Old California, in a bygone era of sprawling haciendas and haughty caballeros, suffers beneath the whip-lash of oppression. Missions are pillaged, native peasants are abused, and innocent men and women are persecuted by the corrupt governor and his army.But a champion of freedom rides the highways. His identity hidden behind a mask, the laughing outlaw Zorro defies the tyrant's might. A deadly marksman and a demon swordsman, his flashing blade leaves behind . . .First published in 1919, The Mark of Zorro has inspired countless films and television adventures. Now read how the legend began . . . Views: 60
When master sleuth, Appleby, leaps over a stile during a country stroll, he is apprehended by an irate Martyn Ashmore, owner of the land on which Appleby has unwittingly trespassed. But when the misunderstanding is cleared up, eccentric, aged Ashmore reveals that he is in fear for his life—once every year, someone attempts to murder him. Is it the French Resistance, or a younger Ashmore on the make? When Martyn dies, Appleby sets out to find who exactly is responsible. Views: 60
America's largest cities are in flames. Its majestic landmarks are in ruins. Oceans and boundaries offer no protection. It is the first sophisticated, intelligently planned, and utterly ruthless terrorist campaign waged on U.S. soil. As national leaders, armies, and artificial intelligence strive to win the unconventional war, two men--once friends, now adversaries to the death--race to a decisive confrontation.From Publishers WeeklyRemember how almost everyone jumped to the conclusion that Arab terrorists were responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing? Bond's compulsively readable new thriller (after Cauldron) takes that supposition and turns it on its head. In this up-to-the-minute suspense novel, America is under terrorist attack by agents of Iran, and the government is being led to believe that domestic racist and militarist groups are at fault. It's all part of a master plan cooked up by Iran's new military leader, the Western-trained General Amir Taleh, whose old friend and opposite number, Delta Force veteran Lt. Colonel Peter Thorn, is the chief victim of his deception. Stuck in a desk job tracking foreign terrorists while children are slaughtered, churches are blown up and race riots erupt across the country, Thorn uses his special relationship with FBI Agent Helen Gray to find out who is responsible for the growing chaos. As usual, Bond manages to make his story exciting, frightening and full of action. Like Tom Clancy, he paints a broad canvas filled with tight close-ups, a technique that energizes the narrative and gives it a wide-ranging, expansive feel. Unusual for this genre is the nuanced characterization, especially that of Helen Gray, which should broaden Bond's appeal to female readers. The topical plot is constructed for speed and action rather than polemic; while Bond makes frequent reference to freedoms that Americans allegedly take for granted, such background detail never gets in the way of his expert storytelling. It's a sure bet that this, like the author's previous books, will climb bestseller lists. Major ad/promo. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalWhat would a terrorist siege be like in the United States? Not an isolated incident, but a wide, efficient campaign? Bond's (Cauldon, Warner, 1993) latest novel provides a graphic and plausible answer to this unsettling question. From a modest beginning (the Golden Gate Bridge at rush hour) to grander explosions (a race war in Detroit), Middle East terrorists remain several jumps ahead of FBI special agent Helen Grey and Delta Force's Peter Thorne as well as police, National Guard, and the Pentagon. Bond's expert knowledge of the latest military technology is as fascinating as his portrait of the terrorists. He spins a frightening thriller with a nightmare scenario of easy predation where all targets are soft and the hunters can pick their shots. This thriller will do well in public libraries.-?Ann Donovan, Clearwater P.L., Fl.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Views: 60
Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge must contend with two dangerous enemies in this latest complex mystery in the New York Times bestselling series
"Todd once and for all establishes the shell-shocked Rutledge as the genre's most complex and fascinating detective."- Entertainment Weekly An unidentified body appears to have been run down by a motorcar and Ian Rutledge is leading the investigation to uncover what happened. While signs point to murder, vital questions remain. Who is the victim? And where, exactly, was he killed? One small clue leads the Inspector to a firm built by two families, famous for producing and selling the world's best Madeira wine. Lewis French, the current head of the English enterprise is missing. But is he the dead man? And do either his fiancée or his jilted former lover have anything to do with his disappearance-or possible death? What about his sister? Or the London office clerk? Is Matthew Traynor, French's cousin and partner who heads the Madeira office, somehow involved? The experienced Rutledge knows that suspicion and circumstantial evidence are not proof of guilt, and he's going to keep digging for answers. But that perseverance will pit him against his supervisor, the new Acting Chief Superintendent. When Rutledge discovers a link to an incident in the family's past, the superintendent dismisses it, claiming the information isn't vital. He's determined to place blame on one of French's women despite Rutledge's objections. Alone in a no man's land rife with mystery and danger, Rutledge must tread very carefully, for someone has decided that he, too, must die so that cruel justice can take its course. Views: 59
A courageous doctor and his apprentice fight to save London’s poor—and discover that the hearts of men can be colder than a winter chill—in this gripping holiday mystery from New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry.“Perry’s Victorian-era holiday mysteries [are] an annual treat.”—The Wall Street JournalScuff has come a long way from his time as a penniless orphan scraping together a living on the banks of the Thames. Now he’s studying medicine at a free clinic run by Dr. Crowe, a thoughtful if stoic mentor. But lately Crowe has been distracted, having witnessed an altercation between a wealthy former patient of his named Ellie—a woman that he not only treated but developed unacknowledged feelings for—and her controlling fiancé. It seems someone is forcing Ellie to marry the man. When Crowe’s emotions come flooding back, he sets out to uncover the troubling... Views: 59
