A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos?s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance ? hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in...  more

A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos?s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance ? hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn?t just anyone ? she?s determined to save her best friend?s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife. As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she?s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city?s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn?t ? the dark city isn?t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.

Katie Long was supposed to be undercover. She was just supposed to watch Deputy Prosecutor Eric Kimura at his ex’s wedding and gather intel on his campaign for prosecutor. But he’s a lot hotter in person, and the kind of intel they accidentally shared in the hotel bathroom might lose...  more

Katie Long was supposed to be undercover. She was just supposed to watch Deputy Prosecutor Eric Kimura at his ex’s wedding and gather intel on his campaign for prosecutor. But he’s a lot hotter in person, and the kind of intel they accidentally shared in the hotel bathroom might lose both of them their jobs. Especially since it seems to be a recurring incident. Is it possible for a one-night stand to last ten days? Kimura isn’t usually the impulsive type. He’s driven, he’s ambitious, and he knows what he wants -- a respectable future in Hawaii politics. Which means wild half-public sex with a beautiful stranger in a short little caterer’s skirt is just tabloid fodder waiting to happen. Conveniently, just as his campaign is coming under attack. Sabotage, media gossip, and an insatiable desire for a woman he just met? If he’s not careful, Counselor Kimura might lose all control…

In the early 1980s, Mary Hall is a little girl growing up in poverty in Camden, New Jersey, with her older brother Jacob and parents who, in her words, were great at making babies, but not so great at holding on to them. After her father leaves the family, she is raised among a commune of...  more

In the early 1980s, Mary Hall is a little girl growing up in poverty in Camden, New Jersey, with her older brother Jacob and parents who, in her words, were great at making babies, but not so great at holding on to them. After her father leaves the family, she is raised among a commune of mothers in a low-income housing complex. Then, no longer able to care for the only daughter she has left at home, Mary's mother sends Mary away to a small town in Oklahoma to live with her maternal grandparents, who have also been raising her older sister, Rebecca. When Mary is legally adopted by her grandparents, the result is a family story like no other. Because Mary was adopted by her grandparents, Mary's mother, Patty, is legally her sister, while her brother, Jacob, is legally her nephew. Living in Oklahoma with her maternal grandfather, Mary gets a new name and a new life. But she's haunted by the past: by the baby girls she's sure will come looking for her someday, by the mother she left behind, by the father who left her. Mary is a college student when her sisters start to get back in touch. With each subsequent reunion, her family becomes closer to whole again. Moving, haunting, and at times wickedly funny,Bastards is about finding ones family and oneself.

From motherless child to wife and mother, from "boy toy" to fiercely independent diva, Madonna is one of the most remarkable women of our time. With a career that spans two decades and ranges from the scandalous to the transcendent, she is a bigger phenomenon than ever. But who is the...  more

From motherless child to wife and mother, from "boy toy" to fiercely independent diva, Madonna is one of the most remarkable women of our time. With a career that spans two decades and ranges from the scandalous to the transcendent, she is a bigger phenomenon than ever. But who is the private woman behind the public image? Andrew Morton, whose #1 New York Times bestsellers about Princess Diana and Monica Lewinsky have proven his ability to gain access to insiders who won’t talk to anyone else, answers that question in this decidedly unauthorized new biography. Morton’s extensive, in-depth interviews with members of Madonna’s inner circle -- lovers, friends, and business connections, many of whom have never spoken out before -- allow him to go beyond the carefully constructed myths to unmask the real Madonna. Andrew Morton is able to make startling revelations, among them the real story of Madonna’s family background; the events behind the violent attack that changed her views on sex and men; her relationships with Michael Jackson, Prince, John F. Kennedy Jr., Vanilla Ice, and other rock and Hollywood stars; the mystery man she wanted to marry; and the darkest days of her career when she threatened to quit show business. In this fascinating, richly detailed biography, Andrew Morton reveals Madonna in an entirely new light.

Dashiell Hammett was a crime writer who elevated the genre to true literature, and The Thin Man was Hammett?s last—and most successful—novel. Following the enormous success of ?The Thin Man? movie in 1934, Hammett was commissioned to write stories for additional films. He wrote two full-length...  more

Dashiell Hammett was a crime writer who elevated the genre to true literature, and The Thin Man was Hammett?s last—and most successful—novel. Following the enormous success of ?The Thin Man? movie in 1934, Hammett was commissioned to write stories for additional films. He wrote two full-length novellas for the films that became ?After the Thin Man? and ?Another Thin Man.? Hammett brought back his classic characters, retired private investigator Nick Charles and his former debutante wife Nora, in these two fully satisfying ?Thin Man? stories, written with classic, barbed Hammett dialogue. Neither of these stories has been previously published (except for a partial in a small magazine 25 years ago). Now together in Return of the Thin Man, these hugely entertaining novellas are destined to remain essential listening for Hammett?s millions of fans and a new generation of mystery lovers the world over. The recording features Peter Ganim as Nick, Nicola Barber as Nora, and Scott Brick as the narrator. Additional character voices are provided by Emily Bauer, Dan Bittner, Cynthia Darlow, Richard Ferrone, Eliza Foss, Emma Galvin, Johnny Heller, Pete Larkin, Bill Lobley, Carol Monda, Rich Orlow, Paula Parker, Vinnie Penna, with Zane Birdwell, Nathan Rosborough, Iris McElroy, Barbara Vlahides, Fametta Sawyer, Tim Bader, Tyrrell Harrell, Kevin Fecu, and Alan Winter.

?There is nothing unusual about the foot, except that it is seven meters high.? Nineteen people are dragging, by means of a cable, an immense carcass through the countryside. The carcass is that of the Dead Father, a half-dead, half-alive, part-mechanical, wise, vain, powerful being who still...  more

?There is nothing unusual about the foot, except that it is seven meters high.? Nineteen people are dragging, by means of a cable, an immense carcass through the countryside. The carcass is that of the Dead Father, a half-dead, half-alive, part-mechanical, wise, vain, powerful being who still has hopes for himself, although he is, effectively, dead. Thomas, Julie, Edmund, Emma, and the others variously insult, placate, cater to, and defend the Dead Father as the procession moves through the country of the Wends, the territory of the Great Father Serpent, and a variety of encounters and explorations toward its mysterious goal.In the austere, extraordinary prose that strongly influenced a generation of fiction writers, Donald Barthelme offered in The Dead Father a glimpse into his unique fictional universe: a many-shaded landscape of first and last things, striking, comic, manic, inevitable.

A classic work that has charmed generations, this collection assembles Carson McCullers’s best stories, including her beloved novella “The Ballad of the Sad Café.” A haunting tale of a human triangle that culminates in an astonishing brawl, the novella introduces...  more

A classic work that has charmed generations, this collection assembles Carson McCullers’s best stories, including her beloved novella “The Ballad of the Sad Café.” A haunting tale of a human triangle that culminates in an astonishing brawl, the novella introduces listeners to Miss Amelia, a formidable southern woman whose café serves as the town’s gathering place. Among other fine works, the collection also includes “Wunderkind,” McCullers’s first published story written when she was only seventeen about a musical prodigy who suddenly realizes she will not go on to become a great pianist. The Ballad of the Sad Café is a brilliant study of love and longing from one of the South’s finest writers. Read by David LeDoux, Joe Barrett, Therese Plummer, Kevin Pariseau, Suzanne Toren, Edoardo Ballerini, and Barbara Rosenblat.  5 audio discs (approximately 360 min.)

Insects. They?re what?s for dinner. Can you imagine a world in which that simple statement is not only true but in fact an unremarkable part of daily life? Daniella Martin, entomophagist and blogger, can. In this rollicking excursion into the world of edible insects, Martin takes us to the front...  more

Insects. They?re what?s for dinner. Can you imagine a world in which that simple statement is not only true but in fact an unremarkable part of daily life? Daniella Martin, entomophagist and blogger, can. In this rollicking excursion into the world of edible insects, Martin takes us to the front lines of the next big trend in the global food movement and shows us how insects just might be the key to solving world hunger. Along the way, we sample moth larvae tacos at the Don Bugito food cart in San Francisco, travel to Copenhagen to meet the experimental tasters at Noma?s Nordic Food Lab, gawk at the insects stocked in the frozen food aisle at Thailand?s Costco, and even crash an underground bug-eating club in Tokyo. Martin argues that bugs have long been an important part of indigenous diets and cuisines around the world, and investigates our own culture?s bias against their use as a food source. She shines a light on the cutting-edge research of Marcel Dicke and other scientists who are only now beginning to determine the nutritional makeup of insects and champion them as an ef?cient and sustainable food source. Whether you love or hate bugs, Edible will radically change the way you think about the global food crisis and perhaps persuade you that insects are much more than a common pest. For the adventurous, the book includes a list of edible insects, recipes, and instructions on how to raise bugs at home.

With the closing of the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal mines, marijuana has become the biggest cash crop in the state. A hundred pounds of it can gross $300,000, but that’s chump change compared to the quarter million a human body can get you -- especially when it’s sold off piece by...  more

With the closing of the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal mines, marijuana has become the biggest cash crop in the state. A hundred pounds of it can gross $300,000, but that’s chump change compared to the quarter million a human body can get you -- especially when it’s sold off piece by piece. So when Dickie and Coover Crowe, dope-dealing brothers known for sampling their own supply, decide to branch out into the body business, it’s up to U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens to stop them. But Raylan isn’t your average marshal; he’s the laconic, Stetson-wearing, fast-drawing lawman who juggles dozens of cases at a time and always shoots to kill. But by the time Raylan finds out who’s making the cuts, he’s lying naked in a bathtub, with Layla, the cool transplant nurse, about to go for his kidneys. The bad guys are mostly gals this time around: Layla, the nurse who collects kidneys and sells them for ten grand a piece; Carol Conlan, a hard-charging coal-mine executive not above ordering a cohort to shoot point-blank a man who’s standing in her way; and Jackie Nevada, a beautiful sometime college student who can outplay anyone at the poker table and who suddenly finds herself being tracked by a handsome U.S. marshal. Read by Brian D'Arcy James. 5 audio discs (approximately 6 1/2 hr.)

Princess Malva -- the Princetta of Galnicia -- flees her kingdom and an arranged marriage, only to find herself betrayed by the very man who promised to help her. Orpheus is the son of a sea-captain-turned-pirate and is determined to make a name of his own commanding a ship in Galnicia's...  more

Princess Malva -- the Princetta of Galnicia -- flees her kingdom and an arranged marriage, only to find herself betrayed by the very man who promised to help her. Orpheus is the son of a sea-captain-turned-pirate and is determined to make a name of his own commanding a ship in Galnicia's royal armada. But when their paths cross on the high seas, so do their destinies. Together the Princetta and Orpheus will travel to edges of the Known World and beyond . . . a journey from which only one of them will return alive. Shipwrecks, shark attacks, barbarians, and mysterious archipelagos await readers in this lavish fantasy-adventure written by one of France's most celebrated authors.

As World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the sharpest minds in government for...  more

As World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the sharpest minds in government for mathematics and code-breaking, she fully expects to be sent abroad to gather intelligence for the British front. Instead, to her great disappointment, she is dispatched to go undercover at Windsor Castle, where she will tutor the young Princess Elizabeth in math. Yet castle life quickly proves more dangerous and deadly than Maggie ever expected. The upstairs-downstairs world at Windsor is thrown into disarray by a shocking murder, which draws Maggie into a vast conspiracy that places the entire royal family in peril. And as she races to save England from a most disturbing fate, Maggie realizes that a quick wit is her best defense, and that the smallest clues can unravel the biggest secrets, even within her own family.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through...  more

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years: the rural kitchen of her childhood, where her adored mother stood over the six-burner with an oily wooden spoon in hand; the kitchens of France, Greece, and Turkey, where she was often fed by complete strangers and learned the essence of hospitality; Hamilton?s own kitchen at Prune, with its many unexpected challenges; and the kitchen of her Italian mother-in-law, who serves as the link between Hamilton?s idyllic past and her own future family?the result of a prickly marriage that nonetheless yields lasting dividends. By turns epic and intimate, Gabrielle Hamilton?s story is told with uncommon honesty, grit, humor, and passion. Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more. RandomHouseReadersCircle.com

Leia Carlisle can't tell anyone her secret. After a debilitating ski injury, Leia loses her job as an airline pilot and turns to gambling for its empowering adrenaline rush. But the more she gambles, the more Leia thrives on the rush of euphoric wins until her obsession consumes her. If she...  more

Leia Carlisle can't tell anyone her secret. After a debilitating ski injury, Leia loses her job as an airline pilot and turns to gambling for its empowering adrenaline rush. But the more she gambles, the more Leia thrives on the rush of euphoric wins until her obsession consumes her. If she doesn't overcome this addiction, the game will destroy her family, her faith and her life. Features and Benefits. Compelling novel that will educate and inspire its readers. Only CBA novel that describes the devastation of a gambling addiction. Demonstrates how a Christian woman can become trapped by gambling. Resource to help friends and family members of a problem gambler understand the addiction.

WHERE THERE IS A WILL is a collaborative effort by five authors who number among the more creative minds in fiction writing. The themes of the four stories revolve around the lives of the Chambers sisters who grudgingly return to their small-town home to solve cases willed to them by their...  more

WHERE THERE IS A WILL is a collaborative effort by five authors who number among the more creative minds in fiction writing. The themes of the four stories revolve around the lives of the Chambers sisters who grudgingly return to their small-town home to solve cases willed to them by their recently deceased father, a noted private investigator. All four tales are distinct in their style and methodology and effectively showcases the writing prowess of each author.

The shortest distance between two hearts is love... ...or so thought Danielle Roberts and Greg Thomas when they were starry-eyed law students planning a future together. But harsh reality--in the form of Greg's ambition and Danielle's interfering father--soon put them on very different paths....  more

The shortest distance between two hearts is love... ...or so thought Danielle Roberts and Greg Thomas when they were starry-eyed law students planning a future together. But harsh reality--in the form of Greg's ambition and Danielle's interfering father--soon put them on very different paths. Years later, Danielle's professional life is in perfect order; her personal life is a different story. Nothing's been right since Greg left without saying goodbye. But would she take him back if she had the chance? It's time to find out... A little older and a lot wiser, Greg realizes what he walked away from and doesn't plan to do it again: he's back in Dallas to sweep Danielle off her feet and down the aisle. Still, in spite of chemistry that sizzles more than ever, he'll have to handle his soul mate with care. She's twice shy, thanks to him--but there's something more behind the wall Danielle's built around her heart...a secret that wasn't there before... Now, as defenses are dropped and deepest truths revealed, everything is about to change. When the smoke clears, will love remain? "Sylvia Lett is a magician at creating heroes to die for." --Evelyn Palfrey "With Perfect for You, Sylvia Lett offers a story of sizzling romance and dramatic suspense. A new writer to watch for." --Deirdre Savoy, author of Body of Lies

When Trish Cunningham and her oldest stepson, Tommy, find Georgia Winters, the English teacher at Four Oaks High School, dead in the band room, the suspect list is lengthy. The teacher had a number of enemies -- including Tommy Cunningham. Once again Trish pulls out her notebook to collect...  more

When Trish Cunningham and her oldest stepson, Tommy, find Georgia Winters, the English teacher at Four Oaks High School, dead in the band room, the suspect list is lengthy. The teacher had a number of enemies -- including Tommy Cunningham. Once again Trish pulls out her notebook to collect clues. Detective Eric Scott, suffering from unrequited love for Trish's best friend, Abbie, pointedly asks Trish to butt out. But despite the detectives warnings, she jumps in as usual and finds herself embroiled in a mystery that has its roots in thwarted love and revenge. The finale could be Trish's swan song.

They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary. They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry -- and they are in terrible danger. Rand Brandenburg can see the future, yet thus far all he has done with his unique ability is become a skillful gambler. But...  more

They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary. They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry -- and they are in terrible danger. Rand Brandenburg can see the future, yet thus far all he has done with his unique ability is become a skillful gambler. But according to the Offspring, his power has made him a target and could get him killed. So the loner used to living on the edge is now hiding out with others just like him, including Zoe Stoker, a mysterious redhead who has his heart soaring. But that's not the only thing Zoe's got flying. All her life, whenever she felt anything too intensely, objects would start moving. She's never been able to control her power, so instead she's shut down her emotions. Now, as a powerful enemy approaches, she's losing control of her heart. But letting love lead her out of the darkness might save her life ...

In this suspenseful, romantic thriller, one woman longs to feel alive--in every possible way. . . You Live, You Love-- Naomi Gaffney was only eight-years-old the day they found her Momma's body--and a part of her died too. Then the police took her daddy away. It wasn't enough that he was...  more

In this suspenseful, romantic thriller, one woman longs to feel alive--in every possible way. . . You Live, You Love-- Naomi Gaffney was only eight-years-old the day they found her Momma's body--and a part of her died too. Then the police took her daddy away. It wasn't enough that he was already one of the most hated men in Eden, North Carolina. Now he was also labeled a murderer. Twenty-one years later, Naomi's father remains in jail, and she's still not sure if he's guilty of a crime of passion, or if he's simply an innocent victim of southern justice. In fact, there isn't much Naomi is sure about these days. . . And If You're Smart, You Learn. . . Raised by a cruel aunt, Naomi married young to escape her bitter household. But all she got was more heartache with her controlling husband. She knows she's too smart and pretty to waste away in a dead small town. Naomi yearns to feel alive once again. Her childhood taught her that adultery can be deadly, but when a handsome young man offers her everything she craves, Naomi finds that some lessons are more easily learned than others. . . Praise for Love Don't Come Easy "A quick, entertaining read that is poetic."--The Rawsistaz Reviewers Alex Hairston was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a former U.S. Naval Hospital Corpsman and graduate of the Johnston School of Practical Nursing, and is currently employed as a Home Health Nurse. Alex also mentors students from Baltimore City and Country Public Schools, and is the author of the novels If Only You Knew and Love Don't Come Easy. He resides in Randallstown, Maryland with his wife and three kids and is at work on his next book.

HE'S EVERYTHING SHE FEARS... Reporter Annabelle Armstrong will go to any lengths to deliver a story, even track down Quinton Valtrez, a man she believes is a coldhearted assassin.  Yet the truth about the darkly sensual Quinton is even more shocking... and the overwhelming desire...  more

HE'S EVERYTHING SHE FEARS... Reporter Annabelle Armstrong will go to any lengths to deliver a story, even track down Quinton Valtrez, a man she believes is a coldhearted assassin.  Yet the truth about the darkly sensual Quinton is even more shocking... and the overwhelming desire he ignites is one she vows to resist. SHE'S EVERYTHING HE CRAVES Quinton has fought his demonic powers since he was a child.  Now using his gifts for the good of national security, he can't let himself be distracted by the beautiful, determined Annabelle.  But his need for her is sudden, fierce -- and could soon cost Annabelle her life.  For a wicked enemy is out for vengeance, a demon who wants to draw Quinton into a life of pure evil and is willing to use Annabelle as bait.  To save her, Quinton must achieve the near impossible:  tame the sinister force that is both his inheritance and his curse before it claims him forever.

Two years after his wife's death, oceanographer and former navy SEAL, Atticus Young, attempts to reconcile with his rebellious daughter, Giona, by taking her on the scuba dive of a lifetime - swimming with a pod of peaceful humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine. But the beauty of the sea...  more

Two years after his wife's death, oceanographer and former navy SEAL, Atticus Young, attempts to reconcile with his rebellious daughter, Giona, by taking her on the scuba dive of a lifetime - swimming with a pod of peaceful humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine. But the beauty of the sea belies a terror from the deep - a horrific creature as immense as it is ancient. There is no blood, no scream, no fight. Giona is swallowed whole by the massive jaws. Atticus' inconsolable grief turns to an unquenchable thirst for revenge. Drawn by the spectacle, Trevor Manfred, a ruthless billionaire, approaches Atticus with a proposition: Trevor will make available all the advanced technology of his heavily armed mega-yacht, the Titan, to aid Atticus in his death-quest. In return, Trevor is to receive the beast's corpse as the ultimate hunting trophy. But in the midst of the hunt, Atticus makes a terrifying discovery that changes the way he sees the ocean's creatures and begs the question: what is Kronos? The answer sets him on a new and much more deadly course.

The malevolent sorcery of Kalarr cu Ruruc has been unleashed against the unsuspecting Horse Lords. Aldric, the last survivor of his clan, must embark on a quest to obtain the one weapon that can defeat the dark magic before it spreads throughout the realm.

They are the Others -- the vampires, mages, and werewolves once thought to exist only in our imaginations. Now they're stepping out of the shadows, and nothing in our world will ever be the same again... In A Town Like This, Being A P.I. Can Be Murder Shiarra Waynest's...  more

They are the Others -- the vampires, mages, and werewolves once thought to exist only in our imaginations. Now they're stepping out of the shadows, and nothing in our world will ever be the same again... In A Town Like This, Being A P.I. Can Be Murder Shiarra Waynest's detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm, if it doesn't kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York's most powerful vampires. As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought. With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend -- a werewolf whose non-furry form is disarmingly appealing -- and a nerdy mage with surprising talents. But it may not be enough. In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Others aren't always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the secret weapon in a battle between good and evil -- whether she likes it or not...