They are invited to the festivities up at The Grange, as guests of Sir Hector and Lady Farley-Stroud.But barely have corks been popped and parlour games played when a mysterious crime comes to light. Someone has broken in while the revellers were distracted and made off with a priceless pearl necklace. Lady Hardcastle and Flo are determined to catch the thief—but with so many Christmas guests encamped at The Grange, is it possible that the felon is hiding in plain sight?With the clues stacking up, Lady Hardcastle bears down on her culprit. But just as the pieces come together, it begins to look as if there is something more devious afoot at The Grange…

    Everywhere Dr. Benjamin Bones turns, someone is spying from a window, listening through a wall, or gossiping over a garden fence. "The birds sing in Birdswing," says the vicar, Father Cotterill, and in February 1940 this is more true than ever. Waiting for Hitler to make his move and turn this "Phony War" into the real thing, Ben's fellow villagers are desperate for a distraction. But his blossoming affair with Lady Juliet must remain absolutely secret. So when a seemingly trifling "case" arises--a love letter misplaced for almost thirty years, still in search of its intended recipient--Ben and Juliet jump at the chance to investigate, simply to steal a bit of time together. But as they try to deliver the letter, they discover two lonely people who might get a second chance at love... through the magic of Cornwall. Author's Note: This novella takes place after Dr. Bones and the Christmas Wish. For optimal pleasure, please read in the following order: 1. Marriage Can Be Murder 2. Divorce Can Be Deadly 3. Dr. Bones and the Christmas Wish 4. Dr. Bones and the Lost Love Letter

    When the biographer Russell Graves, who Daniel is helping defend, is sentenced to execution for the murder of his wife, Daniel's Pitt-family investigative instincts kick in, and he sets out to find the real killer. With only twenty-one days before Graves is to be executed, Daniel learns that Graves is writing a biography of Victor Narraway, the former head of Special Branch and a close friend of the Pitts. And the stories don't shed a positive light. Is it possible someone is framing Graves to keep him from writing the biography--maybe even someone Daniel knows in Special Branch? The only answer, it seems, lies in the dead woman's corpse. And so, with the help of some eccentric new acquaintances who don't mind bending the rules, Daniel delves into an underground world of dead bodies and double lives, unearthing scores of lies and conspiracies. As he struggles to balance his duty to the law with his duty to his family, the equal forces of justice and loyalty pull this lawyer-turned-detective in more directions than he imagined possible. And amidst it all, his client's twenty-one days are ticking away.

    Ginger's Boston terrier, Boss, noses out a missing phalange from under the cot.It's a mystery that once again puts Ginger alongside the handsome Chief Inspector Basil Reed. Who is the victim? And how did she end up in Ginger's home?Clues lead Ginger and her good friend Haley Higgins to a soirée hosted in 1913 by Ginger's late father, George Hartigan. A shadow of suspicion is cast on her father's legacy, and Ginger isn't so sure she wants to know the truth about the man she dearly loved.Ginger decides to host another soirée, inviting the guest list from ten years previous. Before the night is over, another person is dead.

    Lieutenant Austen, by all accounts an upstanding member of the elite Grenadier Guards, disappears, and his friends, searching the cloakroom of the station where they had been waiting for their trains together, find only a spray of blood on the wall above a scattering of his personal items—his train ticket among them. Scotland Yard is baffled. Has the Lieutenant, who had a hand in intelligence, been kidnapped by French operatives? Or is there some more personal grudge at work? The situation grows graver by the hour, and Lenox knows that he will have to work quickly and brilliantly to have any chance of discovering the missing soldier—and getting home in time for his own Christmas dinner.

    Each house guest is invited to share a personal mystery, but what unfolds turns out to be less a cozy cornucopia of fire-side Christmas cheer than a series of curiously interlinked and unsettling mysteries. But then, who promised that any of the tales had to be cozy? And could it be, even at Rebburn Abbey on Christmas Eve, that the past can overshadow the present, casting dangerous shadows on those who don’t suspect? Does danger and the presence of evil lurk here? This is a stylish Golden Age of Crime mystery which will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey. 'A Christmas Case' is a novella in the Posie Parker Mystery Series, and can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story in its own right. If you love an action-packed historical cozy crime with a feisty protagonist, download a sample or buy 'A Christmas Case' now. ˃˃˃ Other books by L.B. Hathaway available on Amazon: 'Murder Offstage' (A Posie Parker Mystery #1)'The Tomb of the Honey Bee' (A Posie Parker Mystery #2)'Murder at Maypole Manor' (A Posie Parker Mystery #3)'The Vanishing of Dr Winter' (A Posie Parker Mystery #4)'Murder of a Movie Star' (A Posie Parker Mystery #5)To be the first to hear about L.B. Hathaway's new releases sign up for the newsletter.

    However, when she agrees to help out one of her friends, Kathleen discovers that a simple case of a servant being dismissed without notice has turned into a complicated puzzle that she is determined to solve. While featuring minor characters from Locke’s Victorian San Francisco mystery series, Kathleen Catches a Killer contains all the light romance, humor, and suspense of the longer works. Chronologically, this novella comes right after the events in Pilfered Promises, but it can be read as a stand-alone and an excellent introduction to this mystery series about the gas-lit world of the late 19th century.

    Knowing both intuitively and empirically that Leonidas is innocent of the murder, she resolves to help clear him of the crime. It’s the least she can do for a man who has proved to be far less brutal than his reputation and who protects all who come within his sphere. And if Leonidas loses, he faces a short, painful future back in the amphitheater, this time without hope of survival. A novella of the Leonidas the Gladiator mysteries. (34,000 words, 11 chapters)

    Yet to Inspector Sam Blackstone, the case is as puzzling as any he has ever come across. As his investigation proceeds, Blackstone finds himself entering the world of the aristocracy and tramping the dangerous streets of London's Little Russia, where English law and order are not welcome. So begins the illustrious career of the talented inspector, who earns the equal ire and respect of his superiors for his controversial tactics. Absorbing in their detailed depictions of the period, gripping in their ingenious plots, this trilogy of historical whodunnits is the perfect box set for any mystery-lover. Praise for Sally Spencer 'Spencer's finest hour: a tightly plotted puzzler with surprises at every turn' – Kirkus Reviews 'Spencer is an accomplished craftsman who serves up a good puzzle and deftly solves it with intelligence and insight' – Publishers Weekly Sally Spencer worked as a teacher both in England and Iran - where she witnessed the fall of the Shah. She now writes full time.

    The wealthy residents of New Town live in comfort, while Old Town’s cobblestone streets are clotted with criminals, prostitution, and poverty.Detective Inspector Ian Hamilton is no stranger to Edinburgh’s darkest crimes. Scarred by the mysterious fire that killed his parents, he faces his toughest case yet when a young man is found strangled in Holyrood Park.With little evidence aside from a strange playing card found on the body, Hamilton engages the help of his aunt, a gifted photographer, and George Pearson, a librarian with a shared interest in the criminal mind. But the body count is rising. As newspapers spin tales of the “Holyrood Strangler,” panic sets in across the city. And with each victim, the murderer is getting closer to Hamilton, the one man who dares to stop him.

    All it would take is a single spark . . .In the England of Elizabeth I, the fear of plague and invasion, and the threat of insurrection are constant. As the Earl of Leicester's chief intelligencer, lawyer Dr Christopher Radcliff is tasked with investigating rumours of treachery at home and the papist threat from abroad. And with heresy and religious unrest simmering beneath the surface of a country on the brink, Radcliff is under pressure to get results.Then two brutal and seemingly motiveless killings point alert Radcliff to the whisper of a new plot against the queen. There are few clues, and all he and his network of agents have to go on is a single word: incendium. But what does it mean - and who lies behind it? Christopher Radcliff must find out before it's too late . . .(Please note: The Incendium Plot was first published in hardback as Incendium)

     The first in an exciting new Mayfair 100 series of nostalgic crime sagas. Set against the backdrop of WW1, Mayfair 100 is the telephone number for a small specially-formed crimebusting team based in a house in Mayfair. London, 1915. Just 10 months into the First World War, the City is flooded with women taking over the work vacated by men in the Armed Services. Chief Inspector Peter Beech, a young man invalided out of the war in one of the first battles, is faced with investigating the murder of an aristocrat and the man’s wife, a key witness and suspect, will only speak to a woman about the unpleasant details of the case. After persuading the Chief Commissioner to allow him to set up a clandestine team to deal with such situations, Beech puts together a small motley crew of well-educated women and professional policemen. As Beech, Victoria, Caroline, Rigsby and Tollman investigate the murder, they delve into the seedier parts of WWI London, taking them from criminal gangs to brothels and underground drug rings supplying heroin to the upper classes. Will the Mayfair 100 team solve the murder? And if they do, will they be allowed to continue working as a team? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lynn Brittney, a writer for almost 30 years, had her first novel shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Book Prize; Brandford Boase Award and Doncaster Book Prize.

    She was wrong. New widow, Haley Colbrooke travels to Ashdown to meet her husband’s family and to visit his grave. The shocking news of their recent marriage is awkward enough. That her brother in-law is Lance’s identical twin is worse. Given her circumstances, she accepts the invitation to stay, which sets in motion a chain of events that will risk Haley losing all she has left. Rather than finding solace, she is drawn into past tragedies and deadly secrets. Perhaps coming to the family estate was a terrible mistake.

    . .The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.

    A young nobleman. And death stalks them both.... The date is 1191 Aumary Belvoir is seventeen. Seventeen, and bound by an oath so holy, he dare not break it.
 Unexpectedly thrust into the position of the Warden of the Savernake; a woodland of one hundred and fifty square miles in Wiltshire, will Aumary succeed in stamping his authority on the forest? He has also acquired a half brother he did not know he had. With the help of his experienced staff and his willing family, things go well. The surprise brother, Robert proves a worthy assistant. Then the deaths begin. Are they accidents as they seem or is there something more sinister happening in the forest? Seventy year old Aumary is dictating his story to a scribe. He can no longer write for himself and wishes to set down for all time, the truth of two mysteries; the death of Arthur Duke of Brittany, King John's nephew and rival, and other more disturbing deaths closer to home. Aumary Belvoir sets off to uncover a plot so dastardly and deadly, so patient and well planned that it takes thirteen years to lay bare.

    Death and uncertainty stalked the land. Fast forward to 1890 and two mysterious deaths in the village of Fressingfield stir up rumours of witchcraft again. Lawrence Harpham is dispatched from Bury St Edmunds to investigate. But Lawrence is still tormented by the tragic loss of his family in a house fire. Can he overcome his own demons and discover who is behind the flurry of deaths? The Fressingfield Witch is a fictional murder mystery based on true events. Two of Suffolk’s darkest cases of witchcraft are weaved together in one compelling story.

    Includes an exclusive extract from his next novel in the series, the follow up to Dark Serpent. Perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Michael Jecks. In the summer of 1311, a jousting tournament is about to commence in the Tower of London, supervised by Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal.Two powerful lords have come forward with writs from the late king, promising them both the inheritance of a lucrative estate. To settle the dispute, they are submitting their quarrel to the judicium Dei: the Judgement of God. But when a third claimant comes forward, Corbett suspects that something is awry.Corbett launches an investigation to uphold the reputation of the late king as treachery looks set to spread. But it soon becomes clear that more than one person in the Tower has secrets to keep...What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:'A magical author''Paul Doherty has the rare talent of making you feel as though you are there, be it medieval England, or battling with Alexander. The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of his books''Doherty has a gift for bringing distant ages alive and for populating his books with endearing, believable characters'

    With his intimate access to the parlors and bedrooms of Regency London, the Richmond Thief strikes again and again. The Bow Street Runners, the city’s only detectives, seem powerless to stop him.Enter Althea, lady scientist.As the young widow of a country gentleman, Lady Althea Trent is introduced to the upper-class social scene as yet another pretty face. But her own scientific inquiries and an invitation to act as an agent of Bow Street with the enigmatic Duke of Norwich propel her into the hunt for the Richmond Thief. The theft of her host’s diamonds and two potential murders only harden Althea’s resolve to find answers to the thief’s identity.Unfortunately, Althea's dangerous entanglements with the law and the mysterious duke inexorably lead her to a darkened library—where the masked Richmond Thief awaits. This is a new release of an edition originally published by Nerdy Girl Press.

    Finding a second was exciting. But when Nell finds the third letter in the rock wall of her newly acquired estate, she’s a little more than curious as to what really happened to Joshua and his beloved Cora. For this detached author who is starting her life over, Nell finds herself sucked into the idea of the intrigue, yearning and hoping that the lovers found a way to be together. After asking a couple of new acquaintances in the nearby village about the estate’s history, she meets Reid, a historian and descendant of Joshua himself. They start to put together the pieces of the puzzle that seem to be a Romeo and Juliet style romance in the 1800’s. Doubts, fears and suspicions threaten to interfere. But what they do learn is that Love sometimes crosses boundaries and time to happen, even in some of the most unexpected ways.

    Rumors of ghosts are bad enough, but when expensive jewelry disappears, the owner's livelihood is at stake. A woman's touch is needed. Pen's boss, William Pinkerton, thinks he has given her the perfect cover. She is to play the part of an eccentric spirit medium, eager to experience the purported ghostly manifestations. Unfortunately, her cover will not remain intact for long, and there are those behind the scenes who are desperate to keep the secrets of Schroon Lake Inn from coming to light. Will Pen's discoveries prove fatal? She would have to be truly clairvoyant to know....

    Where actors’ and actresses’ dreams can come true. But do they? While silent screen movie stars reign supreme, a film producer is gunned down in cold blood. Enter Rosie, a pretty bit-player, Eddie, her current beau, and Beatrice, her bitter stage-mother. As real celebrities of the time, such as Clara Bow, Lon Chaney, Gloria Swanson, and Rudolph Valentino float in and out, a chase to find the killer exposes the true underbelly of Los Angeles––with all its corruption.

    Did the artist do it or was it one of the family members--all of whom had motive and opportunity? Join Carl Brooke and Captain Barnwell as they uncover the clues and weed through the red herrings to discover the surprising identity of the murderer.

    Her devotion to her husband, family, and the militant abolitionist cause would lead to much poverty, heartbreak, and eventually, celebrity status among abolitionists and the American public. Although many have portrayed her as a blind follower of her husband and his cause, this tale relays events in the life of a noble, hardworking, faithful woman who played a crucial role in preserving John Brown’s legacy after his death at Harper’s Ferry. It further recounts Mary’s efforts in securing racial equality throughout her lifetime. This story was written during the summer of 2017 after spending a few glorious afternoons speaking with my neighbor, Mamie, and her friend, Terri, who both claimed they were related to the famous abolitionist. Mamie’s tales were centered more on Mary Brown than those of her husband, John—well, kind of. It is virtually impossible to entirely separate the tales of John from Mary Brown, because when two become united their lives are forever intertwined. The story of Mary Brown would be nothing without including the life and times of her husband, John, and most likely vice-versa. This work, which incorporates photographs, newspaper clippings, telegrams and correspondence is a testimony to the indomitable strength of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life as The Abolitionist’s Wife.

    Gay, that is. Sometimes life is dangerous.In 1896, there aren’t many career choices for a young lady. China Bohannon has fled one bad situation, and is looking to start her life over as a strong, independent woman in the wild and woolly town of Spokane, Washington. The trouble is, convincing Gratton Doyle to take her seriously as a bookkeeper is hard enough, and when it comes to working as an investigator in the Doyle & Howe Detective Agency, it’s well-nigh impossible. But what if China is able to solve a murder case no one else wants to take on, that of a young girl found dead, her body tossed in the river? If she can avoid being the next murder victim, will Gratton hire her then? There’s only one way to find out.

    A threat seemingly from beyond the grave. Murder by Monday...A mysterious letter sends Carl Brooke and Rutherford Nordlinger off to the aid of a man who, accused of murder, is now threatened by the man he is said to have killed.--“Well, hello there,” I said with some relief. “I am so veryglad it is you.”“Mr. Brooke,” Nordlinger said, smiling, “by the handle ofthe revolver I see coming out of your pocket, it seems youwere expecting the devil instead.”“Very close.” I motioned for him to enter. “Very close,indeed.” I headed to the bureau, returning the weapon to itsproper place. “Do come in and have a seat.”--Each Agora mystery is a complete and standalone mystery; however, some readers prefer reading the stories in order. This is the fifth short story (about 10k words) in the Agora Series, the others being (in order): Two Tocks before Midnight, The Penitent Thief, The Peace Party Massacre, The Curse of the Mad Sheik, and The Captain's PlayPlease search for "The Agora Letters" for the first five stories in one inexpensive bundle.

    First, a mysterious woman from Swansea, Wales seeks Holmes' help finding her husband who has disappeared in the middle of the night. As soon as she leaves, Holmes receives word that there has been a prison riot with several dead and a few inmates missing. Lestrade is asking for his services. Holmes believes the two cases are not a coincidence, but he has no idea who is behind it and to what end. They go to Swansea in what could be either a wild goose chase or a setup. Will Holmes unravel the mystery before they get to Swansea? If not what will be in store for them when they step off the train?

    Resolute variety hall actress Ophelia Flax has spent the last several months performing in a traveling circus, settling into the gritty camaraderie of circus life, and—almost, anyway—forgetting all about Professor Penrose, love, enchantment, and bunkum generally.When Ophelia breaks her arm in a trick pony-riding accident under the big top, she is whisked away by a guilt-ridden benefactor to convalesce in the Waldsanatorium, a grand hospital perched high over a valley. Soon after her arrival, she discovers that one of the patients, the young American Imogen Melchor, is trapped in a morbid lethargy from which she cannot be woken and which—so her parents insist—was caused by the prick of an enchanted spindle.Ophelia is not one to twiddle her thumbs, even though she’s discomfited by the sudden reappearance Professor Penrose, whose head is turned by rumors of magical spinning wheels. Inquiring together into Imogen’s plight, they uncover a wicked plot concerning medical theories, a pagan goddess, and a contested will . . . and, along the way, perhaps reawaken their own slumbering hearts.

    Little did he realize that those words would become the theme for his teenage years growing up in the rural hamlet of Linden, New York. In this coming-of-age story, Fritz takes us back to a simpler time when neighbors gathered at the general store to listen to radio shows, drank barrel-aged cider, and worshiped at the Baptist church every Sunday. All was picturesque in his close-knit farming community until terror was unleashed on them.

    Levi and Gerda hide in the East German mission home. Born and raised in Berlin, Levi wants to find his parents but fears the worst. A treasure more valuable than gold or art is missing—genealogical records stolen by Hitler from Germany’s churches. Mission president Erick Ranke must locate those records before the Soviets do. Lives are inextricably connected in this thrilling novel about the power of covenants and conviction.

    Fearful that his opponent is dying from his injuries, Lawrence seeks sanctuary in a church nearby. When Ducket is found hanging from the rafters, people assume it's suicide. Yet, Sebastian Foxley is unconvinced. Why is his young apprentice, Jack Tabor, so terrified that he takes to his bed?Amidst feasting and merriment, Seb is determined to solve the mystery of his friend’s death and to ease Jack’s fears.

    Their presence is withheld from the male passengers and all but a select few members of the crew. But their worlds collide when one of the gentlemen stumbles over the women. When one of the intended brides goes missing, only Alyssa Chalmers, the one educated, wealthy woman in the group, is convinced the disappearance is no accident. She sets out to find out what happened. Has there been a murder? Alyssa is willing to move heaven and earth to find out the truth. She is about to discover that there is more to her voyage into the unknown than she bargained for ...

    As he watches his horse graze, he contemplates how he got there… The story begins at Lord Ambrose’s mansion, where he and Elisabeth are entertaining friends for dinner. They admire a beautiful necklace worn by Lilian, the wife of Ambrose’s friend Dr Lawrence, which he has bought for her to celebrate the birth of their baby.Later, the gentlemen learn that Lawrence has taken credit of £1,000 for the necklace, having intended only to spend twenty pounds. After the guests have departed, Ambrose tells Elisabeth about Lawrence’s rash purchase. She is shocked, her background and experience having told her quite clearly that the stones of the necklace are false – very good fakes…Ambrose takes it upon himself to find the jeweller who sold his friend the false stones and get the credit rescinded. Upon finding Florizel in Bond Street, Ambrose is introduced to a countess who sold the original necklace to the jeweller, and who seems herself to have been defrauded. Ambrose is successful not only in having the debt of his friend expunged, but also recovers for him the sum of £1,000 and the same for the countess.As a reward for this the lady gives him a small key and a clue to the whereabouts of the lock it will open. This should perhaps have been the end of the matter, but Ambrose’s natural curiosity and gentlemanly behaviour result in him following the countess home, at a distance, and finding out from a local urchin that she is from Bohemia.And so, Ambrose travels to his former college at Oxford to trace the family from the coat of arms he remembers from the countess’s dress. Having done so successfully, he then discovers he has been followed by a man whose clothing bears the same crest. He returns to the countess’s house in London to find she has disappeared, and that Billy has been tied up and imprisoned.And thereby begins Lord Ambrose’s adventure in Bohemia…Diamond Cut Diamond is the thrilling fourth instalment in the Lord Ambrose Mysteries. Jane Jakeman is an art historian who has travelled in the Mediterranean and the Middle East and has had numerous articles on art, food and travel published in newspapers and magazines, including the Independent, The Sunday Times and the Guardian . She studied English at the University of Birmingham and has a doctorate from Oxford University in the architectural history of Islamic Cairo. She lives in Oxford and is at present on the staff of the Bodleian Library.

    The ranch in rough and tumble Cinnabar, Montana, on the outskirts of Yellowstone Park, is more work than he can manage, especially with good-for-nothing ranch hands. And he's even losing those, thanks to the new railroad coming through. He needs more help and companionship than his loyal, whip-smart collie can offer. What he really needs is a wife. Ashley Sullivan's prospects in New Hampshire are bleak. Her family's fallen on hard times. She does what she can to help out, but she doesn't want to be a burden on them. Besides, she's holding a few secrets in her heart: she'd like to run her own boarding house someday, she'd like a grand adventure, and, just maybe, she could fall in love. So when an offer to be a mail order bride to a sheep rancher in Montana comes up, she leaps at the chance. Construction on the National Pacific Railroad nearby brings new opportunities for Mal and Ashley. But it also brings new dangers. When his sheep start disappearing, mail ordering a bride might turn out to be the smartest decision Mal ever made...

    The scene of intrigue, robbery and murder … Sandy felt the dying man’s hand move in hers as his eyes fluttered open. “Farholt,” he said in a whisper. “Farholt.” Sandy felt his hand tighten. “Go on,” she encouraged. “I’m from Farholt.” When Sandy Herriad goes to the aid of a dying man, she is plunged into a search for the lost emerald, the Serpent’s Eye, a search which will change her life forever. Philip Brown is young, handsome and dangerously attractive. But is he all he seems? In her search for the missing emerald, Sandy must uncover the truth about Philip, the truth about the theft and the truth about murder. The truth is often deadly…

    For lovers of California noir, a new Scott Elliott novel is a major event. Elliott, whose acting career ended with the war, takes on his grimmest case as a private detective in this new novel from multiple-Shamus winner and Edgar nominee Terence Faherty. Paddy Maguire, who played a loose game for decades as head of the Hollywood Security agency, is dead in an alley--after coming out of retirement to follow a case that should have remained buried in a gangster's lurid past. As Elliott sets out to even the score, the shadow of an old murder falls across his screenwriter wife Ella, putting their troubled marriage in further jeopardy. They're both about to learn there is no such thing as a "retired" killer.

    A man with a secret. An undeniable passion...Scientist Emmeline Griffith needs a husband—just long enough to prevent the loss of her inheritance. The arrangement will be all business…but she didn’t count on her attraction to the virile detective who steps into the role.Private investigator Bartholomew Turner thought he had his secret demons under control. But when a marriage-in-name-only turns into something far more enduring, he must confront both his past and the danger that’s stalking Emmie in order to claim the woman he loves.Shadows and Masks is the first book in the Chessman Victorian mystery romance series. If you like strong female heroines, flawed sexy alpha heroes, steamy romances, and an emotional punch to the gut, then you’ll love this series. Contains explicit sex scenes.

    This novel deals with the attempts of the son of Chola king Parthiban, Vikraman, to attain independence from the Pallava ruler, Narasimhavarman. The Cholas remain vassals of the Pallavas. Parthiban conveys his dream of the Chola dynasty regaining its glory - which he believes is lost since they are no longer the independent rulers of their land - to his young son Vikraman. Parthiban refuses to pay the taxes to the Pallavas and this triggers the Pallavas to wage war against the Cholas. In the resulting war Parthiban is killed. But before he dies, in the battlefield, an enigmatic monk promises to Parthiban that he will make sure that Vikraman fulfills Parthiban's dream. Vikraman grows up and plans his retaliation against Narasimhavarman. But his uncle, Marappa Bhupathi, betrays him and Vikraman is arrested and deported to a far off island by Narasimhavarman. The narrative moves on to describe how Vikraman comes back longing to meet his mother and the mysterious beauty whom he saw before being deported. To his woe he later discovers that his mother has disappeared and has in fact been kidnapped by members of a savage cult who are known as Kapalikas - a group which believes in human sacrifice. He also comes to know that the beauty he has fallen for, Kundhavi, is none other than the daughter of his sworn enemy, Narasimhavarman. The novel climaxes with the identity of the monk finally being revealed as Pallava King, Narasimhavarman and establishment of the independent Chola kingdom under Vikraman in Uraiyur. Vikraman marries kundhavi in the final chapter.

    Phyllis Bowden, a secretary at the American Embassy, is catapulted into the limelight when the Military Attache is arrested for espionage and her boss, the Assistant Military Attache, assumes the position. The arrest throws suspicion on everyone at the Embassy, particularly the Military Attache's secretary whose attempted suicide convinces Phyllis to be more curious about what really happened. With bombs still falling on a devastated city, Phyllis begins asking questions but she never imagined the dark underbelly of diplomacy. Entering a shadowy world of cryptic messages, secret rendezvous and dangerous men, Phyllis learns quickly that a safety net doesn't exist and if she wants to survive, she better figure out the game fast.