Average customer rating:
- Healing emerald necklace
- 3rd in the series.... Great Fun
- Evita
- A reissued Richard Jury novel
- Melrose & Jury - done with Panache by Curry
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The Anodyne Necklace
Martha Grimes
Manufacturer: Onyx
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The Dirty Duck
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ASIN: 0451410890
Release Date: 2004-01-06 |
Book Description
Third in the bestselling series from "one of the established masters of the genre" (Newsweek). Scotland Yard's Richard Jury solves a bizarre murder in an even stranger town-and follows a treasure map to yet another chilling crime...
Customer Reviews:
Healing emerald necklace.......2007-10-11
Anodyne Necklace.
This is the third novel in the Richard Jury of Scotland Yard detective series. The first novel in the series is Man With a Load of Mischief and the second is Old Fox Deceived. Each book in this long running series is named after an actual pub in Great Britain.
The character development is the best feature of this book, with my favorite character being Melrose Plant, oft-put-upon by his thoroughly nasty aunt by marriage, Lady Agatha Ardry.
Melrose gave up his title as Lord Ardry, still lives in his family's ancestral manor, Ardry End, and he doesn't stop his aunt from blatantly pilfering treasures from his home.
Oh yes, there is a murder, of a young lady whose fingers are cut off. Another young girl is knocked on the head as she plays violin in a subway station, and she is in a coma. Someone has crafted a treasure map, and a very valuable emerald has been stolen.
Get busy, Richard Jury and volunteer detective Melrose Plant, and solve this case!
3rd in the series.... Great Fun.......2007-06-26
The Anodyne Necklace,by Martha Grimes, is actually the third book in this great series. This book introduces a recurring character by the name of Polly Praed. She will become one of the primary love interests of Melrose Plant. Ms. Grimes is in excellent evocative form in this novel which features multiple murders and a clue - a necklace. There are a bunch of eclectic characters in this one. This is a solid 4 star read.
If you are new to the series, than congratulations... you have found an excellent series by a very witty and gifted author. For those of you new to the series, here are the books in order:
The Man with a Load of Mischief
The Old Fox Deceived
The Anodyne Necklace
The Dirty Duck
Jerusalem Inn
Help the Poor Struggler
The Deer Leap
I am the only Running Footman
The Five Bells and Bladebone
The Old Silent
The Old Contemptibles
The Horse You Came In on
Rainbow's End
The Case has Altered
The Stargazey
The Lamorna Wink
The Blue Last
The Grave Maurice
The Winds of Change
The Old Wine Shades
Dust
Evita.......2006-08-08
Katie O'Brien plays the violin at a tube station to earn money for fashionable clothes. Playing a theme from EVITA she is hit on the back of the head. Racer calls to tell Jury he is going to go to Hertford, not Northants, for the weekend. The reader finds Melrose Plant drinking shooting sherry with his aunt, Agatha Ardry, as he tries to sneak off to join Jury in the murder investigation. It seems that a sort of bird watching fanatic, Ernestine Craigie, has spotted the dead body looking through her binoculars. The body of the murder victim rests in the vicinity of an overgrown public footpath in the Horndean woods.
The violinist ends up in the hospital in a coma. She is the daughter of the female publican of the village, Mary O'Brien. The pub is called the Bold Blue Boy. The identity of the homicide victim is Cora Binns. There are connections. The girl in a coma comes from the village where Cora Binns's body is discovered. She was playing at the tube station, Wembley Knotts, from which Cora Binns departed to travel to Littlebourne. After a far amount of dithering, Melrose Plant and Richard Jury meet up at the pub, the Bold Blue Boy. It is learned that the girl in the coma, Katie, gave a child a book just in case. The child, Emily, gives the book to Melrose Plant.
Then there is another incident occurring at a village fete. It seems the two homicide victims worked at the same secretarial agency. A valuable necklace, stolen previously from one of the inhabitants of Littlebourne, is discovered in a crevice at the Wembley Knotts Underground Station. Katie dies. Her violin teacher plays Pavanne for a Dead Princess at the site, the station. There is a sting operation resulting in the capture of the wrongdoer.
Polly Praed and Jenny Kennington are minor characters in this adventure. The title, of course, is the name of another pub having significance to the mystery and neatly coinciding, (necklace=necklace), with one of the clues to the three deaths.
A reissued Richard Jury novel.......2005-05-21
I am looking at the January 2004 Reissue by Onyx. The original copyright is 1983, so don't be surprised by the reference to Princess Di. The settings for the novel are London and the small suburban town of Littlebourne. The Anodyne Necklace is the name of a working class pub in London.
The storyline is interesting, with a mugging and a couple of murders that have to be drawn together. The story revolves around a valuable stolen emerald, set into a necklace. The thief, who had been a trusted personal secretary to the moderately wealthy owner, was killed in an accident shortly after the theft. He left a clue to the location where he concealed the jewelry, but the clue itself became concealed.
Now it is a year later. People who might have knowledge about the necklace are being assaulted and killed. There appears to be an unknown accomplice to the theft. Richard Jury and Melrose Plant track down the information, and leads take them in various directions, including a Wizards snd Warriors game. It seems that the deceased thief was a master of the game, and the clue seems to be in a game map.
The plot is complex and seems, perhaps, to be overly contrived in places. The author seems to have a fixation on flashers (they have shown up in other novels), and in this novel we have Ash the Flash and his young son, Friendly. The flashers seem peripheral to the main plot.
The novel has a surprise ending when the identity of the accomplice is revealed. It is not great literature, but provides an interesting whodunit for light reading.
A previous reviewer is incorrect in stating that this is the first novel in the Jury/Plant series. The first novel in the series is "The Man with a Load of Mischief." I believe that this is the third novel in the series (there is a Listmania listing available, prepared by a different reviewer). A local bookseller has recently stocked the full series, so I believe the full series has been reissued.
Melrose & Jury - done with Panache by Curry.......2004-07-27
When I first read the Jury and Plant series, all the books named after Pubs, I was shocked to learn she was American. She just does Brit droll humor to a T. I was even more shocked when later I learned that Grimes was actually dropped by Knopf Publishing, saying she was not making her advance back on the Jury series. Well, she has gone on to make them eat those words as every one is now a bestseller. I absolutely love to read, but in this instance, I actually prefer to enjoy the audio tapes simply because they are done by the great Tim Curry. As Grimes does Brit humor to perfection, Tim brings Richard Plant, Melrose Plant and his indomitable Aunt Agatha so perfectly. Curry slips into one character after another with such panache - right down to children. The combination of Grimes and Curry is just not to be missed.
In the Anodyne Necklace, a violin, an ancent emerald necklace and a severed finger are clue to solving the ghastly murder in the wood of Littlebourne. The town is filled with dotty birdwatchers, a pretentious Peer, and more suspects than Jury can handle. Naturally, the ever-so-helpful, Melrose Plant, a Peer who has shun his titles, tags along to aid his friend - actually, to escape his Aunt Agatha who refuses to let Melrose give up his titles. The key unriddling the Littlebourne mystery is hidden in coded treasure map.
It's great full all they way, and an absolutely must for Curry fans! Martha loves the old saying he who laughs last...she has been having one big giggle on the shortsightedness of Knopf ever since!
Average customer rating:
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THE ANODYNE NECKLACE
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GR4RSS |
Average customer rating:
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A Study in Eighteenth-Century Advertising Methods: The Anodyne Necklace
Francis Doherty
Manufacturer: Edwin Mellen Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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Advertising
| Marketing & Sales
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ASIN: 0773491775 |
Product Description
Paperbacks
Product Description
8 Mass Market Paperback Titles By Martha Grimes - The Man with a Load of Mischief - Dirty Duck - Jerusalem Inn - The Old Contemptibles - Grave Maurice - Five Bells and Bladebone - The End of the Pier - The Anodyne Neckl
Average customer rating:
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ANODYNE NECKLACE
MARTHA GRIMES
Manufacturer: NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY/MASS MARK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000KUW7BK |
Book Description
One bachelor down . . . three more to go. Four most desirable gentlemen have wagered one shilling apiece and a bottle of cognac that will go to the last unmarried man standing . . .
Nigel Cavendish knows he'll marry one day, but hopefully that day is many years—and many women—in the future! Until then, the handsome, unrepentant rake intends to enjoy life's pleasures to the fullest!
From the moment Lady Felicity Melville spies the adventurous scoundrel climbing from a neighbor's window—with his comely conquest's husband in hot pursuit—she knows Nigel is the answer to her prayers . . . with a little reformation, of course! Felicity craves excitement and who in all of London is more exciting than the infamous Mr. Cavendish? So what's a girl to do but hatch a scheme to win what she so fervently desires. But her plan works too well when a game of chance and an errant pistol shot abruptly make them husband and wife—but in a way neither wanted.
Now Felicity has to prove to her wayward husband that she's the only woman he could ever want . . . or need!
Customer Reviews:
Throughly enjoyable.......2007-08-21
What A Lady Wants is a keeper. I absolutely love the premise behind this series (four confirmed bachelors making a bet as to who will be the last man standing). Victoria Alexander has written a story that is lighthearted, witty and imaginative without being sappy or silly. If you are looking for a book that is pure fun and won't make you think too hard, give this one a try. I have also read the first book in this series (A Little Bit Wicked) and can't wait for the third book in this delightful series to come out.
Delightful!.......2007-07-09
Victoria scores again! This is a wonderful novel and a wonderful follow up to "A little bit wicked". Victoria's charachters are wonderful, especially her damsels who might think they are in distress but are actually funny, smart and self-sufficent ladies who know exactly what they want and how to goet it.
My only criticism is that she can't produce books fast enough to keep me satisfied! keep them comming! I look forward to the next one!
Cute.......2007-07-03
This is the first book I have read by this author, and though I was not necessarily thrilled with this book, I don't know that I would anticipate her future releases with bated breath. It was cute. Not great, but certainly not the worst I've read. As a matter of fact, I found the first 2/3 of the book rather amusing. But it lost its charm after that, and the heroine went from declaring she would marry the hero to giving up her quest entirely. For no apparent reason. All he did was deny (for the umpteen-millionth time) that he had no desire to be wed. And it suddenly sunk in? The change was too abrupt. Then, again for no apparent reason, she wakes up in the middle of the night determined to have him again. Huh? Now, if she'd doubted herself at all during this time, it might have made her more real to me. As she was written, though, she was too wishy-washy for my taste.
for a certain type of reader.......2007-03-15
If you like the romances where the heroine tricks or coerces the clueless hero into falling in love with her/marrying her, with the assistance of a gaggle of giggling girlfriends, then this is the book for you. For me, it is hard to read the numerous scenes where she has cornered him into doing something that he doesn't want to do, but, once he does it, it supposedly advances their relationship. If you like these kinds of scenarios, this book is for you. Otherwise, I would skip it, because it will drive you nutty.
A great book.......2007-03-08
This is the second book I've read by this author, and technically I bought it on a whim online. Not sure if it was fate but I really enjoyed this book, the pacing was great and the banter between Nigel and Felicity was sharp and witty and laugh out loud in some spots. Ms. Alexander created two very strong and well drawn characters and that is what really makes this book stand out.
Average customer rating:
- A Hilarious Whodunnit from Crusie!
- What the Lady Wants
- A Wild and Crazy Ride
- Fun book early in the Crusie universe
- Early Cruise
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What The Lady Wants
Jennifer Crusie
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 155166951X |
Book Description
Nothin' like a dame . . .
Mitch Peabody was learning pretty fast that the life of a private detective was not all it was cracked up to be. Cheating husbands, suspicious wives, unsuspecting mistresss -- case after case left him cynical and disillusioned. This was nothing like the world of tough-talking detectives and smart-mouthed, stunning dames he'd envisioned . . . until she walked through the door.
Right down to her stilettos, Mae Sullivan was a knockout with a lethal body -- and a lethal family to go with it. There was something not quite on the up-and-up about her, but she came with a case he couldn't afford to refuse . . . and left him with a case of lust like he hadn't had since high school. It didn't take long for him to fall for her, hook, line and sinker. But was Mae only interested in catching the double-crossing crooks who murdered her uncle . . . or did the lady want to catch him?
Customer Reviews:
A Hilarious Whodunnit from Crusie!.......2007-07-13
I love Jennifer Crusie! Although this book didn't captivate me quite as much as her more recent releases, it still sparked with imagination, romance, and Crusie's wonderful humor!
Mae Sullivan is in need of a slow and stupid private eye to send on a wild goose chase for a non-existent murderer. Mitch Peatwick is about ready to pull out from his floundering detective agency, when his dream client walks through the door. He knows she's lying, but he's intrigued by the case. And by her. Then he finds out about Mae's mob relations, her uncle's floozy mistress, and millions of dollars that have disappeared into thin air. Suddenly, a murder doesn't seem quite as improbable.
Written in the form of a typical detective story, Crusie keeps us in the dark until the very end. Will Mitch solve the mystery? Will Mae get what she wants? Find out in this Crusie classic!
What the Lady Wants.......2006-11-10
I'm a big fan of Jennifer Crusie. All the books I've read of hers are entertaining and this was no different. It would have been better if I was a Sam Spade fan, but it was still a great read.
A Wild and Crazy Ride.......2006-07-20
Mae Belle, Mitch, and cast.
This is a GREAT read.
Mae Belle is an orphan (well past the age of consent) that was raised by her three Uncles - who are as different as different can be - and who all lived in separate houses. She is worried about caring for her late Uncle's Butler and Housekeeper - who are more like parents to Mae rather than servants, and the dog (another great dog character).
Mitch is a stock-broker going through a small mid-life crisis. He always wanted to be a PI and finally took his chance on a bet. He meets Mae Belle (whom he calls Mabel to annoy her) during the last week of his bet. Her retainer wins him the bet.
My favorite scene is where Mae calls Mitch and tells him to come over. He is so excited that he tries to exit his apartment lacking clothing. (He got the call right as he got out of the shower.) Luckily, his friend shows up and makes sure that he is dressed before he leaves (in shoes, no socks, a suit jacket, and pants). As they are driving to Mae Belle's his friend doesn't grasp the urgent nature of Mitch's flight to Mae Belle's side. Mitch says, "She asked me to come over. Now." His friend finally catches on, and gets Mitch there in one piece.
The story is fun, fast-paced, rich with supporting characters, and well worth the read.
Fun book early in the Crusie universe.......2005-12-01
_What The Lady Wants_ is a fun PI story that takes some textbook type characters and gives them a not so normal spin. Mitch is actually moonlighting as a PI on a bet from his clients. Mae Belle is a tossed around girl who can put on the air of a well-to-doer. With a family who goes from the extreme capitalist to the back alley mob, Mae sure delivers the entertainment.
This isnt my favorite Crusie book but it was a good nightstand book. I'd recommend it to those who want to become acquainted with Crusie's style and pacing.
Early Cruise.......2005-06-13
This was early Cruise about PI who gets hired to solve a murder of a rich-heiress uncle. Her family is crazy wonderful characters. This was not my favorite J. Cruise but this was fun story from her early days. If you were looking for standard funny and Entertaining Jennifer Cruise I would recommend faking it, Temptation or Bet Me instead.
Customer Reviews:
A great book about a great merchant, his store and his city.......2003-06-20
This is one of my favorite books. The text is clear, descriptive, and mesmerizes the reader with its storytelling. Inside these pages you will find how Marshall Field and his Company set the standard for retailing in Chicago and indeed the country, and also how the City of Chicago itself influenced the store. The histories of the city and the store are intertwined, and the authors do a wonderful job of explaining the uniqueness of this relationship.
You won't regret purchasing this book. I have read it many, many times over the past 15 years or so and I never tire of it!
Average customer rating:
- wall papers design
- Not so wonderful
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Off the Wall: Wonderful Wall Coverings of the Twentieth Century
Gideon Bosker , and
Sara Corpening Whiteford
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Architecture
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Residential
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ASIN: 0811835731 |
Book Description
Hypnotic flowering vines, black-and-white Op Art odysseys, and seas of patriotic warships are just some of the beautiful, strange, and fantastic patterns that have adorned the walls of homes the world over. In the tradition of best-seller Fabulous Fabrics of the 50s, this home decor reference book entertains while it inspires with flawless reproductions of 150 classic and unique wallpapers; many of which are drawn from the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Covering every decade of the century, Off the Wall celebrates robust pattern and detail in all their manifestations. Lively text and captions help to capture the designers, trends, and world events relevant to each piece, and the broader evolution of the genre, from a 1948 mural of rural America, replete with plump livestock and ripening fields, to the boldly colored abstractions produced in the 1950s by Herman Miller for MOMA. A useful resource for collectors, designers, decorators, and artists, Off the Wall is a colorful and captivating tribute to a widely appreciated medium.
Customer Reviews:
wall papers design.......2007-05-09
this book is very useful for all kinds of designers. wall papers are very modern today as well as they were in the past.
today we use wall papers every where in every possibale space even in fashion stores, coffe shops and not only at houses.
this book gives us a review on the 20th century and which we can find very modern again today.
Not so wonderful.......2006-03-10
I dont think this book of wall paper pictures collection reflects the beauty, width and depth of the wallpaper design in 20th century. I have seen (and used) much better, detailed, artistic and representative examples myself.
All of the examples are from the 1920-60 period. Nothing after 1960. The book doesnt include any of the glamorous examples either. Another negative thing is all of the examples look like they are printed patterns, they give no idea about the texture, embossing and the paper type used.
If you are into the history of wallpapers this book may give you information but not much inspiring for graphic designers.
I wouldnt have bought it if i had the chance to see more pages because what you see at the Amazon.com "seach inside" feature is all this book about, same style, same not so good examples all through the book.
Average customer rating:
- Inventive and well-written, but lacking tension and development
- Seems to me like a good read
- Great character but story problems
- Reviewers Didn't Let me Down
- A captivating fantasy adventure
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Gideon's Wall
Greg Kurzawa
Manufacturer: Riptide Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0972345604 |
Book Description
The wasteland that fills the borders of the empire has slept undisturbed for decades. But an age of fear is ending, and the Archaists are coming now to unravel a hidden past. They are crossing oceans and braving deserts to seek the truth of what enemy sank a living empire beneath an ocean of sand.
The answer is buried at Gideon's Wall.
Customer Reviews:
Inventive and well-written, but lacking tension and development.......2005-12-29
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I ultimately did. I too am sick of 10,000 page fantasy epics and I really appreciate the rare genre fiction writer who can work in the small. I liked the idea of the story as well-- archeologist as detective is one of the nicest tropes in the fantasy world.
Truthfully, there is an awful lot to like about Gideon's Wall. Kurzawa is generally a good and clear writer. I read it very quickly, the characters and situation gripped me and kept me reading. Del is a well written and very real character. He was interesting and human and gifted with a backstory that left me feeling as though I wished that he had been explored more fully.
Unfortunately, I found that the book had a number of structural and quality issues that made my ultimate feeling about the book much less positive than I believe that it should be. The way that Kurzawa used the archeologist unfortunately meant that the last third of the book was completely lacking in dramatic tension. The story of the fall of Gideon's Wall reads like a myth that would make a wonderful base for a novel, rather than a novel itself. While there is more to a book than knowing how it is going to end, any book works better with a little bit of uncertainty to keep the reader interested.
Although generally clean, the prose had a tendency to become overwrought and labored in places. "Torn tents and shredded lives lay scattered about the sand, and the silence rang like a scream." In a longer book, these kinds of passages would matter less. Unfortunately, because this book is so spare, they really stand out.
If you like dark fantasy worlds with a feel of mythology, then this may well be the book for you. Kurzawa gets big points for trying something new in a genre which is over-populated with retreads. I think that if you are expecting some firs book writer issues then they may bother you less than they bothered me.
There is a good chance that I would pick up another book by Kurzawa, I assume that a writer this talented can grow through any teething problems.
Seems to me like a good read.......2005-02-20
I was encouraged to read this by a colleague of mine and, at first, I was hesitant: I'm not one to read a lot of fiction/fantasy. I finally gave in and I have to admit I rather enjoyed it. The build up was slow but neccesary to set the tone and atmosphere for the plot. There's a sense of emptiness at the end of the book but at the same time a deep, burdoning understanding that civilizations fall by the simplest of means.
Great character but story problems.......2004-08-10
I picked up Gideon's wall based on Amazon linking it to authors like Gene Wolfe & Ian MacLeod. The writing is direct and compelling, and the main character is easy to like -- embodying competence and honor, but without that "special providence" most fantasy/sci-fi main characters have. He's near enough to normal to identify with, and moves through the plot without being destined for a great purpose. That much of the book makes it worthwhile, and most will read it in a day or two.
The problem with the book relates to the story itself, rather than the otherwise compelling delivery. As noted in the general book description, Gideon's wall concerns the mysterious fall of a great civilization (an empire sunk beneath an ocean of sand). With the whole focus of the book on why the civilization fell, I had expected a more thoughtful and interesting cause of death.
Without providing a spoiler, I can say that there was a cause, but that it lacked any real significance. I was left feeling really bad for lots of dead people, and with a sense of abstracted respect for all those who fought valiantly against the inevitable. But I didn't have any real idea whether there was a point.
This, I suppose, is both a positive and negative about new fantasy: the good-evil binary that powers traditional fantasy provides each book with its own significance (good triumphs over evil, much happiness and freedom ensues). In doing away with it, you've got to come up with some reason why the book should be read. Why invent a whole world of people just to kill them all off unless you've got a reason? If the cause simply "is", and no philosophical/moral/political, etc. implications can be drawn from it, then it seems to make sense to focus the story on how the cause of death is reacted to by others. No such thing here. It's just: there was an empire; it was destroyed. The end. And even though an entire civilization was destroyed 40 years previous, only archaeologists seem care why it happened.
Good thing the main character was cool.
Reviewers Didn't Let me Down.......2004-07-23
As a fan of traditional fantasy, I was skeptical at first, but I over-whelmingly agree with the reviwers who said they couldn't put the book down. I read it in just two nights!
The story started out rather like a systematic unveiling of history, but before I knew it, I was knee-deep in a complex man's life- a character, by the way, I will never forget!
I was appreciatively swept away.
A captivating fantasy adventure.......2004-01-14
Gideon's Wall is a captivating fantasy adventure by Greg Kurzawa which is set forty years after the demise of a great empire. As an age of fear ends, a group of truth-seekers set out to delve the ruins and learn what terrible enemy brought about such utter devastation upon human civilization. Gideon's Wall is a captivating and recommended fantasy novel of post-holocaust rebuilding in the wake of despair and a haunting quest for knowledge.
Book Description
Written by an internationally recognized expert in the field of quality management, this book will serve as a guide for planning and implementing a successful quality measurement program in health-care facilites.
Customer Reviews:
A great how-to-book.......2006-11-22
The chapters are well organized and the prose style well written and easy to understand. The clarity of explanations and differentiations will jump start the novitiate and serve as a review for the expert. The book delivers its title promise of walking readers through choosing and evaluating quality indicators. The last chapter has lots of quality improvement case studies that can serve as templates for actual quality improvement. I recommend this book highly.
Highly Recommended for Health Quality Professionals.......2004-09-06
There is ample evidence America has a serious problem with poor quality health care. Thankfully, there is no shortage of caring professionals motivated to improve care and the problems are solvable. As with any effort to improve performance, measurement is the first step to improving care and reducing medical mistakes. As I often remind clients and colleagues: you can't fix what you can't see.
However, measuring hospital and physician quality is complex. And too often efforts to measure quality get bogged down - perfect becomes the enemy of good and analysis becomes the enemy of action.
This book serves as an excellent, up-to-date guide on how to design and implement an effective quality measurement program, particularly in hospitals. While paying close attention to the importance of clinically sound measurement, this guide focuses on providing practical and actionable advice. Specifically, the book provides:
1. Helpful overview on quality measurement, the increasing demands of consumers and purchasers for public disclosure of provider quality, and the information consumers find most valuable in their decision making.
2. Practical advice on how to select quality indicators, collect and organize data, and create a dashboard to monitor progress.
3. Technical guidance on how to analyze data effectively, including how and when to accept limitations and variations.
4. Cases studies on how to use quality measurement to improve both clinical and operational performance.
The author, Robert Lloyd, PhD, is executive director of performance improvement at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (ihi.org) and a highly regarded expert in quality measurement.
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Books Index
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