Jean

I guess I am late in getting around to discovering Mr. Deaver. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to asking him some questions. This was the story of the school bus full of deaf girls in Kansas that got hijacked to an abandoned slaughter house. I'm just not sure I'm completely sold on the story's resolution, particularly the startling metamorphosis of the lead female character, Melanie.

Looking through the last few pages I didn't see any mention of this book, so I appologise if this has already been discussed somewhere. But has anyone read A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver? I would be interested in knowing your thoughts. Particularly about the ending. I found it to be a most engaging and suspenseful story, with twist after twist right up until the end. But the ending left me a bit perplexed... Any thoughts?

Thanks, Andrea. I did enjoy Short Straw and maybe I will give the Orchid series a try.

Any Stuart Woods fans out there? He is a new author for me, but I have been hearing his name a lot lately, so while at a rummage sale this morning I picked up Short Straw, one of his newer works. It sounds interesting and the first chapter is dynamite!

I finished Bad Luck and Trouble yesterday and enjoyed every word of it. I normally polish off a Jack reacher novel in a sitting or two, but a family member is in the hospital, so I have been busy visiting. I find Child's style to be very entertaining reading. He has a way of creating scenarios that seem impossible, and then within a few pages, handing the reader a solution that is perfectly reasonable, and not at all contrived. I'm already looking forward to next year's offering: Play Dirty.

What an interesting and well rounded group of people! Some very interesting hobbies here. Between my day job (teacher) and my night job (writer) and raising my teenager, I don't have a lot of time to indulge in my hobbies, but when I do, I like to garden, take long walks with my faithful black Lab, Lucille, go for country drives (hubby is restoring a 1966 GTO convertible) and most Saturday nights we have friends in for cards or Yahtzee.

Aromaannie, I haven't yet read one I didn't like. If it were me, I would start with The Killing Floor, which was his first, and work my way through, oldest to newest. They are very fast-paced, exciting books and it doesn't take long to get through them. Jean

Has anyone else read this? I got it as a birthday present over the weekend and have just tonight cracked it open (probably a mistake to start it on a work night, since I can't seem to put a Jack Reacher book down until I have read it through, and six a.m. comes awfully early!) This is Child's eleventh Jack Reacher novel and I have read and thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. I love his tight, clean writing style, and the impossible jams Reacher gets himself into, and OUT of. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has read it, and what you thought of it. Jean

I never would have dreamed that Stephen King could make me cry, but I cried buckets over The Green Mile, which I consider his masterpiece. Another favorite tearjerker is The Horse Whisperer, by Nicholas Evans. Cry every time I read it, which is often. Jean

Thank you all so much for the warm welcome. I am really looking forward to finding my way around here, and seeing what everyone is reading. If things go my way, then tomorrow I will have my hands on Lee Child's new Jack Reacher novel. That will be a treat, and one I will no doubt devour in a day! Thanks for asking about my work. Wasn't sure if it was appropriate to post about that here, but since you asked, you can see some of my stuff at : http://www.authorsden.com/jeanpike http://www.freewebs.com/mjeanpike

I am a wife, mother, reader, writer, teacher, etc. from New York State, USA. I am excited to have discovered this forum. I love books! I write paranormal romance, but I read everything from classic authors to contemporary writers. I love short stories and poetry, too! I'm looking forward to chatting with you all! Jean