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Deskless Work und Personalmanagement: Ideen, Praxiserfahrungen und Möglichkeiten zur Flexibilisierung der Arbeit
by Peter M. WaldFrontline, Deskless, BlueCollar-Worker und gewerbliche Arbeitnehmer. Es existieren zahlreiche Begriffe zur Beschreibung der Mitarbeitenden, die ihre Tätigkeit „nicht am Schreibtisch&“, sondern „deskless&“ erledigen müssen. Erfahrungsgemäß zählen diese Mitarbeitergruppen jedoch nicht zu denen, die Vorteile aus den derzeit genutzten Formen der Flexibilisierung der Arbeit, wie dem Homeoffice oder der Anywhere-Organisation, ziehen können. Auch die Digitalisierung scheint bei diesen Mitarbeitergruppen bislang nur partiell anzukommen. Im Gegenteil: Oft gelten hier vielerorts recht starre Regelungen, die eine Berücksichtigung der berechtigten Wünsche der Mitarbeiter nach einer Flexibilisierung der Arbeit nicht oder nur in geringem Maße zulassen. Damit vergeben viele Unternehmen nicht nur Möglichkeiten für Produktivitätsgewinne, sondern auch ihre Arbeitgeberattraktivität leidet nachhaltig. Die Diskussion neuer Möglichkeiten zur Überwindung dieser Situation steht im Zentrum dieses Buches.
Tick-Borne Viruses: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology #2936)
by Saravanan ThangamaniThis volume covers a variety of the latest scientific methods utilized in tick-borne virus (TBV) research. The chapters in this book explore detailed protocols on how to conduct in-depth research on TBVs; enhance understanding of the virus&’ biology; transmission mechanisms; and the creation of effective countermeasures. Following the established Methods in Molecular Biology series format, each chapter introduces the topic, lists necessary materials and reagents, offers step-by-step reproducible laboratory protocols, and includes troubleshooting tips to help avoid common issues. Cutting-edge and thorough, Tick-Borne Viruses: Methods and Protocols is a comprehensive and innovative resource for researchers, clinicians, and public health experts interested in exploring the complexities of TBVs.
SVI - Selbstverantwortungs-Inventar: Manual (Manuale zu Testverfahren und Fragebögen)
by Reinhard MaßIn der Psychologie werden gern Fragebögen verwendet. Da es vorher keinen Fragebogen zur Erfassung der Selbstverantwortung gab, habe ich selbst einen entwickelt, das Selbstverantwortungs-Inventar (SVI).[1] Das SVI besteht aus den drei Unterskalen Fremdbestimmung, Selbstbestimmung sowie Orientierung an den Erwartungen anderer. Fremdbestimmung ist der Eindruck einer Person, dass andere Menschen mehr Einfluss auf ihr eigenes Leben haben als sie selbst (Beispiel: „Andere sind an meinem Unglück schuld“. Selbstbestimmung ist eine unabhängige und selbstbewusste Haltung („Ich bestimme selbst, was ich tue oder lasse“). Orientierung an den Erwartungen anderer ist der Wunsch, die Erwartungen anderer Menschen zu erfüllen, und die Angst, Fehler zu machen oder zurechtgewiesen zu werden („Ich habe oft ein schlechtes Gewissen, wenn ich jemandem eine Bitte abschlage“). Ich habe das SVI bei mehreren wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen an gesunden Erwachsenen eingesetzt; dabei zeigten sich ziemlich genau die Zusammenhänge, die ich weiter oben beschrieben habe. Je ausgeprägter die Selbstverantwortung – das heißt, je weniger Fremdbestimmung, je mehr Selbstbestimmung und je weniger Orientierung an den Erwartungen anderer –, desto größer die Zufriedenheit in praktisch allen Bereichen des eigenen Lebens (z.B. Ehe bzw. Partnerschaft, eigene Person, Gesundheit, Sexualität). Obwohl es sich hier um Menschen ohne psychische Störungen handelt, wurde auch nach Depressivität und Ängstlichkeit gefragt, mit dem gleichen Ergebnis: Je ausgeprägter die Selbstverantwortung, desto geringer Depressivität und Ängstlichkeit. [1] Maß, R., Schottke, M.-L., Müller, M., Lübbers, F., Müller-Alcazar, A., Kolbeck, S. & Morgenroth, O. (2022). Mangelnde Selbstverantwortung und psychische Störungen. Entwicklung und Validierung eines Selbst-beurteilungsinstrumentes. Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik, Medizinische Psychologie, 72, 78-86.
Zuhause zu zweit: Ko-Konstruktion von Paaren und Dingen
by Viola LogemannIn dem vorliegenden Buch wird das Zuhause zu zweit als soziologisches Phänomen untersucht, das sich als Prozess und Produkt der Ko-Konstruktion von Paaren und Dingen offenbart. Forschungsgegenstand ist das Zusammenziehen und Zusammenwohnen von Paaren in der ersten gemeinsamen Wohnung, wobei besonders die Materialität der Wohnung sowie der individuellen und gemeinsamen Dinge von Interesse ist. Forschungsleitend waren drei Fragestellungen: Wie wird die Wohnung für das Paar zum Zuhause und was impliziert dieser Begriff? Was bedeutet Wohnen als Paar? Und wie wird die Wohnung als gemeinsamer und individueller Raum verhandelt? Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragen wurden Paarinterviews und Walking Interviews mit zehn Paaren in ihrer Wohnung durchgeführt, bei denen die Paare selbst Fotos erstellten. Das Material wurde mit der dokumentarischen Methode ausgewertet und vier sinngenetische Typen von Ko-Konstruktionen rekonstruiert. Die Typen umspannen Dimensionen der Deutung des Zusammenziehens und Zusammenlebens, der Zeitlichkeit und Prozessualität, des Verhältnisses von Gemeinsamkeit und Individualität sowie die Bedeutungen der "schönen" Dinge. Die Ergebnisse werden paar-, wohn- und wissenssoziologisch sowie methodisch diskutiert und die Relevanz der fortwährenden soziologischen Auseinandersetzung mit dem Forschungsgegenstand verdeutlicht.
Exploring Curriculum Landscapes in Africa: Theoretical Foundations and Practical Realities (Curriculum Studies Worldwide)
by Oscar Koopman Karen J. Koopman Wally Lumadi Samuel AmponsahThis book examines post-colonial curriculum transformation across seven African nations. These are South Africa, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Ghana. It investigates whether these educational systems have truly decolonized their curricula or still remain rooted in Western frameworks despite achieving political independence. Through analysis of curriculum policies and teaching practices, the authors explore educational reform dynamics in post-colonial African contexts. The book evaluates how successfully these systems have incorporated indigenous knowledge and local ways of knowing, versus continuing to propagate Western paradigms. The work provides both theoretical and empirical analysis of challenges and opportunities in rebuilding African education systems that reflect local cultural values while addressing modern educational needs.
Advanced Information Systems Engineering Workshops: CAiSE 2025 Workshops, Vienna, Austria, June 16–20, 2025, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing #556)
by Jānis Grabis Yves WauteletThis book constitutes the thoroughly refereed proceedings of the international workshops associated with the 37th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering, CAiSE 2025, which was held in Vienna, Austria, during June 16-20, 2025. The total of 24 full papers and 5 short papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 59 submissions. They stem from the following workshops: - 3rd Workshop on Knowledge Graphs for Semantics-driven Systems Engineering (KG4SDSE)- 3rd International Workshop on Hybrid Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise- Modelling for Intelligent Information Systems (HybridAIMS)- Joint Workshop on Blockchain for Information Systems Engineering (B4ISE) and Workshop on Information Systems and AI for Life Sciences (iSAILS)- 3rd Workshop on Modelling and Implementation of Digital Twins for Complex Systems (MIDas4CS)- Joint Process Mining with Unstructured Data workshop (PMUD) and International Workshop on Multimodal Process Mining (MMPM)- Joint Workshop on Large Language Models in Service-Oriented Architectures Design: Innovations and Applications (LLM-SOA) and Generation of Synthetic Datasets for Information Systems (GENSYN)- 1st Workshop on Compliance in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (CAI).
Psychotrichology: Psychiatric and Psychosocial Aspects of Hair Diseases
by Mohammad Jafferany Yuliya Ovcharenko Anna LyakhovitskyThis book will be the first title on the subject of Psychotrichology in the medical literature around the world. The subject of the psychological influence on hair loss disorders is of major interest to the field, since there is increasing data supporting the notion that emotional states have a very important influence on hair growth as well as on alopecia. The book presents the principles of therapy and features of medical management of psychotrichological patients, which involves interdisciplinary interaction of dermatotrichologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and general practitioners. Chapters discuss modern views on the psychosocial significance of hair, the effect of stress on the hair follicle, proposes a classification of psychotrichological disorders, and gives a description of clinical and pathogenetic data and differential diagnostic algorithms for conditions related to trichological and psychiatric pictures. Psychotrichology - Psychiatric and Psychosocial Aspects of Hair Diseases is a must-have resource for Dermatology Clinicians, Practitioners, Researchers, and Residents/Fellows who deal with hair. In addition, it will be of interest to mental health practitioners that deal with patients that suffer from the common disorder of hair loss.
Online Hate Speech: Analysis, Detection, and Mitigation (Synthesis Lectures on Human Language Technologies)
by Animesh Mukherjee Punyajoy Saha Mithun DasThis book informs readers on how to understand, detect, and mitigate hate speech in online social media. The authors first cover the definition of hate speech and how its prevalence can be measured on online social media platforms using text and graph-based methods. The book then describes the process of detecting hate speech and presents a comprehensive account of the AI models that are currently being used. Further, the authors discuss the associated challenges that must be overcome while using these models. The book concludes with an overview of the mitigation techniques for hate speech, including blocking or suspension of the accounts (hard technique) and counterspeech (soft technique), and a discussion of the effects of these techniques on social media platforms.
GlobalArctic: The New Dynamics of Arctic Governance (Palgrave Research in Peace Studies)
by Matthias Finger Gunnar RekvigThe third volume in the Global Arctic series examines the transformation of Arctic governance following the 2022 outbreak of war in Ukraine. This conflict has disrupted the post-Cold War cooperative circumpolar order, upending decades of multilateral collaborations. The book traces the Arctic's evolution from Cold War great power competition to a focus on human security and cooperation, highlighting the Arctic Council's establishment and the growth of the "Arctic family" with non-Arctic actors. It explores how climate change became a key driver for Arctic (re)engagement, opening new opportunities and challenges. The 2022 invasion of Ukraine has dramatically altered this landscape, ending the post-Cold War era of collaboration and ushering in the post-post-Cold War era, raising critical questions about regional cooperation, climate change mitigation, and global security. This book brings together diverse expert perspectives to analyze the rapidly changing geopolitical dynamics of the Arctic. It explores the tension between collaboration needs and resurgent great power competition, offering valuable insights for policymakers, scholars, and students. As global power dynamics shift and climate change threatens, understanding Arctic governance challenges becomes imperative. This book serves as an essential resource for navigating the complex Arctic political landscape and examining how new divisions are reshaping the region's future.
Applications of Blockchain Technology in E-Business Value Chains
by Josepha WittBlockchain Technology (BCT) is explored as a substantial part of the next generation of the Internet affecting business models in e-business. This book explores the application of BCT in e-business focusing on the value creation. The research objective is to examine how and why BCT is used in e-business value chains. This objective is reached through a pragmatic multimethod approach combining four studies. Study 1 summarises the state-of-the-art of approaches to assess a BCT fit for a particular scenario and outlines shortcomings resulting from these approaches. Study 2 provides empirical insights into the usage of BCT in four e-business value chains based on the cases Theta (content), OpenBazaar (commerce), Presearch (context), and Crypviser (connection). Study 3 deepens the insights in the e-commerce value chain. By means of a qualitative content analysis of news articles, various BCT application domains for each e-commerce activity are presented. Study 4 narrows the perspective of analysis to e-negotiations, proposes a BC-based negotiation support system and examines its opportunities and challenges. Finally, an integrative discussion of the findings results in two explanations how BCT is applied in e-business.
Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling: 26th International Conference, BPMDS 2025, and 30th International Conference, EMMSAD 2025, Vienna, Austria, June 16–17, 2025, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing #558)
by Arnon Sturm Han van der Aa Renata Guizzardi Luise PufahlThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of two long-running events held along with the CAiSE conference and related to the areas of enterprise, business-process and information systems modeling: - the 26th International Conference on Business Process Modeling, Development and Support, BPMDS 2025 and - the 30th International Conference on Exploring Modeling Methods for Systems Analysis and Development, EMMSAD 2025. The conferences were taking place in Vienna, Austria, during June 16–17, 2025. For BPMDS 12 full papers were carefully reviewed and selected for publication from a total of 39 submissions. The BPMDS papers deal with a broad range of theoretical and applications-based research in business process modeling, development and support. For EMMSAD 13 full papers and 3 short papers were accepted from a total of 37 submissions after thorough reviews. EMMSAD focusses on modeling methods for systems analysis and development.
Rural Demand Responsive Transport: Current Developments and Analysis of a Case Study in an Italian Inner Area (SpringerBriefs in Operations Management)
by Tiziano PavaniniThis book analyzes the transport situation in so-called low-demand areas, i.e., rural areas where traditional public transport is often poor and inefficient. Though rural transport has largely been neglected in the literature in favor of more urbanized contexts, it is often the only mobility option for the many citizens who still live in these areas. This book aims to fill the gap in the literature by providing further insights into rural transport research, in particular by presenting a valid solution: Demand Responsive Transport (DRT). This widespread technology allows public transport authorities to make their journeys more efficient by maximizing the load factor of vehicles, while helping citizens meet their mobility needs. The book addresses key research questions concerning the strengths and weaknesses of deploying Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) in rural areas; mayors&’ perceptions regarding the transport characteristics of their regions; and the evaluation of a DRT pilot project. These aspects are explored through a case study of DRT implementation in two rural areas near the Ligurian cities of Chiavari and Genoa.
Cardiac Amyloidosis
by Eyal HerzogThis book reviews the diagnosis and management of cardiac amyloidosis. Systemic amyloidosis is a broad spectrum of diseases that results from misfolding of proteins that aggregate into amyloid fibrils. In cardiac amyloidosis, amyloid fibrils accumulate in the interstitial space between cardiac myocytes causing cellular injury and impairing cardiac function. Cardiac Amyloidosis reviews the advances in cardiac imaging, diagnostic strategies and therapies available that have improved the recognition and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis. The contributors to this book have distilled the existing clinical guidelines into a novel and simple pathway to help healthcare providers diagnose and treat patients. Within this book they review each section of this pathway: suspicion, red flags, diagnosis, treatment and follow up. With current data suggesting that cardiac amyloidosis is more common than previously thought, this book is a timely addition to the literature and will be important for all healthcare professionals managing these patients.
Aufzüge und Fahrtreppen: Ein Anwenderhandbuch
by Dieter UngerDieses Fachbuch bietet allen, die Fahrtreppen und Aufzüge planen, bauen oder betreiben, einen umfassenden Überblick zu allen relevanten Themen, angefangen bei den Normen und technischen Regeln bis hin zur Technik. Es werden Planung, Betrieb, Wartung und Dokumentation beschrieben und mit zahlreichen aussagekräftigen Abbildungen ergänzt. Die vorliegende Auflage wurde in einigen Kapiteln angepasst, insbesondere die Kapitel Normen und Richtlinien wurden aktualisiert und erweitert.Das Buch dient Betreibern von Aufzügen und Fahrtreppen als Nachschlagewerk. Die vielen Beispiele, Tipps und Ratschläge aus der Praxis machen es für Ingenieure, Techniker und Architekten zu einem hilfreichen Begleiter bei der täglichen Arbeit.
Die Berliner Wohnungspolitik und der Volksentscheid zur Vergesellschaftung privater Wohnungsunternehmen: Eine historisch-materialistische Politikanalyse (BestMasters)
by Erik SchmidtDie Stadt Berlin wird seit Jahren von einer sich zuspitzenden Wohnungskrise getrieben. Nach der Wende etablierte sich eine lokale Immobilienverwertungskoalition zwischen der privaten Wohnungswirtschaft und der institutionellen Politik, die Privatisierungen und Aufwertungsprozesse forcierte. Gegen diese neoliberale Wohnungspolitik formierte sich frühzeitig eine kämpferische Mieter*innenbewegung. Sie fand ihren Kulminationspunkt in dem erfolgreichen Vergesellschaftungsvolksentscheid. Dieser Volksentscheid forderte die herrschenden Verhältnisse zwischen Staat und Kapital, Politik und Wirtschaft, Gemeinwohl und Privateigentum in ihren Grundfesten heraus. Diesen Konflikt, der weit über die Grenzen Berlins hinausweist, verfolgt die vorliegende Arbeit von der Gründung von „Deutsche Wohnen und Co. Enteignen&“ 2018 bis zur Wiederholungswahl 2023 nach. Es wird das Argument entfaltet, dass die Mieter*innenbewegung zwischenzeitlich die Hegemonie der privaten Wohnungswirtschaft brechen konnte. In der Folge konstituierte sich ein offener Konflikt zwischen zwei Projekten: das Projekt der Vergesellschaftung und das Projekt der Wohnungsbauoffensive, getragen von der privaten Wohnungswirtschaft und breiten Teilen der institutionellen Politik. Dieses Buch versucht eine Antwort auf die Frage zu geben, warum die Vergesellschaftung trotz des erfolgreichen Volksentscheids nicht umgesetzt und stattdessen die Hegemonie der neoliberalen Wohnungspolitik restauriert wurde.
Marketing and Smart Technologies: Proceedings of ICMarkTech 2024, Volume 1 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #438)
by José Luís Reis Zorica Bogdanović José Paulo Marques dos Santos Luís Mendes GomesThis book includes selected papers presented at the International Conference on Marketing and Technologies (ICMarkTech 2024), held at University of Azores, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal, between December 5 and 7, 2024. It covers up-to-date cutting-edge research on artificial intelligence applied in marketing, virtual and augmented reality in marketing, business intelligence databases and marketing, data mining and big data, marketing data science, web marketing, e-commerce and v-commerce, social media and networking, geomarketing and IoT, marketing automation and inbound marketing, machine learning applied to marketing, customer data management and CRM, and neuromarketing technologies.
Phyconanotechnology: Current Research, Challenges, and Prospects (Sustainable Landscape Planning and Natural Resources Management)
by Navneeta Bharadvaja Lakhan Kumar Raksha Anand Sunil KhareThis book explores the scientific development in the field of algal-based nanomaterials synthesis, production methods, and commercial and utilization aspects of phyconanomaterials to address a range of problems of humanity. Nanomaterials have been recently explored for and employed in environmental remediation, biomedical applications, agriculture, food industries, energy sectors, cosmetics, biolabeling, and space due to their versatility and wide range of applicability owing to their peculiar material characteristics and other attributes. Their conventional synthesis approaches are replacing green methods as the latter is comparatively economical, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly. Biological entities and derived materials-based nanomaterials synthesis is such a green approach. Using natural systems to synthesize nanomaterials does not leave behind any toxic compounds generally produced as by-products when physical or chemical methods are employed. Phyconanotechnology, a green way of synthesizing nanomaterials, can be used to overcome this issue. In the proposed book, algal diversity-based nanomaterials synthesis and their applications will be presented to the readers.
Radiation Oncology – Principles, Precepts and Practice: Volume I – Technical Aspects
by Atul Sharma Bidhu K. Mohanti Biplab Sarkar Anusheel Munshi Tharmarnadar Ganesh Indranil Mallick Manur Gururajachar JanakiThis book covers various aspects of radiation oncology, its principles and practice in the management of cancer types and sites in the human body. The book is in two volumes: Volume One is devoted to basic and technical aspects; Volume Two provides the clinical basis of modern radiation oncology. The chapters focus on an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach to cancer management covering the indications, contouring, treatment technique, outcomes, and toxicities related to radiotherapy for various cancer sites. It includes separate chapters on radiation biology, physics, and palliative care. Additionally, the book also addresses contemporary topics including artificial intelligence in radiation oncology, the role of protons/heavy ions, and the conduct of clinical trials in radiation oncology. The book is a relevant resource for busy radiation oncology physicians, practitioners, and trainees/residents/fellows seeking to utilize evidence in the literature to guide the management of radiation therapy patients. The book can be valuable for other disciplines such as surgical oncology, medical oncology, palliative medicine in cancer management including basic scientists working in both developed and developing countries.
The Method of Socratic Proofs: From the Logic of Questions to Proof Theory (Trends in Logic #64)
by Dorota Leszczyńska-JasionThis book contains a systematic and formal attempt to model solutions to problems such as: Is it possible to prove a question? Is it possible to prove something by the use of questions? Do the existing paradigms in the logic of questions allow one to combine questions and proofs? What are the results in this field? In developing answers, the book focuses on the applications of the method of Socratic proofs, and goes beyond that. It starts out with an overview of the leading paradigms, issues, problems and ready solutions in the logic of questions, and places Inferential Erotetic Logic and the method of Socratic proofs against a wider background. It then introduces these two methods in more detail and explains how they can be used for classical logic, intuitionistic propositional logic and for basic modal logics. Next, the book deals with issues specific to the field of the logic of questions, introducing the tools of Minimal Erotetic Semantics (MiES). The final chapters describe the translations between proof systems: from a Socratic transformation, derived in an erotetic calculus, into a sequent system.
Numerik in der Physik, Ingenieurwissenschaft und Informatik
by Günter Bärwolff Prof. Dr. TischendorfDieses Lehrbuch wendet sich hauptsächlich an Studierende der Ingenieur- und Naturwissenschaften sowie der Informatik, aber auch an in der angewandten Praxis tätige Fachkräfte in diesen Disziplinen. Es wird ein weites Spektrum von verschiedenen Themenfeldern behandelt, von der numerischen Lösung linearer Gleichungssysteme über Eigenwertprobleme, numerische Integration bis hin zu gewöhnlichen und partiellen Differentialgleichungen. Dabei werden jeweils die Methoden diskutiert, die den spezifischen Anforderungen typischer Aufgabenstellungen in der Praxis entsprechen. Die Autoren stellen die Themen in einer Weise dar, die sowohl den wesentlichen mathematischen Hintergrund erläutert, als auch eine unkomplizierte Umsetzung auf praktische Aufgabenstellungen bzw. die Realisierung auf dem Computer ermöglicht. Vorausgesetzt werden lediglich Grundkenntnisse in der Höheren Mathematik, wie sie im Grundstudium für die genannten Fachrichtungen vermittelt werden, wobei einige wichtige Aussagen aus Analysis und linearer Algebra wiederholt werden. Zu den behandelten Methoden werden Octave/Matlab- und Python-Programme angegeben und zum Download angeboten, so dass Lesende in die Lage versetzt werden, konkrete Aufgabenstellungen zu bearbeiten. Mehr als 60 Übungsaufgaben mit Lösungen im Internet erleichtern die Aneignung des Lernstoffes. Die vorliegende 5. Auflage ist vollständig durchgesehen und um die Themen Machine Learning und numerische Lösung der Maxwellgleichungen erweitert und enthält interaktive Flashcards (Springer-Nature-Flashcards-App) zum Selbststudium, mit denen Sie die Inhalte auf spielerische Weise einüben können.
I'll Be Home for Mischief: A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery (A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #5)
by Jacqueline FrostInnkeeper Holly White is decking the halls this Christmas season, but someone is on the naughty list when a body is discovered in the fifth installment in the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.It&’s Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine, and the Historical Society has launched a widespread campaign to celebrate the town&’s 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family, the Snows, have returned for the first time, and Holly is determined to make the family&’s visit magical. In an attempt to put Mistletoe on the map, Holly&’s mother, a respected local baker, attempts to break a record by baking the world&’s largest gingerbread man, but her plans are whisked away when Mr. Snow&’s body ends up in the batter. When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.When someone breaks into Holly&’s office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?
The Shooting Party: A Novel
by Isabel ColegateA leisurely weekend among the British gentry reveals the cracks in their upper-class society in this &“beautifully crafted&” historical fiction novel set in pre-WWI England (Washington Post).&“A lovely piece of writing, in which subtlety, irony, and close observation abound.&” —Larry McMurtryIt is the autumn of 1913. Sir Randolph Nettleby has assembled a brilliant array of guests at his Oxfordshire estate for the biggest hunt of the season. An army of gamekeepers, beaters, and servants has rehearsed the intricate age–old ritual, the gentlemen are falling into the prescribed mode of fellowship and sporting rivalry, the ladies intrigued by the latest gossip and fashion. Everything about this splendid weekend would seem a perfect consummation of the pleasures afforded the privileged in Edwardian England. And yet it is not: the moral and social code of this group is not so secure as it appears. Competition beyond the bounds of sportsmanship, revulsion at the slaughter of the animals, anger at the inequities of class—these forces are about to rise up and engulf the assured social peace, a peace that can last only a brief while longer. In imagining Sir Randolph's shooting party, wrote The Spectator, Miss Colegate has found a perfect metaphor for the passing of a way of life.
Dispersals: On Plants, Borders, and Belonging
by Jessica J. LeeA prize-winning memoirist and nature writer turns to the lives of plants entangled in our human world to explore belonging, displacement, identity, and the truths of our shared futureA seed slips beyond a garden wall. A tree is planted on a precarious border. A shrub is stolen from its culture and its land. What happens when these plants leave their original homes and put down roots elsewhere?In fourteen essays, Dispersals explores the entanglements of the plant and human worlds: from species considered invasive, like giant hogweed; to those vilified but intimate, like soy; and those like kelp, on which our futures depend. Each of the plants considered in this collection are somehow perceived as being &‘out of place&’—weeds, samples collected through imperial science, crops introduced and transformed by our hand. Combining memoir, history, and scientific research in poetic prose, Jessica J. Lee meditates on the question of how both plants and people come to belong, why both cross borders, and how our futures are more entwined than we might imagine.
Sleep Tight: A Novel
by J. H. MarkertThe sole survivor of a serial killer might hold the key to stopping a new spree of murders in this propulsive horror thriller in the vein of The Black Phone and The Whisper Man.Dark and twisting at every turn, fans of Catriona Ward will love this chilling new tale from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the "clear heir to Stephen King.&”Beware the one who got away . . . Father Silence once terrorized the rural town of Twisted Tree, disguising himself as a priest to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. When the police finally found his "House of Horrors," they uncovered nineteen bodies and one survivor–a boy now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane.Nearly two decades later, Father Silence is finally put to death, but by the next morning, the detective who made the original arrest is found dead. A new serial killer is taking credit for the murder and calling himself the Outcast.The detective&’s daughter, Tess Claibourne, is a detective herself, haunted by childhood trauma and horrified by the death of her father and the resurgence of Father Silence&’s legacy.When Tess&’s daughter is kidnapped by the Outcast, Tess is forced to face her worst fears and long-buried memories. With no leads to follow, she travels back to Twisted Tree to visit the boy who survived and see what secrets might be buried in the tangled web of his broken mind.With captivating prose and an old-school horror flair, Sleep Tight is a must-read, haunting tale from a true master of the genre.
A Slay Ride Together With You: A Year-Round Christmas Mystery (Year-Round Christmas Mystery #7)
by Vicki DelanyThe slay bells are ringing in this festive seventh installment of national bestselling author Vicki Delany&’s Year-Round Christmas mystery series, perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Donna Andrews.Rudolph, New York, shop owner Merry Wilkinson&’s best friend Vicky Casey is newly engaged to Chef Mark Grosse and is moving into the historic Cole House–a home surrounded by drama, intrigue, and a possible haunting that is in desperate need of renovation. The wedding is just three weeks away, but all is not bliss for the newly engaged couple as estranged relatives of the late owner fight over her will. Then, late one night, Vicky and Merry come across a dead body in the garden of Cole House–and Mark is the one standing over the corpse. As Detective Diane Simmonds focuses on Mark as the prime suspect, Vicky asks for Merry&’s help to clear her fiancé&’s name in time for the wedding. As they dig deeper into the connection between the house, Cole relatives, and town residents, past and present, it becomes clear that plenty of people wanted the victim dead.With a bakery to run, the busy Easter weekend fast approaching, a house to renovate, and a fiancé to clear of a murder accusation, Vicky&’s wedding may end up on the chopping block. It&’s up to Merry to put aside the chocolate bunnies and stuffed rabbits and help her best friend save her wedding–and her life.