2 comments about The 1862 Plot to Kidnap Jefferson Davis.

1. This book is very interesting, and an easy book to read for those who do not know much about the Civil War. It tells the story that very few people know about three brave frenchmen and their plot to capture the president of the confederates, Jefferson Davis.. Including the adventures they have a few weeks before and after their plot. I would recommend this book for anyone, especially those interested in Civial War History. This book was hard to put down.

   I am definately not "into" Civial War history, but I found this to be a great book. I would make the same decision in buying it again.




2. I find it hard to believe this book is not mostly fiction..it was readable..but to say that it is a true story is beyond any wild belief.The "plot" to kidnap Jefferson Davis was at best a ill conceived "dream" of the French characters of this book. Indeed if they had a true intent to kidnap the Confederate President,they would have had several back-up plans in the event all the pieces of the original plan did not fall into place. It turns out to be little more than a story of what the Confederates believed to be neutral frenchmen, traveling from Washington City to Richmond, on a lark. The story is full of the Frenchmen's value of self-worth and the feeling that the Confederates were ignorant fools that had no place in the civilized world. The trio fashion themselves as The Three Musketeers. The originals of Dumas have little to fear from these three. This book was hardly worth the read...and I do not say that about many books. It is however a short book and that is a blessing. I decided to give it another try as a evening read after having read and reviewed it five years earlier. The basics of my review stand.

No comments about The Tower, the Mask, and the Grave.

5 comments about Senseless.

1. A lot can be said about the intelligence of this book. It looks at popular culture, technology, economic imperialism, terrorism, violence, etc. The book dissects the issues making our world such a dangerous place. Even better, in looking at these things it makes the reader who has finished the book reevaluate what is really important in life. All of this in 160 pages!

   But forget all that. Instead, just know that Stona Fitch is a gifted storyteller. He has packed the pages with tension that leaves you wishing you could read faster just to find out what happens next.




2. Before reading Senseless I didnt have any idea of the plot. The book grips you, and especially in the second half.
   There are many creepy twisted books out there, but this one appealed to me, not b/c it was especially creepy, but because of the simplicity, yet, extreme imagination of the story.

   Gast (main character) brings you into his world of a new form of torture brought into the world...stealing from him what we all take for granted EVERY DAY. Thus the vivid descriptions let your mind explore the idea of "what if I were in that position?"

   Its a great idea for a story and I loved how it was explained.




3. I bought this novel because the author had played in a band I once listened to. But I read it in one day, practically in one sitting, for reasons that had nothing to do with such curiosities.
   The novel is horrifying. But to use that word is to do an injustice to its moral ambiguities: it's like thinking that horrors can only exist somewhere else, or at the scene of a really unusual crime. While keeping the action focused on a small apartment in Belgium, Fitch spreads the vision and the implications of his story in two opposite directions. Politically he reveals more and more of the broad vision, the international game that this group is playing with Elliot Gast. Their conspiracy keeps looking bigger - the whole world is involved. And as he spreads out widely in the present world Fitch digs deep into Gast's past, not in cruelty or rushing to judgment but with the fortitude that any morally complex situation requires.
   At each step there is more than enough blame to go around, certainly enough blame to make the reader wonder what kind of redemption there can be. And as I read the book Fitch's answer is: "Well, a little." In those terms the final scene is an astonishment. It resolves the story of Gast's imprisonment, but with a new queasy moral ambiguity to go with the resolution.
   Is this a "political" book? It is morally meditative in ways that political novels often are not. It might even make you think of another novel in which featureless white objects come to be loaded with meaning after meaning; in which a man resembling a pirate tries to take out revenge on the whole world; in which a lonely consciousness winds up containing terrors it can't even decipher. I'm not saying that Senseless reads like Moby-Dick or will necessarily remind you of Moby-Dick. I am saying that Stona Fitch writes in Melville's tradition of looking for something you'd call goodness in the world and wondering where to find it.



4. Years before hopelessly outgunned militants battling the world's last superpower fought back with mpegs of beheadings, the online horrors of captivity and torture were detailed by Stona Fitch in the novel Senseless. Fitch's prescient book captures the asymmetrical warfare of the Information Age in the grueling narration of Eliot Gast, an American economist abducted abroad and terrorized by an anti-globalization sect seeking international attention through his suffering. Beyond the trappings of our era, Senseless succeeds as a struggle of a rational mind against irrational circumstances that recalls Poe's best work, and as a taut thriller that is as unrelenting for the reader as for Gast himself. The violence is, as others have noted, positively horrific, yet still familiar and even compelling, because this scenario is just too plausible. Indeed, as Fitch predicted, it's impossible to escape.



5. Great book. Explores many unique angles on Terrorism that most would not consider. Excellent plot that makes you not want to put it down. The author, Stona Fitch has a great writing syle that really makes you picture yourself in the situation of the Main Character. A must read.

1 comments about Don't Take My Child: A Parent's Guide to Keeping Our Kids Safe.

1. I write this review with a heavy heart. My name is Sally Richards and I was the agent on this project. I was a personal friend of the late Don Richard and helped him conceive this book idea. Don Richard and co-author John Brodie worked very hard through this material that you may find difficult to read. But, this book may very well save your child's life. Even though I don't have children, after reading this book I now tell friends (who are parents) about things that they never considered risks before. I'm not talking about being paranoid, I'm talking about protecting your children from preditors who walk among us. It's a fact. 140,000 names were listed in the Department of Justice missing Person's Clearing House, about a third of those were children.

   There are people who find your children a great temptation for their sexual fantasies and murderous thoughts. That's a fact. All you need to do is read the long lists of child predators who have been released into your neighborhoods (you can go to your local police department and demand a list) to know that this is not paranoia. These people cannot be "cured," and often when one is captured for an abduction, they're often repeat offenders. There was something in their past that pointed clearly to the fact that they would become pedophiles, or one day be capable of murder. Arm yourself with this book and the study of cases and predator behaviors and you will be in a better position to identify risks and protect your children.

   The words inside this book may be difficult to read; these pages tell the story of the many years of research Don and John conducted that details the thoughts and actions of men who treat children as objects of sexual pleasure. When I did the first round of editing on this book, I remember thinking how terrified I would be if raising a child in these times. Don and John were very close to their work and, at times, I had to tell them to back away, to be objective, but it was even hard for me to not loathe the people they were writing about. Finally, we came up with a book we thought told the story in a fair and helpful way that educates parents about the patterns and methods of child abductors/molesters.

   Read this book and keep your children safe.

   California Senator Richard Rainey, John Philpin, PhD, Forensic Psychologist, Francis Koopman, Esq., Lieutenant NYPD (retired) and US Senator Dianne Feinstein all endorse this book.

   Proceeds from this book will go to the Amber Foundation for Missing Children

   Sally Richards,
   sally@sallyrichards.com

1 comments about SummerDanse.

1. Like the other three books, this one grabs your attention from the first page, and never lets go until the last page. You have to read these books in order or you will be lost. The only thing to makes these books better would to have a re-print having them all in one book. Great story, wonderful characters, engrossing read.

2 comments about Music to Die for: The Second Something to Die for Mystery (Nehring, Radine Trees, Something to Die for Mystery, 2nd.).

1. Radine Trees Nehring is a journalist and author who writes for any occasion, be it a radio news show, a magazine story, a news story, or her second mystery. Her first mystery is entitled SOMTHING TO DIE FOR. Radine is a resident of Arkansas, and understands its rich culture and traditions.

   Carrie McCrite is about as unlike a detective as a heroine can be. She goes to a tourism convention at the Ozark Folk Center State Park and decides to get involved when her charges, a famous country singing duo, Chase Mason and Tracy Teal, are pulled into murder and the kidnapping of their little girl. Dulcey has disappeared; Tracy's cousin, Farel Teal, is dead with a pair of scissors stuck in his chest, and Tracy is a basket case:

   "`I didn't pay any attention to who ran past me. Whoever it was went toward the auditorium real fast. There was no way to tell. It was dark...and anyway, there was Farel...' `But did you see that it was a man?' Tracy stared wide-eyed at Carrie and didn't answer."

   There is something awfully tantalizing about a dark, moonlit night, a Southern setting, and country music. This backdrop is sparked by romance, family feuds, and the compelling feeling of having to rescue a little girl in distress. Nehring's characters spark a plot that is easily carried by a situation that branches out into one heck of a puzzler. Nothing is as it seems, evidenced by a crooning woman called Mad Margaret, who turns in a fine performance.

   Carrie McCrite is down to earth, but not above a little romance with her best friend ex-cop Henry King, who charges in to the rescue at just the right moment. Nehring's action and denouement usually involve poor Carrie ruining what clothes she is in, getting bumped on the head, or scratched by vicious branches. But in the end all turns out for the best, leaving the reader sighing in satisfaction, just as if I'd indulged in a piece of either apply or peach chunky; as Nehring thoughtfully provides recipes for each at the end of this sweet and tender tale.

   Shelley Glodowski
   Reviewer




2. As the Arkansas highway tourist information manager, widow Carrie McCrite attends the annual Department of Parks and Tourism Convention at The Ozark Folk Center State Park near Mountain View with several of her friends including her closest pal Henry King. Carrie especially looks forward to attending the craft classes that she signed up for and to attending the performances especially country and western stars Chase Mason and Tracy Teal, but dozes through the lectures.
   
   However, instead of a weekend of relaxation mellowing in the remote local, all hell breaks lose. Someone abducts Farel, the four year old daughter of Chase and Tracy; however Carrie and Henry find the culprit dead and his house burned down in a deliberate fire. The child remains missing. As they work in tandem while their feelings for one another blossom Carrie and Henry desperately hope to save a little girl even at a risk to their own lives.
   
   MUSIC TO DIE FOR is a terrific Ozark cozy that brings to life this region of the country. The mystery is cleverly designed so that the lead amateur sleuths and the audience seem to only find more questions and plenty of troubles, but no child. Henry is a delightful lead as his admiration and fondness for Carrie grow; she is an intriguing charter who when struggling asks the Lord for guidance. Fans of regional cozies will enjoy this tale and like this reviewer seek Radine Tree Nehring's first Ozark mystery, A VALLEY TO DIE FOR.
   
   Harriet Klausner

No comments about The Great Corgiville Kidnapping.

5 comments about Even Steven.

1. I enjoyed Gilstrap's Nathan's Run and At All Costs, but Even Steven was a grind. The eternal internal monologues were drudgery. A lot of it was down right corny. It was hard for me to believe that an upper-middle-class, educated, married couple would act the way the protagonists did. Didn't seem real to me. April Simpson maybe, Bobby and his wife, no. Some reviewers said this book was gripping, and moved fast. The only place it moved fast was at the end. I hope Gilstrap rediscovers his storytelling ability in time for his next one.



2. This does not approach the excitement level of his debut "Nathan's Run",but then very few novels do,and it is still a competent and enjoyable thriler
   Bobby and Susan Martin are a prosperous couple whose life lacks only one thing-a child,previous pregnancies having gone awry through either stillbirth or miscarriage.While on a camping trip in the Catoclin National Forest they encounter a runaway boy,dishevelled and exceptionally dirty.In close pursuit is a hulking brute of a man who clearly terrifies the child.An altercation breaks out and Bobby accidently kills the man who is carrying a police officer's badge.Susan blithely disregards the circumstances and insists on viewing the child as a gift from God-a replacement for their stillborn child Steven after whom she names the newcomer.
   The child has in fact been kidnapped by a local gangster as collateral for a debt and stirred into the mix we have the child's real mother ,and the FBI who are in pursuit of the Martin's

   The handling of several disparte plot strands is not always as deft as could be but the characterization is good and the ghradual unravelling os Susan and her refusal to accept the truth,with its concomittant strain on the marital relationship is convincing not something I can say for the burgeoning relationship betwen the mother and an FBI agent which fails to persuade

   Perhaps the next novel will get away from the chase motif which is starting to wear a tad thin




3. Gilstrap has once again amazed me with his powerful "family on the run"-type writing style. "Even Steven" is, overall, a good book. It doesn't quite live up to "At All Costs," and is no where near as compelling as "Nathan's Run," but not all books can be classics. Gilstraps offers situations that everyone can relate to. A mother in fear of losing a child, a father trying to keep control over his family, an older brother stuck caring for his younger sibling, and a younger brother unable to shed the annoyance of having his older brother watching his every move. Gilstrap's main lacking point is the way he caries out his plot. Sometimes it seems as though he were looking for the easy way out, and didn't take the time to make the stroy beleivable. I would consider this a bedside book. Don't be surprised if it doesn't turn out to be an instant classic!



4. I really like Nathan's Run, but couldn't get into At All Costs. I'm glad Even Steven came along. Very fast paced and a convoluted, but very followable , plot. Enjoy it.



5. This was a new author for me and I have to say that I was impressed with his writing style. I didn't know what to expect. I thought his writing to be equal to many of the popular suspense/thriller authors whose work is made into high budget movies. This should give an indication of how fast the action is and how visual. If you want to read an author whose work you can read as a "visual" experience, I would also give Ken Follett a try.

3 comments about Echoes.

1. This is great book and a fantastic love story! This is a great book that really causes true refelection and how we feel for our true friends. You really feel for Jon in the book and how hard his life had been and how he did not want to burden another person with those things. Nancy's does a fantastic job of keeping the book moving, interesting, and the time will fly while you read. I don't know about anyone else, but I have a hard time waiting until the next books arrive, because I just love the way she writes and the great stories her books tell.



2. This is great book and a fantastic love story! This is a great book that really causes true refelection and how we feel for our true friends. You really feel for Jon in the book and how hard his life had been and how he did not want to burden another person with those things. Nancy's does a fantastic job of keeping the book moving, interesting, and the time will fly while you read. I don't know about anyone else, but I have a hard time waiting until the next books arrive, because I just love the way she writes and the great stories her books tell.



3. I listened to an unabridged version of this novel and almost couldn't finish it because the reader was so annoying. The author had her characters smiling or laughing all the time, and the reader interpreted this to mean she should read entire passages as if they were laughing the words. Had Allen edited for word repetition more carefully and watched for redundancy in thought, she would have had a better book overall, and I don't think the reader would have over-used her laugh. I liked the way the plot all came together in the end, but if I had been reading a hardcopy rather than listening to a tape, I know I would have had to read with a red editing pen in hand.

3 comments about Swept Away (White Dove Romances).

1. (Yeah, that was obvious; sorry, it was also irresistible.) This was a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful series--I can't believe I'm the first to review it. I would recommend all the White Dove books to any teenage girl--not a "bad apple" in the bunch! This final book does a great job wrapping up without telling you everything, leaving just a little to your imagination. Many warm thanks to Yvonne Lehman and I hope that she writes another series soon! I wish, though, there had been one more book in this series--the final pages open a whole new storyline that was definitely resolved *far* too quickly. (Won't say any more, other than it has to do with memories--I don't want to give anything away.) Oh well--it was just a minor disappointment, and certainly not enough to knock my overall series' rating down from five zealous stars.



2. You will love Getting to know Scott and Natalie they are the most outstanding couple i have ever read. This was a great conclusion to the end of the seris but i wished there was more to them. i couldnt beleive when i found out that this was the end i want to see what will happen to RUTHIE and STICK they have gotten so close together and with Scott and Natalie. They all have a great love that can never end. I wish there was more to this series.



3. This book is a wonderful way to introduce young teens to their first romance series. It isn't all mushy and it teaches some great Biblcal truths, making it more than just a fiction book. Tornado Alley zones in on the life of Natalie Ainsworth, a plain, sensible 16 year old girl with loving Christian parents. She eventually gets a date with Scott, a popular, rich boy at her high school. The couple embarks on a terrible night as a tornado sweeps through and changes their lives, in more ways than one! Read this book for a true-to-life story of love, heart break, and living for the Lord.-Olivia