Rating: 
Summary: No Cheers for the Cheerleader
Review: From the first page it's clear Meg O'Brien has a crafty, intelligent mind. The Last Cheerleader starts off as a short narrative by the lead character, Mary Beth, reflecting on a failed relationship. Anyone who's ever had a lover fall far short of expectations will have no trouble relating to Mary Beth's musings. From there, the book takes off in a delightfully frantic pace. I found Mary Beth a determined character with a quick mind and a cool, sardonic sense of humor. What I hope for in any novel is that the author not only keep me entertained throughout, but get my heart racing every once in awhile. Meg O'Brien achieved that easily with this book. She always does, which is why I'll always be a fan of her writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Intelligent writing
Review: From the first page it's clear Meg O'Brien has a crafty, intelligent mind. The Last Cheerleader starts off as a short narrative by the lead character, Mary Beth, reflecting on a failed relationship. Anyone who's ever had a lover fall far short of expectations will have no trouble relating to Mary Beth's musings. From there, the book takes off in a delightfully frantic pace. I found Mary Beth a determined character with a quick mind and a cool, sardonic sense of humor. What I hope for in any novel is that the author not only keep me entertained throughout, but get my heart racing every once in awhile. Meg O'Brien achieved that easily with this book. She always does, which is why I'll always be a fan of her writing.
Rating:
Summary: A very good book
Review: I am a college student in Bend, Oregon. My mother gave me this book to read and I really enjoyed reading it. I gave it to my sister (she's still in high school) and she loved it too.
Rating: 
Summary: Average at best
Review: I got this through a book club I'm in and it sounded interesting from the back cover, so I decided to read it. Normally if a book really grips me, I read it in one sitting. This wasn't one of those books. It took me almost two weeks to get through it, which is incredibly long for me.The basic plotline centers around Mary Beth, who is a literary agent. Two of her authors and her ex-husband are all murdered and chinese dildos are left with the bodies. Right after this happens, Lindy (a former cheerleader and schoolmate of Mary Beth's) shows up at her house begging for help after years of no contact. So now Mary Beth has to figure out what Lindy's hiding, who killed her authors/ex-husband and come to terms with her own past. While it wasn't a very gripping novel, I did enjoy reading it a bit here and there. I finally finished it this evening and I have to say, I was totally disappointed with the ending. I totally don't buy the murderer's identity. Without going in to too much detail and giving it away for those who haven't read it yet - in my opinion, that part of the book was just a gratuitous twist. It made no sense. Beyond that, Mary Beth ends up having two relationships going on, one with another of her authors (and former flame), Patrick, the other with one of the police officers working on the case, Dan. I was disappointed with the lack of resolution here, or if there was a resolution - it was a little too vague. Other than those two complaints (the first of which is pretty major to me) the book was "ok." I did enjoy most of the story. I don't know if I would recommend purchasing it, there are much better choices out there. For a mystery/romance, I much prefer J.D. Robb's "In Death" series.
Rating:
Summary: Average at best
Review: I got this through a book club I'm in and it sounded interesting from the back cover, so I decided to read it. Normally if a book really grips me, I read it in one sitting. This wasn't one of those books. It took me almost two weeks to get through it, which is incredibly long for me. The basic plotline centers around Mary Beth, who is a literary agent. Two of her authors and her ex-husband are all murdered and chinese dildos are left with the bodies. Right after this happens, Lindy (a former cheerleader and schoolmate of Mary Beth's) shows up at her house begging for help after years of no contact. So now Mary Beth has to figure out what Lindy's hiding, who killed her authors/ex-husband and come to terms with her own past. While it wasn't a very gripping novel, I did enjoy reading it a bit here and there. I finally finished it this evening and I have to say, I was totally disappointed with the ending. I totally don't buy the murderer's identity. Without going in to too much detail and giving it away for those who haven't read it yet - in my opinion, that part of the book was just a gratuitous twist. It made no sense. Beyond that, Mary Beth ends up having two relationships going on, one with another of her authors (and former flame), Patrick, the other with one of the police officers working on the case, Dan. I was disappointed with the lack of resolution here, or if there was a resolution - it was a little too vague. Other than those two complaints (the first of which is pretty major to me) the book was "ok." I did enjoy most of the story. I don't know if I would recommend purchasing it, there are much better choices out there. For a mystery/romance, I much prefer J.D. Robb's "In Death" series.
Rating: 
Summary: Should I bother to finish or just read the last page?
Review: I picked up this book while on travel, looking for something to read in the hotel room and on the airplane (and to keep my mind off of being stuck in the center seat). This is the first book that I've read by this author, and I'm not sure I'll even finish this one, let alone bother to check out any of the others. The characters are sketchy at best, and the Lindy character is just irritating. Would anyone really help this person? She's a fruitcake and the reader can see through that easily . . . terrible character development here. I do not care what happens to this person and since she has now become the center of attention (excuse me, but weren't there THREE DEAD BODIES at the beginning of this book) why would I care to read any farther? I've been flipping through pages hoping that she would just go away --- she doesn't, does she? I'll probably just read the last few pages and pass this on to the used book store. I understand that the same author's "Jesse" James series are supposed to be fun . . . I may pick one up (although my local library doesn't carry them), well, maybe the used book store, I don't think I'd be willing to pay full price now that I've seen the way this author writes.
Rating:
Summary: Should I bother to finish or just read the last page?
Review: I picked up this book while on travel, looking for something to read in the hotel room and on the airplane (and to keep my mind off of being stuck in the center seat). This is the first book that I've read by this author, and I'm not sure I'll even finish this one, let alone bother to check out any of the others. The characters are sketchy at best, and the Lindy character is just irritating. Would anyone really help this person? She's a fruitcake and the reader can see through that easily . . . terrible character development here. I do not care what happens to this person and since she has now become the center of attention (excuse me, but weren't there THREE DEAD BODIES at the beginning of this book) why would I care to read any farther? I've been flipping through pages hoping that she would just go away --- she doesn't, does she? I'll probably just read the last few pages and pass this on to the used book store. I understand that the same author's "Jesse" James series are supposed to be fun . . . I may pick one up (although my local library doesn't carry them), well, maybe the used book store, I don't think I'd be willing to pay full price now that I've seen the way this author writes.
Rating: 
Summary: What a Page Turner!
Review: I started this book in the morning and finished it by nightfall. I just couldn't put it down! It will probably be a movie someday.
Rating:
Summary: Her best yet...
Review: Mary Beth's comfortable world was shattered with the ring of a phone. Her ex husband had been found dead, next to her current boyfriend. Almost before she can assimilate that, one of her literary clients is also found dead. There is only one apparent conncetion between all three men, Mary Beth. Those are just the first contortions her life is about to take. The lead investigater may or may not be plying her with sex to find incriminating evidence to put her away for all three killings. Then, her best friend from high school shows up on her doorstep in the middle of the night with bleeding feet and a frightening story that could be ripped from the past two years' headlines. With Lindy's re - entrance into her life comes a flood of things Mary Beth had tried to forget, including memories the daughter she had to give up in an attempt to save the child from the rapist who sired her, Lindy's husband. **** Saving a child's life and possibly America from a potential bio terrorist as well as saving herself from jail becomes Mary Beths missions. Friendship, secrets, and betrayal tightly twine into a chilling, fast paced novel. Nonetheless, despite the darkness of the plot, there sparks of pasison and humor. The conflict of interest in sleeping with the head cop and some of the coincidences stretch crediblility, but the overall quality of the writing and the inherent tension compensate the reader. This is doubtlessly Ms. O'Brien's best book yet. **** Amanda Killgore
Rating:
Summary: Another Great One!
Review: Meg O'Brien has written another really great suspense novel full of thrills and chills. I recommend it highly!
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