If you are looking for the classical who dun it, this is not the book for you . If you are interested in learning about the people in anyway touched by the death of a peer over two decades this is your book. As you become familiar with the various players you are entrapped into wanting to know what happens to them. At time the flipping back and forth between the year of the murder and its resolution 20 years later gets confusing at time as the relationships. In the end we find out the murderer in a complicated death scene. In the end an engaging read and a puzzle.

An interesting story about clandestine mission on behalf of the English government. The mission is believable as is the context in which it takes place. The activities of the protagonist are a real assault on credibility. The actions are beyond belief but make the first half of the book interesting and the successful accomplishments of the various side trips make for sustained reading. The balance of the book is a slow wait for successful conclusion of the mission. Unless one has a fascination with British spies and navy the book is loaded with extraneous material. I pass on recommending the book.

The title of the book "The Nazi Conspiracy, the Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill " sells the book short. It is about the confluence of events that made it possible for the plot to exist. It is a well documented tale of the events and strategy which led up to the Tehran conference in November of 1943. The final commitment to what was to be the Normandy landing was the result of the conference.

The author quite thoroughly documents the roles of history and each of the three leaders in carrying out leadership in World War II. The insights into Roosevelt's style and strategy showcase his political skills as well as overall leadership.The writing style provides the reader with engaging look at the personal contributions of the leaders to the war effort and resolution. It is one of the most readable history of the forces driving the war effort and result. Along the way one learns about such little known events as the rescue of Mussolini from the Italian prison by Nazi intelligence forces. It is book that not withstanding subject matter is hard to put down.

This is a very engaging story which becomes a mystery at the end. In the front half of the book you follow a variety of characters and wonder how will there paths intersect. Of course they do in unexpected ways. At the intersection of the paths of the characters are unique challenges to be met by various combinations of characters. The characters are unique but for the fact each is interesting and you really what to know more about them and how each will escape his or her troubles. In the end a interesting and enjoyable read.

I could not put it down. What better endorsement can one give a mystery. The tale is filled with unresolved twists and turns. Most of the twists are logically resolved but in some cases the resolution is so unexpected as to be pure coincidence. Of course the book does include all the modern culprits, the media, big corporations ,and politicians. The author also teases us with a big secret from the lead character's past for a good part of the book. The lead detective has a stressed personal life and a tendency to go beyond her authority. A character similar to the non compliant officers of other detective series.

The story is about the reconstruction of events that took place 25 years in the past. A tenacious reporter seeks to find out what happened to two people who disappeared 25 years ago. Much of the story takes place in a private school. It is a story about class, connection, belonging, competition among the students. The plot wanders what seems aimlessly as the authors drops bits and pieces of information. The resolution is somewhat unbelievable and incomplete as never find out what happened to the second missing person. The evil protagonist is revealed in an unlikely series of events at the end. In the end a flawed plot and flawed execution.

An interesting read. What is it like to be "adopted" by a family of significantly greater resources. What is it like to be on the fringes of your new societal circle. How many of us have tried to fill in gaps in our personal histories. I believe we all have shared journeys similar to those set forth by the author. I was a little surprised by some of the issues resolved in the end that I had not even identified. An interesting read worth your time as at stirs you to find out more about your history.

The Voyage of the Morning Light is first and foremost a story filled with little stories. In the course of the book the author expresses her views on many subjects beginning with evil of Indian schools of the late 19th century. There is a lack of substantive discussion of the ethics or morality of key actions as the trade of tobacco for a young boy. The principal characters are really two young people who are adept managers of the adults in their lives. The book gives one insight into the activities of an about to become obsolete method of shipping freight on sailing craft and life on about to be marginalized vessels. The book needs a sharp eyed editor to eliminate the extraneous material.

Can you imagine the events described in this book occurring to the two main characters? Probably not. The story is built on a story passed on by an elderly POW camp survivor. Due to the lack of historical documentation much of the story is a product of the authors imagination and much is the insertion of tales of the activities which may or may not have taken place in POW camps. While the author clearly states the story is a novel, the content stretches for acceptance. The are far too many fortuitous events to gain plausibility. Some judicious editing would result in a shorter more enjoyable read.

The Big Finish is a story about a week in the lives of inhabitants of an assisted facility. In the beginning you quickly become attached to the characters. Beneath their surface persona are deeply hidden feelings which become apparent as the story unfolds. An unimaginable event occurs engulfing the occupants of the institution in totally unpredictable ways. Mayhem reigns. While there is a great deal of humor, the storyline delves into loyalty, love, guilt, shame, addiction and recovery. The response of the characters to these drivers forces one to think about ones own experience with these same forces. You must suspend reality as the book races to its conclusion. All in all the book is a very satisfying read providing great insight into friendship, loyalty, love and persistence. Author style is very readable and enjoyable. As usual I found my self questioning what occurred in the author's life to generate this story. Impossible to put down.

Over the years I have been presented with very heroic images of Abe and troubling images of Mary Todd. The author goes beyond these images to speculate how the courtship of the Lincoln's might have occurred. More to the point it was really the courtship of Abe by Mary. The role of various influencers on Mary's strategy in her single minded pursuit within the societal limits provides a bit of intrigue throughout the book. While certain biographers describe Abe as being very empathetic, the Lincoln in this book is clueless. Mary is presented as a competent political aide. The story makes an interesting read even if one might argue with the accuracy of the presentation of various events. The author gives the reader insight into life in the middle of the 19th century. The relationship between Lincoln and Joshua Speed his roommate,coach, and guardian is developed quite imaginatively. The author has been extremely creative in inventing the dialogue between the various players. In the end an enjoyable and informative read.

Two thirds, a really good read. The contrast between the two main characters was well done. The role that previous life experiences had in their development was evident. Their experience in the internment camp was different as a result. The contrast between naïveté and street smart was obvious. The extent of the prejudice that would likely have been experienced upon repatriation was understated. For the last third of the book too many serendipitous events take place to produce a happy ending. One wonders what would have happened if Mariko continued to have an influence on Elsie. It was interesting to learn about the German internments as well as the prisoner exchanges and forced repatriation. The entire episode from the internment to the repatriation reminds us of the importance of constitutional protection.

We who grew up after the Great Depression have no understanding of how the lives of average citizens were affected. This book will give some insight mingled with a plot that constantly surprises you. To some extent the plot diminishes the poignancy of the plythe of the children in the story. To the extent the other forces motivate the key characters keeps the reader wondering what will they do or why did they do whatever they did. Is what they did realistic under the circumstances? It was a difficult book to put down. A thought provoking read.

The author has the reader follow Nicole on three journeys. The first from an intensely Christian family to Buddhism against the backdrop of the Boston church scandal. Secondly a journey through Buddhism to self realization. And finally a escape from sexual domination. Each of these journey has a common thread which will keep the reader engaged and at times wondering will Nicole ever learn. The author develops the key characters quite well. The reader will learn something about Buddhism but not enough to adequately differentiate it from other religions. A little slow paced but the movement is continuous. The author leaves one wondering to what extent the book is autobiographical. A worthwhile read to be sure.

An interesting read about life on the margins of segments of society including the agrarian, educational and Amish. Most of the characters react to situations rather than take charge, the result, weak character development. In the end,I was driven to want to know what happened to the characters. The ending is a great leap forward and strains reality. I gained a better understanding of the role of a parent of adult child with mental health issues.

A very interesting and readable book.The author takes the reader on two journeys. One following the identification of a previously unknown disease and the research to understand the causes and begin to identify possible solutions. This journey begins on a remote island in New Guinea and continues in the top medical laboratories in the U.S. This part of the journey is populated with heroes and scoundrels. One will learn a great deal about Prion diseases. The second journey is that of a family as it traces the effects of the disease over five generations. The third generation take an active role in identifying and pursuing the genetic roots of the disease. The journey describes how each generation having different tools deals with the implications of the disease. The family moves from passive acceptance to the use of the latest medical technology to stop the onslaught of the disease in the fifth generation. As the various participants of the extended family deal with the disease their perspectives on life and ethics become a factor and are sometimes in conflict. The author goes to great lengths to detail through dialogue and history the impact of the disease on the family. I could not stop reading the book as i sought to learn more about the growing understanding of the disease and to know how the disease would be dealt with by the fourth and fifth generations. An enjoyable and educational read.

i am constantly amazed by the stories of Holocaust survivors. While this is a book of fiction it is a based on the real life experiences of incredibly brave women.At times you need to suspend belief but you know that these incredible people did many incredible acts. i could not put the book down, having some idea of the ending but eager to see how it comes to pass.The characters are true and leave you wondering where is the source of their strength. While the ending is intended to be a surprise it is amply foreshadowed. The author writes clearly and is focused on a story without embellishment. Clearly a book to be savored.

A combination love story, mystery, philosophy and fantasy story. An interesting though at times confusing journey of a young man's transition from youthful fantasy life to the reality of adulthood. Along the way the the characters discuss afterlife from a philosophical perspective to reality. The cast of characters range from the very normal to an out of touch death row inmate. While quirky and at times disjointed a desire to come to resolution with characters forces one to continue to read the book. In the end an unusual read but worth the effort for those who enjoy the unusual.

Do you ever wonder what events shaped you and to what extent? The behavior of all the characters has been heavily influenced by events that occurred earlier in their lives. In some cases the events and result are obvious, low self esteem, resentment, and isolation. in other cases the events are deeply buried and are not revealed until a crisis occurs. Here a brutal event releases a torrent of revelations. The book is well written and will cause the reader to reflect on the forces that shaped his/her behavior and life. At times I found myself wondering how much of the book was based on the author's own life experiences.

The story begins as an autobiography covering a period in the war correspondent’s life. The reporter and his associates are attacked. The reporter suffers PTSD. Fifteen years later he returns to the scene joins up with a woman who was also a victim in the last encounter. The story rapidly takes on the character of a conspiracy book filled triple and double crosses. No one can be trusted except the woman attacked in the previous encounter. And of course their relationship develops.

The book is well written and a good read. As the book advanced it was hard to put it down. It also provided an excellent to recall the conflict in Bosnia and Serbia as well as the pursuit of Ratko Mladic.