No comments about A Contemporary Crisis: Political Hostage-Taking and the Experience of Western Europe (Contributions in Political Science).

No comments about Kidnapping: An Investigator's Guide to Profiling.

1 comments about Stranger Danger: How to Keep Your Child Safe.

1. As a parent of a sexually abused child, I found this book greatly informative. I wish every parent could read this book, so that what happened to my child would never have to happen again. I also appreciated the section on laws, and how we, as parents, can get involved. I've read a lot of books on this subject, and this one is by far the best.

5 comments about Where Serpents Lie.

1. This is the 2nd book I read from this author and it was pretty much wat I expected. A terrific read. This book is about a child molestor who call's himself The Horridus. The whole book is a cat and mouse game between The Horridus and CAY (crimes agains youth) unit. I like the way this book is written and how Jefferson Parker writes. The environment and the places are described well so you can really get into the book and relax now and then. 5 stars.



2. This was my first experience with this author, and I would recommend this book to everyone. It took me a full 2 weeks to finish, because I found myself not so engrossed in the story through the middle of the book. The final chapters of the book though kept me wanting to find out more. There were plot twists that were unforseeable, to me anyway. I was stupified a couple of times. The characters in this story were believable, although not memorable. Donna Mason, the main character's "mistress" was too supportive, it made me wonder if there was something she was hiding. Come on, no one is that nice!
   Over all I give this book a thumbs up and will put it on my to-read-again list.



3. I first discovered T. Jefferson Parker in Silent Joe, a carefully crafted and intriguing story with a twist. Joe, a sweet man with a damaged face, is one of Parker's great heroes. Naughton, in Where Serpents Lie, is another. He's a self-acknowledged flawed character who lives with regret and sorrow and deception while struggling to do his job as head of the Crimes Against Youth division of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. I liked him immensely, perhaps because he is flawed enough to be real. The crimes against children which he investigates make your hair stand on end, partly because you know they really happen. But Parker appears to have done his research and presents the cases and circumstances with compassion while creating a villain who is both monstrous and yet sympathetic. This is an exciting if long read, maybe a trifle overwritten. The novel contains one glaring error that no other reviewer has commented on, so I will. After Naughton sees photos of himself that he knows are doctored, he goes to a friend and asks the friend to doctor some photos himself, of a woman bathing a child, a woman and child who have never actually met. Apparently, Naughton means to use this doctored photo as proof that the photos which resulted in his suspension from CAY were also doctored. As readers we get on board with this idea and wait to see what happens. But we wait in vain, for this entire plot line and the requested doctored photo is never heard of again. The photo never materializes and the friend is never again mentioned. It's an editor's job to catch these things so I blame him or her more than Parker himself for this big ooops. Other than that, Serpent is another winner in the Parker ouevre. I put Parker in the company of Dennis Lehane, James W. Hall, and Carl Hiassen--all gifted writers and good storytellers.



4. I had earlier stumbled across another novel by Parker--"The Fallen"--about a detective who had synesthesia, the ability to see peoples' voices as colored shapes. I was intrigued by the premise of that story and how well written it was, so I picked up "Where Serpents Lie". Parker's protagonist in this story is Terry Naughton, who not only has to contend with the monstrous but memorable villain, Horridus, but also cope with his inner demons. Parker is an elegant writer who can really turn a phrase. This is a mesmerizing, gripping tale, replete with vivid imagery.



5. A previous reviewer wrote, "Please don't waste your time or money on this one."
   
   Re the latter, I use the local library exclusively for my books. Re the former, It was not a waste of time. It was a good read as were several other of Parker's books. Not a disappoint at all, not even close.

5 comments about On Her Way Home: a novel.

1. I just finished it-sadly-because there were no more pages to turn. It's wonderful. The characters are true-I really cared about them - not so easy to do in some novels. What strength and courage those pioneers had! I don't think that I would have been able to survive such conditions. Also - what deeply impresses me was the love Frieda had for Ida - what sisters should and rarely do, feel for one another.



2. This is a book with the marvelous flavor and texture of the 1880's Arizona Territory--a mix of not only the pleasure of cooking and good food but the ethnic stew of the place and time. The plot: Frieda, the leading character, is a flawed but admirable woman of passionate loyalties and a sense of mission that pushes her on a dangerous and self-sacrificing quest to save her younger sister. The characters are special, with perils aplenty. There is a point at which the book really catches fire and races ahead excitingingly, and I finished it at a gallop. Ms.Rochlin's writing is a gift not only to anyone interested in the Old West as it really was, but to anyone who appreciates the ring of an honest voice in fiction.



3. This fascinating story gives us a dark view of pioneer life in the form of the criminal justice system and its distructive effect on women who are caught up in it. Women do not count. Unless the woman is Frieda Goldson whose ferocious will takes her far from home to the side of her abducted and abused younger sister. When the girl is falsely jailed for murder Frieda pits herself against a primitive justice system that shows little mercy. Author Harriet Rochlin once again gives us the experience, superbly rich in the details of sight, sounds, taste and smells, of living in an earlier, harsher time. Excellent writing.



4. "On Her Way Home," the third novel in the Desert Dweller's Trilogy, deomonstrates Harriet Rochlin's uncanny ability to enter the hearts and minds of her 1880s characters. A wonderful, rollicking read, the book is as contemporary in its psychological insights as it is historically accurate. I highly recommend this book to all those interested in reading a good story about interesting people living in a vivid, vital slice of time.



5. Harriet Rochlin has given us a gift: three stories about feisty Freida Goldson and her ambitious husband, Benny, as they settle and struggle in Arizona during the 1880s. Readers of Rachel Calof's story by Jacob Calof and the Diary of Mattie Spencer by Sandra Dallas will be equally intrigued by Rochlin's Desert Dwellers Trilogy. On Her Way Home can stand on its own, but to really appreciate Frieda's strength--and Rochlin's achievement-- read The Reformer's Apprentice and The First Lady of Dos Cacahuantes in sequence. The stories are wonderful for book clubs, for readers who like historical fiction, and for anyone who appreciates how much women had to overcome to reach their present equality. Frieda is Jewish so her story reveals little known information about the Jewish experience in the West. Rochlin's research is outstanding.

No comments about The Bastard's Plaything.

4 comments about A Woman's Guide to Success: Perfecting Your Professional Image.

1. I just got a copy of this book yesterday. Doris Pooser's book takes you through everything from wardrobe, which addresses problems and issues specific to body type, to colors and etiquette. A must-read for anyone out in the business world -- or in life!



2. People form an initial impression of you within the first thirty seconds with half based on how your look, and only 38% on voice and body language: that's why A Woman's Guide To Success Perfecting Your Professional Image is so important to an achiever's plans. Doris Pooser is an expert in fashion and beauty and has written several other books on personal style for men and women, reaching millions through TV broadcasts as well as her writings. A Woman's Guide To Success tells how to blend clothing, style and body language to achieve business objectives. An excellent strategy guide.



3. I am a fan of Doris Pooser and her "Always in Style" concepts of color and body line. I already own a copy of Always in Style and Secrets of Style. So I was very excited to see she had a new book out. I expected it to build upon her previously written books. I got it the other day and immediately began to read it and I was disappointed.
   
   For someone who has no familiarity with Pooser's concepts this book might prove challenging. It seemed to be the Cliff Notes version of her previous books. The one thing that struck me is that she consistently refers to black, navy and gray and business fashion essentials. She also recommends purchasing a business suit in one of these colors and buying a second in a complentary color or pattern - such as tweed, plaid, etc. But this offers no help to any woman who has been analysed as "Warm" or "Light". I think it would have been more helpful to offer alternative colors for a basic suit. Something simple such as "for Warms brown (olive, tan, etc.) can serve as a basic suit color" would have been useful.
   
   She also doesn't really go into much detail about the color groups and offers only minimal color chips with which to work. So if the reader is unfamiliar with Pooser's breakdown of color groupings (which is a variation or enhancement of Carole Jackson's classic seasonal color theory) she might not fully grasp how this concept works.
   
   Pooser also doesn't seem to integrate the concepts of professional wardrobe building, body line and color category. Each area is treated independently and there doesn't seem to be a point when all three are blended to help the reader create a wardrobe that is professional, suits her body type and color category.
   
   To be fair, this book does provide what its title offers - guidelines to help a woman create a professional image. But I feel it shortchanges readers, like me, who were hoping that Pooser would do this while incorporating her concepts of bodyline and color category. Without incorporating bodyline and color concepts into the professional image information, this book is just another "dress for success" book.



4. This book gives you a decent overview, but it does not lead you to make the correct choices with logical understanding - merely emulation from random fashion photos. When I got to the part about face shape, I had a hard time deciding what I was and her outlines were not helpful.
   
   Much of this was self-explanatory for the basic fashion maven.

5 comments about Missing: The Oregon City Girls: A Shocking True Story of Abduction and Murder.

1. It is an interesting story, and in the hands of someone like Ann Rule, it would have been amazing.
   The poor writing is such a distraction, it is hard to read it.



2. I live in Portland and followed this case fairly close from day one. The author helped shed a bit more light than various media reports. Personally, I think the author should have delved more into the personal lives of Lori Pond and Michelle Duffy. Perhaps this would have given more light to why the girls were allowed to be around a known sex offender. I think some of the book centered around the author herself and some of her personal life. The book was interesting but not as detailed as it could have been. Ann Rule would have been a good author for this particular story.



3. I live in Oregon close to where this whole story unfolded, this book helped explain the process of the law, the frustrations of the families, this was a very nicely written book. I have sent it off with other family members who have read it and felt the same as I. Thanks to the authors for writing this story.



4. The author of this book needs not only to understand what it is to write true crime, but also to learn the basic mechanics of writing. There was so much unnecessary ego on her part. It felt as though the only reason she wrote this book was to toot her own horn as to what a great investigator she is. She, unlike what the book tells us, is not the one who finally broke the case. Too much was glossed over. I cannot tell how unsatisfied I was with this book. If I read the words 'he/she sauntered' one more time, uhg! Apparently people in her world don't just walk. And I have to agree...porta-potty? Who cares! That shows her need to be recogonized and adds nothing to the story.



5. I wish I could have given this book a rating of NO stars. Through the tragedy of Ashley and Miranda's death, Child Welfare and Law Enforcement Agencies now cross report. I wanted to find out the history that brought about this monumental policy. Boy was I disappointed. The author and her husband claim they are the "step-grandparents" of Ashley Pond, however according to the lineage they have no legal relation to Ashley.
   
   This book was written to allow Linda O'Neal a tool to brag about her role in the investigation for Ashley and Miranda. It seems the author forgets that the memories of Ashley and Miranda and how their killer was brought to justice should be the most important part of the book.

No comments about Construction sacrifice, kidnapping and head-hunting rumors on Flores and elsewhere in Indonesia.: An article from: Oceania.

2 comments about Raising Safe Kids in an Unsafe World: 30 Simple Ways to Prevent Your Child from Being Lost, Abducted, or Abused.

1. How do you keep your children safe in the world today? Unfortunately,it's a question most parents often wonder. The book "Raising Safe Kids In An Unsafe World" is a wonderful resource that takes a parent's most worst nightmare, and step-by-step, breaks it down into simple prevention methods that any parent can employ.
   
   Jan Wagner, Founder of The Yello Dyno Child Safety Program, has done an outstanding job of organizing and planning safety procedures and checklists for parents and children. She explains everything from educating your children in a non-fearful and non-threatening way, to giving them ways to escape difficult situations. A frightening thought is turned into a useful and easy-to-read safety tip. Parents shouldn't be afraid to discuss safety with their children. With this book, and the other products that are available from Yello Dyno, parents and anyone concerned with children's safety can easily learn and implement this information into their own lives.
   
   Stopsexoffenders.com highly recommends this well-written and inviting book to everyone caring for children. If you're a parent, you should obtain a copy of this book and immediately begin to teach your children about safety (if you haven't already begun doing so). Their precious lives are depending on you. Let's give kids the Power of Knowledge!



2. Every parent should have this book in their home. It offers simple, non frightening methods children can do to stay safe. Best of all, it stresses that children are often alone when abuse occurs and teaches them how to stay alert and smart to avoid and/or escape the person and situation. Stop hoping and praying it won't happen to a child you love and buy this book.