Rating: 
Summary: Good reading for beach or bathtub
Review: "House of Smoke" begins with an explosive prologue revealing only some of what haunts Kate Blanchard, ex-cop turned private detective. As she investigates the death of Frank Baucomb, foreman of the Sparks family ranch and lover of young Laura Sparks, Kate delves into the personal and financial dealings of Santa Barbara's wealthiest family, to the dismay of Laura's larger-than-life mother, Miranda. The sprawling mystery encompasses marijuana dealing and oil drilling, but the real story is how Kate works to overcome her inner demons while fighting very real threats to her life. Kate's character flaws range from the serious (she has lost custody of her children) to the silly (she shares with other Freedman characters a tendency to get drunk and go skinny-dipping when common sense suggests remaining sober and clothed), and the action is more melodrama than realism. Featuring a wealthy family's scheming and infighting and tough female protagonists who aren't shy about using their bodies to get what they want, "House of Smoke" has much in common with a Judith Krantz ("Scruples") novel or a season of "Dynasty." The sex scenes are also more explicit than usual for a detective novel. At nearly 500 pages, "House of Smoke" is written on an epic scale, with characters slowly revealed through lengthy, detailed vignettes and even lengthier speeches. However, the material doesn't really carry the weight of an epic family drama; you can often skip a few pages and not miss anything (except maybe some explicit sex). "House of Smoke" isn't great literature, but it's an absorbing, not-too-demanding book perfect for beach, airplane, or tub.
Rating:
Summary: Good reading for beach or bathtub
Review: "House of Smoke" begins with an explosive prologue revealing only some of what haunts Kate Blanchard, ex-cop turned private detective. As she investigates the death of Frank Baucomb, foreman of the Sparks family ranch and lover of young Laura Sparks, Kate delves into the personal and financial dealings of Santa Barbara's wealthiest family, to the dismay of Laura's larger-than-life mother, Miranda. The sprawling mystery encompasses marijuana dealing and oil drilling, but the real story is how Kate works to overcome her inner demons while fighting very real threats to her life. Kate's character flaws range from the serious (she has lost custody of her children) to the silly (she shares with other Freedman characters a tendency to get drunk and go skinny-dipping when common sense suggests remaining sober and clothed), and the action is more melodrama than realism. Featuring a wealthy family's scheming and infighting and tough female protagonists who aren't shy about using their bodies to get what they want, "House of Smoke" has much in common with a Judith Krantz ("Scruples") novel or a season of "Dynasty." The sex scenes are also more explicit than usual for a detective novel. At nearly 500 pages, "House of Smoke" is written on an epic scale, with characters slowly revealed through lengthy, detailed vignettes and even lengthier speeches. However, the material doesn't really carry the weight of an epic family drama; you can often skip a few pages and not miss anything (except maybe some explicit sex). "House of Smoke" isn't great literature, but it's an absorbing, not-too-demanding book perfect for beach, airplane, or tub.
Rating: 
Summary: Emotionally damaged excop barely survives as PI
Review: A book wrapped up in its female characters. The males are perhaps too dull but the women make up for it in intensity of suspense, suspicion, and violence. Kate Blanchard is the good cop who washed out after an unfortunate hostage situation. A glutton for punishment, she becomes a underpaid PI ready to risk her life for little cause. When she is hired by a poor little rich girl to clear the name of her scumbag, drug smuggling, dead boyfriend, the trouble is clearly foretold. Rich girl's mother is both skilled business woman and also master manipulator. An easy read and the 490 pages pass quickly. Just the thing to entertain you on a flight, etc
Rating: 
Summary: Just more GARBAGE
Review: Another bore-ring story about the super wealthy (20,000 acre cattle ranch in Santa Barbara County, Calif.). Only this time with a rude, crude, insensitive female PI.. Personally I can not relate to the wealthy ....I have absolutly no synpathy (boohoo) for them and can care less if they live or die. Against the Wind is Freedmans ONLY good book.
Rating:
Summary: Some Wisdom and Courage.
Review: Former Oakland police officer, muffs a hostage case, quits, becomes a private investigator in Santa Barbara. And she is good. Freedman's Kate Blanchard is a first-rate crime solver, doing it the hard way - mental superiority, careful thought, moments of brilliance, tedious research - and some wisdom and courage. I like this character and the author.
Rating:
Summary: Another good whodunit with a female hero.
Review: Good, fast-paced detective story. The use of acronyms was a little too frequent, though. You might want to carry a cop dictionary with you.
Rating: 
Summary: On the edge of your seat
Review: I loved this book. It had a great twist of real life situations which you don't normally find completely in books. I found it hard to believe that a man actually wrote this book because the main character is a woman, and the veiws and feelings he expresses from her part are just to real. It was thick in the sexual experiences which made it a bit odd to me, but I still loved it. Her job is what puts you on the edge of your seat because you never know what will happen next...getting attacked at your deserted pool or ending up with some gangsters. Definently worth reading
Rating:
Summary: Where There's Smoke There's Fire
Review: I loved this book. It started with a bang, storywise, and the main character was complex, authentic, sympathetic, and very sexy. The ending was a surprise and the journey there was completely transporting. Great read -- especially if you've spent time in Santa Barbara where it is set.
Rating:
Summary: boring disappointment
Review: I struggled through this book until I was half-way, thinking it would get better (that and I was stuck in an airport). I literally threw it away as the lesbian scene started to develop. If that is not your thing, the rest of the book will be equally a turn-off. Boring, slow developing and disgusting.
Rating:
Summary: J.F. FREEDMAN IS UP THERE WITH BALDACCI, PATTERSON, SHELDON
Review: Last summer I had the accidental pleasure of reading "The Disappearance" by J.F. Freedman, and I absolutely was hooked instantly on his writing style! A week and a half ago, a friend who I leant "The Disappearance" to, ending up lending me "House of Smoke." In just a mere short week, I finished all 490 pages, and once again, J.F. Freedman has proved that his calibre of story telling should be up there with David Baldacci, James Patterson, and Sidney Sheldon. I loved the character of Kate Blanchard. Most female heroines are either "butchy" at best, or still manage to flake out when push comes to shove. Not Kate Blanchard. She goes from being an abused woman, her own victim, to being a strong, independent heroine. This process does not happen overnight. Far from it. It takes Kate over two years of growing, as a woman, to actually be comfortable in her own skin. Freedman's character development is very gradual. He doesn't slam you with 2 or 3 pages worth of B.S., rather he develops a storyline that always refers back to the characters history, which I find to be the most rewarding way to learn about someone. For the two books I've now read by Freedman, I'm hooked on him. I love his writing style, I love his steady character development, and I love the feeling after I finish his books. By the time I finished this book, I felt that Kate Blanchard WAS a real person. I hope Freedman writes another book with this lead character, if he does, he has a major hit on his hands!! Kudos to Freedman, for only having read 2 of his books, he's made his way up to MY top 10 authors! I definitely will be reading ALL his books now!
|
