Lake Country
Sean Doolittle
Bantam Books
New York, New York
ISBN: 978-0-345-53214-0
Trade Paperback
2012
$ 15.00
322 pages
Does punishment for breaking a law suffice for justice? For some people, when the punishment does not match the crime, they feel that it is their personal responsibility to do the right thing. They feel personally responsible to equalize life for the victim. In their mind, someone needs to do the right thing.
But what if doing the right thing in a person's mind requires breaking the law?
Wade Benson is a successful architect who works long hours. Five years ago when he was exhausted, he fell asleep while driving home. He caused a traffic accident resulting in the death of a young twenty-year-old woman, Becky Morse.
Unfortunately for Becky's mother, her son also lost his life in Iraq at almost the exact moment as her daughter's death. How can one person ever heal from the death of both of her children in two separate places on the planet with one day?
For some reason, Wade's punishment was to spend two days on the anniversary of her death in jail for five years. This year is his final imprisonment. The local television stations cover this story every year and televise his entrance and exit from the jail annually. Even the media questions this punishment as justice? Is ten days equate to her life?
For ex-Marines Darryl Potter and Mike Barlowe this doesn't seem fair. They served in Iraq with Becky's brother. They have seen Mrs. Morse and the effect of her deaths with her grieving. Darryl especially feels that Mrs. Morse is owed something from Wade Benson. What could make up for the deaths?
Darryl Potter and Mike Barlowe don't have much in their lives. Both had difficulty holding a job and gambling with bookies. By living together Mike is more realistic and attempts to keep Darryl in the real world.
The Elbow Room is the local bar where the two spend much of their time and they can frequently have free sandwiches and cheap beer from their longtime friendship with the owner.. As a bar owner, he realizes the need to sometimes get away from life. He owns a cabin located up in the Lake Country where everything seems to work itself out.
Maya Lamb, a local news broadcaster, recognizes the irony of interviewing Juliet Benson for the local television news station. Juliet is the same age now as when Becky Morse died. How strange to speak with the daughter of the killer who could easily have been the dead girl.
Darryl decides to settle the score for his wartime buddy and the mother of the two who have been dead for five years. He is going to take Wade Benson's daughter from him so that he understands. His plan is to kidnap Juliet.
Can anyone find or save Juliet?
The race to save Juliet's life is on with Mike, Maya, a bookie, the bartender, and law enforcement trying to find her.
Who will live through this?
Sean Doolittle has recently been a featured author with Mystery Scene magazine as one of five best new authors to follow. His previous novels are Rain Dogs, Burn, Dirt, Safer, and The Cleanup which one the Barry Award. He resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Lake Country is a haunting tale because it is easy to see this story as real. The race to save Juliet's life is page-turner where you literally cannot turn the pages fast enough. The empathy for Mike who really is attempting to do the right thing is heart-wrenching. The contrast of Doolittle's clean and clear writing is for this messy story truly masterful. This is story telling at its best.
You are with the characters understanding the logic of each but basically from Mike's point-of-view.
Lake Country is one of those books where you will want to reread certain sections. This is a phenomenally written mystery.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
The Sad Tree and Pronuba
The Sad Tree and Pronuba
Christina Steiner
Mary Manning-Illustrator
Outskirts Press
Parker, Colorado
ISBN: 978-1-4327-9893-2
October 2013
Paperback
$ 14.95
32 pages
For anyone who has ever felt alone, a friend is always appreciated and valued. For a single tree in the desert life can be lonely with only the moon, wind, sand, stones and rocks for companionship.
Deserts are the natural habitat for lone Joshua trees that live throughout America's Southwest. These trees seem to be isolated and unlike other trees, are not part of a forest.
Unique to this tree is their cooperative relationship with the Pronuba moth. Both the tree and the moths rely on each other for their species to propagate. The Pronuba moth needs a place for her eggs to incubate and the Joshua tree protects these from the wind and the blowing sand. As the eggs hatch and continue through the stages of their life-cycle, this co-dependency is important for their lives. The moth leaves her eggs within the shelter of the tree while also collecting pollen to transport to other locations for other Joshua trees to grow. As the eggs hatch, the grubs feed on the seeds and their life-cycle continues while the seeds of the tree are spread in the area.
This concept can be difficult to understand for children. It is not immediate and happens over time. "The Sad Tree and Pronuba" is a story accompanied by illustrations which explains this life-cycle concept using a tree named Joshua and the moth, Pronuba. The story simplifies the science procedure seen as a special friendship. This story has wonderful illustrations which perfectly match the words of the story.
Christina Steiner, the author, resides in Southern California who was inspired to write this story after a visit to the Mojave Desert. Mary Manning, the illustrator, is a well-respected artist who specializes with landscapes featuring America's Southwest. These two storytellers both in words and pictures perfectly matched the story.
"The Sad Tree and Pronuba" is a wonderful story telling the tale of friendship surrounding the scientific concept of pollination whose target audience is for children aged 5 to 12. This difficult concept is beautifully written and illustrated in this story of the Joshua tree and the Pronuba moth. Reading "The Sad Tree and Pronuba" is educational and a wonderful story that both parents and children will enjoy to read and reread.
Christina Steiner
Mary Manning-Illustrator
Outskirts Press
Parker, Colorado
ISBN: 978-1-4327-9893-2
October 2013
Paperback
$ 14.95
32 pages
For anyone who has ever felt alone, a friend is always appreciated and valued. For a single tree in the desert life can be lonely with only the moon, wind, sand, stones and rocks for companionship.
Deserts are the natural habitat for lone Joshua trees that live throughout America's Southwest. These trees seem to be isolated and unlike other trees, are not part of a forest.
Unique to this tree is their cooperative relationship with the Pronuba moth. Both the tree and the moths rely on each other for their species to propagate. The Pronuba moth needs a place for her eggs to incubate and the Joshua tree protects these from the wind and the blowing sand. As the eggs hatch and continue through the stages of their life-cycle, this co-dependency is important for their lives. The moth leaves her eggs within the shelter of the tree while also collecting pollen to transport to other locations for other Joshua trees to grow. As the eggs hatch, the grubs feed on the seeds and their life-cycle continues while the seeds of the tree are spread in the area.
This concept can be difficult to understand for children. It is not immediate and happens over time. "The Sad Tree and Pronuba" is a story accompanied by illustrations which explains this life-cycle concept using a tree named Joshua and the moth, Pronuba. The story simplifies the science procedure seen as a special friendship. This story has wonderful illustrations which perfectly match the words of the story.
Christina Steiner, the author, resides in Southern California who was inspired to write this story after a visit to the Mojave Desert. Mary Manning, the illustrator, is a well-respected artist who specializes with landscapes featuring America's Southwest. These two storytellers both in words and pictures perfectly matched the story.
"The Sad Tree and Pronuba" is a wonderful story telling the tale of friendship surrounding the scientific concept of pollination whose target audience is for children aged 5 to 12. This difficult concept is beautifully written and illustrated in this story of the Joshua tree and the Pronuba moth. Reading "The Sad Tree and Pronuba" is educational and a wonderful story that both parents and children will enjoy to read and reread.
Poisoned Ground
Poisoned Ground
Sandra Parshal
Poisoned Pen Press
Scottsdale, AZ
ISBN: 978-1-4642-0224-7
March 2014
Hardcover
$ 24.95
250 pages
New developments offer economic revivals for small communities. The possibility of new jobs is exciting for most small towns even for Mason County, Virginia. Who wouldn't want a new development in a small town? This would offer new jobs and opportunities to a diminishing community.
However, not all is as it seems. Most of these new jobs would be at minimum wage with no to little chance of advancement. Added to that, this new development would likely pollute the land and the water as they take over this community, not to mention the loss of family homes and lifestyle of many local farmers who for years have lived off the land.
Is this opportunity to cater for the wealthy patrons of this new adventure with a spa worth it or is it destroying the community? What is the cost of progress?
Rachel Goddard enjoys her life in the Blue Ridge Mountains as a veterinarian and recently married Sheriff Tom Bridger. Supporting her best friend, Joanna who is being offered money for her horse ranch, Rachel is drawn into the conflict within the community especially since the slick developers seem to be forcing people to sell their land.
When Joanna's neighbors, Marie and Lincoln Kelly are shot, people are beginning to wonder about the actual cost of this development in terms of people's lives. It was well-known that Marie and Linc were against selling their land. Could someone be tipping the scales to favor the development? Why would anyone want to murder two elderly farmers?
To author Sandra Parshall she truly understands these changes that are happening to her communities throughout Blue Ridge Mountain area. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband who is a Washington journalist. This is a challenge to numerous rural communities.
Poisoned Ground perfectly envisions both viewpoints of community development surrounding an intriguing mystery. As Rachel supports her friends and clients in her animal care business, she is drawn into the situation of conflict while also being privileged to discover clues to assist her husband with solving the murder.
This is a fast-paced mystery which keeps your interest through the last page. With well-developed characters who are realistic within a logical mystery that continues to unravel with each page. Even though this is part of a series which has won an Agatha Award, Poisoned Ground does not require knowledge from previous books in order to understand the story.
Anyone who enjoys a good mystery would like Poisoned Ground. I would categorize this book as a cozy since the story is straight-forward in direction.
Curl up with Poisoned Ground and enjoy a good book to read.
Sandra Parshal
Poisoned Pen Press
Scottsdale, AZ
ISBN: 978-1-4642-0224-7
March 2014
Hardcover
$ 24.95
250 pages
New developments offer economic revivals for small communities. The possibility of new jobs is exciting for most small towns even for Mason County, Virginia. Who wouldn't want a new development in a small town? This would offer new jobs and opportunities to a diminishing community.
However, not all is as it seems. Most of these new jobs would be at minimum wage with no to little chance of advancement. Added to that, this new development would likely pollute the land and the water as they take over this community, not to mention the loss of family homes and lifestyle of many local farmers who for years have lived off the land.
Is this opportunity to cater for the wealthy patrons of this new adventure with a spa worth it or is it destroying the community? What is the cost of progress?
Rachel Goddard enjoys her life in the Blue Ridge Mountains as a veterinarian and recently married Sheriff Tom Bridger. Supporting her best friend, Joanna who is being offered money for her horse ranch, Rachel is drawn into the conflict within the community especially since the slick developers seem to be forcing people to sell their land.
When Joanna's neighbors, Marie and Lincoln Kelly are shot, people are beginning to wonder about the actual cost of this development in terms of people's lives. It was well-known that Marie and Linc were against selling their land. Could someone be tipping the scales to favor the development? Why would anyone want to murder two elderly farmers?
To author Sandra Parshall she truly understands these changes that are happening to her communities throughout Blue Ridge Mountain area. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband who is a Washington journalist. This is a challenge to numerous rural communities.
Poisoned Ground perfectly envisions both viewpoints of community development surrounding an intriguing mystery. As Rachel supports her friends and clients in her animal care business, she is drawn into the situation of conflict while also being privileged to discover clues to assist her husband with solving the murder.
This is a fast-paced mystery which keeps your interest through the last page. With well-developed characters who are realistic within a logical mystery that continues to unravel with each page. Even though this is part of a series which has won an Agatha Award, Poisoned Ground does not require knowledge from previous books in order to understand the story.
Anyone who enjoys a good mystery would like Poisoned Ground. I would categorize this book as a cozy since the story is straight-forward in direction.
Curl up with Poisoned Ground and enjoy a good book to read.
Vanities
Do you still have the same close friends from high school?
For many cheerleaders, it was not uncommon for girls who were best friends in 1963 to have established a special bond that would permanently cement their friendship. Is that just a dream or reality?
At the Chanticleer Theater this past weekend, this friendship was explored with three seniors in high school who were cheerleaders during November of 1963.
Joanne, Kathy,and Mary gossip about the high school dances and the popularity, their boyfriends who are all on the football team, the girls in the band, and the important things in life. Homework is not a priority but mailing their college applications at the post office at the same time is so exciting. These three cannot imagine a life without each other. Will they be together forever? Of course.
“Vanities” is a three-act play focusing on the relationships of these three women portrayed by Corie Grant-Leanna, Mary Beth Slater, and Mary Trecek who excelled in bringing these characters to life. Between the years of 1963 in the first act, 1968 in the second act, and the final act during 1974, there were many social shifts and changes in our country which permanently affected our way of life. As these changes occur, will their friendship change?
“Vanities" written by Jack Heifner has evolved since its premier in 1976. Originally it ran on Broadway for five years. Since then it was reappeared on Broadway as a revival, been recreated as an HBO special, and recently been revised into a musical which is currently playing on Broadway.
Corie Grant-Leanna, Mary Beth Slater,
and Mary Trecek were wonderful in their parts. Each perfectly stayed
true to their character as age changed their lives. The sets,
lights, sound, and overall support crew were excellent in making this
seamless performance. The adapting of the set from scene to scene
was enjoyable while still meeting the needs of the cast with
memorable background music.
"Vanities" is written for
an adult audience. Those who would most enjoy this show have an
understanding of the changes in our lives between 1963 and 1974.
"Vanities" will continue at
the Chanticleer Theater located at 830 Franklin Ave. in Council
Bluffs through February 16th . Show times on Friday and
Saturday are at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Ticket costs are $20
for adults, $ 16 for seniors, and $10 for students. To make
reservations call (712) 323-9955 or email
manager@chanticleertheater.com.
“Vanities” is a wonderful play
about how people have change. If you have ever wondered about
whether or not to attend your high school class reunion, you will
definitely need to see “Vanities”,Friday, February 7, 2014
The Troop
The Troop
Nick Cutter
Gallery Books
Simon and Schuster
New York, New York
February 25, 2014
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1476717715
$26.00
368 pages
Many scouting troops have camping traditions. Taking five boys in their teens onto an island in the Canadian wilderness is an annual event for Tim Riggs who is the scoutmaster as well as the local doctor of this close-knit community. He realizes the value of taking the boys away from their families for a weekend to an uninhabited nearby island with a cabin. They can camp outside or use the cabin if it rains. What could possibly go wrong in three days?
For Kent this trip is tolerated. He is accustomed to being a leader among his peers being both popular and athletic. At the other end of this small social hierarchy is Shelley who is strange along with his nerdy friend, Newt. Ephraim and Max are likable and get along with almost everyone. As expected the relationships between these five is teasing with sometimes a streak of meanness from Kent.
Tim Riggs is accustomed to their pranks. As a bachelor, his life is fairly dull and he looks forward to this time each year.
During their first night, a stranger lands on the island in a small boat. He is pale and ravenous. He acts as if he has never eaten. With his extreme thinness, the voracious hunger pains seem to move under his skin.
Dr. Riggs immediately suspects that the man might have a tape worm. He chooses to examine the stranger within the confines of the cabin as a precaution while having the boys camp outside. He makes it very clear that the boys are not to reenter the cabin until he allows them back inside.
Reminiscent of "Lord of the Flies", The Troop explores the conflict of doing what is best for everyone and doing the best for yourself.
For Kent, he sees himself as the leader of the group. In school he is popular and athletic. He is the top of the social hierarchy of this group. At the bottom is Shelley who is just a strange duck. He relies on Newt for friendship. Newt is the nerd. Somewhere in the middle are Max and Ephraim who are both easy-going and likable. They attempt to be the peacemakers, somewhat mediating Kent's comments.
The characterization in The Troop is phenomenal. As a reader, you can visualize each person throughout this page-turner. Each event is well-described while maintaining a terrifying pace in the story. Even the setting of the island is visually descriptive perfectly matched with the pacing of the story.
The Troop is one book that you will want to read in one-sitting. You do not want to leave the story as you hope for the best for each character. What is most horrifying in this thriller is the realism! This is a story that could be a possible situation.
The author Nick Cutter is the pseudonym for Canadian author, Craig Davidson. His other published books are Sarah Court, Rust and Bones, Fighter, and Cataract City as well as many short stories.
The Troop is a wonderful book to read on these cold winter nights inside a house which is not on an island in the Canadian wilderness.
Nick Cutter
Gallery Books
Simon and Schuster
New York, New York
February 25, 2014
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1476717715
$26.00
368 pages
Many scouting troops have camping traditions. Taking five boys in their teens onto an island in the Canadian wilderness is an annual event for Tim Riggs who is the scoutmaster as well as the local doctor of this close-knit community. He realizes the value of taking the boys away from their families for a weekend to an uninhabited nearby island with a cabin. They can camp outside or use the cabin if it rains. What could possibly go wrong in three days?
For Kent this trip is tolerated. He is accustomed to being a leader among his peers being both popular and athletic. At the other end of this small social hierarchy is Shelley who is strange along with his nerdy friend, Newt. Ephraim and Max are likable and get along with almost everyone. As expected the relationships between these five is teasing with sometimes a streak of meanness from Kent.
Tim Riggs is accustomed to their pranks. As a bachelor, his life is fairly dull and he looks forward to this time each year.
During their first night, a stranger lands on the island in a small boat. He is pale and ravenous. He acts as if he has never eaten. With his extreme thinness, the voracious hunger pains seem to move under his skin.
Dr. Riggs immediately suspects that the man might have a tape worm. He chooses to examine the stranger within the confines of the cabin as a precaution while having the boys camp outside. He makes it very clear that the boys are not to reenter the cabin until he allows them back inside.
Reminiscent of "Lord of the Flies", The Troop explores the conflict of doing what is best for everyone and doing the best for yourself.
For Kent, he sees himself as the leader of the group. In school he is popular and athletic. He is the top of the social hierarchy of this group. At the bottom is Shelley who is just a strange duck. He relies on Newt for friendship. Newt is the nerd. Somewhere in the middle are Max and Ephraim who are both easy-going and likable. They attempt to be the peacemakers, somewhat mediating Kent's comments.
The characterization in The Troop is phenomenal. As a reader, you can visualize each person throughout this page-turner. Each event is well-described while maintaining a terrifying pace in the story. Even the setting of the island is visually descriptive perfectly matched with the pacing of the story.
The Troop is one book that you will want to read in one-sitting. You do not want to leave the story as you hope for the best for each character. What is most horrifying in this thriller is the realism! This is a story that could be a possible situation.
The author Nick Cutter is the pseudonym for Canadian author, Craig Davidson. His other published books are Sarah Court, Rust and Bones, Fighter, and Cataract City as well as many short stories.
The Troop is a wonderful book to read on these cold winter nights inside a house which is not on an island in the Canadian wilderness.
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