In one fast-paced story, a strong and aggravated man considers the pretty woman at the bar while he fingers the knife in his pocket. But what becomes of his prey when they move to the bedroom? In another tale, a man remembers the victim of a ghastly murder who visited the same hair salon as he does. And a Don Juan of a protagonist has a hobby of marrying vulnerable women, getting access to their bank accounts, and then robbing them blind. But there is much more to this collection than dark-haired vixens and crimes of passion. Some stories are brooding, some twisted; some bring righteous satisfaction, some linger in the back of your mind. What is truly on display is an impressive collection of literary talent: a group of some of the best writers we have, weaving fresh and memorable stories from a pair of classic themes. Taken as a whole, they are a rare treat for fans of great fiction, whether it's high literature, good old-fashioned suspense, or anything in between. Original black-and-white art by artist/author Jonathan Santlofer completes this innovative, exciting, and irresistibly intriguing book-a true literary gem.From Publishers WeeklyAs Rozan notes in her introduction, she and co-editor Santlofer have made selections from both banks of the stream dividing crime writing and literary writing for this superior anthology of 19 new stories on the twin subjects of sex and crime. Highlights include Laura Lippman's Tricks, in which a con man rips women off after seducing them, and Lawrence Block's Scenarios, which takes the reader inside the fantasies of a sadistic murderer. Stephen L. Carter's gift for intricate plotting is on display in The Hereditary Thurifer, perhaps the volume's most distinctive tale, in which the new white rector of a predominantly African-American Washington, D.C., congregation learns that the church was the site of an unsolved crime of passion. Other contributors include Madison Smartt Bell, Lee Child, Amy Hempel, Jonathan Lethem, Joyce Carol Oates, and Edmund White. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistNineteen new stories explore the undeniable connection between sex and crime. Represented are crime-fiction luminaries Lee Child, Lawrence Block, Michael Connelly, and Val McDermid, among others. Block takes a standard sexual-predator-on-the-prowl scenario and gives it a half-dozen little twists on the way to a completely unexpected ending. Child, stepping out from his testosterone-heavy Jack Reacher thrillers, presents a tidy little character study about, well . . . it’s not whom it seems to be about. In “The Perfect Triangle,” Connelly’s lawyer-narrator takes a law student–stripper as a client and learns there are similarities in the professions. Janice Lee exposes the sexual and financial tensions faced by two couples who decide to get away for a country weekend. “The Beheading,” by Francine Prose, is a short, haunting tale of a child unhealthily obsessed with decapitation. Uniformly fine writing will attract readers familiar with the marquee authors and introduce them to a talented group of lesser lights. --Wes Lukowsky Views: 63
In echo falls you never know what's coming next -- and everyone has a secret. Things are amiss at 99 Maple Lane: Ingrid's dad's job is in jeopardy, but he won't explain why. Ingrid's brother, Ty, is getting buff -- really buff -- but when Ty starts getting moody, Ingrid wonders if there's more to his physical fitness than lifting weights. Meanwhile, Ingrid's beloved soccer coach is replaced by an icy newcomer named Julia LeCaine, who seems a little too savvy to be in it for the postgame pizza. True to her hero, Sherlock Holmes, Ingrid begins fishing around to find out who's really pulling the strings in Echo Falls. But one morning, while en route to the dreaded MathFest, Ingrid is kidnapped and locked in the trunk of a car. Even if she escapes, will anyone believe her story?In this sequel to Down the Rabbit Hole a clever young girl learns that mysterious forces are at work in her town -- and exposing them could put her life in jeopardy. Views: 63
Wolf Shifter Mason McNaughton is tired of the crazy feral living in his house, endangering him, his brothers, and his sweet auntie Cora. Ferals are Shifters who’ve reverted to the wild stage, forgetting all about the joys of pizza and satellite TV. Not to mention, Mason is sick of waking up to the feral’s rampages, one of which nearly killed him. The feral has been given sanctuary, so Mason can’t throw him out—the only thing to do is to find a way to cure him. The problem is, Shifter healers—elusive, Goddess-touched Shifters who have the healing gift—are few and far between. Mason volunteers to go in search of one, and is sent to a psychic in New Orleans who might have an idea of where to start looking. Mason doesn’t believe in psychics, but Jasmine, the psychic in question, seems to at least put on a good show. Jasmine believes in Shifters all right, but she vowed to never have anything to do with them. The easiest way to get rid of the growly Lupine, Mason, is to help him, but Jasmine never dreams what that help will drag her into. Views: 63
Blake Wrightman died during the Vietnam War. Not on a Southeast Asian battlefield, but on an American college campus. He died the day the bomb he planted at an anti-war protest claimed a small boy's life--and forced Blake Wrightman to vanish. Now, after twenty-years as "Charlie Ochs," Cape Cod lobsterman, Blake finds out that the feds are closing in. But a vengeful G-man gives Charlie a choice: face the music or help smoke out the beautiful hardcore radical who seduced him into the anti-war movement back in the '60s. So begins a long, strange trip for the former Blake Wrightman, as he revisits the scene of a deadly revolution that didn't end with the Vietnam War--and is about to claim a few more casualties. . . .From the Paperback edition. Views: 63
Egypt and her hoary secrets are no match for New York Times-bestselling Grandmaster Elizabeth Peters and her indomitable archaeologist sleuth Amelia Peabody. The sand-and-wind blown ambience of this strange and colorful world, the ancient enchantments and delicious menace are more vibrantly realized than ever in this thrilling new adventure that places the intrepid Amelia and her equally remarkable family in the dangerous path of an onrushing World War. The pursuit of knowledge must never be deterred by Man’s folly. So the close of 1914 finds Amelia Peabody and her husband Radcliffe Emerson back in Egypt for another season of archaeological excavation–despite the increasing danger of an attack on the Suez Canal and on Egypt itself. Trouble is brewing in Cairo and the defiantly pacifist stance of Amelia and Emerson’s headstrong son Ramses is earning the young man the derision, and much worse, of the British expatriate community. Meanwhile, the charismatic nationalist el Wardani is said to be fomenting insurrection in the ancient city. And since there is no way to stand outside the political hurricane that is suddenly threatening their lives, Amelia plunges directly into it. When el Wardani escapes a police dragnet, thanks to the direct intervention of Amelia and Emerson, the family’s stake in a perilous game is raised considerably. But it’s Ramses’ strange secret role in it that could truly bring ruin down upon all their heads. However, there is more than intrigue and espionage, plots and counterplots, at work here. For an artifact uncovered at a Giza dig–an exquisite sculpture found where it ought not to be confirms Amelia’s most unsettling suspicion: that the chaos consuming Cairo has masked the nefarious re-emergence of Amelia’s villainous archnemesis, Sethos, the Master Criminal. The extraordinary Elizabeth Peters raises exotic intrigue to a new level with He Shall Thunder in the Sky. If you have never before experienced Amelia and her singular clan, prepare to be enthralled by the droll wit, the richly evoked locale, and a story that twists sensuously and mysteriously like an asp writhing beneath the desert sun. And longtime devotees will relish the return of dear friends–and await the resolution of a love affair that may change the Emersons’ destiny forever. Views: 63
From the most disturbing mind in modern horror, Edward Lee, comes four stories of extreme perversion and visceral horror.
THE STICK WOMAN – Priscilla has been held hostage, physically mutilated, and fed feces for years. And her situation is about to get much, much worse.
SHIT-HOUSE – How bad is the world around you? How much worse could it get? How far would you go to fix it?
THE USHERS – They are always there – somewhere in the background and just out of sight. A force of violence and lust. They are the ushers…
THE SEA-SLOP THING – June needs a new job – and she’s found it, along with something from the deepest depths of the sea. Views: 63
Return to the heart of the Adams Dynasty with this fan-favorite Christmas tale from New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods... Widowed Jessie Adams was about to give birth, and she needed help--fast! Unfortunately, the closest ranch in her small Texas town belonged to her late husband's brother, Luke, who didn't know a thing about delivering babies. And though this charismatic rancher was her only hope, he was the last person Jessie wanted to be stranded with in her time of need. Views: 63
Love sometimes hides in plain sight. Savannah is one of the boys—fun loving, adventurous, a general contractor, and dive master extraordinaire. There isn't much she takes seriously about herself, or at least that's the impression she likes to give off. Women often misjudge her based on her looks so she's gravitated toward a group of men who accept her 'as is'—her Scuba diving club. Bill has known Savannah's wild side for years and has been comfortable playing the role of best friend. As part of the Dallas Divers, he's shared many adventures with the group from diving the Blue Hole in Belize to exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. When the team heads out to Costa Rica for a series of cave dives, he knows something is off but can't justify his nerves. Catastrophe happens shortly after their immersion in the cave. With the entrance blocked from an earthquake and separated from the rest of their team, Savannah and Bill are forced to find another way out while battling aftershocks, rising tides, and an undeniable attraction that they've ignored for too long. The question becomes, what's more dangerous...the earthquake or love? **The Wanderlust Series consists of stand-alone adventure romance novels. Occasionally, characters from previous novels may make a cameo, but each story truly does stand on its own merits. ** Views: 63
