” The Dead Women of Juarez” is a sensational crime novel based on the true story of mass murder in a Mexican border town. In the last twenty years, over 3000 women have disappeared from Ciudad Juarez, on the border between Mexico & the USA. Sam Hawken takes this story of mass murder & abduction & weaves around it the story of Kelly Courter, a washed up boxer from Texas, who is past playing the stooge in the ring, as long as he gets paid. Courter is sucked into the underworld of organised crime that flourishes in the city, finding himself in way over his head. As his life spins out of control he becomes obsessed with seeking the truth about the female victims of Juarez. Fast paced & brutal, Sam Hawken`s prose is a classic American voice, & certainly one worth listening to. ...

The Dead Yard is a merciless look at the real Jamaica, the side the tourists rarely see. Since its independence from Britain in 1962, the country has sunk into a cesspit of gang warfare, drug crime & poverty. Haunted by the legacy of imperialism, its social & racial divisions seem entrenched. Its extraordinary musical tradition & physical beauty are shadowed by casual murder, police brutality & political corruption. During research for his award winning book Thomson met ordinary Jamaicans in their homes & workplaces & had unforgettable encounters the island’s white elite. His conclusions bring alive the island’s unique racial & ethnic mix, as well as the all-pervading influence of the USA, the increasing disillusionment with the state as felt by the people & the uneasy bond with Britain, to whom it remains culturally & politically bound. ...

THE ROMAN MYSTERIES meets Sherlock Holmes! Alfie has decided to learn to read at St Giles Ragged School. But the school is set on fire & idealistic teacher Mr Elmore perishes in the flames. Alfie & his gang are certain that this was no accident & are determined to find the murderer. Together, they must sift clues & shadow suspects through the mean streets of Victorian London which they know so well
- until the shocking truth is revealed. The second exciting adventure in the LONDON MURDER MYSTERY series.
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The book is one of drama on a grand scale, a Renaissance epic, as Christendom emerged from the shadows of the calamitous 14th century. The sweeping tale involves inspired & corrupt monarchs, the finest thinkers, the most brilliant artists, & the greatest beauties in Christendom. Here are the stories of its most remarkable women, who are all joined by birth, marriage & friendship & who ruled for a time in place of their men-folk: Lucrezia Turnabuoni (Queen Mother of Florence, the power behind the Medici throne), Clarice Orsini (Roman princess, feudal wife), Beatrice d' Este (Golden Girl of the Renaissance), Caterina Sforza (Lioness of the Romagna), Isabella d' Este (the Acquisitive Marchesa), Giulia Farnese ('la bella', the family asset), Isabella d' Aragona (the Weeping Duchess) & Lucrezia Borgia (the Virtuous Fury). The men play a secondary role in this grand saga; whenever possible the action is seen through the eyes our heroines. These eight women experienced great riches, power & the warm smile of fortune, but they also knew banishment, poverty, the death of a husband or the loss of one or more of their children. As each of the chosen heroines comes to the fore in her turn, she is handed the baton by her 'sister' & Leonie Frieda recounts the role each woman played in the hundred-year drama that is THE DEADLY SISTERHOOD. ...

It is Christmas Eve & a father & son are meeting for the first time in years. The father has a story he needs to share before it`s too late. As he tells his son about a courageous little girl lying in a hospital bed a few miles away, he reveals even more about himself; his triumphs in business, his failures as a parent, his past regrets, his hopes for the future. Now, on this night before Christmas, the father has been given the unexpected chance to do something remarkable that could change the destiny of a little girl he hardly knows. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he must find out what his own life has actually been worth, & only his son can reveal the answer. With humour & compassion, Fredrik Backman`s The Deal of a Lifetime reminds us that life is a fleeting gift, & our legacies rest in how we share that gift with those we love. ...

When Pepper Roux was born his aunt foretold that he would not live past 14 years of age. Throughout his childhood his parents haven`t bothered with him much, knowing that his life would be short-lived. So when Pepper wakes up on his 14th birthday he knows this will be the day that he`ll die. But as the day wears on, & Pepper finds himself still alive, he decides to set off to sea in an attempt to try & avoid death for as long as possible. As time goes on Pepper steps into many roles & personas & has numerous outrageous adventures. But can he stay one step ahead of death? Or will fate catch up with him? &, if he does live, which of his many lives will he choose to adopt? This riot of a story is a wonderful adventure, & Pepper is an unforgettable character who stays with you long after his story has been told. ...

Andrew Landford is driving home one night, along a dark country lane, when a barn owl flies into his windscreen. It is an accident, nothing more. However Andrew is in line to be the country`s next prime minister. & he has recently been appointed to a parliamentary committee concerned with the Wildlife & Countryside Act. Barn Owls are protected species, & it is a crime to kill one. If Andrew acknowledges that he has killed the owl, he could be risking his political career. With Andrew in the car is his old Oxford friend & political adviser, Charles Fryerne. An expert in communications, Charles has just joined the team that is masterminding Andrew`s route to the Tory Party leadership, & from there to No 10 Downing Street. He has spent many years quietly building up a very successful career as a strategist. But the death of the owl threatens to destroy not only Andrew`s career, but everything that Charles has worked for too. Should they come clean, or hide the story & hope it goes away? ...

Andrew Landford, MP is driving home one night along a dark country lane when a barn owl flies into his windscreen. It is an accident, nothing more. But Andrew sits on a parliamentary committee concerned with the protection of endangered species, & the death of the owl threatens to destroy his hopes of reaching No. 10. Also in the car is Andrew`s old Oxford friend & political adviser, Charles Fryerne. Will they be able to keep the crime under wraps, or will circumstances conspire against them? `A pleasure to read` Daily Express ` Skeweringly accurate` Evening Standard `A compelling blend of morality & satire` Sunday Mirror ` Witty & well-crafted
- a delightful gothic fantasy` Guardian
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The Death of Bunny Munro recounts the last journey of a salesman in search of a soul. Following the suicide of his wife, Bunny, a door-to-door salesman & lothario, takes his son on a trip along the south coast of Engl&. He is about to discover that his days are numbered. With a daring hellride of a plot The Death of Bunny Munro is also a modern morality tale of sorts, a stylish, furious, funny, truthful & tender account of one man`s descent & judgement. The novel is full of the linguistic verve that has made Cave one of the world`s most respected lyricists. It is his first novel since the publication of his critically acclaimed debut & the Ass Saw the Angel twenty years ago. ...

Lerris has settled into being a woodworker & building a life with Krystal. But this newfound peace is endangered when both Candar & Recluce come under the threat of invasion from the Empire of Hamor. Despite the imminent possibility of destruction, the lands of Candar will not unite & Recluce will not heed the peril. Lerris is faced with the challenge of becoming the greatest wizard of all time
- or seeing his whole world destroyed.
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