Elrod's picked 15 of her favorite short works for this multi-genre collection spanning 15 years of publication.Also included is a never before published VAMPIRE FILES story, featuring her urban fantasy vampire PI, Jack Fleming!Each story has been polished afresh for this anthology, with pages of new material added.More information -- and previews of the stories! -- may be found at her website vampwriter-dot-com.Titles:1. A Night at the (Horse) Opera (Vampire Files, Fleming)2. The Breath of Bast (Vampire Files), Ecsott)3. Bossman (Original mystery, no vamps)4. Slaughter (Vampire Files, Fleming & Gordy)5. The Devil's Mark (Original historical vampire)6. You'll Catch Your Death (Vampire Files)7. Izzy's Shoe-In (Historical mystery introducing Izzy DeLeon, fearless girl reporter)8. The Quick Way Down (Vampire Files, Fleming and Gordy)9. The Scottish Ploy (Original romance/mystery)10. Grave-Robbed (Vampire Files, Fleming)11. The Company You Keep (Vampire Files, Gabriel Kroun)12. Death in Dover (Jonathan Barrett before he got vamped, historical mystery)13. Drawing Dead (ALL NEW VAMPIRE FILES, Fleming)14. King of Shreds and Patches (Hamlet from a different point of view, mystery)15. Fugitive (Science fiction/space opera)16. BONUS STORY! The Wind Breathes Cold (Quincey Morris: Vampire)

    Rhyme must rely on his wits and intuition to track the elusive murderer through New York City—knowing they have only forty-eight hours before the Coffin Dancer strikes again. THE EMPTY CHAIR Read by Joe MantegnaRenowned criminalist Lincoln Rhyme faces his ultimate opponent: a kidnapper and murderer dubbed the Insect Boy. But Rhyme is in for a surprise when he learns that catching a criminal is one thing...and keeping him is another.THE STONE MONKEYRead by Boyd GainesLincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs have been recruited by the FBI to capture "the Ghost"—a homicidal immigrant smuggler. But when they corner him aboard a cargo ship, the bust goes disastrously wrong and the Ghost escapes. Now, he must eliminate the only witnesses—two families who jumped ship and vanished into Chinatown. Against a ruthless adversary, Lincoln and Amelia race to find the families before the Ghost can silence them...

    It features the series' free prequel, Master of the Island, and an EXTENDED version of Master of Pleasure. If you want to take a visit to Eden, this is your invitation. MASTER OF THE ISLAND by Lauren Hawkeye When his life takes a dark turn, billionaire Theodosius Vardalos purchases a deserted island in the Bermuda triangle. It’s accessible only by plane- the better, he thinks, to hide his scars from the rest of the world. What Theo doesn’t know is that the island has an incredible secret, one that gives him hope… hope of future happiness, despite the horrible scars that make him a recluse. Hope to be had in the arms of a mysterious blonde he hasn’t yet met… MASTER OF PLEASURE by Lauren Hawkeye and Tawny Stokes Billionaire Theodosius Vardalos has lived on the island of Eden for over ten years. Though his horrific scars have made him a recluse, he has turned Eden into a resort where the lines between fantasy and reality blur... A place where he sees noone face to face, not even his staff, who have dubbed him "Master of the Island". Even as Theo helps fulfill the fantasies of his guests, he waits... Waits for the mysterious woman who was shown to him when he first arrived on Eden. He recognizes Noelle Davis the second the nosy reporter steps foot in his castle... But the dream woman is nothing like he anticipated. He yearns for her submission. But he wonders... can a woman as beautiful as Noelle truly be happy with a beast?

    On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world-- a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody's aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron. Prophecy In Rhapsody, a fellowship was forged-- three companions who, through great adversity, became a force to be reckoned with: Rhapsody the Singer; Achmed the assassin-king; and Grunthor, the giant Sergeant-Major. Prophecy continues their powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue a religious leader while Achmed and Grunthor seek the F'dor-- an ancient and powerful demon. These companions may be destined to fulfill The Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all. Destiny A Fellowship of ThreeTo stand against the F'dor-- an ancient, vile being intent on destroying the world-- a fellowship has been forged: Rhapsody, a Singer of great talent and beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant of jolly disposition and lethal skill with weapons.Driven by prophetic visions, the three know that time is running short, know that they must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all. But after their final, brutal confrontation with the F'dor, their world crosses the threshold of disaster and faces utter oblivion. The action reaches a fevered pitch, achieving a crescendo of tragedy, love, and triumph of human spirit over world-shattering cataclysm.With death at hand and the world crumbling at their feet, these three will finally discover their true ...Destiny

    Contains three stories - "When the Lion Feeds", in which twins Sean and Garrick are driven apart, "The Dark of the Sun" in which white mercenaries are up against a ruthless enemy, and "Hungry As the Sea", where courage, obsession and danger are on board a ship bound for the polar regions.

    The victims were researchers at a site rumored to be a biological warfare center. Suddenly, a local double murder takes on shattering global implications-and thrusts Corey into a dangerous search for the secret of Plum Island. THE LION'S GAME At New York's JFKAirport, an American task force waits for a Libyan terrorist defector. When something goes horribly wrong, federal agent John Corey follows a trail of blood for his quarry: a foe with the cunning of a lion and the bloodlust of a man. To win a desperate game with no rules, Corey must invent a strategy that leaves no room for mistakes. NIGHT FALL On a beach, a couple with a video camera record their love-making-and the explosion of TWA Flight 800. Now on the fifth anniversary of a blast that was blamed on mechanical failure, agent John Corey and his partner reopen the case. They will hunt for the crucial video-and race toward an elusive truth even more horrifying than the crash itself.INCLUDES A SPECIAL PREVIEW OF THE NEXT JOHN COREY NOVEL THE PANTHER

    Meet Nilah Stefanik. She’s sassy, smart and fresh out of grad school. With a ton of student debt, she’s taken a “dead-end” office job at the Fogg Funeral Home in Danvers, Massachusetts. It’s a toss-up as to what her family disapproves of more...her current place of employment, or that she has no discernible psychic or magickal talents of any kind. Nilah comes from a long line of Polska Roma fortune tellers, mystics, and psychics. Her grandmother, the incomparable Madame Sabina, is an institution in Danvers. Unfortunately, that talent skipped Nilah...or so the family always believed. Now, paranormal predicaments confound Nilah and draw her into a mystery just in time for Halloween. Deep down, Nilah is a Gypsy at heart, and with a little help from her grandmother and a trouble-making ghost, Nilah may at last uncover the truth about herself and her destiny. *** Previously released in the Welcome to Haven Harbor anthology***

    The machine awakens to begin issuing a series of increasingly alarming, if minor, omens. The omens turn out to be astonishingly accurate, and ever more ominous. As Zedd tries to figure out how to destroy the sinister device, the machine issues a cataclysmic omen involving Richard and Kahlan, foretelling an impending event beyond anyone's ability to stop. Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell must defend themselves and their followers from a series of terrifying threats. Other Tor Books by Terry Goodkind The Sword of Truth Wizard’s First Rule Stone of Tears Blood of the Fold Temple of the Winds Soul of the Fire Faith of the Fallen The Pillars of Creation Naked Empire Debt of Bones Chainfire Phantom Confessor The Nicci Chronicles Death’s Mistress Shroud of Eternity At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    Born in 1902 in Salinas, California, Steinbeck attended Stanford University before working at a series of mostly blue-collar jobs and embarking on his literary career. Profoundly committed to social progress, he used his writing to raise issues of labor exploitation and the plight of the common man, penning some of the greatest American novels of the twentieth century and winning such prestigious awards as the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. He received the Nobel Prize in 1962, "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception." Today, more than thirty years after his death, he remains one of America's greatest writers and cultural figures. The boxed set, containing deluxe trade paperback editions with french flaps, is being released in honor of the Steinbeck centennial being celebrated throughout 2002. Penguin Putnam Inc, in partnership with the Steinbeck Foundation and the Great Books Foundation is sponsoring numerous events throught the year.

    Why? Because she's more than just a office tryst. She's his mate. When an unexpected storm strands them together for the weekend, the big, bad wolf comes out to play.Hunted by the Alphas (Hunted by the Alphas, Part 1, of 7)by Lily ThornWhen two Alphas fall for a curvy monster hunter, who will end up hunting whom? The BEARS.Bearly A Bride (Bachelor Bears of Yakima Ridge, Bk 0.5)by Isadora MontroseWounded warrior bear-shifter Troy saved BBW Lisa Marie's twins from drowning. But how can 2 rambunctious cubs and a grieving widow heal this ex-Green Beret's tortured soul?Riding Bearback (Bear Ranchers, Bk 1)by Becca FanningSun Valley is in jeopardy. An age old debt has come due and the residents are in danger of losing their home. A Clan of Bear Shifter Cowboys is the only thing standing between the peaceful townsfolk and a pack of ravenous werewolves.Liam's Bride (Clan Conroy Brides, Bk 1)by Emma AlisynMeredith is Liam's mate, but Liam doesn't know his human tenant is also the daughter of his father's killer. When he discovers her secret, will he abandon her and their baby?Shared by the Bear Clan (Shared by the Bear Clan, Part 1 of 4)by Lynn RedIn wild, ferocious, dangerously passionate dreams, Adriana loses herself nightly to the clutches of three beautiful men who just happen to turn into gigantic bears.A Blaze to Bear (Fire Bear Shifters, Bk 1)by Sloane MeyersFor smoke-jumping bear shifter Ian Reed, a normal day at the office involves hurling himself out of an airplane and into a wildfire. But when his new coworker turns out to be the impossibly sexy Charlotte, can he take the heat?SHIFTER: Black Bear (SHIFTER: Black Bear, Part 1 of 2)by Emerald WrightAn island to himself, will loner bear-shifter Ryker open his heart to a woman on the run from her abusive spouse?& The DRAGONThe Dragon's Wife (The Pack Rules, Bk 7)by Michele BardsleyShe is the key to a mystery eight-hundred-years-old--and a love that has never died.

    But the life of one Brentford schoolboy is turned upside down when he is sent on a mission by a Venusian he finds in his Daddy's allotment shed, and with Barry the Time Sprout lodged in his head to act as his guardian angel, the sky really is the limit.For the boy has to pose as the famous detective Lazlo Woodbine, and his travels will take him to an alternative future, where a vast pleasure palace space liner orbits the Earth, and where one Count Ilya Rostof is planning a celebration of Queen Victoria's ninetieth year on the throne. He will travel to the fabled Garden on Venus, and even to Heaven to meet with God - a rather nice man named Terrance. But even as these events are taking place, what of the nefarious schemes of Lord Willoughby Chase, of Professor Mandelbrot and the silly boys and their plans to fly a spacecraft into the Sun, and what of the etherial Poppett and the fabled vegetable lamb of Tartary? Never mind Lady Raygun and a group of fanatical space pirates ...A work of surreal brilliance from the mind of Robert Rankin, combining ecumenical ponderings with breathless space opera, and jaw dropping imagination.

    

    But his reason for choosing this career was even less common, perhaps even unique. This story was first published in BEDLAM'S EDGE, Aug 2005.

    The killing of one of her best customers reminded her of the one thing -- they slaying of her own mother years earlier. Faced with a variety of suspects, Neeve plunges into the mystery of Lambston's death, determined to find the truth. But as she is drawn into a whirlwind of money and romance, she is also being stalked by a killer who's closer than she could ever dream . . .Weep No More, My LadyYoung Elizabeth Lange is haunted by the tragic death of her beloved sister, the legendary actress Leila LaSalle. Ted Winters, Leila's multi-millionaire fiance, has been accused of her murder -- and Elizabeth is slated to be the star witness for the prosecution. But before the trial begins, Elizabeth gets an invitation to unwind at a swank California spa. There is caught up in a torrent of confusing emotions and perplexing questions. Elizabeth must discover the truth -- and soon. Because someone is stalking her, patiently waiting for the right moment to strike . . .

    Ginger Munz, a woman dying of cancer hires him to find the son she lost as a baby. The child’s father is a sadistic sociopath named Moon who has vowed to kill her and Josh’s girlfriend Cass, for ratting him out. The trail leads to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and west into no-man’s land where Josh learns the monstrous fate of the stolen child.Josh is the BIKER, caught up in a race for survival against a human monster on the road between heaven and hell at the end of which lies either salvation or damnation. Baron spins a tale of unrelenting suspense and horror that moves across his narrative landscape like the roar of a chopper’s engine.