A dashing private detective enters the glamorous and grimy world of the Cannes Film Festival to find a missing starlet in this “fast and clever” mystery (Library Journal). Enigmatic Englishman Patrick de Courvoisier has left his troubled past behind for a life of leisure on a houseboat in the Old Port of Cannes. But for a man known as Le Limier, or The Fixer, leisure is only amusing for so long. Luckily, trouble has a way of finding him—even in the South of France. As the Cannes Film Festival gets into full swing, the resort town is overrun with Hollywood types and everyone is abuzz about actress Angele Valette’s new movie The Black Pearl—funded by Russian oligarch Vasily Chapayev, owner of the famous pearl for which it’s named. But when Angele disappears, having last been seen at the film’s launch party on Vasily’s yacht, Le Limier is called upon to find her. As Patrick questions all those involved with the movie, he discovers the dirty truth behind the silver screen. And when he finds a dead body on his boat, Patrick must solve the case—and clear his name—before he’s given a lifetime of leisure behind bars. “Courvoisier is a dashing, sophisticated hero, and with an action-packed plot, filled with violence and shocking twists, this page-turner will more than satisfy fans of jet-setting suspense.” —Booklist

A cold case heats up when a 9-1-1 call puts police at a Denver murder scene, pointing investigators to the abduction of a Colorado teenager fourteen years earlier. A calling card--a single black pearl--is found on the newest victim. Is the murder a copycat? Or has a twisted serial killer, thought dead or in prison, returned to strike again? Soon, the hunt for a multi-state killer is on and brings together an unexpected team: a Denver Major Crimes police lieutenant; an FBI special agent who investigated the previous murders; a rookie FBI agent with a specialty in psychology; and the only living victim of the Black Pearl Killer, who is now a cop. For Special Agent Brian DiPietro, the case is an opportunity to find answers. For Officer Allison Shannon, the case will force her to face down the town that blamed her for surviving when another did not. And for both DiPietro and Shannon, it's a chance for both to find closure to questions that have tormented them for years. "Suspense, romance, high-tension, pitch-perfect pacing. Donnell Ann Bell is simply a terrific storyteller." --Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author "Unputdownable."--Cara Chamberlain, Netgalley Reviews on Buried Agendas "One of the best I have read in a while. I just could not put it down."--Wolf's Reading Den on Deadly Recall Author Bio: DONNELL ANN BELL IS an award-winning author of four romantic suspense novels, all of which have been e-book bestsellers. Black Pearl is the first in a suspense series. Donnell and her husband are recent transplants to New Mexico. Visit her website and connect with her on Facebook.

He’s a powerful billionaire who wants only one thing—my heart After leaving my abusive ex-boyfriend, I’ve lived a double life working as an executive assistant during the day and a burlesque performer at night. All that changes when the sexy CEO of my company walks into the club during my show. Nikola offers me a tempting proposal—he wants to mix business with pleasure. I can’t deny the heat between us that’s hotter than any of my dance moves, but I’m scared to give up my freedom for another man. Especially a man like Nikola, who is determined to always be in control. I need to decide if I’m ready to risk my heart again. But when my past catches up with me, will I be strong enough to fight for the happiness I’ve always longed for?

Nineteen thirty-nine Hawaii: two Hollywood actresses, the artillery brigades handsomest officer and finest polo player, the polo players beautiful wife, a Japanese carrier pilot who is sketching the aerial approach to Pearl Harbor, and the captain of the sketchers sampan unite in a mlange of passionate encounters that find coherence in the symbology of a Tahitian black pearl. Sidelights are the gold mesh necklace concealed in the God Kanes chest and the emerald cut diamond lost in the sand of the officers beach at Waialua. BookWire Review January 23, 2006 Bidwell Moores fast-paced novella recreates 1939 military and social life in Hawaii as it existed just a few years before the attack on Pearl Harbor that changed the tranquil islands forever. Moore intertwines the lives of a cast of interesting characters, including two glamorous Hollywood actresses, a group of soldiers and their wives, and quirky island locals, as well as a Japanese carrier pilot who is sketching the aerial approach to Pearl Harbor. Charlotte Ross is a beautiful, young, military wife who is also a treasure hunter. She is trying to discover the identity of the owner of a gold mesh necklace concealed in a statue of the island god Kane. While searching for sea treasure, Charlotte survives a near-fatal accident and has a brief but memorable encounter with a handsome Japanese pilot that will forever change her life. Later, a mysterious black pearl is sent to her. To help her solve the mystery of the pearl, Charlotte employs the help of Max Frazier, the islands best private investigator, who is also looking for an expensive piece of jewelrythis one is an emerald-cut diamond lost by one of the actresses in the sands of the officers beach at Waialua. The storys surprise ending neatly wraps up several of the books subplots, bringing together the characters in ways the reader would never have imagined. Moores vast knowledge of Hawaii and Japan (he lived for a time in both locations) and his experience as an assistant military attach give the book an authentic tone. His fast-paced narrative, while engaging, switches points of view so often that the plot is sometimes choppy and difficult to follow. Taken as a whole, however, The Black Pearl is an intriguing and enthralling tale of pre-World War II life in Hawaii.

An incalculable fortune in conflict minerals lies on the bed of a lost lake. The lake lies in the middle of a jungle hardly changed since the age of the dinosaurs, while the jungle stands on the slope of an active volcano which has destroyed the only civilisation nearby. The volcano serves as a border between two warring central African nations. And an uncontrolled, murderous guerrilla army claims the territory for its own, using a combination of modern terrorist techniques and timeless black magic to keep strangers out. Richard Mariner is leading a team into the heart of it all, seeking the lake and the fortune it contains – his only clues a half-forgotten legend and a huge black pearl that is so much more than it seems . . .

In October 1931, Dick Tracy made his debut on the pages of the Detroit Mirror. Since then America's most famous crime fighter has tangled with a variety of protagonists from locations as diverse as the inner city and outer space, all the time maintaining the moral high ground while reflecting American popular culture. Through extensive research and interviews with Chester Gould (the creator of "Dick Tracy"), his assistants, Dick Locher (the current artist), Max Allan Collins (who scripted the stories for more than 15 years) and many others associated with the strip, Dick Tracy as a cultural icon emerges. The strips use of both innovative and established police methods and the true-to-life portrayals of Tracy's family and fellow cops are detailed. The artists behind the strip are fully revealed and Dick Tracy paraphernalia and the 1990 movie Dick Tracy are discussed. Dick Tracy's appearances in other media--books, comics, radio, movie serials, "B" movies, television dramas, and animated cartoons--are fully covered.

Three billionaires. Three smoking hot burlesque dancers. Three steamy chances to fall in love. Black Pearl He’s a powerful billionaire who wants only one thing—my heart After leaving my abusive ex-boyfriend, I’ve lived a double life working as an executive assistant during the day and a burlesque performer at night. All that changes when the sexy CEO of my company walks into the club during my show. Nikola offers me a tempting proposal—he wants to mix business with pleasure. I can’t deny the heat between us that’s hotter than any of my dance moves, but I’m scared to give up my freedom for another man. Especially a man like Nikola, who is determined to always be in control. I need to decide if I’m ready to risk my heart again. But when my past catches up with me, will I be strong enough to fight for the happiness I’ve always longed for? Black Dahlia Love wasn’t for me until I needed his protection… I swore that I would never fall in love. Not after I watched my publicly devout father privately cheat on my mother for decades. My aim in life was to enjoy it, working as an assistant principal by day and performing as a burlesque dancer at night. Not even when the sexy and charming Raul Santiago walks into my life am I tempted to unlock my heart. But I am willing to spend the night with him. Unfortunately, that plan goes awry when Raul proves to be a liar. However, when trouble arises, and someone makes me the center of their obsession, Raul ends up being the one person I can rely on for protection. And with days spent in Raul’s home, him teaching me about his Brazilian heritage and nights with him watching over me at each of my performances, the wall around my heart starts to crumble. Yet will Raul’s protection be enough? Because the person after me is determined to go right through him to get to me. Black Butterfly I didn’t have time for love until I met her… I wasn’t looking for love. My life was complete as it was. I had my pick of women, a career I loved, working alongside my brother running our successful financial company, and my freedom. But with my mother breathing down my neck ever since my brother took the plunge, I’ve been doing my best to avoid commitment. Especially when I know all of the pain that can come with it. And then I met Stacey… She intrigues me like no woman ever has. Can meeting one person change all of my previous thoughts on marriage, love, and commitment?

The Second String by Nat Gould is about a young hero and rebellious good-for-nothing Jack Redland, a frequent visitor of The Downs and a secret admirer of sweet and beautiful Winifred. Excerpt: "There goes the failure of the family, yet I like him, there's real grit in him if it was brought out." The speaker was Sir Lester Dyke, and the remark was made to his daughter, Winifred. "The failure" did not seem unhappy, he walked across the field with a free and easy stride, whistling softly to himself, enjoying the beauties of nature, taking in everything at a glance, drinking deep of the many good things that mother earth provided for the entertainment of mankind."

Know What You Want,Know What You’re Buying, Learn the Secrets to Get the Most for Your Money /Finally! Everything you need to buy beautiful pearls with confidence. Easy to Read Easy to Understand Practical Complete Instant Answers ... to All Your Questions For people who want a reliable source of information to guide them in the fascinating and complex world of pearls—natural, cultured and imitation. Filled with “insider” tips and advice to help you get what you want.

The last daughter born to Jotham Bixby, the "Father of Long Beach," Fanny Bixby Spencer (1879-1930) carved her own singular and eccentric path across California history. Born to wealth and power, she chose a boldly independent, egalitarian lifestyle in an age when women's lives were largely confined to domesticity. Fanny served with the Long Beach Police Department as America's first policewoman. She was a founder of the city of Costa Mesa in Orange County. Her humanitarian efforts reached across ethnicities and social standing. Yet beyond her civic accomplishments, Fanny was provocative as a poet, artist, pacifist, suffragist, child advocate, foster mother and humanitarian. Marcia Lee Harris captures this fascinating woman's remarkable life, enhanced by Fanny's own poetry and soulful reflections.