Reader reviews

• garyseverance-1

  (3/5)

  Vincent Zandri’s Moonlight Rises is a thriller about an ex-cop in Albany who owns a neighborhood bar that he accepted from an underworld boss to cover a gambling debt. He works as a private investigator whenever he can. Evidently, the number of cases is small for Dick Moonlight because he ratted out the corrupt Albany Police Department in the past and the survivors on the force harass him. Oh, by the way, Dick has a memory problem because he shot himself in the head when the APD first started their vendetta with him. He jerked the .22 caliber suicide weapon a bit when he fired, but a fragment from a hollow point round entered his scull near his ear. Thus, he has sporadic memory loss.Well, it is too bad Moonlight has trouble remembering things because the underworld boss is a Russian who himself forgot the Cold War is over. He’s still trying to get secret files related to USSR nuclear activities for his own fun and profit. Dick has a client who has access to information from his job at a nuclear power plant and, unknown to Dick, wants to sell the secrets to the Russian underworld boss. Peter Czech tells the private eye he just wants to find his long lost father.If you think the plot is complicated so far, you haven’t read anything yet. Dick’s girlfriend is related to the client and is playing Moonlight for the fool he appears to be. But, Dick is smart and tough and gets himself and his Vietnam Vet buddy involved in violence and mayhem trying to find his client’s father and protect the Western World as we know it from potential evil doers. Moonlight is a recurring character in a series of novels by Zandri that will continue in the future. If you like hard-boiled thriller series involving private eyes with violent sidekicks, drinking, fighting, sex, and complicated story lines, you will enjoy Moonlight Rises.
• gary237

  (3/5)

  Vincent Zandri’s Moonlight Rises is a thriller about an ex-cop in Albany who owns a neighborhood bar that he accepted from an underworld boss to cover a gambling debt. He works as a private investigator whenever he can. Evidently, the number of cases is small for Dick Moonlight because he ratted out the corrupt Albany Police Department in the past and the survivors on the force harass him. Oh, by the way, Dick has a memory problem because he shot himself in the head when the APD first started their vendetta with him. He jerked the .22 caliber suicide weapon a bit when he fired, but a fragment from a hollow point round entered his scull near his ear. Thus, he has sporadic memory loss.Well, it is too bad Moonlight has trouble remembering things because the underworld boss is a Russian who himself forgot the Cold War is over. He’s still trying to get secret files related to USSR nuclear activities for his own fun and profit. Dick has a client who has access to information from his job at a nuclear power plant and, unknown to Dick, wants to sell the secrets to the Russian underworld boss. Peter Czech tells the private eye he just wants to find his long lost father.If you think the plot is complicated so far, you haven’t read anything yet. Dick’s girlfriend is related to the client and is playing Moonlight for the fool he appears to be. But, Dick is smart and tough and gets himself and his Vietnam Vet buddy involved in violence and mayhem trying to find his client’s father and protect the Western World as we know it from potential evil doers. Moonlight is a recurring character in a series of novels by Zandri that will continue in the future. If you like hard-boiled thriller series involving private eyes with violent sidekicks, drinking, fighting, sex, and complicated story lines, you will enjoy Moonlight Rises.
• cmash_2

  (5/5)

  90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN by Don PiperPublished by Baker Publishing GroupISBN-13: 9780800733995This book was purchased by me, at the recommendation from my 2 cousins. Synopsis (borrowed from B&N): He thought it was going to be just another day. God had other plans.Don Piper died instantly when his car was crushed by a semi. While his body lay lifeless inside the ruins of his car, Piper went to heaven. Ninety minutes after the wreck, he miraculously returned to life on earth with only the memory of heavenly bliss. His faith in God was severely tested as he faced an uncertain and grueling recovery. Now he shares his life-changing story with you.If you've ever wondered what heaven was like, if you've ever questioned God's goodness because bad things happen, if you've had trouble believing that heaven is real--this incredible true story will change your life. My Thoughts and Opinion: This past December, while at a family funeral, my cousins and I started to talk about and discuss spiritual books we had read, such as The Left Behind Series. Two cousins mentioned this book and both gave very good verbal reviews on it. Once home, I hopped online and ordered it and since that time it has been in my tbr bookcase. Fast forward to September 5th when I received the news that my Mother had 2 weeks to live. But first a caveat and I apologize in advance if I offend anyone. I am of the Catholic faith and believe that there is an afterlife, Heaven, eternal life. However, I am and always have been curious as to the transition from this life to the next. That's when I felt I must and needed to read this book. I made the decision, and I have such comfort knowing that I was there, to be with my Mom when she made her transition.Don Piper, a Minister, retells his experience of the day he died. What he experienced, what he saw, what he felt. He also writes about the excruciating pain and 30+ operations he had to endure after the accident that took his life for 90 minutes. How for many months that turned into years of recuperation and dealing with anger, depression, hopelessness and wanting to return to Heaven again until he realized what God's plan was for him. If you are a believer, this story will strengthen and confirm that belief. It gave me great solace and reassurance in a very difficult situation. My Rating: 4
• reviewsbymolly

  (5/5)

  Okay, so I'm sure you all are getting tired of me singing Vincent Zandri's praises. Ya'll are probably thinking "will she EVER stop?". Well, from the bottom of my heart I apologize, but, no. I can't stop. This guy has got some of the BEST, ROCKIN-EST writing skills that I've seen around. Oh, there are others out there who measure up, sure. But, I didn't fall head over heels for suspense novels til I read Moonlight Falls and The Remains by Vincent Zandri. After that, suspense novels and I have been just growing closer and closer and I love them whole heartedly.Anyway, back to the review. Moonlight Rises is AWESOME. It's a second Dick Moonlight novel and even BETTER than Moonlight Falls (which was pretty dang good!).Moonlight Rises picks up, of course, after Moonlight Falls. Once again Moonlight is in detective mode, but this time....he's trying to stay alive, because he's looking for who's trying to kill him. The culprits? Three dudes in Obama halloween masks. Go figure!So, I loved all the twists and turns in this particular Moonlight novel. His long time girlfriend, Lola, harbors a secret, though he didn't know about it....it's a BIG secret and he's in for a BIG surprise. The question is, will he stay alive long enough to figure out the puzzle, along with his "big brother" Georgie? The way he keeps "rising", or having his out of body experiences, it's hard to tell.....by the end of the book though, you'll be hit with a whopper of an experience! From Russians, to head-nurses, to nuclear secrets, you'll LOVE this novel!All the jaw dropping twists, the tongue tying turns, and the humor-yes Vincent Zandri uses humor in this one like crazy....gotta love his sense of humor in his stories!- create THE perfect suspense novel. This is one of his best pieces of work to date, and I can't wait for another Dick Moonlight novel to come!I definitely, DEFINITELY recommend this novel with a high flying 5 book rating! You'll be so engrossed in the story you'll feel as if it's YOU rising out of body and watching the action below. And, if you are new to Vincent Zandri's work, or, at least, new to the Dick Moonlight novels, it's okay if you haven't read Moonlight Falls (though I HIGHLY suggest you read that one too!), Zandri will keep you up to date in Moonlight Rises, so it's not overly confusing for new readers. FAN-AWESOME-TASTIC job, Vincent!