But Tsula Walker, Special Agent with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch, isn’t so sure.Tsula’s investigation will lead her deep into the park and face-to-face with a group of lethal men on a mission to reclaim a historic homestead. The encounter will irretrievably alter the lives of all involved and leave Tsula fighting for survival – not only from those who would do her harm, but from a looming winter storm that could prove just as deadly.A finely crafted literary thriller, Twentymile delivers a propulsive story of long-held grievances, new hopes, and the contentious history of the land at its heart.PRAISE FOR TWENTYMILE:"[A] taut, page-turning thriller . . ." --Atlanta Journal-Constitution"In C. Matthew Smith’s engrossing novel Twentymile, a park service biologist turns up dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and discord regarding annexed land fuels a treacherous chase....a disturbing, potent thriller about ownership and trespassing, as well as unrealized dreams and aggression." --Foreword Reviews"Twentymile is packed with everything I love: A strong, female character; a wilderness setting; gripping storytelling; masterful writing. . . I loved every word. A beautiful and brutal and extraordinary debut." --Diane Les Becquets, bestselling author of Breaking Wild and The Last Woman in the Forest"Original, intelligent. . . Twentymile is an accomplished first novel from a talented and fully-formed writer." --James McLaughlin, Edgar Award winning author of Bearskin“Twentymile is a moody, atmospheric tale of family, vengeance, and anger too-long held, all set in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Ultimately, it is the story of reaching for- discovering and recovering- home, and how such a complicated yearning can play out on both sides of the law." --Steph Post, author of Miraculum, Lightwood, and A Tree Born Crooked​"Smith’s spellbinding debut takes readers on a murderous journey through the backwoods of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. . . A thrilling and evocative tale." --Scott Graham, National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of Canyonlands Carnage"A highly enjoyable read suited best to those who like their thrillers to simmer for awhile before erupting in a blizzard of action and unpredictability with a future promise of grander adventures." --Kashif Hussain, Best Thriller Books"C. Matthew Smith's gripping tale centers around the history of our public lands and the people who use and protect them. Twentymile is a tremendously entertaining first novel from a writer who knows how to spin a good yarn." --Rob Phillips, bestselling author of The Cascade Killer, Cascade Vengeance, and Cascade Predator

    Don’t get me wrong—I read that literature myself. Why not? It is usually entertaining, if not suspenseful. In The Perennial Wanderer: An American in the World, however, it is my intent to demonstrate that life is indeed stranger than fiction, and I, not unlike the escapist writers, have invested much time and energy in bringing these life experiences to the reader. After working in so many countries—including war torn and conflictive countries such as Viet Nam, Colombia, Perú, Mozambique, Sudan and El Salvador—I have seen more than my share of violence, murder, mayhem, public corruption and chicanery. And none of my observations have taken place as a military man—my military experience, by the way, was in the peacetime Air Force in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands.

    A mysterious disappearance. Did one man get away with murder—twice?NYPD detective Sheryn Sterling has had her eye on Alex Traynor ever since his friend Cori fell to her death under suspicious circumstances a year ago. Cori’s death was ruled a suicide, but Sheryn thinks Alex—a wartime photojournalist suffering from PTSD—got away with murder.When Alex’s fiancée, Emily, a talented and beloved local doctor, suddenly goes missing, Sheryn suspects that Alex is again at the center of a sticky case. Sheryn dislikes loose ends, and Cori’s death had way too many of them.But as Sheryn starts pulling at the threads in this web, her whole theory unravels. Everyone involved remembers the night Cori died differently—and the truth about her death could be the key to solving Emily’s disappearance.

    On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through.A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life ... as only a dog could tell it.

    He didn't expect Darlene Johnson to walk into his office with her chocolate box. And certainly didn't expect what followed. . Book One of the Detectives That Don't Fit Series.

    . . real or otherwise.Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age, and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear.Max is different from other children. Some people say that he has Asperger's Syndrome, but most just say he's "on the spectrum." None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can't protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, the woman who works with Max in the Learning Center and who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy.

    More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here? Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8 year old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog. But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose? Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh out loud funny, this book is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.--front flap

    You may praise him, resent him, even want to be him: but beneath the elegant trappings that define him, danger looms. Caroline Louise Walker’s stunning debut novel, for fans of Herman Koch’s The Dinner and Shari Lapena’s The Couple Next Door, delves into the increasingly paranoid mind of a man whose life as the most upstanding of citizens hides a relentlessly dark heart.Dr. Robert Hart, Sag Harbor’s just-named Man of the Year, is the envy of his friends and neighbors. His medical practice is thriving. He has a beautiful old house and a beautiful new wife and a beautiful boat docked in the village marina. Even his wayward son, Jonah, is back on track, doing well at school, finally worthy of his father’s attentions. So when Jonah’s troubled college roommate, Nick, needs a place to stay for the summer, Hart and his wife generously offer him their guest house. A win-win: Jonah will have someone to hang with, and his father can bask in the warm glow of his own generosity.But when he begins to notice his new houseguest getting a little too close to his wife, the good doctor’s veneer begins to crack. All the little lies Robert tells—harmless falsehoods meant to protect everything he holds dear—begin to mount. Before long, he’s embroiled in a desperate downward spiral, destroying the lives that stand in his way. It’s only the women in his life—his devoted office manager, his friends, his wife—who can clearly see the truth.Biting and timely, Man of the Year races along at an electric pace, with a wicked twist that you won’t see coming.

    . .Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

    It is a book that combines the author's love of humor, food, and his military service. IS GOAT BEEF? shows the humorous side of the military and how service members relax during times of conflict.

    Denied a privileged life, she is caught in the devious grip of an international trafficking ring. Confronted by the ultimate depravity of this underworld, she escapes, only for it to haunt her relationships, her future, her world.Ava’s former captors, Jeffrey Hoffman and his network of global elites, hold every option in keeping their secrets, silencing anyone who steps out of line. But Ava pursues them nonetheless.Only one woman, an accomplice in Hoffman’s criminal trade, might provide the closure Ava desperately seeks. Will she track her down? And will Ava get from her what she needs to resolve the ravages of the past?

    Everything changed after a brush with kidney cancer that set him on a reluctant path of spiritual discovery. He first denied, then acknowledged, and finally embraced and interacted with "heavenly" forces he realized want to help all of us find our ideal path in life.The result? Harnessing Heaven, the book that shows you how to actually tap into the power of Heaven, as part of a dynamic process of self-discovery.In Harnessing Heaven, you'll discover:The Seven Principles for Clarifying Your Life's Purpose Spirituality and a higher plane of guidance, grace and wisdom. The divine teachings we need to know in order to evolve in this life How to determine your purpose and passion for the rest of your life. A crash course in understanding the dynamic reality we live in. How to raise your energy vibration for health and listen to heaven. Combining teachings from heaven, and down-to-earth, actionable lessons and strategies, Harnessing Heaven and its core "Seven Principles" opens the door to discovering and mapping out your ideal life path--with confidence, conviction and passion!

    A prequel to The Kanke Killings Trilogy.Grady Harp: Top Contributor: Children's BooksHALL OF FAME: TOP 100 REVIEWER4.0 out of 5 stars ‘Cases related to Maoist related insurgencies and killings’ – recipe for terror. With this fine introduction to Detective Rajiv, readers who become admirers of this unique man will likely proceed to the Trilogy. Grady Harp, November 21.' - Review by a Hall Of Fame Reviewer on Amazon.The year 2008 was the period of a global meltdown with enormous job losses and unexpected foreclosures of dwelling stock. This narrative is an intriguing thriller set in Bangalore - the IT capital of the world. It covers the story of three best friends working in diverse enterprises, a fiancé who sweeps one of these three friends off her feet, and an atrocious crime.This was the first major case of Police Inspector Rajiv, and there was a threat to his life as he burrowed into the riddle behind the wretched crime. There were numerous suspects and Rajiv laboriously cut through the conundrums to settle the biggest case in the nation's history.Read further to get entertained through this compelling plot full of twists and turns, a seething tension, and a detective who is at the suffering end of a gigantic web of a dated, mighty spiritual cult. Will Rajiv expose the conundrum and endure this murky and savage crime?Read more if you like Jack Reacher.This is not a novella or shorts. It is a comprehensive novel delving into one of the most illustrious cases of Police Inspector Rajiv. One can read this novel as a standalone.

    The theme of the Fantasies is Law and Order and the author and the good guys always win. In a few places, it is quite tame. In most of the others, it is twisted, gruesome, bloody, and void of any empathy. Read at your own peril, but remember, it is mainly a book of fiction, and no one really dies. This book is not a template for murder, but the thoughts do arise in the mind of the author and as far as the author knows, someone can not be put away for their thoughts.

    It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives - the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness - are inextricable from the history playing out around them.Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love - a stunning accomplishment.--front flap