The tale begins over three-hundred years ago, when the Fair People—the goblins, fairies, dragons, and other fabled and fantastic creatures of a dozen lands—fled the Old World for the New, seeking haven from the ways of Man. With them came their precious jewels: diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls... But then the Fair People vanished, taking with them their twelve fabulous treasures. And they remained hidden until now... Across North America, these twelve treasures, over ten-thousand dollars in precious jewels, are buried. The key to finding each can be found within the twelve full color paintings and verses of The Secret. Yet The Secret is much more than that. At long last, you can learn not only the whereabouts of the Fair People's treasure, but also the modern forms and hiding places of their descendants: the Toll Trolls, Maitre D'eamons, Elf Alphas, Tupperwerewolves, Freudian Sylphs, Culture Vultures, West Ghosts and other delightful creatures in the world around us. The Secret is a field guide to them all. Many "armchair treasure hunt" books have been published over the years, most notably Masquerade (1979) by British artist Kit Williams. Masquerade promised a jewel-encrusted golden hare to the first person to unravel the riddle that Williams cleverly hid in his art. In 1982, while everyone in Britain was still madly digging up hedgerows and pastures in search of the golden hare, The Secret: A Treasure Hunt was published in America. The previous year, author and publisher Byron Preiss had traveled to 12 locations in the continental U.S. (and possibly Canada) to secretly bury a dozen ceramic casques. Each casque contained a small key that could be redeemed for one of 12 jewels Preiss kept in a safe deposit box in New York. The key to finding the casques was to match one of 12 paintings to one of 12 poetic verses, solve the resulting riddle, and start digging. Since 1982, only two of the 12 casques have been recovered. The first was located in Grant Park, Chicago, in 1984 by a group of students. The second was unearthed in 2004 in Cleveland by two members of the Quest4Treasure forum. Preiss was killed in an auto accident in the summer of 2005, but the hunt for his casques continues.

The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . . In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker. After eight years in India, Oxford's most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor's determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin--rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk--surfaces, and they're left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . . "Don't miss all the romance, adventure, and danger in [this] new page-turner."--JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author of Shadows of Swanford Abbey

Princess Jehosheba wants nothing more than to please the harsh and demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of the notorious Queen Jezebel. Her work as a priestess in the temple of Baal seems to do the trick. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach beyond the realm of earthly governments. To further Athaliah and Jezebel's strategies, she is forced to marry Yahweh's high priest and enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh's temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family--and the nation--she loves? With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings Old Testament passages to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.

The award-winning historian delivers a “brilliant and deeply informed” analysis of American power from the Spanish-American War to the Trump Administration (New York Journal of Books). In this sweeping and incisive history of US foreign relations, historian Alfred McCoy explores America’s rise as a world power from the 1890s through the Cold War, and its bid to extend its hegemony deep into the twenty-first century. Since American dominance reached its apex at the close of the Cold War, the nation has met new challenges that it is increasingly unequipped to handle. From the disastrous invasion of Iraq to the failure of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, fracturing military alliances, and the blundering nationalism of Donald Trump, McCoy traces US decline in the face of rising powers such as China. He also offers a critique of America’s attempt to maintain its position through cyberwar, covert intervention, client elites, psychological torture, and worldwide surveillance.

People don't abandon faith because they have doubts. People abandon faith because they think they're not allowed to have doubts. Even as a pastor, Austin Fischer has experienced the shadows of doubt and disillusionment. Leaning into perennial questions about Christianity, he shows that doubt is no reason to leave the faith—instead, it's an invitation to a more honest faith.

With all the recent turmoil in their lives, it’s time for vacation! Libby, Shadow, Greg, Alexis, and JJ load up in their RVs and caravan to Utah. It doesn’t take long before they meet the quirkiest couple. 95-year-old Eugene Walker and his third wife, 85-year-old Agatha. While enjoying live music one evening at Lake Powell, the group cannot help but admire the infectious energy and spunk of this elderly pair as they dance the night away. They are the cutest! After befriending the sprightly dancers, however, Libby and her companions become suspicious and a bit frustrated. Their stories don’t add up. Eugene is particularly sneaky and secretive, especially when it comes out that he’s on a treasure hunt. After spotting the fearless travelers for the third time in yet another campground in a different town, they begin to question—are the older pair following them? When Eugene suddenly goes missing, things get complicated. Long lost relatives. Monoliths. Valuable Civil War-era treasures. It’s all connected, but Libby struggles to figure out how, and she finds herself caring about what might happen to this old man who has worked his way into her heart. One thing is for sure, this vacation becomes a whole new adventure for Libby and Shadow, and the danger and action become non-stop as they seek the answers. Praise for Jennifer J. Morgan’s Libby Madsen cozy mystery series: “Readers know what a sucker I am for dogs, and the Libby Madsen mysteries are some of the best. I love, love, love Shadow and Libby and the adventures they get themselves into. Jennifer J. Morgan is destined to be one of the brightest new stars in the cozy mystery scene!” – Connie Shelton, USA Today bestselling author “I'm hooked on this series. Completely adore Libby and Shadow (her companion black Lab pup--so adorable!). Without giving any spoilers at all, I couldn't put the book down once amateur sleuth, Libby Madsen, was on the search for a lost girl in the mountains. The suspense amid so many suspects, I never did figure out how it would all turn out. Overall, it's a clean read--appropriate for all ages.” – lovereadingmysteries, 5 star online review “This cozy mystery series has become one of my favorites! Libby Madsen, along with Shadow her dog...Alexis, her best friend/business partner, and her family ... and the gorgeous forest ranger, Greg! I love the friend group! And Jennifer doesn’t disappoint in her second book of the series....I find myself turning pages just wanting to know what happens next. Hope the next title comes soon...” – 5 stars on Barnes & Noble “After meeting Libby and Shadow, Greg, Alexis and JJ, and the other great characters in this series, I couldn't wait to get right into this second book. Excellent action, just as in the first one---a great overall whodunit!” – avidmysteryfan, 5 stars online review