A homeless man named Ted wakes up in the luxury car of a missing woman. When the police question him, he babbles about a man he claims will lead them to the woman, though Ted also says he has never met this man. When Detective Lyons follows the leads, he stumbles into the secret life of a powerful investor and his unexpected connection with the poorest of the poor.A homeless man named Ted wakes up in the luxury car of a missing woman. When the police question him, he babbles about a man he claims will lead them to the woman, though Ted also says he has never met this man. Detective Lyons believes there is a secret meaning in Ted's incoherent monologues, though his superiors believe they are nonsense. When Lyons follows the case in his own time, he stumbles into the secret life of a powerful investor and his unexpected connection with the poorest of poor. Views: 705
This is a SAMPLER edition only! NOT the whole book. An SS officer is found standing over the body of a comrade, a smoking pistol still in his hand, a murder in a place of murders. His pleas of innocence force a court martial and he knows that there is only one man in the camp capable of defending him; a Jewish prisoner called Manfred Meyer.This is a SAMPLER edition only! NOT the whole book. An SS officer is found standing over the body of a comrade, a smoking pistol still in his hand, a murder in a place of murders. His pleas of innocence force a court martial and he knows that there is only one man in the camp capable of defending him; a Jewish prisoner called Manfred Meyer. Manfred Meyer is forced to build a defence for him in his court martial. Drawing on his years of experience as a criminal lawyer in Berlin, Meyer must unravel the deceit and interpret the lies that infect the concentration camp and work to have him found not guilty. Following Meyer and his family through their lives in Berlin, the Nazi rise to power and their inevitable arrest and incarceration in Auschwitz, Meyer will do almost anything to see his wife and children. Almost anything. Can his abilities as a lawyer interpret the facts of this seemingly impossible case? As a Jew, should he even defend an SS officer? And is he actually guilty of this crime? But the officer must be found innocent if Meyer is to see his family again. This story follows Manfred Meyer, from his beginnings as a lawyer in 1930s Berlin after being taken under the wing of the city's most capable defence lawyer in the most prestigious law firm in Germany, Bauer & Bauer. Meyer's confidence and experience build as his cases become more complex and more difficult to defend. His success is widespread and he, his wife Klara and their twin daughters live a comfortable life in the capital. But Germany is changing. The Nazi Party has come to power and Meyer's Jewish heritage has become a crime. Life becomes more and more difficult until even in spite of Meyer's connections he is forced to leave his position as Bauer & Bauer's pre-eminent lawyer. Then, one night, the inevitable knock at the door heralds the long train journey to the east and the death camps of Poland for Meyer, his wife and his children. Split from his family on arrival, Meyer does what he can to survive in a place designed for death. He stays alive with help from the other inmates he has befriended, helping each other through the long days of hard labour, his only wish being that he could see his family again. A forlorn hope until circumstance throws a real chance his way. "A film in the making", "Worth TEN stars, this book is possibly my all time favourite", "Compelling read" - Amazon reviews ABNA Expert Reviewer: What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt? This excerpt was very well done. This time period in world history has always been fascinating and this excerpt was exceptionally written. Much research had to have gone into the writing of this. Facts and date, actual happenings were well represented. The main character was well rounded; his sorrow, hopes, dreams, all very well high lighted. What aspect needs the most work? Improvement would be hard to define as the author has a knack for writing and keeping the reader's interest. The author's ability to control interest and keep the reading fresh is apparent. What is your overall opinion of this excerpt? History lovers would enjoy this book. I have a feeling this book is not for the squeamish or faint of heart given the subject matter. I would recommend this book to others -- and would hope the author has a bright and promising future. Views: 705
A blinding snowstorm--and a homicidal maniac--traps a small party of friends in an isolated estate. Out of this deceptively simple set-up, Agatha Christie fashioned one of her most ingenious puzzlers, which, in turn, would provide the basis for The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in history. From this classic title novella to the deliciously clever gems on its tail (solved to perfection by Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple), this rare collection of murder most foul showcases the inimitable Christie at her inventive best, proving her reputation as "the champion deceiver of our time." (The New York Times)
Includes the stories
Three Blind Mice
Strange Jest
The Tape-Measure Murder
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Caretaker
The Third Floor Flat
The Adventure of Johnny Waverly
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds
The Love Detectives Views: 705
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City.
Hailed as “America’s most popular suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) Dean Koontz has entered a rich new phase of his writing career that is yielding his most imaginative, meaningful, and popular work yet.
At the height of his powers as a literary craftsman, he has won the acclaim of critics as well as the allegiance of millions of fans the world over, transforming the greatest fears and hopes of our time into masterworks of dazzling originality and emotional resonance.
Now, with the stunning depth and virtuosity of his storytelling, he brings to readers one of his most gripping and richly imagined novels to date—an intoxicating story of adventure and suspense, mystery and revelation, told with humor, heart, and high art.
One Door Away From Heaven
In a dusty trailer park on the far edge of the California dream, Michelina Bellsong contemplates the choices she has made. At twenty-eight, she wants to change the direction of her troubled life but can’t find her way—until a new family settles into the rental trailer next door and she meets the young girl who will lead her on a remarkable quest that will change Micky herself and everything she knows—or thinks she knows—forever.
Despite the brace she must wear on her deformed left leg, and her withered left hand, nine-year-old Leilani Klonk radiates a buoyant and indomitable spirit that inspires Micky. Beneath Leilani’s effervescence, however, Micky comes to sense a quiet desperation that the girl dares not express.
Leilani’s mother is little more than a child herself. And the girl’s stepfather, Preston Maddoc, is educated but threatening. He has moved the family from place to place as he fanatically investigates UFO sightings, striving to make contact, claiming to have had a vision that by Leilani’ s tenth birthday aliens will either heal her or take her away to a better life on their world.
Slowly, ever more troubling details emerge in Leilani’s conversations with Micky. Most chilling is Micky’s discovery that Leilani had an older brother, also disabled, who vanished after Maddoc took him into the woods one night and is now “gone to the stars.”
Leilani’s tenth birthday is approaching. Micky is convinced the girl will be dead by that day. While the child-protection bureaucracy gives Micky the runaround, the Maddoc family slips away into the night. Micky sets out across America to track and find them, alone and afraid but for the first time living for something bigger than herself.
She finds herself pitted against an adversary, Preston Maddoc, as fearsome as he is cunning. The passion and disregard for danger with which Micky pursues her quest bring to her side a burned-out detective who joins her on a journey of incredible peril and startling discoveries, a journey through terrible darkness to unexpected light.
One Door Away From Heaven is an incandescent mix of suspense and humor, fear and wonder, a story of redemption and timeless wisdom that will have readers cheering. Filled with tragedy and joy, with terror and hope, it solidifies Dean Koontz’s reputation as one of the foremost storytellers of our time. This is Dean Koontz at his very best—and it doesn’t get any better than that. Views: 705
You've never, ever read a book like this.Now available in one complete edition, the critically acclaimed "Dead in Bed By Bailey Simms" is both a page-turning mystery about a disease that makes anyone infected hopelessly crave sexual contact and a meta-novel about a teen author whose publishing success may come at terrifyingly dangerous priceYou've never, ever read a book like this.When a sexually-transmitted plague breaks out in Ashley Young's small town, leaving its victims with a bizarrely amplified libido, everything about her life changes. DEAD IN BED is partly a suspense thriller with a strikingly original story, partly a page-turning mystery about a disease that makes people hopelessly crave sexual contact, and partly a neo-western adventure in the American heartland. For anyone who can handle a smart, controversial female protagonist who's willing to do anything - no matter how difficult or morally questionable - in order to survive, the series pulls readers in like an unshakeable addiction.. . . Bailey Simms, teen author of DEAD IN BED, is stuck at home with a rare medical condition. Writing is her only escape, so she's determined to keep her salacious series hidden from her strict father. Soon an older boy starts to secretly help her, and Bailey finds new opportunities for freedom she's never had. But as DEAD IN BED grows in popularity, and Bailey's fans start to clamor for the sequel, she learns that being a successful author may come with a terrifyingly dangerous price. Views: 705
Since childhood, Rosie's life has been the stage—passing herself off as a boy playing women's roles in the somewhat disreputable theatrical troupe of actor Danny Plympton, Rosie's adoptive father. But when unanticipated danger confronts them, they must flee London, taking refuge at the estate of Sir Anthony Rycliffe. A handsome, devil-may-care rakehell, Tony quickly sees through Rosie's disguise.
But a lush, womanly form and eminently kissable lips are not the ravishing young beauty's only secrets—and the burning attraction Tony feels for her does not lessen the peril she has brought to his doorstep. The dashing rogue is determined to strip the irresistible lady of her mysteries—and her masculine garb—using all of his fabled seductive powers. After all, Tony has a reputation to uphold, as . . . Views: 704
A free Weather Warden short story. Views: 704
They made Griffin Fawkes a killer.They made him ruthless, callous, efficient.And now, he knows he’s too damaged to ever be with a woman.Especially not one as beautiful as Leigh Thorn.He might want to press her into the wall, claim her lips and touch her skin, but he won’t.Instead, he will use his skills to protect her. Nothing more.Griffin Fawkes:They made him a killer.They made him ruthless, callous, efficient.And now, he knows he’s too damaged to ever be with a woman.Especially not one as beautiful as Leigh Thorn.He might want to press her into the wall, claim her lips and touch her skin, but he won’t.Instead, he will use his skills to protect her. Nothing more.Leigh Thorn:If the wrong people find her, she’s dead.But all she wants to do is snort lines and shoot marshmallow-flavored vodka until everything’s bliss.Griffin says he’s there to protect her.Near as she can tell, he’s only raining on her parade.Sure, he’s gorgeous. Solid and taut and rippling and…That doesn't give him the right to order her around. Views: 704
A series of unexplained deaths in foreign hospitals sends an idealistic UCLA medical student on a desperate search for answers, in this chilling tale from the master of the medical thriller.
Jennifer Hernandez is a fourth-year medical student at UCLA, just completing an elective in general surgery, whose world is shattered during a break in an otherwise ordinary day. While relaxing in the surgical lounge of L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, she half-listens to a piece on medical tourism, where first-world citizens travel to third-world countries for surgery. But when she hears her beloved grandmother’s name mentioned, her own heart nearly stops: the CNN reporter says Maria Suarez-Hernandez had died, a day after undergoing a hip replacement in New Delhi’s Queen Victoria Hospital.
Maria had raised Jennifer and her brothers from infancy, and their bond was unshakable. Still, the news that Maria had traveled to India was a shock to Jennifer, until she realized that it was the only viable option for the hardworking yet uninsured woman. Devastated, and desperate for answers, Jennifer takes emergency leave from school and heads to India, where relations with local officials go from sympathetic to sour as she presses for more information. With the discovery of other unexplained deaths followed by hasty cremations, Jennifer reaches out to her mentor, New York City medical examiner Dr. Laurie Montgomery, who has her own deep connection to Maria.
Laurie, along with her husband, Dr. Jack Stapleton, rushes to the younger woman’s side, discovering a sophisticated medical facility with little margin for error. As the death count grows, so do the questions, leading Laurie and Jennifer to unveil a sinister, multilayered conspiracy of global proportions. Views: 703
In this riveting prequel to her novel Little Mercies, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf explores how even the smallest lies can have far-reaching consequences.
When the body of a woman is discovered in a local park—with her bewildered four-year-old son sitting beside her—veteran social worker Ellen Moore is called in to assist in the police investigation. Positioned beneath a statue of Leto, the goddess of motherhood, the crime is weighted with meaning and, Ellen discovers, remarkably similar to one from a decade past.
Ellen's professional duty is to protect the child, but she's not equipped to contend with a killer. As she races to connect the dots, she knows her time is running out. And the stakes are high: if she fails, another mother is sure to make the ultimate sacrifice. Views: 703
No witnesses, no evidence, no body: Star psychologist Viktor Larenz’s twelve-year-old daughter, Josy, who had suffered from an inexplicable illness, has vanished under mysterious circumstances during a visit to her doctor, and the investigation into her disappearance has brought no results. Four years later, Viktor remains a man shattered by this tragedy. He has retreated to a remote vacation cottage on a North Sea island, where a beautiful stranger named Anna Glass pays him a visit. She claims to be a novelist who suffers from an unusual form of schizophrenia: all the characters she creates for her books become real. While writing her most recent novel, Anna has been tortured by visions of a little girl with an unknown illness who has vanished without a trace, and she asks Dr. Larenz to treat her. Viktor reluctantly begins therapy sessions with the stranger, but very soon these sessions take a dramatic turn as the past is dragged back into the light. What really happened to Josy? Do Anna’s delusions describe Josy’s last days? And is Larenz a danger to himself and others?
Therapy is an absolutely gripping psychological thriller, an intelligent, fast and furious read that will stay with you for a long time after you have followed Viktor into the depths of his own psyche, and have figured out who Anna Glass really is. Views: 703
In a novel that reaffirms her reputation as "America's Queen of Suspense," Mary Higgins Clark delivers a gripping tale of deception and tantalizing suspense.
Nicholas Spencer, charismatic head of the medical research company Gen-stone, involved in the development of an anticancer vaccine, suddenly disappears. His private plane crashes en route to Puerto Rico, but his body is not found.
Early results of the vaccine seemed highly promising. Yet, coinciding with Nicholas Spencer's disappearance comes news that the FDA is denying approval. Then follows the shocking revelation that Spencer had looted Gen-stone of huge sums of money -- including the lifetime savings of people who had risked every penny they had.
Marcia "Carley" DeCarlo, the thirty-two-year-old columnist for the Wall Street Weekly, is assigned to cover the story. Carley is the stepsister of Spencer's wife, Lynn, an aggressive PR woman and socialite, whom she dislikes and distrusts.
The day after news of her husband's disappearance rocks the financial and medical world, Lynn attends a meeting of the stockholders of Gen-stone, flaunting expensive clothing and jewelry. Accused of having participated in the scam, she appears indifferent to the anger and despair of the people attending, among them a man whose child has cancer and who is now about to lose his home. That night, she narrowly escapes death when her mansion in Bedford, New York, is set on fire. She turns to Carley, begging her to use her investigative skills to prove that she was not her husband's accomplice.
As Carley proceeds with her investigation, she is confronted by seemingly impenetrable questions: Is Nicholas Spencer dead or in hiding? Was he guilty or set up? Why the sudden reversal in medical opinion of the vaccine from recognition to condemnation? And as the facts begin to unfold, she becomes the target of a dangerous group involved in a sinister and fraudulent scheme.
The Second Time Around is Mary Higgins Clark at her best, telling a story that intertwines fiction with the stuff of real-life headlines in a novel of breathtaking suspense and surprises. Views: 702
Insidious is the twentieth thriller in #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter's FBI series. FBI agents Savich and Sherlock must discover who is trying to murder Venus Rasmussen, a powerful, wealthy society icon. They soon find out that the danger may be closer than expected.
Venus Rasmussen, a powerful woman who runs the international conglomerate Rasmussen Industries, believes someone is poisoning her. After Savich and Sherlock visit with her, someone attempts to shoot her in broad daylight. Who’s trying to kill her and why? A member of her rapacious family, or her grandson who’s been missing for ten years and suddenly reappears? Savich and Sherlock must peel away the layers to uncover the incredible truth about who would target Venus.
Meanwhile, Special Agent Cam Wittier leaves Washington for Los Angeles to work with local Detective Daniel Montoya to lead the hunt for the Starlet Slasher, a serial killer who has cut the throats of five young actresses. When a sixth young actress is murdered, Cam comes to realize the truth might be closer than she’d ever want to believe.
With breakneck speed and unexpected twists and turns, Coulter’s Insidious will leave you breathless until the shocking conclusion. Views: 702
Synopsis:Anne Daniels has a secret to tell you. Come on an adventure with her to the sunshine in Tampa, Florida, a business trip where her path crosses with the man of her dreams, Alex, a carefree artist. Follow Anne to a beautiful Florida beach hidden from the world where she discovers true love, but not without a twist that changes her heart forever. Have you experienced true love?Synopsis:Anne Daniels has a secret to tell you. Come on an adventure with her to the sunshine in Tampa, Florida, a business trip where her path crosses with the man of her dreams, Alex, a carefree artist. Follow Anne to a beautiful Florida beach hidden from the world where she discovers true love, but not without a twist that changes her heart forever. Have you experienced true love?Praise for "A Brush of Love":- "It will leave you pondering life." - Amazon Reviewer- "Wow! I have read this a couple of times..." - Barnes & Noble ReviewerOne of the 11 stories included in the collection "From Vegas With Blood." Views: 702