Helpful Score: 28
This book has to be the best book I have read all year.The writing is positively breath taking. Following the the journey of Dr Mark Albright to discover his past. This story has a little bit of everything and it will pull at your heart strings. Mystery, Romance, and most of all a coming to terms with who you are. I highly recommend this one. Don't miss it!
Helpful Score: 16
Wow! What a great book. My first Billie Letts, this book coudn't have been more perfect. Mostly the unfolding of a murder-mystery, this is written in a perfect pace, with just enough detail to get the point across without "running on"....It literally was a PAGE-TURNER! I really like the prologue/epilogues...they made for great framework to a masterpiece!!!! A++++++
Helpful Score: 12
I picked this up at a garage sale on a whim. The back description looked interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm really glad I did, because this was a really good read! I enjoyed the characters and the small town setting and especially liked the mystery that kept me guessing until the very end (and I was wrong!). I'm looking forward to more books by this author!
Helpful Score: 10
What a wonderful story of love, loss, humanity and hope - "normal people" and "high society becomes normal". I just love her stories, and that says alot, I'm normally a "thriller" kind of gal.
Helpful Score: 7
I loved this book...I didn't want to put it down...the main character is great...I loved Where The Heart Is and wanted to give Letts another chance and I was not disappointed. -Mirah W.
Helpful Score: 5
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It grabs you right in the beginning and does not let go until the very end. It's an easy read. Very insightful, the characters are well developed and it's kind of like a who-done-it storyline. Lot's of twists and turns. A definite must read.
Helpful Score: 5
As with all of Billie Letts' books, it grabs you at the beginning and does not let you go through the entire book
Helpful Score: 5
Letts has done it again with a very readable novel, much like a mystery which keeps you guessing till the final few chapters and ends on a very positive note.
Helpful Score: 4
Great read..... I rarely recommend a book, but this one was excellent and I finished it in 3 days!!!
Helpful Score: 4
A very good story that draws you in to it from the beginning. And it has a very good ending....
Helpful Score: 4
This was my first Billie Letts, and I LOVED IT! She writes with detailed descriptions to pull you in, but doesnt leave you bored. I hated to see this one end. I have 2 others of hers.. waiting!
Helpful Score: 3
Good book. The past intersects the present when a young man returns to his hometown looking for answers ... to questions many do not want asked ...
Helpful Score: 3
This is a GREAT Book could not put it down had to order pizza to feed the kids!
Helpful Score: 3
I've enjoyed everything I've read from Letts and this book is no different. She kept me guessing until the very end about "who done it," and the underlying love story was cute. I would have liked more in terms of the ending, but even that did not ruin the book.
Helpful Score: 2
Not my favorite Billie Letts book, but a good read just the same. A good summer read.
Helpful Score: 2
Typical Billie Letts. Fast easy read with both likable and despicable characters. In this story Letts has written the best description of a rumor spreading that I have ever come across. She is a master at describing everyday occurrences.
In this story an adopted Beverly Hills veterinarian returns to the Oklahoma town in which he was born in order to find his mother. He finds a history of murder, secrets, rape and abuse. He also finds the truth, family, and love.
In this story an adopted Beverly Hills veterinarian returns to the Oklahoma town in which he was born in order to find his mother. He finds a history of murder, secrets, rape and abuse. He also finds the truth, family, and love.
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this book. The ending was a little precictable but overall it was a good book.
Helpful Score: 2
Wonderful, suspenseful and heart-breaking. This is one of her best novels and this is one of my favorite writers.
Helpful Score: 2
A young, single mother is murdered and her 10 month old baby boy disappears, believed to also have been murdered. Except 30 years later, the boy, Nicky Jack Harjo returns.
Really enjoyed this story about the mystery of what happened to Nicky Jack's mother and how this small town and it's secrets were investigated by her son.
Really enjoyed this story about the mystery of what happened to Nicky Jack's mother and how this small town and it's secrets were investigated by her son.
Helpful Score: 2
In this one, a baby disappears when his mother is murdered and thirty years later comes "home" to find out who he is. A heartwarming tale which kept me reading until the very end to see the pieces of Nicky Jack's life reappear!
Helpful Score: 2
Nicky Jacy was kidnapped from DeClare, Oklahoma when he was 10 months old. His mother was murdered. Nicky Jack was never found-and was presumed dead. Fast forward almost 30 years and who shows up in DeClare but Nicky Jack. This stirring up lots of emotions and memories. Piece by peiece the story got pieced together. What emerged was a story of dashed hopes, desperate love and a shocking act with repercussions that will cry out for justice...aand redemption.
Helpful Score: 2
our entire book club read "Shoot the Moon" and it got extremely good reviews..Billie writes with a clear concise mannor that bonds you to the characters.She knows her southern style..I did not solve the mystery, didn't figure out who did it until the end and suspected everyone.. most of the club went on to read all her other books..
Helpful Score: 2
Letts is a favorite author of mine - and this was a wonderful book. A disappearance, interesting characters, just a great story!
Helpful Score: 2
Couldn't put it down!
Helpful Score: 2
Very entertaining. Letts writes about the kind of people a reader can fall in love with and remember fora long time.
Helpful Score: 2
This is another of my favorites, I am only letting go of this one so someone else can enjoy it certainly not because I would part with it otherwise. This book has a great blend of mystery, drama, and even a little romance.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent story...if you liked Where the Heart Is, you'll love Shoot the Moon.
Helpful Score: 1
This book wasn't nearly as compelling as Where the Heart Is, but it is a quick read if you like Billie Letts.
Helpful Score: 1
Billie Letts is such an entertaining author and this is another good read. I haven't read one I didn't' like.
Helpful Score: 1
Another enjoyable by the author of "Where the Heart Is". Wonderful characters--A Great Story
Helpful Score: 1
interesting characters, unexpected twist at the end, pretty good!
Helpful Score: 1
I'm a big Billie Letts fan...she has a great way of using humor and mystery to peek my interest. A very good read.
Helpful Score: 1
this book was well written and had a good story. I liked it.
Helpful Score: 1
Another engaging story by Billie Letts. This is a mystery that is the story of family loyalities and friendships in a small town. It was a great read for me.
Helpful Score: 1
AWESOME as always. could not put it down
Helpful Score: 1
It's not often I write a book review. I'm an avid reader, and I often forget a book as soon as I start another. However, this book wants to linger in my memory, which is a testament to how good the book was.
The storyline was unexpected, the characters totally believable. The ending was somewhat predictable, but I felt so connected to the characters that I was happy to see a "happily-ever-after" conclusion.
The storyline was unexpected, the characters totally believable. The ending was somewhat predictable, but I felt so connected to the characters that I was happy to see a "happily-ever-after" conclusion.
Helpful Score: 1
Compelling read - not the best piece of literature ever written, but a fun story, especially if you're familiar with Oklahoma. If you like Letts' other books, you'll like this.
Helpful Score: 1
Any book by Billie Letts rates A-1. She endears the reader to real people in real life: waitresses, single mothers, teens, and we see them as real people with genuine situations to deal with. Please, more Billie Letts.
Prof. Mary B., Ret.
Prof. Mary B., Ret.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a very good book that keeps you reading. You don't want to put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
In 1972, small town DeClare, Oklahoma, was shocked by the murder of a young mother, Gaylene Harjo, and the disappearance of her ten month old baby, Nicky Jack. A suspect was arrested on two counts of murder, but he died in jail under mysterious circumstance and was never brought to trial.
Nearly thirty years later Mark Albright has just discovered he's adopted and his real name is Nicky Jack Harjo. He returns to DeClare to find his birth mother, looking for answers to why he was adopted. What he finds instead is that his mother was murdered on the day he disappears and suddenly he is digging up skeletons that some would prefer stay buried.
Shoot the Moon is a mystery that wraps around the town, revealing characters that will delight you with personalities that are diverse, giving us a look into life in a small town and a culture and way of life so different from ours. O Boy, the sheriff, is a bully keeping secrets Mark needs to discover. Teeve and Ivy, who are related to Mark, are his strongest allies, along with the old domino boys with their unique philosophy on shooting the moon.
The dialogue is excellent and the story is cleverly written around the diary excerpts of a young Gaylene, murdered many years ago. Nicky Jack stirs up many memories long buried and secrets are revealed that shock the town and threatens his life. What Nicky Jack finally discovers about the night he vanished is astounding and troublesome.
Although I found the end both sad and joyful the book has everything needed to hold a readers attention. Billie Letts is an author worth reading
Nearly thirty years later Mark Albright has just discovered he's adopted and his real name is Nicky Jack Harjo. He returns to DeClare to find his birth mother, looking for answers to why he was adopted. What he finds instead is that his mother was murdered on the day he disappears and suddenly he is digging up skeletons that some would prefer stay buried.
Shoot the Moon is a mystery that wraps around the town, revealing characters that will delight you with personalities that are diverse, giving us a look into life in a small town and a culture and way of life so different from ours. O Boy, the sheriff, is a bully keeping secrets Mark needs to discover. Teeve and Ivy, who are related to Mark, are his strongest allies, along with the old domino boys with their unique philosophy on shooting the moon.
The dialogue is excellent and the story is cleverly written around the diary excerpts of a young Gaylene, murdered many years ago. Nicky Jack stirs up many memories long buried and secrets are revealed that shock the town and threatens his life. What Nicky Jack finally discovers about the night he vanished is astounding and troublesome.
Although I found the end both sad and joyful the book has everything needed to hold a readers attention. Billie Letts is an author worth reading
Helpful Score: 1
While I enjoyed this author's other two books, this one just bored me. I almost didn't finish it. Except for the dead girl, I didn't care for any of the characters. In case you didn't know, this is a murder mystery/romance plot.
Helpful Score: 1
Letts is such a great story teller. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.
Helpful Score: 1
Another winner for Billie Letts. I received this book yesterday and had it read by this afternoon. It was so easy to read and really kept my attention. You can't go wrong with a Billie Letts' novel!
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great summer book. I was surprised by the ending and pleasantly so. It started out a bit slow but built up speed and ending well. Good book to read on a lazy day.
Helpful Score: 1
Another great ready by Billie Letts. She is so good at character development and creates an interesting story line that keeps the pages turning. I definately recommend this book. I'll loan it to a few friends before I repost it!
Helpful Score: 1
This is a mystery that caught me off guard. I would never have guessed the ending. An easy and quick read.
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't like this one as much as I loved -The Honk and Holler Opening Soon- and -Where the Heart Is-, but it's still a good read. It's an interesting mix of mystery, the search for self, romance, and heartbreak. For some reason, I didn't find myself connecting to the characters in this book the way I did with her other two, but Letts has still created a cast that feels and acts real. She especially has a gift for writing strong and memorable supporting characters. If you liked the other two, you'll probably like this one. If you read this first and didn't like it, don't give up on her! Try the other books.
Helpful Score: 1
Nice suspense book. Full of twists and turns. Liked the surprise ending!
Helpful Score: 1
Good story and kept my attention. Enjoyed the 3 stories within this book and it was a fast read.
Billie Letts has such a comfortable way of writing, I felt like I really knew all of the characters in this story. Her "bad guys" are very believeable. And dislikeable! Her "good guys"....... were all very distinct and many of them reminded me of people in particular who I know. She is comical also. One of those books that I couldn't put down!
Interesting characters and plot. enjoyable read.
I truly enjoyed this book. Characters were easy to follow and extremely believable. Fast moving story and I kept turning the pages to see what layed ahead. Also enjoyed the ending - fit completely with the story line. This is the first time I have ever read this author's work.
first time reading Billie Letts, from the beginning I did't know what to expect, but it turn out, I just can't put the book down. Happy ending for Dr. Mark Albrigh, to find out who really kill his mother, and who he is at the end....
I loved this book. Billie Letts weaves us into the lives of her characters. I loved the mysery of this book as well as the characters. My interest in Mark and his past kept me glued to the very end. Can't wait to read the other Billie Letts' books.
I am huge fan of Billie Letts. Love her well thought out characterizations and story lines. She understands small towns and the people who inhabit them. This one did not dissapoint. In fact I think it's as good Where the Heart Is. What I particularly liked about this story was that it had a bit of suspense, some well placed humor and some gentle romance. She kept me hooked right up the last page. I highly recommend it!
This book was okay. A quick easy read, but I didn't love it.
Billie Letts never disappoints. She slowly leads the reader to the outcome, adding small bits of information right up to the resolution of the mystery. Masterful writing.
A REALLY GREAT Book!!! If you are on Okie you will really love it. Besides being Oklahoma based the story line is really great and keeps you captivated. A must Read!!!!
I am a big fan of Billie Letts, but not this book. It was quite predictable, and not as good as I expect from Billie. It was a good story line though, and a quick read.
Great plot.
First time I read a Billie Letts book and was not dissapointed.
I really enjoy Billie Letts. Her novel, Where The Heart Is, is still her best work in my opinion. If you like Billie Letts, you'll like this book too. Part mystery, part love story. It was a fun way to spend a weekend. Enjoy!
Oh, this was a good book! I really enjoyed it! It had a little bit of everything - intrigue, murder, romance, excitement. The characters were all interesting and the resolution, though bittersweet, was fairly satisfying. The plot twisted along in pretty unpredictable ways, too. I would definitely read something else by her. And it was a fast read, too! Though I must admit, the whole cousins thing was troublesome for a while. And while the whole end took me by surprise, the very end was pretty sad, though I suppose it made sense... I guess there just wasn't any other way to end it.
Another great story by Billie Letts. If you like reading about average, kind people her books are for you. She is really able to bring characters alive and make you wish they were your neighbors. She shows the extordinary kindness people can give to one another and ask for nothing in return. I have only met a few of these people in my lifetime and treasure each one and hope that I can be as selfless myself.
By the author of "Honk and Holler Opening Soon" and "Where the Heart Is".
By the author of "Honk and Holler Opening Soon" and "Where the Heart Is".
Highly recommended, I love Billie Letts' writing style.
Great story by a great author. Just when I thought I had it figured out, it took another turn! Great read.
I really enjoyed this story. Quick paced mystery with some great twists. And yay for the Oklahoma setting!
Charming slice of life in a small Oklahoma town, with a murder mystery at the heart.
Mystery and romance combine to create a page-turner.
This book was wonderful. The author had a easy, flowing style and captured my attention and interest right from page one. She was able to keep the story moving without getting "too wordy". I was unable to put this book down. I read it in less than 2 days.
First book I have read by Billie Letts, but definately will not be my last. This is one of those must reads for any age group. It gets your attention right from the very beginning and holds it through the ending as well.
I finished this book in about 2 days, It was a fun mystery with a little (very little romance)(which is just fine in my book) It kind of read like a Life Time movie .Gave you a couple of red herrings on the way of solving the mystery.This is the kind of book you could read at the beach or on a rainy day.
well written love story with comedy, mystery and pathos.
Good, quick reading, interesting book
Excellent read. Billie Lett's fans won't be dissappointed.
One of the best books I've ever read! Wonderful story that pulls you in from the beginning!
This story was just so-so for me.
Well-written, interesting characters.
I really enjoyed this book. Keeps you interested up to the last page.
Good read, but predictable. I do love the way Billie Letts spins a tale, so I enjoyed it.
Heartwarming and powerful.. a great read!
My first time reading this ayuthor. The story was somewhat predictable however it made for an easy mystery read. I will read another of hers as she does get good reviews to see if another choice emight have more suspense to it
Good story. Better than Where the Heart Is
A very enjoyable story and a new author for me!
It is a nice dramatic mystery.
This was a wonderful read. I found it very interesting and couldn't wait to find out the ending. Very quick read.
Excellent book..........I love her writing!
An interesting story with compelling characters. Nothing earth-shattering, but a good vacation read.
a crime that took place in oklahoma in 1972..the dissapearance of a young mom and baby, nicky jack now 30 years lader nicky jack returns to town in search of answers about his life..very moving, hartwarming, and powerful read.
rom Booklist
A man's desperate search for his identity drives this riveting offering from the author of best-sellers Where the Heart Is (1995) and The Honk and Holler Opening Soon (1998). No one in sleepy DeClare, Oklahoma, has forgotten the 1972 murder of pretty Cherokee Gaylene Harjo and the abduction of her infant son, Nicky Jack. Hard-nosed deputy sheriff Oliver "O Boy" Daniels pinned the blame on local preacher Joe Dawson, but few in town believed the kindly Joe was capable of such an act. Powerful emotions resurface 30 years later, when Nicky Jack, adopted and raised by a rich couple in Beverly Hills, mysteriously reappears, determined to learn about his mother and the circumstances surrounding her death. Veteran short-story writer Letts peppers her prose with a cast of quirky characters, including a quartet of nosy, domino-playing senior citizens and a perky pool-hall owner who bakes peanut-butter pies. Readers of Sue Miller and Wally Lamb are sure to embrace this memorable tale of love, loss, humanity, and hope. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
A man's desperate search for his identity drives this riveting offering from the author of best-sellers Where the Heart Is (1995) and The Honk and Holler Opening Soon (1998). No one in sleepy DeClare, Oklahoma, has forgotten the 1972 murder of pretty Cherokee Gaylene Harjo and the abduction of her infant son, Nicky Jack. Hard-nosed deputy sheriff Oliver "O Boy" Daniels pinned the blame on local preacher Joe Dawson, but few in town believed the kindly Joe was capable of such an act. Powerful emotions resurface 30 years later, when Nicky Jack, adopted and raised by a rich couple in Beverly Hills, mysteriously reappears, determined to learn about his mother and the circumstances surrounding her death. Veteran short-story writer Letts peppers her prose with a cast of quirky characters, including a quartet of nosy, domino-playing senior citizens and a perky pool-hall owner who bakes peanut-butter pies. Readers of Sue Miller and Wally Lamb are sure to embrace this memorable tale of love, loss, humanity, and hope. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Great story line with a lot of twists and turns! Some adult language
In 1972, windswept DeClare, Oklahoma was consumed by a terrifying crime: the murder of a young mother, Gaylene Harjo, and the disappearance of her baby, Nicky Jack. When the child's pajama bottoms were discovered on the banks of Willow Creek, everyone feared that he, too, had been killed, although his body was never found... Riveting, powerful, this is a memorable tale of love, loss, humanity, and hope....
Questions about the long-unsolved murder of a young woman in a small Oklahoma town are revived when a man appears, claiming to be the baby boy who disappeared from his mother's murder scene.
Letts does a good job when she's concentrating on Mark Albright's / Nicky Jack Harjo's search for his past and for the mother he never knew, and populates her story with a colorful cast of well-drawn characters. The resolution of the mystery is less well handled, with a whirlwind seven-page denouement to a 300-page setup, all (okay, most) plot noodles tucked neatly away and an unlikely romance rushed to what feels like an obligatory happy ending.
Not a bad read, but nothing outstanding, either.
Letts does a good job when she's concentrating on Mark Albright's / Nicky Jack Harjo's search for his past and for the mother he never knew, and populates her story with a colorful cast of well-drawn characters. The resolution of the mystery is less well handled, with a whirlwind seven-page denouement to a 300-page setup, all (okay, most) plot noodles tucked neatly away and an unlikely romance rushed to what feels like an obligatory happy ending.
Not a bad read, but nothing outstanding, either.
I love this author. Good story, fast moving.
In 1972, windswept DeClare, Oklahoma, was consumed by a terrifying crime: the murder of a young mother, Gaylene Harjo, and the dissappearance of her baby, Nicky Jack. When the child's pajama bottems were discovered on the banks of Willow creek, everyone feared that he, too, was dead, although his body was never found.
Now, nearly 30 years later, Nicky Jack mysteriously returns to DeClare, shocking the town with his appearance and stirring up long-buried memories. But what he discovers about the night he vanished is far more than he, or anyone,bargains for. Piece by piece, what emerges is a story of dashed hopes, desperate love, and an act with repercussions that still cry out for justice.
Now, nearly 30 years later, Nicky Jack mysteriously returns to DeClare, shocking the town with his appearance and stirring up long-buried memories. But what he discovers about the night he vanished is far more than he, or anyone,bargains for. Piece by piece, what emerges is a story of dashed hopes, desperate love, and an act with repercussions that still cry out for justice.
This was an excellent book!
I love Billie Letts and this is a good book. Worth reading.
By the same author that wrote Where the Heart Is and Honk And Holler Opening Soon.
Easy read and a great story.
Great read!
Another excellent book from Billie Letts! Love her style of writing! It has a little bit of everything in it, that gives a well rounded story.
Very good plot.
Very good story line.
Great vacation novel.
In 1972, the tiny windswept town of DeClare, Oklahoma, was consumed by the terrifying disappearance of Nicky Jack Harjo. When he was no more than a baby, his pajama bottoms were found on the banks of Willow Creek. Nearly 30 years later, Nicky mysteriously returns in this intriguing and delightfully hypnotic tale, full of the authentic heartland characters that Billie Letts writes about so beautifully.
Good book really enjoyed it!
Good book really enjoyed it!
I loved it! I read it in two days!
Great small town story.
Quick read, enjoyable. Interesting story.
An amazing story. Just as good as Where The Heart Is.
If you like Billie lets you'll like this book.
This book was very good. I would recommend it highly.
Great story. This is the first I've read by Ms. Letts. The characters were believable and well fleshed out. I will definitely read more by her.
This book was enjoyable and interesting enough to keep me reading. Most enjoyable was the fact that the ending was a complete surprise to me! I never saw it coming. If there had been more character development with the main characters I would have liked the book even more. Some plot lines seemed implausible but all in all, the story held my interest.
I really loved this book. It was a mystery type, you spend the entire book trying to answer the big question of the novel. I thought it was great. Near perfect condition.
Great book.
The previous owner of this copy has scratched out the swear words. If this is a problem please email me at huntinforabargain@yahoo.com. Otherwise this copy is nice and clean!!
In 1972 windswept Oklahoma town of DeClare was consumed by a terrifying crime: the murder of a young mother and the disappearance of her baby, Nicky Jack. When the childs pajama bottoms were discovered on the banks of the Willow Creek, everyone feared that he too had been killed, although his body was never found. Now, 30 yrs later Nicky Jack mysteriously returns to DeClare shocking the town with his sudden appearance and stirring up lon buried memories. What he discovers about the night he vanished is far more than he or aanyone bargins for.
