First, Do No Harm
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Material
  • Inside Texas Medical Center...
  • You may laugh or may cry, but you won't put this book down
  • Very Will Written
  • Life or Death
First, Do No Harm
Lisa Belkin
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 044922290X
Release Date: 1994-03-02

Book Description

"A powerful, true story of life and death in a major metropolitan hospital...Harrowing... An important book."
THE NEW YORK TIMES
What is life worth? And what is a life worth living? At a time when America faces vital choices about the future of its health care, former NEW YORK TIMES correspondent Lisa Belkin takes a powerful and poignant look at the inner workings of Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas, telling the remarkable, real-life stories of the doctors, patients, families, and hospital administrators who must ask--and ultimately answer--the most profound and heart-rendng questions about life and death.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Material.......2007-03-02

This book will keep you wanting to turn the page and make it hard to put down the book. This is a great explanation of real life situations that patients and hospitals face everyday. Some of the situations that are hard for some people to understand why hospitals are concerned with matters like money and certain treatments of patients can be explained.

5 out of 5 stars Inside Texas Medical Center..........2007-01-31

Lisa Belkin has created an amazing book here - she definitely did her research. The book consists of a few case studies of patients who pose ethical dilemas. Belkin takes you inside meetings of the ethics committee at the hospital, she takes you to the patient's bedside to see what the patient actually wants. Some of the patients she follows are a young kid who has been hospitalized for 15 years with a terminal condition, beating all odds by staying alive that long, several premature babies, and a man who was paralyzed almost completely after getting shot in the spine. It's a great look at medical ethics - Lisa Belkin's book asks all the right questions.

The book is in a very easy-to-read format - the stories of the patients she follows are all intertwined throughout the book. For example, you'll read about Patrick for 30-or-so pages, and then she'll switch over to update you on Taylor's story. She does this because you are reading the stories in "real time" as they happened; all of this took place in a certain time span in the hospital. It's exciting and fast-paced non-fiction - I read it in two days and didn't put it down.

It will break your heart, because often the ethics committee has to bring money into the discussion, as much as they would like to treat every patient as if money was not an issue. This book is SO worth reading, for anyone who is interested in medicine and healthcare at all.

5 out of 5 stars You may laugh or may cry, but you won't put this book down.......2006-11-30

Despite the major advances in knowledge, skills, and technology in the field of medicine, this book shows that ultimately life and death fall back on the human touch. Following the workings of an Ethics Committee in a major urban hospital over several months, Belkin clearly shows that medicine continues to be as much an art as a science and in many cases there are no "right" answers, even when decisions can affect whether a patient lives or dies.
This is not a dry, mechanical review of how ethical decisions are made. Quite the opposite, the book captures your full attention from the very first page. You become fully involved in the heart-wrenching lives of actual hospital patients, as well as the no-win situations health care professionals and family members find themselves in when struggling with decisions that literally have life or death consequences.
For example, when she describes the process in which the life support devices are withdrawn from a young patient you feel you are there in the room witnessing the tragedy. Some readers might scream within their minds not to do it - perhaps there is something else can be done? Others may feel a sense of loving compassion over the ending of someone's suffering. Both types will feel incredible compassion for those who had to make the actual decision and hopefully will never have to make such a choice in their own lives.

5 out of 5 stars Very Will Written .......2006-04-28

The dilemmas in this book are extraordinarily touching.
Ms.Belkin keeps your mind involved as she shifts between situations. It is hard to read the book without thinking what would you do if you were to make a decision such as those mentioned. You will enjoy reading this book especially if you are a deep thinker. I will gladly purchase her other books.

4 out of 5 stars Life or Death.......2006-03-19

Want to know what it is like to have the power to say if someone lives or dies? How would you feel if it was your job to say "pull the plug"on a babies life? Great book! Makes you think.All hospitals should have a Ethics Committee.
First Do No Harm: Reflections on Becoming a Neurosurgeon
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Neurosurgeons...the matadors of the medical profession
  • Becoming a "brain surgeon" - gruelling
  • One of the best books I've ever read.
  • Great book, I loaned and lost it.
  • After several years, I keep coming back to this book...
First Do No Harm: Reflections on Becoming a Neurosurgeon
J. Kenyon Rainer
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394556690
Release Date: 1987-03-12

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Neurosurgeons...the matadors of the medical profession.......2006-12-24

...as both a writer and a neurosurgeon. First of all let me say that this book is a thumping good read; one of those rare writings that grab you and takes you on that cerebro-emotional rollercoaster ride that is usually characteristic of non-fiction thrillers. A quarter of the way in you forget this book in true personal account of a neurosurgeon and as the narrative enters bestseller territory, the writers jars you back to reality with brilliant segues between

4 out of 5 stars Becoming a "brain surgeon" - gruelling.......2004-09-11

Almost 30 years ago, Dr Rainer entered the medical profession as a highly trained, but extremely green and inexperienced intern. In 1987, he produced this account of his growth from new boy to neurosurgeon.

Doctors were thrown in at the deep end and - armed with libraries' worth of knowledge - were challenged to learn on the job. They would either sink or swim: taking their patients with them. Whilst the have-a-go culture is curtailed by modern expectations and medico-lawyers, the notion of "practising" medicine is no accident. Rainer and his colleagues learned their procedures on the dead, the dying and the uninsured of the hospital. Rainer vividly describes, with another new boy, putting in a first subclavian line (a big needle into the blood vessels behind the front wall of the chest) unsupervised. This was very rapidly followed by the first chest drain, when the patient's lung was punctured and collapsed.

Rainer lived, ate and slept neurosurgery. Well, lived neurosurgery. Eating and sleeping were luxuries not afforded to a trainee. It seems that training involved a continuous cycle of operating, rounding, seeing emergency cases and just a couple of hours of snatched sleep before starting over again. Like the tale told in The Intern Blues, doctors learned by doing and doing and doing. Until they could almost literally perform a procedure in their sleep. Asked, "You're not going to do my patient tired are you doctor?", Rainer replied if he didn't, he'd never operate.

For Rainer and his cohort, training and operating came first, second and third; survival fourth; family were left with the scraps. It was no surprise when marriages broke down and surgeons became married to their work. It is no surprise that Rainer, after several intense years a competent operator and good doctor, left the medical profession.

5 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've ever read........2004-01-01

Having a keen interest in medical subjects, I bought this book at a discount book store to read. From almost the first page, I was entranced. I have since read this book at least four times (probably more). This book is the journey of a man with a total love of the practice of medicine. He tells of the grueling hours spent as an intern and as a resident, not so you will feel sorry for him, but rather to point out how medicine was his first love, many times to the detriment of the other things in his life.

Some of the stories he recounts are absolutely hillarious, others heartwrenching. The best recommendation I can give is that I have loaned it to several people and they each have given it highest acclaim. Dr. Rainer puts a tremendous amount of himself in this book, telling not only of his experiences in medicine, but also painting what is obviously a self-poitrait, warts and all.

I have spoken to Dr. Rainer in order to get my copy autographed, and he is now a malpractice attorney. If you read the book you'll understand why I mention this. Read this, you will not regret it.

5 out of 5 stars Great book, I loaned and lost it........2002-10-20

I read this about 12 years ago when I lived in San Diego and loaned it and lost it and have been trying to find it ever since. (I kept the dust cover.) Still have it and have tried every way in the world to relocate this book. Have written and called everyone I could think of that had a link to the publishers and the Dr. Great book and so happy to find it once again.

5 out of 5 stars After several years, I keep coming back to this book..........1999-05-25

I first read an abridged version of "First Do No Harm" in a copy of Reader's Digest when I was around 10 or 12 years old. After that, I sought out and found this book in my local library. Dr. Ranier's writing is honest and straightforward...He doesn't glamourize or sugar-coat medicine or the sacrifices one makes on the path to becoming an M.D. He also reflects fondly on certain life-changing encounters with patients that I myself remember and think about. Dr. Ranier practices about 40 miles from me and I'd love to meet him and thank him for this book which has not only been an important part of my library for many years now, but also turned me toward the medical profession. Outstanding!
First Do No Harm: Law, Ethics, And Healthcare (Applied Legal Philosophy) (Applied Legal Philosophy) (Applied Legal Philosophy)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    First Do No Harm: Law, Ethics, And Healthcare (Applied Legal Philosophy) (Applied Legal Philosophy) (Applied Legal Philosophy)

    Manufacturer: Ashgate Publishing
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    Ethics & Professional ResponsibilityEthics & Professional Responsibility | Law | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0754626148
    First, Do No Harm: Power, Oppression, and Violence in Healthcare
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      First, Do No Harm: Power, Oppression, and Violence in Healthcare

      Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 029917784X

      Book Description

      First, Do No Harm shows how health care professionals, with the best intentions of providing excellent, holistic health care, can nonetheless perpetuate violence against vulnerable patients. The essays investigate the need to rethink contemporary healthcare practices in ways that can bring the art and science of medicine back into sorely needed balance.
      These ground-breaking studies by noted scholars question commonly held assumptions in contemporary healthcare that underlie oppressive power dynamics and even violence for patients and their families. The contributors discuss such topics as women and violence, life-support technologies, and healthcare professionals’ own experiences as patients. First, Do No Harm opens the discourse for reaching new understandings, from reassessing the meaning of "quality of life" to questioning the appropriateness of the very language used by healthcare professionals. It will be welcomed by healthcare workers and by scholars in nursing, medicine, and the allied health sciences.
      First Do No Harm: Wrestling With the New Medicine's Life and Death Dilemmas
      Average customer rating: 1 out of 5 stars
      • Not Worth the Paper it was Written On
      First Do No Harm: Wrestling With the New Medicine's Life and Death Dilemmas
      Bruce Hilton
      Manufacturer: Abingdon Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0687130506

      Customer Reviews:

      1 out of 5 stars Not Worth the Paper it was Written On.......2002-01-22

      This book was very poorly written. It seemed to have no direction or true goal, other than an outlet for the author's feelings. He posed half the book in the form of questions. Then, the other half, interspersed throughout the paragraphs of questions, he gave brief answers to the questions based on his feelings. Most issues were mentioned, but none were truely addressed.
      First Do No Harm: The Cure for Medical Malpractice
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • First, Do No Harm. The Cure for Medical Malpractice
      • I will buy it given Dr. Van Pelt's scathing comments
      • Ignorant and Arrogant
      • A "must-read" for anyone involved in the medical industry
      • Thought provoking!
      First Do No Harm: The Cure for Medical Malpractice
      Ira E. Williams
      Manufacturer: Dr. Ira Williams
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      Hospital AdministrationHospital Administration | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0975452401

      Book Description

      In Hawaii, in 2001, a surgeon operated on a man to stabilize a disc injury in his spine. The titanium rod he needed to insert was not available in the operating room, so he reached for a nearby screwdriver, stuck it in the man's back, and sewed up the incision. Two days later, the screwdriver broke and the wound opened. After three more attempts by the surgeon to remedy the situation, the patient was left a bedridden, incontinent paraplegic. Soon after, he died.

      The issue of medical malpractice will not go away. In fact, in the years ahead, the problem - and the number of proposed remedies - will grow. Nationwide, doctors and other healthcare practitioners are leaving private practice, especially in high-risk areas where malpractice insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Rural hospitals are closing their doors; urban hospitals have difficulty staffing emergency rooms.

      And yet, organized medicine cannot testify to what it is doing to mitigate the situation. Instead, it hides behind the robes of a judge. Medicine's primary answer to a patient who questions an unacceptable outcome is, "Sue or forget it."

      This important book offers a radical, yet practical, prescription to remedy the primary cause of medical negligence in America. The cure is simple, inexpensive, and workable. It will enable hospital medical staffs to evaluate a practitioner's capabilities; it will restore community confidence in the medical profession; and it will be effective, in most cases, without the need for attorneys, judges, or juries. Medical malpractice can be cured. This book tells how.

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars First, Do No Harm. The Cure for Medical Malpractice.......2005-07-24

      This book really drives home the issues associated with the "dark side" of healthcare. Whether you term the issue medical negligence or malpractice, it's real and this book does a good job of discussing the subject. The use of real-life examples is excellent. Dr. Williams' practical, no-nonsense approach would seem to go a long way in solving medical malpractice. This book was quite interesting and a quick read.

      5 out of 5 stars I will buy it given Dr. Van Pelt's scathing comments.......2004-10-27

      I was debating whether or not to buy and read this book until I saw Dr. Van Pelt's comments and then I was sure that I wanted to read it. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. I will let you know what I thought of the book after I read it.

      1 out of 5 stars Ignorant and Arrogant .......2004-09-25

      I was very disappointed by this book as it really has nothing new. Identifed on the cover as "Dr. Ira E. Williams," the author is a DDS oral/maxillofacial surgeon who has obviously had "turf wars" with MD head and neck surgeons, and seems to have a lot of sour grapes. It is clear to Dr. Williams that he is the superior surgeon, and if he had been consulted could have solved most of the MDs' mistakes. He complained to the local Peer Review Organization about some of his colleagues, and they gave the opinion there was "no substandard care." He concludes that peer organizations have no teeth, and are run by good old boys more concerned with protecting their buddies than in good patient care. In fact, peer review organizations I have been involved in operate almost exactly like the IRPR he ends up recommending in his last chapter, and are staffed by diligent, caring people who honestly want the best for patients, though usually are less arrogant about being sure their approach is the only right one. Meanwhile, he ignores or belittles new approaches (like the aviation model) that actually stand likely to reduce the frightening statistics on medical errors. He gives his prejudice away on page 138 when he states "...the only solution is to identify, control, and discipline negligent practitioners," ignoring the fact that most errors are committed by competent, careful, and up-to-date doctors who are not perfect. Chastising people again and again to never make a mistake and punishing them when they do can never create faultless people, but has created the defensive-medicine mess we're in today.
      This book promised a new idea, but really doesn't offer any advice except to try harder and stop whining.

      5 out of 5 stars A "must-read" for anyone involved in the medical industry.......2004-07-09

      In the modern-day America, twice as many people are killed by medical error as die in traffic accidents. Dr. Ira E. Williams, a medical professional and oral surgeon of 40 years' experience, warns of the many failings of today's system of medical practice regulation in First, Do No Harm: The Cure For Medical Malpractice. Addressing the skyrocketing cost of malpractice lawsuits, the questionable validity of relying upon the courts and the legal profession to set standards for medicine, the limitations of peer review, and stressing that medical negligence is not just the work of a few "bad apples" but a pathology that can affect any doctor, as all medical practitioners are themselves fallible human beings, First, Do No Harm is a rivet-ing revelation of a severe social problem. First, Do No Harm goes beyond pointing out the injury, however; it offers viable strategies for improving national health care, including drawing from the positive examples in veteran's hospitals and promoting increased self-regulation. An absolute "must-read" for anyone involved in the medical industry today, whether as a practitioner or a patient.

      4 out of 5 stars Thought provoking!.......2004-06-24

      Dr. Williams presents a practical solution to the medical malpractice "crisis" that seems so real. This book has changed my assumptions about the medical community.
      First Do No Harm
      Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
      • great start, poor finish
      • Oh, this is so good....
      First Do No Harm
      Steven Ford
      Manufacturer: Berkley
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0425196461
      Release Date: 2004-05-04

      Book Description

      It's called Enigma--a mutated culture of smallpox. Medical researcher Eric Connelly believes it contains the answer to curing disease. Jacob Kohl of the Center for Disease Control believes it can destroy the world. The race to find Enigma is on...

      Customer Reviews:

      2 out of 5 stars great start, poor finish.......2005-10-07

      This book started out with a bang and I sat back, prepared to be whisked away till the last page. It didn't happen that way at all. Erin and Jacob are scientists and former lovers who go their separate ways after Jacob is involved with a situation that questions his medical ethics. Years later, Erin has adopted a child, and that child is gravely ill. Erin has devoted her life to the medical research that can save her daughters life. Just when a pay-off is in sight, Jacob comes along and destroys the sample that will save the child. Now roles reverse and as Jacob and Erin race to try to be the first to reach the last specimen of its kind on the planet. Whose ethics are in question now? You be the judge.

      The book was somewhat boring and silly. Even if Jacob believed Erin would unleash a terrible epidemic on the planet, he could have found a way to safely help her perform her research and see if her theory was correct. It was just so unbelievable. This is certaintly not the worst book I have ever read, but there are so many great medical thrillers out there that you really shouldn't waste your time on something so sub-standard.

      4 out of 5 stars Oh, this is so good...........2004-07-02

      First do No Harm is the story of two scientists who learn the hard way that in their profession, First Do No Harm is the most important thing.

      A wonderful thriller pitting two scientists, both with good intentions but with very different views of what is the right thing to do.

      The suspense is upheld throughout the entire book starting in the Congo in the late 1990's to today where the novels brings takes us from the US to Moscow to Nepal.

      In the process, I learned alot about the potential dangers the smallpox virus can create and the pro and cons of its potential for good.

      Its difficult to explain this story without giving too much away. Suffice it to say that I could not put down this thriller and as a bonus, it made me sit back and consider the "benefits" of modern medical research.

      BUY THIS ONE and ENJOY IT!!!
      But First Do No Harm
      Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
      • great realistic read
      • Is This For Real?
      But First Do No Harm
      George L. Druger
      Manufacturer: Vantage Pr
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0533138469

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars great realistic read.......2004-02-12

      This book had a great idea and the characters were very realistic. One can actually read the book as a non fiction. Depending on your philosophical world view the main character can be viewed as a hero or villian which is why this book strikes such a diverse and emotional. Those people that are tired with violent criminals getting off on some technicality or with the aide of an manipulative lawyers will get some justice and satisfaction by reading this book.

      1 out of 5 stars Is This For Real?.......2003-09-08

      I was appalled by a doctor writing a book that condones cold blooded murder. The main character deliberately murders two of his patients (they are druggies and have committed criminal acts) and he has an affair with his nurse. His conclusion is that now he has a new idea of the difference between good and evil and he is at peace with his actions. I can't imagine any patient wanting to be attended by such a doctor.
      First Do No Harm: Making Sense of Canadian Health Reform
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        First Do No Harm: Making Sense of Canadian Health Reform
        Terrence Sullivan
        Manufacturer: UBC Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        Social Services & WelfareSocial Services & Welfare | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0774810165

        Book Description

        Is there a crisis in Canadian health care? While the establishment of the Canadian health care system is widely considered a triumph of citizenship, after four decades the national program is in a fragile state marked by declining public confidence. In First Do No Harm, Sullivan and Baranek provide a concise introduction to the fundamentals of health care in Canada and examine various ideas for reforming the system sensibly. Arguing that administrators and policymakers should follow Hippocrates' dictum "first do no harm" when evaluating and reforming the Canadian health care system, the authors discuss health care financing, popular Canadian health care myths, waiting lists and emergency room overcrowding, and home- and community-based health care. This book is an invaluable invitation to Canadians to think carefully and creatively about the present and future of our health care system.
        First Do No Harm
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          First Do No Harm
          Hoffman Stanley E.
          Manufacturer: Hoffman Publishing House
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: 0646302973

          Too Many Cooks: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Angie Amalfi Mysteries)
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • Decent mystery, unappealing protagonist...
          • Blend Egghead Chef Into Kaleidoscope Scene Swirls a la Sidney Sheldon
          • Cookbook Mysteries
          • Better then the First
          • Appropriate title for great sequel
          Too Many Cooks: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Angie Amalfi Mysteries)
          Joanne Pence
          Manufacturer: Avon
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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          ASIN: 006108199X
          Release Date: 2006-02-28

          Book Description

          After talking her way into a job on a pompous, third-rate chef's radio call-in-show, Angie Amalfi has visions of a new career to go along with her hot, new romance with Paavo Smith, a gorgeous homocide detective.

          When a successful and much-envied restauranteur is poisoned however, Angie finds the case far more interesting than trying to make her pretentious boss sound good. Some cooks might shy away from such a sizzling case, but Angie can take the heat and stay in the kitchen.

          Customer Reviews:

          3 out of 5 stars Decent mystery, unappealing protagonist..........2006-09-03

          I thought the mystery in this book was relatively good, and I therefore kept reading in anticipation of the discovery of the perpetrator. However, I really did not care for Angie. I admired her dedication to the detective, but I found her tedious, immature at times, and petulant. There were many times when I wanted to stop reading simply because I found her attitude and actions childish and foolish, but, as I wrote, the mystery was engaging enough that I continued throughout to the end. I have a few more books in this series that I will probably read, but as Angie's character develops, I hope she becomes more logical and less immature.

          5 out of 5 stars Blend Egghead Chef Into Kaleidoscope Scene Swirls a la Sidney Sheldon .......2005-10-16


          Before I purchased TOO MANY COOKS I was drawn to its description and title, hoping for a generous portion of good grit on grits. I thought, if a chef radio show is featured, and if a restauranteur is poisoned, as the back cover blurbed, my culinary cravings would be at least addressed, if not advanced to the "third degree."

          In the first paragrpah I was easily captured by Angie's anxious vulnerability in her new job as a consultant to a radio personality, an ego-puffed, egghead chef. The scene of getting herself hired was endearing and fun as well. Vulnerability (even insecurity) backed up by eternal spunk always wins the race to my reading reasons.

          As I read through a variety of smoothly transition-ed vignettes, I continued to feel that this set of culinary mysteries with a romance subplot seemed more like a mainstream novel than a genre offering (though it would take both ribbons). The complex, smooth plotting and natural pacing; the strong and varied relationships which are given depth with deft, simple touches seemed to congeal into the rich wholeness of a mystery done well enough to be termed a novel instead of a "mystery" or "crime fiction" or "romantic suspense" (though I enjoy all those genres).

          TOO MANY COOKS had a Sidney Sheldon feel, rising from Pence's shifting from scene to scene, each with a different character as central focus in his own world. After Angie, fretful and feisty, somewhat settled into her job with the egghead, Chef "Ahnree" (Henry La Tour), the scene shifted to Paavo's first day's return to his homicide department. The darker ambiance there was contrasted dramatically, with literary flair, to Angie's spritzy spunk.

          Riding through continued crafty writing style shifts and swanky mood swings, as soon as I was solidly into Paavo's world and cohorts, and bonded satisfyingly with Paavo's new partner, the scene cut to a murder in progress, which felt realistically ... Just. Like. That.

          By this time in the kaleidoscopic plot machinations, I was so far into the games, you couldn't have lifted me out of them except by a ceiling cave. And, in that case I wouldn't have been lifted. Of course I'd have been smashed. I could have only hoped I wouldn't have known what hit me.

          The ending of TOO MANY COOKS produces a labyrinth of mangy machinations, giving enough mystery complexity for even the most convoluted brains. Pence is a master juggler of weaving subplots.

          But, is Angie an amateur sleuth, a romance heroine, a comedienne, or a well-fleshed player in a mainstream NOVEL. The problem is she's all of these, so I haven't been able to peg her cozily into one slot. Do I care?

          If I can't peg what Angie is; I can peg what her author has done to this reader. She's hooked me absolutely into this series to the point that I slipped right through COOKING UP TROUBLE without being able to make myself take time to write a review after finishing TOO MANY COOKS. I have a couple more Amalfi books ready to go, and am including in my nightly prayers a thank you that several more Angie & Paavo stories are available. Yum!

          I'm really intrigued to see where this author goes next, not only in plot deviations and character development, but in expansion of her multi-faceted talent as a novelist.

          I met Joanne at the Murder in the Grove writer's conference in Boise a couple weeks ago. She's a warm-hearted, nurturing, non-assuming, gracious lady; I'll be enduringly grateful for her easy friendship and encouragement of my career. She's not just "About Joanne," yet she spoke beautifully and interestingly about motivations for her books and Angie's contrast to Joanne. Warmth of soul, spontaneity of generosity, and courage for risk run along the same path for both the author and her character.

          Envisioning the cover on Pence's RED HOT MURDER, coming out in February, 2006 (See my Listmania on Pence's series), I'm hoping it'll be glossed over a glowing jacket for a hardcover offering. As the 13th book in a successful series from a dedicated author who unfailingly delivers high quality, it's about time!

          If RED HOT MURDER doesn't come out in hardback, the planet needs to tilt its axis a few degrees in the Amalfi direction!!

          (This review was originally posted on 6/27/05 under the title, PINK GINGHAM SETS A TABLE FOR NOVEL TREASURES.)

          Yes!
          Linda G. Shelnutt

          3 out of 5 stars Cookbook Mysteries.......2005-08-28

          The book was ok, but a little draggy. I read several mysteries where the main character is involved in cooking, and Angie is just not as exciting a character as the others.

          3 out of 5 stars Better then the First.......2005-02-10

          This is better then the first book, Something's Cooking, in that she does attempt to develop Angie a bit more. Unfortunately, this book and the next, Cooking Up Trouble, is probably the best Angie is going to get: after this she just gets downright annoying because she can't see past her own viewpoint. In this one though, you can somewhat accept Angie's ditziness as inexperience in the real world and her outgoing manner... too bad as the series progresses she doesn't seem to learn anything from what she encounters. The next book is Cooking Up Trouble.

          4 out of 5 stars Appropriate title for great sequel.......2003-09-23

          Too many cooks do indeed spoil the broth (and a few other things) in this second mystery in the Angie Amalfi series.
          Angie is as naive, spoiled, annoying and hopelessly in love as ever, which for some odd reason I haven't figured out yet, turns her into an extremely endearing and likable character. Paavo and his closet full of childhood hangups is starting to get on my nerves - but let's face it - is there a woman in the world that can't sympathize with Angie in the rollercoaster romance department? While the actual crime investigation plays second fiddle in this book, you just have to read on to find out how the relationship between the two "love birds" develops.
          All in all a fun, fast-paced book that is hard to put down. Highly recommended to cozy mystery fans!
          3 Mystery PBs by Joanne Pence: Too Many Cooks, Something's Cooking, Red Hot Murder (Angie Amalfi Mysteries)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            3 Mystery PBs by Joanne Pence: Too Many Cooks, Something's Cooking, Red Hot Murder (Angie Amalfi Mysteries)
            Joanne Pence
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000ST0Q7U

            Product Description

            Paperbacks

            Books:

            1. Flying Changes: A Novel
            2. Gods in Alabama
            3. Grimey: The Sequel to Blinded...
            4. Heir to the Glimmering World
            5. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
            6. Hunting Badger (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)
            7. I Know I've Been Changed
            8. In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security
            9. Jean Dubuffet: Works, Writings, Interviews (Essentials Poligrafa)
            10. Kill Me, Kiss Me, Book 3

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