Romance and adventure drive Blood Ransom, by Lisa Harris, a powerful thriller about the modern-day slave trade and those who dare to challenge it. Deep in the heart of Africa, two American lives are about to change forever. Natalie Sinclair and Dr. Chad Talcott want to make a difference in underdeveloped African villages ... but they didn't count on risking their lives in the process.
Clones Rachel and Theo now live hundreds of miles apart. They keep in touch, but things just aren't the same. When Rachel discovers that evil scientist Elijah is still working in secret for a section of the government and about to murder Daniel, she sets out to rescue the little boy, but her plans backfire with disastrous consequences. Across the Atlantic, Theo becomes suspicious when Rachel misses their weekly internet chat. He discovers a report online saying she's killed herself and travels to Scotland to find her, certain that she has been kidnapped. A clue leads him to Elijah's mysterious clinic, where the sinister Aphrodite Experiment is underway. But what is Elijah really planning? Why does he need to track Rachel down so badly? And will Rachel and Theo be able to pay the ultimate ransom that he demands?
For the first time in history, the navies of every superpower on the planet have united against a common enemy – a couple of thousand rag tag underfed men and boys. Crammed together in tiny open boats, they range up to a thousand miles from their home shores. Armed with ancient AK47s and rocket propelled grenades, they scour the western Indian Ocean. No-one knows how many simply die at sea. But occasionally these modern-day pirates hit the jackpot, seizing vessels and crews that will be ransomed for millions of dollars. This is a war that's estimated to cost the world economy $18 billion every year, and has so far seemed impossible to win. John Boyle is a lawyer turned filmmaker. Whilst filming for National Geographic on the war against the Somali pirates, he found himself meeting victims on every side, and being drawn into the incredibly complex situation. The phenomenon of modern-day piracy has horrified the world; the Somalis being demonised and released hostages gaining near celebrity status. But few people have any understanding of the overall picture, and in this book John takes us with him on his investigation, giving us a unique insight into the ongoing war. John builds up the story using his experiences on the ground and interviews with key figures, including prosecution and defence lawyers, a prison governor, pirates serving life sentences, freed hostages, and a skipper of a Maersk containership identical to that captured in the Captain Philips film. Each chapter strips back the well-known issues to the gritty realities underneath them: Somalia's recent history; why young men and boys are choosing to risk their lives and freedom at sea; the reality of being a modern-day pirate; the tactics and technologies being used by the international navies and shipping vessels; capture and trial; and what happens next.
When Theo discovers the father he thought died when he was a baby is still alive, he's determined to find him. The clues lead him to lonely Rachel, who has problems of her own, including parents who compare her unfavourably to her long-dead sister. But when Rachel and Theo are attacked by men from RAGE - the Righteous Army against Genetic Engineering - they are rescued by strangers and taken to meet a mysterious figure who leads them to make startling discoveries about their identities, which will affect their past, present, and future in dramatic and life-altering ways...
A rookie detective investigates the murder of a bestselling mystery writer. Two shots on a snowy Seattle street, and a bestselling writer lies dead. When Brick Ransom is assigned to the case, the trail quickly leads to an up-and-coming hard-boiled mystery writer, his publisher, and one of Seattle's most powerful companies. But who did it? And why? And with the murders still happening, who will be next? Bloody Pulp is bloody good fun, with all of the mystery, suspense, humor, and over-the-top action Brick Ransom fans crave!
The first book in an epic new series about a princess hiding a dark secret and the con man she must trust to clear her name for her father's murder. In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are deemed unnatural—even dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, is one of the most terrifying Affinites. Ana’s ability to control blood has long been kept secret, but when her father, the emperor, is murdered, she is the only suspect. Now, to save her own life, Ana must find her father’s killer. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is one where corruption rules and a greater conspiracy is at work—one that threatens the very balance of Ana’s world. There is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to the conspiracy’s core: Ramson Quicktongue. Ramson is a cunning crime lord with sinister plans—though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all. Praise for Blood Heir “Cinematic storytelling at its best.”—Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back “Zhao shines in the fast-paced and vivid combat scenes, which lend a cinematic quality that pulls readers in.”—NYT Book Review “Zhao is a master writer who weaves a powerful tale of loyalty, honor, and courage through a strong female protagonist. . . . Readers will love the fast-paced energy and plot twists in this adventure-packed story.”—SLJ
The Scabbard of Invincibility has finally had its powers restored and it is time to return it to Sabre Island. When Al and Owen travel there, they are delighted to meet up with their friend Captain Gunner. But can Gunner be trusted? Just try to resist the action-packed Dragon Blood Pirates series - and the lure of adventure and mystery on the high seas.
The most riveting novel yet in Christopher Reich’s New York Times bestselling series—featuring Dr. Jonathan Ransom and his undercover-agent wife Emma, a dangerous woman with a mysterious past who has gone rogue in the high-stakes, serpentine world of international spies. In 1980, a secret American B-52 crashes high in a remote mountain range on the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Nearly thirty years later, and spanning locales from those peaks to New York City, a terrible truth will be revealed. Jonathan Ransom returns as the resourceful doctor thrown into a shadowy world of double and triple agents where absolutely no one can be trusted. To stay alive, Ransom must unravel the mystery surrounding his wife—an enigmatic and lethal spy who plays by her own rules—and discover where her loyalties truly lie. Rules of Betrayal is a masterfully plotted novel that cements Christopher Reich’s reputation as one of the most admired espionage thriller writers today.
A young boy must slay Fafnir, a shape-shifting ogre who has transformed himself into a dragon Fafnir lives with his family in a fortress-like house deep in the forest. His father, descended from an archdemon, shares the secrets of the dark arts with Fafnir and his two brothers. Regnir, the eldest, is a deformed dwarf who lusts after gold and relies on his cunning to get it. Hungering only for food, Oter, the middle brother, can transform himself into a bird of prey. The shape-shifting Fafnir desires to be feared, and when Odin, king of the gods, sets a trap with a treasure that tempts every giant, ogre, and dwarf in his domain, Fafnir becomes a dragon. However, he is about to confront an even fiercer rival: a mortal named Siegfried. This adventure-filled Norse myth is a powerful story of magic, curses, doom, and destruction featuring an unlikely hero whose perils are only just beginning.
