The Man Without a Face is the chilling account of how a low-level, small-minded KGB operative ascended to the Russian presidency and, in an astonishingly short time, destroyed years of progress and made his country once more a threat to her own people and to the world. Handpicked as a successor by the “family” surrounding an ailing and increasingly unpopular Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin seemed like a perfect choice for the oligarchy to shape according to its own designs. Suddenly the boy who had stood in the shadows, dreaming of ruling the world, was a public figure, and his popularity soared. Russia and an infatuated West were determined to see the progressive leader of their dreams, even as he seized control of media, sent political rivals and critics into exile or to the grave, and smashed the country's fragile electoral system, concentrating power in the hands of his cronies. As a journalist living in Moscow, Masha Gessen experienced this history firsthand, and for The Man Without a Face she has drawn on information and sources no other writer has tapped. Her account of how a “faceless” man maneuvered his way into absolute-and absolutely corrupt-power has the makings of a classic of narrative nonfiction. Views: 16
Few relationships are as simple--and rewarding--as those between man and animal. From the loyal dog who risks his own life to rescue a drowning boy to the lost kitten who comforts a grieving woman to an abandoned horse and foster child who come to save each other, these inspiring true stories highlight the hope, healing, happiness and--most of all--unconditional love animals bring to our lives. Whether you love sloppy dog kisses, melt at every kitty meow or give your heart to horses, birds or even moose, this heartwarming collection is one to treasure. Views: 16
Defending his family's New Mexico ranch against a hostile takeover is the only reason Sam Callahan would even consider getting married. With four of his brothers already happily hitched, the youngest Callahan could end up being the last bachelor standing. Unless Seton McKinley says yes.…Seton came home to Diablo to hang out her P.I. shingle. But the real reason is her unrequited crush on one hunky cowboy. The footloose charmer is proposing they make it legal—in name only! Of course she says no…until Sam flashes that infamous Callahan charm. Now the newlyweds are getting ready to become a family…of six!Fatherhood can change a man's perspective, especially with quadruplets on the way. But nothing—not even the revelation of a shocker of a family secret—is going to change Sam's feelings for Seton…and their three baby girls and boy!About the AuthorBestselling author Tina Leonard writes with humor, sexiness, and fun. With over two million books sold, she plans to keep writing books readers enjoy. With two children in college, Tina is fighting off the urge to go back for a Master's degree. Happily, her writing schedule keeps her busy with independent heroines and heroes in the truest sense of the word. You can contact her at www.tinaleonard.com, or www.facebook.com/tinaleonardbooks. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved."Sam came later."—Jonas Callahan, remembering the arrival of a baby brother after their parents had "gone to heaven.""I have a proposition for you," Sam Callahan said as he sat down in Seton McKinley's office in the Diablo, New Mexico, courthouse. "A proposal, actually."Seton looked at Sam as he lounged in the brand-new leather chair she had situated in front of her brand-new pine desk. It hadn't been an easy decision to return to Diablo and hang out her shingle. Private investigator work in Washington, D.C., had been lucrative.She didn't expect to make a whole lot of money in Diablo, but that wasn't the primary reason she'd returned. The primary reason was across from her, hunky and completely unaware of how he made her heart race.At the word proposition, Seton's senses had gone on full alert. "Are you aware that the Callahans have quite the reputation for your propositions, proposals and plots? And I wouldn't necessarily call it a good one."The handsome cowboy smiled at her, unperturbed. Their relationship over the past couple of years had been what Seton thought of as "friendly adversarial," with a touch of romantic longing on her side, though she hadn't breathed a word to anyone about her crush on the cowboy."Reputation isn't something that concerns me," Sam said, his tone easy.Seton wasn't surprised. "Before you share your proposal, be warned that I won't do any work for you that involves Bode Jenkins. Or the Jenkins family in general."Sam's grin widened the deep clefts around his mouth. "I'm not worried about Jenkins these days. He's been pretty quiet since my brother married his daughter, Julie.""I spend quite a bit of time with Mr. Jenkins. I'm fond of him," Seton said, just to let Sam know she felt his comment bordered on disrespectful to the Jenkins family.He shrugged. "Your problem, not mine, beautiful."She frowned, studying the cowboy, from his dark, wavy hair to his slanted cheekbones. He looked like a Native American in a chalk portrait she'd seen in an art gallery. Lawyers shouldn't be so handsome, she thought. It masks the devil in them, fools the eye like a mirage.If there was one thing she'd learned from spending time at Rancho Diablo, it was that the Callahans played for their own team, and everyone else could get bent."I've got a meeting in twenty minutes," Seton said. "Why are you here, Sam?"He gazed at her in silence for a moment, during which Seton felt as if he was trying to decide if he could trust her. Or thinking how he might manipulate her into doing whatever it was he had on his mind. She waited, tapping a pencil on the notepad in front of her with some impatience."I don't really know who I am," Sam said, his voice soft and husky.Seton blinked. "Most people feel that way sometimes, don't you think?"He shook his head. "No, I really don't know who I am."She put the pencil down and leaned back. Potential clients sat in the leather chairs, the only expensive elements in her new office. She had a wooden swivel chair, which was hard and kept her uncomfortable enough to focus. She looked into Sam's navy blue eyes and saw that he was serious.Very strange for him, because he had a tendency to be the footloose charmer of the family. "You're Sam Callahan. Last of six brothers. Family lawyer and head of the legal team hired to defend Rancho Diablo from a takeover by the state of New Mexico.""By Bode Jenkins," Sam said."It's New Mexico v. Callahan," Seton reminded him. "You have four married brothers, and one older brother who calls my sister, Sabrina, occasionally. I'm not sure why. She's not, either. Jonas seems to be quite the chatterer since she moved to D.C.""Jonas likes to keep tabs on everyone. He's weird that way.""Anyway, that's who you are." Seton folded her hands on the desk. "Your aunt Fiona and uncle Burke moved back to Ireland last year. You have one of the largest ranches in all New Mexico. You rarely date, although the ladies in town would love to show you a good time. And you claim to be lazy.""I am." Sam brightened. "That's my favorite trait. I would describe myself as having a laid-back personality. It's very important for a man to be relaxed when he's only twenty-eight. I was twenty-six when the whole lawsuit thing started."Seton sighed. "I don't have a couch for you to lie on if you're looking for a therapy session, Sam. And I'm not really interested in learning more of your history than I already know." She cast an eye over him, realizing he probably wasn't completely aware of his physical attributes. A dark brown cowboy hat had been thrown on the chair next to the one he occupied. His jeans weren't dress, but standard Wranglers. Under a black leather jacket, a black T-shirt stretched across his chest—a T-shirt that appeared to be inside out. If he took off his jacket, she'd be able to tell."So?" she pressed."My laziness is probably a good place to start." His dark blue eyes twinkled. "I'd like to hire you in the spirit of laziness."She shook her head. "I can already tell I should refuse.""You haven't even heard what I want to hire you for," Sam said. "There's no conflict, I swear.""There's a conflict anytime a Callahan is involved." Seton sat up. "I wouldn't be comfortable working for you, considering my relationship to the Jenkinses.""An unfortunate relationship, considering that Bode is a slimy dog," Sam said. "But I can overlook some of your flaws."Seton stared at him. "I don't want to work for you." He waved a hand, dismissing her objection. "At least hear me out. You might like what I'm offering you.""I doubt it." She sighed, then leaned back. "But go on. Five minutes.""Back to not knowing who I am," Sam continued. "I think it's important for children to know these things.""You want me to look up information on your parents?" Seton asked. "Won't your aunt Fiona tell you everything you want to know? She was your guardian since you and your brothers were very young, right?"Sam shook his head. "I'm not so worried about me at the moment," he said. "I'll figure myself out one day.""Okay," Seton said. "What do you want me to do then?"Sam's expression turned serious, which made him look even more handsome, if possible. It was annoying. "I'd like to hire you to be my wife," he stated. "Although not in the traditional sense."Seton held back a gasp. "I'm sorry. Not that I expected anything about this conversation to be normal or usual—""I'm sure you're aware," Sam interrupted—just like a Callahan, "that my aunt has the ranch divided among the six of us. We get our portions when we marry.""Yes, I've heard of Fiona's wild plan to put enough wives and babies on Rancho Diablo to keep it from being taken over." Seton frowned. "It's unorthodox.""Maybe," Sam said, "but it's working."She looked at him. "The only thing that's kept the ranch in your family is your legal expertise." Seton reconsidered her words. "Some call it your legal maneuvers. I've even heard it referenced as shystering and sleight of hand.""That Bode," Sam said, shaking his head. "He's such a die-hard fan of mine.""Anyway," she said, "was that your proposal? Because I have no intention of being involved in one of the famous Callahan plots." She glanced at her watch. "My next appointment should be here any moment.""We'll worry about that when your victim arrives," Sam said. "I'm offering you the chance to marry into one of the greatest families around. We're all really nice, contrary to what you hear from ol' Toady Stinkens. But here's the catch, which may be a problem for you. You won't have a shot at becoming a mother, which is probably important at your age." He winked at her. "I don't want children. I don't even want the ranch, honestly. I could make that confession to my family, but they wouldn't believe it, nor accept it, anyway." Sam shrugged. "I've spent years fighting for it, because they asked me to. At one time I even let my brothers talk me into being the fall guy for ownership of the ranch, which I would have then turned over to them. I would have been a puppet owner," Sam said, sounding pretty happy about being the figurehead winner of Fiona's race-to-marriage-and-munchkins.After a deep breath, he continued. "But control isn't my thing. I'd rather slide away from the responsibility, if you know what I mean. A wife like you would make everyone think I was falling in with the plan. Except I wouldn't be." His eyes glinted mischievously. "After a while, when the lawsuit is settled and my brothers are in full lockdown mode at the ranch, you and I will quietly divorce. I plan to take off to Alaska and do some flyfishing. Then again, I've got a yen to see the Amazon rain forest. There's so much I want to do," Sam said, his voice thoughtful, "and none of it involves a wife, and definitely not children. As I say, that may be a problem for you, since your biological clock is probably set on high alert."Seton debated taking off her black patent high heeled pump and stabbing the crazy cowboy with it, deciding it wasn't worth ruining the only pair of pretty shoes she had. "I'll pass. And I think the shameful way you refer to Mr. Jenkins hardly speaks well of your matu... Views: 16
When her husband dies of a heart attack in a by-the-hour motel, Amanda inherits a chain of shoe shops that bleed money. But luckily for Amanda, the staff are bright and beautiful young people, ambitious to succeed and eager to give her total satisfaction. As she sets out to save the chain, and discover the woman involved in her husband's death, Amanda also finds time to amuse herself with lovers - young ones, and lots of them. Heels, hose, and haute couture have always been parts of Amanda's life, but now she's up to her dimples in duplicity, desire and decadence. Views: 16
Remy Robicheaux didn't know that when he bought his home, it would come with a ghost. Anxious to get rid of the spirit, he calls his little sister's best friend to help him. Instead of the gawky teenager he once knew, he finds himself face to face with a temptress.Ainsley Brennen enjoys being an amateur ghost hunter, but when her high school crush calls her to help him figure out the strange activity in his house, her feelings for him are resurrected in a way that makes her knees weak. In an effort to get to the bottom of the haunting, she discovers there's more than one way to provoke a spirit.WARNING - this is a SEXY SHORT STORYThis title has been previously published and has been revised and re-released by the author. Views: 16
Anna Pigeon's first case—this is the story her fans have been clamoring for...this is where it all starts. In The Rope, the latest in Nevada Barr’s bestselling novels featuring Anna Pigeon, Nevada Barr gathers together the many strings of Anna’s past and finally reveals the story that her many fans have been long asking for. In 1995 and 35 years old, fresh off the bus from New York City and nursing a broken heart, Anna Pigeon takes a decidedly unglamorous job as a seasonal employee of the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. On her day off, Anna goes hiking into the park never to return. Her co-workers think she’s simply moved on—her cabin is cleaned out and her things gone. But Anna herself wakes up, trapped at the bottom of a dry natural well, naked, without supplies and no clear memory of how she found herself in this situation.As she slowly pieces together her memory, it soon becomes clear that someone has trapped her there, in an inescapable prison, and no one knows that she is even missing. Plunged into a landscape and a plot she is unfit and untrained to handle, Anna Pigeon must muster the courage, determination and will to live that she didn’t even know she still possessed to survive, outwit and triumph.For those legions of readers who have been entranced over the years by Park Ranger Anna Pigeon’s strength and determination and those who are new to Nevada Barr’s captivating, compelling novels, this is where it all starts. Views: 16
Jean Echenoz, considered by many to be the most distinguished and versatile living French novelist, turns his attention to the deathtrap of World War I in 1914. In it, five Frenchmen go off to war, two of them leaving behind a young woman who longs for their return. But the main character in this brilliant novel is the Great War itself. Echenoz, whose work has been compared to that of writers as diverse as Joseph Conrad and Laurence Sterne, leads us gently from a balmy summer day deep into the relentlessand, one hundred years later, still unthinkablecarnage of trench warfare. With the delicacy of a miniaturist and with an irony that is both witty and clear-eyed, Echenoz offers us an intimate epic: in the panorama of a clear blue sky, a bi-plane spirals suddenly into the ground; a piece of shrapnel shears the top off a man's head as if it were a soft-boiled egg; we dawdle dreamily in a spring-scented clearing with a lonely shell-shocked soldier strolling innocently toward a firing squad ready to shoot him for desertion. Ultimately, the grace notes of humanity in 1914 rise above the terrors of war in this beautifully crafted tale that Echenoz tells with discretion, precision, and love. Views: 16
Santa Claus, my dear old friend, you are a thief, a traitor, a slanderer, a murder, a liar, but worst of all you are a mockery of everything for which I stood.You have sung your last ho, ho, ho, for I am coming to take your head. I am coming to take back what is mine, to take back Yuletide... The author and artist of The Child Thief returns with a modern fabulist tale of Krampus, the Lord of Yule and mortal enemy of Santa Claus.One Christmas Eve in a small hollow in Boone County, West Virginia, struggling songwriter Jesse Walker witnesses a strange spectacle: seven devilish figures chasing a man in a red suit toward a sleigh and eight reindeer. When the reindeer leap skyward taking the sleigh, devil men, and Santa into the clouds, screams follow. Moments later, a large sack plummets earthward, a magical sack that will thrust the down-on-his luck singer into the clutches of the terrifying Yule Lord, Krampus. But the lines between good and evil become blurred as Jesse's new master reveals many dark secrets about the cherry-cheeked Santa Claus, and how half a millennium ago, the jolly old saint imprisoned Krampus and usurped his magic. Now Santa's time is running short, for the Yule Lord is determined to have his retribution and reclaim Yuletide. If Jesse can survive this ancient feud, he might have the chance to redeem himself to his family, to save his own broken dreams...and help bring the magic of Yule to the impoverished folk of Boone County.From BooklistAt first glance, this novel’s premise is a bit of a stretch. Krampus, child of Loki and spirit of Yule, is imprisoned by Santa Claus. There’s no love lost between the two. Krampus hates Santa for the betrayal that led to his imprisonment, while Santa Claus believes that Krampus is a relic, far past his time. Enter the hapless Jesse, who witnesses a fight between Krampus’ followers (the belsnickels) and Santa as he’s cursing himself for failing to get his daughter what she wanted for Christmas. His wife has already left him, and he’s sinking into despair. Then he finds Santa’s sack in his bedroom, where it fell through the roof of his trailer. Yes, he gets his daughter what she wanted. Then his wife accuses him of stealing it, the belsnickels track him down, and we get to the meat of the plot: Krampus’ revenge on Santa, which will reveal Santa’s true history and maybe give Jesse hope. This is a surprisingly good story, told with entertaining style and some unexpectedly sympathetic characters, and the illustrations are a treat. --Regina Schroeder Review“The creator of The Child Thief, is back — and this time he’s taking on the Christmas Devil. Are you ready for a studly, Nordic Santa Claus, and his scary/sexy wife?” (Charlie Jane Anders, io9.com )“This illustrated horror novel by acclaimed gothic fantasy artist, illustrator, and novelist Brom (The Child Thief) is perfect for anyone who disdains a cozy, sentimental holiday story.” (Library Journal )“Terrific. A wild ride--the idea sounded like a stretch and I’m not sure how many guys could have really pulled it off, but Brom sure has. I loved it. It hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. Plus, the illustrations are amazing.” (Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy )“Brom is that rare breed: a person who is skilled in more than one area of artistic expression. Here’s hoping that he will continue to share his dark and often beautiful dreams with us for many years to come.” (Christopher Paolini ) Views: 16
