The author, Lois Duncan, has brought out the characters in this book, giving each of them unique traits. Lois Duncan has written yet another mystery novel that is filled with suspense and excitement. The story opens up with Rachel a seventeen-year-old girl remembering a summer when a strange incident happens. Her cousin Julia comes to live with them. Julia ruins Rachel's life and plans to take over. Julia starts by stealing her boyfriends and her girlfriends. During this story Rachel tries to convince her family and friends that Julia is bad. But of course her family does not believe her.
As Duncan travels the characters through the book she brings them through all of her troubles. I thought this book was great and I hope you will want to read it too.

I first read SUMMER OF FEAR in high school and found it to be the first book I couldn't put down, actually reading it all the way through in one sitting! Lois Duncan takes typical teenage angst and self-conscious paranoia and spins them together in a web of horror and mystery.

Rachel is the number one priority of her family until her cousin Julia (parents recently deceased) moves in. The two bond as sisters at first, but when Julia begins to receive all the attention, Rachel's jealousy kicks into high gear. The spin here is when "accidents" and deaths become common place. Rachel suspects Julia to be responsible, but the jealousy Rachel's family has witnessed lend them to believe Rachel is just looking for attention, leaving her to discover her "cousin's" evil secrets and legacy.

A great suspense novel I still reread occasionally. Check out the movie starring a teenaged Linda Blair as "Rachel" and Fran (The Nanny) Drescher as her best friend!

I have to admit that when I first looked at this book, I only got it because I had to. But when I started reading it, I immediately got hooked in the book's intriguing plot. Raechel is looking foward to another great summer, but the death of her aunt and uncle cut plans short. Raechel's cousin Julia is now coming to live with her. At first, the two girls bond like sisters, but soon Julia starts getting a lot of attention, and Raechel gets suspicious. Everyone, including Peter, Raechel's shy brother, falls in love with the beautiful cousin. Soon, Raechel's parents even believe that she is jealous, and ignore her pleas. Determined, Raechel does her research, and digs into Julia's past. But does she really want to know?

The moral of the book is that persistence pays off in the long run. Even with nobody to believe her, Raechel overcomes the odds and cuts Julia's plan off at the knees. If she had stopped trying, she, and everyone else in her family, could find themselves in a problem that they cannot get out of.

This is a great book that I am sure I will read many more times. I never thought of myself as a Duncan fan, but now I will definitely look into some of her many other works. I hope you enjoy the read.

Catherine Alpert's Rocket City of one of the most comical and endearing novels I have read. I'm always searching for the next Tom Robbins, and Alpert has filled his shoes. The story brings us quirky yet familiar characters that find themselves in unprecedented situations. Where else can you find a woman, a dwarf and two melons in the front seat of a Dart! I couldn't wait to see how the book ended, yet I didn't want to get there because I knew it would then be over.

When a friend recommended Rocket City to me, I let it sit on my shelf for six months before picking it up to read. Big mistake. This is one of the wittiest, most charming, most intelligent novels I've ever read. And fun to boot. I couldn't put it down, and now have recommended it to my book club. I hope Cathryn Alpert comes out with a new book soon! I want more.

Catherine Alpert's Rocket City is one of the most comical and endearing novel's I have read. I'm always searching for the next Tom Robbin's, and Alpert has filled his shoes. The story brings us quirky yet familiar characters that find themselves in unprecedented situations. Where else can you find a woman, a drawrf and two melons in the front seat of a Dart! I couldn't wait to see how the book ended, yet I didn't want to get there because I knew it would then be over.

If you liked the fictional town of Grace, AZ in Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal Dreams" I can pretty much guarantee you'll LOVE the town of Milagro, NM. Although Kingsolver does an excellent job of creating sympathetic characters, I feel like she tends to over-simplify the "big issues"-- issues that Nichols has no problem tackling. "The Milagro Beanfield War" confronts substantive topics (like water rights) head on, but the story is also overflowing with colorful characters and subplots, so I am forced to disagree with the reviewers who say you can get through it in two days-- at least, I know I didn't. Although I recommend the movie as well (Ruben Blades is great!), it does not do justice to the book's complexity, nor is it as funny. If you have seen the movie and liked it at all, read this book. And if you haven't seen the movie, read the book first-- you won't regret it.

I was sent a copy of this book aloong with "The Monkey Wrench Gang". Gang looked like it would be more fun so I read it first and thought it was great. Then I read "Beanfield". This book knocked my socks off. It was so funny and yet so poigniant I couldn't put it down. Much like Dickens, Nichols characters come to life right on the page. Only one other book hit me as hard and that was "Coockoos Nest". I went one step farther and wrote Nichols a letter and he responded with a hunt and pecked letter in response that is still one of my personnel treasures. Robert Redford thought it was a good story and so I must also thank him for making an unforgetable movie with fantastic music. Many Thanks to both of you for your vision and your genious. Mal Heffernan

I had been living in Northern NM for about a year when I read The Milagro Beanfield War. I took it with me on a backpacking trip through the Pecos Wilderness. I had been completely bewildered by the wide variety of cultures surrounding me in my all-too-brief sojourn in the Santa Fe area.

The Milagro Beanfield War, with its warm wit and characterisations, made all the little puzzle pieces I had been fumbling with come together--from the Taos real estate broker who told me at a party in White Rock that he didn't like to sell land to "those people" because "they just pull in a trailer and start raising chickens and pigs right there in their front yard--ruins the neighborhood" (he could have been a character in the book) to the reverence of my neighbors for the centuries-old practice of community care of the acequia.

The magical internal lives of the local characters and the convoluted way in which the story is told are really part of the rich texture of the place -- nothing is ever straightforward or simple. That's the beauty of it.

Read the book. The movie captures very beautifully what a movie can -- but there's so much more in the book! In particular, the female characters are even stronger, better and more interesting.

The authors make a convincing case for a pre-deluge, navigational civilization that had its base in tropical Central America. They do a great job of citing to well-published archeologists and demonstrating, like Graham Hancock does, the ethno-centrism and ego underlying their hypotheses and their myopic view of world history. I like this book for the boldness with which it challenges the academic establishment, and how it shows that an interdisciplinary study of ancient history debunks many of the commonly held assumptions about the origins of human civilization and culture.

On the other hand, the authors tend to overstate their case by being very repetitive, and they don't need to. The material is so provocative, it doesn't need rehashing ad nauseum. Additionally, the countless typos are a huge distraction. Taken together, the repetitiveness and the typos undermined what could be a very open and shut case.

Nonetheless, it's a well-conceived work, and solidly grounded in common sense. You won't find any fantastic, Von Daniken-esque intergalactic flights of fancy here. If ever there was a case for Occam's Razor in the case for, rather than against Atlantis, this would be it.

This work stands at the threshold of a new age of discovery. Erikson and Zapp deftly take apart the conventional view of history as Eurocentric and recent... with the Americas as a barbaric afterthought to civilization. The authors reveal a multitude of sites in Mesoamerica that hearken back to Plato's description of Atlantis. They reveal an ancient world that included seafarers from Africa, China, Polynesia, and the Mediterranean that met in a virtual melting pot in the Americas. The fun part is that they describe the locations of these ancient sites and their legacy in stone and myth. Some are as enticing as the awaited undersea site off Cuba. For the independent investigator this book is a must.

Atlantis In America reveals much more than just information on the probable location of Atlantis. It demonstrates scientifically how ancient cultures interacted through trade and migration. Its evidence that Chinese and African peoples were well established in Central America centuries before Columbus is particularly compelling!

In this touching and true story, the author tells about her daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, thought to be an intelligent, bright, and clever person, got herself in trouble by trusting all the wrong people. Both mystery and non-fiction, Who Killed My Daughter? is suspenseful and touching. Lois Duncan explains her quest to solve the mystery of her daughter's murder. It is truely amazing how Duncan combines all the information on her daughter's case in this book. She also tells about her frusteration with the police, and how she must work on the case without their help. Duncan describes the characters so well that I felt like I personally knew them. Her casual and sincere writing style made the easy to read and hard to put to down. Duncan also tells about how her family struggles coping with Kaitlyn's death. The image of Kaitlyn, a beautiful, smart and loved teenager, was shattered when I discovered the shocking information she was hiding. To me, that was the scariest part. The book was mysterious, and left me shocked at the fact that it is a true story. The theme of being careful who you trust was very educational, and taught me to more careful about certain things. I highly recommend this book, especially to mystery-lovers. I, myself, am not a mystery fan, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Who Killed My Daughter? is a great, and very true book that everyone can enjoy.

Lois Duncan was my favorite author as a young reader. She always kept you going with twists and turns, great plots, believable characters. This book about her daughter Kaitlyn's "random" shooting astounded me. When I first saw the book I "had" to have it because to write a true crime book about your own child, especially an unsolved murder, and an author of such talent, I knew it would be a wonderful -- and terrible -- book. Poor Ms. Duncan never gave up after the Albuquerque, N.M., police told her it was a random shooting. The mother did her own digging and learned Kaitlyn might have been involved in some Vietnamese gangs. She turns the case to private investigators and finally to psychics, who help her uncover what she suspected all along. This was no random shooting. Anyone interested in how police often have tunnel vision and won't follow up leads after they come up with their own beliefs should read this book. Lois Duncan tells reader in her thriller style how this very real terror could happen to you.

I've always been a fan of true crime, but this book included such a personal view that it left a chill in the thrill of reading true crime novels. Never has an autobiographical novel been so honest and forthcoming, so human in its account of a family's tragedy. When you read this Lois Duncan book, you feel like you come to know the writer behind those printed words. You'll find yourself gasping from surprise and twitching in suspense simultaneously with Ms. Duncan. It was a book I couldn't put down until it was read, and then I wanted to pick it up again to reread this unsolved mystery. Underneath the mystery and intrigue, there is a beautiful story of a mother and daughter relationship that truly transcends this earth.

The third entrant in the Kevin Kerney series, Serpent Gate would also rate third amongst the series. While entertaining enough, it lacked the freshness, the cleverness, and the impact of Michael McGarrity's previous works. Serpent Gate was a just a bit too predictable, and many of the ancillary characters (save Fletcher) were not developed to the degree expected from Mr. McGarrity. The descriptions of the New Mexico landscape were as well done as previously, but overall, while an enjoyable read,and one that fans of McGarrity will still enjoy, newcomers to McGarrity would be better served by reading either of his two previous novels...

In Mountainair, New Mexico, special state police officer Kevin Kerney investigates the local murder of a police officer. The only possible lead in the case is a psychotic, who might have witnessed the murder. Starting with the mentally ill witness, Kevin begins to piece together a story about a bad cop prone to sexual violence.

As the case of the murdered cop winds down, Kerney starts to investigate the stealing of art worth over $8 million from the governor's mansion. Governor Springer wants this case resolved quickly and quietly. As Kevin begins his investigation he finds a link between a frequent female visitor to the mansion, who has disappeared and an old enemy from south of the border. Kevin knows that if this connection leads him to the missing art, it could also lead him to a deadly confrontation with a man who kills without thinking twice.

SERPENT GATE is the third Kerney mystery and like the previous two (TULAROSA and MEXICAN HAT), the novel is a tremendous southwest who-done-it. Kevin is a great character, whothrough his actions, helps the reader better understand the difference between justice and the law. The support cast helps propel the two investigations forward, and they dexterously blend into a fast-paced story line. Michael McGarrity is no longer a rising star because he has obviously arrived.

Harriet Klausner

I'm addicted to Mr. McGarrity's novels now. After finished Talurosa, I grabbed this "Serpent Gate" and finished it in one setting. Just fantastic. M's writing is very smooth, no-nonsense, clear-cut, concise, and at least 98% logic(the missing 2% is that why the assassins didn't use the same high power, long range and sound surpressed rifle to shoot Kerney around the Serpent Gate wilderness, instead, chased him on foot with Uzi and handguns? I'm also kinda getting little tired of the Mexican mafiosio, Deleon. But if Mr. McGarrity could only put Kerney in a more pathetic way of status like what he did in his "Mexican Hat," I'd prefer getting Deleon back again, cuz Kerney's life would be less miserable.

Of all the works published by the Preston and Child team, "Mount Dragon" is my least favorite. The premise of the novel is very similar to The Andromeda Strain, as mentioned by another reviewer. The novel would pick up steam at points, then drag for a while, get exciting again, drag again, etc.

The story revolves around a top secret facility which is believed to be devloping a secret weapon. Two scientists discover the truth behind what is being developed and tested at the facility and soon are on the run. All along, they are aided by persons outside the facility, one of which knows the mastermind personally.

The book starts like most Preston and Child books -- at a rapid pace. However, until the mystery starts to unravel, the pace becomes too slow. The book then picks up again when the truth behind Mount Dragon is discovered. Then, the last third of the book involves the heroes on the run which is too long and drawn out. The confrontation between the mastermind and his adversary in a virtual world is highly entertaining, even though it does seem to be a bit out of place.

Overall, if you like the other works by Preston and Child, you will probably enjoy this one. If you're a fan of science thrillers and haven't read any of their works, read "Riptide" or "The Ice Limit" as they are better works with little to no slow points in the storyline.

Preston and Child always can be counted upon to provide a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat, engrossing read, and *Mount Dragon* is no exception. There is just enough scientific content pertaining to virology and various cybernetic phenomena to rank this a cut above the typical action "thriller," and the authors' descriptions of the bleak, arid New Mexico setting is superbly presented. I also enjoyed the inclusion of a Bill Gates-like computer nerd-turned-megalomaniacal businessman as an antagonist who interestingly, is not "all bad." Certainly there is a requirement for the reader's suspension of disbelief in certain places, but that's why we call it "fiction."

The one element of the story that is irritatingly hackneyed is the all too predictable inclusion of a brainy young female who happens to have lovely, long legs and smoldering violet eyes. Keeping one eye to the potential of the book as Hollywood material, the authors also made sure to include a kind of absurdly gratuitous sex scene toward the end of the book. Ho hum. Otherwise, this is a smart, creative, and well-presented novel that is sure to keep its readers turning the pages in anticipation of what happens next.

Preston and Child really know how to take the reader on a roller coaster ride. I finished this book in a couple of days...mainly because I found it extremely difficult to put down. At the end of each chapter, I wanted to keep reading so I could find out what happened next. These two are becoming a couple of my favorite authors.

The biohazard novel is nothing new. However, these two authors have managed to transform it into a gripping, realistic story. They are similar to Michael Crichton in that they take actual science, stretch the bounds of reality a little, and come up with something so believable that it's scary. The story they've crafted around the science is a wonder to read. The characters are believable, the story is gripping, and the climax is fulfilling. I would recommend this book to anybody who's into science thrillers or action movies.

Kevin Kerney finds he has inherited 6400 acres. As he rides across to take it all in he finds a dog with a running shoe in his mouth... this leads him to a body, well part of a body anyway. Always thinking like a cop, Kerney decides to solve the crime and adopt the dog, which he calls, Shoe. Also a lady friend comes to visit. Sara Bannon, who is on leave from the armed service. They take time to explore their relationship while he is working the crime. Michael McGarrity gives us a suspenseful mystery of murder with all the crimes that lead to it.

There are enough characters and turns to keep you guessing until the end. I found it intense and suspenseful with a dash of romance. The audio is just right. It's read by a man who's voice fits Kevin Kerney's personality.

Michael McGarrity has a wonderful writing style. The pages just fly by. He sets scenes in the beautiful New Mexico landscape that place you there. His books have all lived up to the high standard set with his initial novel, "Tularosa"...no easy trick. His pacing really works...it was like eating peanuts...I had to read "just one more" passage before putting it down.

The characters are realistic, well defined and simply a great mix. The protagonist, Kevin Kerney, is unique in the cop/mystery genre in that he is pretty normal. He is not the prototypical flawed man who must ovcercome a myriad of personal demons. A limp resulting from a bullet to the kneecap is his only eccentricity. Kerney is a top cop, but also an excellent manager of people. His staff responds not only to his abilities, but also to the respect he shows all with whom he works. With all his field experience, he has seen it all and is hard to fool. He gets the job the right way and is easy to cheer for.

His romantic interest returns, but her sidebar does nothing to detract from the whodunit aspect. She is a strong character, a good addition and we will see more of her.

Mr. McGarrity has crafted a strong series with characters that stand out, all placed in a most atmospheric setting. I think he and the Kevin Kerney series are understated and underappreciated gems. He deserves more acclaim and recognition. He was suggested to me with these words: "if you enjoy Michael Connelly, McGarrity is for you." I do and he is.

Do not miss this sereis.

McGarrity's low-key Kerney character is a friendly sort in a hard profession. This is a story of place and people, rather than precise timing. The mystery gradually widens and draws interesting characters into the building story. Having lived in New Mexico for a few years a while back, I like how well McGarrity takes me into the dusty rural corners, the many empty places, the immense vistas. He evokes the Southwest as well as Hillerman, but mostly in the eastern ranching rather than western desert half of the state. He writes as clearly as the mountain air.

Moccasin Trail is a great book about a young trapper by the name of Jim Keath, who decides to follow the ways of his uncle and live with him. However, that dream was short-lived, for as he arrived at his uncle's camp, a large bear attacked him and Jim was badly hurt. He is saved from certain death by a group of Crow Indians, who treat him as one of their own. After six years of living with the Indians, Jim returns to his family to help them settle out West. The whole book tells of how Jim must reaccustom himself to the life of a white-man, and still keep the senses of an Indian so that he can help his family.

The book I read is titled Moccasin Trail, it was written by Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw. It is a book about a young man Jim Keath who was impressed by his uncle who a trapper. He is so interested by the ways of his uncle that he runs away from home to follow his uncle. Not only did he not let his parents know that he was following his uncle but he failed to let his uncle know as well. He finally makes himself known to his uncle and shortly after a bear attacks their camp. The bear pretty much mauls Jim. A group of Crow Indians finds him, takes him to their camp and proceed to treat him as one of their own. He runs away from them too to begin trapping, this is where the story begins. This book is a very good book it has a good story it has its happy, sad, funny, frustrating, and suspenseful moments. It is a book about the old west before the large amounts of settling actually took place. Almost the entire book is an adventure. From surrviving the harsh winter up on the Rocky Mountains pass to running for his life from a group of indians. It was a very good book the kind that you don¹t want to put down until you have finished reading it. I really enjoyed reading this book I found it to be extermely interesting and exciting. I have always been interested in adventure reading especially when it seem like it could be true. That is what was so great about this book, it could very easily have been a true story not like one of those science fiction adventures. I thought it was an excellent book and would recomend it to anyone who enjoys reading a good adventure book.

This book is about an Indian raised man, Jim, who was really white. He ran-a-way from his home with his uncle, however, his uncle did not know that Jim was folowing him. How the story kind of starts out is (when he was maybe 11) a grizzly bear attacked him. The Crow Indians saved him by rasing him themselves.

So Jim starts to take on the Indian ways, but then he runs away form the Crows and starts to trap for furs. Then he gets a letter (Jim can't read, by the way). Jim then goes to a trader he knows a little bit, so that the trader can read the letter.

While he is at the traders he runs into his brother Jonnie. Jonnie and his sister and 11 year old brother are going to Oregon to claim land, but they can't do it because none of them are old enough. So Jonnie had sent the letter to Jim, because he is the only one old enough in the family to claim land.
Jim has a hard time fitting in with the white people and even harder with his family. And his sister Sally doesn't make things easier.
When Jim finaly makes a last try to fit in it is for the sake of his yongest brother, Dan'l.
This story can be very sad at points, and is fiction with a good bit of adventure (I think so any way).
I say this is the best book I have read in a long time. I would suggest this book and THE GOLDEN GOBLET for anyone to read!!!!!

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is an offbeat location for anything...including daily life. But there we are, complete with serial killer! I originally read this book because of its local interest but couldn't put it down because of my interest. The story is fast-paced, absorbing, and chilling. Computer details ring true, as do the descriptions of my small hometown. The main character, Jay, is especially well-drawn as she evolves in her own "serial" pursuits. I've been looking over my shoulder since I finished it

I'd read WATCH ME over a year ago but since I'd just gotten ahold of the sequel CATCH ME last w/e and am ignoring the books bought for me by my family for Xmas in favor of Holt's new novel, I thought that I'd share some of my impressions.

First off, I no more believe that WATCH ME is Holt's first book than I believe Robert James Waller has talent. This is a poised, polished, savvy effort and first novels, not even NATHAN'S RUN, turn out this good. Holt is a bestselling author under his/her real name and I'm sure that I've read this author before.

Secondly, just when people think the serial killer genre has been done to death (pardon the phrase) someone like AJ Holt comes along to breathe new life and brings us a combination of Brian Garfield's DEATH WISH and Thomas Harris's SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. There are several vigilante novels out there, the most execrable being PREDATORS, but Holt's slick, well-paced effort is easily head and shoulders above them.

The characterization was adequate, not nearly as detailed as in Harris's efforts but what the author lacks in character development (I didn't believe his half-hearted explanation as to why Jay turned renegade FBI agent), s/he more than makes up for in plotting and action. The denouement was genuinely thrilling and Holt set up a demand for the sequel, which thankfully had come two years ago.

What'll the next one be called? MATCH ME?

Jaded thriller addict that I am, I picked up Watch Me thinking 'oh spare me, another dated cyber-cops-and-robbers, mouse-turns-vampire thing'. By page 90 I'd not only double-locked the doors, but made sure the dead bolts were set as well. This is a very satisfying and complex tale of pure human evil, carefully set in a wide variety of real and virtual locations, ranging from Vancouver to the dregs of cyberspace. Jay Fletcher, the leading lady, is morally ambiguous but lethally effective as she confronts a web of serial killers frighteningly disguised as normal people in our midst. Is this a disturbing book? Yes, definitely - what are the limits of legal protection? Is vigilantism justifiable, and if so, who decides? Holt's style is taut and spare: an excellent read in a safe place!