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Reviews by Betty B. (Irving, TX)

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Whispering Shadows
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
Intrigue in China (12/31/2014)
The prologue to Whispering Shadows immediately drew me in and I wanted to know more about Paul Leibowitz and how he would cope with the loss of his son. The writing at times is lyrical, and I felt like I was with Paul on his quiet little island outside Hong Kong. As the …more
The Life I Left Behind
The Life I Left Behind
by Colette McBeth
Great New Mystery (11/3/2014)
The Life I Left Behind grabbed me very quickly and I found it hard to put down until the final page. The story is narrated alternately by Melody Pieterson and by Eve Elliot's ghost, two young women who are attacked in much the same way, one surviving and one losing her life …more
The Paris Winter
The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson
1909 Paris and It's Cold (7/5/2014)
This is an interesting historical novel set in 1909 Paris. Women are coming to Paris for art lessons...some rich and just filling time, and some, like our heroine, very talented and serious. Maud finds herself almost destitute in Paris, spending all she has to pay for her …more
That Summer
That Summer
by Lauren Willig
Good Read for Summer (4/9/2014)
I really liked the themes of That Summer - the inheritance an old English mansion full of antiques and family secrets, and the Pre-Raphaelite art movement. (A quick search on Wikipedia helps to understand the movement and to visualize the paintings of this group of artists.) …more
Precious Thing
Precious Thing
by Colette McBeth
Friendship is a Precious Thing Or Is It (1/6/2014)
I liked that Precious Thing kept me turning pages wanting to know what happened next. And while there are a few clues along the way, the ending was a surprise to me. So I think the book is well written from that standpoint. However, I never felt as connected to either of …more
The Spirit Keeper
The Spirit Keeper
by K. B. Laugheed
A Good Read (8/29/2013)
I enjoyed reading The Spirit Keeper...it kept me interested and it was also a very quick read. The three main characters are well developed, and easy to like. It was especially interesting to watch Katie become the Spirit Keeper as she made the arduous journey across our …more
The Sisterhood
The Sisterhood
by Helen Bryan
Sisterhood Through The Ages (5/2/2013)
The Sisterhood tells a beautiful story of women caring for the abused and neglected through the ages. If you can accept that artifacts from an ancient convent in the mountains of Spain find their way to a convent in South America in the 1500's, then to a 19 year old …more
The Last Girl
The Last Girl: A Maeve Kerrigan Novel
by Jane Casey
Satisfying English Mystery (4/10/2013)
This was my first introduction to Jane Casey's DC Maeve Kerrigan. I enjoy British mysteries, and this book did not disappoint. Even though I found Maeve a little irritating at times, I still wanted to know more about her case and her personal life. And I was never bored …more
The Jericho Deception
The Jericho Deception
by Jeffrey Small
Jeffrey's Small's Latest Book (3/13/2013)
I wanted to read this book, even though I do not normally read thrillers, because one of its themes relates to the common ground of all religions. I did enjoy that aspect of the book, and would have liked more. I also would have liked more development of the characters. I …more
Bone River
Bone River
by Megan Chance
One of My Favorite Books This Year (11/11/2012)
Once I began the prologue, I was hooked. I read page after page, and hated when I had to put it down. And then as I neared the end I felt like I didn't want it to end. In my opinion, that's a really good book. The characters are compelling, especially Leonie. The writing is …more
Beneath the Shadows
Beneath the Shadows
by Sara Foster
Mystery in the Yorkshire Moors (5/9/2012)
I was hooked immediately by the story, the setting and the characters in Beneath the Shadows, and I finished it two days later. This is the author's debut novel, and I think for a first book it is very good. However, I would have liked some "fleshing out" of the characters …more
Until the Next Time
Until the Next Time: A Novel
by Kevin Fox
Until the Next Time (2/28/2012)
After reading about a third of Next Time, I was so lost I returned to the beginning and read with a pen in hand. I made notes of all the various relationships and that did help me follow the story in both time periods. This book has all the elements that I usually like. I …more
Before the Poison
Before the Poison
by Peter Robinson
Before The Poison (12/5/2011)
Over the years I have read a number of Robinson's Inspector Banks' mysteries and have always enjoyed them. However, this book exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed the setting and the historical background. I liked the structure of the novel, and the weaving back and forth …more
Before Ever After
Before Ever After: A Novel
by Samantha Sotto
Before Ever After (6/15/2011)
I was a little disappointed with this book. I found the story quite interesting, expecially the historic periods. Unfortunately I felt the writing was weak, particularly the dialogue of the characters. The story intrigued me enough that I kept reading to see how it would …more
A Lesson in Secrets
A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel
by Jacqueline Winspear
A Lesson in Secrets (3/14/2011)
It's 1932 and the British Secret Service enlists Maisie Dobbs for her first undercover assignment. She is sent to a small university in Cambridge to teach psychology. And she soon encounters a murder. This is the 8th in a series featuring Maisie Dobbs as she struggles to …more
A Lonely Death
A Lonely Death: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
by Charles Todd
Another Great English Mystery (11/6/2010)
The mother and son writing team, Charles Todd, have produced another great mystery in their Ian Rutledge series. Lonely Death is the 13th book which features a young Scotland Yard Inspector, recently returned from the Great War, shell-shocked with mental war wounds which …more
Bad Boy
Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel
by Peter Robinson
A great addition to this series (7/17/2010)
Bad Boy is Peter Robinson's 19th book in his series about Yorkshire's Inspector Banks. Fans of this series will not be disappointed in Bad Boy, which begins with Banks vacationing in Arizona and California, trying to put his life -- his job and his relationships--in better …more
The Crossing Places
The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery
by Elly Griffiths
A New Mystery Series (11/6/2009)
I am a frequent reader of British mysteries and am always on the lookout for a series new to me. I'm so glad to be introduced to Elly Griffiths and The Crossing Places. I was hooked 20 pages in by the main characters... and the locale. And now I am looking forward to seeing …more
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