Tito Amato returns from an operatic tour expecting to relax with his family. Instead he finds his merchant brother Alessandro imprisoned on a trumped-up smuggling charge, a capital crime in 1740 Venice. The senator who controls Alessandro’s fate is determined to have a Venetian as the next pope. He forces Tito to Rome to sing at the villa of a powerful, music-loving cardinal who will control the coming papal election. Spying as he serenades Cardinal Fabiani and his guests, Tito peers into the dark mirror of Roman politics. Pope Clement XII is sinking fast, and two candidates emerge as leading contenders for St. Peter’s throne. Will Fabiani support the highborn Venetian whose secret passion is tinkering with electrical experiments? Or the humble cardinal with the gift of healing and a mysterious past? The discovery of a beautiful corpse in Fabiani’s garden complicates Tito’s mission. Fabiani believes that a member of his household killed the young maid in a fit of madness, but Tito follows clues that indicate a more complex motive, assisted by his irrepressible manservant Benito and Englishman Gussie Rumbolt. From the heights of the Janiculum Hill to the muddy waters of the Tiber, from a cozy Trastevere cookshop to the chilly corridors of the Quirinal Palace, the trio wrestles with events that could change the course of history. Can Tito stop the killer and affect the election before Pope Clement takes his last breath? Or will Alessandro face the scaffold? Views: 53
Frank and Joe are spending the summer on an archaeological dig on an Italian count?s property, and they get to stay in the count?s villa?along with Francesca, his attractive teenage daughter. But no sooner does Joe unearth a fabulous cache of jewelry than it vanishes? Views: 53
The pregnancy of Newcomer Cathy Frankel by her human boyfriend, Matt Sikes, ignites tensions city-wide as extremist groups who fear the implications of the birth of the first half-human/half-Newcomer child threaten Cathy’s safety. The danger escalates when the medical facility treating Cathy is attacked, forcing her into seclusion.
Meanwhile, George Francisco is drawn into a Newcomer cult headed by a mysterious messianic figure. Obsessed with the cult, George quits the police force to devote all his time to his new religion.
Now with his partner gone, Sikes must defend his newborn baby from a hostile band of criminals determined to destroy anyone who's different—even an innocent child. Views: 53
Annie's life is deliciously full as the Christmas season approaches. She helps her husband, Samuel, attend to the community's minor medical needs. Views: 53
With his hand trapped in the door of a speeding car, a man struggles to remain upright as he's dragged along a deserted stretch of San Juan Road in Phoenix's South Mountain Preserve. It's the perfect place to drive a man to his grave -- literally. Starting with a crime so gruesome even prowling coyotes keep their distance from the remains, a killer begins crisscrossing the Southwest on a spree of grisly murders. A hundred miles away, Ali Reynolds is grieving. The newscasting job she once delighted in is gone and so is the philandering husband she loved and thought she knew. When a member of the family who gave Ali a generous scholarship for her education decades earlier suddenly asks her for a meeting, Ali wonders what it can mean. Before she can satisfy her curiosity, though, Ali receives another startling call: a friend's teenage daughter has disappeared. Ali offers to help, but in doing so, she unknowingly begins a quest that will reveal a deadly ring of secrets, at the center of which stand two undiscriminating killers.... Hand of Evil is Jance at her best, weaving a masterful story of suspense that travels over generations, revealing two very different women with the same horrifying secret. Will Ali become a victim herself, or will she escape from a deadly deceit that no amount of security -- financial or emotional -- can cover up? Views: 53
James peeled off his sodden T-shirt. A huge scar ran diagonally across his back, deep reddish-purple. Then I heard his father's voice, hard and sharp. "I told you I never wanted to see that thing again," he snarled. "It's bad enough that he's dead and that it's your fault . . ."Robyn just wants to spend time with her boyfriend, Nick, but he's always busy—with work, with school, or with Danny, a girl from his past who could pass for a supermodel. Robyn's friend Morgan thinks James Derrick, a hot new transfer student, could take Nick off her mind. But James has problems of his own. He's haunted by a tragedy and holding back secrets. When Robyn realizes she and James share a hidden connection, she starts to dig deeper. But is she digging her own grave? Views: 53
BOSTON IS IN RUINS Jon Hudson, head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Fusion Center – Paranormal division, is haunted by Boston’s destruction at the hands of Nemesis, a three-hundred-foot tall monster with the heart of a murdered little girl, Maigo. In the time since Boston fell and Nemesis retreated to the ocean’s depths, Hudson has helped prepare the United States against future attacks. But no one is prepared for what rises from the depths. THE WORLD BURNS Five Kaiju attack cities and consume the world’s citizens in an unstoppable rampage around the globe. But it soon becomes apparent that these attacks aren’t all random events. Hudson is targeted, putting the FC-P headquarters, known as the Crow’s Nest, and his team, in the very large crosshairs. General Lance Gordon, a man who carries Nemesis’s vengeful heart in his chest, directs the Kaiju, and when Hudson finds protection from an unlikely source, the General turns his attention to his next target. THE NATION’S CAPITOL IS NEXT While Gordon and his Kaiju storm toward Washington D.C., Hudson, along with his team and some new and unusual allies, race to stand in their path, hoping to spare the nation—and the world—from destruction. But salvation at the end of all things will come only through the gravest of sacrifices. --- With Project Nemesis, Jeremy Robinson introduced the world of popular fiction to Kaiju, a word that has become popularized by the movie Pacific Rim, and is associated with classic movie monsters such as Godzilla and Gamera. In the year since the release of Project Nemesis, the book has become the bestselling original Kaiju novel of all time, and it is being featured in the video game Colossal Kaiju Combat: Fall of Nemesis. In Project Maigo, Robinson amps up the scale, the characters and the city-stomping action, treating readers to a truly monstrous experience typically reserved for the big screen. Views: 53
The Barnes & Noble ReviewA fast-paced ride through the politics and hidden agendas of a sweltering Miami, Suspicion of Deceit is the latest novel in author Barbara Parker's bestselling Suspicion series, featuring upscale attorney Gail Connor. The ironic title works well for all plot threads unraveled in this engaging tale, from personal, terrifying deceptions to those with vast ramifications for a wide array of characters. When Gail Connor is asked to become the attorney for the Miami Opera, it's for more than the simple reason that she's a damn fine lawyer. The upper echelon has its own objective in inviting her to a fund-raising function-they want to question her boyfriend, Anthony Quintana, on just how the city's Cuban political factions will respond to an opera star's questionable visit to Cuba some two years earlier. If the opera continues to employ opera star Thomas Nolan, there is a chance that the Cuban exile populace might become violent at one of the performances, if they view him as a traitor to his people. Fueling the fire is Anthony's brother-in-law, a commentator for Radio Free Cuba, who not only stokes the rage of his listeners but also finds time to cause troubles between Gail and Anthony. A violent murder-and the wounding of Gail herself-forces Gail to take matters into her own hands. She employs Felix Castillo, a mysterious investigator and longtime friend of Anthony's, to further question contacts in Cuba in order to discover the real nature of Thomas Nolan's visit there. Yet there is another level of investigation occurring here. Gail is eager to uncovermore of Anthony's past, about which he's been extremely tight-lipped for years. As more of their mutual friends reveal startling truths about Anthony-including the fact that he once spent time in Nicaragua with the Sandinistas-Gail must battle her own suspicions to decide whether she will stand by the man she's come to love or betray him. Parker is masterful at weaving clandestine situations and the politics of both the past and the present with the pertinent actions of the moment. History-personal and bureaucratic-plays a large part in this novel, and scenes involving Anthony's large family and all their many beliefs, passions, and fiery emotions play out with an incredible vitality that greatly contributes to the flow and grip of the story. Gail and Anthony are a fervent couple, in love but also finding excitement in the friction of ideology that occasionally comes between them. The author refuses to allow for any black-and-white, easy answers at any time. All parties involved are constantly discovering more about themselves and exactly what the cost might be for each conviction and stance taken. "Suspicion of Deceit" is deceivingly simplistic, but it works on several levels at once, as the main mystery plot element often takes a backseat to equally intriguing story lines of a more personal nature. The gray areas of conflicting opinions lend a credence to the novel that isn't usually found in the more idealistic, hero-versus-villain crime thrillers on the market. It's the author's worldview, and her understanding of human nature, that make this novel one that readers can trust to arrive at a gripping, satisfying, and wholly genuine conclusion.-Tom Piccirilli Views: 53
To tie into the December release of Archer Mayor's Joe Gunther hardcover Fruits of the Poisonous Tree, here is a reissue of the debut novel that first introduced Joe Gunther in 1989--out of print since 1991. Gunther investigates the murder of a juror by another juror from a three-year-old case. Views: 53
The sole survivor on a science vessel adrift in deep space, Zeus was adopted by the Emperor and Empress of the Mar'Sani, though he is both human and blind, and seen by most as unfit to join the royal family. Though they were able to repair his vision, Zeus does not trust his eyes and the nobles of his parents' court refuse to ever trust a frail human.
Dargon Kal-Turak, along with his symbiote and lover Alpha, command one of the most dangerous ships in the stars. Narrowly escaping a trap, they dock in a space port to make repairs, but find that the Psonics hunting them are closing in fast. In desperation they kidnap the port Master Mechanic, unaware that the man they've brought on board is more than he seems, and will bring far more upheaval to their ship, their lives, and the stars than any of them could have imagined. Views: 53
River Glen was at the edge of nowhere—a tiny, sleepy town nestled on the shores of the Potomac. It was perfect for Dana Brantley, who, after a rocky couple of years, was looking for a peaceful place to start over.But the townspeople had other ideas for the new librarian. They thought she was perfect for their most eligible bachelor, Nick Verone. So did Nick's ten-year-old son, Tony. And so did Nick, himself. He was intrigued by the mysterious Dana, and determined to find a way through her reserve. But what he discovers is a wounded and fragile soul. It will take more than his usual charm to convince her that in River Glen—and with him—she has found the edge of forever.About the AuthorWith her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether in her home state of Virginia, her adopted state, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. Sherryl is best known for her ability to creating endearing small town communities and families. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition. Views: 53
You have been there… if you have ever been afraid. Come back. To a dark house deep in the Vermont woods, where two friends are spending a season of horror, apprenticed to a Master Magician. Learning secrets best left unlearned. Entering a world of incalculable evil more ancient than death itself. More terrifying. And more real. Only one of them will make it through. _____________________________ First setting: an all-male prep school in Arizona, where two sensitive freshmen form a bond based on their interest in magic tricks. Second setting: the labyrinthine house of a weird magician uncle in New England, where the two boys spend a memorable summer being trained in the art of illusion. Or is it real magic? Third setting: an alternate world where dark forces are at play--forces that first show up at the school, but intensify their power the summer. Shadowland is a superb, under-recognized, early novel from a master of literary terror. Views: 53
The national bestselling author of Nightmares Can Be Murder once again gathers together the members of the Dream Club in Savannah, Georgia, where the book tour of a famous chef becomes a recipe for disaster... Behind her down-home folksy persona, celebrity chef Sonia Scott is a real Dixie diva who's made plenty of enemies in her climb to the top of the culinary world. One of them is the newest member of the Dream Club, Etta Mae Beasley, who claims Sonia stole her family's recipes and used them in her latest cookbook. After Sonia's suspicious death from anaphylactic shock at a book signing held at Taylor and Ali's retro candy store, Etta's revelation sows seeds of doubt in Taylor Blake's mind. Now the Dream Club needs to put their heads together to determine if one of their own decided to give the chef her just desserts... Views: 53
