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Rating: 
Summary: absolutely awful
Review: . . .after believing her mom to be dead all these years, Sam goes off on a wild hare to find her over the objections of people at home who love her and believe she's just on a wild goose chase. What she finds in New Mexico is, indeed, her real mother, and their reunion is all too brief before Mom dies again. This time, for real, and for good. It's double the grief and now double trouble. Samantha has to figure out why she's lost her mother twice, before someone decides that she, too, must die. I dropped a star from this one mainly because the plot resolutions relied 'way too much on implausible things. The "dieu ex machina" that was just one of the many flaws with "I Miss My Man but My Aim is Getting Better" also hurts this book. There was one loose thread from "He Was Her Man" that was finally tied up here, too, though the character's entry was extremely contrived and convoluted. Frankly, I think Sarah Shankman has done all she can do with the Samantha Adams character, and I hope she will retire her, at least for awhile. Better to leave 'em wanting more. . .
Rating: 
Summary: Sam's mom's story more than Sam's. . .
Review: . . .after believing her mom to be dead all these years, Sam goes off on a wild hare to find her over the objections of people at home who love her and believe she's just on a wild goose chase. What she finds in New Mexico is, indeed, her real mother, and their reunion is all too brief before Mom dies again. This time, for real, and for good. It's double the grief and now double trouble. Samantha has to figure out why she's lost her mother twice, before someone decides that she, too, must die. I dropped a star from this one mainly because the plot resolutions relied 'way too much on implausible things. The "dieu ex machina" that was just one of the many flaws with "I Miss My Man but My Aim is Getting Better" also hurts this book. There was one loose thread from "He Was Her Man" that was finally tied up here, too, though the character's entry was extremely contrived and convoluted. Frankly, I think Sarah Shankman has done all she can do with the Samantha Adams character, and I hope she will retire her, at least for awhile. Better to leave 'em wanting more. . .
Rating: 
Summary: Loved it...
Review: Having read all the others in the series, I was shocked at the prospect of Sam's mother possibly being alive. I really liked this book, it kept my attention to the very end.
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of Fun
Review: It's one thing to be a reporter and write American Weird, a book that collects bizarre true-life stories--it's another to have your own life turn into one. That's what happens to cranky, lonely Samantha Adams, a New Orleans orphan and recovering alcoholic whose life has been plagued by loss and fear of commitment. At 42, she's stunned to receive a letter from her mother that summons her to Santa Fe: Samantha's parents died in a French plane crash over three decades ago. Samantha rushes right out there, but after a too-brief meeting that answers few questions, her mother's found dead. Suicide? Murder? Why did her mother abandon her in the first place? Why has her mother adopted aliases and why do some people in Santa Fe disclaim knowing her? The slam bang finale offers a very satisfying solution to all these questions. In the spirit of Carl Hiassen, DIGGING UP MOMMA offers a diverting mix of art dealers, tourists, hucksters, mobsters, dreams and visions. Shankman ably captures the wonderful diversify of Santa Fe, and the intense magnetism and color of northern New Mexico where "the bizarre, the weird, and the miraculous are the rule." And despite the uneven writing, this is a breezy quick read with just the right dashes of feistiness to keep it from becoming overly sentimental. That's especially important when the book features an annoyingly cute Shih Tzu named Harpo and a precocious child. Lev Raphael (Levraphael.com), author of LITTLE MISS EVIL, the 4th Nick Hoffman mystery.
Rating:
Summary: Hang onto your hat!
Review: Strap on your cowboy hat for the wildest read you've had in a long time! Samantha falls down a hill and finds her own history with a little guidance and protection from American Indian spirits. A bit bizarre but definitely a page turner! Good read!
Rating:
Summary: Loved it...
Review: This is my first Sarah Shankman book. I like her style. Mystery laced with black humor. We've got to laugh at ourselves, right? I do have one question, however: Why Earl? That's all I'm going to say on that matter. Don't want to spoil the plot for those who haven't enjoyed this delightful book yet. Samantha's a kick in the head. New Mexico, a great locale. Check it out.
Rating:
Summary: absolutely awful
Review: This is the latest and worst Sam Adams book. Reading this is like reading an afterthought of ms shankman's. Why do we need to know what happened to Sam's mother? And why have this all of a sudden mystery about it? Why didn't George or Peaches drop hints about Sam's mother in all the previous books? It would have worked better,and this book would have been more successful and plausible. Truly,I think that Ms Shankman only wrote this book because she had to fulfill her contract. If you really want to read Sam Adams books,go read King is Dead which is HILARIOUS or Hang all the Liars,or better read Now lets talk of graves
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