Pop Goes The Weasel, one of the earlier Alex Cross novels starts out with the murder of a young black prostitute whose body is dumped naked in Washington. Alex ties the murder in with others that have occurred where the victims clothing and identification have been removed. His boss doesn’t agree and orders Alex to investigate another higher profile case of the murder of a businessman, but Alex and his lifelong friend police officer John Sampson continue to investigate the series of killings in their own time.

This isn’t a whodunit; we learn right at the beginning that the serial killer Geoffrey Shafer works for the British Embassy in Washington and has diplomatic immunity. He has a wife and young family who believe that he is Mr wonderful because that is the way that he behaves towards them. In private Geoffrey carries out an online fantasy game called the Four Horsemen with 3 other ex British secret service officers. In the game Shafer’s name is Death and the aim amongst the 4 players is to create a ‘better’ fantasy than the other 3 players but none of the players are sure if the other players stories are just fantasy or true.

Alex Cross is a widower with 2 children and a girlfriend called Christine. Early on in the novel Christine accepts a proposal from Alex and they go on holiday with his family to Bermuda. During the holiday Christine disappears and it is months before Alex discovers whether she has been kidnapped or murdered, or whether or not Christine’s disappearance is tied to the murder investigation.

My Review

Although I have enjoyed reading all of the other novels in this series I didn’t find Pop Goes The Weasel as gripping as the rest. Perhaps because the character of Geoffrey Shafer wasn’t as believable as James Patterson usually makes his characters. The plot was a little too intricate to be believable and at times I lost the plot with it.

What I like about the Alex Cross series is the interaction between Alex and his family – especially Nana. Alex’s elderly grandmother Nana lives with and looks after him and his 2 young children. A wise lady, who at over 80 has more energy than most of us at half of her age. You often find humour in their conversations and the love between them is apparent.

James Patterson has invented a strong well thought out character in Alex who is dedicated to his family and job. At times the job seems more important but then there are heart-warming scenes with his family to temper the more gruesome accounts of murder.

The story also shows how police forces may differentiate wrongfully between crimes and the classes of victims. Prostitutes are human beings and have just as much right as businessmen not to be offended against and investigations should have equal importance.

Although I got a bit lost during the last few chapters the ending was satisfactory with a few surprises. Pop Goes The Weasel is certainly worth reading if you like this genre, but I would advise that you read the series from the beginning through rather than in a mixed order as I have.

Patricia has been writing reviews and articles for several years. You can find more of her work and free writers tools worth over $3000 at the Creative Writing site.

To learn about making money from writing visit www.cashwrite.info

Children can be a lot smarter than we sometimes imagine. Many kids go through childhood experiencing various ‘obsessions’, where they find an interest and research it thoroughly; learning all there is to know about the subject. Take dinosaurs for example, which are always a popular interest. Most of us can probably think of at least one child who’s been through the phase of reading up all about the giant lizards, collecting toys, watching the TV programmes, etc – if it’s not us ourselves. This natural enthusiasm for learning is something that should be kept in mind – children, and humans in general, are inquisitive beings that thirst for knowledge. So it’s important to latch onto this early and ensure kids get the most out of that early enthusiasm.

There are plenty of ways to encourage learning, such as books, DVDs, computer software and even plain old conversation. Children ask ‘why?’ a lot when growing up – and so do adults, albeit most of us do it quietly these days – and parents and teachers should capitalise on this inclination by telling them why, or how, or even what. What’s more is that you’ll probably get to enjoy it too.

A lot of the ways that kids learn stuff are usually fun. The books they read, the films they watch and even educational cartoons are designed to be amusing as well as instructive. This can make a welcome change from the slightly more stoic way of learning that grown-ups are used to, revisiting the basics in a bright and colourful manner that can prove entertaining as well. Opening up a book to help you teach your child about the human body can be a fun experience since children’s literature is more about getting information across in an entertaining fashion rather than what comes across as quite inaccessible and stuffy by comparison in later years.

On top of all this, you spend time with the child, helping them to develop better social abilities whilst strengthening your own bond.

So what is there on the topic of the human body in particular? Depending on how old the child is, you could teach with anything ranging from rousing renditions of “head, shoulders, knees and toes” and the “hokey cokey” to question-and-answer sessions or reading books, watching television programmes and DVDs or using interactive CD ROMs or the internet.

There’s a wealth of information out there concerning the human body, from your own personal knowledge to human body books – so don’t feel restricted in what you can pass on as there’s plenty of inspiration out there.
—
Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

But there is more to reading than simply scooping up a paperback and picking up where we left off last time. Reading has the ability to change our lives in many different ways, and as such we should probably all try and make sure we incorporate it into our lives more than we actually do.

For example, when did you last read for pleasure? It doesn’t matter whether it is fact or fiction, the effect can be the same – it lifts you out of your everyday life and into an alternative existence which can be very different from your regular daily routine. Fiction has the upper hand of course, because it has the ability to take you to places that may not even exist in real life.

But reading can also be something of a luxury and a way of de-stressing in today’s busy surroundings. Who hasn’t looked forward to sinking into a bath filled with bubbles with their favourite paperback to hand, in order to spend an hour or so living another life altogether?

Even taking a paperback onto the train with you to while away the time while you are on your way to work can set you up for the day ahead much more effectively than worrying about what may or may not happen. By taking yourself out of what could be a stressful situation you are giving yourself some respite and you’ll arrive for work feeling more refreshed as a result.

It’s also the case that the more you read, the more you learn and digest. This is true in two separate cases. Firstly you will learn more new words; regular readers tend to have a bigger vocabulary than those who rarely read at all. And secondly you will find that it expands your knowledge of all kinds of things. If there is something you want to learn, one of the best ways to learn it is by reading all about it.

There is also something about reading and digesting the words on a page that is not comparable with any other form of storytelling. It can take you away into another place where your imagination rules the roost and dictates – along with the words the writer has written – exactly where you are and what everything looks like.

It’s a small wonder that so many people love to receive books as gifts, because they really can change your life if you let them, in more ways than one. The hardest part is choosing which one you should read first!

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Do you know how hazardous is staring the computer screen for hours to read an online book? Have you ever compared the advantages of reading a printed book over the online book available on the Internet? Can you imagine a child reading his bedtime story online rather than his/her parents reading out the story with all the love and care?

Frequent and prolonged computer sessions may pose physical health risks for the users. The most frequently cited are visual strain, harmful effects of radiation, posture and skeletal problems. If you cannot afford a book, how will you afford these treatments?

Few of them have a reason that we collect a whole lot of clutter when we buy books and it’s difficult to keep them and also maintain them. I feel books are assets and can’t be ever replaced; in fact they should be passed on from generation to generation. Books are like Gold. We should also remember that Computers supplement and do not replace activities and materials, such as art, blocks, sand, water, books, exploration with writing materials dramatic plays and bed time stories. In other words, the computer is an enrichment tool for enhancing readiness skills, problem-solving, and creative expression. It adds another dimension to concrete exploration and expression, like playing with sand, puzzles and crayons, but computer can’t replace the books and the pleasure you get from reading books. Visit www.gauchotexts.com for your favorite book at the best price and enjoy reading it with a hot cup of coffee.

Traditionally, a book club consists of several members who meet in person each month to talk about a specific book or literature. However, the advent of web forums and email has made it possible for book clubs to exist online. Nowadays book discussion clubs may meet in private homes, libraries, bookstores, online forums, pubs, and in cafes or restaurants over meals or drinks. While both traditional and online book clubs offer readers the opportunity to participate in spirited discussions, each type has its own set of advantages.

In person meeting book clubs offer the benefit of having all members in the same room face to face, which makes for a much more personal and intimate experience. Since most in person meeting book clubs are somewhat small in size, each member typically has more control over what books are selected to read (often members will vote on a list of suggested titles that have been submitted or take turns selecting). At the same time, it is often difficult to organize and maintain a book club that meets face to face regularly. In addition to the challenge of recruiting quality members for a book club, a regular meeting time and place may be difficult to establish, especially if members have busy schedules. A responsible and experienced moderator is also very difficult to find while maintaining such a book club. Also, the small size of the traditional book club typically limits the diversity of views and perspectives that enter into the discussion. There is less number of people and so limited ideas are shared among themselves.

Online book clubs offer several advantages over the in person meeting group model. Due to the availability of the internet anywhere and everywhere and the variety of book clubs available, readers who turn to the Internet to find a book club enjoy a much wider selection of clubs, including many dedicated to a specialized interest or genre. In addition, online book clubs can be more convenient, as many of them are available at any time of day. Of course, there are also disadvantages associated with online book clubs. For instance, the intimacy of a personal discussion is lost, along with the social interaction that is often a part of the traditional book club experience. Few of the non-serious members are added who tend to destroy the ambience of serious and long lasting discussions. There is also a need of a strong and a responsible moderator, who regularly eyes upon the activities of the members and if the need arise, may take an action on the defaulters.

In addition to discussion-oriented book clubs, a book club can also be a place to compare prices, writing previews and reviews and purchasing books. These book clubs offer lot of features like book searching, creating your own space and login id, having a specialized shopping cart, price comparison from various vendors and special discount coupons In addition to this they offer great deal for readers who wish to purchase several books each year. Many of these are available online, where readers can use the book club’s website to choose their books. One of the America’s most wanted online book club is www.gauchotexts.com. It has all the features you could wish in a book club for comparing prices and ordering books. You will come to know why it’s most wanted only after you login www.gauchotexts.com and give it a try!