Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Adam's Point by Elena Dorothy Bowman

Publisher: ebooksonthe.net
ISBN: 1594315043
Genre: Paranormal

Beware large old homes with mysterious pasts. And multiple ghosts.

A young woman inherits a house that seems frozen in time and sets about turning it into an inn with the added attraction of its resident ghosts who'd be sure to give guests a good case of shivers. But that's not all they give the guests.

A powerful spirit takes up residence above the house and it doesn't seem happy. Things become dangerous and the owner doesn't know why. Abigail seems threatened by the house that had formerly welcomed heer. What is going on? Why has the house changed? When guests go missing, Abigails' husband--Ethan, decides the women must leave the house while he searches for them.

Talented author Elena Dorothy Bowman leads us across the line between our reality and that of the spirit world where anything is possible. As in the first two of the series, The House on the Bluff and The Gatekeeper's Realm, there is plenty of spooky action to give you chills and keep you reading. You'll have to know what is the reason behind all the ghosts and events.

I'm pleased to recommend this tale to any reader who enjoys paranormal tales guaranteed to have you looking for other books by the same author. You'll be looking at large old homes wondering if they could have similar ghost tales after reading this fun tale. Enjoy. I sure did.

A Nail Through the Heart by Timothy Hallinan

Publisher: Wm. Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-06-125580-9
Genre: Thriller

If you like the Orient as a setting for adventure, mystery and thrills, you will enjoy A Nail Through the Heart and the family that travel writer, Poke Rafferty is trying to create with people that society pretends doesn't exist. Except for Poke, most of the people he knows in Bangkok struggle to survive by selling their bodies, anyone from near babies to girls working in bars or on the streets where a booming sex trade lures men who can pay for anything they want.

Poke is asked by a visiting woman to find her uncle who seems to have disappeared. Because he wants to build favors as credits with a police friend, he takes on the job. His investigation leads him to the home of a wealthy recluse who is greatly feared and into the darker side of human nature. The recluse hires him to retrieve stolen property. He must accept this job or else.

Talented author Timothy Hallinan introduces the reader to a subject little known or understood in a land where children and people are for sale for the pleasure of foreigners. Into this world the seeker of pleasure should beware of whom they trust.

I'm pleased to recommend this well-told tale with its deep understanding of human nature. This is the type of story that opens one's eyes to the need for laws in the world to protect the vulnerable while weaving several plots together to hold the reader's attention from beginning to end. Like me, you'll be looking for other books by this imaginative author. Enjoy. I sure did.

Anne K. Edwards

The Marathon Murcers by Chester Campbell

Publisher: Night Shadows Press
ISBN: 978-0-9799167-1-7
Genre: Mystery
4 bolts

Greg and Jill McKenzie are drawn into a mystery of a vanished construction worker and some papers found behind the wall of an old building. The client tells them the story began with an embezzlement charge on another man who disappeared when accused and his bones were found five years later. The case went nowhere after that.

Their client is the granddaughter of the grandson of the accused man. Can Greg and Jill make any sense out of this cold case when everyone concerned with it is long dead?

Talented author Chester D. Campbell weaves a complicated tale of purpose and cross purpose as the interesting cast of characters show us their motives for doing what they do. Why did the construction worker disappear? Where are the papers? What value would they be to anyone else?

These are a few of the questions you'll want answered as you follow Greg and Jill on their investigation. Will they be stepping into danger on what started as a simple investigation into the very dim past?

Recommended as a fun read, lots of action, a well written tale to hole your attention. You'll be wanting to read other stories by this imaginative author. Enjoy. I did.

Anne K. Edwards

Whispers by Nancy Madison

Publisher: ebooksonthe.net
ISBN: 978-1-59431-266-4
Genre: Romantic Suspense

What would you do if the man you were about to marry betrayed you in the worst possible way the night before your wedding and proved to have another motive for marrying you other than love?

Would you jump from the frying pan into the fire as Lane Hamilton did? In her efforts to put things in perspective she travels south to Virginia only to find her problems have followed. Her return to New York is no better. Will she ever find happiness?

The plot twists and turns, surprising the reader as Layne tries to untangle herself from the darker motives of others. Does love have a chance? Will Layne forgive the past? These are but a few of the questions you'll want answered as you read.

A well-told tale that any romantic suspense fan will enjoy. Creative author Nancy Madison weaves a plot from motives, danger, romance and fear that will keep you reading. You'll feel as if you've stayed at the lovely B&B in Virginia with Layne so well described are the settings. Lots of adventure and action for an exciting read.

Recommended as a fun read that will have you looking for other books by Nancy Madison. Enjoy. I did.

Anne K. Edwards

Double Edged: A change of heart by Ben Harr

Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 978-1-84753-471-2
Genre: Mystery/Thriller

The CIA has a dangerous assignment coming up and hires a private investigative agency to help with it-Tom Paxton and Sergio Martinez. They're sent to Corsica to learn the whereabouts of on Armand Farel who at age 82 has formed an alliance with terrorists.

Their investigation leads them into danger and this causes more people to become involved. French intelligence and men from the other side of the law as well. Death also becomes a traveling companion on their flight from Corsica, following them onto the next stage of their assignents that now involves the lost fortune of the Knights Templar when they were disbanded by the Pope.

Someone seeks revenge for the perceived theft of this fortune. Is that what he really wants or is this just a front for something even more sinister? Join Tom and Sergio as they travel fro one continent to the other in search of their elusive prey. Will they ever find him? How does a wealthy man in the US connect to the old man and terrorists and the lost fortune and further with global warming?

This is a tale with lots of action, a story with lots of changes of scenery, interesting characters and plenty of international intrigue to suit readers looking for a thriller without the usual gore and bombs. Recommended as a read for anone who enjoys mystery or spy stories. Enjoy.
Anne K. Edwards

Gold Fire by Ed Mitchell

Publisher: California Coast Publishing
ISBN: 13: 978-0-9668447-2-6
Genre: Thriller4 1/2 bolts

A fun read about the intrigues and complications of becoming a politician. Plenty of excitement. This may be classed as a thriller (and it really is), but it is also a romance using the old definition of a story of mutual affection and honest warmth between two characters.

This is a book to please any reader, except those who live for shoot 'em ups. Talented author Ed Mitchell has used his creative imagination and deep understanding of human nature to bring the reader a story well worth the time to read.

Nolen Martin has decided to run for political office at about the same time terrorists decide to make another strike at bringing down the United States. They manage to involve Russia and China in the plot as well as the nations of the U.N. Using new ideas and a new slant on mass killing, they have a good chance at success.

The international intelligence community responds with some beaurocratic delays and worries about justifyng any actions and paperwork while one nation stands ready to move on the terrorists.

A riveting read for thriller fans offering much by way of excitement and adventure. The people are all complex with their own agendas that make for a complex plot and series of events that keep things interesting for the reader.

Bring your public manners for political mixers and your warmest desert gear for hunting terrorists. This book qould make a quality film. You'll be glad you read it and want to read other books by this talented author. Enjoy. I sure did.

Anne K. Edwards

Reluctant Witness by Linda Alexander

> Title: Reluctant Witness: Robert Taylor, Hollywood, & Communism
> Author: Linda Alexander
> Publisher: Tease Publishing LLC
> ISBN: 978-1-934678-63-3
> Genre: Nonfiction Biography
>
Talented biographer Linda Alexander takes us back to the days when the studio system for developing stars was in its glory; to the days after WWII when the spread of communism was being battled and anyone who didn't agree with the 'better dead than red' type of thinking could be considered suspect.

It was into this world a rather naive young man named Spangler Andrew Brugh stepped and came out known as Robert Taylor, the man with the perfect profile--sex symbol and one of Louis B. Mayer's biggest assets of the era.

Ms Alexander takes the reader from the early days of Robert Taylor's life, through his marriage to actress Barbara Stanwyck, to the development and changes in his career and private life. In this book you will meet his family, friends, associates, and come to know the man he was. You will share his moments before the senate committee that considered the movie industry as rife with communists.

A thoroughly researched story that revisits Hollywood in its heyday, when movie making was not only hard work, but a full time commitment. This is a book that any biography reader, film history buff, or nonfiction reader will enjoy all the way through, one you won't forget any time soon. It will make you look for other books by this very able author.

Enjoy. I sure did.

Anne K. Edwards

Grave Web by Betty Sullivan La Pierre

Publisher: SynergEbooks

ISBN: 0-7443-1405-4

Genre: Mystery


Becky Simpson has just lost her father and in acting as executrix of his estate she uncovers secrets and mysteries that he had hidden from her and her brother all their lives. At the same time she is trying to recover from her loss, she decides this is the time to find her missing mother. She hires Hawkman to discover her whereabouts.

With no idea as to the hornet's nest they are about to stir up, Hawkman begins almost immediately to ask questions. One clue leads to another and then threats begin to both Hawkman and his client. And he is worried.

What dangerous person has he antagonized with his investigation? Who among those he's talked to feels threatened. Is it the yardman, the neighbor, her father's friends or tenants, or another?

Talented author Betty Sullivan La Pierre has, as always, crafted a tale of intrigue, dark secrets and plenty of action. The people will seem like old friends and you'll want to read all of her books.

This is a book I'm pleased to recommend to any reader. A fun read all the way through, a great way to pass some pleasant hours. Enjoy. I sure did.

Review by Anne K. Edwards

Jennifer's Plan by Don Meyers

Publisher: Cold Tree Press

ISBN: 978-1-58385-199-9

Genre: Mystery


  If you like tales with an different premise for the plot, you'll enjoy Jennifer's Plan. A law student's passage through a small town takes her through another kind of passage with her only hope to stay alive is by using her wits.

  Jennifer Cerriety gets into big trouble when she gets lost on her way to Harpers Crossing. Thought to be someone who is there to cause trouble for the locals, a group of men decide to teach her a lesson at one of their meetings.

  She is kidnapped from her car and thrown into the company of a black boy also taken captive by these men. Soon it becomes obvious that whatever they have planned for Jennifer will include this boy, Harold Seaweather.

  Talented author Don Meyer gives the reader a look into the baser type of personalities in a small town and those with decency and kindness as the story unwinds. Will Jennifer and Harold survive the night? Will they seek revenge on their tormenters? How? Who are these men and what is the purpose of their meetings?

  Realistic characters bring the story alive and you'll like them or dislike them as you read. Through this very able writer's description, you'll feel as if you've visited this small town and met the inhabitants. This is a tale that could have been taken from the newspapers.

  Recommended to any reader of thrillers or stories of the darker side of human nature and what they're capable of. You'll come away with a fuller understanding of evil. Enjoy. I did.

Review by Anne K. Edwards

Lost in the Mist by w. C. Keesey

Publisher: Wings ePress
ISBN:
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Hey, paranormal and romance fans! Two stories blended as one in this debut novel by talented author, W. C. Keesey. A different kind of adventure that will hold your attention all the way through.

Some strange things have been happening to Connie Hart ever since a talk with her mother's lawyer when he gave her a mysterious box and said her mother wanted her to have it after her death. Did the box's contents have anything to do with Connie's decision to go to Fredericksburg, Virginia? Who was the old woman on the bus? Why does Connie feel as if she knows the town? Why is she seeing things from the Civil War days?

Connie forms new friendships with Brian, a photographer who is there to photograph Civil War buildings, and a married couple who are involved in reenactments. Among Connie's new friends is also Victoria Brentwell who once lived in the house that is now a bed and breakfast. The problem is that Victoria lived there during the Civil War.

Life becomes very complicated for Connie when she meets Victoria and she is glad Brian is there to offer a helping hand. Who is Victoria and why have she and Connie come together?

A fun read with romantic possibilities blended with visits with a woman from the past as two lives run parallel to each other. The settings are like open doors that offer the reader a look at times past and how the present has changed them.

I'm pleased to highly recommend this tale as an adventure into the unknown on more than one level. Enjoy. I certainly did.

Anne K. Edwards

Small Town Secrets by Billie A. Williams

Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-59705-283-2
Genre: Mystery

Life in a small town should be quiet and proceed at an orderly pace, but not so in Nettlesville where someone seems determined to burn it down one building at a time. And the strain is telling on Chaneeta Morgan who runs the Golden Kettle Cafe and is the elected town chairperson.

People are asking why something isn't being done to protect the town. The newspaper owner and Chaneeta's biggest critic and rival continuously flings mud on Chaneeta's name and get her removed from office.

Chaneeta is desperate to know what is going on and to catch the arsonist. Her only allies seem to be the Tewsday twins, Twice and Taaktu, one of whom is the constable during the regular's absence

However arson isn't the only problem Chaneeta faces. A murder adds to her problems and attacks are launched at her and others.

Will the town survive the continuing disasters? Will Chaneeta retain her job or will she be fired? Talented author Billie Williams will keep you guessing.

A very enjoyable read with lots of action and mystery. Recommended for any mystery buff who likes individuals with complexities and eccentricities found in realistic characters. Enjoy. I sure did.

Anne K. Edwards

The African Journals of Petros Amm by Michael J. Hunt

Publisher: BeWrite Books, UK

ISBN: 1904492584

Genre: Historic Fiction



Adventure ahead as you open the pages of this book. You'll have one foot in the present and one in the past. Something different for any reader who likes to explore the world and all its possibilities.



A shipwreck and a blow to the head robs a man of his past and he is taken up by a native named Shaka to become a warrior. Gradually, he rebuilds his life, but finds it perilous to live under Shaka's shadow and moves on.



It is the modern day where a deep interest in the man called Amm by Shaka develops and sets off a search for lost journals of the founder of the Amm family whose exact location is a mystery and the why of that location is another mystery.



Join Mark Mannion as he tries to keep a promise to a youthful friend to find the missing journals whose existence is doubted by modern experts on early African settlers and traders.



This tale introduces the reader to a period of history of the African continent that is little written about and whether based on fact or fiction, gives one an understanding of how it was to live when man was first subject to the whims of the land and the weather, then the whims of other men.



The African Journals of Petros Amm by talented author Michael J. Hunt is a story of survival in a time Amm lived, and survival in history to the family he founded.



I'm pleased to recommend this book and the cast of characters as well worth the time spent and am certain you'll enjoy the trip through time. I sure did.



Anne K. Edwards.

A Corpse in the Soup by Morgan St. James and Phyllice Bradner

Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
ISBN: 1-59705-216-7
Genre: Mystery

Two sisters have a knack for solving crimes and this one is a doozy. One sister, Godiva Dubois, is wealthy and an advice columnist under the name G. O. D. while the other sister, Goldie, lives in Alaska and has an antiques shop.

Godiva lures her niece to Los Angeles with a promise of helping her get a position on a cooking show with a famous chef that she, Godiva, has taken a fancy too. Her sister soon follows and they are plunged into the world of cookery and contests and murder when one of the chefs is found face down in some bouillabaisse with a knife in his back.

With their mother and uncle's aid, the sisters gather clues to the identity of the killer. Talented authors Morgan St. James and Phyllice Bradner introduce us to the egotistic contestants of this cooking contest and names of dishes we don't make in our kitchens. Lots of fun and action to carry the tale along without a hitch.

I'm pleased to highly recommend this tale to any mystery buff who enjoys a tongue-in-cheek style of story telling with lots of fun characters who take you by the hand and lead you a merry chase after a killer. Guaranteed to provide many smiles and even provoke some laughter as you read.

Enjoy. I sure did.
Anne K. Edwards