Review: Stolen in the Night by Patricia Macdonald

Title: Stolen in the Night
Author: Patricia Macdonald
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: September 4, 2007
Edition: Hardcover (304 pages)

Stolen in the Night by Patricia MacDonald

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Tess DeGraff was nine-years-old when her older sister was abducted and murdered. She saw the person who was responsible, she thought, but twenty years later, it appears she may have been mistaken, and the killer is still at large.

This is the first book by Patricia Macdonald I have read, and I will definitely be coming back for more. The story was interesting, fast-paced, suspenseful, and the plot kept me guessing as to the real killer's identity. Crime fiction with a romantic and suspenseful twist.

Review: Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer by David Reichert

Title: Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer
Author: David Reichert
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: July 28, 2004
Edition: Hardcover (320 pages)

Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer by David Reichert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When Officer David Reichert was called away from his daughter's Birthday celebration, he had no way to know that it would begin a more than twenty-year hunt for the Green River Killer, Gary Leon Ridgway. This investigation had an impact on so many lives and families, and the author shares much of that with the reader, as he explains the ups and downs of the investigation, and the devastating consequences of the actions of this serial killer.

This book gave me an even greater appreciation for the sacrifices made by law enforcement personnel and their families. It was a difficult read, in some ways, because of the subject matter and the physical descriptions of what these murder victims suffered. It is amazing that the members of the Green River Task Force never gave up their pursuit of this murderer. They were relentless and dogged in their determination to solve these horrific crimes and bring the killer to justice.

Lynn's List (March 25, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Journey Interrupted by Hildegarde Mahoney
• The Lake House by Kate Morton
• Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Bary
• American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham
• Welcome to Forever by Annie Rains
• Year Zero by Ian Buruma
• Lucy Crown by Irwin Shaw
• The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll
• Warrior: A Memoir by Alan Eisenstock and Theresa Larson
• Preserving Memory: The Struggle to Create America's Holocaust Museum by Edward T. Linenthal
• Deadliest Sea by Kalee Thompson
• Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle
• Pieces of My Mother by Melissa Cistaro
• Washington and Hamilton by Tony Williams and Stephen F. Knott
• No One Knows by J. T. Ellison
• The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
• A Dark Devotion by Clare Francis
• Night Sky by Clare Francis
• Keep Me Close by Clare Francis
• Back from the Dead by Bill Walton
• The Promised City: New York Jews 1870-1914 by Moses Rischin
• Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard
• Saving Alex by Joanna Brooks and Alex Cooper

Review: He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and My Quest For Justice by Jeanine Pirro

Title: He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and My Quest For Justice
Author: Jeanine Pirro
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: November 3, 2015
Edition: eBook (336 pages)

He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and My Quest for Justice by Jeanine Pirro

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In 1982, Kathleen Durst was in her last year of medical school when she disappeared--but her body was never found. Her husband, Robert Durst, didn't report her missing for five days, and the police and the Durst family did not seem particularly concerned; spinning the story that she ran off of her own volition. But her family and friends did not believe this. And the case languished until 1999 when the then District Attorney for Westchester County New York, Jeanine Pirro, began what turned out to be a fifteen year investigation of Kathleen's cold case. A case which took many twists and turns, but ultimately, even the money and power wielded by the Durst family could not stop this most tenacious of prosecutors.

I have been interested in this case for a long time as a result of seeing it profiled on various TV crime shows, so was anxious to read Ms. Pirro's book. And, I was not disappointed. She is a woman of great empathy for the victims of crime and their families, and she did not let wealth and power stand in her way of seeking justice for Kathleen Durst.

This book is also a page turner. It has everything you might expect in a work of crime fiction, except this is not fiction. It is a straight forward account of the Robert Durst investigation, and those who worked tirelessly to bring him to justice and also those who did all they could to thwart it.

Lynn's List (March 18, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• I Will Bear Witness: A Diary of the Nazi Years, 1942-1945 by Victor Klemperer
• What Would Jefferson Do?: A Return to Democracy by Thom Hartmann
• Time to Run: Part One (Nick of Time) by John Gilstrap
• An AUTOBIOGRAPHY of THEODORE ROOSEVELT by Stephen Brennan
• Reluctant genius by Charlotte Gray
• Capital Punishment by Billy Wayne Sinclair and Jodie Sinclair
• Delayed Legacy: A Son's Search For The Story Of His Father's Death After D-day by Conrad John Netting IV
• Broken by Greg Fromholz
• The Rope: A Novel by Kanan Makiya
• The Political Thought of Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sue Davis
• iPhone: The Missing Manual by David Pogue
• The Acts of Peter: Early Christian Apocrypha by Robert F. Stoops and Julian V. Hills
• Sherryl Woods The Bridal Path Trilogy Complete Collection by Sherryl Woods
• Heartland by Sherryl Woods
• A Gift of Love by Sherryl Woods
• Fever Pitch by Sherryl Woods
• The Soldier's Homecoming by Donna Alward
• In a Heartbeat by Rita Herron
• A Breath Away by Rita Herron
• Northern Sunset by Penny Jordan
• Nora Roberts The Stanislaskis Series Books 1-3 by Nora Roberts
• Nora Roberts The Stanislaskis Series Books 4-6 by Nora Roberts
• Yesterday's Lies by Lisa Jackson
• A Cry in the Night by Linda Castillo
• Crossroads by Irene Hannon
• When Lightning Strikes by Brenda Novak
• As Close To Us As Breathing by Elizabeth Poliner
• The Stronghold by Lisa Carter
• A Charles Martin Collection by Charles Martin
• An Unbroken Heart: An Amish of Birch Creek Novel by Kathleen Fuller
• He Killed Them All by Jeanine Pirro
• The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
• Tanks in Hell: A Marine Corps Tank Company on Tarawa by Oscar E. Gilbert and Romain Cansiere
• D-Day by Antony Beevor
• The Coldest Fear by Rick Reed
• Full Frontal Murder by Barbara Paul
• The Belzec Death Camp: History, Biographies, Remembrance by Chris Webb
• The Rope: A Novel by Kanan Makiya
• Two If by Sea by Jacquelyn Mitchard
• The Covered Bridge by Karen Harper
• The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder
• C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity: A Biography by George M. Marsden
• A Brilliant Death by Robin Yocum
• On Being Raped by Raymond M. Douglas
• Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
• Warrior: A Memoir by Alan Eisenstock and Theresa Larson
• Deep Trouble by Rob Lofthouse
• Double Trouble by Rob Lofthouse
• Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer by Sheriff David Reichert
• No One to Trust by Melody Carlson
• Alaskan Reunion by Belle Calhoune

Review: The Alternate-Day Diet: Turn on Your "Skinny Gene," Shed the Pounds, and Live a Longer and Healthier Life by James B. Johnson

Title: The Alternate-Day Diet: Turn on Your "Skinny Gene," Shed the Pounds, and Live a Longer and Healthier Life
Author: James B. Johnson
Publisher: Perigee Books
Publication Date: April 10, 2008
Edition: eBook (288 pages)

The Alternate-Day Diet: Turn on Your "Skinny Gene," Shed the Pounds, and Live a Longer and Healthier Life by James B. Johnson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Dr. James Johnson has written an informative book on so many levels. The first thing I noticed is his realistic approach to food, eating and even addiction. The book title speaks for itself when it comes to his view. The basic strategy is to eat normally on one day, and the next day eat much less. He explains, in detail, the genetic component, what we crave, and why we crave it. And, he also discusses the frustration of counting calories.

Before reading this book, I began following a similar eating regimen, on my own. I wanted to pray and fast one day, and eat the next. On my fast day, I drink only liquids, and if it is necessary to take medication for migraines on that day, I eat just enough so as not to become sick from the medication. I did not do this as a weight loss strategy, but I have already lost inches, feel better, and have more energy and almost no cravings. So, in my experience, this plan works for me and is doable. Dr. Johnson is not a proponent of dairy. However, I've substituted chocolate 2% milk for the weight loss shakes and have gotten a good result. I do not care for the taste or texture of those shakes, and they are expensive.

Even if you do not intend to follow the alternate-day-diet, this book is interesting reading for information sake. The scientific explanation is clear and understandable, and the approach is practical. There are also some great recipes included.

Review: Unspeakable (Tracers, #2) by Laura Griffin

Title: Unspeakable (Tracers, #2)
Author: Laura Griffin
Publisher: Pocket Books Romance
Publication Date: June 29, 2010
Edition: Mass Market Paperback (384 pages)

Unspeakable by Laura Griffin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


As a newly minted FBI agent, Elaina McCord intends to follow in her father's footsteps and become an FBI profiler. She sets out to prove herself by trying to find a cunning killer who has murdered several young women over a period of years. In the process she comes face-to-face with several impediments, not to mention love--but then that my be the least of her problems.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Tracers Series. Not only are these books suspenseful, but the reader is right there with the characters. Now, it's on to the third book, Unforgivable.

Lynn's List (March 11, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Revenge by Lisa Jackson
• The Sellout by Paul Beatty
• John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit by James Traub
• Founders' Son by Richard Brookhiser
• November 22 1963 by Helen Thomas and Dean R. Owen
• Burn Pits by Jesse Ventura and Joseph Hickman
• John Wayne Gacy by Danny Broderick and Sam L. Amirante
• English Creek by Ivan Doig
• Catching Air by Sarah Pekkanen
• These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen
• The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
• Lucky by Alice Sebold
• Riding Rockets by Mike Mullane
• Jesus Called – He Wants His Church Back by Ray Johnston
• The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
• The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy
• The Great Santini by Pat Conroy
• The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy
• Windows 10: The Missing Manual by David Pogue
• The Justice Series 5-Book Bundle by T. E. Woods
• The Uncharted Path by Lee Myung-Bak
• Elizabeth Taylor, A Passion for Life by Joseph Papa
• Compulsion by Meyer Levin
• Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
• At All Costs by John Gilstrap
• Hard Cold Winter by Glen Erik Hamilton
• The Truth Trap by Frances A. Miller
• Unreasonable Hope by Judah Smith and Chad Veach
• All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage
• Until We Are Free by Shirin Ebadi
• The Vanishing of Flight MH370 by Richard Quest
• The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Laura Ingalls Wilder and William Anderson
• The Big Fix by Tracey Helton Mitchell
• A Notorious Woman by Elizabeth J. Clapp
• Balancing Act by Fern Michaels
• No Safe Secret by Fern Michaels
• Killer Reunion by G. A. McKevett
• Reining in Murder by Leigh Hearon
• Just Plain Sadie by Amy Lillard
• Blind Beauty by K. M. Peyton
• The Gathering Storm (The Second World War, Volume 1) by Winston Churchill
• The Family of Jesus by Karen Kingsbury
• The Money Makers: How Roosevelt And Keynes Ended The Depression, Defeated Fascism, And Secured A Prosperous Peace by Eric Rauchway
• Shadow Behind the Curtain by Velda Johnston
• As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark
• An Honorable Man by Paul Vidich
• The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
• Glory over Everything by Kathleen Grissom
• Marathon Man by Rob Young and Dustin Brooks
• Targets of Deception by Jeffrey S. Stephens
• Targets of Opportunity by Jeffrey S. Stephens
• Targets of Revenge by Jeffrey S. Stephens
• Rogue Mission by Jeffrey S. Stephens

Review: Untraceable (Tracers, #1) by Laura Griffin

Title: Untraceable (Tracers, #1)
Author: Laura Griffin
Publisher: Pocket Star
Publication Date: November 24, 2009
Edition: Paperback (374 pages)


Untraceable by Laura Griffin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Alexandra Lovell has her own private investigation firm. She specializes an helping people disappear. When one of her clients seems to have vanished, Alex becomes involved in trying to find her. She in lists the help of Nathan Deveraux, one of Austin PD's finest.

Much mystery and suspense, and I never knew what would happen next. For those who enjoy police procedurals, this is a great read.

Review: 81 Days Below Zero: The Incredible Survival Story of a World War II Pilot in Alaska's Frozen Wilderness by Brian Murphy

Title: 81 Days Below Zero: The Incredible Survival Story of a World War II Pilot in Alaska's Frozen Wilderness
Author: Brian Murphy
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Edition: HardCover (238 pages)

81 Days Below Zero: The Incredible Survival Story of a World War II Pilot in Alaska's Frozen Wilderness by Brian Murphy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Just before Christmas in 1943, Army Lieutenant Leon Crane, Co-pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber flew in to the Alaskan wilderness with his crew for some routine cold weather testing. The plane became uncontrollable and crashed, leaving Leon Crane as the only survivor. Equipped with little more than a pocket knife and nylon parachute, he endured the hardship of blizzards, brutal temperatures, and near starvation.

Not only does author, Brian Murphy tell Lieutenant Crane's story, but along the way, he tells the stories of the other four crew members, as well as much of the history of flight in Alaska. He paints a vivid picture of what Leon Crane endured, and I was left on the edge of my seat wondering about the outcome, not to mention the feeling of awe for those who called the Alaskan wilderness home during WWII.

Review: Miracles on the Water by Tom Nagorski

Title: Miracles on the Water
Author: Tom Nagorski
Publisher: Hachette Books Ireland
Date of Publication: August 4, 2015
Edition: eBook (372 pages)

Miracles on the Water: The Heroic Survivors of a World War II U-Boat Attack by Tom Nagorski

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


September, 1940 was a difficult time for the people of Great Britain. Night after night, German bombs fell. On September 13, 1940 a passenger liner, the S.S. City of Benares, sailed from Liverpool with 406 passengers on board, including 90 British children in route to Canada to escape the bombing and possible death. But that was not to be. On the night of September 17th, a German submarine torpedoed the ship, sending passengers and crew scrambling into lifeboats in the stormy north Atlantic. The ship sank within thirty minutes.

This is the story of those passengers, children and crew. It is one of the most compelling books I have read. Survival, triumph of the human spirit and personal sacrifice are elements of the story one would expect, but the fact that any one of these souls survived is truly remarkable. As I was reading, I kept asking myself 'why is this a story I have never heard before'? Readers are blessed that Tom Nagorski and the survivors have brought this story to light.

This is not a sanitized easy-to-read account, so have your tissues handy. I think you will come away with a feeling of pride and thankfulness for most involved, and an appreciation for miracles.

Lynn's List (March 4, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• A Girl's Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber
• Split Second by David Baldacci
• Jane Addams: Spirit in Action by Louise W. Knight
• The Hours by Michael Cunningham
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• Raven by Tim Reiterman
• American Dreams by John Jakes
• Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life by Lynn Sherr
• The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck
• Consumptionomics: Asia's Role in Reshaping Capitalism and Saving the Planet by Chandran Nair
• Where Did You Sleep Last Night? A Personal History by Danzy Senna
• The Rain Sparrow by Linda Goodnight
• A Home of Her Own by Keli Gwyn
• The Promise of Forgiveness by Marin Thomas
• Gone Again by James Grippando
• Apostle by Tom Bissell
• I Had to Survive by Dr Roberto Canessa and Pablo Vierci
• The Year of Indecision, 1946 by Kenneth Weisbrode
• Fair Labor Lawyer by Marlene Trestman
• America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
• Morning Star by Pierce Brown
• The Mystery of the Lone Wolf Killer: Anders Behring Breivik and the Threat of Terror in Plain Sight by Kathleen M. Puckett and Unni Turrettini
• Young Elizabeth by Kate Williams
• The Suspect by John Lescroart

• Still Waters by Tami Hoag
• Dark Paradise by Tami Hoag
• Guilty as Sin by Tami Hoag
• Night Sins by Tami Hoag