From Publishers WeeklySmith continues the saga of the Courtney family of Africa begun in 1964 with When the Lion Feeds. In this installment, Leon Courtney, ladies' man and former lieutenant in the King's African Rifles, becomes a professional big game hunter and safari guide in the years leading up to WWI. Among his clients are Kermit Roosevelt, son of President Teddy Roosevelt, and a spoiled German princess who is fond of the whip. The story really doesn't kick into gear until halfway through, on the eve of war, when Courtney's uncle, Brig. Gen. Penrod Ballantyne, commander of the British forces in East Africa, asks him to spy on his newest client, Count Otto von Meerbach, a German industrialist with a secret agenda. Courtney also begins an affair with Otto's mistress, Eva, who has a secret life of her own. Will Courtney defeat Otto's dastardly scheme and rescue Eva? Though the outcome is never in doubt, Smith manages to serve up adventure, history and melodrama in one thrilling package that will be eagerly devoured by series fans. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. FromThe highly popular historical novelist returns with another guaranteed best-seller. In the early 1900s, Second Lieutenant Leon Courtney decides to hang up his military career after a near-fatal mission in British East Africa (and a subsequent court-martial proceeding instigated by a vindictive superior office). He takes up big-game hunting, but that’s only his cover: in reality, he is working as a spy, gathering intelligence for his uncle Penrod Ballantyne. Leon’s target is Count Otto Von Meerbach, a German weapons manufacturer (the novel is set only a handful of years before World War I), but Leon doesn’t count on falling in love with the target’s seductive mistress, Eva. Can Leon foil Von Meerbach’s plot to foment an African rebellion and, at the same time, protect the beautiful Eva? There is a reason Smith is a hugely popular writer of historical novels: his remarkable talent for re-creating historical periods and crafting characters we care about is virtually unmatched in the genre. Smith’s novels of the Courtney and Ballantyne families (in 2005, he brought the two sagas together in The Triumph of the Sun) have been entertaining readers for nearly five decades, and if this novel is any indication, he is showing no signs of slowing down. --David Pitt Views: 44
"All gamblers are alike in luck..." Although when Nolan Grey enters a high-stakes game in Venice, facing a ruthless opponent, he'll need more than just luck. He can't start losing now...especially when the virginity of the enthralling Gianna Minotti hangs in the balance! Fate is on his side, and Nolan seizes victory. But leaving in a gondola with Gianna and not collecting on his tantalizing prize pushes Nolan to his limits! Can he help her claim her freedom when really he wants to claim her for his own? Views: 44
Tom Willock's first book, Green River Rising, earned the kind of reviews that are rarely accorded to most so-called literary thrillers. This remarkable debut was hailed for its rich, powerful writing as well as its dramatic, page-turning suspense. The New York Times Book Review called it "beautifully vivid" and "triumphantly realized," while People called it "as fine a thriller as one could ask for." The author's much-anticipated second novel is as powerful and ambitious as its predecessor. Set in New Orleans and the rural South, it is the story of a chain of cataclysmic events let loose by the murder of Clarence Jefferson, a legendary lawman who has gathered a cache of evidence that could imprison corrupt politicians in five states. His last act, it appears, was to handpick two people as the unlucky heirs of his potentially explosive evidence files. The pair must either dispose of them as fast as they can or—at considerable risk to... Views: 44
From the author of the national bestseller My Soul to Keep comes a riveting new novel of supernatural suspense — a gripping tale that brilliantly showcases a writer at the pinnacle of her astounding storytelling abilities.Jessica Jacobs-Wolde has somehow survived the worst that any mother or wife could ever endure: the deaths of her husband and first daughter. But now, four years later, not only is the nightmare continuing — it may have only just begun. Jessica has discovered the terrifying truth behind the legacy that her husband left to their second daughter, Fana...a legacy preordained a thousand years before her time and drenched in the powerful lifeblood that now courses through her veins. As young Fana begins to display unearthly abilities that are quickly spiraling out of control, she becomes the target of those who will stop at nothing to exploit her power — and the unwitting touchstone in an ancient supernatural battle whose... Views: 44
Slave, soldier, lover, hero, saint,--his life mirrored the cataclysmic world into which he was born. His memory will outlast the ages.Born of a noble Welsh family, he is violently torn from his home by Irish raiders at age sixteen and sold as a slave to a brutal wilderness king. Rescued by the king's druids from almost certain death, he learns the arts of healing and song, and the mystical ways of a secretive order whose teachings tantalize with hints at a deeper wisdom. Yet young Succat Morgannwg cannot rest until he sheds the strangling yoke of slavery and returns to his homeland across the sea. He pursues his dream of freedom through horrific war and shattering tragedy--through great love and greater loss--from a dying, decimated Wales to the bloody battlefields of Gaul to the fading majesty of Rome. And in the twilight of a once-supreme empire, he is transformed yet again by divine hand and a passionate vision of "truth... Views: 44
Four Western Historical stories.Daniel's Desire:When Confederate soldier, Lt. Daniel McCoy makes his escape from a Union prison toward the end of the Civil War, his only thought is to get as far away from enemy territory as possible. But he doesn’t count on saving young widow Rosemarie Wilson’s life from an infected leg wound. Rosemarie has no use for Rebels soldiers, having lost everything, including her husband, the last time they came to her home. However, Daniel has not only saved her life, but is sticking around to help with the farm and her three young children until she recovers.With Union soldiers searching for him, every day that Daniel remains puts him in danger. Or is it the beautiful, feisty widow who has captured his heart the greater risk?Stephen's Bride:When Stephen McCoy leaves the home he shares with his brother Daniel, Daniel’s wife, Rosemarie and their four children to go into town to load... Views: 44
A sweeping historical saga that traces five generations of fiercely powerful mothers and daughters - witches whose magical inheritance is both a dangerous threat and an extraordinary gift. Brittany, 1821. After Grand-m?re Ursule gives her life to save her family, their magic seems to die with her. Even so, the Orchires fight to keep the old ways alive, practicing half-remembered spells and arcane rites in hopes of a revival. And when their youngest daughter comes of age, magic flows anew. The lineage continues, though new generations struggle not only to master their power, but also to keep it hidden. But when World War II looms on the horizon, magic is needed more urgently than ever - not for simple potions or visions, but to change the entire course of history. "At once sprawling and intimate, A Secret History of Witches deftly captures the greatest magic of all: the love between mothers and... Views: 44
Who is the captive and who is the captor? When a sexy laird holds a spirited English lady for ransom, she turns the tables and steals his heart. The lush Scottish Highlands are a tempting setting for seduction in New York Times bestselling author Julia London’s sparkling new novel. The last person Daria Babcock expects to find in her grandmother’s home is a brawny, naked Highlander. She doesn’t buy Mamie’s explanation about finding the poor man shot in the woods. Nor does she trust the gorgeous laird, who insists his own memory fails him. But Daria came to Scotland looking for adventure and romance, and after the intriguing stranger kidnaps her, she gets her wish—and so much more. . . . Views: 44
On their last
assignment, GORGON agents Chris Gibson and his partner John Soong
protected Russian mob lawyer Andrei Voronin rather than killing him.
They covered Andrei's tracks, forged a shaky relationship, and their
international intelligence and paramilitary group staged Andrei's death
and took him into the fold. Nikita Kazakov, a Russian cop who had used
Andrei as a source and promised him protection, plots to avenge his
protege. He soon tracks down Chris-the "killer"-only to find a man he
desires, and Chris is just as intrigued. Amidst the danger of the
unsolved mystery still lingering around Andrei, Chris and Nikita stalk
each other, meet for heated sex, and try to work out who the other is:
criminal, cop, hitman... or lover. Views: 44
River,Standing at the edge of the gateway, I understand two things... One, I have no idea what I'm doing and two, the gateway to Hell is not closing. Now, there may be only one option left to me, to all of us. I may have to enter the one place I'd hoped to avoid throughout this journey. I may have to enter Hell.Unfortunately, a change in events takes the choice away from me.Kobal,I always knew the idea of River entering into Hell could become a reality, but I expected her to be by my side when, or if, it happened. I expected to be there to protect her, but she's gone in alone. Now, not only am I trying to catch up with her, but I know Lucifer will soon learn of her entrance into my world, and he will be after her too.I just don't know which one of us will reach her first.***This Series will follow Kobal and River throughout. Not all things will be resolved in this book. Due to graphic language, violence and sexual content this book is recommended for readers 18+ years of age.*** Views: 44
1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine. She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival. As for Dora, she lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt and the presence of another love that will not die. Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? Will love win out? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime. From BooklistWhen Lottie is told that she must marry an American whom she has never met in order to salvage what is left of her family’s reputation in Wiltshire, England, she sees all of her dreams of storybook love and romance crumble. Until she devises a plan. Heiress Lottie trades places with her longtime maid, Dora, and together they attempt to pull off the switch of a lifetime. How will Lottie survive the cruel streets of New York City on her own? Does Dora have what it takes to become an aristocrat? In Moser’s (How Do I Love Thee? 2009) latest inspirational tale, a princess faced with poverty and a pauper disguised as royalty undergo a test of faith and a journey to self-discovery as both women struggle to survive in two different facets of nineteenth-century America—the slums of industrialized New York and the lavish enclaves of the elite. A novel of friendship, faith, and finding out who one truly is, Masquerade slips off its mask to reveal great love and strength in unlikely places. --Elizabeth Ponder From the AuthorDear Reader:I have never had so much fun writing a book as I did writing Masquerade. The girls' switch, the unimaginable wealth of the Gilded Age, the amazing fashion, and the inspiring tenacity of the immigrants coming to America for a new beginning. . . . It was like combining The Prince and the Pauper, "Titanic", Age of Innocence, and "Far and Away", all in one. In fact, I openly admit that the dance scene on Mulberry Street was in honor of my favorite scene in "Titanic" when Rose goes below deck and has some real fun dancing to the immigrants' music.This story also touched me because of my own immigrant roots. I stand in awe of the first English immigrant on my father's side, who entered America in 1638 at what became Newport, RI; and the Swedish immigrants on my mother's side who homesteaded in Minnesota in the late 1800's. Talk about taking a chance; moving forward on faith. I would not have the life I live now without their courage.Masquerade begs the question of who we are, and who we are expected to be. It's all about roles. A society girl and her maid. The rich and the poor. The good and the bad. Sometimes God takes us out of our comfort zones in order to make us see there is more to us than we imagine. The station in life that we happen to be born into does not form the boundaries of our purpose, it's just a jumping off point. The finish line can be reached via a myriad of roads. Life is not the process of discovering who we are, but discovering who we are supposed to be.Another reason why this book was such a joy to write was because the characters completely took over and surprised me. A lot. That's what I love about writing novels. The unpredictability of it all. With one word, one glance, one knock on the door, everything can change.Sounds a bit like life, doesn't it?So here's to you, dear reader. Knock on some doors, risk new roles, and step out on faith to find your true purpose.Nancy Moser Views: 44
