Hidden within the derelict gardens of abandoned Wickersham Priory, a deadly secret is waiting. But when an unsuspecting young Californian named Jamie Gibson finds herself the new owner of the estate, through a surprise bequest from a total stranger---the secret begins to stir. Jamie, fired with enthusiasm to restore the gardens to their 1930s glory, seeks the help of Lawrence Kingston, a retired professor of botany, eccentric bon viveur, and amateur sleuth. Lawrence soon unearths an old chapel, which leads to an ancient Healing Well, which in turn yields a human skeleton. And as the police pursue their inquiries, Kingston begins his own investigation---following a baffling trail of clues that wind down through the centuries, from the battlegrounds of World War II to the depths of the Middle Ages. It is a trail marked by misadventure, revenge, compassion, and murder when finally Kingston unlocks the secret of Wickersham Priory, he and Jamie must confront a reckoning that neither of them could have ever imagined. As with the highly acclaimed The Blue Rose, Eglin brings his botanical and literary skill to this new mystery. From Publishers WeeklyLawrence Kingston once again mixes horticulture with crime solving in Eglin's agreeable second cozy to feature the retired botany professor (after 2004's The Blue Rose). Jamie Gibson, an American woman who has inherited Wickersham Priory in Somerset, hires Kingston to restore the estate's neglected gardens. In the underbrush, Kingston discovers a ruined chapel complete with a healing well, which turns out to contain human remains. Kingston investigates, exploring such matters as why the mysterious previous owner left Wickersham Priory to Jamie and the absence of any family history or memorabilia at the estate. A series of dire events—two deaths, a car accident, a rifled flat—keeps the plot moving, but it's the plethora of gardening detail that makes this a memorable read. (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistEglin (The Blue Rose, 2004) presents another case featuring retired botany professor Lawrence Kingston. When a young American woman inherits Wickersham Priory, an estate in Somerset, England, she decides to restore it to its former glory and hires Kingston to clear and replant the extensive gardens. In the process, he finds a human skeleton in an old well. Naturally, he is compelled to investigate, which takes him deep into the strange history of Wickersham Priory. The primary appeal of the Kingston series is its detailed treatment of a subject dear to the hearts of many cozy fans: English gardens. Barbara BibelCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Views: 49
There's a darkness lying just under the surface of Julian Harris's young mind. He has bad dreams. Very bad dreams in which he sees himself rape and murder teenage girls. Sometimes they seem more like visions than dreams. More and more he fears his dreams will spill over into the waking world and he'll become the monster he is in them. There's a darkness lying just under the surface of Julian Harris's picture-perfect hometown too. A schoolgirl is missing. Julian is convinced there's something sinister behind her disappearance, but the police think otherwise. The girl comes from a bad background. She hung out with petty criminals and junkies. Some people think the town is better off without her.Julian isn't one of those people. Neither is Mia Bradshaw, a disturbed, self-harming orphan and the best-friend of the missing girl. Drawn to each other by a desire to find out the truth, Julian and Mia form a bond that goes beyond friendship or sexual attraction into something neither of them understands. When Mia goes missing, Julian's desire turns into obsession - an obsession that leads him to a depraved underworld of drugs, prostitution, blackmail and murder headed by a man who seems to have stepped straight out of his nightmares.Part psychological horror, part crime thriller, The Society Of Dirty Hearts is a novel that will draw you, along with its flawed hero, deeper and deeper into the corrupt depths of a small-town full of dark secrets and darker desires.REVIEWS'Cheetham ensnared me in the web of his inescapable story. I felt like a junkie needing a fix - I had to know what was happening next and couldn't get enough of this book. If I could have mainlined this book, I would have.' Bound & Determined to Find a Good Read.'Great story from Mr Cheetham, well told, fast paced and engaging.' I Meant to Read That.'Great book! Can't wait to read more from this writer. Lots of twists and turns I never saw coming. Highly recommend.' Smashwords review.'...writing reminded me of early Stephen King, especially in its sense of small-town life and paranoia, and the air of supernatural that pervades the first half of the novel' - Robert Dinsdale, author of The Harrowing and Three Miles. ABOUT THE AUTHORBen Cheetham is an award-winning, Pushcart Prize nominated author from Sheffield, UK, whose fiction has been widely published in magazines and anthologies. Views: 49
As the mother of a beautiful daughter and the wife of a wealthy entrepreneur, Melora Hudson seemed happy. No one knew about the secrets hidden behind closed doors—secrets Melora was forced to keep. Now, two years after her husband's disappearance, the truth may be exposed. His body has been found, and everyone has questions. Texas Ranger Daniel Boone Riley comes to find answers, and stays to protect the woman and child who win his heart. But the terror of Melora's past isn't over. Her late husband's old "associates" want her to carry his secrets to her grave. Views: 49
Rokugan is Doomed!The Serene Prophet foresaw its downfall -- tides of demons flooding out of the Shadowlands. One man seeks to avert the catastrophe -- the leader of the Scorpion Clan. He will pay any price, perpetrate any deception, to save the empire. If he must, he will become evil to fight evil. He and the emperor's champion will battle each other to the death for that which they both hold dear: Rokugan Views: 49
The bright, funny and wild story of an acrobat from Hamburg who decided to become the King of Albania, succeeded, and fell in love along the wayOtte Witte is an old man. The Allies are raining bombs on his city and, having narrowly escaped death, he has come home to his little caravan to drink what remains of his coffee (dust) and wait for the inevitable. Convinced that he will not see the sunrise, he decides to write the story of his life for the poor soul who finds what's left of him come the morning.And it's quite a story. Years earlier, when he was in either Buda or Pest, working in the circus, a dear friend showed him a newspaper article: Albania was searching for a long-lost Turkish prince to be the new king. The Turkish prince was the image of Otto... A plan was formed; adventure, disaster, love and sheer, unabashed hope followed.If You're Reading This, I'm Already Dead is a joy to read; accomplished and full of the warmth, honesty... Views: 49
Crockett takes a part time job as a small-town cop and becomes suspicious of a local nightclub. With the help of the Missouri State Police, a cute undercover operative, and the ever-present Stitch, Crockett begins an investigation that leads to murder, mayhem, and more when he goes BEHIND THE BADGE. Views: 49
