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The Dark Fantastic (The John Milano Mysteries #2)
by Stanley EllinIn a desolate part of Brooklyn, a retired history professor plots mass murderThe withered old man speaks into a tape recorder. This is not a confession, he explains, but a presentation. He is Charles Witter Kirwan, a former academic who has lived his whole life in the same house and watched his childhood neighborhood turn from white to black. Now, stricken with terminal cancer, Kirwan has decided to fight back against his neighbors. His may be the ravings of a lunatic racist, but the dynamite in his basement is real. He is going to blow up the apartment building next door—and take some sixty African Americans with it. Private investigator John Milano is on the trail of a stolen painting when he catches wind of Kirwan&’s mad plan. He has forty-eight hours to stop the bombing, and to keep those innocents from following this twisted, hateful man into death.
The Prince Commands: Being Sundry Adventures of Michael Karl, Sometime Crown Prince & Pretender to the Thrown of Morvania
by Andre NortonFew authors have achieved such renown as World Fantasy Life Achievement honoree and Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Andre Norton. With the love of readers and the praise of critics, Norton&’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide. Michael Karl&’s dreams for the future do not include becoming the monarch of an obscure Morvanian kingdom, but he soon discovers he has no say in the matter. He, the result of a misalliance between a Morvanian Prince and an American girl, is now the sole heir to the throne; however, not all of his future subjects are welcoming. On his way to his capital, Michael Karl is captured and threatened by a rebel leader known as the Werewolf, apparently because he is one! Escaping Michael lands on the doorstep of an American journalist in the guise of a distressed fellow citizen resolutely concealing his royal identity. All Michael wants is to go home to America, but even incognito he can&’t help but get caught up in the political turmoil of his ancestral land and begins to wonder if maybe the Werewolf doesn&’t have a point after all.
The Wicked Marquis
by E. Phillips OppenheimA breathtaking tale of intrigue, romance, and revenge from one of the twentieth century&’s most prolific and popular authors of suspense From the top floor of his house, the marquis of Mandeleys can look for miles and see nothing he does not own—save one little cottage, just a hundred yards from his front door. It is the property of Richard Vont, whose family has been tenants at Mandeleys for generations, and who refuses to go away without a fight. Eighteen years ago, the marquis took an interest in Vont&’s only daughter, bringing her under his wing and spiriting her across England and beyond. With his encouragement, Marcia has become a famous novelist, but her father was left alone and bitter. Now he has come up with a plan to avenge his loss and destroy the marquis once and for all. As the plot unfolds, the righteousness of Vont&’s anger is called into question, as is the loyalty of his American mercenary. But no matter how innocent the &“wicked&” marquis may turn out to be, it could already be too late to save his life. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Dragonholder: The Life and Dreams of Anne McCaffrey
by Todd McCaffreyAn enthralling biography of one of the most luminous shining stars of fantasy and science fiction, world builder and dragon master Anne McCaffrey, written by her son, collaborator, and most devoted fanWhile you&’ve been to Pern . . . you haven&’t heard the stories behind the stories. I propose to fix that. When Anne McCaffrey&’s Hugo Award–winning novella &“Weyr Search&” appeared in the late 1960s as part of the novel Dragonflight, the science fiction universe was gloriously transformed as readers first experienced the exhilarating thrill of soaring with dragons. With the many Pern novels that followed, McCaffrey steadily won the hearts and unwavering devotion of millions of fans, eventually earning a permanent position on the New York Times bestseller list. Dragonholder celebrates the birth and growth of McCaffrey&’s breathtaking literary vision, as well as the momentous events of a life that was in many ways as extraordinary as the worlds and characters that McCaffrey created. No one understands or appreciates McCaffrey&’s life and work better than her son, Todd, does. In Dragonholder, her frequent coauthor and avid fan intimately examines his mother&’s childhood and early adulthood, the amazing gift of second sight she inherited from her own mother and grandmother, the trials she faced juggling a career and a family during the turbulent sixties, and her rise to literary stardom—and he reveals the events and influences that ultimately gave rise to the myriad wonders of Pern and the other miraculous worlds borne of Anne McCaffrey&’s unparalleled imagination.
Thursday's Child: A Novel of Suspense
by Teri WhiteWhen an orphan runs away from home, his grandfather hires an ex-cop to find him Four months ago, Beau Epstein watched his parents die. For fourteen years, he lived with his family in the jungle village of Santa María, ignoring the outside world. It was paradise until the civil war came to find them. His parents were gunned down in the streets, and Beau found himself suddenly alone in the world. His grandfather, an old-school Hollywood mogul, sends for the child. After struggling to adjust to life in Los Angeles, Beau runs away from home, and his grandfather hires Gar Sinclair to find him. Ever since a gunshot wound ended his career with the LAPD, Gar has made a living tracking down the displaced children of Hollywood big shots. But Beau is no ordinary runaway. In a city where hired killers stalk the streets, one lost boy will find himself right back in the jungle.
The Four Corners of the World
by A. E. MasonA scintillating collection of mysteries and adventures from the brilliant mind of A. E. W. Mason When Archie Cranfield&’s father asked Mr. Twiss to look after his son as well as advise him financially, the solicitor had no idea what he was agreeing to. A furtive smile permanently etched on his face, Archie lives alone in the countryside. His neighbors do not like him, and Captain Brayton, a former schoolmate, had a falling-out with him years ago and has not seen him since. Then the oddest surprise of all—Archie invites Brayton for a weekend visit and the captain winds up dead. Is it suicide, or is the young Mr. Cranfield as guilty as he looks? &“The Clock&” is the first of thirteen enthralling tales of suspense in The Four Corners of the World. A. E. W. Mason&’s masterful collection moves from Gibralter to South America, from a brutal wartime drama to a terrible murder solved by the inimitable Inspector Hanaud. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Death in a Bowl
by Raoul WhitfieldIn this gripping classic thriller from the Golden Age of noir, tough-as-nails PI Ben Jardinn investigates the bizarre murder of an orchestra conductor in front of thousands of witnesses at the Hollywood Bowl From his Hollywood office just steps away from Grauman&’s Chinese Theatre, hard-drinking private investigator Ben Jardinn keeps his finger firmly on the pulse of Tinseltown. So when an orchestra conductor is shot dead in front of twenty thousand pairs of eyes at the famed Hollywood Bowl, Jardinn is intrigued—especially since two of the prime suspects came to ask for his help before the murder even occurred. However, tracking down the truth won&’t be easy since it seems no one&’s word can be trusted—not even that of the PI&’s closest colleagues. And the trail to a killer and a motive twists into dark and unexpected places where even a tough, streetwise detective may find it difficult to stay alive. A pioneer of hard-boiled 1930s detective fiction, Raoul Whitfield created some of the genre&’s most intriguing stories and characters, many of which were featured in Black Mask, a legendary pulp magazine of the era. A contemporary of Dashiell Hammett—as well as his drinking buddy—Whitfield enjoyed success on par with Hammett&’s during his lifetime. But while the works of mystery writers like Hammett and Raymond Chandler have been immortalized in print and on the movie screen, for decades Whitfield&’s action-packed tales of betrayal, revenge, greed, and murder were largely ignored—an injustice that is now being rectified to the delight of noir fiction aficionados everywhere.This ebook includes an introduction by Boris Dralyuk.
The Outside Man: A Novel
by Richard North PattersonA Northern lawyer in a Southern town risks his life to bring a killer to justice in this suspenseful legal thriller by a #1 New York Times–bestselling author. A Yankee through and through, Adam Shaw never felt at ease among the upper crust of the Deep South. An attorney to some of the most powerful people in Alabama, he is close with only two of them. When Adam&’s best friend, Henry Cantwell, disappears after his wife is murdered, Adam starts asking questions, delving beneath the town&’s tranquil facade. While the police hunt for the killer, Adam risks everything—his professional standing, his marriage, and his very life to save Henry from the electric chair and bring the right man to justice.
Tales of the Flying Mountains: Stories
by Poul AndersonIn a thrilling collection of hard science fiction stories, a master of speculative fiction envisions a volatile future when Earth&’s colonies throughout the galaxy attempt to break free from home-world rule On a spaceship rocketing toward the stars, an official council meets to discuss how to censor history for the benefit of a new generation in space—which stories to preserve and which ones to discard forever . . . Golden-age hard science fiction luminary Poul Anderson approached the future with a mixture of excitement, hope, and skepticism. In Tales of the Flying Mountains, the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award winner offers stories from a new war of independence and beyond—portending a time when a North American government on Earth will take up arms against its own rebellious children colonizing the cosmos, then exploring the shape of the universe in the war&’s aftermath. Firmly based in hard science and human nature, here are seven excursions into a distant tomorrow, from the tense saber rattling preceding the hostilities to the establishment and growth of the independent Asteroid Republic. Whether he&’s spinning an imaginative yarn about the courageous crew of an unarmed state-of-the-art commercial space station using every resources at hand to battle a military incursion from the home world or chronicling a space colony&’s desperate gamble to thwart a government takeover by moving an entire asteroid, Anderson builds truly breathtaking worlds and imagines astonishing yet eminently credible future scenarios while infusing his unforgettable tales with intelligence, compassion, surprise, and humanism.
The Crystal Gryphon: Witch World Series (Witch World: High Hallack Cycle #1)
by Andre NortonThe adventures of Witch World continue as a cursed hero and his true love struggle for survival in a vast parallel universe of magic and high fantasy. Kerovan of Ulmsdale has long borne the curse of his ancestors&’ depredations. After pillaging a sanctum of the Old Ones, his bloodline has been forever marred by painful sickness and death. Kerovan was born strong and hardy, but he walks on hooves instead of human feet and sees through eyes of amber—just as the Old Ones had. Bound in marriage to the beautiful Joisan of Ithkrypt, Kerovan seeks to claim his rightful place as Lord-heir of Ulmsdale. But first, the couple—separated by distance, yet linked in spirit—must unlock the powers held within a mystical necklace Joisan wears. The small crystal gryphon bears secrets that will bring them to the farthest reaches of the wilderness on a quest to save their people and their world from doom. Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Andre Norton&’s beloved novels of sword and sorcery have sold millions of copies worldwide. The Crystal Gryphon is the 3rd book in the Witch World: High Hallack Cycle, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Godbond: Madbond, Mindbond, And Godbond (Sea King Trilogy #3)
by Nancy SpringerIn the magnificent conclusion to Nancy Springer&’s Sea King Trilogy, a mad prince confronts peril and dark magic on a desperate quest to find a lost god in a dying world They were three, united to hold together a world that was coming apart: Rad Korridun, the sea king, who died three times but lived still; Dannoc, the mad prince of the Red Hart tribe, bonded mind and heart to Kor; and Tassida, the beautiful mystery, a rebellious daughter of the death goddess, who loved them both. But Mahela, the all-powerful Devourer, felt betrayed by her one-time lover Kor, and she attempted to break their bond with anger, disappointment, and jealousy. And so the companions have gone their separate ways. Resuming his lifelong quest to find his god, Dannoc now must confront his greatest terrors and gravest fears in the company of a loyal wolf brother. For only then will he be able to recover his true name, his past, and his sanity—and perhaps save a world. Acclaimed fantasist Nancy Springer brings her remarkable Sea King Trilogy to a breathtaking conclusion with Godbond, following her mad hero through a fantastic world that rivals the fantasy realms created by the great J. R. R. Tolkien in richness and imagination.
Betrayal
by J. Robert JanesCaught between empires, a young woman risks her life for IrelandMary Ellen Fraser speeds down the lonely country road, aware that no matter how fast she drives, she cannot outrun the secret in her heart. In the POW camps of Northern Ireland, this doctor&’s wife found a lover—a handsome German officer who begged her to smuggle a letter to his cousin. But the cousin is a lie, and the note is really an encoded message for Admiral Dönitz, high commander of the Nazi fleet. Not only has Mary betrayed her husband, she has betrayed Britain, as well.When she discovers the consequences of her unwitting bit of espionage, Mary does everything she can to undo the damage. Trapped between Britain, Germany, and the merciless Irish Republican Army, Mary is the only person who can keep the Nazis from landing in Ireland.
Metal Angel
by Nancy SpringerA dissatisfied angel falls to Earth to pursue his long-held dream of becoming a heavy-metal rock &’n&’ roll god For Volos, heaven is a bore; the real action is in the world of mortals. So the restless celestial abandons the eternal realm, transforming himself into a beautiful, decadent example of the human male while keeping his wings intact, and sets out to become a rock star. Needing appropriate lyrics for his soon-to-be hit singles and having no firsthand experience with mortal emotions and concerns, Volos finds everything he needs in the personal writings of a sexually repressed wife and mother from the Bible Belt. The daughter of a tyrannical fundamentalist preacher, Angie composes poetry in secret, and she is shocked when she hears her own words on the radio. Surely a higher power is calling her to Los Angeles. But the music is leading her to a shining star who is more than a man yet less than human—a true soulmate capable of changing her world in ways she never could have imagined. Multiple award–winning fantasist Nancy Springer reinvigorates the fallen-angel trope in a delightfully inventive and thought-provoking story of a celestial being who is unhappy in the service of a distant and unapproachable God. Metal Angel is an enthralling exploration of belief, spirituality, sexual awakening, and superstardom.
The Merman's Children
by Poul AndersonThe last of the merfolk scour Earth for a new home to call their own The underwater city of Liri has thrived off the coast of Denmark for generations. But now, as Europe&’s medieval age comes to a close, the efforts of zealous priests and the destructive ringing of church bells are causing the city to crumble. An ageless people who thrived apart from the cruelty of human existence on land, the merfolk are poetic speakers, loving and loyal, nearly impervious to death but with one great deficiency: They lack souls. Their numbers dwindling, the merpeople scatter. Some abandon their home for the coast of Dalmatia in the Adriatic Sea, while others—the half-human, half-seaborn children of the great merfolk king Vanimen—decide to scout alien territory on land for adventure, treasure, and clues to their lost human heritage.
A Journey in Other Worlds: A Romance Of The Future
by John Jacob AstorA stunning trip across the galaxy and into the future Focusing on Richard Ayrault, a stockholder of the Terrestrial Axis Straightening Company, A Journey in Other Worlds takes readers across the solar system to Jupiter and Saturn. On Jupiter, Astor creates a fantastically outsize world of gushing volcanoes, crashing waterfalls, and otherworldly flora and fauna. In contrast, his Saturn is an introspective and philosophical land. While Ayrault&’s journey is the main attraction, it is Astor&’s vision of a future with maglev trains, a police force equipped with cameras, and an interconnected network of phones, solar power, wind power, and air travel that will astonish. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Mindbond: Madbond, Mindbond, And Godbond (Sea King Trilogy #2)
by Nancy SpringerIn the second book of Nancy Springer&’s remarkable Sea King fantasy trilogy, a king&’s quest for the survival of his world leads him and his bond brother to a terrifying realm of the dead beneath the water Once, great kings reigned in mighty, teeming cities. Now six small tribes inhabit the known world—and their world is nearing its end. When Rad Korridun, king of the Seal Kindred Tribe, first encountered Dannoc, the troubled chieftain saw clearly that the man was mad, while Dan thought Kor was the god he had long been seeking. However, the unique connection they shared could not be ignored, and a powerful brotherhood was born. The arrival of Tassida, the beautiful mystery, strengthened that bond and threatened it as well. Now that the beasts of their world have fallen prey to the terrible hunger of the Devourers, the survival of the tribes depends on these three whom Destiny is leading to the undersea land of the dead. There, Dannoc seeks to reunite with his lost father. For Tassida, it is a homecoming. But Kor faces a reunion of a much darker sort, for here lies the source of all the world&’s ills.
The Third Hour
by Geoffrey HouseholdA reckless Spanish adventurer and a British workingman join forces in a dangerous hunt for hidden treasure By the age of twenty-seven, Manuel Vargas has already lived more than most men. A restless adventurer and world traveler, he has journeyed far from his home in Spain, and now fate and tragedy have deposited him into the ranks of the Mexican revolutionary army. But when he discovers that a passenger train he and his fellow rebel confederates have blown off the tracks is carrying a fortune in gold, his life takes yet another strange turn. Meanwhile, in London, a traveling salesman named Toby plies his ordinary trade, unaware of what destiny has in store for him. When Vargas and Toby cross paths, two very different men will be united by their wild desires and dreams as they set off together on a perilous quest for treasure that could be their salvation—or their doom. In the decade preceding the Second World War, the remarkable Geoffrey Household had already won praise far and wide for his ability to add rare depth and intelligence to the classic thriller. Thoughtful and unforgettable, filled with unexpected turns and richly drawn characters, The Third Hour is a masterful demonstration of everything that a suspenseful and deeply human adventure novel can be.
Corsican Honor: A Novel
by William HeffernanThe electrifying follow-up to The CorsicanCold War Marseille is a city of shadowy alliances and loose morals, where a good man can lose sight of which side he is really on and evil men profit from the misery and confusion of others. It is therefore the perfect town for Ernst Ludwig, an East German terrorist who is sadistic beyond measure. But when Ludwig kidnaps and murders the wife of Alex Moran, the US intelligence agent hot on his trail, he sets off a blood feud whose violent shock waves will span decades and reach all the way across the globe. To avenge his wife&’s death, Moran turns to his &“uncles&” in the Corsican Mafia, Antoine and Meme Pisani. The Pisanis have been in league with US intelligence since the 1940s, when Moran&’s father, a CIA agent, sought their help in suppressing Communist agitators. But the height of the Cold War is a more complicated era, and Moran is forced to resign when his personal alliance with the underworld threatens to shed light on murky dealings between the US government and the mob—dealings that are way above his pay grade. Ten years later, he is called back into action when Ludwig resurfaces as the chief henchman of a Colombian drug lord bent on bringing the Pisani brothers to their knees. Given another chance at revenge, Moran will stop at nothing to bring the German&’s reign of terror to a grisly end. William Heffernan&’s return to the bestselling world of Corsican crime and international espionage is a thriller so propulsive it grabs you by the throat on the very first page and never lets go.
The Problem of the Surly Servant (The Charles Dodgson and Arthur Conan Doyle Mysteries #5)
by Roberta RogowAt Oxford, a rash of crime puts Dodgson under suspicion of murder The world of academia is hardly a hotbed of crime. And although scholars at the University of Oxford may debate the assassination of Caesar or the execution of Socrates, a modern criminal has no place within the school&’s walls. And yet, as the reverend Charles Dodgson is horrified to learn, there is a thief within the college of Christ Church. The wine cellar has been ransacked, the faculty has been robbed, and a female student is being threatened by a blackmailer. It falls to Dodgson—better known as Lewis Carroll—to unmask the thief with the help of his dear friend Arthur Conan Doyle. The campus crimes quickly escalate until the university&’s hallowed halls are stained with blood. When suspicion of murder falls at Dodgson&’s feet, it is up to Doyle to clear his friend&’s name—with the brilliance and style befitting the man who created Sherlock Holmes.
The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance (The Heinle Reading Library: Illustrated Classics Collection Level A)
by H. G. WellsA brilliant scientist&’s experiment leads him into a life of crime in this classic tale—the inspiration for the suspenseful film starring Elisabeth Moss. On a frigid night in a remote English village, a visitor inquires about a room. The innkeeper welcomes him, filling the hearth with a roaring fire, but no matter how warm the room becomes, the traveler will not remove his coat or the scarf that hides his face. If he did, he would disappear. The invisible man is Griffin, a brilliant scientist who tested a new invention on himself and found that it worked far too well. When his lab was destroyed in a fire, Griffin was forced out onto the streets of London, where he turned to theft to survive. He came to the English countryside in a last-ditch attempt to return himself to normal, but he will soon be driven back into the night—and to the very edge of madness—in this original science fiction novel that inspired the psychological horror film starring Elisabeth Moss and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. This ebook edition has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Shattered Echoes
by B. A. ShapiroA young widow is haunted by the past in this &“fast paced . . . hauntingly original&” thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Art Forger (Mystery News). After the tragic death of her husband of less than two years, Lindsey sells her house in the suburbs and moves into a renovated townhouse in the city, only to discover that an earlier tenant—over one hundred years earlier—apparently still lives on the premises. Lindsey wants to start over, but she is haunted by her past, by unfathomable guilt—and perhaps by a ghost.Shattered Echoes is a psychological thriller about murder, madness, and the supernatural in Boston&’s historic Back Bay.
A Sicilian Romance: A Gothic Novel (reader's Edition) (World's Classics Ser.)
by Ann RadcliffeWhat horrible history lies below the castles in the caverns of Sicily? Located on Sicily&’s northern shore, the castle of Mazzini was home to the beautiful and clever sisters Emilia and Julia. They have lived there for years with their governess after their father, the marquis, moved to Naples with his second wife. When he unexpectedly returns with their brother Ferdinand, mysterious events begin to occur around the castle. Rooms abandoned for years suddenly have strange tenants. Visiting the castle is a valiant and handsome friend of Ferdinand named Hippolitus, who immediately catches the eyes of both Julia and her stepmother. However, the marquis has his own ideas for who Julia&’s husband should be, and he will stop at nothing to get his way, no matter what the cost to his daughters. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Golden Slipper: And Other Problems for Violet Strange
by Anna Katharine GreenA daring debutante solves the crimes of upper-crust Manhattan in this groundbreaking story collection from the queen of American mystery Violet Strange has a secret. A vivacious socialite, she is one of the most sought-after women in New York—as a private investigator. Between well-heeled excursions to the opera and fabulous dinner parties, Violet uses her lively charms to investigate the dark side of Gilded Age society. From the daughter of an important businessman accused of theft on a grand scale, to the suspected murder-suicide of the husband and child of a society woman, to the lost will of a financier whose death greatly affected the money market, Violet expertly sleuths out hidden clues, all the while protecting her secret identity. But the greatest puzzle of all may be what compels Miss Strange to undertake this outlandish work in the first place, and what it may afford—or cost—her in the end. Originally published in 1915, The Golden Slipper is the debut entry in the Violet Strange series, often credited as first in the famed &“girl detectives&” mystery genre. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
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.
A Crossword to Die For: A New Crossword Mystery With Puzzles Included (Crossword Mysteries #5)
by Nero BlancMurder is a family affair when crossword editor Belle Graham&’s dad dies under suspicious circumstances Newlyweds Rosco Polycrates and Belle Graham are settling into life with a new puppy in their charming New England townhouse when Belle&’s estranged father sets out to visit them. Except renowned anthropologist Theodore A. Graham never makes it off the train. According to the coroner, he died of a heart attack aboard the Amtrak to Newcastle. Now Belle is flying down to Florida to dispose of the effects of a man she barely knew. On Sanibel Island, she makes some bizarre discoveries. And when another body turns up, she vows to uncover the truth behind her father&’s secret life—and death. With Rosco aiding and abetting, Belle&’s on the trail of a massive conspiracy to conceal a lethal secret. Up, down, and across states, she must stay one grid ahead of a diabolical killer. This ebook includes six crossword puzzles that can be downloaded as PDFs, with answers in the back of the book, plus a bonus recipe.A Crossword to Die For is the 4th book in the Crossword Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.