Both Ends of the Night

Rating:
Summary: One of Muller's Best
Review: "Both Ends of the Night" is one of the best of the Sharon McCone novels. McCone is hired by Matty Wildress, who was McCone's flight instructor when Sharon got her pilot's license, to find her lover, John Seabrook, who had disappeared. Matty does aerobatics and had one final meet for the year. Before that she gets a letter from John telling her not to fly in the last meet. He puts $70,000 into Matty's account and asks her to take his son, Zach, and flee California. Matty choses to fly anyway, and dies in a crash while performing a simple move for her. Since Matty is McCone's friend, McCone continues her investigation. because the murder of Matty and John Seabrook's disappearance, seem to be conected. McCone's lover, Hy Ripinsky, who is usually a minor character, plays a major role helping Sharon to find Matty's killer because of his friendship with Matty from years back. They uncover corporate corruption, government witness programs, and people who will stop at nothing to fulfill their dreams. This novel is very well written. The characters are well-drawn and Muller is one of the best at putting the reader there. I had shivers when she and Hy were in sub-zero weather in Minnesota. An excellent novel!

Rating:
Summary: One of Muller's Best
Review: "Both Ends of the Night" is one of the best of the Sharon McCone novels. McCone is hired by Matty Wildress, who was McCone's flight instructor when Sharon got her pilot's license, to find her lover, John Seabrook, who had disappeared. Matty does aerobatics and had one final meet for the year. Before that she gets a letter from John telling her not to fly in the last meet. He puts $70,000 into Matty's account and asks her to take his son, Zach, and flee California. Matty choses to fly anyway, and dies in a crash while performing a simple move for her. Since Matty is McCone's friend, McCone continues her investigation. because the murder of Matty and John Seabrook's disappearance, seem to be conected. McCone's lover, Hy Ripinsky, who is usually a minor character, plays a major role helping Sharon to find Matty's killer because of his friendship with Matty from years back. They uncover corporate corruption, government witness programs, and people who will stop at nothing to fulfill their dreams. This novel is very well written. The characters are well-drawn and Muller is one of the best at putting the reader there. I had shivers when she and Hy were in sub-zero weather in Minnesota. An excellent novel!

Rating:
Summary: Catch up with Sharon's latest adventure!
Review: During the time I've known her, Sharon McCone's career has advanced from humble beginnings as an investigator in a co-operative legal service to owning her own private investigation agency employing several operatives and a computer guru. She's moved from a tiny studio apartment with eccentric neighbours to a fully renovated house with two cats and has a half share in a property on the coast. She has learned to fly and become an accomplished pilot. After a series of go-nowhere relationships, she's finally settled into a comfortable long-term partnership, on her terms, with someone who doesn't want to change her. She's been shot at, beaten up and got herself into and out of every sort of dangerous situation. She's a product of Marcia Muller's imagination, and every time I open one of her novels, I feel like I'm catching up with an old friend.

When Matty, the woman who taught Sharon to fly contacts her with a rather transparent excuse for a meeting, Sharon soon finds herself on another case. Turns out the instructor's live-in lover has disappeared, leaving Matty with his adolescent son and $70,000 in the bank. When she finds a message from her missing lover warning that her life may be in danger, Matty refuses to forego a planned aerobatic air show, with disastrous results. Sharon finds herself with a grieving boy on her hands, but luckily, her network of friends are more than willing to help. Soon Sharon finds the missing man is not who everyone thinks he is and she, together with her lover, Hy Ripinsky, set off across the country on a search for the truth. And the truth is not pretty, as they uncover a network of corruption involving a large corporation and government, while desperately trying to stay alive.

Since I met Sharon many years ago in an anthology of short stories by women detective fiction writers, and quickly catching up with her old stories, I've been lucky enough to meet up with her at least once a year to hear of her latest escapades. Yeah, I know she's not real, but once you get involved in this series of books, you can't help but feel she is. Marcia Muller has created such a constantly evolving character that instead of becoming stale after 18 novels, she's only become more interesting, and has taken on a life of her own. Most writers can't help but project some of themselves onto their characters, and I'm guessing Marcia Muller is fearlessly loyal to her friends, happy in her relationship and really LOVES to fly!

Keep `em coming, Marcia Muller! I'll keep reading them as long as you keep writing them.

Rating:
Summary: Catch up with Sharon's latest adventure!
Review: During the time I've known her, Sharon McCone's career has advanced from humble beginnings as an investigator in a co-operative legal service to owning her own private investigation agency employing several operatives and a computer guru. She's moved from a tiny studio apartment with eccentric neighbours to a fully renovated house with two cats and has a half share in a property on the coast. She has learned to fly and become an accomplished pilot. After a series of go-nowhere relationships, she's finally settled into a comfortable long-term partnership, on her terms, with someone who doesn't want to change her. She's been shot at, beaten up and got herself into and out of every sort of dangerous situation. She's a product of Marcia Muller's imagination, and every time I open one of her novels, I feel like I'm catching up with an old friend.

When Matty, the woman who taught Sharon to fly contacts her with a rather transparent excuse for a meeting, Sharon soon finds herself on another case. Turns out the instructor's live-in lover has disappeared, leaving Matty with his adolescent son and $70,000 in the bank. When she finds a message from her missing lover warning that her life may be in danger, Matty refuses to forego a planned aerobatic air show, with disastrous results. Sharon finds herself with a grieving boy on her hands, but luckily, her network of friends are more than willing to help. Soon Sharon finds the missing man is not who everyone thinks he is and she, together with her lover, Hy Ripinsky, set off across the country on a search for the truth. And the truth is not pretty, as they uncover a network of corruption involving a large corporation and government, while desperately trying to stay alive.

Since I met Sharon many years ago in an anthology of short stories by women detective fiction writers, and quickly catching up with her old stories, I've been lucky enough to meet up with her at least once a year to hear of her latest escapades. Yeah, I know she's not real, but once you get involved in this series of books, you can't help but feel she is. Marcia Muller has created such a constantly evolving character that instead of becoming stale after 18 novels, she's only become more interesting, and has taken on a life of her own. Most writers can't help but project some of themselves onto their characters, and I'm guessing Marcia Muller is fearlessly loyal to her friends, happy in her relationship and really LOVES to fly!

Keep 'em coming, Marcia Muller! I'll keep reading them as long as you keep writing them.

Rating:
Summary: Too much tribute to the dead pilot
Review: Good entertainment with a fairly well constructed plot. I was interested in knowing about the Federal Witness Protection Program and the disappointments in people in Florida. Too many flying lessons, and too much tribute to the dead pilot. Ms. Muller should have done this privately or more subtle way if she wanted to do this in publication.

Rating:
Summary: OTHERS WERE BETTER!!!!
Review: I don't think this book is as good as some of the others in the series. I won't go into detail about what the book is about as it is well said in the above writings. I would just be repeating what has already been written. I felt like there were to many people involved. I could not keep up with who was who and who belonged to who. Also to much technical information about the planes. Do not read books for that. I feel the ending did not close all the loop holds. Muller has done better.

Rating:
Summary: I Keep Reading
Review: I keep coming back for Muller's next Sharon McCone story, so it's safe to conclude that I have enjoyed the series so far. By number 19, it's become as much about McCone and her extended family of familiar characters as it is about the mysteries. For that reason, I suggest that somebody new to the McCone books not start with this one. You can, but it all works better if you have some background.

I didn't find BOTH ENDS OF THE NIGHT to be one of Ms. Mullers' most compelling mysteries. It held my interest all the way through, but there was a little more rhapsodizing on the joys of airplane piloting than I wanted. I also thought that there weren't many real surprises in this one and the climax was too straightforward and obvious. Further, given the personal history of the guy living in the woods, he wouldn't have been difficult for a wealthy father to locate over the course of ten years.

I have enjoyed Mullers' McCone novels and will certainly read more of them. This one, however, while OK, was a bit of a letdown. Not bad, but not one of the best. I'm not suggesting that people (especially fans) not read it, just that there are others I liked better. My four-star rating on this one is a bit soft.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it a lot
Review: I'm a big fan of the Sharon McCone series and this one was a very good read. Fast-moving, credible. I enjoyed all the plane-related detail. Muller, like Sharon and Hy, obviously loves flying. I'd never do it myself, but I enjoyed going along for the ride, so to speak.

If you're new to Muller, I URGE you to read the McCone books in order, starting with "Edwin of the Iron Shoes." Believe me, you'll get to this one soon enough.

Rating:
Summary: MARCIA MULER AT HER BEST!
Review: IF YOU EVER ENJOYED A MARCIA MULLER BOOK, YOU'LL LOVE THIS ONE. IF YOU HAVE NEVER READ HER STORIES BEFORE, IF YOU AREN'T ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH SHARON, HER HEROINEP.I., THEN YOU MUST GET ACQUAINTED. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK TOSTART WITH. I'VE NEVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED AND I DOUBT THAT YOU WILL BE EITHER. I BELIEVE MARCIA WAS THE FIRST TO CREATE A FEMALE P.I. I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I KNOW SHE'S ONE OF THE BEST. ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: Gripping tale
Review: Marcia Muller gets better and better. The plot is well-conceived and fast-paced, the writing always good and at times haunting, and the characters are by now old friends. I literally couldn't put this one down.