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<div><p>Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are restless for adventure, so when they are asked to take over Blunt's International Detective Agency, they leap at the chance.<br></p><p>Their first case is a success—the triumphant recovery of a pink pearl. Other cases soon follow—a stabbing on Sunningdale golf course; cryptic messages in the personal columns of newspapers; and even a box of poisoned chocolates. But can they live up to their slogan of "Any case solved in 24 hours"?<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>'Required reading.' Books 'Distinctly worthwhile.' New York Times 'Sherlock Holmes, John Thorndyke, Father Brown and even Poirot are amiably parodied, and once or twice the solution as well as the dialogue is deliberately facetious.' Times Literary Supplement </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'Required reading.' Books 'Distinctly worthwhile.' New York Times 'Sherlock Holmes, John Thorndyke, Father Brown and even Poirot are amiably parodied, and once or twice the solution as well as the dialogue is deliberately facetious.' Times Literary Supplement </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to William Morrow Paperbacks. Christie once again demonstrates her mastery of the short form mystery with <em>Parker Pyne Investigates</em>—short stories of crime and detection featuring Parker Pyne, certainly one of the most unconventional private investigators ever to pursue a hot lead.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie will continue to fascinate readers long after the next generation of scientific gadgets comes along and renders today’s clever CSI techniques laughable.” (James Grippando, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author)<br></p><p>“Crimes of the heart were his forte.” (Observer (UK)) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Mrs. Packington felt alone, helpless and utterly forlorn. But her life changed when she stumbled upon an advertisement in the Times that read: "Are you happy? If not, consult Mr. Parker Pyne."</p><p>Equally adept at putting together the fragments of a murder mystery or the pieces of a broken marriage, Mr. Parker Pyne is possibly the world's most unconventional private investigator. Armed with just his intuitive knowledge of human nature, he is an Englishman abroad, traveling the globe to solve and undo crime and misdemeanor. </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks…including <em>Ordeal By Innocence,</em> one of her own ten favorite novels and most popular psychological thrillers.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Family tensions and suspicions are adroitly handled, and the solution is characteristically surprising.” (New York Times )<br></p><p>“Agatha Christie is grade A fun.” (Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of Supreme JusticePhillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of Supreme JusticePhillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of Supreme Justice ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>According to the courts, Jacko Argylebludgeoned his mother to death with apoker. The sentence was life imprisonment.But when Dr. Arthur Calgary arrives withthe proof that confirms Jacko’s innocence, itis too late—Jacko died behind bars followinga bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor’srevelations reopen old wounds in thefamily, increasing the likelihood that the realmurderer will strike again. </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. Poirot investigates the murder of a dentist, found dead in his own surgery, in Christie’s classic <em>One, Two, Buckle My Shoe</em>.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“A swift course of unflagging suspense leads to a complete surprise.” (New York Times )<br></p><p>“This is major Christie.” (New York Herald Tribune ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Even the great detective Hercule Poirot harbored a deep and abiding fear of the dentist, so it was with some trepidation that he arrived at the celebrated Dr. Morley’s surgery for a dental examination. But what neither of them knew was that only hours later Poirot would be back to examine the dentist, found dead in his own surgery.</p><p>Turning to the other patients for answers, Poirot finds other, darker, questions.…</p></div>


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<div><p>In utter disbelief, Miss Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr. Rafiel—an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. He had left instructions for her to investigate a crime after his death. The only problem was, he had failed to tell her who was involved or where and when the crime had been committed. It was most intriguing.</p><p>Soon she is faced with a new crime—the ultimate crime—murder. It seems someone is adamant that past evils remained buried. . . .</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie proves that if you really are good enough, you can break all the ‘rules’ and still come up with a winner.” (Anne Perry, New York Times bestselling author of the Thomas Pitt and William Monk series of Victorian mysteries )<br></p><p>“Miss Marple was an old lady now, knowing that a scent for evil was still, in the evening of her days, her peculiar gift.” (Times Literary Supplement (London) ) </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in one hundred foreign countries. She is the author of eighty novels and short-story collections, nineteen plays, and six novels under the name Mary Westmacott. She died in 1976. </p></div>


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<div><p>It is World War II, and while the RAF struggles to keep the Luftwaffe at bay, Britain faces an even more sinister threat from "the enemy within"—Nazis posing as ordinary citizens.</p><p>With pressure mounting, the intelligence service appoints two unlikely spies, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. Their mission: to seek out a man and a woman from among the colorful guests at Sans Souci, a seaside hotel. But this assignment is no stroll along the promenade—N and M have just murdered Britain's finest agent and no one at all can be trusted. . . . </p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Starred Review. James Warwick delivers a virtuoso performance in this rendition of Agatha Christie's spy thriller. As WWII spreads across Europe, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, former British Intelligence agents and a married couple, are enlisted to uncover Nazi spies at Sans Souci, a hotel in Leahampton. Taking on assumed identities, Tommy and Tuppence arrive at Sans Souci, where they must search for the German agents—known only as N and M—navigate a hotel full of suspicious guests, preserve their secret identities, and, above all else, defend national security. Warwick's portrayals of Tommy and Tuppence are spot-on, as is his evocation of life in a small English hotel in 1940s England. As the story unfolds and each new character—male, female, English, German, adult and child alike—is introduced, Warwick outdoes himself, producing one unique voice after another in an energetic and fully committed performance. A must for Christie fans and devotees of spy stories and cozy mysteries. <em>A Signet paperback. (Feb.)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Middle-aged Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, too old to fight and too young to knit, are dismayed to find out that the British government of World War II has little interest in their detecting and spy-catching abilities. Then, almost incidentally, they are asked to spot a traitor, believed to be living at a rural guesthouse. But the place is full of harmless eccentrics: elderly ladies, retired military men, a hypochondriac and his colorless wife, a young mother, and a German refugee. The Beresfords invent personalities and elaborate traps, identify the imposter, and prevent an invasion. The strengths of this Christie "cozy" are the exuberant charm, intelligence, and enthusiasms of the central characters. Middle-aged they may be, but inside Tommy and Tuppence are still the same young adventurers who chased criminals and spies in post-Great War London. James Warwick does a highly competent, nicely unobtrusive job of reading this title, which is likely to be popular with fans of golden age mysteries. Recommended for moderate to large public libraries. I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA <br>Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>Just after midnight, a snowstorm stops the Orient Express dead in its tracks in the middle of Yugoslavia. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for this time of year. But by morning there is one passenger less. A 'respectable American gentleman' lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside . . . Hercule Poirot is also aboard, having arrived in the nick of time to claim a second-class compartment -- and the most astounding case of his illustrious career.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Need it be said -- the little grey cells solve once more the seemingly insoluble. Mrs Christie makes an improbable tale very real, and keeps her readers enthralled and guessing to the end." Times Literary Supplement "A brilliantly ingenious story." Dorothy L. Sayers, Daily Herald "Ingenuity at its height ! the idea is utterly novel, the setting a model of realism, and the characters a versatile, attractive crew." Woman's Journal "A piece of classic workmanship .. exquisite and wholly satisfying." News Chronicle "A brilliantly ingenious story." Daily Herald "Agatha Christie has given a noble start to 1934 with a murder mystery coceived and carried out on the finest classical lines." DOROTHY L. SAYERS, Sunday Times "A piece of classic workmanship ! exquisite and wholly satisfying." News Chronicle "Ingenuity at its height ! the idea is utterly novel, the setting a model of realism, and the characters a versatile, attractive crew." Woman's Journal "In Poirot Mrs Christie has created an extremely likeable and lively character, and his adventures are always welcome." Morning Post </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Need it be said -- the little grey cells solve once more the seemingly insoluble. Mrs Christie makes an improbable tale very real, and keeps her readers enthralled and guessing to the end." Times Literary Supplement "A brilliantly ingenious story." Dorothy L. Sayers, Daily Herald "Ingenuity at its height ! the idea is utterly novel, the setting a model of realism, and the characters a versatile, attractive crew." Woman's Journal "A piece of classic workmanship .. exquisite and wholly satisfying." News Chronicle "A brilliantly ingenious story." Daily Herald "Agatha Christie has given a noble start to 1934 with a murder mystery coceived and carried out on the finest classical lines." DOROTHY L. SAYERS, Sunday Times "A piece of classic workmanship ! exquisite and wholly satisfying." News Chronicle "Ingenuity at its height ! the idea is utterly novel, the setting a model of realism, and the characters a versatile, attractive crew." Woman's Journal "In Poirot Mrs Christie has created an extremely likeable and lively character, and his adventures are always welcome." Morning Post </p></div>


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<div><p>A full-length novel by Charles Osborne adapted from Agatha Christie’s stage play, in which a diplomat’s wife finds a body that mustn’t be discovered…Following BLACK COFFEE and THE UNEXPECTED GUEST comes the final Agatha Christie play novelisation, bringing her superb storytelling to a new legion of fans.Clarissa, the wife of a Foreign Office diplomat, is given to daydreaming. ‘Supposing I were to come down one morning and find a dead body in the library, what should I do?’ she muses.Clarissa has her chance to find out when she discovers a body in the drawing-room of her house in Kent. Desperate to dispose of the body before her husband comes home with an important foreign politician, Clarissa persuades her three house guests to become accessories and accomplices. It seems that the murdered man was not unknown to certain members of the house party (but which ones?), and the search begins for the murderer and the motive, while at the same time trying to persuade a police inspector that there has been no murder at all…</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Osborne completes his homage to Christie with this third and final adaptation of an original Christie play, following Black Coffee (1998) and The Unexpected Guest (1999). Though the play was written in 1954, the story suffers little from the passage of time, and aside from the static setting, reads well as a novel. Christie's exquisite timing and clever sleight-of-mind tricks are a delight, while Osborne has the good sense not to embroider the tale. A typical closed cast of characters occupies the temporary country home of Henry and Clarissa Hailsham-Brown: the seemingly scatterbrained Clarissa; her stepdaughter, Pippa; the odious Oliver Costello, who has married Pippa's mother; Sir Rowland Delahaye, Clarissa's godfather and a man of honor; an outspoken gardener; a butler; a cook; and Inspector Lord, the rather diffident policeman. When Clarissa discovers a body in the drawing room, she decides that it mustn't be found there. Her plans to dispose of the body are interrupted by the arrival of a rather diffident policeman, Inspector Lord, who has come to check out an anonymous tip that a murder has been committed. Christie's bag of tricks includes hidden doorways, secret drawers, French windows and concealed identitiesDall used to amusing effect. As with Osborne's previous novelizations, this is a welcome addition to the Christie canon and is sure to reach mystery bestseller lists. The cover, with a spider in a web against a green faux-marble background, is as catchy as they come. (Nov.) <br>Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>This third and last of Christie's plays to be novelized by Osborne--following <em>Black </em>Coffee (1998) and <em>The Unexpected Guest </em>(1999)--betrays its origins in its crisp dialogue and smooth action. Twists, turns, and things that are not what they seem abound, of course, as Clarissa, the younger second wife of Henry Hailsham-Brown, amuses herself in deception and flirtation in their rented country home. However, when the current spouse of Henry's first wife, an odious sort, turns up dead at her very feet, Clarissa must be resourceful indeed. Her young stepdaughter hated and feared the dead man, and Henry himself is bringing home a diplomat on a secret mission, so the whole thing must be cleared up posthaste. Despite Clarissa's best efforts, the police show up, and a series of deceptions within deceptions foment a neat, exaggerated, and quite attractive puzzle. Another Christie on the bookshelf, huzzah. <em>GraceAnne DeCandido</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<div><p>A new Agatha Christie thriller, featuring the return of Superintendent Battle. Luke Fitzwilliam could not believe Miss Pinkerton's wild allegation that a multiple murderer was at work in the quiet English village of Wychwood -- or her speculation that the local doctor was next in line. But within hours, Miss Pinkerton had been killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Mere coincidence? Luke was inclined to think so -- until he read in The Times of the unexpected demise of Dr Humbleby!</p><h3>Review</h3><p>'Suspense, mystery, romance and an agreeable touch of the macabre.' Guardian Contains some clever plotting and enough casting of suspicion to keep you guessing like mad.' Books 'One of Agatha Christie's best mystery novels, a story fascinating in its plot, clever and lively in its characters and brilliant in its technique.' New York Times </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in 44 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott. </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. Christie’s classic <em>Murder in the Mews</em> presents four mystifying criminal conundrums that will seriously test the superior detecting skills of the unflappable Poirot.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“All great characters are capable of entertaining us again and again, but only the very greatest are new every time we read them. Hercule Poirot is a member of this very small club.” (Timothy Hallinan, author of the Poke Rafferty thrillers )<br></p><p>“All four tales are admirable entertainment....Her solutions are unexpected and satisfying.” (<em>Daily Mail</em> (London) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>How did a woman holding a pistol in her right handmanage to shoot herself in the left temple? Whatwas the link between a ghost sighting and the disappearanceof top secret military plans? How did thebullet that killed Sir Gervase shatter a mirror inanother part of the room? And should the beautifulValentine Chantry flee for her life from the holidayisland of Rhodes?</p><p>Hercule Poirot is faced with four mystifying cases—each a miniature classic of characterization,incident, and suspense.</p></div>


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<div><p>Nurse Amy Leatheran had never felt the lure of the 'mysterious East,' but she nonetheless accepts an assignment at Hassanieh, an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert, to care for the wife of a celebrated archaeologist. Mrs Leidner is suffering bizarre visions and nervous terror. 'I'm afraid of being killed!' she admits to her nurse. Her terror, unfortunately, is anything but unfounded, and Nurse Leatheran is soon enough without a patient. The world's greatest detective happens to be in the vicinity, however: having concluded an assignment in Syria, and curious about the dig at Hassanieh, Hercule Poirot arrives in time to lead a murder investigation that will tax even his remarkable powers -- and in a part of the world that has seen more than its share of misadventure and foul play.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Smooth, highly original and completely absorbing" New York Times </p><h3>From the Inside Flap</h3><p>Agatha Christie's genius for detective fiction is unparalleled. Her worldwide popularity is phenomenal, her characters engaging, her plots spellbinding. No one knows the human heart--or the dark passions that can stop it--better than Agatha Christie. She is truly the one and only Queen of Crime.<br></p><p>Amy Leatheram has never felt the lure of the mysterious East, but when she travels to an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert to nurse the wife of a celebrated archaeologist, events prove stranger than she could ever have imagined. Her patient's bizarre visions and nervous terror seem unfounded, but as the oppressive tension in the air thickens, events come to a terrible climax--in murder.<br></p><p>With one spot of blood as his only clue, Hercule Poirot must embark on a journey not just across the desert, but into the darkest crevices of the human soul to unravel a mystery which taxes even his remarkable powers. <br></p><p>This gripping dramatization from the BBC features John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot heading a distinguished cast. </p></div>


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<div><p>Despite the title, the stories collected here recount cases from the middle of Miss Marple's career. They are: 'Sanctuary'; 'Strange Jest'; 'Tape-Measure Murder'; 'The Case of the Caretaker'; 'The Case of the Perfect Maid'; 'Miss Marple Tells a Story'; 'The Dressmaker's Doll'; 'In a Glass Darkly'; 'Greenshaw's Folly.'<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>'When it all becomes clear as day, the reader can only say, "Now why didn't I think of that?" But he never does. Miss Christie at her best.' Springfield Republican </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'When it all becomes clear as day, the reader can only say, "Now why didn't I think of that?" But he never does. Miss Christie at her best.' Springfield Republican </p></div>


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<div><p>Well, it's no wonder. The plot-suspicion for an elderly woman's murder falls on her mysterious lodger-is from Agatha Christie. The wonderful character happens to be the world's most famous sleuth, Hercule Poirot.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“The best Poirot since such prewar classics as <em>Cards on the Table</em>.” (<em>New York Times</em> )<br></p><p>“The plot is perfect and the characters are wonderful.” (<em>San Francisco Chronicle</em> ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Mrs. McGinty died from a brutal blow to the back of her head. Suspicion falls immediately on her shifty lodger, James Bentley, whose clothes reveal traces of the victim’s blood and hair. Yet something is amiss: Bentley just doesn’t seem like a murderer.</p><p>Could the answer lie in an article clipped from a newspaper two days before the death? With a desperate killer still free, Hercule Poirot will have to stay alive long enough to find out. . . .</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. <em>Miss Marple: The Complete Story Collection</em> gathers together in one magnificent volume all of Christie’s short stories featuring her beloved intrepid investigator—an unparalleled compendium of murder, mayhem, mystery, and detection that represents some of the finest short form fiction in the crime fiction field.  </p>
<p>**</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p>Fans of the amiable, omniscient Miss Marple will be delighted by the first publication in one volume of all 20 short stories that Christie centered on the elderly sleuth. Wearing her black lace mittens, Miss Marple sits in her chair, knitting and digesting details of murders of all descriptions (from poisonings to a drowning to a shooting by bow and arrow). She manages, of course, to see through all false identities and bogus alibis, and neatly solves each puzzle, no matter how obscure or far-fetched. The bulk of the stories are gathered from The Tuesday Club murders, chronicling the meetings of a group formed by Miss Marple and a handful of her friends. The members take turns recounting mysteries to which they know the answers, while the others take a stab at cracking the cases. Readers will have fun playing along, but beware: Miss Marple is fierce competition. Foreign rights: Hughes Massie. December 2<br>
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p>
<h3>Review</h3>
<p>“Christie’s heart is in her books, speaking to us through her characters just as clearly and forthrightly as she would speak, could she walk into her drawing room and greet a friend.” (Carolyn Hart, Agatha Award-winning author of the Death on Demand mysteries) </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. When <em>Lord Edgware Dies</em> a most unnatural death, detective Poirot must solve a most confounding conundrum: if the obvious killer, the slain peer’s spiteful wife, didn’t do it, who did?<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Any mystery writer who wants to learn how to plot should spend a few days reading Agatha Christie. She’ll show you everything you want to know.” (Donna Leon, international bestselling author of the Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries )<br></p><p>“The whole case is a triumph of Poirot’s special qualities.” (<em>Times Literary Supplement</em> (London) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>When Lord Edgware is found murdered thepolice are baffled. His estranged actress wife wasseen visiting him just before his death andHercule Poirot himself heard her brag of herplan to “get rid” of him.</p><p>But how could she have stabbed Lord Edgware in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? It’s a case that almost proves to be too much for the great Poirot.</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. A most unusual series of crimes at a student hostel intrigues Inspector Poirot in Christie’s <em>Hickory Dickory Dock</em>, especially when a simple case of kleptomania paves the way to murder.<br></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p><em>Starred Review.</em> Fraser, who played Captain Hastings, the sidekick for arch Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in the PBS <em>Mystery</em> series, now performs the entire cast in Christie's 1955 mystery. Fraser's Poirot is derivative of the stellar performance of the series' star, David Suchet; nevertheless, Fraser gives Christie's work his own imprimatur. Poirot is absent much of the time in this tale of kleptomania, malice and murder set at a boarding house for students. Add to the mix a number of students from England, a temperamental Greek landlady and an Italian house staff, and one must conclude that Fraser is some sort of magician to keep all the players sorted out as they converge in the common room. Not to be missed among the clamoring voices is Christie's narrative, from which Fraser manages to wring every wry drop. The producers at the Mystery Masters division of the Audio Partners were smart to hire Fraser to record this classic, and listeners will find it a delightful romp that passes all too quickly. <em>(Dec.)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“When it comes to fiendish plotting, there’s nobody to compare with Agatha Christie.” (Peter Robinson, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the Inspector Banks novels )<br></p><p>“The Christie fan of longest standing, who thinks he knows every one of her tricks, will still be surprised by some of the twists here.” (<em>New York Times</em> )<br></p><p>“The characters are as good as ever and there is plenty of entertainment.” (<em>Times Literary Supplement</em> (London) ) <em></em></p><hr></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. In <em>Hercule Poirot’s Christmas</em>, the holidays are anything but merry when a family reunion is marred by murder—and the notoriously fastidious investigator is quickly on the case.<br></p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Christmas Eve, and the Lee family’s reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, histhroat slashed.</p><p>When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hatethe old man. . . . </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in one hundred foreign countries. She is the author of eighty novels and short-story collections, nineteen plays, and six novels under the name Mary Westmacott. She died in 1976.</p></div>


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<div><p>Never before published—the lost classic, unseen for sixty years!</p><p>A party game goes dead wrong in this ingenious mystery from the most beloved novelist of all time. Hercule Poirot, the world's favorite detective, has agreed to take part in a mock murder mystery in a charming English village—but when tragedy strikes, a different sort of game begins ...</p><p>In 1954, Agatha Christie wrote this novella with the intention of donating the proceeds to a fund set up to buy stained glass windows for her local church at Churston Ferrers, and she filled the story with references to local places, including her own home of Greenway. But, having completed it, she decided instead to expand the story into a full-length novel, <em>Dead Man's Folly</em>, which was published two years later, and donated a Miss Marple story (<em>Greenshaw's Folly</em>) to the church fund instead.</p><p>Unseen for sixty years, <em>Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly</em> is finally published in this ebook-exclusive edition.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>'There are [authors] like Agatha Christie: I read those books and I'm in awe that somebody constructed those plots where they all make sense at the end. Those are like magic tricks to me.' STEPHEN KING </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott. </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. When a <em>Hallowe’en Party</em> turns deadly, it falls to Hercule Poirot to unmask a murderer.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie needed to create an exceptional detective to outthink every reader and Hercule Poirot is the result.” (Peter Lovesey, Anthony award-winning author of <em>Stagestruck</em> )<br></p><p>“A thundering success….A triumph for Hercule Poirot.” (Daily Mirror (London) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>At a Hallowe’en party, Joyce—a hostile thirteen-year-old—boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no one believes her, she storms off home. But within hours her body is found, still in the house, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub.</p><p>That night, Hercule Poirot is called in to find the “evil presence.” But first he must establish whether he is looking for a murderer or a double murderer.…</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks…including the classic <em>Five Little Pigs, </em>which has Hercule Poirot racing to solve a case from out of the past.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“The answer to the riddle is brilliant.” (Times Literary Supplement (London) )<br></p><p>“A brilliant piece of detective fiction, in which character plays an important part.” (Daily Telegraph (London) )<br></p><p>“Straightforward bamboozling from start to finish.” (New Statesman (UK) )<br></p><p>“As usual, Mrs. Christie hoaxes us with a double twist at the denouement, and provides excellent entertainment.” (Punch (UK) )<br></p><p>“Agatha Christie never fails us, and her Five Little Pigs presents a very pretty problem for the ingenious reader.” (Manchester Guardian (UK) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Beautiful Caroline Crale was convicted of poisoningher husband, but just like the nursery rhyme, therewere five other “little pigs” who could have done it:Philip Blake (the stockbroker), who went to market;Meredith Blake (the amateur herbalist), who stayedat home; Elsa Greer (the three-time divorcée), whohad her roast beef; Cecilia Williams (the devotedgoverness), who had none; and Angela Warren (thedisfigured sister), who cried all the way home.</p><p>Sixteen years later, Caroline’s daughter is determinedto prove her mother’s innocence, and Poirotjust can’t get that nursery rhyme out of his mind.</p></div>


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<div><p>For the first time in one volume, the complete collection of fifty stories about Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. The shrewd little detective with the egg-shaped head and the enormous black mustaches was created by one of the great storytellers of the world. Only she couls have devised the cases worthy of his skill, the ingenious mysteries that challenge the reader as well as the detective.<br></p><p>Poirot had a passion for order, for rational thought, and he had a justified confidence in his deductive genius. No matter what the provocation, he remained calm. Although his character does not change, there is a spectacular diversity in the plots and themes of the cases. But whether murders are committed by violence, by poison, or by more subtle means, Poirot finds the solution. Thefts of money or jewels are uncovered or thwarted. Here too are Poirot's famous adventures against modern monsters of evil from <em>The Labors of Hercules</em>. There is variety in the length of the cases, which range from "The Wasp's Nest," a very brief tale of a crime prevented, to "The Under Dog," a story of almost novella length about the trapping of a killer. These and all the other brilliant stories make this volume solid, satisfying entertainment.<br></p><p>Includes stories from:<br>Dead Man's Mirror (1937)<br>Double Sin (1961)<br>The Labors of Hercules (1947)<br>Poirot Investigates (1924)<br>The Regatta Mystery (1939)<br>Three Blind Mice (1950)<br>The Under Dog (1926)</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. The classic <em>Evil Under the Sun</em>, one of the most famous of Christie’s Poirot investigations, has the fastidious sleuth on the trail of the killer of a sun-bronzed beauty whose death brings some rather shocking secrets into the light.<br></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Considered by many to be one of the very best Agatha Christie mysteries, this macabre tale has lost none of its crisp intrigue since it was first published in 1940. Using a plot formula that has since become a mystery standard, Christie conveniently gathers all the characters in one hard-to-leave location, in this case, the Jolly Roger, a vacation hotel on the southern coast of England. One of the guests, a gorgeous, dramatic flirt, is strangled to death, and the famous detective Hercule Poirot who happens to be vacationing at the Jolly Roger, too sets out to solve the case. Each of the well-developed characters is suspect, and listeners will constantly be changing their bets as to whodunit. British stage actor Suchet, who many know as the definitive Poirot from the Public Television Mystery! series was an obvious choice for the reader of this production, having won an Audie award for reading Christie's Mysterious Affair at Styles in 1997. Suchet gives an outstanding and highly entertaining performance, obviously taking great zeal in the task of fleshing out Christie's colorful lot of characters. <br>Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Hercule Poirot will live on forever because, like Chaplin’s Little Tramp (that other immortal in moustache and bowler hat) he has the ability to solve the problems of the world.” (Alan Bradley, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the Flavia de Luce novels )<br></p><p>“She springs her secret like a land mine.” (<em>Times Literary Supplement</em> (London) ) </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks…including one of her own ten favorite novels, the classic thriller <em>Endless Night.</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“One of the best things Agatha Christie has ever done.” (Sunday Times (London) )<br></p><p>“I suffer nostalgia for the world of Agatha Christie as I remember it.” (Gregory Maguire, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked ) </p><h3>Language Notes</h3><p>Text: English, Spanish, German (translation) </p></div>


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<div><p>"The Ravenscrofts didn't seem that kind of person. They seemed well balanced and placid..." And yet, twelve years earlier, the husband had shot the wife, and then himself—or perhaps it was the other way around, since sets of both of their fingerprints were on the gun, and the gun had fallen between them. The case haunts Ariadne Oliver, who had been a friend of the couple. The famous mystery novelist desires this real-life mystery solved, and calls upon Hercule Poirot to help her do so. Poirot is now a very old man, but his mind is as nimble and as sharp as ever and can still penetrate deep into the shadows. But as Poirot and Mrs. Oliver and Superintendent Spence reopen the long-closed case, a startling discovery awaits them. And if memory serves Poirot (and it does!), crime—like history—has a tendency to repeat itself.</p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Did General Ravenscroft kill Lady Ravenscroft or was she the one holding the gun? Many years later their daughter would like to know, so her godmother, Ariadne Oliver, asks Hercule Poirot to investigate. Working in tandem, Mrs. Oliver and Poirot identify and interview an ever-increasing list of witnesses (the elephants of the title). Poirot painstakingly reconstructs long-vanished relationships, and his deductions eventually lead him to one final witness. Even the great Christie recycled concepts from time to time; this mystery is one of several "remembered death" titles, characterized by long, descriptive conversations that can be tedious. In this case the contrast between Poirot's severe, analytical style and that of the charming but erratic Mrs. Oliver adds life to what would otherwise be a rather dull tale. John Moffatt delivers the competent if unexciting reading one expects from this producer. Christie at her worst (which this is not) is still better than most mystery writers. Recommended for all mid- to large-sized libraries.DI. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA <br>Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'Splendid!she tells us all we want to know and nothing that is irrelevant.' The Times 'The acknowledged queen of detective fiction.' The Observer </p></div>


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<div><p>Miss Emily was old, rich, and afraid—and now, she's dead. Her terrified plea to Hercule Poirot came a little too late. All that's left is a house full of greedy heirs, and a very strange letter that could solve the mystery—or add to it.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie’s ability to devise intricate plots, coupled with her understanding of human nature—at its best and worst—have made her tales timeless.” (Jan Burke, award-winning author of the Irene Kelly mysteries )<br></p><p>“Novelty, intriguing character types, and ingenuity. ” (New York Times )<br></p><p>“One of Poirot’s most brilliant achievements.” (Glasgow Herald ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Everyone blamed Emily Arundell’s accident on a rubber ball left on the stairs by her frisky terrier. But the more she thought about her fall, the more convinced she became that one of her relatives was trying to kill her.…</p><p>On April 17th she wrote her suspicions in a letter to Hercule Poirot. Mysteriously, he didn’t receive the letter until June 28th…by which time Emily was already dead.…</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to William Morrow Paperbacks. Marple and Poirot both make appearances in Christie’s <em>Double Sin and Other Stories</em>, a sterling collection of short mystery fiction that offers double the suspense, surprise, and fun.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Time and again Agatha Christie pulled off what many obviously greater writers labored for in vain, a work of art which is both perfectly crafted and morally satisfying.” (A. N. Wilson) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>In one of London's most elegant shops, a decorative doll in green velvet adopts some rather human, and sinister, traits. . . . A country gentleman is questioned about a murder that has yet to be committed. . . . While summoning spirits, a medium is drawn closer to the world of the dead than she ever imagined possible. . . . In a small country church, a dying man's last word, <em>sanctuary</em>, becomes both an elegy and a clue to a crime.</p><p>Only the Queen of Mystery could have conceived such delicious treats for suspense lovers. Only the inimitable Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple could solve them with such chilling perfection.</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to William Morrow Paperbacks. In Christie’s gripping international thriller <em>Destination Unknown</em>, a woman at the end of her rope chooses a more exciting way to die when she embarks upon an almost certain suicide mission to find a missing scientist.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie is a phenomenon.” (Antonia Fraser )<br></p><p>“Agatha Christie gives us one of her rare thrillers—just to show that she can.” (Sunday Times (London) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>When a number of leading scientists disappear without a trace, concern grows within the international intelligence community. And the one woman who appears to hold the key to the mystery is dying from injuries sustained in a plane crash.</p><p>Meanwhile, in a Casablanca hotel room, Hilary Craven prepares to take her own life. But her suicide attempt is about to be interrupted by a man who will offer her an altogether more thrilling way to die. . . .</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. Poirot must solve a perplexing case of midair murder in <em>Death in the Clouds</em> when he discovers that the woman in seat two of the airborne aeroplane he’s traveling on is quite unexpectedly—and unnaturally—deceased.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“As a crime writer I quickly realized that I’d already learned a great deal from Agatha Christie, and even after four decades in the game, I feel I’m still learning.” (Reginald Hill, author of the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries )<br></p><p>“It will be a very acute reader who does not receive a complete surprise at the end.” (Times Literary Supplement (London) )<br></p><p>“[A] crime puzzle of the first order.” (New York Times ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>From seat No. 9, Hercule Poirot was ideally placed to observe his fellow air passengers. Over to his right sat a pretty young woman, clearly infatuated with the man opposite; ahead, in seat No. 13, sat a countess with a poorly concealed cocaine habit; across the gangway in seat No. 8, a detective writer was being troubled by an aggressive wasp. What Poirot did not yet realize was that behind him, in seat No. 2, sat the slumped, lifeless body of a woman.</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to William Morrow Paperbacks. In <em>Death Comes As the End</em>, Dame Agatha transports us back to ancient Egypt 2000 B.C. where a priest’s daughter, investigating a suspicious death, uncovers an asp’s nest of jealousy, betrayal, and serial murder.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie was the absolute master of misdirection. No matter how logical we think we’re being when we read her, she always manages to send us swimming after her red herrings while ignoring that huge whale in the corner of the tank.” (Margaret Maron, award-winning author of the Deborah Knott Mysteries )<br></p><p>“Startlingly new....My admiration for her leaps even higher.” (Observer (London) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>It is Egypt in 2000 BC, where death gives meaning to life. At the foot of a cliff lies the broken, twisted body of Nofret, concubine to a ka-priest. Young, beautiful, and venomous, most agree that it was fate—she deserved to die like a snake!</p><p>But at her father's house on the banks of the Nile, the priest's daughter Renisenb believes that the woman's death is suspicious. Increasingly, she becomes convinced that the source of evil lurks within their household—and watches helplessly as the family's passions explode in murder. . . .</p></div>


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<div><p>Whilst organising a mock murder hunt for the village fete hosted by Sir George and Lady Stubbs, a feeling of dread settles on the famous crime novelist Adriane Oliver. Call it instinct, but it's a feeling she just can't explain...or get away from. </p><p>In desperation she summons her old friend, Hercule Poirot -- and her instincts are soon proved correct when the 'pretend' murder victim is discovered playing the scene for real, a rope wrapped tightly around her neck.</p><p>But it's the great detective who first discovers that in murder hunts, whether mock or real, everyone is playing a part.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>'The infallibly original Agatha Christie has come up, once again, with a new and highly ingenious puzzle-construction.' New York Times 'The solution is of the colossal ingenuity we have been conditioned to expect.' Times Literary Supplement </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'The infallibly original Agatha Christie has come up, once again, with a new and highly ingenious puzzle-construction.' New York Times 'The solution is of the colossal ingenuity we have been conditioned to expect.' Times Literary Supplement </p></div>


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<div><p>The house guests at Styles seemed perfectly to Captain Hastings: there was his own daughter Judith, an inoffensive ornithologist called Norton, dashing Mr Allerton, brittle Miss Cole, Doctor Franklin and his fragile wife Barbara, Nurse Craven, Colonel Luttrell and his charming wife Daisy, and the charismatic Boyd-Carrington.</p><p>So Hastings was shocked when Poirot declared that one of them was a five-times murderer. True, the ageing detective was crippled with arthritis, but had his deductive instincts finally deserted him?...</p><h3>Review</h3><p>'First rate Christie: fast, complicated, wryly funny' Time 'Superb, vintage Christie' Sunday Express </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'First rate Christie: fast, complicated, wryly funny' Time 'Superb, vintage Christie' Sunday Express </p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks…including one of her own ten favorite novels, <em>Ordeal By Innocence,</em> in which Charles Hayward must solve a devastating family mystery.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Writing Crooked House was pure pleasure and I feel justified in my belief that it is one of my best.” (Agatha Christie )<br></p><p>“Her sleight of hand is impeccable.” (New Statesman (UK) )<br></p><p>“Knock-out!” (Saturday Review of Literature )<br></p><p>“We all go where [Agatha Christie] led; you can track us in her snow.” (Reginald Hill, author of the Dalziel and Pascoe MysteriesReginald Hill, author of the Dalziel and Pascoe MysteriesReginald Hill, author of the Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>The Leonides are one big happy family livingin a sprawling, ramshackle mansion. Thatis until the head of the household, Aristide, ismurdered with a fatal barbiturate injection.</p><p>Suspicion naturally falls on the old man’s youngwidow, fifty years his junior. But the murdererhas reckoned without the tenacity of CharlesHayward, fiancé of the late millionaire’s granddaughter.</p></div>


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<div><p>The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. Murder is part of the curriculum at an exclusive school for girls in Christie’s <em>Cat Among the Pigeons</em>, as the intrepid Poirot sets out to bring a stealthy killer to justice.<br></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>The classic 1959 Christie tale is revisited in this utterly charming and intriguing murder mystery in which two teachers find the body of the new games' mistress in the gymnasium, the latest victim of the so-called cat killer. Though not a predominant character for most of the tale, Christie's legendary Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on the case. Hugh Fraser relates this tale with classic English charm, speaking with a pitch-perfect and ear-pleasing dialect that adds to the atmosphere. Fraser reads with sheer delight, offering a fun variety of characters, including a marvelous take on Poirot himself. The experience created is truly cinematic and listeners will be giddy with delight! <em>(May)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“I am addicted to Agatha Christie.” (Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author )<br></p><p>“To read Agatha Christie at her best is to experience the rarefied pleasure of watching a faultless technician at work, and she is in top form in Cat Among the Pigeons.” (New York Times )<br></p><p>“Immensely enjoyable.” (Daily Express (London) ) </p></div>


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<div><p>Mr. Shaitana was famous as a flamboyant party host, but he was a man of whome everybody was a little afraid. So, when he boasted to Hercule Poirot that he considered murder and art form, the detective had some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana's private collection. Indeed, what began as an absorbing evening of bridge was to turn into a more dangerous game altogether ...</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“When you think it’s Colonel Mustard in the basement with the crescent wrench, you owe the fun to Dame Christie.” (William Dietrich, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the Ethan Gage Adventures )<br></p><p>“The finest murder story of her career….Mrs. Christie has never been more ingenious.” (Daily Mail (London) ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Mr. Shaitana is famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he is a man of whom everybody is a little afraid. So when he boasts to Hercule Poirot that he considers murder an art form, the detective has some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana’s “private collection.”</p><p>Indeed, what begins as an absorbing evening of bridge is to turn into a more dangerous game altogether.…</p></div>


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<div><p>When Tommy and Tuppence visit an elderly aunt in her gothic nursing home, they think nothing of her mistrust of the doctors; after all, Ada is a very difficult old lady. </p><p>But when Mrs. Lockett mentions a poisoned mushroom stew and Mrs. Lancaster talks about "something behind the fireplace," Tommy and Tuppence find themselves caught up in a spine-chilling adventure that could spell death for either of them . . . </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie taught me many important lessons about the inner workings of the mystery novel before it ever occurred to me that I might one day be writing mysteries myself.” (Sue Grafton, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author )<br></p><p>“The most memorable and eerie Christie I have read for a long time.” (Sunday Express (London) ) </p><h3>From the Publisher</h3><p><strong>Narrator Information: Alex Jennings</strong> enjoyed a highly-successful run at the Old Vic in Too Clever By Half for which he won an Olivier Award, the Drama Magazine Award, and the Plays and Players Award for Actor of the Year. He has also won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Peer Gynt. Among his numerous television credits are Inspector Alleyn, Hard Times and the lead role in Bad Blood. </p></div>


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<div><p>Nearly a quarter-century after her death, Agatha Christie remains the most popular mystery writer of all time. Now, in a celebrated publishing event, fans and newcomers alike are treated to another Christie novel. Created in 1930 as a stage play and faithfully adapted by Charles Osborne, <em>Black Coffee</em> brings back beloved detective Hercule Poirot to exercise his "little grey cells" one more deliciously deductive time... <br></p><p>An urgent call from physicist Sir Claud Amory sends famed detective Hercule Poirot rushing from London to a sprawling country estate. Sir Claud fears a member of his own household wants to steal a secret formula destined for the Ministry of Defense. But Poirot arrives too late. The formula is missing. Worse, Sir Claud has been poisoned by his after-dinner coffee. Poirot soon identifies a potent brew of despair, treachery, and deception amid the mansion's occupants. Now he must find the formula and the killer...while letting no poison slip 'twix his low lips. <br></p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Subtitled <em>A Hercule Poirot Novel</em>, <em>Black Coffee</em> is actually an Agatha Christie play recrafted as a book meant to be read rather than seen on the stage. The story was first produced in 1930, and Charles Osborne has done little to it except string the dialogue and stage directions together in paragraph form. Christie loyalists will welcome and applaud his dedication to the original, but it does seem as though he could have given it a bit more flair. Still, Poirot himself, bumbling Captain Hastings, and obsequious George are all in good form and it is amusing to find them engaged in another adventure, with an interesting assortment of possible murderers, blackmailers, and innocent (if suspicious) bystanders. </p><p>The novel opens as Poirot receives a summons at his breakfast table from England's premier physicist, Sir Claud Amory. Busy working on a new formula necessary for England's defense in the Second World War, Amory suspects a member of his household of espionage. Of course, by the time Poirot and sidekick Hastings arrive at the scientist's country house, he is suddenly and mysteriously dead. Amory himself turns out to have been not quite nice, and his family, regardless of his scientific efforts, is pretty pleased with the new state of affairs. Still, Poirot manages both to save the more amiable members of the household from themselves and to protect the secrets of the British Empire. The novel is warmly evocative of another time and place and a welcome reminder of vintage Christie. <em>--K.A. Crouch</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Christie biographer Osborne's adaptation of the grande dame's 1930 play has been blessed by the Christie estate and heartily endorsed by her grandson Michael Prichard. It's a classic "someone in this room is the murderer" tale set in 1934. Scientist Sir Claud Amory invites Hercule Poirot to his estate to collect a formula for a new atomic explosive. Prior to Poirot's arrival, Sir Claud discovers the formula is missing from his safe. He offers the thief one minute of darkness to return it but, when the lights come on again, Sir Claud is dead. That's when Poirot arrives on the scene and takes matters in hand. An empty vial of sleeping pills is discovered, and someone in the room at the time of Sir Claud's death was seen with the tablets. Was Sir Claud murdered by his son Richard, who is in deep debt? Or was it espionage involving Lucia, Richard's Italian wife with a mysterious past and a connection to guest Dr. Carelli? Perhaps Sir Claud's secretary, Edward Raynor, or the spinster sister Caroline is guilty. Poirot, with "methods very much his own," aided by Captain Hastings, is lively and stimulating, like a fine black coffee, in this welcome addition to the Christie canon. <br>Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>An old-fashioned London hotel is not quite as reputable as it makes out to be.…</p><p>When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she’s looking for at Bertram’s Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service, and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly polished veneer. Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day.…</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Lots of people have underestimated Miss Marple, and they’re always wrong.” (J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author )<br></p><p>“A joy to read from beginning to end, especially in its acute sensitivity to the contrasts between this era and that of Miss Marple’s youth.” (New York Times )<br></p><p>“Miss Christie’s pearly talent for dealing with all the words and pomps that go with murder English-style shimmers steadily in this tale of the noisy woe that shatters the extremely expensive peace of Bertram’s famously old-fashioned hotel.” (New Yorker ) </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in one hundred foreign countries. She is the author of eighty novels and short-story collections, nineteen plays, and six novels under the name Mary Westmacott. She died in 1976. </p></div>


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<div><p>Hercule Poirot may be on vacation, but a killer isn't. The victim's a hateful tourist despised even by her own children. For the guests at the resort hotel, sympathies are with the murderer, which means a tough job for the Belgian detective.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“The quickness of Christie’s hand still continues to deceive our eyes.” (Val McDermid,<em> New York Times</em> bestselling author )<br></p><p>“Twice as brilliant as <em>Death on the Nile</em>, which was entirely brilliant.” (<em>The Observer</em> (UK) ) </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Twice as brilliant as Death on the Nile, which was entirely brilliant" Observer </p></div>


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<div><p>The world's best-selling mystery with over 100 million copies sold!</p><p>Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to a lonely mansion on Indian Island by a host who, surprisingly, fails to appear. On the island they are cut off from everything but each other and the inescapable shadows of their own past lives. One by one, the guests share the darkest secrets of their wicked pasts. And one by one, they die…</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Considered the best mystery novel ever written by many readers, <em>And Then There Were None</em> is the story of 10 strangers, each lured to Indian Island by a mysterious host. Once his guests have arrived, the host accuses each person of murder. Unable to leave the island, the guests begin to share their darkest secrets--until they begin to die. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'Agatha Christie's masterpiece.' Spectator 'One of the very best, most genuinely bewildering Christies.' Observer 'The most astonishingly impudent, ingenious and altogether successful mystery story since The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.' Daily Herald 'One of the most ingenious thrillers in many a day.' Time Magazine 'There is no doubt that this is a highly ingenious jigsaw by a master of puzzling.' Books 'There is no cheating; the reader is just bamboozled in a straightforward way from first to last The most colossal achievement of a colossal career. The book must rank with Mrs Christie's previous best - on the top notch of detection.' New Statesman 'The whole thing is utterly impossible and utterly fascinating. It is the most baffling mystery Agatha Christie has ever written.' New York Times </p></div>


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<div><p>In an all-new edition, an engaging and illuminating chronicle of the life of the “Queen of Mystery,” complete with a bonus CD featuring the voice of the grande dame herself </p><p>Agatha Christie was a woman of mystery, in every sense of the word. Her novels made her the world’s best-selling author, but her private life was hidden from view. For many years she dodged reporters and gave no interviews, and for a brief time she famously disappeared. She started writing her autobiography in April 1950 and finished it fifteen years later, when she was seventy-five years old and decided “it seems the right moment to stop.” </p><p>In this book, which was originally published in 1977 in the United States by Dodd, Mead &amp; Company, Agatha Christie sheds light on her past. She tells of her childhood in Victorian England, her volunteer work during World War II, her rise to success, her working habits, the inspiration for her most famous characters—Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple—and the places and people that influenced her. After being out of print for several years, this book is being brought back in a new hardcover edition with a CD featuring excerpts dictated by Agatha Christie herself. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“This book proves as inspiring as it is charming and absorbing.” (<em>Boston Globe</em> )<br></p><p>“Brisk and admirable....Capturing the experience of a generation too often made over-grim or over-glorious, it is the autobiography of a woman, not merely a writer.” (<em>Los Angeles Times</em> )<br></p><p>“Especially welcome.” (<em>Publishers Weekly</em> )<br></p><p>“Contains some wonderful treats....Christie writes with such wit and insight that all 542 pages fly.” (<em>Cleveland Plain Dealer</em> )<br></p><p>“A fun read, full of detail about upper-crust life in the Victorian era and about Christie’s own surprise at finding herself a mystery novelist.” (<em>Charlotte News &amp; Observer</em> )<br></p><p>“The history of a unique upbringing in a time long gone. It’s a portrait of a childhood and young womanhood that vanished with World War I.” (<em>Pittsburgh Tribune-Review</em> )<br></p><p>“Christie writes with a wonderful dry wit. It is fascinating to see how people she met became characters in her novels.” (<em>Daily American</em> )<br></p><p>“Joyful adventure....She brings the sense of wonder...to her extraordinary career.” (New York Times Book Review )<br></p><p>“Agatha Christie is no longer merely one of my favorite writers. She is now one of my favorite people.” (Chicago Tribune )<br></p><p>“A delightful autobiography....Warm, witty and discerning.” (Los Angeles Times )<br></p><p>“Wonderfully easy to read and engrossing.” (The Times (London) )<br></p><p>“Agatha Christie’s most absorbing mystery – the story of her own unusual life. She has put it all on record: her early romances; a broken (and a happy) marriage; strange events on the path to roaring success.” (Daily Mail (London) )<br></p><p>“A wonderful book—written with a delight in the gradual unfolding of 75 years through the eyes of an exceptional old lady and writer.” (Financial Times (London) ) </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in one hundred foreign countries. She is the author of eighty novels and short-story collections, nineteen plays, and six novels under the name Mary Westmacott. She died in 1976. </p></div>


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<div><p>It is commonly thought that after death and burial the remains of an individual are left to "rest in peace" -- but history reveals that in many instances this has most definitely not been the case. Demonstrating this, After the Funeral follows the postmortem exploits of the bodies--or parts of bodies -- of thirty-five famous and infamous people. Graced with thirty-two illustrations, a bibliography, and an index, After the Funeral picks up where conventional biographies leave off -- and probes the bizarre, ghastly, surprising, and at times ridiculous circumstances that befall many of the well known after they were laid to rest.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Keeps us guessing - and guessing wrongly - to the very last page" Liverpool Post </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Keeps us guessing - and guessing wrongly - to the very last page" Liverpool Post </p></div>


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<div><p>Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his “counting house” when he suffered an agonizing and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals.</p><p>Yet, it was the incident in the parlor which confirmed Miss Marple’s suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme. . . .</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>It hardly seems possible for anyone to best Hugh Fraser's savvy audio performance of Christie's Hickory Dickory Dock, but Rosalind Ayres produces an amazing range of voices and accents to create her own one-woman full-cast audio book. After the death by poisoning of wealthy Rex Fortescue, others in the household are murdered in ways that mimic a Mother Goose rhyme. Ayres's Miss Marple is well-mannered, polite and even diffident. Ayres seems to be mocking stereotypes of British accents. Percival, the elder son, is stuffy and nasally clogged. Lancelot, the younger son, is ironic and cavalier. Ayres can slip effortlessly from one accent to another, as when the lofty voice of Rex's secretary collapses into the low-class accent of an East Ender after she discovers her boss's body. The greatest mystery in this 1953 novel is why any mid-century father would name his children Lancelot and Percival. Though the story lacks action and enough Jane Marple for Ayres to develop, her performance is a delightful romp for any Christie fan. <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Agatha Christie was the absolute master of misdirection. No matter how logical we think we’re being when we read her, she always manages to send us swimming after her red herrings while ignoring that huge whale in the corner of the tank.” (Margaret Maron, award-winning author of the Deborah Knott Mysteries )<br></p><p>“This is the best of the novels starring Christie’s Miss Marple.” (New York Times )<br></p><p>“A model of complex skulduggery.” (New Yorker )<br></p><p>“Ingenious.” (Times Literary Supplement (London) ) </p></div>


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<div><p>The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.</p><p>Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: 'I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.' Yet in this exotic setting nothing was ever quite what it seemed.</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Hercule Poirot is perhaps Agatha Christie's most interesting and endearing character; short, round, and slightly comical, Poirot has a razor-sharp mind and puts unlimited trust in his "little grey cells." Those little cells come through for him every time, enabling Poirot to solve some of the most baffling mysteries ever conceived. In <em>Death on the Nile</em>, Poirot, on vacation in Africa, meets the rich, beautiful Linnet Doyle and her new husband, Simon. As usual, all is not as it seems between the newlyweds, and when Linnet is found murdered, Poirot must sort through a boatload of suspects to find the killer before he (or she) strikes again. </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Linnett Ridgeway has almost everything: youth, beauty, brains, and money. Then her best friend Jackie brings her handsome fianc?, Simon Doyle, to visit and asks Linnett to give him a job. Now Linnett and Simon are on their honeymoon, a cruise up the Nile. When Linnett is killed, Jackie is the obvious suspect, but she couldn't have done it. It seems like an insolvable crime, until the famous detective Hercule Poirot starts to investigate. Death on the Nile deserves its reputation as one of Christie's best travel mysteries. This recording is capably read by another familiar name, David Suchet, who is well known among both mystery and public TV buffs as the actor who played the role of Poirot in a series of television adaptations of the author's stories. Expect the trio of Christie, Poirot, and Suchet to be a popular patron selection. St. Mary's Mead was always a quiet English village, at least until the body of Colonel Protheroe was found in the vicarage library. No one liked the murdered man. His first wife had abandoned him, and their teenage daughter kept out of his way. His much younger, second wife had recently fallen in love with a charming portrait painter. The list of possible suspects seems endless. Two different people confess to the murder. Did either do it? Enter Miss Marple, an elderly maiden lady whose gentle manners conceal an extensive knowledge of human depravity and exceptional deductive abilities. She flutters around, asks questions, and solves the crime. But it is the writing, not the plots, that keeps Christie fans coming back. James Saxon gives a clear, competent reading in Murder at the Vicarage, although initially his voice strikes one as brighter and sharper than one would expect from the gentle, scholarly rector. Eighty-odd years after her first book was published, Christie and her mysteries are more popular than ever. Both programs are recommended for all collections. I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA <br>Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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SUMMARY: Quite Ugly One Morning is the book that made Christopher Brookmyre a star in his native Britain, establishing his distinctive, scabrously humorous style and breakneck, hell-for-leather narrative pacing. The novel that won the inaugural First Blood Award for the best debut crime novel in the United Kingdom is now available in America for the first time, and comic crime writing on this side of the Atlantic may never be the same. Quite Ugly One Morning introduces Brookmyre's signature protagonist, the hard-partying, wisecracking investigative journalist Jack Parlabane, who is not afraid to bend the laws of the land (or even the laws of gravity) to get to the truth. Parlabane is nursing a horrific hangover when he stumbles across the corpse of the scion of a wealthy Edinburgh medical family. Determined to get to the bottom of the murder himself, he quickly becomes enmeshed in a wild adventure that will take him through all the strata of Edinburgh society and into some dangerous (and hysterical) situations. Laced with acerbic wit and crackling dialogue, Quite Ugly One Morning is a wickedly entertaining and vivacious thriller. "Very violent, very funny. A comedy with a political edge, which you take gleefully in one gulp." -- Literary Review "The plot crackles along with confident gusto and intelligence.... An assured debut by a talented writer." -- The Times (London)


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<div><p>Comic crime novelist Christopher Brookmyre is back with another outrageous caper featuring hard-bitten investigative journalist Jack Parlabane, hero of the award-winning novel Quite Ugly One Morning. When conservative tabloid media mogul Roland Voss is discovered at his country estate with his throat slit and his wife and bodyguards killed, Parlabane soon finds himself up to his eyeballs in murder, mayhem, and political intrigue. The police have arrested four men fleeing the crime scene, but for Parlabane it all doesn’t add up and he suspects the fix is in . . . unless he can get to the bottom of things before everybody else. Packed with Brookmyre’s distinctive collection of wacked-out characters and fueled by his trademark hell-for-leather pacing, Country of the Blind is a tart “tartan noir” that will leave you breathless with suspense—if you’re not asphyxiated by convulsions of laughter first.</p>
<p>**</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p>Glasgow's crusading muckraker Jack Parlabane returns in the fifth novel from journalist Brookmyre (Quite Ugly One Morning; One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night; etc.). A plucky English lawyer, Nicole Carrow (out to make it as a public defender in Scotland to rebel against her dad), is finding out she got more than she bargained for with potential clients like Mrs. McGrotty "an elephantine creature in a shapeless brown coat that looked like it had been fashioned from dog-pelts and then dragged behind a heavy goods vehicle for a couple of days." Then she's approached by a strangely courteous ex-con named Tam McInnes, who gives her an envelope full of evidence of a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels of British commerce and government. Shortly afterwards, billionaire media mogul Roland Voss is brutally murdered, and McInnes and three others (including his son, Paul, and Paul's hilariously dissipated roommate, Spammy) have been artfully set up to take the fall. The only one to believe Nicole, however, is the ever-suspicious Parlabane, who knows good media manipulation when he sees it. More murders and a daring jailbreak (or is it another setup?) send McInnes &amp; Co. into hiding and stir up a national manhunt, while back in Glasgow Parlabane races to expose the scam. While the plot may sound hackneyed, Brookmyre's deft character sketches, street-level dialect and mercilessly satirical observations of cross-border politics, journalism and human zaniness keep this good-sized novel moving smoothly along. The U.K. press has called Brookmyre a Scottish analogue to Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard; Country of the Blind actually proves it.<br>
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. </p>
<h3>From Booklist</h3>
<p>Brookmyre has won well-deserved plaudits in the U.K. for his original plots and clever dialogue. His latest may pose problems for some American readers--the dialect is sometimes difficult to decipher, and the references to British culture and customs are often obscure--but perseverance pays dividends. This is a biting, violent, fiendishly funny story of bribery, blackmail, and murder in high places. When media mogul Roland Voss and his wife are savagely murdered at a country estate, investigative journalist Jack Parlabane swears he won't get involved. He's set to marry his longtime lady friend, and she's definitely not interested in Jack's risking his neck on the eve of their wedding. But the pull is too strong, and before he knows it, Jack is involved in what he's sure is a conspiracy to frame the accused killer and divert suspicion away from the real mastermind behind the brutal crime, whom Jack suspects is a leading government minister. An outstanding read for dedicated Anglophiles and for all lovers of hip, intelligent, action-packed crime thrillers. <em>Emily Melton</em><br>
<em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<div><p>Jack Parlabane, the investigative journalist who is not averse to breaking the law for the sake of a good story, has finally been caught on the petard of his own self-confidence and is experiencing accommodation courtesy of Her Majesty. The fledgling Scottish parliament is in catatonic shock after experiencing its first dose of Westminster sleaze. The Catholic Church of Scotland is taking full advantage of the politicians' discomfort and is riding high in the polls as the voice of morality. Behind the scenes the truth is obscured by the machinations of the spin doctors and in prison, aware he's missing out on a great story, Parlabane discovers that contacts and a pretty way with words are no defence against people he has helped to put away. Part political satire, part cliff-hanging thriller this is high calibre entertainment.</p>
<p>**</p></div>


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<div><p>It was a junket, a freebie. A 'team-building' weekend in the highlands for lawyers, advertising execs, businessmen, even the head of a charity. Oh, and a journalist, specially solicited for his renowned and voluble scepticism - Jack Parlabane. Amid the flying paintballs and flowing Shiraz even the most cynical admit the organisers have pulled some surprises - stalkers in the forest, power cuts in the night, mass mobile phone thefts, disappearing staff, disappearing guests: there's nothing can bring out people's hidden strengths or break down inter-personal barriers quite like not having a clue what's going on and being scared out of your wits. However, when the only vehicular access for thirty miles is cut off it seems that events are being orchestrated not just for pleasure ...And that's before they find the first body. Thereafter, 'finding out who your colleagues really are' is not so much an end product as the key to reaching Monday morning alive.</p>
<p>**</p></div>


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<div><p>Like a highball mix of Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiassen, Christopher Brookmyre is back with his most lethal book yet: One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night.  </p>
<p>Gavin Hutchinson had it all planned out. A unique “floating holiday experience” on a converted North Sea oil rig, a haven for tourists who want a vacation but without the hassle of actually going anywhere. And what better way to test out his venture than to host a fifteenth-year high school reunion, the biggest social event of his life, except no one remembers who Gavin is. That, and his wife has discovered his philandering ways and plans to leave Gavin with a very public announcement in front of his assembled guests. Throw in a band of mercenaries who crash the party and you have a wicked farce of a thriller from one of the most original voices in mystery fiction.</p>
<p>**</p><h3>From Booklist</h3>
<p>Pulp Fiction meets <em>And Then There Were None</em> in this blend of thriller and black comedy. Brookmyre has a gift for keeping the reader continually off balance, sure only that some kind of horrific joke is about to be played, like the severed arm that falls out of the sky on the first day of grouse hunting in the Highlands, clonking a just-retired detective on the head. Two plot threads move toward each other: one involves a loose assemblage of mercenary terrorists, the other a 15-year class reunion organized by a classmate whom no one remembers. The threads knit together, sort of like a noose, when both groups board a North Shore oil rig outfitted for the tourist trade. With a dizzying display of mayhem and violence, the action then shuttles between the mercenaries' plot and the various amorous designs, one-upmanship games, and betrayals enacted by the reunion celebrants. Not for the faint of heart. <em>Connie Fletcher</em><br>
<em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p>
<h3>Review</h3>
<p>"Furiously paced and wonderfully absurd, with more one-liners than a Colombian coke dealer." </p></div>


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A rollicking, witty novel by the author The Guardian has called "the next star of the genre . . . [who writes in] the sassy, nasty, fast style of the Americans Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen"<BR><BR>Christopher Brookmyre's critically acclaimed, award-winning comic thrillers are a sensation in his native Britain. The Times (London) has praised his writing for being "perpetually in-your-face: sassy, irreverent, and stylish" with "a high-octane sense of the absurd," and the Literary Review has raved that his books are "very violent, very funny . .E . comedy with a political edge, which you take gleefully in one gulp." Now he has his much-anticipated American debut with Not the End of the World, a fast and furious novel set in Los Angeles at the near side of the millennium, at a point when the world is about to spin out of control&#151;and maybe out of existence.<BR><BR>When an oceanic research vessel is discovered with all of its crew vanished, it sets off a chain of events that...


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<p class="description">Do you believe in ghosts? Do we really live on in some conscious form after we die, and is that form capable of communicating with the world of the living?...Aye, right. That was Jack Parlabane's stance on the matter, anyway. But this was before he found himself in the more compromising position of being not only dead himself, but worse: dead with an exclusive still to file. From his position on high, Parlabane relates the events leading up to his demise, largely concerning the efforts of charismatic psychic Gabriel Lafayette to reconcile the scientific with the spiritual by submitting to controlled laboratory tests. Parlabane is brought in as an observer, due to his capacities as both a sceptic and an expert on deception, but he soon finds his certainties crumbling and his assumptions turned upside down as he encounters phenomena for which he can deduce no rational explanation. Perhaps, in a world in which he can find himself elected rector of an esteemed Scottish university, anything truly is possible. One thing he knows for certain, however: Death is not the end - it's the ultimate undercover assignment.</p>


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<div><p>Back when they were students, just like everybody else, Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt had dreams about what they'd do when they grew up. In both their cases, it was to be rock stars. Fifteen years later, their mid-thirties are bearing down fast, and just like everybody else, they're having to accept the less glamorous hands reality has dealt them. Nervous new father Ray takes refuge from his responsibilities by living a virtual existence in online games. People say he needs to grow up, but everybody has to find their own way of coping. For some it's affairs, for others it's the bottle, and for Simon it's serial murder, mass slaughter and professional assassination.</p>
<p>**</p></div>


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<div><p>Their eyes met across a crowded room. She was just a poor servant girl and he was the son of a rich industrialist. Er, no, this is a Christopher Brookmyre novel, although the eyes meeting across a crowded room part is true. Where it differs from the fairy tales is that the room in question was crowded with hostages and armed bank-robbers, and his eyes were the only part of him she could see behind the mask. He is an art-thief par excellence and she is a connoisseur of crooks. Her job is to hunt him to extinction; his is to avoid being caught and he also has a secret agenda more valuable than anything he might steal. There are risks he can take without jeopardising his plans. He can afford to play cat-and-mouse with the female cop who's on his tail; it might even arguably be necessary. What he can't afford is to let her get too close: he could could end up in jail or, even more scary, he could end up in love ...</p>
<p>**</p></div>


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<p class="description">If society has the B-list celebrities it deserves, it now has a killer to match. Except that Simon Darcourt is a great deal more successful in his career choice than the average talent show contestant. He's also got the media taped - by the simple expedient of by-passing them completely and posting real-time coverage of his killings on the internet. He's got viewing figures to make the world's TV executives gasp in envy, and he's pulling the voyeuristic strings of every viewer by getting them to 'vote' to keep his captives alive. Angelique De Xavier, his previous nemesis, is drafted onto the police team trying to bring this one-man celebrity hate-fest to an end. But she can't do it alone, she needs the magical skills of her lover, only she doesn't know where Zal is and meanwhile a whole load of celebs are, literarly, dying to be famous. An intelligent satire, a thriller with exhilarating pace - Christopher Brookmyre at his best.</p>


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<p class="description">As a teenager Jane Bell had dreamt of playing in the casinos of Monte Carlo in the company of James Bond, but in her punk phase she'd got herself pregnant and by the time she reaches forty-six she's a grandmother, her dreams as dry as the dust her Dyson sucks up from her hall carpet every day. Then her son Ross, a researcher working for an arms manufacturer in Switzerland, is forced to disappear before some characters cut from the same cloth as Blofeld persuade him to part with the secrets of his research. But they are not the only ones desperate to locate him. A team of security experts is hired by Ross's firm: headed by the enigmatic Bett, his staff have little in common apart from total professionalism and a thorough disregard for the law. Bett believes the key to Ross's whereabouts is his mother, and in one respect he is right, but even he is taken aback by the verve underlying her determination to secure her son's safety as she learns the black arts of quiet subterfuge and violent attack. The teenage dreams of fast cars, high-tech firepower and extreme action had always promised to be fun and games, but in real life it's likely someone is going to lose an eye ...Visit the author's website at www.brookmyre.co.uk</p>


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<div><p><strong>NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES *GAME OF THRONES</strong>*  </p>
<p>From a master of contemporary fantasy comes the first novel of a landmark series unlike any you’ve ever read before. With <em>A Game of Thrones, </em>George R. R. Martin has launched a genuine masterpiece, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill the pages of this magnificent saga, the first volume in an epic series sure to delight fantasy fans everywhere.<br>
<strong> </strong><br>
<strong>A GAME OF THRONES</strong><br>
<strong>A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: BOOK ONE</strong><br>
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Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. To the south, the king’s powers are failing—his most trusted adviser dead under mysterious circumstances and his enemies emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the king’s new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but the kingdom itself.  </p>
<p>Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, <em>A Game of Thrones</em> tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.  </p>
<p>Unparalleled in scope and execution, <em>A Game of Thrones</em> is one of those rare reading experiences that catch you up from the opening pages, won’t let you go until the end, and leave you yearning for more.  </p>
<p><em>From the Hardcover edition.</em></p>
<p>**</p><p></p></div>


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: Here is the second volume in GEORGE R. R. MARTIN’S magnificent cycle of novels that includes **A Game of Thrones** and **A Storm of Swords**. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, GEORGE R. R. MARTIN’S stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.**A CLASH OF KINGS**A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who hold sway over an age of enforced peace are dead, victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.


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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.A Storm of SwordsOf the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world....But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . .</p>


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SUMMARY: When Gregory Matthews, patriarch of the Poplars is found dead one morning, imperious Aunt Harriet blames it on the roast duck he ate for supper. But a post-mortem determines the cause of death as murder by poison. It falls to Superintendent Hannasyde to sift through all the secrets and lies among the bitter, quarrelsome family.


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SUMMARY: Every family has secrets, but the Fountains' are turning deadly… On a dark night, along a lonely country road, barrister Frank Amberley stops to help a young lady in distress and discovers a sports car with a corpse behind the wheel. The girl protests her innocence, and Amberley believes her—at least until he gets drawn into the mystery and the clues incriminating Shirley Brown begin to add up… In an English country-house murder mystery with a twist, it's the butler who's the victim, every clue complicates the puzzle, and the bumbling police are well-meaning but completely baffled. Fortunately, in ferreting out a desperate killer, amateur sleuth Amberley is as brilliant as he is arrogant, but this time he's not sure he wants to know the truth… PRAISE FOR WHY SHOOT A BUTLER? "If genteel mysteries are your cup of tea, you have here a steaming teapot just waiting to be poured." Bestsellers "Georgette Heyer is second to none." Sunday Times "Heyer is an author to read — this means you!" New York Herald Tribune "Sharp, clear, and witty" New Yorker (20090330)


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SUMMARY: When Peter, Margaret and Celia inherit a rambling old house from an uncle, they consider it to have a certain charm despite its ramshackle appearance. But suspicion is roused when they discover that for years no one has been very keen to set foot in the place - indeed, their uncle chose to live quite far away from this particular property - the reason being that it is said to be haunted. The things that go bump in the night take on a more sinister air when a murder is committed.


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<div><p>At last, a single volume that gathers together all of the short stories featuring Agatha Christie's most famous creation: Hercule Poirot. The dapper, mustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head and curious mannerisms has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century—and, in his own humble opinion, is "probably the greatest detective in the world."</p><p>In this complete collection of stories, ranging from short tales to novellas, Poirot faces violent murders, poisonings, kidnappings, and thefts—all solved with his characteristic panache. Only Agatha Christie could have devised cases worthy of Hercule Poirot's skill and "little gray cells." </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976.</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>Fiendish suspense. Shocking twists. <br>Twelve diabolical tales.</strong>  </p><p><em>New York Times</em> bestselling author and highly acclaimed storyteller Jeffery Deaver-the undisputed "grand master of the plot twist" (<em>Booklist</em>)-returns with a dazzling new collection of short stories. In these twelve electrifying tales (including six written just for this anthology) Deaver proves once again his genius for the unexpected-in his world, appearances are always deceiving.  </p><p>A devoted housekeeper embarks on a quest to find the truth behind her employer's murder. A washed-up Hollywood actor gets one last, high-stakes chance to revive his career. A man makes an impulsive visit to his hometown, and learns more about his past than he bargained for. Two Olympic track hopefuls receive terrorist threats. And Deaver's beloved series characters Lincoln Rhyme, Kathryn Dance, and John Pellam return in stories now in print for the first time.  </p><p>**</p></div>


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<div><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>When a vicious smuggler known as the Ghost scuttles a ship filled with undocumented Chinese immigrants less than a mile from New York harbor, only a handful of survivors--and the Ghost himself--manage to escape the burning vessel. Lincoln Rhyme, the quadriplegic NYPD forensic detective first introduced in 1997's __, and Amelia Sachs, his partner and lover, must stop the Ghost before he murders the two families who made it to shore. The families have gone to ground in the all but impenetrable world of Manhattan's Chinatown, a fact that makes the pair's two allies--Sonny Li, a Chinese cop, and Dr. John Sung-- invaluable partners.</p><p>The group's race against time showcases Jeffery Deaver's many talents, particularly intricate plotting, plenty of surprising twists, and breakneck pacing. This is a real standout from a writer whose previous thrillers have earned him a solid following among mystery fans. <em>--Jane Adams</em></p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Hidden aboard the cargo ship Fuzhou Dragon, approximately two dozen illegal Chinese immigrants head for the promise of a better future in the United States. The ruthless man in charge of this cargo is a professional human smuggler and killer nicknamed the Ghost. When the Coast Guard tries to stop the ship and capture the Ghost, the ship takes on water, and the Ghost blows up the cargo hold. The surviving immigrants grab hold of a lifeboat and make it to land. Trying to start their new lives, they must remain in hiding because the Ghost is tracking them, determined to kill every single immigrant left. The task of stopping the Ghost before he accomplishes his goal falls to Lincoln Rhyme and his partner, Amelia Sachs, characters first introduced in Deaver's The Bone Collector. The mind game that follows will push Rhyme to the limit of his abilities and call into question the loyalty of the people working with him. With this elaborate thriller, Deaver has written his best book to date. He balances the complexities of Chinese culture with the page-turning suspense we expect. Highly recommended. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 1/ 02.] Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.<br>Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. </p>

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<div><h3>Review</h3><p>Lawrence Block author of <em>Everybody Dies</em> <em>Shallow Graves</em> is a real pleasure -- tough-minded, intelligent, and very well written. Bravo! -- <em>Review</em></p><h3>Product Description</h3><p><em>New York Times</em> bestselling author </p><p><strong>JEFFERY DEAVER</strong></p><p>created the acclaimed blockbusters <em>The Devil's Teardrop</em> and <em>The Coffin Dancer.</em> Here he showcases his superb talent for "ticking-bomb suspense" <em>(People)</em> in this Edgar Award-nominated novel </p><p><strong>SHALLOW GRAVES</strong></p><p><em>Location scouting is to the film business what Switzerland is to war.</em> John Pellam had been in the trenches of filmmaking, with a promising Hollywood career -- until a tragedy sidetracked him. Now he's a location scout, who travels the country in search of shooting sites for films. When he rides down Main Street, locals usually clamor for their chance at fifteen minutes of fame. But in a small town in upstate New York, Pellam experiences a very different reception -- his illusionary world is shattered by a savage murder, and Pellam is suddenly center stage in an unfolding drama of violence, lust, and conspiracy, which have a stranglehold on this less-than-picture-perfect locale. </p>

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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>Jeffery Deaver is the "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Empty Chair" and "The Devil's Teardrop." Here his trademark "ticking-bomb suspense" "(People)" explodes off the page in another heart-stopping thriller.  Hollywood location scout John Pellam thought the scenic backwater town of Maddox, Missouri, would be the perfect site for an upcoming "Bonnie and Clyde"-style film. But after real bullets leave two people dead and one cop paralyzed, he's more sought after than the Barrow Gang. Pellam had unwittingly wandered onto the crime scene just minutes before the brutal hits. Now the feds and local police want him to talk. Mob enforcers want him silenced. And a mysterious blonde just wants him. Trapped in a town full of sinister secrets and deadly deceptions, Pellam fears that death will imitate art, as the film shoot -- and his life -- race toward a breathtakingly bloody climax.</p>


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<div><h3><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; ">Taylor Lockwood spends her days working as a paralegal in one of New York's preeminent Wall Street law firms and her nights playing jazz piano anyplace she can. But the rhythm of her life is disrupted when attorney Mitchell Reece requests her help in locating a stolen document that could cost him not only the multimillion-dollar case he's defending but his career as well. Eager to get closer to this handsome, brilliant, and very private man, Taylor signs on, only to find that as she delves deeper and deeper into what goes on behind closed doors at Hubbard, White &amp; Willis, she is uncovering more than she wants to knowincluding secrets damaging enough to smash careers and dangerous enough to push someone to commit murder. Yet who is capable of going to that extreme? With her life on the line, Taylor is about to learn the lethal answer.</span></h3><h3><br></h3><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>A plethora of generally interesting asides make this lethargically paced mystery an easy, yet ultimately a somewhat frustrating read. As we follow the paralegal days and jazz-piano-playing nights of Ms. Taylor Lockwood, we glimpse the truth behind the dark-wood panels of the venerable law firm Hubbard, White &amp; Willis. Taylor's initial assignment is to retrieve a stolen document that could cost the firm a case and an attractive young litigator his job. The theft proves to be merely a subtext as one ferocious partner pushes for a merger, two older partners firmly oppose it and the rest of the principal players scramble for position while sides are drawn up. Taylor finds coked-up associates with grievances, partners with financial problems, and granddaughters to raise, not to mention call girls. Offices (including her own lowly hole in the wall) are soon bugged, and after an interminable wait, murder makes its entrance. Edgar-nominated Deaver ( Manhattan Is My Beat ) whips up enough atmosphere for a whole series here: late-night music, copious jazz lore, performance-art interludes, man troubles aplenty--the plucky Taylor partakes of them all. She's a likely guide to both the legal and the late-night, but this expansive mystery doesn't have enough narrative gears to shift through. Author tour. <br>Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Kirkus Reviews</h3><p>When a promissory note for $25 million due to a client bank is stolen from hotshot lawyer Mitchell Reece's office in Hubbard, White &amp; Willis, he turns to an unlikely source for detective help--aspiring jazz pianist/paralegal Taylor Lockwood. Taylor is supposed to recover the note in time to prevent the debtor firm from wriggling out of the debt by declaring bankruptcy--and that client bank from pulling its business from the firm. As Taylor gets down to her investigation-- which consists mainly of fighting off the partners' propositions by day and pawing through their offices by night--upstart partner Wendall Clayton plots a merger of Hubbard, White &amp; Willis with a new-money firm--a merger that will throw patrician senior partner Donald Burdick and his supporters to the wolves. The detective plot (torpid theft and, eventually, homicide) and the (far more engrossing) merger plot finally do come together, though not in time for Deaver (Hard News, etc.) to do either one justice. -- <em>Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.</em></p>

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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>Once the nation's foremost criminologist and the ex-head of NYPD forensics, quadriplegic Lincoln Rhyme abandons his forced retirement and joins forces with rookie cop Amelia Sachs to track down a vicious serial killer. Reissue.</p>


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<p class="description">New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver delivers an electrifying collection of sixteen award-winning stories that will widen your eyes and stretch your imagination. Diverse and provocative, Twisted showcases Deaver's amazing range and signature plot twists: a beautiful woman goes to extremes to rid herself of her stalker; a contemporary of William Shakespeare vows to avenge his family's ruin; and Deaver's most beloved character, brilliant criminalist Lincoln Rhyme, is back to solve a chilling Christmastime disappearance.</p>


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<div><p><em></em></p><p><em>More diabolical tales of suspense. More nerve-jangling shocks. </em></p><p><em><em></em></em></p><hr><p><em><em>"The grand master of the plot twist" (<em>Booklist</em>) is back.... <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, who crafted first-rate thrills in the collected stories of Twisted, presents sixteen more tales -- including an all-new Lincoln Rhyme entry -- spawned from his darkly brilliant imagination. From a stressed-out commuter to a death-row inmate, Deaver's characters are never what they seem -- and every jaw-dropping curveball he delivers is nothing less than "ingeniously devious" (<em>People</em>). </em></em></p><h3><em><em>From Publishers Weekly</em></em></h3><p><em><em>Bestseller Deaver's second story collection (after 2003's <em>Twisted</em>) is best enjoyed in small doses, since, as the author states in his preface, each of the 16 suspense tales contains a "gut-wrenching twist," a formulaic final reversal that loses its punch with too much repetition. That said, readers will find a number of clever and concise thrillers. The standout, "Born Bad," about a mother waiting in fear for her estranged daughter to kill her, does a superb job of matching up the clues at the beginning with the tale's resolution. Sherlockians will get a kick from a pastiche narrated in third person, "The Westphalian Ring," pitting Holmes against a crafty jewel thief. In an afterword to the tale "Afraid," Deaver (<em>The Bone Collector</em>) explains how he works the concept of fear into his fiction. <em>(Jan.)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </em></em></p><h3><em><em>From Booklist</em></em></h3><p><em><em>Deaver, author of a string of best-selling thrillers, says in the introduction to this story collection (his second, following 2003's <em>Twisted</em>) that short fiction is inherently different from a novel. And he proves it in every one of the 16 stories, which include a new Lincoln Rhyme mystery. These stories aren't about character development or setting; they're about misdirection and plot twists, Deaver's signatures. Every one of these gems includes at least one act of narrative sleight of hand: sometimes it's a subtle shift in direction, but more often it's a neck-wrenching, right-angle turn. And they all feature Deaver's sharply observed dialogue and jackrabbit pacing. The majority of the stories were previously published in magazines and anthologies, but even the most devoted of the author's followers will find a few things here they have never seen before. <em>David Pitt</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></em></em></p></div>


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<div><p>Centuries have passed on Dune, and the planet is green with life. Leto, the son of Dune's savior, is still alive but far from human, and the fate of all humanity hangs on his awesome sacrifice...</p>
<p>"Rich fare...heady stuff."--<strong>Los Angeles Times</strong></p>
<p>**</p><h3>Review</h3>
<p>"Veterans of the entire series, narrators Simon Vance, Scott Brick, and Katherine Kellgren are so familiar and comfortable with the extensive vocabulary and world of DUNE that they effortlessly bring the many characters, philosophical discussions, and diary entries into an incisive sonic whole."</p>
<p>—<em>AudioFile</em></p>
<p>Praise for the Dune audiobook—The First Installment in the New Multi-Cast Recordings of the Six Original DUNE novels:</p>
<p>“How does Herbert’s text come off when read aloud? Superbly!...The listener falls under the mellow sway of these talented voices. The production values here are top-notch. The sound is crystalline...But perhaps the most impressive thing about this production is the way all the neologisms and foreign terms sound so natural and flow so easily—and consistently—off the tongues of the performers.” —SciFi Weekly </p>
<p>“Vance imbues each character with a distinctive voice: his Duncan is a truculent Clive Owen sound-alike, while his Leto (suitably) has the stentorian tones of a self-absorbed Shakespearean actor.” – <em>SciFiDimensions</em></p>
<p>Praise for the Dune series:</p>
<p>“One of the monuments of modern science fiction.”<br>
 —Chicago Tribune on <em>Dune</em></p>
<p>“Brilliant... It is all that Dune was and maybe a little more.”  <br>
 —Galaxy Magazine </p>
<h3>From the Publisher</h3>
<p>10 1.5-hour cassettes </p></div>


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<div><p>The desert planet of Arrakis has begun to grow green and lush. The life-giving spice is abundant. The nine-year-old royal twins, possesing their father's supernatural powers, are being groomed as Messiahs.  </p>
<p>But there are those who think the Imperium does not need messiahs...</p>
<p>**</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>Dune Messiah</strong> continues the story of the man Muad'dib, heir to a power unimaginable, bringing to completion the centuries-old scheme to create a super-being.</p>
<p>"Brilliant...It is all that <strong>Dune</strong> was, and maybe a little bit more."--<strong>Galaxy Magazine</strong></p>
<p>**</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p>In 1965 Frank Herbert published <em>Dune</em>. After it was heralded as a masterpiece of science fiction, he wrote the briefer <em>Dune Messiah</em> in 1969, concentrating eponymously on Paul Atreides, and then, sensing the sales potential, added sequels. They were continued by his son, culminating in the just published finale, <em>Sandworms of Dune</em>. Now, 38 years after its publication, four narrators capture <em>Dune Messiah</em> on discs, while listeners, with no glossary, try to recall the meaning of its esoteric nomenclature. The audio gets off to a lively start as the book opens with nearly all conversation, playing up the camaraderie between the narrators who have partnered on several other readings of classic sci-fi novels. While the cast works well together, some of the male narrators emphasize a stately dullness. Kellgren, the sole feminine voice, supplies real emotion and a true sense of awe. <em>(Oct.)</em> <br>
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p>
<h3>Review</h3>
<p>Unique among SF novels ... I know nothing comparable to it except The Lord of the Rings. Arthur C. Clarke on DUNE One of the landmarks of modern science fiction ... an amazing feat of creation. Analog on DUNE</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>Frank Herbert’s epic masterpiece—a triumph of the imagination and the bestselling science fiction novel of all time.</strong>  </p>
<p>Set on the desert planet Arrakis, <em>Dune</em> is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family—and would bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.  </p>
<p>A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, <em>Dune</em> won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.</p>
<p>**</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3>
<p>This Hugo and Nebula Award winner tells the sweeping tale of a desert planet called Arrakis, the focus of an intricate power struggle in a byzantine interstellar empire. Arrakis is the sole source of Melange, the "spice of spices." Melange is necessary for interstellar travel and grants psychic powers and longevity, so whoever controls it wields great influence. </p>
<p>The troubles begin when stewardship of Arrakis is transferred by the Emperor from the Harkonnen Noble House to House Atreides. The Harkonnens don't want to give up their privilege, though, and through sabotage and treachery they cast young Duke Paul Atreides out into the planet's harsh environment to die. There he falls in with the Fremen, a tribe of desert dwellers who become the basis of the army with which he will reclaim what's rightfully his. Paul Atreides, though, is far more than just a usurped duke. He might be the end product of a very long-term genetic experiment designed to breed a super human; he might be a messiah. His struggle is at the center of a nexus of powerful people and events, and the repercussions will be felt throughout the Imperium. </p>
<p><em>Dune</em> is one of the most famous science fiction novels ever written, and deservedly so. The setting is elaborate and ornate, the plot labyrinthine, the adventures exciting. Five sequels follow. <em>--Brooks Peck</em></p>
<h3>From Library Journal</h3>
<p>Dune is to science fiction what The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy. Though fans believed they had bid a sad farewell to the sand planet of Arrakis upon Herbert's death in 1986, his son Brian has assumed writing the Nebula and Hugo award-winning series with the help of Kevin J. Anderson. But the original is always the most popular, and Ace here offers a good-quality hardcover complete with maps, a glossary, and appendixes. The book's huge fan base should expand even more thanks to a six-hour miniseries premiering on the Sci-Fi Channel later this year that is said to be more faithful to the book than David Lynch's truly awful 1984 feature film. <br>
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>With more than ten million copies sold, <strong>Frank Herbert</strong>'s magnificent <strong>Dune</strong> books stand among the major achievements of the human imagination. In this, the fifth and most spectacular <strong>Dune</strong> book of all, the planet Arrakis--now called Rakis--is becoming desert again. The Lost Ones are returning home from the far reaches of space. The great sandworms are dying. And the children of Dune's children awaken from empire as from a dream, wielding the new power of a heresy called love...</p>
<p>**</p><h3>Review</h3>
<p>"A monumental piece of imaginative architecture... indisputably magical."<br>
-<em>Los Angeles Herald Examiner</em>  </p>
<p>"Gripping...Fascinating detail, yet cloaked in mystery and mysticism." <br>
-<em>Milwaukee Journal</em>  </p>
<p>"Herbert weaves together several fascinating storylines with almost the same mastery as informed <em>Dune</em>, and keeps the reader intent on the next revelation or twist." <br>
-<em>Challenging Destiny</em></p>
<h3>From the Publisher</h3>
<p>14 1.5-hour cassettes </p></div>


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<div><p>The desert planet Arrakis, called Dune, has been destroyed. Now, the Bene Gesserit, heirs to Dune's power, have colonized a green world--and are turning it into a desert, mile by scorched mile.  </p><p>Here is the last book <strong>Frank Herbert</strong> wrote before his death. A stunning climax to the epic Dune legend that will live on forever...</p><p>**</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Now that the planet Arrakis (Dune) has been annihilated, the Bene Gesserit order turns its stronghold Chapterhouse into another desert world, and from this base, the sisterhood plans its moves against ruthless rivals. Drawing on a vast store of history and religion, the book is "so rich in this one area that others suffer and the narrative crawls," PW observed. <br>
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Compelling...a worthy addition to this durable and deservedly popular series."<br>
-<em>New York Times</em>  </p><p>





</p><p>"The vast and fascinating Dune saga sweeps on."<br>
-<em>Kirkus Reviews</em></p></div>


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<div><div><font face="Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Frank Herbert's Dune series is one of the great creations of imaginative literature, science fiction's answer to The Lord of the Rings.</span></font></div><div><font face="Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Decades after Herbert's original novels, the Dune saga was continued by Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert, in collaboration with Kevin J. Anderson. Working from Frank Herbert's own notes, the acclaimed authors reveal the chapter of the Dune saga most eagerly anticipated by readers: the Butlerian Jihad.</span></font></div><div><font face="Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Throughout the Dune novels, Frank Herbert frequently referred to the war in which humans wrested their freedom from "thinking machines." In Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson bring to life the story of that war, a tale previously seen only in tantalizing hints and clues. Finally, we see how Serena Butler's passionate grief ignites the struggle that will liberate humans from their machine masters; here is the amazing tale of the Zensunni Wanderers, who escape bondage to flee to the desert world where they will declare themselves the Free Men of Dune. And here is the backward, nearly forgotten planet of Arrakis, where traders have discovered the remarkable properties of the spice melange....</span></font></div></div>


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<p class="description">The breathtaking vision and incomparable storytelling of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson's Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, a prequel to Frank Herbert's classic Dune, propelled it to the ranks of speculative fiction's classics in its own right. Now, with all the color, scope, and fascination of the prior novel, comes Dune: The Machine Crusade.. More than two decades have passed since the events chronicled in The Butlerian Jihad. The crusade against thinking robots has ground on for years, but the forces led by Serena Butler and Irbis Ginjo have made only slight gains; the human worlds grow weary of war, of the bloody, inconclusive swing from victory to defeat. The fearsome cymeks, led by Agamemnon, hatch new plots to regain their lost power from Omnius--as their numbers dwindle and time begins to run out. The fighters of Ginaz, led by Jool Noret, forge themselves into an elite warrior class, a weapon against the machine-dominated worlds. Aurelius Venport and Norma Cenva are on the verge of the most important discovery in human history-a way to "fold" space and travel instantaneously to any place in the galaxy. And on the faraway, nearly worthless planet of Arrakis, Selim Wormrider and his band of outlaws take the first steps to making themselves the feared fighters who will change the course of history: the Fremen.Here is the unrivaled imaginative power that has put Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson on bestseller lists everywhere and earned them the high regard of readers around the globe. The fantastic saga of Dune continues in Dune: The Machine Crusade.</p>


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<p class="description">Fifty-six hard years after the events of The Machine Crusade, after the death of Serena Butler, the bloodiest decades of the Jihad take place. The human worlds begin to hope that the end of the centuries-long conflict with the thinking machines is finally in sight. Unfortunately, Omnius has one last, deadly card to play. In a last-ditch effort to destroy humankind, virulent plagues are let loose throughout the galaxy, decimating the populations of whole planets. The war that has lasted many lifetimes will be decided in the apocalyptic Battle of Corrin. In the greatest battle of science fiction history, human and machine face off one last time, and on the desert planet of Arrakis, the legendary Fremen of Dune become the feared fighting force to be discovered by Paul Maud'Dib in Frank Herbert's classic, Dune.</p>


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<div><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>After two prequel trilogies to the legendary SF epic (the Legends of Dune and Prelude to Dune series), Frank Herbert's son Brian, in collaboration with Anderson, launch a new trilogy that takes up where Herbert Sr. left off with Chapterhouse: Dune (1985). This entertaining if over-the-top update begins three years after the refugee "no-ship," Ithaca, has fled Chapterhouse and the brutal Honored Matres, a corrupted faction of the all-female Bene Gesserit order led by Mother Commander Murbella. Duncan Idaho, Murbella's ex-love slave, guides the ship carrying reincarnated warrior Miles Teg, the dissident Rev. Mother Sheeana and 150 other refugees. While Murabella deals with violent rebels from within, another more sinister enemy... secretly infiltrates the Honored Matres... Herbert's ecological and religious concerns now seem oddly prescient, but this sizzling update, still filled with crazed women who sexually enslave men, sometimes borders on campy 1950s B-movie parody.<br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"One of the monuments of modern science fiction."--_Chicago__ Tribune_ on <em>Dune</em>  </p><p>"I know nothing comparable to it except <em>The Lord of the Rings</em>."--Sir Arthur C. Clarke on <em>Dune</em>  </p><p>"A portrayal of an alien society more complete and deeply detailed than any other author in the field has managed . . . a story absorbing equally for its action and philosophical vistas. . . . An astonishing science fiction phenomenon."--_The <strong>Washington</strong> Post_ on <em>Dune</em>  </p><p>"Powerful, convincing, and most ingenious."--Robert A. Heinlein on <em>Dune</em>  </p><p>"Herbert's creation of this universe, with its intricate development and analysis of ecology, religion, politics, and philosophy, remains one of the supreme and seminal achievements in science fiction."--_Louisville__ Times_ on <em>Dune</em><br>__<br>"The kind of intricate plotting and philosophical musings that would make the elder Herbert proud."--_Publishers Weekly_ (starred review) on <em>Dune: The Butlerian Jihad</em>  </p><p>"Sit back and enjoy."--_Booklist_ on <em>Dune: The Machine Crusade</em><br>__<br>"_Dune_ addicts will happily devour Herbert and Anderson's spicy conclusion to their second prequel trilogy."--_Publishers Weekly_ on _Dune: The <strong>Battle</strong> of Corrin_</p>

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<div><p><strong>Introducing an instant classic—master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths.</strong>  </p><p>Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales.  </p><p>In <em>Norse Mythology</em>, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, son of a giant, blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.  </p><p>Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman, difficult with his beard and huge appetite, to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir, the most sagacious of gods, is turned into a mead that infuses drinkers with poetry. The work culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and rebirth of a new time and people.  </p><p class="description">



</p><p>Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.</p></div>


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<div><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>A young American model is murdered in the corporate boardroom of Los Angeles's Nakomoto Tower on the new skyscraper's gala opening night. Murdered, that is, unless she was strangled while enjoying sadomasochistic sex that went too far. Nakomoto, a Japanese electronics giant, tries to hush up the embarrassing incident, setting in motion a murder investigation that serves Crichton ( Jurassic Park ) as the platform for a clever, tough-talking harangue on the dangers of Japanese economic competition and influence-peddling in the U.S. Divorced LAPD lieutenant Peter Smith, who has custody of his two-year-old daughter, and hard-boiled detective John Connor, who says things like "For a Japanese, consistent behavior is not possible," pursue the killer in a winding plot involving Japan's attempt to gain control of the U.S. computer industry. Although Crichton's didactic aims are often at cross-purposes with his storytelling, his entertaining, well-researched thriller cannot be easily dismissed as Japan-bashing because it raises important questions about that country's adversarial trade strategy and our inadequate response to it. He also provides a fascinating perspective on how he thinks the Japanese view Americans--as illiterate, childish, lazy people obsessed with TV, violence and aggressive litigation. 225,000 first printing; BOMC main selection. <br>Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From School Library Journal</h3><p>YA-- The celebrity-studded opening of a huge Japanese office building is marred by the murder of a beautiful American woman. Lt. Peter Smith is called in to investigate and is requested to bring along John Connor, an expert on Japanese culture and fluent in the language. So begins a riveting tale that combines suspense, technology, and a full-scale economic battle for survival. YAs will have no problem following the complex corporate business schemes described by Crichton, whose loyalties are obviously with America. Readers who fear that the Japanese are taking over the U. S. economy will not be reassured.<br><em>- Katherine Fitch, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke, VA</em><br>Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p>

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<p class="description">Harry Benson is a man troubled by violent seizures and blackouts, with grave doubts about what occurs during those lost hours. When two surgeons approach him with a drastic new treatment for his extreme fits he leaps at the chance, even though it means having electrodes planted deep into his brain. The surgeons are so obsessed with trying out their new theory they ignore warnings from another doctor that the man they are about to experiment on is a psychopath, who believes there is no difference between man and machine. It is too late when they realise what kind of monster they've unleashed on the world... The Terminal Man is a fast-paced thriller about the grave danger of technology falling into the wrong hands, from the master storyteller behind Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain.</p>


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<p class="description"><span id="freeTextContainer6794239067804052698">The villain is a 
middle-class small businessman named John Wright who decides to 
assassinate the President of the United States. He spends his life 
savings to carry out the theft of an army shipment of the two precursor 
chemicals that form a deadly nerve agent codenamed VZ when combined.</span></p>


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<p class="description">A Case of Need is Michael Crichton's award-winning debut novel, written shortly after he completed his medical internship. Set against the ever-building pressure and pace of a large Boston medical center, the tensions flare-and explode-when a surgical operation tragically ends in death, raising countless questions. Was it accidental malpractice? A violation of the Hippocratic oath? Or cold-blooded murder?</p>


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SUMMARY: The international bestseller, finally in paperback! "Time "magazine's #1 book of the year - 11 weeks and counting on the "New York Times" bestseller list - Shortlisted for the "Guardian "First Book Award - Longlisted for the Booker prize - A Book Sense pick - "People "Top Ten Books of the year - Salon.com Top Ten of 2004 - "New York Times "Notable Books of the Year - "Christian Science Monitor" Best Fiction 2004 - Nancy Pearl's Top 12 Books of 2004 - "Washington Post" "Book World "Best of 2004 -" San Francisco Chronicle" Best Books of 2004 - "Chicago Tribune "Best of 2004 - "Seattle Times "25 Best Books of 2004 - "Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Top 12 Books of 2004 -" Village Voice" "Top Shelf" -" Raleigh News & Observer "Best of 2004 - "Rocky Mountain News "critics' favorites of 2004" "- "Kansas City Star" 100 Noteworthy Books of 2004 -" Fort Worth Star-Telegram" 10 Best Books of 2004 -" Hartford Courant" Best Books of 2004 Susanna Clarke's brilliant first novel is an utterly compelling epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two very different magicians who, as teacher and pupil and then as rivals, emerge to change its history. Sold in 21 languages, with a major motion picture from New Line on the way, "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell "is a tour de force that has captured the imagination of readers worldwide. Susanna Clarke was born in Nottingham, England, in 1959, the eldest daughter of a Methodist minister. She was educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford, and has worked in various areas of nonfiction publishing. She has published a number of short stories and novellas in American anthologies, including "Mr Simonelli, or the Fairy Widower," which was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award in 2001. Susanna lives in Cambridge with her partner, the novelist and reviewer Colin Greenland. A" New York Times "Notable Book of the YearA "Chicago Tribune" Best Book of 2004 In "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" we find a debut novel marked by wonderfully vivid details, enchanting characters, and fantastic yet familiar situations--a grand and engrossing saga that reads, as "Salon.com" has noted, much like "when Harry Potter met Jane Austen." English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by the early 1800s they have long since lost the ability to perform magic. They can only write long, dull papers about it, while the fairy servants are nothing but a fading memory. But at Hurtfew Abbey in Yorkshire, the rich, reclusive Mr. Norrell has assembled a wonderful library of lost and forgotten books from England's magical past and regained some of the powers of England's magicians. He goes to London and raises a beautiful young woman from the dead. Soon he is lending his help to the government in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte, creating ghostly fleets of rain-ships to confuse and alarm the French. All goes well until a rival magician appears. Jonathan Strange is handsome, charming, and talkative--the very opposite of Mr. Norrell. Strange thinks nothing of enduring the rigors of campaigning with Wellington's army and doing magic on battlefields. Astonished to find another practicing magician, Norrell accepts Strange as a pupil. But it soon becomes clear that their ideas of what English magic ought to be are very different. For Norrell, such power is something to be cautiously controlled, while Jonathan Strange will always be attracted to magic's wildest, most perilous forms. He becomes fascinated by the ancient, shadowy figure of the Raven King, a child taken by fairies who became king of both England and Faerie, and the most legendary magician of all. Eventually Strange's heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens to destroy not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear. Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Susanna Clarke's magisterial and widely celebrated novel weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of English history. "A gorgeous book of unforgettable images."--"People""What kind of magic can make an 800-page novel seem too short? Whatever it is, debut author Susanna Clarke is possessed by it."--"USA Today""Combines the dark, wild spirit of English fantasy with the grand wit and high style of the 19th-century social novel . . . A grand performance--and the most sparkling literary debut of the year."--Laura Miller, "Salon""This book delivers splendid and unpredictable surprises . . . [It] also contrives witty interactions between its characters and real, renowned figures of the period . . . [Clarke presents] a brand new fantasy world, an intricate and fully imagined universe of bewitching tricks."--Janet Maslin, "The New York Times" "I admire Susanna Clarke's imaginative dexterity and deeply enjoyed "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" . . . [This book is] magnificent and original, and that should be enough for any of us."--Michael Dirda, "The Washington Post Book World""The drawing-room social comedies of early 19th-century Britain are infused with the powerful forces of English folklore and fantasy in this extraordinary novel of two magicians who attempt to restore English magic in the age of Napoleon. In Clarke's world, gentlemen scholars pore over the magical history of England, which is dominated by the Raven King, a human who mastered magic from the lands of faerie. The study is purely theoretical until Mr. Norrell, a reclusive, mistrustful bookworm, reveals that he is capable of producing magic and becomes the toast of London society, while an impetuous young aristocrat named Jonathan Strange tumbles into the practice, too, and finds himself quickly mastering it. Though irritated by the reticent Norrell, Strange becomes the magician's first pupil, and the British government is soon using their skills. Mr. Strange serves under Wellington in the Napoleonic Wars (in a series of wonderful historical scenes), but afterward the younger magician finds himself unable to accept Norrell's restrictive views of magic's proper place and sets out to create a new age of magic by himself. Clarke manages to portray magic as both a believably complex and tedious labor, and an eerie world of signs and wonders where every object may have secret meaning. London politics and talking stones are portrayed with equal realism and seem indisputably part of the same England, as signs indicate that the Raven King may return. The chock-full, old-fashioned narrative (supplemented with deft footnotes to fill in the ignorant reader on incidents in magical history) may seem a bit stiff and mannered at first, but immersion in the mesmerizing story reveals its intimacy, humor, and insight, and will enchant readers of fantasy and literary fiction alike."--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review) "Rival magicians square off to display and match their powers in an extravagant historical fantasy . . . English author Clarke's spectacular debut is something far richer than [Harry] Potter: an absorbing tale of vaulting ambition and mortal conflict steeped in folklore and legend, enlivened by subtle characterizations and wittily congenial omniscient authorial presence . . . Clarke sprinkles her radiantly readable text with faux-scholarly (and often hilarious) footnotes while building an elaborate plot that takes Strange through military glory, unsuccessful attempts to cure England's mad king, travel to Venice and a meeting with Lord Byron, and on a perilous pursuit of the fabled Raven King, former ruler of England, into the world of Faerie, and Hell. There's nothing in Tolkein, Mervyn Peake, or any of their peers that surpasses the power with which Clarke evokes this fabulous figure's tangled 'history.' The climax, in which Strange and Norrell conspire to summon the King, arrives--for all the book's enormous length--all too soon. An instant classic, one of the finest fantasies ever written."--"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)


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<div><h3>Product Description</h3><p>A stunningly witty exploration of the American landscape -- not to mention a brilliant comic's mind -- this diary is chock-full of everything you ever wanted to know about Eric Idle, Monty Python, America, and sleeping on a bus. In these pages, the sixth-nicest Python is cheeky, touching, and funny when recounting the riotous tales of his beginnings, his affectionate reminiscences of his fellow Pythons, traveling the world, and taking us backstage at the smash Broadway hit <em>Spamalot</em>.</p><p>Fascinating, moving, at times even amusing, this book will dramatically improve your sex life, will make you feel intelligent and charming within the first several pages, and after a few chapters, will permanently eliminate all your personal or health problems. So come experience eighty days, 15,750 miles, and forty-nine cities as you never have before!</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Eric Idle, versatile actor, writer, composer and director, is best known for his work in the groundbreaking comedy series <em>Monty Python's Flying Circus</em>. He has appeared in numerous films and televisions series, and his voice work includes <em>102 Dalmations</em> and <em>Quest For Camelot</em>.</p></div>


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<p>In Christopher Moore's ingenious debut novel, we meet one of the most memorably mismatched pairs in the annals of literature. The good-looking one is one-hundred-year-old ex-seminarian and "roads" scholar Travis O'Hearn. The green one is Catch, a demon with a nasty habit of eating most of the people he meets. Behind the fake Tudor façade of Pine Cove, California, Catch sees a four-star buffet. Travis, on the other hand, thinks he sees a way of ridding himself of his toothy traveling companion. The winos, neo-pagans, and deadbeat Lotharios of Pine Cove, meanwhile, have other ideas. And none of them is quite prepared when all hell breaks loose.


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<div><p>Everyone knew that there was no escape from the slave galleys of the Murghai: once chained to an oar the only release is death. But Korendir refuses to recognize impossibilities and aided by his rowing companion, Haldeth, he leads a desperate but successful revolt.</p><h3>From the Publisher</h3><p>'Powerful ... epic grandeur... magnificent!' - Anne McCaffrey </p><p>'Master of Whitestorm is storytelling at its best. It should establish Wurts as one of the premier fantasy authors today' - Raymond E. Feist </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Janny Wurts is the author of the 'Cycle of Fire' series, co-author of the Empire series and is currently working through the Wars of Light and Shadow series. She paints all her own covers and is also an expert horsewoman, sailor, musician and archer. </p></div>


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<div><p>Our ancient tradition of tale-spinning is blessed with a treasure trove of truly sacred places. One such place is Camelot.</p><p>In this superb collection of unforgettable stories, the multitalented artist/writer Janny Wurts, one of today's bestselling fantasy authors, takes the reader to a very special Camelot that is both deeply familiar and delightfully strange. She tells of the Eld Tree that is the link to the fey world, and of the terrible price that must be paid for cutting it; of the elvenkind that emulate the wolf to protect themselves from man; of the horses that rose, and still rise, from the sea.</p><p>"That Way Lies Camelot" is a book that proves what Wurts' legions of readers already know: that the worlds of fantasy will live on as long as there are writers such as Janny Wurts, with the vision and the skill to bring them to life in the minds of each generation.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"A gifted creator of wonder." -- <em>Raymond E. Feist </em><br></p><p>"Janny Wurts brings an artist's eye for detail and mood to the field of fantasy writing." -- <em>Robert Lynn Asprin </em></p><h3>From the Publisher</h3><p>In this our ancient tradition of tale-spinning, readers are blessed with a treasure trove of truly sacred places. </p><p>Places that have transcended the bonds of space and time to live eternally as legend -- in the stories told by the old and in the dreams that rise, unbidden, in the hearts of the young. Magic places where human and faery meet in friendly rivalry; where wizardry still holds sway over dry science; where romance not only lives but flourishes, clothed in the long robes of the imagination. </p><p>One such place is Camelot. </p><p>In this superb collection of unforgettable stories, the multitalented artist/writer Janny Wurts, one of today's best-selling fantasy authors, takes the reader to a very special and deeply familiar Camelot that is both deeply familiar, as well as down byways which themselves are delightfully strange. She tells of the Eld Tree that is the link to the fey world, and of the terrible price that must be paid for cutting it; of the suburban children who find and bury an alien; of the elvenkind that emulate the wolf to protect themselves from man; of the horses that rose, and still rise, from the sea. </p><p>Here are myriad wonders, all rendered with an artist's eye and a writer's voice. Janny Wurts' many fans will be delighted to discover that she has included her popular tales of the space pirate MacKenzie James. And new and old readers alike will be moved by the title story, in which a dying boy's impossible last wish -- to see with his own eyes the Court of King Arthur -- comes magnificently true. </p><p><em>That Way Lies Camelot</em> is a book that proves what Wurts' legions of readers already know: The worlds of fantasy will live on as long as there are sorcerers such as Janny Wurts, with the vision and the skill to bring them to life in the minds of each new generation of readers. </p></div>


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<p>The last instalment in the Epic Avalon series by Marion Zimmer Bradley The Ancestors of Avalon is the story of the priests and priestesses - the ancestors in body and spirit of the characters who reappear in the other Avalon books - who flee the destruction of Atlantis and take refuge in the mist-shrouded isle of Britain. But once landed at Belerion the survivors are torn, do they look north to the midlands and seek to lead the Wessex kings, or do they explore the mystical Tor and reestablish their magical traditions within a spiritual kingdom. It is they who teach the Neolithic inhabitants how to move the mighty stones, and carve the spiral pathway around Glastonbury Tor but can they survive the battle against each other.  </p>


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<div><p><strong>Marion Zimmer Bradley's legendary saga of Avalon's extraordinary women continues with a tale of fiery visions, a lost king, and a forthcoming destiny.</strong>  </p><p>Epic in its sweep and peopled by the remarkable women who have always inhabited Avalon, <em>Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon</em> expands the legendary saga that has enchanted millions of readers over the years and is sure to please Bradley's loyal readership and anyone who loves wonderfully told stories of history, myth, and fantasy.  </p><p>A boy raised in secret after traitors kill his parents will return to Avalon - and when he does, he'll be faced with a formidable task: to prove his worth as a son of the kings and priestesses of his land and lead his followers to victory, wielding the newly-forged sword Excalibur.</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>The Forest House</strong>—prequel to The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s beloved and enduring classic—is a mesmerizing epic of one woman’s mythic role at a turning point in history. In a Britain struggling to survive Roman invasion, Eilan is the daughter of a Druidic warleader, gifted with visions and marked by fate to become a priestess of the Forest House. </p><p>But fate also led Eilan to Gaius, a soldier of mixed blood, son of the Romans sent to subdue the native British. For Gaius, Eilan felt forbidden love, and her terrible secret will haunt her even as she is anointed as the new High Priestess. With mighty enemies poised to destroy the magic the Forest House shelters, Eilan must trust in the power of the great Goddess to lead her through the treacherous labyrinth of her destiny. </p><p>Take <strong>The Forest House</strong> Quiz!</p></div>


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<p>Long-awaited final volume in the Avalon series by bestselling fantasy author, Marion Zimmer Bradley. As the Merlin of Britannia keeps his vigil atop the Tor of Avalon, Rian, the High Priestess of Avalon, dies giving birth to her fifth child. The girl, named Eilan with her mother's dying breath, takes life. From the stars the Merlin draws forth her prophecy: 'The child that was born at the Turning of Autumn, just as the night gave way to dawn, shall stand at the turning of the Age, the gateway between two worlds.' A prophecy of greatness, but it seems that she is destined to walk a path unlike any trod by a Priestess of Avalon before! Published posthumously, this spellbinding historical romance is the concluding volume in the Avalon series from Marion Zimmer Bradley, the author of the worldwide bestseller, The Mists of Avalon, who died in 1999.</p>


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<div><p>A Literary Guild Featured Alternate<br>Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come....</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Even readers who don't normally enjoy Arthurian legends will love this version, a retelling from the point of view of the women behind the throne. Morgaine (more commonly known as Morgan Le Fay) and Gwenhwyfar (a Welsh spelling of Guinevere) struggle for power, using Arthur as a way to score points and promote their respective worldviews. <em>The Mists of Avalon</em>'s Camelot politics and intrigue take place at a time when Christianity is taking over the island-nation of Britain; Christianity vs. Faery, and God vs. Goddess are dominant themes. </p><p>Young and old alike will enjoy this magical Arthurian reinvention by science fiction and fantasy veteran Marion Zimmer Bradley. <em>--Bonnie Bouman</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>"[A] monumental reimagining of the Arthurian legends . . . Reading it is a deeply moving and at times uncanny experience. . . . An impressive achievement."<br>--The New York Times Book Review  </p><p>"Marion Zimmer Bradley has brilliantly and innovatively turned the myth inside out. . . . add[ing] a whole new dimension to our mythic history."<br>--San Francisco Chronicle  </p><p>"Gripping . . . Superbly realized . . . A worthy addition to almost a thousand years of Arthurian tradition."<br>--The Cleveland Plain Dealer  </p><p><em>From the Hardcover edition.</em></p></div>


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<p>Set in the time before King Arthur, this novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley brings the mesmerizing world of Avalon brilliantly to life with epic grandeur-telling the story of three remarkable women who alter the fortunes of Roman Britain as they fight to reclaim the magic and traditions of a once glorious past...</p>


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<p class="description">Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon follows the journey of Boudica, a Celtic princess, and Lhiannon, a priestess who is Boudica's mentor on the Druids' Isle. When the Romans conquer Britain, Lhiannon fights them while Boudica marries a king who has surrendered. Theirs is a great love story, but when he dies, the Romans brutalize Boudica and her daughters. In rage, Boudica rouses the tribes in a quest to drive the Romans from Britain - and the results will seal both her own and Lhiannon's place in history.</p>


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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>In Barry's twisted, hilarious vision of the near future, the world is run by giant American corporations and employees take the last name of the companies they work for. Hot on the trail of John Nike, an executive from the land of Marketing, is agent Jennifer Government, the consumer watchdog from hell. Taxation has been abolished, the government has been privatized, and employees take the surname of the company they work for. It's a brave new corporate world, but you don't want to be caught without a platinum credit card--as lowly Merchandising Officer Hack Nike is about to find out. Trapped into building street cred for a new line of $2500 sneakers by shooting customers, Hack attracts the barcode-tattooed eye of the legendary Jennifer Government. A stressed-out single mom, corporate watchdog, and government agent who has to rustle up funding before she's allowed to fight crime, Jennifer Government is holding a closing down sale--and everything must go. A wickedly satirical and outrageous thriller about globalization and marketing hype, Jennifer Government is the best novel in the world ever. In a corporate-governed future world where people take the last names of the companies they work for, merchandising officer Hack Nike tries to get out of a contract that requires him to shoot teenagers, a situation that results in his unwitting involvement with an agent who is out to get Hack's employer.</p>


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<div><p>The last collection of James Bond adventures from Ian Fleming, <em>Octopussy and The Living Daylights </em>features four tales of intrigue that push 007 to the limit and find the secret agent questioning where he can go from there… </p><p>In “Octopussy,” a former operative in the Second World War must face the consequences of past sins when James Bond knocks on the door of his Caribbean fortress, and in “The Property of a Lady” Bond deciphers the elaborate codes of a Sotheby’s bidding war in order to catch a KGB agent. “007 in New York” takes Bond to the titular city to warn an ex-agent of her boyfriend’s secret KGB affiliation. And “The Living Daylights” sends Bond to Berlin to protect a British agent before an assassin strikes. </p><p>Published posthumously, <em>Octopussy and The Living Daylights</em> marks Ian Fleming’s final contribution to the legacy of his iconic creation, 007 James Bond.</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Ian Fleming was born in London on May 28, 1908. He was educated at Eton College and later spent a formative period studying languages in Europe. His first job was with Reuters News Agency where a Moscow posting gave him firsthand experience with what would become his literary <em>bete noire</em>—the Soviet Union. During World War II he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and played a key role in Allied espionage operations. </p><p>After the war he worked as foreign manager of the <em>Sunday Times</em>, a job that allowed him to spend two months each year in Jamaica. Here, in 1952, at his home “Goldeneye,” he wrote a book called <em>Casino Royale</em>—and James Bond was born. The first print run sold out within a month. For the next twelve years Fleming produced a novel a year featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. His travels, interests, and wartime experience lent authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler described him as “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.” Sales soared when President Kennedy named the fifth title, <em>From Russia With Love</em>, one of his favorite books. The Bond novels have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, boosted by the hugely successful film franchise that began in 1962 with the release of <em>Dr. No</em>. </p><p>He married Anne Rothermere in 1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only son Caspar, went on to become the well- loved novel and film <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>. </p><p>Fleming died of heart failure on August 12, 1964, at the age of fifty-six. </p></div>


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<div><p>Bond may have a license to kill, but “Pistols” Scaramanga has a talent for it. He’s a KGB-trained assassin who’s left a trail of dead British Secret Service agents in his wake. His weapon of choice? A gold-plated Colt .45. </p><p>In the aftermath of his brainwashing by the Soviets, Bond is given one last chance to win back M’s trust: terminate Scaramanga before he strikes MI6 again. Traveling to Jamaica under an assumed name, Bond manages to infiltrate Scaramanga’s organization and soon discovers that the hit man’s criminal ambitions have expanded to include arson, drug smuggling, and industrial sabotage. Worst of all for Bond, Scaramanga has a golden bullet inscribed with the numbers <em>007</em>—and he’s eager to put it to use. </p><p>Under the heat of the Caribbean sun, Bond faces a seemingly impossible task: win a duel against the Man with the Golden Gun.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Fleming keeps you riveted." -- <strong>Sunday Telegraph</strong></p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Ian Fleming was born in London on May 28, 1908. He was educated at Eton College and later spent a formative period studying languages in Europe. His first job was with Reuters News Agency where a Moscow posting gave him firsthand experience with what would become his literary <em>bete noire</em>—the Soviet Union. During World War II he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and played a key role in Allied espionage operations. </p><p>After the war he worked as foreign manager of the <em>Sunday Times</em>, a job that allowed him to spend two months each year in Jamaica. Here, in 1952, at his home “Goldeneye,” he wrote a book called <em>Casino Royale</em>—and James Bond was born. The first print run sold out within a month. For the next twelve years Fleming produced a novel a year featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. His travels, interests, and wartime experience lent authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler described him as “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.” Sales soared when President Kennedy named the fifth title, <em>From Russia With Love</em>, one of his favorite books. The Bond novels have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, boosted by the hugely successful film franchise that began in 1962 with the release of <em>Dr. No</em>. </p><p>He married Anne Rothermere in 1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only son Caspar, went on to become the well- loved novel and film <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>. </p><p>Fleming died of heart failure on August 12, 1964, at the age of fifty-six. </p></div>


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<div><p>The tragic end to James Bond’s last mission—courtesy of Ernst Stavro Blofeld—has left 007 a broken man and of little use to the British Secret Service. At his wit’s end, M decides that the only way to snap his best agent out of his torpor is to send him on an impossible diplomatic mission to Japan. Bond’s contact there is the formidable Japanese spymaster Tiger Tanaka, who agrees to do business with the West if Bond will assassinate one of his enemies: a mysterious Swiss botanist named Dr. Guntram Shatterhand. </p><p>Shatterhand is not who he seems, however, and his impregnable fortress—known to the locals as the “Castle of Death”—is a gauntlet of traps no <em>gaijin</em> has ever penetrated. But through rigorous ninja training, and with some help from the beautiful and able Kissy Suzuki, Bond manages to gain access to Shatterhand’s lair. Inside lurks certain doom at the hands of 007’s bitterest foe—or a final chance to exact ultimate vengeance.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>A sensational imagination Sunday Times Instructive and entertaining Cyril Connolly </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Ian Fleming was born in London on May 28, 1908. He was educated at Eton College and later spent a formative period studying languages in Europe. His first job was with Reuters News Agency where a Moscow posting gave him firsthand experience with what would become his literary <em>bete noire</em>—the Soviet Union. During World War II he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and played a key role in Allied espionage operations. </p><p>After the war he worked as foreign manager of the <em>Sunday Times</em>, a job that allowed him to spend two months each year in Jamaica. Here, in 1952, at his home “Goldeneye,” he wrote a book called <em>Casino Royale</em>—and James Bond was born. The first print run sold out within a month. For the next twelve years Fleming produced a novel a year featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. His travels, interests, and wartime experience lent authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler described him as “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.” Sales soared when President Kennedy named the fifth title, <em>From Russia With Love</em>, one of his favorite books. The Bond novels have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, boosted by the hugely successful film franchise that began in 1962 with the release of <em>Dr. No</em>. </p><p>He married Anne Rothermere in 1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only son Caspar, went on to become the well- loved novel and film <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>. </p><p>Fleming died of heart failure on August 12, 1964, at the age of fifty-six. </p></div>


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<div><p>In the aftermath of Operation Thunderball, Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s trail has gone cold—and so has 007’s love for his job. The only thing that can rekindle his passion is Contessa Teresa “Tracy” di Vicenzo, a troubled young woman who shares his taste for fast cars and danger. She’s the daughter of a powerful crime boss, and <em>he </em>thinks Bond’s hand in marriage may be the solution to all <em>her</em> problems. Bond’s not ready to settle down—yet—but he soon finds himself falling for the enigmatic Tracy. </p><p>After finally tracking the SPECTRE chief to a stronghold in the Swiss Alps, Bond uncovers the details of Blofeld’s latest plot: a biological warfare scheme more audacious than anything the fiend has tried before. Now Bond must save the world once again—and survive Blofeld’s last, very personal, act of vengeance.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>Bond is what every man would like to be, and what every woman would like to have between her sheets -- Raymond Chandler Sunday Times </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Ian Fleming was born in London on May 28, 1908. He was educated at Eton College and later spent a formative period studying languages in Europe. His first job was with Reuters News Agency where a Moscow posting gave him firsthand experience with what would become his literary <em>bete noire</em>—the Soviet Union. During World War II he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and played a key role in Allied espionage operations. </p><p>After the war he worked as foreign manager of the <em>Sunday Times</em>, a job that allowed him to spend two months each year in Jamaica. Here, in 1952, at his home “Goldeneye,” he wrote a book called <em>Casino Royale</em>—and James Bond was born. The first print run sold out within a month. For the next twelve years Fleming produced a novel a year featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. His travels, interests, and wartime experience lent authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler described him as “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.” Sales soared when President Kennedy named the fifth title, <em>From Russia With Love</em>, one of his favorite books. The Bond novels have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, boosted by the hugely successful film franchise that began in 1962 with the release of <em>Dr. No</em>. </p><p>He married Anne Rothermere in 1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only son Caspar, went on to become the well- loved novel and film <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>. </p><p>Fleming died of heart failure on August 12, 1964, at the age of fifty-six. </p></div>


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<div><p>Upon M’s insistence, James Bond takes a two-week respite in a secluded natural health spa. But amid the bland teas, tasteless yogurts, and the spine stretcher the guests lovingly call “The Rack,” Bond stumbles onto the trail of a lethal man with ties to a new secret organization called SPECTRE. When SPECTRE hijacks two A-bombs, a frantic global search for the weapons ensues, and M’s hunch that the plane containing the bombs will make a clean drop into the ocean sends Bond to the Bahamas to investigate. </p><p>On the island paradise, 007 finds a wealthy pleasure seeker’s treasure hunt and meets Domino Vitali, the gorgeous mistress of Emilio Largo, otherwise known as SPECTRE’s Number 1. But as powerful as Number 1 is, he works for someone else: Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a peculiar man with a deadly creative mind. </p><p>The ninth novel in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, <em>Thunderball</em> marks the beginnings of one of the most iconic villains in history, and the only match for the wits of James Bond.</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Ian Fleming was born in London on May 28, 1908. He was educated at Eton College and later spent a formative period studying languages in Europe. His first job was with Reuters News Agency where a Moscow posting gave him firsthand experience with what would become his literary <em>bete noire</em>—the Soviet Union. During World War II he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and played a key role in Allied espionage operations. </p><p>After the war he worked as foreign manager of the <em>Sunday Times</em>, a job that allowed him to spend two months each year in Jamaica. Here, in 1952, at his home “Goldeneye,” he wrote a book called <em>Casino Royale</em>—and James Bond was born. The first print run sold out within a month. For the next twelve years Fleming produced a novel a year featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. His travels, interests, and wartime experience lent authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler described him as “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.” Sales soared when President Kennedy named the fifth title, <em>From Russia With Love</em>, one of his favorite books. The Bond novels have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, boosted by the hugely successful film franchise that began in 1962 with the release of <em>Dr. No</em>. </p><p>He married Anne Rothermere in 1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only son Caspar, went on to become the well- loved novel and film <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>. </p><p>Fleming died of heart failure on August 12, 1964, at the age of fifty-six. </p></div>


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British Secret Service agent James Bond, aka 007, stumbles across a woman in a hotel being menaced by two mobsters, and intervenes to save her. This story is unique among the Bond novels in that it is narrated in first person from the perspective of the story's "Bond Girl." <br>James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in 20th-century literature. In addition to the 12 novels and 9 short stories written by Ian Fleming, there have been over 40 novels and short stories written about the spy by other authors, and 26 films produced, starring actors such as Sean Connery and Daniel Craig as 007.<br><br>Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in ebook form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.


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<div><p>A departure from the full-length James Bond novels, <em>For Your Eyes Only</em> is a stunning collection of five stories that sends 007 to Bermuda, Berlin, and beyond, and places him in the dangerous company of adversaries of all varieties. Titular </p><p>“From a View to a Kill” whisks Bond to the French countryside where he must go undercover to expose a deadly secret-intelligence plot, and in “For Your Eyes Only,” 007 is absorbed into a private vendetta of M’s, blurring the lines between the personal and professional. In “Quantum of Solace,” Bond attends a dinner party in the Bahamas and learns how passion can soon twist into cruelty, while “Risico” forces the secret agent to fight for the lesser of two evils in a smuggling war set amid the Mediterranean. Finally, “The Hildebrand Rarity” lands 007 in an old-fashioned murder mystery at sea, where even he has a secret to keep. </p><p>A collection of both classic intrigue and intrepid self-examination, <em>For Your Eyes Only</em> packs full, vibrant worlds into five classic tales.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>Mr Fleming's licensed assassin is in good form ... Few men can have been able to mix business with pleasure so successfully as Bond The Times Literary Supplement </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Ian Fleming was born in London on May 28, 1908. He was educated at Eton College and later spent a formative period studying languages in Europe. His first job was with Reuters News Agency where a Moscow posting gave him firsthand experience with what would become his literary <em>bete noire</em>—the Soviet Union. During World War II he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence and played a key role in Allied espionage operations. </p><p>After the war he worked as foreign manager of the <em>Sunday Times</em>, a job that allowed him to spend two months each year in Jamaica. Here, in 1952, at his home “Goldeneye,” he wrote a book called <em>Casino Royale</em>—and James Bond was born. The first print run sold out within a month. For the next twelve years Fleming produced a novel a year featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. His travels, interests, and wartime experience lent authority to everything he wrote. Raymond Chandler described him as “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England.” Sales soared when President Kennedy named the fifth title, <em>From Russia With Love</em>, one of his favorite books. The Bond novels have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, boosted by the hugely successful film franchise that began in 1962 with the release of <em>Dr. No</em>. </p><p>He married Anne Rothermere in 1952. His story about a magical car, written in 1961 for their only son Caspar, went on to become the well-loved novel and film <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>. </p><p>Fleming died of heart failure on August 12, 1964, at the age of fifty-six. </p></div>


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<h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>When an enigmatic monolith is found buried on the moon, scientists are amazed to discover that it's at least 3 million years old. Even more amazing, after it's unearthed the artifact releases a powerful signal aimed at Saturn. What sort of alarm has been triggered? To find out, a manned spacecraft, the <em>Discovery</em>, is sent to investigate. Its crew is highly trained--the best--and they are assisted by a self-aware computer, the ultra-capable HAL 9000. But HAL's programming has been patterned after the human mind a little too well. He is capable of guilt, neurosis, even murder, and he controls every single one of <em>Discovery</em>'s components. The crew must overthrow this digital psychotic if they hope to make their rendezvous with the entities that are responsible not just for the monolith, but maybe even for human civilization.</p><p>Clarke wrote this novel while Stanley Kubrick created the film, the two collaborating on both projects. The novel is much more detailed and intimate, and definitely easier to comprehend. Even though history has disproved its "predictions," it's still loaded with exciting and awe-inspiring science fiction. <em>--Brooks Peck</em></p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Odyssey is an oddity: it is a novel based on a screenplay by Clarke and Kubrick that itself was based on a Clarke short story. And though it has thrilled fans for 31 years, still no one is really sure what it means. This nice hardcover sports a new introduction by Clarke. <br />Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p>


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<div><h3>Product Description</h3><p>To the spaceship Discovery, floating in the silent depths of space since Dave Bowman passed through the alien 'Star Gate', comes Heywood Floyd on a mission of recovery. What he finds near Jupiter is beyond the imaginings of any mere human. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Born in Somerset in 1917, Arthur C. Clarke has written over sixty books, among which are the science fiction classics '2001, A Space Odyssey', 'Childhood's End', 'The City and the Stars' and 'Rendezvous With Rama'. He has won all the most prestigious science fiction trophies, and shared an Oscar nomination with Stanley Kubrick for the screenplay of the film of 2001. He was knighted in 1998. He passed away in March 2008. </p></div>


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<div><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Fifty years after the alien message forbidding humans to approach the moon Europa, an expedition to Halley's Comet is forced to violate the prohibition in the name of mercy. Though lacking the lyrical prose of The Songs of Distant Earth , Clarke's latest addition to the story begun in 2001: a space odyssey will entertain fans of the "black monolith." For large sf collections. JC<br>Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>Arthur C. Clark, creator of one of the world's best-loved science fiction tales, revisits the most famous future ever imagined in this NEW YORK TIMES bestseller, as two expeditions into space become inextricably tangled. Heywood Floyd, survivor of two previous encounters with the mysterious monloiths, must again confront Dave Bowman, HAL, and an alien race that has decided that Mankind is to play a part in the evolution of the galaxy whether it wishes to or not.  </p><p><em>From the Paperback edition.</em></p></div>


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<p class="description">In A.D. 2001 the computer on board the United States Spaceship Discovery, en route to Jupiter's moons, malfunctioned. Grappling frantically with the broken air hose of his spacesuit, Frank Poole had died in space. In A.D. 3001 his perfectly preserved body is retrieved. Technologies restore his life and Frank becomes a telepathic, machine-assisted inhabitant of the fourth millennium, with a lot to learn.</p>


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<div>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">ISBN-10:
0141022922</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">ISBN-13:
978-0141022925</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%"></span></p><p> </p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">Summary</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">A Ferrari F40
has it, a Lexus hasn't. Concorde's got it, but not an Airbus. And while Titanic
had it in spades, the Queen Mary 2 must have been in the wrong queue. Soul.
Some machines matter to us while others are, well, just machines. In his own
inimitable way, Jeremy Clarkson tells the gripping stories of the planes,
trains and automobiles that inspire us; and of the geniuses and visionaries
that built them. Lavishly illustrated, I Know You Got Soul is the perfect
Christmas present for boys of all ages.</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">Review:</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">This is an OK
book about various machines and the impact they've had on Jeremy Clarkson and
to a certain extent on the rest of the world as well. Any book of this type
will have a lot of personal interpretation and choice in it and may miss many
machines you may feel are more worthy of inclusion. Never the less there are a
wide variety of machines and it is interesting to learn a little about each of
them, in Clarksons slightly sarcastic, humorous way. This book doesn't have too
much depth to it, but if you're looking for an easy, interesting, quick read,
you've found it right here</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">About the
Author</span></p><p></p><p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:6.0pt;line-height:115%">Jeremy
Clarkson is the presenter of Top Gear. He writes for Top Gear Magazine and The
Sunday Times</span></p>

</div>


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<p>In her new novel, perennial bestseller Anne Rice fuses her two uniquely seductive strains of narrative -- her Vampire legend and her lore of the Mayfair witches -- to give us a world of classic deep-south luxury and ancestral secrets.<br><br>Welcome to Blackwood Farm: soaring white columns, spacious drawing rooms, bright, sun-drenched gardens, and a dark strip of the dense Sugar Devil Swamp. This is the world of Quinn Blackwood, a brilliant young man haunted since birth by a mysterious doppelg&#228;nger, "Goblin," a spirit from a dream world that Quinn can't escape and that prevents him from belonging anywhere. When Quinn is made a Vampire, losing all that is rightfully his and gaining an unwanted immortality, his doppelg&#228;nger becomes even more vampiric and terrifying than Quinn himself.<br><br>As the novel moves backwards and forwards in time, from Quinn's boyhood on Blackwood Farm to present day New Orleans, from ancient Athens to 19th-century Naples, Quinn seeks out the...


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<div><p>The Vampire Chronicles continue with Anne Rice’s spellbinding new novel, in which the great vampire Marius returns. <br></p><p>The golden-haired Marius, true Child of the Millennia, once mentor to The Vampire Lestat, always and forever the conscientious foe of the Evil Doer, reveals in his own intense yet inti-<br>mate voice the secrets of his two-thousand-year existence.<br></p><p>Once a proud Senator in Imperial Rome, kidnapped and made a “blood god” by the Druids, Marius becomes the embittered protector of Akasha and Enkil, Queen and King of the vampires, in whom the core of the supernatural race resides.<br></p><p>We follow him through his heartbreaking abandonment of the vampire Pandora. Through him we see the fall of pagan Rome to the Emperor Constantine and the horrific sack of the Eternal City itself at the hands of the Visigoths. <br></p><p>Bravely, Marius seeks a new civilization in the midst of glittering Constantinople, only to meet with the blood drinker Eudoxia. We see him ultimately returning to his beloved Italy, where after the horrors of the Black Death, he is restored by the beauty of the Renaissance. We see him become a painter living dangerously <br>yet happily among mortals, giving his heart to the great Botticelli, to the bewitching courtesan Bianca, and to the mysterious young apprentice Armand.<br></p><p>Moving from Rome to Florence, Venice, and Dresden, and to the English castle of the secret scholarly order of the Talamasca, the novel reaches its dramatic finale in our own time, deep in the jungle where Marius, having told his life story, seeks some measure of justice from the oldest vampires in the world.<br></p><p><em>From the Hardcover edition.</em></p></div>


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<div><p>See the difference, read #1 bestselling author Anne Rice in Large Print<br></p><ul><li>About Large Print<br>All Random House Large Print editions are published in a 16-point typeface<br></li></ul><p>In the latest installment of The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice summons up dazzling worlds to bring us the story of Armand - eternally young, with the face of a Botticelli angel. Armand, who first appeared in all his dark glory more than twenty years ago in the now-classic <em>Interview with the Vampire</em>, the first of The Vampire Chronicles, the novel that established its author worldwide as a magnificent storyteller and creator of magical realms.<br></p><p>Now, we go with Armand across the centuries to the Kiev Rus of his boyhood - a ruined city under Mongol dominion - and to ancient Constantinople, where Tartar raiders sell him into slavery. And in a magnificent palazzo in the Venice of the Renaissance we see him emotionally and intellectually in thrall to the great vampire Marius, who masquerades among humankind as a mysterious, reclusive painter and who will bestow upon Armand the gift of vampiric blood.<br></p><p>As the novel races to its climax, moving through scenes of luxury and elegance, of ambush, fire, and devil worship to nineteenth-century Paris and today's New Orleans, we see its eternally vulnerable and romantic hero forced to choose between his twilight immortality and the salvation of his immortal soul.<br></p><p><em>From the Trade Paperback edition.</em></p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>In <em>The Vampire Armand</em>, Anne Rice returns to her indomitable Vampire Chronicles and recaptures the gothic horror and delight she first explored in her classic tale <em>Interview with the Vampire</em> (in which Armand, played by Antonio Banderas in the film version, made his first appearance as director of the Théâtre des Vampires). </p><p>The story begins in the aftermath of <em>Memnoch the Devil</em>. Vampires from all over the globe have gathered around Lestat, who lies prostrate on the floor of a cathedral. Dead? In a coma? As Armand reflects on Lestat's condition, he is drawn by David Talbot to tell the story of his own life. The narrative abruptly rushes back to 15th-century Constantinople, and the Armand of the present recounts the fragmented memories of his childhood abduction from Kiev. Eventually, he is sold to a Venetian artist (and vampire), Marius. Rice revels in descriptions of the sensual relationship between the young and still-mortal Armand and his vampiric mentor. But when Armand is finally transformed, the tone of the book dramatically shifts. Raw and sexually explicit scenes are displaced by Armand's introspective quest for a union of his Russian Orthodox childhood, his hedonistic life with Marius, and his newly acquired immortality. These final chapters remind one of the archetypal significance of Rice's vampires; at their best, Armand, Lestat, and Marius offer keen insights into the most human of concerns. </p><p><em>The Vampire Armand</em> is richly intertextual; readers will relish the retelling of critical events from Lestat and Louis's narratives. Nevertheless, the novel is very much Armand's own tragic tale. Rice deftly integrates the necessary back-story for new readers to enter her epic series, and the introduction of a few new voices adds a fresh perspective--and the promise of provocative future installments. <em>--Patrick O'Kelley</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Fantasy's great advantage is that authors can make anything happen?even rewriting their own stories, as Rice does here. Readers of her 1995 novel, Memnoch the Devil, will recall that the vampire Armand ended his existence by stepping into the sun. Since he was a popular character from earlier tales, a resounding protest from fans followed. In response, Rice concocted a way in this, her seventh Vampire Chronicle since Interview with the Vampire (1976), to raise Armand from the dead. He is, in fact, the narrator of this story, in which he looks back on his earthly existence, revisiting his apprenticeship in 16th-century Venice to the regal vampire artist, Marius De Romanus, who saved his life with the kiss of immortality. Afterward, Armand returned to his Russian homeland, but when disaster parted him from Marius, he became the nihilistic leader of a pack of Parisian vampires. Rice offers exquisite details of erotic romps and political intrigues while reprising other material familiar to her fans, but finally returns to the pressing question of what happened to Armand in the sun's lethal rays. She supplies a vivid and resonant description of the experience, set against the counterpoint of Beethoven's Appassionata. Unfortunately, she dims the effect by dragging Armand through rambling scenes involving two odd children, Sybelle and Benji. Otherwise, this is a lavishly poetic recital in which Armand struggles with the fragility of religious belief. The final scene is a stunner. Editor, Victoria Wilson; agent, Lynn Nesbit. First printing 750,000; BOMC main selection; simultaneously available in audio and large-print editions. <br>Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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Anne Rice continues her astonishing Vampire Chronicles in a new novel that begins where <b>Blackwood Farm</b> left off -- and tells the story of Lestat's quest for redemption, goodness, and the love of Rowan Mayfair.<br><br>Welcome back to Blackwood Farm. Here are all of the brilliantly conceived characters that make up the two worlds of vampires and witches: Mona Mayfair, who's come to the farm to die and is brought into the realm of the undead; her uncle, Julian Mayfair, guardian of the family, determined to forever torment Lestat for what he has done to Mona; Rowan Mayfair, brilliant neurosurgeon and witch, who finds herself dangerously drawn to the all-powerful Lestat; her husband, Michael Curry, hero of the Mayfair Chronicles, who seeks Lestat's help with the temporary madness of his wife; Ash Templeton, a 5,000-year-old Taltos who has taken Mona's child; and Patsy, the country-western singer, who returns to avenge her death at the hands of her son, Quinn Blackwood....


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<b>From Anne Rice, conjurer of the beloved best sellers <i>Interview with a Vampire</i> and <i>Prince Lestat</i>, an ambitious and exhilarating new novel of utopian vision and power, uniting the ancient worlds and the legends of the Vampire Chronicles.</b><br> <br>"In my dreams, I saw a city fall into the sea. I heard the cries of thousands. I saw flames that outshone the lamps of heaven. And all the world was shaken . . ." &#8212;Anne Rice, <i>Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis</i><br> <br> At the novel's center: the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, hero, leader, inspirer, irresistible force, irrepressible spirit, battling (and ultimately reconciling with) a strange otherworldly form that has somehow taken possession of Lestat's undead body and soul. This ancient and mysterious power and unearthly spirit of vampire lore has all the force, history, and insidious reach of the unknowable Universe.<br>It is through this spirit, previously considered benign for thousands of vampire...


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A stunning departure, a surprising and compelling return...From Anne Rice, perennial best seller, single-handed reinventor of the vampire cosmology-a new, exhilarating novel, a deepening of her vampire mythology, and a chillingly hypnotic mystery-thriller.<br><br>"What can we do but reach for the embrace that must now<br>contain both heaven and hell: our doom again and again and<br>again..." -from <i>The Vampire Lestat</i><br><br>Rice once again summons up the irresistible spirit-world of the oldest and most powerful forces of the night, invisible beings unleashed on an unsuspecting world able to take blood from humans, in a long-awaited return to the extraordinary world of the Vampire Chronicles and the uniquely seductive <i>Queen of the Damned</i>("mesmerizing" -<i>SF Chronicle</i>), a long-awaited novel that picks up where <i>The Vampire Lestat</i> ("brilliant...its undead characters are utterly alive" -<i>New York Times</i>) left off more than a quarter of a century ago to...


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<div><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Just when you thought it was safe for a bloodsucker to go out in the dark in New Orleans, along comes Merrick Mayfair, a sultry, hard-drinking octoroon beauty whose voodoo can turn the toughest vampire into a marionette dancing to her merry, scary tune. In <em>Merrick</em>, Anne Rice brings back three of her most wildly popular characters--the vampires Lestat and Louis and the dead vampire child Claudia--and introduces them to the world of her Mayfair Witches book series. </p><p>It is Louis who brings about the collision of the fang and voodoo universes. Louis made Claudia a vampire in Rice's classic <em>Interview with the Vampire</em>, in which she was destroyed, and now he's obsessed with raising her ghost to make amends and seek guidance from the beyond. (Claudia physically resembles Rice's young daughter who died of a blood-related illness. Rice nearly died of a diabetic coma in 1998, and writing <em>Merrick</em> turned her excruciating recovery into an exhilarating burst of creativity).</p><p>Vampire David Talbot lobbies Merrick to call Claudia's spirit and slake Louis's guilt, but Talbot winds up in the grip of an obsession with the witch. You see, Talbot, unlike most vampires, lived 70 years as a human, so his sexual response to humans is still as strong as his blood thirst. Merrick can cast spells to make men crave her, and Talbot is tormented. After she reads his palm, he muses, "I wanted to take her in my arms, not to feed from her, no, not harm her, only kiss her, only sink my fangs a very little, only taste her blood and her secrets, but this was dreadful and I wouldn't let it go on."</p><p>The secrets of <em>Merrick</em> are dark and sensuous, but the book is a romp animated by Rice's feeling of coming back to life through the magic of a literary outpouring. The narrative flashes back to the past, to an Indiana Jones-ish adventure in a Guatemalan cave, and to scenes from many other Rice novels. It may be helpful to read <em>Merrick</em> with the Rice-approved guidebooks <em>The Vampire Companion</em> and <em>The Witches' Companion</em> at hand.</p><p>After many books, Rice's grand Vampire Chronicles tale was in peril of getting long in the tooth. Merrick Mayfair's magic represents an infusion of fresh blood. <em>--Tim Appelo</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Talbot, a vampire familiar to Rice readers, though now inhabiting a different body, relates this eerie tale about an "octoroon of exceptional beauty" named Merrick, a Mayfair witch with whom he has been obsessed for an eternity. The narrative weaves through timeAfrom present-day New Orleans, to Talbot's first meeting with Merrick, to an adventure they shared years ago in the jungles of Guatemala. Flashbacks aside, this story focuses on Talbot's attempt to convince Merrick to use her voodoo magic to conjure up the vampire daughter of his friend and fellow vampire Louis. Fans will recognize characters from past books, including Louis and Lestat. Rice offers a haunting look at the separate but equally intriguing worlds of witches and vampires united here through Merrick's witchcraft on Talbot's behalf. Jacobi's reading of the tale is spellbinding. His refined British toneAwith the slightest trace of a classic Transylvanian accentAfits Talbot's character perfectly, and he flavors the narrative with verve and mystery accordingly. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Forecasts, Aug. 14). (Oct.) <br>Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<p class="description">Since 1990, when Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time(R) burst on the world with its first book, "The Eye of the World, " readers have been anticipating the final scenes of this extraordinary saga, which has sold over forty million copies in over thirty-two languages.<br>When Robert Jordan died in 2007, all feared that these concluding scenes would never be written. But working from notes and partials left by Jordan, established fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson stepped in to complete the masterwork. With "The Gathering Storm" (Book 12) and "Towers of Midnight "(Book 13) behind him, both of which were # 1 "New York Times" hardcover bestsellers, Sanderson now re-creates the vision that Robert Jordan left behind.<br>Edited by Jordan's widow, who edited all of Jordan's books, "A Memory of Light" will delight, enthrall, and deeply satisfy all of Jordan's legions of readers.<br>The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass.<br>What was, what will be, and what is, <br>May yet fall under the Shadow.<br>"Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time."</p>


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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>The Wheel of Time-its most recent volume (The Path of Daggers) a #1 New York Times and international bestseller- is the most extraordinary work of American fantasy ever published. Its popularity is immense; its quality is dazzling. And its world has indeed taken on a fictive reality for its millions of readers.Over fourscore new full color paintings include stunning new maps of the world, portraits of the central characters, landscapes, objects of Power, and national flags. The reader will learn about the exotic beasts used by the Seanchan and read of the rise and fall of Artur Hawking, peruse the deeper story of the War of the Shadow. Here is the tale of the founding of the White Tower, and the creation of the Ajahs. The inner workings of the closed country, Shara, are revealed, as is the existence of a hitherto unknown continent called The Land of the Madmen.This stunning volume also includes double-page spreads of the seven book jackets by Darrell Sweet so that the art can be enjoyed without type, and all the known maps of the world, including maps of the Seanchan Empire, the nations of the Covenant of the Ten Nations, and the nations as they were when Artur Paendrag Tanreall began his rise to legend. Every Robert Jordan fan needs this book.</p>


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<div><p>The city of Canluum lies close to the scarred and desolate wastes of the Blight, a walled haven from the dangers away to the north, and a refuge from the ill works of those who serve the Dark One. Or so it is said. The city that greets Al'Lan Mandragoran, exiled king of Malkier and the finest swordsman of his generation, is instead one that is rife with rumour and the whisperings of Shadowspawn. Proof, should he have required it, that the Dark One grows powerful once more and that his minions are at work throughout the lands. And yet it is within Canluum's walls that Lan will meet a woman who will shape his destiny. Moiraine is a young and powerful Aes Sedai who has journeyed to the city in search of a bondsman. She requires aid in a desperate quest to prove the truth of a vague and largely discredited prophecy - one that speaks of a means to turn back the shadow, and of a child who may be the dragon reborn.</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Expanded from a story that first appeared in Robert Silverberg's anthology Legends (1998), Jordan's eagerly awaited prequel to The Wheel of Time, the first of a projected three, more than lives up to its high expectations. For three days, battle has raged around the city of Tar Valon. In the White Tower two young Accepted attend the Amyrlin Seat and her Keeper as they await word of the outcome. Purely by chance, Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche are on duty when the Keeper foretells the rebirth of the Dragon, the world's only hope of winning the fight against the Dark One. Written with all the skill that has made Jordan one of the grand masters of fantasy, it's accessible enough for new readers, while the inside information is sure to captivate longtime fans. Far from the coldly self-possessed Aes Sedai who arrives in Emond's Field in The Eye of the World, the first Wheel book, Moiraine is a fun-loving, prank-playing and naïve Accepted, one who slowly grows into a determined and resourceful character. Even better, the narrative is flush with answers to mysteries only hinted at in Wheel (what was the test for Aes Sedai, what was "the Vileness") and with little details aimed at those in the know. Jordan buffs will be especially pleased to find the novel moves quickly, not at the glacial pace of recent books in the saga.<br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>Jordan's best-selling Wheel of Time stands at 10 volumes and counting, and now he starts a prequel series by expanding his contribution to <em>Legends</em> (1998), an anthology of stories set in the worlds of their authors' novel-series. Basically, the new tale is about how two Wheel protagonists--the soldier Lan Mandragoran, claimant to the throne of a kingdom long defunct; and Moiraine of the royal house of Cairhien, an initiate of the sorceresses known as Aes Sedai--met. The momentous event comes early in the search for the infant boy who, grown up, may save the perpetually warring Wheel world from the Dark One. It doesn't occur, however, until this book is winding down. The preceding pages, after an opening in which Lan and his command are reprieved from certain death when the enormous army they are about to engage turns and marches away, focus on Moraine's and her friend Siuan's last days as wanna-be, and first as new-fledged, Aes Sedai. Both take their new status as license to look for the child of destiny, and they have inside dope, thanks to having heard a senior Aes Sedai announce the child's birth with her dying breath. The term <em>padding</em> comes to mind soon and often as <em>New Spring</em> blooms. Perhaps it should have been left a short story, and perhaps only Wheel of Time junkies will genuinely enjoy it. Said habitues are by now legion; acquire accordingly. <em>Ray Olson</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<div><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Eddings begins his new Elenium series in a world that has different names but much the same feel as those of his bestselling Belgariad and Malloreon series. Fans will find themselves back in step as the Pandion knight Sparhawk sets off to find a cure for his poisoned Queen Ehlana. PW praised Eddings's "graceful, fluid style of storytelling." <br>Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>A young queen's life and a country's future lie in the balance as an exiled Pandion knight, a Styric "witch," an aging squire, and a mysterious child begin a long and arduous trek through foreign lands in search of an elusive cure for an unknown disease. The author of the popular "Belgariad" and "Malloreon" series draws once more on his particular strengths, combining heroic yet humorous characters with exotic settings and tangled politics to create a fast-moving fantasy that will appeal to his large readership. Highly recommended.-- JC<br>Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Sir Sparhawk and his companions seek the Bhelliom, an antidote to a rare poison administered to Elenia's queen. "Eddings's delightful style propels the reader along a well-crafted and carefully unfolding course, and even through the few places he falls back on cliches of the genre," said PW. <br>Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>The Pandion knight Sparhawk and his companions continue their quest for the Bhelliom, the legendary jewel whose power alone can save a dying queen. Eddings's strength lies in his ability to create thoroughly likable heroes with personalities that transcend the formulaic fantasy genre. Graceful prose and judicious humor add style to this excellent addition to fantasy collections. Recommended.<br>Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<p class="description">Book Three of the ELENIUM is fantasy on a truly epic scale, in which the Pandion Knight Sparhawk must finally use the power of the jewel.Aided by the goddess Aphrael, Sparhawk and his band of companions have recovered the magical jewel Bhelliom – the Sapphire Rose – from the cave of the troll-dwarf Ghwerig. Now they have the power to wake and cure Ehlana, the young Queen of Elenia.But while they were seeking Bhelliom, great forces of evil moved into the power vacuum left behind. The unholy triple alliance between Otha, degenerate sorcerer-king of the Zemochs, the renegade Pandion Knight Martel, and Annias, traitorous Primate of Cimmura, threatens to overrun all of Eosia. In returning to Cimmura to wake Ehlana, Sparhawk risks delivering the Sapphire Rose into the hands of his enemies, who will use it to give the evil god Azash dominion over the whole world.To stop them they may have to unleash the full power of the jewel, but no one can predict whether the world itself will survive such an event.THE SAPPHIRE ROSE is the gripping, brilliant conclusion to THE ELENIUM, a panoramic tale of a conflict between good and evil that envelops an entire continent.</p>


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Continuing the epic tale begun in Book One of The Tamuli, Domes of Fireâ?¦ Prince Sparhawk and Queen Ehlana must remain with their retinue of Pandion Knights in the Eastern land of Daresia to assist the beleagured Emperor Sarabian. The rebellion against Sarabian within the walls of the famed pearl-encrusted city of Matherion was defeated. But Sarabianâ??s enemies will regroup and plan an attack that will be less easily routed. Trolls despoil Atan in the North, and vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghouls and Ogres form a vast conspiracy to take over the Empire. Most disturbing of all are reported sightings of Shining Ones among the hordes. These luminous beings inspire more fear than the rest combined. Queen Ehlana has taken Sarabian in hand and is educating him in ruthless statecraft â?? her skill in which has always inspired Sparhawkâ??s admiration. The Pandion Knight meanwhile resurrects the Bhelliom â?? with Fluteâ??s help (actually, Sparhawk has no idea where it is, but Flute,...


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Here begins a David Eddings trilogy, set a few years after the events of The Elenium… At the conclusion of The Elenium the company of Pandion Knights led by Sir Sparhawk, having freed Queen Ehlana of Elenia from the spell which threatened her life, had marched on Zemoch, routed their enemies and defeated or destroyed the evil god Azash. Sparhawk returned to Elenia, where he and Ehlana were married. But their peaceful reign is destined not to last long. A few years later, in the Tamul Empire far to the east, unrest is brewing which threatens the nation's stability. Investigations show that the trouble is clearly of paranormal origin, and suspicion at first falls upon the Styrics. These suspicions prove unfounded, and indeed it is the pre-eminent Styric magician Zalasta who suggests that the Empire look westwards for assistance in solving their problems… specifically, to the legendary warrior Sparhawk.


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<p>The pace, as always, is white hot &#8211; as are the special effects. As readers will know from Book Two, the Shining One Xanetia can melt her enemies with a touch. Fortunately, she is on the side of our hero, and so is the god Edaemus, whose (literally) volcanic rage will be useful in the continuing fight to save the Tamul Empire from the ravages of sinister King Cyrgon of the Cyrgai. Cyrgon has called forth Bhelliom's equal in supernatural power, Klael, the very essence of evil. And while Sparhawk is leading armies of Pandion Knights, Atan giants and Trolls in battle, Queen Ehlana is taken hostage in Matherion by the renegade Styric Zalasta and the madman Scarpa. The price for her return is no less than the Blue Rose.Taken in chains first to the jungles of Arjuna in the South, Ehlana is tracked by Sparhawk using both Delphaeic and Styric magic. But by then Sephrenia has been murdered and Ehlana has been removed to the Hidden City of the Cyrgai. The City is protected by magic...


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<p class="description">The last and most amazing volume in the legendary Belgariad series: the story of the queen of truth, love, rage and destiny, Polgara the Sorceress. The queen of truth, love, rage and destiny reveals all. Polgara the Sorceress is the crowning achievement of the great fantasy epic which began with The Belgariad and continued with The Malloreon. Once again David and Leigh Eddings display the epic imagination, humour, and storytelling power which have made this series the most popular fantasy of modern times. In the story of Polgara, a beautiful woman whose constancy and inner power have been the foundation of all the luck and love that have saved the world, the full truth of The Belgariad is revealed.</p>


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The life story of Belgararth the Sorcerer: his own account of the great struggle that went before the Belgariad and the Malloreon, when gods stills walked the land. Here is the full epic story of Belgarath, the great sorcerer learned in the Will and the Word on whom the fate of the world depends. Only Belgarath can tell of those near-forgotten times when Gods still walked the land: he is the Ancient One, the Old Wolf, his God Aldur's first and most-favoured disciple. Using powers learned over the centuries Belgarath himself records the story of conflict between two mortally opposed Destinies that split the world asunder. A hugely entertaining work of great daring, wit, grandeur and excitement that confirms the role of Belgarath the Sorcerer as one of the mightiest fantasy creations of the century.


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<p>Kate Adrleigh is everything the Victorian English gentlewoman is not&#8212;outspoken, free-thinking, American...and a writer of the frowned upon "penny-dreadfuls."<p>Soon after her arrival in Essex, England, a body is unearthed in a nearby archeological dig&#8212;and Kate has the chance to not only research her latest story...but to begin her first case with amateur detective Sir Charles Sheridan.


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<p>Two apparently accidental deaths at the Marconi telegraph station. The drowning of a local girl. Two cases that involve Charles, Lord Sheridan, and his wife, Kate, in foreign espionage, malicious intrigue, and inexplicable messages sent out of the blue.


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<div><p class="description">The ancient park surrounding what is now Blenheim Palace is said to be the place where Henry II carried on his liaison with Rosamund--who perished, many suspect, at the hands of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Now, as Charles and Kate Sheridan arrive in 1903, at the invitation of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, it is the site of a new mystery.</p>
<p class="description">As Kate labors on a book about the legendary love affair, she is distracted by the disappearance of a household maid--and Charles discovers that a mysterious woman seems to be offering the famous Marlborough Gems for sale. Then the duke and his teenaged mistress vanish--and soon Winston Churchill and the young T. E. Lawrence make appearances as intrigue, and history, repeat themselves...</p></div>


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<div><p class="description">Coronation Day, 1902. Charles and Kate Sheridan are pleased to be witness to the crowning of their king. Expatriate author Jack London is also watching the festivities--but with a more skeptical eye. He has come to London to write an expose of the East End slums--and the coronation has not tempered his disdain for the monarchy.</p>
<p class="description">This special day takes a sinister turn when an anarchist accidentally blows himself up with a bomb meant for the king. Charged with determining the extent of the danger facing the Crown, Charles and Kate turn up a number of intriguing--and disturbing--questions.</p>
<p class="description">And then there is the matter of the mysterious, beautiful Charlotte Conway, editor of the anarchist newspaper where the dead man was employed. On the run from Scotland Yard, she takes refuge in Kate and Charles's home--and in Jack London's arms. All of which makes for a very interesting investigation indeed...</p></div>


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<p>Kathryn Ardleigh and her husband, Charles, are called on for help when scandal threatens Jennie Jerome Churchill. Her son Winston's political future is jeopardized by someone who claims to have proof that his father was none other than the notorious Jack the Ripper...


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<p>For Kathryn Ardleigh and her newly Lorded husband Charles, a seaside holiday in Rottingdean is a needed rest. The cozy hamlet is built on a labyrinth of hundred-year-old tunnels that once were used by smugglers. But when a coast guard's body is found on the beach, the town is suspected to plying its illicit trades of the past. And with the help of a young writer named Rudyard Kipling, they're about to discover something rotten in Rottingdean...


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<p>Lord Charles Sheridan and his clever American wife, Kate, have been summoned by the king to clear the name of a prince who's been living secretly at Glamis under an assumed name, while keeping his true identity secret.


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<p class="description">It's Derby day at Epsom Downs, and Lord Charles Sheridan is on hand to photograph the race with his new camera--while his wife, Kate, watches from the stands. It's a thrilling day for both Sheridans--until the race ends with a jockey's death. With her husband busy investigating, Kate retreats to the countryside to interview world-renowned actress Lillie Langtry for a magazine article. Plunging into her subject's less-than-illustrious past, Kate puzzles over the long-ago theft of the actress's jewels--and is not surprised when Charles's investigation heads in Langtry's direction. Now, sorting through rumors of bitter rivalries and torrid love affairs, the lord and his lady embark on a race for justice that stands to be a photo finish....</p>


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<b>Sir Charles Sheridan is many things&#8212;an amateur scientist, a renowned photographer, and a skilled detective. And due to Victorian customs, he will soon become a baron&#8212;rendering him unable to marry American writer Kate Ardleigh. But even as customs keep them apart, a good muder case always seems to bring them together...</b><br>The Countess of Warwick, known affectionately as "Daisy," is the subject of endless rumors about her "unladylike" ways and temperament. But what happens during a weekend party at her Easton estate is uglier that any rumor. First, a stableboy is killed. Then a nobleman is murdered outide Daisy's well-known trysting spot. A murderer is on the grounds&#8212;and on the loose. <br>Seeking to avoid scandal, the Prince of Wales orders Sir Charles to solve the case. Together, he and Miss Ardleigh find that even the highest levels of society are no refuge from the lowest of deeds...<br><i>From the Paperback edition.</i>


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<div><p class="description">Together they solved the murders at the Countess of Warwick's weekend house . . . and together they fell in love. Now newlyweds Charles and Kate Sheridan have moved into Kate's ancestral Georgian home Bishop's Keep, where Kate plans to devote herself to her writing and Charles to the responsibilities of the landed gentry. He agrees to host an automobile exhibition and balloon race at Bishop's Keep attended by Europe's foremost investors and inventors, among them the young Mr. Charles Rolls and Henry Royce.</p>
<p class="description">But speed, competition, and money prove to be more explosive than gasoline -- and for one automobile builder, more deadly .. .</p>
<p class="description">Sir Charles Sheridan is a renowned photographer, amateur scientist, and a skilled detective. Kate Ardleigh is his Irish-American wife and a writer of crime fiction. Together, they are unraveling Victorian England's most intriguing and unusual mysteries...</p></div>


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<p>"A sentence to Dartmoor Prison is a sentence to a living hell..." Lord Charles Sheridan and his American wife, Kate, have heard some truly awful things about Britain's most notorious prison. But Dartmoor and its mist-shrouded environs hold special appeal for both Sheridans. Kate hopes to find inspiration for her new Gothic novel, while Charles plans to implement a fingerprinting program at the prison&#8212;and arrange a meeting with one of its most infamous inmates, Samuel Spencer. He's convinced that Spencer&#8212;a Scotsman who admitted to killing his wife&#8212;is, in fact, innocent. What's more, he believes he has the evidence to prove it. But Spencer continues to maintain his own guilt&#8212;and, as if to confirm it, he soon stages a daring prison escape. Lord Charles and his acquaintance Arthur Conan Doyle are most perplexed by this odd turn of events. And when a body turns up on the moor, it's up to the two men&#8212;and the clever Kate&#8212;to discover if the missing...


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<p>In Death at Bishop's Keep, Kathryn Ardleigh captured the interest of detective Sir Charles Sheridan as they solved their first case together. Now the demise of a local constable and the disappearance of a child have the sleuthing couple on the trail of deadly greed and criminal mischief once again. And with the help of a shy woman who calls herself Beatrix Potter, Kate intends to uncover the sinister secrets of Gallows Green...


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<p class="description">Sir Manuel Camargue's death was ruled Misadventure, yet in spite of himself, Chief Inspector Wexford has niggling doubts.Sir Manuel Camargue, one of the greatest flautists of his time, was dead. An old man, ankle-deep in snow, he lost his foothold in the dark, slipping into water to be trapped under a lid of ice. Only a glove remained to point where he lay, one of its fingers pointing up out of the drifts.There's nothing Chief Inspector Wexford likes better than an open-and-shut case. They're so restful. And yet there are one or two niggling doubts — and the disturbing return of Camargue's daughter, now a considerable heiress, after an absence of nineteen years.Is Wexford going to listen to that nagging inner voice of his? And if he does, what exactly does he plan to do?</p>


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<div><p><em>The Monster In The Box</em> is the latest addition to Ruth Rendell's classic and beguiling Inspector Wexford series. In this enthralling new book, Rendell, "the best mystery writer in the English-speaking world" (_Time_), takes Inspector Wexford back to his days as a young policeman, and to the man he has long suspected of murder -- serial murder.</p><p>Outside the house where Wexford investigated his first murder case -- a woman found strangled in her bedroom -- he noticed a short, muscular man wearing a scarf and walking a dog. He gave Wexford an unnerving stare. Without any solid evidence, Wexford began to suspect that this man -- Eric Targo, he learned -- was the killer.</p><p>Over the years there are more unsolved, apparently motiveless murders in the town of Kingsmarkham, and Wexford continues to quietly suspect that the increasingly prosperous Targo -- van driver, property developer, kennel owner, and animal lover -- is behind them.</p><p>Now, half a lifetime later, Wexford spots Targo back in Kingsmarkham after a long absence. Wexford tells his longtime partner, Mike Burden, about his suspicions, but Burden dismisses them as fantasy. Meanwhile, Burden's wife, Jenny, has suspicions of her own. She believes that the Rahmans, a highly respectable immigrant family from Pakistan, may be forcing their daughter, Tamima, into an arranged marriage -- or worse.</p><p>In <em>The Monster in the Box</em>, the twenty-second book in the Inspector Wexford series, fans will be thrilled to meet the now-aging inspector in the robust early days of his career. For new readers, no introduction to this spectacular writer and her compelling protagonist could be finer. </p></div>


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<p>A new Chief Inspector Wexford mystery from the author who Time magazine has called “the best mystery writer in the English-speaking world.” When the truffle-hunting dog starts to dig furiously, his master’s first reaction is delight at the size of the clump the dog has unearthed: at the going rate, this one truffle might be worth several hundred pounds. Then the dirt falls away to reveal not a precious mushroom but the bones and tendons of what is clearly a human hand.In Not in the Flesh, Chief Inspector Wexford tries to piece together events that took place eleven years earlier, a time when someone was secretly interred in a secluded patch of English countryside. Now Wexford and his team will need to interrogate everyone who lives nearby to see if they can turn up a match for the dead man among the eighty-five people in this part of England who have disappeared over the past decade. Then, when a second body is discovered nearby, Wexford experiences a feeling that’s become a rarity for the veteran policeman: surprise.As Wexford painstakingly moves to resolve these multiple mysteries, long-buried secrets are brought to daylight, and Ruth Rendell once again proves why she has been hailed as our greatest living mystery writer.</p>


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<div><p>At first there was no reason to link the killings. The first one, months earlier, seemed totally random: a lump of concrete pushed off an overpass onto a passing car. By contrast, the gruesome bludgeoning death of Amber Marshalson, returning home late from a night out clubbing with friends, was obviously calculated. The killer had been seen waiting for the girl in a nearby wood. But when Chief Inspector Wexford discovers that Amber had been the driver right behind the crushed car - and that she'd been driving a silver Honda, while the car in front of her was a gray Honda - he knows that someone wanted the teenager dead badly enough to kill twice to get the job done. And as it turns out, this murderer's plans are only just getting underway. Can Wexford unravel the complex knots that connect these murders in time to save future victims? Or is he, as he begins to fear, losing his touch and fast becoming a relic of another time? </p><p>Long beloved by readers for her deft weaving of wonderfully meticulous characterization, dark humor, and trenchant social commentary into gripping and fast-paced plots, Ruth Rendell is in top form with <em>End in Tears</em>. Taking off from the first page with back-to-back murders and ending with one of Wexford's own officers in mortal danger, <em>End in Tears</em> touches on issues of class, race, parenthood, aging, and gender roles as it brings the traditional British whodunit into the twenty-first century.</p></div>


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<p class="description">Chief Inspector Wexford is in China, visiting ancient tombs and palaces with a group of British tourists. After their return to England, one of his fellow tourists is found murdered. As he questions other members of the group, Wexford finds secrets of greed, treachery, theft, and adultery, leading the distressed inspector to ask not who is innocent, but who is least guilty . . .</p>


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<div><p>After weeks of rain, Chief Inspector Wexford has just finished moving his books and furniture upstairs to protect them from the rising waters when the telephone rings. Two local teenagers and their babysitter have gone missing. Wexford isn't particularly worried, since these things usually sort themselves out. But as hours stretch into days, he begins to suspect he has a kidnapping on his hands. The stakes get even higher when a member of the missing trio turns up dead in the woods nearby. </p><p>In the course of his investigation, Wexford must deal with a neighbor whose alibi is questionable, a religious cult and its sylvan rituals, someone close to the children's family who nurses a terrible secret, and the babysitter's ex-husband, who reveals the woman's hidden penchant for violence. </p><p>In <strong>The Babes in the Wood</strong>, Ruth Rendell draws the reader into a riveting story that alternates between Chief Inspector Wexford's domestic life - his worries about the security of his home and his daughter's odd new boyfriend - and his determination to see through a kaleidoscope of lies and bring a murderer to justice.</p></div>


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<p>Winner of multiple Edgar and Gold Dagger awards including the most prestigious Edgar of them all, the Grand Master, Ruth Rendell returns with a novel that pits Chief Inspector Wexford against a quite personal foe: the environmental terrorists who kidnap and threaten the lives of five hostages--including Wexford's own wife. <br><br>As Road Rage begins, Chief Inspector Wexford is walking through Framhurst Great Wood, just outside his beloved town of Kingsmarkham, for what he tells himself will be the last time. He can no longer bear to look at the natural beauty that will soon be despoiled by the construction of a new highway. Wexford rather despairs of the project; his more sanguine wife, Dora, is active on a committee to save the threatened land. Others are more desperate to achieve their end, and their means include the taking of hostages, including Dora, and the threat to begin murdering them.<br><br>How Wexford and his dedicated team of police officers race against time to...


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<div><p>Only eighteen black people live in Kingsmarkham. One of them is Wexford's new Doctor, Raymond Akande. When the doctor's daughter, Melanie, goes missing, the Chief Inspector takes more than just a professional interest in the case. Melanie, just down from university but unable to find a job, disappeared somewhere between the Benefit Office and the bus stop. Or at least no one saw her get on the bus when it came. According to her parents, Melanie was happy at home. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend but, until now, there had been no cause to worry about her. And no one liked to voice the suspicion that something might have happened, that Melanie might be dead ...</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>The latest Chief Inspector Wexford mystery, in which a small town's racism turns deadly. <br>Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>You might think we were dealing with <em>Prime Suspect IV</em>. In racist, high-unemployment Britain, a young, middle-class black woman goes missing, and the last person she seems to have spoken to--an unemployment officer--is found murdered in bed. Unfortunately, the struggle between social commentary and whodunit is so equal--think of two wrestlers, each unable to throw the other--that one soon tires of the sport. What went wrong? Rendell is the finest of the finest, an author who, like le Carre{‚}, often soars above her genre as if using it only to ground her craft. Is the problem the too-conventional nature of her Wexford series, or the too-conventional targets of her social criticism? In fact, the chief target of the author's criticism is an English law that permits wealthy immigrants to bring into the country servants who are part of their household but who are not legitimate immigrants in their own right--that is, who must stay with their "masters" if they are not to be deported. That these servants are often treated like slaves has not, so far, persuaded the Conservative government to change the law, and this is the source of Chief Inspector Wexford's (and Rendell's) quiet disgust. "We're all racists," the gentle Wexford says in the early pages, and the novel goes on to prove him right. But all this, of course, is a contrivance, and the story suffers under the burden; it has little force, momentum, or focus. True, Rendell firing on only three cylinders is more impressive than many firing on all four, but this is still a disappointment. <em>Stuart Whitwell</em></p></div>


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<div><p>A bank job goes wrong and a Kingsmarkham detective sergeant is killed. Months later, the Flory family are slaughtered at home by an unknown assassin. The cases seem unrelated. But Chief Inspector Wexford is not so sure. By the author of "The Copper Peacock" and "The Bridesmaid".</p><h3>From Kirkus Reviews</h3><p>Rendell's last few books haven't been up to her extraordinarily high standard, but Chief Inspector Wexford's first appearance since The Veiled One (1988) is cause for celebration. The crime under investigation--the murder of monstrous old novelist Davina Flory, her younger MP husband Harvey Copeland, and her daughter Naomi, along with the shooting of granddaughter Daisy--is thick with mysteries beyond whodunit: What were the two criminals looking for beyond a bit of jewelry? How did they make their escape? What's happened to Naomi's business partner, Joanne Garland, and what's her connection to Daisy's father, George (Gunner) Jones? What links the killings to a fatal bank-robbery a year before? Wexford, ruefully treating Daisy as a replacement for his beloved actress daughter Sheila, who's deserted him for an obnoxious, postmodern novelist, patiently sifts the stories of the large cast, setting off the string of quiet, continuous, steadily deepening revelations of character that are the hallmark of Rendell's best work. No matter that the final revelation is at once surprising, predictable (Rendell falls back on one of the oldest clich‚s of the genre), and anticlimactic. The story marks a masterful return to form for the supreme living exponent of the English detective story. -- <em>Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>"It's hard to imagine anyone who can do more justice to a psychopath than Ruth Rendell." --*Globe &amp; Mail<br></p><p>*-- </p></div>


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<div><p>Who would garrote a middle-aged housewife and leave her body in the parking garage of a suburban shopping mall? Chief Inspector Wexford is no sooner on the case than a car bomb's explosion lands him in the hospital. It's now up to Mike Burden to step in and solve the case. He's got a suspect . . . but will he be able to make him talk?</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Elderly Gwen Robson is found murdered in a shopping-mall garage and Inspector Wexford and partner Mike Burden investigate. "Rendell's reputation for literary grace, ingenious plots and arresting characters is borne out again in her latest stunning mystery," enthused PW . "It's a spellbinder." <br>Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Ruth Rendell has created, in canny Wexford and naïve Burden, one of the genre’s most durable, complex, and affecting human misalliances.” —<em>The </em><em>New York Times Book Review</em></p><p>“It’s a spellbinder.” —<em>Publishers Weekly</em></p></div>


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<div><p>Rodney Williams's disappearance seems typical to Chief Inspector Wexford -- a simple case of a man running off with a woman other than his wife. But when another woman reports that her husband is missing, the case turns unpleasantly complex.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Rendell, winner of the Mystery Writers of America’s prestigious Edgar Award, is regarded as one of the top mystery writers working today. With <em>An Unkindness of Ravens</em>, she shows, once again, that reputation is well-deserved.” <em>—Los Angeles Times</em></p><p>“The novel starts explosively, it moves through a rollercoaster middle, and it rises to a double-barreled climax. This is a suspense mystery of the highest order, a novel that—in its structure, in its handling of character, in the quality of its writing—puts most of its like to shame.” <em>—The New Yorker</em></p><h3>From the Inside Flap</h3><p>Rodney Williams's disappearance seems typical to Chief Inspector Wexford -- a simple case of a man running off with a woman other than his wife. But when another woman reports that her husband is missing, the case turns unpleasantly complex. </p></div>


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<div><p>Dazzling psychological suspense. Razor-sharp dialogue. Plots that catch and hold like a noose. These are the hallmarks of crime legend Ruth Rendell, “the best mystery writer in the English-speaking world” (<em>Time</em> magazine). <em>From Doon with Death</em>, now in a striking new paperback edition, is her classic debut novel -- and the book that introduced one of the most popular sleuths of the twentieth century.<br></p><p>There is nothing extraordinary about Margaret Parsons, a timid housewife in the quiet town of Kingsmarkham, a woman devoted to her garden, her kitchen, her husband. Except that Margaret Parsons is dead, brutally strangled, her body abandoned in the nearby woods. <br></p><p>Who would kill someone with nothing to hide? Inspector Wexford, the formidable chief of police, feels baffled -- until he discovers Margaret's dark secret: a trove of rare books, each volume breathlessly inscribed by a passionate lover identified only as Doon. As Wexford delves deeper into both Mrs. Parsons’ past and the wary community circling round her memory like wolves, the case builds with relentless momentum to a surprise finale as clever as it is blindsiding. <br></p><p>In <em>From Doon with Death</em>, Ruth Rendell instantly mastered the form that would become synonymous with her name. Chilling, richly characterized, and ingeniously constructed, this is psychological suspense at its very finest.<br></p><p>“One of the most remarkable novelists of her generation.” —<em>People<br></em><br>“She has transcended her genre by her remarkable imaginative power to explore and illuminate the dark corners of the human psyche.” —P.D. James</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Ruth Rendell has quite simply transformed the genre of crime writing. She displays her peerless skill in blending the mundane, commonplace aspects of life with the potent murky impulses of desire and greed, obsession and fear." <br>— <em>Sunday Times</em><br></p><p>"Wexford has become an old friend who gets better with age."<br>— <em>The Herald</em></p><h3>From the Inside Flap</h3><p>When Margaret Parsons disappears, Inspector Burden tries to reassure her frantic husband that she will be back by morning. Privately, though, he is certain Margaret has run off with another man. But then the missing woman's body is found, strangled and abandoned in a nearby wood. And when Mr. Parsons lets the police into his home, a startling discovery leads everyone to question just who Margaret Parsons really was . . . </p></div>


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<div><p>Rhoda Comfrey's death seemed unremarkable; the real mystery was her life.<br></p><p>In <strong>A Sleeping Life</strong>, master mystery writer Ruth Rendell unveils an elaborate web of lies and deception painstakingly maintained by a troubled soul. A wallet found in Comfrey's handbag leads Inspector Wexford to Mr. Grenville West, a writer whose plots revel in the blood, thunder, and passion of dramas of old; whose current whereabouts are unclear; and whose curious secretary--the plain Polly Flinders--provides the Inspector with more questions than answers. And when a second Grenville West comes to light, Wexford faces a dizzying array of possible scenarios--and suspects--behind the Comfrey murder. <br></p><p>Brilliantly entertaining, exceptionally crafted, <strong>A Sleeping Life</strong> evokes the dark realities, half-truths, and flights of fancy that constitute a life.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Rendell is a master of the form." --<em>The Washington Post Book World</em><br></p><p>"An unusual detective story. . .intelligent, well-written, with a surprising twist." --<em>The Times Literary Supplement</em><br></p><p>"Ruth Rendell. . .retains her place of highest distinction in the field." --<em>The New York Times Book Review</em><br></p><p>"The best mystery writer anywhere in the English-speaking world." --<em>The Boston Globe</em><br></p><p>"No one can take you so totally into the recesses of the human mind as does Ruth Rendell." --<em>The Christian Science Monitor</em></p><h3>From the Inside Flap</h3><p>Rhoda Comfrey's death seemed unremarkable; the real mystery was her life.<br></p><p>In <strong>A Sleeping Life</strong>, master mystery writer Ruth Rendell unveils an elaborate web of lies and deception painstakingly maintained by a troubled soul. A wallet found in Comfrey's handbag leads Inspector Wexford to Mr. Grenville West, a writer whose plots revel in the blood, thunder, and passion of dramas of old; whose current whereabouts are unclear; and whose curious secretary--the plain Polly Flinders--provides the Inspector with more questions than answers. And when a second Grenville West comes to light, Wexford faces a dizzying array of possible scenarios--and suspects--behind the Comfrey murder. <br></p><p>Brilliantly entertaining, exceptionally crafted, <strong>A Sleeping Life</strong> evokes the dark realities, half-truths, and flights of fancy that constitute a life. </p></div>


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<p class="description">Angela Hathall is found strangled in her bed but, shockingly, the death of this meek and solitary woman sparks little emotion from her husband. Called in to investigate, Wexford's curiosity only deepens when he discovers that the Hathall household has been meticulously cleaned but for a single distinctive palm print.   As the case develops Wexford is increasingly frustrated by the seemingly pointless nature of the murder. There is no motive, no weapon and no suspect. Nothing except the unidentified print.   But despite the sparse evidence, Wexford is convinced Hathall is hiding something. So when Wexford is taken off the case he decides to take matters into his own hands...</p>


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<div><p>It's impossible to forget the violent bludgeoning to death of an elderly lady in her home. Even more so when it's your first murder case.<br></p><p>Wexford believed he'd solved Mrs. Primero's murder fifteen years ago. It was no real mystery. Everyone knew Painter, her odd-job man, had done it. There had never been any doubt in anyone's mind. Until now.<br></p><p>Henry Archery's son is engaged to Painter's daughter. Only Archery can't let the past remain buried. He wants to prove Wexford wrong and in probing into the lives of the witnesses questioned all those years ago, he stirs up more than old ghosts.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>Ruth Rendell has quite simply transformed the genre of crime writing. She displays her peerless skill in blending the mundane, commonplace aspects of life with the potent murky impulses of desire and greed, obsession and fear Sunday Times Rendell never fails to come up trumps, and her millions of admirers will eagerly consume this offering as they have all the others. The Irish Times This is Rendell on cracking form, with the entire accoutrements one expects from her. The Good Book Guide A firm grasp of social concerns ensure that her novels are reflective of our own times, as well as hugely absorbing. The Times One of the best novelists writing today P.D. James It's not often you pick up a book where the plot is technically perfect, where the characters all come off the page perfectly formed and the writing is so good that it's impossible to spot an unnecessary word, but which still managed to be a damn good story. I was still reading at 2 o'clock this morning... TheBookbag.co.uk Psychologically acute and extremely disturbing, Ruth Rendell's work is outstanding. The Times [Wexford] has become an old friend who gets better with age. The Herald </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>RUTH RENDELL has won many awards for her writing, including the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger, the <em>Sunday Times</em> Literary Award, and the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger. </p></div>


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<div><p>A young girl is murdered in a cemetery.  And Wexford's doctor has prescribed no alcohol, no rich food and, above all, no police work.  When a young girl's body is found in a London cemetery and the local police, under the command of Wexford's nephew, are baffled, Wexford decides to brave his doctor's wrath and the condescension of the London police by doing a little investigating of his own. A compelling story of mysterious identity and untimely death, <strong>Murder Being Once Done</strong> is Rendell at her most sublime.<br></p><p>With her Inspector Wexford novels, Ruth Rendell, winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award, has added layers of depth, realism and unease to the classic English mystery. For the canny, tireless, and unflappable policeman is an unblinking observer of human nature, whose study has taught him that under certain circumstances the most unlikely people are capable of the most appalling crimes.</p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>This Inspector Wexford duo debuted back-to-back in 1972. Murder finds the British sleuth defying doctor's orders and investigating the death of a young girl, while Dying (LJ 7/72) offers a baffling case of two kidnapped children. A double dose of Rendell is twice the fun. <br>Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Chief Inspector Wexford is one of the most admirable presences in mystery fiction today and Ruth Rendell. . . retains her place of highest distinction in the field."<br><em>--The New York Times Book Review</em><br></p><p>"Rendell is a master of the form.  <br><em>--The Washington Post Book World </em><br></p><p>"Undoubtedly one of the best writers of English mysteries and chiller-killer plots."  <br><em>--Los Angeles Times</em><br></p><p>"The best mystery writer anywhere in the English-speaking world."<br><em>--The Boston Globe</em></p></div>


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<div><p>Elizabeth Nightingale found peace and tranquility on her nightly walks through the rich, dense forests surrounding Myfleet Manor. But the peace she treasured was shattered one night when she found death waiting in the woods. Chief Inspector Wexford and his colleague Inspector Burden find a most unsavory case on their hands -- and must use all their wit and wisdom to solve it . . .</p><h3>Review</h3><p>Ruth Rendell has quite simply transformed the genre of crime writing. She displays her peerless skill in blending the mundane, commonplace aspects of life with the potent murky impulses of desire and greed, obsession and fear Sunday Times Rendell never fails to come up trumps, and her millions of admirers will eagerly consume this offering as they have all the others. The Irish Times This is Rendell on cracking form, with the entire accoutrements one expects from her. The Good Book Guide A firm grasp of social concerns ensure that her novels are reflective of our own times, as well as hugely absorbing. The Times One of the best novelists writing today P.D. James It's not often you pick up a book where the plot is technically perfect, where the characters all come off the page perfectly formed and the writing is so good that it's impossible to spot an unnecessary word, but which still managed to be a damn good story. I was still reading at 2 o'clock this morning... TheBookbag.co.uk Psychologically acute and extremely disturbing, Ruth Rendell's work is outstanding. The Times [Wexford] has become an old friend who gets better with age. The Herald </p><h3>From the Inside Flap</h3><p>Elizabeth Nightingale found peace and tranquility on her nightly walks through the rich, dense forests surrounding Myfleet Manor. But the peace she treasured was shattered one night when she found death waiting in the woods. Chief Inspector Wexford and his colleague Inspector Burden find a most unsavory case on their hands -- and must use all their wit and wisdom to solve it . . . </p></div>


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<div><p>A mutilated body found at a rock festival.<br></p><p>In spite of dire predictions, the rock festival in Kingsmarkham seemed to be going off without a hitch, until the hideously disfigured body is discovered in a nearby quarry. And soon Wexford is investigating the links between a local girl gone bad and a charismatic singer who inspires an unwholesome devotion in his followers. <strong>Some Lie and Some Die</strong> is a devilishly absorbing novel, in which Wexford's deductive powers come up against the aloof arrogance of pop stardom.  <br></p><p>With her Inspector Wexford novels, Ruth Rendell, winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award, has added layers of depth, realism and unease to the classic English mystery. For the canny, tireless, and unflappable policeman is an unblinking observer of human nature, whose study has taught him that under certain circumstances the most unlikely people are capable of the most appalling crimes.</p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>"Suspenseful to the last word," said LJ's reviewer of Rendell's 1973 mystery, which tells of murder at a rock festival held on the grounds of an English estate. LJ's reviewer further gushed that the solution to the crime "is a devastating surprise." This is the only paperback edition available. (LJ 12/1/73) <br>Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Ruth Rendell is . . . a phenomenon. "<br><em>--The New York Times Book Review</em><br></p><p>"No one can take you so totally into the recesses of the human mind as does Ruth Rendell."<br><em>--The Christian Science Monitor</em><br></p><p>"Undoubtedly one of the best writers of English mysteries and chiller-killer plots."<br><em>--Los Angeles Times</em></p></div>


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<div><p>It was better than a hotel, this anonymous room on a secluded side street of a small country town. No register to sign, no questions asked, and for five bucks a man could have three hours of undisturbed, illicit lovemaking.<br></p><p>Then one evening a man with a knife turned the love nest into a death chamber. The carpet was soaked with blood -- but where was the corpse?<br></p><p>Meanwhile, a beautiful, promiscuous woman is missing -- along with the bundle of cash she'd had in her pocket. The truth behind it all will keep even veteran mystery fans guessing through the very last page.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Rendell is awfully good....in any Rendell book you know that something unusual is going to happen."--The New York Times Book Review<br></p><p>"Undoubtedly one of the best writers of English mysteries and chiller-killer plots."--Los Angeles Times<br></p><p>"For readers who have almost given up mysteries... Rendell may be just the woman to get them started again."--Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine<br></p><p>"First-rate Entertainment."--Saturday Review </p><h3>From the Inside Flap</h3><p>It was better than a hotel, this anonymous room on a secluded side street of a small country town. No register to sign, no questions asked, and for five bucks a man could have three hours of undisturbed, illicit lovemaking.</p><p>Then one evening a man with a knife turned the love nest into a death chamber. The carpet was soaked with blood -- but where was the corpse?</p><p>Meanwhile, a beautiful, promiscuous woman is missing -- along with the bundle of cash she'd had in her pocket. The truth behind it all will keep even veteran mystery fans guessing through the very last page. </p></div>


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SUMMARY:
The second volume of the bestselling Dragon Star series finds the High Prince rallying his troops to stand against the invaders' army. But ancient rivalries begin to weaken his alliances, and only time will tell if the combined efforts of warriors, Sunrunners' magic, and the dragons can defeat both the invaders and the traitors within his own ranks.


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EDITORIAL REVIEW:

The war has not gone well. With peace only a memory and the future promising defeat, the sunrunners are facing the greatest test of all...for Skybowl has been abandoned to the enemy and High Prince Pol's wife is held prisoner by their Warlord.


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SUMMARY:
Crown Prince Pol and his cousin, Lord Andry of Goddess Keep, come into conflict over the use of ancient magic to fight a seemingly invincible invasion force that has arrived on their shores, in this story that will be best understood by readers of the author's Dragon Prince trilogy: Dragon Prince (1988), The Star Scroll (1989) , and Sunrunner's Fire (1990). The sequels are The Dragon Token (1992) and Skybowl (1993).


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<div><h3>Trilogy Bundle by Melanie Rawn; Jennifer Roberson; Kate Elliott</h3><h3 style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In Tira Virte, art is prized for its beauty and as a binding legal 
record of everything from marriages to treaties. Yet not even the Grand 
Duke knows how extraordinary the Grijalva family's art is, for certain 
Grijalva males are born with the ability to alter events and influence 
people in the real world through that they paint. Always, their power 
has been used for Tira Virte. But now Sario Grijalva has learned to use 
his Gift in a whole new way. And when he begins to work his magic both 
the Grijalvas and Tira Virte may pay the price.</span></h3></div>


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<p>Bestselling author Melanie Rawn's triumphant return to high fantasy.<p>The only survivor of royal treachery that eliminates his entire family, Azzad al-Ma'aliq flees to the desert and dedicates himself to vengeance. With the help of the Shagara, a nomadic tribe of powerful magicians, he begins to take his revenge-but at a terrible cost to himself.


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<div><h3>From Wikipedia</h3><p>The Mageborn Traitor, is a fantasy novel written by author Melanie Rawn. Second of three in the Exiles Trilogy. Read more - Shopping-Enabled Wikipedia on Amazon</p><p>      <strong>In the article: </strong>Novel Summary | The World of Lenfell | Further Links</p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>The Mage Guardians have survived the war-barely. Now Mage Captal Cailet and her sister Sarra are struggling to rebuild their society- politically, economically, and magically. Yet though defeated, their ancient enemies, the Malerissi, have not been destroyed, and under the leadership of Cailet's and Sarra's sister Glenin, these masters of a darker magic are once again weaving a web with which to entangle the entire world. And even as Cailet's dreams of a restored Mage Hall become a reality, Glenin prepares to strike at the very heart of both her sisters' power...   </p><p><em></em> The second novel in the <em>Exiles</em> trilogy! <br><em></em> 1.8 million copies of Melanie Rawn's DAW books in print! <br><em></em> All of Melanie Rawn's books have been national bestsellers <br><em></em> Stunning cover art by Michael Whelan </p></div>


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SUMMARY: It's no walk in the park for a Drood, a member of the family that has protected humanity from the things that go bump in the night for centuries. They aren't much liked by the creatures they kill, by ungrateful humans, or even by one another. Now their Matriarch is dead, and it's up to Eddie Drood, acting head of the family, to figure out whodunit. Unpopular opinion is divided: it was either Eddie's best girl, Molly. Or Eddie himself. And Eddie knows he didn't do it.


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<div><p><strong>The Secret Histories novels deliver “a terrific, adventurous blend of genres...[and] high-octane heroism,” (SFRevu) wrapped up in a thrilling and dangerous supernatural world that only <em>New York Times </em>bestselling author Simon R. Green could dream up....</strong>  </p><p>Call me Drood, Eddie Drood. Some know me as Shaman Bond and most simply don’t want to know me at all. For centuries, my family has been keeping the things that lurk on the darker side of existence as far away as possible from humans like you, without you even knowing we’re there.  </p><p>Unfortunately for us, not everybody appreciates what we Droods do. Recently, I personally managed to survive yet another attempt on my life, but the rest of my relatives weren’t so lucky. My parents are missing in action. My grandfather has been murdered. And the future of my family lies in the iron grasp of the Lady Faire, an incredibly seductive, mysterious, and powerful being.  </p><p>She possesses an ancient object that can save them. I have to steal it from her. Easy enough to say, difficult—and very, very dangerous—to do...  </p><p>**</p><h3>Review</h3><p><strong>Praise for the Secret Histories Novels</strong>  </p><p><em>Casino Infernale</em><br>“A dynamite new entry in this rollicking adventure series, with its James Bond–of-the-supernatural style.”—SFRevu  </p><p><em>Live and Let Drood</em><br>“Simon R. Green has done it again....Fantastic!”—Crooked Reviews  </p><p><em>For Heaven’s Eyes Only</em><br>“Clever world building, madcap characters, cheeky one-liners, and a James Bond feel.”—<em>Publishers Weekly</em>  </p><p><em>From Hell with Love</em><br>“A ripping good yarn.”—The Green Man Review  </p><p><em>The Spy Who Haunted Me</em><br>“Green’s Drood books are fun, funny, and action-packed, and Eddie is one of his most entertaining creations.”—<em>Booklist</em>  </p><p><em>Daemons Are Forever</em><br>“A rapid-fire paranormal suspense.”—Monsters and Critics  </p><p><em>The Man with the Golden Torc</em><br>“A hard-boiled, fast-talking, druidic James Bond who wields ancient magic instead of a gun...a witty fantasy adventure.”—<em>Library Journal</em></p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>Simon R. Green</strong> is a <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the Secret Histories novels, including <em>Casino Infernale</em>, <em>Live and Let Drood</em>, and <em>For Heaven's Eyes Only</em>, as well as the Nightside Series, and the Ghostfinders series. He lives in England.</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>The <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Dr. DOA</em> has another Secret History to share...</strong><br>
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Some call me Shaman Bond, but I was born Eddie Drood. My family chases monsters out of closets for a living to keep humanity safe. We’ve made our fair share of enemies over the centuries—and made some questionable bargains.<br>
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In exchange for the power to fight the forces of darkness, my parents signed over their souls. Many folks have made deals with Heaven, Hell, and every otherworldly realm in between, but now the bill’s come due for some major players in the supernatural community—including my girl, Molly. <br>
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They can either pay up or participate in the “Big Game.” The rules are simple: Kill your competitors. The winner’s debt is paid in full, and the losers get themselves permanently lost, body and soul, forever.<br>
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To save my loved ones, I’ve got to become a ringer in this deadly contest which is undoubtedly rigged by the Powers That Be....</p>
<p>**</p><h3>Review</h3>
<p>“A literary love letter to the spy thrillers of the '60s mashed up with every sort of paranormal weirdness under the sun...Green turns up the dial to 11 in this volume.”—SF Revu<br>
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“Green is an absolute master at world building and he continues to showcase his creative imagination in <em>From a Drood to a Kill</em>...[He] takes the superhero/spy tropes and turns them upside down, as the Secret Histories series is one that is never static. I can’t wait to see what Simon R. Green has in store for us in the future.”—Fresh Fiction</p>
<h3>About the Author</h3>
<p><strong>Simon R. Green</strong> is the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the Secret Histories Novels, the Novels of the Nightside, the Ghost Finders series, and the Deathstalker series. He lives in England. </p></div>


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<div><p>When the empire loses all contact with a distant mining world known as Ghostworld, Captain John Silence leads an investigation to discover the cause. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Simon R. Green is a <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling author whose works include <strong>Drinking Midnight Wine, Beyond the Blue Moon, Blue Moon Rising, The Adventures of Hawk &amp; Fisher</strong>, and the <strong>Deathstalker</strong> series. A resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England, he is currently working on the next <strong>Deathstalker</strong> novel.</p></div>


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<div><p>After landing on the planet Wolf IV, the Hell Squads--planet scouts who decide whether or not newly discovered planets should be colonized--discover something that is beyond all imagination. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Simon R. Green is a <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling author whose works include <strong>Drinking Midnight Wine, Beyond the Blue Moon, Blue Moon Rising, The Adventures of Hawk &amp; Fisher</strong>, and the <strong>Deathstalker</strong> series. A resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England, he is currently working on the next <strong>Deathstalker</strong> novel.</p></div>


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<div><p>Shielded from Imperial attack by the powerful espers who have sought refuge there, Mistworld--the haven for outlaws, rebels, and misfits--faces a new threat from a shadowy figure intent on stalking its streets. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Simon R. Green is a <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling author whose works include <strong>Drinking Midnight Wine, Beyond the Blue Moon, Blue Moon Rising, The Adventures of Hawk &amp; Fisher</strong>, and the <strong>Deathstalker</strong> series. A resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England, he is currently working on the next <strong>Deathstalker</strong> novel.</p></div>


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<div><p><em>The New York Times</em> bestselling author takes readers back to the Nightside. <br></p><p>A quest for the Unholy Grail-the goblet from which Judas drank at the Last Supper-takes private eye John Taylor deep into the secret, magical heart of London...called the Nightside.</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Simon R. Green is a <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling author whose works include <strong>Drinking Midnight Wine, Beyond the Blue Moon, Blue Moon Rising, The Adventures of Hawk &amp; Fisher</strong>, and the <strong>Deathstalker</strong> series. A resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England, he is currently working on the next <strong>Deathstalker</strong> novel.</p></div>


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<div><h3>From</h3><p>John Taylor has just solved the mystery of two friends' deaths when he is called to another case. Charles Chabron wants Taylor to contact his daughter, Rossignol (French for <em>nightingale)</em>, a young singer who has fallen under the sway of the ruthless Cavendishes, a husband-and-wife management team. Rossignol used to sing upbeat, happy songs, but now her set is so melancholy that people leave her show and commit suicide. After visiting Rossignol at the Goth club Caliban's Cavern, where she performs nightly, Taylor knows something is wrong. When he goes to the Cavendishes' management company, a pair of somnambulists beat him mercilessly, leaving him near death and with no one to turn to but Pew, an old enemy. With the help of Dead Boy, a deceased mugging victim who now fights criminals, Taylor tries to locate the Cavendishes' former protege, Sylvia Sin, and find a way to rescue Rossignol from the couple's clutches. The latest installment in Green's Nightshade series is a delight--exciting, action packed, truly suspenseful. <em>Kristine Huntley</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>In the Nightside, the hidden heart of London where it's always 3 AM, Detective John Taylor must find an elusive singer known as The Nightingale. Her silken voice has inexplicably lured many a fan to suicide--and Taylor is determined to stop her, before the whole neighborhood falls under her trance. But to catch the swift-winged Nightingale, he'll have to hear the deadly music--and survive. </p></div>


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<div><p>My name is John Taylor. I’m a PI for hire in the Nightside, the dark and corrupt city within the city of London. Where the sun never shines and where pleasure and horror are always on sale—for the right price.</p><p>Not a nice place to visit or a nice place to live. So you wouldn’t think I would care that it was about to be destroyed, by none other than my very own long-missing, not-quite-human mom.</p><p>But I do. I was born here, I live here, and I got friends here. They might not all be acceptable in polite company, but they’re my friends, nonetheless.</p><p>I know that I’m the only one who can stop her. The trick is, how to do it without fulfilling this prophecy that says whatever action I take, not only is the Nightside doomed, but the rest of the world will soon follow… </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Simon R. Green is a <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling author whose works include <strong>Drinking Midnight Wine, Beyond the Blue Moon, Blue Moon Rising, The Adventures of Hawk &amp; Fisher</strong>, and the <strong>Deathstalker</strong> series. A resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England, he is currently working on the next <strong>Deathstalker</strong> novel.</p></div>


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<div><p>John Taylor is not a private detective <em>per se</em>, but he has a knack for finding lost things. That's why he's been hired to descend into the Nightside, an otherworldly realm in the center of London where fantasy and reality share renting space and the sun never shines</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Simon R. Green is a <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling author whose works include <strong>Drinking Midnight Wine, Beyond the Blue Moon, Blue Moon Rising, The Adventures of Hawk &amp; Fisher</strong>, and the <strong>Deathstalker</strong> series. A resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England, he is currently working on the next <strong>Deathstalker</strong> novel.</p></div>


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<div><p><em>Meet the operatives of the Carnacki Institute—JC Chance: the team leader, brave, charming, and almost unbearably arrogant; Melody Chambers: the science geek who keeps the antisupernatural equipment running; and Happy Jack Palmer: the terminally gloomy telepath. Their mission: Do Something About Ghosts. Lay them to rest, send them packing, or just kick their nasty ectoplasmic arses…<br></em><br>In a quiet London suburb, four university students participating in an experiment inside a reputed haunted house hold a séance that goes terribly wrong. What—or who—ever they summoned has taken their minds away, leaving them empty shells.<br><br>Enter the Ghost Finders, ready to confront an enraged poltergeist for the students’ very souls.<br><br>All in a day’s work—except the team doesn’t know that in another part of the city, a different entity has also breached the threshold between worlds. And this time what is at stake is not four lives—but the very existence of all humanity.<br></p><p>**</p></div>


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Ishmael Jones is someone who can't afford to be noticed, someone who lives under the radar, who drives on the dark side of the road. He's employed to search out secrets, investigate mysteries and shine a light in dark places. Sometimes he kills people.Invited by his employer, the enigmatic Colonel, to join him and his family for Christmas, Ishmael arrives at the grand but isolated Belcourt Manor in the midst of a blizzard to find that the Colonel has mysteriously disappeared. As he questions his fellow guests, Ishmael concludes that at least one of them &#8211; not least Ishmael himself - is harbouring a dangerous secret, and that beneath the veneer of festive cheer lurk passion, jealousy, resentment and betrayal.As a storm sets in, sealing off the Manor from the rest of the world, Ishmael must unmask a ruthless murderer before they strike again.


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<div><p><strong> <em>Ishmael Jones travels to the Scottish Highlands on a mysterious dual mission in this intriguing, genre-blending mystery.</em> </strong>   </p>
<p>The Organisation has despatched Ishmael and his partner Penny to Coronach House on the shores of Loch Ness where the secretive but highly influential Baphamet Group are holding their annual meeting. The Organisation believes an imposter has infiltrated the Group and they have instructed Ishmael to root him – or her – out. It’s not Ishmael’s only mission. The first agent sent by the Organisation has been found dead in her room, murdered in a horribly gruesome manner. Ishmael must also discover who killed his fellow agent, Jennifer Rifkin – and why.   </p>
<p>Dismissive of rumours that the legendary ‘Coronach Creature’ is behind Jennifer’s death, Ishmael sets out to expose the human killer in their midst. But he must act fast – before any more Very Important People are killed.</p>
<p>**</p></div>


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<div>
<p><strong>From the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>From a Drood to a Kill</em> comes the next Secret Histories adventure...</strong><br>
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The name is Drood, Eddie Drood, also known as Shaman Bond. My family has been safeguarding humanity for generations, facing the hidden horrors of the world so you can sleep at night and remain oblivious to the existence of the monstrous nightmares that walk and stalk among us. <br>
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Speaking of predatory night terrors, there is a man who gets away with murder. A man who specializes in removing the problems from other people’s lives, by killing the people who cause those problems. He operates from the darkest shadows of the hidden world, coming and going unseen. No-one knows who he is, just his <em>nomme du muerte</em>. Dr. DOA.<br>
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Somehow, this demented doc poisoned me. I don’t know how he did it, when or where, but whatever is coursing through my veins seems to be immune to magic cures and treatments. But that’s not going to stop me from finding him and whoever hired him and give them both a taste of their own medicine...</p>
<p>**</p>
<h3>Review</h3>
<p><strong>Praise for the series</strong><br>
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“A literary love letter to the spy thrillers of the ’60s mashed up with every sort of paranormal weirdness under the sun.”—SF Revu<br>
<br>
“A hard-boiled, fast-talking, druidic James Bond who wields ancient magic instead of a gun...a witty fantasy adventure.”—<em>Library Journal</em><br>
<em> </em><br>
“I love going on adventures with Eddie Drood...Simon R. Green takes the superhero/spy tropes and turns them upside down.”—Fresh Fiction </p>
<h3>About the Author</h3>
<p><strong>Simon R. Green</strong> is the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the Secret Histories Novels, the Novels of the Nightside, the Ghost Finders series, and the Deathstalker series. </p>
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Considered by the author to be his finest work yet, this is a novel of realistic detail, heartfelt emotion, and dazzling imagination that builds a world readers won't want to leave and spins a tale they won't want to end. In a town of amazing magicks, where the real and the imagined live side by side and the Faerie of legend know the automatons of the future, Time sees all---but even he cannot escape the prophecy of James Hart's return, which can only mean the death of Shadows Fall.


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Aboard  Argo,  a colonization ship bound for Eta Cephei IV, people are very close—there’s no other choice. So when Aaron Rossman’s ex-wife dies in what seems to be a bizarre accident, everyone offers their sympathy, politely keeping their suspicions of suicide to themselves. But Aaron cannot simply accept her death. He must know the truth: Was it an accident, or did she commit suicide? When Aaron discovers the truth behind her death, he is faced with a terrible secret—a secret that could cost him his life.  Sawyer’s four most recent novels were nominated for the Hugo Award. He has won the Nebula Award for Best Novel, as well as the major Canadian awards for best science fiction and best mystery fiction. Here is the novel that began his career.


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Archaeologist Brandon Thackery and his rival Miles ‘Klicks’ Jordan fulfill a dinosaur lover’s dream with history’s first time-travel jaunt to the late Mesozoic. Hoping to solve the extinction mystery, they find Earth’s gravity is only half its 21 st  century value and dinosaurs that behave very strangely. Could the slimy blue creatures from Mars have something to do with both?


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Canadian author Robert Sawyer once again presents likable characters facing big ethical dilemmas in this smoothly readable near-future SF novel. Astronomer Sarah Halifax, who translated the first message from aliens and helped prepare humanity’s response, is 87 when the second, encrypted message arrives 38 years later. To aid the decoding, a tycoon buys rejuvenation treatment for Sarah and Don, her husband of 60 years; however, only Don becomes young again. While coping with the physical indignities of old age, Sarah tries to figure out the puzzle of the second message. The bond between Don and Sarah continues, even while Don is joyfully and guiltily discovering the pleasures of living in a young body again. They want to do what’s right for each other and the rest of humanity — for the aliens, too — if they can figure out what “right” could be. By its nature, a story about moral choices tends to get talky, but the talk is intelligent and performed by sympathetic and believable people.


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<div><p></p><p>Robert J. Sawyer's <em>Hominids</em>, the first volume of his bestselling Neanderthal Parallax trilogy, won the 2003 Hugo Award, and its sequel, <em>Humans</em>, was a 2004 Hugo nominee. Now he's back with a pulse-pounding, mind-expanding standalone novel, rich with his signature philosophical and ethical speculations, all grounded in cutting-edge science. </p><p>Jake Sullivan has cheated death: he's discarded his doomed biological body and copied his consciousness into an android form. The new Jake soon finds love, something that eluded him when he was encased in flesh: he falls for the android version of Karen, a woman rediscovering all the joys of life now that she's no longer constrained by a worn-out body either. </p><p>But suddenly Karen's son sues her, claiming that by uploading into an immortal body, she has done him out of his inheritance. Even worse, the original version of Jake, consigned to die on the far side of the moon, has taken hostages there, demanding the return of his rights of personhood. In the courtroom and on the lunar surface, the future of uploaded humanity hangs in the balance.<br><em>Mindscan</em> is vintage Sawyer -- a feast for the mind and the heart. </p><p><b>From Booklist</b></p><p>Jake Sullivan watched his father, suffering from a rare condition, collapse and linger in a vegetative state, and he's incredibly paranoid because he inherited that condition. When mindscanning technology becomes available, he has himself scanned, which involves dispatching his biological body to the moon and assuming an android body. In possession of everything the biological Jake Sullivan had on Earth, android Jake finds love with Karen, who has also been mindscanned. Meanwhile, biological Jake discovers there is finally another, brand-new cure for his condition. Moreover, Karen's son sues her, declaring that his mother is dead, and android Karen has no right to deprive him of his considerable inheritance. Biological Jake, unable to leave the moon because of the contract he signed, becomes steadily more unstable, until finally, in a fit of paranoia, he takes hostages. Sawyer's treatment of identity issues--of what copying consciousness may mean and how consciousness is defined--finds expression in a good story that is a new meditation on an old sf theme, the meaning of being human. <em>Regina Schroeder</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>Praise for <em>Mindscan</em>: </p><p>"Sawyer lucidly explores fascinating philosophical conundrums." <br>--*Entertainment Weekly </p><p><em>"A tale involving courtroom drama, powerful human emotion and challenging SF mystery. Sawyer juggles it all with intelligence and far-reaching vision worthy of Isaac Asimov."<br>--</em>Starlog</p><p>"Sawyer deftly examines what a future might be like in two neighboring countries that have become polar opposites. And he focuses on the legal and moral ramifications involved in various definitions of humanity in an intriguing and stylistically fine story. Grade: A."</p><p><em>--Rocky Mountain News</em></p></div>


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<div>Dr. Peter Hobson has created a monster. Three of them, in fact. <div><br></div><div>In order to test his theories of immortality and life after death, he has created three electronic simulations of his own personality. The first Hobson has all memory of physical existence edited out. It will simulate life after death. The second Hobson is without knowledge of aging or death. It will simulate immortality. The third Hobson is unmodified. A control. But now all three of them have escaped from Hobson's computer into the web.<br><br><b>Amazon.com Review</b><br><br><b>The Terminal Experiment</b> has propelled Robert J. Sawyer into the limelight as one of science fiction's hot new writers, earning him the prestigious Nebula Award in the process. In this fast-paced thriller, Dr. Peter Hobson's investigations into death and afterlife lead him to create three separate electronic versions of himself: one has no memory of physical existence and represents life after death; one has no knowledge of death or aging and represents immortality; and the third is left unaltered as a control. But all three have escaped into the worldwide matrix... and one of them is a killer.</div></div>


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<div>Robert Sawyer's SF novels are perennial nominees for the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, or both. Clearly, he must be doing something right since each one has been something new and different. What they do have in common is imaginative originality, great stories, and unique scientific extrapolation. His latest is no exception.<br><br><i>Hominids</i> is a strong, stand-alone SF novel, but it's also the first book of <i>The Neanderthal Parallax</i>, a trilogy that will examine two unique species of people. They are alien to each other, yet bound together by the never-ending quest for knowledge and, beneath their differences, a common humanity. We are one of those species, the other is the Neanderthals of a parallel world where they, not Homo sapiens, became the dominant intelligence. In that world, Neanderthal civilization has reached heights of culture and science comparable to our own, but is very different in history, society, and philosophy.<br><br>During a risky experiment...


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<div><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>In this solid sequel to Hominids (2002), the much-praised first volume in Sawyer's Neanderthal Parallax trilogy, which introduced an alternate Earth where for reasons unknown our species, Homo sapiens, went extinct and Neanderthals flourished, Neanderthal physicist Ponder Boddit brings Canadian geneticist Mary Vaughan back to his world to explore the near-utopian civilization of the Neanderthals. Boddit serves as a Candide figure, the naive visitor whose ignorance about our society makes him a perfect tool to analyze human tendencies toward violence, over-population and environmental degradation. The Neanderthals have developed a high artistic, ethical and scientific culture without ever inventing farming-they're still hunters and gatherers-and this allows the author to make some interesting and generally unrecognized points about the downside of the discovery of agriculture. Much of the novel is devoted to either the discussion of ideas such as these or to Boddit and Vaughan's developing love affair. Sawyer keeps things moving by throwing in an attempted assassination, his protagonists' confrontation with a rapist and, on a larger scale, the growing danger of what appears to be the imminent reversal of Earth's magnetic field. As the middle volume in a trilogy, this book doesn't entirely stand on its own, but it is extremely well done. When complete, the Neanderthal Parallax should add significantly to Sawyer's reputation. <br>Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>Ponter Boddit, the Neanderthal physicist thrown into the human world in <em>Hominids</em> [BKL Je 1&amp;15 02], is relieved to be back in his own safe, unpolluted, thoughtfully governed universe, though he misses his human friend, Mary Vaughn, who in her world has been offered a plum research position. Glad to leave the Canadian university at which she was brutally raped, she misses Ponter and worries that, because she never reported her attacker, other women remain at risk. Both universes' governments can't decide whether to permit travel between them, but Ponter forces the question by assembling a first ambassadorial party, though as it happens, he goes on ahead of it. He then persuades Mary to visit his world, where she faces aspects of Neanderthal culture that disturb her, such as Ponter's male lover, Adikor, and near-total male-female segregation. Then another woman is raped on Mary's former campus. Look for the further volume about Ponter and Mary that disquieting ramifications of the interaction of the alternate worlds and their magnetic fields portends. <em>Roberta Johnson</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<div><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Canadian writer Sawyer brings his Neanderthal Parallax trilogy to a close, leaving some loose ends that beg for a follow-up further exploring the interaction of two parallel worlds: the overcrowded and polluted one we're used to and another inhabited by highly intelligent and civilized Neanderthals. In the earlier books (Hominids and Humans), physicist Ponter Boddit got translated from the Neanderthal world to ours, where he fell in love with geneticist Mary Vaughn. The couple joined with people of good will from both worlds to keep the link open. Now, though, it's time to consider the implications of such a continuing connection. If people have trouble getting along because of such distinctions as sex and race, how will they be able to co-exist with members of another species? Some individuals see anyone different as a rival, a threat that must be destroyed. Others coldly calculate how to seize new territory for "humanity." Sawyer's characters are less interesting for who they are than for what they are-or what they represent. Still, his picture of the unspoiled Neanderthal world is charming, and he raises some provocative questions. If, for example, only Earth-humans have brains capable of religious belief, should Ponter and Mary genetically design their child with that ability or not? It all amounts to some of the most outrageous, stimulating speculation since Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land questioned our tired, timid conventions.<br>Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>In the conclusion of the Neanderthal Parallax trilogy (_Hominids_, 2002, and <em>Humans</em> [BKL Ja 1 &amp; 15 03] precede it), scientists and lovers Mary Vaughan, who is human, and Ponter Boddit, who is Neanderthal, embark on the harrowing adventure of conceiving a child together. To overcome the genetic barbed wire of mismatched chromosomes, they must use banned technology obtainable only from a Neanderthal scientist living in the northern wilderness, alone but not isolated, for Neanderthals prefer a nonprivate society in which injured persons are quickly rescued, theft is unknown, and personal violence is contained, thanks to permanently implanted personal monitors--a society whose benefits Sawyer persuasively describes. The Neanderthals' electronic surveillance is compatible with their basic peacefulness, however, and can't begin to cope with human craftiness or the malevolent racism of one of Mary's colleagues, who considers Ponter's world as a plum ripe for picking. If his ambitions constitute one alarming threat to a society, the imminent collapse of Earth's magnetic field constitutes another, for it is feared that this will wreak havoc with human consciousness. In an excellent closing twist, a New Year's celebration is disrupted in a very alarming, uniquely human manner as a few Neanderthals watch dumbfounded. A fine combination of love story, social commentary, and ecothriller closes a terrific series with a bang. <em>Roberta Johnson</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<p class="description">When a disabled spaceship enters the Earth's atmosphere, seven members 
of the Tosok race are welcomed by the world with open arms. But when a 
human scientist is found murdered, all evidence points to one of the 
Tosoks. For the first time, an alien must be put on trial before humans 
in a court of law--and there's far more at stake than accounting for one
 human life.</p>


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<p class="description">The second book in this SF trilogy, following THE QUINTAGLIO ASCENSION 
and continuing the adventures of Toroca as he continues his search for 
the rare metals needed to take his species to the stars.</p>


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<p class="description">The Quintaglio Ascension trilogy depicts an Earth-like world on a moon which orbits a gas giant, inhabited by a species of highly evolved, sentient Tyrannosaurs called Quintaglios, among various other creatures from the late cretaceous period, imported to this moon by aliens 65 million years prior to the story.</p>


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<div><h3>Review</h3><p>“No one writes fantasy quite like Moon.”—_The Miami Herald_  </p><p>“Sheer delight . . . an engrossing new adventure.”—Anne McCaffrey  </p><p>“_Oath of Fealty_ is the best kind of fantasy: familiar but complex, with substance behind the accomplished style.”—_Contra Costa Times_  </p><p>“Well-crafted storytelling . . . hard to put down.”—SF Site  </p><p><em>From the Paperback edition.</em></p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>Elizabeth Moon’s bestselling science fiction novels featuring Kylara Vatta have earned her rave reviews and comparison to such giants as Robert Heinlein and Lois McMaster Bujold. But as Moon’s devoted fans know, she started her career as a fantasy writer. The superb trilogy known as The Deed of Paksenarrion is widely judged to be one of the great post-Tolkien fantasies, a masterpiece of sustained world-building and realistic military action. Now Moon returns to this thrilling realm for the first time in nearly twenty years. The result: another classic in the making.  </p><p>Thanks to Paks’s courage and sacrifice, the long-vanished heir to the half-elven kingdom of Lyonya has been revealed as Kieri Phelan, a formidable mercenary captain who earned a title—and enemies—in the neighboring kingdom of Tsaia. Now, as Kieri ascends a throne he never sought, he must come to terms with his own half-elven heritage while protecting his new kingdom from his old enemies—and those he has not yet discovered.  </p><p>Meanwhile, in Tsaia, Prince Mikeli prepares for his own coronation. But when an assassination attempt nearly succeeds, Mikeli suddenly faces the threat of a coup. Acting swiftly, Mikeli strikes at the powerful family behind the attack: the Verrakaien, magelords possessing ancient sorcery, steeped in death and evil. Mikeli’s survival—and that of Tsaia—depend on the only Verrakai whose magery is not tainted with innocent blood. <br></p><hr>    Two kings stand at a pivotal point in the history of their worlds. For dark forces are gathering against them, knit in a secret conspiracy more sinister—and far more ancient—than they can imagine. And even Paks may find her gods-given magic and peerless fighting skills stretched to the limit—and beyond.  <p></p>

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<div><p>Elizabeth Moon is back with the fourth adventure in her bestselling fantasy epic. Moon brilliantly weaves a colorful tapestry of action, betrayal, love, and magic set in a richly imagined world that stands alongside those of such fantasy masters as George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb.<br><br>The unthinkable has occurred in the kingdom of Lyonya. The queen of the Elves—known as the Lady—is dead, murdered by former elves twisted by dark powers. Now the Lady’s half-elven grandson must heal the mistrust between elf and human before their enemies strike again. Yet as he struggles to make ready for an attack, an even greater threat looms across the Eight Kingdoms.<br><br>Throughout the north, magic is reappearing after centuries of absence, emerging without warning in family after family—rich and poor alike. In some areas, the religious strictures against magery remain in place, and fanatical followers are stamping out magery by killing whoever displays the merest sign of it—even children. And as unrest spreads, one very determined traitor works to undo any effort at peace—no matter how many lives it costs. With the future hanging in the balance, it is only the dedication of a few resolute heroes who can turn the tides . . . if they can survive.<br><br><strong>PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH MOON</strong><br><strong> </strong><br><strong>Echoes of Betrayal</strong><br><br>“This is an excellent series, and <em>Echoes of Betrayal </em>is particularly well done. [Elizabeth Moon is a] consistently entertaining writer, and this book lives up to her standards.”—<em>San Jose Mercury News</em><br><br>“Rousing action and intriguing plot twists.”<em>—Kirkus Reviews</em><br><br><strong>Kings of the North</strong><br><br>“Moon’s characters navigate an intricate maze of alliances and rivalries. . . . Close attention to military detail gives the action convincing intensity.”<em>—The Star-Ledger</em><br><br>“Her storytelling is as electrifying as ever, and her readers should be delighted with this new vista of a well-known world.”<em>—Booklist</em><br><em> </em><br><strong>Oath of Fealty</strong><br><em> </em><br>“A triumphant return to the fantasy world she created . . . No one writes fantasy quite like Moon.”<em>—The Miami Herald</em><br><br>“Ranks alongside Andre Norton’s Witch World and Tolkien’s Middle-earth for invention, deeds of valor, and battles of good against evil.”—Jack Campbell</p><h3>Review</h3><p><strong>PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH MOON</strong><br><strong> </strong><br><strong>Echoes of Betrayal</strong><br><br>“This is an excellent series, and <em>Echoes of Betrayal </em>is particularly well done. [Elizabeth Moon is a] consistently entertaining writer, and this book lives up to her standards.”—<em>San Jose Mercury News</em><br><br>“Rousing action and intriguing plot twists.”<em>—Kirkus Reviews</em><br><br><strong>Kings of the North</strong><br><br>“Moon’s characters navigate an intricate maze of alliances and rivalries. . . . Close attention to military detail gives the action convincing intensity.”<em>—The Star-Ledger</em><br><br>“Her storytelling is as electrifying as ever, and her readers should be delighted with this new vista of a well-known world.”<em>—Booklist</em><br><em> </em><br><strong>Oath of Fealty</strong><br><em> </em><br>“A triumphant return to the fantasy world she created . . . No one writes fantasy quite like Moon.”<em>—The Miami Herald</em><br><br>“Ranks alongside Andre Norton’s Witch World and Tolkien’s Middle-earth for invention, deeds of valor, and battles of good against evil.”—Jack Campbell </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Former Marine <strong>Elizabeth Moon</strong> is the author of many novels, including <em>Echoes of Betrayal, Kings of the North, Oath of Fealty, </em>the Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy, <em>Victory Conditions, Command Decision, Engaging the Enemy, Marque and Reprisal, Trading in Danger, </em>the Nebula Award winner <em>The Speed of Dark, </em>and <em>Remnant Population, </em>a Hugo Award finalist. After earning a degree in history from Rice University, Moon went on to obtain a degree in biology from the University of Texas, Austin. She lives in Florence, Texas. </p></div>


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<p class="description">The mysterious reappearance of magery throughout the land has been met with suspicion, fear, and violence. In the kingdom of Lyonya, Kieri, the half-elven, half-human king, struggles to balance the competing demands of his heritage while fighting a deadly threat to his rule: evil elves linked in some way to the rebirth of magic.  <br>  <br>Meanwhile, in the neighboring kingdom of Tsaia, a set of ancient artifacts recovered by the former mercenary Dorrin Verrakai may hold the answer to the riddle of magery’s return. Thus Dorrin embarks on a dangerous quest to return these relics of a bygone age to their all-but-mythical place of origin. What she encounters there will change her in unimaginable ways - and spell doom or salvation for the entire world.</p>


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Kylara Vatta is the only daughter in a family full of sons, and her father' s only child to buck tradition by choosing a military career instead of joining the family business. For Ky, it' s no contest: Even running the prestigious Vatta Transport Ltd. shipping concern can' t hold a candle to shipping out as an officer aboard an interstellar cruiser. It' s adventure, not commerce, that stirs her soul. And despite her family' s misgivings, there can be no doubt that a Vatta in the service will prove a valuable asset. But with a single error in judgment, it all comes crumbling down. Expelled from the Academy in disgrace- and returning home to her humiliated family, a storm of high-profile media coverage, and the gaping void of her own future- Ky is ready to face the inevitable onslaught of anger, disappointment, even pity. But soon after opportunity' s door slams shut, Ky finds herself with a ticket to ride- and a shot at redemption- as captain of a Vatta Transport ship. It' s a simple assignment: escorting one of the Vatta fleet' s oldest ships on its final voyage . . . to the scrapyard. But keeping it simple has never been Ky' s style. And even though her father has provided a crew of seasoned veterans to baby-sit the fledgling captain on her maiden milk run, they can' t stop Ky from turning the routine mission into a risky venture- in the name of turning a profit for Vatta Transport, of course. By snapping up a lucrative delivery contract defaulted on by a rival company, and using part of the proceeds to upgrade her condemned vehicle, Ky aims to prove she' s got more going forher than just her family' s famous name. But business will soon have to take a backseat to bravery, when Ky' s change of plans sails her and the crew straight into the middle of a colonial war. For all her commercial savvy, it' s her military training and born-soldier' s instincts that Ky will need to call on in the face of deadly combat, dangerous mercenaries, and violent mutiny. . . . "From the Hardcover edition."


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Elizabeth Moon’s thrilling Vatta’s War series, featuring the no-holds-barred space-faring heroine Kylara Vatta, has secured her reputation as a master of first-rate military science fiction. Now Commander Vatta is back–locked and loaded and ready to win the fight against the marauding forces of ruthless space pirate Gammis Turek.For Ky, it’s not just about liberating the star systems subjugated by Turek and defending the rest of the galaxy’s freedom. There’s also a score to be settled and payback to be meted out for the obliteration of the Vatta Transport dynasty . . . and the slaughter of Ky’s family. But the enemy have their own escalation efforts under way–including the placement of covert agents among the allies with whom Ky and the surviving Vattas are collaborating in the war effort. And when a spy ring linked to a wealthy businessman is exposed, a cracked pirate code reveals a galaxywide conspiracy fueling the proliferation of Turek’s warship fleet. Matching the invaders’ swelling firepower will mean marshaling an armada of battle-ready ships for Ky to lead into combat. But a violent skirmish leaves Ky reeling–and presumed dead by her enemies. Now, as Turek readies an all-out attack on the Nexus system–a key conquest that could seal the rest of the galaxy’s doom–Ky must rally to the challenge, draw upon every last reserve of her strategic skills, and reach deep if she is to tear from the ashes of tragedy her most decisive victory.


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Kylara Vatta, risk-taking, rule-breaking, can-do heroine of Trading in Danger, is back in business–the kind that’s anything but usual–in the new military science fiction adventure by ace action storyteller Elizabeth Moon.The exciting military career she hoped for never got off the ground–but Ky Vatta ended up seeing plenty of combat when she took the helm of one of the commercial transport vessels in her family’s fleet . . . and steered it into a full-blown war. Now the lessons she learned in that trial by fire are about to pay off: because this time, the war has come to her. To be exact, someone unknown has launched a full-throttle offensive against Vatta Transport Ltd., Ky’s father’s interstellar shipping empire. In short order, most of Ky’s family is killed, and subsequent attacks sever vital lines of communication, leaving Ky fighting, in every sense, to survive.Determined to identify the ruthless mystery enemy and avenge her family’s name, Ky needs not only firepower but information. And she gets both in spades–from the band of stranded mercenaries she hooks up with, from her black-sheep cousin, Stella, who’s been leading a secret life, and from Stella’s roguish ex-lover, Rafe. Together they struggle to penetrate the tangled web of political intrigue that’s wreaking havoc within InterStellar Communications, whose effective operation their own livelihoods–and perhaps lives–depend on.But the infighting proves to be infectious, and it isn’t long before Ky’s hired military muscle are turning their suspicions on the enigmatic Rafe, whose wealth of knowledge about ISC’s clashing factions and startling new technologies has begun to make him smell like a rat . . . or a mole. With swift, violent destruction a very real possibility, the last thing Ky needs is a crew divided against itself–and she’s prepared to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that Vatta stays in business, as well as in one piece.What she’s not prepared for is the shocking truth behind the terror– and a confrontation with murderous treachery from a source as unexpected as it is unrelenting.From the Hardcover edition.


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With the Vatta’s War series, award-winning author Elizabeth Moon has claimed a place alongside such preeminent writers of military science fiction as David Weber and Lois McMaster Bujold. Now Moon is back–and so is her butt-kicking, take-no-prisoners heroine, Kylara Vatta. Once the black-sheep scion of a prosperous merchant family, Kylara now leads a motley space force dedicated to the defeat of a rapacious pirate empire led by the mysterious Gammis Turek. After orchestrating a galaxy-wide failure of the communications network owned and maintained by the powerful ISC corporation, Turek and his marauders strike swiftly and without mercy. First they shatter Vatta Transport. Then they overrun entire star systems, growing stronger and bolder. No one is safe from the pirate fleet. But while they continue to move forward with their diabolical plan, they have made two critical mistakes.Their first mistake was killing Kylara Vatta’s family.Their second mistake was leaving her alive.Now Kylara is going to make them pay.But with a “fleet” consisting of only three ships–including her flagship, the Vanguard, a souped-up merchant cruiser–Kylara needs allies, and fast. Because even though she possesses the same coveted communication technology as the enemy, she has nowhere near their numbers or firepower.Meanwhile, as Kylara’s cousin Stella tries to bring together the shattered pieces of the family trading empire, new treachery is unfolding at ISC headquarters, where undercover agent Rafael Dunbarger, estranged son of the corporation’s CEO, is trying to learn why the damaged network is not being repaired. What he discovers will send shock waves across the galaxy and crashing into Kylara’s newly christened Space Defense Force at the worst possible moment.From the Hardcover edition.


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For fans of fast-paced adventure and compelling characters, the military science fiction of Nebula Award—winning author Elizabeth Moon is the perfect choice. The brilliantly unorthodox Kylara Vatta, black-sheep scion of Vatta Transport Ltd., one of the galaxy’s wealthiest merchant houses, is a heroine like no other, blessed with a killer instinct for business and for battle. Now, in the aftermath of cold-blooded assassinations that have left her parents dead and the Vatta shipping empire shattered, Kylara faces her greatest challenge yet. There is a time for grief and a time for revenge. This is decidedly the latter. Placing her cousin Stella in command of the trading vessel Gary Tobai, Ky embarks aboard the captured pirate ship Fair Kaleen on a twofold mission: to salvage the family business and to punish those responsible for the killings . . . before they strike again.Since the network providing instantaneous communication between star systems has been sabotaged, news is hard to come by and available information impossible to trust. But as she travels from system to system, with Stella a step behind, Ky pieces together the clues and discovers a conspiracy of terrifying scope, breathtaking audacity, and utter ruthlessness.The only hope the independent systems and merchants have against this powerful enemy is to band together. Unfortunately, because she commands a ship known to belong to a notorious pirate–her own relative Osman Vatta, whom she killed for his part in her parents’ deaths–Ky is met with suspicion, if not outright hostility. Rumors swirl about her intent, her very identity. Soon even Stella begins to question her cousin’s decisions and her authority to make them.Meanwhile, the conspiracy Ky hunts is hunting her in turn, with agents insinuated into every space station, every planetary government, every arm of the military, and every merchant house–including her own. Before she can take the fight to the enemy, Kylara must survive a deadly minefield of deception and betrayal.From the Hardcover edition.


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<p><i>In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy. Unfortunately, there will be a generation left behind. For members of that missed generation, small advances will be made. Through various programs, they will be taught to get along in the world despite their differences. They will be made active and contributing members of society. But they will never be normal.</i><br><br>Lou Arrendale is a member of that lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the awards of medical science. Part of a small group of high-functioning autistic adults, he has a steady job with a pharmaceutical company, a car, friends, and a passion for fencing. Aside from his annual visits to his counselor, he lives a low-key, independent life. He has learned to shake hands and make eye contact. He has taught himself to use "please" and "thank you" and other conventions of conversation because he knows it makes...


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<b>Nebula Award&#8211;winning author Elizabeth Moon makes a triumphant return to science fiction with a thrilling series featuring Kylara Vatta, the daring hero of her acclaimed Vatta's War sequence.</b><br> <br> After nearly a decade away, Nebula Award&#8211;winning author Elizabeth Moon makes a triumphant return to science fiction with a thrilling new series featuring the daring hero of her acclaimed Vatta's War sequence.<br> <br> Summoned to the home planet of her family's business empire, space-fleet commander Kylara Vatta is told to expect a hero's welcome. But instead, she is thrown into danger unlike any other she has faced and finds herself isolated, unable to communicate with the outside world, commanding a motley group of unfamiliar troops, and struggling day by day to survive in a deadly environment with sabotaged gear. Only her undeniable talent for command can give her ragtag band a fighting chance.<br> <br> Yet even as Ky leads her team from one crisis to another,...


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<div><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>In a far-flung capitalistic empire among the stars, generations of colonization without a single contact with an intelligent, non-human species have reduced the colonial process to a franchise system. Amid the abuses of the system which inevitably follow, an old woman decides not to leave when her failed colony is evacuated, thinking the freedom to live alone and die in peace is worth any risk. In this entertaining but suspenseful first-contact novel, Elizabeth Moon's apt depiction of the interaction between old and young plays counterpoint to the interaction between human and alien. </p><h3>From School Library Journal</h3><p>YA. Failure to become a successful space colony, plus fear of the indigenous non-human population, forces the abandonment of Sims Bancorp Colony. Ofelia, tired of taking orders and too elderly to survive the trip to the next colony, hides until all fellow humans are evacuated. Alone but unafraid, she meets the challenges of survival and eventually befriends the natives who call themselves "The People." Gradually, Ofelia becomes an important member of The People and acts as their diplomatic liaison when a new group of humans return to the planet. Once downtrodden and overlooked, Ofelia rises above her old position to rebuild her self-esteem and redefine herself as she rises to situations calling for her to use her intelligence, emotional fortitude, and abilities. Once she has power, she uses it wisely and justly. The quick pace of the action, the vibrant descriptions, and the quirky aliens and humans will keep readers engrossed in the story. Teens unfamiliar with science fiction will find this as intriguing as those who avidly read the genre.?Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA<br>Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<p>Heris Serrano's skills are called upon once again. Lady Cecelia has volunteered herself and her yacht to return Prince Gerel home from the "hunting club" Heris found him in. When the Prince begins acting strangely, Cecelia suspects foul play - who is poisoning the heir to the throne?</p>


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The #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling Inheritance Cycle about the dragon rider Eragon has sold over 35 million copies and is an international fantasy sensation. For the first time, here are all four books in one ebook collection.<br><br>Praise for Christopher Paolini and the Inheritance cycle:<br>"An authentic work of great talent."  --The New York Times Book Review<br>"A breathtaking and unheard-of success." --USA Today<br>"Christopher Paolini is a true rarity." --The Washington Post<br><br>The #1 New York Times Bestseller <br>The #1 USA Today Bestseller <br>The #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller <br>The Wall Street Journal Bestseller <br>The IndieBound Bestseller


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<p>Set in an alternate Europe, a world where bloody conflicts rage and sorcery holds sway, both human and other-than-human forces vie for supremacy. In this land, Alain, a young man seeking the destiny promised him by the Lady of Battles, and Liath, a young woman gifted with a power that can alter the course of history, are about to be swept up in a world-shaking conflict for the survival of humanity.</p>


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<div><p>The fourth volume in Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series, <strong>Child of Flame</strong> takes us far beyond the borders of Wendar and Varre...as Alain is drawn into the heart of an ancient conflict between humankind and their dread enemy, the Cursed Ones; Liath faces her most difficult trial in a land of exile; and Sanglant struggles to warn Henry about a dark conspiracy of sorcerers.</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>The fourth of what is intended to be a five-volume epic series, this exceedingly stout high fantasy novel stands comparatively independent of the three preceding it. Continuing their deadly rivalry for the throne, King Henry of Wendar and his bastard son, Sanglant, enlist the aid of their siblings as they conjure spells and clash swords. Meanwhile, Sanglant has an heir of his own, the Cursed Ones (beings from one of the several alternate planes that exist in this saga) capture his wife, and his nonhuman mother returns, bearing prophecies of such imminent and dire doom that nobody believes her until disaster is upon them. Newcomers to this series will appreciate the narrative's brisk pacing, as well as Elliott's formidably competent world building (particularly the courts and the village of the Hallowed One) and carefully considered systems of magic and tactics that display more than an average knowledge of military history, religion and folklore. Some readers may find this installment too long and complex, though, and lacking, at critical points, the emotional impact and characterization that Tolkien or more recent fantasists such as Jordan, Hobb and Orson Scott Card bring to works of similar complexity. Although devout Elliott fans and lovers of long, convoluted fantasy tales will find her latest to be more than satisfactory, the novel's lack of precision may limit its appeal. (Oct.) <br>Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>"High fantasy...entirely captivating." <strong>—</strong><strong>Publishers Weekly, starred review</strong></p></div>


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<div><p>In the wake of the cataclysm many new alliances are forming even as old ones dissolve. As Sanglant struggles to legitimize his own leadership, the Aoi are carrying out random attacks-while implicating him as their leader. Stronghand has begun a march of conquest into the heart of Sanglant's realm. Adelheid and Antonia have made an unholy alliance. And Sabella and Duke Conrad are moving to seize Sanglant's crown. Cultures, religions, and races are clashing in what will be the ultimate struggle for control of this strange new world.<br></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>In the fine conclusion to Elliott's seven-volume fantasy epic based in part on the European medieval period, Earth is beginning to recover from the cataclysmic events—tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, vast dust clouds that obscure the sky—unleashed in book six, <em>In the Ruins</em> (2005). Prince Sanglant, the bastard son of King Henry of Wendar, seeks to legitimize his relationship with his consort, the martial and shrewd sorceress Liath, and found a dynasty that can continue their work of healing the battered world. Curses, King Henry's murder and ambitious rivals put formidable obstacles in Sanglant's path. Elliott has a gift for creating grim, dark settings as well as swashbuckling action scenes (both magical and material) worthy of Rafael Sabatini. This is a splendid piece of intelligent entertainment, even if it makes few concessions to new readers. <em>(Feb.)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>Elliott demonstrates her talent for combining magic and intrigue. (<em>Library Journal</em>)<br></p></div>


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<div><p class="description">THE LOST LAND OF THE AOI HAS RETURNED AT LAST<br>to the earth from which it was cast forth millennia ago. And as tsunamis, earthquakes, and firestorms reshape the very land and seas, darkness descends everywhere. With the war for empire disrupted, all sides must regroup. And though the battle for survival must be the primary focus of all concerned, there are always those eager to seize power, no matter at what cost.</p>
<p class="description">Though King Henry demanded with his last breath that Prince Sanglant accept his crown, many may refuse to honor the dying king's wish. Liath, Sanglant's wife, has been excommunicated and unless he agrees to put her aside, his own aunt, Mother Scholastica, is threatening to interdict Sanglant and all who follow him. And though he and Liath long to search for their missing daughter, Blessing, the demands of statecraft hold them hostage to Sanglant's newly constituted court.</p>
<p class="description">Henry's wife, Adelheid, is determined to regain control of their empire. But she has let Antonia proclaim herself the new skopos, the Holy Mother who rules over all of the church. And Antonia has already proved herself an extremely dangerous ally.</p>
<p class="description">The Aoi are divided between those who seek only to rebuild and warriors determined to claim revenge against the humans.</p>
<p class="description">Stronghand, too, is consolidating his gains for his combined Eika/Alban empire, bent on further conquests, drawn in part by the bond he still shares with Alain.</p>
<p class="description">And even as Liath seeks out the forbidden magic that could bring back the light of day, new alliances are forming and old ones being abandoned. Only time will tell who--if anyone will emerge triumphant as cultures, religions, and races clash in the ultimate struggle for control of this strange new world....</p></div>


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<span>"Prince of Dogs" returns readers to the war-torn kingdoms of Wendar and Varre, and the intertwined destinies of: Alain, raised in humble surroundings but now the Count's heir; Liath, who struggles to unravel the secrets of her past while evading the traps set for her by those seeking the treasure she hides; Sanglant, believed dead by those who could save him, but actually a prisoner in the city of Gent; and Fifth Son, who now builds an army to do his father's bidding--or his own!</span>


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<div><p>In the third volume of this astonishing Nebula Award-nominated fantasy series, the many plot strands created in the first two novels become more tightly interwoven--as the time of the cataclysm nears when people and places long sundered by magic will once again reside in the same time and universe...</p><p>"The best thus far...I can now honestly say I am rabid for the next book." --<strong>B&amp;N Explorations</strong></p><p>Praise for the Crown of Stars series:</p><p>"Well-thought-out, well-structured, and well-crafted... There's a bone-deep reality to the world." --<strong>Fantasy &amp; Science Fiction</strong></p><p>"Elliott's new high fantasy... proves an entirely captivating affair...a resounding narrative revolving around three appealing characters." --<strong>Publishers Weekly </strong> (starred review) </p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>There is nothing more tragic than legitimate ambition comprehensively thwarted. Kate Elliott's fantasy sequence has a bleak sadness even in its moments of triumph, simply because her heroes and heroines seem as if they are never going to get the chance to be all they could be. Alan, suddenly adopted heir to the local noble, is obliged to marry an anorexic princess whose hobby of heresy extends to fake stigmata; royal courier Liath and more than slightly deranged royal bastard Sanglant find that their love stands in the way of the King's dynastic plans; the prattish monk Ivar runs away from heresy proceedings and hides among a princeling's boon companions and catamites. And while the nobility juggle marriages and churchmen bicker about doctrine, invaders amass on the borders and the world seems booked for cataclysms both political and metaphysical. Elliott has not yet become as popular as she probably deserves--she has a real sense of what even an imaginary medieval world should be like in its pompous scholarship and simple piety, and her characters are interestingly fluid; place Ivar in a cavalry charge, and he does quite well. This third volume sustains the pace and grim tone of its predecessors in the Crown of Stars sequence. <em>--Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk</em></p><h3>From Kirkus Reviews</h3><p>Third entry in the Crown of Stars series following Prince of Dogs (1998) and King's Dragon (1997). The kingdoms of Wendar and Varre are riven by sorcery and strife. Young King's Eagle Liath feels the magic potential burgeoning within her, but she's torn emotionally by her love for Sanglant, King Henry's immortal, outcast bastard son, and the child she will soon bear him. Liath's sorcery calls her to investigate a portal to the land of the Aoi, the magical country where Sanglant's mother was born, and from where she will eventually return in search of the child she abandoned. King Henry, meanwhile, wrestles with the familiar problems of the kingship, including invasions by the Quman and by the nonhuman Eika and their terrible dogs. A solid addition to this respectable series. And, at this whopping length, it should keep the most avid fans happy for a few days. -- <em>Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.</em></p></div>


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<div><p class="description">THE LONG DREADED CATACLYSM<br>is about to descend on the world as the lost land of the Aoi returns to the Earth from which it was cast forth millennia ago. And though Liath has at last found her way back to Earth, she knows disaster will soon follow her. Yet just how little time remains to avert humanity's destruction she discovers to her horror only when she learns that her brief stay in the bespelled land has actually kept her from her family and allies for nearly four years.</p>
<p class="description">In that time Sanglant has mobilized an army and journeyed to the land of the griffins, intent on forging an alliance to stand against the forces which are determined to rework the spell that originally exiled the Aoi and their lands from the world.</p>
<p class="description">Alain, caught up by Liath as she makes her way back to her own world and time, has been returned to the present bereft of all that matters to him. And though for a while he finds refuge in a monastery, he is soon condemned to a terrible fate. His only hope of rescue lies with the Eika leader Stronghand, who has begun a campaign of conquest into the human lands.</p>
<p class="description">And even as these diverse forces struggle to avert total ruin, the mathematici, led by Anne and Hugh, strive to re-create the original spell which exiled the ancient Aoi, neither knowing nor caring that their magical workings could tear their world apart....</p></div>


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A poisoned bolt has struck down the Princess Anita on the day of her wedding to Prince Arutha of Krondor.To save his beloved, Arutha sets out in search of the mytics herb called Silverthorn that only grows in the dark and forbidding land of the Spellweavers.Accompanied by a mercenary, a minstrel, and a clever young thief, he wil confront an ancient evil and do battle with the dark powers that threaten the enchanted realm of Midkemia.


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: A new episode in Feist's massively successful Riftwar saga. From the endlessly inventive mind of one of fantasy's all-time greats, comes a spellbinding new adventure featuring old favourites Jimmy, Locklear and Pug. It is nine years on from the aftermath of Sethanon. There has been peace awhile and it's been needed. But news is feeding through to the people of the Kingdom of the Isles that deadly forces are stirring on the horizon. The bringer of the latest tidings is Gorath, a moredhel (dark elf). The bloodletting has started. Nighthawks are murdering again. Politics is a dangerous, cut-throat game once more. At the root of all this unrest lie the mysterious machinations of a group of magicians known as The Six. Meanwhile, renegade Tsurani gem smugglers, a rival criminal gang to the Mockers led by someone known only as The Crawler, and traitors to the crown are all conspiring to bring the Kingdom of the Isles to its knees.


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist *returns us now to a place of unparalleled wonders--a sprawling kingdom coveted by enemies on all sides; a bustling center of commerce and magic, vibrantly alive and eternally in conflict. This is Midkemia, where great heroes are bred, and its glorious center...* **Krondor** Prince Arutha--newly returned from battle--is concerned about a rash of unexplained assassinations that plagues his capital city. And so he commissions his most trusted agent, Squire James--formerly the thief known as "Jimmy the Hand"--to discover the source of the deadly epidemic. The answers seem to lie far beneath the streets in the dank depths of Krondor, where a terrible war rages in secret between two rival criminal gangs: those who call themselves "Mockers" and others in the thrall of a mysterious being known as "The Crawler." But the deeper the Squire delves, the closer he gets to the true nature of the horror that has left untold dead in its wake. And unless James can prevent one last, unthinkable slaying, the nightmare forces of corruption and deceit will destroy his liege and reduce his beloved Krondor to ruins.


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SUMMARY: Return now to a kingdom in constant peril; a land magical, scarred, and wondrous, where great heroes rise up from adversity to battle fearsome enemies who covet the riches within its borders. New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist -- one of the world 's preeminent fantasists -- continues his extraordinary Riftwar Legacy with a sweeping tale of conflict, trial, and grim necessity, as the forces of good join together to staunch the golden lifeblood flowing from the pierced heart of Midkemia.The vile sorcerer Sidi plans to strike the kingdom a fatal blow, setting his creature, the murderous pirate Bear, upon the high seas in pursuit of the vessel that is transporting Midkemia's most holy object: the Tear of the Gods. It is from this miraculous stone that all magic power is believed to flow. And if the Tear becomes the mage's trinket, the future will hold naught but terror, death, and unending night.For Squire James, Lieutenant William, and the able magician Jazhara, the race is on to rescue the remarkable artifact from the bloodthirsty, unpredictable Bear and his despicable master who would use it to bring catastrophe down upon the world. But it will take greater-than-human swiftness. cunning, courage, and skill for the three to prevail. And the flight of her most peerless defenders will leave Krondor more vulnerable than ever to the terrible ambitions of the depraved.For the mysterious criminal known as the Crawler is preparing to wreak bloody havoc to fulfill his dastardly secret agenda. Once again the sewers of Krondor teem with assassins and monsters as the hour of destiny nears. The fate of an imperiled world is in flux, as all manner of dark creatures are gathered for one unspeakable purpose: to breed the chaos that will hasten the destruction of Squire James and his brave companions...and bring about the total corruption of the Tear of the Gods.


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<div><p>A fantastic new novella from the master of magic and adventure. Best selling author Raymond E. Feist returns to the city of Krondor and one of his most loved characters, Jimmy the Hand.<br></p><p>The Crawler: a name whispered in fear…<br></p><p>In the crime-ridden back alleys of Krondor a rival gang has sprung up to threaten the Upright Man’s Mockers. Does the Crawler control the rival gang? Where does his power come from? And does it threaten the peace of the Kingdom?<br></p><p>James, personal squire to Prince Arutha of Krondor, but in the underworld known as the thief and trickster Jimmy the Hand, must travel to Kesh in disguise. There, working with William, lieutenant of the prince’s household guard and son of the magician Pug, and Jazhara, niece to the Keshian lord Hazara-Khan, he must attempt to unmask the mysterious Crawler and rid Krondor of his influence.</p></div>


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<div><p></p><p>As the Riftwar tears Midkemia apart, enemies trapped in the frozen Northlands must trust each other to stay alive. . . .</p><p>In the sprawling, embattled land of Midkemia, fate can form strange alliances. Nine years into the bloody and ongoing Riftwar, Dennis Hartraft's Marauders are cold, hungry, and exhausted. Having only just survived a disastrous encounter with their sworn enemy, the Tsurani, the soldiers are headed for a frontier garrison, where they will be able to rest and recover. But Hartraft's company arrives at the same time as a Tsurani patrol, and both sides discover the stronghold overrun by a migrating horde of dark elves called moredhel, a foe so deadly and vicious the bitter enemies must band together and fight as one.</p><p>But can their hatred for their mutual enemy overcome their distrust of each other? As the two groups, bound to each other by their common foe, make their way across the unknown Northlands to freedom, they have to struggle with not only the elements and the enemy, but also their consciences. For, with both sides carrying painful scars from past wars, each man must ask himself what is more important: one's life or one's honor?</p></div>


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<p>Jimmy the Hand, boy thief of Krondor, lived in the shadows of the city. The sewers were his byways and a flea-ridden, rat-infested cellar his home. Although gifted beyond his peers, he was still but a nimble street urchin, a pickpocket with potential. Until the day he met Prince Arutha.<p>Aiding the Prince in his rescue of Princess Anita from imprisonment by Duke Guy du Bas-Tyra, Jimmy runs afoul of Black Guy's secret police. Given the choice of disappearing on his own or in a weighted barrel at the bottom of Krondor's harbor, Jimmy flees the only home he's ever known, venturing south to the relatively safe haven of Land's End. Suspecting that the rural villagers have never encountered a lad with his talent and nose for finding wealth—other people's wealth—he's fairly optimistic about his broadening horizons. But Jimmy is completely unprepared for what greets him.<p>For Land's End is home to others who tread the crooked path, and more, to a much darker secret: a dangerous...


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: Set ten years after the events in "Prince of the Blood", this book is a remarkable adventure of mystery and magic. In Amos Trask's ship, Prince Nicholas and Squire Harry set sail for a friendly visit to Uncle Martin in Crydee. But while the two are guests in Crydee, disaster strikes. Nicholas, third son of Prince Arutha, is a gifted youngster, but sheltered by life at his father's court in Krondor. To learn more of the world outside the palace walls, Nicholas and his squire, Harry, set sail for pastoral Crydee, where Arutha grew up. Shortly after their arrival, Crydee is brutally attacked. The castle is reduced to ruins, the townspeople slaughtered and two young noblewomen -- friends of Nicholas -- are abducted. As Nicholas ventures further from the familiar landmarks of his home in pursuit of the invaders, he learns that there is more at stake than the fate of his friends, more even than fate of the Kingdom of the Isles, for behind the murderous pirates stands a force that threatens the entire world of Midkemia, and only he is destined to confront this terrifying threat.


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A dark queen is gathering armies in remote lands and desperate men are sent on a suicidal mission to confront this evil. Among these men is Nakor the Isalani, a gambler who knows the true nature of the Queen and Miranda whome everyone must wager their lives upon.


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: The second book in Raymond Feist's super-selling quartet: The Serpentwar Saga. Triumphant but overconfident after his defeat of the reptilian Sauur army, Roo must resist a beguiling seductress who threatens to undo him and all of Midkemia. Roo Avery, recently returned from a harrowing brush with the armies of the Emerald Queen, is now free to choose his own destiny and his ultimate ambition is to become one of the richest and most powerful merchants in Midkemia. But nothing can prepare him for the dangers of the new life he has chosen, where the repayment of a debt can be as deadly as a knife in the shadows. Even those closest to him are suspect and as Roo struggles to build his financial empire, betrayal is always close at hand. But while Roo works towards achieving his goal, memories of the invasion haunt him still. For the war with the Emerald Queen is far from over and the inevitable confrontation will pose the biggest threat yet to his new found wealth and power.


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SUMMARY: A loyal soldier and a wealthy merchant have served bravely in the flames of an enduring war that is ravaging their land. But swords, bows, wits and courage will no longer be enough to defeat the scourge that is descending upon their home. For a foul and terrible thing has escaped from a world already devoured to feed on one consumed by chaos—an insatiable nightmare creature of dark and murderous nature which seeks to own and corrupt the very source of life itselfThe final conflict is joined, pitting serpent against man and magician against demon. For those who battle in the cause of good, there will be victory . . . or there will be doom for all.There can be no other outcome.


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: **The demon is no more. The enemy has been routed. But all is not well...** Winter's icy grasp is loosening on the world. The Emerald Queen's vanquished army has its broken back to the Bitter Sea. And treachery is its only recourse. A lackey has declared himself Lord of the defeated, amassing the still fearsome remnants of a ruthless fighting force together for one final assault on a weakened, vulnerable realm. For the warriors who remained steadfast against terrible numbers, for the courageous souls who barely survived a devastating onslaught upon their homeland, the time to rebuild and renew has not yet come. The war is not over in Midkemia. And Jimmy and Dash--two young noble brothers who stand at the center of a gathering storm--are impelled to action that could secure a tenuous peace...or turn triumph into catastrophe. The demon is no more. The enemy has been routed. But all is not well...


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SUMMARY: Evil has come to a distant land high among the snow-capped mountains of Midkemia, as an exterminating army wearing the colors of the Duke of Olasko razes village after village, slaughtering men, women, and children without mercy. And when the carnage is done, only one survivor remains: a young boy named Kieli. A youth no longer, there is now but one road for him to travel: the path of vengeance. And he will not be alone. Under the tutelage of the rescuers who discovered him, Kieli will be molded into a sure and pitiless weapon. And he will accept the destiny that has been chosen for him ... as Talon of the Silver Hawk. But the prey he so earnestly stalks is hunting him as well. And Talon must swear allegiance to a shadowy cause that already binds his mysterious benefactors -- or his mission, his honor, and his life will be lost forever.


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<p>In the mountains of Midkemia,<br />a boy came brutally of age in blood and<br />in terror. And now he lives for one<br />purpose alone ... revenge!</p> <p>An exceptionally skilled swordsman, youngTal Hawkins was the only survivor of the massacre of his village -- rescued, recruited, and trained by the mysterious order of magicians and spies, the Conclave of Shadows. Now one of the secret society's mostvaluable agents, he gains entrance into the court of Duke Olasko, the bloodthirsty and powerful despot whose armies put Tal's village to the sword, by posing as a nobleman from the  distant Kingdom of the Isles. But the enemy is cunning and well protected -- in league with the foul necromancer Leso Varen, dark master of death-magic -- and to gain the Duke's trust and confidence, Tal Hawkins must first sell his soul.</p>


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<p>A portent of annihilation awakens the powerful sorcerer Pug in the dead of night--a dread vision warning of a vast and terrible army descending upon the exposed heart of Midkemia. Even the formidable might of the Tsurani Empire will not beat back the alien invaders. And in far Stardock town, two boys--untrained, unready, and barely come of age--will be called upon by the mysterious Conclave of Shadows to confront a sinister plot that implicates even the highest-ranking nobles in the land. For a nightmare of treason, intrigue, and murder is brewing among an ancient Brotherhood of Death--a clan of merciless assassins whose name is spoken only in fearful whispers . . . </p>


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SUMMARY: The dread plot to destroy the Empire of Great Kesh has failed. The Conclave of Shadows has ended the murderous Nighthawk brotherhood's horrific reign of terror and death. But the mad sorcerer, Leso Varen, has fled, taking refuge among the most powerful men and women on Kelewan—a world now threatened, along with Midkemia, by hordes of the most vicious warriors in the known universe. The great sorcerer Pug knows of no power that will vanquish these invaders. And now he, brave Magnus and Nakor, and a disturbing young stranger named Bek must venture into the poisonous heart of the Dasati realm—the most terrible place they have ever encountered—in a valiant, impossible attempt to turn the tides against the encroaching doom that would swallow their world.


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<p>The Darkwar rages, bringing bleak days of destruction and despair to Midkemia and Kelewan. To save both worlds, the powerful sorcerer Pug and select members of the mysterious Conclave of Shadows must journey deep into the dangerous realm of the bloodthirsty Dasati on an audacious mission that has little, if any, chance to succeed. In Midkemia, young warriors Tad and Zane and their fellow soldiers must protect the Kingdom from raiders. And Pug's beloved wife, Miranda, finds herself a prisoner of the Dasati and, even more ominously, of Pug's nemesis, the evil sorcerer Leso Varen.</p><p>But salvation may come from a friend thought long dead--an unlikely ally whose remarkable powers will be sorely needed. For there is a momentous battle looming . . . a final, fevered onslaught against the most malevolent agents of evil ever known.</p>


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<div><p>The long-awaited beginning of the fourth story arc - Sword of the Canon - in the epic fantasy series, the Wars of Light and Shadow.</p><p>Betrayed and double-crossed, Arithon s’Ffalenn is held captive by the Order of the Koriathain. The desperate Fellowship Sorcerers have gambled the weal of Athera and forced through the perilous bargain that spared him, as the last Prince of Rathain, and their sole hope of unity. To suspend the Prime Matriarch’s decree of execution, Arithon lives only to battle Marak’s horde of free wraiths, unleashed one by one from the shielding grip of the star wards.</p><p>But on the day the last wraith is redeemed, the inflexible terms sealed by Dakar’s oath of debt will be forfeit…</p><p>Against a backdrop in which the Religion of Light has undergone schism, the fanatical True Sect’s high priesthood stands consumed by its thwarted ambition: to conquer Havish, the backbone of order that secures the terms of Paravian survival. Now Lord Mayor of Etarra, Lysaer s’Ilessid must fight the pull of the Mistwraith’s curse, and battle for sanity to uphold his just ethic. Another young defender will stand at his side, newly sworn by the Sorcerer’s auspices.</p><p>As Arithon’s life once again becomes the fulcrum that shifts the game board, Elaira’s choice might save or break the unstable future; while at large and answerable to no mortal law, Davien and the dragon that holds his service throw in the wild card no one predicts…</p><h3>Review</h3><p>‘Astonishingly original and compelling… A gifted creator of wonder’<br>RAYMOND E. FEIST</p><p>‘Janny Wurts builds beautiful castles in the air … where every detail is richly imagined and vividly rendered’<br>DIANA GABALDON</p><p>‘It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent’<br>STEPHEN DONALDSON</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Janny Wurts is the author of the Cycle of Fire series, co-author of the worldwide bestselling Empire series with Raymond E. Feist, and is currently working on the Wars of Light and Shadow series. She often paints her own covers and is also an expert horsewoman, sailor, musician and archer.</p></div>


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<div><p>The spellbinding final instalment of The Alliance of Light.</p><p>Though Athera may be free, the fight is far from over…</p><p>The heartstopping conclusion to the Alliance of Light series brings Lysaer's army of Light to besiege the great citadel of Alestron. Master of Shadow, Arithon, with barely a moment's recuperation from his victory over the necromancers, has discovered that young Jeynsa s'Valerient whom he has sworn to protect, has joined the ranks of his disowned allies within the threatened citadel. Worse, following a failed rescue attempt, his beloved Elaira, his double, Fionn Areth, and the spellbinder Dakar are also trapped within Alestron's walls. The chancy wiles of Davien the betrayer must spirit Arithon across the enemy lines to attempt a bold and perilous rescue mission.</p><p>Arithon must seek the heartcore of his talent, even while embroiled in a savage battle against those he has vowed to protect. But treachery strikes from deep within the duke's ranks. Lysaer's fanatics will be unleashed to claim their bloody revenge. With the Fellowship Sorcerers in mortal danger, and all under threat from a collapsing grimward, Davien the betrayer is unable to intercede to save his colleagues and so will be forced to invoke the dire terms of an ancient and most secretive bargain.</p><p>Arithon stands alone at the hour of reckoning as the true purpose of the Koriani enchantresses becomes, at long last fully, unveiled – with the covetous Prime Matriarch now poised to snatch a prize, a prize beyond that of merely integrity and life…</p><h3>Review</h3><p>Praise for the Wars of Light and Shadow:</p><p>‘Astonishingly original and compelling… A gifted creator of wonder’ Raymond E Feist</p><p>‘Janny Wurts builds beautiful castles in the air … where every detail is richly imagined and vividly rendered’ Diana Gabaldon</p><p>‘It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent’ Stephen Donaldson</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Janny Wurts is the author of the Cycle of Fire series, co-author of the worldwide bestselling Empire series with Raymond E. Feist, and is currently working on the Wars of Light and Shadow series. She often paints her own covers and is also an expert horsewoman, sailor, musician and archer.</p></div>


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<div><p>The gripping penultimate instalment of the Alliance of Light.</p><p>When half brothers Lysaer and Arithon defeated the Mistwraith its revenge left them cursed to lifelong enmity.</p><p>Having conquered the maze and acheived self-redemption, Arithon, Master of Shadow, is now the guest of the formidable sorcerer, Davien the Betrayor. No one knows how his influence will affect Arithon’s recovered mage power, or his newly awakened rogue talent for prescience.</p><p>Meanwhile Arithon’s relentless enemies will stop at nothing to acheive his downfall. The Koriani enchantresses are determined to make him their captive and their pawn. And as the Alliance of Light fanatics regroup after their defeat, the core of their priesthood now stands corrupted by a dark cabal who plot to enslave their leader, Lysaer, and use the Mistwraith’s curse as their own private weapon to break the world’s order.</p><p>The sorcerers of the Fellowship compact are sorely beset and the clans are counting their ruinous losses. Arithon, who holds their last hope of survival, chooses the most dangerous course: heart and mind he dedicates himself to avoiding killing, though allies and enemies muster for war, single-mindedly blind to the consequences.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>‘Astonishingly original and compelling… A gifted creator of wonder’<br>RAYMOND E. FEIST</p><p>‘It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent’<br>STEPHEN DONALDSON</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Janny Wurts is the author of the Cycle of Fire series, co-author of the worldwide bestselling Empire series with Raymond E. Feist, and is currently working through the Wars of Light and Shadow series. She often paints her own covers and is also an expert horsewoman, sailor, musician and archer</p></div>


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<div><p>Where there is light, there must always be shadow… The fifth volume in Janny Wurts’s spectacular epic fantasy, now re-released with a striking new cover design along with the rest of the series.</p><p>The wars began when two half-brothers, gifted of light and shadow, stood shoulder to shoulder to defeat the Mistwraith. Their foe cast a lifelong curse of enmity between them that has so far woven three bitter conflicts and uncounted deadly intrigues.</p><p>It is a time of political upheavel, fanaticism and rampaging armies. Distrust of sorcery has set off a purge of the talented mageborn – none reviled more than Arithon, Master of Shadow. Through clever manipulation of events at the hands of his half-brother Lysaer, Lord of Light, Arithon’s very name has become anathema. Now the volatile hatreds that spearheaded the campaign against Shadow have overtaken all reason.</p><p>Those that still stand in Arithon’s desperate defence are downtrodden, in retreat and close to annihilation. The stage is set for the ultimate betrayal.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>Praise for the Wars of Light and Shadow:</p><p>‘Astonishingly original and compelling… A gifted creator of wonder’ Raymond E Feist</p><p>‘Janny Wurts builds beautiful castles in the air … where every detail is richly imagined and vividly rendered’ Diana Gabaldon</p><p>‘It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent’ Stephen Donaldson</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Janny Wurts is the author of the Cycle of Fire series, co-author of the worldwide bestselling Empire series with Raymond E. Feist, and is currently working on the Wars of Light and Shadow series. She often paints her own covers and is also an expert horsewoman, sailor, musician and archer.</p></div>


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<div><p>Where there is light, there must always be shadow… The fourth volume in Janny Wurts’s spectacular epic fantasy, now re-released with a striking new cover design along with the rest of the series.</p><p>The schism began with two half-brothers empowered to subdue a Mistwraith. In revenge it cursed them to a life of perpetual conflict. Each believes absolutely in his cause, and loathes the other for opposing it…</p><p>Lysaer, Prince of the Light – a charismatic leader sworn to set humanity free from sorcerous oppression. He claims divine power to safeguard his people from an enemy he is convinced will destroy them.</p><p>Arithon, Master of Shadow – a trained mage who wishes for nothing but to defuse war, and search out the vanished old races who hold the key to restore the world’s shattered peace.</p><p>When Koriani enchantresses join forces with Lysaer, new intrigues upset Arithon’s hard-won autonomy. Faction is set against faction, heart against heart, and the scene is set for an explosive recurrence of war. The curse of the Mistwraith echoes eternal…</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>The third cycle in the Wars of Light and Shadow series begins with <em>Fugitive Prince</em>, book 1 of the Alliance of the Light triptych. Lysaer and Arithon are brothers divided by a curse of enmity; one driven by rapacious pride, the other marking a lonely fugitive path. In a style reminiscent of Tolkien or Herbert, Janny Wurts has concocted a world of enchantresses and runes, ciphers and prophecies, conjurers and plotters, in which the forces of good and evil are distilled to their most human levels. Be warned: after a taste of her potion, you may be under her spell for a very long time. This series is Ulyssesean in scope, comprising eight volumes at last count. <em>--Jhana Bach</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>Praise for the Wars of Light and Shadow:</p><p>‘Astonishingly original and compelling… A gifted creator of wonder’ Raymond E Feist</p><p>‘Janny Wurts builds beautiful castles in the air … where every detail is richly imagined and vividly rendered’ Diana Gabaldon</p><p>‘It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent’ Stephen Donaldson</p></div>


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<div><p>Janny Wurts’s epic tale of two half-brothers cursed to life-long enmity reaches new heights in the third volume, now re-released with a striking new cover.</p><p>Tricked once more by his wily half-brother, Lysaer, Lord of Light, arrives at the tiny harbour town of Merior to find that Arithon’s ship yards have been abandoned and meticulously destroyed, and that the Master of Shadow has disappeared as if into thin air.</p><p>Meanwhile Arithon and the Mad Prophet Dakar are travelling on foot through the treacherous Kelhorn Mountains towards the Vastmark clans, there to raise further support for his cause. But raising a warhost is a costly business. Is it mere coincidence that Princess Talith – Lysaer’s beautiful, headstrong wife – is taken captive and held for a vast ransom by a master brigand?</p><p>The forces of light and shadow circle and feint, drawing ever closer to a huge conflict. And in the background the Fellowship of Seven Sorcerers and the Koriani Enchantresses watch and plan, and wait…</p><h3>Review</h3><p>‘Astonishingly original and compelling’ Raymond E. Feist</p><p>‘It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent’ Stephen Donaldson</p><h3>From the Publisher</h3><p>The Mistwraith's curse of vengeance has locked two princes into an ever deeper pattern of enmity. Since the deception and betrayal which ended <em>Ships of Merior,</em> their struggle has widened to encompass the fates of the world. </p><p>Lysaer, Prince of Light--committed to serving justice, deeply bitter over the total destruction of his fleet, he lacks the means to transport his vast warhost, but swears he will still capture Arithon, defenseless in his shipyard at the seaside village of Merior... </p><p>Arithon, Master of Shadow--set back since the fire which has damaged the vessels he built to escape into freedom, he has no choice but to attempt the impossible: to so one ship launched before Lysaer's warhost can corner him, or to raise up a counterforce and meet on a field at a ruinous cost in bloodshed. </p></div>


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<div><p>Janny Wurts’s epic tale of two half-brothers cursed to life-long enmity continues in this spectacular second volume, now re-released with a striking new cover.</p><p>The half-brothers Arithon, Master of Shadow, and Lysaer, Lord of Light, have defeated the Mistwraith and dispersed the fogs that smothered Athera’s skies. But their victory comes at a high price: the Mistwraith has set them at odds under a powerful curse of vengeance. The two princes are locked in deadly enmity, with the fates of nations and the balance of the world’s mystical powers entangled in their feud.</p><p>Arithon, forced out of hiding, finds himself hounded by Lysaer and his mighty army. He must take to his natural element – the seas – in order to evade pursuit and steal the initiative. However, his efforts are impeded by outside magical factions, not to mention a drunken prophet sent to safeguard his life, but who seems determined to wreck his cause by misadventure.</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>"We look forward to the next three books of this epic." --<em>Realms of Fantasy</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>A demon's curse pits princely brother against brother and leads a world to war in this mammoth sequel to Curse of the Mistwraith. When half-brothers Lysaer s'Ilessid, Prince of the West, and Arithon s'Falenn, Master of Shadow, overcome and entomb Desh-thiere, the Mistwraith, they are cursed to eternal enmity. The mage-trained Arithon can fight the compulsion to a certain extent, but the powerful Lysaer is consumed by hatred and raises his armies to rid the world of the danger he perceives in the Master of Shadow. Dogged by Dakar, the Mad Prophet, who hates Arithon but has been charged to protect him by another sorcerer, the hunted prince establishes a shipyard in the village of Merior by the Sea to build a fleet that will speed him from his enemies. Wurts (the Empire series, with Raymond Feist) creates a complex, beautiful world while detailing the difficulties and rewards falling to people who remain true to their cause. Issues left unresolved at the conclusion suggest another volume. <br>Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>Where there is light, there must always be shadow… The fourth volume in Janny Wurts’s spectacular epic fantasy, now re-released with a striking new cover design along with the rest of the series.</p><p>The curse that hangs over the Master of Shadow, Arithon, and Lord of Light, Lysaer, is drawing the two half-brothers ever closer towards direct conflict. For the Natural Balance to be maintained, the two must never fight. If they do, one is sure to perish and the Mistwraith will regain its evil power over their world.</p><p>Even now, Lysaer – convinced of his own godhead and aided by the treacherous Koriani Sisterhood – is tracking Arithon the Masterbard through the snows and wastes of the winter-locked mountains and the Barrens of Daon Ramon. Arithon is tortured by the knowledge that for the sake of future generations he must not be killed, no matter the cost of others’ lives now. Fighting valiantly to prevent unnecessary suffering, he strikes out on his own; but he is injured and failing fast.</p><p>Meanwhile, the ancient Paravians are stirring, summoned by trespassers on their sacred domain; and the Fellowship of Seven are battling on many other fronts, as the Mistwraith’s wards begin to break, and khadrim and free wraiths roam the land…</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>The latest installment in the Wars of Light and Shadow series, also the third movement of an inner story arc called the Alliance of Light, well represents the vast and tangled plot lines readers have come to expect from this prolific and popular author. In the first book in the series, Curse of the Mistwraith (1993), the half-brothers dark Arithon s'Ffalenn and blond Lysaer s'Ilessid were set against each other by the eponymous enemy, and now, 30-some years later, they're still going after each other. This book's action begins in mid-flight during a winter gale, with Arithon fleeing the walled city Jaelot, where he's been imprisoned. With him he drags the unwilling peasant Fionn Areth Caid'an, magically raised as his double to trap him. Soon they join forces with Dakar the Mad Prophet (whose prophecies have an erratic track record, though some have been important), assigned by the Fellowship of Sorcerers to defend our protagonist. Dakar has supplies and horses ready. Much geography is traversed with many turgid pages spent attempting to describe the indescribable effects of magic. Occasionally the focus moves to Lysaer, with his large retinue of soldiers and fanatic priests, who in private practice rituals as sorcerous as the techniques of which they accuse Arithon. While fans have compared this series to Robert Jordan's extended Wheel of Time series, newcomers may be put off by the stilted language ("The guard captain's baleful stillness held threat") and the mishmash of plot. <br>Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>Sustaining the considerable momentum of previous volumes, the third in Wurts' Alliance of the Light series opens at a dead run with Arithon, Master of Shadow, just barely escaping the clutches of evil. Though wounded, desperately sick, and on the run in the depths of winter, Arithon realizes that if his world is to have any future at all, he must stay alive at any cost. Already, the cost in the lives of his countrymen has been high and weighs heavily on his soul. Meanwhile, the sorcerers of the Fellowship of Seven are spread thin attempting to hold together the wards and other magics that keep the world of Athera whole and spinning, and other factions are hotly pursuing their own ambitions. The building pressures and responsibilities fall directly on Arithon's weakened shoulders. Yet, despite many real and potential external threats, Arithon's final undoing may lie within the depths of his heart. Wurts is in fine form here, providing endless twists and turns of plot and an artful complexity that is marvelous to behold. <em>Paula Luedtke</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<div><p>From their home in the Vale of Lakes, a group of young traders embark on a quest to make their fortune. Carrying a cargo of ancient artefacts, their journey along the River Wynnd will take them into a world both strange and terrifying. They will meet extraordinary people, witness unforgettable events and discover something that will change their lives for ever. For the world is a far more complex place than the adventurers could have imagined. In the aftermath of a terrible war, political upheaval and family rivalries threaten to plunge the land into a new dark age. The past, it seems, is far from forgotten. And the consequences of that long-ago war are by no means played out. Look out for more information about this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>In the land of Ayr two noble families, the Renn‚ and the Wills, fight for political advantage in this sprawling first volume in a new high fantasy series distinguished by intelligent characters and believable politics. The Renn‚ noblemen set out on a path of treachery, conceiving a plan to murder one of their own at the Westbrook Fair and, by so doing, frame the other family. The Wills plan an equally heinous act; they want to force a spunky young noblewoman to marry a handsome but subjugated prince, in order to produce an heir who'll be their puppet on the throne. Meanwhile, Tam, Fynnol and Baore, three young cousins of supposed peasant background, believing themselves far removed from the politics of the nobles, blithely set out from their sheltered homes in the Vale to make their fortunes. But when they encounter Alaan, a mysterious rogue with a charming demeanor, all their plans go awry. Supernatural forces cause paths and tributaries to mysteriously and unpredictably open, channeling the travelers into unforeseen lands and onto heretofore hidden islands, with hazardous results. Inevitably, all paths lead to the Westbrook Fair. Russell (River Into Darkness) so neatly interweaves the supernatural characters into the story that the magical elements seem an organic part of the history being made. This a perfectly plotted, beautifully written fantasy. Agent, Howard Morhaim. (Feb. 8)Forecast: With rights already sold to Germany and the U.K., for six figures each, as well as a strong blurbs from Stephen Donaldson, Robin Hobb and Janny Wurts, plus a three-city author tour, this novel looks to be on the fantasy fast track.</p><p>Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.</p><h3>From School Library Journal</h3><p>Adult/High School-Two sons and a daughter were born to King Wyrr of Ayr. The Swans (as they were known) ended up either killing one another or disappearing to parts unknown. This first book in a new fantasy series starts more than a century after the war that was caused for lack of a successor to King Wyrr's throne. Running beneath a strained peace is a deep hatred between the royal houses of Renn‚ and Wills. Running through the land is a strange river as twisted as the plots hatched by the characters. Toren Renn‚ pushes for peace through diplomacy. His cousins plan to kill him using arrows stolen from the Willses. Elise Wills resists marriage arrangements concocted by relatives bent on amassing a war-size army. In the boondocks, Tam and his buddies strike out for adventure down the river to sell battlefield artifacts. Eventually, Tam realizes that he is on a quest to find answers about his dead father. Encounters with the mazelike river and its spirits conjure up feelings familiar to anyone who has been caught in the woods at twilight. Stories within stories are either revealed or hinted at in a tantalizing fashion. While there is a resolution to Toren's and Elise's predicaments, there are many questions left unanswered. Even with its remarkable depth, the book is fairly easy to follow. Once caught up in Russell's newly created world, readers will undoubtedly be eager to return for more.</p><p><em>Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA</em></p><p>Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.</p></div>


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<div><p>The savage war between two mighty families has ravaged the kingdom both wish to rule—spawning treachery within the ranks of the Renné and Wills, drawing the brave, the innocent, and the malevolent alike into the bloody conflict. But a far more terrible consequence has arisen from the carnage—for Death himself has been roused from his dread domain . . . and is preparing to walk the world again.</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Like the River Wynnd at its center, the conclusion to Russell's Swans' War fantasy trilogy (after <em>The Isle of Battle</em> and <em>The One Kingdom</em>) rolls inexorably along, with many a tributary feeding into the main story. Ancient enchantments combine with contemporary hatreds to fuel a grand war for the kingship of the land, behind which lies a darker plot. The undying children of Wyrr work through human avatars, struggling to find the hidden resting place of their father and to remove or preserve the spell that keeps Death from the mortal realms. Their struggles involve all the folk who live in the land between the mountains, whether warlike or not. Hafydd, the black knight who bargains to release Death, must be defeated by both his enemies (Lady Elise Wills, Alaan the wanderer) and his allies. The story takes on depth from its depiction of myths come to life and the complexities of political struggles where neither side holds a monopoly on virtue or villainy. Unfortunately, the proliferation of warring parents, siblings and cousins leads to confusion as to which "Lord Wills" or "Lord Renné" has turned traitor or true once more. Russell provides a good feel for the tragic in prose that can ring as bright as rushing river water. <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Sean Russell is the author of The One Kingdom and The Isle of Battle, previous books in the Swans' War trilogy, plus the River into Darkness books: Compass of the Soul and Beneath the Vaulted Hills; the Moontide and Magic Rise books: Sea Without a Shore and World Without End; and Gatherer of Clouds and The Initiate Brother. He lives on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, with his wife and son. </p></div>


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In war-ravaged Valdemar, Queen Selenay is attempting an alliance with an ancient enemy, the neighboring kingdom of Karse. This is no easy task, but it is a venture that must not fail if either realm hopes to survive the coming confrontation with the massive armies of the ancient and enigmatic Eastern Empire.


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Rebuilding their city in the ten years after a magical Cataclysm kills their leader and forces them to the white cliffs by the Western Ocean, the people of Urthos must fight the Court of the Black Kings to keep their hard-won home.


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<p>A dozen years of peace have passed in the city of White Gryphon - providing well deserved and much needed security for the people who had lost their homes in the magical Cataclysm which killed the Mage Urtho, creator of the gryphons. But the inhabitants of White Gryphon have not forgotten their long struggles, and have trained an elite guard force, the Silver Gryphons, to protect their city, and if necessary, to join with the army of the Black Kings for mutual defense.</p>


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<p>In this chronicle of the early history of Valdemar, a thirteen-year­old orphan named Magpie escapes a life of slavery in the gem mines when he is chosen by one of the magical companion horses of Valdemar to be trained as a herald. Thrust into the center of a legend in the making, Magpie discovers talents he never knew he had?and witnesses the founding of the great Heralds? Collegium.</p>


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<p>After his wife's untimely death, a powerful sorcerer dedicates his life to seeking revenge against all womankind. He turns his captives into beautiful swans&#8212;who briefly regain human form by the fleeting light of the moon. Only Odette, noblest of the enchanted flock, has the courage to confront her captor. But can she gain the allies she needs to free herself and the other swan-maidens from their magical slavery? A monumental tale of loyalty and betrayal, of magic good and evil, of love both carnal and pure, and of the duality of human nature, The Black Swan is a rich tapestry which is sure to become an all-time masterpiece of fantasy.


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<div><div style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><br></div><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany. Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls “Papa.” Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally murdered by werewolves. Rosa herself barely escaped, and this terrifying incident molded the course of her future.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">For like her fellow Earth Masters of the Schwarzwald Lodge, Rosa is not a healer. Instead, her talents lead her on the more violent path of protection and defense— “cleansing” the Earth and protecting its gentle fae creatures from those evil beings who seek to do them harm.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">And so Rosa becomes the first woman Hunt Master and the scourge of evil creatures, with a deadly specialty in werewolves and all shape­shifters.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">While visiting with a Fire Master—a friend of her mentor from the Schwarzwald Lodge— Rosa meets a pair of Elemental Magicians from Hungary who have come looking for help. They suspect that there is a dark power responsible for a string of murders happening in the remote countryside of Transylvania, but they have no proof. Rosa agrees to help them, but there is a catch: one of the two men asking for aid is a hereditary werewolf.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Rosa has been taught that there are three kinds of werewolves. There are those, like the one that had murdered her teacher, who transform themselves by use of dark magic, and also those who have been infected by the bite of these magical werewolves—these poor victims have no control over their transforma­tive powers. Yet, there is a third kind: those who have been born with the ability to trans­form at will. Some insist that certain of these hereditary werewolves are benign. But Rosa has never encountered a benign werewolf!</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Can she trust this Hungarian werewolf? Or is the Hunter destined to become the Hunted?</span></font></div></div></div>


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<div><h3>Review</h3><p>Lackey's story of a young turn of the century female who is brought to the wilds of San Francisco to read books for a reclusive alchemist recreates the fable of the monster who wins the heart of a young woman yet forbids her to view him. For the monster here is a magician caught in a werewolf spell, and the young girl is a destitute young woman with no other choices. -- <em>Midwest Book Review</em></p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>Accepting employment as a governess after hard times hit her family, medieval scholar Rosalind Hawkins is surprised when she learns that her mysterious employer has no children and only wants her to read to him through a speaking tube. Reprint. </p></div>


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<h3><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; ">Following her acclaimed novels <em>The Serpent's Shadow</em> and <em>The Gates of Sleep</em>, Mercedes Lackey reinvents a classic fairy tale-and gives it a new twist. In a dark and atmospheric retelling of Cinderella, she sets her story in London during the first World War.</span></h3>


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<p>From the magical mysteries of India to the gaslit streets of Victorian London, Mercedes Lackey's unique departure from her Valdemar series follows a young woman doctor as she searches for the secret behind the sorcery in her blood.


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<p>Set in Victorian London-where magic is real and Elemental Masters control the powers of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth-the fourth novel in this best-selling series tells the story of Lord Alderscroft, Master of the British Elemental Masters Council-the most powerful Fire Master ever to lead the Council. Loosely based on The Snow Queen, The Wizard of London delves into Lord Alderscroft's youth, when he was bespelled by an evil Elemental Master who hoped to use him for political gain.


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<p>After the sudden death of her birth parents, Marina Roeswood meets her Aunt Arachne, who is to be her new guardian. Slowly Marina realizes that her aunt is the embodiment of the danger her parents had been hiding her from in the backwoods of Cornwall. But can Marina unravel the secrets of her life in time to save herself from the evil that had been seeking her for nearly eighteen years?


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<div><p>This stand-alone novel in the best-selling Valdemar series tells the story of Alberich...</p><p>When Alberich took a stand for what he believed in-and defected-he was chosen by one of the magical Companion horses...to serve the queen of Valdemar.</p></div>


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<p>This stand-alone novel in the <i>Valdemar</i> series continues the story of prickly weapons-master Alberich. Once a heroic Captain in the army of Karse, a kingdom at war with Valdemar, Alberich becomes one of Valdemar's Heralds. Despite prejudice against him, he becomes the personal protector of young Queen Selenay. But can he protect her from the dangers of her own heart?</p>


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SUMMARY:
Princess Elspeth journeys to the Vale of the Tayledras Clan to seek Mage training among the powerful Hawkbrother Adepts, only to find that she and renegade adept Darkwind must confront the malevolent magic of Ancar of Hardorn. Reprint.


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<p>Mercedes Lackey's triumphant return to the best-selling world of Valdemar, <i>Takes a Thief</i> reveals the untold story of Skif-a popular character from Lackey's first published novel, Arrows of the Queen. Skif is a homeless orphan who lives with a gang of juvenile pickpockets...until he is "Chosen" by one of Valdemar's magical horses and becomes a Herald serving the Queen.</p>


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<p class="description">A brutal serial killer stalks the Seattle nights. Regina Greenleaf was one of the victims. Her beautiful twin sister, Renata, is deeply traumatized. Renata barely knows she’s alive. She talks only rarely, and then always in twin-speak, the special language she and Regina made up long before they’d learned to speak English. When there had been two of them, they used to swap names. At school, they’d swapped the ribbons in their hair that were the only way of telling them apart. They were so close to each other, they might as well have been one person. Mark, a college lecturer in English, is Renata's friend and her post-trauma protector. He’s the only person Renata recognizes and will talk to. She agrees to attend his classes, and with the help of Mark’s room-mates Renata seems to be coming to terms with her loss. But the number of murders in Seattle rises, and Mark has some dreadful suspicions. If he says anything, it’s guaranteed to send Renata back to the hospital. But if he doesn’t, there may be blood on his conscience... In Regina's Song, David and Leigh Eddings have written a tense, chilling story of a nightmare coming true.</p>


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<p class="description">After spending her youth in the Terran Empire, Margaret Alton returns to Darkover, the planet of her birth. There she discovers she has the Alton Gift - forced rapport and compulsion - one of the strongest and most dangerous of the inherited "Laran" gifts of the telepathic Comyn - the ruling families of Darkover. And even as she struggles to control her newfound powers, Margaret finds herself falling in love with the Regent to the royal Elhalyn Domain, a man she has been forbidden to marry, for their alliance would irrevocably alter the power balance of their planet!</p>


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<div><p>Nightingale, a gypsy Free Bard, and T'fyrr, a birdman with the visage of a raptor, join forces to learn why the High King of the human kingdom is allowing the Church to become openly hostile to non-human sentients.</p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>The prolific and popular Lackey proffers the third volume of her Bardic Voices fantasy saga. One of the nightingales of the title is a gypsy bard who comes to Kingsford Faire and, before she leaves, is up to her eyebrows in intrigues both mundane and magical that involve a large cast of characters, not all of them human or even corporeal. The book displays Lackey's usual sound characterization, brisk pacing, and intelligently detailed world building, which will hold readers of both fantasy in general and Bardic Voices in particular. Lackey is sufficiently gifted that one continues to hope for work that is more original than what she has been producing lately. Still, she remains an undoubted mistress of the well-told tale, and if she does not dazzle, neither does she disappoint. <em>Roland Green</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>Nightingale and her friends are increasingly concerned about the Church's attitude toward non-human sentients that it doesn't control: her worries cause her to join forces with a birdman which turns into an unusual relationship as the two probe the ultimate influences behind the Church's decisions. -- <em>Midwest Book Review</em></p></div>


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<p>An all-new original short fiction anthology featuring Mercedes Lackey's heroic Heralds and their horselike companions-as penned by such masters of fantasy as Judith Tarr, Michelle West, Fiona Patton, and others.</p>


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<div><p>When Minette Walters was commissioned (along with several other writers) to produce a book in the Quick Read series, she came up with a novel called Chickenfeed, firmly in her chosen territory: the psychology of crime and criminals. The brief was to keep things fast-moving, with no unwieldy adjectives and (if possible) seduce into reading those who have either lost--or had never acquired--the habit. Ironically, Chickenfeed, despite its brevity, reads very much like Walters’ customary fare: a violent crime is committed (offstage, as it were), but the concentration is on perpetrator and victim rather than a dogged police inspector putting the pieces together.<br></p><p>The subject is a true story: in 1920s East Sussex, the corpse of Elsie Cameron is discovered in a chicken run. The man found guilty of the crime, her fiancé Norman Thorne, was sentenced to death and hanged. At the time of his death, doubts were cast on the verdict, and it is very much Walters’ concern to address those doubts here. We're given a fascinating and detailed study of two blighted lives: Norman, living under cramped conditions, is struggling against heavy odds to make a living as a chicken farmer. The unprepossessing Elsie, prickly and self obsessed, finds it difficult to get on with her family or her workmates, and is fired from a succession of jobs. Marriage to Norman is the one thing--she comes to believe--that will change her wretched life, but although she does her damnedest to get the reluctant Norman to marry her, she withholds sex, allowing Norman to undress her and touch her naked body, but forbidding any other sexual contact. Things grow worse, as Elsie's family (keen to rid themselves of her) join their daughter in pressing marriage on the increasingly reluctant Norman. Then he meets someone else... and Elsie disappears.<br></p><p>This story, in its own terms, is fascinating enough, but in Walters’ expert hands, the swiftest of reads is guaranteed. Some may be unhappy with her deliberately vague treatment of the grim finale of the tale, and long-term Walters aficionados will be keen for her to get back to her normal-length novels--but certainly this is a book that it is difficult to put down.</p></div>


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<div><p>In the small Hampshire village of Sowerbridge, Irish labourer Patrick O'Riordan has been arrested for the brutal murder of elderly Lavinia Fanshaw and her live-in nurse, Dorothy Jenkins. As shock turns to fury, the village residents form a united front against Patrick's parents and cousin, who report incidents of vicious threats and violence. But friend and neighbour Siobhan Lavenham remains convinced that Patrick has fallen victim to a prejudiced investigation and, putting her own position within the bigoted community in serious jeopardy, stands firmly by his family in defence of the O'Riordan name. Days before the trial, terrible secrets about the O'Riordans' past are revealed to Siobhan, and the family's only supporter is forced to question her loyalties. Could Patrick be capable of murder after all? Could his parents' tales of attacks be devious fabrications? And if so, what other lies lurk beneath the surface of their world? As the truth rapidly unfurls, it seems that Sowerbridge residents need to be very afraid. For beneath a cunning facade, someone's chilling ambition is about to ignite ...</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Minette Walters has written ten novels and has won the CWA John Creasey Award for best first crime novel, the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best crime novel published in America and two CWA Gold Daggers for Fiction. She lives in Dorset with her husband and two children. </p></div>


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<p class="description">“It was the smell that Mrs. Powell noticed first. Slightly sweet. Slightly unpleasant…It shocked her badly to find a dead man in the corner, his head slumped on his knees.”When Billy Blake, a homeless alcoholic, is found dead of starvation in Amanda Powell’s private garage in the ritzy docklands area of London, the press arrives in force. But Billy’s story is never told because Amanda refuses to comment, and interest in the unknown wino quickly flags.Then, six months after Blake’s death, the journalist Michael Deacon discovers that Amanda has changed her tune. Now she is suddenly eager to talk about Billy for Deacon’s feature article on poverty and the homeless. More than eager – she seems obsessed with finding out the real identity of her dead visitor. Deacon’s curiosity is piqued. Why is Amanda taking Blake’s death so personally? Why did he choose her garage to die in? And why is she so anxious to discover his true identity?The more he learns about Blake, the more Deacon can sense echoes of the homeless man’s life in his own. Echoes so compelling that Deacon can’t let go of the story until he’s learned who Billy Blake really was – and why Amanda is almost certainly lying about her own interest in the dead man.From the Hardcover edition.</p>


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<p>A body is found in the woods . . .<br>Based on the true story of the shocking murder of Mrs Caroline Luard, which took place in Kent in August 1908.<br>Caroline Luard is shot dead in broad daylight in the grounds of a large country estate. With few clues available, her husband soon becomes the suspect . . . But is he guilty?<br>Bringing to life the people involved in this terrible crime, in A Dreadful Murder bestselling author Minette Walters uses modern detective skills to attempt to solve a 100-year-old crime.</p>


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<p class="description">Walter's zinger of a debut deftly dissects the lives of three reclusive 
English women who become the object of censure and speculation during a 
murder investigation. </p>


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<p>Convicted of the brutal ax murders of her mother and sister, Olive  
Martin spends her days in prison carving tiny human figures out of wax. 
 Rosalind Leigh is a best-selling author whose publisher jolts her out 
of  writer's block by telling her to research a book about Olive and the
 murders,  or else. Though repelled by the idea at first, Rosalind soon 
becomes  intrigued by her subject and begins to believe she may be 
innocent. She soon  uncovers plenty of reasons to doubt the official 
police version of the  killings and with Olive's help, untangles a 
sinister cover-up. </p>


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<p>Oddly enough, the suicide death of an ill-tempered, snobbish, rude old 
lady arouses the indignation of local villagers when they learn she 
willed her fortune to her physician, Dr. Sarah Blakeney, instead of to 
her own (nasty) daughter and (thieving) granddaughter. Police suspect 
murder, though, so their investigation creates problems for Sarah. She 
and her snide, freeloading husband become enmeshed in the intricacies of
 the dead woman's life-snippets of which introduce each chapter. 
Articulate and sophisticated prose, complicated plot, imaginative 
characters, and psychological intensity give this British title high 
marks.</p>


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<div>Walters weaves a spellbinding tale of suspense  and psychological terror.  When
 heiress Jinx Kingsley is found unconscious in the   wreckage of a 
mysterious car accident, the police suspect a suicide attempt.  
Suffering from amnesia, Jinx is placed in an exclusive private clinic, 
where  she struggles to regain her memory with the help of Dr. Alan 
Protheroe -- but   the memories that begin to surface are terrifying and
 desperate.  A complex,  nontraditional British mystery.      <em></em></div>


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<div><p><strong>From the world’s number-one bestselling crime writer comes the extraordinary new Kay Scarpetta novel. </strong><br></p><p>Massachusetts Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta has just returned from working one of the worst mass murders in U.S. history when she’s awakened at an early hour by Detective Pete Marino.<br></p><p>A body, oddly draped in an unusual cloth, has just been discovered inside the sheltered gates of MIT and it’s suspected the identity is that of missing computer engineer Gail Shipton, last seen the night before at a trendy Cambridge bar. It appears she’s been murdered, mere weeks before the trial of her $100 million lawsuit against her former financial managers, and Scarpetta doubts it’s a coincidence. She also fears the case may have a connection with her computer genius niece, Lucy.<br></p><p>At a glance there is no sign of what killed Gail Shipton, but she’s covered with a fine dust that under ultraviolet light fluoresces brilliantly in three vivid colors, what Scarpetta calls a mineral fingerprint. Clearly the body has been posed with chilling premeditation that is symbolic and meant to shock, and Scarpetta has reason to worry that the person responsible is the Capital Murderer, whose most recent sexual homicides have terrorized Washington, D.C. Stunningly, Scarpetta will discover that her FBI profiler husband, Benton Wesley, is convinced that certain people in the government, including his boss, don’t want the killer caught. <br></p><p>In <em>Dust</em>, Scarpetta and her colleagues are up against a force far more sinister than a sexual predator who fits the criminal classification of a “spectacle killer.” The murder of Gail Shipton soon leads deep into the dark world of designer drugs, drone technology, organized crime, and shocking corruption at the highest levels.<br></p><p>With unparalleled high-tension suspense and the latest in forensic technology, Patricia Cornwell once again proves her exceptional ability to surprise—and to thrill.</p><p><em></em></p></div>


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<div><p><strong>View our feature on Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta.</strong><br></p><p><strong>From America’s #1 bestselling crime writers comes the extraordinary new Kay Scarpetta novel.</strong><br></p><p>Leaving behind her private forensic pathology practice in Charleston, South Carolina, Kay Scarpetta accepts an assignment in New York City, where the NYPD has asked her to examine an injured man on Bellevue Hospital’s psychiatric prison ward. The handcuffed and chained patient, Oscar Bane, has specifically asked for her, and when she literally has her gloved hands on him, he begins to talk—and the story he has to tell turns out to be one of the most bizarre she has ever heard.<br></p><p>The injuries, he says, were sustained in the course of a murder . . . that he did not commit. Is Bane a criminally insane stalker who has fixed on Scarpetta? Or is his paranoid tale true, and it is he who is being spied on, followed and stalked by the actual killer? The one thing Scarpetta knows for certain is that a woman has been tortured and murdered—and more violent deaths will follow. Gradually, an inexplicable and horrifying truth emerges: Whoever is committing the crimes knows where his prey is at all times. Is it a person, a government? And what is the connection between the victims?<br></p><p>In the days that follow, Scarpetta; her forensic psychologist husband, Benton Wesley; and her niece, Lucy, who has recently formed her own forensic computer investigation firm in New York, will undertake a harrowing chase through cyberspace and the all-too-real streets of the city—an odyssey that will take them at once to places they never knew, and much, much too close to home.<br></p><p>Throughout, Cornwell delivers shocking twists and turns, and the kind of cutting-edge technology that only she can provide. Once again, she proves her exceptional ability to entertain and enthrall.<br></p><p>Watch a Video <br></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>At the start of bestseller Cornwell's plodding 16th thriller to feature Dr. Kay Scarpetta (after <em>Book of the Dead</em>), the forensic pathologist—who recently relocated to Belmont, Mass., with her forensic psychologist husband—is called to Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital for reasons that don't become clear until she gets there. Oscar Bane, who voluntarily committed himself to Bellevue while denying he brutally murdered his girlfriend, refuses to speak to anyone except the high-profile Scarpetta. Bane, Scarpetta discovers, is obsessed with her. Meanwhile, someone masquerading as Scarpetta is lurking in cyberspace and supplying an online gossip site with dirty secrets about the doctor. For help on the murder case, Scarpetta turns to her computer whiz niece and a macho former colleague whose shocking actions in <em>Book of the Dead</em> severely damaged his relationship with Scarpetta. With a plot full of holes and frustrating red herrings, this entry falls short of the high standard set by earlier volumes in this iconic series. <em>(Dec.)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>From Bookmarks Magazine</h3><p>Critics agreed that readers familiar with Cornwell's series will find <em>Scarpetta</em> a weak addition; novice audiences will certainly want to skip over this one and start with <em>Postmortem</em> (1990), Cornwell's award-winning debut. Although <em>Scarpetta</em> is not one of the better entries to date, the thriller contains Cornwell's meticulous attention to detail (from autopsies to investigations) and edge-of-your-seat plotting. However, reviewers cited too much backstory, overly complex twists, and only mediocre characterization. The <em>Rocky Mountain News</em>even accused Scarpetta of becoming "something of a cipher," while the <em>Guardian</em>found nothing to like at all. The bright spot? A thrilling, unpredictable ending.<br>Copyright 2009 Bookmarks Publishing LLC </p></div>


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<div><p>A woman has vanished while digging a dinosaur bone bed in the remote wilderness of Canada. Somehow, the only evidence has made its way to the inbox of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, over two thousand miles away in Boston. She has no idea why.<br><br>But as events unfold with alarming speed, Scarpetta begins to suspect that the paleontologist’s disappearance is connected to a series of crimes much closer to home: a gruesome murder, inexplicable tortures, and trace evidence from the last living creatures of the dinosaur age.<br><br>When she turns to those around her, Scarpetta finds that the danger and suspicion have penetrated even her closest circles. Her niece Lucy speaks in riddles. Her lead investigator, Pete Marino, and FBI forensic psychologist and husband, Benton Wesley, have secrets of their own. Feeling alone and betrayed, Scarpetta is tempted by someone from her past as she tracks a killer both cunning and cruel.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“The tight plot keeps a local focus, the disconnected deaths are neatly tied together…and there are plenty of stomach-churning autopsies performed with cutting-­edge equipment.”—<em>The New York Times Book Review</em><br><br>“An ingenious murder method, more hours in the mortuary and forensics lab than usual, an uncharacteristically muffled killer, and all the trademark battles among the regulars and every potential ally who gets in their way.”—<em>Kirkus Reviews</em><br><br>“The story is nail-bitingly violent and suspenseful, and it highlights Scarpetta’s signature survival instinct, brilliant logic and attention to personal relationships.”—<em>The City Paper</em> (Nashville, TN)<br></p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>Patricia Cornwell</strong> is one of the world’s major internationally bestselling authors, translated into thirty-six languages in more than fifty countries. She is a founder of the Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine; a founding member of the National Forensic Academy; a member of the Advisory Board for the Forensic Sciences Training Program at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York City; and a member of the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she is an advocate for psychiatric research. In 2008, Cornwell won the Galaxy British Book Awards’s Books Direct Crime Thriller of the Year—the first American to win this prestigious award. In 2011, she was awarded the medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the Ministry of Culture in Paris. Her most recent bestsellers include <em>Red Mist</em>, <em>Port Mortuary</em>, <em>The Scarpetta Factor</em>, <em>The Front</em>, and <em>Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper</em>. Her earlier works include <em>Postmortem</em>—the only novel to win five major crime awards in a single year—and <em>Cruel &amp; Unusual,</em> which won Britain’s Gold Dagger Award for best crime novel of 1993. Dr. Kay Scarpetta herself won the 1999 Sherlock Award for the best detective created by an American author.</p></div>


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<div><p>The decomposed remains of a stowaway lead Dr. Kay Scarpetta on an international search to Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon, France—and on a mission that will pull her in two opposite directions: toward protecting her career or toward the truth.<br></p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>It's Christmastime in Richmond, Virginia, but no one seems merry--least of all Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, back for her 10th outing as a crime-solving coroner. Actress Kate Reading also returns, reading her third unabridged audio for Patricia Cornwell's death-drenched series. This one finds Scarpetta still recovering from the murder of her lover and in a generally foul mood as an investigation of a badly decomposed body leads her to INTERPOL, and eventually, Paris. Series regulars Police Detective Pete Marino, recently demoted, and niece Lucy are in equally cantankerous states of mind, resulting in more blue language than Cornwell regulars may be used to. Reading proves she's up to the task, maintaining multiple distinct voices and highlighting the occasional humor in the overwhelmingly dark novel. A London-based stage actress, she captivates the listener without careening into melodrama. (Running time: 12.5 hours, 8 cassettes) <em>--Kimberly Heinrichs</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>It's like a splash of cold water on a hot day to be plunged, after the irritating third-person satire of Cornwell's last novel, Southern Cross (1998), back into the bracing narration of medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. As in the nine Scarpettas past (Point of Origin, etc.), here it's not the novel's events, startling as they are, that propel the story so much as the deep-hearted responses of Kay, as real a hero as any in thriller fiction, to the "evil"Aher wordAthat threatens. Evil wears several faces here, from petty to monstrous. Most insidious is the office sabotageAinsubordination, thefts, fraudulent e-mailsAthat's making the grieving Kay look as if she's lost her grip since her lover's murder in Point of Origin. More destructive are the overt attempts by calculating Richmond, Va., deputy police chief Diane Bray to ruin Kay's career as well as that of Kay's old friend, Capt. Pete Marino. Then there's the wild rage at life that's consuming Kay's niece, a DEA agent. FinallyAthe plot wire that binds the sometimes scattered plotAthere are the mutilation killings by the French serial killer self-styled "Loup-Garou"Awerewolf. The forensic sequences boom with authority; the brief action sequences explode on the pageAin the finale, overbearingly so; the interplay between Kay and Marino is boisterous as always, and there's an atmospheric sidetrip to Paris and an affecting romantic misadventure for lonely Kay. A thunderhead of disquietude hangs over this compulsively readable novel, sometimes loosing storms of suspense; but to Cornwell's considerable credit, the unease arises ultimately not from the steady potential for violence, but from a more profound horror: the vulnerability of a good woman like Kay to a world beset by the corrupt, the cruel, the demonic. One million first printing; $750,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild main selections; unabridged and abridged audio versions; foreign rights sold in eight countries. <br>Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>Readers are in for the shock of Kay Scarpetta's life.</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>"Please don't go there. The past is the past," sighs New York Assistant District Attorney Jaime Berger, who herself was introduced in Cornwell's last Kay Scarpetta novel, The Last Precinct (2000). Alas, many of Cornwell's fans are bound to agree. One fascinating nonfiction bestseller (Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed) later, Cornwell now returns to Scarpetta, formerly Virginia's chief medical examiner. From the start, however, the formidable author is up against the equally formidable task of getting her charismatic main character off ice and back in action. We encounter Scarpetta languishing in a crumbling little rental house in Florida. She has taken refuge there and become a private forensic consultant after she was driven from her job for her alleged involvement in the murder of a deputy police chief. The violent death of her lover, Benton Wesley, the brilliant FBI psychological profiler, has left her filled with an unappeasable grief. When the coroner in Baton Rouge asks her advice on a cold case concerning an affluent woman found dead of a drug overdose in a seedy hotel, it seems little more than a diversion. Yet it becomes clear that the overdose may be related to a fresh string of serial killings. Also disturbing Scarpetta's somber peace is a troubling letter from someone out to kill her, the sick and obsessed death-row inmate Jean-Baptiste. When Scarpetta is at last allowed to get back to business, she is a feisty, independent powerhouse whose capacity to concentrate and observe rivals Sherlock Holmes's. But too much of this book is bound up in retrospective musings about events in previous books. The great Scarpetta, her fiery crime-busting niece, Lucy, and a colorful supporting cast deserve better.<br>Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>Kay Scarpetta fans will miss their favorite forensic pathologist in this new thriller, as Cornwell cedes much of the spotlight to other characters in the long-running series. Lucy, Kay's defiant niece, and Marino, the bad-tempered, opinionated cop, are here, as are several familiar depraved psychopaths--among them, "Wolfman" Jean-Baptiste Chandonne and his twin brother, who first surfaced in <em>Black Notice </em>(2000). It appears that Chandonne, whose execution date is drawing near, wants to see Kay, ostensibly to reveal information about his family that will ensure the collapse of their Mob cartel and to have her administer the drug that will end his life. But, as usual in Cornwell's more recent books, absolutely nothing is what it seems. Granted, there are some compelling (and gruesome) moments, and a few loose ends from previous books are finally taken care of... Otherwise, though, this is a murky stew, indeed, with action careening in way too many directions. Oh, for a return to the Cornwell who created the tough but vulnerable Scarpetta, who, at center stage, used her intellect and forensic training to solve a more straightforward mystery. <em>Stephanie Zvirin</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


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<div><p><strong>“Sears its way into the psyche” (<em>ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION</em>) with a NEW PACKAGE and NEW AUTHOR INTRODUCTION.</strong><br></p><p>The clues to a series of remorseless killings go up in smoke—and only Kay Scarpetta can find them.<br></p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Virginia's chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta is getting ready for a romantic holiday with her retired-FBI-profiler boyfriend, Benton Wesley, when she receives a cryptic and foreboding letter: "Hey DOC, Tick Tock, Sawed bone and fire," it begins. Even more creepy, the taunting note has been signed by Carrie Grethen, the psychotic killer Kay helped send to a psychiatric facility for going on a murder spree with Temple Gault in Cornwell's earlier book <em>Body Farm</em>. Benton believes that Grethen--who also happens to be the former lover of Scarpetta's niece Lucy--has big plans for a comeback. And before Kay and Benton can leave for their trip and discuss it further, Scarpetta is called upon to don yet another professional hat, that of a "consulting forensic pathologist" for the federal government. Someone has burned a highfalutin horse ranch and all of its contents, including a human being, to the ground. Worse, Grethen has escaped and is on the loose and closer to Kay and her beloved than she knows. <em>Point of Origin</em>, the ninth Scarpetta thriller, is classic Cornwell: rich with detail and strong dialogue, and doused with harrowing twists. </p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Cornwell fans who relish her Kay Scarpetta stories for the postmortem findings will welcome this tale of twisted minds and the gory havoc they cause. Acronym fans will also be pleased. This tale opens with the complete destruction by fire of a Virginia horse farm, the owner of which was said to be in London. As consultant to the FBI and the ATF's NRT (that's the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms' National Response Team), Scarpetta joins the investigation on site and discovers some remains of a young woman in the master bath. Although the origin of the fire remains a mystery, research turns up two similar unsolved incidents from years earlier, female victims who were dead before the accompanying conflagration. Another fire disguising another murder, and the escape of Carrie Grethen, evil woman partner of Scarpetta's now dead archenemy Temple Gault, from a New York City hospital for the criminally insane, ups Scarpetta's anxiety level about both her beloved, brilliant niece, Lucy, who was seduced by Grethen in The Body Farm, and her lover, psychological profiler Benton Wesley. A third fire covers a third personally devastating death before Scarpetta is able to finger Grethen's new diabolical partner and survive a harrowing finale in a helicopter. Although Cornwell repeatedly tells us how anxious, strung out or devastated Scarpetta feels in the face of Grethen's evil threats, there's very little dramatization of these powerfully emotional conditions. The author is convincing mainly in the delivery of chilling forensic details. One million first printing; $750,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild main selections; simultaneous Putnam Berkley audio. <br>Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>Investigating the disappearance of two sisters in Florida, Dr. Kay Scarpetta follows clues that twist and turn, leading her into the psychopathic depths of a jailed serial killer's mind.</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>It's not often a crime novel offers such a smorgasbord of oddball elements, including autopsy advice, methods of combating tree blight, the use of spiders in sadomasochist torture and couples covering the sexual and psychological waterfronts. There's even a little nasty fun at the expense of television psychoanalysts. With geographic locations switching slightly faster than the speed of sound, it's to Reading's credit that she smoothes out the ultra rumpled excesses of Cornwell's mind-boggling plot and takes full advantage of the yarn's narrator-friendly present tense. Having given voice to several earlier books in the series, she's got the main characters down cold. Her Dr. Kay Scarpetta is all snarky professional reserve and personal insecurity. Self-loathing lesbian niece Lucy, sounds properly troublesome and troubled, with an added catch in the throat due to a secret she's keeping. Pete Marino, the bullet-headed, gym rat security chief of the Lucy-originated National Forensic Academy, sounds so gruff and aggressive, he should be kept on a chain leash. And Scarpetta's inamorato, Benton Wesley, whose study of mass murderers' brain patterns gives the novel its title, is, as his name suggests, the very model of a dry, annoyingly passive-aggressive personality. The joke here-intended or not-is that the novel's protagonists are almost as mentally or emotionally disturbed as its homicidal villains. Cornwell seems to have grown weary of the lot of them. But there's still a flicker of life left and Reading has the skill to make the most of it.<br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'When she is this good, she is hard to beat.' New Statesman 'Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns.' Mirror </p></div>


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<div><p><strong>With high-tension suspense and cutting-edge technology, Patricia Cornwell—the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer—once again proves her exceptional ability to entertain and enthrall in this remarkable novel featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta. </strong> <br></p><p>On her quest to find out exactly what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, murdered six months before, Scarpetta drives to the Georgia Prison for Women to meet a convicted sex offender and the mother of a vicious and diabolically brilliant killer. Against the advice of her FBI criminal intelligence agent husband, Benton Wesley, Scarpetta is determined to hear this woman out. <br></p><p>Scarpetta has both personal and professional reasons to learn more about a string of grisly killings: the murder of a Savannah family years earlier, a young woman on death row, and then other inexplicable deaths that begin to occur at a breathtaking pace. Driven by inner forces, Scarpetta discovers connections that compel her to conclude that what she thought ended with Fielding’s death and an attempt on her own life is only the beginning of something far more destructive: a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. <br></p><p>And she is the only one who can stop it.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>The combination of scientific analysis, human instinct and inhuman behaviour are expertly handled. Best of all, Red Mist sizzles thanks to the real engagement of Patricia Cornwell Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin </p><h3>Review</h3><p>Cornwell brings all her expertise to creating a breath-taking plot, with an astounding solution, which will have you hanging, literally, on every word Ballarat Courier I hold Patricia Cornwell solely responsible for my love of the crime thriller genre ... Just when you think you have it all figured out she throws a curveball that blows your mind. Her language brings the characters to life, you feel their pain, joy and are right with them as they struggle through the evidence Toowoomba Chronicle </p></div>


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<div><p><strong>The new era of Scarpetta begins…</strong></p><p>In this #1 <strong>New York Times</strong> bestselling novel, Patricia Cornwell takes her readers deeper into Kay Scarpetta’s heart and soul than ever before….</p><p>Thwarting an attack by a suspected serial killer puts Virginia’s Chief Medial Examiner Kay Scarpetta in the harsh glare of the spotlight. As her personal and professional lives come under suspicion, she discovers that the so-called Werewolf murders may have extended to New York City and into the darkest corners of her past. A formidable prosecutor, a female assistant district attorney from New York, is brought into the case—and Scarpetta must struggle to make what she knows to be the truth prevail against mounting and unnerving evidence to the contrary. Tested in every way, she turns inward to ask, Where do you go when there is nowhere left?</p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Patricia Cornwell's legendary crime fiction creation, Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta, has logged a host of fans among mystery readers and, within the bounds of her fictional world, an equally impressive tally of individuals intent on causing her grievous physical or psychological harm. </p><p>The 11th Scarpetta novel, <em>The Last Precinct</em>, doesn't add any new names to the second roster. Instead, in a sweeping narrative gesture toward retrospection (less-than-fervent fans might whisper "or stagnation"), the novel depends largely on ground already covered in its predecessors, <em>Black Notice</em> and, to a lesser extent, <em>Point of Origin</em>. All the familiar faces--friend and foe--are here: police captain Marino, Kay's niece Lucy, the so-called Werewolf murderer, and (in memoriam) Kay's lover Benton Wesley and his killer, Carrie Grethen. Kay, who nearly killed the Werewolf in self-defense as <em>Black Notice</em> came to a close, now finds herself the target of a corrupt police investigation that will dredge her darkest secrets from the deepest corners of her past.</p><p>Torn between a desire to clear her name and the instinct of a wounded animal to turn against even its would-be rescuers, Kay sifts through the forensic evidence that seems to link Chandonne to other horrific events in her past, up to and including Wesley's murder. Physical analysis, however, will not be enough to right her up-ended world. Instead, Kay must rely on the strategic support of her niece, cofounder of the Last Precinct (an odd, ill-defined organization that is, in the words of its motto, "where you go when there is nowhere left"), and on her willingness to examine her own fears, misconceptions, and anything-but-altruistic motives. The most important setting in this novel is not the morgue--it's the living room where Kay's therapist forces her to address (you guessed it) "unresolved issues."</p><p>The novel's focus on Kay's emotional evolution does not, unfortunately, mask the leaps of illogic that pepper the plot's murky stew. More disturbing than these occasional lapses, however, is the feeling that Cornwell has written herself into a corner. The Scarpetta of <em>The Last Precinct</em> is a far cry from the irritably independent woman of previous books. Her often over-inflated musings are more tiresome than tantalizing. Cornwell's impressive track record makes this excursion a bit disappointing, but that same record means that loyal fans will race to acquire the book anyway and that the odds of her returning to her usual stellar form next time are (hurrah!) favorable. <em>--Kelly Flynn</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>"My central nervous system spikes and surges, my pulse pounds. I am sweating.... " If only readers would share this response with Cornwell's immensely popular Kay Scarpetta, Virginia's chief medical examiner. But most won't. Kay has plenty of reason to be upset. She's standing in a room in a shabby motel where a body has been found, severely tortured. She's under official suspicion of having murdered maleficent ?ber-cop Diane Bray (in Kay's last outing, Black Notice). She's suspected of trumping up charges against accused serial killer Jean-Baptiste Chandonne, also introduced in Black Notice. She's reeling from the aftershock of Chandonne's murderous attack on her; she mightily misses her slain FBI agent/lover Dan Belson; she's learned that her gay niece, Lucy, is quitting law enforcement for a private PI firm called the Last PrecinctAand it's Christmas time. Kay has a lot of support in the midst of this law-and-disorder soap opera, from, among others, Lucy, tough cop/sidekick Pete Marino and Kay's aged friend, psychiatrist Anna ZennerAand that's part of the problem with this novel. Excessive emoting and way too much talk (including long therapeutic sessions between Kay and Anna) derail momentum time and again; the pages feel soggy with tears. Cornwell does provide intense intrigue, but it's a strain to follow as she connects events and loose ends from several novels. Within this narrative swamp, there's one new and very memorable gator, thoughANew York prosecutor Jaime Berger, obviously modeled on real-life ADA (and novelist) Linda Fairstein, to whom Cornwell dedicates the novel; she's sharply drawn and charismatic. Cornwell will win few if any new fans with this overlong, sluggish offering, but her giant readership is so hardcore and so enamored of Kay that the publisher's first printing of one million seems, if anything, conservative. $800,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild, Mystery Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selections; national satellite tour; foreign rights sold in the U.K., Germany, Italy, France, Holland, Japan, Finland, Turkey and Spain. (One-day laydown, Oct. 16) <br>Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR<br></p><p>Dr. Kay Scarpetta, now freelancing from south Florida, returns to the city that turned its back on her five years ago. Richmond, Virginia’s recently appointed chief medical examiner claims that he needs Scarpetta’s help to solve a perplexing crime. When she arrives, however, Scarpetta finds that nothing is as she expected: her former lab is in the final stages of demolition; the inept chief isn’t the one who requested her after all; her old assistant chief has developed personal problems that he won’t reveal; and a glamorous FBI agent, whom Scarpetta dislikes instantly, meddles with the case. <br></p><p>Deprived of assistance from colleagues Benton and Lucy, who are embroiled in what first appears to be an unrelated attempted rape by a stalker, Scarpetta is faced with investigating the death of a fourteen-year-old girl, working with the smallest pieces of evidence—traces that only the most thorough hunters can identify. She must follow the twisting leads and track the strange details in order to make the dead speak—and to reveal the sad truth that may be more than even she can bear…</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Cornwell's latest after the disappointing <em>Blow Fly</em> has indomitable medical examiner Kay Scarpetta returning to her office in Richmond five years after being fired. This homecoming will cheer fans: not only does the move put Scarpetta on her own turf, it reinvigorates Cornwell's storytelling, restoring some of the spunk lately lacking in her lead character. Dr. Joel Marcus, Scarpetta's replacement as Virginia's chief medical examiner, has summoned her back to help him puzzle through the mysterious death of a 14-year-old girl. Marcus is generally loathed: he's petty, inept, has a secret garbage-truck phobia and harbors an intense hatred for Scarpetta. Meanwhile, Scarpetta's niece Lucy, owner of a fabulously successful private-eye firm, has her own troubles trying to sort out who attempted to kill her friend Henri (short for Henrietta), who's now under psychiatric treatment by Scarpetta's lover in Aspen, Benton Wesley. Lurking in the background is Edgar Allan Pogue, a nutcase who has a thing for dead bodies and a grudge against Scarpetta. It's her job, as always, to connect all the puzzling forensic dots and identify the killer in time to save herself and her loved ones. She does this, mostly, but leaves the reader to puzzle out a few salient points on his or her own. Cumbersome backstory slows the action, but in general the old Scarpetta comes through, at least in the main, and this will be enough to reassure her many fans and carry them over until her next appearance. * BOMC, Literary Guild, Mystery Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selection*. <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>From Booklist</h3><p>Against advice from her niece Lucy, Kay Scarpetta answers a request to return to the Richmond medical examiner's office, the same office from which she was fired, to help with the sensitive case of a dead teen. When she and Pete Marino arrive, they find the new medical examiner to be a vituperative, uncooperative martinet and the office that Kay ran so efficiently in chaos. Two murders, oddly linked, demand their attention. In the meantime, Lucy, still unsettled despite her success with the Last Precinct investigative agency, is having personal problems (there's been an attack on her housemate), which strangely enough find her treading the same path as her aunt Kay. Traces of the smart, dynamic, yet vulnerable Scarpetta of the early novels are in evidence here, and Cornwell has better control of her plot and characters than in her last few efforts, faltering only occasionally when psychobabble weighs things down. The mystery is intriguing, there's plenty of forensic detail, and the ending, though perhaps too abrupt, opens the way for Scarpetta and her associates to proceed in any direction that calls to them. <em>Stephanie Zvirin</em><br><em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em></p></div>


