I was a little tentative about reading this book only because Hart had begun highlighting Jane's weaknesses and depression so much in the last two books that the series itself was becoming depressing to read. Although Jane's character isn't a ray of sunshine in this book, the suspense is tighter than it has been for a while. There is also greater attention paid to Jane's father, brother, and sister-in-law so that the family relationship and dysfunctions (and yes, Jane's family has them) are fleshed out. Cordelia is returned to her larger-than-life dramatic self and Jane does manage some self-relevations such that some progress for personal improvement is made. All-in-all, a solid effort to a very good series.

The Midnight Man is an arsonist, who drugs his victims and then sets fires to their homes, making it look like it was an accidental death. All told there were five victims but the police linked Bobby Alto to two of them. Defense attorney Raymond Lawless thought he could get his client off but the jury found him guilty and he lost on appeal.

Alto's father Conrad blames Raymond for his son's conviction and swears to get even. Raymond, his son Peter and his daughter Jane receive in the mail tarot cards. When the Lawless family compare notes, they believe somebody in the Alto family has targeted them. Jane, who hates to feel helpless investigates the family, a move that saves her and her sister in law from a sociopath killer.

The Jane Lawless mysteries just keep on getting better and better. In IMMACULATE MIDNIGHT, readers are given a glimpse into the lives of Jane's immediate family and this makes the audience fail a connection to the protagonists. As a counterpoint to the caring Lawless family, the Alto's are a dysfunctional disunity that readers will pity and detest. Ellen Hart has written another exciting amateur sleuth mystery.

Harriet Klausner

I did enjoy Ellen Hart's recent offering. However, I was dissapointed. I see this novel as an attempt to mix campy drama with slasher movie action. I found the whole, "he's gay, is he gay? do they think I am gay? I was never gay before?" dialog tirering. Too much dialog switching back and forth from beleiveable suspence to childish horror. This novel does not know what it wants to be when it grows up. People in Jane's arms dieing and everyday folks shooting guys with guns? There also seems to be a lot of (gender) stereo typing going on. For a more beliveable read I would recommend, "The intersection of law and desire" by Redmann minus the wacky ending. I hope Ms Hart will continue the series with more intelligence and depth.

I love the Jane Lawless mysteries that Ellen Hart has been turning out for the last several years and can heartliy recommend this latest addition to the series. Thank God we finally find out what Julia's secret is because it was beginning to wear thin dragging this from book to book.

While "Hunting the Witch" is an enjoyable read and well written (as Hart's books always are) it was simply too easy to figure out. I would like to see more focus on the mystery and less on the dysfunctional personal relationships in Jane's life. Also...did anyone understand the title? Really...?

Not to be too negative...do read it and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. I guess I just needed to get a few of these thoughts out there as I just put the book down a couple of days ago!

-Stacy Gibbs

I've been a fan of Hart's books since the first one appeared many years ago. Her development as a writer has been amazing, and this is the best book yet. I will say, I was surprised by the ending, but I feel as if Jane has become such a friend that I understand why she did what she did. I couldn't put the book down, though I had to or get fired at my job. And then I had to fight with my husband to get the book back. We both love this series, as well as the other one Hart writes. I just wish she could write them faster. It's hard to think I have to wait another year to revisit Hart's world. These books aren't just for the gay community (although our son who is gay turned us on to them) but for everyone who loves a good mystery. Well done, Ellen!

I thought that this book by Ellen Hart, the third in the Jane Lawless mystery series, was a little slow moving at first. I didn't really get interested into the book until Jane started discovering the deep and dark secrets about the Werness family, and it seemed like it took her a while to do this. Although I found it slow moving, once Jane started uncovering different clues, I found that it was an easy and interesting read. I would guess that it's probably a better book if you read the two before it in the series - that way you know a little more about Jane.

This was a beautifully written cozy in my opinion. The mystery was woven so tightly, I found it very hard to detangle and detach. Excellent character development (for the characters not known).

In this installment, it seems that Jane and Cordelia took a break from being the center of attention. A tough statement for anyone who "knows" Cordelia. Det. Trevelyan (ick!) is at his worst, meaning his best of course. The complimenting "cast" is very developed, very.

Definitely 5 stars! Grab a copy, settle down, and enjoy. You won't regret it!

I've zipped through the whole Jane Lawless series over the past month, and I liked this title the most. She kept me guessing about who-done-it until the very end.

This is the first book I happened to read in the Jane Lawless series; I found it at a local bookstore earlier this year and bought it because, much to my delighted surprise, the protagonist was a lesbian. My delight continued as I read the book. Jane is wonderful and believable; the mystery is believable and well-plotted.

My only problem with the book was that I would have wanted a bit more of the lesbian element brought out. On the other hand, Jane was portrayed as a regular gal; her sexual preference was not a big deal or particularly unusual in the book. Perhaps this is how it should be in real life as well. At any rate, I give high marks and many kudos to this book. All mystery lovers (especially "cozy" mystery fans) will enjoy it. I can't wait to read the rest of Ellen Hart's Jane Lawless series.

One could say that Belle Dumont's family skeletons were buried so deep in the proverbial closet that one might see a bony hand slip underneath the door and drag Belle inside, lest any dark secrets concerning the Dumont's genealogical line and questionable acquisition of wealth be revealed. Unfortunately, on the day Belle called her three grown children to finally discuss the matter, that bony hand did appear in the form of a murderer who silenced Belle with a quick shove on a steep cliff, shocking an entire town who refused to believe that anyone would willfully kill a woman who appeared to have no enemies.

As young children, Belle's offspring--Anne, Lyle, Melody--once relied on a concoction called "Robber's Wine" (in actuality, a mixture of various household cleansers poured into a wineglass) to keep them from harm. This talisman, they believed, could tempt any nocturnal burglar into taking a sip, thus causing immediate death and therefore saving the family. As adults, they now realize that no elixir could have saved their mother from the past that obviously returned to haunt, and murder, her. For the Dumont children, Belle's demise is the beginning of a painful journey that threatens to destroy the family.

For Anne's friends, Jane Lawless and Cordelia Thorn, Belle's death mean not only delaying a much desired vacation, but also the taking the opportunity to solve a prickling mystery.

Robber's Wine is the seventh installment of the award-winning Jane Lawless mystery series, and, thus far, the first book in the series I have been privileged to read. Often I am hesitant to start a series mystery novel without first reading those that precede it, but restraints on time would not allow me to research Jane Lawless's history of solving crimes. However, after finishing Robber's Wine I can say that it is not entirely necessary to go back to Hart's previous efforts--this novel reads as fresh as the first installment of any series, there is no baggage required on this trip.

All one needs to know is that Jane Lawless is Minneapolis restaurateur and a "widowed" lesbian, her companion having died of cancer some years before the current events in Robber's Wine. Her friend, Cordelia, is an eccentric theater director whose sexual preference is not blatantly explained in this book (it may have been, however, in earlier novels), though her penchant for wisecracking and dramatic overtures is. She is Maryann to Jane's Cybill, though not as conscious a dresser.

With Jane's careful assessments of Belle's murder and the events that result from or surround it and Cordelia's perfectly timed wit (a scene involving Cordelia, a toothless elderly woman, and a bowl of hard candy comes to mind), Hart has created an enthralling mystery. Tensions play high in this novel: the three Dumont children not only become suspicious of outsiders (Melody's psychotic estranged husband, a long-lost uncle demanding his share of Belle's estate) but also of each other, especially when Robber's Wine becomes a factor in a second murder. Add the immediate disdain of townsfolk upon learning that Belle's roommate, Helvi, was in actuality Belle's lover, and Robber's Wine is a drama laced with powerful emotions and enough twists to keep one stumped until the last chapter.

A Small Sacrifice, of the Jane Lawless Mystery series by Ellen Hart, is thrilling and full of suspense.
Hart introduces the six characters (Diana, Curt, Cordelia, Annie,Theo, and Orson) early on in college life at the university of Minnesota as the Shevlin Undergroud. Several years later they reunite in Summer Green, Wisconsin to help out friend Diana with a soon to be fatal drinking problem. The once successful actress moved to Summer Green after her partner, Jill, passed away and restored an old church into a theater. As the friends gather to help save Diana's life one ends up dead with no explanation for the death. Cordelia, a member of the Shevlin Underground ,calls in her friend from back in Minneapolis, amateur detective and restauranteur Jane Lawless, to help her figure out the missing peices of the murder of her mysterious friend.
The book keeps the reader on the edge, throwing in twists in every imaginable place. The plot is creative and unpredictable, and ultimately appealing to those with a love for mystery novels.

Sure it has beautiful layouts and if you are not a newbie you might enjoy it. It is way to advanced to start out with.

If you're buying this book for more layout ideas, you might want to look elsewhere. Yes, there are plenty of ideas but the focus here is on the entire album - not the individual pages. Cynthia Hart shows the reader how to actually craft an album - from cover to cover (literally). About 90 pages are devoted to instruction, 90 pages are devoted to designs and about 50 pages are of art and templates (which can be copied for personal use). The scrapbook designs range from the usual wedding scrapbook to a rollerblade scrapbook. There's even a horse show book made in the shape of a horse's head! Supply lists, color photos and instruction are included with each design. While I may never be as creative as Cynthia Hart, I'll view my scrapbooking from a new perspective thanks to her book!

I have always liked scrapbooking, but this book has given my hobbie a whole new perspective. This is the first book I bought on this subject and it made me burst with creativity... I was thrilled to discover all the ideas Cynthia Hart proposes along her orderly advice and guidelines. The book is rich with pictures and examples, and going through it for the first time - without concentrating in the written material - is enough to start with. I was overwhelmed with the richness of the material. In your second reading you can go through the written guidelines.