In choosing to portray such a vast - and critically important - period of American history, the author set herself a daunting task. There is a tremendous amount of material to cover in a novel like this. And the job can't be done thoroughly in 460 paperback pages. The author often condenses a major change in a character's lifestyle or philosophy into a single paragraph or even a single sentence.

The characters are well chosen and sympathetic (except the characters who weren't intended to be sympathetic), and the book is well written and well plotted. But for myself, I found myself wanting much more than Ms. Campbell was giving me. I suppose that a 1200-page novel wouldn't have sold nearly as well as this shorter one. But a 1200-page novel, on the same subject and by the same author, might have been a historically great achievement.

Fast forward to Matriece "Triesey" Carter, she is the daughter of Hosanna. Matriece makes it her personal mission to avenge what she believes is Gilda's betrayal of her mother. This is done at the expense of her relationships with others.

There are many other characters with their own stories. Campbell weaves this tale so that everything and everyone's story has closure and just maybe a little too "happily ever after". You have Vonette, Matriece's sister, and her Mexican brood who was not interested in Hosanna's dreams. Uncle Tuney, Hosanna's brother, and his decades-long litigation against a Texas magnate to regain his family's land. Blair, Matriece's friend from the old neighborhood who "made it". Mooney, Hosanna's financial "backer". The Montgomery family, a rhythm and blues star, Gilda's children and a host of other characters. There is more to say about the characters and their stories but to do that would give the story away and this is must read from a fabulous author.

I enjoyed how the book opened and ended with the voice of Hosanna. She boldly claims "closure is what I'm seeking. Death ain't nothing but another opportunity." What You Owe Me should appeal to all because demonstrated are relationships across racial and economic lines and also some classism within a class. Campbell demonstrates that money can not buy happiness and love but love of family, despite material wealth, can bring so much joy.

This is an excellent selection for any reading group, as it would provide a lively and lengthy discussion. This is a moving account of betrayal, love and healing.

As a writer, who happens to be Black, Campbell delivers a well-written story for readers, regardless of ethnicity.

Ms. Campbell's personal appearance exudes meticulousness, which is even more apparent in her writing. Campbell is obviously dedicated to her craft and takes pride in producing quality not quantity. Again, "What You Owe Me" was worth the wait.

I can't wait 'till my book group discusses "What You Owe Me," as I'm anxious to hear whether or not they share my opinion.

If I were to rank Ms. Campbell: Tied for #1 Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, & What You Owe Me, #2 Sweet Summer, #3 Brothers and Sisters, #4 Singing in the Come Back Choir.

I've alreay cast the movie. However, a television series would work.

This book disappointed me. When I read Campbell's "Your Blues Ain't Like Mine," I became a fan of her ability to bring to life many and varied characters, drawing out their different points of view. I was especially impressed with the way she helped you to understand the most unsympathetic of characters. In this book, and to a lesser degree her last one, "Brothers and Sisters," the characters seem one-dimensional and flat. The story is fairly predictable and, when everything works out just grand in the end, formulaic and unbelievable. The dialog is stiff, even telegraphic, especially the phone calls between Maxine and Satchel when Maxine is visiting her grandmother. The book was easy to breeze through, but in the end, it wasn't very satisfying.

Enthusiasts of Campbell's novels depicting American life through the lens of a race-conscious society may initially be disappointed in her latest offering, Singing in the Comeback Choir. When compared to her earlier efforts, Your Blues Ain't Like Mine and Sweet Summer, her newest book seems to avoid the hard-hitting racial conflicts that formed the nucleus of those works. Nevertheless, Singing in the Comeback Choir provides an intimate view of a recurring theme in contemporary African-American life-the struggle to move forward in the white world without disavowing the past and the African-American community. When we are first introduced to Maxine McCoy, she exemplifies the lives of many upwardly mobile black professionals. Despite the gentrified façade, Maxine's life is in complete upheaval. She is pregnant and struggling to rebuild her marriage, her job as a television producer is jeopardized by flagging ratings, and her elderly grandmother has fallen ill and has not fully recovered. Torn between her job responsibilities and her commitment to her family, Maxine journeys to her childhood home to help her grandmother, Lindy, through her convalescence. When she is confronted with her old neighborhood, she is shocked to see that the effects of urban blight have robbed the street and its denizens of hope, in the same way that illness, hard living, and shattered dreams have robbed her grandmother of her vitality.

While Singing in the Comeback Choir does not have the moving pathos of the racial strife depicted in Your Blues Ain't Like Mine or the easy simplicity of her recollection of her relationship with her father in Sweet Summer, it navigates the diverse emotions of contemporary life with ease. Readers who have struggled to maintain their affiliation with family and community while fulfilling their job responsibilities will undoubtedly identify with Maxine's dilemma. Men and women who have weighed their life on the "fast track" versus their idealistic impulses will re!cognize this dichotomy in Maxine. With her deft characterization and moving plot, Campbell weaves a tight tapestry in which Maxine, her family, her job, and her community all contribute to the richness of the story's fabric. In the end, Singing in the Comeback Choir leaves the reader with a strong message of hope and faith that is both uplifting and inspiring. Your Blues Ain't Like Mine characterized the mournful blues and jazz riffs of the 1940's. Sweet Summer evoked the ebullient melodies of 1950's rock and roll. In Singing in the Comeback Choir, Bebe Moore Campbell serves up the intricate, rousing harmonies of gospel music in a way that makes her readers want to shout. Can I get an "Amen?"

And the third problem was the ENDING! It ruined the book AND cost the book two stars on my rating. My hand was turning the pages at a mile a minute and then stopped at the ending. The story just fell into an empty space, not resolving the problem, no conclusion, nothing. UGH! I threw the book down in disgust.

Now you're asking why did I rate it with 3 stars. I couldn't put the book down (until the end, explained earlier). Cook's use of setting, conflict, and description was phenomenal. I really felt like I was in the scenes. The author merged a narrative medical drama with expository information about the steer-to-hamburger process. The "bridge" that melded the two and made the story work was the conflict of: the doctor's attempt to uncover E. Coli contamination versus the USDA and beef industry alliance's attempt to keep the contamination secret, in order to maintain their profits. If an ending was included in the book, it would be worthy of five stars.

This won't be the best book you'll ever read, but it's nonstop action and exploration through the beef industry will make you think next time you take a bite into that Big Mac.

Kim is stunned and vows to learn what happened to his daughter. He soon discovers that Becky died from contaminated meat. Kim also learns that the government watchdog, the USDA works closely with the beef industry. As he digs deeper, powerful government and private interests try to end his investigation by any means necessary, including murder.

TOXIN is Robin Cook at his absolute best. The one-sitting story line is filled with action that comes out of today's headlines. The characters are genuine and their motives understandable, especially the distraught Kim. Fans of medical thrillers, or anyone who reads this book will think very seriously about turning vegetarian.

Harriet Klausner