I started The Crossing expecting it to be similar to All The Pretty Horses--a book that could go right up on the movie screen as a Great Western, complete with the hero riding off into the sunset. What I found, instead, was a long twisting thread of a tale where every turn is a turn for the worse, where each decision, even if made for the right reasons, somehow results in loss and even more isolation for the main character, Billy. This slow-building anguish is offset by the almost Zen-like descriptions of the desert, the mountains, the dusty poor towns and people. McCormac's way of presenting dialogue--no quotation marks, and unencumbered by descriptive adverbs (she wrote thoughtfully)-- fits with the spareness of the landscape he describes so gracefully. His one joke in the book (I won't spoil it for you Texans), is told with as much forthrightness as the scene that describes how the blind man lost his eyes--one of the most horrifying things I've ever read. The final scene of the book made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I put this book down realizing that there were layers and layers of meaning here, and that I had only absorbed one or maybe two. It's a book that I believe will only improve with rereading (and I will be rereading it, something I rarely do), and one that would provide excellent material for classroom discussion on any number of topics. It's a book that I found myself really wanting to talk with somebody about, so hey, somebody invite me to their book club and let's put this one on the list!

I eagerly read The Crossing, having thoroughly enjoyed All the Pretty Horses (by the way, I stayed away from All the Pretty Horses for quite some time, just because the title reminded me of the movie Pretty Woman, and so I thought the book would be trite - Wrong!). In The Crossing, Mr. McCarthy truly unleashes his mastery of the English language, writing in poem-prose throughout. The sequence of the dying wolf is the best description of death's ultimate relation to life that I've ever read. My feeling after reading the book was that I'd just become part of the anguish that any displaced species or people feels, in this case the wolf representing Mexico's loss of 2/3 of its country to the US and Mexico representing the loss of innocence of the protagonist and thus the loss of innocence of both the US and Mexico - both guilty of the death that must follow life, yet both still neighbors, although now Mexico is much poorer and dangerous, or is it?

It seem that occasionaly a writer comes along that is able to take from the great masters that preceeded them and yet make it their own genius. Cormac Mccarthy is the lastest of these, from the whirlwind prose of Faulkner to the depth of character of Steinbeck and the magical realism of Marquez, Mccarthy shows his influences but his vision is a uniquely dark one. In this the second book of the border trilogy Mccarthy meditates on the invisible line that seperates the United States from it's neighbor to the south. This border is used as a significant metaphor within the novel, as Billy Parnham, the main protaganist, crosses this line he also crosses into a world quite foriegn to him and one in which he is never completely comfortable. The Crossing is the beautiful story of two brothers and their adventures in Mexico but is so much more than that. The description of the land is unmatched while the characters seem to slowly enter you as the novel is consumed. I highly reccommend this novel. There doesn't seem to be another current writer who can express so well that place between man and the world

Wow! I just got done reading "Kokopelli's Flute" and I thougt it was grrreat but confusing book, that is why I gave it a 4 star. Kokopelli's Flute is kind of like a bunch of stories about the Anassazi with the same characters put together. The story was mysterious and I did not want to put it down. Though it is confusing, it is still a good book! I would higly recommend this book for ages 9 and up, and for people who are interested in the Southwest Native Americans. It's about a boy who meets a mysterious person. Soon the boy finds out that the mysterious person is also someone very special. But you have to read "Kokopellis Flute to find out who that special person is!!

I think Kokopelli's Flute should get four stars.It is non-fiction and is about a boy who transforms into a desert animal. It takes place in New Mexico and the boy's name is Tepary Jones. While it is a great book it is a little confusing so I don't recommend it for children under the age of ten. If you read the book you'll find out why Tepary turns into a desert animal. If you are interested in desert plants,animals,and Native Americans this will be a great book for you.

Kokopelli's Flute is a wonderful book. That is why I gave it five stars. It is about a boy named Tepary who loves the ancient Native Americans and ancient artifacts. One day he found out much more than he ever knew about the Native Americans secrets. It is a very exciting book with many true facts about the Southwest, desert animals, and the Southwest Native Americans. Yet, it is a mystical magical book that everyone should read.

Michael Nesmith's novel, The Long Sandy Hair Of Neftoon Zamora, takes you through a land of enchantment, mystery and romance that touches all senses and feelings. Much like his music, this novel expands the boundary of classification. Unpredictable is the only single word that can describe this novel (or any of Nez's works for that matter). Expect to be surprised, because it's sure that you will be. Michael Nesmith is a truly fabulous storyteller who gives his own unique twist and point of view to extraordinary situations. The tale Nez tells of Neftoon Zamora is a fantastic journey of mind and spirit. Nez puts magic into words and creates vivid images with details that give you a real sense of being there.

Just as Nez knows that he must search out Neftoon Zamora, once you began reading this book you know that you must go along for the journey. With the endearing characters, remarkable locales and constantly changing plot, you'll find that once you pick up this book you won't want to put it down. The twisting and turning road that this story takes is enchanting, sometimes puzzling, but never dull, and even though you never know where the next turn in the road will take you, it's sure to be someplace even more spellbinding than the last. In a reality that keeps changing, there are always new secrets to learn and expand upon. Anyone can find themselves relating to the ideas presented in this book on some level, and you'll understand more each time you read it. This book will make you think about things that you've never imagined before, and you'll always discover new ideas and find new thoughts to ponder. You'll find yourself never wanting the journey to end, but you'll always be ready to begin reading again and reliving the adventure. Like Nez's shorter stories with soundtracks (The Prison and The Garden), TLSHONZ can be enjoyed many times and there's something new to learn each time. Everyone is sure to get something new and different out of this book every time they read it.

I was a relatively new Nez fan when I began reading this book on Videoranch, and I knew very little about Nez's remarkable music, let alone his new venture as an author. Although I was skeptical at first, I quickly fell into the enchanting story. As is his music, Nez's first novel is nothing short of fantastic. If you already know of Mike's music and videos then you'll know that anything he does will go far beyond any preconceptions you might have. And just as Nez learns in the story, once you actually find what you are looking for, you might find that it wasn't really what you were looking for at all, and it's usually better. Whether you're a fan of Nez's music already or not, anyone is sure to enjoy this book.

In a much too cynical world, this book proves that peace, hope, love and truth remain sincere and genuine in the hearts of those who believe in magic and love. Thank you, Michael, for this new treasure.

The Long Sandy Hair of Neftoon Zamora is an entrancing interaction between the magical world of Welach and the world in which we live. The author uses his own magic with words to whisk you along with him on his quest, leaving you so breathless, you must stop on occasion to absorb what you've just experienced. Mr. Nesmith should be praised for his marvelous ability to make the reader ponder more than simply the words written on the page. This book is well worth the read, and you can't help but feel the love that went into the creation of this piece of literary art.

When I read this novel, I felt like I was watching a movie. This book's plot moves along fluidly, and its characters and setting are enchanting. I especially love the element of uncertainty regarding the title character, Neftoon Zamora, and that of the other main character, affectionately known as "Nez". Michael Nesmith seems to have put much of his own persona into this character... Nez's love of music, cars, and airplanes has a depth that comes from living with those passions full-time. I cared about Nez and whether he would succeed in his quest for the mythological Neftoon Zamora and the amazing blues music he'd heard on a cassette tape so much that I brought this book everywhere I went while I was reading it. I found several passages in this book to be so entertaining that I read them aloud to friends, and I am certain I'll be back to read this book again! I'd also love to see it come out as a movie -- it certainly seems to have been written with the medium of film in mind.

Pflock's "Roswell" is probably one of the most important contributions to ufology in the last ten years. Pflock's thorough exploration of the events of July, 1947 are revealing, insightful, and--best of all--credible. "Roswell" is healthy skepticism with muscle and intellect, and a positively delicious read for truth-seekers disillusioned by Kal Korff's whiny, unconvincing tome on the subject.

Like Pflock, I've long been a Roswell agnostic. The evidence assembled here has, I'm afraid, pushed me into the skeptics' corner for good. Maybe I'm wrong--and, to be sure, there's always that slightly disturbing wish that I am--and new evidence will surface that makes the extraterrestrial crash hypothesis more attractive. In the meantime, Pflock's work is very likely to remain the definitive resource on the subject.

There's only one catch: to appreciate "Roswell," it's best to be versed in dissenting opinions. I highly recommend Kevin Randle's fascinating "The Roswell Encyclopedia" and Stanton Friedman's "TOP SECRET/MAJIC" as cogent arguments from the "believers'" perspective.

In his Introduction, Jerry Pournelle calls this a "courageous" book. I found it sad.

Karl Pflock spent a considerable fraction of his years since retiring from government service and private industry investigating the Roswell "mystery." In the end, he comes to the conclusion that what Mack Brazel found on his ranch in 1947 was no more than what it looked like at first glance: some broken balsa wood sticks, fishing line, scraps of rubber and tinfoil.

Whether this trash was a weather balloon or the remains of a high-altitude spy device, one thing it certainly was not: the wreckage of an alien space vehicle or aircraft.

To get from there to here, though, he had to plow through every sort of bad evidence: Old folks' confused and faded memories. Embellishments from people trying to add color and importance to their uninteresting lives. Coverups of long-obsolete government secrets, running on bureaucratic inertia. Forgeries and tall tales produced for profit or for ideology. And more than one out-and-out con man.

It's about as depressing a list of petty human folly as anyone could wish to avoid. And it seems to have taken a toll on Pflock. He keeps his pen under tight control, but he doesn't mince words about his fellow "researchers." Nor does he spare Karl Pflock -- much. He admits that his objectivity, his agnosticism as to whether the "Roswell mystery" was real or not, was not all he thought it was.

It has to be a bitter thing to give up on a hoped-for revelation of the reality of UFOs, to find the evidence for a major, major UFO landing case crumbling in your hands, to find friends and colleagues in ufology revealed as self-blinded or dishonest.

The reins slip in a place or two, and Pflock rails against both UFO-believers and UFO-skeptics. It's hard to see where skeptics have sinned nearly as much as believers in the Roswell case. Then you realize this is Pflock's way of pronouncing a pox on both their houses -- on the whole amateurish, incestuous, tiny world of ufology.

This won't be the last book on Roswell. It may be the last of any importance, though.

And it may well be Karl Pflock's last book on UFOs.

After plodding my way through this book, I came to one conclusion, Mr. Pflock has written the finest book on the events in and around Roswell, New Mexico during the early days of July, 1947. Don't let the term "plodding" distract or deter you, the book is pedantic as hell, and a good read nonetheless. This sort of treatment has been sorely lacking, and the recent spate of "pulp fiction" about Roswell hasn't helped anything.

Mr. Pflock includes photographs, documents, affidavits, everything the serious student of Roswell needs to make their own decision. Coming from the the "believer" side of the Extra-Terrestrial Hypothesis, Mr. Pflock has truly written a wonderful, exact, and incisive book.

Want to know what happened at Roswell? Buy it now. Don't be a cheapskate, buy a couple for yer friends. They make great Christmas gifts. Be a real doll and send one to Stanton Friedman, or Kevin Randle, they need this book. Oh, be extra generous and send one to Whitley Streiber and Art Bell, they REALLY need this book.

'Nuff said.

The books fails to cover the security aspects
of the Wen Ho Lee case accurately. This is
more dissappointing considering Hoffman did
covered the security aspects at the Los Alamos Labs
in his original newspaper articles but such
coverage did not make it to this book.

Hoffman and Stober incorrectly refers to Wen Ho Lee's
data as classified when infact the data was technically
not considered classifed when Wen Ho Lee was working
on them. Data security at Los Alamos is defined at
multiple levels. While Wen Ho Lee had a very high
security clearance, the software and data Wen Ho
Lee was working with was defined as "Protected As
Restricted Data"(PARD) which is not considered
classified but one step below it. Classified data
at the lab was defined as "Classified Restricted
Data" (CRD). The files that Wen Ho Lee copied onto
the infamous tapes were all PARD; however, after
the FBI found his backup tape notebook - the DOE
retroactively redefined the tapebackup data files
as CRD and "Top Secret"(TS). This allowed the
FBI to prosecute Wen Ho Lee as a felon. The
government ploy was to intimidate Wen Ho Lee
in hopes that they could get Wen Ho Lee to
disclose a spy handler or a spy ring.

Much of the data at Los Alamos is listed as PARD
because none of the researchers wants to go over
the many lines of code to determine if there were
any secrets worth protecting. In the past, efforts
by DOE intelligence to eliminate the PARD
classification has met with resistance from most
of the scientists at the atomic labs because
researchers found PARD useful in reducing the
security workload (so they could focus on their
work at advancing science and weapon technologies).
IIRC while the installation of PARD data on non
classified computers was against security
regulations - it was not a felony - one might
could lose one's security level or at worst be
dismissed. Reportedly more often than not the

mishandling of PARD data would only bring a
reprimand. Prosecution's argument for treating
the Wen Ho Lee case differently was that a
massive amount of data was involve. However,
Many of the lab scientists who normally work
with massive amounts of data felt that the
prosecution of Wen Ho Lee amounted to an
abuse of power by security. To make such
matters worst, it was disclosed that CIA Dir
John Deutch was caught editing Top Secret documents
on home computer which was not approved
as a classified computer ( FBI officials were
relucant to prosecute Deutch. Deutch's case
was a source of embarassment to the Clinton
administration. John Deutch case was
closed when he was pardon by President Clinton.
Wen Ho Lee however was unable to get a
presidential pardon. )

Hoffman and Stober's puts a great deal of effort in
describing the case against Wen Ho Lee. The book
reads rather unevenly. In general, when the book
describes possible error or problems with government
agents like Trulock and Dan Bruno, the authors
immediately provide a defenses or alibi to deny
any wrongdoing or dismissing any error. However,
in general when the book presences evidence against
Wen Ho Lee the author do not provide any immediate
defense for Wen Ho Lee but rather tries to build
up Wen Ho Lee as the mystery man; the reader has
to wait until the end of the book for Wen Ho Lee's
defense. I suppose this was for dramatic buildup?
In writing this book the authors acknowlegde
they had immediate access to the government agents.
The book's acknowlegdement seems to indicate
that the authors did not have immediate access
to Wen Ho Lee - who was writing his own book
about his experience.

This book could have been the definitive, unbiased account of this whole ugly situation. Unfortunately, the authors appear to have had very little access to Lee himself, or his family, and so this book does not feel complete. This book is strongest when discussing the failings of the FBI and CIA, but it is weaker when discussing their main subject, Wen Ho Lee. Stober and Hoffman's depiction of Lee sometimes seems unnecessarily dark, like the shadowy picture of Lee on the book cover. For example, they exonerate him as a spy, but repeatedly mention that Lee was a mediocre talent at the labs. Huh? So why was he hired at the height of the Cold War by an elite lab that could have gotten anybody it wanted?

I also wonder how well the authors understand Lee and his background. For example, they accept at face value reports that Lee was seen hugging a foreign weapons scientist, suggesting suspicious intimacy with the "enemy". But Lee himself always strenuously denied that the "hug" ever took place, and I believe him for the simple reason that showing physical intimacy in public is not terribly common between most Asians, particularly among the older generation. Hoffman and Stober choose to believe a culturally incongruous report, and not Lee. Why?

Did Stober and Hoffman not push hard enough for more access to Lee and his family? Was Lee advised by his lawyers not to talk to Stober and Hoffman? Whatever the case, this book missed a golden opportunity to present two complete sides of a very complicated case. The authors probably did the best they could with the material they had, and their descriptions of Lee's egomaniac accusers Notra Trulock and Bill Richardson are very eye-opening. However, the title should be reversed to "The Politics of Nuclear Espionage, and Wen Ho Lee".

The characters are so alive. It's almost like watching a movie.

In one occasion, Wen Ho¡¦s son, Chung, was questioned about any gambling loss their family had on their stops in Las Vegas, so that a connection between huge gambling loss and a motive to spy can be drawn. But only to find out yes, there was loss, about 50 dollars. And that made Wen Ho very upset and stop playing for a long time. Dud. I can imagine how this scene can be played in a movie.

Authors went through a large variety of sources to write this book. This book is well titled: ¡§¡Kand the politics of Nuclear Espionage¡¨

Due to the fact that authors were not able to interview Lee for first hand information, (probably at the advice of Lee's lawyers) there is an apparent lacking of Lee¡¦s view. But that perspective is complimented in his own book: ¡§My Country versus Me¡¨, which I just read, a wonderful book too.

However, there is a more serious aspect. Although authors examined in detail about Las Alamos Lab, FBI, DOE, DOJ, there is a unbalanced lacking of behind the scene stories on news media. Among all the mighty powers controlling the fate of Lee, New York Times, Washington Post and Times were as influential as DOE, DOJ and FBI. There is no scrutiny of any of them at all, neither media bosses nor the corresponds. Authors missed that part of the democracy system completely. Well, to be optimistic, we might expect those stories to appear in ¡§A Convenient Spy II¡¨. Just like those popular movies.

I too am an avid McGarrity fan. As I begin to read this latest installment in the series, I felt the familiar rush of interesting plot building that I have come to appreciate in previous Kevin Kerney novels. Yet this novel doesn't invoke the same excitement and surprises that have been the hallmark of McGarrity's writing. Also, what makes Kerney an interesting character is the fact that he is an everyday man, working hard to materialize his dreams. Something a lot of us can relate to. With Kerney's sudden inheritance and marriage, the entire plot begin to read like a grocery store romance dream novel. The sudden and surprising money does nothing to enhance the character and the marriage line is weak, unrealistic and totally unnecessary. Now with the discovery of a son and a baby on the way with his new wife, I hope that McGarrity will soon retire this series and let Kerney and family live "happily ever after" or free Kerney from his current path and bring back the vibrant hero we fans have come to enjoy.

and "The Judas Judge" is a fast and entertaining read, although not as strong as the prior 4 books in the Kerney series.
Here, the minor faults do not lie with Kerney himself, whose life takes some interesting twists and turns while he continues to pursue his cases with the single-mindedness and coping strategies for the tedium and the detail that are necessary to most murder investigations. New Mexico itself also plays a strong role in the novel, and McGarrity's view and visuals of the southwest continue to provide a successful backdrop.

No, here the story breaks down with the eventual discovery of the reasons for the terrible crime, and how they center upon a depraved judge, of whom little evil is known until his death. Generally, those as unsympathetic as Judge Vernon Langsford are known to their surroundings as evil, long before their death. In the book, it takes Kerney quite some time to unearth his secrets, even though it is obvious from the beginning that there are a lot of things that are "not quite right" about his lifestyle.

Still, the book moves at a rapid pace and has an interesting new insight into Kerney, when an unknown family is revealed to him. His reactions and conduct make him continue to be a favorite hero in suspense and mystery novels.
Worth the read!

This action packed story, set in New Mexico, is a book I couldn't put down. Michael McGarrity continues to develop his primarary character, the man's man, Kevin Kerney. This is a GREAT READ from the exciting first chapter through the final page.

Buy and read this book and you will, if you are not already a fan, be reading the other four of his books.

I highly recommend this book, without any reservation. I can't wait for the next one to emerge from this author with the background, experience and knowledge of his subject matter. He tells things as they really are in law enforcement and on the street.

I've seen it all, as a lawyer and criminal procecuter, and from my personal view, McGarrity has directness and tells things truthfully and factually as they happen in the "real world" of criminal investigation.

Michael, thank you for another great read. Keep up the good work; my wife and I can't wait until your next book is published and we continue to follow the development of your characters. We and our friends that we have passed our books on to have all enjoyed your work.How about incorporating the Good Friday murders on the walk to Chayamo into a future plot?

Silko has written the most disturbing work of fiction I have ever read -- brutal, violent, vulgar, obscene, horrific, ugly, terrifying.....and unfortunately true. With a cast of characters as degenerate as they come, Silko strips away the facade of "manners" and "civilization" to expose the ugliest of the ugly in man, an ugly too near the surface of many people. Blinded by their own self-centeredness, each character stumbles toward personal armageddon from which there is no escape. The novel presents none of the hopeful aspects which are generally associated with contemporary Native American literature (but one, Sterling's return to Laguna) -- there are no living children to continue the family and no characters in relationships that offer this hope, no communities with strong emotional ties, no returns (except for Sterling's), and no healing. Morally and emotionally scarred, the characters move through the novels like the decaying creatures in a horror movie. No book has ever made me physically ill until this one -- headaches, nausea, nightmares, general disgust. If you have a weak constitution, skip this one. Also, watch out for extreme prejudice -- are Europeans the only ones not allowed to live on in the promised land? Are Europeans the only group that is not tribal, and therefore not deserving of a place in the Americas (a trick question, for if you believe in evolution, all groups were tribal at one point or another)

In much the same way that her brilliant and beautiful 1st novel Ceremony is intended to function as a ceremony for its readers, Almanac is intended to function as a a prophetic document. Silko's text is inspired by, and meant to serve as an extension of, ancient Mayan codices--books which keep exact and detailed record of Time and attempt to prophesy based on this knowledge. Time is as much a character in this "novel" as the Land is.

Of course, Silko doesn't lay all this out for her reader, but the clues are there. The ancient notebooks that old Yoeme leaves in the hands of the twins Lecha & Zeta are directly inspired by & directly refer to the codices. Twins themselves are of mythological significance in Mayan (and many other Southwestern) cosmologies. Almost every Native American character in this novel can be read as a mythological being in disguise. They all have dual functions, especially the female characters.
Silko has said that the anger which can be so overwhelming in her text does not come from her. She sees herself as more of a conduit for a much more ancient and dangerous rage. What began as a project about the seedy underbelly of Modern Tucson quickly transphormed itself to a work of mythological scope and political indictment.

This novel is demanding, complex, and mind-blowing in scope. It is by no means a casual read, nor is it sympathetic towards its reader. It requires things of you that typical novels don't. It even demands you abandon your theory of what a novel is and does. But if you are willing to follow Silko's narrative & thematic trails, the vision she reveals for you is truly astounding.

Silko's next novel, Gardens in the Dunes, was written, she says, to reward all of us who braved and withstood the onslaught that is Almanac of the Dead. It is true that those who make it through this book develop a bit of an obsession with it. Approach this text with this in mind, and you might make it to the end. But be prepared to return immediately to the beginning--you'll never get the scope of Silko's vision in one read.

Not nearly as complex as some would like to make it. The "land" interacts with people to manifest its spirits. Those who are "cut off" from the land, become alienated and "alien." 500 years is not so long in the grand scheme of things. What is yet to come is what has been before, a people who are shaped by the spirits of the Americas.

Her novel might not make some people "happy." It certainly isn't your romantic "Indian story" (that so many people seem to want). The lives it depicts in fiction aren't far from the convoluted inner workings of some of the indigenous movements here in the Americas (the Zapatista, AIM, etc.) nor from the "cultural elite" who rot in their penthouses in the monuments of Western civilization.

It might not be an "easy" read, but it is certainly an engaging one, and a well-crafted one. Highly recommended.

Good news for crime fiction fans. Michael McGarrity has issued the sixth book in his highly acclaimed series featuring old friend and protagonist Kevin Kerney as the new police chief of Santa Fe, New Mexico and about to be embroiled in a mystery that includes murders, computer espionage and national security. For readers that have not read McGarrity's previous novels, be aware that many now believe he rivals Tony Hillerman with his highly readable style and unique ability to combine his knowledge of both the landscape and culture of the American southwest with plot and storyline that have few equals. Kerney, after having been deputy chief for the New Mexico State Police, is persuaded to postpone retirement and accept a job as police chief of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The department is in disarray and less than professional; Kerney's wife is pregnant and intent on pursuing her military career; and Kerney simply cannot seem to stay away from police work he so enjoys. Thus, he accepts the job in Santa Fe that is not known as a high crime area and keeps him close to the land and people he knows and understands so well. A pretty good setup for someone that wants to keep his hand in law enforcement but not as demanding and dangerous as former jobs...one would think! The story begins with the murder of the estranged wife of a U.S. Ambassador in her Santa Fe home. At first it appears to be a crime not unlike others Kerney has investigated in his career, senseless to be sure but not without clues and witnesses. Ah, but the plot thickens. Just as Kerney begins his investigation he is notified that a FBI anti-terrorism team is enroute to Santa Fe and will take over the investigation. It seems that national security might be involved which requires the expertise of the feds. A bit unusual to be sure but Kerney initially discontinues investigation and steps into the background while the FBI takes charge. True to form the case turns bizarre with the feds sanitizing the crime scene, potential witnesses disappearing, and ultimately what appears to Kerney to be fake evidence is used to clear and close the case. Suspecting a cover-up Kerney begins his own unofficial investigation which leads to evidence of a covert cover-up involving U.S. intelligence agencies, dot-com companies, and rogue federal agents. He is placed under surveillance, threatened, and forced to watch as a number of murders are committed, including his own officers, in the name of national security. It also appears he is on the hit list. This is McGarrity at his best. The story moves at a fast pace, is highly readable, and eerily believable given both the current climate in this country and the unique talent of the author to place the reader in a time and place he obviously knows so well. The description of the Southwest landscape combined with both a believable plot and characters makes this a must read for mystery fans or anyone seeking a good read. I reviewed one of his previous books, The Judas Judge, and noted "He knows the territory and it shows." It is still true in this book. Highly recommended.

Good news for crime fiction fans. Michael McGarrity has issued the sixth book in his highly acclaimed series featuring old friend and protagonist Kevin Kerney as the new police chief of Santa Fe, New Mexico and about to be embroiled in a mystery that includes murders, computer espionage and national security. For readers that have not read McGarrity's previous novels, be aware that many now believe he rivals Tony Hillerman with his highly readable style and unique ability to combine his knowledge of both the landscape and culture of the American southwest with plot and storyline that have few equals. Kerney, after having been deputy chief for the New Mexico State Police, is persuaded to postpone retirement and accept a job as police chief of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The department is in disarray and less than professional; Kerney's wife is pregnant and intent on pursuing her military career; and Kerney simply cannot seem to stay away from police work he so enjoys. Thus, he accepts the job in Santa Fe that is not known as a high crime area and keeps him close to the land and people he knows and understands so well. A pretty good setup for someone that wants to keep his hand in law enforcement but not as demanding and dangerous as former jobs...one would think! The story begins with the murder of the estranged wife of a U.S. Ambassador in her Santa Fe home. At first it appears to be a crime not unlike others Kerney has investigated in his career, senseless to be sure but not without clues and witnesses. Ah, but the plot thickens. Just as Kerney begins his investigation he is notified that a FBI anti-terrorism team is enroute to Santa Fe and will take over the investigation. It seems that national security might be involved which requires the expertise of the feds. A bit unusual to be sure but Kerney initially discontinues investigation and steps into the background while the FBI takes charge. True to form the case turns bizarre with the feds sanitizing the crime scene, potential witnesses disappearing, and ultimately what appears to Kerney to be fake evidence is used to clear and close the case. Suspecting a cover-up Kerney begins his own unofficial investigation which leads to evidence of a covert cover-up involving U.S. intelligence agencies, dot-com companies, and rogue federal agents. He is placed under surveillance, threatened, and forced to watch as a number of murders are committed, including his own officers, in the name of national security. It also appears he is on the hit list. This is McGarrity at his best. The story moves at a fast pace, is highly readable, and eerily believable given both the current climate in this country and the unique talent of the author to place the reader in a time and place he obviously knows so well. The description of the Southwest landscape combined with both a believable plot and characters makes this a must read for mystery fans or anyone seeking a good read. I reviewed one of his previous books, The Judas Judge, and noted "He knows the territory and it shows." It is still true in this book. Highly recommended.

Kevin Kerney returns to New Mexico as the new chief of police, but before he settles into his job, he has a major homicide case. Ms. Phyllis Terrell, estranged wife of a US Ambassador, is found dead in her home. Before the chief and his men dig too deep, the FBI, claiming national security, takes over the investigation.

While the FBI whitewash the case, across town at the College of Santa Fe, a second homicide occurs. The victim is a priest who was studying covert actions of the United States in South America. Seeing a clear link between the homicides and an obvious cover up by the Feds, Kerney and his most trusted staff go undercover to try to learn the truth.

Michael McGarrity has written a fast-paced police procedural that is so action-packed the audience will need an oxygen tank to take a breath. The government's covert operation seems plausible, but Kerney's counter-measure makes David look like a giant going up against Goliath. This improbability does not hurt an enjoyable UNDER THE COLOR OF LAW because the protagonist is easy to like and identify with in this SST speedster. This thriller wrapped around a police procedural will keep fan interest from start to finish.

Harriet Klausner

I found the plot of Tularosa to be a little contrived, but the authentic feel of New Mexico has obviously been present in McGarrity's series from the beginning.

Kerney and Sara Brannon are easy to like and have a well-paced relationship in the book. There was a lot of gratuitous violence south of the border; but probably this is based in what the author has really found in his career in law enforcement in the southwest.

McGarrity struggles a little with his writing style - he paints a scenic picture well, but was just starting out in character development and dialogue.

Worth the read to start the Kerney series; the author continues to develop and satisfy the reader.

I picked this up on a whim in a need to satisfy my curiosity on a south west mystery genre usually dominated by Tony Hillerman or J.A. Jance, and I was pleasantly surprised.

What you won't find here is a lot of Native American spirituality or beliefs, and gone are the all to traditional Navajo lore so custom to these books. But you will find a very well written novel that is very believable and exciting to read.

Main character Kevin Kerney (formerly a cop) has been spending the last few years in the Santa Fe area as a ranch/handy man and is approached by his former partner (and former friend) to locate his missing son. It seems Kerney's godson (a soldier out of White Sands Missile Range) is missing, and Kerney make the trip down south to locate the boy.

Enter Sara Brannon, she's a captain in the military and is in charge of the military cases on the base. Reluctant in helping Kerney at first, they soon both uncover a mystery that goes beyond just the awol soldier.

About 1/2 way through the book, a new story begins. It looks as if it is a totally separate and isolated incident from the one that Kerney and Brannon are working on, and we have the introduction of some new characters. Their adventures take them just south of the border of Texas and New Mexico into a sleazy border town in Mexico itself, run by a local drug lord. The plot reveals missing antiques worth a whole lot of money to someone. This story in itself is exciting and even becomes more so as soon, the two stories become inter-twined with each other.

With everyone after the missing goods and how this ties into some of the cases back at White Sands, a much larger conspiracy is uncovered and Kerney and Sara must do everything they can just to stay alive.

The climax was good and left the reader satisfied. There was a small twist at the end, that unlike most other endings, not everything turns out the way it should have. The players here do not return to the norm.

McGarrity writes well. His descriptions of landscapes and towns are accurate as I myself have been to these areas. The overall pace of the book is good, never to slow, and yet actions are not hurried to get to the end.

As a former resident of this area of New Mexico, it was a real pleasure reading this and all of the other books by the author. He describes the countryside and the characters to a T. Be sure to read all of his books. We always get the newest ones as soon as they are available.

First of all, I bought TOP SECRET/ MAJIC on July 4th in Roswell, NM from ufologist Stanton Friedman. So I walked into reading this book after having met the author (who freaked me out like an evil bearded Smurf). Mr. Friedman completes a nearly flawless, although sometimes strained, point by point case to prove that the MJ-12 documents are real. I left the book feeling convinced of the documents authenticity, but a little suspect about some of the motives behind Friedman's logic.

For example, Dr. Vannevar Bush (chairman of the National Defense Research Commission and Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II & a NACA chairman) was a known UFO debunker throughout his life, and is one of the 12 people listed within the MJ-12 documents. The logic that Friedman uses to convince readers that Bush was a UFO conspirator is often charged with overly negative emotion due to their adversarial relationship.

Despite several such overly demonstrative flaws in the action of his rhetoric, all in all it was a pretty good read.....

But finding it is the real story. Nuclear scientist Stanton Friedman offers armchair UFO enthusiasts and debunkers an amazing view inside the world of UFO committees and conferences, hoaxed pictures and documents, the government's many records archives, unexplained UFO sightings, and the difficulties of obtaining information through the so-called "Freedom of Information Act". Although Friedman plainly states his pro-UFO sentiments, he nevertheless takes a scientific approach to analyzing the alleged MJ-12 government documents, code-named "MAJIC", anonymously leaked to fellow researchers Bill Moore and Jaime Shandera. After endless hours of archival research, dozens of dead-ended requests, interviews with relatives of deceased government officials, and his own attempts to prove the documents false through massive fact gathering, Friedman's inarguable conclusions add a startling and new dimension to what actually happened near Roswell in 1947, and bring to light the subsequent government and military activity designed to keep it secret. His dogged empirical analyses of each document is a fascinating detective story, one that will easily hold the attention of any reader interested in sifting through rumor, gossip, innuendo, and disinformation to reach a logical conclusion of fact.

Most of this book concern's Friedman's focussed efforts to confirm the validity of a 1952 document from the Majestic-12 investigative panel. He takes the reader along with him as he tries, sometimes successfully, but more often not, to navigate the bureaucratic maze that has been assembled to hide UFO and ET information from the public. But his failures are also successes, in a way, showing that the US government has much to hide! Since recent indications suggest that Mars is inhabited by sentient beings, I found it interesting that the Majestic-12 panel was suggesting this, among themselves, even back in 1952. Besides this primary, narrow focus, Friedman gives his considered opinion on matters such as Bob Lazar, and on the alien autopsy film(s), with enough evidence and conviction that I am reconsidering my own earlier assessment. I recommend this book as one of the most solidly written, most thoroughly researched books in the UFO genre.