Greenvoe, the tight-knit community on the Orcadian island of Hellya, has existed unchanged for generations, but Operation Black Star requires the island for unspecified purposes and threatens the islanders' way of life. A whole host of characters - The Skarf, failed fishermen and Marxist historian; Ivan Westray, boatman and dallier; pious creeler Samuel Whaness; drunken fishermen Bert Kerston; earth-mother Alice Voar, and meths-drinker Timmy Folster - are vividly brought to life in this sparkling mixture of prose and poetry. In the end Operation Black Star fails, but not before it has ruined the island; but the book ends on a note of hope as the islanders return to celebrate the ritual rebirth of Hellya.

The idea that a person might suddenly snap and slaughter large numbers of people has become part of our cultural understanding through events such as the Columbine High School massacre and the D.C. Sniper case. But this image of the sudden turn from ordinary citizen, quiet neighbor, or non-descript teenager to mass murderer is generally false. People who go out one day and kill innocent people or supposed enemies have typically thought about it, planned it, and even mentioned it to others before they actually do it--and the act is usually the result of a buildup of stress and frustration. Here, Katherine Ramsland, a seasoned crime writer, examines true stories of mass murder and reveals the complexity behind the development of a mass killer. She provides common signals, based on actual cases, that will help readers identify warning signs and understand the various psychological factors that may lead a person to kill. Since the first recorded U.S. case of mass murder in 1949, massacres have been increasing each decade, with workplace violence taking the lead as the most common form. The psychology of the killers, however, differs from that of spree, serial, or situational murderers. The red flags of a developing mass killer are obvious and predictable, Ramsland argues, and people who learn to recognize them may be able to defuse a potentially violent situation before it occurs. Using details from various cases, the author examines the different kinds of mass murders, from visionary to family to workplace, and the distinct psychological dynamics of the different types of murders. This essential book exposes the inner world of mass murderers and dismantles the stereotypes we hold aboutthem.

Sweetpea is coming home at last…

Newly married, with a loving family surrounding her, everything's coming up roses for ex-serial killer Rhiannon Lewis, right?

Wrong.

Her husband has just been shot, and the daughter she left behind in the UK is desperately ill. She’s got no choice but to flee the States and return home, back to her roots, where she’s in danger of being recognised and arrested at any moment.

Only nothing is quite as it seems…

With a series of bad choices in front of her, and the authorities right behind, Rhiannon's in a hell of a hole and she needs to dig herself out of it pronto. But help can come from the most unlikely places. And even more unlikely people…

In December 1924, a 21-year-old millionaire orphan, William "Billy" McClintock, died of an unusually virulent form of typhoid fever. He was mourned by his financee, Isabelle Pope, who sought unsuccessfully to rally her love by marrying him on his deathbed. Shortly after Billy's funeral, questions arose as to the cause of death, with insinuations of foul play. After reaching his majority and inheriting his estate in April, McClintock had signed a will drafted by one of his guardians, lawyer William D. Shepherd--a will which left everything to Shepherd, but only if Billy died before his planned February 1925 wedding to Ms. Pope. Ultimately, Shepherd and his wife Julie were accused of killing not only Billy McClintock, but Billy's mother and a doctor friend of the family. This case caused a major sensation in Jazz Age Chicago, a society fascinated with murder and mayhem. When the body of Billy's mother was exhumed after sixteen years, it was found to contain enough mercury to have killed two people. The Shepherds were the only likely sources. Three physicians came forward to say that Shepherd had approached them about obtaining typhoid germs. Yet, Shepherd would beat the charges of Billy's murder; in fact, no one would ever be charged in the death of Billy's mother. Was there a murder--or two? Who stood to gain the most from these deaths? McConnell recreates a slice of life among Chicago's elite and the colorful characters who may or may not have sought their own piece of the fatal fortune--so-called because its inheritors almost always died within two years of receiving it.

Nora Carleton left her career as a federal prosecutor in New York to keep her daughter safe. She thought she was moving away from danger - until she finds herself implicated in the brutal murder of her new colleague.

Helen and Nora were working on a confidential assignment involving stolen client funds. They were in the middle of their investigation when Helen's lifeless body was found at the bottom of a canoe.

Nora knows this is an attempt at a cover up by some very dangerous people who want both women silenced. She knows she must finish what she started or face two awful fates: A life behind bars or a death sentence of her own.

A gripping new case for Nora Carleton written by the former director of the FBI with an unmatched knowledge of the legal world - no one writes a legal thriller quite like James Comey...

A New York Times Bestseller! Who is the Last Ronin? In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. From legendary TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, get ready for the final story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles three decades in the making!

What terrible events destroyed his family and left New York a crumbling, post-apocalyptic nightmare? All will be revealed in this climactic Turtle tale that sees longtime friends becoming enemies and new allies emerging in the most unexpected places. Can the surviving Turtle triumph?

Eastman and Laird are joined by writer Tom Waltz, who penned the first 100 issues of IDW's ongoing TMNT series, and artists Esau & Isaac Escorza (Heavy Metal) and Ben Bishop (The Far Side of the Moon) with an Introduction by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez!

Covering figures ranging from Catherine Monvoisin to Vlad the Impaler, and describing murders committed in ancient aristocracies to those attributed to vampires, witches, and werewolves, this book documents the historic reality of serial murder. The majority of serial murder studies support the consensus that serial murder is essentially an American crime-a flawed assumption, as the United States has existed for less than 250 years. What is far more likely is that the perverse urge to repeatedly and intentionally kill has existed throughout human history, and that a substantial percentage of serial murders throughout ancient times, the middle ages, and the pre-modern era were attributed to imaginative surrogate explanations: dragons, demons, vampires, werewolves, and witches. Legends, Monsters, or Serial Murderers? The Real Story Behind an Ancient Crime dispels the interrelated misconceptions that serial murder is an American crime and a relatively recent phenomenon, making the novel argument that serial murder is a historic reality-an unrecognized fact in ancient times. Noted serial murderers such as the Roman Locuta (The Poisoner); Gilles De Rais of France, a prolific serial killer of children; Andres Bichel of Bavaria; and Chinese aristocratic serial killer T'zu-Hsi are spotlighted. This book provides a unique perspective that integrates supernatural interpretations of serial killing with the history of true crime, reanimating mythic entities of horror stories and presenting them as real criminals.

When a stranger buys property on Bennett's Island and drops anchor there in an expensive lobster boat, the locals are suspicious, in this eighth volume of the series. Day-to-day life goes on, but dark undercurrents begin to bubble in these chilly Maine waters.

Jurie Steyn het 'n probleem. Nie net moet hy 'n bestaan probeer voer uit boerdery in die Marico nie, maar boonop dien sy voorkamer as die Drogevlei-poskantoor – en Jurie as die posmeester. "Tussen posorders en bloutong weet ek nie watter werk die ergste is nie. Ek moet wa-ghries op my muilkar smeer en seelwas op die possak sit. Partykeer raak ek deurmekaar. Eendag gaan ek nog 'n inkomsteseel op my hotkantmuil plak en die Bekkersdal-possak met 'n halfmaan en 'n streep brandmerk. Dan sal daar moeilikheid wees," se Jurie. "Met my hotmuil, bedoel ek." Elke week kom die halfdowe Oupa Bekker, At Naude (wat 'n draadloos besit), buurman Gysbert van Tonder, die berese Johnny Coen, wat eens op 'n tyd 'n railway shunter op Ottoshoop was, en ander kleurryke karakters in Jurie Steyn se voorkamer bymekaar om te wag vir die Goewermentlorrie van Bekkersdal, wat hul pos en melkkanne moet bring. Sake van die dag word druk bespreek, en die gesprekke waartoe dit lei, is gewoonlik skreeusnaaks. Herman Charles Bosman het in die laaste 18 maande van sy lewe sowat 80 stories vir die reeks In the Voorkamer in die nuusblad The Forum geskryf. Bosman het dit self bestempel as die beste werk wat hy ooit gelewer het. 'n Bekkersdal-marathon en ander voorkamerstories volg op die sukses van In die withaak se skadu, die eerste Afrikaanse versameling Oom Schalk Lourens-stories.

Dystopian States of America is a crucial resource that studies the impact of dystopian works on American society-including ways in which they reflect our deep and persistent fears about environmental calamities, authoritarian governments, invasive technologies, and human weakness. Dystopian States of America provides students and researchers with an illuminating resource for understanding the impact and relevance of dystopian and apocalyptic works in contemporary American culture. Through its wide survey of dystopian works in numerous forms and genres, the book encourages readers to connect with these works of fiction and understand how the catastrophically grim or disquieting worlds they portray offer insights into our own current situation. In addition to providing more than 150 encyclopedia articles on a large and representative sample of dystopian/apocalyptic narratives in fiction, film, television, and video games (including popular works that often escape critical inquiry), Dystopian States of America features a suite of critical essays on five themes-war, pandemics, totalitarianism, environmental calamity, and technological overreach-that serve as the foundation for most dystopian worlds of the imagination. These offerings complement one another, enabling readers to explore dystopian conceptions of America and the world from multiple perspectives and vantage points. Provides readers with an accessible, well-organized, and thorough introduction to dystopian/apocalyptic narratives, with a focus on the ways that these stories foster increased awareness of the world we live in now Casts a wide net to identify dystopian works in diverse genres and forms-from classic novels to video games-reaching beyond "serious" literature to appreciate the depth of this body of work and its impact Covers a wide survey of works-more than 150-in digestible and accessible encyclopedia entries, each contributed by an established scholar in literary studies, film studies, history, or an associated field Provides five extended scholarly essays on recurring subject themes in apocalyptic and dystopian works

Continuing the story begun in The Hobbit, all three parts of the epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, in one paperback. Features the definitive edition of the text, fold-out flaps with the original two-colour maps, and a revised and expanded index.

Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power – the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring – the ring that rules them all – which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as the Ring is entrusted to his care. He must leave his home and make a perilous journey across the realms of Middle-earth to the Crack of Doom, deep inside the territories of the Dark Lord. There he must destroy the Ring forever and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

Since it was first published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings has been a book people have treasured. Steeped in unrivalled magic and otherworldliness, its sweeping fantasy has touched the hearts of young and old alike.

This single-volume paperback edition is the definitive text, fully restored with almost 400 corrections – with the full co-operation of Christopher Tolkien – and features a striking new cover.

Serge A. Storms is back on the road in the latest zany Florida caper from the “wickedly funny” (Entertainment Weekly) Tim Dorsey.

After a long and arduous COVID-19 quarantine, Serge A. Storms is fully vaccinated and ready to hit the road. Along with his condo neighbors, he cooks up a wild plan to celebrate in true Serge fashion: each week, they rent a shuttle van and head out for funky Florida road trips and some serious revelry.

Meanwhile, a CIA revenge operation down in Honduras goes very, very wrong. The local liaison hired to help with the mission is the only witness to the disaster, and the CIA quickly sets a black ops contractor on his trail to eliminate him.

Forced to flee his home country, the witness lands in Miami with a new identity and passport. But the CIA is still on his tail, pushing him further and further south to the Florida Keys, where he runs into Serge’s convoy. With Florida’s most lovable serial killer involved, the real party is about to get started…

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a rollicking, riveting tale set in the Cosmere universe―a standalone adventure perfect for fans of The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea.

Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?

Set in Colonial New England, Slewfoot is a tale of magic and mystery, of triumph and terror as only dark fantasist Brom can tell it.

Connecticut, 1666: An ancient spirit awakens in a dark wood. The wildfolk call him Father, slayer, protector. The colonists call him Slewfoot, demon, devil.

To Abitha, a recently widowed outcast, alone and vulnerable in her pious village, he is the only one she can turn to for help.

Together, they ignite a battle between pagan and Puritan – one that threatens to destroy the entire village, leaving nothing but ashes and bloodshed in their wake.

This terrifying tale of bewitchery features more than two dozen of Brom’s haunting full-color paintings and brilliant endpapers, fully immersing readers in this wild and unforgiving world.

For the first time ever, a very special edition of the forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout in color by J.R.R. Tolkien himself and with the complete text printed in two colors.

The Silmarilli were three perfect jewels, fashioned by Fëanor, most gifted of the Elves, and within them was imprisoned the last Light of the Two Trees of Valinor. But the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, stole the jewels and set them within his iron crown, guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth.

The Silmarillion is the history of the rebellion of Fëanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all the heroism, against the great Enemy. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.

The book also includes several shorter works: the Ainulindalë, a myth of the Creation, and the Valaquenta, in which the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Alkallb?th recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.

Tolkien could not publish The Silmarillion in his lifetime, as it grew with him, so he would leave it to his son, Christopher Tolkien, to edit the work from many manuscripts and bring his father’s great vision to publishable form, so completing the literary achievement of a lifetime. This special edition presents anew this seminal first step towards mapping out the posthumous publishing of Middle-earth, and the beginning of an illustrious forty years and more than twenty books celebrating his father’s legacy.

This definitive new edition includes, by way of an introduction, a letter written by Tolkien in 1951 which provides a brilliant exposition of the earlier Ages, and for the first time in its history is presented with J.R.R. Tolkien’s own paintings and drawings, which reveal the breathtaking grandeur and beauty of his vision of the First Age of Middle-earth.