Jimmy and Sally Oliver had been married just three months, and Sally couldn't figure out what had gone wrong. Before they were married, Jimmy had courted her with roses, and had been so gentle. But after they had said their "I do's" things started to go so wrong. He became totally controlling, and hit her for things that she didn't understand. And it was getting worse. But she still loved him, and thought that things would get better.

That was until she received a phone call from a woman who professed to be Jimmy's third wife. Third wife! Sally didn't even know that there had been one previous wife, much less three of them. It seems, according to the woman who called, that two of the previous wives had both died in "accidents". Accidents in which Jimmy collected rather large insurance proceeds. The "wife" on the phone said that she had found an insurance policy taken out on her, while married to Jimmy, and had run away, changing her name, in order to protect her life. She suggested that Sally do the same before it was too late.

Sally searched the house, and found an insurance policy, taken out on her. She didn't waste any time running. She ran to her brother, and he in turn let her close friend, and colleague, Julia Evans, know where Sally was. Sally decided to go to Seattle and inform the insurance company about what was going on, and perhaps find out about the previous wives. Fortunately, Julia insists on going along.

What happens from this point on is so scary. The reason being is that this can, and does happen across America every day. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ms. La Pierre has done a wonderful job in bringing you into the world of domestic violence. A world that most of us cannot comprehend, as we have not lived it. She has shown why a woman would not leave the situation, and stay to be hurt, physically, and/or mentally, and even perhaps killed.

Ms. La Pierre also shows that there is help for women caught up in this cycle of violence. But mostly she shows how important it is to have support, and help, from both family and friends. With this support, the cycle can be broken.

I cannot recommend this book too highly. It is one that has an awesome story, one that will keep you up all night reading it. You will not be able to put this book down even for a minute. The characters are so real. From greasy, egotistical, sick Jimmy, to Eva Lindsay, who has found the strength to help Sally, and perhaps find out what really happened to the first two wives.

Ms. La Pierre does an excellent job exploring what happens to abuse victims, both emotionally and physically. She has woven this very important subject into a gripping story that is both very spellbinding, and at the same time very educational. One that you just have to read.

My only problem with THE DEADLY THORN is the fact that Ms. Sullivan hasn't come up with a new book yet. So I will just have to wait until she does, because believe me I will not miss any book she writes. She is one awesome, talented, author.

Richard Clifford, a deaf boy living on a farm with his mother, arrives home after a motorcycle ride.THE SILENT SCREAM is a fast read, blazing through the pages with the speed of a falcon in a dive. The main character, Tom Casey, and his wife are in a sense, the modern version of Nick and Nora Charles, only with their own unique bent. Tom's disfigurement for example only adds to his likeableness. Plus he's caring and compassionate, and almost non-violent, which are very rare elements in the modern PI story. The only downside though, is the ending, which slowed after the climax, though thirty pages remained! Despite this minor shortcoming, the novel is an amazing read, going back to the age where the PI often referred to his mental skills, got along well with the police, and often assisted them in the investigations. A delightful read for any mystery lover, though especially for those who miss the golden age of the thinking PI.

Seventeen-year-old Richard Clifford returns to his isolated ranch home from a motorcycle ride to find his mother and dog both slaughtered in their kitchen. Not having a telephone, he rides his motorcycle to the Zanker house ten miles away. The Zankers are gone and the only other neighbor, old Jerome isn't home either. Richard is deaf, his father died of cancer a year ago, he doesn't know where his only uncle is, he knows of no other neighbors but the Zankers and Jerome.

The smell in the house becomes nauseating. Richard buries his dog under his mother's favorite tree. After washing his mother's violated body and dressing her in a clean dress he wraps her in a quilt and a plastic table cloth and seals her body in a granary to protect it from rodents and insects. Richard cleans up the rest of the mess in the house and anxiously awaits the return of his neighbors. As soon as the crime is reported to the authorities he can begin to search for the murderer himself.

Private Detective, Tom Casey, better known as Hawkman assists the sheriff's office in their investigation. He alone is convinced of Richard's innocence. The boy does show an unusual ability with a knife, proven when he's attacked by a mountain lion and kills it, skins it and tans the hide. He becomes a focal point of abuse by an gang of outlaw bikers and since he can't hear, he can't anticipate the approach of predators whether two or four legged. Richard does perform his mundane chores as usual, milks the cow, does the chores, tends his mother's garden-appears to be going about life as usual, intent on staying on his own land. But he's a minor and unless his uncle can be found Richard will become a ward of the court.

Once again Betty Sullivan La Pierre has involved me in the lives of her characters to such an extent that after beginning, I didn't have the option of closing the book until the surprise at the end. Having a hearing disorder myself, I can attest to the authenticity of her character's struggles. This author consistently writes good clean, captivating mysteries peopled with substantial characters in sensorially credible scenes and settings that live in the reader's memory after the solution. I give THE SILENT SCREAM five stars.

Reviewed by ©Evelyn Gale 2/2002

After a motorcycle ride in the hills, one afternoon, Richard opened the front door, of his home, to find his beautiful mother, and his pet dog, Ruffy, laying in pools of blood on the floor. Both had, had their throats slit.

Richard didn't know what to do. There was no phone in the house. The Zanker's ranch was at least ten miles down the hill from the Clifford's little farm, and the only other person living anywhere near, was an old hermit named Jerome who lived up the hill from them. Both were not home. What could he do other than to try and preserve all the evidence he could, and protect the bodies from predators until help could be found.

And so begins the story of a remarkable seventeen year old, and the people who came forward to help him.

After what to Richard seemed like months, but in actuality was only four days, Herb and Elsie Zanker returned home from a visit with one of their daughters. Herb thought he should take up some supplies to the Cliffords as they were probably running low on things since he and Elsie had been gone longer than they expected. Upon arriving at the Cliffords farm, Herb found out what had happened.

Herb called the police. While the police were examining the scene for evidence, and recovering the bodies of the dog, and Richard's mother, Tom Casey, Private Investigator, otherwise known as Hawkman by his family and friends, was training the new falcon that his wife, Jennifer, had given him for his birthday in the woods nearby. He soon sees all the commotion up at the farm and decides to go investigate.

Standing in the shadows, and listening to the police talk to Richard, and to Richard's explanation of what happened, Hawkman decides that this young man needs someone to help him. Otherwise he doesn't feel that Richard has much of a chance against the legal system at all.

Ms. La Pierre has written a story that you absolutely will not be able to put down. She gets your total attention on the first page, and continues to hold it until you have finished the last page.

Her characters grab all of your emotions, from compassion to complete, and total hatred. I went through whole spectrum. I also went through a box of tissues before I finished the first chapter; it was so compelling.

I can't recommend THE SILENT SCREAM enough. To miss this wonderful book is something no one should do. You will not forget it even after you have finally put it down. It will stay in your memory for a long time to come.

I can't wait to read more of Betty Sullivan LaPierre's books. She is a very talented author, and I am so glad that she has decided to share her talent with the world. Her talent is one that should never be hidden, and she sure displayed it at it's best in THE SILENT SCREAM.

With the help of her best friend and a policeman who is in love with her, Angie sets out to get her life back, clear her husband's name and find his killer. Angie soon realizes that this could be a very dangerous decision, not just for her, but for her friends as well as they find themselves up against a killer who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Angie Nevers is a remarkable character that you will enjoy very much. As her life spirals more and more out of control and the lies told to her for years by the people she trusted the most begin to pile, she makes the decision to fight for what is hers and for what she believes is right. Filled with plenty of action, mystery and plot twists, this is one that you will be recommending to all your friends.

At the Nevers' anniversary party, Bud and Angie are entertaining all of their guest when the door bell rings. With the housekeeper, Marty, in the kitchen and Bud conversing with guests, Angie goes to get the door. She is caught off guard by the beautiful tall blonde stranger with the most piercing green eyes that she has ever seen. She introduces herself as Melinda and informs Angie that she is sorry for being so late and that she is here for Bud. Angie rushes over to her husband and informs him that a young stranger named Melinda has arrived. Bud leads Melinda outside. Angie could see that Bud is angry with Melinda. Angie starts to fear the worst. Could Bud be having an affair?

At Nevers Computer Technology, Bud has hired on an intern, Bill Crane, who is really eager to learn. As Bill is going through paperwork he comes across a questionable entry in the accounting books. ABC Wafer Company would take fifty-thousand dollars out on the same day every month for the past year. After looking at the stock market, Bill realizes that ABC Wafer Company must not be a real company. Bill explains to Bud what he has discovered. Bud knows that someone in the company is embezzling money from his company. Bud contacts his auditors to take care of this problem and informs his CEO, Ken Weber, about the discovery.

Just when Bud thinks that things can't get worse, Ken and Sandy Weber's twin girls are in an accident. For the next week, Angie helps Sandy take care of the twins. To Bud, the week is a big blur. He is sure that his problems only come in threes, Melinda showing up at the house, the problem with ABC Wafer Company, and now the Weber twins. Angie finally decides to confront Bud about Melinda after his golf game with Ken. But Bud never makes it home. Angie, scared and unsure of what to do, calls her friend Tom Hoffman, who is a detective. Angie's biggest fears come true. Bud is dead, but the worst part is that he was murdered.

Murder.com is one of the best books that I have read in a while. I could not put the book down. I wanted to find out who did it. When I found out I was blown away. Murder.com has so many twists and turns that it grabs a hold of you and does not let go. Ms. la Pierre has got herself a winner here. I will recommend this book to everyone I know.

Jim Anderson retired from The Agency after his wife, and unborn child were killed in a car bombing. He went into seclusion, at Copco Lake, in the Pacific Northwest, under an assumed name, Tom Casey. Soon after moving there, he captured an injured hawk, nursed it back to health, and the people of the area started calling him The Hawk Man, a name that seemed to stick.

Jennifer Morgan, a young widow, is also living at Copco Lake. She is living a very quiet life in the community, writing wild life stories, and trying to adopt a ten-year-old boy, who desperately needs a home. That is until she meets Hawkman. Her life then turns into anything but quiet.

Someone does not want Jennifer to have anything to do with Hawkman. And that same someone is determined to make sure that Hawkman doesn't live much longer. In trying to eliminate Hawkman, he uses Jennifer as a means to get to his target.

I have to say that I am a big fan of Ms. LaPierre. Her books are absolutely wonderful, and THE ENEMY STALKS just goes to prove my point. Ms. LaPierre has written an incredible, fast moving, story. A story, that keeps you on the edge of your seat. At the same time she has woven this story around the most beautiful scenery. You feel you can not only see the gorgeous sites, but also smell the fresh air, the trees, and actually hear the Canadian geese, as they make their way across the clear blue skies of the Northwest.

Her characters are not only exciting, but also very real, and show many facets to their personalities. Hawkman may be a dangerous man, but he seems everything but that when he is caring for an injured owl, or pulling porcupine quills from a dog that got a little to close for comfort. Ms. LaPierre's characters are all real and interesting. They all soon become old friends who you can't wait to see again, and again.

I absolutely loved THE ENEMY STALKS, and I can't wait to open the sequel, DOUBLE TROUBLE. My only complaint about Ms. LaPierre's books is the fact that she can't write them fast enough for me. I always read that last page, close that book and want more. She is absolutely fantastic, and I can't get enough of her work. And you won't be able to either.

Tina's abusive boyfriend discovers these clues and follows Jamey to Medford, where he starts making demands. That's when Jamey turns to PI Tom Casey, nickname Hawkman, rogue good guy sporting an eye patch, for help. With her background, however, she cannot afford to tell him the whole truth, so he tries to help her without having all the facts at his disposal. But Jamey quickly changes her mind, deciding he's too nosey. She tries to disengage him and his attentions, which only makes him more curious. He teams up with his wife Jennifer to tail this peculiar blond looker.

Meanwhile, boyfriend Carl, having recovered from injuries sustained in the jewel heist, takes out after his partner in crime. But Jamey, a veteran dissembler and an incorrigible varlet, manipulates men with a wiggle of her hips. Thereby, she succeeds in enlisting the help of several of the smitten. Hawkman has met a worthy opponent in DIRTY DIAMONDS.

Long-time fans will recognize Richard, the deaf lead character from THE SILENT SCREAM, and of course the falcon Pretty Girl, Hawkman's namesake, and various other citizens of Medford. Reading DIRTY DIAMONDS feels like catching up on the news from home.

As with other of Ms. LaPierre's Hawkman novels, the book is filled with nonstop action. Jamey and her shenanigans will keep you guessing. And there's a nice twist at the end.

© Copyright 2002, Kate Ayers.

Every time I open a new Hawkman book, I fall in love with Tom Casey all over again. Tom is known as Hawkman in the beautiful countryside of Oregon where he lives with his wife Jennifer and his falcon, Pretty Girl. Having retired from "the agency" he now keeps busy as a private investigator with offices over a doughnut shop in Medford.

This time Hawkman gets himself involved with a very mixed up, dubious young woman, Jamey Schyler, who has shown up in Medford asking Hawkman to protect her. When Hawkman starts asking questions of her, she freaks out and changes her mind. Soon however it becomes quite evident that something is going on, as her home is broken into, and her kitten almost killed. Still though, she will not come clean with Hawkman, and therefore he becomes very intrigued as to just what in the world is going on with her.

It soon becomes evident that whatever Jamey is involved in, it isn't legal. It is also very dangerous as her ex-boyfriend, Carl Hopkins, who is out to find her, and whatever it is she is hiding. Hawkman is sure that he is not getting the truth out of Jamey, but at the same time feels that if he doesn't keep an eye on her, she is going to end up hurt, or worse yet dead, if Carl does manage to find her.

DIRTY DIAMONDS overflows with action, danger, deceit and a plot that moves so fast that you cannot put it down until you come to that last page. Time fly's as you are reading DIRTY DIAMONDS. You are so engrossed in the story, that you don't even realize it until you read the last sentence and look up and realize the rest of the world has flown by while you were in the world of Hawkman, as he tried to solve yet another puzzle.

Like all of her previous books, Ms. LaPierre has penned another masterpiece. I cannot put into words how absolutely fantastic DIRTY DIAMONDS is. The story is believable, and the characters are very real, with qualities you cannot help but like. You even have to like Jamey, even if she is not quite on the up and up. And then of course there is Hawkman. He is such a wonderful character that you feel like he is a friend. He and Jennifer make a wonderful couple, and you just fall in love with them. They both have personalities that just jump from the pages and grab you. Very real personalities.

I sincerely hope that you get a copy of DIRTY DIAMONDS and find a comfortable place to sit back and relax, because you are not going to believe how caught up in the world of Hawkman you are going to become. As with the previous Hawkman books, Ms. LaPierre has outdone herself again. And I just cannot wait to see what she does with this cast of characters next time. The Hawkman series is that addicting. And so is Hawkman himself.

Jamey packs up and heads out of Oklahoma. She arrives in Amarillo and checks into a motel with her Visa card. She knows Carl is a computer expert and can track her trip easily on the computer through her use of the card. But wait. The next day she drives through Texas and heads straight for Los Angeles, California, to visit a high-school girl friend, Tina Randolph, with whom she has stayed in touch over the years. Wow, so long Carl, you've been taken, and not for a ride, just left, dropped, with nothing, nada, zilch, and in the hospital with a bullet wound. Jamey is not exactly honest with her lover.

When she arrives at Tina's in Los Angeles, she discovers that things are not all strawberries and cream with Tima either. Tina has a rather nasty tempered boy friend, Nick Albergetti. Jamey didn't stay at Tina's long enough to meet Nick so had no idea what he looked like. But she was there long enough to use his computer to plot out her next travel route. Her next stop is to be Medford, Oregon where she has a little house she inherited from her foster parents, the Schyler's. Mistake one, she should not have planned her route on Nick's computer.

In Medford she quickly becomes Jamey Louise Schyler, a name she knows Carl will not recognize. No one knows about her foster parents, nor does anyone know their name in connection with her. It is not something she talks about, even to her closest friends, nor to her lovers. She finds the house in Medford has been trashed by youths who have left remnants of their pot smoking all over the premises. While she is assessing the damage to the property a man approaches giving his name as Tom Casey, a private investigator who has been keeping an eye on the property. She, of course, informs him in no uncertain terms that he did a lousy job, and shows him all the roach clips and remnants of cigaretter,setc. that the kids had left in the house. Tom is very surprised to hear of the intrusion on her property and gives her his card and tells her to call him if she ever needs help.

After a couple of weeks Jamey is settled in, but is becoming bored, as well as discovering that she need some money. Someone told her about Curly's Bar & Grill. After a talk with Curly she is hired as a waitress, and is happier now that she is becoming acquainted with the town's people. This includes Tom Casey, otherwise known as Hawkman.

Curly has a son named Mark with whom Jamey becomes involved. At least that what Mark thinks.

Jamey is a very clever adversary, and quite adept at using people. And Mark makes a perfect victim and lover for her purposes. But Jamey runs into trouble when she tries to outsmart Nick Albergetti. He is one tough enemy that will not be wooed by her charms.

In this, the fourth Hawkman book of the series, Ms. La Pierre has written a smooth flowing suspense story in which Hawkman meets his cleverest adversary. And to make matters worse for Hawkman's ego it is a woman who seems to be outsmarting everyone. This does not set well with him, but he does hang in there to the end.

This is one of the best thought-out, cleverly-executed plots this reviewer has had the pleasure of reading in a long time. The writing flows perfectly, and the characters are alive and moving. One does associate with them. Ms. La Pierre's talent of coming up with superb plotting is one not to be rivaled. You will miss an excellent suspense story if you pass this one up.

My intention had been to browse the first chapter, and then put the book aside for my weekend reading pleasure, but a desperate old man, a delightful little girl and the zany antics of a bunch of bingo buddies, sent my intentions flying right out the window.

In BLACKOUT, Hawkman, master of mystery and former CIA agent, sets out to find a missing mom and stumbles onto a plot so depraved and dangerous it nearly costs him the love of his life. BLACKOUT is a chilling thriller that'll tug your heartstrings and chill your marrow.

Number Five is a fabulous addition to the Hawkman Series. I loved it!

Initially, he suspects an old flame from Destiny's past may have had something to do with her vanishing. She had a child whom she kept secret from the father, leaving Hawkman to wonder whether he had somehow learned about it despite her efforts to hide it from him.

When Hawkman's next clue takes him to the Indian casino, he spots Max Pritchard, someone he knew from the Agency in his past life. At first, he's puzzled as to why Max is acting as security guard in a casino - and one so close to where Hawkman now lives. He orchestrates a reunion with Max and discovers his old friend is looking into a disappearance that sounds eerily similar to Destiny's. The security job at the casino is simply a convenient cover while Max discreetly investigates. He and Hawkman share the meager information they have.

They return to the bingo parlor, which figures prominently into the story. Much action takes place there -- with some brightly colorful figures and Hawkman's wife, Jennifer, helping with the investigation. During one evening, a scraggly blond-haired man piques Hawkman's interest when he flees the building after Hawkman mentions the missing woman. A search of some of the man's personal effects turns up some promising leads. As he delves deeper into the mystery, he stirs up unwanted interest, resulting in a flurry of activity meant to scare him off. Hawkman isn't the type to scare off easily - if at all. It just makes him all that much more determined.

A hunting trip, complete with a hound called Rochester, splashes even more excitement onto the pages. Once Max and Hawkman head out into the mountains of Southern Oregon, the story twists and turns as much as the back-country roads. The ride is thrilling, right down to the very last page.

A meticulous detailer, Ms. LaPierre unfolds the action and builds the tension steadily. Her sense of suspense gets better with each Hawkman novel.

Hawkman listened with interest while hanging up his suit coat and pouring himself a cup of coffee. He snapped up his eye-patch and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. The injury he'd received while working for the Agency was still sensitive to light. He flipped the patch back into place, turned on the desk light and punched the replay button, this

time jotting down the information. Rolling his shoulders, he dialed the woman's number, then leaned back in his chair.

Fond of cowboy hats, falconry and fresh donuts, Private Investigator Tom Casey, aka Hawkman, takes on another case from his office in a small town in southern Oregon. Traveling between Los Angeles and Medford, he investigates first one murder, that of his client's sister, and discovers a possible blackmail scheme and a link to an old bank robbery. Then up pops another homicide that feels like it's tied to Nancy Gilbert's sister too. Two more suspicious deaths occur and Hawkman has more than he bargained for. Cooperating with the LAPD detective on the case, they unearth evidence of adultery, including some vividly detailed videotapes, the victim's graphically-written diary and the family Bible, all containing important clues. As Hawkman works with his wife Jennifer, he tirelessly dogs the suspects, nails the culprit and rescues the lady in distress.

Betty Sullivan LaPierre has written this tale with a classic hero, several surprising plot twists and rich characters you really want to invite to the table at your daily latte breaks. Double Trouble is a literary roller-coaster ride, fast paced and very readable. When you reach the last page, you're sorry it ended so soon. Mystery lovers will feast on this book.

Second in the series, Double Trouble instantly makes you hungry for the third. We're eagerly waiting, Ms. LaPierre.

It was supposed to be a simple case. A simple body guard case that somehow went terribly wrong.

When Nancy Gilbert's sister, Tanya Stowell is murdered, the person she turns to for help is former Company agent Tom Casey. Afraid for herself and her family, Nancy hires Tom to protect her from her ex-husband who's just gotten out of prison. Believing Drew Harland, the ex, killed her sister, she panics when he suddenly turns up in town.

What Nancy, Tom, and his associates don't realize is that someone else is in the background with murder on the mind. When some of the main players, including the main suspect, start turning up dead themselves, Tom realizes that they could all be victims if this silent killer isn't caught, and soon! The question is are they too close to the forest to see the trees?
~~~
This is the stand-alone sequel to Ms LaPierre's THE ENEMY STALKS, and is every bit as good and then some. It takes place several years after TES and it was great to have a little update on how everyone is doing now.

DOUBLE TROUBLE is the perfect title for this story. It's exactly what Tom Casey, his wife Jennifer, and his associates have on their hands. For a while it's kind of hard to tell the warden from the inmates so-to-speak because at one time or another everyone seems to be a suspect to Tom.

Ms LaPierre does a terrific job of slowly revealing what she wants you to know. The plot is tightly woven, and the characters realistic enough to keep me turning pages as fast as I could read. I was as much in the dark as the characters about who was doing all the killing until the author finally gave enough clues for me to 'get it'.

If you're into suspenseful stories without a lot of graphic blood and guts you'll really enjoy this one from Ms LaPierre. I can highly recommend it