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The Gravedigger's Brawl

Dr. Wyatt Case is never happier than when he's walking the halls of his history museum. Playing wingman for his best friend at Gravedigger's Tavern throws him way out of his comfort zone, but not as much as the eccentric man behind the bar, Ash Lucroix. Ash is everything Wyatt doesn't understand: exuberant, quirky, and elbow deep in a Gaslight lifestyle that weaves history into everyday life. He coordinates his suspenders with his tongue rings. Within hours, Wyatt and Ash are hooked. But strange things are afoot at Gravedigger's, and after a knock to the head, Ash starts seeing things that can't be explained by old appliances or faulty wiring. Soon everyone at Gravedigger's is wondering if they're seeing ghosts, or just going crazy. The answer to that question could end more than just Wyatt and Ash's fragile relationship--it might also end their lives.
Views: 921

The Disembodied

In the trees. In the mist.An apprentice mortician moves his family to a small town to provide them with a better life. Little did he know the dark secret the town and its people harbored.The town sat on the edge of a mist-shrouded forest with a deadly secret. Something lives in the trees, in the mist and it’s jealous. Jealous of all those who have flesh.In the trees. In the mist.An apprentice mortician moves his family to the small town of Sotherton to provide them with a better life. Little did he know the dark secret the town and its people harbored.The town sat on the edge of a mist-shrouded forest with a deadly secret. Something lives in the trees, in the mist and it’s jealous. Jealous of all those who have flesh.Disembodied is a free preview story from the author’s upcoming collection Creatures and Crypts due out in late 2011. Creatures of the living and the dead gather in a volume of over 70,000 words to stalk their prey…humans. 20 stories set the scene for a cast ranging from the Grim Reaper, shambling zombies and restless spirits, to unimaginable monsters that only inhabit the shapeless darkness and the author’s imagination. Join them as they wreak havoc on their unsuspecting victims and celebrate with a victory dance on hollowed bones.
Views: 921

Grant

Grant Campbell, famous trick rider from Riverbend, Texas, thought it was over with Christina, the love of his life. But a chance encounter one dark spring night gives Grant hope that he can have a second chance. Things are changing in Riverbend, though, that threaten to take Christina away from him forever. Christina Farrell has tried to move on after her breakup with Grant, the hot Texas cowboy who stole her peace of mind the day he walked into her bar and gave her his sinful smile. But every reminder of him tells her it’s not over in her heart. Christina realizes she’ll never forget him until she makes some changes in her life, but before she can, a reconnection with Grant alters everything for her in an unexpected way.
Views: 920

The Lies We Told

Maya and Rebecca Ward are both accomplished physicians, but that's where the sisters' similarities end. As teenagers, they witnessed their parents' murder, but it was Rebecca who saved Maya from becoming another of the gunman's victims. The tragedy left Maya cautious and timid, settling for a sedate medical practice with her husband, Adam, while Rebecca became the risk taker. After a devastating hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina, Rebecca and Adam urge Maya to join them in the relief effort. To please her husband, Maya finally agrees. She loses herself in the care and transport of victims, but when her helicopter crashes into raging floodwaters, there appear to be no survivors. Forced to accept Maya is gone, Rebecca and Adam turn to one another—first for comfort, then in passion—unaware that, miles from civilization, Maya is injured and trapped with strangers she's not certain she can trust. Away from the sister who has always been there to save her, now Maya must find the courage to save herself—unaware that the life she knew has changed forever.
Views: 920

Four Warned

These four short stories from a master storyteller are packed full of twists and turns. In Stuck on You, Jeremy finds out exactly the best way to steal the perfect ring for his fiancée. Albert celebrates his 100th birthday, and is pleased to be sent The Queen's Birthday Telegram. He is, however, confused . . . In Russia, businessman Richard plots the ideal way to murder his wife. He begins to have a clever idea when his hotel warns him: Don't Drink the Water from the taps. And as Diana, a busy single mother, drives to have dinner with friends, she realises that a black van is following her. Soon terrified for her life, she does whatever it takes to stick to the warning given to drivers: Never Stop on the Motorway . . . Every reader will have their favourite story – some will make you laugh, others will bring you to tears. And, as always, every one of them will keep you spellbound. Quick Reads is a World Book Day initiative.
Views: 920

Forbidden Fruit

See the secrets of Eden’s twisted legacy from a new perspective with this short story set in the world of bestselling author Joelle Charbonneau’s Dividing Eden. Graylem was born to expect a life of thievery, but superior swordsmanship and a desire for something better had long fueled his dreams to become a member of a noble family’s guard. But when his sister Deevana’s latest scheme forces them to leave their home—and all memories of their life in Blackthorn Keep—behind, they chart a southern course towards a new life in Irae, by way of the magnificent Garden City. Disguised as northern nobles, they quickly find themselves caught up in the mysterious politics of Eden’s royal family—and infatuated by its newest member, the beautiful seeress Imogen. A member of Eden’s guard offers Graylem the chance to prove his worth, but his brutal trial for entry into the guard is waylaid by the appearance of Prince Andreus and Princess Carys. Graylem may be a simple man, but when he sees the royal siblings conferring in secret, he knows that all is not well in the Palace of the Winds—and before long, he learns that whatever darkness is lurking in the city’s walls could mean devastation for his family… and for Eden.
Views: 920

Final Notes

Nancy visits deceased country singer Curtis Taylor's hometown to investigate a report that Taylor has been seen alive. But Nancy discovers that he's not only dead, but that he was murdered. Nancy must work quickly to unmask an elusive murderer at the memorial concert for Taylor.
Views: 920

The Evil Seed

'I'm still rather fond of this first book of mine, in spite of all the time that has elapsed, and in spite of the way my style has evolved.' Joanne Harris Caution - May contain vampires. It's never easy to face the fact that a man you once loved passionately has found the girl of his dreams, as Alice discovers when Joe introduces her to his new girlfriend. Then Alice finds an old diary and reads about two men and the mysterious woman who bewitched them both, buried in Grantchester churchyard half a century ago. As the stories seem to intertwine, Alice comes to realize that her instinctive hatred of Joe's new girlfriend may not just be due to jealousy, as she is plunged into a nightmare world of obsession, revenge, seduction - and blood.
Views: 919

Who Could That Be at This Hour?

*Alternate Cover Edition can be found
Views: 919

The Haunting on Heliotrope Lane

Nancy and her friends must try to figure out why a girl is acting strangely after visiting a haunted house in this sixteenth book of the Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to the classic mystery series. Nancy’s classmate, Willa, needs her help. Willa is convinced something is terribly wrong with her friend Izzy, but everyone has dismissed Willa’s concerns, saying it’s just teen angst. But Willa thinks it’s more than that; she thinks Izzy is possessed. It all started when Willa and Izzy snuck into an abandoned house with some of their friends. After running around and exploring, Willa went in to the basement and found Izzy staring into space. Izzy was conscious, but she was acting weird—she wouldn’t speak and she didn’t seem to recognize Willa. And when Izzy finally woke up from her trance, she had no memory of the previous few hours. Since then, Izzy’s continued to act strangely. She’s usually funny and easygoing, but now she’s high strung and has intense fits. Once she even threatened to hurt Willa. Nancy is sure there’s a rational explanation for all of this and has a feeling she’ll find it at the “haunted” house. But what she finds has her questioning her resolve. Could Willa be right? Is Izzy possessed by the ghost of Heliotrope Lane?
Views: 919

The Sands of Shark Island

After successfully thwarting a dastardly plan to steal rare marine animals from the sea around the Scottish island of Mull, Ben and Fee MacTavish feel they can relax and continue learning all about nautical life on board School Ship Tobermory. But it's not long before their everyday routine is interrupted by an extraordinary event. Ben, Fee, their fellow students and the crew of the Tobermory find themselves embroiled in another adventure that leads them thousands of miles from Mull to a small island in the Caribbean, where they learn extraordinary details about Captain Macbeth's past and come face to face with modern-day pirates.
Views: 918

Full Scoop

Dear Reader: Mercury's in retrograde, and folks in Beaumont, South Carolina, are dealing with gossip, scandal, misunderstandings, and more secrets than ever. Local pediatrician Maggie Farnsworth has even bigger worries. Her wild-girl past has caught up with her in the form of her ex-boyfriend, a jailbird who just flew the coop --- and is bent on tracking down Maggie and her daughter. Fortunately, FBI agent Zack Madden is on hand for protection. Unfortunately, his presence is turning up the heat on an attraction Maggie simply has no time for ... or does she? But Maggie and Zack aren't the only ones getting busy: Fleas, the hound dog, is up to his old tricks --- this time with Butterbean, a very alluring ... goat? Jamie Swift and millionaire Max Holt have babies on the brain. And resident psychic-slash-astrologer Destiny is fighting a crush of her own. Since the town's ice cream parlor is a magnet for gossip, no one can keep a secret and the sticky situations are getting even stickier ... It's the wildest time yet in the town we love to write about, with the characters we can't get enough of. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a FULL SCOOP of fun, adventure, and romance. Janet and Charlotte (THE AUTHORS)
Views: 917

Save Me

From the New York Times bestselling author of Think Twice and Look Again *comes an emotionally powerful novel about a split-second choice, agonizing consequences, and the need for justice * Rose McKenna volunteers as a lunch mom in her daughter Melly's school in order to keep an eye on Amanda, a mean girl who's been bullying her daughter. Her fears come true when the bullying begins, sending Melly to the bathroom in tears. Just as Rose is about to follow after her daughter, a massive explosion goes off in the kitchen, sending the room into chaos. Rose finds herself faced with the horrifying decision of whether or not to run to the bathroom to rescue her daughter or usher Amanda to safety. She believes she has accomplished both, only to discover that Amanda, for an unknown reason, ran back into the school once out of Rose's sight. In an instance, Rose goes from hero to villain as the small community blames Amanda's injuries on her. In the days that follow, Rose's life starts to fall to pieces, Amanda's mother decides to sue, her marriage is put to the test, and worse, when her daughter returns to school, the bullying only intensifies. Rose must take matters into her own hands and get down to the truth of what really happened that fateful day in order to save herself, her marriage and her family. In the way that Look Again had readers questioning everything they thought they knew about family, Save Me will have readers wondering just how far they would go to save the ones they love. Lisa Scottoline is writing about real issues that resonate with real women, and the results are emotional, heartbreaking and honest.
Views: 917

The Rain

A dead source draws a newspaperman into a murder investigationMayforth Kendrick III is an unlikely name for a small-time drug dealer. As the grandson of a millionaire and the son of a Broadway mogul, Kendrick was minted for success from birth. But a fondness for controlled substances cut his education short, forcing him to make a living pushing drugs on the theater glitterati with whom he once mingled. New York Star reporter John Wells, who occasionally uses Kendrick as a source, may be his only friend. He is also one of the last to see him alive. He visits Kendrick’s seedy Alphabet City apartment because the young man has pictures to sell showing a Senate candidate involved in unsavory extramarital activities. Never a muckraker, Wells passes on them. The next day Kendrick is murdered and the pictures are gone. Wells smells a scoop, if he can only find the killer.
Views: 917

And the Sea Will Tell

Alone with her new husband on a tiny Pacific atoll, a young woman, combing the beach, finds an odd aluminum container washed up out of the lagoon, and beside it on the sand something glitters --a gold tooth in a scorched human skull. The investigation that follows uncovers an extraordinarily complex and puzzling true-crime story. Only Vincent Bugliosi, who recounted his successful prosecution of mass murderer Charles Manson in the bestseller Helter Skelter, was able to draw together the hundreds of conflicting details of the mystery and reconstruct what really happened when four people found hell in a tropical paradise. And the Sea Will Tell reconstructs the events and subsequent trial of a riveting true murder mystery, and probes into the dark heart of a serpentine scenario of death.
Views: 916