Pisces Rising

Rating:
Summary: A Career Rising with Pisces
Review: As a Southern California-based mystery writer, I have been genuinely impressed by Martha Lawrence's works. Many people initially react to Ms. Lawrence's psychic detective as a silly gimmick. As created by Ms. Lawrence, Elizabeth Chase is a fully-realized and realistic character. In this fourth outing,PISCES RISING, Elizabeth is mourning the death of her lover, and she becomes involved in investigating homicides that occur on an Indian reservation. Gambling issues play a major part in this novel, as does Native American beliefs. Ms. Lawrence tells a fine tale with a swiftly moving plot and fabulously drawn characters. Another winner for Martha Lawrence.

Rating:
Summary: A Career Rising with Pisces
Review: As a Southern California-based mystery writer, I have been genuinely impressed by Martha Lawrence's works. Many people initially react to Ms. Lawrence's psychic detective as a silly gimmick. As created by Ms. Lawrence, Elizabeth Chase is a fully-realized and realistic character. In this fourth outing,PISCES RISING, Elizabeth is mourning the death of her lover, and she becomes involved in investigating homicides that occur on an Indian reservation. Gambling issues play a major part in this novel, as does Native American beliefs. Ms. Lawrence tells a fine tale with a swiftly moving plot and fabulously drawn characters. Another winner for Martha Lawrence.

Rating:
Summary: Psychic elements subtly done
Review: California/Indian/Casino politics fuel the action of this latest Elizabeth Chase novel.

Still grieving following the death of her lover in "Murder in Scorpio", psychic detective Chase reluctantly takes on the defense investigation of a sad-sack gambler accused of the murder/scalping of a Native American casino owner and poltical leader, Dan Aquillo. Found comatose beside the body, the defendant, Bill Hurston, claims he was trying to commit suicide with barbituates.

The case seems shaky and though Hurston confesses, Chase is convinced of his innocence. Pursuing political and personal leads on the reservation (anti-casino forces, a girlfriend, Aquillo's possibly jealous partner and a troubled radical teenager) Chase meets up with violence, greed, tribal politics, racial hatred and a spiritualism new to her.

Chase's visions are unpredictable, enigmatic, often frustrating. A likable heroine, Chase is feisty but vulnerable and the psychic elements (Lawrence is a self-proclaimed psychic) are subtly done.

Rating:
Summary: She gets better and better!
Review: I just love entering Martha Lawrence's world, and I so hate to leave it! This one is her best yet, and the others are terrific too. ( I'd recommend reading them all chronologically.) I applaud her gutsiness as an author in doing away with appealing characters in situations that realistically might call for that. (I'm reminded of T. Jefferson Parker doing the same with Tim Hess in The Blue Light--a very interesting and appealing character.) ... was a real loss, I felt, but it's clear that she has even better characters up her sleeve.. I'm particularly drawn to the Sequoia character in this book. Wish I knew someone like him.

Her ear for dialogue is unerring...I'm a stickler for fake-sounding conversation and I can't find remember a false note being struck in any of her books. Wish you could write faster, Martha!

Rating:
Summary: She gets better and better!
Review: I just love entering Martha Lawrence's world, and I so hate to leave it! This one is her best yet, and the others are terrific too. ( I'd recommend reading them all chronologically.) I applaud her gutsiness as an author in doing away with appealing characters in situations that realistically might call for that. (I'm reminded of T. Jefferson Parker doing the same with Tim Hess in The Blue Light--a very interesting and appealing character.) ... was a real loss, I felt, but it's clear that she has even better characters up her sleeve.. I'm particularly drawn to the Sequoia character in this book. Wish I knew someone like him.

Her ear for dialogue is unerring...I'm a stickler for fake-sounding conversation and I can't find remember a false note being struck in any of her books. Wish you could write faster, Martha!

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Read!
Review: I've been a fan of Martha Lawrence ever since her first book, following her psychic detective, Elizabeth Chase, around the zodiac from Murder in Scorpio to the current Pisces Rising. Her gutsy detective, Chase, combining sound detective skills with her psychic gifts, sets out to discover the murderer of casino owner, Dan Aquillo. Along the way she encounters one of Lawrence's most compelling characters, the Native American shaman, Sequoia. Lawrence introduces the reader to some fascinating Native American lore, as she combines a taut, thrilling tale with tantalizing psychic phenomena. Combining suspense with New Age is rare, but fascinating. The only other book I can think of that does that successfully is "The President's Astrologer", which interweaves an exciting political drama with the world of astrology.

Rating:
Summary: Fourth Time Is A Charm
Review: Once again Martha C. Lawrence delights her readers with a good, solid mystery. Elizabeth Chase returns in this fourth installment of the psychic detective series. After losing her fiancé at the end of the last book - Elizabeth is unsure as to her feelings on returning to the life of a private detective.

She is summoned from her slump by a fellow PI and asked to help out on a particularly odd and gruesome case. A murder and scalping has taken place out on the Temecu reservation at the casino being run there. The body belongs to casino owner Dan Aquillo and the supposed murderer is locked in jail and her lawyer needs Elizabeth's help as the case does not look as simple as it seems.

Elizabeth uses her psychic abilities to aide her in the case but as always, it is her fine detecting skills that really do the job. Thanks to the help of her newfound friend Sequoia, Elizabeth not only learns more about the case but she is also able to do some serious soul searching of her own.

Who killed the casino owner? Could it really have been the accused Bill Hurston, a former doctor and gambling addict who was in way over his head, or was it his ex-wife? What about Dan's nephew Wolf who has strong feelings against the casino? Or someone from the political group that is fighting against the casino? Only Elizabeth can find out and the reader enjoys every minute of the plot.

This is a great addition to the Chase series as not only does the reader get what they are used to when it comes to great plots and writing, but we get to see some major character development here. This series looks to be a good bet for the long run. I can't wait to see what trouble Chase gets herself into next!

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Read!
Review: Once again Martha C. Lawrence delights her readers with a good, solid mystery. Elizabeth Chase returns in this fourth installment of the psychic detective series. After losing her fianc? at the end of the last book - Elizabeth is unsure as to her feelings on returning to the life of a private detective.

She is summoned from her slump by a fellow PI and asked to help out on a particularly odd and gruesome case. A murder and scalping has taken place out on the Temecu reservation at the casino being run there. The body belongs to casino owner Dan Aquillo and the supposed murderer is locked in jail and her lawyer needs Elizabeth's help as the case does not look as simple as it seems.

Elizabeth uses her psychic abilities to aide her in the case but as always, it is her fine detecting skills that really do the job. Thanks to the help of her newfound friend Sequoia, Elizabeth not only learns more about the case but she is also able to do some serious soul searching of her own.

Who killed the casino owner? Could it really have been the accused Bill Hurston, a former doctor and gambling addict who was in way over his head, or was it his ex-wife? What about Dan's nephew Wolf who has strong feelings against the casino? Or someone from the political group that is fighting against the casino? Only Elizabeth can find out and the reader enjoys every minute of the plot.

This is a great addition to the Chase series as not only does the reader get what they are used to when it comes to great plots and writing, but we get to see some major character development here. This series looks to be a good bet for the long run. I can't wait to see what trouble Chase gets herself into next!

Rating:
Summary: Fourth Time Is A Charm
Review: Once again Martha C. Lawrence delights her readers with a good, solid mystery. Elizabeth Chase returns in this fourth installment of the psychic detective series. After losing her fiancé at the end of the last book - Elizabeth is unsure as to her feelings on returning to the life of a private detective.

She is summoned from her slump by a fellow PI and asked to help out on a particularly odd and gruesome case. A murder and scalping has taken place out on the Temecu reservation at the casino being run there. The body belongs to casino owner Dan Aquillo and the supposed murderer is locked in jail and her lawyer needs Elizabeth's help as the case does not look as simple as it seems.

Elizabeth uses her psychic abilities to aide her in the case but as always, it is her fine detecting skills that really do the job. Thanks to the help of her newfound friend Sequoia, Elizabeth not only learns more about the case but she is also able to do some serious soul searching of her own.

Who killed the casino owner? Could it really have been the accused Bill Hurston, a former doctor and gambling addict who was in way over his head, or was it his ex-wife? What about Dan's nephew Wolf who has strong feelings against the casino? Or someone from the political group that is fighting against the casino? Only Elizabeth can find out and the reader enjoys every minute of the plot.

This is a great addition to the Chase series as not only does the reader get what they are used to when it comes to great plots and writing, but we get to see some major character development here. This series looks to be a good bet for the long run. I can't wait to see what trouble Chase gets herself into next!

Rating:
Summary: New agers will love this mystery
Review: Private detective Elizabeth Chase has an edge over most of her peers since she possesses psychic powers. Even with the sight, Elizabeth fails to save someone she loves from being killed. Three months later, Elizabeth remains a recluse, unable to accept any clients. That finally changes when a legal colleague asks Elizabeth to find evidence that would prove his client did not kill and scalp the owner of the Mystic Mesa casino on the Temecu Reservation in California.

Former doctor Bill Hunter lost his license to practice medicine because of illegal activity associated with his gambling addiction. Now he is the prime suspect in the murder case that sends Elizabeth to the Native American reservation. After she starts her inquiries, Elizabeth learns that Bill confessed to the killing. Apparently, Bill's former spouse was murdered while he languished in prison. Elizabeth quickly realizes that the gambling question is complex and volatile issue with both sides wanting their agenda executed.

PISCES RISING is a fantastic who-done-it that is filled with numerous viable suspects, leaving the reader to wonder whom is truly guilty. However, the exciting story line takes a backseat to Elizabeth. The audience has deeply cared about Elizabeth during her previous novels, but will cherish her even more this time as she struggles with her grief. Martha C. Lawrence proves once again that she is a brilliant storyteller.

Harriet Klausner