I've been following Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe series for years; the only thing bad about this the author is his unfortunate tendency to go out-of-print here in the States.

This is an author whose writing has undergone a noticeable improvement over the years. The first books in the series seem more formulaic and even a bit dated when held up to later entries. But this is only comparing a writer against himself: these books still stand out among the usual British procedurals; Hill's distinctive characterization is present from the first book. It's definitely worth reading the series in order, if you can find all the titles. Doing so, you can trace the development of all the characters, most notably Wield and Dalziel, who usually steal the show from the intellectual and prototypically 'heroic' Pascoe. These two are in no way side characters; this is ensemble work.

'On Beulah Height' is another great entry in the series, digging deep into the Yorkshire landscape and making a compelling story of local history. Buy, buy, buy, and tell your friends. I keep hoping that the more interest in raised in this series, the better our chances to see reissues of the earlier works.

Fifteen years have elapsed since the small Yorkshire village of Dendale of was flooded in order to create a reservoir. However, the orderly moving of the residents took a bizarre twist when three young girls disappeared and the prime suspect Benny Lightfoot vanished. Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel never closed the book on this case.

However, a drought has occurred, leaving the reservoir at an all time low. The village has begun to reappear. At the same time, graffiti proclaims the return of Lightfoot and a girl has been reported missing. This time around Dalziel and his partner, Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe, hope they capture the culprit before anyone else disappears.

No review can do justice to the multi-layered, incredibly complex, but brilliantly written ON BEULAH HEIGHT. This novel has so many dimensions yet due to the tremendous talent of Reginald Hill, they all work and blend together so that the reader never feels lost. It's strongly recommend that fans read the entire series, but especially this masterpiece that showcases the mystery genre at its best.

Harriet Klausner END

Reginald Hill is a wonderful writer. While so many other authors in the mystery genre repeat themselves and take the easy way out when it comes to plotting, Hill continues to challange his readers. Great plotting, great characters, great book.

Reginald Hill's detective stories are always an enjoyable combination of complex plots, well-developed characters, and lots of gossipy details of contemporary English village life. The only thing that keeps this from being a 5-star rating is that Pascoe is so closely linked to the victims and suspects that it is darker and lacks some of the humor of other books in this series. It's probably not the best of Hill's books for someone new to his detectives. Read another Reginald Hill first (you can't go wrong with any of them), then come back to this one when you know the main characters a little better.

Having renewed his relationship with college girlfriend Ellie Soper, Detective Peter Pascoe re-establishes contact with other school friends, who invite Ellie and Peter to spend a long weekend in the country with them. Work detains Peter, so that when Ellie and Peter arrive at the cottage, they find all their frinds brutally murdered, except for their host, who is missing.
Peter is out of his jurisdiction and on the other side of the witness table, trying desperately to convince his colleagues that his friend can't be the murderer.
Meanwhile Ellie does some investigating of her own, in which she finds an unexpected ally, the cop she detests, Superintendent Andy Dalziel.
If you have enjoyed later Dalziel and Pascoe books, don't miss this earlier effort. There are some great character developing scenes in this book, especially for Ellie and Dalziel.

Pascoe and Ellie arrive in Thorton Lacey for a reunion with four old friends. They discover three of their friends brutally murdered and the fourth gone missing. Is he dead also, or a suspect in the murders? Hill's descriptive powers are exceptional and they put you squarely into each scene. One of my favorites was, "Above the thatched roof a flock of television aerials parted the morning breeze and serenely sang their triumph over charm and Tudory". Intelligence and subtle humor infuse the whole story. The mystery spins irresistibly to the final pages and the ending leaves you with a smile.

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Reginald Hill's Dalziel/Pascoe stories are unique, in that they vary from very light hearted (Pictures of Perfection) to grim and haunting, and even to the paranormal! This story is on the lighter side. The unusual twist is that Pascoe himself is forced to wonder whether, by driving under the influence, Dalziel has corrupted the investigation. The story ties together the threads of 3 different deaths on the same night. A newer character, Detective-Constable Seymour, assists Pascoe and Sgt Wield in the investigation. The completely clueless and luckless Constable Hector manages to hinder most of the help Seymour is providing. The story has some very funny moments despite the tragedy of the deaths of the three elderly victims. As always it is great when Mrs. Ellie Pascoe is a part of the story. And she is "present" in this one, although she's physically away, taking care of her own elderly father. The mystery is satisfying and the reader's natural suspicion of Dalziel's motives, and maybe even his integrity, actually enhances the plot. Well done.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

(For a sampling of the haunting, deeper side of Reginald Hill's Dalziel/Pascoe stories try "On Beulah Height: or "The Wood Beyond".)

EXIT LINES (Reginald Hill, 1984) is a particularly good book, even by Reginald Hill's particularly high standards. It tackles the themes of death and ageing in both a humorous and a tragic way, showing the keen intelligence and humanity of the author.

The book opens with the deaths of three old men on a November night: as Detective Inspector Pascoe remarks, decidedly "not a good night for the old". One was murdered in his bathtub, his daughter arriving just in time to hear him gasp "Charley" and die; one died of exposure on playing fields, the discoverer of the body hearing him cry "Polly"; and the third murmured "Paradise! Driver... fat bastard...pissed!"-understandably so, for Superintendent Dalziel was in the car which hit him. The dying messages serve as clues as enigmatic as death itself, reinforced by the choice of dying words as chapter headings (great fun for those quotation spotters and spouters out there!). Police work uncovers connections between the supposedly separate cases-and police corruption hovering in the air, with Dalziel going on a shooting spree (of pheasants, that is)-"grand".

Reginald Hill shows himself as a keen observer of humanity, fascinated by the human race-but not becoming bogged down in Ruth Rendell's social conscience or P.D. James' bleak pessimism, but instead remembering that the writer's first duty is to the reader, to entertain. Take, for example, Ellie Pascoe's father's senility as an example of how to handle family background problems without intrusion: it is secondary to the plot, but is there as a play on the book's theme of ageing, and also serves to provide a vital clue. Characterisation is superlative, the reader really feeling sympathy for the characters, or despising those who view the old as a burden. Hill achieves this through a remarkable mixture of humour and genuine emotion, contrasting-but never clashing-humour with grief in succeeding paragraphs. Old age is really brought home to the reader by the senile dementia of Mrs. Escott, a genuinely pathetic and well-drawn character.

The whole-detective story, novel elements-culminates in a particularly neat and moving ending in which all the loose ends tied up, with both good clues and affecting murderers. This book shows Reginald Hill at the height of his powers-without any doubt the best of the modern writers of detective stories who are still writing.

I used Online Law as a reference for my E-Commerce project at the community college. It covered all the important topics in great detail. The book is organized like a textbook, so it is easy to find the information you need. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in doing business on the Internet.

Any book on "online law" that was published in 1996 is going to include _some_ things that are out of date. Nevertheless this volume has held up extremely well. And it was written by a group of attorneys who know their stuff in both law and technology.

The coverage is thorough. A short introductory chapter explains what's "new and different" about online law; then a second chapter gives an overview of the legal issues that affect e.g. websites and e-commerce.

After that, the books breaks out into subheadings, each including multiple chapters on specific topics. Part I covers information security; Part II, online transactions; Part III, intellectual property rights in electronic information; Part IV, the regulation of informational content; Part V, the regulation of online conduct. As if that weren't enough, there's an appendix that provides a quick overview of cryptography. (If you think you might actually need to work with the stuff, you'll eventually want to invest in Bruce Schneier's book. But this is a good intro.)

As I said, some of it is a _little_ out of date. There's a lot of talk, for example, about modifications to the Uniform Commercial Code that were under debate in 1996; and of course any book written in 1996 can't take account of, e.g., the Digital Copyright Clarification and Technology Act of 1997, let alone the final outcome of _New York Times v. Tasini_. But the underlying legal issues haven't changed much, and this volume is still about as good an introduction as you'll find.

If you want a solid grounding in the law relating to information technology, supplement this book with Jonathan Bick's _101 Things You Need to Know About Internet Law_ and you'll be in good shape. If you want to specialize in this field there are other books you'll want too, but by the time you need them you'll know what they are.

Different from Dillard and Longman's "An Introduction to the Old Testament," this work tends to focus more on the message of the books of the Old Testament.

As the synopsis states, it is a text. Not to detract from the quality of scholarship, but it definitely is a text. This should be reserved for the more in-depth study of the messages of Scripture.

No, it doesn't address the stock market. But hey, the Bible doesn't claim to direct your NYSE investments. It does however provide you with the fundamental principles of financial stewardship, much of which you will find addressed within this title if you are ready for a little advanced study.

With the stock market hitting incredible heights and then dropping preciptiously and suddenly enough to scare the pants off the ordinary investor, one turns to the Old Testament to find the advice to make it through turbulent markets: "Thou shalt keep the winners and chuck the losers." And it is in the book of Daniel where Daniel, a notorious highroller, first proclaimed to the world: "The trend is your friend." Are you convinced?

*A Survey of the Old Testament* sets out to do exactly that. But I really couldn't comprehend the interest of this grand old book to surveyors. Surveying land to determine property boundaries or new paths for roadways is one thing, but survey the Old Testament? Do civil engineers have something in mind with the Old Testament that we don't know about?

If this question has crossed your mind (it crossed mine briefly before I left the funny farm, but, as I wanted to get out, I suppressed such a delicious thought) then this book is for you. However, I would not try to read it without a strong back ground in the Integral Calculus or Fourier Analysis. In fact, if you have read the Old Testament itself without a good working knowledge of quantum mechanics and string theory, then you won't be able to make heads or tails of what is meant by the statement, "Thou shalt not steal."

Definitely a good read, especially if you are trying to negotiate the escalators of the Washington, D.C. metro.

In college I usually borrowed textbooks but occasionally one would be so good that I'd part with my money so I could keep a copy. This is one of those rare finds. This book is a wonderfully odd mixture, it is scholarly but it is also written from a perspective of belief. It's a great read for anyone seeking a greater understanding of the Old Testament, especially a student preparing for a graduate level class in Old Testament Introduction.

Reginald Hill is spoiling me. His Dalziel and Pascoe books have become the most consistently original mystery series being written today. In each book, he not only plays with the conventions of the detective novel, but experiments with the very nature of storytelling itself.
There are only a few times in my life that immediately upon finishing a book, I've turned to the beginning and immediately reread it, but this book definitely warranted it. The puzzles within puzzles within puzzles were brilliant.
The book begins with a librarian and his assistant reading the entries for a local writing contest. One anonymous writer's submissions claim that two recent accidental deaths were actually murders. The police are skeptical, but some a third death occurs which is undoubtably murder, and Dalziel and Pascoe know they have a serial killer at work, a killer whose obsession with word games prompts his readers to call him the Wordman.
This is more than a simple mystery novel, but a wonderful exploration of words and meaning and storytelling. Even as the characters point out how words can twist and mislead, Hill twists and misleads us in those exact ways, even until the harrowing climax, and the wrenching unexpected twist that follows, and the brilliant last line that caps everything that has gone before. Hill is a master of words, and there is not one placed wrongly in this entire elaborate puzzle of a novel.

The amazing thing about Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe books is that they're all the same (police procedural, recurring characters) and yet all different. The rosarian theme of "Deadheads" and its ambiguous ending is impressive. The end of "Bones and Silence" was infuriating. The end of "Pictures of Perfection" caught me off guard. And the ending of this book is stunning. Maybe I'm dense, but I did not see it coming. And despite the emphasis on word play, you don't have to be a fan of word puzzles to enjoy this book. Hill is one of the two or three best practitioners of the English police procedural, transcending the genre every time. A main character like Andy Dalziel who is both infuriating and irresistable, is a hard act to maintain and grow. I started reading this series with the very first book "A Clubable Woman" (found at a used book site) and have enjoyed seeing the characters develop and can hardly wait for the next one.

This is a really ingenious little book that could drive you completely mad with its literary utterances if you didn't have the fabulous Dalziel and Pascoe to break things up a bit. I can't help but secretly suspect that Reginald Hill has been holding himself in check all these years and finally couldn't help but explode in words, word games, and "dialogues" so that we might appreciate what a fabulously literary sort he is. And he clearly is. For the truly literate amongst us, this book alone will do, but I needed a thesaurus and a really good encyclopedic dictionary to get through this. And yet, this is not a complaint! It was a good read, a fabulous twisty ending, and I learned a whole big bunch from this read ("whole big bunch" is almost certainly NOT in Hill's vocabulary!). For the true Dalziel and Pascoe afficionado, I recommend going back nearly 30 years and starting their series from the beginning. Hill's writing grows with the series and the characters, but they are fun from beginning...

A churned-out provincial English dreary type of mystery, with an artsy and distracting side-plot that could well have been omitted to the benefit of the novel. Pointless literary psychologizing seems deliberately designed to slow the pace down and prevent the book from having a satisfying ending.

Regardless of other reviewers and the difficulty of Hill's linguistic excursions sometimes, Hill is still one of the top producers of well-written mysteries of this current batch. This particular book had its good points and its bad points, but overall the book was a great read. I enjoyed the introductions that use the York Cycle of Mystery Plays. Apparently, like many other European countries such as Germany, theatricals explaining the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and in this particular group of plays, the period of creation and Lucifer's involvement in free agency, was used because people at that time simply could not pick up the Bible and read it. It was written in Latin, and only the clergy (and some royalty) had the ability to read. I expect that these theatricals were an extremely popular change of pace from the daily grind and I look forward to learning more concerning them, now that Hill has brought them to my attention.

As usual Dalziel is his perturbing, acidic, and curmudgeonly self. He doesn't like it when he ends up on the other side as a witness to a crime, that he's having a heck of a time proving actually happened as a homicide and not an accident. Like most of us, we don't like it when the shoe is on the other foot, and Dalziel doesn't take well to being seen as wrong. In the end...well...that would ruin the story. Not going to give it away. Pascoe has his own set of problems to deal with. He's still recuperating from the last case that nearly killed him, and his more sensitive psyche has taken a beating. His wife gets him involved in some of her pet projects, which he is not crazy about...but it ends up being of some assistance to providing keys of understanding to Dalziel's witnessed crime, and to the person who is writing Dalziel letters about her future self-inflicted demise.

This side story confuses a few readers, but life is never so tidy as to give us one problem at a time. IF it were, I think more crimes and problems would be solved. Dalziel can't be bothered with figure out who the looney is who is writing him suicide notes (and the writer knows this). But as usual, Pascoe gets saddled with this annoying problem, and it weighs on him. I really am not sure what happened at the end...but it was certainly not what I expected.

A sign of a good writer for me is one where I deliberately go back and look for his other books, rather than just browsing through and picking up a mystery that 'looks' good. I did that for too long, and it ends up wasting my time. When I want a good writer with a good plot and decent characters, I know where to go look for one. Hill still has plenty I have not read yet. Time to go get another!

Karen Sadler,
University of Pittsburgh

First all, I will admit that this book moves a little slowly, especially compared to most mysteries written by American authors. However, what you get here that you don't get with 99% of American mysteries is complex, interesting characters, a great plot, plenty of humor, and a wonderfully literate style. I will definitely read more of this series. The ending of this book is particularly powerful and it stayed with me for a while after I had finished it; an affect few mysteries have ever had on me.

This book is perfect. A perfect cover, simple yet suiting. A perfect touch, pleasant, like velvet. A perfect story, albeit horrifying...

Shirley Jackson is(was) the perfect writer, whom just couldn't fail at what she does(did) best... She creates her own world, as realistic as ours, with a tragic, cruel, and cursed history for Hill House, the main character, and it's inhabitants. Perfect. All the characters aren't stereotypes; they're human. Eleanor might be an oddball hysteric, but she has a past which has made her that way.

There are only about 4 actual hauntings in this book, but more than enough eerie sections, which are the real creepers... For instance, Eleanor's frolick through the house one night when all the others are sleeping, and her mood swing and sudden revulsion for her new best friend, Theodora, which just creeped me out. In the beginning when they had become immediate friends and were comparing themselves and their relatives to each other, they had marked themselves as obvious cousins. Readers of the book have to admit, in the part where Theodora must move into Eleanor's room because of the supernatural phenomena which had taken place in hers and she states cheerfully the two will be just like sisters, they were freaked the moment they read Eleanor simply say, spitefully, and out of earshot, "Cousins."

NEVER read this book during daytime, as I made that mistake never to read a page after nightfall... It still scared me, but it was ruined by my cowardice. The more this book scares you, the more you'll like it. After all, why would you keep reading it if you don't want to?

I vividly remember the first time I read this Shirley Jackson tale, one by which I have come to judge all good horror literature. Jackson's strength as a writer of horror is not in what she delineates, but what she evokes from the reader's imagination, that core of our brain that truly is at the root of true horror.

Eleanor, the protagonist of "The Haunting of Hill House" is virtually a cypher, having spent most of her 30 years caring for an invalid mother, who has passed away before the opening of the novel. Now living with her sister, she receives an invitation to take part in an experiment in rural New England by spending a few weeks at Hill House, where "doors are sensibly shut, and whatever walks there, walks alone."

After literally running away from home, Eleanor is drawn into a relationship with Hill House, and, while we never actually "see" psychic phenomena, we become convinced that this is a house which is, as Dr. John Montague, leader of the experimental team asserts, is "born bad."

Truly engaging writers draw one in, and as you read, you too, will become part of the fabric of Hill House, and Hill House shall become the standard by which you judge the most chilling of horror fiction.

John Montague, a doctor of philosophy, invites Theodora, Eleanor Vance, and Luke Sanderson to assist him in seeking the possibility of psychic disturbances/manifestations in an eighty-odd year-old New England pile known locally as Hill House. Ever since it was initially published in 1959, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE has been Shirley Jackson's gift to countless readers around the world who have relished reading this highly original and exceptionally chilling ghost story - if a there is such a thing as a ghost story receiving cult status - then this ingenious novellette would definitely qualify for first prize! Not the type of terror you'd find in a Stephen King (he was a Jackson fan who dedicated FIRESTARTER to "Shirley Jackson, who never needed to raise her voice") or Dean Koontz novel. Jackson's technique is much more finely grained and subtle: this is literature. There are Freudian aspects to be sure, but the symbolism is amazing; (did anyone catch the meaning of the heading?) thirty years after I first read the book (I was nine) I found new symbolic elements which I had missed priorly. Jackson paints her heroine Eleanor Vance as a rather drab and timid wisp of a thing: a 32 year-old spinster who's "never known a life of her own". As you commence reading the book, you are drawn inside the mind of a schizoid person who desperately needs to be loved, yet cannot relate to people rationally, so she finds a safe friend in Hill House itself. Jackson writes in a poetic and mystical fashion which aids the reader throughout the book. Theodora is a free-spirited psychic who's rather spoiled and cheeky personality gives a much - needed contrast to Eleanor's repressed child-woman thinking. There is a scene in a grove of trees: Theo: "I don't understand. Do you always go where you're not wanted?" Eleanor: "But I've never been wanted ANYWHERE". Tingling aspects rise from little nuances throughout: Nell suggests that they look for nameless graves in the nettle patch when she and Theo become bored, a phantom picnic where there is a vision of sunshine, children and a puppy (at night!), walls with dripping blood reaching out for Eleanor to Come Home; a harp which plays by itself, the "cold spot" in the heart of the house, the cup of stars, the stone lions, the oleanders etc. Eleanor is given a bedroom painted blue, the colour of depression. The men in the novel are more like props, supporting players. It's like a spooky version of Lucy and Ethel getting themselves into another scrape with Ricky and Fred simply there when neccesary. Luke and Montague ask what happened while they were outdoors chasing SOMETHING. Eleanor: "Nothing in particular. Someone knocked on the door with a cannonball, then laughed their fool head off when we wouldn't let them in, but nothing out of the ordinary" There are no real "evil" characters in the book: it is a foray into the mind of someone so desperately longing for understanding, love and companionship that she knows not where she goes.............

Greeley is very much like a bag of potato chips. You can't stop with one. Greeley's stories are addictive, even if the quality varies sometimes. "Contract with an Angel" is the most recent in his "Angel" series. This story is a take on Faust, while the last story in this series was a take on the Book of Tobit from Scriptures. The angel series is fantasy with angels and saints popping in and out of the story. There is even a cameo by Herself. It is lighter that his Bishop Ryan or Maggie Ward series. However, his inspired understanding of human nature and relations between the sexes comes through well. I like his angel series and recommend this installment as the best of the series to date.

Well deserved praise given, I must add that I found the main character going through a change of heart with amazing speed. He turned from a ruthless, selfseeking tyrant into a very human and likeable guy in the first chapter of the book. The rest of the! book deals with other people trying to catch up with his instant change of heart. A little more struggle on his part to change life long attitudes may have made for a more realistic story. However, it is a work of fantasy and fun none-the-less.

What a great read! Fr. Greeley writes in such a way that the reader can truly empathize with the characters, and considering that several of the characters in this book are "spiritual entities," that's saying something! Somehow it is comforting to read about humans dealing with angels and God. When reading this book, you can truly escape from your everyday life and become a part of something you never imagined. I highly recommend the book for anyone looking for a nice, feel-good read to get you through the day. I won't give away the story, as I know several other reviews contain synopses. Suffice to say that it's a lovely story with a message that far too few of us take to heart. Enjoy!

Andrew Greely never fails to disappoint his fans and this book is no exception! I found this tale to be exceptional. I kept asking myself, "What if? What if I knew my time on earth was limited, what would I change?" R.A. Neenan is confronted by Michael an angel resembling Michael Jordan, who contracts with Neenan in changing his life before his impending death. Neenan must completely change each close familial relationship in his life, which has become damaged due to his quest for more power, conquests and more money.

Greely intertwines his descriptive and lively characters around two equally lively and descriptive angels, doing all they can to insure Neean turns his life around. Greely combines adventure, suspense, mystery and romance for one memorable tale of hope and the message of God's love ever present in our lives. His message of forgiveness, love, and renewal bring one back to the realization that we are never alone, we are never forgotten and that we are loved.

I thoroughly recommend this book and you will have to read the book for the suspenseful ending! Another treat for Greeley fans!

Ever since 'The Christmas Tree' and 'The Christmas Box', authors are striving to collect a Christmas bonus in less thant 130 pages. Andrew Greeley rushed a tale with potential just in time for the holiday, but his star faded in my lap.

The first person Irish cynic has been a common narrative style for Fr. Greeley since 'The Cardinal Sins.' Jack is a false narrator in that his discription of characters lacks credibility with their actions. Jack changes in how he feels about Odessa, but he doesn't change his outlook on life or humanity. Our hero remains self-absorbed, even at the end, despite being blessed by a too-perfect heroine.

The basic plot is promising. Give the family more blotches in action, rather than Jack's words. Give Odessa more mystery or flaws to enhance her creditbility. Give Jack more problems than a dispute over the country club golf champion. Give a story like this more time, Fr. Greeley. Christmas is eternal. This one could have waited another year.

Andrew Greeley has written a magical tale of love, keeping in tune with the Christmas spirit. Greeley is one of my all time favorite authors, and I have yet to read one of his books, which has not captivated me and given me food for thought.

The reader will find this heartwarming a tale a quick read, as the reader is held in suspense until the very end. Greeley weaves his wit, charm and mystical musings into the romantic tale of Jack, an Irish Catholic lad meeting a beautiful Russian college student at Harvard. Odessa, a bit of a Russian mystic, weaves her own kind of magic with everyone who comes into her presence. Her charming and innocent ways at looking at life incorporate the mystical and spirituality of her culture.

Jack decides to bring Odessa home to Chicago to meet his family for Christmas. With her simplicity, innocence, charm, and grace, Odessa manages to mend the uptight Flanigan family and bring them closer together than anyone thought was possible!

This is a wonderful tale and helps to bring home the message that people come into our lives for a reason, as God reveals him/her self to us in those that we meet.

Another uplifting winner from Farther Andrew Greeley!

Greeley's Irish Chicago meets sexy lay Russian Orthodox women's Christian mysticism somewhere between Boston College and Harvard Yard. Its improbability viz the Greeley corpus actually helps him compress a short, simple, yet spiritually sublime plot-and-reflections. (No Ryan family-tree to keep straight in your head!) If Odessa/Tatiana doesn't "seduce" you in many different (good!) ways, get your head, heart, spirit, and hormone-levels examined!

This book is little, but read it nice and slow, sometimes a page a day when herself is showing boyfriend Jack, his disgruntled family, and us a truer world-next-door spiritually. And read it over and over...maybe every December during the crush of the holidays. (Deeper than that Christmas pageant story they put on TV back in the '80s.) You'll find more than one new gem each time through--'pearls of great price,' for no great price! And it might just improve your life...and that of your significant others! Give it to a friend or two, too.

Profound, fun, cross-cultural, sexy but not "steamy" (Darn!), not a murder mystery but that's OK; further developments in Greeley's study and reporting of 'normal' Christians' approach to life. Technically, some typos and words missing, but it's usually clear what it is, so you lose no meaning. And stay with the meaning, because it's overflowing with it! And hardback is OK because it'll get used over and over for years to come. Sounds like he's working on a series of compressed, reflective, theological Christmas-y novels; great idea!