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	Curiosity may have killed the cat, but Cerri Ellis never let a little thing like fear stop her from playing sleuth. When she's not snapping photos of ghosts, solving riddles or sifting through dusty tomes in library catacombs, she writes articles and book reviews for magazines and web sites. Her hobbies include reading mysteries, herbal gardening, and searching online and estate auctions for arcane curios. She is currently at work on a paranormal thriller set in Southern Appalachia. Ms. Ellis enjoys hearing from her readers. You can contact her at cerridwen_ellis @ yahoo.com Or stop by her blog: www.cerriellis.blogspot.com

47 RULES OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BANK ROBBERS
Troy Cook
Capital Crime Press, July 2006, $14.95, 282 pp.
ISBN 0977627667

Part screwball romance, part dark comedy, 47 RULES OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BANK ROBBERS follows the life of a young woman named Tara Evans. When we first meet Tara, she is nine years old. Like most young girls that age, she plays with Barbie and Ken. Unlike most other nine-year old girls, her dolls wear masks her pseudo-psycho father, Wyatt, drew on their faces with a black magic marker. Tara also packs a gun.

After years of putting up with Wyatt's bizarre and increasingly violent behavior, Tara is ready to move out on her own. She knows it is time when Wyatt starts breaking his own rules.

Max is the sheriff's son, a wild child rebel itching to escape from under his daddy's thumb.

When their paths cross, they decide to team up. First though, Max has to learn the 47 RULES OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BANK ROBBERS.

Mr. Cook writes with a director's eye, each scene choreographed for optimal effect. A cast of painfully funny characters weaves throughout the story, adding to the overall hijinx. A remarkable fresh spin on the Bonnie and Clyde-style that was a pleasure to read.

Cerri Ellis

TWIN CITIES NOIR
Edited by Julie Schaper & Steven Horwitz
Akashic Books, June 2006, $14.95, 256 pp.
ISBN 1-888451-97-1

Every city has a vibe. Sometimes it's hard to discern unless you're one of those unique souls who connects with a place, calls it home. St. Paul and Minneapolis are special, sharing the same beat, but each with it's own distinctive melody. The stories in this latest anthology, part of Akashic's Noir series, recognizes that truism and brings them to life.

If you're expecting homespun Lake Wobegone, look elsewhere. TWIN CITIES NOIR picks at the edge of darkness and rips it back, allowing readers a quick peek.

Julie Schaper and Steven Horwitz did an incredible job of mixing and melding the authors' voices, creating pure harmony.

Writers such as David Housewright (Frogtown), Steve Thayer (Duluth), Judith Guest (Edina), Mary Logue (Kenwood), Bruce Rubenstein (North End), K.J. Erickson (Near North), William Kent Krueger (West Side), Ellen Hart (Uptown), Brad Zeller (Columbia Heights), Mary Sharratt (Cedar-Riverside), Pete Hautman (Linden Hills), Larry Millett (West 7th-Fort Road), Quinton Skinner (Downtown Minneapolis), Gary Bush (Summit-University) and Chris Everheart (Downtown St. Paul), rise to the occasion.

Seldom have I dog-earred a story as much as I did "Blind Sided", by Ellen Hart. I kept going back to her chilling tale of a helpless man slowly losing his sight and the young tough whom he casually adopts. Suspenseful, tight prose, sharp dialogue-and makes you think? Been a while since I read anything that left such an impact. I do hope Ms. Hart has a hefty backlist, since I plan to raid my local bookseller for more of her offerings.

Steve Thayer's tale, "Hi, I'm God", pulled me in so deep, I wondered if I might drown. With a voice reminescent of Stephen King (think The Body/Stand By Me, not Christine), I was swept away with this innocent, yet deceptive little story, since it hid more than a few truisms under each quirky twist.

From David Housewright's story of immigrant culture and young love in "Mai-Nu's Window", to Chris Everheart's tasty treat, "Chili Dog", about unauthorized lunch breaks, TWIN CITIES NOIR is a strong addition to the Noir series.

Cerri Ellis

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