Product Description

Skeleton has the hiccups.
hic, hic, hic
Ghost tries to help.
hic, hic, hic
But nothing works.
hic, hic, hic
Then ghost gets an idea....
hic,
hic,
hic
HOORAY!Amazon.com Review
Skeletons are a little less scary when they have the hiccups. This particular skeleton can't seem to shake them--not in the shower (nice fuzzy bat slippers!), not while brushing his teeth (woops! there goes the bottom jaw!), not while polishing his bones, carving a pumpkin, raking leaves, or even when playing baseball with his friend Ghost. Ghost, instead of Boo-ing! away his buddy's hiccups right away as we might expect, advises Skeleton to hold his breath and eat some sugar and drink water upside down. When he finally does Boo! it still doesn't work. But when Ghost finds a mirror and holds it up to Skeleton's face, he sees his reflection and screams in fright! The hiccups jump away, hic, hic, hic. While it's novel to see a skeleton eating sugar, drinking water, showering, etc., it may be tricky to find the right audience for this unusual picture book that's more about hiccups than Halloween. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Love it! Great for beginning readers with a love of the macabre!
My son is fascinated by skeletons, so this book was a must! The repetitive text (key for beginning readers) is great fun to read and for him to start recognising words. We've been having a great time hic, hic, hic, reading together. Highly recommended.

A great book!
My 5 year old checked this book out at our local library.He loved it and didn't want to take it back, so I bought it for him.It has simple sentiences that he can read to himself.

Skeleton Hiccups
Skeleton Hiccups is a cute Halloween story to share with children.The plot is simple and fun:Skeleton has the hiccups and Ghost tries to help him overcome the affliction.After several unsuccessful attempts, Skeleton and Ghost manage to "scare away" the hiccups.The readability level is appropriate for K-2nd grade, and is fun to read for both kids and parents.

Skelton Hicups
I purchased this book for my grand nephew who is just shy of his 4th birthday. I sent it to him mid October for Halloween. He loves the book and has it memorized and "reads" it to the family over and over. I send books to him his big sisters and brother and although the books are all enjoyed none have been this big of a success.

Book is full of giggles
All 3 of my kids loved this book (6 months, 3yo and 6yo). I've honestly never heard my infant laugh so hard at the sound "hic, hic, hic."My older 2, after the first reading knew when the hiccups were coming and were ready to say it on their own.

Basically, skeleton has the hiccups, and can't get rid of them.He goes along his day(wake up, brush teeth, play, carve pumpkin, etc), and his friend ghost tries to help him out.

This book is wonderful for beginning readers.The sentences are short and sweet 3 words, followed by "hic, hic, hic". Just imagine a person with the hiccups...they say a few words, hiccup...a few more...hiccup.The skeleton has the hiccups and was writen with the hiccups. The book has great rhythm, picture coordinate perfectly with the words on the page. This book has really helped my first grader with reading comprehension skills, because of the short sentences.He was able to build confidence reading fluently and able to retell the story...which isn't much. It is just an excellent read. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (38)

perfect, scary book
Skeleton creek is a very scary book,there are 2 parts to the story,the journal by Ryan, and Sarah the videos, if you want the real chills watch the videos, but read the journal too.
Heres a quick summary.(dont want to give you to much information.)Ryan and Sarah are trying to find the mystery of skeleton creek(there town.),the dredge (a machine that digs up gold.),and old Joe Bush(a worker at the dredge, that got sucked into the dredges gears and was crushed.)One day they go to the dredge at night and Ryan thought he saw the phantom of old Joe Bush,he holds on to the rail, and CRASH! The rail broke and hit the floor with his leg crushed, when he woke up, the doctor says he was in a coma. So now he cannot see Sarah...forever,and Ryan is stuck in his room,but they still email each other,Sarah goes to the dredge and tries to find footage of the dredge, and sends the videos to Ryan together they find "the past is dangerous, the present is haunted, and the future is deadly."
Personally I reccomend this book to 4th and up, because this is pretty scary stuff, it is a well written MYSTERY book, I cant wait to read the 2nd book! So buy this book, you won't regret it!!

Creative and fun
The Skeleton Creek series and a creative and fun read. Set in journal style with video clips, this mystery/scary series is fun to read with the pre-teen kids. Patrick Carman takes you through some wild rides, and Sarah Fincher's videos are at times scary, and always fun and creative.Combining a book and video story line is ingenious and addictive. We have read all 3 in the series so far, and can't WAIT for the next, and the next.

Great novel for young readers
In a small town named Skeleton Creek, two teenagers embark on a journey full of mystery, suspense and terror that could change the entire town.Ryan and Sarah have been friends since they were little then when investigating the dredge things change for them, Ryan breaks his leg confining him to his bed, Sarah presses on with the investigation to find out the secrets but at what cost?

When reading this book for one of my masters' classes I thought it would be another boring middle school read.Once I got started I could not put it down.I was instantly drawn in by Carman's writing style.The level of foreshadowing and the suspense in which he writes grips you as you flip through the pages.Speaking of the pages, how genius was he to write it like it was in a composition book in the lead characters handwriting is such a different take on a novel.Let's not forget about the online portion of this book.As being a junior high school English teacher I love the interactive aspect of the book.Students love to feel like they are a part of something and this novel gives it to them.

I cannot really think of a negative for this book, if anything it might be the cliffhanger ending, because you want to know what happens in the end, but again Carman does a masterful job of creating anticipation for the next installment, Ghost in the Machine.

As being an English teacher and having to cover the mystery genre, I think I have found the new novel I will be teaching this year in class.

Love the book!!!
My teacher read this book as a read aloud in our classroom. I loved it!!!!!The videos made it easier to understand the book and more into the book too. My class didn't want my teacher to put the book down!!! The videos some of the videos you did not want to stop and some were to short. I loved the way they ended on a cliff hanger.

Skeleton Creek
My daughter read this book, she liked it so much that she had to get the second story and is waiting for the third. ... Read more

Product Description
A masterful love story set against a backdrop of epic history and unforgettable courage

In the waning months of World War II, a small group of people begin the longest journey of their lives.

At the center is eighteen-year-old Anna, the daughter of Prussian aristocrats, and her first love, a twenty-year-old Scottish prisoner of war named Callum. With his boyish good looks and his dedication to her family, he has captured Anna’s heart. But he is the enemy, and their love must remain a closely guarded secret. Only Manfred, a twenty-six-year-old Wehrmacht corporal, knows the truth. And Manfred, who is not what he seems to be, is reluctantly taken with Anna, just as she finds herself drawn uncomfortably to him.

As these unlikely allies work their way west, their flight will test both Anna’s and Callum’s love, as well as their friendship with Manfred–and will forever bind the young trio together.


Includes special bonus material: Chris Bohjalian responds to questions from book groups and readers ... Read more

Customer Reviews (137)

So True that it's Frightening
The German Emmerich family had been living and farming in Kaminheim for generations, however after the Great War their farm wound up in Poland, so when Hitler reunited Prussia with Germany they are pleased to say the least. So much so that they have an autographed photo of the Fuhrer on their wall. For most of WW II it appears their faith in their leader is justified, but in the winter of 1945 with the advance Russians on the horizon with the stories of rape and pillage that follow in their wake, the Emmerich's decide it's time to leave and they head out with their horses and a couple wagons, hoping to make it to the Allied lines before the Russians get them.

However, the Patriarch of the family and his son stay behind to fight the oncoming hordes, leaving the mother, her nineteen-year-old daughter and ten-year-old son to soldier on with a Scottish POW who had been assigned by the German government to help with the farm. The POW by the way is having a rather torrid affair with the nineteen year old. And to round out this clan of fugitives we have a young escaped Jewish man who has been impersonating German soldiers so that he can kill German soldiers. So they have to avoid both Russian and German troops on their quest for safety.

But this is so much more than a good people running from bad men suspense kind of story. It's about right and wrong and how time and circumstance can blur them. It's about man's inhumanity to man. It's about love and cruelty, life and death, good and evil, all that stuff. It's about characters who struggle against impossible odds and improbable believes. It's about more than I can say. And this story is so true that it's frightening.

War isn't Healthy for Children and Other Living Things
This is not like any other Chris Bohjalian book and to my way of thinking it's not like any WW II or Holocaust story either. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting. I don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. That said, I was held captive by this book, despite the brutality, despite the accurate descriptions of what people have done to people and are still doing to people, despite the fact that I usually shy away from this kind of fare, I couldn't stop reading and when I finished, I set the book aside, poured a glass of wine and thought about it for a bit.

Then I started it again, read it straight through again. I read a lot and I've never done that before. I've been moved by a lot of books, but I don't think I was moved here, even though I cried some. So why wasn't I moved. I think it's because somehow, I don't know how, Chris Bohjalian got me used to it all through his characters, numbed me to the brutality. He made me see and feel and I didn't want to.

And when I finished that first reading I just wanted to forget it all, put it out of my mind, not think about it and I knew that would be wrong, so I read it again, so I wouldn't forget.

Gripping and Painful
It's 1945 and the Russians are coming and this is bad news for the Emmerich family as it is for all Germans who live in East Prussia. After a brutal war on the Eastern Front the Russians are out for blood. Murder, rape, torture, their revenge. The Emmerichs have so far managed to escape the ravages of war. In fact the government has lent them the use of POWs to work their farm. But now they have to flee.

However, Rolf Emmerich and his son Helmut stay behind to fight the oncoming Russians. It's their duty, as it is the duty of Rolf's number one son who is already fighting. So that leaves Rolf's wife Mutti, Helmut's twin sister Anna and his younger brother, ten-tear-old Theo, to trek on alone. Well, not quiet alone, because they have a Scottish POW named Callum with them who is having an affair with Anna.

Not long into their journey their joined by Uri Singer, a Jew who escaped from a train on the way to Auschwitz. He's been impersonating German soldiers so that he can wreak havoc on them behind their lines. Sabotage and murder have been the order of his days.

The Emmerichs are going to have their eyes opened, going to learn the atrocities their government committed makes the Russian raping and pillaging look like child's play. The legacy their generation is going to leave is one of shame and they're going to have to live with it, if they live.

This is a book full of heart and soul, blood and pity and so much pain and suffering. It's hard to imagine that this went on not so long ago. Actually, if you think of Africa and the Middle East, it's still going on, maybe not as organized, but still every bit as shameful, every bit as painful to think about. Mr. Bohjalian makes us think about it in this story where everybody suffers, where everybody knows pain.

Great Book, Great Story, Sad Times
I found this book very interesting because it dealt with the subject of WTF were the germans citzens thinking during World War II. It follows the story of several people specially during the end of WWII: a prussian family, a scot POW, a jewish man that hid among the nazis as a soldier and jewish prisoners on their terrible march. The book is BASED on a true story and told in great style. The story is, of course, extremely sad and gives a strong idea of how terrible things were during that period.

Involving story with characters to care about
In the waning months of World War II in Europe, the German Emmerich family makes their way across Poland and Germany in an attempt to escape the Russians. On the way they are helped by the mysterious Manfred, a German soldier who has seen too much but seems to belong to no specific army unit. This book has an involving story and characters to care about--but its real strength is its evocation of the brutality and randomness of war. ... Read more

Product Description
Working as a secret agent for Britain’s most exclusive agency, Alex Rider has seen it all. He’s been shot at by international terrorists, stood face-to-face with pure evil, and saved the world—twice. But fifteen-year-old Alex is about to face something more dangerous than he can imagine: A man who’s lost everything he cared for—his country, his son—a man who has a nuclear weapon, and will stop at nothing to get his world back. Unless Alex can stop him first... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (103)

excellent quality
when i recieved this book, i thought it was new. it was in better shape than barnes and noble books i got. i would buy from here again. i bought it from airportplacebooks used.

Crazy general and a bomb
Skeleton Key continues the story about Alex Rider, reluctant spy. Once again, he's got to save the world. His new assignment is working with two agents from the CIA to explore a mansion on Skeleton Key island, owned by a retired Soviet general. It involves uranium and an atomic bomb. This ones the most out there of the first three, but good.

skeleton key was awesome.
This book was awesome. A lot of spy stuff, explosives and weapons.
Other boys would like this book beause of all the action.
My favorite part was when Alex Rider used a stun grenade in an airplane to distract Sarov the bad guy.
CJ: 10yrs, 5th grade.

awesome
Horowitz has done it again- this is one of the best Alex Rider books yet!!

skeleton key
You have got to wonder what this guy has going on is head. He creates so much feeling abd thought into his writing making you crave more of his books when you finish. This is my favorite of his books of what I have already read and I can not wait to read his next epic novel. ... Read more

Product Description
Strange things are happening in Skeleton Creek...and Ryan and Sarah are trying to find out why.Ryan writes down everything in his journal, and Sarah records everything on her videocam.The two move deeper into the mystery they've uncovered, determined to discover the secrets buried in Skeleton Creek, in the conclusion to Patrick Carman's thrilling series.

In this groundbreaking format, the story is broken into two parts -- Ryan's text in the book, and Sarah's videos on a special website, with links and passwords given throughout the book.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

sequel to scary
Have you ever been spied on by a ghost? Well. Ryan and Sarah are!
Story continues in ghost in the machine, Old Joe Bush is writing notes on Ryan's wall, telling him messages to not go back to the dredge, but does he listen? Nope, he keeps going back to the dredge with Sarah, and with every trip, and every video, they get closer about Old Joe Bush, and the sectet society, Crossbones.As time gets closer to burnig the dredge,Ryan and Sarah get more despereate and making more trips than ever to the dredge with Sarah.
If you liked skeleton creek you will like ghost in the machine TWICE as much!

Great read!
Sarah Fincher and her friend Ryan, two 15 year olds, return in this Skeleton Creek sequal looking for answers to the cryptic room they found in the town dredge. The Ghost of Joe Bush is now stalking them as a warning to stay away. The more Sarah digs around for answers the more suspicious everyone appears to be. Once again everything appears connected. All this snooping around only leads them into trouble.

A fantastic engaging concept for young readers. In an age where lap tops have become our clutch, and semi-distraction for young-ins, this book is a great way to stimulate your kid! I couldn't put this one down, and was amazed at the bits and pieces of the mystery unleashed every few chapters on the website. Brilliant!

From Steve at J. Kaye's Book Blog
"Ghost in the Machine," by Patrick Carman, is a multimedia young adult mystery.This is the second book in this series, the first was Skeleton Creek."Ghost" has two parts, the written and the video.The written is called Ryan's journal.Ryan, an aspiring writer, and his best friend Sarah, an aspiring movie maker, stumble on a secret society associated with an old time gold dredge in Skeleton Creek, Oregon.A gold dredge is a huge machine that moves, dredges a creek, and gets the gold out.

You start with reading Ryan's journal and at various points you click on a website found in the book, enter a password provided for that section and watch the video.Basically you are reading and watching the story.This was fun. I didn't read/see Skeleton Creek, but was told the outline by my daughter who loved it.

Patrick Carman's books, "Skeleton Creek" and "Ghost in the Machine," use of video to tell parts of the story heightens the emotional aspect, while the written part allows the mystery details to be uncovered and pondered about.Both work to make this an exciting and fast read.If you haven't read them yet, start with "Skeleton Creek."This is well worth the time to experience.

Ghost does it!
Great sequel in the Skeleton Creek series.My students were excited to be the first at school to read & view this.

Hang on to your flashlights and be ready for some really great twists!
It feels like the Dredge dug the heart out of my town and chucked it into the woods. All that's left are the ghosts walking around.

Ryan and Sarah may have been able to get out of their last predicament at the Dredge during the events of SKELETON KEY, but that incident is not going to stop them from continuing their explorations. Ryan writes, Sarah records, and together they construct another fantastic story full of twists, turns and big surprises. The two friends are obsessed with the Dredge and the ghost of Old Joe Bush --- and the more they uncover, the closer they get to the real answers. But something just isn't right; obviously, forces are at work to stop them, and time is running out. Old Joe has even been in Ryan's room and has written messages on the wall. Now, in a matter of days, the Dredge will be burned to the ground, and all those secrets will go unanswered forever.

Ryan does most of his sleuthing on the computer. His broken leg prohibits lots of activity, though he does manage to get around. His parents are also still set against any communication with Sarah, so activities are strictly done in secret. By following Sarah's leads, they slowly begin to uncover more information. What Ryan least expects to find is that his father is part of a secret society called the "Crossbones." The group, they discover, is directly related to the Dredge and Joe Bush --- but for what purpose? And what about Ryan's discovery of a list of names connected to the Crossbones group, made up of scientists long since dead: Sir Isaac Newton, Robert Hooke and Robert Boyle? Ryan is eventually able to connect the dots between the three men, but the closer he gets to the truth, the more questions he has.

When Ryan identifies that his dad is involved with Crossbones, he realizes that there is no one left he can trust except Sarah. He can't even trust his own mother, for she may be involved as well. The only adult he can rely on is Harry, his father's best friend. Ryan describes Harry as "the coolest guy around" and confides in him. But has Ryan placed his trust in the right person, or does the influence of Crossbones run deeper than he imagined?

In the meantime, Sarah does her own exploring into the secrets of the Dredge. She works out a system of communication through emails and hidden notes so that she and Ryan can share the information they obtain. Eventually, the intrepid pair discovers when the next Crossbones meeting is taking place, but when bodies start piling up, the situation goes from bad to worse. Who is safe anymore? Everything is closing in, and Sarah and Ryan are getting desperate.

Patrick Carman's style is fun and entertaining but with pangs of suspense as well. All the way to the last chilling pages, readers will be enthralled and totally surprised by the unexpected answers. This sequel to SKELETON CREEK continues with tightrope tension interwoven with pop culture and literary references. Everybody here seems to be a suspect, and no one can be trusted. Hang on to your flashlights and be ready for some really great twists!

And on a side note, be sure to visit[...] so you can enjoy all the interactive activities in GHOST IN THE MACHINE.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts ... Read more

Product Description
Twenty-two stories from the "wildly imaginative" #1 Bestselling Author

In this brilliant collection of stories, Stephen King takes readers down paths that only he could imagine....A supermarket becomes the place where humanity takes its last stand against unholy destruction...a trip to the attic turns into a journey to hell...a woman driver finds a scary shortcut to paradise...an idyllic lake harbors a bottomless evil...and a desert island is the scene of the most terrifying struggle for survival ever waged.Amazon.com Review
In the introduction to Skeleton Crew (1985), his secondcollection of stories, King pokes fun at his penchant for "literaryelephantiasis," makes scatological jokes about his muse, confesses howmuch money he makes (gross and net), and tells a story about gettingarrested one time when he was "suffused with the sort of towering,righteous rage that only drunk undergraduates can feel." He winds upwith an invitation to a scary voyage: "Grab onto my arm now. Holdtight. We are going into a number of dark places, but I think I knowthe way."

And he sure does. Skeleton Crew contains a superb short novel("The Mist") that alone is worth the price of admission, plus twoforgettable poems and 20 short stories on such themes as an evil toymonkey, a human-eating water slick, a machine that avenges murder, andunnatural creatures that inhabit the thick woods near Castle Rock,Maine. The short tales range from simply enjoyable to surprisinglygood.

In addition to "The Mist," the real standout is "The Reach," abeautifully subtle story about a great-grandmother who was born on asmall island off the coast of Maine and has lived there her wholelife. She has never been across "the Reach," the body of water betweenisland and mainland. This is the story that King fans give to theirfriends who don't read horror in order to show them how literate, howcharming a storyteller he can be. Don't miss it. --FionaWebster ... Read more

Customer Reviews (134)

Skeleton Cruise
over one third done through this book.It's pretty good, especially the one about the Word Processor of the Gods.Type in your wish and it does just that.Very creative.

4 1/2 stars; superb
For the casual fan of Stephen King or just the Stephen King fan who has only read his longer work, this is an excellent book. The collection features 22 works, which includes nineteen short stories, a novella ("The Mist"), and two poems ("Paranoid: A Chant" and "For Owen"). In addition to the introduction, in which King directly addresses his readers in his signature conversational style, Skeleton Crew features an epilogue of sorts entitled "Notes" wherein King discusses the origins of several stories in the collection. The stories are collected from science-fiction and horror anthologies (Dark Forces, Shadows, Terrors, and New Terrors) genre magazine publications (Twilight Zone, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Startling Mystery Stories, Weirdbook and Fantasy and Science Fiction) and popular magazines (Redbook, Gallery, Yankee and Playboy).

The opening story, "The Mist," is, simply put, great. After a thunderstorm in Maine, David Drayton and his son Billy go to a supermarket, only to find the building surrounded by mist from the outside. This is a completely engrossing and compelling read. Frank Darabont, who directed "The Shawshank Redmption" and "The Green Mile," also King works, made a film version of the story in 2007, and that is definitely worth seeing, as well.

To me, this book rivals "The Stand" or "It" as one of King's best. Just about every story here is excellent, and through the course of reading the book, one can really appreciate his versatility as a writer.

simply the King
From the chilling uncertainty of "The Mist" to the creepiest toy monkey story you'll ever read, King takes you to all the strange but familiar places inside your head and heart, alternating shades of light and dark. As a writer, King first makes me want to give up in frustration, then delights and inspires to continue. This may be the best story collection of the latter half of the 20th century.

Scott Nicholson
The Red Church
Ashes

King, yes! Short stories, yes!
You can't go wrong with Stephen King. These short stories are a nice change of pace if, like me, you've been enjoying his 1,000 page novels (It, the Stand, Needful Things). You get the same quality, but in bite size chunks that you can put down for a while and come back to later. The story about the guy stuck on the island, in particular, sticks with me. How does King come up with this stuff?

So-So
I just recently began reading Stephen King again.After finishing "Cell" and having my King obsession growing again, I picked up "Skeleton Crew."Some of my favorites would include "The Mist," "The Raft," and "The Jaunt." I would recommend this collection with the disclaimer that not all of the stories are great.However, if you just read the aforementioned three stories, it would be worth your time. ... Read more

Product Description
Everywhere hailed as a masterpiece of historical adventure, this enthralling narrative recounts the experiences of twelve American sailors who were shipwrecked off the coast of Africa in 1815, captured by desert nomads, sold into slavery, and subjected to a hellish two-month journey through the bone-dry heart of the Sahara. The ordeal of these men - who found themselves tested by barbarism, murder, starvation, death, dehydration, and hostile tribes that roamed the desert on camelback - is made indelibly vivid in this gripping account of courage, brotherhood, and survival.Amazon.com Review
Some stories are so enthralling they deserve to be retold generation after generation. The wreck in 1815 of the Connecticut merchant ship, Commerce, and the subsequent ordeal of its crew in the Sahara Desert, is one such story. With Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival, Dean King refreshes the popular nineteenth-century narrative once read and admired by Henry David Thoreau, James Fenimore Cooper, and Abraham Lincoln. King’s version, which actually draws from two separate first person accounts of the Commerce's crew, offers a page-turning blend of science, history, and classic adventure. The book begins with a seeming false start: tracing the lives of two merchants from North Africa, Seid and Sidi Hamet, who lose their fortunes—and almost their lives—when their massive camel caravan arrives at a desiccated oasis. King then jumps to the voyage of the Commerce under Captain Riley and his 11-man crew. After stops in New Orleans and Gibraltar, the ship falls off course en route to the Canary Islands and ultimately wrecks at the infamous Cape Bojador. After the men survive the first predations of the nomads on the shore, they meander along the coast looking for a way inland as their supplies dwindle. They subsist for days by drinking their own urine. Eventually, to their horror, they discover that they have come aground on the edge of the Sahara Desert. They submit themselves, with hopes of getting food and water, as slaves to the Oulad Bou Sbaa. After days of abuse, they are bought by Hamet, who, after his own experiences with his failed caravan (described at the novels opening), sympathizes with the plight of the crew. Together, they set off on a hellish journey across the desert to collect a bounty for Hamet in Swearah. King embellishes this compelling narrative throughout with scientific and historical material explaining the origins of the camel, the market for English and American slaves, and the stages of dehydration. He also humanizes the Sahrawi with background on the tribes and on the lives of Hamet and Seid. This material, doled out in sufficient amounts to enrich the story without derailing it makes Skeletons on the Zahara a perfectly entertaining bit of history that feels like a guilty pleasure. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (87)

Beware
This book has been written entirely in the third person with the exception of two or three passages, it reads like an after action report. It is very repetitive in events, which make for a very monotonous read. I would recommend it to only those who are extreme survival enthusiast. This book was recommend to me by Amazon after I ordered other survival books via my Kindle.

Facinating beyond belief
An excellent book with many faces.A clash of cultures, religions, and geography illustrate the commom among people.I read it straight through.A true story of survival that is impossible to put down.

A Gritty Story that Will Make a Super Movie Someday
In 1815 Captain James Riley and the crew of the United States merchant ship Commerce set sail from Connecticut for Gibraltar. Two months later they were shipwrecked near Cape Bojador, off the coast of Northern Africa, captured by Sahrawi Arabs, sold into slavery and dragged eight hundred miles across the hot and hostile Sahara Desert. Along the way they were fed meager rations and pressed into hard labor as the faced barbarism, murder, starvation, dehydration, scorpions, plagues of locusts, sandstorms, hostile enemies and death.

Also along the way they discovered secret oases and ancient cities as Captain Riley forged a surprising bond with a Muslim trader. They were forced to become allies in order to survive, even as Riley planed on betraying the trader in order to save his men.

Dean tells a disturbing, but true tale of endureance that finally came to an end when an Arab tribal leader brought the exhausted and emaciated men to the provincial trading post of Swearah where the British paid the ransom for their freedom.

This read like a pulse racing thriller. I know I couldn't put it down and I can't recommend it highly enough.

A gripping account but incomplete
A very racy and edge of the seat account of the sufferings of the white slaves in Zahara by Dean King. King has left no stone unturned in his attempt to bring out the physical details of the sad adventures of the protagonist of the real story - Capt Riley. Many a time he ( King ) does a fact check on the narrative of the Captain which sometimes puts you off. King has gone to considerable length and expense to scientifically verify the accuracy of Riley's account. The graphic account of the geography and the lifestyles of the people in Zahara - all of which helped by the modern sophisticated technology - rivals the original and is praiseworthy.
Now we come to the crux of the matter on which ground alone , this book loses its 2 stars. In my opinion it only deserves 3 stars. In his sordid desert trek , Capt. Riley develops a strong and unshakeable faith in the Almighty and his entreaties to God are filled with pathos and feelings of utter surrender to the Almighty's will. The resignation by Riley to the divine designs form an integral part of the original account. Where are these details in King's book ? I realize that Iam touching on a deeper and contentious question, the discussion of which is out of the scope of this brief review. In a flash I realize that it is the curse of our times. Bereft of a belief in the Almighty and utterly dedicated to the material realities of the world , we cannot conceive of the grace, beauty and the strength of Riley's convictions that mainly helped him to overcome the Himalayan odds facing him. This lack of faith has made us a weak willed , indolent and lazy generation. It is highly questionable whether any modern man can weather these storms with the kind of fortitude and patience that Riley displayed. The discussion of this " spirit force " of the Captain is conspicuoulsy absent in King's book. And , that becomes the downfall of this otherwise classic masterpiece. We may even go as far as to say that the author Dean King has not been faithful to the original. If at all he is an atheist , he should have left this story of Riley alone for in my opinion Riley's strong belief in God shapes the character and heart of this real life story.
In one of the passages the agent of the savior , Bel Cossim remarks that Riley has been saved by God for some important purpose. Prophetic statement ! Within a span of five decades slavery was abolished in America. The book written by Capt. Riley about his privations and sufferings as a slave - which incidentally became the world's first known best seller - made a deep impact on the American President Lincoln's mind and caused him to set the slaves free. Thus Capt Riley's sufferings were vindicated.

Incredible, a must read
I have a love of reading true survival, history and adventure.This combines all three into one.Its almost like reading an adventure novel yet its a true story. I am surprised I had never even heard of Captain Riley before this.
Every American should know this story.
The author does an excellent job with taking Riley's original account and combining it with the account of one of the crew members.I could not put the book down.
Its amazing, sad, shocking, has some happy endings.It just really makes you appreciate what you have and our way of life, the things we do not have to worry or think about on a daily basis.(at least for me)
I think this needs to be made into a movie. ... Read more

Product Description

Your skeleton helps you leap, somersault, and touch your toes -- without it, you would be as floppy as a beanbag! There are over 200 bones living and growing inside you that make up your skeleton. There are also ligaments and joints that hold your bones together, and cartilage in your bendable parts like your ears and your nose. Learn all about what a skeleton can do -- because this isn't some make-believe Halloween skeleton, this is the real skeleton inside you.

Customer Reviews (8)

Fabulous Book for my 5 year old, Educational
I bought this book along with others from the "Let's Read and Find Out Science" series.

I find this particular book to be very helpful in explaining to my 5 year old son how our bodies work. It goes into just enough detail to satisfy his curious mind.The drawings are cute and help him follow along when hearing new words for the first time (like ligaments, etc).

I love all the books from this series.I find them to be just the perfect length to give a little science lesson, but not too long that my son loses interest.

Excellent. Great illustrations & text
Bought this for my 4 year old daughter after buying the Skeleton Floor Puzzle. She already understood body parts so it was very helpful. The book has wonderful illustrations and great scenarios and is easy to read.

Great book for toddlers!
My son is very interested in science, and how his body works; so this book was a great choice for him. He really likes it! The book explains is simple but real detail about our bones, and how they work with our muscles and brains to make our body move. Interesting book, my son enjoys it.

My kids loved it!
I love how this series of books gives lots of information in a format my kids have enjoyed reading over and over again.This one was a real favorite for all 4 of my kids.Better than learning about science in a dull textbook that's for sure!

Fantastic!
I bought this book at a Scholastic book fair my elementary school put on in the early 90s. The book remains one of my treasured favorites (16 years later). In fact, I found myself quoting it just the other day ("Without bones, you'd be floppy as a bean bag"). It's fun to read, extremely informative about what goes on inside your body, and it has information that sticks with you forever (I haven't read the book in over 10 years, but I still know that we have 206 bones thanks to it). I can't recommend it enough. I plan to buy it for my kids when I have some. ... Read more

Product Description
The explosive New York Times bestselling Oregon Files series returns!

Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the covert combat ship Oregon have barely escaped a mission on the Congo River when they intercept a mayday from a defenseless boat under fire off the African coast. Cabrillo takes action, saving the beautiful Sloane Macintyre-who's looking for a long-submerged ship that may hold a fortune in diamonds. But what surprises Cabrillo is her story about a crazy fisherman who claims to have been attacked on the open sea by giant metal snakes in the same area.

What begins as a snake hunt leads Cabrillo onto the trail of a far more lethal quarry-a deranged militant and his followers who plan to unleash the devastating power of nature itself against all who oppose them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

The Oregon sails into danger in Africa
THE LOWDOWN: Jack DuBrul's second "Oregon Files" novel with Clive Cussler is every bit as good as their first work "Dark Watch," if not better. What begins as a feud between two business partners escalates into a full-on act of eco-terror involving an artificially induced hurricane polluted with oil.

THE PLOT: After escaping from rebel militants in the Congo, the Oregon intercepts a transmission indicating that billionaire Merrick has been kidnapped, prompting chairman Juan Cabrillo to attempt a rescue. When the rescue goes wrong, they discover that the kidnapping is just the beginning of Merrick's former business partner's revenge against him. Along with De Beers representative Sloane MacIntyre, Cabrillo attempts to stop insane billionaire Daniel Singer and their old friends from the Congo from teaming up to creating an environmental mega-disaster intended to demonstrate the dangers of pollution and global warming.

THE PROS: An exhilarating adventure from start to finish. As an action hero, Juan Cabrillo really begins to shine: defeating terrorists and billionaires, finding a lost fortune in diamonds, saving the world, and getting the girl. His cybernetic leg proves to be a nifty gadget in a tight spot, complete with hidden guns. Major action setpieces, including a battle on the Congo river, a shootout in a Zimbabwean prison, and a multi-pronged counterstrike against an oil rig hijacking, are ready-made for the big screen. Sloane MacIntyre is a well written heroine, tough and capable, but vulnerable enough to be believable.

THE CONS: The idea of a billionaire eco-terrorist trying to create a dirty hurricane and launch it at the United States to prove a point about environmentalism is kind of a ridiculous premise. But in the context of a rich sociopath with a deep-seated grudge against an ex-friend using the environmental movement as the backdrop for his mission of revenge, it works okay. For a central villain, Dan Singer is kind of a big baby, willing to destroy anything in his path to prove he is better than Merrick in some way.

Skeleton Coast
ordered the book for a christmas gift. It arrived in time and in very good condition.:Skeleton Coast: A Novel of the Oregon Files.

Cussler's Skeleton Coast
Good interesting reading.The action kept flowing.A number of story lines, diamonds, oil, environment.One distraction --possible 'romance' between Sloane and Cabrillo.The book hinted as such; but ended with resolution.

Great Clive Cussler
This is great Clive Cussler stuff, but a bit heavy on the blood and a bit light on the science.

Another Cussler Great Read
Skeleton Coast was Clive Cussler at his best again. Full of action, macho heroes galore with a tad of humor. Always looking for when Cussler inserts himself into the plot for that minute in time! Fun read and as with all hi quick, hard to put down,a nd able to transport you into a world where heroes still exist, and you can escape on an adventure with them. ... Read more

Product Description
Meet Cinderella Skeleton, as sweetly foul as only a ghoul can be. Poor Cinderella has no one to help her hang the cobwebs and arrange dead flowers--certainly not her evil stepsisters. But the Halloween Ball is just around the corner. . . . Will Cinderella find happiness at last?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

I love this - but it's not NECESSARILY for little ones
I LOVE this book!I think the illustrations are just about perfect and the twist on the tale is delightful!And my oldest son loves it, too.He giggles right along with me.However.... my youngest son finds it a bit macabre for his taste.The pictures seem to frighten him and when Cinderella loses her foot, well.... that just doesn't sit well with him.

So, as with any children's book, know your audience.... especially those that are easily prone to nightmares.

Macabre fairy tale
Okay, so Tim Burton and the rest of that crowd has pretty much done this concept, but that does not take away from the cool imagination and sheer showiness of this story--Cinderella in a graveyard. It's a simple, macabre fairy tale told in surprisingly enchanting poetry that captures the spirts of Halloween and Cinderella alike. The true treasure of this book is the eerie illustrations.

We absolutely adore this book!
This is Cinderella with a twist. The setting is a graveyard, and she is a skeleton, but there is nothing creepy about it. The story is written in poetry, and it is beautifully illustrated with watercolors. My son and I love it!

Cinderella Skeleton
I purchased this book along with several others along the same vane for my Grand Daughters. age 2 and 4 to eventually enjoy as I know they will.I am their Gran Pa and are really looking forward to reading it to them when they are old enough.Great illustrations which go great with a twist of the tale....

Cinderella Skeleton--Great book for third graders!
I am a third-year education major and used this book during my supervised student teaching for a third grade class.They LOVED this book.It was entertaining enough to keep them interested.They even bought me a copy and each student signed it as a going-away gift! [by Lorraine's daughter Sarah] ... Read more

Product Description
THE BONES BOOK AND SKELETON is the extraordinary bestseller with over 1.75 million copies in print and a portfolio of accolades from reviewers: “A terrific tool to help kids learn about their bodies.”—The Los AngelesTimes •“As science lessons go, this is probably the cleverest around.”—NewYork Magazine • “Will tickle the curiosity bone with skeletal facts and activities on the role bones play in the body.”—Better Homes and Gardens Guide to Children’s Products • “Make no bones about it—this item is a great way to show youngsters how the body works.”—The Atlanta Journal •“A delightful package.”—The New York Daily News.Now, this educational classic has been updated with additional content and repackaged to give it a fresh, bold, contemporary look and form that makes it much easier to shelve and display.The 12-inch, 24-piece skeleton is realistically designed with moving joints, and can be displayed in its clear plastic bell jar. The book is packed with projects, experiments, and facts about all the systems of the human body. The focus, of course, is on thebones—what they are made of, how they grow, how they work. New is an expanded section on paleontology and fossil remains incorporating the latest news from the field, including the newly discovered hobbit-sized humans from the last Ice Age. This is a great gift for every kid, one that truly brings science to life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

this is a guide TO the skeleton you have to purchase separately
Despite all the rave reviews talking about the book and skeleton (not to mention the title "bones book AND 24-piece skeleton"), be aware that you have to buy the skeleton separately! The book talks about how to assemble the skeleton model, but doesn't actually include the model.

Separately, the book does seem moderately interesting. In addition to the model-assembling-directions, it has 50ish small (3x9 inch) pages of information about bones that will probably interest slightly-older kids (mine are ages 3 and 5 so it's way too old for them without the model... samples words are involuntary, pancreas, regulating, and enzymes, if that helps you evaluate whether the age is right for your child). It also includes fun pictures and factoids, that make the book fun rather than dry.

P.S. I've been digging around on Amazon to find the skeleton itself, and don't see it anywhere. So you may want to track that down first before adding this book to your cart!

Skeleton kit
We got this for teaching our young kids some bones basics.It's a good value, looks like cheap molded plastic but accurate enough.It was fairly easy to put together (though we had trouble figuring out how to get the skeleton to stand up on his stand, the rod goes into a little hole on the bottom of the stand but doesn't connect very securely to the skeleton).The booklet that comes with it has lots of interesting bone facts.Overall, I am happy with this, it seemed to be the best small skeleton model for the money.

"Check Out These Bones"....And You Will Learn About Your Own Body!
What a neat activity for any student to become familiar with the human body, "in smaller form".I noticed this kit in a department store walkway, recently.All the reviews extol the value of such a splendid science kit, enabling a child to learn more about her body, or, his body, if the child is a boy.

Within the book are all kinds of projects, experiments, and facts that will
"tickle your funny bone".The book contains "to do kind of things", as well as experiments, and all kinds of facts about all the systems of the body.The container is a plastic jar that will hold the 12 inch skeleton with a 24 piece skeleton(and it's just past Halloween).

This book that is in the kit focuses on "bones", what they are made of, how they grow, and how they work.Included is a new section of paleontology and fossil remains that will spark the imagination of any child.A budding doctor, who is presently in first grade will enjoy putting the skeleton together with an adult.... "no bones about it!"

Put this on your "to buy list" for that special someone this Christmas, and you will be able to "bone-up" on your own bones.

Several reviewers have offered suggestions, as well as some weaknesses in the kit.More than that, it can be a wonderful "bonding activity" between child and parent.

Great item and kudos to customer service...
our first skeleton and book arrived missing the 2 lower arm bones. I contacted Amazon yesterday (9-1-09)and the replacement arrived today(9-2-09). Not even sure how that was possible!??! But hey, no complaints - the new one is complete and the faulty one is in the mail. It fit together well and my son loves it.

We are also homeschoolers and this is perfect for the in-depth anatomy study we are doing. Like someone else said the book is very light but we have already read enough deep reading and this was nice and full of some fun facts we hadn't come across yet.

I highly recommend it.

Bones and Skeleton
This is a great teaching product for anyone of any age.The book is very easy to understand and the skeleton is a very useful tool for understanding the anatomy.However the model is not easy to assemble.Some of the pieces fit well but others are so tight that an adult has to fit them and the pieces almost break.Very disappointing.One I purchased many years ago as a teaching tool was of a much better quality. ... Read more

Product Description

Ever since the morning Molly woke up to find that her parents hadvanished, her life has become filled with terrible questions. Where have her parents gone? Who is this spooky old man who's taken her to live with him, claiming to be her great-uncle? Why does he never eat, and why does he lock her in her room at night? What are her dreams of the Skeleton Man trying to tell her? There's one thing Molly does know. She needs to find some answers before it's too late.

Customer Reviews (69)

exciting
our 7th-grader chose this among other options for summer reading, and couldn't put it down--very exciting and fast-paced

childrens book
donated to a school from their wish list, delivery went smoothly, don't know anything about the book

you should read this book!
I am 6 years old and this is scary but fun to read.In the beginning the uncle made a fire, but then he got burnt on his finger.So he put his finger in his mouth and said that it was delicious.Then he rolled around and ate all his flesh off.Reading this part of the story made me get shivers.But I couldn't put the book down.Molly is the skeleton's niece and one thing about Molly is that she is so brave.Some day I want to be as brave as Molly.And in this book she lives alone. But the best part is that in the end of the story she rescues her parents.I think you should read this exciting book!

Terrifying and also exciting!
I think this book was horribly terrifying but yet filled with excitement that just made me want this book to never end! I felt fearful for the main character, a sixth-grade girl named Molly, who woke up to find out that her parents had been gone for days! I began to feel even more scared for her when she got a knock on her door and instead of it being her parents, it was a bony old man claiming to be her great uncle. She is forced to live with him in his weird old house. Strange questions begin buzzing through her mind, and mine.Why does the old man never eat? Why does he lock Molly in her room at night?Where are her parents? What is this mysterious old man hiding? What is with the security camera watching Molly when she sleeps and what is the rabbit in her dreams trying to tell her?You must read it to find out. This book is definitely for ages nine through eleven, especially if they love a scary story.

Pass on this book - not suitable for children
Within the first few pages of this book is a very disturbing and graphic scene where a man eats his finger, himself (piece by piece), and his relatives.

This is written to be a horror novel for teens - if your child is sensitive and/or prone to nightmares this novel will disturb them greatly.

Cannibalism, kidnapping, and child abuse - this book is disturbing on so many levels.

Parents - this book is often read (though I cannot fathom why) to children in grades 4, 5, and 6, especially around Halloween and/or as a "Native American Legend". Most parents will find that it is not appropriate as a mandatory reading assignment or a read-aloud story in your child's classroom. There are much better books for teachers to choose that would support their curriculum without scarring and scaring children. ... Read more

Product Description
1995 Margaret Mead Award winner! This personal account by a biocultural anthropologist illuminates important, not-soon-forgotten messages involving the more sobering aspects of conducting fieldwork among malnourished children in West Africa. With nutritional anthropology at its core, Dancing Skeletons presents informal, engaging and oftentimes dramatic stories from the field that relate the author’s experiences conducting research on infant feeding and health in Mali. Through fascinating vignettes and honest, vivid descriptions, Dettwyler explores such diverse topics as ethnocentrism, culture shock, population control, breastfeeding, child care, the meaning of disability and child death in different cultures, female circumcision, women’s roles in patrilineal societies, the dangers of fieldwork, and the realities involved in researching emotionally draining topics. Readers will alternately laugh and cry as they meet the author’s friends and informants, follow her through a series of encounters with both peri-urban and rural Bambara culture, and struggle with her as she attempts to reconcile her very different roles as objective ethnographer, subjective friend, and mother in the field. (Not-for-sale instructor resource material available to college and university faculty only; contact the publisher directly.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Positive
This was a positive experience, product arrived quickly and in the condition described by the seller.

Insightful and passionate look at both Mali and an anthropologist studying there
I love this book.I first read it around 2002 or 2003 for a World Food Problems class at Baylor, but I kept my copy because the story was so compelling, and I recently had the chance to reread it strictly for pleasure.The book is a collection of a nutritional anthropologist's observations as she works in Mali, measuring people in a relatively urban community and in some smaller rural villages.She interviews women about feeding practices, infant mortality rates, and reproductive autonomy.The details about life in Mali are sobering, and I hope that the childhood nutritional situation has improved since Dettwyler's 1989 research trip, and Dettwyler also includes revealing passages about her thoughts about her own life as a wife, mother, and professional.She allows herself to come across as unlikeable at times, as she vents her frustration upon learning that a village has prepared a special meal for her research team at an inconvenient time, but those moments are balanced with real empathy for the people with whom she works and bonds.I am not a professional anthropologist in any way, so I can't comment on her methods or observations, but as someone who enjoys readings memoirs, I loved this book.

school book
I am vary happy that I found this book for class soooo much cheaper than what they were asking for it at the school store and I recieved it very quickly.

dancing with skelotons
i had to purchase the book for an anthropology course. It was not something I thought I would like, but I really enjoyed it. I laughed, cried, and got angry. I would recommend reading it. it is definatly an eye openning book.

Required Read for Class
I had to read this ethnography for my anthropology class at Ball State. We had already read other ethnographies, and, since I am not an anthropology major, I found them difficult to get through. They were quite dry. What a nice change this book provided! I could hardly put it down! I think that the author accomplished something great with this study. By writing it in this way, she makes it accessible to those who aren't necessarily anthropologists or students majoring in the discipline. I believe that books like this can help to put a face on the problem of malnutrition in Africa. It held my interest and I learned a lot. More ethnographies should be written like this one. ... Read more

Product Description
From the author of Pontius Pilate comes a fascinating novel of archaeological adventure. The evidence seems incontestable: bones unearthed in an Israeli tomb are those of Jesus of Nazareth. But which is the hoax . . . the archaeological find or the Resurrection itself?. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (75)

better than its sequel
Thoroughly enjoyable. More so than it's sequel.
A bit of rmance thrown in to spice it up.
This would make a fun movie.

Great book
This is a great book.It is an easy read, but very captivating.Once you start it will be hard to put down.Enjoy.

A Must for Religious-Thriller Junkies
When The DaVinci Code launched the current crop of religious-historical-thrillers a few years ago, it wasn't the first. Maier's preceded the current fad by a quite a few years. Many of those other books are poorly researched, especially concerning the history and religion. In fact, historians usually get a good laugh at those books. Maier, on the other hand, is a historian so he has spent more than the ten minutes others seem to. Occasionally he lapses into professor mode and gives too much technical or historical data here and there. He also needs to learn how to use exclamation points (what's with all the shouting?). There could be some improvements in some other places, but for the most part this book is a big step up considering other novels by Christian authors. Includes its fair share of exotic locals, cute girls and action, like any thriller should. Explores the common faith versus doubt issue plus the extremes that often threaten Christianity. If you are a religious-thriller junkie, check this one out. See also The Shroud Codex.

Disappointing...
I don't understand why people are saying that it was a great book. Sure, it had a pretty darn compeling and potientially good plot, but I must say that the author's writing skills were lacking.

I've often refered to this book as the most poorly written novel I've ever read.

He had so much going for him. A good plot, an interesting store of information, but it wasn't delievered. At all. He got lost in information and didn't focus on the three things that makes a book worth reading. Detail. Developement. And dialogue.

The details were scarce and not well written. The character and story developement was nonexistant. Midway through the book the character was all of a sudden in love with a woman and I was like, "Wait, what? When did this happen?" when he previously hadn't even paid her a bit of attention before. That doesn't make well for a novel. Developement is everything. And the dialogue, safely said, was lacking. It was cheesy and confusing. I literally cringed at a good many of the jokes...

I don't recommend this book.

Interesting Premise but Weak Writing and Predictable Ending
I really wanted to like this book. It was highly recommended to me by a close friend. I was fascinated by the premise of the book, but I found the writing to be weak and the ending was easily predictable less than half way through the short book. ... Read more

Product Description
Ever since the death of his father, poor Fellworth Dolphin has slaved away as a waiter to support his miserly, cold-hearted mother. When his mother suddenly dies, Fellworth is shocked to discover that she has left him a sizable inheritance. Confused, Fell teams up with Maggie, a plain girl with a similar background, to investigate the source of the riches. But what they find is a closet full of skeletons.... Is it really possible Fell's father was involved in a long-ago train robbery? Who's the mysterious woman in the portrait hidden in his mother's wardrobe? As Maggie and Fell poke around the village for answers, they find themselves on a surprise-filled path to danger and adventure, and-just possibly-love. But Fell's sudden good fortune could come to an abrupt end if he doesn't stay one step ahead of a cunning killer...AUTHORBIO: M.C. BEATON, Scottish-born author of the highly successful Agatha Raisin novels and Hamish Macbeth series, lives in a village in the English Cotswolds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

THE ODD COUPLE...
I have read and loved many of the other British cozies written by this author. In fact, she has written a number of series: Agatha Raisin, Hamish Macbeth, and the Edwardian Mystery series. I have enjoyed them all. This one, however, does not compare favorably.

The author introduces the character of Fellworth Dolphin, a nearly forty year old virgin who comes into a tidy little inheritance when his cold, unfeeling mother dies.As he and his mother had lived a working class existence when his mother was alive, Fellworth is both surprised and confused by the wealth of riches to which he suddenly finds himself heir,

Fellworth buddies up with a Plain Jane, Maggie Partlett, a waitress at the same hotel in which he also waits on tables. When Maggie moves in with Fellworth, they both begin to blossom, as does love. Together they seek to solve the mystery of Fellworth's surprising inheritance.

The problem with the book is that the characters are neither particularly well-developed nor engaging, nor is the plot all that intriguing. The dialogue is tepid, and the pace is languorous. That being said, fans of this author will derive a modicum of enjoyment from this book.

MC Beaton does it again!!
Stand aside Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth, here comes Fellworth Dolphin and Maggie Dolphin. An interesting mystery about love, loss, and the renewal of the spirit.

Cozy, Novel, and Comedic: A Fun Read
True love tried, misfits make good, mysterious parentage, sins of the father, a criminal mastermind, and a grand fortune unexpectedly inherited; all of the sometimes trite and strangely satisfying conventions of romantic and mystery fiction are playfully presented in Beaton's "Skeleton in the Closet."

After years of supporting himself and his widowed mother on a waiter's income, Fellworth Dolphin, the browbeaten son of narrow-minded abusive parents, finds himself upon the death of his mother in possession of an inexplicable fortune and the target of violence.Instinctively knowing that two heads are better than one, Fellworth calls upon his only friend, another server, Maggie Partlett.

Maggie, seeking friendship and reprieve from her own loneliness and intolerable home life, moves into Fell's parental home and agrees to a sham engagement in order that they might better combine forces and solve the several mysteries that begin snowballing almost as soon as they begin.

Maggie's shrewdness and honesty united with Fell's drive and desire for a better life make them a lovable team as the reader roots for plain jane Maggie's feminine renaissance and hopes that solving the mystery won't dissolve Fell's fortune.The romance and the mystery work well together and Beaton did a good job pacing the conclusion of each her storylines.A lighthearted read with comedic elements. I enjoyed the book.

Charming mystery/romance
One evening when Fellworth Dolphin reluctantly returned home from his boring job as a waiter to spend yet another miserable evening at home with his mother he opened the front door to find that she had died in her sleep while he had been gone leaving him alone in the world and finally free.When his Aunt Agnes arrived a couple days later and announced her intention to move in to take care of him, just like his mother had, Fell panicked and told her he was engaged to Maggie, a co-worker and the first name that came into his head.As if that was not complicated enough Fell also discovered that, far from being broke his parents had left large bank accounts and an even larger amount of unexplained cash.

Aided by his pretend fiancee, Maggie, Fell sets out to discover answers to his past.Why had his parents always been so cold and secretive?Where had all the cash come from?Had his father been part of a long ago crime?As Fell and Maggie ferret out the answers to these and other questions they make some other discoveries as well.

This is a light romantic mystery story that will probably not challenge the reader very much to stay ahead of the two 'detectives'.The appeal to this one is not the mystery, or even the romance, both of which most readers will have figured out in the first twenty pages or so, but rather the just to enjoy the journey with the pair.

The biggest mystery to this one is whether or not there will be a sequel.This 2001 novel is listed as a 'Fellworth Dophin Mystery' but so far is the only one.

Bumbling Lovers
The heavy hand of mother is lifted at her death. Fellworth "Fell" Dolphin is shocked to find his mother had been keeping secrets as she dominated his life. But how did she become so wealthy is a question he must answer. In this quest for the truth he finds Maggie, who helps him. They find romance amidst revenge and danger.
The character of Fell reminds me of a character created by Georgette Heyer by the same name.
M.C. Beaton adds THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET to a fine list of cozies for light reading. Will this couple be back for another caper, we must wait and see.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in Knopf Paperback, seventh-grade gumshoe Sammy Keyes returns in her second mystery--a Halloween intrigue involving Frankenstein and a skeleton man in a tale of greed, grudges, and getting even. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Fun book to read
This was a very cute book. I enjoyed the story line. My daughter read this book when she was in middle school.

The story starts out on Halloween. Sammy, Marissa and Dot are getting ready for trick or treat. Sammy's Gram thinks she is too old for dressing up. The girls decide to knock on a house that is considered scary. As the girls are on there way to the house they are run down by a man in a skeleton costume.

That is the set up for a very adventurous story. There are more teenage going ons in the book that just added to the humor of the book.

This is a nice easy read for anyone that just wants an afternoon of relaxation.

awsome book
sammy keys is back in full blast. in this book sammy is going tricck or treating and she goes into the haunted house.read this book to find mystery crime and excitment.this is a book that you cant put down. a must read.

Great book for kids
My grandson loved this book and I have purchased several in the series for him. Living so far from our grandson, it is good to know we can send him something that we know he will enjoy reading. I hope to get them all for him.

good mystery for Nancy Drew fans
Sammy Keyes, a middle-schooler who lives with her grandmother in a mythical California town while her mother tries to make it as an actress in Hollywood, is a somewhat updated version of the Nancy Drew-girl sleuth tradition.Like other girl amateur detectives, she manages to solve crimes by being smarter than the police while at the same time coping with situations of middle school angst.In this volume, one of the popular girls goes around school saying that Sammy is making harassing phone calls to a popular boy; Sammy has to prove that she's not the one making these calls and also solve a Halloween mystery, in which the owner of the creepy "Bush House" is tied up and robbed by a man dressed up as a skeleton.This popular series, which has won one Edgar award and been nominated three other times, is perfect for girls looking for something a bit more contemporary than Nancy Drew.The author manages to capture an authentic voice for this character, whose stories are told in the first person; Sammy is a girl most readers would like to "hang out with."The series is suitable for either upper elementary school age or middle school students.

Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man
In this exotic story a girl named Sammy Keyes and her friends must solve the mystery of who tried to kill Chauncy LeBard and who stole his 500,000 dollar books!!!!!! Along the way Sammy pulls a prank on her worst enemy Heather Acosta. With the help of Officer Borsch and "Muscles", Sammy finds out who the almost - murderer is!!!!!!!! But if I told you who, it wouldn't be much of a mystery, now would it ???????

Sammy soon discovers that revenge isn't always so sweet, for once she pulls her prank on Heather she ends up with 20 hours of detention!!!!!!!In this particular book it's rather hard to spot the themes and messages, but sometimes that's what makes a mystery so well, mysterious!!! You may think that this book is scary because there is an attempted murder but it's not, it's an awesome book with a couple of funny bits here and there.

This book is an exciting mystery that will take you into it's pages so your standing right there next to Sammy as she unravels the mystery just like a mini Nancy Drew. So since this is such a good book I recommend it to you immensely. Put it on your "Books to read" list or something. I'm serious, read it.
PLEASE?????? ... Read more

Product Description

The monster has returned . . .

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Read Aloud
This is a great book to read aloud to your students before Halloween!I read it to my 3rd graders every year...apparently someone loved it so much they stole it from my classroom!I would buy this book again and again!

Fails in Comparison
Earlier this year, I read Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac with one of my lower reading groups and loved it.It was a great mix of Native American myth/culture and mystery.I found that my students loved it as well, so when a fourth grade teacher bought the sequel for me to have, I was excited to read it.

And then I read it.

The Return of Skeleton Man fails in comparison to its first installment.For the first half of the book, Molly basically recounts her story from the first novel telling the reader over and over what they probably already know of the story.I found that her parents, not kidnapped this time by Skeleton Man, did not add to the story in the least.

Finally, when Skeleton Man made his appearance in the last third of the book, it was anticlimactic.The basic running through the woods away form the bad guy hit its peak with a lackluster showdown in the woods.

I do still like the fact that Molly shows a strong female character and role model for children.She uses her brain and faith to overcome obstacles, but this second installment of the series (I am assuming there will be another one, even after the author bashes horror movie series that showcase a mythical and invincible antagonist) falls short of expectations.

quick read
This is the sequel to Skeleton Man.Molly escaped the skeloton man last year and is trying to get on with he life.While on vacation with her parents the skeleton man returns to try and lure Molly to him again!This she fights back and is able to escape him!

I would recommend this book to people that like mysteries because it is so interesting and it will give you something to think about.

It shows that girls can be strong and solve problems.

Condition of book
Book arrrived as stated, in excellent condition and in a timely fashion. ... Read more

Product Description

In 1956, an airplane crash left the remains of 172 passengers scattered among the majestic cliffs of the Grand Canyon—including an arm attached to a briefcase containing a fortune in gems. Half a century later, one of the missing diamonds has reappeared . . . and the wolves are on the scent.

Hillerman is a name-brand writer with a huge and well deserved following. His evocation of the landscape of the Southwest is as compelling as it ever was, and many familiar characters from the other 18 novels in this prize-winning series appear here, notably Sergeant Jim Chee and border patrol officer Bernie Manuelito, the woman Chee hopes to marry. Joe Leaphorn remains his most fully-realized protagonist; his perspective on life, destiny, and the sometimes uneasy truce between Native Americans and whites gives this series a unique place in the genre. But as evidenced by his latest, Hillerman's hero needs more than a retired duffer's memories to keep him vital and alive, even for his most dedicated fans.--Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

Bait & Switch
Seems like this seller isn't interested in making good on her sales.Never received book I thought I was buying.Got something different entirely and no effort made to exchange or make things right.

Wonderful listen
I loved this story of Chee and Bernie, with a bit thrown in by Leaphorn. Hillerman weaves a wonderful story with mystery and excitement. I especially enjoyed the loving interaction between Chee and Bernie who will be married soon.The reader was great too giving that sense of being there. I recommend this CD to everyone who is a Hillerman fan and loves stories set in the Southwest.

Tony Hillerman still has it.
In this book, many of our old friends wrap up their story.We meet a few new friends.In addition, if I did not know any better I would say Tony was wrapping up his writing career.

Many reviewers and readers would like tell Tony how to write his stories; I would also.However, the path that Tony chooses is what makes his writing unique.I did notice that the good guys and the bad guys were black and white hats.Hillerman relied very heavily on us reading of his previous books before this latest story.We get a tad of Hopi and Navajo religion, a dabble of what the region looked like, and a short history of what happened to old friends are no longer take part in the story; I've often wondered what happened to the cat.

A generation ago two airplanes crash over the Grand Canyon.One plane carries a man with a case of diamonds attached to his arm.Someone is after the diamonds.Someone is after the arm.Moreover, everyone is looking for a mysterious stranger down in the Grand Canyon.We along with their old friends Jim Chee, and Joe Leaphorn, let's not forget the demure and cunning Bernie Manuelito, get to search together for this mysterious stranger would ever-lurking bad guys just around the corner waiting to do us in.

So sit back and enjoy this quick but intense story.If you get a chance, you will also want to purchase the recorded version by George Guidall. I heard both Guidall and Hillerman and they sound a lot alike.

The Wailing Wind

Leaphorn and Chee Together Again
Navaho and Hopi rituals are part of the background for this story. Retired Lt. Leaphorn and Sgt Chee team up to solve a cold/hot case involving a big stake. Bernie Manuelito is the love interest for Sgt. Chee and is a asset in solving the case.Chee's friend, Cowboy Dashee is obliged to help a relative who has been arrested. Lt. Leaphorn's professor friend provides some help in providing information. Readers of the Leaphorn/Chee mysteries will meet other characters from past books. Tony Hillerman took a good story and filled it with well rounded characters.

Skeletal Novel
THE SETUP
In 1956, an airliner crashed in the Grand Canyon.One of the passengers was John Clark who was returning home with a case full of diamonds chained to his wrist, with plans to marry his pregnant girlfriend.According to Clark's father's will, if he had no direct descendant, the Clark fortune would go to a foundation.The pregnant girlfriend was unable to prove that her child, Joanna Craig was Clark's only descendant.

Many years later, shortly following the robbery/homicide of a jewelry store, (Hopi) Jimmy Tuvey attempts to pawn a diamond, and is arrested for the murder.That diamond was apparently one of those lost in the crash.That a diamond was found implies that it may be possible to find the arm the diamond case was chained to, and prove that Joanna Craig is is John Clark's descendent by DNA analysis.Joanna offers a $100,000 reward for the arm.

Of course, Dan Plymail, the CEO of the foundation which is looting the Clark estate, does not want the DNA found, and hires skip-tracer Bradford Chandler to prevent that eventuality.

Navajo tribal police officer Jim Chee, his fiancee Bernadette Manualetto, and "the legendary lieutenant" Joe Leaphorn are implausibly drawn into the mystery to prove Jimmy, a cousin of Cowboy Dashee, innocent.

COMMENTS
Earlier novels in the series were very "economical", with a few well developed characters, and straightforward filler-free stories.Beginning with "Wailing Wind", several novels back, Hillerman is (unfortunately?) entering the mainstream of police mystery novels, with dozens of named characters, most throw-away (i.e., that appear on one or two pages, never to be heard from or of again, who have little significance to the novel); and complex plots.The stories are no longer about Native Americans, but rather are about "white people" who coincidentally interact somehow with Jim Chee, et al.The Skeleton Man contains a little Hopi mythology, like some earlier novels.Fortunately, Hillerman is sufficiently talented to keep up with mainstream mystery writers.But I, for one, miss the earlier character-centric and Native-centric novels.

CAVEATS
The setup/premise has numerous weak spots, which are exacerbated by John Clark and father sharing the same name, and Joanna Craig and mother sharing the same name--it is often unclear which generation is being referred to.Readers may be confused by which of several different diamonds is being discussed at any one time.Readers may be confused over which robbery is being referred to (a recent one, or one several years earlier at the Short Mountain Trading Post).It seems implausible that Jimmy is charged for a robbery (since the diamond he has is apparently distinct and unique, and should have been recognized immediately and reported).I've read the first section three times, taking notes, and been unable to fully resolve these issues to my satisfaction.By the end, these issues are more-or-less clear, or at least irrelevant, but they still distract from enjoyment of the early chapters.

The theft from the Short Mountain Trading Post is apparently only an excuse to get Joe Leaphorn and John "Shorty" McGuinness minimally involved in the story.The flash flood at the end is a bit of a "machina ex deus"--a rather hackneyed device that Hillerman has re-used from an earlier novel. There is no adequate explanation of why Jimmy disappeared in the Canyon.

One also wonders why John Clark senior (clearly stated to have been alive after his son's death), apparently so hostile toward Joanna (senior) did not specifically change his will to exclude her and her daughter.

THE VERDICT
A good read in a great series, but unnecessarily confusing.It appears that Hillerman wrote a nice simple story, and padded it with convolutions, to the detriment of the story.

Note: I listened to the audioversion, so some spellings of names may be incorrect
... Read more

Product Description
S is for Skeleton. . . .
It’s a bone-afide mystery at Dink’s school. Some sneaky soul has stolen the skeleton from the nurse’s
office! The principal promises free aquarium tickets to the savvy sleuths who can track down poor Mr. Bones. Soon mysterious clues are showing up all over the school. It’s up to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose to follow the clues and put those old bones to rest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Who took the school skeleton and why?
Synopsis: Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose are in class. Mrs. Eagle asks Dink to pass papers to the class to start their math quiz. As Dink passes the paper to Josh, he gets a paper cut and goes to see Miss Shotsky, the school nurse. While he gets a band aid for his finger, Dink notices Mr. Bones, the skeleton missing in the nurse's office. Miss Shotsky is also surprised to notice it missing as she said Mr. Bones was there that morning when she arrived to school. Soon, Mr. Dillon, the school principal makes an announcement in the gym about the missing school skeleton, and offers tickets to the new aquarium as a reward to the class that solves the mystery of the missing skeleton.

Later, as the kids pass the nurse's office, Miss Shotsky invites Dink to give him more band aids. In the office, Ruth Rose notices a footprint left in the dust where the skeleton should have been. They decide to draw the footprint and take measurements, and come to the conclusion that it belongs to one of the adults working in school. Will they be successful in tracking down who took the skeleton, especially after Josh gets a clue to where the skeleton could be located?

Review: I enjoyed reading this book. I found it interesting, suspenseful and funny at the same time and for a while even I had to guess as to why someone would take a school skeleton, but as I was halfway through the book, I figured it would be the kind of situation it turned out to be, but nevertheless it was still fun to read.

I enjoyed how the author placed different clues in the book, such as the footprints and the keys for the reader to figure out who could have taken the skeleton and why. It was also nice to read the details the author provided in showing how the kids solve the mystery in an organized way, such as noting down the details, making a detailed list of the suspects etc.

The illustrations by John Steven Gurney also add well to the book, and I especially liked the ones where Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose find the first footprint at the nurse's office, or when Josh traces Mr. Diodato's feet to check the footprint.

Overall, this is another good addition to the A-Z Mysteries, maybe even better than a lot of the other books in the series, and will be enjoyed by any young reader who likes to read light hearted mysteries.

A to Z Mysteries - The School Skeleton
I like this book because it was a mystery and it was fun to try to solve it.You would like it if you like mysteries. Have fun reading.I hope you like it.

Mystery lovers here is your book!
I really liked this book because it was a scary mystery.You should definetly read this book because you can solve it!It was cool because it was a mystery.You'll like it!

That's my Skeleton!
I really liked this book because it was funny and interesting.I really enjoy mysteries.You should definetly read it because it's a mystery and they are nice to read because you get to solve them yourself!

The Mystery of the Skeleton Snatcher!
I really liked this book because I like mysteries and you get to solve the mystery by yourself.You should definetly read this book because it's a cool book and I'm a second grader and I enjoyed this book.If you read it I hope you'll enjoy it too!! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Inspector Diamond
A pair of English Civil War reenactors discovers evidence of a decades old murder buried beneath a fallen tree on Lansdown Hill, site of a famous battle. The skeleton is headless, and some painstaking investigation reveals the victim to be a twenty year old Ukrainian immigrant escaping the sex trafficking trade in London. Two weeks after the exhumation, one of the reenactors is found dead in a Landsdown cemetery, his head bashed in.

What follows is a case lead by old pro Peter Diamond, who insists that the two crimes are connected and doggedly pursues the truth in spite of strong discouragement from his boss. Author Lovesey's pacing and plotting is superb, his characters genuine and likable, including the bad guys. Inspector Diamond has recently lost his wife, and is provided here with material for a budding, if not wildly romantic, new relationship with a smart, sassy woman (close to his own age, even!). Lovesey also makes good use of his settings, evoking a realistic sense of time and place. As in other series fiction, perhaps it's better to read the entries in chronological order, but I haven't done that, and find that Skeleton Hill holds its own as a standalone.

A Tree Grows in Bath
Peter Diamond, head of the criminal investigations division for the city of Bath, England, stars in this, the 10th book in the British detective series written by Peter Lovesey.The first few chapters are devoted to setting the stage for a most enjoyable hunt for the facts needed to solve two mysterious murders separated by about twenty years. The first involves a skeleton found in the roots of a landmark tree and the other turns up in a nearby graveyard in a pool of blood.

The mystery opens with a reenactment of a 1643 battle during the British Civil War at Lansdown above the city of Bath.The reader would be wise to take notes and prepare for what accelerates into a mad dash for the finish line.Along the way, we're treated to some strictly English terms and eccentricities with a generous side order of correct local history. This book feels like a vacation or a field trip combined with a really good game of //Clue.//

Author Lovesey provides the reader with a full array of suspects, red herrings, and human foibles that add up to a very enjoyable read.

Reviewed by Ruta Arellano

Skeleton Hill by Peter Lovesey
Amazon alerted me about this book.I love this author and bought it based on that.I was surprised at the format.It is a small sized hardcover book.The print is a little small for my vision but I can read it.It came when it was supposed to and in perfect condition.Peter Lovesey is a British author writing crime fiction.He is so good that you forget you are reading and feel as if you are in the story.His characters are well developed without exhausting side trips.The stories all take place in and around Bath and since this is the third book of his, I have taken the time to look at Bath online.When I take my book reading break every day I want to be transported to a new place and know what it is like.i want to know how life is lived there.It is my escape from a hardworking life.These books do that.Lovesey presents logical, well thought out stories.When I get done I have to sit and try to imagine how he came up with the plot and the manner in which the story is told.His detective Peter Diamond has flaws but is determined and loves a mystery, so do I.I started with The Bloodhounds of Bath which is a story involving a crime fiction book club and has a good discussion of mysteries, crime fiction as a genre and the relationship between life and writing.My second book was the House Sitter and I loved that but felt it was quite different that the first book.Get these books and start enjoying them.the only problem with any of them (besides the small print in this one) is that they end too soon.I do think about Bath and the characters from time to time and wonder how they are.

From an author at the top of his game.
Lovesey's endearing Inspector Peter Diamond series has been around for awhile, and it is a wonderful police procedural series.Lovesey is a very talented author and his Peter Diamond is such a realistic character that I always eagerly await the next book in the series.This book is about a very cold case with very few clues and a more recent murder that does have clues.Peter is set to determine that these two murders, even though wide apart in time, are connected.This quest takes him into the world of Civil War reenactment, horse racing and simple greed before he can figure out the puzzle.And the book is liberally sprinkled with wit throughout.This book is well worth the time spent reading it.An intelligent, British puzzler.

Medium-grade Lovesey is still a better than average mystery
In Lovesey's 10th Inspector Peter Diamond mystery, Diamond investigates a headless skeleton found on Bath's Lansdown Hill during a reenactment of a 1643 battle between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers.Soon afterward, a university professor who took part in the reenactment is found murdered nearby.Diamond comes to believe the cases are interrelated, even though the skeleton is 20 years old.

Diamond's investigation takes him to historical sites in Bath, to the area's horseracing scene and to London's seamy world of eastern European sex workers who came to England after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

We don't see much of Peter Diamond's personal life in this particular entrant in the series.It's more of a straightforward police procedural.I thought it was interesting, but not a standout.Still, a medium-grade Lovesey is well above average for most mysteries. ... Read more