Summers & Swan - A new book - Looking For Madeleine

[Alice Purjorick]

Is there anything more to say about this book after 69 pages?  The sceptics think it's biased crap, the non-sceptics think it's the most definitive and objective account available on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, what else can we bring to the thread?

For once I agree with Alfred wheeeeeee mark it on 't' calendar.
To steal from Faithlilly, the book is like the curates egg; good in parts whichever side of the fence we are on.
Some swear by it others swear at it.

[Anna]

I think Stephen was trying to say that a number of positive reviews were written by people with no previous history of reviewing books.

And that there was some sort of "pro" orchestration to "big-up" the book ...

Couldn't resist....I have checked all reviews  Results:-

1 star....................7/49 had reviewed another book..........8/49 Purchase verified

5 star....................8/28 had reviewed another book..........8/28 Purchase verified


What do the figures tell you?

Please check and correct me if wrong

[Alfred R Jones]

Couldn't resist....I have checked all reviews  Results:-

1 star....................7/49 had reviewed another book..........8/49 Purchase verified

5 star....................8/28 had reviewed another book..........8/28 Purchase verified


What do the figures tell you?

Please check and correct me if wrong

It tells me that if Amazon reverted to only allowing reviews from verified purchasers that the book would have 3.5 stars instead of 2.5 stars (there are also 3 out of 5 verified 4 star purchasers).

[ferryman]

It tells me that if Amazon reverted to only allowing reviews from verified purchasers that the book would have 3.5 stars instead of 2.5 stars (there are also 3 out of 5 verified 4 star purchasers).

I gave the book 4 stars and I have certainly read it.

But I didn't buy it from Amazon, so I am one of the 'non-verified' 4 star reviewers ...

[Anna]

I gave the book 4 stars and I have certainly read it.

But I didn't buy it from Amazon, so I am one of the 'non-verified' 4 star reviewers ...

I suppose it is reasonable that some others bought the book elsewhere too FM, but I believe it was said that the 5 star raters had not reviewed another book, but 28.6% had reviewed another book,
whereas of the 1 star raters only 14.3% had reviewed another book.

[stephen25000]

I suppose it is reasonable that some others bought the book elsewhere too FM, but I believe it was said that the 5 star raters had not reviewed another book, but 28.6 had reviewed another book,
whereas of the 1 star raters only 14.3 had reviewed another book.

Where is the book in the sales charts, after a mere 3 weeks ?

[Anna]

Where is the book in the sales charts, after a mere 3 weeks ?

You must search for that Stephen, but it was described as modest a week ago.

[Alfred R Jones]

Sales of this book have been deliberately harmed on Amazon by "sceptics" so it's no wonder the book is not doing well.  Nothing to do with the quality of the book itself.  One star reviews have a greater impact on online sales than 5 star reviews as this study suggests http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/30162409?uid=3738032&uid=2460338175&uid=2460337935&uid=2&uid=4&uid=83&uid=63&sid=21104788689177. So, congratulations "sceptics", you've done damage to the authors' livelihoods, you must be delighted!

[Alfred R Jones]

An interesting article which explains the damage that malicious one star reviews can do to a book's sales on Amazon http://www.forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2012/08/28/fake-reviews-amazons-rotten-core/

[stephen25000]

Sales of this book have been deliberately harmed on Amazon by "sceptics" so it's no wonder the book is not doing well.  Nothing to do with the quality of the book itself.  One star reviews have a greater impact on online sales than 5 star reviews as this study suggests http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/30162409?uid=3738032&uid=2460338175&uid=2460337935&uid=2&uid=4&uid=83&uid=63&sid=21104788689177. So, congratulations "sceptics", you've done damage to the authors' livelihoods, you must be delighted!

Bullshi##e.

The book from what I've read of it  is little more than a love letter to the mccanns.

Actually the word I would use is nauseating.

IMO of course.

[Carana]

Bullshi##e.

The book from what I've read of it  is little more than a love letter to the mccanns.

Actually the word I would use is nauseating.

IMO of course.

Does that mean you've read it or you haven't?

[Brietta]

An interesting article which explains the damage that malicious one star reviews can do to a book's sales on Amazon http://www.forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2012/08/28/fake-reviews-amazons-rotten-core/

Thanks for that link, Alfred, someone should have told poor old Charles that all an author really had to do was arrange to have false reviews posted on Amazon to boost his sales ... and conversely if there was an author around whose sales he wished to damage arrange false reviews saying how rubbish the book is.

I think it gives an indication of the character of people who are prepared to mount a campaign of spite to write false reviews on Amazon because research by the authors of LOOKING For MADELEINE did not turn up one iota of evidence that Madeleine's parents were involved in her disappearance.

Charles Saatchi sent one of Nigella Lawson’s personal assistants out four times a week to buy copies of his own book to send it up the bestsellers list, a court was told on Friday.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/charles-saatchi-made-me-buy-his-book-to-boost-it-up-charts-and-nigella-lawson-let-the-children-smoke-weed-pa-tells-court-9003590.html

[faithlilly]

Thanks for that link, Alfred, someone should have told poor old Charles that all an author really had to do was arrange to have false reviews posted on Amazon to boost his sales ... and conversely if there was an author around whose sales he wished to damage arrange false reviews saying how rubbish the book is.

I think it gives an indication of the character of people who are prepared to mount a campaign of spite to write false reviews on Amazon because research by the authors of LOOKING For MADELEINE did not turn up one iota of evidence that Madeleine's parents were involved in her disappearance.

Charles Saatchi sent one of Nigella Lawson’s personal assistants out four times a week to buy copies of his own book to send it up the bestsellers list, a court was told on Friday.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/charles-saatchi-made-me-buy-his-book-to-boost-it-up-charts-and-nigella-lawson-let-the-children-smoke-weed-pa-tells-court-9003590.html

To find evidence you must first look for it Brietta.

[faithlilly]

I can't find a detailed reference to David Payne's visit to the McCann apartment at 6.30 in Summers book and wondered if anyone else can ? There is only a brief mention that he had seen Madeleine earlier in the evening of the 3rd but no time is mentioned or any details. Of course I could have simply missed it but  it does seem rather strange that the last sighting of Madeleine by anyone other than her parents has been marginalised in Summers book and totally left out of the Crimewatch reconstruction.

[jassi]

Almost as if it never happened.