Download or read book The Hammett Hex written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-10-04 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The national bestselling author of The Marsh Madness takes rare book collector Jordan Bingham on a trip to San Francisco--home to Dashiell Hammett's hard-boiled heroes--where nothing is as it seems. On a getaway to the City by the Bay, book collector Jordan Bingham becomes entangled in a mystery with more twists than Lombard Street... Jordan has been able to swing a romantic trip to San Francisco with Officer Tyler "Smiley" Dekker on one condition--she must return with a rare copy of Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest for her irascible employer, Vera Van Alst. For his own part, Smiley is full of surprises. He's a Dashiell devotee himself--excited to be in the city of Hammett's hard-boiled heroes like Sam Spade and the Continental Op--and also announces he plans to visit his previously unmentioned estranged grandmother, who lives in an old Victorian in Pacific Heights. But the trip goes downhill fast when Jordan is pushed from a cable car and barely escapes death. And when a dark sedan tries to run the couple down, it's clear someone's after them--but who? Just like in Hammett's world, nothing is quite what is seems... INCLUDES RECIPES

Download or read book The Hammett Hex written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-10-04 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The national bestselling author of The Marsh Madness takes rare book collector Jordan Bingham on a trip to San Francisco—home to Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled heroes—where nothing is as it seems. On a getaway to the City by the Bay, book collector Jordan Bingham becomes entangled in a mystery with more twists than Lombard Street... Jordan has been able to swing a romantic trip to San Francisco with Officer Tyler “Smiley” Dekker on one condition—she must return with a rare copy of Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest for her irascible employer, Vera Van Alst. For his own part, Smiley is full of surprises. He’s a Dashiell devotee himself—excited to be in the city of Hammett’s hard-boiled heroes like Sam Spade and the Continental Op—and also announces he plans to visit his previously unmentioned estranged grandmother, who lives in an old Victorian in Pacific Heights. But the trip goes downhill fast when Jordan is pushed from a cable car and barely escapes death. And when a dark sedan tries to run the couple down, it’s clear someone’s after them—but who? Just like in Hammett’s world, nothing is quite what is seems... INCLUDES RECIPES

Download or read book The Sayers Swindle written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-12-03 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jordan Kelly is delighted to make money tracking down rare and valuable mystery novels for her employer, Vera Van Alst, an avid collector and the most difficult woman in Harrison Falls, New York. But now her boss’s complete set of Dorothy Sayers is missing, and finding them may lead Jordan to a murder suitable for Sayers’s esteemed sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey… When Jordan manages to locate her boss’s missing books, they are in the possession of Randolph Adams, an elderly man in a nearby town. Offering a valuable Hemingway first edition as an incentive, Jordan thinks she’s about to seal the deal—but some of Randolph’s relatives think he should hold out for more. Then the entire family disappears—and a dead body shows up. It’s up to Jordan to collect the clues—and make sure a killer gets booked.

Download or read book The Christie Curse written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared—making headlines across the world—only to show up eleven days later at a spa under an assumed name. During those eleven days, did she have time to write a play? Jordan Kelly needs a new job and a new place to live. She’s back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card–stealing ex and pending grad school loans. Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There’s just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst—the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls. Jordan’s first assignment is to track down a rumored Agatha Christie play. It seems easy enough, but Jordan soon finds out that her predecessor was killed while looking for it, and there is still someone out there willing to murder to keep the play out of Vera’s hands. Jordan’s new job is good…but is it worth her life?

Download or read book The Marsh Madness written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The national bestselling author of The Wolfe Widow presents another spine-tingling mystery featuring rare book collector Jordan Bingham and some Ngaio Marsh first editions worth killing for… Jordan works hard to improve Vera Van Alst’s collection of classic detective stories. So when Chadwick Kauffman—heir to the Kauffman fortune—offers a very good price on a fine collection of Ngaio Marsh first editions owned by his recently deceased stepfather, she is thrilled to meet with him at his fabled summer estate, Summerlea. The next day, Jordan and Vera are shocked to read that Chadwick has died in a fall from the grand staircase at Summerlea. But when the picture in the paper is of a different man, it becomes clear that the ladies are victims of a scam. And they’ll have to unmask the imposter fast, because someone is trying to frame them for murder…

Download or read book Hex Appeal written by Jim Butcher and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2012-06-05 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fall under the intoxicating spell of their hex appeal... In the magical world that lies hidden beneath our own, witches and conjurers play deadly games. They know just the right spell to kill a man with one kiss—or raise him back again. And they're not afraid to exact sweet revenge on those who dare to cross them. But what if you're the unlucky soul who falls victim to a conjurer's curse? And if you had the power to cast a magic spell of your own, would you use it? In this bewitching collection, nine of today's hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales. Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty- third century named Silicon Lily. But as our conjurers are about to discover, it's all fun and games until someone gets hexed. And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem. Includes Stories From: Ilona Andrews Jim Butcher Rachel Caine Carole Nelson Douglas P. N. Elrod Simon R. Green Lori Handeland Erica Hayes Carrier Vaughn

Download or read book The Wolfe Widow written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-09-02 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Thanksgiving approaches, Jordan Bingham is grateful for her job researching rare books for Vera Van Alst, the infamous curmudgeon of Harrison Falls, New York. But when an uninvited guest makes an appearance, much more than dinner is disrupted—and Jordan is thankful just to be alive… Vera Van Alst doesn’t normally receive visitors without appointment, but she agrees to see the imperious Muriel Delgado upon arrival. Shortly thereafter, Jordan is told that her position is being terminated. Evicted from the Van Alst House, Jordan is determined to find out what hold Muriel has over her erstwhile employer. It seems Muriel has designs on Vera’s money and property—not to mention a particular interest in her collection of Nero Wolfe first editions. When Jordan discovers a deadly connection between Muriel and the Van Alst family, it’s up to her to put the house in order and stop a killer from going back to press.

Download or read book Woman in the Dark written by Dashiell Hammett and published by Wildside Press LLC. This book was released on 2022-10-19 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On a dark night a young woman seeks refuge at an isolated house. She is hurt and frightened. The man and woman who live there take her in. But their decency is utterly unequipped to deal with the Woman in the Dark, or with the designs of the men who want her.

Download or read book Alice Fantastic written by Maggie Estep and published by Akashic Books. This book was released on 2009-05-01 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An “entertaining” novel about a family of three women “navigating relationships, a half-dozen lovers and innumerable dogs” (Publishers Weekly). Alice Hunter is a thirty-six-year-old professional gambler living in Queens, New York. She is modestly successful as a horseplayer and enjoys her work. Though she is avidly pursued by her lover, Clayton, whom she refers to as The Big Oaf, Alice’s real closest companion is a small spotted dog, and Alice likes it that way. When Clayton’s overzealousness leads Alice to ask one of her racetrack cronies to intimidate him into leaving her, a few things go wrong—and Alice turns to her half-sister Eloise, a toy maker whose own lover has just been killed in a freak accident. Despite their gruffness with each other, there is fierce love among Alice, Eloise, and their unconventional mother, Kimberly—but it will take the accidental discovery of an awful secret to truly bring three eccentric women, seventeen dogs, and assorted lovers together. “The storytelling has vitality and a spirit of rebellion.” —The New York Times “There is about Maggie Estep’s work a directness, a clear determination—a drive to cut through, to break through, to claw through—that is impressive.” —A. M. Homes, author of May We Be Forgiven

Download or read book Clark Little written by Clark Little and published by Ten Speed Press. This book was released on 2022-04-05 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Instagram sensation Clark Little shares his most remarkable photographs from inside the breaking wave, with a foreword by world surfing champion Kelly Slater. “One of the world’s most amazing water photographers . . . Now we get to experience up-close these moments of bliss.”—Jack Johnson, musician and environmentalist Surfer and photographer Clark Little creates deceptively peaceful pictures of waves by placing himself under the deadly lip as it is about to hit the sand. "Clark's view" is a rare and dangerous perspective of waves from the inside out. Thanks to his uncanny ability to get the perfect shot--and live to share it--Little has garnered a devout audience, been the subject of award-winning documentaries, and become one of the world's most recognizable wave photographers. Clark Little: The Art of Waves compiles over 150 of his images, including crystalline breaking waves, the diverse marine life of Hawaii, and mind-blowing aerial photography. This collection features his most beloved pictures, as well as work that has never been published in book form, with Little's stories and insights throughout. Journalist Jamie Brisick contributes essays on how Clark gets the shot, how waves are created, swimming with sharks, and more. With a foreword by eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater and an afterword by the author on his photographic practice and technique, Clark Little: The Art of Waves offers a rare view of the wave for us to enjoy from the safety of land.

Download or read book Agents of Light and Darkness written by Simon R. Green and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2014-05-29 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Nightside, that nightmarish realm hidden deep beneath London, it is forever 3 a.m. Here inhuman creatures walk beside mythic gods. And John Taylor, private detective with a difference, is back, working this secret supernatural heart of London to find an item of inestimable value. The Unholy Grail is missing . . . and everyone wants its corrosive power. This time he must use his unique gifts to locate the cup from which Judas drank at the Last Supper; before it falls into the wrong hands. Anyone who touches the cup will gain tremendous power - but they will also be corrupted. Angels, demons, sinners and saints are all determined to find the Unholy Grail, no matter what the cost. And it isn't long before they realise exactly who can lead them to it . . . Agents of Light and Darkness is the sequel to Something From the Nightside and the second title in Simon R. Green's New York Times bestselling Nightside series.

Download or read book The Meg Langslow Series Books 1 3 written by Donna Andrews and published by Minotaur Books. This book was released on 2015-06-02 with total page 1091 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author Donna Andrews combines murder and madcap hilarity with a cast of eccentric oddballs in a small southern town. Here together for the first time in a fabulous eBook bundle are books 1-3 in the Meg Langslow series: Murder with Peacocks Down in her small Virginia hometown, Meg Langslow is the maid of honor at the for three of her loved ones--each of whom has dumped the planning in her capable hands. In a whirl of summer parties and picnics, Southern hospitality is strained to the limit by an offensive newcomer who hints at skeletons in the guests' closets. But it seems this lady has offended one too many when she's found dead in suspicious circumstances, followed by a string of accidents--some fatal. Soon, level-headed Meg's to-do list extends from flower arrangements and bridal registries to catching a killer--before the next catered event is her own funeral... Murder with Puffins In an attempt to get away from her family, Meg and her boyfriend go to a tiny island off the coast of Maine. What could have been a romantic getaway slowly turns into disaster. Once there, they are marooned by a hurricane and that is only the beginning of their problems. Meg and her boyfriend arrive at the house only to discover that Meg's parents and siblings, along with their spouses are all there. When a murder takes place, Meg realizes that she and her boyfriend can no longer sit by a cozy fireplace, but must instead tramp around the muddy island to keep try and clear her father who is the chief suspect. Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos Every year, Yorktown, Virginia, relives its role in the Revolutionary War by celebrating the anniversary of the British surrender in 1781. This year, plans include a re-enactment of the original battle and a colonial craft fair. Meg is trying to keep her father from scaring too many tourists with his impersonation of an 18th century physician. And to prevent a snooping reporter from publishing any stories about local scandals. Not to mention saving her naive brother, Rob, from the clutches of a con man who might steal the computer game he has invented. It's a tough job--at least, until the swindler is found dead, slain in Meg's booth with one of her own wrought-iron creations. Now Meg must add another item to her already lengthy to do list: "Don't forget to solve the murder!"

Download or read book The Continental Op written by Dashiell Hammett and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2019-12-12 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'He is master of the detective novel, yes, but also one hell of a writer' Boston Globe Dashiell Hammett is the true inventor of modern detective fiction and the creator of the private eye, the isolated hero in a world where treachery is the norm. THE CONTINENTAL OP was his great first contribution to the genre and these seven stories, which first appeared in the magazine Black Mask, are the best examples of Hammett's early writing, in which his formidable literary and moral imagination is already operating at full strength. THE CONTINENAL OP is the dispassionate fat man working for the Continental Detective Agency, modelled on the Pinkerton Agency, whose only interest is in doing his job in a world of violence, passion, desperate action and great excitement.

Download or read book The Silence of the Library written by Miranda James and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-01-28 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a beloved mystery author’s visit causes a stir in their small Mississippi town, librarian Charlie Harris and his cat Diesel must outwit a fiction fanatic turned real-life killer. It’s National Library Week, and the Athena Public Library is planning an exhibit to honor the centenary of famous novelist Electra Barnes Cartwright—creator of the beloved Veronica Thane series. Charlie has a soft spot for Cartwright’s girl detective stories (not to mention an extensive collection of her books!). When the author agrees to make a rare public appearance, the news of her whereabouts goes viral overnight, and series devotees and book collectors converge on Athena. After all, it’s rumored that Cartwright penned Veronica Thane stories that remain under wraps, and one rabid fan will stop at nothing—not even murder—to get hold of the rare books...

Download or read book The Marsh Madness written by Victoria Abbott and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The national bestselling author of The Wolfe Widow presents another spine-tingling mystery featuring rare book collector Jordan Bingham and some Ngaio Marsh first editions worth killing for… Jordan works hard to improve Vera Van Alst’s collection of classic detective stories. So when Chadwick Kauffman—heir to the Kauffman fortune—offers a very good price on a fine collection of Ngaio Marsh first editions owned by his recently deceased stepfather, she is thrilled to meet with him at his fabled summer estate, Summerlea. The next day, Jordan and Vera are shocked to read that Chadwick has died in a fall from the grand staircase at Summerlea. But when the picture in the paper is of a different man, it becomes clear that the ladies are victims of a scam. And they’ll have to unmask the imposter fast, because someone is trying to frame them for murder…

Download or read book Why Things Break written by Mark Eberhart and published by Crown. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Did you know— • It took more than an iceberg to sink the Titanic. • The Challenger disaster was predicted. • Unbreakable glass dinnerware had its origin in railroad lanterns. • A football team cannot lose momentum. • Mercury thermometers are prohibited on airplanes for a crucial reason. • Kryptonite bicycle locks are easily broken. “Things fall apart” is more than a poetic insight—it is a fundamental property of the physical world. Why Things Break explores the fascinating question of what holds things together (for a while), what breaks them apart, and why the answers have a direct bearing on our everyday lives. When Mark Eberhart was growing up in the 1960s, he learned that splitting an atom leads to a terrible explosion—which prompted him to worry that when he cut into a stick of butter, he would inadvertently unleash a nuclear cataclysm. Years later, as a chemistry professor, he remembered this childhood fear when he began to ponder the fact that we know more about how to split an atom than we do about how a pane of glass breaks. In Why Things Break, Eberhart leads us on a remarkable and entertaining exploration of all the cracks, clefts, fissures, and faults examined in the field of materials science and the many astonishing discoveries that have been made about everything from the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger to the crashing of your hard drive. Understanding why things break is crucial to modern life on every level, from personal safety to macroeconomics, but as Eberhart reveals here, it is also an area of cutting-edge science that is as provocative as it is illuminating.

Download or read book Overcomplicated written by Samuel Arbesman and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In "Overcomplicated," complexity scientist Samuel Arbesman offers a fresh, insightful field guide to living with complex technologies that defy human comprehension. As technology grows more complex, Arbesman argues, its behavior mimics the vagaries of the natural world more than it conforms to a mathematical model. If we are to survive and thrive in this new age, we must abandon our need for governing principles and rules and accept the chaos. By embracing and observing the freak accidents and flukes that disrupt our lives, we can gain valuable clues about how our algorithms really work. What's more, we will become better thinkers, scientists, and innovators as a result.