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New York Times Bestseller: This anthology of Erma Bombeck’s most memorable and humorous essays is a tribute to one of America’s sharpest wits. When she began writing her regular newspaper column in 1965, Erma Bombeck’s goal was to make housewives laugh. Thirty years later, she had published more than four thousand columns, and earned countless laughs—from housewives, presidents, and everyone in between. With grace, good humor, and razor-sharp prose, she gently skewered every aspect of the American family. This collection holds the best of her columns—not just her famous quips, but also the heartbreaking observations that gave her writing such weight. In 1969, Erma wrote: “screaming kids, unpaid bills, green leftovers, husbands behind newspapers, basketballs in the bathroom. They’re real . . . they’re warm . . . they’re the only bit of normalcy left in this cockeyed world, and I’m going to cling to it like life itself.” With what Publishers Weekly calls her “infectious sense of human absurdity,” Erma Bombeck’s writing remains a timeless examination of the still-cockeyed world. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erma Bombeck including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate. “During the 31 years in which Bombeck wrote more than 4,000 columns, an entire generation was born, grew up, started families and learned to love and listen to her. . . . From the start she was funny.” — The New York Times  “A fitting finale for the much-loved humorist.” — Booklist Erma Bombeck (1927–1996) was one of the best-loved humorists of her day, known for her witty books and syndicated columns. In 1967, she published At Wit’s End , a collection of her favorite columns. Bombeck would go on to write eleven more books, including The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (1976), If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (1978), and Aunt Erma’s Cope Book (1979). Her books were perennial bestsellers, and helped bolster her reputation as one of the nation’s sharpest observers of domestic life. She continued writing her syndicated column until her death in 1996.      |
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One night. Let go. Be free. Even at an early age, Reid Hunter’s future was already planned out. Though he was groomed to become successor of the family business, he quickly discovered his destiny wasn’t through his family’s legacy, but to build his own empire. His plan: takeover Vegas, one building at a time. Known as a hard, no-nonsense man, inside the boardroom and out, Reid isn’t prepared when he comes face to face with a woman from his past. The only one with the ability to make him question everything he stands for. Raising a child is hard. Raising a child as a young, single mother is downright difficult. Yet Dani Whitley has managed to put herself through college, purchase her own home, and raise the unexpected, but greatly adored son she created while in college, after one night with a gorgeous stranger. Knowing nothing but his first name, Dani has managed to push all thought of Reid out of her mind until one day, nine years later, she is forced to face the man himself. Ruthless and callous, Reid Hunter is nothing like the young man she met at that music festival all those years ago. Yet Dani is still drawn to him, more than she was before. Sin. Money. Success. Profits. That’s the foundation of Las Vegas. But what happens when one day you realize that it’s not enough? When the greatest thing you could profit is bigger and better than money: love.  |
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A New York Times bestseller and Oprah Book Club 2.0 selection, the epic, unforgettable story of a man determined to protect the woman he loves from the town desperate to destroy her. This beautiful and devastating debut heralds the arrival of a major new voice in fiction.   Ephram Jennings has never forgotten the beautiful girl with the long braids running through the piney woods of Liberty, their small East Texas town. Young Ruby Bell, “the kind of pretty it hurt to look at,” has suffered beyond imagining, so as soon as she can, she flees suffocating Liberty for the bright pull of 1950s New York. Ruby quickly winds her way into the ripe center of the city—the darkened piano bars and hidden alleyways of the Village—all the while hoping for a glimpse of the red hair and green eyes of her mother. When a telegram from her cousin forces her to return home, thirty-year-old Ruby finds herself reliving the devastating violence of her girlhood. With the terrifying realization that she might not be strong enough to fight her way back out again, Ruby struggles to survive her memories of the town’s dark past. Meanwhile, Ephram must choose between loyalty to the sister who raised him and the chance for a life with the woman he has loved since he was a boy. Full of life, exquisitely written, and suffused with the pastoral beauty of the rural South,  Ruby  is a transcendent novel of passion and courage. This wondrous page-turner rushes through the red dust and gossip of Main Street, to the pit fire where men swill bootleg outside Bloom’s Juke, to Celia Jennings’s kitchen, where a cake is being made, yolk by yolk, that Ephram will use to try to begin again with Ruby. Utterly transfixing, with unforgettable characters, riveting suspense, and breathtaking, luminous prose,  Ruby  offers an unflinching portrait of man’s dark acts and the promise of the redemptive power of love. Ruby was a finalist for the PEN America Robert Bingham Debut Novel Award, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, and an Indie Next Pick. |
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Addison Holmes is at it again. When priceless Russian gems are stolen on their way to Savannah and the courier is murdered, all the clues lead back to an escort service that seems above reproach. But looks can be deceiving. Throw in a sexy detective and a dangerous FBI agent, and Addison finds out very quickly that she's in way over her head. But nothing is going to stop her from getting her man. |
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It is 1984. The world is in a state of perpetual war and Big Brother sees and controls all. Winston Smith, a member of the Outer Party and propaganda-writer at the Ministry of Truth, is keeping a journal he should not be keeping and falling in love with Julia, a woman he should not be seeing. Outwardly compliant, Winston dreams of rebellion against the oppressive Big Brother, risking everything to recover his lost sense of individuality and control of his own future. HarperPerennialClassics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library. |
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"Full of thrills and tension - but smart and human too." Lee Child, #1 World Wide Bestselling Author of Jack Reacher Thrillers Everyone needs a vacation, even hardworking, crime-fighting Federal Judges. Looking forward to a quiet week of stunning winter scenery, roaring fires, and warm companionship, Judge Willa Carson and her husband George head north to Pleasant Harbor, Michigan - and slam into murder. A car stranded in the road. A corpse slumped in the front seat. A gunshot wound to left temple. The scene is surreal, the execution ruthless, the victim far from innocent. Local authorities want this case put away fast because it’s bad for their tourism business. Willa sees what the cops don’t, and she is not about to play along to get along. The rugged, frozen landscape is not her beloved Tampa sunshine and palm trees, but Judge Willa Carson is always on the Hunt for Justice. "Intricate and ingenious - make some coffee, because you'll read all night." Lee Child, #1 Worldwide Bestselling author of Jack Reacher thrillers |
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Susan Mallery, the New York Times bestselling author of Three Sisters, is world renowned for her "insightful, funny, and poignant" stories (Booklist). With her brand-new Mischief Bay series, she brings vivid color to the story of three friends on the brink of a new life.   Nicole Lord wants to be a good wife, but there's a difference between being supportive and supporting her husband, who quit his job to write a screenplay she's never seen. He won't even help take care of their son, leaving Nicole to run the house and work full-time.  Sacrificing a personal life for her career is how Shannon Rigg became VP at her firm, but she wonders now whether she made the right choice. An exciting new relationship with a great guy convinces her that it might not be too late—until he drops a bombshell that has her questioning whether she really can have it all.  Although Pam Eiland adores her husband, she feels restless now that the kids are grown. Finding sexy new ways to surprise him brings the heat and humor back to their marriage, but when unexpected change turns her life upside down, she'll have to redefine herself. Again.  Through romance and heartbreak, laughter and tears, the girls of Mischief Bay will discover that life is richer with friends at your side. |
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In the tradition of The Girl on the Train , The Silent Wife  and Gone Girl comes an enthralling psychological thriller that spins one woman's seemingly good fortune, and another woman's mysterious fate, through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death and deception. Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life. The request seems odd, even intrusive--and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating. EMMA Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant--and it does. JANE After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space--and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home's previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people and experiences the same terror, as the girl before. From the Trade Paperback edition. |
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One key, one door, one man, one leap. Alison Wescot inherited the antique store the day her mother died. It was nothing she wanted, but she couldn’t part with it. The antiques inside were all she had left of her mother. She thought she knew every piece in the store, until one day she discovered a box with a key inside, along with a letter from her mother. A key to a door she never knew existed. Lucas Azure is the leader of the kingdom’s elite guard, a group of men whose sole purpose was to protect their territory and people. The youngest of the king’s four children, he was also the deadliest. The men in his group followed him faithfully, never questioning his orders. When Alison appeared, he knew he had to protect her at all costs. The day Alison walked through the door, her recurring dream became a reality. The man who always remained a mystery was standing before her. There were dragons flying overhead and a castle in the distance. She was now in the Azure Kingdom.  |
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Protecting her life will mean betraying her trust  Ainsley Hamilton has always been the responsible one of the family. As the oldest daughter of presidential candidate Buckmaster Hamilton, she's also a potential target. For months she's sensed someone following her. When an expedition to scout locations for a commercial takes a terrifying turn, she's rescued by a natural-born cowboy who tempts the good girl to finally let loose.  Sawyer Nash knows just how reckless it is to fall for someone he's gone undercover to protect. Yet masquerading as an extra on set, he starts to see beneath Ainsley's controlled facade. And with the election—and a killer—drawing closer, Sawyer stands to lose not just his job and his life but the woman for whom he'd gladly risk both. |
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Fleeing with only her bow, horse, enormous pet wolf, and the cryptic clues hidden in her mother's medicine journal, healer Meg Boswell gallops north towards freedom, running from the man who falsely accused her mother of witchcraft. Cursed with magical healing abilities, Meg knows that if she's captured, she will die like her mother—atop a blazing witch's pyre. Winter winds rip across the Highlands, pressing Chief Caden Macbain forward in his desperate plan to save his clan. He's not above using an innocent woman to bargain for peace if it keeps his clan from starving. But Meg isn't who Caden thinks she is, and when she kills a man to save the clan, he must choose between duty and her life. For although he captured her to force a peace, Meg's strength and courage have captured Caden's heart. The Highland Hearts series can be read out of order, but is best enjoyed in order. Highland Hearts reading order: #1 Captured Heart #2 Tangled Hearts #3 Untamed Hearts #4 Crimson Heart #5 Highland Heart |
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New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers returns to charming Swift River Valley, where spring is the time for fresh starts and new beginnings…   Kylie Shaw has found a home and a quiet place to work as an illustrator of children's books in little Knights Bridge, Massachusetts. No one seems to know her here—and she likes it that way. She carefully guards her privacy in the refurbished nineteenth-century hat factory where she has a loft. And then California private investigator Russ Colton moves in.  Russ is in Knights Bridge to keep his client and friend, eccentric Hollywood costume designer Daphne Stewart, out of trouble. Keeping tabs on Daphne while she considers starting a small children's theater in town doesn't seem like a tough job until he runs into Kylie. Her opposition to converting part of the old hat factory into a theater is a challenge. But his bigger challenge is getting Kylie to let loose a little…like the adventurous characters she depicts in her work.  Kylie and Russ have more in common than they or anyone else would ever expect. They're both looking for a place to belong, and if they're able to let go of past mistakes and learn to trust again, they might just find what they need in Knights Bridge…and each other. |
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No.1 EBOOK BESTSELLER. A SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 PAPERBACK BESTSELLER. A USA TODAY PAPERBACK BESTSELLER. The real nightmare starts when her daughter is returned… A bone-chilling psychological thriller that will suit fans of Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, Daughter, by Jane Shemilt, and The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins. A girl is missing. Five years old, taken from outside her school. She has vanished, traceless. The police are at a loss; her parents are beyond grief. Their daughter is lost forever, perhaps dead, perhaps enslaved. But the biggest mystery is yet to come: one week after she was abducted, their daughter is returned. She has no memory of where she has been. And this, for her mother, is just the beginning of the nightmare. Reviews ‘A nail-biting psychological thriller … maintains high suspense to the very end’ Publishers Weekly ‘Superbly crafted – will keep you up all night’ LizLovesBooks.com ‘A novel that gripped me from the opening paragraph … It certainly had me wanting more … An excellent novel’ TheWelshLibrarian.co.uk ‘A story that will grab your attention from the start … It will certainly appeal to any fans of psychological thrillers’ ByTheLetterBookReviews.co.uk About the author Alex Lake is a British novelist who was born in the North West of England. After Anna is the first book to be written under the author’s pseudonym, and it has been a No.1 bestselling ebook sensation, receiving over 500 5* reviews online. The author now lives in the North East of the US. |
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Lisa Gardner's next thriller following her runaway  New York Times bestseller  Find Her  takes her wildly popular brand of suspense to new heights.   Is he a hero?   Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.   Is he a killer?   Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun.    All she knows for sure: He’s back.   As the clock winds down on a massive hunt for Telly, Quincy and Rainie must answer two critical questions: Why after eight years has this young man started killing again? And what does this mean for Sharlah? Once upon a time, Sharlah’s big brother saved her life. Now, she has two questions of her own: Is her brother a hero or a killer? And how much will it cost her new family before they learn the final, shattering truth? Because as Sharlah knows all too well, the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you . From the Hardcover edition. |
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In this National Book Award–winning novel, a young man, torn between the forces of tradition and change, searches for meaning in postwar America.  On the cusp of his thirtieth birthday, Binx Bolling is a lost soul. A stockbroker and member of an established New Orleans family, Binx’s one escape is the movie theater that transports him from the falseness of his life. With Mardi Gras in full swing, Binx, along with his cousin Kate, sets out to find his true purpose amid the excesses of the carnival that surrounds him. Buoyant yet powerful, The Moviegoer is a poignant indictment of modern values, and an unforgettable story of a week that will change two lives forever. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Walker Percy including rare photos from the author’s estate.  “A brilliant novel . . . Percy touches the rim of so many human mysteries.” — Harper’s “Clothed in originality, intelligence, and a fierce regard for man’s fate.” — Time “Percy is a brilliantly breathtaking writer.” — The New York Times Book Review  Walker Percy (1916–1990) was one of the most prominent American writers of the twentieth century. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he was the oldest of three brothers in an established Southern family that contained both a Civil War hero and a U.S. senator. Acclaimed for his poetic style and moving depictions of the alienation of modern American culture, Percy was the bestselling author of six fiction titles—including the classic novel The Moviegoer (1961), winner of the National Book Award—and fifteen works of nonfiction. In 2005, Time magazinenamed The Moviegoer one of the best English-language books published since 1923. |
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Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia  cannot resist. They rekindle their  searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven, and demanding Fifty Shades. While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront her anger and envy of the women who came before her and make the most important decision of her life. Erotic, sparkling and  suspenseful, Fifty Shades Darker is the irresistibly addictive second part of the Fifty Shades Trilogy. |
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An Experienced and Trustworthy Voice Offers Hope for Tough Times Readers trying to figure out how the world and God "work" can't help but learn from Leslie Haskin's indomitable spirit and compassionate heart. Since surviving the 9/11 attacks, she's faced post-traumatic stress disorder, the loss of her home, tough times between jobs, a broken engagement, a cancer scare, and perhaps most challenging, raising a teenaged son by herself. In this book, Leslie interweaves personal stories, biblical insights, and uplifting wisdom to address common questions such as Why do things seem so out of control? Is praying even worth it? and What do you want from me, Lord? She provides down-to-earth encouragement to all who want a better life. |
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Have you been putting bullion in your soup? Is incorrect spelling starting to have a negative affect on your term papers? Do you wonder what someone is inferring when they tell you to pick up a dictionary? These are just a few of the commonly misunderstood words discussed and explained in Abused, Confused, and Misused Words , an entertaining and informative look at the ever-changing nature of the English language. An alphabetical list of words that are frequently misspelled or misused is accompanied by a style guide to usage rules that tells you how and why they can be broken. Also included is a collection of 1,000 new and inventive words, and nearly 30,000 more words are discussed in a section dealing with word roots and how they are used in modern language. Anyone who is intrigued by language, who is fascinated by words, or who simply wants to use our language clearly and effectively will enjoy this delightful, eye-opening collection.    |
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AMERICA’S MOST COLD-BLOODED!   In the horrifying annals of American crime, the infamous names of brutal killers such as Bundy, Dahmer, Gacy, and Berkowitz are writ large in the imaginations of a public both horrified and hypnotized by their monstrous, murderous acts. But for every celebrity psychopath who’s gotten ink for spilling blood, there’s a bevy of all-but-forgotten homicidal fiends studding the bloody margins of U.S. history. The law gave them their just desserts, but now the hugely acclaimed author of The Serial Killer Files and The Whole Death Catalog gives them their dark due in this absolutely riveting true-crime treasury. Among America’s most cold-blooded you’ll meet   • Robert Irwin, “The Mad Sculptor”: He longed to use his carving skills on the woman he loved—but had to settle for making short work of her mother and sister instead.   • Peter Robinson, “The Tell-Tale Heart Killer”: It took two days and four tries for him to finish off his victim, but no time at all for keen-eyed cops to spot the fatal flaw in his floor plan.   • Anton Probst, “The Monster in the Shape of a Man”: The ax-murdering immigrant’s systematic slaughter of all eight members of a Pennsylvania farm family matched the savagery of the Manson murders a century later.   • Edward H. Ruloff, “The Man of Two Lives”: A genuine Jekyll and Hyde, his brilliant scholarship disguised his bloodthirsty brutality, and his oversized brain gave new meaning to “mastermind.”   Spurred by profit, passion, paranoia, or perverse pleasure, these killers—the Witch of Staten Island, the Smutty Nose Butcher, the Bluebeard of Quiet Dell, and many others—span three centuries and a host of harrowing murder methods. Dramatized in the pages of penny dreadfuls, sensationalized in tabloid headlines, and immortalized in “murder ballads” and classic fiction by Edgar Allan Poe and Theodore Dreiser, the demonic denizens of Psycho USA may be long gone to the gallows—but this insidiously irresistible slice of gothic Americana will ensure that they’ll no longer be forgotten. |
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A secret duo of romance authors team up under the pseudonym Max Monroe to bring more from their sexy, laugh-out-loud new series. Can you ever get enough Billionaire Bad Boys? Uninhibited. Sarcastic. Confident. Beautiful.  With a thriving photography career that allows her to travel all over the world and capture the hottest of men behind her camera lens, Cassie Phillips is the woman who can’t be tamed.  Adrenaline-junkie. Jokester. Billionaire. Hot-as-sin.  At six-foot-five, with muscles for days, and that perfect playful smile, Thatcher Kelly is the kind of man you don’t want to deny.  Wild for wild.  Prank for prank.  The two most unlikely of people may be the only ones to see that some personality traits only run skin deep.  Uncensored. Hilarious. And too damn hot to put into words.  Grab a fan and get ready for one hell of a ride because when the opposite of opposites attract, things are bound to get a little messy. |
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The Kaliningrad stands as the last great triumph of Soviet submarine technology. Now it has put out to sea, lurking beneath the polar ice cap. In command is the most brilliant officer the Soviet fleet has ever produced—Admiral Alexi Novskoyy. And in his fanatical hands is the power to turn back the clock to the Cold War…and begin the countdown to doomsday. Opposing him is the killer chase sub USS Devilfish, captained by Commander Michael Pacino—a dogged veteran of the American fleet. His orders are to hunt down and destroy the Russian vessel. But his personal mission is to settle an old score with Novskoyy—the man who killed his father. The ultimate undersea duel is about to begin… |
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In this multi-award-winning, bestselling novel, Margaret Atwood has created a stunning Orwellian vision of the near future. This is the story of Offred, one of the unfortunate “Handmaids” under the new social order who have only one purpose: to breed. In Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships, Offred’s persistent memories of life in the “time before” and her will to survive are acts of rebellion. Provocative, startling, prophetic, and with Margaret Atwood’s devastating irony, wit, and acute perceptive powers in full force, The Handmaid’s Tale is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. |
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There’s a lot you probably don’t know about the Buddha. For one, the real Buddha was thin. And before he became the “Enlightened One,” he was a pampered prince named Siddhartha. He tried dieting once and didn’t like it any more than you do. Instead, he sought a “middle way” between unhealthy overindulgence and unrealistic abstinence. The instructions he gave his monks about eating, more than 2,500 years ago, were surprisingly simple. Fast forward to today, and modern science confirms what Buddha knew all along. It’s not what you eat that’s important, but when you eat. You don’t need to follow the latest fads or give up your favorite foods. You just have to remember a few guidelines that Buddha provided—guidelines that, believe it or not, will help you lose weight, feel better, and stop obsessing about food. Sure, Buddha lived before the age of doughnuts and French fries, but his wisdom and teachings endure, providing us with a sane, mindful approach to achieving optimum health. |
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What if Jesus hadn't been crucified?  For two thousand years the religions of earth have been united in peace and harmony, and humanity enveloped in Nirvana. But in the early decades of the twentieth century, natural disasters, famine, disease and economic collapse bring catastrophe and a fledgling Nazi Party sweeps to power. Now, almost a century later, their brutal persecution of millions is a never-ending holocaust.  Yet a few heroes remain.  Leigh Wilson, inventor of one of the most significant discoveries in human history and a leading member of the Reich’s Technical Division has kept a secret all her life. But plunged into the aftermath of the cold-blooded murder of a Nazi official, she is forced to make a choice. Will she use her power to reset history? Will she destroy what she loves to save what she can only imagine?  A Time to Every Purpose is a thrilling mix of science and action, good versus evil, and the eternal question all humans face: Is this my time to act? |
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How well do you know the couple next door? Or your husband? Or even—yourself?  The instant  New York Times domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently friendly neighbors — a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal and the secrets between husbands and wives. . . . "Meticulously crafted and razor-sharp.  The Couple Next Door  lingers long after you turn the final page." --Harlan Coben, #1  New York Times  bestselling author of  Fool Me Once Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.      Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.      What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family—a chilling tale of deception, duplicityand unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist. From the Trade Paperback edition. |
