The narrator, Steve Geddes, is a writer doing a book on collectors, especially those with "unlikely, bizarre, or exceptionally useless collections." His research leads him to the Havergals, a wealthy, eccentric couple. They "collect people"; that is, she does the "collecting" while he watches-"a bout of troilism," as Geddes calls it. By accident, Geddes learns that reclusive "cult author" Thornton McCain may have written a book that Geddes hasn't heard of. Geddes the observer becomes both obsessed collector and, for the randy Havergals, object to be collected. An insightful delight from start to finish; recommended for all fiction collections.

    Henry, Jack London, and Stephen Crane. Includes multiple stories per author, their most famous short works, along with biographical notes.Complete contents:YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN, by Nathaniel HawthorneTHE CELESTIAL RAILROAD, by Nathaniel HawthorneTHE GREAT STONE FACE, by Nathaniel HawthorneETHAN BRAND, by Nathaniel HawthorneRIP VAN WINKLE, by Washington IrvingTHE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, by Washington IrvingAUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A POCKET-HANDKERCHIEF by James Fenimore CooperTHE DAMNED THING, by Ambrose BierceAN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK, by Ambrose BierceTHE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE CASK OF AMONTILLADO, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE PURLOINED LETTER, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE PREMATURE BURIAL, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE LUCK OF ROARING CAMP, by Bret HarteTHE OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT, by Bret HartevHANDS, by Sherwood AndersonI’M A FOOL, by Sherwood AndersonTHE MAN THAT CORRUPTED HADLEYBURG, by Mark TwainTHE CELEBRATED JUMPING FROG OF CALAVERAS COUNTY, by Mark TwainTHE GIFT OF THE MAGI, by O. HenryTHE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF, by O. HenryTHE COP AND THE ANTHEM, by O. HenryA RETRIEVED REFORMATION, by O. HenryTHE DUPLICITY OF HARGRAVES, by O. HenryTO BUILD A FIRE, by Jack LondonAN ODYSSEY OF THE NORTH, by Jack LondonLOVE OF LIFE, by Jack LondonTHE HEATHEN, by Jack LondonTHE PEARLS OF PARLAY, by Jack LondonTHE BRIDE COMES TO YELLOW SKY, by Stephen CraneTHE MONSTER, by Stephen CraneTHE BLUE HOTEL, by Stephen CraneAnd don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for Megapack to see the other great entries in this series -- covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, mysteries, westerns, children's literature, and much, much more!

    

    They also experience the property bubble, traffic jams, and the unbearable summer heat.Thousands of maids serve these expats, cleaning their villas and apartments seven days a week, battling tirelessly to keep the sand and dust away. MAID IN DUBAI is the harrowing journey of one such maid.Meet Aubrey, a Filipino girl who works for a cleaning agency in Dubai. Aubrey sees a city that is quite different from the one presented in travel brochures. She experiences the hardships of life in a city with many secrets. From her encounters with maids who lie, steal, prostitute themselves, and swindle their bosses to the shocking stories of corrupt employers, illegal schemes, and seemingly unending greed, Aubrey reels from one scandal to another as she tries to work hard and build a better life for herself in the infamous “City of Gold”.From ironing competitions to banned sex toys, MAID IN DUBAI perfectly captures the oddities of everyday life in one of the richest cities in the world, and is a captivating, often heartbreaking tale of one maid’s struggle for empowerment in a thankless industry. MAID IN DUBAI delivers the perfect mix between Jean Sasson’s Princess setting in the Middle East and Elisabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray and Love journey of self-discovery, on a diary format, from a unique and very realistic point of view. A novel that will challenge all your perceptions about Dubai!

    But this is no ordinary assassination. Who is the third killer? Why was there no threat warning? And why did the killers kidnap one of the bodyguards, a former SAS soldier? Paul Richter is sent on the case. Before long he is in a deadly game of cat and mouse, wounded and chased through the English countryside. Richter will have to rely on all his combat skills and luck to avoid retribution…A standalone novella in the Paul Richter series, Retribution shows James Barrington at his best: fast, action-packed and giving absolutely no quarter. Watch out for more Agent Paul Richter thrillers 1. Manhunt2. Overkill3. Pandemic4. Foxbat5. Timebomb6. PaybackComing in 2017: the next full length Paul Richter thriller.

    His ranch is his life and the approaching Christmas doesn’t mean much to him. He’s not exactly a Grinch, but who has time for decorating and celebrating when there is work to be done? Discovering a young woman lost on the country road that leads to his ranch, he has to take her home as a blizzard is coming. Violet Kendall was looking for the sister she has never known she had, and her tiny car was ill equipped to face a real Wyoming snowstorm. Is Connor going to appreciate the real Christmas gift he got this year? And are the secrets Violet is hiding going to place in danger these people that she has come to love? Will the stern Wyoming rancher and the delicate girl from Atlanta find a way to happiness in this season when miracles are possible?

     The will be good food, good company and several surprises along the way! Legacy Series: Book 1: Buying Time Book 2: In Her Own Time Book 3: Matter of Time Book 4: Taking Time Book 5: Just in Time Book 6: All in Good Time A Map for Bella: Book 1: Bella’s Hope Book 2: Bella’s Holiday Book 3: Bella’s Heart Book 4: Bella’s Home Legacy Series Reunion: Book 1: Christmas in Tuscany Book 2: Birthday Surprise Book 3: A Summer Together

    He puts her on a steamboat in Natchez-Under-the-Hill, telling her to go to free soil in Ohio. But it's a journey she will not complete. By chance, she meets an acquaintance, Walker Jackson, and together they make decisions that will alter the course of their lives in ways they can't foresee. Carefree, the Natchez mansion that Cornelius inherits, becomes the focal point of a world beset by changes. Jenny's decisions eventually take her to New Orleans, where she finds friendships and motherhood in the midst of loss before she returns to Carefree. Cornelius is a man of high principles, but he is also a man of great ambitions. Ultimately, deceit and the resurgence of an old crime threaten to destroy the world of Carefree.

    Her father was a monster.How could Vera have been so blind to what was right before her eyes?After the death of her kind and loving Papa, Vera’s home is claimed by ne’er do well Uncle Merritt, who drives the household with cruelty and deprivation. Working for her keep, the once privileged Vera is driven to skin and bone and dreads the harsh beatings that Merritt regularly delivers.Ralph, Papa’s loyal and brave stableboy, cannot bear to see Vera shrinking daily under the hand of Merritt. In an attempt protect her, he challenges Merritt and now, tossed to streets, must survive however he can.With the loss of Ralph, Vera’s soul aches, made worse as she watches her father’s elderly servants treated with cruel indignity. In a desperate bid to protect them from Uncle Merritt, his rage is fuelled, and Vera is delivered an ultimatum, causing her to flee from her home. With nowhere to go, Vera too, finds herself on the streets.As starvation threatens, it is only Ralph and her new friend, Maggie, that keep her alive. But when Maggie unexpectedly reveals the truth about Vera's Papa, Vera is plunged to new despair. Will the truth destroy her? Can she keep secrets for the rest of her life? Will she ever be able to make things right? And will she agree to Ralphs’s plan, even though it means she may lose him forever?For fans of Dilly Court and Historical Romance

    She was lonely and unsettled - her parents had been killed in a car accident, her boyfriend had decided to go back to his wife, and as a painter she led a solitary life in her North Yorkshire home town. But she felt immediately at home in the gracious stone house that had been bequeathed to her, and was made welcome by the local residents - in particular, by the members of the Mindon Amateur Dramatic Society (somewhat appropriately known as MADS) presided over by the formidable Ursula. Ursula liked to run things her way, and brooked no opposition when the ambitious decision was made (largely by herself) to put on A Midsummer Night's Dream as their next production. Petra , to her surprise and pleasure, was put in charge of the wardrobe. Rivalries, squabbles, love affairs and seething resentments threatened to scupper the production, and all Ursula's managerial skills were needed to prevent disaster. But Petra had more pressing things on her mind than the costumes for the cast. A mystery from her past began to haunt her - and the answer to that mystery might solve the puzzle of why she had been left such a beautiful house by a total stranger.

    This book contains articles available free on Wikipedia and other free sources.

    During the 1980s, Argentina invaded and fought an unsuccessful war with the British. However, despite this failed campaign, Argentina has never abandoned its claim to the islands, what they call 'Las Islas Malvinas.' Prince Albert—an Apache helicopter pilot fresh off a haunting tour of Afghanistan—is sent to the remote islands for a royal visit, an affirmation of London’s commitment to their windswept, oil-rich overseas territory. Argentina, manipulated by a former Nazi and seeking to cure economic malaise, invades once again, catching Prince Albert in the unfolding operation, forcing him to face personal demons, as well as an Argentine commando sent to hunt him down. This novella is an exciting action-filled military thriller that incorporates real places, tactics, and weapons. Please visit "Crown Jewel: The Battle for the Falklands" on Facebook for items of relevance to the book.

    EDDIE FLYNN NOVEL FROM MICHAEL DONOVAN Cheating husbands. P.I. Eddie Flynn doesn't judge. He just brings back the evidence for a fee and lets the client do the judging. Not that the present fee is much. Young mother Lisa Elland can barely afford the bargain basement charge for a quick check on her husband. But pay she will: even bad news is better than not knowing whether she still has a marriage. And for Flynn the job is a nice filler before he shuts up shop for Christmas. But there's a problem. You can't catch a guy cheating until you find him. And Ray Elland isn't findable. He's disappeared completely with just an overnight bag and a sleazy excuse. He's nowhere to be found. No-one has seen him or heard from him. It's like he doesn't exist. And Flynn's quick investigation has hit the rocks. Then complications arise. Flynn is being followed. He's being threatened. And Lisa has stopped answering her phone. The quick investigation has just turned into a nightmare... The fourth P.I. Eddie Flynn novel from award-winning crime author Michael Donovan. WHAT BOOK REVIEWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE EDDIE FLYNN SERIES... "Masterful... If you haven't been introduced to Eddie Flynn yet, be prepared." RED CITY REVIEW "A chilling thriller crafted with a fluid narrative style ... wild nightmarish scenes..." BOOKPLEASURES "A wonderful debut novel in a hugely competitive market" CUCKOO REVIEWS" Good old fashioned detective work. A slick, dynamic mystery. "KIRKUS REVIEWS" [With] more competition than ever in the crime-writing genre, Donovan's novel is a real winner..." LYTHAM ST ANNES EXPRESS "Brilliantly absorbing. Escapism at its best." POSTCARD REVIEWS "Humour ... violent confrontations ... well recommended. "EUROCRIME" Short chapters ... a brilliant use of format ... the [book] will haunt your days and nights" CUCKOO REVIEWS "Great concise writing style... fast paced action ... Donovan makes you feel as though you are uncovering the truth." NEWBOOKSMAG

    The Standish family are poor but the eldest boy, Tommy, desires wealth and position and will do anything in pursuit of his dream regardless of the misery he causes anyone who dares to step in his way. His ambitions realised, a terrible secret from his past threatens his very existence. THE WIDOW MAKERS 1842-1860 Review the Welsh Books Council www.gwales.com Mead's novel is inspiring reading; a classic tale, full of all the ingredients which make the finest novels. My only criticism was that it ended too soon; I felt bereft! A sequel please. THE WIDOW MAKERS; STRIFE 1860-1874 Review Historical Novel Society The author is a wonderful storyteller who uses authentic well-written language. A page turner. The story stays with you after the book is finished. THE WIDOW MAKERS; STRIFE 1860-1874 Review Welsh Books Council www.gwales.com Jean Mead sweeps you along with her vivid descriptions of 19th century life. A compelling vivid account that leaves you finishing the last page with regret and hoping for more.

    Plenty of action, adventure, and romance follow Jedidiah Bracket, known as Crow Killer, as he traverses the vast wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Four years had passed since the Arapaho Chief rescued Jed from North Platte River where a sudden flash flood dumped him bloody and broken on its muddy banks. Jed’s birthmark of a lance on his back plus the old medicine man’s words foretold that he would become a great warrior. With guidance from the Arapaho warrior, Walking Horse, he had become a mighty Lance Bearer of the Arapaho Nation and a legend among the tribes. Jed only wanted peace, but he still had many trails to ride and many battles to undertake. His friends, Walking Horse and Red Hawk, would always be by his side in battle, but were they enough to combat the crazed Blackfoot called Bear Claw?