The Redemption of Sarah Cain

Book Description

When her Amish sister and brother-in-law die, Sarah Cain, an "Englisher," is named guardian of their five children.

Customer Reviews:

Great deal.......2007-06-20

Everything was shipped quickly and arrived in flawless shape. Just as advertised. Great amazon seller. Thanks much.

love redeems.......2007-01-19

I think this is such a great book.It shows what mistakes cost you and how one copes.It once again lets you into her unique writing style,making one feel as they are there.Nadia Rehmani

Not the good read I expected from Beverly Lewis.......2006-07-21

I didn't even realize that Beverly Lewis was a Christian author until I read this book. Sure Abraham's Daughter series had quite a bid of Christian revelation in it, but the story was compelling. This book was predicatable from the start. The heroine's unhappy childhood seemed far fetched. The story line was incredibly unbelievable. I had a hard time believing that a modern day family from New England would up and convert to the Amish way of life and even harder time believing that a loving parent would select as gaurdian an estranged sister. Not to mention the Chrisian theme was dominating versus Ms. Lewis's other novels where it was simply part of the story. If Christin books aren't your thing than this book is not for you. If your looking for a believable plot this book isn't for you. this book is way to heavy handed with the Christian awakening of the heroine.

Not the best, but still great.......2005-05-14

I've read almost all of the other Bev Lewis books and while this one isn't like them in too many ways, I still could tell who the author was and I still enjoyed it.
A lot of reviewers have stated that they didn't like the main character, Sarah Cain. I think that's the whole point. She is completely unlovable because of many deep secrets and scars, and time away from "her perfect world" is just what she needed!
I did enjoy this book, I would read it again, I am going to buy it when I get the chance. My only suggestion would be: if you're not sure, read it first, then decide if you like it or not.

What would you do?.......2002-11-10

What would you do if the sister you haven't really seen in 12 years dies, and has decreed in her will that you are to be the guardian of her 5 kids? Sarah Cain has to find that out for herself. This is a marvelous book of self-discovery. Sarah has to finally decide which is more important--money or family.

A wonderful book about overcoming past tragedy and understanding what family really means.

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The Redemption Of Sarah Cain
Beverly Lewis
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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October Song

Sanctuary

The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads #1)

The Preacher's Daughter (Annie's People #1)

ASIN: 0739412574

Product Description

Lydia Cottrell, eldest of five Amish orphans, made a promise to her dying mother to "keep the family together". Se soon discovers that guardianship has been granted to a virtual stranger, an aunt from Portland, OR.

The Redemption of Sarah Cain [Unabridged]

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The Redemption of Sarah Cain [Unabridged]

Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000F3GQ9Q

Product Description

Unabridged. 6 cassettes. 8.5 hours.

The Redemption Of Sarah Cain, By Beverly Lewis, Unabridged Six 90-Minutes Audio Cassettes, Read By Margaret McKay

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The Redemption Of Sarah Cain, By Beverly Lewis, Unabridged Six 90-Minutes Audio Cassettes, Read By Margaret McKay
Beverly Lewis
Manufacturer: NorthStar Audio Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000JLW5V2

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The Redemption of Sarah Cain
Beverly Lewis
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TUI472

Amazon.com

It's good to see private eye Spenser back in Boston, after his ludicrous imitation of a frontier lawman in Robert B. Parker's Potshot. But he's getting nowhere investigating the gunshot murder of banker Nathan Smith in Widow's Walk. The cops figure Smith's ingenuous but unfaithful young wife, Mary, pulled the trigger. She denies it. Spenser, hired by former prosecutor Rita Fiore to help build Mary Smith the best defense her money can buy, isn't sure either way, and the more time he spends on this case (dense with business and sexual deceptions), the more perplexed he becomes.

Of course, our poetry-spouting hero finally catches a break by linking Smith's demise to a convoluted real-estate scam. The rest of the novel offers plenty of Parker's characteristically witty dialogue, the slayings of several informants that you know from the get-go are toast, and ample opportunities for Spenser and his robustly menacing sidekick, Hawk, to intimidate lesser thugs. Unfortunately, the author isn't as attentive to the needs of other series regulars, including Spenser inamorata Susan Silverman, whose restrained jealousy toward lawyer Fiore ("Rita is sexually rapacious and perfectly amoral about it. I'm merely acknowledging that") and self-flagellation over a gay client's suicide somehow add no new depth to her character.

Parker has a propulsive prose style and can still concoct engrossing stories; his 2001 standalone Western, Gunman's Rhapsody, is a fine example. Widow's Walk doesn't quite meet that standard. Though entertaining, it's an unsatisfying chapter in a series that's become too predictable. --J. Kingston Pierce

Book Description

"Sometimes you have to wonder how Robert B. Parker keeps his mojo working. . . . There is a trick to keeping the faith with an old hero. In an age of shifty heroes with shaky values, he has created a hero who can still stand up for himself-and us." (The New York Times Book Review)

When fifty-one-year-old Nathan Smith, a once-confirmed bachelor, is found in his bed with a hole in his head made by a .38-caliber slug, it's hard not to imagine Nathan's young bride as the one with her finger on the trigger. Even her lawyer thinks she's guilty. But given that Mary Smith is entitled to the best defense she can afford-and thanks to Nathan's millions, she can afford plenty-Spenser hires on to investigate Mary's bona fides. Mary's alibi is a bit on the flimsy side: She claims she was watching television in the other room when the murder occurred. But the couple was seen fighting at a high-profile cocktail party earlier that evening, and the prosecution has a witness who says Mary once tried to hire him to kill Nathan. What's more, she's too pretty, too made-up, too blonde, and sleeps around-just the kind of person a jury loves to hate.

Spenser's up against a wall; leads go nowhere, no one knows a thing. Then a young woman, recently fired from her position at Smith's bank, turns up dead. Mary's vacant past suddenly starts looking meaner and darker-and Spenser's suddenly got to watch his back.

With lean, crackling dialogue, crisp action, and razor-sharp characters, Widow's Walk is another triumph.

Download Description

One of Boston's elite has been murdered. The accused is his new wife. She's blonde, beautiful, and young. The jury's going to hate her. With next-to-no alibi, and multi-million reasons to kill her husband, she needs the best defense money can buy. His name is Spenser, and he'd give anything to believe her.

Customer Reviews:

Whodunit meets twists and turns in classic Spenser style.......2007-08-19

When Rita Fiore calls Spenser in to help build a defense case for a young widow, Spenser doesn't know what he is getting in for. Young Mrs. Smith is about as smart as a door-knob and the case that she murdered her much older husband seems open and shut. However, Spenser smells a rat and, as is typical of his sleuthing style, just keeps sticking his nose into every crack he can find until the death threats start coming.

Entertaining, and full of the typical twists and turns that make reading the Spenser novels so much fun, I found this one hard to put down. Not to be missed!

Do Dim Bulbs Mean Dim Sum? Thumbnail Conclusions of Style Evolution........2007-06-18

Characters' repulsion to Mary Smith's bimbo mode provided effervescent entertainment. The widow's bulb was dimmed to such a degree, I was surprised she wasn't irritating to me. Instead, she was such a spot-on portrayal of similar women I've observed (especially with the "I really, really" speech pattern) that when she entered a discussion, chuckles emerged from too vivid recalls of "been there" with personal periodic dips into the low wattage of exhaustion. As Parker had intended, I was baited into the complex plot by continuing to question if Mary's "act" was an act, or face-value of her unadulterated self.

For my tastes, Parker mastered several techniques of the novel and of P.I. genre expectations in WIDOW'S WALK, # 29 in this series. The plot was intriguingly complex, and multiple unusual arrangements (and murders) in this novel worked, with dues to realism paid on accounts. In particular, I enjoyed the empathetic scenes with Race Witherspoon in his art studio and gay bar connections (Nellie's in Bay Village).

An overview of the evolution of Parker's writing style seemed to crystalize somewhat with the reading of WIDOW, as I began noticing a few cracks forming in a conclusion I'd been solidifying through reviews of 31 Spenser novels (see my Listmania). Surprisingly, this observation delighted me, because it meant that Parker's skill was more intriguingly complicated than I had thought. Of course I'm glad I caught the error in my "headings" prior to pontificating them here. My other reviews' observations still read accurately from my current conclusions, since each review focused on the immediate book, and sometimes a few around it in sequence.

As I read onward in WIDOW, a light bulb swung into my path and bopped me between the eyes. "Oh!" (To use a British term from Christie's Miss Marple series.) As the bulb bopped, I saw that this series does not precisely evolve in progressive increments from a denser style narrated by a solitary P.I. into a lighter, sparser, team-playing home-stretch, as I had hypothesized when contrasting the earlier books to POTSHOT (the first novel I read in the series) and a few of the later offerings. Parker's talent is too rich and quirky for a simple, incremental, no-back-tracking progression.

As soon as my previous reviews had identified a shift in the series style-continuum, I'd read the next offering and see that the "shift" had returned to an earlier mode, with a new flair or flavor. Sometimes the shift went from teaming with Hawk or Susan (which I thought had become a new approach), back to the solitary Spenser, lonely-street, melancholy P.I. of the earlier novels. The only accurate style-shifting synopsis might be to conclude that honing and paring of every asset in this series has been primely accomplished.

A few chapters into WIDOW, I had paused to thumb through the book, checking the balance of pages of dialogue clips, to pages of longer paragraphs of solitary contemplations, descriptions of setting and weather, etc. That quick thumb gave a false conclusion that THIS was the line of demarcation for a dramatic increase in the jazzy "talking head" rhythm, and a decrease in action, and density of setting/narrative.

Even though I reveled in the earlier density, I felt (still do) that Parker was one of the few authors able to rivet readers into abundances of sequential pages of dialogue, with the repartee having such a rich rhythm as to feel like plot motion as much as skull-cracking-action does. Yes, dialogue flared well in WIDOW. Yet, pared-down weather descriptions, scenery enhancements, and mood reports were woven whimsically around repartee. Thankfully, here is where I caught myself wrongly assuming that this would become forevermore the "New Deal."

A variety of literary pizzazz and style panache has been sporadically alternated in this series, creating a collection of upwardly spiraling, "new and improved" machinations in no discernible pattern of progression, other than possibly from denser to more effervescent, though both styles work. As noted above, Parker appears to be alone in having the repartee ramble down with enough spark-padded-with-spit-of-sensual-observation to carry a novel without a plethora of heavy-action-backup (though action has continued to abide in good pace throughout the series).

What caused the shifts in style in this series? Might Parker's editor have astutely isolated patterns of reader response which indicated a regular appeal or repel? About Parker's dialogue, other than the use of "he said/she said" (which delights me in seeming to be a rebellious signature), I've read mostly raves reported with rhapsodic rhetoric.

Complaints have surfaced about other literary assets, and supposed liabilities. Praise has clashed with complaints, with both seeming to relate to personal preference. Possibly Parker, in the vein of many authors of fiction, rides with the series more than micro-designing or reining it. A few of Parker's early blog entries on Amazon briefly mention means of choosing of particular characters, themes, or styles.

Whatever impacted this series as it moved through its courses, it is a prime offering in culturally significant literary contributions, all the more so in its guise of being formulaic, simple entertainment. Don't be slighted by a smooth flow of style and a degree of genre adherence ... or do be!

Thumbs up to Parker's entertainingly erratic evolution of style,

Linda Shelnutt

One of the best Spenser novels.......2006-02-06

I checked this book out of the library and while I was waiting for others to complete their searches I started reading it. I began laughing out loud and when my partner asked me what was so funny, she had me read the passages to her. She also laughed. I finally had to stop reading it in the library because I was causing a disturbance.
The wife (Mary Smith) of a very wealthy man (Nathan Smith) is accused of killing him. She is a dolt, nearly unable to answer even the simplest of questions. Her alibi is that she was downstairs watching television while he was in his bedroom getting shot. Rita Fiore hires Spenser to look into the case, which allows for the initial dialog between Rita and Spenser. As Spenser starts looking into the case, strange things happen, in that people start being killed. Yet, the only pattern to the killings is that they are people who talk to Spenser and may have given him information.
The plot becomes very convoluted, in that Nathan Smith had a very checkered past of involvement with young boys and Mary Smith continued to have affairs after the marriage. Not just affairs, but involvement with very unsightly men. As the story unfolded, I often wondered if Mary is in truth as stupid as she portrays herself. There is a climactic ending where Spenser has a shootout with the evil man, whose identity is not revealed until he is lying dead in a puddle of mud.
This is one of the very best Spenser novels, the dialog remains crisp throughout and there is the continuous hint of possible action between Spenser and Rita Fiore. There are many convolutions to the plot that keep you confused and that is one of the most enjoyable aspects of a mystery novel.

A refreshing return to form.......2006-01-13

After becoming a fan of the Spenser novels years ago, I made it a point to read all the ones I had missed and check out each new one as it came out. Recently, however, I had gotten behind because it just seemed like Parker didn't have anything new to say. I took an especially long break after reading "Potshot", which to me literally seemed like Parker put a bunch of his earlier novels into a blender and made a new novel of the result. "Potshot" was tired, with a cult-leader villain who seemed like he belonged in a James Bond novel and yet another "rich people who turn out to be the real crooks" subplot.

Eventually, reluctantly, I decided it was time to see if Parker had gotten any better, and I checked out "Widow's Walk", the next in the series. Boy was I surprised! It was sharp, witty and fun. The premise alone was worth it - a pretty young woman is at home when her husband is shot to death. She claims that he was murdered, yet their alarm system was never activated and no one else was in the home. Sounds like a pretty lame alibi, but as Spenser learns when he meets her, the widow is so unbelievably (and yet believably) stupid that even Spenser is convinced she could not have done it.

Parker's writing this time around absolutely crackles. It's like meeting up with a dear old friend you haven't seen in ages. Granted, after the premise is established the rest of the plot is pretty familiar, but with this kind of fiction, you probably don't want too much deviation. After all, murder mysteries are essentially a way of peeking inside the characters' lives with the hook of having a violent crime to keep you interested.

"Widow's Walk" is a terrific entry in the long-running Spenser series. If only Robert B. Parker could have kept this momentum going into the successive entries.

Interesting but very slow.......2005-08-23

I have to admit that I was exposed to Spencer back when "Spencer For Hire" starring Robert Urich aired on TV. This is my first Spencer novel and I found it interesting because I recognized the characters I grew to know on TV. Suprisingly, the TV show stayed very close the books.

Anyway, this book moves very slow. The storyline is a bit annoying with Mary Smith's ridiculous stupidity and some rather goofy dialogue. I found it interesting but I have to admit that I kept wondering when it would end. The "I said", "he said", and "she said" after every piece of dialogue is completely annoying. It's not what I'd expect from an experienced writer.

Joe Montegna does a pretty good job of reading and reminds me a bit of Robert Urich's awesome voice overs on the series. I think an abridged version of this long and dragged out book would be more interesting.
Maybe I'm not not a true Spencer fan?

The Spenser Collection: Volume II: Back Story and Widow's Walk (Spenser Novels)

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The Spenser Collection: Volume II: Back Story and Widow's Walk (Spenser Novels)
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: RH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0739340212
Release Date: 2006-07-04

Book Description

Back Story
When Spenser tries to solve a thirty-year-old murder as a favor to an old friend, the lack of clues and the fact that an FBI intelligence report is missing force Spenser to reach out in every direction–to his old friend’s estranged hippie father; to Vinnie Morris and the mob; to the mysterious Ives–and test his resourcefulness and courage. Taut, tense, and expertly crafted, this is Robert B. Parker at his story-telling best.

Widow’s Walk
Spenser is back, this time to investigate the murder of a prominent local banker with family ties to the Mayflower–and perhaps the Mob. Unfortunately, Spenser’s up against a wall; leads go nowhere, no one knows a thing. Then a young woman, recently fired from her position at the victim’s bank, turns up dead as well. With its lean, crackling diaglogue, crisp action, and razor-sharp characters, Widow’s Walk is yet another triumph from master of suspense Robert B. Parker.

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Absolutely heart wrenching
Beautifully Written
Touching, but without self-pity
Well- Written Reflections
A Must Read! Heartfelt, a Page Turner!

A Widow's Walk: A Memoir of 9/11
Marian Fontana
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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September 11 | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0743246241

Book Description

On September 11, I dropped my son off at his second full day of kindergarten. The sky was so blue it looked as if it had been ironed. I crossed the street, ordered coffee, and sat to wait for my husband to meet me. It was our eighth wedding anniversary and Dave and I were about to begin a new chapter in our seventeen years together. Sipping coffee, I watched as a line of thick black smoke crept across the sky from Manhattan, oblivious to the fact that my life was about to change forever. On September 11, 2001, Marian Fontana lost her husband, Dave, a firefighter from the elite Squad 1 in Brooklyn, in the World Trade Center attack. A Widow's Walk begins that fateful morning, when Marian, a playwright and comedienne, became a widow, a single mother, and an unlikely activist.

Two weeks after 9/11, the city attempted to close Squad 1, which had suffered the loss of twelve men. Known for her feisty spirit and passionate loyalty, Marian, who was still reeling from her profound loss, began to mobilize the neighborhood to keep the firehouse open. From this unlikely platform the 9/11 Widows and Victims' Families Association grew. Over the next twelve months, Marian struggled with the tragedy's endless ripple effects, from the minute and deeply personal -- she wonders who will play Star Wars with her son, Aidan, and carry him on his shoulders -- to the political. She works to get families and widows necessary information about the recovery effort and attends private meetings with Governor Pataki, Mayor Giuliani, Senator Clinton, and Mayor Bloomberg.

Through it all, Marian's irrepressible humor is her best armor and evidence of her buoyant strength. Written with great heart and humanity, A Widow's Walk is a timely opportunity for remembrance and a timeless testament to love's loss and the resilience of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely heart wrenching.......2007-08-09

the first half or three quarters of the book kept me absolutely riveted and hurting with feeling so close to the families and what they suffered through as well as how very brave their firefighter family members were. But about three quarters through, I found myself scanning as there was really more information and details than I really needed or wanted to know. I wish the very best for Marian and Aidan and hope they find happiness. She is one brave lady.

Beautifully Written .......2007-08-02

This is an exquisitely written book that I still remember - nearly a year later - as one of the best books I've ever read. The book was heart-rending at times to read, as the author so well expresses her feelings and the pain of losing her husband. It would be nearly impossible to read this book and not feel the depth of her loss - of her husband and the life they lived until 9/11.

Marian Fontana is a gifted, talented writer and I wish her story was one with a happy ending for her. While her story is one of loss, it is also one of love, family, friendship and survival. The cover photo haunts me, so well does it depict the love the Fontanas shared. Highly recommended and memorable.

Touching, but without self-pity.......2007-02-03

I bought this book after having heard the author on "This American Life." I was touched by her humor and grace during the radio piece, and was pleasantly surprised by how well-written and un-put-downable this book is. Check out the radio story before you decide to buy the book, if you like; the book doesn't tell the George W. story, so there's no spoiler there.

Well- Written Reflections.......2006-11-25

I was very impressed with marian Fontana's story because there was a sense of time from the horrors of 9/11/01 which couldn't be immediately written. Each page flowed with eloquent writing that gave me a clearer understanding of the lives of firefighters and their families. The overwhelming support the she and her son received from their extended families, community, and other firefighters showed the true meaning of Dave's legacy.

A Must Read! Heartfelt, a Page Turner!.......2006-09-17

A Widow's Walk is one the best books I have read in a long time. You grieve for Dave Fontana, his wife and son. She is a skillfull, descriptive writer and sheds light on the undertones and politics of 9/11 that many of us have been too quick to forget. Her story is both a love story and a tragedy, her writing is comparable of Jodi Picoult. After you read this novel you will remember to hug your loved ones a little tighter...thank you, Dave, Marian and Aidan for sharing your lives with us. We can not thank Dave and all of the rescue workers of 9/11 with words, words can not begin to express our gratitude for their sacrifices.

Widow's walk: A personal journey through loss, fear, anger, and love

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Widow's walk: A personal journey through loss, fear, anger, and love
Pamela Cuming
Manufacturer: Crown Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

5 Titles By Robert B. Parker - Playmates - Paper Doll - Widow's Walk - Back Story - Cold Service

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5 Titles By Robert B. Parker - Playmates - Paper Doll - Widow's Walk - Back Story - Cold Service
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000LY49XY

Product Description

5 massmarket Titles By Robert B. Parker - Playmates - Paper Doll - Widow's Walk - Back Story - Cold Service

Ben Kamal and Danielle Barnea Series: The Walls of Jericho, Pillars of Solomon, A Walk in the Darkness, Keepers of the Gate, Blood Diamonds, The Blue Widows, The Last Prophecy (Set of 7)

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Ben Kamal and Danielle Barnea Series: The Walls of Jericho, Pillars of Solomon, A Walk in the Darkness, Keepers of the Gate, Blood Diamonds, The Blue Widows, The Last Prophecy (Set of 7)
Jon Land
Manufacturer: Tor/Forge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NHVLJ4

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Death on Widow's Walk
Lesley Grant-Adamson
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0684183188

Gatekeeper's Choice: Widows' Walk Trilogy

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Gatekeeper's Choice: Widows' Walk Trilogy
Lee Emory
Manufacturer: Treble Heart Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1931742340

Ka-zar The Savage No. 25 Apr "The Dead Who Walk" (Volume 1)

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Ka-zar The Savage No. 25 Apr "The Dead Who Walk" (Volume 1)
Bruce Jones
Manufacturer: Marvel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

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WIDOW'S WALK
MARY BISHOP
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0440096405

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