While this book contains some lovely images and stirring language, in parts, I found it uneven and ultimately unsatisfying. The characters seemed to go around and around in circles - I kept waiting for at least partial resolution to all the angst, but it never came, and at the end I felt cheated. Unfortunately, this is not a book I'd highly recommend.

It has been a long time since I considered calling in late to work so I could finish a book, but that ALMOST happened with this one. What a fantastic read! I was involved with the characters, fascinated and terrified as the events unfolded, and was completely engaged as they dealt with the unthinkable effects of a modern-day pandemic. I highly recommend this title and predict it will be a very popular book club selection. Kudos to Carla Buckley for a riveting debut!

People who have an interest in Japanese history and culture will enjoy this book very much if they don't mind the heavy dose of erotica that flavors most of the story. There is a great deal of interesting information in the book, but also a lot of sexual activity, which readers will either like a lot or find that it detracts from the story they were expecting. I didn't find the characters particularly likable or sympathetic, which made the book a more challenging read for me. It's almost as if the book is mis-categorized as historical fiction. It might do better as historical romance.

I'd like to do a quick shout-out for the AUDIO version of this fantastic book. It is one of the best I have ever listened to, EVER. The actors do a masterful job juggling the variety of accents and emotions, bringing the characters vividly alive with every word. I'm a Southerner, too, and a badly done Southern accent is like nails on a chalkboard, but you won't find any of that in this recording. I've heard these womens' voices every day of my life and the actors nail it every single time. Kudos to the author for a book that will be on my lifetime Top 10 list, and to the actors who perform the audio version so beautifully. Thank you all!

I just couldn't get excited about this book. I love thrillers and particularly enjoy debut authors and thought the journalistic perspective and exotic locale would make a special book. And Harris tried. He really tried, but I think he's still more of a journalist than a novelist and never made me care about the characters or the story line. Even though things got pretty exciting toward the end, "Secret Keeper" just didn't work for me.

I LOVE mysteries - all different kinds. I hadn't read Tim Maleeny before and looked forward to a new author, a new style. I would categorize this one as a semi-hardboiled action thriller. Maleeny has created a REALLY eclectic cast of characters and scenarios under the umbrella of "Anything Can Happen in Mexico": wisecracking former journalist turned PI (male); his protector, a deadly female ninja who relaxes by pretending to drown herself; a US senator and his adult children (indulged son and neglected daughter); a really creepy sociopath killer with pointy teeth and a priest fetish; a bunch of soul-less Mexican drug lords who I couldn't QUITE keep straight, and a supporting cast of homicidal foot soldiers and bag-men including a giant with no tongue. And - oh yes, the scorpions, piranhas, giant squid and creative weaponry fit in there somewhere, too.

There's a lot of action, a lot of violence (some of it quite disturbing), and sometimes the plot doesn't quite hang together, but somehow, given all this, I didn't bail on the book, and finished it thinking that maybe I'll try another one just to see.

I liked this book a lot. I enjoyed the descriptions of the island setting, of the house called Joyeuse, and of the "pot hunters" who seem to be the bane of serious archaeologists. I liked the Confederate history interwoven with the present-day mystery. I liked the people, too. Faye is a likable heroine with interesting friends who, thankfully, are there to protect her from a host of enemies who seem to be out to get her.

Even though the book can stand alone, I'd still recommend reading the first three before picking this one up, because I think the plot development in the earlier books will make the events in this fourth book more meaningful to the reader. The mystery was plenty challenging for me, too. I read everything from cozies to hard-boiled, and I didn't figure out who the "bad guys" were until close to the end. I'm delighted to have learned about Mary Anna Evans and look forward to reading the rest of her series.

I was looking forward to reading this book by an author whose work was unfamiliar to me. And although Pat Barker is obviously an accomplished writer, with occasionally brilliant phrasing and moments of vivid insight and clarity, the book seemed to go in slow motion for me, and I had a tough time getting through it. I found the characters callow and unsympathetic, became impatient with their immaturity, and really didn't much care what became of them. So for me, Life Class was disappointing. I wouldn't recommend it to readers who like their fiction lively.

I expected to enjoy this book, but it surpassed my highest expectations. This is a FABULOUS read that I will recommend to everyone. The chapters fly by - a compelling story, well-drawn characters, believable dialogue, fantastic sense of place -- all work seamlessly together to make one of the most enjoyable books in a long, long time. Bravo to Margaret Cezair-Thompson for a real treasure. Grab this one and enjoy!

I discovered David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series a few years ago and have read them all. I love his wit, the well-defined characters, the plotlines, and the dogs that are always close to the main characters. IMHO, Play Dead is one of Rosenfelt's best Andy Carpenter mysteries so far. The cast of characters that we've come to love is still around, along with some new friends and enemies who make things ve-ery interesting. Not to mention a beautiful Golden Retriever named Reggie who may be the key to freeing his beloved owner from a setup and prison sentence. It's a page-turner, and I loved it. Highly recommend it, and the rest of the series. Please, sir, may we have some MORE?

This is one of the most powerful books I have read in a very long time. Ms. Rosoff had me on the first page and I could barely stand to put it down. It's been several days since I finished the book, and the characters are still in my head. They are just that unforgettable. This is a book I will add to my collection and recommend to EVERYONE. The writing is masterful, the story is unique, the main characters are endearing, and in the course of just a few pages the reader experiences a range of emotions from laughter to horror to sadness and back again. I look forward with great anticipation to more novels from Meg Rosoff.