The Booklist review above has it right: nothing outstanding, but pleasant reading. This one delivers exactly what people read cozy mysteries for: good plotting, a sense of time and place, a logical series of clues, a sufficient collection of suspects, a likeable amateur detective. I have two criticisms: First, some of the characters could have been drawn more vividly. I found myself several times leafing backwards through the book so I could remember just who John Smith or Mary Jones was, when they appear on the scene for the first time in 75 pages. Secondly, the final solution of the mystery depends on facts that are unknown to either the reader or the sleuth until the last 10 pages or so. That is generally considered unfair in mystery-writing, but I must say it doesn't seem at all egregious here. It is not one of those irritating cases in which the hero notices a paper clip on the floor of the library, uses it as the decisive clue, and reveals the presence of the paper clip only on the last page when he is triumphantly announcing the solution. In this book, the decisive information is revealed to us at the same time as it is to the heroine.

So we come back to my original conclusion. If you like cozy mysteries in general, you almost certainly will like this one. If you don't like them, you probably aren't reading this review in the first place!

Many of Hazel Holt's books have alternative titles, 'Mrs Malory Wonders Why ' was originally titled 'Superfluous Death', 'Mrs Malory, Detective in Residence' was originally 'Murder on Campus' and 'Mrs Malory and the Only Good Lawyer' was 'The Only Good Lawyer...' (the last subtly different!). -SW

The 5th book in the Retirement Mysteries by Corinne Holt Sawyer finds the ladies from Camden-sur-Mer a bit out of their element. Friends Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate are asked by friend and owner of The Time Out Inn to investigate the death of one of her workers. To their chagrin, they find out the inn is an exercise and diet spa, and they must suffer through exercise classes to try and blend in with the group (of which one is the murderer!) Even though these two are in their 80's, no one dares to tell them that they are too old to investigate murders and they dive in with relish. When Caledonia is attacked, the two friends (along with Lt. Martinez and crew) must catch a murderer before she becomes another of this clever killer's victims!

I enjoyed the latest book in this series about the irrepressible Angela and Caledonia. It was very amusing to imagine Angela sweating all day long while Caledonia relaxed, and I could just picture the meal scenes with all the ladies gobbling their food after a long day of exercise. I like the spunk and determination of the characters in this series, and I found myself laughing aloud at their antics. The mystery was decent, and although I guessed the identity of the killer early, I was surprised at the motive in this case. This was definitely a cold-hearted killer who even surprised me at the lengths that he/she would go to in order to keep everyone quiet.

This book shows that retirement does not mean "out to pasture" and shows how valuable the elderly are (to those that, unfortunately, need a reminder!). This was a delightful look at feisty friends that do not let their age hinder them from solving murders. The characters grow with each book in the series and this book was a great addition to the first four. Great for all ages!

The first book in this series is "The J Alfred Prufrock Murders". Enjoy!

A Cozy Lover

Another fun romp for senior sleuths, Angela Benbow and Caledonia Windgate, when they go to a California fat farm to help a friend solve the murder of a beautiful staff member. As usual they can not leave the sleuthing to the police and especially their friend Lieutenant Martinez. They march straight into danger while trying to avoid aerobic classes and hunger. A good quick read with a few plot twists and some good chuckles. Have enjoyed all of the books in this series and when I need some light reading will pick up the next. The author seems to have a good feeling for the thoughts and problems of those of us who are getting older and slowing down but still like adventure.

The 2nd book in the "retirement" series. Two residents of a retirement community (not a nursing home!) work together with their friends and the police to solve another murder in their small community.

Friends Caledonia and Angela are featured more in this follow-up to "The J Alfred Prufrock Murders" and are assigned small tasks by the police to keep them out of the way. However, during their search, they once again put themselves in grave danger. While trying to solve the mystery, Angela and Caledonia also work hard to dry out an alcoholic in their midst for what they claim is his best interest. However, little do they know that he prefers to live out his final years in an alcoholic stupor.

This series shows that retirement does not mean "out to pasture" and shows how valuable the elderly are (to those that, unfortunately, need a reminder!). The characters grow with each book in the series and this book was another look at these delightful "people". Great for all ages! Enjoy!

Angela and Caldonia once again are in the middle of a murder that happened at their Retirement House -- this time the Police Department give them a couple of chores to do to supposedly help but in actuality ---to keep them out of it! They just are not capable of releaving their daily bordem and dive in .... a wonderful read.

Sorry for the pun :-)

Anyways, while the spirit of the 1889 Oklahoma Land Rush could have been better written, this book is a wonderful take on Tim Holt's attempts in establishing his newspaper business in Guthrie.

Sadly, the turmoil that Cathy Martin undergoes in trying to become an actress takes away from the book.

It was a great book and I have almost all of the other books in this collection. My husband and children know how much I love these books so I think they are going to buy the books that I don't have from here to give to me on my birthday.I would recommend this book to everyone

King Henry I's son has died at sea without an heir, leaving Henry's nephew Stephen in line for the throne -- until King Henry decides to marry again. But his new wife proves barren. The King's daughter, Matilda, has already married the Emperor of Germany, and thus could not become England's Queen until her husband died. But Matilda held her aspirations to become ruler of England close to her heart, particularly when Henry commands that Matilda shall become Queen upon his death. No one challenges the King's decree out loud...until Henry dies. Claims are made that he changed his mind on his deathbed, but Matilda refuses to believe this. Stephen and Matilda become sworn enemies -- and fall in love. The two fight over the Crown and country, torn by both love and hate, desire for power and a probable love of sorts, obsessed with each other. The lovers are also enemies, fighting for posession of England's Crown, and each other.

As usual, Plaidy's writing paints pictures in the mind of every reader who picks up one of her books! Sometimes, I'm amazed that England managed to hold onto its position as one of the world's most powerful nations the way it did.

This, the third and final book in The Norman Trilogy, tells the story of the last days of the reign of England's King Henry I. His son, William, having died in a tragic shipwreck, and his beloved wife, Matilda, having long been dead, Henry hastily remarried a woman more than thirty years his junior in hopes of begetting a male heir and securing succession. England had no heir save Matilda, Henry's cold and imperious daughter, and Henry had concerns that his nobles would not willingly serve a woman.

Matilda was an Empress of Germany through her first marriage. She became Countess of Anjou through her second marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet and would have a number of children, one of whom was named Henry. Both marriages were loveless, having been arranged for purposes of state. She had, however, a passionate attachment to her first cousin, Stephen of Blois.

Stephen was the youngest son of Adela, the King's favorite sister. He freely returned Matilda's passionate devotion, though he, too, was forced into an arranged marriage by his uncle, King Henry I. Though Henry was very fond of Stephen, looking upon him as if her were a favored son rather than his nephew, he was unaware of how things stood between Stephen and Matilda. By a cruel twist of fate, Matilda and Stephen were destined never to he husband and wife, though they would become lovers.

The book recounts the turbulent years that were to follow the death of King Henry I. Upon his demise and despite having sworn fealty to Matilda, Stephen did the unthinkable and took possession of the English crown. It was an act that was to undo all that King Henry I had done and plunge England into a bitter civil war that would last for years. Matilda and Stephen were doomed to cross swords, as passionate in their fight for the crown as they were in their love for each other. For many years, they were to battle bitterly over the throne of England. Each would become prisoner of the other at some point in time, until Matilda, deprived of the wise counsel of her illegitimate half brother, Robert of Gloucester, due to his unexpected death, reluctantly ceased to do battle and returned to Anjou.

As the years passed, Stephen wished to secure the succession to the English throne and have his son, Eustace, recognized as the heir apparent. Matilda's son, Henry Plantagenet, who had since married Eleanor of Aquitaine, however, stood between Stephen and his wish. The English clergy preferred Henry, whom they recognized as the true heir, over Eustace, the son of the usurper, Stephen. When the Archbishop of Canterbury himself urged Henry to take the English Crown by force, Henry lost no time in crossing the English Channel. On the brink of battle, due to some unusual machinations on the part of Matilda, the Treaty of Wallingford was born by which Stephen recognized Henry Plantagenet as his successor to the English throne, dispossessing his son, Eustace. Thus was born the era of the Plantagenets.

This is a rousing and entertaining work of historical fiction. The author crafts a spellbinding tale, expertly woven with historical detail. She paints a portrait of a young man and woman who were destined by fate to forever remain star crossed lovers. What ultimately happened to them would influence the course of English history for generations to come. This is a book that is sure to grip the imagination of all those who love historical fiction.

This is the first volume in the Georgian saga by Jean Plaidy, a master storyteller and prolific writer of historical fiction. It is the tragic tale of a German Princess who would go on to become the wife and captive princess of the uncouth boor who would one day be crowned as George I of England.

William of Celle and his wife Eleanore had a beautiful, pampered daughter, Sophia Dorothea. His younger brother, Ernest Augustus, ruled in the rival principality of Hanover. He was married to Sophia, daughter of the King of Bohemia. Together they had a number of children, the oldest of whom was George Lewis, an ugly, coarse, and boorish man, born to be a soldier, rather than a statesman or diplomat.

There came a time when Sophia Dorothea, as a result of some underhanded political intrigues, was forced into a loveless marriage with her first cousin, George Lewis, much to her and her mother's despair and dismay. George Lewis was also not thrilled with the match, given as he was to coarser delights. Sophia Dorothea, however, tried to make the most of her unpleasant situation, buoyed by her own innate charm and disposition.

In the end, however, Sophia Dorothea became undone by her love for the dashing Count Konigsmarck of Sweden. Through the political machinations and intrigues of the jealous and sexually insatiable Clara von Platen, her father-in-law's long time mistress and Konigsmarck's spurned lover, Sophia Dorothea and Count Konigsmarck were betrayed. Ruined, Sophia Dorothea ended her days as a captive princess, the tragic and pitied Princess of Celle. George Lewis would go on to undeserved heights as George I of England, and the house of Hanover would become a force with which to be reckoned.

This is a wonderful account of the tragedy that befell Sophia Dorothea and an excellent one of how the house of Hanover rose to prominence in England. Well written and absorbing, it is a page turning book for all those who enjoy historical fiction.

Of Jean Plaidy's Georgian Saga books I've read so far, I rate this one the best because it has a more complex and satisfying plot. But then, this is one of the most fascinating of the romantic tragedies the British monarchy has given to the world. This book is a damned good bodice-ripper--full of lust, passion, jealousy and intrigue in the Court of Hanover. Unfortunately, the beautiful princess is not rescued by her handsome lover but is imprisoned by her loathsome husband who goes on to become King George I of England.

The story of the beautiful, tragic Sophia Dorothea is well told by this artful translator of historic biography. Plaidy's novels are fairly close to historical fact without being tediously so.

Maybe it's because it's the first non-Oregon Trail book in the series, but Texas just does not have the "oomph" of most of the other books. The major characters of the series so far take a backseat to lesser characters in this book, breaking away much of the familiarity with the series. It is still a good book, especially if you want a novel set during the Mexican-American war. However, don't lose any sleep if you are trying to read the entire series and can't find this one in your library.

I am the proud owner of the entire Wagons West Series (all 24 novels). I began reading them in high school some 19 years ago. I have just recently begun re-reading the series and it's like visiting old friends. Texas, picks up two years after the settling of Oregon and we find the United States in the process of annexing Texas into the Union. Soon old characters like Whip Holt and Lee Blake are back in the saddle doing what they do best, helping our country expand, with selfless dedication. We are introduced to new friends who display the same attributes of the earlier settlers in the Oregon series. Overall, the book is quite enjoyable, and it is almost imposssible to put down. The reader is transported to the old West, and can develop a sense of pride and understanding for those brave men and women who were the trailblazers of our American history.

This book, told primarily from the male point of view, is a departure from the other books of Plaidy's Georgian Saga. Any tale of George III and his Queen, Charlotte, could not be told otherwise because George, firmly convinced that he should not allow any female interference in state affairs, kept Charlotte isolated and pregnant. With incompetent advisors such as Lords Bute and North, one can only wonder how female advice could have been any worse. This is the tragedy of this otherwise decent and dutiful monarch. George III is a moral exception to the Georges before him and the George who immediately followed him. One can only regret the missed opportunity for good that Charlotte could have brought to his reign.

Plaidy, once more, takes the dull notes of history and turns them into an interesting read.

In this, her fifth book in the Georgian saga, Jean Plaidy, also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, has written an interesting and absorbing account of the reign of King George III. A masterful storyteller, she regales the reader with a work of historical fiction infused with period details. It is a story that will engage the most discerning of readers.

It is the story of King George III, who began his reign with the best of intentions. He desired to be the opposite of his grandfather, King George II, who had maintained a fairly licentious court. Always mindful of his duty, George III followed the wishes of his mother and her married lover, Lord Bute, who for many years was his principal advisor, and married the plain and stolid German princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She would prove to be a fruitful consort, as she would ultimately bear him fifteen children.

Alas, this man, who wanted nothing more than to be a good king and family man, was unable to fulfill his desires. As a parent, he was a martinet, and as a husband, he was kindly but did not accord his wife a full partnership in their marriage, though she was a devoted spouse and acceded to his wishes. As a king, he was derisively known as the farmer king by his people, due to his penchant for farming and more plebeian pursuits, such as button making. George III was a man who probably would have been happier in the role of a country squire rather than king of the mighty British empire. Despite his best intentions, he would be remembered as the mad king during whose reign the American colonies were lost.

The destiny of George III was to be a personally tragic one. A family man, whose children reviled him, and a king, whose people mocked him, George III was to suffer the debilitation and indignity of an illness that would leave him vulnerable to those who would seek an advantage over him. His seeming madness would see his devoted wife, Charlotte, pitted against their son, the Prince of Wales, in an attempt to forestall the naming of a Regent. The reign of King George III would be rife with political intrigues, most of which would escape his notice. Jean Plaidy weaves a tapestry of events that will keep the reader fully engaged with the story of the reign of George III.

This novel is a very sweet romance. I prefer strong character development and actual romance to heaving bosoms and inappropriate-for-time-period morals, so this is right up my alley.

Betty Neels has written many doctor-nurse romances (or doctor-typist, in this case). Charity is a typist at a hospital who is hired by Dr. Wyllie-Lyons, a reserved and gentlemanly doctor. While working for him, they fall in love and enjoy a gentle, old-fashioned courtship. While Charity is a bit too much of a dependent character for my tastes, the book is still very cute. The characters could be a bit stronger, but overall this book was a fun way to pass an afternoon.

Did you ever have one of those days, you just needed a pick me up? This is the perfect book. The story flows so smoothly, you just can't put it down. In typical Betty Neels style, there's nothing to make you blush, it is a wonderful romantic love story that makes you smile and wish all men could be like this one. She adds humor with a gentle touch, you just want to grab all her books, your most comfy clothes, and curl up for the day.

I am a spanish student at a high school in New Jersey. We use the holt spanish book and right now i am in spanish 3. this book teaches the language in easy to understand directions and activities. it is a wonderful book for learning a wonderful language. VEN CONMIGO!!!!! come with me!!!!

This book makes it extremely easy to learn spanish. It can be used for a class or, since it is so easy to learn from, you can learn the language on your own! There is information on the culture and customs of different spanish speaking countries. The vocab is really easy to to learn because of the way the words are grouped. Overall an excellent an easy way to learn Spanish!!