1660, Paris. As the daughter of itinerant actors who once lit up the Parisian stages, Claudette always thought her future lay in the theater. But a series of chance encounters pull Claudette into the alluring orbit of the most beautiful woman in all of France, Athenais de Montespan, the unofficial mistress to Louis XIV and reigning "Shadow Queen." Impetuous by nature, Athenais wields a disconcerting amount of power in court--a fact that has ruffled many of the Sun King's key advisors. Athenais hires Claudette on as a personal attendant and the young stagehand leaves the world of theater only to find that court is very much like a stage, with outward shows of loyalty masking more devious intentions. This parallel is not lost on Athenais, who fears political enemies are plotting her ruin while young courtesans are scheming to take her place in the king's bed. Indeed, Claudette's supposedly respectable position is marked by spying, rumormongering, illicit trysts and titanic...

In 1904 Texas Ranger Luke Palmer arrives in Brenham, Texas, with one goal—to capture the gang of outlaws led by Frank Comer. Undercover as a telephone repairman, he uses his days on the range to search, not realizing there's another pair of eyes watching him.Georgie Gail, switchboard operator and birder, heads out on a birding expedition, but instead of sighting a painted bunting, her opera glasses capture her telephone man, armed and far away from telephone lines. Palmer is forced to take this alluring troublemaker into his confidence and unwittingly puts her in harm's way. The closer he comes to the gang, the further she works her way into his heart—and into trouble. Soon it's more than just love that's on the line.

The Dales of Andre Norton's Witch World have endured wars, natural disasters, the predations of strange creatures, and treachery. None loves the land as well as Lorcan, orphaned at birth, who has sought his birthright for as long as he can remember. Exiled from his native land when it was invaded by Alizon, he spent his youth in Paltendale where he was treated as an outsider, especially by Hogeth, an heir of that dale, who resented Lorcan's presence when both were still young men. When he came of age, Lorcan left to seek his own destiny. Since then, he has fought valiantly to rid the Dales of the Alizon invaders, but not even his efforts can prevent the deaths of many people, and the destruction of many keeps and garths. The war now over, he has survived, but so have those who would plunder the lands of the survivors. And among the plundering bandits is his nemesis from Paltendale, now more bitter and determined to vanquish Lorcan. During his travels Lorcan has...

HIS VICTIMS... A woman is frantic as she awakens in a dark, closed space. From above her comes the muffled sound of cruel laughter, followed by the hard splatter of dirt. Pure terror takes over as she realizes she's being buried alive, and her last breath is a scream that no one but a sadistic killer will hear... WILL TAKE HIS SECRETS... To journalist Nikki Gillette, this disturbing story is a ticket out of small-town Savannah and on to the big time. She's already given the killer a nickname--The Grave Robber--and she's spending every minute dogging tough cop Pierce Reed's investigation, trailing him through Savannah's deep thickets and crumbling cemeteries...even though she's starting to wonder about the secrets he's keeping... TO THE GRAVE Another body is found. And another. Each gruesome discovery unnerves Nikki a little more...there's something familiar about it, something she should know. Now, as a serial killer pulls her ever deeper into his sick game, she has no idea how close she's getting to the truth--or how deadly it will be...

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson's riveting novel of heart-stopping suspense, a woman races to discover the truth about a convent filled with unholy secrets.The crime scene at St. Marguerite's cathedral in New Orleans is shocking, even to seasoned detectives like Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya. A novice nun named Sister Camille has been found dressed in a yellowed bridal gown and viciously garroted, her body covered with an altar cloth.Valerie Houston is devastated by her sister's death. For weeks, she'd begged Camille to leave St. Marguerite's, where she seemed determined to live as some kind of martyr. But Camille had a knack for making bad choices—she joined the convent in part because she'd fallen for Val's soon-to-be ex-husband, Slade.Convinced the police aren't doing enough, Val begins to investigate. Slade, on a mission to repair their marriage, is determined to help her. But the deeper Val's inquiries go, the more twisted the...

The More You KnowThe envelope delivered to Shelby Cole's Seattle home contains no return address, just a photograph of a little girl. Shelby knows at once that this is the daughter she was told died at birth. And in that moment, Shelby knows something else: she needs to go back to Bad Luck, Texas. The More You TellShe's not the only one coming home. A long-ago killing is in the news again following recanted testimony. A violent nightmare from Shelby's past has been set free. And she can't shake a suspicion that someone is baiting her, luring her back here for their own ends. The More There Is To FearShelby's search for answers is met with stonewalling and hostility. Her only ally is a figure from her past--someone she has every reason not to trust. And in the midst of dark family revelations she uncovers a terrifying scheme of revenge. Because some secrets, once spoken, can never be forgotten--or forgiven. . .Review"Lisa Jackson takes my breath away." -- Linda Lael Miller From the Back CoverWhen secrets are revealed and lies are exposed, anything can happen . . . even murder. Shelby Cole thought she'd put Bad Luck behind her. Bad Luck, Texas, that is. She left her hometown ten years ago, her world shattered and her illegitimate baby dead. Now she's receiving anonymous letters claiming that her daughter is alive. But going home means demanding answers that her father won't be happy to give and facing Nevada Smith, the man who broke her heart. But Shelby's not the only person returning to Bad Luck. Falsely accused of murder and sent to prison for ten years, Ross McCallum is coming home to settle the score, especially with Shelby and Nevada. Shelby's search for the truth boils over into violence as a lethal web of secrets threatens everything she believes about the man she loves and even her very own life. AUTHOR BIO: Huckleberry Finn Childhood Fuels Lisa Jackson's Novel Success When asked what has inspired her to write more than 50 novels brimming with adventure, intrigue, hot passion and high emotion, best-selling Oregon author Lisa Jackson gets a mischievous smile on her face. Then the words flow as fast as her fingers fly on her computer keyboard when she writes. Her eyes sparkling with memories, she tells stories of her youth, stories of a Huckleberry Finn childhood in the small lumber town of Molalla and on her grandparents' nearby farm in the hilly region of western Oregon. There in the old growth timber, Jackson rode bareback and raced along the ages-old sheep, cattle and deer trails. In the nearby river, she skinny-dipped and caught crawdads in her bare hands. An inventive child, she sneaked out of the house and rode her bicycle or horse in the moonlight and dreamed up childish pranks that would have done Tom Sawyer proud. "Nobody could have had a better childhood," Jackson remarks, her twinkling eyes and got- away-with-something grin giving her a youthful appearance that defies the fact she is in her mid- forties and the mother of two college-age sons. "My childhood was enchanted. We were a small, tightly knit family. My mom and dad were and still are my greatest supporters." Why then does Jackson write lousy dads and conniving relatives into the plots of books that regularly earn berths on such national bestseller lists as USA Today's and Waldenbooks'? "I think the most intense angst people can experience is what can develop among family members, because our emotions run so deep there," Jackson replied. "Deep down, we care about these people, but being related doesn't mean we think alike or want the same things. I also think manipulative people are fascinating. Characters like that help me keep the readers' interest. I love it when readers write me to complain that they didn't get any sleep the night before because they had to finish my book." For her ability to write such reader-pleasing page turners, Jackson is sought after by publishers, currently writing for three. In style and career path, she has been compared to author Sandra Brown. Like the mega-New York Times bestselling author, Jackson built her reading audience in the romance genre. Like Brown, she went on to write bigger books splashed across a broad literary canvass that appeal to men as well as to women. As in Brown's newer novels, a romantic relationship is at the core of Jackson's stories, but there's a lot more going on, even in her shorter genre romance novels. In both authors' books, the reader encounters bold, strong heroines who inspire them to take charge of their own lives. The characters' gutsy nature brings to mind the indefatigable Jackson herself. Jackson studied English literature at Oregon State University for two years before she married. In 1981, when her younger son was a year old, she began writing novels. But she decided she needed a steady income and, drawing on her experience in the banking field, applied for and landed a $9/hour bank job. "Before I could begin work, the woman who would have been my supervisor was arrested for embezzling, and that was the end of my job." Jackson recalls. "I wasn't too disappointed, because about then I sold my first book, A TWIST OF FATE, and my author career took off. In one of life's little ironies, though, the plot of that first book revolved around a woman suspected of bank embezzling." Since that first sale, Jackson has written enough novels to fill a bookcase. Drawing on her small-town upbringing, she writes contemporary novels that are more often than not set in rural areas, like her hometown in Oregon. Texas is the setting for UNSPOKEN, her November 1999 novel for Zebra Books. UNSPOKEN is the climax of Zebra's four-month Lisa Jackson promotion of four re-releases and one original title. Jackson also writes medieval romances set in 11th and 12th century Wales, such as DARK EMERALD (Topaz Books, March 1999). "The main thrust of my writing career is the contemporary novels, but I enjoy doing these period pieces," said Jackson, who earlier wrote as Susan Lynn Crose. "Women were so trod upon in medieval days. By nature of women's lot in life then, I can generate sympathy for the medieval heroines. They're underdogs from the get go! Tell me what woman doesn't root for the underdog!" To promote her five fall 1999 Zebra titles, the gregarious author will tour Washington, Oregon, California, Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma and several other states. Recently divorced, Jackson is being booked to speak for singles' clubs, with her tongue-in-cheek insights into dating, including "Lisa Jackson's Dating Tips for the New Millennium: Hero or Zero?" Jackson's 1999 publishing schedule is impressive. In addition to the five Zebra titles, a Lisa Jackson medieval, a category romance and a selection in a Christmas anthology will be published. When not writing, Jackson enjoys spectator sports, reading, watching "The X-Files" and socializing now that she's a single mom. Her favorite authors include Pat Conroy, Nelson DeMille, Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, Dick Francis and other authors who also write compelling page turners.

After her husband, Jack, dies in a climbing incident, Shauna has only her five-year-old son and her helicopter charter business to live for. Every day is a struggle to make ends meet and she lives in constant fear of losing even more than she already has.When her business partner is murdered, his final words convince Shauna that she's in danger too. But where can she turn? Zach Bannister was her husband's best friend and is the person she blames for his death. She's barely spoken to him since. But right now he seems her only hope for protecting her son.Zach is only too happy to assuage his guilt over Jack's death by helping Shauna any way he can. But there are secrets involved dating back to Shauna's childhood that more than one person would prefer to stay hidden.In The View from Rainshadow Bay, suspense, danger, and a longing to love again ignite amid the gorgeous lavender fields of Washington State.

Rudy Harrington is ready for a new life. His daughters are grown, his wife has died, and the idea of running an avocado grove in Texas suddenly seems infinitely more appealing than staying in his rambling Midwestern house.So a new life it is. Rudy heads off for a part of the world where he knows scarcely a soul. But he has a guide: a slender book called Philosophy Made Simple, each chapter highlighting the ideas of a different philosopher. No amount of Plato, Schopenhauer, or Sartre, however, can prepare Rudy for the surprises that emerge as he arranges for his daughter's Hindu wedding and gets to know Norma Jean - an elephant with a talent for painting - who is abandoned to Rudy's care and who leads him, ultimately, toward the prospect of a new love.

"The King of High Adventure," Starlog. "Immediately convincing, classically brooding," Steve Tompkins, TheCimmerian.com WHO IS KORMAK?To the world at large, he is a mercenary and assassin, a brutal killer with a deadly blade. In reality Kormak is a Guardian, one of an ancient order sworn to protect humanity from the servants of the gathering darkness. Kormak is a sword and sorcery hero in the tradition of Conan, Solomon Kane and Druss the Legend, a driven man with a mission to hunt down the ancient demons who slaughtered his family. His fast-paced, action-packed adventures take him from one end of his richly detailed fantasy world to the other. THE KORMAK OMNIBUSThe Kormak Omnibus compiles all of Kormak's adventures so far into one massive volume packed with high adventure. It contains the first three novels, the short story Guardian of the Dawn and many extras such as a map of the Kingdoms of the Sun and the author's notes for all of the stories. If you've never entered Kormak's world of danger and excitement, here is the perfect opportunity to do so at a special bargain price. GUARDIAN OF THE DAWN In this chilling tale, Kormak seeks refuge for the night in an isolated peasant home only to find himself thrown into a terrifying confrontation with an ancient evil. STEALER OF FLESH The Ghul are the Stealers of Flesh, an ancient race of demons who possess the bodies of humans to work great evil. Now one of them has been freed from its ancient prison using Kormak's own dwarf-forged sword and the Guardian must pursue it to a haunted city on the edge of the world to end its reign of terror. DEFILER OF TOMBS An open tomb, a dead child and an unleashed ancient horror send Kormak on a path of vengeance through the haunted northlands of Taurea. He seeks Morghael, a necromancer with a plan for resurrecting the dark empire of Kharon and the power to bring the dead swarming back to life. WEAVER OF SHADOW War brews along the border of the Elvenwood. The prophet of an ancient evil has corrupted the nation of Mayasha, reducing the once proud elves to feral slaves of the Shadow. Allied with the monstrous Spider Folk she is poised to sweep away the human settlements in the ancient forests and spread her Blight across the lands. Only one man stands between her and absolute victory; Kormak. ABOUT THE AUTHORWilliam King lives in Prague, Czech Republic with his lovely wife Radka and his two sons Dan and William Karel. He has been a professional author and games developer for almost a quarter of a century. He is the creator of the bestselling Gotrek and Felix series for Black Library and the author of the Space Wolf books which between them have sold over three quarters of a million copies in English and been translated into 8 languages. His novel Blood of Aenarion made the shortlist for the 2012 David Gemmell Legend Award, the premier award in the field of heroic fantasy. His short fiction had appeared in Year's Best SF and Best of Interzone. He has twice won the Origins Awards For Game Design. His hobbies include role-playing games and MMOs as well as travel.

Amazon.com ReviewIf the only side of Lawrence Block you know is the dark and gloomy Matt Scudder books, such as the noir classic __, then you might be surprised to hear that he's also one of the most delightfully droll writers in the mystery business."I hurried uptown and changed into chinos and a short-sleeved shirt that would have been an Alligator except that the embroidered device on the breast was not that reptile but a bird in flight. I guess it was supposed to be a swallow, either winging its way back to Capistrano or not quite making a summer, because the brand name was Swallowtail. It had never quite caught on and I can understand why." That's Bernie Rhodenbarr, used book dealer and gentleman burglar, making a literary fashion statement in this latest return to print of one of Block's best books about him.As with the other entries in this admirable series--__, , , , , , --Block manages to be very amusing, moderately suspenseful, and impressively erudite all at the same time. The plot is a complicated tangle of double-cross and deceit surrounding the theft of a valuable painting and two murders. Mondrian isn't the only artist being framed here: Bernie has to use all of his skills--as burglar, lover, and art expert--to prove his (relative) innocence. --Dick AdlerProduct DescriptionIt's not that used bookstore owner and part-time burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr believes the less legal of his two professions is particularly ethical. (It is, however, a rush, and he is very good at it.) He just thinks it's unfair to face a prison term for his legitimate activities. After appraising the worth of a rich man's library -- conveniently leaving his fingerprints everywhere in the process -- Bernie finds he's the cops' prime suspect when his client is murdered.Someone has framed Bernie Rhodenbarr better than they do it at the Whitney. And if he wants to get out of this corner he's been masterfully painted into, he'll have to get to the bottom of a rather artful -- if multiply murderous -- scam.

As featured in: Working Mother * Woman's Day * Redbook * Chico's * Sunset magazine * Coastal Living * SheKnows * Woman's World * Yahoo! Beauty * Fox 28 * The Berry Melanie, a perfectionist mom who views the approaching end of parenting as a type of death, can't believe she has only one more year to live vicariously through her slacker senior son, Dane. Gorgeous mom Sarah has just begun to realize that her only daughter, Ashley, has been serving as a stand-in for her traveling husband, and the thought of her daughter leaving for college is cracking the carefully cultivated façade of her life. Will and his wife are fine—as long as he follows the instructions on the family calendar and is sure to keep secret his whole other life with Lauren, the woman he turns to for fun (and who also happens to have a daughter in the senior class). Told from the points of view of both the parents and the kids, The Goodbye Year explores high...

In this sequel to A Business of Ferrets, six years have passed since Ferret and her friends thwarted the nefarious plots of Ycevi Ghytteve, but the cross currents of politics and intrigue still rip at Emperor Khethyran of Bharaghlaf and his Court. When the Seer Owl returns to Court, his training at the Kellande School finally complete, a lethal series of events is set in motion. An ancient evil magic has arisen, luring the Emperor's enemies into new and deadlier schemes. It will take all of Owl's hard-won training, and the combined efforts of his old friends and new allies, to help the Scholar King steer the ship of state through the shoals and riptides ahead.

Confusion, fury, and disbelief filled Rucker McClure's soul when he saw his wife across the airport waiting room. A year ago, Dinah had vanished without a trace, but he'd never stopped looking for her, never given up hope - until now, when it seemed all his worst fears were true: she'd betrayed her country and abandoned the husband she'd sworn to love until death.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Everything you know is wrong - the truth starts here...Have you ever imagined how the world could be different? Ever wondered what might have been? Here, eight award-winning authors explore alternative past, presents and futures - and their stories show just how easily everything we take for granted could slip away...

Readers are placed in the character of a contest winner who must decide between two toy prizes, including Nasty Kathy the talking doll and a robot called the Annihilator 3000.

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