A serial killer with a penchant for severed hands. A watch that runs backward and forward – at the same time. An Eastern European gangster known only as Rumplestiltskin. The Nazi invasion of Prague, Soviet-era Czech secret police, 16th century alchemy and black magic – mild-mannered American Lee Holloway never thought any of these would intrude upon his ordinary life.But that was before he received a mysterious letter from a woman named Vera, a cryptic missive implying Lee’s estranged brother Paul, who disappeared years ago in Prague, was actually murdered in an attempt to steal The Rudolf Complication, a priceless watch commissioned by the eccentric Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, rumored to hold the power of eternal life. When Lee goes to Prague to investigate, his involvement with the enigmatic Vera, as well as the guidance offered from a mysterious travel book, triggers a series of violent and bizarre events that force Lee to confront disturbing truths about his brother as well as himself. Unless Lee can reconstruct the final hours of his brother's life, and separate truth from myth in this haunted city, he might not get out of Prague alive.Complication is a twisted, mind-bending, contemporary thrill ride– in the spirit of such mind-bending narratives as House of Leaves and Memento.–set in the dark heart of Europe, a place where old ghosts and ancient legends still walk the streets. ReviewPraise for COMPLICATION:“A freshly imagined work, [Complication] boasts clever twists and revelations right up until the end.” —Kirkus“Adamson’s atmospheric and satisfyingly twisted tale... could easily have collapsed under the weight of its own complexity, but Adamson pulls it off with style and a whopper of a twist.” —Publishers WeeklyPraise for TOKYO SUCKERPUNCH:"The hip but hysterical book of my dreams–Adamson glides through his punk-noir world like he's channeling Raymond Chandler."–Baltimore Sun"This pop romp through the Tokyo of martial arts, yakuza, and legendary geisha has more sly smarts than a Hong Kong gangster shoot-'em-up."–Publisher's WeeklyPraise for HOKKAIDO POPSICLE:“Faux-Chandleresque pomo-picaresque and sort of engagingly, stubbornly goofy, these are novels written by someone young enough to never have thought in terms of “genre” in the first place.” – William Gibson, author of Neuromancer, Idoru and Zero History“Billy Chaka's adventures are as vibrantly hypnotic as the best Japanese anime. Adamson's wild, witty whodunit deftly sends up the genre while providing extreme doses of excitement."–Publisher's Weekly"Adamson, as he did in his book Tokyo Suckerpunch, evokes an animated Tokyo-as-Toontown that is simultaneously vivid, vibrant, gaudy and in glorious decline. It's a big adventure, but Adamson's teen rag writer takes it all with a shrug."–Time Asia“well-written, observant and funny. Isaac Adamson does a high-wire act, balancing silliness with credibility."–Asian Review of BooksChosen for Powell Books "14 Favorites" (Spring 2002)Chosen as one of NewCity Chicago's Top 5 Books of 2002Praise for DREAMING PACHINKO"Isaac Adamson paints an ultra-modern Tokyo that contrasts with its enigmatic history like neon against a dark sky. The characters resonate, the mystery engages, and the rich narrative takes us on a vivid tour through a culture that few of us will ever see. You can't ask for more than that from storyteller. "-Christopher Mooreauthor of Lamb and Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story"[Dreaming Pachinko] blends noir atmosphere with broad satire; Adamson turns what might have been a fairly straightforward mystery into a splendid romp, an offbeat adventure with wacky characters, oddball dialogue, plenty of laughs, and style to spare. This over-the-top, delightfully weird series is well on its way to making the jump from cult favorite to mainstream success."–Booklist May '01 2003"Like its predecessors, this third Billy Chaka crime novel is an exuberant mix of urban noir and anime-style action, salted with cheeky humor– Chaka flashes his trademark deadpan, Chandleresque wit and suffers a constant barrage of inventive physical injuries at the hands of both friends and enemies. Adamson sticks close to the hybrid formula he has perfected; his fans will find this a familiar but welcome addition to his oeuvre."–Publisher's Weekly"Noir light: charming, funny, satisfying."–Kirkus Review"Dreaming Pachinko" is full of vibrant images straight out of Tokyo and characters that are so 3D that your mind's eye will be bursting by the time you finish the last chapter. Every thing from a hotel receptionist with a handle bar mustache nicknamed "The Walrus" to a house that's so postmodern it makes the Cowboy-bebop world Adamson paints more lifelike while still retaining a wonderfully cinematic feel–Adamson's witty commentary and quirky character intermix with classic pulp fiction components to make a punky style all its own. "–hybridmagazine.com"Adamson describes Chaka's Tokyo in ways that make us see the paradox of a city that exists halfway between a thickly tradition-laden past, and a shockingly Neon-Chrome future. This Tokyo is exotic, unfathomable, and decidedly non-Western. It’s almost science fiction, almost pre-Blade Runner–put aside the wit, and the great descriptive voice and you’re still left with a good old fashioned Whodunit. Dreaming Pachinko can be highly recommended to anyone."–cinescape.com"A Dream of a hardboiled noir thriller–Chaka is a hero Generation X should love. Dreaming Pachinko is a fastball right down the middle, exciting and smart, puckish and suspenseful. Adamson should be read on beach blankets and anywhere else discriminating readers lie, sit, stand, hang, or squat."–asianreporter.com"...an imaginative and fun and at times very wild ride through modern, formless, neon Tokyo. A great tale."–japanvisitor.comPraise for KINKI LULLABY"With a shifty plot, shadowy settings, oddball characters and dollops of Bunraku lore sprinkled throughout, Kinki Lullaby is unfailingly entertaining.”–Washington Post"Anyone who has followed the Billy Chaka series knows that author Adamson's approach to crime fiction is innovative, dark, idiosyncratic and fast-paced. The rapid-fire conclusion of Kinki Lullaby cements Adamson as a name to watch.”–January Magazine"Adamson combines noir mystery style with elements of Japanese animation: weird characters, fast-paced plot, quirky humor. Even now, in its fourth book, the series still feels fresh and exciting, and the author's jokes still hit their mark. Billy's the kind of guy they ought to make a movie about–or, at the very least, put in hard covers for a change."–Booklist”It's rather like Lost in Translation meets Raymond Chandler and The Big Sleep with Ridley Scott handling the visuals...Adamson manages to capture the pathos and ennui associated with overwhelming urbanization, and the story floats along like some sort of waking dream, a fevered fusion of noir sensibilities and madcap mayhem.”–PennLive.com"I must plead mea culpa to the cardinal sin of judging a book by its cover. Like the covers on Issac Adamson's predecessors, "Tokyo Sucker Punch" and "Hokkaido Popsicle," "Kinki Lullaby" is festooned with garish artwork, and I was forced to overcome a certain initial distaste to purchase and read it. I'm certainly glad I did: The book hums with lively prose that, title aside, won't put readers to sleep.”–JapanTimesAbout the AuthorIsaac Adamson is the author of Tokyo Suckerpunch and other books in the Billy Chaka mystery series. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children. He doesn't own a watch. Views: 13
David Turner is homeless. Jacob Barnes and Davey Bennett are hungry. Desperation leads all three to a ground floor flat at Whitmore House, known as The Farm, a depressing tower block in North London. What they discover will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Meet the families struggling to survive on a staple diet of austerity and despair. Visit Austerity Street. Views: 13
It is the year 1747 and the Earl of Debenham believes he has successfully concealed his part in the Rebellion which ended in disaster two years before. He has wealth, great possessions and is to marry the loveliest debutante of the season. But then, into the Earl’s well-ordered existence, comes Kit, child of a fellow rebel and now a homeless waif. Unwillingly, he takes the urchin under his protection, unaware that he will soon be involved in an intrigue that will take all his courage and ingenuity to unravel. The Earl finds that his guardianship is fraught with both danger and delight as he and his ward face a ruthless adversary intent on revealing their perilous secrets.Dangerous Escapade was first published by Robert Hale Limited in 1979 as Dangerous Masquerade (re-titled to avoid confusion with the author’s Regency Masquerade series). It has been re-edited for this Kindle edition by the author. Views: 13
Miranda Lovelady, Dr. Bill Brockton's protégée, is spending the summer helping excavate a newly discovered chamber beneath the spectacular Palace of the Popes in Avignon, France. There she discovers a stone chest inscribed with a stunning claim: inside lie the bones of none other than Jesus of Nazareth. Faced with a case of unimaginable proportions, Miranda summons Brockton for help proving or refuting the claim. Both scientists are skeptical — after all, fake relics abounded during the Middle Ages — but evidence for authenticity looks strong initially, and soon grows stronger. Brockton and Miranda link the bones to the haunting image on the Shroud of Turin, revered by millions as the burial cloth of Christ, and then a laboratory test finds the bones to be two thousand years old. The finding triggers a deadly tug-of-war between the anthropologists, the Vatican, and a deadly zealot who hopes to use the bones to bring about the Second Coming — and trigger the end of time. Set against an international landscape, and weaving a rich tapestry of religion, history, art, and science, *The Inquisitor's Key* takes Jefferson Bass to an exciting new level of suspense. Views: 13
Scottish Barrister Rex Graves and his fiancée Helen have traveled to Aston-on-Trent in Derbyshire, England to attend the wedding ceremony of one of Helen's former students. The dreary gray skies and bickering families underscore Rex's private reservations about the unlikely couple's long-term prospects. But when people connected to the ill-fated wedding start falling faster than the gloomy May rain, Rex must determine who among the sniping wedding guests is the killer in this traditional locked-room mystery. Murder of the Bride is book 5 in the Rex Graves Mystery series.Praise:"A winner . . . A must for cozy fans."—BOOKLIST, starred review"A welcome diversion from today's style of writing . . . The writing is crisp and the story fast-paced."—BELLAONLINE"Skillfully choreographed."—WASHINGTON POST"Contemporary in setting but classic in style and voice, it'll have you guessing to the very end. Four stars."—RT BOOK REVIEWS Views: 13
An entirely new danger faces the High Heath Academy; one of the newest inmates has had herself sent their on purpose! While the Headmaster must disentagle the plot the girl has tried to weave, he must also seek out staff for his new Academy. And everywhere he turns he finds unruly young ladies, among staff and wards who must be brought back into line! The quickest solution is to require them to bare and bend. This is another treat for fans of caning and girl on girl action! Views: 13
Wednesday's Child grieves for his soul...
Liam Page, school teacher and ex-missionary, is a man with a secret agenda. Revenge. But when he says it with flowers, and accidentally drenches a woman who just happens to be the school's landscape architect, he may have found a light in his darkness.
After an abusive relationship, Jacqui Dorne prefers work to men. It's safer. But Liam Page with his boyish charm and wounded soul, manages to change her preferences. Has God led her to Liam to help him heal?
When their growing relationship is marred by the reappearance of Jacqui's ex-boyfriend, they find themselves suddenly embroiled in a series of dangerous events which leads them to Africa and has them fighting for both love and life. Views: 13
