Captain Hugh North of Army Intelligence Services is a guest at a dinner party at the residence of Colonel Peter Andrews. The colonel is the commanding officer of Fort Espanto in the Philippines.

The original parts of the fort were built as a Jesuit monastery in 1660. A legend about hidden treasure in the fort has been passed down through generations of local residents. A Spanish officer vanished from the fort in 1801 shortly after he announced that he had learned the location of the treasure. In 1916 two men were killed after they arrived from Spain to search for the treasure.

During the dinner party Inez Sarolla tells the guests about the treasure. A search party for the treasure is spontaneously organized led by Ricardo Mendez, a cousin of Inez, and Lieutenant Bowen, the fiance of Inez. Mendez and Bowen disappear into the old ruins of the fort. Later a scream is heard. Mendez is found dead from a knife wound but Bowen is missing.

Colonel Andrews asks North to conduct an investigation of the murder. North begins his search both for the murderer and the location of the treasure. His only clues are two rosaries and a little piece of sheepskin. One rosary contains three extra beads while the other has six extra beads. The solution to this puzzle will lead to the treasure. The entire investigation lasts less than two days and in many respects the style of the novel resembles a classic mystery story of the post World War I era.

I'm biased: these reports were written by my great-grandfather, and edited by my great-uncle. That aside, what emerges from this book are well-worded images of a 21-year-old's leaving Utica, NY, for Washington and becoming part of the Army of the Potomac in 1861: marching and bivouacking; social events; provisioning; endless battle preparations; comments on society, the countryside, the mood of soldiers and civilians encountered; personal feelings. The battles in which Ritchie saw great action were those of Seven Pines (late May, 1862), Spotsylvania Court House and the North Anna (May, 1864), and Petersburg (March, 1865).

To give an idea of Ritchie's writing, here is his description of meeting Abraham Lincoln at one of the President's Tuesday evening social events:

I attended the last one and escaped unharmed... I held no conversation with any of the notables except Mr. Lincoln, the main portion of which I can recollect. A man who did not know my name introduced me to the President and he immediately extended his hand, seemed delighted to meet me and remarked with much concern, 'How do you do?' In my blandest tone I responded, 'Very well, thank you, sir' and was about to inquire after Mrs. Lincoln's health when we both dropped the subject and our conversation ceased. As I passed on I noticed that there were two or three hundred others behind me waiting to talk with Mr. Lincoln on the same subject.

The book is an easy read, because it has been well edited from Ritchie's diary, letters written home, and from his reports sent to the Utica Herald, for which he was a correspondent. The book gives a human aspect to the huge machinery of making -- and making ready for -- war. I liked it.

Like his first book, Shadows of the Western Door, Winfield again dives into the supernatural happenings of Western New York. Unlike Shadows of the Western Door, in which the author retold stories of lore and experiences by others, A Ghosthunter's Journal is Winfield's own experiences. From shamans on the Res to Bigfoot, Winfield carefully wove yet another spellbinding look into what lies behind the veil. If you're a WNY History Buff or just your every day paranormal enthusiast, A Ghosthunter's Journal is a great book, and one you shouldn't miss.

Yet another book with a deceiving back cover... ok first of all this is not just about a zombie boy who comes back from the dead to get revenge on classmates as stated on the back and blah blah blah. The whole town actually gets consumed by evil and all the folks start trying to kill their kids! And it's right after high school graduation so the author even caught some of the things that i thought about before my graduation. Much better then i expected, but nothing too literary or heavy, no messages for life, just a cool horror story.

This book is a shameless effort to copy Simon Marsden's exquisite photographic essays of European castles and ruins. John Mason photographs English sites IN THE EXACT SAME WAY and with the same infra-red method as Simon Marsden. Shame, shame! Have some originality! Plus, Simon Marsden writes terrifically spooky histories and legends of each site; John Mason tries, but he's not quite as good at conjuring up the frightening atmosphere as Marsden is. Perhaps I'm predjudiced? Perhaps I'm being too hard on John Mason....In conclusion, if you like haunted English history and old, spooky castles, you'll like this book. If you like Simon Marsden, you'll recognize a copy-cat job but you'll probably be very happy with this book!

There are a number of books on Japanese art in English, but many spend a great deal of time on one particular period (usually the period the author prefers) and writes about the rest as though they were "add-ons". Mason's work is concise as well as informative about a broad range of topics, and will serve as a good stepping stone or introduction for those looking to get in to the world of Japanese art. The general volume dedicated to each time period shows a fair balance, and it is easy to see how earlier movements in art and design influenced later developments, from prehistoric times to the modern era.

If there are any problems to be sited with the text, it is that it is getting a little old. Since 1993 (the most recent edition) there have been many advances in art history in Japan (particularly regarding prehistoric art and society), and many of the newer focuses in the art history comunity (such as Edo period printed matter, particularly picture inserts) will not be reflected in the text.

Even so, this will serve as a good starting point for most, particularly those studying in a college setting. Those planning to specialize in East Asian or Japanese art should have a copy by their side, both for reference and for the many illustrations and photographs collected inside.

Trans-Pacific Airways has developed an emergency fuel formula which can provide clipper ships with a greatly increased flying range up to 6000 miles. The formula, however, has not yet been perfected.

When the operations manager of Trans-Pacific commits suicide, he leaves a note. It mentions the secret formula and its amazing possibilities. The suicide note is published in a newspaper giving the secret formula wide publicity. Trans-Pacific is an American airline and the United States War and Navy Departments do not want the secret to fall into unfriendly hands.

Captain Hugh North from G-2, Department of Army Intelligence, is sent to Hongkong to keep the formula away from any potential enemies in a future war. He quickly learns that there are several operatives seeking the formula. There is also a rival airline, Air Oriental, which is planning a Pacific route and will want to have the advantages of the new fuel. Air Oriental is registered as a Chinese corporation but uses German pilots and equipment.

Sam Patterson, the chief engineering officer of Trans-Pacific, is murdered. The company's safe is broken into and the formula is stolen. North believes that the murder of Patterson and the theft of the formula are connected. The murder scene reveals several clues including the victim's double-breasted coat which was buttoned on the wrong side and a glass water pitcher containing a woman's flesh-tinted stocking. The leading suspects are Patterson's former and current girl friends. Also under suspicion are the new operations manager of Trans-Pacific and the Macao manager of Air Oriental. In addition, North must consider Mr. Tashima, previously a lieutenant in the Japanese Navy but now in the postal service and Alexis Lebov, a professed White Russian who is thought to actually be working for the NKVD. Louis Martin and his wife are imposters who may really be representing French interests.

Hugh North has his work cut out for him in this case at a time when tensions are heating up before World War II in both Europe and the Far East. Germany in particular is singled out as a threat.

North is aided in his investigations by Sir George Amberson and Inspector Yu Shih of the Royal Victoria Police.

The book "Ice Runway" details the highlights of a private pilots flying career on the West coast of Canada. If you are a pilot, or hope to become one, and plan to do any mountain flying at all, then this is the real life adventure book for you! Roy gives us the real-life wisdom and highlights of his 20 years of flying the west coast mountains. An engineer by profession, a rock climber by choice, Roy details how he mixed his love for flying, with his love for climbing by landing on many of the major glaciers and high mountain lakes in BC. Roy pushed his super cub to the limits, and when that wasn't enough he (and a few close friends) rebuild a super cub to go even higher and farther. And yes, he lived to write the book! Roy is a one of a kind, old , bold pilot.

I have to really rate the story as one of the greatest fantasy adventure I have ever read (heard) but I am really disappointed with the songs included in the story. The music is not good enough, it's pure heavy metal as it was in the early 80's and the voice of Tarron was really bad in singing. (I like Vandermast's voice a lot though) So, buy this CD if you like Tolkien, cause you're in for a good story telling treat, but if you are interested in the music, it's not all that!

Leaders of the new africa was, i would have to say in my own words was a book that really teaches you how peple can overcome struggles.This book tells about how Africa's sruggles and differences made them to become of now what is today a great country.It tell you of the many different people that help to build Africa.Yet their many different ideas came together to bulid a great country.I recommend this book to everyone that finds these things amusing.And if you don't if you jus read the book you will.This book to me was worth the while.