The year is 1586, and Mary Stuart is sitting in an English prison cell at the end of her life, stitching her tapestries, haunted by the ghosts of her past - including John Knox, Bothwell, her half-brother Moray, and Darnley, the husband she was accused of conspiring to murder.
Darnley's murder became a mystery crime which remains unsolved to this day. Only Mary can tell the true version of events, whilst quietly stitching her braid and entertaining the ghosts of her past.She has been Elizabeth's reluctant 'guest' for eighteen years, but she still has her supporters, most notably a young nobleman called Anthony Babington. As her needle weaves in and out of the fine linen, she plots for Elizabeth's downfall. Her life before this was marked by murder, conspiracy and intrigue in the dark Scottish courts of Renaissance Europe and for Mary it is not over yet. She confides in her servants, secrets which remain untold. Views: 184
THE SCORCHING PULP NOVEL BY LAWRENCE BLOCK, AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS! On the border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, five lives are about to collide - with fatal results. You'll meet MARTY - the professional gambler who rolls the dice on a night with... MEG - the bored divorcee who seeks excitement and finds... LILY - the beautiful hitchhiker lured into a live sex show by... CASSIE - the redhead with her own private agenda... and WEAVER - the madman, the killer with a straight razor in his pocket, on the run from the police and determined to go down swinging! This is MWA Grand Master Lawrence Block at his rawest and most visceral, a bloody, bawdy, brutal story of passion and punishment--and of lines that were never meant to be crossed.**From BooklistHard Case Crime continues to resurrect Block’s early work, often written pseudonymously, from the 1950s and early ’60s. Gleefully mixing soft-core pornography with a thriller plot, Block churned out numerous of these bound-for-the-drugstore-paperback-rack quickies as he was gaining his sea legs for the more mature work that would come later. This one makes the most of its seedy border-town setting, jumping between El Paso and Juárez, as the paths of a gambler, divorcée, hitchhiker, stripper, and psycho killer come together in an inevitable bloodbath—but not before a series of steamy, yet surprisingly stylish, couplings (There was a beginning, bittersweet and almost painful. There was a middle, fast and furious, a scherzo movement in a symphony of fire. And there was an ending, gasping, spent, two bodies washed up on a lonely, barren beach.) Who knew what lurked on those paperback racks, nestled beside the sundries, awaiting the hungry eyes of surreptitious readers? And, yet, along with the titillation, Block’s inimitable craftsmanship shines through, along with flashes of his signature wit. --Bill Ott Review"A brutal story of sexual passion and bloody punishment." - Retrenders "This collection is a must-read for both established fans and those who haven’t yet had the pleasure of being introduced to Block’s work." - Crime Fiction Lover "Entertaining and twisted." - PopCults "If you like your pulp fiction a bit on the raw side, you may want to make a trip to the Borderline. I’m glad I did." - Professor Mondo "it’s as raw and visceral as anything you’ll find in bookstores today." - October Country "Borderline is a visceral punch in the gut. It’s characters play their parts perfectly, rounding out the plot in a crime style that makes for a perfect, quick read. Block once again proves himself to be a Grand Master of mystery." - As The Plot Thins "An important addition to Block’s library and a must read for his fans." - Book Reporter “An edgy story pulsing with sex and violence; his wry sense of humor; a sobering sense of devastation; and all-around expertly crafted prose. what else can I say except it's an excellent story, up to Block's high standard.” – Pulp Serenade “Talk about your page turner. I read this, something I rarely do, in a single sitting just because of its bitter and brutal force. ...you see a great writer busy creating a realm exclusively his own.” – Ed Gorman’s Blog “Block’s inimitable craftsmanship shines through, along with flashes of his signature wit.” – Booklist "Packs plenty of vicarious thrills, sexual titillation, and taboo breaking." - Publisher's Weekly Views: 184
The six stories in this volume are the result of some three or four years of occasional work. The dates of their writing are far apart, their origins are various. None of them are connected directly with personal experiences. In all of them the facts are inherently true, by which I mean that they are not only possible but that they have actually happened. For instance, the last story in the volume, the one I call Pathetic, whose first title is Il Conde (misspelt by-the-by) is an almost verbatim transcript of the tale told me by a very charming old gentleman whom I met in Italy. I don’t mean to say it is only that. Anybody can see that it is something more than a verbatim report, but where he left off and where I began must be left to the acute discrimination of the reader who may be interested in the problem. I don’t mean to say that the problem is worth the trouble. What I am certain of, however, is that it is not to be solved, for I am not at all clear about it myself by this time. All I can say is that the personality of the narrator was extremely suggestive quite apart from the story he was telling me. I heard a few years ago that he had died far away from his beloved Naples where that “abominable adventure” did really happen to him. Views: 183
As if it weren’t terrible enough, Stanley finds himself beset on all sides by women -- neurotic, half-baked, critical or just plain capricious -- and he begins to wonder whether insanity is not something with which all women are intimately acquainted. Views: 183
Taking place after the events of SoM: Forerunners, four eccentric mercenaries are challenged with the task of covering up a parasitic outbreak that is causing the infected to mutate into savage creatures that can only exist through bloodshed. Will they be able to quell the outbreak in time or will their personal agendas cause them, and the rest of the planet, their lives? Views: 183
Not much bothers him...until his best friend's little sister moves to town. Carefree personal trainer Drake North is long on charm and short on connections that do more than skim the surface. His main ties are to his family and his best friend, so when his friend's little sister moves to town, Drake promises to look out for her. But when he offers her his spare bedroom for a few nights, he might be getting in over his head. High-end honeymoon planner Mackenzie Shaw can take care of herself. In her job for the rich and famous, she leaves nothing to chance. Moving back to Nashville gives her the opportunity to finally get what she's always wanted—a fulfilling career, a close-knit group of friends, and a permanent address. All she has to do is ignore her years-old crush on her brother's best friend. Though opposites attract, Drake has no interest in settling down anytime soon. But when Mackenzie travels overseas for work and he finds... Views: 183
On an ordinary spring day, Special Agent Faith Mitchell of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation returns home to a nightmare. Expecting to hind her mother minding her new baby daughter Emma, Faith is horrified to discover Emma locked in the shed, her mother's safe open, her gun missing and a trail of blood to the front door.
Without waiting for back-up, Faith enters the house to a scene of carnage. It has been torn apart and a man lies dead in a pool of blood. She stumbles across two more intruders, and within minutes they too are shot dead. And when the Atlanta police force turns up, Faith has some difficult questions to answer. But she has desperate questions of her own. What were the killers searching for? Ex-Atlanta police chief Evelyn Mitchell was once under investigation by Faith's partner Will Trent. Is her mother directly involved this time, and where is she now?
With Faith suspended from duty, Will, together with the help of Dr Sara Linton, must piece together the fragments of a brutal and complicated case - and catch a deeply troubled and vicious murderer with only one thing on his mind. To keep on killing until the truth is finally revealed. Views: 183
BRYCE (Steele Protectors 3) is the 3rd book in USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, Carole Mortimer's, NEW Contemporary Romantic Suspense series.Author's Note: Beware of the very sexy & very alpha Steele brothers. These books are HOT!When Bella told her family and friends of her career choice they called her a traitor and turned their backs on her, including the brother she adored.Why?Because no one in the Zalotti family becomes a cop!Bella had never wanted any part of the family business, especially as that business was running the Italian mafia in London.She wasn't stupid enough to join the force under her real name, but has nevertheless lived in fear of someone discovering exactly who she is and bringing that career to an abrupt end, possibly by putting her in a pine box. But it's been five years now and she's still alive, still a cop. Then a few weeks ago she started receiving threats, in letters and spray paint on her... Views: 183
France's renowned writer whose book * Bonjour Tristesse* sent shockwaves through literary circles over 40 years ago, recounts a story about a man whose imminent death liberates him to pursue the only woman he ever loved. Views: 183
Ethel May Dell (1881-1939) was a British writer of popular romance novels who produced about thirty novels and several volumes of short stories. Her stories are often full of passion and love and are set in India and other British colonial possessions. She worked on her first novel, The Way of an Eagle, for several years, until it was finally published in 1911. The public loved it and the book was hugely popular. Her other works include the bestselling Greatheart (1912), The Bars of Iron (1916) and Hundredth Chance (1917). When published in 1912, Greatheart proved enormously popular and its popularity grew over the following years. According to the New York Times it was the bestselling novel in the United States in 1918. Views: 183
The Honourable Galahad Threepwood has decided to write his memoir—a tell-all that could destroy polite society. Everyone wants this manuscript gone, particularly Lord Emsworth’s neighbor Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe, who would do anything to keep the story of the prawns buried in the past. But the memoir isn’t the only problem. A chorus girl disguised as an heiress, a double-dealing detective, a stolen prize-winning sow, and a crazy ex-secretary are only a few of the complications that must be dealt with before everyone can have their happy ending. Views: 183
Discover the magic of the Bradens, and fall in love with Addison Cole's rich and romantic storytelling.A Love So Sweet is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you'd expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you're looking for a spicier romance, pick up the steamy edition, Lovers at Heart, Reimagined, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa's sweet-romance pen name.In A LOVE SO SWEET...Treat Braden wasn't looking for love when Max Armstrong walked into his Nassau resort, but he saw right through the efficient and capable facade she wore like a shield to the sweet, sensual woman beneath. One magnificent evening together sparked an intense connection, and for the first time in his life Treat wanted more than a casual affair. But something caused Max to turn away, and now, after weeks of unanswered phone calls and longing for the... Views: 183
