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Sisterhood #13
Under the Radar
The Sisterhood takes on a cult in this breathtaking thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Final Justice. A Sister’s work is never done—not when there are wrongs to right and underdogs to defend. Just returned to their mountaintop hideaway after their latest successful mission, the seven fearless friends enjoy a celebratory dinner and retire to bed. But within an hour, an alarm sounds, and the ladies rush into the compound in time to see Myra and their mentor, Charles, climbing aboard a helicopter. All that’s left is a mysterious note, signed by Charles. Still reeling, the Sisters receive an urgent call from retired justice Pearl Barnes. Pearl runs an underground railroad to help abused and displaced women, and she’s just rescued fourteen pregnant teenagers who belong to a highly secretive and controversial polygamy sect. But keeping the girls safe will require the kind of help only the Sisterhood can provide—if they can band together and go it alone . . . Series praise “Spunky women who fight for truth, justice, and the American way.”—Fresh Fiction on Final Justice “Readers will enjoy seeing what happens when well-funded, very angry women take the law into their own hands.”—Booklist on Weekend Warriors “Delectable . . . deliver[s] revenge that’s creatively swift and sweet, Michaels-style.”—Publishers Weekly on Hokus Pokus
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
987 people are currently reading
1989 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
426 books6,525 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
November 9, 2011
Thirteenth in the Sisterhood vengeance-suspense series based on a group of women seeking justice for those who can't find it in the existing legal system. This particular story takes part mostly in Utah.
My Take
This story is a perfect example of how stupid the women are! They have been going on forever and ever about how they don't need no steenking men and, in this story, when Charles takes off, they practically blackmail the guy into giving up his computer password because...listen up...they can't accomplish this next mission without...pay attention...Charles' contacts. Men.
That's another thing. Charles has a family crisis, admittedly, a family he didn't know existed, but still, a crisis. He's a nice guy. So how do the women react? You know, the women whom Charles has supported in their crises for years now??? They shit all over the poor guy.
Oh no. Please. Please, don't tell me that Charles Martin invented the title, "Her Royal Majesty"… Really? I didn't know one couldn't get a cup of coffee in England. I mean, I do enjoy the fact that tea used to be automatically served up in England the way servers automatically assume here in America that you drink coffee. But my ex-, an Englishman with an addiction to coffee, never had any trouble getting coffee. And the last time I was in England, it was a lot harder to find a cup of tea.
Oh, yeah. Right. Myra is threatening Charles with how her people will whip his people's ass. What a child she is! A bitchy, tantrum-throwing child. If Charles is smart, he'll never go back to her.
The entire story is one dithering, unplanned runaround after another. Thank god for one of Charles' MEN who is able to pull transportation together, handle the bad guys, and blow up the compound because it sure wouldn't have happened with this bunch of dithering idiots in charge!
There's the scene where the director of the FBI, Harry, Joe, and Jack have two sheriff deputies and the sheriff tied up and the sisters come out to harass the prisoners. Damn good thing they're planning on "doing away" with them or it just might leak out about the FBI's collusion with fugitives…!
Although, I'm still trying to figure out why it's so important to blow the compound up. The ladies are having the HOE men sign everything else over to them so why not simply have them sign this land over and keep the buildings?? I don't get it. I understand that it would be best to get the victims away from the place and the town that supported their actions, but they could have sold the place as is and used the money to help the victims.
That's it?? That's the brilliant plan with the pumpkins…??? Guess Michaels and her advisers ran out of wine.
Michaels makes me nuts. She just throws these scenarios out here and expects that they'll make sense. I swear, she must get together with some friends and get really drunk. Everyone then makes a suggestion and the stupider it is, the more likely it is to get used.
The Story
While on a mission, former Supreme Court Justice Pearl Barnes comes across a bus of pregnant teens in a ditch with a dead driver. Once Pearl ascertains the girls' origins, she boards them onto her bus and drives off to one of her safe houses. Naturally, even though Pearl has been handling clandestine groups of women and children for years, Pearl hasn't a clue what to do with the ladies and calls upon the Sisterhood for help. Too bad for Pearl that just that night, Charles received an urgent call taking him away from the Mountain.
Now Pearl is stuck with the Keystone Kops.
The Characters
Yup, everybody's here. Just in different ways. Charles Martin got a call from Liz about a son he never knew and takes off for England with Myra Rutledge just barely catching a ride and leaving the ladies on their own. Alexis and Joe Espinosa, one of the Post's reporters, are getting set up for a romance—looks like I was wrong when I thought a CIA operative, Chuck Dalton, from Collateral Damage was going to be with her. Lizzie Fox pulls in her new partner, Cosmo Cricket (lawyer for the Nevada Gaming Commission), to help out. Liz will be representing Marion Jennings and several other ladies who escaped from one of these cult compounds and ensuring their safety after the ladies have given their interviews as a further nail in the polygamous coffin.
Former Supreme Court Justice Pearl Barnes calls in the early morning hours just after Charles and Myra leave with her own crisis and the ladies spend hours dithering over Pearl's problem like a bunch of headless chickens when a fox is raiding the coop. The one practical action they manage is to call everyone on the second team so they can stir them up.
As Editor in Chief at the Washington Post, Maggie Spritzer supports the sisters with a barrage of front page articles lambasting the Heaven on Earth (HOE) polygamy cult pointing up the number of spiritual wives who are on welfare to the tune of well over half a million dollars per year, the number of grants paid by the government to them, the number of thirteen-year-old pregnant girls, and the very lavish lifestyle afforded HOE's Ermenegildo Zegna-wearing Prophet, Harold Evanrod, who drives a Bentley and their on-call doctor driving a Maybach worth over $400,000.
Avery Snowden is Charles' main go-to guy who heads up the behind-the-scenes operations; he also clues the ladies in on what it takes to run such an operation.
The Cover
The cover is just gorgeous with it's so very peaceful, moonlit lake edged in evergreens with that corner of a dock hosting an Adirondack chair. It has absolutely NO relation to the story so at least it's consistent to the inanity.
As for the title, oh puh-lease, there is practically nothing Under the Radar when it comes to the Sisterhood. A better title would have been Chaos in the Ranks or Plans 'R Not Us. Or maybe even Fashion Coordination 101, 'cause, y'know, it's so important to be coordinated when one is about to invade a religious compound.
My Take
This story is a perfect example of how stupid the women are! They have been going on forever and ever about how they don't need no steenking men and, in this story, when Charles takes off, they practically blackmail the guy into giving up his computer password because...listen up...they can't accomplish this next mission without...pay attention...Charles' contacts. Men.
That's another thing. Charles has a family crisis, admittedly, a family he didn't know existed, but still, a crisis. He's a nice guy. So how do the women react? You know, the women whom Charles has supported in their crises for years now??? They shit all over the poor guy.
Oh no. Please. Please, don't tell me that Charles Martin invented the title, "Her Royal Majesty"… Really? I didn't know one couldn't get a cup of coffee in England. I mean, I do enjoy the fact that tea used to be automatically served up in England the way servers automatically assume here in America that you drink coffee. But my ex-, an Englishman with an addiction to coffee, never had any trouble getting coffee. And the last time I was in England, it was a lot harder to find a cup of tea.
Oh, yeah. Right. Myra is threatening Charles with how her people will whip his people's ass. What a child she is! A bitchy, tantrum-throwing child. If Charles is smart, he'll never go back to her.
The entire story is one dithering, unplanned runaround after another. Thank god for one of Charles' MEN who is able to pull transportation together, handle the bad guys, and blow up the compound because it sure wouldn't have happened with this bunch of dithering idiots in charge!
There's the scene where the director of the FBI, Harry, Joe, and Jack have two sheriff deputies and the sheriff tied up and the sisters come out to harass the prisoners. Damn good thing they're planning on "doing away" with them or it just might leak out about the FBI's collusion with fugitives…!
Although, I'm still trying to figure out why it's so important to blow the compound up. The ladies are having the HOE men sign everything else over to them so why not simply have them sign this land over and keep the buildings?? I don't get it. I understand that it would be best to get the victims away from the place and the town that supported their actions, but they could have sold the place as is and used the money to help the victims.
That's it?? That's the brilliant plan with the pumpkins…??? Guess Michaels and her advisers ran out of wine.
Michaels makes me nuts. She just throws these scenarios out here and expects that they'll make sense. I swear, she must get together with some friends and get really drunk. Everyone then makes a suggestion and the stupider it is, the more likely it is to get used.
The Story
While on a mission, former Supreme Court Justice Pearl Barnes comes across a bus of pregnant teens in a ditch with a dead driver. Once Pearl ascertains the girls' origins, she boards them onto her bus and drives off to one of her safe houses. Naturally, even though Pearl has been handling clandestine groups of women and children for years, Pearl hasn't a clue what to do with the ladies and calls upon the Sisterhood for help. Too bad for Pearl that just that night, Charles received an urgent call taking him away from the Mountain.
Now Pearl is stuck with the Keystone Kops.
The Characters
Yup, everybody's here. Just in different ways. Charles Martin got a call from Liz about a son he never knew and takes off for England with Myra Rutledge just barely catching a ride and leaving the ladies on their own. Alexis and Joe Espinosa, one of the Post's reporters, are getting set up for a romance—looks like I was wrong when I thought a CIA operative, Chuck Dalton, from Collateral Damage was going to be with her. Lizzie Fox pulls in her new partner, Cosmo Cricket (lawyer for the Nevada Gaming Commission), to help out. Liz will be representing Marion Jennings and several other ladies who escaped from one of these cult compounds and ensuring their safety after the ladies have given their interviews as a further nail in the polygamous coffin.
Former Supreme Court Justice Pearl Barnes calls in the early morning hours just after Charles and Myra leave with her own crisis and the ladies spend hours dithering over Pearl's problem like a bunch of headless chickens when a fox is raiding the coop. The one practical action they manage is to call everyone on the second team so they can stir them up.
As Editor in Chief at the Washington Post, Maggie Spritzer supports the sisters with a barrage of front page articles lambasting the Heaven on Earth (HOE) polygamy cult pointing up the number of spiritual wives who are on welfare to the tune of well over half a million dollars per year, the number of grants paid by the government to them, the number of thirteen-year-old pregnant girls, and the very lavish lifestyle afforded HOE's Ermenegildo Zegna-wearing Prophet, Harold Evanrod, who drives a Bentley and their on-call doctor driving a Maybach worth over $400,000.
Avery Snowden is Charles' main go-to guy who heads up the behind-the-scenes operations; he also clues the ladies in on what it takes to run such an operation.
The Cover
The cover is just gorgeous with it's so very peaceful, moonlit lake edged in evergreens with that corner of a dock hosting an Adirondack chair. It has absolutely NO relation to the story so at least it's consistent to the inanity.
As for the title, oh puh-lease, there is practically nothing Under the Radar when it comes to the Sisterhood. A better title would have been Chaos in the Ranks or Plans 'R Not Us. Or maybe even Fashion Coordination 101, 'cause, y'know, it's so important to be coordinated when one is about to invade a religious compound.
February 7, 2012
Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
The seven women making up the Sisterhood have just returned to their mountain command center when their chief coordinator, Charles Martin, and mentor, Myra Rutledge, are called away in the middle of the night for a family emergency. Shortly after they leave, the Sisters receive a phone call from former judge Pearl Barnes who has just happened across a stranded bus full of pregnant teens. As it turns out, these girls are part of a polygamist sect. The Sisters step in to aid in rescuing the teens and plot to take down the leader of their sect in a scandal ripped from today’s headlines. It will take everything they have to handle this case, especially with the head of their operation incommunicado.
I liked the premise of Under the Radar and it started out in typical Sisterhood style with a little bit of fluff, several empowered females and adventure to spare. However, once the Sisterhood gets to the compound, everything falls apart. I have a whole laundry list of issues with the book, which can only be presented in atypical style for me.
1. It’s camouflage!” not “speckled suits.” I find it extremely hard to believe that a presumably intelligent man (a lawyer or reporter – I forget who it was in that scene) in his 30s (what I’m estimating the age) would have never heard of camouflage and not know what to call it.
2. I was highly offended by the derogatory impression given of the National Guard in Under the Radar. The characters referred to them as “pretend soldiers” who never do anything, are all overweight and women who put on makeup with a trowel. What is this… propaganda? I almost quit the book right then and there.
3. If one more character snarled or gave an evil laugh or an evil smile, I think I would have screamed! Not to mention all the “love of his (her) lifes” used throughout the novel.
4. I was appalled at the way the Sisters treated the women in the cult compound. The women in the compound have lived there for their entire lives and were subject to such severe brain washing and emotional abuse that they didn’t know how to respond any other way than they did. Yet the Sisters kept calling them stupid, calling them other names, insulting them, and physically abusing the women for living the only life they knew how to live. The women in the compound truly did not know that what they were doing was wrong. That was all they’d ever known. They have never lived outside the compound so they had no way of realizing that their way of life was so horrible and what they were doing was so terribly wrong. Yes it was wrong, I don’t ever condone that type of behavior. However people subject to that kind of torture would have absolutely no idea of that. To have the “heroines” treating them so abusively actually disgusted me. I don’t care if the book is fiction or not. The Sisters’ behavior was anything BUT heroic in the second half of the book and I was repulsed.
5. Can someone explain to me how someone who has never driven an 18-wheeler in their life would be able to climb up into the cab, with a full trailer attached and just drive? There’s no way they’d be able to steer and maneuver it properly to get it where they wanted it on the first try. Impossible
6. Enough about the pumpkins already! There was absolutely no need to keep talking about the blasted pumpkins and have them as a part of the “plan.” I was so sick of hearing about them that if I had read Under the Radar at Halloween time, I’d not even be able to stand seeing them in the stores I was so sick of hearing about them!
I was so turned off by Under the Radar I don’t know as I even want to continue in the Revenge of the Sisterhood series after this one. I’m sorry Fern Michaels but this book was so far below standard for you, it should never have been published like this! If this is the future of the series, then it is best ended right now.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2010. All rights reserved.
The seven women making up the Sisterhood have just returned to their mountain command center when their chief coordinator, Charles Martin, and mentor, Myra Rutledge, are called away in the middle of the night for a family emergency. Shortly after they leave, the Sisters receive a phone call from former judge Pearl Barnes who has just happened across a stranded bus full of pregnant teens. As it turns out, these girls are part of a polygamist sect. The Sisters step in to aid in rescuing the teens and plot to take down the leader of their sect in a scandal ripped from today’s headlines. It will take everything they have to handle this case, especially with the head of their operation incommunicado.
I liked the premise of Under the Radar and it started out in typical Sisterhood style with a little bit of fluff, several empowered females and adventure to spare. However, once the Sisterhood gets to the compound, everything falls apart. I have a whole laundry list of issues with the book, which can only be presented in atypical style for me.
1. It’s camouflage!” not “speckled suits.” I find it extremely hard to believe that a presumably intelligent man (a lawyer or reporter – I forget who it was in that scene) in his 30s (what I’m estimating the age) would have never heard of camouflage and not know what to call it.
2. I was highly offended by the derogatory impression given of the National Guard in Under the Radar. The characters referred to them as “pretend soldiers” who never do anything, are all overweight and women who put on makeup with a trowel. What is this… propaganda? I almost quit the book right then and there.
3. If one more character snarled or gave an evil laugh or an evil smile, I think I would have screamed! Not to mention all the “love of his (her) lifes” used throughout the novel.
4. I was appalled at the way the Sisters treated the women in the cult compound. The women in the compound have lived there for their entire lives and were subject to such severe brain washing and emotional abuse that they didn’t know how to respond any other way than they did. Yet the Sisters kept calling them stupid, calling them other names, insulting them, and physically abusing the women for living the only life they knew how to live. The women in the compound truly did not know that what they were doing was wrong. That was all they’d ever known. They have never lived outside the compound so they had no way of realizing that their way of life was so horrible and what they were doing was so terribly wrong. Yes it was wrong, I don’t ever condone that type of behavior. However people subject to that kind of torture would have absolutely no idea of that. To have the “heroines” treating them so abusively actually disgusted me. I don’t care if the book is fiction or not. The Sisters’ behavior was anything BUT heroic in the second half of the book and I was repulsed.
5. Can someone explain to me how someone who has never driven an 18-wheeler in their life would be able to climb up into the cab, with a full trailer attached and just drive? There’s no way they’d be able to steer and maneuver it properly to get it where they wanted it on the first try. Impossible
6. Enough about the pumpkins already! There was absolutely no need to keep talking about the blasted pumpkins and have them as a part of the “plan.” I was so sick of hearing about them that if I had read Under the Radar at Halloween time, I’d not even be able to stand seeing them in the stores I was so sick of hearing about them!
I was so turned off by Under the Radar I don’t know as I even want to continue in the Revenge of the Sisterhood series after this one. I’m sorry Fern Michaels but this book was so far below standard for you, it should never have been published like this! If this is the future of the series, then it is best ended right now.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2010. All rights reserved.
August 20, 2009
Well, that's two days of my life i'm never getting back. Forced and unbelievable characterization and stilted dialog throughout. Terrible!
December 21, 2013
I am not sure why I keep reading this series. The writing is not great, the story is all over the place and the dialogue is ridiculous at times. I guess I am hoping that the series will return to how great the first few books were. So far though, that isn't happening. The earlier books spent more time into the planning of the revenge and the revenge itself. As this series progresses though it seems like a lot of meaningless babble and very little on the juicy revenge/justice on the people deserving it that we all want to read about and which was prominent in the first books. And in previous books it seemed to be the revenge concentrated on someone, usually just one person that deserved it, for a terrible thing he/she had done. This one was just mean, to a lot of people that were trapped in a lifestyle they were born into and not so easy to escape from. Yes, some bad decisions were made by then, but that was all they knew. They needed empathy and understanding and instead of helping them, they destroyed the only life they knew, took their kids and walked away.
And I long for the fantastic writing of the Texas series. Or cinders to satin. And the sins of omission. It doesn't even seem like they were written by this same author. Those books were among the best I have ever read. It seems more about pumping out more books other than being concerned about the quality of them.
I think this author needs to put this series to rest or get some new material.
And I long for the fantastic writing of the Texas series. Or cinders to satin. And the sins of omission. It doesn't even seem like they were written by this same author. Those books were among the best I have ever read. It seems more about pumping out more books other than being concerned about the quality of them.
I think this author needs to put this series to rest or get some new material.
June 9, 2023
Under the Radar
What can I say these books just keep getting better and better. Always looking forward to the next one so that I can dig myself in to the plot.
What can I say these books just keep getting better and better. Always looking forward to the next one so that I can dig myself in to the plot.
August 12, 2009
This is the 13th book in the Sisterhood series, featuring a group of women who have formed a sort of secret vigilante group. If you haven't read any of the series yet, I wouldn't recommend starting with this one, as I didn't feel it was very strong. Okay if you already know the characters, not so much if you're new to the series.
The book starts off by the vigilantes losing Charles, their main strategist, as he heads off to deal with a personal crisis. Myra, his lady love, goes with him at the last minute. Their's is a secondary story, but it wasn't very satisfying and I didn't really like it. Didn't feel right for some reason, especially how it ended.
The main story is the remaining women taking on their first "mission" without Charles leading the way. They have to come up with their own plan, transportation, support system, and exit strategy for the very first time. Actually, they don't do too bad, but some things were a little too easy. Plus, for a group of intelligent women who have already completed several successful missions, they seemed a little clueless at times. And Jack and Harry's behavior was downright annoying.
While I in no way, shape, or form condone polygomy, I didn't like the way the polygomists were portrayed in this story. Yes, the men were slime for brainwashing and treating the women this way, but there were too many sterotypes running around. And the way the Sisters treated the women at the end was uncalled for and a little mean-spirited. Not very Sister-like at all.
All in all, didn't feel that the plot was as well done as past books in the series. Fern Michaels is a better writer than this, so not sure what went wrong. Maybe it's time for the Sisters to retire and have Fern move on to other series. They could do cameos every now and again, but don't think they are strong enough to continue on their own any longer.
Only gave this one 3 out of 5 stars, as it was a disappointment. I will no doubt read the next book, should there be one, but I hope the Sisters get their act together by then.
The book starts off by the vigilantes losing Charles, their main strategist, as he heads off to deal with a personal crisis. Myra, his lady love, goes with him at the last minute. Their's is a secondary story, but it wasn't very satisfying and I didn't really like it. Didn't feel right for some reason, especially how it ended.
The main story is the remaining women taking on their first "mission" without Charles leading the way. They have to come up with their own plan, transportation, support system, and exit strategy for the very first time. Actually, they don't do too bad, but some things were a little too easy. Plus, for a group of intelligent women who have already completed several successful missions, they seemed a little clueless at times. And Jack and Harry's behavior was downright annoying.
While I in no way, shape, or form condone polygomy, I didn't like the way the polygomists were portrayed in this story. Yes, the men were slime for brainwashing and treating the women this way, but there were too many sterotypes running around. And the way the Sisters treated the women at the end was uncalled for and a little mean-spirited. Not very Sister-like at all.
All in all, didn't feel that the plot was as well done as past books in the series. Fern Michaels is a better writer than this, so not sure what went wrong. Maybe it's time for the Sisters to retire and have Fern move on to other series. They could do cameos every now and again, but don't think they are strong enough to continue on their own any longer.
Only gave this one 3 out of 5 stars, as it was a disappointment. I will no doubt read the next book, should there be one, but I hope the Sisters get their act together by then.
May 25, 2009
This wasn't quite as strong a book as he prior sisterhood novels.
Charles is called back to England when a son he didn't know existed is hospitalized with possibly fatal trauma incurred while testing aircraft for the British government.
Meanwhile, a mission comes up involving young teenage brides in a polygamist compound. The Sisters decide to take on the misssion with Annie and Nicki stepping in as planners. It's a bumpier ride without Charles' years of experience as an undercover agent.
Charles is called back to England when a son he didn't know existed is hospitalized with possibly fatal trauma incurred while testing aircraft for the British government.
Meanwhile, a mission comes up involving young teenage brides in a polygamist compound. The Sisters decide to take on the misssion with Annie and Nicki stepping in as planners. It's a bumpier ride without Charles' years of experience as an undercover agent.
February 18, 2011
I did not enjoy this book. I found myself rolling my eyes in exasperation again & again. I thought their interactions - especially with each other - were *extremely* abrasive. Their dependence on Charles for everything from missions to meals was beyond annoying. Their bickering like children & being treated as such was stupid. Their mission & grandstanding was sickening. Come on, Fern! Get off the testosterone show-boat & give us back the sisterhood!
March 18, 2011
Interesting twist doing a "job" without Charles. I've always been a succor for a Brit! The story develops and we become concerned what's going on with Charles too. Not my favorite, but it is a decent read.
November 13, 2024
It's 3am, and a black hawk helicopter has landed at the Sisterhood mountaintop retreat. Charles and Myra climb aboard and are whisked off across the pond. At loose ends without their handler, the Sisters aren't sure how to proceed. But when a call comes in from retired justice Pearl Barnes for assistance, the Sisters scramble to pull themselves together and assemble a plan to assist the Judge. Calling in all the people they know, including Charles' go-to guy, the Sisters, plus a few gents, head toward Pearl and a highly secretive and controversial polygamy sect who the Judge unknowingly pissed off by saving 13 pregnant teenagers from the side of the road and potential harm. Unwilling to let the leader of the sect, the disgusting men, and brainwashed women continue to hurt young girls and children, the Sisterhood takes on the sect vigilante style. But without Charles's guidance, can they successfully complete this or any mission?
Now, this is justice that needs to be handed out a bit more, in my opinion. In the book, Michaels has one of the sisters, Isabel, initially excuse herself from the mission using the argument of freedom of religion and free speech. However, upon further research, Isabel changed her mind and joined the mission. What these sects are doing is a perversion of freedom of speech and religion, and the men running them should be treated to justice.
Now, this is justice that needs to be handed out a bit more, in my opinion. In the book, Michaels has one of the sisters, Isabel, initially excuse herself from the mission using the argument of freedom of religion and free speech. However, upon further research, Isabel changed her mind and joined the mission. What these sects are doing is a perversion of freedom of speech and religion, and the men running them should be treated to justice.
February 2, 2025
Early one morning on the mountain, the sisterhood woke up to the alarms. They found Charles ready to get on a helicopter. Myra got on with him at the last minute. The only thing the girls knew was they were gone. They didn't know why, where, or how long. All they could do was wait to be called.
They were very angry at Charles for not telling them anything.
While they were mulling over the situation, they got an emergency call from Pearl Barnes. The former Supreme Court Justice now ran her underground system of moving abused women and children away from their abusers forever. Now, she was taking a group of women and children to a safe house in utah when she came across a broken down bus. Here she found fourteen pregnant teenagers who were from a polygamy sect in the area. She got them on her bus and drove to her next safe house. However, she knew in the search that followed, the girls would be found and returned to the preacher of the sect. They managed to get the abused women and children moved to a safe location before the sisters arrived. They were forced to give the girls back to the sect; however, now with the help of their man, they set out to retrieve the girls and release all the women and children in the sect and help break up the polygamy sect.
They were very angry at Charles for not telling them anything.
While they were mulling over the situation, they got an emergency call from Pearl Barnes. The former Supreme Court Justice now ran her underground system of moving abused women and children away from their abusers forever. Now, she was taking a group of women and children to a safe house in utah when she came across a broken down bus. Here she found fourteen pregnant teenagers who were from a polygamy sect in the area. She got them on her bus and drove to her next safe house. However, she knew in the search that followed, the girls would be found and returned to the preacher of the sect. They managed to get the abused women and children moved to a safe location before the sisters arrived. They were forced to give the girls back to the sect; however, now with the help of their man, they set out to retrieve the girls and release all the women and children in the sect and help break up the polygamy sect.
February 17, 2024
I don't give away spoilers in my reviews.
Oh how I love this series! I stumbled upon another newer book in the series a while ago and have picked up every book I see that is in the series. I love the Sisterhood and this was yet another fantastic book.
I don't know if I could pick a favorite sister in the sisterhood. I like them all and love how much they love each other. I also love the humor the men in their lives bring to the stories.
A bus of pregnant underage girls from a polygamy cult are picked up by Pearl to be saved from the cult. I really liked reading more about Pearl in this book and can see why she's part of the sisters' second string.
This book is fast-paced and I spent the day reading it. I know when I start a Sisterhood book, that I will not be doing much else until I finish it, includint sleeping. The story of Under the Radar is so intense, action-packed, funny at times and sad at others.
Charles and Myra also have a story in this book and it's a tough one. They are two of my favorite characters and I was anxious for their story.
However, this book ends exactly as it should. I can't wait to read another one.
Oh how I love this series! I stumbled upon another newer book in the series a while ago and have picked up every book I see that is in the series. I love the Sisterhood and this was yet another fantastic book.
I don't know if I could pick a favorite sister in the sisterhood. I like them all and love how much they love each other. I also love the humor the men in their lives bring to the stories.
A bus of pregnant underage girls from a polygamy cult are picked up by Pearl to be saved from the cult. I really liked reading more about Pearl in this book and can see why she's part of the sisters' second string.
This book is fast-paced and I spent the day reading it. I know when I start a Sisterhood book, that I will not be doing much else until I finish it, includint sleeping. The story of Under the Radar is so intense, action-packed, funny at times and sad at others.
Charles and Myra also have a story in this book and it's a tough one. They are two of my favorite characters and I was anxious for their story.
However, this book ends exactly as it should. I can't wait to read another one.
May 22, 2024
Good. I gave it three stars instead of four due to my personal system, which is that four stars and above are things I may want to reread.
I thought this was a really good unit in the series in that it's always good to see what happens when a main character can't play their usual role.
I was not particularly happy with the aspect of the book that involved the vigilantes making choices for other people about how other people are going to live their lives. I'm trying to be very vague so that I don't create spoilers. This is something, that I've learned as I've gotten older, so perhaps it's wisdom. Just because you don't approve of the choices someone else has made, just because you wouldn't live the life they have chosen or landed in, just because they are in circumstances that would make you unhappy, doesn't mean you have the right to step in and re-order their life. It's true some people do need help. But it makes a difference if you're helping someone because they've asked for help, or if you're being self-righteous and interfering in another person's life.
I thought this was a really good unit in the series in that it's always good to see what happens when a main character can't play their usual role.
I was not particularly happy with the aspect of the book that involved the vigilantes making choices for other people about how other people are going to live their lives. I'm trying to be very vague so that I don't create spoilers. This is something, that I've learned as I've gotten older, so perhaps it's wisdom. Just because you don't approve of the choices someone else has made, just because you wouldn't live the life they have chosen or landed in, just because they are in circumstances that would make you unhappy, doesn't mean you have the right to step in and re-order their life. It's true some people do need help. But it makes a difference if you're helping someone because they've asked for help, or if you're being self-righteous and interfering in another person's life.
July 24, 2024
Charles finds out he has a son. Up until that point, he didn’t know. His son is near death. He flies off on a mission tied into his newly found son’s death. He just left leaving Myra without real explanation. Meanwhile, the sisterhood has a mission in Utah. They need to rescue several under age pregnant girls living in a polygamist colony. The young girls have been brainwashed not to speak or go with strangers. So, they did not cooperate. There was no-one n charge of the sisterhood. They had no real plan, organization, and it was chaos. Eventually, they were able to bring down the leaders of the polygamist colony, redistribute their money and destroyed their compound. Myra returned to the mountain alone leaving Charles behind.
February 7, 2023
Shakeup
There are no words to the polygamist story in this book. It is so unbelievable the way the women and children were treated. Thank goodness for the Sisterhood and the small accomplishment they were able to obtain for the children to get them out of the terrible compound... And then Charles and Myra flying to London on such an urgent matter.. Fingers crossed that Charles gets back to Myra... On to the next book in the series..
the polygamist story this book contains..
There are no words to the polygamist story in this book. It is so unbelievable the way the women and children were treated. Thank goodness for the Sisterhood and the small accomplishment they were able to obtain for the children to get them out of the terrible compound... And then Charles and Myra flying to London on such an urgent matter.. Fingers crossed that Charles gets back to Myra... On to the next book in the series..
the polygamist story this book contains..
September 9, 2023
Too Young!
This is just one of Fern Michael’s Sisterhood series. They are all wonderful. It makes more sense to read them starting with the first book; but, you can read them alone too. This story is about a cult that “The Vigilantes” take on to prevent a 13-year old from getting pregnant by an older man who she was married to procreate only. Great story - just as the rest of the series!
This is just one of Fern Michael’s Sisterhood series. They are all wonderful. It makes more sense to read them starting with the first book; but, you can read them alone too. This story is about a cult that “The Vigilantes” take on to prevent a 13-year old from getting pregnant by an older man who she was married to procreate only. Great story - just as the rest of the series!
April 22, 2025
This is the second book in my entire life that I quit reading before I finished, and I've powered through some doozies. The only other being Tolkien, ecause I just couldn't grudge through the endless wordiness. 100 pages in and absolutely nothing is happening in this book. A flurry of preparation, and like 3 pages of actual progress.... I wish I had checked reviews before I spent money on this. Even a dollar was too much. 0/10.
November 9, 2016
I very much enjoy this series.The last book faltered for me, but this one was right back on track. The characters were mostly together throughout, and that creates the best dynamic. It moved quickly, had plenty of action, some good wit, and dealt with a touchy subject in the way that we all wish it could be handled. Yay for the sisterhood.
July 6, 2017
another adventure of the sisterhood. This adventure has the women rescuing 14 pregnant teenaged girls from a polygamy sect. The girls are taken to a safe house. Charles, the planner of previous missions, is away so all the strategies for breaking up the compound of the Prophet is up to the girls which keeps them on their toes.
June 17, 2018
this is one of the tear jerkers when Charles has to leave in a Helicopter suddengly- again. He works for his Majesty in England and can never say no when she contact him. The girls get really pissed but receives a call from Pearl who runs an unground railroad to help abused and displaced women.
Another must read. Shoot - all her books are must reads.
Another must read. Shoot - all her books are must reads.
January 4, 2020
What Plan?
This was an interesting book. One cannot quit figure out how the mission will be a success since Charles and Myra are not involve. The sisters have to develop a plan, find out how to contact Charles contacts and complete the mission. Well what a large task and was it successful?
This was an interesting book. One cannot quit figure out how the mission will be a success since Charles and Myra are not involve. The sisters have to develop a plan, find out how to contact Charles contacts and complete the mission. Well what a large task and was it successful?
May 31, 2020
Although I enjoy a good adventure with the Sisterhood, this installment lacked the excitement that I have found in the previous books. Without Myra and Charles, the Sisterhood and crew are left on their own to help a friend in need. Taking over polygamists' compound and freeing the children pulls at the heartstrings.
October 3, 2020
This is addictive!!
I love everyone one of Sisterhood books. Perfect binge reading and relaxing.each book is different but the characters are the same. This author has created people who are very real.
I love every book, I do not look forward to reading the entire series. I'm on book 14 and do not look forward to reading the last one.
I love everyone one of Sisterhood books. Perfect binge reading and relaxing.each book is different but the characters are the same. This author has created people who are very real.
I love every book, I do not look forward to reading the entire series. I'm on book 14 and do not look forward to reading the last one.
July 23, 2021
Under the Radar
Another great book in the sisterhood series by Fern Michaels. This writer has it all, when it comes to writing interesting books and stories. I thoroughly recommend reading any of her books as they are all great reads. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
Another great book in the sisterhood series by Fern Michaels. This writer has it all, when it comes to writing interesting books and stories. I thoroughly recommend reading any of her books as they are all great reads. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
August 16, 2021
Go Girls Go
These ladies are the smartest people I have ever read, seen or heard about. They can get ready to take down bad people with the barest of plans! They bounce ideas and tricks between themselves and then put a semi-sort of a plan into action as if they don’t have a worry in the world!! How they are able to get by without a bulletproof plan boggles minds!!
These ladies are the smartest people I have ever read, seen or heard about. They can get ready to take down bad people with the barest of plans! They bounce ideas and tricks between themselves and then put a semi-sort of a plan into action as if they don’t have a worry in the world!! How they are able to get by without a bulletproof plan boggles minds!!
December 20, 2021
Again!
Another very cool Sisterhood story. I felt bad for Charles and I really hope he's not gone forever. I feel like he is a very crucial character to this series. The total of all he contributes is beyond inspiring, admirable and lovable! The ladies really get into a chaotic situation this time.
Another very cool Sisterhood story. I felt bad for Charles and I really hope he's not gone forever. I feel like he is a very crucial character to this series. The total of all he contributes is beyond inspiring, admirable and lovable! The ladies really get into a chaotic situation this time.
February 16, 2022
Interesting storyline with focus on religious cults spread over many characters within their own dramas... fast paced, suspenseful, truly enjoyable -- a running series that, read in between other books, takes me a few moments to re-establish the main characters but soon I find myself settling in and familiar with them all again. Great series!
February 19, 2022
Why I keep reading this series? I don’t know…maybe it’s the women bound together? Maybe it’s there are too many jerks out there who need to be brought to justice? Maybe it’s I need an escape from the “real world”?
I’m glad I kept on reading, this book was a little different than the others, I enjoyed it!
I’m glad I kept on reading, this book was a little different than the others, I enjoyed it!
June 12, 2022
Wow,just wow!!
Who knew the ladies could get a plan together without Charles!! He and Myra have been whisked of to England for an emergency situation with his son. Who knew?? The ladies take down a polygamy sect on their own. Myra comes back without Charles. They vote to work on their own.
Who knew the ladies could get a plan together without Charles!! He and Myra have been whisked of to England for an emergency situation with his son. Who knew?? The ladies take down a polygamy sect on their own. Myra comes back without Charles. They vote to work on their own.
September 20, 2023
Still a pretty good book
While IIkeda the book, there was something missing in this story. I can't put my finger on what it is, just it wasn't as fun to read. Most of the books in this series you just have a hard time putting g down. This one wasn't one of them. It's still a good read, just something missing.
While IIkeda the book, there was something missing in this story. I can't put my finger on what it is, just it wasn't as fun to read. Most of the books in this series you just have a hard time putting g down. This one wasn't one of them. It's still a good read, just something missing.
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