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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful ““The Rose Conspiracy” by Craig Parshall was a very pleasant surprise. At first, I was reminded of the movie “National Treasure 2”, and thought this book was going to take too much of the film’s storyline. But then, the author captured my attention with his fast-paced writing style, short...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“The Rose Conspiracy
BookReviewsByDebra wrote this review Friday, March 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Craig Parshall
Harvest House, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7369-1514-4
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com, 01/09
5 stars
Intrigue…
Murder and theft follows the discovery of a document concerning the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. When Vinnie Archmont is accused of the crime, she turns to J.D. Blackstone. The brilliant criminal law professor uncovers secrets that have been guarded for years.
The Rose Conspiracy is a fast-paced page turner. From the first page, I was hooked; I could not lay this book down until the very last word. Craig Parshall has a talent for conveying emotion. His characters are so well developed they seem to jump off the pages.
The plot is fascinating. Intrigue mixed with romance spells bestseller. From secret societies, the Freemasons, the Gonostic Gospels, and the secret to eternal life makes the book one, you do not want to miss this one. The secondary characters give an added dimension to the main characters. The Rose Conspiracy is a great read.
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clockstein wrote this review Sunday, February 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The Rose Conspiracy by Craig Parshall is another book in the growing genre of mysterious books and secret societies, ala The DaVinci Code. J.D. Blackstone is a hotshot D.C. lawyer with a fast car, an addiction to adrenalin, and no personal relationships. When Vinnie Archmount is accused of murdering a Smithsonian official to steal the missing pages of John Wilkes Booth's diary, she calls in Blackstone to defend her. The case quickly goes from mysterious to dangerous as there is an attempt on his life, and the deeper Blackstone investigates, the more secrets he uncovers. Throw in the Masons, the secret to eternal life, and the Gnostic Gospels, and you have plenty of thrills. I've read some of Parshall's books, and I have to say this is the weakest of them. The characters aren't fully formed beyond stereotypes, so it's really hard to care about Blackstone's grief about his lost family or Vinnie's arrest. The whole book just felt a little too slick to me. Blackstone is hard to like, and the Christian aspects are mini-sermons.”
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cherryblossommj wrote this review Wednesday, February 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
"The Rose Conspiracy" has been my first experience in the fiction of Craig Parshall, but it will not be my last after this invigorated read. I read the back cover blurb and then I could not help but have a desire to go and watch National Treasure and National Treasure 2 both on Blue-Ray. It was fabulous as several of the historical characters mentioned in the second movie were all through out the historical conspiracies of this book. It put me in a definite mood with a thirst for more.
It could be that I already have a passion for stories such as this, dealing with history and Freemasons as well as religious facts and conspiracy. Either way, this book was full of fascinating detail and keep me extremely intrigued and entertained.
Toward the end as details were being fully revealed I was a little bit aggravated with the author, because the main character would find some out, but not let the thought pass through to the reader. It bothered me and made me feel on the outside, I like feeling like I am on the ride with the characters. But things were explained and in good detail. I just had to be patient enough to get to that page. *grin*
I recommend this read. It is high tensity and makes me want to go and read some more about our Civil War history. Love it!”
“The protagonist, a brilliant attorney, suffers from insomnia--ironic since this book kept me awake to finish it! What a compelling legal thriller; I could not figure out who the bad guy was with all of the twists and turns.
SmilingSally wrote this review Wednesday, February 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
It's about some missing pages of the diary of John Wilkes Booth, the man who shot Abraham Lincoln, and the Masons. It's also about greed and the quest for eternal life.
Characters are round--believable; the reader is privy to their faults. Blackstone lost his wife and daughter in an accident and wrestles with the inability to even look at anything belonging to them. Even with the help of a psychiatrist, he does not seem to be able to move on, although it has been 2 1/2 years. Julia, his former student/lover and now partner, fights a barely hidden love for him. Vinnie, a beautiful artist, who becomes a client, charged with murder, seems so helter-skelter that it's hard to figure her out. Even minor characters (the judge, prosecutors, police officers, and F.B.I. agents) are well-written.
It's a good read, but BEWARE that once you begin this book, you will want to stay awake to read to the exciting end! I really liked this book.”
“THE ROSE CONSPIRACY by Craig Parshsall is a calculated story of intrigue and suspense, with a historical spin that fascinates.
tamaratilley wrote this review Tuesday, February 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
When the head of the Smithsonian Institute is murdered–while study missing pages from the famed John Wilkes Booth diary– a conspiracy is expected. Vinnie Archmont, a free-spirited and beautiful artist is implicated, and soon retains brilliant law professor J.D. Blackstone to prove her innocence. Convinced that Vinnie is being set up, J.D. embarks on a journey of discovery that points to the mystical and secretive practices of the Freemasons, a wealthy Lord in England, and possible corruption within the Washington, D.C. police force. With a sentence of death hanging over Vinnie’s head, and a growing attraction to the eccentric artist, J.D. leaves no stone unturned in her defense. Soon, J.D. finds not only his career at stake, but his life as well.
THE ROSE CONSPIRACY was a fascinating read. Its historical content dealing with the Freemasons made for a thought provoking novel that challenged your own thinking. Though romance is hinted at, it is never fully developed making this an exceptional novel for men who don’t like fiction that gets bogged down with personal relationships. I, myself, would have liked to see these storylines more prominent, but this did not dampen my interest in the book. The secondary characters in Professor Lamb–J.D.’s uncle, and Julia–J.D.’s law partner humanizes J.D. when he could’ve otherwise be seen as a one dimensional lawyer with a single pursuit in life. Though a Christian novel, the only person with a true faith in God is looked at as a daft enthusiast with unrealistic beliefs. Only when J.D. is willing to face the guilt from his past does he open himself up to the possible belief of eternal life.
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“This was an okay book. The story line was fantastic - it just seemed to have gaps. I had to go back and re-read in several places to see if I missed some 'time'. All in all, it was a good book.”
Camille E wrote this review Tuesday, January 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful““The Rose Conspiracy” by Craig Parshall was a very pleasant surprise. At first, I was reminded of the movie “National Treasure 2”, and thought this book was going to take too much of the film’s storyline. But then, the author captured my attention with his fast-paced writing style, short chapters, and intriguing situations. This book was a wonderful combination of the best legal suspense, the most intense adventure stories and mental puzzles. This is a terrific story and a wonderful read.”
Stacey D wrote this review Saturday, January 24 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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