A major strength of the book is the variety of sources of the tales - Tibetan, Aesop, Armenia, India, Grimm brothers, Ethiopian, Japan; in fact many of the stories could have come from any of a number of cultures. The illustrations add to the interest of the book for its intended audience.

The only weakness is that in only one case does it offer alternative answers. For example, in filling a room perfume works as well as light; if children are reading the book independently, they may not have the confidence to recognize that their answer is a clever as the one given in the text.

The stories are fun - parents and children should enjoy this.

Here we have the story of a father frenzied up with the idea of building a fabulous electrified Christmas display. In a truly inspired sequence, (supported by illustrations both comic and a little menacing), Shannon pays tribute to the scene in Hollywood's "Frankenstein" by depicting angry neighbors who look and act much like the riled-up townsfolk who stormed the doctor's castle. They're fit to be tied because now the display has so many damn lights, so much blaring music, etc. that brown-outs and traffic jams have resulted. Unlike the monster story, this one ends in reconciliation. But then there's the genre-inspired hint at the very end that havoc might somehow return (Easter's not too far off, you know). Great fun for kids as well as adults -- especially those who remember the old horror films.

Just when you thought you'd heard it all about Paul Bunyan you find out about the accomplishments of his wife and children. For example: you've heard of Mammoth cave? Well.......... And what about when the kids are grown and Paul can retire??

And please. Don't look at the last page until you've read the whole book especially if you're interested in astronomy.

We do have detailed listings that will be very helpful to vegetarian diners, however.

As always, when Liffey ultimately makes contact with the young people he's been hired to find, there are deeply thoughtful exchanges. Never condescending, never patronizing, always self-deprecating, yet always sensitive to their struggles--whether real or imagined--Liffey enters into their lives offering his battered heart and body as support for their sorrows. No one I've read has such a profound grasp on the issues that are central to the lives of youngsters approaching the treacherous border of adulthood. Liffey is a good man whose empathy is a poultice for the injured young, drawing out their pain and taking it into himself--like the archetypal sin eater.

Then, gleefully, there are the apocalyptic views that are sprinkled throughout every Liffey adventure. This time out, sadly, there are no little rat-like dogs to be hated. But there is a billboard advertising Drive-Through Hi-Colonics. Relief Without Waiting. (Hilarious!) And there are a couple of bemasked individuals on the street, holding up a banner that says, "Open Up Area 51, Display the Alien Remains."

Finally, happily, Jack has connected with the redoubtable Miss Rebecca Plumkill. And there are bits of a shredded foam pillow littering the bedroom. Now how, we have to wonder with amusement, did that happen? And aren't we glad that some warm light has managed to filter through the gloom of Jack's sorrows!
My highest recommendation.

His search for film star Lori Bright's daughter has him crossing paths with some truly fascinating characters: the Jamaican, Terror, who has a use for ginger beer that I will remember every time I open a bottle for the rest of my life; the computer geeks, both abled and disabled, who snake through the bowels of cyberspace in a state of glee; and the everpresent Marlena whose love is a warm, swampy place where Liffey periodically seeks comfort.

The world of Los Angeles, according to Liffey, is in perpetual chaos. Each book in the series shows random acts of natural or human mayhem (a man painted purple being taken into custody); shocks and aftershocks heaving cars and their passengers into terror and states of diminishing reason. The metaphor, in Shannon's hands, is a powerful tool. His books are never merely sequential, connect-the-dots mysteries but are broader, larger comments on how people have come to accept the bizarre as the norm. Shannon is the philosopher king of the mystery forum. And long may he reign.

Former Hollywood star Lori Bright hires private investigator Jack Liffey to locate her missing fifteen year old daughter Lee Borowsky. Lori shows Jack a fax of a ransom note demanding $50,000 and no cops. Jack notices that Lori is not in the least bit concerned over her daughter's safety and in fact thinks Lee might have sent the note as a hoax.

Before he begins the investigation, two law enforcement officials follow Jack, who goes over to confront them. He learns little from them and continues his sleuthing at the Taunten School, attended by Lee. To his surprise, neither the students nor the faculty seem worried for Lee's health. Jack learns that Lee apparently is an expert synthesiac as she actually hears colors and sees sounds. As he gets closer to his prey, Jack finds himself trapped between the various layers of the underbelly of Los Angeles and if the money was not so good, he would walk out of this case.

The heir apparent to the Los Angeles scene of Raymond Chandler has finally arrived with the talent of John Shannon. His novels catch the beat of the city as he energizes his characters with a remarkable and gritty reality. The latest Jack Liffey novel is a great who-done-it because LA has rarely been seen in a more intriguing light. Anyone who tries THE CRACKED EARTH will relish the other works of Mr. Liffey, a rising star.

Harriet Klausner

She is the prize in a war between the creatures of the night. Her blood holds within it a secret long searched for among the vampires. For her to remain human, it will take the protection of not only a powerful vampire, but the vigilance of a werewolf, as well as Angel's own strength and cunning.

*Haunting, passionate, and eerie, this book reaches out to the fans of classic gothic writers such as Dorthy Eden or Mary Stewart and the more modern fans of popular series such as Buffy or the Kindred. Unique twists on the classic legends make for a book that you will rush to the finish, but hate for it to end. Hopefully, this is only the first in a series of novels. *

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

The Earl of Trelayne, Maximillian Britton continues his family quest to destroy the undead. He will use whatever it takes including becoming a vampiric mole to infiltrate them until he eliminates the deadliest one of all, The Beefsteak Killer. However, Angelina has given him a new problem to ponder, as his desires for her seem inhuman even to Maximillian. Though she has some doubts as evidence points towards Maximillian as the killer, Angelina also knows that he is her true love and that she could never cherish a murderer. Yet to convince him they belong together will prove nearly impossible because he cannot allow his beloved to join him as a damned creature fighting the bloodsuckers of the night.

Fans of vampire romances and gothic tales will delight in Colleen Shannon's THE TRELAYNE INHERITANCE. The story line grips the audience from the opening scene when Maximillian does what he does best. The lead couple appears like classic gothic types as she is an innocent and he is a brooding individual with a secret. The strong support cast includes the return of characters from THE WOLF OF HASKELL HALL. Throw in a twist or two on the classic gothic/vampire romance leads to the audience enjoying a delightful bite.

Harriet Klausner