Mystery Crime Books

It is suspected that Senator Price's suicide was actually murder. The most likely suspect is his young widow, Jordan Price. Jordan remained stoic at the funeral and has a past that labels her a black widow: a dead fiancé and the deaths of her first and second husbands.

Rick Carson, investigator for the Powell Agency, takes the case. Everyone around Jordan seems to love her and can't believe she is capable of murder. But Rick has his doubts. Jordan has secrets and it is his job to discover the truth. The more he observes, the more he wonders if Jordan really is innocent. His suspect list is growing. Could it be a jealous family member, a bitter ex-wife, or an admirer who will stop at nothing?

I enjoyed reading this book. Barton does a wonderful job of balancing the romance and the suspense. The plot and pacing are great and the events and dialogue add to the overall tension and suspense. I guessed some of the twists and had to keep reading to find out what happened next. It was fun to guess motive, intentions and the identity of the culprit.

Cold Hearted will appeal to readers who enjoy suspense mixed with some romance. The attraction between the characters doesn't distract from the main story. There are enough clues for readers who want to try to figure out the identity of the murderer. I was three quarters of the way through and had narrowed my suspects down to three people. Reading the killer's creepy thoughts I had to decide if this person was cool and calculated or just plain delusional. This book is also great if you just want to be entertained.

Armchair Interviews says: Cold Hearted is a fast-paced romantic suspense.

This is my favorite Agent Pendegrast novel.
The plot was very similar to an old NightStaker episode that feature a feidn who stalked Seattle in search of spinal fluid to gant him eternal life.
I'm happy that Preston has made the cross-over to thrillers, but in truth the novels like Relic are horror novels with a heavy dose of mystery and splash of police procedural added to make them more board in their market demographics I guess.
It's solid thrills all the way, even if a little over the top at times.

The Fury and the Power (Fury and the Terror) If you want to read the novel that was the mother of all terror thrillers with spies and conspiracies check out John Farris's work.

I have read all of the Pendergast novels and other various Preston/Child works and find myself always thinking of this one as my favorite. Although I like the "Diogenes Trilogy" (Brimstone, Dance of Death and Book of the Dead), this one seemed to really work my imagination better. It was more mentaly stimulating for lack of a better phrase.

One of the reasons I liked this book so much is because although the idea of Enoch Leng's "work" is a little far fetched, it isn't quite as out there as the Relic/Reliquary monsters. Things are more believable and therefore seem more realistic.

Without saying too much, I liked the way that they linked Pendergast to the story to add more substance to his family's "affliction." It also a better way for him to involve himself in a case than the way he takes special interest in odd cases like in "Still Life with Crows." This way, he has a personal interest in the case.

Lastly, this book goes to show Pendergast more human and less superhero than in others. In this book he goes through some rough spots and it's good to see him not getting through things unscathed but have to work hard.

Overall a great book and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys the Pendergast books or has enjoyed other Preston/Child works.

This was the first time I had read a Preston and Child book. I read a lot of reviews that highly praised this book. And I honestly expected it to be a lot better then what it was. To me personally, I found this book to be kind of "high schoolish," meaning it doesn't really fit my idea for an adult book? (Minus the language in certain areas of the book) But I can say that they did a good job building your suspense up, however they dropped it just as fast and moved on to another topic. So with that being said, I just found this book to be "OK" and I doubt I will read anymore books by Preston and Child.

You know how you can always tell "Ensign Fodder" by the red shirt he's wearing? Not so in this one. I was actually wrong about the fate of one of the characters! That hasn't happened in a long while, and any book creative enough to stump me gets high praise indeed. And while the ending wasn't exactly the way I would want it, it was still a great book and I'd recommend it to anyone who's read any of the other Child/Preston books and enjoyed them (this was my first exposure, and I don't think reading them out of order detracted much at all since each is a solid stand-alone story).

PLOT: In Manhattan a modern apartment tower is about to be build. When the excavators break into a basement, they uncover the remains of 36 people murdered and gruesomely mutilated over 130 years ago. FBI Special Agent Pendergast and museum archaeologist Nora Kelly start an investigation that reveals the doings of a mysterious doctor who once conducted medical experiments on living human beings. But just as Nora and Pendergast begin to unravel the clues to the century-old killings, a new spree of murder and surgical mutilation erupts in New York.

I am a fan of the writer duo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. So far their former 6 books were entertaining, thrilling and also a bit scary. (Well, except for "The Ice Limit" which was a bit boring.) Overall always a great mixture between mystery and science. As a result their books are way above the average.

This book really starts well, the stetting is horrible and mysterious, the stage is set for the hunt after a cruel killer and the reader meets characters from previous Preston/Child books like the really cool FBI Agent Pentergast (The Relic, Reliquary) and Nora Kelly (Thunderhead).
Unfortunately the longer I read the less I enjoyed the book.

Pendergast knew too much too early and too easily plus he shared his knowledge with nobody. The other policemen were kept in the dark as well as the reader. Basically it might be a bit more thrilling for the reader not to know too much but in this case this was just too exaggerated and happened too often. After a while it seemed more than stupid to keep other law enforcement colleagues in the dark for so long. Therefore Pentergast's strange behavior started to annoy me.
The story development towards the ending is strange as well. The idea of Pentergast's sort of personal bond to the ancient and recent killings is kind of stupid and neither believable nor necessary at all. Pendergast travelling back in time through a memory crossing technique to discover places and incidences that he did not know anything about in real life, plus interacting with people in this dream? This idea is so absurd it hurts. On top of that the final solution to the whole scenario is just too far-fetched for my taste.

Having solutions based on science and mystery is ok but overall the story should be within certain boundaries. This time however Preston/Child went several steps too far and it was more than I could bear.

Bottom line:
The beginning plus book's initial story are ok and the writing style is good (as usual). Unfortunately the solution is really bad and therefore the book is disappointing in the end. I read all 6 of their previous novels before and I would rank "Cabinet of Curiosities" at the very bottom! (I especially recommend reading "The Relic" and "Riptide" because they kept me awake for long hours and chilled me to the bone.)
I will wait a while before I read another Preston/Child book and hopefully their next book I plan to read (Still life with Crows) is better.

It was a really satisfying read. There are a lot of gruesome details...it helps that the author is a forensic anthropologist herself.

I read parts of the book alone at night and made myself scared thinking someone was watching me or going to break into my apartment while I was sleeping. After numerous attempts at trying to read before bed and getting too scared to carry on after a page or two, I finally decided to stick to reading during the daytime.

The only things that slowed me down with this story were the French words. I could have done without them, but I guess Reichs was trying to keep things real since part of the book took place in French-speaking Canadian cities.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Tempe and Detective Ryan. I'm anxious to see that relationship develop throughout the rest of the series which I will be reading.

I'm not a huge fan of Bones, I like Kathy Reichs, and I love the clinical language used in her books. Unfortunately, I get so hung up on the silliest of details. In this entire audiobook the reader actually mispronounces a word and for about 5 minutes I was stuck on that & had to jump back to listen to what I missed. Otherwise, though I'd rather have the time to read them, this & other audiobooks are great for the busy.

I really wanted to like this series and this second one has left me still uncertain as to whether or not I care to continue discovering more about this character. There is just too much going on. I must say, I would rate these higher if the woman, Tempe, was even halfway close to human. The things she does and survives are incredible. I'd have collapsed after page 10. And she jogs. LOL It kind of defies belief that any one person could be involved in so many different things all over the country and actually between TWO countries as well (Canada and USA) and she has more friendly experts and backups that she can call at a moment's notice than any other character!! I don't like when she leaves things hanging through the book, for example about the nun/saint. She knew something on page 20 or so that she could have just stated. Also way too much bug detail, I don't care about forensics THAT MUCH. I'll try one more. Recommended with reservations.

Too much swearing! Books do not need all that to make a good story, it is very distracting

Fans of the TV show Bones should be warned - it is only loosely based on the characters from the book. I've seen several episodes of the show (and not particularly enjoyed them) and had some problems reconciling what I knew from TV to what the author was telling me in the story. To be honest, I wish I'd never seen the show, I enjoyed the characters in the book far more.

Character differences aside, I thought the book was very well plotted and paced. It draws you in with a small mystery, then leaves you hanging (though the more astute mystery readers will certainly be able to guess, it still makes you read to the end to be completely sure) while it wends its way through a completely separate main storyline. Granted, it's a little predictable. There aren't any of the completely out of the blue shocks or twists. But the writing is solid, the dialogue good, and I enjoyed the characters. Though it's not strictly what most would call a `cozy', the formulaic plot and lack of shock value shoe-horns it into that category for me. Fans of a more nitty-gritty mystery may be assuaged by some of the slightly more graphic descriptions of death, but I doubt it is visceral enough to really appeal.

There are two plot lines from this sequel to "Heart of the World". The first one concerns Sam Gianelli, PI Carlotta Carlyle's mobster boyfriend who has skipped the country to avoid being arrested for murder. The second plot has to do with Jessie Franklin, a young woman who wants Carlotta to follow her fiance and find out if he's having an affair. Meanwhile she's trying to stay in touch with Paolina, her Little Sister who has been traumatized by a kidnapping and murder. As Carlotta pursues these things, she discovers a connection with a local Indian tribe, and she teams up with her former boss, Mooney, to try to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. Mystery and romance blend well in this latest book in the series, and Linda Barnes' fans will not be disappointed.

How do you top a great book like Heart of the World? You don't. But with a series, there's a sequel to be written anyway.

Paolina is still recovering from the trauma of her kidnapping and its aftermath in South America. The troubling part is that she's pushing Carlotta away.

Sam Gianelli, Carlotta's fiancé, is missing in action except for occasional telephone calls when he tells her to keep out of it. When Carlotta tries to get her old friend, Mooney from Boston PD, to tell her more, he keeps quiet.

Carlotta hasn't worked at detecting in some time, and Roz pushes Carlotta to take on a young woman, Jessica Franklin, who wants her fiancé tailed. Carlotta agrees. The woman heads for a meeting out of town while the fiancé starts meandering around after making a short stop in Kendall Square in Cambridge. The night becomes a long one as he then heads for the cape. What's going on?

As usual in detective fiction, nothing is as it seems. But no one is going to make it easy for Carlotta to find out. Her head is snapped out of her troubles when the young woman who hired her turns up dead in a local hit-and-run. That's really puzzling. She was supposed to be out of town.

Before long, Carlotta is getting the eye . . . and needs help. Who will step in?

Without giving anything away, Linda Barnes decides to take this series in a new direction with this story. It's a promising direction, one that makes me look forward to reading the next book in the series.

If you've enjoyed this series, don't miss Lie Down with the Devil. It'll keep your attention!

The plot has a lot of twists and turns, but they often felt forced. That's why I graded the book down one star. See what you think.

First off, let me say that I am very hard to please when it comes to books. Every word is important to me as well as more complex things like how a story drives MY behavior while reading it. Too often reviewers focus on the story but not the actual writing and very rarely do they explain how the book made them feel and/or react. I will do my best to cover these points as I think they are very helpful in choosing to own a book or not.

I read Heartsick and then Sweetheart back to back so my viewpoint is rooted in that path.
Ms. Cain, the author, did an excellent job of creating deep, complex characters that while familiar after 700+ pages (both books), they are not predictable. That character connection helps draw the reader into the story but in most books when you "know" what a character will do or how they will react, the story becomes boring. In this book Ms. Cain keeps the characters unpredictable and fresh which in turn creates a "page turning" reaction that keeps you coming back to the book whenever you have a free moment and keeps you up late reading. That makes Sweetheart is a pretty hard book to put down.

In fact the only issues I have are pretty minor. Ms. Cain does an excellent job of setting the scene by describing almost every detail--so much so, that at times there is too much time spent describing details that are not necessary and actually take away from the story's pace. Some authors know exactly how much to say, without becoming too detailed or focused on too many non-important details but Ms. Cain has not yet fine tuned that sense.

The second issue is just that sometimes the graphic and sexual nature of the story are also too detailed or focused on. Personally while I understand that such details are important for the story and the characters, I really don't need all the nitty-gritty details on the crime scenes or exactly what a character is thinking or doing sexually. Sometimes the author got the detail level right while other times it felt like there was just too much coverage, I have a background in Criminology so crime scene details normally don't bother me in the least, so I feel comfortable in saying the details were too gory at times even for me, so they could have been toned down a little.

That being said, I read both of these good sized books very quickly which for me, a slow easily distracted reader, means they were not only well written, but extremely compelling to the point one night I got less then 4 hours of sleep because I didn't want to stop reading. There was very little overlap between the two so I suggest you read Heartsick first if you have not yet and then Sweetheart. Between the solid, deep characters and then very interesting and unpredictable storyline I would highly recommend not only Sweetheart by Heartsick as well. It isn't often that books help you not only enjoy the story but the art of reading as well. This is one of those rare books.

Cain avoids a sophomore slump with a novel that shows her growth as a writer and her potential. In Heartbreak Cain unsuccessfully intertwined two mysteries and filled her pages with so many descriptions that the story stumbled over them. In Sweetheart she's found a better finesse on her intertwined mysteries with a clear realization that the main story of detective Archie Sheridan and serial killer Gretchen Lowell is the reason readers will be coming back for more. Cain is growing as a writer and Sweetheart is a solid step in what should be a stellar career.

As much as I enjoy the dance between Sheridan and Lowell I don't think I'd be all that interested in coming back for more. The characters have reached their natural archs and this book should be the end of the series. Unfortunately Cain seems to capitulate to the pressures in the publishing world to continue a successful series and softens the end, which could instead have been a shocker.

While not a perfect book by any stretch of the imagination, Sweetheart is a solid psychological thriller and is highly recommended for readers who were seduced by the Hannibal Lechter/ Clarisse Starling like connection between the characters in Heartbreak.

Reviewing this for the Vine program, I was lucky enough to receive both this book and the first of the series, Heartsick.

These were fantastic thriller/mystery books, but definitely read the first one first, or you'll be pretty lost.

The characters are sympathetic but not perfect. The psychology is very interesting.

A few plot points - particularly the end - are a bit of a stretch, but I don't mind this in a well told story.

Fans of the early Karin Slaughter would be very happy with this book. I recommend it for the lover of a darker, gorier mystery.

All the major characters and story lines that appeared in HEARTSICK are continued in Chelsea Cain's followup SWEETHEART. Beautiful serial killer Gretchen is back and in this volume escapes from prison and among other gruesome projects cuts the heart out of a guard, severs it in two and places it in kiddie lunchboxes for the children of police detective Archie. Archie is still drug addicted and as enthralled with Gretchen as ever (we do learn there is more to their relationship than was actually revealed in HEARTSICK) while he works on solving some other murders in the Portland area. Gretchen seems almost supernatural in her evil cleverness and plausibility is strained in several places in this book. And if you are looking for answers as to what sustains Gretchen and Archie's bizarre regard for one another you won't find more than a few hints in this novel. Lovers of Chelsea Cain's HEARTSICK will probably be OK with this book but I would recommend everyone else pass on SWEETHEART.

3.5 stars

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain reads solely as a continuation of Heartsick. I really enjoyed Heartsick and was anticipating the same reaction to Sweetheart. Sweetheart could have simply been additional chapters to Heartsick. Before buying Sweetheart you must read Heartsick or you will hate the book. The story line in Heartsick is good enough to hook you into reading the sequel and even future books to see what happens with Archie, Gretchen, and Susan. I really wanted to like the character of Archie but had a hard time getting past his infatuation with Gretchen. I could have forgiven him if he hooked up with Susan instead of going back to his wife but I can't understand his desire for Gretchen. How can someone be attracted to someone they think is evil? It just isn't in my personality to be able to comprehend that type of attraction. Chelsea's style is along the lines of Gwen Hunter, Erica Spindler, Karin Slaughter, Alex Kava, Tess Gerritsen, and Tami Hoag. However, she hasn't quite yet reached their level yet. I think she is off to a good start with her story line. She just needs to develop the story further to keep readers hooked.

A solid read, captivating readers with the sexual tension and underlying passion between the heroine and the dark hero. For fans of this author, you will find it her most compelling yet and anxious for the next saga. Write Deanna write!

This book was definitely better than the last. To a point I did enjoy [book:Silent in the Grave], but the solving point I felt ruined what could have been a perfectly great mystery. But that's enough about that. I really enjoyed this one. This was not just one mystery, but several wrapped up in one. There was some romance and extreme feelings between various persons and trying to see them was a task. I enjoyed this story, and it makes me anxious to read [book: Silent on the Moor], because I believe it will be even better. The first book I would not recommend to certain audiences, but I believe that most people could read this one without much affect in a negative sense. It is much more tasteful and enjoyable. I felt as if I could see clues and piece them together, when with the first novel it was more of a jolt of information here and there. In my opinion, this author is getting better and better.

If you need to get lost for a day or so, but just cant bring your brain to absord "The world without us" or "The God Delusion" get this book, a big beach umbrella and enjoy. Sure, its bubblegum, but fabulous bubblegum. The charachters are fun and absorbing and the story holds its own. Some dialogue is hokey, but nothing that will cause you any real pain. Seriously worth it.

This less-than-successful follow up to Silent in the Grave does not have the clever plotting found in the first installment. The pace drags until the murder finally happens halfway through the book.

Upon being drawn to the cover at a local library, I read the back of the book and had expected another sorry attempt at the genre so favorably called, "romantic suspense". While the genre itself boasts quite a few good novels, most of the time they have nothing else to offer than obvious plot lines, thinly stretched twists, much-too-familiar characters that all sum up to frustrating cliches.

Nonetheless, I had some time to kill and I invested some doubtful minutes reading and skimming through. As I went deeper into the story, pleasantly surprised, I became intrigued by the Christie-esque settings, characters, etc, which were all thoroughly charming, but most of all the witty dialogues and the characters' acerbic tongues that reminded me of Salinger. These lent the book a delicious seasoning on top of what could have been a story vulnerable to a few dull scenes (though I admit that readers have to learn to be patient when involved in this genre).

Solving criminal mysteries and delving into little clues that trail after the culprits and finally meting out justice is not my idea of a favorite book, but Silent in the Sanctuary is delightfully refreshing and unconventional, and I was kept chuckling until the very last sentence of the book. I'll look forward to the next installment of the series very much!

I don't think any book creates the inner tension like this one. This and Brothers Karamzov are must reads of FD.

So let me ask a question in a primitive, modern way...

Is this damn thing any good? Uh, yeah.

Fyodor's novel is called one of the greatest ever written for a reason. It is a masterful work, filled with suspense, fascinating characters, great atmosphere, intelligent dialogue, twists and turns, and a great, satisfying ending. It is a true cerebral novel, one that really emulates Dostoyevsky's outlook on life and art itself. Raskolnikov is one of the most fascinating, well known characters in all of literature, and even to this day, he is still talked about and discussed. This book, along with Notes from the Underground, are my favorite Dostoyevsky novels.

I also love this book because it shreds the idea of Nietzsche's "superman" ideal. Many have grossly misinterpreted Dostoyevsky's attitude towards Raskolnikov. Some make the argument that he is a model of the Nietzschian superman. Raskolnikov certainly acts like the "superman", thinking that since he has a superior intellect that that entitles him to, essentially, shred off the chains of the morality that governs others, and that he is free to do what he wishes, as the laws of "lesser men" don't apply to him. Fyodor, however, does not agree with this and shows that it is a false assumption that intelligent people make when they believe they are superior to anyone. We can argue the wider point that the Nietzschian superman isn't a superman at all, but an arrogant, deluded man who puts himself above everyone because he believes he is superior to everyone. Raskolnikov is exactly like this, until reality and Sonia make him realise that he isn't the Superman at all, just another human being, and a deeply human one at that. I believe many people who interpret Dostoyevsky as "pro-Superman" (in the Nietzsche sense, not the Marvel Comics one) are simply putting their own personal beliefs on Dostoyevsky's prose, and are not looking at the novel with clear and thoughtful eyes.

This is a wonderful novel, one of the greatest ever written, and one that can be revisited again and again.

Crime and Punishment is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest novel ever written. I first read this masterpiece of fiction and philosophy at the beginning of my senior year in high school (August 22) and finally got to its end with tears falling from my eyes on the night of December 23, 2005.

Not since finishing On the Road can I say that I have read a better novel.

It was like a pathetic escape from life when I followed all of these facinating characters around Dostoevsky's St. Petersburg.

Without a doubt, my favorite part of the book was at the beginning when Raskolnikov wandered into a bar and met Marmeladov, the hopeless, yet loveble drunk who is kind of the Micawber of the story if we may compare this monumental work of fiction with an obviously inferior one. Marmeladov just gives Raskolnikov his life story and talkes about his alcohol addiction and how it harms his wife and children. What really struck me the first time I read that part was Marmeladov's eloquence in saying how much he was ashamed of himself and sorry for putting his family through such pain. Then he says that meek ones like him on the last day shall be redeemed.

What we have at that part is the most beautiful part in world literature. It hit a bullseye with me and this simple scene of the drunkard's dignity is just the welcome Dostoevsky gives the reader. I love the friendship between Marmeladov and Raskolnikov and the depth of the character of Raskolnikov is simply astounding. It is just the epoch of psychological characterization.

The philosophy Marmeladov lays down to Raskolnikov at the beginning, salvation, redemption through suffering is very powerful (and true). We all have a cross to bear, especially Dostoevsky when he was writing this incredible work of fiction. It makes one romantically picture the great prophet slaving over this masterpiece with only a candle to light his writing in that beautiful language of Russian and finally finishing it and probably using the first pay to gamble.

I love you friend Fyodor Mikhailovich
and I love your novel.

I hath spoken to my friend...ECCE HOMO.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?
This is probably the best fictional study of the effects of guilt and radical ideas on a troubled mind. The prose is flowing, and it's not hard to see why Dostoevsky considered his novels "poems".
Dostoevsky's works in general are marred by a flaw I prefer to ignore as much as I can, and in this novel it is hardly present. Dostoesky's politics are odious, his nationalism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Polish sentiments absolutely ruined a section of The Brothers Karamazov for me and in The Gambler I felt their effect dramatically. They only crop up once in Crime and Punishment, that is when (plot spoiler coming soon) Svidrigailov is about to shoot himself, when Dostoevsky describes the Jewish guard as having "that sour look common to all members of that tribe", or something very close to those words.
All in all, I feel that Dostoevsky's politics can be excused, and prefer to focus on the positive attributes of his writing. There are many, and it isn't difficult.

I absolutely loved reading this book. Unfortunately, most people are forced to read it in college, skim it because it is so long (550 pages of text), and, therefore, never get a chance to appreciate Dostoevsky's genius, which lies in his description of characters and what drives them. Dostoevsky's reputation for writing depressing books just isn't relevant here. Suspense and reveling in his insight into his characters dominates. Despite the book being over 150 years old, you feel like the book could have been written yesterday.

Just a note of interest, Woody Allen's excellent movie Match Point (2006) takes a huge amount of thematic material and action from Crime and Punishment, and some particularly memorable sections are taken down to the smallest details. The main character in the movie is pictured several times reading this book, so Allen definitely wanted us to know something was up, and as I started reading, I just smiled and smiled, knowing that Woody Allen was rewarding me for following his not so subtle hint. When the movie came out I had just discovered Dostoevsky and was reading The Brothers Karamazov. Talk about chance!

I would also highly recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation, because it definitely does make a difference.

Well, I guess I join the ever growing list of readers completely disappointed in Cornwell's recent work. Is this the same author who wrote compelling mysteries with equally compelling characters? Absolutely terrible writing, unsympathetic characters and just so bad. So glad it was from the library. After this attempt, I may just give up on any future attempts at Cornwell's novels.

For a Scarpetta (Cornwall) fan since the beginning, this was a grand disappointment. I felt that she just churned this out on the way to the bank. The series should die with Rose. Cornwall should spend all her time on her new position in the forensic field.

I have read as far as page 48 and then looked at these reviews to see if I was missing something and I see I'm not. 99% of the books I read are from the library so only time invested.

I think I've read every other Scarpetta book(I keep a list of books read and see I only read part of Predator-guess I didn't like it either)

It's time for Marino to ride off into the sunset, Lucy to get a life of her own - cut those apron strings, and Kay to get off the fence with her relationship with Benton, it's time for her to quietly retire, Ms Cornwell.

Again and again I find myself trying to read and enjoy Ms Cornwell's books. Again and again it seems that I'm unable to finish the work she's been doing since The Last Precinct. Others have commented on the change of style, so I won't go into that. What I find unpalatable is the utter joylessness of her writing. I treasure her early books but I can't understand why Ms Cornwell seems to think she has to keep on writing this series. She should go on and do something fresh and new instead of slowly suffocating Scarpetta and her 'family'. I'm sad to say that I have done with her.

I JUST FINISHED "BOOK OF THE DEAD" AND WAS SADLY DISAPPOINTED. I ALMOST FEEL LIKE I NEED TO RE-READ IT TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE TWISTS AND TURNS AND CHARACTERS IN THIS MIS-ADVENTURE. I AM FAIRLY NEW TO READING PATRICIA CORNWELL BOOKS AND HAVE NOT READ ALL OF THEM BUT I AM GOING TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING AND READ THE ONES I MISSED. WHEN I GET TO THIS ONE AGAIN I WLL STOP. I READ ALL THE OTHER REVIEWS AND KNOW I AM NOT ALONE AND I FEEL THE BOOKS CORNWELL WROTE EARLIER ARE THE "GOOD" ONES THAT ARE WORTH READING.

The story has been told by other reviewers, unfortunately one gave away the ending. The reviews are accurate. The story flows and kept me turning the pages. If one takes the time it really does not make any sense but it is summer and who cares. The characters are all predictable but that is what is expected. It is hard to rate this book but I gave it 4 stars because it delivers what is promised.

The major question I have is why the prologue is there. It gives away a lot of the story early on and it did not add to my enjoyment.

This was one really good page-turner. Eventhough I'd figured out who did what it still didn't detract from this well written novel. Once again, Mr Margolin has given us a wonderful, suspenseful, compelling read. I highly recommend.

An associate lawyer doing pro bono work and an ex-cop turned part-time PI both come to the conclusion that the President may be a serial muderer.
Mr. Margolin weaves a pageturning tale bringing the disparate storylines into one great read.
With the sexual-political shenanigans of recent years adds a hint of possibility to this story.
I could not put down this book and read it in one sitting. This is the first book by this author that I have read. Definitely will check out his previous works and am looking forward to the next book.

Private Investigator Dana Cutler is given an assignment by an unknown client to follow a pretty college student, Charlotte Walsh and to report on her whereabouts at all times. Dana follows the girl to a secret assignation with the President of the USA where she takes some night photos which clearly show both the girl and the President. The next morning, Walsh's body shows up and Dana goes into hiding to avoid reprisals from the President's Secret Service. Meanwhile, young attorney Brad Miller is given the job of trying to prove the innocence of a jailed serial killer, Clarence Little, who protests that although he is willing to confess to other killings, he didn't commit this one. He is a truly evil man who mutilated the bodies of his female victims and kept their little fingers as a souvenir. It's a very good read with lots of twists and turns and enough suspense to keep the reader up long after bed time.

What a roller coaster of a book, I loved it. Who did it? Was it the President of the US? It couldn't have been. I read this in one sitting. I won't give a way any juicy details, but as I got halfway though the book, I knew who did it. Read it, I think you will enjoy it. Phillip Margolin never disappoints.

I tried with this "classic" ... two times, then a third ... and as much as the first few chapters (the exchanges between Marlowe and the daughter) were brilliant, I couldn't finish the thing. Just couldn't. I have an issue with private eye books anyway, but this one (between the several characters and all the confusion) just didn't take hold. I thought the exchanges between Marlowe and the kid (who killed the guy who killed his boyfriend) were great also, but immediately after that scene, I folded. It's probably my issue with private eye novels anyway, but aside from the wonderful dialogue, I had a hard time swallowing and ultimately couldn't/didn't finish The Big Sleep ... i became too anxious to read what was waiting in the bin (The Leopard). This is just the 2nd novel I couldn't finish this year (2008).

For my money, the James Cain novels were pure gold by comparison.

The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler

"I went to bed full of whiskey and frustration and dreamed about a man in a bloody Chinese coat who chased a naked girl with long jade earrings while I ran after them and tried to take a photograph with an empty camera."

Only Raymond Chandler could write a sentence like that. He's easy to parody, but impossible to improve on. In "The Big Sleep" (1939) he leads us through a sleazy LA world of hookers, pimps, pornographers, blackmailers, gambling junkies, and floozies too many to mention.
Their indiscretions lead Philip Marlowe from one red herring to another. Marlowe manages to keep his head high and his standards out of the gutter that surrounds him.

It's easy to see how much Chandler influenced everyone who followed him, consciously or not-- Mickey Spillane, James Ellroy, Sue Grafton, Elmore Leonard and so on.

Some of his work is dated: Greater Los Angeles was still surrounded by Orange and Avocado groves, gang-bangers didn't rule neighborhoods, and the Papparazzi hadn't taken over Sunset Boulevard. Men still wore hats and dressed for dinner, and people went out to Clubs in the evening. There is male chauvinism, political incorrectness, racism, and homophobia, but those were part of the times.

Chandler's work was a natural for the movies, and for radio. His ear for dialogue was matchless. Written by Chandler and director Billy Wilder, the screenplay of James M. Cain's "Double Indemnity" became a classic with Fred MacMurry, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson. His later works, "T he Long Goodbye: and "The Lady in the Lake" show a bit more maturity and cohesiveness. But it's safe to say that books like "LA Confidential" and "T he Black Dahlia" wouldn't exist without the earlier works of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.

Although I understand the popularity of the genre, murder mysteries like The Big Sleep are not usually satisfying reading experiences for me. I frequently feel like I'm missing or overemphasizing clues: "Does that empty coffee cup mean something?" "Oh, his eyebrow went up! He must have done it!"

With The Big Sleep, I still experienced that feeling a bit, but the characters and voice were so strong and compelling that they more than made up for the plot twists and angles. Raymond Chandler's sentences are artistic masterpieces and clear influences on many 20th Century literary and cinematic archetypes.

Marlowe is a strong individual. The other Raymond Chandler characters are like Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, searching for meaning in all the wrong places.

The Big Sleep is Raymond Chandler's first novel featuring Philip Marlowe, the private eye who is the main character in most of Chandler's novels. The author immediatly thrusts the reader into the story without wasting any time on introductions or setting up characters. It's refreshing to read an author who gets straight to the point without wasting any words. The story begins with Marlowe being hired by a wealthy old man to discover the source of an extortion attempt, but the story quickly expands to include murder, pornography, and a few missing people. Marlowe is very methodical and impartial in his investigations, creating a stark contrast to the seedy and unpredictable cast of characters. Chandler does a wonderful job of portraying Los Angeles in the 1930's as it really was with its hidden dark side behind the beautiful exterior of fancy houses and nice suits. Although Chandler's style is a little dry, he has still created a thoroughly readable story without any unnecessary descriptions to slow it down. It's a shame that Chandler didn't start on his writing career until the age of 39. Even so, he was still able to write some other outstanding Marlowe novels to carry on his legacy.

Before Jim Thompson's nihilistic, tough guy crime fiction, and long before smart-talking private detectives like Robert Crais' Elvis Cole or Dennis Lehane's Patrick Kenzie, there was Raymond Chandler and his prototype hard boiled PI, Phillip Marlowe. While Hammett's Sam Spade pre-dates Marlowe's 1939 debut here in "The Big Sleep", Chandler - through Marlowe - is arguably the standard by which all others are measured, the author who could credibly lay claim as the master of the irreverent maverick sleuth: the fast-fisted, impossibly clever, dame-magnet which so many have since sought to emulate. Less debatable is Chandler's mastery the style and the elegance of prose that he introduced to pulp fiction - sharp and lean as one would expect of the genre, but rich in simile and image and as readable today as it was nearly seven decades ago.

In "The Big Sleep", in what looks like a routine case, Marlowe is summoned by a fatally ill millionaire to track down a blackmailer holding compromising pictures of one of his two wayward adult daughters. Chandler gets right to the point in spinning a tale of thugs and hit men trading in pornography and gambling, leading to more murders than a Mel Gibson movie and dalliances sleazy enough to make Bill Clinton blush. Still, while the violence and sex is quaint by today's no-holds-barred onslaught, it is no less effective - consider the terror of the shower screen in Hitchcock's brilliant "Psycho" - one of film's most disturbing moments, though the knife is never seen striking flesh.

In fairness, "The Big Sleep" is not Chandler's finest moment. The initial transgression seems neatly wrapped up with nearly half of the book to go, and one wonders what Marlowe is doing as he aimlessly kicks around what seem to be meaningless loose ends in a rather muddled middle of the book. But Chandler's craft keeps the reader engaged, wrapping up with a few clever twists and enough (barely) of the irony these early masters of pulp fiction are so well noted for.

If you're a fan of pop crime fiction and haven't gone back to read Chandler (or Thompson, Hammett, Block, Westlake, McBain...), you've got some real treats ahead of you. Great entertainment, while at the same time a peak into the roots and inspiration for so many of today's best crime writers.