Sherlock Holmes and Irene Doyle are as riveted as the rest of the audience. They are celebrating Irene's sixteenth birthday at the Egyptian Hall as Alistair Hemsworth produces a real and very deadly dragon before their eyes. This single, fantastic illusion elevates the previously unheralded magician to star status, making him the talk of London. He even outshines the Wizard of Nottingham, his rival on and off the stage. Sherlock and Irene rush backstage after the show to meet the great man, only to witness Inspector Lestrade and his son arrest the performer. It seems one-upmanship has not been as satisfying to Hemsworth as the notion of murder. The Wizard is missing; his spectacles and chunks of flesh have been discovered in pools of blood in Hemsworth's secret workshop. That, plus the fact that Nottingham has stolen Hemsworth's wife away, speak of foul play and motive. There is no body, but there has certainly been a grisly death. The Lestrades are certain they have their man, but ever-observant Sherlock is not so sure. Night visits to the workshop turn up clues that don't add up to a closed case. The deeper Holmes digs, the more this mystery becomes an illusion; a deadly game of smoke and mirrors. Before it plays out, the boy will have to consider far more than Hemsworth's guilt or innocence. He may even come to believe in magic and the existence of dragons.

The aim of this volume is to fill a long-recognised gap in communication, discourse and culture studies by providing descriptions and analyses of Chinese institutional interactions in various settings. This book contributes on the one hand to the latest developments of discourse studies with insights into the analysis of Chinese institutional interactions. On the other hand, this volume serves as a valuable resource for readers who intend to become acquainted with Chinese culture and institutional discourse. This volume contains contributions by some of the leading scholars in the field of Chinese discourse analysis. The contributions examine Chinese institutional interactions in various settings, including business negotiations, courtroom interactions, medical consultations, survey interviews, and business telephone calls.

When a popular magician's wife goes missing, Sherlock looks for clues. But, as any good illusionist knows, the best hiding places are often in plain sight.

The Olympic track and field athlete relates his road to victory and offers advice for obtaining similar goals

The princess of a frozen queendom fights to free her mother from the clutches of terrifying dragons in Rise of the Dragon Moon, a middle grade fantasy debut from Gabrielle K. Byrne. Princess Toli may be heir to the throne, but she longs to be a fierce hunter and warrior. Alone in a frozen world, her queendom is at the mercy of the dragons that killed her father, and Toli is certain it’s only a matter of time before they come back to destroy what’s left of her family. When the dragons rise and seize her mother, Toli will do anything to save her—even trust a young dragon who may be the only key to the Queen's release. With her sister and best friend at her side, Toli makes the treacherous journey across the vast ice barrens to Dragon Mountain, where long-held secrets await. Bear-cats are on their trail, and dragons stalk them, but the greatest danger might be a mystery buried in Toli’s past. An Imprint Book "Enthralling, masterful storytelling—a perfect blend of adventure and coming-of-age, and deliciously scary in parts. My head is still filled with glorious dragons."—Karen Foxlee, author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy "The dragons...seethe and swirl off the pages. Fans of Erin Hunter’s “Warriors” series will enjoy." —School Library Journal A Junior Library Guild Selection

An Adventure Novel for Middle-Grade Readers Steeped in Magic, Mystery, and Glimmers of Hope—Book 1 in the Dream Keeper Saga Even though she's only 12 years old, Lily McKinley already feels the weight of the world's brokenness. She's seen it in her mother's exhaustion, her grandmother's illness, and the cruelty of Adam, the bully at her school. But most tragically, she experienced it two months ago when her father died in a terrible accident. As an artistic daydreamer, Lily has a brilliant imagination to help her cope, but that imagination often gets her into trouble. One day, it transports her to a fantasy world called the Somnium Realm, where her father's secret history embroils her in an epic quest. With the help of a dragon guide named Cedric, Lily battles evil shrouds, harpies, and other creatures to find her way through grief, rescue the world from evil, and discover the power of redemption. This thrilling novel by Kathryn Butler mixes fantasy with Christian themes, taking middle-grade readers on a quest through castles, forests, and caverns to help a young girl find hope and usher in restoration. Christian Themes: This exciting story invites readers into deep conversations about the gospel and theological issues including faith, mourning, sacrifice, salvation, and redemption Ideal for Middle-Grade Readers and Families: Includes kids' favorite fantasy and adventure elements with imaginative new characters and settings they'll love Book 1 in the Dream Keeper Saga by Kathryn Butler

Sherlock Holmes and Irene Doyle are as riveted as the rest of the audience. They are celebrating Irene's sixteenth birthday at the Egyptian Hall as Alistair Hemsworth produces a real and very deadly dragon before their eyes. This single, fantastic illusion elevates the previously unheralded magician to star status, making him the talk of London. He even outshines the Wizard of Nottingham, his rival on and off the stage. Sherlock and Irene rush backstage after the show to meet the great man, only to witness Inspector Lestrade and his son arrest the performer. It seems one-upmanship has not been as satisfying to Hemsworth as the notion of murder. The Wizard is missing; his spectacles and chunks of flesh have been discovered in pools of blood in Hemsworth's secret workshop. That, plus the fact that Nottingham has stolen Hemsworth's wife away, speak of foul play and motive. There is no body, but there has certainly been a grisly death. The Lestrades are certain they have their man, but ever-observant Sherlock is not so sure. Night visits to the workshop turn up clues that don't add up to a closed case. The deeper Holmes digs, the more this mystery becomes an illusion; a deadly game of smoke and mirrors. Before it plays out, the boy will have to consider far more than Hemsworth's guilt or innocence. He may even come to believe in magic and the existence of dragons.