A powerful king and his most trusted counselor look far into the future and find the kingdom and culture poised on a precipice. A new, dark age begins, one that they have prepared for.This is a short story prequel to the upcoming trilogy, Red World."No Hiding Place” is a literary short story featured in the collection "You, Me and the Rest of Us: #NewYorkStories." In the maternity ward of a Brooklyn, New York City hospital, Francis and his wife Estefani hold on to their newborn child and wonder about the life he'll lead. As new immigrant parents from Haiti and the Dominican Republic they try to understand what life awaits their infant son based on their past. Through their memories readers are taken on a fast-paced journey within their personal stories and a political history we seldom learn about.The narrative weaves through culture and modern politics to help us understand that in this world, for people like Francis, Estefani and their son Eddie, there is no safety. There is no hiding place.

Logan and Caroline Cook have been married now for almost 2 years. Their marriage has had its ups and downs, but so does every other relationship. Now, they're about to achieve a large milestone in their life together, but when Logan is suddenly needed in Afghanistan, will it ruin their marriage? Will Caroline be terrified of losing the love of her life for a second time?The highly anticipated sequel to What Hurts The Most!Logan and Caroline Cook have been married now for almost 2 years. Their marriage has had its ups and downs, but so does every other relationship. Now, they're about to achieve a large milestone in their life together, but when Logan is suddenly needed in Afghanistan, will it ruin their marriage? Will Caroline be terrified of losing the love of her life for a second time?

What Brooklyn knows: 1) Her family was murdered 2) Her identity is a secret 3) She could be nextWhat Brooklyn knows: 1) Her family was murdered 2) Her identity is a secret 3) She could be next Brooklyn Thompson had a life that most 15-year old girls only dreamed. Her fantasy life ended when her family was brutally murdered. She was hidden deep into the Witness Protection Program and sent to live with a family in Michigan: Greg and Mary Thompson and their two sons, Ben and Gabe. Brooklyn was warned that she could never return back to her home or talk to her old friends or relatives ever again. With her life in imminent danger, Brooklyn must fight side by side to save the ones she loves. Brooklyn may be surprised to find that the one thing she thought she wanted might not be as far as she once thought.

This self-made man from a log cabin-the great orator, the Emancipator, the savior of the Union, the martyr-was arguably our greatest president; but it takes a master storyteller like Thomas Keneally, author of the award-winning novel that inspired the film Schindler's List, to bring alive the history behind the myth. Acclaimed for his recent Civil War biography, American Scoundrel, Keneally delves with relish-and a keen, fresh eye-into Lincoln's complicated persona. Abraham Lincoln depicts all the amazing man's triumphs, insecurities, and crushing defeats with uncanny insight: his early poverty and the ambition that propelled him out of it; the shaping of the man and his political philosophy by youthful exposure to Christianity, slavery, and business; his tempestuous marriage and his fatherly love. We see him, elected to the presidency by a twist of fate, unswerving in the grim day-to-day conduct of the war as his vision and acumen led the country forward. Abraham Lincoln is an incisive study of a turning point in our history and a revealing portrait of its pivotal figure, his greatness etched even more clearly in this very touching human story.

Was it murder? Was it horrible botched surgery - accidental malpractice? Was someone in the great Boston medical center violating the Hippocratic oath? No one knows exactly...Only one doctor is willing to push his way through the mysterious maze of hidden medical data and shocking secrets to learn the truth. This explosive medical thriller by the bestselling author of "Disclosure" and "Jurassic Park" is vintage Michael Crichton - with the breathtaking brand of riveting suspense and authentic medical detail that has made him one of today's most fascinating writers.

The Arcane Society was born in turmoil when the friendship of its two founders evolved into a fierce rivalry. Sylvester Jones and Nicholas Winters each sought to enhance their individual psychic talents. Winters' efforts led to the creation of a device of unknown powers called the Burning Lamp. Each generation the Winters man who inherits it is destined to develop multiple talents - and the curse of madness. Plagued by hallucinations and nightmares, notorious crime lord Griffin Winters is convinced he has been struck with the Winters Curse. And the instincts that have helped him survive the streets and rise to power are now drawing him toward Adelaide Pyne, the bothersome social reformer. But even as he arranges a meeting with the mysterious woman, he has no idea how closely their fates are bound, for Adelaide holds the Burning Lamp in her possession. A dreamlight reader, Adelaide should be able to manipulate the Lamp's light to save both Griffin's sanity and his life. But their dangerous psychical experiment makes them the target of forces both inside and outside of the Arcane Society. And though desire strengthens their power their different lives will keep them apart - if death doesn't take them together

In this Isabel Dalhousie original short story, available exclusively in electronic format, our intrepid heroine—accused by a distraught wife of being the "other woman"—makes a surprising discovery as she attempts to defend her reputation. Summer in Edinburgh is a season of delicate sunshine and showers, picnics with loved ones in blossoming gardens, and genteel celebrations of art and music. But Isabel Dalhousie’s peaceful idyll is broken when a single meeting over coffee with fellow philosopher Dr. George McLeod brings an irate phone call from his wife, Roz, who implacably accuses Isabel of conducting an affair with her husband.             Wounded by the injustice of Roz’s wild allegation and concerned both for her standing among the gossipy group of her scholarly peers and for Roz’s apparent state of hysteria, Isabel sets out to discover more about the McLeods, and to set the record straight before the bitterness in their marriage poisons her own reputation. For insight into the McLeods’ relationship she turns to Millie, who is both an old acquaintance of Isabel’s and a university colleague of George’s.             In this engaging, intelligently observed story, Alexander McCall Smith’s sharp-eyed heroine is reminded once again to avoid jumping to hasty conclusions about the lives of others, and to value friendship wherever it’s found.

In England’s young silent-film industry, the megalomaniacal Randolph Fflytte is king. But rumors of criminal activities swirl around his popular movie studio. At the request of Scotland Yard, Mary Russell travels undercover to the set of Fflytte’s latest cinematic extravaganza, Pirate King. Based on Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, the project will either set the standard for moviemaking for a generation . . . or sink a boatload of careers. As the company starts rehearsals in Lisbon, the thirteen blond-haired, blue-eyed actresses whom Mary is chaperoning meet the swarm of real buccaneers Fflytte has recruited to provide authenticity. But when the crew embarks for Morocco and the actual filming, Russell senses ominous currents of trouble: a derelict boat, a film crew with many secrets, decks awash with budding romance—and now the pirates are ignoring Fflytte and answering only to their outlaw leader. Where can Sherlock Holmes be? As movie make-believe becomes true terror, Russell and Holmes themselves may experience a final fadeout. Features Laurie R. King’s short story, Beekeepers for Beginners,  and an excerpt from Laurie R. King's *Garment of Shadows.*

Book 6.5 in the #1 bestselling Wishes Series 'If you spend too long in a small town, you’ll eventually fade away. And on the eve of my twenty-fifth birthday, I realised that I was practically invisible.' After spending a lifetime following her domineering sister’s glitzy ways, Lily Tate is finally ready to step out on her own. Breaking away from Jasmine is difficult, but ditching the ugly reputation she’s gained after years of sketchy behaviour is even harder. Thankfully, she’s not going it alone. After turning her back on her old life, Lily gains a brand new support system – namely a reluctant new best friend and a boy who might be important. With their encouragement, there’s every chance that the real Lily Tate might step forward.

An agent known only as Tarden is a former operative of the mysterious security agency "the Service." He has erased himself from all dossiers and transcripts. Now a fugitive, he moves across the landscape free of identity, in search of adventure and intrigue. But Tarden is a man of many disguises, and he is alternately avenger and savior, judge and trickster, as he enters the lives of others, forcing them into the arena of his judgement. In Cockpit, Kosinski is at his most startling and powerful, stripping away pretension and illusions of security to reveal the source of real strength within.

Murder! the letter says, Come at once. Anson House, Greyminster, Staircase No. 3. How can Flavia de Luce resist such an urgent plea? After all, examining a dead body sounds like a perfectly splendid way to spend a Sunday. So Flavia hops upon her trusted bicycle, Gladys, whose rubber tires hiss happily along the rainy road, and arrives at her father’s mist-shrouded old school. There, a terrified boy leads her to the loo where, sitting in a bathtub, is what appears to be a statue. But, no: To Flavia’s surprise, the thing is in fact a naked dead man. Save his face, he seems to have been carved out of copper. Never one to shy away from the macabre, Flavia gets to work—only to find that when an investigation begins with a metallic cadaver, ever more curious twists are to be expected.

On a hot summer night, a screech of brakes and shattering glass changes two lives forever. Liv wakes in the hospital, confused when they call her Morgan. She assumes it’s a case of mistaken identity, yet when the bandages come off, it’s not her face in the mirror anymore. It’s her best friend Morgan’s. Morgan always seemed to have the perfect life, yet Liv must navigate endlessly disturbing secrets of the criminal and murderous variety—and a romance that feels like a betrayal. Torn between the boy she loved as Liv and the boy she’s grown to love as Morgan, Liv still has to survive Morgan’s last request.

Drug pirates stalk their victims in the treacherous waters of the Bahamas, then return to their fortress island of Murder Cay like primal sharks after a kill. Then comes skipper Nicholas Breakspear with the son and daughter of a U.S. senator. What should have been a simple de-tox cruise soon lurches into a voyage of terror and death when Breakspear is lured into a horrifying plot of cocaine, cash, and cold-blooded killings. Suddenly, he's racing through the shadowy kingdom of drug lords to save the woman he loves...one step ahead of his own murder, and one step away from the big crackdown on Murder Cay.

Welcome to the Custer Hill Club--an informal men's club set in a luxurious Adirondack hunting lodge whose members include some of America's most powerful business leaders, military men, and government officials. Ostensibly, the club is a place to gather with old friends, hunt, eat, drink, and talk off-the-record about war, life, death, sex and politics. But one Fall weekend, the Executive Board of the Custer Hill Club gathers to talk about the tragedy of 9/11 and what America must do to retaliate. Their plan is finalized and set into motion. That same weekend, a member of the Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force is reported missing. His body is soon discovered in the woods near the Custer Hill Club's game reserve. The death appears to be a hunting accident, and that's how the local police first report it, but Detective John Corey has his doubts. As he digs deeper, he begins to unravel a plot involving the Custer Hill Club, a top-secret plan known only by its code name: Wild Fire. Racing against the clock, Detective Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, find they are the only people in a position to stop the button from being pushed and chaos from being unleashed.

With the Leran threat laid to rest, Alec and Seregil are now able to turn their attention to the ancient evil which threatens their land. The Plenimarans, at war with Skalans, have decided to defeat their ancient enemy by raising up the Dead God, Seriamaius. The early attempts at this reincarnation—masterminded by the sinister Duke Mardus and his sorcerous minion Vargul Ashnazai—once left Seregil in a sorcerous coma. Now, an ancient prophecy points to his continuing role in the quest to stop Mardus in his dread purpose. Seregil's friend and Mentor, the wizard Nysander, has long been the guardian of a deadly secret. In a secret, silver-lined room hidden well beneath the Oreska, he has served for most of his 300 years as the keeper of a nondescript clay cup. But this cup, combined with a crystal crown and some wooden disks, forms the Helm of Seriamaius, and any mortal donning the reconstructed Helm will become the incarnation of the god on earth. Nysander holds the cup and Mardus the wooden disks—one of which was responsible for Seregil's coma—but the crown must still be located. Threatened under pain of death by Nysander to keep his quest a secret even from his loyal companion, Alec, Seregil is dispatched to find the last missing piece of the Helm so that he and Nysander can destroy it. But this is only the beginning of one of his deadliest journeys ever, for the prophecy also holds that four will come together in a time of darkness, and gradually all that Seregil values is placed at risk as he, Alec, Nysander and Micum are drawn into a deadly web of terror and intrigue.

Estep blends the perfect amount of action, romance and comedy. --"RT Book Reviews " I'm Logan Quinn, the deadliest Spartan warrior at Mythos Academy. At least I was--until the day I almost killed Gwen Frost. Professor Metis and Nickamedes say that I'm fine, that Loki and the Reapers don't have a hold on me anymore, but I can't risk it. I can't risk hurting Gwen again. So I'm leaving Mythos and going somewhere far, far away. I know Gwen wonders what's happening to me, whether I'm safe. I can't tell her, but this is my story. . . Praise for the Mythos Academy Series "The strongest installment thus far--Estep delivers." --"Library Journal "on "Dark Frost" "Lots of twists and turns and a surprise ending will leave the reader breathless!" --"RT Book Reviews "on "Kiss of Frost, 4 Stars " ""Recommended for fans of Richelle Mead, Rachel Hawkins and P.C. Cast." --"NocturneReads" " ""Ms. Estep's Mythos Academy is sure to appeal to all those who love a good character-driven YA that uses humor, snark, and seriousness to create a world you won't want to leave." --Heroes &Heartbreakers " ""It has literally everything: mystery, romance, mythology, boarding schools. What could be better?" --Simply Nerdy Book Reviews on "Touch of Frost" 14,767 Words

When Shep participates in the student exchange program he finds himself in the body of a man on a rustic colony planet. Then a native sheep comes to the door. It seems Shep must become a literal shepherd, to his dismay. These are very special sheep, deadly, telepathic, and precognitive, and their will governs. They also recruit a Vulture, a Python, and a lovely Elf girl for a dangerous journey. Then things get interesting. Soon Shep is deep in adventure and love. But he can't marry a native girl by proxy. Or can he? The most important thing he learns is to trust the sheep, no matter how wild it gets. Even when he returns to Earth...

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are happy to share their home with Katya, the young gymnast, and watch her practice for the big competition. When things start going wrong at the gym it quickly becomes clear that someone is trying to ruin Katya’s chances of winning—but who? The Aldens want to help. The trouble is, Katya’s been acting a little mysterious herself—almost as if she’s got something to hide. But what? Can the Boxcar Children solve both mysteries before the big competition?

In the Name of Science Dr. Jenesis DeBruehl once hoped that her scientific research would have positive ramifications for humanity, only to have her work twisted by the evil Dr. Eric Paulson and used to torture innocents. Seven years later she finally has her own lab again, despite her checkered past. Kincaid “Kin” Gregory is a Morphate, one of the people mutated by Paulson. Now running the lab that Jenesis is joining, Kin is surprised by the lust he feels for the human woman. While Jenesis struggles with her guilt over the role she played in Kincaid’s mutation, he encourages her to use him as her personal test subject. No limitations. With Kin’s body all hers, Jenesis is about to make a whole new kind of discovery . . .

"F. Paul Wilson is among the finest storytellers of our time." (Rocky Mountain News) A first-rate collection of first-rate tales, ranging from Lovecraftian to Western supernatural, with many mysterious combination in between, The Barrens and Others will be a treasure for Wilson's established fans and to those discovering Wilson for the first time. "What comes through most clearly in this collection's selections, and in Wilson's chatty introductions to each, is the author's unselfconscious enthusiasm for the craft of storytelling... Compared with brand-name horror writers like King and Barker, Wilson has kept a fairly low profile, but he's a solid, dependable talent, as The Barrens and Others clearly shows." (San Francisco Chronicle) "Though its contents range from dark suspense to light fantasy, all have a macabre edge honed on the hard experiences of their characters. In "Slasher," the bereaved father of a murdered girl confronts the self-destructive potential of his rage when he accepts the help of an enigmatic FBI agent with clues to the killer's whereabouts. In "Faces," a serial killer's penchant for mutilating faces is a key to her identity. While Wilson's insights into the psychology of victim and villain are intriguingly complex, his prose is lean and flexible. It wends the narratives of the biter-bit tales "Definitive Therapy" and "A Day in the Life" (an all-too-rare short adventure of urban mercenary hero Repairman Jack) through complicated cloverleaves of plot and subplot, and it lays a groundwork of solid credibility for the title story, a dark gem that levers Lovecraftian horrors out of the wilds of the New Jersey Pine Barrens...these stories are a welcome riposte to the nihilism and gratuitous violence of much contemporary crime and horror fiction." (Publishers Weekly) CONTENTS Introduction: The Oldest Profession 1987 The Monroe Triptych: "Feelings" "Tenants" "Faces" 1988 "A Day in the Life" 1989 "The Tenth Toe" "Slasher" "The Barrens" "Definitive Therapy" "Topsy" "Rockabilly" "Bob Dylan, Troy Jonson, and the Speed Queen" "Pelts" Appendix "Pelts" (stage adaptation) "Glim-Glim" (screenplay)

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen are joined by Heather McNamara, senior editor of the series, in this unforgettable collection of inspiring and uplifting stories. Sure to become a favorite of readers who love Chicken Soup for its stories of overcoming life's obstacles, challenges, heartbreaks and pain, this book emphasizes triumph in the face of overwhelming odds. A timeless testament to the indomitable human spirit, this collection is sure to encourage, support, comfort and, most of all, inspire all readers for years to come. Show More Show Less