All I Want for Christmas is a melange of Christmas stories, contemporary and historical. Lori Foster gets first billing (or is it just alphabetical?) with Dee Holmes, Kinley MacGregor, and Eileen Wilks, rounding out the slate of excellent authors. All of the stories were charming, especially MacGregor's Santa Wears Spurs. This story of a man who is determined to set things right and who rediscovers in the process the woman he has always loved, is heartwarming and poignant, and my favorite of the four. In Eileen Wilks' regency story, The Proper Lover, it's amazing what a kiss can do when a young, innocent woman decides what she needs for Christmas is a rake. Dee Holmes brings a reunion story to the mix, when she forces two people who were once in love to spend the holidays together. And Lori Foster's Christmas Bonus showcases her hot as fireworks writing style. Reunion stories are among my favorites, so I was hooked by MacGregor and Holmes. Wilks' regency was charming. But Foster's heroine was a bit too young for the hero, although those who like her sizzlers won't be disappointed. Still, the best thing about the holidays is tasting all the different goodies, and All I Want for Christmas has something for everyone who loves short stories.

ALL I WANT FOR X'MAS promises to be a deliciously scandalous read besides the prurient book cover with four authors to scorch you up with their novellas in this sizzling anthology. Christmas Bonus by Lori Foster wastes no time in subtleties to unite Maggie and Eric, who are co-workers and in secret passion for one another. The romp is outrageously prurient yet tender when they confess their love for each other especially when Maggie is discovered to be an erotica writer. Eileen Wilks crafts the story of Emily fleeing from her Aunt who had plans to marry her off to an undesirable match and her predicaments compels her to surrender herself to the dissolute rake, James Drake - Baron Redding. The humour twisted in the story especially when the overly amorous Lady Debenheim offers herself to James makes the sexually charged story scintillating. Kinley MacGregor fuels the sensuality with outlaw Michael O'Conell returning to his wife, Catherine but his declaration of love is obliterated by the cruel fate of his criminal brother engaging him for a crime spree. Love however surmounts the barrier to grant him a requisition of his lovely wife and daughter. The last story by Dee Holmes finishes with Johnny and Emily facing up to the truth that their love may not be extinguished after all - the bitterness learns to give way to their love. All I want for X'mas is an anthology pumped with unabashed sexuality - if you like the story zinged with flames and passion. A crackling Christmas will be gauranteed along with the gratifying satisfaction from the lovely stories in the anthology.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS is an anthology with 4 books by authors Lori Foster, Eileen Wilks, Dee Holmes and Kinley MacGregor. All stories in the book are very good. Kinley's book takes place in the old west. An outlaw is determined to right a wrong made by his brother. Imagine his surprise when he meets his wife--a woman he hasn't seen, and for whom he has remained celibate, in 5 years. Eileen Wilks' story takes place in Regency England. A chance encounter with a fresh young miss and a rogue ends with a kiss. The young lady decides a night with the rake will take care of some of her problems. Dee Holmes is the story of second chances. Former lovers are forced to spend the Christmas holidays together and discover each other. All over again. The last book, by Lori Foster, is the story of two people working together in the same company. There has been a mutual attraction but neither was aware of this fact until they started working together to organize the company's Christmas party. Eric was second in command and Emily was the boss' daughter. When the father died suddenly and unexpectedly, Emily picks up the reins of the business and runs. Fortunately, Eric is there to help out when needed. The attraction builds. Sparks fly and snow melts when these two people get together.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS is a wonderful book with 4 top-notch stories by 4 wonderful authors. I would encourage each and every one to run, not walk, to your favorite bookseller and pick up a copy. You won't regret it!

Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle was a complex and honorable man. Toward the end of his life he embraced spiritualisim as he did everything else, wholeheartedly, and this led to many people dismissing him as a crackpot. However, as author Daniel Stashower pointst out, such was not the case. Conan-Doyle really believed in life after death. This belief filled the void in his life that was left when he renounced his belief in the Catholic Church. Daniel Stashower has written an even-handed fair biography of Conan-Doyle. The book is well researched and Conan-Doyle comes to life on these pages. Conan-Doyle, of course, is best known for creating Sherlock Holmes but as Stashower shows Conan-Doyle wrote many more works of fiction and non-fiction in his long career. If you want to have an idea of what made the man behind Sherlock Holmes tick then I recommend this book highly.

Years ago I read the biographies of Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr and Charles Higham, and even tried to get beyond Sherlock Holmes by reading as much as I could of Conan Doyle's other fiction. Therefore I thought I knew something about Conan Doyle as a writer and as a person, but Stashower's fine book was still a revelation to me; it's not an exaggeration to say that I found new insights into Sir Arthur on nearly every page.

Stashower has done his research, but he is also unafraid to use Conan Doyle's semiautobiographical fiction, not to mention his poetry, to provide windows into the inner Sir Arthur that Sir Arthur's own autobiography carefully conceals.

Sir Arthur, of course, created a character that (along with Tarzan) is one of the immortal icons of adventure fiction, a character as popular today as he was when his short stories first hit the STRAND Magazine like a thunderbolt. One thing everyone knows about Conan Doyle is how deeply he resented the fame of Sherlock Holmes, but even here Stashower has some startling information to relate.

He is particularly good on the last couple of decades of Sir Arthur's life, when his seemingly mindless advocacy of even the most infantile and transparently fradulent aspects of Spiritualism, and his output of nearly a dozen unreadable religious tracts, left almost all of his readers convinced he had lost his mind. His endorsement of the authenticity of some photographs of fairies supposedly taken by two little girls (who had actually cut the tiny figures out of very familiar magazine ads for Fairy Soap!), and his calling in a psychic detective to "solve" the not-very-mysterious disappearance of novelist Agatha Christie, were the final straws for even his most tolerant fans.

On top of it all Sir Arthur was a terrible judge of the relative merits of his own fiction, and anyone who attempts to read his entire fictional output, as I did some years ago and as Stashower obviously has, will see how sadly he frittered away and squandered his unique gifts as a "teller of tales."

How could a man who created one of the immortal icons of rationality be in person so gullible, irrational, foolish and unworldly? Well, Stashower does as good a job of explaining the apparent paradox as anyone will probably be able to do. Highly recommended.

Poor Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! Acclaimed for his creation of the supremely rational, preternaturally observant detective Sherlock Holmes, he spent many years in later life mocked for his belief in spiritualism, which he considered the "successor to traditional religious thought." Brave, headstrong, and reckless, Doyle was one of England's most vociferous believers in spirits, mediums, ectoplasm, messages from beyond the grave--and even fairies. He was a tireless lecturer on several continents, writing a raft of books on the subject and donating the royalties to various spiritualist organizations. His zeal may have been admired in some quarters, but it was almost universally derided, and in the last ten years of his life, it lost him most of his friends. What happened?

Daniel Stashower's well-written and highly entertaining light portrait of Doyle's career gives some simple but compelling answers. Though Scottish, Doyle was raised a Catholic, but abandoned his faith for agnosticism very early on. Yet he apparently was a born believer, just waiting for a cause. His inventive and appealing Sherlock Holmes stories never struck him as particularly worthy or important and he longed to give the world something of value (he also tried his hand at plays and historical novels). And like many other British citizens during World War I, Doyle suffered heavy family losses and ached for connection with his personal dead.

As Stashower relates with a brisk pace and gentle humor, warm-hearted Doyle's life reads as a succession of fiery causes. A formidable propagandist, Doyle would use his gifts as a writer and lecturer as well as his ever-growing celebrity to raise money and the public's consciousness time and time again. He fought human rights abuses in the Belgian Congo, supported the Boer War, argued for heightened British military preparedness before World War I, supported reforms in British divorce law, and injected himself into famous criminal trials he thought had been unjust. But spiritualism was his ultimate "holy crusade." Stashower minces no words in describing how Doyle was willing to accept or explain away even the most obvious frauds. He was noble and pathetic at the same time and Stashower makes us understand and sympathize with him, though we never see very far into Doyle's personality or his relationships. This is very much a biography of the public man, but given the subject's profound investment in publicizing what he held dear, that focus is appropriate and deeply satisfying.

A classic Holmes novel, this book is perhaps one of Sherlock's most puzzling mysteries. As told by Dr. Watson, this mystery may have been one of Holmes's toughest cases yet.

As Sherlock is injecting cocaine into his blood system, he sits down with placid relief, until there is a knock at the door. In enters the beautiful Mary Morstan, whom Watson immediately takes a fancy to. While Watson observes her beauty, Holmes observes her problem. It seems that she is a rather middle-class woman, with style and father in the military, who is currently stationed in India. He had recently wrote to her saying that he would come to visit. However, he never showed up when she went to pick him up. That was ten years ago. But starting six years ago, four years after his disappearance, Miss Morstan had been receiving mysterious packages containing pearls of great value, one a year. Having been contacted by her mysterious complimentor, should she go and meet him? Or should she stay home? The truth lies with in the book.

This book is a triumph for the celebrated novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and I believe that many people would enjoy this book. Just to be specific, it would mainly be for people who are in the age group of around: 13 or older, and also those who are fond of the mystery novels and thrillers and anyone who could use a good book.

Like the other three Holmes novels, this book is a masterpiece. Sure, it is old (over 100 years, in fact) but, being Holmes, it will always be as fresh and exciting as it was the day it was released. Although all the Holmes stories are great, and you will have a good time reading any of them, I reccommend reading the books in chronological order (this can be conveniently done with the omnibus The Complete Sherlock Holmes), it will only serve to make you like the stories even more.

Anyways, this is the second Holmes story, and it is a page-turner, full of suspense. Also, it delivers the kind of intrigue and "how did he know that! " disbelief that only a Sherlock Holmes story can generate. It is because of this, and the stunning detail in which he is described throughout the 60 Holmes stories, that the hardcore readers of the Holmes stories cannont alltogether accept him as fictional. No character in the history of fiction has ever been more real to his readers, and none ever will be. Many Holmes fans have been known to feel remorse, even sadness upon visiting the Rickenback Fall (where Doyle originally tried to kill Holmes). That may sound fanciful, but indulge yourself in the 60 Holmes stories (including this one-one of the best) and see if you fall into that category.

A fabulous treasure dogged by murder. A trans-racial oath of loyalty. A greedy major, a cannibal pigmy, and a peg-legged convict. Mix in a pig-headed police investigator and a brilliant-but-flawed amateur detective, and you have the makings of a first-class mystery.

Miss Mary Morstan, the recipient of yearly gifts of pearls from an anonymous benefactor, receives a summons declaring her a wronged woman and promising riches if she replies. She enlists the aid of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, and finds herself in the middle of a locked-room murder mystery. If the mystery can only be solved, she will become the richest woman in England.

Holmes, in a virtuoso performance, solves the murder, finds the missing treasure, brings the killer to justice, and learns the strange tale of "The Four." Did I mention that Dr. Watson winds up married to Miss Morstan?

The format of this sequel to "A Study in Scarlet" follows basically the same pattern as the original Sherlock Holmes story. Holmes visits the scene of a baffling murder, draws amazing conclusions from his inspection of the scene, and relentlessly tracks down the villian, who then tells his story and turns out to be not such a bad guy after all.

I first read "Scarlet" and "Sign" as a pre-teenager, and they made an indelible impression on me. In my job I frequently visit murder scenes, and I believe that these two books are what have influenced me to perform inspections outside the crimescene tape.

An earlier reviewer remarked on Doyle's "politically incorrect" view of India. "The Sign of the Four" was written at the turn of the 19th century. We live in the 21st. We probably won't measure up to the 23rd century's yardstick for "political correctness" either.

Before reading this book I'd never picked up a Sherlock Holmes's story. But
the combination of fictional investigator and Minnesota history was too good
to pass up.

Though I live in Minnesota I haven't really ever been trough the area in
which the story takes place. As I read I found myself interested as never
before in the history of the area and was pulled in by nostalgia created for
a place I had never really been.

As an adult, the story moves briskly and provides a good afternoon or so of
entertainment. For a child, the story will take a little longer to digest,
but the fast-paced plot and cliffhanger chapters are likely to move even the
slowest reader along at a brisk pace.

This is a delightful story all around. For those of you from Minnesota, this
is a must read. For those who live elsewhere, you should pick it up; I would
be surprised if, by the end of the tale you didn't start wondering what
mysteries may have taken place in your own back yard.

Delightful.

A great introduction to Sherlock and Minnesota.

Before reading this book I'd never picked up a Sherlock Holmes's story. But the combination of fictional investigator and Minnesota history was too good to pass up.

Though I live in Minnesota I haven't really ever been trough the area in which the story takes place. As I read I found myself interested as never before in the history of the area and was pulled in by nostalgia created for a place I had never really been.

As an adult, the story moves briskly and provides a good afternoon or so of entertainment. For a child, the story will take a little longer to digest, but the fast-paced plot and cliffhanger chapters are likely to move even the slowest reader along at a brisk pace.

This is a delightful story all around. For those of you from Minnesota, this is a must read. For those who live elsewhere, you should pick it up; I would be surprised if, by the end of the tale you didn't start wondering what mysteries may have taken place in your own back yard.

Delightful.

BEING FROM MINNESOTA, I HAVE BEEN TO MOST OF THE TOWNS IN THIS BOOK AND FOUND THE STORY FACTS TO BE JUST THAT, FACT. WHAT A GOOD STORY FOR ALL AGES. THE AUTHOR HAS USED HIS HISTORY FACT WELL, ALONG WITH FICTION THAT KEEPS YOU TURNING THE PAGES WITHOUT STOPPING. A GREAT READ FOR ALL TO ENJOY, BUY IT!!!!

This is the perfect follow up to Klinger's annotated "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." It is exhaustively researched, beautifully printed, and tastefully illustrated. The scope of the annotations are awesome, and truly enhance the appreciation of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Both die-hard fans and casual readers will absolutely love this book!

In spite of the fact that I have all the stories, this book made me want to reread them all again. It is a hoot. You'll discover fascinating facts that will make the stories brand new and interesting all over again. This is a MUST HAVE for Holmes fans.

This is a good collection of Sherlock Holmes shorts. The first offering is what is generally considered one of the best stories in the entire Holmes canon: Silver Blaze. "The Musgrave Ritual" is very cool also, but of course, they're all good. This collection also houses the infamous short "The Final Problem" where Doyle originally tried to kill Holmes. So popular a character was Holmes (even then) that after the story was released there was a riot in the streets of London, so mad were the people at Holmes's death. Needless to say, Doyle brought Holmes back. Imagine if he hadn't...

Whoever thought that Irene Adler, subject of only one Holmesian short story, would cause such a stir among fans? Now Carole Nelson Douglas at last brings to life a character that had only been mentioned save for her one famous line in "A Scandal in Bohemia": "Good night, Mr Holmes." From the inspiration of _the_ woman comes this fantastic first in a series that gets better and better. Not only are the books exciting, but they're refreshingly _funny_, filled with subtle wit and humor. Appearances by famed historical personages (Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, and later on the Divine Sarah Bernhardt) and famed fictional personages, Holmes and Watson themselves, make this series both realistic and amusing to read.

The characters in the Irene Adler series are complex: after reading the first three books, I still can't figure out whether or not I love or hate the character of Irene herself. Irene is the ultimate diva-detective, solving mysteries for the sake of curing her own boredom, and approaches everything with an impish enthusiasm. Impossibly radiant and beautiful, she eclipses the series' true heroine, the "Watson" to Irene, Penelope Huxleigh: a plain and proper parson's daughter who gets mixed up in Irene's life by mistake, in a very similar way that Watson met Holmes. Nell is the most intriguing character in the series, and easiest to identify with, even if she comes off as a prude at times. Anyone who has felt a "third wheel," or has been left in the shadows because of a more attractive friend, will relate to Nell. Barrister Godfrey Norton makes up the third of this main-character trio, who is astonishingly likeable - he adds a definite spark to the series that would surely be lost without him.

_Good Night, Mr. Holmes_ and the books that follow it (two or three of which are out of print and hard to find at present) will probably best liked by women, because it very accurately (and bemusedly) presents a female version of the Victorian era - one from a "modern" woman and one more subdued and conformist, and two different feminine views (from Irene and Nell) of Sherlock Holmes himself. It's very interesting to see Holmes as a minor character and adversary - and don't worry, Holmes fans: Nelson writes Holmes and Watson well.

I strongly recommend reading "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (found in _The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes_) before turning to the Irene Adler series, in order to get acquainted with the characters and see the Watsonian point of view on the case portrayed in _Good Night, Mr. Holmes_.

Ms. Douglas is a talented and practiced writer. This book and the others of this series show how well she has honed her craft.

This is a deeper look at Irene Adler who was a character in Doyle's, "A Scandal in Bohemia". She was one of the few people and the only woman to outwit Sherlock Holmes. The book retells the story from Adler's viewpoint and goes on to solve some other puzzles. Irene Adler, as she appears in the Douglas books, is truly an amazing woman. One would be hard pressed not to have admiration for her and her enormous abilities. She is shown as a virtuous, honest, married woman in this book instead of the "fallen woman" she is portrayed to be in the Doyle book.
All the narrative is done from the supposed diary of Penelope Huxley (Adler's Doctor Watson). Ms. Huxley is a dedicated spinster who apparently is meant to be the conscience of Victorian London. Some of her straight laced, over done morals are a bit trying but she is probably representative of the outlook of "proper" Victorian England. Penelope is a whiz at taking notes, much as Archie Goodwin is a supposed human tape recorder (Nero Wolfe series). It's very convenient to have someone on hand to do nothing but observe and record, thereby giving more credence to the story. There is much name dropping in this and all the other books of the series. Famous characters appear here and there for no apparent reason except to give added spice to the book. I think anyone who likes the Holmes series or who likes to boost the status of women in general will enjoy this book and the ones following it.

I've read other "Holmes" fiction by Laurie R. King and was always disappointed that those books didn't have the essence of Holmes pairing him up (in marriage no less!) with a teenage girl.
But this book was a breathe of fresh Sherlock Holmes air. It starts out slowly and was a bit hard to get into, but it really spins along at the end and you can't put it down! I really enjoyed the way the whole story played out. I was most fond of Miss Penelope Huxleigh and Godrey Norton...even more than Irene.

This book is less an adventure of Sherlock Holmes than it is a re-examination of the Lincoln assassination and the role of John Wilkes Booth. The author uses Holmes (and utilises every horrid, tired cliche' in doing so) as a vehicle to put forth his own theory regarding the assassination. There are significant flaws in the reasoning he forces through Holmes to reach his conclusion (for instance, there is a key error of fact which no educated Englishman, particularly Holmes, could possibly have made). Overall, though, the writer does an admirable job of breathing life into this period of American history. The historic people and places who hitherto have been mere names are vividly drawn and can be clearly seen and heard by the reader. Although I won't give it a place of honour on my shelf of Holmes pastiches, it is still worth reading for entertainment.

Sherlock Holmes is approached by his estranged cousin, the actor Edwin Booth, regarding a series of attempts on his life. Edwin is the elder brother of the infamous John Wilkes Booth, and it is his story that Holmes must investigate to resolve the mystery of the assassination attempts on his cousin's life.

Covering some of the same ground as Barrie Roberts' 'Sherlock Holmes and the Royal Flush', I ended up reading these two book in a fairly close period of time. This allows me to compare how the two authors put facts from John Wilkes Booth's life and death into their books. The problem is - it would be a dead giveaway on their plotlines to do so! Suffice to say, 'The Surrogate Assassin' takes the issues in a more active and head-on way.

I found Christopher Leppek's writing style quite readable, and his portrayal of Holmes and Watson well within my view of how the characters should be written. However, I did find some of the facts a little contradictory with the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes' creator. For instance, he makes casual reference to Mycroft Holmes, who Watson would not even know of for several years to come! Mind you, Doyle was pretty careless about such things as well (for instance, Moriarty's appearance in 'The Valley of Fear') so one shouldn't be too harsh.

This has to be one of the best Holmes pastiches ever to come along. Leppek obviously knows his history, has a passion for it, and has woven it in brilliantly with what Conan Doyle revealed about Holmes' background. His characters, both Holmes and Watson, and the people introduced in this book, are solid and well-defined, and his grasp of history and ability to communicate it to his readers is simply incredible. My only problem with this book lies in some minor inconsistencies in the beginning chapters--first, Watson seems to know very little about Holmes (this is set shortly after A Study in Scarlet), then they appear to have a long history together: Holmes is presented as just starting out as a consulting detective, then suddenly he seems to be well-known by complete strangers in America. This is only mildly distracting, however, and in no way diminishes the impact of the book as a whole. All in all, a wonderful debut!

Letters to Julia is about a young girl named Liz Beech. She dreams of becoming a writer so she starts writing all of her deepest thoughts and feelings down in a journal. She shows some of her entries to her teacher and her teacher encourages her to send them to an editor. Julia agrees, but doesn't think much will come out of it. So, she starts sending her writings to a professional writier named Julia Jones. Julia is changed by Liz's work. From then on a strong bond starts to develope between Julia and Liz as Julia gets a glimps of Liz's deepest thoughts and feelings. As they get closer it's hard to tell who is influencing whose work. Liz is actually influencing Julia more than Julia influencing is Liz. I thought this was a great book and I think that it shows how powerful one person's words can be.

Written entirely with journal entries and letters, this is a wonderful account of a young girl learning how to be a writer, a friend and discovering unexpected truths about herself.

Elizabeth Beech is a sophomore when her English teacher gives her the name of an editor in New York who is "generous to beginners". She makes it her personal assignment for Elizabeth to give her the first chapter of a book she is writing because she thinks she has talent.

Julia, the editor, tells Elizabeth that she can send her a chapter but advises her that the chances are slim that it will be able to be published. When she reads the first chapter tho, she is impressed with it and more letters are exchanged.

Julia encourages Elizabeth in her writing and over time, they become very good friends. Elizabeth finds herself telling Julia things she has never told anyone. They even arrange to meet.

But eventually, things spin out of control and Elizabeth is forced to find that words can not only be entertaining but very hurtful. She hurts Julia and Julia suddenly disappears. Elizabeth is left to wonder if she can repair what is the most important friendship of her life.

This book shows what doubts writers go through but also shows the importance of true friendship. Written for 12+, this is a great book for any age.

I was at a used book store, and found "Letters to Julia" and decided to give it a try. I started reading it at around midnight, and didn't put it down until I finished it (around 4 AM) - it's that good!

In Letters to Julia, Liz Beech is a fifteen year old aspiring author. Her English teacher gives her the address of a publisher, because Liz has so much talent. Liz reluctantly sends chapter by chapter of the novel she's writing to Julia Jones, an editor at a big New York publishing company. Julia keeps telling Liz that she has an amazing talent, and that she has "poetic sensiblity."

Pretty soon Liz and Julia form an amazing friendship and write to each other about everything - problems with parents, school (well, for Liz anyway), and work. Julia keeps reassuring Liz that her work is amazing, and that she'll try to publish the novel when it's finished. But, one day Liz says something that she instantly regrets - Julia stops writing to her.

Will Liz and Julia be able to re-establish their relationship, or is it a lost cause?

This book is truly amazing, and it's a shame that it's out of print. If you can find this at a library, garage sale, used book store, etc. pick it up! It's great!

Overall grade: A+

I read this book for Midnight in Death by J. D. Robb. That story was just as intense and suspenseful in a third of the pages. Eve doesn't even get Christmas off. The other three stories in this book were more of a Romantic nature but just as good. I thought all four authors did a remarkable job in very few pages. It kept your interest and before you knew it you were to the end. I enjoy these books it does give you a change to sample authors you may not have any other way!

J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) and three other writers (Claire Cross, Dee Holmes and Susan Plunkett) make up the four stories in Silent Night. I bought the book for the J.D. Robb Midnight in Death story although the other three weren't bad either. Of course, all the stories were centered on the theme of Christmas and the holidays.

A Berry Merry Christmas, by Claire Cross, is about an orphan, Natalie Sinclair and her Uncle Drew. Natalie wishes for a new mother for Christmas and Holly Berry turns out to be the one to fill that role. The Unexpected Gift, by Dee Holmes, Sabrina McKay is having her first Christmas after her divorce with her young son. Her son finds what he thinks is a dead man in the yard but who turns out to be a girlhood boyfriend of Sabrina's, Zach Danforth. Predictably, they fall in love and have a wonderful Christmas

Christmas Promises, by Susan Plunkett, has Jake Rimsa giving his ex-fiancée, Marne York, a ride home for Christmas. Marne has become an of battered women and has changed much from the woman that Jake once knew. Jake and Marne renew their love and it's better then it had been before as they come to know each other again.

Midnight in Death, by J.D. Robb, Eve and Roarke's first Christmas together as husband and wife is interrupted by the discovery of the naked, mutilated body of the judge responsible for convicting serial killer David Palmer. Since Eve was the officer that brought down David Palmer, her name is on a list of those to be killed. This was the best story in the book and continues the "in Death" series with all the characters that are in the full-length books of the series. Of course, with Roarke's help, Eve finds the escaped murderer and wraps up the case.

MIDNIGHT IN DEATH was execllent and packed a lot of adventure into a few pages. This was the best story in the book (and the reason I bought it in the first place)... I will re-read it as is my habit when I re-read all the JD Robb books when her next one comes out.

As for the other three stories: I liked THE UNEXPECTED GIFT and CHRISTMAS PROMISES enough that I will probably re-read them next Christmas when I'm in a mushy mood. A BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS was a nice fluff piece, but I probably won't re-read it.

The five-star rating is based on the JD Robb section alone.

THE UNEXPECTED GIFT****

CHRISTMAS PROMISES***1/2

A BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS*1/2

Heavy-weight champion, Mr. Larry Holmes takes the reader through the battles in the ring and his struggles outside as a human being. An honest man in a dishonest 'sport'. This easy reading, swift moving story of his rise to greatness is inspiring as well as disturbing. Mr.Holmes' inside view of the sweet science paints a picture of a greed filled, violent (outside as well as in the ring)world where money talks, and Don King does the loudest talking! The descriptions of Ali's camp in N.Y., the Norton, Cooney, and Spinks fights (Leon &Mike), bring the reading to the edge of the spit bucket. His story of the boxing establishment and the equally greedy media strips the polished image off the so called 'good guys' of boxing,King, Ali, Cosell, ABCsports. The lesson he teaches is one of perseverance. The chapters that tell of Roy Williams, an extremely talented boxer, whose skills were wasted due to the greed of D. King et.al., is moving and reminds us that our own talents and skills are often fleeting and must be preserved. For those who like boxing, for those who hate it, this book will have you cheering 'the Champ'.

Larry Holmes provides insight into the sport of boxing from the insider's perspective. He is not afraid to tackle its dark side, delving into the nuances of the corruption of the sport in general, and providing first hand examples of how the media, judges, and promoters all play a part in the last bastion of laissez faire capitalism. Holmes tackles subjects such as race, charisma, favoritism with the media, promoters, and managers, and how all of these topics tie into the survival and success of a fighter's career. The bottom line is money, and how much of it a fighter can generate and spread around to everyone in the industry.

Holmes effectively ties these topics into his boxing career and demonstrates how the world outside the ring affects what occurs inside the ring. Holmes is an example of a boxer who had most everything going against him, but he played his hand to the best of his ability. Ironically, taking the hard road to the title may have made him a better fighter.

You cannot judge Larry Holmes as a person or a fighter until you enter his world. His autobiography effectively opens the door to his world and courageously allows the reader to gain insight into his life and the sport of boxing.

Phil Berger does it again. If you loved his work on Joe Frazier's bio, or his equally brilliant, Punch Lines and Blood Season, than you'll love this classic. Holmes' Long awaited biography got overshadowed by Dave Remick's King of THe World, but it was equally as good. Against All Odds reminds everyone just how great a fighter Holmes was. THe book was honest and insightful and just an overall wonderful read. If you grew up in the Ali era and didn't want to accept the great fighter who followed him or were brought up in the heavily hyped Tyson era, I suggest you pick up this book and find out what you missed. Larry Holmes was one of Top Five greatest Heavyweights of All Time and Phil Berger's book reminds us why he is deserving of such a compliment. My personal top 10: 1- Ali, 2- Holmes, 3-Louis, 4-Liston, 5-Foreman, 6-Frazier, 7-Holyfield, 8-Marciano, 9-Tyson & 10-Johnson (Dempsey & CHarles fall in at 11 & 12). Enjoy.