Offbeat Crimes: Part Two Feral Dust Bunnies An orphaned kitten may be the only witness to romance and the impossible. Officer Alex Wolf responds to a lot of &‘paranormal' calls that aren't. Exotic pet birds aren't monsters and unusual dog breeds aren't aliens. It's a good thing he likes the Animal Control officers, but he both yearns for and dreads those calls where he runs into ACO Jason Shen. Jason's scent is so delicious that Wolf has a difficult time humaning around him. Animal Control calls take a disturbing turn, though, when Wolf and his lizard-man partner, Krisk, discover the impossibly mummified bodies of rats and an unfortunate mother cat. The rescue of the cat's sole surviving kitten not only gives Wolf more time with Jason, which is both perplexing and wonderful, but also leads to dangerous discoveries. Something inconceivable stalks the city and its officers of the law. Wolf has to figure out what it is before it can attack and drain the life from the people and the kitten he loves. Jackalopes and Woofen-Poofs Hoax animals and a consulting vampire on the prowl—ACO Jason Shen never thought having a cop boyfriend would be this hard. All Animal Control Officer Jason Shen ever wanted was a quiet life of rescuing lost kittens and helping animals in need. Having a paranormal cop boyfriend guarantees an end to the quiet part. What at first seems like a random encounter with jackalopes in the park might be more than chance and when State Paranormal sends a handsome, charming vampire to consult with the Seventy-Seventh, he finds his relationship with Alex on shaky ground. Officer Alex Wolf hoped his humaning skills were improving but now he can't unravel the strange politics at State Paranormal or why Jason's family seems to hate him. There's no time to puzzle things out, either. Bizarre animals are loose in the city, Jason's acting strange—and is the vampire captain from State flirting with him? Wolf's going to have to keep his head in the game if he's going to have any chance of putting the pieces together and keeping the city safe from the strange critters terrorizing its streets. All the World's an Undead Stage Old actors never die' shouldn't be literally true. Carrington Loveless III, skim-blood vampire and senior officer of Philly's paranormal police department, has long suspected that someone's targeting his squad. The increasingly bizarre and dangerous entities invading their city can't be a coincidence. So when a walking corpse spouting Oscar Wilde attacks one of his officers, Carrington's determined to uncover the evil mind behind it all. As a rare books librarian, Erasmus Graham thought he understood some of the stranger things in life. Sharing a life with Carrington has shown him he didn't know the half of it. They've survived attack books and deadly dust bunnies together and got through mostly unscathed. Now his world and his vampire's appear ready to collide again. Books are missing from the Rare Book collection—old tomes of magic containing dangerous summonings and necromancy. He's certain whoever has been stalking the Seventy-Seventh is composing their end game. It's going to take a consolidated effort from paranormal police, librarians and some not-quite-authorized civilians to head off the impending catastrophe.

Offbeat Crimes series Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters Kyle Monroe, his irritating new partner and their fellow freaks at the 77th Precinct must learn to work together to stop a vicious murderer that might not even be human. Kyle Monroe's encounter with a strange, gelatinous creature in an alley leaves him scarred and forever changed, revealing odd abilities he wishes he didn't have and earning him reassignment to a precinct where all the cops have defective paranormal abilities. Just as he's starting to adjust to his fellow misfit squad mates, Kyle's new partner arrives. Tall, physically perfect, reserved and claiming he has no broken psychic talents, Vikash Soren irritates Kyle in every way. But as much as he'd like to hate Vikash, Kyle finds himself oddly drawn to him, their non-abilities meshing in unexpected ways. If they can learn to work together, they might be able to stop the mysterious killer who has been leaving mutilated bodies along the banks of the Schuylkill. The Pill Bugs of Time Relationship and communication issues plague Officer Vikash Soren, but those are nothing compared to facing stick-throwing tumbleweeds, pill bugs and...time travel? Vikash Soren, the perfect police officer except for his odd paranormal ability, never seems to lose his temper. Always serene and competent, he's taken on the role of mediator in a squad room full of misfits. But on the inside, he's a mess. Unable to tell his police partner that he loves him, Vikash struggles silently, terrified of losing Kyle as a lover, partner and friend. But life in the 77th Precinct doesn't leave much room for internal reflection. A confrontation with a stick-throwing tumbleweed in Fairmount Park leads to bizarre consequences involving pill bugs, statues and...time travel? If Vikash manages to survive the week and stay in one point in time, he might be able to address normal things like relationship problems. He just needs Kyle to have a little more patience. Maybe a few centuries' worth. Skim Blood and Savage Verse Words damage more than just feelings as Carrington hunts feral books menacing the city. When a ferocious book attacks Carrington at his own birthday party, he believes it's an isolated incident. But similar books soon pop up all over town, menacing innocent people with harsh bits of poetry and blank verse that deliver damaging physical blows. It's a frustrating case with too many variables and not enough answers, and the stakes go up with each attack. With the help of his misfit squad mates at the 77th and the public library's Rare Books Department, the missing pieces decrease but not Carrington's vexations. His commanding officer rakes him over the coals at the beginning of every shift. His police partner has lost patience with what she sees as his delusional relationship choices and his inability to pick the right man in a vast field of two. City Hall demands that the books be stopped immediately. It's enough to put a nutritionally challenged vampire off his skim blood.

The terrorist attacks of 9 /11 opened a window on a host of questions and assumptions about terrorism. Terrorism, An Unconventional Crime, uses those questions and assumptions as a starting point to explore the history, ideology, movements, leaders, and modern methodology of what is in fact an ancient phenomenon. Chapter topics include the following: What Are the Historic Roots of Terrorism? September 11How Could It Happen Here? Who Are the Taliban? Is al Qaeda Taking Root in America? What Are the Tactics of Terrorism? Are Rebels, Guerillas, and Drug Cartels Terrorists? Is Islam a Major Threat to Europe? Can Terrorism Be Eradicated? If Terrorism Is an Unconventional Crime, What Are the Unconventional Solutions? The book's principal focus is the current war on terrorism. The book discusses the various reasons for conducting operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, examines the tactics used, and evaluates their effectiveness. It devotes multiple chapters to the Taliban and al Qaeda, allowing readers to distinguish between the two groups and their varying interests and motives. There is also a detailed, chapter-long biography of the late Osama bin Laden. One of the most important chapters is the one dedicated to the September 11 attacks. The rapid narration of the timeline of events, along with the descriptions of each of the nineteen hijackers and the modus operandi they used to succeed in the attack, transports the reader back to that fatal day. The gaps in the security system, the near misses of local authorities, the hijacker- pilot who was a near no-showthe what-ifs of the day are brought into sharp and painful focus. Finally, Terrorism, An Unconventional Crime, presents factual information to debunk the idea, all too common in some circles, that all Muslims are terrorists or potential terrorists. The book cites a wide spectrum of studies, ranging from statistical surveys of terrorist incidents to social demographics, psychological profiles, compilations of correspondence, and the views of religious scholars specializing in many faiths. The latter affirm that every faith has a fundamentalist wing that could be radicalized at any time. This kind of approach is a hallmark of Terrorism An Unconventional Crime. When dealing with contemporary material, the book carefully presents at least two different points of view, usually starting with official government reports and then comparing and contrasting the opinions of various experts. The object of the book is not to impose a particular viewpoint on readers, but to inform and involve them in what for years to come will likely be an urgent and important issue.

The detective genre has explored supernatural and paranormal themes throughout its colorful history. Stories of detectives investigating spiritualists, ghostly apparitions, the occult and psychics have spanned pulp fiction magazines, comic books, novels, film, television, animation and video games. This encyclopedia covers the history of the genre in its multiple forms and informs and adds to the knowledge of either the new or informed reader. Its A-Z format provides ready reference by title. Detective fans browsing for new discoveries will enjoy the entertaining style.

What is a “unique” photograph? Is it still possible to make photographs that are unique, given the medium’s ubiquity in our world? Unique: Making Photographs in the Age of Ubiquity is a thoughtful guide for photographers through today’s complex landscape of images, with the ultimate goal of understanding how to make images that matter. Artist and editor Katherine Oktober Matthews leads readers through a way of thinking about images over three parts: Understanding Photographs, Making Photographs, and Moving in Pursuit of Unique. In images, Unique features work by nearly fifty contemporary artists, both established and emerging, who have taken a role in defining the language of photography.

WHAT LIES BENEATH A peaceful Sunday morning in Rutland is shattered when a dead body is discovered on the rocks at Normanton Church. The victim has been laid out in a crucifixion pose, facing the altar. DI Caroline Hills is certain there’s a religious connection — one which threatens the tranquility of life in the area. The killer has gone to extraordinary lengths to make the symbolism clear. And the deaths will continue until Caroline and DS Dexter Antoine uncover the truth behind the dark secret — and what lies beneath. ON BORROWED TIME Each morning, the first train of the day leaves Oakham station and thunders through a tunnel under the village of Manton. But today the driver sees something that changes his life: A dead body hangs in the tunnel's exit. DI Caroline Hills knows this isn't a suicide. It's murder. And when a second apparent suicide appears in Rutland, Caroline uncovers a shocking link: the victims knew each other. As Rutland Police fight to catch the killer, a group of friends is left with an even more shocking realisation. One of them is the murderer. And one of them will be the next to die. IN COLD BLOOD A body is found under Welland Viaduct on a bitterly cold winter morning. But this will be a murder investigation like no other. As DI Caroline Hills and DS Dexter Antoine begin to unravel the dark secrets in the victim's life, they find themselves sucked into a web of lies and betrayal. Rutland Police need to find the killer before it’s too late. But with Caroline’s health failing and their main witness suspiciously missing, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Dark histories, mysterious gifts and hidden secrets abound. But will they discover the truth before anyone else is killed in cold blood?

Understanding Criminal Networks is a short methodological primer for those interested in studying illicit, deviant, covert, or criminal networks using social network analysis (SNA). Accessibly written by Gisela Bichler, a leading expert in SNA for dark networks, the book is chock-full of graphics, checklists, software tips, step-by-step guidance, and straightforward advice. Covering all the essentials, each chapter highlights three themes: the theoretical basis of networked criminology, methodological issues and useful analytic tools, and producing professional analysis. Unlike any other book on the market, the book combines conceptual and empirical work with advice on designing networking studies, collecting data, and analysis. Relevant, practical, theoretical, and methodologically innovative, Understanding Criminal Networks promises to jumpstart readers’ understanding of how to cross over from conventional investigations of crime to the study of criminal networks.