anthropology association. However, when her team is ambushed by gunmen, Tempe finds herself ensnared in a mesh of corruption and murder stretching from Guatemala City to Montreal, involving DAs, military thugs and kinky diplomats. Tempe finds herself drawn and trapped between the two cops investigating: her longtime Canadian suitor, Lt. Andrew Ryan, and her would-be Latin lover, agente Bartolom Galiano. That the two men know each other and are friends doesn't help the situation. When a nosy reporter looking into the massacre is gunned down before Tempe's eyes, she realizes she herself is the next likely target. As has been said before, Reichs has much in common with Patricia Cornwell, though her language is more stripped down and there is less melodrama between autopsies. Devotees of medical procedurals will appreciate the detailed descriptions of bone formation and the mechanics of bodily decomposition within a septic tank; others may not. But the author keeps the twists coming, and by the novel's climax, she has skillfully interwoven her many subplots and red herrings into a satisfying puddle of sex, sleaze, greed and gore. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. Library Journal Forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan volunteers to help Book 05 - High Five Book 05 - High Five Author: Evanovich, Janet Mazar, Debi (Narrator) ISBN: 1-55927-545-6 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Audio Renaissance Amazon.com "Uncle Fred was someone I saw at weddings and funerals and once in a while at Giovichinni's Meat Market, ordering a quarter pound of olive loaf. Eddie Such, the butcher, would have the olive loaf on the scale and Uncle Fred would say, 'You've got the olive loaf on a piece of waxed paper. How much does that piece of waxed paper weigh? You're not gonna charge me for that waxed paper, are you? I want some money off for the waxed paper.'" The speaker is Stephanie Plum, the glamorous if slightly ditzy bounty hunter from Trenton, New Jersey, and one of the most original creations in recent mystery fiction. In this fifth entry in Janet Evanovich's increasingly popular series, Stephanie's problems are many and varied. She's not making enough money picking up FTAs (Failures to Appear) for her cousin Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds; her red-hot love affair with Detective Joe Morelli has cooled off; and her giant extended family is no help at all. For instance, Uncle Fred the cheapskate has disappeared, leaving behind some suspicious photographs of body parts in garbage bags and links to some really dangerous people. When Stephanie turns to her friend and mentor, Ranger, for financial advice, he gets her involved in a gang of toughs doing instant evictions for landlords. (She complains to Ranger about the job and its dangers, prompting one of the hired thug to say, "Man, you don't like to get shot. You don't like to get arrested. You don't know how to have fun at all.") Most of Stephanie's charm, of course, comes from her attitude--a combination of the brazen bravado that turns a failed lingerie model into a bounty hunter in the first place and the normal fears of a person in over her head. Other Plums in paperback, by the numbers: One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, and Four to Score. --Dick Adler--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Actress Mazar (Goodfellas) has just the right sassy streetwise accent to fit the first-person voice of Evanovich's hero, Stephanie Plum. Mazar sounds poised yet real in her role as the New Jersey-based bounty hunter (the fifth adventure in the series and the second reading for Mazar). She gamely throws herself into the dramatic "bits" along the way, playing out the dialogue scenes with relish. Plum is a tough character, coolly navigating her way through the male-dominated terrain of North Jersey's criminal element. But she's also fragile on the inside, sensitive and haunted by the violence and chaos in her life. Her boss, her cousin Vinnie, runs a business that naturally attracts lowlifes prone to nasty crimes: a man blows himself up with a bomb, a homicidal boxer is on the rampage. Meantime, the love of Plum's life, Morelli, a rakish Trenton vice cop, treats her badly. But her luck isn't all bad, as when she is given a Porsche (she rationalizes, "When you had a car like this, you didn't mind so much that your boyfriend was boinking a skank"). On tape, Plum's attitude holds more sway than the plot, as she sails from case to case with a blistering irreverence that's sure to keep listeners charmed. Based on the 1999 St. Martin's hardcover. (July) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. Book 05 Vixen 03 Book 05 Vixen 03 Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-553-27390-6 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Compact Disc Bantam Editorial Reviews Review For Raise the Titanic!: 'A great adventure thriller which spins from one dizzying climax to another ... Riveting ... simply super and very cleverly done' Publishers Weekly ** --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description 1954. Vixen 03 is down. The  plane, bound for the Pacific carrying thirty-six  Doomsday bombs -- canisters armed with quick-death  germs of unbelievable potency -- vanishes. Vixen has  in fact crashed into an ice-covered lake in  Colorado. 1988. Dirk Pitt, who heroically raised  the Titanic, discovers the wreckage of  Vixen 03. But two deadly canisters  are missing. They're in the hands of a terrorist  group. Their lethal mission: to sail a battleship  seventy-five miles up the Potomac and blast  Washington, D.C., to kingdom come. Only Dirk can stop  them. Book 06 Bare Bones : [ABRIDGED] Book 06 Bare Bones : [ABRIDGED] Author: Reichs, Kathy Pawk, Michele (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7435-2981-2 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio Amazon.com "As I was packaging what remained of the dead baby, the man I would kill was burning pavement north toward Charlotte." With this opening sentence, Kathy Reichs serves notice that her heroine, Temperance Brennan, is in for one of her scariest, most gruesome adventures yet. As fans of this popular series already know, Tempe is a forensic anthropologist: an expert in the human form (especially bones) who helps solve crimes. The abovementioned infant is only the first in a series of grisly remains, both human and animal, that Tempe must sort through and decode. Meanwhile, as several seemingly unrelated cases begin to intertwine, her sleuthing puts her in the crosshairs of a very nasty stalker who hides behind an e-mail alias. Reichs knows how to keep the narrative ball rolling with a canny mix of plot developments, character delineation, and scientific detail, all relayed in Tempe's smart, breezy, sarcastic voice. In fact, Bare Bones has a few too many characters and plot lines for Reichs--or most readers--to keep perfect track of. But it's a fun ride anyway, enlivened by some steamy romantic scenes and some fascinating, appalling information about the illicit trade in endangered wildlife (did you know that bears' gall bladders fetch more money per ounce than cocaine?). Bare Bones is a crisp, enjoyable read that cements Kathy Reichs's standing as the best forensic-thriller writer at work today. --Nicholas H. Allison--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Feisty forensic anthropologist Temperance (Tempe) Brennan is supposed to be on vacation, but body parts keep turning up. At the start of her sixth adventure, she's awaiting the arrival of her current flame, Quebecois sleuth Andrew Ryan, so she can head for the beach near her hometown of Charlotte, N.C. Before he shows up, she's called in to use her world-class forensics skills when a local janitor's infant granddaughter is found dead and charred in an oven. Then some strange, decomposing remains (" `Human?' `I'm not sure' ") are discovered by Brennan's dog during a barbecue at a local lakeside resort. Ryan finally arrives, but Brennan's vacation is indefinitely put on hold when a small plane crashes nearby. Two people are dead, and her expertise is required yet again ("The skull had suffered massive communitive fracturing on impact. The fire had done the rest"). Brennan eventually realizes that all three cases are linked to a drug-smuggling ring that also dabbles in poaching exotic animals. As she pursues her investigations, she is forced to work with "Skinny" Slidell, a redneck cop who rubs her the wrong way, but tension is defused by the presence of Ryan, who gamely gives up his vacation to pitch in. He matches Brennan quip for quip, and Tempe's dog, Boyd, provides extra comic relief. Reichs has built a reputation on cut-to-the-chase writing and swift plotting, and this latest effort delivers everything her fans have come to expect. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 06 Hot Six Book 06 Hot Six Author: Evanovich, Janet Mazar, Debi (Reader) ISBN: 1-55927-965-6 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Macmillan Audio Amazon.com Review Never mind who did the deed with New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum at the end of High Five. Five months later, that night's only a dim, cherished memory, and Stephanie's freezing her butt off on a Trenton bridge trying to keep her friend Carol--caught shoplifting some crotchless panties she was too embarrassed to buy--from committing suicide. Truth is, I didn't for a minute think she'd jump. For one thing, she was wearing a four-hundred-dollar jacket from Wilson Leather. You just don't jump off a bridge in a four-hundred-dollar jacket. It isn't done. The jacket would get ruined. Carol was from the Chambersburg section of Trenton, just like me, and in the Burg you gave the jacket to your sister, then you jumped off the bridge. When Stephanie finally talks Carol down and makes it in to work at Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, it's only to find that her libido-boosting pal Ranger, the professional bounty hunter and sometime hit man, has disappeared. A building owned by black-market arms dealer Alexander Ramos has burned down, with Ramos's son Homer lying inside, dead from a gunshot wound. Ranger, who was caught on film there by video cameras, is wanted for questioning. Stephanie's boss Vinnie wants her to find him, but Stephanie, who knows she won't find Ranger if he doesn't want to be found, refuses. Soon everyone, from her cop boyfriend Joe Morelli to the two Laurel and Hardy wannabes who suddenly start following her around Trenton in a badass black Lincoln, thinks she's hot on Ranger's trail. And Stephanie's got other things to worry about. For one thing, Grandma Mazur's moved in with her, and so has Bob, a golden retriever who's only partly house trained. Then Ranger starts popping up at odd times of the night, with instructions for Stephanie to keep an eye on another Ramos son, Hannibal. Add to that one homicidal maniac, a couple more dead bodies, Stephanie's usual bad car karma, and the zit from hell, and you've got yourself one fine Stephanie Plum adventure. Will Stephanie triumph? You can bet a jelly doughnut on it. And there's another great cliffhanger waiting at the end. --Barrie Trinkle --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Sexy, smart-talking New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum returns for her sixth wildly amusing mystery (after 1999's High Five). Determination and contacts (she's grown up with half the cops and crooks in Trenton) compensate for Steph's poor aim with a gun, bad luck with cars and soft-hearted approach to her job (one bail jumper evades her four times). The police are after her mentor, the mysterious Ranger, wanted for killing drug and gun dealer Homer Ramos. Claiming he's innocent, Ranger persuades Steph to help him keep an eye on the Ramos clan. Steph teams up with her lover, vice cop Joe Morelli, then strikes out on her own when she realizes neither Joe nor Ranger will share information with her. When Mafia thugs get involved, she barely avoids kidnapping and torture. Meanwhile, there's her love life to deal with. Can she be physically attracted to Ranger and be in love with Joe? Evanovich spins all these threads, plus more, into a lunatic tapestry of nonstop action peopled by wacky characters straight out of a 1930s screwball comedy: Steph's Grandma Mazur, 80 years old, with the world view of a teenage punk; Mooner and Dougie, two lovable but zonked-out stolen goods dealers who have a closeout sale before going to jail; Habib and Mitchell, mobsters who follow Steph when Mitchell's wife doesn't need the car for kids' soccer games; and Steph's co-worker and pal, Lula, a gun-toting ex-prostitute always ready for an adventure. Evanovich just keeps getting better. (June) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 06 Night Probe Book 06 Night Probe Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 5555772815 Category: Careers User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Books On Tape Editorial Reviews Review "Get-to-the-next-page excitement...Dirk Pitt is a combination James Bond and Jacques Cousteau." -New York Daily News "Cussler is a master of building suspense and tension." -Richmond Times-Dispatch --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Product Description Cussler's most dazzling bestseller. Dirk Pitt's most dangerous adventure. Dirk Pitt proved invincible in Raise the Titanic! Now, with the future of virtually every person in the world at stake, he is enlisted to spearhead his most daring mission yet-the rescue of a vital document for the United States. To an energy-starved, economically devastated America, possession of this document is worth billions. But to Great Britain, it's worth a war. Pitt's quest plunges him into a head-to-head confrontation with Britian's most cunning secret agent-and into the throes of a torrid love triangle. As time runs out for a desperate America, Dirk Pitt races toward an underwater clash more terrifying than anything Clive Cussler has ever created-the breathtaking climax of Night Probe! --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Book 07 Monday Mourning Book 07 Monday Mourning Author: Reichs, Kathy ISBN: 1-85686-866-4 Category: Crime & mystery User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audiobooks From Publishers Weekly Forensic scientist Tempe Brennan isn't happy: it's freezing in Montreal, her detective boyfriend is giving her the cold shoulder and her macho colleagues won't take her seriously. When Reichs's heroine is called in to examine three skeletons discovered in the basement of a pizza parlor at the start of the seventh installment in this popular series, her instincts tell her a crime was recently committed. Chauvinistic homicide detective Luc Claudel doesn't agree, but Tempe forges ahead and soon discovers that the victims are young women, probably teenagers killed sometime in the 1980s. Already feeling vulnerable because she's left her beloved daughter, Katy, back home in North Carolina, Tempe is further troubled by the indifference of formerly avid lover Andrew Ryan (another Montreal detective). Meanwhile, new developments lead Tempe and her reluctant colleagues to suspect a creepy former pawn store owner of serial kidnappings, torture and grisly murder. What's best about Reichs, and often unappreciated in reviews, is not the informative detail that she brings to Tempe's forensic sleuthing, though that's certainly engrossing. It's the same well-observed detail and incisive analysis applied to other aspects of the story. Tempe deconstructs Ryan's every evasive gesture and casual comment and describes an ominously darkened room, the glow from a UV light and an armada of snow plows with vivid precision. Here, as previously, readers will be as invested in Tempe's life as in her case. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile The latest novel by Kathy Reichs again features Tempe Brennan, forensic anthropologist for North Carolina and Quebec--the same role Reichs occupies in real life. While the geography is unusual, Reichs's stories are interesting, educational, well-written, and fun. In this title, Brennan discovers the skeletons of three women in the basement of a pizzeria. Of course, it's Brennan's further "digging" that eventually uncovers the murderer. Michelle Pawk has a soft but strong voice, which she uses effectively, changing her style as Brennan's emotions ebb and flow. Pawk is especially effective when Brennan reveals her feelings about chauvinist detective Luc Claudel and Detective Andrew Ryan, whom Brennan adores, but whose actions leave her wondering if his feelings are reciprocal. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book 07 Seven Up Book 07 Seven Up Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Reader) ISBN: 1-59397-774-3 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Macmillan Audio Amazon.com Review Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum's got a lot on her mind. How does cigarette smuggler Eddie DeChooch, a fugitive so geriatric that even the hot-to-trot Grandma Mazur won't go out with him a third time, keep giving her the slip? How did a woman who died of a heart attack end up in DeChooch's garden shed with five bullet holes in her chest? Who stole a rump roast from Dougie and Mooner, the two lovable potheads who have decided to be crime fighters in Spandex bodysuits? Can Stephanie's perfect sister Valerie make it as a lesbian single mother without driving her family crazy? And--oh yeah--what should Stephanie do about that damn wedding dress on hold at Tina's Bridal Shoppe, waiting for her to decide whether vice cop Joe Morelli's really the one for her? I did look good in the gown. I looked like Scarlett O' Hara getting ready for a big wedding at Tara. I moved around a little to simulate dancing. "Jump up and down so we can see how it'll look when you do the bunny hop," Grandma said. "It's pretty but I don't want a gown," I said. "I can order one in her size at no obligation," Tina said. "No obligation," Grandma said. "You can't beat that." "As long as there's no obligation," my mother said. I needed chocolate. A lot of chocolate. "Oh gee," I said, "look at the time. I need to go." To complicate matters further, Stephanie's made a reluctant deal with the devil: if she can't bring in DeChooch by herself, her sexy but dangerous cohort Ranger is willing to help--for a price that a girl who's not-exactly-engaged is uncertain whether she should pay. But when Dougie and Mooner disappear, Grandma is kidnapped, and a crazy widow starts taking pot shots, no one who hides her .38 in a cookie jar is going to turn down a little friendly assistance. In Seven Up, Janet Evanovich serves up her usual bubbly fare: a totaled car, raucous viewings at Stiva's Funeral Parlor, buffoonish bad guys, and down-and-dirty mud wrestling, all stirred up with some snappy Jersey repartee and a few tart, new twists that will keep her fans impatient. Heaven can't wait for number eight. --Barrie Trinkle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly It's always a treat to go out on a case with Stephanie Plum, the sassy, adventurous, but not always successful Trenton, N.J., bounty hunter. In her seventh outing (after 2000's Hot Six), Stephanie's employer, her bailbondsman cousin, Vinnie, gives her an easy job: pick up vicious senior citizen Eddie DeChooch, who is constantly sighted racing around Trenton in a borrowed white Cadillac, but whom no one can grab. The usual characters inhabit the novel: Steph's former high school buddies, the zonked-out Dougie and Mooner; and Evanovich's best creation, feisty Grandma Mazur. Stephanie's much-resented sister Valerie returns from California with her two daughters, her "perfect" marriage ended, and moves in with her parents, to their dismay. At times the plot meanders: Stephanie and pal Lula spend too much time running from house to house in the inbred Burg neighborhood, while two semi-retired crooks looking for DeChooch keep breaking into her apartment for little reason. All in all this is another zesty Evanovich read, but one that doesn't quite hit the high marks of her last two. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book 08 Cross Bones: [ABRIDGED] Book 08 Cross Bones: [ABRIDGED] Author: Reichs, Kathy Pawk, Michele (Reader) ISBN: 0-7435-6977-6 Category: Medical User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio From Publishers Weekly Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Tempe" Brennan gets caught in mysteries past and present when she's called in to determine if illegal antiquities dealer Avram Ferris's gunshot death is murder or suicide. An acquaintance of Avram suggests the former: he hands Tempe a photograph of a skeleton, taken in Israel in 1963, and insists it's the reason Avram is dead. Tempe's longtime boyfriend, Quebecois detective Andrew Ryan, is also involved with the case, so the duo head to Israel where they attempt to solve the murder and a mystery revolving around a first-century tomb that may contain the remains of the family of Jesus Christ. This find threatens the worldwide Christian community, the Israeli and Jewish hierarchy and numerous illegal antiquity dealers, any of whom might be out to kill Tempe and Ryan. Not that Tempe notices. She has the habit of being oblivious to danger, which quickly becomes annoying, as does Reichs's tendency to end chapters with a heavy-handed cliffhanger ("His next words sent ice up my spine"). The plot is based on a number of real-life anthropological mysteries, and fans of such will have a good time, though thriller readers looking for chills and kills may not find the novel quite as satisfying. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile Montreal-based forensic pathologist Temperance Brennan finds herself in Israel, trying to solve the murder of an antiquities dealer that may or may not be all about some two-thousand-year-old bones unearthed at Masada. The archaeology is deeply interesting, the plotting is tight, and Michele Pawk is borderline brilliant at adjusting the pace of her reading to reflect tension, excitement, or fear--you won't soon forget Tempe in a pitch-dark tomb with a panicked hyena. One quibble: Someone should have paid heed to French pronunciation, given that half the story takes place in French-speaking Canada. This publisher wouldn't print a book in which the word "musée" appears scores of times without its accent. Why does the audio merit less care? B.G. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Book 08 - Hard Eight : A Stephanie Plum Novel (A Stephanie Plum Novel) [UNABRIDGED] Book 08 - Hard Eight : A Stephanie Plum Novel (A Stephanie Plum Novel) [UNABRIDGED] Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Narrator) ISBN: 1-55927-725-4 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Audio Renaissance Amazon.com In Hard Eight, Stephanie Plum picks up a case a little nastier than anything the wisecracking bounty hunter's seen before. Evelyn Soder and her young daughter have gone on the run, leaving an angry ex-husband who's planning to collect on a child custody bond that will leave Evelyn's grandmother homeless. Stephanie's first clue that there's more to it than that comes in the form of Eddie Abruzzi, a shady local businessman who warns her to butt out of the case. Stephanie doesn't scare easily, but when Abruzzi's henchmen leave a bag of snakes on her doorknob and tarantulas in her car, she has no choice but to call Ranger, the hunky man of mystery whom she already owes too many favors. Steph knows that Ranger will soon be calling in his marker, but with her ex- fiancé Joe Morelli out of the picture, that should be OK--shouldn't it? In the meantime, she's got other fugitives to catch, aided by the usual band of misfits, plus a bumbling correspondence-school lawyer who's developed the hots for Stephanie's sister, Valerie. And Steph's in for a surprise from her mother, who proves she's not above wielding a dangerous weapon to save her daughter's life. Author Janet Evanovich has made a bold move in using a soupçon of child jeopardy to pull this series out of the comfortable but formulaic pattern it was threatening to fall into. It's still funny, and yes, some cars are destroyed, but now there's a real edge of darkness under the humor. Fans needn't fear, though: Jersey girl Stephanie is still full of sass and Tastykakes. --Barrie Trinkle--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly The menace is more personal for Trenton's favorite bounty hunter and the energy more manic in this latest outing than in last year's Seven Up. As a favor to her mother's next-door neighbor, Mabel Markowitz, Stephanie agrees to check up on the lady's granddaughter, Evelyn Soder, who has suddenly taken off with her little girl, Annie, leaving behind a child custody bond against Mabel's house. The son-in-law is a bad guy who lost his bar to Eddie Abruzzi, a very nasty character who owns evelyn's building. Soon someone in a bunny suit is trailing Stephanie, her car is blown up, her apartment infiltrated and a dead body appears on her couch. She calls in her associate, Ranger, the gorgeous and mysterious Cuban bond agent, while her sometime boyfriend, Morelli the cop, also gets on the case - a real doozy for which she's not getting paid. On the home front, ever-raunchy Grandma Mazur is eager to assist. Sister Valerie and kids have moved back in as well, so there's nowhere but the couch for Stephanie and one bathroom for all. Valerie is inexplicably attracted to Evelyn's goofy lawyer, who's been tagging along with Stephanie and the ever-outrageous file clerk and ex-hooker Lula, further complicating this twisted case. Life in the Burg takes on a sinister turn with serious results. Evanovich does it again, delivering an even more suspenseful and more outrageous turn with the unstoppable Stephanie, heroine of all those who have to live on peanut butter until the next check comes through. Waiting for nine will be tough. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 08 Cyclops Book 08 Cyclops Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-671-70464-8 Category: General & Literary Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Compact Disc - Unabridged Pocket Books Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Written in the bestselling style of Pacific Vortex! and Deep Six, and with the indestructible Dirk Pitt as its hero, this latest Cussler suspense caper features, and ingeniously connects, a maverick American colony on the Moon, a fabulous sunken treasure sought by an unscrupulous, blimp-owning financier, and two cunningly devised Soviet schemes, one to steal U.S. space secrets, the other to replace Fidel Castro with a Kremlin puppet, no matter what the cost in human lives. The nonstop action involves murder and torture as well as superpower politicking, and Pitt extricates himself from one desperate situation after another, even finding time for a little romance. The writing is brittle, but the reader is not likely to worry about that in a story whose plot resembles a box of exploding fireworks and poses some interesting questions regarding both Cuba and the militarization of space. Paperback rights to Pocket Books. February 7 Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review Stephen Coonts "Nobody does it better than Clive Cussler. Nobody." -- Review Book 09 Break No Bones [UNABRIDGED] Book 09 Break No Bones [UNABRIDGED] Author: Reichs, Kathy Berryman, Dorothee (Reader) ISBN: 0-7435-5262-8 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio From Publishers Weekly The success of the Fox TV show Bones, based on bestseller Reichs's series featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (Cross Bones, etc.), bodes well for this latest installment, in which Brennan once again stumbles on a modern-day mystery inadvertently. While supervising a dig of Native American burial grounds in Charleston, S.C., Brennan finds more recent remains. Soon, her ex-husband, who's a lawyer, appears in town, pursuing leads in a missing persons case connected with a local church. Bodies start piling up at an alarming rate, and Brennan begins to suspect that the deaths are linked to each other--and her ex-husband's inquiry. Reichs's down-to-earth heroine is an appealing creation, who deftly juggles personal problems with professional challenges. Despite the somewhat obvious solution, this novel confirms the series' place in the front rank of the ever-expanding forensic thriller subgenre. (July) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist In this ninth in the popular series, forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is spending two weeks in May on Dewees, a barrier island north of Charleston, South Carolina, where she is leading a student excavation of a prehistoric site when one of the bodies they find isn't so ancient. After reporting her find to her friend Emma Rousseau, coroner at the Charleston County Coroner's Office, Tempe learns that Emma is ill and unable to investigate; so Tempe fills in for her as a consultant. When another body is found in a different location, the forensic examination of the bones shows a similarity in the manner of death. As Tempe investigates further, another body turns up, leading her to a horrifying conclusion about the motive for these deaths. Complicating matters, Tempe's estranged husband moves into the house she has borrowed, and her boyfriend arrives unexpectedly from Montreal. Tempe must work through her ambivalence about divorcing her unfaithful husband, for whom she still has feelings, but she also cares for her boyfriend. Readers who enjoy Patricia Cornwell's mysteries will appreciate the forensic detail here, and more character-oriented readers will respond to Reichs' likable and well-developed cast, from the local sheriff to Tempe herself, a dedicated woman who feels compelled to provide justice for those who can no longer speak for themselves. An engrossing entry in a widely read series. Sue O'Brien Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 09 To the Nines Book 09 To the Nines Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Reader) ISBN: 1-55927-777-7 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Macmillan Audio From Publishers Weekly Narrator King somehow makes the crazy, comic antics of Evanovich's irresistible bond agent, Stephanie Plum, seem almost rational in this fine audio adaptation. The story opens with the outrageous apprehension of a nude, Vaseline-coated fugitive by Stephanie and her plus-sized, ex-hooker, "sometimes partner" Lula. Soon after, Stephanie sets off on the trail of Samuel Singh, an illegal immigrant who apparently fled a Visa bond and his fiancee. With plenty of prior experience narrating Evanovich titles (Hard Eight, etc.), King has no trouble highlighting the eccentricities of the author's invariably quirky cast of characters, as well as the ongoing romantic triangle between Stephanie, her sexy partner Ranger and Joe, a Trenton cop with whom she shares a "long, strange history." Evanovich's quick-witted, sarcastic and often raunchy dialogue takes the edge off the story's suspense, but King's chameleon voice and ease with accents make this a lively listening experience Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist *Starred Review* Stephanie Plum is a Jersey Girl, a bounty hunter, and a resident of a part of Trenton where you can still go to Mom's for dinner and your cop boyfriend Morelli's grandmother has visions that include you in a coffin. Stephanie is on the trail of an Indian contract worker named Singh who disappeared when his visa was up. When she interviews a McDonald's employee who knew him, he's shot as she stands there. Then rose-and-carnation bouquets with very sinister notes start appearing in Stephanie's apartment and in her e-mail, and a few more bodies turn up with bullet holes. Meanwhile, Stephanie's sister, Valerie, is about to give birth; her sidekick, Lula, goes on the loudest diet ever written; and a trip to Vegas--yes, it's business--involves both Elvis and Tom Jones impersonators. Evanovich, and Stephanie, are at the top of their form here: laugh-out loud moments jostle with sticky, visceral terror; Stephanie's mentor, Ranger, and Morelli don't so much vie for her favors as bestow them in turn. Ever smarter, funnier, sexier, scarier. GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 10 Bones to Ashes [UNABRIDGED] Book 10 Bones to Ashes [UNABRIDGED] Author: Reichs, Kathy Emond, Linda (Narrator) TBA ISBN: 0-7435-6616-5 Category: General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio From Publishers Weekly In bestseller Reichs's entertaining 10th Temperance Brennan forensic thriller (after Break No Bones), Brennan, her relationship with Det. Andrew Ryan on the rocks, welcomes the distraction of an unidentified New Brunswick skeleton from Québec's cold case unit. But when the bones are determined to be that of an adolescent girl, Brennan is convinced they belong to her childhood friend, Évangéline Landry, who disappeared at age 15. Now Brennan must come to terms with Évangéline's possible death, while trying to ignore her feelings for Ryan as they investigate a series of teenage abduction murders that could be tied to the mysterious bones. With her usual blend of cutting-edge forensic science, nail-biting suspense and characters that pop off the page, Reichs, who's vice president of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists and the producer of Fox's Bones, has produced another winner in one of the genre's most satisfying series. (Aug.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book Description Temperance Brennan, like her creator Kathy Reichs, is a brilliant, sexy forensic anthropologist, called on to solve the toughest cases. But for Tempe, the discovery of a young girl's skeleton in Acadia, Canada, is more than just another assignment. Evangeline, Tempe's childhood best friend, was also from Acadia. Named for the character in the Longfellow poem, Evangeline was the most exotic person in Tempe's eight-year old world. When Evangeline disappeared, Tempe was warned not to search for her, that the girl was "dangerous." Thirty years later, flooded with memories, Tempe cannot help wondering if this skeleton could be the friend she lost so many years ago. Meanwhile, Tempe's beau, Ryan, investigates a series of cold cases. Two girls dead. Three missing. Could the New Brunswick skeleton be part of the pattern? As Tempe draws on the latest advances in forensic anthropology to penetrate the past, Ryan hunts down a serial predator. Book 10 - Ten Big Ones : A Stephanie Plum Novel Book 10 - Ten Big Ones : A Stephanie Plum Novel Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Narrator) ISBN: 1-59397-568-6 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Audio Renaissance Amazon.com Stephanie Plum, girl bounty hunter, the terror of Trenton, the bane of her boyfriend Joe Morelli's existence, and the delight of her crazy grandma's heart, is in the wrong place at the wrong time--as usual. Just happening to be indulging her nachos jones at a local deli when it's robbed by the notorious Red Devils, Plum is the eye witness who could put the gang leader, known as the Junkman, behind bars... if he just lets her live long enough. Looking for a place to hide out from the killer until the cops catch up with him, Stephanie sneaks into her fellow bounty hunter Ranger's apartment without telling Morelli, who's not overly fond of him. All the usual suspects in this long-running series are along for a wilder than ever ride, including Lula the gun-toting ex-hooker, Grandma Mazur, Stephanie's pregnant sister Valerie and her fiancé, as well as a host of minor characters who bring Trenton's seedier environs to life. Ten Big Ones is another madcap caper by a writer whose fans will doubtless catapult this easy beach read to the top of the bestseller list. --Jane Adams--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly "I think of myself more as an entertainer than as a writer," Evanovich says in a bonus interview at the end of this audiobook, and indeed, her latest offering (following To The Nines) will leave listeners with little doubt that she is a master of screwball comedy. At the start of this adventure, bumbling New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and her sassy sidekick, Lula, witness a gang member known as the Red Devil rob a convenience store and attempt to bomb it with a Molotov cocktail, which hits Stephanie's car instead. Stephanie gets a good look at the Red Devil, making her a key witness and a target for a nasty gang called the Slayers. Her sometime boyfriend, vice cop Joe Morelli, insists she stay home and out of danger, but Stephanie would rather be bringing in two-bit criminals than lying low. Narrator King steps neatly into Stephanie's shoes, her agile voice conveying not only Stephanie's fear and frustration, but her plaintive, why-does-this-always-happen-to-me attitude. King also nails the manly, mysterious voice of gorgeous bounty hunter Ranger, Stephanie's sometime superhero. Although the high-pitched voice King gives Stephanie's adventure-loving grandmother may grate on some listeners nerves, her vocal stylings are generally as superb as Evanovich's zany characterizations. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition. Book 10 Dragon Book 10 Dragon Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 1-4165-3780-5 Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 4.0 Stars Compact Disc Pocket Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Dirk Pitt returns for his ninth and most improbable adventure as Cussler ( Treasure ) offers a page-turning romp that achieves a level of fast-paced action and derring-do that Robert Ludlum and other practitioners of modern pulp fiction might well envy. Less admirably, Cussler seasons his tale for the contemporary audience with a substantial dose of Japan-bashing in the tradition of the Yellow Peril of times past. The scenario posits that in 1945, a third atomic bomb directed at Japan disappeared into the sea when its B-29 transport was shot down. Half a century later, that long-forgotten weapon is the key to a tale in which wealthy Japanese nationalists have planted nuclear devices in major cities around the world as part of a grand scheme to create a new Japanese empire through international blackmail. A writer of the "kitchen sink" school, Cussler throws in wild automobile chases, pitched gun battles that apparently go unnoticed by the populace at large, a classic hunt with a human as prey, a newly discovered underground Nazi treasure trove, and even the author himself (as a bit player in an antique auto race). Solidly entertaining, this thriller is perfect beach reading. Literary Guild alternate. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Japanese businessmen have created a diabolical plot to control world economy, and all is going well until a radiation leak occurs on board the auto carrier Divine Star . Dirk Pitt is almost killed in the tremors from the explosion aboard the carrier, and the plot weaves suspensefully as he begins to solve the puzzles around him. Nuclear holocaust, secret underwater stations, Japanese art discovered in an old Nazi underground vault, and the kidnapping of two U. S. Congressmen carry readers through an exciting story of power and insatiable greed. Humor pervades the story; Cussler places himself in one scene, suggests in another that the yen become the currency of the United States, and dresses Pitt's Uncle Percy in a lavender sport coat and lizard-skin boots. An attention-holding novel set in 1993. --Linda Vretos, West Springfield High School, VA Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book 11 - Eleven on Top (Stephanie Plum) [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED] Book 11 - Eleven on Top (Stephanie Plum) [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Narrator) ISBN: 1-55927-787-4 Category: Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Audio Renaissance Amazon.com Stephanie Plum, Trenton's favorite bondswoman, is having a career crisis, which gives Janet Evanovich plenty of opportunities to showcase her series heroine in a variety of alternative vocations, from dry cleaner to factory worker. Most of them don't last a full working day, which is good for the reader, since it plunges Stephanie back into the always seedy, often dangerous, and always colorful world of fugitives who'd rather flee than face their day in court. She may be tired of having her life threatened, her cars torched or blown up, and her apartment broken into, but one thing she can say about her job is that it's never boring... and neither is she. Despite her intentions of going straight at a job with a little more security and a bit less excitement, an old client won't let her--he keeps leaving her threatening notes, stalking and scaring her, and making sure she needs the protection of the two men in her life--Joe Morelli, the sexy cop who's been bedding her since high school, and Ranger, the even sexier tough guy who can take down the meanest fugitive around but has a tender spot in his heart for the plucky Ms. Plum. All Evanovich fans' favorite characters people this sprightly caper novel, including Lula, the fast-food-chomping former hooker who's hot to take over Stephanie's job but really belongs in a WWE Takedown; Grandma Mazur, who'd rather go to a wake than a fancy-dress ball; Grandma Bella, the matriarch of the Corelli family whose evil eye frightens even the indomitable Stephanie; and Valerie, Stephanie's sister, who's about to embark on another trip to the altar. A great beach read, Eleven on Top is a guilty pleasure that will delight readers of the author's 10 earlier novels and should win her even more fans. --Jane Adams Book 12 - Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum Novels (Audio)) [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED] Book 12 - Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum Novels (Audio)) [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Narrator) ISBN: 1-59397-902-9 Category: Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Audio Renaissance From Publishers Weekly The mixture of slapstick and gunplay that has put Evanovich's series about a sassy, less than competent New Jersey bounty hunter at the top of bestseller lists once again works its magic in Stephanie Plum's latest caper (after 2005's Eleven on Top). Stephanie, who freely admits her failings as a hunter of fugitives, faces a growing work backlog that threatens the continued existence of her job. Her clumsy efforts to clear some cases, along with the help of her outrageous colleague, Lula, result only in their adding another sad sack to the office payroll--a forlorn shoe salesman who's talked off a ledge by Stephanie's offer of a position as file clerk. Stephanie's ambivalence toward the two men in her life becomes harder to maintain when one of them, the mysterious Ranger, is accused of kidnapping his own daughter. Countless over-the-top scenes, including one at a funeral parlor, will delight longtime fans. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 13 - Lean Mean Thirteen Book 13 - Lean Mean Thirteen Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Narrator) ISBN: 1-4272-0118-8 Category: Mystery/Suspense User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 MacMillan Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. In her rollicking 13th Stephanie Plum adventure (after Twelve Sharp), bestseller Evanovich is in top, quirky form. Plucky, bumbling New Jersey bounty hunter Plum is reunited with her two-timing lawyer ex-husband, Dickie Orr, while doing a favor for the mysterious, sexy Ranger. But when Dickie disappears from his house leaving behind only bloodstains and bullet holes, Plum becomes the prime suspect in his alleged murder. Determined to clear her name, Plum and her on-again off-again Trenton cop boyfriend, the irresistible Joe Morelli, uncover Dickie's ties to a shady group of men involved in everything from money laundering to drug running. And when Dickie's jilted business partners decide Stephanie holds the key to the $40 million they believe Dickie stole from them, she's in for a wild ride. With the author's usual cast of eccentric side characters--everything from a taxidermist with a penchant for bombs to a grave-robbing tax man--Evanovich proves once again that Stephanie Plum and her entourage are here to stay. (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist Stephanie Plum works as a bail bondswoman for her cousin Vinnie in Trenton. She's mostly in love with Morelli the cop, who calls her Cupcake, but she's also mesmerized by Ranger, who works serious security and calls her Babe-a split in nomenclature that aptly characterizes this delectable long-running series. Ranger needs Stephanie to plant a bug on her ex, the ever-smarmy attorney Dickie Orr. When Dickie goes missing, a lot of bad people and places start to blow up, burn up, and turn up. Evanovich smoothly slips from the hilarious to the hair-raising, from the erotic to the familial, carrying the running jokes we love so well: exploding taxidermy (a regular plot point here); waiting for the cable repair guy ("those fuckers!" say at least half a dozen characters); Stephanie's oddball assortment of colleagues, buddies, and relatives. Stephanie saves herself in the end, as usual, but both Ranger and Morelli mop up the mess, also as usual. We end with pizza and a tangled tale of underwear. Not quite so sparkling as Twelve Sharp (2006) but eminently satisfying nonetheless. DeCandido, GraceAnne A. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 14 Fearless Fourteen Book 14 Fearless Fourteen Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Reader) ISBN: 1-4272-0417-9 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 MacMillan Audio From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Lorelei King returns to Trenton, N.J., to continue the misadventures of Stephanie Plum, intermittently successful bounty hunter. King is one of many to voice Janet Evanovich's successful series, but her voice can be heard above the crowd, especially when she's bringing the more colorful characters to life. Her former prostitute Lula can tear down walls with the force of her personality, and King gives professional security specialist (read mercenary) Ranger the measured tones of one who is always in control. Stephanie spends much of the book blue from a briefcase dye bomb. King's Plum accepts her blueness and responds to the reactions with indignity, ruefulness and eventually resignation. In addition to established favorites, Evanovich has thrown into the mix a 60-ish singer trying to hang onto fame who gives King plenty of scope for her Southern side. Fearless Fourteen becomes peerless fourteen with narrator King at the helm. A St. Martin's hardcover (Reviews, May 19). (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Our heroine, the irrepressible bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, finds herself watching over a goth teen called Zook, who is heavily into gaming, after his mom can’t make bail and disappears (or has been kidnapped). A lot of people think there is stolen money buried in or near Officer Morelli’s little house—that’s Steph’s Morelli, the cop who is her number-one boyfriend most of the time, or at least when the entrancing Ranger isn’t nearby. The money is the reason behind Zook’s mom’s disappearance, and it’s the tie that binds Evanovich’s various plotlines, which carom about endlessly, not always resolving. Questions abound: Are Steph’s sidekick, the plus-size Lula, and Ranger’s man Tank really engaged? Ranger is working security for a fading but brassy pop star: How does Steph manage to get into and out of her reality show? Can Zook and his sidekicks protect Morelli’s house—and Stephanie—with their homegrown weaponry (think potatoes as missiles)? Where else but Evanovich’s fourteenth novel can a line like “it’s raining money and popsicles!” actually make sense? Fans will be delighted, but others, who stumble into the series at this advanced point, may find themselves starved for backstory, so much so that they may need to go all the way back to One for the Money (1994). --GraceAnne A. DeCandido --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 14 The SEA HUNTERS TRUE LIFE ADVENTURES WITH FAMOUS SHIPWRECKS Book 14 The SEA HUNTERS TRUE LIFE ADVENTURES WITH FAMOUS SHIPWRECKS Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-671-57419-1 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Simon & Schuster Audio From Publishers Weekly Bestselling novelist Cussler (Shock Wave) and Dirgo are both members of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, a group financed principally by the income from Cussler's books and dedicated to finding famous marine wrecks. Not treasure hunters, they merely hope to locate the corpses of lost ships and give the artifacts they recover to museums and historical societies. In this absorbing, fast-paced collection, they chronicle searches for such ships as the Lexington, lost in Long Island Sound in 1840; the Zavala, a ship of the Republic of Texas Navy that ran aground in the Galveston Ship Channel in 1842 and is now under a parking lot; several vessels from the Civil War era, including the Hunley, the first submarine to sink a warship, and her victim, the Housatonic; and the Leopoldville, a troop transport torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1944 with the loss of 800 GIs, a disaster the U.S., Britain and Belgium all tried to cover up. The authors begin each chapter with a "slightly dramatized" account of the actual shipwreck. More convincing are Cussler's first-person reminiscences of searches and salvages. The text is supplemented by well-drawn maps. 400,000 first printing. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From School Library Journal YA. Drawing upon research and his own dramatic interpretations, Cussler describes 12 deep-sea wrecks, one of which is actually a steam locomotive. He introduces each incident through a fictionalized account of the tragedy and a map that shows the general geography under discussion. The author then describes the various attempts he and his companions made before actually locating that specific site. Often filled with humorous remarks and barbed comments, this firsthand narrative of the physical and mental challenges they faced also provides insight into the human and bureaucratic factors involved in such explorations. Selected photographs of ships appear in the midsection of the book. Cussler deftly re-creates the terror, courage, and often horrible deaths of the people aboard the wreck, thus enlivening the past. He transfers a sense of driven energy, excitement, and commitment through his accounts. Bound to appeal to adventurous YAs, and a good supplemental curriculum tie-in.?Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 15 Flood Tide Book 15 Flood Tide Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-671-57719-0 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Bt Bound Synopsis An evil Chinese businessman threatens to take over the United States shipping industry by diverting the Mississippi River and putting New Orleans under water. Only Dirk Pitt, with the help of sidekick Al Giordino, can save the world from this international menace. Industry Reviews "Speedy storytelling and great fun." Sandburg Book 17 Serpent: A Novel from the NUMA Files Book 17 Serpent: A Novel from the NUMA Files Author: Cussler, Clive Kemprecos, Paul ISBN: 0-671-02668-2 Category: Fiction - Espionage / Thriller User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Compact Disc - Unabridged Pocket Books Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly After more than a quarter century of chronicling the aquatic adventures of action hero Dirt Pitt, Cussler (Flood Tide; Shock Wave) has finally decided to cast his line in somewhat different waters. Co-written by veteran mystery author Paul Kemprecos (Bluefin Blues; The Mayflower Murder), this novel still features the sturdy men and women of the National Underwater Marine Agency, plenty of hair-raising derring-do and a convivial cast of characters engaged in an outlandishly hatched thrill ride. The stars of this show are NUMA divers Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, two young bucks without the seasoning and panache of Pitt but worthy successors, nonetheless. They are trying to find out why top archeologists are being killed, some of them butchered, at dig sites. The archeologists have apparently stumbled across artifacts proving, contrary to established historical thought, that Christopher Columbus wasn't the first Old World explorer to set foot in the New World. The killings can be traced to a mysterious organization in Texas called Time Quest, whose stated mission is to provide volunteers for digs. Its real intention, however, is much darker: to prevent anyone from learning that Spain was not the first on the scene in the New World and that the culture it claimed to discover had, in fact, been imported from other corners of the globe. Ultimately, Time Quest's leader, the evil Francisco Halcon, wants to foment revolution in the Western U.S. and reclaim it as Latin-American territory. The showdown between Halcon and NUMA's forces plays out in typical Cussler furyAfirst on the decks of the sunken passenger liner Andrea Doria in the waters off Nantucket and again in an underwater Mayan crypt in Guatemala. It's all great fun, if not a little top-heavy at times from flabby subplots and excessive detail on arcane historical facts and the machinery of deep-sea exploration. As for Pitt, his fans will be relieved to know that he and longtime sidekick Al Giordino make a brief appearance to wish Austin and Zavala luck, then depart for a mission in Antarctica, no doubt to return with tales of peril and glory. (June) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. From Booklist It won't surprise those who remember Cussler's Raise the Titanic! (1976) that he now uses the 1956 sinking of the Andrea Doria as the springboard for another thriller involving the National Underwater and Maritime Agency. According to Cussler, the Andrea Doria sinking was deliberate, but that secret begins unraveling two generations later, when archaeologist Nina Kirov, fleeing a "terrorist" attack on her dig, is rescued by a NUMA vessel. Aboard are Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, NUMA field operatives equally deft with underwater hardware and the ladies. The pair's first job is standing off the "terrorists" pursuing Kirov. Plots--not to mention counterplots--rapidly thicken as NUMA squares off against Halcon, who is clearly a descendant of Fu Manchu despite his Latino characterization. Halcon seeks an immense treasure, brought by fleeing Carthaginians to the Mayan empire, to finance an independent Latino nation in the U.S. Southwest. Before Halcon is defeated, Cussler dispenses, with new collaborator Kemprecos' aid, the fast action, larger-than-life characters, less-than-graceful prose, credulity-stretching scenarios, and high-saltwater content that are his trademarks. A superlative subplot relays the adventures of archaeologist Gamay Trout and her companion, the Mayan Dr. Chi, as they try to escape outlaws, Halcon's minions, and the natural hazards of the Yucatan Peninsula. Likely to prove eminently satisfactory to Cussler fans. Roland Green --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Book 18 Atlantis Found [UNABRIDGED] Book 18 Atlantis Found [UNABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive Prichard, Michael ISBN: 0-399-14608-3 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Cassette Putnam Berkley Audio Amazon.com Dirk Pitt, indestructible hero of 14 previous Clive Cussler novels and special-projects director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency (which is something like the CIA of the ocean depths), makes James Bond look like a tuxedoed, martini-swilling poseur. Pitt has raised the Titanic, escaped massive volcanic eruptions, ducked nuclear explosions, foiled criminal plans for world domination, saved everyone on earth from germ warfare, and mastered the ins and outs of various electronic gizmos and futuristic vehicles while evading every imaginable form of almost certain death. (Of course, he's also wildly successful with brilliant, beautiful women, but in an admirably circumspect, sensitive-guy way.) It stands to reason Pitt's the right man to handle a crisis of millennial proportions. When mysterious black obsidian skulls and other artifacts of an exceedingly ancient culture begin to turn up in odd places, Pitt jumps in with both feet. It soon becomes dangerously apparent that a powerful, amoral group of fanatics calling itself the Fourth Empire wants the strange discoveries to remain underground. Pitt teams up with a beautiful red-haired expert in ancient languages to decipher the meaning of the artifacts. They were made 10 millennia ago in a then-temperate Antarctica by a seafaring civilization advanced enough to predict its own destruction by a comet impact. Now the Fourth Empire (whose literal and figurative progenitor comes as no surprise) is predicting a similar disaster in only a matter of months, and preparing to take control of the earth. Cussler's known for hands-on research--his hobbies are the backbone of Pitt's adventures: flying, climbing, diving, racing. The scientific and historical riffs that fill in the background of Atlantis Found are the weakest parts of the book--they're Pitt-less, and they give every discovery in the book away early. But what the heck--Cussler's not the king of suspense, he's the emperor of nonstop action. Atlantis Found bounces along on a good-humored techno-joyride, and for Cussler's legion of fans, that will be more than enough. --Barrie Trinkle --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Dirk Pitt, Cussler's larger-than-life hero, butts heads with an army of elite killers seeking to destroy the world in another wickedly engrossing yet predictably scripted tale of bravery against all odds. As the story begins, artifacts from a previously undiscovered civilization, ancient but highly advanced, are popping up all over the globe. Pitt himself is on site in a Colorado mine when archeologists come across strange carvings and mysterious inscriptions. But then an explosion traps the party below ground, and a band of black-suited terrorists arrive at the scene with guns blazing. Though Pitt saves the day, the incident points toward a wider network of evil schemes. Working for the National Underwater & Marine Agency, Pitt finally identifies the terrorists as members of the Fourth Empire, an organization headed by the diabolical Wolf family, a secret clan of genetically engineered people who worship the Nazi Third Reich. But it's only after Pitt and his able sidekick, Al Giordino, battle old German U-boats, dodge surface-to-air missiles and narrowly escape death on a remote island off Australia that they find out what the Fourth Empire is up to. The neo-Nazis aim to prevent the world from discovering the artifacts of this previously unknown seafaring culture because they tell of a catastrophic event that wiped out civilization 9000 years ago and reveal when the next cataclysm will hit. The Wolfs plan to accelerate the date through their own scheme to destroy Earth, meanwhile sheltering themselves and their thousands of followers on enormous, disaster-proof ships. Pitt knows his assignment: save the world--a tall order, but one he's filled many times before. Cussler's 15th Pitt adventure (after Flood Tide) is a rampaging story of history, technology and heroism, written with Cussler's typical make-no-apologies enthusiasm. For muscle-flexing Book 21 Fire Ice: [ABRIDGED] Book 21 Fire Ice: [ABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive Kemprecos, Paul ISBN: 0-399-14906-6 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Putnam Adult From Publishers Weekly This newest addition to the Kurt Austin series (after Blue Gold) has the men from NUMA ([National] Underwater & Marine Agency) team up with former KGB spies to face down a Russian mobster with czarist aspirations and a zealot's hatred for the "corruption and materialism" of the Western lifestyle. The NUMA research vessel Argo is in the Black Sea for a PR jaunt when Austin spots the overdue TV crew being chased down an island beach by mounted Cossacks. Austin learns from his old KGB Cold War adversary Vladimir Petrov that the island is a mothballed submarine base commandeered by paranoid mobster Mikhail Razov (employer of the Cossacks), a billionaire who built Ataman Industries by taking over utilities and mines sold by the state. Razov claims descent from the Romanovs and is plotting to assume the throne. Meanwhile, when a U.S. Navy sub goes missing and a mysterious tidal wave swamps a Maine coastal town, the NUMA team figures out that Ataman is mining "fire ice" unstable and explosive solid methane in the high-pressure deep-sea bottom. Austin and his oceanographic team join forces with Petrov and set out to foil Razov's plot. Cussler is in top form here, working in a role for Old Ironsides and Czar Nicholas II's crown while throwing in enough derring-do and eco-lore to leave his fans breathless. Coauthor Kemprecos (Blue Gold, with Cussler) adds his oceanographic expertise to the mix. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Adult/High School-Deposits of "fire ice," frozen methane hydrate found in abundance off of the East Coast of the United States, become potential hazards of monumental proportions. When an insane Russian mining mogul decides he can use the sub stance to threaten and destroy large areas of major national powers, he becomes the target for Kurt Austin, leader of NUMA's (National Underwater and Marine Agency) Special Assignments Team. Austin and his partner in the fight against crime, Joe Zavala, encounter a band of traditionally dressed and armed Cossacks; an underground bunker of a Nazi sub; and the Russian mogul's assistant, who looks and acts like Rasputin. With its many surprises, constant action, and Cussler's special brand of characters, the book will be just the thing for readers who enjoy fast-paced action-adventure flavored with some alternate-history events. Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book 22 Sea Hunters II: More True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks Book 22 Sea Hunters II: More True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks Author: Cussler, Clive Dirgo, Craig ISBN: 0-7366-8934-6 Category: User Rating: Compact Disc Books on Tape, Incorporated ABOUT THE BOOK Sea Hunters II: More True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks FROM THE PUBLISHER For twenty-three years, Clive Cussler's NUMA®-the National Underwater & Marine Agency-has scoured the rivers and seas in search of lost ships of historic significance. His teams have been inundated by tidal waves, and beset by the vagaries of man and nature, but the results--and the stories behind them--have often been dramatic: The 2000 raising of the Confederate submarine Hunley made national headlines. Here, then, are more true tales of sea- and land-going adventures, as Cussler and his crews set out to track down history. The famous ghost ship Mary Celeste, found floating off the Azores in 1872 with no one on board; the Carpathia, the ship that rescued the Titanic survivors and was itself lost to U-boats six years later; L'Oiseau Blanc, the airplane that almost beat The Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic before disappearing in the Maine woods-all these, plus steamboats, ironclads, a seventeenth-century flagship, a certain famous PT boat, and even a dirigible, prove tantalizing targets as Cussler demonstrates again that truth can be "at least as fun, and sometimes stranger, than fiction" (Men's Journal). Author Biography: Clive Cussler is the author or coauthor of twenty-one previous books, most recently the Dirk Pitt(r) adventures Valhalla Rising and Atlantis Found, and the Kurt Austin novel Fire Ice. Craig Dirgo has been special projects director on many NUMA® expeditions since 1987 and now serves as a trustee. He also cowrote The Sea Hunters. FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly Well known for his series of action adventure novels starring Dirk Pitt, Cussler is also the founder of the nonprofit National Underwater and Marine Agency, a group that searches for shipwrecks of historical significance. The group does not salvage any artifacts; they simply note the wreckage location and turn their information over to appropriate agencies for further study and planning. In this fast-paced narrative that doesn't tinker with the earlier Sea Hunters' successful formula, Cussler and his teams search for 300 years' worth of wrecks as varied as La Salle's 17th-century flagship, a dirigible lost in a storm off the New Jersey coast in 1933 and the famous PT-109. Cussler traveled along the coast of Texas, up the Mississippi River and to the jungles of the South Pacific in search of historically important wrecks of all sorts. Cussler first provides the historical background for each tragedy (sometimes inventing dialogue when there are no survivors to interview), then dives into his own adventures. One of Cussler's unsuccessful searches took his team to the Maine wilderness, where they tried to locate the wreckage of a French airplane that crashed in 1927 on its way to Washington, having crossed the Atlantic nonstop, before Charles Lindbergh. On the other hand, his crew found the RMS Carpathia (the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic), which had been sunk by a German U-boat off the Irish coast in 1918. Cussler's artful writing style and varied experiences while searching for historical treasures make this a first-rate adventure book sure to please any student of history and the odd Pitt fan who takes the plunge. With a 250,000 first printing, many are expected to. (Dec. 2) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. Library Journal This is nonfiction, but it's still pretty thrilling: Cussler recounts the efforts of his organization, NUMAR the National Underwater and Marine Agency to dredge up lost ships with historical value. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. AudioFile Clive Cussler's real-life National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) is devoted to locating lost ships of historic significance. NUMA doesn't salvage any artifacts; instead, it turns over its results to appropriate agencies for further action. In this installment, Cussler continues where he left off in The Sea Hunters, with fascinating tales of his searches for shipwrecks and the frustration and exhilaration accompanying these e Book 23 White Death [ABRIDGED] Book 23 White Death [ABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive Kemprecos, Paul Naughton, James (Narrator) ISBN: 0-399-15064-1 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Putnam Berkley Audio From Publishers Weekly Cussler's multitude of fans arrive at the table expecting a roiling stew of seafaring adventure, exotic travel destinations, cutting-edge science, a splash of romance and insider tips on food and drink. In this latest starring series hero Kurt Austin (Fire Ice; Blue Gold), readers will find all their expectations extravagantly fulfilled. The bronzed, rugged Austin, leader of the NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency) Special Assignments Team, and his partner, Joe Zavala, are called in to free survivors trapped inside a Danish warship sunk after a collision with the flagship of the radical environmentalist group Sentinels of the Sea. After a successful rescue, Austin's investigations lead him from the haughty environmentalists to the Oceanus Corporation, a shadowy fish farming organization: "A miasma of pure evil seemed to hang over the Oceanus operation." Austin sneaks into one of the fish farms on a solo recon and is nearly killed by the swarthy, black-clad, facially tattooed Eskimos of the evil Kiolya tribe who guard the company's many operations. The Kiolyas are led by albino madman Toonook, a genius fish geneticist who has engineered members of the harmless salmon family into a breed of 10-foot, piranha-like Frankenfish. All the villains have satanic smiles and pitiless eyes, and snarl their dialogue. If it all sounds highly preposterous, it is, but Cussler manages with his usual aplomb, impressively juggling his plots and bringing everyone home in an action-fueled, rip-roaring finale in which evil doers are soundly defeated and swashbuckling heroes reign supreme. Who would have guessed that the world of high-stakes fish farming could be so thrilling? Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From School Library Journal Adult/High School-Kurt Austin and his partner, Joe Zavala, of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, receive a frantic call about a crew trapped inside a sunken ship off the Faroe Islands. Using cutting-edge technology, they pull off the rescue with a new submersible, only to find themselves involved with members of an environmental group and, at the same time, up against the mysterious Oceanus Corporation. After several attempts by Austin at industrial espionage to gain information about Oceanus, he and Zavala, other members of NUMA, and select individuals from the environmental group unite in their attempts to prevent the corporation from unleashing hundreds of genetically altered, large white fish into the oceans. Starting with historical background, the authors smoothly move the story into the contemporary plot. The information about genetically altered fish provides enough detail for understanding events without overwhelming readers. Myriad secondary plots supplement the main one, and lots of action keeps the story moving at a swift pace. Cussler and Kemprecos have a gift for fitting history, science, and action into an interesting story, and this book is an example of their best efforts. Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 24 Golden Buddha (Oregon Files Book 24 Golden Buddha (Oregon Files Author: Cussler, Clive Dirgo, Craig Charles, J. (Narrator) ISBN: 1-59355-203-3 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 2.0 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio From Publishers Weekly Cussler and Dirgo, coauthors of two nonfiction books (The Sea Hunters; The Sea Hunters II) team up this time to debut a new action-filled series, dubbed the Oregon Files, equal to any in the Cussler franchise. An organization of intelligent and superbly proficient mercenaries, known as the Corporation, is headquartered on the ship Oregon, a seagoing marvel of science and technology disguised as an ancient, rust-bucket cargo vessel. The leader of the Corporation-cool, brainy Chairman Juan Cabrillo-explains the mission of his organization: "We were formed to make a profit, that's for sure, but as much as we like the money, we are also cognizant of the chances that arise for us to somehow right the wrongs of others." They've been secretly hired by the U.S. government to find and acquire an ancient statue known as the Golden Buddha, stolen from the Dalai Lama upon his ouster from Tibet by the Chinese in 1959. An intricate plan is then set in motion culminating in the defeat of the Chinese in Tibet and the ascension of the Dalai Lama to his rightful place as the leader of the country. The list of characters, both good and evil, is long and sometimes confusing, but a useful directory is supplied. Cabrillo and crew are adept at high finance and diplomacy, playing the Russians off against the Chinese and winning over the United Nations. But it's the technology, real and imagined, that steals the show with awe-inspiring secret weapons and spy gear that the Defense Department would kill for. Readers will burn up the pages following the blazing action and daring exploits of these men and women and their amazing machines. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Paperback edition. Book 25 Trojan Odysey Abridged CD [ABRIDGED] Book 25 Trojan Odysey Abridged CD [ABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-399-15114-1 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Putnam Berkley Audio From Publishers Weekly Adventure tales for boys (and girls) of all ages have no more vigorous champion today than Cussler, who has kept the spirit of Joe and Frank Hardy alive, albeit on a grander scale, in numerous bestsellers. This 17th Dirk Pitt extravaganza finds Cussler (literally, as he makes a cameo at book's end) and his entourage of paint-by-number characters in fine fettle, foiling a dastardly plot by outlandish villains to launch a new ice age, and at the same time demonstrating that the Achaeans were not Greeks but Celts, and that Troy was a town in what's now England. After a prelude set during the Trojan War, the novel proper starts with a roar, as a monstrous hurricane sweeps toward the Caribbean, endangering not only Pitt's twin son and daughter, engaged in undersea exploration, but also the Ocean Wanderer, a luxury floating hotel owned by a mysterious billionaire known as Specter. In a manly manner, Pitt and his longtime sidekick, Al Giordino, both of NUMA (the National Underwater and Marine Agency), save the hotel and Pitt's grown kids, but not before those kids discover a trove of underwater relics that indicate that the Celts, aka Achaeans, reached the New World millennia ago. And the Celts are still here, in the guise of a female Druidic cult linked to Specter and aiming for world domination by altering ocean currents via a vast underground mechanism in Nicaragua, which will plunge the earth into cold, then selling a new type of cheap fuel cell to supply needed heat. The action never flags, the heroics never halt and the bodies pile up as Pitt and Co. take on the villains; some big changes in Pitt's personal life close the book. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile Dirk Pitt's two long-lost children are called in to help investigate a brown tide off the shore of Nicaragua. Their findings lead to a mysterious corporation with sinister plans and the possibility of finding the real location of Troy. The adventure is spiced by cliff-hangers, an evil organization worthy of a James Bond movie, and offbeat bits of humor--such as puns about two colleagues named Ford and Dodge. Ron McLarty gives the story a straightforward, tough-guy narration that moves briskly. The novel is a transition, setting up changes in Pitt's life and bringing in a new generation of adventurers. TROJAN ODYSSEY delivers excitement throughout. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Book 26 Lost City [UNABRIDGED] Book 26 Lost City [UNABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-14-280062-7 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Cassette Penguin Audio From Publishers Weekly Kurt Austin, leader of the National Underwater and Marine Agency's Special Assignments Team, battles international evildoers again in the fifth installment of this excellent series. There are several parallel plots: a mysterious aviator has been found frozen in a massive glacier; a mutant seaweed is threatening to choke the world's oceans; a giant submarine is roaming the thermal vents of the deep sea area known as the Lost City; and the secretive, arms-dealing Fauchard family, run by ruthless black-widow Racine and her homicidal son, Emil, is up to no good. Also there's a mysterious 16th-century helmet, a search for the philosopher's stone and an island of filthy, mutant cannibals. Austin's love interest is lush, sensual Skye Labelle, an archeologist specializing in arms and armor ("She had a good body, but it would never make the cover of Sports Illustrated"). Kidnappings, hair's-breadth escapes, fierce battles, strange science, beautiful women and plenty of action add up to vintage Cussler. Of course, one of the secrets of the genre is to waste no time on ancillary details: "Before long, a cigar-shaped object came into view"; "Before long, they were stepping out of the cockpit onto the deck." Readers will find that, before long, they're racing through the pages as Austin and his band of merry men fight to stop the Fauchards from reaching the ultimate evildoer's goal: world domination. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From School Library Journal Adult/High School–The Fauchards, successful developers and sellers of weapons, keep their place as a major power in the industry through many centuries. Kurt Austin and his crew of trained scientists and elite fighters from the National Underwater and Marine Agency begin investigating nefarious activities of the powerful Racine Fauchard and her son. Their dastardly project involves scientific experiments on humans in order to find an elixir of eternal youth. They are also leading a team of mercenaries who are melting down a massive glacier containing the remains of a Fauchard ancestor and a metal helmet on which is recorded the formula for the elixir. At the same time, the oceans of the world are under siege from a mutant strain of algae, one of the vile spin-off plots by the devilish Racine. Myriad subplots weave together until they form the ending. Along the way, the action fluctuates from a steady pace to racing forward when they intertwine. The story is set in the present, and historical events are added to help explain elements of the complex plot. Settings range from under the Atlantic Ocean to the French Alps and Greece. The Fauchards' creepy castle, complete with dungeon and torture chamber, increases the feeling of science fiction that often accompanies Cussler's stories. Interesting and entertaining reading.–Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 27 Sacred Stone [ABRIDGED] Book 27 Sacred Stone [ABRIDGED] Author: Cussler, Clive Dirgo, Craig Charles, J. (Narrator) ISBN: 1-59355-211-4 Category: Sea & Ocean User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio Cassette Brilliance Audio Paperback Audiobooks From Publishers Weekly Eric the Red's A.D. 1000 discovery of a radioactive meteorite has present-day life-or-death ramifications in Cussler and Dirgo's second novel (after Golden Buddha) featuring the Oregon, a state-of-the-art warship disguised as a rusty tramp steamer and manned by some of the world's finest ex-military and intelligence operatives. Known collectively as the Corporation, the men and women of the Oregon--"mercenaries with a conscience"--offer their services to various countries and individuals with specialized security and military needs. The Corporation's chairman, series hero Juan Cabrillo, has several pressing concerns: supply security for the emir of Qatar, who is attending a conference in Iceland; track down a nuclear bomb that has gone astray; and pick up the aforementioned meteorite, which has just been found ensconced in a mysterious shrine. These jobs become dangerously complicated when industrialist Halifax Hickman, a man fueled by revenge and hatred, enters the picture. The meteorite, the atomic bomb and a vial of plague are to be used in attacks on holy sites--Israel's Dome of the Rock and Saudi Arabia's al-Haram mosque--and at an Elton John concert. It's a deadly game, but the brilliant Cabrillo is a master player, moving his pieces at lightning speed on several boards until he outmaneuvers his opposition in this action-packed page-turner. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. From AudioFile In another of Cussler's high-tech potboilers, a small band of heroes rushes from one intricate crisis to another in an effort to save the world and the Islamic religion. The latter is presented with objectivity: Some Muslims are terrorists; some are among the good guys; most just go about their business. The artifacts of Islam occupy a central role in the story. The jacket blurb describes J. Charles as having more than forty years of experience in entertainment, but his voice reminds one of emerging younger narrators such as Scott Brick. Charles distinguishes the players skillfully through accent and cadence. This is a fun listen. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Book 28 Black Wind: A Dirk Pitt Novel Book 28 Black Wind: A Dirk Pitt Novel Author: Cussler, Clive Cussler, Dirk Brick, Scott ISBN: 0-14-305740-5 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio From Publishers Weekly About halfway through this rip-snorting adventure thriller, a "white-haired man" rescues heroes Dirk Pitt Jr. and his sister, Summer, from death by drowning. That man is revealed to be author Cussler (Trojan Odyssey, etc.), reminding Dirk of "an older version of his own father," legendary oceanographer Dirk Pitt, hero of Cussler's previous novels. Just as the primary action baton is passed in this tale from Pitt Sr. to Jr., readers may note that Cussler's coauthor is his own son. But even if Cussler is beginning to pass on his writing baton, he's doing so with panache: thriller fans will revel in this action-packed yarn of land- and sea-based derring-do stuffed with technical details on matters from biochemical weapons "chimeras" to rocket launches. The villain is a South Korean industrialist working for the North Koreans with an eye toward unifying Korea by ridding the country of American troops, allowing for an invasion of the South. His plan is to aim a sea-borne rocket filled with a combo of deadly viruses at Los Angeles, with clues laying blame on Japanese terrorists, thus distracting America while the North makes its move. But villain and modus operandi matter less than the series of exciting hairbreadth escapes wrought by Dirks Jr. and Sr. and Summer--including Dirk Sr.'s escape from being poached alive in a minisub trapped underneath massive rocket boosters spewing an inferno of flames. There's a slight, nasty gloss of "yellow peril" on the villain and his actions, and it's only the Americans who greet likely death with a grin and a quip, but that's a minor knock on some major entertainment that's bound toward the top of the charts. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From School Library Journal Adult/High School–Two Japanese submarines loaded with deadly chimera virus head for the west coast of the United States during the waning days of World War II but are sunk before ever endangering the coast. Sixty years later, South Korean industrialist Kang learns of their whereabouts and tests the deadly potion on some animals and a few people in Alaska. When the death reports start coming in, research sends Dirk Pitt, the younger; his sister; his crew from NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency); Dirk Pitt, the elder; and other forces on a race against time to prevent Kang from unleashing the virus. He dreams of creating a frenzy of blame between the countries for such an attack even as he takes joy in the fact that hundreds of thousands of Americans would die in agony. The Cusslers provide a high tide of ocean-based adventure and creepy bad guys. Featuring plenty of intense action, the plot fairly runs across the pages, with even the quieter moments full of intrigue. Lots of historical facts and science thread their way into the story, giving it a sense of realism. Filled with submarines, technical discussions on all sorts of ocean machinery, and some facts about chimera viruses, the novel provides some basic knowledge of bioterrorism. As always, the Pitts remain steadfast and true leaders, and the story leaves readers eager for their next adventure.–Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 29 Polar Shift Book 29 Polar Shift Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-14-305769-3 Category: Unabridged Audio - Fiction/Suspense & Thriller User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio From AudioFile Kurt Austin and colleague Joe Zavala investigate rogue waves, giant whirlpools, and crazed Orcas, ocean phenomena that are suddenly taking place all over the world. Several factions of villains are planning to trigger a polar shift. Scott Brick is a terrific reader who employs convincing accents for Austrians like Karl Schroeder and the other multinationals on NUMA's team. He masterfully uses a variety of speech patterns and delivers strong dialogue in a rich baritone, booming sometimes and pulling back when needed. Brick's presentation lends drama and reality to this wildly improbable plot. Action-packed and explosively tense, the novel, with its rich cast of characters, creates a compelling listening adventure. S.C.A. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine From Booklist This is Cussler's and Kemprecos' sixth novel starring Kurt Austin and his NUMA Files National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) Files Special Assignments Team. This one concerns a polar shift, a phenomenon that can trigger huge eruptions, earthquakes, and climate changes. Sixty years ago, a Hungarian scientist discovered how to artificially set off such a shift, and now an antiglobalization group plans to strike the world's industrialized countries. The water in the world's oceans and lakes will be jerked in a different direction, pounding the coastline, causing massive floods. All electrical devices will fail, and there will be hurricanes and tornadoes of unheard-of force. Radiation sickness from solar rays penetrating the earth's magnetic field will kill millions. The earth's crust will break open, causing volcanic eruptions and lava flows. But fear not; Austin and his cohorts are coming to the rescue. The plot is inconceivable, but Cussler's loyal fans won't care. George Cohen Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 30 Dark Watch Book 30 Dark Watch Author: Cussler, Clive Brul, Jack Du ISBN: 0-14-305804-5 Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio From AudioFile Scott Brick narrates this sixth episode in the Covert One series, involving pirates, immigrants turned into slaves, and a bizarre gold bullion scheme. Brick's depictions of Juan Cabrillo and his shipboard crew are diverse and easy to follow. His volume and pitch match the ever increasing tension as Cabrillo, hired by foreign interests to learn why top Russian specialists are dying, passes the information to the U.S. instead. Using broken accents, he skillfully portrays immigrants as they "ride the snake" to America, but meet death or slavery instead. When pirates board the OREGON, Brick dramatizes the action in a tense staccato that soon changes to resolute victory. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine From Booklist Cussler's back, this time with coauthor Dubrul. For those readers who are still counting, it's Cussler's twenty-eighth book. This one involves the clandestine spy ship Oregon, whose crew--led by one Juan Cabrillo--work for what Cussler describes as "high-powered Western interests." Cabrillo's newest employers are a consortium of Japanese shipping tycoons who are being threatened by pirates. The plot includes commercial freighters that are disappearing, missiles that North Korea is selling to Syria, bad guys planting a bomb on a ship that the U.S. wants to destroy, the sinking of a research vessel, covert operations from any number of nations, and the threat of diseases such as typhoid and cholera that could run rampant--and that's just the first 100 pages. These are a few trite lines ("We can't see diddly," for example) and an ending that doesn't come as a surprise, but Cussler's countless fans won't care. George Cohen Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Book 32 Skeleton Coast Book 32 Skeleton Coast Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-14-305935-1 Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Berkley Pub Group Synopsis The fourth installment of the "Oregon Files" series once again features the seafaring adventures of Juan Cabrillo and his disguised warship, the Oregon. In SKELETON COAST, Cabrillo receives a mayday distress signal and rescues the alluring Sloane Macintyre from a vicious attack. Macintyre is seeking a sunken ship filled with diamonds, but before she can locate it, the crew of the Oregon must deal with metal snakes and a mad genius's plan to harness the powers of nature. Book 33 Treasure of Khan Book 33 Treasure of Khan Author: Cussler, Clive Cussler, Dirk ISBN: 0-14-305895-9 Category: Fiction : Thrillers User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Compact Disc - Unabridged Penguin Audiobooks A mysterious Mongolian mogul is conducting covert deals for supplying oil to the Chinese while wreaking havoc on global oil markets. The Mongolian harbors a dream of restoring the conquests of his ancestors, and holds a dark secret about Genghis Khan that just might give him the wealth and power to make that dream come true. Unabridged. 13 CDs. Book 34 The Navigator Book 34 The Navigator Author: Cussler, Clive Kemprecos, Paul Kemprecos, Paul Brick, Scott ISBN: 0-14-314202-X Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio From Publishers Weekly Fans of action-hero Kurt Austin of the National Underwater and Maritime Agency expect imaginative plotting, but it never comes down the chute in this seventh NUMA Files novel from bestseller Cussler and Shamus-winner Kemprecos (after Polar Shift). Austin and his team are hunting icebergs when they chance upon a pirate raid aimed at stealing a priceless Phoenician antiquity launched by a stereotypical megalomaniacal villain, Viktor Baltazar, who believes he's a descendant of King Solomon. Baltazar and Austin joust continually (once, literally!) over the antique, which may be connected to the lost ark of the covenant, Thomas Jefferson and the suspicious death of Meriwether Lewis. Sequences including the attempted human sacrifice of the requisite gorgeous female U.N. investigator are all too predictable, and the writing ("The Filipino's lips curved like slices of liverwurst in a frying pan") is often less than Cussler's best. (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist Calculations seem to point to this being popular adventure novelist Cussler's thirty-fourth book, the seventh one written in collaboration with Kemprecos and the seventh one to chronicle the adventures of the NUMA Special Assignments Team. In his latest romp, Cussler is concerned with an ancient Phoenician statue called the Navigator, which was stolen from a Baghdad museum in 900 BCE. The compelling, well-organized plot--taken from a template that works--includes such disparate but ultimately workable elements as a foiled hijacking, a secret scientific project, pirates, a beautiful woman ("Her gown's scooped neckline displayed a decolletage that hovered between proper and sexy"), and the heroic machinations of the NUMA sleuths. Without exactly revealing the ending, suffice it to say--or, actually, suffice it to pose the question, Has the NUMA team ever failed in its quest for justice? Read it to make certain you've answered the question correctly. Cussler's multitude of fans will undoubtedly eat up this new novel just as they have previous ones. George Cohen Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 35 The Chase Book 35 The Chase Author: Cussler, Clive ISBN: 0-14-314243-7 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 Penguin Audio From Publishers Weekly Cussler takes a breather from his several ongoing series with this historical thriller set in the western states, circa 1906. The U.S. government hires the renowned Van Dorn Detective Agency and its equally renowned lead agent, Isaac Bell, to capture the bank robber known as the Butcher Bandit. The Butcher has gunned down 38 men and women and two children, leaving behind neither witnesses nor clues. Bell heads the manhunt and finally figures out the Butcher's true identity, which is when the real chase begins. Unfortunately, Cussler's style is patterned on the clunky dialogue (I pray you catch the murdering scum) and improbable characters of the period's dime novels, and his in-depth research makes his descriptions sound like advertising. Once San Francisco gets hit by the 1906 earthquake and the principals climb aboard a pair of fire-breathing locomotives, the novel cranks up a head of steam and some high-speed thrills. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist Cussler is the author or coauthor of 33 books, including 19 Dirk Pitt novels and 7 NUMA Files books. This latest adventure involves the hulk of a steam locomotive that comes to the surface of a lake in Montana in 1950. It contains the bodies of three men who died 44 years before. Flash back to 1906 and a two-year crime spree out west. There's a series of bank robberies by an evil person who murders any witnesses. The government brings in a detective to solve the case, but soon the hunter becomes the hunted. As always, Cussler ties everything together in the end. The author's many fans probably know that at the start, but they will want to read the novel anyway. Cohen, George --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book 36 Plague Ship Book 36 Plague Ship Author: Cussler, Clive DuBrul, Jack Brick, Scott ISBN: 0-14-314308-5 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio From Publishers Weekly Cussler, writing with Du Brul, offers the fifth installment of his Oregon series, which follows the exploits of a covert ship that does the government's dirty work as long as the price is right. Scott Brick reads with a flare of the theatrical, at times sending his voice soaring, up, up, up in an attempt to create tension and excitement. Brick's characters are over-the-top and his pronunciation is slightly unbelievable. His reading is certainly entertaining but at odds with Cussler's staid prose that is layered with rich detail and deeply researched information. The story flows well and draws the audience in, but Brick's theatrical performance distracts. A Putnam hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 14). (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Product Description Unabridged CDs • 13 CDs, 16 hours An exhilarating new adventure in the New York Times– bestselling Oregon Files series. Book 37 Arctic Drift Book 37 Arctic Drift Author: Cussler, Clive Cussler, Dirk ISBN: 0-425-23145-3 Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 3.5 Stars Compact Disc Berkley Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Bestseller Cussler and son Dirk imagine the U.S. and Canada on the brink of war in their third collaborative Dirk Pitt novel (after Treasure of Khan and Black Wind). In 2011, as the price of gas hits $10 a gallon, President Garner Ward must contend with a corrupt Canadian cabal that's subverting efforts to solve America's energy problems. Pitt barely escapes serious injury when a bomb destroys a D.C. lab along with records of research into an artificial photosynthesis process that could, almost immediately, eliminate the threat of global warming. That discovery may be connected with a legendary failed 19th-century sailing expedition to the Arctic as well as a series of deaths due to the phenomena that the Native Americans of British Columbia know as the Devil's Breath. The Cusslers won't suspend many readers' disbelief, but thriller fans in search of a quick, exciting read should be satisfied. 750,000 printing; author tour. (Dec.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Review Impossible to put down... a compelling sense of adventure that can rival any cinematic blockbuster Big Issue --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book 38 Corsair Book 38 Corsair Author: Cussler, Clive Brul, Jack Du ISBN: 0-14-314415-4 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 Penguin Audio From Booklist In the sixth entry set onboard the Oregon (and the third cowritten with Du Brul), Juan Cabrillo, the one-legged “chairman” of the ancient but technologically sophisticated ship, is hired to dig up the remnants of a crashed plane. But this wasn’t just any plane crash: on board was Fiona Katamora, the U.S. secretary of state, who was on her way to a summit meeting in Libya. Although Cabrillo and his crew are able to recover the wreckage, there is no sign of the secretary. The Libyan foreign minister seems to have plans of his own, which is why the CIA thought to hire Cabrillo rather than to trust the Libyans to investigate the crash. A corsair is a variety of pirate, known for fights off the Barbary Coast more than 200 years ago. But they’re back with a vengeance here, infesting the waters of Asia and Africa and becoming a terrorist threat like no other. The Libyans are after something, something centuries old, and only Cabrillo can find the answers. The action, suspense, and drama are full throttle throughout. Cussler fans used to international intrigue and battles at sea will not be disappointed. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Product Description Unabridged CDs 13 CDs, 16 hours The spectacular new adventure from "just about the best storyteller in the business" (New York Post). Book 41 The Wrecker Book 41 The Wrecker Author: Cussler, Clive Scott, Justin ISBN: 0-399-15599-6 Category: American Historical Fiction User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Book Putnam Adult Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Set in 1907, the rousing second thriller to feature detective Isaac Bell (after The Chase) from bestseller Cussler and Scott pits Bell against the Wrecker, who's been destroying trains and railroad facilities around the country for no apparent reason. These horrific incidents are wreaking havoc on the plans of Osgood Hennessy, the Southern Pacific Railroad's president, who's constructing the massive Cascade Canyon Bridge in Oregon. If the project isn't completed by winter, Hennessy's bankers will withdraw financing and his company will be destroyed. As in the first book, the purposefully stilted writing style takes a little getting used to, but there's plenty of excitement to be had in a world where massive, fire-breathing trains fly along at speeds of up to 120 mph. While the Wrecker's identity is revealed early on and there's never any doubt that Isaac will get his man, readers will find many thrills and much diabolical cleverness along the way. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Product Description In The Chase, Clive Cussler introduced an electrifying new hero, the tall, lean, no-nonsense detective Isaac Bell, who, driven by his sense of justice, travels early-twentieth-century America pursuing thieves and killers . . . and sometimes criminals much worse. It is 1907, a year of financial panic and labor unrest. Train wrecks, fires, and explosions sabotage the Southern Pacific Railroad's Cascades express line and, desperate, the railroad hires the fabled Van Dorn Detective Agency. Van Dorn sends in his best man, and Bell quickly discovers that a mysterious saboteur haunts the hobo jungles of the West, a man known as the Wrecker, who recruits accomplices from the down-and-out to attack the railroad, and then kills them afterward. The Wrecker traverses the vast spaces of the American West as if he had wings, striking wherever he pleases, causing untold damage and loss of human life. Who is he? What does he want? Is he a striker? An anarchist? A revolutionary determined to displace the "privileged few"? A criminal mastermind engineering some as yet unexplained scheme? Whoever he is, whatever his motives, the Wrecker knows how to create maximum havoc, and Bell senses that he is far from done-that, in fact, the Wrecker is building up to a grand act unlike anything he has committed before. If Bell doesn't stop him in time, more than a railroad could be at risk-it could be the future of the entire country. Filled with intricate plotting and dazzling set pieces, The Wrecker is one of the most entertaining thrillers in years. Book 42 The Silent Sea Book 42 The Silent Sea Author: Cussler, Clive Brul, Jack Du ISBN: Category: Cussler, Clive - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Compact Disc - Unabridged Putnam Adult Editorial Reviews From Booklist The seventh Oregon Files adventure thriller begins on December 7, 1941, when five boys encounter tragedy while looking for buried pirate treasure on a small island off the coast of Washington State. Flash-forward to today: Juan Cabrillo, captain of the Oregon (a high-tech vessel posing as a tramp freighter), is in Argentina, trying to recover a downed NASA satellite. Well, don't you know, Juan stumbles on something he totally didn't expect to find, and soon he's chasing after the secrets of an ancient curse that might still be causing trouble. Fast-paced and a lot of fun, the latest Cabrillo novel delivers the wallop Cussler's fans have come to expect. Cabrillo himself—he shares his name with a sixteenth-century Portuguese explorer, by the way—makes a fine protagonist, sharp-witted and two-fisted. Considering the Oregon Files novels involve action, exploration, and high-tech gadgetry, it's surprising no one has turned them into movies yet. The prolific Cussler, who, like James Patterson, now employs coauthors (Du Brul in this case), is often accused of writing by the numbers, but this time those numbers add up to entertaining fare for high-adventure fans. --David Pitt Product Description The thrilling new adeventure from the #1 New York Times- bestselling author. Clive Cussler's tales of the Oregon and its crew-"the clever, indefatigable Juan Cabrillo and his merry band of tough, tech-savvy fighting men and women" (Publishers Weekly)-have made fans of hundreds of thousands of readers. But the Oregon's sixth adventure is its most remark-able one yet. On December 7, 1941, five brothers exploring a shaft on a small island off the coast of Washington State make an extraordinary discovery, only to be interrupted by news of Pearl Harbor. In the present, Cabrillo, chasing the remnants of a crashed satellite in the Argentine jungle, stumbles upon a shocking revelation of his own. His search to untangle the mystery leads him, first, to that small island and its secret, and then much farther back, to an ancient Chinese expedition-and a curse that seems to have survived for more than five hundred years. If Cabrillo's team is successful in its quest, the reward could be incalculable. If not . . . the only reward is death. The Book of Fate [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] The Book of Fate [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Meltzer, Brad Brick, Scott (Reader) ISBN: 1-59483-545-4 Category: Books : Audiobooks : Books on CD : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Hachette Audio From Publishers Weekly When you've got a jaw-dropping plot that includes a secret 200-year-old Masonic code map hidden somewhere under Washington, D.C., plus a top aide to a former U.S. president who's killed in an assassination attempt in chapter one, but then is discovered alive and kicking in Malaysia in chapter two, you need all the skill and professionalism you can muster to avoid overkill. Luckily, Meltzer's latest bestseller has Scott Brick, a solid veteran narrator who reads every word as though he believes it, adding fresh nuance to characters who range from a Bill Clintonesque ex-president named Leland F. Manning-now making more money as a public speaker and fund-raiser than he ever did in the White House-to the formerly dead Ron Boyle and especially Wes Holloway, a tragic figure who might remind listeners of Ronald Reagan's press secretary James Brady. Holloway, wounded and disfigured by the lunatic who tried to kill Manning but apparently hit Boyle, is at the center of most of Meltzer's hyperactive hyperbole, and Brick helps build a strong foundation by making him both touching and believable. Product Description In six minutes, one of us would be dead. None of us knew itwas coming...So says Wes Holloway, a once-cocky and ambitious presidential aide, aboutthe day that changed his life forever. On that Fourth of July, Wes put RonBoyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the presidentiallimousine. By the time the trip came to an end, Wes was permanentlydisfigured, and Boyle was dead, the victim of a crazed assassin.Eight years later, Boyle is spotted, alive and well, in Malaysia. In thatmoment, Wes has the chance to undo the worst day of his life. Trying tofigure out what really happened takes Wes back to a decade-old presidentialcrossword puzzle, mysterious facts buried in Masonic history, and atwo-hundred-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson.But what Wes doesn't realize is that The Book of Fate holds everyone'ssecrets. Especially the ones worth dying for. The Book of Fate. What doesit say about you? Breach of Promise [ABRIDGED] Breach of Promise [ABRIDGED] Author: O'Shaughnessy, Perri Merlington, Laural (Narrator) ISBN: 1-59086-465-4 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Corporation Amazon.com Fans who have been eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Nina Reilly series won't be disappointed by Perri O'Shaughnessy's latest, Breach of Promise. The creator of Invasion of Privacy and Obstruction of Justice has crafted a tale of love and murder gone awry in the material age. Palimony--birds do it, bees do it, Liberace's heirs do it, and so do Mike and Lindy Markov. When Mike falls for Rachel, a young and beautiful vice president at Markov Enterprises, he tells Lindy (his companion and business partner of many years) that their relationship is over, leaving her, in effect, to go soak her head in one of the Markov Super Spas they've invented and sold to countless arthritics. Desperate to retain her fair share of their $250 million fortune, Lindy hires Nina to pursue a palimony suit against Mike, tempting her with an enormous percentage if they win their case. O'Shaughnessy thus leads into the deceptively simple, deeply disturbing philosophical conundrum around which she weaves her tale of intrigue: What would you--what would anyone--do for money? As Nina pursues her case, O'Shaughnessy tests the boundaries of traditional courtroom-drama fiction by playing with the conventions of narrative form, but she remains true to the genre's ethic of devious surprises and fast-paced action. Granted, Nina is a lawyer rather than a private investigator, and her smooth style bears little resemblance to, say, the sardonic goofiness of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, but she may strike a chord with fans of Sara Paretsky's Chicago sleuth, V.I. Warshawski. Both Nina and V.I. cling stubbornly to their independence and sense of fairness as they wage battle against institutionalized forces of greed; and both O'Shaughnessy and Paretsky use engaging characters, tight plotting, and clever dialogue to lure their readers into wrestling with legal and moral dilemmas. --Kelly Flynn--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Nina O'Reilly, the solo Tahoe lawyer with an attitude, is back. So are her loyal but surly assistant, Sandy, and her oddly detached lover, ex-homicide dick Paul. This time the legal issue is palimony. Wealthy, aggressive Mike Markov tells his wife, Lindy, that he's leaving her to marry a young employee of the business Mike and Lindy have built together. Lindy, a maverick not averse to keeping secrets from her own attorney, hires O'Reilly to bring suit against Mike for half the businessAreckoned in millions. Mike hires a shark, Jeffrey Riesner, who makes O'Reilly feel so outclassed that she hires smooth co-counsel Winston ReynoldsAwho turns out to be an addicted gambler. The case is much bigger than any O'Reilly has tried before, and it plunges her into a tangle of reversals, deceits and snarly legal traps that the authorAactually two sisters writing under the pseudonym O'Shaughnessy (Obstruction of Justice)Ahandles adroitly, snapping out plenty of twists on the legal and moral sides of a midlife crisis. Although the jury deliberations drag and the action-adventure climax in boats on Lake Tahoe is unbelievable, O'Shaughnessy's courtroom strategies and her characters' idiosyncrasies keep ringing true. Author tour. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The Brethren [ABRIDGED] The Brethren [ABRIDGED] Author: GRISHAM, JOHN BECK, MICHAEL (Narrator) ISBN: 0-553-45664-4 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Authors, A-Z : ( G ) : Grisham, John User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio Amazon.com John Grisham's novels have all been so systematically successful that it is easy to forget he is just one man toiling away silently with a pen, experimenting and improving with each book. While not as gifted a prose stylist as Scott Turow, Grisham is among the best plotters in the thriller business, and he infuses his books with a moral valence and creative vision that set them apart from their peers. The Brethren is in many respects his most daring book yet. The novel grows from two separate subplots. In the first, three imprisoned ex-judges (the "brethren" in the title), frustrated by their loss of power and influence, concoct an elaborate blackmail scheme that preys on wealthy, closeted gay men. The second story traces the rise of presidential candidate Aaron Lake, a puppet essentially created by CIA director Teddy Maynard to fulfill Maynard's plans for restoring the power of his beleaguered agency. Grisham's tight control of the two meandering threads leaves the reader guessing through most of the opening chapters how and when these two worlds will collide. Also impressive is Grisham's careful portraiture. Justice Hatlee Beech in particular is a fascinating, tragic anti-hero: a millionaire judge with an appointment for life who was rendered divorced, bankrupt, and friendless after his conviction for a drunk-driving homicide. The book's cynical view of presidential politics and criminal justice casts a somewhat gloomy shadow over the tale. CIA director Teddy Maynard is an all-powerful demon with absolute knowledge and control of the public will and public funds. Even his candidate, Congressman Lake, is a pawn in Maynard's egomaniacal game of ad campaigns, illicit contributions, and international intrigue. In the end, The Brethren marks a transition in Grisham's career toward a more thoughtful narrative style with less interest in the big-payoff blockbuster ending. But that's not to say that the last 50 pages won't keep your reading light turned on late. --Patrick O'Kelley--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Only a few megaselling authors of popular fiction deviate dramatically from formula--most notably Stephen King but recently Grisham, too. He's serializing a literary novel, A Painted House, in the Oxford American; his last thriller (The Testament) emphasized spirituality as intensely as suspense; and his deeply absorbing new novel dispenses with a staple not only of his own work but of most commercial fiction: the hero. The novel does feature three antiheroes of a sort, the brethren of the title, judges serving time in a federal prison in Florida for white-collar offenses. They're a hard bunch to root for, though, as their main activity behind bars is running a blackmail scheme in which they bait, hook and squeeze wealthy, closeted gay men through a magazine ad supposedly placed by "Ricky," a young incarcerated gay looking for companionship. Then there's the two-bit alcoholic attorney who's abetting them by running their mail and depositing their dirty profits in an overseas bank. Scarcely more appealing is the big fish the trio snare, Congressman Anthony Lake, who meanwhile is busy selling his lifelong integrity when the director of the CIA offers to lever him into the White House in exchange for a doubling of federal defense spending upon Lake's inauguration. The expertly orchestrated and very complex plot follows these evildoers through their illicit enterprises, devoting considerable attention to the CIA's staging of Lake's presidential campaign and even more to that agency's potentially lethal pursuit of the brethren once it learns that the three are threatening to out candidate Lake. Every personage in this novel lies, cheats, steals and/or kills, and while Grisham's fans may miss the stalwart lawyer-heroes and David vs. Goliath slant of his earlier work, all will be captivated by this clever thriller that presents as crisp a cast as he's yet devised, and as grippingly sardonic yet bitingly moral a scenario as he's ever imagined. Agent, David Gernert. 2.8 milli Brisingr (Book 3) Brisingr (Book 3) Author: Paolini, Christopher Doyle, Gerard (Reader) ISBN: 0-7393-6804-4 Category: Juvenile Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Listening Library Product Description BRISINGR EXCLUSIVE: The audio edition of Brisingr features a revealing Q & A between best-selling author Christopher Paolini and editor Michelle Frey. OATHS SWORN . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide. Following the colossal battle against the Empire's warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep. First is Eragon's oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran's beloved, Katrina, from King Galbatorix's clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength-as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices- choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice. Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once-simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king? About the Author Christopher Paolini is the author of Eragon and Eldest, the first two books in the Inheritance Cycle. He lives in Montana, where the landscape continues to inspire his visions of Alagaësia. Brothers Majere Brothers Majere Author: Stein, Kevin ISBN: 0-7869-2971-5 Category: Fantasy User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD MP3 Wizards of the Coast Product Description First launched over a decade ago, the Preludes series has continued to prove popular with Dragonlance fans. This re-release of Brothers Majere showcases a new look for the forthcoming recovers of the remainder of the series. The title features cover art from lead Dragonlance artist Matt Stawicki and includes a short introduction by New York Times best-selling author Margaret Weis. About the Author Kevin Stein is the author of Brothers Majere and a number of short stories set in the Dragonlance world. He has a degree in English and has studied in England and America. Stein lives in Illinois. Burn Factor [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Burn Factor [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Mills, Kyle Anne, Twomey (Narrator) ISBN: Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio Cassette HarperAudio Amazon.com Why would the FBI want to cover up a link between five unsolved murders, especially a link as telling as matching DNA recovered from every one of the crime scenes? That's the premise of Kyle Mills's Burn Factor. Instead of his usual hero, FBI agent Mark Beamon, the author introduces Quinn Barry, a relatively low-level analyst for the agency who stumbles across what at first looks like a glitch in the computer's forensics program. But of course it's not--the serial killer protected by the powers that be is a truly mad scientist who's indispensable to the completion of a top-secret weapons project. Quinn, whose lifelong ambition is to move up in the ranks and become a full-fledged FBI agent, is transferred out of her programming job as soon as she brings the link to the attention of superiors. But the plucky woman ignores their warnings and enlists the aid of another scientific genius, who also happens to be the chief suspect in at least one of the gruesome murders she's intent on solving. Burn Factor is big on implausible and illogical plot twists, and small on characterizations. We never learn enough about Quinn to understand why she puts her career (not to mention her life) in jeopardy, even as evidence of a massive cover-up continues to mount and her boyfriend, a CIA agent, turns out to be a willing accomplice to the conspirator-in-chief. Fans of Mills's previous novels (Rising Phoenix, Storming Heaven, Free Fall) who keep waiting for Beamon to show up and save the day will be disappointed, especially since the author doesn't quite succeed in making Quinn Barry as appealing a protagonist. --Jane Adams --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly An FBI computer programmer with no law enforcement training leads her own wildcat search for a serial murderer, stumbling across a secret government plot in the process, in this outlandish thriller by an author capable of much better. While still settling in to her new job at the FBI, computer jockey and aspiring agent Quinn Barry discovers what appears to be a serial killer case that nobody's investigating. When she brings it to the attention of her boss, Barry is not only ignored but demoted. As a result, the quick-tempered, impulsive 26-year-old decides to investigate on her own. Her first move: venturing alone at night to the remote home of sinister Eric Twain, a suspect in one of the killings. Barry, still suspicious of Twain, nonetheless teams up with him to track down the killer, who tortures young women who fit a certain physical profile not surprisingly, Barry matches it before raping and killing them. Along the way, Barry becomes adept at all sorts of investigative techniques. She cuts glass to get into homes, theorizes about the psychology of mass murder and fights off several attackers before discovering that the case may be rooted in a highly classified government nuclear defense program. Mills has written several smart, classically conceived thrillers (Rising Phoenix; Free Fall) starring the always fascinating Mark Beamon, a disgraced FBI agent trying to fight his way back into the bureau's good graces. With his latest, Mills has created a main character who strains credibility from the start and a brittle plot that eventually drifts into a tedious chronicle of sexual sadism. (Apr.)Forecast: One misstep won't derail Mills's promising career, particularly since HarperCollins is backing this book with a five-city author tour, national advertising and lavish promotion plans, plus simultaneous abridged and unabridged audio versions, as well as a large-print edition. But expect a loss of momentum once early readers report back on this disappointing effort. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Carrie Carrie Author: King, Stephen Spacek, Sissy (Reader) ISBN: 0-7435-3698-3 Category: Mystery/Suspense User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio Editorial Reviews About the Author Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. Among his most recent are the Dark Tower novels, Cell, From a Buick 8, Everything's Eventual, Hearts in Atlantis, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, and Bag of Bones. His acclaimed nonfiction book, On Writing, was also a bestseller. He is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. From AudioFile Stephen King's first published novel offers a warning to bullies in the person of Carrie White, a high school misfit who wreaks her revenge in a now-famous prom scene. While the story is no less fresh today than it was in 1974, this audio edition promises a "brand-new introduction from the author," which is not, in fact, included in the recording. The story is narrated by Sissy Spacek, who played the title role in the movie. While Spacek perfectly understands the protagonist and amply projects both her hopes and misery, this listener found it unsettling to hear a story about Maine natives in a Maine town read in a clear Texas drawl. Spacek's consistency and acting ability somewhat make up for this incongruity, but King's "Mainiacs" still sound more performed than real. R.L.L. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine The Cat Who Tailed a Thief [ABRIDGED] The Cat Who Tailed a Thief [ABRIDGED] Author: Braun, Lilian Jackson Adams, Mason (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7871-1352-2 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Audio Literature Amazon.com Lillian Jackson Braun never seems to run out of ideas for her popular series of mysteries featuring journalist Jim Qwilleran and his feline cohort, Koko. In this latest, The Cat Who Tailed A Thief, Koko again exhibits her preternatural intelligence by trying to tip off Qwilleran to important clues to a murder. That Qwilleran is not possessed of the same mental acuity as his cat is what makes this series work. Braun may not be noted for refined prose, perceptive characterizations, or stunningly original plots, but what she does do well is cats. Fans of felines in general and Koko in particular will find this book, the 19th in the Qwilleran series, almost as irresistible as, well, catnip. Some would even say it's purr-fect. From Publishers Weekly Nothing is sacred in this latest installment of the trials and tribulations of life in Moose County, "400 miles north of everywhere," as locals face a green Christmas, an outbreak of petty larceny and a tacky new resident. As the holidays approach, someone has taken to stealing small articles of apparently little value?gloves, sunglasses, a bag of old clothes, an antique doll. But these seem minor distractions from larger matters, like the new banker, Willard Carmichael, and his wife, Danielle, a flashy young woman with big hair who teeters on spiked heels as she flirts with an uncooperative newspaper columnist, Qwilleran, seen last in The Cat Who Said Cheese (1996). Willard fits right in, devoting himself to restoring Pleasant Street's Victorian homes with the help of Danielle's cousin, Carter Lee James, a preservation consultant. Just after Christmas, Willard is killed in a mugging in Detroit; then a local boy is arrested for the petty thefts and an old friend becomes engaged to James, all events that raise Qwill's suspicions and inspire strange behavior in his sleuthing cats, Koko and Yum Yum. Cranky and sometimes acerbic, Qwill fights off the sentimentality of the season while investigating the world of historically correct renovations. By springtime, with the help of Koko in particular, he brings a murderer and thief to justice in an accomplished mystery that is as smooth as the season's first snowfall. Mystery Guild and Readers Digest Condensed Book selection; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternate. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Cat Who Talked Turkey Cat Who Talked Turkey Author: Braun, Lilian Jackson Guidall, George ISBN: 0-399-15162-1 Category: Fiction User Rating: 2.0 Stars Compact Disc Penguin Group (USA) ABOUT THE BOOK Cat Who Talked Turkey FROM THE CRITICS AudioFile This is the twenty-sixth in the popular Cat Who series, featuring a psychic Siamese cat and a rustic but dapper newspaper columnist. In this latest story little attention is paid to the art of crime detection. No one cares about a couple of bodies in the woods. The real story is about opening a new bookstore, planning for a bicentennial, chasing wild turkeys, and producing a play about a devastating storm of 1913. What keeps the series popular are the local characters, the cats, and protagonist Quill, who is lively, wise, and funny. George Guidall does his usual superb job of bringing alive Quill, the good citizens of Mooseville, and even the cats. (His portrayal of Koko's yowls is worth listening for.) These episodes of life in the North have much of the same bucolic humor we enjoy in "The News from Lake Wobegon." D.L.G. ® AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine Cell Cell Author: King, Stephen Scott, Campbell (Reader) ISBN: 0-7435-5433-7 Category: Horror User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Witness Stephen King's triumphant, blood-spattered return to the genre that made him famous. Cell, the king of horror's homage to zombie films (the book is dedicated in part to George A. Romero) is his goriest, most horrific novel in years, not to mention the most intensely paced. Casting aside his love of elaborate character and town histories and penchant for delayed gratification, King yanks readers off their feet within the first few pages; dragging them into the fray and offering no chance catch their breath until the very last page. In Cell King taps into readers fears of technological warfare and terrorism. Mobile phones deliver the apocalypse to millions of unsuspecting humans by wiping their brains of any humanity, leaving only aggressive and destructive impulses behind. Those without cell phones, like illustrator Clayton Riddell and his small band of "normies," must fight for survival, and their journey to find Clayton's estranged wife and young son rockets the book toward resolution. Fans that have followed King from the beginning will recognize and appreciate Cell as a departure--King's writing has not been so pure of heart and free of hang-ups in years (wrapping up his phenomenal Dark Tower series and receiving a medal from the National Book Foundation doesn't hurt either). "Retirement" clearly suits King, and lucky for us, having nothing left to prove frees him up to write frenzied, juiced-up horror-thrillers like Cell. --Daphne Durham --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. It's probably a good idea not to use your cell phone while you listen to Scott's beautifully understated reading of terrormeister King's latest take on technology run amok: you might just toss it down the nearest storm drain. The excellent film actor (who catches the power of his late father George C. Scott's voice but smooths off the rough edges) adds an important element--quiet believability--to King's bloody, occasionally over-the-top story of a short but lethal electronic signal that seriously damages everyone in the world using a cell phone at that moment. The Pulse, as it comes to be known, turns idle chatterers into weirdly rewired killing machines. Scott makes the lead character--a comic book artist from Maine (where else?) named Clayton Riddell, who is in Boston with his phone off and in his pocket--a touching and surprisingly tough survivor, much like the nonpods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. He also resists the temptation to make the "phoners" (those affected by the Pulse) sound unusually strange or dangerous--until their real motives become obvious. Simultaneous release with the Scribner hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 2). (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Certain Poor Sheperds (Unabridged) Cassette [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Certain Poor Sheperds (Unabridged) Cassette [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Thomas, Elizabeth Marshall ISBN: 0-671-57438-8 Category: Books on Cassette : Children's Books : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Audioworks From Publishers Weekly Marshall applies her knowledge of the animal world (The Secret Life of Dogs) and her fictional skills (Reindeer Moon) to a rich reimagining of the Nativity story. Her pilgrims are a wise goat named Ima and a huge warrior sheepdog , Lila. They are on the mountain guarding a herd of sheep when the star appears, and they immediately sense divinity in the air. Later, they see a flock of angels invisible to their master. Struck by inspiration, they follow the star to Bethlehem, where Lila witnesses the scene at the manger. Many other animals appear in the narrative?camels, a cheetah, other dogs, a gazelle?giving Marshall an opportunity to represent natural creatures interacting and cherishing their freedom, which to animals is a form of grace. After Ima and Lila experience several dangerous adventures, an uplifting ending, in which they are rewarded by an angel whom Ima had saved from an eagle, probably will elicit some happy tears. The deliberately simple but well-honed prose makes this story suitable for family reading, and Marshall's attribution of human thoughts and emotions to her animal characters should delight sentimentalists. But the epilogue, in which Marshall muses that "perhaps our hope of redemption lies in the fact that we are animals, not that we are people," will not make this book a favorite of fundamentalist Christians. Simultaneous audio. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Animal-loving Marshall (The Hidden Life of Dogs) retells the Nativity, with two sheepdogs and a goat as shepards. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Chamber Chamber Author: Grisham, John Beck, Michael ISBN: 0-553-47234-8 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group ABOUT THE BOOK Chamber ANNOTATION The author of the number-one bestsellers The Firm, The Pelican Brief and The Client has written another spellbinding tale of legal intrigue sure to hit bestseller lists this summer. Twenty-two years after the bombing deaths of a civil rights activist's two sons, the Klansman on death row for their murders is mysteriously aided in his last appeal by a young lawyer in a major firm. But why? FROM THE PUBLISHER In 1967 in Greenville, Mississippi, known Klan member Sam Cayhall is accused of bombing the law offices of Jewish civil rights activist Marvin Kramer, killing Kramer's two sons. Cayhall's first trial, with an all-white jury and a Klan rally outside the courthouse, ends in a hung jury; the retrial six months later has the same outcome. Twelve years later an ambitious district attorney in Greenville reopens the case. Much has changed since 1967, and this time, with a jury of eight whites and four blacks, Cayhall is convicted. He is transferred to the state penitentiary at Parchman to await execution on death row. In 1990, in the huge Chicago law firm of Kravitz & Bane, a young lawyer named Adam Hall asks to work on the Cayhall case, which the firm has handled on a pro bono basis for years. But the case is all but lost and time is running out: within weeks Sam Cayhall will finally go to the gas chamber. Why in the world would Adam want to get involved? FROM THE CRITICS Walter Goodman So, let's begin with a word of reassurance. If you find your fingers racing through these 486 pages, it may signify merely that few of them demand close study. And as for putting the book down, I managed to do it without pain a score of times....Mr. Grisham has no pretensions to being a stylist. As with most other popular novels, the language does not bear inspection. Its main function is to deliver information, and you don't have to read absolutely every word, because all significant facts are repeated, usually more than once. Everything is made explicit; one's imagination is never imposed on. -- New York Times Publishers Weekly Tie-in edition with the forthcoming movie starring Gene Hackman and Faye Dunaway. (Oct) Library Journal Grisham aims for another best-seller (and a movie?) with a tale that hinges on the bombing of civil rights advocate Marvin Kramer's offices in 1967. His two sons are killed, and Klansman Sam Cayhall is convicted. Some 22 years later, as Cayhall approaches execution, a hot young lawyer asks to defend him. The Children of Hurin [UNABRIDGED] The Children of Hurin [UNABRIDGED] Author: Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher (Editor) Lee, Christopher (Reader) ISBN: 0-00-726345-7 Category: Middle Earth (Imaginary place) User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD HarperCollins UK Audio Amazon.com Review The first complete book by J.R.R. Tolkien in three decades--since the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977--The Children of Húrin reunites fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, dragons and Dwarves, Eagles and Orcs. Presented for the first time as a complete, standalone story, this stirring narrative will appeal to casual fans and expert readers alike, returning them to the rich landscape and characters unique to Tolkien. There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World. In that remote time, Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in the vast fortress of Angband, the Hells of Iron, in the North; and the tragedy of Túrin and his sister Nienor unfolded within the shadow of the fear of Angband and the war waged by Morgoth against the lands and secret cities of the Elves. Their brief and passionate lives were dominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bore them as the children of Húrin, the man who had dared to defy and to scorn him to his face. Against them he sent his most formidable servant, Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragon of fire. Into this story of brutal conquest and flight, of forest hiding-places and pursuit, of resistance with lessening hope, the Dark Lord and the Dragon enter in direly articulate form. Sardonic and mocking, Glaurung manipulated the fates of Túrin and Nienor by lies of diabolic cunning and guile, and the curse of Morgoth was fulfilled. The earliest versions of this Tolkien story go back to the end of the First World War and the years that followed. But long afterwards, when The Lord of the Rings was finished, he revised and greatly enlarged it, enhancing complexities of motive and character. It became the dominant story in his later work on Middle-earth. But he could not bring it to a final and finished form. In this book, Christopher Tolkien has constructed, after long study of the manuscripts, a coherent narrative without any editorial invention. City of Bones City of Bones Author: Connelly, Michael ISBN: 0-446-61161-1 Category: 4-for-3 Books : Mystery User Rating: 4.0 Stars Mass Market Paperback Warner Books Amazon.com Since his first appearance in 1992's Edgar-winning The Black Echo, Detective Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch has joined Dennis Lehane's Patrick and Angie, George Pelecanos's Derek Strange, and Greg Rucka's Atticus Kodiak in the pantheon of new-school hard-boiled detectives. Rather than giving Bosch a clever gimmick (like Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme, who is a quadriplegic), Michael Connelly embraces the noir archetype: Bosch, an L.A. homicide detective, is a chain-smoking loner who refuses to play by his superiors' rules. Although he has quit smoking, Harry's still the same tightlipped outsider, taking each crime as a personal affront as he tries to cleanse his beloved city of the darkness he sees engulfing it. In City of Bones, Connelly's eighth Bosch title, Bosch and his well-dressed partner, Jerry Edgar, are working to identify a child's skeleton, buried for 20 years in the forest off Hollywood's Wonderland Drive, and to bring the killer to belated justice. For Bosch this is more than just another homicide, as the mystery child, beaten and abandoned, comes to represent much of what he sees as evil in his city. Add in a tragic love affair with a fellow cop, complications from overzealous media, and the growing feeling that he's fighting a losing battle about which no one cares, and the usually stoic Bosch is pushed to his limits. This isn't the strongest plot Connelly has concocted for Bosch, but it leads to an ending the whole series has been building toward. The conclusion may not shock longtime fans, but it will leave them wondering where the series will go from here. --Benjamin Reese --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Harry Bosch is at the top of his form which is great news for Connelly fans who might have been wondering how much life the dour, haunted LAPD veteran had left in him. His latest adventure is as dark and angst-ridden as any of Bosch's past outings, but it also crackles with energy especially in the details of police procedure and internal politics that animate virtually every page. What other crime writer could make such dramatic use of the fact that the front door of a house trailer swings out rather than in, creating problems for a two-man team of detectives? Who else would create to such credible narrative effect an egotistic celebrity coroner who jeopardizes an investigation because she lets a TV camera crew from Court TV follow her around, or an overage female rookie cop so in love with danger that she commits an unthinkable act? When the bones of an abused 12-year-old boy who disappeared in 1980 turn up in the woods above Hollywood (near a street named Wonderland, where former governor Jerry Brown used to live), the case stirs up Bosch's memories of his own troubled childhood. Also, as his captain so aptly points out, Harry is the LAPD's prime "shit magnet," an investigator who attracts muck and trouble wherever he goes. So it's no great surprise when the investigation takes a couple of nasty turns, right up through the last chapter. Connelly is such a careful, quiet writer that he can slow down the story to sketch in some relatively minor characters a retired doctor, a couple who lived through their foster children without missing a beat. (One-day laydown Apr. 16)Forecast: Connelly doesn't need much help in hitting the charts, but Little, Brown is going all out anyway, with a massive television, radio and print ad campaign, transit ads in New York and a 10-city author tour. Expect blockbuster sales and blockbuster satisfaction. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Clay Clay Author: Blake, Jennifer ISBN: 1-55204-272-3 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio Cassette DH Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Blake draws a powerful portrait of a mother who will risk everything, including imprisonment, to save her eight-year-old daughter's life in the fourth installment of her Louisiana Gentlemen series (after Roan). Janna Kerr's daughter, Lainey, has end-stage renal disease and will die if she doesn't receive a kidney transplant. In desperation, Janna turns to a doctor who deals in black-market human organs and moves Lainey to a secluded fishing camp owned by her friend, Denise, a member of the Benedict clan of Turn-Coupe, La., to await the shady doctor's summons. A short while later, Clay Benedict shows up at Janna's door to check on the new guests. Janna, for reasons never made entirely clear to the reader, drugs Clay and ties him to the bed. It doesn't take long for Clay to realize that Lainey is his deceased twin brother's child or to fall in love with his adorable niece and her mother. When two teenaged boys are found murdered, their vital organs harvested, Janna begins to understand the price that she has agreed to pay for her daughter's life. At times, this poignant tale treads the fine line between drama and melodrama, but the lush setting of the Louisiana marshlands and Blake's vivid prose will send newcomers back to the shelves to pick up the first three books of the series. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description How far will a mother go to save her child? What will a man do to protect the woman he loves? Janna Kerr's eight-year-old daughter is dangerously ill and she knows her last hope is an unscrupulous doctor who -- for the right price -- will help her child. Secluded in a small cabin in the Louisiana bayou, Janna and Lainey wait for the summons. But when Clay Benedict shows up, an already desperate woman is pushed to the edge. Clay, whose powerful Louisiana family owns this land, was just checking on the place. He didn't expect to be drugged and held captive by a beautiful woman whose secret is revealed the moment he looks into her young daughter's eyes -- Benedict eyes. The last thing Janna needs is this powerful man affecting her in ways her heart cannot allow. Because nothing is more important than saving her daughter -- and Clay is getting too close to understanding the terrible risk she's willing to take. But in Louisiana, a man fights for what he wants . . . --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Close Quarters Close Quarters Author: Heinemann, Larry Ferrone, Richard (Narrator) ISBN: B000HD7K44 Category: recent orders User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audible Audio Edition Blackstone Audio, Inc. Editorial Reviews Product Description From the moment his first novel was published, Larry Heinemann joined the ranks of the great chroniclers of the Vietnam conflict: Philip Caputo, Tim O'Brien, and Gustav Hasford. In the stripped-down, unsullied patois of an ordinary soldier, draftee Philip Dosier tells his story of the war. Straight from high school, too young to vote or buy himself a drink, he enters a world of mud and heat, blood and body counts, ambushes and firefights. It is here that he embarks on the brutal downward path to wisdom that awaits every soldier. In the tradition of The Naked and the Dead and The Thin Red Line, Close Quarters is the harrowing story of how a decent kid from Chicago endures an extraordinary trial and returns profoundly altered to a world on the threshold of change. ©1974 Larry Heinemann; (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks Cold War Cold War Author: Preisler, Jerome Clancy, Tom Greenberg, Martin Dicenzo, George ISBN: 0-7435-0580-8 Category: Fiction User Rating: 2.0 Stars Audio Simon & Schuster Audio ABOUT THE BOOK Cold War FROM THE PUBLISHER Unspoiled. Uninhabited. Under attack... On the wind-swept, Ice-covered continent of Antartica, Roger Gordian's UpLink Technologies has established a scientific research facility called Cold Corners. But its testing of potential robotic landing craft for use on Mars is disrupted when one of the rovers disappears - along with the repair team sent out after it. Fear of discovery has prompted a renegade consortium - that is illegally using Antartica as a nuclear waste dump - to wipe out the UpLink base. Now, the men and women of Cold Corners have only themselves to rely on as the consortium mounts its decisive strike against the ice station - and the final sunset plunges them into the total darkness of a polar winter. AUTHOR DESCRIPTION Tom Clancy is the New York Times #1 bestselling author of the extraordinary new Jack Ryan novel, The Bear and the Dragon. Fifteen years ago, Tom Clancy was an insurance broker with a passion for naval history. Decades earlier, he had dreamed of writing a novel. In 1984, his first effort, The Hunt for Red October -- about a Russian submarine captain who defects, along with his sub, to the United States -- catapulted onto the New York Times best-seller list after U.S. President Reagan pronounced it "non-put-downable." Clancy, who originated the literary genre known as the techo-thriller, has since established himself as a master at building realistic fictional scenarios by "turning up the volume" on current events. His follow-up novel, Red Storm Rising, provided a realistic scenario arising from a Soviet attack on NATO. Other bestsellers followed: The Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, Patriot Games, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears, Without Remorse, Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, and Rainbow Six. He has also co-authored Every Man a Tiger with General Chuck Horner, Into the Storm: A Study in Command, with General Fred Franks, Jr. (Ret.), and Submarine, Carrier, Armored Cav, Fighter Wing, Marine, and Airborne; and he is a co-creator of the Op-Center, Power Plays, and Net Force series. He lives in Maryland. The walls of Clancy's office are lined with war games, books on weapons, and government-produced maps, all tributes to his lifelong fascination with technology and the military. The success of his books has resulted in his "adoption" by the military. He is regularly welcomed aboard jets, submarines, and destroyers. Admirals and generals give him access, Pentagon officials debrief him, and many of his books are required reading at our nation's military colleges. It is this access to a wide variety of sources and information within military and intelligence circles that sets Clancy apart. Although he scoffs at the idea that he has ever breached government security in his books, Clancy does admit that he has been able to tap into what he calls "The Great Chain" -- a network of intelligence officers and operatives, military men, defense contractors, and government employees who feed him information. Collected Shannara 01 : The Sword of Shannara Trilogy Collected Shannara 01 : The Sword of Shannara Trilogy Author: Brooks, Terry ISBN: 0-345-45375-1 Category: Science Fiction & Fantasy : Authors, A-Z : ( B ) : Brooks, Terry : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Del Rey Review The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Ilse Witch "If Harry Potter has given you a thirst for fantasy and you have not discovered the magic of Terry Brooks, you are in for a treat." -Rocky Mountain News "[Ilse Witch] finds Mr. Brooks's power ascending . . . The action and creatures come fast and furious." -The Dallas Morning News The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Antrax "Antrax is great, and it confirms Terry's place at the head of the fantasy world." -PHILIP PULLMAN Author of The Golden Compass and The Amber Spyglass "An engaging read . . . Fine storytelling . . . Antrax is a satisfying story." -Associated Press Review The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Ilse Witch ?If Harry Potter has given you a thirst for fantasy and you have not discovered the magic of Terry Brooks, you are in for a treat.? ?Rocky Mountain News ?[Ilse Witch] finds Mr. Brooks?s power ascending . . . The action and creatures come fast and furious.? ?The Dallas Morning News The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Antrax ?Antrax is great, and it confirms Terry?s place at the head of the fantasy world.? ?PHILIP PULLMAN Author of The Golden Compass and The Amber Spyglass ?An engaging read . . . Fine storytelling . . . Antrax is a satisfying story.? ?Associated Press Comedy Favorites Volume 4 (4 Cassettes) (Basics of Ministry Series) [COMPILATION] Comedy Favorites Volume 4 (4 Cassettes) (Basics of Ministry Series) [COMPILATION] Author: Collection, Smithsonian ISBN: 1-57019-010-0 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: Audio Cassette Radio Spirits Book Description The Smithsonian Institution and Radio Spirits have united to bring you the very finest from radio's Golden Age. The Smithsonian's mission of "the diffusion of knowledge" and Radio Spirits's commitment to "preserving nostalgia radio with leading technology" have resulted in the creation of this unprecedented series. Each radio broadcast has been digitally restored and remastered from original recordings for superb sound quality. Also included is a 52-page historical booklet filled with rare photographs and insightful commentary about the shows, the performers, and the medium. The foreword is written by George Burns, one of the greatest performers of old time radio. Relive a time when radio reigned supreme in the hearts and minds of Americans. Experience the finest in classic entertainment with this unprecedented series from the Smithsonian Collection of Old Time Radio. This collection contains 12 half-hour vintage radio shows on 4 CDs: The Jack Benny Program "Jack's Birthday" (2/15/48) Starring Jack Benny. The Burns and Allen Show (1/2/47) Starring George Burns, Gracie Allen, and Mel Blanc. The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show (5/23/43) Starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, and Charles Boyer. The Eddie Cantor Show (1/6/43) Starring Eddie Cantor, Dinah Shore, Tommy Dorsey and Hattie McDaniel. Fibber McGee and Molly (4/6/43) Starring Jim and Marion Jordan. The Life of Riley (4/8/49) Starring William Bendix and Burt Lancaster. Duffy's Tavern (11/9/51) Starring Ed Gardner. The Great Gildersleeve (11/29/42) Starring Harold Peary. Our Miss Brooks (8/21/49) Starring Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, and Richard Crenna. The Fred Allen Show (10/28/45) Starring Fred Allen, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. The Bickersons (12/13/47) Starring Don Ameche and Frances Langford. The Aldrich Family (12/14/52) Starring Bobby Ellis. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Compelling Evidence [ABRIDGED] Compelling Evidence [ABRIDGED] Author: Martini, Steven Paul Mantegna, Joe (Narrator) ISBN: 1-55800-613-3 Category: Formats : Books on Tape : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Dove Entertainment Inc From School Library Journal YA-- Ben Potter, successful lawyer and possible U. S. Supreme Court nominee, is found dead in his office--suicide or murder? All of the police evidence points to foul play, and his beautiful young wife, Talia, stands trial for a crime she claims she didn't commit--or did she? Paul Madriani defends Talia, but, in doing so, exposes a part of his own life that he would like to forget. This gripping, fast-paced novel will hold YAs' attention from beginning to startling conclusion. - Robert Lisker, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Kirkus Reviews A year after he's fired from the California law firm of Potter, Skarpellos by Ben Potter, who's found out he's having an affair with Ben's wife Talia, corporate-turned-criminal lawyer Paul Madriani is asked to join Talia's defense--on a charge of murdering Ben on the eve of his nomination to the Supreme Court. It's the other partner, Tony (``the Greek'') Skarpellos, who inveigles Madriani to put aside two other investigations--helping county medical examiner George Cooper figure out who abandoned his daughter to burn to death after a car crash, and defending high- profile hooker Susan Hawley, who doesn't want to implicate her well- placed clients in ``boinkgate'' even if she's granted immunity--and to sign on as assisting counsel to nitwit glamourpuss Gibert Cheetam, who promptly runs Talia's defense into the ground and jumps ship after the grand jury indicts her. So Madriani, his affair with Talia making him painfully vulnerable, takes over as chief counsel, infuriating his estranged wife Nikki even before he realizes that Skarpellos, who stands to inherit the hugely profitable firm if Talia takes the rap, has set him up. Martini (The Simeon Chamber, 1988), whose early scenes could have used some advice from assisting counsel too (the obligatory between-the-sheets flashback is introduced by noting ``the cold wetness of my own passions, a small portion of which had pooled in the creases of the sheets beneath where her loins had rested''), rouses himself for the well-paced trial scenes, which heat up even further when news of the Talia/Madriani affair reaches the ears of the presiding judge, determined that no mistrial's going to stand in the way of his reelection--and when Madriani decides to pin his hopes on an all-out assault on Skarpellos. The final surprise, though, is eminently guessable. Martini is no Scott Turow--his characters are thinner, his prose flabbier--but his legal intrigue will probably keep you up just as late. (Book-of-the-Month Dual Selection for Spring) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The Conspiracy Club [ABRIDGED] The Conspiracy Club [ABRIDGED] Author: KELLERMAN, JONATHAN BIRNEY, DAVID (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7393-0462-3 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio From Publishers Weekly Kellerman re-invigorates a number of tried-and-true mystery conventions in this gripping, intricately plotted, non-Alex Delaware stand-alone novel of psychological suspense. A psychologist at City Central Hospital, Jeremy Carrier, is attempting to put his life back together after the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Jocelyn, when he is approached by elderly Dr. Arthur Chess with an offer of friendship. Jeremy, still too traumatized by Jocelyn's death to attempt even the most casual of relationships, initially rejects Chess's solicitation. After further conversation, he accepts an invitation to an elegant dinner at a very private club with Chess and five other older men and women of high intellectual and social rank, all of whom have an extreme interest in crime and the nature of evil. Just as a halting, tentative rapport with fellow doctor Angela Rios begins to develop, Jeremy receives the first in a series of mysterious, anonymous messages. By piecing these messages together with other clues from Dr. Chess, he comes to understand that someone is trying to point him toward the killer of his beloved Jocelyn and a number of other local women. Kellerman is a master at building character and slowly unfolding events, divulging just the right amount of information. Jeremy uncovers more murders, both past and present, and eventually realizes he's had everything wrong from the very beginning. Savvy mystery readers will not be surprised that the likable Jeremy finally comes to the correct conclusions and identifies the killer, earns the respect of his elderly friends and the love of his new lady. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile Psychologist Jeremy Carrier's life is torn apart when his girlfriend is brutally murdered. In his grief, he turns inward, shunning everyone, and initially rejects the overtures of the elderly Dr. Chess, who sympathizes and tries to draw him into a friendship. Eventually, however, the intriguing Dr. Chess garners Jeremy's interest by inviting him to dine at a private club with five older men and women of social and intellectual note. All, it turns out, are particularly interested in the nature of evil. Soon Jeremy begins receiving anonymous messages that seem to be providing clues to the identity of his girlfriend's killer. David Birney delivers this complex mystery with a subtle intensity that compels the listener's interest. Both story and voice are magnetic. J.F.M. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Cook's Tour CD, A : In Search of the Perfect Meal [ABRIDGED] Cook's Tour CD, A : In Search of the Perfect Meal [ABRIDGED] Author: Bourdain, Anthony Anthony, Bourdain (Narrator) ISBN: 0-06-000973-X Category: Formats : Books on CD : Biographies & Memoirs User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD HarperAudio Amazon.com A Cook's Tour is the written record of Anthony Bourdain's travels around the world in his search for the perfect meal. All too conscious of the state of his 44-year-old knees after a working life standing at restaurant stoves, but with the unlooked-for jackpot of Kitchen Confidential as collateral, Mr. Bourdain evidently concluded he needed a bit more wind under his wings. The idea of "perfect meal" in this context is to be taken to mean not necessarily the most upscale, chi-chi, three-star dining experience, but the ideal combination of food, atmosphere, and company. This would take in fishing villages in Vietnam, bars in Cambodia, and Tuareg camps in Morocco (roasted sheep's testicle, as it happens); it would stretch to smoked fish and sauna in the frozen Russian countryside and the French Laundry in California's Napa Valley. It would mean exquisitely refined kaiseki rituals in Japan after yakitori with drunken salarymen. Deep-fried Mars Bars in Glasgow and Gordon Ramsay in London. The still-beating heart of a cobra in Saigon. Drink. Danger. Guns. All with a TV crew in tow for the accompanying series--22 episodes of video gold, we are assured, featuring many don't-try-this-at-home shots of the author in gastric distress or crawling into yet another storm drain at four in the morning. You are unlikely to lay your hands on a more hectically, strenuously entertaining book for some time. Our hero eats and swashbuckles round the globe with perfect-pitch attitude and liberal use of judiciously placed profanities. Bourdain can write. His timing is great. He is very funny and is under no illusions whatsoever about himself or anyone else. But most of all, he is a chef who got himself out of his kitchen and found, all over the world, people who understand that eating well is the foundation of harmonious living. --Robin Davidson, Amazon.co.uk--This text refers to the Paperback edition. From Publishers Weekly In this paperback reprint, swashbuckling chef Anthony Bourdain, author of the bestselling Kitchen Confidential (which famously warned restaurant-goers against ordering fish on Mondays), travels where few foodies have thought to travel before in search of the perfect meal: the Sputnik-era kitchen of a "less-than-diminutive" St. Petersburg matron, the provincial farmhouse of a Portuguese pig-slaughterer and the middle of the Moroccan desert, where he dines on "crispy, veiny" lamb testicles. Searching for the "perfect meal," Bourdain writes with humor and intelligence, describing meals of boudin noir and Vietnamese hot vin lon ("essentially a soft-boiled duck embryo") and 'fessing up to a few nights of over-indulgence ("I felt like I'd awakened under a collapsed building," he writes of a night in San Sebastian hopping from tapas bar to tapas bar). Goat's head soup, lemongrass tripe, and pork-blood cake all make appearances, as does less exotic fare, such as French fries and Mars bars (deep fried, but still). In between meals, Bourdain lets his readers in on the surprises and fears of a well-fed American voyaging to far-off, frugal places, where every part of an animal that can be eaten must be eaten, and the need to preserve food has fueled culinary innovation for centuries. He also reminds his audience of the connections between food and land and human toil, which, in these sterilized days of pre-wrapped sausages, is all too easy to forget. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Paperback edition. Courting Trouble [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Courting Trouble [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Scottoline, Lisa Burton, Kate ISBN: 0-06-167363-3 Category: American Mystery & Suspense Fiction User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD HarperAudio Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Anne Murphy thought she'd put her unhappy past a continent behind her when she joined Philadelphia attorney Bennie Rosato's all-woman law firm. Then a friend who's housesitting for Anne is murdered in what's clearly a case of mistaken identity, and Anne realizes that the past has caught up with her and that the only way to outrun it is to catch the killer before he realizes that she's still alive. But how can Anne play dead with a high-profile case just days away from starting? The only way to pull it off is to let her new colleagues in on the secret, which would mean telling them her other secrets, too, including the fact that she's in love with opposing counsel and the probability that her client may not be as innocent as she thought he was. The author deftly weaves the threads of plot and subplot together, helped by Mary DiNunzio, Judy Carrier, and Bennie herself, the familiar and well-drawn mainstays of this lively and solidly paced series (Moment of Truth, The Vendetta Defense, Rough Justice). It's vintage Scottoline, featuring some nice touches; a little suspense, a lot of female bonding, a few pithy asides on the human condition, and a surprise in the penultimate chapter. --Jane Adams --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly New York Times bestseller Scottoline's cast of beautiful female lawyers at Philadelphia's Rosato & Associates is augmented by red-headed bombshell Anne Murphy, a woman with a secret past, who's trying to make a go of it in a new city. An intriguing character jammed into a laborious plot, Murphy toils as a career-minded loner. On a much-needed weekend away from her heavy caseload, she picks up a newspaper to read that she has been murdered by an intruder who blasted her in the face with a shotgun. Murphy knows the real victim was the woman who had agreed to feed her cat; she also knows that the murderer was likely Kevin Satorno, the stalker who nearly killed her a year earlier while she was living in Los Angeles. Murphy figures that if Satorno discovers he actually killed the wrong person, he'll continue hunting her, so she decides to play dead and enlist the help of her new colleagues at Rosato & Associates to track him down. Scottoline (The Vendetta Defense; Moment of Truth) wraps up the far-fetched action in high style, with a few predictable twists, at Philly's big outdoor Fourth of July celebration. As in her eight previous women-in-peril legal thrillers, she tempers the plot's bloodshed with a bouncy tone that some readers may find cloying. But this doesn't bother the former lawyer's growing base of fans she's now translated into 25 languages and despite Murphy's occasional "you go, girl" silliness, she's the best character Scottoline has created in a while. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Cradle and All [ABRIDGED] Cradle and All [ABRIDGED] Author: Patterson, James Cariou, Len (Narrator) Sheedy, Ally (Narrator) ISBN: 1-57042-858-1 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( P ) : Patterson, James User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio Cassette Time Warner Audio Books Amazon.com James Patterson's Cradle and All pits the intensity of faith against the certainties of science within an arena of Millennial tensions. A reworking of his 1980 apocalyptic thriller Virgin, this remodeled version boasts a genuinely unnerving premise, amplified with Patterson's fast-paced, uncluttered prose. In the midst of a series of unexplained plagues and famines, two teenage girls are heavily pregnant, despite being virgins. According to the sacred prophecies of Fatima, one will bear the child of Christ and the other, the spawn of Satan. Both Anne Fitzgerald, a former nun turned private detective, and the Vatican's Father Rosetti are sent to investigate. But which girl carries which child? The possibility of a miracle will be tainted with great suffering before the awful, unexpected truth is revealed. As the action moves speedily from the hallowed halls of the Vatican to the media frenzy of America to the small-town hysteria of Ireland, Patterson divines considerable suspense from the novel's central premise, tackling issues of faith with admirable aplomb: "All over the world, after all the years of difficulty, decades of diminishing spirituality, so many people still believed.... Everywhere, people talked of the Apocalypse, perhaps the end of the world. Which explained why so many people were suddenly going to church." A relentless pace culminating in a superbly twisted ending won't disappoint Patterson's faithful followers, and may even convert some new members. --Danny Graydon--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly His Alex Cross series (Pop Goes the Weasel, etc.) has made Patterson a top-selling author, but his most interesting work lies elsewhere: in his debut mystery, The Thomas Berryman Number; in last year's SF thriller, When the Wind Blows--and in this exciting and moving religious thriller about two pregnant virgins, one of whom may carry the Son of God and the other the Son of the Devil. If that plot line sounds familiar, it should. The novel is a reworking of Virgin, Patterson's second novel, published in 1980 by McGraw-Hill and long out of print. The narrative features the first-person/third-person narrative mix that's Patterson's trademark. The "I" belongs to ex-nun Anne Fitzgerald, now a PI. Her latest case for the Church involves investigating--and guarding--Newport, R.I. (i.e., rich), teenager Kathleen Beavier, who's eight months pregnant but, by expert medical testimony, a virgin. The Church is particularly anxious about Kathleen's condition because the Third Secret of Fatima (a real-life secret guarded by the Church since the Virgin Mary allegedly revealed it in 1917) prophesied two pregnant virgins: one bearing the Savior, the other the Devil's child. Anne eventually learns that indeed there's a poor girl in Ireland who's also pregnant, yet a virgin. Which girl carries which child? For texture, Patterson throws in some romance between Anne and a priest, but the novel's considerable suspense arises from his treatment of the central question as he speeds the action from America to Ireland to the Vatican, complicates it with a media frenzy over Kathleen, sharpens it as supernatural forces come into play and spins it with a wicked twist. While not subtle, this novel tackles issues of faith with admirable gusto. It could be a massive bestseller, appealing not only to Patterson's fans but also to those of the apocalyptic thrillers of LaHaye and Jenkins. 1 million first printing; $1 million ad/promo; Literary Guild main selection; author tour. (May) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Cradle and All [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Cradle and All [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Patterson, James Caruso, Barbara (Narrator) ISBN: 1-57042-860-3 Category: Unabridged Audio - Fiction/General User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio Cassette Hachette Audio Amazon.com James Patterson's Cradle and All pits the intensity of faith against the certainties of science within an arena of Millennial tensions. A reworking of his 1980 apocalyptic thriller Virgin, this remodeled version boasts a genuinely unnerving premise, amplified with Patterson's fast-paced, uncluttered prose. In the midst of a series of unexplained plagues and famines, two teenage girls are heavily pregnant, despite being virgins. According to the sacred prophecies of Fatima, one will bear the child of Christ and the other, the spawn of Satan. Both Anne Fitzgerald, a former nun turned private detective, and the Vatican's Father Rosetti are sent to investigate. But which girl carries which child? The possibility of a miracle will be tainted with great suffering before the awful, unexpected truth is revealed. As the action moves speedily from the hallowed halls of the Vatican to the media frenzy of America to the small-town hysteria of Ireland, Patterson divines considerable suspense from the novel's central premise, tackling issues of faith with admirable aplomb: "All over the world, after all the years of difficulty, decades of diminishing spirituality, so many people still believed.... Everywhere, people talked of the Apocalypse, perhaps the end of the world. Which explained why so many people were suddenly going to church." A relentless pace culminating in a superbly twisted ending won't disappoint Patterson's faithful followers, and may even convert some new members. --Danny Graydon --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly His Alex Cross series (Pop Goes the Weasel, etc.) has made Patterson a top-selling author, but his most interesting work lies elsewhere: in his debut mystery, The Thomas Berryman Number; in last year's SF thriller, When the Wind Blows--and in this exciting and moving religious thriller about two pregnant virgins, one of whom may carry the Son of God and the other the Son of the Devil. If that plot line sounds familiar, it should. The novel is a reworking of Virgin, Patterson's second novel, published in 1980 by McGraw-Hill and long out of print. The narrative features the first-person/third-person narrative mix that's Patterson's trademark. The "I" belongs to ex-nun Anne Fitzgerald, now a PI. Her latest case for the Church involves investigating--and guarding--Newport, R.I. (i.e., rich), teenager Kathleen Beavier, who's eight months pregnant but, by expert medical testimony, a virgin. The Church is particularly anxious about Kathleen's condition because the Third Secret of Fatima (a real-life secret guarded by the Church since the Virgin Mary allegedly revealed it in 1917) prophesied two pregnant virgins: one bearing the Savior, the other the Devil's child. Anne eventually learns that indeed there's a poor girl in Ireland who's also pregnant, yet a virgin. Which girl carries which child? For texture, Patterson throws in some romance between Anne and a priest, but the novel's considerable suspense arises from his treatment of the central question as he speeds the action from America to Ireland to the Vatican, complicates it with a media frenzy over Kathleen, sharpens it as supernatural forces come into play and spins it with a wicked twist. While not subtle, this novel tackles issues of faith with admirable gusto. It could be a massive bestseller, appealing not only to Patterson's fans but also to those of the apocalyptic thrillers of LaHaye and Jenkins. 1 million first printing; $1 million ad/promo; Literary Guild main selection; author tour. (May) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The Crossing The Crossing Author: Mccarthy, Cormac ISBN: 0-679-42703-1 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Random House Audio Amazon.com Review The opening section of The Crossing, book two of the Border Trilogy, features perhaps the most perfectly realized storytelling of Cormac McCarthy's celebrated career. Like All the Pretty Horses, this volume opens with a teenager's decision to slip away from his family's ranch into Mexico. In this case, the boy is Billy Parham, and the catalyst for his trip is a wolf he and his father have trapped, but that Billy finds himself unwilling to shoot. His plan is to set the animal loose down south instead. This is a McCarthy novel, not Old Yeller, and so Billy's trek inevitably becomes more ominous than sweet. It boasts some chilling meditations on the simple ferocity McCarthy sees as necessary for all creatures who aim to continue living. But Billy is McCarthy's most loving--and therefore damageable--character, and his story has its own haunted melancholy. Billy eventually returns to his ranch. Then, finding himself and his world changed, he returns to Mexico with his younger brother, and the book begins meandering. Though full of hypnotically barren landscapes and McCarthy's trademark western-gothic imagery (like the soldier who sucks eyes from sockets), these latter stages become tedious at times, thanks partly to the female characters, who exist solely as ghosts to haunt the men. But that opening is glorious, and the whole book finally transcends its shortcomings to achieve a grim and poignant grandeur. --Glen Hirshberg --This text refers to the Paperback edition. From Publishers Weekly Young Billy Parham, in a horse stall, dreams of his father's eyes, "those eyes that seemed to contemplate with a terrible equanimity the cold and the dark and the silence that moved upon him." Billy could as well be dreaming of McCarthy's prose and the unsparing tone of this, the second volume in the Border Trilogy. The Crossing , following the award-winning and bestselling All the Pretty Horses , is set in the American Southwest and in Mexico, and features, like its predecessor, teenage boys, their horses, a girl and the recurring spectacles of desert days and nights, awful wonders and appalling deprivations, and no small amount of roadside philosophizing. The story of Billy, his younger brother Boyd, the fates of their horses, a wolf, their parents and their dog, set against a vague and distant backdrop of the coming Second World War, throws little light upon a universe without much meaning, though it is in the nature of McCarthy characters to try to anyway. In the end, when the last dog is hanged, so to speak, what survives is the rhythm of McCarthy's open, ropey sentences circling a logic as inscrutable as an animal's or a god's. Although no mysteries are solved, and no comfort gained for these lonely characters, there is that language wrestling to earth all that it cannot know and all that it can. Readers again will be in awe of McCarthy's extraordinary prose attentions--the biblical cadences, the freshened vocabulary, the taut, vivid renderings of the struggle to live. 200,000 first printing; BOMC main selection. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Dale Brown's Dreamland: Razor's Edge CD (Dreamland (Harperaudio)) [ABRIDGED] Dale Brown's Dreamland: Razor's Edge CD (Dreamland (Harperaudio)) [ABRIDGED] Author: Brown, Dale David, McCallum (Narrator) ISBN: 0-06-052262-3 Category: Formats : Books on CD : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD HarperAudio Book Description The weapon is codenamed 'Razor' -- the brainchild of the brilliant minds at Dreamland -- a mobile chemical laser system with a range of 600 kilometers capable of downing anything that flies. The destruction of an American aircraft over northern Iraq suggests the inexplicable and unthinkable; a vengeful foe now possesses the lethal technology. It is fear that draws an old warrior out of retirement, and sends Dreamland's best pilots to the skies. But politics threatens to crush a covert engagement that must be won in the air and on the ground, unleashing a devastating rain of friendly fire that could ultimately annihilate a nation's champions ... and perhaps Dreamland itself. Performed by David McCallum Download Description Dale Brown: The Novels Death of the Dogfight: An Interview with Dale Brown. The third installment of New York Times best-selling author Dale Brown's Dreamland series. This adventure features a battle in the skies over Iran and Iraq.--This text refers to the Digital edition. The Dante Club [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] The Dante Club [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Pearl, Matthew Gaines, Boyd (Read by) ISBN: 0-7435-1792-X Category: American First Novelists User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Talk about high concept: in Pearl's debut novel, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes and James Russell Lowell team up with 19th-century publisher J.T. Fields to catch a serial killer in post-Civil War Boston. It's the fall of 1865, and Harvard University, the cradle of Bostonian intellectual life, is overrun by sanctimonious scholars who turn up their noses at European literature, confining their study to Greek and Latin. Longfellow and his iconoclastic crew decide to produce the first major American translation of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Their ambitious plans are put on hold when they realize that a murderer terrorizing Boston is recreating some of the most vivid scenes of chthonic torment in Dante's Inferno. Since knowledge of the epic is limited to rarefied circles in 19th-century America, the "Dante Club" decides the best way to clear their own names is to match wits with the killer. The resulting chase takes them through the corridors of Harvard, the grimy docks of Boston Harbor and the subterranean labyrinths of the metropolis. It also gives Pearl an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that he's done his history homework. The detective story is well plotted, and Pearl's recreation of the contentious world of mid-19th-century academia is engrossing, even though some of its more ambitious elements like an examination of intellectual hypocrisy and insularity in the Ivy League are somewhat clunky. There are, as well, some awkward attempts to replicate 19th-century prose ("But for Holmes the triumph of the club was its union of interests of that group of friends whom he felt most fortunate to have"). Still, this is an ambitious and often entertaining thriller that may remind readers of Caleb Carr. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Library Journal Pearl's fiction debut should please fans of well-crafted literary mysteries. The title refers to an actual group of 19th-century Bostonians who gathered to translate Dante's Inferno for an American audience. Among the members of this exclusive "club" were poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, physician Oliver Wendell Holmes, and poet James Russell Lowell. While poring over the poem, the men find themselves on the trail of a serial killer who tortures his victims in ways that seem to be taken straight out of the pages of Inferno. The police are at a loss and must rely on the club members' unique knowledge of Dante's work to help catch the killer. Pearl, a recognized Dante scholar, uses his expertise to create an absorbing and dramatic period piece. Using historical figures in a mystery setting is not a new idea (e.g., Sir Isaac Newton plays detective in Philip Kerr's Dark Matter), but Pearl has proven himself a master. Best for medium to large public and academic libraries. --Laurel Bliss, Yale Arts Lib. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Dark Harbor [AUDIOBOOK] Dark Harbor [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Woods, Stuart Roberts, Tony ISBN: 0-14-314196-1 Category: Woods, Stuart - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Ex-cop/attorney Stone Barrington travels to the isolated island community of Dark Harbor, Maine, to handle the estate of his late cousin Dick, who was found dead in his home along with his wife and daughter. The police initially think it's a murder-suicide, but Stone disagrees and launches an investigation of his own. Roberts reads with a confident and assured voice, using a variety of subtle accents, ranging from Stone's mild upper-crust New Yorker to Dino Bacchetti's somewhat hammy New York Italian and the Eastern New England drawl of most of the island's residents. He also shifts skillfully between male and female characters; the combination of this and his skill with accents leaves the matter of which character is speaking never in doubt. There is one aspect of the performance that was a bit beyond Roberts, however. In a crucial scene toward the end of the novel, a kidnapper speaks to his victim through a voice modulator, and Robert's attempts to duplicate the mechanical altered voice comes off as silly--ruining the atmosphere of the scene. But aside from this quibble, the adaptation is proficient and should satisfy most audiophiles. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition. From Booklist Stone Barrington and Holly Barker, Woods' busiest heroes, pair up again, this yarn finding Stone traveling to Dark Harbor, Maine, after his cousin, Dick Stone, and his family are found murdered at their house. The local police think it was a murder-suicide, but when Stone learns from his CIA contact, Lance Cabot, that Dick was working covertly for the CIA and had just received a big promotion, Stone decides to look into matters himself. Accompanied by Lance, Holly, and Dino Bacchetti, his trusted former NYPD partner, Stone heads up to Maine. When he gets there, he's greeted by Dick's brother, Caleb, who is none too pleased to learn that Dick has cut him out of his will. The more Stone examines Dick's house and learns about his life, the less convinced Stone is that Dick killed his family and himself. When a teenage girl who was Dick's daughter's good friend and two women are murdered, Stone believes a serial killer may be operating in the quiet Maine town. Stone's worries increase exponentially when Holly disappears after going out jogging, and Stone fears Holly may be the killer's next victim. Fast pacing and an involving mystery make Woods' latest novel his best in quite a while. Kristine Huntley Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Dark Horse [UNABRIDGED] Dark Horse [UNABRIDGED] Author: Hoag, Tami McDonald, Beth (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7366-8774-2 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Books on Tape From Publishers Weekly The professional horse world, as seen through Hoag's eyes, is full of intrigue, glitter and skullduggery. Elena Estes is a former cop whose bravado on the force resulted in a colleague's death; it also cost her her job and her self-esteem, not to mention the psychological and physical fallout from nearly being shot. She's been keeping a low profile at a friend's Florida ranch, but her world is disrupted when 12-year-old Molly Seabright, wise beyond her years, attempts to hire Elena to find her older sister, Erin, who has been missing for two days. As Elena digs deeper into Erin's disappearance, the dark side of the horse-show set is revealed. Hoag (Night Sins; Dust to Dust), herself an experienced equestrian, shows off her dressage-to-showing knowledge of the sport as she weaves behind-the-scenes tidbits about the training, competitions, horse brokers and grooms into a plot that gallops along. Though she is a master of suspense, the story falters when a major secret about the kidnapping is exposed. There are too many bad guys who may be in on the scheme, and readers will feel cheated by the improbable 11th-hour revelation. It's too bad Hoag felt the need to undercut her plot with schemes and counterschemes, since she finds plenty of tension in the equestrian world she examines here and doesn't need the contrivance. Nonetheless, she has enough skill and drawing power to propel this, her 10th book, onto bestseller lists. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Library Journal Elena Estes leaves the Palm Beach County sheriff's office in disgrace after causing the death of a fellow copand gallops straight into trouble at an international riding competition in Florida's horse country. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Dark Justice Dark Justice Author: Higgins, Jack Page, Michael ISBN: 1-4233-1567-7 Category: Higgins, Jack - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Many of Higgins's thrillers have told one continuing saga, involving the efforts of Gen. Charles Ferguson (head of the British PM's "Private Army") and his staff to fend off various threats to queen and country. Here the timely challenge is Arab terrorism, but wobbly focus makes this a mediocre entry in a generally first-rate series. An attempt on the American president's life leads Ferguson--who alerted the Secret Service to the threat--and his main man, legendary hit man and former IRA enforcer Sean Dillon, to Josef Belov, an associate of Vladimir Putin (who appears in a cameo) and a Russian oil billionaire who's intent on world domination and who along the way is funneling would-be jihadists from Britain into terrorist training camps in the Middle East. Instead of concentrating on the promising terrorist angle, Higgins traces Dillon and Ferguson's pursuit of Belov and his goons, a race that leads to violent shootouts in Iraq and elsewhere. Ferguson takes a bullet, and Supt. Hannah Bernstein is seriously hurt. The story climaxes in a vengeful, bloody foray by Dillon and old sidekick Billy Salter into Belov's castle stronghold in Ireland. Higgins's action has always been clipped, but here some scenes are positively rushed, and there's much that's overly familiar. Still, the author's high-speed narration and the mesmerizing hard edges of heroes and villains alike should sustain fans' perhaps grudging interest. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist Higgins has been a best-selling author for decades, but most of his books sound pretty much alike. This one, which brings back IRA enforcer turned British intelligence officer Sean Dillon, begins with a botched attempt to assassinate the U.S. president. Turns out the would-be assassin (who takes his own life rather than be apprehended) is part of a network of villains bent on causing as much terror and confusion as possible. Can Dillon and his American counterpart Blake Johnson bring the evildoers to justice? It's a standard Higgins plot, with standard Higgins characters, and fans of the novelist's previous thrillers will soon realize they are in familiar territory. The Higgins name will still attract an audience of devotees, but younger readers new to the genre are unlikely to see what all the fuss was about. Even veteran Higgins readers may find that too much of a once good thing has become tedious. David Pitt Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Dark of the Moon [UNABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Dark of the Moon [UNABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Sandford, John ISBN: 0-14-314383-2 Category: American Mystery & Suspense Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly What a pleasure to find a novel with an upbeat hero paired with a reader who is more interested in telling a story well than in demonstrating the outer limits of his vocal range. Far from the usual cynical, borderline-depressed investigator, Virgil Flowers is a likable, hang-loose sort of sleuth who enjoys life and seems to relish handling the hard stuff for his boss, Lucas Davenport (Sandford's Prey series hero makes a brief cameo). Flowers's assignment is to investigate several gruesome murders in a small town. Unlike the harder-edged Prey series, Moon is more of an entertainment, allowing Flowers to supplement his determined quest for justice with witty conversation and several romantic interludes. Conger matches the lighter moods with a mellow, almost mesmerizing matter-of-fact delivery, adjusting his vocal range just slightly to differentiate speakers. But when the action demands it--such as the grim opening murder scene or the suspenseful storming of the cult leader's encampment--Conger's voice takes on a properly hardboiled intensity. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition. From Booklist Headed to rural Bluestem to assist local law enforcement with the seemingly motiveless murder of an elderly couple, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers happens upon a raging house fire on the edge of town. The house's owner, Bill Judd, killed in the blaze, was an elderly recluse who, back in the day, ran an elaborate pyramid scheme and simultaneously bedded half the women in town. He escaped conviction on the fraud charge, and the money was never recovered. There have been no murders in Bluestem for a half-century, and now there are three in a couple weeks. Virgil is not an advocate of coincidence and so begins digging for a connection between the victims. Complicating matters is his affair with the sister of the local police chief. Sandford's plotting and dialogue are as crisp as ever, and the emergence of Virgil Flowers gives the author another idiosyncratic, thoroughly ingratiating hero to alternate with the ever-popular Lucas Davenport. Flowers, who made his debut as a secondary character in the Davenport thriller Invisible Prey (2007), is a low-key loose cannon whose wardrobe consists of alternative-rock t-shirts carefully chosen to match his agenda of the day. The appeal of the Davenport series is mainly tied to the hero's wit and self-deprecating humor, but this first Flowers entry is more about action: an adrenaline rush peppered with laugh-out-loud moments. Lukowsky, Wes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Day Before Midnight [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Day Before Midnight [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Hunter, Stephen Bosco, Philip (Reader) ISBN: 0-7393-1229-4 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio Price-less From Publishers Weekly Hunter ( The Spanish Gambit ) has written a smoothly believable race-against-time thriller with frightening plausibility. Unidentified military terrorists kidnap welder Jack Hummel from his Maryland home and direct him to cut through a block of titanium to reach a launch key in the South Mountain MX missile site. The president decides to send in the crack Delta assault team, but the man best suited to command them is Col. Dick Puller, who was discredited and disgraced in Iran in 1979. Puller, in turn, must work with the only man who knows the missile silo, its designer, Prof. Peter Thiokol. The leader of "Aggressor-One" is discovered to be Russian Military Intelligence chief Arkady Pashin: he is charismatic, reactionary and messianically determined to launch the single MX that will trigger a massive Soviet reply. Part of the fast-moving plot revolves around two abandoned coalmine tunnels, a stupid Russian spy and Thiokol's estranged wife, who unwittingly gave the Russians the plans for South Mountain. The 7 a.m.-to-midnight action flashes cinematically on Delta Force, the crack Russian Spetsnaz troops and various civilians. The book is fun, even if the finale is too drawn-out and a bit preachy: " . . . the regular people, the Rest of US" will save us. 40,000 first printing; $40,000 ad budget. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description Paramilitary terrorists who have taken over a top-secret nuclear complex kidnap Maryland welder Jack Hummel and force him to cut through a half-ton titanium block that conceals the launch button. Reissue. NYT. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Dead Irish (Dismas Hardy) Dead Irish (Dismas Hardy) Author: Lescroart, John Colacci, David (Reader) ISBN: 1-4233-2300-9 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced From Publishers Weekly Dismas Hardy, an ex-policeman and lawyer who has withdrawn from his former life as a result of a personal tragedy, tends an Irish bar in San Francisco. When his boss asks him to investigate the apparent suicide of Eddie Cochran, Hardy agrees. Cochran was a friend and proving his death was not suicide will free the insurance money to his pregnant widow. As he becomes close to Eddie's parents, his emotionally distraught younger brother and family friend, Father Jim Cavanaugh, Hardy finds his life complicated by an encounter and renewed relationship with his ex-wife. Uncovering a botched drug deal arranged by Cochran's employer, Hardy believes he can show that Eddie was indeed murdered. But from that point his investigations come to a dead end. The killer, identified about two-thirds of the way through the story, proves to be as fascinating a personality as Hardy himself. Lescroart ( Rasputin's Revenge ) provides a surprise twist at the end. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Possessed of a singular writer's instinct, Lescroart drapes a bare-bones plot in psychological window dressing and produces a full-bodied, substantive, and stylistic effort of the first order. San Francisco ex-cop and current bartender Dismas "Diz" Hardy cannot believe his friend Eddie would commit suicide, so he decides to investigate. The progress of his search into Eddie's last days coincides with changes in his own emotional make-up, as he faces the reasons for his divorce and his feelings of guilt over the death of his infant son. Full attention to character, then, a sympathetic protagonist, and a satisfying conclusion. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Dead Watch [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Dead Watch [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Sandford, John Conger, Eric (Editor) ISBN: 0-14-314223-2 Category: Mystery And Suspense Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly When Lincoln Bowe, a controversial Republican ex-senator, disappears at the start of this fast-paced thriller from bestseller Sandford (Broken Prey), the White House puts Jacob Winter, a veteran political operative with "an uncanny ability to navigate the world of bureaucracy," on the case. Bowe vanished shortly after making a fiery speech denouncing a rival, Arlo Goodman, the governor of Virginia and a demagogue who heads a volunteer militia group known as the Watchmen. When Bowe's burnt and headless corpse turns up, Winter is under even more pressure to discover those behind his murder. Aided by the dead man's attractive and possibly duplicitous widow, Madison, the fixer follows a trail of corpses and deception that suggests the killing may have been a staged piece of theater intended to derail Goodman's ascent to the presidency. Readers interested in a quick diverting romp without much gravitas will enjoy this, but serious Beltway fiction junkies might prefer their political thrillers to be a little more plausible. 500,000 announced first printing. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist Former Virginia senator Lincoln Bowe is missing. His wife, Madison, believes his bitter political rival, Governor Arlo Goodman, is behind it. Critics scoff until she reveals a security tape showing two men loosely affiliated with Goodman threatening her in her home. Bowe's disappearance is a political time bomb. The presidential conventions are just over the horizon, and both parties fear the consequences if it detonates. The president, through his chief of staff, hires Jake Winter to investigate. Bowe's body is found soon after Winter initiates his investigation. Bowe was not a saint: his sexual dalliances, with both men and women, were numerous, and his obsession with destroying Goodman's political career may have driven him to contemplate political blackmail. Winter has plenty of suspects to choose from, and he knows the answer can be found somewhere in Washington's backrooms, where third-string campaign dirty tricksters change allegiances like other people change socks. Sandford, the best-selling author of the Prey series, displays an insider's knowledge of political infighting and couples it with his skill at creating memorable characters working through the maze of a diabolical plot. (Readers of a certain age will be reminded of Ross Thomas, grand master of the D.C. thriller from an earlier era.) The real Washington is awash with its own scandals and political time bombs, so expect readers to flock to this funhouse-mirror reflection of the real thing. Wes Lukowsky Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Deathstalker Episode 1: The Man Who Had Everything Deathstalker Episode 1: The Man Who Had Everything Author: Green, Simon R. ISBN: 1-931953-18-X Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Listen & Live Audio From AudioFile This multi-cast recording adds sound effects and music to Simon R. Green's science fiction adventure novel of a space empire and rebellion. The main character, Owen Deathstalker, quickly finds he has more enemies than friends. One actor performs the narration, with others dramatically performing dialogue. The narrator is particularly excellent. The sound effects are sharp and clean, and, along with the music, are enhancements to the production. Green's Deathstalker series is split into five parts; this is Part One, with subsequent installments to be released monthly. S.D. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Book Description For years Her Imperial Majesty Lionstone XIV has ruled the human Empire with ruthlessness; all have learned to fear her decrees of "outlawing" and death. Despite all his efforts to tired to avoid the perils of the Empire's warring factions, Owen Deathstalker, unwilling head of his clan, is now a marked man. Without allies--as even his oldest companions turn against him for the promise of fortune--Deathstalker flees to Mistworld to build an unlikely force to topple the throne. And so begins the dangerous journey to claim the role for which he's been destined since birth... Episode 1 of 5: Outlawed by the ruthless Lionstone XIV, Owen Deathstalker is left with no allies, as even his oldest companions turn against him for the promise of fortune. Just as he is sure his life is coming to an imminent close, out of the sky falls Hazel d'Ark. The fellow outlaws escape together to Mistworld, not knowing what their next move will be. Meanwhile, Lionstone XIV, not the least bit unnerved by the new alien species threatening the Empire, continues to execute traitors in the terrifying and murderous fashion she is reputed for. Deathstalker Episode 4: Hostile Takeover Deathstalker Episode 4: Hostile Takeover Author: Green, Simon R. ISBN: 1-931953-21-X Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Listen & Live Audio Book Description Episode 4 of 5: The imperial Majesty Lionstone XIV ruled the human Empire with fear. When Owen Deathstalker, unwilling head of his clan, sought to avoid the perils of the Empire's warring factions, he unexpectedly found a price on his head. He fled to Mistworld, where he began to build an unlikely force to topple the thrown. With the help of his crew, Deathstalker took the first step on a far more dangerous journey to claim the role for which he'd been destined since before his birth. Deathstalker Episode 5: The Darkvoid Device Deathstalker Episode 5: The Darkvoid Device Author: Green, Simon R. ISBN: 1-931953-22-8 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Listen & Live Audio Book Description Episode 5 of 5: The imperial Majesty Lionstone XIV ruled the human Empire with fear. When Owen Deathstalker, unwilling head of his clan, sought to avoid the perils of the Empire's warring factions, he unexpectedly found a price on his head. He fled to Mistworld, where he began to build an unlikely force to topple the thrown. With the help of his crew, Deathstalker took the first step on a far more dangerous journey to claim the role for which he'd been destined since before his birth. Deathstalker Rebellion Episode 3: A Meeting of Minds Deathstalker Rebellion Episode 3: A Meeting of Minds Author: Green, Simon R. ISBN: 1-931953-25-2 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Listen & Live Audio Library Bookwatch "Superbly performed and highly recommended series of science fiction audiobooks." Book Description Episode 3 of 5: Only Owen Deathstalker-outlawed, with a price on his head and a mighty warrior lineage in his veins-had the courage to take up sword and energy gun against Queen Lionstone XIV. Now as he gathers his unlikely force-the legendary washed-up hero Jack Random, the beautiful pirate Hazel d'Arc, the original Deathstalker long since presumed dead, and the alien Hadenmen-the eyes of the downtrodden are upon him...while the freedom of a galaxy awaits! Deathstalker Rebellion: Episode 4 : Voices in the Dark Deathstalker Rebellion: Episode 4 : Voices in the Dark Author: Green, Simon R. ISBN: 1-931953-26-0 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Listen & Live Audio Library Bookwatch "Superbly performed and highly recommended series of science fiction audiobooks." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book Description Episode 4 of 5: Only Owen Deathstalker-outlawed, with a price on his head and a mighty warrior lineage in his veins-had the courage to take up sword and energy gun against Queen Lionstone XIV. Now as he gathers his unlikely force-the legendary washed-up hero Jack Random, the beautiful pirate Hazel d'Arc, the original Deathstalker long since presumed dead, and the alien Hadenmen-the eyes of the downtrodden are upon him...while the freedom of a galaxy awaits! Deathstalker Rebellion: Episode 5: The Circle of Hell Deathstalker Rebellion: Episode 5: The Circle of Hell Author: Green, Simon R. ISBN: 1-931953-27-9 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : General User Rating: 5.0 Stars Audio Cassette Listen & Live Audio Library Bookwatch "Superbly performed and highly recommended series of science fiction audiobooks." Book Description Only Owen Deathstalker-outlawed, with a price on his head and a mighty warrior lineage in his veins-had the courage to take up sword and energy gun against Queen Lionstone XIV. Now as he gathers his unlikely force-the legendary washed-up hero Jack Random, the beautiful pirate Hazel d'Arc, the original Deathstalker long since presumed dead, and the alien Hadenmen-the eyes of the downtrodden are upon him...while the freedom of a galaxy awaits! Deep Black: Jihad Deep Black: Jihad Author: Defelice, Jim ISBN: 1-59737-343-5 Category: Coonts, Stephen - Prose & Criticism User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Wheeler Pub Inc From AudioFile Charlie Dean and his National Security Agency team are in Peru to ensure fair elections, but things get complicated when a former Russian agent living there seeks revenge against the CIA. J. Charles reads at a brisk pace, making an admirable attempt to inject tension and excitement where the writing fails to do so. There are many voices, and for the most part the accents are good, making the frequent scene and character changes easy to follow. There's lots of joking by Dean's team, giving a lighthearted tone to the proceedings. But both the excessive humor and the absence of characters to care about add up to a mediocre listening experience. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Book Description RECRUITED: A crack team of covert agents. Word is out to ex-Marine sniper Charlie Dean and his team of the National Security Agency: Infiltrate the highest stratum of Peruvian political power and derail a renegade general from acing an election. All Dean has to do is find a way inside an impenetrable bank vault protected by armed guards round the clock – it's all in a day's work for the men and women of Deep Black. ENGAGED: A violent political coup. But things get complicated when Dean and company discover the renegade general's second plot. The military madman's ruse – a nuclear weapon he claims is in the hands of Marxist guerillas, a bomb that only he can rescue...and control. IGNITED: A devastating terrorist plot. When the general and his plot are exposed, the NSA concludes the greatest threat is over. But in fact, it's only just beginning... Deep Black: Jihad (NSA) Deep Black: Jihad (NSA) Author: Coonts, Stephen DeFelice, Jim Charles, J. (Reader) Charles, J. ISBN: 1-59737-356-7 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced From AudioFile In DEEP BLACK JIHAD, the white hats of the West square off against Al Qaeda. Deep Black operatives use an elaborate scheme to infiltrate Al Qaeda by planting a listening device inside a terrorist's skull. From an operations center called The Art Room, technicians track the target and direct the action of watcher teams. The chase is on to learn what the terrorist and Al Qaeda are planning and how it can be stopped. J. Charles presents JIHAD in his usual crisp, clear, well-paced style. Character differentiation is challenging with so many people involved in the operation. But Charles's solid efforts manage to bring energy to this otherwise run-of-the-mill thriller. T.J.M. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Review "Coonts knows how to write and build suspense. . . a natural storyteller." -The New York Times Book Review --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Devil Bones: A Novel Devil Bones: A Novel Author: Reichs, Kathy Emond, Linda ISBN: 0-7435-7189-4 Category: Mystery And Suspense Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Amazon.com Exclusive: Jeffery Deaver on Devil Bones Jeffery Deaver is the bestselling author of The Broken Window, The Sleeping Doll, The Cold Moon, The Blue Nowhere, The Bone Collector, The Empty Chair, The Devil's Teardrop, and fifteen other suspense novels. His book A Maiden's Grave was made into an HBO movie starring James Garner and Marlee Matlin, and his novel The Bone Collector was made into a feature release from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington. He lives in North Carolina. It's always a pleasure to see a new installment in the saga of Temperence Brennan, the forensic anthropologist who plies her trade in both Charlotte, North Carolina, and Montreal. Devil Bones, set in the U S of A, opens with a grisly discovery that offers a very different take on This Old House. Tempe is pulled from staid academia to investigate the troubling and mystifying scene, which involves cauldrons, ceremonial religious artifacts and, most troubling, the severed head of a teenage girl. Another torso is located nearby, and the story is off and running. Tempe and Charlotte police department detective Erskine "Skinny" Slidell, follow leads that take them through the seamier and the chicer sides of North Carolina's largest city--the worlds of Santeria, voodoo, the Wiccan religion (any witches out there: I'm not lumping them together!), and male prostitution. Our heroine also locks horns with a crusading minister turned politician, and there's a reporter who manages to show up at all the wrong moments. Reichs juggles the questions of who done it (and who's gonna get done next) until the very end with consummate skill. In series books, readers treat characters as friends and follow those storylines as ardently as the ones involving murder and mayhem. Not content to keep things simmering on low boil, Reichs dunks her protagonist into a pressure cooker, with plenty of turmoil stirred up by a former lover, a--possibly--current one and, most significantly for this reader, yet another ghost of life past, about which I'll say no more here. Trouble on campus also surfaces for Professor Brennan, with whom we experience one of the most harrowing moments in the book: a meeting of professors and department heads (university politics as weapon of mass destruction). Oh, and we can't forget some brief appearances by the ex, who is behaving just like, well, an ex. It might have been my imagination but I believe too that I saw the bones, if you will, of a possible subplot involving Tempe's daughter, Katy, who's working in the public defender's office. I'm looking forward to seeing Reich confirm or deny this in the next installment. In Devil Bones we get plenty of what we've come to expect in a Reichs novel: engrossing details on forensic anthropology and anatomical science. Her mastery, and love, of those subjects, which Reichs herself practices (in both Montreal and Charlotte, by the way), is evident in her writing. We're also treated to plenty of esoterica about non-mainstream religions and history (I mean, I live in North Carolina and didn't know Charlotte was named for a seventeen-year-old German duchess). The author deftly negotiates that fine line between using such information to enhance the experience of reading a novel and padding prose. She gives us what we need to know--to enrich plot, character or atmosphere--and then gets back to the story. And speaking of which: As an author writing in the same genre, I was impressed with Reichs's ability to keep the roller coaster on track and speeding along, page after page. She's a true master of cliff hangers--a neglected skill in a field where far too many lazy authors end chapters with people leaving rooms, falling asleep or offering hand-tipping foreshadowings of what's to come. I call this the question-mark factor and when writing my thriller I actually tally up the number of scenes that end in a compelling, un Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health [ABRIDGED] Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health [ABRIDGED] Author: Hubbard, L. Ron Sherr, Lloyd (Narrator) ISBN: 1-4031-0541-3 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Health, Mind & Body : Self Help User Rating: 5.0 Stars Audio CD Bridge Publications Walter Winchell, Daily Mirror [Dianetics is] a new science which works with the invariability of physical science in the field of the human mind. Book Description Listen to Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health on compact disc. In this audiobook you'll discover the single source of unexplained pains, negative emotions and unhappy relationships in your life. This is what causes you to do things you can't explain-like break up your relationships and hurt the ones you love. Find out exactly what is destroying your belief in yourself and how Dianetics helps you get rid of it and become more you. Millions have discovered Dianetics works. Join them. 6 CDs 7 hrs 15 min Includes 64-page booklet of additional information Complete glossary of terms. Dirty Jokes and Beer [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Dirty Jokes and Beer [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Carey, Drew (Reader) ISBN: 0-671-57888-X Category: Biography & Autobiography User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Simon & Schuster Audio Amazon.com The enigmatic star of the hugely popular Drew Carey Show divulges the secrets of his rise to stardom and his life as a standup comedian in the audiobook version of Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined. Despite the title's promise, this isn't just three hours of filth and debauchery--well, not quite. Carey also shares an unexpected admission about being molested as a child, a surprisingly serious and moving moment. This solemnity, however, is a brief respite from almost three hours of bawdy humor--fables of all things dirty and odes to everything politically incorrect. Carey's jokes are nothing new or original, but he doesn't profess them to be. These are characterizations of people he has met throughout his life: grotesque slobs, cheap hookers, and lousy drunks. They're not exactly inspirational characters, but Carey manages to see--and relate--their funny sides. Carey borrows his jokes from barroom culture, leaving them raw and uncensored. Listening to the tape, you can almost smell the stale tobacco and taste the draft beer. Some listeners will delight in Carey's anecdotes about anatomically astonishing penises and his other jokes, while others may feel slightly nauseated. Dirty Jokes and Beer leaves little middle ground; you'll either love it or rip your headphones off in disgust. From Library Journal This collection of dirty jokes, short fiction, and autobiographical tidbits will please some readers and offend others. Carey, a stand-up comic and star of his own TV show, writes mostly about sex, drinking, gambling, football, and television. One of his favorite topics seems to be his "big dick" jokes. Four-letter words predominate, giving the book a definite adolescent, male tone. Carey points out that the raunchier his material, the more popular he became, seeming almost surprised at the public's reaction. To his credit, he also includes a sampling of the negative reviews and letters he has received. The short stories are the most interesting. Carey reads with the familiarity and conviction of one reading his own work. Overall, though, this book has limited appeal; not recommended.?Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. Double Homicide: Boston / Sante Fe (2 in 1) Double Homicide: Boston / Sante Fe (2 in 1) Author: Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman, Faye ISBN: Category: Amazon.com Outlet : Bargain Books Outlet : Literature & Fiction : Drama User Rating: 2.5 Stars Hardcover Amazon.com Two short novels by a couple who've each gone it alone very successfully in their previous literary efforts make for a double treat for fans of both authors--Faye, whose mysteries feature a similarly uxorious couple in Rina and Peter Decker, and Jonathan, whose Alex Delaware novels starring a thoughtful child psychologist who's luckier in crime-busting than in love are even more popular. Not as satisfying as each author's full-length efforts, Double Homicide nonetheless offers a tasty side dish for their fans, and their protagonists venture beyond Los Angeles to tread new geographical territory, too. In Boston, a popular college athlete is slain in a busy nightclub, but what seems like an open-and-shut case turns out to hinge on forensic evidence that points to a very different conclusion. Detectives Michael McCain and Doris Breton unravel the mystery in Beantown, while two other new characters, Darryl Two Moons and his partner Steve Katz, discover that gallery owner Larry Olafson's brutal slaying has repercussions that resonate far beyond Santa Fe's trendy Canyon Road. Neither of these novellas makes the most of either author's gifts at character development, which lend themselves to a longer format, but that won't stop their dedicated readers from snapping them up and savoring them until the Deckers or Dr. Delaware turn up in their next adventures. --Jane Adams --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile Two novellas, two settings, two victims, two pairs of detectives, two writing styles--there's plenty for two readers to work with here. John Rubinstein reads IN THE LAND OF THE GIANTS, in which Boston detectives investigate the death of a college basketball star after an on-court incident. Rubenstein narrates in mostly angry tones that reflect the rough worlds of competitive sports and city police work. Lou Diamond Phillips gives smoother treatment to STILL LIFE, set in the artsy world of Santa Fe, where an unpopular art dealer has been killed. Detectives Two Moons and Katz emerge as distinct personalities as they sort out suspects and clues. There is no clue, however, to the authorship or location of each title in the packaging or on the discs. That quibble aside, this production delivers a double dose of suspenseful listening. J.B.G. 2005 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution [ABRIDGED] Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution [ABRIDGED] Author: Atkins, Robert C. Conger, Eric (Narrator) ISBN: 0-694-52001-2 Category: Formats : Audiocassettes : Authors, A-Z : ( A ) : Atkins, Robert C. User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette HarperCollins Publishers Amazon.com Reviews Designed to catapult your body into a state of fat meltdown, Dr. Atkins's diet has taken America by storm. It targets insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. The bodies of most overeaters are continually in a state of hyperinsulinism; their bodies are so adept at releasing insulin to help convert excess carbohydrates to fat that there's always too much of the hormone circulating through the body. This puts the body into a bind; it always wants to store fat. Even when people with hyperinsulinism try to lose weight--especially when they cut fat but increase carbohydrate consumption--their efforts will fail. This is why Dr. Atkins refers to insulin as "the fat-producing hormone." Dr. Atkins's diet is extremely low in carbohydrates, which helps to regulate insulin production and decrease circulating insulin; less insulin soon results in less fat storage and fewer food cravings. The diet is far from torturous, though--those who've tried it attest that hunger is not a part of this plan. Ninety percent of Dr. Atkins's patients--more than 25,000 of them--have experienced dramatic weight loss. The book includes recipes for such luscious, low-carb dishes as lobster soup, zabaglione, sea bass, and blueberry ice cream, and even includes a carbohydrate gram counter and menus. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. From Publishers Weekly Twenty years after publication of his bestselling Diet Revolution , Dr. Atkins is back and ready to raise a new ruckus. Once again, he contends that weight gain has little to do with fat intake; indeed, he will demonstrate "how much fat you can burn off, while eating liberally, even luxuriously."79 He encourages dieters to revel in traditional sources of protein like red meat, and to eat eggs and bacon for breakfast82-3 . Rapid weight loss, he promises, will be achieved through his 14-day "induction" diet, in which almost all carbohydrates are virtually banned from the table, forcing the body to go into a fat-burning metabolic state called ketosis. He still urges broad-based vitamin supplements to take up any nutritional slack. So what's changed in 20 years? Atkins says he now is more interested in "complete wellness" than in dropping pounds quickly; he stresses that the "induction" is not to be considered a lifetime regimen unless, of course, the dieter has particularly stubborn "metabolic resistance." Readers of his last book may notice some defensiveness--two decades of criticism clearly have taken their toll. Nonetheless, there is enough of the old Atkins to make this the most arrogant diet book to appear in a long while. sic, ital " I hope to amaze you ," he writes, " as I amazed millions of dieters in the past ." And that's when he's in his modest mode. 75,000 first printing; Literary Guild alternate. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Dr. Death (Jonathan Kellerman) [UNABRIDGED] Dr. Death (Jonathan Kellerman) [UNABRIDGED] Author: Kellerman, Jonathan Rubinstein, John (Narrator) ISBN: 0-375-41618-8 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Cassette Random House Audio Amazon.com Dr. Eldon Mate, a.k.a. Dr. Death, has been the bane of the Los Angeles D.A.'s existence, the bęte noir of all opposed to assisted suicide, and the angel of mercy to countless "travelers" who have gone to their reward via Mate's good offices. He's also turned up in the back of his van, attached to his own death-dealing "Humanitron" machine and too far away from most of his blood and a certain external organ. Enter Milo Sturgis, L.A.'s only openly gay homicide detective, and for the 14th time in 15 years (1985's Edgar-winning When the Bough Breaks through 1999's Monster), enter also his good friend, child psychologist and LAPD consultant Dr. Alex Delaware. Unbeknownst to Sturgis, however, is a potentially case-stymieing doctor-patient conflict of interest. One of Delaware's young patients' mother was either the beneficiary or victim of Dr. Death's services, depending upon your point of view. The father, Richard Doss, is firmly in the latter camp, giving Delaware ample pause: After hearing the details of the murder, I felt better. The butchery didn't seem like Richard's style. Though how sure of that could I be? Richard hadn't disclosed any more about himself than he'd wanted to. In control, always in control. One of those people who crowds every room he enters. Maybe that had been part of what led his wife to seek out Eldon Mate. Maybe. But the fact is that there's no shortage of motivated suspects from both within and without the late doctor's circle of influence. And as usual, Jonathan Kellerman (himself a child psychologist and recognized authority in childhood psycho-pathology) guides Delaware's engaging first-person narrative with expertise, keeps Detective Sturgis real, and rudders his taut story to its satisfying end with sharp, true-to-the-ear dialogue. With Dr. Death, Kellerman's legion of Delaware fans will be very well pleased, and first-timers will almost certainly join the legion. --Michael Hudson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly A series of well-publicized gentle deaths are the work of self-appointed angel of mercy Dr. Eldon Mate, who attends to the terminally ill in cheap hotel rooms or in the back of his van. Now Mate himself is dead, carved up and found by two joggers and their dog on a high road above Los Angeles. Like Kellerman's previous bestsellers, this title features psychologist Alex Delaware, whose self-righteous pomposity blends neatly, as it has before, into a narrative liberally dosed with psycho-angles and agreeably warped murder motives. This time out, Delaware works with cop Milo Sturgis and counsels Stacy and Eric Doss, two teenage children getting over their mother Joanne's death, which Dr. Mate seemingly helped to hasten. In his dual role, Delaware encounters a rogue FBI agent tracking a killer obsessed with Mate; Mate's disturbed son; and Richard Doss, the kids' father, who by slipping cash to a shady character in a dark bar is marked as a prime murder suspect. Joanne's illness too proves mysterious. But Kellerman isn't in top form here. Most annoyingly, the FBI guy does the bulk of the sleuthing legwork, while Delaware spends much of the book either making love or pontificating on motivations for characters all very similarly flawed. The ending is agreeably tricky, but by then great gobs of Delaware have either delighted Kellerman's faithful or else turned readers' stomachs in a way that serial deaths, gentle or otherwise, may have somehow failed to do. Kellerman's rep and the book's strong, geometric cover will send this one on to the lists. (Dec. 5) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE BY DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT AUDIO BOOK SERIES DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE BY DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT AUDIO BOOK SERIES Author: STEVENSON, ROBERT LOUIS MORELY, ANDREW ISBN: B000SZNFO0 Category: User Rating: Audio CD DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT Editorial Reviews Product Description The classic tale of desire and anger is brought to chilling new life in this edition of the Digiview Audio Book Sereis. Legendary novelist Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale features the voice talents of Andrew Morley and a whole new script to make this one of the most exciting and fresh versions of this story. 3 audio cds. Approx. 174 mins. A Dragon Lover's Treasury [ABRIDGED] A Dragon Lover's Treasury [ABRIDGED] Author: Weis, Margaret (Editor) Card, Orson Scott Talken, Glynnis ISBN: 1-57815-516-9 Category: Fantasy - Historical User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Media Books Audio Publishing From Library Journal Inexplicably, dragons have become the creatures of choice for fantasy readers. Dragon queen McCaffrey leads off a new treasury, which gathers dragon tales by some of the heavy hitters of the genre, including L. Sprague de Camp, Roger Zelazny, Orson Scott Card, and Gordon R. Dickson. If mystery is more to your liking, Severn House is also offering a hardcover edition of Peters's 1976 Legend in Green Velvet in which protagonist Susan finds love and intrigue in the Scottish Highlands. Severn House books can be ordered directly by calling 800-830-3044. Discounts are available. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Midwest Book Review The dragon is one of the most enduring creatures in the fantasy world. This collection of stories by some of the best fantasy writers of our time (Anne McCafferty, Jan Yolen, Orson Scott Card) is the definitive work on these fire-breathing lizards. A Dragon-Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic is a 3 hour, two cassette assembly of tales told with high drama, exotic adventures of peril and daring, and even a light touch of humor. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition. Dragon Tears Dragon Tears Author: Koontz, Dean R. Sanders, Jay O. (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7435-2904-9 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio From AudioFile Koontz's current best-seller relates the story of two Southern California police detectives who track down a demonic serial killer with paranormal abilities. The work is well-suited to audio, and fans of Koontz should enjoy this exceptional production. Jay O. Sanders is simply superb. All characters (even Woofer, a dog who plays an important role) are fully voiced. One of the characterizations--the golem--is so strikingly different from Sanders's "normal" voice that it's difficult at first to recognize that it's still Sanders speaking. This is a long production, but the pace never flags, and Sanders is consistently excellent. M.A.M. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition. A Dragon's Ascension: Library Edition A Dragon's Ascension: Library Edition Author: Greenwood, Ed Vance, Simon (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7861-2624-8 Category: Formats : Books on Tape : General User Rating: Audio Cassette Blackstone Audiobooks From the Publisher Aglirta is known as the Kingless Land. Once a prosperous and peaceful river valley, it has fallen into lawlessness, and its feuding baronies are engaged in a constant state of war. But the land is kingless no more, for the Sleeping King of legend, King Kelgrael, has been reawakened by the efforts of the valiant Band of Four: - Hawkril, a bold and brave warrior gifted with great strength and fortitude - Craer, the crafty and clever thief - Sarasper, the learned and wise healer and last but not least - Lady Embra Silvertree, the mystical Lady of Jewels, a powerful sorceress Yet peace has not returned. In The Kingless Land, high magic and wizard kings stood in the way, while in The Vacant Throne, civil wars and backstabbing barons resisted the restoration of order. Now, a powerful warlord comes to the front to take control through military might, while the diabolic minions of the Serpent move into position for a climactic battle that will scar the Band of Four forever. KLIATT This second volume of the Band of Four fantasy series finds the land of Aglirta in turmoil. Under the protection of the Serpants, the warrior Bloodblade assumes the throne. However, he is not much of a king, and does not muster the support needed to calm the chaos that grows as the dragons return to destroy the landscape. The overlord band of four must try to deal with the threats within the country as well as those that come from outside. In sum, it is a bloody mess for all. The Lady Silvertree gains power and is able to smite some of the evil surrounding her, but even she cannot withstand the archwizard turned into The Serpant. It is up to the band and their friends to bind together to fight for survival. While the basic plot is adequate, the action itself gets monotonous for those readers who like to skip battle scenes. Furthermore, the characters do not stand out individually. The author provides a brief description of the numerous main figures at the end of the book; it would have been handy at the start, since the names themselves are hard to remember and distinguish (e.g., Vaelros, Valath, and Varaeur; Saraedrin, Sarandor, and Sathrar). This reviewer did not think the first volume was particularly strong; this second one is even more disappointing except for a few bright moments. (A Band of Four novel). KLIATT Codes: SA?Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2002, Tor, 366p. map., Farmer Synopsis Aglirta is known as the Kingless Land. Once a prosperous and peaceful river valley, it has fallen into lawlessness, and its feuding baronies are engaged in a constant state of war. But the land is kingless no more, for the Sleeping King of legend, King Kelgrael, has been reawakened by the efforts of the valiant Band of Four: - Hawkril, a bold and brave warrior gifted with great strength and fortitude - Craer, the crafty and clever thief - Sarasper, the learned and wise healer and last but not least - Lady Embra Silvertree, the mystical Lady of Jewels, a powerful sorceress Yet peace has not returned. In The Kingless Land, high magic and wizard kings stood in the way, while in The Vacant Throne, civil wars and backstabbing barons resisted the restoration of order. Now, a powerful warlord comes to the front to take control through military might, while the diabolic minions of the Serpent move into position for a climactic battle that will scar the Band of Four forever. KLIATT This second volume of the Band of Four fantasy series finds the land of Aglirta in turmoil. Under the protection of the Serpants, the warrior Bloodblade assumes the throne. However, he is not much of a king, and does not muster the support needed to calm the chaos that grows as the dragons return to destroy the landscape. The overlord band of four must try to deal with the threats within the country as well as those that come from outside. In sum, it is a bloody mess for all. The Lady Silvertree gains power and is able to smite some of the evil surrounding her, but even she cannot withstand the archwizard turned Dragonlance - Chronicles Volume 1: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles) Dragonlance - Chronicles Volume 1: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles) Author: Weis, Margaret Dabb, Andrew Kurth, Steve ISBN: 1-932796-50-9 Category: Children's & young adult fiction & true stories User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 Devil's Due Publishing Product Description Welcome to the world of Krynn - a world on the brink of a dark age. While humanity slides toward fanaticism and war, a long-dormant evil begins to rise. Amid the chaos, lifelong friends who went their separate ways in years past are drawn together once again. When they accept a mysterious woman into their midst, it begins a quest that will either save Krynn - or doom it for all time. Dragonlance - Chronicles Volume 2: Dragons Of Winter Night Dragonlance - Chronicles Volume 2: Dragons Of Winter Night Author: Weis, Margaret Hickman, Tracy Kurth, Steve ISBN: 1-932796-88-6 Category: Children's & young adult fiction & true stories User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD MP3 Devil's Due Publishing Product Description They won their first real battle in the war for Krynn, but the war has only just begun for the Companions! Friendships born in conflict will be torn apart. Hope will rest on the shoulders of a disgraced Knight and his two inexperienced companions. Worlds long divided by hatred and prejudice will either band together in a last struggle against darkness - or perish for all time! Dragonlance Legends Volume 1: Time of the Twins (Dragonlance Chronicles) Dragonlance Legends Volume 1: Time of the Twins (Dragonlance Chronicles) Author: Hickman, Tracy Weis, Margaret Cole, David ISBN: 1-934692-34-4 Category: Dragons User Rating: 5.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 Devil's Due Publishing Product Description Despite his considerable physical decline, Caramon undertakes a quest to save Raistlin from evil. Can Caramon even hope to save his twin brother? At the same time, the beautiful cleric Crysania has undergone a mission to redeem Raistin. Will she meet success or be drawn into evil as well? Can a reunion of the Companions be far behind? Dragonlance: Darkness and Light Dragonlance: Darkness and Light Author: Carter, Tanya R. ISBN: 0-7869-2923-5 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 Wizards of the Coast Product Description Before the War of the Lance. The Companions have gone their separate ways, each vowing to return with news of the growing darkness in Ansalon. Sturm Brightblade, a warrior whose honor is his life, and Kitiara, a passionate woman of uncertain loyalties, travel north in search of Sturm's long-lost father. Before they reach their destination, a band of gnomes begs for their help. But nothing with gnomes ever goes as planned. The two adventurers are soon thrown into a perilous adventure that will take them beyond the realms of Ansalon, through love and hate, to darkness and light. About the Author Paul B. Thompson & Tonya C. Cook have collaborated on numerous Dragonlance novels, including the recent releases Children of the Plains, Brother of the Dragon, and Sister of the Sword. Both authors live in North Carolina. Dragons of Spring Dawning (Dragonlance Chronicles Vol.4, Pt. 2) Dragons of Spring Dawning (Dragonlance Chronicles Vol.4, Pt. 2) Author: Gopez, Julius M ISBN: 1-934692-11-5 Category: Graphic Novels User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD MP3 Devil's Due Publishing Amazon.com Review The final installment in Weis and Hickman's Chronicles series--Dragonlance's undisputed must-read trilogy--brings on the main event: the Companions vs. the dragons in a knock-down drag-out at the iron works of Pax Tharkas, as the fate of Krynn hangs in the balance. They've mastered the Orbs and picked up the Dragonlance (see Dragons of Winter Night), and things are looking pretty good with the return of the good metallic dragons. But the band soon learns they must do battle with their own inner conflicts if they ever hope to defeat the Dark Queen Takhisis. A bang-up conclusion to Dragonlance's best-loved trilogy. --Paul Hughes --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Product Description A number of the Companions are taken captive by the dragonarmy... Can Caramon, Tax and Tika find a way to escape the order of death that hangs over them? Will they survive the arrival of Takhisis, the dark queen responsible for the war they're fighting in? Plus: Tanis receives help in a desperate battle from a very unexpected source... can he trust the help he's being offered? Collecting the second half (issues #7-12) of the best selling adaptation of Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Spring Dawning. Dragons Of Summer Flame Dragons Of Summer Flame Author: Weis, Margaret Hickman, Tracy ISBN: 0-7869-0189-6 Category: Science fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD MP3 TSR, Inc. Review The war of the Lance is long over. The seasons come and go. The pendulum of the world swings. Now is is a hot parched summer such as no one on Krynn had ever known before. The uneasy balance starts to shift. Distraught by a grievous loss, the young mage Palin Majere seeks to enter the Abyss in search of his lost uncle, the infamous archmage Raistlin. The Dark Queen has found new champions. Devoted followers, loyal to the death, the Knights of Takhisis follow the Vision to victory. A dark paladin, Steel Brightblade, rides to attack the High Clerist's Tower, the fortress his father died defending. On a small island, the mysterious Irda captures as ancient artifact and use it to ensure their own safety. Usha, child of the Irda, arrives in Pananthas claiming that she is Raistlin's daughter. The summer will be deadly. Perhaps it will be the last summer Ansalon will ever know. Dragons Of Summer Flame is action-packed heroic fantasy at its best! -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description Primed for a battle between good and evil, Raistlin, the corrupted mage, returns to the Dragonlance series along with a new generation of characters, the inheritors of the fabled Heroes of the Lance. 175,000 first printing. Dragons Of The Dwarven Depths: The Lost Chronicles, Volume One Dragons Of The Dwarven Depths: The Lost Chronicles, Volume One Author: Weis, Margaret Hickman, Tracy ISBN: 0-7869-4261-4 Category: Dragons User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Book Wizards of the Coast Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal Grade 9 Up-In Dragons of the Dwarven Depths (Wizards of the Coast, 2006), authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman attempt to fill in some of the gaps in their popular Chronicles Trilogy series. The story picks up after the Companions of the Lance have helped a group of slaves escape from the mines of Pax Tharkas. The group takes refuge in a mountain valley, where they hope to be safe from their former masters. When the illusion of security is dispelled by the appearance of one of their old enemies, the heroes take action. They seek out the lost dwarven stronghold of Thorbardin, hoping that the dwarves that still remain within will give shelter to the refugees through the winter. However, this sanctuary comes with a cost. The Companions are forced to take up a quest for the fabled Hammer of Kharas. The story is weighted with exposition that drags down what has the potential to be an exciting plot. While the characters may be old friends to returning readers, those new to the Chronicles will find them flat and underdeveloped. Sandra Burr's clear, melodic voice guides listeners carefully along the journey. While she skillfully provides distinct voices for a large cast of characters, some of them grate on the ears. This recording will be in demand by fans of the previous books, but it will not draw in new listeners.-Heather Dieffenbach, Lexington Public Library, Beaumont Branch, KY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Description Tanis Half-Elven... Flint Fireforge... Tasslehoff Burfoot... the classic Dragonlance characters are back! Picking up where the first book of the classic Dragonlance Chronicles left off, this tale follows the Companions of the Lance on their adventures following the rescue of the refugees of Pax Tharkas. Flint and Tanis Half-Elven travel to the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, while the rest of the Companions confront challenges of their own. Dragons of the Highlord Skies: The Lost Chronicles, Volume II (The Lost Chronicles) Dragons of the Highlord Skies: The Lost Chronicles, Volume II (The Lost Chronicles) Author: Weis, Margaret Hickman, Tracy Burr, Sandra (Reader) ISBN: 1-4233-1627-4 Category: Science Fiction And Fantasy User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced From Publishers Weekly In this enterprising second volume of the Lost Chronicles (after 2006's Dragons of the Dwarven Depths), Emperor Ariakis pressures Dragon Highlord Kitiara uth Matar into a plan to make sure the Solamnic knight Derek Crownguard hears about, then quests after a dragon orb recently discovered by Dragon Highlord Feal-Thas. As Crownguard's will is weaker than the dragon essence inside the orb, he will become enthralled to it and compelled to do the bidding of Ariakis. Loathing the task but having no choice, Kitiara treks to Feal-Thas's Ice Palace in the dangerous land of Icereach. As Crownguard and his companions join up with the group of renegades led by Kitiara's rival, Laurana, Kitiara's path takes an unexpected turn, leading her to Dargaard Keep to face the dread Lord Soth. Weis and Hickman have once again produced an entertaining high fantasy adventure. (July) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile The Lost Chronicle series continues filling in the background of the Dragonlance with this second installment in the trilogy. The quest to recover a dragon orb in a distant land falls to Kitiara Uth-Matar, who is on the dark side and who is destined to confront Laurana, the leader of the forces of good. Sandra Burr draws on the large store of characters she has developed in past productions. She deals with the expository passages with a light touch that keeps them moving at a good pace and skillfully brings out the humor and comic relief. While this is well done, it may not be the best point for newcomers to begin this multi?layered series. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Dreamcatcher Dreamcatcher Author: King, Stephen ISBN: 0-7435-0444-5 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Bt Bound Synopsis When a seriously ill man bursts into their cabin in the woods, four ordinary hunters are thrust into the middle of an alien invasion plot. With a multi-pronged attack (by multiple species of alien), the invaders try to conquer the Earth using everything from mind control to good, old-fashioned razor-sharp teeth, and our four heroes may be the only ones who can stop them.... Industry Reviews "It will make you see bacon and the mold that grows on food left too long in the fridge in a whole new and unsettling light." Salon - Laura Miller (02/22/2001) Drop Shot Drop Shot Author: Coben, Harlan Marosz, Jonathan ISBN: 0-7393-4096-4 Category: American Mystery & Suspense Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio Editorial Reviews Review "A fast-paced plot, witty dialogue, more than a few surprises, and a you'll-never-guess-whodunit denouement."-Armchair Detective "Superb writing...Harlan Coben serves up an ace with Drop Shot."-John Lutz, author of Death by Jury From the Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition. Review "A fast-paced plot, witty dialogue, more than a few surprises, and a you'll-never-guess-whodunit denouement."-Armchair Detective "Superb writing...Harlan Coben serves up an ace with Drop Shot."-John Lutz, author of Death by Jury From the Paperback edition. Dutchman's Flat, His Brother's Debt, Big Medicine & the Turkey Feather Riders [ABRIDGED] Dutchman's Flat, His Brother's Debt, Big Medicine & the Turkey Feather Riders [ABRIDGED] Author: L'Amour, Louis ISBN: 1-57815-529-0 Category: Westerns - General User Rating: Audio CD Media Books Audio Publishing Description: A series of stories from the foremost storyteller of the Old West. Louis L'Amour's stories have thrilled and captivated a nation by chronicling the adventures of the brave men and women who settled the American frontier. Description: A series of stories from the foremost storyteller of the Old West. Louis L'Amour's stories have thrilled and captivated a nation by chronicling the adventures of the brave men and women who settled the American frontier. Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection [UNABRIDGED] Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection [UNABRIDGED] Author: Poe, Edgar Allan Vincent, Price (Narrator) ISBN: 0-694-52403-4 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( P ) : Poe, Edgar Allan User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Caedmon From Publishers Weekly Talk about a match made in heaven! It would be hard to imagine more fitting narrators for Poe's classic horror tales than Price and Rathbone, two superb, classically trained actors who became household names starring in movies of suspense and mystery. Poe's work is especially well-suited to audio, and these remastered, archival Caedmon recordings, originally released on phonograph records, showcase the two actors at their finest. Both Price and Rathbone perfectly convey the prototypical Poe narrator trying to come to grips with the horror he has experienced. In "Berenice," Price's voice sounds refined yet deeply troubled as he struggles to explain the insidious, neurotic obsession taking over his life. "The Cask of Amontillado" finds Rathbone chuckling with evil pleasure at the well-planned murder of one who has slighted him. Among the remaining featured tales are "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Raven," "Annabel Lee," "The Black Cat" and "The Pit and the Pendulum." This audio is an absolute must for Poe fans, and high school and college students assigned Poe stories for English class will find the literature takes on new meaning with this recording. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Poe, said to be the creator of the American Gothic tale and detective fiction, is well represented in this collection of 20 poems and short stories that was originally produced in 1954. The pieces illustrate several themes for which Poe was well known. For example, he felt that the death of a beautiful woman was the most poetical topic in the world. "The Raven," which made him famous, shows the incantatory or hypnotic quality of his rhythm, especially with Basil Rathbone's reading. Other horror tales included are "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Black Cat," and "The Fall of the House of Usher." The people in his novels often die and then mysteriously return to life, usually after they have been entombed. In "The Imp of the Perverse," Poe expounds on his theory of humanity that we often do something simply because we should not. The literary world is grateful for his unique vision. Vincent Price and Rathbone, well-known actors, both perform excellently. Any serious collection of horror or detective fiction would not be complete without Poe's works. Highly recommended. Marjorie Lemon, SRCF-Mercer, PA Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. Eldest (Book 2) Eldest (Book 2) Author: Paolini, Christopher Doyle, Gerard (Narrator) ISBN: 0-307-28072-1 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Listening Library Amazon.com Surpassing its popular prequel Eragon, this second volume in the Inheritance trilogy shows growing maturity and skill on the part of its very young author, who was only seventeen when the first volume was published in 2003. The story is solidly in the tradition (some might say derivative) of the classic heroic quest fantasy, with the predictable cast of dwarves, elves, and dragons--but also including some imaginatively creepy creatures of evil. The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope. But Eragon is young and has much to learn, and so he is sent off to the elven forest city of Ellesmera, where he and Saphira are tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language by the wise former Rider Oromis and his elderly dragon Glaedr. Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's home, his cousin Roran is the target of a siege by the hideous Ra'zac, and he must lead the villagers on a desperate escape over the mountains. The two narratives move toward a massive battle with the forces of Galbatorix, where Eragon learns a shocking secret about his parentage and commits himself to saving his people. The sheer size of the novel, as well as its many characters, places with difficult names, and its use of imaginary languages make this a challenging read, even for experienced fantasy readers. It is essential to have the plot threads of the first volume well in mind before beginning--the publisher has provided not only a map, but a helpful synopsis of the first book and a much-needed Language Guide. But no obstacles will deter the many fans of Eragon from diving headfirst into this highly-awaited fantasy. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell The End The End Author: Snicket, Lemony Curry, Tim (Narrator) Curry, Tim Curry, Tim Archies, The Gothic ISBN: 0-06-057952-8 Category: Juvenile Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD HarperChildren's Audio Amazon.com Picking up from the final pages of the Pentultimate Peril, this farewell installment to the ridiculously (and deservedly!) popular A Series of Unfortunate Events places our protagonists right where we last left them: on a large, wooden boat in the middle of the ocean, trapped with their nemesis Count Olaf, who has armed himself with a helmet-full of deadly Medusoid Mycelium. The situation quickly and--this being the Baudelaires--predictably deteriorates. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny find themselves tossed in a storm so terrible that our beloved narrator spends four pages describing how he cannot describe it. From this point on, fans of the series' smarty-pants wordplay and acrobatic narrative can rest assured that they're in for more of the same (and how) in this 368-page finale, and Daniel Handler's deadpan Snicket continues to tutor a generation in self-referential humor (including one particularly funny bit regarding three very short men carrying a large, flat piece of wood, painted to look like a living room). Snicket notes, of course, that if you read the entire series, "your only reward will be 170 chapters of misery in your library and countless tears in your eyes." There's one big question, though, for anyone who's made it through "the thirteenth chapter of the thirteenth volume in this sad history": is the final book a fitting end? That question is probably best-answered by one of The End's most oft-repeated phrases: It depends on how you look at it. Those looking for conclusive resolution to the series' many, many mysteries may be disappointed, although some big questions do get explicit answers. Not surprisingly for a work so deliberately labyrinthine, though, even the absence of an answer can be sort of an answer--and reaction to The End can be something of a Rorschach test for readers. Or, as Lemony Snicket says, "Perhaps you don't know yet what the end really means." --Paul Hughes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile From THE BAD BEGINNING to The End, Lemony Snicket has consistently suggested that we avoid the saga of the unbelievably unhappy and unfortunate lives of the Baudelaire children. His deliciously downbeat introduction is full of dire warnings that ensure that children, attracted to things they are warned against, will tune in. The incomparable Tim Curry resumes his role as narrator of this gothic serial. His matter-of-fact delivery lends credibility to the unbelievable assortment of disasters that befall the Baudelaires. His transition from narrator to character is seamless, breathing life into each person. Musical interludes, provided by the Gothic Archies, enhance the atmosphere. But don't expect answers to all your questions, for The End of the Baudelaires' story is simply the beginning of another's! N.E.M. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Entombed [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Entombed [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Fairstein, Linda Brown, Blair ISBN: 0-7435-6959-8 Category: American Mystery & Suspense Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Simon & Schuster Audio Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Series heroine Alexandra Cooper, head of Manhattan's sex crimes unit, returns in a novel that might have been titled "Nevermore,": focused as it is on the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. When the body of a two-decades-old skeleton is found bricked up behind a wall in a soon-to-be-demolished building where Poe once lived, it looks like a very cold case indeed. But then that old murder is linked to a more current slaying, one that at first looks like the work of the Silk Stocking Rapist, Alex's old enemy, who terrorized the upper East Side of Manhattan several years ago but hasn't been heard from since. As usual, Alex and her good friends, detectives Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman, take the reader to an area of New York most tourists never see--in this case, the Bronx Botanical Gardens and its wild, forested environs--and bring it dramatically to life. Just in case Poe ever has his own category on Alex's favorite TV show, there's enough trivia included about the master of the macabre's life and work to propel any reader to Final Jeopardy. Entombed is a smart, stylish, well-told tale. --Jane Adams --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly The specter of Edgar Allan Poe hovers, chillingly, over bestseller Fairstein's seventh thriller featuring Manhattan sex crimes prosecutor Alexandra Cooper. Alex's labyrinthine path to a serial killer travels through a lot of forensic evidence and two initially unconnected cases: the Silk Stocking rapist is terrorizing women after a few years' respite and a woman's skeleton is discovered in the wall of an East Village building. Said discovery takes on additional dimension when it's learned that the victim was walled up alive and that the house was once inhabited by Poe. Freelance writer Emily Upshaw appears, at first glance, to be the Silk Stocking rapist's latest victim, but several details feel off to Alex and NYPD detective sidekicks Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace. Emily, it's determined, is the victim of a copycat, but she does have a tenuous link to Poe and to a secret organization called the Raven Society. These are the puzzle pieces that Alex and company work with, in a tale that develops like the proverbial peeled onion, a layer at a time. Alex, fresh from a breakup, also continues her unconsummated flirtation with Mike. It's a tribute to Fairstein's integrity and her clear, measured prose that the novel never tips into prurience. Her methodical presentation of authentic detail engages reader interest more than narrative flourish or cheap thrills. She's the real deal. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Eragon (Book 1) [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Eragon (Book 1) [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Paolini, Christopher Doyle, Gerard (Reader) ISBN: 1-4000-9068-7 Category: Fantasy User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Listening Library Amazon.com Here's a great big fantasy that you can pull over your head like a comfy old sweater and disappear into for a whole weekend. Christopher Paolini began Eragon when he was just 15, and the book shows the influence of Tolkien, of course, but also Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and perhaps even Wagner in its traditional quest structure and the generally agreed-upon nature of dwarves, elves, dragons, and heroic warfare with magic swords. Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for food to get his family through the hard winter, it hatches a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the dragon, and when his family is killed by the marauding Ra'zac, he discovers that he is the last of the Dragon Riders, fated to play a decisive part in the coming war between the human but hidden Varden, dwarves, elves, the diabolical Shades and their neanderthal Urgalls, all pitted against and allied with each other and the evil King Galbatorix. Eragon and his dragon Saphira set out to find their role, growing in magic power and understanding of the complex political situation as they endure perilous travels and sudden battles, dire wounds, capture and escape. In spite of the engrossing action, this is not a book for the casual fantasy reader. There are 65 names of people, horses, and dragons to be remembered and lots of pseudo-Celtic places, magic words, and phrases in the Ancient Language as well as the speech of the dwarfs and the Urgalls. But the maps and glossaries help, and by the end, readers will be utterly dedicated and eager for the next book, Eldest. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly In wunderkind (he's 18) Christopher Paolini's impressive epic fantasy, eragon, the titular hero (who's 15) and Saphira, the dragon he's raised from a baby, set out to avenge the murder of Eragon's uncle and soon find themselves pursued by the fanatical king Galbatroix. The fantasy bildungsroman has the brave youngster learning about exile, magic, love and his own destiny, and Paolini promises his saga will continue in two more volumes of the planned Inheritance series. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The Family Tree [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] The Family Tree [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Cadwalladr, Carole Bailey, Josephine ISBN: 0-14-305730-8 Category: Books : Audiobooks : Books on CD : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. The ease with which British journalist Cadwalladr spins three generational tales in her debut is outdone only by the grace and wit with which she delivers each one. Set in late–20th-century Britain, the novel is narrated by Rebecca Monroe, a pop culture researcher who tells of her marriage to Alistair, a behavioral geneticist; her childhood leading up to her mother's suicide; and her grandmother's doomed biracial romance with Cecil, a Jamaican immigrant. In an effort to better understand herself, the child she can't decide whether or not to have, and the people she still can't believe make up her family, Rebecca considers both sides of the nature/nurture debate, with any romantic notions she might be on the brink of reaching debunked by her husband's passionless scientific postulations. Cadwalladr explicates her tale with a slew of definitions, scientific charts and graphs, detailed family anatomies, examples of deductive fallacies and footnotes expounding on such essential '70s pop culture references as Dallas and The Sale of the Century. Her mastery of time and place, wry humor and sporadic bouts of self-doubt will endear her to readers, while her fascination with the choices people make combined with a morbid curiosity about her own fate add depth and texture to this utterly winning tale of one lovable, dysfunctional family. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Adult/High School–While working on her Ph.D. in Cultural Studies, Rebecca Monroe, the wry narrator and central character in this engrossing debut novel, grapples with the nature versus nurture debate. Her husband is a behavioral geneticist who is certain he knows the answer–it's in the genes. But as Rebecca explores her grandparents' relationship, her findings take off in surprising directions. She interweaves the stories of three generations of her relatives from the 1940s, the 1970s, and the present to show a bleakly funny, unsentimental view of an English family unraveling and then coming together. Rebecca gives insight into her childhood by sprinkling her story with cultural references such as the TV series Dallas and Charlie's Angels, explaining them with hilarious footnotes. She uses charts and graphs to show aspects of genetics and kinship, giving a sense of order and tidiness to the unreliable and sometimes messy world of human relations. The novel is well paced and the story is compelling, with vivid characters, especially the women. The author makes sense of the tangled ties among the generations and navigates them with humor and compassion, as she does the themes of racism, mental illness, marriage, and, of course, nature versus nurture.–Susanne Bardelson, Kitsap Regional Library, WA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Fantasy Collection: Crystal Line, Witchlight, Crisis on Doona Fantasy Collection: Crystal Line, Witchlight, Crisis on Doona Author: McCaffrey, Anne Bradley, Marion Zimmer Nye, Jody Lynn Barbeau, Adrienne (Narrator) Bottino, Pat (Narrator) Macrae, Meredith (Narrator) ISBN: 1-57815-324-7 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( B ) : Bradley, Marion Zimmer User Rating: Audio Cassette Media Books Audio Publishing Fifth Vial, The [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] Fifth Vial, The [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] Author: Palmer, Michael Charles, J. (Reader) ISBN: 1-4233-0648-1 Category: Fiction / Medical User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced From Publishers Weekly Bestseller Palmer (The Society) tackles the illegal transplant organ trade in his entertaining 12th medical suspense novel. What do three very different people--Harvard medical student Natalie Reyes, Chicago PI Ben Callahan and scientific genius Joe Anson--have in common? Natalie, in Brazil for a conference, is attacked, hospitalized and loses a lung; Ben gets hired to discover how a mutilated anonymous body died; Joe, the inventor of an untested medical breakthrough, is forced into an operation for his life-threatening pulmonary fibrosis. All three seek answers connected to the Whitestone Foundation, a conglomerate that's a front for the Guardians, a secret cabal of medical specialists. At a hidden hospital in the Brazilian rain forest, Natalie and Ben learn of the Guardians' insidious methods. Huge sums are at stake as the arrogant Guardians make medical decisions largely motivated by greed. The action, which begins plausibly, becomes less so as the tension builds. Still, Palmer, himself an M.D., does a good job of informing the reader on an important ethical issue. 225,000 printing; author tour. (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile This medical mystery includes international organ trafficking, a promising medical student with an attitude, and a private detective who is ambivalent about his chosen profession. J. Charles is adept at narrating the story, using a range of emotions, tone, and tempos that fit well. However, many of his character voices are not good matches to the characters themselves--the teen voice sounds too old, the Cape Verdian accent is not convincing, and some of the other foreign accents miss the mark. The story itself is interesting and provides an interesting look at the world of organ transplants. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. The Final Warning The Final Warning Author: Patterson, James Apple, Jill (Reader) ISBN: 1-60024-155-7 Category: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Young Adult) User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio CD Hachette Audio Review "A never-ending series of twists and action." (Virginian Pilot ) "The Maximum Ride series is top-flight." (Free Lance-Star (VA) ) "Adrenaline galore...action-packed chapters end breathlessly, with twists at every turn." (Kirkus Reviews ) --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Product Description Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride and the other members of "Flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It seems like a dream come true--except that they're still being hunted by new threats at every turn. This time, the US government wants to keep the Flock under observation, offering a safe haven and schooling in return. But after their incredible adventures in books 1-3, Max and Flock have grown to love freedom- -after all, haven't grown-ups always found a way to ruin their lives? After escaping the control of the feds, they are surprised to find themselves allied with a group of environmental scientists who just might be trustworthy. Besides, what enemy could find them in one of the remotest locations on earth--Antarctica--on an expedition studying the effects of global warming up close? There is one: The Uber-Director--literally, brains on a stick--an evil being who has developed mechanical soldiers far more frightening than Erasers. Their quest? To retrieve the Flock and sell them in a global auction for billions of dollars. Will the Uber-Director nab them before Max, Fang and the flock succumb to the dangers of the harsh Antarctic wilderness? Kids, parents and educators tuned into the issue of global warming will find this latest episode of the blockbuster Maximum Ride series not only a particularly riveting adventure beyond their wildest dreams, but also a motivating cautionary tale about a real-life peril that may affect their own future. Finnegan's Week Finnegan's Week Author: Wambaugh, Joseph Colacci, David (Narrator) ISBN: 1-57815-008-6 Category: Mystery & Detective - General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Media Books Llc From Publishers Weekly A San Diego police detective trails a stolen truck full of toxic chemicals; BOMC alternate in cloth. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Kirkus Reviews After a so-so show in Fugitive Nights (1991), Wambaugh returns nearly in top form with a very funny suspenser about toxic waste. Finbar Finnegan, a San Diego police detective and sometime actor, has a midlife crisis at 45, his existence having been dominated by three sisters while growing up and by three ex-wives as an adult. His theme song is ``Someone to Watch Over Me''--he needs a mommy/wife, has sworn off marriage, but finds himself tied ticklingly to two female detectives at once, both of whom see him as romantically interesting despite immense shortcomings: happy, cheerful, pistol-packing Petty Officer ``Ba-a-d Dog'' Bobbie Ann Doggett, 28, an investigator for the Navy who's looking for 2,000 boots hijacked from a warehouse; and District Attorney's Investigator Nell Salter, 43, once divorced, and looking for a stolen truck filled with supertoxic waste. The truck actually was ``stolen'' by its tow drivers--porky meth-head Shelby Pate and his Mexican sidekick, Abel Durazo, who lifted the boots while picking up drums of toxic waste at a naval station, took them to a fence in Tijuana, then pretended their truck was stolen while they ate lunch. The truck, however, gets sold to a Mexican pottery maker, who repaints uses it to deliver pots to San Diego. During all this, the waste drums still on the truck spill horrible Guthion over two kids, killing one of them. In their investigation, the three San Diego law folk wind up in weirdest Tijuana for some surreal surveillance duty--and have a punchy pair of drunk scenes that show Wambaugh at his cleverest in the sexy, gin-soaked Nick & Nora Department. Smart, crunchy dialogue--too topical, yes, but for now quite witty enough. (First printing of 300,000) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Fire Fire Author: Junger, Sebastian ISBN: 0-393-01046-5 Category: Books : History : Military User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio Cassette W.W. Norton & Co. Amazon.com Review The events explored in Fire focus on "people confronting situations that could easily destroy them," and as he demonstrated in The Perfect Storm, Sebastian Junger is skilled at breaking such situations down to their core elements. In this exciting book, he reports on raging forest fires in the Western U.S, war zones in Kosovo and Afghanistan, the deadly diamond trade in Sierra Leone, the plight of travelers kidnapped by guerrillas in Kashmir, the last living whale harpooner on the Caribbean island of Bequia, and the Greek-Turkish conflict on Cyprus. There is also a fascinating chapter on John Colter (explorer, fur trader, and member of the Corps of Discovery led by Lewis and Clark) in which he comments on the need for some to seek adventure as a means of escape from our relatively safe modern world: "Life in modern society is designed to eliminate as many unforeseen events as possible, and as inviting as that seems, it leaves us hopelessly underutilized.... Threats to our safety and comfort have been so completely wiped out that we have to go out of our way to create them." Junger has a keen grasp on this mentality (in fact, he exhibits it himself), and in Fire he clearly explains the fears and difficulties involved in reporting on dangerous events from foreign countries: "You have two weeks to understand a completely alien culture, find a story that no one has heard of, and run it into the ground. It never feels even remotely possible. But it is." And he has done it well in this thrilling book. --Shawn Carkonen From Publishers Weekly Danger junkies rejoice! The Perfect Storm king returns with no, not a new booklength narrative, but a collection of previously published magazine articles. Junger spent the last few years documenting some of the world's toughest places: Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and the former Yugoslavia, as well as nonmilitary hot spots like American wildfires. His reporting on wartime atrocities for Vanity Fair is well known, and his wilderness stories for adventure magazines like Outside and Men's Health have brought him an enormous extra-book readership. Junger's newest can be considered a sort of early Greatest Hits volume, wherein Junger's disaster-zone reporting will whet the appetites of risk voyeurs everywhere. Consider his interview with Afghan guerrilla leader Ahmad Shah Massoud ("After we'd spent half an hour ducking the shells, the commander said he'd just received word that Taliban troops were preparing to attack the position, and it might be better if we weren't around for it"), or his Kosovo klatch with Serbian paramilitaries ("The men grinned broadly at us. One of them wasn't holding a gun in his hands. He was holding a huge double-bladed ax."). But Junger is more than a dispassionate adventure-monger; he is an observer awed by the courage of "people confronting situations that could easily destroy them." Whether describing the trials of airborne forest firefighters or the occupational hazards of old-fashioned harpoon-and-rope whale hunting, Junger challenges readers to reconsider their fondness for ease: "Life in modern society is designed to eliminate as many unforeseen events as possible, and as inviting as that seems, it leaves us hopelessly underutilized. And that is where the idea of 'adventure' comes in." (Oct.) Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Firm The Firm Author: GRISHAM, JOHN MOFFETT, D.W. (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7393-0375-9 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Literature & Fiction : General User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD RH Audio Price-less Amazon.com Hard to believe, but there was a time when the word "lawyer" wasn't synonymous with "criminal," and the idea of a law firm controlled by the Mafia was an outlandish proposition. This intelligent, ensnaring story came out of nowhere--Oxford, Mississippi, where Grisham was a small-town lawyer--and quickly catapulted to the top of the bestseller list, with good reason. Mitch McDeere, the appealing hero, is a poor kid whose only assets are a first-class mind, a Harvard law degree, and a beautiful, loving wife. When a Memphis law firm makes him an offer he really can't refuse, he trades his old Nissan for a new BMW, his cramped apartment for a house in the best part of town, and puts in long hours finding tax shelters for Texans who'd rather pay a lawyer than the IRS. Nothing criminal about that. He'd be set for life, if only associates at the firm didn't have a funny habit of dying, and the FBI wasn't trying to get Mitch to turn his colleagues in. The tempo and pacing are brilliant, the thrills keep coming, and the finish has a wonderful ironic flourish. It's not hard to see why Grisham changed the genre permanently with this one, and few of his colleagues in a very crowded field come close to equaling him. --Jane Adams--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. Amazon.com Audiobook Review D.W. Moffett uses his youthful voice to outstanding effect in this excellent abridgment of Grisham's bestselling thriller about a Harvard Law grad aggressively recruited by a curiously obscure firm. "We're small and very selective... we screened over two thousand third-year law students at the best schools. Only one letter was sent." They've decided he's their man and to get him they offer top dollar, dangle a BMW, and woo his wife with offers impossible to refuse. But as the wide-eyed youngsters soon discover, there's a catch. Moffett gives an excellent performance, bringing the story to life with vibrant and believable characterizations and a smooth, knowing narrative. (Running time: 3 hours, 2 cassettes) --George Laney--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition. A Five Year Plan [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] A Five Year Plan [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Kerr, Philip (Illustrator) Gaines, Boyd ISBN: 0-671-57563-5 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio Cassette Audioworks Amazon.com Review Phillip Kerr, a bestselling author in his native U.K., has been called "Michael Crichton's smarter brother" due to his wide-ranging intelligence and technical knowledge. Dave Delano, the protagonist of this lively thriller, is an American who's educated himself in prison--serving a sentence for a manslaughter he didn't commit. Newly fluent in Russian, he's intrigued by the idea of redistributing wealth, particularly the Mafia's. His plan is to hijack a transatlantic transport ferry/yacht being used to smuggle drug money and to divert the dollars into his very own bank in the former Soviet Union. It all seems flawless until he meets another Grand Duke passenger who's looking to score: Kate Fury, a gorgeous FBI agent who's been tracking cocaine from Colombia to Miami to the European playgrounds of the rich and expecting the biggest collar of her career. What happens when they cross paths is the stuff of a funny, violent, and oddly romantic caper. The plot twists fast enough to satisfy even die-hard Elmore Leonard fans and turns on double dealing, false identities, and misunderstood motives, without letting the humor get in the way of the action. --Jane Adams --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Narrator Boyd Gaines seems to have an enormous amount of fun with the characters in Kerr's latest thriller, who include mobsters, Russians, porn stars, and assorted ocean-going scoundrels. During his five years in prison, Dave Delano developed a plan: get aboard a sea transport and hijack a large yacht that is smuggling money for the Russian mob. Such a plan takes financing, so Delano turns to the American mob for backing, which they give along with Al, a ruthless button man who is their loan security. Meanwhile, FBI agent Kate Fury and her Kansas-bred, ocean-loathing, oversexed male supervisor are working the same transport looking for illegal drug shipments. And then there is the all-female crew of a yacht owned by a porno film company that is also being transported. Patrons who like Donald Westlake's Dormunder series will enjoy this. Highly recommended.?Ray Vignovich, West Des Moines P.L., IA Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. Flint the King Flint the King Author: Kirchoff, Mary Niles, Douglas ISBN: 0-7869-3021-7 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD MP3 Wizards of the Coast Product Description Fifth in a series of recovers of the classic Preludes series. First launched over a decade ago, the Preludes series has continued to prove popular with Dragonlance fans. This re-release of Flint the King showcases a new look that is also reflected in the other recovers of this series. The title features cover art from lead Dragonlance saga artist Matt Stawicki. About the Author Mary Kirchoff is the author of a number of Dragonlance novels, including Kendermore and the Defenders of Magic trilogy. Currently she is vice president of Publishing at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Douglas Niles is the author of more than 30 novels, including 10 in the best-selling Dragonlance line. In addition to his Dragonlance work, he has written the Watershed and Seven Circles trilogies, both published by Ace fantasy. Niles has also designed numerous roleplaying games. Follow the Stars Home [UNABRIDGED] Follow the Stars Home [UNABRIDGED] Author: Rice, Luanne Breck, Susie ISBN: 1-56740-481-2 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Brilliance Audio Unabridged Amazon.com With a startling sensitivity for human tragedy and the ability of the heart to heal, Luanne Rice has written a moving account of one woman's internal journey in Follow the Stars Home. Married young to Tim McIntosh, a passionate and charismatic fisherman with a troubled heart, Dianne Robbins expects a future full of happiness, security, and love. But when tests reveal that their unborn baby is severely disabled, Tim sails off for calmer waters. Faced with the responsibilities of raising her daughter Julia, Dianne finds support in Tim's brother Alan and her own mother Lucinda. A decade later, Dianne has mastered the demands of nursing Julia and swears her life is completely fulfilled by these tasks. When Alan introduces Amy Brooks, a young and troubled girl, into Dianne's life, Dianne finds her heart opening and stretching in new and positive ways. As her mother Lucinda explains, "The biggest mistake any of us can make is thinking that love is a feeling, an emotion. It's not that at all. It's an action." And Dianne struggles over the choice to love again. Beautifully written with exquisite moments of tranquility, Follow the Stars Home describes the multiple ways that love can be acted. With a dash of suspense included, this novel will keep readers' fingers flipping through the pages as fast as they can. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien From Publishers Weekly Sufferers are transformed by the transcendent power of love in Rice's (Cloud Nine) uplifting if flawed new family relationship drama. Life has not proved easy for single mom Dianne Robbins, of Gull Point, Conn. Abandoned by her husband, lobsterman Tim McIntosh, just before their daughter Julia was born with spina bifida and Rett syndrome--a debilitating physical condition and an autism-like disorder, respectively--Dianne supports herself and Julia by building children's playhouses. At the age of 11, Julia weighs 29 pounds, and there is no guarantee she will live much longer; yet she has a magical radiance. Despite the difficulties of caring for a severely disabled child, Dianne is never bitter, and her relationship with Julia is hope filled and loving. Dianne had also believed that her strong love would repair Tim's damaged self-esteem and save their marriage. Now she is wary of getting involved with a man again. But Tim's brother, Alan, who also happens to be Julia's pediatrician, has been secretly in love with Dianne for years, and his steadfast devotion may be just what she needs. Meanwhile, Amy Brook, an adorable 12-year-old from a troubled family (and a familiar device in Rice's novels), finds sanctuary in the Robbins household and becomes Julia's best friend; through Amy's example, Dianne finally understands what true love means. The author takes an unaccustomed shortcut when she reveals the plot's conclusion through heretofore silent Julia's thoughts. Had Rice interwoven Julia's reactions throughout the book, the final chapter would not seem a quick device to tie up loose ends. Still, the novel's theme--love's miraculous ability to heal--has the ingredients to warm readers' hearts. Major ad/promo. (Feb.) FYI: Rice's Cloud Nine will be released as a mass market paperback in January. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. Force Heretic I: Remnant (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 15) [ABRIDGED] Force Heretic I: Remnant (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 15) [ABRIDGED] Author: Williams, Sean Dix, Shane Davis, Jonathan (Narrator) ISBN: 0-553-71364-7 Category: Formats : Books on CD : General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio From AudioFile Jonathan Davis's voice lends itself to a flawless expression of the alien Jedi, the entire Skywalker clan, the Yuuzhan Vong, and a host of other alien beings, all of whom add to the tapestry of the Star Wars epic. After first taking care of the Yuuzhan Vong, Luke Skywalker seeks a lost world, known only in legend as Zonama Sekot, a planet believed to be alive and able to move by it own will. This planet, said to have earlier defeated the dreaded Yuuzhan Vong, becomes the Skywalker quest. Jonathan Davis transports the listener to that time and place where the story begins and the imagination takes over. M.F.D. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Forever Odd Forever Odd Author: Koontz, Dean Baker, David Aaron (Reader) ISBN: 0-7393-6941-5 Category: Unabridged Audio - Fiction/General User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Besides having an unusual moniker, 21-year-old Odd Thomas (whom readers first met in Koontz's 2003 novel of the same name) has some very unusual powers, chief among them his ability to see the dead. He can see, feel and talk to them, too (though they don't talk back: "Perhaps they know things about death that the living are not permitted to learn from them"). These days Odd is still hosting the ghost of a morose Elvis Presley, still grieving for his dead girlfriend, Stormy, and still worrying about his very fat friend P. Oswald Boone, whose cat, Terrible Chester, likes to pee on his shoes. Late one night, Odd is summoned by the ghost of Dr. Wilbur Jessup to the Jessup home, the site of a gruesome murder. Dr. Jessup is the father of Odd's best friend, Danny, who is afflicted with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bones. Odd finds Dr. Jessup's body, but Danny is missing. Since Odd has what he describes as "psychic magnetism," he can follow an invisible mental trail, which in this case leads him to his endangered friend. After he finds Danny in a spooky, burned-out Indian casino, it is Odd who becomes the quarry. The beautiful and stunningly evil Datura, aided by two frightening minions, wants to use Odd for his supernatural abilities--and then kill him. Odd's strange gifts, coupled with his intelligence and self-effacing humor, make him one of the most quietly authoritative characters in recent popular fiction. (Nov. 29) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Booklist Grieving the loss of his fiancee, killed during the climax of his eponymous debut despite anything he and his supernatural intuition could do, Odd Thomas returns in a more suspenseful but less piquant adventure. Only a year older (21), he feels almost ancient and more rueful than ever about his gift for seeing ghosts, Dr. Wilbur Jessup's in particular. The loving stepfather of Odd's brittle-boned friend Danny was alive yesterday, so Odd investigates, as the "psychic magnetism" that attends his ghost-seeing compels him to, and finds the physician brutally murdered and Danny missing. Odd tracks Danny and his abductors to an abandoned casino-hotel, closed by an earthquake that killed dozens five years ago. It's a trap. Danny is bait to draw Odd to Datura, a spookily self-absorbed, wealthy porn entrepreneur and New Age nut, who, obsessed with violent death, wants Odd to make ghosts visible to her. He can't, but there are eight ghosts in the casino, one of whom comes in handy when Odd escapes Datura and her two gorillas, rescues and hides Danny, and engages in the protracted, lethal game of cat-and-mouse that makes the novel good-to-the-last-page enthralling. Quite apart from Odd's moroseness (understandable given his circumstances and endearing youthfulness), the tale's stranglehold suspense allows for less of the offbeat humor that lightened Odd Thomas (2003). Datura is a creation that allows Koontz some sledgehammer polemicizing against alternative religion and spirituality, which additionally darkens things. Not to complain, though. This is only slightly less than top-drawer Koontz. Ray Olson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Fortune's Favorites Fortune's Favorites Author: Mccullough ISBN: 0-671-53591-9 Category: Business & Economics User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Simon & Schuster Audio From Library Journal The third installment in McCullough's magnum opus (after The First Man in Rome , LJ 9/15/90, and The Grass Crown , Morrow, 1991) continues her chronicle of the decline of the Roman Republic and the impending rise of the Roman Empire. The novel's events are dominated by Sulla's return from exile and subsequent installation as Rome's first dictator in almost 200 years; Pompey the Great's machinations as the wealthy provincial, which clears his own path upward through Roman politics; and the maturing of Gaius Julius Caesar, who will ultimately set Rome upon it's imperial course. These three are "Fortune's favorites." Painstakingly researched, McCullough's Roman saga is like a trip through time. Her characters come to life as do their surroundings. While giving us rollicking good fiction, McCullough has also made clear the bribery and chicanery that made up Roman politics. She has given us clear insight into how Rome found itself changing from a republic to an empire. Highly recommended. - Steven Sussman, "Library Journal" Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile If you liked watching I, Claudius, try listening to Fortune's Favorites. McCullough's latest saga is the strongest of the stories in her trilogy of ancient Roman days. In it Pompey and Sulla vie for power against the young upstart, Julius Caesar, while Spartacus agitates the slaves. English actor Michael York reads like the pro he is with a rich, deep intonation. The story is unadorned and single-voiced. Uneven recording levels are a slight problem; otherwise, the program is flawless. The story is exciting as long as you can keep the characters straight. D.W.K. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Four Blind Mice [UNABRIDGED] Four Blind Mice [UNABRIDGED] Author: Patterson, James Fernandez, Peter J. (Narrator) Emerson, Michael (Narrator) ISBN: 1-58621-405-5 Category: Formats : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( P ) : Patterson, James User Rating: 3.0 Stars Audio CD Time Warner Audio Books Amazon.com In this latest thriller from perennial bestselling author James Patterson, Washington cop Alex Cross gets involved in his partner's effort to save the life of an old Army buddy who's facing execution for a horrendous and inexplicable murder spree in North Carolina. The Army's evidence against Sergeant Ellis Cooper, a decorated Vietnam vet, is overwhelming, which isn't surprising since it's all been planted by a quartet of killers whose reason for framing the erstwhile hero isn't revealed until long after they are. The big secret is who set the murderers loose, and in true cliffhanger fashion, Patterson keeps it under wraps until the very end. Meanwhile, his usual blend of action, violence, fast pacing and uninspired-though-serviceable prose prevail, and will probably do so all the way to the top of the bestseller lists. --Jane Adams--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly With Patterson continuing to move in unexpected directions (his next novel, The Jester, due out in March 2003, is a medieval adventure), it's a pleasure to see him touch home base with another Alex Cross thriller this one the best Cross yet. The mice of the title are three homicidal Army Rangers, Vietnam vets, and their mysterious controller; as is usual in the Cross novels, we know this much sooner than does the black Washington, D.C., detective, who gets involved when an army careerist, Sgt. Ellis Cooper, an old pal of Cross's colleague and best friend, John Sampson, is found guilty at military trial for the brutal murder of three women, but claims innocence. Traveling to North Carolina, where Cooper awaits execution, and to Fort Bragg to investigate, Cross and Sampson encounter stonewalling among the military which only intensifies as they uncover a pattern of other military men executed for like crimes they may not have committed. As the duo visits West Point, they confront an even thicker "gray" wall of silence. Meanwhile, the killers strike again, and when Cross and Sampson identify them, the Rangers begin hunting the cops. The action leads, as is Patterson's custom, to a firecracker string of climaxes; the finale finds Cross handcuffed and stripped naked in deep woods, about to be killed. Throughout, Patterson expertly balances the conspiratorial action with intriguing developments in Cross's domestic life, including health problems for his family's anchor, the elderly Nana, and growing romance between him and a California cop. Everything clicks in this novel, from Patterson's patented short chapters (115 here) to the whiplash plotting. This may not be high lit, but it sure is entertainment. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Four Card Draw/Desert Death Song/Trap of Gold/Keep Travlin' Rider [ABRIDGED] Four Card Draw/Desert Death Song/Trap of Gold/Keep Travlin' Rider [ABRIDGED] Author: L'Amour, Louis ISBN: 1-57815-528-2 Category: Westerns - General User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio CD Media Books Audio Publishing From the Publisher A series of stories from the foremost storyteller of the Old West. Louis L'Amour's stories have thrilled and captivated a nation by chronicling the adventures of the brave men and women who settled the American frontier. Full House [ABRIDGED] Full House [ABRIDGED] Author: Evanovich, Janet King, Lorelei (Narrator) ISBN: 1-55927-792-0 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( E ) : Evanovich, Janet User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio Cassette Audio Renaissance From Publishers Weekly Originally published in 1989 under the pen name Steffie Hall, Evanovich's comic romantic suspense novel Full House reappears here in what the author calls a "bigger and better" form. Wealthy newspaper owner and horseman Nick Kaharchek meets divorced mom Billie Pearce when she makes polo lessons at his stables part of her summer self-improvement program. Though she's hopeless at polo, Billie is so cute that Nick begins to invent excuses to spend time with her. First, he takes care of her when a horse steps on her foot; then, he arranges for his nutty cousin Deedee, a self-absorbed airhead, to board with Billie while her kids are away. As if that isn't enough, Billie must also contend with a bomb-setting teenager, professional wrestlers, an outbreak of spiders and threats from a mysterious intruder. Evanovich acknowledges in a note to readers that her plotting has gotten more intricate since this book was first written (she's right), but her attempt to rework a formulaic '80s love story for the new millennium doesn't come off. The outcome of the artificial romance between Nick and Billie is obvious from the start, as is the identity of the intruder. Instead, the book's focus is on the slapstick comedy provided by the cast of wacky, though mostly loveable, eccentrics. (Sept.) Forecast: Thanks to Evanovich's sterling reputation and substantial fan base, sales won't falter much, but this trussed-up tale may fall flat for both her mystery-loving fans and readers seeking a truly contemporary romance. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. From AudioFile Former romance writer Evanovich has teamed up with a friend to launch a new series of romance novels with an attitude. FULL HOUSE, originally written in 1987 by Evanovich but expanded by the two friends in this edition, has all of the elements of the genre: Rich, handsome man meets recently divorced single mother who works hard to get by. Lorelei King has a good handle on the dry wit and sardonic attitude that fans of Evanovich are accustomed to. King deals expertly with a cast of characters who range from professional wrestlers to Pennsylvania farmers. With tongue in cheek, King keeps the story moving along. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine--This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Full Tilt Full Tilt Author: Evanovich, Janet Hughes, Charlotte King, Lorelei (Reader) ISBN: 1-55927-864-1 Category: Fiction User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio CD Macmillan Audio Amazon.com Review Mysterious and sexy, Maximillian Holt moves into Jamie Swift's life like a steamroller. She's the owner of a small town newspaper and he's a notorious, brilliant billionaire--what could they possibly have in common? Apparently quite a lot, for besides their mutual affection for Max's airhead sister Deedee and his investment in Jamie's struggling business, they share an explosive sexual chemistry. Unfortunately, Jamie's already engaged to be married. But when someone sprays her office with gunfire, only Max can save her. Now she'll have to rely on him to sort out the tangle of embezzlement, mayhem, and attempted murder that threatens her bucolic world of Beaumont, South Carolina. But if they unravel the mysteries and manage to stay alive, is there any hope for a shared future between a cosmopolitan guy committed to tracking down evil and a small-town girl who just wants a normal life? Authors Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes have paired up to create a fast-paced, wacky novel filled with eccentric characters and southern ambiance. In the time-honored tradition of such detective couples as Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man, After the Thin Man) the hero and heroine trade quips and parry sexual innuendos with panache while easily deciphering clues and adroitly coping with danger. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this Jamie Swift/Max Holt adventure, the first in a new series from this author duo. --Lois Faye Dyer --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. From Publishers Weekly What do you get when you throw together a daredevil multimillionaire, a talking car, a flaky newspaper owner, a retired wrestler turned mayoral candidate, a crazy Vietnam vet and a town full of corrupt bureaucrats? A far-fetched mystery that reads like a carnival ride spun out of control. While some readers may enjoy the ride, others will simply want to plant their feet on the ground. Playboy Max Holt, the bomb-setting boy genius from Evanovich's Full House, returns to Beaumont, S.C., to check up on his investment in the local paper, run by workaholic Jamie Swift, and to help his brother-in-law, mayoral candidate Frankie Fontana, locate the town's missing tax dollars. But when he and Jamie are shot at, it becomes clear that someone doesn't want him poking into Beaumont's financial affairs. The shooting doesn't deter Max, and neither do his subsequent encounters with dynamite, an alligator and a trigger-happy war veteran. Jamie, however, is sufficiently distraught for both of them, and her hysterics will make fans of Evanovich's more capable heroine, Stephanie Plum, cringe. Though the story is stuffed with marginally developed, oddball characters, their off-the-wall antics aren't enough to keep the suspense rising and the reader engaged. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 Author: Ricks, Thomas E. Lurie, James (Contributor) ISBN: 0-14-314410-3 Category: Military User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Penguin Audio Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Amazon Best of the Month, February 2009: Anyone who read Fiasco, Thomas E. Ricks's superb, bestselling account of the Iraq War through 2005, and has followed the war since has likely noticed that many of the heroes of that devastating book, the officers and analysts who seemed to understand what was going wrong in the war when the rest of the political and military leadership didn't, have since been put in charge, starting with General David Petraeus, the cerebral officer who took command in Iraq and led what became known as "the surge." Ricks, the senior Pentagon correspondent at the Washington Post, has stayed on the story, and he returns with his second book on the war, The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008. As good (and influential) as Fiasco was, The Gamble may be even better, telling the remarkable story of how a few people inside and outside the Pentagon pushed the new strategy through against opposition across the political spectrum and throughout the military top brass, and then, even more remarkably, how soldiers put the difficult plan into action on the ground and managed to sharply reduce the chaotic violence in Iraq. But the story doesn't end there, and Ricks's bracing conclusion--that the American military, like it or not, will still have a necessary role in Iraq for years to come--makes it likely that this may not be the last book we have from him on the subject. --Tom Nissley Questions for Thomas E. Ricks We exchanged emails with Tom Ricks for a few weeks before the publication of The Gamble, a time which saw, among other things, the inauguration of Barack Obama and regional elections in Iraq. You can read the full exchange on the Amazon books blog, Omnivoracious.com. Here are some highlights: Amazon.com: The Gamble is the history of what has become known as "the surge." What do you think the public understands about the surge, and how does that compare with what you've seen from up close? Thomas E. Ricks: I think there are two big misunderstandings about the surge. The first is that the surge "worked." Yes, it did, in that it improved security. But it was meant to do more than that. It was supposed to create a breathing space in which Iraqi political leaders could move forward. In fact, as General Odierno says in the book, some used the elbow room to move backward. The bottom line is that none of the basic problems facing Iraq have been addressed--the relationship between Shia, Sunni and Kurds, or who leads the Shias, or the status of the disputed city of Kirkuk, or the sharing of oil revenue. The second misunderstanding is just how difficult the surge was. People back here seem to think that 30,000 troops were added and everything calmed down. In fact, the first six months of the surge, from January through early July 2007, were the toughest months of the war. When troops moved out of their big bases and into little outposts across Baghdad, they got hammered by bombs and rockets. It took some time before being among the people began to lead to improved security, and during that time, a lot of top American officials in Iraq weren't sure the new approach was working. General Petraeus says in the book that he looks back on that time as a "horrific nightmare." Amazon.com: Let's start with that second point. Because The Gamble is in many ways the story of a remarkable success: a minority of officers and analysts who pushed through a new plan for the war against opposition across the political spectrum and throughout the military leadership, and then, even more impressively, soldiers who put the plan into action on the ground and managed to stem a great deal of the violence in Iraq within a matter of months. The new counterinsurgency approach to the war was one you had argued for in Fiasco, but in the most violent days of early 2007, how did you think it was going to turn out? Ricks: I was very skeptical back in early 2007 about the surge. I think there were two reasons for this. First, there was little evidence that the U Getting Things Done : The Art Of Stress-Free Productivity [ABRIDGED] Getting Things Done : The Art Of Stress-Free Productivity [ABRIDGED] Author: Allen, David ISBN: 0-7435-2033-5 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Business : Careers & Business Life User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Sound Ideas Amazon.com With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow," "mind like water," and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance. Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-do's clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists--all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you're working on. However, it still operates from the decidedly Western notion that if we could just get really, really organized, we could turn ourselves into 24/7 productivity machines. (To wit, Allen, whom the New Economy bible Fast Company has dubbed "the personal productivity guru," suggests that instead of meditating on crouching tigers and hidden dragons while you wait for a plane, you should unsheathe that high-tech saber known as the cell phone and attack that list of calls you need to return.) As whole-life-organizing systems go, Allen's is pretty good, even fun and therapeutic. It starts with the exhortation to take every unaccounted-for scrap of paper in your workstation that you can't junk, The next step is to write down every unaccounted-for gotta-do cramming your head onto its own scrap of paper. Finally, throw the whole stew into a giant "in-basket" That's where the processing and prioritizing begin; in Allen's system, it get a little convoluted at times, rife as it is with fancy terms, subterms, and sub-subterms for even the simplest concepts. Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price. Also of value is Allen's ingenious Two-Minute Rule: if there's anything you absolutely must do that you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind tenfold over the long term. It's commonsense advice so obvious that most of us completely overlook it, much to our detriment; Allen excels at dispensing such wisdom in this useful, if somewhat belabored, self-improver aimed at everyone from CEOs to soccer moms (who we all know are more organized than most CEOs to start with). --Timothy Murphy--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile Productivity trainer and consultant David Allen offers a crash course in basic time management and personal organization. While Allen's reading is a little stiff, his enthusiasm for the topic and his passion for systems comes across loud and clear. Allen's message is concise: Organize yourself to free your mind for greater pursuits. And this simple production makes that daunting task seem possible. It's a quick glimpse at setting goals, clearing clutter, and staying focused. Allen's reading, although one dimensional, suits the nature of the topic, making this worth the time for the effort it will save down the road. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine--This text refers to the Audio CD edition. Glorious Appearing Glorious Appearing Author: LaHaye, Tim Jenkins, Jerry B. Sever, Steve (Narrator) ISBN: 0-8423-3973-6 Category: Formats : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( J ) : Jenkins, Jerry User Rating: 2.5 Stars Audio CD Tyndale Audio From Publishers Weekly Jesus returns at last in this 12th novel in the phenomenally popular Left Behind series, vanquishing his foes and ushering in a new millennium of peace and righteousness. Ray Steele is the only member of the original Tribulation Force alive to see it, however, since Buck Williams endures a bloody death in the opening pages. The novel's pacing suffers greatly from its own foregone conclusion. Antichrist Nicolae Carpathia, once a fearsome and suave foe, is reduced to shrill hysteria in this installment, and seems more of a cartoon character than a credible instrument of Satan. And the final wars (there are four of them in quick succession) add no drama to the plot, since believers are by that point impervious to harm; neither the bullets from the Unity army or the supernatural lightning raining down from the sky can touch the Christian holdouts. It must have been difficult to imagine the words that Jesus would speak on such an occasion, but the authors' cautious solution-to draw almost solely on the statements spoken by or about Jesus in the New Testament-feels wooden. However, the book is not devoid of humor, and fans of the series will enjoy the gentle, affectionate camaraderie that exists among the excited members of the ragtag brigade of believers. For readers who have stuck with this soap opera through thick and thin, there is a real emotional payoff in seeing the characters' reunions with their loved ones who died during the Tribulation. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. The Golden One [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] The Golden One [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Peters, Elizabeth Rosenblat, Barbara (Reader) ISBN: 0-694-52509-X Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette HarperAudio From Publishers Weekly The legions of Amelia Peabody Emerson fans will be overjoyed with this 14th in the series (after 2001's Lord of the Silent), for they're getting two books in one. First, MWA Grandmaster Peters offers another amusing if wordy Egyptian archeology mystery, set in 1917 and replete with grave robbers, a murder, the discovery of a richly furnished tomb and a cast of thousands. Halfway through the book, this plot is annoyingly left dangling when the British recall the Emerson's brilliant son, Ramses, for an espionage assignment in Gaza, where he must determine if a newly powerful figure, Ismail Pasha, is really the Emerson family black sheep, Sethos, master criminal and secret agent. The redoubtable Amelia; her eccentric husband, Radcliffe; Ramses's adventurous wife, Nefret; and their faithful foreman, Selim, follow him in disguise. Captured by Sahin Pasha, head of the Turkish secret service, Ramses later escapes, fulfilling his mission with his family's help. Then it's back to Egypt, where the Emersons and their friends the Vandergelts solve the murder and subdue the villains. Radcliffe even ejects intrusive tourists from fragile archeological sites. Peters's books divide the mystery-reading public. With a Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago, she provides an authentic historical backdrop. However, her long-winded explanations and preposterous plots frustrate many. Those who enjoy romance and find the hubbub of the Emersons and their devoted entourage entertaining will forgive the faults. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile Victorian adventuress Amelia Peabody is back in the fourteenth of this popular series, read with giddy brilliance by Barbara Rosenblat. It's 1917, the Great War is ravaging throughout Europe and Asia, and Peabody and her husband, Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson, are chasing tomb robbers in Luxor. Meanwhile, their son, British spy Ramses Emerson, travels to Gaza on a dangerous mission of his own. Plot-wise, the story is weak and somewhat muddled. But Peters's real talent is in creating lovably eccentric characters whom Rosenblat nimbly brings to life. Rosenblat displays her versatile talents by giving voice to British explorers, American scoundrels, Egyptian muftis, and Turkish spies. A very entertaining romp in the Middle East. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Gone (Gardner, Lisa Gone (Gardner, Lisa Author: Gardner, Lisa Kairos, Kirsten (Reader) ISBN: 0-7393-2152-8 Category: American Mystery & Suspense Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio From Publishers Weekly Former FBI profiler Pierce Quincy's marriage is on the rocks, but things go from bad to worse when his wife, Rainie, goes missing. A kidnapper soon contacts Quincy with a somewhat unusual ransom demand, leaving Quincy and the investigation team with no choice but to play the kidnapper's game to keep Rainie alive. The story is told from alternating points of view, showing Quincy's efforts to find his wife and Rainie's struggle against her cruel captor. The plot is formulaic and derivative, but the abridgment makes it simple to follow, so listeners should have no trouble keeping up. Kairos's voice is light and pleasant, and while her narration is not superb, it does get the job done. Kairos modulates her voice sufficiently to distinguish between male and female voices, but the accents she attempts are beyond her and come off sounding a bit silly. For the most part, the narration is engaging and effectively propels the story forward, but Kairos--and Gardner--occasionally lays it all on a bit too thick, taking the narrative (and the narration) into the realm of tepid melodrama. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist At the center of this mix of police procedural and psychological thriller is Lorraine "Rainie" Conner, an ex-cop with a drinking problem whose car is found abandoned on a country road in Oregon on a particularly rainy November night. Leading the missing-person search is Carlton Kincaid, a no-nonsense state cop who'd rather be home with his wife and infant son. The search team calls in Pierce Quincy not because he's a former FBI profiler but because Rainie is his estranged wife, their marriage having come to a halt when her drinking resumed after 15 years of sobriety. Next on the scene is Quincy's daughter, Kimberly, who--you guessed it--is an FBI agent (or "feebie") working out of the Atlanta office. All these great minds converge to try to solve the mysterious disappearance of Rainie. Could she have been so depressed over her failed sobriety and marriage that she turned a standard-issue Glock on herself? As friendships build and mysteries unfold, Gardner keeps the suspense cranked high. Recommend this to fans of Lee Child. Mary Frances Wilkens Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Gone [ABRIDGED] Gone [ABRIDGED] Author: Kellerman, Jonathan Huber, Sherry (Producer) Rubinstein, John (Reader) ISBN: 0-7393-0977-3 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio From Publishers Weekly In bestseller Kellerman's pulse-pounding 20th Alex Delaware novel (after 2005's Rage), the Los Angeles psychologist looks into the murder of attractive 23-year-old Michaela Brand, an aspiring actress. Soon after Michaela and a fellow acting student, 24-year-old Dylan Meserve, achieve their 15 minutes of fame by staging their abduction, their hoax is exposed and Michaela turns up dead in circumstances reminiscent of her faked assault. Delaware joins forces with his sometimes official partner in crime, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, and together they pursue an investigative trail littered with corpses leading to an unconventional acting school and the family of the eccentric woman who runs it. While the murderer's identity may not be that surprising, the author's ability to convey the unrelenting sadness of his characters' lives and his deep psychological insights will satisfy those looking for more than mere thrills. (On sale Mar. 28)Correction:In the Q&A with Alice Quinn that ran in our Feb. 20 issue, the photo credit should have read Robert Falcetti. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware mysteries are always fast paced and full of psychological angles. This one is true to form. While this production is abridged, without a direct comparison to the original, it's hard to tell what has been cut out. Scenes move seamlessly from one to another. John Rubinstein is solid as the narrator, but do all Southern Californians sound like New Yorkers? Rubinstein differentiates the main characters well, but he's weak on the minor ones, especially women. This is only a minor flaw, though, and doesn't detract from the overall work. Rubinstein is particularly effective at portraying one-half of telephone conversations and uses hesitations effectively in both the text and conversation. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine The Grand Finale CD [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] The Grand Finale CD [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Evanovich, Janet Critt, C. J. ISBN: 0-06-073698-4 Category: American Light Romantic Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio CD HarperAudio Editorial Reviews Product Description From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a revised, repackaged novel sure to please her many fans. She writes "high speed comic mayhem" (Detroit Free Press); she's "a blast of fresh air" (Washington Post); "side-splitting funny" (Publishers Weekly) and "a winner" (Glamour). In other words, she's Janet Evanovich. Berry Knudson had a talent for disaster, but when she climbed a tree to rescue a kitten, she wasn't prepared for the scrumptious hunk undressing in a nearby window, or her dive downward that smashed Jake Sawyer's pizza and won his heart! But was there room in her chaotic schedule for a risk-taking inventor with dreams? She took classes, delivered pizzas, and cared for three eccentric old ladies she rescued from the train station. But Jake thrived on a challenge, and he could be very inventive. Could he teach her there was time to make butterscotch pudding and let herself be loved? About the Author Bestselling author Janet Evanovich is the winner of the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award and multiple Romantic Times awards, including Lifetime Achievement. She is also a longstanding member of RWA. Grant Writing for Dummies 2nd Ed. CD (For Dummies Grant Writing for Dummies 2nd Ed. CD (For Dummies Author: Browning, Beverly Barry, Brett (Narrator) Barry, Brett ISBN: 0-06-117590-0 Category: Fund Raising And Grants (General) User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD HarperAudio From AudioFile While it may help to be a dummy when listening to this fact-filled audiobook, read with professional aplomb by Brett Barry, it's certainly not a requirement. Browning explains the ins and outs of grant writing, which appears to be similar to filing a huge tax return accompanied by a lot of persuasive and moving essays. Browning instructs clearly and plainly through Barry, and has the credentials to do so, having been instrumental in over $100,000,000 in funded grants herself. This is a surprisingly interesting listen, turning what can be an onerous task with huge potential rewards into an easy-to-implement series of steps. Be prepared to take plenty of notes as the smooth, calming voice of narrator Barry guides you. D.J.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Book Description The best up-to-date advice on getting funding from governments, corporations, and foundations Whether you're a first-time grant writer or a veteran fundraiser, putting together a grant proposal can be a daunting task. Thankfully, this up-to-date insider's guide shows you step-by-step how to research your options, deal with application forms, give prospective funding sources the specifics they're looking for-and get the money you need. Read by Brett Barry Ground Money (Gabe Wager Mysteries) [ABRIDGED] Ground Money (Gabe Wager Mysteries) [ABRIDGED] Author: Burns, Rex Griffin, Charlton (Narrator) ISBN: 1-58807-179-0 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: Audio Cassette Americana Publishing Charles Champlin, Los Angeles Times, July 24, 1986 "Characters large and small are vividly, economically sketched. The relationship between Wager and Jo has the dimensions and the texture of "serious" work, although the distinction between crime-writing and the straight novel grows dimmer than ever in a book as carefully observed as Ground Money." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Publisher Comments "Characters large and small (a ranch cook, a rodeo secretary) are vividly, economically sketched. The relationship between Wager and Jo has the dimensions and and the texture of 'serious' work, although the distinction between crime-writing and the straight novel grows dimmer than ever in a book as carefully observed as "Ground Money."--Charles Champlin, LA Times --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. H.M.S. Surprise (Aubrey-Maturin (Audio)) [ABRIDGED] H.M.S. Surprise (Aubrey-Maturin (Audio)) [ABRIDGED] Author: O'Brian, Patrick Hardy, Robert (Narrator) ISBN: 0-375-40524-0 Category: Formats : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( O ) : O'Brian, Patrick User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Random House Audio Amazon.com This third segment takes Jack Aubrey to the Indian subcontinent, where both the waters and the terrain are full of unfamiliar dangers. There is, however, a prize in the offing: a flotilla of French ships sent to attack the China Fleet. If Aubrey and Maturin can intercept the French, their fortunes will be made. But can they? Join Captain Aubrey on the quarterdeck and find out for yourself.--This text refers to the Paperback edition. Amazon.com Audiobook Review The stakes are high as HMS Surprise opens, and actor Robert Hardy's sterling reading never lets you forget them. Hardy makes Patrick O'Brian's third novel of high-seas adventure--written in 1973 and set mainly in 1805 on the waters surrounding India and the Orient--seem as immediate as an overdrawn checking account. Money plays a big role, and Captain Jack Aubrey stands to make a lot of it. All he has to do is find Napoleon's fleet--and take their gold away from them. (Running time: three hours, two cassettes) --Lou Schuler Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Author: Rowling, J.K. Dale, Jim (Narrator) ISBN: 0-307-28365-8 Category: Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9) User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Listening Library Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review The long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, arguably over-hyped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has arrived, and the question on the minds of kids, adults, fans, and skeptics alike is, "Is it worth the hype?" The answer, luckily, is simple: yep. A magnificent spectacle more than worth the price of admission, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will blow you away. However, given that so much has gone into protecting the secrets of the book (including armored trucks and injunctions), don't expect any spoilers in this review. It's much more fun not knowing what's coming--and in the case of Rowling's delicious sixth book, you don't want to know. Just sit tight, despite the earth-shattering revelations that will have your head in your hands as you hope the words will rearrange themselves into a different story. But take one warning to heart: do not open Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until you have first found a secluded spot, safe from curious eyes, where you can tuck in for a good long read. Because once you start, you won't stop until you reach the very last page. A darker book than any in the series thus far with a level of sophistication belying its genre, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves the series into murkier waters and marks the arrival of Rowling onto the adult literary scene. While she has long been praised for her cleverness and wit, the strength of Book 6 lies in her subtle development of key characters, as well as her carefully nuanced depiction of a community at war. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, no one and nothing is safe, including preconceived notions of good and evil and of right and wrong. With each book in her increasingly remarkable series, fans have nervously watched J.K. Rowling raise the stakes; gone are the simple delights of butterbeer and enchanted candy, and days when the worst ailment could be cured by a bite of chocolate. A series that began as a colorful lark full of magic and discovery has become a dark and deadly war zone. But this should not come as a shock to loyal readers. Rowling readied fans with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by killing off popular characters and engaging the young students in battle. Still, there is an unexpected bleakness from the start of Book 6 that casts a mean shadow over Quidditch games, silly flirtations, and mountains of homework. Ready or not, the tremendous ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will leave stunned fans wondering what great and terrible events await in Book 7 if this sinister darkness is meant to light the way. --Daphne Durham Visit the Harry Potter Store Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books (box sets and collector's editions), audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more. Begin at the Beginning Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hardcover Paperback Why We Love Harry Favorite Moments from the Series There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read Heat [ABRIDGED] Heat [ABRIDGED] Author: Woods, Stuart ISBN: 0-694-51475-6 Category: General User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Harper Audio From Publishers Weekly Woods's sixth novel in three years is likely to follow its predecessors ( L.A. Times , etc.) onto bestseller lists. In this artfully plotted thriller, ex-DEA agent Jesse Warden, wrongly convicted of a murder he suspects was the work of Dan Barker, his former superior, is offered a chance at a presidential pardon if he will infiltrate the sinister religious cult that has taken control of St. Clair, Idaho. Despite knowing that he will again be under the control of Barker and that two previous agents investigating the cult have vanished, Jesse can't refuse. Going incognito, he gets a job at the town's only business not controlled by the cult and is brazenly seduced by his new landlady, lovely widow Jenny Weatherby. As Jesse sets out to win the confidence of the menacing head of the sect, Jack Gene Coldwater, he comes under close surveillance by Coldwater's two henchmen. In spite of some nearly fatal mistakes, however, he manages to gain the trust of the charismatic and seemingly psychic cult leader. Meanwhile, Jesse marries Jenny, who's pregnant. Faced with the catch-22 of how to deliver Coldwater and his ruthless subordinates to the treacherous Barker, whom he is sure will not come through with the promised pardon, Jesse must find a way to bring himself and his new family to freedom. The ending may strike readers as far too fortuitous, and the pardon premise is old hat ( The Dirty Dozen , etc.), but high melodrama and unexpected twists make this teflon-coated blockbuster business as usual in Wood's practiced hands. $100,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild super release and Doubleday Book Club alternate; author tour. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Unjustly imprisoned, bereft of wife and daughter, ex-DEA agent Jesse Warden is offered a daring gamble: if he can infiltrate and destroy a heavily armed religious cult, he can win his freedom. The previous two infiltrators have disappeared; the cult leaders are smart, wealthy, and completely amoral; Warden's landlady is beautiful and sexy. Do you feel you've heard all this before? The plot is so old it creaks, but there is a certain loopy and innocent amiability in the telling, as though the author cannot bear to disappoint his hero. There is much rushing about on all sides, surreptitious communications, hair-breadth escapes, and the inevitable (ever since the Branch Davidians) call-up of the military for the climactic battle. We get just about everything we expect, from fistfights to forged passports, and if several story threads are left dangling, Heat is still a satisfying beach-blanket read. Elsa Pendleton, Boeing Information Svcs., Ridgecrest, Cal. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Heritage of Shannara 01 : The Scions of Shannara Heritage of Shannara 01 : The Scions of Shannara Author: Brooks, Terry Bikel, Theodore ISBN: 1-55800-431-9 Category: Formats : Books on Tape : Authors, A-Z : ( B ) : Brooks, Terry User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Audio Literature From Publishers Weekly Generations after the events in the The Wishsong of Shannara , the most recent volume in Brooks's bestselling series, grave danger once again threatens the Four Lands. The Federation has conquered Callahorn, the other free men and the Dwarves, forbidding the practice of magic. The Druids and Elves have disappeared, and Shadowenspelling OK? Yes sss , wraiths who suck out the lives and substance of other living things and take their forms, cast their dark influence everywhere. The ghost of the Druid Allanon summons three Ohmsfords, descendants of the protagonists of the earlier series, and gives each a quest to save their land. Par Ohmsford, who has inherited his family's gift of the wishsong, is told to find the long-lost Sword of Shannara. His uncle, recluse Walker Boh, is charged to find Paranor, the lost keeper?? of the Druids, and to restore the ancient order. Par's cousin, half-Rover Wren Ohmsford, is sent to bring back the Elves. In this first volume of a new series, the scions of Shannara--Par, his brother Collboth and friend Morgan Leah, the leader of the Dwarfish underground, Steff; and the leader of the human Movement, Padishar Creel--encounter danger and death in their quest for for the? the Sword. ( Mar. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal In the long-awaited continuation of the Shannara fantasy trilogy (Ballantine), Brooks takes readers 300 years beyond the death of Allanon. The Four Lands have sadly changed. The Federation rules with an iron fist, and the land is plagued by horrible creatures known as Shadowen. Par Ohmsford, descendent of the fabled Shea and possessor of the magic of the wishsong, along with two other Scions, is challenged to save the Four Lands. Brooks weaves an action-packed tale set against a richly detailed fantasy world, and readers will be quickly drawn into this survival adventure. The main characters are well developed, and the tale is sprinkled with many interest-generating elements: romance, suspense, magic, and evil vs. good. Readers unfamiliar with the first trilogy will not have any difficulty with this volume, for Brooks clearly sets the stage and gives plenty of historical background. The book ends with a cliffhanger; teens will be clamoring for the sequel. A well-written fantasy epic. --Barbara A. Lynn, National Library Consultant, Econo-Clad Books, Topeka, KS Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Heritage of Shannara 02 : The Druid of Shannara Heritage of Shannara 02 : The Druid of Shannara Author: Brooks, Terry Bikel, Theodore (Unknown) ISBN: 1-55800-425-4 Category: Formats : Books on Tape : Authors, A-Z : ( B ) : Brooks, Terry User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD Audio Literature From Publishers Weekly The second installment of Brooks's new series, after The Scions of Shannara , follows Walker Boh as he reluctantly seeks the Black Elfstone, needed to bring back vanished Paranor, a quest laid on him by the shade of the Druid Allanon as part of the effort to save the Four Lands from the wraith-like Shadowen. Walker is rescued from a Shadowen attack by the beautiful and tragic Quickening, daughter of the legendary King of the Silver River. Walker and Quickening, with Morgan Leah and Pe Ell, travel to the land of the Stone King, who has stolen the Elfstone and is determined to turn the world into his own element. As the small band struggles though hostile terrain, Pe Ell's secret mission to assassinate Quickening complicates the battle with the Stone King's minions and his awesome powers. While this volume briefly touches on the fortunes of other questers, it appears that they will form the basis of future installments. Broadening the landscape of his magic world, Brooks has produced a deep and thoughtful fantasy. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal YA-- This book in the second trilogy about Shannara, which began with The Scions of Shannara (Ballantine, 1990), is set over 300 years after the end of the first trilogy and the death of the Druid Allanon. The evil Shadowen still retain their hold and continue to drain the Four Lands of the magic that had been their lifeblood. The King of the Silver River, a fabulous being as old as mankind, creates a daughter named Quickening and sends her to assist. She joins Morgan Leah and Pe Ell, an assassin who plans to eventually kill her, on a journey to the far north to recover the lost magic, a process that involves the need to capture the Black Elfstone. Brooks weaves an intricate tale with a richly detailed fantasy world peopled with multidimensional characters. As with the previous four books about Shannara, fans will not be disappointed with this wonderful fairy tale. This should be an automatic pur chase for collections serving fantasy readers. - Barbara A. Lynn, Econo-Clad Books, Topeka, KS Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Heritage of Shannara 03 : The Elf Queen of Shannara Heritage of Shannara 03 : The Elf Queen of Shannara Author: Brooks, Terry Bikel, Theodore ISBN: 1-55800-608-7 Category: Formats : Books on Tape : Authors, A-Z : ( B ) : Brooks, Terry User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Audio Literature From Publishers Weekly Finely tuned and occasionally elegiac, this third volume of Brooks's projected Heritage of Shannara tetralogy follows Wren Ohmsford in her search for the last of the Elves, part of the quest set for her by the shade of the Druid Allanon as her role in saving the world from destruction by the mysterious Shadowen. Wren and her nonspeaking, telepathic Rover mentor Garth find the Elves in their city of Arborlon threatened by monsters they created themselves in an attempt to revive their ancient magic. After Wren's true lineage is revealed--she is a granddaughter of the queen of the Elves--the girl agrees to lead a small band of companions in a desperate gamble to save her people and fulfill her mission. Wren must overcome her fear of the famous Shannara Elfstones and then learn to manipulate their powers if she is to succeed. Meanwhile, her cousin Walker Boh succumbs to his destiny in the ancient Druid city of Paranor, while Par Ohmsford, with Walker and Wren the third of the "children of Shannara," is further endangered by the sinister Rimmer Dall. Brooks's prose becomes more fluid and his world becomes more complex, ambiguous and credible with each volume. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile The Druid spirit, Allanon, orders Wren to find the Elves and return them to the land of men which they left more than a hundred years ago. Wren and her friend, Garth, assume this impossible task and go to a demon-haunted jungle. Theodore Bikel's deep, resonant voice tinged with a soft, strange accent heightens the suspense of this well-told tale. Music and sound effects are well-integrated into the story, and Bikel's range of vocal impressions separates the many characters. The third in a trilogy, the book also stands well on its own. P.A.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine Hidden Prey Hidden Prey Author: Sandford, John ISBN: 0-14-305775-8 Category: Fiction User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Putnam Pub Group This 15th entry in the PREY series mixes police procedural with Russian--and Soviet--espionage. Lucas Davenport faces his second case as a crime troubleshooter for the state of Minnesota, teaming up with a Russian cop (or is she a Russian spy?) to solve the murder of an ex-KGB agent, found dead near Lake Superior with three 50-year-old bullets in his body. High Druid of Shannara 01 : Jarka Ruus High Druid of Shannara 01 : Jarka Ruus Author: Brooks, Terry KEATING, CHARLES (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7393-0752-5 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Authors, A-Z : ( B ) : Brooks, Terry User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio Amazon.com With Jarka Ruus Terry Brooks embarks on yet another journey with the legendary Ohmsford family. Beginning 20 years after the conclusion of the The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, the High Druid of Paranor Grianne Ohmsford finds herself struggling to unite the druids amid political morass risen from her prior history as the dreaded Ilse Witch. Her enemies' schemes come to fruition quickly and she is banished behind the wall of the Forbidding, the anti-demon security feature that collapsed so spectacularly in the magnificent Elfstones of Shannara. Her fate falls in the lap of the youngest Ohmsford, Penderrin, who unlike his Aunt Grianne and his parents is without the gift of magic. Pen along with Khyber and her uncle, the Elven Prince Ahren Elessedil, learn they must jump through the usual Brooks' hoops to unlock the door of the Forbidding and free Grianne. Brooks is right at home in this formulaic addition to the Shannara franchise. All the furniture is here: the Druid Keep of Paranor, dark creatures in pursuit of reluctant young heroes and, of course, the Elfstones. The good news is that Brooks remains a master of description and the book hums along with comfortable ease. Devout Shannara fans will find their favorite magical realm exactly as they left it and no doubt anticipate this cliffhanger's sequel. --Jeremy Pugh--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers Weekly Bestseller Brooks's first book in a new trilogy treads complacently along the well-worn path of its predecessors. Set 20 years after the conclusion (in 2002's Morgawr) of the three-volume Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, it introduces the next generation of Ohmsfords and Elessedils: Penderrin, airship-flying nephew of former Ilse Witch and now High Druid (or Ard Rhys) Grianne Ohmsford; and Khyber, the Elven Prince Ahren Elessedil's headstrong niece. Teenaged protagonists can be annoyingly clumsy, and these two are no exception. As they set out to rescue Grianne from her politically motivated imprisonment in a bleak parallel plane known only as the Forbidding, they manage to repeatedly draw the attention of their pursuers, fall inopportunely in love and even kill a member of their own party. That neither Pen nor Khyber has the mitigating talents or charm of earlier Shannara heroes leads to the inevitable question of why exactly Fate has decreed that they should be the ones to take on this quest in the first place; a hope of learning the answer, ironically, may be the most compelling reason to anticipate the sequels. While Pen's fear that his family's magic is "thinning out" may parallel real-world criticisms of the most recent Shannara tales, Brooks does know a lot about the proper care and feeding of golden geese. Jaded readers are likely to seek their thrills elsewhere, but fans of formula fantasy will be quite content with the smooth prose, vivid descriptions and comfortable pacing. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. High Druid of Shannara 02 : Tanequil High Druid of Shannara 02 : Tanequil Author: Brooks, Terry Boehmer, Paul (Narrator) ISBN: 1-4159-0380-8 Category: Fantasy - Series User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Books on Tape Amazon.com War threatens the Four Lands, and Shannara's only hope lies in Penderrin Ohmsford, but it's a dreadfully slim hope. To save his world, Pen must restore his aunt, the former Ilse Witch, to her rightful position as High Druid of Shannara. But first Pen must free his aunt Grianne from the Forbidding: the world of the demons. To have the slightest chance of freeing her, he must find the mystical tree called the Tanequil, and somehow craft a talisman from its wood. But Shadea a'Ru, the treacherous usurper of his aunt's position, will do anything to stop Pen--and she has already captured Pen's parents and forced them to reveal their son's whereabouts. Sen Dunsidan, the monstrous Prime Minister of the Federation, has armed his greatest airship with a horrible new weapon. And Pen is just a boy, accompanied on his dangerous quest by only a Dwarf, a young Elf, and a blind Rover girl. Filled with action, treachery, and sacrifice, Tanequil will enthrall Terry Brooks's millions of fans as it roars to a shocking conclusion. However, newcomers to the Shannara series should not begin with Tanequil. It's the middle book of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, and the thirteenth novel of a complicated high-fantasy series with numerous characters and sentient races. Newcomers should start with Jarka Ruus, the first book of the High Druid trilogy--or, better yet, with The Sword of Shannara, the first book of the series. --Cynthia Ward --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Make a wish on an Elfstone and anything can happen, including a fresh second installment (after 2003's Jarka Russ) in Brooks's bestselling High Druid fantasy trilogy, part of the long-running Shannara series whose magic has been showing signs of wear. As the Free-born Federation war continues in the Four Lands, life is packed with peril for the Ohmsford family. While High Druid Grianne Ohmsford languishes in the Forbidding, a demon tracks her gifted nephew, Pen, with orders to kill him from the Druid responsible for her banishment, the evil Shadea a'Ru. Young Pen and his followers--perky Elven Elfstone carrier Khyber, grumpy dwarf Tagwen, blind Rover girl Cinnaminson and helpful Rock Trolls--seek the tanequil, a mysterious tree from which a "darkwand" must be formed that will aid Pen in rescuing his aunt from the Forbidding. Pen's parents, Bek and Rue, are also ensnared by Shadea, an uneasy ally of Sen Dunsidan, the Federation's prime minister. New readers may feel a little disoriented by unfamiliar references, but Brooks's efficient pacing, skillful characterizations and suspenseful plotting all bode well for the trilogy's conclusion. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. High Druid of Shannara 03 : Straken High Druid of Shannara 03 : Straken Author: Brooks, Terry Boehmer, Paul (Narrator) ISBN: 1-4159-2418-X Category: Fantasy - Epic User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Books on Tape From Publishers Weekly In bestseller Brooks's satisfactory conclusion to his High Druid of Shannara trilogy (after 2004's Tanequil), young Pen Ohmsford retrieves the "darkwand," whose magic will allow him to enter the Forbidding and find his aunt Grianne Ohmsford, the Ard Rhys of the lawful Druids and the Straken queen. Meanwhile, though the elven army has been defeated, Pied Sanderling leads a desperate (and well-depicted) commando-style operation to destroy a secret superweapon of the Federation. Pen's parents are simply trying to find their son. While the author may not equal the wit of his earlier Magic Kingdom of Landover series, his characterization has grown substantially more sophisticated over the years, and both his optimism about the triumph of virtue and his avoidance of graphic sex and slaughter make this series an excellent starting place for younger readers wishing to explore high fantasy. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile Holding dark magic within his dark wand, Penderrin Ohmsford sets off to rescue his aunt Grianne, the Ard Rhys of the druids, from the Forbidding, a place where evil creatures have been banished. In the meantime, his friend, fairy princess Khyner Elessedil, travels with his father and mother and rebel druids and trolls to vanquish the evil druids and the Federation. Charles Keating's sonorous voice brings all the characters to life, making them seem like old friends. The plot, names, and events may be confusing for those who have never ventured into Brooks's worlds. Nevertheless, Keating brings action and excitement to the fore and wraps up these tales succinctly. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The Hobbit [UNABRIDGED] The Hobbit [UNABRIDGED] Author: Tolkien, J.R.R. Inglis, Rob (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7887-8982-1 Category: Audiobooks : Books on CD : Authors, A-Z : ( T ) : Tolkien, J.R.R. User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio CD MP3 Recorded Books Amazon.com Review "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure. The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest. It is from this life-or-death game in the dark that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, The Lord of the Rings, would eventually spring. Though The Hobbit is lighter in tone than the trilogy that follows, it has, like Bilbo Baggins himself, unexpected iron at its core. Don't be fooled by its fairy-tale demeanor; this is very much a story for adults, though older children will enjoy it, too. By the time Bilbo returns to his comfortable hobbit-hole, he is a different person altogether, well primed for the bigger adventures to come--and so is the reader. --Alix Wilber --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Noted artist Hague provides 48 dazzling paintings for this first-ever version of the timeless fantasy classic. All ages. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Hometown Legend [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Hometown Legend [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] Author: Muller, Frank (Reader) Muller, Frank ISBN: 1-58621-187-0 Category: Books : Audiobooks : Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( J ) : Jenkins, Jerry User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Warner Adult Amazon.com Review The coauthor of the blockbuster Left Behind series inks the appealing, happily-ever-after Hometown Legend, about a small town in severe financial straits and its former championship football team, written in a made-for-the-movies style that will earn author Jerry Jenkins some new fans. There are some likable characters in this yarn. Lonely widower Cal Sawyer is juggling several balls at once: raising his teenage daughter Rachel, helping coach the down-at-the-heels Athens City High football team, and trying to keep the American Leather Football Company from going belly up. He doesn't count on the impact Elvis Presley Jackson will have on the football season--and on his daughter. Bev Raschke, Sawyer's single, 40-something assistant, has her eye on him, but as Sawyer says, "She's got two cats, and that's about all I need to know about a woman." Romance is inevitable. As the novel unfolds, mostly told in Sawyer's rambling, Southern drawl, we see trouble brewing in his personal life, on the football team, and with the unfolding of Elvis's past. But never fear--there's a happy ending in sight. No loose ends are left dangling, and there's a heartwarming, feel-good wrap-up with a bit of a spin that will satisfy Left Behind aficionados who enjoy a predestined finish to their leisure reading. --Cindy Crosby --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly The author of the blockbuster apocalyptic Left Behind series scores points here in his first novel for Warner's new Christian line, penning a homey, feel-good story about a small town's former championship football team. Athens City, Ala., is gasping for breath businesses are closing, people are leaving in droves and Athens City High is playing its last football season before the school is consolidated. Assistant coach Cal Sawyer narrates most of the book in a comfortable, rambling drawl. He's raising his teenage daughter, Rachel, alone, while engaged in an uphill battle to keep the American Leather Football Company afloat. When Rachel befriends player Elvis Presley Jackson, she finds herself forced to address questions of faith and loss that she has only glossed over in the past. Jenkins relies more on dialogue than descriptive settings, but his trademark ability to bond readers with characters is in strong evidence here. Loose ends are wrapped up into a happy, made-for-the-big-screen ending albeit with a bit of a twist which should appeal to Left Behind readers who enjoy knowing that the end of the story is pretty much a foregone conclusion. The short epilogue, however, is anti-climatic. While there's nothing here that will pull readers out of their comfort zones, this is a pleasing read that should nimbly cross over between the general and Christian markets. (Sept.)Forecast: The Left Behind series hasn't sold 40 million copies for naught this stand-alone novel will be promoted to the hilt. Print advertising is planned for USA Today, People, Sports Illustrated, Southern Living and various Christian magazines. Guideposts plans a direct-mail promotion to 1.6 million homes, and Jenkins Entertainment has filmed a movie version that will have its theatrical release this fall. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. The Hound of Death [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] The Hound of Death [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] Author: Christie, Agatha Lee, Christopher (Narrator) ISBN: 0-00-104767-1 Category: Books on Cassette : Authors, A-Z : ( C ) : Christie, Agatha User Rating: 3.5 Stars Audio Cassette HarperCollins Book Description Twelve unexplained phenomena with no apparent earthly explanation... A dog-shaped gunpowder mark; an omen from 'the other side'; a haunted house; a chilling seance; a case of split personalities; a recurring nightmare; an eerie wireless message; an elderly lady's hold over a young man; a disembodied cry of 'murder'; a young man's sudden amnesia; a levitation experience; a mysterious SOS. To discover the answers, delve into the supernatural storytelling of Agath Christie. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From the Publisher A haunting collection of mysteries, from the darker side of Agatha Christie --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Howard Stern: King of All Media Howard Stern: King of All Media Author: Colford, Paul D. Gould, Elliott (Narrator) ISBN: 1-57375-422-6 Category: General User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Cassette Audio Scope Amazon.com Review Howard Stern talks about himself on his syndicated radio show 5 days a week, 4 hours a day. Howard Stern already has published two best-selling books based on his life and career. This leaves very little of interest for the author to say about Stern who, after all, is popular partly because he blabs so freely about his own (married) sex life and the mundane humiliations of his past. Colford flips the coin and bets the reader will be interested to hear how NORMAL and NOT shocking the shock-jock's life really is. Some will be more interested than others. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal There are many reasons not to like this tape. Narrator Elliot Gould sounds as if reading it is the most painful and embarrassing thing he has ever done. He mispronounces names and terms that anyone with a passing knowledge of Howard Stern would know and is unable to produce the accents needed to provide a better understanding of some portions of the book. In addition, author Colford, a radio columnist and author of The Rush Limbaugh Story (St. Martin's, 1993), seems to focus on Stern's failures and acknowledges Stern's only success as being able to rise from adversity. On the plus side, this is a straightforward retelling of the facts of Stern's life without the slant provided by Stern himself in Private Parts (S. & S., 1993) and Miss America (HarperCollins, 1995). Since Colford was unable to interview Stern or his intimates, he relies on interviews with past employers and newspaper clippings. He does quote extensively and offer some information not found in Stern's or his colleague Robin Quivers's books (Quivers: A Life, Audio Reviews, LJ 9/1/95). Colford's book provides a balance to Stern's autobiographical tomes. Librarians should consider buying Stern's or Quivers's books first and buying Colford's audio to supplement them.?Danna Bell-Russel, District of Columbia P.L. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Hungry Ocean The Hungry Ocean Author: Greenlaw, Linda ISBN: 1-56740-349-2 Category: Sailing - Narratives User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio Bt Bound Linda Greenlaw, one of the few female swordfishing captains on duty, provides the details of one memorable event searching for fish in the waters off Newfoundland. Unlike so many other accounts that tell of disasters at sea, THE HUNGRY OCEAN provides an informative look at the typical routine of a successful fishing voyage. I, Robot [UNABRIDGED] I, Robot [UNABRIDGED] Author: ASIMOV, ISAAC BRICK, SCOTT (Narrator) ISBN: 0-7393-1270-7 Category: Formats : Audio CDs : Authors, A-Z : ( A ) : Asimov, Isaac User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Random House Audio Amazon.com In this collection, one of the great classics of science fiction, Asimov set out the principles of robot behavior that we know as the Three Laws of Robotics. Here are stories of robots gone mad, mind-reading robots, robots with a sense of humor, robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world, all told with Asimov's trademark dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction.--This text refers to the Paperback edition. From AudioFile I, ROBOT is an unabridged narration of Isaac Asimov's short story collection, often counted among his best work. The stories are connected by discussions between "robo-psychologist" Susan Calvin (the main character in most of the stories) and a reporter who is putting together a profile of her career. In Scott Brick's capable hands, this classic piece of science fiction glows anew. From stories of the first rudimentary robots to stories of robots complicated enough to need a robo-psychologist, Brick reads with the enthusiasm and clarity that places him among the best narrators in audio. S.D. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine If Tomorrow Comes If Tomorrow Comes Author: Sheldon, Sidney ISBN: 1-55800-077-1 Category: Books on Cassette : General User Rating: 4.5 Stars Audio Cassette Dove Entertainment Inc Imitation in Death Imitation in Death Author: Robb, J.D. Ericksen, Susan ISBN: 1-4233-1760-2 Category: Fiction User Rating: 4.0 Stars Audio CD Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas encounters one of her most difficult cases in this latest offering from J. D. Robb, alter ego of bestselling author Nora Roberts. With the very first victim, Eve realizes that the killer stalking the streets of New York City isn't a run-of-the-mill serial murderer. The copycat executions are imitating the methods and victim choices of an ominous list of notorious serial killers, beginning with Jack the Ripper. And when the killer leaves a distinctive note at the crime scene, it's clear that he's targeting Eve personally--a fact that worries Roarke, Eve's shrewd husband. Assisted by her aide, Peabody, Eve compiles a list of suspects that includes several high-profile possibilities. Their very prominence, however, complicates the investigation, for they have the power and influence to make the search difficult. All of the suspects are reluctant to cooperate but one of them is playing with Eve like a cat with a mouse by tempting her with crime scene notes and challenging her to find him. Can Eve stop him before he slaughters again? Or will his next victim be Eve herself? Author Robb, a.k.a. Roberts, doesn't miss a beat in this police procedural thriller. The futuristic setting is rich with imaginative details; the cast of supporting characters offers