Sanctuary Presents "The Good Lawyer" Who Scorns Fair Legal Representation...

Dani headed to the conference room where she saw the guard standing outside. He opened the door, went in first, and left her closing the door behind.
"Why didn't you ask for bail?" Rocky demanded.
"I have looked at your bank records Mr. Evons and knew you didn't have it," Dani replied.
"So, how are you going to get me off?" he wanted to know.
"I'm not," Dani replied. "We're going to ask for a plea agreement."
"The hell we are," Rocky shouted.
"Listen to me, Mr. Evons," Dani's calm voice seemed to reach him.
"Okay," he agreed.
"This is your third offense," Dani began. "The judge is going to want to throw away the key. If you change your plea to guilty. I think I can get the prosecution to go for a sentence of ten to fifteen years. Meaning you would serve between five and seven and be eligible for parole."
"If I go to trial, what do I get?" Rocky wanted to know.
"If you are found guilty, the maximum sentence which is twenty-five to life," Dani told him.
"What I gotta do?" Rocky wanted to know.
"Sign this paper," Dani said handing him paper and a pen, "I'll see the prosecutor gets it today and we should be able to get credit for the time you've already served."
"Sounds sweet, I'm in," Rocky said as he signed the paper in front of him.
Dani took the paper and pen, put them in her briefcase, walked to the door where she knocked and stood back. The guard entered.
"We are done here, thank you," she said and left the room..."

~~~

Hide from the Past...

Sanctuary: A Macy McVannel Mystery

Run From the Future

By Rebecka Vigus

When I was working for a small publishing company, we received a submission of a novel. I loved it. The publisher was totally against it, stating that the author had not done his fact-checking of known events and places. Probably everybody knows that I love a good story... But the publisher's guidance had sunk in. Either a book is fantasy and results from the imagination of a writer, or it is reality-based and should be based upon the setting created in which the characters live. Thus, I found I was forcing myself to read this book through. The further I read, the more irritated I got... for a variety of reasons. 

First, it is not a mystery--This drama reads straight through and had absolutely no mystery twists to be solved in the story. But that is minor in comparison to the story line. A second somewhat minor issue on the writing style of the author is that she writes with repetitive sentences...that is, many sentences repeat some part of the previous sentence. This style slows the story down with unnecessary duplicate words... This may be a personal issue from my background writing and editing. My personal preference is the rule that each word should move the story forward. This helps to eliminate the slowdown and, often growing boredom of reading...

First I was suckered in by the main character, having come back to a house in which she had grown up and immediately starting to work on a secret hideout that was once used for the Underground Railroad for slaves moving to the north. Now she planned to also become a part of an underground group that helped battered women and/or children get away.

She was having this secret hideout totally renovated so that individuals could stay hidden inside her own home and be able to eat, cook, live in total security... What a wonderful idea... I was loving the story...

Montgomery has set up her office in the home as well. The housekeeper/cook who was there was retained and she soon hired an older woman who needed a job when her former boss died. She soon became indispensable and became involved in the secret work... When her niece became a victim, so, too, did the housekeeper. There are additional characters that come in to the story who, it would appear, should have known the legalities of what was happening, given their professions...

Montgomery had once been involved with a local man who was now a contractor and they were trying to decide whether they could get back together romantically while he acted to work on the secret location renovation...

Now, here's the kicker. Montgomery heads to court and signs up to pro bono represent the husbands!

She gets them to enter into a plea bargain and sends them off to jail...

Ok, wait a minute... Yes, they do deserve jail time, probably... And it was repeat offenses by that time. But a lawyer that represents them, should not also be working, even in secret, with their wives. In essence, she sets the woman up in her safe home, starts divorce proceedings and a new life plan...

While she sends the husband to jail, even lying to them once, after she had verified information that she didn't later share with the husband... There were three different cases in the book, so this was a deliberate decision by the writer and not an editing error, in my opinion...

Soooo, next I went to the acknowledgments section of the book to see the routine thanks to various people for helping them with the details of their book. Nothing there...  Her background does not reference any legal training...

This story is totally implausible. And the disclaimer on the back cover wondering whether it was even legal does not forgive the absence of reality in today's legal system.

Here's what I found with one simple research question:

A lawyer cannot represent both a husband and wife in a divorce case. - See more at: http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/node/96/divorce-handbook#sthash.REsY0vXv.dpuf

Adding domestic violence complicates this even more, since the lawyer must be an expert...well that's enough for me to verify my own thoughts about the ethics of The Good Lawyer in this book... 

What is sad about this is that there are many women out there who are in need of help in this terrible situation. This fictional novel is actually misleading since it seems so very easy to "get out" of the situation... And that a lawyer can easily remove the women from the situation they are in...

This could have been an important book. It should have been an important book. Instead it is merely the imagination of a novice who has taken no real interest--not even enough to do the proper research--in an important social women's issue, except for the personal satisfaction she will have gained.

I do not support this book or author to anybody. Our legal system may be flawed but everybody, including wife-beating husbands, deserves fair representation, including pro bono work, in my opinion. That's also my limited expertise gained by watching hundreds of Law and Order episodes... LOL


GABixlerReviews

Dr. Dee Dynamo's Back at BRH in Latest Children's Learning Adventure by Oneeka Williams, M.D,

I was so pleased to be contacted regarding the latest book featuring Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo! As I snoop around the Internet, I found this pic of the author and immediately realized that this was the real Dee Dee Dynamo, don't you think?! She is a role model for both young children and adults females as she shares the attitude of "I can do it!" In fact, I enjoyed listening to the following when her first book in the series came out. Her desire to support women in the sciences is very important for children as they dream of what they want to be when they get big! This is the time to plant the seeds since we don't know the fear of failure as children! That is the time for sharing that each child can be whatever they want to be when they are old enough... 

If you haven't already read the second book in the series, do check out my review. Her latest continues the adventures of a doctor who fixes just about anything she's ask to fix and her abilities have taken her out of this world to other planets! Cool, right? Children not only have a wonderful time working along side Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo, but also learn much about astronomy. In fact you and your children may be learning together, just as I did reading these fantastic books!

Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo's
  Saturn Surprise

By Oneeka Williams M.D.

Illustrated by Valerie Bouthyette

The Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo children's series, as well as her other work, has won the author, Dr. Oneeka Williams, the 2014 Science Club for Girls Catalyst Award. If you know nothing else about her, just reading her children's book series will give you an understanding for the award. When I read my first book, I was surprised that we were heading into outer space! But what better place can a doctor use all of her scientific experience where there is nobody else to help!

Everything that Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo works with is magical and helps her do her work--even the medical instruments, like scissors. For instance, Simon Scissors--See him and the others in this pic--is his name! Do you name the various items you use daily? Well, when they are called for an emergency, each one has to know exactly what to do, so Simon Scissors, for instance, knows to immediately run and jump into Marky Medicine Bag, along with all the others so that Dr. Dee Dee is ready to quickly respond...
Now check out her wrist! That's Wyndee Watch and that is how Dr. Dee Dee gets all her messages and requests for help!

She speaks into Wyndee,
"Freeda and Kyle, please
prepare the team and
pick up up at the
Planetarium."
~~~

Buzz! Buzzzzzz! Her wrist vibrates and she looks down at Wyndee Watch. Wyndee's screen illuminates and Gordon the Gullible Clobe appears, spinning and flashing his blue lights. Dr. Dee Dee turns up Wyndee's volume.

WAHOO! WAHOO! WAHOO!
Gordon's alarm pierces the air, startling the other Planetarium goers.

"What is it, Gordon?" Dr. Dee Dee whispers.

"I heard sounds of pandemonium coming from Saturn--and when I looked out I saw that his rings were gone! Something is terribly wrong," says Gordon.

"Are you sure, Gordon? asks Dr. Dee Dee. "There are times when we cannot see Saturn's rings from Earth, you know. When this happens, it is called "ring plane crossing,' But the rings are still there."

"I'm sure, Dr. Dee Dee. We have to go!" Gordon insists.

"Sounds like we have a new mission," says Dr. Dee Dee thoughtfully. She pushes the alert button on Wyndee. It sends a shockwave signal to her team that it is time for another adventure.

~~~

"oh dear," says Freeda sheepishly. "I am so sorry. I mistakenly
entered the letters SAUURN instead of SATURN and the
GPS rearranged it as uranus."
"Don't worry, Freeda, we all make mistakes," says Dr. Dee
Dee reassuringly.
~~~

Lukas, who had been visiting the planetarium with Dr. Dee Dee, was curious and started asking questions immediately. He wanted to know why Saturn would lose its rings. So, like the helper that she is, Dr. Dee Dee takes the time to share with Lukas and readers all about what she knows about Saturn.

But then she admits that she has no idea why there would be a commotion coming from Saturn, noting that something else must be going on...

Whiles she's sharing with Lukas, Freeda, who is the Flying Ambulance that takes the team to the emergency, is gathering everybody together, picks them up, and then sets the GPS for Saturn...at least she thought she did, but they all wound up at Uranus! Do you know where that is?

Note that Uranus is right next to Saturn...then look up to see the relationship to Earth...

Now some may have already heard of the Cassini mission. But Lukas and Kyle were surprised when the first thing they were asked, by the Saturn planet, was if they were with the Mission? Everybody could tell that Saturn was tired and frustrated and admitted that since they had come in 1997, he and his rings had no privacy and now none of his secrets were secrets anymore!

Well, Dr. Dee Dee quickly introduced herself and explained why they had come. Fortunately Saturn had heard from Pluto what she had done for him so he immediately started to tell her... Instead of circling the planet like a circle, some were slanted, circling on their own without coordinating with the others! Saturn begged for help!

"My rings have gone stark raving mad. They don't want to be rings anymore."

"All of them?" asks Dr. Dee Dee.

"All of them!" complains Saturn. "A, B, C, D, E, F and G!"

"Poor Saturn," says Marky Medicine Bag. "This looks like a disaster. What are we going to do, Dr. Dee Dee?

~~~

Would you believe by the time that Dr. Dee Dee finished her review of the situation, she created the "Do The Saturn Dance" for everybody to dance and get the rings right back where they were supposed to be! You'll have to work hard to learn how to do it...it includes some crazy moves like the Electric Slide, the Moon Ring and more! Better get your dance shoes out so you can help Dr. Dee Dee and the rest of her team as they all work together to fix Saturn's Rings!

There is one character that deserves a special mention...His name is Kyle and he's someone who seems to always be negative about trying things...If you know somebody like that, you'll be able to see how Dr. Dee Dee loving scolds him at the same time he's an important member of the team...There are many small samples of this type of interpersonal relationship learning that is being taught while children

enjoy all that is happening. 

This series continues to be both high quality in the book format, the fantastic art work within, as well as one of the best children's books I've reviewed in relation to the high level of educational value provided. The creativity and imagination in turning medical instruments, such as when getting shots, into Sydnee Syringe, who can become a friend to everybody, certainly nonverbally helps children learn that the doctor is someone who is there to help in whatever way possible. I'm so happy Dr. Dee Dee invited me on her latest adventure! Saturn has a lot to learn about, so make sure your children and friends get the chance to meet her too!

Now is a good chance to add book characters that your child may not have previously had the opportunity to meet through their favorite books! This book and the series is an excellent learning experience in many very

important ways... Highly recommended!

GABixlerReviews

About the Author

What do you get when you combine a science teacher with a journalist? A surgeon who writes poetry and children’s books!

My childhood was filled with the joys of discovery and exploration as my science teacher Mom took every opportunity to expose us to the wonders of science. On the other hand my Dad shared his passion for writing and I grew up writing poetry for every occasion including birthdays, holidays and family reunions. I still have fond memories of an essay competition that my twin brother and I entered on ‘Windows to the Sea’ which was designed to highlight the overdevelopment of the Barbados beachfront. We each wrote our essays independently but when our teacher looked at them, they complemented each other so well that we combined them into one essay and won the competition.

Growing up in the tropics was an incredible experience. I appreciate it now even more, as my husband and I raise our son in the cold New England winters. Every year we ask ourselves the same question, why are we still here? My Dad dug a fishpond for us in the backyard of our home in Guyana and we fished almost every weekend. Ever so often we would catch an eel that had snuck into the pond from the neighboring alley to feast on our fish and this was always accompanied by much excitement. There was always adventure and exploration.

I love science and always knew I wanted to be a doctor. I even performed minor surgery as early as age 12 when one of my classmates ripped her earring out of her ear lobe and I came to the rescue.

My journey took me first to Johns Hopkins University, ‘the pre-med capitol’. I then went to Harvard Medical School, followed by Massachusetts General Hospital and Lahey Clinic for surgical training. All along the way my creative outlet continued to be writing and interior design. I love painting, remodeling, renovating, upholstering furniture and landscaping.

I have always participated in various community volunteer programs with young people. One weekend, as I was cutting into cow hearts at a girl’s science club activity and finding engaging ways to present the physiology, it occurred to me that I wanted to write books that would share my love for science and medicine. I was inspired by my Mom who has written several science texts.

Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo is truly the embodiment of everything I hold dear. She is caring, dynamic, energetic, positive, powerful, spunky and believes that she can do anything. She heals with her hands, brings surgery and science together and loves her family.

Guest Author Steven Manchester Sharing Latest Book, Gooseberry Island, Out Today!

Brief Synopsis:

They met at the worst possible moment...or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party. Capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?

Gooseberry Island is the most nuanced, dramatic, and romantic novel yet from a writer whose ability to plumb the depths of human emotion knows few peers.

~~~

Gooseberry Island excerpt

David had been home for six weeks when he pulled into the market, preparing to locate everything on his mother’s grocery list. As he approached the store, he spotted a young teenage boy walking out; he was holding a brown bag. An older man approached the boy and reached out his hand. David gasped and his dizzy mind immediately raced back to Afghanistan and the horrific beating of the young Afghani boy:

There was movement three hundred yards out on the street below. Unusual, David thought. It was a teenage boy, maybe fourteen, carrying a burlap bag and hurrying home before dark. Never seen him before, David thought. In a flash, a man—a Taliban fighter—jumped out of the shadows and grabbed the boy’s arm, pulling him to the street and spilling the contents of his sack. As the teenager yelled for help, another Taliban soldier emerged from the darkness. The boy screamed louder, but not a single soul came to his aid…

It only took a few seconds, but the whole scene played out in sequence in his mind—both men yelling and slapping the boy as he screamed for help; the slaps turning to a vicious beating until finally the boy was dead. He could almost hear Command say “Negative” again after he asked if he could intervene. He felt the anguish in his soul threatening to overwhelm him, but it was quickly replaced by a burning rage. His eyes filled with tears, David returned to the present and started for the man in a mad rush. He was three steps from the shocked stranger when reality clicked in. It’s the boy’s father, he realized. He’s…he’s okay.

David’s body convulsed. He’d forgotten he was home, and the reality of it slapped him hard in the face.

The man pulled the teenage boy close to him; both of them were frightened by David’s sudden charge toward them.

“Sorry,” David said, though it sounded more like “Sigh.” Trying unsuccessfully to smile at them, he turned on his heels and hurried back to the Mustang.

For the next hour, David sat alone in his car, trying to calm the physical effects of his anxiety. Once he’d reined that in, he spent another two hours beating back the depression that always followed in anxiety’s wake.

His wasn’t sure whether the abyss existed within his heart or mind, but he knew that he was now filled with a great void—nothingness. There was no light there, only darkness. There was no hope, only despair. In time, he’d learned to embrace the silence, as the screams and whimpers of faceless victims became echoes that returned again and again, pushing the line of madness. Yet, the solitude was relentless, enveloping, merciless. It would have been better had I never existed, he thought, fearing another moment more than cashing in and leaving it all behind. No love, he thought, no peace. His memories were slanted in such thick negativity that his entire past would have been better off erased. And no one knows I’m dying inside, he thought, inviting another wave of panic attacks to crash onto the shore of his weary mind.

He closed his eyes tightly and tried to calm the short labored gasps. Just ride the wave, he told himself. Just ride the wave.

But in another room in his mind, he knew that even if he rode that wave—and didn’t crack his skull on all the rocks beneath him—he’d have to take the ride again and again. It didn’t take long before the jagged rocks seemed like the more merciful option.

~~~

Enough time had passed for Lindsey to realize David was not coming after her. He’s obviously in a lot of pain, she thought, and doesn’t want to burden anyone with it. She shook her head. But I care way too much about him to let him go through this alone.

With Craig’s permission, she slammed David’s front door behind her and marched through the living room into the kitchen. “Don’t you dare play the coward with me, David McClain,” she shouted before even reaching the room.

As she expected, David had been staring out the kitchen window into nothingness. With tear-filled eyes, his head snapped up. “Don’t you ever call me that word…ever!”

She stared at him for a few long moments before her heart softened. “Then go ahead, tell me that you don’t want to see me anymore and I’ll leave you alone forever.” He looked at her with tormented eyes but didn’t say a word. “But you can’t, can you?” she said, her entire insides starting to tremble.

“It’s not you,” he vowed. “It’s me. I’m just not…”

“Don’t you dare feed me that tired line! I spent a year praying for you…writing letters and wishing for us to…” She stopped, trying in vain to contain her emotions.

His face looked panicked, as his mind obviously spiraled out of control to gather the right words. “I don’t have the words,” he said in less than a whisper.

“After the first time I came here, I thought for sure you’d chase after me,” she said. “I’m not stupid, David. I realize something happened over there that has you all twisted up. But I also thought that once you saw my face, you’d…” She stopped again and began to cry.

David placed his hand on hers. She started to pull away, but he stopped her, intertwining their fingers. “Lindsey, please…please don’t say anything until I finish. Just hear me out. Okay?”\

“Okay,” she said, her tears threatening to flood her face.

He took a few deep breaths. “I've given this a lot of thought, and I want you to know that I've never lied to you…and I don't plan to now.” He shook his head. “I’m so messed up right now, Lindsey, I can’t even explain it.” He could barely hold eye contact with her. “I really hope we can be together someday…more than you can ever imagine. But I’m just not ready yet. I…I need to heal,” he stuttered.

She took a deep breath and held it.

“Torn isn't even the word for what I’m feeling over this,” he babbled on. “The last thing I want to do is hurt either of us.”

“I don’t think we have to say goodbye, though,” she said, feeling the panic of desperation creep into her soul. “Don’t you remember the night we shared on that bench?”

His eyes grew even more distant. “I really wish things were different,” he said, “that life didn’t have to be so difficult.” He shrugged. “Time will tell, I guess.”

“You guess?” She returned his shrug to him, perturbed.

“Lindsey, I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that I don't want to destroy any chance we might have at it …just because I might not be ready for it yet.” He grimaced. “I need time to find myself, okay?”

Lindsey, the child of a PTSD victim, shook her head. “You don’t have to find yourself, David. You just have to remember who you are…who you’ve always been.” He nodded, tears streaming down his face. Lindsey took a deep breath and surrendered. “David, I’ve told you the way that I feel for you and what I want for us. That’s all I can do. The rest is in your hands.” She peered into his dull eyes. “I can only hope that you’ll think of me every day, as I will you. I hope a lot of things, David.” She paused to collect herself. “Most of all, I hope the day will come when Afghanistan is behind you and we can fall in love all over again and catch up on all the things we’ve missed.” Mimicking him, she shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. I guess time will tell.” She pulled her hand away from his and felt her heart rip clean out of her chest. “Until then, you’ll be in my thoughts,” she whispered.

“I’m so sorry, Lindsey,” he sobbed, his shoulders rocking.

“I love you, David,” she said and, with one final attempt, grabbed his chin and forced eye contact between them. “Now tell me you don’t want to see me and I’ll leave you alone,” she whispered. As he looked at her, Lindsey could clearly see the anguish in his eyes.“You can’t, can you?” she said, hopefully.

His tears continued to leak down his cheeks. “I don’t want to see you…for now,” he said, and turned his eyes away from hers.

It felt as though someone had just slugged her in the gut. “Okay,” she gasped and ran out of the house crying harder than she’d ever cried before.

Long after Lindsey had run out of the kitchen, David remained catatonic—until he grabbed a drinking glass off the counter and threw it onto the floor where it broke into a hundred pieces. Enraged, he began smashing everything he could get his hands on in the kitchen. At the end of the violent outburst, he collapsed to the floor and began to weep. With his head in both hands, he screamed, “I love you, too, Lindsey.”

Day turned into dusk and, like most nights, just beyond the sobs and sniffles the world turned quiet and black.

~~~

After four or five weeks of self-imposed solitary confinement—a punishment filled with death-defying panic attacks and long, treacherous tunnels of depression—David decided to reach out to the men he had served with. They’re the only ones who can relate, he thought. And I wonder how they’re doing…really doing?

~~~

Author Bio: 

Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestsellers, Twelve Months and The Rockin' Chair. He is also the author of the award-winning novel, Goodnight, Brian, as well as the critically-acclaimed novel, Pressed Pennies, A Christmas Wish (Kindle exclusive), Wilbur Avenue (novelette), Just in Time (novelette), The Thursday Night Club (novella) and Gooseberry Island. His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN's American Morning and BET's Nightly News. Three of Steven's short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.
Visit: www.StevenManchester.com

http://www.StevenManchester.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorStevenManchester

Paperback, Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Gooseberry-Island-Steven-Manchester-ebook/dp/B00OPAFIDK/ref=asap_B001K8Y14C_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418059544&sr=1-6

Nook, Paperback: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gooseberry-island-steven-manchester/1118939772?ean=9781611881813&itm=1&usri=steven+manchester

New from The Story Plant

A special request Let's get viral. Steven Manchester's next book will be out on January 6, 2015. Voted one of the Must Read Books of 2015 by Cyrus Webb Presents, Gooseberry Island is sure to be the next hit from one of our #1 bestselling authors. The book looks at the budding relationship between Lindsay and David, who have to deal with David's deployment overseas and his recovery from the trauma he witnessed in the service of his country. PTSD is one of the biggest problems facing soldiers as they return from war. As an experienced veteran himself, Steven Manchester understands that. That's why, during the promotion of this book, Steven and The Story Plant are going to be working toward helping returning veterans. And we need your help to do that. From now until January 31, 2015, we will donate $1 to the Wounded Warrior Project for every copy of Gooseberry Island that is pre-ordered and sold. All you have to do is emai lus a copy of your receipt and we will make the donation. In addition to that, we will also donate a copy of the e-book to returning soldiers, one donation for each copy sold. Here's the really important part - we need your help to spread the word about this campaign! Tell your neighbors, tell your family members, tell the person working the checkout line in the grocery story. Just tell as many people as you can and ask them to help spread the word too. We want this campaign to go viral! Let's do something good this holiday season and celebrate those who protect and serve our country! You can read more about Gooseberry Island at our website. It is available for sale  at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and IndieBound. Curious about Wounded Warrior or want to make your own donation? Visit their website here. Book Review Gooseberry Island: "Mr. Manchester handles [PTSD] with great compassion.  He brings to life the hardships that are suffered by our returning servicemen.  His characters have depth and the story is compelling.  It is not only a novel, it helps to inform the reader of the difficulties experienced and the silent life and death struggle that goes on every day around us." -From Book Bug Blog Book Review Gooseberry Island: "I’ve said it before – Steven Manchester has a very definite style of his own. His books all display beautiful descriptive writing, poignancy, and include an inspirational message, and this one will simply warm your heart." -From And The Story Unfolds Book Review Gooseberry Island: "This author did a wonderful job with this novel showing how war can change a person and how so many of these military people die of suicide and bringing to life the many hardships along with disorders (PTSD) that are suffered by many of our returning military men and women." -From Arlena, Goodreads member

Murder on False River Hones in On Government Support of Hurricane Relief in Louisiana...

"Do you see something bobbing up and down in the water by that tree trunk?"
"Where?"
"Look over there by that clump of bushes," said Bert.
Beth turned pale in the moonlight. "It...it looks like a body!"
..."Hey Sheriff, this is Bert. Beth and I were sitting out on our pier tonight when we saw something floating in the water. I went out to see what it was and, man I hate to tell you this, but I found a body in False River. There's no telling how long it's been in the water. It's all bloated up and looks like something's been eating on it. It really looks bad. Can you get over here quick?"
..."Let's get this area roped off with crime scene tape right away," said Sheriff Breaux. "The more people we have underfoot, the harder it's going to be for us to do our job."
Left in the still of the night was Sheriff Breaux and his deputy, the police, members of Wildlife and Fisheries, the news media, and an assemblage of horrified people. There had never been a murder on False River before.

~~~

Murder on False River

By Martha Gabour Manuel

When you meet Savannah O'Brien Devereaux, she will be in no condition for you to interact with her...she's in the hospital, cannot move, speak--she was totally dependent on machines. But she was able to hear and while she lay motionless, she heard two women talking about her..one was telling her that she was Senator Savannah Devereaux and learned that she had crashed on New Year's Eve. Some said that she must have been drinking... But the worst was that she heard that her husband had passed away earlier. It was the maids' thinking that his death could have led to her accident... Then she noticed they were talking in the past tense! She was still alive, but could not cry out--she was trapped inside her silent body...

Her doctor came in and then the Sheriff, both hoping that something would happen to bring Savannah back to consciousness... All she could do was pray--she had to be able to tell them all that had happened!

Interestingly, readers are then taken to a new part, set in 2003, where we see three teenagers plan to rob a local store, One backed out and left the scene; two entered and were surprised by a cop who was accidentally killed. If you are confused, that's alright, because there is not a merge of the stories until later in the book...so...hold on!

Enter Michael Joseph Devereaux on the day of his marriage, for a second time... He was 58 and the year is 2008. But as he waited outside, his thoughts reviewed his first marriage, which had ended in death... To begin a new life, he had left Shreveport, purchasing an established real estate company in New Roads. Even that day, as he planned to marry Savannah, who he did love, he still felt mixed emotions...

Now I must say that the romance between these two is almost overwhelming in its intensity, and yet, as the story goes on, readers find that each have secrets that they decide not to share with the other... Both are working at the realty office, but Mike has gotten involved with politics and, in particular, issues related to the horrible conditions in Louisiana due to the hurricane damage. There was growing evidence that corruption at all levels of the government were delaying and sometimes preventing the aid needed to respond to the needs of the citizens there...

Mike was well aware of the wheeling
and dealing that went on behind the
scenes in politics. He arrived in
Washington anticipating problems--
but none like this one. His first night
in Washington and already he was on
Senator Adams "hit list."
~~~

In fact a number of individuals had joined together to visit Washington to see if they could garner support from those in Congress, but the first night Mike was heading to his room, he saw something that he shouldn't have...

A door to his right unexpectedly opened and out stepped a man in a business suit. He was obviously in a hurt to leave, probably hoping that he wouldn't b seen by anyone. The man was followed by a woman, clad only in a flimsy black negligee, still holding on to his hand. Unfortunately for hhim, it was too late to escape unnoticed. Not only had Mike seen him, but he also recognized the illustrious Senator...from Louisiana.

Senator Adams hurriedly pushed the woman back inside the room, closing the door behind her. Then he walked to the elevator as if nothing out of the ordinary had just taken place. It was an awkward moment for both men. Mike walked straight to his door and was busying himself opening it as Senator Adams passed by. Neither man acknowledged the other.
"This is just great," thought Mike. "I wonder what affect this will have on our negotiations when, or even if, we are allowed to meet with him this week."
Mike had a few flings in his younger years, but never while he was married. He considered himself open minded, but not when it came to cheating on a spouse. His philosophy was, "if a man can't be faithful to his wife, how can we expect him to be faithful to the voters who elected him?"

~~~

What the group discovered was that they would not be able to find support from other legislators! Unless they were able to find somebody to run against the present senator, who had been running with no opposition for years, they might as well give up trying to improve things.  Most of the group were heading home, but Mike was going to stay the night and go for one more meeting... Instead he was mugged in the hotel elevator and when he was able, traveled straight home, not telling anybody about what had happened... Not telling anybody that he'd been warned not to continue his investigation...

"What am I going to tell Savannah?"
~~~

The man standing behind Mike tightened his grip to the combatant in front of him from falling. "That's enough," he said to the combatant in front of him. With the same menacing tone he whispered into Mike ear, "It's time you quit your investigation. If you think this was bad, just tell anybody about it, and see what happens to the pretty little wife of yours. This is our first and last warning. Don't get involved in things that don't concern you. You may be a big man with your friends, but you're nothing to us..."

"That not true, Mike," Savannah said
dejectedly. "If you say you definnitely
don't want me to run, I won't run. But,
Mike, this would be such a great
opportunity. I've always wanted to be 
in a position where I could make a
difference..."
~~~

                                                         ~~~

And then Savannah started to talk to Mike about running for the Senate... And she won--upsetting the occupant! And then, of course, things only got worse and soon she started getting similar calls for her to tell her husband to stop his investigation... And before long, Mike was killed while flying his plane to a meeting...

Not only do things get more dangerous, but they get more complicated! And there are still surprises to be discovered... I would like to assume that this novel will also have at least one sequel, but the story can stand on its own, although I would prefer to see a different ending... Let me know what you think!

Murder on False River was much more than the traditional murder mystery. In fact, the murder almost seems insignificant to the overall story, since the man murdered is a minor character to a degree... I previously read and reviewed a book about the corruption in Louisiana related to hurricane rebuilding--that was non-fiction, however... This author does a fantastic job in merging this important issue into the overall political realm that reaches all the way to Washington where, some may not be involved, but are also not willing to take the action needed to ensure that it is stopped! A sad but not unexpected reality where keeping your political power is more important that preventing the fraudulent actions that costs, perhaps, in the millions, or even more! Again, I'd like to see further stories by this author who is seeing the "dubious" politics in her own backyard...

A must-read for some in my opinion...But a great political thriller for all...Check it out!


GABixlerReviews

From a run for political office, to her days in the cockpit, to leadership of government agencies, Martha Gabour Manuel and her heroine, Savannah O'Brien Devereaux, have both discovered that truth is often stranger than fiction. In her debut novel, Martha invites readers to experience Louisiana's beauty, mystery, dubious politics, and enduring characters, through the eyes of Savannah. Readers are welcome to send comments to: Martha Manuel, P.O. Box 1023, New Roads, LA 70760; www.marthamanuel.com; or martygmanuel@yahoo.com

Taste of Fear Now Up on Adult Blog...

This is now free on Amazon and does an excellent job of introducing the new, main character, John Montclair, to readers....

Click over right now to read my review!

2014 Now Over...What's Coming This Year?!!! Happy New Year from Book Reader's Heaven

 Hope you like my new format that gives you immediate access to multiple articles...

And thanks for the 16 thousand plus visits...in December...I've already got at least a couple months of books waiting, so hurry back! I put in the map provided to show world coverage, but I'm not sure I totally understand it, you?

But I'm certainly happy to see more and more countries visit, because I've been having more and more books set all over the world! I think Germany was the latest one read--this was one of the first translations made for Author
Alexander Hartung set in Berlin...

Only found one country that already had last night's celebration up...Of course, Taiwan had the advantage of time differences... LOL

Wow! Is it possible another year has left us?! Well, I got a surprise last night, I found a musician I'd never heard before and he immediately became a top musician for me... I was watching the Swan Brothers in Pittsburgh since it's closer to me, but I went wandering a Living Room Concert...Here's one of his fantastic songs...then I went out today and found others from when he was younger...Looks like he's been in the business all his life! Some of us just keep on going... LOL! 

One of the most visited articles was with Lee Harmon on his book and beliefs in general...

I didn't do a good job of marking all those that was on my favorites list this year, but some of them are here and if you didn't see them earlier, just click on the cover to visit now!

If your book was also placed on my list for 2014, hey, help me out and list it as a comment!