In a return to the British setting of his much loved novel All Souls, Javier Marias embarks on a remarkable 'novel in parts', set in the murky world of surveillance and espionage. Fever and Spear is the first volume. In it Marias begins to weave a web of intrigue, both narrative and intellectual, that will entice the reader to follow him into the labyrinth of the novel's future books. Recently divorced, Jacques Deza moves from Madrid to London in order to distance himself from his ex-wife and children. There he picks up old friendships from his Oxford University days, particularly Sir Peter Wheeler, retired don and semi-retired spy. It is at an Oxford party of Wheeler's that Jacques is approached by the enigmatic Bertram Tupra. Tupra believes that Jacques has a talent: he is one of those people who sees more clearly than others, who can guess from someone's face today what they will become tomorrow. His services would be of use to a mysterious group whose aims are unstated but whose day-to-day activities involve the careful observation of people's character and the prediction of their future behaviour. The 'group' may be part of MI6, though Jacques will find no reference to it in any book; he will be called up to report on all types of people from politicians and celebrities, to ordinary citizens applying for bank loans. As Deza is drawn deeper into this twilight world of observation, Marias shows how trust and betrayal characterise all human relationships. How do we read people, and how far can the stories they tell about themselves be trusted when, by its very nature, all language betrays? Moving from the intimacy of Jacques' marriage to the deadly betrayals of the Spanish Civil War, Your Face Tomorrow is an extraordinary meditation on our ability to know our fellow human beings, and to save ourselves from fever and pain. Views: 5
In this mesmerizing tale from the author of the Guardians of Eternity series, a traitorous vampire is determined to destroy the Veil that has long separated vampires from human blood--and the passions it ignites. Only the Immortal Rogues, three vampires charged to protect their kind, can hope to stop his deadly rampage. . . Amelia Hadwell has no time for London's nightlife. Not when her beloved brother's odd ways have their family threatening to institutionalize him. And not when she is questioning her own sanity after being confronted by a murderous shadow creature--then being saved by a captivating stranger, a man who belongs to a world she cannot imagine. Reserved and scholarly, Sebastian St. Ives has been content without human desires--until they are reawakened by the delicate, brave Amelia, whom he is meant to protect. For the young woman has no idea she possesses the key to a ravenous vampire's dark victory. Now Sebastian must shield her from both a... Views: 5
A sparkling historical romance by bestselling author Amanda Grange, in a new, tenth anniversary edition Note: Previously published under the title of Marriage at the Manor When poverty forces Cicely to sell her family manor house, she is devastated to find that the new owner is a businessman who doesn't love the beautiful home as it should be loved. She is determined to dislike him, but when circumstances force her to take a job as his secretary her feelings begin to change. Alex Evington is handsome, charming and...a mystery. Why has he really bought Oakleigh Manor, and why is he hosting a sparkling house party there? Why is he so determined to dislike Cicely? And when his feelings towards her change, can there be a fairy tale ending for them both? Set in the glamorous Edwardian period - the era of Downton Abbey - this charming romance has all the hallmarks readers have come to expect from Amanda Grange: humour, adventure and most of all romance, with a guaranteed happy ending. Reviews "A light, enjoyable read"- Romance Reviews Today "The sort of light, frothy romance that makes the genre so enjoyable" - My Shelf Views: 5
In the dependably entertaining if less than top-notch fifth Oregon Files thriller from bestseller Cussler and Du Brul (after Skeleton Crew ), Capt. Juan Cabrillo, who heads the Corporation, a covert military company for hire, and the multifaceted crew of the Oregon , a high-tech ship disguised to look like a tramp steamer, take on a group known as the Responsivists. The Responsivists publicly espouse a program of global population control, but are secretly planning a devastating attack on the human race utilizing a virulent virus found aboard an ancient ship that may be Noah's Ark. The authors are up to their usual high standards when in fighting mode, though the chief villain, the doctor who heads the Responsivists, falls short of Juan's billing as the single-most-evil human being I have ever met. Readers may wish that next time out the bad guys put up more of a struggle. Views: 5
Imagine this. Great Britain in 1985 is close to being a police state. The Crimean War has dragged on for more than 130 years and Wales is self-governing. The only recognizable thing about this England is her citizens’ enduring love of literature. And the Third Most Wanted criminal, Acheron Hades, is stealing characters from England’s cherished literary heritage and holding them for ransom. Bibliophiles will be enchanted, but not surprised, to learn that stealing a character from a book only changes that one book, but Hades has escalated his thievery. He has begun attacking the original manuscripts, thus changing all copies in print and enraging the reading public. That’s why Special Operations Network has a Literary Division, and it is why one of its operatives, Thursday Next, is on the case. Thursday is utterly delightful. She is vulnerable, smart, and, above all, literate. She has been trying to trace Hades ever since he stole Mr. Quaverley from the original manuscript of Martin Chuzzlewit and killed him. You will only remember Mr. Quaverley if you read Martin Chuzzlewit prior to 1985. But now Hades has set his sights on one of the plums of literature, Jane Eyre, and he must be stopped. How Thursday achieves this and manages to preserve one of the great books of the Western canon makes for delightfully hilarious reading. You do not have to be an English major to be pulled into this story. You’ll be rooting for Thursday, Jane, Mr. Rochester—and a familiar ending. Views: 5
TEXAS MENMAIL ORDER MENBachelor of the Month--Stony ArnettThis strong, sexy cowboy loves his ranch, his dog and, most of all...his freedom! Too bad he doesn't know his roamin' days are about to be cut short....Daphne Proctor wanted a husband--and through Texas Men magazine, she'd thought she'd found her man. After all, she was half in love with Stony Arnett just through his letters. And once she felt the sizzling chemistry between them, she knew he was the one. That is, until she discovered that Stony hadn't been the lover in her letters. And while the rugged rancher might take her to bed, he had no intention of making her his wife....Mail Order Men--Satisfaction Guaranteed Views: 5
In the tradition of A. S. Byatt's Possession, a hauntingly poignant novel about madness, loss, and the ties that bind our past to our present Deep in the woods of northern England, somewhere between a dilapidated estate and an abandoned Victorian asylum, fifteen-year-old Jane Standen lived through a nightmare. She was babysitting a sweet young girl named Lily, and in one fleeting moment, lost her. The little girl was never found, leaving her family and Jane devastated. Twenty years later, Jane is an archivist at a small London museum that is about to close for lack of funding. As a final research project--an endeavor inspired in part by her painful past--Jane surveys the archives for information related to another missing person: a woman who disappeared over one hundred years ago in the same woods where Lily was lost. As Jane pieces moments in history together, a portrait of a fascinating group of people starts to unfurl. Inexplicably tied... Views: 5
