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The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Kim Edwards - 2005
David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret. But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this story that unfolds over a quarter of a century - in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night. Norah Henry, who knows only that her daughter died at birth, remains inconsolable; her grief weighs heavily on their marriage. And Paul, their son, raises himself as best he can, in a house grown cold with mourning. Meanwhile, Phoebe, the lost daughter, grows from a sunny child to a vibrant young woman whose mother loves her as fiercely as if she were her own.
Roadrunner
Trisha R. Thomas - 2002
He’s married to his college sweetheart, Leah, and they have two children and a dream home in Los Angeles. But an injury has sidelined his hot career, and prescription medication and depression are pulling him into a downward spiral, leaving Leah feeling emotionally distanced and lonely. Their fighting escalates, and one night Dell commits an act of violence that changes the course of their lives forever. But Angel Lopez, the cop who arrests Dell, decides to take the law into his own hands. Determined to teach the famous athlete a lesson, he drives Dell to the worst part of town and tries to kick him out of the car. The men struggle and the car crashes. When Angel comes to, Dell is gone and no one knows if he’s dead or alive.Leah is grateful when a guilt-stricken Angel offers to chase the media away from her home and help out around the house, “just until Dell comes home.” She and her family grow to trust him, and Angel falls in love with the Roadrunner’s lovely, grieving wife. Will Dell find his way home? Will Angel replace him? And what really happened that dark night the Roadrunner disappeared?
Slip & Fall
Nick Santora - 2007
He needs money. Fast.Desperate, he approaches his wiseguy cousin Jackie with an insurance scheme--a way for the Mob to collect from guys who owe but can't pay, and a chance for Robert to use his law degree to make a few quick bucks when he needs it most.Robert thinks it will be a one-time thing. It isn't. The scheme works well--too well. The money flows, the violence escalates, and Robert soon learns that getting out of a deal with the Mafia isn't exactly easy...especially when the FBI is onto you.
Meeting of the Waters
Kim McLarin - 2001
Porter Stockman, a smart and talented white reporter, finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time on the day a jury acquits four Los Angeles police officers of assaulting Rodney King.
Pandora's Box
Allison Hobbs - 2002
Her dreams are getting further and further from her grasp when a last chance record deal falls through. Crushed, Victoria sinks into a deep depression until an eviction notice galvanizes her. In her desperate, hasty job search she notices an ad for employment at Pandora's Box, a seedy massage parlor located in downtown Philadelphia. This establishment is opened twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Victoria is appalled by the behavior of both the clientele and the women that ruthlessly compete with one another for the clients’ business. Men come to Pandora’s Box to satisfy their kinky sexual desires. Compromising her morals and her dignity, Victoria repeats to herself that this is temporary. When a handsome, immaculately attired young man shows up one day as a client, her luck seems to change. He is immediately drawn to Victoria and a steamy love affair quickly ensues. But her job at Pandora’s Box complicates their affair. Sinking further into this sordid world, Victoria finds it difficult to climb out. That is, until crime is committed and someone ends up dead. Victoria is forced to confront her lifestyle and remember her dreams and values.
The River King
Alice Hoffman - 2000
The students at the prestigious prep school don't mix with locals. Even within the school, hierarchy rules as freshman and faculty members find out where they fit in and what is expected of them. But when a body is found in the river behind the school, a local policeman will walk into this enclosed world and upset it entirely. A story of surface appearances and the truths submerged below.
Rhythms
Donna Hill - 2001
She has nothing left except her burning desire to become a singer. But her dream will never come true in Rudell, especially if she marries the man she adores, Dr. David Mackey. So when she sets out for Chicago, everyone in the close knit community, including David believes that the next time they see Cora, her name will be in lights. However, it's not long before Cora finds herself back in Rudell and back in David's arms harboring a secret she dare not reveal. . .A secret that will cause her daughter, Emma to flee Rudell with no intention of ever looking back. And even when Emma finds the perfect man and happiness at last, she is determined to do whatever it takes to keep her family's shameful past at bay. Then the dream that began with Cora comes full circle with her beloved granddaughter Parris whose melodic voice fills the dimly lit nightclubs of New York City. Yet, when tragedy strikes, opening a door to the past, Parris discovers the hidden truths that have ripped the family apart---but which may ultimately bind them together at last.From the dusty roads of the Delta to the pulsing metropolis of New York City, Rhythms is a rich, unforgettable tale about loss and healing, redemption and love.
Fear of God
Vadhan - 2020
The reason for the murder appears bizarre. As videos of the slaughter of several corrupt politicians go viral on social media, those who considered themselves untouchable are scurrying for cover. The vigilante’s next target is a war hero and top constitutional lawyer who took three bullets for the country. Why then is he a target? Jagan Jigyasi and his Special Crimes Division of the CBI have to race against time to stop the killings. The legendary lawman has never failed to solve a crime. The war hero is as brilliant in a courtroom as he is fearless in facing a speeding bullet. The vigilante is as devious as he is effective in instilling the fear of God into those who think they are above the law! Who will be the last man standing?
Hold That Breath
Abhirup Dhar - 2019
Bored homemaker, Saachi curious about the supernatural plays the elevator game to reach the other world. Wandering photographer, Barry Bandeira puts up at a fort hotel one night and unearths an ancient curse. Abhay Kumar, a horror fiction writer, looking forward to a wedding anniversary celebration with his lovely wife, confronts his nemesis. Jeevika tells a true ghost story while on a road trip in Delhi-Jaipur expressway with her rich spoilt boyfriend, Ojas. Raman Chabra, a film producer meets a talented struggler, Dhruv in a dilapidated cinema hall to hear his horror script. One of these stories connects the others. Fear will be unleashed from the master storyteller of 'Stories Are Magical' and 'Once Again… With Love!' Have a fun, simple, relaxing and a little spooky read! Enjoy.
The Way the Crow Flies
Ann-Marie MacDonald - 2003
Secure in the love of her beautiful mother, she is unaware that her father, Jack, is caught up in a web of secrets. When a very local murder intersects with global forces, Jack must decide where his loyalties lie, and Madeleine will be forced to learn a lesson about the ambiguity of human morality -- one she will only begin to understand when she carries her quest for the truth, and the killer, into adulthood twenty years later.
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
David Wroblewski - 2008
For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' once peaceful home. When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm—and into Edgar's mother's affections. Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires—spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward. David Wroblewski is a master storyteller, and his breathtaking scenes—the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain—create a riveting family saga, a brilliant exploration of the limits of language, and a compulsively readable modern classic.
The Swan Thieves
Elizabeth Kostova - 2010
When renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient, Marlow finds that order destroyed. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey that leads him into the lives of the women closest to Oliver and a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism. Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. The Swan Thieves is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.
Lisa Lutz Spellman Series E-Sampler
Lisa Lutz - 2011
This e-sampler includes book excerpts, reading group guides, and other classified materials from the hilarious Spellman Files series.The Spellman Files is an irresistible, totally hilarious series about a family of private investigators (the Spellmans) who put the "fun" in "dysfunctional."
Water Dogs
Lewis Robinson - 2008
A twenty-seven-year-old college dropout with stalled ambitions, he works at an animal shelter and lives with his bullheaded older brother, Littlefield, in their old family home on Meadow Island, Maine, a house that has fallen into disrepair since their father’s untimely death several years earlier.When a massive blizzard hits the state one Saturday afternoon, Bennie, Littlefield, and a crew of roughneck war-game enthusiasts decide to play paintball at the local granite quarry. Bennie accidentally falls into a gully, landing in the hospital, and wonders if his life can get any worse. But when one of the players disappears during the storm and Littlefield becomes the main suspect in the disappearance, Bennie realizes that the game might have had much higher stakes. Then Littlefield takes off without a word of explanation, forcing Bennie to seriously question his loyalty to his enigmatic brother. With the guidance of his intrepid girlfriend, Helen, and his twin sister, Gwen, Bennie goes looking for answers, embarking on a journey that brings him closer to a truth he may not want to discover. What he finds will change his family and his life forever.Written in prose as arresting and spare as the novel’s rural Maine setting, Lewis Robinson’s Water Dogs is a marvel of modern fiction, a book rich in empathy that follows one man’s path through the uncertainties of youth and loss toward self-discovery.
Kismet: Beyond the Bedroom Series
Raynesha Pittman - 2011
It is not identical to Karma, with Karma you get back what dish you out. Fate is not that friendly. Savannah James, a successful, revenge seeking entrepreneur who hasn't forgotten the feeling of growing into adulthood poor or all the drama and hurt that came along with it plans the perfect plot to avenge her past that is fueled on the "What goes around, comes around" theory also known as Karma . What happens when you take Karma into your own hands and seek revenge by methods of SEX, LIES, DECEPTION and SEDUCTION? Fate steps in, Knocks you off your high horse while your feet rest comfortably in the stirrups of satisfaction and drags you back to the reality that you are not in control! "Kismet" the first book of the Beyond the Bedroom series, a collection of Dramrotica (Drama/Erotica) will leave it's readers fantasizing about sexual possibilities, exploring and rediscovering personal pleasures, reconsidering seeking revenge and leaving it in the hands of fate. New Authoress Raynesha Pittman has penned a clear and sexy definition between Karma and Kismet and will leave you wanting more.**For more details about the book please read the author's blog titled "What makes "Kismet" one of a kind?"**