The Branson Beauty, an old showboat, has crashed in the waters of an Ozark mountain lake just outside the popular tourist destination of Branson, Missouri. More than one hundred people are trapped aboard. Hank Worth is still settling into his new role as county sheriff, and when he responds to the emergency call, he knows he’s in for a long winter day of helping elderly people into rafts and bringing them ashore. He realizes that he’ll face anxiety, arguments, and extra costs for emergency equipment that will stretch the county’s already thin budget to the breaking point. But he is absolutely not expecting to discover high school track star Mandy Bryson’s body locked inside the Captain’s private dining room. Suddenly, Hank finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation, with the county commissioner breathing down his neck and the threat of an election year ahead of him. And as he wades deeper into the investigation, Hank starts to realize he’s up against a web of small town secrets much darker and more tangled than he could have ever imagined. In her captivating debut novel, Claire Booth has created a broad cast of wonderfully compelling characters, and she perfectly blends humor with the emotional drama and heartache of a murder investigation.

The image remains pristine: a charismatic high-school dropout turned billionaire, whose stratospheric rise and daring exploits have won him millions of enduring admirers and made him a model for aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the world. But is this story still credible? Over the last decade, has Branson matched the expectations perpetuated by Virgin's relentless publicity machine? Or have we all been seduced by a brilliant showman? In his most explosive book to date, Tom Bower, bestselling biographer of Simon Cowell, Bernie Ecclestone, Conrad Black and Robert Maxwell, dares to explore the reality of the Branson empire. In doing so, he unravels the gripping story of his recent activities - from the astonishing success of mobile phones to his troubled airlines and his long delayed plan to send multimillionaires into space - and asks whether he really remains Britain's heroic buccaneer.

What would you do with a billion dollars? This question gets a definitive answer from billionaire Richard Branson: do everything! Born into a wealthy family in London, Branson suffered from dyslexia and was a poor student. Still, his knack for business started early with a successful parakeet-breeding enterprise at age 11.The charismatic entrepreneur launched his first major business, Virgin Records, at age 22 and spent the next few decades building the Virgin group that now includes more than 400 companies. Known for his eccentric lifestyle and trillion-watt smile, Branson’s hot air balloon flights, innovative leadership, and world record attempts have made him an instantly-recognizable global icon.

Following the shocking death of a teenage boy, Barrett and Amelia are moved to revisit the passing of their own daughter, Edi, which occurred in the same small town nearly a decade earlier. Amelia finds herself caring for the recently deceased boy's "sort of" girlfriend, who faces constant harassment and accusations from the townsfolk, while Barrett combs through Edi's self-published fantasy novels in an effort to connect with her. As he reads, an increasingly bizarre wave of incidents crashes down upon the town involving a talking goat, Bigfoot, and a G-Man with alien thought patterns, to name but a few. As the Missouri River slowly floods, and the thin line between fact and fiction is washed away, Barrett and Amelia struggle against the great unknown and search desperately for inner peace. Blending whimsy and wonder with a mix of mayhem and malevolence, Water, Wasted takes readers on a tour of loss, redemption, and the great unknown.

The Shepherd of the Hills is the classic story of the stranger who takes the Old Trail deep into the Ozark Mountains, many miles from civilization. His appearance signals intellect and culture, yet his countenance is marked by grief and disappointment. What is his purpose in taking on the lowly work of tending local sheep? And how is it that he befriends these simple hill folk, despite his coming from the world beyond the ridges? Mystery and romance envelop this gentle yet compelling story as the identity and purpose of the stranger-turned-shepherd is gradually unveiled.

Eve Bransons life reads like a fast-paced adventure novel. A classically trained ballet dancer, she appeared in racy West End productions, disguised herself as a boy to take glider lessons, enlisted in the Womens Royal Navy Service, and then embarked on a series of harrowing adventures as a Star Girl air hostess on the ill-fated British South American Airways. Though marrying the dashing ex-Cavalry officer, Edward Ted Branson, brought her down to earth to raise three children, Eves quest for adventure never faltered. After running several businesses, traveling the world, and doing global charity work, Eve is preparing to launch the first commercial space travelers to the edge of space in a Virgin Galactic mother ship that bears her name. In this lively, absorbing memoir part diary, part adventure story, part family history Eve Bransons formidable energy propels the reader through an extraordinary life. Along the way, she divulges some of the unorthodox but effective trade secrets behind raising one of the worlds most colourful entrepreneurs.

Written by a local author, this guide is filled to the brim with insider information on everything from the top fishing sites to seasonal festivals and the best places to eat, sleep, and play.