Inside Lightwave 3D has some of the best explained tutorials I have read. Having had frustrating experiences with more tutorials than not, I was pleased at the level of detail and general accuracy of information and details. I have withheld the 5 star rating only because I would have liked more explanation of settings (okay, I set FastFresnel to 500%, 630 nm, but what does tweaking those settings give me?) to get desired effects. In trying to apply techniques I picked up in the tutorials, I found unintended "features" in my animations from using some settings... and didn't know enough about the options for plug-ins to know best what to tweak to fix problem (e.g. brightening stars on the limb of the Earth as camera angle changes). But a fine book never the less and certainly one of the better ones available on 3-D animation and modeling.

I really hope these authors write another LightWave book. I am thoroughly impressed with their first attempt and the followup that they provide at their website. Yeah, I found a couple of small errors (which I emailed to the authors attention, who emailed back and said corrections had been made in the second printing), but I've found many more errors in other books. While all three authors did a great job, I want to especially thank Dave Jerrard for the depth to his tutorials and the explanations he gave for the steps. I never expected to learn so much in so little time. I think I'll soon be ready to make the move from Idaho to Southern California. BTW, great cover!

This is an excellent book for any lightwave animator or even beginners. I concider it one of the best on the subject. Why? Because it gives all the steps you need to complete the tutorials, which are very detailed. It is one of the few books of it's kind without multiple errors that cause you to have to back-up and redo work, thereby losing valuable time. The tutorial on ocean surfacing alone makes the book well worth having! I like Dave and the other authors easy flowing writing style. I recommend it without reserve!

Peter Davis Multimedia Instuctor

I bought the book because I love thrillers and have really enjoyed the author's prior books. I like this one the best. It has all the great elements of a thriller, but is also timely and thoughtprovoking. Not only was I caught up in the swirl of events, but I found myself thinking about the issues highlighted by the plot. In my mind, the book is not only about a kidnapping, but also about the standards to which we hold our highest elected officials (sound familiar?); is a moral character a requirement? and are we going to hold the first woman presidential candidate to the same (low) moral standards to which we seem to hold male candidates? But at bottom this is a page-turning thriller that will have you trying--unsuccessfully--to predict the ending. Don't worry if you can't; you will get there soon enough.

Though it lacks the macabre tension that drove his last book (The Informant), The Abudction is a compelling and entertaining read that will only solidify Grippando's status as a top thriller writer. The author instantly sets the stakes high: a female attorney general is driven to become the first woman president; a retired army general is just as determined to become the first African American president. To what lengths will these candidates (or their supporters) go to win the election? How far might their enemies go to keep them from the White House? Whatever your political leanings, you will be caught up in this riveting tale of misguided ambition and ultimate betrayal. Grippando doesn't creat the formulaic "good guys" and "bad guys" found in cookie-cutter thrillers. He creates real people (in this case, politicians), which will keep readers wondering just who the real good guys are. The result is a believable high-concept mystery/thriller with a surprise ending that makes for non-stop enterntainment. Highly recommended.

Allison Leahy had a daughter kidnapped eight years ago. Now she is running for President and the Grandaughter of her opponent is kidnapped. Did Leahy have it done? Did Lincoln Howe, the grandfather, have it done? Who is the strange kidnapper and who hired him? Where does Mitch O'Brien, Leahy's ex-boyfriend fit in? You can have the answers to these and other questions by reading the book. If you like mysteries, this is a must read. There are many twist and turns put when explained they all make sense. You will find yourself wanting to read faster and faster to see what happens. You can relate to the characters and have feelings for them. Lots of action. Movement all the time, no dead pages. Truly a "Great" book.

I'm not ordinarily a reader of woman-meets-dog books-- I picked this one up planning to give it to a friend who recently became the wildly enthusiastic owner of a poodle puppy.

I ended by reading it myself, and with more interest than I would have expected, given my own dogless state. At first, I just wanted to find out more about the mystery surrounding Libro, a fifty-pound hunk whom the author found cowering in Central Park in pitiable condition. (The eventual solution to the mystery, while incomplete, is surprising and touching.) Then I got pulled into the book's deftly-drawn portrait of the existence of a contemporary single professional woman on New York's Upper West Side. Libro's new owner isn't a sweetie-pie; she's actually a pretty tough cookie for whom caving in to love, mutual dependence, and emotional intimacy with both humans and dogs is, at least at that point in her life, not the easiest thing in the world.

Bark If You Love Me, the literary result of her struggle, is kind of an offbeat book in its genre--it's nowhere near as cuddly as its title suggests, and some of the narrator's efforts to cope with the trials of being a first-time dog owner may distress some dyed-in-the-wool pet owners looking for the printed equivalent of a warm puppy. But Libro's an extremely likable protagonist, and the story of his fate as an adoptee and the author's as his somewhat ambivalent adoptive owner held my attention to the end. In sum: a tough, sophisticated, very New York woman-meets-dog story that's as much about a certain kind of contemporary American woman's existence as it is about a very, very nice dog.

I've been buying copies of this book for all my dog-loving friends and all my friends who are ex-Manhattanites and miss it every day. I'm also giving it to my struggling, beginning writing friends who want samples of really fine writing. And then there are those folks who just love a good read! There is so much to like about this book it's hard to know where to start. I love the way she evokes the upper west side. I've lived there, long ago, and recognize the smells, sounds, and sights and the long and short views immediately. In addition to capturing the sense of a very specific place, she succeeds in evoking the idea of place as character. I love how, when she "accidentally" becomes a dog owner/lover/keeper for the first time in her life, she discovers that in this neighborhood she's called home most of her life and assumed intimate knowledge of, she suddenly discovers a parallel universe--the world of dog people. They've been there all along! And suddenly what was most familiar is brand new. I love how this writer, whose career I have followed for decades, finds a new way to be politically active, alive, accountable. Most of all, I love the writing -- the sheer professionalism of a skilled writer whose craft has been honed to the point of complete invisibility and absolute beauty. If I were teaching writing, this is the book I would use to show students the marvelous variety of sentences we have available to us. I would use this book to talk about subtlty, evocation, urbanity, subtext, and disciplined style. I'm not a dog lover but I'd let Libro give me a kiss. I might even kiss him back -- if his keeper had brushed his teeth recently.

WOOF!

I'm barking. I loved this story.

Basically, a woman takes in an abandoned dog.

Not so basically, Louise and Libro need each other. They grow to understand each other. They take care of each other. They both make mistakes (Louise's perhaps worse than Libro's). A human-to-animal relationship is different from a human-to-human relationship in that, with animals, love really can conquer all.

And Louise's reaction to Mickey -- classic! and beautiful!

I laughed out loud. I gasped. I sobbed. I finished the book and emailed a long-lost friend with whom I renewed contact this evening. I emailed him to suggest that he read the book immediately.

"Bark If You Love Me" was referred to me (cat person) by my brother's girlfriend (dog person at the boxer level). It was every bit as wonderful as she said. When I return this to the Bookmobile, I will strongly suggest that the librarians recommend this book to people of all ages.

This is my second Coulter book and I only read it because I had hoped, no, actually I had prayed that my first book(Devil's Embrace) was a bad example of her work, but this only intensified my opinion of her and I am a little surprised she is a New York Times Best Selling Author. I am not going to get critical of all the flaws in this book, but I will say this, romance it was, but a suspense it was not.

The story is a long and drawn out portrayal of a woman who is gone from ugly duckling to supermodel. The blurb on the back of the book states it is about a woman who becomes a model and is being terrified and stalked by some maniac, but who is it? Someone from her past? What is she hiding? I will tell you, nothing...she is hiding nothing,. She is brutally attacked by her sister's husband when she is 18 in France. Her family treats her badly and her father especially hates her. They all blame her for her loser brother-in-law's brutal rape. Lindsey(the heroine) years later becomes a supermodel named Eden. She is popular and is beginning to get on with her life until her sister comes back into it to stir the pot. Somewhere in here (I assume) Coulter was trying to bring some tension and suspense into the story by adding the hero of S.C Taylor, Lindsey's bodyguard. For what, I'm not sure, Coulter never makes that clear either. After some unnecessary chapters where nothing happens but Taylor falling for her, the story gets off-track and you're not sure where the stalker is or if there IS one at all.
Taylor must sort through her messy past and try and win her trust, while keeping her meddling family at bay. He succeeds and then by the last 10 pages or so, the stalker is revealed and I was left wondering,....why?

This story was lacking in true suspense and it was choppy to the point of not understanding what the plot was. If you like a good romance, this was ok, but I would steer clear if you're looking for a good romantic suspense story, it is poorly written in that department...

When Lindsay Foxe's brother-in-law rapes her, at first I was shocked, then I got angry at both him and Lindsay's sister. Years after the assult S.C.Taylor meets Lindsay, the once ugly duckling-turned-swan model, calling herself Eden. Even as her hired bodyguard, Lindsay was still scared to death of Taylor and any other man. The fact that they fell in love still surprises me. You can read this book for yourself and find out why Lindsay/Eden needed a bodyguard in the first place.

"Beyond Eden" is a fabulous book. The emotion I felt for the characters was bone deep. Taylor and Lindsey were two mismatched characters that found acceptance in eachother's embrace.

Lindsey(Eden) was an affection depraved, naive teenager taken advantage of by a cruel brother-in-law, hated by her half sister, and despised by her own father. She found protection behind a false identity and aloof facade. She had things settled..until Taylor happened in.

S.C Taylor was a perfect candidate for Eden. He was compassionate and loving to Lindsey as herself, but also solid and steady for Eden, her model persona. He showed her a side of herself she thought she had lost a long time ago and a love so potent that she just couldn't escape.

I have already recommended this book to friends, but I didn't borrow my copy out for worry of wanting to read it again and not having it on hand.

This is the first book I read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The book has tension, mystery and great characters. I especially liked the hero, Jack Charbonnet. You could almost feel the "cajun" flair throughout the book. I look forward to her next release featured on the excerpt from the back of this book.

I own many of Stella Camerson's books, some where great reads and other's a great disappointment. Not so with FRENCH QUARTER. This is a fabulous book telling the love story of Jack Charbonnet and Celena Payne. Their story is filled with murder, suspense, humor, and a passionate love. Both characters grow throughout the book, learning to trust and depend on one another. Jack's daughter Amelia is a wonderful little girl whose rare adult intelligence is amazing. Other characters such as Dwayne, whose humor is absolutely comical, and Celina's brother, Cyrus, a sexy priest, are also intriguing additions to the story. This is a wonderful read. You'll love it. Trust me!

French Quarter drips with the humid and romantic atmosphere that is New Orleans. Stella Cameron serves it this up with the mystery and intrigue that are her hallmark. Celina Payne is a former beauty queen with a painful past and a dark secret. Hiding that secret becomes more difficult when her employer dies in a sudden and compromising manner. Celina believes in the vision of the late Errol Petrie: Dreams, a company that funnels money from the wealthy to make the wishes of sick children come true. Celina will do her best to keep Errol's foundation alive. Should the way in which Errol died become public, the elite upon whose funding Dreams relies might spend their money elsewhere. Jack Charbonnet is Errol's best friend and a major benefactor of Dreams. When Jack's wife died he was left with questions surrounding her death and a young daughter to raise. As a child Jack's parents' were brutallly murdered. Jack has been on the long, patient road to revenge ever since. Jack wants to preserve Errol's good reputation but at the same time will not allow Celina's secrets, and he is sure she has secrets, to get in the way of his life's work. Can two people with troubled pasts fill the voids in each other's hearts and souls? Can two people survive when powerful and ruthless people decide it is time for them to be silenced forever? If you did not pick this up in hardback, don't miss the paperback. Don't plan on sleeping until you finish reading it either.

Readers of Higgins' previous works would have been introduced to Sean Dillon, ex-IRA turned mercenary, a man who had his own codes regarding keeping of one's word but kills ruthlessly.

The background to the plot is this : a long lost sunked German U-boat from WW2 was found, and somewhere inside is a briefcase containing a list of secret bank account numbers to fund Nazism after the war, and a list of British secretly supportive of Nazi Germany, including the abdicated former monarch Duke of Windsor. The potential embarassment and backlash led the British PM to give the job for Group Four under BG Ferguson, who in turn sought the assistance of Sean Dillon, given the delicate nature of the job, the sub being in Virgin Islands, US territory and all. However, the operation is not as secret as it should be, for already, descendants of people named in the list were urgently seeking to get the briefcase first.

Higgins' flair in his work lies in keeping his story short, quick-moving with not too complicated characters who are just about credible.

Unfortunately, there were some loopholes in this one. First of all, the capture of Sean Dillon was rather hard to believe given the past records about him. If he was a chameleon who travels constantly under various guises, it would have been rather hard to believe that Ferguson could have known to bait him in Vienna.

Second, how the actual site of the wreck was discovered was rather incredible, given how no one thought of it earlier. Most divers would have come to it sooner.

Third, given the resources available to G4, and the critical nature of the job, it seems hard to believe that such a small force was despatched and they kept being tangled by simple hoodlums. People of experiences like Ferguson and Dillon should have been able to prevent most of their mishaps through simple but effective precautions.

What is satisfying though was how the villains were terminated.

What I could not forget though, was the promise of Martin Brosnan in a previous book, Eye of the Storm, who intended to hound Dillon down. Of course, it was not widely known where Dillon was, but if Dillon was going to come out in the open after completing his job, Brosnan would find him sooner or later to settle the debt. Can't wait for that to happen, hope it does, in a later book.

Jack Higgins has done a great job of marrying the shady end of World War II with a great action-packed yarn with Sean Dillon leading the way. A great summer book you can read in a day!

I admit that before I read most books, I check what others have to say on Amazon so I don't end up wasting my time. I noticed several mediocre reviews, and even a few very negative reviews about this book. This is only the 2nd Jack Higgins book I've read (the first being Solo, another excellent book), and I must say I'm glad I didn't let the negative reviews steer me clear.

As someone who has been to the Virgin Islands, I found that Mr. Higgins did a great job of capturing the feel and flavor of the tropical islands. Add to that a very interesting cast of characters, not the least of which is Sean Dillon, who is portayed as an ex-villain and general poor-man's James Bond who doesn't pull any punches, and always gets his assignment accomplished. The fact that Sean Dillon is portrayed as an ex-actor and is written with more depth than many 'leading man' characters in series today was an extra treat.

To the critics of this book, yes this was a fairly predictable plot. The good guys came out on top. But how many of us would read a book where the good guys ultimately failed? The book wasn't written as a mystery, but as an adventure. There were never any real secrets that you had to figure out, which is okay. The book wasn't intended as that sort of a book. What it did deliver was a fast-paced story with some very interesting bad guys, a lot of great action, and even a hint of romance.

Like other authors that I love and read regularly, this book is the kind where you find yourself staying up 'just a bit longer' so you can read an extra page or two. For those of you expecting one of Tom Clancy's epic stories with dozens of characters in settings all around the globe, mixing politics, intrigue, and lots of technical jargon, I'll warn you in advance. This book isn't like that. Instead, it's a focused story about some characters that I really enjoyed, going off on an adventure that was loads of fun.

This book was so great and easy to read that it's got me hooked on Jack Higgins. In fact, I've just started 'Eye of the Storm', the first Sean Dillon story from before he became a good guy. If you enjoy action, a bit of wit, and the sort of book you just don't want to put down, read this story.

Val McDermid, in her new novel, "Killing the Shadows," uses some well-worn plot devices. A stalker targets writers of murder mysteries, killing them off using the same methodology as the writers use to "bump off" their own fictional victims. In a parallel story, a suspect is apprehended for raping and killing a young mother of twins. Politics and public opinion taint both investigations and greatly hamper the ability of the detectives to find the perpetrators.

If "Killing the Shadows" is so derivative, then why does it work so well? The answer is that McDermid uses these formulas to their best possible advantage, creating memorable characters and putting them in intriguing situations. She also makes the most of the settings, from the historic streets of Toledo, Spain, to the Scottish Highlands.

The main character is the fascinating Fiona Cameron, professor and academic psychologist. Fiona is an expert at using advanced computer methods to help identify and track serial offenders and she has enjoyed a good measure of success in the past. Fiona lives with Kit Martin, a writer of thrillers who may be on a killer's "hit list". Fiona's expertise is called upon in a series of cases, including one in Spain, but no case is more important to her than the one that involves the safety of her partner, Kit.

McDermid explores the theme of murder as fiction vs. murder as reality. The public loves grisly murder mysteries and the authors of these books often make a great deal of money. Has our fascination with murder and mayhem hardened us to the horrible reality of violent death? This is a thought-provoking theme. Fiona's sister had been killed violently years before, and Fiona has been trying for a long time to "kill the shadows" that haunt her. She understands from personal experience how the murder of a loved one shatters those who are left behind.

Unfortunately, "Killing the Shadows" falters at the end. McDermid reaches quite a bit to come up with a surprise ending and it just doesn't wash. The motivation and the behavior of the killer make no sense and the cat and mouse ending is more formulaic than fascinating. However, "Killing the Shadows" is just fine until the end and I recommend it overall for its rich atmosphere and engaging characters.

I fell in love with Val McDermid’s work after reading A PLACE OF EXECUTION. Since then I have read at least one novel from two of her series characters, Kate Brannigan, a private investigator and Lindsay Gordon, a former journalist. KILLING THE SHADOWS is a stand-alone mystery and fairly entertaining.

The main character in her novel is Fiona Cameron, a college professor who used to work in conjunction with the police by doing geographic profiling of crimes. She quit working with the police after they ignored her advice and used another expert. The other professional hired entrapped a sexual homicide suspect and caused that all the evidence against the accused be thrown out of court.

A self-righteous serial murderer is killing several crime novelists. He takes heinous scenes from their works and tries to imitate as close to the novel as he can. Fiona gets involved in the case because her boyfriend is a world-famous thriller author and she fears he might be targeted. Cameron also feels a sense of personal responsibility due to several aspects in her past that are revealed earlier in the book. There are two subplots involved in this novels that help enhance the character personalities in this book. One involves a sexual homicide that occurs early in the book and a serial killer who is terrorizing tourist in Toledo, Spain

One factor in McDermid’s book that I enjoyed was the inclusion of excerpts of the victim’s work before they were executed. I also learned something I did not know about Agatha Christie.

The killer’s motivation for the authors’ murders was unconvincing, but I did not particularly care. Val McDermid is one of the best authors I have experienced in a long time. I intend to continue to read her novels as her books become more readily available.

This is the third novel I've read by Val McDermid and I continue to be satisfied and grateful for the high quality of her work.As in PLACE OF EXECUTION and MERMAIDS SINGING, the plot of KILLING THE SHADOWS is intriguing, the pacing excellent, the setting vivid and realistic, and the characterization and dialogue captivating.

Fiona Cameron, an educator and forensic psychologist, is at odds with the police for being ignored and minimized during a past investigation. Although she has reservations about ever helping them again, she becomes deeply involved in the hunt for a serial killer when it becomes apparant that thriller writers like her lover are being targeted.

Some have said elements of the story are predictable. I agree in the same sense that riding on a river that flows into roaring rapids and a climactic waterfall is predictable. The reader is taken on an inevitable journey but it doesn't take away from the thrills along the way. McDermid captures the different moods in the story with dialogue that is so descriptive and appropriate for the different situations that it paints a picture putting the reader there as an unobtrusive observer.

Val McDermid writes at a high level of literary suspense and KILLING THE SHADOWS continues her excellent work. It is highly recommended!

I have read all of the McNally books and did not think "Gamble" was as good as the others. Somewhat predictable, actually. Sanders' other efforts had more suspense and moved along quicker. In "Gamble" the plot and culprits were clear very early in the narrative and in my opinion, left little to the imagination. "Gamble" left me wanting more, while the others were more satisfying. Still, there is much to like about Archy. Even with all his swimming, he must weight 300 pounds!

The more I read the McNally series, I don't understand why they haven't been snapped up to be made into movies. With McNally's Gamble, once again I can see actor Nathan Lane as bon vivant Archie! And also his mother and his father! This book was worth waiting for. I look forward to each and every McNally read I can get my paws onto. Better than Sanders other works

Lawrence Sanders has a unique ability to convey the lifestyles of the rich to paper in a believeable fashion. His vivid descriptions of meals and wines, with just a hint of snobbery, are superb and have me wishing I were partaking of the victuals along with the characters. The story itself is up to the usual outstanding plot that Sanders (and McNally) fans have come to expect. I've read every one of the McNally series books and always look forward to the next. (The included vocabulary lessons in the stories are a plus). Don't miss reading the series and include this one.

While this is not Alexander's best book, it is a good read if you are stuck home with a miserable cold as I was the day I read it. The widow Gillian (daughter of a duke) wants to marry before her 30th birthday, 2 months away, in order to inherit a sizable fortune and not be dependent upon her family's largesse. To that end and with the help of her 2 best friends (male) she draws up a list of eligible nobleman and after one meeting decides on Lord Richard Shelton and quickly proposes marriage to him. She wants a marriage in name only out of loyalty to her deceased husband, he wants a real marriage (with sex and children). Unbenownst to art-lover Gillian (but known to her brother, Richard's best friend), Richard is financing his estates and family by oil painting under an assumed French name. Richard decides to masquerade as that painter (i.e. himself) in order to get close to Gillian and find out what she truly thinks of himself (Richard). Following this? Well, it all comes out in the wash. The by-play between the characters and witty dialogue was great fun and I especially enjoyed the arguments between Gillian and Richard and the scenes in which Richard is masquerading as himself. The plot is a little weak, but suspend your disbelief and enjoy it. A major flaw are the love scenes, which are perfunctory and routine. There are also some anachronisms that point out flaws -- Richard responds to Gillian's French conversation with a "Huh?" -- not a phrase used during the Regency period. Also -- wouldn't he have known at least school-room French given the standard education for the nobility at this time? Another anachronism is the main characers' approach to their sexual behavior -- it was far more appropriate to a contemporary romance than a Regency period book. Although I know widows had much more license in their sexual behavior than single women, Gillian had married her childhood sweetheart at a young age and had never had a relationship since his death. Therefore it seemed unlikely to me that she would have sex so quickly in their relationship-- without any real angst or fear of the repercussions. Also, given the fact that the nobility in Britain at this time numbered approx. 1200 and if Richard is her brother's best friend, wouldn't Gillian and Richard have met at least one time in the previous few years (aside from a chance meeting a decade ago in her season as a deb)? It is highly unlikely that Gillian would have had 2 best friends who are male in this period -- the societal mores and customs would have dictated against it. The followup book is The Marriage Lesson, in which the secondary characters from this book are the hero and heroine.

In 1818, widow Lady Gillian Marley needs to find a spouse within two months if she wants to inherit her late uncle's fortune. She draws up THE HUSBAND LIST, a compilation of nine potential spouses for her to consider as a mate in a marriage of convenience. Next to each of the candidate's name, Gillian describes their attributes, mostly negative. Because he is devastatingly handsome and responsible, Gillian selects the Earl of Shelbrooke, Richard Shelton, as the prime slab of beef.

Once quite the rake, Richard tends to his estates and cares for his family. He knows he needs money and successfully turns to painting under the nom de plume of Etienne Toussaint. Richard wants to marry Gillian, but not for her money. He wants her love. Using his Toussaint identity, he begins to woo the woman he loves.

THE HUSBAND LIST is an amusing Regency romantic romp that will delight fans that enjoy a cheerful, carefree historical love story. The characters are fully developed and understandable, even why Richard goes to the great lengths to prove his love for Gillian and not just her money. Victoria Alexander provides sub-genre fans with merriment rarely found in historical romances.

Harriet Klausner

For people who enjoy light-hearted regency romances, this is the book for you. It was wonderful to watch the romance unfold between a lonely widow and a poor but hard-working Earl. They were brought together by the common goal of financial security, but soon discovered that love was more important then money or security.

Both Gillian and Richard were afraid of falling in love. Yet even when they fell for each other, they were both too afraid to admit it. Eventually they found their way to each other with a little help from Richard's many sisters and Gilian's family and friends. With Richard, Gillian found the passion and excitement that had been missing in her life. The author Victoria Alexander painted a vivid portrait of these characters. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Richard and Gillian.

This is a wonderful book to curl up with on a Saturday afternoon. It's a fun book that isn't bogged down with historical details or great tragedy. I would highly recommend it.

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.