Sharon McCone is probably the best loved detective in the mystery genre. Readers have seen her career evolve from All Soul's Cooperative to her becoming an independent investigator with her own staff and career. She has got it all together but she didn't get there on her own.

In this collection of short stories we see another side of Sharon through her office manager, lover, hacker nephew and co-investigator. They share with us their own thoughts about working with Sharon. They also move beyond talking about "the boss" and reveal something about themselves and how they go about solving a mystery with or without "the boss". Each one has their own distinctive voice that gives you a different perspective on how the team operates.

Of course Sharon has her own story to tell. Sometimes she doesn't appreciate the "help" from an amateur sleuth such as her big brother but who can choose your relatives especially when they are "annoying" you about a case. You will be delighted in listening to these stories and sharing in the escapades of Sharon's loving team. A limited collection of short stories such as this is a great addition to your mystery library.

As a mystery author with my debut novel in its initial release, I hold Marcia Muller in the highest esteem. Her creation, Sharon McCone, revolutionized modern mystery fiction. McCone broke the old stereotypes. She became the first human private eye. She is also the oldest sister of all those women private eyes practicing today. MCCONE AND FRIENDS is a short story collection with an unusual twist. Ms. Muller provides unique perspectives on McCone by allowing her supporting charaters to tell some of the stories in this collection. Rae Kelleher, Mick Savage, Ted Smalley, and Hy Ripinsky all give their views of McCone. McCone, herself, tells three stories. MCCONE AND FRIENDS is a great book that any reader of mystery fiction should have in her collection.

I have a signed limited edition of this book and couldn't resist the urge to read it. If you are a fan of Marcia Muller, this is a must have book. The stories in this book are told by Sharon's friends, giving the reader an insight into her personality that you would not normally get. And lets face it, characters in a long running serious develop personalities of their own. This book gives you the opportunity to see Sharon from another perspective. The reader is given this rare opportunity in 8 stories that live up to Marcia Muller's excellent writing abilites. ENJOY!!

Sharon McCone, a private investigator, is asked to follow Frank Wilkonson and report his activities to a man named Rudy Goldring. Instead of participating in illegal activities, as Sharon expects, Wilkonson visits various florist and garden outlets. As she delves into Wilkonson's past and present endeavors, she uncovers a complicated web of love and betrayal. Two murders occur and Sharon knows that she must find the perpetrator in order to prevent more killings from happening. This is a typical tightly-woven, well-written mystery from the creator of the female PI, Marcia Muller.

Marcia Muller is adept at describing relationships. In this book we meet at least two difficult and selfish husbands whose wives are coming apart with drugs or anger. THERE'S SOMETHING IN A SUNDAY is one of the better entries in the Sharon McCone series.

Frank Wilkonson spends his Sundays looking through all the horticulture spots in San Francisco. Who's he looking for? What's he looking for? That's what Sharon McCone has been hired to find out. Where her search leads her is what we find out. Sharon's friends have mysterious pasts, and she investigates thoroughly. If you enjoy intricate mystery plots, you'll love this one. Muller is a superb mystery writer with a superb knowledge of the California scene. Her descriptions are awesome. It's another McCone mystery.....and a great one.

Private Investigator Sharon McCone is called by a group of Vietnamese tenants who live in the so-called Tenderloin District of San Francisco. This is a very rough area, where new immigrants trying to make a go of it in their adopted country rub elbows with eccentrics and criminals. The group of people who are employing Sharon want her to find out who is playing tricks on them in their apartment building. There are strange noises in the basement, power failures, and shadows of "ghosts" on the walls. During the course of the investigation, Sharon develops real admiration for the Vietnamese and is chagrined when one of them is killed and another disappears. She pursues several dead ends before she finally figures out who is responsible for the murder and the other mischief. Muller consistantly writes good books in this series, and this one is no exception.

This book is a fun, quick read in a fascinating and well-portrayed setting. Having spent some time near the location of this book (San Francisco's Tenderloin district), I give Marcia Muller full credit for knowing her environment. What's more, she takes that a step further and, along with protagonist PI Sharon McCone, explores the dark realities of immigration issues in this city and others.

This is definitely a formula mystery-- I finished it off in a couple days-- but it's a good one. Whenever the desire for a little light reading comes along again, I'm sure I'll return for more of Marcia Muller's novels.

I have read the first 6 or so books in this series and I have yet to be disappointed. Each book kept me entertained and wanting to get to the next one.

Private Investigator Sharon McCone has grown and matured through the first fifteen books which comprise the series which bears her name. In this offering, Sharon starts her own agency, although she rents space from her former employer, All Souls' Legal Cooperative, and thus stays in touch with her old friends. Her first case involves an old college chum whom she calls Suits. Although he was an unpromising youth, Suits has become a man of some wealth and influence. He specializes in taking over companies and turning them around so that they become profitable entities again. In the process of doing so, Suits usually cuts unprofitable people and activities, thus earning him numerous enemies. When someone starts to harass him in dangerous ways, Suits decides it's time to bring in an investigator to find out who's responsible. Sharon travels the country, talking to people in companies which Suits has turned around. There are more than enough suspects, and Sharon has to do some extensive sleuthing to see who is threatening Suits and his wife. She takes on her nephew as a temporary assistant and continues her unconventional relationship with Hy Ripinski. Muller's fans will not be disappointed in this entry in the series.

This author always provides the goods. Again, we have a thoroughly worthwhile read with the author's usual compelling characterisations and tight plotting. One minute flaw only - the plotting was a mite confusing. Nevertheless, installments in this series are always welcome additions to my bedside table.

It is always a pleasure to start in on another McCone mystery from Marcia Muller. The familiar northern California settings and the now-familiar characters surrounding McCone provide a comfort zone that makes it easy to get into each new tale. I've read all the books that preceded this one and recommend them all. Starting at the beginning is the best way to do it.

Even if you've never read any of the other McCone mysteries, though, this one is very good on its own. Having decided to break from All Souls and become an independent investigator, McCone's first client is someone from her student days at UC Berkeley. "Suits" Gordon has become a corporate turnaround specialist and made some enemies along the way. Now, he thinks someone is trying to kill him and he wants McCone to find out who. The plot keeps twisting and turning right through to the end, with never a dull moment along the way.

This is a very good mystery, whether you're familiar with the San Francisco Bay Area and/or past McCone mysteries or not. There are plenty of surprises, and the pace doesn't let up. I have given 4 stars in past reviews to books in this series, but Mullers has outdone herself this time. Her best yet, in my opinion. Highly recommended with 5 stars.

Private Investigator Sharon McCone gets a call from her sister Patsy who wants to employ her to investigate some strange occurrences on Appleby Island. Patsy has joined a group who plan to turn an island mansion into a bed-and-breakfast, but several acts of sabotage are beginning to discourage them. Sharon arrives and is as perplexed as her sister. The mischief continues and eventually escalates into murder. As she continues her investigation, Sharon realizes that someone on the island must be the perpetrator. Eventually there are several revelations which expose the fact that many of the people on the island are not what they appear to be. This is another good entry to the Sharon McCone Mystery Series.

When Sharon McCone goes to the island in response to her sister's request for help, excitement is everywhere. Sharon thinks she's going to get to rest, but mystery is everywhere. Who is leaving a hanging effigy in a tree near the old mansion where an assorted group is trying to resurrect the old mansion for a posh bed and breakfast. Meshing all the characters and exploring their secrets is what McCone, the lady detective , does best. You'll enjoy figuring out who's doing what to whom. As usual, Marcia Muller works it all out in fine style. Read it. You'll love Sharon McCone mysteries.

I found this book very enjoyable and it moved well, its not slow on the get go, I also liked the ending, very different from his other books, which usually end with the guy getting the girl in the end, this time they.... enuf said (: And I liked the mention of a New Zealander, Cheers Bova...:

This was a book I just happened to look at because it had a cool cover and decent premise, so I decided to give it a shot. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining and how fast-paced it was - the kind of book you can read in one sitting. In addition, the book has a good, surprising ending - I don't want to spoil it for you. Peackeepers is the kind of book that should be made into a movie - although maybe they should wait a while because, on the surface, the plot seems similar to the movie The Peacemaker with George Clooney and Nicole Kidman (although the Peacekeepers is a much better story, trust me). Either way, even though this isn't Bova' most popular book, it's worth checking out.

The book is good and it has some good advices, even so I could not use it (without other information) to write a mistery book.

I was not happy, because in the book, most woman, good writers, recognise their lesbian preferences, nowhere was that before I baught the book. I think, if they are open about it, we should know too before we buy, what we buy, and what the writers opinion on life is. I could or not baught it, but I would have knewn it.

Are you a writer? Whether not-yet-published, or multi-published, any writer would benefit from having this neat little book close at hand whenever the muse says "Write something--now!" Thirteen women, writers of mystery novels all, offer their own unique opinions on a specific topic, valuable to a writer of any genre, not just the mystery/suspense field.

Some of these ladies--more well-known than others, perhaps--top my own favorite author lists: Barbara Paul, Ellen Hart and Marcia Muller. They may be on your list, too, but that doesn't mean that the other contributors don't have valuable insights to offer as well. For instance, Anne Wilson writes on place--the all-important setting for your novel. Her setting is a neighborhood in urban London, and the fact that she once lived there herself adds charm and poignancy to her writings, making the setting an inviting place to visit.

Joan Drury says she does it all wrong--according to most of the how-to books you may have read, but for her, it works. Being, therefore, the exception that proves the rule may prove to be enormously comforting to the beginning writer who doesn't plot out every step of the novel before sitting down to write. I simply must read her books to find out how she does it--with no advance planning at all!

Ellen Hart's novels abound with wonderful secondary characters. More than background or wall-paper, they add the incredible spice to her offerings, which frequently feature the most scrumptious sounding meals--not surprising then, to learn she'd been a chef for fifteen years before taking up writing. Main characters by themselves cannot carry any book for long, and Ms. Hart's short essay on characterization should be required reading for any writer.

Research, plots, beginnings, endings. Almost everything you'll ever need to know about writing any novel can be found right here. Well, maybe not. If you want to write really violent or extra-hard-boiled stuff, you won't find any help for that here. But for anyone else--lesson one in how to write a book should be--read this book first!

I'll admit it. I've always been a Rudy fan. He caught my interest years ago when he first ran for Mayor of New York City. Fellow moderate Republicans are often hard to find, especially ones who rise to such prominence as Rudy Giuliani.

In the great tradition of many leaders (King David, the prophet Samuel, John F. Kennedy, etc), Rudy's personal life does not always quite match up to the stellar expectations that so many of us seem to place on our public figures. However, no one can ever accuse Rudy Giuliani of shirking a duty to lead. And, in this book, he describes just exactly how he does that.

The book is actually broken down into such a great format that it could really serve as fodder for future Leadership classes. He breaks it down into:

--Everyone's Accountable, All The Time.
--Underpromise and Overdeliver.
--Develop and Communicate Strong Beliefs.
--Organize Around a Purpose.
--Reflect, Then Decide.

The point that reasonated with me from the minute I first read it, was in his first declaration that "I'm Responsible." Those two little words clearly set the tone for how Rudy views Leadership. He goes into detail about building a great team, properly communicating a mission, and revisiting results; but in the end, it all comes down to the fact that he views himself, as a Leader, to be the one responsible.

I actually put off reading this book for several months because I just was not ready to revisit September 11. (I assumed that the bulk of the book would revolve around that theme.) In the end, I became a little annoyed with myself that I had put such a great read off for so long.

This truly is one of the best (and simplest) breakdowns of true leadership. I would recommed it for anyone looking to sharpen their skills.

It is refreshing to read about a leader who understands that true leaders set the lid upon which his subordinates bump up against. Rudy Giuliani set the highest standards of public service and leadership. His book reinforced principles that have succeeded in my life and provided many ideas for personal and professional growth.

Ideally, the President should take advantage of Rudy's background in law and his success in running the largest city in the nation and put him on the ticket in 2004. Should Vice President Cheney, who has done an outstanding job for our country, decide to step down to make room for Rudy's presidential run in 2008, the nation would be greatly served. I can even see Rudy and Condoleeza Rice on the same ticket, with either in the top seat. Our nation needs excellence and the highest moral and ethical standards from it's leaders. Unfortunately, not a single Democratic Presidential hopeful posseses either of these traits.

Buy this book, then pass it on. It's a great read about a great American.

Giuliani has given us an amazing book on 'leadership'. Filled with excellent examples that make it highly readable, he covers the many aspects of leadership and presents the following points:

-Everyone's Accountable, All the Time: Leaders need to accept the blame if things go wrong - and expect similar standards all the way down the chain.

-Underpromise and Overdeliver: "A leader must manage not only results but expectations." Avoid mentioning what you've done until you've actually accomplished something.

-Develop and Communicate Strong Beliefs: "those who look to you for answers ... have a right to know how you see the world." A leader "must bring people aboard, excite them about his vision, and
earn their support.

-Organise Around a Purpose: Most organisations start off well, but over time lose focus on their real reason for existence.

-Reflect, Then Decide - don't rush: the longer you have to make a decision, the more mature and well reasoned that decision should be.

(For a detailed summary visit my site via the 'more about me' section)

All in all, a fantastic book that comes highly recomended.

Sharon McCone's brother Joey has not been heard of for some time, and when his suicide is discovered, the mystery of his disappearance is tragically solved. Shortly thereafter Sharon is asked to investigate another suicide, that of a young man named Roger Nagasawa. He worked for an online magazine and his parents are attempting to prove that the stresses of his job led to his tragic death. When Sharon begins to investigate, she finds that there are many irregularities in the company's finances, and the executives are treating their employees very poorly. A close friend of Sharon's is killed and her investigation intensifies. This is a typical well-written Sharon McCone mystery and it shows us even more facets of a character which has endured since the late 70's. Marcia Muller continues to write quality books and is to be commended for the consistency of her writing over many years, and the fresh insights she gives us about her main character.

Beginning a Sharon McCone novel is like meeting with old friends: you enjoy finding out what's new with familiar characters and meeting new ones, visiting familiar haunts in San Francisco and knowing you will be entertained from the very first page.

This is the 22nd Sharon McCone novel and Marcia Muller is still at the top of her game. Lots of things have happened to Sharon recently, particularly the suicide death of her brother Joey, only a short time after her father's death. Sharon is wondering if she could have done more to help Joey, when she is offered a case involving another suicide. This case, involving Roger Nagasawa, a young employee in a hip, online magazine, is to investigate whether overwork and mistreatment caused his death and thus could be the basis of a lawsuit against the company. Sharon almost refuses to take the case since it is so close to real life. But she does take it and is soon caught up in the vicious dog-eat-dog world of a dot.com struggling to survive. What did Roger find out about a conspiracy to sink the company and what did this have to do with his suicide? A number of clues surface which show Roger had found things someone wanted to hide Before Sharon finds the answer, an old friend is murdered and some of the evidence points to her.

Woven integrally into the story are threads of venture capital business, computer security, personal privacy, and greed--all which add interest and intrigue to a very fast paced story.

Over the years Sharon McCone has kept the elements that we have enjoyed--her feistiness, ingenuity, and independence but she has also matured, developing a good-sized PI firm and lots of interesting coworkers and supporting characters that we have come to know and love. It just keeps getting better and better....

As everyone is wont to say: time does fly. It's a quarter of a century since ace mystery author Marcia Muller brought San Francisco private eye Sharon McCone onto the literary scene. McCone was one of the first female PIs, and one of the most compelling. She still is.

It's hard to believe that Muller is getting better because, for many, she started at the top rung of this genre. Nonetheless, "Dead Midnight" is superb, above and beyond her past work.

With this, the 22nd McCone adventure, McCone is still trying to recover from the suicide of her brother. Then, there is another suicide. A talented, hip, young man who has a good job with an online magazine takes his own life. What caused him to leap from the Bay Bridge?

His family's sorrow pierces McCone's heart as she relives the grief she felt and still feels at the loss of her brother. Perhaps it is this empathy that enures her to the danger she soon finds herself in.

Muller is one in a million and so is McCone.

- Gail Cooke