As a long-time Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitzky fan, this series just gets better and better. I just read the whole book during a snow day when I had better things to do, and I just couldn't put it down. The characters are familiar, and they've grown over the years, and Lescroart is so good at making it clear why real people can't live happily ever after... Dismas has come a long way, and his character continues to have depth and be interesting to observe. But best of all - this is a great thriller, a real page turner. Lots of twists and turns, and interesting political and social issues are represented all over the place. He has a nice touch writing about kids, about marriage, about relationships - okay, some of the stuff here is a little far-fetched but it's a mystery novel, that's why we read them. For new readers, start at the beginning of this series and work your way to the present - it will be worth it!

I have read several of John Lescroart's books, and each one is remarkably enjoyable. Unfortunately, I have not read them in sequential order, so that I find myself a bit surprised as to how Dismas Hardy's life has "progressed." Nevertheless, this series is so well-written, with enough referrals to previous incidents and cases, that each can stand on its own.

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH is an immensely engrossing story. I found that the time line--four days to solve a murder that had occurred four weeks previously and had gone cold--in order to save his wife, Frannie, from suffering more indignities and consequences for protecting a friends's secret, was exciting and compelling. From the first chapter, I wanted to finish the book FAST! I love when a book hooks me like this, and that is what all of Lescroart's books do...grab you and keep you going and going until you reach the suprising, satisfying conclusion.

By the way, listening to one of his wonderful books on tape, HARD EVIDENCE, I learned his name is pronounced la-sqwaa--soft "a." Something fun to know!

Nothing but the Truth is the first John T. Lescroart novel I've read, but it certainly won't be my last!! I will definitely explore the rest of the Dismas Hardy series, and go from there.

In this book, Hardy is an attorney whose wife somehow gets "involved" in a murder investigation of their children's classmate's mother. In order to clear her name, as it were, Hardy works with a friend in Homicide and undertakes his own probing, and as it turns out, dangerous, investigation of the murder.

The book is a compelling read from page one. Although I freely admit I'm not the best at guessing "who done it", the twists and turns the investigation takes really blew my mind. The clues were there, but there was no way I could put it all together. I guess that's why I'm a reader and not a crime investigator ;)

I really can't recommend this book highly enough. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more of Mr. Lescroart's writing. Hopefully, you will too :D

I've enjoyed Kellerman as a new find this year; I've read every one of his books since April, THE BUTCHER'S THEATER being the last. Normally, I can't wait to finish his work, staying up later than my wife would like and taking longer lunch breaks than my boss would like. I usually finish his novels in 2-3 days. This one, however, didn't grab me like the others. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar locale that distracted me, but it took me 2 weeks to finish it, and frankly, it didn't bother me if I didn't get a chance to read it. The characterizations were good, as Kellerman's usually are, but I found the psychopath and his "political" leanings a little trite. I never felt like he was as scary as he was made out to be. This book also suffers from Kellerman's biggest weakness: endings. The "big confrontation" that is telegraphed from about half-way through the book is not entirely satisfactory.

This is a brilliant serial killer novel, not just for it's plot (which is actually somewhat run of the mill) but mainly for it's engrossing setting, Jerusalem. I've not read a fictional book set here before, and i found this new experience thoroughly engrossing and interesing. The descriptions about the culture were informative, and again very interesting, and gave a sharp edge of realism to the novel.

The characters a great, each one is developed well, and their trypes are many and varied. The writing is fresh and pulls you in, although sometimes Kellerman does go off on a tangent a bit when he puts in a rather long paragraph about Israeli history, which while some of it is interesting, some of it is also unnecesary and dull.

I didn't find the political tone too distracting, as some appear to have done. I admit, he does have slightly biased leanings, but you can't exactly blame him. He is Jewish, after all.

This is a big book, but it speeds along quickly. It's compelling, and grows dull very little, which is surprising considering it's length. The plot is adequate, the psychology is great, the insights into foreign culture marvellous, and the finale is excellent.

the immense scope of this book is as large as the view from the top of Mount Scopus.

This was the third or fourth Kellerman I read, so I was well acquainted with Alex Delaware & Co when I picked it up. I hadn't read the blurb - I simply bought the book. Well, you do, don't you? especially when it's Kellerman. Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I spent the first ten minutes wondering what on earth I was doing in Jerusalem... and then I got read the back cover.

Oh.

Sharavi wears his white hat comfortably. He is a very satisfying character, rich in nuance, with a dry wit. He's a character you're continually investigating throughout the book: Kellerman has written him well enough that you're never really sure what makes Sharavi tick.

Jerusalem is also well described. The dust, tension, angst, and U.N. corruption are obviously known to the author. You can feel the antiquity of the walls clashing with the pollution of the internal combustion engine in his descriptive pieces.

This is a book which deserves a second and third reading. It's one of Kellerman's best - which means it's one of the best in my book collection.

By the way... my copy's title is "The Butcher's Theatre". Wasn't it nice of the publisher to provide an English translation?

Ms. Alexander...is rather amusing. She has a good sense of the
ridiculous, and her characters are somewhat witty. However, a romance
novel should deal primarily with romance, as it is a romance novel,
and not something you pick up in the humor category.

Lady Marianne
fits the mold of nearly every other heroine in romance novel history,
which is fine. She does have some unique characteristics, and the
author takes them farther than many other authors do. She is not truly
the problem of the book.

Lord Helmsley
is... very... interesting... and somewhat unique, which is what I
think the author was going for. He is not like all the other heros,
which is supposed to be refreshing. There were some "cute"
moments, when it was nice he was not like every other hero you've ever
read, like when he knows he writes awful poetry, but he continues to
do so, because he enjoys it. However, and perhaps it is just me, but I
like the hero who is dashing, and humor is appreciated, but not when
it undermines his... manliness and the fact that he is supposed to be
a hero.

There were more than a couple scenes, towards the end of
the book, that made me cring and feel embarassed for Lord Helmsley,
not like him more. He could not get any of the heroics right, which I
suppose is supposed to be endearing, but made me wonder why I was
reading the book.

One of the very last scenes, when he is
desperately trying to convince Lady Marianne him, would be sweet, and
sort of sad, if it weren't for the fact the author left in many other
characters who remark upon the goings on. It is rather funny, but
there is not the tension you need to resolve the conflict in the
end.

This is the first novel I have read by [this author], and it
appears to be her latest effort, and overall, I thought it was okay. I
hope she works now more towards adding humor to romance, instead of
romance to humor.

The Marriage Lesson is the sequel to the Husband List. In The Marriage Lesson, Marianne and Thomas, sister and brother to Richard and Gillian (the male and female protagonists of the original book), are thrown together. Thomas is left holding the debut bag for Marianne and her 2 younger sisters when his parents leave England to visit Richard and Gillian in America. Thomas originally wants to marry Marianne (he cannot even remember her name at the outset of the book and calls her "Merry something") and her sisters off asap. To that end he attempts to persuade a friend to "take" Marianne off his hands and subsequently sends notes to the same effect, complete with dowry information, to the dullest, most respectable bachelors in the ton. Of course between the time he does that and the sisters' come-out ball, he begins to fall in love with Marianne. Meanwhile Marianne longs for adventure, travel and to meet a swashbuckling hero and therefore has no interest in accepting the dull suitors more interested in her dowry than herself. In this book, the author does a far better job of developing the characters' personalities than in the original book. Each has their own believable quirks and irrationalities; Thomas' excruciatingly bad poetry sets him apart from the typical Regency rake characters. The use of Marianne's serialized newspaper story as a slightly fictionalized account of her own life is a nice prelude to each chapter and proves that she does in fact have talent. Even the love scenes are better written in this book, although again I will quibble with the casual attitude toward unmarried sex and its potential repercussions which would not have been typical for the time period. As a former bridal fitter I was slightly annoyed by the ease with which Thomas is able to pull down Marianne's low cut bodice on the balcony of her mansion during her come-out ball (no pun intended): if the garments of this period were properly fitted, it would have been nearly impossible to pull them down unless the neckline were cut almost to the nipple. And would he have really done this in a house literally swarming with guests and servants, any of whom could have walked onto the balcony at any time, thereby forcing them to marry immediately? There is no indication that this was his unspoken intent and the author does not do a sufficient job of convincing us that they were THAT swept away by passion. These are small quibbles, and I would recommend this book as a good read.

The end of the book really had me laughing. The main character Marianne was witty and delightful throughout the book, although it took some time before the supporting characters were developed. I have to admit though, by the time they were finally developed, I had such a good laugh I couldn't give this book any less than 4 stars. It was worth it. The book did flow well and I didn't find myself skipping 20 to 30 pages as I do in many. The wit and humor throughout the book was entertaining enough to read it without skipping pages. This was very typical of many romances where the hero and heroine love each other but play their little games and argue a lot. Marianne, however, did a great job of seeing through all of Thomas' plans to manipulate her and used her intelligence to thwart them.

This book had a lot of the same humor found in Victoria's Believe, although the characters in Believe developed much earlier in the book. If you like Victoria Alexander's books, you will definitely like this one.

Looking for a light yet tasty summer read? Then look no further than Warren Adler's new novel, "Mourning Glory." It has all the right ingredients for a delicious way to pass a few hours. The basic plot concerns a middle-aged and attractive woman Grace Sorentino, a resident of Palm Beach, Florida, and her adventures. After being fired from Saks, she hatches a crazy plot to snare a rich husband. By going to the funerals of recently deceased women and cozying up to the new widowers! The novel really gets going and gets really good when Grace has to deal with the consequences of her actions. She didn't factor falling in love with her prey into her gold-digging equation! What works about this novel is that the people are very real and very finely drawn by Mr. Adler. Grace has flaws. Her daughter has flaws. Sam her "prey" has flaws. And Adler has a way of making you want to turn the pages as quickly as possible, to find out the next zany plot twist. If you're tired of the same old Oprah's book club recommendation, I suggest you give "Mourning Glory" by Warren Adler a look. It'll be worth your time and money!

I love books. Some people can't live without ice cream. I can't live without books! Most afternoons you can find me curled up in a coffee shop reading my latest acquisition from Barnes and Noble. Yesterday you would've found me at Starbucks sipping my iced caffe latte and reading Warren Adler's latest offering, "Mourning Glory." To put it simply, I loved it (the book I mean, although the coffee was excellent if overpriced as usual). The plot's a little wacky (woman tries to snag a rich husband by going to funerals) but Adler manages to make it completely believable. His characters are three-dimensional, very human people, warts and all. The main character Grace Sorentino is down on her luck, recently fired and saddled with a daughter who hungers for the finer things in life, like Donna Karan outfits. So she, taking the advice of her former boss, goes on a crazy manhunt, shopping for her prey at funerals. After finding a tasty specimen, she moves in for the kill. But she didn't realize that she might fall in love with Sam, her "target." I won't tell you any more specifics, you can discover all that this great novel has to offer yourself! Highly recommended.

As an avid reader of novels, I brought Mourning Glory with me on a trip to Venice thinking I would read it around the pool of the Cipriani. Instead I made the mistake of opening it at the beginning of my plane ride from Cincinnati only to find that I was immediately hooked and never closed my eyes through the entire trip causing me no end of jet lag in Venice. This novel has everything, humor, pathos and intrigue. Mr. Adler creates real complex human beings, throws them together with panache and suspense and forces on to turn the pages. Thankfully, the characters like Grace Sorentino the heroine of this novel linger in the mind long after the story has ended. The fact is that I read it again on the trip back and was even more fascinated as I discovered more interesting facets of the lives of the characters. I never write my thoughts about a novel, but this time I just had to register my opinion. I'm sure any reader of this book will agree with my assessment.

This book begins okay, and it's interesting to meet the characters from the previous books in the series, but about halfway through I began to get really bored. The hero is far too indecisive, the plot comes undone very quickly and the ending is so abrupt and contrived it left me shaking my head in disbelief. Ms. Johnston appears to have a hard time writing about characters who really have a dark side to them - Carlisle could have been much better constructed, but his angst seems weak. Its also very difficult to make the hero from one book the apparant villain in the next (Blackthorne), and we never do understand Cedric Ambleside's motives in this story. Too contrived, particularly the ending, and not enough real characterization.

This book was just what I need to take me away from the everyday world.

Its entertaining, romantic and easy read. I think the author knows her material and knows how to make her characters interesting and exciting. She makes you want to be back there to share in their world. I have read several other books by Ms. Johnston and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

"The Bridegroom" hooked me from the first page and never let me down. I stayed up all night reading it and was sorry to see it end. The twins, especially Reggie, who delighted us in the earlier Captive Heart books, take the reader on a whirlwind ride. Ms. Johnston has provided the reader with a sensual, thrilling, exciting read to conclude the Captive Heart series. Its no wonder "The Bridegroom" has been on the bestseller lists since its debut. Ms. Johnston's books keep getting better and better. She never lets her readers down.

This is a novel about spiritual warfare.

The protagonists are a sinister New Age practitioner called Mrs. Mayfield, and two flawed, eccentric Anglican priests. Caught in the middle are the narrator, a ferocious thirtysomething career woman called Carter Graham, and her husband Kim.

The first half of the book is a fast-moving adventure story, with the plot being driven by revelations about Kim's past (involving Mrs. Mayfield, and his first wife, Sophie). For much of the second half the pace slows and more serious themes emerge. Carter moves from her earlier indifference to Christianity towards a tentative engagement. There is much discussion of the nature of evil.

The underlying theology is Anglican (roughly equates to Episcopalian), liberal but clearly supernaturalist, and greatly informed by Jung.

I enjoyed this book. I haven't read any of Susan Howatch's novels before, and I am sure I shall read others. It's hard to find a writer to compare her with (some have apparently suggested Trollope, which I think is just batty). To me she reads like a modern and much more populist version of Charles Williams (novelist from the 1930s and 1940s and friend of C.S. Lewis).

I had some reservations. I felt that a reader who just wanted a good adventure story and didn't have any interest in theology or psychology would find parts of the book tedious and would want to skip them. I also found the writing uneven. Some of the dialogue clunks. Carter's idiosyncratic vocabulary (e.g. "tiger-thumpers" for sexist men who try to sabotage high-flying women) became tiresome after a while. And the social context of the characters is not always happily observed. E.g. I don't believe that a partner in a London commercial law firm would shop for an important dinner party at the local branch of Safeways supermarket!

Despite these reservations I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who shares the author's interests. Three stars is a fair verdict.

After the sheer and absolute brilliance of 'The Wonder Worker', Howatch had her work cut out for her, and The High Flyer is a respectable novel follow on. With any other author, this probably would have garnered a 5-star rating from me...

In The High Flyer, Howatch tells the story all from one view-point - that of Carter, a high-flying lawyer in London who has just met Kim Betz in time to keep her 'Life-Plan' on track. The only fly in the ointment seems to be Betz's ex-wife who is quite 'nutterguff.' However, despite some brittle moments where Carter saves herself from some nasty shocks in the early stages of their marriage, nothing prepares her for Kim's reaction when she announces she will eventually desire a child or 2 in accordance with her life plan.

From here on, it is vintage Susan Howatch with some deep pshycological probing and assistance for this provided by Nicholas and Lewis from the small St-Benet Church. I don't know how to tell people that you just shouldn't be put off by the underlying Church of England theme in Howatch's Church of England series - these are by far amongst the best books on the market and The High Flyer is no exception!

My eagerly-awaited copy of The High Flier now lies on the living room floor, tempting me to read it all over again. As usual, once I started this latest novel by Susan Howatch, I couldn't bear to put it down!

Set in 1990, this book is the latest installment in the Starbridge series and once again we see Alice, Nick Darrow, and the other denizens of the Healing Centre at St. Benet's church. This time, however, the story is told from the point of view of Ms. Carter Graham, a 35-year-old lawyer who nearly "has it all."

Carter's life is following her plan perfectly, and her most recent success is her marriage to Kim, a fellow lawyer-barracuda. Things aren't what they seem to be, though, and Carter finds herself sorely in need of the healing powers of Nick Darrow and crew.

As with all of Howatch's books, the emotional wrenching and soul-searching is so powerful that I found myself experiencing it on a personal level. Once again, the Ultimate Reality is explored and experienced, however reluctantly.

And now I know that I will be forced to wait several more years until Ms. Howatch produces another novel. My name will be on the waiting list!

I always look forward to a new Stephen White novel. I really like his main character, Alan Gregory, and I almost feel as though I know him. This book kept me guessing to the end. The plot twists concerning "who did what" were slick. The ending was a bit much when bullets starting flying everywhere in the dark, but I guess that's what we've come to expect at the climax of a story--especially a mystery/thriller. I did think that Alan acted very irresponsibly at the ending when he tried to take care of things without the help of the police. That didn't see realistic to me. I would love to read more about Kelda James, the female FBI agent who was the main female protagonist in the book. She was flawed, but gutsy. Her next adventure would make a good read. All in all, it was a really good story, and I didn't want to put it down.

Stephen White's latest book, "The Best Revenge," is an exciting and surprising thriller that grabs the reader and never lets go. It is about a former medical student named Tom Clone, who was convicted years ago of murdering a young woman. Clone ends up on Death Row, but he is released from prison when new DNA evidence suggests that he may be innocent. Clone is baffled but gratified at his sudden good fortune. However, some of the people he meets think that Clone is guilty, and he receives death threats from those who would like to execute him themselves.

Special Agent Kelda James helped get Tom Clone out of jail, and she has some serious problems of her own. She suffers from intense and almost unrelenting pain in her legs, for which the doctors have no cure. In addition, she has to deal with Tom Clone's romantic interest in her, which makes her feel uncomfortable.

Both Clone and James are seeing psychologist Alan Gregory. Gregory would like to help these two confused and troubled individuals. However, the psychologist soon discovers that getting in too deep with this pair may be both professionally and personally costly.

White sets up an incredibly complicated plot and he makes it work. He uses the Colorado setting to great effect; White's vivid descriptions of the Rocky Mountain State help the novel come to life. The book is also remarkable for its psychological complexity. White's writing has several dimensions. Not only does he effectively describe how people behave under stress, but he also explores how guilt, lies and the thirst for revenge can eat away at people's lives. Finally, the author skillfully tackles the thorny issue of whether or not our criminal justice system can be trusted to mete out justice fairly. "The Best Revenge" is a thought-provoking and well-written thriller that I highly recommend.

Stephen White continues to do a great job of offering his readers a well developed series of mysteries featuring continuing character, psychologist Alan Gregory.

In Best Revenge, a young FBI agent reviewing DNA studies discovers that a death row inmate's DNA is not a match to the weapon used at the crime scene. She sets about a chain of events with her discovery that ultimately frees the inmate from prison.

The FBI agent, Kelda James and the former inmate become friends with each other as the story proceeds. They are also each -- unknown to each other -- patients of Dr. Alan Gregory.

Kelda suffers from some psychosomatic disorder that places her in tremendous pain and she seeks Alan's assistance to understand what is nearly paralyzing her legs. Tom seeks Gregory's assistance in returning to life outside prison walls.

Without giving away the rest of the plot, White has set the stage for an interesting psychological mystery that continues to escalate as someone starts to try to hurt Tom Glone after his release. Kelda, Alan and detective Sam Purdy, another continuing character in White's stories, work on putting all the pieces together to bring about a somewhat surprising conclusion.

Fine character development. Excellent use of ethical dilemnas that are not covered by the APA Code of Ethics are presented by White throughout the story.

In addition, Alan struggles to balance the challenges of helping out his wife when her Multiple Sclerosis is at critical points. Further, with a new baby in the house, Alan has his hands and his life full adapting to fatherhood. Finally, Gregory himself struggles with a midlife crisis and where his psychology practice fits into his personal fulfilment at this point. A good set of real life and pretty unglamorous issues add a nice sense of realism to the story..

Kudos for White's latest addition to the Dr, Alan Gregory series. This one is a keeper!

Daniel J. Maloney
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Jimmy's Girl is the story of two people who look back to their teen romance to fill a hole that is missing in their lives 30 years later. The story is told in alternating chapters from Jimmy's view and then Emily's view so the reader can see the differences in man vs. woman perspective. I like the concept, but felt the effect fell short in that the differences weren't written strongly enough to capture any real significance. The shortcoming leaves the reader feeling like they are reading a recap of what they just read in the previous chapter. It also seems that the book is weighed just as heavily on what the experience of war is like for a soldier as much as it is on trying to dig up a lost romance and the romance is definitely the more intriguing part of the story. I was also somewhat disappointed with the choices that the characters made, but in honesty they are probably realistic choices. The premise of this novel was excellent, but I felt that there was too much missing to make it as good as it could have been.

Jimmy's Girl is the story of two people who never really had closure when their relationship ended in 1967. Now, it is the present, and Emily Hudson decides that something in her life is missing. She has an ongoing career as an artist and four children whom she adores, but her marriage has lost its spark. Emily thinks back to the days she spent with her boyfriend Jim Moran before he was shipped off to Vietnam, and all the wonderful times they had together. On a whim, she looks him up. Jim, now married and a father, welcomes Emily back into his life, for he, too, feels that his is missing that special something.

Jim and Emily agree to meet for a weekend in Washington D.C., where they rediscover what they had and learn the answers to questions that had contributed to the downfall of their relationship.

This is a vivid tale of the Vietnam era and its aftermath, propelled along by the innocence of first love. Stephanie Gertler gives both Jim and Emily's point of view throughout the novel as they think back and look ahead, wondering what it was that tore them apart, and if the opportunity will ever come to rekindle thier romance.

Emily Hudson has a settled life. He husband is successful, her children happy, and she is able to pursue her love of painting. She is haunted by the memories of her first love, Jimmy Moran. They spent one wonderful year together, until Jimmy was shipped out to book camp, and then left for Vietnam. The memories of a brief meeting, between bootcamp and Vietnam haunt Emily, and she wonders what if? Jimmy has his own life, married and father of one. His quiet life is inturrupted when Emily contacts him. They decide to meet, Emily expalaining she needs help with a series of paintings she is beginning. The story alternates between the two of them, telling of the memories, the indecision, the fallout with family. There is so much truth in the emotions described, the thoughts you have at certain points in life, "is this how it was meant to be, what if I had followed my first love"? This is a masterful first novel, giving voice to an emotion that many of us have when we reach midlife. Stephanie Gertler has crafted a wonderful story of trying to return to your first love. That time when you were so alive with love and belief that you could face anyrhing together. What rings most true is the characters themselves, the emotions, the choices they eventually make. The characters remain true to the selves we come to know. I was so sad to finish this book, I hope there are more books to follow.

Although I never know whether to read a Dick Francis novel first...or wait to read it for desert, I have never been disappointed. Most of his works take me an afternoon to enjoy..But this latest was not what I expected. This is a collection of short stories, while each well done, did not give me the same engrossing read he usually does. It appeared that his publishers just threw together 13 stories, without much rhyme or reason...leaving the reader to wonder what is going on. This does not put me off Mr. Francis at all, but will teach me to pay more attention in the future. I was disappointed that I waited a year for his next book, and all I got was this.

I highly recommend this book to both new Dick Francis readers and old. For the longtime reader of Francis' work, this is a refreshing reminder of another side of the author, too often played down in favor of plot excitement: subtlety and wit.

The classic Francis protagonist is the principled loner (sometimes jaded, sometimes not) who stumbles onto a mystery and into trouble, then follows through to the bitter (and successful) end, usually with numerous bruises, a couple of sprains, and probably at least one fairly serious broken bone or other bloody inconvenience. More often than not (at least in the first three decades of his books), the narrator finds love, as well. Throughout four decades of writing, Francis' stoic narrators have become a bit predictable (though still fun), which makes the unpredictability of this collection all the more enjoyable.

Relying more on irony and wit than in any other book, Francis has concocted a series of clever plots with interesting characters (really different from his usual heroes). These stories are very enjoyable and even a bit droll. They move quickly, surprise, and reward. By all means pick this one up.

At a time when Mr. Francis may be winding down his career, this collection is a real gold mine, and one last glimpse at a great mystery writer's talent.

I've read ALL of Dick Francis and these stories are in the classic Dick Francis style that we all know: crisply written, tight plots, good characters, and the same suspense that you find in his full-length novels. His horse details are very, very accurate and, even if you don't know horses, you leave with a lot of knowledge about them. Most of all, these stories are great entertainment.

I bought this book with the hopes of finding out a little more about William and Harry, a pair of teenage boys whose actual lives have been completely overshadowed by their father and late mother. Unfortunately this book is mostly about just that: Charles and Diana. Better to have cut out most of the stuff on them and focused on the "Boys."

It begins as the news of Diana's death reaches the Windsor family, and the reactions of the people there. Then it shoots back in time to show the lives and backgrounds of Charles and Diana, the seemingly golden royal couple whose marriage deteriorated under adultery, lies, and the piercing eye of the press. William and Harry grew up in this bizarre enviroment, and the book includes some of what they have been doing since their mother's sudden death.

This might have been a good -- albeit slim -- book, if Anderson had kept his eyes focused on Diana's boys. But at least two-thirds is barely about the boys, but a rehash of all the stuff about Diana. We've seen it all before, and Anderson's presentation is not particularly interesting. Perhaps it's because Charles and Harry, royal hijinks included, just haven't done that much of note yet.

One of the biggest problems with the book is that the author tries to cover all the bases. In the matter of these two, it's really not possible to not take sides. So, Charles let his wife suffer, stayed with Camilla, and he went off to the opera when his son was beaned by a golf club. "Charles is scum," you will be saying -- Anderson is presenting him in that light. But after that, we are presented with a more ooey-gooey, sensitive, forgiving picture of Charles as an ex and a father. It's like Anderson wrote a postscript to his Diana love note, devoted to Charles. It doesn't work! Either you think Diana was right, or you think Charles was. You cannot say that they were both okay, kindly and fine -- if they had been, then presumably they would not have broken up.

The parts about Harry and William are actually the most interesting parts of the book; there are some cute photographs and anecdotes, like William playing with a tot, working as a rap deejay (cute "rock on" gesture here), and Harry giggling at his brother's inability to get his driver's license without press attention. But like many biographers, Anderson also descends to tabloid sniggering. We're presented with entire photographic pages of William's ex-girlfriends, including First Niece Lauren Bush. there's a weird anecdote about William creeping into girls' camping tents, which is never credited to anyone or even a publication.

This book has some endearing stuff about the "Boys," marred by a spattering of tabloid material (am I the only one who doesn't care who William is dating?). But most of it is the thousandth rehash of Charles and Di's messy marriage -- better to wait until their sons get a real biography written about them.

I was puzzled by one of the reviews of this book apparently written by someone who admits to having just thumbed through it, concluded that it contains "nothing new" and deemed it a "sad, little book." Another reviewer writes positively about the book and its subjects but trashes the author.

I found the book well written, well reported by someone who is a seasoned journalist (Mr. Andersen's credentials are impeccable) and who seems to have great sympathy for William and Harry. I found nothing salacious in this book and no hint that Mr. Andersen was after "dirt" on two young men who haven't really had time in their short lives to provide royal watchers on either side of the Atlantic with the kind of dirt that makes headlines.

All of that said I truly enjoyed "Diana's Boys" as an update on the lives of the two princes we all felt such sympathy for when Princess Diana was killed four years ago. "Diana's Boys" is also a touching tribute to Princess Diana's role as a mother. Although Mr. Andersen covers much familiar territory, he does so from a fresh perspective. I was entranced. And I read every word.

Diana's Boys, Andersen's recent bio of Diana and the fate, so far, of her sons Princes William and Harry, will make you first weep and then shudder. Aside from what appear to be the author's small errors (dates, names, both of little significance), this is a sad and sobering rehash of the death of Diana and the change from the luscious warmth of mother love to the rigid chill of the House of Windsor that these lads have experienced since that awful day in August of '97. One may find Diana to have been smothering, but we will never know how that would have turned out - the tendency was clearly there - although it is hard to overlove a child. It comes as no surprise that the atmosphere of the royal marriage put Harry and William in the same thankless boat as most children of acrimonious divorce. Picture it lived in the international spotlight. The insult to injury was the heartless chill they suddenly suffered at her death; something that will hopefully be remedied as they age and mature. Time, blessedly, does this as we have come to know. One has to wonder though. If this book is any indication - this was not the pleasantest family in which to grow up or face a mother's early, public death. There is even the ugly question of whether her death resulted in some small manner as a perverse form of schadenfreude - where the cause of the regal misery was suddenly gone along with the adored mother. It would not be the first time the baby had gone with the bath water and these boys, who had their share of choosing sides, suddenly would have to do so no longer. Children - even teenagers - often do welcome the quick fix. Diana comes across to us as a loving, yet histrionic and needy mother; Charles as a loving yet clueless and guilty "papa"; whipped by his own father relentlessly - a combination that rendered neither one capable of offering balance or joy on a routine basis to either child. Diana's excessive love overshadowed by Charles' guilt and the lack of role models for either one to emulate appears in vivid contrast to the photo ops in which both boys appeared with such happiness. Clearly both were gilded yo-yos but yo-yos nonetheless. Poor Harry seems a bit of a dim bulb - truly living up to his role as merely a spare and William, trained to be king, far too wise for his young years. One aches to imagine the depth of pain and sorrow, discouraged expression, in both their hearts as they have soldiered on with a life of predestined duties, without the softening touch of their mother's tenderness. Only time will tell if either will marry well, father well or fare well. William seems unlikely to reign until his late 40's - if at all and Harry may wind up in the unenviable position of the rest of the royal family - unless he is quite good at woodworking or military service. The next 30 years cannot be ones faced with unabated hope and ambition for two young men who have been robbed not only of their mother but of the right to grieve as much and as long as required to soothe such a wretched ache. I do heartily recommend the book for its candor and poignancy, but you will indeed be saddened by the all too familiar story it tells of modern marriage, parenthood and horrible loss - no matter how regal your birth or honorable your intentions.