Nobody knows better than Matthew Scudder how far down a person can sink in this city. A young prostitute named Kim knew it also—and she wanted out. Maybe Kim didn't deserve the life fate had dealt her. She surely didn't deserve her death. The alcoholic ex-cop turned p. i. was supposed to protect her, but someone slashed her to ribbons on a crumbling New York City waterfront pier. Now finding Kim's killer will be Scudder's penance. But there are lethal secrets hiding in the slain hooker's past that are far dirtier than her trade. And there are many ways of dying in this cruel and dangerous town—some quick and brutal . . . and some agonizingly slow. Views: 395
Ever wondered what lurked in the shadows? Questioned whether vampires or werewolves were real? Jake Peterson knows they are. He will tell you first hand how he was created and the struggles he faced in a new world. Birth, death, rebirth. Life is a tricky concept and the world Jake enters is a whole lot trickier.The ride down the elevator to Agni Mining Station was like a ride into Hell itself. On a planet where you could never quite get warm enough, it quickly became uncomfortably warm, then uncomfortably hot. G. Drew Akers had been in deep mines before, he'd worked in one for two years in Hussy Crater in his early twenties. He'd decided then that he never wanted to return to one, fortunately he wouldn't be in this one long. But that mine in Hussy had only been two kilometres below the surface of Mars, this mine was almost twelve.At the mine in Hussy he rode an elevator like this one twice each day, but here the miners lived below. Agni Mining Station was a small self-contained town at the bottom of the elevator shaft. He reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow. He'd only been in the elevator a few minutes, and already his clothes were soaked with sweat, and he was developing a headache. He opened his jacket hoping the sweat would evaporate, and in the process exposed the butt of the pistol in his shoulder holster. Views: 395
"You are the comfort of my life, Effie. If you make up your mind to go away, what is to become of me?" The speaker was a middle-aged woman. She was lying on a sofa in a shabby little parlor. The sofa was covered with horse-hair, the room had a faded paper, and faded chintz covered the shabby furniture. The woman\'s pleading words were emphasized by her tired eyes and worn face. She looked full at the young girl to whom she spoke. "What shall I do without you, and what will your father say?" "I have made up my mind," said Effie. "I don\'t want to be unkind to you, mother,—I love you more than words can say,—but I must go out into the world. I must live my life like other girls." "You had none of these ideas until you met Dorothy Fraser." "Yes, I have had them for a long time; Dorothy has given them emphasis, that\'s all. Dorothy\'s mother did not like her to go away, but now she is glad. She says that nothing has made Dorothy into so fine a woman as taking her life into her own hands, and making the best she can of it. Before I go, mother, I will get Agnes to learn all my duties; she shall help you. She is nearly fourteen; she ought to be of use to you, ought she not?" "She would not be like you," replied Mrs. Staunton. "She is very young, remember, and is at school most of the day. I won\'t argue with you, Effie, but it tires me even to think of it." Effie sighed. She bent down and kissed her mother. Her words had sounded hard and almost defiant, but there was nothing at all hard or defiant about her sweet face. She was a dark-eyed girl, and looked as if she might be any age between seventeen and twenty. There was a likeness between her and her mother quite sufficient to show their relationship; both faces were softly curved, both pairs of eyes were dark, and the mother must have been even prettier in her youth than the daughter was now. "As I say," continued Mrs. Staunton, "it fills me with terror to think of doing without you." "Try not to think of it, mother. I am not going yet, I only want to go very much indeed. I am going to talk to father about it. I want to have the thing arranged while Dorothy is here." Here Effie went suddenly on her knees by the sofa and threw one young arm protectingly round her mother. "You do not know what it means to me," she said. "When Dorothy talks of the full life, the keen interest, the battle, the thrill of living, I feel that I must go into it—I must." While Effie was speaking, Mrs. Staunton looked fixedly at her. There are moments which all mothers know, when they put themselves completely out of sight, when they blot themselves out, as it were. This time had come to Mrs. Staunton now. After a pause, she said, and her words came out even without a sigh: "The question, after all, is this, Effie: What will your father say?" "When he thinks it out carefully he will be pleased," replied Effie. "He must be interested in the profession I want to take up. How often—oh, how often, mother—has he groaned and sighed at the bad nursing which his patients get! You know you have always said, and he has said the same, that I am a born nurse. Won\'t he be proud and pleased when I come home and tell him all about the new ways in which things are done in London hospitals? You know there are six of us, and Agnes and Katie are growing up, and can take my place at home presently. Of course I know that father is quite the cleverest doctor in Whittington, but nobody gets ill here, and it is quite impossible to go on clothing and feeding six of us with no means at all. I do not think I am vain, mother, and I do not really care very much about dress, but mine is shabby, is it not? I think I should look pretty—as pretty as you must have looked long ago—if I were better dressed." "No dress can change your face," said Mrs. Staunton, with sudden passion. "You have the sweetest and dearest face in the world to me." Views: 395
A scifi-psychological thriller, that will keep you entertained till the last word and make you think even after the story is over. Come on a journey to find love, life and a second chance."I was living in a world of monsters, and the darkness brought death on its wings."When a mortally-ill traveller arrives in Venice, he finds the city in the grip of terror. A string of inexplicable deaths and disappearances have caused a wave of panic, and the authorities have no idea who – or what – is responsible. These events pale into insignificance, though, when he encounters a mysterious woman one night. Pietra is beautiful, intriguing and secretive, and he longs to know more about her.He soon becomes aware, however, that a malign being has singled him out for attention – and that Pietra might not be all that she seems.PIETRA is a vampire novelette of approximately 9,500 words. Views: 395
WW2 Manchester: Newlyweds Helen and Jim Harrison have big plans – to leave the family shop where Helen works and set up home together. But when Jim is tragically killed in an air raid, Helen is heartbroken, her life in ruins. Battling grief and despair, Helen resolves to escape her domineering mother and rebuild her shattered world. Wartime Manchester is a dangerous place, besieged by crime and poverty. So when Helen joins the Women's Auxiliary Police Corps, working with evacuees, the destitute and the vulnerable, she finds a renewed sense of purpose. She's come a long way from her place behind the counter in the corner shop. But there's still something missing in her heart. Is Helen able to accept love and happiness and find the courage to change her life? Views: 395
Review"The dark and moody atmosphere...amplifies the chills in this terrific suspense tale. This is one talented author." About the AuthorNew York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton has written over thirty contemporary romance novels and created the popular "The Protectors" series for Silhouette's Intimate Moments line. This sixth-generation Alabamian is a two-time Maggie Award winner, a two-time National Reader's Choice Award winner, and a recipient of a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Adventure. She is currently working on her next novel of romantic suspense for Zebra Books. Views: 394
The stories in Liars in Love are concerned with troubled relations and the elusive nature of truth. Whether it be in the depiction of the complications of divorced families, grown-up daughters, estranged sisters, office friendships or fleeting love affairs, the pieces in this collection showcase Richard Yates's extraordinary gift for observation and his understanding of human frailty. Views: 394
Elena Ferrante returns to a story that animated the novel she considers to be a turning point in her development as a a writer: "The Lost Daughter." But this time the tale takes the form of a children's fable told from the point of view of the lost (stolen!) doll, Celina. Celina is having a terrible night, one full of jealousy for the new kitten, Minu, feelings of abandonment and sadness, misadventures at the hands of the beach attendant, and dark dreams. But she will be happily found by Mati, her child, once the sun rises.
Accompanied by the oneiric illustrations of Mara Cerri, "The Beach at Night" is a story for all of Ferrante's many ardent fans." Views: 394
A man who's always seen the world through an artistic lens, where boat railings are covered in vermilion paint under cotton candy clouds, would like nothing more than to get validation from the son who's always thought his father was crazy. What if he isn't crazy at all? What if faeries are real? Sometimes fathers and sons have lenses that will never be focused the same.A man who's always seen the world through an artistic lens, where boat railings are covered in vermilion paint under cotton candy clouds, would like nothing more than to get validation from the son who's always thought his father was crazy. What if he isn't crazy at all? What if faeries are real? What if pixies did steal his shoes? Sometimes fathers and sons have lenses that will never be focused the same. Golden Meadows explores the notion of defining reality. Who establishes the rules, and when is it okay to live outside the parameters of normality? It is the third book in the Read Write Ponder series, a collection of short stories constructed to engage readers, writers, and educators. Each novelette-sized book is comprised of a single short story, writing prompts to encourage creative writing, discussion questions for thoughtful analysis of characters and theme, and a letter from the author about her inspiration for the story and the techniques she used to write it. Views: 394
Val Darrant was just four years old the snowy night his mother abandoned him. But instead of meeting a lonely death, he met Will Reilly—a gentleman, a gambler, and a worldly, self-taught scholar. For ten years they each were all the family the other had, traveling from dusty American boomtowns to the glittering cities of Belle Époque Europe—until the day Reilly's luck ran out in a roar of gunfire. But it wasn't a gambling brawl or a pack of thieves that sealed Will's fate. It was a far more complex story that Val would soon uncover—one that would bring him face-to-face with the one person he least wants to see: his mother. With the help of a beautiful, street-smart rancher and the woman who was Will Reilly's lost love, Val must close this last cruel chapter of his past before he can turn the page on an uncertain future.Louis L'Amour's Lost Treasures is a project created to release some of the author's more unconventional manuscripts from the... Views: 394
Who is JWC and how was the One Last Wish Foundation created? Discover the tragic story behind a struggle for survival against impossible odds. Follow the interwining story of true love and friendships that compelled JWC to dedicate a life and legacy to helping others in this extraordinary novel of hope.
You don't know me, but I know about you.... I can't make you live longer, I can't stop you from hurting. But I can give you one wish, as someone did for me....
From the Paperback edition. Views: 394
Audrey always thought that family was first and everything else was second or irrelevant, but this new generation was something else. She taught the rule, but they didn't seem to pick it up. To them, the last thing on their mind was taking care of Mama! Still. she continued to lead by example, doing all that she could for them, until one son allowed a woman to come between them. That was a no-no!In her latest book, I'll Always Love My Mama author, Dominique Wilkins, tells the story of Audrey Fitzgerald. Deserted by her husband, Audrey was forced to raise her sons, Erick and Robert, alone. When Erick continued a downward path with the wrong crowd, despite Audrey’s intervention, his luck ran out after he repeatedly disobeyed the law and was sent to jail.Preoccupied with how she could have saved Erick from a life of crime, Audrey stuck by her son, visiting him every week and prayed that he would see the light and clean up his life.She did whatever she could to continue to be the rock and the support that her boys needed. She loved her boys and would do anything for them. Unfortunately, Audrey’s prayers and her intentions to be the best mother she could be to her two sons did not pan out as she had hoped. She lost one son and was then endanger of losing the other when Robert kills his friend by mistake. After lying to the police to save her son from a life in prison, Robert repays her loyalty by living a life of idleness and womanizing.Audrey’s story is a celebration of blind, selfless loyalty, perseverance and victory over adversity. It will be an inspiration to every mother who is struggling to keep her family intact. I'll Always Love My Mama is one of those books every mother should receive for Mother’s Day and everyday. Views: 394
