Hard Candy

Book Description

If one man is good, then two are so much better. An erotic romance anthology for those who like it hot, hard and oh so wickedly delicious, with stories by USA Today bestselling author Angela Knight, and erotic romance rising stars Morgan Hawke and Sheri Gilmore. PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This anthology is also available in e-book format, and contains material some readers may find offensive.

Customer Reviews:

okay.......2007-08-23

I love to read Angela Knight, but her story was a little short. The last story in the book is the best. Also two men getting it on doesn't do much for me. Over all this book was okay.

Gotta love hot sex scenes!.......2006-03-04

I'm not going to lie, to me, the best story in this novel is by Morgan Hawke, it totally peaked my interest! I thought her writing was excellent and the sex scene was right up my alley. Well worth the purchase of this book. I would also recommend, if you like Morgan Hawke story reading Desires Unleashed and The Guilty Innocent by D.N. Simmons from the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles.

Morgan Hawke is the one to watch!.......2005-10-14

Please be aware that this book is not for the faint of heart - it is all dealing with m/f/m threesomes. Having said that, I bought this book because I buy everything by Angela Knight, but I was blown away by the Morgan Hawke story. Her grasp of sci-fi writing is excellent - world creation, character development, and plot are actually not secondary to the sex (rare in a lot of 'futuristic' erotica). And the sex is amazing - all three stories have great sex scenes, although the Angela Knight story is a little short on character development. I considered giving this collection of stories a 4 star rating for that reason, but Morgan Hawke's contribution was just too good. Gilmore's story was good, but Hawke just stole the show.

Yummy!.......2005-09-01

Well who couldn't love anything that Angela Knight has written? Her shopping lists are probably erotic! That said these stories are a bit scandalous and not for everyone. All of them are about menage a tois involving 2 men and one lucky woman. However, it's not all about the woman! Two of the stories highly involve male/male sexual situations, so be prepared that you may not feel comfortable with them.

Hero Sandwich- Angela Knigh
A great story of a super stealthy camera toting ex-villainess and the two comic book type super hero's that she spies on. The brother duo decides to extract a little revenge and see just how far Paparazzi is willing to go for an exclusive. A very tasty treat with a happy ending!

Candy For Her Soul-Sheri Gilmore
One of Satan's demons has started his own little southern family and after years of disinterest he decides his son should get everything he wants. That includes the TWO loves of his life. Bad boy Nico has been in love with geeky Natalie since they were little kids...unfortunately he showed it by tormenting her and Natalie fell in love with his bestfriend David. But David always wanted to be more than friends...This is a great, very well written love story. This is a bit explicit in the mens relationship and the love scenes were a bit rushed but as an all-around story it was great and I'd love to read more from this author.

Fortune's Star-Morgan Hawke
The longest of the three offerings this is a futuristic, space thiller with characters who are genetically modified, psychic, or android/ghosts. It's well written with great love scenes and inventive but a bit confusing with the heroine having various tallents and wanting to be dominated but still wanting to be completely independant. That said it is still good and the whole book is worth the price!

Very satisfying anthology.......2005-07-25

Hard Candy is the print version of an erotica e-book that contains three ménage stories involving two males and one female. Only the first doesn't include homoerotic sex.

Angela Knight's very short story "Hero Sandwich" plays in a world where super heroes are not unusual. The heroine is a former thief (forced by her vicious father) now turned paparazzi who is in lust with a super hero. She eventually has rather forceful sex with him and his brother and helps them catch her father's old colleague.
While the story is not badly written it is simply too short for any character development or real storytelling. This is a short story intended to titillate. More for her fans than anyone else.

The next story "Candy for her Soul" by Sheri Gilmore is a contemporary. It tells about a demon, Luke, who wants his human son, Nico, to find his heart's desire in the form of Natalie and David, both former classmates of his.
The story is well written and engaging as long as you don't mind ménage, m/m scenes and dominant elements. It is also long enough to get a feeling for the developing, sympathetic characters. Good erotic story.

Morgan Hawke's "Fortune's Star" is the chef-d'uvre of this book and also the longest offering. The story plays in the same universe as her other "Star" sci-fi erotica novels but doesn't contain their very strong BDSM features; it has only a few.
The genuine fortune-teller Luxi is on the way to her new and boring job. On Port Destiny Station she meets Leto, a cyborg housing a human spirit, and Amun, diplomat and telepath. Luxi becomes Amun's assistant and their lover. They defeat an evil spirit, and she decides to stay with the two men.
This is one sensually erotic story! Morgan Hawke is an excellent writer who knows how to seamlessly combine sci-fi with erotica and a love story without ever losing her focus on the story. The world-building is thought-through and exciting, the characters are sexy, always true to how they are supposed to be and believable, and the sex is scorchingly erotic, the ideal combination. Ms. Hawke is a true storyteller with an immense talent for engaging the reader's mind and body.

If you're in the mood for an erotic read to titillate the senses, the last story alone is enough to justify buying this book. All in all a very satisfying anthology.

The Ultimate Candy Book: More than 700 Quick and Easy, Soft and Chewy, Hard and Crunchy Sweets and Treats

Average customer rating:

Candy Shop
Seemed interesting, but several recipes didn't work
Amazing resource and how to guide
inadequate instructions
candy's more than dandy

The Ultimate Candy Book: More than 700 Quick and Easy, Soft and Chewy, Hard and Crunchy Sweets and Treats
Bruce Weinstein
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0688175104

Book Description

Bruce Weinstein, author of The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, has the answer with this collection of confections. Try his rich chocolate truffles or any one of a dozen variations; sweet, chewy caramel with almonds or coconut; buttery pralines with crunchy pecans; or light-as-air divinity, nougat, and marshmallow.

Craft your own candy Christmas ornaments to hang on your tree, pipe chocolate spiderwebs for a scary Halloween touch, or whip up meringue kisses for your honey on Valentine's Day. Bruce even offers step-by-step instructions for creating your own homemade versions of classic favorites like peanut butter cups, gummy bears, and chewing gum.

If you have a sweet tooth or know someone who does, The Ultimate Candy Book -- filled with hundreds of year-round treats and gift-giving ideas -- is ultimately satisfying.

Download Description

If you have a sweet tooth or know someone who does, The Ultimate Candy Book -- filled with hundreds of year-round treats and gift-giving ideas -- is ultimately satisfying.

Customer Reviews:

Candy Shop.......2007-01-10

I bought this book for my daughter for xmas. She wants to be a pastry Chef (thanks to the food network). So far, she has made the carmel corn (absolutely fantastic), the homemade marshmallows (amazing)and carmel (gooey fun).

The only down side to this book is that there are NO pictures, NONE. Not demonstrating or showing the final product. We may need to purchase another book that has pictures.

Seemed interesting, but several recipes didn't work.......2006-12-07

I acknowledge that sugar work is tricky, but after using this book for a few recipes and then giving it away, I have to wonder how well the recipes were tested, or whether they could be described further. I've had much better luck with Nick Malgieri and Alton Brown candy recipes.

Amazing resource and how to guide.......2006-11-04

This book has really helped me learn so much about candy making. I have been making family recipes for chocolate candy for a few years now and finally decided to buy a book to learn more (my Grammy taught be but passed away last year and I still had so many questions). I now know why certain batches I made failed and why last year I got a weird color on my chocolate covered pretzels. I would probably not suggest this book for true beginners but if you are somebody like me who has little experience and no formal training this should truly be your ultimate guide book. I do wish there were pictures that is the only reason I did not give 5 stars. Thank you Bruce Weinstein!

inadequate instructions.......2004-03-20

I haven't tried all the recipes in this book, but I bought it because I was interested in techniques for making fondant and chocolate-covered candy. However the techniques are not well described and simply wrong - for example the method for chocolate tempering leaves out several steps. I only discovered this when I went to another cookbook to find out what I was doing wrong. Now I use this book for ideas, but other methods for technique. This book is not for novices. Very disappointed.

candy's more than dandy.......2004-02-12

I bought this book because I had others in this series--love that ultimate ice cream and ultimate brownies--and I'm not disappointed. I'm not much of a candy maker, never made any in fact, but I've started with the simple things in here and it's been really fun. I love making these easy treats for my kids and friends. They've been a hit at church pot lucks! So despite what some people have said about this book, it's a great book for a great value--and I just love these guys on the morning show on Comcast!

Average customer rating:

Grim and good
Gritty but great
the best burke yet
A Gritty Noir Novel With A Message
the first one I read

Hard Candy
Andrew Vachss
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679761691
Release Date: 1995-07-04

Book Description

In this mercilessly compelling thriller, Burke—the private eye, sting artist, and occasional hit man who metes out a cruelly ingenious vengeance on those who victimize children—is up against a soft-spoken messiah, who may be rescuing runaways or recruiting them for his own hideous purposes. But in doing so Burke becomes a target for an entire Mafia family, a whore with a heart of cyanide, and a contract killer as implacable as a heat-seeking missile. Written with Vachss's signature narrative overdrive—and his unnerving familiarity with the sub-basement of American crime— Hard Candy is vintage Burke.

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Now a paid assassin, Burke is on a collision course with a man named Train, who runs a "safehouse" for kids. But when Burke learns that his suspicions about Train are right (the safehouse keeps kids in harm's way), he becomes his own gun-for-hire.

Customer Reviews:

Grim and good.......2006-12-17

If you want to read a feel-good story filled with light humor and zany problems, Andrew Vachss is not the way to go. His series of novels featuring tough guy Burke are, to say the least, grimly hard-boiled, but sometimes it's good to see the dark side of things. Hard Candy, the fourth novel in the series, is as sordid as Vachss's previous books and is, for those who like this sort of stuff, it is quite entertaining.

Hard Candy is clearly a sequel to the previous novel, Blue Belle, and I would not suggest going into this book without having read its predecessor (if you haven't read Blue Belle, don't continue reading this review, as it will have spoilers). The events of Blue Belle have thrown Burke into a state of depression; all his usual pleasures - sex, gambling, ripping off "freaks" - are unappealing to him. Revenge, however, still drives him.

In Blue Belle, Burke killed the vicious Mortay, but he was unaware that Mortay was also targeted for a hit by the Mob. The local don had hired an assassin named Wesley to do the job, but since it was Burke who did the kill, the don refused to pay. This had led Wesley on a vendetta against the Mob, and Wesley is very good at what he does. Burke gets caught in the middle and is also targeted by the Mob. This leads to an alliance of sorts with Wesley, a man Burke has known since childhood and who was for a time, Burke's idol.

Meanwhile, another childhood acquaintance, a cold-as-ice hooker named Candy, has recruited Burke to retrieve her daughter Elvira from the custody of Train. Train seems to be a force of good, taking in runaways and becoming a sort of cult leader to them. Burke senses something else, however, and Train is also a target for Wesley.

Unlike earlier novels, the other members of Burke's "family" have relatively limited appearances with the exception of his "brother", Silent Max. For as much as anything, this book deals with the bond between the two, a bond that was hurt because of the events of Blue Belle. Burke's attempts to fix things with Max and fix his own soul in the process are the real focus of this book.

When depicting his dark version of New York and its denizens, Vachss often walks a fine line between grimness and absurdity. There is something rather surreal about Burke's world, and at times I think this is a weakness in the series. Nonetheless, overall, Hard Candy continues Vachss's string of good books and should please readers of his earlier novels.

Gritty but great.......2005-12-26

Hard Candy is gritty but great like the rest of Andrew Vachss' novels. It is sometimes grim and sad, but also sexy and funny. Like the rest of his books, it's difficult to put down once started.

the best burke yet.......2005-10-23

I started reading these books long ago, actually when Strega came out and fell instantly in love with them. While personally I feel that vacchs has lost his way and should consider developing a new character, Hard candy is one of my favorite novels ever. Hard enough to make Chandler wince, it is a fascinating study in sociopathology, from many points of view. It is a walk down the dark streets that few know exist, much less contemplate examinig, full of double crosses, dialogue to make one weep with joy, it kept me on the edge of my chair the whole night long. The story of a hard man caught in a triple cross betweem the mob, a hooker and a hit man, trying to find his path.It is a blessing to know that men can still write like vacchs could,i applaud this effort wholeheartedly

A Gritty Noir Novel With A Message.......2005-02-08

"Hard Candy" is Andrew Vachss' fourth Burke novel, a sequel of sorts to "Blue Belle," book three. Tackle "Blue Belle" first, if you're interested, for a richer, more comprehensive read.

Burke, is in a deep funk after losing his woman. Before Belle died, she asked Burke to pay her debts. He does what she would have wanted. But he is still cold, empty, locked in an inner jail he can't walk out of. "Once I could always find something on the sweet side of the edge I lived on. It was gone. Even in prison, there were some things you could laugh at. That was then." Vachss continues to reveal more of Burke's character, his grim inner world and his past in "Hard Candy." He is one of the most complex protagonists I have encountered in popular fiction - edgy, dark, an outcast, as hard-boiled as they come, a scam artist who is a standup guy, a righteous man, and above all, a survivor. Burke, the man, and the strange folks who people his world and call him" friend," are what make me a faithful fan and keep me hooked on the series.

Word is out on the street that Burke, a sting artist, is now a gun for hire. There is heavy fallout from the rumor. The police hassle him and old friends, the kind he never wanted to see again, come out of the woodwork looking for him. First, Candy, an old flame from his reform school days, gives him a call - after all these years. "Little Candy. A whore in her heart, even then. Just what I needed to cheer me up." Candy is still a working girl - we should all be so successful - with mega-upscale digs and a fortune invested in her face and body - silicon implants, face lift, collagen injections, electrolysis, colored contact lenses, a wig in every color, a department store's worth of clothes, make-up, furs - more Neiman Marcus than Macy's. Can she be funding herself? What's her scam? Her teenage daughter, Elvira, dropped out of school and is with a so-called cult in Brooklyn. Candy wants Burke to bring her girl home. He agrees to check things out. In Brooklyn he meets the charismatic, soft-spoken Train, who maintains a safe-house for kids. Elvira is a member of his tribe. But is Train the real deal? Are the teens safer with him than on the streets? Burke has his own suspicions.

His involvement with Train reunites him with another acquaintance from his adolescence - Wesley, a killing machine, a robot with a resume of death to show for his life. Burke always wanted to be just like him, totally cold, emotional as ice. Wes warns Burke off his turf - he stepped over the line once, without knowing it, when he killed Mortay in "Blue Belle." Now Burke's life is on the line if he messes with Wesley's work again. Just to make things interesting, the Mafia is also on his case. And Strega, the witch he wanted to forget, contacts him with a request.

The usual suspects are all present, including: Max the Silent, a Mongolian warrior who calls Burke brother; Pansy is a warrior of another species - she's a Neapolitan mastiff and Burke's roommate; the Mole, a pasty-faced genius who lives in a bunker beneath a high-tech junkyard; the Prophet, a scam artist who speaks in rhyme; Mama Wong, group doyenne - a Chinese Jewish mother and restaurateur. She cares for the gang, takes Burke's messages, holds his stash and feeds him hot and sour soup; Michelle, a gorgeous transvestite who is about ready to go to Denmark for a life-changing operation; and the now famous souped-up Plymouth. "The Mole makes sure to change the car's color after it is used on a job."

As always Vachss narrative hits hard. His street tough dialogue and staccato-like prose lend authenticity to this raw, darker than noir world - a world where unspeakable horrors are perpetrated upon innocent children. The author, a leader in the child protective movement, calls it "a war," and considers his writing as powerful a weapon as his litigation. He openly admits that he writes about the abuse of children because he wants to raise people's awareness of what's going on, and he'll reach a wider audience with fiction.

This is a powerful novel - part of a superb series. Kudos to Andrew Vachss!
JANA

the first one I read.......2003-12-03

In the summer of 1991 I picked up this book and before I'd read 10 pages I knew I'd really discovered something. Andrew Vachss is not only a great writer but he has probably done more than anyone in America to raise the consciousness of the public about the prevalence of child abuse and the ways in which to combat it.

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Hard Candy is .....
Hard Candy: Nobody Ever Flies Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
"Scary" is an understatement.
Thank God for this book!
A powerful voice...

Hard Candy
Charles Carroll
Manufacturer: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Family & Childhood | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1932783342
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Charles Carroll and his brother, Bobby, had the misfortune of being hard-to-place foster children and New Jersey in the 1950s. So the "powers that be" simply reclassified them from "orphan" to "retarded" and exiled them to a state-mental institution. There they remained for nearly ten years, deprived of their civil liberties, devoid of their right to an education, and denied any semblance of a humane existence.

Beneath the sanitized facade of the institution's administrative offices and visiting rooms were cramped dormitories and dank basement hellholes. Lazy and inept personnel foisted off supervision of these children to ruthless monitors-children themselves-who maintained order through methods so sadistic and horrific that "child abuse" seems a chillingly inadequate label.

Charles was a victim of an uncaring, ignorant, and underfunded system-one that was kept just out of the view of polite society. But the differentiating aspect of Charles's incarceration in this "nuthouse" is the ironic, cosmic hook in this story: he was not nuts. He was, in fact, a sensitive and perceptive child with a normal IQ. Moreover, Charles was consciously and painfully aware of every moment of his own abuse as well as the torment of his mentally defective fellow patients. Enduring their collective plight and clinging to his sanity, as one would a tiny glimmer of hope, he vowed to one day write this remarkable story of survival-not for his sake, but for the sake of society's outcasts and those too helpless to help themselves, then and now.

Customer Reviews:

Hard Candy is ............2007-10-01

hard, not at all sweet and an altogether riveting read. Vivid, difficult to take at times but ultimately an inspirational tale of the resiliency of the human spirit against all odds, and a painful yet important reminder of how we are all complicit in abuse when we do not choose to take action

Hard Candy: Nobody Ever Flies Over The Cuckoo's Nest........2007-06-08

I felt that the profanity was not needed to get the point across. Overall an interesting look into institutions. I was a little disturbed that most of the contentwas negative. I had worked in such a place for several years. Things have changed, true, but at least give the good points where they are deserved. There are many caring people who work in these places, not all is so sordid as portrayed in this book. I am speaking for the time era that the book covers. I, personally, would hesitate to read a follow up to this book.

"Scary" is an understatement........2007-04-26

"Hard Candy" is a true account that chronologically follows the abuse and neglect Charles A. Carroll suffered in a foster home and a mental institution for years. It is terribly graphic and sad and not for the faint-hearted.

This book is so brutally honest and real. It captivated me and had me glued for hours. The words are so raw and blunt that everything could be played in my head. "A Child Called It" is a bedtime story compared to the true gruesome imagery crafted into the novel by Charles A. Carroll.

You dont have to be a victim to understand this book. All you have to realize is that people were sick back then, and continue to be sick now.

Both this man and his story is incredible. :)

Thank God for this book! .......2007-04-11

This book captivated me. It was eye opening. Mr. Carroll is masterful portraying pedophilia and child abuse and his own personal story. I was appalled by the multitude of transgressions Mr. Carroll and his brother experienced as young children. What further bothered me was the continued abuse of our youth today as depicted in Mr. Carroll's book. HARD CANDY is well written and is an important contribution to victims, professionals and parents worldwide having anything to do with caring for children. This is one book you'll never forget. It's an amazing story of the human spirit to survive horrific odds. It is my hope that as more people read this book, that it will aid at curtailing abuse wherever it may exist. Bravo Mr. Carroll!

A powerful voice..........2007-01-02

I could hardly take it! I had to put the book down to walk away from the intensity... but I'd circle right back in to sweat out the relentless string of nightmarish horrors tripping into and over each other. Though not without relief, the dark tones of this memoir ring in the colorless realities of Chuckie and Bobby, two orphaned brothers in dire need for the love of family and home. They were neither "insane," nor "retarded," but there they were, shuffled into the mix as such, foisting upon them the ravages of a dignity-stripping, state institution, archaically run, and fraught with stomach-turning abuse--sexual, physical, and psychological.

Throughout the story, told in a balance of narration and dialog, young Charles voices his experience; the lurid details of trust gone to betrayal, innocence thrust into vulgarity, dignity that compromises for protection, and yes, the occasional wisps of light and hope silhouetting relationships the "normal" outside world could never understand. This is Chuck's heart-rending, tell-all story of coping, courage, and survival. Deftly written and easy to follow, the story really moves, never once palling; the base line, flashbacks, and vignettes, each swapping in and out for center stage in perfect timing--artfully composed. Yet, the book's purpose is not merely of entertainment but one with a particular voice.

For the many children who have suffered the torrid abuse and neglect, "Hard Candy" speaks graphically on their behalf as part of today's vanguard to advance the call for protection of all those who are vulnerable to the crude indifference of those "in charge." The back of the book contains appendices, a hundred pages of evidence, documented citations of the very same miscarriages that happened to Chuck and Bobby that are still happening today.

After reading "Hard Candy" I felt so struck with an ever-deeper compassion for those who went defenseless, unprotected, and un-nurtured for all too long. And, I thought I had it understood, but this was humbling still. For the author, his memoir burns loudly through the pages, revealing the moral injustices, the personal indignities, and the pretentious facades that cover up and perpetuate the unconscionable. While credit is due for progress made, even today, there is still too much fueling the insanity fire. Inside "Hard Candy," young Chuck's truth glints and swirls; it rises up as tall plumes of smoke... and boy does the scent ever linger.

Highly recommended for anyone charged with the care of others.

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Hard Candy: A Book of Stories
Tennessee Williams
Manufacturer: New Directions Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0811202216

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Fun and Easy Read
Another thriller from Coggins---do not miss!!!
Great to have Riordan back
2.5 stars - diverse but flat characters, no real suspense
A mystery with enough depth and intrigue to keep you turning the pages.

Candy from Strangers (August Riordan)
Mark Coggins
Manufacturer: Bleak House Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1932557164

Book Description

Caroline Stockwell has a secret: she and her best friend Monica are "cam girls." Soliciting cash donations and gifts via Amazon.com wish lists from anonymous admirers, the young women have put up a web site featuring still photographs, video and web diaries (aka blogs) to help pay their way through art college. But when Caroline goes missing and her mother Ellen engages jazz bass-playing PI August Riordan to find her, Riordan discovers her secret and it appears to everyone that someone she met through the web site is responsible for her disappearance.

Set against the real-world backdrop of Internet predators using social networking sites like MySpace.com to find and ensnare their victims, Candy from Strangers is the first novel to explore the phenomenon of teenagers and young adults displaying themselves online in exchange for material favors--often without their parents' knowledge--which some are calling the newest form of prostitution.

Customer Reviews:

Fun and Easy Read.......2006-12-25

I enjoyed the first two novels by the same author quite a lot, so I was looking forward to Candy from Strangers. It did not disappoint. As with his previous two novels, there were many colorful characters -- with the Bay Area itself being an integral part of the cast. Coggins is very faithful to the mystery tradition of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, with a brisk plot and the right mix of humor and darkness. I think this may be his best novel yet (although it is a close call compared to Immortal Game) and I am already looking forward to his next one.

If you enjoyed Immortal Game as much as I did, I definitely recommend Candy from Strangers. And if you haven't read Immortal Game, you might want to pick it up too.

Another thriller from Coggins---do not miss!!!.......2006-12-17

Crusty old August Riordan is back and better than ever! Coggins continues to dazzle with his ingenious characters, spellbinding and delightfully suspenseful plots,laugh-out-loud humor, and mind-boggling knowledge of San Francisco and the Bay area!! I loved his first two books, but this surpasses even those!! Don't miss this one---take a walk on the wild side and enter a whole new dark and twisted internet universe. You will be crushed when the final page is turned and, like me, will have to wait for Riordan's next adventure!!

Great to have Riordan back.......2006-12-17

Since the second of Mark Coggins' mysteries only involved August Riordan peripherally, it's great to have him back on center stage in "Candy from Strangers". He's a great "alter ego" for San Franciscans tired of the hype and so-called sophistication that the city tries to generate. (I say that as a life long SF resident who deeply loves the place). Riordan navigates the city's familiar landscape in his battered Ford Galaxie with all of San Francisco's reputed tolerance and acceptance, but with an honest and refreshing blue collar sensibilty. And what's more, he figures out "who dun it"!

He's no Holmes or Poirot, our August. But he's tenacious and smart enough to get the job done, and he plays the bass! (I doubt he'd be interested in accompanying Holmes' cerbral violin playing).

So welcome back Augie. "Candy from Strangers" is great read, and I look forward to many more in the series.

2.5 stars - diverse but flat characters, no real suspense.......2006-12-15

San Francisco PI and part-time bass player August Riordan and his cross-dressing friend, lead singer and computer hacker Chris Duckwork escape a bar fight only to come across a dead girl's body bearing what seems to be the beginning of a tattoo. Riordan is hired by Ellen Stockwell, wife of an alcoholic suspended East Palo Alto policeman, to find her missing daughter. The case leads Riordan into the world of sexual websites, a doomed relationship and murder.

Coggins knows the streets of San Francisco better than MapQuest. He has created some interesting characters but doesn't develop them. I kept waiting to feel something for any of the characters, but never did. The plot begins with a coincidence and the motive behind it all was very thin. The dialogue was well written and did add to the flavor of the story and characters but I never had a feeling of suspense. For someone who is supposed to be an experienced investigator, Riordan did, or didn't do, things I found unrealistic. I had read Coggins first Riordin book and hoped I would like this one better. Unfortunately, I didn't. Sorry, but this just didn't work for me.

A mystery with enough depth and intrigue to keep you turning the pages........2006-12-13

August Riordan is a hard boiled detective (although the author would not stoop to such tired clichés) from the old school faced with a new age crime.

As Riordan digs through the case, he encounters various interesting, diverse (an understatement), and believable characters who both help and complicate Riordan's efforts.

He also struggles with a few personality quirks that probably would rule out a career in Human Resources.

It all adds to up a thoroughly enjoyable book. Highly recommended.

Down here: Strega, Blue Belle, Hard candy

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Down here: Strega, Blue Belle, Hard candy
Andrew H Vachss
Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

ASIN: 0965002438

5 Burke Series Crime Novels: Blossom + Blue Belle + Hard Candy + Sacrifice + Shella

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5 Burke Series Crime Novels: Blossom + Blue Belle + Hard Candy + Sacrifice + Shella
Andrew Vachss
Manufacturer: Vintage Crime
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SWURLM

Average customer rating:

Hard Candy Leaves bad taste
So-so
This book is Terrible
Not what I have come to expect from MLB.

Hard Candy
Mary Lynn Baxter
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 1551664402

Customer Reviews:

Hard Candy Leaves bad taste.......2007-07-30

I have never read a Mary Lynn Baxter book before, and I am thinking this might have been a bad one to begin with. I felt there was no charactor development, no plot development, and no reason to keep reading. Because I am a die hard, I always finish a book I begin, but this book almost cured me of that. The dialogue was crude, as well as the love scenes between the two main charactors. There was no showing of a relationship between the two, just a couple of very demeaning sex encounters. The story was predictable and quite frankly, uninteresting.

Two thumbs down.

So-so.......2007-06-16

I don't really seem to have a solid opinion on this book. I'm not sure I liked it, but I didn't dislike it. I guess it was just sort of average. There's was nothing that made it awful, but there was also nothing that made it stand out as a must-read.

Everything about the book as a whole was...decent...the plot, the characters, the romance, etc. All were okay, sometimes good, but not outstanding. At times I was bored while reading it; I occassionally felt that Baxter spent too much time on the extraneous characters, and not enough on Blythe and Ryker. I just didn't care a lick for Eleanor or Frank and they didn't need all those solo scenes to get the points across that Baxter was trying to make.

Plot-wise...interesting enough, but pretty basic and at times uninspiring. The ending I felt was too brief. I didn't feel like Baxter gave it enough thought and attention. There was a big conflict between Ryker and Blythe and Baxter solves it with the snap of her fingers. It didn't do justice to the relationship or the problems between them....it just didn't work for me. Then there was this issue with one of the antagonists. He's caught at the end and injured, but suddenly in the epilogue, he's in and insane asylum...huh? What? Baxter tells us where he ends up, but not how or why and it made no sense to me. I didn't get it.

So to sum it up...not a bad book. If you come across it used like I did, it'd be worth reading, but it's definitely not something to run right out and find.

This book is Terrible.......1998-09-23

These two characters have nothing going for them but their mutual lust. There IS no character development. I have no idea how they went from slinging insults and accusations to falling in love. One minute they hate each other, the next minute it's love. Tie this in with a predicatable plot with very little originality, some bizarre and too kinky sex scenes, and what you are left with is disugust -- disgust with the book, and disgust with yourself for choosing to read it to the bitter end.

Not what I have come to expect from MLB........1998-07-31

I am astounded - I love MCB's books, this is certainly not up to her usual standard. The heroine is worried about nothing but maintaining her cool facade, even to the point of utter stupidity! Give me a break - any idiot knows that when you have an attorney, you turn all evidence over to him - not the police. When I order books from Amazon I always order 10 or more and if one of those books is by MLB, then that is the first one I read. This was such a disappointment. The style made me feel like I was reading book written by someone else.

Average customer rating:

Hard Candy
Barbara Condos
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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