Plot based on the odd premise that it's not worth trying to hire a lawyer to fight for custody against a federal judge. I've seen enough cop & lawyer TV to know that this is definitely an issue when presented in fiction. I've also known women with lawyers for husbands who got taken in local courts to figure the premise is highly likely. But the plot gets more complicated and more exciting near the end.

Characters could have been a little more developed; they all seemed kind of flat to me. The only defining characteric of the McGuanes is their desperation to keep this baby. Their friends seem not to have much personality, although Cody has a bit more story than most.

Story flows and suspense builds to an unexpected conclusion. I enjoy Box's writing, at least in the two non-series books I've read so far. Looking forward to checking out his Joe Pickett series.

If nothing else, this should increase tourism in D.C., maybe some will choose the less likely places. The Library of Congress could start a new in-house tour of its hidden areas. Brown presents the usual running from place to place to decipher clues under pressure. Hard to believe at the end of the book that it has taken place in less than 24 hours. If Langdon spent so much time talking about Freemasonry, how did he find the time to get anywhere?

As pointed out by some earlier, more discerning reviewers, the editing could be better. Readers would not have lost any sense of the story had it been tightened up and the repetitions removed. Does the author get paid by the word? by the page?

I liked The Da Vinci Code much better even though it also had a need for better editing. Both books suffer from silly mistakes by main characters. And there were the usual over-long intellectual lectures. I must admit that if Brown's presentation of his research is accurate I learned more about Freemasonry than I ever wanted to know.

The action sequences kept me turning the pages, but the lectures made sure I got my rest.

Lescroart returns to form in his latest Dismas Hardy/Abe Glistsky novel. Abe is a late participant in the case, but a necessary character. Wyatt Hunt returns as the investigator to help Hardy and his client. Resolution of the case is reminiscent of the old Perry Mason series.

Hunt is a favorite because he garages his Mini Cooper very kindly in part of his renovated warehouse home. His investigation agency is integral to the solution of the case.

Once the trial begins the plot keeps the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next. Can you spot the red herrings?

Continuation of Extreme Measures; the two should be read as close together as possible unless you have a really great memory. Time lapse between plots is only 6 days and there is definite continuity in characters and plot. Some situations left me wanting to return to the previous book and do a little fact checking, but it wasn't in my collection.

The much-mentioned ch. 50 is one reason I continue reading Flynn's books - through the fictional character of Rapp he does make you think about your own moral convictions. Flynn again includes "propaganda" moments to support actions by the CIA & Rapp. But do those actions really get the results we read in a novel? Can they be justified? Can we really be so hypocritical and not think about the consequences of our positions?

I was glad to see Rapp take center stage again; I was a little worried it was going to become the "Mike Nash series." I hope & expect their relationship will continue so readers can have at least a sense of what is required of those who work for the CIA, FBI, and other alphabet soup agencies & military who make a commitment to protecting the rest of us. I don't think that Nash is as well-drawn as a character as Rapp, although he could be. He does provide a contrasting view of the life of an agent.

The plot moved along and kept me turning the pages. I do hope that real-life terrorists are as dumb and egotistical as these guys - it made them easier to catch. Some of their moves were even predictable.

It is a coincidence that I finished this book on Veterans' Day, but I wonder how much that has influenced my sympathies for Rapp & his colleagues, protrayed as doing a really tough job?

I dislike the concept of torture, especially when the outcomes on innocent people are considered. A recent newspaper article about a mistake made by the Canadians in identifying a man that resulted in the U.S. taking him into custody and torturing him for an extended period of time and learning nothing, since he knew nothing, makes the process questionable. Should one man have all the responsibility as arresting officer, judge, & jury? There needs to be balance between judgment and the need for immediacy when trying to get information. As always a thought-provoking read.

If you are manually entering a book you can check the Library of Congress' catalog at http://catalog.loc.gov/ or Open Worldcat at http://www.worldcat.org/ to see if either database includes an ISBN for the exact edition you have in your hand. As a former library cataloger, I wouldn't add one unless I was positive about a complete match. The book you are reading could be a chancey, since it seems to have no publisher.

The ISBN is a separately generated number which reflects the country in which the book (or item) was issued, the "publishing" company that issued it, an individual title & edition number within the publisher's inventory, and a check digit to make sure the preceeding numbers have been assigned correctly. Publishers apply for a standard publisher number to a national issuing body that keeps track of the numbers. For more information check http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number.

Hope this addresses your question.

Typical of the series: cozy hominess interrupted by grizzly work. Always ends with a new couple on their way to happiness, and as usual they were easy to spot right off. The usual more than one case at a time, which in this installment don't come together, but remain separate cases linked only by Savich's involvement in both.

A crazy teen is balanced off by a sweet little girl who can communicate with Savich. Enough scariness to keep you reading and looking for a good ending. Characters are 2-dimensional, but not much depth; development focuses strictly on how the person relates to the case in hand. Familiar names and agents sprinkled throughout from previous books in the series, but we don't learn anything new about them.

An interesting, but quick read. No need to be invested in the series to enjoy the basic story.