Since the 1950s Peter Matthiessen has written fiction and nonfiction of elemental power and moral vision, including the acclaimed novels At Play in the Fields of the Lord and Far Tortuga and works of naturalism and exploration like the National Book Award-winning The Snow Leopard.This stunning collection of short stories, available for the first time in paperback, spans more than three decades of writing by one of the most acclaimed literary voices of our time.

    It is a story of her struggle as she deals with worries of first love. Her journey from realization of the sweet feeling she experiences these days is called Love- her First Love. It is a tale of her secretly nurtured dream and her silent prayer that he will propose her in a very romantic way. It is a tale of her desire that she wants him to say those three magical words to her first.Although he hasn't shown much interest in her.Still in her heart she keeps on praying, first you plz… It is Avanti’s journey of ups and downs of her first love and how she exhibits immaturity as she deals with anxieties of her first love.

    Then got out of bed and had a brisk rub down with the pumice stone. I opened the curtains and saw that the sun was shining brightly. (A suspicion is growing in my mind that the BBC is not to be trusted.)Margaret Hilda Roberts is a rather ambitious 14 � year old grocer's daughter from Grantham. She can't abide laziness, finds four hours of chemistry homework delightful and believes she is of royal birth - or at least destined for great things. But Margaret knows that good things never come to those who wait . . .These are the secret diary entries of a girl born into an ordinary life, yet who might just go on to become something really rather extraordinary, and she is brilliantly brought vividly to life by bestselling author Sue Townsend, Britain's favourite comic writer for over three decades.'Essential reading for Mole followers' Times Educational Supplement'Wonderfully funny and sharp as knives' Sunday TimesSue Townsend is Britain's favourite comic author. Her hugely successful novels include eight Adrian Mole books, The Public Confessions of a Middle-Aged Woman (Aged 55�), Number Ten, Ghost Children, The Queen and I, Queen Camilla and The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year, all of which are highly acclaimed bestsellers. She has also written numerous well-received plays. She lives in Leicester, where she was born and grew up.

    Whether he is writing about the players in a rickety bisexual love triangle or a woman visiting her husband in a nursing home, probing the psychic mainspring of a grimly obsessive weight lifter or sifting through the layers of resentment, need, and pity in a friendship that has gone on a few decades too long, Baxter enchants us with the elegant balance of his prose and the unexpectedness of his insights. Long admired and now once more available in paperback, Harmony of the World is a masterpiece of lucidity and compassion.

    When ruthless gangster James Machie’s accountant, known as the Magician, is found stabbed to death in a multi-storey car park it’s clear all is not well within Machie’s organisation. Meanwhile Daley’s friend and colleague DC Brian Scott has been having some problems of his own. To save his job, Scott is persuaded to revisit his past in an attempt to uncover the identity of a corrupt police officer. But there’s a problem. To do so, he must confront Machie and his cohorts. Brian Scott is soon embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with his childhood friends. As Daley seeks out his old mentor, Ian Burns, to help save his friend and find out who is telling the truth, it becomes a desperate race against time.

    Four delightfully diabolical tales have been summoned from beyond the grave, and are certain to make your skin crawl. This collection includes: Boylan House - A small New England town is horrified when it discovers an old house has developed an appetite for the blood of children. Blood Contract - The residents of the town of Thorne suffer a terrible price, when they break a supernatural contract with their ancient protectors. Hungry Ghosts - A troubled psychiatric patient discovers that a secluded cemetery holds the key to stopping a murderous legion of the dead. Sherman’s Collection - The sudden death of a wealthy and mysterious occultist leaves a library of haunted books in the care of his surprised heir. Haunted houses, vengeful spirits, ancient curses—everything you crave in a classic ghost story lurks within this ghastly collection. And as you devour one terrifying story after another, pay no attention to the chill in the air. It just may be the icy presence of the dead, standing over your shoulder…

    In "Caterpillars in Their Usual Hurry", an alcoholic businessman whose girlfriend has walked out on him decides to make more money, only to discover that his future and past can’t coexist. "The Window at the End of the Street" is the story of Anita, a recently widowed woman, whose return to her parents’ home becomes the cause of both her mother’s death and Anita’s incurable attraction to her neighbour. "Nude Man at the Window" is the second-person narrative of an egoist millionaire who is accused of murdering a prostitute after she claims to have fallen in love with him. "Why I Don’t Lock up My Wife Anymore" is about a man who accidentally discovers his wife in bed with a total stranger and decides to do the unthinkable. "Unloved in Nude Town" is about three friends, one of whom falls in love with a stranger named Mona and pays a price he could never have imagined. With its delicate wit and a strong sense of place, "Long Way from Home" is the story of a gigolo who falls in love for the first time. A second-person narrative, "All You Need Is One Good Shot", is the story of a young police officer who is kidnapped by his wife, who he thinks still loves him.

    “You know I just worked a twelve-hour shift. Gotta get me right before I go to sleep.” He smiled his ugly smile and opened the screen door. “I’ll take you shoppin’ when I wake up; spend a couple bands on you.”He put his key in the lock and turned it… But the door was snatched open before Mone’s hand could even reach the doorknob.Lacresha’s eyes opened wide with fear as she witnessed a tall masked man step from behind the door and raise a gun to Mone’s face.“Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?” The masked man stated coldly.

    With no access to the outside world and no avenue of escape, her situation is hopeless. Faith is forgotten by everyone until Hope, her youngest daughter, sets out to find her mother. She will uncover the dark truths of love, family, betrayal, and the haunting question - Who can someone really trust? Her search for the truth will put her life in danger and may destroy the Brunick family forever.How can anyone live with themselves after doing the unthinkable? How far would you go to keep your past a secret? In another page-turner, The Beginning of Hope will take you on an unforgettable ride full of twists and turns leading to a mind-blowing ending.

    

    The stakes are higher than ever as Madalina’s daring escape plan turns into a rescue mission.Meanwhile, her boyfriend is already hot on her trail. Private security specialist Cole West, along with his loyal brothers, will travel to the ends of the earth to rescue Madalina—or die trying.In this sexy, thrilling conclusion to Danielle Bourdon’s Inheritance series, Madalina and Cole realize survival isn’t just about evading the bad guys. Any hope for a peaceful life hinges on tracking down the artifacts at the heart of the conspiracy and returning them to their rightful owner.Taking readers from the carefree beaches of California to the politically volatile villages of Nepal, A Dangerous Tryst proves that nothing fans the flames of passion quite like a healthy dose of danger.

     Terrified that Roger will try and find her and force her to come back, Pam takes refuge with an old school friend, taking care to leave no trail behind her. A stroke of good fortune decides Pam that she must disappear for good, vanish without a trace, but as she is to discover, that is not as easy as it sounds, especially when she’s reported missing by a friend and the police become involved.

    As the storm clouds of war gather over Europe, a chain of events is set in motion which will reach across the decades to haunt the neglected place once known as Oyster Shore.A lifetime of regrets…In the winter of 1964 one of the richest men in England lies dying. Alone and consumed by guilt, Gerald Snowe leaves behind the dark secrets which have driven him to despair and his last wish is that restitution might be made. But who will remain on Oyster Shore long enough to hear the past whispering?A lost story…Over fifty years later, broken-hearted writer Lowenna Scott seeks solace in a remote riverside hideaway. Swirling mists and ghostly tales soon draw her into a decades’ old mystery and the company of the enigmatic Noah Wilson. When a long-concealed betrayal unexpectedly comes to light, Lowenna and Noah must look to the past to uncover the truth behind a love affair that changed history, haunts Oyster Shore and possesses the power to alter their own future forever…Taking the reader on a captivating journey through time, place and war, Oyster Shore is an unforgettable story of love, loss, and most of all hope.

     Looking for shapeshifters who are hard, ready for anything for their fated and impossible to stop when they go for what they want? Then Shifter Squad Six is exactly the team of seasoned Navy Seal shapeshifters you are looking for. With plenty of danger, unexpected pregnancies and steamy drama to look forward to, this is a bundle you can't miss! This anthology includes four full novels from the bestselling Shifter Squad Six series. Each book has a happily ever after ending, no cheating and can and should be read as a standalone! The boxed set includes: Bear My Baby Brought together by fate once more, Connor has to save his woman, maybe the world, and most heartwrenchingly, his cub he knew nothing about. Can Cassie and Connor overcome the lies between them and have a future together, or are they doomed to fail? Twin Wolf Trouble Risking their loyalty, their future and their friendships, the brothers will do anything that they have to in order to keep their mate and their sons safe. Yet sheer force of will means nothing when they're pitted against the most dangerous terrorists in the world. And they want blood. Will Madeline, Tex and Thatch find their happiness or are the sharp claws of destiny too brutal to pass through? Bad Cat Baby Blues Facing deceit, death, crazed terrorists and an innocent child in the middle of it, Dutch and Ari need to realize whether they can be a team and trust each other or if fate never had that in store for them. One thing's for certain though - neither one of them is going down without a fight! Cats Got Your Tongue The men know it's now or never. Save Ari and their heirs or regret it for the rest of their lives. The Arctics are the key to their salvation and possible destruction. Will they fail or have Grant and Grim finally met the one woman who could make them work as a team?

    They are on their way to visit his parents for Christmas, but they never arrive.Tim has an unshakable feeling that something will go horribly wrong even before they set off. What happens is far worse than he could have imagined.The tragedy that occurs sees grief-stricken Tim back in his investigator role, seeking justice.