Filled with intrigue and juicy stories, The Vamp of Savannah tells the story of one of Savannah's most colorful characters, Ms. Nancy Hillis. Now with ALS, Miss Hillis is telling the real story of Mandy Nichols, her character in the best selling book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. From her partnership with the piano playing, loving scoundrel Joe Odom in Sweet Georgia Browns, the hot jazz club in Savannah, Georgia; to her escapades with Minerva, the Voodoo Priestess; to her reign as a national beauty queen; and her heartbreaking dealings with the molestation of her son; Nancy tells it all--the good and not so good. You will laugh, cry and be amazed to read the story of this remarkable woman whose motto is "never, never, never give up."

Filled with intrigue and juicy stories, The Vamp of Savannah tells the story of one of Savannah's most colorful characters, Ms. Nancy Hillis. Now with ALS, Miss Hillis is telling the real story of Mandy Nichols, her character in the best selling book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. From her partnership with the piano playing, loving scoundrel Joe Odom in Sweet Georgia Browns, the hot jazz club in Savannah, Georgia; to her escapades with Minerva, the Voodoo Priestess; to her reign as a national beauty queen; and her heartbreaking dealings with the molestation of her son; Nancy tells it all--the good and not so good. You will laugh, cry and be amazed to read the story of this remarkable woman whose motto is "never, never, never give up."

Filled with intrigue and juicy stories, Nancy Hillis: The Vamp of Savannah tells the story of one of Savannah’s most colorful characters, Ms. Nancy Hillis. Now with ALS, Miss Hillis is telling the real story of Mandy Nichols, her character in the best selling book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. From her partnership with the piano playing, loving scoundrel Joe Odom in Sweet Georgia Browns, the hot jazz club in Savannah, Georgia; to her escapades with Minerva, the Voodoo Priestess; to her reign as a national beauty queen; and her heartbreaking dealings with the molestation of her son; Nancy tells it all—the good and not so good. You will laugh, cry and be amazed to read the story of this remarkable woman whose motto is “never, never, never give up.”

Filled with intrigue and juicy stories, Nancy Hillis: The Vamp of Savannah tells the story of one of Savannah’s most colorful characters, Ms. Nancy Hillis. Now with ALS, Miss Hillis is telling the real story of Mandy Nichols, her character in the best selling book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. From her partnership with the piano playing, loving scoundrel Joe Odom in Sweet Georgia Browns, the hot jazz club in Savannah, Georgia; to her escapades with Minerva, the Voodoo Priestess; to her reign as a national beauty queen; and her heartbreaking dealings with the molestation of her son; Nancy tells it all—the good and not so good. You will laugh, cry and be amazed to read the story of this remarkable woman whose motto is “never, never, never give up.”

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A modern classic of true crime, set in a most beguiling Southern city—now in a 30th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author “Elegant and wicked . . . might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime.”—The New York Times Book Review Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. In this sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative, John Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman’s Card Club; the turbulent young gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the “soul of pampered self-absorption”; the uproariously funny drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young people dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience.

The #1 Wall Street Journal ebook bestseller about the murder that shocked Savannah society and inspired the blockbuster film. As a premier antiques dealer in Savannah, Jim Williams had it all: style, culture, charisma, and sophistication. But three decades of hard work came crashing down the night he shot Danny Hansford, his wild young lover. Jim Williams stood trial four times over the next decade for premeditated murder. While Clint Eastwood’s movie—starring Kevin Spacey and Jude Law—and the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt portrayed the natives of Savannah as remarkably decadent, exotic characters, they missed the surprising dark side of Jim Williams himself. He was a smooth predator whose crimes could have put him behind bars long before the death of Danny Hansford. After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is Marilyn Bardsley’s continuation of the story, which includes crucial testimony recreating the courtroom drama between a gifted prosecutor and a brilliant defense attorney as they battle over the future of a self-made aristocrat. More than forty photos and revealing insider interviews bring new life to the vivid cast of characters in this unique southern crime story.

***TOP TEN BESTSELLER*** 'Compelling. Poignant. Haunting. Heart wrenching. Just beautiful. Everyone needs to read this wonderful book.' - Renita D'Silva, bestselling author of The Forgotten Daughter 1939. Seventeen-year-old Nora Jennings has spent her life secure in the certainty of a bright, happy future - until one night of passion has more catastrophic consequences than she ever could have anticipated. Labelled a moral defective and sectioned under the Mental Deficiency Act, she is forced to endure years of unspeakable cruelty at the hands of those who are supposed to care for her. 1981. When psychiatrist Janet Humphreys comes across Nora, heavily institutionalised and still living in the hospital more than forty years after her incarceration, she knows that she must be the one to help Nora rediscover what it is to live. But as she works to help Nora overcome her past, Janet realises she must finally face her own. Based on a true story, The Girl Behind the Gates is perfect for fans of The Girl in the Letter and Philomena. Further praise for THE GIRL BEHIND THE GATES: 'The Girl behind the Gates absorbed me from the start. A haunting, heart-wrenching but ultimately heart-warming novel.' - Gill Thompson, bestselling author of The Oceans Between Us 'The Girl Behind the Gates is a powerful, emotional novel. I was moved to tears by the ending and will certainly not hesitate to recommend it.' - Jill Childs, bestselling author of Gracie's Secret 'A powerful story of trust, compassion, healing - and the transforming power of love, that can give new life to a broken spirit.' - Sharon Maas, bestselling author of The Violin Maker's Daughter Readers LOVE The Girl Behind the Gates! 'The best book of the year. I read 125 books a year and this is the best I have read' - 5 STARS 'I can't stop crying having just finished the book. It's an incredible piece of literary genius' - 5 STARS 'A story that needs to be told' - 5 STARS 'An inspirational and very moving story' - 5 STARS 'Just brilliant. I wholeheartedly recommend this book' - 5 STARS 'I hardly ever write a review but if you read one book this year this is it' - 5 STARS 'A very moving and heartbreaking story' - 5 STARS 'I would have given this book 10 STARS if I could' - 5 STARS 'This book is beautifully written and captivating in every way' - 5 STARS