History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Dark Assassin: A William Monk Novel (William Monk Novels)

Average customer rating:

Anne Perry's Monk NEVER disappoints.
Great book
History and Mystery, an unbeatable combination
enjoyable
Deep Waters

Dark Assassin: A William Monk Novel (William Monk Novels)
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345469305
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

For countless readers, one of life’s great pleasures is the mesmerizing magic of a Victorian mystery by New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry. Her dramas of good and evil unfolding inside London’s lavish mansions and teeming slums hold us spellbound. Now, in Dark Assassin, she sweeps us into a darkly compelling world that we never dreamed existed.

A Thames River Police superintendent struggling to win the respect of his men, William Monk is on a patrol boat near Waterloo Bridge when he notices a young couple standing at the bridge railing, apparently engaged in an intense discussion. The woman waves her arms and places her hands on the man’s shoulders. A caress or a push? The man grasps hold of her. To save her or to kill her? Seconds later, the pair plunge to their death in the icy waters. Monk can’t help but wonder, was it an accident, a suicide, or a murder? It seems impossible to determine the truth, but haunted by the woman’s somber beauty, he is impelled to try.

Mary Havilland was her name, and she had planned to marry Toby Argyll, the fair-haired man who shared her fate. Mary’s father, an engineer employed by the Argyll Company, had recently died–a suicide, according to the police and Mary’s sister. But Mary’s friends tell Monk that she suspected her father had been murdered because of his stubborn insistence that the Argyll Company’s current project–the construction of a splendid new sewer system for the metropolis–was so badly flawed that it put the entire city in peril from flood and fire.

Monk is now faced with the mysteries of the three deaths. Aided by his intrepid wife Hester, he starts looking for answers and is soon treading a slippery path that takes him from the luxurious drawing rooms where powerful men hatch their unscrupulous plots to a world beneath the city where poor folk fight starvation. In nightmarish tunnels, Monk and Hester find true friends, among them Scuff, a young mudlark; Sutton the ratcatcher; and Snoot, Sutton’s clever terrier. For once, even Monk’s old enemy, Superintendent Runcorn, is on his side. As rainfall strains the fragile manmade underground, Monk must connect the clues before death strikes again.

With characters as vivid as Dickens’s, gripping courtroom scenes, breathless horrors beneath the earth, and a plot that twists and turns toward a stunning denouement, Dark Assassin is absolutely one of Anne Perry’s best.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

Anne Perry is the bestselling author of the World War I novels No Graves As Yet, Shoulder the Sky, and Angels in the Gloom, as well as the holiday novels A Christmas Journey, A Christmas Visitor, and A Christmas Guest. She is also the creator of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England. Her William Monk novels include The Shifting Tide, Death of a Stranger, and Funeral in Blue. The popular novels featuring Charlotte and Thomas Pitt include Long Spoon Lane, Seven Dials, and Southampton Row. Her short story “Heroes” won an Edgar Award. Anne Perry lives in Scotland. Visit her website at www.anneperry.net.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Anne Perry's Monk NEVER disappoints........2007-06-22

Anne Perry's beautiful prose and her excellent scope of social values in Victorian England is top notch. Her mysteries are of both historical value and pure, unadulterated entertainment. William Monk is often a mystery in himself except what Anne Perry allows us in exquisite probing. Once begun, it's difficult to put down any Monk book. Once you finish, you're looking for the next.

Great book.......2007-05-13

This was one of Anne Perry's best books. I've been waiting for another William Monk novel, and this one was superb. The plot was great, kept one guessing until the very end. A hard book to put down and yet so enjoyable that I didn't want it to end. The author's understanding of history in England in the Victorian era is fascinating. I feel as if I am right there in that particular time and place. Her descriptions of the characters are detailed enough to picture them in the mind's eye as if you saw actual pictures of them. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good mystery.

History and Mystery, an unbeatable combination.......2007-05-07

First Sentence: "Waterloo Bridge loomed in the distance as William Monk settles himself more comfortably in the bow of the police boat."

William Monk is now an Inspector with the Thames River police. London is building a new sewer system after The Great Stink of 1858. While on boat patrol, Monk and his men see a couple arguing and both go into the polluted Thames which kills them. But what did they see? Was it an accident that became a fatal accident? A murder and the killer dies with the victim? A suicide and the man dies trying to save the woman? The woman's death is proclaimed a suicide. Monk doesn't believe anyone who was working so hard to clear her father's reputation, after he also died of a supposed suicide, and provide he was right in believing the way in which the sewers were being built was dangerous would take their own life. Monk even joins forces with his old nemeses, Superintendent Runcorn.

Ms. Perry continues to impress me with her writing. Her ability to take an historic event and build an interesting, suspenseful story around it is unsurpassed. She creates fascinating characters and makes them real; not only Monk and Hester, is wife, but Scuff, the street urchin who feels responsible for Monk, and Sutton the ratcatcher and his dog, Snoot. Each of the characters is brought to live and image under Ms. Perry's writing. I am always delighted to find the newest book by Ms. Perry.

enjoyable.......2007-04-11

I love the characters and the mood set by Anne Perry. Great story with a real feel for the time period.

Deep Waters.......2007-03-28

I am a William Monk fan to the point that I like this series better than Perry's other two. Monk and Hester have a social conscience, a steadfast integrity, a deep committment to search for justice and truth no matter how difficult it may be. It is this that gives these books a depth that keeps the reader coming back for more.

Monk has a new job as superintendent with the Thames River Police. He is still uncertain in his new job, and is not sure how his men will take to him. In this mystery, Monk is on regular patrol near the Waterloo Bridge when he and his crew helplessly watch as a couple fall into the dark frigid waters. The freezing water and heavy clothes insures that no rescue is possible. Was it a murder/suicide, an accident or a death pact?

The two are identified as Toby Argyll and Mary Havilland, a young couple in love and planning to marry. Monk discovers that Mary's father is also dead, an apparent suicide. He worked for the Argyll Company, an important firm involved in the building of what is to be a splendid new London sewer system. Monk also discovers that Mr. Havilland had expressed serious doubts about the proposed system and he voiced these doubts. Mary did not believe her father committed suicide, she claimed he was murdered because of his vocal doubts about the sewer system.

Monk and Hester investigate the deaths of the young couple and in an unual twist, Monk receives help from his old nemisis, Superintendent Runcorn. Runcorn investigated Mary's father's death and is having second thoughts about it being suicide.

I gave "Dark Assassin" 4 stars instead of 5, because Perry does not have Hester as involved in this mystery as she has been in the past and her absence is noticeable. It also delves more on Monk's new duties and his uncertainties in his new job rather than on the subplots that are usual in his other novels. However, it is still an absorbing read and one which furthers our understanding of Victorian England society and Monk and Hester's place in it.

Average customer rating:

we all want a wulf like this
Kudos to a Master of Paranormal Romance
a little to howl about....
Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2005
THMBS UP FOR THE WULF BROTHER'S!!

The Dark One (The Wild Wulfs of London)
Ronda Thompson
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0312935730
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Rosalind Rutherford knows full well the scandal she courts when she attempts to seduce the notorious Armond Wulf—in fact, she’s counting on it as a means to escape her sadistic stepbrother’s control. Unfortunately, Lord Wulf’s better instincts prevail...although not before he gives Rosalind a tantalizing taste of what she’s missing. And when the opportunity arises to rescue Armond from a grim fate while changing her own, Rosalind knows she must seize it...

Armond can no more ignore the Rutherford woman than his ancestor could resist the temptress who cursed the Wulf men with a terrifying transformation that occurs at the appearance of the full moon—and is set in motion by love. Now, to save her reputation and his freedom, Armond must marry Rosalind. But he vows that while they may share the pleasures of the marriage bed, she will never have his heart...

Yet as strange and mysterious events bring them closer in body and soul, Armond finds it increasingly difficult to keep his feelings for his new wife locked away. Especially when the reality of unquenchable desire—and certain danger—burn stronger than ever by the light of a full moon...

Customer Reviews:

we all want a wulf like this.......2007-08-23

the entire book was hot, read it from beginning to end without stopping,it was hard to put down....

Kudos to a Master of Paranormal Romance.......2007-07-15

Ronda,

You were always one of the best, one of the first to teach me the joys of paranormal and werewolves. I shall always remember you for that, and for your kindness when we met online. Your work is flawless, and original in ways that other authors envy. You will definitely be missed! Condolences to your family, should they read this, and I hope you are looking down on us from above, and enjoying all the great memorials being posted out there for you, because you deserve it!

a little to howl about...........2007-06-13

as other reviewers mentioned this is a fairly good paranormal romance set in a historical time period. As someone who reads primarily historical romances I really liked that it was set in regency times as most paranormals are set in modern day-which I'm not that interested in.

The book does have some problems-my main problem being the situation between Rosalind and her lady's maid Lydia. Lydia was raped and brutalized by Rosalind's stepbrother (Rosalind was also being beaten by him), was begged not to confront him, but Rosalind does anyway, causing Lydia's death. I don't understand why female authors have to make female characters act so stupidly like this-doing something that would obviously cause pain to the person who took them into their confidence.

Besides the above stupid action-the book was exciting and I enjoyed the fact that the villains were truly villainous-very cruel and sadistic-but that makes their overthrow all the better:). I found Rosalind to be a strong heroine-she behaves a bit stupidly a couple of times-but redeems herself in the end by literally standing by her man. Armand is everything a paranormal or Gothic hero should be-dark and brooding that hides a wounded facade that the heroine must uncover. The love scenes are highly sensual but interspersed with enough romance to take the "edge" off.

The storyline is interesting done as the 4 brothers are not werewolves in the traditional sense but under a curse. The secondary characters are what make the story and have interested me enough that I want to read the others in the series.

All in all-not the best paranormal I've read but exciting enough that I would recommend it to Historical Romance fans and Paranormal fans looking for something a bit different.

3.5 stars.

Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2005.......2007-05-14

Ronda Thompson has always been a master at the paranormal, but she's taken it to a new level with her new "The Wild Wulfs of London" series. Beginning with THE DARK ONE, we're immersed into a paranormal regency world where nothing is what it seems, and where the choices you make might not have the outcome that you had proposed.

For Lady Rosalind Rutherford, things have gone from bad to worse. Her stepbrother, Franklin Chapman, has incurred large gambling debts that he cannot pay off. He's unable to sell the estate he's been living in, since it was a gift to his late mother from her late husband, the Duke of Montrose. Even if he'd been able to find a way to get around the fact that the estate wasn't his own, now that his stepsister Rosalind has come to live in the home, there's no discernible way to erase his debt. So Franklin, in typical evil-rogue style, decides to marry his dear stepsister off to the highest bidder, and use the acquired funds to clear his gambling debts.

The Chapman estate sits next to that of the Wulf's, a family of brothers cursed by an ancient witch many years ago. Love was their downfall, and now, whenever there's a full moon, the Wulf's turn into something much more dangerous than mere men. But when Lord Armond Wulf is introduced to Lady Rosalind at the first ball of the season, he's immediately smitten-or, more accurately, immediately filled with lust for the raven-haired beauty. Armond, however, knows that he's doomed to live a life of solitude, a life without the warmth and love of a woman. A woman caused their family's downfall, and he's determined to now allow the same to happen to him.

However, Lady Rosalind has other ideas. She has no plans to sit idly by while her stepbrother sells her off like cattle, so she sets out to do the one thing that might foil his plan-ruin her reputation so far beyond repair that no one will want to marry her. And she's found the perfect way towards this sinful fall from grace-Armond Wulf, a man who already has the type of reputation she wishes for herself.

Unfortunately, even though Armond has no desire to marry, he does desire Rosalind, and now that scandal threatens them both he has no choice but to offer her marriage. But what will happen when the full moon rises over London, and Rosalind discovers exactly what type of man she's fallen in love with? And as for Lord Wulf, what happens when a man destined by a curse to never love fully finds himself heading in that direction-even though he's vowed to never allow his heart to rule his emotions? As mysterious happenings surround Armond and Rosalind, as their hearts move ever closer to a full unity, and as the full moon approaches, you'll never guess of the surprises that are in store for you.

Ronda Thompson has created a delightful new series with her Wulf family, and I for one can't wait to see which brother will be featured next. Set in 1800's London, THE DARK ONE is a romantic paranormal romp that's sure to delight readers of the genre. Kudos to Ms. Thompson for this unique and exciting new series!

THMBS UP FOR THE WULF BROTHER'S!!.......2007-05-01

I TRULY ENJOYED THIS DELIGHTFUL TALE ABOUT LADY ROSLIND AND ARMUND WULF.I HAD IT AWHILE BEFORE I READ IT AND WAS ACTUALLY KICKING MYSELF FOR WAITING SO LONG TO READ IT..LOL
I AM DEFINITLEY LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THE NEXT SEQUEL!

Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Marvelous period thriller
In Spite of It and Myself...
There are better historical mysteries.
Issac Newton the Sleuth
Interesting...but had some shortcomings

Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton: A Novel
Philip Kerr
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400049490
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Book Description

In 1696, Christopher Ellis, a young, hot-tempered gentleman, is sent to the Tower of London, but not as a prisoner. A sudden twist of fate has led him there to assist the renowned scientist Sir Isaac Newton, who as Warden of the Royal Mint has accepted an appointment to hunt down counterfeiters who threaten to topple the shaky, war-weakened economy. Armed with Newton’s superior intellect and Ellis’s skill with a sword, the new partners seem primed to solve the case. But when their investigation leads them to a mysterious coded message on a corpse hidden in the Lion Tower, they realize that something more sinister is afoot. In the heat of their pursuit, Newton and Ellis’s suspicions become all too real as the body count rises and the duo uncovers a menacing far-reaching plot that might lead to the collapse of the government—and cost them their very lives. An extraordinary, suspense-filled, and richly satisfying tale, Dark Matter is an engrossing mystery infused with the volatile mix of politics, science, and religion that characterized life in seventeenth-century London.

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous period thriller.......2007-08-06

I borrowed this audio book from the library, assuming it without really even checking the cover was some kind of a biography of Newton. When I realized it was actually a Sherlock Holmes / Watson type detective thriller, I was initially disappointed and planned to return forthwith, since I'm not really into fiction for the time being. But, I had listened to just enough to make me curious about what was going to happen next, and before I new it, I was hooked. I'm glad in retrospect that I gave this book a chance, because it turned out to be thoroughly entertaining, through and through. Written from the point of view of Newton's assistant at the mint, Christopher Ellis, and superbly narrated by John Lee, this book is worth listening to just for the wonderful usage of the English as it was spoken at the time. When it comes to good writing, this is what I'm talking about. The descriptions of the strumpets, jades, whores, wenches etc. is titillating and a bit shocking. The cruelty of the punishments dished out to the victims of the justice system in that day are horrifying, yet appealing to that part of all of us which lurks beneath the intellect. The love affair between Newton's niece and Ellis handled beautifully, and the culmination of their infatuation is graphically and entertainingly described. Along with the gruesome murders, and action sequences, this book actually delivers a bucket full of sex and violence. Still, the nicely developed plot and the elevated use language makes this book an extremely satisfying read - or I should "listen" in my case. Which leads me to John Lee, whose rendition is about as good as it gets. I agree, though, with a reviewer who stated that the sex and violence need not have been so thoroughly described. It seems a contradiction that such a well-researched and written book should delve so often and so descriptively into the baser matters. It's actually kind of shocking. Toward the end, there emerge some parallels to the DaVinci Code, and the Ellis's questions and speculations in that area eloquent and pleasing. This book is certainly infinitely better written than the DaVinci code. Having read the reviews, I think I'll have to look into Kerr's noir trilogy. I'm quite certain based on this novel that they, too, will prove to be eminently worthwhile.

In Spite of It and Myself..........2006-09-19

...I liked it. Is it the definitive biography of Newton? Well, no, but if that's what you're looking for, why would you read a novel? It is, I think, a good stab at making a living character of Newton--which is saying something considering the pains Newton took to hide just about every personal detail of his life.

The murder mystery/forensics aspect seems to me just the stage dressing behind the portrayals of the characters. Newton and his spunk-bucket niece Catherine are the most fully delineated, followed by pretty nearly everyone else, followed by the narrator, Christopher Ellis. Ellis is the most one-dimensional character, perhaps because he's the only one Kerr had to create without the springboard of reality. (There was a real Christopher Ellis, but apparently almost nothing is known about him.)

As to the writing itself, Kerr does pretty well at keeping the flavor of seventeenth-century English without making the text impossible to wade through, and throws in a few clever allusions along the way. My only beef is that he uses whole quotes by and about Newton without paraphrasing. That comes across as jolting and stilted; it would have been better had Kerr springboarded off them as well, working them into his own writing style and keeping them fresh.

I know this sounds like a lukewarm review, but I really did like the book! It's winning and curiously entertaining. Not a heavyweight, but diverting, and besides there's plenty of ponderous stuff about Newton out there. Let your hair down, relax, and enjoy it.

There are better historical mysteries........2005-04-06

In spite of the length of the book, it did read quickly, probably because I did a lot of skimming. Kerr's detail of the period is fascinating and well researched, but the characters of Ellis and Newton seemed a parody of Watson and Holmes and lacked any real depth. Even though you were aware the author was trying to make the dialogue appropriate to the period, it came off stilted and awkward. There were descriptive sex scenes which seemed gratuitous. As one who enjoys historical mysteries, there are many better choices than this.

Issac Newton the Sleuth.......2004-06-22

London at the turn of the century, 17th, that is, is a place of intrigue and mystery. Will the recoinage fail and cause England to be destroyed by France and the Catholics? The mystery is deepened with each new murder, but, is Issas Newton, and his faithful sidekick, up to solving the case? Read on, and learn. This book was a little tedious, but it had its moments.

Interesting...but had some shortcomings.......2004-06-19

The book, Dark Matter: The Privet Life of Sir. Isaac Newton was a very interesting book. I read through the first 250 odd pages with excitement and enjoyment. However, once the book reached page 300, it felt like the author realized he had to finish it and then quickly tied up all the lose ends almost to neatly. My other main problem with the book is something, which I encounter with the vast majority of modern fiction, and that is sex. There seems to be this idea that a book must have at least one scene during which people must engage in the act, now I understand that on occasion this is important to the plot or the character development, however, must we actually be subjected to a detailed analysis of the actions preformed? This book would have been better, and the characters as well developed had we not been 'privileged' to their sexual activities. Still on the whole, it was an enjoyable book, with strong characters, and an interesting plot.

Average customer rating:

Revenge that backfires
an entertaining but forgettable mystery novel..
good, better, best!
Hard to imagine it could be any better
Excellent mystery...

In a Dark House (Crombie, Deborah)
Deborah Crombie
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060525258
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Book Description

Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James return in a chilling and suspenseful tale of murder, kidnapping, madness, and the frightening ordeal of a helpless child, the latest masterwork of crime fiction from New York Times Notable Book of the Year author Deborah Crombie ...

An abandoned warehouse burns next door to a women's shelter for victims of spousal abuse, an apparent case of arson. But it is the charred corpse within -- a female body burned beyond all recognition -- combined with the political sensitivity of the case, that entangles Superintendent Duncan Kincaid in its twisted skein.

At the same time, Kincaid's lover and former partner, Gemma James, is coping with twin crises of her own, one personal and the other professional. Gemma must put her private concerns aside to investigate the disappearance of a hospital administrator, a beautiful, emotionally fragile young woman who vanished without a trace. Yet neither Gemma nor Kincaid realizes how closely their cases are connected -- or how important the resolutions will be for a young child who was a victim of parental abduction.

In an old, dark, rambling house, nine-year-old Harriet worries about her feuding mum and dad, her friends, her schoolwork. Most of all, she worries about the strange woman who is her only companion in this scary, unfamiliar place. The events that led her there happened too quickly and are too complicated for a child to fully comprehend. But despite her youth and innocence, Harriet's awful fears will not be silenced: that she may never see her parents again ... and that her own life is in serious peril.

Customer Reviews:

Revenge that backfires.......2007-07-17

We came into this series from the back end. Then purchase preceding works to catch up on the story line as the characters were compelling enough to warrant further reading. Deborah Crombie's Inspector's Kincard and James is such a pair. Their personal lives intermingle with their cases. As readers, we root for each installment. Her stories are keepers as we weed our shelves to make room for new favorites.
With "In a Dark House," Ms. Crombie apply demonstrates her ability to rank with Martha Grimes in creating the stark and brutal side of human relations. Knowing how the personal issues evolve, we concentrated on the deftly plotted case and the steps taken to reconstruct the crime from almost non-existent clues in this great police procedural.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Sins of the Fathers."

an entertaining but forgettable mystery novel.........2007-05-29

'In a Dark House' is my first foray into the world of Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James and, mostly likely, it will be my last ... which is strange because the book has all the hallmarks of a good detective/mystery series. The author has obviously done her research on the story's setting (Southwark section of London) and criminal investigation procedures. And the story, an interwoven affair involving arson and murder, has surprising yet plausible plot twists. But why is "In a Dark House" so forgettable?

Well it strikes me that the characterizations, especially of our investigative duo of Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, are just a bit too manufactured. It felt something out of EastEnders (a UK soap opera) rather than anything realistic. I also felt the author, who is obviously a talented writer, played too safe in her narrative. I wanted high drama, conflict, and the tangible feeling of suspense ... and I didn't find any of it.

Bottom line: a competent mystery perfect for the beach but certainly the sort of book you won't want to keep on your bookshelf afterwards.

good, better, best!.......2006-09-11

Deborah Crombie's James & Kincaid series just gets better and better. Here the setting is Southwark, not a usual venue for London-loving writers. As always, Crombie provides a physical map with her text, although her descriptions of place are so excellent that it's ironically unnecessary. The aged warehouses oozing toward oblivion in the Thames, the aggressive marks of gentrification (for an even better take on this hot topic, see _Kissed a Sad Goodbye_) mingle with the tang of traditional cheeses from the open market by the cathedral and the wacky/wonky lives of the fringe business people who flourish in spaces between the run-down and the rave restaurant review.

Crombie's characters are equally vivid, not only the series stars, but also the agoraphobic in her doll's house and the oddly honest self-made politician. The characters are given dead-on details that call them to mind for the reader, even after an absence of many chapters. Yet Crombie never falls into the grey-page plague of prose. She uses her omniscient narrator's voice and swaths of unforced dialogue to convey both news and nuance. Her skill at plotting really shines here, as she moves among three sets of self-absorbed characters and the police, never once making the reader feel that "now for something completely different" sense of dislocation.

This is a mystery worthy of a re-read - first class!

Hard to imagine it could be any better.......2006-09-06

Deborah Crombie continues to deliver a series worth reading and rereading...this entry is no exception. Balancing jurisdictional disputes, personal life distractions, and a strong sense of historical detail, In a Dark House is another superb example of Crombie's sensitive portrayal of character, place and pitch-perfect plot. If you haven't read her work yet, get them all and be prepared to enter a world you won't want to leave.

Excellent mystery..........2006-08-14

I thought that the two books previous to this in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series were slight disappointments. Kincaid seemed relegated to a side character with Gemma taking the lead. IN A DARK HOUSE is an excellent mystery that brings the two back to equal ground and re-establishes them as one of the best partnerships in mystery fiction.

In the Dark: The True Story of the Blackout Ripper

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Like It Is

In the Dark: The True Story of the Blackout Ripper
Simon Read
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425212831

Book Description

In 1942, London faced a reign of terror unknown since Jack the Ripper.

The nightly air raids had darkened London's neon dazzle but not its urge to live it up. With death a daily possibility, drinks and sex were everywhere. But one man had other urges. Over a five-day period, "The Blackout Ripper" murdered with a lightning-fast ferocity that stunned and baffled investigators. He left few clues in his bloody wake-until a slip-up revealed his true identity, and shocked a city that thought it had seen it all.

Customer Reviews:

Like It Is.......2006-11-20

Simon Read strikes again...

John Douglas, author of Mindhunter and one of the agents who started the FBI's Behavioral Profiling Unit, once said that serial killers shouldn't be treated like celebrities. Rather, they should be given sneering nicknames and treated like the scum they are. Simon doesn't give "The Blackout Ripper" any derrogatory nicknames, but he doesn't give the guy any breaks, either. And that's what I love about this book.

So many true crime novels give a dramatic spin to the murderer. They're given a status far beyond what they deserve, elevated to the ranks of purest evil rather than pointed up as the dregs they are. You get a "poor darling" sense as horrible childhoods are excavated for some reason why such a nice, quiet guy happens to be such a sadistic [...].

Simon doesn't deliver that kind of schlock. What he gives you is unvarnished reality. He writes in such a way that you can feel the old London pavements under your feet, cringing fear as you become a citizen dodging not only Luftwaffe bombs but also the killer taking full advantage of blackout conditions to live his sick fantasies. You get to meet this [...] face-to-face, and you get to stare into the all-too-human face of inhumanity. The book creates a total atmosphere. You will end up feeling the grinding despair of people dealing with two very overwhelming situations, and you will get to see not only the worst predations of a man, but the amazing things ordinary people can do.

There was a war on. They shouldn't have had to deal with a murderer on top of it. But they did. And Simon gives them the rare gift of telling it just like it was, making sure those extraordinary ordinary people will not be forgotten.

Average customer rating:

A not-too-bad book
An enjoyable read
The Count Would be Spinning in His Grave
16 stories made JUST for this collection...
Multiple Personality Disorder

Dracula in London

Manufacturer: Ace Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441008585
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Book Description

Dracula didn't spend all of his time in London stalking Mina Harker. He occupied his days exploring the teeming city-and meeting the likes of actress Ellen Terry, the Prince of Wales, and even a young author named Abraham Stoker...

These brand new stories follow the legendary count through the gaslit streets of historic London-with the biggest names in vampire fiction as your tour guides: Fred Saberhagen * Chelsea Quinn Yarbro * Tanya Huff * Elaine Bergstrom * Roxanne Longstreet Conrad * Nancy Kilpatrick * P.N. Elrod and Nigel Bennett * Brad Sinor * Gary Braunbeck * Jody Lynn Nye * Gene DeWeese * Bill Zaget * Judith Procter * Julie Barrett * K.B. Bogen * Amy L. Gruss * and Catt Kingsgrave-Ernstein

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How did Dracula occupy his time in London when he wasn't stalking Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker? Today's top authors take the infamous nosferatu on a tour of 1890s London--in sixteen wonderfully inventive stories.

Customer Reviews:

A not-too-bad book.......2006-02-26

Not much to say than if you like this book check out Nigel Bennett's books with P.N. Elrod, Keeper of the King His Father's Son and Siege Perilous

An enjoyable read.......2005-11-08

I read this around halloween. I enjoyed having some short stories to read. I thought they were all inventive & interesting. This book is worth a read.

The Count Would be Spinning in His Grave.......2005-02-23

We have 16 short stories based on/inspired by the legendary book by Bram Stoker. Each of these stories takes place in a similar setting; namely London of the 1890s. Most of these stories are medicore at best, some of them downright laughable. Dracula acts as some sort of benign Sherlock Holmes helping unfortunates with his "investigations" and further aids them escape authorities or killers in some cases. In one story he even performs in a play on stage! The count singing on stage? How out of character is all this? I found many of these stories to be so far-fetched from the spirit of the original. Some authors make the Count & certain historic figures cross paths, such as Prince Edward (of Wales) And even Mr. Stoker himself, but some of these writers did NOT do their homework. While not important to the overall story, it is implied Nikola Tesla is Hungarian, while he was in fact of Serbian descent. Also, Aleister Crowley was not from Scotland, but from mid-England (Warwickshire), among other things. That's how accurate some of these writers are. The two stories that stood out were Judith Proctor's tale "Dear Mr. Bernard Shaw," where a young actress named Ellen Terry writes a letter about how a foriegn nobleman comes to the theater to admire her craft. There was some interesting philosophy there. My other favorite was "Everything to Order" by Jody Lynn Nye. This story focuses on the three brides of Dracula, who arrange to order dresses for themselves after hours and have their eyes on one of the mannequins. Some other stories were alright, but nothing Earth-shattering. I think there are better Vampire stories out there to read. Most of this book is simply filler. If not for the 2 or 3 stories that were relatively well written this book would've deserved 1 star.

16 stories made JUST for this collection..........2005-01-03

I am a vampire fan and when I found out about this book I have to get it. With such authors as Tanya Huff, Fred Saberhagen, P.N. Elrod and K.B. Bogen, this book is full of great works of the craft. Filled with humor and horror, it has something for anybody.
And if you like somebody's work you can always use the information in the back of the book to find their other works. A must for any vampire library!

Multiple Personality Disorder.......2003-01-18

If you try to fit these stories into Bram Stoker's original novel, you will be very disappointed. The Count Draculas characterized in the various stories are all different. They clearly reflect each author's views on vampires.

I sat down and read this book from front to end, and as I was reading it, I began to wonder if the Count had a serious multiple personality disorder. The Count Dracula in one story would morph into a completely different person when I turned the page to the next story.

However, if you take each of these stories individually, most are very entertaining and well written. (Although I completely agree with what a previous reviewer said about K.B. Bogen's "Good Help" entry being thoroughly unfunny - having it included is the main reason I can't give this book 5 stars.)

Each story takes the same starting point, namely 'Dracula in London', and runs with it. The fact that they each take a different route and end up in a completely different place makes it rather interesting. Reading each of these stories is really like speculating how Dracula might have looked, if he was originally conceived of in the 21st century instead of the 19th.

Average customer rating:

Clever on the surface, yes, but deep as a well....

Slow, pedantic and pseudo-everything

Good characters

3 and 1/2 stars for the engaging (sort of) time shifting

Full Dark House

Full Dark House (Bryant & May Mysteries)
Christopher Fowler
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Water Room (Bryant & May Mysteries)

Seventy-Seven Clocks: A Bryant & May Mystery (Bryant & May Mysteries)

Ten Second Staircase (Bryant & May Mysteries)

To Say Nothing of the Dog

Death in the Garden

ASIN: 0553803875
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Book Description

Edgy, suspenseful, and darkly comic, here is the first novel in a riveting new mystery series starring two cranky but brilliant old detectives whose lifelong friendship was forged solving crimes for the London Police Department's Peculiar Crimes Unit. In Full Dark House, Christopher Fowler tells the story of both their first and last case—and how along the way the unlikely pair of crime fighters changed the face of detection.

A present-day bombing rips through London and claims the life of eighty-year-old detective Arthur Bryant. For his partner John May, it means the end of a partnership that lasted over half-a-century and an eerie echo back to the Blitz of World War II when they first met. Desperately searching for clues to the killer's identity, May finds his old friend's notes of their very first case and becomes convinced that the past has returned...with a killing vengeance.

It begins when a dancer in a risque new production of Orpheus in Hell is found without her feet. Suddenly, the young detectives are plunged in a bizarre gothic mystery that will push them to their limits—and beyond. For in a city shaken by war, a faceless killer is stalking London's theaters, creating his own kind of sinister drama. And it will take Arthur Bryant's unorthodox techniques and John May's dogged police work to catch a criminal whose ability to escape detection seems almost supernatural--a murderer who even decades later seems to have claimed the life of one of them...and is ready to claim the other.

Filled with startling twists, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, Full Dark House is a witty, heartbreaking, and all-too-human thriller about the hunt for an inhuman killer.

Download Description

A present-day bombing rips through London and claims the life of eighty-year-old detective Arthur Bryant. For his partner John May, it means the end of a partnership that lasted over half-a-century and an eerie echo back to the Blitz of World War II when they first met. Desperately searching for clues to the killer's identity, May finds his old friend's notes of their very first case and becomes convinced that the past has returned...with a killing vengeance.

It begins when a dancer in a risque new production of Orpheus in Hell is found without her feet. Suddenly, the young detectives are plunged in a bizarre gothic mystery that will push them to their limits—and beyond. For in a city shaken by war, a faceless killer is stalking London's theaters, creating his own kind of sinister drama. And it will take Arthur Bryant's unorthodox techniques and John May's dogged police work to catch a criminal whose ability to escape detection seems almost supernatural—a murderer who even decades later seems to have claimed the life of one of them...and is ready to claim the other.

Filled with startling twists, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, Full Dark House is a witty, heartbreaking, and all-too-human thriller about the hunt for an inhuman killer.

"Atmospheric, hugely beguiling and as filled with tricks and sleights of hand as a magician's sleeve...it is English gothic at its eccentric best; a combination of Ealing comedy and grand opera: witty, charismatic, occasionally touching and with a genuine power to thrill."
    JOANNE HARRIS, AUTHOR OF CHOCOLAT

"A first class thriller, but don't expect any sleep."
   SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

"The writing is as ever fluid and pacey, the characterization deft and the plot fresh and ingenious."
   INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Customer Reviews:

Clever on the surface, yes, but deep as a well...........2007-02-17

This is a detective story of sorts, but don't read this book expecting the usual type of mystery story. Of course there are crimes to be solved, and an investigation to be carried out, with lots of plot twists and all the usual trappings of detective fiction. There is an ensemble of odd characters, eccentric heroes and twisted villains. There is also a very atmospheric evocation of life during the air raids on London during World War II. I thought that all of this was very well-done and interesting. But what really hooked me into this book was the obvious love the author (and his characters) have for the deep history and diverse people of London. Every bit of the book is alive with strange and fascinating London lore, and fortunately for the readers of this series, that is an inexaustable well of material that even the finest fiction can't match.

This book is not for everyone, but if you like quirky fiction that operates according to its own laws, and takes you to places you might never find on your own,you may enjoy this book (and series) as much as I did.

Slow, pedantic and pseudo-everything.......2007-02-13

If you don't mind "new age" pseudo-religious, pseudo-scientific and pseudo-historical fad "intellectualism" and you don't mind skipping pages and pages of slow moving empty dialogue, knock yourself out. If you prefer fast-paced "London" based mysteries try Will Thomas' new books instead.

Good characters.......2006-10-11

The plot is a trifle filled with chapters that end in 'come on there isn't a moment to lose' sort of artificial suspense, but the enjoyable partnership of the somewhat otherworldly Bryant and the down to Earth May, a much more plausible Holmes and Watson, with more wit as well more than makes up for it.

3 and 1/2 stars for the engaging (sort of) time shifting.......2006-09-19

Setting his mystery in blitz-ravaged London and evoking its atmosphere of night bombing raids and their aftermath in the city streets, along with a risque operatic production trying to make its opening night, Fowler concocted a tanatlizing background for a mystery. He stirs into this already promising mix a stretch of 60 years, a span that presents a boyish pair of detectives during wartime London, and later at the end of their careers (octogenarian detectives?!?! there's a novel twist) in the multicultural London of the 21st century. Back and forth we go between then and now, and not always with the greatest clarity.

The plot involves a "peculiar crimes unit" headed up by the disheveled and eccentric Bryant. He's a well-drawn character and the dialogue between him and May, as well as the out-of-sorts authoritarian Biddle, is enjoyable. But in the end, the various plot elements that are meant to sustain the "peculiar crimes unit" don't really add up. Fowler didn't seem to have the nerve to have the seances and clairvoyants (beloved of Bryant) actually lead us into the realm of the uncanny - throwing the reader (not to mention May and Biddle) into uneasy terrain. He pulls back. May's encounter with a clairvoyant's summoning up of a "deceased personage" could've been a presence or a poltergeist, but - naw - it's just a kitchen accident caused by a nearby train. Even the accident's meaning lacks motivation from the summoned spirit.

A lot of late 20th century British humor, especially in film, seems to hope that if your mise-en-scene accumulates enough eccentric caricatures in the narrative, and go through a routine in a ripe, slightly surreal atmosphere (Fowler's decaying London theatre), you've done your job. Well not quite, old chap.

The Bryant & May series has continued, I see, and I hope that Fowler will take a clue from a British detective fiction writer like P.D. James. She is the same age as the characters Bryant and May, and is a master at convincingly weaving (not just stirring in along the way) character, dialogue, motivation, locale on the way to a compelling denouement/conclusion. Blend that approach with the spot on humor found in the American Anglophile mysteries of Martha Grimes and Fowler's promising ideas and authorial voice will find its mark.

Full Dark House.......2006-08-26

Wow! This was fun! The combination of the theater, Greek myth and the Blitz all at once makes for a cracking, good read. The several main characters are appealing - you root for their success against the forces of darkness...

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The Dark Eyes of London
Edgar Wallace
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1417920726

Book Description

1924. Edgar Wallace established his reputation as a writer of detective thrillers, a genre in which he wrote more than 170 books, with the publication of The Four Just Men. In The Dark Eyes of London, Inspector Holt is enjoying the Cafe de la Paix and the Boulevard des Italiens. He and his valet Sunny are planning a visit to Monte Carlo when an urgent telegram arrives from the Chief Commissioner of Scotland Yard. Mr. Gordon Stuart has been found drowned in suspicious circumstances. Holt returns on the same boat as Flash Fred Grogan, continental crook and gambler. Attempting to solve the mystery leads Holt into a string of exciting adventures and romance. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

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an excellent read
A beautiful woman disappears without a trace.
cerebral legal thriller
A Dark Devotion [UNABRIDGED]
An Excellent read

A Dark Devotion: A Novel
Clare Francis
Manufacturer: Soho Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1569473250

Book Description

A Hot Lawyer, An Old Flame, And (Maybe) A Cold Corpse

Alex and her husband, Paul, are criminal lawyers practicing together in London. Their work is putting a strain on their marriage, as she feels he is all too willing to represent the guilty. Then Will Dearden, an old friend whom she hasn’t seen for twelve years, calls upon her for help. He still lives in Norfolk, where they grew up together. His elegant wife, Grace, has disappeared. The police, he thinks, aren’t trying hard enough to find her.

Despite—or maybe because—Alex once had a crush on Dearden, she goes to his aid, and discovers that he had very good reason for murdering the alluring but not so very lovable Grace

Customer Reviews:

an excellent read.......2003-08-15

Surprisingly enough, "A Dark Devotion" turned out to be a very fast and suspenseful read -- this, in spite of the fact that (if you're an avid mystery reader) you can almost see certain plot twists and turns coming a mile off! Claire Francis is definitely a mistress at spinning a suspenseful yarn.

The plot for "A Dark Devotion" is a fairly simple and much used one: Alex O' Neill receives a frantic 'phone call from an old childhood friend, Will Dearden, one day, asking for her help -- Will's beautiful wife, Grace, has suddenly gone missing; the police investigation into her disappearance seems to have come to a standstill; and Will is slowly going to pieces not knowing what to do or whom to turn to. Of course Alex drops everything in order to return to her childhood haunt at Deepwell (in Norfolk) in order to give Will whatever moral support and professional help he may need (Alex is also a lawyer). What Alex finds at Deepwell is a nightmare scenario where the police seem to suspect Will of having done away with his beautiful and popular wife, in spite of Will's obvious overwrought state. Could the police be right? Could her childhood friend be capable of murder? The more Alex discovers about Grace and the Dearden's marriage, the more Alex begins to reconsider her idea of who and what Grace; but it also makes her take a closer look at her friend, and to wonder if Will had a hand at Grace's disappearance after all...

Told against the backdrop of the Norfolk dunes and it's bad weather, "A Dark Devotion" proved to be a tale that was full of swirling emotions and atmosphere. Claire Francis did a fantastic job of weaving in the weather, landscape, the darker (and weaker) of the human frailties into the story of Grace Dearden's disappearance and the repercussions her disappearance had on those around her. Also wonderfully done was how she juterposed Alex's failing marriage, the ethical problems she was facing at work and at home, and her relationship with her brother (who still lives at Deepwell and who seems to have a bee in his bonnet where the Deardens are concerned), with the story of Grace's disappearance. And this is why "A Dark Devotion" turned out to be such a wonderful and rewarding read. As I noted before, if you're a mystery buff, you'll probably see some of the plot twists and resolutions coming a mile off, but the manner in which the authour tells her story, the manner in which she fleshes out her chief protagonist -- the plucky and extremely likable Alex O' Neill, the excellent pacing and the clever juxtaposition of subplots, is what makes "A Dark Devotion" an excellent read, and well worth the high hardcover purchase price.

A beautiful woman disappears without a trace........2003-07-08

Clare Francis specializes in dysfunctional families with disturbing secrets. In "A Dark Devotion," Grace Dearden, a young wife and mother who lives in Norfolk, England, suddenly disappears. Alex O'Neill, an attorney and an old friend of Grace's husband, Will, steps in to help. Alex's services are needed, since the police suspect that Will may have had something to do with Grace's disappearance. Alex begins an investigation of her own, hoping to find out what really happened to Grace.

Alex's interest in the case is not entirely professional. Her marriage is shaky, since her husband, Paul, is a drunk who is deeply involved with some disreputable characters. Alex still has feelings for Will, whom she loved when she was a young girl. As she delves into the complexities of this case, Alex begins to uncover the truth behind the Dearden family façade.

Frances sets up her story well, and she populates "A Dark Devotion" with intriguing characters. Alex is a smart, compassionate and tenacious lawyer, whose experience with the criminal justice system makes her a valuable ally. Although Alex cares for Will, she tries not to allow her emotions to color her perceptions. Other notable characters are Alex's weak-willed and shallow brother, Edward, Will's fragile mother, Maggie, and his vulnerable little boy, Charlie. Francis makes us care about these people and we are eager to find out how things went so dreadfully wrong for this "picture perfect" family.

The book is weakest at the end, when startling revelations come one after another. Francis, like so many authors in this genre, wants to surprise the reader with twists and turns, but she lays on the contrivances and the melodrama too thickly. Still, most of "A Dark Devotion" is a literate and engrossing novel that will have you turning pages quickly to see how the mystery is resolved.

cerebral legal thriller.......2003-07-06

London attorney Alexandra O'Neil is upset with her husband Paul, also a lawyer, because he has a propensity for defending those who are guilty. For instance, his latest client, Mr. Ronnie "lifelong felon" Buck nearly killed a cop, but Paul got him acquitted based on a stategey of self-defense. Even worse to Alex is the post-game gala gloat.

From her hometown in Norfolk, Will Deardon calls Alex to help him. His wife Grace vanished and the police are looking closely at him as a suspect in the disappearance of his wife. Alex has mixed feelings about taking the case because Will was her first love before he married Grace. However, she also wants him safe and the real perpetrator caught. She travels home to give him legal council only to begin to believe that the man she represents is guilty of a heinous crime.

A DARK DEVOTION is a cerebral legal thriller that readers will appreciate, as the tale never loses sight of its prime theme. The audience will ponder the issues of whether everyone, even the guilty, should have proper legal representation and how far should an attorney go to defend their client. Alex is a great lead player and the support cast especially her spouse and client, enable readers to see deeper into moral dilemma. Fans will quickly develop a deep devotion to Clare Francis with works like this one.

Harriet Klausner

A Dark Devotion [UNABRIDGED].......2000-10-28

This was my first encounter with this author and I loved the book. The contrast between Norfolk and London was well drawn, the vivid description brings Norfolk to life. The characters are believable, but perhaps the women are stronger and more 'real' than the men. The plot is good, not too obvious - but not exhausting! I will certainly read more from this author. I am less certain about Harriet Walter the narrator, I did not find her voice very easy to listen to, and I did not feel she had sufficient range to do justice to the reading.

An Excellent read.......1998-10-12

The first Clare Francis I have read - and I was not dissapointed! Kept me guessing all the way

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