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The Villain Virus (NERDS, Book #4)
by Michael BuckleyThe NERDS series combines the excitement of international espionage with the awkwardness of elementary school as it follows the adventures of a group of unpopular fifth graders who run a spy network from inside their school. With the help of cutting-edge science, they transform their nerdy qualities into incredible abilities, and the results are awesome, inspiring--and hilarious. A virus has infected Arlington, Virginia, home of NERDS headquarters, and it's much worse than your run-of-the-mill flu. Instead of coughing and sneezing, the victims of this voracious virus are transformed into superintelligent criminal masterminds. Soon nearly everyone--including some of the NERDS team--is plotting to take over the world. And who's to blame for this nasty infection? None other than former NERDS teammate Heathcliff Hodges. With more people breaking out into evil cackles every day, it's up to Flinch, the hyperactive superspy with a sweet tooth, to stop the virus. He needs to destroy the virus at its source, and to do that he's going to have to get inside Heathcliff's head--literally. Flinch will have to miniaturize himself and take a fantastic voyage through the supervillain's body to fight white blood cells, stomach acid, and a nest of nasty nanobytes in the hope that he can save the world from . . . the Villain Virus.
Villains Academy (Villains Academy #1)
by Ryan HammondBeing BAD has never felt so GOOD! The first in a villainously funny, highly illustrated young middle-grade series from author-illustrator Ryan Hammond. For fans of Amelia Fang, Dog Man and Grimwood. Don't miss the second installment, How to Steal a Dragon, out in October 2023, and the third installment, How to Win the Gruesome Games, out in April 2024! &‘Frightfully fun – Villains Academy had me cackling from the very first page!&’ Katie Tsang, co-author of the Dragon Realm series &‘I loved the spookily funny Villains Academy. It's a work of (evil) genius!&’ Jenny McLachlan, author of The Land of RoarWelcome to Villains Academy – the most prestigious villain school in the ENTIRE land. You will either leave here as a fully-formed villain . . . or in tatters. It's werewolf Bram&’s first day at Villains Academy. He really doesn&’t feel like a villain at all, but the coveted Villain of the Week trophy is up for grabs, and Bram knows he&’ll have to dig deep. With the help of new friends Mona the elf-witch, Bryan the lion, Shelia the ghost and Tony the skeleton, can Bram find his inner badness and become the villain he's always dreamed of being?PRAISE FOR VILLAINS ACADEMY: &‘A charmingly villainous adventure about friendship, school and unspeakable evil. Hammond is an exciting new author-illustrator double threat.&’ Louie Stowell, author of Loki: A Bad God&’s Guide to Being Good &‘Criminally fun!&’ Danny Wallace, author of The Day the Screens Went Blank &‘Heart-warming and hilarious – Villains Academy is a spookalicious treat, set to terrify every other book on your shelf.&’ Jack Meggitt-Phillips, author of The Beast and the Bethany &‘An absolute HOOT! Evil laughs aplenty!&’ Sophy Henn, author and illustrator of the Pizazz series &‘A joyful hug of a book with genuine warmth and heart.&’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear &‘A delightfully fun adventure with real heart and humour.&’ Benjamin Dean, author of Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow &‘Immersive, funny, and with a cast of scarily loveable characters, Villains Academy made me feel like I was IN the book!&’ Mel Taylor-Bessent, author of The Christmas Carrolls &‘A fabulously funny adventure. I want to enrol in Villains Academy!&’ Nick Sheridan, author of The Case of the Runaway Brain &‘Wickedly funny and full of quirky yet loveable characters.&’ Iona Rangeley, author of Einstein the Penguin &‘This is a brilliant, bonkers work packed with top-notch illustration.&’ Jack Noel, author and illustrator of the Comic Classics series &‘Full of wonderful characters, Villains Academy is such a FUN read!&’ Rikin Parekh, illustrator of The Worst Class in the World series
Villains Academy (Villains Academy #1)
by Ryan HammondIn the spirit of The Bad Guys and Amelia Fang, this first adventurous romp in the illustrated middle grade Villains Academy series follows a young werewolf who realizes he&’s a nice guy at heart while attending a villainous school for monsters.Villains Academy is the most prestigious of villain schools where being bad feels so good and the classes are guaranteed to make students leave as fully formed villains…or in pieces! On werewolf Bram&’s first day at Villains Academy, he doesn&’t feel like a villain at all. The other monsters seem way scarier and more diabolical than he could ever be. When it&’s announced the coveted Villain of the Week trophy is up for grabs, Bram decides to prove himself by claiming the prize—but he&’ll have to dig deep to connect with his inner villain. With the help of new friends Mona the elf-witch, Bryan the lion, Shelia the ghost, and Tony the skeleton, can Bram become the big bad he&’s always dreamed of being?
The Villain's Guide to Better Living
by Neil ZawackiA fiendish lifestyle guide for today’s discerning evil-doers from the author of the perilously popular How to Be a Villain.All those aspiring ne’er-do-wells who cackled all the way to the cash register with the Neil Zawacki’s How to Be a Villain are ready to embrace the finer points of the evil life with The Villain’s Guide to Better Living. It covers all the topics contemporary villains care about, such as: Home d cor—Gothic? Apocalyptic? Ikea? Friends—Do I have any? Can I make them? Work—Should I be a mad scientist or obsessed with revenge? Or both?
Villainy Victorious (Mission Earth #9)
by L. Ron HubbardEarth is rising in the House of Voltar...<P> And there'll be hell to pay!<P> That's right. The invasion is on... and it's coming soon to a galaxy near you. The action couldn't be hotter, and the plot couldn't be more diabolical. Earth is coming to Voltar--and the Voltarians won't know what hit them.<P> Murder, blackmail, drugs, psychoanalysis, PR firms, sex-crazed teenyboppers, riots in the streets, women in chains. These are the powerful secret weapons of war--perfected on Earth and imported to Voltar--which are now being exploited by the ruthless Lombar Hisst, chief of the Coordinated Information Apparatus (the infamous CIA). His obsession: total domination of the Voltarian Confederacy.<P> Can anyone stop the madness? Does anyone have the courage and charisma to crash this party?<P> Enter Royal Officer of the Fleet, Jettero Heller. Dodging Death Battalions and death warrants, he's racing from Earth to face the challenge. But Hisst has taken Heller's beautiful sister hostage, and she may be the one who has to pay the ultimate price of VILLAINY VICTORIOUS.
Viminy Crowe's Comic Book
by Claudia Davila Marthe Jocelyn Richard ScrimgerFrom two of Canada's most renowned children's authors comes a hilarious, action-packed comic adventure novel! When chubby, geeky Wylder Wallace spills lunch on cool and aloof Addy Crowe at Toronto's Comicon, she dashes to the bathroom, leaving behind the latest issue of her uncle's steampunk comic hit: FLYNN GOSTER in GOLD RUSH TRAIN. Wylder, a fan of the Flynn comics, opens this new one eagerly, astounded to see the girl who was just yelling at him inside the comic. Fascinated, he follows Addy into the bathroom, and the adventure begins ... Is there a personality conflict? Oh, yes. Addy wants to go home; Wylder wants to stay and explore the world of Viminy Crowe's comic book. Do things go wrong? You bet they do, from the very start, when Addy loses her pet rat, Catnip, and almost gets shot by a Red Rider. All the while the actual comic book story is going on around them. The train carries a fortune from the Yukon goldfields, and both dashing Flynn Goster (hero of a thousand disguises and thief extraordinaire) and villainous Professor Aldous Lickpenny (criminal genius, aided by malevolent robots but somewhat hampered by doltish nephew Nevins) have plans to steal the gold. There's romance too -- Flynn's old flame, the brilliant aviatrix, Isadora Fortuna, is traveling across Canada with her balloon, and her strangely familiar protégée Nelly Day. Addy and Wylder navigate the story with the aid of the comic book itself. Every page turn sends them to a different setting, from the Banff Springs Hotel to an alligator-wrestling arena in Florida. But when they finally find a portal back to the real world, catastrophe follows ... A hilarious thrill-ride of a story that will have kids laughing and on the edge of their seats with every turn of the page.
Vin and the Dorky Duet
by Maggie LyonsThe moment he walks through the door and sees the sharky grin on his older sister's face, Vin suspects Meg is hatching a plot. He's right. Worse still, he's central to the outcome. Meg tells him that their music teachers, parents--everyone--expect him to play her duet for trumpet and piano at the upcoming student concert. Vin is horrified. Meg insists that his only escape route is to persuade another trumpet player to take his place. She has the hunky Brad Stewart in mind and challenges Vin to introduce her to him. Vin doesn't know Brad any better than Meg does, but she points out that Vin is in two classes with Brad's nerdy brother. Eyeballs Stewart is the last person Vin wants to befriend until Meg's promise of a David Beckham autographed soccer jersey changes the seventh-grader's mind. He has five days to accomplish his mission--Operation BS--before the concert practice schedule kicks in.
Vinegar Girl: A Novel (Hogarth Shakespeare #3)
by Anne TylerPulitzer Prize winner and American master Anne Tyler brings us an inspired, witty and irresistible contemporary take on one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies Kate Battista feels stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister Bunny? Plus, she's always in trouble at work - her pre-school charges adore her, but their parents don't always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner. Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There's only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr, all would be lost. When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he's relying - as usual - on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he's really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men's touchingly ludicrous campaign to bring her around?From the Hardcover edition.
Viñetas para una crisis
by El RotoPrimera antología de las viñetas de El Roto que muestran su lúcida y lacónica visión sobre la crisis. Andrés Rábago («El Roto») es Premio Leyenda 2015, un galardón concedido por el Gremio de Libreros de Madrid. «Con papel, tinta negra y algo de lucidez es posible fabricar un revelador universal que nos permita fijar la imagen de todo aquello que no deja de molestarnos y hacer más difíciles nuestras vidas, y así, una vez revelado, poder verlo en cualquier lugar y bajo cualquier disfraz con el que se nos presente. El instrumento de la sátira nos dota de esos rayos X con los que, literalmente, podemos verle los huesos al sistema.»El Roto
A Vingança da Babá do Sheik
by Alexa MontesEla é rude. Ela é mimada. E ela nunca trabalhou um dia na sua vida. Ela é o tipo de mulher que eu não suporto, então por que é que eu a quero tanto? Todas as vezes que ela olha para mim com os seus olhos escuros, não posso deixar de perguntar-me como é que eles seriam vidrados de prazer. Todas as vezes que ela solta um insulto dos seus lábios carnudos, quero silenciar a sua boca com a minha. Mas esta herdeira vai ter um rude despertar. O seu pai precisa de muito dinheiro para salvar os negócios da família e decidiu leiloá-la. E adivinha? Eu fiz a maior oferta. Ela acha que eu vou convidá-la para a minha cama. Ok, esta bem! Eu preciso de uma babá, não de uma amante. Essa herdeira está prestes a receber uma lição muito necessária. Não importa o que aconteça, não vou ceder à tentação. Que os jogos comecem...
Vintage: A Novel
by David Baker"Vintage is at once a mouthwatering culinary tale, an evocative look at the strength it takes to create the life we want, and a delicious adventure." --Nina Mukerjee Furstenau, MFK Fisher Award-winning author Good ingredients, an open heart, a dash of tenacity and a pinch of courage... Food journalist, wine connoisseur, and onetime bestselling writer Bruno Tannenbaum has long believed these are the elements of a full life. The rest will take care of itself. But lately, nothing's going right for Bruno. His career is floundering, he's separated from his wife and their two daughters, and is drinking his way through a dwindling bank account, certain all that's left of life is a downward slope into obscurity. Then Bruno stumbles on a clue leading to a "lost" wine vintage, one of the many bottles stolen and smuggled out of France during WWII, now worth a small fortune and sought after by wine collectors throughout the world. Bruno realizes that finding this bottle could be the key to restoring his career--maybe even writing his comeback book. But his discovery is not a secret for long; as word of his finding spreads, nefarious characters interested in the bottle start appearing at every turn. Bruno scrapes together his final resources, calls in favors he may ultimately regret and sets off on a grand adventure. From the rolling hills of Burgundy to a raucous wedding in Moldova, from a Beaune bacchanal to the graying walls of a Russian prison, Vintage is a hilarious food-filled debut about redemption, sacrifices and making one last effort to follow your dreams.
The Vintage Caper (Sam Levitt Capers #1)
by Peter MaylePeter Mayle's newest and most delightful novel of France, filled with mouthwatering food, sumptuous wines, colorful characters, and lots of fun. The story begins in Hollywood, at the expensive home and impressive wine cellar of lawyer Danny Roth. Unfortunately, after inviting the Los Angeles Times to write an extensive piece on the treasures of his collection, Roth finds himself the victim of a world-class wine heist. Enter Sam Levitt, former corporate lawyer, wine connoisseur, and expert on cultivated crime. Called in by Roth's insurance company now saddled with a multimillion-dollar claim. Sam follows his leads, first to Bordeaux and the magnificent vineyards where so much wine is aged into delectable existence and then to Provence and the collectors who he rightly assumes might have envied Roth's collection. The unraveling of the ingenious crime is threaded through with Mayle's seductive rendering of France's sensory delights from a fine Pinchon-Lalande and Loville Barton to the bouillabaisse of Marseille and young lamb in Bordeaux. Even the most sophisticated of oenophiles will learn a thing or two in this vintage work from a beloved author.
The Vintage Dress Shop in Primrose Hill: A sparkling and feel-good romantic read to warm your heart (The Vintage Dress Shop)
by Annie DarlingSecond chances never go out of style . . .The heartwarming and romantic new novel from Annie Darling - perfect for fans of Cressida McLaughlin and Holly Hepburn!The Vintage Dress Shop, in London's Primrose Hill, is a treasure trove of beautiful, preloved clothes, just waiting for a second chance to be loved again... Sophy Stevens is moving to Australia. Turning thirty has found her unexpectedly out of a job, out of a relationship, and just in need of Something Different - and Australia, where she can finally meet her grandparents and surprise them on their wedding anniversary, looks like the perfect answer . . . if she can save up the money for the plane ticket. So when her feckless, absent dad Johnno offers her a job at his vintage clothes shop in Primrose Hill, she can't turn it down. It'll only be for a few months, after all. But the Vintage Dress Shop turns out to be a treasure trove of gorgeous preloved clothes, from a 1930s cocktail gown to a never-worn 50s wedding dress, and despite the disapproval of the snooty manager, Phoebe, Sophy starts to fall in love with vintage fashion. And then there's Charles Radley, the debonair gemstone specialist with exquisite tailoring, cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass, and enough charm to throw Sophy's plans wildly off course. . .(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Vintage Dress Shop in Primrose Hill: A sparkling and feel-good romantic read to warm your heart (A Vintage Dress Shop Romance)
by Annie Darling'The sweetest, most delicious book . . . Such a gorgeous love story' Marian Keyes'Funny and heartwarming with great characters' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Absolutely gorgeous, swoon worthy romance' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 👗Second chances never go out of style...👗 Sophy Stevens always thought she would have everything sorted by the time she was thirty. Instead, she is freshly fired, recently dumped and sleeping on her mum's sofa. So when her absent dad offers her a job at his vintage clothes shop in Primrose Hill, it's one she can't refuse. It will only be for a few months until she is back on her feet, after all.But the Vintage Dress Shop is more magical than she could have even imagined, full of preloved fashion from a 1950s wedding dress to the glittering gems sourced by jeweller Charles. In spite of herself, Sophy starts to fall in love with the store and the process of matching the perfect item with every customer.With each new treasure Sophy uncovers, she begins to wonder if, like these vintage clothes, the store is the key to her second chance... and then there's Charles, who might just end up mending her broken heart...Let Annie Darling sweep you off your feet with this heartwarming and romantic novel, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Phillipa Ashley. Everyone is falling in love with Annie Darling:'Heartwarming and compelling. A wonderful read which was difficult to put down... Great characters and a lovely romantic story which touches the heart' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The most uplifting, sumptuously indulgent, romantic joy of a book... It tugged all my heartstrings and held me captive until the last, perfect page' Cressida McLaughlin'An absolute delight! I also loved the debonair love interest... It was so nice to see someone pick themselves up and rise from the ashes in such beautiful surroundings surrounded by all these amazing clothes, I loved it!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is the feel good book you must read... With an array of fabulous characters and the perfect ending that made me squeal with delight this warm and charming story will have you enchanted' Nina Pottell
The Vintage Dress Shop in Primrose Hill: A sparkling and feel-good romantic read to warm your heart (A Vintage Dress Shop Romance)
by Annie Darling'The sweetest, most delicious book . . . Such a gorgeous love story' Marian Keyes'Funny and heartwarming with great characters' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Absolutely gorgeous, swoon worthy romance' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 👗Second chances never go out of style...👗 Sophy Stevens always thought she would have everything sorted by the time she was thirty. Instead, she is freshly fired, recently dumped and sleeping on her mum's sofa. So when her absent dad offers her a job at his vintage clothes shop in Primrose Hill, it's one she can't refuse. It will only be for a few months until she is back on her feet, after all.But the Vintage Dress Shop is more magical than she could have even imagined, full of preloved fashion from a 1950s wedding dress to the glittering gems sourced by jeweller Charles. In spite of herself, Sophy starts to fall in love with the store and the process of matching the perfect item with every customer.With each new treasure Sophy uncovers, she begins to wonder if, like these vintage clothes, the store is the key to her second chance... and then there's Charles, who might just end up mending her broken heart...Let Annie Darling sweep you off your feet with this heartwarming and romantic novel, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Phillipa Ashley. Everyone is falling in love with Annie Darling:'Heartwarming and compelling. A wonderful read which was difficult to put down... Great characters and a lovely romantic story which touches the heart' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The most uplifting, sumptuously indulgent, romantic joy of a book... It tugged all my heartstrings and held me captive until the last, perfect page' Cressida McLaughlin'An absolute delight! I also loved the debonair love interest... It was so nice to see someone pick themselves up and rise from the ashes in such beautiful surroundings surrounded by all these amazing clothes, I loved it!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is the feel good book you must read... With an array of fabulous characters and the perfect ending that made me squeal with delight this warm and charming story will have you enchanted' Nina Pottell
The Vintage Girl: a sweeping romance that will have you laughing out loud
by Hester Browne'What a delicious, witty story, I loved it!' Sophie KinsellaThe last thing Evie expects to find in the Scottish Highlands is love . . .When Evie Nicholson is asked to visit Kettlesheer Castle in Scotland to archive the family heirlooms, she jumps at the chance. Evie's passion for antiques means that, for her, the castle is a treasure trove of mysteries just waiting to be uncovered.But in each heirloom lies a story, and in the course of her investigations Evie stumbles upon some long-buried family secrets. Add handsome, gloomy heir Robert McAndrew and a traditional candlelit gala to the mix, and Evie's heart is sent reeling with an enthusiasm that may just extend beyond the Kettlesheer silver . . .'Deliciously addictive, feel-good comedy' Cosmopolitan 'Funny and flirty, we guarantee you'll devour this book in one sitting' GlamourWHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE VINTAGE GIRL'I am off to buy more from Hester Browne!' *****'A sweeping romance that will have you laughing out loud' *****'A must for all romantic history lovers' *****'Funny, sweet, romantic' *****'Couldn't ask for more!' *****
The Vintage Girl: a sweeping romance that will have you laughing out loud
by Hester BrowneWhen Evie Nicholson is asked to visit Kettlesheer Castle in Scotland to archive the family heirlooms, she jumps at the chance. Evie's passion for antiques means that, for her, the castle is a treasure trove of mysteries just waiting to be uncovered. But in each heirloom lies a story, and in the course of her investigations Evie stumbles upon some long-buried family secrets. Add handsome, gloomy heir Robert McAndrew and a traditional candlelit gala to the mix, and Evie's heart is sent reeling with an enthusiasm that may just extend beyond the Kettlesheer silver...(P)2014 WF Howes Ltd
The Vinyl Cafe Celebrates
by Stuart McLeanFrom Canada's much-missed, nationally bestselling storyteller, a must-have collection featuring ten never-before-published stories and ten classic favourites, perfect for old fans and Vinyl Cafe newcomers alike.From the unforgettable Christmas classic &“Dave Cooks the Turkey&” to the tender tribute to ice-cream-loving, potato-sitting Arthur the dog in &“Morte d&’Arthur&”; from the joys and challenges of marriage in &“The Canoe Trip&” to the celebration of childhood adventure in &“The Waterslide.&” From the beginning of life (the hilarious &“Labour Pains&”) to the end (the touching &“Love Never Ends&”) and all the moments—big and small—in between, these stories remind us that there are occasions to celebrate every day.For more than two decades, Stuart McLean entered the hearts and homes of Canadians via The Vinyl Cafe radio show, his many tours across the country, and multiple nationally bestselling books. His charming, humane, and side-splitting stories brought the trials and triumphs of Dave, Morley, Sam, and Stephanie to life, and made their memorable circle of friends, family, and neighbours as real as our own.This collection is both timely and timeless, a rich celebration of Stuart McLean's inimitable voice, and of the importance of love, community, kindness, and the healing power of laughter.
The Vinyl Detective - Flip Back: Vinyl Detective
by Andrew CartmelThe fourth book in the hilarious and enthralling Vinyl Detective mystery series. "Like an old 45rpm record, this book crackles with brilliance." David Quantick on Written in Dead WaxAt the height of their success, the electric folk band Black Dog invited journalists to a desolate island for an infamous publicity stunt: the burning of a million dollars. But the stunt backfired and the band split up, increasing the value of their final album vastly. It's this album that Tinkler's got his eye on, and he hires none other than the Vinyl Detective and Nevada to hunt a copy down.Narrowly avoiding a killing spree, negotiating deranged Black Dog fans, and being pursued by hack celebrity Stinky Stamner and his camera crew, the Vinyl Detective and Nevada discover that perhaps all was not as it seemed on the island--and that in the embers of that fire are clues to a motive for murder...
Violence. Speed. Momentum.
by Dr DisrespectToo much power. Wow. Too much energy. Wow. Too much anticipation. WOW. It&’s the nationally bestselling memoir from the biggest star in gaming: Dr Disrespect.Dr Disrespect is a 6-foot-8 freak of nature with a 37-inch vertical, the two-time, back-to-back 1993–94 Blockbuster Video Game Champion, and in his factual opinion, the most dominant international gaming superstar in the history of the world. It was just a matter of time before Western civilization came begging Doc to save literature by writing a memoir that reads like a vicious, muscular lion clawing his way through the rocks, roaring in anger and dominance. Here you will find his deepest, most intimate secrets. The untold history of his mysterious, legendary origins and his rise to unparalleled dominance. And most of all, you will find out what, exactly, Doc&’s a doctor of. Are you ready for a book with the rhythm of a sleazy &’70s muscleman and the ruthlessness of a &’90s serial killer? A journey that stares down the long, dark alley of your fears and never looks back? Does your warrior&’s heart yearn to reach the tippity top of the mountain just to realize you&’re still only halfway up? If so, firm handshakes, Champion: Welcome to the salvation of literature.
Violencia!: A Musical Novel
by Bruce Jay FriedmanBruce Jay Friedman is the reigning don of the ironic comic novel, a man of whom The New York Times has written, "His writing is so funny — and deceptively effortless — critics often liken it to a stand-up comedy routine." Now he triumphantly returns to the form with Violencia!, a crackling satire of show-business pomposity, flimflam, and dreck in the spirit of Mel Brooks's The Producers. Paul Gurney is a struggling civilian clerk working the desk at a major New York homicide precinct who runs a department newsletter, The Homicider, that covers the goings-on at the precinct, dispenses advice, and disseminates interoffice gossip. But Gurney is newly divorced and dissatisfied, and abruptly decides to retire from the force, not knowing exactly what he'll do next. When he meets a shady Broadway impresario who wants to create a stage musical from his newsletter, he soon finds himself plunging headlong into the world of actors, agents, singers, songwriters, hacks, hams, and con artists. As the show Violencia! moves from rounds of financing from suspect sources to questionable casting calls to a disastrous out-of-town opening (at each stage getting progressively — and hilariously — worse and worse), Gurney enjoys the high living, romantic flings, and glamour of the entertainment industry. But he also comes to realize that show people aren't that different from other people he already knows: the thugs, lowlifes, and cutthroats he's encountered during his career on the homicide squad. Packed with unforgettably reprehensible characters, unimaginably turgid lyrics, and unimpeachably funny dialogue, Bruce Jay Friedman's Violencia! is a sidesplitting farce about the dark underbelly of the Great White Way.
Violet Bing and the Grand House
by Jennifer ParosIn the tradition of literary classics like The Secret Garden comes this irresistible story about a girl who doesn't want to go anywhere or do anything. Violet Bing has even said "no" to the family vacation, so she is sent to stay with her great-aunt Astrid instead. As usual, Violet is determined to dislike everything about her stay. But with the help of a stray dog, a new friend, and an old diary, Violet discovers that-even for her-fun is hard to avoid at The Grand House. Written in a charming, original voice, and overflowing with richly detailed black-and-white drawings, this book is truly a classic-in-waiting.
Violet Bing and the Grand House
by Jennifer ParosIn the tradition of literary classics like The Secret Garden comes this irresistible story about a girl who doesn't want to go anywhere or do anything. Violet Bing has even said "no" to the family vacation, so she is sent to stay with her great-aunt Astrid instead. As usual, Violet is determined to dislike everything about her stay. But with the help of a stray dog, a new friend, and an old diary, Violet discovers that--even for her--fun is hard to avoid at The Grand House. Written in a charming, original voice, and overflowing with richly detailed black-and-white drawings, this book is truly a classic-in-waiting.
The Violet Crow
by Michael SheldonA brutal murder stuns the quiet South Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia. No grieving parents come forward to claim the unknown girl's body, and there aren't any clues. The police are inexperienced. The local media are casting blame and demanding answers. A mini-culture war is brewing . . . So what do the civic leaders do? They hire Bruno X, Psychic Detective. No joke, the guy's got talent. And a track record. Sure, his psychic shtick is a bit unorthodox. Yet, somehow, he gets results--solving long-forgotten mysteries locked inside the old brick Quaker meeting house, and uncovering closely held secrets hidden within the biotech company whose symbol is the Violet Crow.
The Violet Hour: 'A meditation on mortality and the unreliable consolations of art, love and materialism' Patrick Gale
by James Cahill'An enthrallingly intricate novel . . . impressive'GUARDIAN'There's something of F. Scott Fitzgerald about the way Cahill writes about the very rich'DAILY MAIL'A biting satire of the art world's glamour, pomp and greed . . . lucid and evocative'DAILY TELEGRAPH'I really loved The Violet Hour . . . On one level it functions as a highbrow whodunnit, and grippingly so, but it's much more than that, building into a meditation on mortality and the unreliable consolations of art, love and materialism'PATRICK GALE, author of Mother's Boy'A thrilling story told in seductive, shimmering prose. Beauty, money, power, seduction, betrayal. It's all here in this bewitching and all too often troubling backstage pass to the commercial art world'CHLOË ASHBY, author of Wet Paint'I'm overwhelmed by the beauty of James Cahill's writing and storytelling'SANTANU BHATTACHARYA, author of Deviants'Artists are slaves to their vanity. But in the end, in time, they see things as they really are.'Thomas Haller has achieved the kind of fame that most artists only dream of: shows in London and New York, paintings sold for a fortune. The vision he presents to the world is one of an untouchable genius at the top of his game. It is also a lie. Who is the real Thomas Haller? His oldest friend and former dealer, Lorna, might once have known - before Thomas traded their early intimacy for international fame. Between his ruthless new dealer and a property mogul obsessed with his work, the appetite for Thomas and his art is all-consuming. On the eve of his latest show, the luminaries of the art world gather. But the sudden death of a young man has put everyone on edge, and a chain of events begins that will lead the friends back into the past, to confront who they have become. A story of deception, power play and longing, The Violet Hour exposes the unsettling underbelly of the art world, asking: who is granted admission to a world that only seems to glitter and who is left outside, their faces pressed to the glass?PRAISE FOR TIEPOLO BLUE'The best novel I have read for ages . . . masterly'STEPHEN FRY'An exhilarating, erudite read'VOGUE.COM'Electric'GUARDIAN'Startlingly impressive'DAILY MAIL