Aurelio Zen—cynical and tough, yet worn down from years of law enforcement—has just been given the worst assignment he could imagine. He has been sent to the heart of hostile territory: Sicily, the ancient, beautiful island where blood has been known to flow like wine, and the distinction between the police and the criminals is a fine one. Even worse, he has been sent to spy on the elite anti-Mafia squad.The only thing that makes the job palatable—and takes his mind off routine details like the rotting body found in a remote train car—is that Zen's adopted daughter, Carla, is also in town. But life becomes precarious for Carla when she stumbles upon some information she'd be better off not knowing and befriends a local magistrate on the Mafia's most wanted list. What ensues is a breakneck plot of amazing complexity that culminates in a stunning finale. Blood Rain, emotionally gripping and defiantly original, is surely one of Dibdin's finest works.

Glenn Rolfe's Blood and Rain returns in an all-new edition from Poltergeist Press!

Until the riddle is answered, the curse will grow. It’s been twenty years since a curse drove the kingdom of Strale into drought, leaving only a witch’s riddle to offer clues how to break it. Countless people have tried and failed, their bones littering the kingdom's deserts. When one last, desperate plea goes out, the call is answered by the Knights of Sonus, an all-female band of mercenaries whose ancient order serves a water spirit. There is no one better suited to breaking the curse and, as a first-year Knight, Aryina craves victory more than most. But the desert can only support so many, so when the king turns away all but two Knights, the task of solving the witch’s riddle falls solely on Aryina’s inexperienced shoulders. If she can't unravel the puzzle and break the curse before their water supply runs out, then all that's left of Strale--and the reputation of the legendary Knights of Sonus--will crumble like the desert earth. Of Blood and Rain is a fantasy novella approximately 20,000 words long. Enjoy this complete adventure in one sitting!

The final volume in Robin Hobb's popular Rain Wilds fantasy series, Blood of Dragons completes the story of the dragons, their keepers, and their quest to find the lost city of Kelsingra—and the mythical silver wells that the dragons need to survive. Can Tintaglia and the Elderlings unlock the secrets of the ancient city? Or are they doomed to extinction? The world of Robin Hobb’s Rain Wilds series has been praised by Booklist as "one of the most gripping settings in modern fantasy," and Publishers Weekly called the Rain Wilds books "a meticulously realized fantasy tale" and "a welcome addition to contemporary dragon lore."

The New York Times bestselling author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series delivers a terrifying horror novel for adults centered on a town in the grip of a sinister revolt. After travel writer Lea Sutter barely survives a merciless hurricane on a tiny island off the South Carolina coast, she impulsively brings two orphaned twin boys home with her to Long Island. Samuel and Daniel seem amiable and intensely grateful at first, but no one in Lea’s family anticipates the twins’ true evil nature—or predicts that within a few weeks’ time her husband, a controversial child psychologist, will be implicated in two brutal murders. “The horror is grisly” (Associated Press) in legendary author R.L. Stine’s “creepy, fun read” (Library Journal)—an homage to the millions of adult fans who grew up reading his classic series and a must-read for every fan of deviously inventive chillers.

S. P. Kumar's second novel will not disappoint readers who enjoyed Cave of Mystic Dreams. In Rain of Blood, the second book in The Champions of Zairon trilogy, Kumar continues to weave magical and creative plots that traverse parallel worlds. As the young protagonists navigate an even more complex challenge than their first, we are immediately drawn back into their mystical reality. Middle-school readers and fantasy fans of all ages will delight in watching Claire, Jason, and Zac navigate a new quest-one that draws on their intelligence, determination, and wit. Kumar continues to explore themes of friendship and morality, as her characters encounter dilemmas and tasks that require even more grit and resilience than those they encountered in the first book of the trilogy. Kumar's carefully wrought sentences and powerful dialogue draw us into her story and help connect us to the intricacies of the plot. The main characters are more mature, and so is Kumar's writing. While her natural storytelling ability was established with her first book, she solidifies it with Rain of Blood.