Mystery Crime Books

I purchased the book because I enjoyed the Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swenson Mysteries), and I also liked the concept of recipes in a murder mystery. The venue of a neighborhood bakery makes a great center for the gathering of information and gossip, as the local bakery in my old home town certainly did. This rather clever choice of a central source of community information reminds me of the Lois Meade series: Murder On Monday (Lois Meade Mystery), Terror on Tuesday (Lois Meade Mystery), etc. by Ann Purser, which I also enjoy.

The book, like the other I've read, is a delightful depiction of Minnesota as it's often viewed by others. The nurses I worked with in New York City knew exactly one thing about Minnesota, it's COLD!! The author perpetuates our snowy image and the Minnesota Nice character of the people in her little town of Lake Eden where the central characters are charming and enjoyable people with whom to spend time. Each has his or her strengths and weaknesses and each supplies something to the others and to the story that moves things right along. Furthermore, there is a growing history through the sequence of the stories that leaves one wanting to know more about where each goes.

In this book the entire action occurs in one place, the local community center during the occasion of a Christmas party that previews the recipes submitted for a community cook book--something that many small towns have sponsored. The situation is much like the old fashioned manor house mysteries of Agatha Christie and others, given a modern update.

An added plus is the introduction of recipes throughout the book and the complete cookbook included at the end of the novel. While I'm not necessarily interested in all of them, there are many that I'd like to try and probably will, especially some of the main entrees. Many of them will be familiar to Minnesotans and probably sound weird to others, since the Jello salads and desserts are a local standard that no one from out of state seems to fathom!!!

A fun visit to Lake Eden. I look forward to others.

So far I have enjoyed all of Joanne Fluke's previous books until now. While this still had the typical coffee drinking, cookie baking, small town feel that I love I thought the mystery was annoying and as it turns out it couldn't possibly match the title of the book, once you read it you'll know what I mean.
I found the pacing scene at the hospital so utterly ridiculous and unrealistic I could barely read about it, these are supposed to be real people(characters) after all..
Plus the story was too short, I love the cookie recipes but I like a few in the middle of the story as Hannah is making them.
I think Mike's a jerk and have grown tired of his role in this series. Choose Norman and be done with it!

This book started off very well. I love the idea of having the whole thing occur at one event...and the thrill of the "murderer is still among us." However, when the murder was solved it was a big let down. There were no real clues until the very end. It was just a disappointing finish to a very interesting setup.
I like the idea of including the recipes from the Lake Eden Cookbook...that had an original flair, but I think this added to why the story was such a let down. I enjoy reading the recipes that Joanne Fluke includes in all her books, and these were no exception. However, including them in the mystery book just made for a shorter story with a hurried ending. Maybe there should have been a separate book for the recipes.
I recommend that readers get this from the library if only interested in the mystery, but if you are a recipe fanatic buy a copy for yourself.
Anyway, having said this, I am still on the Hannah band wagon, and I cannot wait to read the next installment.

I really enjoyed this book and it's recipes, in fact bought several as gifts, and one to remove all the recipes pages as mini cook book! Do wish
Joanne would publish a real cookbook of her yummy treats!! I've scanned and copied some but.........
Do recommend this tho' !

As enjoyable as this Hannah Swenson mystery was, it was all about the food. The book has the recipes from the Lake Eden cookbook in it, so there are a lot more than cookies. The recipes look great, and I want to try some. The mystery was pretty good too. It's a holiday mystery, so Christmas is the theme. All the citizens of Lake Eden are caught at the Community Centre for a pot luck that is supposed to be a trial for the cookbook, and they get caught in a snowstorm. So we have all our favourite characters under one roof. And, of course, Hannah discovers another body, so her and her sisters are "helping" Mike try to solve the crime. The mystery isn't that difficult, but the story is still fun, and there are over 50 recipes to enjoy with the book! What more could you want?

I have been reading S. Brockmann and thought that this author might be worth a try. I found her books almost as good and well put together. I always love a good series and this is turning out to be one of them. What I really find nice about a series is the development of the characters. Another author I read, only because she is an Arizona author, has a problem with the character development between novels. Melton's books seem to be a little dark (shadowed may be a better word) in the beginning but they are worth the read.

This series was recommended to me and I'm reading them in order. I enjoyed book 1 and this one! Nice uncomplicated romance with Luther (SEAL) and Hannah (CIA Agent). They worked well together and for me this book was a fun read. I like a good book, once in awhile, that I don't have to think too hard and this was it. I also enjoyed the additional story/romance running along, too. I thought it was...romantic.

To start, I read MMelton's 'Next To Die' first and fell in love with that book, so then I started reading her previous books of this series. The great news is that her books get BETTER and better. The bad news is that I didn't like the older books as much as I enjoyed Next To Die, so I'll have to wait till a newer one comes out.

About this book, I really like the hero and heroine, alpha male and super girl. Hannah is strong, and not sitting there helpless waiting for rescue. And Lindstrom is an ex-football star who also have manners and modesty, a real hunk of a sweetheart.

But, there wasn't enough dialogue. The sizzle is not quite there. And the side story about another SEAL and the woman who only wanted to have a baby did not really tie in to this story; seems kind of thrown in, not adding much. Although I did enjoy their cooking scene, and who can resist a man who cooks chicken mole for you from scratch?? and of course, he has a nice body too.

In the Dark is the second book in this series that deals with 3 Navy SEALs - Gabe Renault (aka Jaguar - his story was the first book in the series Forget Me Not), Luther Lindstrom (aka Little John - his story is this book), and Chase McCaffrey (aka Westy - his story is in Time to Run).

In this book, Luther Lindstrom, a Navy SEAL, has been assigned to save and protect Hannah Geary. Hannah has mysteriously disappeared and Luther and his team have learned that she's being kept in Cuba. While he and his team try to rescue Hannah, she's saving herself and meets up with Luther and his team as she makes her escape from the cell where she's been held.

Hannah Geary, a CIA agent, was working with her partner on a suspected arms smuggling investigation when her partner was mysteriously killed. Now she's been kidnapped and in Cuba - what's going on? Why was she kidnapped but not killed like her partner?

After Hannah escapes from Cuba, she works with Luther to determine what her partner learned. They need this information as Gabe Renault is facing a court martial due to his actions in Forget Me Not. Luther is torn - he's attracted to Hannah but he needs information to save his commander. And just who is trying to get Hannah out of the way?

Along with the mystery is the romance between Luther and Hannah. Luther just broke off his engagement to his fiancée who was cheating on him. He knows what he wants in a relationship - he wants a woman who he can wants children and keep the home fires burning while he's away on missions. While he is attracted to Hannah, he knows - and Hannah agrees - that she's not that type of woman.

Hannah Geary is a wonderful heroine - strong and determined to figure things out. She's not content to stay at home and be protected. She's taking action - which doesn't always suit Luther.

As far as the mystery here, I found that, like in Forget Me Not, it was pretty easy to figure out the bad guy. But that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. It has a nice balance of romance and suspense (though I wouldn't have minded a bit more romance). There's also the secondary story of Sebastian and Leila, a romance first hinted at in Forget Me Not which gets resolved very nicely here.

I'm usually not that crazy about sequels - I figure - couldn't the author have figured out a different storyline instead of continuing something I just read? But it works here. In fact, I liked this book more than Forget Me Not - I think because the female heroine is such a strong intelligent woman. If you plan on reading Forget Me Not, be sure you read it before you read this book - if you read this book first and then go back to read Forget Me Not, you'll know the basic storyline and the bad guy of that book.

I really cannot understand the people who recommended this book, either they haven't had the chance to read something better or our tates really differ! Through out the story you never feel a connection with the characters, which is imperative in order to enjoy a book and feel part of it...As an avid reader I've had the opportunity to read romances, suspense and my favorite, a combination of both these elements and I can honestly say that there is so much better out there you can pick out from than this book...sorry! but it is just not worth your money!

I usually avoid mystery books and read romance/dramas, but this book has opened my eyes. This story was so well written and intrigueing that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had "What Angels Fear" in my TBR stack for months before I picked it up. Now I am three St. Cyr books in, and just finished Why Mermaids Sing. In this book the background deceptions in Sebastian St. Cyr's own family, hinted at in previous books, become a little clearer, while in the foreground is a crackling good mystery with the rules of the survival at sea, ultimate retribution, and a surprise ending. The missing 5th star is due the the unsatisfactory (to me) conclusion between St. Cyr and Kat Boleyn. The author allows us to know a fact that the main characters do not.

C. S. Harris's first Sebastian St. Cyr mystery, What Angel's Fear, was the book that Kindle helped me to discover. Interesting characters, a plot that moves at a cracking pace and a prose style that propels the story along - I was in heaven. Some first in a series books are weighed down by exposition - not What Angel's Fear. Others are so clearly a labor of many years that the following books can't help but be lesser works - thankfully, that's not the case for Why Mermaids Sing. If you loved the first two books of this series, you'll love this one.

The mystery is compelling in its own right, the supporting characters continue to interest without becoming either obnoxious or unwieldy, and Harris ties up a few multi-book plotlines while carefully laying the groundwork for more. There is one plot point that comes a bit out of left field but Harris keeps things moving at the right pace and didn't overdo it so what would have creaked in another author's hands plays decently here. Yes, Harris is clearly setting things up for more obstacles for her main characters but that's par for the course in many a mystery series.

This is a book to lose yourself in and while the central mystery is a tad gruesome (Harris, again, doesn't overdo the details, letting a few pointed hints convey the horror) it's also fun to read. If you love historical mysteries check out this series, but start from the beginning!

The machinations in this one are truly excellent. The urge to shake certain characters and weep with others is a good sign that all that occurs makes sense and touches the reader. I really enjoyed the book!

I agree with the review comparing this to a soap opera in that I'm sure Ms. Harris plans a series of novels featuring the handsome swashbuckling Sebastian and his doomed love(?) of Kat, a series I don't plan to follow. In comparing Harris to authors such as C J Sansom, louis Bayard, or David Liss, similar authors, I found this book fell way short. With most of the aforementioned period piece authors I felt I learned something while being entertained...not so with 'Why mermaids sing'.

Knots and Crosses is the first in the series featuring John Rebus as a tormented police detective. In this novel, set in Edinburgh, Rebus is on the track of a serial killer, and we learn bits and pieces of Rebus' tortured past, as he has terrifying flashbacks.
Rebus believes in God, rather a rare feature in a mystery series main character. I was amazed at how fast I read this book, over a three day weekend.
It is so well written, with the intriguing Rebus, his brother who is a stage magician and hypnotist, Gill Templar (attracted to Rebus), journalist Stevens and the nasty criminal, that you may find yourself reading it quickly.
I enjoy slower paced mysteries, too, but love this fast-paced novel, and plan to read more, especially since my husband is reading them so we bought quite a few of the next in the series
This review is written by the author of Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holidays

Like Edinburgh itself. John Rebus is very much a child of Edinburgh and the mystic highlands. This is the first book in the John Rebus series, and it's a good one. We get a good introduction to John Rebus, and the dark side of his character. I have seen some of these done on television, and I was really looking forward to beginning this series. It did not disappoint. It is easy to see why Rankin won the Gold Dagger and the Edgar prizes with this book. There is a lot of power in his writing, and he builds a good plot too. I am looking forward to reading more of John Rebus, and I will be prepared for more dark and brooding prose.

The first half of KNOTS AND CROSSES is a character study of protagonist, Detective Sergeant John Rebus. Rebus is not your typical fictional detective. He is a moody sort, with a lot of emotional baggage. Something happened while he was in the special forces in the army. He is also divorced with a young daughter, and he doesn't like his job or his superiors much.

Somewhere in there, Rebus is assigned to a murder case. Someone is killing young girls, most of them pre-pubescent. The murderer is apparently killing them for sport, since he doesn't molest them. Rebus is assigned the tedious task of finding blue Ford Escorts, which at least two of the witnesses claim they saw at various crime scenes. A second plot line involves a reporter named Jim Stevens who thinks John Rebus is involved in the drug trade. He pursues Rebus relentlessly, more concerned with the possible drug angle than he is with the murders. Much of the first part also examines Rebus's love life, what there is of it. He's falling in love with Gill Templer the media liaison for the Edinburgh police, but his repressed memories keep getting in the way.

The pace starts to pick up speed when Rebus's brother, Michael, a professional hypnotist, puts John Rebus under. From there it's a race to the finish. KNOTS AND CROSSES is most definitely a psychological thriller, much more so than American counterparts which strive for that classification. Ian Rebus could care less about frantic pacing. I would wager that some inveterate mystery fans have a bit of a problem with the first part since nothing much is going on, but that's what makes the second half so much better.

It's not too hard to pick out the killer, since Rankin telegraphs him pretty early on, but it almost doesn't matter. I knew all along that KNOTS (NAUGHTS) AND CROSSES was a mystery series, but I was still worried about Rebus during the climactic scene, and I can't say that about most main characters in series fiction.

This was Ian Rankin's first Inspector Rebus crime novel. If only he had kept his later books as short and tight as this one. Rebus does a lot of weeping in this one, but he has a lot to weep about. He has a lot of old army baggage to deal with. Rankin says of Rebus, "It was an Old Testament land that he found himself in, a land of barbarity and retribution." The books usually have the authentic Edinburgh sense of place, and the Inspector smokes and drinks too much and has trouble with his love life and his superiors. For a story about a serial killer, Rankin takes a lot of side alleys to get where he's going. His sub-plots meander a bit, and the reporter almost becomes the lead character.
Rebus's brother Michael, the stage hypnotist, is in it, and he helps Rebus and Inspector Gill Templer solve the case. Rebus is getting crank letters that bug him. He's a believer without a church, and, at times a cop without a clue. It's a good thing there are other characters in the book to help him solve the case.
The book has sharp characterization, suspense, clever plotting, effective writing, and narrative drive. When all the loose ends are knotted together, the reader feels quite satisfied and rewarded. I read it on a flight from Venice to JFK, and it made the trip bearable. Take it along with you on your next flight.
Nine Lives Too Many
The Daemon in Our Dreams
The Rice Queen Spy
Clawed Back from the Dead

This is the first of Rankin's Edinburgh crime novels featuring detective John Rebus. Alexander McCall Smith gave Rankin a "cameo" part in his serial novel 44 Scotland Street, mentioning in his introduction that Rankin thought his portrait much "nicer" than his real personality. I don't know about that...but it is certainly true that while McCall Smith gives us a colorful, heartwarming view of Edinburgh society (albeit with wry cynical touches), Rankin shows us the Edinburgh of Mr. Hyde, famously bad weather and all. Rebus ruminates, "it was not a nice world this...it was an Old Testament land that he found himself in, a land of barbarity and retribution." And yet the picture-postcard surface of this world is one where librarians are shocked that children are being murdered - "But here, in Edinburgh! It's unthinkable."

Our hero John Rebus has been formed by his successful years in the Army Parachute Regiment, and this book is haunted by the buried memories of his brutal training for the Special Air Services. He's a native of Fife but has little nostalgia for his former home or his brother there; he's been a policeman for fifteen years and "all he had to show were an amount of self-pity and a busted marriage with an innocent daughter hanging between them." His brother Michael has taken up his father's occupation as a stage hypnotist and made it pay.

Out of Rebus's past emerges a pathological killer whose unmasking teases out Rebus's psychological history. Killer and cop are connected in the same vein as Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta books or Patterson's Alex Cross mysteries, but to my mind Rankin's work is more credible, less gratuitously sensational.

Rebus is a very human cop, not above lifting a few fresh rolls and milk from the sidewalk in front of a little grocery shop. "Nothing tasted better than a venial sin." He's a reader whose favorite book is Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, because at least Raskolnikov has a conscience. When Rebus's daughter is abducted, his ex-wife taken to hospital, "standing in the waiting-room, he realized that in his life he had accepted secondary experience -- the experience of reading someone else's thoughts - over real life...he was face-to-face with it now all right, he was back in the Paras...his brain aching, every muscle tensed."

He also has run away from his memories by drinking, but in the course of this case he beats that addiction. "Rebus did not go dizzy this time, nor did he panic and run for it. He stood up to the sound and allowed it to make its point, let it wash over him until it had had its say. He would never run away from that memory again."

The resolution of this mystery is logical yet unexpected. There are wonderful characters along the way: Rebus's new girlfriend Gill Templer, Rebus's ex-wife and daughter, as well as a venial journalist named Jim Stevens. Rankin's portrait of this ambitious journalist's speculative, manipulative approach to the truth is a small masterpiece. In fact, this book is a small masterpiece. Read it and you will want to read the others, in sequence - consult Ian Rankin's website for a list!

I love The Sisters Grimm series but I like the way he describes everything as if you were really there, take when they were in the diner, you could actually see the celing ripped off to uncovering this huge head of a "Jabberwocky" and it's "psycotic" owner.And the tension that he puts into his choice of words.If you havn't read this series I think you should!

I am 4th grader. I started reading The Sisters Grimm when I was 8 years old in 3rd grade. It was scary at the end and exciting through the whole thing. Sabrina and Daphne live in Ferry Port Landing where fairy tale characters are real. They live with the big bad wolf. The sheriff is one of the three (not so little) pigs. Daphne's teacher is Snow White.

The girls' parents have been kidnapped by the Scarlet Hand. The story tells about the girls' adventures as they try to find their parents. I recommend it.

This book was as exciting and then some as the others and I can't wait to read book 4

This is a great, excitement-filled adventure book that everyone should have a chance to read. I liked the ending, the fat cranky Ariel Mermaid, and the many surprises through the book. I DO hope the series ends because I can't wait to find out what will happen next, and the suspense is killing me! :)

(Available in hardcover and paperback)

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have had several narrow escapes from the evil organization, The Scarlet Hand, that is holding their parents hostage. The girls are hot on the trail of the organization when they meet Uncle Jake (another relative they didn't know they had). It seems Ferryport Landing residents don't remember him either. That's because Granny Relda made sure (with a little help from magic) everyone would forget him after he inadvertently was involved in an insane Little Red Riding Hood escaping from the asylum with a Jabberwocky.

If Sabrina and Daphne are to rescue their parents, they must rely on help from Uncle Jake and even Puck (who drives the girls crazy most of the time). But things get a little muddled when it is discovered that Little Red Riding Hood is bent on recreating her own lost family. That means that Grandma Relda and the family dog, Elvis, are in peril.

The novel is filled with appearances by many favorite fairy-tale characters. Prince Charming and the Queen of Hearts compete in a mayoral election; Snow White is angry with her former love; Canis (The Big Bad Wolf) may have met an unfortunate end; and Rip Van Winkle will make you smile. As for the other cameo appearances, you'll have to read the book to meet them.

And of course, questions are left unanswered for the next installment of The Sisters Grimm. Will Puck get to Faerie in time? Will Sabrina and Daphne's parents wake up from their forced slumber? Who is the head of The Scarlet Hand organization? Will Grandma Relda and Elvis be safe?

The next book will be released December 2007, so the wait won't be too long.

The Sisters Grimm series is a delight. It is in my opinion as good as Harry Potter. It's a fast read and filled with quirky characters and situations that are so much fun.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended.

I wanted to love this book, but I wound up just liking it. Krakauer is a great writer, the topic was impeccably researched, and the subject is fascinating. But, I feel like for the non-historian reader, many of the details could have been left out. There are hundreds of names, places, and small events that don't add much to the story other than increased difficulty.

Another small complaint is about the footnotes. This is just a personal preference, but I find frequent large footnotes to be distracting. I feel obligated to read them, but that breaks up the continuity of the main text. I much prefer when writers incorporate the info into the main text or just put the notes at the end of the book.

That said, anyone interested in a more detailed view of the history of Mormonism will be satisfied by this exposition. There are some shocking tidbits about the origins of Mormonism as well as some profound tie-ins with religion in general.

As a fan of Krakauer (read the excellent "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air"), I was interested in his bringing his reporter's style and thorough analysis to this topic. Those that criticise the book as "anti-Mormon" do not get the point - it is an analysis of religious extremism in any form. He uses Mormonism as the protagonist to tell the story. The book could easily be about Islam, Catholicism, or another major religion. Mr. Krakauer goes into detail about aspects of mainstream Mormon history that the LDS church would rather he not get into such as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, for example. As a non-Mormon, I was not put off by his book, and found his thourough and thoughtful forays into the history of the LDS church to be fascinating. I had never read an account of Joseph Smith, the founding of the church, the persecutions they suffered and the migration to the Salt Lake Valley from any other source, including from any member of the LDS church.

Mr. Krakauer's point is that you cannot tie fundamentalism any more to mainline Mormonism than you can to mainline Islam. But, they are related in their origins, and he describes portions of LDS history which demonstrate that the religion was born out of violence, both directed towards the church and in some cases, perpetrated by it.

The examples of a small minority of those involved in the strict fundamentalism of the Mormon faith are not representative of the LDS church as a whole. The official reaction from the LDS church I felt was unfortunate. Instead of attacking and discrediting Mr. Krakauer, I rather think they missed a great opportuntiy to communicate the stark differences between the LDS church's substansive role in modern American life vs those fundamentalists that have twisted the teachings of the church to serve their own cause.

At times, Mr. Krakauer examines the Mountain Meadows Massacre as well as the deaths of three of explorer Powell's men a bit too closely, which gave me the impression he was "piling on" a bit in making his point. In the case of Powell's men, he goes into great detail of the circumstance of their deaths, but merely repeats scholarship that has already been written. Perhaps the detail of these accounts cannot be found in many other places.

As he points out, however, these are parts of Mormon history that the church should address rather than trying to shove, along with Mr. Krakauer, under the rug.

The first half of the book discusses the personal lives of a couple psychotic men who happened to be Fundamentalist Mormons, to prove that the LDS religion breeds molesters.

If that is true, then we can easily conclude that the Catholic religion breeds pedophiles.

The author grossly misrepresents the theology of Mormonism, claiming that Lehi, the ancient Hebrew, discovered that we must "EARN GOD'S LOVE" through obedience. Mormons do not believe such drivel.

Through obedience, one pleases God and "earns" His approval, but not His acceptance and love.

I truly enjoyed Into Thin Air. Under the Banner of Heaven was completely different subject matter. I found this no less engaging, Krakuer again draws you in with nothing more than what it is, a great story needing to be told.

This book was thrilling and engrossing to read, but at the same time I didn't like it.

Let me explain. It was a fascinating book, but there's a strong undercurrent of condescension in Krakauer's tone -- there are little asides that imply (or state right out) that religious people are just plain crazy, and that this (the murders that are the focal point of the book) was just the natural course that religion -- all religion -- takes.

He's an outsider, yes, and that fact alone doesn't mean he can't write about the FLDS, but he scrutinizes his subjects in a way he fails to scrutinize himself, and in sensationalizing the FLDS he treats them as not quite human. It's like he's an old-school British explorer venturing into the quaint little village of some savage tribe.

It's not that I don't have problems myself with the FLDS, but Krakauer can't seem to separate the people he writes about -- several of whom are deeply disturbed -- from the concept of religious faith.

Ultimately, it's an interesting and indulgent read, but just remember to take Krakauer's slant and commentary with a grain of salt.

I was stunned that a writer this good could have escaped my notice long enough to publish six books, though of course thrilled that there were already so many available. These are to die for; the characters are full-blown, the writing is intelligent, the mysteries are convincing and the ongoing love story is so, so moving. I would marry Russ Van Alstyne myself if I could get my hands on him! I am waiting for book number 7 with great eagerness. If you like Reginald Hill's work, you'll love this.

This is the first of Ms. Spencer-Fleming's books that I have read. I enjoyed it overall. Some slow spots, but all books do that. Recommended.

I'm not a big fan of who-dun-it type books, but I really enjoyed this one. The writing style is entertaining, and the twists and turns of the plot kept me going back for more. I was sure I knew who did it....and I was totally wrong. I'll definitely be buying more books by this author.

Book was in great condition and sent very quickly. Would recommend seller and purchase from them again.

I found Reverend Clare totally annoying. She had no business playing (fairly stupid) cop; the supposed sexual tension was way out of line. Single young female priest do not hang around endlessly alone with a married man. The amount of dinners and rides she had with the lonesome police chief would have her booted out of a small town parish in a flash. Couldn't they just have a platonic friendship? Her constant meddling in the murder case was laughable, her near demise, ridiculous. The writing style was okay but it wasn't enough to make me like this book. A very medium effort.

I ordered a book that was supposed to be in good condition. I was very disappointed when it arrived. It was soiled, some of the pages stuck together, the spine broken and pages loose. It even smelled bad. I sent it back within a week in April. I hadn't heard from them by the middle of June so emailed them and they finally credited my account. Bad experience all around.

This is a great series. The writer has a wonderful sense of humor. One of the few times I've ever laughed out loud while reading a book. I had to read the funny parts to my husband.

The Stephanie Plum series is a riot to read - If you like to laugh you'll love these books!!

No one can make you laugh like Janet Evanovich! What a hoot! Love her Plum novels...

IT is exactly as they said and exactly what I expected. It arrived in a timely manner and I am very pleased.

Hemingway, Ruark, and Sanchez are all pale imitators of the great Peter Hathaway Capstick. Try to imagine an American walking away from a Wall Street career to hunt as a professional guide in Africa. Now imagine that this guy could write WAY BETTER than Hemingway, and you're still not there.
A small snipet from the chapter on leopard.
"...the bark of the tree, when, suddenly, your gazing into two yellow-green eyes as evil as poison gas."
I'm not a hunter myself, but reading this book makes me wish I was.

"Death in the Long Grass" is my favorite of all Capstick's stories. Note, I didn't say "the most accurate or honest", but simply my favorite. He makes fearful episodes with wild beasts believable but, I suspect that Capstick put many second-hand stories into the first person.

I spoke to one long-time professional hunter in Zambia, old Rhodesia and Zimbabwe, "What do you know about Capstick?" At the time I was an avid reader and believed every word like scripture. He told me, "All I've heard of him is that he was a cook in a hunting camp in Zambia." Then again, my professional hunter friend may have had insufficient information. Another time, in one of his book, Capstick seems to quote me, personally. I will paraphrase, "I met a young African hunter who gave me his philosophy on hunting, 'It's better to spend small amounts of money and go on many safaris than to spend a great deal of money and go on only a few'." This is, in fact, an accurate quote...but...I never met Capstick. But this was and is my personal philosophy and, because of it, I have hunted all over the world and taken everything from doves to elephant.

Another friend, who reportedly knew Capstick in his later years, told me that Capstick said words to the effect, "Everybody believes that I am a liar." My friend responded, "It doesn't matter what people think. You are a great writer and you've done more for big-game hunting than any man alive." I quite agree with this, by the way.

In one of his books, Capstick tells the exciting story of hunting down a maneating leopard. It's truly a gripping tale. Late in his life, Capstick--for a fee--offered his company on African safaris. I read the account my one of the men who hired Capstick. Once again, I'll paraphrase, "It's a remarkable thing that Capstick, who had guided so many hunters in the killing of leopards, had never actually shot one himself. I therefore gave him my leopard permit and Capstick did the shooting."

Hey, Capstick was a fascinating writer, had a great ear and made the reader live the adventure. Were all his facts exactly straight? I don't know and doubt it really matters.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Conquest of Mexico.

I first read this book years ago, but that copy got lost and I was overjoyed to find it again. My siblings and I all wanted it when Dad gave away his library.

Mr Capstick is a wonderfully descriptive writer! Each one of the big eight African game animals has a chapter; and each is the very worst way to die. Capstick does not skimp on the gory details, but he is entertaining and real. He spent many years in the Africian bush and obviously knows each of these animals very, very well.

I worked with a gentleman who met Capstick while in Africia and he reported that the man in the book is the same man in real life. If you want a different view of Africa from the Disneyification of wildlife this is the book for you.

"If you want to be a writer, don't listen to your high school English teacher", Pete Townshend once told a caller on a syndicated radio program. In this instance, I emphatically agree! I never knew what my high school English teachers wanted either. I can just imagine them with their red pencils, crossing out one line after another if they would ever bother to read a book like this. But in actual fact Mr. Capstick spins his yarns so well in this, his first book, that most of his readers could not put it down.

Reading in the safety of your own home, as you are sitting in your recliner chair sipping an iced drink, I daresay you will look over your shoulder once or twice. Even if the hair doesn't stand up on the back of your neck.

I won't go into the content here, as there is more than enough info in the other reviews. I've read about half of his books and I suspect that this first one is his best. You just have to start here. He writes so engagingly that even the foreword is required reading!

PHC is a spinner of hair raising yarns. He is quite a creative storyteller with a style that makes you feel like you're part of the hunt. His descriptions and details bring you face to face with dangerous game on a safari adventure. I've read and re-read this book many times and each time I am always wanting to know what will happen next.

Hannah Swensen, owner of "The Cookie Jar" just happens to stumble upon a local dairyman dead in his van covered in cookie crumbs outside where she works. Hannah and her sister Andrea investigate the murder and become closer as sisters as they do a little bit of leads going from on loose end on to the next.

I found this book very cute and creative and I can't wait to read the rest of the entire series (so far very good) This book also contains about 6 or 7 recipes of Hannah Swensen's which really adds a lot to the book and ties the story together. Nice touch. I'm new to mystery reading but I'd have to say these are very enjoyable stories.

I enjoy the mystery genre and decided to try this cozy set in a small lake town.

Hannah Swenson is the proud owner of the Cookie Jar where she experiments with ingredients and creates original cookies. She came back to Lake Eden when her father died and to help her mother. She decided to stay and has worked hard to create a thriving business.

Hannah gets involved in helping her brother-in-law, Bill, a local policeman hoping to be promoted to detective; solve a murder when she discovers the body. This premise seems a bit far fetched but the thought of Bill is that Hannah will be a better gatherer of gossip and getting people to talk when they are enjoying coffee and cookies in the Cookie Jar.

The characters are not quite developed fully but you get an idea of their personalities. I am hopeful that the author going forward will further flesh them out and more fully develop the relationship between Hannah, her sister and her mother.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I purchased the book because it's by another Minnesota native, and I also liked the concept of cookie recipes in a murder mystery. Certainly the venue of a favorite bakery makes a splendid center for the gathering of information and gossip. This rather clever choice of a central source of community information reminds me of the Lois Meade series : Murder On Monday (Lois Meade Mystery) and Weeping on Wednesday (Lois Meade Mystery), etc. by Ann Purser.

The book is a delightful depiction of Minnesota as it's often viewed by others. The nurses I worked with in New York City knew exactly one thing about Minnesota, it's COLD!! The author perpetuates our snowy image and the Minnesota Nice character of its people in her little town of Lake Eden. It's a delightful place to spend time.

The central characters are charming and enjoyable. For one thing while they don't all get along completely, they aren't so horribly dysfunctional that it's a total soap opera. Each has his or her own strengths and weaknesses and each supplies something to the others and to the story that moves things along. Furthermore, they all manage to grow as individuals as the story progresses, something that's refreshing to see.

The mystery itself was well constructed. I was totally led astray by every red herring and only suspected the true murderer when the main character did. That's pretty rare for me.

An added plus is the introduction of recipes throughout the book. I have yet to try them, but I definitely intend to; they'd make lovely Christmas gifts for those who already have everything anyway and who are often too busy to do their own baking. I look forward to it.

Having read the second book in this series first, I've yet to finish this book because it drags far too long at the beginning. Even though the main characters are developed in this book, you really don't miss that much when starting with book two. Truthfully, I was considering purchasing more of the books in this series but I'm hestiant now after delving into this first book. I do however love having new recipes to try and enjoy the weaving of a murder mystery for a quick "summer" fiction book.

Occasionally I will randomly pick a book 1 of a series and give it a go, and this time it paid off. I really liked the main character, and appreciated the fact that she wasn't perfect. It's always nice to read about someone a little more down to earth and realistic, someone you could actually picture meeting. The plot was well-paced and interesting, and the first book got my interested enough to go out and buy further books in the series! And while I have not yet tried any of the recipes in the book, they do look like they would be delicious and fairly easy to make.