Naked Prey
by John Sandford
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (12 May, 2003)
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Editorial Review

When twelve-year-old muskrat trapper Letty West stumbles on the naked bodies of Jane Warr and Deon Cash, deep in the snowy woods of northern Minnesota, it's more than another bizarre episode in her already unusual life, as Lucas Davenport discovers in this new outing in Sandford's popular series featuring the midwestern lawman who moonlights as a computer game designer. Lucas has a new wife, a new baby, and a new job as a political troubleshooter for his old boss Rose Marie Roux, but the blunt-spoken Davenport's instructions to hush the racially charged implications of what looks suspiciously like a lynching won't deter him from whomever left Warr and Cash twisting in the wind. The well-peopled plot, involving a hot car ring, an ex-nun who smuggles cancer drugs over the Canadian border, and the usual internecine wranglings between the FBI, the local cops, and Davenport, races to a satisfying denouement, but this time it's a little girl with a difficult past and an uncertain future who lingers in the reader's mind. Fortunately, Sandford comes up with an ending that makes it all but certain that his fans will meet her again. Meanwhile, all the author's usual trademarks are on display--excellent writing, an interesting scenario, and terrific pacing. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Fast Moving
All kinds of excitement here. Child kidnappers who kill and bury the victims in a frozen dump,car thieves,nuns running drugs,a murdering deputy sheriff who is manipulated by his mother. The locale is rural Minnesota during the very cold winter. The kidnappers meet their fate at the hand of a victims father who hangs them from a tree..Plenty of action...

A good read on all accounts.
The Naked Prey is the first book I've read by John Sandford and it won't be the last. There's a good story between the covers with plenty of surprises and a satisfying ending. Each character is developed and believable as is the story line. I was kept interested throughout and had difficulty putting the book down. Definitely a good read.

All-around winner
This one has it all--it's really fast-paced, with deft characterizations and the thrill of thinking along with the detectives as they solve the mystery.

The smuggling theme doesn't really play a significant role despite what some of the other reviewers have said...this is my first Sanford book but I will definitely check out others. ... Read more

Isbn: 0399150439
Subjects:  1. Davenport, Lucas (Fictitious c    2. Davenport, Lucas (Fictitious character)    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Minneapolis    6. Minnesota    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    9. Mystery fiction    10. Private investigators   

Rules of Prey
by JohnSandford
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 1990)
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Reviews (75)

Recommended for "Mr. Macho" only
Disappointing book!The male characters are superficial and brimming over with mega-macho egos (ie, the main character drives a fancy sports car and has girls falling over themselves to be with him, etc.). The book also has plenty of unnecessary profanity and disturbing violence. If you appreciate quality literature, I definitely recommend that you skip this book!

The first in a great series
Rules of Prey is the first in an incredibly long and successful series by author John Sandford.I've read three books in the series, some older, some newer, and the thing that impressed me the most about Rules of Prey was its style. It doesn't read like a first novel.It reads like it could have been written last year.Sandford's talent is evident from the beginning.

Rules of Prey begins with the story being told from the killer's point of view first.Right away, we learn about the sick "maddog" intent on killing women.He has studied murders and from his studies knows how to not get caught.He even leaves clues with each of his victim, printouts saying "rules" of killing like "never have a motive" or "never kill anyone you know."One drawback to the story is that these clues are trademark of the killer, yet they really have nothing to do with the case being solved.

This book also introduces Lucas Davenport, full time cop and part time fantasy game writer.We get to meet a few of the many loves of his life including the reporter who will have his child.Lucas is a womanizer and a rough cop.Sandford gives the details of Lucas being a sometimes over the top cop and details of his childhood friend the nun (I forget her name).Yet Sandford never details why Lucas goes from woman to woman (even while one is carrying his child) or why Lucas is so willing to break the police rules to achieve justice.What happened to Lucas to give him these characteristics.Maybe its covered in other novels.

Even though I complain about the above, it doesn't take away from the greatness of the novel. As in his other novels, the police work and the slow methodical way in which the truth is discovered is realistic and interesting.Nothing comes easy as Lucas tries to stop the maddog before he kills one last time.

I've read a few of the series, not in order, but now I plan on reading from beginning to end.I recommend you do the same if you are interested in the police genre and enjoy the gritty realism of John Sandford.

Good action and plot but Lucas is very flawed

The action and plot was good in this book but Lucas just disgusted me with his acitivities with women.I've read several others in the Prey series, so i know he tends to sleep with a lot of women in these novels, but in this book he outdid himself.. he nearly slept with THREE (Jennifer, his g/f, Carla and nearly addedMcGowan into the mix).He just can't seem to keep his pants zipped !Thank God he resisted sleeping with McGowan, but just the fact he was CONSIDERING it, a little after he'd learned Jennifer was carrying his child, is very tacky !I did like his character in the other books, but he has become a little too dishonorable for me.I don't like Jennifer, either. She's crude, rude, foul-mouthed and, at times, sick, but i can completely sympathize with her frustration over Lucas and his inability to stay away from women, despite the fact they will be having a child together.

I will probably have to take a break from this series of books.There's just too much dirty stuff going on, including the language. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425121631
Sales Rank: 2582
Subjects:  1. Espionage/Intrigue    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    4. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    5. Mystery and detective stories    6. Thrillers    7. Fiction / General   

Shadow Prey
by John Sandford
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (03 August, 2004)
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Reviews (32)

Second in the series is great!
The story is a great combination of action, suspense, passion, sex, conspiracy, and violence. The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional, and the relationship between Lily and Lucas was great.

Awesome
If you like the Prey books, you'll love it, great Davenport series- it's a page turner, cannot put it down!

The flaws in the series start to show
I read 3 books in this series before I decided to start from the beginning.As with Rules of Prey, Shadow Prey is fun to read.Sandford leads Lucas and friends on a believable pursuit of the killers.Nothing comes easy as Lucas tries to get to the bottom of a group of Indians who are killing people who have harmed Indians in the past.

After reading five or six novels in the series, I decided to voice my complaints in this review.I still plan on reading the entire series, but some things have got on my nerves.First, Sandford reveals Lucas' age to be 41 (probably real close to Sandford's age at the time.)Forty one is fine, but in current novels that makes Lucas in his late 50s.If this series is going to continue, Lucas needs to stay young.

I've accepted the fact that Lucas has a foul mouth, dropping constant f-bombs.But does every single cop, or person for that matter talk that way.In Sandford's books, every single character, except for the nun, cusses like a sailor.And Lucas and Jennifer even cussed around their baby.Obviously everyone doesn't talk like this, and even people who cuss all the time don't want their kids to talk that way.

Third, Lucas says he just "loves women" and therefore can't keep his hands off them.He can't resist cheating on the mother of his child with a married woman NYC cop Lily Rothenberg and then going right back to the mother of his child and sleeping with her.Lily shows some guilt in having an affair yet goes out of her way to cheat on her husband.What a woman!Actually, all of this womanizing by Lucas doesn't bother me too much, except for the fact that we don't know why he does it.Why does this 41 year old man still think he's a 25 year old batchelor sleeping with every woman he can?

Finally, all the cops seem the same and run together.They all talk alike and do the same things, and there isn't any characterization to set them apart.

On this book specific, Sandford draws from his knowledge of Indian culture to write some Indians as bad guys.Probably the weakest bad guys of the series so far.Yet their final motive is just, and none of the cops actually mention that the Indians' ultimate goal was more than just terror.

I recommend this book and the entire series.But be prepared for a lot of bad language and loose morals. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425126064
Sales Rank: 3191
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    3. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    4. Mystery and detective stories    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Suspense    7. Thrillers   

Silent Prey
by John Sandford
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (12 June, 2000)
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Reviews (29)

Sequel to Eyes of Prey is Okay
I've read maybe half of the "Prey" series by John Sandford and one of its biggest strengths is Sandford's ability to create new, unique plots each time out.Based on reading other authors, it seems sometimes a series can be difficult to keep fresh and new.Silent Prey is one of two books that I know of that carry over a villian from one book to the next.

Michael Becker is the evil surgeon who Lucas Davenport mutilated but didn't kill at the end of Eyes of Prey.Becker escapes from prison and moves to New York and begins killing again.Lucas is called to consult on the case by ex-lover NYC cop Lily Rothenburg.Lily also wants Lucas to investigate some cops that are killing bad guys one the side.These guys went overboard and killed Lily's friend who was investigating them.

So, Silent Prey is somewhat repetitive with the Becker case but Stanford mixes in the police case equally well.This is another solid thriller by Sandford with believable police work and sustainable suspense.

Like all books in the series, the word "Jesus" is used more than in the bible and the "F-word" is used more than 99% of all R-rated movies.I don't know how realistic this is but it must be what Sandford's world is like.Still, this is a fun series and this entry doesn't disappoint.

One final note; Eyes of Prey ended with a sudden revelation of who Becker's wife's lover was.In Silent Prey the action ends then Sandford writes 3 more chapters filling the readers in on some of the unanswered questions.I appreciated that because many authors leave clues then fail to conclude them at the end.

Bekker's Back!
Wow! Sandford knows how to write evil, and the return of Bekker was extremely well written. When some authors bring back characters from previous works, they often seem to be missing some of what made them effective the first time around. Not in this case! The main story (Bekker) and various subplots (police corruption, interaction with past and present romantic partners) complemented each other extremely well. The writing, plot, characters and dialogue work well together in creating one fantastic story.

Get comfortable when you start reading this book because you won't want to move until you've finished.

Ordinary Entertaining Prey Book.
John Sandford's Silent Prey was an entertaining read. The most interesting thing about Silent Prey was the complexity of the plot. The plot in Silent Prey was complex because there were actually two cases of serial murder happening at the same time. One serial killing was by Dr. Michael Becker, a brilliant but insane pathologist; the other was by a group of vigilantes killing petty crooks and criminals. Lucas was called in by Lily Rothenburg (old friend) to help work on both cases. The rest of the story involves Lucas`s attempt to solve both cases and contains a nasty breach of trust.
I disliked the fact that Lucas Davenport seemed amoral in this story. Lucas showed no qualms for killing other people. At the start of Silent Prey, Lucas wanted to get into a bar fight just for fun. He threatened and physically abused people to get information. Bekker was also simply too good at committing crimes and escaping capture. And the fact that Bekker appeared almost supernatural reminded me that I was reading fiction.
Silent Prey was a fun read. I recommend it to people who like detective novels and thrillers.
... Read more

Isbn: 0425137562
Sales Rank: 5071
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - General    4. Mystery and detective stories    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Thrillers   

Winter Prey
by JohnSandford
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (06 January, 2004)
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Reviews (37)

Great, great, great!
WOW! This book is absolutely amazing. The action is non-stop, the suspense is unrelenting, and the characters are intriguing and compelling. The snowy locations and the related descriptions create a real atmosphere. The ending is one of the best endings I have ever read.

I couldn't read fast enough.

A solid thriller in the series
This is my third book in the Prey series and I haven't been reading in order.Winter Prey opens with a grisly murder in the snowy Wisconsin woods.Davenport is called in to help because the local police know he lives nearby and they don't have experience in this kind of thing.

The killer is the "Iceman" who is involved in child porn.There is one scene with the "yellow-haired girl" that goes into the evil of the child porn then this subject isn't really discussed much anymore.The Iceman is obviously evil because of the murders he committs, but more could have been written about the evil grip he had over the kids who seemed to worship him.

This novel was a traditional police mystery with Davenport tracking down clues before finally finding out who the killer is.This novel introduces Weather, Lucas's love interest for many more novels.

Winter Prey is another exciting entry in the series.Sandford is a good author who follows a similar formula for all his novels yet they still seem fresh and exciting.

Very good
Lucas Davenport is feeling the ice-cold winter in this book in the prey-series. A horrible killer is on the loose, and contrary to many Davnport novels, the reader does not initially know who the killer is. But we are inside his mind all the time, we are inside his house, we listen to his talk, his thoughts and his 'family's' thoughts. And those are chilling thoughts. We know that the killer wants to kill Weather, the small-town doctor, who will later become Davenports girlfriend. The town's sheriff is trying to help as good as he can, but has issues on his own, specially after the town priest become suspect number one. All the evidence points this way, and it is now up to Daenport to sort through what is right and what is wrong. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425141233
Sales Rank: 4014
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Psychological Suspense    3. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    4. Mystery and detective stories    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Psychological    7. Suspense    8. Fiction / General   

Eyes of Prey
by John Sandford
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (05 October, 2004)
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Reviews (58)

This book has it all...
In this third installment in the Prey series, readers find Lucas Davenport depressed over his failing relationship and estrangement from his child. Lucas soon turns his focus on police work when he's called to investigate the gruesome death of Mrs. Bekker, wife of physician Michael Bekker. She was brutally killed, and her eyes were removed. Lucas is convinced that the doctor is somehow involved, but he's got an ironclad alibi. Is there more to the story than meets the eye? (pun intended!)

Read this book and you'll see why John Sandford is as popular as he is. This book amazed me, and I loved every page! The story is full of action, violence and psychological suspense. It's better than a roller coaster ride! The characters, both the good guys and bad, are extremely well written. The ending was surprising and managed to tie up all the loose ends. Keep the light on when you read this one.

A solid thriller in the series
Eyes of Prey is the third in the Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford.In this edition, Lucas is still torn up by the ending of Shadow Prey which featured an attack in his home against himself, his lover and his child.He takes it out on a young thug by beating him senseless.Internal Affairs begins to investigate and Lucas is on a short leash as he begins to investigate the murder of Stephanie Becker.

As it is with many Prey books, we know who the killer is.Except in this case, there are two killers.Two evil men decided to try and idea they gleaned from a movie where they each take turns killing each other's problem person.Carlo Druze kills Becker's wife and Becker kills Druze's boss.There are problems however when their is a witness to Becker's wife's murder, an unknown lover.

Meanwhile, there are more killings.Becker is a pathologist at the university hospital and is constantly living in a drug induced stupor or euphoria.Druze is a scarred, damaged man easily pliable by Becker.The strength in Eyes of Prey lie in the tight police work and the characterization of the bad guys and of Lucas's decent into depression.The ending is also surprising, yet doesn't really give any clues into the forth book in the series (which retains some characters from this book).

As usual in the series, there is a lot of cussing and sleeping around.But Standford has crafted another great thriller that will keep me reading the entire series.

good stuff
I have read all 13 or 14 (however many there are) books in this series and this still stands as the very best.An amazing read. It is too bad he peaked so early, but the rest are all still good, just not as good as this one.The only detective - mystery books better are the Dan Simmons books about ex-con detective Joe Kurtz.Some are better than others, but they are all good.Highly reccommended. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425132048
Sales Rank: 5190
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    3. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    4. Mystery/Suspense    5. Thrillers   

Night Prey
by John Sandford
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (06 July, 2004)
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Reviews (22)

Hard to put down...
This book is written with third-person narration, so readers are able to watch the events unfold from the perspectives of Lucas and the killer. Of course, this means that we know who the killer is, so there's no mystery there. There is, however, a great deal of suspense in the investigation. As with most other Prey books, the dialogue is fantastic! The suspense is well written and there's a constant sense of impending doom.

A night with Sandford's "Prey" is a night well spent.
John Sandford's "Prey" series is a delight. I've read four so far and each has been an adventure.

Lucas Davenport is a Minnesota cop, with the City of Minneapolis in early "Prey" novels, the State of Minnesota in later ones.

The plot is almost beside the point. A corpse is discovered and so on. Sandford's characters are richly detailed and believable. His plots are inventive and not so far out that you have to swallow credulity to keep moving.

Fun reads. And what higher compliment can I pay?

Jerry

Another good Prey-novel
This Prey-novel, Night Prey, is not the best I have read. But it is not a bad book, not at all. Lucas Davenport is back on the force, mostly working behind the scenes. In Night Prey he is on a hunt for a serial killer who preys on lonely women with average looks, women who nobody'll notice. The killer falls in love with a business woman, and starts stalking her. She is unaware of him, and it is not until the last part of the book she discovers what's going on, and then it is almost too late. Davenport also has to deal with a dying state-police woman, who has one goal in her life, before she dies: to catch this serial killer. The character-descriptions are not as well developed in this book as they have been in other John Sandford novels, but nevertheless, Night Prey is a fast read and it will keep you entertained while reading. It is not nail-biting exciting though, something I missed with this one. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425146413
Sales Rank: 8543
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    4. Mystery and detective stories    5. Mystery/Suspense   

Mind Prey
by John Sandford
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (02 March, 2004)
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Editorial Review

John Sandford's acclaimed Prey novels featuring the brilliant Lucas Davenport have plunged millions of readers into the darkest recesses of the criminal mind. Now Lucas has met his match.His newest nemesis is more intelligent, more deadly, than any he has tracked before: a kidnapper, a violator, and a cruel, wantonkiller who knows more about mind games than Lucas himself. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Good, good, good, good...
This psychological thriller is full of action and suspense. The plot moves quickly, and readers experience the events from various perspectives, including victim, killer and cop.

This is how books should be written, and this is what authors should aspire to be like. Kudos to Mr. Sandford - this is one of the best books I've ever read!

quite the thriller!
This is the seventh in a series of novels featuring Lucas Davenport, a tough police detective in Minnesota. It is the third and definitely the best that I have read in the series.

Davenport is more than a detective, he also designs role-playing and computer simulation games, a hobby that blossomed into a multi-million dollar business. The twist in this plot is that the bad guy is a psycho who happens to love role-playing games. He kidnaps one of his former therapists to fulfill some of his twisted fantasies and then gets a bigger thrill when he discovers that the designer of some his favorite games is on the case. (Imagine a 'Dungeons and Dragons' player matching wits against Gary Gygax and you've got the scenario)

This is really quite a good thriller - it was very difficult to put the book down while reading the last 75 pages.

JOHN SANDFORD NEVER FAILS.....
Couldn't put the first one down and have now read every one of his with the same enthusiasm and satisfaction. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425152898
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Psychological Suspense    3. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    4. Mystery fiction    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Suspense    7. Thrillers   

To the Nines (A Stephanie Plum Novel)
by Janet Evanovich
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (15 July, 2003)
list price: $25.95 -- our price: $17.13
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Reviews (227)

Trouble in Trenton
My wife and I were away for a brief vacation when I ran out of reading material. Luckily, my wife had a supply of books, so I selected this one, because it looked short enough to cover the time away that we had left. Having read this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it, I am very happy that I selected it. The narration is extremely amusing, and the tale moves along quite quickly. The characters are well-drawn, and even if one hasn't read the other eight books in the series (which I have not done), there's no feeling of missing anything. The plot is solid, although the killer's identity was very clear (at least to me) quite early in the book, and all of the clues were there, but ignored by the good guys. It's a greatr romp and read, and if you have a few hours to kill and want to laugh and be entertained, I recommend this book.

More substance, and suspense, needed
I'd been hearing what fun Janet Evanovich's mysteries were to read, so I picked up "To the Nines" hoping for an enjoyable afternoon. What I got was the literary equivalent of cotton candy -- sweet and not unpleasant, but not nearly enough to make a meal. Stephanie Plum and the two men in her life, Morelli and Ranger, were likable enough, but I didn't really get caught up in their lives and concerns. The novel could have been more tightly plotted, and worst of all, I figured out who the bad guy was well before the end of the novel. When it comes to weirdo characters and over-the-top plot devices, I like Sue Grafton and Carl Hiaasen much better.

To the Nines was written for a fifth grader
This book was written in the language of a fifth grader.I felt like I was reading about Jack and Jill.Besides being utterly annoyed with the simplistic story-telling, I found the plot slow and silly. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312265867
Sales Rank: 11439
Subjects:  1. Bounty hunters    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Mystery & Detective - Series    5. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    6. New Jersey    7. Plum, Stephanie (Fictitious ch    8. Plum, Stephanie (Fictitious character)    9. Women private investigators    10. Fiction / General   

Portrait in Death (In Death (Paperback))
by Nora Roberts, J. D. Robb
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (March, 2003)
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Reviews (75)

Simply great
Portrait in Death is a great book and a sure satisfaction for a fan of the Eve Dallas series. The characters have been further developed and there is more information on Roarke's past. What is particularly noticeable is that the minor characters made the story awesome as much about as the major characters. The plot is rich and keeps the reader in suspense until the ideal moment. The pace of the novel is fast, and the book is enriched by the humorous nature of the story. This is a highly recommended read along with the other stories in the series.

Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER, REUNION IN DEATH, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE

Simple and great
Portrait in Death is a great book and a sure satisfaction for a fan of the Eve Dallas series. The characters have been further developed and there is more information on Roarke's past. What is particularly noticeable is that the minor characters made the story awesome as much about as the major characters. The plot is rich and keeps the reader in suspense until the ideal moment. The pace of the novel is fast, and the book is enriched by the humorous nature of the story. Equally entertaining are REUNION IN DEATH, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, THE UNION MOUJIK. However, this is a highly recommended read along with the other stories in the series.

Nora does it again
The series just gets better and better. Eve and Roarke have hooked me for sure. Looking forward to the next one. Be sure to start from the beginning of the series. You won't want to stop.


Reviewed by Rosanna Filippello Author of the Angelo Mysteries Series published by JustMyBest inc. Book One--Angel of Death, Book Two--Angelo of Justice
(Angel of Truth to be released Fall of 2005)
www.detective-angelo-mysteries.com ... Read more

Isbn: 0425189031
Sales Rank: 26583
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Psychological Suspense    3. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    4. Mystery fiction    5. Psychological    6. Romance - Contemporary    7. Romance: Modern    8. Suspense   

Gone Too Far
by SUZANNE BROCKMANN
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (15 July, 2003)
list price: $19.95
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Reviews (94)

My Favorite of All
This story was the most well-developed, the most believable of any.Having the history that was developed in previous books helps the reader appreciate the changes that Sam made in himself.Also, having it be domestic was a refreshing change.I'm pretty tired of K-stan where there's always mass destruction but somehow cellphones always work (and these super SEALs never seem to have any other communications equipment - they're constantly calling each other on their cells- crack me up).It was a great story and we can all appreciate the relationship these characters now have together.

first and not the last
This is the first Suzanne Brockman and I loved it. Its action packedSam is hot (sizziling) I hope the other Seal books are as exciting. If yes i am really going to enjoy myself. I want to read them all(in order this time)

...but not far enough
I am fairly certain that a 6th grade middle school student co-wrote this book with Ms. Brockmann...no, I take that back- that would be unfair to the student.I could not believe some of the dialogue in this book.It was inundated with juvenile words such as "um", "you know", "like" and "godzillionth" (i'm serious, p.523).I mean, like, really, give me a break!!I realize this isn't a book on cold fusion, but please, readers of this genre are capable of reading 3+ syllable words.

This book was terrible on so many levels that it's hard for me to summarize.I'll just say this...it's not plausible that the father of a missing child would care one whit about whether an old flame would sleep with him again (and it seems that was Sam's main focus); there was too much history about uncle Walt and Aunt Dot (who really cares about them unless it turned out they were underground terrorists that were really behind the murder/terroristic acts); the author tried too hard to make Sam into a sensitive guy.In previous novels, she hinted at his vulnerable side but in this book- let me just say, if he cried one more time(...) ... Read more

Isbn: 0345462270
Sales Rank: 151434
Subjects:  1. American Light Romantic Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Romance    4. Government investigators    5. Navy    6. Navy.    7. Prevention    8. Romance - Contemporary    9. Romance: Modern    10. SEALs    11. Terrorism    12. United States    13. United States.    14. Fiction / Romance / Contemporary   

The Jester
by James Patterson, Andrew Gross
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (03 March, 2003)
list price: $27.95
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Reviews (244)

DIFFERENT BUT GOOD
THIS WAS A GOOD BOOK BUT VERY DIFFERENT FROM HIS USUAL WRITING, IT WAS HARD TO GET INTO BUT THEN THINGS PICKED UP AND I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. AWESOME

Coming soon to a multiplex near you...
From reading the reviews, it seems as if some people love this book and think it is a wonderful evocation of medieval history.Others, however, realize very quickly that this book makes them want to, in an example of the carefully researched language of medieval France taken from the book, "puke their guts out".I am in the latter category.It's Hollywood-ized historical fiction, written with an eye to the forthcoming script.How convenient that these simple French peasants from 900-odd years ago talk like modern-day movie characters: "Whaddaya do?""You have a specialness, Hugh..."Specialness???I can see the movie trailer now, with lots of fire and explosions and dirty but attractive peasants fighting courageously.
If you want medieval historical fiction that really is historical, and well written to boot, try "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis.Nominally sci-fi, it is about a time traveller mistakenly sent back to medieval England circa 1348, just before the arrival of the Black Plague.Interesting, challenging, chapters more than three pages long, and very different from The Jester.

A great read
If you're only familiar with the Alex Cross Patterson novels, then you'll hardly believe this is by the same author.

A lot of authors find a niche that they are good at or drives home the best sales for their publisher, and very rarely stray from that formula. Here, Patterson takes a chance, and delivers a terrific story.

Hugh is a protagonist that you are certain to root for, and while the story itself may not be historically accurate, somewhat farfetched in terms of the obstacles that Hugh overcomes, and ends somewhat predicatably, this is a story of human survival that will tug at your heart strings.

Sit back, relax, suspend belief for awhile, and drift off to a thousand years in the past.....
... Read more

Isbn: 0316602051
Sales Rank: 102738
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Historical    3. Fools and jesters    4. France    5. Historical - General    6. History    7. Kidnapping    8. Medieval period, 987-1515    9. Nobility    10. Suspense    11. Fiction / Historical   

Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think
by Chris Matthews
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (27 August, 2002)
list price: $13.00 -- our price: $10.40
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Reviews (57)

Excuse Me, Please!
After reading this book, I understand why Chris Matthews' show is on at 6:30 a.m. instead of 9:30 or even 10:30.His glory days of "hardball' are over, thank God.He's over the hill, so to speak, and too rude with so much interrupting and inserting his own opinions.

Using this book to elaborate on his opinions to the extent of tearing the politician down to "prove his point" seems to be a San Francisco attitude.Note the book on Mike Savage (Weiner).To blame it on growing up in a family of five brothers in the town of brotherly love, is no excuse; and his opinions are just that -- and not the truth of the matter.

I must be still half asleep when I watch his early morning t.v. show on Sundays (after a delightful half hour preceding that listening to Don Thompson play old movie music on WHO, Des Moines), because I thought he was okay.That is -- until he criticized Al Gore just because Chris himself was born into a Republican family.How, I'd like to know did they decide to use him as a speechwriter for a Democrat president, Jimmy Carter!Being a Catholic and Carter a Southern Baptist, now we know why the president came across as not being cultured.Here in the South we thought perhaps it could be the Northern education and not the Southern gentility he should have displayed.

Granted, Gore was educated and grew up around the Washington, D.C. area, not at his dad's home in the South.He's not the typical Southerner, either.He may have roots in Tennessee (and this state embraced him after the presidency was stolen from him by incompetent officials in Florida), but he is not "of Tennessee or the South." He did garner more votes than any Democrat running for U.S. President, in 2000, 51 million.He was trained by his father, our beloved Senator, to prepare for that high office, but the time has past.He's gotten pudgy and rebuffs the press in our state.I felt he "lost" because he backed Clinton in his outright lies about his indiscretion.But, he's not at all like Loretta Young (or Lynn) with her flouncy dresses.

After a while, I decided I really don't want to know "what he really thinks."At least, he's not trying to start a revolution like his fellow San Francisco complainer who calls politicians names.Chris tries to tear them apart to make himself look good.

In 1987, he started working for the San Francisco Examiner and is still a syndicated columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle.There must be something in the air out there to produce two mavericks,C. M. and Mike Weiner.His wife was news anchor on ABC in D.C. in 2001.

He's written HARDBALL about his t.v. show and a book about KENNEDY AND NIXON.He wasn't old enough to vote (neither was I) when the JFK charm worked for him.His being Catholic goes far with Matthews, I'm sure.Being a journalist gives him no right to tread on the other person's turf.Before tearing another person down before the world, you should "walk a mile in the other man's shoes." He has no humility to even consider such.

Shallow
This book confirms that Chris Matthews is shallow, just like his estimation of the American public.Wasted my time on a hollow book by a below average writer.

Great read!!
Chris is such a highly intelligent and enthusiastic democrat. His is the kind of spirit it will take to win the White House some day.Chris have you ever considered running for president??
I like his ability to judge the person, not the party.

His praise of JFK is right on the money and his look at the Clinton presidency and other issues shows excellent insight I think.

Thumbs up for this one.:) ... Read more

Isbn: 0684862352
Sales Rank: 252863
Subjects:  1. Essays    2. General    3. Political Science    4. Political culture    5. Politicians    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Popular culture    9. United States    10. United States - 20th Century    11. Current Events / General   

Shifting Calder Wind
by Janet Dailey
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 July, 2003)
list price: $24.00 -- our price: $16.32
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Reviews (9)

A nice mystery / romance mix
I am hooked on the Calder series so I had to find out what happened to the family after Ty died.This book seems to tie up some more of the storylines. Janet Dailey has me hooked since her first Calder story "The Calder Sky" still the best!

Shifting Calder Wind
Like all of Janet Dailey's books, she keeps you involved with the characters. I really enjoy being able to feel what the Calders are feeling in emotional value as well as the setting.

I will not give away information about the book because it takes away the mystic of reading for yourself, but I am an avid reader of Janet Dailey's books and the Calder series will always be my favorite.

I do recommend that you read this book.

She's losing her touch
I've read every Calder book Janet Dailey has written since the series started in 1982.I was a precocious 8th grader then.Either my tastes have changed, or Janet Dailey is losing her touch.I thought the last book in the series (Green Calder Grass) was the worst at the time it came out, but this one reaches a new low in dullness.It's nice that the author has involved patriarch Chase Calder more in this story.He's the man that hooked us all in the first book.I guess she had no choice since she killed off Ty Calder in the last book.That was a crazy move, since he should have lived to become the new Calder patriarch.But the book's main romance, which Dailey is famous for, is between a mysterious stranger, Laredo, and Ty's widow, Jessie.I found their relationship rather boring.There wasn't enough interaction between them to make me really root for them to get together.Maybe it's because I don't care much about Jessie anymore.I just find myself wishing Janet Dailey had killed her instead of Ty.The mystery of who's trying to kill Chase isn't bad, but all in all, the storyline is weak.I'll probably continue to read any Calder book Dailey puts out because I have so much invested, and I'm a glutton for punishment.But I think now I'll just get them from the library. ... Read more

Isbn: 0758200676
Sales Rank: 96182
Subjects:  1. Calder family (Fictitious char    2. Calder family (Fictitious characters)    3. Dailey, Janet - Prose & Criticism    4. Domestic fiction    5. Fiction    6. Fiction - Romance    7. Montana    8. Ranch life    9. Romance - General    10. Romance: Gothic   

A History of Scotland (Penguin History)
by J.D. Mackie, Bruce Lenman, Geoffrey Parker
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 August, 1984)
list price: $15.95 -- our price: $10.85
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Reviews (3)

A very well-written history...
This is simply put one of the best places to start an inquiry into Scottish history.

Allowing the comments of one of the other reviewers, this book might not answer EVERY question that one might have regarding all of the specifics of Scots history. As in any book that sets out to tell the whole history of a people in under five hundred pages, there are omissions and a little of opaquenesses. Setting this aside, both the original author and the updaters of this book have done a remarkable job putting together a history that is equally entertaining and enlightening. This book DOES do an adequate job illustrating all of the changes of power and intricacies that are necessary to understand the interrelation between England and Scotland and the Highland and Lowland populations. It is fair which is important. And it is just a fun read.....

Beyond this, obviously, this book raises additional questions regarding the history of Scotland that must be answered by additional reading. But, then again, this is a book that as an intitiation, makes one want to read more.

I highly recommend this book....

History of Scotland
The book is full of history and appears balanced in view but has far too many references to things not documented.For someone who knows nothing about British royalty, Scots history and geography this is not the place tostart.

There are many confusing references.I had troubleunderstanding what and who Argyle is, why you spell Stewart/Stuart two wayswith seemingly interchangable spellings, and many many royalty/titlerelated terms that are confusing (duke/earl/baron etc. what's thedifference?). A glossary would help.Otherwise, keep a dictionary and agood map handy.

Also the successions and following who murdered whomneeds more diagrams and what diagrams and maps there are should all beredrawn for clarity.

A captivating history of Scotland and its people.
This book is written as more of a story of Scotland than a history.It iswell developed, interesting, captivating and exciting.Probably the finesthistory book I've ever read.Gives an incredible overview of Scotland, andexplains why those Scots who have become expats love their country despiteall of the problems they have had (Highland clearances).For anyone whohas been to Scotland this is a great way to learn so much about thecountry, and their courageous and proud people.I recommend this veryhighly.An enthralling book to read. ... Read more

Isbn: 0140136495
Sales Rank: 152450
Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Great Britain - Scotland    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Scotland    7. British & Irish history   

All the Queen's Men
by Linda Howard
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 2000)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
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Editorial Review

Setting: contemporary Virginia, France, Iran
Sensuality: 7

CIA agent John Medina and electronics expert Niemi Burdock share a violent past: the two were part of a covert operation that went tragically wrong, resulting in the death of several people. Now, five years later, their paths cross again and John, whose love for Niemi has only grown over time, is determined to keep her in his life for good. Having spent the intervening five years living a solitary, staid existence--due to feelings of guilt over the ill-fated operation--Niemi is somewhat reluctant to reenter the shadowy world she once inhabited. Still, she can't resist the lure and excitement of danger when John asks her to join him on his latest mission to discover the origins of a deadly new explosive already in use by terrorists.

Concocting a plan to reveal the source of the explosive, the two enter into a dangerous masquerade, walking a tightrope between safety and death, while passion boils beneath the surface. Unaware of John's feelings, Niemi fights her physical response to the legendary agent as her emotions, in frozen limbo for the last five years, thaw with astonishing speed.

First introduced in Kill and Tell, agent John Medina is as intriguing as the perilous world he operates in. Watching him in action, à la James Bond, is exhilarating--as is the single-minded intensity of his feelings for Niemi, whose ability to hold her own with John--on both a personal and professional level--and with the host of terrorists, spies, and double-dealers the pair encounter is impressive to say the least. Throw in a couple of chilling chase scenes, some romantic interludes hot enough to peel paint from the walls, and one or two bigger-than-life internationally connected characters, and you've got the latest from Linda Howard--a romantic thriller that's sure to be coming soon to a bestseller list near you. --Lois Faye Dyer ... Read more

Reviews (152)

Very Good
I enjoyed this book very much. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. It was filled with supense and action as well as romance. I'm not quite sure why it is called "All the Queen's Men" because it has no reference to the Queen or her secret service. I was rather thinking the story line would have a twist or two, but no such luck. That is the only reason I am not rating this at a five. No surprise ending, no unknown killer, just romantic suspense. All in all, a good read.

Missed opportunities but a great read nonetheless!
In a covert operation in the mountains of Iran, mission leader "Tucker" gives Dallas the go ahead to detonate explosives that will result in Dallas' death. Dallas' new wife, Niema Burdock, is an electronics expert on the same mission, and tearfully assumes the guilt over his death for the next five years, living a quiet and solitary existence in an unassuming position at the CIA.

When Tucker is re-introduced into her life, she discovers that he is actually John Medina - an elusive black ops agent (first introduced in the novel "Kill & Tell"). Niema does not know that over the last five years, John has silently watched her life from afar, hoping that she can move on with her life and find someone new to love. Since she has not, John decides it is time to make his move.

But John, who has spent his life in the shadows, assuming one identity after another, has no idea to go about getting close to her. He resorts to what he knows, and convinces her to join his latest mission to capture a French arms. She goes undercover to befriend Louis Ronsard. When introduced into Louis' life, she finds that he is not what she expected at all.

There is definitely a deep attraction between John and Niema. Both are damaged and hurt by sudden losses of loved ones (John was forced to kill his own wife). While searching Louis' office and computer, they discover that he is on his way back to the office, and improvising, pretend to be caught up in a moment of passion. At least that is what Niema though, until they actually do have sex (and Louis does not interrupt them - a missed opportunity) The rushed office seduction was not very satisfying (and a bit creepy, actually), though they do make up for it later in the book.

The characters are charismatic, but there are so many unexplored chances that could have been fleshed out to make the story more interesting (like the tension between them as they trained for the mission, and the unexplored relationship between Niema and Louis).

Overall a good read. You have to read "Kiss Me While I Sleep" for an update on John & Niema.

There's No Queen in this Book!
I'm not really sure how to start this review - I just finished the book Saturday night and my mind is still jumbled by the last few chapters.Up until the ending, it was a fantastic book, but it just seemed as if Linda Howard realized she had written almost 400 pages and needed to end the story.So, she called a halt to it without tying up all the loose ends.

All the Queen's Men starts off with a CIA operation in the Middle East that goes awry."Tucker" is the head of the Black Ops clandestine maneuver.He stays behind with Niema Burdock, an electronics expert, to make sure everything is readied for their flight to safety after the chemical laboratory is blown up.As he listens to radio transmissions, he and Niema realize the men sent to the factory are in grave danger.Niema's husband, Dallas, is killed as they listen to his final transmission right before he detonates the explosives and himself. "Tucker" gets Niema to safety a few days later and then disappears for five very long years when their paths once again meet.

It seems "Tucker's" real name is John Medina and he is still in love with Niema (though he's never admitted it to anyone).He persuades the CIA administration to let her help him track down the manufacturers of a new explosive called RDX-a, which needs no detonator and cannot be detected by current methods.It seems this explosive has fallen into the hands of terrorists and it's John and Niema's job to stop them.They go to France where the action begins.
Louis Ronard is the dealer that has all the information needed by the CIA.Niema goes undercover as a socialite visiting dear family friends who happen to be the French Ambassador and his wife.At an embassy party, Niema meets Louis who is instantly smitten and invites her to his mansion for a few days of parties.John becomes one of his alter egos and lets Louis know he's in the market to purchase large quantities of RDX-a and just happens to get an invitation to the same parties.

I guess it's a bit like some current spy thrillers, but I felt as if Howard had a difficult time deciding if this should be a romance or a mystery and the melding of the two wasn't the best I've read.There were times it was action packed and had your heart thumping; and then would instantly change into a very sensual scene.

**This paragraph will give details of the plot, so do not read if you plan on reading the book**One example is when Niema and John are in Louis' office setting a wire tap and copying his computer files while a house party is going on.Through the security monitor on the desk, they see Louis coming down the hall towards his office.John instantly has Niema lie down on the sofa and remove her undergarments.He begins caressing her with both hands and mouth, while waiting for Louis to enter the office and hoping this ploy diverts attention as to why they are in his office in the first place.Louis doesn't come in right away, so John takes it a step further and actually makes love to Niema, swallowing her screams of passion with his passionate kisses.Louis never comes into the office and Niema is left wondering if this was just "part of the job" or did John really love her.Not only was Niema a bit confused, so was the reader!Definitely not part of most spy thrillers, unless it's James Bond!

Upon leaving the office, they are spotted by a security guard and must flee the estate in a hail of gunfire.After ditching their stolen car, they run on foot for hours and then continue their get-away.After reaching the "company yacht" they upload the files and send to Washington DC and then continue their exploration of each other instead of fleeing for safety.You can only imagine what happens next...

This book leaves too many loose ends dangling, such as the death of Niema's husband and how both she and John feel guilty about it; will they have a relationship or not; will John take over as CIA head when they return; and several other questions that still need answers.None are major components in the story, but together they just leave the reader wondering what is happening with all of the sub-plots.

Overall it's a decent tale with excellent character development.The scenes are described in vivid detail and the reader actually feels like he/she is at the dinner parties at the embassy or at Louis' estate.If the ending wasn't hurried and if all of the loose ends had been tied up in a nice neat package, it would have been an excellent book.Without those, it's only Very Good!

... Read more

Isbn: 0671568841
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Romance    3. Mystery/Suspense    4. Romance - Contemporary    5. Suspense    6. Thrillers    7. Fiction / Romance / Contemporary   

The Kill Artist
by DANIEL SILVA
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (19 December, 2000)
list price: $25.95
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Editorial Review

Fans of Daniel Silva's well-received earlier novels, especially The Marching Season, willwelcome his newest novel of espionage, revenge, and Middle Eastern politics. Gabriel Allon is an art restorer who's persuaded out of retirement by AriShamron, the crafty Israeli spymaster bent on a deadly mission: killing aPalestinian agent named Tariq before he can carry out his plan to assassinate anold comrade-in-arms, the treacherous peacemaker Yasir Arafat.

Tariq's role in the murder of Gabriel's wife and son draws both Gabriel andSarah Halevy, the beautiful French model whose affair with Gabriel led to theassassination of his family. Still in love with Gabriel, Sarah allows herself tobe set up with a cover and infiltrated into Tariq's inner circle.But beforeGabriel can rescue her and fulfill his mission, Tariq turns the tables to gethis old adversary as well as Arafat in his own sights. A particularly resonantscene in which Tariq and Arafat confront each other and discuss their formerfriendship, as well as the change in tactics that has brought Tariq to theultimate betrayal, reveals Silva's deep comprehension of Palestinian rivalries.He puts a clever little fillip on the ending that adds to the brio of thisstrongly paced thriller. Silva creates complex, fascinating characters in Gabe, Ari, and Tariq, and more than fulfills the promise of his earlier books. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Silva Medal
The first book in Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series is a good one. As Silva's fourth book, the references to the prior two books (Mark of the Assassin and Marching Season) are few, but they are there. It was more a pleasant surprise to me after having read those already. However, it's certainly not necessary to have read those before starting this one.

Gabriel Allon has left the Office (Israeli Intelligence) and is working as an art restorer. A job he loves. However, his former mentor beckons and convinces him to get back into the game to eliminate a Palestinian radical who played a dark role in Allon's past.

The plot is intelligent and engaging. I find Silva's writing to be fantastic. His style is great. He keeps you guessing, and keeps those pages turning. The chapters seem to just fly by.

My only gripe with this is that it's not as good as "The Mark of the Assassin." However, that is not enough to deter me from heading straight into his next book in this series "The English Assassin."

****1/2!!!!

Spy Thriller with a Bang
Daniel Silva's Kill Artist is an excellent introduction to his series of spy thrillers starring Gabriel Allon. Allon is a unique character; a former assassin and spy for the Mossad (Israeli Intelligence) he retires after his wife and son are killed and takes up a successful career as an art restorer. Allon is an enigmatic, fascinating, and utterly likeable character, which makes the fact that he's a sociopath a bit troubling.

In the Kill Artist Allon is called out of retirement when a terrorist named Tariq comes out of hiding and kills an Israeli Ambassador in Paris. Allon's former boss, the calculating Ari Shamron, uses this to manipulate Allon back into the field--Tariq was the man who murdered Allon's family. Joining Allon in the hunt for Tariq is Jacqueline Delacroix, sometimes fashion model and sometimes spy, who uses her body to seduce information out of enemies.

The Kill Artist is well-plotted and full of suspense, making it a great read for anyone looking for a good thriller. Allon is a new breed of spy, filled with more shades of gray than James Bond or Jason Bourne. He's clearly meant to be the good guy, but the fact that he's a cold-blooded killer can't escape the reader.

The only flaw with this novel is the fact that Allon and the other "heroes" are clearly sympathetic to the Israeli cause. While I can't speak for Silva's politics, it makes the novel seem one-sided. Taking that with a grain of salt, the novel is still entirely enjoyable

Nicely Plotted International Thriller!
This is the first book in the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva.Allon is the reluctant part time spy working for Israeli Intelligence whose covert skills are the stuff of legend within the small community of "secret agents".His cover skills are those of professional art restoration, primarily "old masters" paintings and sculpture, for which his talents in that field are world renown.

While this may be the first book (as of this review there are 5) in the series, it is not necessary to read this book first, since the book takes place at a time in the life of Gabriel Allon when he has already forsaken his work as a spy.We learn about Allon's past and his initiation into the world of spying through flashback and his past is not necessarily central to the story.Other books in the series take the reader into Gabriel's past just as effectively and therefore you don't really have to start with this book to understand what Gabriel is all about.

Daniel Silva has a true gift for captivating plot and character development.The characters in his books are self reflecting and you really begin to understand the emotional turmoil that goes with the work of tracking down punishing international terrorists.This book is an exciting weekend read!Silva has Gabriel on the trail of Tariq the Palestinian terrorist bent on derailing the peace process.Tariq and Gabriel are not strangers to one another, as Gabriel is the man who mercilessly killed Tariq's older brother and as revenge Tariq exploded a car that contained Gabriel's wife and only son.The "bad blood" between these two enemies plays out across Europe and North America in a fast paced thriller that both memorable and very enjoyable.The surprises and betrayals extend beyond the exciting climatic confrontation between Gabriel and Tariq, and are just part of what makes this book so entertaining. ... Read more

Isbn: 0375500901
Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Art restorers    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    5. Middle East    6. Political    7. Political fiction    8. Suspense    9. Terrorism    10. Fiction / General    11. Reading Group Guide   

The English Assassin
by Daniel Silva
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (25 February, 2003)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
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Editorial Review

The English Assassin brings back Gabriel Allon, the appealinglymelancholy art restorer with a double life as an Israeli secret agent, firstintroduced in 2000's The KillArtist. Gabriel is sent to Zurich under a pseudonym to restore a Raphaelbelonging to a prominent Swiss banker and art collector, Augustus Rolfe, butupon arriving he finds Rolfe lying in a pool of blood. When Gabriel tries toleave Zurich, the Swiss police capture him immediately--and moreover, they knowhis real identity. He's released through some diplomatic string-pulling, but hesoon discovers that Rolfe had requested a meeting with Israeli intelligence, forreasons unknown, just before his death.

Rolfe's daughter, Anna, is a world-class violinist attempting to rebuild hercareer after an accident that nearly destroyed one of her hands. But herphysical scars are nothing compared to those on her psyche, left by her mother'ssuicide when Anna was a teenager. Temperamental and mistrustful, shenevertheless believes Gabriel's story, and reveals that Rolfe owned a secretcollection of priceless French Impressionist paintings, apparently stolen by hismurderers.

As Gabriel begins to put together the pieces of the puzzle, he faces twoadversaries: a powerful group of men who would do anything to bury the pastforever, and a hired killer who's planning a spectacular murder. Like TheKill Artist, The English Assassin balances fascinating characters,authentic-sounding historical detail, and plenty of glamorous internationalintrigue on the edge of a knife-keen plot. --Barrie Trinkle ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Where's the spark?
Funny how a book can be so well-constructed yet lack the emotional spark to truly involve a reader. Case in point: The English Assassin. The subject matter is compelling, the spycraft believable, the action and pacing fine, the descriptions of Switzerland and the Swiss sharply drawn. But two key relationships--between Gabriel and Anna and Gabriel and the title character--are glancing at best. The way Anna lets Gabriel into her life after being so aloof for so long is unbelievable, and there's precious little interaction to indicate the depth of their eventual relationship. I kept waiting for the pheromones to fly, but that just didn't happen.

Worse, I thought, was the lack of confrontation between Gabriel and the English assassin. Frankly, I felt cheated here. While not looking for a big shootout, I at least expected the two to match wits more directly, some moves and countermoves. My other impression: Gabriel was fortunate that he never had to face the other man, because based on shows of respective skills he was the inferior player.

Top Rate Thriller
Daniel Silva weaves a taught tale of suspense and international intrigue with this one. The story moves between England, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain; there's even a brief mention of Tibet, though nobody is really there and the mention of it is more of an insiders joke to the characters. Silva's chief talent is describing the sites, sounds, and smells of the European landscape and its people. He also has a very readable way of incorporating history into his plotline. A lot of writers (e.g. Clancy) tend to use description as a means of filling pages. Silva takes his descriptives to heights that fill the reader with a flavor of the place. I haven't been to the places in the Silva's novel in twenty years, but after three days with The English Assassin, I felt I had been given a healthy dose of Europe again. I won't bore you with a synopis (you can get that from other reviewers), suffice it to say it's about stolent art, Nazis, Bankers, and deadly secrets, personal, political, and national. The hero is an Israeli hit man with a heart; his antagonist is as complicated a character as he is. Ths book was loaned to me by a friend's mother, and I can't wait to share it with others. If spy novels are your thing, you'll like this.

Another superb winner from Daniel Silva
This is another superb thriller from Daniel Silva with his great character Gabriel Allon. Stolen Nazi art,insternational co nspiracy at highest levels, treasures hidden and rediscovered and a vicious villain. Read it and enjoy, it's that good.
... Read more

Isbn: 0451208188
Subjects:  1. Espionage/Intrigue    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    4. Historical - General    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Suspense    7. War & Military   

The Confessor
by Daniel Silva
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (24 February, 2003)
list price: $25.95
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Editorial Review

Gabriel Allon, Daniel Silva's protagonist in an interesting series about a Mossad spy who doubles as an art restorer, returns in a fascinating tale of Vatican complicity in the Holocaust. Author Silva, a political journalist turned espionage writer, has done his homework on some recently unearthed documents and written a fast-paced novel that will reawaken the discussion regarding whether the Catholic Church turned a blind eye to Nazi atrocities against Jews in occupied countries during World War II, and if so, why. Allon remains an enigmatic figure whose desire for revenge against the Leopard, the assassin who killed his wife and child, compels him to put down his paints and brushes and take arms against Israel's past and present enemies. The Confessor is a solidly plotted, well-crafted story that will appeal to fans of Allen Furst, John le Carré, and other standouts in the international espionage genre.--Jane Adams ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Magnifico!
I ordered and read this book after hearing a passing comment about it from a regional radio broadcaster...on a sports show, no less. This book flows so well and contains enough twists and turns to excite the most jaded reader. Enjoy!

Let the secret out, Silva's good!
For some reason I'd been putting it off to read something by Daniel Silva. When I finally did, it was a treat! Now in this, you might find see words like Jews, or Bolsheviks, and maybe even a Hebrew, all that among a few Italians in the Vatican. Is THAT what makes this an enjoyable read? Maybe, just maybe. There's other stuff that make this easy to enjoy as well.

I really enjoyed my first meeting with Gabriel Allon, but at first it was a little easy for me to put it down here and there. But once I got into it, it wasn't hard for me to get into this little gem. For those of you who haven't experienced a Silva read, I'll let you in on a secret, he's good! We are kept awake by espresso, treated to fine wine and sumptuous dining that is more than plentiful, followed by a bullet for dessert at times! Lions and tigers and bears? oh no! But there might be a Leopard lurking in the shadows. Watch out! It isn't always pretty. In fact, it might get down right dirty and ugly! You may even be introduced to the Pope. Oh yeah, this will keep readers guessing!

Hey, this dude really was worth it, and I'll be looking for more of Daniel Silva. I could use some more of this!

Superlative
What a totally riveting read. I barely could put it down for a break. The suspense and plot were continuous.Just marvelous. The general theme concerned the role of The Church during WWII. A new more liberal Pope has now been elected and he is strongly resisted by an ultra conservative group within The Church called the Crux Vera. The reader is treated to the development of many fine characters,two of the best being Gabriel Allon,art restorer and Mossad agent, and Eric Lange--a hired assassin. Be prepared for a great trip as you read this. ... Read more

Isbn: 0399149724
Subjects:  1. Crimes against    2. Espionage/Intrigue    3. Europe    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    6. Historians    7. Historiography    8. Holocaust, Jewish (19390-1945)    9. Israelis    10. Psychological    11. Suspense   

Moving Target
by Elizabeth Lowell
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (30 April, 2002)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (85)

Kept trying to care...
I love most of the newer Elizabeth Lowell, but I just couldn't get into this story.First, it's not really a romance.It's a thriller/suspense crime novel with a sex scene thrown in with little warning or payoff.I never really got under the skin of the hero, but Risa, the heroine, was fairly interesting.The little psychic twist seemed unnecessary and unconvincing.Still decent crime plot, some funny moments, and better written than most romances.

A book that wholes you attention*****
I REALY LOVE THIS BOOK. IT HELD MY ATTENTION LIKE THE WRITER OWL GOINGBACK. SHE IS GOOD A MYSTERY WHICH I LOVE. I NEED TO HAVE MY ATTENTION HELD. READ IT YOU WILL LOVE IT.

This was worth the trash pile!
This book didn't live up to any potential.

If you are not going to at least write a decent story to tie up lose ends then don't write it at all.

I felt this book was WEAK.

First, she tried to get the reader into her book by making it seem like this would be about Eric and Selena's story.

It to myself and a few others who read it was a RIP OFF!

I used to always look forward to Ms Lowell's books.
I have since found authors that do justice to the characters that they create.

The plot was weak in this book.
You had too many chatcters and sub plots.
You don't connect with the main characters.
What you thought you were buying.
A book that would explain about Eric and Selena (from the medevial times) was not what it was about.
Thanks (sarcastic) for sneaky way you made your loyal (not so loyal anymore) fans think they were getting something when they really were not.
I did buy this in hardback.
It sat and collected dust as a group I was with were so disgusted with Ms Lowell and her book that no one wanted to even give it to their friends to read.
I ended up taking it to a used book store.

Harsh, yes.
Then again when you dish your fans with a weak story and when you have your older books reprinted to try and make money off them by fooling them into thinking that it is a new book you lose fans. ... Read more

Isbn: 0061031070
Sales Rank: 102357
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Romance    3. Literary    4. Romance - General    5. Suspense    6. Modern fiction    7. Romance