Kamis, 30 Desember 2010

Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know,

Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

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Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln



Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

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Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #168256 in Audible
  • Published on: 2015-11-02
  • Format: Unabridged
  • Original language: English
  • Running time: 23 minutes
Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln


Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

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Most helpful customer reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Very easy to understand By Mo Birch I picked up this book out of curiosity, e-cigs seem to be all the rage now days and my friends can’t say enough good things about them. With so much information out there one can literally spend hours sifting through all of it and yet still be confused.I am glad I found this book as it answered all my questions and more. It breaks down what an e-cigarette comprises of (from the battery to the cartridge) and how it works to the difference between a manual and automatic e-cig and disposable vs non-disposable and the pros and cons of each.The best part thing about vaping is the fact that you can use these e-cigs in places where normal smoking is banned.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Very informative! By shorty1715 I have been a smoker for 20+ years and really hate having the smell of smoke, but after trying everything in the world to stop I just cant. I have heard a lot about these electronic cigarettes but wanted to do some research before I tried them. I ran across this book and thought I would see if it would help my curiosity. This book is full of wonderful information! Wow, who knew there was so much to electronic cigarettes? Very disturbing to find out that any age person can purchase these.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Everything you need to know! By Nycole Lee Well written, informative, and engaging, this book will cover all of the basics...and more about electronic cigarettes. From a history of electronic cigarettes to the negative effects, you'll learn valuable information if you're contemplating purchasing such a product. I bought this book and learned a lot. I look forward to telling my boyfriend all of the facts and hopefully encourage him to make the switch! Highly recommended!

See all 22 customer reviews... Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln


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Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln
Electronic Cigarette: The Ultimate Guide for Understanding E-Cigarettes and What You Need to Know, by Caesar Lincoln

Sabtu, 25 Desember 2010

The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

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The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman



The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

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A PROPOSAL FROM A SCOUNDREL Daphne Swift has not laid eyes on her devilishly charming husband, Captain Rafferty Cavendish, in quite some time. As a matter of fact, she wants the rogue to annul their brief marriage so that she can marry the reliable and estimable Lord Fitzwell. But the breathtakingly handsome Rafe is not interested in letting Daphne go-at least not without paying his scandalous price...

THE SEDUCTION OF HIS WIFE Rafe prefers to face the dangers of spying alone, but this time he needs his innocent, fiery wife to uncover the information he seeks. He has even agreed to release her from their marriage if she submits completely to his plan. However, Daphne's alluring combination of courage and curves makes her a dangerous distraction, and it is not long before Rafe is trading subterfuge for seduction in order to prove that Daphne is meant to be his and his alone...

Valerie Bowman's Playful Brides novels are:

"Smart and sensual...readers will be captivated."-RT Book Reviews "Sexy, satisfying romance."-KirkusReviews "Merry, intelligent, and wholly satisfying."-USA Today

The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #145559 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-11-03
  • Released on: 2015-11-03
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 6.97" h x .94" w x 4.14" l, 1.00 pounds
  • Binding: Mass Market Paperback
  • 352 pages
The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

Review

"The story is filled with humor, a twisting plot and vibrant characters that have become Bowman's hallmark. The chemistry is near-perfect, and the will-they-won't-they back-and-forth is exactly what romance readers want; the simultaneous tale of deceit, revenge and espionage makes it all the more rewarding." - Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author

"Bowman's novel is the complete package, filled with fascinating characters, sparkling romance, and a touch of espionage."--Publisher's Weekly

"With its lively plot, heated sexual tension, surprising twists, engaging characters and laugh-out-loud humor, Bowman's latest is another winner."--Romantic Times Book Reviews (Top Pick!)

"A complicated and sensual romance as well as a thrilling spy-filled adventure!"--Fresh Fiction

"A lively tale, with interesting and fun characters and a couple who are well matched in their thirst for adventure and love."--Harlequin Junkies

"You will find no greater romantic escapade."--Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)

"Ms. Bowman's attention to detail is exceptional, and a feeling of authenticity permeates everything in the book, and the adventure part is just as wonderful." -- Buried Under Romance (5 Stars)

"The perfect mix of witty dialog, headstrong heroines, and dashing heroes." -- Reader to Reader Review

From the Back Cover

A PROPOSAL FROM A SCOUNDREL Daphne Swift has not laid eyes on her devilishly charming husband, Captain Rafferty Cavendish, in quite some time. As a matter of fact, she wants the rogue to annul their brief marriage so that she can marry the reliable and estimable Lord Fitzwell. But the breathtakingly handsome Rafe is not interested in letting Daphne go-at least not without paying his scandalous price...

THE SEDUCTION OF HIS WIFE Rafe prefers to face the dangers of spying alone, but this time he needs his innocent, fiery wife to uncover the information he seeks. He has even agreed to release her from their marriage if she submits completely to his plan. However, Daphne's alluring combination of courage and curves makes her a dangerous distraction, and it is not long before Rafe is trading subterfuge for seduction in order to prove that Daphne is meant to be his and his alone...

Valerie Bowman's Playful Brides novels are:

"Smart and sensual...readers will be captivated."-RT Book Reviews "Sexy, satisfying romance."-KirkusReviews "Merry, intelligent, and wholly satisfying."-USA Today

About the Author

Valerie Bowman grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she's number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got.

Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her rascally dog, Roo. When she's not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.


The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

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Most helpful customer reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Highly recommended By Romancing the Book Reviewed by RachelBook provided by NetGalley for reviewOriginally posted at Romancing the Book Immediately the reader is thrust into adventure. Daphne is about ready to announce her engagement to a man she doesn’t necessarily love but feels she needs to marry so she can move on with her life, meaning, she needs to move on from Rafe. She’s been trying for an annulment but the cur refuses to respond.She thinks the situation will remedy itself soon, that’s until Rafe shows up at her doorstep, on the eve of her announcement, and proclaims he needs her help, in exchange for an annulment, he wants her to go with him on another adventure.Something Daphne thought she’d never experience again. After all, her last adventure got her married to a man who claimed she was nothing more than a sister to her. Her eldest brother, allowed it but only if they were married, just in case it was discovered that she was in fact a lady of the realm, not a cabin boy for Rafe. Many times she tried to seduce him but he denied her, claiming she was just a friend, like family!There has to be a catch, right? She agrees, as does her remaining brother, the one who is now in charge of the family, but they must stay married for precaution. She promises herself she’s over Rafe, but everything about him reminds her why she fell in the first place and Rafe isn’t about to let her go a second time. He’s loved her since before they were married, but refused to act upon it for fear that her brother would impale him with the sharpest object, but now that she’s set her mind on someone else, all bets are off.What follows next is a wonderfully spun tale of love, seduction, danger on the high sea’s and a brother who knew, even before Daphne and Rafe, that they were meant to be together.I’m not gonna lie, the end did make me tear up a bit because the ending was perfect.Daphne was a wonderful character to root for and I felt like as a reader, you fell in love with Rafe again right along with her, realizing that he was always putting her safety and duty before himself, before his own longings which is usually so opposite of regency romances.As you can tell, I devoured this book, and would recommend it for anyone who wants a beautiful love story with witty banter, and two characters that aren’t afraid to fight for what they want!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Passion and Duty, Desire and Destruction! By Shauni Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and FantasyOnce again Valerie Bowman gives us a treat with her Playful Brides, woman who know their minds and have a plan. In this case the plan is slightly skewered but...Daphne Swift has a plan. She plans to marry the ever so proper Lord Fitzwell. She's not asking for a life of excitement, of daring do, those days are behind her. She wants a simple life, a life of family and friends with little deviations from the norm. She just has this one teeny tiny thing she has to do, get her current marriage annulled. Years ago she married Rafe Cavendish because it was the only way her older brother would let her travel with Rafe. At the time the need was dire, now not so much. So, a little annulment is all that's needed, only Rafe won't cooperate. And Daphne is feeling things she just wants to leave in the past.Captain Rafferty Cavendish married Daphne Swift in order to complete a mission. It was the only way he could but now he needs her again and all she wants is an annulment. So in a plan best let go, Rafe promises her an annulment if she'd just do one more thing for him. Only old passions ignite and Rafe isn't sure letting go is the best thing for either of them.Passion ignites amidst the darkest of plots. Daphne is a woman holding back her true self and when she finds herself in Rafe's arms again it's almost impossible to let go.Valerie Bowman does such a wonderful job of intertwining passion and duty, desire and destruction. It's a delicious trip into madness and I loved every minute of it! Great job!ShauniThis review is based on the ARC of The Irresistible Rogue, provided by netgalley.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Playful Brides #4 By Vania All Daphne wants for her life is moving forward, and for that she needs to get rid of her marriage to Cap Rafe and get engaged as soon as possible of Lord Edmund Fitzwell.He and Rafe could not be more different. A while ago, because of her knowledge of the German language, Daphne managed to convince both Rafe as her brother Donald, to let her participate in a mission. The mission didn't end well. Russian mercenaries managed to escape and worse, Donald ended up dead. But for Daphne, besides has lost her brother, she also lost her heart, as Rafe was not interested to stay married with her, a marriage only to keep her safe during the mission.She was practically engaged to another man.But now who didn't want the annulment was Rafe. Despite feeling guilty for not having prevented the death of her brother, Rafe wanted to have one more chance with her.Their marriage had not been consummated, yet he was sure she was the right woman for him.First he had to get rid of Fitzweell. Then he had to have accomplices inside her house - which he gets through Daphne's cousin, Delilah, 12, and aunt Wilhelmina, who thinks Rafe's more dashing than Fitzwell.As he convinces Daphne to join him on a new mission, Rafe would have the opportunity to stay with her long enough to make him important in her life. But he still had a mission: find Donald killers. And he wouldn't want his wife in danger.Daphne help Rafe in the first part of the mission, and she feels that once again he would find a way to get rid of her. Daphne toughness comes into play, and since they were legally married, she would use all her powers of seduction to show Rafe that he couldn't live without her...The pace is perfect.The connection to the characters, even the secondary, is immediate. Return of previous books characters. No cliffhanger.And the ending is absolutely thrilled!!! Can't wait for next book.5 STARS!!!!

See all 73 customer reviews... The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman


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The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman
The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides), by Valerie Gale Bowman

Selasa, 14 Desember 2010

The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

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The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl



The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

Ebook PDF Online The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

From the bestselling author of The Chocolate Clown Corpse, it’s murder, my sweet, for a chocolatier whose love of old crime films plunges her into a real-life murder where the motives aren’t so black and white… The Warner Pier tourism board is kicking off its Tough Guys and Private Eyes film festival with The Maltese Falcon, and Lee Woodyard and her Aunt Nettie are preparing a delicious chocolate noir tie-in at TenHuis Chocolade. What Lee isn’t prepared for is a face from the past: Jeff Godfrey, her former stepson. The last time Jeff showed up in town, he wound up being accused of murder. Now he says he’s only in Warner Pier to see Bogart on the big screen. Honest. Jeff may now be a college grad, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less naïve than the kid Lee had to bail out of trouble earlier. There are all those strange phone calls, a girlfriend who’s secretly on Jeff’s tail, and a pack of suspicious-sounding acquaintances right out of Dashiell Hammett. Then Jeff goes missing, the Falcon theme is haunting everyone, and a body falls at Lee’s feet when she opens the front door – just like in the movie. Now Lee is under deadline to rewrite the ending of a cunning killer’s increasingly convincing murder plot… Includes Tasty Chocolate Trivia!

The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #130170 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-11-03
  • Released on: 2015-11-03
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 8.55" h x .85" w x 5.70" l, 1.00 pounds
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 240 pages
The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

Review Praise for the Chocoholic Mystery Series “JoAnna Carl satisfies…your craving for a tasty whodunit.”—Cleo Coyle, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries “My name is Charlaine, and I’m a Chocoholic!”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris “Lee McKinney sells chocolates and solves crimes with panache and good humor.”—Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author of the Death on Demand Mysteries “A deft mix of truffles and trouble. Chocoholics—this book is for you!”—Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries

About the Author The national bestselling author of the Chocoholic mysteries, including The Chocolate Clown Corpse, JoAnna Carl is the pseudonym for a multipublished mystery writer. She spent more than twenty-five years in the newspaper business as a reporter, feature writer, editor, and columnist. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and also studied in the OU Professional Writing Program. She lives in Oklahoma but summers in Michigan, where the Chocoholic mysteries are set.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Also by JoAnna Carl

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

JoAnna Carl

Chapter 1

When Jeff Godfrey came in the door of TenHuis Chocolade, I didn’t know if I should shake his hand, kiss him, or call the cops.

My relationship with Jeff was closer than handshaking—or it had been—but not as close as kissing. And the last time I saw Jeff, he’d barely escaped being accused of murder.

Of course, I had to look at Jeff closely before I was sure who he was; I hadn’t seen him in three and a half years. Now, at twenty-two, Jeff looked quite different. More mature, of course, but also more handsome and more confident. And he’d gotten rid of the enormous eyelets in his earlobes.

So when he appeared, I stared for a moment. Then I called out, “Jeff! What are you doing there? I mean, here!”

Jeff grinned shyly as he walked across the shop. He probably felt as ill at ease as I did. By the time I was standing up, leaning against my desk, he was beside me. We settled for the handshake-chest-bump-air-kiss ritual, as if one of us were a talk show host and the other a featured guest.

I motioned him into the chair on the other side of my desk and sat back down. “You look great,” I said. “Let me guess—you’re here for this weekend’s film noir festival, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. I read about it online. How could I pass up the lectures on The Maltese Falcon?”

The Warner Pier Film Festival was always a big success at increasing our tourist traffic. And this year, as a member of the Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, I was even invited to the big kickoff party at the yacht club. “And how are your folks?”

“Well, they’re still together—again. And you married that Joe guy, right? The boat builder?”

“Yep. We seem to have gotten it right this time. And Joe’s now just a boat builder part-time. He’s back in the lawyer game three days a week. How about Tess? Do you still see her?” Tess had figured importantly in Jeff’s life four years earlier.

“Tess and I see each other on campus. And she works part-time for my dad.”

I realized I was beaming, and that Jeff was looking pleased, too. That made me beam even harder. After all, not every ex-stepson is happy to see his ex-stepmother.

I’m Lee McKinney Woodyard, and four years earlier I had moved from Dallas to Warner Pier, Michigan, the most picturesque resort town on Lake Michigan. Here I was business manager for a luxury chocolate company owned by my aunt, Nettie TenHuis Jones.

One reason I’d made the move was to cut all ties with Jeff’s dad, my ex-husband. But I still liked his son.

Jeff did look great. At eighteen he’d been a scrawny kid with gray hair, blue eyes, and an enormous hole in each earlobe. He’d also had a gold ring in his left eyebrow, and he’d worn thick glasses.

Now he was at least two inches taller—I guessed his new height at six feet—and thirty pounds more muscular. He’d definitely lost the scrawny teenage look, and he’d also lost the piercings and the glasses. I could barely see the scars where the earlobes had been repaired. He blinked, and I diagnosed contact lenses. Instead of ragged jeans, he was wearing a brand-name polo, khakis, and boat shoes. The result was a great-looking guy.

I counted mentally. Yes, Jeff would have been a senior at Southern Methodist University this year. “Did you just graduate?”

“Yep, I squeaked through. BA in history. And I even got into graduate school at UT.”

University of Texas; all of us Texans know those initials. “Wonderful! What’s your field?”

“Maybe Texas history. I think I want to teach. I got a slot as a graduate assistant. And I had an offer of an internship at the Texas Museum of Popular Culture. I had to turn that down because I had a conflict.”

“That’s still great.” I leaned toward Jeff and dropped my voice. “What does your dad think of a history career?”

He laughed. “He’d rather I got an MBA, of course, but he said he’d pay my grad school tuition and books.”

“He’s proud of you, Jeff.”

“Maybe. Most of the time he hides it. He’d still like me to sell real estate.”

“Do your own thing.” I shook a finger at him. “I’m really tickled to see you. Joe and I live in the old cottage now. I hope you’ll stay with us.”

Jeff straightened his shoulders a little. “Thanks, but I already have a hotel room. I’m actually doing a research project this trip. Warner Pier was all booked up, but I’ve got a room in Holland. And I hope you and Joe—and Aunt Nettie and her husband, too—will let me take you all out to dinner tonight.”

I knew Aunt Nettie would want to cook for Jeff—she wants to feed the whole world—but I could see Jeff was spreading his grown-up wings a little. I assured him we’d all love to be his guests.

“And I can legitimately write it off as part of my research,” Jeff said.

“What are you residing? I mean, researching?” Yikes! I’d pulled another one of my tongue twisters.

Jeff didn’t react to it. “Did you ever hear of anybody around here named Fal-cone? Or Fal-cone-ie? I’m not sure of the pronunciation.”

“Sounds too Italian for Warner Pier. You know nearly everybody around here is Dutch.”

I picked up the phone book and thumbed through, hunting for the F listings, but Jeff stood up. “I already checked the directories and the Internet. No person or business with that name is listed.”

“We can ask Aunt Nettie. She knows more people than I do. She’s in Holland for a dental appointment. She’ll want to see you as soon as she gets back.”

“She was so nice to me. Before. Is the Inn on the Pier still a good place to eat?”

“Sure.”

“Seven o’clock?”

“That sounds fine.”

“See you there.”

We exchanged cell phone numbers, and I added a warning. “Big areas around here still have no cell service. Including our house. The only place Joe and I have reception—most of the time—is on the roof! They blame the lake, but I have my doubts. They put a tower on one of the highest spots in Saugatuck and reception around there improved dramatically.” I stood up. “Wait a minute, and I’ll walk you to the door.”

I reached for my crutch. For the first time Jeff saw that and my orthopedic boot.

“Hey, Lee! What have you done to yourself?”

“Nothing serious. I sprained an ankle on those steep stairs at the house. I’m sure you remember them.”

Jeff nodded. He’d slept in an upstairs bedroom on his previous visit to Warner Pier, and once or twice he had nearly fallen down our steep stairs himself.

“They tell me no permanent damage has been done,” I said, “but the doctor wants me to keep weight off the ankle for a while.”

I stumped along behind Jeff as we passed through our retail shop, and I insisted he select a chocolate. He went for a dark chocolate falcon, a two-inch replica of the famous film bird that we had created especially for the film festival.

When we reached the street door, we did our belly-bump-air-kiss-hug act again.

“Seven o’clock,” Jeff said.

“Seven o’clock,” I answered.

And at seven o’clock four of us—my husband, Joe; my aunt Nettie; her husband, Police Chief Hogan Jones; and me—met in the bar at the Inn on the Pier, ready to have dinner with Jeff. I had told everyone how good he had looked, how mature he had seemed, and how pleased he had been at the prospect of seeing all of us again.

So it was quite a letdown when he didn’t show up.

•   •   •

We waited in the bar until eight o’clock. I knew, because I checked my watch—again—the third time the hostess came to tell us we could have a table.

“I don’t understand this,” I said. “I can call Jeff’s cell phone again.”

“Let’s take this table in any case,” Hogan said. “Dinner will be my treat.”

Aunt Nettie looked worried. She had beautiful curly white hair and a sweet face. “I’m afraid something has happened to Jeff.”

Joe laughed. “Something has! He’s run into someone more interesting. Despite the changes in his appearance, Lee, I’m afraid Jeff is still the irresponsible kid who showed up on your roof nearly four years ago and tried to break in through the upstairs window.”

“Hand me my crutch,” I said. “Once we’re seated, I’ll try his cell phone again.”

But there was still no answer.

Hogan left his menu closed and began to make noises like a cop. “Do you know where Jeff was staying?”

“A Holland motel.”

“That narrows it down to maybe fifty, sixty places. Does he have your cell phone number?”

I nodded.

“Did he say why he came to Warner Pier?”

“He said he was going to catch part of the film festival, and that he was doing a research project. But he didn’t explain anything about it. He asked me if I knew anyone named Fal-cone or Fal-cone-ie. He wasn’t sure of the pronunciation.”

“Falconi?” Aunt Nettie looked surprised. “That would be an odd name around Warner Pier. Valk, maybe.”

Valk? What could Valk have to do with Falcone? I started to ask Aunt Nettie to explain, but the waiter interrupted. We all put our attention on the menus, and after we had ordered dinner some unwritten rule of good manners inspired us to stop discussing Jeff.

But why had Jeff invited us all to dinner, then failed to show up? I had no explanation. But then, maybe I didn’t know Jeff all that well.

His parents, Dina and Rich, had divorced when Jeff was nine. Three years later I married Rich, who was then in his early forties. I was twenty-three. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Marrying Rich was the stupidest thing I ever did, though the age difference was the least of our problems.

Today I understood that I fell for Rich because I wanted stability in my life. He fell for me because I was six feet tall and a natural blond who had been in a Miss Texas competition.

Also, I think, he liked me because I have malapropism. This means I get my tongue twisted, saying such things as “residing” when I mean “researching,” as I did when talking to Jeff. Rich thought “dumb” and “blond” were synonyms, and he didn’t want any mental competition from his wife. He loved it when I goofed.

In those days Jeff was a bratty adolescent. Rich had his custody one or two weekends a month and on some holidays. Or maybe I had his custody. Rich was a successful real estate developer in Dallas, and he often managed to be playing golf with a client at the times when he should have been paying attention to Jeff. I will say he was careful not to miss any of Jeff’s swim meets. The kid could swim and dive like a dolphin.

There’s a fine line between getting along with an adolescent and keeping one from bossing you around. Jeff was a nice enough kid, but dealing with a stepmother who was only eleven years older than he was—well, it wasn’t an ideal situation for either of us.

After some sparring around, Jeff and I developed an informal truce. We spent a lot of time on neutral activities such as playing board games and watching old movies. Even in those days Jeff was a fan of forties and fifties noir films and books.

For five years I struggled to make my marriage work. But my relationship with Rich got worse and worse. I wanted to think of marriage as a partnership. Rich wanted to think of me as a possession. I’d become the proverbial trophy wife, and I didn’t like it. And I couldn’t get Rich even to discuss the situation.

Finally I left, and I didn’t take anything with me. I abandoned my jewelry (selected by Rich), my snazzy car (picked out by Rich), my elegant house (gussied up by a decorator Rich chose), even my wardrobe (though Rich had allowed me to pick out my own clothes, provided I went to the stores he approved of).

When I left Rich I drove away in a junky car somebody had abandoned at my dad’s garage. I was wearing an old pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I moved in with my mom, who was on Rich’s side, and I begged until she bought me a tank of gas. Then I took a job as a waitress because I could start work that day and keep my tips.

My plan was to convince Rich that I loved him, not his money, and thus save my marriage. This did not work. It took a couple of months with a counselor for me to understand that Rich regarded his money as part of his personality. In rejecting it, I had rejected him.

When I discovered Rich had put detectives on my trail, I accepted the end of my marriage. I wasn’t seeing anyone else, but Rich couldn’t believe I’d leave one wealthy man without having a new one lined up.

About the time my marriage ended, my wonderful aunt Nettie—world’s finest chocolatier—offered me a job as business manager of TenHuis Chocolade. I moved to Warner Pier. I met Joe Woodyard—who had also had some unhappy romantic times. Now we’d been married three years. And I loved my life.

But apparently my decision to get a divorce brought a personality crisis for Rich. He went into counseling and must have done a lot of self-examination. Then he began to see Dina again. A year and a half after our divorce, the two of them remarried.

I wished them all sorts of happiness. But that part of my life was over. I didn’t want to see them ever again. However, I could hardly refuse to meet with Jeff. He and I had watched a lot of Humphrey Bogart and Alan Ladd.

But why had Jeff invited us all to dinner, then failed to show?

I went to bed that night puzzled by Jeff’s nonappearance, but trying not to worry about him. Unfortunately the scrabbling of my thoughts was echoed by some darn animal making noises in the attic (a chronic problem of semirural living) and I had trouble falling asleep. I insisted to myself that Joe was right; Jeff had simply found someone more interesting to have dinner with. I shouldn’t be wringing my hands over him.

•   •   •

I was still sleeping when the phone rang at seven the next morning. Joe was already awake, and he answered it.

“Oh, hi.” He sounded wary. “Sure. She’s here.”

Where else would I be at that time of day? I took the phone and mumbled my greeting. “It’s Lee.”

“Lee, it’s Alicia.”

“Alicia?” I sat up in bed. I had recognized the Texas accent immediately. “Alicia Richardson!”

“Oh yeah. The same old gal. How you doin’?”

“Fine! It’s good to hear from you.”

And it was good. Alicia was a part of my life in Dallas I remembered with pleasure. At one time she’d helped me out a lot.

Alicia was office manager and head of accounting for Rich’s company. I guess every business has one key person, and at Godfrey Development, Alicia was it. She had worked for Rich for at least fifteen years. She knew where all the bodies were buried, where all the money was socked away, who couldn’t stand whom, and how to Get Things Done.

On a day-to-day basis, Alicia ran the company. Rich made the deals, and Alicia made them happen. Rich didn’t admit this out loud, but the salary he paid Alicia proved he appreciated her abilities. Their relationship was strictly professional. Alicia was married to a terrific guy named Tom who was a surveyor, and they had two great kids. She was perfectly capable of telling Rich she couldn’t stay late because it was her daughter’s birthday, and Rich would say, “Yes, ma’am.”

Back when I was married to Rich, Alicia had saved my fanny lots of times. If Rich and I were going to a party, for example, she’d give me tips on what was really going on in the world of property development, and which subjects to avoid with whom. She kept my foot out of my mouth most of the time.

If I had a role model in my job as business manager for TenHuis Chocolade, it was Alicia. I was glad to hear from her, though I knew she hadn’t called simply to chat.

Sure enough, she went right to the point. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard from Jeff,” she said. “That little booger seems to have misplaced hisself.”

Chapter 2

“Misplaced himself? Alicia, I thought he finally grew up enough to be allowed out of the house alone.”

“As a general rule he does pretty well. But his parents are in South America until the end of the week, and something has come up. He mentioned you before he got away.”

“Actually Jeff did drop by yesterday.”

Alicia gave a dramatic sigh of relief. “Thank the Lord! Is he there with you?”

“No, he said he had a motel room in Holland.”

“Was he okay?”

“Sure. He looked great and seemed to be in good spirits.” My mind was racing, and fear was settling in the pit of my stomach. It was stupid, but I’d always had a terrible fear that something would happen to Jeff and that it would happen on my watch.

But what should I say to Alicia? Jeff had made a date with us, then had failed to show up. Should I tell her that? I stalled.

“I guess he told you he was common—I mean, coming! He must have told you he was coming to Warner Pier.”

“No, he didn’t tell me! He’s living at home this summer. He gave up his apartment, because he’s going to move to Austin in August. Rich and Dina are skiing, of all things, in Peru, of all places. Jeff was supposed to mind his mama’s store.”

Dina owned a high-end antiques business, and Jeff had worked part-time for her since he was fourteen or so.

Alicia was still talking. “He found someone to fill in at the store, then went off—I guess to Michigan—and apparently didn’t tell anybody where he was going. Not even that sweet little Tess. I finally found a message from him on my line at the office. It said something about seeing you. And he’s not answering his cell phone. Do you know what motel he’s in?”

“I’m afraid not. All he gave me was his cell number.”

“Dadgum it!”

“Alicia, is there some emergency?”

“I honestly don’t know, Lee. The girl who’s at Dina’s shop called me to say Jeff was getting these strange phone calls. I went over there and listened to a couple of messages, and, Lee, they sound a lot like threats! Like ‘If you miss this opportunity, you’ll be sorry forever, because the black bird may come after you.’”

“Who on earth would threaten Jeff?”

“I can’t imagine. I don’t know what’s going on. But I need to talk to him about it. If anything happens to Jeff . . .” She left the sentence incomplete.

I decided that I wouldn’t tell Alicia about Jeff being a no-show for dinner. She was worried already, and that wouldn’t help.

“Listen,” I said, “as soon as I’m a little more up-and-at-’em, I’ll get on the phone and call a few Holland motels. Maybe I can track him down.”

“Oh, would you? I’d really appreciate it.”

Alicia gave me her cell number, and I promised to call back by noon, even if I didn’t find Jeff.

I hung up, then slumped down in bed and looked at Joe. Darn, he was fun to look at. Dark hair, brilliant blue eyes. Definitely the best-looking guy in west Michigan. With the best shoulders. Also smart.

“Good morning,” I said.

Joe rolled his eyes. “Why do your friends and relatives call so early?”

“They forget we’re in the eastern time zone.”

“But that would make them call later, Lee. Not earlier.”

“Then I don’t know. But you were already up. Why did the phone bother you?”

“I guess I just don’t like to see you get mixed up with those people.”

“What’s wrong with Alicia and Jeff? At least Rich didn’t call.”

“He doesn’t bother me. You’re not friendly with Rich. It’s other people who want favors.”

“I haven’t heard from any of them since Jeff got in all that trouble on his last visit. Three years ago. Three and a half.”

“But yesterday, when he showed up, you said Jeff knew we were married.”

“Yes, and he knew Aunt Nettie and Hogan were married. So what? Oh, it’s odd, because he didn’t get it from me.”

“He’s been keeping track of you, Lee. It’s creepy. Plus, last night you and Aunt Nettie were talking about meeting with that architect today. You don’t have time to look all over Holland for Jeff.”

TenHuis Chocolade (“luxury chocolates in the Dutch tradition”) had recently acquired the building next door. We were in the early stages of expanding into the additional space. Even the early stages were taking a lot of time.

I sighed. “Joe, I can’t refuse to help Alicia find Jeff. She’s obviously worried about him. And Alicia is one of those people I owe.”

I sat up and rested my chin on my knees. “This is one of those recurring nightmares.”

“Why? I’m sure nothing’s happened to Jeff.”

“It’s a holdover from when I was first married to Rich. I admit we hadn’t dated nearly long enough. He hadn’t bothered to mention that he had a twelve-year-old son.”

“What a jerk!”

“True, but . . . Anyway, a month after I met Jeff, Rich asked me to pick him up for weekend visitation and bring him out to the club and drop him off to have dinner with Rich. I had to go someplace else. So I took Jeff to the club and dropped him off at the front door. I had barely gotten where I was going when Rich called and asked where Jeff was. He’d never gotten inside the club.”

“That was scary!”

I blinked away a tear. “Actually he’d just gone out to the driving range, but it frightened the something or other out of me. All I could think was that he’d been kidnapped. And it would all be my fault!”

Joe sat on the edge of the bed and took my hand. “Jeff’s a grown-up now!”

“Is he?”

“Legally he is. You didn’t ask him to come to Michigan. He’s responsible for himself.”

“Thanks, but this is a topic I’m not always rational about.”

Joe gave me a kiss and another dose of reassurance. Then I got up, hoisted myself onto my crutch, and limped through my morning routine. As soon as Joe left for work, I started calling motels in Holland, thirty miles away, looking for Jeff. It only took four calls. He was registered at the Holiday Inn Express.

But when the front desk rang his room, Jeff didn’t answer. I left a voice mail, telling him Alicia was trying to find him. And I added a sentence. “We were sorry that we missed you last night, Jeff. Don’t leave the area without calling, guy!”

I began to dress for the office, telling myself I’d hear from Jeff within a few minutes. He had probably been in the shower.

But I didn’t hear from him. By the time I left for the office, thumping my crutch irately at every step, there had been no word from Jeff.

After Joe left, the only sound I heard was the animal in the attic.

Anyone who’s ever lived in the country knows about the animal in the attic. And if Joe and I didn’t live in the country in a legal sense, we did in a physical one. Our house was inside the city limits of Warner Pier. We had city water and sewer, plus all the police and fire protection available in a town of twenty-five hundred souls. But our neighborhood was semirural and heavily wooded. It looked and felt like country. We were surrounded by country things like bushes and trees and animals.

Deer, turkeys, raccoons, rabbits—even the occasional badger and fox—hung out in our neighborhood. And they considered our house part of their territory. A squirrel had come down our chimney. We’d had chipmunks move into our basement. Every fall the mice invaded, trying to avoid cold weather. Don’t ask me how they found cracks and holes to get in; we tried to plug ’em up.

We were experts on amateur extermination, and we also knew whom to call if professional action was required. In fact, we’d had the exterminator the previous week, and he thought he had de-animaled the house completely. But I was already hearing noises from the attic.

This situation, of course, was not found only in Michigan. My dad had the same problem in north Texas. It’s just part of country living, so we tried not to pay too much attention to stray scratchings and thumpings.

But I wrote a note to Joe with a big, fat Magic Marker. “Please check attic for annie-mule!” Then I taped it to the window over the kitchen sink before I left for the office.

I made sure my phone was on; I didn’t want to miss Jeff’s call. But by noon I still hadn’t heard from him. When I talked to Alicia, she hadn’t heard from him either.

“Listen,” I said, “I’ll go to the Holiday Inn and see what I can find out.”

“If that kid is lounging around the pool and letting us worry, I’ll have his hide.”

“I’ll hold him while you kick him.”

I told Aunt Nettie I was making an emergency trip to Holland and would be back to meet with the architect. I worried the whole thirty miles to Holland. But I was on the outskirts of town before I gave in, stopped the car in a parking lot, and called Hogan for a little informal advice from law enforcement. Luckily it was a slow day for crime in Warner Pier, and I caught him in his office.

I quickly sketched the situation for him. “We can’t make a missing person report on Jeff yet, can we?”

“Not unless you find something scary.”

“Scary?”

“Yeah. Like his car with a pool of blood in the front seat.”

I shuddered. “I don’t even want to think such a thing!”

“Then don’t. But if he’s simply not there, the cops can’t do much. He’s over twenty-one, isn’t he?”

“Oh yes. He’s supposedly a grown-up.”

“And the motel isn’t likely to give you much information.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“The only way you could get a look in his room, for example, is if there was a possibility he’s sick.”

“Sick?”

“Some chronic condition. The possibility of a diabetic coma maybe. He’s a little bit young for you to tell them he might have had a stroke. And you don’t want to say he’d threatened suicide. The motel might toss him out. Motels don’t like dead guests.” Hogan laughed. “But don’t make it too elaborate, Lee. You don’t look old enough to be Jeff’s mother.”

“Even though I was. Sort of.”

When I got to the Holiday Inn I cruised the parking lot, looking for Texas license plates. Nary a one. So I parked and went to the desk, where the clerk tried calling Jeff’s room. No answer.

I took a deep breath and pulled the stunt Hogan had hinted might work.

My stepson, I told the clerk, was diabetic. “We really didn’t want him to tackle this trip, because his blood sugar has been up and down, but you know kids! We couldn’t talk him out of it.”

The clerk nodded sympathetically.

“Is there any way a staff member could check the room? Make sure he’s all right?”

“I’ll ask the manager.”

The manager wasn’t happy, but he got a special key card from a drawer. I didn’t ask if I could go along. I just went.

The room was on the third floor. I tried to follow the manager inside, but he gestured at me. “Please stay here.”

So I stood in the doorway, though I did manage to edge inside far enough to see into the bathroom and most of the bedroom. By then I had talked myself into real concern about Jeff’s disappearance, and I was holding my breath as the manager made a circuit of the room, checking behind the shower curtain, between the beds, in the closet. I felt a genuine sense of relief when he spoke. “No sign of him.”

“Thank goodness.” From my place two steps inside the room I could see Jeff’s luggage—a medium-sized wheeled duffel bag—on the foot of the bed. I could peek inside the bathroom and see his shaving kit on the counter. But neither bag looked as if it had been opened.

Jeff had apparently checked in the previous day, dropped off his luggage, then left. There was no sign that he had ever come back to the room.

The manager relocked the door, and I followed him downstairs. He seemed even more relieved than I was, and I could understand why. As Hogan had said, motels don’t like dead guests.

When we returned to the front desk, I tried one more thing. “Do I need to give you a credit card? To make sure Jeff’s room is paid for?”

Then the manager did look relieved. To learn that some family member was willing to pick up Jeff’s bill—he practically clicked his heels. But he assured me that Jeff had a credit card on file. All was well.

“I’ll just call his mother,” I said.

The manager frowned. “I thought you were his mother.”

I chuckled. “No, his stepmother. We’re a blended family.” I ended with another chuckle.

That reassured him, and he didn’t make any objection when I helped myself to a cup of their free coffee, then took a seat in the empty breakfast area. I took out my phone.

And Tess walked in the front door of the motel.

Chapter 3

At least I thought it was Tess. Like Jeff, she was almost four years older than the last time I’d seen her, and like him, she had changed in the years between eighteen and twenty-two.

The girl approaching the registration desk was tiny—I’d guess her jeans at size zero—with dark hair in a wispy haircut. She used quick, birdlike gestures that reminded me of the Tess I’d met three and a half years earlier. I stood up, more and more confident that this was Tess.

She had a clear, high-pitched voice. From thirty feet away I could understand what she asked the clerk.

“Do y’all have a Jeff Godfrey registered here?”

It was definitely Tess.


The Chocolate Falcon Fraud (Chocoholic Mystery), by JoAnna Carl

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An Exciting new take on a classic mystery! By OpenBookSociety dot com Brought to you by OBS reviewer JeanieWhat an exciting new take on a classic mystery! Lee and her Aunt Nettie take seriously the value of chocolate in every situation, including the film noir celebration opening with ‘The Maltese Falcon’. How cool is that, chocolate in the shape of the mysterious Falcon? The Chocolate Falcon Fraud is the 15th in this Chocoholic Mystery series, yet I could pick it up and read it as a standalone as I have not read others from this series – yet – and really enjoyed it. Particularly fun are the some of the chocolate trivia and recipes throughout. The beautiful Michigan setting was a grand place to bring light to some of the darker noir films.When I was in high school I ‘had’ to read The Maltese Falcon. Not my favorite then, but that could be very different, especially after reading the author’s insights on various aspects of the story. I never considered then that it was more than a mystery. Joanna Carl has broken new ground with this mystery by using the classic story to bring additional meaning to this one.Working at and managing a chocolatier sounds like such a sweet endeavor! It was a wonderful place for Lee to land when leaving Texas several years prior. Aunt Nettie’s TenHuis Chocolade is one of the best things that has happened to Lee, second only to her husband Joe. Lee’s former stepson is now an adult, a very bright, personable young man. Nobody other than his girlfriend grasped how important the film festival was to Jeff, and the unique mystery and danger that everybody around him found themselves in was beyond what they anticipated.Lee is a fun lady, and I really enjoyed her. Lee, Nettie, their spouses, Jeff and his girlfriend Tess are the primary people, and I felt as if I really came to know them well through the excellent characterizations. Those men and women who were unique to this novel are as well defined as needed for their roles. The conversations and activities brought each to life as the story progressed.The plot was a great blend of this story and the classic ‘falcon’ tale. There were interesting twists with every turn, including the murder, the disappearing woman, the mysterious third Falcon, and Jeff’s temporary amnesia surrounding his accident. Chocolate remains central to the theme, and the chocolate shop with its tasty creations and kitchens were fun to read about. Trying to guess or logically understand who the bad guy / gal might be was almost impossible, and this reader was deliciously surprised with the resolution and the fully satisfying ending. I highly recommend The Chocolate Falcon Fraud to chocolate lovers of all ages, and those who appreciate well-crafted mysteries that include classic and contemporary elements. And I recommend that one also have a few chocolates nearby to help settle that craving while one reads! Life is too short to solve the mystery without chocolate!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Mystery of the Vanishing Stepson By Mark Baker - Carstairs Considers While there are obviously many cozy mystery series I read and love, there are some that are like coming home for me. I love the setting and the characters and can’t wait to revisit them each time another book comes out. The Chocolate Falcon Fraud gave me the chance to revisit Warner Pier, Michigan, one of those favorite places. I’m pleased to say that this was another wonderful trip to the resort town on the shores of Lake Erie.Lee Woodyard is shocked when Jeff Godfrey walks into TenHuis Chocolade one day. Jeff is her ex-stepson, and the two haven’t seen each other in years. Now a young man, Jeff is in town for the annual film festival, this year themed around noir movies, a love that Lee and Jeff share. Jeff is looking forward to catching up with Lee, and invites her, her husband Joe, her Aunt Nettie, and Nettie’s second husband, Hogan, out to dinner that night.Only when the four arrive at the restaurant for dinner, Jeff never shows. When he doesn’t answer his cell phone, Lee starts to worry. Has something happened to the young man? Can she find him?You want to know just how quickly this book starts? I’ve only summarized the first chapter in my plot teaser above. Yes, the mystery starts that quickly, and it never really lets up. When we get an answer, it just gives us more questions. Everything comes together for a great climax, and things do make sense at the end.This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Jeff in this series. The first time he showed up was in book two, published all the way back in 2002. No, I didn’t go back and reread it, and I only have a vague memory of the story, but there is more than enough information here to bring us back up to speed.Because Jeff is from Lee’s life before the series started, I felt that we got some real character development with her, which I loved. Her tongue tangles are kept to a minimum in this book as well, always a plus. Joe, Aunt Nettie, and Hogan, who also happens to be the sheriff, are all still strong characters. I do still wish we’d see more of their circle of friends in town, but that’s a minor complaint. Jeff and the new cast members were equally compelling. I especially enjoyed seeing how she handled Jeff. I felt like he was a very believable, maturing 22-year-old who still isn’t quite as adult as he thinks he is.About the only real stumble with the book is a timeline error. Yes, that is one of my biggest pet peeves, and it happened here. The worst part is, it was a self-inflicted error since it came about because of a foreshadowing sentence. It’s truly a minor issue, however, since it doesn’t impact the story in the slightest.If you hadn’t guessed based on the title and the fact that a noir film festival is involved, aspects of the plot revolve around The Maltese Falcon. I’ve read the book and seen the movie, but it’s been years. Fortunately, any time something from that story was referenced in this book, we got enough explanation to make the connection, so if you’ve somehow missed this classic (or if your memory of it is fuzzy like mine), you’ve got nothing to worry about.There is lots of talk about chocolate throughout the book since Lee is the office manager for Aunt Nettie’s chocolate shop. If the descriptions of the truffles throughout the book don’t make your mouth water, the Chocolate Chats will. Scattered through the book, the subject this time is fudge. While the series doesn’t normally include recipes, we actually do get recipes for several variations of fudge this time around. Yes, I am still craving fudge!It’s always a pleasure to pick up a book in a long running series and find that it still satisfies. If you haven’t guessed by now, that’s exactly how I felt with The Chocolate Falcon Fraud. I’ve long said that each book in this series is like a piece of chocolate, and you can’t stop at just one. That statement is still true today, and I’m already craving my next piece of Chocoholic goodness.NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Skillfully written, wonderful story! By Lisa Ks Book Reviews THE CHOCOLATE FALCON FRAUD is a decadent delight for mystery readers.Author JoAnna Carl’s Chocoholic Mystery series has been a staple read on the diets of cozy mystery fans for many years. You would think she would have a difficult time coming up with new storylines and plots for this long running series of hers. Yet in the same fashion as an expert chocolatier creates a sweet masterpiece, Ms. Carl has time and again skillfully written wonderful new stories that are the very best recipes of chocolate covered murder.THE CHOCOLATE FALCON FRAUD is written proof of why this series endures. I mean, what could be better than a mystery that has a Tough Guys and Private Eyes Film Festival featuring The Maltese Falcon? One with murder and intrigue of course! Ms. Carl, an expert storyteller, has once again crafted a story with likeable characters, delightful treats, and a plot that is deliciously fresh.After reading book fifteen in this series, mystery fans and chocoholics alike are going to be begging for a second, or rather, a sixteen helping!Readers will also have fun with the Chocolate Chat feature, and chocolate recipes.

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Kamis, 02 Desember 2010

Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

As recognized, several people claim that books are the custom windows for the globe. It doesn't imply that acquiring book Sons Of Anarchy: Bratva, By Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter will suggest that you can get this world. Simply for joke! Reviewing a book Sons Of Anarchy: Bratva, By Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter will certainly opened up a person to think better, to keep smile, to entertain themselves, and also to urge the knowledge. Every book also has their characteristic to influence the visitor. Have you known why you read this Sons Of Anarchy: Bratva, By Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter for?

Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter



Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

Ebook PDF Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

Set between the third and fourth episodes of season four of the groundbreaking television drama Sons of Anarchy, from the mind of Executive Producer Kurt Sutter…With half of the club recently released from Stockton State Penitentiary, and the Galindo drug cartel bringing down heat at every turn, the MC already has its hands full. Yet Jax Teller the V.P. of SAMCRO has another problem to deal with. He just learned that his Irish half-sister Trinity has been in the U.S. for months entangled with Russian BRATVA gangsters. Now that she's abruptly gone missing, he's sure the brewing mafia war is connected to her disappearance. Jax heads to Nevada with Chibs and Opie to search for her and seek revenge. Trinity may be half-Irish, but she's also half-Teller and where Teller's go, trouble follows.

Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #102206 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-11-24
  • Released on: 2015-11-24
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 8.18" h x .69" w x 5.53" l, .0 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 256 pages
Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

Review Praise for the series: "Not since the Sopranos has a gang of such sweaty, beef-eating, face-punching... outlaws ruled the small screen." --"Rolling Stone" "Grade A... This remains one of the best shows on TV." --"Newsday" ..".One of the best dramas on TV." --"Time" " **** out of five stars... Sons has hit the ground roaring." --"NY Daily News"

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the award-winning, bestselling author of such novels as Snowblind, The Myth Hunters, The Boys Are Back in Town, The Ferryman, Strangewood, Of Saints and Shadows, and (with Tim Lebbon) The Map of Moments. His original novels have been published in more than fourteen languages in countries around the world.

KURT SUTTER is a writer, director, and producer of television and film.


Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter

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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful. Action, drama, and danger.......NUTTIN BETTER! By CMarie I quite enjoyed reading this.....although I have to admit feeling a bit sad reading something with one of the SAMCRO members who'll later die.Therefore: I like to think of this as a book set in an almost 'AU' SAMCRO. Meaning; anything is possible and can change the outcome of what came before. Thinking this way made it a better read for me.I loved the action and who doesn't love Jax, Opie, and Chibs......I won't go into the storyline because it's already been done so wonderfully by a previous reviewer. Can't top Jennifer Marshall; a review I thought to be terrific.I only starting watching the FX show a month ago and watched six seasons in two weeks. I'm now current on season seven - the last season. Two more shows and it is OVER. I've really loved it. It's the first TV series I've watched in many, many, years. Now I'm wondering what else I've missed on TV. Strange thing is: I just wanted to know why so many romance novels were being written about Motorcycle Clubs and why SOA was inspiring the writing of those books. Then watching the series......got me hooked, too. I understand it now; what inspired so many books - and MANY that I've enjoyed reading and reviewing.This book was excellent. I hope there will be more. Sadly; the series will end soon.....but this book series could last a long time and perhaps even inspire a major motion picture......? Who knows.Thank you.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful. ** spoiler alert ** Christopher Golden's "Bratva" is a fun ride. When I heard there was going to ... By Jennifer Marshall ** spoiler alert ** Christopher Golden's "Bratva" is a fun ride. When I heard there was going to be a Sons of Anarchy novel, I knew I had to read it. I'm in my second viewing of the series, and once again obsessed with all things SAMCRO. This book read like a narrative episode. Set at the beginning of season 4, the boys have gotten out of prison and are just about to jump into the tumult that the cartel and Maureen Ashby's letters from John Teller bring to the club. Jax gets a frantic phone call from Maureen Ashby, telling him that Trinity, his newly discovered half-sister, has left home to be with her Russian mobster boyfriend in Nevada. This news is, of course, coming right after the club assassinates the entire Northern Cali wing of the Bratva, including Viktor Putlova, at Opie and Lyla's wedding. Worried about his sister's life and the possibility of her being used as leverage against the club by the Russians, Jax takes Chibs and Opie with him to Nevada in search of her, leaving their cuts at home to hide their affiliation with SAMCRO.The narrative perspectives shift mostly between Jax and Trinity, telling both sides of the story from two drastically different points of view. Golden really gets Jax, and we get a clear, deep understanding of where Jax is at at that crucial turning time as well as during the events of the novel. Trinity is basically a new character. Even when she was recurring in season 3, we didn't really get to know her. Golden does an amazing job of creating a deep, complex character with a sense of agency and ego. Trinity was raised around IRA violence, and she understands gangland loyalty and the rules of the underground, but she still maintains her compassion.Trinity was far and away my favorite part of the book. Despite the fact that the basic premise of the story is Maureen Ashby sending Jax on a fetch quest for her wayward daughter, Trinity manages to add depth and interest to the situation at hand. She isn't kidnapped, she willingly decides to stick with Oleg, her Bratva boyfriend. Her reasons for being there and her perspective on the trouble they get up to make reading her chapters extremely compelling. When the situation gets tough, she adapts. She knows the difference between what's necessary and what's gratuitous. She is, in short, a badass.I also really enjoyed diving into the Las Vegas charter of the Sons. The small charter has its own new characters and politics. Just a scene where a member is making eggs in their clubhouse kitchen, or the accommodation that traveling club members can expect was really interesting. Descriptions of it from Jax's perspective were fascinating to me, and their involvement in Jax's fetch quest both highlight and illustrate what the bond of brotherhood in the MC can really mean.My biggest problem was the suspension of disbelief. Trinity is a new character, and her personality is largely flushed out in this book. However, she's a girl who was born and raised in Northern Ireland by an IRA affiliated family. The IRA as it is portrayed in the show is extremely xenophobic and also street smart. Why would a girl from that world suddenly take up with a Russian mobster? Sure, you can't choose who you love, but surely she could have seen trouble written all over him. A lot can be attributed to the impulsiveness of youth, but she didn't seem to grow all that much in that way. Was she so desperately in love that she was willing to be an accessory to his organized crime lifestyle? We see her participating in their business and helping them with her Irish connections in the states. When I took her motivations and her reasoning at face value, I had no problem, but in the end the whole story happened because of her actions. As Jax would say, it was all "on her", yet no one really holds her responsible for the consequences. On the other hand, she's an independent adult who should be free to make her own decisions. How dare Jax agree to fetch her and send her back to Ireland? His commitment to her safety, his promise to her mother, and the possible threat to SAMCRO are apparently more important than Trinity's own wants and ambitions.Since Trinity's reveal as Jax's half-sister, I had hoped that she would return to the show in some capacity. There is so much untapped story potential in her and her relationship with Jax, and I am glad that she got to star in the first Sons of Anarchy novel. It was the Sons being the Sons, complete with everything one would expect that to entail. We got a little more back story on the Russians and a bit more insight into the last living child of John Teller. Fans of the show, especially those that miss Opie as much as I do, will find something to like in this book. I read it via audio book, which was narrated expertly - accents and all - by Peter Berkrot.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful. If I could write as well.... By Sadie Lydon Front Row Center Suspend judgment. This does not coincide with the show's ending but it does truly give a GREAT kick to some time in between. I won't give away spoilers here but Opie is still with us and that is a good thing. See? You can have it both ways. It is an incredibly well written book and I'm glad I pre-ordered it and had the pleasure of reading it. Nice job, Christopher Golden.

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Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter
Sons of Anarchy: Bratva, by Christopher Golden, Kurt Sutter