Our Review
When in Rome
A stolen masterpiece with arcane allegorical significance; a decades-old political kidnapping and murder; and, of course, a tantalizing artwork of unknown provenance -- in his seventh Jonathan Argyll art mystery, The Immaculate Deception, English art historian Iain Pears returns with a virtuosic display of ingenious plotting and literary trompe l'oeil.
Pears's clever and effortlessly erudite art mysteries have found a select readership on both sides of the Atlantic. But the phenomenal success of Pears's 1998 literary thriller, An Instance of the Fingerpost -- a multifaceted Restoration whodunit on a par with Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose -- has dramatically increased stateside interest in the author's earlier work. The Immaculate Deception once again centers on the exploits of the affable and perpetually distracted English art dealer Jonathan Argyll; the beautiful and formidable Flavia di Stefano of the Italian Art Theft Squad; and her
erstwhile boss, General Taddeo Bottando, along with several of the series' usual -- or, more appropriately -- unusual supporting cast of suspects.
When a masterpiece on loan for the opening of an international exhibition is stolen in a manner calculated to embarrass the Italian government, Flavia di Stefano is ordered by the newly installed prime minister to recover the painting at all costs. Her deceptively simple mandate quickly reveals itself to be a politically fraught, no-win situation. If is she meets the thief's ransom demands, she'll almost certainly be disgraced -- and perhaps go to jail; if she refuses the order, she'll be summarily removed from her post. With Jonathan jaunting through the Tuscan countryside on the trail of an interesting art collection, Flavia turns to her old
friend and confidant General Bottando for advice. As a seasoned survivor of the Roman political arena himself, he suggests that she follow the time-honored convention and do as other Romans: "When faced with deviousness, you must be devious yourself."
Working together, Flavia and Bottando devise a plan to recover the painting. But no sooner has the ransom been paid than the art-napper -- a former '60s radical turned bourgeois performance artist -- is found dead under highly suspicious circumstances. Worse, Bottando himself has disappeared without a trace, leaving Flavia to face her first major crisis as head of the Art
Squad alone. Risking official censure and hounded by a sinister journalist, Flavia explores the tenuous connection between a decades-old act of terrorism and recent events, only to discover a secret conspiracy that could topple the government -- or cost her her life.
Like Michael Dibdin's award-winning Aurelio Zen novels, Pears's Jonathan Argyll mysteries go beyond genre fundamentals to immerse readers in every aspect of contemporary Italian culture -- from its legendary art and cuisine to the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the political and criminal justice systems to candid, unexpectedly breathtaking portrayals of everyday life. The Immaculate Deception is a splendid addition to a mystery series of the first order, and an exuberant confirmation of Iain Pears as a modern
master of the form.
--Greg Marrs Views: 305
This book is not for everybody! It is a somewhat cynical, if amusing tale of the working life of a scientist in the chemical industry. Set in Britain in the '60s 'White heat of the technological revolution' it is a fairly accurate record of how it was to be employed in one of the 25 major companies that Prime Minister Harold Wilson wanted to Nationalise. Thank goodness he didn't!Ireland has many secrets... this is one of them.For sixteen years, my life has been normal. Piedsville, Oklahoma isn't the tourist mecca of the world, but it's where I live. It's my junior year and I've known everyone since Kindergarten, everyone except her, Pru Phelan. She walked into my English class, my heart stopped. I'd never heard the name Phelan before, so I Googled it and found Phelan means wolf. What I didn't know, she was a werewolf and soon my destiny would change. This is the story about the prophecy of the Great Wolf and how it relates to me. I'm Abel Casey, and I am the Great Wolf. The Legacy of Kilkenny is a young adult story about werewolves, friendship, family, and fear. Other works by DevynThe Light Tamer TrilogyThe Light Tamer - Book OneEnlightened - Book TwoAmber's Faerie Tale - Book 2.5The Legacy of Kilkenny - Book OneMalevolence - Book TwoThe Seduction - Book 1.5The Great Wolf - Jan 2014New Adult BookSapphire - A Werewolf Love StoryAdult ContemporaryCry Me a RiverCry Me a River PG-13"The Legacy of Kilkenny is a fantastic read. Devyn Dawson has created one amazing urban- fantasy world. The storyline is strong and fresh, with different werewolf packs, vampires, dream walkers, and seers—and that's just the tip of this awesome adventure." Debbie at I heart young adult books"This book was such a fantastic read. I started and couldn’t stop. It had one of those storylines that got you involved right from the start and didn’t let go till the end." Book Reviewer"I thoroughly enjoyed The Legacy of Kilkenny. Devyn Dawson created a fun and unique world with our favorite shifters..." Book Reviewer"It was nice to see two main characters with their own storylines that cross into each other then watch the two of them grow and mature. A great coming of age story." Book Reviewer Views: 303
When Kwon's grandfather dies tragically, a secret from his past is revealed. That secret propels Kwon into a conflict he's not ready for. But ready or not, this boy's life will never be normal again.It’s been twenty years since the Guardian Sages brought a bit of balance to Earth. But ever since their devastating separation, chaos has spread tenfold. When an explosion sends Kwon rushing home from town to check on his grandpa, he gets there only to find a crater where a ranch once lay and his deceased grandfather lying in the center gripping a strange medallion that he’s never seen before or heard about. Hoping to find the meaning behind the item and what it has to do with his grandpa’s death, he goes on a journey to find his grandfather’s best friend, Goopa. But he soon finds out that the medallion was not the only secret his grandfather hid from him. His grandfather was a member of the legendary Guardian Sages. Now, with an enemy from the past carrying a vendetta and the remaining sages being exterminated, who will protect the ones that once protected the planet? Views: 295
Deception ~ Short romance 24k words. Trey's boss is old, sick and his days are numbered; and he wants to see his missing granddaughter Katharine before he dies. Trey will do almost anything for the old man, even if it means having artist Sacha Fortune pretend to be Katharine.Deception ~ Short romance, 86 pages. Trey's boss is old, sick and his days are numbered; and he wants to see his missing granddaughter Katharine before he dies. Trey will do almost anything for the old man, even if it means having artist Sacha Fortune pretend to be Katharine.Sacha is forced to assume the other woman's identity, because if she doesn't comply, Trey will expose her criminal past to the art world which has so recently embraced her art. But Sacha has more to lose than Trey could ever guess. Views: 294
'Why do I know a few more things? Why am I so clever altogether?'
Self-celebrating and self-mocking autobiographical writings from Ecce Homo, the last work iconoclastic German philosopher Nietzsche wrote before his descent into madness.
One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants. Views: 293
Friedrich Nietzsche’s follow up to ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’ expands on his earlier philosophical ideas, deriding past philosophies that placed too much importance on the concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ and introduced his own concepts of the ‘will to power’ and the ‘perspective of life’. Views: 292
La ville de Bleiberg est en pleine agitation. La population est sur le point de se retourner contre son roi, Léopold, petit roitelet sans envergure, placé sur le trône par l\'Autriche, spoliant ainsi la couronne au Duc d\'Auersperg. Grâce à l\'amitié de Lord Fitzgerald, le Roi et sa fille, la jeune Alexia, demeurent sur le trône, mais pour combien de temps encore ? Dix années se sont écoulées. La Cour ne compte aujourd\'hui que traîtres et courtisans, prêt à rallier la bannière de la Duchesse d\'Auersperg, fille du Duc et héritière légitime du trône, qui intrigue pour reprendre ce qui lui est dû. Apparaît alors, à la Cour, Maurice Carewe, jeune et beau diplomate, secrètement amoureux d\'Alexia, devenue une belle jeune fille, et ami du fils de Lord Fitzgerald, devenu, depuis la mort de son père, le garant de la paix dans le royaume. Tandis que Carewe se battra pour l\'amour d\'Alexia, John succombera aux charmes de la Duchesse vengeresse. Pris au piège de multiples jeux d\'intrigues et de ruses, l\'amitié des deux hommes l\'emportera-t-il sur l\'amour que chacun ressent pour sa belle ? Views: 276
A wealthy, jealous and possessive husband takes unusual revenge on his beautiful wife's lover. Detective Senior Sergeant Stanley Morris needs to dig deep to get to the bottom of this one. The complete novella series is available in one hit, as All Mixed up, the complete series, or all eight can be purchased individually.Audio Version AvailableSupport for right-wing populism in Europe has steadily gained attention from media and policy-makers over the past decade. Most of this attention, however, has been focused on the core supporters of right-wing populist parties (RPPs) – the members and the street activists – at the expense of the topic of this publication, the ‘reluctant radicals’. These are our main protagonists: the soft, uncommitted supporters of RPPs. They are crucial for two straightforward reasons: the reluctant radicals are the bulk of RPP support as well as those who can most easily be brought back to the mainstream, thereby depriving RPPs of their main electoral base. This publication is the first of a series produced within Counterpoint’s project ‘Recapturing Europe’s Reluctant Radicals’. Our aim here is to draw an accurate portrait of these voters by exploring the characteristics of the reluctant radicals in ten European countries, with a particular focus on France, Finland and the Netherlands. We aim to critically test some common assumptions – in particular, that right-wing populism is the preserve of disadvantaged young men – as well as outline the contours of the political and cultural context in which the data needs to be interpreted. The result is a better understanding of the diversity of the support for these parties as well as a more accurate reading of the context in which they arise – the histories, traumas, memories, resentments and fears that drive the choices of the reluctant radicals. Views: 274
An art critic journeys to a remote island off Brittany to sit for a portrait painted by an old friend, a gifted but tormented artist living in self-imposed exile. The painter recalls their years of friendship, the gift of the critic's patronage, and his callous betrayals. As he struggles to capture the character of the man, as well as his image, on canvas, it becomes clear that there is much more than a portrait at stake... Views: 271
A collection of poems about the uncertainties of life.Every day, thousands of people board an airplane without a second thought. Their minds are full of where they’ve been and their destination. However, sometimes, life has different plans.Flight 437 is such a story. On a flight from Paris, France to New York City, the crew and passengers find themselves trapped on a flight none of them expected. As events unfold, they soon realize they are no longer on the planned flight, but are now, in fact, headed to an unknown destination. Views: 263
The Screenwryter's Toolbox offers master level techniques in the art of screenwriting, teaching the reader how to write compelling dialogue, craft compelling action description, generate compelling characters, and compel in general.The guide discusses concepts such as: branding, high concept, character arcs, and how to win screenwriting contests, among others. Views: 260
The trees let their leaves to fall upon the ground and be crushed before darkness falls upon the land unknown by human eyes. Destinies begin to revolve to be revealed through the journey through the land of Malum himself. It is no secret that the journey once meant to protect a queen now embraces the protection of the land itself from the darkness that proceeds from destiny. Beasts thrive to die.Is it destiny that triggers the evil in all hearts? The Vines of Fatum reveal an unfortunate destiny for the inhabitants of the land. The first known twins are born in the land, leaving their mother to have her soul depend on the life of a withering rose. Fortis, the king, has no option but to seek help from the Ape in the high mountains. Through the sky he sails along with two trusted warriors and a vampire assassin. Yet, the journey turns to be one of dread as their ship is demolished. Through the Forbidden Forest they must venture to unravel the secrets preying upon the land. Fortis, Invicta, Sicarius, and Magni take a different path to uncover what once was and what shall be. The destiny lies within their hands, for the Vines of Fatum always gives hope. Views: 256
