"The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world." --Amazon.com.
A local woman is killed in a tragic car crash, but it isn’t a clear-cut drunk driving case. The victim’s blood contains high alcohol levels, but she rarely drank a drop. Meanwhile, a reality TV show begins shooting in the town, and as cameras shadow the stars’ every move, tempers start to flare. When a drunken party ends with an unpopular contestant’s murder, all eyes turn to the cast and crew. Could there be a murderer among them? The ratings spike as the country tunes into a real-life murder mystery. Detective Patrik Hedstrom finds himself increasingly unable to focus on the strange circumstances of the first case, but what if that holds the key to a series of other unsolved cases across Sweden? Under the unforgiving media spotlight, Patrik tackles his toughest investigation yet.
The Russian author’s international-bestselling series begins with this “well-written, well-paced grown-up fantasy with a strong dose of reality” (Kirkus Reviews). Fandomania.com’s #1 Book of 2009 To put it bluntly, Max Frei is a loser. He spends his day sleeping and at night he smokes, eats, and loafs around because he can’t catch a wink. But then he gets lucky. Through his dreams, he begins to contact a parallel world where magic is a daily practice—and, strangely, Max seems to fit right in. Once a social outcast, he’s now known in this new world of Echo as the “unequalled Sir Max.” He’s a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases involving illegal magic. And he’s about to embark on a journey down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe. “Fans of Jasper Fforde and Susanna Clark will happily jump into Frei’s world.” —USA Today “If Harry Potter smoked cigarettes and took a certain matter-of-fact pleasure in administering tough justice, he might like Max Frei, the protagonist of this fantasy novel.” —Kirkus Reviews
One year ago, a two year old child, Oskar, went missing from an apartment in Stockholm. His troubled mother is now held in a psychiatric hospital, found guilty of his murder by the court of public opinion. Former detective, Alex is haunted by the case. When a British family moves into the apartment and their toddler, Alfie, starts speaking with an 'imaginary friend', dad Fergus becomes increasingly terrified that he is losing his grip on sanity. He and Alex team up to investigate and are led into a labyrinth of lies and corruption. All the while, whatever is in the apartment has its sights on Alfie...
A diverse collection of works from various writers, many of whom are unpublished until now. There are laughs, tears and numerous flights of fancy. In short; quirky and fun. Pull up a chair to the fireside in the comfort of the Stranger's Room and be transported to the world of Holmes and Watson. All author royalties accruing from sales of this book will be donated to 'The Beacon Society'