Dr. Libby Drake… the good sister, of even temperament, easy to see the good & the pain in all, understanding… her talent is healing, both as a regular doctor with great intuition as well as an empath, able to sake the symptoms of the ailment to herself and healing the patient, and relying on her sisters to heal her, and she can sense danger… She travels the world with different organizations – Doctors without Borders, animal protection, indigenous people protection…Also highlighted in this story is Hannah – shy, stutterer, world famous model, her talent? I’m not sure, she can call the wind to knock off jonas’ hat, she cooks for the family, she levitates things… she thinks little of herself as she relies on her sisters to overcome her shyness… she is getting older for a model, and is feeling pressure from her manager to be thin, etc… her counterpoint is the deputy sheriff Jonas – connected to the family forever, as an adopted brother, one who watches over them, comes to them for comfort, teases them, and rides Hannah, criticizing her… not seeing the insecurities… When he is shot, Hannah does not leave his bedside, feeding her energy to him to facilitate his healing. His bad temper at his helplessness is focused on Hannah… and Libby counsels him on how to better act around her… a turning point? Will the next book be about them? HmmmJoley, the musician, the bad girl of the sisters, challenging rules, authority, etc. The entertainment news makes much of her activities, all slanderous… she takes it, mostly in a good way… they allude to someone who is holding some favor over the sisters, and he has contacted Joley… obviously her love… another story… When malicious pictures of Libby & Tyson having sex are published, Joley immediately dies her hair black to match Libby, and works so that the reporters think it was her and Tyson together, so as to protect her sister…And this story also delves a little into Elle & Jackson… Elle is the youngest, she has a little of all of the talents, and is strong as a psychic – able to read feelings (especially her sisters) and to communicate telepathically… Jackson, the sheriff’s right hand man, is a special ops guy, looking for respite… a man of few words, but he communicates with Elle – so far we are not privy to their conversations, but Elle is tied to him and not happy about it… for the Drake magic to continue, she will be the one to have 7 children, something she is not sure she wants…Kate (the security expert), Sarah (I didn’t get to read her story), & Abigal (I didn’t get to read her story either) are all engaged… Abigal wants a quiet wedding, but Kate and Sarah are going for the big weddings… Their men don’t play a part in today’s story – I guess too many characters to juggle… and I think they want all the sisters to be engaged before there are any weddings.And Tyson… brilliant mind, winner of the Nobel medicine prize, works for a pharmaceutical company, competitive, focused, socially inept very rich… he & Libby 1st meet in 7th grade and he generally bested her in school – even through Harvard… Although they were very aware of one another, any social discourse was awkward and Libby felt criticized… Tyson’s parents were more involved in their jet setting ways, and were often embarrassed by him and certainly did not understand him… he started to spend most of his time with Aunt Sophie and cousin Sam, where even though they didn’t get him, they did accept him… his aunt encouraged him to build a lab in her basement, Sam looked after him in school, and continued to care for him after Sophie left her home to the two of them… Tyson can go days without eating or sleeping when he is focused on unraveling a mystery… To feel alive, he pushes himself physically by racing, mountain climbing, riding motorcycles, and training and working as a volunteer rescue firefighter… He buries his feelings, preferring to deal with facts, and when in an uncomfortable social situation – which is just about any time he is around people – he pulls out random facts… (and Libby, when she understands this, just pulls out counter facts – they are amusing)… He takes 3 months off from the lab job to volunteer, and during that time he stays with Sam… His parents died, making him a multimillionaire – and since he didn’t really care about the money, Sam stepped in handle his finances… He also takes care of Sam when he’s in one of his moods, by feeding him & trying to keep him anchored in the real world… Tyson’s scientific mind does not allow for magic, and he is sure that the Drakes are con-women – perhaps hysterically believing their own press. In college he saw the results of a car accident victim that Libby healed, seeing her with the wounds instead… and perceived it similar to an hysterical pregnancy. He wants to help Libby see reason…However Sam is a sociopath… he is a gambler, and is embezzling money (though Tyson doesn’t care about the money), he manipulates Tyson while undermining his self confidence, and as he sees him getting closer to the Drake family & to Libby, he gets increasingly frustrated as his attempts to put Tyson off of them (making fun of their magical gifts, saying Libby is after his money, etc.). Tyson is somewhat aware of problems, but doesn’t see the depth of them, but he feels Sam is the only one who accepts him & cares for him and wants to do his best by him. To relieve him of some of the burdens he’s taken, Tyson hires an accountant to manage his money, and confesses to Sam that he is interested in Libby and he’s going to take steps to let her know… Sam, of course, is threatened by these changes.The Drakes know that there is darkness stalking them, but they are unable to identify where it is coming from and who is targeting… Tyson falls 30 feet onto rocks in the middle of a rescue when his harness fails… his brain is damaged (along with ribs & sternum) with swelling & bleeding, and little help is held out for him… Libby is drawn to his side in the hospital, and without thought she heals him, placing herself & her sisters at risk as she is close to dying herself. And from that point forward, they become more intertwined… their attraction is strong, and little by little they see past the attraction to what is inside of each of them – their vulnerabilities; their strengths, their weaknesses… and each feel the other needs them… As Libby becomes more tied to him, her family embraces him, bringing him another source of comfort and joy… and he finally comes to accept their magic… at first he wants to study it & harness it, but … well I can see him running tests in the future…They overcome a few more attempts on their lives… and finally, when Tyson gives Libby an engagement ring, Sam pulls out all of the stops… They both almost die… Jackson, sent by Elle, helps them… the sisters’ power helps Libby… and they defeat Sam… leaving Tyson very sad… But they end, hand in hand… and Libby reaches out to him as someone who loves him, not someone who can feel for him, not as someone who can heal him… only as one who loves him… And at dawn they watch the whale pod passing, in the circle of warmth & love of all the sisters together.
What can I say? I am addicted to this series. Carolyn Haines writing style has totally captured my heart, and I don't dare read these out of order. In this latest book that I finished yesterday(I dragged it out because somehow I did not order Crossed Bones which is next in the series BUT I just ordered from Amazon)we are presented with a murder mystery of a dysfunctional family of the highest order. There is the usual melange of childhood friends of Sarah Booth, peppered with some out of town interlopers(sprinkled would be too mild to describe them). Sarah Booth's childhood friend Lee, has offered herself up as the killer of her abusive husband..which we soon sense if to protect her troubled but talented teen age daughter(Kip). There are so many red flags on this that you know in your heart all this sacrifice (to save the horse farm, and horses that Lee so dearly loves) is simply the ultimate in Mother Courage no matter how misguided it may be. Oh this book offers up the Daddy's Girls at their worst and finest. Throw in a handsome ranch hand, Bud, some internet invites for unbeknownst to Sarah Booth for the Charity Ball, and Jitty the ghost who has too much fun keeping a sardonic eye out for Sarah Booth...and some good ol' southern mob boys and you have all the fixin's of an engaging whodunit. Might I say,however that I was pleased to have guessed at least one character in this merry mosaic that was a definite bad guy, but the rest kept me guessing till the end, and it was SO worth it.
What do You think about Splintered Bones (2003)?
from the library text and audio 10 cd set unabridgedDaddy's Girl= DGdisc 2 track 2 DG: men act. women waitdisc 4 track 4 DG: never desperate for attention (ch 10)
—Elizabeth
Well, she did it again. Another great mystery filled with all of the fun loving charaters surrounding Sarah Boothe Delaney, PI. The more I read her series the more I fall in love with each and every reoccurring character in the books. This was a great story, and as always, had me trying to figure out who it was up until the last minute. Friendship and sense of family upbringing also keeps me wanting to come back for more. I also love how her dog Sweetie Pie plays an important part in her life as well as in her detective life. I can't wait to read the next one!
—Bonnie McHenry
