Dead Sleep

Dead Sleep by Greg Iles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jordan Glass has followed in her Father's footsteps as a photojournalist. She still holds out hope that Jonathan Glass didn't die in Cambodia, and has spent her life looking for him.

Now her twin sister (Jane) is missing. Fearing the worst she has almost given up hope when she views a portrait of her sister in The Hong Kong Museum of Art. The exhibit is titled "Sleeping Women" but they look dead and they are all of women who disappeared from New Orleans. Contacting the FBI with her discovery she heads back to the States. Using her contacts she finds the art dealer who sold the paintings and pays him a visit, realizing he knows more then he is telling and fearing for her life she starts to leave when an explosion ends the art dealers life and Jordan barely escapes from the building. The FBI agent that was on the scene was killed in his car, and the murder nearly grabs Jordan.

Using her skills as a photographer and the information she has Jordan manages to get the FBI to include her in their investigation. The chemistry between her and Agent John Kaiser is instant and they begin a romantic relationship in between investigating the suspects.

When Jordan is taken prisoner she can only pray that John will find her in time but determined to survive she uses her wits to outwit the killer. Rescued in the nick of time she has barely recovered from an insulin overdose when a mysterious man from her Father's past ask to see her in person. Since De Becque is a fugitive she must fly to his home on Grand Cayman to meet with him, but the surprise he has in store for her is well worth the trip.

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Malice

Malice by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rick Bentz wakes from a near fatal accident with a vision of his ex-wife who has been dead for 12 years. As he slowly recovers he spots "Jennifer" more and more until a package it mailed to him with recent pictures of the Jennifer look alike and her death certificate with a huge question mark.

Determined to discover if his ex is still alive he leaves for Los Angeles and begins talking to Jenifer's friends. Each reveals new information about Jennifer and Bentz begins to investigate the leads but then the friends start dying one by one. After Bentz finds the second victim he falls under suspicion in the murders.

And the 21 killer has returned, killing another set of twins on their 21st birthday.

Olivia desperate to reconnect with her husband and tell him of her pregnancy flies to Los Angeles to be with Bentz but instead of being picked up by the police officer assigned to escort her to Bentz she is picked up by a cold blooded killer who plans to film her death so Bentz can watch his wife die in torment.

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Recipes

I am making my menu for Thanksgiving and have had request for the Alawine Family Holiday Pie and Grandma Agnes' Chocolate Pecan Pie. So I thought I would share the recipes with you.

Grandma Agnes' Chocolate Pecan Pie

3 eggs slightly beaten
4 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 cup Karo Corn Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell

Heat oven to 350. In large bowl stir the ingredients until well blended pour into the pastry shell. Bake 50 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool

Alawine Family Holiday Pie

1 package (16 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz cream cheese
12 oz. cool whip
1 package peanutbutter chips
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 graham cracker pie crust
chopped walnuts (optional)

Stir 8 oz chocolate with water over low heat until melted cool. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth; add chocolate. Fold in the cool whip. Stir in the additional chocolate chips, (nuts) and peanutbutter chips and spoon into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

* peppermint may be substituted for the peanutbutter chips.

Persuader

Persuader by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Jack Reacher was still in the military he sent Frasconi and Kohl to arrest Quinn. Quinn killed Frasconi and tortured and killed Kohl before he escaped. Reacher used the info that Kohl had gathered to track him and kill him.

Now 10 years later Reacher sees Quinn on the streets. He calls in a favor to get the name and the address for the the car that Quinn got into and gets roped into an off the books DEA investigation with the primary goal of the DEA being to rescue their undercover agent and Reacher's goal being to kill Quinn.

From the beginning their plans seem to go horribly wrong and Reacher is almost exposed numerous times. Then the maid is exposed as an ATF agent and Reacher realized that the DEA doesn't have any jurisdiction in the case as Quinn is a gun runner not a drug runner as they thought. He chooses to stay in with no backup and in typical Reacher fashion overcomes enormous odds to rescue the agent and kill Quinn.

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Cat Daddy

Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved the book! How Jackson Galaxy became Cat Daddy and the amazing cat, Benny who showed him the way. Has some tips for issues you might be dealing with with you own cats.

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Animal-Speak

Animal-Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book. I was very impressed by Ted Andrews breath of knowledge. He is very well read and covers a lot of territory in the book.

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The Artemis Fowl Files

The Artemis Fowl Files by Eoin Colfer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amusing, perfect for some light reading. If you have a pre-teen or teen on your Christmas list this would make a great stocking stuffer.

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