But Button was only dimly aware of the sounds. Her consciousness had shrunk down to focus on the body that was blocking her hole— —and the warm, thick liquid that was dripping onto her hand.” Button is an 11 year old, bubbly and intelligent girl who is haunted in her dreams by a tapping sound… Living with her mother and father in Cottsborough, Vermont, Button had been trained to hide and not ever answer to her secret name, ‘Rachel’. One day, two men arrive at Button’s family home searching for her by this secret name. Refusing to give Button up, things turn violent and the men shoot her father dead. Through a narrow crack in the floor boards, Button bears witness to the murder. Eluding the two men who tried to catch her, Button uses her wits to navigate herself from Vermont to Boston and then to New York. Button has a plan to find her uncle Dromkin. When her search seems hopeless, Button is taken in by a resident of her uncle’s apartment building, Phil, who claims he can help. But when they find Dromkin sprawled on the floor with his throat cut, Button is convinced she is somehow the cause of these family murders... Will Phil be able to keep her identity hidden long enough for her to find out the truth? Praise for Michael Kurland: "A perfect tale of childhood terror." - Tom Kasey Michael Kurland grew up in New York City, attended Columbia University, spent four years in the Army, much of it in Europe, and now lives in California with his partner, novelist Linda Robertson, a dog, a cat, and an occasional visiting family of raccoons. He has been a teacher of obscure subjects to disinterested children, the editor of a magazine even more idiosyncratic than himself, a seeker of absent persons, a magical explainer, and guest lecturer at numerous unrelated events. Kurland has written a dozen or so science fiction novels, a brace of mysteries, and several books that fit into that tenuous genre known as “mainstream.” He has been nominated for an Edgar (twice) and for the American Book Award. His books have been translated into eleven other languages. His other novel with Venture Press is Psi Hunt.

     Ridmark Arban is the Shield Knight, the defender of the realm of Andomhaim. The realm is at peace after a long and terrible war, but dark powers threaten other lands. And when a mad elven wizard comes to the High King's court, Ridmark finds himself fighting not only for his own life, but for the lives of his family. For the quest of the Seven Swords has begun. And the quest will kill anyone foolish enough to seek its secret...

    The mythical warrior Beowulf. A harem of hot warrior women and monster girls. Joining forces to take down the bad guys in modern-day Los Angeles. Wait. What? Adam Fraser's coming home from an unsuccessful movie pitch when he nearly collides with Beowulf and a duo of powerful warrior women who’ve been catapulted forward in time by an evil alchemist named Mossheart. Realizing that each can help the other, they set off on an epic journey across Hollywood to track down the alchemist before he accomplishes his ultimate goal: the resurrection of the monster Grendel. What could go wrong? Lots. Tons. A crapload of things could and do go wrong, but along the way, Adam builds his harem, grows in strength and skills, gathers material for an incredible movie, and discovers how to defeat villains and become an expert um…swordsman. Warning: would it surprise you to learn that this book’s intended for those over the age of 18 who like fresh takes on old stories, sexy monster women, shapeshifters, adrenaline-fueled action, cool snarky characters, and lots of haremy (yes, that’s a real word) adult situations? Probably not, so if you like those things, and I’m guessing you do, come and get swung with The Swordsman!

    She was never successful in this, but her Chandler-influenced novel No Good From a Corpse was so impressive in its hard-boiled dialogue that Howard Hawks insisted its author, unseen, be brought in to work on the screenplay adaption of The Big Sleep (together with a fella by the name of Faulkner.) Though Hawks was stunned to discover that Leigh was a woman, she got the job, and worked on what was probably the best film adaptation of a Chandler novel. No Good From a Corpse offers hard-boiled private eye Ed Clive, who gets involved with a dead girl, and suspects every one of her boyfriends--an ex-husband, a playboy, a blackmailer and a brute. There's a woman suspect as well, and a long chase through Sunset Strip.

     The spring bike rallies have ended, the spring breakers have all gone back to school, and the summer tourist season is a few weeks away. What better time for a police officer to take a nice quiet relaxing week off from work? That’s what Jake Stellar had in mind. That is until someone from his past resurfaces to remind him of a terrible secret he has spent years trying to forget. In North Murder Beach, a story of revenge, Jake is unwillingly and violently forced to confront this secret from his past.

    Gujarati translation of 'Deaha Zala Chandanacha', original Marathi biographical novel on the life of Revered Pandurang Shastri Athavale; who is recipient of 100s National & International awards including Magsaysay Award, Templeton Award etc.This Gujarati translation is the recipient of Baroda Marathi Vangmay Parishad Puraskar.

     And the support of the Vault became increasingly important as Van Horn realised that his company was in dire straits and in danger of sinking fast… When Van Horn is killed in a plane crash, everyone assumes that control of his mighty but ailing empire and his seat on the Vault will pass to his feckless son, Junior. But even in death Van Horn still has a few tricks up his sleeve — it is not his son, but his daughter Victoria, from whom he had been estranged for years, who is his true heir. Victoria Van Horn, beautiful and rich in her own right, has reservations about taking on her father’s role in the business. Especially as she has just gambled everything she possesses on a new and risky venture of her own... As for the all-male bastion of the Vault, she holds no illusions. Yet she cannot shirk her duties as her father’s heir and soon discovers her father’s enemies are now set on destroying her… Her brother, Junior, is furious at having been slighted and with his scheming wife Cecelia, he launches a suit to discredit Victoria and throw her out of Van Horn Enterprises for good. In this endeavour he is seemingly helped by Chilton Vance, Hunter Van Horn’s trusted right-hand man whose treachery hides beneath an easy smile and a determination to ruthlessly bring down the entire Van Horn family… Her Father’s Daughter explores the deception and corruption that can tear a family apart. Praise for William J. Coughlin ‘Good storytelling … jackhammer drive … the climax is gripping.’ — Detroit News ‘Satisfying and right on target … Among Coughlin’s best.’— Detroit News ‘Coughlin keeps you burning the midnight oil to the very end.’ — Kirkus Reviews ‘First-rate entertainment.’ — Booklist William J. Coughlin has combined a career as a United States administrative judge with that of a bestselling novelist. A former defence attorney and judge in Detroit for twenty years, he authored sixteen novels, and his experience living and working provided some of the inspiration for his law- and courtroom-themed thrillers.

     A special forces veteran turned VIP bodyguard, CJ has seen it all. But nothing could have prepared him for the ambush in Iraq that left everyone else dead and CJ in a coma. Eight years later he resurfaces, damaged but determined, and he wants answers. Someone set them up, but who? The only person who may know is Enya, the sister of the man he was hired to protect. She’s stuck by him throughout his recovery, but like every other player in this dangerous game, she has her own agenda. And the more questions he asks, the bigger the target on his back. One thing is clear. Someone is afraid of what he knows, and they want him dead. The answers are buried somewhere in his own hazy memory. But can he uncover them before he’s the one buried?

    Dreams can be recorded and played back as a form of entertainment on the DreamBox. To create one thrilling DreamBox program, dreams have been teased out of the preserved brains of Freddy Krueger's past victims. This program is being tested on a group of teenagers who not only experience the dreams of Freddy's former victims, but also begin having their own dangerous nightmares. One of the kids has made a pirate copy of the program and is creating free access to it via the Internet. That would mean the evil influence of Freddy Krueger would go global.

    Fred Brown's Lenient Beast is a five-part narrative telling of the perfect crime. The killer is driven not out of lust, greed or any of the usual sobs, rather 'cause he cares so much for all of us. First published 1956.

    Although these stories are not all mysteries, they all are suspenseful and very enjoyable. They already show the creative mind that devised later so many complex plots as well as Stout’s gift for creating characters with a few quick strokes. The stories, which are presented here in order of publication, are: “Excess Baggage,” “The Infernal Feminine,” “A Professional Recall,” “Pamfret and Peace,” “A Companion of Fortune,” “A White Precipitate,” “The Mother of Invention,” “Méthode Américaine,” “A Tyrant Abdicates,” “The Pay-Yeoman,” “Secrets,” “Rose Orchid,” “An Agacella Or,” “The Inevitable Third,” “The Lie,” “Target Practice,” “If He Be Married,” “Baba,” “Jonathan Stannard's Secret Vice,” “Sanétomo,” “The Strong Man,” “It's Science That Counts,” “The Rope Dance,” “An Officer and a Lady,” “Heels of Fate,” and “Annuncio's Violin.”

    Keener senses, heightened awareness and an enhanced physical strength that could be called upon by his sheer will. Erik becomes involved with a team of high profile investigators and local police trying to locate a girl who was kidnapped in the middle of a playground amongst dozens of adults and children. None of the adults saw anything and what the children claim to have seen is too far fetched to be believed. The search evolves into a full-scale manhunt into the dark and desolate woodlands of the Hopedale Mountain. After a lethal encounter and a fatality, Erik, the investigators and police realize that what they're dealing with isn't a man and possibly isn't of this world. What they're dealing with is a sentient evil that has an appetite for young children.

    She owns a small motor-inn motel on a major highway in South Georgia. The summer heat is still strong in the waning days of October, and she is tired from a long summer season. As the evening progresses, Ginny’s motel begins to fill-up. There is Johnny Benton, a strange motel guest who insists on parking his car behind the motel, a would-be suitor named Don Ferris, a guest that is the catalyst for a long and frightening night, and then there is the dead husband whose long shadow is cast across Ginny’s life like a long heavy rain...

    Unfortunately for him he shows the preacher's underage daughter a little too much attention, and when their relationship is discovered by the corrupt local sheriff, Webb's easy life begins to fall apart.

    Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment.We have to go out, but we don’t have to come back.When a distress call is received at the Casco Cove Coast Guard Station in Alaska, Rick O’Neill readies his team for a rescue mission. In the storm-tossed freezing waters they find the foundering Russian cargo ship, but when they try to make contact they receive no response. Boarding what appears to be a deserted vessel, O’Neill begins to realise that nothing on this ship is as it seems, and he may have just led his team into a trap.