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Katherine Hall Page won an Agatha Award for her first Faith Fairchild mystery, The Body in the Belfry, and since that debut she has developed a rich cast of characters around her beloved amateur sleuth. Now, in her ninth outing, Faith embarks on an adventure that draws from Page's personal experience with the burglary of her home in 1995. A former New Yorker, Faith is settled--or at least settling--into life in the small Massachusetts town of Aleford. Her husband, Tom, is a minister, and Faith feels called to make the rounds of the parish. But her first visit leads to a grim discovery: Sarah Winslow, the town librarian and a collector of antique books, lies dead in her home, tied to a chair. Sarah's house has been pillaged. Only a day after the funeral, Faith returns home to discover her own house has been torn apart, and many of her prize possessions--silver, jewelry, keepsakes--have been stolen, too. Of course, Faith does what any self-respecting minister's wife would do: she begins an investigation that leads her into a market of illegal antiques deals and shady pickers. Along the way she encounters even more murder and mayhem.
As with other books in the Faith Fairchild series, one of the graces of the novel is the too-funny-to-not-be-real portrait of New England life. And the culinary components of this mystery once again derive from Ms. Fairchild's catering business, Have Faith. The recipes--from Avocado Bisque to Chocolate Oatmeal Goodies--are presented in tantalizing detail at the close of the book. But you won't be drawn to Page's series just for the food. The Body in the Bookcase serves a brisk mystery populated with a quirky cast of New Englanders you'll be sad to see depart. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
Stretched almost to the limit by the capricious demands of a Boston Brahmin bride-to-be, caterer and minister's wife, Faith Fairchild, faces real tragedy when she discovers the body of an elderly friend. Sarah Winslow had apparently surprised burglars ransacking her Aleford, Massachusetts, house. No sooner has Sarah been laid to rest than the Fairchilds find themselves the next target -- the parsonage is stripped of all their most precious possessions. Devastated and furious, Faith takes action, scouring pawnshops, antique marts, and auctions. As she turns up some of their stolen property, she is drawn onto a dangerous path of larceny and corruption in New England's venerable antique business -- a path that soon leads Faith straight to a killer!
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining........2003-03-18
THE BODY IN THE BOOKCASE is fun. It's very reminiscent of the Diana Mott Davidson culinary mysteries -- and not just because of the recipes. The style is very similar. I'm not sure which number this is in the Faith Fairchild series, but it's copyrighted 1998. And it's my first. It's about the theft of antiques, and one dead body leads to another as our protagonist tries to recover some of her stolen property. The characters are fun and believable. The author creates no sense of place at all, geographically, but does create a sense of community. Not the most satisfying mystery I've ever read, but entertaining.
I'm in possesion of two different versions of this book. To help you with your purchasing decision, here's a comparison: One has a green cover with a gold letter opener. This is an Avon Twilight book, first printed in 1999. At the end it has excerpts of about two pages each from five other mystery series. The other is an Avon Book, first printed March 2001. It has a gray cover with red and black letters. It has larger print (but not "large print"), so the book is thicker. It has excerpts of about two pages each from nine other books in this same series.
The Body in the Bookcase.......2002-06-17
I'm about half-way through this book and I am very disappointed. First of all the title is misleading. The body is not in the bookcase, only the head is, sort of. The head is on the bottom shelf with the body on its side tied to a chair. There also is a lot of unnecessary information and people in the book. The characters are two dimensional and I got no feeling of suspense, thrill, or am I even interested in "who-done-it". I don't think it's a "who-done-it" plot.
I'm left to wonder if The Body in the Fjord is really in the Fjord or just has a hand trailing in the frigid water. Try, try again, but read some more mysteries, do, Ms. Katherine Hall Page. p.s. the british authors are the best!
A mixed bag.......2001-01-23
This book has a mixture of strengths and weaknesses. One of the plusses is that it features Faith Fairchild instead of her less interesting neighbor, Pix Miller. However, Pix is totally banished except for one or two brief appearances and this does not seem like a good thing to do to Faith's favorite sidekick. Another plus is the interesting mix of characters, especially Stephanie Bullock, the spoiled young girl whose mother has hired Faith to cater her rehearsal dinner and wedding reception. However, Faith does seem to obsess over the items which are stolen from her house and they seem to hold a more important place in her affections than do her own children who breeze in and out of her life and into the arms of their father, their babysitters and nursery schools. Most young mothers are way too busy with their offspring to spend hours skulking about the countryside investigating murders and robberies. Also the ending is not well conceived and seems too trite. Not the best of the series, but not a bad read for "cozy" fans.
Depressing--none of the "cozy" charm I value.......2000-02-02
I have enjoyed the Faith Fairchild/Pix Miller series, which made this book a great disapointment. I only read about of half, before I gave it up.
I think, prehaps, making Faith a victim was too close to home. It is natural that she wanted her things back, but the book focused on her distress to the detriment of the more attractive, cozy atmosphere I found so pleasant in the rest of the series.
Annoying and unrealistic.......2000-01-29
In the latest Faith Fairchild adventure, her home is robbed along with several others in the area, including one where an old woman died. Faith spends the entire story obsessing over her lost treasures and trying to get them back. Her job and family take a back seat. While having a home robbed is not pleasant, at least no one was hurt. I felt like telling her to get over it already. This book lacks the cozy feeling the others in the series have, and the ending is not satisfying because no motive is presented. This was a disappointment.
Book Description
This book provides everything you need to create storage in your home -- whether you are building your first bookshelf or constructing a complex system. There are guidelines for planning the units, a primer of basic woodworking skills, and step-by-step instructions for building storage components. Dozens of ideas, photographs, tips, and designs help you choose special features to customize your units.
The sections on basic woodworking techniques is packed with useful information about materials, tools, hardware, adhesives, joints, and finishes. You will also find complete building instructions for a variety of specialized storage fixtures, such as a computer desk, a hidden bed, a sewing center, and an ironing-board cabinet. With this book, you can build custom cabinets and shelves that fit the space and style of every room in your home.
Customer Reviews:
Easy to work with........2007-09-17
The Editorial Staff of Ortho Books, How to Plan and Build Bookcases, Cabinets, and Shelves (Ortho, 1987)
How do you review a how-to book, really? I mean, as long as it does what it's supposed to do, and does it clearly, it's good, right? From that standpoint, this one's pretty much got it made. Clear descriptions, heavy on the illustration, step-by-step instructions, that sort of thing. I do wish it had gone into more detail on some of the optional stuff (especially face-framing; if you plan to do a lot of bookshelf-building that requires doors, you'll probably need another book as well), but for basic construction of shelving, this should do you right. Not much more to say. If you need it, you need it, if you don't, you don't. *** ½
Good book for cabinets .......2005-10-04
Although the book is supposed to be for cabinet and shevling, it is clearly more about cabinets. Not good if you looking for ideas on interior fancy shelves. Very good if you looking to build interior cabinets.
useful.......2005-03-12
Chapters: Getting Started, Selecting a Style, Establishing a Size, Materials, Hand Tools, Power Tools, Hardware, Adhesives, Joints, Building Techniques, Finishing Techniques, Shelves, Doors, Drawers, Computer Center, Hidden Double-Bed Cabinet, Slide-Projector Cabinet, Wine Rack, Sewing Center, TV or Stereo Cabinet, Ironing-Board Cabinet, Modular Cubes, Open Utility Shelves, Fixed-Shelf Utility Case, Simple Plywood Cabinet, Freestanding Bookcase, Tall Pine Bookcase, Standard Base Cabinet, Interlocking Shelves, Corner Cabinet.
A Great Place to Start.......2004-04-07
Pre-Req to this book is knowing how to use Power Tools and manual wood tools.A great place to start. Not for the highly experienced, but great for those who are just starting out in woodworking or those who like 1980 / 1990 Retro. Don't expect to be an expert after reading this book;but do expect to create some nice pieces and learning the basics. You must learn to walk before you run. It can be compared to a 4th Level School book of a 8 Level school.
Dated plans & limited ideas.......2000-05-18
I bought this book hoping for plans and ideas for built-in shelves and storage units. The book does a fairly good job explaining the construction basics involved, but it is woefully bereft of ideas. The book is published in the early 1980's and the projects which are illustrated have not, for the most part, stood the test of time. If you are looking for building ideas and examples you can show a builder, this book is not a good starting point.
Book Description
Step-by-step format provides sure-fire how-to for popular storage projects, including bookcases, shelves, plus built-in nooks, benches, and window seats.
Basic carpentry techniques are clearly explained and illustrated.
Complete instructions offer solutions for common storage dilemmas plus ideas for unusual situations.
A pre-start checklist with each project includes tools, materials, skills, and prep time needed.
Stanley experts provide practical tips to avoid pitfalls and ensure success.
Book Description
Bookcases are one of the most accessible and commonly built projects - who doesn't need or want open storage for their homes? The heart of Bookcases: Step-by-Step is 11 attractive projects, covering a range of styles and levels of difficulty. In addition, there is a chapter on general construction strategies, which will help the reader understand the underlying issues involved in building all bookcases: how to design and build durable cases, determining practical shelf lengths, and methods of hanging shelves.
The furniture in this book was designed by well-known custom woodworkers from around the country, including Christian Becksvoort (author of The Shaker Legacy), Kevin Rodel, David Fay, and the author himself. The projects include two simple bookcases (one short, the other tall), a Shaker-style wall shelf, a V-shelf standing bookcase, a French country-style bookcase, an Arts and Crafts-style bookcase, a Shaker glass-front bookcase, a trapezoidal bookcase, a sideboard-style bookcase, a hutch-style bookcase, and a Barrister bookcase.
Since bookcases are one of the easiest projects to undertake, this book will have broad appeal among amateur woodworkers, but there are projects here to please even the most sophisticated woodworker and something for every taste.
Customer Reviews:
I'm of two minds on this book.......2007-04-28
... on the one hand, all the projects are beautiful, will inspire you to want to try them, and will probably appeal to an advanced woodworker.
On the other hand, the title is simply, "Bookcases," rather than "Advanced Bookcases," and none of the projects as I recall were within the level of someone like myself with a simple table saw and simple router, and no biscuit joiner. Even for someone with a biscuit joiner, the author acknowledged that some of the joinery was a bit tricky.
With that said, I did learn some wonderful stuff in the introduction, where Barrett notes two things: 1 -- To always plan your bookcase project by measuring what you are going to put in it, and what it weighs, and 2 -- To always sleep overnight on your plan before doing the cutting.
Voila, he is so correct. I ended up not making any bookcases at all, but installing Rubbermaid wall-mounted white melamine shelves.
I test-fitted all my shelves before attaching them permanently to the standards, moving tall books with tall books and short books with short books, and all the super-high world atlases on one spot.
I made sure to sleep overnight on any design questions involving fitting the wall-mounted shelves around ducts or doorways, or figuring out where to make short, well-supported spans for heavy books. It all came out great, so that is an unintended consequence of Niall Barrett's book. The introduction really is quite good on how to plan a way to store a library, and has nice photos of various fasteners and standards.
Check this book out and maybe use it to plan something simpler -- that's my advice.
Shelves, Wonderful Shelves.......2004-06-30
Bookcases are a reviewer's friend. Or rather, they are until they take over the house. Eventually you realize that you have more invested in cheap assemble-it-yourself furniture than you do in that Volvo in the garage. If you have pretensions at being handy, there will come a time when you start dreaming of nifty cabinets and lawyers bookcases - all make in that shop in the basement. And that's the time to reach for Niall Barrett's book.
Think there's nothing to it? Barrett starts right out with a bit of bookcase theory. Finally you will understand why those shelves keep sagging and how to keep it from happening. The author's style is straightforward, right to-the-point, but it is clear from the beginning that Barrett loves making bookcases, and loves what goes in them as well.
Eleven designs are presented, from a simple, short bookcase to and exotic formal sideboard bookcase. Other than the sideboard, which is a bit over designed for my tastes I found all of the bookcases attractive, graceful, and functional. Barrett pays most of his attention one the details of building with only elementary suggestions about finishing.
As has been mentioned earlier, he uses shop tools to simplify the work. Although there is no reason that some of the simpler designs couldn't be done with basic hand tools or handyman's power tools. Probably a router and a good rotary saw (small table saw or hand tool) are minimum requirements.
Would recommend.......2003-06-09
In general I like almost all the books and magazines that I own from Taunton press (such as Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, and some of their other books). In general the their writers are adept at what they do and their editing and illustrations are well done.
This book is no exception. Unlike several of the reviews I have read, I didn't find any glaring errors in any of the plans (I built the maple plywood bookshelf and adapted the beech bookshelf for my own needs). I find the designs and illustrations to be useful. I plan on building the cherry Shaker-style book shelf in the near future (it should be easy enought to adapt to hold my DVD collection).
Of course you will need some good power tools to complete these projects, especailly a good table saw (although I built the maple bookshelf mostly with my circular saw and a good edge guide), a biscuit joiner, jointer and a router. But this is pretty standard fare for any woodworking project.
Barrister Bookcase--Take Care!.......2003-03-20
I've only tried one project from this book, the Barrister Bookcase. It looked like a great design and was a good opportunity to use my new Tenon Jig and my Biscuit Joiner. I'm an amateur, but have made at least 10 pieces of good quality hardwood furniture. I am urging fellow woodworkers to take care in following the plans, photos, and instructions for this project as there are errors in at least 1 dimension and numerous misleading features of the sketches and photos. Examining everything carefully will allow you to navigate the pitfalls, but don't take anything for granted.
I contacted Mr Barrett, the author, thru Taunton Press. Initially both appeared interested in my input, but when I had more than just one problem to recite, the communication stopped. I've offered to send Taunton a concise list of the problems but they will not answer my e-mails anymore.
It seems a shame when you purchase a rather polished looking instructional book, find problems, and the publisher isn't interested in correcting the problems.
Great Book, but..........2001-10-29
... I decided to purchase this book, hopeing that I might be able to turn out some bookcases for myself in the shop. I still hope to, but it may have to wait until I win the lottery.
I was looking forward to something that I could build, ... I was thinking that any 'simple jigs' I could build myself, and with basic hand tools, (chisels, a few saws, a drill, and a few countersink bits, I'd be set. But this is NOT the case.
For almost all of the projects, Niall's plans call for the use of any number of expensive power tools. A table saw is essential, as well as a biscuit joiner, and a router. with a few bits. Any mortises that he cuts are done with a table mounted cutter.
With these tools, they would be simple projects, I however, will be cutting the dove-tails and mortises by hand, and I don't expect them to be as fast built.
Still, I look forward to building one or two, though his diagrams will no longer be a great help.
Book Description
A variety of beautifully styled Georgian, Colonial, Early American, Renaissance, French, Tudor and Contemporary Designs that provide 54 handcome Traditional Bookcases to choose from. A must for every Home Owner, Builder, Architect, Designer, Cabinet Maker, Mill Shop, Student, etc.
Customer Reviews:
A poor value at best.......2002-12-03
Trying to be objective, the line drawings give conceptual information and overall designs - they're to scale but not easy to convert dimensions. The worst part is that there are no cross sections or any, as in zero, construction details. A pamphlet which should cost [$$$]is what you get for your [$$$] I found better infor for free on the web. Headed back to Amazon with tommorrow's mail....
Book Description
Eight projects range from a simple wall shelf and a cube unit to a bookcase with movable shelves and TV stand with shelves.
Each project offers options to customize with materials, finishes, features, and dimensions.
Step-by-step approach leads novice do-it-yourselfers through projects.
“Prestart” checklists, pro tips, and safety hints help work go more easily and quickly.
Projects feature alternative solutions to help DIYers deal with unusual situations.
Most projects are presented in only one or two spreads so readers can quickly access all the information and instructions they need to get the job done right.
The most comprehensive, easy-to-follow instructions published.
Book Description
Ghost Stories (Regional Wisconsin/Folklore/Storytelling). For ages 8 and up. A delightful selection of 18 spooky Wisconsin tales for reading or telling aloud, collected and retold by two experience storytellers. Pleasantly blood-curdling tales of things that go bump in the night: from helpful stangers who disappear to mysterious library patrons to tales of the famous Ridgeway ghost. From historical and oral sources. "A lively compilation," says Midwest Book Review. Includes tips on how to memorize and tell a ghost story successfully.
Customer Reviews:
a strong collection of regional stories, ready for telling........1998-08-07
If you're looking for good ghost stories, with the ring of authenticity and the flavor of Wisconsin, this is a great book. The stories work well out loud. They're good ghost stories, not violent or bloody, but suspenseful and mysterious. There's also a good section at the end on telling stories, as well as notes on where the stories come from.
Book Description
Geared toward the advanced beginner, this workbook teaches how to devise and build practical storage solutions for the home. Projects designed to incrementally increase the skills of woodworkers are provided and accompanied by lists of the materials and supplies required for each task. A full-size pattern, which has been bound into the book with a perforated edge for easy removal, and photographs of each project are included. Patterns are provided for a recycling center, a coat rack, a pop-up coffee table, a CD holder, a calendar frame, curio shelving, a kitchen island, a potting bench, an end table, and a cedar wardrobe. Each project can be completed in a weekend.
Books:
- The Colorful Apocalypse: Journeys in Outsider Art
- The Complete Book of Candles: Creative Candle-Making, Candleholders and Decorative Displays
- The Complete Book of Sewing New Edition
- The Complete Book of the Marine Aquarium
- The Complete Book of Woodworking: Detailed Plans for More Than 40 Fabulous Projects
- The COMPLETE GUIDE TO FURNITURE STYLES (ENLARGED EDITION)
- The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes: Glazing & Firing at Cone 10 (A Lark Ceramics Book)
- The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction
- The Fragrance of God
- The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories about Inventions
Books Index
Books Home
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- Introductory Accounting and Finance for Lawyers
- Intermediate Accounting: 7th Ed / Student Study Guide / Self-Study Book 1
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General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
The Body in the Big Apple: A Faith Fairchild Mystery
The Body in the Cast: A Faith Fairchild Mystery
The Body in the Moonlight: A Faith Fairchild Mystery (Faith Fairchild Mysteries)
The Body in the Bonfire (Faith Fairchild Mysteries)
The Body in the Bog: A Faith Fairchild Mystery (Faith Fairchild Mysteries)
