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The Story of Lola Gregg: A Novel
by Howard FastAs the sinister shadow of McCarthyism spreads across America, a woman fights to save everything she holds dearLola Gregg grew up the daughter of a respected physician in a tiny factory town. She married and had children, perfectly content in her quiet suburban existence. But Lola has a problem: At a time when progressivism is considered a national threat, Lola and her husband are on the wrong side of the political spectrum. When the FBI begins to tail her husband due to his leftist affiliations, Lola is forced to choose between her deeply held beliefs and the very safety of her family. Intense and thought-provoking, Lola Gregg is a potent thriller about one woman&’s struggle to preserve ideological freedom against the reactionary forces of her day. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
The Glass Slipper
by Mignon G. Eberhart“Follow days and nights of terror and anxiety” in this romantic thriller as a widowed doctor weds his dead wife’s nurse and accusations of murder begin (The New York Times).The new Mrs. Rue Hatterick is living the dream. First, she was singled out by brilliant hospital chief of staff, Dr. Brule Hatterick, to care for his sick wife. Then, she and the doctor swiftly get married after the former missus dies. What young nurse would refuse a man she admires as much as Rue does Brule Hatterick? He’s a widowed father with a daughter in need of a mother and Rue gratefully steps into the role. As Mrs. Hatterick, Rue now has everything she didn’t before: wealth, privilege, security. But the dream turns into a nightmare when rumors of murder swirl and the police open an investigation. Her husband appears to stand above accusation and leaves Rue to fend for herself when she falls under the guise of suspicion. When Brule’s young colleague and protégé suddenly makes a declaration of undying love to Rue and urges her to flee with him, Rue doesn’t know who to trust. When another nurse is murdered, a frightened Rue must make a choice that could very well find her in the arms of a murderer. . . .“First rate whodunit.” —Kirkus Reviews
Bedrock
by Lisa AltherA humorous journey from &’80s Manhattan to the wild side of small-town living, from bestselling author Lisa Alther Clea Shawn is exhausted by her life: her globe-trotting career as a travel photographer, her successful husband&’s numerous liaisons, and the unrequited love she feels for her best friend, Elke. She decides to get away from her Manhattan townhouse—and a city in the throws of the &’80s—and move to Roches Ridge, the picturesque Vermont town she visits on a ski trip. Roches Ridge is quiet, sleepy, and seemingly unchanged by the times. But Clea soon discovers this small town has big secrets—and even bigger characters. From the Don Johnson look-alike who introduces his salon&’s clientele to punk hairstyles and the band of militant lesbians camped out in Mink Creek to the romance-writing cosmetics saleswoman turned stalker and the strapping hillbilly with a predilection for animal skeleton art, Roches Ridge is livelier than Clea originally thinks. . . . A rollicking small-town adventure, Bedrock features Alther&’s signature mix of unexpected, humorous characters, and a charming heroine on the long bumpy road to self-actualization. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lisa Alther, including rare photos from the author&’s personal collection.
Murder at Monticello (The Homer Kelly Mysteries #15)
by Jane LangtonWhen Thomas Jefferson&’s Virginia home becomes a crime scene, scholar/sleuth Homer Kelly must stop a serial killer in this &“surefire winner&” (Booklist, starred review). Thomas Jefferson is in trouble. Two centuries after he became America&’s third President, the nation&’s historians have ganged up on him, intent on shattering the reputation of a man they once idolized. It&’s Fern Fisher&’s job to set the record straight. A hotshot young historian, she has been hired by the people at Monticello to repair Jefferson&’s tattered reputation. If she isn&’t careful, she could get her throat slit for her troubles. In the run-up to the celebration of Jefferson&’s bicentennial, a killer prowls the area around the President&’s historic home, brutally murdering any young women he can find. Harvard professor and casual sleuth Homer Kelly is in Monticello for the festivities, and is eager to reconnect with Fern, a former student. While Fern fights Jefferson&’s character assassination, Homer tries to keep her safe from murder of a more literal kind.
The Good Policeman (The Isaac Sidel Novels #5)
by Jerome CharynPolice commissioner Isaac Sidel struggles to keep the New York Police Department from shatteringWhen he was the police commissioner&’s first deputy, Isaac Sidel was one of the most powerful men in New York. But now that he&’s been promoted to the top job, there&’s nothing for Sidel to do but stare at his desk and feed the tapeworm that&’s attached to his stomach. The Justice Department sends him on a lecture tour of the country, but after one too many lunches with small-town mayors, Sidel goes AWOL and comes back to New York, getting in touch with the Ivanhoes, his illegal network of secret informants. A missing mob lawyer, a baseball-obsessed orphan genius, and a mysterious Romanian princess point towards a mystery that only he can tackle. Justice wants him back on tour, but something is rumbling beneath the city, and Sidel needs to be there to see it explode.
Night Secrets: A Frank Clemons Mystery (The Frank Clemons Mysteries #3)
by Thomas H. CookFrank Clemons, an ex-cop turned private detective, faces a pair of perplexing cases on the mean streets of New York City The first case is simple. A wealthy man&’s wife has grown distant, and he asks Frank Clemons, a private eye hardened by his past work on Atlanta&’s homicide beat, to find out why. There are a number of simple reasons why a young woman might withdraw from her older husband, but the spurned spouse rejects them all. Her jewelry is disappearing, but he insists that she doesn&’t have trouble with blackmail, drugs, or gambling. The answer must be more complex, and he begs Frank to find out what it is. Meanwhile, an old woman familiar to Frank from his nights haunting Tenth Avenue has been murdered, and a gypsy priestess claims that she killed her. But Frank is unconvinced, and unearthing these women&’s secrets will force him deep into the dark side of a city that he still cannot call home. Night Secrets is the third book in the Frank Clemons Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
The Strange Necessity: Essays and Reviews (Virago Modern Classics Ser. #2313)
by Rebecca WestIn this intellectually challenging collection of literary criticism, Rebecca West undertakes the question of art&’s value, examining the works of her contemporaries and their places in history &“The Strange Necessity,&” one of the twelve essays collected here and first published in 1928, anchors West&’s quest to understand why art matters and how aesthetics of every caliber can not only inspire but reveal the author&’s inner world. Whether juxtaposing Ulysses&’s prose with Pavlov&’s research, or comparing Sinclair Lewis with actress and pianist Yvonne Printemps, West finds that a satisfying emotion overrides an artistic work&’s form. Her intricately crafted essays reveal her experience in the literary circles of the twenties and thirties and the important role this question played in her own writing. West&’s keenly observed criticism offers invaluable insight not only into her work but into her impressions of early twentieth century literature.
The Man in the Empty Boat
by Mark SalzmanFrom the author of Iron & Silk comes a moving memoir of love and family, loss and spiritual yearningAnxiety has always been part of Mark Salzman&’s life: He was born into a family as nervous as rabbits, people with extra angst coded into their genes. As a young man he found solace through martial arts, meditation, tai chi, and rigorous writing schedules, but as he approaches midlife, he confronts a year of catastrophe. First, Salzman suffers a crippling case of writer&’s block; then a sudden family tragedy throws his life into chaos. Overwhelmed by terrifying panic attacks, the author begins a search for equanimity that ultimately leads to an epiphany from a most unexpected source. The Man in the Empty Boat is a witty and touching account of a skeptic&’s spiritual quest, a story of one man&’s journey to find peace as a father, a writer, and an individual.
Thirty Pieces of Silver: A Play in Three Acts
by Howard FastA couple in Washington, DC, is torn apart when a friend is accused of treasonJane and David Graham live upper-middle-class lives in mid-century Washington, DC. Jane minds the home with the help of a fulltime maid, and David works at the Treasury Department. But when the FBI visits their house one evening to ask questions about a friend&’s political beliefs, the answers the two give separately cause them both to wonder whether they truly know each other. Soon nothing is certain as the ideological fears plaguing the nation threaten to destroy Jane and David&’s family. Howard Fast&’s first play, Thirty Pieces of Silver was performed in several countries, from Australia to Europe, and offers an insightful look at the destructive power of reactionary politics in America. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips: A Novel (Stories To Remember Ser.)
by James HiltonThe modern classic about an idealistic British schoolmaster&’s influence on his students: &“A minor miracle&” (The New York Times). Throughout his forty-three-year tenure at Brookfield, &“a good public school of the second rate&” in eastern England, Arthur Chipping has been Mr. Chips to his students. From his unpolished first years during the Franco-Prussian War through the radical changes of the twentieth century and the outbreak of the First World War, Mr. Chips has shaped many young lives. But Chips has been inspired as well—by the unremarkable and the extraordinary alike, by his colleagues, by a woman who will change him forever, and not least, by his children, &“thousands of them, all boys.&” Since it was first published in 1934 to international success, Goodbye, Mr. Chips has never been out of print. It was followed by a collection of stories, To You, Mr. Chips, and provided the basis for two award-winning feature films, a stage musical, a radio play, and two television adaptations. Based on author James Hilton&’s experiences as a student at the Leys School, Cambridge, this short novel endures as a revelation of the difference one good teacher can make, and &“what the better emotions do toward making people important&” (Kirkus Reviews).
Baal
by Robert McCammonA child of evil follows his terrifying destiny in this cult horror classic from the New York Times–bestselling &“master of the Gothic novel&” (Booklist). Mary Kate is an ordinary waitress stuck in a loveless marriage. But after surviving a brutal assault on the streets of New York, she finds herself pregnant with her attacker&’s child—a boy who will prove to be anything but ordinary . . . Mary and her husband try to give their son Jeffrey a good life, but they are no match for the mysterious forces at play. Jeffrey soon renames himself Baal and sets about cultivating his terrible power. From a deadly cult in California to an orgy of violence in Kuwait, Baal is there, leading the madness. But it is in the hellish wasteland of the Arctic that Baal will unleash the crowning triumph of his evil . . . and meet his ultimate fate.
Jimmy the Kid (The Dortmunder Novels #3)
by Donald E. WestlakeA kidnapping plan cribbed from a crime novel goes hilariously wrong for gang boss John Dortmunder—from the Edgar Award–winning author of Bank Shot. When his &“friend&” Andy Kelp has a plan, career criminal John Dortmunder knows that means trouble. Kelp&’s schemes, no matter how well intentioned, tend to spiral quickly out of control. But this one, Kelp swears, is airtight. He read it in a book! The novel featured a kidnapping so brilliant there&’s no way it wouldn&’t work in real life. Though offended that his usual role as heist planner has been usurped, Dortmunder reluctantly agrees to the scheme. Unfortunately, they kidnap a kid smarter than all of them put together. What&’s simple on the page turns complex and chaotic—and there&’s no reference guide to help Dortmunder through the madness he&’s signed on for. &“[Westlake&’s] most durable character. Whatever can go wrong in the man&’s elaborate attempts at larceny invariably does, and in the most amusing and unexpected ways possible.&” —Los Angeles Times &“Westlake has no peer in the realm of comic mystery novelists.&” —San Francisco Chronicle
Flame: Flame, Bloodfire, And Hot (The Fred Carver Mysteries #4)
by John LutzWhen a client dies in a car explosion, Orlando detective Fred Carver learns the man may not have been who he said he wasFor Bert Renway, it starts out as a simple proposition: a fat bundle of money to spend a few weeks impersonating Frank Wesley, a local tycoon. But after a while Bert grows suspicious of the easy money, and seeks help in the shape of Fred Carver, an ex–Orlando policeman turned private investigator. Like Bert, Carver smells trouble, and agrees to help him find out who his employers are and why they want him to play Wesley. Neither of them is suspicious enough. A few minutes after Bert leaves, an explosion sounds in the parking lot—the new client&’s car gone up in a burst of flame. When they pull his body from the wreckage, dental records identify him not as Bert Renway, but as Frank Wesley. Carver doesn&’t care. He&’s on the case no matter who the man was. This ebook features an illustrated biography of John Lutz including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s personal collection.Flame is the 4th book in the Fred Carver Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia (Canons Ser.)
by Rebecca WestHailed as among the most important books of the twentieth century, Rebecca West&’s magnum opus is a history, a travelogue, and a sociological study of Yugoslavia that examines how the past shapes the present In a breathtakingly wide-ranging journalistic work, West richly chronicles her travels throughout Yugoslavia in the 1930s, introducing vivid characters and illuminating details. More than a travelogue, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon connects the people and places West encounters to the long history of conflict that has formed national identities in the Balkans across a millennium of shifting alliances. West writes, &“I had come to Yugoslavia because I knew that the past has made the present, and I wanted to see how the process works.&” As profound, sad, and funny as when it was first published in 1941, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon interrogates the forces that continue to shape our modern world.
Miss Lizzie: The Return Of Miss Lizzie
by Walter SatterthwaitThe notorious Lizzie Borden investigates a brutal axe-murder that&’s strangely reminiscent of her own alleged crimes in this &“entertaining&” historical novel (The New York Times). It has been thirty years since a Massachusetts jury acquitted Lizzie Borden of brutally murdering her father and stepmother. Now, at the start of the 1920s, she&’s an aging spinster living a quiet, secluded life by the New England seashore. Young Amanda Burton has heard all the stories, but nothing can dissuade her from spending time with the lonely old woman next door who shows her card tricks and smells of cigars. At age thirteen, Amanda&’s been left to her own devices during a rather dull and swelteringly summer-long family vacation, and Miss Lizzie is the perfect distraction. But when Amanda stumbles upon her own despised stepmother&’s corpse, the brutal crime seems eerily similar to a certain double axe-slaying in Fall River three decades earlier. Naturally the whole town immediately suspects Lizzie. The local police, though, are open-minded enough to consider Amanda&’s brother and father to be viable suspects as well. To help her young friend and clear her own name (again), Lizzie must sharpen her sleuthing skills to find a fiendish killer with an axe to grind.
Diamond in the Buff: A Jill Smith Mystery (The Jill Smith Mysteries #6)
by Susan DunlapAfter a bizarre attack, a petty feud between neighbors turns seriousAlthough the citizens of Berkeley are famously tolerant, that progressive attitude disappears at the property line between the homes of Dr. Hasbrouck Diamond and Leila Sandoval. In the Berkeley hills , there are no worse neighbors than Diamond and Sandoval. What began as a tiff about garbage cans and street parking has exploded into full-blown war, drawing in the city, the press, and now—to the irritation of detective Jill Smith—the police department. Struck by a falling eucalyptus branch while sunning on his deck, Dr. Diamond accuses his neighbor of assault with a deadly tree. As a heat wave causes tempers to flare even higher, Jill does her best to referee the back-and-forth. But when their feud ends in death, she realizes that the community might only be safe with the neighbors behind bars.This ebook features an illustrated biography of Susan Dunlap including rare images from the author&’s personal collection.
Bluegate Fields (The Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novels #6)
by Anne PerryFrom a New York Times–bestselling author, Charlotte and Thomas Pitt must solve the case of a young gentleman&’s sordid murder—before an innocent man hangs. The naked body of an aristocratic youth turns up in the sewers beneath Bluegate Fields, one of London&’s most notorious slums. But Arthur Waybourne had been drowned in his bath, not in the Thames. More shocking still was that the boy had been sexually violated and infected with syphilis before he was murdered. Despite Inspector Thomas Pitt&’s efforts to fully investigate the crime, the family closes ranks, stonewalling Pitt, leaving him to wonder what they are hiding. All evidence points to Arthur&’s tutor, Jerome, as the murderer. The courts agree and Jerome is sentenced to hang. Pitt and his wife, Charlotte, don&’t believe the answer is so simple. But if not Jerome, then who molested and infected the boy? To learn the truth, Charlotte uses her familiarity with the upper classes to draw aside the curtain of lies, while Pitt defies his superior and the boy&’s family to follow a trail that leads him into the foulest streets of London through a web of deceit involving male prostitution and pedophilia. In a race against time, Thomas and Charlotte must find the real killer to save Jerome from the hangman&’s noose.
A Season in Hell (Bride Series)
by Jack HigginsAn electrifying novel of blood, vengeance, and international intrigue from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Eagle Has Landed. As a high-powered Wall Street lawyer, Sarah Talbot believed her world was comfortable and secure—until her beloved stepson was found dead of a drug overdose in Paris. Her initial grief is compounded when she learns that his body was used to transport heroin by an unstoppable European cartel. Trained by British SAS, Irish-born Sean Egan has no problem killing whenever and wherever someone has to die. Dealing with death is second nature to him. So when his sister&’s drug-poisoned corpse is found floating in the Thames, he knows it&’s not an accident—it&’s murder. Bonded by their shared loss, Egan and Talbot come together, vow to find those responsible, and make them pay. Pursuing an enemy known only as &“Mr. Smith&” and hunted by a master assassin, they cannot imagine the truth they will uncover—and the dangers they will face. All they know is that they cannot stop until they have their revenge—no matter the cost. For over fifty years, Jack Higgins, author of The Midnight Bell, Rain on the Dead, and other bestsellers, has thrilled millions around the world with his lighting-paced novels of international action, suspense, and spy craft. Filled with engaging heroes, implacable villains, and action that draws readers in like a classic honey trap, Higgins&’s novels remain the high-water mark of thriller excellence.
Topophrenia: Place, Narrative, and the Spatial Imagination (The Spatial Humanities)
by Robert T. Tally Jr.What is our place in the world, and how do we inhabit, understand, and represent this place to others? Topophrenia gathers essays by Robert Tally that explore the relationship between space, place, and mapping, on the one hand, and literary criticism, history, and theory on the other. The book provides an introduction to spatial literary studies, exploring in detail the theory and practice of geocriticism, literary cartography, and the spatial humanities more generally. The spatial anxiety of disorientation and the need to know one's location, even if only subconsciously, is a deeply felt and shared human experience. Building on Yi Fu Tuan's "topophilia" (or love of place), Tally instead considers the notion of "topophrenia" as a simultaneous sense of place-consciousness coupled with a feeling of disorder, anxiety, and "dis-ease." He argues that no effective geography could be complete without also incorporating an awareness of the lonely, loathsome, or frightening spaces that condition our understanding of that space. Tally considers the tension between the objective ordering of a space and the subjective ways in which narrative worlds are constructed. Narrative maps present a way of understanding that seems realistic but is completely figurative. So how can these maps be used to not only understand the real world but also to put up an alternative vision of what that world might otherwise be? From Tolkien to Cervantes, Borges to More, Topophrenia provides a clear and compelling explanation of how geocriticism, the spatial humanities, and literary cartography help us to narrate, represent, and understand our place in a constantly changing world.
The Deserter: Murder at Gettysburg (The Homer Kelly Mysteries #17)
by Jane LangtonGettysburg deserter or Civil War hero? Scholar/sleuth Homer Kelly and his wife, Mary, solve the mystery of her great-great-grandfather in this &“clever&” novel (Booklist). Homer and Mary Kelly have wandered through Harvard University&’s Memorial Hall dozens of times, but never have they lingered over the long list of alumni who died for the Union during the Civil War. One afternoon, the setting sun casts its light on the name of Seth Morgan, Mary&’s disgraced great-great-grandfather. She knows little of her ancestor&’s life, for family lore holds that he was a deserter, and a blight on the Morgan name. But as she and her husband dig into the dead man&’s story, they find something astonishing. The mystery deepens as the story shifts from past to present. Even in 1863 it was difficult to know just what happened on the blood-soaked fields of Gettysburg, but no matter what it takes, Homer and Mary will find truth, and restore the honor of a man who died fighting for his country.
George Passant (The Strangers and Brothers Novels)
by C.P. SnowA wise, moving novel about a mentor and his protégé: &“The central character . . . is immensely appealing . . . a peculiarly haunting and sympathetic figure.&” —The New York Times In late 1920s England, Lewis Eliot is building a career in law and has found a mentor in George Passant. The quirky small-town solicitor&’s clerk has much wisdom to share from his years of experience—during which he has also managed to hold on to his idealism. Eliot is just one of the many young devotees drawn to Passant, hoping for guidance from the man who&’s always ready to extend a loan or a listening ear. However, the young men will have to learn to fly on their own—and come to Passant&’s aid themselves—in this absorbing novel by &“an extremely shrewd observer of men and society&” (Commentary). &“An enlightened discussion of questions of conscience and conduct and commitment. . . . Filled with the concerns which are so fundamentally and essentially a part of this writer&’s work and have attracted a firm following.&” —Kirkus ReviewsOriginally published under the title Strangers and Brothers
Catch-As-Catch-Can
by Charlotte ArmstrongIn a villa on the California coast, a murderer stalks a young heiressLaila Breen is a strangely naïve girl. Her father Jonas is an adventurer, a robber baron who made his fortune traveling exotic climes. Laila speaks French and knows how to order fine food, but she cannot read a newspaper and can barely write her own name. Jonas settles in California, planning to get this strange eighteen-year-old tutored in the ways of practical life. He dies soon after, leaving his daughter rich, clueless, and alone. Her only friend is Dee Allison, a cousin who tries to help Laila even after the orphan catches the eye of Dee&’s fiancé. Standing in Dee&’s way is a gang of relatives who care more about Laila&’s fortune than her future. When a housekeeper falls victim to poisoning, Dee fears for Laila. For a young girl with money, nothing is more dangerous than family.
The Veiled One: An Inspector Wexford Mystery (The Inspector Wexford Mysteries #2)
by Ruth RendellInspector Wexford searches for answers after an elderly woman is murdered in this &“spellbinder&” from a New York Times–bestselling author (Publishers Weekly). When Chief Inspector Wexford enters the parking garage, the woman is already dead, slumped between two cars, concealed under a velvet shroud. The inspector doesn&’t even notice her as he drives away. Only later, when he sees on the news that an old woman was garroted in the shopping mall garage, does he realize how close he was to discovering the body. In a case that starts with a hidden corpse, the truth will be dangerously elusive. Before Wexford can sink his teeth into the elderly woman&’s murder, he is nearly killed himself—by a politically motivated car bombing targeting his daughter. With the inspector in the hospital, the case falls to his partner, the intrepid Mike Burden, who must solve both mysteries before the shopping mall killer strikes again. The winner of three Edgar Awards, Ruth Rendell was one of the finest mystery authors of the twentieth century. Inspector Wexford was one of her most beloved creations, and The Veiled One is another &“stunning&” entry in the series (Publishers Weekly).
Wall of Glass: A Joshua Croft Mystery (The Joshua Croft Mysteries #1)
by Walter SatterthwaitIn the first book of a &“promising&” Southwestern mystery series, a Santa Fe PI&’s search for a stolen necklace leads to drugs, pornography, and murder (The New York Times Book Review). As an associate at Santa Fe&’s Mondragon Detective Agency, Joshua Croft has heard a lot of strange proposals. But nothing stranger than when a cowboy comes in and asks him to help fence a stolen $100,000 necklace. Thinking he has a deal with Croft, the cowboy leaves as mysteriously as he arrived. The next day he turns up dead, riddled with bullets, and the insurance company that already settled the claim for the necklace&’s wealthy owners wants Croft&’s beautiful, wheelchair-bound boss, Rita Mondragon, and her agency to get the missing jewelry back. As Croft starts to dig into the slain cowboy&’s seedier, more sinister associates as well as the private lives of a privileged family with enough skeletons in their closets to populate a graveyard, he uncovers a lot more than some stolen jewels: pornography, drugs, Native American grave robbing, and multiple murders. Now he just has to stay alive long enough to put all the pieces together . . .
The Only Problem: A Novel (The\collected Muriel Spark Novels Ser.)
by Muriel SparkA wealthy academic&’s life shatters when his estranged wife becomes the suspected leader of a terrorist organization Having led a successful, comfortable life, Harvey Gotham retires to the French countryside to pursue bookish obsessions—namely, a long monograph on the Book of Job, the biblical narrative of faith in the face of extraordinary suffering. But Gotham&’s intellectual interests soon bleed into his daily life when a series of misfortunes, from a destructive affair to his wife&’s involvement with an extremist group, threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. Hailed by the New York Times as &“an extremely sophisticated account of the perils that surround our unsuspecting lives in the world today,&”The Only Problem balances Spark&’s unique blend of razor-sharp satire and moral introspection in one fast-paced, absorbing novel. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Muriel Spark including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s archive at the National Library of Scotland.