Thirty-eight year old divorcee Gemma Jericho works extremely hard as resident in charge of Bellevue Hospital Trauma Department as there is never a void of customers. She also feels like the sandwich generation struggling between her mom Nonna and her third generation American teen Livvie.

Nonna receives a letter from Bella Piacere, the village she grew up in Italy, but has not been back to in four decades. The priest informs Nonna that she has inherited property. Using guilt as a sharp sword, Nonna persuades her two descendants to come with her to Italy so she can see her home for the last time and to learn what has been bequest to her.

Though they kind of met in Rome, Gemma and Long Islander Ben Raphael formally meet in Tuscany. He claims to own the same villa that the priest insists has been bestowed on Nonna. Though Gemma and Ben are very attracted to one another, the villa more than the past failures in relationships stand in the way of anything permanent.

Fans of relationship dramas will want to read SUMMER IN TUSCANY as the tale contains strong characters representing three generations struggling to connect with one another. The story line is well written though the bias is clearly pointed towards the fresh rural countryside over the smoggy urban areas. However, the key that makes the plot succeed is the rotation of voices, though mostly Gemma, so that the audience understands what each of the protagonists feel and thus can discern why relationships are difficult to form and tougher to maintain.

Harriet Klausner

If you long for the charm of the Italian countryside and revel in quaint shops and romantic cafes with a foreign flavor, pick up a copy of "Summer in Tuscany." Travel with harried New York physician Gemma Jericho, her Italian-born mother Nonna, and her punk but mannerly daughter to the romantic Bella Piacere when they discover Nonna has inherited an Italian villa. When things seem too good to be true they most often are, and the ownership of the villa seems to be in grave dispute. A hunky Long Island artist appears to have purchased it legally and as the mostly predictable plot unfolds you'll feel Gemma's pain as she loses her heart and soul to the artist while mainly behaving as a lovesick teenager. There is so much local color you'll be reaching for juicy olives and sun-dried tomatoes, deciding to have a grappa with your dinner, and maybe even scouring the stores for the latest Italian import. There's also enough steamy romance to satisfy the passionate soul, but it is Gemma's secret past that really warms the reader to this slightly ditzy American in Florence. It may not be great literature, but it is an entertaining read with charm, romance, and a multi-generational bonding experience to savor.

Elizabeth Adler gets right to the heart of her characters, bringing them alive in a hundred quirky details. She takes you to places you've never been and makes you wish you could go there...... I know Bella Piacere is an imaginary village, but it and the Villa Piacere are alive in the pages of this book. Gemma Jericho is a woman with a tough job and a nutty family, but you fall in love with all of them from page l - including Sinbad the fat ginger cat, and not the least, sexy Ben Raphael. I want to meet a man like that!

It is definitely a good overview, but I think it's understandable why you might wind up wishing you'd bought the individual countries instead. My previous experience with Lonely Planet publications has been excellent; therefore, I may have set my expectations a little too high. There were a lot of major cities of interest and note missing from the France section and corresponding maps. This book is best for anyone who tries the "21 countries in 30 days or less" style of travelling. Personally, I depend on the Lonely Planet guides to help me stay a little off the beaten track at a leisurely pace and within my budget. I certainly credit their Costa Rica guide with keeping me safe, well-fed, and satisfied for a month! Do note, that I've come across accomodations listed which are no longer in existence or closed for longterm renovations, so phone ahead!

i thought the authors provided a wonderfully comprehensive account of western europe. on those long train rides i found myself reading up on the political history of greece or the history of the plantaganets in great britain. i loved this book! there is so much to see in western europe, i'd like to ask those who don't like it exactly what they expect for a book which covers a couple dozen european countries. you buy a book about 20 different countries, and then don't like the fact that it covers them too quickly? what do you expect? anyway, lonely planet provided a good, concise guide to the most interesting countries in the world.

The Lonely Planet guide book series is by far the best set of books I have found for travel. Let's Go, Rough Guide, Frommer's, etc do not live up to these books. LP offers a great blend of interesting facts (history, etc) with the travel information that we all really want.

I am a student who spent the summer of 1999 traveling through Europe - poor, but free. I did read a number of other books before and durring the trip, and will always buy Lonely Planet as they have impressed me as being the best, hands down. If you want to go on a drunken tour, buy Let's Go and end up in the same run down American hostels and American bars as the rest of the American students, but take my word, you will have enough ability to do that with LP, but you will not be forced to either. LP will help you to actually experience the culture, and take in a more European version of Europe than Let's Go, and still give you the opportunity to party like a rock star when you want - its up to you.

It is the most complete and most versitile book I have found. It will cater to budget and intermediate travelers of all ages and groups. I will buy the same series even when I can afford nice resturants and hotels, because LP tells it all.

The same experience is true for my trip this last spring to Ireland. Lonely Planet Ireland is as good as Western Europe, but more detailed.

Mrs Chippy's Last Expedition is an entertaining story of Ernest Shackletons journey to Antarctica as told from the perspective of the true-life on board cat who was named Mrs. Chippy. The story is told in journal form and will delight cat lovers with a keen view of the adventure as only a cat would see things. Caroline Alexander does an excellent job of capturing the intelligence and demeanor of cats as in this passage. "The dogs were barking like mad... i suspect they are bewildered much of the time by what goes on around them." Entertaining for both cat lovers and as an adjunct to any book on the true Shackleton adventure. I highly recommend Alfred Lansings account Endurance: Shackletons Incredible Voyage although Caroline Alexander herself also wrote a serious account after this Mrs Chippy cat diary version. Giving it 3 1/2 stars....4+ if you are a cat lover.

"Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition" is a playful window into the history and personalities of the 1908-09 Endurance expedition to Antarctica. Incredibly, the ship was crushed after 9 months trapped in the ice, but not a single man was lost. Mrs. Chippy (the cat who accompanied the crew of the Endurance to Antarctica) leads us on an examination, not just of history and brave explorers, but of day-to-day survival and interaction between men in dire circumstances. If you love cats and have a curiosity about Antarctic exploration, this is a great book to start your journey. One must, however, have patience with the 100-plus footnotes, as they are a slightly awkward part of the story that enable one to understand the big picture behind the journal of this extraordinary feline.

"Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition", though it is light and high-spirited, tells a vivid tale which stands in the same compelling league as Jon Krakauer's, "Into the Wild". Both left me in awe of nature and wringing my handkerchief by books' end.

I can't say enough good things about this book. However, I think it's obvious that any review of it must take into account that while the story takes place in actual historical context, the book's literary content, being the journal of a domesticated cat, is clearly fabricated. I find it humorous that several reviewers seem to have forgotten this and have criticized it for being somehow unrealistic.

The book is a journal of the Endurance's carpenter's cat, Mrs. Chippy (apparently, ships' carpenters are often nicknamed "Chips"). We learn that Mrs. Chippy took his responsibilities as an explorer, including keeping a stern watch to monitor the ship's progress, helping his mate in carpentry projects, and mousing, quite seriously. In fact, Chippy's concern for the maintenance of ship routine through the monotony of the shipwreck period surpasses that of virtually any other crew member.

If you've read any account of the Endurance Expedition already, you will quite likely enjoy this book for its thoughtful alternative perspective. It is not sappy in the least - Chippy's intelligent writing allows us to see him as he sees himself: as the 29th crew member on the expedition.

If you have to ask, "how did Chippy learn how to write?" or "when did he find the time?", you're not appreciating the books purpose - to entertain and provide a little insight into how an animal might have been more than slightly responsible for maintaining the crew's sanity.

I eagerly awaited the conclusion of Deighton's 10 book Sampson saga. While it is understandable that the titles of the last two books should have been predictable as soon as "Faith" was published, it is perhaps unfortunate that the rest of the story should have dragged out to such a foreseeable conclusion.

I hate to nitpick, but there are a number of details about this book that bother me: Rudi Kleindorf's completely unexplained return from the grave being foremost in my mind. Why was he "killed" earlier, only to reappear in this novel? Gloria's relationship with Brett Rensellaer serves only to give Bernard some reassurance that he didn't completely screw up her life. Lastly, the image of the DG, hiding in a back corridor of Frank's house, secretly listening in to Brett's meeting seems ridiculous.

I'm glad Deighton wrote "Charity", but perhaps his story has gone as far as it could be taken. I don't much relish Bernard dodging through the streets of Baghdad or shooting it out with the Cali Cartel, so maybe it is time (as another reviewer has suggested) to explore some of the exploits of Samson Senior.

I approached Len Deighton's final entry in the Bernard Samson series with some degree of sadness. In the 10+ years that I have been reading the books, my empathy with the character has become more and more pronounced.( As a measure of my devotion...my wife and I named our firstborn daughter Fiona...even though we did not like the character, we loved the name...) This particular novel was decidedly elegiac; Bernard muses on growing old, losing friends and family and trying to retain his hold on what is really valuable, all while he doggedly pursues many unsavory truths. While I was very disappointed with the resolution of the Bernard/Fiona/Gloria triangle- the marriage is clearly beyond help, and Gloria is MUCH more appealing than Fiona - I enjoyed the book quite a bit,mostly due to Deighton's masterful portrait of Bernard Samson as a tired, cynical, middle-aged seeker, tilting with windmills that all too often turn out to be monsters after all. Bravo, Len and Farewell Bernard. I'll even miss Dicky.

What now, Mr. Deighton? I for one have always been intrigued by the legendary Samson Senior...might we ever get a peek at his own career exploits...?

Bernard Samson is one of the great characters of modern popular fiction. The three trilogies are, collectively, in my opinion, the greatest piece of spy drama ever written, with the singular exception of le Carre's great trilogy (Tinker, Tailor; Honourable Schoolboy; Smiley's People), the high water mark of the genre. Actually, it's really not fair to compare them. Despite what the jacket tells you, the Samson epic shouldn't be read out of sequence. Start with Berlin Game and work your way through, grateful that there are nine of them (ten, if you read Winter, which probably should be read first to understand Samson's family history). Action buffs may be disappointed because the thrill is in the characterization and the mystery: nothing is as it seems and the intrepid Samson soldiers on, perhaps the last man standing on the battlefield of the cold war. When I finished Charity I was sad, and envious of those that would discover Berlin Game and have the whole journey ahead. That, to me, is the true measure of a book or books. Bravo, Mr. Deighton. Well done.

Robertson Davies- maybe Canada's all time best novelist; playright, actor, producer, journalist, director, professor, historian, cultural elitist, mystical eccentric, stylistic conservative and 20th Century Renaissance Man- died the year after this book was published. I was in Montreal the summer before it came out and a McGill U. grad student working in a bookstore there told me that Davies had been living in Vancouver- presumably working on this novel. The book starts out well, but soon degenerates into a veiled collection of sentimental recollections (the book's lead character is no doubt a symbol of Davies himself) that just runs on and runs off its plot like an old train off its track. Too bad. Although it does have an attaction in that it gives the reader a deeper inside view into what this master really thought about this and that, a view much deeper than his many outstanding essays and non-fictional reviews. But this is a weak book; incredibly it is Davies only weak book. I've read all the others and they are all absolute gems.

This is my first encounter with Robertson Davies. I had never heard of him, and would not have read him if he weren't noted in the reader's list of the Modern Library's top 100 novels. And how unfortunate it would have been had I not picked up this book!

The Cunning Man is an examination of the life of a doctor, told by himself. Asked to recall the story of the strange death of Father Ninian Hobbes which he witnessed, he recounts his past; his childhood, his schooling, the work of his profession, the influences that have made him who he is. In doing so, he shares with us his observations on the nature of life, love, art, illness, friendship, and many other things. Davies lets us have a picture of life, complete with accomplishments and disappointments, dreams and dreams undone, and makes it real and interesting and intelligent. I can understand the appeal he has for his fans and I will be reading more of Davies' books soon.

Davies is Dr. Jonathon Hullah. He cannot disguise this fact. I never formed an image of Hullah; Mr. Davies was the main character and fittingly so. Afterall this was his memoir. Perhaps his life unraveled a little differently but all his beliefs are here in "The Cunning Man". I don't believe I have taken anyones' words with such reverence as I have Robertson Davies. He speaks to me beyond the grave - however indirectly - and has comforted me whenever I ended my day with one of his books in my hands. "The Cunning Man" was great for me in summing up my relations with him. After already reading 3 of his novels I felt his last novel would be a fitting conclusion. I was thrilled how perfect the reading experience of this book was. It truely touched my heart because I believe I was part of Robertson Davies' farewell address, which I also believe is all Mr. Davies wanted to do with this book.

Jo Beverly builds a medieval romance in Lord of Midnight set on the premise that a loving daughter must marry her father's killer. Will love win over these over whelming odds? Renald de Lisle is King Henry I champion. Renald is chosen to fight against Claire's father who has supported a losing cause against Henry I and in favor of his older brother Robert. Claire's father believes that Henry is responsible for the death of King William II, who died in a hunting accident. Despite his friendship with Henry I and his belief that William II was a poor leader, Claire's father is a man who believed strongly in doing what was right. He was a man gifted in dreams and story-telling. He supported Claire in her youthful dreams and artistic skills, something highly unusual for the times. Claire is deeply saddened by his death and in the throes of grief hacks her hair off. This is the basic weakness of the story and makes it difficult for the reader to feel the pangs of true love. Does one forget a loved relative so quickly and can love be lasting that happens so rapidly? I found it hard to suspend my doubt to buy into the sincerity of love.

Can you live with the man who killed your father? Jo Beverley believes that you can, that love can conquer anything - even that. That is probably the main reason I gave this book 4 stars only.. everything else about it is excellent, but I found the central theme too difficult to swallow.

The characters are very well written.. Renald is hard, tough, unyielding.. but oddly vulnerable in his attraction to Claire.. she is defeated, heartbroken and vulnerable, but beautifully strong in her pride and dignity..

Very well written.. the twists and turns will surprise you and delight you.. funny at time, heart wrenching at others.. what else can you ask for from a historical romance?

I just love Jo Beverley! She never fails to move you into the period and into the hearts of minds of her main characters. Here you have the story of Claire Summerbourne, anxiously awaiting the return of her father from a rebellion to overthrow the upstart king Henry Beauclerk. Instead, who rides up to the castle but Renald de Lisle, kings champion, to bring her fathers body home and assume ownership and title to Summerbourne.

He has won the prize of Summerbourne, along with the kings orders to wed without delay, one of the three maidens living there and to care for the rest of the deceased Lord Summerbournes family.

Meeting Claire Summerbourne, he is immediately taken with her and as much as she would admit to herself, she finds him physically disturbing. The plot goes on with Renald trying to wed the lovely Claire before she discovers his awful truth.

The characters are so well fleshed out, you can feel all the emotions and struggles each has in their hearts and soul. Again, a most magnificent story set in and during the reign of King Henry. I also love the way she reintroduces characters from previous novels so that the flow of these books brings you back to revisit the other characters that you hated to lose track of once their stories had ended.

I began with the first book in the series, only his and then had to get the other three books from the library. I was confused as to the order of the books because it said nothing about which book came first, second, third and forth. This is the third in the series and I finished all three of the last books in four days! The characters are wonderful and I get so caught up in the story that I loose track of the day. Many times I felt like thumping Reno in the head. Eve was wonderful because she was so strong in such a hard time for her. I love the way the characters were reunited in each one of the books. I felt like part of the family coming home to them all.

Only You is the third book in Lowell's "only series" the first two being Only His and Only Mine. Only Mine was a little bit of a disappointment, but this one was just superb.

Evelyn Starr Johnson, better known as Eve, bets herself in a card game. Matthew "Reno" Moran wins her, and when she flees, he tracks her down. Eve tells Reno of a gold mine that she has a map to, and they decide to go there and find some gold. From the very beginning, Reno doesn't trust Eve because not only had she bet herself, but had run after she had lost the card game. As they journey to the mines, Reno fights his growing attraction to Eve, while she fights her growing love for him. Finally they end up teaching each other about desire and love, and there is a happy ending, or course.

From the very beginning I liked Eve who is spunky and so full of love to give. She was the perfect heroine for Reno, who had had bed encounters with women in the past. Although Reno was pigheaded through the entire novel, it was a little understandable because of his experience with women. The ending was very pleasing because Reno finally learned to love and to trust, and the whole scene was just very sweet. This romance was very satisfying and I recommend it highly.

I would also like to correct an error that one of the other reviewers mane. Jayne Ann Krentz, Jayne Castle, and Amanda Quick are all the same person, but they are not Elizabeth Lowell. They have completely different writing styles, so I don't even know how that got confused. Elizabeth Lowell does write as Ann Maxwell or A.E. Maxwell, however. So anyway, Happy Reading!

This was the first book I ever read by Elizabeth Lowell, even though it is not the first in her series of novels about the Moran family. Wow, was I hooked! The characters steal your heart, the plot is exciting and even believeable, and Reno and Eve generate a steamheated romance that is incredibly passionate and tender. Eve's sacrifice and Reno's revelation--and subsequent sincere remorse and expression of love--at the story's climax tug at the heartstrings and make a highly satisfying conclusion. This series is populated by characters who truly come alive, and about whom we come to care very much.

Coulter rounded out the Bride trilogy in a very good way. If you read the books in order, you have watched Sinjun grow. Now, in The Heiress Bride, she is all grown up and has fallen in love. Take a ride with Coulter on the rollercoaster of dispair and delight that she has created for Sinjun. The bad, along with the good, makes this book a delightful, although emotionally draining, read that I will enjoy for many years to come.

This book was a very pleasant read. I have always loved Sinjun and watched her since the first book. In this book she was nineteen and fell in love with Colin, a Scottish earl. She was so daring that she managed an elopement with him to his castle in Scotland where she found herself an unwanted stepmom of his children she had not known of their existence before. I secretly prayed for her to help her untangle all the problems she faced. Hot love scenes which will set you aflame are here and there throughout the book. I found myself roar with laughter many times as Ms.Coulter is always adept in adding sense of humor to her romances.

Catherine Coulter's The Heiress Bride is a masterpiece on my bookshelf. The general flow of the novel is fast paced though it does slow down enough in spots for readers to catch their breath and their bearings. From the begining of the series you have watched Sinjun grow into her self, while in this hilarious novel, not only is she getting to know herself, but Colin Kincross as well.
Colin Krincross is the an impoverished Scottish earl, who needs an heiress to increase the estates coffers. Throughout this delightful tale they battle for the right to be the "man" of the family. Sinjun with her no-nonsense ways; Colin with his male pride, battle it out to create a delightful romance and slight mystery.
To find out who wears the britches in the family, read the novel. Though, be prepared to laugh, and be a little frustrated with Colin (maybe Douglas and Ryder, too). Enjoy one of Catherine Coulter's finest works!

The third book in the Shane Scully series is entertaining, but in a very sloppy, shlocky way-kinda like Cannell's old TV show, "The A-Team". One problem is that there are more plots than you can shake a stick at crammed into the story. The primary one is Scully getting involved with a small time grifter and former informant, turned movie producer, in attempt to set up a prominent East Coast mafia figure. It seems the Mafia is looking to resurrect a scheme from the '30s in attempt to take over Hollywood (and thus LA's economy) via the unions. This is kind of a neat concept, and one almost wishes Cannell had written a book about the '30s scam instead. But instead, he piles on a gang warfare storyline, that involves Scully's son, Bloods, Crips, the Mexican Mafia, and a major shipment of heroin-the lead investigator of which is Scully's wife. And then there's a plot about the rich Hollywood player who's about to marry Scully's wife's best friend-who is he, exactly?

Unfortunately, all these subplots are inevitably linked to the main one, which seems rather silly. The book suffers from a mixture of tone throughout. Some of it (like the gang stuff), is very grim, bloody, and realistic. Other parts, such as the East Coast Mafia stuff, is kind of over-the-top "goombah", Sopranos stuff. And the Hollywood parts are the most heavy-handed satire imaginable. And while the cop procedures and lingo are great, some of the Hollywood stuff is definitely not. For example, Scully and his partner are setting up this movie to be made, and the day after signing a big movie star, they have this major A-list director not only on board, but starting production work! Umm, hate to tell you this, but A-list directors have commitments a good two years into the future and aren't immediately available like that. Nor does principal production on big-budget films suddenly ramp up overnight, with set-building and the like. There's a whole lot of preparation work that happens first-but that would have been too hard to make fun of I guess.

Finally, the characters are often ridiculously stock. Scully is ruggedly handsome, but doesn't think of himself that way. His wife is the sexiest cop in LA, and tough to boot! Wow. How original. His son? Oh, he's just the starting quarterback for his high school team and is considering scholarship offers to major Division I football programs. C'mon! Why make all your main characters the best and brightest at everything? Oh yeah, and the Chief of Police basically lets them do whatever they dream up and backs them all the way. So, lots of flaws, but not unenjoyable if you're willing to turn your brain off bigtime.

In many ways, Stephen J Cannell defined action-adventure series television in the 80s, so it's surprising that it took him so long to create a series character in prose. In Shane Scully, though, he's created a winner. Hollywood Tough, the third installment in the series, represents something of a departure for the series. In it, we see Scully, preparing to return to duty after the events of The Viking Funeral, caught up in a couple of separate investigations. His wife's close friend's fiance has Shane suspicious. And former snitch Nicky Marcella, now running a small-time movie studio, has asked Shane to track down a former small-town New Jersy beauty queen to appear in a movie. This being a Stephen J Cannell story, nothing is what it seems. As usual, watching a bunch of ordinary joes stumble up against the bigger picture is half the fun.

What sets this apart from the typical Shane Scully tale is the Hollywood film setting. Cannell is clearly drawing on his years of filmmaking experience in his portrayal of--and possibly frustration with--the complex egos and power structures within the industry. With the skill only an insider could possess, he manages to make the whole thing seem both logical and absurd, and we understand how the system could come to exist in its present state, without accepting it as necessary.

Unfortunately, while very enjoyable, Hollywood Tough pales in comparison to previous Scully novels. Shane isn't as personally connected to the crimes as in Tin Collectors or Viking Funeral, and reduces the sense of urgency found in the earlier books. A subplot involving his son Chooch, his former gang ties, and his girlfriend is involving, but didn't seem well-enough set up in earlier books to seem like a natural development. (However, it will be interesting to see how events in this book play out in later installments.) Alexa Scully, fairly well-developed and strong-willed in earlier volumes, didn't have much to do this time around, either. Admittedly, this isn't her series; it's Shane's. Still, it's disappointing to see her get short shrift this time around.

Having said that, a comparatively weak entry for the series doesn't mean the book isn't worth reading. Part of my dissatisfaction with this story may be that it felt different than the previous two books, but I also applaud Cannell for not writing the exact same book three times. I still liked the story, I still like the characters, and I still want to see what happens next.

Stephen J. Cannell would have an impressive resume even if he had never decided to try his hand at writing novels. His tracks are all over television. Cannell has created more than forty television series and it is almost impossible to channel surf at night without running into one of his celluloid children, be it The Rockford Files, The Commish or The 'A' Team. I fully expect to turn on the television one night and find myself watching a new network called The Cannell Channel. Hmmm...wait a minute, while I trademark that. Anyway, Cannell has also been racking up an ever- and always-impressive list of novels. I was amazed to discover that HOLLYWOOD TOUGH, his latest, is also his eighth. It's hard to believe but he's working on his own shelf as well --- he certainly deserves one.

Cannell has carved his own niche in the adventure market with titles that include THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP and RIDING THE SNAKE. THE TIN COLLECTORS and THE VIKING FUNERAL, his last two novels, however, have featured Shane Scully, an LAPD detective who has had his ups and downs. Scully returns once again in HOLLYWOOD TOUGH. Nora Bishop, the best friend of Scully's wife, Alexa, is engaged to Farrell Champion, an A-List movie director who appears ready to give Bishop the happiness she has so long sought. However, at an engagement party for the couple, Scully overhears Champion make an offhand, seemingly joking remark about the deaths of his two ex-wives. Scully's cop instincts are aroused and, against his wife's wishes, he begins investigating Champion. He soon finds that Champion appears to be a man without a past, someone who seemingly materialized out of nowhere.

At the same time, Scully discovers that a New Jersey mobster is attempting to infiltrate the Hollywood film industry's union. Scully, in order to draw the mobster into revealing his real reason for coming to Hollywood, sets up an elaborate sting operation that, in addition to being an extremely interesting plot vehicle, permits Cannell to educate his readers into the whys, hows and wherefores of film production. Cannell does an excellent job of concisely explaining the complex world of film deals, as well as the studio politics that go into the creation of the films that are coming to a Cineplex near you. These same studio politics have Scully's sting operation soon spiraling out of control, both creatively and financially.

Scully also is having difficulty with his son, Chooch, who seems to have secrets that involve an L.A. Gang leader. As Scully and Alexa are drawn deeper into the sting operation and Chooch's behavior draws him into danger, Cannell keeps the suspense level high and maintains for the reader a maximum interest level from beginning to end, making HOLLYWOOD TOUGH, as with Cannell's seven previous novels, impossible to put down.

Cannell, with HOLLYWOOD TOUGH, continues to demonstrate that he is a master of whatever media he should choose to partake. Certainly the world of suspense literature is richer for his participation. Perhaps his work will one day become a subgenre unto itself. Even if this does not occur, Cannell's loyal legion of fans will undoubtedly keep reading and growing.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

There are few books by James Patterson that I would give fewer than 5 stars. He always blows my mind. Black Market is good, but it takes time for even a great writer like Patterson to become a true master. This book was published in 1986. Patterson fans, like me, who love his books because he pulls absolutely no punches may be somewhat frustrated when he pulls the punches a little here. Also, Arch Carroll is an interesting and sympathetic character, but I don't feel the reader gets to get inside of him like you do with Alex Cross. I kept wanting to know this guy better; I even wanted to know the bad guy better, even if I wound up hating him, like Gary Soneji. In Black Market, the admittedly fascinating plot is king. In a world full of plot-masters, I love Patterson's books because the plots are great, but character is king. Black Market is certainly a book to read for Patterson fans, as long as they understand that it feels like at this point in his career he may have been still developing the fabulous style that makes him absolutely tops today.

After seeing the movie Capricorn One, many years ago, I have come to the belief that a lot of what we think of as reality in fact is not real. Since then, I have had several life experiences that have proven that fact. Black Market takes that philosophy/perception to the ultimate limit. It is everything we have all kept in the back of our minds and have been too afraid to bring out, this book makes us face how we truly feel about things in life and really LOOK at what IS real or not. Of every book I have read, some that have been great thrillers with dissapointining endings, this is one book that keeps you at the edge of your seat all of the way, only to give you the most rewarding ending of all books I have ever read! I have to applaud James Patterson, he has finally gained my respect over and above John Grisham! Black Market blows away The Firm!

I know others out there may feel to disagree with me but having reading this book after the events of Spetember 11, it was totally shocking realizing that this book was written in 1986. There were terrorist activies back then & still America never saw the warning signs. I think this book try to display of what can happen and strongly enough, it did, in a totally different aspect. If I read this book before the events of September 11, I would of thought nothing like this can happen and this can be made into an entertaining made for TV or Hollywood movie. Now the events in this book seem terrifying because alot of lives were lost because of terrorist acts cause by a militia group called the Green Band. The main character Arch Carroll, I felt was well portrayed & totally fit the book. Instead of your mister nice guy do gooder, you had your rough around the edges detective. I feel this book is strongly entertaining!! The end caught me by surprise because it was totally unexpected. For those who were affected due to the events of September 11, I wouldn't recommened this book.