Jimmy James was only twelve-years-old when he tried drugs for the first time. That one taste of marijuana affected him the rest of his life. He didn't graduate from high school, but he did graduate with excellence from the drug game, which eventually led him into the drug dealer lifestyle.

It's that lifestyle that contributed to forty-year-old Jimmy James' arrest for the death of a female friend, forty-four-year-old Lisa Amour. A general laborer in Huntsville, he was charged with first-degree reckless homicide by use of the dangerous weapon of cocaine.

"A Line 2 Die 4" provides a firsthand account of his actions and thoughts, his arrest, incarceration, court proceedings, and interactions with police, attorneys, family, and friends. At one time in his life, James felt on top of the world as a user and dealer. But a dealer's life will end in one of three ways: broke and living on the street with no family or money, dead on the street, or in prison. That's the story of James' life.

From the dense woods of the Appalachian Mountains comes this true tale of deception, murder, and greed in a tiny West Virginia town. M. M. Stoddart returns to the scene of the decades-old murders of Glenn Roberts and his teenaged son, Timothy, to conduct a new investigation of the biggest homicide case in Tucker County history-one shrouded by suspicion and doubt for more than twenty years. Glenn and Timothy were killed by near-contact shotgun blasts from the same weapon on the same night. But their bodies were found eight miles and three weeks apart. Stoddart reopens the cold case, and soon finds that the murders were much more than a simple botched robbery, as West Virginia authorities had previously concluded. New information uncovers a vast web of missing evidence, deceit, and family intrigue. Set in an impoverished mountain community in the early 1980s, this shocking and compelling story exposes the tragedy of wrongful conviction and the true meaning of justice.

After a devastating diagnosis at the age of 39, Maureen Maurer was given a second chance at life. Giving up her successful career as a CPA, she took a leap of faith to pursue her childhood dream: teaching dogs to help people with disabilities. She founded two nonprofit organizations, Assistance Dogs of Hawaii and Assistance Dogs Northwest, and unleashed the potential dogs have to help people with special needs. In Wonder Dogs, Maureen shares her story of discovering God's true purpose for her life and the amazing adventure that followed. She also tells the triumphant stories of her beloved dogs and their inspiring partners as they overcome incredible challenges to live life to the fullest. These heartwarming and uplifting accounts show what's possible when we focus on abilities rather than disabilities. Dog lovers everywhere will enjoy this fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at what goes into selecting and training assistance dogs. Anyone who loves stories about second chances and overcoming challenges will find in Wonder Dogs a whole pack of kindred spirits. "This book is a beautiful collection of tales of some of the special dogs who have changed lives with their extraordinary abilities. More than that, it's a generous glimpse into the life of a woman who demonstrates what can happen when you agree to put your whole heart into doing what God created you to do."--Robin Jones Gunn, bestselling author of the award-winning Christy Miller series "Maureen Maurer is every bit as extraordinary as the dogs she loves and trains."--Michael Gartner, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, former president of NBC News "Wonder Dogs will win your heart over! This book gave me a fresh perspective on hardships and how even the most terrible circumstances can be redeemed and turned into joy. This book will give you hope again, in whatever you may be walking through right now."--Alyssa Bethke, bestselling author of Satisfied and cohost of The Real Life Podcast "Prepare to be delighted! You don't often find a book so full of hope."--Kristin von Kreisler, animal advocate and bestselling author of An Unexpected Grace and Earnest "Wonder Dogs shows what a difference one person can make in so many lives."--Kim Komando, national radio host and columnist, Sirius XM, Fox News, and USA Today

The true story of how federal law enforcement flipped the playbook and convicted a corrupt unit of Baltimore police. In 2015 and 2016, Baltimore was reeling after the death of Freddie Gray in police custody and the protests that followed. In the midst of this unrest, a violent, highly trained, and heavily armed criminal gang roamed the city. They robbed people, sold drugs and guns, and divided the loot and profit among themselves. They had been doing it for years. But these were not ordinary career criminals. They were the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF). Formed in 2007 to get the guns and criminals responsible for Baltimore's high crime rates off the streets, they went rogue and abused their power to terrorize people throughout the city. On March 1, 2017, all members of the GTTF were arrested on federal racketeering charges. In Who Speaks for You?, Leo Wise, the lead federal prosecutor in the case, tells you how. Wise gives an inside look into the investigation and prosecution of this group of elite and corrupt cops. He shares the unbelievable twists and turns of the case, revealing not only what these officers did but how they were brought to justice. Wise dramatically recounts how his team put together their case, what happened during the trial and court proceedings, and how his team successfully prosecuted these extraordinary defendants. This is his firsthand story of a once-in-a-generation police corruption case told by the prosecutor who was intimately involved in every step of the investigation.

*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* Could you leave behind all that you know and live in solitude for three decades? This is the extraordinary story of the last true hermit - Christopher Knight. 'This was a breath-taking book to read and many weeks later I am still thinking about the implications for our society and - by extension - for my own life' Sebastian Junger, bestselling author of The Perfect Storm 'A wry meditation on one man's attempt to escape life's distractions and look inwards, to find meaning not by doing, but by being' Martin Sixsmith, bestselling author of Philomena and Ayesha's Gift 'Not all heroes wear capes. My latest one is a man called Christopher Knight - a silent idol for anyone who has felt the urge to just sack it all off and live the life of a hermit' Lucy Mangan, Stylist 'An extraordinary story about solitude, community, identity and freedom' Guardian 'A meditation on solitude, wildness and survival. It is also, unexpectedly, a tribute to the joys of reading' The Wall Street Journal In 1986, twenty-year-old Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not speak to another human being until three decades later when he was arrested for stealing food. Christopher survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store food and water in order to avoid freezing to death in his tent during the harsh Maine winters. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothes, reading material and other provisions, taking only what he needed. In the process, he unwittingly terrified a community unable to solve the mysterious burglaries. Myths abounded amongst the locals eager to find this legendary hermit. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life and the challenges he faced returning to the world. The Stranger in the Woods is a riveting story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude and what makes for a good life. Above all, this is a deeply moving portrait of a man determined to live life his own way.

THE FIRST VICE LORD is the story of the life and death of Big Jim Colosimo and Chicago's infamous segregated red-light district--the Levee. For the first time, the true story is told of the colorful characters who peopled the Levee from the time of the Columbian Exposition to the Roaring Twenties, clearly the most colorful period in Chicago's history. The product of five years of research through Chicago daily newspapers, magazines, and periodicals, and books on the city's history, it documents the story as it occurred, with all of the sights, sounds, and smells of that lusty, unruly era. THE FIRST VICE LORD is the story of an immigrant Italian lad who grew up in the tenements of Chicago, where he worked first as a lowly street sweeper, then as a brothel operator and vice lord, and finally as the owner of the most famous restaurant of his day. His story is told against the backdrop of an open red-light district so famous it was known to the crown heads of Europe.

"Rigor mortis had set in by the time police arrived," Special Prosecutor Tony Clayton told the jury, watching their eyes as they viewed the photograph of the bloodied arm of Geralyn Barr DeSoto. Geralyn's clenched fist, frozen in death away from her body, held her secret. "Geralyn was trying to tell us something. She was telling us how hard she fought. She was telling us who her killer is. 'Right here, ' she said. 'Right here I have the killer. Just open my hand. Just open my hand, and you'll know who did it to me.'" Two months later: "Charlotte Murray Pace fought from one room of that apartment to the other," Prosecutor John Sinquefield told jurors as they blinked tears away. "She clawed, she hit, she fought. As her young, strong heart pumped its last blood out of the holes he cut out of her, she fought. And in the fight, he took her life, her body. But he could not take her honor. She preserved her honor by the way she lived and the way she died. That fight is not over, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Charlotte Murray Pace has brought her fight to you." These crimes are vividly depicted in this first comprehensive book about Derrick Todd Lee. I've Been Watching You-The South Louisiana Serial Killer dramatically tells the story of Lee's life and follows the timeline of his reign of terror over South Louisiana. Readers will become intimately acquainted with the seven victims who have been linked to Lee by DNA, along with the frustrated investigators who could not catch this diabolical killer. This recounting also details the murders of ten other women who were not connected by DNA, but whom these authors believe should be included on the list of Lee's victims due to strong circumstantial evidence. There are many unanswered questions regarding these series of killings. How did Lee find his victims, and why did he choose them? Why didn't the Multi-Agency Homicide Task Force believe he was the killer when his name was brought repeatedly to its attention? What evil possessed him to rape and murder so many women? All of these questions are answered as I've Been Watching You journeys for more than a decade through the small towns and swamps of South Louisiana to create a graphic accounting of Lee's vicious rapes and homicides. I've Been Watching You vividly paints the portrait of this monster and the beautiful women who died as a result of his twisted compulsion to kill.

There is a cancer growing on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The best and brightest agents we have are being systematically harassed out of DHS. This is a story of bureaucracy run amok at the expense of our national security. We are less safe now than before "9-11," even though billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent. Why? This is the gripping true story of National Security Whistleblowers and their courageous fight for justice against the very people who are supposed to be protecting us. If these whistleblowers lose their fight we all lose. What America's enemies have not been able to accomplish will be done instead from within our own government. The Honorable Roger T. Benitez, United States District Judge, while presiding over "Fitzgerald-Nunn Vs. Department of Homeland Security" "Boy, there's something about this that doesn't pass the smell test " "All Americans who read this book should worry about the government's ability to protect us from terrorist and drug lords."-Mark Edwards, former Marine and host of the "Wake Up America" radio show. "They who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety."-Benjamin Franklin "This should be one of the few books that not only every attorney should read, but every one who calls themselves a patriot."-Attorney and Veteran Austin Price "This is a MUST READ for anyone who is concerned with the long-term viability of the republic."-Travis Alexander, CEO World Wide Protective Services, and former Marine. "A coincidence is a remarkable concurrence of events or things without apparent connection-Here too many things connect."-Attorney Gastone Bebi during land mark case "Fitzgerald-Nunn Vs. Department of Homeland Security"

A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller. #1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen's shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters determined to survive their mother's house of horrors. After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle's talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother's dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders. Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor's story of absolute evil-and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today-loving, loved, and moving on.

Financial crime seems horribly complicated but there are only so many ways you can con someone out of what's theirs. In fact, there are four. A veteran regulatory economist and market analyst, Dan Davies has years of experience picking the bones out of some of the most famous frauds of the modern age. Now he reveals the big picture that emerges from their labyrinths of deceit.

Along the way you'll find out how to fake a gold mine with a wedding ring, a file and a shotgun. You'll see how close Charles Ponzi, the king of pyramid schemes, came to acquiring his own private navy. You'll learn how fraud has shaped the entire development of the modern world economy. And you'll discover whether you have what it takes to be a white-collar criminal mastermind, if that's what you want. (Which you don't. You really, really don't.)

From 2003 to 2009 sensational judicial bribery scandals rocked Mississippi's legal system. Famed trial lawyers Paul Minor and Richard (Dickie) Scruggs and renowned judge and former prosecutor Bobby DeLaughter proved to be the nexus of these scandals. Seven attorneys and a former state auditor were alleged to have attempted to bribe or to have actually bribed five state judges to rule in favor of Minor and Scruggs in several lawsuits. This is the story of how federal authorities, following up on information provided by a bank examiner and a judge who could not be bribed, toppled Minor, Scruggs, and their enablers in what was exposed as the most significant legal scandal of twenty-first-century Mississippi.

James R. Crockett details the convoluted schemes that eventually put three of the judges, six of the attorneys, and the former auditor in federal prison. All of the men involved were successful professionals and three of them, Minor, Scruggs, and fellow attorney Joey Langston, were exceptionally wealthy. The stories involve power, greed, but most of all hubris. The culprits rationalized abominable choices and illicit actions to influence judicial decisions. The crimes came to light in those six years, but some crimes were committed before that. These men put themselves above the law and produced the perfect storm of bribery that ended in disgrace.

The tales Crockett relates about these scandals and the actions of Paul Minor and Richard Scruggs are almost unbelievable. Individuals willingly became their minions in power plays designed to distort the very rule of law that most of them had sworn to uphold.

In the late 1600s, Louis XIV assigns Nicolas de la Reynie to bring order to the city of Paris after the brutal deaths of two magistrates. Reynie, pragmatic yet fearless, tackles the dirty and terrifying streets only to discover a tightly knit network of witches, poisoners and priests whose reach extends all the way to Versailles. As the chief investigates a growing number of deaths at court, he learns that no one is safe from their deadly love potions and "inheritance stews"-not even the Sun King himself. Based on court transcripts and Reynie's compulsive note-taking, Holly Tucker's riveting true crime narrative makes the characters breathe on the page as she follows the police chief into the dark labyrinths of crime-ridden Paris, the glorious halls of royal palaces, secret courtrooms and torture chambers in a tale of deception and murder that reads like fiction.

Shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2021 'To compare any book to a Sacks is unfair, but this one lives up to it . . . I finished it feeling thrillingly unsettled, and wishing there was more.' James McConnachie, Sunday Times 'A study of diseases that we sometimes say are 'all in the mind', and an explanation of how unfair that characterisation is.' Tom Whipple, The Times Books of the Year In Sweden, refugee children fall asleep for months and years at a time. In upstate New York, high school students develop contagious seizures. In the US Embassy in Cuba, employees complain of headaches and memory loss after hearing strange noises in the night. These disparate cases are some of the most remarkable diagnostic mysteries of the twenty-first century, as both doctors and scientists have struggled to explain them within the boundaries of medical science and - more crucially - to treat them. What unites them is that they are all examples of a particular type of psychosomatic illness: medical disorders that are influenced as much by the idiosyncratic aspects of individual cultures as they are by human biology. Inspired by a poignant encounter with the sleeping refugee children of Sweden, Wellcome Prize-winning neurologist Suzanne O'Sullivan travels the world to visit other communities who have also been subject to outbreaks of so-called 'mystery' illnesses. From a derelict post-Soviet mining town in Kazakhstan, to the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua via an oil town in Texas, to the heart of the Maria Mountains in Colombia, O'Sullivan hears remarkable stories from a fascinating array of people, and attempts to unravel their complex meaning while asking the question: who gets to define what is and what isn't an illness? Reminiscent of the work of Oliver Sacks, Stephen Grosz and Henry Marsh, The Sleeping Beauties is a moving and unforgettable scientific investigation with a very human face.

THE BLACK HAND is the true story of Rene Enriquez, aka "Boxer," and his rise in a secret criminal organization, a new Mafia, that already has a grip on all organized crime in California and soon all of the United States. This Mafia is using a base army of an estimated 60,000 heavily armed, loyal Latino gang members, called Surenos, driven by fear and illicit profits. They are the most dangerous gang in American history and they wave the flag of the Black Hand.

Mafioso Enriquez gives an insider′s view of how he devoted his life to the cause--the Mexican Mafia, La Familia Mexicana, also known as La Eme--only to find betrayal and disillusionment at the end of a bloody trail of violence that he followed for two decades.

And now, award-winning investigative journalist Chris Blatchford, with the unprecedented cooperation of Rene Enriquez, reveals the inner workings, secret meetings, and elaborate murder plots that make up the daily routine of the Mafia brothers. It is an intense, never-before-told story of a man who devoted his life to a bloody cause only to find betrayal and disillusionment.

Based on years of research and investigation, Chris Blatchford has delivered a historic narrative of a nefarious organization that will go down as a classic in mob literature.