A detective story, set in the future (not too far, though), with jokes, gags, and humor which - although didn't give me huge belly laughs - is truly most delightful. I'd just finished "The Fat Detective" which was a 'comical mystery' so this kept me on that track but enhanced it greatly. Even if you've not ever considered this genre (I'm a Holmes, Reacher, Maigret and Dr. Siri addict), you really should give it a try. I'm off now to buy the others in this series: this one got me hooked!

Clearly, I could eat my way across this country and - with VERY few exceptions - enjoy every minute of it. SO many great meals in here: some familiar and some entirely new. Glad I bought this: it's a pleasure just browsing and I'll probably gain weight every time I look at it!

Air stove, air fryer, air freezer and air frier are just four of the descriptions used in the first three pages of this book. REALLY? Yes indeed. And this isn't just an issue of crappy proof-reading. There are numerous other similar errors but it's hard to believe that someone writing a cookbook would call an air fryer an air freezer!

Not sure I want to follow recipes that have me cooking things in an air freezer truthfully.... The 5 star reviews on Amazon MUST be phonies - and, in fact, a couple of them seem to refer to a totally different book!

A modern and VERY approachable book about why and how to become a Mason. This would make an EXCELLENT gift for the seeker of ANY age (even a younger teen!). It's written so it's easily understandable and 'touches all the bases'. This is THE book to get for both yourself and others, most especially those who might become a potential candidate.

The audiobook (bought from Chirpbooks.com) was a true delight. The narragor (Sam Dastor) really made this book most interesting. If you work in the medical field, you'll have no problem at all with understanding though those who've got little exposure to other cultures will likely find it demanding and be disappointed. I'm sure I'll be buying more audiobooks in this series!

Reading Maigret is like vaping - or something. It's SO darn addictive! My only regret is that I found him so late in life.... My weekly present to myself is one of his mysteries and I'm never disappointed.

Although the content is good, it suffers horribly from disastrous formatting including punctuation in all the wrong places (and many places where it's omitted to cause run-on sentence structure etc.). It's a shame that a work with SO much promise didn't even get a cursory glance by someone who could have gotten the many, many grammatical mistakes corrected!

A very good pastiche, true in its 'tone' to the Canon. Short read and you might easily guess the outcome but particularly good to those looking for Holmes in the usual length. I enjoyed it!

When starting into this, I wondered whether I'd really enjoy it or not. Laos is outside my scope of reference in reading taste. However, the character development and the quirky, intriguing story line made me a convert. I'm now quickly into the second book and will likely work my way through this entire series. START WITH THIS ONE (#1 in the series) as the second has references back to it.

MW Bro. John Heisner, GM of California 2016-2017, was highly respected as a Masonic author well before his elevation to the Grand East. Hefting this weighty tome, physically, might give anyone pause but be not afraid: As with his other books, he's broken down this huge topic (it's sub-title is 'Understanding Masonic Symbolism') into bite-size pieces that you can consume easily - although the lessons you will gain might be harder to implement than you'd otherwise suppose. This is a GREAT place for anyone interested in Masonic Symbolism to start. In 2015, Bro. Heisner became one of the 40 living Fellows of the philalethes Society, joining the rarefied ranks of Masonic researchers and scholars world-wide. DO read this book! You'll be glad you did. Ed King, FPS. November, 2017.

Perfect for those 'short-talk' educational programs before, during, or after lodge. In fact, this could easily be a starting point for your own stories and programs. Engaging, simple, short essays, all with an uplifting message! GREAT JOB!!!

Providing detailed and heretofore unknown information about Mozart's lodge, this 1991 book was written with diligent research and didn't rely on the internet for its sources! Although short, the information is robust and supplemented with relevant prints of the period. Highly recommended for those looking for Mozart's Masonic activities.

Only 62 pages of 5x8 size not justified with a large font and double-line spacing, there really is nothing to cause one to purchase this book when it seems entirely garnered from internet information easily found through Wikipedia links. Disappointing, particularly at the $15 paperback price.

I found Holmes far too late in life and now it's a case of catch-up. I've bought several anthologies in anticipation but this is the first reading I've done outside of the canon. Not being sure what to expect, I found this sometimes interesting and sometimes just plain weird. I may circle around to this again after I've had a chance to read more 'related' things but for now, color me ambivalent.

Twists, turns, and never the expected outcome! Patrick Brady has done it again, causing me to lose sleep until I could find out what REALLY happened. Several nice Masonic subtleties in this one: things that a Mason would really pick up on but done without losing the suspense and fun for others. Brother Dzembo is a Master at his craft! Highly recommended.

The key difference between this series and others of its ilk (which are now part of the canon of seagoing tales) is its focus on the actual deckplate life of a Midshipman (little more than a slave) during the Revolutionary War. Anyone not familiar with sails and rigging of ships of that day can get easily overcome with detail but don't let that deter you: read on. It'll become evident or irrelevant, either way not impinging on your enjoyment of this book. I'll be reading the entire 20+ volumes in the series now, guaranteed!

Lack of understanding of the difference between various bodies calling themselves 'Masons' can lead the US reader to wonder what world all of this comes from. Not knowing about or understanding the fact that the Grand Orient of France accepts feminine Freemasonry as legitimate and has no problems whatsoever in getting involved in religious or political issues can certainly shade one's opinion of this work. Get acquainted with the GOdF first and then you'll enjoy this book much more fully. (Note: the copy I read was bought and paid for - not part of a giveaway of any kind!)

From the author whose book first brought Chamberlain back from obscurity (Mainers: can you believe it?), this biography tells of the life of a now-popular Civil War general as well as the many myths that surround him. If you're at all interested in Civil War or Maine history, you certainly should read this book.

Being a native Bostonian, I was drawn to this book by the title alone. Little did I realize I was entering a world unlike any other. So many descriptions could be given but they'd all wind up as spoilers. If you like historical fiction, you'll enjoy this I'm pretty sure. Imagining Boston at that time was, for me, great!

This is NOT your Grandfather's book, believe me! The fact that the second chapter is about social media should provide enough of a clue that you'll want to get this book right away. The author is very well versed in Masonic matters and a great writer. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who is ascending the line or is a mentor to those who are. Very highly recommended!

A very short novella, double-spaced. At first, you'll think you've wasted money (although profits are going to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) but once you begin, you'll find it difficult to put down - and when you get to the end, you'll be clamoring to find out when you'll be able to go further. Bravo on this first work: I'm impatiently waiting for more!

Offering a very in-depth analysis of both the backgrounds and motivations that led these two 'greats' of their time to explore spiritualism, this is a book that the casual reader might not consider. That would be a mistake! Not only does the author provide a gentle entree into the subject but, once you've started, it's very difficult to stop. One thing that the author misses, as would most, is that nearly all of the men coming into contact with Houdini are, in fact, Freemasons - including Arthur Conan Doyle. Jaher at times seems surprised that these various contacts amongst different persons seem to occur yet it COULD be that their common membership helped lubricate the social discourse. That, for me, was a very interesting sidelight to the whole show.

After reading this, my interest has been piqued and I've bought a book about Spiritualism in Boston (my hometown)! Disclosure: I received this book gratis as part of the Library Thing Early Readers Program which in no way mandated my review or the marks given. I just liked the darn book!

This book could easily be titled "Best Ways to Communicate" - and the lessons taught are applicable to not only museums but ANY non-profit organization seeking to understand the best ways and means of reaching out to present and potential audiences. The examples used by the author are VERY relevant and timely. They're illustrated with examples that anyone will readily appreciate. If you're responsible for writing brochures, blog posts, or ANY front-facing material, you should really read this book. I was extremely impressed!

Yeah, well: so much for yet another prophecy - and the insult of global warming to boot, leaving the claim of Mr. Noone that we'd be under 3 feet of ice by 2000, thanks to those pesky Freemasons keeping secrets again. He actually got on the Oprah show with this stupidity! Absolutely astonishing - and, like SO many other claims about the evil Freemasons, sheer contrived fantasy!

Writing a review without revealing any of the really great parts of this book is difficult at best. This continues on the various plots from the first book in this series but could actually be read alone. (I got half-way through before a passing sentence caused me to realize I was out of order. Went back, read #1 and then back to this one. No harm, no foul, and nothing lost!) Fair warning, this book comes somewhat close to being a 'Hard R' rating but the descriptions surrounding lodge interactions etc. will ring true to any Mason who's been around for more than a couple of years. One particularly great part was when the author started describing Patrick listening to a piece of music at a strip joint. IMMEDIATELY, after the first few words, I actually roared aloud the name of the artist and song - the description was that 'right on'. The last page contains a twist TOTALLY unexpected leaving open the door for yet more in this truly wonderful series. Great job, Brother Dzembo: wish I could write as well as you have.

Any Mason who enjoys murder mysteries will LOVE this book. Heck, even if you haven't read a murder mystery for some time, you'll be drawn into the life of Patrick Brady, slightly flawed hero, who's 'tryin' to do the right thing' and has a variety of 'issues' which stand in the way. A very accurate portrayal of lodge interactions throughout. A quick and easy read, sure to keep you interested. I immediately rushed into the author's book #2 the same night.

This is nothing more than a reprint of a screed by Charles L. Mitchell in 1908 against Prince Hall Grand Lodges. Mitchell, who had formed his own Grand Lodge, was trying desperately to raise himself up by cutting others down. Fortunately, he failed - but this book is a testament to the length to which he'd go in order to justify his own actions. This is found freely online in Google Books and other locations. Don't waste money - or give it to others who simply steal out-of-copyright works and put them in a fresh-looking binder.

Blending some very separated pieces of history to weave the background and fascinating story of the author's father-in-law who was a decorated war veteran. Using his easy-going writing style, this is a book which will 'pull you in' and even if you thought you couldn't be bothered with someone else's life story, you'll finish knowing your time was well spent!

A truly wonderful book for the new Mason - or for the Brother who's been away from lodge for a while. As a guide, this book will give you a lot of the answers you're looking for in a very readable way. Well written, it truly fills a void that most of us didn't even realize existed. When you read it, you'll see....

Disclaimer: the book names me in the dedication but I had no idea it was being written and only accidentally found it on Amazon - so it's not as if I helped in any way at all. It's a great book to get - and even an experienced Mason will enjoy the 'brush-up' on things.

Don't look behind that tree: there may be a conspiracy hiding there! Go ahead and be a skeptic but this book will make you at least start wondering a teenie-tiny bit. Although this is part of a series, it was promised that it could be read separately - and that seems to have held true. An exciting adventure that was well-written and suspenseful - even though I'd lived in Arlington, attended Masonic lodge there, and knew better....

Now to go start at Book One!