Download or read book The Mystery of the Three Orchids written by Augusto De Angelis and published by Pushkin Vertigo. This book was released on 2016-10-18 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The notorious Inspector Di Vincenzi returns in this cryptic murder mystery teeming with blackmail, deceit, and revenge Death is in the air at one of Milan’s great fashion houses. As a new collection is unveiled, and the wealthy rub shoulders with the glamorous, owner Cristiana O’Brian escapes upstairs to discover the strangled body of her servant slumped on her bed—a single orchid by his side. When Inspector Di Vincenzi is called in to investigate, the brilliant detective is puzzled. Why is Cristiana behaving so suspiciously? And what is her estranged ex-husband doing there? As two additional corpses appear, each accompanied by an orchid, Di Vincenzi must see through dirty tricks and slippery clues in order to uncover the real killer.

Download or read book The Mystery of the Three Orchids written by Augusto De Angelis and published by Pushkin Vertigo. This book was released on 2016-10-18 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The notorious Inspector Di Vincenzi returns in this cryptic murder mystery teeming with blackmail, deceit, and revenge Death is in the air at one of Milan’s great fashion houses. As a new collection is unveiled, and the wealthy rub shoulders with the glamorous, owner Cristiana O’Brian escapes upstairs to discover the strangled body of her servant slumped on her bed—a single orchid by his side. When Inspector Di Vincenzi is called in to investigate, the brilliant detective is puzzled. Why is Cristiana behaving so suspiciously? And what is her estranged ex-husband doing there? As two additional corpses appear, each accompanied by an orchid, Di Vincenzi must see through dirty tricks and slippery clues in order to uncover the real killer.

Download or read book The Orchid Thief written by Susan Orlean and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2011-07-20 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK A modern classic of personal journalism, The Orchid Thief is Susan Orlean’s wickedly funny, elegant, and captivating tale of an amazing obsession. Determined to clone an endangered flower—the rare ghost orchid Polyrrhiza lindenii—a deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man named John Laroche leads Orlean on an unforgettable tour of America’s strange flower-selling subculture, through Florida’s swamps and beyond, along with the Seminoles who help him and the forces of justice who fight him. In the end, Orlean—and the reader—will have more respect for underdog determination and a powerful new definition of passion. In this new edition, coming fifteen years after its initial publication and twenty years after she first met the “orchid thief,” Orlean revisits this unforgettable world, and the route by which it was brought to the screen in the film Adaptation, in a new retrospective essay. Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more. Praise for The Orchid Thief “Stylishly written, whimsical yet sophisticated, quirkily detailed and full of empathy . . . The Orchid Thief shows [Orlean’s] gifts in full bloom.”—The New York Times Book Review “Fascinating . . . an engrossing journey [full] of theft, hatred, greed, jealousy, madness, and backstabbing.”—Los Angeles Times “Orlean’s snapshot-vivid, pitch-perfect prose . . . is fast becoming one of our national treasures.”—The Washington Post Book World “Orlean’s gifts [are] her ear for the self-skewing dialogue, her eye for the incongruous, convincing detail, and her Didion-like deftness in description.”—Boston Sunday Globe “A swashbuckling piece of reporting that celebrates some virtues that made America great.”—The Wall Street Journal

Download or read book Blood Orchids written by Toby Neal and published by Neal Enterprises INC. This book was released on 2011-11-27 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Tigerlily s Orchids written by Ruth Rendell and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INCLUDES AN EXCERPT OF RENDELL'S FINAL NOVEL, DARK CORNERS Is it dangerous to know too much about your neighbors? When Stuart Font throws a housewarming party, he invites all the residents of his new building--among them, three flippant young girls, a lonely spinster, a man with a passion for classical history, and a woman determined to drink herself to death. He definitely does not want his girlfriend, Claudia, in attendance, as he would also have to invite her lawyer husband. But careful planning can only get a person so far. As it turns out, this party will be one everyone remembers. Meanwhile, living in a town house opposite Stuart's building, in reclusive isolation, is a young, beautiful Asian woman known as Tigerlily. As though from some strange urban fairy tale, she emerges infrequently to exert a terrible spell. In Tigerlily's Orchids, Ruth Rendell has written a darkly humorous and psychologically thrilling novel about the eccentric inhabitants of a London terrace--about the secrets they keep, and what they will do to hide them.

Download or read book The Cranefly Orchid Murders written by Cynthia Riggs and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2002-05-10 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In her first book, Deadly Nightshade, Cynthia Riggs introduced us to one of fiction's most delightful - and most realistic - "circumstantial detectives" - an ordinary civilian whom circumstances thrust into the role of sleuth. Victoria Trumbull is as believable a feisty 92-year-old as you can imagine, with all the expected aches and pains and a refusal to let them stop her from enjoying her multifarious activities. A native of the Massachusetts island called Martha's Vineyard, whose ancestors sailed from its shores generations back, Victoria knows more about the island and its people, then and now, than anyone else living. The knowledge has helped her solve one murder and earn her own baseball cap emblazoned with "West Tisbury Police Deputy," and the job that goes with it. Of course she knows Phoebe Eldridge; a short-tempered woman who lives alone, dislikes her granddaughter intensely and won't even mention the name of her son, a Vietnam vet who disappeared some years before. It's Phoebe's rancor as much as any desire for money that leads her to sell the family land to a developer who comes up with what seems like an offer she doesn't want to resist. The Conservation Trust enlists Victoria, as someone who will not be suspected, to search that land for an endangered plant, any endangered plant, because the state prohibits bulldozing rare plant habitats. Victoria is delighted to add another purpose to her daily walks. She enlists an eleven-year-old after-school assistant, and with the "Endangered" list in her hand, she begins her search. Her first find, though, is the body of one Montgomery Mausz, the developer's rather dubious attorney. There are plenty of suspects, but deputy Victoria (don't dare say "honorary deputy" to Victoria's face) hasn't forgotten her first task and is rewarded by the discovery of a little nest of cranefly orchids, which puzzle Victoria by appearing to change shape. In the course of this botanical detection, Victoria and her assistant are treated to adventures that delight the 92-year-old as much as the pre-teen, even though they give both of them more scares than they had bargained for. This charming story, with its share of thrills and suspense, will have readers crossing their fingers and hoping the sea air, home-baked beans, and a vital interest in what goes on around her will keep old Victoria Trumbull going for a long, long time.

Download or read book Black Orchids written by Rex Stout and published by Crimeline. This book was released on 2010-06-30 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nero Wolfe has left his comfortable brownstone for the promise of a remarkably rare black orchid at a flower show—but before Wolfe and his perennially hardy sidekick, Archie Goodwin, have a chance to stop and smell the roses, a diabolically daring murder takes place right under their noses and puts a blight on the proceedings. Now Wolfe's fancy turns to thoughts of weeding out a murderer—one who's definitely not a garden-variety killer. Only then will Wolfe be ready to throw his weight into a second thorny case, involving a rich society widow bedeviled by poison-pen letters—and a poisonous plot as black as Wolfe's orchids . . . with roots that are even more twisted. Introduction by Lawrence Block “It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”—The New York Times Book Review A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained—and puzzled—millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.

Download or read book No Orchids for Miss Blandish written by James Hadley Chase and published by Murder Room. This book was released on 2012-09-06 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Dave Fenner is hired to solve the Blandish kidnapping, he knows the odds on finding the girl are against him - the cops are still looking for her three months after the ransom was paid. And the kidnappers, Riley and his gang, have disappeared into thin air. But what none of them knows is that Riley himself has been wiped out by a rival gang - and the heiress is now in the hands of Ma Grisson and her son Slim, a vicious killer who can't stay away from women, especially his beautiful new captive. By the time Fenner begins to close in on them, some terrible things have happened to Miss Blandish ...

Download or read book The Orchid Shroud written by Michelle Wan and published by Anchor Canada. This book was released on 2010-04-30 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A strange beast is killing both livestock and humans in the Dordogne . . . Business is booming for orchidologist Julian and interior designer Mara, but things take a horrifying turn when, in the wall of the sixteenth-century manor house she has been commissioned to restore, Mara’s workmen find a mummified baby. Forensic analysis reveals that the baby had been smothered more than a hundred years before. Julian discovers that the infant’s shawl is embroidered with an exact likeness of a rare orchid he has been researching. Meanwhile Mara falls under suspicion in another more recent murder, linked not only to the mummified child but, seemingly, to the spectre of a werewolf . . . As sinister revelations abound, so too do the legends and superstitions of the Dordogne. The breathtaking world of wild orchids and delectable Dordognais cookery provide atmosphere in equal part to the unraveling mystery. A superb and accomplished follow-up to Deadly Slipper.

Download or read book Orchid Beach written by Stuart Woods and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2010-08-31 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods delivers a riveting thriller that introduces an exciting addition to the pantheon of fictional sleuths. Forced into early retirement at thirty-seven, smart, attractive, and fiercely independent Major Holly Barker trades in her bars as a military cop for the badge of deputy chief of police in Orchid Beach, Florida. But below the sunny surface of this sleepy, well-to-do island town lies an evil that escalates into the cold-blooded murder of one of Holly's new colleagues. An outsider, Holly has little to go on for answers and no one to help her—except Daisy, a Doberman of exceptional intelligence and loyalty that becomes her companion and protector. The closer Holly gets to the truth, the more she knows that it'll take one smart dog with guts to sniff out this killer—before he can catch her first.

Download or read book Vertigo written by Pierre Boileau and published by Pushkin Vertigo. This book was released on 2015-09-15 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The original breath-taking psychological thriller behind Hitchcock’s legendary film—the story of a man tormented by his search for the truth, and ultimately destroyed by a terrible secret It could have happened to any of us, but it happened to a man named Flavieres. His days as a detective were over, and everyone knew he had his reasons. But when an old friend appeared out of nowhere with concerns about his withdrawn and mysterious wife, Flavieres didn't have the heart to refuse. Soon, he would be scouring the streets of Paris in search of an answer—in search of a girl who belonged to no one, not even to herself. Intrigue would be replaced by obsession, and dreams replaced by nightmares. This is the story of a desperate man. A man who ended up compromising his own morality beyond all measure, while World War II raged outside his front door. A man tormented—and destroyed—by a dark, terrible secret.

Download or read book Blood on the Orchids written by Jill Steele and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One morning in quiet, rural Hawaii, beautiful and renowned orchid grower Ellen Jenson is found dead in a greenhouse at the large nursery she and her estranged husband own. In her hand is an unusually vibrant cattleya orchid spray.Frustrated with the ineffective, disrespectful detective in charge of the case, nursery employees Lauren and Jenny search for the killer. Experience the rural Big Island local style as they talk story with local fishermen, orchid growers and surfers.Most chapters are named for an orchid or a Hawaiian grown fruit or flower. Many places of interest are mentioned and historical background is given.

Download or read book Orchid written by Jim Endersby and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2016-11-07 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The prize-winning history of the orchid: “an engaging and enlightening account of one of the Earth's most mythologized botanical wonders” (Richard Conniff, author of House of Lost Worlds). At once delicate, exotic, and elegant, orchids are beloved for their singular, instantly recognizable beauty. Found in nearly every climate, the many species of orchid have had varying forms of significance in countless cultures over time. Following the orchid’s journey from Ancient Greek medicine to twentieth century detective novels, science historian Jim Endersby explores the flower’s four recurring themes: science, empire, sex, and death. Orchids were a symbol of the exotic riches sought by 19th century Europeans in their plans for colonization. They became subjects of scientific scrutiny for Charles Darwin, who investigated their methods of cross-pollination. As Endersby shows, orchids—perhaps because of their extraordinarily diverse colors, shapes, and sizes—have also bloomed repeatedly in films, novels, plays, and poems, from Shakespeare to science fiction. Featuring many gorgeous illustrations from the collection of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Orchid: A Cultural History was awarded the Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Prize by the History of Science Society. It is an enchanting tale not only for gardeners and plant collectors, but anyone curious about the flower’s obsessive hold on the imagination in history, cinema, literature, and more.

Download or read book Hothouse Orchid written by Stuart Woods and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2009-09-22 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Home gets hot for CIA Special Agent Holly Barker in this novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods’s thrilling series. After Holly Barker lets an international terrorist slip through her fingers for a second time, the CIA thinks she might want a long vacation. So Holly returns to her hometown of Orchid Beach, Florida, where she had been police chief for many years. But a very unpleasant surprise awaits her. Many years earlier, while she was in the army, Holly and another female officer had brought charges against their commander for sexual harassment. Holly had managed to fight him off, but the other woman, a young lieutenant, had not. The officer in question was acquitted of all charges, and has also left the army—for a job as Orchid Beach’s new police chief. Now Holly must decide whether to return to the CIA—or seek her revenge...

Download or read book The Kew Gardener s Guide to Growing Orchids written by Philip Seaton and published by White Lion Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-21 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A combination of botanical beauty and practical advice in Kew Gardener’s Guide to Growing Orchids will inspire beginners and experienced growers to love and grow 60 beautiful orchids and 12 inspirational projects. From growing from seed to harvesting vanilla pods, the projects will bring the wonderful world of orchids to life and produce confident, keen growers wanting to expand their experience of these exotic flora.

Download or read book The Hotel of the Three Roses written by Augusto De Angelis and published by Pushkin Vertigo. This book was released on 2016-05-03 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When murder pays a visit to a seedy Milan hotel, Inspector De Vincenzi races to solve the case before more guests are checked out—for good The shady Hotel of the Three Roses is home to an assortment of drunks and degenerates. Inspector De Vincenzi receives an anonymous letter, warning him of an imminent outrage at the guest house. Shortly after, a macabre discovery is made—a body is found hanging in the hotel's stairwell. As De Vincenzi investigates, more deaths follow, until he finally uncovers a gothic and grotesque story linking the Three Roses' unhappy residents to each other. This intensely dramatic mystery from the father of the Italian crime novel, Augusto de Angelis, features his most famous creation—Inspector De Vincenzi.

Download or read book Smith Hawken 100 Orchids for the American Gardener written by Elvin McDonald and published by Workman Publishing. This book was released on 1998 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A colorful photographic introduction to some one hundred varieties of orchids provides the reader with useful information about these special flowers, the care they require, and their overall proper maintenance. Original.