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Real World
by Natsuo KirinoA stunning new work of the feminist noir that Natsuo Kirino defined and made her own in her novelsOutandGrotesque. In a crowded residential suburb on the outskirts of Tokyo, four teenage girls indifferently wade their way through a hot, smoggy summer and endless “cram school” sessions meant to ensure entry into good colleges. There’s Toshi, the dependable one; Terauchi, the great student; Yuzan, the sad one, grieving over the death of her mother—and trying to hide her sexual orientation from her friends; and Kirarin, the sweet one, whose late nights and reckless behavior remain a secret from those around her. When Toshi’s next-door neighbor is found brutally murdered, the girls suspect the killer is the neighbor’s son, a high school boy they nickname Worm. But when he flees, taking Toshi’s bike and cell phone with him, the four girls get caught up in a tempest of dangers—dangers they never could have even imagined—that rises from within them as well as from the world around them. Psychologically intricate and astute, dark and unflinching,Real Worldis a searing, eye-opening portrait of teenage life in Japan unlike any we have seen before.
Holy Clues: The Gospel According to Sherlock Holmes
by Stephen KendrickIf God is the greatest mystery of them all, then why not, in pursuit of God, consult the greatest detective of them all? In this imaginative and surprisingly profound book, Stephen Kendrick reveals Sherlock Holmes as spiritual guide. Drawing on the teachings of Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism--as well as a host of thinkers as varied as Albert Einstein, Gandhi, and Vincent van Gogh--Kendrick explores the stories of Sherlock Holmes and finds remarkably prescient religious insights. He shows us the link between careful observation of clues and the Buddhist concept of "Bare Attention. " He illuminates the parallel between the great sleuth's pursuit of justice and God's actions on the scene of the first murder, when Cain slew Abel. And in the detective's open, engaged mind, Kendrick finds a model for uniting the principles of science with a sincere spiritual quest. The result is a book of inspiration for the modern, skeptical searcher--and an entertaining work that sheds new light on the methods of the world's greatest detective.
Quiet Time
by Stephanie KaneIt’s when you’re too afraid to make a sound. . . Inside his picture-perfect home, Warren Scott runs a tight ship. He demands total respect from his family. He’ll accept nothing less. The Scotts are quiet, they keep to themselves — and to the neighbors, they seem like any other family. Then the Scotts’ facade shatters one sun-drenched morning in May. Sari Siegel is engaged to Tim Scott when his mother is found murdered. Sari barely knows the Scotts, but even she can sense the terrible secrets that seethe below the surface. Sari knows something about Peggy’s murder, but she isn’t telling . . . at least not yet. For if she does, her own dreams of a perfect life with Tim will shatter. There are some family traditions no one wants to keep. From the Paperback edition.
House of Secrets
by Richard HawkeSenator Andrew Foster has it all: charm to spare, a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, and a fast-track career that will surely land him one day in the White House. And with the sudden resignation of the vice president, that track may have gotten a lot faster. But there's a problem. There are people who know that Andy Foster's charm can get the better of him, and they have bugged the Shelter Island bungalow where he is enjoying a midnight tryst with a beautiful campaign adviser. But all hell breaks loose when a man carrying an iron pipe comes crashing through the bedroom's sliding glass door. Within seconds, the young woman lies bloodied, dead on the sheets, and Foster has fled in panic. And it's all on tape. As momentum builds for Foster's likely selection as the next vice president, the senator's only hope of keeping his involvement with the murdered woman secret is to locate his blackmailers. But even they don't have their hands on the devastating images. The man they used for the job has turned the tables and is blackmailing them. All the while, Foster's personal life is collapsing. His wife, Christine, senses that something is terribly wrong. Unhappy about their daughter's living in a political fishbowl, Christine is also worried that she and her husband have drifted away from each other. Little does she know that power-hungry politicians and brutal gangsters are ready to rip her family utterly apart. From the rarefied halls of Washington to the briny boardwalks of Brighton Beach, Richard Hawke pulls back the curtain to reveal what is taking place inside the hearts and minds of the powerful people we read about every day in the news. With House of Secrets, Hawke has delivered a pulse-pounding thriller that ignites the fatal mixture of politics, arrogance, and lust.
Puzzle in Purple (Connie Blair, Book #3)
by Betsy AllenWhen Connie Blair goes to art school she enters an exciting new world in which glamour and mystery mingle. Connie expects to meet unusual and colorful personalities, and she is not disappointed. But she hasn't bargained for a skeleton named Adam who turns up in a purple cloak at the midwinter fancy dress ball and leaves his signature scrawled across the ceiling! From that moment on, tension mounts in the stately old Philadelphia mansion that houses the art school. Who is back of the debacle of the masked ball? Eric Payson, the shy, sensitive young painter whose mural was the only one not defaced? Roby Woodward, irresistible young dilettante who despises Eric for his ability? Fritz Bachman, sharp faced and sardonic, and determined to win the Fairchild Prize by fair means or foul? Puzzle in Purple Sensing the impending catastrophe that later dwarfs the episode of the ball, Connie tries feverishly to fit into place the scattered pieces of the puzzle. How she accomplishes this, and what she sees when the picture finally becomes clear is told in a thrilling mystery story set against the fascinating background of art school.
Bambert's Book of Missing Stories
by Reinhardt JungHauntingly beautiful watercolors enhance this extraordinary story about the power of storytelling, kindness, and hope Bambert lives alone in his attic home. He feels out of place in the world, isolated by his physical disabilities, and finds solace in the characters he creates in his stories. One day, he decides to send his 11 stories out into the world, to find their own true setting. He attaches them to paper balloons and sends them out on a windy night. The 11th story is blank. Bambert hopes it will write itself. Gradually the stories return, with postmarks from all round the world. But Bambert’s life-work is not complete until the return of the 11th story, the fate of which is still unknown.
The Devil You Know
by Wayne JohnsonWhen Max Geist plans a rugged canoe trip on the rivers of Northern Minnesota, fifteen-year-old David fears that dealing with his father--an opinionated, stubborn, novice outdoorsman--will be the roughest part of their journey. Little does he know that once he enters the unforgiving wilderness his life, and that of his family, will be irrevocably changed. At the start of their trip, David's father and younger sister, Janie, briefly cross paths with a group of men who, unbeknownst to the Geist family, are on the lam. Fearing the family may have learned too much about them, the outlaws decide to track down the unknown man and his daughter and, if need be, silence them. When they find the family's campsite, David is away; he returns to find his father in a life-or-death struggle with one man and his sister being savagely attacked by another. David, extraordinarily strong for his age, saves Max and Janie's lives and, in the process, kills a man. But the second man escapes, and David knows he has a partner . . . and that it is only a matter of time before they come back to finish the job they started. The outlaws become the only predators to fear in the wild as the Geist family is hunted down like animals--and uninjured David is the family's only hope for survival. As they tread through the snow-covered rocky terrain in search of safety, what began as a family bonding trip becomes a test of David's mental and physical limits, a journey into manhood and the responsibilities that come with it. The Devil You Knowcombines the breathtaking intensity of a first-rate literary thriller with the complexity and poignancy of a classic coming-of-age novel. This is a spellbinding suspense novel with heart and soul, a story that will keep you riveted until the very last page.
Notorious (Sedikhan #12)
by Iris JohansenBeautiful actress Mallory Thane endured the harsh, unforgiving glare of publicity during the trial in which she stood accused of murdering her husband. But even the acquittal that set her free couldn't ease the heartache of her ordeal. Desperate to get back her life, her career, and her sanity, she accepts a new movie deal on an island paradise--only to realize that she has walked into a trap. Her captor is power player Sabin Wyatt, a dark, enigmatic man who still holds Mallory responsible for his brother Ben's death. But at the root of his scheme is his obsessive need to possess the woman who haunts his dreams, no matter what truth she's hiding.
Everlasting (Sedikhan #6)
by Iris JohansenAvailable for the first time in more than 20 years, Johansen's powerful novel proves no price is too high, no risk too great, for love, as it tells the story of a powerful industrialist and the beautiful princess who enlists his help--and wins his heart.
Touch the Horizon (Sedikhan #3)
by Iris JohansenIn this classic romance from #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author Johansen, the beautiful Billie Callahan is swept away by a seductive mystery man who comes to her rescue during a sandstorm in the Middle Eastern desert.
The Golden Valkyrie (Sedikhan #2)
by Iris JohansenFrom #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author Johansen comes a classic tale of opposites attracting--and finding love in the most unexpected places--as a feisty, beautiful P. I. falls for a haughty yet misunderstood prince.
Killer Dreams
by Iris JohansenThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of Countdown returns with a knock-out suspense thriller that pits a mother and son against a killer who's the stuff of nightmares. If you close your eyes, he'll get you. Sophie Dunston knows all too well how dreams can kill. As one of the nation's top sleep therapists, she specializes in the life-threatening night terrors that her ten-year-old son, Michael, suffers from. But she is also an expert in another kind of terror--the kind that can turn a dream life into a living nightmare in the blink of an eye. Someone is watching. He's a shadowy figure from out of her darkest fears and he hasn't forgotten her. In one shocking moment of violence, he'd shattered Sophie's world forever and left her with only one thing to live for: her son. But the nightmare isn't over for Sophie Dunston. It's just begun. He's been waiting. Sophie was supposed to die the first time around, but fate intervened. This time he'll make sure that not even a miracle will save her. It wasn't a miracle that saved Jock Gavin, but it was pretty close. A semiretired hit man, commando, and jack-of-all-deadly-trades, he knows what Sophie is up against--and that she'll need help. But the man he's chosen for the job is as unpredictable as he is dangerous. Matt Royd is a wild card-hard, cool, merciless-and putting him into play changes the game completely. But to whose advantage? Sophie will soon find out. She will have to trust Royd because she has no choices left. Because the bogeyman haunting her dreams is all too real and he's on the hunt again. Because the nightmare he's got planned for Sophie won't end when she wakes up screaming. It won't end. Ever.
Stormy Vows / Tempest at Sea
by Iris JohansenIt's twice the romance, double the sizzle in this special two-in-one edition from New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen. Here are a pair of classic contemporary novels that prove once and for all that when it comes to love, you can't get too much of a good thing. Stormy Vows For a struggling actress, a private audition with a young Hollywood turk like Michael Donovan was the break of a lifetime. But Brenna Sloan refused to be intimidated by the temperamental and sensually overwhelming filmmaker, even if it did cost her the role of a lifetime. For Brenna was both far stronger--and far more vulnerable--than Michael could ever guess. And the secret that she was keeping from him would draw them more intimately together with each encounter...and threaten to drive them apart forever. Tempest at Sea An idealist and activist, Jane Smith stole aboard Jake Dominic's yacht one warm Miami night as part of an anti-nuke protest. But in her earnestness Jane hadn't fully considered the consequences if she got caught or that her act of principled vandalism would end with her serving as Dominic's part-time prisoner and cabinmate. For the next two months she would accompany this successful, sexy but darkly brooding man aboard the Sea Breeze as they sailed around the Gulf of Mexico from one exotic port of call to another. Danger, close escapes, and erotic adventure await, but nothing can be more unexpected than their romantic destination.
Loose and Easy
by Tara JanzenFrom the author of "Cutting Loose" comes a steamy new adventure featuring a Special Defense Forces operative and a trouble-making wild woman he's known since they were kids. Original.
Ancient Mysteries
by Peter James Nick ThorpeWhat was the Minotaur? Did a Welsh prince discover America? Did Robin Hood really exist? How does the Star of Bethlehem fit into the science of astronomy? Is the Vinland Map a fake? Can archaeologists use spirit messages to guide their work? For centuries, philosophers, scientists, and charlatans have attempted to decipher the baffling mysteries of our past, from the Stonehenge to the lost continent of Atlantis. Today, however, DNA testing, radiocarbon dating, and other cutting-edge investigative tools, together with a healthy dose of common sense, are guiding us closer to the truth. Peter James and Nick Thorpe, the professional historian and archaeologist team who created the acclaimed Ancient Inventions, now tackle these age-old conundrums, presenting the latest information from the scientific community--and the most startling challenges to traditional explanations of mysteries such as: - The rise and fall of the Maya - A lost cache of Dead Sea Scrolls - The curse of Tutankhamun - The devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah - The Nazca Lines These true mystery stories twist and turn like a good whodunit, as James and Thorpe present the evidence for and against the expert theories, shedding new light on humankind's age-old struggle to make sense of the past. The authors also make dramatic contributions of their own to the fray, demonstrating persuasively that catastrophic events--including the collisions of comets with the Earth long ago--could explain puzzles that have baffled experts for centuries. Ancient Mysteries will entertain and enlighten, delight the curious, and inform the serious.
Burning Marguerite
by Elizabeth Inness-BrownA haunting weave of lives, secrets, and memo-ries—a powerful work of psychological suspense and emotional intensity. Waking to the chill of a snow-cloaked morning, carpenter James Jack Wright finds ninety-four-year-old Marguerite Deo lying dead in the woods outside his cabin. As he confronts the mystery of her death—why would Marguerite, his “Tante” since his infancy, walk out into the cold winter night?—an unexpected tale unfolds, moving from the present back to James Jack’s childhood, to New Orleans during the Depression and World War II, and finally to a windswept New England island at the turn of the century. At the heart of the story are a forbidden love, a violent crime kept secret for years, and above all, Marguerite’s relationship with a little boy named James Jack, a bond that deepens after a terrible accident changes both their lives forever. Burning Margueriteis a debut novel of rare depth and artistry.
Every Last Drop (Joe Pitt #4)
by Charlie HustonAfter a year hiding out in the Bronx, Joe Pitt is given an assignment he can't refuse. One Clan needs Joe to inform on another, but he's playing them both while keeping his eye on the main prize: his girl Evie is on the Island somewhere and he'll do anything to get her back. And in this case, 'anything' means coming face to face with the horrendous secret that lies beneath the Vampyre world. It's a quest that will drive him to the heart of the two most perplexing mysteries of the Vampyre community: how were the Clans originally formed, and where do the powerful ones get all that blood?The search for the answer takes Joe to a dark corner of Queens, puts him face to face with a mythic and savage Clan, and leaves him in possession of a vision he'll never scrape off his retinas - as well as a bargaining chip that redefines his place in the Vampyre universe.
Six Bad Things (Hank Thompson #2)
by Charlie HustonHank Thompson is living off the map in Mexico with a bagful of cash that the Russian mafia wants back and many, many secrets. So when a Russian backpacker shows up in town asking questions, Hank tries to play it cool. But he knows the jig is up when the backpacker mentions the money . . . and the family Hank left behind. Suddenly Hank's in a desperate race to get to his parents in California before anyone can harm them. Along the way he'll face Federales and Border Patrol, mafiosi and vigilantes, extortionists and drug dealers, and a couple of psychotic surf bums with an ax to grind. From the golden beaches of the Yucatán to the seedy strip clubs of Vegas, Charlie Huston opens a door to the squalid underworld of crime and corruption-and invites the reader to live it in the extreme.
The Underground City
by H. L. HumesBack in print after nearly fifty years, the acclaimed fiction debut of novelist H. L. Humes, co-founder of The Paris Review. "Immensely intelligent and energetic, intensely dramatic and melodramatic, heroically overwritten yet sharp, insightful, and precise, The Underground City is an astonishing book by a writer of abundant gifts whose resurrection is long overdue." -Peter Matthiessen. It is the late 1940s and Paris is in turmoil. A man named Dujardin is sentenced to death for treason, sparking general strikes and threats of riots across the city. In the meantime, John Stone, a war-weary American and former secret agent, finds himself being investigated as a suspected Communist. What has brought these two men to their fates? H. L. Humes spins a thrilling account of the French underground during the last years of World War II, and the events that lead to the Dujardin affair. His many memorable characters include Adriane, loved by both Stone and Carnot, a fanatic Communist; Bruce Sheppard, the American ambassador to France, a statesman of vision and compassion; and Solange Récamier, the sophisticated young Parisian widow who finds meaning in trying to salvage Stone's broken life. The Underground City displays H. L. Humes's youthful literary skill and a striking capacity for fast-paced narrative. This is a brilliant tour de force. "A major achievement ... [The Underground City] attains its full stature in poetry and truth. ... [This is a] many-sided, absorbing novel, written on a grand scale, that holds the reader's attention from the first to the last of its many pages." -New York Herald Tribune. "Magnificent ... [The Underground City] has verisimilitude and scope, action and depth of emotion." -Chicago Tribune. "A work of power, maturity and distinction." -Newsweek.
Storming Las Vegas: How a Cuban-born, Soviet-trained Commando Took Down the Strip to the Tune of Five World-class Hotels, Three Armored Cars, and Millions of Dollars
by John Huddy"In my world, you are either the hunter or the prey, and I am the hunter. Vegas was my prey. I tell my crew: Vegas makes it, Vigoa takes it." -Jose Vigoa. When it comes to violent crime, the Las Vegas cops and casino owners thought they had seen it all. But they had never witnessed anything like Jose Vigoa. Born in Cuba, a child of Fidel Castro's revolution, Vigoa used his quick wits and quicker fists to trade a life of poverty and desperation for one of danger and adventure as a Soviet-trained special forces officer. Battle hardened in the killing fields of Afghanistan and Angola, Vigoa won a reputation for toughness, bravery, and coolness under fire. A brilliant military career lay ahead of him. Then, in 1980, Castro opened Cuba's floodgates in the Mariel boatlift, and Vigoa, like so many of his countrymen and -women, braved chaos and hardship to start a new life in America's promised land. But involvement with the drug trade brought his dreams crashing down. Years of prison followed. On his release, Vigoa was determined to take revenge on what he perceived as the corrupt power structure of Las Vegas. On September 20, 1998, the former Spetsnaz lieutenant launched what would be the most audacious and ruthless series of high-profile casino and armored car robberies that Las Vegas had ever seen. In a brazen sixteen-month-long reign of terror, he and his tightly disciplined crew would hit the crème de la crème of Vegas hotels: the MGM, the Desert Inn, the New York-New York, the Mandalay Bay, and the Bellagio. They struck hard and fast, then vanished without a trace. Millions of dollars were stolen. Two brave men were gunned down in cold blood; others were wounded. And yet the robberies were so well planned and executed that the police--"the stupids," as Vigoa contemptuously referred to them--were all but helpless. Not Lt. John Alamshaw. The twenty-three-year veteran, in charge of robbery detectives, was not giving up so easily. For him, Vigoa's rampage was a personal affront. And he would do whatever it took, even risk his badge, to bring Vigao down. With exclusive access to all the major players, including Vigoa and Alamshaw, veteran journalist and network producer John Huddy is the perfect man to tell the gripping never-before-told story of this harrowing true-crime drama that will leave readers breathless.
Friends & Fauxs
by Tracie HowardTracie Howard is back with all the Gucci, glitz, and glamour in this steamy follow-up to her smash hit GOLD DIGGERS!
Blood Sins
by Kay HooperSome sins can’t be forgiven… because some sins no one survives. New York Timesbestselling author Kay Hooper has touched our darkest fears but none so dark as in her latest thriller. Here’s a psychopath who lures his victims with a promise no one can resist…and demands a price no one would knowingly pay. Young, vulnerable, attractive, Tessa Gray made the perfect victim. Which was why Noah Bishop of the FBI’s Special Crimes Unit recruited her to play the role of grieving widow. As the supposed new owner of property coveted by the Church of the Everlasting Sin, she’d be irresistible bait for the reclusive and charismatic Reverend Samuel. His fortified compound in the mountains near Grace, North Carolina, had been the last known residence of two women murdered in ways that defied scientific explanation. Though hardly as naive or as vulnerable as she appears, Tessa knows she has a lot to learn about using her unique gift. She also knows that Bishop and the SCU have to be desperate to rely on an untried psychic agent in an undercover operation so dangerous. And desperate they are. For the killer they’re hunting is the most terrifying they’ve ever faced and shakes even the most seasoned agents: a soulless megalomaniacal cult leader who can use their own weapons, talents, and tactics against them. By entering the cult’s well-guarded compound, Tessa will be exposing herself to the dark magnetism of a psychopath on an apocalyptic crusade of terror that spares no one, not even the youngest victims. And Samuel has protected himself within a fanatically loyal congregation, many of whom occupy surprising positions of power within the community. Even Grace’s chief of police, Sawyer Cavenaugh—a man Tessa will have to trust with her life—may be unable to protect her. Because no one, not even Tessa herself, can guarantee she’s strong enough to resist—or powerful enough to battle—a killer who’s less than human.
Out of the Shadows
by Kay HooperTo catch this killer, she must break every rule and cross every line. Out Of The Shadows A picture-perfect Tennessee town has just become a monster's hunting ground. Two bodies are found tortured to death. A third person goes missing. What little evidence is left behind defies all explanation. Is the terror just beginning? Or have the good citizens of Gladstone harbored a dark secret for a long time? Sheriff Miranda Knight is determined to make her small town safe once more. And she does what she swore she would never do: involve FBI profiler Noah Bishop. He's the one man who knows about her unique abilities, and that knowledge almost destroyed her and her sister years ago. Now, as Bishop arrives with his team of agents, Miranda must learn to trust him and use her abilities once more. For they're about to go on the hunt for a killer whose madness has no bounds, a killer who knows exactly how to destroy Miranda: by preying on her sister.
Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel
by K. A. HoltBlast off to deep-space adventure and hijinks! Things are not so stellar for Mike Stellar. He is stunned when his parents inform him that he has only eight hours to pack before they move to Mars. Despite the fact that he suspects his parents are involved in a major sabotage plot; that the only person who believes him is a girl who won’t shut up; and that his mother’s assistant seems to be spying on Mike’s every move, Mike is dealing with the same things that every eleven-year-old deals with: bad cafeteria food, a strict limitation on his electronic use, and a teacher who is so old-fashioned she must be from the year 2099. With great humor and lots of action, K. A. Holt’s first novel is set to give summer reading an out-of-this-world blast of fun. From the Hardcover edition.
Allah's Fire
by Gayle Roper Chuck HoltonTwo Dangerous Missions Collide with Explosive Results A suicide bomber blows up a hotel in Beirut, killing hundreds of people. A young American woman is kidnapped in Lebanon by terrorists. Connected or coincidence? Despite the government's difficulty in locating her sister, Liz Fairchild, a reporter from the States, is determined to find herhellip;regardless of the risks. Meanwhile, Sergeant John Cooper and his elite Special Ops team hunt down Palestinian extremists in possession of a new undetectable explosive that will change the "face of terror. " When Liz and Task Force Valor's paths intersect, more is at risk than their separate missions. While maneuvering through hostile territory, Liz and John realize they need each other to survive. Their antagonism gradually gives way to cooperation-and something more. Task Force Valor Explosive Ordnance Disposal-The Bomb Squad As the global war on terror heats up, the U. S. needs a team of highly trained special operators to deploy overseas to locate and neutralize threats, bringing EOD expertise to the dirty, deadly missions that have no room for error. For the men of Task Force Valor-life is a blast. A lethal new weapon. Master Sergeant John Cooper and his Special Ops team of explosives-hunters have a mission unlike any they've ever experienced before. A new undetectable type of explosive has burst onto the scene, and it will change the "face of terror" in the world. Washington wants the manufacturers shut down before it turns up on American soil. A missing sister. A suicide bomber blows up a hotel in Beirut. Liz Fairchild, an American reporter, searches for her sister, Julie, who is presumed dead in the blasthellip;until Liz uncovers evidence she might be alive. When signs indicate that time is running out for Julie, Liz is determined to find her-regardless of the risks. A stealthy escape. As their separate objectives bring John and Liz together, the path ahead takes twists neither of them counted on. Although God works in all things for the good of those who love Him, God's definition of good might not match theirs. When the mission goes south and politics intrude on their plans, the team must rely on their wits-and guts-to survive. Can they make ithellip;with a wounded team member and a female civilian in tow? Story Behind the Book "I met Chuck Holton a few years ago when he took my fiction classes at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. I enjoyed him because my life experience is so different from his. When it was time to develop a new fiction series, I thought it would be fun to combine his military background with my civilian background and write a series right out of today's headlines. He has basically written the male points of view, and I've done the female. Very challenging and great fun!" -Gayle Roper From the Trade Paperback edition.