Of the three Sarah Booth Delaney mystery novels, "Splintered Bones" is hands down my favourite book in the series. Perhaps it is because I really liked the plot of this novel, or because by now, the recurring characters in this series having taken on a life and endearing traits of their own, but I have no problem with recommending this book as a fun and engrossing read.

Sarah Booth Delaney (half owner of the Delaney Detective Agency) is in the middle of planting a new herb garden when she receives news that an old school friend, Lee McBride, has confessed to killing her unpleasant and violent husband, Kemper. Lee enlists Sarah's help by asking her to dig into Kemper's past, in order to find evidence against him that would bolster her claim that Kemper deserved killing. That, to Sarah's dismay is Lee's grand plan: to claim that Kemper derserved killing because of his violence against her. Almost from the very first however, Sarah suspects that Lee is lying, and that she covering something or for someone. Lee's story has too many loopholes for Sarah's peace of mind. But whom is Lee protecting and why? Sarah is firmly resolved to helping Lee beat this murder rap, in spite of Lee's wishes. And with the help of her socialite friend Tinkie ( and the other half owner of the Delaney Detective Agency), and Cece Dee Falcon, the society page editor of The Zinnia Dispatch, Sarah has every hope in succeeding. But the evidence that these women come across seems to implicate Lee more than ever. Exactly what kind of game is Lee playing?

This is one mystery novel that will really keep you guessing about who-did-what-and-why to the very end. There are just a host of suspects and motives! From Lee; to Lee's troubled daughter, Kip; to the shady characters in Kemper's past... There were quite a few twist and turns to "Splintered Bones," and before I knew it, I had spent have the night following every snarl until I had finished the book! I enjoyed reading "Splintered Bones" very much. Although, I'll admit that I found Jitty (Sarah's tame family ghost)'s contant nagging at Sarah to hurry up and get pregnant, a little irritating after a while. These interludes with Jitty, amusing at times though they were, did interfere with the smooth flow of the mystery storyline. And that was a shame. On the other hand, I thought that Carolyn Haines did a wonderful job of juggling all the different suspects and motives, without losing steam, thus making this a really engrossing and absorbing read.

Sarah Booth gets a phone call from her old friend Lee. She is in jail after confessing to the murder of her husband. Apparently, he needed killing. She doesn't want a lawyer, but she does want Sarah to take care of her wild 14 year old daughter Kip. Lee owns a very successful horse farm, and her husband was gambling away all the horses and profits. He's even sold her best stallion to the hated Carol Beth, even though Lee owned all the horses outright. Shortly before, he sold Kip's beloved horse, Mrs. Peel out from under her. Clearly he deserved to die, but Sarah Booth knows that Lee did not kill him. Who is she covering for?

Sarah Booth and Aunt Jitty( the ghostly nurse of her ggggrandmother) are hysterical as are Sarah's best friends Tink and CeCe. Together, and with the help of the other Daddy's girls the mystery developes quickly. I couldn't put this book down and didn't until I finished the last page.

In Zinnia, Mississippi the old code of the south still reigns supreme. "Daddy's Girls", those females who grow up the daughter of a rich man and learn all they can to marry a wealthy man are in plentiful supply. Sara Booth Delaney started life as a "Daddy's Girl" but when her parents died in a freak accident, she had to grow up in a hurry. Although she wants to keep the family estate of Dahlia House, she wants to pay off the family promissory notes by using her salary as a private detective.

Her partner in the agency is Binky, an intelligent Daddy's Girl (oxymoron?) with their office being Dahlia House haunted by Jiltty, the ghost of Sara's great-great grandmother's nanny. Sara's latest case is heartbreaking as Lee McBride confesses to the murder of her abusive husband Kemper but nobody believes she did it. Although the prime suspect is Lee's daughter, there are a lot of other people who wished him dead. Sara Booth has plenty of suspects with viable motives but the one thing she lacks is what she desperately needs: proof.

Carolyn Haines is a colorful and creative writer who captures the atmosphere of the old south (or at least one aspect of it) to perfection. The heroine's interactions with the ghost are hilarious and add comic relief to a very fast paced, angst-laden plot. SPLINTERED BONES is a unique mystery that will be enjoyed by those fans wanting something different in their mystery reading material.

Harriet Klausner

This book, a continuation from a previous book, is a slow, sweet romance. I must confess I was a little bored with the whole paralization of Link, and the inevitable outcome of the story was very predictable. But when all is said and done, the cliffhanger at the end of the book makes reading the next book a pleasant necessity.

This book is a powerful combination of faith and trials that people go through to survive the emotionally exhausting times. The characters are real-to-life, each one seems to represent a different characteristic of the human persona. I felt that I could closely relate to the characters, and the main plot of the story had me reading the book in 2 days. It is a powerfully gripping novel, much as the first was, that tells us that the true secret to life is to live...and let God handle the rest.

I loved this book -- read it in about 2 days. This was definitely the best of the three -- I enjoyed the story between Link & Libba and between Rae & Drew the best. Stokes is a masterful storyteller.

Roosevelt does quite well to capture the essence of what went on during the period when the colonists began westward. The point made by the editor that it is indeed a wonder that this work was ever created at all is well taken when one considers Roosevelt's involvement with so much else in his life while he produced what, for the time, was a very scholarly opus.

One must be patient with the narrative; it tends to be choppy. One must also be patient with, or at least understanding of, TR's view of the world and especially his notion of upon whom the greater glory of the westward expansion rests.

All in all, it is seemingly a must read (as is the entire series) for anyone having either an interest in the history of this time, or an interest in TR and his works.

Before Roosevelt begins sensationalizing in the second volume, he describes the utter wilderness of the region and characterizes both the individual settlers and Indians who would play decisive roles in the settlement and migration of whites westward, and also gives sweeping portraits of the Indian nations encountered during our westward expansion. The hardships of the settlers due to the ruggedness of their new mountain home, their self-reliance, the cold winters, the need to fell forest for pasture and tillage, the daily peril of Indian attacks, and the distant relations with their origins to the east complete this wonderfully written and diversified study of early American frontier life.

Theodore's Roosevelt's "The Winning of The West" volume one is unlike most modern histories. His is a story of the founding of the American Republic West of the Original 13. This volume is of the late Colonial Period. He is unafraid to make very harsh judgements, attacking both the American Indians and the Pioneers, although it is clear who he favours. He does have many prejudices, but, to be honest, most Historians do. President Roosevelt's were just of the less respected, today at least, kind. The whole series is very much worth reading, and is a worthy investment of capital and time. Ryan M.

I thought that this was an exciting book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes adventure. Southern dialect is used throughout the entire novel, and it was difficult to understand at first, but once I had read a little ways into it, the language added tremendous reality to the story. This book is about a young boy who runs away from his dad, the town drunk, and is later joined by a slave, Jim, who is running aways at an attempt for freedom. It questions a lot of the values that Americans had when it was written (before the Civil War), and it's message is timeless. It was an awesome book, and you should definitely check it out!

I would recommend this book to 15 year olds and up or if you have a good vocabulary. This is a spectacular book. This book kept me in suspense almost the whole book. This book teaches you about slavery. They have a lot of people that think African-Americans should be slaves. It is an adventurous book that takes you along the Mississippi & The Ohio River before the civil war. I liked the book, because most the time when I start a book I get bored with it then I don't finish it. I really recommend that teachers have this book for there students and parents have there children read this book, I hope people wont ever be prejudice.

This book gives Bob Moses the attention his life deserves. You should also check out The Children Bob Moses Led by William Heath. It's a novel that blends fact with fiction to tell the story of Moses and Freedom Summer.

IN this time of increased jingosim and nationalism,when dissent is called dishonor and treason[by the current Attorney General of the United States}, this book is like a balm. Robert Parris Moses is a certifiable HERO,and is a character drawn almost by his philosophical champion, the great Algerian exixtentialist and Noble Laurete, Albert Camus. Moses went to Mississippi in the early 1960's, in Mccomb county and began the torturous process of registering people to vote.Slight, in his horn rimmed glasses, with white T shirt under his bib overalls, Moses tirelessly and fearlessly went up against crooked judges, Klukers and corrupt and racist law enforcement, and slowly[with the eventual aid of the Justice department and John Doar, who ,though a republican, was also the justice dept. lead lawyer in the impeachment proceedings against President Richard m. Nixon}, registered voters, and changed the shape of american history. With his backround in philosophy}[from Harvard} and a steely determination to do the right thing, Moses at times singlehandely carried on, living with local balck families in Hamlets throught Mississippi.One of the few memebers of the civil rights movement was was not in the least bit awed by Martin Luther King,jr.[perhaps beacuse he knew himself to be the equal of any man} he sallied forth under pressure and fear that I literally cannot comprehend. this is a fine book about a period of american history that should be celebrated,not consigned to february alone. It was a tuime when politicians thought they could "possibly" cahnge things, and far more importantly, when people such as Mr. Moses felt it was imperative for they themselves to change things. My Admiration for Mr.Moses is second to no one. He, along with John Lewis, are certifiable living heroes,men who make me proud to be american. This book, then is one way to get to know this great, yes,great man. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book vividly brings to life the story of two young men in love in rural America. The author does an excellent job of recreating the details of the time period. Worth reading. This is a forgotten treasure of gay literature.

This book reminds us of what it is like to love and realize that the feelings that make up the sum total of who we are, are forbbiden. Those feelings are first forbidden by the society that we live in and then by ourselves. No matter how we live, our love, our passion haunts us behind whatever face we put on for the public

The Darkest Corner brings to light the issues of racism and prejudice during the 1950's. This book is intense and very realistic. It's the kind of book that the reader just can't put down. This book is very historically accurate. It is like a window into the ideas and thoughts of the era. When you read it, it's as if you are going through the trials and triumphs along with the characters. teddy becomes like a real person. As you read she goes from a confused and naive little girl toa strong and righteous young woman. Her deep friendship with Stella keeps her from being blinded by prejudice. It is a beautiful book. Will Teddy choose loyalty to her father or loyalty to her beliefs? Read it.

... This is not 'an amateurishly written book with two dimensional characters'. It is a brave, courageous book that examines the cowardice and hate that white males feel towards the Other. This book shows how white women fought on the front lines of racial desegregation by challenging patriarchy. Apparently such books scare the dickens out of some people.

In 1960, Dorie Brunner and Lou Germann, two Wisconsin school teachers, decided to paddle the Mississippi from the headwaters at Lake Itasca, MN to New Orleans. Shortly into their adventure, they rescued a small kitten from the muck on the shore, and "Stinky" ended up traveling 2000+ miles downriver with them, becoming the focal point of much of their travels.

What makes this book so charming is also what weakens it a bit...unlike most contemporary travel/adventure writers, Dorie and Lou obviously undertook this trip for the sheer adventure of it, not to race home and write a best seller. This is their authentic story, told by 74-year-old Dorie some 40 years later, drawing on memory...in fact, it doesn't appear that they even kept a journal. There is very little description of the places they visited, (though there are several photos) more about the daily hazards they faced, and Dorie apologizes for having long ago lost the names of people such as the tugboat captain who gave them a free ride for three days.

But the heart of the book is Stinky's story. If you're one who believes that cats wander into our lives when we need them most, you'll find this to be a very charming read.

What an interesting book, I loved it!!
Dorie and Lou's canoe trip from Lake Bemidji in Minnesota to the city of New Orleans is an exciting river adventure. They experienced a number of hair-raising situations that made the book anything but boring. While dealing with the unforgiving weather and the unpredictable river, they meet some friendly people who helped them out along the way. And confronted some who didn't, like a skunk, a thief and other campsite intruders.
It's an excellent read for those who love camping, canoeing, river stories and even cats. Dorie gives a good description of their journey and preparations. Even though it took place back in the summer of 1960 it's still very informative and interesting. Especially for those who have a fancy for doing something like this.

A pet, such as a cat, can teach its human companions so many things about life. Not to mention how the silly antics of a cat can get its owners into trouble. Just as Dorie and Lou found out when they adopted a lonely kitten early in their trip.
Stinky the kitten is a wonderful ingredient to their story, and it's likely that you wont find anything similar to this book anywhere else.

A most enjoyable, fictional, historical account of life in the South during and after the Civil War. Enough truth to make it very believable and the author's descriptive terminology places you in with the characters so that you become very involved with the story personally. A lot of history is learned about Civil War military blunders that certainly effected the outcome of the war. I can understand why they made a movie of this book. It would be a good one to bring back as TV miniseries.

"So Red the Rose" is a very engaging tale that affords the reader an insight into the culture and attitudes of the antebellum South that became the Confederacy. However, my fellow McGehee descendants (the author was a cousin of actual McGehees in Mississippi) need to bear in mind as they read that this is a NOVEL, not a genealogical register or an entirely true family history.

So Red the Rose is a classic fictional account of the Civil War years from the Southern point of view by one of the leading writers of the so-called Southern Renaissance of the first half of the 20th Century. Stark Young grew up among the kind of people with whom he populates his novel, and his novel focuses on what he called "the life of the affections."

So Red the Rose was a best-seller in he 1930's and was made into a movie. Its popularity was eclipsed a few years after its publication by Gone With the Wind. Some critics consider So Red the Rose a better book.

The novel describes a Mississippi family and how they were affected by the war. I found the book deeply moving and engrossing; although I live in a different century, live in a different part of the country than the characters, and hold a different set of values in regard to race, I found myself understanding them, relating to them, and liking them.

This mystery starts out good enough, with Trixie and the Bobwhites travelling to St. Louis and taking a boat trip down the Mississippi, but the plot requires Trixie and Honey to abandon their usual good sense, and some of the twists in the story are far-fetched. However, this book does have Dan taking part in the adventure, and it's a real treat to have him doing more than just staying home while the other BWG's have all the fun.

Very well written. It has all the elements of a good mystery. Trixie and Honey were always getting into scrapes, but this was by far their scariest. But, as usual it was the BWG's to the rescue. Great reading for kids.

This book is fabulous. This is one of my favorite Trixie Belden books