Books by Jack Phillips Lowe

Do you have a family treasure in the form of an ancestor's diary? What wisdom will you be passing on to your future generations? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all write down the lessons we've learned in hopes that whoever reads them will avoid the mistakes we've made? This seems to be the goal behind Kerry LePage's book, "Some Day Never Comes."

The first chapters of the book deal with every day types of life's adventures that the author presents with humor, dry wit, and some reflective thought. From moments of getting more with positive reinforcement than words of war, to enlightening check out tellers of their obligatory duties, LePage has advice. From working with a veterinarian over his dog's discomfort, to dealing with a neighbor's dog killing his very expensive lawn, the author offers words of wisdom. Moments in between, regarding topics of a person's lack of desire to take just any old job, another person's lack of interest in living this particular life, and how tastes are acquired, all contain bits of comedy, absurdity, and even a bit of brash opinionated thought. The second half of the book, offered in four parts, deals with sales and marketing. This section goes into detail of how LePage made some mistakes in business, how he took some knocks, and how he got back up and brushed himself off to start over again. This feels like a separate book in a way, as if LePage intended to write this section and then realized he had more to say in regards to other aspects of life, so added the first section of the work. The Sales and Marketing portion still offers the same wit, the same humor, and the same style of writing. It connects well to the rest, though is more focused on the reader who is in need of a business pep talk.

The book is an interesting conglomerate of essays. LePage shares himself freely, well, for the cost of the book, and can honestly say that he's left his mark on the world for future generations to explore. How many of us can say that? "Some Day Never Comes" is an enjoyable read with a slightly different tone…you just might learn something here.

They Was Holdin' Hands is an unusual, beautifully written novel which combines elements of mystery and literary fiction.

The story begins when the protagonist, an aspiring writer named Carmela Valente, reads by chance an intriguing article on the Seattle Times about three old women who mysteriously died huddled together by a wood-burning stove in the kitchen of their rural farmhouse in the small mining community of Pine Grove Haven, PA. Carmela soon becomes obsessed by the incident, so much so that she decides to go to the mining town to investigate. The idea of writing a novel based on the incident propels her. Of course, the demure, reserved people of Pine Grove Haven aren't exactly thrilled by her visit. The town holds dark secrets, secrets that parallel Carmela's own disturbing childhood. As the secrets of the town and the mystery of the old women's deaths are gradually revealed, so are Carmela's deeply hidden memories. In this sense, this is a dark novel about self discovery and about the grim, and often contradictory, realities of human nature.

The story is told in the first person through the view point of the protagonist, and the author uses a technique which is not common nowadays in fiction; the protagonist is never quoted in the dialogue, but instead she's always paraphrased, as in this example:

I confessed to him that I still didn't know what it was I wanted, but I hoped I would know in a day or two. I asked him if he felt the deaths were accidental.

This technique brings a quiet, old-fashioned storytelling quality to the novel, reminiscent of 19th century novelists.

There are other beautiful passages in the novel, some with lyrical yet simple, vivid images:

I brushed away the snow from a concrete bench and sat down. The day was clear. No heavy, bleak clouds blocked the sun's welcome gift. I watched as the melting rivulets of snow slid down the gravestones like tears.

This is a novel that will please those readers of mystery who look beyond the usual commercial literature. The two interwoven storylines are deftly crafted and the dialogue sparkles with authenticity. The author has a flair for characterization. In sum, this is an excellently written novel and one I'm very pleased to have read.

They Was Holdin' Hands


By Venera Di Bella Barles


Arche Books


www.archebooks.com


Copyright 2005


ISBN: 1-59507-065-6


Hardcover, 226 pages, $26.99


Mystery/Literary

International Compost Awareness Week (early May) is a perfect time to read Pee Wee's Great Adventure (ISBN# 0969788339) to groups of children during the various events celebrating the week. This book is the second installment in the series of three children's books based on the character Pee Wee Worman – who teaches us about vermiculture, or composting with worms. Published by Recycling Resource Service, this book has taken even greater environmental steps during the production phases than the first book of the series (Pee Wee And the Magical Compost Heap). By using only 100% post-consumer paper that is both acid free and chlorine free the publishers are providing an excellent example of making choices that are better for the environment. Interestingly, even the ink been considered - only vegetable based inks were used.

Pee Wee's Great Adventure continues with P.W. Worman, Nancy, her brother Scott and their friends Mathieu and Naseem. The story begins during a communal meal in the compost where Pee Wee is asked to tell about his origins, because he was not born in the compost pile. His tale of wild adventure and near death experiences will have little readers wide–eyed until Pee Wee reaches safety and finds a comforting home in the compost pile.

The story concludes with an entertaining song that employs the universally applicable tune of "The Hokey Pokey", written by Jane Gilmore. I found it interesting that instructions on how to care for an indoor worm bin are included in the dialogue between the children, even though the story focused on Pee Wee's journey to the compost pile.

The book is illustrated by Ryan Dening, with what looks to be pen sketches. Children will enjoy identifying the ground beetles, worms, flies, centipedes, millipedes, springtails and more. Scenes of back yards and detailed close-in views (making small things appear larger) will appeal to children. I particularly enjoyed the colorful cover with children doing various activities in what looks to be a park near a large city.

Pee Wee's Great Adventure could be an inspiration for readers to start their own class or home project. Retailing at only $7.95 (Canadian), this paperback book is a bargain for frugal minded educators, parents and caregivers. There are two pages of detailed instructions for worm bins at the end of the book, followed by a two-page glossary. Finally, the author shares tips on what worms will eat, where to place the bin and how to use the castings.

Larraine Roulston, the author of this series of worm compost books for children, has been involved with Recycling Council of Ontario for a number of years and wrote a newspaper column for 15 years called 'Recycler's Report'. Her series of Pee Wee books has inspired the Recycling Council of Ontario to provide a 30 minute P.W. Worman puppet show that is performed at schools, libraries and environmental fairs. Larraine is a loving and enthusiastic grandmother who hopes to spread knowledge of the benefits and importance of composting.

Be sure to visit Larraine's website: http://www.castlecompost.com

A kick-ass detective, a world where people and buildings are disappearing, universes within universes, cloning, and multiple dimensions are some of the elements in Meter Made that will keep you turning those pages till the end.

The novel begins with an intriguing scenario when Jack Meter receives an unusual request—to find a building which has simply vanished into thin air. Soon a beautiful yet cunningly deceiving agent from the Intergalactic Agency joins him in the investigation. As they 'travel' from one universe to another and escape from bounty hunters, it becomes clear the problem isn't really about a lost building. Something incalculably higher is at stake, something that may destroy their own universe, and it's up to Jack to prevent it. But will he—when he's surrounded by people he can't trust, unjustly suspected of multiple murders, almost fried by acid, and followed by vicious killers—one of them his own clone?

If you enjoy science fiction, mysteries, and physics theories about multiple dimensions, this is the book for you. The protagonist, Detective Jack Meter, is utterly sympathetic and has a sharp, witty tongue. The plot is intriguing and moves at a quick pace. Talented author M.D. Benoit utilizes quick, sharp dialogue to propel the story, which has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing for the culprits. The science behind the premise of the story is fascinating and they way Benoit moves her characters from one strange world to the other believable. Meter Made is the second book in the series. Though the book stands well on its own, I'd recommend reading Metered Space first, if only to more fully understand past references in the story. I sure look forward to reading more books in the Jack Meter series.

Meter Made


by M.D. Benoit


Zumaya Publications


http://www.zumayapublications.com


ISBN: 1-55410-302-9


Copyright 2005


Trade paperback, 256 pages, $12.99


Science Fiction Mystery

Steve Hockensmith has done it again. "On The Wrong Track" is an excellent follow up to his first book "Holmes on the Range". This is another well written story that will keep you both laughing and wondering who done it.

Gustav and Otto, better known as Old Red and Big Red respectively, are back and this time their riding the rails instead of the grub line. They've been hired by the Southern Pacific Rail Road and put on the express to San Francisco where they will receive their training. The problem is that they have to get over the mountains alive first. Not only is the train a target for a gang of outlaws with a grudge against the Southern Pacific but there is a murder committed on board almost as soon as the train gets started.

With a train full of suspects and a bad case of the 'collywobbles,' Old Red starts investigating. Not only do they have to deal with a snooty conductor who thinks that the only thing lower then cowboys are company guards but there is a nervous Wells Fargo man with a quick trigger finger in the express car. There is the Chinaman traveling with a drunken Pinkerton Agent, a suffragette who has an almost unladylike interest in her fellow passengers, and an annoying drummer. Then there is the crime scene, a baggage car full of strange things, including two caskets and a snake.

The farther into the mountains they go the stranger and more complicated things get. As the brothers deal with murder and robbery, things go from bad to worse. Using the methods of Old Red's hero, Sherlock Holmes, the two brothers follow the clues to the end of the line.

The relationship between the two Reds is both touching and funny. The bond between them is strong without being sentimental or sappy. The brotherly needling is of the type that anyone with brothers understands.

If you liked "Holmes on the Range" you'll love "On the Wrong Track." If you haven't read either book I highly recommend them both. If you read mysteries or westerns you will find Mr. Hockensmith's work most satisfying.

Under A Cloud


by Eliot Sefrin


iUniverse (2006)


ISBN 0595372147


Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (12/06)

Rachel Cook is fresh out of the Academy and ready to take on the world, but first she must experience it. Matt Holland is the "old timer" that is chosen to show Rachel Cook the ropes and hopefully turn her into what he has already become, one of New York's finest in blue. But what happens if the two people you least expect to do wrong are suddenly charged with killing the same people they've vowed to protect? Toss in a little politics and life gets messy for Holland and Cook. Will Holland end up taking the brunt of it all alone or will his partner stand with him and help him unveil the truth?

The questions run nonstop as this page-by-page thriller unfolds from the very first turn. As you are quickly tossed into their world, two police officers, that in some ways, couldn't be further apart in style, suddenly find themselves trying to save their own lives and reputations. A first-time rookie being trained by a well-honored and polished veteran are suddenly more than just partners as they try to save each other as well as themselves. Somebody needs to take the fall for the death of an underprivileged, black youth that has been killed because, unless they find someone to blame, the streets are going to become ugly. These same streets that Cook and Holland vowed to help clean up. The same streets Cook once grew up on. And the same streets Holland feels are more a "home" to him then anywhere else.

Can the truth set them free or only get them in deeper as they fight rumor and politics? Can anyone ever win when politics get involved?

Ripped from the pages of former headline news, this suspenseful thriller brings up the terrifying truth for many police officers. Sometimes doing the instinctive thing is going to get you in more trouble than you ever dreamed of. As the city streets get more and more violent, wanting answers and not liking all the answers they're getting, the public wants someone to pay for this child's death. The age old story of poverty versus politics, this year's politicians need action taken to make them look good. Should one cop serve as the scapegoat, to serve justice for all the wrong doing that's happened in the streets before?

Can truth really prevail or do stereotypes, hatred and revenge take over where truth should come in?

"Under a Cloud" is written with such intensity that it reads like a page from today's paper. The only difference between these pages and your morning news is that you see all viewpoints and yet aren't sure what the outcome will be, even if you had believed that truth always prevails. This is an excellent thriller with combined mystery and intrigue. A combination of CSI meets Hill Street Blues on paper.

The River Between, tells the story about the separation of two villages of Kenya who were neighbors but differences in faith separated them. The bitterness between them caused much hatred between the adults of each side. The story tells about the struggle of a young leader to unite the two villages of Kameno and Makuyu through sacrifice and pain.

In the story a boy, Waiyaki, the son of Chege, was to be a great leader in the village of Kameno. Chege sent Waiyaki to Siriana, where the white men stayed, to gain knowledge of the white men's advancements to help his village. Waiyaki dreamt of the day where he would be born again to be a man; "All his life Waiyaki had waited for this day, for this very opportunity to reveal his courage like a man" (p. 45). He was to be circumcised to be initiated to be a man and gain respect from everyone in his village.

Circumcision of both the men and women was the way of all tribes that had not embraced Christianity or the British educational system. To monotheistic followers it was an abhorrent practice; they were strongly against the female circumcision or female genital mutilation depending on how non-tribal, traditional followers viewed it.

In Kameno the inhabitants there are followers of the traditional tribal belief of polytheism. In Kameno, the inhabitants praised and respected all who went through the pain and got circumcised. The Kameno people did not want to accept the new faith and they strongly resisted the white men's way of life. In Waiyaki's earlier years his father lectured him to work hard for the community and do all he can to help keep the traditional way of life.

Unlike the traditional polytheistic followers of Kameno, the people of village of Makuyu were the followers of Christianity. Their leader Joshua, embraced the religion of Christianity after the white men settled in Kenya. In Siriana, there was the knowledge of white men; schools teaching the ways of white men flourished and hospitals helped the ill get better. Joshua was a strict Christian and he was strongly against circumcision and drinking. Joshua and his wife were circumcised before they became Christians, but Joshua repents hard for begin circumcised for it was a sin in his faith; "In fact Joshua believed circumcision to be sinful that he devoted prayer to asking God to forgive him for marrying a woman who had been circumcised" (p. 31). Circumcision was the main factor that separated the villages. The followers of Joshua were strongly against it.

Joshua's daughter, Muthoni, was an ambitious girl. She wanted to be a woman in the tribal way even though she was a Christian. Muthoni went against her father and went to the circumcision rituals. When Muthoni came to the ceremony it surprised Waiyaki, knowing that Muthoni was Christian and she is of the new cult. Muthoni got circumcised; however, she did not heal well after the circumcision. She was taken to the nearest missionary hospital and soon died after. Rumors spread quickly saying that it was her father's curse that caused her death because a girl dying from circumcision was rare. Muthoni's death reached her family. Muthoni's mother and sister, Nyambura, cried and strongly felt the pain of loosing a family member; however, Muthoni's father disowned Muthoni for getting circumcised and refused to feel anything for his deceased daughter. Livingstone, the head missionary from Siriana, knew of the tribal warfare from past missionaries so, he did not force Christianity to the villagers instead he wanted the faith to slowly blend in the land to avoid conflict with the natives. Livingstone trusted Joshua greatly but it shocked him when he got the word that it was Joshua's daughter that died from circumcision. He was appalled that his own student's progeny went thorough this forbidden practice of Christianity.

Waiyaki grew to be a noble person after his father. He became the headmaster of a school he established called Marioshoni. As time passes he established more schools in Kameno and taught the knowledge, the "magic" of the white men. He strongly pushed everyone to understand that only through education that his people can be stronger than before. He also had strong and intimate relationship with Joshua's other beautiful daughter Nyambura. Even though he loved her Waiyaki could not marry Nyambura due to their differences in faith and that caused him a great deal of pain. Nyambura loved Waiyaki too, but she didn't want to go against her father like her sister did; "Can't you see we cannot marry?....Father will not allow it. I cannot disobey him." (p. 107). Waiyaki struggled hard to unite the two ridges and went through many convictions especially from his own sides because of his education from Sirana. Waiyaki and Nyambura ware tested when Waiyaki went to Nyambura's father's house to save her. Nyambura admitted in front of everyone that she truly does love Waiyaki. After her daring confession of her love for Waiyaki, Nyambura was told to leave the house by her father. Joshua disowned her for betraying him, for loving a pagan. As they were out of the house Waiyaki told Nyambura to go back to her father's house, but she refused and she stayed with him.

In Kameno there was a big gathering; people wanted to see if the rumors were true, they wanted to see if Waiyaki broke the oath, the oath to protect the purity and the traditions of the tribe. Kabonyi, a person from Kameno, who was always jealous of Waiyaki's prominence, made Waiyaki stand trial before the Kameno people. Waiyaki and Nyambura's love was yet tested again in front of a massive crowd. Waiyaki had so much respect from his people and there, in the gathering, he admitted his love for Joshua's daughter and this shocked everyone. It was depicted as if Waiyaki broke the oath to keep the tribe pure from outsiders and their ideas. However, Waiyaki generalized that the oath never went against loving someone.

The story depicts the struggle between the followers of the monotheist faith and the polytheist faith. The pain and bitterness between these two people of the same origin causes more separation day by day. The story shows that religion can cause great ominous feelings between similar people of different faiths. The title of the story "the river between" is well thought out giving the theme of dividing two ways of life, the traditional, tribal way of life and the new introduced, Christian way of life; both struggling against each other.

In a way I can connect to the story in which my country, which was once East Pakistan, separated from West Pakistan due to exploitation, language differences, and genocide. Even though we were one country and with one religion there were still bitterness between us due to the difference of languages we spoke and our ways of life. There is still hatred and bitterness between us due to what happened and there are few that have forgiven and forgotten the pain and crimes of the past.

The River Between


By Ngugi Wa Thiong Cox & Wyman Ltd. 1965


152 pages.

Jane Austen, born in village of Steventon in Hampshire, was one of eight children. Her father chose homeschooling as method of education. He had a extensive library which led to Jane's constant reading. As a child, she and her older sister Cassandra danced and performed plays to amuse themselves. At the young age of fourteen, Jane wrote her first novel, Love and Friendship.

During her twenties Jane Austen wrote the novels that were later to be re-worked and published as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. Though she never married, she is said to have been in love once with a gentleman she met at the seashore, however he died immediately thereafter without even leaving his name. There are many who claim her novel, Persuasion was about this mysterious lover.

When her parents were ready to retire they decided to move to Bath, away from the countryside she had grown accustomed to. In Bath, Jane found life pretty difficult. She didn't feel the creative inspiration that she had while living in Steventon. Being surrounded by the busy town and crowded streets made it hard for Jane to write. While living there she accepted a marriage proposal from Harris Bigg-Wither, a wealthy landowner, but she changed her mind overnight. It's said that she may have only accepted the proposal in the first place because she lived in a society where marriage was the only possible goal for a woman.

In 1801 Austen's father passed away leaving Jane's brothers responsible for financial matters. The Austen women had to reside with Jane's naval brother Frank and his wife Mary in Southampton. Jane's creative writing was nonexistant there.

In 1809 Jane's brother, Edward offered his mother and sisters a permanent home on his Chawton estate close to her beloved homeland of Hampshire. The Austen ladies decided to accept his offer and move to the estate. Jane's inspiration seemed to return while residing in Hampshire. In the next seven and a half years, she revised Sense and Sensibility (1811) and Pride and Prejudice (1813) and published them, followed by a period of intense productivity. Mansfield Park came out in 1814, followed by Emma in 1816. Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously.

While Jane Austen was alive, she chose to publish her books anonymously. "By a Lady" replaced Jane's name on her published works. Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Mansfield Park have all been made into movies.

For many years, Austen struggled with finding the right words, even though she was a very talented writer. She needed the right setting to get her mind moving. It wasn't until she returned home that she was able to rediscover a way to express herself comfortably through her stories.

When it comes to motivational or self help books, its is hard to find one that is any better then The Magic of Thinking Big by Dr. David Schwartz. This classic was written in 1959 and its principles are timeless. This book has been read by millions of readers to help them boost sales, get motivated, and as a great general self help book.

The Magic of Thinking Big offers powerful ideas on how to get the most out of your job, your personal life, and as a member of your community. Secrets revealed in each Chapter of the book can help you to:

1. Believe You Can Succeed and You Will


2. Cure Yourself of Excusitis, The Failure Disease


3. Build Confidence and Destroy Fear


4. How to Think Big


5. How to Think and Dream Creatively0 6. You Are What You Think You Are


7. Manage Your Environment: Go First Class0 8. Make Your Attitudes Your Allies


9. Think Right Toward People


10. Get the Action Habit


11. How to Turn Defeat Into Victory


12. Use Goals to Help You Grow


13. How to Think Like A Leader

Attitude is everything. Enthusiasm can really help you go grow and succeed in everything you do in life and even though the lessons and case studies from the book may seem dated because it was written nearly 50 years ago, they still directly apply to life today. This book can easily help you achieve what ever goals you are working for in your life.

This book makes a great read but an even better listen. While this book has sold millions of copies as a written book, it is gaining popularity as an audiobooks. Especially since many of those who listen to The Magic of Thinking Big are busy people that are on the go.

The Magic of Thinking Big as an audiobook is four hours in length so it is perfect for listening to in the car. And it is easy to listen to a second time to allow the principles to really sink in.

The fastest and best way to get your hands on Dr David Schwartz's classic is to find in on the internet as an audiobook available as an instant mp3 download. Once you download the audiobook you can play it on your pc while you work or surf the net, you can burn it to a disc, or you can load it to an iPod or mp3 player.

So if you are looking for a book that will help you with your motivation or improve your business or social life, The Magic of Thinking Big is a book for you.

I am sure David Apostolico could write a wide array of other genres, because among poker writers his form is right up there with John Vorhaus. He does give way to Vorhaus in terms of style, and well, let's say - zestyness, but his tame approach has merit as well.

Better known for his philosophical endeavors, the writer who penned comparisons in poker strategy to that of Szun Tzu and Machiavelli, Apostolico takes on here a much more precise, real life reconstruction of tournament hands he either witnessed or participated while playing in the Professional Poker Tour.

The PPT is an offshoot of the WPT productions but is a smaller field of invited professionals only. So while you may not have heard of David Apostolico too much, many of the hands discussed here include the top rated poker names that you will easily be able to put faces to as the hand is played out and analyzed.

As this is David Apostolico's first poker book as an actual analyst I was surprised to read fairly strong, to excellent recreations of the hand action that quelled my internet-driven desire to see all that I was reading on video. In fact, because of the familiar names, it was quite easy to get caught up in the confrontations and then get a chance to read and think about Apostolico's analysis while judging the players that participated in the hand.

A couple of situations involved Doyle Brunson making some truly amazing laydowns for what seemed to be inconsequential pots. Apostolico pointed these hands out indicating Brunson's true talent and that as a seasoned pro that knew how to conserve chips for better opportunities. There are other equally captivating hands that make the book worthwhile in themselves.

The book coagulates in chapters by categorizing some popular hands and how to play them, specific opportunities and how he applies them in tournaments, and broad strategic concepts that may help your over all thought process when entering tournaments.

All this amidst most of the best players in the world, and a chance to go over everyone's thought process for that particular hand. If I could say anything negative about the book, it would be that little bit of pizzaz! that makes some books stick to your hip until you've finished reading them may be lacking. With all these great characters involved in each hand, a little background and side notes might have helped in that regard.

That is being picky though, because at 15 bucks this book packs a lot of value if you want to get better at tournaments. I could stack 3 or 4 other particular tournament books together and they wouldn't carry the weight of this valuable little paper-back.

There are some suspense-mystery novels that hold you at the edge of your seat, biting your nails, and glued to the pages, even though there is an element inside them that does not make too much sense. Web of Evil is a suspense story belonging to such a category.

In the story, Paul Grayson, who is an NBC news executive, wakes up to find himself bound and stuffed in the trunk of a moving car. He doesn't know how he got there. When the car stops moving, Grayson hears the sound of a train about to pass over him.

At the same time, in Sedona, Ariz., Ali Reynolds a former L.A. TV newscaster travels across the desert to solve two legal problems. The first one is her age discrimination suit against the network that replaced her with a younger person. Her second dilemma is her divorce against Grayson, who preferred April Gaddis, a slim would-be Pilates instructor, over Reynolds. Grayson had intended to marry April after his divorce from Reynolds.

As Ali Reynolds drives through the desert, she passes a wreck in which Grayson had died. Thus, Ali is a widow and she is the one to get Grayson's fortune. Grayson's fiancée April is pregnant but Grayson did not have the time to change his will to make April or her unborn child his beneficiary.

Now that Ali had a financial motive to kill her husband, she soon becomes the prime suspect in his murder. She has three lawyers: one to handle her divorce, another to handle her job termination suit, and the third and most visible one in the story Victor Angeleri, the criminal defense lawyer.

Ali is not the kind to listen to her lawyers and as the body count rises, the police conclude that Ali is guilty of multiple murders. Yet, Ali ignores Angeleri's advice to keep quiet and she visits the crime scenes, accidentally contaminating evidence, implicating herself even more.

Ali is shocked to learn that the police can get her phone records and that the detectives can read her blog on the internet. Her ignorance of police procedure is unbelievably odd; on top of her being a newscaster, Ali was once investigated for having killed a man in self-defense.

The plot runs along with twists and turns but still lets the reader bond with the heroine, even though Ali Reynolds, as the main character, does not seem smart enough for a TV newswoman.

"Web of Evil" is enjoyable, although not the best of the recent mystery novels I have read. The main character is energetic and compelling but a little dense, and her relationship with her conservative mother, who runs a diner in Sedona, is wonderfully written. The dialogue is excellent and the desert, people, and the towns of Arizona are vividly pictured.

The author, Judith Ann (J. A.) Jance is an award-winning author of mystery and horror novels. Before becoming an author, Jance worked as a school librarian on a Native American reservation. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona. She has three series of novels about retired Seattle PD officer J. P. Beaumont, Arizona small-town sheriff Joanna Brady, and Diana Ladd Walker.

The book is 368 pages in hardcover with ISBN-10: 1416537074 and
ISBN-13: 978-1416537076.

The author's style of writing keeps the reader reading, despite the main character's unexplainable ignorance of police matters. This is a gripping book of suspense good for entertainment purposes.

For a long time, I believed Microsoft Outlook to be a powerful yet highly underutilized time management tool, but was frustrated because the courses I took covered only the basics, and none of the books I read went sufficiently in depth to satisfy my desire to use this program to its full capacity. Then I discovered Sally McGhee's book, Take Back Your Life! which outlines steps for creating a system to help you to maximize productivity and take control of your personal and professional life.

Some of McGhee's recommendations are similar to those found in other time management books; for example:

For me, the most valuable part of the book explains that to effectively use the Outlook Task list, it is helpful to create planning categories to keep track of objectives and supporting projects, and action categories to keep track of the individual tasks to be completed. Instead of using Outlook's default categories such as "Client" and "Personal," McGhee suggests placing all telephone calls in one category so you can quickly and easily make those calls when you have time between appointments. Similarly, having all errands in one category will make it easier to keep track of them and reduce the number of trips you have to make.

Ms. McGhee understands that technology facilitates increased productivity only when users know how to use its features to full advantage, and are willing to let go of ineffective habits. Willingness to make behaviour changes is a key component of her system, as some of the strategies she describes will be quite foreign to many, particularly those who struggle with structure and details.

One drawback is that to rely fully on Outlook for time management requires the use of a Pocket PC or similar device, and I have met many people who are not prepared to give up their paper planners. Nonetheless, although Take Back Your Life! is primarily about using Outlook, it offers many helpful time management tips that may be adopted even by non-Outlook users.