5 comments about The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing.

1. For the skilled sailer the book will be a dissapointment.
   That said, the book will be an important source of all kinds of maritim knowledge for the beginner.



2. lots of black and white drawings make the info clear..very basic..great starter, add to your library



3. New at sailing? Don't go further without buying this book. Delightful, informative, artistic, succinct. I bought 5 books on sailing after falling inlove with it and this is the best one.
   Buy two and give one to a friend.



4. If you are looking for the book which has all info in one and gives you simple and interesting advises and knowledge - this is great buy!!! You will Love this book.



5. As a non-sailor just getting into the world of sailing, I've found this book extremely helpful and easy to digest. The explanations are accompanied by beautiful drawings, which helps explain topics such as wind direction. My boyfriend, who is a competitive sailor, says that the book is very accurate and explains important topics well. We both give this book five stars.

5 comments about Red Kayak.

1. Listen," dad said "Carl called. Somebody's missing on the river, maybe out in the bay. He wants us to take the boats and help look."
   I put my hand over my eyes. "Oh my God," I said.
   
   Red kayak is a great book about a kid named Brady trying to decide what to do and how to move on after a water incident that resulted in someone dying.
   The book starts off with the three main characters Brady J.T. and Digger waiting to get picked up by Carl (Brady's cousin) and taken to school. Brady is the main main character. He's a teenager his family isn't very rich and he crabs like his dad to get money. Digger is a sub main character. He's one of Brady's best friends at the start of the book. He has a bad dad unfortunately that beets his mother. Digger's grandfather used to own a lot of property that the three buddies hug out on. Recently he had to sell it for money to a new rich family called the DeAngelo's digger is very angry about this. J.T. is Brady's other best friend his family owns a chicken farm, J.T. is really good with computers.
   While the three are waiting they see the red kayak of there new neighbor Mr. DeAngelo being paddled out of the creak into the river. Brady is concerned he knows the river well and it's a bad day to be out on the water. Brady tries to get his friends to yell a warning but they end up not. Digger was mad a Mr. DeAngelo for buying his grandfather's property and A few days ago the three were kicked off the property when found by the boat house this Made digger really mad J.T. goes with Digger so Brady decides not to call as well.
   Everything goes relatively normal that day at school Brady is worried about the kayak but it seems it will be aright, until Spanish class. During Spanish Brady gets called to the principal's office and learns that in the kayak were not Mr. DeAngelo but his wife and son Ben, and they've gone missing. Brady and his dad are asked to search the river because they're watermen and know the river really well. Luckily they find both Ben and his mother who seem like they will both survive, Brady is very glad he baby sat for Ben and is kind of attached to the kid.
   Unfortunately Ben ends up dying Brady blames himself wondering what might have happened if he had called out a warning. His friends start avoiding him after the incident and Brady's left trying to figure out what's going on with his friends, why ben died, and how to deal and move on from what happened.
   Over the course of the book many twists in the plot happen and just when Brady thinks he's moving on a whole nother set of choices get thrown at him. This is one of those books that for some reason you can't put down and you stay up tell one reading I highly recommend you all read it.



2. 
   I'm not a big fan of reading, but this book just pulls you into to it. It starts as a breath taking beginning and an unpredictable ending. It's about a thirteen year old boy who was once a hero and then became a back stabber to his friends. Should he face the consequences? Should he keep the truth in him forever? If he does what will happen in his future? This coming of age story is a real page turner and you should read it.



3. I just borrowed this book from my husband who teaches 6th grade, and I devoured it in one weekend. It is a good story that reminds me of 'On My Honor'. It deals with loyalty, death and friendships. The end was slightly predictable and I felt it was missing some resolution between the main charater and the mother he was working for.
   I think this would be a great read aloud because it moves along quick and it has some good cliff hangers. It would also lead to some good discussion.



4. This book was very good, a little dramatic and the language lacked hard words and use of words. I would overall recomand for kids 8-12.



5. If you are like most young teens, there will be a time when you will struggle to do the right thing. For sometimes, doing the right thing means your life or the life of someone else will never be the same. The Red Kayak is exactly that kind of story. This gripping and tragic story of a sunken red kayak centers on Brady, his two best friends and a Chesapeake Bay town that is undergoing some very big changes.
   This book captures your attention from beginning to end with vivid descriptions and unexpected happenings. From the beginning, when the kayak is seen traveling down the street on top of a sports car, to the death of a young boy, and to the end when Brady discovers the truth behind the sunken kayak, the story grabs your attention. Brady is faced with one of the biggest decisions of his life.
   I would highly recommend this book to any young readers, age 9 and up, because the reader can really relate to the many emotions and struggles of the characters. It is a quick and easy read with lots of suspense and life lessons. Even though the book is fictional, the author does a great job of making the story seem realistic.
   
   -Kaylor Kelley

2 comments about The Missing Manatee.

1. My reading teacher read this book to my class before my school met Cynthia DeFelice. I was not a person who liked mystery books, until my teatcher read this book to my class. This is a book I recamend for only people that can read a novle. This is a wonderful book.



2. From a teacher and graduate student's view point, I thought this was an awesome book. It was full of adventure and suspense. Skeet was on a mission and he was going to let nobody stop him. I think this would be an awesome book to use as a teacher read aloud and/or used as a "cliffhanger" activity. His Memaw added a touch of humor to the story which made it even better. Finally, the end had a surprising twist to it and one that I wasn't expecting. This was a very fun story to read.

5 comments about Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual.

1. This is a great book. I love the extensive coverage of electrical systems, as it seems so many boaters have problems with electrical. I was a little surprised that the engine section only covers diesel engines. No big deal, as most of the other stuff applies to gas too (impellers, transmission, etc), but I wanted to know a little about a head overhaul and there's not much there for the gas engine owner.
   Still, I'd highly recommend this book to any boat owner who also has the gumption to do the work themselves.



2. I'm redesigning the electrical system for my boat and portions of this book has given me the knowledge to make informed decisions, with an understanding of the trade offs, about what features and capabilities I would like my new system to have. It has also provided information to allow me to make intelligent decisions about selecting new components to achieve my electrical system goals efficiently (save money by not buying things I don't need). I would recommend this book for the person with a basic knowledge of electricity who wants to understand either how their current electrical system works or how they might change it to make it better.



3. This is the second Nigel Calder book I own, and I am even more impressed. I am an ASA-certified instructor qualified to teach through bareboat chartering and coastal navigation. I have sailed on all sorts of boats, have owned a cruising style boat for six years, have heard boat owners and students complain about various problems, have read dozens of books, and through all of this have experienced so many mysteries related to corrosion, electrical problems, equipment problems, and issues with various boat systems. For the first time, I feel I have a single reference manual specific to boat systems that not only provides clear troubleshooting steps but goes beyond troubleshooting to clearly explain the mechanical and physical principles that demystify why things go wrong and how the troubelshooting steps systematically work through problems. The explanations are understandable, the instructions and safety tips are effective, and the diagrams and photos are valuable. It has already helped me deal with a grounding problem that was causing our main cirvruit breaker to trip!



4. No this is not a book for inland gas boats! This is a book for ocean going vessels. Both power and sail. I have cruised on a 28' Columbia (outboard) and a 41' Islander Freeport (perkins). It was a *must have* with the Cruising Handbook in 4 years of full time cruising. [...] Fairwinds!



5. I have a 1987 Catalina 30 sailboat with a diesel engine. I wish I had purchased a copy of this book six years ago when I bought my boat. I might have saved hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars in yard bills by doing more of the work myself with the help of this book. I have the 2nd Edition published in 1995. I think it is well organized, well written, and I find the illustrations to be clear. A friend of mine purchased the 3rd Edition, which has updated information, particularly on electronics. However I am extremely satisfied with the 2nd Edition for my needs.

5 comments about Nights of Ice: True Stories of Disaster and Survival on Alaska's High Seas.

1. I read this on a trip to Alaska, so I got into it's "spirit" on location. The stories are quite entertaining, but when writers make junior-varsity comments and mistakes, it makes me wonder about the veracity of the actual stories:
   1) Does everyone see their entire lives flash before their eyes when they are near death?
   2) Some guy's one-year old child asks him if he is Santa Claus upon his return from an ordeal at sea. Clearly Spike has never spent time with a one-year old; not only can very few of them speak more than a word or two, but this one is so eloquent and knowledgeable that he thinks the old man is Kris himself!
   3) The helicopter pilot makes it to a "small village airport" just before running out of fuel (which means it must have been between 5-10 minutes from the rescue locale since they only had 30 minutes of fuel left before the rescue attempt(hmmmm), but somehow a C-130 can get in and out of there to send them home while the chopper gets an inspection (hmmm hmmmm).
   I'll leave it at that...



2. As a huge fan of "Deadliest Catch" on the Discovery Channel I'm very interested in learning the true stories of these fishermen. Watching the show reminds me how easy my life is and kinda boring too! Spike Walker's "Nights of Ice" is a non-fiction compilation of stories about rescues of fishing ships in the waters around Alaska.
   
   He does a good job painting a picture of the dangers involved for both the stranded fishermen as well as the rescue workers. Reading this book gave me a better insight into the world these men live in - and the daily dangers they face. It reads rather quickly - and is a very easy to read book.
   
   My one complaint about "Nights of Ice" is that the author tends to lean toward melodrama when describing much of the action. It just seems exaggerated to slightly beyond belief. My other caution would be, the stories start to sound alike. Boat in trouble, men in trouble, rescue made.
   
   I would have liked more of the day to day living experienced onboard, as well as the actual near-death (or in some cases death) faced by the fishermen.



3. Better than anything that could be shown on TV - you feel each and every up and down of the ship as Spike Walker spins the yarn of the life of each and every Berring Sea fisherman... must purchase "Working the Edge" also by him FIRST before reading this book. Like to see it available in a normal paperback format also for easier reading.



4. A MUST READ for anyone interested in surviaval, Adventure, Commercial Fishing or just a great read! If you like the show Deadliest Catch you will love this book!



5. Excellent book. Spike Walker is a good story teller. His other book "Coming Back Alive is excellent as well.

5 comments about Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 65th Edition (Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling).

1. The "Boaters Bible" at the best price available ! Amazon repeatedly has delivered SOONER than the estimated time--others could learn from this company.



2. This book Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 65th Edition (Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling) was recommended to us when we bought our first boat some 14 years ago, and has become a bible for boating to us. We've given it ever since to good friends in need of some fundamental boating instruction, and they all love it. Not all information might be useful for everybody, but everybody will find some valuable information for their specific boating needs and skills.
   It's fun to read, easy to understand and extremely informative. Two thumbs up!



3. This is a very large and complete manual for looking up various subjects. Full color, nice text good size pages and easy to understand. I saved half the store price buying it on Amazon. If you don't like it you can always use it for an anchor.



4. As expected, this 65th edition is an updated version of the tried-and-true Chapman's. The photos and examples are current, and the plain language is easy to read and understand. It would be nice if everyone on the water had a good look at this book before untying and heading out onto the water. If you're a rag-head (or and aspiring one), supplementing this book with the Annapolis Book of Seamanship for a deeper dive into sailing-related detail is a really good idea.



5. Anyone that has or is planning on getting a boat should be required to read
   through this text. It may save lives. It will add to your enjoyment of
   boating by teaching you about seamanship. A must read for any one who will
   be on the water for recreational purposes.

5 comments about The Annapolis Book of Seamanship: Third Edition, Completely Revised, Expanded and Updated.

1. This book has some pretty good info and is quite comprehensive and well laid out. If you're going to buy 1 book, let it be this one. That's if you ever get around to reading it (it being so comprehensive and all) it's almost easier to go out sailing than trawl through it's many pages! But a worthwhile reference.



2. THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP by John Rousmaniere is the ur-text on sailing used by virtually every sailing school as its primary educational source. Now in its third edition, this eminently readable and well illustrated book is encyclopedic in its scope, crammed full of practical information about sailing vessels, the mechanics of sailing them, and the traditions of sailing. It's a measure of the excellence of THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP how familiarly Rousmaniere presents this largely alien topic with its many very specialized terms of art.
   
   Rousmaniere wisely eschews most of the romance of sailing in favor of much more important considerations, such as boat care, boat handling, and especially safety at sea. Sailing may be enjoyable and it may be challenging, but it is also a dangerous avocation by its very nature, and the author never lets "salty talk" befog that issue. This is NOT a quick reference book for those who want to hoist the jolly roger and give no quarter while tied to the dock; this is a bible for serious SAILORS, whether on the local lake, Puget Sound or the South China Sea
   
   While it can't give you the hands-on experience that being before the mast confers, THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP will give you the theory and information you need to make the most of that experience.



3. Great book for acquiring basic and intermediate seamanship knowledge. Also very useful as reference for refreshing your knowledge.



4. Reading this book will shorten any sailor's learning curve. It covers all aspects of the sport. John Rousmanierehas compiled an amazing reference/textbook that is interesting, informative and invaluable. I highly recommend this book to sailors at all levels of proficiency. Thank you Mr. Rousmaniere for this wonderful resource.



5. I highly recommend this book for any aspect of sailing knowledge.
   
   My brother found a first edition of this book in someone's trash, and grabbed it for me, as he knew I was a sailor and thought it might be useful or important. I had learned to sail from "Sailing for Dummies"; this, however, is (or should be) the bible for learning to sail. It is the only sailing book I've read that has described how to fly a spinnaker in a useful manner.

5 comments about Black Wave: A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them.

1. This is a book written from the heart, an experience of adventure, a passage through troughs and crests in a thing called life. A powerful story of how ones dreams and perseverance can manifest through hard work, faith moved into action. How the ending of the story is joy, thankfulness and peace in the midst of controversy and storm.A renewed relationship with their creator,family,friends and marriage!
   I never forget the day I was running on Sunday and spoke to a family member. An emergency signal had been sent out, we chuckled it was probably Jack pretending to be a pirate. Only Sunday evening I was speaking to the French physicians regarding the condition of John and Jean and consoling their older son Ben. Calling the family in the states to interpret the French language, making arrangements for the transition of John to a San Diego Hospital. This is a true, thrilling story of adventure which leaves you reading through the night as you cannot put the book down or me, well, deciding to read one chapter at a time savoring another well written book.
   Jeanne Stryker, MD



2. Jean Silverwood narrates a heartbreaking account of the family catamaran
   running aground and being torn to pieces on an invisible coral reef in the South Pacific, shattering not only their beloved boat, but many of the dreams that went with it.
   
   She also details the battles her husband had with alcohol and her own doubts about the trip itself.
   
   But, in the end, their courage and humanity shine through: they survive to return home, her husband undergoes more surgery on his leg and they survive the Great Firestorm of 2007 in San Diego.
   
   I can't think of a more moving account of how an average American family coped with catastrophe and disaster at sea.
   
   The ocean can be harsh and unforgiving of mistakes, but she also helps you find yourself and reservoirs of courage you never knew you had, in moments of peril.



3. A magnificently written tale. I got it in the mail after work, and had finished reading it by bedtime. You know that all the family members survived, so it's not any mystery that keeps you turning the pages. It's lots of things. A very accurate description of each moment that engage all your senses. Insightful descriptions of each "character", mostly done by describing their actions. Adventuresome little "marine biologist" Jack is my favorite. All the different ways each of them enjoy living on Earth, as well as how they deal with life. Straightforward and honest. Exciting - besides the final crash, there's storms and pirates and lots of sea creatures. Along the way it was humorous: "If we were going to die, we were going to die with our flip-flops on." (Not meant as a humorous statement, given the coral and the will to DO something, but humorous in spite of all that.) And educational, learning about what it's actually like to 'sail around the world' and learning about another ship that crashed on the same coral reef in the 1800's. It not only got my adrenaline going, but restored my spirits and my faith in human nature.



4. Amazing story of survival. If you ever dream of taking your family out of the monotony of everyday life and wish to see them learn and grow in new ways - get this book. Drama and suspense - I couldn't put it down. Would make a great movie!



5. Now whether it is true or not, the character I would really like to hear from is the Silverwood's younger son. I hope his parents will encourage him to talk into a recorder or write it down now so that when he is a bit older he can give us what may be the deepest understanding of all six of them. And I am dying to know where he will go as his life moves on. I also didn't feel the marriage problems as explained frequently by the Mrs. were really resolved by her husband. He drags in a story of a similar wreck from 150 years ago and gives very little of himself to the reader.
   
   But do buy it and enjoy yourself and I think you will see what I did: the first part is a movie script in the making and the second part should have been used to fill in more blanks that go unanswered. Why was Ben a difficult kid and their daughter seems lovely but her mother almost makes her into a valley girl at points and I don't think that is fair. But Jack will make you want to kick off your shoes and run to the nearest patch of un-concreted earth to explore as he did the tiny beauty of the huge whole.

5 comments about Don't Tell a Soul.

1. When a successful writer detours from the formula that has established his popularity, readers may examine the pioneering new title with a mixture of anticipation and worry. DON'T TELL A SOUL is David Rosenfelt's first venture into what can best be called a stand-alone mystery, a thriller that does not feature criminal defense attorney Andy Carpenter. In that series Rosenfelt presents an engaging cast of characters in a fast-paced, witty and well-written courtroom mystery that is enjoyable and easy to read.
   
   While DON'T TELL A SOUL shares some of the attributes of the Andy Carpenter series, it is not quite up to the standard that those novels have established. Although well written, inventive and fast-paced, it seems to run into a brick wall somewhere around its closing 50 pages. It is still a quality work of fiction --- wonderful for vacation reading --- but its conclusion is somewhat too abrupt, spoiling what began as an engaging and complex mystery.
   
   Tim Wallace, a successful New York businessman, and his wife Maggie are sharing a quiet, romantic journey down the Hudson River on Tim's boat. For Maggie it is her first voyage on the vessel, acquired by Tim during his bachelor days. What begins as an idyllic afternoon ends in tragedy as the boat explodes, killing Maggie. Through a quirk of fate that will change his life, Tim escapes death only because he had jumped into the water to retrieve Maggie's hat. His escape seems too fortuitous for police officers, who focus their attention on Tim as Maggie's killer. But suspicion is not hard evidence, and no charges are brought against him.
   
   Several months later, on New Year's Eve, Tim's friends encourage him to end his mourning period and join them at a local tavern to celebrate the new year. While at the bar, a man sits next to him and the ensuing conversation makes his life even more foreboding. "Can you keep a secret? A really big one?" Before Tim can respond, the stranger confesses to a month-old murder and even offers him specific details. As he walks away the stranger warns him, "Now it's your problem."
   
   The conversation, duly reported to law enforcement, changes Tim in their eyes from a man who they think murdered his wife to a serial killer who they believe may be a terrorist plotting destruction to the government of the United States. While he professes his innocence, piece by piece and bit by bit evidence mounts against him. Tim is forced to become a fugitive as he searches to discover how and why someone is framing him for a crime he did not commit.
   
   DON'T TELL A SOUL has a wide range of the standard characters who readers might expect in a mystery novel of this nature: the relentless police detective, certain that a guilty man is going free, the cynical criminal defense lawyer for whom guilt or innocence is not a consideration, and finally the romantic interest for Wallace, who attempts to help him overcome the tragedy that has befallen him and in so doing creates danger for her own well-being. While they are predictable, Rosenfelt has the ability to move their lives and the plot along with snappy dialogue and many byzantine plot twists.
   
   Perhaps it is unfair to compare DON'T TELL A SOUL to the Andy Carpenter series. Rosenfelt's stand-alone effort is worth reading and establishes him as a mystery stylist who readers can enjoy, whether the character is an old friend or a new acquaintance.
   
   --- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman



2. David Rosenfelt made his reputation as the author of the amusing Andy Carpenter mysteries. This time around, he has written a stand-alone thriller, "Don't Tell a Soul." The protagonist is thirty-year old Tim Wallace, the owner of Wallace Industries, a small New Jersey construction company. One May afternoon, Tim and Maggie, who have been married for five months, go out on Tim's thirty-foot motorboat. Tragically, the boat suddenly explodes with Maggie on board. Tim miraculously survives but the police suspect him of orchestrating his wife's death. His life is about to become a nightmare.
   
   Tim's nemesis is Detective Jonathon Novack, who is convinced that Maggie's death "was a cold-blooded murder." Tim willingly takes a lie-detector test and passes with flying colors. Even though Novack cannot find a credible motive for Tim wanting to harm the woman he adored, the detective stubbornly refuses to abandon his theory. To him, "this case would never get cold. He would work it whenever he could, probing it from every angle, until he could put away the [man] who literally blew his young wife out of the water."
   
   Although, for the moment, Tim is in no danger of being arrested, his life is anything but tranquil. He is grief-stricken over the loss of his wife and throws himself into his work as a form of therapy. Tim's company specializes in security, specifically in creating reinforced and specially constructed concrete perimeters to protect government buildings from terrorist attacks. His company's latest project is a United States Government complex called the Federal Center in downtown Newark. Tim's partner and friend, Danny McCabe, is the nephew of Fred Collinsworth, a ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee who has steered federal contracts to Tim's company. Tim's other close buddy is Will Clampett, who does the computer work for Wallace Industries.
   
   One evening, while Tim is trying to forget his troubles in a Teaneck bar, a stranger accosts him and confesses to murdering a woman named Sheila. The man then admits to burying the victim's body in a park on Maple Avenue. He warns Tim, "This is our secret, okay, Timmy? Don't tell a soul." When Tim goes to the authorities, they are not grateful for the tip; instead, they suspect him of being a serial killer who is rubbing their noses in his ability to murder with impunity. One of Tim's few supporters is Eden Alexander, a fellow dog-lover and a compassionate young woman who seems to care for him. Eden becomes Tim's confidante and urges him to hire her brother, high-powered lawyer Nick Alexander, as his attorney. When more bizarre events follow that implicate Tim in acts of wrongdoing, it becomes apparent that some powerful and well-connected people are conspiring to destroy Tim's reputation. Even with the help of Eden and Nick, Tim knows that he is in deep trouble. To protect himself, he decides to lie low and consider his options before the cops close in and railroad him for crimes he never committed.
   
   "Don't Tell a Soul" is a page-turner that benefits from Rosenfelt's patented tongue-in-cheek humor. Tim is a low-key and appealing protagonist who decides to take matters into his own hands in order to clear his name. Novack is your typical hard-nosed cop who refuses to entertain the possibility that Tim may actually be telling the truth, even when the evidence points to Wallace's innocence. Unfortunately, the book's convoluted and far-fetched plot goes downhill as it reaches its melodramatic and formulaic conclusion. The inevitable confrontation between the good guys and the bad guys is neither believable nor suspenseful. Although Rosenfelt's novel lacks depth and the characters are strictly one-dimensional, it is entertaining enough for a day at the beach or to pass the time during a long airplane trip.



3. I am a huge fan of Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series so I was really looking forward to this stand alone. I would have to say I was very disappointed in it. It's similar to how I feel about John Sanford's Davenport series (which I LOVE) verses anything else he's written(not so great). I gave it three stars because the mystery/plot was good, however I was never invested in the characters at all. The whole time I was reading it I was really just waiting for it to be over.
   I would highly recommend, if you haven't done so already, that you read the Andy Carpenter series which begins with Open and Shut. It's an excellent series.



4. Yes, I too miss Andy Carpenter, but this book certainly did what it could to fill the gap. The only emotion missing was the usual humor, but other than that I found this book to be extremely engrossing. I know it's just a book but I found myself getting nervous as to how Tim was going to get his life back. It seemed like the enemy had every hole filled and options were disappearing quickly. Like other novels, I didn't guess who the villain actually was until the end. To say it was a page turner would be an understatement. Would recommend to anyone who has or has not read anything written by this talented author.



5. I'm pretty discerning when it comes to the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. It's difficult to get to my top ten favorite authors. David Rosenfelt is right up there with Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, James Lee Burke, Laurence Shames (who hasn't been writing) and Thomas Perry-this is my guy list. Having been introduced to Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series by my eighty-one-year-old mother who hand sells his books in every bookstore and social situation, I eagerly devour his books and anticipate his next.
   
   I wasn't sure about Rosenfelt's departure from the Carpenter series, but he has struck the mother lode in_ Don't Tell A Soul._ It's a fast-paced page turner that grabs the reader and won't let go until the last page is done. There will be no early nights for you until the entire book has been read. And I don't think you're going to figure out `who done it.'
   
   Tim Wallace was newly married when tragedy struck. His wife died in a boating accident and the cops think Tim is good for the death. In fact, the primary officer assigned to the case becomes obsessed with putting Tim behind bars.
   
   It's New Years Eve in a New Jersey bar when a stranger tells Tim a story of murder-before he disappears. He says he murdered a girl and provides details that Tim reports to the police. And when a body is found, the police also want to pin that murder on Tim.
   
   Tim has few advantages in evading prison. He knows he's innocent, his lawyer seems pretty sure he is (but then he's getting a hefty paycheck) and the woman who cares for Tim's dog believes in him. With very little to go on, Tim pieces together an ingenious crime that was meant to kill him and still might accomplish that goal if he doesn't outsmart the bad guys.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Don't Tell A Soul is a must read. Then run out and buy all the previous Andy Carpenter novels for hour and hours of entertainment.

5 comments about Luncheon of the Boating Party.

1. This has to be one of the best books about the Impressionists I have read in quite awhile, and I have read several. It captures the inner struggles of an artist perfectly. The characters are drawn beautifully in words. I highly recommend it.



2. My book club read this book and I was incredibly disappointed by it as were most of the members of the club. The writing is dull and uninspired and there is not enough background about the characters in the book (particularly the other artists). The book sorely needs a prologue or preface with general background about the Impressionists and some facts about the major artists and their relationship with one another.
   
   Even though I knew this information already, being very familiar with Impressionist art and artists, I still found the book hard to follow and really dull. It didn't even start to pick up until halfway through the book when there is finally a human interest story between Aline and Alphonsine. I was very disappointed in this book and it is a total mystery to me why it is a best seller. I have an advanced degree in literature and I know good writing when I see it. This is not it. This book is not worth your time.



3. Luncheon of the Boating Party is recommended for reader's interested in or familiar with the impressionist movement. The inclusion of Renoir's famous painting on the book jacket will have the reader flipping between the story and the cover. The book is a wonderful slice of Parisian life that most tourist never have an opportunity to experience. Unfortunately the plot can be slow moving and the reader may find herself skimming to get to the next bit of action. Overall, informative and enjoyable but not a page turning read.



4. I have to admit I'm not a big fan of this author. But our book club chose this title, and I always finish what we read. This time, however, I couldn't. I just never got into it. The concept was good but the writing wasn't engaging.
   
   I love the painting. I was psyched to read the book, and then go down to the Phillips Collection in DC where it hangs--I haven't been there in years. I'll still get there sometime, but now there isn't any urgency.



5. As an artist, I have to say, I have fallen in love with this book. Ms. Vreeland has conceived a beautiful palette of color and harmony with her characterizations and her stories behind this painting.
   
   I feel like I am right there with this group, posing for this painting. My hat is off to you Ms. Vreeland. You have achieved a masterpiece with this book. Your knowledge of the artistic process is exceptional. You capture the time period so well. How did you manage to get inside the head of Renoir so fully? Thank you. I am finding this book completely inspirational to my own creative process. It makes me feel not so alone when I also reach a moment when things are not quite right and I have to rework sections of paintings. You are brilliant and so is this book. I love it!