Stefano Marino is a made man, a happily married west coast mafia boss who travels east to await the death of a family patriarch. All the old hands have gathered—of course sharks will circle when there's blood in the water—but it's a new hand that draws Stefano's eye.Silvio "the Barracuda" Spadaro is protetto and heir to retired consigliere Gianbattista Falchi, and a made man in his own right. Among his underworld family, being gay is a capital crime, but the hypersexual—and pansexual—young killer has never much cared for rules. The only orders he follows are Battista's, whether on the killing field or on his knees, eagerly submissive at Battista's feet.But Silvio has needs Battista can't fill, and he's cast his black-eyed gaze on Stefano. A fake break-in, an even faker attack, and Silvio is exactly where he wants to be: strung up at Stefano's mercy, driving the older Mafioso toward urges he's spent his whole life repressing. Stefano... Views: 108
One dark Friday evening in October, Dennis Harper and Brian McDaniel went out to drink a few beers and smoke a little marijuana. Their bodies were found hours later on the railroad tracks north of town. They'd both been struck by the midnight train.The autopsies revealed copious amounts of alcohol in their system so their deaths we deemed accidental. However, the brothers of the two men believe the investigation was botched and, knowing them as they did, don't believe they were drunk, high or stupid enough to just lay down on the railroad tracks and go to sleep. So, six weeks later, they go to see Harry Starke and that's when it all comes unglued.It doesn't take long for Harry to determine the investigation was botched from the beginning, and he embarks on his own investigation, a wild goose chase, and he's going to have to call in some favors to solve it. Views: 108
"If you live near the jungle, you will realise that what is real and what is not real is not always clear. In the forest there is not a big gap between the two."A Datin recalls her romance with an orang bunian. A teenage pontianak struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love, and eating people. An earth spirit gets entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord, and Chang E spins off into outer space, the ultimate metaphor for the Chinese diaspora.The ebook edition of Campbell-nominated author Zen Cho's short story collection SPIRITS ABROAD features 15 speculative short stories, author commentary, and an ebook-only cover by artist Likhain (likhain.net)."The stories in Spirits Abroad succeed in both interrogating the premise of speculative fiction and Malaysiana by combining the two in unique, charming, and often deeply moving ways." - The Star Views: 107
New Life, New Land.
When Jewish Holocaust survivors Eidel and Dovid Levi arrive in the United States, they believe that their struggles are finally over. Both have suffered greatly under the Nazi reign and are ready to leave the past behind. They arrive in this new and different land filled with optimism for their future. However, acclimating into a new way of life can be challenging for immigrants. And, not only are they immigrants but they are Jewish. Although Jews are not being murdered in the United States, as they were under Hitler in Europe, the Levi’s will learn that America is not without anti-Semitism. Still, they go forth, with unfathomable courage. In New Life, New Land, this young couple will face the trials and tribulations of becoming Americans and building a home for themselves and their children that will follow them.
** Views: 107
Every first Sunday in
June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at “the old
home place,” a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year,
Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved
wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the
festivities. The children embrace the reunion as a welcome escape from
the prying eyes of their father’s congregation; for Willadee it’s a
precious opportunity to spend time with her mother and father, Calla and
John. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes,
jolting the family to their core: John’s untimely death and, soon after,
the loss of Samuel’s parish, which set the stage for a summer of crisis
and profound change.In the midst of it all, Samuel and
Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light.
Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled
three generations of the family. But it is Blade Ballenger, a
traumatized eight-year-old neighbor, who soon captures Swan’s undivided
attention. Full of righteous anger, and innocent of the peril facing her
and those she loves, Swan makes it her mission to keep the boy safe
from his terrifying father.With characters who spring to life as
vividly as if they were members of one’s own family, and with the
clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragic—and
triumphant—aspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield emerges as one of
the most vital, engaging storytellers writing today. In The Homecoming of Samuel Lake she has created a memorable and lasting work of fiction. Views: 107
SUMMARY: New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George is back with a spellbinding tale of mystery and murder featuring Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley. On compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Thomas Lynley is called back to Scotland Yard when the body of a woman is found stabbed and abandoned in an isolated London cemetery. His former team doesn't trust the leadership of their new department chief, Isabelle Ardery, whose management style seems to rub everyone the wrong way. In fact, Lynley may be the sole person who can see beneath his superior officer's hard-as-nails exterior to a hidden-and possibly attractive-vulnerability. While Lynley works in London, his former colleagues Barbara Havers and Winston Nkata follow the murder trail south to the New Forest. There they discover a beautiful and strange place where animals roam free, the long-lost art of thatching is very much alive, and outsiders are not entirely welcome. What they don't know is that more than one dark secret lurks among the trees, and that their investigation will lead them to an outcome that is both tragic and shocking. A multilayered jigsaw puzzle of a story skillfully structured to keep readers guessing until the very end, This Body of Death is a magnificent achievement from a writer at the peak of her powers. Views: 107
Sometimes you only get one chance at a second chance.The Distance Between Us, Book 5Still finding his footing after a long-overdue divorce, Marcus is looking forward to some mind-numbing drinking while ogling the grooms at Chris and Julien's wedding. He never expected his attention to be diverted by the gorgeous best man.One of Julien's French Foreign Legion buddies, Timur doesn't speak much English, but language is no barrier to Marcus understanding exactly what the huge Tartar wants—a one-night stand.Except that one night turns into two, three, then more, which puts Marcus on edge. After Timur is done house-sitting for the honeymooning couple, he's headed back to the Legion for another five years. Like it or not, once Timur gets on that plane, the fling is over.Unfortunately, Marcus forgot to tell his heart not to fall in love. And this time, if history repeats and he makes another wrong decision, he may never see his... Views: 107
