Southern Lights

Divorcee, Alexa Hamilton is a New York Assistant District Attorney who has been assigned to a case-alleged serial killer and rapist, Luke Quentin. She sends her 17 year old daughter packing back to her daughter's father in Charleston for protection after she received threatening letters. The Aristocratic, affluent Charleston family was responsible for breaking the marriage up in the first place. This is another look into the typical "Charleston" character traits that place them on a separate plain than the rest of the world. The story becomes less about the murder case and more about the family drama which ends up with secrets being revealed and strong bonds being made. Wonderful, enjoyable read! A few other book I loved are BREAKING THE RULES, EXPLOSION IN PARIS, and PERFECT...

This was a pure delight. It had suspense,romance and mystery. Which was a total surprise since some of Danielle Steel have a tendency to be a tad predictable at times. But make no mistake this was real winner. If you looking for a good Danielle Steel novel and feels it's a long time coming. Pick this one you won't be sorry.

After over 70 books, Danielle Steel had gotten into a ho hum rut. I wasn't sure how this book would be. She hit it out of the park!!! She skillfully wove 2 stories together into a single conclusion. Alexa was divorced from Tom and raised her daughter Savannah alone. Forced out of the marriage was more like it. Tom's ex-wife got pregnant and he had to re-marry her. Alexa meanwhile went to law school in NY and became an assistant DA. She is given a difficult case of rape and murder with 18 victims in different states. Her daughter is sent threatening letters by either the defendant or his accomplice. Alexa makes the difficult decision to send 17 year old Savannah to Charleston SC to live with her father, Tom to keep her safe. Tom's wife in enraged and refuses to even be polite to Savannah but the rest of the family including her half brothers and sister welcome her. The grandmother had been instrumental in destroying Alexa's marriage to Tom, but realized that she had made a mistake. At first she was cool to Savannah, but when Savannah said she wanted to know about her Southern history, the grandmother decided that she liked her. She is a hard core Confederate and couldn't reconcile herself to Tom's marriage to Alexa who was a "Yankee." What makes this work is the successful back and forth telling of Alexa's trial work on this case, and Savannah's adjustment to life in Charleston which she hadn't seen since she was 6 years old. Tom tries to admit to Alexa that he never stopped loving her but Alexa with great class tells him to never tell her that again. She says they MAY be able to be friends. I hope she can keep up this roll. Her last few books were too repetitive of the same theme. Husband divorces wife and marries younger woman. That was BORING!!!

I sense a new maturity in Danielle Steel's latest books. The glamorous fairytales have given place to more down to earth stories about people and their lives and strives. Yes, we are still dealing with successfull people from the upper classes. Moneyed families living in fabulous mansions. But the difference is there. And distinct. Alexa Hamilton is single mother to 17 year old Susannah. After a bitter divorce ten years ago, Alexa becomes a lawyer and has built a brilliant career as an assistant D.A. in New York. When accused serial murder Luke Quentin is captured and put to trial, Alexa is handed the case, which is an opportunity of a lifetime. Not long after she has started the trial preparations, threatening letters, addressed to beautiful young Susannah, start arriving. Suspecting that Luke Quentin may have something to do with the letters, Alexa, still hurt by her ex-husband Tom's betrayal, feels forced to send Savannah back to him and his new family until the trial is over. The book is first of all a story about love, betrayal, bitterness and finally - healing - within a family. Parallell with the trial, we follow as old wounds are being exposed, the healing process and how it all affects both the relationship between mother and daugther and the whole family as such. And apart from circumstances and surroundings, it's not so different from similar incidents lots of people go through in the course of a lifetime. Danielle Steel has always been a great storyteller known for light entertainment told with - especially lately - warmth and wisdom. There may be luxury and glamour but there is no doubt the author has known loss and suffering. Both earlier and later work bears proof of that. Still as busily writing as ever, Danielle Steel can be trusted to deliver. As the saying goes, she is a phenomenon! Enjoy!