5 comments about The Case That Never Dies: The Lindbergh Kidnapping.

1. As someone who has researched the Lindbergh kidnapping extensively for the past fifteen to sixteen years and as someone who is currently writing a book on the case, I waited with baited breath for many months for this book. I was hopeful that, based on Mr. Gardner's reputation, that this would be a significant book on the case that would dispel many of the legends and falsehoods associated with the case. I could not have been more disappointed.
   
   From a literary standpoint, the book was not written well. It is a tedious read and lacks any prominent ending. The book just stops.
   
   The theories offered by Gardner are not consistent with the facts and evidence. There are only two new pieces of evidence offered and no significant discussion of the "tabletop confession" which is the latest and most significant development in the case in at least ten years.
   
   Even more disturbing are the casual references to outlandish theories without any evidence or support. For example, Gardner suggests that Violet Sharpe -- the victim of a suicide-- was actually murdered by Septimus Banks. This one line is extreme and not one iota of proof is offered. There are many other examples.
   
   Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the book are the inaccurate citations. At one point, Gardner accuses John Condon of sexual improriety with a student and actually cites Condon's own memoirs as support. When I referered to my 1st edition copy of Condon's book and checked the citation, there was absolutely nothing there.
   
   In all, the book was a major disappointment. I gave it one star because it is the lowest rating your system permits.
   
   There are arguments to be made on both sides of this great case. As an expert in this area, I very much enjoy good debate and was hoping this book would be intellectually stimulating. Instead, Mr. Gardner served only to further muddy the waters.



2. The dust jacket of The Case That Never Dies by Lloyd Gardner (Rutgers Univ Press, 2004), states this is the first book [on the LKC] by a historian. Whether Hauptmann was guilty or not, Gardner concludes there was insufficient evidence to convict him of first degree murder. Hmmm... what then was he guilty of? Manslaughter, extortion, bad luck, or anti-German prejudice?
   
   There is much newly uncovered documentation, mainly from the FBI Records at College Park, Maryland, and the NJSP Archive. But totally omitted, for reasons that are unclear (for 3 years of delving), are the repositories known as the Bronx DA'a Papers and the NYPD Archives. Charles Appel's Treasury Report on Hauptmann's handwriting, and detailed analyses on ransom bill passing prior to the notorious shoebox discovery, are simply ignored.
   
   Unfortunately, despite the advertising, the CTND is simply the latest book that has tried to sort through endless reams of data, but still manages to get many historical details egregiously wrong.
   
   Characters and dates, ages, and other book titles are mangled throughout - misspelling even Hauptmann's name and that of the fortune tellers Peter and Mary Birrittella (two different ways on the same page), and even the 'Sheraton' Theatre in Greenwich Village. Sometimes Joe Perrone is John Perrone. On p. 305, he claims that Hauptmann's German-English Dictionary never appeared at the Trial - but it WAS introduced by the Prosecution and is listed in the Exhibits section.
   
   The technique used in the chapters on personalities mainly concern innuendo - why was CALjr's picture on the Wanted poster taken from his first birthday party (it wasn't), and why did Betty Gow really use those safety pins to fasten Charley's blanket the night of Mar 1, 1932? We are ominously told (p. 410) that the baby was suffering from a rare malady called (craniotobes) - brittle bones of the head. The correct term is actually craniotabes and its definition is quite the opposite - excessive softening of cranial structures. The truth, rather banal, is that the child suffered from rickets, for which he was being treated by daily doses of Viosterol and artifical (ultraviolet) light - a fact freely admitted in the diet published in the newspapers. Statements in one chapter are contradicted in another, as if the author has not read his own book.
   
   For example, some lost inventory cards have been found at the NJSPM which indicate that plaster casts were made of footprints at Hopewell - not specifically however of the footprint under the window. On p. 369, we are told that the State Police kept this exculpatory information from the Defense, and yet on p. 319, we are reminded that the very same details were openly printed on the front page of the NY Times (in a highlighted box), before the Trial (Sept 28). So which is it?
   
   There are 2 photos of John Condon making the most of his new found fame and a single line, in passing, that JFC (alone) refused to accept any of the Lindbergh reward money. Rarely is an honest gesture understood. A mysterious footnote that Katy Fredericksen was having an affair the night she claimed that Anna was working is given as a Confidential Source. No further explanation... This is worthy of Startling Detective magazine, and keeps the pulp tradition of the 1930s alive.
   
   What about the myths that have accumulated about the LKC over the years - should an historian help to dispel those? It doesn't happen here - on p. 19, once again we read that Lindbergh (forgot about a speaking engagement in NYC) on that fateful Tuesday. But the original records at NYU show exactly what happened - Lindbergh's secretary was misinformed and he thought he had agreed to show up on Friday, but not to speak. Chancellor Brown's wife had died in the interim and the date was sent in error.
   
   Gardner deserves credit for locating the Mar 1-15, 1932 Reliance Payroll (at the NJSPM) - the one so touted by Scaduto and Kennedy as holding the key. So why not show it? Aha - Hauptmann's name is not there, as the Prosecution always said.
   
   Should anyone get this book? I have to say (reluctantly) "yes." Despite my serious reservations about the poor use of the documentation and the self-defeating methodology and tone, Gardner does manage to cite a lot of material which will prove endlessly useful - to others.



3. There is something in the nature of crimes of note (and the conspiracies and competing theories they engender) that bring out the zealot in all of us. Such seems to be the case with the reactions to Dr Gardner's The Case That Never Dies : The Lindbergh Kidnapping. As noted elsewhere, Dr Gardner is the first professional historian to tackle the case, at least in book form. And his credentials are impressive: a professor of history at Rutgers University and the recipient of two Fulbright Professorships and a Guggenheim Fellowship. But credentials count for little when faced with the competing theories of die-hard case followers.
   
   Dr Gardner's work is without doubt the best researched of all books on the case and a raft of new information is brought to the fore, all of it meticulously footnoted. However, where Dr Gardner differs from previous authors is his overall approach to analysing the case and the evidence. While the other major works are best described as "theory" books - i.e. they set out to prove Hauptmann innocent or Hauptmann guilty and wear such motives on their sleeves - Dr Gardner instead attempts to put the events in historical context and draws parallels with modern day attitudes to capital punishment. He poses more questions than he answers; he gives fertile ground for additional research. This, perhaps, is the nub of the problem for the self-appointed experts.
   
   Discourse on the case today tends to focus on competing - and hotly disputed - theories. There is no generally accepted truth of the Lindbergh case, save that accepted in a court of law in Flemington in 1935. And that, after all, is but one theory. What seems to have enraged the natives is Dr Gardner's refusal to adopt a particular theory, his reluctance to draw conclusions, to join them on whatever side of the fence they happen to be. But that is a reflection of the book that they wished to read (or in some cases write) rather than the book which Dr Gardner - as is his right - chose to pen.
   
   The book itself does contain some typos and there are some minor errors (and other alleged errors which are in fact just differences of interpretation), but to distort these into damnation of the book as a whole is to rather miss the point. For any student of the crime, this is an indispensable read and the most thorough reference book on the case. One doesn't have to agree with all of Dr Gardner's interpretations because the evidence itself is presented so clearly and is so well referenced that anyone who wishes to research further can do so off the back of Dr Gardner's hard work. The book focuses on the central timeline and the arrest and conviction of Hauptmann. The tangential stories of hoaxers Curtis and Means are given little further exposure as Dr Gardner chooses to concentrate on the meat of the case.
   
   Expertise on the Lindbergh case is not measured through any long-service medal, or by commitment to any official theory but rather by recognising that however much one does know, one does not know everything. And that is what Dr Gardner offers: something for every student of the case, new or old. And given the mountain of literature on the case already, what more can anyone ask but that?



4. After reading the other reviews I was apprehensive about purchasing this book, but I was pleasently surprised by it. The author has spent much time ferreting out those small but important details that make the Lindbergh kidnapping so enigmatic and entrancing. While there may be mistakes to be found in this work, I don't think they in any way detract from the overall balance of the book. I found Lloyd Gardner's book to be insightful and well tempered. Highly recommended for the serious or first time Lindbergh kidnapping reader.



5. "The Case That Never Dies: The Lindbergh Kidnapping", Lloyd Gardner, Rutgers Univ. Ress, NJ, 2004. ISBN: 0-8135-3385-6, HC 415 pgs., plus Notes 44 pgs., Biblio. 4 pgs., Index 14 pgs., and 30 B & W Photographs/Illustrations. 9 1/2" x 6 1/2".
   
   Gardner, a distinguished Prof. of History & author of a dozen books gives a fair-minded exaustive analysis of the Lindbergh baby's kidnapping (Mar. 1, 1932), ransom, murder, and the subsequent apprehension, trial (Jan. 2, 1935), conviction and execution (Apr. 3, 1936) of german immigrant Bruno Richard Hauptmann (BRH). To the chagrin of many readers, but more-so to the author's credit, is Gardner's neutrality or foregoing of taking one side or the other, but rather walking a fine line to avoid and evade bias, prefering facts to speak for themselves but still pointing out errors made by authorities & both legal counsels.
   
   The writer drew heavily upon FBI records and from the official Police records, papers and documents in repositaries, museums, etc. Of interest are photographs of the colorful notables and of the Lindbergh's home floor plans. The book has 16 chapters, each rather sharply devoted to the testimony or viewpoints of a specific person, topic or subject matter. The read is tedious at times for much is built upon recorded witness testimony in and out of court, oft "she-says he-says", and at many times outbursts from questionable sources having questionable motives -- but all of which is part and parcel of the Hauptmann trial. We learn, for example, of the tricky and complicated money transfers by BRH in a variety of business schemes and con games, stock market tradings, possibly money laundering, and how the ransom money gold certificates were crucial in finding BRH, and of the sundry hiding sites BRH used to stash away the ransom moneys. The author also deals with the previously noted imperfections of baby Lindbergh, alleged to have overlapping of toes bilaterally, enlarged cranium with open fontanelle and mention is made of possible rickets (not uncommon in those days, but no mention of possible hydrocephalus). Gardner also notes the 1948 discovery by Bolliard in NJ of writing on the underside of a small table that also had a small metal brace whose holes were discovered by Falzini in 2002 to matched the markings of the ransom notes precisely.
   
   "It was a two million dollar funeral", although BRH was a declared pauper, brought to bear by the states of NJ, NY and the USA to "turn a human being into a whisp of smoke and a jar of dust", said Lloyd Fisher. In the end, "Gardner concludes that there was insuffient evidence to convict him (BRH) of first-degree murder." It remains the finest documented book I've encountered on this subject, a must read.

2 comments about Rising Storm.

1. This was a solid sequel to First Instinct. I only have a few issues with the story.
   1. It seems both Conn and Leigh got 'hot and heavy' fairly quickly and I think that more romantic tension could have played well.
   2. The 'mysticism' of Leigh at the Buddist retreat was a tough pill to swallow as well as how the terrorists played into the group that had tried to kill Leigh and Conn in First Instinct. That part of the story didn't really come into focus.
   3. And, on a technical note, we never do find out about the extent of Conn's injury. She should have at least been using a cane if she was shot in the thigh.
   Overall, JLee tells a good story, and though this one may have been somewhat rushed, I enjoyed it.



2. JLee Meyer continues to establish herself as a talent in the lesbian fiction genre. This is her third published novel and this reader hopes she continues writing for a very long time.
   
   In this sequel to `First Instinct,' she takes the reader back to the lives of Conn Stryker and Leigh Grove as they continue to battle against the proverbial bad guys. Of course, these fellows (and one lady) aren't playing games and are willing to do anything to catch their quarry. In the process, Conn and Leigh meet a gang of women who are almost like a military contingent of Amazons. These women are both helpful and harmful to the protagonists, but ultimately know where their loyalties lie.
   
   With many unexpected twists and turns, the story is exciting. The reader is constantly surprised with every turn of the page. We already know the characters, but she develops them even further in this continuation of their story.
   
   Cheers to Meyer for a great book - and great wishes for many future publications.

5 comments about Burned Alive: A Shocking True Story of Betrayal, Kidnapping, and Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. This book was very well written and clear. Crowley is an excellent story teller and very accurate on each account. I found the true crime novel easy to read and an all-nighter. This cautionary tale is about a young college student, Kimberly Antonakos, who was viciously torched with gasoline and fire by the very people she extended her home to. The motive: absolute and insane greed! This case was heartbreaking and sends off a new respect for detectives in general. The sad moral in this story is that no one is your friend and becareful whom you befriend.



2. I just finished reading this book this morning... in only 2 days! One of those books where you WANT to keep reading and see what happens...

   I am interested to know if either Nick or Josh won their appeals and what kind of a life Jay has forged for himself...

   It makes you wonder who needs enemies with friends like these.. and you have to feel sorry for Tommy...

   I have a library of true crime books and this was the quickest one I read...




3. You have to ask yourself as you read about the kidnappers in this book: what were they thinking? To take a girl and strap her to a steel post in the middle of a somewhat abandoned house, and then burn her due to thinking she was dead (when she was suffering from hypothermia). And these were friends of the girl! All for a little bit of money, that they did not get (that is why she was burned). Very well written by this author.



4. Too long and detailed. She fell in with the wrong crowd but yet she still did not do the "things" they did and went to school? Doesn't sound right to me? I actually stopped reading cause it was so tiedious to read.



5. I don't know about you but to kidnap and leave someone to die and come back and burn her while she was still alive is unhuman. These people got what they deserved but the poor girl who had to live it and die the way she did was not some thing you wish on anyone.

5 comments about A Special Mission: Hitler's Secret Plot to Seize the Vatican and Kidnap Pope Pius XII.

1. It was a most difficult time for the world in general, and for Pius XII in particular. Hitler's ambition threatened to conquer all of Europe and impose a rule of tyranny. The Pope, while he was Secretary of State and before his election to the papacy, was on record as opposing Hitler and his policies, and was hated by the Fuhrer. A Special Mission was ordered by Hitler to Seize the Pope and transport him to northern Italy, and at the same time to eliminate the high officials in the Vatican government. This mission was given to General Karl Wolff, the SS Commandant in Rome. Wolff perceived this action as a detriment to the Nazi cause, thinking that the tide of public opinion would be overwhelmingly against Germany, and even affect the morale and support of the German troops, a large percentage of whom were Catholic. He also came to believe that Germany would not win the war, and that his efforts to abort the kidnap mission could help Germany to obtain honorable terms for surrender, and even an accord with the Allies to oppose Soviet Russia. Accordingly, the General did everything he could to short-circuit the plan, including warning the Pope about the Special Mission, and asking him to refrain from speaking out against Hitler, to avoid capture and the destruction of the Vatican government.
   
   Kurzman carefully records the many incidents that took place in this drama, many of them related to the exchanges between General Wolff and the Pope. There are many details that perhaps are not common knowledge, and from an historical perspective are quite interesting. While the intention of the author would seem to be vindication of Pius's role during World War II, the subtle questions he poses seem to me to be barbs inflicted for dereliction of duty - cheap shots. All in all, it is an interesting account of the battle between the Vatican and the Third Reich and is worthwhile reading.



2. Kurzman has done excellent work in this very well balanced history of Pope Pius and the Nazi threat in WWII. There are no excuses made or whitewash of what the Vatican did and did not do during the war but this book aids in having a better understanding of the situation, time, and place. It also offers some enlightenment into the thinking of the pope and the objectives of the Vatican. Very worthwhile to anyone interested in these issues and most certainly essential reading for anyone who has read "Hitler's Pope." It is clear from what Kurzman writes that Pius was not a supporter of Hitler and his policies. The complications, danger, and moral struggle of a basically good man of faith challenged by impossible circumstances in a world gone mad have never been presented in a better way.



3. This book had a great deal of promise as a historical true detective mystery. However it turned out to be history at it's most mundane. The prose was circular and stiff making it harder to read than it should have been. The facts are there if you don't mind the stiff prose.



4. In this book Dan Kurzman tells the story of WWII from the perspective of the Nazi hierarchy with an emphasis on General Karl Wolff and Himmler. It is illuminating to see the Reich from inside the power structure and to see how the plot to kidnap the Pope and loot the Vatican played out against the personal and political motivations of the men in the know.
   
   Also, Kurzman refrains from turning the book into an attack or defense of Pius XII. In chapter 13 and his epilogue he examines the debate as it is at this time. He does a good job of presenting both sides, but it does not seek to, as far as I could estimate, give an apology for the pope. It seems, actually, that he sympathizes more with those who criticize him (in the epilogue), but the way he writes it all, one can see he has a critical sympathy and presents both sides well.
   
   I must say the endnotes are as impressive as the bibliography. And with an index to boot, this book is really quite good. This seems to add new knowledge into the discussion and with good scholarship.
   
   Excellent work!



5. I'm a bit skeptical about books which portray Pope Pius XII as a thorn in the side of Hitler, but it's certainly possible that regardless of Pius's now-embarrassing neutrality, Hitler might have decided to kidnap him just to be on the safe side. However, there seems to be little evidence for this other than postwar tales told by Nazi General Karl Wolff, who, as the author readily admits, had every motive to fabricate this sort of story showing himself bravely resisting implementation of some dreadful scheme by Hitler. Briefly, the book did nothing to soften my skepticism.

4 comments about Lí­branos del mal. Relato de un secuestro.

1. This is an excellent book written in Spanish about the true life kidnapping experience suffered by mexican writer, Ernestina Sodi and her sister, mexican actress Laura Zapata in Mexico City in the year 2002. I highly recommend it and hopefully a print copy in English will be available soon for those who do not read Spanish.



2. Exelent, I read it in one day I couldn't put it down thank you for this book we can all learn, Ernestina you are my hero I'm passing this book and given it to friends as gifts



3. Un libro escrito con el corazon en la mano. Esta lleno de diversas emociones que no le permetiran parar de leer hasta llegar al ultimo capitulo. Se los recomiendo a todos.



4. THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST I HAVE READ SO FAR. IT IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK WITHOUT A DOUBT. I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE. IT IS A TRUE STORY, WHICH WILL CAPTIVATE YOUR ATTENTION FROM START TO END AND YOU WILL NOT WANT TO PUT IT DOWN UNTIL THE END. I ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK A LOT, IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT LIFE IS NOT FOR GRANTED AND WE SHOULD REALLY FEEL LUCK OF WHAT WE HAVE AND WHOM WE ARE. THANKS ERNESTINA FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL BOOK AND SUCH A WONDERFUL LESSON OF LIFE!!!!

2 comments about Nuclear Winter Wonderland: A Wild Tale of Nuclear Terror, Kidnapping, Gangsters and Family Values.

1. Never have I fallen in love so quickly with a novel as I have with this one. I can safely say that it is in my Top 10. It is by far the wittiest book I have read. Corin has an uncanny ability to blend both reality and comedy into a fast paced thrill ride of a novel that never slows down. As a teacher, this is the kind of work I love to give to my students. Captivating and authentic - one that they talk about before, during, and after class.



2. I became attached to the characters and their adventures to the point of not wanting to read the last chapters because I knew it had to end. Corin's story line missed nothing! All age groups will be entertained with the fast moving excitement of this thriller. Josh give us more!

5 comments about The Secret Life Of CeeCee Wilkes (Mira Hardbacks).

1. This book is a great read. The middle of the story becomes a tad bit sluggish but it picks up again very quickly. I agree with the other reviews that the ending was a little to "tidy" but as one of them stated "this is fiction." I am pleased that I accidently came across this author by chance at my local library.



2. Was shopping at Target when I picked up this book, reading the back cover caught my interest and a week later, I finished this book. Unfortunately, I wished I didn't read it so fast, but I was just so caught up with the characters and wanting to know "what was going to happen next". My heart went out to Eve Elliot (CeeCee Wilkes) and I was rooting for her all the way.
   
   This is a terrfic book, excellent writing and the author keeps you in suspense. Fantastic! Wonderful! This book should be #1 in the NY Times Best Sellers list!



3. This was a great book. A fast read and one that you can't put down. Our book club loved it.



4. One of the best books I have read in a long time. I read about a book a week and I'm always looking for new authors that I like. Well I found one!
   I highly recommend this book!



5. What makes this story such a compelling read is Diane Chamberlain, the author, really helps us sympathize with CeeCee. We understand CeeCee's motivations - her foolish eagerness, her lifelong guilt, her misguided love - and her desire to be the best mom she can to her daughters. The author deftly tackles big issues, like mother-daughter relationships, choices and consequences, morality, and the death penalty - without becoming preachy, moralistic or cliche.
   
   This story line bears a close resemblance to the real-life story of Kathleen Soliah a.k.a. Sara Jane Olson who became involved in the SLA as a college kid, then lived out the rest of her life as a normal Minnesota mom/doctor's wife. How close the real-life of Kathleen Soliah resembles the character of CeeCee Wilkes, we'll never know, but this story gives us an interesting glimpse into what it might be like to live one's entire life hiding a shameful secret.

5 comments about Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job.

1. I liked Babysitting is a Dangerous job. This book was a bout a girl named Darcy who wants to be a babysitter and get money. She gets a job from Mrs. Foster . Mrs. Foster is rich and she has three kids and her husband. Shana is her youngest daughter and she is two and a half. Her middle child is Melissa and she is four.Her oldest child is Jeremy and he is six . All three of the kids are brats but Darcy is willing to babysit them for the money . After the first couple times of babysitting them Darcy and the kids got along. Just when Darcy thought everything was going fine the burgular alarm went off and she thought it was just Jeremy playing around . But little did she know there really were burgulars in that house but they got out before the cops could get them . The burgulars came back for a second time but this time they were smart and they got into the house without setting off the alarm . The burgulars kidnapped all of them for ransom and they brought Darcy and the kids to a house and were going to keep them there until Mr.Foster payed the ransom . Now Darcy has to figure out a way to get her and the kids out of that house before something bad happens. I would recommend this book for someone who likes suspense and mystery books.



2. I first read this book as a 12 year old and I loved it. So I remembered and 12 years later bought it. It was as good as I remembered it to be. You really don't have to be in middle school to appreciate great writing.



3. My dad got this book at a clearance, I thought it would not be that great. Then I read a couple of pages and I could not put It down. Its so intensifying, I just cant explain it!! Well actually I can :P There is a girl named Darcy and she is baby-sitting three bratty kids. One day the burglar alarm goes off, the police come and go, then she realizes (when she sees them) that they got into the house and were there the whole time! The burglars plan is to ransom the kids! Darcy and the three children begin to like each other and help each other get through. Will they escape or not? Hmmm...



4. There are some books that you don't grow out of. "Superfudge", "The Kid Next Door (and other headaches)", and this, "Babysitting...". I hadn't looked at it in years, indeed, at least 18, and upon reading the first paragraph had a completely forgotten memory revealed to me - the fact that I used to read aloud to myself all the time, and when I read the first couple of paragraphs my lips knew the words even before my brain did. That was awesome. Also, "The Girl With Silver Eyes". FAVE! Now my daughter is 7, I can't wait to share these with her!



5. I read this book years ago and loved it, and recently found it again -- and I still love it. What's not to like about a gripping tale of being kidnapped, and being smart about it? This is the kind of story that is stored deep in my memory in case I'm ever in a similar situation. And speaking as a writer myself, I can appreciate the pacing and the skill that went into it. Great book, 'nuff said!

5 comments about No Second Chance.

1. At home. Breakfast time. Another ordinary day. But everything changes in the space of a minute. Plastic surgeon Marc is shot at and is left for dead. His wife Monica is shot at too and IS dead. Their baby, 6-month old Tara, is missing. Vanished.
   Marc wakes up in the hospital and learns the terrible truth. What happened? Why? Where is his precious, lovely baby? The police investigate. His lawyer and best friend Lenny tries to help. But nothing comes up, only theories, and Marc is also under investigation as prime suspect. Time drags by. It dilates and expands frustratingly. A request for ransom ignites hope. And things start to change. But nothing could prepare Marc for what is in store for him.
   
   Another brilliant mystery by Harlan Coben. As the title suggests, no second chance for Marc but indeed many more chances for Coben, who is able to grab the reader's attention with a fast-paced, edge-of-the-seat narrative, nothing is what it seems but in the end everything is clear, every little details falls into the right place and there are no questions left unanswered. Great entertainment!



2. Coben is the master of the "hook and twist," says his friend Dan Brown. Well, he got me again with this one. This one is not quite as good as "Tell No One," but what is? This is a darn good thriller with twists and turns till the very end. Plus there is a nice happy ending. Great stuff.



3. I've just finished "No Second Change" after reading "Tell No One" and seeing the movie based on the latter.
   
   Coben is an absolute master at page-turning excitement. I cannot count the number of times the good guys close in on the bad guys in some isolated place and think they have the upper hand when they feel the cold press of a gun against their ear from someone who has snuck up on them. And the plot surprises are placed at regular intervals so that about every three chapters there's an OMG moment. You never see it coming. You can't. These books are designed in such a way to be unoutguessable. Coben's prose is plain, but kind of hip. He's that smart guy you knew in college who commented on passing scenery in a hilarious way.
   
   The book's core is about parental loss and the agony that entails. Such passionate desperation is the driving force behind Dr. Seidman, who is ready to risk all to find out what happened to his missing infant. His passion is such that it draws others into his quest. This seemed like a flaw in the book. This guy is too good. He has no personal flaws of any significance. We root for him unreservedly. I would have like the guy to be a little mean, a little selfish, someone who drinks too much, or gambles in Vegas. That would have made a serious book.
   
   When you get to the ending, everything is explained. Everything. No ambiguity, no vestigial uncertainty. And You realize that the whole book is a bag with a carefully placed drawstring that pulls closed and seals perfectly.
   
   I don't really object to that. I read Harlan Coben for fun and will continue to. But I prefer Michael Connelly and Laura Lippman. I come away from those books (expecially their freestanders) feeling actually dizzy with wonder over how they pulled that off with such soulfullness.
   
   I think Coben's going to improve as he gains confidence and creates characters that we care about because they are disturbing on some level.



4. I was very impressed with the quality of the book that I purchased. When you order a used book online you never know what kind of shape that it will be in when you recieve it. This book was in excellent shape and it was very affordable. I will definitely be ordering books again.



5. This is the second of Coben's novels that I've read. So far he's batting 100. His writing style is quite descriptive but nonetheless, very easy to read and his plot twists continue to the very end. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.

No comments about Crusade of Eagles (Pinnacle Western).