Tales from the Archives are short stories set in the world of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. They explore events mentioned in the novels, characters seen and unseen and may include novel teasers of things to come.This volume includes:The Evil that Befell Sampson by Pip Ballantine- Eliza D Braun is a young field agent in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences (South Pacific Branch) when she is asked by New Zealand's preeminent suffragist to investigate some strange goings within the organisation. She cannot possibly imagination that this little case will alter her entire life and thrust her into a world barely prepared for her.Dust on the Davenport by O M Grey - Agent Simon R. Boswell, still considered the green agent of the Ministry, takes on his own a supposed haunting in Islington. Hauntings tend to be nothing too serious for agents specializing in the unexplained; but for Simon, this case supplies surprises of all kinds, around every corner...The Astonishing Amulet of... Views: 22
This is a short story (about 30 pages) that takes place after the end of As Shadows Fade, the fifth book in the Victoria Gardella Vampire Chronicles series. It includes Victoria Gardella, Max Pesaro, and Sebastian Vioget. ***Please note: There will be spoilers for the entire series in this short story. Here is the entire series in order: The Rest Falls Away Rises the Night The Bleeding Dusk When Twilight Burns As Shadows Fade Max Stops the Presses (a short story) Views: 22
"Golden Compass meets Treasure Island." An orphaned child. A mysterious device. Cut-throat pirates who'd kill to get it.When her mother is murdered by pirates, Harriet Howland is thrust into a dangerous quest to find her missing father. A fast-paced steampunk adventure for everyone from 9 years old and up.Harriet Howland is happy to day-dream, listening to the tales of adventure a roguish sky monkey tells her at their secret meetings. But when her home is attacked she is thrown headlong into a dangerous struggle for survival. What is the mysterious device the dying woman gave her? Who is the strange Professor Poliakoff? Will she find out before the pirates close in? Views: 22
Alcandian Rage Mary Wine Book 2 in the Alcandians series. Stranded on Earth by deception, Zeva has no intention of becoming the alien on display to her human captors. Escape isn't just a dream, it's a basic need of survival. Nothing and no one will stop her from breaking her own chains. Back on Alcandar, more than her home and family wait for her. There, when minds brush, details fall away from the reality of binding fever. And an initial mind brush with Zeva was all it took for Ravid and Keenan, the men who threaten her freedom once more, to know what she is desperate to avoid-she is their mate. But Earth isn't the only planet that harbors evil. Even on Alcandar, men of no honor threaten the perfection her fantasies promised. Evil can rip a life to shreds in mere seconds, leaving you reaching for the one thing you were certain you did not want. Freedom comes with a high price tag, and may cost Zeva the two men who are part of her soul. Ravid and Keenan are more than her mates-they hold her heart as well and she has no intention of letting anyone keep her away from them. Views: 21
PRAISE FOR *HIGHLAND HEAT *"A lively and exciting adventure. " —Booklist BASTARD ROYAL DAUGHTER, PAWN IN A DEADLY GAME Sent to Scotland to be the king's mistress and produce an heir, Clarrisa of York has never needed a miracle more. But the brusque Highland laird who kidnaps her is a bit too rough to be considered divine intervention.HE'LL DO ANYTHING TO THWART HIS KING With rival lairds determined to steal Clarrisa from him and royal henchmen searching for her all over the Highlands, Laird Broen MacNicols has a mess on his hands. Worse yet, there's a magnetic attraction between them, although he's betrothed to another. But even an independent–minded lady like Clarrisa knows that a Highlander always claims his prize..."Fiery passion as elemental, raw, and beautiful as the Scottish Highlands." —Long and Short Reviews "[The characters] fight just as passionately as they love while intrigue abounds and readers turn the pages faster and faster!" —RT Book Reviews, 4 StarsReview"One gripping plot twist follows another: dastardly English trickery, complex Scottish alliances, and kilt-tossing, sheet-incinerating lovemaking. " - Publishers Weekly"A wonderful, sensuous, highly charged romance. Cleverly written, totally believable and nearly impossible to put down, this is a winner. 4 1/2 Stars" - RT Book Reviews "Whenever I pick up a book by Mary Wine I know I'm going to be engrossed in the story for hours. 4.50 / 5 - Reviewer Top Pick" - Night Owl ReviewsAbout the AuthorAcclaimed author Mary Wine has written nearly 20 works of erotic fantasy, romantic suspense, and historical romance. An avid history-buff and historical costumer, she and her family enjoy participating in historical reenactments. Mary lives with her husband and two sons in Yorba Linda, California. Views: 20
Fierce Highland war chief seeks comely lass for fun, frolic, and marriageMarcus MacPherson is every inch the fearsome Highlander. He's used to men averting their eyes and women cowering before him. He thinks he'll eventually settle down with a nice, obedient bride. Instead, he gets Helen Grant... Stubborn as the day is long, fearless and dedicated to raising as much hell as possible, Helen is definitely going to challenge Marcus. And challenge him some more. And then some.It's anyone's guess who'll win this battle of the heart...Praise for Highland Spitfire:"Wine always gets the heart of the history, atmosphere, and traditions of the Highlands... Wondrous." -RT Book Reviews, 4 stars, Top Pick"I absolutely loved this book and the only complaint...is I stayed up way too late reading it." -Night Owl Reviews, 5 stars, Top Pick Views: 20
"Lush, romantic, and unputdownable!" -- bestselling author Cheryl Bolen"Gleason is such a fine writer!" --award-winning author Norah WilsonPassion and deception amid the turbulent court of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II.An honorable man: Malcolm de Monde, Lord of Warwick needs a wife. He reluctantly journeys to the royal court where his plan is simple: find a dutiful woman, gain the king’s approval for his choice and return to Warwick with his chosen lady wedded, bedded, and carrying his heir—all before winter.An independent woman: Judith of Kentworth, Royal Falconer and lady-in-waiting, is a woman from Malcolm’s past. Although she is a confidante of the queen, Judith’s beauty and vivacity attract the unwanted attentions of the king—and the woman who commands winged predators becomes prey herself.A simple plan that goes awry when Malcolm encounters Judith, once betrothed to his friend—and a woman who is nothing like the meek wife he seeks…but who may be exactly the type of woman he needs.An impossible choice: Malcolm offers Judith a chance to escape her predicament…But can she risk entangling her own personal white knight in a dangerous web of royal intrigue? Views: 19
After the affair of the Clockwork Scarab, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are eager to help Princess Alix with a new case. Seventeen-year-old Willa Aston is obsessed with spiritual mediums, convinced she is speaking with her mother from beyond the grave. What seems like a case of spiritualist fraud quickly devolves into something far more menacing: someone is trying to make Willa "appear lunatic," using an innocent-looking spiritglass to control her. The list of clues piles up: an unexpected murder, a gang of pickpockets, and the return of vampires to London. But are these events connected? As Uncle Sherlock would say, "there are no coincidences." It will take all of Mina's wit and Evaline's muscle to keep London's sinister underground at bay. Views: 19
NOTE: This book was created from a ms doc file dated 2005 prior to the publication dates I've found for this book.Linked to the “Dream” series but can be read as a stand-alone story. Christina Faulkner made a bet and now she owed him a kiss. If she’s lucky, he’s forgotten all about it. Shane Jacobs didn’t just want the bet paid. He wanted a whole lot more. But once passion touches its targets, desire transforms simple contact into mesmerizing obsession. And Christina is about to discover that Shane hasn’t forgotten her. In fact, he’s coming back to claim what is his. All of it. Publisher’s Note: This story was previously published in the anthology A Wish, A Kiss, A Dream. Views: 16
