book'a-neer' (bŏŏk'kå-nēr'), n. a literary pirate; an individual capable of doing all that must be done in the universe of books that publishers, authors, and readers must not have a part in
London, 1890—Pen Davenport is the most infamous bookaneer in Europe. A master of disguise, he makes his living stalking harbors, coffeehouses, and print shops for the latest manuscript to steal. But this golden age of publishing is on the verge of collapse. For a hundred years, loose copyright laws and a hungry reading public created a unique opportunity: books could easily be published without an author’s permission. Authors gained fame but suffered financially—Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, to name a few—but publishers reaped enormous profits while readers bought books inexpensively. Yet on the eve of the twentieth century, a new international treaty is signed to grind this literary underground to a sharp halt. The bookaneers are on the verge of extinction.
From the author of The Dante Club, Matthew Pearl, The Last Bookaneer is the astonishing story of these literary thieves’ epic final heist. On the island of Samoa, a dying Robert Louis Stevenson labors over a new novel. The thought of one last book from the great author fires the imaginations of the bookaneers, and soon Davenport sets out for the South Pacific island. As always, Davenport is reluctantly accompanied by his assistant Fergins, who is whisked across the world for one final caper. Fergins soon discovers the supreme thrill of aiding Davenport in his quest to steal Stevenson’s manuscript and make a fortune before the new treaty ends the bookaneers’ trade forever. But Davenport is hardly the only bookaneer with a mind to pirate Stevenson’s last novel. His longtime adversary, the monstrous Belial, appears on the island, and soon Davenport, Fergins, and Belial find themselves embroiled in a conflict larger, perhaps, than literature itself.
In The Last Bookaneer, Pearl crafts a finely wrought tale about a showdown between brilliant men in the last great act of their professions. It is nothing short of a page-turning journey to the heart of a lost era. Views: 169
The Dark Brotherhood (DarkWolfe, Dark Moon, Dark Steel, The Dark Lord, Guardian of Darkness, The Dark Lord’s First Christmas) Views: 169
The Honorable Peter Stirling and What People Thought of Him by Paul Leicester Ford, 1894. The book chronicles the rise and progress of an ideal statesman, who resists the intrigues and corruption of American politics, while fighting for honor, sympathy for all classes, and the American Ideal. The book became a bestseller, being bought out as fast as copies could be printed. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. Paul Leicester Ford (1865-1902) was an American novelist and biographer, born in Brooklyn. He was the great-grandson (through his mother's family) of Noah Webster and the brother of the noted historian Worthington C. Ford. Views: 169
Assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, Pinkerton operative Calista York is sent to a rowdy mining town in Missouri. But she faces the obstacle of missionary Matthew Cook. He's as determined to stop a local baby raffle as he is the reckless Miss York whose bad judgement consistently seems to be putting her in harm's way. Views: 169
'Under Palombo's skillful hand, the entangled world of the Borgias comes vividly to life, exposing the dark facets of class structure and the all-consuming greed that comes with ambition—and love." - Heather Webb, internationally bestselling author of Last Christmas in Paris and Meet Me in Monaco During the sweltering Roman summer of 1492, Rodrigo Borgia has risen to power as pope. Rodrigo's eldest son Cesare, forced to follow his father into the church and newly made the Archbishop of Valencia, chafes at his ecclesiastical role and fumes with jealousy and resentment at the way that his foolish brother has been chosen for the military greatness he desired.Maddalena Moretti comes from the countryside, where she has seen how the whims of powerful men wreak havoc on the lives of ordinary people. But now, employed as a servant in the Vatican Palace, she cannot help but be entranced by Cesare Borgia's handsome face and manner and finds her... Views: 168
As soon as he sees Trickster, the new horse at Quinn's Stables, David knows he's found the horse he was born to ride. But David's got a reputation as a troublemaker . . . and Trickster's still recuperating from an accident. David is determined to clear his name and prove to Mr. Quinn that he's worth taking a chance on. Can he reach his goal? Views: 168
Instant #1 bestseller from The Globe and Mail (Toronto) and The Toronto Star "Love and betrayal, forgiveness and redemption combine in a heady tale of the ever-present past...fantastic!" —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris The author of the "engrossing" (People) international bestseller The Room on Rue Amélie returns with a moving story set amid the champagne vineyards of northern France during the darkest days of World War II, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale.Champagne, 1940: Inès has just married Michel, the owner of storied champagne house Maison Chauveau, when the Germans invade. As the danger mounts, Michel turns his back on his marriage to begin hiding munitions for the Résistance. Inès fears they'll be exposed, but for Céline, half-Jewish wife of Chauveau's chef de cave, the... Views: 168
Finding a husband is serious business. And serious business requires serious planning.Charity Raber is one of many single women who came to Birch Creek, Ohio, with one goal in mind: secure a husband from among the desperate bachelors a newspaper advertisement claimed inhabited the town. Even though that claim proved to be nothing more than a cruel prank, Charity is still hopeful that her happy ending might be within reach when she's set up on a date with Jesse Bontrager. That is until Jesse not-so-gently shares that he has no interest in a relationship with anyone—and especially not with her.One year later, Charity is working as a caretaker for a kind, elderly English woman in the nearby town of Marigold. She's also working hard on a brand-new courtship plan. A plan that absolutely does not involve Jesse Bontrager. But when he moves next door and is made aware of her scheming, Charity vows to prove that her plan is foolproof.... Views: 168
When it comes to this wealthy Texan, one taste is not enough! Only from USA TODAY bestselling author Charlene Sands!For this personal chef,things are about to get extremely personal...Chef Harper Dawn flees to Texas in disguise after a reality dating show disaster. Hiding out at a luxury cabin means posing as personal chef to sexy-as-sin CEO Cade Tremaine. Cade should be off-limits—he's grieving a painful loss. But they have serious sparks. Can Harper cook up a recipe for Texas-sized second chances...or will her secret stand in the way?From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.The Texas TremainesBook 1: Craving a Real Texan Views: 168
Penelope Creed will do anything to avoid marrying her repulsive cousin. Dressed in boy's clothing, she's fleeing from London when she's discovered by Sir Richard Wyndham, himself on the verge of the most momentous decision of his life.
When Sir Richard encounters the lovely young fugitive, he knows he can't allow her to travel to the countryside all alone, so he offers himself as her protector. As it happens, at that very moment Sir Richard could use an escape of his own... Views: 167
Amy thought love would never pass her way again. She didn't know how close it was...until she met Silas. He is an answer to prayer for her injured father, Grant Nolan, who welcomes him with open arms. The brotherly way Silas feels toward Amy soon turns to deeper feelings of love.
Silas longs to have his love returned. But his sensitivity to Amy's reluctant heart and the loss of her old flame keeps him from harboring false hopes for their future. As Silas prepares to leave, will Amy discover the truth about her heart before it's too late?
A tender story of the flowering of hidden love and the nurturing of faith in the farmlands of Wisconsin. Views: 167
