Book picks similar to
A Contented Man and Other Stories by Zoë Beck
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short-stories
suspense-thriller
Blackened White
Brian W. Foster - 2012
Foster makes his entrance into the literary world with "Blackened White", a first person account of life, love, faith, and pain. In this collection of poems, essays, and short stories, Foster offers a series of brutally honest, often humorous, and profoundly ironic writings chronicling a journey into his own human condition. Using his unique style of prose and storytelling, we observe a young man wrestling with his faith in the midst of relationships, addictions, sexuality and the unending, relentless desire to be whole. Author and Grammy award winning singer Kevin Max says Blackened White "Prods the flesh with electrodes of hyper emotion, dangerous subtlety and purposefully mannered archaism". Likening it to an "Open House flier", Foster invites the reader along the journey with him through this thought-provoking collection, which is sure to leave an indelible mark on the soul.
The Argentina Rhodochrosite (An Ainsley Walker Gemstone Travel Mystery)
J.A. Jernay - 2011
[It] swept me off my feet.” (Venus de Hilo, 5-star review) “A delightful book – it will enchant you with exotic places and interesting characters.” (Linda Osborn, 5-star review) NOW A famously temperamental soccer star has just suffered a terrible loss: Someone has stolen his favorite necklace. No ordinary piece of jewelry, this rhodochrosite had belonged to his birth mother, a woman he has never met. She had ‘disappeared’ during the famous Argentine dirty war of the nineteen-seventies. This superstar really wants it back. And he refuses to play soccer again until someone finds it. It’s shaping up to be a national tragedy, until the arrival of... AINSLEY WALKER Fresh off her amethyst adventure, Ainsley immediately embarks on a journey into the brash heart of Argentinian futból culture. Running from nightclubs in historic mansions to seedy tango parlors... ...from impoverished shantytowns to the grand landscape of Patagonia ... ...Ainsley discovers glamour, danger, excitement, and the dark secrets of a country’s hidden past. From an author who worked on the foreign desk of The Washington Post... ...who explored North and South America for nearly twelve months... ...who was a finalist in a prestigious short story contest sponsored by the estate of F. Scott Fitzgerald... ...comes a travel adventure that will change the way you see your life. Length: Approximately 82,000 words. Third in the series. More praise for the Ainsley Walker Gemstone Travel Mystery series: “...an exciting new writer.” (Pamela Barrett, California, 5-star review) “I recommend this to anyone ... it is definitely worth the money.” (J Bronder, 5-star review) “I can’t wait to read others in the series!” (Autumn Timpano)
The Pigeon
Patrick Süskind - 1987
The novella tells the story of a day in the meticulously ordered life of bank security guard Jonathan Noel, who has been hiding from life since his wife left him for her Tunisian lover. When Jonathan opens his front door on a day he believes will be just like any other, he encounters not the desired empty hallway but an unwelcome, diabolical intruder . . .
Stephen King's Battleground: A Commemoration of the Emmy-Winning Television Adaptation
Stephen King - 2012
The book begins with King's short story and then moves to R.C. Matheson's script for the opening episode of "Nightmares and Dreamscapes", which starred William Hurt and was directed by Brian Henson. Henson provides storyboards used for the episode which won two Emmy awards. The book will contain one signature (8 pages) of color photos from TNT's archives; photos never before released. Those contributing to the book include:Director Brian HensonExecutive Producer Bill HaberJeff Beal, who won an Emmy for his score for BattlegroundActor William HurtMichael Wright, Executive Vice President and Director of Programming for TNTVisual Effects director Sam NicholsonProducer Jeff HayesLee Romaire, Special Makeup and Effects Designer
Nagasaki
Éric Faye - 2010
Or so he believes.Food begins to go missing. Perturbed by this threat to his orderly life, Shimura sets up a webcam to monitor his home. But though eager to identify his intruder, is Shimura really prepared for what the camera will reveal?Based on real-life events, this prize‐winning novel is a moving tale of alienation in the modern world.
Unicorn Expedition and other Stories
Satyajit Ray - 1987
In fact Charles Willard a fellow scientist claimed to have actually seen them in Tibet but unfortunately died shortly afterwards. So when Shonku learns that another expedition is starting off for Tibet he jumps at the opportunity to trace Willard's route and find the unicorns. Tibet is just one of the exotic places Professor Shonku's exploits take him in this volume of stories. In the Sahara Desert he comes face to face with a massive pyramid like structure no one knew of earlier he travels underwater in a submarine with two Japanese scientists to investigate the sudden appearance of deadly red fish that have taken to eating humans in the caves of Bolivia he meets a primitive man who has been painting his dwelling with animal figures and strange mathematical formulae and on a peculiar island which has appeared out of nowhere in the Pacific Ocean horrific plants suck out all his learning from his brain. Professor Shonku is at the height of his ingenuity and daring in this collection and thrills and surprises await us around every bend as we follow him on his astonishing adventures.
King of the Sea
Dina Zaman - 2012
The stories began as part of her project she was a masters student at Lancaster University in 1993, inspired by her homesickness, and her longing for the 'Terengganu air'. She explores themes of love, grief, loss and longing, and the magic in our lives. A young boy, grieving for his late father, meets a ghost who tells him that he is the king of the sea. Alia, a missing child, comes back as a chicken to bewildered parents. A daughter witnesses an affair by her unfaithful mother, but she is not sure if she was hallucinating. A young man arrives on an island, and marries a jungle spirit, a bunian. Hell breaks lose in a small village when a brash modern city woman decides to live there. A teacher who longs for a more glamorous life, literally, disappears into a movie screen.Dina Zaman, a survivor from the I Am Muslim tsunami, has been writing in the Malaysian media for over 17 years. Her first book, a collection of short stories, night & day, which was part of the Black & White series, was published by Rhino Press in 1997. She has had her works of fiction, and non-fiction, published in many journals and periodicals, locally and regionally. She is currently studying saints, and other holy men and women, and their impact on Malaysia for her next book Holy Men, Holy Women under the API Fellowship 2012-2013 programme that she has just been awarded.
Mary
Vladimir Nabokov - 1926
Mary is a gripping tale of youth, first love, and nostalgia--Nabokov's first novel. In a Berlin rooming house filled with an assortment of seriocomic Russian émigrés, Lev Ganin, a vigorous young officer poised between his past and his future, relives his first love affair. His memories of Mary are suffused with the freshness of youth and the idyllic ambience of pre-revolutionary Russia. In stark contrast is the decidedly unappealing boarder living in the room next to Ganin's, who, he discovers, is Mary's husband, temporarily separated from her by the Revolution but expecting her imminent arrival from Russia.
The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
Alina Bronsky - 2010
When she discovers that her seventeen-year-old daughter, "stupid Sulfia," is pregnant by an unknown man she does everything to thwart the pregnancy, employing a variety of folkloric home remedies. But despite her best efforts the baby, Aminat, is born nine months later at Soviet Birthing Center Number 134. Much to Rosa's surprise and delight, dark eyed Aminat is a Tartar through and through and instantly becomes the apple of her grandmother's eye. While her good for nothing husband Kalganow spends his days feeding pigeons and contemplating death at the city park, Rosa wages an epic struggle to wrestle Aminat away from Sulfia, whom she considers a woefully inept mother. When Aminat, now a wild and willful teenager, catches the eye of a sleazy German cookbook writer researching Tartar cuisine, Rosa is quick to broker a deal that will guarantee all three women a passage out of the Soviet Union. But as soon as they are settled in the West, the uproariously dysfunctional ties that bind mother, daughter and grandmother begin to fray.Told with sly humor and an anthropologist's eye for detail, The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine is the story of three unforgettable women whose destinies are tangled up in a family dynamic that is at turns hilarious and tragic. In her new novel, Russian-born Alina Bronsky gives readers a moving portrait of the devious limits of the will to survive.
The Summer Book
Tove Jansson - 1972
Gradually, the two learn to adjust to each other's fears, whims and yearnings for independence, and a fierce yet understated love emerges - one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the island itself, with its mossy rocks, windswept firs and unpredictable seas.Full of brusque humour and wisdom, The Summer Book is a profoundly life-affirming story. Tove Jansson captured much of her own experience and spirit in the book, which was her favourite of the novels she wrote for adults. This new edition sees the return of a European literary gem - fresh, authentic and deeply humane.
MASSIVE (Ten Book Romance Box Set)
Paige North - 2017
That’s what I’ll be, my virginity bought by notorious billionaire Travis Star. I’ve only seen pictures of him on gossip sites and in business magazines, but in the flesh he’s tall and broad-shouldered, with a penetrating stare. Hard muscles under his impeccable jacket, shirt, tie, and trousers. Dark green eyes, as cool as emeralds. Tan skin that he probably got from the exotic trips to his private island in the Bahamas. Thick, short, dark hair, and a dusting of rough scruff around lips that I can’t look away from. He never smiles. His expression is always stoic, never giving anything away. Even so, I can’t help the throbbing between my legs every time I think about what he has paid so dearly to do to me. There’s no denying Travis Star is hot. But his heart is cold. He has demons. The kind of demons that would drive a man to want to buy a woman. And I’m about to find out the hard way just how dark those demons are… Better When It’s Wrong My stepbrother. He’s devastatingly gorgeous. Dark hair. Ripped body. Piercing blue eyes that contrast perfectly with his dark complexion. A smoldering gaze that makes everyone around him fall in love. My friends used to joke that if Cole looked at you, you’d have your panties off by the end of the night. And it was true. He’d slept with most of my friends, and any other hot girl he happened to want. It had been infuriating when we were younger, watching him sneak girls into his room at night, hearing them moaning and screaming his name as he got them off. He’d had things handed to him because he was beautiful and smart and good at sports. I hated him because he was everything I wasn’t. He was outgoing, I was shy. He was smart, I made mediocre grades. He was special, I wasn’t. But the biggest reason I hated him was because he left us. He left me. Five years ago, he’d up and moved out, packing up his things in the middle of the night and taking the bus to New York City with three of his friends. They’d created a messaging app that had taken off, and now he was a billionaire. I haven’t heard from him in years. Until now. Because Cole’s back. Just when my dysfunctional mother decides to kick me out of the house. I have nowhere to go, so Cole agrees to let me stay with him in his penthouse apartment in New York City. Under one condition – that I follow his rules, whatever they are, no questions asked. I know that what he wants from me is wrong. He wants me to strip. To touch him. To put his lips and mouth all over my body. I know it’s twisted. But I love the way he talks to me, love how demanding he is. The tone of his voice, the look in his eyes, the way he assumes he’s going to end up getting whatever he wants– all of it swirls together into an ache that permeates my whole body. I try to resist him, but it’s impossible.
A Wander Through the Village: The Greek Village Handbook / The Eastern Fly and Other Stories
Sara Alexi - 2016
It’s a bold lie, but it might just work…’------------X------------A Wander Through the Village is the perfect companion to the Greek Village Series and is a must read for any enthusiasts of author Sara Alexi’s collection. In this guide to the Greek Village there is a selection of short stories in which we catch up with old friends from previous books, and are given the chance to meet some new ones. And just so we can keep on top of all the comings and goings of our favourite characters, there is a who’s who of all who have appeared in the books so far, along with a glossary of Greek phrases which are used to so vividly describe the culture.A Wander Through the Village is also packed full of Sara’s personal anecdotes from life in Greece, providing insight into the inspiration behind each novel. Stunning images of Greece chosen by Sara run throughout, and you will find maps of both the village and Orino Island, helping to transport you to your best-loved Greek destinations. There are even questions that can be used in book clubs - this guide has it all for book lovers everywhere.But newcomers to the series, please note, if you haven’t read all the books in the series then handle with care, as the handbook section includes spoilers!If you enjoyed A Wander Through the Village, you’ll love book nineteen in the series, A Stranger in the Village. Find it on Amazon now!
The Matt Drake Series: Books 4-6 (The Matt Drake Series Boxset 2)
David Leadbeater - 2018
Now going to start the rest of the series."***** "David Leadbeater is a writer to watch. . .a well deserved 5 stars from me."***** "Action filled yarn, with a great mix of history and suspense."***** "Can't wait for another Matt Drake adventure!!"Three quarters of a million copies sold. Boxset 1 is also available at a cost saving.
First Kill
Lawrence Kelter - 2013
The Back Stories feature NYPD Detective Stephanie Chalice in the days before you first met her. She’s righteous, rambunctious, and oh so ready . . . for anything. A woman is dead, a suspect is in custody, and the case seems ironclad, but all is not as it appears. Chalice soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly game of fraud, conspiracy, and deception. The body count is about to rise and the only thing standing between the murderer and his next victim is a headstrong rookie detective with a sixth sense for solving crime.
Unexpected Pregnancy
Viola Black - 2016
Never had she imagined it would go by so quickly. Memories of friends that had long since come and gone. Laughter that still echoed through the corridors of her mind. Each thought of those people made her stomach turn on end. The betrayal she felt from them was more than she could comprehend. Xavier was dead. He had passed, and Dawnika knew it before they even got to the hospital. It came as a bit of a shock that he ended up like his father. He was healthy, never did anything that he shouldn’t have. For Christ’s sake he was captain of the soccer and football team. Xavier was as healthy as could be, yet he gave no sign of life. One moment, he was breathing, the next he was lying, sprawled out on the couch. They were watching cheesy horror flicks, and laughing at every flaw, when he started to appear uncomfortable. At first, she wasn’t really worried, of course that was the first mistake that she made. He was her boyfriend, and she should’ve always been concerned, however, she wasn’t. The reason why would remain unknown to her. Twenty minutes later, he was complaining of chest pains and asked her to call an ambulance. She did, but when they arrived, she knew they were too late. He wasn’t breathing. He wasn’t moving. That of course nearly gave her a heart attack. Moreover she passed out, and when she woke up she was at the hospital, lying in a bed.