This book was a true classic, if you are looking for complete information on the Peyote Cactus, this is the book for you to buy. I cannot recommend it enough, it is one of my favorite books in my collection. It is professional, well written, and informative.

The most complete authority on the peyote cactus, Lophophora williamsii. E. Anderson includes every aspects of peyote- history and religious uses to ethnobotanical, phytochemistry and pharmacology. For anyone interested in learning all aspects of this mystifying plant, Peyote: The Divine Cactus, will allow just that.

The format used in this book to teach you a new language is absolutely the best! Each chapter starts with a new verb and all its conjugations, introduces some nouns, some appropriate dialog and so on. The chapters, verbs and nouns progress through the book in an intelligent, well thought out manner. No nonsense and stupid situations about the train breaking down or landing on the moon or finding your lost sock and so on. I learned Spanish in 3 months with this book and some hard work. Now, I hope they publish this format for French and German.

Less than 50% of the described species has a photograph.
Actual photos are small in size.
No cultivation tips at all!
Good for botanists, less for amateur cactus growers.

Fuggedaboutit! This recently published work is quite simply the greatest single volume treatment of the Cactus family. Although expensive, I believe you will treasure this book in much the same way that you treasure your cacti collection. A wealth of knowledge expressed in terms a non-scientist can understand, yet also greatly useful to the serious scholar. Please read the other reviews. Much enthusiasm.

This is the ultimate book for any serious cactus collector and grower. Although at first glance it seems daunting in the extreme, a sudden epiphany of understanding dawns as one reads through the book. Written by a scientist and true enthusiast, this book is exhaustive in its desctriptions and naming of cacti, even to the point of honesty, when Dr Anderson explains that many families of cacti are less well understood than others. This book has many scientific and true botanical references in it, but unlike many authors who believe (wrongly) that the reader will possess the same knowledge, Dr Anderson explains all this in great detail at the beginning of the book, with all the nomenclatures the reader and enthusiast is going to be encountering in later chapters. The photographs are stunning and comprehensive, the various different habitat each plant grows in is described, and the very important issue of conservation of valuable species is tackled in a topical and masterful manner. The exact care of each and every plant is not displayed together with its photograph, but at the beginning of the book, and all other aspects of care, from soil, sterilisation of tools, pots, eradication of pests and so on, can also be found there. The very simple but concise drawings of the anatomy of the cactus flower in general are wonderfully understandable, and in the later photgraphic section, any doubts the grower may have about a particular cactus are dispelled by the flower description, from stem to size and colour. There is also a glossary of botanical terms at the end of the book, so there is never a section in the book where the reader is blinded by scientific jargon. I would recommend this book to any seriously interested collector of cacti - the definitive book, in my opinion.

After reading "No Time to Die" I was not too impressed because I found the story line pretty predictable. Although, over all it was a good book. I enjoyed reading it even though it was predictable because it was interesting, the way the writer wrote the book and the way one thing led to another kept me interested. There was a loose killer in the Harlem streets and Mali's best friend was the first to be murdered. So, because Mali was on this particular case she was very intent and determined to find the murderer. Although, I don't think she realized that while she had intent to find the murderer, the murderer also intended to find her.

In the 3rd Mali Anderson books, the author goes for the suspense route instead of the mystery. We know who the killer is, now we just have to figure out why and when will he strike again and who will be his next victim. The author did a great job with the transistion from mystery to suspense, A serial killer in Harlem. As always, the reader is treated to Harlem history, landscape and nightlife. If you have never been to Harlem, you will feel like you just visited there after reading one of Grace's books. THis was an intriguing novel. I look forward to the next one.

Once again, Grace Edwards has delighted her readers with the intelligence and tenacity of Mali Anderson. The characters are keenly developed and the "plot thickened" with every page. Unlike the other perpertrators, in the Mali Anderson series, we are introduced to this sinister evil, early on. As a person very interested in the social sciences, I found myself wanting to help "Ache" and hoped he would find redemption before destruction.

Though it was a nice, easy read, it didn't seem to be a typical mystery. It wasn't mysterious/suspenseful enough for me. If the author had given life and voices to a few of the suspected killers, it would have been more challenging to figure out whodunit. But that wasn't the case. Instead, we were just given page after page descriptions of Mali changing clothes, walking down many streets, eating at Charleston's, walking Ruffin, and trying to decide if she should call Tad. And their relationship didn't seem like a real relationship to me. They were together just three times throughout the book!

This is the first I've read of this author's works and I'll pick up another of hers in hopes that it's much more exciting.

Easy read. Mali had a knack for sizing people up. She was creative in her approach to pull information from her sources; some of whom she had never met until she began to investigate the murder of Starr. The story unfolded in such a manner that grabbed your attention from the beginning and held on to it until the end. The killer's identity and window of opportunity were not revealed until the very end of the book which allows you time to develop your own scenarios about "who did it and what for." The book also shows a strong bond of love between fathers and daughters: Starr and Ozzie and Mali and Jeffrey.

Don't pick up this book, looking for an Agatha Christie or P.D. James type of mystery. This is not a classic who done it. I enjoyed Do or Die mainly because it is a delicious hymm to Harlem. Grace Edwards does a terrific job of making you see that community. You almost taste the food, feel the funky clothes recognize the people that heroine, Mali runs into. The relationship between Mali and her father is touching and funny and could carry the book by itself but it's Harlem that is the star of this book and you'll find that fascinating.

Kimbereley Wilson, author of 11 Things Mama Should Have Told You About Men.

Unknowingly I have read this series of novels out of sequence, I thought "A toast before Dying" was the first one, but it doesn't matter because I love the series. Mali Anderson former cop now neighborhood "Protector" is a wonderful addition to the genre and Grace Edward's is a gifted writer and wordsmith.

I can only compare her style to that of Walter Mosely, which is the ultimate compliment because he is phenomenal. Edwards is able to convey a myraid of thoughts with just a few words but the feelings they evoke never miss their mark. This mystery starts with the attempted kidnapping of a member of the Harlem Chorus and the death of the director, who is an old friend of Mali's. She witnesses the incident and is able to save the child but arrives to late to help her old friend. Now she is determined not to rest until she finds out who is behind his senseless murder and enlists the help of her new boyfriend and hunk Detective Tad Honeywell. Well girl does not live my adventure alone and Honeywell is just what Mali needs and deserves. The police are investigating but Tad has been taken off the case and the new detective assigned is not very dedicated to getting results.

Mali has her work cut out for her on this one as clues point her to the seedy side of Harlem and to dealings with people we would rather believe did not exist.

This was my introduction to Grace F. Edwards. I love way she develops the characters. Mali is a sister with attitude, compassion, strength, love for family, and just enough over-confidence to get herself into trouble. I enjoyed walking the streets of Harlem, visiting some places I used to know. I was captivated from the first page, and was kept guessing on to the end.

This book was my introduction to the Mali Anderson series, and I was impressed. The lead character is smart, tough and a loving daughter and aunt. Like Valerie Wesley Wilson's Tamara Hayle, Mali is also a former cop. But unlike Hayle, who is based in New Jersey, Anderson is not a formal PI. She's just trying to get some answers.

Set on the mean streets of Harlem, this is a fast-paced contemporary mystery that engages the reader. Anderson is a complex character who is fraught by all types of demons -- harassment stemming from a lawsuit against the NYPD, the brutal death of her only sister and its impact on her nephew, and her feelings for the gorgeous detective Tad Honeywell.

The bad guys are all delightfully vile, an array of drug dealers, petty thieves and thugs. As a native New Yorker, I got a kick out her descriptions of Mayor Giuliani (whom she doesn't mention by name) when he was the D.A. I remember when he lead a mob of police officers in a disrespectful rally outside Gracie Mansion when Dinkins was mayor.

Her description of "The Inferno" reminded me of that scene in Jungle Fever where Spike Lee recreated a crack house. It was graphic and palpable. My only gripe with the book is that the ending seems a little abrupt. Edwards did a good job with the build-up, dropping clues here and there, but the resolution seemed a little rushed.

Overall, I was satisfied with this book and plan to buy more of this series.

Bartender Thea Morris is found murdered in the ally behind the Harlem bar where she worked. Normally disinterested in another Harlem statistic, the New York City Police Department have an instant prime suspect in Thea's co-worker and lover, Kendrick Owen, who was seen holding the corpse at the murder scene. Kendrick's older sister Bertha frantically calls her pal, Mali Anderson, pleading with the former cop to investigate the murder because she believes her sibling is innocent.

When some G's are tossed into the pot, Mali places her masters in social work on hold, and begins to investigate. She quickly learns that Thea has a long romantic history. Apparently while seeing Kendrick, she was also romantically tied to at least two other men. When other people related to the case begin to die, Mali realizes that she must uncover the culprit fast before she herself joins the police department's unofficial Harlem statistics.

In the second Anderson novel, A TOAST BEFORE DYING, Grace F. Edwards proves that she a talented writer as she avoids the sophomore slump. The who-done-it story line is quite good and will entrance readers. Mali is an interesting lead protagonist, and the return of secondary players along with the introduction of some charismatic secondary characters bring to life the streets of Harlem. It is that intricate look from Harlem out towards the rest of the city that raises Ms. Edwards' novel to a special level that will be devoured by mystery fans.

Harriet Klausner

I really liked this book. If you had asked me right after I finished the last page, I would've told you that I loved this book, but after I thought about it awhile, well, like is good too! There were a few things resolved too quickly, a few too many strings left hanging for me to really love this book. I think hardcore mystery fans might be a light disappointed, but as I read only 4-5 a year I thoroughly enjoyed this.

I loved reading about Harlem. Edwards does a wonderful job of balancing Harlem of today and yesterday. The characters are skillfully presented. Edwards gives the reader enough information to keep them vested and interested in the characters and story. I for one will buy the next Mali Anderson mystery.

Both Mali Anderson mysteries were a delight to read. Edwards' style of writing leaves the reader in suspense until the end. I tried keeping up with the plot and solving the mystery, but the characters were unpredictable. I look forward to reading "No Time To Die" and "In the Shadow of the Peacock". I hope Edwards' novel is just as good as her mysteries. She is a very talented writer. Keep writing Grace F. Edwards!