WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS Nova is a free man. Having just walked away as a non-sanctioned hit man for the U.S. government, he's purchased a classic Mustang to drive across the country. But when his car breaks down in the middle of the Nevada desert, Nova ends up in the small town of Parrot Spur. There's something strange about Parrot Spur. Something ... off. Maybe it's the fact the town is full of ex-servicemen. Maybe it's the fact the abandoned mine might not be abandoned. Maybe it's the fact the knockout brunette in the bar is clearly more than what she seems. In the end, none of it matters. What matters — and what Nova is soon going to learn — is that in the desert, the only thing that rains is bullets. PRAISE FOR ROBERT SWARTWOOD "Robert Swartwood is the next F. Paul Wilson — if F. Paul Wilson's DNA was spliced with Michael Marshall Smith. If you haven't yet read Swartwood, you're missing out." —Brian Keene, bestselling... Views: 669
New York's most accomplished PI, Blaze Tuesday is a guy who gets results. Hired to investigate the murder of a charity doctor, Blaze finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy that spans from the lowest illegal surgeries in Hell's Kitchen to the medical elite and the corporations who make clockwork body parts. Agatha Christie meets Repo! The Genetic Opera on the streets of New York.Clockwork body parts are touted as a medical miracle by the companies who make them, and high fashion by the stars who sport them, and a lot of kids go through illegal surgeries. The sub-culture of Gearheads is full of kids with robotic body parts from poorly done surgery in less-than-sanitary conditions, and these are surgeries that don’t always take.Blaze Tuesday is New York's most accomplished private investigator. A former police officer with a bone to pick with the corruption in the city, he's earned a name for himself as a guy who gets results, and who is willing to uphold the moral values so many others have forgotten, even if he has to break a few faces to do it.Blaze is hired by Wayside Firms, one of the medical firms that produces the Clockwork, when a charity doctor who worked specifically with less-fortunate kids who have had botched illegal, is found murdered. As Blaze investigates the unfortunate death, he discovers a conspiracy that stretches from the lowest gutters in Hell’s Kitchen, to the highest corporate fat cats at the medical firms who create the Clockwork body parts.Can Blaze get justice for the dead doctor, and bring some hope back to the kids in Hell's Kitchen who were counting on the Doctor's help? Or will he get caught up in the underworld of body modification and the big money it brings in? Views: 669
Old friends, new friends, magic and mystery… Join Wes and Kit, Robert and Louie, and their friends and family at Skeffield Manor. Except that there is mischief afoot here…in the beautiful country home and with a mysterious magical object. *A story told from multiple points of view. Takes place after "Wes and Kit" and "Robert and Louie." Other stories set in the same universe: "Like A One-Eyed Cat" and "Gear Heart." This story contains some magic, some steampunk elements, and has a low-medium heat rating. Length: approx. 62,000 words* Excerpt: Quick as a wink, he turned on a light. It was so bright, it left me blinking and nearly as startled as I'd been by the blue light from under the door. He was shirtless, and all his muscles looked beautiful. Like the man himself, almost too perfect. I could hardly believe he was real sometimes. "What happened?" He was already reaching for his gun. Stammering almost incoherently, I managed to get my story out: going to the bathroom, seeing a bluish light under the library's door, and coming here. "I hope you didn't scare him off." He flung himself lightly from the bed. I laughed; it sounded cracked. I hugged my arms around myself. "I h-hope I did. He scared me enough." "Shh," he said. "Stay here." And he bounded from the room and down the hall towards the library, gun in hand. I thought as long as I lived I wouldn't forget that image of him—so alert, muscular, and grave, with a gun in his hand, ready to take on the world. And barely acknowledging my presence now that he had a mission to tackle. I shivered hard and shifted from foot to foot, a nervous dance. I tried to convince myself he was right, I should stay there, out of harm's way. But I couldn't do it. We might not be in the best place right then, but he was still the man I loved. I couldn't let him run into danger so bravely, all alone and without backup. So I left the room and hurried down the hall—the opposite direction. I remembered the layout of the manor well, even in the dark, and it took me only moments to find a magician's room. I thumped on Silus's door and then flung it open. "Intruder," I gasped. "In the library. He's…Robert went to face him. Hurry!" He flicked on the light, flung back the covers, and jumped up. He was already yanking on trousers before I could blink. I averted my eyes, but not quickly enough. I'd seen him naked, and he was very handsome indeed. I'd thought his face was coldly perfect, but all of him was perfect. I felt as shocked as a frozen rabbit. He saw my expression, smirked in that cold way of his, and then ran past. My goodness, there were a lot of half-dressed men running around the place tonight. If things were a bit less dire, I'd quite enjoy this.** Views: 669
The electrifying new Joe Pickett novel from the New York Times bestselling author. Everything about the man is a mystery: the massive ranch in the remote Black Hills of Wyoming that nobody ever visits, the women who live with him, the secret philanthropies, the private airstrip, the sudden disappearances. And especially the persistent rumors that the man’s wealth comes from killing people. Joe Pickett, still officially a game warden but now mostly a troubleshooter for the governor, is assigned to find out what the truth is, but he discovers a lot more than he’d bargained for. There are two other men living up at that ranch. One is a stone-cold killer who takes an instant dislike to Joe. The other is new—but Joe knows him all too well. The first man doesn’t frighten Joe. The second is another story entirely. Views: 669
Tavera is a child passed from hand to hand as a source of cheap labor in the underworld of the Valley. When she finds herself at the mercy of the vicious sausage maker, the elderly Madame Greswin, she discovers secrets from the woman's past and the consequences leave Tavera fighting for her life.**5,000 Word Short Story**Tavera is a child passed from hand to hand as a source of cheap labor in the underworld of the Valley. When she finds herself at the mercy of the vicious sausage maker, the elderly Madame Greswin, she discovers secrets from the woman's past and the consequences leave Tavera fighting for her life."Little Girl Lost" is a short story and prequel to "Thieves at Heart", the first novel in the series "The Valley of Ten Crescents".**5,000 Word Short Story** Views: 668
As a University professor, Riley could see that the girl’s creationist views were nonsense and his evolutionary reasoning was reasoned. What he couldn’t see, was the chain of events about to unfold, leading to a man standing scared and a platypus swimming blind.Sometimes nature preaches silent sermons.Sometimes nature preaches silent sermons. For Riley, it wasn’t so silent. Standing on the cliff edge of hopelessness, a dark tragedy stood behind him, pushing him forward, shouting his sins. But a small animal swam near him, its very behaviour mimicking his own. He had always used the platypus to justify his position, but had never seen it as explaining his actions.His knowledge of the animal was renowned, and to Riley, knowledge was god. There were others in his life though, who had a different God. Flaming creationists! He couldn’t stand their ignorance, but neither could he choose his family, so he tolerated it and tolerated them. Barely. If only they would respect his wisdom like his colleagues did.As a professor, Riley was esteemed. It was hard to turn that down, even when it turned him into someone he didn’t want to be, and took him to places he knew he shouldn’t go… like this cliff, where a dark past shouted insult, and a small animal whispered wisdom while swimming blind. Views: 668
a supernatural thriller revolving around what appears to be voices of the dead, accidentally recorded on an old reel to reel tape recorder. the story follows two women’s descend into the dark world of a reluctant serial killer as they endeavor to unlock the whereabouts of his victims through in-depth and potentially sanity shredding analysis of the tapes Views: 668
SEAL’s Obsession: Take No Prisoners Series Views: 668
The first five books in the #1 bestselling Captive Series.
Book 1, Captured.
Taken from her beloved family and woods, Aria’s biggest fear is not the imminent death facing her, but that she will be chosen as a blood slave for a member of the ruling vampire race. Aria’s world is turned upside down when a vampire named Braith steps forward to claim her. He delays her execution, but Aria knows it’s only a matter of time before he drains her, and destroys her. Aria is determined to hate the prince, but his strange kindness, and surprising gentleness astonish her. Torn between her loyalties to the rebellion, and her growing love for her greatest enemy, Aria struggles to decide between everything she has ever known, and a love she never dreamed of finding.
Book 2, Renegade.
Though she is free of the palace, rescued from her position as a blood slave, Aria is haunted by the memories of Braith, the prince that betrayed her and shattered her heart. Every day is a struggle to get through, and the only solace she is able to find is with Max, her best friend, and fellow captive. Aria slowly begins to salvage the broken parts of her wounded spirit by throwing herself into the wonder of the woods she had so greatly missed. Her world is thrown into a tailspin again though when a marauding group of vampires destroy the caves she had found temporary shelter in. Scattered about the forest, seeking to stay hidden and find her family, Aria is stunned when Braith, the monster that savaged her heart, reappears.
Book 3, Refugee.
Whispers, rumors, and horror stories abound about The Barrens and the strange creatures that lurk within them. Determined to find the remaining vampires that stood against his father in the war, Braith knows that it’s dangerous to enter the inhospitable land, but that they must if they are to have a chance at gaining allies to help overthrow the king.
Aria is fearful of entering into the land she’s heard nothing but cautionary tales about, but she’s determined to help Braith locate the vampires that may help them with their cause. She is fascinated and amazed by the world they uncover within. However, the more immersed they become in a world, the more she realizes that it won’t be the war, or even the king that will eventually tear her and Braith apart. It will be her.
Book 4, Salvation.
Imprisoned by Caleb and at the mercy of the king, Aria is determined not to let them break her.
Tormented by the loss of Aria, Braith is forced to choose between his need to rescue her, and the impending rebel war he’s been chosen to lead. Fighting against the darkness which threatens to drag him into its tempting depths, Braith struggles not to become like the one thing he hates the most, his father.
Faced with their own separate challenges, Aria and Braith must come to terms with who they are, what they want, and the likelihood that they can never be together as the inevitable war looms on the horizon. A war that all of them will fight but not all of them will survive.
Book 5, Redemption.
A year has passed since the war against Jack’s father. Having left the palace behind in order to ensure that the outer towns are obeying the new laws, Jack struggles to come to terms with the grief that drove him from the palace in the first place. That is, until he encounters Hannah.
Growing up in the small town of Chippman, Hannah had long ago accepted the fact that she would never leave. When Jack walks into her life, she quickly realizes that not everything is what she’d believed it to be. Knowing that Jack will reject her if he learns the truth about her, Hannah struggles to fight her growing attraction to him. For though the town of Chippman seems normal, its residents harbor secrets that they’ve taken great pains to keep hidden. Views: 668
Over the course of eighteen books, C. J. Box has been consistently hailed for his brilliant storytelling and extraordinary skills at creating character, suspense, and a deep sense of place. All of those strengths are in the ten riveting stories—three of them never before published—that make up Shots Fired.
In “One-Car Bridge,” one of four Joe Pickett stories, Pickett goes up against a “just plain mean” landowner, with disastrous results, and in “Shots Fired,” his investigation into the radio call referred to in the title nearly ends up being the last thing he ever does. In “Pirates of Yellowstone,” two Eastern European tough guys find out what it means to be strangers in a strange land, and in “Le Sauvage Noble,” the stranger is a Lakota in Paris who enjoys playing the “noble savage” for the French women—until he meets Sophie. Then he discovers what “savage” really means.
Shots Fired is proof once again why “Box is a force to be reckoned with” (The Providence Journal-Bulletin). Views: 668
Her past was a lie. Her present is suspect. Now, The Future is coming for her….Samantha Marquet knows she’s being watched. What she doesn’t understand is why. After living with the sensation for seventeen years, sometimes she wonders if it’s all in her mind. Until the night her Shadow Watcher crosses her path, and Sam learns what seems impossible today is already possible tomorrow....Her past was a lie. Her present is suspect. Now, The Future is coming for her….Samantha Marquet knows she’s being watched. What she doesn’t understand is why. After living with the sensation for seventeen years, sometimes she wonders if it’s all in her mind. Until the night her Shadow Watcher steps across her path, turning her world upside down.Recognizing his presence immediately, Sam isn’t afraid; she wants answers. But, the handsome stranger doesn’t give her any in their cryptic exchange. When he vanishes again, Sam is left with more questions than ever before.Before his motive is revealed, those the Shadow Watcher is sworn to protect Sam from move to strike. He appears again, in time to save her from a dangerous man. Only, this time Sam witnesses the attack, triggering a memory of seeing him once, before the watching began. At her father's funeral. And, he hasn't aged a day in the seventeen years since. With enemies Sam never knew existed closing in, her guardian is forced to reveal his oath to protect the Marquet family, their heirs and the secret they’ve kept safe for centuries. The secret holding the key to his youth – Sam’s inheritance. Something so precious, the most powerful men to live on Earth are willing to risk anything to possess it. As those fighting to control her inheritance threaten those she loves most, Sam is thrown into a world her parents went to great lengths to shield her from. A world where what seems impossible today is already possible tomorrow. Welcome to the Society in the Shadow of Civilization. Views: 668
ABDUCTED
Stalked by a vampire. Stolen in the night. Seduced by a lover. Anthropology student Shayna Prentiss wakes up to find herself trapped in a world she never knew existed-with a man she cannot escape...nor resist.
ENSLAVED
*Drawn to her beauty. Driven by lust. Doomed by his destiny. The vampire Marius knows he must bond with this captivating mortal with hidden powers...or both their races will be destroyed forever.
UNCHAINED
*Bound by a blood chain that seals their fates together, Marius and Shayna must stand and fight the ultimate enemy-a madman hell-bent on destruction who will test every ounce of their strength, their power, and their passion. When the final weapon is unleashed, will their love remain unbroken? Or will darkness shatter their chains...for eternity. Views: 668
