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The Ivy Tree

Mary Stewart

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

One of Mary Stewart's best 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

First Sentence: I might have been alone in a painted landscape.

Annabel Winslow has been dead for four years. Mary Grey, over from Canada, looks enough like Annabel to be her twin. When Conner, foreman at Whitescar, stumbles upon her, it takes a bit of convincing that she is Mary. Con, and his half-sister, Lisa, work up a plan for Mary to pretend to be the missing Annabel long enough to ensure her grandfather passes the ownership of Whitescar to Con in his will. Annabel Winslow has been dead for four years. Or has she?

This is Mary Stewart at her very best. With lovely nods to Josephine Tey's "Brat Farrar," which I also loved, "The Ivy Tree" is a more complex, layered book, although the clues are there for us to find. Stewart's characters come alive and even have reader questioning just who is Mary? There is that constant threat of danger. Her descriptions and use of imagery make me go back and re-read passages for the pure pleasure of her words. It is a story of love, loss, and hope is wonderfully timeless. Stewart is always such a pleasure to read and this is one of, if not the, best of her works.

Editorial Review:

Mary Grey had come from Canada to the land of her forebears: Northumberland. As she savored the ordered, spare beauty of England’s northern fells, the silence was shattered by the shout of a single name: “Annabel!” And there stood one of the angriest, most threatening young men Mary had ever seen. His name was Connor Winslow, and Mary quickly discovered that he thought she was his cousin—a girl supposedly dead these past eight years. Alive, she would be heiress to an inheritance Connor was determined to have for himself. This remarkably atmospheric novel is one of bestselling-author Mary Stewart’s richest, most tantalizing, and most surprising efforts, proving her a rare master of the genre.

Eyes of Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 71 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Sorry, but I really don't like this one 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

John Sandford is not the best of crime novel writers but he's not bad. I've read a couple other Prey books and have enjoyed them. They're good books to take to the beach or to read on a plane. The nice thing about them is that they don't require much concentration.

I am disappointed in this one. In fact, I'm only half way through and I don't think I'm going to finish it. What's the problem? It drags too much. I want a crime novel that is hard to put down. This one is easy to put down but hard to pick up again. Let me give an example. One of the main characters has a drug addiction. Sandford wastes pages (and virtually chapters) describing this guy's drug induced states. I got the idea the first time so I didn't need these descriptions repeated every couple of chapters. In fact, I've skipped those pages and haven't missed anything.

Other parts of the book are equally slow and boring. I'll try another of the Prey novels but will give up on Sandford if I find the same style.

Editorial Review:

Number-one New York Times bestselling author John Sandford pits Lieutenant Lucas Davenport against two killers, men as different as night and day-except in the method of their madness. It's all in the eyes...

Winter Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 50 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Best Prey So Far... 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I'm a fan of the Prey series and unfortunately I have in the past read them here and there, but not in any order. I recently started at the beginning and wish I had started there from the start. Doing that enables the reader to better follow the character development of Davenport. Having read some of the later books, it is in Winter Prey that we are first introduced to Weather. Their relationship in later books makes more sense now.

Winter Prey gives us the villain of "The Iceman." The crimes, chases and evidence collection is made difficult by the voluminous amounts of snow and harsh temperatures. The temperatures are 30 below zero, thus making it physically dangerous to be exposed to the elements for any length of time. Lucas is free lancing in the small, rural area of Northern Wisconsin. The local sheriff rightfully realizes he is in over his head after a family of three is murdered and their house is burned, and requests Davenport's help.

The identity of the villain kept me guessing. There were clues throughout, for example the killer knew intimate details of the police investigation, yet the possible people it could be were eliminated throughout the book as the story progressed. I found myself suspecting someone, then they were accounted for when the next murder happened. I enjoyed the book, the characters and couldn't put it down.

Editorial Review:

A "chilling" (Publishers Weekly) thriller featuring Lucas Davenport. A family-killer known as the Iceman is freezing the blood of every mother, father, and child in rural Wisconsin.

Rules of Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 93 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Poorly written in parts, gets good when story picks up 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book shows that, in his years as a journalist, John Sandford learned a lot about the relationship between police and the media. Unfortunately, the story is lacking at times, and the reader has to slog through lengthy portions of procedure talk - the book ends up with a lot of dialogue-heavy scenes that may sound impressive and official, but the story stands still. That said, at times when the plot picks up, it's much more enjoyable. Didn't get much out of the computer game subplot. Unnecessary character over-development. Really liked the ending. Clever writing.

Excellent book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very good book, the start of the Prey series. Once you start you can't put it down. You'll want to read all the Prey books after this one!

Great start 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I got started on this series by reading a couple volumes that have been released in the last three years or so. I decided to go back to the beginning and see how Davenport started out.

It was nice to see where the money came from and that he began as a tough guy. As with the other books I've read, I'm not wild about his main girlfriend/wife. The game development detail adds a lot to the character and how he works.

The hunt for the maddog kept me hooked. There's nothing quite like the take-down of an obnoxious jerk, for a satisfying read.

Editorial Review:

The haunting, unforgettable, ice-blooded thriller that introduced Lucas Davenport is so chilling that you're almost afraid to turn the pages and so mesmerizing you cannot stop.

The Triumph of Caesar: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Novels of Ancient Rome)

Steven Saylor

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Roman civil war has come to its conclusion – Pompey is dead, Egypt is firmly under the control of Cleopatra (with the help of Rome’s legions), and for the first time in many years Julius Caesar has returned to Rome itself. Appointed by the Senate as Dictator, the city abounds with rumors asserting that Caesar wishes to be made King – the first such that Rome has had in centuries. And that not all of his opposition has been crushed.

Gordianus, recently returned from Egypt with his wife Bethesda, is essentially retired from his previous profession of ‘Finder’ but even he cannot refuse the call of Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife. Troubled by dreams foretelling disaster and fearing a conspiracy against the life of Caesar, she had hired someone to investigate the rumors. But that person, a close friend of Gordianus, has just turned up dead – murdered -- on her doorstep. With four successive Triumphs for Caesar’s military victories scheduled for the coming days, and Caesar more exposed to danger than ever before, Calpurnia wants Gordianus to uncover the truth behind the rumored conspiracies -- to protect Caesar’s life, before it is too late. No fan of Caesar’s, Gordianus agrees to help – but only to find the murderer who killed his friend. But once an investigation is begun, there's no controlling what it will turn up, who it will put in danger, and where it will end.

Sudden Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Full of action and suspense 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

#8 of the Davenport series-From the book jacket "It begins with a death and ends with one". This was a fantastic book, full of suspense. This is probably the best of the series so far. It took off right from the start with the death of two thiefs. The brother and husband of the criminals, escapes from jail and goes after the cops that killed them. I think Sandford did a great job keeping the action going in this one. It never let up. I stayed up late to finish it. Davenport's character was not as stellar as previous books. Davenport is known to be on top of his game, always one step ahead of the criminal. In this book, you see a more vulnerable side of Lucas. I like the fact that Sandford showed this side. It is a nice change. Looking forward to continuing this series.

Editorial Review:

Revenge is the engine which powers Sanford's seventh "Prey" thriller starring superslick Minnesota cop Lucas Davenport. When a dangerous female bank robber is killed in a shootout, her even more dangerous husband escapes from prison and begins a campaign of retribution against the families of Davenport and his team. As always with Sandford, excellent writing is the icing on an enjoyable cake. (Other Sandford "Prey" books: Eyes of Prey, Mind Prey, Night Prey, Rules of Prey, Silent Prey, Winter Prey.)

Night Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Most Disturbing Prey Yet 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Sandford, a local Minnesota author with national appeal, gives us one of the most disturbing and terrifying murderers his has ever written about. This is a thrilling work from the very beginning.

A great cops-chase-a-killer thriller that reminds me of an earlier genre classic 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A terrific, entertaining page-turner, and- with its mentally deteriorating serial killer, disturbingly bloody crimes, cops putting their heads together to figure out how best to catch the killer, and personal issues facing the cops as they try to do their jobs- very reminiscent of probably my all-time favorite cops-chasing-a-killer thriller, the classic "The First Deadly Sin," by Lawrence Sanders. And while Mr. Sandford definitely gives his own personal stamp to the proceedings, I would find it hard to believe that he didn't read and enjoy that earlier thriller, too; in so many ways this seems to be a tribute to Sanders' immersive thriller about the Ice Axe killer and Chief Detective Edward X. Delaney's attempts to catch him.

But back to "Night Prey"... I enjoyed the nice balance between Lucas Davenport's cop work and his current personal issues (is monogamy truly for him?), the extremely well-drawn character of a cat burglar/crazed killer who starts descending into deeper levels of craziness as a result of an obsession with a woman he previously robbed; the sad situation of Lucas' new female partner; and all the usual cop banter. All very engaging stuff.

But do yourself a favor if you really enjoy this book... pick up Mr. Sanders' early 70's classic. His other novels were also quite readable, including subsequent "Deadly Sins" entries, but oh, "The First Deadly Sin". What a great read. After all, there will be plenty of time to get back to Mr. Sandford's entertaining series after you treat yourself to that true gem of the crime genre.

Editorial Review:

A master thief becomes obsessed with a beautiful woman--then carves her initials into his victims.

Mind Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 57 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Quick Read, Very Interesting 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Just got into reading the "Prey Series". This book was a quick read and very well written. Looking forward to reading the rest.

Disturbing and gripping - this will stay in your dreams . . . or nightmares 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

John Mail - the antagonist of this novel - is the sort of psychopath of which nightmares are made. Years after being committed by Andi Mannette, he finds himself again obsessing over her; so, he kidnaps her, and both her daughters. Andi is, however, from a wealthy family with many connections, and her estranged husband is also wealthy with connections, so a media storm is immediately created, leaving Lucas Davenport roasting on the spit as he runs to beat the clock and find Andi and her daughters, before it is too late.

There are many scenes that are disturbing and graphic concerning Mail's treatment of Andi; many might find these difficult to get through (I know I did) however, they are not only important to the story but they also get across Mail's attitude toward Andi, which is very ambivalent.

So much happens - this story is so tautly paced - that it seems the events take place over a much longer time frame than just five days, but that is all that goes by. As I noted in the review title - very gripping story. Highly recommended.

Editorial Review:

John Sandford's acclaimed Prey novels featuring the brilliant Lucas Davenport have plunged millions of readers into the darkest recesses of the criminal mind. Now Lucas has met his match. His newest nemesis is more intelligent, more deadly, than any he has tracked before: a kidnapper, a violator, and a cruel, wanton killer who knows more about mind games than Lucas himself.

Certain Prey

John Sandford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 204 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the 10th installment of his popular Prey series, John Sandford (a.k.a. John Camp) pits his popular antihero, Lucas Davenport, against a pair of cunning killers unlike any he has encountered before.

Attorney Carmel Loan is preternaturally beautiful, intelligent, and ambitious. When she becomes infatuated with fellow barrister Hale Allen, she isn't going to let a little thing like his being married get in her way. A quick meeting with an ex-client sets up the hit on Hale's wife, Barbara. The professional killer, Clara Rinker, is one of the best in the business. Smart, attractive, with a gentle Southern drawl, no one would suspect her of being a top Mafia hit man... er, hit person. When she takes the Allen assignment, she figures it will be easy money for a day's work. But things go wrong from the beginning. Loan's ex-client made a tape of the meeting, and is shaking her down for money. Worse, the shooting of a witness--a cop--brings deputy inspector Lucas Davenport into the case. Somehow Davenport has not only linked Loan to the killing, but seems to have a lead on Rinker as well. Carmel and Clara team up to clean up the loose ends, which includes getting Davenport off their back by whatever means necessary.

Like all of Sandford's books, Certain Prey is a fast and furious ride. Fans of previous Prey books will find Davenport a little older, a little more wary, but no less sharp-witted and determined. Though parts of the plot may stretch the limits of credulity and the dialogue falls a little flat in places, this is still a wonderfully crafted thriller, possibly one of the best of 1999. Certain Prey cements Sandford's standing among such luminaries as James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block, and Thomas Harris. --Perry Atterberry