Book Description
Still adjusting to being back on Irish soil, PI Ed Loy finds himself caught up in a deadly web of lies, betrayals and shrouded histories. Shane Howard, a respected dentist from the venerable Howard medical family of Dublin, asks Loy to search for his missing daughter. The only information available is a set of pictures portraying nineteen-year-old Emily in a series of very compromising positions.
Seems like a pretty easy case to Loy . . . until people start dying. The very same day that Loy meets Howard, Emily's mother and ex-boyfriend are brutally stabbed to death. But that's only the beginning.
Loy discovers that the Howard family is not all that it seems. For years their name has stood for progress and improvement within Dublin's medical community, but that is only what's on the surface. The true legacy of the Howards is one of scandalous secrets, the type that are best left unearthed. Against his better judgment, Loy is drawn into the very center of the Howards' sordid family history, and what he finds could ruin more than reputations.
In The Color of Blood, Declan Hughes once again brings the city of Dublin to life in all its gritty glory. The dark realities of the streets converge with the lethal secrets of the past in a sinister and graphic thriller that will have readers on edge right up to its shocking conclusion.
Customer Reviews:
Great Detective Series Set In Dublin, Ireland.......2007-09-09
Declan Hughes is an Irish playwright turned novelist. His latest book, THE COLOR OF BLOOD, is the second novel to feature private eye Ed Loy. Loy debuted in Hughes's first novel, THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD when he returned to Dublin, Ireland to bury his mother. At that point, Loy had lived in Los Angeles for twenty years. That bit of business led to an investigation that was covered in the first novel. Loy is still rediscovering his roots in the town where he grew up.
In the new novel, Loy is hired by Doctor Shane Howard, a well-to-do dentist that runs a very successful practice. From the onset, Loy - and the reader - are treated to mysterious happenings. Although he's been retained by Doctor Howard, Loy is questioned and treated suspiciously by the family lawyer.
When he does meet with Doctor Howard, Loy is hired to find the dentist's nineteen year old daughter, Emily. Someone is blackmailing Howard. He's been sent an envelope containing pictures of Emily engaged in various sex acts. Doctor Howard is convinced she was held against her will and forced to participate in the acts of degradation.
On the other hand, the dentist appears way too calm to Loy. Howard hires the private detective almost too casually, and seems to brush the whole thing off as a nuisance.
The whole setup of this novel reminded me immediately of Raymond Chandler's first novel about his signature private investigator, Phillip Marlowe. Like Loy, Marlowe was brought into a highly dysfunctional family filled with sexual secrets and substance abuse problems.
In no time at all, Loy finds himself lied to and treated like hired help. But, like Marlowe, he's deeply drawn into the investigation and the layers of lies that are woven around the Howard family.
Hughes's riding also reminded me a lot of another great private eye writer. Ross MacDonald also covered the crime beat with his perennial shamus, Lew Archer. Although Ross McDonald's novels started off as imitations of Chandler and Hammett, the writing deepened and tended to reflect more of the sociological problems going on in the world at that time. At least the problems as they were presented in southern California.
Hughes seems bent on doing the same thing for Dublin that Ross MacDonald did for southern California. The city comes alive through Loy's eyes. We get a chance to learn the history and see the sights that Loy does. Not only that, but we get two sets of values: the way things are now in Dublin, and the way they were twenty years ago when Loy last lived there.
The pacing in the novel is quite good. Hughes is a master storyteller and dense plotter. Although Loy finds Emily quickly in the beginning, that only leads to bigger problems and higher stakes. Despite the family's tendency to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that money can make any problem go away, Loy knows he has to take a hand and continue his investigation in order to save those that he can.
Ed Loy's history is painted across the pages of the book. His friend Tommy carries a lot of weight in the story, and has direct bearing on how Loy handles things. Despite the fact that Tommy is helping him, Ed can't totally trust his friend either because Tommy has his own agenda and is involved in a lot of what is going on.
Although Hughes prefers not to be a violent person, he doesn't have a problem going there once there's no other recourse. He's a physical man as well as a cerebral and emotional one. He's not exactly Robert B. Parker's Spenser, but both men travel the same dark alleys and know how to take care of themselves.
On the surface, the plot seems simple enough. But Hughes twists and turns characters and events so much that even a close reader has to stay on his toes in order to keep that. And the writing is packed with detail, emotion, and history. This is a gifted storyteller at work.
THE COLOR OF BLOOD is the first book I've read by Declan Hughes. Thankfully I caught him early in his career. When I read his first book, I'll be caught up with him - and anxiously awaiting his next Ed Loy novel.
Hughes improves with each book.......2007-04-26
PI Ed Loy is back in Ireland after twenty years of living in Los Angeles. He returned to bury his mother (The Wrong Kind of Blood).
Dr. Shane Howard's daughter Emily, age nineteen, is missing. Loy is hired to find her. His only clue is a series of sexual photographs. Loy locates Emily, but not before her mother and ex-boyfriend are murdered.
As Loy digs deeper into the murders, he learns that the Howard family has secrets they'd like to keep under wraps. Their long-established family reputation and much more is at stake.
I enjoyed the earlier book, The Wrong Kind of Blood, and believed that Irish playwright Declan Hughes would improve as a novelist with each new book. I was correct in that assumption. The Color of Blood is compelling. It's dark and gritty, the characters are complex and well-developed, the plot is smooth and the setting of Ireland is rich and lush.
Waiting for the next Loy novel is glorious anticipation. Hughes is quickly claiming his place in the field of exciting writing.
Armchair Interviews says: The Color of Blood is a must read.
I liked this one even better than the first one.......2007-04-25
I expected this one to be a bit less enthralling than the first, but I liked it even more.
Some reasons why:
1) the relationship between Ed Loy and his "sidekick" Tommy is developed a bit more, and one of the things I liked about it is that Tommy becomes far more than the genial liar he mostly was in the first book (The Wrong Kind of Blood);
2) Ed's character remains consistent, and while I wanted to box his ears sometimes (who says it's women who fall fast and hard for all the wrong people? guys can fall deeply in lust in a nanosecond, too, and Ed is a perfect example of that), mostly I liked that Declan Hughes knows who Ed is at his core and is faithful to that characterization;
3) I once more got a lot of background on Ireland, possibly more than I've gotten in about 50 previous books with Irish protagonists;
4) the dialogue seems, at least to this non-Irish reader, authentic and sometimes hilarious because of all the colloquialisms used throughout the book;
5) the plot is fairly complex and kept me guessing throughout much of the book (and even when I knew who the "bad guy" was, I still found an element of surprise in the details; and
6) I just plain like Ed Loy and his circle of acquaintances. (Ed's not always easy to like: he boozes it up more than he ought, and he's really a bit. . .well, stupid about relationships, but he's intellectually quick, drolly funny, and willing enough to delve into his own psyche.
I'd definitely read the first novel in this series before picking this one up, but you won't suffer much if you don't. It'll just be a smoother and more fulfilling ride if you do.
terrific Irish noir.......2007-04-07
After spending twenty years in Los Angeles, private investigator Ed Loy returned to his hometown of Dublin to bury his mother (see THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD). He has stayed in the Irish capital although he finds it quite different from the seedy neighborhood he grew up in as the city has given way to an affluent gentrification.
Dentist Shane Howard of the highly regarded medical family hires Ed to find his missing teenage daughter, Emily. The only apparent clues are a series of photos starring Emily in various sexual positions that to the sleuth are not poses.
Ed barely blinks as he quickly locates the nineteen years old runaway. She is enjoying a tryst with her cousin. However, the case takes a bizarre lethal spin as someone bludgeons to death Emily's mother and her former boyfriend. Someone wants to insure the family reputation remains intact even if homicides are the only way to keep scandals interred. Unable to accept that the case is done, Loy investigates who the killer is.
The sequel to THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD is a gritty dark look at the new money that has brought a revival to Dublin through the eyes of a former resident who only recently retuned to the city. The whodunit is cleverly designed to enable Ed to peel back the outer layer of the veneer of the Howards to the rotting core in the center. Though the climax is too simple of a clean sweep, THE COLOR OF BLOOD is a terrific Irish noir.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
- Amazing amount of info and inspiration & [good] price!
- Great details
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One Small Square: Woods
Donald M. Silver , and
Patricia Wynne
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Cactus Desert (One Small Square)
ASIN: 0070579334 |
Book Description
The woods are full of puzzles to be solved, clues to be found. Inspired by this book's hints and fun-filled experiments and activities, and using only simple equipment, young readers unlock the closely guarded secrets of the woodsfrom the strange meetings of lazy butterflies, to the miraculous "walking" of a twig, to the riddle of why the leaves turn color and fall. One small square at a time, these "detectives" plunge deeper and deeper into ancient mysterieswithout ever getting lost. Beautifully illustrated, Woods offers a picture field guide, a glossary-index, and a resource list.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing amount of info and inspiration & [good] price!.......2002-10-27
What a gem! I was surprised when I discovered this book. The gist of the book is for the child (or adult) to mark off a square space in the woods and begin exploring and learning. This book is a real integration of activities, suggested observations, and fact. The learner is to explore, dig, look, observe and investigate every inch of this square area. While suggesting the learner look for this or that, the author provides factual information about various findings. The book goes into a lot of detail and there are many things that the author thinks may be found. I bet that the learner won't find everything that is mentioned but that is OK, at least the reader can experience it in reading about it in the book if it is missed "in real life".
The book starts off in autumn, assuming the learner begins in the fall and in an area of deciduous trees. A small sampling of what is addressed in this book is why trees lose their leaves, how trees store energy and make energy, examples of camouflage with animals, migration of birds and butterflies, insects, spiders and their webs, lizards and mammals big and small. As the book progresses winter then spring then summer is discussed.
The illustrations are drawn and in color (just like the cover), these are not photographs. There are loads of details in the drawings. At the back is an illustrated guide to creatures grouped by their classification (leaves, mammals, fungi) and an index.
The learner is encouraged to do creative projects such as leaf and trunk rubbings. Also keeping a nature journal or notebook to record the findings is recommended.
I am surprised that so much information and creative ideas packed into this small and very inexpensive book. This is one in a series of "one small square" books and I plan to buy more to use in our homeschooling adventure. Now this is science!
Great details.......2000-03-30
This book provides a small instant field trip to those students who might not have access to woods. It gives incredible details of what goes on in one small square of woods. For those who have access to wooded areas for exploration...safety tips are included as well as supplies needed for collecting data while exploring. I teach second grade and use all of the Small Square books in my teaching.
Average customer rating:
- DON'T MISS THIS AUTHOR
- This was probably one of the best, and painful, mysteries i've read.
- Balls, Baubles, Bangles, and Bright Shiny Carnival Beads
- An acquired taste
- storyline
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A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, Book 1)
Barbara Hambly
Manufacturer: Bantam
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ASIN: 0553575260
Release Date: 1998-06-01 |
Amazon.com
In Barbara Hambly's rich and poignant thriller, it's 1833 and Ben January--a man of mixed blood making his living as a musician because he's not allowed to practice surgery--is back home in New Orleans after years of freedom in Paris. Trying to walk a caste line more complicated than India's, January risks his precarious position to investigate the killing of a young woman who--like his own younger, lighter half-sister--is the mistress of a wealthy white man. What has changed most in New Orleans while Ben was away is the influence of the white Americans: rough, ignorant, instinctively racist. Only one of these--a policeman named Abishag Shaw--seems to understand that January is at least as smart and valuable as he is, and even he at times appears to be ready to side with the white majority and pin the crime on Ben.
Book Description
A lush and haunting novel of a city steeped in decadent pleasures...and of a man, proud and defiant, caught in a web of murder and betrayal.
It is 1833. In the midst of Mardi Gras, Benjamin January, a Creole physician and music teacher, is playing piano at the Salle d'Orleans when the evenings festivities are interrupted--by murder.
Ravishing Angelique Crozat, a notorious octoroon who travels in the city's finest company, has been strangled to death. With the authorities reluctant to become involved, Ben begins his own inquiry, which will take him through the seamy haunts of riverboatmen and into the huts of voodoo-worshipping slaves.
But soon the eyes of suspicion turn toward Ben—for, black as the slave who fathered him, this free man of color is still the perfect scapegoat....
Customer Reviews:
DON'T MISS THIS AUTHOR.......2007-05-02
This is the first Benjamin January mystery, an outstanding series, especially for anyone interested in New Orleans history. Why hasn't Oprah latched onto this for her book club? I keep picturing Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (the late Mr. Eko on TV's Lost) as Ben. Great characters and incredible atmosphere.
This was probably one of the best, and painful, mysteries i've read........2006-11-21
As a young Black man this was probably one of the best, and painful, mysteries i've read, I actually had to put it down a few times. I've become a big mystery/suspense/detective fan over the last few years and I go to a local mystery bookstore here in Boston (Kate's Mystery Books) and she referred this book to me. It started off slow but picked up for me in speed, and emotionally, quickly.
The book, following the main character Benjamin January/Janvier, tracks his life upon returning to New Orleans in the 1830's, after being gone for 14 years. He left initially to pursue medicine, study music and escape the racial prejudice of the city/country.
Reading the other reviews of the book it's surprising/not surprising that the racial aspect's are referenced infrequently as background, or not at all. I've passed this book on to other Black people and their response was similar to mine: how painful it was to read this because it reminded us of so many things we'd experienced in our own families and/or seemed to explain the origins of the painful experiences.
I was surprised that a white woman wrote this and had such a high level of insight (even though this is historical non-fiction). Her references to January's struggle w/ being referred to as boy, in French, "vous" vs "tu", and his struggles with his own "congo dark" skin color (which stopped him from being accepted as a surgeon in Paris among the whites, and in New Orleans among the Free Colored. The dynamics between his mother (a "mulatto" former slave and placee) and his "congo dark" and octoroon sisters, was interesting. The other characters', the mystery and the historical backdrop to it all made for a great read.
All of this was connected to a history that intentionally or not showed direct connections to many of the internal issues that all Black (African American) people in this country still deal w/ as a result of slavery.
I'm not sure if Hambly's intent was to create this multi-layered world but welll done if not, and great work if it was. I've read all the books and pass them on.
Balls, Baubles, Bangles, and Bright Shiny Carnival Beads.......2006-11-13
An 1830s masked Carnival ball in New Orleans: what a great way to open a book. Author Barbara Hambly evidently did her homework for "A Free Man of Color:" you can almost hear the music, smell the sweat, taste the food, see the glittering diamonds, the intoxicating costumes. Outside on the streets, as ever, the mobs are also partying: wine, women and song, and the bright shiny carnival beads. But there is a downside to opening on a New Orleans masked ball: it feels like dozens of characters are thrown at us at once. They mainly all have confusing French names, frequently more than one name -- family and formal-- sometimes their professions, and then we're supposed to remember their costumes too? I think I'm as smart as the next person, and I struggled desperately. Eventually I did figure out all the important characters, but two men, Granger and Bouille, went off to fight a duel, and I never did figure out which was which, or exactly why. Never got as good a handle as I would like on Clemence or Hannibal, important supporting characters, either. And as for remembering, hundreds of pages later, that there was a mysterious purple pirate, well, really.
Nevertheless: Benjamin January (Janvier in the French) is a free man of color in Creole (that is, French and Spanish) New Orleans, just as carpet-bagging Americans are beginning to pour in and change everything, disregarding the powerful "Customs of the country," and the "black laws." New Orleans society is quite complicated at the time: next to the white Creoles stand their free cousins, half-brothers and sisters of color, locally graded by the fairness of their skins, and their percentages of black or white racial heritage: Hambly gives us all the local jargon covering these gradations, octaroon, quadroon and so forth, but, once again, I found it, though fascinating, a bit confusing, hard to remember, could have done with a table up front. At any rate, these cousins are also graded on their relationships to the city's most powerful families, and, "mais oui," their beauty. The most beautiful young women are "placees," kept women with their own houses, servants, slaves, carriages, jewels.
January is the son of a "placee," but he has only one white grandparent, and, as sometimes happens, he just popped out dark-skinned: that's an extremely heavy burden to carry at that time and place(not that it doesn't still weigh heavy now.) To find real freedom, he's spent 16 years in Paris, color-blind at the time, where he married and became a successful surgeon. But he's been widowed, and come back home, where he's too dark-skinned to practice medicine; luckily for him, he's a good enough musician and can support himself playing, and giving lessons. He's playing at this ball when a beautiful, pass-for-white placee is killed, and it doesn't take long before he realizes the local constabulary, as we've been long-since taught to expect in similar situations, would rather pin this murder on him than work too hard at it, or prosecute a white.
So, of course, January sets out to clear his name. The book does start slow, blame that brilliant but confusing masked ball, and takes some further time to get going, but eventually it rolls along like New Orleans' famous old river, the Mississippi. The New Orleans scenes continue to be riveting reading; the plantation scenes less successful, though still very informative. Hambly does emphasize the history over the mystery; that's solved off-the-cuff, late in the day.
How you feel about this book, therefore, will be largely determined by how well you like historical fiction; not all of us do. But it also closes with a bang, a very modern masquerade, as it happens. Worth picking up.
An acquired taste.......2006-08-21
3.5 Stars. As with most acquired tastes this novel does take some effort to apprecitate what Ms. Hambly has accomplised. However once the reader becomes acclimated to the time period and the societal differences and nuances of this era the story then becomes very compelling. The only other minor criticism I could have of this book is I wish that the multitude of characters had been developed a little more fully. I believe that because of her intention of growing this into a series this part of the novel was neglected a little bit. On the other hand I am blown away by the amount of research that had to be done to create the detailed and intricate atmosphere of 1830's New Orleans so intimately. This book takes a little more effort on the readers part but is well worth it in the end and like an acquired taste will leave you with vivid memories and a strong sense of appreciation.
storyline.......2006-02-22
was recommanded this book, having recently moved to Louisiana myself ,It is interesting to read a story taking place in Nola(New Orleans-Louisiana)....good style, good description of the 19th C...
Book Description
A Best Seller Since 1928 Over 1 Million Copies in Print
Discover the Secrets within the Symbolic Figures, Allegories, Oral Traditions, and Rituals of Mankind.
Twenty-Five Centuries of Wisdom This contemporary classic of ancient wisdom concentrates the time-tested jewels of mystical experience into one exemplary source. World-reknowned expert Manly P. Hall explores the inner sanctuaries of diverse religious traditions, revealing unifying themes that lie beneath ancient mythology, philosophy, and religion, bringing to light the arcane teachings held sacred by many ancient cultures.
Wisdom you'll Cherish for All-Time Manly P. Hall's exhaustive research concentrates the teachings of nearly six hundred distinguished authorities on religion and philosophy, bringing to you an interpretation of the secret teachings concealed within the rituals, allegories, and mysteries of all ages.
9" x 13", 254 pages plus fifty-four symbolical color plates, foldouts, and an overlay. Includes 200 line art illustrations, extensive bibliography, and complete index.
Download Description
Simply put, this is the most fascinating and complete occult book ever published. It represents a lifetime of research into the mythology, symbolism, and magical practices of countless cultures. From the secrets of Isis to the teachings of mystic Christianity, nearly every occult dogma imaginable is represented here. PDF searchable text-only format.
Customer Reviews:
cheap and handy but not so very illustrated.......2007-07-12
a nice book containing alot info on many ancients topics. see index. Manly Hall has done a great job here. At some chapters it is nice to know some more of the current mytology on beforehand.
for a book this big it's good to have it in a handy paperback. The text is over 70 years and copyright is not renewed so this book is also freely available on the internet. I was hoping this printed book would be more illustrated than the online version. it does have some nice color illustration in the midle but througout the book it was not as illustrated as I expected.
A penultimate work in the history of the occult!.......2007-06-08
This is probably one of the most voluminous books I've ever read, but I won't complain. I really think that the author had a keen knowledge that seems to be missing among more "elusive" new-age types. I am almost finished reading it and I can say this book is quite interesting; the only chapters that didn't fascinate me had to do with science, but I'm really not one for science and never have been.
A Book to be Ensouled.......2007-05-19
I can add little to what the others that have reviewed this book have said other than to give it my highest personal endorsement. Mr. Hall was that rarest of true scholars- the Agrippa of our age.
There are those that will question why genuine "secret teachings" should be published for the general public. The author answers this near the end of the book in recounting the tale of Alexander's displeasure in hearing that his mentor Aristotle had published one of his most profound discourses for anyone to read. Aristotle's reply was that those who lacked spiritual comprehension would gain little from reading the book. That is also true in our time. Most people will not read this book, and those who do (if not ready) will dismiss it as nonsense. That certainly applied to me in my youth. It is a foolproof lock to wisdom- it will sound like foolishness to those who have not yet obtained to spiritual comprehension. You have to be capable of contemplating such teachings and then internalizing them (or "ensouling" them in the author's terminology.)
This book is truly a link of the Golden Chain. The author understood the importance of the Mysteries, of Pythagoras and Plato, of the perennial wisdom that flows through the ages. That is why this book will never be dated- such wisdom springs from the Source and can only be recollected. That Hall could have mastered so much in his 20's is remarkable. That he was sensitive to the growing danger of unbalanced soulless materialism so young makes him a true prophet. Given his times and backgoround I can only assume that this man was directly initiated by the Gods themselves.
This Tarcher/Penguin edition is truly a reader's edition. The type is actually readable as opposed to some of the reduced facsimile editions. It is unabridged and most of the important illustrations are included. The table of contents is very detailed and useful and there is a full index. Still, one day, I will own my own copy of the magnificent full-sized original for it is as much a work of art as it is a compendium of knowledge and wisdom.
Interesting Overview and Good Starting Point.......2007-04-12
This is a good overview of some of the various "secret" teachings throughout history. Rather than sate my curiosity, it made me more curious about these teachings and the unifying themes within. I think the book was a little too speculative at times and had a heavy leaning towards Masons and Rosicrucians. That said, I recommend it for anyone who wants to get a sense of the secret teachings that seem to be a part of all ages, both outside and hidden within the traditional religious teachings.
it is one of those books you have to read if you love wisedom........2007-03-09
this book;which has the powerfull key to open the sprite,sole and mind; is the main get of understanding.
Average customer rating:
- bone-chilling story
- A great series
- Black Helicopters
- UNDERCOVER COLORS
- Colorful characters and a new direction
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Under the Color of Law
Michael McGarrity
Manufacturer: Onyx
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ASIN: 0451410440
Release Date: 2002-07-02 |
Book Description
Newly-installed Santa Fe police chief Kevin Kerney receives a deadly welcome when a U.S. ambassador's ex-wife is brutally stabbed to death in her home. But before Kerney can begin to investigate, the FBI closes the case with trumped-up evidence. And the harder Kerney hunts for the truth, the more he knows that he may not survive the chase.
"McGarrity does for New Mexico what James Lee Burke does for Louisiana...He's a natural born storyteller."(David Morrell)
"In mixing thriller with mystery, McGarrity has struck solid gold." (Houston Chronicle)
Download Description
"Michael McGarrity's novels combine taut drama with a high-octane plot and vivid, superbly drawn characters to create one of the most critically acclaimed series in modern mystery fiction. Now, in Under the Color of Law, Kevin Kerney is back in Santa Fe, newly installed as police chief, when a U.S. ambassador's estranged wife is found murdered in her multi-million dollar home. Before he can mount a proper investigation, an FBI antiterrorism team arrives, takes control of the inquiry, and forces Kerney to watch from the sidelines as the crime scene is sanitized, potential witnesses disappear, and the case is cleared with trumped-up evidence. Warned off, put under surveillance, and threatened with reprisals under the rubric of national security, Kerney balks at accepting the whitewash and begins a soft probe that points to a covert intelligence coverup. Convinced that unscrupulous government agents are acting outside the law, Kerney begins his own clandestine hunt for a hard target that will lead him to the truth about the Terrell homicide, knowing full well he might not survive the chase. "
Customer Reviews:
bone-chilling story.......2006-05-28
the 'national security' seems to become the green light for all kinds of authorities to do whatever they like and it's exactly what we are facing right now daily. when the communism took over russian , china and other eastern europe countries, their big word was 'the people', everything is for the peoples' interest. i still remembered when doctor zhivago came back to his home and found his house was confiscated 'by the people', he just ripped off that notice from the door and cursed: 'by the people?! i am also one of the peoples!' so the national secruity voodoo term being used by most of the governments now is actually the sameold sameold crap as the commuinist countries used to be implemented to do whatever they like to do in the (dis)guise of the law.
kevin kerney in this novel has to make some unwanted compromises under the excuse of 'national security' too and that's not quite appealing at all. this series so far is the best series i've ever read, and master storyteller, michael mcgarrity, never disappointed me. i just love the plot, the dialogue and scenario a lot. to me, the stories about this police chief of santa fe and that deputy chief of new mexico's state police are far better than what john sanford delivered in his 'prey' series.
A great series.......2005-09-25
I ordered one book in the series and ended up ordering all books featuring Kevin Kerney, What a pleasure to read books with good stores and I enjoy the characters, especially his wife, Sara.
If you want good reading, order the entire series and enjoy
Black Helicopters.......2005-06-06
Michael McGarrity's name showed up in an article about "mystery writers." I ordered books by 4 different authors. I doubt I'll do that again...I'll stick to the Prey series and Coben.
While I enjoyed the trials and tribulations of the main character, I did NOT for one second enjoy/believe the government conspiracy aspect of the book. Sorry, Mr. McGarrity...but no more of you !
UNDERCOVER COLORS.......2004-04-19
This sixth entry in the Kevin Kerney series once again demonstrates the talents of writer Michael McGarrity. Kerney is embroiled this time with a huge government coverup. The first victim: Phyllis Terrell, the estranged lascivious wife of ambassador Harrison Terrell. Looks like her murder might have been an act of passion. Kerney's investigation however reveals a close connection with the murder of a priest as well. McGarrity brings back officious undercover agent Charles Perry, a brief appearance by Enrqiue de Leon, Kerney's nemesis from two previous books, and of course, Kerney's wife, Sara. Sara, now pregnant, is considering leaving the service so she and Kevin can build a better life together.
Again, McGarrity uses fellow police officers to aid Kerney, and with his usual flair for scene and substance, pulls off another remarkable entry in this excellent series.
Outstanding!
Colorful characters and a new direction.......2003-07-29
When I finished this novel from Michael McGarrity in the continuing saga of detective Kevin Kerney, it tooks me a few days to formulate how to write this review. All of it was positive and I couldn't be happier with the novel, however, I didn't know what angle to expound on that hasn't been discussed so many times about his prior novels.
Then it dawned on me. It was a departure from the norm of these novels. Certain loose ends were tied up once and for all, the ending wasn't what one would expect...that is, it wasn't neat and tidy. Also Kerney has progressed quite a bit, and author McGarrity introduced new ideas that surely will breathe life into the main character and makes for many sequels down the road.
But most importantly was the introduction of many new characters. While this was and still is a Kevin Kerney novel, McGarrity debuts several new characters in this installment, and I was surprised how fleshed out they all became. In some aspects this just wasn't a Kerney novel. Two other detectives come into their own and a good deal of written word was on the following of their exploits. It was like reading the same novel from 3 different and varying perspectives which was quite unique. Only at the end was it clear they were all after a common goal, and it was done brilliantly.
Again, the ending was a nice change. The CIA and a covert black-op organization aren't always fighting for good, or are they? The events that unfold force the reader to constantly re-evaluate the 'color' of law, and even though this novel takes place in New Mexico...events taken place here will shape how US policy effects other regions and Kerney's decisions he will never know what ball he sets in motion.
Great read!
Book Description
Mystery of Color contains all the information you ever wanted to know about color including psychology, therapy, healing properties, Feng Shui, history and much more. There are many helpful hints throughout the book on how to do it yourself for interior decorating with color.
Customer Reviews:
2004 Writers Notes Book Award Winner.......2005-05-18
Thumbnail photographs allure the senses. Historical sketches enrich our understanding. Holistic solutions provide remedies. It's all about color-the history, psycho-logy, and application of the pigments that define our environment. Ms. Friedmann is a syndicated columnist who received the coveted Aurora Award for Interior Design. She's interested in the color that suits you. Color affects us like the temperature or air quality. Take a moment to understand what you can handle and what you need, and then build a home around it using Mystery of Color.
Mystery of Color.......2004-04-02
How can one book have so much useful information? This book does an amazing job of covering all the bases of color. I like the history of color, how color heals, why we like certain colors better than others, the psychology of color...well, like I said, the book covers all the bases. And as a bonus, it includes many useful decorating tips. It is also a georgous book to just have sitting out on a cocktail table.
Mystery of Color.......2004-04-02
I was looking for help in deciding what colors to use for decorating my new home. I chanced upon this book and found a treasure. This is truly a great book on color. It helped me see why I like certain colors and how to put those colors to best use. I love it. I'm very glad I bought it and have reommended it to many of my friends.
Mystery of Color.......2004-04-02
This book is really great. It takes you through origins of color right to present day uses including very helpful design tips. I liked it a lot and recommend it highly.
Mystery of Color.......2004-04-02
WHAT A BOOK!! I've read many books on color but this surpasses all in style, information and enjoyable reading. I've even bought copies as gifts for friends.
Book Description
At thirty-two, pregnant and recently divorced, Jillian Parrish and her seven-year-old daughter find refuge and solace on Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Jillian had experienced her best childhood memories here-until her best friend Lauren Mills disappeared, never to be found. At the time, Linc Rising, Lauren's boyfriend and Jillian's confidant, had been a suspect in Lauren's disappearance. Now he's back on Pawleys Island-renovating the old Mills house. And as ghosts of the past are resurrected, and Jillian's daughter begins having eerie conversations with an imaginary friend named Lauren, Jillian and Linc will uncover the truth about Lauren's disappearance and about the feelings they have buried for sixteen years.
Customer Reviews:
Read it in one evening.......2007-07-16
This book reels you in like a serpent. I found it jaw dropping and compelling and read it all in one evening! After I finished it I thought about it for hours and am still thinking about this amazing story!
Very enjoyable!.......2006-05-29
This is the first book I've read by this author and found it very engaging, hard to put down. I'll be getting more books by this author. Enjoy!
The Color of Light.......2006-03-24
I enjoyed the book very much. But! I thought it got alittle slow in some places,I new what was coming and I wish it would have just got there.
Spooky kid solves a mystery.......2006-01-05
Pregnant and freshly divorced, Jillian and daughter Gracie return to the summer home once owned by her grandmother for a new lease on life. It is on Pawley's Island that Jillian has both her most cherished and most painful memories, as her best friend Lauren disappeared without a trace 16 years earlier.
Gracie's apparent second sight divulges long buried secrets, forcing Jillian to face her greatest fears and befriend the guy who was accused of murdering Lauren and fled soon after. Now a successful architect, Linc has re-emerged, renamed himself, and returned to the island that he both loves and loathes. He is not prepared for the feelings that Jillian's presence invokes, and debates on leaving the past ... in the past.
Haunted by memories of childhood abuse and the loss of her beloved friends, Jillian at first discounts Gracie's ramblings about her imaginary friend (also named Lauren) until she realizes that there are far too many coincidences. New secrets and passions are revealed on the small island, as Jillian and Linc work together to discover what happened to Lauren all those years ago.
While the story is well written, with believable dialogue (thought Gracie could be grating after awhile), unfortunately, you don't need second sight to see where the story is going. You can pretty much predict the outcome, as it is really no mystery with all the foreshadowing the author provides. Despite its predictability, it is a solid and original story, with endearing characters. Don't miss "Falling Home" and "After the Rain," also by White. They are not to be missed.
Another very good read.......2005-11-16
I really enjoyed this book, and I don't want to say too much as I don't want to give anything away. Good plot, although I did figure out some of it earlier on. Still very enjoyable.
Book Description
Lucas, a musician and translator living in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, comes home one day to find a cryptic invitation to a local art gallery slipped under his door. When he appears at the appointed time, he sets in motion a series of improbable, seemingly interconnected events that disrupt his previously passive existence. He meets the alluring Nuria and they begin an intense love affair. He is approached by a band of Barcelona’s mythic roof dwellers and has a run-in with a fire-eating prophet. But when he and Nuria are kidnapped by a religious cult with roots stretching back to the thirteenth century, Lucas realizes that his life is spinning out of control.
The cult’s megalomaniac leader, Ponteuf, maintains that Nuria and Lucas are essential to his plan to revive the religion. While Nuria is surprisingly open to Ponteuf and his theories, Lucas is outraged and makes his escape. Back in Barcelona, Lucas wanders the streets in a drug-and-alcohol-induced haze, pining for Nuria and struggling to make sense of what happened to him. He recounts his improbable adventures to his friends, who are wholly entertained by the story and deeply doubtful of its truth, a skepticism that is exacerbated by Lucas’s tendency to use the third person and flaunt different narrative styles.
A love story, tale of adventure, historical thriller, and evocative tour of Barcelona, THE COLOR OF A DOG RUNNING AWAY is a dazzling blend of the surreal and the ordinary, a novel that beguiles and disturbs in equal measure.
Customer Reviews:
The Magus-lite.......2007-08-21
A blatant rip-off of the incomparable The Magus (John Fowles) without an acknowledgement in sight. Not even a nod to T.S. Eliot for The Wasteland line (mon semblable, mon frere). That said, it was readable and mildly interesting despite the creaky plotting and lack of originality.
Recommended -- Refreshingly different and literate.......2007-07-20
I finished Richard Gywn's The Color of a Dog Running Away last night. Whilst I enjoyed the book overall, the last half doesn't sustain the excellence of the first half. A very good read, nonetheless; refreshingly different and literate. The Barcelona setting is a delight throughout. The Cathar theme is inspired. Recommended.
(3.5) "Had not Adam been seduced by Eve?".......2007-03-26
Set in late 90s Barcelona ("a city on the brink, infatuated with its own improbability"), this strange tale of love and obsession involves Rhys Lucas, a thirty-three year old ex-pat grad school dropout and the seductive, enigmatic Nuria Rasavall, lovers who meet after a mysterious postcard appears in Lucas' apartment, their attraction incendiary and immediate. Consumed with his new affair, Lucas grows careless of his responsibilities, easily distracted by Nuria, although he admits to a vague sensation of being watched. One late evening, Lucas is visited by the "roof people" while his lover sleeps; the roof people are silent as ninjas, hopping the rooftops of the sleeping city, sometimes to steal, others to watch. Cocooned in his earthly bliss, Lucas takes this visitation as a mere curiosity, but later, when he and Nuria are kidnapped by masked strangers, he has cause to wonder what else he has missed in his preoccupation.
Isolated in an ascetic cell somewhere in the Pyrenees, Lucas comes face to face with Andre Pontneuf, the leader of a Cathar sect that mirrors one from the thirteenth century, the heretical group persecuted relentlessly by the Church in this part of the world. Believing that he is the reincarnation of the Cathar's leader, Bernard Rocher, Pontneuf suggests that Lucas may now inhabit the body of his betrayer, both of them replaying the earlier drama in modern times. During his interrogation by Pontneuf, Lucas is restricted from seeing Nuria; the suspicion slowly grows that she may have been an active agent in their abduction. Escaping his confinement, Lucas returns to the streets of Barcelona and his odd friends, lost in a drugged fugue, yearning for the early days of his enchantment with Nuria. Although he has reason to doubt her, the young man cannot help hoping for a rapprochement with his lady love, alternately seduced and repulsed by the experience.
Although the prologue suggests a distance from the actual event, a year in which Lucas attempts to put his tale into words, the actual story weaves between fact and fantasy, from elaborate discussions with friends who think Lucas has imagined everything and the self-doubt that plagues the protagonist. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect is the city itself, filled with a disparate history and the power struggles of a dominant religious and cultural heritage. Lucas' spiritual quest, if indeed there is more to his life than anticipated, remains an unsolved mystery, the ex-pat caught between the ancient past and the all too real present. Luan Gaines/ 2007.
Amazon.com
Tim Cockey's debut novel, The Hearse You Came In On, introduced readers to Hitchcock Sewell, the undertaker-turned-reluctant-sleuth, whose mordant irony and blissfully skewed perspective on the humdrum brought a remarkable vigor to a profession not usually known for its liveliness. The good news for Hitch fans is that Cockey's follow-up effort dishes up another heaping helping of sardonic wit:
The planet was one big marble of wretchedness. And I wasn't exactly being lifted aloft by bluebirds either. I was wheeling down the Baltimore- Washington Parkway in my unexciting car on the fourth record-breaking freezing cold day in a row, tuning in to what seemed to be the preexisting fact that I was going to be tracking down a cold-blooded murderer.
Said murderer has deposited a corpse on Hitch's doorstep--in the middle of a wake, no less. The unscheduled body is one Helen Waggoner, a single mother with a double life as a waitress and porn star. Hitch's girlfriend sees the unceremonious delivery as a scoop in the making. Bonnie Nash is a less-than- accurate TV weather woman who's got a bad case of occupational shame ("I'm a pair of breasts that tells you what the weather is going to be tomorrow. Maybe."). She figures that solving a murder ought to earn her a network promotion. But it's not that easy. When Helen's sister also turns to Hitch for some moral and investigative support, the undertaker finds himself digging through the family closets and unearthing some distinctly unsavory skeletons. It turns out that a taste for the (ahem) silver screen is a Waggoner tradition, and that the sisters have a long--and not particularly affectionate--history. It's up to Hitch to put the pieces of the puzzle together before a hired killer with a peculiar signature takes him apart.
Cockey has a rare gift for sending up the hallowed conventions of mystery fiction with effortlessly wry turns of phrases: "I looked about to assess the scene. I'm six-three, so I have a decent vantage point for assessing." His plot skills have sharpened since his last outing, and the narrative moves along briskly to a conclusion both tidy and ironic. Appropriately enough, though, in this Hearse, the ride is even more fun than the destination. --Kelly Flynn
Book Description
A surprise blizzard dumps snow on the steps of Sewell Sons funeral homeand leaves behind the corpse of a murdered waitress as well. Hitchs television meteorologist girlfriend sees the crime as an opportunity to move into hard news. Hitchs snooping takes him from low-life strip joints to high-tone mansions, proving yet again that undertakers can be a pretty lively bunch.
Customer Reviews:
Hearse Me.......2004-10-22
Another great book by Tim Cockey. I'm really looking forward to finishing the series. The characters are so much fun, and Hitch has the ultimate dry wit. A true fun mystery!
Solid Opening Novel.......2003-08-19
I picked this up as a pre-pub back when I was working at a bookstore chain. Therefore it was still filled with those annoyingly obvious spelling and type errors. Even so, this book was quick to engage, and was one of the best books I read that summer. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that I was born and live in Baltimore, and I've spent alot of time in the Fells Point area, but I've also talked to other book fans who aren't from this area at all who like it.
Hitchcock Sewell is a pretty interesting character, though I do kind of find it odd that he seems to be able to attract, and obtain, every single attractive female he comes across. Hopefully Cockey will have Hitch strike out some more, simply to add some realism. Otherwise, a undertaker/very amateur detective makes for some very fun writing. I also enjoyed the very amateur theatre troupe, and am waiting for Cockey to bring them back (since Hitch said he has done productions with them before). I've been in similarly doomed productions, and Cockey's portrayal is not very far off.
Overall, very enjoyable, and I've been looking forward to each subsequent novel.
JUST AS GOOD AS THE FIRST HEARSE!.......2002-09-19
Hitchcock (Hitch) Sewell, Baltimore's most eligible undertaker and murder mystery mortician, is back for another totally enjoyable adventure. This time around, someone has left a potential client (body) on the front steps of Sewell and Sons Family Funeral Home in the middle of a wake for a prestigious heart surgeon and a pre-Christmas snowstorm.
In case you missed the first book in this series (The Hearse You Came In On), there are no sons at Sewell and Sons, just Hitch and his Aunt Billie. And the body on the doorstep is that of an ordinary (though formerly beautiful) waitress from a low-end airport pickup bar and grill. Since the police are involved with a series of "shot in the foot" murders, Hitch (being Hitch) decides he will find out who killed the women, especially after he meets her sister.
As you'll discover, there is this mutual attraction between Hitch and women. In this book alone, there's his ex-wife Julia; Bonnie, his weather-girl girlfriend; Vickie, the victim's sister; clients' widows plus a few B-girls and strippers thrown in for good measure. In all, it's a totally enjoyable mix.
Anyway, the plot really starts getting complicated and it becomes more than a case of who killed the waitress and why. And just when you think you've got the whole thing figured out Cockey throws you another twist. In other words, you'll love this one. Now I've just got one more book in the series to read before the new one (fourth) is published in February.
I might have been bored...but I was too busy laughing.......2002-04-20
To be honest, I can't say I was that "into" this, the second of Cockey's Hitchcock Sewell mysteries. I thought the first book "The Hearse You Came In On" was fresh, witty, fast and fun. Now, to a certain degree, the bloom is off the rose. I didn't really care who killed Helen, the dead waitress Sewell finds on his doorstep, nor was I particularly interested in her gorgeous sister and sleazy ex-boyfriend. But everytime I was bored enough to put this book down, Cockey would pull me back in with some of the funniest dialogue I've read in years. In fact, the humour in "Hearse of a Different Color" is its blessing, even it is is a bit arch at times (just like Hitch's girlfriend accuses him of being).
Another fun (hearse) ride through Baltimore.......2002-01-25
Fans of detective series should certainly take a peek at Tim Cockey's Hearse series. Hitchcock Sewell may be a mild-mannered undertaker who plays cribbage with his aunt to see who gets to run the next funeral, but his life always seems to be complicated by a combination of ladies and dead bodies.
Baltimore never seemed so interesting. With his first novel, Cockey set the stage for what should be a long-running amateur detective run. This time around a dead body is dropped off at the funeral home mid-service in a most unorthodox manner. No matter. Hitch has already had a taste for the PI business and he seems to like it. With help from his horny ex-wife, a dead porn star, and her pouting sister he's sure to have his hands full.
What sets the Hearse series apart from the gazillion other wannabe detective series is the pure joy of Hitchcock Sewell's daily existence. He's surely an everyman, a John Doe. The dog's peeing on everything, the girlfriend is trouble, and the Chevy Nothing isn't quite what it was in the first novel. Even the mystery and mayhem is constructed better this time out. Like last time, it's complex and involves many layers of the Baltimore elite. Unlike last time, mysteries unravel in a more logical manner and leave the reader a little more satisfied.
Give the hearse a test drive and you'll probably find yourself waiting for the next installment like I am.
Book Description
A poor-boy college football hero turned successful partner at a prominent Dallas firm—who long ago checked his conscience at the door—catches a case that forces him to choose between his enviable lifestyle and doing the right thing in this masterful debut legal thriller.
Clark McCall, ne’er-do-well son of Texas millionaire senator and presidential hopeful Mack McCall, puts a major crimp in his father’s election plans when he winds up murdered—apparently by Shawanda Jones, a heroin-addicted hooker—after a tawdry night of booze, drugs, and rough sex.
Scott Fenney, who’s worked his way to being a partner at an elite Dallas law firm, is assigned to provide Shawanda’s pro bono defense after the federal judge on the case hears him deliver an inspiring, altruistic—and completely insincere—speech to the local bar association. Scott plans to farm the case out to an old law school buddy, do-good-attorney Bobby Herrin. But his plans go awry when Shawanda puts her foot down in court and refuses to be passed off to the lawyer she considers the lesser attorney.
As the case unfolds, pressure is exerted on Scott to deter him from being too aggressive in his defense of Shawanda. That pressure becomes palpable as Scott is slowly stripped of the things he’s come to care for most. Will he do the right thing—at a terrible cost—or the easy thing and keep his hard-earned fabulous life?
With echoes of early John Grisham, THE COLOR OF LAW is a provocative page-turner that marks the stunning debut of a major new talent.
Customer Reviews:
Cynical on lawyers.......2007-10-01
Wow, all lawyers are not that greed-minded. Guess it makes for a better read. I was married to a Dallas Lawyer for 50 years. And there are Dallas lawyers who don't always chase the big bucks, have integrity, and make a good living for their families. Guess the book is OK when you don't have anything else to read. By the way he is always a little cynical on Dallas..you can pick apart any city if you want to..we don't live in a perfect world. But I did finish the book, just wanted to see how he ended it. Ho-hum!!! Mary E
Don't Waste Your Time and Money.......2007-09-07
This book is not, repeat not, the legal thriller it purports to be. Instead it's nothing more than a book on race relations. Mark Gimenez is obsessed with race. Just in case you missed the fact that a rich, privileged white lawyer is defending a poor black hooker, he repeats it every two pages.
It seems everything Gimenez knows about Dallas, he learned from watching the TV show "Dallas." I was shocked to learn that he is actually from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I've lived in Dallas/Fort Worth for over ten years, and I can't believe we lived in the same area.
This book doesn't have characters, it has caricatures. Characters appear, say their clichéd lines to move the plot along, then disappear until they're needed again.
Don't be fooled by the fake reviews that proclaim Gimenez as the next Grisham or this book a literary classic. If you paid more than a $1 for this book (like me), you paid too much.
Really great read!!.......2007-08-22
I came to this book kind of late...I saw the author's next book coming out and it sounded so interesting, I thought I would check out his debut.
I really, really liked it. At first, I wasn't sure, I thought he kind of overdid the "To Kill a Mockingbird" references, but after a while, when I really started liking the main character, I decided it didn't bother me at all. (As a matter of fact, I have not read Ms. Lee's book in so long, I thought now would be a great time to read it again).Anyway, this book had a great story, great characters, and I could not put it down from about the half way point. I look forward to the next book by this author. Really enjoyable read.
What a find!.......2007-07-15
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I purchased it but to may amazement it managed to exceed all my expectations.
If I had to describe Mark Gimenez's writing style I'd say is a cross between Grisham and P.D James because it has all the impact of a court room thriller and all the suspense of a "whodunnit."
Scott Fennney is not a likable character when we first meet him, he's a hard headed young lawyer who has managed to pull himself up by his bootstraps from his poor origins to live in a rich area of Dallas, Texas with his lovely but coldly ambitious wife Rebecca and his equally lovely daughter but much nicer daughter Boo, named after a character in the book "To Kill a Mockingbird."
Once upon a time Scott did have scruples and morals but they have long disappeared and he now lives the big expensive life with a multi-million dollar house, drives a Ferrari and represents those who can pay his fat fees.
And then out of the blue he is asked by a judge who still believes the right of a fair trial for every defendant to represent a drug addicted mixed race prostitute called Shawanda who is accused of murdering the white son of a very powerful man, a Senator no less who might one day be the next president of the USA. Shawanda says she didn't kill the Senator's son but it was her gun that ended the life of the violent spoilt 30 year old and she had taken his car which was found not far from where she lived in the projects.
Scott has no choice but to take the case and like everyone else believes Shawanda to be guilty but something happens to Scott during the process of him going through the motions of seeming to represent this unfortunate young woman. Scott suddenly finds out he has a conscience and that even though he still believes that Shawanda is guilty he has every intention of fighting for her God given right to a fair trial, and from then on he finds out that he is not only fighting for Shawanda's life, he is also fighting for his own, and that of his daughter Boo and Shawanda's daughter Pajame who he rescued from the Projects and bought home to stay with him and Boo.
A riveting read from the first page to the last, I read it in one sitting and then read it again, a great story with a twist and sting in the tale that leads up to a climatic and suspenseful court scene in which Scott suddenly realises the shocking truth, Shawanda is actually not guilty of the murder of the Senator's son and that another is guilty of the crime she is standing trial for...
Somewhat clumsy "John Grisham meets Harper Lee".......2007-01-31
The "Good": Gimenez moves the reader through this book at a wonderfully nice pace! The main character is somewhat complex and at times you love him and hate him. That makes him very human. As a native Texan I definitely enjoyed the familiarity of the setting. I also enjoyed the reference to football and passages like this: "high school football...legitimate, structured violence, organized by men, inflicted by boys, cheered by all..."
Most importantly, the author is successful in making the reader want to be a more active participant in politics and the protection of the poor and disadvantaged, at least it did for this reader!
The "bad": Ok, Gimenez just doesn't give the audience enough credit. A quarter through the book I wanted to scream to him: "I GET IT"! The author's love of Harper Lee's wonderful classic "To Kill A Mockingbird" is more than evident. The straight out refrences Gimenez makes to the classic novel work far better than his numerous clumsy attempts to "subtly" draw the reader into the similarities and moral dilemmas faced by the characters.
The "ugly": Gimenez just went a bit too far for my taste when his climax matched that of "To Kill A Mockingbird" so perfectly and sadly predictably. Really, there is only one Harper Lee.
I gave it 3 stars because it is such a quick and easy read while making the reader more socially aware and concerned.
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- The Covenant with Black America
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- The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason
- The Fellowship: The Untold Story of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship
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- The PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bible
- The Practical Guide to HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance
- The Practice and Procedure of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
- The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days!
- The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries That Defined America
Books Index
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