Alexa Keen is the best the FBI has to offer, a special agent who can achieve the impossible: finding victims of abduction before they can be killed. Casey LePointe West is heiress to one of the greatest fortunes in America. Now, as Hurricane Katrina roars toward New Orleans, these two women are finding common ground in a city of ghosts and grandeur...Alexa as the FBI's representative in a case guaranteed to destroy careers, and Casey as a woman whose husband has gone missing--and who herself may be the next victim of a brilliant manipulator's rage. From the violent wards of an insane asylum to the primordial Louisiana swamps, Alexa is entering the darkest corners of a deadly mystery, peeling back layers of family secrets, hidden relationships, and a twenty-five-year-old crime. And as a raging hurricane gathers strength, she is plunged into a frantic race against time, in the eye of a storm of violence...and just where a ruthless killer wants her to be.From... Views: 22
Robert Murray Gilchrist (1868-1917) is perhaps best known for his interest in topography, and for his stories set in Derbyshire's Peak District. But he was also a master of mystery and horror, as this richly varied collection shows. If you are looking for a conventional horror story, in which the supernatural element is paramount, try The Crimson Weaver, Dame Inowslad, Witch In-Grain, or A Night on the Moor. If you are more taken with the psychology of the participants, often allied to a fascination with the killing of friends or lovers, then Francis Shackerley, The Noble Courtesan, Althea Swathmore, and My Friend will be right up your street. For humour we are offered the Peakland comedy of The Panicle or A Witch in the Peak. And when it comes to love, there are the tragic and poignant tales we might expect (The Return, The Lost Mistress. The Madness of Betty Hooton), but also the engaging and unusual Bubble Magic - a story of romantic betrayal which hints at a happy ending.
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A new best friend - but can she stay? Amy is fed-up with her new home already - she absolutely DID NOT want to move to a freezing-cold farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. But her vet dad has suddenly 'found himself' and is now running his own vet's practice at Silverbrooke Farm. Things begin to look up when Amy meets fellow new girl and cat-loving drama queen, Caitlin O'Neill. When the villagers start dropping off stray animals at the farm, the girls have the bright idea of running a rescue centre. But Amy's parents don't agree - so what will become of the gorgeous white-gold retriever puppy that has arrived at their door? Will they ever find a home for Shimmer? A brand new title from bestselling author Cathy Hopkins, full of animals, friendships and fun. Views: 22
In the heart of the new millennium, worlds beyond our imagination have opened up, blurring the line between life and art. Embracing the challenges and possibilities of cyberspace, genetics, the universe, and beyond, the world of science fiction has become a porthole into the realities of tomorrow. In The Year’s Best Science Fiction Twenty-third Annual Collection, our very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world with such compelling stories as:“Beyond the Aquila Rift”: Critically acclaimed author Alastair Reynolds takes readers to the edge of the universe, where no voyager has dared to travel before---or so we think.“Comber”: Our world is an ever-changing one, and award-winning author Gene Wolfe explores the darker side of our planet’s fluidity in his own beautiful and inimitable style.“Audubon in Atlantis”: In a world not quite like our own, bestselling author Harry Turtledove shows us that there are reasons some species have become extinct.The thirty stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now. Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including:Neal Asher, Paolo Bacigalupi, Stephen Baxter, Elizabeth Bear, Chris Beckett, Dominic Green, Daryl Gregory, Joe Haldeman, Gwyneth Jones, James Patrick Kelley, Jay Lake and Ruth Nestvold, Ken MacLeod, Ian McDonald, Vonda N. McIntyre, David Moles, Derryl Murphy, Steven Popkes, Hannu Rajaniemi, Alastair Reynolds, Robert Reed, Chris Roberson, Mary Rosenblum, William Sanders, Bruce Sterling, Michael Swanwick, Harry Turtledove, Peter Watts, Liz Williams, and Gene Wolfe.Supplementing the stories are the editor’s insightful summation of the year’s events and a lengthy list of honorable mentions, making this book both a valuable resource and the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination and the heart.From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. The 23rd entry in this acclaimed anthology series from SF maven Dozois, who has won 15 Hugo Awards, showcases 30 tales that demonstrate that the lifeblood of science fiction lies less in new themes than in fresh approaches to old themes. Outstanding selections include Robert Reed's splendid story of a world-sized interstellar spacecraft, "Camouflage"; Liz Williams's "La Malcontenta," set on a most unusual Mars; David Moles's "Planet of the Amazon Women," which puts a new spin on the all-female society; and Mary Rosenblum's "Search Engine," which exploits cyberpunk in unexpected ways. Harry Turtledove pays homage to John James Audubon in "Audubon in Atlantis," an off-beat alternative-world tale, while David Gerrold spins time into "timequakes" in "In the Quake Zone." Dozois provides his usual cogent summation of the year as well as a list of honorable mentions for 2005.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review"Dozois's definitive must read short story anthology series takes the pulse of science fiction today, revealing it to be a genre of breathtaking scope and imagination." Publisher's Weekly"Praise for The Year’s Best Science Fiction Twenty-second Annual Collection “Hugo winner Dozois shows off the dazzling range of the genre in his annual compendium.... The range of stories indicates that SF still doesn’t know the meaning of the word boundaries.”---Publishers Weekly (starred review)“The most prestigious of the several best-of-the-year fantasy and SF anthologies never fails to enchant and to showcase SF’s leading edge. In it, high-quality contributions by a generous cross section of veterans, rising stars, and newcomers---twenty-nine authors in all---constitute a balanced mixture of ideas and voices.”---Booklist“Huge multiplicity of first-rate fiction...Is the polished platter underlying a huge layer cake of exquisite reading.”---The San Diego Union-Tribune Views: 22
"Both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Who would feel right at home in this tale that begs to be made into a movie. A thoroughly enjoyable romp. . . .Simply smashing." -Kirkus Reviews "A terrific blend of horror and mystery . . . a quick read packed with twists, turns, and just enough gore to keep things interesting. A great choice for horror fans." - School Library Journal "Suspense and adventure in abundance make for a thrilling read." -Publishers Weekly "A rip-snorter of an adventure novel . . . super-fun non-literary flat-out fast-paced adventure." -Bookshelves of Doom (online) What starts as an ordinary picket-pocketing incident in Victorian London unites three teens against a madman. Eddie is the pickpocket; George is an assistant at the British Museum; Elizabeth has a nose for trouble-and all of them are being hunted by Augustus Lorimore. Lorimore is a sinister factory owner, a villain bent on reanimating the dead, both humans and dinosaurs-and one of each is already terrorizing the streets of London. It's up to Eddie, George, and Elizabeth to stop Lorimore's monsters . . . or die trying. Recalling the classic horror of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the gothic chills of Caleb Carr's The Alienist, Justin Richard's novel is a historic thrill ride that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. Views: 22
John Jordan is back—investigating eternal mysteries woven into the fabric of everyday life. Within the confines of seemingly ordinary cases, John explores the ineffable and inexplicable, the profoundly mysterious within the mundane. In this diverse collection of cases, John investigates the Shroud of Turin, a pregnant virgin, a daring prison break, a Hurricane Katrina orphan who might just be the Second Coming, a desperate woman who sleeps with one too many men, a bloody body on the rec yard, a mystery that turns on a single observation, and a murder in which John himself is the prime suspect—all this as he deals with depression and battles alcoholism. These stories are puzzles, whodunits, and enigmas, but they are much more. John Jordan doesn't just solve crime, he investigates the hidden heart of humanity and the mysterious world in which we live. Here are temporal answers and eternal questions, and at the center of it all, a conflicted man of faith and doubt, flawed, but faithful, who ministers mercy even as he thirsts for justice. Views: 22
Praise for Norah Labiner:"A splendid, leisurely meditation on the meaning of fame, identity, and love."Kirkus Reviews, starred review"Labiner, narrating in several distinct and haunting voices, proves herself a metafictional adept. She succeeds in crafting an ambitious, poignant and sharp-tongued novel filled with secrets and ghosts, jealousy and love."Publishers WeeklySheldon and Eloise Schell are twins, orphans, and the estranged college companions of the rich, scandalous, celebrated Roman Stone. Now Roman is dead, murdered with a pair of scissors in his living room, and Eloise and Sheldon must separately tease out the secretsa burning house, a murdered girlthat were the one story they could never tell.Moving between the muffled plush of wintry Chicago, the fogbound darkness of a Lake Superior island, and the even darker precincts of memory, Let the Dark Flower Blossom is a book about the pull of the... Views: 22
To the casual observer Felicity Devon’s life seems ideal. She lives on an island off the coast of Queensland and succesfanully runs the art gallery that her mother began. She loves her work, her family and her good friends.And as for love? Well, it's been eight long years since Bailey Macrae walked away and broke Felicity's heart... choosing career and conventional lifestyle over love. Eight long years - and Felicity is finally moving on.Then Felicity learns that Bailey - the face of Australian current affairs television - is returning to the island, and suddenly her hard-won composure is being put to the test. But Felicity soon discovers that she isn't quite sure what she fears the most - that Bailey will want to pick up where they left off... or that she won't... Views: 22
Brady Coyne is a Boston attorney, whose routine legal work and sedate lifestyle usually keep him far away from trouble. Unfortunately, one cold January morning, trouble comes to him. When Brady lets his dog out into the backyard of his Back Bay brownstone, he finds a girl buried under the snow in Brady's back yard. A teenager, maybe fifteen or sixteen, who had apparently crawled into the backyard, bleeding, in the middle of the night, only to die from hypothermia and blood loss. The singular clue to her identity is a small piece of paper with the brownstone's address scribbled on it.Now Brady is determined to find out who the girl was, why she had his address, and what happened to her. But the mysterious girl's death is only the beginning - someone out there knows Brady is trying to find out what happened that night and is willing to do anything, or kill anyone, to keep the truth from coming out. Views: 22
Thrice upon a time, their children would be armedWith the power of newfound magic...Eighty years have passed since the Mystics founded the glorious nation of Calsandria on the ruins of a fabled lost empire, and now their new order is mired in politics and bloodlines. A woman like Theona Conlan, who lacks magic powers, has no place in Mystic society. But she vows to lead the desperate search for the long-lost Crown Prince-the last descendant of Galen Arvad...In another realm the faery Dwynwyn, Queen of the Dead, must face an emerging truth: Her world's slave creatures, such as centaurs and satyrs, are mastering the magic once solely available to faeries. And this reality will shatter the fragile peace between the faeries and their vengeful enemies...In the goblin world, the little scientist Lunid wants to get closer to the god of her dreams. So she builds a device that can let her reach across worlds and snatch him back to her like a prized pet. Her masters, however, have plans for her invention that she could not have foreseen...But unknown to them all, the gates between realities are about to burst open and allow nightmare armies to pour through-plunging Mystics, faeries, goblins, centaurs, and dragons into unimaginable, devastating conflict. Soon all these entities are caught in a war that can be won only with an undiscovered magic...One that will unite-or destroy-three worlds. Views: 22
What happens when you've committed a serious crime and your fate rests in the hands of the man you love, who is the leader of his people and must uphold the law?Karia and her crew of nine were the chosen few to travel on the space vessel the 'Prometheus Promise' from Earth's dying nuclear war torn planet, to repopulate on a viable planet. Brutally attacked by a carnivorous, violent species that inhabited the planet, only Karia and her best friend survived long enough to be rescued by the golden-eyed savior who plays havoc on Karias' libido.Soon after her rescue, Karia learns she has possibly been infected by a dangerous component, which could turn her feral. To her dismay, her hero holds her prisoner until her fate can be decided. Is she fit to live among his people or should she be put to death? Karia finds herself falling in love with the handsome leader, which leaves one devastating question to be answered; is he possibly the love of her life or the catalyst for her death? Views: 22
