"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
                               ---Ralph Waldo Emerson


When I taught tenth grade English, I included a unit on propaganda, hoping my students would learn how to avoid it.  I hope they learned well, because there is no avoiding it during this election cycle.  Even the most honest of candidates use it to make their point. "Cherry picking" the truth is a technique that encourages the candidate to only tell the parts of the truth that benefit their point of view. Whenever candidates speak, and "fact-check" follows up on them, most of what they say falls into the half-truth category.

Flag-waving has been used consistently during this campaign, and it is frankly driving me crazy.  Stop telling me that in order to be a "real" patriot I have to do things your way.  You are simply trying to justify your actions, and if they are so in need of justification, perhaps they need to be changed. 

How about the good old "loaded language" trick?  The candidates and their spokespeople are using words with strong emotional appeal to sway us to their way of thinking.  Somehow we feel that it is more important to support a "reform" than a "change."  Or using "guilt by association" when a pundit compares an action of a candidate as "Hitler-like" or saying a candidate is "Lucifer in the flesh."  

Come on America, don't be fooled by a politician's use of propaganda. Don't "jump on any candidate's bandwagon" without making sure it is going to take you exactly where you want to go.  Emerson had it right when he told us to go where there is no path and leave our own.  If we jump to follow the person with the best use of propaganda, we may find ourselves sadly in need of a better path before we know it.

The legal profession's use of propaganda is a close second to the politician's use of these techniques.  The Wrong Man by  David Ellis takes us into the world of defense attorney Jason Kolarich and the wrongly accused veteran that he is trying to successfully defend.  I love reading courtroom thrillers that allow me to hunt for the use of propaganda as I follow the lawyers presentations of their cases.  Ellis does a great job in building strong characters and allowing them to drive a great story.

The other book that I greatly enjoyed this week is The Girl From Home by Adam Mitzner.  When hedge fund operator Jonathan Caine's world starts to fall apart, he seeks solace in his hometown.  When he runs into Jackie, the girl who in high school took his heart without ever knowing his name, he is thrilled to see that she is still beautiful, kind but unfortunately married to an abusive former football hero.  Jonathan's relationship with Jackie builds until they are placed in a position where they have to have total trust in each other to survive.  Mitzner is a strong writer who never disappoints, and this book is definitely one of his winners.

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As always, complete reviews  of these books follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

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Genre: Legal Thriller

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Although Ellis' book, The Wrong Man, was published four years ago, it feels like it could have been "ripped from the headlines" today.  There are way too many homeless vets living on our streets today, many of them plagued with PTSD and related mental health issues.  Ellis' research on the topic is evident, and this story will grab you from page one. Student paralegal Kathy Rubinkowski is walking to her car after class when she is shot and killed.  War veteran Tom Stoller is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is set up to take the fall. When he confesses to the crime, his Aunt asks attorney Jason Kolarich to take the case.

I am a fan of this character, having read several books featuring him.  He is a strong and likable defense attorney who always fights for what he believes is right.  In this case he believes that Tom is innocent and actually confessing to horrible events that took place in Iraq. He finds out that Kathy was killed because she found information dealing with terrorists and their money.  Now he has to convince everyone else that Tom is disturbed, but he is not guilty.

I love the way Ellis builds his characters.  Each new book allows me to visit old friends. He also does an amazing job on court related scenes.  These scenes, which can be slow and lengthy in some books, are exciting and interesting in the hands of this talented author. This, the third book in this series, is a book that makes the reader look hard at the dilemma of homeless veterans and the horror of PTSD. If you never got around to reading this book, do yourself a favor and add it to your must read list.

- Beverly


​Publisher - G.P. Putnam's Sons
Date of Publication - June 14, 2012

Genre: Thriller

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The newspaper often highlights stories about the impossibly rich who seem to have everything they want.  In The Girl From Home, Adam Mitzner introduces us to Jonathan Caine, a hedge fund operator who "wants what he wants," and he makes sure he gets it.  His wife is beautiful, his penthouse is exquisite and his job exciting. He makes millions of dollars a year doing what he wants to do and is admired by all.  Until it all comes tumbling down.  In a short period of time he loses his job, his home and his wife.  He decides to go visit his sick father  and stay in his childhood home for a bit, and while at a 25 year class reunion, he runs into Jackie, the girl who was the object of his boyhood crush.  She is a  mother of two, who is caught in an abusive relationship with her husband, who threatens to kill her if she leaves him.  Jonathan finds himself in a dangerous relationship with a woman who is as kind as she is beautiful.

Mitzner builds his story and his characters slowly, and the reader begins to feel part of this town and the people in it.  It took me a little time to get into the rhythm of the book, because he spent the first third jumping back and forth between the present and the months that led up to it.  Once I realized what he was doing though, I couldn't put it down.  His ability to show his character's emotions kept me mesmerized.  Jackie's feelings for Jonathan and fear of her husband were both strongly depicted, and Jonathan's character growth was interesting to watch develop. Mitzner does not present his protagonist as a warm and cuddly character, but the reader slowly begins to understand him.

There is definitely suspense in this book, as we watch Jackie's abusive husband become more terrifying and realize that both Jonathan and Jackie will do anything to stop his violent behavior.  The tension builds, and Mitzner, once again, delivers a novel that keeps the reader anxiously turning pages until a satisfying conclusion.

- Beverly


Publisher - Gallery Books
Date of Publication - April 5, 2016

"Life's a journey!  Make sure to pack enough books." -- Unknown


I love my iPad-mini and the kindle app that I put in it on day one of its existence in my life.  I am able to "pack" as many books as I want when I go on a journey, and Arthur doesn't get annoyed at the prospect of the back breaking load of books that I used to add to my suitcase. Any reader knows the panic of reaching the last page of a book, while on a vacation, and knowing that it is the only book you packed.  I insist on a minimum of five on any trip I take, and since I used to read hard covered books, it is easy to see why Arthur got upset. Now I carry hundreds with me and never cause him any pain.  

This wonderful device also allows me access to books I have read in the past and makes it easier for me to re-read and share my older favorites with you.  I spent the last few weeks hunting down and re-enjoying some of my top reads, and I will be sharing them with you over the next few weeks.  The 13th Hour, by Richard Doetsch is a great thriller with a terrific twist.  Protagonist Nick Quinn is given a watch that will allow him to go back, hour by hour, for 13 hours, in order to save his wife's life.  There is an added incentive...he is being accused of murdering her.  I loved it the first time and loved it again last week.

In The Clearing by Robert Dugoni is a new book, but the protagonist, Tracy Crosswhite, is a detective looking into a forty year-old cold case.  She is also working on a second case in this book, that deals with a mother and son both confessing to the same shooting. This is Dugoni's third book featuring Crosswhite, and he seems to build her character up a bit more with each outing.  It is refreshing to read about female detectives who are given the same respect as males in the field.

It would be nice to think that we have progressed enough in the twenty-first century to believe that both genders should be looked upon equally.  Of course the last few months have shown us that gender equality is a myth, and women have no choice but to be stronger than men to attain any semblance of equality.  When some of our presidential candidates reduce women to the size if their breasts, and others insinuate that women  are incapable of making responsible decisions, they are not sending a good message.  Reporters are no better, of course.  The candidates have all been doing what candidates have been doing for years when they sample specialty foods from each of the stops they make along the trail. We used to laugh at Clinton's fast food cravings before he went vegan, and we all loved watching him chomp into those burgers.  Bush, Gore, Kerry, McCain, Romney, and Obama stuffed their faces to gather the approval of all of the hometown people they were wooing.  Interesting that on Monday, when Hillary was handed an amazing looking dish of ice cream at Mikey Likes It Ice Cream in the East Village...and dared to dig into it...a male reporter asked her if she knew the calorie count.  Really?  It was okay for a 350 lb William Howard Taft to get stuck in a bathtub, but Hillary better watch that calorie count if she wants to get elected!

Humph...that has upset me so much that I am off to make myself an ice cream sundae, oozing with caramel sauce and candied nuts.  Maybe whipped cream...and pretzels!


As always, complete reviews of these books follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

Click on the book cover to order a title mentioned in today's blog:

Genre: Legal Thriller

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Robert Dugoni is a long time favorite of mine, and though his Tracy Crosswhite series is not my first choice of his works, I decided to give this one a try.  Tracy is a detective with the Seattle police department, and this is the third book in her series.  She is investigating two cases in In The Clearing, and both are interesting if somewhat predictable.  

The first case that we are introduced to is forty years old, and she takes it on as a favor to her friend. County Sheriff Jenny Almond has just buried her dad, Buzz. She knows that retired sheriff Buzz was never satisfied with the finding of suicide in the death of Kimi Kanasket in 1976. He was a deputy sheriff at the time and was told to stop his investigation. Jenny asks Tracy to investigate, and we soon see why the investigation was halted. Four former high school football stars may be involved.

The present case she is working on involves the daughter, Angela Collins and grandson, Connor,  of a top defense attorney, Atticus Berkshire. When Tim Collins is shot, both Angela and Connor confess to the crime.  Since Angela and Tim were in the midst of a divorce, things quickly get very complicated. 

Dugoni does do a good job with characterization, and his setting is interesting and clearly portrayed.  I wasn't a fan of the first in this series, and I did enjoy this one quite a bit more, but for some reason it felt a bit slow in parts.  That being said, it did make me want to see how it wrapped up, and I will be much more likely to buy the next in her series. I do wish he would bring back his David Sloane character though. That series was one that I always anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed.

- Beverly
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Publisher - Thomas and Mercer
Date of Publication - May 17, 2016

Genre: Thriller

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When I look for a good book, I look for something fast paced and different with characters who make me want to know them better.  Although Doetsch's  main character Nicholas Quinn seems to have a bit of trouble in learning from past developments, he is the good guy who you never stop pulling for.  The 13th Hour is definitely fast paced, and the author used time travel techniques perfectly to capture our interest.

Nicholas Quinn is a suspect in the murder of his wife Julia.  The reader is told (many times) that he adored her, and there is no way he would have ever hurt her. The police don't believe him and things look bleak when there is a break in his questioning.  This is were the book veers towards fantasy, when a man appears and offers Quinn a watch that will allow him to travel backwards in one hour increments to save his wife's life. As he goes back, hour by hour, he is faced with the realization that changing history can have terrible consequences.  The author brings in the requisite "bad cops," tragic accident and untimely deaths.  We learn of family secrets as poor Nick keeps running into brick walls in his effort to save his wife from the death he knows she faces.

I first read this book when it was published in 2009, and immediately recommended it to everyone I knew.  When I decided to spend the past month reading and reviewing old favorites, this one jumped out at me. Although not perfect, it was good enough to stay in my mind for seven years, and I wanted to share it with you.

Doetsch could have done a little better building Nick's character, but I imagine his goal here was to simply have the reader live the hero's angst, and in that area he did amazingly well.  Even as I reread this book, I found myself holding my breath and yelling throughout. By the very nature of the book, there was repetitiveness that got a bit tiresome, but for the most part even that was well handled. I believed the love story part of the book and really wanted a "happily ever after" ending.

Doetsch is known for his "The Thieves of " series, but I have always been a fan of his few stand-alone thrillers.  This is definitely a book that you don't want to miss.

- Beverly


Publisher - Atria Books
Date of Publication - December 29, 2009

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."                                      ---Love You Forever by Robert Munsch


When do we ever stop hurting when our children are hurting?  I once told a friend that my very best moments and my very worst moments revolved around my children.  That is still true.  My two are grown, and Beth has three of her own, but when she is traveling or out alone late at night, I worry.  Luckily, being a mother has made her sympathetic to my anxieties.  She always texts me when she reaches her destination and when she ultimately gets home.

Michael's profession (Psychologist) means that he spends his days helping other people through their issues, and yet he can not erase my unhappiness when I think that he is unhappy.  In 2011, a study led by Karen Fingerman of the University of Austin found that a parent is indeed only as happy as her/his least happy child.  The logical part of my brain knows that since my children are basically happy, healthy and well adjusted people, even when miserable they will soon be happy again.  Yep...I do understand that, but it doesn't matter.  I am wired to feel their pain!

Luckily, I am also wired to luxuriate in their joy.  I even reap the benefits of grandchildren joy.  Sarah was just inducted into the honor society, Zach has the lead in his school's production of "Music Man", and seven year old Olivia is about to be presented with her umpteenth belt in Tae Kwon Do.  To quote my own grandmother, Rose, I spend much of my time "kvelling" over their achievements, so I can accept the occasional lapse in their judgments.  Yep, I can let Beth deal with those miseries.  Unfortunately, those mommy miseries make her unhappy...and so...guess who is once again as happy as her least happy child!

When authors want to really pull at our emotions in a book, they harm the children.  Author, Anthony Franze definitely plays havoc with every parent's emotions in his novel, The Advocate's Daughter.  Attorney Sean Serrat is being considered for a seat on the Supreme Court when his daughter disappears.  She is subsequently found murdered, and her boyfriend is the prime suspect.  Serrat takes us through the family's heartache, a past Sean keeps hidden, and the process of selecting a Supreme Court justice, all with the aplomb of an experienced story teller.  The character's emotions were strongly represented in this interesting tale of a family in flux.

Luckily, Ruth Harris gave us a very funny view of family life in her book, Husband Training School.  Come on ladies, wouldn't it be convenient to be able to send your hubbies to a boot camp for husbands whose habits  drive you a little crazy.  The story, though quite silly, is something men and women can easily relate to, and Harris kept it short enough to keep us from becoming bored.

Both of these books were winners this week.
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As always, complete reviews  of these books follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

Click on the book cover to order a title mentioned in today's blog:

Genre: Legal Thriller

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It is important for an author to have the ability to catch the reader in the first few pages of a book, and Franze did that for me with The Advocate's Daughter. His prologue which takes place in Japan introduces us to teenage Sean Serrat.  Chapter one introduces Sean thirty years later, as a lawyer who is being considered for the Supreme Court.  This is a perfect topic for our times, and Franze has the background to introduce some of the political workings of the highest court in our land.

Sean's daughter Abby is missing and eventually found murdered.  Her boyfriend is arrested and authorities are sure they have their man.  Sean is not so sure, but his hunt for the truth puts his entire future in jeopardy.  We all have things in our past to hide, but when politics mixes in with crime, nothing is sacred...no one is safe.

This book grabbed me from the beginning and kept me throughout.  Although I still have a few chapters to go until the end, I feel confident in recommending this as a book most thriller readers will enjoy.  I like the way Franze makes Sean a multi-dimensional character and shows his family as an important part of his life.  Trying to deal with a middle school aged son can be tough, but wife Emily seems to have a handle on it. As a parent, I understood the frustration they endured and felt their pain at the loss of their daughter. 

His writing style is easy, with short chapters and engaging characters. It is fast paced and informative, with Franze using his insider knowledge to keep the reader engaged. I am definitely looking forward to his next one.

-Beverly

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​Publisher - Minotaur Books
Date of Publication - March 22, 2016

Genre: Humor

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Thank you Ruth Harris, for making me smile with Husband Training School.  This talented author introduces us to three exasperated wives and their exasperating husbands in the first few chapters of this book, and we also meet the enterprising woman who runs a boot camp that teaches the men to be good husbands.

The men are as different as night and day.  Will Trailer is a young baseball player, Gordo Canholme is a young father to be, and Howard Hopkins is recently retired from a job where he was in charge of over fifty people.  Their one commonality is that they are impossibly annoying husbands who are one step away from needing divorce lawyers.  

Their wives had all heard about a training school (HTC) run by Robin Aguirre and her husband, and the husbands were all "sent" there.  Of course the reader must suspend belief, because none of these men would have accepted this challenge in real life, and, if by some strange miracle they did, none would have stayed after meeting Robin. This ex-marine drill instructor cuts no slack for these husbands.  She has trained many before them, and she expects results.

This is definitely not a book that will encourage deep thinking or discussion, but it will make you laugh.  There is not a woman who can't relate to what these wives are dealing with, and it is fun watching the men learn the steps to being a good husband.

It seems to be written in good nature, and I imagine men will get a few chuckles (and a few lessons) out of this, too.  Recommended for all of us who don't take ourselves to seriously.

- Beverly


​Publisher - Word international
Date of Publication - June 18, 2014

   “Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.”
                                     ---John F. Kennedy 


Sometimes it is difficult to believe that I am living in the 21st century.  When I think of the protests of the fifties and sixties, it is hard to imagine that we have come so far only to fall so far behind.  John Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Martin  Luther King Jr. all followed the example of Abraham Lincoln and fought for a country that saw every person as equal. Like Lincoln, they all died so we could enjoy this equality.  WHAT HAPPENED?  I realize that not everyone will think like I do, but how can the governor of Mississippi be representing an entire state of people who believe they can deny services to people because of their partner choice?  I refuse to believe that the majority of people in that state agree with him, so how did they let this happen?

How did the people of North Carolina pass HB2...a homophobic, transphobic law that somehow gets around the ruling that a conservative leaning Supreme Court  saw the importance of making.  I am well aware that there will always be people who are bigoted and fearful of anyone who is different than they are, but where are the Abrahams, Martins and Johns who will speak up even if it is against the conventional wisdom  of their party or against the wishes of the lobbyists who support them?

JFK's explanation of tolerance explains that you don't have to give up your beliefs in order to respect others' beliefs.  Our country was founded on the belief that everyone should have the freedom to worship how they want, to live how they want and to love how they want.  It is hypocritical to  be "cafeteria" or situational followers of our forefathers' ideas.  We shouldn't reinterpret what they so eloquently presented to us. We need to be represented by leaders who will stand up for our rights.
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I am thrilled to see the youth of today getting on the bandwagon for their candidates.  Both Sanders and Trump seemingly represent a change from politics as usual, and the young people are telling us that they are tired of the usual.  Great! Go for it! Do all you can to get your candidate the nomination!  However, if he is not the person who becomes your parties choice, DO NOT take your ball and run home.  You need to carefully research the two people who will eventually be running for the highest office in the land and then vote your conscience.  Understand that deciding not to vote to prove a point only proves that you don't understand the possible repercussions.  We can't always have exactly what we want, but we live in a country that allows us to vote against things that go against our moral code.  There are two sides to every issue...pick the person that is as close to your agenda as possible and help him/her get elected.  Then make sure your voices are heard and do all you can to keep that person honest.

Since the news this week was far from entertaining for me, I want to thank two of my favorite authors for stepping in and making my week.  Harlan Coben's latest thriller, Fool Me Once, left me breathless as I tried to understand that which made no sense. His ability to grab his readers' attention on page one and never let up makes it clear why he is one of the best authors of our time. 

Allison Leotta's newest book, The Last Good Girl, is not a book to take lightly.  While her books are generally easy to read, her subject matter can often cause sleepless nights.  This book delves into the way colleges handle rape cases and is guaranteed to cause any parent of a daughter sleepless nights.  I am already looking forward to the next book in her series featuring Anna Curtis as a prosecutor who never gives up her fight for justice.

As always, complete reviews  of these books follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

Click on the book cover to order a title mentioned in today's blog: