Luna is a very likable character who you easily become very fond of as we watch her accidentaly fall into - and take over - the life of her best friend Wren - who is dead. She is swept along by how easy it is to become Wren - who seems to have had it all. One fatal day someone who knew the real Wren comes along - her ex-convict husband - and totally throws Luna. This twist in the tale results in some hilariouse one-liners and witty comments on life. Luna and Wrens husband become involoed in each others lives and Luna becomes convinced that the husband is up to somthing highly illegal - which leads to a cat and mouse tale around the city ending up in a most unusual setting! The book is very funny and had me laughing outlound throughout. well worth a read!

This is one of the few novels that I cannot get out of my head years after I read it. Borrowed Lives has some of the most unique characters I have ever come across. The surprises and twists in the story keep the reader glued in their chair and yet it all seems plausible. Laramie Dunaway is a gifted writer and I look forward to reading more from her.

The plot is twisted, the characters are fascinating and the situations are so improbable, (except maybe in Hollywood), that I loved escaping into this book. I have recommended this book to many and they have enjoyed it, too. Laramie's other two books are excellent, but this is her best.

After I heard Caroline Marwitz speak on Wyoming Public Radio about her book, Naming the Winds, I had to buy a copy. You see, so many talented writers such as Gretel Erlich visit Wyoming, and are so taken and inspired by its stark, demanding beauty, that they end up staying a while and writing their best work as a result. And for this, all of us sensitive readers in Wyoming are very, very grateful. No surprise to me that Wyoming has this effect on people, as I have lived here nearly all my life.

However, with this latest quiet ode to Wyoming--and I fear that it will remain all too quiet without people far more influential than I shouting its virtues from the mountaintops--a Wyoming writer, someone raised here through her youth and early adulthood, has captured the true full naturalist's experience of this state.

Marwitz interweaves the narrative of a talentedly sensitive girl's apprenticeship on "The Prairie", as she calls it, with the fascinating story of her relationship with a mentor in the form of a much older woman willing to share her amazing background and a subsequently thrilling outlook on life. Though nonfiction, this book has a clear storyline, with direction, plot, climax, and a wonderful conclusion. That said, I would do a serious disservice to Naming the Winds if I didn't say that the strength of this book is the honest, non-high-fallootin', lyrical poetry used to describe the natural environment of the high plains. No other word but 'poetry' fits for many of the chapters of this great work.

The author's bio says that Marwitz is working on a second nonfiction work, as well as finishing a novel, Chameleon Man. I just wanted to say that she has at least one devoted reader and fan for all her future work in Thermopolis--one who is spreading the word every chance I get.

Plainly put: Anyone who thrives on naturalist works by western writers such as the late Edward Abbey, William Kittredge, and Terry Tempest Williams, will enjoy discovering this newest talented writer.

Naming the Winds is a small gem of a book that will be recommended by word of mouth, from one friend to another. It is organized by the seasons (mid-summer, late autumn, winter, deep winter, etc.) and by the winds that the author named as a child (Thunder Hoof wind, Silk Wind, Grass Comb Wind, etc.) Like many of us who grew up before computers and the internet, she roamed the wild, left-alone land behind her family's house in Laramie, Wyoming, and came to know the flowers, sagebrush, prairie dogs, and yucca as friends. Though I don't live in Wyoming, where it is set, I can identify with the author's sadness when the land she grew up on is bulldozed for streets and houses. She tells stories about an elderly woman who befriended her, who also loved to roam the land, and the "apprenticeship" she had with the elderly woman as she learned about the plants and flowers and skies of southern Wyoming. It's a quick read, but you'll want to take your time, as the author is a poet with images and colors. It'll make you want to go back to where you grew up and see if your favorite wild places are still there. I would recommend men buy this book for their wives, and women buy it for their mothers. I certainly am.

This was a distinctly original, fast-reading story which will had a little of everything. The humor was the force that drives the tale, whether it is hilarious, ironic, or darkly comic/tragic. It is also sexy and hip, and the characters very flawed and real.

I thought I had exhausted finding fresh, literary works on the subject of plains Indian/military history, but this book is a gem. It is sprinkled with wonderful, relevant tidbits to events whose humanity is gone in other efforts. I've read about 400 books on the subject, and this is in the top 5

Citing from over 700 journals, diaries and letters, Merrill Mattes' "The Great Platte River Road" is a must read for history enthusiasts of the Oregon Trail. From the five main jumping off points along the Missouri River: Independence, Ft. Leavenworth, St. Joe, Nebraska City and Council Bluffs, we see how all emigrant roads lead to Ft. Kearny. From here the lengthy and laborious journey to the west followed the Platte River. Mattes incorporates the overlander's journals with his own effective style of writing to give vivid, down-to-earth, hard-nosed descriptions of past events in such places as Ft. Kearny, Ash Hollow, Court House Rock, Chimney Rock, Scottsbluff and culminating with Ft. Laramie. He not only communicates the difficulties endured by the emigrants themselves such as river crossings, cholera and survival, but also chronicles accounts of the Pony Express, military, Indians, stage lines, etc. and how they all played a part in Manifest Destiny. Not only was this book a pleasure to read, it was extremely insightful and deep-rooted of our Westward expansion.

Enjoyable because Beery's style of writing is so smooth and captivating. Meaningful because after living here in Laramie for some thirty odd years, it was gratifying to learn of all these historical people, the places, and the events, which shaped this town. Laramie was a rough and tough place to live in those times, and the characters in this book, although now long gone, simply come alive. I would highly recommend it.

Moises Kaufman, who created the magnificent stage drama _Gross Indecency_, based on the trial of Oscar Wilde, here takes another true-life incident, the murder of Matthew Shephard, the young gay man who was beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming, and applies the same documentary techniques, culling the monologues and characters from interviews with actual residents of the town and people variously involved with the tragedy and its aftermath.

I saw the play in its Off-Broadway incarnation and was overwhelmed by the drama, brought out by a magnificent cast (members of which helped write the text), many playing multiple characters. The skill and passion of the actors, I think, was responsible for much of the power of the evening, combined with a simple but effective production. Inevitably, reading the text alone will not bring out the full impact of this work. Still, it is a powerful testament and one that should be disseminated in whatever form. If it's produced anywhere in your neighborhood, I would say, run, don't walk to see it.

The 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was a watershed event. This tragedy stimulated debates on anti-gay prejudice and violence. "The Laramie Project," by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project, attempts to find meaning in the murder and its aftermath.

Kaufman and the other members of the theater group travelled to Laramie, Wyoming, which was the focal point of the Matthew Shepard tragedy, in order to interview the people of the town. As the play's opening states, the dialogue of the play is drawn from these interviews as well as from other sources. Thus the play's language has a raw authenticity. Many different voices are heard: a policewoman, Matthew's father, a Catholic priest, a lesbian college professor, Matthew's killers, a Unitarian minister, a viciously anti-gay protestor, etc.

An interesting aspect of the play is the presence of Tony Kushner's play "Angels in America" as a sort of "background" text. "Angels" is mentioned more than once in this play, and indeed, there are significant parallels between the two texts. I recommend that people read both of these remarkable works.

Many issues are addressed in "Project." One character notes that "we need to own this crime." This play is a not only a morally challenging attempt to deal with a high profile tragedy, but also a compelling work of art.

The truth is, reading it wont do as much for you as a good performance. I'm not talking about HBO, I'm talking about theater.
However, even though hundreds of high schools have done this play in the fall of 2002 alone, maybe you aren't able to see it.
This is the most amazing play ever. Not because it has amazing language like Shakespeare. In fact, the language can get pretty ugly because this play is compiled of monologues. Each monologue is from one of the many interviews which the Tectonic Theater Company made in Laramie. In other words, every single word spoken in this book was really said. EVERYTHING is true.
The play we did was so amazing. It CHANGED people. They looked at homosexuality differently. They had new respect and a new view of things. We ended up performing it for the whole school because they felt the students needed to see it.

The Laramie Project is about the responses to the hate crime commited in Laramie, Wyoming. The monologues include people who grew up with Matt Shepard, the boy who was beaten and left to die, people who helped the family, and people who knew the accused. i strongly encourage you to read this twice. Don't bother watching the movie, though.

It is Jubilee Days in Laramie, Wyoming and the town is filling up with tourists, cowboys and parties interested in the upcoming rodeo circuits. University of Wyoming history professor Sally Adler and her life partner geology professor Hawk Green want a respite from the crowds so they go hiking in the hills where they find the body of Manette, a cashier at the local supermarket.

She was beaten, raped and shot to death and with the town so crowded with revelers, the sheriff isn't sure if he can solve the case before the Jubilee days come to a close. To complicate matters, twenty one year old Manette was a woman on the prowl, looking for somebody to fill up her night and she wasn't very particular about who it was as long it was male. Sally, a curious mix of sixties liberalism and new millennium pragmatism wants the killer caught and sets out to investigating on her own, making a target of herself along the way.

Readers who like a raunchy, realistically drawn down home heroine will adore the star of BAD COMPANY. The story line moves faster than a running river, taking readers on a ride that is filled with thrills, chills and action. Virginia Swift is a relative newcomer to the mystery genre but with a novel and series like this, she has a bright future ahead of her.

Harriet Klausner

I've read both of the Mustang Sally mysteries this week and it just kills me that I'll have wait a year for the next one to be published. I think that, like Nevada Barr, Virginia Swift is headed for the bestseller lists.
The characters, the setting, and the plot are all complex and interesting yet witty and romantic. It's often said that mystery readers are usually smart people, but it's still a pleasure to read a book that is both completely entertaining and beautifully written. Enjoy!

Academic/feminist/singer/sleuth Sally Alder and her companion Hawk Green become involved in two mysteries, one involving a nasty murder and the other involving a questionable land swap. The setting is Laramie, Wyoming, during the crowded, raucous Jubilee Days.

Compared with her first novel, "Brown-eyed Girl," the writing here is more compact. Where "Brown-eyed Girl" was replete with two-page digressions, in "Bad Company" Swift is more apt to toss of a one-liner.

Still, I would recommend reading "Brown-eyed Girl" before "Bad Company." You get a fuller background of the characters, particularly Hawk, who was more richly drawn in the first book. He's rather uninteresting here. In fact, there are points in "Bad Company" where Alder seems to be more intrigued by Scotty Atkins, a detective who is assigned to the murder.

The New York Times accurately describes Swift's writing as a comedy of manners. The plot is merely a scaffolding on which to hang Swift's many observations about the variety of the human species. To enjoy the novel, you have to be amused by incidents such as a nerdy academic slinging post-modernism in a Western saloon.

With this book, Sigmund Brouwer starts the Legend of Laramie series. As many of his books do, it starts out seemly simple, but soon gets very complicated. Samuel Keaton, our hero, accidentally gets involved in a shoot-out, saving an Indian's life. While on the run, he realizes that he has gotten involved in a case involving several crimes from years before, including his own past. With Indians and the law on his tail, can he evade all his pursuers long enough to get the answers and clear his name?

Having read others in this series first, I greatly enjoyed getting to meet the characters for the first time. The other books hint at the events contained in this book, so it was nice to finally get the complete picture. While his past being resolved by the modern plot may be convenient, it also makes for a great story. As always, Sigmund Brouwer weaves a good story with well-defined characters. It's great to see Bethany House reprint this book, formerly entitled Morning Star.

For Western lovers uncertain about the brand Christan Western, "come along pardner." For Christian readers, fearful that Westerns center around violent, amoral characters, "Be not afraid."

On one level, Brouwer offers us a fairly standard tale of a drifting cowboy with a clouded past who almost inadvertently stumbles upon a lawman brutally assaulting a hapless Indian. When he intervenes, and the lawman is killed, the cowboy's life depends on unraveling a mystery including the Indian, a twenty-year-old US Army gold theft,and the corrupt sheriff who had murdered the cowboy's brother. A good story, well told, enjoyable by any fan of Westerns.

On another level, the cowboy finds himself challenged to wonder at the meaning of the universe. As a man of action, he spends little time in reflection, but over the course of the novel the challenges he face lead him to see that there is a purpose beyond himself, a non-sectarian but solid Christian message that leaves the cowboy transformed by novel's end.

I recently was encouraged by a close friend to read this book and I am so glad I did. I've read very few westerns or books about cowboys but this book got me roped into it nearly immediately. Samuel Keaton represents all people who need a second chance at life and love. The characters were very fresh and original. Brouwer is a talented writer who knows how to send a point across without over used cliches.

Most of the time, I think of murder mysteries as an escape from life and a way to test my skills as an armchair detective. This novel offers so much more than that. Set in the old west, the hero of the series returns to his seriff's office one day to find a man dead on his desk. Thinking that was supposed to be him, he investigates. Soon, however, he is taken away from town on an expedition to find a safe passage around Indian territory. Soon, however, the people on the expedition begin dieing. Their bodies are found with arrows in their backs. Soon, innocent Indians have been massacred as has most of the expedtition. To make matters worse, Samuel, our hero, is torn from his girlfriend by these events. There is a war cry coming from both the Indians and the Army, and to end the blood bath, Sam must get sober again and find out the real reason for the deaths. As a fan of murder mysteries, I have grown used to people dieing. This book, however, has over 50 deaths. It also features a sad breakup between Sam and his girlfriend. It does deal realistically with the issues of Indian/Settler relatons in the early west. It is well written. I give it a 6 because it is so serious. When I had finished it, I was truly depressed. This is not light reading.

Before I read this book, I heard a mixture of why I should read it and why I should not read it. Before you get swayed from this book, understand that it is necessary to understanding Samuel Keaton.
It starts when Sam discovers a dead body in his office. He immediately thinks someone is after HIS blood and he takes a scouting job for a young Leutinent. Not to give away too much, the expidition goes bad and Sam turns to whiskey. This book shows the love the other characters have for Sam and it shows how smart Doc. Harper is. It also shows that the smartes man has his weaknesses and how, with the right friends, you can rise from the ashes and move on with your life.

Of the four Ghost Rider books, I liked this one the best. I'll agree with the previous reviewer that this one was depressing, so I recommend that you have book 4 ("Thunder Voice") ready to read when you finish book 3 just to lift your spirits. However, please do not skip this one because of the unhappy nature of the plot.

This is the best mystery of the series. Sam Keaton must figure out why there is a dead man in his sheriff's office, a tradegy stricken expedition, and a massacre of women and children. The plot adds more great characters, reintroduces old favorites, and twists along to the end conclusion.

What makes this book great is the struggles of the hero. Sam must deal with the guilt of his actions and his failed responsibility to others. In addition, he has a very realistic battle with alcoholism, a struggle that makes him so much more of a real (imperfect) person. Sam's humanity and the struggles of a real person to find a higher purpose make this the best book of the Ghost Rider series.