First (Wrong) Impressions: A Modern Pride & Prejudice

by K. Ball

Lizzy Bennet’s fundraising mission is to keep her homeless center's clients well-fed through a cold prairie winter. She meets the snobby and pompous William Darcy of Fitz & William Enterprises. While she’d never dare ask him for help, she can’t stop bumping into him — sometimes, quite literally.

But when Lizzy’s campaign is cut short by the disappearance of her sixteen year old sister, William and his younger sister step in to help the woman they want to make part of their family.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, First (Wrong) Impressions is Lizzy’s quest for happiness, security, and love in the 21st century.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Retellings, Contemporary Romance, Amazon

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2013

Reviews

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 1 out of 5]

First and most importantly: if you don't like to read books that have casual sex and are sprinkled with F-bombs, or if it will distress you to read a version of Pride and Prejudice where some of your favorite characters are gay or bisexual, this is not the book for you. Ignore the pretty cover: this is not a sweet, clean romance.

Second, if you aren't bothered by or even enjoy the type of book I've described above, this is still not a particularly worthwhile book. It's just P&P very literally transferred to modern times, with not a lot of additional insight. The only thing I found that was new and interesting was the inside description of an inner-city charitable organization and its fund-raising issues and concerns.

If this still sounds good to you, enjoy. It was definitely not for me.

[M.L.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern take on Pride & Prejudice!

Set primarily in Edmonton, Alberta, with some scenes in Calgary, AB & Vancouver, BC, Lizzy Bennet is now a program director at a homeless shelter. Her bff is no longer Charlotte Lucas, but Lukas (Luke) Charlotte, a gay man. Other modern updates: Lydia is an aspiring actress; Georgiana is G'Anna, a (very young) retired pop star; Darcy is a billionaire businessman, buying out companies left and right.

Keeping with the modern sensibilities, Lizzy & Jane do not live at home, everybody swears, and Jane & Bingley have sex. But in spite of this, First (Wrong) Impressions hasn't changed the heart of the original Austen book. The sisters have warm relationships, and clearly care for each other, and the various romantic plots are satisfying (with the possible exception of Luke & Reverend Liam Collins...but Collins was never a favorite of mine--although, Luke is with Liam because he wants to, not because he has to).

HOWEVER, the Darcy/Lizzy romance is wonderful!! It stays true to the original story (including the infamous letter), while also keeping true to the modern updates of the characters and setting.

I've never been a fan of Lydia, but in this book her behavior comes across more as thoughtless & self-centered--in other words, a typical teen, and I found myself not despising her as much. As for Wickham, he continues to be a creep--and that's all I'll say about that, because, since this is a modern setting, Wickham is treated a bit differently.

I liked that Lizzy has an actual job that she's passionate about and is good at. Her job features heavily in the story--a good thing! I don't want to say that she's now more developed as a character, because that's not true, but she's more relatable to a modern audience, having to worry about rent & credit cards & bank accounts.

The only downside to this is that Lizzy's father is barely in the book, and the relationship between the two was one of my favorite parts of the original P&P. But...with certain threads not completely resolved, and some supporting characters from other Austen books, the possibility of a sequel, or at least another book set in this world, tantalizes.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quote:

Lizzy whispered to Darcy, "Did you think I spoke well?"

"I was moved to tears," he said, again with a flat tone but with the same sparkle in his eyes.

"I didn't know machines could cry," she shot back.

"I had the tear ducts installed just for this event." He took a sip of his coffee, then turned away to listen to the next person.

Lizzy couldn't quite decide if she should slap him or laugh.

My Thoughts:

So, here is where I confess I have never read "Pride and Prejudice". I've never read anything by Jane Austen. How I made it through high school and college without reading something by her, I don't know. After reading this, I want to read the original. Part of the fun for me while reading was trying to figure what was taken from or inspired by "Pride and Prejudice" and what was all Ball. The humor was definitely her; of that I have no doubt.

I can't compare the book to its inspiration. For that info, see this review on goodreads. Does it work as a romance? as a social commentary? Yep and yep. It is NOT love at first sight; in fact, Lizzy hates Darcy and is convinced that he hates her. Lizzy is funny, snarky, judgmental, proud, loyal, passionate, and has a temper. Darcy is shy, proud, loyal, compassionate, and an excellent businessman. Their paths keep crossing as do the paths of Lizzy's sister Jane and Darcy's friend Charles. A side note here re Charles. I read a lot of urban fantasy and one of my favorite authors is Patricia Briggs. She has a character, Charles, who has certain similarities to Ball's (Austen's?) Charles and I kept picturing Briggs' Charles as I read. Both are Native American, tall, handsome, and rich. The similarities end there but it was enough to mess with my mind. :D

We follow Darcy and Lizzy's relationship and many misunderstandings along with Charles and Jane's romance and to a lesser extent the romance of Luke, Lizzy's friend, and Pastor Liam. Occasionally I wanted to smack Lizzy for being so obnoxious. As Darcy and Lizzy spend more time together, Lizzy begins to see Darcy in a new light and realizes that she may have unfairly judged him. I loved that she became aware of her tendency to judge others harshly and that she made herself reevaluate her opinion of him. The relationship between Lizzy and her sisters was delightful; real, loving, but not saccharine sweet. Lizzy is intensely loyal to her family as Darcy is to his and that loyalty and their respective families help move their relationship along.

In updating the book, Ball has made it very modern with topics such as the treatment of Native Americans, homelessness and access to food. and the presence and influence of Twitter in people's lives. In fact, I loved how Ball incorporated Twitter and used it to help move the story along at times."First (Wrong) Impressions" is funny, intelligent, thoughtful, and a pleasure to read. You can enjoy it just as a romance, as a treatise on current social issues in Canada, as an update on "Pride and Prejudice" or some combination of the three.


I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Jannie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not finish this. I only made it through five chapters. I couldn't take anymore. Jane Austen, a devout preacher's daughter, must be rolling over in her grave. This Elizabeth Bennett is foul mouthed and spouts a bunch of liberal philosophy, especially when it comes to downplaying religion. Her best friend is no longer Charlotte Lucas but a gay man named Lucas Charlotte. I have read other modern retellings of P&P and enjoyed them thoroughly because they stayed true to Austen's values and the spirit of the original. I am so glad this was a freebie on Kindle. I would hate to think I wasted money on this.

[Elin Eriksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pride and Prejudice variation

Well adapted modern variation, set in Canada.

Entertaining and engaging read where Elizabeth worked at a homeless center and Darcy had an enterprise with his cousin Fitzy.
Fast paced with hilarious banter and some intriguing twists to Jane Austen's characters.
Charlotte had been turned into Lukas Charlotte, loved the interactions between him and Lizzy as he was her gay BFF. There were similar twists to other characters as well but I do not want to spoil your read by giving up too much.
The story kept the framework and timeline from canon but with enough twists to keep me guessing, delivered with humour and plausibility.

Heartily recommend this book!

[L.H.Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

The only reason why this book isn't 1 star is that I did actually enjoy Darcy. Yes, he was snide in the beginning and arrogant, but he didn't stray far from the original which I appreciated. But Lizzy, OMG, there wasn't much redeemable about her. If she hadn't worked with the homeless, I would have given this a 1 for sure. She's so mean-spirited, cruel, and just foul that I could barely stomach her. I'm no prude, I love adaptations, I don't care if there are gay and lesbian couples inside the book, I've read them done in other adaptations, but Lizzy was so awful it ruined just about the entire experience for me. There were so many points I wanted to put this book down, but I hung on hoping that she'd eventually become kinder. Which I guess in fairness to the author she did, right at the tail end, because of course the requisite HEA had to start taking place. But for anyone to say this was a true representation of Lizzy, get real. Lizzy was a fiery and spunky character and could stand on her own two feet, but even when she was prideful, I still loved her because I could see how someone in her position would feel that way. This Lizzy refused to give anyone a chance, she was mean-spirited to just about everyone and while there were parts of her that were in line with Austen's Lizzy, I can't say I really liked this Lizzy at all. She was a ball buster, and always had Darcy apologizing for everything. Ugh... so clearly I'm in the minority here and that's fine. But I can honestly say that this has easily been one of my least favorite adaptations, and not because of how the author choose to represent any of the characters who are all pretty radically changed, but because Lizzy was awful. If she'd been tempered even a little, I might have liked this more.

So I'd say read it if you like, but if you're a purist, I might just pass on this one. You're likely to hate it as much as I do. And by the way, I loved Clueless the movie, for anyone not in the know it's a modern retelling of Emma and I thought it was done very very well. Because while Emma's character was silly and 'clueless' you could see deep down she was sweet. That's what I was hoping for when I got this book. But I didn't see any softness from Lizzy until the end at which point I hated her so much I didn't care and hoped Darcy ran away with Caroline just to get as far and fast away from that ugly piece of work as possible.

Would I recommend this to anyone else? Absolutely Not.

You want to read good adaptations, check out Abagail Reynolds, also Anna Elliot. And if you want some with heat Linda Wells is very good too.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge Pride and Prejudice fan, and I’ve devoured most of the reduxes that have been done. But this version I have to say is my favorite from all of them. Lizzy, Darcy and the whole crew are there, but not always in the way that you’d expect. It’s set in Canada, which was a brilliant move. And the story doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. But from the first page you know you’re in the hands of a master, and the skill in which these difficult topics are handled is fantastic. Instead of being distracting, they pull you into the story in a way even the original never did. I feel like I truly got to know these characters and fall in love with them. I laughed and cried and absolutely loved this book. I’m going back to reread it right away!

[Mary Hartshorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was interesting in the sense that it gave you a lot of information and insight into some non-profit organisations that provide a safe place and help to those individuals in society who have been denied help because they refuse to change their actions for the better. I was seriously surprised to find out about places like this and the help that they provide, along with how strong and dedicated one must be in this type of job.

The romance was ok at best. I admit that there were a lot of sections that I just skipped. So give it a try, maybe you will like it more than I did.

[Judy Bullard · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was offensive with the language. Didn't even get past the first page. It could have been a good read, but the author felt it was necessary to use too many 4-letter words. I requested a refund from Amazon.com because of 'offensive content' - they are great for refunding e-books if you do it within a couple of days of purchase. Don't bother with this read!!

[Teresita · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those stories that are worth to read again.
It gives us a glimpse into the efforts made by people trying to help the homeless and unprotected. While doing this it presents a sweet love story where the main characters preserve their traits and personalities.
Highly recommended!

[Heidi Rothert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first remade Pride and Prejudice that could have been good but the language, along with a few other issues... disappointed me. I literally would scan pages and skip paragraphs because of the language. :/ Sad that it wasn't better.

[bex · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been years since I read any Austen,but running off memory, I am pretty impressed by the adaptation. It has feel of characters but adjusted to modern mores. 4 star i think

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this modernization of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet works for a charity running a homeless refuge, Jane is missing a leg after a car accident, Lydia is a wannabe actress, and Charlotte Lucas has been transformed into Lukas Charlotte, Lizzy’s best friend and male co-worker. By the time I finished the first two chapters, I knew I was going to enjoy Ms. Ball’s twists on my favorite characters. Lizzy is more outspoken than ever and Darcy’s arrogant awkwardness and sly sense of humor is marvelous. I really liked how very human they are. They both do clumsy, stupid, normal things that make me laugh or commiserate, depending on the circumstances.

This book is well-written, with a perfect quantity of humor and romance. The author gave it a wonderfully modern feel; I particularly enjoyed the Twitter conversations. It isn’t all fun, though. Much of the story is set on or revolves aroung Lizzy’s refuge. Her whole life revolves around helping drug addicts, prostitutes and criminals. Sometimes she can really help them, but other times it’s not enough.

Lizzy is a boiling mess of frustration during most of the book, leading to many rants. Which leads me to my one complaint about the book. There is so much ranting that after a while it starts, in my opinion, to feel preachy. Lizzy is a passionate liberal and is unafraid to voice her opinions. Good for her. At first, her impassioned speeches were a good way of getting to know her character better. However, after the umpteenth rant against organized religion, conservatives, pro-lifers, etc., it began to detract from my enjoyment of the novel. Overall, I really liked the story and the characters, but by the end I was wondering if the book was just a vehicle for the many, many rants.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy getting into political arguments with fictional characters, as well as to those who like to see Jane Austen’s characters turned on their heads in a variety of interesting and mostly entertaining ways.

I reviewed this book for the Indie Jane blog.

[Raquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The modernization of Elizabeth as staff at a non-profit serving the homeless and Darcy a wealthy potential donor is a really brilliant way to explore the class and economic distinctions and animosities that exist in a different form now than in Austen's day.

Besides being a well executed Pride and Prejudice adaptation, it's a very good book on its own. The characters and their lives are well developed and explored. I loved that this book went into the difficult positions non-profits and their staff often experience in their mission and talked so much about the specific challenges of the homeless and marginalized. It's a topic most readers don't encounter in their day to day lives and this book explores the injustices and frustrations in a beautifully raw way while the familiarity of the P&P storyline gives these topics a context that I think might be more approachable for some. 'Cause let's be real, a lot of people are weirded out about issues of extreme poverty and would rather not think about it.

I enjoyed the way that the author developed the relationships between characters. It all felt very genuine. This book made for an excellent read in every way.

[Robert Babiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krista has written a great novel based on Pride and Prejudice adapted to life in the inner city of Edmonton Alberta and I read it until my eyes where blurry late into the night.

I kept seeing Krista, the person not the author, peeking out between the words, relating her own experiences within the framework of the story. It leant a feel of realism to the story that no author can dream up without having lived through those the joys, frustration, and tragedies.

You will laugh, cry, and think about things you probably have never considered before, by the end you will be sad to see the last page turned.

If you are a fan of Jane Austen you will love this adaptation, especially if you live in western Canada.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much more than just a cute little love story. There were many real life issues woven throughout the course of the book. Homelessness, hunger, date rape and homophobia were all addressed in the story and the author inserted them so seamlessly that she never appeared to be on a soap box. It was a wonderful way to spend a cold Sunday afternoon. It was nice to read a book set in Canada.
If I had to pick out one thing the story was missing, it would be a twitter speak to English dictionary. There were things I missed because I don't tweet.
I received this book for free in exchange for this honest review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the genre of books that are continuations of Jane Austen and/or modern versions of her works. This is a wonderful modern version of Pride and Prejudice set in Canada.

Lizzy works for a non-profit that feeds the homeless. In addition to being a wonderful update of P&P, the issues of non-profits and the homeless are very thought provoking.

Definitely worth a read.

[Gowri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so this was a modern take on P&P. It was snazzy and typically "generation now" with the instant gratification and the woolly lifestyles. Best suited to the current scenario with a vein of humour running through it.

[Linda Berg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for true Austin lovers

Ok so I actually got through this book. Totally weird for me to read. Too much swearing for one thing. I wasn't impressed with the writing or the storyline.

[PoshTomes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible "modern adaptation"! Bad language, insanely liberal, and characters that lacked any redeemable attributes!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizzy Bennet helps run a homeless center in Edmonton Canada, a center that accept those people that other organizations have refused. When she meets William Darcy, a millionaire businessman, it's anything but love at first sight. She overhears him make a snide comment about her to his friend Charles Bingley, and later when she meets George Wickham, her dislike of Darcy is fixed.

The summary above may sound like Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, but this variation was full of surprises. I don't want to spoil any of the reveals, but each time a P&P character was introduced with a new twist, I loved it even more. Luke Charlotte and Liam Collins were awesome, Georgiana a delight, and Jane a sweetheart. I couldn't pick a favorite secondary character!

I really enjoyed the setting at the homeless refuge. It's obvious the author is passionate about the struggles the homeless face and that shines through her writing. She really provided some insight into the needs of these centers and the challenges they face. I found it thought provoking.
There were times when the social commentary felt a bit heavy handed as the author (through Lizzy) discussed nutritional needs of the homeless, sexual identity, date rape, drugs, unplanned pregnancy, abortion, poverty, racism, religious hypocrisy, the list goes on and on. If that feels like a lot in this review, it's even more heavy handed on the page.

As a romance and fiction, I really enjoyed this book and would give it 5 stars. It had the perfect mix of humor and romance, a great setting, and a wonderful cast of secondary characters. As a Pride and Prejudice variation, it fell flat for one reason. While I loved the twists on the original characters, I just couldn't like Lizzy at all. She was so mean and angry, a snob who never gave anyone a chance. What was supposed to be passion came across as cruelty, and that just isn't true to Lizzy in the original. I thought she'd mellow towards the end, but it never happened. Even at the end, she still judged Darcy and labeled him without asking his opinion. I loved everything about this book except the main character.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read First Impressions last week and absolutely adored this delightful, modern re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice. It is a unique retelling, sending powerful, modern messages that are very much it’s own. I have always been a fan of Jane Austen and the themes she wove into the romantic plots of her books, so I am always intrigued to see how authors choose to translate her works and tropes into something new. Very often, due to the nature of the endeavor, the works are derivative and fall flat; that is not the case with First Impressions.

Although the author utilizes the original characters' names, their traits, personal histories, professions, struggles, and strengths were all crafted anew in service to the modern setting and the powerful themes addressed in the book. The author tackles issues of social justice head-on against the backdrop of Lizzy's job serving the homeless in Alberta, Canada. She is able to explore poverty and class inequality more explicitly in this book because of Lizzy's characterization. Other issues include sexual orientation, physical disabilities, religion, and abuse, which are all expertly woven into the original story, making this book worthwhile and compelling in its own right. It is Pride and Prejudice re-invented to deliver a healthy dose of lessons in modern social justice.

The writing is engaging, witty, and often humorous. The texting and Twitter threads grounded the story even more in our modern setting and way-of-life. The tension and eventual romance that develops between Lizzy and Darcy was sweet and natural, with just the right amount of steam at the end to match the tone of the book.

There is truly much to enjoy about First Impressions and I would highly recommend giving it a read!

[Sandra Guzdek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to counter the heaviness that the previous book left, so I picked this out of the archive on my Kindle. It's not very polished—I've seen more polished fan fiction—and there seemed to be a checklist of marginalized characters (not a bad thing, just seemed a bit too obvious initially). The dialogue was, at times, a bit forced to fit with the original Austen. At first, for all of these reasons, I was pretty dismissive.

But the more I read it, the more it grew on me. It's one of the more original re-homing of the tale that I've seen: Lizzy runs a homeless shelter, it takes place in Canada, and the multicultural aspect feels, after a while, a little less forced. There were points when I was actually misty-eyed. The ending was appropriately happy, as any tale between an Elizabeth Bennet and a (Fitz)William Darcy must be.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A version of Pride and Prejudice set in Edmonton? Of course I had to read this! Not written anywhere near the level of Austen’s beautiful prose, but an interesting vehicle to talk about the homeless and related issues. Some interesting takes on the classic characters and predicaments, making Jane an amputee, “Luke Charlotte” a semi-closeted gay man, and Georgiana a teen pop star. Plus plenty of mentions of genuine Edmonton institutions, the Oilers, and more.

[KP · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. It is very "modern", down to language and modern morals, but it feels true to the original characters while also being a great story in it's own right. I laugh a lot at books. I often want to just give characters a hug. But it's rare that they also make me cry, and this one did all three.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really enjoyable, modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. It's always fun to read adaptations like this because it just shows how truly timeless Jane Austen's stories really are. The details and settings might be different, but the themes and issues in her stories are very much relevant in the 21st century.

[collette mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

D ok d not want it to end

Love Lizzy reAlly enjoyed this tAke on p and p so refreshing a fallible character who spEaks her mind and cares for others

[Broughps · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up after 3 or 4 chapters. I don't have time for a foul mouthed Lizzie, a slutty Jane and anti religion. Austen would be appalled at this treatment of her beloved story.

[Laura Frey (Reading in Bed) · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important caveat to this review: this isn’t the type of book I would pick up on my own, so I was a little dubious from the get go. My long-term readers know I have certain… snobbish tendencies when it comes to literature, and the term “fan fiction” makes my skin crawl. Jane Austen fan fiction is an industry in its own right, moving out of the online shadows in recent years, with the success of mash ups like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and more literary rewrites like Death Comes to Pemberly. I thought I would give this a whirl as part of Austen in August, and after chatting on Twitter, author Krista D. Ball kindly gave me a review copy.

First (Wrong) Impressions gave me a case of just that; it didn’t end up being exactly what I thought it would at the start, and that’s a good thing, because my first impression was a paint-by-number retread of the source material, plopping 18th century characters into 21st century settings. As I pushed forward, my defenses were broken down by Ball’s humourous one-liners and, eventually, by her creativity in using very modern scenarios to show us a new side of Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennett.

Our Lizzy works in a homeless refuge, essentially a soup kitchen, in inner city Edmonton – my hometown, and Ball’s. We are immediately introduced to Lizzy’s BFF Lukas Charlotte (gay, natch) and sisters, aspiring actress Lydia (spot on,) super-geek Mary (I wish she’d been goth!) and sweet Jane, who is missing a leg as a result of a freak accident. Charles, his stuck up sister, and Darcy enter quickly as well – from Calgary (of course.) Oh, and there’s Darcy’s sister, faded pop star G’Anna. There was so much going on in the first section, without a strong voice to ground it, it all felt a little artificial to me. I almost felt like there was a checklist – let’s make on character Aboriginal! And one gay! And one disabled! Ball definitely has a social agenda that plays out in this story, and I found it too heavy handed at first.

I had a hard time warming up to Lizzy, possibly because the perspective was a little strange. The novel is narrated by a third person omniscient observer, much like P&P, but Lizzy’s voice creeps in from time to time. I hate to make the comparison, because I ended up enjoying this novel far more, but Lizzie’s voice reminded me of Ana from Fifty Shades of Grey at times. There are a lot of interjections like “Arg, what a jerk!” and “Oh crap.” (but no “oh my” or inner goddesses, thank goodness!) These parts confused me – is that the narrator commenting? Is it Lizzy? Are we in her head now?

Social issues are at the heart of this story, and Ball didn’t skimp – she covers class issues, homelessness, food security, gay rights, racism, and date rape, to name a few. The parts that rang true for me were the examinations of class struggle – very much a part of Austen’s works, and still relevant today. The restaurant scene was excruciating, as Lizzie realizes she can’t afford to eat with Darcy and his crew, at a swanky restaurant that I was picturing as Hardware Grill:

"She could do this, she thought. She had forty bucks in her bank account. She could easily get away with an entrée for that price. Lizzy calculated that she had another fifty or so left on her credit card, so she still had a small buffer in case she needed a taxi. She made a note to buy some bus tickets tomorrow, so she’d have a way around."

I was also surprised and impressed by the way Ball handled Lydia and Wickham’s unplanned pregnancy. I saw Lizzie and Lydia in a new light, and that’s what you want in an adaptation, right?

"And that was Lydia’s return. Untamed. Unashamed. Loud. Brash. Tactless. And Lizzy realized how much she loved her baby sister, no matter how much she disagreed with her."

By then end, when Liz and Darcy finally kiss (and more, it’s not the 18th century,) they’d won me over. If Austen adaptations are your thing, definitely give this a read. If they’re not, try it anyway – it’s a heck of a deal on Amazon and Kobo for $0.99 (limited time!)

[Janet Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read by this author. It is a current time "Pride and Prejudice" story. I enjoyed the story and characters. It held my interest and was a quick read. I will look for more by this author.