"The Magnificent Mary Ann” by Philip Kraske is a fascinating look at how one event that may seem minor to one person changes the course of events for another. Rarely do we know the effect our words or actions have on others. Sitting next to...

"Portrait of a Prisoner" by Martin Line opens with the sentencing of David Cuthbertson to 7 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. David is a dock worker who could have been much more had his family situation been more stable. He...

"Okatibbee Creek" is based on the true story of the main character in this story, Mary Ann Rodgers. This story opens in 1834 when young Mary is six years old, and is spending time down at the creek with her brothers and sister while waiting...

Carefree Clement Scheutz and his girlfriend Samantha love to roam the Caribbean wherever their schooner will take them. But they are out of money and head to Culebra, an island with few tourists and easy living. Clement is offered a shipping job of taking a...

"The Summer Before the Storm" by Gabriele Wills is initially a romantic story about seemingly kinder and gentler times. Set in the Muskoka wilderness of Canada, the Wyndham family give us a glimpse into the lavish, privileged life of the rich. There are both "old...

This is another book in 'Karen Pirnot's Ordinary Kids' series which is aimed at pre-teen kids. The main characters in these stories face hurdles. Crighton, an energetic, friendly, popular kid who lives for sports, is diagnosed with leukaemia. Suddenly his life becomes completely different. He...

"Unintended Consequences" by Marti Green is an excellent read. Dani Trumball is drawn into solving an old murder case. One man, George Calhoun, is in death row, and maintains he is innocent of killing his daughter, Angelina. There is a body, but it is badly...

"Monster Hill" tells of Boston and the crime bosses and their followers who trafficked in whatever brought them power and money. Years ago, in 1963, Angelo Garguilo ran all the local crime except for that of the Irish, better known as the Winter Hill gang....

The setting for this tale is 1954. Eleven year old Patsy was exploring the area around her new home in Sand Flat, Nebraska, when she met Hap. Hap was a little taller than she was and about the same age. He told her he had...

Evelyn Barrett was a highly successful attorney whose husband Eddie loves her despite her temper and outgoing, outspoken ways. On page 88, Eddie says of the day they met when Evelyn marched up to the AT&T phone yard demanding to speak with a supervisor, "I...