The New York Times bestseller is now in paperback. Power, religion, and bioscience collide in the new novel from the master of the medical thriller.

It’s just another sunny day in Middleburrow, Florida, when Deputy Sheriff Jake Santo is called to investigate the discovery of a severed finger on a tourist beach. Things only get stranger as reports of an ostrich causing havoc in town leads to an investigation of animal cruelty, greed, and power. Everyone seems to be in on it, but can Santo locate the nine-fingered man before the staties arrive?It’s just another sunny day in Middleburrow, Florida, when Deputy Sheriff Jake Santo is called to investigate the discovery of a severed finger on a tourist beach. Things only get stranger as reports of an ostrich causing havoc in town leads to an investigation of animal cruelty, greed, and power. Everyone seems to be in on it, but can Santo locate the nine-fingered man before the staties arrive and things get out of hand? Join Deputy Sheriff Santo as he wrestles with a crab, a rustler, and an ostrich. Praise for Ed’s novel, Our Dying Land: “Our Dying Land is a thrilling dark fantasy with a unique premise and intriguing characters. Eco-horror at its finest! – Tim Waggoner, author of BONE WHISPERS "Our Dying Land is not a standard fantasy quest: author McFadden blends in hints of his own background writing horror, as well as science fictional tropes. The whole combines to give a satisfying view of what may be lurking just under our feet." --SFscope.com "Our Dying Land has a nice blend of mystic realism, hard sf, and fantasy elements that work well together to drive a thoroughly SFnal plot. A socially relevant book that still manages to be entertaining." - Bud Sparhawk, author of VIXEN and THE COMPLETE SAM BOONE Praise for Ed’s novel, The Black Death of Babylon: A fun, dark, globe-hopping adventure that's part action thriller, party mystery, and part atmospheric horror tale. There's something here in Ed McFadden's novel for everybody." --Tom Piccirilli, author of THE LAST KIND WORDS, two time International Thriller award winner, and four time Bram Stoker award winner. The Black Death of Babylon is a riveting murder mystery drawing upon the enigmatic elements of Fringe or The X-Files. And yet, Edward Mcfadden finds a way to make everything happening in this book truly believable. The plot is fascinating for what it reveals about the behind the scenes workings of brilliant scientists who’ve let their experiments get the best of them. The story is beautifully written—this allows seasoned fans of mystery, horror, and SF to find this book irresistibly hard to put down. --Michael Laimo, author of DEAD SOULS and DEEP IN THE DARKNESS.

Nadine Daniels’ life is a disaster. She helped a woman escape an abusive husband or so she thought. Now, he and his mob associates want her back. While she is searching for answers and dodging bullets, her mother begins to meddle in her life. She thought this was as bad as it could get, but she was wrong—dead wrong.Nadine Daniels’ life is a disaster. Someone believes she knows a secret; a secret worth killing over. A year ago, Nadine helped a woman escape an abusive husband or so she thought. Now, the husband and his mob associates want her back, even if that means killing Nadine. While Nadine is searching for answers, she gets a roommate and bodyguard. Zeke works for her and he’s a former mercenary, just the kind of man Nadine needs protecting her. However, when Nadine’s mother meets the tall, exotic bodyguard, she leaps to conclusions. Her daughter is living with a man, an attractive man, they must have eloped. To get answers, Nadine will have to turn to a man that has been trying to kill her for most of her life, only he has the connections to get the information she needs to stay alive. However, playing with bad guys is never a good idea and this time proves no different. Now, Nadine will have to fight the mob, the monster from her past, and her mother.

Begin the military dystopian series Friends of my Enemy. Arinna and Michael Prescot are just two of the many former soldiers sent to embassies in the hopes of strengthening faltering US alliances in 2055. But as the US becomes embroiled with new internal terrorism, its agents in Europe are offered intimidation, lies, and deceit rather than explanations. And the price of seeking answers is steep.A dark future awaits...After a decade of storms, disease, drought, and riots, the US conquers its troubles by militarizing its government. Old democratic allies in Europe respond uneasily to the change.in 2055 Arinna and Michael Prescot are just two of the many former soldiers sent to foreign embassies in the hopes of strengthening faltering US alliances. But as the US becomes embroiled in new internal terrorism, its agents in Europe are offered intimidation and lies rather than explanations. And the price of seeking the truth to events back home is steep.As the growing conflict in the US threatens the peace of Europe and tips the world toward World War III, choices of loyalty need to be made - if Michael and Arinna can determine who to trust and if the price of their help is worth the cost. Global events hinge on a few individuals as an apocalyptic war threatens Europe, and no one is more unprepared than its potential saviors.Stories from the War consists of eleven interlinked short stories that are a prelude to the military dystopian thriller trilogy Friends of my Enemy.Set in Europe, this near future fiction series of novels unfolds through the intersecting lives of a small handful of people and explores adult themes, both dark and hopeful, of friendship, romance, and family, including how these influences direct everyday choices which ripple outwards to impact governments on the verge of an apocalypse. Because not all influence is good, and not all decisions can be made in time.What readers are saying:“Part one of what appears to be an interesting tale of tangled relationships and covert happenings in a future earth torn asunder with riots and natural disasters. Strong characterization and believable scenarios coupled with a setting that is thought provoking and entertaining. I want to read the next one. Check this story out!” - J.Williams 4 stars“Autumn has done it again. This book will grab you and carry you from beginning to end without a moment of boredom. Think of the quotation "The Enemy of my enemy is my friend" and you gain some insight into the substance of the story. I normally like Fantasy Adventure, but this novel was a great walk through something a little different. Can't recommend it enough.” - Victor 5 stars

Eighteen-year-old Eric has just been released from juvenile detention for murdering his mother and stepfather. Now he's looking for some tenderness--tenderness he finds in caressing and killing beautiful girls. Fifteen-year-old Lori has run away from home again. Emotionally naive but sexually precocious, she is also looking for tenderness--tenderness she finds in Eric. Will Lori and Eric be each other's salvation or destruction? Told from their alternating points of view, this harrowing thriller speeds to its fateful conclusion with an irresistible force, and a final twist that will not be easily forgotten.

Denis Johnson's The Laughing Monsters is a high-suspense tale of kaleidoscoping loyalties in the post-9/11 world that shows one of our great novelists at the top of his game. Roland Nair calls himself Scandinavian but travels on a U.S. passport. After ten years' absence, he returns to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to reunite with his friend Michael Adriko. They once made a lot of money here during the country's civil war, and, curious to see whether good luck will strike twice in the same place, Nair has allowed himself to be drawn back to a region he considers hopeless. Adriko is an African who styles himself a soldier of fortune and who claims to have served, at various times, the Ghanaian army, the Kuwaiti Emiri Guard, and the American Green Berets. He's probably broke now, but he remains, at thirty-six, as stirred by his own doubtful schemes as he was a decade ago. Although Nair believes some kind of money-making plan lies at the back of it all, Adriko's stated reason for inviting his friend to Freetown is for Nair to meet Adriko's fiancée, a grad student from Colorado named Davidia. Together the three set out to visit Adriko's clan in the Uganda-Congo borderland—but each of these travelers is keeping secrets from the others. Their journey through a land abandoned by the future leads Nair, Adriko, and Davidia to meet themselves not in a new light, but rather in a new darkness.

After a tumultuous year in which her mentor is murdered and her estranged father comes back into her life, Pia Grazdani, the embattled medical student from Death Benefit, decides to take a year off from her medical studies and escape New York City. Intrigued by the promise of the burgeoning field of medical technology and the chance to clear her head, Pia takes a job at Nano, LLC, a lavishly funded, security-conscious nanotechnology insititute in the picturesque foothills of the Rockies. Nano, LLC is ahead of the curve in the competitive world of molecular manufacturing, including the construction of microbivores, tiny nano-robots with the ability to gobble up viruses and bacteria. But the corporate campus is a place of secrets. She's warned by her boss not to investigate the other work being done at the gigantic facility, nor to ask questions about the source of the seemingly endless capital that funds the institute's research. And when Pia encounters a fellow employee on a corporate jogging path, suffering the effects of a seizure, she soon realizes she may have literally stumbled upon Nano LLC's human guinea pigs. Is the tech giant on the cusp of one of the biggest medical discoveries of the twenty-first century—a treatment option for millions—or have they already sold out to the highest bidder?

A second chance... In the windswept sands of the Middle East, Paul Chardy fought side by side with Ulu Beg: one, a charismatic, high-strung CIA covert warrior, the other a ferocious freedom fighter.  Then Chardy fell into the hands of the enemy, and Beg was betrayed.  Now the two men are about to meet again. A second gun... Beg has come over the Mexican border under a hail of bullets--determined to assassinate a leading American political figure and avenge his people's betrayal.  The CIA wants Chardy to stop the hit.  Chardy wants to save Beg's life. Between the two men is a tragic past, a failed mission, and a woman who knew them in war--and who knows their secrets now.  Around both men is a conspiracy of lies and violence that reaches back to the Cold War.  But as Beg moves in for his kill and as Chardy breaks loose from his handlers, a terrible truth begins to emerge: somewhere, someone wants both men to die. From the Paperback edition.

The suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat short story, "Faith", by Mark Elswick-mostly known for his LOL humor-is available 9-5-13.. While outlet sparks ignite their house, Mom and sister run out; Ty, unknowingly, is stranded upstairs. Will the 6 y/o escape?Will he jump?Brace yourself to become passionately attached.This is a fictional, heart-wrenching story of love and anticipation.Mark Elswick, author of the side-splitting Padman: A Dad's Guide to Buying...Those and other tales, begins his quest to dominate the eBook world. "Faith" is an extremely suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat short story. When an elderly neighbor calls 911 because she sees flames shooting from the Scott house, the story begins dripping with adrenaline and anticipation. But, did she notice too late? Danni (mom) and Pammy (18-mo. old sister) escape. Unfortunately, 6 y/o Ty is left upstairs, accidentally. Read as the panic-stricken mother and community, which has gathered around the house, beg God for mercy, asking for some sort-of miracle. Also, the fire crew's sense of urgency is nearly unprecedented as the firefighters frantically fight to save Ty.This is not religious nor political. It's just a passionate, fictional story about everyday life, detailing how a small word like "Faith," is so important to everything we do.Undoubtedly, Ty will work his way into the souls of readers as the approaching flames and his cries for help thrust him into your heart.Don't be surprised when you're reading the story and cheering for the little guy to get out, somehow.But, will he?And, how will he?The fire is quickly closing in. His screams are softly heard, but deafening. . . . Hurry!

Skelmersdale has always been a testing ground for pilot schemes.Nathaniel Myra innocently visits to investigate how the latest trial is going, but discovers that all is not as it seems in the quiet, dull town...The holidays can be overwhelming for anyone, but Zoey is ready to explode when Maurice, her closet-monster roommate, takes celebrations to the extreme. When Zoey ducks out for a little fresh air, she finds a boy with a big problem -- a problem only a mythical creature can have and only Zoey can solve.This story also appears in the short story collection, Transmonstrified.Hidden Holidays takes place between Monster Haven book two, Pooka in My Pantry, and book three, Fairies in My Fireplace.

The CIA recruit a young lieutenant, Eric Ritter, to search for a kidnapped operative. Ritter's connection to the kidnapper is the only chance to rescue the operative before it's too late. Deep inside a hostile city, Ritter will learn what it takes to fight the cloak and dagger war against a merciless enemy, or die trying.Months after 9/11, a covert arm of the CIA summons young Lieutenant Eric Ritter to Pakistan. Al Qaeda holds an American operative, and Ritter’s connection to the kidnapper is the key to rescuing the operative before it’s too late.While the CIA need Ritter’s help, they consider him an expendable asset and throw him into a battle he isn’t ready for. Deep inside a hostile city, Ritter will learn what it takes to fight the cloak and dagger war against a merciless enemy, or die trying.Contains an excerpt from INTO DARKNESS, the first full length novel of the Eric Ritter Spy Thriller series.

In the old city of Suzhou, China, Redding realized that he wasn’t the only one intent on recovering the missing cello painting. Joran had proven himself a serious threat, and Lin Ming had become a distraction that Redding couldn’t afford. In the grasp of greed and self-preservation, the paths of three individuals cross causing each to confront their own desperate and uncertain lives.Compelled by the wreckage of his life, Redding had little choice other than pursuing the cello painting. The artwork had been seen in the old city of Suzhou, China, but the sighting was hardly definitive. With Lin Ming as his guide, he planned to scour every square inch of the ancient city, but on that first day when he ran into Joran, he knew the painting would cost him more than blood and sweat. A long way from his New York City art gallery, Joran’s streetwise way of handling business had proven equally effective in China. He didn’t care who got hurt as long as it put the painting in his hands. It was worth millions and he knew people who would pay for such an exclusive possession. Although Redding’s interest in Lin Ming hadn’t waned, she regretted her involvement. She had suffered through one horrid marriage and never intended to lie with another man again. In the grasp of greed and self-preservation, the paths of three individuals cross in a search for an acclaimed painting, causing each to confront their own desperate and uncertain lives.

This book is to be written and updated during the month of November as part of National Novel Writing Month:For six teenage boys the opportunity to get what their hearts desire for the measly price of a bad dream is a temptation that they can’t resist.-I've been working on this again....“The Haeven Collection” is a series of four short stories set in semi modern times. Only through genre are the stories in any way connected and each one has a beginning, a middle and an end. The stories give the reader and inside look at the world that each of the characters live in and comes from as well as a look at how they interact with said world and each other in the individual stories.The Haeven Child-When a witty and temperamental young witch is forced into a situation not of her making and beyond her control, she must traverse the terrible waters of family life and child rearing.Kitten-Running away from home sounds like a good idea, but not when you’re and Skin Changer with major daddy issues and a dead mother. An adolescent Skin Changer runs away from home with her mother’s skin after she dies, her father is looking for her and he is not happy.150-One hundred fifty years is a long time to be with someone you hate, especially if that person is your sire and he controls your very life. A “young” vampire is stuck with the creature that changed him into a monster of the night and his rebellious attitude will not be tolerated.Diner-A diner is such as non-threatening place. However, when a meeting between to associates is cut short because of a joke, the other two men try to keep it together and take the intrusion with grace and poise.

The makings of a pipe bomb are missing and private eye turns up at just the right time. It's almost magical.Susie Edwards found out at an early age how looks can be an advantage if you do something wrong. It all started with small things like the family pet. One day when Susie was out walking the dog, she wanted to see if she could get away with killing the dog. Susie took the dog about twenty feet in front of the edge of a cliff deep within the woods in back of her house and threw a stick and told the dog to go fetch it. The dog did as asked and went over the edge of the cliff to its death. Susie thought this was really cool, but Susie didn't realize killing things isn't such a cool thing to do. Susie was such a likeable person who had many friends, but Susie was getting pretty bored with their company and never forgot about the rush she got when she watched her dog run off the edge of the cliff to its death. Susie was ready to test the waters of death on her friends. Susie invited three of her closest friends over for a sleep over.

From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Heart-Shaped Box comes a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman. The fireman is coming. Stay cool. No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it’s Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies—before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe. Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she’s discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob’s dismay, Harper wants to live—at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child. Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads—armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn’t as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter’s jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged. In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman’s secrets before her life—and that of her unborn child—goes up in smoke.