Product Description
Recommended for listeners ages 10 and up. Features a special musical score. Calwyn knows nothing about the world beyond the Wall. ... Read more

Product Description
In the heat of the Arizona desert, a raging fire pushes temperatures to a deadly degree, and one woman is left to burn. Pulled naked and barely breathing from the fire, the victim has no idea who she is, let alone who would do this to her -- or why. In her hospital bed she drifts in and out of consciousness, her only means of communicating a blink of the eye. And then an angel appears. Misguidedly known around town as the "Angel of Death," Sister Anselm has devoted her life to working as an advocate for unidentified patients. To her burn patient, she is a savior. But to this Jane Doe's would-be killer, Sister Anselm's efforts pose a serious threat.

Ali Reynolds is on the scene as the new media relations consultant for the Yavapai County Police Department, keeping reporters at bay and circumventing questions about arson and a link to a domestic terrorist group called Earth Liberation Front. But her job quickly becomes much more. As Ali struggles to help Sister Anselm uncover the helpless woman's identity, they realize that by locating the missing relatives they may be exposing the victim once more to a remorseless killer determined to finish the job. Faced with the possibility of putting all three of their lives in jeopardy, Ali fearlessly pursues justice -- and what she discovers is a secret even darker and more twisted than she ever could have imagined.

With unerring skill, Jance delivers relentless suspense in what is surely her finest novel yet in this riveting and addictive series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (58)

Trial by Fire
Very good book. I like J A Jance a lot. This is the first one I have read that was NOT the JP Beaumont series.

Trial by Fire-
The book arrived quickly and in pristine condition. Jance's work is always first rate, of course.

Highly recommended book by J. A. Jance
This is another well-written book by J. A. Jance. I previously read many of her mysteries about Sheriff Joanna Brady. This one introduces a new heroine (for me) - Ali Reynolds - a former news anchor, who takes a "temporary" job of Media Relations for an Arizona county sheriff.

This is a page turner where Ali starts off as a public relations person, and ends up in the midst of an exciting arson and famous painting investigation, where she risks life and limb to save a nun she has befriended. The pace is fast-moving and the characters are realistic. There is intrigue from a wealthy Arizona family, a well-connected bishop who is able to pull strings to get things done, and political infighting in the Sheriff's department, as well as heart-stopping chase scenes.

I am about to read several other Jance books with the same Ali Reynolds character, including Cruel Intent.

Anotehr great story from J. A. Jance
I like the Ali Reynolds stories. I don't know what it ways about my personality, but I love stories abut strong women who take charge of their lives and kick @$#$! Ali does that. The interaction of her and her family (her son and doting parents) and others really adds to the plot. I don't like reviewing mysteries because it is too easy to give away the plots, but needless to say, this book kept my interest all the way to the end, which didn't come fast enough. I ended up staying awake one weekend night until I could put it down at the end. You will enjoy this book.

Another great Ali Reynolds yarn
Title: Trial by Fire
Author: J. A. Jance
Publisher: Touchstone (December 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1416563806
ISBN-13: 978-1416563808

Trial by Fire is the fifth is a series posing ex-anchorwoman and Sedona, Arizona resident, Ali Reynolds, as the heroine. She has scruples and is strong but is thrown into an unusual investigation when she is asked to investigate a woman who is severely injured in an arson fire. The woman has no memory about the fire and with traumatic amnesia cannot even remember her own name. The investigation escalates and when the FBI finally becomes involved, Ali is persuaded to go undercover by a nun who is the patient's advocate. The sister's disappearance is among the many surprising plot twists that make this a compelling read. Good page-turning stuff by an enduring writer who rarely misses. Recommended.
... Read more

Product Description

Meet Rose Feller. She's thirty years old and a high-powered attorney with a secret passion for romance novels. She dreams of a man who will slide off her glasses, gaze into her eyes, and tell her that she's beautiful. She also dreams of getting her fantastically screwed-up little sister to get her life together.

Meet Rose's sister, Maggie. Twenty-eight years old, drop-dead gorgeous and only occasionally employed. Although her dreams of big-screen stardom haven't progressed, Maggie dreams of fame and fortune -- and of getting her dowdy big sister to stick to a skin-care regime.

These two women with nothing in common but a childhood tragedy, shared DNA, and the same size feet, are about to learn that their family is more different than they ever imagined, and that they're more alike than they'd ever believe. In Her Shoes observes Rose and Maggie, the brain and the beauty, as they make journeys of discovery. Along the way, they'll encounter a wild cast of characters and they'll borrow shoes and clothes and boyfriends, and make peace with their most intimate enemies -- each other.

Funny and poignant, In Her Shoes will speak to anyone who has endured the bonds of big -- or little -- sisterhood, or longed for a life different from the one the world has dictated, and dreamed of trying something else on for size.Amazon.com Review
The Feller sisters are equal but opposite. Maggie is the good-looking, dyslexic little sister who knows how to get anything she wants--but not how to keep it. She "felt as if somewhere between the ages of fourteen and sixteen she'd walked off the edge of a cliff and had been falling ever since." Rose is the plump, practical, responsible older sister who knows about law but not much about her own happiness: "What did she like, besides shoes, and Jim, and foods that were bad for her?" When Maggie's latest eviction lands her in Rose's apartment, and Maggie insults Rose by seducing one of her sister's rare boyfriends, what follows is a chain of events by turns hilarious and heartbreaking. Embarrassed Rose evicts Maggie and begins a work sabbatical leading to a new livelihood and way of living. Maggie flees and runs away to Princeton. Masquerading as a student, she learns to love poetry and saves money for a trip to Miami--and a visit to a long-lost grandmother named Ella who might offer her a last shot at sanctuary. But In Her Shoes, the second novel from Good in Bed author Jennifer Weiner, is about more than the sisters' latest sibling rivalry; Maggie and Rose must sort out the childhood vulnerabilities and family mysteries that still linger two decades after their mother's death. In less capable hands, the plot might grow corny, but Weiner's humor and affection for the characters ultimately helps them transcend both neuroses and grief and learn the redemptive power of love. --Jane Hodges ... Read more

Customer Reviews (287)

Great Book
This is a great book!My second favorite Jennifer Weiner novel (Little Earthquakes is my favorite).I haven't seen the movie but the book is wonderfully written so much so I don't know if I need to.The struggle of a heavier woman to look great everyday and loves shoes because they always fit.This book touched a cord in me and is a realistic portral of what women sometimes go thru.A definate must read.

Am I the only one who thought it was longer than necessary?
I liked this book - I thought it was witty and engrossing - if not slightly overly detailed and a bit crass at times.Once I hit the 2/3 point though, I sort of just wanted it to be over with.Oddly enough, what I had enjoyed most in the movie (the storyline involving Maggie and the residents of Golden Acres) was almost completely glazed over in the book.I thought the third section of the book would have been longer and more detailed than the first 2 sections which mostly consisted of character building elements and independent storylines.I would have enjoyed it more if the independent storylines all crossed earlier in the book.

Another problem I had was that I had seen the movie years before I ever picked up this book.The whole time I was reading it, I was conflicted with how the author portrayed Maggie and Rose to look with the actual actresses who played them in the movie.Maggie - supposedly tall, thin, with chestnut curls, brown eyes, and a huge fake chest was played by Cameron Diaz and Rose, who as supposedly taller than Maggie, with the same hair and eyes, yet over weight (another issue about that coming up), was played by Toni Collette, who is anything but over weight - even after alledgedly gaining weight for the roll.I understand that a movie takes certain liberties when it comes to turning a book into film, but the whole time I was reading, I kept picturing different people.

My one gripe about the author's handling of describing her characters came to Rose's alleged size.Per the author, Maggie was 5'6 and Rose was 2 inches taller - which would make her 5'8.Maggie weighed 105 lbs, and her sister was "50 pounds heavier" - which makes her 155 lbs - which stretched on a 5'8 frame is hardly anywhere close to being over weight or fat.I just had to throw that out there because it irritated me as I was reading since it was mentioned over and over and over again throughout the story.

Overall - I thought the book was well written and I enjoyed the story - even though it seemed to go a bit longer than I would have thought it could.I'm not going to go and throw Jennifer Weiner into my list of favorite authors, but I would read another of her novels if one sparked my interest.

In Her Shoes
Jennifer Weiner has always highlighted her familiar charcters and their experiences with great understanding and insight. In this story she continued to take me with them and let me in on the humor she sees in so many situations.I highly recommend Ms. Weiner and "In Her Shoes."Enjoy!

Chick lit with brains
This book & I have a long history, well not so long anyway now... I remember searching for a new book to read on the internet one day &came across a book site which reviewed chick lit. Now, being an ignorant person that I was (& am still) I had no idea what chick lit was exactly.Soon, I learned that it included `Bridget Jones's Diary' amongst other pastel covered books with shoes & other such things that I generally do not care about.However, I wasn't cynical about it despite the fact that I couldn't relate to the genre's heroines so I decided to read `In Her Shoes'.I ended up enjoying the book though it didn't cause me to delve deeper into the chick lit world at all.

So, considering that 2010 is the year that I read anything & it's the year that I've officially started reading romance novels, I felt it was high time for a reread. The basic plot of the novel is that two sisters differing from each other in almost every way aside from their taste in shoes (oh come on, you know it had to relate somehow to the title) both deal with crises in their lives & are deeply affected by a tragedy in their childhood.Maggie is the younger sister, drop dead gorgeous, unstable, & dyslexic while Rose is older, wiser, smarter, & a successful lawyer at a top firm in Philadelphia. There is sibling rivalry, & a betrayal, each character is faced to deal with their own vulnerabilities that have been growing inside them since they were young.

This is a novel more about healing & the importance of family connections. Also, it's about how you can't cover up the past, you can't pretend it didn't happen no matter how unpleasant it is.`In Her Shoes' will make you laugh at times, cry a little, & make you wonder if you're in the right place in your life or not.

Loved it...
I loved this book.And as i always have to do before i review - i read some of the 'bad' reviews.People - this is fiction.Everything in fiction isnt supposed to be believable - hence the title FICTION.Anyhow, i thought it was entertaining, well-written, a really good story, good character development (the things the people complained about not being able to figure out as to how the characters made changes...it was all explained if you read the whole book!), and a good feeling at the end as far as NOT wanting it to end - and 'learning' something from the story.I really didnt want to put the book down, becuz i was so curious as to what was going to happen to the characters.It's not a PERFECT book - but not many are.It's very good, however. ... Read more

Product Description

Jenn Corbin appeared to have it all: two dear little boys, a posh home in one of the upscale suburbs of Atlanta, expensive cars, a plush houseboat, and a husband -- Dr. Bart Corbin, a successful dentist -- who was tall, handsome, and brilliant.

But gradually their seemingly idyllic life together began to crumble. Bart was distraught and Jenn seemed disenchanted. Then, just a few weeks before Christmas 2004, Jenn was found dead with a bullet in her head, an apparent suicide. But Gwinnett County detective Marcus Head was not totally convinced, nor was Jenn's family. Was this death related to another apparent suicide fourteen years earlier of a beautiful student who once dated Bart Corbin in dental school? Or was the answer to be found in a secret -- even dangerous -- relationship Jenn Corbin was having outside her marriage?

For Too Late to Say Goodbye, Ann Rule has interviewed virtually everyone related to the story to uncover the truth behind the headlines of these two sensational deaths. What emerges is an incredible tale of jealous rage that runs from the steamy to the macabre. The definitive unraveling of one of the strangest murder investigations of our time, Too Late to Say Goodbye is perhaps the finest achievement of a truly great writer's career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (110)

Very Factual
Having lived this story in real time, I can say that the book is extremely accurate.

An Intriguing Read!
I enjoyed this book or as much as a book can be enjoyed that is about someone being murdered by their allegedly loving husband.I'm so thankful there is someone such as the author that gives the victim a voice & makes readers aware of what the victims had to endure.I'm glad justice prevailed & the so called loving husband was found guilty.It never ceases to amaze me how many people murder their spouses instead of simply divorcing them.And how many people are actually capable of murder when it comes to money.Another great read by the queen of true crime.

great book
I saw this true crime story on MSNBC and Dateline--very good story.It's amazing how this man murdered 2 women and walked around like nothing happened.But justice finally prevailed!

Wise Advice to Women...
Many are in search of true love...but be cautionary and careful.As a woman in the dating arena for 30 years, I read this and realized it's never safe to assume.Thank you Ann Rule for writing about a man who, although prosecuted for two women's deaths, was most likely responsible for more.
This book is a guide for any woman who lives alone, corresponds on-line with potential dates, or just interracts daily with a man who may become a romantic interest.Do your homework and read this book...Bart Corbin is an example of how you may be played.

Ann Rule never disappoints!!
The book is excellent and I have already passed it on to Ann Rule fans. very compelling!! ... Read more

Product Description

When Parsifal, a handsome and charming magician, dies suddenly, his widow Sabine—who was also his faithful assistant for twenty years—learns that the family he claimed to have lost in a tragic accident is very much alive and well. Sabine is left to unravel his secrets, and the adventure she embarks upon, from sunny Los Angeles to the bitter windswept plains of Nebraska, will work its own magic on her. Sabine's extraordinary tale captures the hearts of its readers just as Sabine is captured by her quest.

Customer Reviews (110)

The Magician's Assistant
This story opens with Sabine's husband dying in the emergency room. What an unusual start to an unusual story! Sabine had married her husband not long before, after having been his assistant in his magic act for twenty years. After the death of his gay lover's death of AIDS, Parsifal married Sabine so she would inherit all he owned. As his assistant, Sabine knew all his tricks, except for one. After his death, she discovered that his mother was not dead. He had a whole other family unknown to her. Sabine spends the story getting to know this family and Parsifal's past, in efforts to fill the gaping hole that his death had left behind. She also discovers the secrets that he kept from her.

This very unusual story with unusual characters lends a touch of realism to the impossible. The fact that Ann Patchett can pull this off is a testament to her talent as a writer.
magician

Hokey, Boring and Loooooong
I'm astounded at the amount of good reviews for this book.The storyline is ridiculous and completely CORNY.Sabine spends her entire adult life in love with a gay man and when he dies, she spends the entire book mourning his loss - she was a third wheel!!His secretive family is revealed after his death and this is when the book gets completely nauseating.This book just dragged on and on and on.What a complete waste of my time.

Makes no sense...
Normally, if I don't like the first line of a book, I don't bother with the rest. I know that sounds harsh, but authors put everything into their first lines.The first line of The Magician's Assistant was terrible, but I read the rest of the book anyhow (against my better judgment) and was suitably punished.

The premise of this book was so bizarre I simply could not make sense of it.A gorgeous young woman, Sabine, falls in love with a gay magician. He makes her his assistant and they live happily ever after for eighteen years--without sex, of course--in an odd threesome with Parsifal's sweet lover, Phan. Phan dies. Sabine and Parsifal marrry. Parsifal dies, and Sabine inherits everything. Now wealthy, she discovers that Parsifal, who had said he had no family, has a mother and a sister living somewhere in the midwest.She seeks them out. We expect something to happen.

What happens is so out in left field, so absurd, that the previously flimsy story literally falls apart. Sabine, who had no inkling of her sexual preference for her entire adult life, suddenly discovers that she is lesbian! (Hence her love for a gay magician?) Parsifal's sister discovers that she is lesbian, too!They fall in love!Everything works out just fine! HUH?

As far as patched-together, nonsensical plots featuring two-dimensional, unconvincing characters are concerned this book takes the cake.The Magician's Assistant was dead. That is the end of the story.

Another wonderful novel!
This is the third of Pratchett's books which I've read.The first two were Bel Canto and Run.Anyone who has ever re-invented themselves will want to read this book.At first I found it hard to imagine a woman as self-effacing as the main character, but as the story unfolded she came alive.What I find striking about this novel, as with the two abovementioned, is that the characters stay with me.Pratchett has brought them to life and they live in my memory.In Bel Canto, I wonder how the marriage between the opera star and the translator turned out.In Run, I wonder how the African American fares.In The Magician's Assistant, I want to know how the liason that ends the book will unfold.I am also very impressed with Pratchett's writing style.Writing that appears that simple is very difficult to do.She is a master storyteller.And I was inclined to dislike her by the photo of her on the back cover.She looks so prim and self-satisfied.I'd choose another, if I were her or just omit the photo altogether.It gives a misleading impression of a gifted writer.

Finding a Treasure
When I discovered an Ann Patchett book that I had not yet read, I felt I had received a gift.After reading The Magician's Assistant I still feel very fortunate to have found this lovely book.If I rated this book solely on my inability to put it down while reading - it would get five stars.There was a surprise on practically every page and the dialogue is compelling.Bel Canto may still be the best, but this delight does not disappoint. ... Read more

Product Description

Beloved number one internationally bestselling author Sidney Sheldon introduced the glamorous, scheming Blackwell family and its unforgettable matriarch, Kate Blackwell, in his worldwide bestseller Master of the Game. Now a generation has passed, and as the world has changed, so too has America's own royal family.

Customer Reviews (38)

Just Ok..
I purchased this book on a whim since I am a HUGE fan of Master of the Game.I thought "how bad could it be?" and was honestly hoping for a trip down memory lane.

I am very disappointed.

I appreciate the authors attempt to bring the Blackwell family into modern times, but this book does not have that timeless quality that Master of the Game has.I do not see myself picking up Mistress for another read years from now or recommending the book to anyone I know.So much of Mistress of the Game feels forced with plot lines, locations, and characters that arethrown in randomly to push the story forward.Several good story lines were (for me) ruined by the unbelievable or sloppy way they were 'resolved' and wrapped up.

I gave this book 2 stars because there were a few good points, but I do not believe anyone who enjoyed Master of the Game should rush to buy Mistress.

Horrible
If you're a fan of "Master of the Game", I wouldn't bother with this one. Very disappointed and felt sad that Mr. Sheldon allowed this to happen.

Sheldon is Still the Master!
I've always said Sidney Sheldon was my mentor, even though he never knew it. I discovered his novels in college and learned from them as a writer. MASTER OF THE GAME has always been my favorite. When I saw MISTRESS OF THE GAME at the local bookstore, I initially passed on it, convinced that no one could write a sequel that could possibly do justice to the original. I finally took it as a free audiobook when I signed up for Audible.

I was pleasantly surprised. Nobody's ever going to measure up to the master himself (I should know; I've been trying!), but this was an enjoyable effort.

I'm not as disturbed as some reviewers here have been about the child rape. Lexie's kidnapping ordeal at age eight contributed overall to her psychological development. I was more disturbed by the "romance" between Lexie and Max--they were not only first cousins, their mothers were identical twins, and this fact was treated as insignificant.

As to whether or not Sheldon would write about child molestation, there was the kidnapping in RAGE OF ANGELS....

I did find some discrepancies in the characters' histories and many of the plot elements were contrived. Several reviewers have already mentioned them, so I won't repeat them here.The ending was puzzling, to say the least. I thought I'd lost part of the audio!

I would suggest the publisher not mislead readers by continuing to put Sidney Sheldon's name on Ms. Bagshawe's books. Let them stand on their own.

What a horrible twist to an old favorite!
Sheldon fans should avoid reading this book.While there is plenty of drama and negativity, few if any of the characters are well developed and/or spark the reader's sympathy.

This author takes every relationship that has the potential to be rewarding and twists them into something negative.When all else fails, kill off one of the couple and spend the next 30 pages reading how the surviving spouse is free-falling into an emotional abyss.Throw is some incest (cousin on cousin) and plenty of pedophile descriptions and the wonderful story continues.The love/romance scenes are poorly written and lackluster.

Then, after ruining many of the original characters and taking us through the lives of the next generation, this book is concluded with the thought process that there is room for another sequel.

If you *must* read this book, borrow it from a local library.You will regret paying money for it.

Some sequels are meant to be skipped or ignored.This is one of them.

Mistress of the Game
I have read every Sidney Sheldon book and this doesn't even come close.I am so very disappointed in Tilly Bagshawe.Sidney Sheldon must be turing over in his grave!He would never exploit children and the suspense was not even there.I wish I hadn't spent my money on this garbage ... Read more