Reading 1 Peter through the lens of feminist and diaspora studies keeps front and center the bodily, psychological, and social suffering experienced by those without stable support of family or homeland, whether they were economic migrants or descendants of those enslaved by Roman armies. In the new "household" of God, believers are encouraged to exhibit a moral superiority to the society that engulfs them. But adoption of "elite" values cannot erase the undertones of randomized verbal abuse, general scorn, and physical violence that women, immigrants, slaves, and freedmen faced as the "facts of life." First Peter offers the "honor" of identifying with the Crucified, "by his bruises you are healed" (2:24). A Christian liberation ethic would challenge 1 Peter's approach. Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia-Pontus in north-western Asia Minor, is a contemporary of 2 Peter's writer. The polemical, accusatory genre of 2 Peter, like Jude, originates in Roman judicial rhetoric. The pastor, in the persona of a prosecuting attorney, condemns immoral defendants, including influential women. Their "crimes" encode community tensions over women's leadership, Gentile-members' sexual ethics, their syncretistic deviations from Jewish doctrine on creation, and the certainty of divine judgment and punishment. Citations to Elizabeth Cady Stanton's A Woman's Bible enliven the commentary. The doctrinal disorder prompts the male pastor to sustain loyalists in their commitment to "Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Second Peter dramatizes an ecclesial crisis whose "solution" was the eventual imposition of a magisterium to silence dissent. Brief, combative, and assuming a familiarity with a literary culture that most twenty-first-century readers do not have, the Letter of Jude would be an obvious candidate for being the most neglected book of the New Testament. As a model for a pastoral strategy, it can be recommended only with great reservations: almost everyone will find in it something problematic, if not offensive. Yet, in addition to giving a window on a Greek-speaking Jewish-Christian milieu, Jude's energetic prose testifies to the author's visceral concern for those attempting to live by the gospel in difficult circumstances. Furthermore, to the extent that over familiarity with parts of the New Testament can blunt their challenge, this letter provides a salutary reminder that the entire canon originated in a world that is radically unfamiliar to us.

A daughter sets out to discover the truth about her mother's death Eden Radley had a strained relationship with her mother ever since Tara deserted the family nine years before to run off with her much younger lover. But when she's told that her mother has killed herself and her severely disabled young son, Eden's half-brother, Eden is ridden with guilt. For her mother had tried to get in touch with her on the night she died, and Eden had ignored her text. Was Tara calling for help? Heading to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral, Eden discovers there was so much she didn't know about her mother, nor about her enigmatic, troubled stepfather Flynn Darby. And the more she learns, the more convinced she becomes that Tara's death was no suicide. Could Flynn really be guilty of murder .?

Having recently lost both her parents in a tragic car accident, Alex Woods is shocked to discover through the family lawyer that her beloved mother was keeping a secret - a baby she gave up for adoption when she had just left high school. But when Alex decides to search for her long lost sister - and finds her - she is in for a terrible surprise . . .

How well do you know the people closest to you? Hannah, Adam and adorable young Sydney Wickes are living under assumed identities in West Philadelphia. Although she's found it hard to adjust to life in the city, at least Hannah and her family are safe and slowly beginning to build new lives for themselves. But all that changes when an unexpected tragedy throws the harsh spotlight of publicity onto the Wickes family, putting them in serious danger. Because Hannah and those she loves are hiding a dark secret in their past, a secret that has torn their lives apart. For what do you do when the person you should love the most poses the greatest threat? The Wickes' sinister family secret is destined to catch up with them - with terrifying consequences.

A daughter sets out to discover the truth about her mother's death in this absorbing novel of psychological suspense. Eden Radley had a strained relationship with her mother ever since Tara deserted the family nine years before to run off with her much younger lover. But when she's told that her mother has killed herself and her severely disabled young son, Eden's half-brother, Eden is ridden with guilt. For her mother had tried to get in touch with her on the night she died, and Eden had ignored her text. Was Tara calling for help? Heading to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral, Eden discovers there was so much she didn't know about her mother, nor about her enigmatic, troubled stepfather Flynn Darby. And the more she learns, the more convinced she becomes that Tara's death was no suicide. Could Flynn really be guilty of murder .?

A daughter sets out to discover the truth about her mother's death in this absorbing novel of psychological suspense. Eden Radley had a strained relationship with her mother ever since Tara deserted the family nine years before to run off with her much younger lover. But when she's told that her mother has killed herself and her severely disabled young son, Eden's half-brother, Eden is ridden with guilt. For her mother had tried to get in touch with her on the night she died, and Eden had ignored her text. Was Tara calling for help? Heading to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral, Eden discovers there was so much she didn't know about her mother, nor about her enigmatic, troubled stepfather Flynn Darby. And the more she learns, the more convinced she becomes that Tara's death was no suicide. Could Flynn really be guilty of murder .?

Could finding her long lost sister be the biggest mistake Alex Woods has ever made? Having recently lost both her parents in a tragic car accident, Alex Woods is shocked to discover through the family lawyer that her beloved mother was keeping a secret - a baby she gave up for adoption when she had just left high school. But when Alex decides to search for her long lost sister - and finds her - she is in for a terrible surprise . . .

The Hebrides of Scotland - around 500 diverse islands - form the north-western Atlantic fringe of Europe. This book surveys the cultural landscape of this dramatically beautiful, complex and conflicted area, with emphasis on what may be interpreted through aerial photography. Its main themes are the mutual influences of people and environment, and the recent history and current issues in the area. Mobile maritime cultures flourished throughout the Hebrides from prehistoric times, including Mesolithic builders of wheelhouses, coracle-borne monastic travellers, Norse in longships and Lords of the Isles in birlinns. A prominent feature of the recent history of the Hebrides has been depopulation. The history and heartbreak of this phenomenon, experienced in differing degrees in rural areas throughout Europe from the mid-18th century, is clearly shown in aerial photographs and discussed in the accompanying text. Today's Hebridean landscapes have been heavily modified by various forms of human land use; current land-management options and controversies are also discussed in the context of photographs that draw attention to the various issues involved.

A nail-biting novel of domestic suspense from a bestselling author When Morgan Adair arrives at the small seaside town of West Briar on the Long Island shore, she is looking forward to attending the baptism of her new godson, Drew. Morgan and Claire have been friends since childhood, and Morgan was delighted when Claire married the handsome Guy Bolton. But Morgan's excitement is tempered by concern: since Drew's birth, Claire has been suffering from post-natal depression which she seems unable to shake off. When the christening party is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of a young girl who claims to be Guy's daughter, Claire's fragile equilibrium is shattered. A few days later Morgan receives a devastating phone call from her friend . . .

Ever since her best friend Molly was murdered fifteen years before, Blair Butler has returned to her small hometown as seldom as possible. Now she's been summoned back to see her terminally ill sister one last time - only for Celeste to make a shocking deathbed confession. Is it true the wrong man is in jail for a crime he didn't commit?

A thought-provoking combination of visually powerful imagery and comment *Includes 260 stunning photographs by more than 50 international contributors *Keynote essay by Patricia Macdonald *Features an interview with Dan Bailey and George Monbiot *Includes essays by Robert Macfarlane, Owen Logan, Kate Brown, Siobhan Lyons, Andrew Simms, Natasha Myers, Ayelen Liberona, Jared Diamond, Leslie Hook, Adam Nicolson Surveying the Anthropocene presents a range of approaches to image-making concerning the environment by some of the best artist-photographers working worldwide, alongside texts by some of the most illuminating writers on environmental questions, at a pivotal moment in the human relationship with the planet. Photographic approaches to environmental imagery have altered fundamentally in recent decades, largely as a result of increasing socio-ecological awareness. This insightful international survey, with a strong representation from Scotland, considers the varied range of current working practices of a representative selection of artist-photographers, both renowned and emerging, whose image-making explores human-caused environmental change. It concentrates particularly on work which relates to the types of impact, on climate and the web of life, that are sufficiently significant and globally widespread to appear in the future record of the rocks as a new geological epoch - the Anthropocene. The concept of the Anthropocene has engaged the attention and imagination of a wide range of commentators from very different backgrounds and walks of life. It therefore provides an excellent context in which to discuss, in an open and cross-disciplinary way, the range of responses of artist-photographers and cultural writers to our present global situation of multiple, interconnected environmental and social crises - and the options for human ingenuity in addressing these. Contributing photographers Jack Aeby, Antoine d'Agata, Benoit Aquin, Mandy Barker, Olaf Otto Becker, Daniel Beltra , Alex Boyd, Marilyn Bridges, Alicia Bruce, David Buckland, Edward Burtynsky, Anne Campbell, Thomas Joshua Cooper, Cortis & Sonderegger, Dalziel + Scullion, Pedro David de Oliveira Castello Branco, Bryan Debus, Susan Derges, Terry Evans, Tim Flach, Hamish Fulton, Sophie Gerrard, Lorne Gill, Emmet Gowin, Alexander Hamilton, J.J. Harrison, Louis Helbig, Zig Jackson/Rising Buffalo, Chris Jordan, Aleksandr Kupny, Chrystel Lebas, Ayelen Liberona, Timo Lieber, Owen Logan, Patricia & Angus Macdonald, Pradip Malde, Katie Blair Matthews, Meryl McMaster, Gideon Mendel, Richard Misrach, Fabrice Monteiro, Simon Norfolk, Susanne Ramsenthaler, Paul Souders, Jamey Stillings, Thomas Struth, Timm Suess, Klaus Thymann, Chris Wainwright, Greg White, Pinar Yoldas Scientists and photographers, some unnamed, from: Federal government of the United States; United States Department of Energy;, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA: Hannah A. Bullock; Azaibi Tamin;, NASA: including Jeff Schmalz (MODIS) Contributing writers Dan Bailey, Tobia Bezzola, Barbara Bloemink, Kate Brown, Jared Diamond, William A. Ewing, Jared Farmer, Willis E. Hartshorn, Leslie Hook, Siobhan Lyons, Robert Macfarlane, Bill McKibben, George Monbiot, Pete Moore, Jason Arunn Murugesu, Natasha Myers, Adam Nicolson, Andrew Simms

How well do you know the people closest to you? Hannah, Adam and adorable young Sydney Wickes are living under assumed identities in West Philadelphia. Although she's found it hard to adjust to life in the city, at least Hannah and her family are safe and slowly beginning to build new lives for themselves. But all that changes when an unexpected tragedy throws the harsh spotlight of publicity onto the Wickes family, putting them in serious danger. Because Hannah and those she loves are hiding a dark secret in their past, a secret that has torn their lives apart. For what do you do when the person you should love the most poses the greatest threat? The Wickes' sinister family secret is destined to catch up with them - with terrifying consequences.

Ever since her best friend Molly was murdered fifteen years before, Blair Butler has returned to her small hometown as seldom as possible. Now she's been summoned back to see her terminally ill sister one last time - only for Celeste to make a shocking deathbed confession. Is it true the wrong man is in jail for a crime he didn't commit?

'MacDonald . . . writes gripping suspense with strong, resilient female lead characters' Booklist 'Carefully plotted [with] a nest of sinister secrets' Publishers Weekly 'I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING . . . I DID SOMETHING BAD.' Fifteen years ago, Blair's best friend Molly was murdered. Fifteen years ago, Adrian Jones went to prison for it. Fifteen years ago, the real killer got away with it. And now, Blair's terminally ill sister has made a devastating deathbed confession, which could prove that the wrong man has been imprisoned for years - and that Molly's killer is still out there. Blair's determined to find him, but the story behind Molly's death is more twisted than she could imagine. If she isn't careful, the killer will ensnare her and bury Blair with his secret.

Following a whirlwind romance with an old acquaintance she bumped into at a high school reunion, heavily pregnant Dena Russell has moved back to her small hometown to start a new life with horse breeder Brian Riley. But something isn't right. As Brian's behaviour grows increasingly disturbing, Dena flees her new home, finding refuge with an old schoolfriend. Then the bloodstained, battered body is found, and Dena is forced to think the unthinkable: could the father of her unborn child be a coldblooded killer? And, if so, how can she and her baby escape his clutches.?

"Give Me a D-I-E "

Newcomers Corky and Bobbi Corcoran want more than anything to make the cheerleading squad at Shadyside High. But as soon as the Corcoran sisters are named to the team, terrible things happen to the cheerleaders.

The horror starts with a mysterious accident near the Fear Street cemetery. Soon after, piercing screams echo through the empty school halls. And then the ghastly murders begin...

Can Corky and Bobbi stop the killer before the entire cheerleading squad is destroyed?

Heart-pounding domestic suspense from an internationally-bestselling author One morning Caitlin Eckhart receives a phone call that changes her life forever - her much-loved six-year-old stepson Geordie has disappeared from school. It soon becomes clear that someone must have deliberately taken him. Distraught, Caitlin and her husband, Noah, make an anguished public appeal for his return. But Caitlin has a secret from her past that is about to catch up with her, and as Geordie's continued absence brings her relationship with Noah to breaking point, she stands to lose everything that she loves.

With chilling echoes of a notorious, real-life murder in Connecticut, Patricia MacDonald's gripping novel unwraps the layers of fear and guilt in a small town where nothing bad ever happens -- until a pretty teenager disappears....

Founder's Day in Felton, Tennessee, should be a joyous occasion. But it's the day Michele Burdette never returns home from the festivities...the day Michele is found murdered. Now, as her mother Lillie tries to heal her shattered life, haunting questions emerge about the identity of Michele's killer -- and Lillie realizes no one in her family or in Felton can be presumed innocent. A ring of suspicion is tightening around Michele's father, stepfather, and her football hero brother, and Lillie's quest for justice will reveal the deadly lies hidden behind the closed doors of her town, and her past....

"I have to tell you something . . . I did something bad." Ever since her best friend Molly was murdered fifteen years before, Blair Butler has returned to her small hometown in the Pocono mountains as seldom as possible. Now she has been summoned home to see her terminally ill sister one last time - only for Celeste to make a shocking deathbed confession. Is it really true that the wrong man has spent fifteen years in jail for a crime he didn't commit? Having promised her dying sister that she would do her best to right the wrongs of the past, Blair sets out to discover what really happened that cold, wet November night fifteen years before: the night Molly's battered body was found in the woods behind her home. But is Blair prepared for the shocking truth . . .?