Many volumes have been written about the long reign of Elizabeth I. Now, for the first time, comes a brilliant new work that focuses on the critical year her reign ended, a time in which England lost its childless queen and a Machiavellian struggle ensued to find her successor.December 1602. After forty-four years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth is in decline. The formidable ruler whose motto is Semper eadem (I never change) has become a dithering old woman, missing teeth and wearing makeup half an inch thick. The kingdom has been weakened by the cost of war with Spain and the simmering discontent of both the rich and the poor. The stage has been set, at long last, for succession. But the Queen who famously never married has no heir.Elizabeth's senior relative is James VI of Scotland, Protestant son of Elizabeth's cousin Mary Queen of Scots. But as a foreigner and a Stuart, he is excluded from the throne under English law. The road to and beyond his coronation... Views: 17
What if the one who got awaydidnt? Deidre Nelson has never forgotten the man who stole her heart so effectively a decade ago. When circumstances bring her back to Ventura, Texas to look after her parents B&B, she prepares to face Jonas Mendez, the sexy wrangler-turned sheriff, with growing anticipation. Deidres engaging smile and seductive gaze has haunted Jonas for ten years. But lifes cruel ironies pepper his past, leaving him guarded and wary. He vows to keep his interaction with Deidre strictly professional while shes in Ventura. But when vandalism at the B&B turns life-threatening, Jonas finds himself intimately involved with the one woman he has always wanted but never touched. As a decade of built-up anticipation becomes reality, suddenly the line between protector and possessor begins to blur. Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex and graphic language. Views: 17
As Leo Tolstoy’s life draws to a tumultuous close, his tempestuous wife and most cunning disciple are locked in a whirlwind battle for the great man’s soul. Torn between his professed doctrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth and thirteen children, Tolstoy dramatically flees his home, only to fall ill at a tiny nearby rail station. The famous (and famously troubled) writer believes he is dying alone, unaware that over a hundred newspapermen camp outside awaiting hourly reports on his condition. Jay Parini moves deftly between a colorful cast of characters to create a stunning portrait of one of the world’s most treasured authors. Dancing between fact and fiction, The Last Station is a brilliant and moving literary performance. Views: 17
Welcome to the land at the end of the road: Key West. A tropical island known for Margaritas, warm breezes, singing manatees, and surprises. One surprise awaits Taco Bob and a couple of friends just offshore. It’s quite a grisly discovery, and they soon find themselves getting unwanted attention from some very bad people. People who are not about to let anyone stop them from taking over Key West. Taco Bob and his friends could use some help. But due to government cutbacks and corruption there won’t be much help there. It starts to look like the fate of Key West may depend on a group of renegade enviromentalists led by ‘Shark’ Hunter, a man who fears little…except, maybe, little voodoo dolls. Views: 17
Enthralling navel fiction by Douglas Reeman; he has also written over twenty bestselling novels featuring Richard Bolitho, under the pseudonym Alexander Kent. 1941 To the residents and defence forces of the Crown Colony of Hong Kong, th war in Europe remains remote. Even the massive build-up of Japanese forces on the Chinese border cannot dent their carefree optimism. Yet one man suspects the truth. Lieutenant-Commander Esmond Brooke, captain of HMS Serpent and a veteran of the cruel Atlantic, sees all too clearly the folly and incometence of Hong Kong's colonial administration. To Brooke, attack by Japan seemsinevitable. But, in war, there will always be some who attempt the impossible, even in the face of death. This is the story of one ship and her company who refuse to accept the anguish of defeat and surrender to a merciless enemy... Views: 17
"If you like Dean Koontz, you'll love John Manning!" – Wendy Corsi Staub Once You Enter Old houses have their secrets. The Young residence-a beautiful Maine mansion overlooking the Atlantic -is no exception. But the secrets here are different. They can kill… The Only Way Out Carolyn Cartwright, private detective and ex-FBI agent, has been hired by Howard Young to investigate a string of gruesome family deaths. The crimes are horrific, brutal, and senseless. And the time has come for the killing to begin again… Is To Die One by one, members of the Young family are chosen to die. Old and young, weak and strong, no one is safe from a killer with a limitless thirst for revenge. And the only way for Carolyn to uncover the shocking truth is to enter the room no one has ever left alive-and make herself the next target… Views: 17
WHEN 15-YEAR-OLD MICK Nichols opens the wrong e-mail, he learns a terrible secret: His stepmother is having an affair with a man named Alexander Selkirk. Mick is stunned. Should he tell his father, confront his stepmother, or keep it all to himself? And who, exactly, is Alexander Selkirk? Mick becomes obsessed with the infidelity, in spite of some serious distractions. Distractions like Lisa Doyle, the religious field-hockey player with the coppery red hair. Like the surprising (but appreciated) affections of Myra Vidal, a famously gorgeous college freshman with a secret of her own. And at the moment Mick discovers Selkirk's true identity, he realizes his problems are all zipped up together--and that he may have to go to drastic lengths to untangle them."The McNeals spin a wonderfully rich story."--Kirkus Reviews"A well-honed novel. . . . Readers will be sucked in."--Publishers WeeklyFrom the Hardcover edition. Views: 17
Guy Devoran, the handsome and charismatic nephew of a powerful duke, is Sarah Callaway's only hope for finding her missing cousin. But first she must get close enough to uncover the dark secret that he's hiding. Views: 17
Lady Katherine is feeling a little bit horny. Views: 17
A woman has vanished while digging a dinosaur bone bed in the remote wilderness of Canada. Somehow, the only evidence has made its way to the inbox of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, over two thousand miles away in Boston. She has no idea why. But as events unfold with alarming speed, Scarpetta begins to suspect that the paleontologist’s disappearance is connected to a series of crimes much closer to home: a gruesome murder, inexplicable tortures, and trace evidence from the last living creatures of the dinosaur age. When she turns to those around her, Scarpetta finds that the danger and suspicion have penetrated even her closest circles. Her niece Lucy speaks in riddles. Her lead investigator, Pete Marino, and FBI forensic psychologist and husband, Benton Wesley, have secrets of their own. Feeling alone and betrayed, Scarpetta is tempted by someone from her past as she tracks a killer both cunning and cruel. This is Kay Scarpetta as you have never seen her before. The Bone Bed is a must read for any fan of this series, or an ideal starting point for new readers. Views: 17
With stories by acclaimed and exciting new YA writers:Louise HawesJ. James KeelsRon KoertgeChris LynchNorma Fox MazerLauren MyracleJamie PittelAnita RiggioMary Ann RodmanEllen WittlingerJacqueline WoodsonTim Wynne-JonesA stellar line-up of young adult writers examines our relationship with beauty in stories that haunt, amuse, stir, and fascinate.A beauty queen with a chin-hair problem, an aspiring model who would rather take pictures than be in them, a boy in love with the gorgeous nurse he's never seen, a girl named Beauty who feels like anything but—the teenagers in these dozen stories feel the power of beauty, whether it's to trap, save, torment, or comfort. In an era when image seems to have triumphed over virtue and reason, this timely, discussion-provoking collection asks young readers to think about what is truly beautiful. Views: 17
Swept into the Italian's arms... Independent and strong-willed, Celia Ryland never lets her blindness affect the way she lives her life-she thrives on feeling free! Gorgeous Italian Francesco Rinucci has never met a woman with such a zest for life--he loves everything about Celia. But he finds himself wanting to wrap her in cotton wool to protect his precious English rose from all that's dangerous in the world... And although Celia is falling fast for passionate Francesco, she needs to show him that truly loving someone means letting them be free... Views: 17
