As a young man, that secret took hold of his life, and he left the life and the life's work he had made for himself in Boston, to take up residence among the poor in New York City. Ensconced there, he worked among the poor -- and took to writing tales of their success. His novels captured the imagination of a nation bursting with a new wave of immigrants who'd come to our shores -- come to the very port of New York City that was Alger's new home. He used the wealth that came to him to help the poor folks who he loved, and took his secret to the grave. It escaped from there, of course. You can find it if you look a bit. But for the purpose of this fine novel of the rise to riches, it will remain unstated . . .Alger wrote approximately one hundred thirty-five "dime novels." His forte was rags-to-riches stories, describing how boys might be able to achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, and concern for others. His characters don't achieve great wealth, but rather stability, security, and a place in society which they earn through their efforts. He is considered significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals. Bestsellers in their own time, Alger's books rivaled those of Mark Twain in popularity.Adrift in New York involves the disappearance of a son from the household of his wealthy father, John Linden. The boy has been kidnapped by the villainous Curtis Waring, John Linden's nephew, who hopes to inherit the family fortune. Grown up, the youngster lives a precarious life on the streets of New York. When Linden's ward Florence rejects the unwanted attentions of Waring, she is disinherited, forced to live in a tenement and work in a sweatshop . . . until it is discovered that the young man who befriends her is, in reality, Linden's long-lost son.

    and the Florida Crackers -the zany but lovable folks who populated the remote hamlet that was Marjorie Rawlings’ home. With a gift for humor and a venerable ear for dialect comes the author’s personal accounts of the people, scenery and wildlife of Cross Creek.Short Stories:A Crop Of BeansBenny and the Bird DogsJacob’s LadderThe PardonVarmintsThe EnemyGal Young UnAlligatorsA Plumb Clare ConscienceA Mother In MannvilleCocks Must Crow

    No one knows who steals into the cemetery after the gates are closed and locked, least of all the head groundskeeper, Bob.When Bob is warned he’ll be fired if the rose-givers sneak in again, his ten-year-old granddaughter, Briar Ann Wade, decides to find out who the perpetrators are and why they only come each fall.Briar discovers the answer to the mystery only to learn, as her grandpa says, grief and love take many forms…and there is healing in both.

    Hang out with Jack Sullivan and his friends as they navigate life after the Monster Apocalypse--living in a tricked-out tree house, avoiding zombies, battling evil world-destroying monsters, and generally treating life like it's the best video game ever! This boxed set includes the first three books from the New York Times bestselling The Last Kids on Earth series: The Last Kids on Earth, The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade, and The Last Kids on Earth and the Nightmare King. Full of black-and-white illustrations, cool inventions, and every sort of monster, The Last Kids on Earth Collection is the perfect gift for the kid who doesn't want the action (or the laughs) to stop!

    An unexpected, welcome surprise for the shelter staff, and great news for the lucky pups who found homes. But for the dogs that remain—a high-strung Lab puppy, a three-legged Chihuahua, a Golden Retriever, a hard-luck Pit Bull Terrier; and a smart, old dog—it will be a lonely and cold Christmas Eve. Their favorite employee, Ginny Collins, is cozying up their cages and giving them some love before the shelter closes for the holiday. The sun is setting, but a night to remember is about to begin.

    "He brings to life characters and situations as vivid and compelling as any in contemporary literature."--Michael Dorris, The Washington Post Book World.

    As in her acclaimed novels The Siege and A Spell of Winter, world-class storyteller Helen Dunmore shows us with subtlety and humor precisely who her characters are and why we should care for them. In each taut, agile tale, they grow to surprise, concern, and move us as they negotiate situations that are often both mundane and bizarre: a cafeteria cook confronts her Polish pen pal in a meeting that is unexpectedly intense; a divorced mother gains insight from a parking meter; a boastful writer is put in his place in spectacular fashion; and in a chilling future, conception is ruthlessly controlled by the government. In several stories a soulful, curious woman named Ulli takes up residence in the reader's imagination -- stumbling across a strangely magnetic collector of religious icons, contemplating a youthful pregnancy, and remembering a troubled lover. In Ice Cream, Dunmore reveals both her poet's ear for the concise and piercing potentialities of language and the novelist's ambition of scope, proving her status as "a master of the shorter form" (The Sunday Telegraph). "Spellbinding ... She captures a moment in time and leaves us reeling at the echoes." -- Michael McLoughlin, The Irish News "Cool, elegant, and beautifully controlled, the stories collected in Ice Cream display Dunmore's virtuosity of language." -- Pamela Norris, The Independent on Sunday "All the senses are vibrantly alive in these stories." -- Katie Owen, The Sunday Telegraph

    Both Detective Mark Whitman and Sorcerer Merrick Stone have expressed a desire to woo her, but she’s had to put them both on the back burner while she and her son have gotten their thriving restaurant and B&B up and running. But now that things at Habernackle’s have settled down a little, Linda is at a crossroads. It’s time to pick which man has her heart! Unable to make up her mind, Linda enlists the help of local matchmaking witch Sweets Porter to help. But when everything goes haywire will Linda be forced to start back at square one again? Or will she finally choose one of the men to call her own? ​ This is a Witch Squad Cozy Mystery Short-Story. It falls after Witch School Dropout and before The Witch Within in the series. If you haven’t read the series yet you may discover a few character spoilers.

    The FIRST book in the Norbert the Horse series!Norbert the horse has a problem - his teeth are GREEN! Worried that this will ruin his chances with Delilah, the pretty pony who lives in the next field, Norbert turns to his only friend Colin the cuckoo for help.Will Colin succeed in his desperate mission to pinch a toothbrush from Norbert’s owner, Farmer Finbar?What will happen if the grumpy old farmer catches him?And will Norbert ever win the heart of his beloved Delilah?A fun chapter book for kids aged 4+

    A very picky eater, Gregory the goat refuses the usual goat diet staples of shoes and tincans in favor of fruits, vegetables, eggs, and orange juice.

    and Gerald Stockwell-Poulter has had quite enough of it already. Pesky business altogether. All this hiding and running about. Makes Brexit look like a doddle. After 87 largely well-behaved years as a model citizen, less than four hours into the ‘zompocalypse’ and he has already killed a neighbour, rescued a moody millennial drug dealer and forged an unlikely allegiance with a giant ginger Scotsman. And it isn’t even tea time. Join Gerald as he and his newfound allies navigate the post-apocalyptic English countryside in their hilarious bid to stay off the menu. THE GOOD LIFE meets DOUGLAS ADAMS meets SHAUN OF THE DEAD! - Dave F, Amazon The first instalment of the Old Man at the End of the World. A novella of 20,000 words. For fans of Frank Tayell (Surviving the Evacuation), Mark Tufo (Zombie Fallout), Diana Rowland (White Trash Zombie) and also Jonas Jonasson (The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared) , Fredrik Backman (A Man Called Ove) and Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg (The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules).

    The claymation food by Doreen Gay-Kassel looks almost too fabulous to eat!

    But each morning she wakes to find his side of the bed cold is more painful than the last, and she’s struggling to make ends meet as a writer. She must admit defeat and move into the crumbling seaside guest house her daughter just bought. Perhaps it might help put what’s left of their broken family back together…There, Louisa is offered a final chance to save her career by writing an article on a local sand artist, Isaac. Except, when he turns to greet her – tall, handsome and weather-worn – something about him feels disturbingly familiar. Why, when he looks into her eyes, does she feel like he knows exactly who she is and everything she’s been through?As they explore the rugged coastline’s hidden coves together – living and laughing like she never thought she would again – Louisa is fascinated by this man who creates beautiful sculptures on the shoreline, but deep down she knows he’s keeping a secret from her. The discovery of a charcoal scribble in one of his sketchbooks linking him to the death of her husband, confirms her deepest fear. Is she ready for what he will tell her, and will letting him in tear her family and her heart apart all over again?A heartbreaking, page-turning and completely unforgettable family drama you will read in one sitting. Perfect for anyone who loves Amanda Prowse, Kerry Fisher and Jodi Picoult.

     A body entombed in a London tube station. DCI Grant Foster is called in to investigate, but within days a second corpse is discovered in the bowels of a disused underground ‘ghost’ station. With the possibility of the murders being linked, Foster enlists the help of his friend, genealogist Nigel Barnes. Between them, they try to untangle the twisted secrets of the past, buried deep beneath London’s streets – where no one can hear you scream, and the murderer is closing in on his next victim . Includes an extract from The Blood Detective, the first book in the Blood Detective series.

    Amanda was always told there was no one she could ask about Angie, but finally she has a chance to find out about the family she lost...When Amanda arrives at the stark white house with her children, she begins to feel uneasy. There are religious quotes etched into the walls of the hallway and a jewelry box full of letters hidden in her mother’s room. She tries talking to Linda and Frances, the women she meets in town, but they are guarded not just about Angie, but about the identity of Amanda’s father.Because Linda and Frances know secrets about Amanda’s family that could have devastating consequences. And as Amanda digs further into the past, it’s not just her own happiness at stake but that of her teenage daughter.Soon Amanda will have to decide: will she risk losing everything to find out the truth?A gripping and emotional novel about what it means to belong. The Daughter She Lost is perfect for fans of Kerry Fisher, Diane Chamberlain and Liane Moriarty.