It's Christmastime in Port Sentinel, the tiny English town where Jess Tennant has been living for more than a year now. Jess wasn't sure how she felt about moving to Port Sentinel when her mom dragged her there right in the middle of high school, but even Jess has to admit the town has completely outdone itself for the holidays. There's a Christmas market complete with a mini ice-rink and fairy lights, and the bare trees stand stark against the sky. But for Gilly Poynter, one of Jess's classmates, the Christmas season is anything but magical. She's disappeared, leaving behind only her diary and a lot of questions. Has she run away from her unhappy home, or has something more sinister happened? And will Jess be able to find her before it's too late?Hide and Seek is another cleverly crafted, charming mystery from acclaimed author Jane Casey. Views: 25
Former FBI agent Sam Delvecchio brings the keen skills of a profiler to his new position as a Mercy Street Foundation operative-and not a moment too soon. His first assignment, the cold-case murder of a local soup kitchen volunteer, has all the telltale signs of a serial killer's work. That grim suspicion is confirmed when FBI agent Fiona Summers shares the details of two other killings with eerie similarities to Sam's case: The bodies in all three cases have been carefully posed. And when a fourth victim is discovered, the two investigators realize they're pursuing the same twisted quarry. Local parish priest Kevin Burch, Mercy Street founder Robert Magellan's cousin, recognizes the posings for what they are: The killer is staging the church's seven Acts of Mercy ('Feed the hungry, clothe the naked…') with the bodies of his victims. But as Sam and Fiona race to prevent the final three murders, taunting messages from their target lead to the most chilling realization of all. Views: 25
There was a time when David Clayton-Thomas seemed an unlikely success story. As a teenager in Willowdale, Ontario, his frequent clashes with his authoritarian father led to his living on the streets by the time he was 14, then spending the rest of his youth bouncing in and out of jails and reformatories. But when a battered, old mail-order guitar was left to him by an outgoing inmate, Clayton-Thomas discovered a talent for music that allowed him to believe in a different kind of life. This is the remarkable story of his journey to international stardom as the legendary front man for Blood, Sweat & Tears. In his brutally truthful memoir, Clayton-Thomas reveals what it was like to headline at Woodstock, to tour behind the Iron Curtain, to watch brilliant musicians tear their own band apart with in-fighting, and to make his fortune only to lose it all ... and start all over again. This is a story of grit, courage, and determination. It is, above all, a story of survival. Views: 25
In this heart-pounding sequel to the explosive novel Kiss the Ring, Naeema “Queen” Cole races against the clock to figure out who attacked her man and why—before it’s too late.Life finally seems to have calmed down for Naeema “Queen” Cole. After she brought down the Make Money Crew, Newark’s most notorious bank robbing gang, she was able to make peace with the son she never knew. His memory is even starting to feel like a blessing, rather than a curse. She and her on-again off-again husband Tank are back on and stronger than ever. But just when she thought she could put away her undercover identity as “Queen” and just be Naeema, Tank is attacked while out on a job guarding a high-profile celebrity. Everyone thinks it was the celebrity who the target, but Naeema knows the attack was personal. With Tank in critical condition and everyone else looking in all the wrong places, it’s up to her to find out... Views: 25
Historians have long whispered that "the Virgin Queen" Elizabeth's passionate, lifelong affair with Robin Dudley, Earl of Leicester, may have led to the birth of a son, Arthur Dudley. In this exquisite sequel to The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, Robin Maxwell fashions a stunning fictional account of the child switched at birth by a lady-in-waiting who foresaw the deleterious political consequences of a royal bastard. Set against the sweeping, meticulously rendered backdrop of court intrigues, international scandals, and England's battle against the Spanish Armada in 1588, Maxwell deftly juxtaposes Elizabeth and Leicester's tumultuous relationship with the memoirs of the adventurous son lost to them—yet ultimately discovered.The Queen's Bastard artfully weaves two tales, the first told by Arthur Dudley himself, who, exchanged at birth by Elizabeth's intimates for a stillborn infant, grows up as a country gentleman, never knowing his true identity. A dreamer, a romantic, and... Views: 25
A heart-stopping romantic novel set aboard the legendary Titanic A first-class ticket on the Titanic offers Emilia Cavendish the chance to escape to a new life, after the death of her beloved godmother and the unwelcome attentions of Mr Montmorency. But as the iceberg looms that will send the Titanic to its watery grave, Emilia finds herself dangerously attracted to Carl Latimer, a man whose world is very different from hers . . . Views: 25
Robbie Hammond is the hardest throwing pitcher in the Babe Ruth League. But what good is all that heat when he can''t seem to find the plate? With Robbie struggling, the Orioles are suffering through a nightmare season, still looking for their first win. Robbie''s teammates are whispering that the only reason he''s even pitching is because he''s the coach''s kid. They''ve even given him a new nickname: Ball Four. What the other Orioles don''t know is that Robbie is still haunted by a fastball that got away from him and injured a batter in last year''s All-Star Game. Now, with the pressure mounting, he''s willing to try anything to get his control back, including listening to a mysterious boy who just might hold the key to helping Robbie-and the Orioles-save their season. This third action-packed book in Cal Ripken Jr.''s All-Star series will have readers on the edge of their seats as they root for Robbie''s comeback. Views: 25
Take a Walk on the Dark Side is the ultimate book for today's rock and roll fan: a fascinating compendium of facts, fictions, prophecies, premonitions, coincidences, hoaxes, doomsday scenarios, and other urban legends about some of the world's most beloved and mysterious pop icons. Updating, revising, and expanding on material from his cult classic Hellhounds on Their Trail, Patterson offers up a delectable feast of strange and occasionally frightening rock and roll tales, featuring the ironies associated with the tragic deaths of many rock icons, unsolved murders, and other tales from the "fell clutch of circumstance."Beginning with the fateful place where it all started -- a deserted country crossroads just outside Clarksdale, Mississippi, where Robert Johnson made his deal with the devil -- through the Buddy Holly curse (rock and roll's first great tragedy) and beyond, this incredible volume uncovers some of rock and roll's most celebrated murders, twists o... Views: 25
A magical fantasy that is fast-paced and easy-to-read. Charlie Bone has a special gift- he can hear people in photographs talking.The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy.Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift-he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for genius's where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.From School Library JournalGrade 4-6-When he is 10 years old, Charlie discovers that he is able to look at photographs and hear conversations and even thoughts that were taking place at the time the photo was taken, a legacy of his ancestor the Red King, whose descendants all have different magical abilities. Charlie hears one conversation that sets him on a search for a girl who has been missing for years, and when he begins attending Bloor's Academy, an elite boarding school for the rich and the endowed (as the Red King's descendants are called), his life becomes full of intrigue and danger. Charlie, his friend Benjamin, and other allies try to unlock the secrets of a mysterious case that could get the girl back, while the sinister Bloors and Charlie's ghastly relatives who are endowed try to thwart them. While the parallels with Harry Potter are obvious, this fantasy has its own charms, chief among them being the endoweds' often-odd magical abilities. The writing is deft, most of the characters are intriguing, and Charlie Bone is an appealing boy. The story is marred by some predictability, and the role of the endowed in this otherwise contemporary, unmagical society is not clear. Many aspects of the book are not fully thought out, making it less compelling than it might be. However, this is the first of a projected series, so it will be interesting to see if some of these vague points are resolved. A flawed but worthwhile offering for avid fantasy fans.Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public LibraryCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistGr. 4-6. These days stories about schools for budding magicians are inevitably compared to the Harry Potter books. Indeed, British author Nimmo's creation, Bloor's Academy "for gifted children," bears some resemblance to Hogwart's School, but the story itself is quite different. Seemingly ordinary Charlie Bone suddenly discovers that he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs, a talent that dour Grandma Bone and her three baleful sisters work to bend to their own ends by sending him to Bloor's and to its sinister headmaster. It's not an easy year for Charlie despite the friends he makes. Too many people have it in for him as he's swept into an age-old battle being waged by descendants of a powerful king of long ago. A mysterious box, a missing girl, a strange man who flits in and out in the company of three brightly colored cats, and various villains all figure into Charlie's exciting, fast-paced adventure tale, which happily is the first book in planned quintet called Children of the Red King. Harry Potter's myriad fans will be well pleased. Sally EstesCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedAbout the AuthorJenny Nimmo lives in a converted watermill in Wales. Her husband, David, is a painter and print-maker, and all three of her children speak Welsh fluently. She finds Wales, a land of legends, a very inspiring place to live. For as long as she can remember, Jenny has loved books. She feels passionately that every child should have access to as many books as they want. Jenny enjoys writing about magic because it is inexplicable and unpredictable, and anything can happen. In 1986 her book, The Snow Spider, won the Smarties Grand Prix, and in 1987 it was awarded the Tir na n-Og by the Welsh Arts Council. The Rinaldi Ring, was chosen as Guardian Book of the Week and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and received a commendation. Views: 25
Experience the magical romance of a New York Christmas in this classic tale from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs...Elaine St. James has it all--a thriving career as an elite Manhattan publicist, A-list best friends and a gorgeous, high-profile boyfriend her parents adore. But when Byron breaks up with her on Christmas Eve, Elaine is faced with the prospect of spending the holidays alone...until the man she loved long ago reappears, much like a ghost from Christmas past.Tony Fiore was everything her Upper East Side parents wanted Elaine to avoid--the Italian-American boy from Brooklyn was hardly an ideal match for their perfect socialite daughter. Despite their differences, they always found themselves together on Christmas Eve, ice-skating at Rockefeller Center. Until the year Tony failed to show up, and broke Elaine's heart. Now, seven years later, on another Christmas Eve, they might finally have a second chance at... Views: 25
