No comments about The Lost Treasure of Fernando Montoya (The Davis Detective Mysteries, Book 2).

No comments about The Secret Oath (The Rugendo Rhinos Series, Book 4).

2 comments about Goodbye Sister Disco (Lieutenant George Hastings).

1. In an affluent part of St. Louis, attorney Tom Myers and wealthy Cordelia Penmark attend a Christmas Party thrown by his firm's senior partner Sam Fisher. They leave the gala and go to his BMW5. While she waits in the passenger seat, he puts the key into the driver's side door when she notices two men seemingly come out of nowhere on each side of the car. The one on Tom's side pulls the trigger of his gun twice killing him. They abduct Cordelia.
   
   St. Louis police detective George Hastings is selected to work with the FBI because of his recent work exposing a bad Fed (see THE BETRAYERS) on the homicide-kidnapping case that has very few clues as money is not the prime motivator though Cordelia's dad is wealthy; apparently political posturing is. Hastings investigates family members of both victims hoping to find a clue that will lead him to the culprits and save the life of the young woman, but most are not forthcoming with the truth. Still he prods each of them motivated by knowing how he as a divorced father with custody of his stepdaughter would die if this happened to her.
   
   GOODBYE SISTER DISCO is a fascinating police procedural starring a likable lead character who diligently works the case with a law enforcement team distrusting of one another and two seemingly disinterested families. The story line is fast-paced with plenty of action that grips the audience as the hero begins to slowly out together the true motive. Although the support cast is stereotypically weak, sub-genre fans will enjoy James Patrick Hunt's entertaining tour of St. Louis.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. This well-crafted mystery, with richly described characters, will keep you on the edge of your seat.
   
   Set in the Midwest, St. Louis and surrounding cities provide the backdrop for Lieutenant Hastings as he experiences the ultimate chase of his law enforcement career. Ordered to investigate a homicide and abduction of a highly visible heiress, Hastings calls upon his intuition and investigative skills to track down ruthless kidnappers.
   
   As you can imagine, local law enforcement is trumped by the FBI in running the big show, and politics and posturing are clearly going to run their course when solving the question of where the heiress is hidden. Will the kidnappers return her even after the ransom is paid by her father at the end of a terrifying and life-threatening "drop?" Is she dead or alive?
   
   Enter into the life of the serious, dedicated and focused homicide Lieutenant Hastings, and you'll definitely be caught up in a riveting, suspenseful, compelling and deadly chase against time.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: If you like police procedurals like this, check out Hunt's other books.

No comments about The Barefoot Believers (The Barefoot Series, Book 1) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #59).

No comments about Raising Safe Kids in an Unsafe World.

2 comments about The Doctor Dines in Prague (Dr. Fenimore Mysteries).

1. Czech-American Dr. Andrew Fenimore becomes concerned when repeated calls to his cousin Anna Borovy in Prague go unanswered. Rationalizing that his relative and her ailing husband Vlasta are on vacation, Andrew tries at four in the morning Czech Republic time. Someone picks up the receiver but immediately hangs up the phone. Anxious for his cousin, Andrew flies from Philadelphia to Prague to insure that the two Czech professors are okay.

   In Prague, his second cousin Marie, daughter of Anna and Vlasta, informs Andrew through hieroglyphics, as neither is proficient with the other's language, that thugs with guns abducted her parents. Andrew talks to Anna's colleague Ilsa Tanacek, who takes him to the adult puppet show of menacing Jan Redlik. Andrew's attendance makes him a focus of nasty individuals who want him to back off his inquiries. As he continues his quest, but the evil might prove to great for him and his American lover who has joined him to overcome.

   The latest Dr. Fenimore tale is an engaging thriller that showcases the delightful Prague. The story line is action-packed and the use of hieroglyphics to communicate is clever and adds depth. The cast from both continents is a solid group that either propel the mystery forward, add degrees of tension, or enhance understanding of Andrew. Newcomers will enjoy dining with this novel. However long time fans will need to adjust as Andrew is not the focus of an amateur sleuth cozy, his usual sub-genre. Instead he seems out of place in the middle of a sinister thriller.

   Harriet Klausner




2. Doctor Fenimore is a general physician in Philadelphia who still makes house calls, but this story is set in Prague. He goes to Prague because his Czech cousin Anna and her husband Vlasta aren't answering their phone. Vlasta is to come to Philadelphia for heart surgery soon.

   When he arrives, he finds their nine-year-old daughter Marie hiding in the giant oven in their apartment. She tells him that two men with guns came and took her parents away. He then smuggles Marie off to Philadephia. His secretary, Mrs. Doyle, is to care for her with the help of Dr. Fenimore's girlfriend Jennifer and Horatio, his teenage office helper also known as `Rat'.

   He then goes to the University where his cousins teach to try to contact some of their colleagues. Unfortunately the college is on break and there aren't many people there. He meets Ilsa. She gives him a tour of the city and ends up taking him to a puppet show. He meets Redik, the puppet master and a colleague of his cousin's. She also takes him to St. Wenceslas Chapel. They see a sign announcing that the Crown Jewels will be on display there the next day.

   Dr. Fenimore has many adventures in Prague. He and eventually Jennifer, when she comes to Prague, are brought more deeply into the center of things. They both find themselves in danger while trying to untangle the web and find his cousins.

   This is the first I have read in this series. It won't be the last. I cannot wait to read the next one. Dr. Fenimore is such a great character. He is so simple, but yet very intelligent. You can believe that he doesn't have a cell phone or use email regularly. He is the kind of doctor I'd like to find. All of the other characters are so wonderfully created as well.

   The scenery of Prague was very interesting. I don't know much about it so I enjoyed learning.

   Plus I got to meet author Robin Hathaway and that was an added bonus.

   I highly recommend this book. I also have read her new book Scarecrow in her new series. Please read my review on that book as well.

5 comments about Sharp Teeth of Love, The.

1. The characters, the plot and the dialogue of this novel were what I'd expect to find in typical romance novel. The characters were trite: the self-absorbed fiance, the longsuffering, misunderstood woman who just needs a warm, sensitive man, the warm, sensitive man, and the loveable child-abuse victim. The writing was good, the plot a bit predictable,and it would have been fine if I had been looking in the Harlequin section.



2. I'm not "in love" with this book, but I certainly liked it. A sort of crunchy find-yourself-in-the-Nevada-woods narrative that borders on overly optimistic (while hiding out in the woods to escape her old life, Luna finds, naturally, a wonderful and off-beat man that just happens to live in a tent nearby. Oh, and a son of course. Who, despite his cavities, may just fit in just fine). Despite all this, however, Doris Betts managed to keep my interest with strong writing and interesting observations from the characters.



3. Although it had a rough start and I wasn't immediately intrigued by the story, this book works its way up to being great. I love Betts' use of the different points of view. It adds a whole new dimension to an otherwise somewhat simplistic storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, especially Paul's character. I don't know what it was that intrigued me so much about Paul.. he's just a very well written character.



4. Betts has to be one of the best authors to ever come out of North Carolina. Her writing has a touch of realism that is seldom matched by writers. Her wit is brilliant. Her characters are moving. The story is hypnotic. Take a look at this book. A+



5. I picked up the hardcover edition of this book simply because I liked the cover - the paperback edition's photo isn't nearly as interesting.

   This book has some very dynamic, well thought-out scenes - although it does tend to flounder a bit at times. The ending is also a little too predictable and anticlimatic. But the characters are compelling and there's just enough excitement and suspense to keep the reader on edge.

   I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

No comments about The Sea of Adventure (Adventure Series).

5 comments about The Kidnapping of Courtney Van Allen and What's-Her-Name.

1. This book is an unusual and fun account of the kidnapping of "what's her name" (Jan) and her famous friend, Courtney. The two girls meet in New York while Jan is visiting her eccentric Aunt Harry. Jan becomes the unwitting victim in a plan-gone-wrong to kidnap Courtney, daughter of a senator and celebrated actress. The girls are brought to Long Island where they try to piece together the missing puzzles of their kidnapping and plan an escape. Humour and warmth are sure to follow the reader the entire way with a plot rich in originality and realistic, likable characters! Eventhough this book is out-of-print, it is worth the trouble of getting a copy!



2. This book is so cute! Great reading. I highly recommend it



3. The Kidnapping of Courtney Van Allen and What's Her Name tells the story of a girl named Jan who visits her aunt Harry in New York City. While in New York she also meets Coutrney Van Allen, the daughter of a popular TV actress and politician. They are both kidnapped one night by Courtney's mean-spirited nanny and her odd boyfriend who is also Coutrney's psychiatrist. They are taken to an abandoned island where they are joined with the doc's eccentric mother who was once a movie star from the 20s and 30s. Jane and Coutrney launch an escape that almost costs them their lives but gets them home. Besides being hilarious it tells a story of friendship, trust and loyalty. Recommend it to anyone over 11.



4. I read this book years ago, and I can remember laughing until my sides hurt! I even lent it to my mother, who enjoyed it just as much - until she lost the book halfway through the story. :( Even now, she'll occasionally mention it - "Whatever happened to that children's book, the one about 'What's-Her-Name' and the girl who never changed her shirt? I never did get to read the ending..."! This one is far too funny to remain out-of-print - today's kids (and my mother!) are missing out on a great book!



5. Joyce Cool was my fifth grade teacher, and I loved her. She signed a copy of this book for me, and it's one of my most prized posessions. There is one difficulty with this book, and that is that one of the main characters, Courtney, refers to herself as an "outcast," which doesn't make any sense in the context of the book. Miss Cool tol me that she had originally used the word "hippie," but the publishers made her change it because they didn't think kids would know what a "hippie" is. When she was my teacher, in 1986, she was working on a second book about a girl named T.J. (Twilight July), the daughter of famous hippie parents struggling with her parents' notoriety whily she attempts to be a normal kid in summer camp. I'm not sure if this book was ever published.

5 comments about ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL: MY TRUE STORY OF KIDNAPPING, TERROR, TORTURE AND HISTORIC FBI & KGB RESCUE.

1. This is a true story of "man's inhumanity to man" and a wake up call for those living in the television provided security of their living rooms. One cannot accuse Yvonne of of any zest for growing roots into the sofa, au contraire. However, the dangers she encounters go far beyond anything she ever imagined. Russia's organized crime proves too tough, too well organized, and too cruel, when Yvonne and her former husband, Danny Wienstock, are kidnapped by predatory thugs. This terrifying account of the torture and dramatic rescue is recounted in vivid detail Bornstein's suspenseful tale, ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL.
   
   
   Yvonne's testimony drives home the fact that the events taking place in Russia affect everyone ... it's a small world we live in today. This is a read that tears at the nerves; Bornstein paints a lucid picture of the events of her and her husband's captivity in the town of Noginsk, involving horrible mental and physical abuses heaped on them. Fortunately, back at the ranch some good guys still work at the CIA, and they manage to unite forces with Russian and Australian authorities. The two stories are entwined in a way that builds tension nicely to a thrilling rescue, yet this is not the end. Yvonne must now grapple with the internal demons unleashed by her tormentors. The made for TV drama may be over, but, in the aftermath, her real battle has only just begun.
   
   For anyone who wishes a peak into the horrors and mind set created by events that few of us have or will ever experience, this book is a must read. That said, those who have already experienced "man's inhumanity to man" may have a difficult time getting through the disturbing sequence of events. On the other hand, other victims of violence may be reasssured that justice does exist in the world, and it is sometimes served to the thugs who deserve it.



2. In a popular Hollywood movie, one of the characters, playing a tough businessman who fancied himself a master of negotiating, expressed the opinion that in a business deal, there is no difference between a gun and a fountain pen. To believe that this is true is to believe that the use of force or violence to obtain monetary reward is equivalent to using artful negotiation, rational persuasion, or skillful selling. Coercion then becomes just another technique for the acquisition of wealth, and individuals in the business community who refrain from using it are to be viewed as "unrealistic" or even weak-minded. Strength of character therefore has its origins in a willingness to intimidate physically other people in order to bring about a desired end. Real business involves "doing whatever it takes" to increase wealth, even if this means causing extreme pain or even death.
   
   There are many who believe in this equivalence, but thankfully there are many who do not. As the events of her life and skill in entrepreneurship indicate, the author of this book is a member of the latter category, and in this book has written an engaging (and terrifying) story of how she and her business partner/husband were forced to deal with some individuals of the former category. Kidnapped for eleven days, where they were beaten and intimidated by a collection of moronic and confused thugs, who could not distinguish the acquisition of wealth from its plundering, and who sadistically enjoyed the pain they gave their captives, the couple nevertheless got away with their lives, with the assistance of a unexpected collaboration between East and West.
   
   For those, such as this reviewer, who are extremely skeptical of the competence of governmental security personnel, and of their abilities to cooperate constructively with foreign governments, this story will alleviate some of this skepticism (although the author describes the FBI as being reluctant to get involved). There are not too many things that are more frightening than the prospect of being caught in a foreign country where the laws and sense of justice are different, and where envy towards Westerners is predominant. And if one does find oneself in such a situation and does survive it, the natural thing to do it seems would be to obliterate it from memory. Reminders of it would be draining, both emotionally and intellectually, and would serve no useful purpose in everyday living.
   
   The author though has chosen to tell her story, and has written one that is fast moving but still gives insight into her moods as well as her captors. It focuses of course on the concrete details of her captivity, but also motivates the reader to consider why her captors behaved as they did, and whether the wealth that they expected to obtain was really worth the energy they expended to get it. It is always perplexing to see a group of individuals conniving, planning, and engaging in violent acts, and expending vast amounts of energy just to obtain by relative standards a paltry sum of money. Considerably less energy is needed to obtain the same sum by legal and creative means, but for some reason these types of individuals cannot see this. The answer must be that they love the intimidation and sense of power that violence gives them. The neurons in their brains are over trained by sadism, polluted with cynicism, and allow no expression of compassion or empathy. The money they obtain is spent in no time flat, on fruitless physical indulgences or one meaningless card game after another. They idolize and prop each other up, with their handshakes and backslaps, and any real sense of achievement is completely alien to them. Taking is always better then earning. They unite under the creed that "only suckers work."
   
   Interestingly, when the author discusses her emotional state with respect to her captors, she mentions the "Stockholm syndrome." This is supposed to be a kind of brainwashing that causes the captive to express sympathy for or even admiration for the captor. On the surface this does not seem too surprising, since when in a situation of dependence one's emotional processes are completely out of equilibrium, with a consequent loss of self-esteem. It is difficult to find definitive research on the reality of the Stockholm syndrome, due no doubt to low occurrence of situations like that of the author, and lack of explicit documentation of the emotional states of the captives, before and after their confinement. Such a syndrome could explain the reason why so many abused wives tend to remain emotionally attached to their abusive husbands.
   
   At the end of the book, the author describes her homecoming and the skepticism that she and her husband encountered by some members of the press, who did not believe her story. Their business in shambles, they did pick up and move on, although the author describes her life as being very stressful for sometime after the kidnapping. And what happened to their captors? "Whereabouts unknown" says the author. Unfortunately these creeps are still wandering around, and their behaviors have been emulated on a grander scale in the form of the Russian mob, part of which is active in the United States.



3. A Fantastic book. I highly recommend that you read it. It was interesting and I learnt a lot.
   
   Monica.



4. Yvonne Borstein and her husband Danny were kidnapped by a band of Russian gangsters and ex-KGB villians in early 1991. They were tortured physically and emotionally for a 1.6 billion dollar random (which was orders of magnitude above the liquid assets of the heavily-mortgaged Australian business-couple).
   
   Was Yvonne an innocent tourist kidnapped in Russia? No. A do-gooder helping revive post-Iron Curtain Russia? Well, no. How about a profiteer involved with shady business deals on Russia's black market? Yep, that's it. In hindsight, Yvonne admits that she and Danny were dazzled by wealth, heavily over-mortgaged on their house, gambling by paying out millions in anticipation of high (but dubiously legal) returns, and they were unwilling to wake up to the many signs of trouble in their Russo-Australian import/export business. As a reader, I appreciated her candor and lack of excuses or assignment of blame.
   
   Even shady entrepreneurs in economically ravaged countries don't deserve to be tortured for an insanely high ransom. Yvonne's book is the story of her entire life, from her childhood to her early troubled relationships before meeting husband Danny. Yvonne lays out the events which unraveled and lead south to the kidnapping. In captivity, Yvonne and Danny leveraged one another's strengths, plotting to get messages out to the world and to present the right "face" to their kidnappers. The couple only survived because of their union. When Yvonne was sexually assaulted, she knew she had to hide it during the captivity, to prevent her husband from violently assaulting their tormentors.
   
   Bornstein bills her memoir as evidence of al-Qaeda alive and well in early 1990's Russia. This is certainly a good advertisement in the post-9/11 world, but it is a shaky claim at best. Sure, there is evidence of al-Qaeda, but don't pick this up expecting some all-conclusive smoking gun expose on Afghan terrorism.
   
   Yvonne is a survivor and as inspiration to women everywhere. She dug up a lot of information to provide context to her own personal (and painful) narrative. Thanks for sharing your story, Ms. Bornstein!



5. I have great admiration for Yvonne Bornstein for having lived and breathed this horrific criminal act. The people who committed this crime should be shot, drawn and quartered! No-body should have to live through this kind of horrendous ordeal.
   This book has been marvellously written and should be listed on the New York bestseller list.
   I read via Google that Ms Bornstein is currently negotiating her life rights with a major Hollywood studio.
   Out of something bad comes something good.
   I truly hope that Yvonne succeeds in her venture, she really deserves it.