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Lisa Gardner is one of the best at putting the mystery into mysteries. Too many authors in the genre have their characters stumbling through the book unable to discern the most obvious of crimes. In this particular selection there are more surprises than many mystery novels have. I haven't been too impressed by the character development in most of Gardner's novels but she knows how to write a crime story. This appears to be a story that would make an excellent full length book.

As an ex-mental health professional this book fascinated me. A gay fat girl who had lost an overachieving sister in Iraq; sounds like a layered complex, contextual read.. Unfortunately too many incidents of attack by the mean girl in school. Too many incidents of monumental insensitivity from her mother; too many incidents of Angie moaning about these two things as if she couldn't understand how either of these could happen. It makes it incredible that KC; for no apparent reason immediately falls for her. Then after being spurned by Angie is instantly willing to give her another chance.
Then there is the matter of the physical beatings Angie endures at the hands of Melanie Ann Sloan. Angie is a center; Melanie Ann is a point guard. I was a high school center; I know the size difference between the two of those positions. It is possible, but not likely that the smaller girl could so completely physically dominate the larger one. Plus on one occasion when she does fight back she decks the smaller girl, then thereafter refuses to defend herself. Again a highly unlikely scenario.
I gave this selection a second listen hoping to regain the fascination I'd felt with the first few hours of the book. I enjoyed it even less the second time around. Perhaps it's just a case of my being an adult male, well into middle age; but I can't recommend this that any adult purchase this program.

Okay; I understand that Brandman isn't Robert Parker. Much of the wit is missing and for the second time he has turned Molly into a sitcom character. Still I enjoyed both this book as well as it's predecessor. As always Jesse's humanity shines through all the less than stellar writing of the replacement sent into the game for the fallen star. His relationship with the teenagers who he reaches is the highlight of this work; as it was in his previous closing of a Jesse Stone novel began by Parker. Though I didn't think as highly of this selection as his previous work, I still recommend it.

Once again a promising start of an audible selection fades into an uneven; sometimes excellent piece of literature. But at other times her dialogue is often reminiscent of a predictable network crime show. Ragan's third person writing is the strength of this work and is at times very good. Unfortunately all too often she falls back on cliches; particularly in regards to her dialogue. This is a selection that I recommend with reservations. There are enough positive aspects in this book that i'm willing to purchase her next work. Ms. Ragan is a talented writer and hopefully her future works will reflect the natural growth of most writers.

As a native of Appalachia who has returned home I bought this selection with high hopes. They weren't realized. There were moments of inspiration in between long periods where I lost contact with the story. The narrator didn't help the story much; his monotone style furthered my lack of interest. It is my opinion that this book isn't worthy of a credit.

Timothy Egan does a complete job in describing what occurs when a confluence of events brings about the worst case scenario for a region. The story; often told in the words of the individuals who lived through the events as children describes the scenes they witnessed. In many cases the children suffered from the disabling illnesses created by breathing in acres of dust. They describe relatives lost in dust storms; siblings or parents lost to lung diseases. They also describe the life changes brought about by the "dust bowl." Of the farms lost; of the parents forever changed by the helplessness of not being able to feed their families. The dramatic high point is the occurrence of "Black Sunday." I'll the leave the definition of this event for the narrator to describe. If the history of the plains states in the 1930's is of any interest to you; this a must read; and or listen. If one or both of them is of interest to you may want to watch the movie documentary "Black Blizzard" as well.

Though the book did not reach the level of humor for me that it for the reviewers I read prior to purchasing the selection; it was one of the funniest audiobooks I've listened to. I never had the feeling that the author was falling back on cliches to get through a situation. I'm hoping that Ms. Harper plans on writing more fiction. This is one of the better audiobooks I've listened to.

After reading the reviews my expectations for this book were high. At times it delivered. I had several problems with the story however. First I have never read a book about today's world where police officers had the amount of power Sam and her colleagues did. Second an investigating officer sleeping with someone involved in an investigation? The level of romance in his book seemed to be preponderantly heavy vis a vis the amount of police work. though the book had it's moments it isn't one I can recommend.

Written in 2001; not long after the shootings at Columbine H.S. this book tells the story of a school shooting with a twist. As usual the author has done her research on the criminal and psychological aspects of the story. And as usual she throws more twists and turns into the movement of the story than necessary as well.
Rainie Connor is a fully drawn character with memories of a harsh childhood and substance abuse issues. She has been long suspected of the murder of her mother; an abusive alcoholic with a propensity for violent unstable boyfriends. Along with the chance to solve the school shooting that is not as 'open and shut' as the entire town wants to believe. Rainie will also the get the opportunity to resolve the case of her mother's death. Not as difficult for the sensitive as the majority of the Lisa Gardner FBI series, i rate this as a good listen.

I had high hopes for this work. Unfortunately the author is a better writer than she is a narrator. Though the reading is passably good she maintains the same tone throughout the audiobook. The amount of detail in some cases became rather tedious. In the hands of a skilled veteran this could have been a much better listen.

Malcolm Gladwell has established a reputation as one of the signature writers of this generation; with good reason. Outliers is the third of his groundbreaking takes on a facet of modern life. His premise is that chance and opportunity play a much larger part in success than anyone cares to admit. He uses examples varying from teenage hockey players in Canada and teenage soccer players from Europe to Bill Gates and Bill Joy. The number of the richest people in the world born during the same decade in the same country. Why are some people able to find success in certain eras. Why some can't in others. This is a seminal work by a great writer with a great mind. I have recommended the book to many others. I do the same for the audiobook.