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Now You Don't
Tom Leveen
Now you see him...
Jim never thought of himself as the hero type. When his girlfriend and her daughter are targeted by a disfigured assailant who's been popping the eyes out of his victims, Jim becomes the only person with a chance to save them.
The first victim is Jim's best friend Travis, who is attacked and blinded in his home and overpowered by the grisly intruder. Travis's elderly father is assaulted next, then his mother. That leaves Travis's only living relatives: his daughter Darla, and his ex-wife, who police assume are targeted as the next victims. Jim quickly agrees to protect them as best he can, neglecting to tell his buddy that he and Travis's ex- already have a relationship on the side, and that Jim is beginning to love Darla like his own kid.
As police race to find and stop the assailant, Jim discovers it's far too late: someone's lying in wait, and what he—or they—want is the last thing Jim could ever have expected . . .
…now you don’t.
Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe
George Eliot
George Eliot's third novel follows the story of Silas Marner, a poor and reclusive linen weaver with a reputation for wisdom, and for knowing things that most people don't. Silas finds his life radically altered upon finding an unexpected gift on his hearth.
This British classic, published in 1861, is a heartwarming tale that highlights a man's touching journey in finding redemption and second chances. All the while, the story sheds light on the weight of material gains and what can bring forth true happiness in a person's life.
Those We Bury Back
Tom Leveen
Braden’s parents should have been imprisoned for the abuses they perpetrated on him as a child. But that’s the past, and Braden’s moved on. Wife, kid, nominal success as a novelist—and no contact with his parents for years. The two of them have moved out of state, and Braden is secure with his own family in a new home. Several years of therapy have helped, too. Pushing forty, life is at last treating Braden well.
Then a box of his books is accidentally—and mysteriously—delivered to his childhood home. Ignoring his own best judgment, Braden swings by the old place with his three-year-old, Josiah, to pick up the box. In and out, super fast, no big deal.
The house has other ideas.
Apparently infected somehow by the traumas his parents put him through, the house traps Braden and Josiah with its lone occupant. It begins turning Braden’s long buried memories into corporeal horrors that threaten not only his fragile, still-recovering psyche, but the childhood of his only son. As Josiah begins to age before his father’s eyes and inanimate objects take on lives of their own, Braden struggles to uncover what exactly the house wants from him.
Or if it is, in fact, the house that’s haunted.
Heartless
Tom Leveen
Friends. Family. Monsters. Urban legends of a murderous figure called Springheel Jack date back to the 19th century. What 16-year-old Baylee is about to learn is that “he” is most certainly for real…and not alone. Baylee and her older brother Elijah are orphans, their parents brutally murdered in what appears to be a random act of violence along an empty Nevada highway. Living now in another state with friends of the family they hardly know, the two teens do their best to build new friendships: shy Elijah with a small and loyal group of gamers, and quiet Baylee with exactly one tomboy skater friend, Krista…plus a strikingly beautiful and kind boyfriend Baylee won't tell anyone about. When Elijah suddenly gets his first girlfriend and Krista is picked up by a new boyfriend, both of them cease talking to Baylee. Determined to prove the two new kids are bad somehow, maybe even criminal, Baylee follows them out to the desert one night, and finds her worst fears are nothing compared to the bloody, gruesome truth. And her secret beau is right at the center of it…As Elijah slowly turns into something dangerous and otherworldly and Baylee's adoptive family moves to put her into a psychiatric health facility after she tells the truth about what she knows, Baylee turns to the only people who might be able to Elijah human again: her brother’s nerdy RPG gamer friends.
Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life
George Eliot
Mary Anne Evans was already an accomplished writer and author by the time she adopted the pen name George Eliot. It’s thought that she wanted the fiction she produced to be free from bias stemming from her already massive body of work, or perhaps she wanted to insulate herself from stereotypes against female authors in 19th century England. Regardless, one could reasonably be forgiven for assuming that Evans and Eliot were separate people entirely, as each name is associated with a lifetime of masterwork.
For over 150 years, Middlemarch has been a focal point in exploring the class conflict and social mobility of mid-19th century England. Set in the years leading up to the First Opium War, Middlemarch first masquerades as a simple tale of love and friendship. Most of the residents' lives overlap in some way or another over the 30-year period in which the book is set. But in the contrast of the characters—the morally questionable doctor, the passionate artist, the childhood sweethearts—George Eliot reveals the more complex social dynamics at play.
Twenty years after its publishing, Middlemarch won the very first prize offered by the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Children.
The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches
W. Du Bois
The Souls of Black Folk is remembered as one of the first and most important sociological studies in history. While the subject matter deals with American society, the findings and key takeaways of the essay are applicable worldwide. Du Bois, often referred to as "The Father of Black Studies" and a leading figure during the Harlem Renaissance, outlines the discrepancies between the treatment of white Americans and black Americans, and seeks to further understand the main causes of racial inequality.
Though both informative and illuminating, The Souls of Black Folk is also remarkable for its syntax and prose. Du Bois relied heavily on poetic imagery and metaphor to convey the weight of his findings. In one particular instance, Du Bois masterfully describes the psychological and mental toll of freed slaves in Reconstruction-era America: ""They were held and pushed and dragged; they were squeezed until they could take it no more; they were beaten until they could take it no longer; but still they remained, fixed as fish in a jar.”
A portion of the proceeds from this book will be used to support initiatives by various social justice organizations, including Southern Poverty Law Center and Barbershop Books.
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There
Lewis Carroll
From Wikipedia:
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (also known as Alice Through the Looking-Glass or simply Through the Looking-Glass) is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics lecturer at Christ Church, University of Oxford, and the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865). Alice again enters a fantastical world, this time by climbing through a mirror into the world that she can see beyond it. There she finds that, just like a reflection, everything is reversed, including logic (for example, running helps one remain stationary, walking away from something brings one towards it, chessmen are alive, nursery rhyme characters exist, and so on).
Through the Looking-Glass includes such verses as "Jabberwocky" and "The Walrus and the Carpenter", and the episode involving Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The mirror above the fireplace that is displayed at Hetton Lawn in Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire (a house that was owned by Alice Liddell's grandparents, and was regularly visited by Alice and Lewis Carroll) resembles the one drawn by John Tenniel and is cited as a possible inspiration for Carroll. It prompted a newfound appreciation for its predecessor when it was published.
We Did That?
Sophie Stirling
Buckle up for a very odd ride through history with entertaining trivia about the odd things humans have done . . .
This book is packed with fun facts about:
Quirky inventions: Everyone knows about mousetraps, but did you know they were originally inspired by burglar alarms?
Bizarre beauty and fashion fads: Discover wooden bathing suits, breast enhancers in the shape of toilet plungers, and death-inducing cosmetics.
Strange superstitions and folklore: Do you know about the centuries-old Banana Curse, the origin of the Tooth Fairy, or our weird obsession with shoes*?*
Covering these and other subjects from very odd jobs to gross medical cures, this collection of our species’ accomplishments is likely to leave you wondering, we did that?
The Origin of Names, Words, and Everything in Between
Patrick Foote
Name Meanings Explained “From the casually curious to etymology junkies (or anyone who’s ever halted a conversation to search the internet for the origin of a word) this book will have something for everyone.” ––William C. Fox of the YouTube channel "Exploring History"
#1 Best Seller in Popular Culture, Puzzles & Games, Curiosities & Wonders, Fun Facts, Questions & Answers, Trivia, and Slang & Word Lists
From Patrick Foote and his popular YouTube channel "Name Explain", comes a book for trivia fans that explains the name meanings of a multitude of things. From toys and animals to countries and cities to planets in our solar system, learn the etymology of words in a fun and entertaining way.
Explore the world of names. What is something that literally everything in existence has in common? It all has a name! With The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between, you can learn the origins of a multitude of names.
Learn new things. Why is New York called New York? The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between has the answer for you. While author Patrick Foote doesn’t claim to know everything, he has garnered a lot of knowledge about language over the years and he’s excited to get to share it with you in The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between.
The Book of Extraordinary Impossible Crimes and Puzzling Deaths
Maxim Jakubowski
The Book of Extraordinary Impossible Crimes and Puzzling Deaths is the latest collection from legendary murder mystery editor and writer Maxim Jakubowski. Filled with impossible murders and puzzling plot twists that keep your eyes on the page and brain on the mysteries until the last page.
Clever fictional crime stories. Some of mystery fiction's most inventive talents from the USA and UK offer a series of brand-new ingenious murder stories that will have you scratching your brow until the very last minute and delighting in Machiavellian solutions. Enjoy the third volume in Mango's innovative collections of the best crime stories fiction has to offer.
Enigmas and puzzling plot twists. Crime mystery fiction can be full of impenetrable conundrums and endless question marks when the story itself becomes a reality-defying puzzle for the sleuth to solve. A murder has been committed but how could it have happened? Was the room locked from the inside? Why does the body show no sign of violence? Where is the murder weapon?
Fresh innovative murder stories. Maxim Jakubowski’s latest book features never before seen stories by some of the most renowned American and British crime and thriller authors of today, including British Science Fiction Award winner Eric Brown, Derringer Award winner O'Neil de Noux, and multiple CWA Dagger Award winners and nominees.
The Best New True Crime Stories
Mitzi Szereto
#1 New Release in Forensic Psychology — Serial Killer? Your Neighbor, Friend, Even Your Spouse?
Serial killers: Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Jeffrey Dahmer are often the first names that spring to mind. Many people assume serial killers are primarily an American phenomenon that came about in the latter part of the twentieth century. But such assumptions are far from the truth. Serial killers have been around for a very long time and can be found in every corner of the globe—and they’re not just limited to the male gender either. Some of these predators have been caught and brought to justice whereas others have never been found, let alone identified. Serial killers can be anywhere. And scarier still, they can be anyone.
Edited by acclaimed author and anthologist Mitzi Szereto, The Best New True Crime Stories: Serial Killers reveals all-new accounts of true crime serial killers from the contemporary to the historic. The international list of contributors includes award-winning crime writers, true-crime podcasters, journalists, and experts in the dark crimes field such as Martin Edwards, Lee Mellor, Danuta Kot, Craig Pittman, Richard O Jones, Marcie Rendon, Mike Browne, and Vicki Hendricks.
If you are a fan of true crime books such as I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Mindhunter, The Devil in the White City, or Peter Vronsky’s Sons of Cain; you will want to read Mitzi Szereto’s The Best New True Crime Stories: Serial Killers. This book will leave you wondering if it’s ever really possible to know who’s behind the mask you’re allowed to see.
His Last Bow
Arthur Doyle
From Wikipedia:
His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes is a 1917 collection of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, including the titular short story, "His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Holmes" (1917). The collection's first US edition adjusts the anthology's subtitle to Some Later Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes. All editions contain a brief preface, by "John H. Watson, M.D.", that assures readers that as of the date of publication Holmes is long retired from his profession of detective but is still alive and well, albeit suffering from a touch of rheumatism.