⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four USA Today bestselling authors team up to bring you your favorite female sleuths in a hilarious new special collection!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The 4 Sleuths are a funny killer foursome whose exploits include dodging killers at a sketchy bachelorette party, mud wrestling ancient burlesque dancers, and glamping with grownup Girl Scouts, to name a few. Meet the 4 Sleuths before they teamed up and check out their first mysteries in this box set, the Origin Stories! Get your glamor on in Boston with gutsy sleuth and beautician Valentine Beaumont in MURDER, CURLERS & CREAM! Race through the streets of San Francisco with part-time crime-solver and sleep-deprived new mom, Kate Connolly in BUNDLE OF TROUBLE! Find out if there’s a scout badge for sniper training in Who’s There, Iowa with ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout Leader Merry Wrath in MERIT BADGE MURDER! Chase cocktails and crooks in the Big Easy with New Orleans PI (and victim of a serial-matchmaking Sicilian nonna) Franki Amato in LIMONCELLO YELLOW!
This collection of new essay examines how authors of the 20th and 21st centuries continue the use of sentimental forms and tropes of 19th century literature. Current literary and cultural critical consensus seems to maintain that Americans engaged in a turn-of-the-century refutation of the sentimental mode; an analysis of 20th and 21st century narratives, however, reveals an ongoing use of sentimental expression that draws upon its ability to instruct and influence readers through their emotions. While these later narratives employ aspects of the sentimental mode, many of them also engage in a critique of the failures of the sentimental, deconstructing 19th century perspectives on race, class and gender and the ways they are promoted by sentimental ideals.
With inferno stories, George Williams returns with another original and electrifying collection. Two home invaders put on trial a descendant of San Juan Capistrano’s oldest families for the sins of his ancestors. A man encounters a cult that mistakes him for both savior and sacrifice. Two screenwriters in search of a story follow a strange man from Istanbul up the coast of Italy to Duino, where he carves into a tree a baffling equation that changes their marriage forever. A fired White House speechwriter travels south along the East Coast in stolen rowboats with a woman he meets under a D.C. bridge, leaving a comedy of chaos in their wake. In the title story, a retired sex worker in L.A. turned trickster and avenging angel settles dozens of scores with methods of punishment both ancient and modern. inferno takes the reader from east Texas to Catalina Island, from ancient Rome to cedar forests of Provence, from the low country of Savannah to the burning hills of Southern California. Brazen bulls and kamikaze pilots, karaoke and crucifixions, the canals of Venice and the killing fields of the I-45 corridor all figure in these twelve superbly crafted stories written in a subtle and daring range of voices and styles. Williams opens the door onto a world of uneasy inhabitants, credulous creatures who want the truth they already know they cannot bear, characters fully human in their heartbreak, cruelty, and capacity for self-deception. Praise for George Williams … “George Williams writes with an electric energy, unpredictable inventiveness, and deft ear for dialogue that makes him one of the most exciting and compelling writers of his generation.” — Richard Burgin, author of Rivers Last Longer and Shadow Traffic ” … shows a darkly comic sensibility more akin to that of the filmmaking Coen brothers (think Barton Fink) than to more obvious literary influences … Recommended to adventurous readers, who will surely enjoy Williams’s wildly irreverent inventions.” — Library Journal “Williams paints a grotesque picture of modern America, one filled with witches and terrorists, con men and succubi. Actually, I don’t know if there are any actual succubi in the pages … but it sure feels like there should be.” — Popmatters “George Williams, a self-described “reformed anarchist,” writes a hyper-controlled, smart and taut prose that goes beyond the spare exactness of the Moderns. The sentences seem so easy, but their accretion is sly: William’s prose unveils a tough and dense vision, the steady shock of a live snapping wire.” — Stephen D. Geller
Fifty-two exclusive interviews with past and present cast members of EastEnders, including Barbara Windsor, Steve McFadden, June Brown, John Altman, Sid Owen, Patsy Palmer, Pam St. Clement, Perry Fenwick, Natalie Cassidy, James Alexandrou, Derek Martin, Laila Morse, Danniella Westbrook, John Bardon, Wendy Richard, Susan Tully, Todd Carty, Leslie Grantham, Anita Dobson, Gillian Taylforth, Michelle Collins, Martin Kemp, Gretchen Franklin, Nick Berry, Lucy Speed, Martine McCutcheon, Michael Greco, among many others. "I usually don't do interviews. I really just called to tell you that I like your paper..." -Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell)
Maiden USA: Girl Icons Come of Age explores images of powerful, contradictory pop culture icons of the past decade, which run the gamut from Mean Girls and their Endangered Victims to Superheroines and Ingenue Goddesses. Are girls of the Title IX generation in need of Internet protection, or are they Supergirls evolving beyond gender stereotypes to rescue us all? Maiden USA provides an overview of girl trends since the '90s including the emergence of girls' digital media-making and self-representation venues on MySpace, Facebook and YouTube as the newest wave of Girl Power.
Books 1, 2, and 3 in the USA Today bestselling Franki Amato Mysteries: Limoncello Yellow, Prosecco Pink, and Amaretto Amber When Franki Amato leaves her cheating ex and erratic job as a rookie cop in Austin, Texas, she hopes for a quieter existence at her best friend Veronica’s New Orleans PI firm, Private Chicks. But life in The Big Easy is anything but quiet. Or easy. Her furnished apartment resembles an old French brothel, and her aging ex-stripper landlady has some rather odd policies. Meanwhile, Franki is hired to investigate a series of bizarre murders in a luxury boutique, a haunted plantation, and a Bourbon Street strip club, and her work puts her in contact with colorful local characters, like voodoo mambos, drag queens, and wealthy socialites, not to mention killers. While she’s on the case, her meddlesome Sicilian nonna tries to crack an ongoing mystery—how to get her married, and pronto—and she might just be Franki’s biggest nemesis. MORE FRANKI AMATO MYSTERIES: Campari Crimson (book 4) Galliano Gold (book 5) Marsala Maroon (book 6) Valpolicella Violet (book 7) Tuaca Tan (book 8) Nocino Noir (book 9) Sambuca Scarlet (book 10, coming in 2025!) To find out what Franki’s up to between the books, join Traci’s newsletter at traciandrighetti.com to get the Franki Amato Mini Mysteries for FREE! WHAT READERS ARE SAYING: “Quick, clever, & edgy; oddball characters; & uproariously funny situations!” “Andrighetti’s Franki Amato series gets crisper, smarter and wittier with each installment. Her storytelling skills are superior, her characters are so vivaciously sketched they jump off the page.” “This is the funniest series ever.” “Laugh-out-loud humor mixed with danger and intrigue with a splash of loving but dysfunctional family thrown in for a great read and a good time — a fun series not to be missed.” “Love Franki Amato and her craziness... Great series!!” “I laughed over and over!” “I LOVE this series! Ms. Andrighetti has mastered the difficult task of combining priceless comedy with chilling intrigue.” “This is a fun series and I love Franki's grandma!” “Voodoo, witches, the ‘family’ and New Orleans...add twists, turns, and laugh out loud funny.” “Andrighetti is clearly a talented author. She has me wondering if she's also a comedian.” “I love Franki who seems to not be able to keep out of trouble. Her stripper landlady, Glenda, is a hoot.” “The books in this series are hilarious and a joy to read! The main character is fantastic, and the secondary characters are perfect in bringing out Franki’s talents! You never know what to expect, but you’ll love the crooked pathways that get you there!” “Any writer who can make you laugh like this deserves to be read.”
From stampeding cattle to steadfast sheriffs, there is something irresistible about a good cowboy story. Cowboys are the quintessential American heroes and their exploits have inspired some of the greatest American writers to craft some of their finest work. In this roundup of the most thrilling, action-packed cowboy tales, you'll find adventure, courage, and suspense, and you'll sample the work of such masters as Louis L'Amour, O. Henry, Elmore Leonard, Annie Proulx, and Dorothy M. Johnson. Coupled with award-winning artist Barry Moser's stunning engravings, these magnificent stories are sure to delight the whole family.
“The good times roll in Traci Andrighetti’s Franki Amato series! Cleverly named with colorful Italian libations—and filled with equally colorful characters—these fast-paced and funny cozies feature a dryly witty sleuth and a New Orleans setting so well-rendered, you can taste the Hurricanes, cher. Written with equal parts sprezzatura and humor, Andrighetti's well-plotted mysteries feature more twists and turns than a Mardi Gras parade. Looking forward to Franki‘s next “intoxicating” adventure!” ~ Rosie Genova, author of The Italian Kitchen Mysteries This cozy comedy collection includes all 7 books in the USA Today bestselling Franki Amato Mysteries: Limoncello Yellow (book 1) Prosecco Pink (book 2) Amaretto Amber (book 3) Campari Crimson (book 4) Galliano Gold (book 5) Marsala Maroon (book 6) Valpolicella Violet (book 7) And the Mardi Gras party isn’t over! Tuaca Tan (book 8) came down the parade route in 2023, and Nocino Noir (book 9) rolled in 2024! Next to join the festivities in Sambuca Scarlet (book 10), coming in 2025! To find out what Franki’s up to between the books, join Traci’s newsletter at traciandrighetti.com to get the Franki Amato Mini Mysteries for FREE! If you like zany characters and laugh-out-loud humor with a splash of suspense, then you’ll drink up this fun series by USA Today Bestselling Author Traci Andrighetti. Cheers!
Short Stories and Tall Tales tells of the bummer days of eight young people. Some days are normal living experiences and others are the result of over active imaginations with suspense and a touch of the paranormal thrown in for good measure. Saturday Morning Surprise page 1 Brianna is twelve and talks her dad into having her own Puppy. She quickly discovers a part of puppy ownership she hadnt planned on.. Only her active imagination can rescue her from this dilemma. Toboggan Hill Page 25 Josh and his brother Ethan have an advanced case of sibling rivalry. Who will be the fastest down Toboggan Hill, the steepest and most treacherous hill in town? Will one get hurt, like last year? The Visit. Page 37 Isabel wakes up in the dark of the night to discover her Grandmother and a friend Miss Daisy are in her bedroom room and dressed as witches. If that's not scary enough, Miss Daisy has had a memory lapse and can't remember how to reverse the spell she's cast on Isabel's brothers, Josh and Ethan. Halloween Page 51 Nates favorite holiday was Halloween, until the night he met a real ghost called Steadly. The Dreaded Pantry Door. Page 65 Kenzees friend Goody shares a secret that she keeps hidden behind the kitchen pantry door in her house. If parents find out, it could change the lives of every kid in the neighborhood. Paces and Pits Page 75 Aynslee and her siblings, agree to help their Grandfather test an experimental super modern ultra-reality computer game. The computer somehow beams them inside as real pieces of the game and now they must find the secret to getting out.
