The prolific author of A Knight in Spain presents a gripping work of historical fiction set during the Great Plague of London. In a remote Derbyshire village, over three hundred years ago, a man tried to serve his God to the best of his belief . . . but at a terrible cost to himself and others. William Mompesson is the new rector of Eyam. He is young, handsome, and has a lovely family. Life is too easy in the countryside, as his wife and children enjoy his generous income and the apathetic locals do not require much spiritual guidance. Mompesson's greatest daily challenge is for the souls of his parishoners, as paganism and the famous dissenter Thomas Stanley vie for the attention of the people. But he soon faces a great test as the Plague comes to town, possibly in the crate with his sister-in-law's wedding dress from London. As his parishioners die one after another, Mompesson is witness to unbelievable horrors that test... Views: 273
In this modern retelling of a classic commedia dell' arte legend of tomfoolery and hopeless, fawning love, creators Neil Gaiman (Sandman) and John Bolton (Manbat: Batman) update the relation of Harlequin and Columbine. A buffoon burdened with a brimming heart, Harlequin chases his sensible, oblivious Columbine around the streets of a city, having given his heart freely. Consumed with love, the impulsive clown sees his heart dragged about town, with a charming surprise to bend the tale in a modern direction. Gaiman's writing is poetic and as loopy as the subject matter. Bolton's art, a combination of digitally enhanced photo-realism and dynamic painting provides sensational depth with bright characters over fittingly muted backgrounds. Those who have spent Valentine's Day alone know that the cold February holiday can be hard to swallow. Gaiman and Bolton want you to know that all it takes is a steak knife, a fork, and a bottle of quality ketchup.Contains an additional 8-page backup feature written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by John Bolton on the history of commedia dell' arte! Views: 273
A hidden trail among the starsThe galaxy is in flames under the harsh theocratic rule of Concordance, the culture that once thrived among the stars reduced to scattered fragments. Selene Ada, last survivor of an obliterated planet, joins forces with the mysterious renegade, Ondo Lagan.Together they attempt to unravel the mystery of Concordance's rapid rise to galactic domination. They follow a trail of shattered starship hulks and ancient alien ruins, with the ships of the enemy always one step behind.But it's only when they find the mythical planet of Coronade that they uncover the true scale of the destruction Concordance is capable of unleashing... Views: 273
Summer is a time for love, sorrow, joy and pain – but mostly, it is a time for change. Summer is the season from which all memories flow. For Maggie and Peter, the summer of 1968 is one that changed their lives forever. For Jenny and Tom, the summer of 1979 is the one that will be remembered most. Two couples - one married the other childhood friends - separated by years, but inexorably linked.Peter and Maggie are happily married. For a fortyish couple with two kids, they get on remarkably well. While all their friends are in relationships that make them wonder why they bother, Maggie and Peter have always prided themselves in being different from other couples. They are soul mates and best friends who are more in love now than when they first met. With school holidays fast approaching, Maggie makes the usual preparations for their annual stay at Bellbird Cottage. However, when one of Peter’s students from the university where he teaches decides to make trouble for him, his relationship with Maggie is put to the ultimate test.Jenny and Tom are best friends. They share everything, including a birthday. They will both tell you that school holidays are their favourite times of the year. For Jenny and Tom, the summer starts out like every other summer. With no school for weeks, a birthday party to plan and Christmas to look forward to, life couldn’t be better. Not long into the holidays; however, things start to go wrong. An encounter with the neighbourhood bullies gets out of control and the young friends find themselves in over their heads. As Jenny and Tom experience a range of emotions and events unfamiliar to them, it becomes apparent that the summer will not turn out to be the usual carefree one they expected. Living in Australia, you can’t help but feel some affinity towards summer. It is a time for love, sorrow, joy and pain – but mostly, it is a time for change. Summer is the season from which all memories flow. For Maggie and Peter, the summer of 1968 is one that changed their lives forever. For Jenny and Tom, the summer of 1979 is the one that will be remembered most. Summer tells the story of two couples - one married, the other childhood friends - separated by years, but inexorably linked. Views: 273
Review"One of the best books of this or any year." - BookReporter"...you’ll be rooting for this thoroughly beguiling serial killer on a mission. A pro’s pro, Block never wastes a word, never misplaces a plot element... it also boasts Block’s legendary craftsmanship, sly humor, and virtuoso plotting. The premise is to die for!" - *Booklist*"[A] fun, fast-paced read full of steamy moments and a twist ending... a must have for pulp fiction fans." - Celebrity Cafe"A great read from cover to cover... believe me when I say that you are in for a wonderful time." - Horror News*"A perfect treat." - Affairs Magazine*"Block has, once again, created a tale to excite and absorb even the most jaded reader of crime fiction." - Eclipse MagazinePraise for Lawrence Block:"There is only one writer of mystery and detective fiction who comes close to replacing the irreplaceable John D. MacDonald...The writer is Lawrence Block." - Stephen King "Unfailingly entertaining." - The New York Times "One of the very best writers now working the beat." - The Wall Street Journal "Lawrence Block is a master of crime fiction." - Jonathan Kellerman About the AuthorLawrence Block is one of the most acclaimed and highly decorated living mystery writers, having received multiple Edgar, Shamus and Maltese Falcon Awards, as well as lifetime achievement awards in the US, UK, and France. He was named a "Grand Master" by the Mystery Writers of America, the organization's highest honor. In the 1960s and 70s he wrote seven novels under the pen name "Jill Emerson," a pseudonym he is reviving for the first time in nearly 40 years for Getting Off. Views: 273
The stories collected here represent a sampling of the prose that first established Bulgakov as a major figure in the literary renaissance of Moscow in the 1920s, long before he became known as an influential playwright and novelist. The centerpiece of this collection is the long story "Notes on the Cuff," a comically autobiographical account of how the tenacious young writer managed to begin his literary career despite famine, typhus, civil war, the wrong political affiliation, and the Byzantine Moscow bureaucracy. This stylistically brilliant work was only partially published during Bulgakov's lifetime due to censorship, but was immediately recognized by the literati as an important work. The other stories collected here range from a sequence about the Civil War to Bulgakov's early reportage on the rebuilding of Moscow in the early 1920s, stories which now have a strikingly contemporary ring. Bulgakov describes the swindlers who arrived along with NEP, a program for the limited return to a market economy, as well as the vast reconstruction as the city is brought back from the destruction of civil war. Bulgakov, who burst on the world literary scene in the 1960s with the publication of his long-suppressed The Master and Margarita, has continued to enjoy tremendous success both in and out of Russia where productions of his plays and adaptations of his prose works have found new audiences. Views: 273
Rebecca has everything she ever prayed for and more, and is living like she doesn't care if she loses it all. Dani's business is thriving and her faith is strong. Her diagnosis will expose her own insecurities and life's truth. Jenessa epitomizes the definition of a strong woman. A routine doctor's visit forces her to confront the genetic cloud that has hovered over her since childhood.Kristin Shaw ran away to Wyoming, looking to escape a broken heart. After becoming widowed on her honeymoon, she can barely breathe, and isn’t sure life is worth living. Moving to a remote area of the country, she wants to hide away and heal her mind. Forced to confront rural life in Wyoming, she faces challenges that make her question her move. Ty Addison is rough around the edges, having grown up on a farm, and now working in the small rural town. He had no intention of falling for the girl from New Jersey, in fact, he wasn’t even sure he liked her at first. Finding himself attracted Kristin, can he convince her to give him a chance? Or will she go back to the safety of suburbia life she once knew? Views: 273
In this action-packed mystery thriller by #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce, Cora Shields, 30, former Navy Seal turned FBI Special Agent, is fired from the FBI for breaking one rule too many. But when a string of murders occur on a military base, Cora is the only one brave enough to go up against a conspiracy, and bring the killer to justice."A masterpiece of thriller and mystery."—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Unknown (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller—Book 7) is the next novel in a new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews.On the outside, Cora Shields is a total badass. A Navy SEAL veteran and a top agent in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, Cora has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to catch a killer. What no one knows, though, is that she's a wreck on the inside, addicted to painkillers... Views: 273
A serial killer in Germany targets U.S. citizens with a mysterious signature: a page torn out of a rare book of poetry left on each one. FBI Special Agent Juliette Hart, head of a new team to hunt down international killers, is dispatched to protect U.S. interests and hunt him down in Germany. But this killer is brilliant, and he's working towards something. Can Juliette crack the code and outsmart him at his own game?"A masterpiece of thriller and mystery."—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐NOTHING WATCHING is Book #3 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews.FBI Special Agent Juliette Hart had hoped to leave the darkness of her past behind her, and to never return to Europe. But the one killer who has eluded her in the U.S. has also forced her return.The FBI soon realizes it needs a special... Views: 272
