Book Description
In a city of fast cars and movie stars, these folks are crazy about cacti. Until a killer joins the club . . .
Joe Portugal likes people. But he likes plants better. That's why the former theater actor turned small-time L.A. commercial star is a prominent member of the Culver City Cactus Club. Unfortunately, so is a killer.
The club's president is dead--a poison succulent lodged into her mouth. With a father who knows a thing or two about murder, and police breathing down his neck, Joe can recognize a jam when he sees one. But when he begins searching through a colorful cast of plant lovers, plant dealers, and even international plant smugglers, he doesn't find the answers he needs. Meanwhile, the killer has struck again, working his way through the Cactus Club with a garden variety motive--and a very green thumb--for murder. . . .
Includes The Joe Portugal Guide to Botanical Nomenclature
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2003-05-10
I loved it - if you live in LA you HAVE to read it!
Falling in love with cacti.......2000-10-18
I do read the reader reviews on Amazon but never thought I would be writing one of my own. This book was so good I thought it needed some more help reaching book buyers, so here goes:
Joe Portugal is a 40 something actor in commercials in Los Angeles who belongs to a club devoted to cacti and succulents. He has the good fortune to be somewhat successful in his career, live in a paid-for house courtesy of his father, and have a best friend (who happens to be female). He has the bad fortune to be be house, plant and bird sitting for the club president when he discovers her dead in the shower with a broken euphorbia stuffed down her throat. Police detective Casillas seems to think Joe knows a bit too much about the victim and type of murder weapon (the euphorbia sap is quite poisonous) and follows Joe about as more murders are committed. It doesn't help Joe's case that the rest of the euphorbia shows up in his greenhouse while the detective is interviewing him the next day.
What I liked most about the book was that no one was phony- even in Los Angeles, people can be normal. Joe wasn't a caricature, neither was Gina (the female friend), nor the police. They weren't supermen- able to take a pounding and then pop up fresh as a daisy ready to run up Mt Everest. Joe's dad is a retired (due to prison time) enforcer who worries about Joe and asks a friend to "watch over" him as Joe continues to investigate the killings. The interactions between characters was lively, funny and true. The situations that develop aren't forced- the coincidences aren't too far out. Maybe it's because I've been suffering thru some really bad fiction recently, I don't know; but this book is a prime example of really good writing, fascinating real characters you get to care about (oh that phrase!) and a story that plain sucks you in until you *have* to know what happens next and who did it. And, for the record, I didn't guess who did it before it was revealed. My guess died second in the book
You will learn a great deal about cacti, euphorbias and poinsettias while reading the book. A wonderful botanical guide to the plants mentioned is included in the back of the book.
Is this a cozy? hmmm, maybe. No animals die in the book- unless you include some wasps.
I heartily recommend this book to anyone whoever tried to get a cactus to grow and hates wasps; and to anyone looking for a great read period!
Don't waste thyme. Buy it now........1999-08-04
Not your garden-variety mystery. A succulent little book, with a down-to-earth detective, a thorny problem, good plot, and very good and believable characters. I've written a longer review for our website and am posting this one as a personal favor to Nathan; however, I am recommending this book, not as a personal favor to him but to mystery lovers everywhere, whether you like plants or not. Don't waste thyme. Buy this book now!
Enjoyable mystery with intriguing characters.......1999-07-30
I was a bit hesitant to buy this book, since I'm not really a "plant person". However, I'm certainly not a "horse person", but I always enjoy Dick Francis. Knowledge or enjoyment of succulents is not necessary to enjoy Nathan Walpow's first mystery novel featuring commercial actor Joe Portugal.
The book doesn't really fit into either the hard-boiled or cozy category: Joe Portugal may be an amateur sleuth, but there's lots of action to keep things moving. Wait until you have some spare time, because you won't want to stop reading until you find out whodunit.
An enjoyable first entry to a new detective series........1999-07-01
Nathan Walpow has a winner with his Joe Portugal series. Set in contemporary L.A., the book provides an enjoyable view a group of succulent enthusiasts and the world they inhabit. Solving one major problem with many amateur detective mysteries, Mr. Walpow succeeds in providing his hero with a believable lifestyle that allows him time to search for a murderer - he's a totally-lacking-in-ambition actor in commercials living in a house owned, but not inhabited, by his father. In fact, the father and his friends are vibrant minor characters I look forward to learning more about in future titles. Congratulations to Nathan on a promising mystery debut!
Book Description
A suspenseful novel crackling with murder, love, and betrayal -- introducing the smart young detective Jamie Ferrara.In this One Life to Live tie-in novel, Jamie Ferrara is a spunky, attractive detective engaged to Rod Wolenski, the Chief of Detectives and her boss, and still living with her retired cop father and spacey rock guitarist brother. When a dear old friend dies in a grotesque holiday accident, Jamie is pulled into a homicide investigation in her small New Jersey hometown, and reunited with the friends and secrets she left behind. There's Barclay, now a rich womanizing developer; Pudge, a funny man who owns a local restaurant; Amanda, a gorgeous and promiscuous young widow; and Garth McBride, the boy who broke Jamie's heart. At the funeral Pudge reminds Jamie that the death was mysteriously similar to the murder dreamed up a decade ago by their secret "killing club," formed when they were high school misfits who spent their free time thinking up ingenious ways to murder the people they despised. Seeking the truth about her friend's death, Jamie finds more questions than answers. As she battles her superiors, who tell her the similarity is a mere coincidence, and her own conscience -- as she's not clear which friends to trust -- she discovers that her heart is once again tugged by her feelings for Garth and that the evidence might be leading her to the most horrific truth imaginable.The Killing Club is a suspenseful page-turner that will leave readers riveted -- and hungry for more.
Customer Reviews:
Suspenseful.......2007-07-14
I have to admit that this was my second time attempting to read the book. I was not able to get through it the first time. However, i was really into the book the second time around. Michael malone wrote a great mystery novel. You do not need to be a fan of "One Life To Live" to enjoy it. There was one point which I forgot that this book was "written" by Marcie Walsh, which is a character on "One life to live".
The Killing Club.......2007-05-13
I bought this for myself and my husband. Marcie Walsh is on my Soap, and I wanted to be able to go along with the book and the Soap. My husband is the reader, so he read it, I didn't. He said it was very good.
The Killing Club captures your attention!.......2006-12-26
The story itself is very original and different in the aspect that a killer is killing the friends in very methodical ways; by actually going off of the deaths that they imagined when they were simple adolescents. The club was founded in an old abandoned theatre, went on for a couple years until each member was never heard from again . . . until one of them died. Jaime, the main character of the story, has a good head on her shoulders, juggling her handicapped father and her rogue brother, all while surviving the daily small town routines, solving crimes, and getting ready to marry her dream man. But, when the crimes take on a personal nature, then it really is a game of cat and mouse. Every person involved in the club starts coming out of the woodworks so that jaime can narrow down who is doing the killings and why they are doing it.
Some scenes were predictable but it had it's own flavor to it. Definetly a re-readble book. Although, hearing it read on this Cd felt a bit monotoned and it was hard keeping track of some of the dialogue becuase there was just barely a change in the voice. But that could just be me. Other than that, really enjoyed it.
Makes me want to read the book now, just to go back over it.
Boring.......2006-09-07
This is a pretty standard mystery without much to surprise a reader of these things. The protagonist is a tough lady detective. The murders are imaginative. The flashbacks are standard fare.
Really without the soap opera tie-in, there's nothing to distinguish this book from a thousand other mysteries coming out the same year. Buy only if you love these cliches (and some do) but even then be prepared for boredom.
WARNING TO CHRISTIANS.......2006-02-19
Talk about PC. The authors portray lesbians as cloyingly sweet. Christians, having fallen outside the protective barrier of approved groups, are portrayed as evil, greedy, and, of course, mentally ill. If you are a Christian, find another mystery book to read.
Book Description
It's March on Martha's Vineyard. Too early for bluefish, but not too early for trouble. The winds are brisk and there's still a chill coming in off the ocean. The mood is gloomy, and for good reason.
Former Olympic fencing champion turned millionaire real estate developer Donald Fox has targeted the island for his newest moneymaking scheme. With land values huge and many longtime residents in possession of fuzzy deeds of sometimes dubious legal value, Fox and his team plan to force people to sell cheap. Give up now or we'll fight you in court, is the threat.
Even full-time fisherman and part-time investigator J. W. Jackson and wife, Zee, have been approached to sell their house to Fox. Big mistake.
Given the escalating tensions, J.W.'s not particularly surprised when Donald Fox's brother, Paul, is shot down on a Vineyard street. But was Donald really the intended victim? Both Foxes have many enemies.
And could a man named John Reilley be one of them? For reasons unrelated to land disputes, J.W. finds himself probing this mysterious man's past. Bad things are happening, and John Reilley may be involved.
With fascinating information about fencing, and in the certainty of a new bluefish season soon to come, A Vineyard Killing is another suspenseful, colorful entry in a critically acclaimed mystery series sure to delight both new readers and longtime fans.
Download Description
"It's March on Martha's Vineyard. Too early for bluefish, but not too early for trouble. The winds are brisk and there's still a chill coming in off the ocean. The mood is gloomy, and for good reason. Former Olympic fencing champion turned millionaire real estate developer Donald Fox has targeted the island for his newest moneymaking scheme. With land values huge and many longtime residents in possession of fuzzy deeds of sometimes dubious legal value, Fox and his team plan to force people to sell cheap. Give up now or we'll fight you in court, is the threat. Even full-time fisherman and part-time investigator J. W. Jackson and wife, Zee, have been approached to sell their house to Fox. Big mistake. Given the escalating tensions, J.W.'s not particularly surprised when Donald Fox's brother, Paul, is shot down on a Vineyard street. But was Donald really the intended victim? Both Foxes have many enemies. And could a man named John Reilley be one of them? For reasons unrelated to land disputes, J.W. finds himself probing this mysterious man's past. Bad things are happening, and John Reilley may be involved. With fascinating information about fencing, and in the certainty of a new bluefish season soon to come, A Vineyard Killing is another suspenseful, colorful entry in a critically acclaimed mystery series sure to delight both new readers and longtime fans. "
Customer Reviews:
superb.......2007-06-20
Real estate tycoon, and former Olympic gold medalist Donald Fox is looking for unsettled titles for properties he can coerce out of homeowners at a fraction of their value. He is hated by many, of course, so when he and his brother stroll out of a lunch delicatesson, and his brother is shot, we wonder if Donald wasn't the intended victim. J.W. gets involved at the scene of the shooting. He starts asking questions, but soon, another member of the Saberfox family of land grabbers is found dead. What is the connection? Or is it connected? And what about the mysterious John Reilley, who was also at the opening deli scene? Why is he so shifty and secretive?
I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy this well developed mystery. Of course, J.W. gets himself into some danger, complains about the paid toilets in Aquinnah (aka Gay's Head), loves Zee, and wets your appetite for more great seafood.
Enjoyable Trip back to the Vineyard .......2006-09-13
In the 14th book in the Martha's Vineyard mystery series, it's March on the Vineyard and J.W. Jackson and his wife, Zee, are feeling blue after a long, cold winter without fishing. Several of their friends are in an uproar over real estate developer, Donald Fox's underhanded way of acquiring their land. It seems that Fox does his research, finding plots of land with questionable land deeds, and sues the owner to obtain the rights to the land for a fraction of its real value. Several people have become bitter as their land is taken from them, and it comes as no surprise when an attempt is made on Don and his brother, Paul's life. As usual, J.W. happens to be on the scene when the shooting occurs, and is first to reach Paul after he is shot. Wearing a bullet-proof vest, Paul is lucky to be alive. J.W. begins to do some investigating on his own, and finds that the Fox brothers have many enemies. When another body surfaces, J.W.'s name comes up as a potential suspect. Being as nosy as ever, J.W. sticks his nose into the case, and almost becomes a victim to a very prolific killer.
I have enjoyed each of the books in this great series, and was not disappointed by the latest installment. The descriptions of the setting on Martha's Vineyard transport me to a place that I haven't visited except in the books, and make me want to grab my suit and towel and head to the Vineyard. For those that haven't read any other books in the series, this may not be the best book to start with...as the series is adored by many readers as much for the characters as the mysteries themselves. I would suggest starting with the first few books, and let the characters build and grow before you pick up some of the recent editions.
The first book in the series is called "A Beautiful Place to Die". Enjoy!
Disappointed in this Good Morning America Book Club selection.......2005-09-03
I selected this book for my discussion group based on the fact that it was a Good Morning America Book Club selection. I'm not a mystery reader, and I have never hear of Philip R. Craig. Reading through some of the reviews, it seems this isn't one of his best, so I'm disappointed that it was my introduction to the author. I'm also disappointed in GMA for selecting such a mediocre story as a book club selection. Unfortunately, my discussion group disintegrated into general bashing of this novel and of the selection of it for the group to read. I put this out there as a warning to other people who might rely on the GMA recommendation and come looking for some moving literature, instead of bottom barrel genre fiction that gives mysteries a bad name.
The narrator is well-known to series fans, but as an outsider, I found him full of himself, with an inflated ego in intellectual and physical matters. He was unlikeable and I was thoroughly annoyed at having to listen to his point of view by the end of the book. There was a huge sideline red herring storyline in this book, and it went absolutely nowhere and just made a mess out of the plot. Perhaps it related to the larger series of books, but in this mystery, it was senseless.
The killing in this vineyard..........2004-02-02
...ought to be this series. It's time that Mr. Craig ended what used to be a good series, but what has now degenerated into boring, thin mysteries. Then again...there's no mystery at all...he continues to write this series, he and the publisher make money...and the faithful readers get s------d!
Back to Martha's Vineyard: A Vineyard Killing.......2003-11-13
Recently selected as the monthly selection of the Good Morning America ® Book club, the fourteenth novel of the series picks up shortly after Vineyard Enigma. While this novel can be read separately from the series, those readers that read them in order from the very beginning will appreciate this novel more as several minor storylines are addressed.
March is still cold on Martha's Vineyard and the tourists haven't started arriving just yet. This year was no exception but things are already stirred up. The permanent residents are riled up and for very good reason. Real estate developer Donald Fox is attempting to buy up local property not because the owners want to sell, but because he has the bucks to make it happen. He wants to put a large package of land together and then sell that to someone else. If folks won't willingly sell for a fraction of what their land is worth, he will force court fights over the often-dubious land deeds. He thinks he can make a killing and does not care how he does it.
That is until J. W. Jackson and the lovely Zee watch from a local diner as shots are fired at Donald and his more humane brother, Paul. The shooter manages to get away in the blowing snow as Paul lies wounded in the street. Paul survives the attack and J.W. soon turns down the resulting job offer. He does not like Donald or his company and as a matter of principle wants nothing more to do with them. But soon, as he begins to investigate things on another unrelated matter, he finds that Donald and his company seem to be involved in everything and that J. W. has unwittingly made himself a target.
This is another very good book from Philip R. Craig. While no new ground is covered in regards to these characters, there are no unpleasant surprises either. Everyone is back in their usual roles and as always, a couple of recipes are found in the back of the book.
In a refreshing change from the last several novels, Joshua and Diana (the children) are not part of the investigation. Safely in school and off the printed page, they are not unrealistically taken to crime scenes as in recent novels. In fact, in direct contradiction to the last several novels, the children are hardly heard from at all.
In addition to all but eliminating the children, this novel is tightly plotted and moves at a better pace than the last several. Craig continues the use of two ongoing storylines that crossover and link to each other frequently throughout the novel and this practice works considerably better in this one. The action moves forward at a much better pace and the twin storylines have more depth than those in recent novels.
In short, this is a very good book and a definite step up from the last several. This one is more like the early ones in the series and well worth the read.
Average customer rating:
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The Killing Club: Based On A Story By Josh Griffith
Marcie Walsh with Michael Malone
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
 General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
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Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
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Suspense
| Thrillers
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General
| Mystery & Thrillers
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Literature & Fiction
| Large Print
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ASIN: 0786276908 |
Book Description
A New York Times Bestseller
An Edgar Award-winning Author
Suspenseful, romantic, and filled with humor, The Killing Club is a mystery "written" by popular One Life to Live character Marcie Walsh with award-winning writer Michael Malone. Over a decade ago in the small town of Gloria, New Jersey, feisty, redheaded outcast Jamie Ferrara and eleven misfit high school friends started a club. Coming up with ingenious ways to kill people they didn't like, the Killing Club had harmless fun . . . or so they thought.
Available only in Core 6 & 7.
Book Description
After seventy-five years of high-minded respectability, the Amelia Gower Women's Club is in trouble. One distinguished director has been strangled. Another has taken a fatal plunge down the club's elegant staircase.
As soon as restaurateur-sleuth Jane Lawless begins investigating these murders, wheels within wheels start to turn, meshing private lives with the club's inner workings. Even Jane's new lover, Dorrie, is somehow involved in the diabolical proceedings....
Product Description
Detective Book Club. 3 novels in 1 book.
Book Description
Epic Fantasy -- In a world under three moons, in the courts and villages of three kingdoms, the fates of the Dreamers are at stake. Only Dreamers can bend the power of the gods and perform the magic that holds chaos at bay. The Dreamers are always few in number, born of rare unions between ruling Shapers and peasant Keepers. The Shapers no longer believe in magic. The practical Keepers no longer see any need for it.
The Dreamers need to find Shapers and Keepers who will love each other, but love between the rulers and the ruled is harder and harder to come by. While the Dreamers battle against extinction with the help of only King Sene of Sitrine, the rest of the world is plunged into power struggles and turmoil. The death of a princess sends another, Vray of Rhenlan into exile, results in the murder of the queen of Dherrica, and plants the seeds of revolution in Jordy the carter and Dael, captain of the royal guard of Rhenlan. If the world no longer needs dreamers, they think, why do we need Shapers, either? If the world no longer needs Dreamers, Prince Damon of Rhenlan thinks, why bother with tradition and the vows that keep a man from obtaining all the power he can?
The rare and tender love so necessary for the birth of Dreamers does manage to blossom between a few couples amid the conflict, but are these small sparks enough to hold back the darkness of war and waiting chaos?
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read.......2003-12-28
This book (and it's brother) is a must-read, I'm so happy they are publishing it
in hard cover, now I know what I'll get my friend for xmas this year!
Really a wonderful book, I can't recommend it enough. be sure to read
the two books of the duology... you're in for a treat!
spectacular epic fantasy.......2003-12-26
In Sitrene the old traditions remain in place. The Shapers protect the Keepers from the magical beasts. A union between a Keeper and a Shaper can lead to the birthing of Dreamers, who protect the realm from other dimension creatures who want to destroy humankind. King Sene's son is expected to marry his keeper's foster daughter, but she chooses to love the monarch causing dissension.
In Dherrica, Palle declares that his nephew Prince Pirse killed his mother the queen. The Keepers protect the Prince because he fights monsters and Abstainers who would hurt them. A wizard sends him to Doran a keeper woman in the hopes they will have a Dreamer child if they ever stop squabbling long enough to mate. King Palle's rule is so ineffective anarchy is coming.
In Rhenlan, the king is dying and his heir Prince Damon accepts no defiance. When his sister Vray disobeys him, she is banished to a horrible place. The Dreamers rescue her and place her with a keep family to heal. The young men are forcibly conscripted into the army and the guards take what they want from the villagers. Prince Damon is a nasty dictator leading his nation to the brink of civil war.
MOON'S DREAMING is a spectacular epic fantasy about three kingdoms where culture, tradition, and overall well being are being destroyed by ineffective or abusive leaders. The magic appears genuine and the varying groups enhance one another, provide additional depth to a multilayered strong tale. Readers will look forward to dancing to the follow-up "Dream" as Margaret Krause and Susan Sizemore will continue the stories of the next generation coming into power.
Harriet Klausner
Grand epic fantasy a Must Read!.......1999-08-30
This book hooked me from the opening paragraph, immediately drawing me in to the fascinating world, and the emotional struggles of an honorable man serving men without honor. I particularly liked how the same basic conflict (disbelief and turning away from the old ways) was played out among the three sets of princes/princesses in three different ways, allowing for a very in depth exploration of the subject, and the acknowledgment that there is no black or white, only shades of gray. Abandoning the laws is not the answer, but neither is slavish adherence and blind belief.
The fantasy world was a delight, the characters engrossing, and the story compelling. This is a must read book for both fans of fantasy and of romance.
Epic Fantasy at its Best!.......1999-08-27
MOONS' DREAMING is one of those books you just don't want to put down. The reader becomes completely involved in the characters and story. I just couldn't read it fast enough!
Spellbinding!.......1999-08-19
If you want to be swept away into a fantasy world where hope battles futility and the outcome depends on love, don't miss Moons' Dreaming. Ms. Sizemore and Ms. Krause have a crafted a world that will draw you in and make you not want to leave it, even after you have read the last word.
Books:
- The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare (Cat Who...)
- The Cradle Robbers (Mommy-Track Mysteries)
- The Equity Risk Premium: The Long-Run Future of the Stock Market
- The Grave Maurice
- The Grifters
- The Holy Thief: The Nineteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
- The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others
- The Mask of Apollo: A Novel
- The MindBody Workbook
- The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (Portfolio Edition)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Importance of Being Earnest
- Megiddo's Shadow
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A Novel
- History: Fiction or Science
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- Re-Imagining The Museum: Beyond the Mausoleum
- History: Fiction or Science
- Fighting for All That I Loved: A Story of Love and War
Death of an Orchid Lover (Joe Portugal Mystery)
One Last Hit: A Joe Portugal Mystery (Joe Portugal Mysteries)
The Manipulated: A Joe Portugal Mystery (Portugal Mystery Series)
