It’s the beginning of a new year, and for widowed single mom and recent L.A. transplant to California wine country, Cece Barton, that means green hillsides, flowing streams from winter rains, pruned vineyards—and a murder to solve . . . After a mostly stress-free Christmas with her college-age daughter, and despite enjoying a current budding romance with fellow newcomer, Benjamin Cohen, it’s time for Cece to focus on Vino y Vida, the Colinas wine bar she manages. Electrical work and an outdoor security camera are needed, and she’s hired local electrician Karl Meier to do the job, along with the help of his nephew Ian. But she regrets her choice when she witnesses Karl needlessy berating Ian in her presence. On top of that, Karl leers at her, then presents her with an inflated bill before the work is complete. Still, she’s shocked when she gets a call from Karl’s ex-wife, Josie, that she’s found Karl . . . crushed to death beneath the lift in her automotive shop. Cece convinces Josie to call the police, even though Josie is terrified. After all, Karl was an abusive husband, was threatening her, and she has no alibi. With Josie’s future on the line, and maybe her own, Cece starts her own investigation. From the customers Karl cheated to the other women he harassed, she finds there’s no lack of suspects—other than the shelter kittens to whom he was an uncharacteristically sweet volunteer. With a bouquet of motives and unanswered questions, Cece is going to need the help of her twin, Allie, who owns a nearby B & B, as she dives into Karl’s past—before the killer catches up with her, and the lights go out for good . . .

Beverly doesn't much care for Valentine's. She doesn't like the reminder of her 'singleness'. But when a new coach and teacher start at the school, they hit it off famously, working together to set up the student Valentine's dance. However, when Beverly's safety is threatened by what appears to be a student's crush on her, Beverly and Rich must follow the clues that will lead them to the truth about what is really going on.

'The Ember Blade is hands down the best fantasy novel I've ever read' Grimdark Magazine Empires rise, civilisations fall and one culture comes to subsume another. It's the way of the world . . . sometimes ways of life are improved, sometimes they are not. But the progression of change is huge and - usually - unstoppable. In this story, the Ossian way of life is fading and the Dachen way is taking its place and Aren is comfortable with that. Even when his parents are accused of treason he supports the establishment and maintains there's been some mistake . . . which is all it takes to get himself and his best friend arrested . . . Thrown into a prison mine they plan their escape - only to be overtaken by events when they're rescued, and promptly find themselves in the middle of an ambush. By the time they've escaped, they're unavoidably linked to Garric - their unwelcome saviour - and his quest to overturn to Dachen way of life. If they leave Garric now, they'll be arrested or killed by their pursuers. If they turn him in, Garric will kill them. If they stay with him, they'll be abetting a murderous quest they don't believe in. There are no good options - but Aren will still have to choose a path . . . Designed to return to classic fantasy adventures and values, from a modern perspective, this is a fast-moving coming-of-age trilogy featuring a strong cast of diverse characters, brilliant set-pieces and a strong character and plot driven story. Readers can't put down The Ember Blade: 'I am absolutely in love with this book! . . . I was on the edge of my seat a few times. I laughed and I cried . . . I loved the characters, loved the story' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of the best in the genre for a very long time . . . a masterful balancing of new and old . . . a rather grand first instalment in a trilogy that could be one of the best epic fantasy has ever seen' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The island of goodness and hope for humanity in the sea of grimdark' Ed McDonald, author of The Daughter of Redwinter 'Clever and challenging, but also funny . . . The explosive finale has more than enough bang for anyone . . . a group forged in blood and betrayal, bonded by their oaths do what needs to be done against any and all odds' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of the best fantasy books I've read in years. An instant classic!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Strikes a magnificently fine balance between classic epic fantasy and grimdark fantasy, making this an amazing start to a new trilogy' Novel Notions 'What classic fantasy is all about - a slow build-up and an exciting pay-off - and I think this book as exactly that' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The world is big . . . Different cultures, magics, demons, politics - a whole new world to explore! . . . I was hooked from the start to the very last line' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Wooding is a master of worldbuilding . . . it's so rich and complex and I drank all of it in . . . refreshingly written, full of thought and provoking themes' The Fantasy Hive

An encyclopedic and richly detailed history of everyday life in the Soviet Union The Soviet Union is gone, but its ghostly traces remain, not least in the material vestiges left behind in its turbulent wake. What was it really like to live in the USSR? What did it look, feel, smell, and sound like? In The Soviet Century, Karl Schlögel, one of the world’s leading historians of the Soviet Union, presents a spellbinding epic that brings to life the everyday world of a unique lost civilization. A museum of—and travel guide to—the Soviet past, The Soviet Century explores in evocative detail both the largest and smallest aspects of life in the USSR, from the Gulag, the planned economy, the railway system, and the steel city of Magnitogorsk to cookbooks, military medals, prison camp tattoos, and the ubiquitous perfume Red Moscow. The book examines iconic aspects of Soviet life, including long queues outside shops, cramped communal apartments, parades, and the Lenin mausoleum, as well as less famous but important parts of the USSR, including the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the voice of Radio Moscow, graffiti, and even the typical toilet, which became a pervasive social and cultural topic. Throughout, the book shows how Soviet life simultaneously combined utopian fantasies, humdrum routine, and a pervasive terror symbolized by the Lubyanka, then as now the headquarters of the secret police. Drawing on Schlögel’s decades of travel in the Soviet and post-Soviet world, and featuring more than eighty illustrations, The Soviet Century is vivid, immediate, and grounded in firsthand encounters with the places and objects it describes. The result is an unforgettable account of the Soviet Century.

Her novels have been praised as “stunning” by Publishers Weekly and “exquisitely sensual” by Library Journal. Now, New York Times bestselling author Jo Beverley delivers another spellbinder…an intriguing tale of daring deception—and breathless desire. The Prey She is called the Devil’s Heiress. Burdened with the wealth of a man she despised, Clarissa Greystone is a fortune-hunter’s dream. The Hawk No one needs a fortune more than Major George Hawkinville. Fresh from the battlefields of Waterloo, he embarks on a campaign to win Clarissa’s money. The Hunt To protect his family’s good name, Hawk must ignore the hunger in his heart. But nothing can prepare him for the truths that come to light—or the passion that ignites—when Clarissa boldly steps into his trap….

How did we become football fans? Savage Enthusiasm traces the evolution of the football fan from the sport's earliest origins right up to the present day, exploring how football became the world's most popular spectator sport, and why it became the undisputed game of the people.

Widely regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery genre, Robert E. Howard produced a diverse body of works, demonstrating his inventive genius with exciting tales of Conan the Barbarian, Kull, Solomon Kane, Sailor Steve Costigan and a host of other captivating creations. This comprehensive eBook presents the most complete edition possible of Howard’s fiction, with numerous illustrations, many rare short stories appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 2) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Howard’s life and works * Concise introductions to the novels and other texts * ALL five novels, with individual contents tables * Images of how the books were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original pulp magazines * Features 206 short stories – the largest collection of Howard’s fiction ever compiled in a single publication * Many rare tales appearing here for the first time in digital publishing * Excellent formatting of the texts * Special alphabetical index for the short stories * A generous selection of poetry and non-fiction * Easily locate the poems or short stories you want to read * Includes Barlow’s tributary poem to Howard * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres * UPDATED with special ‘Dale Rippke Chronology’ contents table for the Conan series, 4 unfinished Conan stories and 3 posthumous Kull stories Please note: an actual complete works of Howard is not possible due to the copyright status and scarcity of some stories. When new texts become available in your public domain, they will be added to the eBook as a free update. CONTENTS: The Novels Skull-Face The People of the Black Circle The Hour of the Dragon A Gent from Bear Creek Almuric Fantasy Stories Conan the Barbarian Kull Solomon Kane Bran Mak Morn Turlogh Dubh O’Brien James Allison Other Fantasy Stories Boxing Stories Sailor Steve Costigan Sailor Dennis Dorgan Other Boxing Stories Western Stories Breckinridge Elkins Pike Bearfield Buckner Jeopardy Grimes Other Western Stories Historical Stories El Borak Dark Agnes de Chastillon Cormac Fitzgeoffrey Kirby O’Donnell Black Vulmea Helen Tavrel Other Historical Stories Horror Stories John Kirowan The Faring Town Saga De Montour Weird West Other Weird Menace Other Cthulhu Mythos Stories Other Horror Stories Detective Stories Steve Harrison Other Stories Spicy Stories Comedy Stories Short Stories Index List of Short Stories in Alphabetical Order Selected Poetry The Poems of Robert E. Howard The Non-Fiction Essays and Articles The Tribute R. E. H. by R. H. Barlow

Many declare the debate about abortion to be hopelessly polarised, between conservatives and liberals, between forces religious and secular. In this book Mumford upends this received wisdom and challenges consensus, arguing that many dominant attitudes and argument fail to take into account the particular way human beings 'emerge' in the world.

This book provides us with an accurate historical view of the Sinclair family alongside Scottish history It explores the journey of the Sinclairs from their Normandy routes to Scotland. Sinclair is one of the oldest surnames in Europe and its ancestry goes back to William the Conqueror. The book identifies the origin and formation of the Sinclair Clan, shows the crest and tartans and their Earldoms and Castles. From these it guides us to places of interest today. The Sinclairs were well respected and throughout the centuries, won or were awarded property and lands. They were greatly involved in the battles of the Wars of Independence and are first mentioned in the invasion of England with William the Conqueror. This book goes on to describe in detail, all the battles looking at the first Battle of Dunbar in 1296 effectively ending in an English victory to the first battle for Independence, the Battle of Roslin. It goes on encountering the Sinclairs in the likes of the Battles of Bannochburn and Culloden to the ill fated Invasion of England in 1648 with King Charles II. It then takes us on, ending the journey at the Union of Parliaments of Scotland and England in 1707.