In the predawn hours of a gloomy February day in 1994, two thieves entered the National Gallery in Oslo and made off with one of the world's most famous paintings, Edvard Munch's Scream . It was a brazen crime committed while the whole world was watching the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. Baffled and humiliated, the Norwegian police turned to the one man they believed could help: a half English, half American undercover cop named Charley Hill, the world's greatest art detective. The Rescue Artist is a rollicking narrative that carries readers deep inside the art underworld -- and introduces them to a large and colorful cast of titled aristocrats, intrepid investigators, and thick-necked thugs. But most compelling of all is Charley Hill himself, a complicated mix of brilliance, foolhardiness, and charm whose hunt for a purloined treasure would either cap an illustrious career or be the fiasco that would haunt him forever.
From Publishers Weekly The little-known world of art theft is compellingly portrayed in Dolnick's account of the 1994 theft and recovery of Edvard Munch's iconic painting The Scream. The theft was carried out with almost comical ease at Norway's National Gallery in Oslo on the very morning that the Winter Olympics began in that city. Despite the low-tech nature of the crime, the local police were baffled, and Dolnick ( Down the Great Unknown ; Madness on the Couch ) makes a convincing case that the fortunate resolution of the investigation was almost exclusively due to the expertise, ingenuity and daring of the "rescue artist" of the title: Charley Hill, a Scotland Yard undercover officer and former Fulbright scholar who has made recovering stolen art treasures his life's work. Hill is a larger-than-life figure who seems lifted from the pages of Elmore Leonard, although his adversaries in this inquiry are fairly pedestrian. While the path to the painting's retrieval is relatively straightforward once some shady characters put the word out that they can get their hands on it, the narrative's frequent detours to other crimes and engaging escapades from Hill's past elevate this work above last year's similar The Irish Game by Matthew Hart. Views: 42
Even though bounty hunter Lou Prophet is clean out of money, he'd rather ride a cactus than be saddled with foreign royalty. But comely Russian Countess Natasha Roskov has a problem: Her sister has disappeared after finding a treasure trove in Arizona — and all the countess has to go on is a map. Prophet knows that a beautiful woman with a treasure map will attract trouble like wolves are drawn to a fresh kill. Now he's forced to take his noble employer on the ride of her life — while fighting off a pack of ruthless villains. Views: 42
When nine atmospheric crafts of unknown origin were discovered in the Antarctic in the late 1940s, the U.S. government established Area 51 to study the abandoned technology. Dr. Hans Von Seeckt, who is the only original member of the secret research committee, has observed the marvelous craft in flight and witnessed a fantastic array of bizarre, unexplained phenomena. But Dr. Van Seeckt fears that the technology of the mothership is beyond our scope and an explosive threat to the entire planet. He must race against time to unlock the secret of the ship-and to the origins of mankind itself. Views: 42
Erotica/Fantasy. 20492 words long. Views: 42
A good girl needs a stand-in. Will the bad boy get the chance?When Geneva Samson's fiancé breaks up with her via text message, she resolves she will not allow this heartbreak to discourage her. So, she posts a wanted ad on her social media page for a 'stand-in' to go with her on what would have been her honeymoon to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the New Year. She never expected to become an overnight sensation. Geneva receives over 1,000 offers by men bearing the same name. When the ultimate bad boy of showbiz volunteers, will this good girl grant his request?Joshua James has been on tour for fifteen months and is tired of the fast life, fast food and fast women. He resolves that after the New Year, he will make some much-need lifestyle changes. When he sees the ad, the lure of relaxing at the luxurious Iberia Star in Montego Bay calls out to him and he decides to put his name in the mix. He could use a vacation from the spotlight. But when he meets the woman behind the ad, will he... Views: 42
Master storyteller Rosanne Hawke effortlessly interweaves ancient Mughal history and settings, fables and traditional story threads to bring to life a magical fantasy. Told over two books – the second book, The Leopard Princess out in October 2016. Daughter of Nomads contains a sample chapter from The Leopard Princess.First Moon of Summer, 1662: Fourteen-year-old Jahani lives peacefully in the village of Sherwan. But havoc is brewing in the Mughal Empire with tyrants and war lords burning villages in their quest to rule the northern kingdoms.After an assassin strikes in a bazaar, Jahani discovers her life is not as it seems. Before long, she is fleeing with her mysterious protector Azhar.Will their journey to the Qurraqoram Mountains lead Jahani to danger or to her destiny? Views: 42
At thirty-seven, Christine Moore had a world-class case of burnout: frustrating career, a few dead-end romances, and a less-than-perfect figure. Little did she know her life was about to change completely...."Come out of the shadows, Christine. You've spent far too much time hiding in shadows." The man who spoke to her was gorgeous — long sable hair, faded T-shirt, black motorcycle jacket — all astride a 1340cc Harley-Davidson, mysteriously parked on a moonlit beach near her home. Christine was inexplicably drawn to this stranger — who seemed to know everything about her — and as a sweet serenity settled over her, she surrendered to his words: "We have a lot of work to do, but it won't feel like work. It will feel quite wonderful." So begins Christine's journey, a voyage of the spirit that frees her to appreciate each precious moment of life — and reveals to her six wondrous precepts that lead to the deepest peace and... Views: 42
Renowned physicist and global warming skeptic Freeman Dyson selects the year's best science and nature writing. Views: 42
Jack Fallon's life is being downsized. His wife of twenty-four years is dumping him, and the only company he's ever worked for is about to do the same....The head honchos at Waters Cable have implemented a "workforce imbalance correction," which includes canning Jack and his coworkers, all of whom are middle-aged executives in the 50/50 class — at least fifty years old and making $50,000 or more. Refusing to become fossils, Fallon and his cohorts dub themselves "The Dinosaur Club," and prepare to strike like ferocious T-rexes. Using clandestine maneuvers, corporate intrigue, good old-fashioned office politics, and a secret weapon — Samantha Moore, a beautiful young attorney — The Dinosaur Club vows to reverse evolution and drive the company's greedy Young Turks into extinction.Award-winning author William Heffernan puts a scathing spin on corporate America in a novel that is both hilarious and compellingly on the money. Views: 42