Crystal Clear

Rating:
Summary: A fun read that could have been tighter
Review: CPA Crystal Goldstein decided that she needed to get away from her Manhattan job and her current life which seems to be falling apart. Her fiancé loks like he prefer returning to his former spouse rather than marrying Crystal. She cannot turn to her senior citizen dad for some TLC so, listening to her secretary, Crystal decides to cleanse her soul by vacationing in the Tranquillity Hotel in Sedona, Arizona.

When Crystal signs onto a tour group, she is shocked to learn her ex-spouse Terry, heads the group. Terry, whose irresponsible lifestyle broke the pair apart over two decades ago, wants a second chance with Crystal. However, before they can pursue any potential relationship, one of the guests, Amanda Reid, the self appointed New Age guru, vanishes. Even with the negative vibes emanating from the mysterious disappearance of Amanda, Crystal has reached a personal crossroads that requires decisions affecting the rest of her life.

Jane Heller clearly has lots of writing talent as witnessed by her previous novel, PRINCESS CHAMRING and this tale, CRYSTAL CLEAR. However, her current book is not crystal clear as to what the author intended as she seems to bounce around several genres without successfully blending them into a honed story line. Some people will be turned off by Crystal's acerbic wit that cannonballs many of the characters (personally, this reviewer enjoyed the sidebar humor of this New Yawkish-technique to overwhelm the country rube). Overall, CRYSTAL CLEAR is a good novel that could have been an excellent romantic comedy with who-done-it overtones if a blender and not a superconductor was used.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Heller is a hoot!
Review: Crystal Goldstein is only half-alive. She's overworked, has a father who doesn't care about her and a boyfriend she rarely sees, let alone sleeps with. When she's told to go "cleanse her aura" in Sedona, Arizona by her assistant, she thinks, "Why not?". Once in Sedona she realizes that the saying "All things happen for a reason" is true. Why else would she encounter the ex-husband she'd written off as a deadbeat? Why else would she become embroiled in a murder case?

What a treat Jane Heller is! I read this book while stuck on the side of a road in Brazil and laughed all the way through it. Though you won't find this romance in the romance section, it's an incredible book. Funny, well-plotted, with wonderful characters and a voice that is very distinctive. Buy Heller and give yourself a treat!

Rating:
Summary: A talented writer churns out a formula puff-piece
Review: I found this book entertaining for most of its length, but ultimately, I was disappointed. Jane Heller clearly has some writing talent and an acerbic sense of humor. The humor in the book is, in fact, its strongest quality. But the trajectory of the basic story line in *Crystal Clear* is indeed crystal clear from about page fifty or so, so there is little real suspense the rest of the way through. There's a "whodunit" aspect to the story, but who the "culprit" is just doesn't seem particularly important, actually. The inevitable resolution of the protagonist's emotional inner conflicts is the actual center of Heller's narrative, and how things will turn out is abundantly clear almost from the beginning. The final portion of the book is very much in the vein of Danielle Steele, and that is NOT a compliment, folks. I would recommend the book to someone looking for a fluffy summer-by-the-pool read that includes some gentle but competently executed satire on the New Age movement. But what frustrates me is that it is very clear that Jane Heller could write something a lot more memorable than this.

Rating:
Summary: It's good but not the best one I have read from her!
Review: I love this author. I love her humor and light hearted ways.

This was a sort of cute story. I kind of got lost in the vortex's and crystals and stuff like that. It did not have very much humor in it. I also got lost alittle toward the end, about 3/4 into the story.

Like I said I loved all her other books, I guess everyone is entitled to have a bad day!, Right?

Hushpup

Rating:
Summary: Sedona's Best Travel Guide
Review: My two best friends and I all read Crystal Clear before our trip to Sedona. It was better than any travel guide I've every read. We ate at L'Auberge, took the jeep tour, had lunch in Jerome, and basically did everything that Crystal did, except solve a kidnapping. Although none of us would have minded being kidnapped and kept in Sedona for a little longer. A fun read.

Rating:
Summary: Humour, mystery, romance....
Review: Reading a Jane Heller novel is like spending an evening with an old friend--no surprises but no disappoinments either.

Jane Heller blends mystery, romance with a wonderful sense of humour and creates novels that never disappoint the reader.

In "Crystal Clear," the protagonist, Crystal Goldstein, a workaholic accountant, discovers in a brief period that she may be facing termination at work, her fiance is cheating on her with his ex-wife, and her father dislikes and resents her. In other words, everything that she thought gave her life some sort of meaning disappears.

Crystal is persuaded to take a vacation in Sedona, Arizona, at a new-age resort. She intends to get a little R&R but instead manages to bump into her ex-husband and get mixed up in the mysterious disappearance of an obnoxious heiress.

While the novel won't make any earth-shattering difference to your life, it will serve as a pleasant distraction.

Rating:
Summary: Funny, charming book!
Review: This is one of the few books I've read that I have laughed out loud to. It's really a fun book and it introduced me to Jane Heller. I've since read all her books, and this remains my favorite.

It's a great summer read, combining mystery, humor, and romance. It's such an easy book to get into- you just immediately connect with the characters (as wacky as they are). If you are new to Jane Heller, or just looking for a mystery, check out this book. It won't keep you guessing, but it will make you laugh.

Rating:
Summary: Another pleaser!
Review: This one was a little slow at first, but well worth the read. Ms. Heller's descriptions of Sedona, AZ have me wanting to plan a vacation trip there next year! The book is a little predictable compared to others that I have read, but is still light & funny and will bring a smile to your face.

Rating:
Summary: Sedona Lovers
Review: What a fun book! Some of the characters or should I say caractures are a riot, like "Amanda", a wealthy, arrogant and-incredibly "stupid" woman who just doesn't "get it."
If you love "Sedona, Arizona"-or would like to fall in love read this book. You will get a sense of how beautiful and "far-out" it is-A really unique place to visit!

Rating:
Summary: Sedona Lovers
Review: What a fun book! Some of the characters or should I say caractures are a riot, like "Amanda", a wealthy, arrogant and-incredibly "stupid" woman who just doesn't "get it."
If you love "Sedona, Arizona"-or would like to fall in love read this book. You will get a sense of how beautiful and "far-out" it is-A really unique place to visit!