Snatched from her home during a game of hide and seek. Left behind in her place is a doll crudely twisted from stalks of corn.Psychotherapist Annie O’Malley thought she’d left the police force forever. The trouble is she thinks she knows the identity of the killer, and she’s the only one who can hunt him down before it’s too late.O’Malley is drawn back to a world she thought she’d escaped, to a case where every turn reminds her of her childhood and her missing sister. When she’s partnered with DI Joe Swift, a man with more ghosts than people in his past, O’Malley has to make the hardest decision of her life.Save a stranger. Or save herself.The first in the Annie O'Malley Thriller series is perfect for fans of Alex Smith, JD Kirk, and J.E. Mayhew.

    When Jimmy is found brutally murdered, Nancy is hell bent on finding the culprit.  She’s going to make them pay for what they did.Only the perpetrator is someone close to home. Someone who betrayed them all. To catch a killer, mother and daughter must find the secrets tearing their family apart...

    A heart-pounding and magical tapestry of romance, history, legend, and complex themes of inequality that resonated as deeply centuries ago as they do today. Perfect for fans of Susanna Kearsley, Nora Roberts, Mary Stewart, Maeve Binchy, and Susan Wiggs. After a disastrous relationship with her boss, Meg Cameron leaves her job with two bad options. Stay silent? Or speak up and ruin her career? A trip to an archeological dig gives her time to reflect on historical imbalances of power, but history refuses to stay quietly in the bloody past of Ireland's beautiful Beara Peninsula and the O'Sullivan massacre. Niall Sullivan has spent years chasing the truth of what happened to his family in 1602. But he never expected to have to bring his newly orphaned nephew, Adam, with him to excavate on Dursey Island--without internet or television or even reliable cell phone coverage. Still, time alone together in the abandoned village could be exactly what the two of them need to build the foundations of a family. Until Meg Cameron comes along. Meg and her developing relationship with Niall brings out both the best and the worst in Adam. And as danger comes from unexpected sources, they all have choices to make. Life and death choices none of them expected. ★★★★★  PRAISE FOR LAKE OF DESTINY ★★★★★  "Delightful, charming, and heartwarming!" -- New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins "I loved this!!! It reminds me of a Nora Roberts series, The Gallaghers of Ardmore . . . but a Scottish version with men in kilts!" -- Two Chicks on Books "Outlander-Lite Meets Gilmore Girls in Scotland. This is a story that sucked me in from the start and didn't let go until I'd laughed, shed a few tears and worked up an appetite. Fast. Fun. Romantic. Read it!" -- Jenuine Cupcakes "Endearing and alluring! Modern day mixed with history, truth, folklore, and just the right touch of the blarney! -- Thoughts on Your Words "So much charm it's magical!" --  BookGeek ★★★★★ PRAISE FOR COMPULSION ★★★★★  "Skillfully blends rich magic and folklore with adventure, sweeping romance, and hidden treasure . . . Impressive."  -- Publisher's Weekly "Eight Beaufort is so swoon-worthy that it s ridiculous."  RT Book Reviews , RT Editors Best Books of the Year "Darkly romantic and steeped in Southern Gothic charm, you ll be compelled to get lost in the Heirs of Watson Island series." -- #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout "The perfect Southern family saga: charming and steamy on the surface, with cold-blooded secrets buried down deep." -- Kendare Blake, -- New York Times bestselling author "Haunting, atmospheric, and absorbing.

    So when one of their own was wronged in any way, the community always had its own way of dealing with it.The first title in a series of gritty family sagas, Our Vinnie accounts the dramatic true story of a brother’s determination to avenge his younger sister’s rape. Josie was just 11 when her Vinnie, then 14, was taken away to a detention centre. Distraught by his absence and left alone with indifferent parents, when she escapes from one of their rows she naively enters the house of a neighbour, Melvin, who – horrifically – leads her upstairs and overpowers her.Convinced by her friend Carol, Josie tells her sister Lyndsey about the rape but, with Vinnie out of the picture, Lyndsey uses the information for her own ends. When Vinnie returns, hardened by years inside the system, his outrage on discovering the truth is severe. And with new abuses continually coming to light, a cataclysmic series of violent events begins to spiral out of control…Dramatic and shocking, Our Vinnie is an unbelievable page-turner, documenting a community forsaken by society, and one brother’s unrelenting determination to take justice into his own hands.

    A place which she has very much buried in the past.Desperate to move forward in her case and curiosity piqued, Tara accepts, but as she delves deeper into the man’s past, it becomes obvious he hasn’t been honest with her.And when another death is linked to Callum, Tara is confronted by the danger that her own demons have led her to trust the wrong person again.

     Every action has a consequence and this is the aftermath. My name is Kara Petersen. I am one of life’s survivors, but my life has not been easy. I am the product of a dysfunctional, broken home and parents who don’t care. Fallen from grace, abandoned and betrayed, I am now alone. Then there was hope. A boy, a saviour. He saved me, empowered me, and gave me the strength and courage to leave. To live. His actions will not be in vain. I will do whatever it takes to survive. My name is Sloan Foster. I am one of life’s failures, but my life has not been fair. I am the product of a loving home, a mother and father who adored each other, until death paved the way for the devil. Trapped inside a world with a gilded façade, I have always felt alone. Then there was hope. A girl, an angel, a beacon of pure light in the dark. She subconsciously called to me, reached deep into my soul, unknowingly claiming a part of myself I had let die years ago. I promised I would do whatever it took to be her protector. My promises were unachievable and futile. I will do whatever it takes to find her again. Please note this is a 36,000 word novella, chronicling the lives of Kara and Sloan and the ‘missing’ eight years. It is not a continuation of the present story, and should be read after Fractured and Tormented.

    He's not going to let the same thing happen here. Daniel's new life in Aelterna was supposed to be easy and relaxing, but instead of the sleepy shopkeeping job he planned on, he's dumped in a swamp full of feral monsters, lost gods and savage lizard people! He's up against ancient civilizations, power-hungry players and a serious case of culture shock, and he's got nothing but his barrier magic to face these challenges. Worse, the company that runs the game might have motives that don't have Daniel's best interest at heart; how's he supposed to survive when the masters of his new reality are against him? If you're looking for an exciting fantasy LitRPG novel, this is your book. Goddess Watch is full of surprising allies, deadly enemies, monsters and magic. Adventure with Daniel as he's tested in ways he never imagined. Will he survive unchanged, or will the harsh demands of Goddess Watch turn him into something he doesn't recognize? Buy Goddess Watch today and live another life in Aelterna!

    Receiving help from an unexpected quarter - a criminal she put away many years before - Eve feels she has no choice but to agree to his request to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice in return. But why is a hardened criminal like John Duran so keen to help a fellow-inmate convicted of the murder of a stable-girl? And why has he chosen Eve to look into the case?Teaming up with crusading journalist Dan Cooper, Eve begins to uncover disturbing flaws in the original investigation. But as her past is dragged to the surface, she comes to realize she has been plunged into a case more complex and sinister than she ever imagined.

    

    A nice safe profession that let him stay behind the town's walls. His mother had other ideas, however. She insisted that he follow in his father's footsteps and become the town's greatest hunter, and as such she refused any and all apprenticeships he tried to secure. Sebastian's one solitary hope was that he possessed magic, and would be accepted into the Mage's Guild as a novice. Sometimes life gives you what you wish for, but in a way you never saw coming.

    Includes, TEAGUE, GRACE, & COOPER, in one great boxed set! TEAGUE Teague Simon is a man at a crossroads. He’s no good around people and spending time alone at the family cottage will hopefully ease his burden. What he doesn’t need is the woman next door poking around his business making things worse. And what he really doesn’t need are her two young children in his face. How can they help slay the demons that haunt him? Sabrina Campbell is barely surviving and doing everything that she can to hide that fact. She takes care of her kids and keeps herself busy. She’s not looking for anything other than the chance to forget. But when Teague Simon shows up, looking as haunted as she is, she’s drawn to his pain. His loneliness. She knows his scars run deep, but so do hers. She should stay away and yet she can’t. Can these two broken souls somehow heal each other? GRACE When love and pain collide, all bets are off… Grace Simon is a fixer. But fixing the men in her life has led to more heartbreak than she cares to admit to. She should know by now that some men are damaged for life. Yet Matt Hawkins awakes in her such a need to connect that it can’t be denied. Risking her heart might be the only way to help him, but it could also be the one heartbreak she will never get over… Matt Hawkins has never learned to deal with his painful past. He uses booze and women to forget and he sure as hell knows that ‘forever’ isn’t in his future. He’s no good for a rich girl like Grace Simon. Yet he can’t deny the powerful attraction between them and his desire to be with her. Does he push her away knowing he’ll only hurt her? Or does he take a chance and hope that she’s the key to slaying his demons… He runs, she hides. No one can do it forever… COOPER Most of America think they have Cooper Simon figured out–he’s the playboy with no morals and a taste for married women. Cooper’s fine with that because he’s got secrets he’d rather keep buried. Who knew that spending a few months in Fisherman’s Landing would screw with his head. Or meeting a woman unlike any he’s met before, would be the key to unraveling all of his secrets…and maybe his heart. After a horrific accident Morgan Campbell is grateful to be alive. So what if her life didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to? She lives quietly and keeps to herself. But meeting the most arrogant, infuriating, and sexy man will turn her world upside down. Because not only is Cooper Simon out of her league, he’d never be interested in someone like her. Can she be brave enough to step out of the box and reclaim the woman she once was? Or is she doomed to live in the shadows forever…

    All the makings of a best-seller” Betsy Reavley, author "You'll be left thinking about this book long after you finish it." Florrie Palmer, author and songwriter What happens when your innocence is taken away? Amelia is a happy six years old. Then a chance encounter with a bad man, in the park changes everything. Can she ever recover from the trauma in her childhood? This is Amelia’s story. Follow her as she discovers that life, love and loss can be a killer. And sometimes revenge can be beautiful… This is Anita Waller’s stunning debut.

    Until they discover Emily, aged five, has a rare and fatal illness. Medical trials show that a temporary fix would be to transplant a hormone from a living donor. However in the trials the donors die within twenty four hours. Victoria and Jonathan are forced to accept that their daughter is going to die. In an unfortunate twist of fate Jonathan is suddenly killed in a farming accident and Victoria turns to her sick father-in-law, Frank, for help.  Then a series of events present Victoria and Frank with a situation that, although illegal, could save Emily. Will they take their one chance and should they? A Sinister and Darkly Compelling Psychological Thriller Novel, this book is intended for mature audiences and contains graphic and disturbing imagery.    Netta Newbound is the best-selling author of The Watcher.

    Hephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book is a collaboration focused on Enid Blyton series.

     It doesn't make for "easy" reading, but since when did ignoring an issue make it disappear? After all, this is the world we all live in. Isn't it time we did something about it? DISCLAIMER: This book is based upon a true story of child abuse, and as such contains passages that some readers may find disturbing.