- Table View
- List View
The Special Prisoner
by Jim LehrerFollowing the enormous success of his two bestselling previous novels, White Widow and Purple Dots, Jim Lehrer takes on a new and controversial subject in this ambitious story about an American soldier who, many years after the fact, is forced to relive his harrowing experience in the Second World War. The Special Prisoner takes its title from the designation the Japanese government gave U.S. airmen held prisoner during World War II--an indication of the severity with which these foreign devils responsible for bombing Japanese cities were to be treated. John Quincy Watson was a skilled young pilot flying B-29s over Japan when he was shot down and taken prisoner in 1945. Fifty years later, now a prominent religious figure nearing retirement, Bishop Watson believes he has long since overcome the excruciating memories of his months as a POW. But a chance sighting of the now equally elderly Japanese officer who repeatedly tortured him instantly transports the Bishop back to that unendurable time, and he finds himself overwhelmed by an uncontrollable desire for vengeance. The result for Watson is both a vivid return to the horrors of his past and the triggering of a new series of events that are also horrific--and tragic. Engaging and emotionally poignant, The Special Prisoner delves into the complicated issue of war guilt and forgiveness, starkly portrayed in the characters of an officer from a country that refuses to admit any wrongdoing and a clergyman who is committed to a belief that to forgive is divine. This is new and controversial territory for Lehrer, and he treats it with passion and respect, while writing in the highly readable, engaging style that is his trademark. This fascinating story of what's fair in war--and what's fair afterward--is a dramatic new novel from the veteran Washington author and newscaster.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
by Marisha PesslMarisha Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics is an unforgettable debut novel that combines the storytelling gifts of Donna Tartt and the suspense of Alfred Hitchcock: a darkly hilarious coming-of-age tale and a richly plotted suspense story, told with dazzling intelligence and wit. 'I wrote this account one year after I'd found Hannah Dead. I thought I'd managed to erase all traces of that night within myself. But I was wrong. Every night when I tried to sleep, I'd close my eyes and see her again, exactly as I found her, hanging from a pine tree by an orange electrical cord, her neck twisted like a tulip stem, her eyes seeing nothing. Or else that was the problem. They'd seen everything. 'Special Topics in Calamity Physics is a mesmerizing debut. As teenager Blue van Meer tells her story we are hurled into a dizzying world of murder and butterflies, womanizing and wandering, American McCulture, The Western Canon, political radicalism and juvenile crushisms. Structured around a syllabus for a Great Works of Literature class (with hand-drawn Visual Aids), Blue's wickedly funny yet poignant tale reveals how the imagination finds meaning in the most bewildering times, the ways people of all ages strive for connection, and how the darkest of secrets can set us free. 'Beneath the foam of this exuberant debut is a dark, strong drink' Jonathan Franzen, author of, The Corrections 'Any [Donna] Tartt fan disappointed that her second novel had little in common with her debut should rush out and buy this book immediately. . . It's a brilliant debut, guaranteed to join the ranks of The Secret History and The Virgin Suicides as one of those rare books to become a cult hit and instant classic' Sunday Telegraph 'One of the most impressive debut novels I have ever read . . . It stops you doing anything apart from reading it ' Independent on Sunday 'Special Topics in Calamity Physics made me stay up all night reading; in the morning it seemed like one of those parties where everyone is too cool for you but you desperately want to know them anyway . . . I loved this book' Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife Marisha Pessl was born in 1977 and lives in New York. This is her first novel.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
by Marisha PesslBlue Van Meer enters a small, elite school in a sleepy town. Her unusual past draws her to a group of friends and their captivating teacher Hannah Schneider. A sudden drowning, a series of inexplicable events, and finally the shocking death of Hannah herself lead to a confluence of mysteries. And Blue is left to make sense of it all with only her gimlet-eyed instincts and cultural lexicon to guide her.
The Specialists
by Lawrence BlockA team of ex-commandos takes justice into their own hands, exacting vengeance on the criminals whom the government cannot stop Albert Platt is a rotten man. Bred in the rough parts of Brooklyn, he made his name as a killer and has built a fortune from gambling, loan sharking, and the other pastimes of a standard thug. His latest gambit? Buying banks, robbing them, and collecting the insurance. He's a hard man, and no one ever stood in his way until he brushed up against Eddie Manso. Because Manso is no ordinary veteran. He and four other commandos, battle-hardened in the jungles of Laos, have found that the civilian world demands their talents as much as the military once did. These specialists have made a living targeting vicious men whom the law cannot touch, dismantling their empires and taking their plunder. And Albert Platt has just entered their crosshairs. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lawrence Block, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from his personal collection, and a new afterword written by the author.
The Specialists: Plunder
by Chet CunninghamThe death of a young Jewish-American man in Berlin triggers a chain of events that captures the attention of J. August Marshall, former head of the CIA. Now retired, Marshall sets up his own band of "specialists" to fight crime, corruption, and terrorism around the globe. His elite team must go undercover to find the horrific truth behind the young man's death. But what it finds could shock the world. Violence. 1st novel in "The Specialists" series, 1999.
The Speciality of the House (Murder Room #741)
by Stanley Ellin'A macabre little tale about an unusual restaurant in Manhattan and its lonely patrons, it displayed both a debt to Edgar Allan Poe and an acute understanding of human nature that is the key to the success of his work' GUARDIANStanley Ellin's first short story, 'The Speciality of the House', about a New York restaurant with a special gourmet menu, was published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in 1948 and caused an immediate sensation, winning him a special Ellery Queen Award. 'The House Party' and 'The Blessington Method' subsequently both won Edgar Awards. Stanley Ellin, who was made a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America in 1980, is acknowledged as one of the great masters of the 20th-century short story, and this volume brings together the best of his work in the genre.'A macabre little tale about an unusual restaurant in Manhattan and its lonely patrons, it displayed both a debt to Edgar Allan Poe and an acute understanding of human nature that is the key to the success of his work' GUARDIAN
The Speciality of the House
by Stanley Ellin'A macabre little tale about an unusual restaurant in Manhattan and its lonely patrons, it displayed both a debt to Edgar Allan Poe and an acute understanding of human nature that is the key to the success of his work' GUARDIANStanley Ellin's first short story, 'The Speciality of the House', about a New York restaurant with a special gourmet menu, was published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in 1948 and caused an immediate sensation, winning him a special Ellery Queen Award. 'The House Party' and 'The Blessington Method' subsequently both won Edgar Awards. Stanley Ellin, who was made a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America in 1980, is acknowledged as one of the great masters of the 20th-century short story, and this volume brings together the best of his work in the genre.'A macabre little tale about an unusual restaurant in Manhattan and its lonely patrons, it displayed both a debt to Edgar Allan Poe and an acute understanding of human nature that is the key to the success of his work' GUARDIAN
The Specialty of the House (Murder Room Ser.)
by Stanley EllinIn a quaint old restaurant, a chef relies on a devilish secret ingredient In Sbirro&’s restaurant, there is no electric lighting, no music, and no menu. The only sound is the contented sighs of the regulars, who come every night in hopes that Sbirro will treat them to his signature dish, the famed lamb Amirstan, which comes from a beast so rare, only Sbirro knows how to obtain it. Tonight, two diners at this spectacular relic of a forgotten age will find that lamb Amirstan costs more than they are willing to pay. &“The Specialty of the House&” was the first story published by Stanley Ellin, who would go on to become one of the great short fiction authors of the twentieth century. From crime to horror to grim tragedy, every story in this collection is as delectable as a cut of meat prepared by Sbirro himself.
Species
by Yvonne NavarroA genetically-engineered being that can take any form challenges those who created it.
The Specimen
by Jaima Fixsen"An absorbing and expanding mystery... ripe for a bookclub discussion"— First Clue"Propulsive and lush, Fixsen weaves an exquisitely gothic tale." — Jess Armstrong, USA Today bestselling author of The Curse of Penryth HallWalk carefully, lest you become a part of Dr. Burnett's collection…1826. Isobel Tait finds herself, by chance, staring at a tiny human heart floating in a jar. It should be of little consequence; Dr. Burnett is renowned for his collection of oddities and medical specimens, and this, a juvenile heart with a damaged mitral valve, is not the strangest thing on display. Except that the condition is rare, and that Isobel's young son, who has been missing for months, suffered from the ailment. A phantom pulse beats in Isobel's ears. She knows something here isn't right.Missing persons cases are all too common in Edinburgh, where people simply vanish like mist. But Burnett is obsessed with his specimens – how far would he go to acquire a new one? Determined to investigate, Isobel joins his staff as the keeper of his collection. What she'll unearth, though, is far worse than any of her nightmares…Based on true crimes, The Specimen is a mesmerizing story about one woman's search for truth and vengeance in the darkest of places—where the deadliest secrets lie hidden in plain sight, on a freshly dusted shelf."The Specimen is a fantastic read! Tense, gripping and full of fabulous characters you grow to love or hate! I devoured it in two sittings." – Gareth Brown, bestselling author of The Book of Doors
Specimen Song (The Montana Mysteries Featuring Gabriel Du Pré #2)
by Peter BowenA &“plain-spoken, deep-thinking Montana cattle inspector&” takes on a serial killer in DC (The New York Times Book Review). With misgivings, cattle inspector and sometime deputy Gabriel Du Pré has left his hometown of Toussaint, Montana, for big-city Washington, DC, where the Métis Indian fiddler has agreed to play his people&’s music for a Smithsonian festival. But like the frightened and confused horse galloping wildly down the National Mall, Du Pré is very much out of his element. He does know how to catch and calm a runaway horse, however. If only catching a killer could be so simple. When a Cree woman from Canada who came to sing in the festival is found murdered, her death is just the first in a series of fatal attacks on Native Americans. Each killing is foretold by a shaman, and each time a primitive weapon is used. As the body count rises, Du Pré fears he might be the serial killer&’s ultimate target. New York Times–bestselling author Ridley Pearson says about Peter Bowen&’s Montana mysteries: &“The best of Tony Hillerman meets Zane Grey . . . Du Pré is a character of legendary proportions.&” And Booklist calls Gabriel Du Pré &“one of the most unusual characters working the fictional homicide beat.&”Specimen Song is the 2nd book in The Montana Mysteries Featuring Gabriel Du Pré series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Spectacle: A Historical Thriller In 19th Century Paris (Spectacle Ser. #1)
by Jodie Lynn ZdrokSpectacle is a YA murder mystery from debut author Jodie Lynn Zdrok in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.Paris, 1887. Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day’s new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered—from the perspective of the murderer himself.When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie's search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie's strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer’s identity--and she'll have to do it before she becomes a target herself.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A Spectacle of Corruption: A Novel (Benjamin Weaver #2)
by David LissBenjamin Weaver, the quick-witted pugilist turned private investigator, returns in David Liss's sequel to the Edgar Award-winning novel, A Conspiracy of Paper.Moments after his conviction for a murder he did not commit, at a trial presided over by a judge determined to find him guilty, Benjamin Weaver is accosted by a stranger who cunningly slips a lockpick and a file into his hands. In an instant he understands two things: Someone had gone to a great deal of trouble to see him condemned to hang--and another equally mysterious agent is determined to see him free.So begins A Spectacle of Corruption, which heralds the return of Benjamin Weaver, the hero of A Conspiracy of Paper. After a daring escape from eighteenth-century London's most notorious prison, Weaver must face another challenge: how to prove himself innocent of a crime when the corrupt courts have already shown they want only to see him hang. To discover the truth and clear his name, he will have to understand the motivations behind a secret scheme to extort a priest, uncover double-dealings in the unrest among London's dockworkers, and expose the conspiracy that links the plot against him to the looming national election--an election with the potential to spark a revolution and topple the monarchy. Unable to show his face in public, Weaver pursues his inquiry in the guise of a wealthy merchant who seeks to involve himself in the political scene. But he soon finds that the world of polite society and politics is filled with schemers and plotters, men who pursue riches and power--and those who seek to return the son of the deposed king to the throne. Desperately navigating a labyrinth of politicians, crime lords, assassins, and spies, Weaver learns that, in an election year, little is what it seems and the truth comes at a staggeringly high cost.Once again, acclaimed author David Liss combines historical erudition with mystery, complex characterization, and a captivating sense of humor. A Spectacle of Corruption offers insight into our own world of political scheming, and it firmly establishes David Liss as one of the best writers of intellectual suspense at work today.From the Hardcover edition.
The Spectacles of Mr. Cagliostro
by Harry Stephen KeelerThis is one of Mr. Keeler's finest mystery novels, developing his 'Webwork plot' constructionùan intricate edifice built up on one of the most startling and ingenious ideas in mystery literature.Through the diabolical scheme to separate a man from his inheritance, Mr. Keeler throws a fascinating sidelight upon a criminal use of modern psychology.Realùthrilling mysteryùtold by a master of mystery stories.
The Spectacular: A Novel
by Fiona DavisFrom the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Magnolia Palace: A thrilling story about love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion Brooks knows she should be happy. Her high school sweetheart is about to propose and sweep her off to the life everyone has always expected they&’d have together: a quiet house in the suburbs, Marion staying home to raise their future children. But instead, Marion finds herself feeling trapped. So when she comes across an opportunity to audition for the famous Radio City Rockettes—the glamorous precision-dancing troupe—she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer. Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the &“Big Apple Bomber,&” who has been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a yearslong manhunt, the police turn in desperation to Peter Griggs, a young doctor at a local mental hospital who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling. As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled in to the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that as much as she&’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she&’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she&’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.
Spectacular Happiness
by Peter D. KramerIn his bestselling Listening to Prozac, Peter Kramer asked how much happiness we have a right to expect, and how quickly we should demand it. In Should You Leave? he questioned whether trading up has replaced loyalty in intimate relationships. Critics have praised his intellect and writing, comparing him to Roth and Updike, and have anticipated his turn to fiction. Now Kramer has made that transition. Spectacular Happiness is a daring, controversial novel about what constitutes the good life. Chip Samuels is a community college teacher and handyman on Cape Cod, loyal to the radical values his wife, Anais, introduced him to in the sixties. A patient husband and, above all, a loving father, his world has been shattered by Anais's decision to run off with their son in search of a more conventional life devoted to getting and spending. Spectacular Happiness opens when Chip is named as the chief suspect in a series of anarchist bombings of beachfront trophy homes. Meticulously planned, announced with fireworks, these explosions have caught the public imagination, and the irony is that Chip, now an outlaw-celebrity, is drawn into the publicity-based culture he is aiming to disrupt. His response: to assemble a memoir for his estranged son, a father's attempt to explain his motivations before the media distorts them. Chip has splendid allies: Sukey Kuykendahl, an upper-class Realtor with weaknesses for alcohol and overbearing men; Wendy Moro, a self-effacing defense attorney thrust into the limelight; and Manny Abelman, an aging psychotherapist disenchanted with his profession. But it is Chip's own voice that dominates the novel, concerned, searching, painfully aware of the absurd behaviors love can demand. Darkly intelligent, Spectacular Happiness will alter the way we look both at oversized beachfront mansions and at the culture that spawns them, the culture Chip calls the society of the spectacle. Provocative, compelling, stunning in its execution, this is the masterful first novel that Kramer's nonfiction has led his readers and reviewers to expect.
The Specter
by Joan Lowery NixonChilling suspense from a three-time Edgar Award winner. Seventeen-year-old Dina has cancer and is angry at the whole world. Nothing can distract her, until Julie, a car accident survivor, becomes her hospital roommate. Julie fears someone is trying to kill her and she won't leave Dina's sight. And Dina wonders if, by befriending Julie, she's made herself a killer's target. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
The Specter From the Magician's Museum
by John Bellairs Brad Strickland Edward GoreyBased on John Bellairs' mystery-adventure series, this thrilling story will keep you on the edge of your seat!John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales full of adventure, attitude, and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gone bump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt, Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday. And this installment by Brad Strickland is no exception! After Rose Rita Pottinger cuts her finger on an enchanted Egyptian scroll, Lewis must work together with his neighbor Florence and sorcerous uncle Jonathan to rescue Rose Rita from the tomb in which she's imprisoned.
The Specter From the Magician's Museum (Lewis Barnavelt #7)
by Edward Gorey John Bellairs Brad StricklandA single drop of blood, a creepy something, a mysterious sorceress--these are the elements that lure Rose Rita Pottinger and Lewis Barnavelt into their most spine-tingling adventure ever. Who would have guessed that the research for their talent show magic act would ensnare these misfit friends in a web of sorcery, vengeance, and spooky creatures from beyond the grave? In all their many perilous pursuits, this may be their most fright-filled ever!.
The Specter from the Magician's Museum (A Lewis Barnevelt Mystery)
by Brad StricklandCaught in a Web of Doom.. It all begins with a school talent show. Lewis and Rose Rita visit a magician's museum to do some research for their magic act. But when Rose Rita cuts her finger on an enchanted scroll, unsettling things begin to happen. Rose Rita becomes spellbound by a tomb in a sorcerer's graveyard. Soon Lewis realizes that his friend is caught in a literal web of evil magic from beyond the grave... and if he doesn't save her, he may never see her again.
A Specter of Justice: A Sam Blackman Mystery (Blackman Agency Investigations #5)
by Mark de Castrique"A good choice for anyone who enjoys small-town mysteries and ghost stories." —BooklistWhen private detective Sam Blackman agrees to help his partner and lover, Nakayla Robertson, conduct a fundraiser for orphaned twin boys, he does so to ease his conscience. The boys' parents were killed in a courtroom shootout where Sam was the key witness against the twins' father.The charity event, a nighttime ghost tour of the legendary haunted sites of Asheville, North Carolina, seems harmless enough. Sam only has to tell the story of a grief-stricken woman who hanged herself from an old, arched stone bridge. "Helen, come forth!" he cries. Sam and his tour-goers expect the actress playing Helen's ghost to walk toward them from the bridge's dark recesses. Instead, her body tumbles from overhead and dangles at the end of a noose. Someone has reenacted the legend with deadly authenticity.When a second murder mimics another old ghost tale, the police fear a macabre serial killer is on the prowl. But the case isn't Sam's to solve. Then, a tidal wave of evidence begins to point to one man—Sam's friend, defense attorney Hewitt Donaldson. Sam and Nakayla, firmly believing in Donaldson's innocence, must not only prove it, but halt a murderer seemingly bent on retribution. Does the killer's motivation rise from the present, or is Team Donaldson dealing with some specter from the past?
Spectral Evidence: Canadian Historical Mysteries (Canadian Historical Mysteries)
by Eileen Charbonneau Jude PittmanSeventeen year-old Newfoundlande rCharlotte Jaddore loves nothing more than learning sacred healing arts from the elders of her Mi’kmaq and Beothuk grand-mothers. But the year is 1692 and her fathe rneeds he rhelp .Thei rAmerican cousins in Salem, Massachusetts have been accused of witchcraft. Will Charlotte help her father fight for their lives.
Spectrum (The Karen Vail Novels #6)
by Alan JacobsonFBI profiler Karen Vail is haunted by a serial killer from her rookie days in a &“pulse-pounding&” thriller by a USA Today bestselling author (Providence Journal). New York City: home to world-renowned museums, theater, restaurants, iconic sports franchises. Central Park. Wall Street. And an infamous serial killer who&’s terrorized the Big Apple for decades. The year is 1995 and the NYPD has just graduated a promising new patrol officer named Karen Vail. The rookie&’s first day on the job is anything but easy when she finds herself at the crime scene of a young woman murdered in an unusual manner. Vail is unsure of what she&’s looking at or what it means—but it&’s a case that will weigh on her mind for nearly twenty years. As the years pass, Vail&’s career takes unexpected twists and turns—as does the case that&’s come to be known as Hades. Now a skilled FBI profiler, will Vail be in a better position to catch the killer? Or will Hades prove to be Karen Vail&’s hell on earth? The character who has captivated readers worldwide—and who won the praise of literary giants Michael Connelly, James Patterson, and Nelson DeMille—returns in a story that captures the experiences that shaped the revered profiler and made her the top cop she is today.
Speculations in Sin (A Below Stairs Mystery #7)
by Jennifer AshleyTo save an innocent man&’s life, amateur sleuth and cook Kat Holloway must expose a financial scam that could ruin the most powerful aristocrats in Victorian-era London, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret of Bow Lane.Kat Holloway is distressed to learn that Samuel Millburn, husband of the woman who looks after her daughter, has been accused of embezzling funds from the bank where he works as a clerk. The accusation is absurd, and Samuel&’s wife fears that her husband will not only lose his post but be imprisoned. Kat vows to uncover the truth.When she discovers the bank is involved in shockingly murky business dealings, Kat realizes she&’s treading in dangerous waters. She turns to her confidante and handsome suitor, Daniel McAdam, for help. To exonerate Samuel, Kat and Daniel may have to expose the unseemly financial dealings of prominent aristocrats and government officials, and even those working to bring down the royal family. Kat will risk everything to protect the man who has sacrificed so much for her daughter, even if it means endangering herself and the friends she has come to love.
Speechless (The Thriller Shorts #1)
by Robert BrowneDiscover heart-racing intrigue in this Thriller Short of romantic suspense.Originally published in LOVE IS MURDER (2013),edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown.In this compelling Thriller Short, bestselling author Robert Browne lures us in with fears we all hold in common, then holds us captive with some uncommon twists. A love-hate mother-daughter relationship is further complicated when a high-handed mother feeds her daughter’s fear of infidelity and exploits her uncertainty in her choice in men. David, in particular. The daughter trusts David, but is that wise? Resolved to determine the truth, the daughter follows David on a business trip and sees and hears far more than she ever wanted. His drop-dead gorgeous associate is now dead, and David is convicted of killing her. But is he guilty?Don’t miss any of these Thriller Shorts from Love Is Murder:Diamond Drop by Roxanne St. ClaireCold Moonlight by Carla NeggersPoisoned by Beverly BartonSpeechless by Robert BrowneLockdown by Andrea KaneSpider’s Tango by William SimonNight Heat by Laura GriffinB.A.D. Mission by Sherrilyn KenyonDeadly Fixation by Dianna LoveHot Note by Patricia RosemoorLast Shot by Jon Land & Jeff AyersGrave Danger by Heather GrahamWithout Mercy by Mariah StewartEven Steven by D.P. LyleDying to Score by Cindy GerardThe Number of Man by J.T. EllisonHard Drive by Bill FloydAfter Hours by William BernhardtBlood In, Blood Out by Brenda NovakWed to Death by Vicki HinzeThe Honeymoon by Julie KennerExecution Dock by James MacomberIn Atlantis by Alexandra SokoloffBreak Even by Pamela CallowDirty Down Low by Debra WebbBroken Hallelujah by Toni McGee CauseyHolding Mercy by Lori ArmstrongVacation Interrupted by Allison BrennanI Heard a Romantic Story by Lee Child