The Blue Edge of Midnight

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Penzler Pick, March 2002: This is the first entry in what I hope will be a series by journalist Jonathon King, who has written for the Philadelphia Daily News and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The story features Max Freeman, who was a cop in Philadelphia until he shot and killed a 12-year-old boy who was helping to rob a convenience store. Max was shot in the neck himself and now he keeps away from most people, living in a cabin in the backwaters of South Florida.

While canoeing on the river near his home, Max spies a bundle floating near the shore which turns out to be a dead child wrapped in a sheet. Max's first reaction is that the nightmare he thought he left behind has caught up with him. Pulling the bundle into his canoe, Max paddles downstream to the ranger station where he is met by the head ranger together with three detectives--almost as if they were waiting for him.

Billy Manchester, a lawyer and friend to Max, tells him that the body of the girl he found is the third in a series of abductions that is terrifying South Florida communities. Because of his training as a cop, Max wants to help out with the investigation, but his offer of help is rebuffed by local law enforcement. He discovers that the killer is leaving global positioning system addresses with the bodies, which is why there was a team of detectives at the ranger station--they were on their way up-river to where they knew a body would be when Max brought it in.

Max himself is now a suspect and, when he returns to his cabin to discover that a GPS unit has been planted, he knows he is going to get involved anyway. If he doesn't find the murderer, the police are going to charge him. His search takes him deep into the Everglades, off the beaten track into communities closed to outsiders and hostile to questions.

King gives a vivid portrayal of a Florida still not exploited by developers and also treats us to a wonderful cast of characters--Max and Billy especially, but also to some folks who have hardly been touched by the modern world. --Otto Penzler

Book Description

Featuring ex-cop Max Freeman, The Blue Edge of Midnight marks the debut of a powerful new crime series.

"The Blue Edge of Midnight is a terrific book that begins the run of a great new talent in Jonathon King. From start to finish it is full of true character and jagged surprises. King adds new dimensions of depth and substance to the modern crime novel." (Michael Connelly)

Max Freeman's old life ended on a night that will haunt him forever. The night he killed a twelve-year-old child in self-defense in a Philadelphia shootout. The night he stopped being a cop. Now he lives an existence of solitary confinement on the edge of the Florida Everglades, where he answers to no one but the demons that eat away at his conscience.

Until the night he finds the corpse of a child beside an ancient river. The night Max Freeman's past explodes into the present.

Suddenly, Freeman is thrust into the center of the search for a killer responsible for a string of grisly slayings that is baffling both local authorities and the F.B.I. Distrusted as an outsider by the longtime residents of the Glades and pulled into the case as suspect by the police, Freeman must walk a tenuous tightrope of distrust on both sides of the law. When another child goes missing, all eyes turn to Freeman-and the ex-cop, driven by his old habits and the memories of that long-ago Philadelphia midnight, knows that he has no choice but to hunt down the seemingly unstoppable murderer himself.

An electrifying story of crime, punishment, and one man's personal redemption played out against a backdrop of wild natural beauty in conflict with the modern urban world, The Blue Edge of Midnight heralds the arrival of a stunning new voice in contemporary crime fiction.

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"National Bestselling Author of the Edgar Award winner for Best First Novel The Blue Edge of Midnight. Tormented by the demons of his past, ex-cop Max Freeman rarely ventures beyond his secluded shack deep in the Florida Everglades. But he can't ignore the recent string of suspicious deaths of elderly, poor women that the police have been unable, or unwilling, to investigate. When his best friend urges him to get involved and act like the cop he's trying to forget he was, Max must confront the dangers of the city streets-and the unexpected shadows of his own past."

Customer Reviews:

Interesting premise, mystery a bit thin.......2006-12-01

This is one of those books that, when you look at it, is clearly the start of a good series. Jonathon King can write, quite well thank you very much, and he has interesting characters to people his story. The main character (and also narrator) is an ex-cop who left the job after semi-accidentally shooting a youngster who was robbing a jewelry store. His name is Max Freeman, and he's exiled himself in the Florida swamps, living in an isolated house in the middle of nowhere. And it's there he finds a dead girl, and of course gets entangled in the search for a serial killer who's been murdering children in the area, and leaving the bodies in the swamp.

King's plot isn't that complex. I expect to an extent that's a function of starting the series: there's a lot of backgrounding here, building character of the main character and his only real sidekick, a stuttering attorney with a penthouse apartment and an apparently lucrative practice. By the time the mystery heats up a bit, you've got a good idea who the killer is. You don't really care, though: this is one of those books where the mystery is very secondary to the atmosphere and characters.

I really enjoyed this book a great deal, and I'd recommend it to almost anyone.

Interesting..........2006-10-05

but not involving. The plot was a good one and the characters showed promise...but no more than promise. The main character's introspection did not convince, and his lawyer/friend--by far the more interesting of the two--never quite came alive. I'll read another one, but only if it gets rave reviews first. I just hate being disappointed.

Good book, didn't like the reader in the audio edition.......2006-06-09

I checked out the audio book version from the local library and found it to be exactly what I want in light entertainment; a reasonably interesting mystery novel with believable characters, realistic plot, etc. But I had a lot of difficulty with the reader. The voice, enunciation, and style reminded me way too much of Fred Rogers (Mr Rogers Neighborhood), not a voice one would associate with a murder mystery. Each word is pronounced very carefully and succinctly like the reader is targeting a 6 year old audience. Just did not sound right in this context.

It took some concentration but, most of the time, I was able to go beyond the reader and focus on the story. Overall recommended.

Backwater murder mystery.......2006-04-27

Jonathon King's protagonist ex-Philadelphia cop Max Freeman is living a reclusive life in a secluded research shack in the Florida Everglades. One of his few outside contacts is long time friend and high powered South Florida based attorney Billy Manchester. Manchester arranged Freeman's purchase of the isolated residence after he opted for retirement from the police force following a serious gunshot wound in the neck.

Freeman's lair, accessible only by water, required that he negotiate his way through the cypress swamps by canoe. As he was paddling he startlingly came across the floating corpse of a young child. Not wishing to disturb the crime scene, he reported the gruesome discovery to the local rangers. Within short order the FBI arrived on the scene as this was the fourth in a series of recent child adbductions that resulted in murder.

Freeman was immediately suspected of the crime by lead FBI investigator Mark Hammonds due to his proximity to the body and his extensive knowledge of the surrounding environs. Wishing to clear his name, he strove to help with the investigation against the advice of his attorney Manchester.

Manchester arranged for a meeting with a previous client Fred Gunther, a pilot that worked as a guide to the Everglades. Gunther was to fly him over the locations where the bodies of the young murder victims had been found. A sabotaged plane engine resulted in a crash in which Freeman had to drag the severely injured Gunther through the mosquito infested swampy sawgrass to safety.

Freeman's heroics gained him an entree with a group of what was known as Gladesmen. This group of men lived their lives deep within the confines of the Everglades with disdain and beyond the reach of the law. The group led by a leathery skinned aged war hero Nate Brown seemed to hold the answers to the murder mystery. Their tight lipped nature forced Freeman to dig deeper in his investigation to learn the truth behind the rash of murders.

King's taut investigative thriller easily captures your interest as the characters amble through this unforgiving environment.

Good ex-cop mystery from Florida's Everglades.......2006-02-28

Max Freeman, an ex-cop from Philadelphia, lives in the Florida Everglades in an old research shack. His reason for being a recluse is that he shot a young kid in self-defense on the streets of Philadelphia ,and he can't seem to get it out of his head. His neck wound is a constant reminder of that day. Paddling down the river in his canoe, Max spots the fourth kid to turn up dead in a series of killings. The police suspect him at first, and the killer seems to have it in for Max as well. The book is carefully plotted mystery, and I enjoyed his flashbacks to his days on the force in Philadelphia. These stories help built his character, but we really don't get much of his personality. He's just an average Joe caught in the middle of things. A solid mystery.

Between Midnight and Day: The Last Unpublished Blues Archive

Average customer rating:

I owe Dick Waterman a beer for this
Windows on the Blues
Indescribably Wonderful
a great read not just for the blues geeks
Rush to your book store!!!!

Between Midnight and Day: The Last Unpublished Blues Archive

Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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The History of the Blues: The Roots, the Music, the People

ASIN: 1560255471

Book Description

Between Midnight and Day: The Last Unpublished Blues Archive celebrates the rich heritage of one of America’s greatest cultural legacies, the blues. Dick Waterman has been representing and photographing blues artists for over fifty years and in Between Midnight and Day, he collects these rare images, many previously unseen, and illuminates them with his own first-hand commentary offering his unique perspective as an agent, representative, photographer, and friend to some of the most influential figures in American music. Waterman includes personal recollections and 120 color photographs of blues legends like Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Son House, “Mississippi” John Hurt, Skip James, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Fred McDowell, Bonnie Raitt, Otis Rush, Roosevelt Sykes, Big Mama Thornton, Sippie Wallace, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Bukka White, and Howlin’ Wolf. Contributors include critically acclaimed music biographer Peter Guralnick, Grammy award-winning musician Bonnie Raitt, and author Chris Murray.

Customer Reviews:

I owe Dick Waterman a beer for this.......2005-01-04

As a blues enthusiast, I have always found myself looking for the inside stories, the newly discovered photographs or the alternative recordings of the players that literally changed my life 35 years ago when I was in high school. To find that Dick Waterman was a common link among so many of the greatest blues figures of the last century was a revelation. I knew of his relationship to Son House, and will forever speak his name with reverance for bringing him out of Rochester, NY to record again in the 60's. But all these other guys? Dick Waterman, thank you for putting more flesh on to the legends of so many of these guys, most of whom are now gone. I am grateful.

Windows on the Blues.......2004-01-24

Dick Waterman's photographs are a stunning chronicle of the art and music that are most important to me. Dick calls his photographs products of opportunity and access, but they are far more. I would submit that Dick's "Son House at the Liberty Bell" ranks with the top echelon of 20th century American photographs.

If you have a passing interest in blues or fine photography; you need this book. If you are a fan of the music or the art, you absolutely must have this book.

Indescribably Wonderful.......2004-01-21

There really are no words to fully describe what a treasure this book is--which is entirely appropriate given that Mr. Waterman himself is an American treasure. Whether you are a hardcore blues fan or a casual listener, the photographs in this book will take your breath away. The stories that accompany them strip away the mythology to reveal the humanity beneath, and leave you looking at these legendary artists through fresh and more honest eyes.

I simply can't recommend this book highly enough. Buy a copy for yourself, and then buy as many as you can for your family and friends. You will not be sorry.

a great read not just for the blues geeks.......2003-12-30

An extraordinary read! I feared that this book was receiving so much praise because blues geeks felt that they had to eulogize the talents of this famed sixties blues promoter. No, it's not hype, this book really does hit new highs in great closeup shots and portraits, woven together with rich and personal tales that describe the crossing of Waterman's path with that of many of the greatest blues musicians ever. Some chapters are touched with sadness, such as the exploitation of Arthur Crudup's royalties (only for Waterman to help secure a rich reward for the family estate shortly after Crudup's death). Others are hilarious, such as the exposure of Robert Lockwood as being perhaps the sweariest bluesman ever. I could go on, but readers deserve to discover these stories for themselves. Albeit to say that the human sides of many famous musicians are exposed here, be they glorious or grim or bizarre. The only other blues read that I know of that gets so close up and personal in text and pictures is perhaps Tim Duffy's from the Musicmaker Foundation, entitled: "Musicmakers: portraits and songs from the roots of america". In fact the two books are complementary because whilst Waterman's subjects are by and large towering figures of the blues who have mostly died by now, Tim Duffy's subjects remain somewhat obscure and undiscovered by the main stream but many are still alive and kicking the blues in a neighbourhood near you.

Rush to your book store!!!!.......2003-12-21

Once I started reading this book, putting it down was impossible. Dick Waterman's stories about the various blues musicians were as impressive as the outstanding photos in the book. It felt like I was pulled inside this incredible book and for a moment felt like I personally knew and was living with these people. The believability of this book was truly enhanced by Dick Waterman's honesty. He truly says it as it is. This book is not only interesting for blues officianados, but also for anyone interested in American history, great photography and captivating stories.

Average customer rating:

The Best
Midnight Blue
Wow!
Wow!
Another Great Book!

Midnight Blue
Dorothy Garlock
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446355224

Book Description

Leaving her finishing school behind, Mara Shannon McCall returned to the lawless country of her birth, determined to reclaim the ranch that was her father's legacy. With a derringer in her pocket and her heart beating wildly in her breast, she rode toward the home she barely remembered--only to find a wounded man across the rugged trail. He was beaten and bloody, but Pack Gallagher was unmistakably a fighter--a handsome Irish brawler with shoulders a yard wide, hands as hard as steel, and midnight-blue eyes as proud and passionate as Mara's own. With a shuddering wave of desire, she knew he was a champion who could fight by her side against the outlaws on her land and a soul mate who could share her deepest secrets. Here was an exciting, defiant lover who could hold her forever--or the one man who could crush her dreams and break her heart.

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Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2006-06-18

I am Dorothy Garlock fan. I have read many of her books and I must say, that this is one of the best books Garlock has written.

Midnight Blue.......2006-02-26

As usual Dorothy Garlock has as always written a very good story and a meaningful family story.

Wow!.......2002-03-23

Yes, this book is definitely for hopeless romantics, or just those that love a great historical romance! Wonderful from start to finish. Ms. Garlock took her time getting the two together, slowly developing the relationship from protector to lover. At the beginning, it is Mara that has to protect Pack from sure death. Then from there on, she slowly discovers how Pack has been her whole life, even before she was aware of it... you'll have to read it to understand that statement!

Sam and Emily were also wonderful characters, with a very sweet love story. If you read other Garlock books, you'll be thrilled to find out the true identify of Emily and Charlie Rivers. I loved reading about Zachary Quill, the son of Farrway and Liberty Quill, and hearing what's happening to others from Quills Station.

Wow!.......2002-03-22

Another Great Book!.......2001-02-20

Mara Shannon returns to her childhood home to claim her parents' land. Her fight to regain what is rightfully her's brings her into close contact with Pack Gallagher, a rough boxer. Their story is truly touching as is the story about two secondary characters, Emily and Charles. Excellant!

Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf

Average customer rating:

Living the Blues
Moanin'
Where is the Definitive Biography of Wolf? Here it Is!!!!
Where the soul of man never dies
Worthy Treatment of Worthy Subject

Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf
James Segrest , and Mark Hoffman
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1560256834

Book Description

One of the greatest artists the blues ever produced, Howlin' Wolf was a musical giant in every way. He stood six foot three, weighed almost three hundred pounds, wore size sixteen shoes, and poured out his darkest sorrows onstage in a voice that captured all the pain of growing up black and poor in Jim Crow Mississippi. Half a century after his first hits, his sound still terrifies and inspires.

Wolf began his career singing with the first Delta blues stars, was present at the birth of rock 'n' roll in Memphis, and vied with rival Muddy Waters for the title of king of Chicago blues. This new and revised edition is full of harrowing anecdotes about his early years, entertaining stories about his decades at the top, and never-before-seen photographs of the artist onstage. An essential volume for Wolf's legions of fans, lovers of blues, and anyone interested in the history of American music.

Customer Reviews:

Living the Blues.......2006-04-05

This book is without doubt, an excellent, well-researched and detailed account of the life of Howlin' Wolf. The life of the blues pioneer was one of hardship, sadness, and overcoming adversity, and the authors do a good job of conveying what the Wolf dealt with.

From his hardscrabble upbringing, an abusive and hypocritical father, and mother lost in psychological and religious madness, and just obstacle after obstacle, the Wolf endured, but sometimes I feel never achieved the full happiness he wanted. There's no doubt he loved his family, cared for his bandmates and did his best, but you could tell the sadness that the blues often heals might not have been enough.

There's a good examination here of Wolf's music, his influences and how he managed a signature sound as well as a performance style that blew nearly all the others away. All the same, Wolf was very protective of that sound, demanding of his mates and making sure they did it the way he wanted it done. Sometimes he was overbearing and arrogant, as witnessed by the defection of Hubert Sumlin to the Muddy Waters band. But Hubert later did return, and many would come in and out over the years.

The rift between Waters and Wolf is noted here; was there ever really one, beyond the professional rivalry? It does appear that Wolf saw Waters as a company man, in terms of his relationship with the Chess brothers. Wolf was very careful about his money, making sure the brothers paid him what he was due, while Waters was content to allow the brothers to get him a new car or a home now and then, perhaps a bit too trustful.

But in the end, it does seem they cared about each other and made up any differences near the end of their lives.

I do think there's a certain God-worship by the authors of Wolf. Too much in some places I think, where a writer makes the subject the greatest thing ever, and all others are chaff. Just the same, this is a sometimes funny, often sad look at a great musician, writer and performer, who influenced those who followed, such as the Rolling Stones.

When I hear "Smokestack Lightning" now, I don't hear it quite the way I once did. It has a more sorrowful quality now than ever. RIP, Wolf...you deserve it.

Moanin'.......2006-03-18

Interesting. Provides an insight into the character of Chester Burnett, especially enjoyable since less seems to be known about him than other bluesmen.

Where is the Definitive Biography of Wolf? Here it Is!!!!.......2005-10-31

Two years ago, I reviewed Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box in this very hallowed cyberspace, wonderin' aloud (as Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull would have it) when in the world would someone please write the definitive bio of Wolf and his massive (reportedly 6' 3" and 300 pounds) persona? Well, folks, wonder no longer. Within the past year, James Segrest and Mark Hoffman have written said biography. In fact, I first purchased and eagerly devoured this tome a year ago; it was only upon rereading it that I decided it was time for review. Sam Phillips once reportedly said that Wolf was the greatest talent he had ever discovered. (For perspective, remember that Mr Phillips helped discover such "nobodies" as Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the King himself, Mr. Elvis Presley. To say that Wolf was his greatest discovery was quite a statement, doncher know.) We see the early Wolf, cast out by his own mother because his music was "too sinful", and beaten repeatedly by his father, drive a plow on a Mississippi plantatation, until one day, (reads like a fairy tale, don't it?) first Charlie Patton, then Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) come along to teach Chester Arthur Burnett the rudiments of guitar and harp, respectively. We see Wolf through the glory years of Chess, making his classic records, and giving his incredible performances (including reportedly sliding down the length of a fire curtain when he was 57 YEARS OLD, no less!), through the good and bad times with his multitalented bandmates (including a VERY young James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin, his nonpareli guitarist), through the unbelievable records (some of which were originals; others, such as "Sittin' On Top of the World", "Pony Blues" and "Built for Comfort", he received from artists like Charlie Patton and Willie Dixon); and finally, through the later, sick years (when he recorded London Howlin' Wolf Sessions, six years before his death, he was reportedly so ill, he could only complete one song per day). Hoffman and Segrest's excellent prose leaves you spellbound and wishing you could rush right out and purchase some of his music. TA DAAA!!!! The wait is over. When you are done reading this review, why not just do another search and pull up Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box and send yourself 71 of the Howlin'est, Wolfingest tunes as an early Christmas present???? WHY NOT????? So don't delay, order both Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf and Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box today, even as we speak. Trust me it's the kind of music (and writing) that will put hair on your chest and make you want to howl all night long!!!!!

Where the soul of man never dies.......2005-01-27

This book sets a new standard for music biographies, the authors have really done their research. Not only that, Chester almost jumps off the pages so well do they reveal a complex and private man. Descriptions of live performances and studio sessions are finely detailed, due to the numerous interviews the authors conducted with sidemen, producers, fans and family members. Good thing these writers started work on the book many years ago; a number of the interviewees have since died, making this the final word on working/living with the Wolf. Outstanding.

Worthy Treatment of Worthy Subject.......2005-01-03

One thing about music bios. When the subject is an artistic giant, they generally seem compelled to report "new" or "previously unknown" scandals to keep readers interested.

But not this book. The authors have dutifully and truly captured the unique essence of Howlin' Wolf. In short, it is not only the definitive bio of the artist and the man, but it might well rank as one of the best and most loving comprehensive studies of anyone in music.

After decades of listening to Wolf's music, and reading tons o' material about him, I approached this book with no small degree of caution. Would it be tawdry? Would it simply rehash facts? Be another potboiler?

Happily the book is a superlative effort, seemlessly meshing history with artistry.

Do yourself a favor. Read it and enjoy.

Cat on a Blue Monday: A Midnight Louie Mystery

Average customer rating:

Louie does it again
Classic Midnight Louie, the best!
Midnight Louie is simply the cat's meow in my book!

Cat on a Blue Monday: A Midnight Louie Mystery
Carole Nelson Douglas
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812534417

Book Description

Carole Nelson Douglas, award-winning author of the acclaimed Good Night, Mr. Holmes, captivated a host of new readers with Catnap, the first novel in an irresistible new mystery series featuring Midnight Louie -- a jet-black tomcat with an appetite for mystery and an attitude right out of Damon Runyon -- and his red-haired human companion Temple Barr, a publicist in the glittering Las Vegas media scene. Pussyfoot, the sequel to Catnap, was an even bigger success, and mystery fans have been eagerly awaiting the next volume in the series.Cat on a Blue Monday is well worth the wait. Someone is stalking prize-winning purebreds at the annual Las Vegas Cat Show, and Midnight Louie is off on the prowl again. As Louie, aided by a telepathic Birman cat named Karma, follows the scent of the killer, Temple is delving into the past of Matt Devine, the handsome young hotline counselor who's captured her heart. Soon Louie and Temple find themselves up to their tails in blackmail, extortion, and cold-blooded murder. Fans of foul play, feisty female detectives, and feline forensics are sure to find Cat on a Blue Monday just their saucer of milk.

Customer Reviews:

Louie does it again.......2003-11-12

At the Las Vegas cat show, a major contender - a once beautiful Birman - is shaved before she gets a chance to compete. At the Circle Ritz, home to Midnight Louie, a big, black, tough-talking feline supersleuth and his roommate, petite PR pro Temple Barr, another Birman, landlady Electra Lark's psychic Karma, warns Louie that he must find a place where lots of cats are gathered because they are all in danger. Louie does his research by absorbing the newspaper classifieds (it's a sort of learning by osmosis, as he explains it.) And so Louie sets out for the cat show.

Meanwhile, in the Las Vegas parish of Our Lady Of Guadalupe the convent cat, Peter, is found nailed to the shed door of a neighbor, spinster Blandina Tyler, in a mock crucifixion. Miss Tyler just happens to keep many, many stray cats. Blandina is aunt to Peggy Wilhelm of the shaved Birman who is now stuck on guard duty at the cat show. Temple - in a fit of good samaritanism - volunteered to help feed them Blandina's cats to help Peggy out. Lucky for Peter, whom she finds and rushes to the vet, where he makes a good recovery. Soon she and neighbor Matt Devine are also in on the action.

Meanwhile, Louie goes undercover at the cat show - after all, it is a place where many cats are gathered and at least one has been threatened. In the process he manages to win Best of Show in the housecat category - even though he didn't enter. That's our boy - one superior dude! But it doesn't go to his head. Louie has a job to do!

Is the hot spot the show? Or the parish, where Temple's divine neighbor, Matt Devine's former grade school teacher has called him to assist with still another problem - the pastor has taken to tippling. Poor, nearly deaf Sister Mary Monica is getting obscene phone calls, although she doesn't realize it. ("He must love philosophy. He's always talking about Kant," she says.) And there are mysterious things that go bump in the night all around the convent area.

And then Miss Tyler is murdered - and we have another clutch of cats in danger - along with a baffling selection of wills, all leaving Miss Tyler's money to different people and/or cats. Suddenly suspects appear to be everywhere.

Meanwhile, back at the Circle Ritz, Temple has adopted a new roommate - a small black Humane Society cat called Caviar. Her real name, she tells her new feline roommate (whose name she does not yet know) is Midnight Louise. Louise has a plan of her own - revenge on her dear old Dad, who heartlessly deserted dear sweet Mom and the kits. Louie is not particularly pleased.

Can Louie hide his identity from Louise? Is she really Louie's daughter? (We suspect so when she manages to leave a couple clues of her own about where the action is - revealing that she has Louie's detection genes if not his massive size.) Will they be able to co-exist in Temple's apartment? Will we ever discover why Father Hernandez is tippling tequila, or who has it in for the show cats - or the convent area cats? Or who keeps calling Sister Mary Monica and talking about female dog breeding?

Somehow, Louie, Temple and Matt manage to keep all the many strands of mystery from getting too, too tangled, but not before Temple has to break out her newly learned martial arts skills to foil an arson and would-be killer, or before Louie escapes after being chloroformed in a sack - the next candidate for crucifixion.

Rest assured - Louie is tough - and smart - and is only a bit chagrined that his latest media appearance is made while he looks helpless and totally dissheveled with an oxygen mask over his puss. After all - he did lead all the right people to the right places so that the dastardly deeds are finally halted and order and safety are restored to both the cat world and the parish. You'll need to read the book to find out how - and that is an entertaining assignment indeed.

This is the third Midnight Louie book and the first in the alphabetical series that now goes through letter N. But if you missed Catnap and Pussyfoot, don't worry - this book stands on its own merits, as do all the books in the series. It is exciting, mysterious, and yet totally charming. Talking cats may sound too cutesy to believe, but there is nothing cute about Louie - or even his alleged newfound daughter, Caviar. These are street smart cats with an inborn intelligence and a novel way of looking at the world that just may give some new insights to the humans who read them.

Classic Midnight Louie, the best!.......2002-04-18

Midnight Louie is at his best and most lovable in this romp through a murder at a cat show. How he is able to keep his excitable "Little Doll" under control and guide her to solving the mystery and other problems is quite engrossing. As always, Louie is the strong character and quite the inimitable tough private cat eye. A well plotted and well written book. Any cat lover and many a non-catlover mystery fan should love this book.

Midnight Louie is simply the cat's meow in my book!.......1999-02-13

Midnight Louie, cat detective and tomcat about town (Las Vegas that is), and his "human," Temple Barr are on the prowl again after a mysterious happening at a cat show. Also, strange happenings occur at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church involving obscene phone calls, priestly secrets, and lots of cats. A good read which I couldn't put down. If you are a fan of Midnight Louis mysteries or any other Black Cat style mysteries, you'll enjoy this one. I couldn't put it down until I got to the very suspenseful ending. (And yes I do own a black cat!)

Midnight Mover: The True Story of the Greatest Soul Singer in the World

Average customer rating:

spotlighting the man
Yep, World's Greatest Soul Singer!
uncut Book

Midnight Mover: The True Story of the Greatest Soul Singer in the World
Bobby Womack
Manufacturer: John Blake Publishing, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul
Chicago Blues: Portraits and Stories (Music in American Life)
Big Boss Man: The Life and Music of Bluesman Jimmy Reed
The Confessions of Rick James: Memoirs of a Super Freak
Sly and the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' on (33 1/3) (33 1/3)

ASIN: 1844541487

Book Description

Bobby Womack is a legend—a phenomenally gifted singer, songwriter, and guitarist with 40 albums and 30 million record sales to his name. A protégé of Sam Cooke, Womack wrote classics that include "Lookin' for a Love" and "It's All Over Now" (a smash-hit for the Rolling Stones). Their success helped make him a star, but ongoing battles with drugs and the record industry nearly destroyed him. Behind his music lies a life scorched by tragedy, beginning with his impoverished childhood in Cleveland, to his years touring and recording with the greats—including James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Eric Clapton, and Elvis Presley—and through the years of drugs, partying, and riotous abuse, this is the authentic voice of a major soul artist.

Customer Reviews:

spotlighting the man.......2007-05-14

This is an autobiography, and seeing as Bobby Womack is a musician and not a writer, one has to cut him some slack when it comes to his writing skills. This being said, the story he weaves is interesting and at times very moving. There is no doubt Womack is a tremendously gifted musician-self taught, plays the guitar upside down without inverting the strings(like Hendrix did) and furthermore he is a dynamite vocalist. Before reading this book I was unaware of the extreme poverty of his upbringing, which makes his achievements all the more amazing. His life has had many up and downs, tragedies and hardships but he survived it all and created a solid musical legacy for himself. Bobby may not be as well known as James Brown or Otis Redding, but anyone who taps into the Womack vibe will surely discover an artist of true greatness.

Yep, World's Greatest Soul Singer!.......2006-12-29

You know... he ain't lyin'. This is an awesome, entertaining, insightful, fact-filled read. All you want to know (sometimes more than you want to know -hehehe!) about James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Wilson Pickett, Sly Stone, and Elvis Presley, Solomon Burke, Ike Turner, The Rolling Stones & more. Hey, there's cocaine, murder and suicide too. My only gripe is he didn't really discuss his work on Ronnie Wood's "Now Look" album (Womack is credited as a co-producer on the album).
Great musician, interesting man, fascinating read. Worth the $. Buy this book!

uncut Book.......2006-08-07

Bobby Womack is a heck of a Cat. dude Musically is scary versatile&has always been straight to the point on a variety of subjects. in this Book He talks about his music career&the various Politics in&Around the Business. he doesn't hold back about Sam Cooke&His Marriage to His Widow 6 months after Cooke was Killed. Bobby Talks about working&playing with a whose who of the music business. He pulls no punches&puts it all out there. Bobby Womack is a very Underrated Artist. this Book sets the record straight on different topics.

Midnight Blue: The Sonja Blue Collection

Average customer rating:

A 'Dark' Read....
Interesting....
Dark but pleasing.
wow . . . perfect in every way
Enjoyed it qute a bit...

Midnight Blue: The Sonja Blue Collection
Nancy A. Collins
Manufacturer: White Wolf Games Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Dozen Black Roses (World of Darkness: Vampire)
Dead Roses for a Blue Lady (Borealis)
In the Blood (Sonja B Lue)
Darkest Heart (Borealis Legends)
Darkest Heart: A Sonja Blue Novel

ASIN: 1565049004

Customer Reviews:

A 'Dark' Read...........2006-12-24

...But a great read. This Collection really gets you started in Sonja Blue and her life, or un-life(?). This is a dark series and makes Buffy stories look life the cotton-candy stories they really are. This is great urban fantasy. I have really just recently goten into urban fantasy and and digging thru alot of diffrent books. This one one of the first. Great way to start, I think. I am putting this on my keeper shelf and think you should too.

Interesting...........2006-04-04

Let's start with the good things...I loved the plot. I thought that the lead female character was awesome. The book is a breathe of fresh air in the "vampire hunter" genre. However, the writing could use some improvement. There were certain scenes where the writing didn't...flow like it normally did. This is not for the little vamp lovers!! Swearing, sex, and gore are aplenty in the book.
It was a very original book. The concept of "the Other" was very cool. It was an over all good book. If you like Hamliton before she turned porn, get this book. If you want a good vamp book to accompany you on those lonely nights. GET THE BOOK NOW.
(The artwork on the cover is stunning too...but you can't judge a book by its cover now can we?)

Dark but pleasing........2006-01-15

This is a very good read for dark fantasy readers. It's true that it is gory and graphic-- but what else would you expect from a vampire hunter? Not exactly a picnic. The story is mostly action-filled, but there is a small bit of romance. The ending of the book is not quite what I expected but is still a great read.

wow . . . perfect in every way.......2005-12-05

Scattershot. A common thread amongst the reviewers here is the idea these books are "graphic". Are they? Yeah. I suppose. But it's a question of background. Coming from a background of the-gorier-the-better horror movies I was well pleased by the graphic story telling. The younger you are the less the shock value in "graphic" -- it is simply appropriate. Collins vampires are - to llmp in lamely - dangerous predators, not romantic figures.

I think some readers find themselves in for a surprise picking up a series of stories from a female author. The expectation of romance, eroticism and such has been built up by lesser (hehe . . . flame bait) authors. This is the raw stuff of nightmares. God she's good!

185 pages! 185! I could scarcely believe it. I picked up the first story late afternoon and couldn't stop until I'd read the last page shortly before bedtime. She artfully constructed and fully fleshed character after character, giving each such care . . . wow. And, with no remorse, let's each slip in pools of their own blood into oblivion. And, in far fewer pages than most, she creates a stunning new world rife with rich characters and left me ready for more.

That's some strong writing!

I was bothered early by strong parallels between Blue and Blade. Finally I IMDB'd Blade and, yep, the movie came years after the inception of Blue. There must be a connection here but I'd never read about it before. (Google'd and recalled I had heard of a connection here: her publisher White Wolf Games sued the people behind Underworld of all things for similarities. I suppose I may run into those similarities in the other books.)

Sonja Blue is a happy discovery. I'm glad I found her. These are the best vampire books I've read since the unforgetable, inimitable Necroscope books (Brian Lumley, in case you've missed him before now).

Enjoyed it qute a bit..........2005-08-22

It's funny. I received the hardcover because a friend was reading it and found it to be too violent. She went on to write a cycle of short stories that were even more violent in some ways.

It's well written stuff, Ms. Collins writes powerfully, and yet it's easy to spend a night reading it. Some absolutely gorgeous turns of phrase or ideas here and there, and some really dorky passages as well.

If you like intrigue mixed with fairly graphic horror (note the order I listed them in) then you will love this collection.

Personally, I enjoyed it.

Mel Bay Dr. Midnight's Blues Harp Songbook

Average customer rating:

Mel Bay Dr. Midnight's Blues Harp Songbook

Manufacturer: Mel Bay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 078660025X

'Round About Midnight: A Portrait of Miles Davis

Average customer rating:

This is a great place to start!
Memories make the book!
An Excellent Book that Any Miles Fan Should Read
Not just another Miles biography
ANother Great Book

'Round About Midnight: A Portrait of Miles Davis
Eric Nisenson
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0306806843

Customer Reviews:

This is a great place to start!.......2002-02-09

A truly engrossing book, full of classic stories and memories of recording sessions. A great primer for the new Miles fan. Check it out.

Memories make the book!.......2000-10-22

This book is made awesome by the recollections by its author, Eric Nisenson. To read the excerpts from Nisenson's interactions with Miles gives the book a closeness that is only attainable by personal experiences. The reader is drawn to it, the riveting detail transforms the words into a vivid picture in which the reader sees him/herself in Miles' living- room, hearing that classical rasp of his. Definitely a must read for all those interested in Western music.

An Excellent Book that Any Miles Fan Should Read.......2000-07-17

I really enjoyed this book, and tore through it as fast as I could while still reading it carefully. Author Eric Nisenson is to be commended for the insights he provides into the career and character of Miles Davis. Nisenson covers his entire career and life, from birth to death, even though many periods are summed up too quickly, and I was often left wanting more detail.

That said, if I had not read this "updated edition" of the book, I might not be so full of praise. Nisenson's original version of this biography was released in 1982, and this updated version came out in 1996. Nisenson adds a Preface, and a few chapters to the end of the book. These additions are, to me, the heart of the book. As I said, Nisenson does a fine job covering Miles's career in the body of the book, and the author appears to have a greater understanding of the character and true essence of Miles Davis than anyone else that I've read. This is definitely the story of Miles Davis through the lens of the author's experience, and Nisenson knew Davis personally and understands him well. However, it was the new material that provided the greatest insights for me.

First, in the new Preface, Nisenson writes about the time that he knew Miles Davis, when Miles was in "retirement," and when they were working on this book together (Miles pulled out of the project later because publishers insisted that he help publicize the book, and he was not interested in doing so at the time.). These glimpses into Miles's personal life and character are revealing. Most startling to me was the revelation that Miles Davis had, in Nisenson's words, "beaten and abused women throughout his life." Nisenson laments the fact that, despite the fact that Miles "brutally abused women" was "well known throughout the jazz community," few, if any, jazz critics or biographers, have seen fit to mention it. I give Nisenson a lot of credit for taking himself to task for not addressing the issue in his original edition of "'Round About Midnight." He writes:

"But now, after ther O.J. Simpson affair, I really think it is time to view such activity for what it is--sick and evil. I guess when I wrote this book I still thought of Miles as a friend, but there is really no excuse. It amazes me how people like Miles can scream about the evils of racism--rightly so--and then continually abuse women. What utter hypocrisy."

Bravo, Mr. Nisenson. It does not serve anyone well to deify this musical genius without remembering the "sick and evil" parts of his character.

Nisenson also adds a couple of chapters to the end of the book. These were extremely revealing to me. In the chapter called "Phoenix," Nisenson provides great insight into the post-"retirement" phase of Miles's career, the utter absurdity and banality of which has always perplexed me. The final chapter, before a useful abridged discography, addresses the question "who was Miles Davis" and debunks and deconstructs the oft-repeated myth that he "changed music four or five times."

The reason for the lack of a fifth star in my rating is due to a two flaws in the book: One, it lacks detail too much of the time and sums things up to quickly. This book should be about twice as long as it is. And two, there are some mistakes in the not-detailed-enough documentation of Miles's recording sessions.

Despite these flaws, I strongly recommend the purchase of this book.

Not just another Miles biography.......2000-05-28

If you want the ultimate Miles biography, get the Jack Chambers one. This book, at 300 pages, is sketchy in comparison. It is almost criminally negligent about Miles' music of the 60's and 70's.

What makes it worth reading, however, is Mr. Nisenson's personal memoirs. The preface is called "Hangin' Out with Daffy Davis". In it, he tells how he went from idolizing Miles when he was a teenager to a situation where his phone would ring late at night and he would groan, "Oh no, it's that damned Miles again!" We've all heard that Miles wasn't a saint; this edition of Nisenson's portrait confirms it.

Despite my earlier comments, Nisenson is an excellent author and "'Round About Midnight" is a very enjoyable read. So if you buy all good books on Miles or you'd like to hear something a little different about him, get it. (After you read it, by the way, think about the fact that this guy did not rate one mention in Miles' autobiography.) If you want only one Miles bio, however, it's got to be the Jack Chambers or the Ian Carr one.

ANother Great Book.......2000-04-02

I Never get tired of Reading about Miles Davis.and this Book is Very well done.Eric Nisenson does a Fantastic Job Here Detailing The Life&Times of The Man.all of his Musical Heroes&Those He Inspired which were many.Miles Davis is one of the Greatest Teachers of Music that the Music World has ever Heard.&Also Very Black&Proud.Miles was A Brother He Never Sold-Out&was His Own Man.

Midnight Blue: If you believe in someone, will they come back for you no matter what? Even after they die?

Average customer rating:

Midnight Blue: If you believe in someone, will they come back for you no matter what? Even after they die?
Gregory R Schussele
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595416756

Book Description

Gordon Schell is a doomed man. He's quit his job, and his wife, Rosita, is angry. She'll have to wait tables to provide for the three children and she hates that. When Gordon finds work just days later, instead of starting his new employment he's arrested for murder. A witness identified his mug shot as the suspect seen leaving the victim's house around the time of her death. Complicating matters further, Gordon denies knowing the victim, Darcy Rowland, even though he has been in her house before. What is he hiding?

Tried, convicted and sentenced to death, Gordon has a date with the executioner. His new attorney, Manny Rodriguez, and the private investigator must race to discover enough evidence which points to the real killer to convince the governor to order a stay. Convinced he will die soon, Gordon tells Rosita that he will be back for her, but only if she tells him from her own lips that she still believes in him. Before she can say it, the guards haul Gordon away. Does he meet his executioner? And, if so, did he hear her? Can Gordon really be back for the only woman he ever loved?

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