Everyone knows that fish is a healthy main dish, but few know how to cook it well and what goes best with it for a complete meal. Martha Murphy, the wife of a fisherman and owner of the award-winning Murphy's Bed & Breakfast, provides all the guidance a cook needs to create a wide variety of recipes that will consistently please family and friends. From simple broiling and poaching to exotic sauteed dishes, pastas, hearty chowders, and even pizzas, she shows how seafood can become the dish that is savoured and remembered. Our family favorites are her Oven-Baked Fish Chowder, New England Fish and Shellfish Stew, and Roasted Salmon with Crispy Skin and A Citrus Sauce. We've also been very pleased with her side-dish recipes (e.g. Balsamic Green Beans and Creamy Coleslaw). Her Baked Pears, Gingerbread With Lemon Sauce, and Blueberry-Lemon Sponge Pie are a few examples of the wonderful dessert recipes she offers that are light, fresh, finishes to a delicious fish meal.

All the recipes I've tried have yielded wonderful results and I've found the instructions clear and easy-to-follow.

An added plus is the charm of the cookbook, which is beautifully illustrated with photos of fishermen obtained from museums and private collections. Her text and captions also give an insider's view of the fisherman's life, past and present.

This is a must-buy for anyone who would like to learn to cook fish well. It would also make a thoughtful gift to someone who enjoys fish or should be eating more of it for health reasons.

These essays should be included in any personal collection of books on the Cape, because they fill a gap by paying sensitive tribute to some of the smaller natural areas owned and managed by local conservation commissions and private conservation trusts. The brief essays are artfully developed by Robert Finch and boldly illustrated by Ellen Raquel LeBow. Each of the twenty-four 'special places' that are the book's subject are visited by Finch on foot and the commentaries are filled with information about the land and its vegetation. But the real value behind this reading experience lies in the way the reader is able to vicariously participate in the luxury of unhurried reflection with the writer as he interacts with these diverse areas. There is no reason to hurry a reading of this book in the way you would not gulp a glass of fine wine. Finch's essays are intended as an "invitation" to experience those "unanticipated intersections between the place and the visitor which cannot be found in trail guides". Finch experiences many unforced special moments and readers will find their own favorite 'places' even before the opportunity to act on his offer to search them out. The essays take us from the base of the Cape through to Provincetown and across the water to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket islands. Directions are given to each of the natural areas described. A helpful listing of various presiding conservation commission addresses and telephone numbers is provided at the back of the book.

The title of this novel is the name of a pub/inn which figures into the plot. The novel introduces Detective Chief Inspector Richard Jury who has been sent to investigate murders in the village of Long Piddleton on the River Piddle (the British do have quaint place names). A string of murders during the Christmas season seem unrelated until the investigation draws them together.

A number of people in the village have events in their pasts that bring them under suspicion. Unlike most English mysteries, this one has a villain with a gun. The investigation reveals a few surprises as it draws to a conclusion.

The novel has implied sexual content and some amount of violence. It is at about the PG-13 level.

This is a very engaging book. It was lots of fun to be introduced to Long Piddleton and to its assortment of eccentric characters. The plot itself is fairly complex, although not completely difficult to figure out, and it ends with what appears to be an action sequence in the life of the Richard Jury books--in a church, no less!

It is interesting to be introduced to Vivian, the femme fatale of Richard Jury, Melrose Plant, etc., in this book. I am not sure that I ocmpletely see the attraction, but that seems to be one of the interesting truths about relationships that comes out in Martha Grimes' books--relationships and attractions have a strength and life of their own.

In her Richard Jury/Melrose Plant series of mysteries, Martha Grimes has developed an ensemble cast who play the same role, but with different levels of involvement from book to book. As one works his way through these mystery novels, all the members of the ensemble take on lives of their own. Another reviewer has stated that, in later novels, this being the first in the series, they become stereotypes. It is my opinion that they merely stay in character. This is not to say however that they don't show growth and appropriate change with time and circumstance. They do.

One should know that the name of this book, THE MAN WITH A LOAD OF MISCHIEF, is the name of an English pub where part of the action takes place. This approach is taken in all of the novels in this series. (18 to date covering over 20 years of writing)

Although any one of these novels can be read in any order, this one gives more character background than any of the others. (I read it after having already read 16 others and it didn't hurt my comprehension of the others a bit.) Each novel has an interesting and entertaining plot. That said, what really distinguishes Ms Grimes' writing is the humor and local color she evokes through the antics, interrelationships, and subplots involving the various members of her cast of characters. There are over a dozen of them and each is fully realized with personalities, weaknesses and strengths, likes and dislikes, and friends and enemies.

The plot here involves the murder of strangers visiting the English town of Long Piddleton. In order to solve the mystery of the murders, it is first necessary to determine whether the murders were the random work of some madman, or if they were somehow related in a way that is not apparent. That is the gist of the plot.

The ensemble consists of 12 to 18 characters whose importance tends to vary from novel to novel. In this, and most of the others, Detective Chief Inspector Richard Jury of New Scotland Yard, his assistant, the hypochondriacal Sergeant Wiggins, and his newfound friend in Long Piddleton, Melrose Plant, the former Lord Ardry are the key participants (Melrose is the former Lord Ardry because he didn't want the title of Earl and so renounced it.)

There are a great number of players at the next tier and each is important in his own right. Some provide a real touch of humor, and others contribute to the main plot, but all combine to make this book what it is.

I must digress here and give a short description of Melrose Plant's Aunt Agatha - Lady Ardry - Lady because she happened to marry Melrose's titled uncle. She is an American and is enamored of the concept of being titled. Picture, if you will, a rather rotund late middle-aged woman who wears a cape, pushing open a door with no regard as to who or what might be on the other side, wielding a silver cane, like a sword, shoving aside anyone who happens to be between her and her destination. As often as not, her destination is a tray of cakes, tarts, and other sweets which she demands as her due at her nephew's home. After eating them all, she complains because there are no more, and on her way out pilfers Melrose's late mother's diamond ring, or a precious jade carving, or some other valuable item. Later she will wear the jewelry or display the stolen object in front of Melrose with no sense of shame. How Melrose handles this with humor and a shrug of his shoulders is an example of Ms. Grimes tongue in cheek manner.

Another character we come to know and love is Cyril The Cat who loves to torment Jury's Superior (in rank only) and always outwits him.

There are more, lots more.

So if one likes mystery with a liberal sprinkling of humor THE MAN WITH A LOAD OF MISCHIEF might be just what the doctor ordered.

I've been vacationing on the Vineyard for about a decade - but only last year picked up this great book, packed with terrific suggestions on places to go to see the "real" Vineyard -- on foot, on bike and even on kayak. The format is easy to follow - providing local history, step-by-step directions, and details on what you'll see along the way, such as the types of flowers, birds and trees. There seems to be a wide variety of activities (I didn't try any of the kayaking options), geared to people of all ages and fitness levels. The book is very well-researched, and since the summer I've recommended it to many Vineyard residents as well as to vacationers - there's something in it for everyone. I did found it helpful to tear out pages of interest and bring them with me, as the book is a sizable one. But I will be using it for years and years.

A DETAILED MUST HAVE GUIDE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPLORE THE VINEYARD'S WATERS, PATHS, AND TRAILS. EXCELLENT MAPS, LOCAL HISTORY, BOTANICAL AND WILDLIFE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE COMBINED TO ENHANCE EVERY ADVENTURE. A GREAT GIFT FOR A NEWCOMER TO THE ISLAND.

It seems a bit strange to use an alphabet book format for middle schoolers, but the idea is well-executed in this nicely illustrated guide to Boston. The book begins with an undetailed map of the Boston vicinity, continues with a paragraph of introduction, and then moves on to the alphabet. Each letter gets a full page and has an alliterative title with a few explanatory sentences and some related factoids. For example, "M" is entitled "Minutemen made ready at a moment's notice"; text describes the events in Lexington and Concord on April 18, 1775; watercolor pictures show the Minuteman statue in Lexington and the Old North Bridge in Concord; factoids tell us that British soldiers were called "regulars" and that the midnight riders (Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott) called out "The regulars are out! The regulars are out!" as they rode through the night. End pages depict an alphabet of objects other than those seen in the book, such as Magnolia for "M".

With nice art and layout, this book imparts quite a few interesting facts about Boston, though one thinks it might have benefitted from an overarching coherence with which to motivate the more sophisticated young readers at which it is purportedly aimed.

Take a tour of Boston with this beautifully illustrated book. The A to Z format is great for the little ones, while the fun facts about Boston and illustrations keep kids of all ages enthralled. I could stare at the illustrations all day myself!

Geeze! I hate to disagree with all these stellar reviews, but I have to say "The Old Silent" was a little bit of a let down. Maybe I picked the wrong place in the Richard Jury series to start - but I found it hard to care about a lot of the characters, many of whom just seemed to be "checking in" from a prior novel. In fact, this may sound like sacrilege to a lot of Grimes' fans, but I didn't even see any real need for Melrose Plant's presence. (And I'm still trying to figure out what he and his buddy we're cutting up at the table that upset Vivian so much). There was also one too many tea parties with the little girls. One too many interviews with the band Sirocco -- who don't even sound good on paper. And one too many jumps between characters (At one point we even get the perspective of the little girl's dog). Yes, Grimes has a wonderful way with words, but she also has a way of stringing things out and underexplaining Jury's actions in a misguided attempt to keep the reader guessing. Compare for example, the first chapter of "The Old Silent" with the first chapter of Anne Perry's incredible "The Face Of A Stranger" and you may understand what I mean. But as I said before, I could have started in the wrong place, so I am going to pick up Grimes' first novel, "The Man with a Load of Mischief" with the ardent hope that I'll wind up eating my words.

This is a complex and challenging novel. Richard Jury, depressed at the start of the novel, finds himself engrossed in the diffiult circumstances of Nell Healy, who murders her husband in a pub lounge, while Jury watches. As Jury attempts to discover why Nell would have done this, and how it ties in to the tragic kidnapping of her step-son ten years before, he is drawn into different eccentric groups of people--an ill-assorted group living in a b& b near Haworth, home of the Brontes and the dark world of alternative rock and roll performers. This musical mileiu is definitely new to Jury--although it turns out to be familiar territory for Seargent Wiggins!

The different worlds of this book do not completely fit together. There is sometimes an odd disjunction between the parts of this novel,and I agree somewhat with one reviewer who says that she doesn't understand the role that Melrose Plant plays here, other than to add his usual gentle comic charm, and to interact with many of the eccentric.

Despite some of this, this is also a moving and emotionally successful novel. The literary and musical allusions have deep meaning and are releent not just to the progression of the plot but also to the ongoing growth of the characters in this series.
I credit Martha Grimes with taking chances with this novel.

No doubt in my mind--to date, this is the best of the series. (Of course, "Hotel Paradise" is her best work, but that falls outside the Richard Jury series.)

Martha Grimes has a rare grasp of characters. They all shine, they all breathe, they all walk into the room and sit down a while to share their portion of the story. They become so real that you miss them once the book is closed, the door of fiction has been firmly latched, and we are left wondering what has become of those friends we were with just moments before.

Melancholy to the core, Richard Jury falls for yet another woman with a problem. She's being accused of murder, and good as he is, Chief Superitendent Jury is going to have a bit of a problem clearing her of the charge. He witnessed the shooting himself. But for some reason, he can't let it go. This woman would not have taken life had it not been for an overwhelmingly good reason. Jury digs through the deceptions and discovers a startling truth.

Melrose Plant and Sergeant Wiggins are there to lighten the mood. I must admit, I've quite a crush on Melrose, and he is given quite some space to shine in this novel. He even aquires a romantic assertiveness which surprises even him!

If you've read any of the series, this is one you cannot miss.

Iris Murdoch's books aren't for everyone: they are written for sensitive, intellectual, and introspective readers. The Black Prince is a very intelligent, well-crafted book. However, I think the 2 Forewords would have been better left out, as they refer to characters and events we know nothing of yet. Moreover, I found it regrettable that the novel only seems to really begin at about half-point. The first half tends to lack intensity and direction, but then the story finally takes a decisive - if no longer expected - turn for the more interesting. The second half is vintage Iris Murdoch, with several strong scenes. There's an abrupt surprise in store at the end, but the other surprises lurking in the Postscipts may be perceived as a bit unpleasant and excessive. Not Murdoch's best (I prefer The Sacred & Profane Love Machine), but still well worth reading.

"The Black Prince" is my favorite novel, and I can recommend it unreservedly for its vivid characters, for its complexity, its wit, its drama, for its analysis of human failings and triumphs, loves and hates, and for its prose, which is ecstatic, biting, and brilliant. The ambiguously romantic Black Prince of the title, Bradley Pearson, is an aged bachelor, whose range of somewhat histrionic emotions involves the serene Rachel Baffin, her confused daughter Julian, Rachel's novelist husband Arnold, Bradley's rival in so many ways, Bradley's dysfunctional sister Priscilla, and Bradley's prying ex-wife Christian, who holds the possibility of solace and redemption. In amongst this tangled web they weave Bradley "meditates" on art and metaphysics, sleeping and waking, life and death. Iris Murdoch is the English authoress of a score of popular novels. Unlike the submissions of most writers who attempt to be popular, Ms. Murdoch's elegant fictions are literature, and are also aspirants to the semi-mythical realm of "art". And what is "art"? Is it not, in at least its principle manifestation, great entertainment? And I would assert that the greatness of the entertainment depends mightily upon the reader. I know a man who thinks, and says, that all of Iris Murdoch's books are alike. Very well. Emotional response is surely the beginning of literary criticism (otherwise why bother reviewing this book, or that one?). I identified with Bradley Pearson for several years of my life, and was jubilant that he lived in a world of funny, thoughtful, intensely interesting people, most of whom were not relatives. "Morality" (I put this fragile word between quotation marks because it is so often misused) is intimate to the Murdoch view of things, and the "eternal verities" are influential, even numinous, to all of her characters, including the thoughtless ones. Love, as a unifying force, is awake and vibrant. Beauty is our glimpse of the Godhead. Truth is a paradise into which we may freely pass, if only we have the desire to do so. Justice is as intimate as self-condemnation and as ruthless as violence. Abstractions, in the world of Iris Murdoch's characters, dissolve into human emotions that clarify the world and link us in splendid ways to other human animals. "The Black Prince" is a celebration of our ambiguous and splendid emotions. [November 28, 1996]

I read Iris Murdoch's "The Sacred and Profane Love Machine" a year ago and didn't much like it. Too much talk, too little action and a plot surrounding a cast of strangely unsympathetic characters that goes nowhere. I thought I was in the same rut for much of the first third of "The Black Prince", when out of the blue, the black arrow of Eros struck and permanently altered the course of the novel. The unexpected change of pace and sudden focus on Bradley Pearce's relationship with the object of his desire at the expense of the adult (and mostly tiresome) characters was a clever Murdoch device that drew me inexorably into the plot. There was no let up in action from there on - the story played relentlessly to its dramatic but tragic conclusion. You see through the eyes of Bradley and form your judgement based on his version of the motives and designs of the unsavoury characters which envelop him but are thrown off guard by the radically different perspectives of the other players (shades of "Rashomon") in the postscript. You get the feeling that nobody's version encapsulates the whole truth (is there such a thing ?) and that everybody creates a best-fit truth that assuages his conscience. Murdoch is heavy on dialogue (nothing wrong with that) but there is a tendency for it to be repetitive (her characters are overly talkative) which can be hellavu irritating. I found that in The Sacred and Profane Love Machine too - must be a Murdoch trait. But whereas the latter is limp and soggy, The Black Prince has a highly intriguing plot and all the elements of a kitchen sink drama-cum-thriller that makes it a winner. A really great read.

Traveling the ever-famous Cape Cod is a wonderful experience! But getting lost while driving is definately not a wonderful experience! The Cape Cod Atlas is detailed and provides a great deal of helpful info for those making the journey on the Cape.

It is big enough to read, so there is no eye-squinting involved. It includes landscapes and several other points of interest, as well as campsites and lighthouses.

For those who frequent the Cape, this will be your bible!

This is an excellent book about the Cape and its history.
There are lots of nuggets of interesting and original information. The book, however, suffers from its rambling and discursive format. It really is a ramble.

I thought that Schneider attacks this book with the best of intentions and scores on many points, specifically the history of the Naussets, Champlain's adventure on the Cape and early whaling ships (including the Essex). Where he failed was in the telling: too often he jumped from event to event in a disjointed history or re-related events in a clumsy narrative. Too skimpy to be history, too spotty to cover the entire Cape, I liked this book despite its problems because it gave me some great historical perspectives of the beaches and sea where I live.

The amazing deluge of tourism each summer truly ignores the elaborate history of some of New England's most beautiful coastline. For many of us who live or travel there when time and traffic allow there is this fine book to fill in the grey areas.

Unfortunately, regional history is not as popular to most readers as a spy novel or biography. This book bounces between the author's journeys in Kayak along the islands and coastline and the chronological history of travellers and settlers to the coast. There are humorous accounts of indian encounters, misguided settlers and an all too unpleasant tale of life aboard the Mayflower. Not all as we had once been told in grammar school.

The endnotes are substantial and the book can at times seem more academic than entertaining. However, I passed this on to two friends and we have laughed and shared our favorite stories over beverages. A good book and a nice read.