P Is for Peril (A Marian Wood Book) (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries (Hardcover))

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"P" is for Pointless

P is for Peril

P falls Pitifully short of Pleasant reading

So-So

P is for pre-packaged

P Is for Peril (A Marian Wood Book) (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries (Hardcover))
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Q Is for Quarry

O Is for Outlaw

N Is for Noose

M Is for Malice

L Is for Lawless

ASIN: B00008MNUT

Amazon.com

When Dowan Purcell, a respected physician who operates a nursing home, disappears, his ex-wife hires Santa Teresa PI Kinsey Millhone to look into it. Fiona Purcell is still seething over Dow's affair and subsequent marriage to Crystal, a former stripper, yet they're still friends, and she seems worried. But when his body is discovered, she's among the suspects. Both of Dow's wives, at least one of his business partners, and perhaps even Crystal's teenage daughter had motives to kill.

While in her most recent adventures (N Is for Noose, O Is for Outlaw) Kinsey has acquired new digs, an extended family, and a few more gray hairs, in this one (which takes place some time in the mid-'80s), she's 36, still living in the remodeled garage that was blown up in an earlier novel. Easier than a facelift, and while Sue Grafton is a solid enough writer to pull it off, dedicated Kinsey fans will miss the more complex and multidimensional character who aged so ruefully and interestingly in the '90s. This isn't Grafton's strongest case; it's hard to care about any of Purcell's women or his associates. More exciting is the secondary plot, which involves a handsome landlord who offers Kinsey the new office space she's been seeking and turns out to be a lot more trouble than she bargained for. Despite its somewhat plodding pace and the echo of a more evolved heroine that rings through its pages, Grafton's many fans will probably shoot P Is for Peril right to the top of the bestseller list. --Jane Adams

Book Description

A New York Times Bestseller A Literary Guild Main Selection

"Grafton has moved the private-eye story closer to real life than did either Hammett or Chandler." - Los Angeles Times Book Review

Kinsey Millhone is back, and she's broke, which is why she decides to take on a missing persons case involving a rich doctor who may have repeated history by running out on his wife and child. Things heat up when she learns that the good doctor is wanted by federal fraud busters on suspicion of Medicare fraud. Grafton delivers again in this, her sixteenth novel, which takes us into a world cast in shades of black amid shafts of steel and silver - a shadowed land in which the mysterious disappearance of the doctor leads Kinsey into a dangerous maze of duplicity as she taps into the intricacies of a cunning Medicare fraud.

Customer Reviews:

"P" is for Pointless.......2007-03-22

What was that? I've enjoyed Sue Grafton's A through O books over the past year, but this was sub-par. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, but it never did. The book just (mercifully) . . . ended.

P is for Peril.......2006-08-19

It is very difficult to review this book as I have not received it. I could review how long it has taken to figure out how to let you know that it has not been received. It was the only book coming from Amazon -- Customer Service asked that I return the book sent in error. I DIDN'T receive anything from Amazon. It wasn't shipped, according to USPS. And now, as I understand it I am unable to get it because of a mistake Amazon made. Yes, they graciously agreed to refund my money -- but since I didn't receive the book and had paid for it, Amazon should refund my money.

I will probably not order any more books from Amazon. Trying to get this straightened out has been quite a trial.

Judy Comstock

P falls Pitifully short of Pleasant reading.......2005-08-22

I read Q firt then read N, R, D and a few others. I just finished P and boy was I disappointed. The ending as others have stated is not tied up nicely like usual. In a few of the other novels there were a few strings left hanging which I can forgive. This one there were way to much information found out at the end that didnt figure into the ending at all. What about the sister of the juvie friend? What happened to her? Maybe I missed it. I am pretty good about going back and finding details I may have missed. I did not like the character development in this one. I was surprised that a PI like Ms. Millhone would not do thorough background checks on people that come into her life, professionally or personally.

I like to find an author and read a book. If I like it I get more of them waiting in the wings. This one was a disappointment and had it been the first letter I picked it would be the last.

Sorry Ms. Grafton, this just wasn't the best hours of reading I have had.

So-So.......2005-06-11

First, I did not like the ending at all!!!

Second, two stories in one...Tommy was too predictable!!!

This was okay...maybe "Q" will be better...lets hope!!!

P is for pre-packaged.......2005-04-09

I've read a few of Grafton's books, and in the earlier Kinsey Milhone mysteries it all seemed quirky and offbeat. Now it all seems pre-fabricated, and the worst part of all is the outdated nature of the story. It's almost as if Grafton wrote all the books in the series in the 1980's and sits back, releasing a formula-ridden sequel every year and counting the money.

First of all, get Kinsey a cell phone! We are now in the 21st century, where is she finding all these phone booths? (first clue that this was written well before the release date). She's still driving a 1974 Beetle? Do those run anymore? The over-descriptive narrative gets very annoying after awhile as well. Too much thumbing through index cards, too much of Sue Grafton going through the motions in this feeble "effort". I rarely give one star in a review but this one is richly deserved. Time to find something else for light reading.

Average customer rating:

The best Kinsey Millhone Novel

P Is for Peril
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: Pan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0330371967

Customer Reviews:

The best Kinsey Millhone Novel.......2006-06-15

Dr. Dowan Purcell has been missing for nine weeks, after disappearing one night. Dr. Purcell heads the Pacific Meadows nursing facility.
Purcell's ex-wife, Fiona, wants to hire Kinsey Millhone to investigate. Kinsey is a logical choice, since she has already solved one notorious disappearance. But, Kinsey does not like Fiona, who is an obnoxiously pretentious interior designer--and the dislike is mutual. Nevertheless, Kinsey accepts the job.
It seems plausible that Dr. Purcell disappeared deliberately. Neither he nor his car have been found. His passport and $30,000 are missing. He has a history of previous unexplained disappearances. Pacific Meadows is in poor financial condition, and is being investigated for Medicare fraud. Moreover, his current wife--a beautiful former stripper named Crystal--may have been playing around on him.
Yet, it is hard to believe that Purcell would run out on his infant son, of whom he is inordinately fond.
The search for Purcell leads to Crystal, the current wife and former stripper, who is frantic with worry, yet convinced that Purcell is dead. It continues on to Leila, Crystal's rebellious daughter by a previous marriage, and Leila's kooky friends. It involves a mysterious and beautiful woman named Anica Blackburn, a hyper-fecund relative named Blanche, a nutty clairvoyant named Nancy, and a whole cast of southern California characters.
Through it all, Kinsey is sustained by her friendship with her 86-year-old landlord, the good-hearted Henry Pitts. By dint of persistence and ingenuity, Kinsey solves the crime, and the accusatory finger points exactly where it should.
This is Sue Grafton's best novel among those that I have read. The central crime is very logical and convincing.
The best feature of this novel is the characterizations. Grafton has a keen eye for social scenes and human circumstances. She is a good observer of the southern California scene, from beautiful people--to office politics--to nursing homes--to upscale parties--to disaffected youth.
P is for Peril is probably Grafton's closest approach to noir literature. In this novel, there is rot beneath nearly every beautiful surface, and under the ones that are not so beautiful. It is a study in the disharmony that afflicts marriages and families. And Kinsey Millhone's response to the murder, when she discovers its perpetrator, is payback in kind, unusually just and merciless.
Another excellent feature is the protagonist Kinsey Millhone. Kinsey is interesting and attractive--and remarkably good at ferreting out the truth behind the explanations that people give for their behavior. Kinsey carefully examines stories that she is told, spots holes in them, and continues investigating until she learns the truth. This is brilliantly portrayed.
If you have never read a Sue Grafton novel, start with this one!

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P Is For Peril - Large Print Edition
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: G. P. Putnam's Sons/Bookspan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 073941822X

China's Peril and Promise: An Advanced Reader-Text Only

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and the other half?

China's Peril and Promise: An Advanced Reader-Text Only
Chih-p'ing Chou , Xuedong Wang , and Joanne Chiang
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0691089329

Book Description

China's Peril and Promise is an advanced Chinese reader in two volumes, prepared for students who would like to enhance their understanding of modern China in general and modern Chinese literature and intellectuals in particular, through reading authentic materials. The selections--which span the twentieth century and include essays, short stories, biographies, and criticism--expose the students not only to a variety of modern Chinese literary genres but also to some of the major substantive issues that modern Chinese intellectuals have faced.

Audio and video materials are available for use with this text. For further information, contact the Chinese Linguistics Project, 231 Palmer Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. 08544. (609-258-4269).

Customer Reviews:

and the other half?.......2004-01-18

Chih-p'ing Chou has developed some of the best language textbooks available for Chinese students. However, amazon only shipped me the language and grammar notes for this series. Without the essays, it is a study in vocabulary. Call them before you buy this, or any two part series to be sure you are getting what you need. (5 stars for Chou, -2 for bad advertizing at amazon)

Reader's Digest Select Editions (P is for Peril, Summer Island, The Incumbent, Peace Like A River, 2001, Vol. 4)

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Reader's Digest Select Editions (P is for Peril, Summer Island, The Incumbent, Peace Like A River, 2001, Vol. 4)

Manufacturer: Reader's Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BRUW8C

Product Description

Condensations of 4 books

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The Yellow Peril
Revilo P. Oliver
Manufacturer: Liberty Bell Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1593640269

Sunshot: Peril And Wonder in the Gran Desierto (The Southwest Center Series)

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Essays on life, living, and an incredible desert
Be careful...be very careful.

Sunshot: Peril And Wonder in the Gran Desierto (The Southwest Center Series)
Bill Broyles
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0816525242

Customer Reviews:

Essays on life, living, and an incredible desert.......2006-12-10

Of all the books my brother, Bill has written, I most love this one. SUNSTRUCK is about the area of the world on which he is an expert, a remote area of the Sonoran Desert, but more importantly, these are thought-provoking essays on life and living. Even if, like me, you don't usually read essays about the natural world I think you'll appreciate his writing style and world outlook. Bill shares anecdotes about the outdoor life, hiking, those he meets and gets to know in the desert (including la migra and people escaping the border patrol, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, bighorn sheep) that make the reader feel as if they are there with Bill at the moment of encounter.

So I hope you'll enjoy a book about a wondrous place in the world that few people visit, and even fewer understand: El Gran Desierto, the Devil's Highway. Yes, this review is written by the author's sister, but don't hold that against me. Given my proclivity to reading fiction, I might not have picked up this book if my brother hadn't written it. I am so glad I had the opportunity to enjoy his vivid use of language and to vicariously experience some of Bill Broyles' adventures in the desert.

Be careful...be very careful........2006-04-25

It is officially called El Camino del Diablo-The Devil's Highway. It's also known by a variety of other names best left out of this review. It stretches for some 130 miles of desert from Sonoyta, in Mexico's state of Sonora, to Yuma, Arizona, on the Colorado River. There is precious little permanent water and ground temperatures can, and do, reach 150 degrees and more. It includes parts of two national monuments, a national wildlife refuge, and a gunnery range in Arizona not to mention various intities in Mexico. The are can be explored via foot or four-wheel drive vehicle. It can be done. It's done every year by experts and fools, lots of fools, legal and illegal. Many don't make it. It is a killer. If you are intrigued by scorpions, drug smugglers, sidewinders, bandits, illegal aliens, rattlesnakes, sand storms, unbearable heat, lack of water, a military gunnery range, and a host of other unbelievable challenges this is the trip for you. I don't know of any typical travel or guide book that will prepare you for this trip but this book comes as close as any to providing one with a sense of what to expect and when to go. It is probably the very best book ever published about this special place. The author and photographer have a knack of presenting a highly readable, visually accurate account of the dangers and beauty that await the visitor to a place noted author Charles Bowden says "...we finally get to face ourselves because we are alone with life itself." I have done this trip in a four-wheel drive vehicle and can only say be careful...very careful. This is a must read both for the armchair traveler and boots on the ground type.

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P Is for Peril
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: Macmillan Audio Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1405005106

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Pure pleasure to re-read
Griffin doesn't disappoint!
A must have for every spec fic fan's bookshelf

Star Commandos 02 Colony in Peril
P. M. Griffin
Manufacturer: Archebooks Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1595070796

Customer Reviews:

Pure pleasure to re-read.......2007-07-09

On the whole I've always felt that the first 4 books were the weakest of the series. I came to the series in media res, after the "cast of characters" had been united & had formed their special sort of "family." As with those Sherlock Holmes stories which Holmes himself tells, I missed Watson.

However, as I have read the revised edition of "Colony in Peril" along with the original Ace paperback, I realize that the earlier books function more like a television pilot. They were a bringing together of the "cast of characters." Ms. Griffin handled the development well... gradually rather than "dumping" everything on the reader at once & then having to tell a prolonged backstory.

As I mentioned in my review of the revised "Star Commandos" the differences between the Ace edition & the hardback are minor. We now have references to "nanos" rather than "tapes & books," which is a simple updating of technology as our own world has progressed.

I believe that it is in this book that there is a change made concerning the hierarchy of the military, which is a set-up for the 10-12th books. In the original mass market paperback reference is to "commando brass," no real ranks are given for the upper eschelon un-named brass. The new editions lay the ground for a Chief Admiral, w/o naming him. This Chief Admiral is later a major character.

Unfortunately, there was one area of "Colony in Peril" that benefitted from the Ace editor's work. There is an attempted description of the star system that hosts the major naval base & the bureaucratic civil center. In the mass market paperback, they are reduced to the planet Horus of Isis (Isis is the sun star) & its twin planet, Set. In the revised edition, we may be seeing Ms. Griffin's earlier work rather than a later addition. Here, the relationships of the planets are very confusing. The sun star for Set is not Isis, but Nut (Nut is a more logical choice, since she was the Egyptian sky goddess). However, I read through this section several times & compared it to the paperback. The revision does not enhance the story, but is a confusing interruption.

Still, for those of us who love these books, I find the differences interesting. Plus, it is a reminder that even our favorite authors can benefit from a good editor.

One addendum... the cover art. I am not particularly enamored by the dust jacket artwork of the hardbacks. Mostly, they are just inoccuous... on occasion just plain bad. With the artwork for "Colony in Peril" we see a background of water buffalo, which do not fit the description of goldbeasts at all, but worse, we have a creature who does not at all fit the description of a gurry, which is supposed to be a brown, feathered mammal, about the size of a common English house sparrow.

Here, the "gurry" in the foreground is a very light tan & is the size of a mourning dove, while the flock, flying in the background, is white.

I realize that cover art is often deceptive. It was the cover art of books 4 & 5 that first brought me to the series. However, I do wish that a little more care had been taken with the dust jackets in this series.

Griffin doesn't disappoint!.......2005-05-12

Book 2 of the Star commandos series introduces my favorite character -- Bandit -- who steals the show and brings the main gang closer together as they embark on new perils. With this installment, the series is well on its way! Looking forward to Book 3!

A must have for every spec fic fan's bookshelf.......2005-04-28

I wish I had found the Star Commandos series earlier. This was the first book in the series that I've read. I never thought I would love science fiction this much! With strong, lovable characters, exciting action/adventure, and excellent world-building, Colony in Peril has made me a fan of both P.M. Griffin, and the Star Commandos series. I'm hooked!

P De Peligro/P is for Peril (Coleccion Andanzas) (Coleccion Andanzas)

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P De Peligro/P is for Peril (Coleccion Andanzas) (Coleccion Andanzas)
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: TusQuets
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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I want more!

Great Beagle!

Was half my book missing?

I love Nose for Trouble!

No trouble at all ...
Five Star First Edition Mystery - Nose For Trouble (Five Star First Edition Mystery)
Doranna Durgin
Manufacturer: Five Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Smoky Mountain Tracks (Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries, Book 2)

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Chow Down (Melanie Travis Mysteries)

ASIN: 159414267X

Book Description

Anxious to get away from the pressures of the East Coast and into a climate where his trauma-induced asthma isn't a daily challenge, Dale Kinsall, DVM, hauls his baggage and his young Beagle to a vet clinic in the high desert. He arrives to a clinic populated by an eccentric staff, and a community abuzz about a recent murder. The buzz gets even louder when Dale himself stumbles across a second victim on his very first day at the clinic: a man drowned in his own drought-dusty backyard. Before much longer it becomes evident that Dale, Sully, and the clinic are all at risk, and Dale's fledgling relationship with a local colleague turns serious in more ways than one as trouble closes in on them all . . .

Doranna Durgin had grand adventures on horseback in the Appalachians before turning full-time writer and ending up in the Southwestern high country with her laptop, dogs, horse, and uncontrollable imagination.

Customer Reviews:

I want more!.......2007-02-14

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, I am a beagle lover which is why the book was given to me. Dale and Sully are wonderful!! I can't wait to read more of their adventures (please, oh please!).

Great Beagle!.......2006-02-25

Doranna Durgin always creates well-developed characters--including the animals! In NOSE, readers get to meet Sully, a Beagle, who is a real dog, not a cutsie-poo device. Oh, and Dale is a winner, too, but Sully is the star!

Was half my book missing?.......2006-02-21

I guess I did like this book, and hey, cute dog... gotta love that. But I felt like the author was in a horrible storm, and half her manuscript blew away, kind of randomly. But she turned the other half in, and they published it at a VERY large price for such a small book. But I just kept feeling confused throughout the book. (and he did NOT come from the east coast. Farms in Ohio don't count as the east coast). The book ended, and I was still confused, with few loose ends cleared up. I feel irritated that I was cheated out of some really good stuff. Oh well. Other reviews seemed to love this book, but I'm suspicious of their motivation. All that said, I liked the guy and the girl, and loved the dog. Makes for a decent read, but no way was it 4 or 5 stars.

PS. Add extra points if you like hearing the dog's point of view. I always love that, although there could have been more of it.

I love Nose for Trouble!.......2006-02-20

Well developed, interesting characters. I love the point of view of the little beagle. All nuances are just absolutely perfect!!! beagle woo!!! Loved the book. A quick and highly entertaining read.

No trouble at all ..........2006-01-23

... loving this book. Dale Kinsall and his Beagle, Sully, pulled me into their lives right away, right into the parking lot of the Foothills Veterinary Clinic. Every character in the book, major and minor, is as real as every other, right down to the noisy children in the background. The pacing is just right, no slack, no yanking. And when the end comes, the surprise is just right--but it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

A Nose for Trouble (An Avon Camelot Book)

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A Nose for Trouble (An Avon Camelot Book)
Nancy Hope Wilson
Manufacturer: Camelot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0380773449

Average customer rating:

A nose for trouble is a classic
Awesome Book!!!

Nose for Trouble
Jim Kjelgaard
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 055315124X

Customer Reviews:

A nose for trouble is a classic.......2007-09-18

I read this book when I was a boy maybe 30 years or so ago and loved it. I have probably read this book 50 tomes or more in my life, absolutely love it. It is an easy read now but a timeless tale that any boy will love.

Awesome Book!!!.......2001-03-08

It is truly a shame that this book is not readily available because it is a must read for any child that likes books. I read this book when I was a kid and because it was so interesting and action-packed it started me on a journey in reading and literature which would educate me to the world around me. So please I urge you to check out this little gem if you get a chance I can almost asure you that you will love it. Don't let it's unavailabitlty halt you from enjoying this classic.

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A Nose for Trouble
Jim Kjelgaard
Manufacturer: Holiday House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GB224A

ASTOUNDING (British Edition) Volume 7, number 12 - October Oct 1951: Temple Trouble; A Stitch in Time; The Peddler's Nose; The Weapon; Dog

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ASTOUNDING (British Edition) Volume 7, number 12 - October Oct 1951: Temple Trouble; A Stitch in Time; The Peddler's Nose; The Weapon; Dog
John W. (editor) (H. Beam Piper; Sylvia Jacobs; Jack Williamson; Fredric Brown; Oliver Saari) Campbell
Manufacturer: Street and Smith - Atlas Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I8LXFU

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Big Red, A Nose for Trouble, Outlaw Red
Jim Kjelgaard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UJLPXW

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A Nose for Trouble
Jim Kjelgaard
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFTJPI

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A Nose for Trouble
Jim Kjelgaard
Manufacturer: A Tab Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OO7XIO

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A Nose for Trouble
Marilyn Singer , and Andrew Glass
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0030013291

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A Nose for Trouble
Jim Kjelgaard
Manufacturer: Holiday House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NXRS4K

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