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The main protagonist of River of Darkness is a Scotland Yard detective so damaged by his experiences during the First World War that his superiors worry about his ability to do his job. This may sound like Charles Todd's excellent series about Ian Rutledge, a shell-shocked cop from the same era. But Rennie Airth, a South African journalist who lives in Italy, has made his hero--Inspector John Madden--a somewhat different version of one of England's walking wounded. Madden is both gloomier (he lost his wife and young daughter to an influenza epidemic) and more pragmatic than the poetic, indecisive Rutledge.
Madden is sent to a town in Surrey where a local family has been massacred in what looks like a robbery gone wrong. He finds enough echoes of his recent battlefield experiences to conclude that the killer was just one man--most likely a former soldier using a bayonet. As for motive, it could well be perverse sexual passion, that "river of darkness" to which a psychologist introduces him. We meet the killer early on, watch him as he maintains a rigid control over every aspect of his life, then stare in horror as he periodically explodes into mad violence. Unlike Madden, this man has not been severely damaged or changed by the war; he has simply used it to channel and redirect his dark river. Airth's point--that survival comes in many shapes and sizes--gives a solid foundation to an impressive leap of imagination. --Dick Adler
Book Description
In the tradition of The Alienist, a chilling thriller of murder and psychological detection.
In rural England, in a landscape shadowed by the sorrow of World War I, the peace of a small Surrey village is shattered by a murderous attack, which leaves five butchered bodies and no motive for the killings. Sent by Scotland Yard to investigate is Inspector John Madden, a grave and good man who bears the emotional and physical scars from his own harrowing war experiences and from the tragic loss of his wife and child. The local police dismiss the slaughter as a robbery gone tragically awry, but Madden and his chief inspector detect the work of a madman.
With the help of a beautiful doctor who introduces Madden to the latest developments in forensic psychology and who opens his heart again to the possibility of love, Madden sets out to identify and capture the killer--a demented former soldier with a bloody past--even as he sets his sights on his next innocent victims.
As darkly stylish as the best of P. D. James, rippled with tension and resonant with historical atmosphere, River of Darkness marks the debut of a powerful new voice in suspense writing and of a compelling character whom readers will long to know better.
Customer Reviews:
Survival takes many forms.......2007-09-15
The setting for this novel is a post World War I Britain: still reeling from the combined effects of war and the influenza epidemic of 1918.
A local family in Surrey has been massacred in what appears to be a robbery gone wrong. Enter Inspector John Madden, a veteran of the trenches, who has lost his wife and young daughter to in the influenza epidemic.
This is Rennie Airth's debut novel, and provides an insight into the emotional after effects of war and personal loss together with an exploration of then contemporary psychiatric theory to try to understand, explain and predict the killer's behaviour.
Well developed characters and tight plotting make this an enjoyable, albeit suspenseful, read.
Highly recommended
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Different and Intelligent.......2007-06-12
I generally find stories that feature serial killers to follow a formula that makes the reader grow weary of the story long before the final page. This book is one of the exceptions.
The main characters are well drawn and interesting. Set in the 1921 England the author captures the atmosphere of weariness and lingering tragedy cast by the events of World War I. The story is a frightening one in its quiet rural setting where people have survived the war and are once more going about their normal lives. Into their midst comes a ruthless killer who has no conscience and who happens upon his future victims randomly but then sets about stalking them in a cold calculating way that leaves the reader unsettled.
The story is told from a number of different perspectives and by doing so the reader becomes more involved in the events as they unfold. Attention to detail is well done as are the unexpected twists and turns that the story takes. The author has created a set of characters that are alive and throughout the book remain true. From Inspector Madden to the local bobby to the maid in the artist's house all have their roles to play and enhance the telling of the story.
There is a haunting atmosphere to this tale that remains long after the book has been closed.
The book is finely crafted from beginning to end and is elegantly written with a powerful use of language.
My only disappointment is that the author has not written many more books.
One-hand read.......2007-06-10
Please do not read this book unless you can do things with one hand. The other will be holding the book because you cannot put it down,and should not. Even at the end when you are relaxing for the mop-up Rennie Airth grabs you by the neck one more time.
near perfection.......2007-03-16
Rennie Airth's River of Darkness is just plain spectacular. Great writing, great characters, great plot. Loved the second, can't wait for the third...
Plot is too similar to Thomas Harris "Red Dragon" and "Silence of the Lambs" .......2006-11-06
This book felt very familiar, and with one third of the book left I realized it was essentially the same story as "Red Dragon" (with a time sequence from "Silence of the Lambs",) by Thomas Harris. This might be entirely a coincidence, but still...it left a bad taste.
(Spoiler warning) Here are some similarities:
-Family is stalked and massacred in both books in a very similar way.
-Similar detective character in both books.
-Similary sexually obsessed psychopath in both books.
-The crux of the mystery is the mechanism by which the assasin comes in contact with the victims. This is very similar (home film development technician in "Red Dragon", family portrait painter in the other).
-Interleaving of events by which the detective visits the assasin, while the police raid the wrong house at the same time is very similar.
Average customer rating:
- Loved it
- Mystery or Romance?
- Glad to finish!
- A great historical romance/mystery
- Really good historical romance novel,
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Beyond Compare (Mira)
Candace Camp
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Camp, Candace | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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Mesmerized
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Winterset
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A Stolen Heart (Hqn Romance)
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So Wild A Heart
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The Hidden Heart
ASIN: 0778320308 |
Book Description
Though Kyria Moreland is beautiful enough to earn the sobriquet "The Goddess" and rich enough to attract London's most sought after gentlemen, she has yet to find love and refuses to marry without it. When she receives a strange package under mysterious circumstances, she is confronted with danger, murder and a handsome American whose destiny is entwined with hers . . .
Rafe McIntyre has enough charm to seduce any woman, but his smooth façade hides a bitter past. Still, he has seen enough of the world to know Kyria is in danger, and he refuses to let her solve the riddle of this package alone. But even he is mesmerized by the events that unfold as Kyria begins to sort out the mystery put to her by the arrival of a priceless antiquity. Who sent her this treasure steeped in legend? And who is willing to murder to claim its secrets and its glory for themselves?
Customer Reviews:
Loved it.......2006-11-04
When I see a book by Candace Camp I know it will be great.
Mystery or Romance?.......2004-07-05
Although I enjoy a little mystery with my romance sometimes, I just didn't get into this story. I could almost write 'ditto' on the review (glad to be finished). I had to force myself to continue reading and I also skimmed through with a blah, blah, blah on many sections of the book. I found it easy to put aside to do other things which is a clear sign that it didn't keep my interest. I thoroughly enjoyed Candace Camp's Mesmerized, with mystery and all. I found this book just came up short with the characters and unless you read Mesmerized before you read this book you will not get the full effect of how the Moreland family is such an oddity which was a big part of the first story, Mesmerized. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, but most definetly pick up Mesmerized. It is a fantastic story.
Glad to finish!.......2004-04-26
This was a book that I felt had a lot of potential, but didn't live up to it. I had a hard time finishing it, but I did. I hate to give up on a book, so I slogged through it. The characters were okay. The hero, Rafe, had a lot of potential, and I actually thought he was quite good. The heroine, Kyria, struck me as sort of strident and snippy. I really didn't like her. I realize she was the "Goddess", but I felt she was just rather unlikable. I found myself skipping through the mystery parts to get to the romance. The mystery, while well written, was just not interesting to me. I usually like Candace Camp's work. In this instance, I felt she slipped into the later(and not necessarily better) Amanda Quick mold and gave up the romance for the madcap adventure bit. For me, it didn't work.
A great historical romance/mystery.......2004-04-23
This book starts where the last one, Mesmerized, left off. I liked this book because it provides everything that I was looking for. I love romance, and this one was excellent. The characters were likeable but they also had a few flaws. They fell in love, but it was in a way that made me laugh and sigh at the same time. The women in the book are all strong and independent and I like that type much better than the ones that are weak and needing a man to feel complete. The mystery was fun. It did not capture my interest like the romance but that is because my interests do not lie in history or relics. In any case, I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series of this family.
Really good historical romance novel,.......2004-04-09
I enjoy losing myself to a really good historical romance novel every once in awhile. I think this writer also does a good job with this genre. The characters are a lot of fun and the story line was most entertaining.
Average customer rating:
- My reaction is profound gratitude
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Remote Beyond Compare: Letters of don Diego de Vargas to His Family from New Spain and Mexico, 1675-1706 (Journals of Don Diego De Vargos)
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
New Mexico | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
Southwest | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
West | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Colonial Period | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Letters & Correspondence | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Collections & Readers | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0826311121 |
Book Description
This book, originally published in 1989 and long unavailable, is reissued in conjunction with the completed multi-volume translation of the official correspondence of don Diego De Vargas, late seventeenth-century governor and re-colonizer of New Mexico. These personal letters not only illuminate their author but the history of New Mexico as don Diego experienced it. Like the Journals of don Diego de Vargas, this volume reflects years of document collection, translation, and annotation by the Vargas Project directed by John L. Kessell.
These personal letters illuminate the author and the history of New Mexico as don Diego experienced it.
Customer Reviews:
My reaction is profound gratitude.......2003-09-14
The writings of Diego de Vargas, commander of the re-conquest of New Mexico after 15 years of terror following the revolt of 1680 are now available in English. This book is a must for anyone interested in New Mexico history. This is history straight from the source through the eyes of the man who created the history.
Customer Reviews:
Beyond Compare by Penny Jordan.......2007-02-27
Description from the book back cover:
It was a mistake, it had to be! Howard would come to his senses and realize Holly was the one for him ... Though she was beautiful, good-hearted, and a successful designer at the age of twenty-one, Holly Witchell thought her life was over when her wealthy, upper-crust beau Howard announced his engagement to elegant Rosamund. Determined to make Howard see his mistake, Holly agrees to attend his engagement party, buys the dress of her life, and drives to the event. But destiny has other plans for her: two flat tires and one dirt road later she's rescued by Drew Hammond, Rosamund's jilted boyfriend, who offers her shelter at his lovely, homey, hard-working farm. Will Holly's determination to distract Howard and her belief that Drew grieves for Rosamund prevent her from recognizing true love - and the one man who can offer it to her for life?
Average customer rating:
- Another Great Installment
- Good continuation.
- Its ok
- An Incredible Sequal to the Young Jedi Knights Series
- Great!
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The Shadow Academy (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 2)
Kevin J. Anderson , and
Rebecca Moesta
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Action & Adventure
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Young Jedi Knights
| Star Wars
| Science Fiction
| Series
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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| Books
Young Jedi Knights
| Series
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| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Heirs of the Force (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 1)
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Jedi Under Siege (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 6)
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Lightsabers (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 4)
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Darkest Knight (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 5)
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Shards of Alderaan (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 7)
ASIN: 0425171531 |
Customer Reviews:
Another Great Installment.......2007-07-19
The second book in the Young Jedi Knights Lowie, Jaina and Jacen are visiting Leo's newest business GemDriver when its suddenly attacked by an Imperial fleet. The Jedi are kidnapped and taken to the Shadow Academy, where students are being trained in the dark side of the Force by a Dark Jedi who has teamed up with the Night Sisters of Dathomir. Tenel Ka missed the tripped because she was meeting with an ambassador. She and Luke go after them. Another very exciting story.
Good continuation........2006-01-04
I am not a big hater of Mr. Anderson like a lot of people are. These were written to a younger audience and he achieved it. They are still interesting and these stories play a big part in the following books. I would recommend this book to Star Wars fans young and old. I'm sorry I waited to read these but it makes them more interesting knowing what happens to them later.
Its ok.......2004-03-14
This book is ok but there is no lightsabers in it so its not really exciting
An Incredible Sequal to the Young Jedi Knights Series.......2003-07-25
I especially liked this Book because it really starts the Jedi/Sith relation ship and it begins the actual story because it introduces the real enemy to the Jedi: The Shadow Academy.
In this book, Luke tells the Young Jedi knights that he encountered spies in his acedemy long ago, sent by the Second Imperium. Luke came across one truely talented young man by the name of Brakiss. Instead of banishing him like the others, he decided to keep him and train him. Luke made an attempt to turn him from the dark side.
One day, while Luke was giving the young man lessons, Brakiss left the Jedi acedemy and fled. Luke had failed to turn him and later will encounter him in a more deadly form.
The Solo twins, Jacen and Jaina, and their friends, Lowbacca and Tenal Ka, have been given permission by Lando Calarissian to come to his Gem diver station located on the Gas Giant Yavin. They all decide to go, except Tenal Ka. She imforms her friends that she thinks that the experiance would be boring and that she had seen rainbow gems on Gallinore.
When the twins arrive at the Gem diver station, Lando shows them around and tells them how his company mines a very rare gem known as Corusca Gems. When Lando is done showing them how to capture the gems, an unknown fleet appears. Lando tells them that nothing could get past their heavily armored walls, but the fleet had a speacial mechanism that got through. They later relise that the ship was using Corusca Gems to cut trough. When the ship docked with the station, and Dark women walked into the station with a squad of strom troopers. Jaina, feeling a distrubance in the force, somehow knew that they were after her and her friends.
The dark women stunned all the guards and captured the young jedi knights and took them to the Shadow Acendmy where they would be trained as Dark Jedi to assist the Second Imperium.
I really enjoyed this book and it was a very good addition to the Young Jedi Knights series.
Great!.......2003-04-18
This is probably one of my favorites in the Young Jedi Knights sereis.
Jaina, Jacen, and Lowie go to Lando's GemDiver station. While they're there, a group kidnapps them. They are taken to the Shadow Academy to be trained in the Dark Side of the Force.
Meanwhile, Tenal Ka and Luke learn of the kidnapping and set out to find the twins and Lowie.
Will Luke and Tenal Ka find Jaina, Jacen, and Lowbacca? Or will the Shadow Academy succede where the Emperor did not(turning the heirs of Anakin to the Dark Side of the Force)?
Grab this book and find out! You won't regret it!!![.]
Book Description
Incorporating the essentials of light and shadow in any drawing gives the artwork visual dimension and adds elements of drama and realism to the subject being portrayed. Light and shadow are the main subjects covered in this instructive book for beginning art students, with examples and exercises in still life, landscape drawing, and portraiture. All titles in the Drawing Academy series guide students step-by-step through the art of disciplined drawing on a professional level. The books are profusely illustrated in color and black and white, with examples of drawings-in-progress and finished works. Basic instruction is followed up with analyses of the various details that constitute a successfully executed drawing.
Average customer rating:
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Academy Award Theater - One Sunday Afternoon and Shadow of a Doubt (2 Shows, Audio CD) Oldtime Radio Shows
Manufacturer: Radio Revival
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
General
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| Classics
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| Literature & Fiction
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General
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Drama
| Literature & Fiction
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Radio Shows
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| Audiobooks
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ASIN: B000TQ6DV0 |
Product Description
This is an Audio CD of Academy Award Theater, an oldtime radio show from the 1940's. If you love a good drama, you'll love these. Here are the exciting episodes on this disc:
One Sunday Afternoon
Shadow of a Doubt
This is an audio CD, so it will play on a standard cd player such as what you have in your car or home. No special equipment needed other than a CD player.
![Shadow Academy [Young Jedi Knights]](http://www.germanelectronics88.com/noimage.gif)
Average customer rating:
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Shadow Academy [Young Jedi Knights]
Kevin J. Anderson
Manufacturer: Boulevard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Young Jedi Knights
| Series
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Young Jedi Knights
| Star Wars
| Science Fiction
| Series
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000LNWF2C |
Average customer rating:
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Star Wars The Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy
Anderson & Modesta
Manufacturer: FL-1 Boulevard Books good reader 1995
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Young Jedi Knights
| Series
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Young Jedi Knights
| Star Wars
| Science Fiction
| Series
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000LEIX3G |
Book Description
Through her pioneering work with the chakra system, Anodea Judith has mapped the striking connections between the yogic healing arts and modern psychology - and demonstrated how a combination of both can be dramatically more effective than using either one alone. On The Chakra System, listeners join Judith in 12 sessions of personal, one-on-one guidance to learn how to use the seven chakras, or energy centers, to strengthen and focus their personal power, improve intimate relationships, enhance intuition, and enter into their highest spiritual wisdom. What, exactly, does it feel like when a chakra is deficient, excessive, or blocked? Can our early life experiences affect the energetic patterns that shape our physical and emotional well-being as adults? If so, how do we clear these blockages? Anodea Judith addresses these and many other issues, using the same proven meditations, visualizations, and moving postures taught in her acclaimed chakra seminars.
Even for people who have studied the chakra system for years, one question often remains: "How do I actually work with the chakras to assist in healing?" With The Chakra System, Anodea Judith responds with the first guided audio learning course on chakra work - the ultimate curriculum for tapping the hidden energy matrix of the body.
Customer Reviews:
Self-healing at its best.......2006-02-25
Anodea Judith is remarkably gifted at breaking down a very complex system into easy to understand language. By reviewing each Chakra, it's development, both healthy and unhealthy, and what is required for healing, Anodea enables one to assess and heal one's whole body system. This is a very powerful and effective system.
Wise, compassionate lessons more useable than Caroline Myss.......2002-07-21
Anodea has put together a wealth of information on the chakras from her experience and has presented it in such a way as to be practical and applicable to day to day life.
As a student of Energetic and Spiritual Healing I have studied many versions of work on the chakras. Although I have attended training and studied the works of Caroline Myss (who seems to be the favourite at the moment) I have to say that for thorough information on the chakras and methods of practically working with them, I prefer Anodea's work (books and audios).
Wonderful Course.......2001-07-16
This six-tape series is incredible. I have listened to each tape at least twice, and have gotten something extra each time I listened. Diane Stein strongly recommended all of Anodea Judith's work, and I agree wholeheartedly. I will be ordering more of Anodea's books and tapes in the near future. Thank you so much
Books:
- Roald Dahl's Even More Revolting Recipes
- Salome of the Tenements (Radical Novel Reconsidered)
- Savage Run
- Schopenhauer's Telescope: A Novel
- Seeing Calvin Coolidge in a Dream: A Novel
- Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord
- Something Rising (Light and Swift): A Novel
- Somewhere a Song (Daughters of Fortune #2)
- Starman Jones
- Story Cards: Aesop's Fables
Books Index
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Legacy of the Dead (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries)
Watchers of Time: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Novel
Search the Dark (An Ian Rutledge Mystery)
A Cold Treachery
