I have to agree with the previous review that this is not the typical Mary R. Rinehart murder mystery. I, also, thought I was buying a mystery novel written by one of my favorite authors, but was grossly misled as to the genre of this book. It is plain to see that the person who wrote the review that we see on the back of the book NEVER READ IT! There are no murders, no mystery and the only suspense is the normal kind found in all lives. But I have to disagree with the 2-Star Rating, because it is still a wonderful story. I enjoyed it as much as I do her mystery novels. It is the best account that I have ever read of the period leading up to the depression in America, and the hard struggle to hold on and persevere afterwards. It makes that period real, versus the dry, boring accounts that we have read in our history books. For the first time in my very long life, I feel that I understand how and why so many people were ruined, their large amounts of money wiped out by the stock market. For the wealthy in America, it was pure greed and for the poor people, it was the backlash of the wealthy losing their assets. The poor and middle classes were employed by the wealthy and well-to-do, and they lost their jobs when the masters lost their money, and no jobs could be found because the high and mighty had no money to hire menial labor to do their work for them anymore. It took WWII to bring the nation back to prosperity, with the jobs in the factories that were manufacturing war goods, and employing the lower classes, giving them a chance at a decent life, finally, after nearly starving during the depression when there were no jobs available. The people in this story are above average money wise, but they have the same feelings and problems that are universal, love, marriage, birth and death, a blend of happiness and sadness. It is a very entertaining story, one where you get caught up in the lives of this family, and are sad to leave them when the book comes to it's end. MRR's gift is in making her characters real, and that is the same in this book as in the mysteries that she so skillfully weaves. So in spite of this not being the murder mystery that I was expecting, I have to give it the highest rating posssile, as I loved the story!

This book was my introduction to Dr. Alex Delaware and to Jonathan Kellerman's books. That was so many years ago but it is still the best of his works to date, in my opinion. I have since read every book ever written by Jonathan Kellerman and most of the ones written by his wife, Faye Kellerman, but this remains my favorite. I am still waiting for him to top it. I do enjoy his Alex Delaware novels over the ones he has written with someone else as the main character. All of his mysteries are interesting, but for some reason, I tend to be able to "bond" more with Alex Delaware, he seems more "real" to me. "Butcher's Theater" was very good also, but having the locale in Israel sort of messed that one up for me, though it is an excellent story/mystery, and I loved the characters in it, but they seemed more suited to Faye Kellerman's books, being all Jewish. I just didn't like the foreign locale. So far, though, "Silent Partner" is the winner for best mystery and story, as well as for the most surprises in a novel! C'mon Jonathan, let's see you top this one!

For some reason, I could not get as enthusiastic about number eight as I have about the other seven. It was a good story, but Stephanie seemed different in this one. She seemed more mature and not as happy-go-lucky, which dampened the story for me. All the characters seemed more subdued, and it is the outrageousness of them that has made the Stephanie Plum Series so enjoyable and such fun to read. I am still glad that I read it, I would not have missed it for the world, but I was a bit disappointed. However, even on her worst day, Janet Evanovich could not write a "bad" book! I am still looking forward with enthusiasm to numbers 9, 10, 11, 12, etc. I am not sure that bringing Valerie into the mix has helped the story lines. I can't exactly put my finger on the reason, but she doesn't do much for the stories, as far as I am concerned. I am sure someone else may feel differently, after all, it is a matter of opinion only and what turns me off may be just the aspect that pleases someone else.
I think the cooling off of the romance betweeen Stephanie and Joe
had a lot to do with the mood that Stephanie is in this volume also. She doesn't seem as happy, her mood is darker. But hey, life is not always a bed of roses, so maybe in the next book, something will happen to make Steph happy and gung ho again! I don't think that I like her being torn between Joe and Ranger either, being in a situation like that is enough to drag any of us down, I suppose. But that's just me. It is a stressful situation for a woman to be in love with two men, and so torn between them, and it makes me uneasy to even read about it! Anyway, I am glad that I read the book, and in a way it makes Stephanie more human, more real, because, as we all know, life has a way of throwing some curves at all of us occasionally, some gloom for everyone at times. One other thing that bothered me a bit was the fact that in volume 7, Mrs. Plum, Steph's mother, had decided to get out of the kitchen for a little while and take some classes to try for a nursing career, and then, it was not even mentioned again in this last one. I wish it had been explained in some way, not just dropped with no explanation. I don't care if she goes back to school or not, but I would have liked for it to be worked into the story and some reason given as to why she did not go through with it. I must admit that I did not laugh as much while reading this one but my advice is to read it anyway so you will know what Stephanie is having to deal with and work through in the next volume! I'm still looking forward to number 9!

I was a bit leery of this movie when I ordered it because, frankly, I had never heard of it, but was not disappointed when it arrived and I watched it. I love Sarandon and would probably buy anything she was in, and I guess one of these days I will be disappointed in one of her movies. But it didn't happen with this one. The relationship between the mother and daughter is right on! Have you ever known of a teenage daughter who doesn't get irritated with her mother, and yes, even sometimes embarassed by her? And Susan's character does do a lot to try her staid daughter's patience! The beautiful Natalie Portman shows so much sensitivity in this role, as well. Coming of age and coping with all the teenage problems is hard enough but add a mother who is a bit flaky, and you have a big problem! Ann copes and does a fine job of handling things, although a few of life's problems almost get her down. This is the perfect film for mothers and teenage daughters to watch together. A mother's love never fails when push comes to shove, as Ann finds out.

There isn't a bad Nora Roberts novel, but some are better than others, and this one is right up there in the top ten! It is set in New Orleans, and you can't have a really good story about New Orleans without a haunted house, and eccentric characters, now can you? This is a good modern love story with a feisty adversary for the hero of the story, but the most interesting part of the story is the reincarnation twist that the story presents, different from what you expect it to be. An old crime and "thwarted love" story must be resolved before the present day lovers can get on with their lives. But how can it be resolved when all the involved characters are long dead? Justice can't touch the dead, can it? Well, that is where the mystery comes in. You must read the book to find out if justice is done and if it is, how. It would be unfair of me to tell the ending, or even the crime that becomes the crux of the story. There are a lot of subplots floating around but Ms. Roberts does a wonderful job of tying them together. A thoroughly good read, and hard for me to put down. I read it in record time, because you can't wait to see how it is going to end!

One of the funniest movies that I have seen in ages! Robin Williams is not the funny one here, it is Nathan Lane's character, Albert, that gets the most laughs. This movie has made me a life-long Nathan Lane fan. Both Williams (whose character is Armand Goldman) and Lane play gay men, with William's role being the dominant or male character. Since I am not gay, it is hard for me to define gender definitions of gay couples, but in this movie, there can be no missing the fact that Lane is the female side of the couple. When William's son comes to tell Dad of his impending marriage to a young woman (played admirably by Calista Flockhart) and to plead with Dad to pretend to be straight when he meets the girl's parents, as her father is a very straightlaced Senator in D.C.(played by Gene Hackman),trouble starts, in the form of hurt feelings and feelings of rejection to the other member of the relationship, namely, Albert. All kinds of solutions are considered to try and work him in to the charade, but he is so blatantly what he is, a gay man who is a female impersonator, but more female in his real self image than he is male, then it is nigh on to impossible to have him pose as an "uncle" or any male person, though he does try to adapt, with a few lessons on "maleness" from Armand, but he is incapable of being anything other than what he is, so they don't know what to do with him, how to explain him, and he refuses to just go away and be quiet until the wedding is over.
The ensuing struggle between the characters to remain true to who they are and each other, and yet not mess things up for the young couple is hilarious! The supporting actors are as good as the stars in this movie. The wonderful Christine Baranski plays the biological "real" Mother of the son, whom she has given up to Armand, his biological father, to raise, and does not even know her son, but is willing to help in his time of needing a "normal" Mother. This causes some problems also, because Albert (the Lane character) is jealous of the relationship she has with Armand. Hank Azaria is superb in his role of Agador, the Guatemalan housekeeper, as well as the best looking male in the cast! The usually serious Gene Hackman as the "Father of the Bride" proves that he can do comedy as well as serious drama, and so does Diane Weist, the "Mother of the Bride." They have their own problems, unknown to Armand and Albert, trying to allude the press and escape D.C. undetected because of a recent scandal in the Senator's cabinet concerning one of his cronies and an underage hooker. Their way of dealing with their pursuers assures that the movie is hilarious to the very last scene! This is one of a very few movies that I can watch over and over, and never tire of it. In my opinion, it is the best characters that Williams and Lane have ever played. It is the roles that I have liked best in all of the movies that I have seen them in. I love this movie!!

There should be ten stars for this movie! One of my all time favorites. It is probably considered a "chick movie" by males, but I don't think there is a female alive who doesn't love this movie. The comedy is supplied mostly by the precocious little boy, (Tom Hank's character's son in the movie)and his little female friend, but there is some good comedic banter between Tom's character and his buddy, played perfectly by Rob Reiner. Besides Meg Ryan, the other female contingent is outstanding as well. Rosie O'Donnell is her usual witty self, and Rita Wilson (Tom's real life wife) plays his sister in this film, and she and her husband (husband in the film) supplies one of the really funny scenes. The love story that unfolds restores our faith in fate, some things are meant to be, and some couples are destined for each other, and will find each other in spite of all the odds and the obstacles that stand in the way. I can watch this movie over and over, and there are few movies that I can say that about. This is one among a handful.

I cannot think of any children's book more delightful to read to one's children than this book. Actually, the whole series is wonderful. When my son was small, probably 7 or 8 years old, (he is 35 now, in fact had his 35th birthday today!) I read the whole series to him, and it took several weeks, reading to him at bedtime each night, to read all of them, but it was a wonderful "bonding time" for us, though that term had not been invented then, but I knew that it helped forge a special bond between my son and myself. It conveyed my love of books and of reading to him, a past time that he enjoys to the present. We could not wait for bedtime each night to see what new adventure Pod and Arrietty would undertake, with poor Homily waiting nervously at home for them. In a later edition Spiller appears, then it really gets interesting, as Spiller is definitely a free spirit, and a perfect friend for Arrietty. Their adventures are really "edge of the seat" suspense! This may seem tame next to Star Wars or Harry Potter, but believe me, you get so engrossed in the every day struggles of these tiny people just trying to survive, and who are so much like the human "beans" they are so in fear and awe of, it is not tame or boring at all. I would give it a "10" in great adventure stories! I am a great grand mother now, but I still love "The Borrowers" and all the sequels."The Borrowers Afield" is the second in the series, and even better than the first! "The Borrowers Afloat" comes next, and it is just as wonderful and gets the tiny family into even more shenanigans out of doors, this time floating down the river in Spiller's "boat." These books are for everyone, child and adult alike. There are a couple of more in the series, the fourth is "Borrowers Aloft," so called because they are held prisoner in an attic and have no one but themselves to rely on to escape, so have to be very inventive and clever to devise a means of escape. The solution they come up with will boggle your mind and amaze you at the ingenuity of the human spirit and what it can accomplish when it has to, because these "little people" embody the pioneer spirit of our ancestors. It may be the best of all the books, but they are each so unique and so wonderful, it is hard to say one is better than another. Each one has it's own charm, and each adventure is different. Mary Norton had a very magical way of looking at things and a unique imagination evidently, to write these wonderful stories. A must for all children, and best if read with a parent, as all books are when you are young. It was a special time for my son and I, and the memory will be with him all his life, long after I am no longer with him. These books are heirlooms in my home!

Please don't be thrown off by the 4-star rating I gave this book, if it had been a bit longer, it would have been 5-stars! Like every Christie novel I have ever read, and I think by now that I have read them all, some more than once, this one held my attention from the first word to the last!