This book is a collection of short stories of Chinese people life, we believe that you can derive your own impression of China from these stories, and feel closer to this country.《一地鸡毛(中英对照)》是刘震云的中短篇小说，文集中收录的对单位和官场的描写堪称中国最早的官场小说。其中很多篇目是琐碎人生的范本和关系学的教科书。菜篮子、妻子、孩子、保姆、单位......当中的恩恩怨怨和是是非非将官场和家庭的鸡毛蒜皮纤毫毕现，不嫌其俗，不掩其恶，人心之险展示无遗。 Views: 73
He's a vampire from the big city . . . Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents—evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth. She's a werewolf princess . . . Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world. Views: 73
Is it possible to have it all? Alice Brown has just landed her dream job as property manager at Davenport Manor, a British stately home. It's only a nine-month contract to cover maternity leave, but it's the boost up the career ladder she needs. On her first day, Alice finds her boss, Jeremy Davenport, in a compromising position. Jeremy and his best friend Ethan Hayes, Head of Security at Davenport Manor, turn the situation around and give her an ultimatum. Faced with the possibility of losing her job, Alice agrees to their indecent proposal. When the dust settles and Alice has time to think, she realises perhaps it isn't such a bad thing after all. But what happens when Alice thinks she's falling for both men? Views: 73
Panic grips the city! There is a killer loose in New York City, and Carver Young is the only one who sees the startling connection between the recent string of murders and the most famous serial killer in history: Jack the Ripper. Time is winding down until the killer claims another victim, but Carver soon sees that, to The Ripper, this is all a game that he may be destined to lose. "Petrucha's story hits the ground running and doesn't let up..."—Publisher's Weekly "A rollicking story full of cannot-put-it-down twists an turns." —VOYA "A well-crafted romp through yesteryear's New York." —Kirkus Reviews Views: 73
He's older than anyone can tell. Older than the trees. Older than anybody. For as long as she can remember, Lucy has wanted to catch a glimpse of the mysterious green man who lives in Grandpa Will's garden: Lob. You have to be very special to see him; that's what Grandpa says. Lucy's parents think Lob's just imaginary, but Lucy knows he exists. And she can't believe it when she finally spots Lob in the gooseberry bushes. But Lucy's world is about to be shattered by a terrible event. What will happen to Lob now - and will she ever see him again? Linda Newbury, with the vivid embroidery of Pam Smy's illustrations, has conjured a real green man right out of the woods and stories of legend. Views: 73
Edward Banks, Lord Watson has known most of his life that one day Regina Harris was to be his bride--but somebody forgot to inform her...An avid academic and aspiring scientist, Edward is pleased to find that he won’t have to bother with the nonsense involved in courting a young lady.Young and naive, it doesn't take much for her social-climbing father to convince Regina the gentleman she's to marry has requested her hand out of love, but devastates her when she learns the truth.Now, it's up to a gentleman who's more comfortable in a conservatory than a drawing room to prove to Regina that she's more than just the proverbial sacrificial lamb that helped gain her family their foot in Society's door and that he--if no other gentleman--is trustworthy. But he just might be the one doing the learning as he'll be forced to acknowledge that sometimes the most combustible elements aren't the ones you control, but sometimes the ones you don't. Views: 73
There's a new Nightwatchman at Harrow -- the most haunted house in the world. In this all-out horror chiller from award-winning and bestselling novelist Douglas Clegg, the old abandoned mansion on the edge of town infects the dreams and nightmares of those who sleep. Children turn against parents, old friends arrive with hatchets in hand -- and only a handful of people are strong enough to resist the seductive whisper of Harrow's haunting.The Horror of the Damned...What's been trapped inside the house has begun leaking like a poison into the village itself. A teenage girl sleeps too much, but when she awakens her nightmares break loose. A little boy encounters the ultimate fear when the house calls to him. A young woman must face unspeakable terror to keep Harrow from destroying everything she loves.And somewhere within the house, a demented child waits with teeth like knives.Warning: Not for the faint of heart or squeamish."Clegg's stories can chill the spine so effectively that the reader should keep paramedics on standby." - Dean Koontz"Clegg is the best horror writer of the post-Stephen King generation."- Bentley Little, bestselling author of The Haunting."Douglas Clegg has become the new star in horror fiction." - Peter Straub, NY Times bestselling author of The Talisman (with Stephen King) and Ghost Story. Views: 73
New cow...Ray makes the move. Jane feels the rush. Ray says the L-word. Jane breaks her lease. Then suddenly, inexplicably, he dumps her. Just. Like. That....old cow.Now black is the only color in Jane's closet and Kleenex is clinging to her nose. Why did it happen? How could it have happened? Moo.Jane is going to get an answer. Not from Ray. Not from her best friends, David and Joan. But from an astounding new discovery of her own: The Old-Cow-New-Cow theory. Forced to move into the apartment of a womanizing alpha male named Eddie, Jane is seeing the world of men and women in a brilliant new light. And when she takes her Old-Cow-New-Cow theory public, it will change her career and her whole life. Unless, of course, she's got it all wrong.... Views: 73
Anything for their childLena Dunkirk is a practicing witch, Ryan McNally a wealthy playboy. Logic says mismatch, yet from the first they share a passion that defies reason, as if they know each other from another place, another time. Then Lena gets pregnant and runs for the safety of home.Months later, when Ryan appears at her door looking to help raise their child, Lena doesn't know whom to trust—particularly now that &guru to the stars& Bahru has taken an interest in her baby, offering gifts forged of magic.Soon she and Ryan are sharing eerie dreams of ancient lands, while a vengeful demon plots to take possession of their child. As the moment of birth approaches, the demon's power rises, forcing the hand of love to wield the blade that will decide the fate of a child's soul—and the future of the world.Review"Shayne crafts a convincing world, tweaking vampire legends just enough to draw fresh blood."-Publishers Weekly on Demon's Kiss"Maggie Shayne demonstrates an absolutely superb touch, blending fantasy and romance into an outstanding reading experience."--Romantic Times on Embrace the Twilight"Maggie Shayne is better than chocolate. She satisfies every wicked craving."--New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Forster"Maggie Shayne delivers sheer delight, and fans new and old of her vampire series can rejoice."--Romantic Times on Twilight Hunger"Maggie Shayne delivers romance with sweeping intensity and bewitching passion."--New York Times Bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz About the AuthorRITA Award winning, New York Times bestselling author Maggie Shayne has published over 50 novels, including mini-series Wings in the Night (vampires), Secrets of Shadow Falls (suspense) and The Portal (witchcraft). A Wiccan High Priestess, tarot reader, advice columnist and former soap opera writer, Maggie lives in Cortland County, NY, with soulmate Lance and their furry family. Views: 73
A moving memoir from an award-winning author A mother cat and her kittens, shot with a pellet gun. A poacher illegally stalking a bear. Peg Kehret tells these true stories and more as she invites readers into her life on a small wildlife sanctuary. Vividly showing the joys of animal rescue while providing facts about the animals and birds she encounters, Kehret also shares the tragedy of her husband's sudden death, and the pain of losing Pete, the shelter cat who co-authored three of her books. Written with honesty, heart, and humor, Animals Welcome is a personal glimpse into the life of an author who loves animals, and the philosophy by which she lives. Views: 73
Belle BoydEmma EdmondsRose O'Neal GreenhowElizabeth Van LewIn Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, bestselling author Karen Abbott tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything—their homes, their families, and their very lives—during the Civil War.Seventeen-year-old Belle Boyd, an avowed rebel with a dangerous temper, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her considerable charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man to enlist as a Union private named Frank Thompson, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the war and infiltrating enemy lines, all the while fearing that her past would catch up with her. The beautiful widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians, used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals, and sailed abroad to lobby for the Confederacy, a journey that cost her... Views: 73
Roy Grace tracks a stalker obsessed with a Hollywood starlet in Not Dead Yet, the latest from #1 international bestselling author Peter JamesDays before one of Hollywood’s hottest stars, Gaia Lafayette, leaves her Bel Air home for a movie role on location in Brighton, England, there is a bungled attempt on her life. The whole city of Brighton awaits Gaia’s arrival, including her dangerously obsessive Number One fan looking for revenge and an anxious Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, charged with protecting Gaia.When a mutilated torso is found on a chicken farm miles away in the countryside, Roy Grace has no reason at all to connect this to the star’s visit to the county. But as events rapidly begin to unfold, Roy Grace and his team find themselves in a desperate race against time to save Gaia’s life from a clever maniac who will stop at nothing to kill her.About the AuthorPETER JAMES is the #1 international bestselling author of the Roy Grace series with more than 13 million copies sold all over the world. His novels have been translated into thirty-five languages; three have been filmed and two are currently in development. All of his novels reflect his deep interest in the world of the police, with whom he does in-depth research. He has produced numerous films, including The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, and Joseph Fiennes. He lives in England.Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.NOT DEAD YET (Chapter 1)I am warning you, and I won't repeat this warning. Don't take the part. You'd better believe me. Take the part and you are dead. Bitch.Gaia Lafayette was unaware of the man out in the dark, in the station wagon, who had come to kill her. And she was unaware of the email he had sent. She got hate mail all the time, mostly from religious nutters or folk upset by her swearing or her provocative costumes in some of her stage acts and music videos. Those emails were screened and kept from bothering her by her trusted head of security, Detroit-born Andrew Gulli, a tough ex-cop who'd spent most of his career on close protection work for vulnerable political figures.He knew when to be worried enough to tell his boss, and this piece of trash that had come in, on an anonymous Hotmail account, was not something he figured had any substance. His employer got a dozen like this every week.It was 10 p.m. and Gaia was trying to focus on the script she was reading, but she couldn't concentrate. She was focused even more on the fact that she had run out of cigarettes. The sweet, but oh so dim-witted Pratap, who did all her shopping, and who she hadn't the heart to fire because his wife had a brain tumour, had bought the wrong brand. She had her limit of four cigarettes a day, and didn't actually need any more, but old habits die hard. She used to mainline the damned things, claiming they were essential for her famed gravelly voice. Not so many years back she'd have one before she got out of bed, followed by one burning in the ashtray while she showered. Every action accompanied by a cigarette. Now she was kicking free, but she had to know they were in the house. Just in case she needed them.Like so much else she needed in life. Starting with her adoring public. Checking the count of Twitter followers and Facebook likes. Both were substantially up again today, each nearly a million up in the past month alone, still keeping her well ahead of both the performers she viewed as her rivals, Madonna and Lady Gaga. And she now had nearly ten million subscribers to her monthly e-newsletter. And then there were her seven homes, of which this copy of a Tuscan palazzo, built five years ago to her specification on a three-acre lot, was the largest.The walls, mirrored full length floor-to-ceiling to create the illusion of infinite space, were decorated with Aztec art interspersed with larger-than-life posters of herself. The house, like all her others, was a catalogue of her different incarnations. Gaia had reinvented herself constantly throughout her career as a rock star, and more recently, two years ago at thirty-five, had started reinventing herself again, this time as a movie actor.Above her head was a huge, framed monochrome signed photo of herself in a black negligee, titled WORLD TOUR GAIA SAVING THE PLANET. Another, with her wearing a tank top and leather jeans, was captioned, GAIA REVELATIONS TOUR. Above the fireplace, in dramatic green was a close-up of her lips, nose and eyes - GAIA UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.Her agent and her manager phoned her daily, both men reassuring her just how much the world needed her. Just the way that her growing social networking base - all outsourced by her management company - reassured her, too. And at this moment, the one person in the world she cared about most - Roan, her six-year-old son - needed her just as much. He padded barefoot across the marble floor, in his Armani Junior pyjamas, his brown hair all mussed up, his face scrunched in a frown, and tapped her on the arm as she lay on the white sofa, propped against the purple velvet cushions. 'Mama, you didn't come and read me a story.'She stretched out a hand and mussed up his hair some more. Then she put down the script and took him in her arms, hugging him. 'I'm sorry, sweetie. It's late, way past your bedtime, and Mama's really busy tonight, learning her lines. She has a really big part - see? Mama's playing Maria Fitzherbert, the mistress of an English king! King George the Fourth.'Maria Fitzherbert was the diva of her day, in Regency England. Just like she herself was the diva of her day now, and they had something profound in common. Maria Fitzherbert spent most of her life in Brighton, in England. And she, Gaia, had been born in Brighton! She felt a connection to this woman, across time. She was born to play this role!Her agent said this was the new King's Speech. An Oscar role, no question. And she wanted an Oscar oh so badly. The first two movies she had made were okay, but had not set the world on fire. In hindsight, she realized, it was because she hadn't chosen well and the scripts were - frankly - weak. This movie now could give her the critical acclaim she craved. She'd fought hard for this role. And she'd succeeded.Hell, you had to fight in life. Fortune favoured the brave. Some people were born with silver spoons so far up their assholes they stuck in their gullets, and some, like herself, were born on the wrong side of the tracks. It had been a long journey to here, through her early days of waiting tables, and two husbands, to the place she was now at, and where she felt comfortable. Just herself, Roan and Todd, the fitness instructor who gave her great sex when she needed it and kept out of her face when she didn't, and her trusted entourage, Team Gaia.She picked up the script and showed him the white and the blue pages. 'Mama has to learn all this before she flies to England.''You promised.''Didn't Steffie read to you tonight?' Steffie was the nanny.He looked forlorn. 'You read better. I like it when you read.'She looked at her watch. 'It's after ten o'clock. Way past your bedtime!''I can't sleep. I can't sleep unless you read to me, Mama.'She tossed the script on to the glass coffee table, lifted him down and stood up. 'Okay, one quick story. Okay?'His face brightened. He nodded vigorously.'Marla!' she shouted. 'Marla!'Her assistant came into the room, cellphone pressed to her ear, arguing furiously with someone about what sounded like the seating arrangements on a plane. The one extravagance Gaia refused to have was a private jet, because of her concerns over her carbon footprint.Marla was shouting. Didn't the fuckwit airline know who Gaia was? That she could fucking make or break them? She was wearing glittery Versace jeans tucked into black alligator boots, a thin black roll-neck and a gold neck chain carrying the flat gold globe engraved Planet Gaia. It was exactly the same way her boss was dressed tonight. Her hair mirrored her boss's, too: blonde, shoulder length, layered in a sharp razor cut with a carefully spaced and waxed fringe.Gaia Lafayette insisted that all her staff had to dress the same way - following the daily emailed instructions of what she would be wearing, how her hair would be. They had, at all times, to be an inferior copy of herself.Marla ended the call. 'Sorted!' she said. 'They've agreed to bump some people off the flight.' She gave Gaia an angelic smile. 'Because it's you!''I need cigarettes,' Gaia said. 'Wanna be an angel and go get me some?'Marla shot a surreptitious glance at her watch. She had a date tonight and was already two hours late for him, thanks to Gaia's demands - nothing unusual. No previous personal assistant had lasted more than eighteen months before being fired, yet, amazingly, she was entering her third year. It was hard work and long hours, and the pay wasn't great, but the work experience was to die for, and although her boss was tough, she was kind. One day she'd be free of the chains, but not yet. 'Sure, no problem,' she said.'Take the Merc.'It was a balmy hot night. Gaia was smart enough to understand the small perks that went a long way.'Cool! I'll be right back. Anything else?'Gaia shook her head. 'You can keep the car for the night.''I can?''Sure, I'm not going anywhere.'Marla coveted the silver SL55 AMG. She looked forward to driving the fast bends along Sunset to the convenience store. Then to picking up Jay in it afterwards. Who knew how the night might turn out? Every day working for Gaia was an adventure. Just as every night recently, since she had met Jay, was too! He was a budding actor, and she was determined to find a way, through her connection with Gaia, to help him get a break.She did not know it, but as she walked out to the Mercedes, she was making a grave mistake.NOT DEAD YET Copyright © 2012 by Really Scary Books / Peter James. Views: 73
