Book Description
Award-winning author Jill Churchill once again brings a bit of dazzle to the Great Depression, in her fourth captivating and colorful trip up New York's Hudson River for some high living -- and dying -- in hard times.
Sister and brother Lily and Robert Brewster, raised in the lap of luxury, may no longer have a penny to their names, but at least they have a roof over their heads -- which is more than many can say in this bleak November of 1932. This is thanks to their eccentric great-uncle, whose will allows them to live in his mansion on a sprawling estate in Voorburg-on-Hudson. And now there's even some cash rolling in, since the Brewsters have taken part-time teaching duties at the local grade school.
But their luck turns sour when a mysterious and badly disguised stranger comes to Grace and Favor willing to pay generously to have a secret meeting there shortly before the presidential election. Are they gangsters? Pretty Boy Floyd is rumored to be somewhere near. Or worse, are they a rabid pro-Hoover political group trying to stop Roosevelt from being elected at the last minute by making up some nasty gossip about him?
When one of the mystery guests is murdered in his bath, a little boy is kidnapped, and Chief Howard Walker can't find anywhere to house all his suspects except the local Hospital for the Criminally Insane, the pace becomes hectic. In the end a local woman, a secretary from upriver whom Lily has befriended, and one of the children at the school provide the vital clues that allow Lily to put two and two together. But only after a wild car chase with three women drivers.
Jill Churchill is the winner of the Agatha and Macavity Mystery Readers Awards and was nominated for an Anthony Award for her bestselling Jane Jeffry series. She is the author of three previous Grace & Favor mystery novels, Anything Goes, In the Still of the Night, and Someone to Watch Over Me, and lives in the Midwest.
Customer Reviews:
Work of NO!.......2005-09-12
This book was no where touchy-feely like i thought it would be. I thought it would be really cute and sweet and make me smily at night, but NO! It had to be hard, and evil. The people in this book made me very angery, and its no good when Nenis is Mad! NO NO NO! ask anyone in Kens, China. Someone should rip this book of the shelfs to DISTROY it! Never let another innocent person's virgen eyes be hurt by these boring pages. DO SOMEONE A FAVOR!! DONT READ!!!
-NO! (startrackn00t@aol.com) Contact me ;) (Nenis)
A Grace and Favor Mystery anyone?.......2005-05-27
In order to support themselves, Lily and Robert Brewster have turned the Grace and Favor mansion that they live in (which, according to their uncle's will, they may do until they die themselves) into a bed and breakfast.
They also find themselves in the position to do a little part-time teaching after Millicent Langston, a local teacher, mysteriously disappears following a visit home due to medical reasons. In the Depression, every little bit counts, and so Robert and Lily both consider themselves fortunate to have each opportunity.
But, when a stranger requests to rent a room at the bed and breakfast for the outrageous amount of $500, Lily and Robert are reluctant to accept. The stranger obviously has a few secrets that he intends to keep to himself, and Lily suspects that it might not be such a good idea to allow him, and his mysterious cohorts, access to their home. There is no specific reason to turn down the offer, though, especially since they are lacking any solid proof of foul play.
Both Lily and Robert are shocked to discover that one of their secret guests is none other than the Brother Mark Luke Goodheart. Even more shocking is the fact that Brother Goodheart has been found murdered, in one of the bed and breakfast's bathtubs.
Brother Goodheart was a notoriously lecherous radio preacher, much hated by a variety of people, so the list of suspects is quite long. Police Chief Walker fears that he might never find out what really happen. At his request, Lily joins in the investigation. What follows is a delightful tale of twists and turns and mysterious coincidences.
Set in 1932, LOVE FOR SALE had a very authentic historical setting. One could almost feel the ambience of the great mansion and sense the strength of the lively characters residing there in the Depression. Reminiscent of the stories told by the "old timers" about this era, LOVE FOR SALE imparts a certain homey charm. Readers will get a glimpse of "the good old days" through the imagination of author Jill Churchill.
In LOVE FOR SALE, Jill Churchill has written an imaginative novel that will keep most readers guessing until the final culmination. Churchill's style of writing was refreshingly pure and sweet, her characters having morals and values that are seldom found in contemporary novels. The only disappointment that readers may find on the pages of this mystery are a few dry passages, other than that, LOVE FOR SALE delivers a mysteriously enjoyable read.
(...)
Radio Static Backdrops Tinny voice, "This Is The Operator.".......2005-04-06
Oh my. Another one of those yummy covers which makes me want to leap into its picture and soak up the art.
The luxurious color-combo is literally healing in its delicious hue-intensity with primal-contrast; the design paints an addictive, nouveau-uplift on historic mysteries; the tangy texture of raised print nudges fingers to slide over the face; the extra flap-under-cover is welcoming, exposing the publisher's commitment to the book's value. Love the way the crescent moon leads the eye to the yellow light in an upstairs window on the brick mansion, then to the flapping pink curtain. Love how these image icons are repeated from the external scenes into the upstairs bathroom as itchy fingers open the flap. Drool. Slurp.
Churchill's confidence gracefully shows itself as the plot rhythm and character development eases off to a tattoo of Lilly, John, and support cast unhurriedly discussing life and politics. The story doesn't need to surge into a mystery mode until around page 37 of the paperback, when the murder is up. The event is staged with panache, and the characters hop to; shifting effortlessly into a hot-step jazz. I didn't quite notice I had been taken for a ride; but, of course, that's what I was there for.
The mystery kicks in, a la Agatha Christie; it's easy to see why Churchill's been compared to Miss Christie, even said to have surpassed the Master.
The story hums along smoothly in a snappy beat; so much so that, once the story ends, the reader is left with the stillness of true silence. The feeling is like that of a refrigerator compressor, humming as un-noticed "white noise" in the background. Once the motor stops, however, a warm body having been resting in the soothing, active presence is abruptly transported from what he had adjusted to as an ongoing reality in a cozily buzzing cocoon, into the empty exaggeration of the chill of motionless existence.
Sometimes that cessation of refrigerator-type-buzz is felt as relief.
Other times it is felt as a loss carrying a nearly overwhelming sense of grief.
When the hum of the mystery-in-process in LOVE FOR SALE culminates at the final period on the last page, there's a feeling of "Oh no, don't end, not yet."
This is the call of the cozy mystery sub-genre, a call which is heard and answered, in this novel especially.
Maybe it's the live-in quality of this sub-genre which somehow gives it the right (or the necessity) to continue, in ongoing, addictive series. Though the act of murder is as far from cozy as a warm body can get, maybe the desire for it's resolution and ultimate cessation is nurtured within that culture of comfort.
If that desire grows strong enough, might triumph and redemption win in our species?
See what type of contemplation Churchill's "simple" cozy, LOVE FOR SALE, can elicit from the soul of a reader who loves a good mystery resolved well?
Not wanting to conclude before mentioning some of the unique pulls of this story, I'll note that Chief Walker, the investigator, does not typically fade into the background as the amateur sleuth does the real work of exposing the dirt. Walker is an unusually warm, hired servant of justice, who methodically, yet compassionately walks determinedly, unwaveringly through his job. He's like a Columbo without the build up of bungle. In a typical Churchill character draw, Chief Walker is easy to be with, non-assuming, not a tough guy, just endearingly responsible in a step-by-step sort of way. He serves people simultaneously to serving justice.
I was intrigued by the hits here and there of the historic setting, when radio knobs are tuned for updates on "what's going on," instead of Remote Controls aimed and fired; when rarely made, heavily assisted by the Operator, long-distance phone calls are required, instead of flip-open cell phones lifted from humongous purses. Then there's the political pull of presidents elected, with the plot opening and closing as characters discuss and deal with Roosevelt in process of taking the gantlet from Truman.
Jill Churchill must have a worm hole or time machine somewhere in her closet, to be able to successfully work two mystery series, which are ages and universes apart in culture and style. I hope she never allows any discouragement lurking "In The Still of The Night" to break down the reality between her creativity and its deserved manifestation.
Well done, lady!
Linda G. Shelnutt
GRACE & FAVOR.......2004-11-13
I read this book and it was okay at first but I was bored with it rather quickly. I put it down after the first two chapters. I would rate it between 1.25 and 2 stars.
Genteel fun that's a trip back in time.......2004-10-24
Ready for an escapist mystery that will take you back to a time when life was a bit more genteel? Travel back to the Depression, where in Love for Sale people actually seem to live richer lives than in the modern prosperous era. Without glamorizing the hard times of the past, this cozy mystery, starring a brother and sister team, makes us long for the days of white gloves, croquet, and milk delivered to the door.
But milk isn't all Lily and Robert Brewster find on the doorstep of the manor their late great-uncle left them. In true cozy mystery form, the unsuspecting amateur detectives discover a missing grade school teacher, uncover Road to Perdition-style mob activity as well as political conspiracy aimed at President Roosevelt's election (and you thought the President Bush-Senator Kerry grudge match was nasty), and figure out who killed Charles Pottinger (a.k.a. the radio preacher Brother Goodheart) in their very house. Seems there was more than Bible-thumping going on among the Reverend and his friends, who include the bizarre Nobby Hazard (reminiscent of Renfrew in Dracula, minus the vermin eating). Who would want to kill Brother Goodheart? How about his illegitimate son, who is tossed out as an interesting, if predictable, red herring that never goes anywhere and remains a loose end? Why do we detect the hint of a lesbian quarrel in the disappearance of the schoolteacher?
And why question any of these things? Thanks to Jill Churchill's vivid tale of a bygone era, we can enjoy genteel times again without the Depression and with the whodunit. Much grace and favor to Jill Churchill.
Customer Reviews:
A good read once you get past the first 30 pages.......2006-04-01
The Continent of Lies deals with a futuristic society where entertainment has evolved to an extreme level. Rather than watch TV or movies, you simply eat a "cephapple" and experience the story as a dream into which you are inserted as the main character. The cephapple--also known as a dreambean--is like a real apple (without seeds), and Morrow provides many examples that run the gamut of genre and type.
The central character, Quinjin, is a dreambean critic who comes across a bean so sinister that it has the potential to enslave humanity. He sets off on a quest to destroy the tree from which it sprang, along with his teenage daughter, his hedonistic "rich boy" friend, and his psychobiologist/dreamweaver girlfriend (not to mention a robot that longs to be a James Bond type secret agent).
Like his other books, CoL is funny, clever, and fairly well-plotted. I was put off, however, by the extensive "sci-fi-ish" vocabulary early in the book, and I almost put it down around page thirty. In fact, if I hadn't been a fan of Morrow's other works (especially Towing Jehovah), I probably wouldn't have continued. Still, once I got absorped by the story, it was hard to put down, and there were enough twists and turns that I found I couldn't really predict what was going to happen.
All in all, a worthwhile and fun read, if not as "thinky" as some of his other books.
Morrow's first great book.......1999-02-22
Anyone who has caught up with James Morrow in the 90s, as I have, will want to check out this earlier work. This book shows the same skewed sense of humor he later put to more acclaimed effect in BIBLE STORIES FOR ADULTS and TOWING JEHOVAH. The story concerns Quinjin, a reviewer of dreambeans--sort of a virtual reality device you consume. Someone has created a dreambean so horrible that the dreamers get trapped in the fantasy world, including Quinjin's daughter.
Average customer rating:
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The Continent of Lies
Manufacturer: baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I01BUU |
Book Description
Using the examples of Vioxx, Celebrex, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, and anti-depressants,
Overdo$ed America shows that at the heart of the current crisis in American medicine lies the commercialization of medical knowledge itself.
Drawing on his background in statistics, epidemiology, and health policy,
John Abramson, M.D., an award-winning family doctor on the clinical faculty at Harvard Medical School, reveals the ways in which the drug companies have misrepresented statistical evidence, misled doctors, and compromised our health. The good news is that the best scientific evidence shows that reclaiming responsibility for your own health is often far more effective than taking the latest blockbuster drug.
You -- and your doctor -- will be stunned by this unflinching exposé of American medicine.
Customer Reviews:
Overdosed America.......2007-09-03
Abramson does a well researched job of explaining why Americans take so many pills, why many of them are not necessary, and how generics are generally as effective as brand names. It is an eyeopener concerning drug research and sales practices. Very useful in most peoples' everyday life.
Exposes the REAL Drug Pushers.......2007-08-12
The author demonstrates how the drug companies have learned how to manipulate the system that approves and recommends their product. As a result, your doctor has no clue that there is very weak scientific support behind many of the expensive drugs that they are telling you to take.
The power of this book can be demonstrated by its ability to predict future events. For example, shortly after I finished reading it, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding the popular and expensive blood sugar controlling drug Avandia. Yes, Avandia does control blood sugar, but it also increases the risk of heart attacks by 43%. Whoops!
After reading this book I now understand why the Democrats and Republicans were climbing on top of each other to be the first to pass a drug bill that no one really wanted (except the drug companies). And I know that our health care system is overly expensive and not the best.
This is one of several excellent books that explores this fascinating topic. Cholesterol Myths and Cholesterol Conspiracy are some others that come to mind. But this book is broader in scope, and gives tremendous perspective on the health care system as a whole. It is also quite empowering, because you will learn that it's good to be skeptical of doctors, whether they are pushing expensive treatments and drugs, or simply dishing out hackneyed "lifestyle" advice about changing your diet.
The bottom line is to keep fit and flexible, and you will be doing more for yourself healthwise than all the prescription pads in the world.
Patients BEWARE your doctor might be harming you with bad drugs.......2007-08-04
Thanks Dr. Abramson for being honest enough to write your book and alert the rest of us about how the drug companies have turned our physicians into legalized drug pushers. I had a feeling that this was going on for the past 10 to 15 years when drug ads began appearing on TV, drug reps began swarming around my doctor's office and my own doctor seemed to be recommending too many drugs for my ailments. This book not only made me aware but it angered me to know that there are many patients out there who are literally suffering from the serious side effects of drugs that were recommended by doctors who allowed themselves to be brainwashed by the drug companies. SHAME ON ALL OF THEM for harming us. From now on, I will never trust my doctor completely and I encourage others to do the same. Demand that your doctor recommend natural alternatives and make sure you know ALL of the side effects of a drug before taking it.
classics .......2007-08-02
Overdosed America is a classic amongst books that expose problem of America's pharmaceutical industry. This book helps expose the terrible Vioxx and Celebrex scandal whereby side effects of these drugs were known by the pharmceutical industries and to certain extent by the FDA for years before action was taken to either take the drug off the market or blacklabeled was applied. It detailed how the structure of the pharmacuetical industry (lobbist, relation to medical schools, relation to FDA, relation to doctors) lead to disincentive to reduce cost and improve healthcare industry. This book has sprawn a whole literature related to this topic. If you want to read a book related to this field, start with this one. Other books might be written by industry specialists or reporters (this author was retired family doctor), but reading this book first helps you understand what the newer books are responding to.
When will it all stop?.......2007-06-22
This book has given me reason to believe America is on a downhill spiral. No not because of our lack of Church attendance, or prayer in our schools, or even crime in our streets. No otherwise legitimate businesses are fleecing the American taxpayer, and their partner in crime is the Congress, the Senate, and the President. This to me is a very sad state of affairs. We are allowing people to die just to keep Big Pharma fat.
Revealed here are the reasons for so many of our so called incurables. Diseases for which Medical Science has no solution. At the same time Big Pharma is using it's influences to prevent scientific advances from being achieved, or at best keeping them quiet, simply because it will hurt their bottom line.
Everyone gather around, Big Pharma, is in business to make a "PROFIT," and to keep it's share holders happy. Not I repeat, not to make you well. Again at best these drugs they produce are crutches, nearly permanent crutches. My Grandfather used insulin for nearly 35 years, up until the day of his death, and we are now finding that processed foods are the biggest reason for Diabetes. You know Factory food, instead of Farm fresh food. Even sader the drug industry has the FDA on it's side to help them to continue their ruse, over our medical schools, and our doctors, not to mention the general public. Just watch some of the commercials Big Pharma uses to convince you 'restless leg syndrom' calls for pills, and not exercise. See how Big Pharma seems to have a pill for whatever ailes you. Instead of changing your lifestyle, we have a pill for that. Got a headache, there is a pill. Indigeation, here is another pill. Oh and by the way, one of the side effects of the headache pill, is it will rot your stomache. Do not worry though, we have a pill for that as well. The nausea from the ulcer pill, we have a pill for that as well. Too fat, there is a pill, etc, etc. WHAT A JOKE.
Like most things now days, we as Americans, ask very few questions, and we believe the Government is taking care of us. Believe it or not this is why our knuckle headed president is proposing limits on who you can sue in a court of law, and what your settlement will be. So what if someone died, it controls the population, and our bottom line remains intact.
Todays medications are no better than the Snake Oil, that was sold in the times before the FDA, and we have made little, if any progress.
Please read the book, ask questions, and ask more questions. Become more proactive concerning yours and your family's health.
Book Description
Sporting his trademark fedora, Thierry Rautureau prepares for another night at Rover's, his four-star restaurant; he is about to create culinary magic. Anyone who has dined at the charming 50-seat Seattle restaurant can testify to the French-born chef 's exquisite dishes, artful presentations, and attention to creating a warm inviting atmosphere that makes you feel like you've stopped by a good friend 's home for an elegant home-cooked meal. In ROVER 'S, chef Rautureau and Northwest food writer Cynthia Nims present more than 100 recipes, including signature dishes such as Scrambled Eggs with Lime Crème Fraîche and Caviar; Whole Roasted Striped Sea Bass with Fennel, Moroccan Olives, and Thyme Vinegar; Venison Medallions with P Parsnip Ragout, Apricots, and Mustard Sauce; and Chocolate Caramel Hazelnut Cake. ROVER'S is truly a celebration of fine ingredients, dedication, perseverance, and delicious creations —all served with a tip of the hat and a French accent.
Amazon.com
Of the great culinary traditions of the world, the French way with food remains an absolute ground zero for the Western kitchen and palate, a place to begin, a foundation from which to build anything. Julia Child had a look on her face when confronted on TV with foods of the world. It might have been a fabulous South Indian shrimp dish, a thing of dreams, and she would smack her lips appropriately and make the perfect murmurs of appreciation. But the look on her face simply said, "Well, it's not very French, is it?" Let Thierry Rautureau's Rover's bring out your latent Francophile. Here is the perfect permission to revel in some of the most glorious dishes you'll ever cook and consume.
Rover's, a small upscale Seattle restaurant is where Rautureau's level-headed passion for the French way with food met headlong all the fabulous foodstuffs of the Pacific Northwest. There's no pretension here, no orthodoxy. Just skill, improvisational talent, and years of experience. He's managed to build all that into a cookbook, written with Cynthia Nims, that will work in the home kitchen and stand out on the bookshelf for years to come. This is not a trendy cuisine that will fade into foolishness after a few years. Rover's is a root experience, a celebration of the best imaginable ingredients, and the culinary magic to transform them into memorable meals.
After brief introductions to food and wine pairing principles and seasonal menus, Rautureau divides his chapters into Salads, Soups, Cold Appetizers, Hot Appetizers, Vegetarian Main Courses, Seafood Main Courses, Meat Main Courses, Sorbets, Desserts, and the fabulous Rover's Foundation Recipes (all the stocks, flavored oils, cookies, and pastry doughs). He's particularly well-known for his vegetarian dishes. So be sure to check out the likes of Beet and Goat Cheese Tartlets with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Puree, or Red Bell Pepper Flan with Green Lentils and Rosemary Beurre Blanc. His Baked Alaskan Halibut with Morels, Ramps, and Smoked Bacon Butter Sauce is worth any effort.
Many of these recipes are challenging, and Rautureau tells you as much. But he encourages as well. He's truly an ambassador of heightened cuisine. With Rover's he extends his hand to novice and experienced cook alike to join him in his singular quest for deliciousness. Rover's couldn't serve as a better passport. --Schuyler Ingle
Customer Reviews:
The Chef in the Hat creates more magic!.......2006-01-03
Ever since I first dined at Rover's, 12 years ago, it has been my favorite restaurant, and the yardstick by which I measure all other restaurants. The food, the presentation, the imagination, the service, the ambiance, the wine, and the personalities all combine for an experience that, time after time, reaches perfection. With that in mind, I have been eagerly awaiting the publication of this book to find out how the Chef in the Hat does it, and how I can try to duplicate it at home.
Thierry and Cynthia have been able to capture the essence of Rover's in this beautiful book, with a list of recipes that is both intriguing and enticing, without creating a "This was done by a trained professional, and should not be attempted at home," coffee table book (as so often is the case from well known chefs). There are amazing recipes here that can be prepared in a home kitchen, with outstanding results. The reason for this is that Thierry has suggestions about de-intimidating the recipes. He gives you suggestions for options from the full blown recipe to less demanding preparations, with more common ingredients. He acknowledges that the home chef does not have an army of minions and an unlimited pantry saying, "I'd rather have you cook the recipe and enjoy it without garnish, rather than have you panic about shrimp roe and chervil sprigs!" But, oh, what wonderful results!
The book is also a pleasure to read, as Thierry's charisma, humor and touching recollections about home and family add considerable warmth and charm, much like his visits to the tables do at Rover's.
This book will sit on my shelf, alongside books from Charlie Trotter's, the French Laundry, and Jean-Louis. The difference is that within a few months it will not look new, like the others do. Instead, I expect that it will look like my copy of Julia Child's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, with a broken spine and loose and spattered pages, from frequent use.
The Magician in the Hat reveals his secrets.......2005-11-07
The secrets are out! Thierry has lifted the curtain on the magic show he runs at his Seattle restaurant. Rover's Restaurant has and does define the superlative in Seattle and I think even transcends the category. Every detail is superb and the dining is an prix fixe experience. With this cookbook, now you can try and try to replicate the delicate and wonderful flavors in your own kitchen. Although the recipes are complex, they are also simple and not too intimidating (or is that wishful thinking). The steps to each dish are well explained and the preparation tips and ideas are very helpful. I also appreciate a lot of the substitution ideas that can accelerate the process. I expect to apply the techniques I am learning on other recipes too.
As you will find in the description, the menu is a combination of French continental together with various influences from around the world.
I am only through about 1/2 the recipes so far and I am extemely pleased. This book is well written and enjoyable to read. I think it would make an excellent gift to yourself. You will be gratified and proud to create any of these dishes and be very pleased to consume them! Get this before your friends do!
Please also note a typesetting error on page 169. Go ahead and see if you detect the missing ingredient in the Pinot Noir Sorbet. It needs 3/4 cup of sugar.
Books:
- Man in the Queue
- Moth and Flame: A Benjamin Justice Novel (Benjamin Justice Novels)
- Mrs. Jeffries Weeds the Plot (Victorian Mystery)
- Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist (Mrs. Pollifax Mysteries)
- Murder at Ford's Theatre
- Murder in Grub Street (Sir John Fielding)
- Murder on the Prowl
- Murder, She Wrote: Dying to Retire (Murder She Wrote)
- Nobody Loves a Centurion (SPQR VI)
- Note of Peril (Hideaway Series #4) (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense)
Books Index
Books Home
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It Had to Be You (Grace & Favor Mystery Series, No. 5)
Someone to Watch Over Me (Grace & Favor Mystery Series #3)
In the Still of the Night (Grace & Favor Mystery Series, No. 2)
Anything Goes (Grace and Favor Mystery Series, No. 1)
Who's Sorry Now? (Grace & Favor Mystery Series #6)
