Nightlife by Thomas Perry

Tanya Starling seems to kill for two reasons - for the thrill of it, but also to avoid being caught. Is she more dangerous than other serial killers since she is a woman and doesn't look like a killer? Or perhaps because she doesn't have an established modus operandi?

For more information about the author, check out:

http://www.thomasperryauthor.com/

For an interview with Thomas Perry by Robert Birnbaum, check out:

http://www.identitytheory.com/people/birnbaum85.html

"A Thousand Acres" by Jane Smiley

What are the most tragic elements of A Thousand Acres? Which of these elements are rooted in the exercise of an individual's will, and, which seem attributable to something beyond the scope of human volition?

For a summary of King Lear, which the story is based on, go to:

http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/king_lear/summary/king_lear_summary.htm

For more information about the author, check out:

http://iowalum.com/pulitzerprize/smiley.html

Further reading about the novel:

http://www.scwu.com/bookreviews/h/SmileyJaneThousandAcresA.shtml

http://litlove.wordpress.com/2006/08/23/jane-smileys-a-thousand-acres/

"In the Dark" by Brian Freeman

Does Clark Biggs deserve what happens to him? Does he act in a "moral" way?

For more information about the author, check out:

http://www.bfreemanbooks.com/

The Time Traveler's wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Review by Julie Hale
The unconventional love story marks the arrival of a talented new author. Henry and Clare De Tamble are, by all appearances, a regular Chicago couple. Yet, all is not as it seems. Henry suffers from Chrono-Displacement Disorder, which means that, with no warning, he often disappears, only to resurface in the past or the future—most often at moments of special significance in his life. Thus, he travels backward into Clare's childhood, where, in a bizarre twist, he encounters her as a six-year-old. Skillfully shifting points of view, the author presents us with the perspectives of both Clare and Henry, with poignant, often hilarious results. As time's toy, Henry relies upon Clare—the one constant in his life—to keep him grounded. Their marriage, in fact, seems to grow stronger despite his peculiar condition and the strange paradoxes that ensue as a result. This touching, uniquely inventive novel was a national bestseller. The movie rights have been purchased by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. A reading group guide is included in the book.

Would you call The Time Traveler's Wife a comedy or a tragedy, or are such classifications relevant to a work that plays havoc with time and allows one character to appear periodically after his death?
© 2004, All rights reserved, BookPage

"A Field of Darkness" by Cornelia Read

How much do fairy tales impact the entire story?

Do they help or hinder the story?

For more information about the author, check out:

http://www.corneliaread.com/

"Killer Instinct" by Joseph Finder

"Killer Instinct is a masterful and complex story depicting the potential for corrupt opportunists working the corporate system infecting the lives of otherwise good people with their warped ambition. It postulates that even a decent person must still eat or be eaten in the corporate culture to achieve success. It explores the inherent darkness of the corporate world, the lure of success, and its poisonous effect on the individual. "

http://eijohnson4u.blogspot.com/2007/04/upcoming-interview-international-best.html

Should Jason also be held responsible for the things that Kurt did?

For more information about the author, check out:

http://www.josephfinder.com/

Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber

On the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, Dr. Michael Everett receives a letter Hannah had written him. In it, she reminds him of her love and makes one final request. An impossible request. "I want you to marry again." She tells him he shouldn't spend the years he has left grieving. And to that end, she's chosen three women she asks him to consider-a chef who owns Blossom Street's French Cafe, a compassionate oncology nurse, and an artistic eccentric who rescues strays (animal and human).
Well worth the read Debbie Macomber keeps you guessing right to the very end!

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith

How does Tom manage to get away with everyting? Is it because he is smart and quick-thinking or does he have a certain amount of luck?

For an interview with Patricia Highsmith, check out:

http://www.geraldpeary.com/interviews/ghi/highsmith.html

For a review of the newly released biography about Patricia Highsmith entitled "The Talented Miss Highsmith: the Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith" by Joan Schenkar, check out:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20325962,00.html

For an audio interview with Patricia Highsmith and Don Swaim, check out:

http://www.wiredforbooks.org/patriciahighsmith/index.htm

"On the Street Where You Live" by Mary Higgins Clark

Is the author equally invested in both character and plot? Or did the author put more effort into developing the story than in creating compelling and believable characters? Were the motivations of the characters believable, or did their actions feel like a means to further the plot?






For further information about the author, check out:

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Mary-Higgins-Clark/6230/

Killer Weekend By Ridley Pearson

The first in a new series for Pearson, "Killer Weekend" pits rural Sheriff Walt Fleming against threats political and corporeal, as madness erupts in Sun Valley, Idaho, when a local attorney announces her candidacy for president.
Publisher CommentsThe #1 "New York Times" bestseller returns with a completely new setting-the magnificent natural beauty of Sun Valley, Idaho-and a heart-stopping story in which a local sheriff struggles to protect a controversial politician from the elegant plan of a hired assassin. Eight years ago, in Sun Valley-snowcapped playground for the wealthy and ambitious-all that stood between U.S. Attorney General Elizabeth Shaler and a knife-wielding killer was local patrolman Walt Fleming. Now Liz Shaler returns to Sun Valley as the keynote speaker of billionaire Patrick Cutter's world-famous media and communications conference, a convergence of the richest, most powerful business tycoons. The controversial attorney general is expected to announce her candidacy for president. It's a media coup for Cutter-but a security nightmare for Walt Fleming, now the county sheriff. As the Cutter conference gets under way, authorities learn of a confirmed threat on Shaler's life, and various competing interests-the Secret Service, the FBI, Cutter's own security forces -begin jockeying for jurisdiction. Amid the conference's opulent extravagances, Walt is suddenly shaken by an apparent murder, his nephew's arrest, and a haunting legacy from his family's past. The clock ticks down toward Shaler's keynote address as we track the chilling precision of her assassin's preparations.