Dead Girls Don't Write Letters

Book Description

Things had been getting a little better until I got a letter from my dead sister. That more or less ruined my day.

When Sunny's older sister, Jazz, ran away to New York, Sunny was secretly relieved. Everyone loved Jazz, talked about Jazz, wished they were friends with Jazz. Jazz was perfect and Sunny was...well, not Jazz.

Then Jazz's apartment building burns to the ground and she is presumed dead. Sunny's family, already broken by divorce, unravels. Dad's drinking skyrockets, and Mom's depression hits an all-time nonfunctioning low. Sunny is left to cope.

Then they get a letter from Jazz saying she is coming home. But how? Jazz is dead, right?

Customer Reviews:

Disappointment from a Good Author.......2007-10-01

Okay, there are twists (and I won't give them away), but this story is very familiar and the story never rises above mediocre. It might be good to a reader 12 or under, but any high school student will read it with cynicism and disbelief. Giles' other works are high quality - Shattering Glass is a favorite - but this one just seemed flat. You might feel sorry for the narrator, Sunny, but you won't buy into her story.

Dead Girls Don't Write Letters.......2007-05-30

Dead Girls Don't Write Letters

The Book Dead Girls Don't Write Letters by Gail Giles and was published by is medium length. This book is a very suspenseful and depressing story. Dead Girls Don't Write Letters is also a fiction story that takes place in a small town that includes the fallowing characters: Sonny, Jasmine, family, and friends. Sonny is the main character of the story and the youngest sister of Jasmine who she dislikes.

The majority of this story takes place in California where Sonny and her family live. Most of the story is told through first person point of view through Sonny's eyes. Some other main characters in the story include Mrs. H. a.k.a. Mrs. Hamming the mean teacher who talks bad about Sonny after Jasmine dies. There is also the entire staff talking about her as well but Mrs. H. was the cruelest of all. The protagonist of this story was Sonny because she tries to find out what really happened to Jasmine because the picture that she sent did not look anything like Jasmine. The antagonist of the story was Sonny herself as well because instead of letting go of the past and what Jasmine had done to her and she let it bother her to the point that she didn't care if Jasmine was alive or dead.
One strength of this book is that it keeps you focused and you don't want to stop reading because you want to know what's going to happen next. Although the book doesn't automatically draw your attention once you start reading, after the first couple pages it really draws you in. It starts out talking about her daily schedule now that Jasmine is dead she has now taken a new role at home as the new mother in the house. She has to take care of the baby because her mother is too depressed and won't stop looking at the scrap book that used to belong to Jasmine, that is if she when she's not at school. She must come home during her lunch period to check up on things at home and see if her mom kept her promise and got dressed this morning or if she just stayed in her pajamas and cried while looking through the scrap book again.
Another thing I really enjoyed was that the book reminds me of my own life and how my sister treats me the same way Jasmine treated Sonny as a child but the only difference was that my sister was a little bit more thoughtful as a child and would not blame things on me as much because my parents knew I could not have done any of the things she accused me of because I was too nice and I really didn't have the ability to do it anyways. I also liked the way this story was told because it had some parts where I almost wanted to cry for Sonny because her sister was mean and I hate my sister now because of everything she did, and I can relate to Sonny in her pain she has bottled up.
I was arguing weather I should or should not read Dead Girls Don't Write Letters because it sounded scary and I can't stand scary stories but I always have the tendency to read them anyways. I would defiantly recommend this book for anyone who has a mean sister that can sort of relate to this story and to anyone who is just looking for a interesting and fictional book that's suspenseful as well, because it is a really good book, especially the ending!

Mystery of a dead or alive girl.......2007-04-03

When jumbled up Sunny discovers a letter from her dead sister she freezes out of shock she can't believe what she was seeing.A letter from Jazz,but how could that be? She couldn't tell her mother because she was on ant-depressent pills and she didn't know how she would react,and her father was a drunky and would just probably get even more drunk,so she went up stairs to her room and hid it.Then the next day she just couldn't resist but to read it,and it said that Jazz had not really died in the fire that the reporters claim that she had and that she was coming this Sunday, and Sunny had nothing else to do but tell her parents.When she did her mom went hasterical,she made every kind of food that Jazz liked and even cleaned the houes all by herself.When Jazz came she got all the atention just like she always did and Sunny hardly got some,but something was just plain old wierd about Jazz, she was to pretty to be her,but she knew all about them,and she claims that she got a knew make over.There was just something wrong about her, and one day she even could Sunny Karen when that wasn't her name!Was she really Jazz are was she someone else? Read it and find out.

Katelyn's Book Review.......2007-02-01

Okay, you're in high school something tragic just happened
And your mom is really depressed so you volunteer to come home during lunch break. You're walking home you go in your Mail box and right there in front of your face is a letter from your dead sibling FREAKY RIGHT...

Well that's what happens in the book DEAD GIRLS DON'T WRITE LETTERS to Sunny she wonders "is my sister still alive or is it just a joke".
In the story Dead Girls Don't Write Letters Sunny tries to find out if the girl who claims to be Sunny's older sister jasmine or if she's just a fake. Sunny accuses jasmine of not being her sister.

Soon sunny puts the puzzle pieces together and calls a woman Mrs. Mallory who (jasmine would call "sunny" Rhonda) talks about her dead daughter and how a girl Debra would act like her daughter Rhonda.

This book is a mystery that is suspenseful and has alot of drama there are some words that are inappropriate so it is suggested that you should be11 and older to read this book.

I hope you choose this book because it is very interesting to the point were you don't want to put it down.

Abstract- Makes you think.......2006-10-30

I checked this book out at our middle school library. I didn't understand the title, and you wouldn't either. It starts off with Sunny Reynolds whose mother is in severe depression and spends her days crying and staring at her dead sister Jazz's scrapbook. Her father is an alchohaulic. When Sunny recieves a letter from her supposedly "dead" sister (who *supposedly died in an apartment fire, though her remains were not identified) she is very very happy. But when "Jazz" visits- her Mother is so, so happy, and Sunny notices Jazz is a lot different- she looks different, acts different. Her dad believes so too. So Sunny snoops and finds out that she "really isn't" Jazz.

At the end, the author turns on you---

"Granny's eyes turn away.
"Do I think a girl cam here pretending to be Jazz?".
I nodded.
"No, Sunny, I don't."
"What about mrs. mallory?"
"She didn't actually speak to jazz, did she?"
And there it was. I pulled the journal from my desk. The letter was inside.
"Then Where did this come from? This is proof."
Granny sat on my bed, smoothed the sweater she had been folding, placed it next to her, and took the journal.

"Sunny, you've been forging your Lily's name on school notes since you were ten. You paid the bills last year, signing your mother's name. My guess is that you can do a passable forgery of Dan's signature, too." Busted.
"Look at this journal, Sunny. It's more about you than about Jazz. When was Jazz ever concerned about anyone else. She was always the main character in her own play."
I guess my face showed surprise.
"Oh, yes, I loved Jazz, but she was a con artist. A good one" Granny's eyes filled. She cleared her throat.
"But this journal. No, it's not Jazz. These are words you needed. You needed a way to give Jazz back to your parents so she could leave."
"But--"
"Sunny, look at your desk."
The Leonardo book was there. My practice notebook next to it.
"When you do mirror-writing, is it your own handwriting written backwards?" I looked.
"No," I whispered. Afraid now.
"No." Granny's voice wass soothing. Like mine when I didn't want to spook Mom.
"It's exactly like Leonardo da Vinci's."

She handed me the journal.

"You wrote this."

In the end, Sunny is sent to a boarding school and sees a therapist. The last page says,
"It was friday. I had plans with my friends for the weekened. I took the wide oak steps two at a time, into the burgandy-carpeted entry hall.

I opened my mailbox. Only one letter. On yellow stationery. I pulled it out and stared at the address.
"Wow, wierd."
The voice came from over my shoulder, making me jump.
"What's weird?"
Kim, my roommate, pointed at the letter.
"That's your handwriting. Sending letters to yourself?"

My head roared and my vision tilted. I leaned against the wall for balance and ripped open the letter.
"Took a while to find you. Planning to see you soon."
The signature was spiky and back-slanted.
"Sunny."
What have I done?"

I still don't get it. Read it and let me know what you think. On a last note, is Jazz really dead, or is Sunny mentally ill? Just a thought.

Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5)

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Not the best one in the series
Meets and Exceeds the Fun Factor in Reading!
A SHIFTER IN THE FAMILY...............
In a real (?) world ..... vampires

Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5)
Charlaine Harris
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0441012795

Book Description

When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.

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Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-25

Lightweight, disposable, but enjoyable almost mystery about a telepathic waitress with a taste for highly exotic boys. Definitely something you can read while doing two other things at the same time. The female protagonist comes across as a pretty normal woman, stuck in a waitress job at a garden variety American standard bar/burger joint, that is quite recognisable.

Not the best one in the series.......2007-09-21

I loved the previous books in the series, but I don't think this one measures up to the rest. First, I think the subplot with Charles Twining was kind of silly and unnecessary (and confusing). Second, I am getting tired of Sookie hopping from one guy to the next -- first it's Bill, then Eric, then Sam, then Alcide. My head is spinning. I was disappointed that Harris made Alcide kind of a wimpy jerk in this book, because I really liked him in the last book. Also, how long will Bill have to grovel for Sookie's forgiveness? Yes, he was unfaithful, but he has explained why he had to go back to his former lover. It's obvious that Sookie and Bill should be together, so just let her forgive him and move on with it!

Meets and Exceeds the Fun Factor in Reading!.......2007-09-09

I've been reading the "Southern Vampire" novels for a while now. Charlaine Harris has created a host of memorable characters for this series: Sookie Stackhouse - telepathic barmaid; Bill - Civil War era vampire; Eric - once a Viking raider, now a tall, blonde vampire with killer good looks; Alcide - a sexy Cajun Werewolf. There's more, but you'll have to read the books to learn about them.

Her novels in this vein (forgive the pun!) are like a weird cross of romance novel, horror novel AND mystery novel. Whatever it is, it works. Poor Sookie finds herself romantically and politically enmeshed in the supernatural world inhabited by her friends and lovers. She's guaranteed to land in the middle of something bad every time she steps out the door. Brought to the brink of death at least twice in every book, she's lucky her friends are nearby to save her, or, is she? Sookie, when not deeply involved in a liason with one of these sexy guys (if she overlooks the fact that they're either dead or grow lots of hair at the oddest times)she's landing in the pooh because of them.

Humor abounds. The heroine of the series is plucky and peevish by turns. Lots of great R rated sex runs rampant across the pages. You'll find yourself looking forward to each reunion with the cast of players and wondering "What will happen next?"

The "Southern Vampire" novels meet every standard for a darn good read - not too heavy, not too light. Try one, you'll want them all.

A SHIFTER IN THE FAMILY......................2007-08-19

Sookie has embraced every aspect of the paranormal; from her own ability to read the minds of humans, to vampire love interests and friends and a boss who is a shapeshifter. But when her own brother Jason begins to change into a were-panther for the first time, she is most concerned with his ability to accept what amounts to a complete life change. Her concern for Jason is heightened when it becomes clear that there is a sniper loose in the area that is targeting the shapeshifting community. And that same community has become most suspicious of its newest member...Jason himself. Can Sookie find the culprit before the culprit finds Sookie?
Fans of the series will not be disappointed, as Ms. Harris continues to create winning pageturners.

DYB

In a real (?) world ..... vampires.......2007-08-15

Charlaine Harris' vampires are like potato chips ... you can't have just one! I picked up number six in the series "Definitely Dead" and couldn't stop.

Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds: A Blackbird Sisters Mystery (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

FUN
Dazzling!
A Must Read
Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds
Yawn.

Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds: A Blackbird Sisters Mystery (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries)
Nancy Martin
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451208862
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Customer Reviews:

FUN.......2007-06-11

All of Nancy Martin's books are fun, fast and easy reads. They are entertaining, will make you laugh, and great summer books for relaxing. It is enjoyable to try to figure out Who Done It. Great characters.
Enjoy!

Dazzling!.......2007-04-05

Thirty-one-year-old ex-debutante, Nora Blackbird, grew up a member of Pennsylvania Main Line high society, where she was a child of privilege. That is, until her parents took off after being charged with tax evasion, leaving her to clean up the mess. Now, Nora, after growing up a socialite, has had to slightly resign from her position, and only attends parties that she'll be reporting about for a daily newspaper called the Intelligencer. Of course, when your name is attached to the word press, you get invited to a lot of parties, which is how Nora finds herself as a guest at a party celebrating millionaire Oliver Cooper's nomination for Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Upon arrival, Nora makes note of a few very obvious things - Oliver's trophy wife, Doe, is absolutely clueless when it comes to interior decorating; and Nora's college sweetheart, who just happens to be Oliver's son, Flanders "Flan," is still obviously hung up on her, even though he's married to a Southern Belle named Laura. After catching Nora and Flan in the middle of a private talk, which she believes is nothing more than a lover's tryst, Laura - sporting a hairstyle and clothing that scream Nora - makes a scene. Of course, being preoccupied with her extremely pregnant sister, Libby's, upcoming birth; boarding her baby sister, Emma's, newest conquest - an out-of-control horse that needs a good dose of training, pronto; and attempting to run a new sod business on her property to rake in some extra cash, Nora thinks nothing more of it, until she learns that Laura is dead. Found drowned at the bottom of the Cooper pool, an ugly garden gnome tied to her ankles, Laura's untimely demise is blamed on an apparent suicide, but Nora suspects foul play. Determined to clear her ex-lover's name, she reverts back to her old detecting tricks to prevent Flan from being charged with murder, but instantly learns that things aren't quite that easy. Suddenly, Nora is bombarded with a barrage of people with the motive and the means to see Laura dead - from a bejeweled grande dame who oft-times resembles a well-dressed transvestite, to a cat lover who arms himself not only with lukewarm tea, but a glamorous handgun; and even touching upon a secret-keeping millionaire who's interested in one thing - furthering his political career. Nora can't believe that so many people would love to see Laura dead. She also can't believe that the lovely Laura was somewhat of a kleptomaniac with a penchant for overpriced jewelry, who stole from just about every prominent figure in Pennsylvania. Nora knows how protective people can be over their jewels, and isn't surprised to learn how many people want their baubles back - and what they would do to get their way. But as Nora teeters along on her stilettos, trying to finger the murderer, she comes to realize that in a world of privilege and riches, money can buy your way out of anything - even murder. And if she doesn't watch her Chanel-clad back, Nora may just find herself on the cover of the society page for once - under the headline MURDERED.

I read HOW TO MURDER A MILLIONAIRE back in 2002 when it was first released. However, by the time DEAD GIRLS DON'T WEAR DIAMONDS hit bookstore shelves, I found myself obsessed with chick lit, and didn't pick it up. It wasn't until now, during my most recent brush with cozies, and mysteries in general, that I decided to go back to Nancy Martin's lovable Blackbird sisters, and dip into the world of Pennsylvania's wealth and privilege. I wasn't disappointed. Within moments of starting DEAD GIRLS DON'T WEAR DIAMONDS, vivid memories of Nora Blackbird's upper-class yet down-to-earth personality hit me like a ton of bricks. From page one, Nora's signature wit is present, making her seem like an old friend to the reader. Her knowledge of society life, vintage clothes, and sparklies is wonderful; while her penchant for getting mixed up in murder is humorous - in a Bond Girl sort of way. The fact that Nora must contend with two bizarre siblings - one who jumps into relationships in the snap of a finger, and the other who produces children at the speed of light - even makes the reader feel slightly sympathetic to Nora's situation. While Nora is used to a life of privilege, it's refreshing to see that she does not mourn her money situation, or complain about her expensive clothes - or, rather, lack thereof - but instead throws herself into every situation with a bright smile, and a notebook in hand. Nancy Martin brings the world of privilege and popularity to life in every word within DEAD GIRLS DON'T WEAR DIAMONDS, while, at the same time, presenting characters by the droves who are offbeat, bizarre, and, to put it bluntly, completely out of their minds - which totally adds to the storyline, and keeps the reader occupied long into the night. Dazzling!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

A Must Read.......2007-03-22

This series of books are GREAT! Lighthearted, funny mysteries that you can't put down.

Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds .......2006-11-30

When Nora Blackbird runs into her college sweetheart, Flan Cooper at a celebration event for his father, they play catch-up and reminisce about the good times. But that good night quickly turns sour when in a jealous rage, Flan's wife Laura picks a fight with Nora thinking that the two are more than just friends.

Nora manages to calm Laura down and assure her that her relationship with Flan is completely innocent. Laura breaks down and confides to Nora about her misery and the unstable state of her marriage and the two leave with a somewhat respective understanding for the other woman's situation. But then the unexpected happens - Laura is found dead at the bottom of her family pool and the investigators are labeling it suicide.

Nora knows for sure that Laura did not kill herself and is now thrust into having to investigate this mystery to prove herself right. But Laura's jewel thief reputation only makes things harder as it brings on a countless number of the Philadelphia elite who have their own logical reasons for wanting her dead.

Time is running out and Nora needs get the ball rolling on this case - especially since her very public exchange with Laura is slowly bringing her name up to number one on the list of suspects.

Nancy Martin has put together another witty and entertaining mystery novel that will have readers wanting to know more about our bright and loveable heroine and what adventure - and romance awaits her next!

Yawn........2006-10-01

I found the heroine incredibly obtuse and difficult to care for in this book. The first book in the series was good enough to make me read this one. However, I am probably not going to go any further into the series.

I cannot understand any of the motivations -- perhaps because I am a peasant. I cannot fathom the family dynamic. I really, really don't give a rat's hindquarters about political scandal as a motive for murder, and the plot was thin as used Kleenex.

I gave it two stars because I love vintage couture, which is the only saving grace.

Box Set: Dragons of Deltora #1 Dragon's Nest, #2 Shadowgate, #3 Isle of the Dead, and #4 Sister of the South and Free Dragon Pendant (Dragons of Deltora, Volumes 1,2,3,4)

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Box Set: Dragons of Deltora #1 Dragon's Nest, #2 Shadowgate, #3 Isle of the Dead, and #4 Sister of the South and Free Dragon Pendant (Dragons of Deltora, Volumes 1,2,3,4)
Emily Rodda
Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0439795761

Average customer rating:

Superb
Slightly better than Mediocre
Enjoyable, but Outlandish
Perfect Page Turner
strong woman

Dead Sleep
Greg Iles
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399147357
Release Date: 2001-07-09

Amazon.com

Greg Iles lives up to the promise of his previous bestseller, 24 Hours, with a new thriller that showcases his ability to deliver top-level suspense as well as multidimensional characterization. When Jordan Glass, a world-renowned photojournalist, happens on an exhibit of a series of paintings known as "The Sleeping Women," she is stunned to discover that one of the models--a nude who, like the other women in the paintings, looks dead rather than asleep--is her mirror image. But Jordan knows the face in the painting isn't her; it's her twin sister, Jane, who disappeared from her New Orleans home more than a year ago, and is presumed to have been murdered by a serial killer who's been snatching women off the streets of the Crescent City for at least that long. None of the bodies of the missing women have turned up, but their faces match the models in the other Sleeping Women paintings. A veteran FBI agent named John Kaiser brings Jordan into the Bureau's hunt for the anonymous artist, who may also know something about the disappearance of Jordan's father in Vietnam almost 30 years before.

This is a taut, well-crafted thriller with a nice secondary love story that's woven into the action without slowing it down. Jordan is a fascinating, many-sided character who's a little too tough to be wholly believable, but that's a minor quibble. While winning well-deserved new fans for Iles, Dead Sleep will keep his readers awake until the very last page. --Jane Adams

Book Description

A woman is drawn into the hunt for her sister's killer in this electrifying new thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Quiet Game.

"A tour de force of suspense. It could as easily-and terrifyingly-be set in the Kansas of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood."
-The Commercial Appeal (review of 24 Hours)

With five novels, Greg Iles has proven himself one of the most talented and versatile thriller writers at work today. Critics hailed 24 Hours as "diabolical" (People), "ingenious" (London Times), "masterfully written" (New Orleans Times-Picayune), and "brilliantly plotted bone-chilling suspense" (Publishers Weekly). In Dead Sleep, Iles gives us his most intricate and emotionally resonant story ever.

Jordan Glass, a photojournalist on a well-earned vacation, wanders into a Hong Kong art museum and is puzzled to find fellow patrons eyeing her with curiosity. Minutes later, she stumbles upon a gallery containing a one-artist exhibition called "The Sleeping Women," a mysterious series of paintings that has caused a sensation in the world of modern art. Collectors have come to believe that the canvases depict female nudes not in sleep but in death, and they command millions at auction. When Jordan approaches the last work in the series, she freezes. The face in the painting seems to be her own.

This unsettling event hurls her back into a nightmare she has fought desperately to put behind her-for, in fact, the face in the painting belongs not to Jordan but to her twin sister, murdered one year ago. At the urging of the FBI, Jordan becomes both hunter and hunted in a duel with the anonymous artist, a gifted murderer who knows the secret history of Jordan's family, and truths that even she has never had the courage to face.

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2007-08-31

Greg Iles is one of the best when it comes to character development and story telling. Unlike many authors who use the first 50 pages to paint a picture, Iles gets right down to it from the start. You immediately know who the character (Jordan) is, and what's going on in her life. Deep sleep is like a roller coaster ride. There are ups and downs, and all of it is interesting.

Slightly better than Mediocre.......2007-06-07

Too heavy of a hand on the Brilliant Woman/ Stupid Cops theme.

Enjoyable, but Outlandish.......2007-01-13

I read a lot of thrillers, and I really enjoy Greg Iles' work. He is really excellent at creating fascinating, complex characters. Most of the characters in his books are highly intelligent adults, and he is really superb in how he crafts his dialogue. Iles is also highly skilled in structuring plots that keep the reader turning the pages. In terms of writing quality, Iles is probably one of the best suspense writers working today.

DEAD SLEEP is a very good suspense novel that contains all the strengths I just described. This is a serial killer book, but with an interesting twist -- the victims of the killer are featured in a series of highly successful paintings. Much of this book centers on the FBI investigation of this killer, which focuses on some highly eccentric members of the art world in New Orleans.

The flaw with DEAD SLEEP is the problem I have with much of Iles' work, which is that the plot is outlandish. Jordan Glass, the heroine, is a 40-year old photographer with no law enforcement experience. Despite this fact, she practically takes control of the FBI investigation, outsmarting a group of highly experienced professionals. In-between interrogations (which she often takes charge of, despite her complete lack of experience), Jordan also finds some spare time to kindle some romance with a hunky FBI agent, in a subplot which I personally found contrived and ludicrous. The ending of this book is equally silly, with a remarkably unbelievable explanation of why and how the killer committed the murders.

But that's okay. Iles is a highly skilled writer, and this book is a lot of fun to read despite it's over-the-top nature. I read this book in two sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. My advice, however, is to make THE QUIET GAME your first novel from Iles; I found that book a little bit more believable than this one, and just as well written.

Perfect Page Turner.......2007-01-07

This book was chosen as a good bed-time read but it had me ducking out of chores to get another chapter in all weekend! The characters are developed deeply enough without having to troll through several annoying subplots, and the story winds and weaves at a fast pace yet doesn't leave you having to "take notes" to keep up.

The story is exciting, well executed and timed perfectly. The book keeps a great pace and does not fall for that rushed ending that so many do.

Well worth the weekend spent reading it!

strong woman.......2007-01-05

With well-drawn settings from New Orleans to New York to Hong Kong, Greg Iles presents Jordan Glass as a strong woman at the top of her field as a photo-journalist. She even gets to enjoy sex, a rare thing for a female lead. The serial killer plot is truly creepy, if a bit of a cop-out at the very end.

Whispers of the Dead: Fifteen Sister Fidelma Mysteries (Sister Fidelma Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

A Collection of Short Stories
Didn't Read

Whispers of the Dead: Fifteen Sister Fidelma Mysteries (Sister Fidelma Mysteries)
Peter Tremayne
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312303823

Book Description

In this second collection of mysteries set in seventh century Ireland, Peter Tremayne again presents fifteen tales of Sister Fidelma of Cashel-sister to the King of Muman, a religieuse, and advocate of the Brehon courts. Most appearing for the first time in book form, these tales cover the time period from Fidelma's youth-while studying law at the Bardic school of the Brehon Morran of Tara-to shortly before the events of Tremayne's most recent novel, The Haunted Abbot. These fifteen tales of murder, mayhem, and mystery provide new details about the ways and mores of the complex, fascinating society of seventh century Ireland as well as the characters themselves. The ultimate book for Tremayne's ever-growing legion of fans.

Customer Reviews:

A Collection of Short Stories.......2007-02-03

Peter Tremayne is the fiction pseudonym of a well-known authority on the ancient Celts, who has utilised his knowledge of the Brehon law system and 7th-Century Irish society to create a new concept in detective fiction.

The Sister Fidelma novels are taking on almost cult proportions and are becoming ever more popular with each offering from the author, whose obvious knowledge of the times and subjects he writes about shines out like a beacon on the shore.

A second collection of short stories featuring Sister Fidelma, the sharp-witted religious sleuth who tackles the most baffling of crimes in her other role as advocate of the law courts of Ireland, using the ancient Brehon Law system.

Didn't Read.......2006-11-03

I'm sorry, I've never read any of PeterTremaine's books. I buy them as gifts for my daughter-in-law. I cannot express an opinion.

Average customer rating:

Vampires without the Urban
Better vampire tales than this are out there
Informative; Not as Entertaining
A "Tweener" Book
Sister of the Dead Review

Sister of the Dead (The Noble Dead)
Barb Hendee , and J.C. Hendee
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 045146009X
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Book Description

The Noble Dead saga continues as Magiere and Leesil, the slayers of the undead for DHAMPIR and THIEF OF LIVES, embark on a quest to uncover the secrets of their mysterious origins - and those responsible for orchestrating the events that brought them together....

Magiere is a dhampir - half human, half vampire - sired for the purpose of slaying the undead. Outside the village of Chemestúk, where she was born and raised, stands her father's keep. Within its walls, she hopes to discover the secrets of her past and figure out why a vampire would wish to breed a creature capable of slaughtering his own kind....

But there are those who don't want Magiere to learn the truth—and when her half-elf partner, Leesil, makes a startling discovery in the keep, he can understand why. Before Leesil can reveal the truth to Magiere, they must vanquish a creature of unimaginable and unlimited power who has damned a small village of people with a horrifying curse...

Customer Reviews:

Vampires without the Urban.......2007-07-18

For those looking for vampires without the urban twists and turns, here is the book for you. It is filled with lots of fantasy and is rated with authors like Jim Butcher and Naomi Novik. Great read, but definitely start with number one...Dhampir.

Better vampire tales than this are out there.......2006-08-15

I'm not really sure what I expected from this novel, but what I got wasn't it. This is Magiere's origin story, but it raises far more questions that it solves. It felt like an in-between type novel with the action falling flat and mysteries more annoying than enthralling.

Maybe I should have given this three stars instead of two, but I finished the entire series (to date) recently, and the more I read, the more disappointed I became. The characters were unique... but the plot was meh, the 'romance' wasn't present or paired characters I didn't like (and therefore didn't care about), and the action wasn't inspired.

I guess as neat as the world the authors have created is, I thought they could do better. Techinically the writing was good, but I couldn't bring myself to cheer.

Informative; Not as Entertaining.......2006-05-06

Although this was easily the least interesting of the first three books in the series, this is the one you need to read to understand how Magiere came to be a Dhampir. The story itself seems like it was added afterwards to give the story a narrative flow, and has the weakest plot of all the books. There are fewer fights, fewer interchanges between the main characters, and many of the fight scenes seem to be here solely to have fight scenes. Chap is given a more prominent role than Leesil, which is unfortunate because Chap simply doesn't have the personality that Leesil has.

A step down from the previous entries, but I'm still ready and eager to move on the fourth installment.

A "Tweener" Book.......2006-04-16

Sister of the Dead is the third novel starring vampire hunters Magiere and Leesil and their expanding group of friends and flunkies. In this novel, Both Leesil and Magiere inexplicably get bitten by the 'find your sire' bug and decide its time to find their respective parents. Unfortunately, there is a vast group of people out to prevent this from happening and that essentially is what this 400+ page novel is about.

While I liked Sister of the Dead I found the plot a little ho hum. Too much focus on the 'scholar' Wynn, (who reminded me of a first season Gabrielle from Xena), which is both a good and bad thing; because Gabby was annoying season one and so is Wynn. Wynn, seemed superfluous to the dynamic duo of Leesil/Maggie, and her romance with the evil Chane while interesting took up too much time from the main couple.

And while we are speaking of couples, I felt the romantic tension between Leesil and Magiere was almost dead in this book (no pun intended). What started as an interesting dynamic seemed completely flat. Magiere knows Leesil is devoted to her, doesn't mind if she uses him to feed, and seems content with their relationship... There is no tension. They seem like an old married couple, not very exciting.

The plot meanders around to its end with Magiere finding some sinister clues to her origins. This novel felt like a 'tween' novel. A novel leading up to a more complete and satisfying conclusion. 4 Stars. PS: If the authors feel Chane/Wynn are so interesting, why not give them their own book? I'd buy it.

Sister of the Dead Review.......2006-03-14

Althought not as spell-binding as the first two books in this series, Sister of the Dead is an intriguing and fun book to read. The only aspect of the book that I didn't like was that it focuses more on the character Chap than on the overall developement of the Dhampir's powers and abilities. Overall, Sister of the Dead is an exciting continuation to the Noble Dead series and I am looking forward to book four.

If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder, and Liberation

Average customer rating:

I am going to probably get slammed for this, but...
More of a bio than a true crime read, but excellent nonetheless
Excellent
Narcissist, thy name is Janine Latus
A must read for every woman

If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder, and Liberation
Janine Latus
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

In April 2002, Janine Latus's youngest sister, Amy, wrote a note and taped it to the inside of her desk drawer. Today Ron Ball and I are romantically involved, it read, but I fear I have placed myself at risk in a variety of ways. Based on his criminal past, writing this out just seems like the smart thing to do. If I am missing or dead this obviously has not protected me...

That same spring Janine Latus was struggling to leave her marriage -- a marriage to a handsome and successful man. A marriage others emulated. A marriage in which she felt she could do nothing right and everything wrong. A marriage in which she felt afraid, controlled, inadequate, and trapped.

Ten weeks later, Janine Latus had left her marriage. She was on a business trip to the East Coast, savoring her freedom, attending a work conference, when she received a call from her sister Jane asking if she'd heard from Amy. Immediately, Janine's blood ran cold. Amy was missing.

Helicopters went up and search dogs went out. Coworkers and neighbors and family members plastered missing posters with Amy's picture across the county. It took more than two weeks to find Amy's body, wrapped in a tarpaulin and buried at a building site. It took nearly two years before her killer, her former boyfriend Ron Ball, was sentenced for her murder.

Amy died in silent fear and pain. Haunted by this, Janine Latus turned her journalistic eye inward. How, she wondered, did two seemingly well-adjusted, successful women end up in strings of physically or emotionally abusive relationships with men? If I Am Missing or Dead is a heart-wrenching journey of discovery as Janine Latus traces the roots of her own -- and her sister's -- victimization with unflinching candor. This beautifully written memoir will move readers from the first to the last page. At once a confession, a call to break the cycle of abuse, and a deeply felt love letter to her baby sister, Amy Lynne Latus, If I Am Missing or Dead is an unforgettable read.

Customer Reviews:

I am going to probably get slammed for this, but..........2007-10-03

An interesting story, but one I cannot relate to whatsoever! First of all the author is a self-proclamed feminist, but she puts up with her abusive husband for way too long. And then the whole breast implant thing and the way he "makes" her dress totally kills me! I want to believe her, but for whatever reason I can't. Maybe if her and her sister would have stuck to their Catholic roots instead of praying to the "universe" things would have turned out differently!

More of a bio than a true crime read, but excellent nonetheless.......2007-09-19

I bought this book thinking it would be more of a true crime read. Right before starting it I saw that on the back of the book it was labeled as "biography/auto biography". This book is really about the life of the author, Janine Latus, and her experiences in relationships and the abuse of these relationships.

I would like to have seen more opinions from Janine on the 'whys' of how she allowed such abuse to happen to herself or how/why they happened to her sister. A final chapter on such would have made the book much better and would have tied things together more.

Janine is an excellent writer and her writing and the story will keep the pages turning for you. I encourage people to read her book, just don't expect a traditional true crime read.

Excellent.......2007-09-16

This book was an amazing read. It is easy to get into and it keeps you hooked throughout the whole book. The sad part is that is confronts the harsh realities of domestic abuse which surrounds all of us whether we face it or not. Janine's way of describing the life that she shared with her sister, and the feats the both overcame could not have been decsribed any better. This book is a must have for anyone whether you've experienced domestic violence or not.

Narcissist, thy name is Janine Latus.......2007-09-12

Book jackets lie. Case in point: IF I AM MISSING OR DEAD. The book jacket indicated that this would be a story about AMY Latus. Instead, this was a book about JANINE Latus and Janine only. Amy is dealt with only to the extent that Janine can pity or judge her sister - and given her own situation, how dare she? I read a lot of non-fiction and this is only the second time I've come away from a book with a feeling of dislike for the author. I got the sense that Janine has long been an ambitious writer anxious to make it to the next level, and she used her sister's death as her entrance. Sad.

A must read for every woman.......2007-09-10

This book captured me from the very beginning. I read it late into the night and finished it the next morning. It is a glimpse into what reality is for those in abusive relationships. This is a great tool for learning. I hope every campus and high school puts this book in their libraries.

Average customer rating:

Boy howdy do they talk!
The Prose of a Poet
The best read in my 21st century...
ENDLESS MANIPULATIONS
Tense, brittle, doomed

Talking to the Dead: A Novel
Helen Dunmore
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0316197416

Amazon.com

Long-buried secrets and resentments bubble lazily to the surface over a few short weeks when Nina, a London photographer and artist, goes to the English countryside to help her outwardly perfect older sister Isabel, who has just suffered through a difficult birth. Though the household--Isabel's husband Richard, friend Edward, baby Antony, and a local nanny--seems hermetically sealed against the world, past and present rear up to strike the sisters. "This house is stiff with things that can't be said," observes Nina. Stifling heat, menace, and memories radiate from these pages, keeping the reader on edge. Helen Dunmore, winner of the Orange Prize, heightens sometimes overly obvious drama with rich, sensual prose.

Book Description

General FictionLarge Print EditionCombines the suspense of a Hitchcock thriller with a captivating family drama . . . a first-rate debut. starred, Kirkus ReviewsMesmerizing . . . a luxuriously gripping narrative. starred, Publishers WeeklyNina and Isabel are the closest of sisters, bound together since childhood by the devastating death of their baby brother. The two had created completely different lives for themselves Nina as a London-based freelance photographer, and Isabel as a country housewife. When Isabel gives birth to her first child, Nina arrives to help look after her, giving rise to images from a well-hidden past. The new baby is so like the brother who died in his crib twenty-five years before . . .

Customer Reviews:

Boy howdy do they talk!.......2007-08-03

Talking to the Dead, Helen Dunmore
An English writer, therefore, she really knows how to wield the language. Always a pleasure to read the Brits!
Isabel and Nina `Neen'. Who is the bad one? An absent father and mother who is a potter and largely stays in her room. Ruined by the death of the new baby Colin. Did one of the girls kill him? Evil lurks, Gothic style. Beastly hot weather and impending horrific storm, a dangerous murderous sea, a remote house in the country, where Isabel has constructed gardens with paths that meander meaninglessly. Fabulous word images. Ineffectual men, driven by their separate lusts. An oblivious young aspiring nanny. Dark everywhere you look and little redemption. But this is really a great book.

The Prose of a Poet.......2005-02-09

Isabel seems like an ordinary woman, until her sister Nina begins to dig in and think about the past they shared as children. Isabel's new baby is just adorable, but staring at the infant Nina begins to remember the little brother she once had, called Colin, a baby who died of cot death--I imagine the same thing as "crib death" here in the USA. To pay Isabel back for years of being more beautiful and evil, Nina undertakes a love affair with Richard, Isabel's older husband.

The two of them have sex, sex and more sex, outside mostly, in the various gardens of the beautiful country farmhouse. Their pale bodies crush the courgettes.

I couldn't understand why Nina would want to have sex with Richard, unless it was to punish Isabel.

The two sisters share a strange dynamic. Both are selfish and destructive. I didn't like the way Isabel calls Nina "Neen." When you read that word "Neen" two hundred times or more, you get sick of seeing it.

As far as I'm concerned, Nina's a pig. Nevertheless TALKING TO THE DEAD is a masterpiece of sensuality and vertiginous desire. Might be the best Barbara Vine book that Barbara Vine didn't write. However my old dad used to say that if a book has a gerund for a title it's going to be horrible. Not since WAITING FOR GODOT, said Dad, and the novels of Henry Green, has there been a good one.

The best read in my 21st century..........2003-12-28

'Talking to the Dead' is incredible at many levels. The voice is strong from the beginning. The relationship between the sisters is rich, wonderfully written, provocative. While it's a totally different work, it's a gem in the same way as 'A Handmaid's Tale': haunting, and something that leaves such powerful images that it's simply not forgettable.

ENDLESS MANIPULATIONS.......2002-06-06

...and that applies both to the author's style and to the characters she has created. The two sisters that are the center of this novel ceaselessly engage in manipulating each other -- and neither one of them are very likable, which made it difficult for me to like this book any more than I did. One of them is simply mean-spirited, and the other has the sexual appetite (as well as the sensitivity, morality and intelligence) of a gerbil. The author is a skillful writer, no doubt -- but if I find so little redeeming in her characters, it leaves only the suspense inherent in the story to hold my interest. There was some degree of that here -- but the endless goings-on about food and cooking allowed my interest to slide even further, a little like mentally driving on ice.

I felt the need to force myself to pay attention to the more important details -- the result was a not-too-pleasant reading experience. That's too bad -- when I read the jacket description, I had high hopes for this novel. The only real aspect of 'talking to the dead' that I found within it was the brief introduction, a soliloquy by one sister lying on the grave of the other which takes place after all of the events in the story.

I can recommend Sheri Reynolds incredible novel A GRACIOUS PLENTY, or even Rhiann Ellis' AFTER LIFE as more entertaining and true to this novel's alleged subject matter.

Tense, brittle, doomed.......2001-12-13

I liked this book a lot. I didn't expect everything to be explained, because Nina the narrator doesn't know all the answers (for example, about Edward's role in Isabel's life); I didn't expect to be shocked by plot twists--the whole book moves like a magnet to its climax and conclusion. The interest came for me in the gorgeous writing, and in the author's ability to sustain a terrible tension, a sense of gathering doom, like a summer storm rolling in slowly, but with stunning force. I enjoyed imagining Isabel through the eyes of the various characters; and imagining how Isabel's various mental troubles developed and manifested through life, while she remained (on the surface) a perfectly functional woman. We keep getting new information that changes that imagined course, right up to the end; so maybe it's the unwritten parts of the story that kept me fascinated. I didn't read it very quickly--I spent a couple weeks reading it in short sittings at the gym--maybe that helped me remember it as more attenuated, more impressive in the way its tone is maintained.

Average customer rating:

As Good as Dead is mystery at its best!
As Good as Dead
As Good As Dead

As Good As Dead (Angel Delaney Mystery)
Patricia H. Rushford
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Hard-Boiled | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0800730755

Customer Reviews:

As Good as Dead is mystery at its best!.......2005-12-21

Patricia H. Rushford continues the "Angel Delaney" series with another fast-paced and faith-filled story!

Luke Delaney dropped out of sight six years ago. He had been implicated in a double murder, but Angel never thought he was guilty. As the family gathers for the funeral of Angel and Luke's father, one of the mourners seemed uncomfortably out of place. Although he vaguely resembled Luke, Angel held her investigative instincts in check until she could pursue things at a more appropriate time. Yet, when Angel starts asking questions, people start dying. There's more to Luke's disappearance than meets the eye.

Written with the perfect touch of mystery and mayhem, this book delivers a strong story with emotional appeal. Readers may be familiar with the Delaney family from previous novels, although this story can be read independently. The investigation into Luke's disappearance proceeds with the intricacies of police procedure and the passion of personal feelings. Danger and deceit stalk these pages, as Angel desperately searches for the truth.

The latter half of the book explodes with surprises and suspense! Readers will hold their breath as Angel gets deeper into the mystery. There will be a few gasps and groans as the fate of several characters comes into question. Yet, the Christian worldview quietly gives this book a calm assurance in the midst of some major difficulties. The author is to be commended for a subtle, yet stalwart presentation of Christianity in everyday life.

As Good as Dead is a great book from a talented writer. -- Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com

As Good as Dead.......2005-10-28

Six years ago, Luke Delaney was forced to put himself into his own form of witness protection following a hitman's moment of compassion. Yet, when his father dies, he feels the need to risk it all to come home. Though he his careful, observing at a distance, he is spotted by people who will kill him. Suddenly, all of Luke's family and friends are plunged into danger that has lain dormant for six years. Fortunately, his sister, Angel, has already proven herself as a private investigator, and she is determined to solve the case.

*** This fast paced mystery does not cut any corners. Unlike many secular books of this genre, the author does not rely on sex and cheap, gory thrills to move the story along. However, that does not mean it's a wimpy, Christian novel. It is Christian, but in no way is it wimpy, and the message is not beaten over the readers' heads. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore, Freelance Reviewer.

As Good As Dead.......2005-10-08

With her father just recently passing away, former police officer and now PI, Angel Delaney has begun an investigating to search for her brother. Older brother Luke Delaney had mysteriously disappeared six years earlier and nobody had seen him since. After Luke's best friend, Nick, is injured by an unknown shooter, Angel suspects that whoever was behind her brother's disappearance has resurfaced again.

As Good As Dead, the third book in the Angel Delaney Mystery series, was not quite as interesting as Deadly Aim (book 1), although I liked it more than Dying to Kill (book 2). I've really enjoyed following this series, as I've always been liked mystery novels that focus around the female detective type. Definitely a recommended read for mystery lovers.

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