“Smart, unexpected, and wonderfully savage in its humor. Totally Killer nails, without mercy, the mood and minutiae of a weary America at the end of the 20th century.” —Brad Listi, author of Attention. Deficit. Disorder. Debut novelist Greg Olear gets nostalgic for a recently bygone era with Totally Killer—a quirky, darkly funny, and fiendishly clever noirish tale of intrigue and suspense. The ’90s are back in this brilliant collision of conspiracy theory and pop culture that ingeniously blends assassination, politics, paranoia, Dick Cheney, CIA duplicity, and Duran Duran. The raves are already rolling in for this wonderfully twisted tale of an innocent and beautiful young Midwestern girl who finds a “totally killer” job through a most unusual employment agency in New York City. Jerry Stahl, bestselling author of Permanent Midnight, says, “The title doesn’t lie—Totally Killer truly is.”
Devangelical is an irresistibly funny and irreverent memoir about Erika Rae's experience growing up in — and out of — the Evangelical church in the American Bible Belt. As an adolescent who is expected to be hot for God, and not boys, Erika dreads that the Rapture will come before she gets to have sex. All the while she survives exorcisms, radical taboos, satanic back-masking on records, muscle men for Jesus, and cool, mulleted youth group leaders. Eventually Erika emerges as a young, married adult in spiritual limbo. Devangelical is a political and personal exploration of how the Evangelical church affects us all. For Erika Rae, it means a smart and honest shedding of baggage. A lot of heavy, scuffed-up, duct-taped baggage . . . with clowns inside.
The young girl pushes against the backseat of the family sedan, fighting to free herself from the crude ties restricting her hands and feet. As the car speeds towards the edge of town, she looks back at her family home, and watches in horror as it is suddenly engulfed in a mass of flames. Trembling with fear, she turns towards the driver and hears only laughter. She knows that the worst is yet to come... Detective Jenna Alton surveys the charred remains of the large suburban home, stopping to pause at the three lifeless bodies of the Woods family. Jenna knows she’s looking for a serial killer, but her priority is finding the missing teenage daughter last seen on the night of the inferno. Days later, Sophie Wood’s body is discovered floating in a shallow pool of crystal-clear water—known locally as Dead Man’s Drop—but Jenna still doesn’t know who would target the quiet family in such a brutal attack. Delving into the family’s past, she makes a shocking discovery—a link between the killer and someone connected to her deputy David Kane. If Jenna is right and the killer is back and seeking revenge, then she must act fast to keep her deputy safe. When another girl is taken, Jenna and David follow the trail into a network of underground caves on the outskirts of town. With little time before the killer claims his next victim, they race into the pitch-black tunnels, unsure whether they have just walked into the killer’s trap. Can they find the girl in time and escape the caves without the killer chasing them down? If you like pulse-racing thrillers from Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot, you will love this gripping new book from USA Today bestselling author D.K. Hood. **Each Kane and Alton book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone** What readers are saying about Promises in the Dark: “Wow. What a fabulous read. D.K. has knocked it out of the park with this one. It was dark, dangerous, tense and thrilling. I read it in one sitting.” Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars “TRIPLE WOW!!!… Amazing, fabulous and in my opinion the best one yet.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “Fast-paced and full of action, just as I would expect from this author!… Filled to the brim with action and suspense, this book will have you reading into the early hours!!” Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars “This was spectacular and I just didn’t want it to end.” Sean’s Book Reviews, 5 stars “Oh my goodness!… I binged on this brilliant book and didn’t stop until the last breath-taking paragraph… Treat yourself and enjoy every terrifying twist and turn as you race through this exhilarating, mind blowing book!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “I was really looking forward to reading Promises in the Dark and boy was it worth waiting for… Darker, grittier and more thrilling.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “An amazing author… This one was gut gripping from the start… Absolutely brilliant!!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Wow is all I can say… Seriously speechless and excited for the next book.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “It quickly picks up with a BOOM, well several of them… A fantastic read with twists that will keep you up past bedtime.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “D.K. Hood has outdone herself this time, giving us one of the most disturbing serial killers in recent memory.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “Kept me on the edge-of-my-seat and many heart-pounding moments throughout.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “Darker and grittier, this is one of the best of the series!… The conclusion to this book is perfect.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “A great twist at the beginning and a very tense ending.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
Drooling fanatic, n. 1. One who drools in the presence of beloved rock stars. 2. Any of a genus of rock-and-roll wannabes/geeks who walk around with songs constantly ringing in their ears, own more than 3,000 albums, and fall in love with at least one record per week. With a life that’s spanned the phonographic era and the digital age, Steve Almond lives to Rawk. Like you, he’s secretly longed to live the life of a rock star, complete with insane talent, famous friends, and hotel rooms to be trashed. Also like you, he’s content (sort of) to live the life of a rabid fan, one who has converted his unrequited desires into a (sort of) noble obsession. Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life traces Almond’s passion from his earliest (and most wretched) rock criticism to his eventual discovery of a music-crazed soul mate and their subsequent production of two little superfans. Along the way, Almond reflects on the delusional power of songs, the awkward mating habits of drooling fanatics, and why Depression Songs actually make us feel so much better. The book also includes: • sometimes drunken interviews with America’s finest songwriters • a recap of the author’s terrifying visit to Graceland while stoned • a vigorous and credibility-shattering endorsement of Styx’s Paradise Theater • recommendations you will often choose to ignore • a reluctant exegesis of the Toto song “Africa” • obnoxious lists sure to piss off rock critics But wait, there’s more. Readers will also be able to listen to a special free mix designed by the author, available online at www.stevenalmond.com, for the express purpose of eliciting your drool. For those about to rock—we salute you!
She opens her eyes and struggles to make out the dark room around her. One thing she knows instantly – her wrists are bound and she’s tied to a chair, unable to move. As she screams for help, she hears footsteps outside. He’s coming… Fifteen-year-old Lindy Rosen has been having nightmares for weeks, waking in a panic, screaming that there’s a man in her room watching her sleep. Her parents assumed it was her overactive imagination, but when one morning they find Lindy missing from her bedroom, they’re not so sure. Detective Jenna Alton is called in to investigate. Within hours of the schoolgirl going missing, the kidnapper reaches out to Jenna with a video of Lindy bound and tied to a chair, crying to be set free. And a simple message – you’ve got 24 hours to find her or I kill her. Jenna’s team work around the clock to try to find Lindy before the deadline, but time runs out, and Jenna receives a devastating message. The killer has made good on his promise. He’s playing a dangerous game. And no one knows what his next move will be. But just two days later, one of Lindy’s school friends is taken in the middle of the night and the countdown begins again. Completely addictive from the very start, if you like Lisa Regan, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott you’ll love Whisper in the Night. What readers are saying about Whisper in the Night: ‘I can’t get enough of this series and whizzed through yet another blinding instalment!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘D.K. Hood never disappoints and this new instalment is a brilliant addition to an already awesome series… An abundance of twists and turns and multiple suspects so it’s difficult to guess the culprit until the big reveal.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Another hit in a great series! This case was one of the best of the series… The twists are many and perfect to the story line. I am never disappointed by this author.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I barely ate or slept while reading this book. I love the characters and this author’s imagination is scary good.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘This is another rollercoaster of a ride, so strap yourself in and be prepared to be hurtled along at 100mph through the pages.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I love this series. As soon as I received this, it jumped straight to the top of my to-be-read list. I’ve even left a book half read to start it… Number six in a series that just keeps getting better and better…. Brilliant stuff. Read in one day. Genuinely didn’t want to put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘There is absolutely nothing negative which I could say about this book. I was genuinely disappointed to finish it… This book had me completely hooked and had me reading well into the early hours as I just couldn’t put it down! It was a fantastic crime book that was filed with so much action and suspense that I’m sure I could feel my heart beating just that little bit faster! This is definitely down on my list of one of the best series that I have read.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars ‘Great book. Held my attention from start to finish. Plenty of twists and turns and suspense. I can’t wait for more from this author.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars What readers are saying about D.K. Hood: ‘Wow!!! I read this book in one sitting.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘WOW, WOW, WOW!!!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!... I just wish I could’ve given it more than five stars!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘Wow, this book was amazing… totally thrilling and had me hanging on to every word.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars ‘GO AND READ THIS BOOK!’ Loving Life Everyday ‘I absolutely love D.K. Hood… An amazing author!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
'No More Haunted Dolls: Horror Fiction that Transcends the Tropes' is a multi-author work united by the common theme of critical analysis of the use of horror tropes in literature, film, and even video games. Tackling issues dealing with gender, race, sexuality, social class, religion, politics, disability, and more in horror, the authors are horror scholars hailing from varied backgrounds and areas of specialty. This book may be used as a resource for classes that study horror or simply as entertainment for horror fans; readers will consider diverse perspectives on the tropes themselves as well as their representation in specific works.
Although the number of commercial Java games is still small compared to those written in C or C++, the market is expanding rapidly. Recent updates to Java make it faster and easier to create powerful gaming applications-particularly Java 3D-is fueling an explosive growth in Java games. Java games like Puzzle Pirates, Chrome, Star Wars Galaxies, Runescape, Alien Flux, Kingdom of Wars, Law and Order II, Roboforge, Tom Clancy's Politika, and scores of others have earned awards and become bestsellers.Java developers new to graphics and game programming, as well as game developers new to Java 3D, will find Killer Game Programming in Java invaluable. This new book is a practical introduction to the latest Java graphics and game programming technologies and techniques. It is the first book to thoroughly cover Java's 3D capabilities for all types of graphics and game development projects.Killer Game Programming in Java is a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know to program cool, testosterone-drenched Java games. It will give you reusable techniques to create everything from fast, full-screen action games to multiplayer 3D games. In addition to the most thorough coverage of Java 3D available, Killer Game Programming in Java also clearly details the older, better-known 2D APIs, 3D sprites, animated 3D sprites, first-person shooter programming, sound, fractals, and networked games. Killer Game Programming in Java is a must-have for anyone who wants to create adrenaline-fueled games in Java.
Scream meets Happy Death Day in this terrifying stand-alone horror novel from YA scream queen Danielle Valentine. "This terrifying book reads like a horror movie. No, wait. It has the suspense and shocks and screams of TEN horror movies in one. Great nasty fun!" —R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. And in the year since Claire’s death, Alice’s life has completely fallen apart. Her parents have gotten divorced, she’s moved into an apartment that smells like bologna, and she is being forced to face her sister’s killer and a courtroom full of people who doubt what she saw in the corn maze a year prior. Claire was an all-American girl, beautiful and bubbly, and a theater star. Alice was a nerd who dreamed of becoming a forensic pathologist and would rather stay at home to watch her favorite horror movies than party. Despite their differences, they were bonded by sisterhood and were each other’s best friends. Until Claire was taken away from her. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween night a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered. Alice has until midnight to save her sister and find the real killer before he claims another victim.
