1 comments about Sokaiya: Extortion, Protection, and the Japanese Corporation (East Gate Books).

1. Provides a look at Japan's seedy relationship with corporate extortion and the surprising symbiosis that exists. Also very readable and easy to read, organized well.

4 comments about The Money Lovers.

1. Highly recommended noir - where has this author been



2. Went out and got my copy (like I said in my Cons review) and finished it in two days! What great follow-up. This book moves from start to finish and the characters keep you hooked. You feel like you are along for the ride. This would make a great movie (along the lines of Pulp Fiction).



3. Mr. Watts, I think you're an exceptional writer...This book is incredible. I would love to get an option on it or on "Cons," but the last time I checked...someone already had an option. I've made several films(shorts) one 33 minutes long--The Death Pages, won 1997 Worldfest Charleston and I acted/produced another for approx. $200K (not my money,of course). I called your agent Innovative Artists and they always tell me "Cons" is taken...maybe their option will run out one day and you'll give me a shot. I love your work and I can't wait to see what you do next. Maybe it'll be a film with me.



4. Hyped as being tip-top hardboiled noir, but I found it nothing special. Ex-Marine comes back to Southern hometown to find old flame married to a swindler. Everybody's greedy, sleeping with each other, and so on. You can guess where it heads from there...

No comments about With Hiroshima Eyes: Atomic War, Nuclear Extortion, and Moral Imagination.

No comments about Kidnap, Hijack and Extortion.

3 comments about Aurora Floyd (Oxford World's Classics).

1. Having devoured Trollope, Willkie Collins, I happened onto Aurora Floyd and was truly surprised to find such an outstanding story so beautifully written. A dark secret revealed, a murder and a love story, this is a wonderful book.



2. "Aurora Floyd" may not be the best novel Mary Elizabeth Braddon wrote -- the honor goes to "Lady Audley's Secret" -- but, the book is still intriguing because of the contrast it makes with the other book and many other comtemporary novels, especially "Jane Eyre." And if you don't have these historical interest, the book is pretty interesting thanks to its good story telling.

   "Aurora Floyd" follows the history of the heroine of the same name, who has a shady past left in France. Aurora, unrestrained morally in her youth, hides some secret, but still attractive enough to make the two heroes fall in love with her. Without telling the nature of the secret, Aurora, strong-willed and candid, a gives a clear warning to one of them, proud Talbot Bulstrode, that he may one day regret his rash action if he dares to marry her. While he vanishes from her to marry other woman, tame and tender-hearted Lucy, the other suitor meek John Mellish succeeds in winning her heart, and he immediately marries her, not knowing her secret. As the time goes on, however, her hidden secret emerges from the past, and finally catches up with Aurora, living now quietly in a countryside. She must face the past, but how? While she is tormented by the sense of guilt, her husband began to suspect something wicked is going on, and he too began to suffer.

   The story is melodramatic, but it is the merit of sensation novels, the genre in vogue during the 1860s, and Braddon, as she showed in her previous (actually written almost at the same time) "Lady Audley's Secret," is very good at handling the subject. It is notable, however, that the author intends to do something different this time, spending more pages on the analysis of the psychology of the characters. The result is a mixed bag; sometimes she shows good descriptions of characters with a witty touch, which reminds us of Thackeray, the story sometimes gets slower because of too much philosophy. Compared with the fast-paced "Lady Audley's Secret," her new experiment may look somewhat damaging.

   But as a whole, the book is agreeable, and after you finish two-thirds of the book, Braddon makes the plot speedier. The last part includes one of the earliest examples of detective story, and a good (but short) portrayal of detective Joseph Grimstone's work is still fascinating. But the greatest merit of the book is its sub-text dealing with incredibly violent passion of Aurora, whose image is clearly mocking the typical angelic image of Victorain women. One of the book's scenes, in which the heroine gives a shower of blows with her wrip to her stable-man who bullied her dog, caused sensation and scandalized some critics. The description is still impressive today.

   In conclusion, "Aurora Floyd" is a fairly gripping story, even though it is not the best place to start reading her books or Victorian novels. If you think you are familiar with those Victoraiin novels, or want to read one of the effect following the impact of Bronte's "Jane Eyre," try it.

   Trivia: Braddon lived long (died in 1915), and before her death, she even watched the filmed version of her own "Aurora Floyd." Her life story is as intriguing as a story she wrote.

   [NOTE ON THE TEXT] Oxford University Press's "Aurora Flyod" uses the later edition of the book while Broadview Press's uses an earlier edition. The former one is considerable changed from the latter, so for the academic use you must be careful.




3. Beautiful Aurora is spoiled and petted but she carries a dreadful secret. As a young woman she impulsively marries her father's groom, leading him to pay the unsuitable suitor off.. But it will all come back to haunt her later, when she marries again. Among the most compelling "neglected" works of Victorian fiction.

5 comments about Wolfpointe.

1. A very nicely done book! The characters are well drawn, the plot interesting and fast paced. The book does a wonderful job of drawing the reader in and keeps you guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book!



2. The first few pages set up the various elements and characters, leaving the reader a little puzzled as to the lack of continuity, then the pieces all start to come together into a very satisfactory, quick, page-turning read. The story is a combination of Indian legend, modern pollution problems and a good guy/bad guy thriller. A very good first novel and I look forward to this author's next book. A sequel to "Wolfpointe" would be welcome.



3. Ace Underground Specialists Earl Suggs prides himself with always being first at the job site, but this time when he tosses his match into the ditch a fire ball erupts and engulfs him. Timber Park Police Department Officer Malcolm "Mac" MacKurghdy arrives at the scene as the first responder to investigate. He realizes that the case is not quite a negligent accident as some things involving the "gas" fails to fit the circumstances. Still his superior Captain Dave Strickland informs him the case is resolved as a stupid tragic incident.
   
   Veterinarian Dr. Elaine Johnson alarmingly wonders about a geometric increase in the number of animals tortured, mutilated and murdered. She and Mac make inquiries that lead to wealthy Clinton Delevan, who has under construction over one hundred homes that will sell for $500,000 each, but only town leaders and Delevan know that underneath the exclusive site is a toxic swamp. Ironically unbeknownst to these avarice souls the toxin in the swamp has dramatically magnified the Ojibwa Indians' Windigo deep hatred of humanity, as the spirit wolf speaks for the swamp desecrated by mankind.
   
   The cast turns this intriguing supernatural police procedural into a must read for fans of both genres. The story line mixes everyday rural living with greedy investors and an otherworldly essence into an action-packed tale. Interestingly Mac is a terific character struggling with his who-done-it inquiries that is difficult enough since the evidence seems illogical, but also with his superior yanking him off his investigation for reasons that just fail to make sense to him. Rick Buda is on the environmental side of the development debate, yet any fan of a supernatural tale will appreciate his cautionary thriller.
   
   Harriet Klausner



4. I picked this up due to its high "word of mouth" recommendation from a website I frequent. I eagerly started reading it and put it down after page 4. The repetitive, wordy prose circles around a detail creating a 7 sentence description where a 5 word one would do. The author knows police procedure from "reading all about it" instead of experience and it shows. I'm not sure about the plot, I'm too angry that I paid money for this to read it closely enough to know what it's actually about. The author found a small publisher, possibly a vanity publisher, to get this drivel on the market. Another bit of info, the author is touting the "award" for which he's been nominated. It's from a website where one pays $50 bucks per entry to have the work "promoted" as an award nominee/winner. I'm still nauseous. I'll be certain to avoid future works by this author.



5. Who would want to spend a small fortune to live in a housing development called WolfPointe? Personally, that doesn't sound like the kind of place I would want to raise a family. Apparently, a good number of people don't share my concerns, as Delevan Enterprises is making money hand over fist from the sale of property that the Delevan family has owned for decades. Naturally, whatever wolves once roamed the area are now gone (despite an occasional sighting of a lone wolf deep in the surrounding forest), but that doesn't mean bad things don't happen there in the dark of night - or even the crack of dawn. Just ask construction worker Earl Sugg - oh, wait, he's dead. Extremely dead. "He done blowed up real good" dead. His death was ruled an accident, though - to everyone, that is, but Officer Mac MacKurghdy, whose unanswered questions about the tragedy are stymied early and often by his superiors.
   
   When dead animals begin turning up in the same area, some horribly mutilated and some seemingly poisoned, Mac digs in even harder about the mysterious goings-on in this burgeoning real estate community. He even calls in a local veterinarian to get an expert opinion as to what might have killed the animals. The toxicology reports give Mac his first inkling as to the real danger Wolfpointe represents. Silent toxicity in the swamp can't explain all of the deaths, however. A large German Shepherd, for example, is found to have been attacked on one side of a tall fence and then thrown over said fence after the fact. Only something or somebody large and cruel could have done that - something like a creature rumored to haunt the local swamps since the days that Native Americans called that land home. Its name: the Wendigo.
   
   Mac's a good cop; in fact, his dedication to his job helped break up his first marriage. It bothers him a great deal when his superiors order him to sign off on the Earl Sugg case before all of the evidence has been analyzed. Things get much worse, though, when those same superiors grow tired of his delays and openly question his competence. The righteous anger this fuels within his soul only makes him more and more determined to get to the bottom of the big mystery - badge or no badge. It's obvious that there is a conspiracy afoot extending from the rich and powerful Delevan family to at least city hall and the police department, with those at the top willing to kill to protect their dirty little secret. Throw the possibility of a recidivistic creature stalking the woods into the mix, and you have quite a tale of mystery, greed, corruption, and murder going on here - and author Rick Buda ties everything together quite satisfactorily in the end, making Wolfpointe a pretty solid, suspenseful, action-packed novel.

2 comments about The Last Defense.

1. Mercer Early has everything a man could want. He is a defense attorney at one of the most prestigious law firms in the country; he's in love with the boss's daughter; finally one of the two senior partners thinks he's got a bright future ahead of him. He has just won an acquittal for doper Darion Mayfield by proving that the lead detective on the case, Detective Burris beat a confession out of the defendant and then perjured himself on the stand.

   Before Burris is taken into custody, he threatens to get even with Darion. Only a few days later the doper is found dead in a dumpster with a witness placing Burris at the scene. The detective's lover blackmails Mercer into defending Burris who believes his client is innocent and is being framed. Mercer is getting insider information from Internal Affairs Detective Mingus who is investigating an officer who may be responsible for a frame.

   THE LAST DEFENSE is an exciting legal thriller that will appeal to fans of John Grisham. It's obvious that Christopher Darden knows his way around a courtroom as he proves to be a winning writer when paired with veteran author Dick Lochte. The story line is fast-paced hooking the reader from the early courtroom drama to the strong climax.

   Harriet Klausner




2. The Last Defense is proof of life after OJ. Mr. Darden & Mr. Lochte have struck gold with this LA Law mystery thriller. Mr. Darden shows that he is still at his peak performance as a writer. He and Lochte make a great team! I hope there is more to come, like a MOVIE. I loved the Trials of Nikki Hill, and this is even better!!!!!

No comments about The Punisher: The Final Days: Extortion! (The Punisher, Vol. II, No. 53, Oct. 1991).

No comments about Kidnap, Extortion Coverages Evolving.: An article from: National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management.

No comments about Flickering images: live television coverage and viewership of the army--McCarthy hearings.(Joseph R. McCarthy): An article from: The Historian.