This hilarious novel is a worthy sequel to the author’s highly acclaimed Goodbye to Elsa. Tristan, an Anglo-Indian professor, meets divorcee Maura Hawkins at a nudist meeting and instantly falls in love with her. He has just been released from a mental asylum to which obviously (he tells us) he had been admitted unfairly. What follows is a crazy romp through a small Canadian town, involving its local university. Its batting academics, its feminists and young mothers, and not least Maura's year-old daughter, Clare. Tristan sees in Clare a hope for the future, and decides to ‘rescue’ her from her mother and this God forsaken country and take her to India with him. He plans a kidnapping one that is totally absurd and completely believable. REVIEWS "In a way it is a crazy book — not a novel at all, but just a book, a damn good one too". — Henry Miller "Funny, full of bite." — The Times (London)

A wry and addictive debut about a modern-day American dynasty and its unexpected upheaval when the patriarch wills his dwindling fortune to his youngest, adopted son—setting off a chain of events that unearths secrets and tests long-held definitions of love and family. The money is old, the problems are new. Meet the Whitbys: an American dynasty once inundated with ungodly real estate wealth and now facing a new millennium of unfamiliar obstacles. There was a time when the death of a Whitby would have made national news, but when the family patriarch, Roger, dies, he is alone. Word of his death travels from the long-suffering family lawyer to Roger’s clan of children (from four different marriages), and the outlook isn’t good. Roger has left everything to his twenty-one-year-old son Nick, a Whitby only in name—and Nick is nowhere to be found. Brooke, an older daughter who is both overwhelmingly nostalgic and unexpectedly pregnant, leads the search for Nick, hoping to convince him to let her keep her Boston home. Shelley, the only child from the third marriage, hasn’t told anyone that she’s dropped out of college just months before graduation and is currently working as an amanuensis for a blind architect, with whom she crosses complicated boundaries. And when Nick, on the run from the law after a misguided act of political activism, finally appears at Shelley’s New York home, worlds collide and explode in spectacular fashion. Soon, the three siblings are faced with the question they have been running from their whole lives: What do they want their future to look like, if they can finally escape their past? Weaving together multiple perspectives to create a portrait of the American dream gone awry, Baby of the Family is a vivid, absorbing debut about family secrets and how they define us, bind us together, and threaten to blow us apart.

A gripping standalone thriller by the New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LOS ANGELES TIMES AND SUSPENSE MAGAZINE In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard. Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia’s bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz’s fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred—and Julia’s world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score. Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light. Praise for Playing with Fire “Compelling . . . I defy you to read the first chapter and not singe your fingers reading the rest.”—David Baldacci “One of the best and most original thrillers of the year.”—Providence Journal “[A] novel brimming with emotion, literary description, and psychological suspense.”—The Huffington Post “Will make readers drop everything to immerse themselves in its propulsive dual narrative.”—Los Angeles Times

Driven from their impoverished Irish village, fifteen-year-old Maura and her younger brother meet their landlord's runaway son in Liverpool while all three wait for a ship to America; their fates continue to intertwine on board ship and in the New World.

Immerse yourself in a world of adventure and inspiration with Alfred H. Miles' delightful collection, "Fifty-Two Stories for Girls." This enchanting anthology features a year’s worth of captivating tales designed to inspire young readers and spark their imaginations. As Miles shares his stories, consider this: How can a single tale shape a girl’s perspective on courage, friendship, and resilience? Each story is crafted to empower and entertain, showcasing strong female characters who navigate challenges and discover their true selves. But here’s the twist that will captivate your heart: Could the lessons learned through these fictional journeys echo in real life? Miles’ engaging narratives encourage young readers to embrace their dreams and face obstacles with determination. Enjoy the diversity of stories, each offering unique insights and experiences that reflect the richness of girlhood. This collection serves not just as entertainment, but as a source of inspiration for girls everywhere, fostering a love for reading and storytelling. Are you ready to embark on a year-long journey filled with excitement and empowerment? Open the pages of "Fifty-Two Stories for Girls" and let the adventures unfold! Each story is crafted in short, engaging paragraphs that make for easy reading and lasting impressions. This is more than just a book; it’s an invitation to explore the strength and potential within every girl. Your adventure awaits! Don’t miss your chance to own this inspiring collection. Purchase "Fifty-Two Stories for Girls" today and ignite the imagination of the young readers in your life!

In 1852, Maura Thompson answers an ad for a mailorder bride and leaves her home in Boston in search of a new life in California. What she finds, though, is rejection from Luther Buchanan, who wanted help in his store more than he wanted a wife-especially one with a secret disability. Yet they begin a loveless marriage. Maura had hoped for a new start, but the obstacles against this marriage seem like mountains. She prays that God will change her husband's heart-unaware that her own attitudes, including her fear of rejection, have played a major part in the problem. Will Maura give up on the marriage and leave when the stress becomes too great? Can she find something to love about Luther?

The mere absence of war is not peace (John F. Kennedy). That is the premise of "The Late Unpleasantness", a post-Civil War novel whose title derives from a common reference by genteel folk of the time to the war that left over 600,000 dead. Through the experiences of survivors, the story evolves within Camp Douglas, a Confederate prisoner of war camp located in Chicago, the Andersonville prisoner of war camp in Georgia, and the fictitious town of Mission, Wyoming. Dubbed the "Andersonville of the North", Camp Douglas easily matched the brutality of its Southern counterpart and nearly six thousand soldiers of the Confederacy died there. Maura Spencer, a nurse from Chicago, cannot favor a side in a conflict between her countrymen and so tends to the inmates of Camp Douglas. Peace, when it finally arrives, holds little interest for her and she is unable to see to a season beyond the war. Aubrey Cameron, a captured Confederate soldier from North Carolina, is singled out for especially cruel treatment by his Camp Douglas captors and left to survive the peace bearing the scars of his internment. Like others of the era, Aubrey and Maura become part of the westward migration. In the fledgling town of Mission they join a fragile nucleus of veterans. Although this novel is focused on the Civil War period its messages are germane to the war experience in general and to the understanding that coming home from battle is a journey best taken in the company of others and not achieved merely by boarding a train.