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Wound
by Oksana VasyakinaA breathtaking story of grief, queer love and a young woman's search for creative fulfilment: for fans of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and Crying in H Mart.A breathtaking novel of grief, love, creativity and a young woman's queer and artistic awakening.In the days after her mother's death from breast cancer, Oksana, a young queer poet, decides to return her mother's ashes to their working-class hometown in Siberia. It is a journey home that will take her through the raw, almost dreamlike emotions of early grief through to an acceptance of the wound that death leaves behind.As she navigates the rituals of parting, Oksana feels her way through memory and heartache with a wry humour, reflecting on her complex relationship with her mother and on her own experiences of love, loss, sexuality and the search for home.Powerful, lyrical and precise, this extraordinary debut is a story which blurs the line between reality and creation. Wound is a both an exploration of grief and a journey towards love, happiness and creative fulfilment.Translated from the Russian by Elina Alter"This is not just an amazing novel, extremely frank, extremely accurate and extremely addictive, but, perhaps, a book about finding happiness" The Blueprint"Wound is a poet's novel . . . a primer on feminist thought for readers with Pushkin in their veins" European Review of Books(P)2023 Quercus Editions Limited
Carnegie Hill: A Novel
by Jonathan VatnerTown & Country Magazine's Must-Read Books of Summer 2019 | She Reads' Best Books for Your Summer Roadtrip"Carnegie Hill has got to be one of the most charming, hilarious, and insightful books I've read in ages. When it comes to New York's (often befuddled) elite, Vatner has an eagle eye for detail, and an ear for whip-smart dialogue. This is an assured, heartfelt debut." –Grant Ginder, author of The People We Hate at the Wedding and Honestly, We Meant WellDeception is just another day in the lives of the Upper East Side's elite.At age thirty-three, Penelope “Pepper” Bradford has no career, no passion and no children. Her intrusive parents still treat her like a child. Moving into the Chelmsford Arms with her fiancé Rick, an up-and-coming financier, and joining the co-op board give her some control over her life—until her parents take a gut dislike to Rick and urge Pepper to call off the wedding. When, the week before the wedding, she glimpses a trail of desperate text messages from Rick’s obsessed female client, Pepper realizes that her parents might be right.She looks to her older neighbors in the building to help decide whether to stay with Rick, not realizing that their marriages are in crisis, too. Birdie and George’s bond frays after George is forced into retirement at sixty-two. And Francis alienates Carol, his wife of fifty years, and everyone else he knows, after being diagnosed with an inoperable heart condition. To her surprise, Pepper’s best model for love may be a clandestine gay romance between Caleb and Sergei, a black porter and a Russian doorman.Jonathan Vatner's Carnegie Hill is a belated-coming-of-age novel about sustaining a marriage—and knowing when to walk away. It chronicles the lives of wealthy New Yorkers and the staff who serve them, as they suffer together and rebound, struggle to free themselves from family entanglements, deceive each other out of love and weakness, and fumble their way to honesty.
Uncoupling: Turning Points in Intimate Relationships
by Diane VaughanWith extensive use of interviews of both straight and gay couples, married and live-ins, the book explains in lucid and engaging detail the turning points in intimate relationships showing that there are basic similar patterns.
Bad Seed (Crypt Coffee #1)
by Gareth VaughnDane's a Decrypter down on his luck -- after accidentally dispatching the wrong creature, he's sent to a small town where the cryptids he hunts are sparse. Crypt Coffee becomes his business front, but instead of a thrilling new mission on the side, he's stuck sending ghosts back to where they came from. Dane can annoy customers, at least, and tries to scare off Professor Sean Sanderson when he starts poking around too much.But Sean isn’t about to stay away. Not when he hears about the murder of a former student, and definitely not if young, exciting Dane has information about it. But the more he allows himself to get dragged into this supernatural world of monsters and ghosts, the more the danger escalates. And if Sean and Dane aren’t careful, tracking down a murderer who can use magic might just get them killed.
Crypt Coffee Box Set
by Gareth VaughnPart of a secret organization tasked with responding to paranormal threats, Dane is a loose cannon operating out of a niche coffee shop, Crypt Coffee. When Sean, a local professor addicted to Dane’s pastries, accidentally sees something he shouldn’t have -- something impossible --it starts the two of them on a dangerous and passionate affair full of sex, secrets, strange characters, and ... murder.This box set contains all five books in the series, including:Bad Seed: Monster hunter Dane and professor Sean make an unlikely pair, but teaming up together is the only chance they have at catching a killer -- that is, if they don’t get too distracted with each other first.Night Terror: Something in Bleu Falls is killing off cows, and monster hunter Dane is ready to track it down with the help of his partner, Sean. The only problem is Sean doesn’t remember him anymore.Family Bonds: When a violent werewolf ghost threatens to rip the delicate peace between the local packs apart, it’s up to Sean and Dane to step in and diffuse the situation. Negotiating killer ghosts and shady secret organizations might be easier than dealing with a surprise visit from Dane’s parents, who have no idea about his real job and who are intent on spending some quality family time with their son.Slim Chance: A stable relationship is harder for Dane and Sean than dealing with monsters or murderers, so when Sean sees something weird at work, it’s almost a welcome challenge. Except that Sean’s getting sick, and Dane has to pose as a student to get to the bottom of things, a role he hates. Can they solve the mystery in time or are their chances for success, and survival, slim indeed?Tipped Scales: A series of attacks gets the summer off to a dangerous start as Sean and Dane investigate what's going on in Bleu Falls. As the pieces click into place, they find there's an awful lot of magical power at stake, enough to change the world. But the closer they get to answers, the less likely it seems they will ever have a chance at a future together -- unless they can tip the scales in their favor.
Date from Hell
by Gareth VaughnIn his desperation to find a date in time for the annual Helloween bash, minor-rank demon Kev summons a coworker he once hooked up with. But when the smoke and sulfur clears, it isn’t demon Ira standing in the ring, but a very perplexed, very human mortal named Archer.Archer is cute, confused, and willing to consider going as Kev's date ... for a price. Turns out this isn't the first time Archer's met a demon, and he wants his soul back.
The Doctor and the Addict (Shadows and Spell Light #2)
by Gareth VaughnCompanion to The Officer and the ThiefGraden Fallswenne has been struggling to kick his sugardream magic crystal habit, thinking if he does, he might just have a chance again with his ex, Evander. But when he finds the man has already moved on, Graden returns distraught to old haunts and habits.He isn’t expecting to catch the attention of Dr. Louk Reeves, a man in a class Graden has been kicked out of. Louk is competent and is going places with his career, while Graden can barely take care of himself. Still, he isn’t about to pass up the chance to get his life back together when Louk offers.Soon he wonders if moving in with Louk is just another of his poor choices. The doctor’s house is old and unsettling, the medical regimen difficult, and the nurse is competing for Louk’s affections. But when a ghost begins haunting Graden, he isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into.
Family Bonds (Crypt Coffee #3)
by Gareth VaughnSequel to Night TerrorIt’s January and Professor Sean Sanderson has a little time off, though it’s anything but relaxing. Between a Guild initiation and a birthday, he’s stressed, and that’s before he and Dane, his Decrypter boyfriend, learn a werewolf has been murdered. The local Packs are at each other’s throats about the death and don’t want either Sean or Dane getting involved, which they’d be glad to do ... if the werewolf in question hadn’t reappeared as a violent ghost.Just when they have their hands full trying to dodge around Pack politics and track down a werewolf ghost before he hurts anyone, Dane’s parents show up at his coffee shop. They have no idea their son is a Decrypter, and they have no intention of leaving until they spend some quality family time together.
Ghoul Me Once
by Gareth VaughnRob and the rest of the SIPS (Society for Investigative Paranormal Study) are eager to spend the holidays at the Dead End Inn, a bed and breakfast where a supernatural encounter is guaranteed. When they arrive, though, and find that the inn’s proprietor, a certain former Decrypter with a professor boyfriend, has booked a second band of ghost hunters, friendly rivalry threatens to spill into outright hostility.To make matters worse, Rob can’t stop thinking about a member of the rival group, Edward. And despite trying to stay focused on the job, it seems like fate, or perhaps the resident mischievous ghost, is determined that the two men spend time alone together in rather distracting circumstances. Will Rob be able to help the SIPS find their first proof of the paranormal, or will it be he and Edward who end up going bump in the night?
The Heart of Ailonsileah
by Gareth VaughnThe heist: steal the Heart of Ailonsileah from a heavily fortified space station during a ball held by its wealthy and unscrupulous owner. Do not get distracted by the other expensive baubles on display, and definitely don’t get distracted by Galenn, the attractive and mysterious art appraiser who has his own agenda. Too bad Shay was never good at sticking to a plan.Things go from bad to worse as the heist meets more than its share of complications, including seduction, calamity, and betrayal. And through it all, Shay finds himself drawn to Galenn, even over the objections of some of his team.Can Shay make it through with his skin intact, his wallet full, and his heart unbroken?
The Ishcrin Affair
by Gareth VaughnClem Turner is pretty sure nothing else can go wrong. Assigned by the head of his museum to check out a possible acquisition, his train ride from Chicago to Duluth has been full of problems -- lost luggage, food poisoning, and now an unscheduled stop in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin. Hoping for a bit of distraction, he decides to check out the local fair, only to run right into a different sort of predicament.The 1890s aren’t a great time to fall for another man, but with Anton Hess it’s hard to resist. An adventurer and businessman, Anton has captured the legendary ishcrin, a beast with wings, spines, and a nasty disposition, and he’s charging people to see it. For the nickel admission, though, Clem gets much more than he bargained for, and faces the prospect of the greatest disaster of his journey yet -- a broken heart.
Just a Game
by Gareth VaughnFriends Colin and Edward are ready for a night of tabletop gaming. But when no one else shows, they decide to go ahead and play anyway.A little just-for-fun roleplaying takes a steamy turn when a few chance rolls of the die put Colin's and Edward's characters in bed together. They could stop playing at any time, or see where luck takes them ... and their friendship.
Murder on the Orion Express
by Gareth VaughnAfter finding a dead man in her office, Hercula Perry simply needs some time away from her job at Hjerson University. When her rich aunt Cynthia books her on the Orion Express, the first-of-its-kind tourism transport to the Moon and back, it's not what Hercula had in mind to escape, but she's not about to pass on the opportunity -- or the free food and drink. She takes the chance to get away from it all for a week, only to find things aren't necessarily smoother far above the earth as they are on its surface.Immediately a passenger dies in suspicious circumstances, pulling Hercula into another questionable death on a ship which won't return home for days. This time, she's determined to figure out what went wrong. This time, she will get to the bottom of it before they return to earth -- or before someone else, maybe even herself, is killed.
Night Terror (Crypt Coffee #2)
by Gareth VaughnSequel to Bad SeedAfter tracking down a murderer, Dane wants life to get back to normal. But when an Order of Decrypters representative shows in Dane's coffee shop, he knows he's going to have to watch his step.Reeling from a reprimand for his conduct and annoyed at having nothing better to do than make coffee, Dane is relieved when he learns there's a problem monster on the loose. Hunting down whatever is killing and eating cows sounds like the perfect cure for his moodiness. Add in the company of his unlikely partner professor Sean Sanderson, and Dane might just get over disciplinary action.The problem is Dane can't figure out what kind of monster is on a killing spree. And Sean doesn't seem to remember him anymore.
The Officer and the Thief (Shadows and Spell Light #1)
by Gareth VaughnCompanion to The Doctor and the Addict Benen Trelayne has worked hard to make Assistant Detective by age 27, but protecting the city of Jewylle on Ilben is no easy job. When Benen removes a mysterious puzzle box from a murder scene, he isn’t expecting to have to deal with anything more than cracking the case.But while attempting to stop a robbery, the curious box is activated, and Benen’s stuck trying to figure his way out of a puzzle spell with only a thief who calls himself Gus for help. Benen is sure Gus knows more about the murder than he’s saying, but can’t arrest him unless they can work together enough to escape.
On Pins and Needlepoints
by Gareth VaughnWhen Ian picks up a weird needlepoint at an antiques store, he expects nothing more out of the ordinary than dealing with his eccentric buyer, Ellen. But when the man he bumps into on the way out of the store finds him again later at a local bar, Ian decides to throw caution to the wind and take Gabe back home with him for the night. Ian’s pleased with the decision -- until he realizes Gabe has stolen the needlepoint in the night and is now missing.Offended, Ian tracks down Gabe and the missing needlepoint. What he discovers when Gabe finally confesses his reasoning to him is much more than Ian is expecting. With a mystery on their hands and Ellen as enlisted help, Ian and Gabe are on a mission to unravel the secrets of the strange needlepoint -- before the man stalking them injures them, or worse.
Rogue Delivery
by Gareth VaughnLyndon is running on empty when he makes his last courier pickup of the day at a strange business. He’s definitely not ready for the shy and attractive man who’s supposed to sign off on the delivery to jump into his van and order him to drive as fast as he can. But acting on instinct is sort of Lyndon’s thing, so before he knows it he’s in a cross-country chase with danger hot on his heels.Curtis had his doubts about working for his employers, but he deeply appreciated the routine of it. When he discovers that he might have unwittingly helped create a bug that could spread like a deadly fire through the country, though, he knows he has to act, and he’s only glad that the brash courier who picks him up is willing to go all the way to make sure what Curtis is carrying reaches its final destination.
Shadows and Spell Light Box Set (Shadows and Spell Light #3)
by Gareth VaughnBoth stories in Gareth Vaughn's popular interracial fantasy gay romance series Shadows and Spell Light are combined together for the first time! Contains the stories:The Officer and the Thief: Benen Trelayne has worked hard to make Assistant Detective by age 27, but protecting the city of Jewylle on Ilben is no easy job. When Benen removes a mysterious puzzle box from a murder scene, he isn’t expecting to have to deal with anything more than cracking the case.But while attempting to stop a robbery, the curious box is activated, and Benen’s stuck trying to figure his way out of a puzzle spell with only a thief who calls himself Gus for help. Benen is sure Gus knows more about the murder than he’s saying, but can’t arrest him unless they can work together enough to escape.The Doctor and the Addict: Graden Fallswenne has been struggling to kick his sugardream magic crystal habit, thinking if he does, he might just have a chance again with his ex, Evander. But when he finds the man has already moved on, Graden returns distraught to old haunts and habits.He isn’t expecting to catch the attention of Dr. Louk Reeves, a man in a class Graden has been kicked out of. Louk is competent and is going places with his career, while Graden can barely take care of himself. Still, he isn’t about to pass up the chance to get his life back together when Louk offers.Soon he wonders if moving in with Louk is just another of his poor choices. The doctor’s house is old and unsettling, the medical regimen difficult, and the nurse is competing for Louk’s affections. But when a ghost begins haunting Graden, he isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into.
Shooting for the Moon
by Gareth VaughnWith winter holidays approaching, it's supposed to be a time for romance and togetherness for Colton and Ben. Except climate change has erased the chance for a white Christmas, their rent is going up, and neither of them have energy after working all day and barely getting to see each other. As their frustrations mount and finances dwindle, it almost seems more likely they'll be single for the new year rather than doing anything special for each other.Colton isn't willing to give up without a fight, though. He might not be able to give Ben his dream of visiting the moon, but he can bring a bit of the moon to Earth. Rekindling some of his own hope and romance, he decides to put his skills as a chef to good use and go all out in preparing Ben a meal -- and a night -- not to be forgotten. The world might be a grim place, but if he shoots for the moon, maybe he can hit a bit of holiday magic.
Slim Chance
by Gareth VaughnSequel to Family BondsSettling into a stable relationship proves to be harder for Dane and Sean than dealing with monsters or murderers, so when Professor Sean starts seeing something weird -- something unnatural -- at work, it's almost a welcome challenge. Except that Sean's getting sick, too.When Decrypter Dane agrees to investigate, he is dragged further and further into uncomfortable territory when he must pose as a student to find the source of Sean's mysterious illness. He hates his undercover role and wants to get the job done as fast as possible, but digging into the goings on at Sean's school uncovers a dark secret, one dating back decades and not dead yet.Can Dane find out what's going on, maintain his cover, and not screw up his already rocky relationship, or are their chances for success, and survival, slim indeed?
Tipped Scales (Crypt Coffee)
by Gareth VaughnSequel to Slim ChanceA series of murders and attempted murders gets the summer off to a dangerous start as Sean finally has a little time off from teaching to help Decrypter Dane investigate what's going on in Bleu Falls. The town's magic is being manipulated, and not only is Dane's Order of Decrypters leaving him out of the loop, he's being assigned to play bodyguard for the owner of a local smoothie shop, who might also be a Bigfoot. While Sean and Dane attempt to balance their relationship and their obligations to their paranormal organizations, the attacks escalate.As the pieces start clicking into place, what becomes obvious is that there's an awful lot of raw magical power concentrating in Bleu Falls. Enough that whoever controls it could completely change not just the town, but the whole world. And the closer Sean and Dane get to the bottom of things, the less likely it seems they will ever have a chance at a future together -- unless they can tip the scales in favor of a happy ending.
Under Snow and Stars
by Gareth VaughnEryx is part of a team of scientists charged with monitoring and protecting relocated animals on a privately owned planet. When sensors indicate poachers, Eryx leaves base to confront them, only to lose his way in a sudden snow. After trudging to a nearby observation station for shelter, he comes across an unexpected intruder.Smuggler Leander flies an old, sometimes unreliable ship. When the engine starts to fail, he attempts to set down on the nearest planet where he’s stashed supplies, but his descent turns into a crash, and he’s forced to take shelter wherever he can.The two can’t possibly trust each other, but storm projections show they’ll be stuck together for days. Worse, the poachers aren’t letting a little inclement weather stop them, and they’re armed and ready to kill. Can Leander and Eryx put aside their differences and save the animals -- and themselves -- before something disastrous happens?
Fated (Shadow Mountain #1)
by Indra VaughnShadow Mountain: Book OneTwo towns flank the looming Shadow Mountain. A dark myth of the Predator drifts through the dense trees, a tale Police Lieutenant Hart never paid much attention to. When one unresolved death follows another--some people dying without discernible cause while others are clearly, and often brutally, murdered--he can't ignore it any longer. Truth may lie in myth, but this one is spread to deceive everyone. The Predator exists, but he's not entirely human. Hart will have to find the connection between the mysterious figure and victims with only one thing in common: a faint tattoo on the backs of their necks, a mark left when someone healed their incurable diseases. Isaac Lasko has been in love with Hart since he moved in across the street seven years ago. He's been helping Hart renovate his home, and their friendship grows more intense with the years, but Isaac can't help wishing for a deeper bond. When he finally breaks through the lieutenant's armor, the mystery surrounding the Predator threatens them both. Help will come, but at a price. 2015 Rainbow AwardsThe Dorien Grey Award for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller Runner-Up
Fragmented (Shadow Mountain #2)
by Indra VaughnShadow Mountain: Book TwoThe capture of the Tattoo Murderer has demanded a heavy price. Doctor Tobias Darwin is dead, Lieutenant Hart is back in Riverside licking his substantial wounds, and he needs to gather his courage and tell Isaac he made a mistake. Isaac will forgive him--he knows that--but he can't promise Isaac an easy life. Being a cop comes with its own risks, after all. When they finally reach the same wavelength, their idyllic reprieve is cut tragically short. Hart doesn't know yet that Isaac is terminally ill, that he will take off to find the Phoenix to heal him as a last resort. This time, it will be Hart who pays the price. In the meantime, a new killer roams the streets of Riverside. He kidnaps, tortures, and kills gay men in horrific ways, and he has the newly healed Isaac in his sights. Hart's time is running out on every level. 2015 Rainbow Awards The Dorien Grey Award for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller Runner-Up
The House on Hancock Hill
by Indra VaughnPastry chef and bakery owner Jason Wood bakes a mean chocolate soufflé, yet his love life keeps falling flat. He'd blame his past if he wasn't trying so hard to avoid it. When his family's farmhouse burns to the ground, he's summoned to identify a body found in the ashes. Jason returns to Hancock, Michigan, and reunites with a childhood friend, small town vet Henry McCavanaugh. After fifteen years apart, their rekindled friendship soon develops into much more. But Jason's baggage threatens their blossoming romance, and he leaves town unannounced to escape his feelings--and Henry's feelings for him. He has learned the hard way if something seems too good to be true, it's best to run for the hills. Jason stress-bakes more confections than he knows what to do with before wondering if he's running in the wrong direction.