Mike has had little luck in finding Mr. Right, despite his friends’ attempts at introducing him to potential love interests. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, his loneliness and one drink too many cause him to flirt with a handsome stranger and ask for a one-night stand. In the morning, though, that questionable decision might turn out to be the one that will change Mike’s life for the better. Views: 49
Teased by her older brother, bullied by the popular girls at school, and plagued by a blistering pimple that has surfaced on the tip of her nose, 12-year-old Claire Murphy wishes she could shrivel up and die or spontaneously combust. But when a mysterious book appears at her feet in the checkout aisle of a grocery store, Claire is confident all her troubles are over.Following the instructions carefully, Claire dives nose-first into reeking remedies, rollicking rituals, and silly spells. It's only when she recklessly disregards the Law of Three that the line between good and evil blurs and Claire must race against time to save not only herself but her sworn enemy, Hollis Van Horn, whom she's placed in mortal danger. As the two girls set out on a mission to locate the author of the book -- the elusive White Witch -- in order to "cleanse their characters" and reverse the spell, Claire discovers that both people and life are full of surprises. Views: 49
The future of Egypt lies in the hands of chief detective Rahotep in this final installment of Nick Drake's acclaimed ancient Egyptian trilogy.King Tutankhamun has died without an heir, and his young widow, Queen Ankhesenamun, last of her dynasty, struggles to maintain power and order. To defeat her enemies, she has but one hope: to forge an alliance with the Hittites, a powerful, militant new empire that threatens Egypt's supremacy.The loyal Rahotep, chief detective of the Thebes Medjay--the ancient capital's elite police force--and his friend, the royal envoy Nakht, are sent on a clandestine mission to the Hittite homeland, to persuade the king to agree to a marriage between one of his sons and Ankhesenamun--a union that would bring peace to the region and consolidate the queen's power.Back in Egypt, the nefarious General Horemheb is poised to use his army to impose martial law and destroy the dynasty. But he is not the only enemy vying for control. A mysterious and brutal new opium cartel has emerged within the criminal underworld of Thebes, ready to take over the lucrative black market--and, ultimately, the very heart of the government. In this epic quest to the dark heart of the ancient world, Rahotep must also confront his own demons if he is to prevent the gathering forces of chaos from destroying Egypt's greatest dynasty, and to return home in time to save his own family from the terror that threatens them all.Based on a true story and meticulously researched, "Egypt: The Book of Chaos" brings to life the ancient world and the cradle of civilization in a riveting, suspenseful finale to Nick Drake's acclaimed trilogy. Views: 49
Who polices the world of covert operations? Enter the Cellar, the most secret spy organization hiding deep within the United States. Deep in the forests of Kentucky, a girl is held captive. In Oklahoma, a young preschool teacher is murdered in front of her students. In the Panhandle of Florida, a college undergrad is kidnapped from a nightclub. These seemingly unrelated crimes catch the eye of the Cellar, the ultrasecret cell of operatives set up to police all other government agencies. Cellar operatives Gant and Neeley, along with profiler Susan Golden, must track down those responsible. But these are not ordinary criminals. They are a highly trained Special Forces sniper team. Crisscrossing the United States as new Cellar head Hannah Masterson calls the shots from up high, the Cellar operatives soon find themselves being targeted. Whoever is behind this knows the ultra top-secret Cellar's tactics all to well. Underneath this web of death, deceit, and revenge lies an even more shocking crime… a conspiracy that powerful men will sacrifice their lives — and the lives of their families — to protect. Views: 49
The renowned author of A Natural History of the Senses takes readers in search of the "rarest of the rare, " species likely to disappear before most of us have ever seen them. From Brazil to the Pacific to Japan, Ackerman shares her concern at the animals' plight, rejoices at the chance to experience them, and cheers those who work to save these fantastic creatures.From the Hardcover edition. Views: 49
Winner of the Scerbanenco Prize for the best Italian crime thriller, The Deliverance of Evil is a masterful psychological thriller about an edgy policeman’s personal evolution—or devolution—as seen through the lens of a devilish case that consumed him early in his career and continues to haunt him twenty-four years later. With excitement over Berlusconi rise to power and Italy in a state of gleeful and frenzied anticipation over the national soccer team’s improbable run to the 1982 World Cup, Italians are filled with hopeful feelings. The night before the big match, Elisa Sordi—an attractive eighteen year-old employed by the Vatican—vanishes. The case falls to a young, hedonistic post-Fascist officer named Michele Balistreri. Headstrong and ambivalent about spending his life as a policeman, Balistreri is annoyed to be interrupted during the festivities and takes the case lightly. But when Elisa’s tortured corpse surfaces in the Tiber, Balistreri doubts he will ever be able to forgive himself for his inattention. After the man he arrested for the murder is exonerated, and tantalizing links to the Vatican and top right-wing politicians ignored, the case is never solved. Despondent, Michele spirals into drinking and depression. Twenty-four years later Italy is victorious once again in the World Cup, but the nation has changed. The balloon of optimism from the Eighties has deflated, and the now-gloomy nation suffers under the arrogant and corrupt Berlusconi government. A weak economy and chaotic immigration policies that have inflamed racist sentiments provide a stark contrast to the last time Italy tasted sweet soccer victory. Disturbingly, more lax divorce laws have spawned a trend of “revenge” violence against women who try to assert their independence. Suddenly Sordi’s mother apparently commits suicide, and then a slew of female corpses begin to turn up all with a letter of the alphabet carved into their bodies. The apparent hate behind the murders causes Balistreri to realize that the case that has haunted for twenty-four years may be heating up again, and with a newfound sense of purpose he charges into his work: the opportunity to redeem the darkest part of his past. The murders continue, and what initially seemed to be the work of a lone psychopath reveals itself to be part of something much bigger and more dangerous. Finally Balistreri realizes that the letters marking each victim are spelling out a chilling message. From the Hardcover edition. Views: 49
