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Showing 121 - 140 of 14888 items
By Ivo Stourton. 2011
He collects books: Interior designer for the rich and powerful, Matt de Voy lends his tasteful eye to the households…
of his wealthy female clients. He also advises on which books should adorn their shelves. His deep knowledge of literature becomes his sharpest tool of seduction.He collects women:Despite himself, Matt begins to fall in love with one of his most beautiful clients, Claudia. She is modest, clever and married.But is he a murderer?Matt's fixation on the unavailable Claudia threatens to drive him over the edge.Set at the cusp of the City of London's financial meltdown, THE BOOK LOVER'S TALE opens a door into the extravagant world of the filthy rich, the smart and the debauched. This chilling encounter between old money and new, between the real world and the imagined, is also a moving portrayal of a confused hero's battle to know himself.By Kaaron Warren. 2024
People come to visit my home and I love to show them around. Of course it's not the original house…
where it happened. That was destroyed when my entire family died. But I don't think their ghosts know the difference.Pera Sinclair was nine the day the pilot intentionally crashed his plane into her family's grand home, killing everyone inside. She was the girl who survived the tragedy, a sympathetic oddity, growing stranger by the day. Over the decades she rebuilt the huge and rambling building on the original site, recreating what she had lost, each room telling a piece of the story of her life and that of the many people who died, both before and after the disaster. Her sister, murdered a hundred miles away. The soldier, broken by war. Death follows Pera, and she welcomes it in as an old friend. And while she doesn't believe in ghosts, she's not above telling a ghost story or two to those who come to visit Sinclair House.On the day of her last haunted house tour of the season, an unexpected group of men arrive. One Pera recognises, but the others are strangers. But she knows their type all too well. Dangerous men, who will keep an old woman alive only so long as she is useful. But as she begins to show them around her home and reveal its secrets, the dangerous men will learn that she is far from helpless. After all, death seems to followher wherever she goes...Sinister and lyrical, The Underhistory is a haunting tale of loss, self-preservation and the darkness beneath.By Janette Jenkins. 2008
It is January, 1914 and Jonathan Crane returns home from his travels with a new American bride, former Coney Island…
showgirl Beatrice. In the remote Lancashire village Beatrice is the focus of attention, the men captivated by her beauty, the women initially charmed by tales of her upbringing in Normal, Illinois with her father, an amateur taxidermist, and her brother, a preacher, although she will take the story of how she became the Angel of Brooklyn to her grave. But when the men head off to fight in the Great War the glamorous newcomer slowly becomes an object of suspicion and jealousy for the women who are left behind and as the years pass, and their resentment grows, Beatrice's secret proves to be her undoing.Beautifully observed, tragic, funny and so evocative that you can taste the candy floss at Coney Island and feel the chill of wartime England, Angel of Brooklyn is an extraordinary, heartbreaking story.Escape to the sun-drenched shores of Lake Como in the irresistible and gripping new novel from the million-copy bestselling author…
of Thursdays in the Park, The Anniversary and The Lie'Held me spellbound . . . This novel is unmissable' 5***** Reader Review'Magnificent! So refreshing, this left me on the edge of my seat' 5***** Reader Review'The tension builds up to a heart-stopping crescendo' 5***** Reader Review_______On the glamorous shores of Lake Como, Connie meets Jared.She's married. He's young. But that doesn't stop the heat rising between them.And so begins a long, hot, intoxicating summer where Connie succumbs to temptation - breaking her marriage vows.At the end of summer, Connie returns to her husband, ready to put the affair behind her.But Jared has other ideas . . ._______Praise for Hilary Boyd'Hilary Boyd nails family dynamics and misplaced loyalties with pin-sharp precision in an impressively well-written tale' Daily Express'I was ripping through this book . . . addictive' Evening Standard'Boyd is as canny as Joanna Trollope at observing family life' Daily MailBy Nora Roberts. 2018
From Nora Roberts comes the #1 New York Times bestseller Shelter in Place (June 2018)—a powerful tale of heart, heroism...and…
propulsive suspense.It was a typical evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine. Three teenage friends waited for the movie to start. A boy flirted with the girl selling sunglasses. Mothers and children shopped together, and the manager at video game store tended to customers. Then the shooters arrived.The chaos and carnage lasted only eight minutes before the killers were taken down. But for those who lived through it, the effects would last forever. In the years that followed, one would dedicate himself to a law enforcement career. Another would close herself off, trying to bury the memory of huddling in a ladies' room, helplessly clutching her cell phone--until she finally found a way to pour her emotions into her art.But one person wasn't satisfied with the shockingly high death toll at the DownEast Mall. And as the survivors slowly heal, find shelter, and rebuild, they will discover that another conspirator is lying in wait--and this time, there might be nowhere safe to hide.By Pamela Clare. 2013
Pamela Clare brings her expert plotting, sizzling chemistry and thrilling adventure to a sweeping historical romance, perfect for fans of…
Maya Banks, Monica McCarty and Zoe Archer.Sometimes survival isn't just about staying alive... Widowed and alone on the frontier, Elspeth Stewart will do whatever it takes to protect herself and her unborn child from the dangers of the wilderness and of men. Though her youthful beauty doesn't show it, she is broken and scarred from the way men have treated her. So when a stranger wanders onto Bethie's land, wounded and needing her aid, she takes no risks, tying him to the bed and hiding his weapons before ministering to his injuries.But Bethie's defenses cannot keep Nicholas Kenleigh from breaking down her emotional walls. The scars on his body speak of a violent past, but his gentleness, warmth, and piercing eyes arouse longings in her that she never imagined she had. As Nicholas and Bethie reveal to each other both their hidden desires and their tortured secrets, they discover that riding the flames of their passion might be the key to burning away the nightmare of their pasts.Be swept away by the Pamela Clare's sexy MacKinnon's Rangers in Surrender, Untamed and Defiant. Or take a wildly romantic ride with her I-Team: Extreme Exposure, Hard Evidence, Unlawful Contact, Naked Edge, Breaking Point, Striking Distance, Seduction Game.By Lisa Jackson. 2017
The #1 New York Times–bestselling author delivers a chilling thriller &“that spares no punches . . . Fast-paced, and full of mystery&” (Murder…
& Mayhem).The Hotel Danvers looms high above the narrow streets of Portland, Oregon. Imposing and ornate, the Victorian building hides its share of dark secrets—as does the family who owns it . . .London Danvers disappeared almost twenty years ago. The youngest child of hotel tycoon Witt Danvers—and the only child with his second wife—London hasn&’t been seen since. Over time, many women have claimed to be the long-lost heiress. Adria Nash is the latest. But from the moment Zachary Danvers sees her, he believes Adria is different. For one thing, Adria looks just like Zachary&’s former stepmother. For another, Adria knows personal details only London could have known.Just four years old at the time of the kidnapping, Adria has no memory of the abduction, and confronting Zach is the only way to get answers. Yet she feels a deep sense of dread. If Adria really is London, she stands to inherit a fortune—but will she also become a target?Adria is right to be afraid. Because someone does believe her. Someone who has killed before and is watching her every move, waiting for the right moment to see how she runs . . . See how she screams . . . See how she dies . . .Praise for the writing of Lisa Jackson&“One of the best at romantic suspense.&” —Harlan Coben &“Shiveringly good suspense!&” —Lisa Gardner Adria is right to be afraid. Because someone does believe her. Someone who has killed before and is watching her every move, waiting for the right moment to see how she runs . . . see how she screams . . . see how she dies . . .By J. R. Ward. 2024
The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J.R. Ward&’s #1…
New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.Nalla, the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by her father and the Brotherhood, kept away from the deadly war with the Lessening Society, she is chafing against the walls of the very safety that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives in to her restlessness…and finds herself face-to-face with a male whose inner darkness rivals even that of her sire&’s horrific origins. Nate is a fighter with nothing to lose—and nothing to live for. Tortured in a human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance and no purpose because he cares for no one—not even himself. The Brotherhood knows this all too well and following Nate&’s deliberate violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous liability that must be dealt with. When Nalla and Nate find themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren&’t the only things that fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, though Nalla knows her sire will never accept him—and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end his own immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must choose between her mate and her sire, what starts with such passion may well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion—even in the Fade.By Scarlett Thomas. 2024
From &“one of the UK&’s most interesting authors&” (Kirkus Reviews), Patricia Highsmith meets White Lotus in this surprising and suspenseful…
modern gothic story following a couple running from both secretive pasts and very present dangers while honeymooning on a Greek island.Still reeling from the chaos of their wedding, Evelyn and Richard arrive on a tiny Greek island for their honeymoon. It&’s the end of the season and a storm is imminent. Determined to make the best of it, they check into the sun-soaked doors of the Villa Rosa. Already feeling insecure after seeing the &“beautiful people,&” the seemingly endless number of young models and musicians lounging along the Mediterranean, Evelyn is wary of the hotel&’s owner, Isabella, who seems to only have eyes for Richard. Isabella ostensibly disapproves of every request Evelyn makes, seemingly annoyed at the fact that they are there at all. Isabella is also preoccupied with her chance to enthrall the only other guests—an American producer named Marcus and his partner Debbie—with the story of &“the sleepwalkers,&” a couple who had stayed at the hotel recently and drowned. Everyone seems to want to talk about the sleepwalkers, save for Hamza, a young Turkish man Evelyn had seen with some &“beautiful people,&” as well as the &“dapper little man&”—the strange yet fashionable owner of the island&’s lone antiques and gift shop she sees everywhere. But what at first seemed eccentric, decorative, or simply ridiculous, becomes a living nightmare. Evelyn and Richard are separated the night of the storm and forced to face dark truths, but it&’s their confessions around the origins of their relationship and the years leading up to their marriage that might save them. Exhilarating, suspenseful, and also very funny, The Sleepwalkers asks urgent questions about relationships, sexuality, and the darkest elements of contemporary society—where our most terrible secrets are hidden in plain sight.By Nikki Dudley. 2010
“Right on time,” Daniel Mansen mouths to Alice as she pushes him to his death. Haunted by these words, Alice…
becomes obsessed with discovering how a man she didn’t know could predict her actions. On the day of the funeral, Daniel’s cousin, Thom, finds a piece of paper in Daniel’s room detailing the exact time and place of his death.Ellipsis is a disturbing thriller stemming from what is left unsaid, what bounces around in the mind and evaporates when trying to remember. Can there be a conclusion when no-one seems to know the truth?Reviews>“It’s a tale that will keep them wondering, gasping, thinking, smiling, grimacing, rereading. What more can a reader ask for?” - Spinetingler Magazine “I wouldn’t have stopped reading if my house was on fire!” - Cas Peace”Ellipsis is a very stylish, compelling read that will stay with you for a long time, and Sparkling Books have very much lived up to their name in their presentation of this title. Nikki Dudley has a burgeoning literary career that should go on from strength to strength following the publication of the magnificent Ellipsis. I look forward to reading more works by this great writer.” - Kevin Mahoney, Authortrek.com “Exciting, psychologically complex, and disconcerting, it is a powerful tale of two misfits trying to uncover long hidden secrets about themselves and their pasts. Dudley has an often startling eye for description and her simple poetic prose will delight readers looking for something slightly different in the crime thriller genre.” - Sam Ruddock, Writers’ Centre, Norwich “This is a work of literacy .. the pleasure is in the writing style” - The Truth About BooksBy Ilona Andrews. 2017
From Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author, the thrilling conclusion to her Hidden Legacy series, as Nevada and Rogan grapple with…
a power beyond even their imagination…Nevada Baylor can’t decide which is more frustrating—harnessing her truthseeker abilities or dealing with Connor “Mad” Rogan and their evolving relationship. Yes, the billionaire Prime is helping her navigate the complex magical world in which she’s become a crucial player—and sometimes a pawn—but she also has to deal with his ex-fiancée, whose husband has disappeared, and whose damsel-in-distress act is wearing very, very thin.Rogan faces his own challenges, too, as Nevada’s magical rank has made her a desirable match for other Primes. Controlling his immense powers is child’s play next to controlling his conflicting emotions. And now he and Nevada are confronted by a new threat within her own family. Can they face this together? Or is their world about to go up in smoke?By Roxanne St. Claire. 2006
A hot-blooded bodyguard must protect an heiress worth a cool billion from a killer in this romantic suspense tale by…
a New York Times–bestselling author.He knows all her secrets . . . Max Roper never lets emotion get in the way of his job—not since the tragic shooting that killed his fiancée’s father. Now the former DEA agent is a Bullet Catcher, and he’s managed to block out Cori’s bitter goodbye—and their sizzling passion. Those dangerous desires come back with a vengeance when Max is assigned to protect a recently widowed heiress: who turns out to be Cori. But Max must also discover his ex’s dark secret . . . and they both know she can’t hide anything from him. . . . and how to use them against herHer luxury lifestyle suggests that Cori has gone from being a trophy wife to a merry widow, but nothing could be further from the truth. Suspicious of her billionaire husband’s sudden death, she hires a bodyguard. But her protector is the one man who can melt her every defense—the one man she blames for her deepest sorrow, the one man whose six-feet four-inches of solid muscle ignites reckless passion in her. And as they close in on a killer who hides in plain view, their high-stakes affair could cost her everything . . . including her life.Praise for Thrill Me to Death“St. Claire’s ability to evenly match sultry romance with enticing suspense make this novel a superior entry into the romantic suspense game.” —Publishers Weekly“St. Claire, who writes fast-paced, sexy romantic suspense . . . has once again penned a book that will keep the reader engrossed in the story from cover to cover.” —BooklistBy Melissa Mayhue. 2011
A twenty-first–century half-fae woman escapes to the thirteenth century where she meets a handsome highland warrior in this paranormal historical…
Scottish romance.Andrew MacAlister longs for a cure to free him from the excruciating pain caused by an old wound, but when he rescues a drowning woman, he has no idea how much his life is about to change. All Drew knows is that this mysterious woman is hiding secrets—and that he’s never felt such a consuming desire before. Yet he cannot deny her request for help, even if it means bringing the detested English army to his Highland clan’s home.Leah Noble McQuarrie still harbors a deep hatred of the Fae who tortured her eleven years ago, forcing her to escape back in time to the thirteenth century. A descendant of the Fae, Leah denies her heritage and her magical healing abilities. But the English army is holding her beloved adoptive grandfather captive, so Leah must seek help from the Fae—and the captivating man whose touch she craves.Then Drew discovers Leah’s secrets, and he’s torn between old loyalties and trusting a woman who has the power to give him the future he’s sought—but could destroy his clan forever . . .A woman must rely on a cop who is her family’s enemy in order to find her missing niece in…
this romantic suspense.Rae Cavanaugh would do anything to find her kin.Even join forces with Tom Brannon.The disappearance of Rae Cavanaugh’s sister rocked the community of Echo Lake. So when Rae’s niece mysteriously goes missing fifteen years later, county sheriff Tom Brannon is determined to find her. But as the electricity between the two sparks, Rae soon discovers—despite her misgivings—that Tom is the only one she can trust . . .By Shelly Laurenston. 2018
The &“hot and humorous&” debut of the action-packed shapeshifter series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Pride…
novels (USAToday.com). It&’s not every day that a beautiful naked woman falls out of the sky and lands face-first on grizzly shifter Berg Dunn&’s hotel balcony. Definitely they don&’t usually hop up and demand his best gun. Berg gives the lady a grizzly-sized t-shirt and his cell phone, too, just on style points. And then she&’s gone, taking his XXXL heart with her. By the time he figures out she&’s a honey badger shifter, it&’s too late. Honey badgers are survivors. Brutal, vicious, ill-tempered survivors. Or maybe Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is just pissed that her useless father is trying to get them all killed again—and won&’t even tell her how. Protecting her little sisters has always been her job, and she&’s not about to let some pesky giant grizzly protection specialist with a network of every shifter in Manhattan get in her way. Wait. He&’s trying to help? Why would he want to do that? He&’s cute enough that she just might let him tag along—that is, if he can keep up . . . Praise for Shelly Laurenston and the Honey Badger Chronicles &“When it comes to combining offbeat humor and mayhem, it is tough to beat Laurenston.&”—RT Book Reviews &“Laurenston delights . . . Zany, sarcastic humor . . . Familiar, well-developed characters and full immersion into the universe make this a must-read for a new and returning readers alike.&”—Publishers Weekly &“Pure, unadulterated fun. It&’s ten pounds of bursting-at-the-seams excitement in a five-pound bag.&”—BookpageBy J. T. Geissinger. 2021
Dark, sexy mafia romance where the fast-paced tension of John Wick meets the high stakes love of Romeo and Juliet.Savage…
(adjective):1) Not domesticated; wild and untamed2) A brutal or vicious person3) Malek AntonovHe’s a myth. A ghost. A legend.A Bratva assassin so feared, some won’t even dare to speak his name.He comes in search of vengeance for the death of his brother, but what he finds instead is me.A girl he thinks is someone else.Someone unrelated to the man who killed his brother.Except I am.And when he finds out my true identity, he decides to take me as repayment for what he lost.Now, I’m a little bird trapped in a cage, and the only way to survive is to make friends with the monster who captured me.But friendship isn’t what the monster has in mind.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.By Ilona Andrews. 2017
The Hidden Legacy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews continues as Nevada and Rogan navigate a…
world where magic is the norm…and their relationship burns hotNevada Baylor has a unique and secret skill—she knows when people are lying—and she's used that magic (along with plain, hard work) to keep her colorful and close-knit family's detective agency afloat. But her new case pits her against the shadowy forces that almost destroyed the city of Houston once before, bringing Nevada back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan.Rogan is a billionaire Prime—the highest rank of magic user—and as unreadable as ever, despite Nevada’s “talent.” But there’s no hiding the sparks between them. Now that the stakes are even higher, both professionally and personally, and their foes are unimaginably powerful, Rogan and Nevada will find that nothing burns like ice…By Wendall Thomas. 2019
"In this third in a series, set on a farm in 1914 Oklahoma, Casey lovingly portrays the Tuckers' close extended…
family, immersing the reader in both the domestic aspects and the harsh realities of everyday farm life." —BooklistWho killed Uncle Bill? Alafair Tucker is desperate to find out. One August evening in 1914, a bushwhacker ended a pleasant outing by blowing a hole in Bill McBride, kidnapping and ravaging Bill's fiancée, and wounding Alafair's daughter Mary. Does Mary know who did the low-down deed? If she does, the bullet that grazed her knocked that information right out of her head. All she remembers is that it has something to do with the Fourth of July.Several malicious acts testify to the fact that Bill's killer is still around and attempting to cover his tracks. The question is, can Mary remember before the murderer manages to eliminate everyone who could identify him?The law is hot on the bushwhacker's trail. There is little Alafair can do to help the sheriff, but that will never stop her from trying. If there's a chance she can protect Mary from further harm or help her remember, she'll do anything she can. Even confront a vicious killer.By Tim Maleeny. 2019
Fourth book in the Cape Weather Mystery Series! If you're gonna box an octopus, best bring some extra arms…At the…
height of tourist season, an armored car drives off a crowded pier and sinks to the bottom of San Francisco Bay. By the time divers find the wreck, the cash is gone and the driver has vanished. The police are convinced it's an inside job, but local merchant Vera Young, whose boyfriend drove the armored car, claims it was much more than a simple heist.Vera swears the missing driver is innocent and wants him found before the police can throw him in jail. San Francisco detective Cape Weathers reluctantly takes the case but warns Vera that her boyfriend is likely guilty—or dead. What starts as a manhunt uncovers a criminal conspiracy of money laundering, illegal drug testing, and a network of corporations willing to do anything to protect their stock price. It's a case that Cape, the witty PI, can't get his arms around. And while his relationship with Vera is getting complicated, the list of people who want him dead is getting longer.Boxing the Octopus is a runaway tour of San Francisco's underworld which reminds us that when things get out of hand, having eight arms is always better than two.These quick-paced, often humorous San Francisco mysteries are:Perfect for fans of Laura Lippman and Thomas PerryFor readers who enjoy private detective and California based mysteriesBy Wendall Thomas. 2017
Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder"Tired of newspaper headlines that accuse cops of malfeasance or worse?…
Veteran editor Edwards has the perfect antidote: 15 reprints of stories from 1908 to 1966 showing English police officers at (generally) their most sterling." —Kirkus ReviewsIn classic British crime fiction, dazzling detective work is often the province of a brilliant amateur—whereas the humble police detective cuts a hapless figure. The twelve stories collected here strike a blow for the professionals, with teasing mysteries to challenge a hard-working police officer's persistence and scrupulous attention to detail. As in his previous anthologies for the British Library Crime Classics series, Martin Edwards introduces readers to fascinating neglected gems of British crime writing as well as uncovering lesser-known stories by the great novelists of the golden age. Each of these stories combines realism with entertainment, skilfully blending the conduct of a criminal investigation with a compelling murder-mystery plot.