Love's Tormented Flame, [by] Kate MacBride. New York: Pinnacle Books, [1982.] 343p.

An historical romance set in the years preceding the Chicago fire, Love's Tormented Flame focuses on the life of Page Carver Kane, a beautiful young woman who comes to Chicago seeking her fortune, and finds it in Chicago's red light district. Her marriage to a wealthy but corrupt businessman provides her entry into society, and his early demise insures her position and provides freedom of action. Page's friendship with the O'Leary family and references to such well known Chicago personages as Bertha Palmer and Daniel O'Shea give the story some credibility, but the author takes considerable license with history, and her characters, particularly Page, often seem silly rather than true to life.

Outrageous Fortune, [by] Meredith Land Machin. New York: St. Martin's/ Marek, [1985.] 295p.

Kate Downing's life takes an unexpected turn when her husband is killed in Vietnam, and she is left to fend for herself. A new job and a new boss in Chicago's financial district provide security and incentive to the young widow, who proves her worth and becomes personal assistant to Benjamin Cramer, the firm's president. A long-term business relationship is altered only when Cramer fails to return from a vacation, but sends a message that Kate feels certain expresses danger. How she copes with the situation and the changes in her life that it precipitates after ten years of a business-only relationship with Cramer is interesting escape literature set in modern Chicago and Wisconsin.

Kirkus, 6/1/1985, p. 495. Library Journal, 7/1985, p. 94. Publishers Weekly, 5/31/1985, p. 46.

Mortal Ruin; A Tim Simpson Mystery, [by] John Malcolm. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, [1988.] 190p.

British author John Malcolm has deftly merged the British and American mystery genre in this compelling story of international fraud and fortunes made and lost focusing on Moreton Frewan, charming uncle of Winston Churchill. In the 1890s Frewan immigrated to the United States, where he tried his hand at ranching, mining, and other lucrative and not-so-lucrative endeavors. In the process he made and lost fortunes for himself and many of his friends. Nearly one hundred years later, Frewan's influence is felt again when an envelope with his name on it surfaces in Chicago. The contents of the envelope--gold mine certificates--sets off a flurry of interest in London and Chicago, and international art expert Tim Simpson gets caught between warring factions--those who want to authenticate the certificates, and those who will stop at nothing to gain possession and keep their background secret.

Kirkus, 7/1/1988, p. 934. Publishers Weekly, 6/24/1988, p. 97.

The Koberg Link, [by] Arthur Maling. New York, Hagerstown, San Francisco [and] London: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1979.] 244p.

Brock Potter, a New York stock broker, suspects a connection between the sudden rise in price of Koberg Chemical Company stocks and the murder of a Koberg family member. In order to prove his theory, Potter travels to Chicago for a closer look at Koberg Chemical operations, but finds his efforts thwarted by company officials, the Koberg family, and a determined killer.

Booklist, 9/15/1979, p. 96. Best Sellers, 12/1979, p. 329. Kirkus, 8/1/1979, p. 896. New Yorker, 11/5/1979, p. 223. N. Y. Times Book Review, 10/21/1979, p. 28. Publishers Weekly, 8/6/1979, p. 88. Washington Post Book World, 10/21/1979, p. 6.

Lover and Thief, [by] Arthur Maling. New York, Cambridge, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, London, Mexico City, San Paulo, Singapore [and] Sydney: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1988.] 230p.

Calvin Bix investigates the disappearance of actor Peter Ives, who absconded with a substantial collection of jewelry belonging to a prominent Chicago socialite. Tracing Ives from Chicago to Tucson to Zurich, Bix discovers Ives' connection to a prestigious international mutual fund, and becomes the target for a determined psychopathic killer.

Booklist, 1/1/1988, p. 751. Kirkus, 11/15/1987, p. 1605. Library Journal, 1/1988, p. 103. N. Y. Times, 1/29/1988, p. 21. Publishers Weekly, 11/27/1987, p. 71.

Ripoff, [by] Arthur Maling. New York, Evanston, San Francisco [and] London: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1976.] 248p.

When Brockton Potter, head of research for the New York based brokerage firm of Price, Potter, and Petacque, receives an anonymous telephone call giving him information concerning a scandal in a prestigious Chicago-based company, he considers the way he came by the information and proceeds with caution. Then the firm's assistant treasurer is murdered, triggering an investigation of the company's finances and calling for Brock to make a fast trip to Chicago.

Booklist, 3/15/1976, p. 1022. Kirkus, 1/1/1976, p. 33. Library Journal, 2/1/1976, p. 548. N. Y. Times Book Review, 3/21/1976, p. 35. Publishers Weekly, 1/5/1976, p. 60.

The Beginning of Sorrows, [by] David Martin. New York: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, [1987.] 241p.

Johnny Reace blows into Beaker's Bride, Illinois, on the crest of a rainstorm and changes the face of the little town for all time. Particularly influenced are Bonner Relee--owner of the old Beaker mansion, keeper of the cemetery, and backbone of the community--his grandson, Jess; and daughter-in-law, Alva. Johnny seems somehow responsible for the tragedy of Beaker's Bride, although the town is hovering on the brink of disaster when he arrives. Without planning anything more than a few day's rest before hitting the road again, bound for St. Louis and then Florida, Johnny nevertheless finds his life bonding inextricably with the lives of the townspeople. Unable to live up to the larger-than-life image created by Jess, Johnny is responsible for Jess's death. Unwilling to commit to a lifetime in Beaker's Bride, Johnny hastens the decline of the town and its people. Unable to respond to Alva with the love she so desperately desires, Johnny brings about his own death. A novel in the tradition of William Faulkner, The Beginning of Sorrow is a gripping tale of love and death set in small-town central Illinois.

Booklist, 9/1/1987, p. 28. Chicago Tribune Books, 7/26/1987, p. 3. Publishers Weekly, 6/26/1987, p. 60.

The Crying Heart Tattoo, A Novel by David Martin. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, [1982.] 330p.

Felicity, a self-described devotee of delayed gratification, and Sonny, an obviously callow and self-centered youth, begin a love affair during his sixteenth summer that spans thirty-six years, four marriages, and survives beyond her death. That Felicity's love and hopes for Sonny are never realized in life justifies her faith in a hereafter and provides incentive for Sonny's acts of contrition and love after her death. Employing a style that combines narrative and allegory, Martin creates the affair from the point of view of both participants. Although set on the Illinois prairie, the locale adds little to the story; it is totally overshadowed by the power of the characters

Booklist, 2/1/1982, p. 698. Best Sellers, 7/1982, p. 131. Kirkus, 1/15/1982, p. 89. Library Journal, 4/15/1982, p. 826. N. Y. Times Book Review, 4/18/1982, p. 12. Publishers Weekly, 1/5/1982, p. 382.

Tethered; A Novel by David Martin. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, [1979.] 265p.

As he approaches puberty, Gabriel Kennedy Strauss, the only son of a southern Illinois farmer and his incurably sentimental wife, lives in a private world of fantasy which is all too often invaded by the stark reality of farm life and family conflict. Running away from home to live with his grandfather in San Francisco is chief among his fantasies until it is pushed to reality, and the adventure proves to be a minor disaster for the boy. An over-stern father and an ambivalent mother are unaware of the boy's problems until the abortive runaway attempt bring his needs sharply into focus. In this, his first novel, Martin has successfully captured the drudgery of farm work, the loneliness of long rural winters, and the graphic details of barnyard humor, and tempered it with the flights and fears of a sensitive twelve-year-old boy to create a beautifully introspective story of adolescence and rural life in the 1960s.

Kirkus, 9/15/1979, p. 1083. Kirkus, 10/15/1979, p. 1216. Publishers Weekly, 9/3/1979, p. 90. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1/6/1980, p. 3C.

The Televising of Heller, a novel by John Bartlow Martin. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1980. 279p.

James T. Heller, U. S. Senator from Illinois, finds the Democratic constituency unresponsive to his reelection campaign based on issues, speeches, personal appearances at shopping centers, coffee hours in the suburbs, and downstate tours. Faced with steadily decreasing percentages in the pre-election polls, Heller employs a media specialist and revamps his entire campaign based on media events for television. The plot sometimes moves slowly, but the author has successfully captured the prevailing mood of modern political campaigning and has clearly stated his position concerning the situation. The State of Illinois is the stage on which this drama is played, and the rural areas, college towns, suburbs, and inner city are drawn equally well.

Kirkus, 12/1/1979, p. 1394. Library Journal, 1/15/1980, p. 226. . N. Y. Times Book Review, 3/9/1980, p. 11. Publishers Weekly, 12/3/1979, p. 46.

The Cinch, [by] Richard Martins. New York: Villard Books, 1986. 269p.

A planned crackdown on Chicago's gambling bosses by the FBI takes the form of a sting operation in which agent Frank Thorne infiltrates the syndicate posing as a stock broker with access to funds, not always his own. Thorne befriends Sonny Greco, a vulnerable bookmaker with Mafia connections in the hope of beating Sonny at his own game then leaning on him to get names of his bosses. Of course, the plot thickens when both Sonny and fellow agent Mary Agnes McCaskey turn out to be very likable, while Thorne's wife takes a dim view of the entire affair. Mix in a crooked cop, a con man, and a dope deal, and Frank finds himself knee-deep in a plot that in no way resembles what he had originally planned. Set in 1980s Chicago, The Cinch is an entertaining crime story with well developed characters and believable relationships.

Booklist, 7/1986, 1586. Kirkus, 5/15/1986, p. 743. Library Journal, 7/1986, p. 110. Publishers Weekly, 5/23/1986, p. 90.

Billie Dyer, and others stories by William Maxwell. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1991. 117p.

Seven short stories set in Maxwell's hometown, Lincoln, Illinois, during the early 1900s, focus on memorable characters and events from his childhood.

CONTENTS: Billie Dyer.--Love.--The Man in the Moon.--With Reference to an Incident at a Bridge.--My Father's Friends.--The Front and the Back Part of the House.--The Holy Terror.

Booklist, 11/15/1991, p. 579. Christian Science Monitor, 3/27/1992, p. 17. Kirkus, 11/1/1991, p. 1368. Library Journal, 1/1992, p. 180. N. Y. Times Book Review, 2/16/1992, p. 7. Publishers Weekly, 11/8/1991, p. 51. Washington Post Book World, 1/26/1992, p. 1.

Over By the River, and Other Stories [by] William Maxwell. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1977. 242p.

Maxwell presents glimpses of his hometown in four of the twelve stories that make up this volume. Called Draperville for purposes of anonymity, the setting of the stories is in fact Lincoln, Illinois. The stories are: "The Trojan Women," "What Every Boy Should Know," "A Final Report," and "The Value of Money."

CONTENTS: Over By the River.--The Trojan Women.--The Pilgrimage.--The Patterns of Love.--What Every Boy Should Know.--The French Scarecrow.--Young Francis Whitehead.--A Final Report.--Haller's Second Home.--The Gardens of Mont-Saint-Michel.--The Value of Money.--The Thistles in Sweden.

Book Review Digest, 1978, p. 883.

So Long, See You Tomorrow, [by] William Maxwell. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980. 135p.

So Long, See You Tomorrow, is a fictionalized reminiscence from the author's childhood in Lincoln, Illinois, set in the second decade of the twentieth century. Basing his novel on a local murder/suicide that troubled a playmate, and his own reaction to the events which followed, Maxwell has related the circumstances as they were chronicled by the local newspaper, then delved into motives and relationships that helped to shape the events. The novel is factual and perceptive, tempered by time.

Booklist, 12/1/1979, p. 542. Kirkus, 12/1/1979, p. 1382. Library Journal, 1/15/1980, p. 226. N. Y. Times Book Review, 1/13/1980, p. 11. Washington Post Book World, 1/13/1980, p. 1.

Joy in Mudville, [by] Gordon McAlpine. New York: E. P. Dutton, [1989.] 212p.

When Babe Ruth knocks a ball out of Wrigley Field and into the stratosphere during a 1930 World Series game between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees, fourteen-year-old Buddy Easter and his best friend (the ghost of Abner Doubleday) head to California to catch it. Their quest is the stuff of which myths are made, and the characters they meet along the way, ranging from Clark Kent to Al Capone, add to the fun.

Kirkus, 2/1/1989, p. 152. L. A. Times Book Review, 5/14/1989, p. 1 Library Journal, 3/1/1989, p. 88. Publishers Weekly, 2/10/1989, p. 56.

A Wide and Capable Revenge, by Thomas McCall. New York: Hyperion, [1993.] 260p.

Chicago policewoman Nora Callum investigates the murder of a young mother of three in Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral. Both motive and identity of the murderer are illusive until Nora starts checking into the victim's past and finds a connection that harks back to World War II Russia. A Wide and Capable Revenge, is interesting on many levels. Chicago politics and police procedures are very evident, but McCall also delves into Russian history, while dealing with issues of women and disabled employees in the workplace as well.

Booklist, 5/15/1993, p. 1677. Kirkus, 3/1/1993, p. 264. Library Journal, 4/1/1993, p. 135. Publishers Weekly, 3/22/1993, p. 73.

Blood Lake, [by] Frank McConnell. New York: Walker and Company, [1987.] 237p.

Harry Garnish, Chicago private investigator for the O'Toole Agency, is sent to a Wisconsin summer resort in search of information concerning Cheryl Howard's extra-marital activities. Cheryl's death and two others lead Harry deeper into murder and blackmail that he cares to venture, but with the prodding of his boss and fellow P. I. Bridget O'Toole, he sees the case through to its conclusion. This is the second of McConnell's Harry Garnish/Bridget O'Toole series.

Kirkus, 5/15/1987, p. 757. Library Journal, 6/1/1987, p. 132. Publishers Weekly, 4/24/1987, p. 63. Washington Post Book World, 7/1/1987, p. 8.

The Frog King, [by] Frank McConnell. New York: Walker and Company, [1990.] 226p.

In the third Harry Garnish/Bridget O'Toole mystery, Harry goes reluctantly to Los Angeles to help locate a missing teenager, while Bridget works on the case at home. As Harry blunders through the L. A. scene, offending or taking offense at everyone he meets, until he joins forces with a gregarious motorcycle gang member who helps to show him the ropes, Bridget approaches the case through logic and reasoning. An unlikely pair, Harry and Bridget nevertheless get the job done.

Kirkus, 6/15/1990, p.839. Library Journal, 7/1990, p. 134. N. Y. Times Book Review, 8/12/1990, p. 21. Publishers Weekly, 6/15/1990, p. 58.

Liar's Poker, [by] Frank McConnell. New York: Walker and Company, [1993.] 214p.

Harry Garnish and Bridget O'Toole are at it again, as they agree to look into the activities of a religious cult for a local college professor. What they discover is a criminal operation far beyond their ability to fix; and to cover his tracks, Harry calls in a couple of favors that will certainly haunt him later on. A less-than- satisfactory solution finds a couple of good people murdered, Harry and Bridget beholden to a local gangster, and the underworld little affected by it all.

Booklist, 5/15/1993, p. 1677. Kirkus, 4/15/1993, p. 489. Publishers Weekly, 4/19/1993, p. 52.

Murder Among Friends, [by] Frank McConnell. New York: Walker and Company, [1983.] 186p.

Harry Garnish, Chicago private investigator, considers himself more a snoop than a detective, since he spends most of his time investigating insurance claims and shadowing suspect spouses. However, Harry falls heir to a murder case and more when his best friend, another private eye, dies at the hand of a brutal assassin. Harry doesn't handle the responsibility well, but his boss (a former nun) and his arch rival (a Skokie police detective) combine forces to solve the case with him, despite Harry's help. Murder Among Friends is old-fashioned mystery fun in a modern Chicago setting.

Kirkus, 9/15/1983, p. 1022. Library Journal, 11/1/1983, p. 2103. Publisher Weekly, 9/23/1983, p. 63.

A Matter of Honor, by William P. McGivern. New York: Arbor House, [1984.] 334p.

Mark Weir of the Chicago Police Department's Homicide Division suspects a connection in the murders of several army men in the Chicago area and asks his father, a retired Army General, to help him get access to the soldiers' records in the hope of discovering the connection. Meanwhile, Durham Lasari, Army private gone AWOL, is chosen by a drug smuggling ring with Army connections to be the next courier in their drug loop between Frankfort, West Germany, and Chicago. This is Lasari's story, and it is through him and his dealings with the ring in Chicago and Frankfort that intrigue and suspense build. Conflicts that arise between Chicago Police and U. S. Army over jurisdiction and methods, and the General's private investigation following the death of his son jeopardize Lasari's safety and heighten suspense. A Matter of Honor presents good views of contrasting neighborhoods and lifestyles as the action moves from Cicero to the Gold Coast to Cabrini Green to the O'Hare complex and other sites in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

Best Sellers, 3/1984, p. 440. L. A. Times Book Review, 5/27/1984, p. 8. New Yorker, 6/4/1984, p. 137. Publishers Weekly, 12/23/1983, p. 53.

The Fifth Station, A Novel by Kevin McIlvoy. [Chapel Hill, North Carolina:] Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1988. 176p.

The death of Matthew McWelt leaves his older brothers, Michael and Luke, to work out their feelings of guilt and loss in their own ways. The setting is a fictionalized Illinois town called Meltonville and the New Mexico desert.

Booklist, 3/1/1988, p. 1095. Kirkus, 3/1/1988, p. 312. Library Journal, 3/1/1988, p. 78. N. Y. Times Book Review, 4/10/1988, p. 31. Publishers Weekly, 2/19/1988, p. 73.

Abracadaver; A Father Dowling Mystery, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: St. Martin's Press, [1989.] 164p.

A Fox River, Illinois, matron disappears and is later found dead, but the murder isn't solved until a family will is probated. Father Dowling gets involved when her wedding ring is used in a magic trick during a parish carnival.

Booklist, 3/1/1989, p. 1095. Kirkus, 2/1/1989, p. 164. Publishers Weekly, 1/13/1989, p. 78.

And Then There Was Nun; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery, by Monica Quill [pseud.] New York: The Vanguard Press, [1984.] 172p.

Sister Mary Teresa Dempsey, aging Mother Superior of the Order of Martha and Mary, and former president of a now defunct college for Catholic women in the Chicago area, becomes involved in a murder case when one of her former students is suspected of killing her husband. Despite warnings from the Chicago police department to stay out of police matters, Sister Mary Teresa, with the help of Sister Kimberly and Sister Joyce, solves the mystery; manipulates the action, suspects, police, and witnesses; and orchestrates a grand expose in classic mystery novel fashion. The setting is Chicago and northern Indiana.

Kirkus, 3/1/1984, p. 228. L. A. Times Book Review, 5/6/1984, p. 7. N. Y. Times Book Review, 4/1/1984, p. 27. Publishers Weekly, 3/9/1984, p. 100.

The Basket Case; A Father Dowling Mystery, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: St. Martin's Press, [1987.] 182p.

A Baby abandoned in a pew of St. Hilary's Church in Fox River, Illinois, draws Father Dowling into a family squabble that culminates in murder. He chooses his way carefully, trying to help his friend Captain Phil Keegan of the Fox River Police Force solve a reported kidnapping and murder without breaking vows and the confidence of certain of his parishioners. What results is a fun mystery in which facts and logic take precedence over action and gore.

Booklist, 10/1/1987, p. 220. Chicago Tribune Books, 11/29/1987, p. 6. Kirkus, 11/1/1987, p. 1542. Publishers Weekly, 10/2/1987, p. 86.

Bishop As Pawn; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1978.] 219p.

A murder in the rectory of St. Hilary's Church of Fox River serves as a prelude to the kidnapping of Bishop Rooney of the Archdiocese of Chicago soon after. The relationship of one case to the other is confusing to all concerned, but Father Dowling is instrumental in solving the murder and provides the police with a necessary link to solve the kidnapping. Booklist, 10/15/1978, p. 354. Washington Post Book World, 10/15/1978, p. E4. Kirkus, 9/1/1978, p. 975. Library Journal, 12/1/1978, p. 2849. Publishers Weekly, 8/28/1978, p. 390.

A Cardinal Offense; A Father Dowling Mystery, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: St. Martin's Press, [1994.] 372p.

Two murders and a kidnapping dampen Father Dowling's spirits as he attends a secret Papal conference on annulment followed by a Notre Dame vs. University of Southern California football game.

Booklist, 11/15/1994, p. 581. Kirkus, 10/1/1994, p. 1314. Publishers Weekly, 10/10/1994, p. 65.

Four on the Floor; A Father Dowling Mystery Quartet, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: St. Martin's Press, [1989.] 199p.

Four mystery novellas treat of murder and mayhem in the Father Dowling tradition. Fox River, Illinois, is the setting, as usual.

CONTENTS: The Ferocious Father.--Heart of Gold.--The Dead Weight Lifter.--The Dutiful Son.

Booklist, 11/15/1989, p. 642. Chicago Tribune Books, 12/10/1989, p. 7. Kirkus, 11/1/1989, p. 1565. Publishers Weekly, 10/20/1989, p. 44.

Getting A Way With Murder; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1984.] 184p.

Howard Downs' acquittal for the murder of his wife and subsequent arrest for the murder of his lawyer just hours later, shock the good people of Fox River, Illinois. Roger Dowling, pastor of St. Hilary's parish, is no exception, but unlike most of Fox River's citizenry, Father Dowling becomes involved, and through his persistent probing, solves the murders and exposes a massive case of insurance fraud in the bargain.

Booklist, 11/15/1984, p. 419. L. A. Times Book Review, 12/30/1984, p. 11. Publishers Weekly, 9/14/1984, p. 131. West Coast Review of Books, 3/1985, p. 29.

The Grass Widow; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1983.] 185p.

Father Dowling, of St. Hilary's Catholic Church in Fox River, gets involved in a police investigation when a woman is found dead in her hotel room shortly after seeking pastoral counsel from him. While the police investigate and uncover a related drug operation at the hotel, two additional murders occur, causing frightened hotel staff and friends of the murder victims to seek out Father Dowling rather than go to the police. As in other Father Dowling mysteries, not all aspects of the case are resolved when the novel ends, which may leave the reader somewhat less than satisfied.

Booklist, 9/15/1983, p. 136. N. Y. Times Book Review, 11/6/1983, p. 53. Reflections, Winter/1984, p. 8.

Judas Priest, A Father Dowling Mystery, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: St. Martin's Press, [1991.] 184p.

Father Dowling, of St. Hilary's Catholic Church in Fox River, Illinois, becomes involved against his better judgment when the daughter of a former colleague and his wife, an ex-nun, are found murdered.

Booklist, 9/15/1991, p. 125. Kirkus, 9/1/1991, p. 1120. Publishers Weekly, 8/30/1991, p. 70.

Leave of Absence, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: Atheneum, 1986. 210p.

Vera Thorne, who has recently lost her husband to her best friend, takes a leave of absence from her position with a Chicago law firm in order to rethink her life. A trip to Rome, where her teenaged niece is studying, draws Vera back to her Catholic roots and plants the idea that she might become a nun. Only one stumbling block remains--in the eyes of the Church she is still married--but it is a dilemma with no easy solution. Although much of the action in Leave of Absence takes place in Rome, lengthy flashbacks to Chicago fill in family backgrounds and personal histories of all the major players.

Best Sellers, 11/1986, p. 288. Booklist, 8/1986, p. 1662. Kirkus,, 6/1/1986, p. 813. L. A. Times Book Review, 8/24/1986, p. 3. N. Y. Times Book Review, 9/28/1986, p. 11. Publishers Weekly, 6/20/1986, p. 92.

Let Us Prey; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery, by Monica Quill, [pseud.] New York: The Vanguard Press, [1982.] 208p.

Sister Mary Teresa Dempsey meddles into police matters again in this second Mary Teresa Mystery novel. The death of a young neighbor woman while Sister Kimberly is baby sitting for her son involves the young nun in what appears to be a murder. However, Sister Mary Teresa is not content to let the police handle the case, but launches an investigation on her own. That she is able to solve the mystery stretches credibility; that the police would knowingly let her do it is unbelievable; nevertheless, the novel is engaging and fun.

Best Sellers, 8/1982, p. 178. Publishers Weekly, 3/26/1982, p. 68-9. Washington Post Book World, 8/22/1982, p. 13.

Not a Blessed Thing; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery, by Monica Quill [pseud.] New York: The Vanguard Press, [1981.] 192p.

Elderly Sister Mary Teresa and two younger nuns, Sister Kimberly and Sister Joyce, live an idyllic existence in their convent house on Chicago's Walton Street, until Cheryl Pitman, a Chicago socialite, seeks sanctuary with them. Although Cheryl spends only one night, her presence in the convent and an attempt on her life while there totally disrupt the routines of the sisters and involve them in a murder case. They involve themselves in the subsequent police investigation. Without leaving the convent Sister Mary Teresa solves the case and suggests the outcome to the Chicago Police in this highly unlikely, but very entertaining mystery novel.

Best Sellers, 7/1981/ p. 137. Library Journal, 7/1981, p. 1446. N. Y. Times Book Review, 7/26/1981, p. 22. Publishers Weekly, 5/8/1981, p. 249. Washington Post Book World, 8/16/1981, p. 8.

Nun of the Above; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery, by Monica Quill, [pseud.] New York: Vanguard Press, [1985.] 186p.

Sister Mary Teresa Dempsey is typically meddlesome, but curiosity works overtime when her former students are involved. In this small tale of murder and deception, Sara Pinking is found dead, with her reputation compromised, causing Sister Mary Teresa to risk her own safety and reputation to expose the murderer.

Kirkus, 5/1/1985, p. 396. Publishers Weekly, 4/12/1985, p. 90.

Rest In Pieces; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1985.] 253p.

An unexpected guest and a car bombing which sends Father Dowling to the hospital set the stage for this novel of Latin American politics, terrorism, and drug dealing, played out in the normally quiet suburban setting of Fox River, Illinois.

Best Sellers, 10/15/1985, p. 255. Booklist, 10/1/1985, p. 194. Kirkus, 10/15/1985, p. 1106. L. A. Times Book Review, 1/19/1986, p. 9. Publishers Weekly, 9/6/1985, p. 58.

Second Vespers; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1980.] 253p.

The posthumous fame of novelist Frank O'Rourke has drawn hundreds of scholars and collectors to his hometown, Fox River, Illinois, so the inquiries of a young stranger concerning the author's life there attract little attention, even when O'Rourke memorabilia begin to disappear. By the time police finally become involved following the murder of Phyllis Mackin, O'Rourke's sister, Father Dowling has already discovered the identity of the young stranger, and is quickly able too identify the murderer through information gained in unrelated attempts to recover stolen church records and help Mrs. Mackin with a drinking problem. Father Dowling's solution to the mystery is different than that of his friend, Police Captain Philip Keegan; and as the story ends, he weighs his responsibility to withhold information gained in confidence against his responsibility to reveal information which will prove the innocence of a subject.

Best Sellers, 7/1980, p. 134. Booklist, 7/15/1980, p. 1658. Kirkus, 5/15/1980, p. 678. Publishers Weekly, 5/30/1980, p. 79. Washington Post Book World, 8/17/1980, p. 11.

Seed of Doubt; A Father Dowling Mystery, [by] Ralph McInerny. New York: St. Martin's Press, [1993.] 346p.

The death of a wealthy Fox River dowager precipitates a family fight and several murders to gain possession of priceless family portraits. Father Dowling is involved, but McInerny focuses more on the family than the Father in this one.

Booklist, 4/15/1993, p. 1498. Chicago Tribune Books, 5/2/1993, p. 7. Kirkus, 3/5/1993, p. 336. Publishers Weekly, 3/29/1993, p. 39.

The Seventh Station; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1977.] 212p.

Father Dowling, of St. Hilary's Catholic Church, plans a week of meditation at a Franciscan retreat house near Chicago, but finds his quiet interrupted repeatedly by murder and police investigations. True to form, Father Dowling can't resist getting involved himself.

Book Review Digest, 1978, p. 842.

Sine Qua Nun; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery by Monica Quill, [pseud.] New York: The Vanguard Press, [1986.] 182p.

A scheduled appearance on a television talk show draws Sister Mary Teresa Dempsey from the seclusion of her Walton Place home and into a murder case involving the show's host and another guest. That she solves the case, to the chagrin of Chicago's finest, goes without saying. But she seems to be skating on thin ice throughout most of her foray into the secular world.

Kirkus, 11/1/1986, p. 1618. Publishers Weekly, 10/10/1986, p. 81.

Sister Hood; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery, [by] Monica Quill [pseud.] New York: St. Martin's Press, [1991.] 218p.

A Carmelite nun, daughter of a former Chicago gangster, is kidnapped from the convent house on Walton Place, and Sister Mary Teresa Dempsey is determined to track her down and learn the particulars of this strange case.

Kirkus, 7/1/1991, p. 827. Publishers Weekly, 6/21/1991, p. 54.

Thicker Than Water; A Father Dowling Mystery, by Ralph McInerny. New York: The Vanguard Press, [1981.] 255p.

Two seemingly unrelated murders in Fox River, Illinois, set Phil Keegan of the Fox River police force and Father Dowling of St. Hilary's parish on separate trails in search of the same murderer. Keegan's progress is impeded by local politicians as he probes into the operations of an established businessman who is implicated in both murders. Father Dowling, with no such restrictions on his activities, meanders into a showdown with a determined killer who has no qualms about killing again.

N. Y. Times Book Review, 1/31/1982, p. 22. Washington Post Book World, 1/17/1982, p. 10.

The Veil of Ignorance; A Sister Mary Teresa Mystery, by Monica Quill [pseud.] New York: St. Martin's Press, [1988.] 200p.

When convicted murderess Lydia Hopkins seeks sanctuary in the convent house on Walton Street, Sister Mary Teresa Dempsey takes her in despite opposition by the other sisters in the order. When Lydia disappears temporarily, and another murder is committed, opinion sways even further against her. However, Sister Mary Teresa never falters in her belief in Lydia's innocence, nor in her determination to clear Lydia's name.

Billy, and other stories, [by Charles McKelvy. Harbert, Michigan: The Dunery Press, 1992.] 417p.

Four novellas represent daily life in Chicago, most of them focusing on children and the traumas of growing up in blue-collar households.

CONTENTS: Billy.--The Boy in the Zoo.--Terminal Sound.--Dutiful Daughters.

Chicagoland, by Charles McKelvy. . . Design and cover illustration by David Bates Design. Harbert, Michigan: The Dunery Press, 1988. 347p.

Four novellas mirror Chicago politics and culture in the 1970s and 1980s.

CONTENTS: Rauch and Spiegel.--Stormin' Norman.--Viking Funeral.--Commuting Distance.

Small Press Book Review, 11/1988, p. 15.

Where's Ours? [by] Natalie McKelvy. Chicago: Academy Chicago, [1987.] 274p.

Gin and Marsha Bernthal are typical of thousands of Chicago yuppies in the 1980. Reared to expect the best in life, Gin and Marsha work hard to surround themselves with the trappings of success. Then Gin loses his job and has difficulty finding another; Marsha begins to resent her single-wage-earner status; and their marriage begins to fall apart around them. How two people who love each other deal with the everyday crises of married life in modern urban America makes comforting reading for many couples who are laboring under the same pressures.

Chin Music, a novel by James McManus. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., [1985.] 199p.

Raymond Zajak, star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, is in the hospital recovering from a head injury when missiles are launched that mark the nuclear destruction of the city and the beginning of World War III. As Chicago goes mad with panic, Zajak awakens from his coma and wanders into the streets on his way home, although home is only a vague concept in his muddled brain. Wandering into the Loop Area of Chicago, where panic has precipitated looting, murder, rape, and destruction, Zajak is guided by a personal Guardian Angel who sees him safely home to wife and son, who have themselves had to deal with crisis. Classic references are interspersed with 1980s pop culture and baseball lingo in a stream of consciousness novel that is true to its locale, but shows the city in less-than-perfect light.

Best Sellers, 11/1985, p. 289. Booklist, 8/1985, p. 1631. L. A. Times Book Review, 12/1/1985, p. 2. N. Y. Times Book Review, 9/8/1985, p. 24. Publishers Weekly, 6/21/1985, p. 96.

Curtains; new and selected stories by James McManus. [Chicago:] Another Chicago Press, [1985.] 128p.

Sixteen short stories, many with identifiable Chicago settings, constitute this representative collection of McManus's early works.

CONTENTS: Autoclysm.--Slip.--Picasso.--Rotation.--The Wrong Kind of Insurance.--Unclothed Singularities.--Ante Meridiem.--Roque Dalton Garcia is Dead.--The Skinner.--The Eye of Hunan.--Torque.--North America.--Young Seventh-World Women.--The Venturi Effect.--The Shack Dwellers.--Ithaca.

Choice, 7/1986, p. 1677. Kirkus, 2/15/1986, p. 239. Library Journal, 11/1/1985, p. 101. Publishers Weekly, 3/21/1986, p. 82.

Ghost Waves, [by] James McManus. New York: Grove Press, [1988.] 332p.

A Chicago teen struggles to bring reality into focus with her runaway dreams of achievement and deep resentment toward her mother. Linda Krajacik attends classes at the Art Institute; fantasizes about Hank, a fellow student, and her father, who died in Vietnam before she was born; and stalks her mother and step-father who married over her objections; finally taking refuge with Hank to sort it all out. In stream-of-consciousness style, McManus looks at life from the perspective of a troubled teenager trying to make sense of today's world.

Booklist, 9/15/1988, p. 120. Chicago Tribune Books, 10/30/1988, p. 6. Kirkus, 8/15/1988, p. 1185. Publishers Weekly, 9/2/1988, p. 85.

Out of the Blue, by James McManus. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., [1984.] 246p.

Elizabeth Exley, five-year-old daughter of a University of Illinois at Chicago English professor, is kidnapped from the playground of the elementary school where she attends kindergarten. That Elizabeth's kidnapping is a mistake is apparent from the beginning. Fortunately the Rawls, whose daughter Genevieve is the intended victim, are understanding and cooperative in meeting the abductor's demands and serving as intermediaries in arranging for the child's release. There is little character or setting development to enhance the narrative; the use of present tense to project immediacy seems awkward; and when the story is done, the reader is left wanting one more paragraph to address unanswered questions. Yet, the topic is current and compelling. The setting is Hubbard Woods, Illinois in the 1980s.

Christian Science Monitor, 3/2/1984, p. B9. Kirkus, 12/15/1983, p. 1269.L. A. Times Book Review, 4/1/1984, p. 4. Library Journal, 2/1/1984, 192. N. Y. Times Book Review, 2/26/1984, p. 22. Publishers Weekly, 12/2/1983, p. 81. Wall Street Journal, 5/14/1984, p. 24. West Coast Review of Books, 3/1984, p. 32.

Flanagan's Run, [by] Tom McNab. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1982. 444p.

In 1931 Charles C. Flanagan, a grand-scale promoter in the P. T. Barnum vein, organizes a cross-country footrace from Los Angeles to New York, with a purse of $150,000 for the winner. Two thousand runners from around the world gather to participate in the grueling trek, which takes them through mountains, deserts, plains, and cities, forcing some friends and some alliances, tempered of course by the intense competition of the situation. Only a portion of the novel is set in Illinois, but organized fisticuffs in Springfield and organized crime in Chicago provide interesting and lively entertainment, along with period views of those cities.

Booklist, 4/1/1982, p. 985. British Book News, 7/1982, p. 445. Kirkus, 4/15/1982, p. 511. Library Journal, 5/15/1982, p. 1011. Listener, 4/29/1982, p. 24. N. Y. Times Book Review, 7/25/1982, p. 10. Observer, 4/11/1982, p. 30. Publishers Weekly, 4/30/1982, p. 47. Punch, 2/17/1982, p. 285. Sports Illustrated, 7/26/1982, p. 6. Time, 7/5/1982, p. 69.

Confessions of a Homing Pigeon, a novel by Nicholas Meyer. New York: The Dial Press, [1981.] 378p.

George Bernini, the five-year-old son of the Flying Berninis of Ringling Brothers Circus fame, becomes the ward of his eccentric Uncle Fritz when his parents die in a freak trapeze accident. Following in his uncle's wake, George is exposed at a tender age to the footloose existence of a 1950s, self-styled expatriate musician who lives and studies in Paris, drinks to excess, frequents the local bordellos, enjoys café society, and lives a seemingly carefree existence. When Fritz's lifestyle and George's educational deficiencies are discovered by more conventional family members, a custody suit ensues, and George is transported to the traditional family environment of his Aunt Susan's home in Chicago, where he lives and attends the Marcus Leader Workingman's Progressive School, until he runs away at age fourteen to rejoin his Uncle Fritz. George's life in Chicago is treated with far less appeal and enthusiasm than his years in Paris, and in comparison Chicago appears rather dreary. However, Confessions of a Homing Pigeon remains a beautifully poignant novel of childhood and adolescence. If the child appears a bit too precocious, he is easily forgiven because of the sheer beauty and delight of his story.

Booklist, 9/15/1981, p. 73. Kirkus, 8/1/1981, p. 959. Library Journal, 9/1/1981, p. 1648. N. Y. Times Book Review, 10/11/1981, p. 22. Publishers Weekly, 8/14/1981, p. 52. Washington Post Book World, 10/4/1981, p. 10.

The Blues Brothers; A Novel by Miami Mitch, [pseud.] Based on a screenplay by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis. [New York:] A Jove Book, [1980.] 245p.

When Jake Blues is released from the Illinois State Prison at Joliet, he discovers that the St. Helen of the Blessed Shroud Orphanage, the only home he has ever known, is about to be sold for nonpayment of taxes. Determined to save the home at all costs, Jake and his brother Elwood set out on a desperate mission to reconstitute the original Blues Brothers Band in order to raise the $5,000 necessary to save the home. They do succeed, but the fruits of their efforts are totally overshadowed by their unorthodox methods, for the novel dwells on nihilism, antisocial behavior, and wanton destruction of property. This fictionalized version of an original screenplay will never win the plaudits of literary critics, but it will attract readers who enjoyed the movie by the same title. The story is set in various northern Illinois towns, including Joliet, Chicago, Calumet City, and Urbana-Champaign.

Family Pictures, A Novel [by] Sue Miller. New York, Grand Rapids, Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Francisco, London, Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo [and] Toronto: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1990.] 389p.

Randall, the autistic eldest son of David and Lainie Eberhardt, becomes the focus of the Eberhardt family although there are five other children. Told by one of the younger daughters, this is a poignant tale of growing up in a dysfunctional family in 1950s Chicago.

Book Review Digest, 1990, p. 1245-6.

Inventing the Abbotts, and Other Stories, [by] Sue Miller. New York, Cambridge, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, London, Mexico City, San Paulo, Singapore [and] Sydney: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1987.] 180p.

Eleven short stories examine the lives of middle-class Americans dealing with contemporary social and family situations that seem to have no solutions. Will power and strong morale fiber serve her characters well in such stories as "Inventing the Abbotts" and "The Birds and the Bees."

CONTENTS: Inventing the Abbotts.--Tyler and Brina.--Appropriate Affect.--Slides.--What Ernest Says.--Travel.--Leaving Home.--Calling.--Expensive Gifts.--The Birds and the Bees.--The Quality of life.

Booklist, 4/15/1987, p. 1250. Kirkus, 3/15/1987, p. 414. L. A. Times Book Review, 5/3/1987, p. 4. Library Journal, 5/1/1987, p. 84. N. Y. Times Book Review, 5/24/1987, p. 5. Publishers Weekly, 3/27/1987, p. 37. Washington Post Book World, 5/17/1987, p. 9.

Squid Soup; stories by Michael Mooney. Cover and illustrations by Peter Balestrieri; Afterword by Richard Meade; Design by Emory Mead. Chicago, Ill.: Story Press; P. O. Box 10040, [1980.] 156p.

Unorthadox characters seek unique solutions to ordinary problems in these twelve short stories set in Chicago and Wisconsin.

CONTENTS: The Strange Heart.--Footings for the Humanities.--Chicory.--Thief.--The Popcorn Stand.--The Masculine Principle.--Voyages.--Snow.--Women.--Squid Soup.--Laughter.--Mr. Georgio, an American.--Afterword.

Publishers Weekly, 8/29/1980, p. 363.

Jones; A Novel by James E. Myers. Springfield, Illinois: Lincoln-Herndon Press, Inc.; #1 West Old State Capitol, [1982.] 200p.

Jones Falk, a teenaged orphan living with an aunt and uncle, is having difficulty accepting his lot in life, and his confusion manifests itself through hate and rebellion against everything except the neighbor's bird dogs. Tom Rieves, who lives next door to the Falks, is a field trialer and trainer of champion hunting dogs. It is through Tom and his dogs, particularly Lin, that Jones' life is given continuity and he is led to reconciliation with the real world. Jones is far more than the story of a disturbed youth. The author has drawn upon his considerable knowledge of dog training and handling to recreate the world of the dog trainer and the excitement of regional and national field trial competition. The setting is central Illinois and Alabama.

Publishers Weekly, 5/8/1981, p. 248. Southern Illinoisan, 9/12/1982, p. 3.