Nu sunt dintre cei care cred c artistul, scriitorul sunt scutii de responsabiliti. Dimpotriv, responsabilitatea lor este mai mare dect a celorlali oameni pentru c ei se afl n capul coloanei i trebuie s arate drumul de urmat. Sunt adnc recunosctor Academiei Suedeze pentru c mi-a recunoscut eforturile n aceast direcie i vreau s ridic acum paharul pentru succesul activitii sale n promovarea a ceea ce este reprezentativ i nobil n literatur.“ – Bjrnstjerne Bjrnson, Discursul de la Stockholm, 1903Autor al primelor drame istorice moderne n Norvegia, al unor saga care i-au influenat, printre alii, pe Selma Lagerlf sau Knut Hamsun, Bjrnson rmne, alturi de Henrik Ibsen, Alexander Kielland i Jonas Lie, unul dintre cei patru autori majori (De Fire Store) ai Norvegiei de la sfritul secolului al XIX-lea.“ – Andreea RsuceanuCnd se rostete numele lui Bjrnson, parc s-ar desfura stindardul Norvegiei. Cu calitile i lipsurile lui, cu geniul i cu slbiciunile sale, el e tot att de complet norvegian pe ct de complet francez este Voltaire. n personalitatea sa, Bjrnson rezum ntregul popor. Nici un alt contemporan nu reprezint att de desvrit dragostea acestui popor fa de patrie i de libertate, contiina de sine, sinceritatea i energia sa tnr.“ – Georg Brandes

Sidney Sheldon returns with a tale of two equally determined people headed on a collision course. One the governor of a small southern state, Oliver Russell is a man with a strategy to win the White House. The other is the beautiful and ambitious Leslie Stewart, a woman intent on seeing him lose everything. Soon they will both discover that even the best laid plans can go dangerously astray--with deadly consequences.

Was Sandy a freak of nature, or the new normalOn October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy reached the shores of the northeastern United States to become one of the most destructive storms in history. But was Sandy a freak event, or should we have been better prepared for itWas it a harbinger of things to come as the climate warmsIn this fascinating and accessible work of popular science, atmospheric scientist and Columbia University professor Adam Sobel addresses these questions, combining his deep knowledge of the climate with his firsthand experience of the event itself. Sobel explains the remarkable atmospheric conditions that gave birth to Sandy and determined its path. He gives us insight into the science that led to the accurate forecasts of the storm from genesis to landfall, as well as an understanding of why our meteorological vocabulary failed our leaders in warning us about this unprecedented weather system--part hurricane, part winter-type nor'easter, fully deserving of the title "Superstorm." Storm Surge brings together the melting glaciers, the warming oceans, and a broad historical perspective to explain how our changing climate and developing coastlines are making New York and other cities more vulnerable. Engaging, informative, and timely, Sobel's book provokes us to think differently about how we can better prepare for the storms in our future.

In this explosive expose, bestselling author Kenneth Timmerman gives us the real story of what happened in Benghazi, and the lengths to which the Obama administration has gone to hide the truth from the American people.Forget what you've heard: the September 11, 2012, attack on U.S. Government Compounds in Benghazi, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including our ambassador, was not a spontaneous demonstration. Nor was it planned by local militias.It was a state-sponsored terrorist attack with Iranian fingerprints all over it.What's more, the Obama administration knew from the first minutes of the attack that the compound had been targeted by an organized, professionally trained terrorist group. But the administration made up a ridiculous cover story about a nonexistent demonstration over an Internet movie in an attempt to fool the American public on the eve of a national election. The Iran-Contra scandal consumed Ronald Reagan's second term and nearly destroyed his presidency. Yet as bad as that was, what happened in Benghazi is much worse. As Ken Timmerman reveals in Dark Forces, the Benghazi affair will go down as the deepest, darkest, dirtiest political scandal of recent American history. And for all the coverage it has received, the real story has still not been told. It's a story of clandestine arms deliveries to Libyan rebels that wound up in the hands of Islamist guerrillas allied with al Qaeda. It's a story of a romantic American diplomat who gets caught up in a whirlwind beyond his comprehension or control. It's a story of bald-faced lies, heroic acts, and the deepest corruption. Dark Forces is much more than a retelling of what happened in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. It puts those events into the larger context of the Obama administration's policy toward the Middle East from Iran to the Arab Spring. It examines the administration's record of systematically supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda affiliated groups in their efforts to overthrow pro-U.S. autocrats in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. It shows how this went along with the administration's outreach to the Islamist regime in Iran. It argues that President Obama's obsessive outreach to the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran led the Iranian regime to dismiss him as a weak, ineffective leader who would not fight back when hit. And it reveals why and how this deadly combination cost the lives of four Americans, and today endangers thousands more.Written with the breakneck pacing of a political thriller, and drawing on exclusive research and privileged sources, Dark Forces tells the full story of Benghazi as you have never heard it before.

A groundbreaking narrative a historical political thriller that explores the role of the Sons of Liberty in the American Revolution.More than two hundred years ago, a group of British colonists in America decided that the conditions under which they were governed had become intolerable. Angry and frustrated that King George III and the British Parliament had ignored their lawful complaints and petitions, they decided to take action.Knowing that their deeds often directed at individuals and property were illegal, and punishable by imprisonment and even death, these agitators plotted and conducted their missions in secret to protect their identities as well as the identities of those who supported them. Calling themselves the Sons of Liberty, they gathered together in a radical society committed to imposing forcible change. Those determined men including second cousins Samuel and John Adams, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, and John Hancock saw themselves as patriots. Yet to the Crown, and to many of the Sons' fellow colonists, the revolutionaries were terrorists who deserved death for their treason.In this gripping narrative, Les Standiford reveals how this group of intelligent, committed men, motivated by economics and political belief, began a careful campaign of interlocking events that would channel feelings of vague injustice into an armed rebellion of common cause, which would defeat an empire and give birth to a radical political experiment a new nation known as the United States.

Do you want a kick-ass lifeWe thought so.Getting older may be inevitable, but that's no reason to resign yourself to the "natural" aging process. In his savvy and down-to-earth manual, serial entrepreneur and men's health expert Craig Cooper teaches men forty and up—or, as he calls them, "New Primers"—how to unleash their potential to be healthier, stronger, happier, more energetic, and more sexually satisfied.A man's ultimate, no-nonsense guide to peak performance in all aspects of life, Your New Prime addresses the pressing questions every man has as he ages:"How can I naturally boost my testosterone?""Is there anything I can do to prevent disease?""What will it take to lose these extra pounds?""How should I face a midlife crisis?"Based on the latest scientific research and Cooper's personal experience warding off diabetes, preventing cancer, and naturally increasing his own testosterone, this invaluable handbook holds the answers to all these questions and more, covering a wide range of essential topics such as sexual health, mental health, nutrition, and physical fitness.Your New Prime is organized into easy-to-navigate sections, giving you the tools you need to lose weight, gain more energy, revamp your sex life, and kick-start better eating habits. A detailed thirty-day program for each section, along with quizzes, audits, and tables, helps you determine and address your specific needs, allowing you to focus on the most pressing questions and leave the rest for later.Practical, honest, and vitally informative, Your New Prime details a lifelong strategy for maximum health—and will help any man perform at his best, no matter what his age.

Late spring, 1943. The world is at war but the American mob is in its heyday. Former crime boss Joe Coughlin now works as a consigliere to the infamous Bartolo Crime Family, effortlessly handling its interests in Tampa, Boston, and Cuba. In the decade since he lost his wife in a cascade of bullets, Joe has made a home for himself and his son, and once again forged everything out of nothing: money, power, a relationship with a beautiful woman, and a privileged place in Tampa's shadowy underworld.But a rumor surfaces that someone wants Joe dead. And he has only days to figure out who, or he will die. And then there's the ghost—a young boy who appears on the fringes of Joe's vision and seems to be trying to tell him something. Racing against time and fate, Joe hurtles through a violent yet intoxicating world on the brink of total collapse or epic triumph, a world on the cusp of reinvention and rebirth—where the old codes, the old sins, and the old dreams may soon be swept away once and for all.

Let your imagination take flight as you journey with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and the Darling children to the magical island of Neverland in this beautiful new unabridged gift edition of J.M. Barrie's classic story. All-new original illustrations and ten exclusive interactive elements from the award-winning design studio MinaLima create an enchanted adventure for readers of all ages—all you need is to think lovely thoughts and use a little bit of fairy dust.

A real-life thriller in the tradition of The Perfect StormIn the spring of 2010 the world watched for weeks as more than 200 million gallons of crude oil billowed from a hole three miles deep in the Gulf of Mexico. Warnings of various and imminent environmental consequences dominated the news. Deepwater drilling largely ignored or misunderstood to that point exploded in the American consciousness in the worst way possible.Fire on the Horizon, written by veteran oil rig captain John Konrad and longtime Washington Post journalist Tom Shroder, recounts in vivid detail the life of the rig itself, from its construction in South Korea in the year 2000 to its improbable journey around the world to its disastrous end, and reveals the day-to-day lives, struggles, and ambitions of those who called it home.From the little-known maritime colleges to Transocean's training schools and Houston headquarters to the small towns all over the country where the wives and children of the Horizon's crew lived in the ever-present shadow of risk hundreds of miles away, Fire on the Horizon offers full-scale portraits of the Horizon's captain, its chief mate, its chief mechanic, and others. What emerges is a white-knuckled chronicle of engineering hubris at odds with the earth itself, an unusual manifestation of corporate greed and the unforgettable heroism of the men and women on board the Deepwater Horizon. Here is the harrowing minute-by-minute account of the fateful day, April 20, 2010, when the half-billion-dollar rig blew up, taking with it the lives of eleven people and leaving behind a swath of unprecedented natural destruction.

Under Attorney General Eric Holder, the Department of Justice has become a politicized hotbed of left-wing legal activism. What is Eric Holder up toWhen questioned by congressional committees on sensitive issues like the ATF "gunwalking" scandal or the surveillance of Fox News' reporter James Rosen, the attorney general either claimed ignorance or denied specific knowledge. When it was later revealed that Holder had personally signed off on the Rosen investigation, despite his explicit denials, indignant calls were heard across the political spectrum for his resignation. He became the first attorney general in history to be held in contempt by the House of Representatives over a reckless operation that killed a border patrol agent and numerous Mexican citizens. Yet Holder remained in his job, and it is clear that he has President Obama's full support. In Obama's Enforcer, authors John Fund and Hans von Spakovsky provide the first explosive look inside this feared and powerful agency. They describe the transformation of the DOJ into a stronghold of progressive legal activism and provide in-depth portraits of the radical lawyers in Holder's inner circle. Holder survives because his agency acts as a heat shield for the Obama administration, protecting the president's flank on numerous fronts. He also survives because his department is actively advancing Obama's hidden political agenda, from the administration's war on Fox News to its harassment of Tea Party activists. He has injected a new politically correct laxity into domestic security issues, eliminating the use of the words "radical Islam" and pushing for civilian trials for terrorists. He has also presided over an unprecedented expansion of politically correct actions at the DOJ's Civil Rights Division and launched a widespread attack on election integrity efforts. In addition to monitoring reporters' phone records, DOJ lawyers were involved in instigating Operation Fast and Furious, ignoring the deliberate leaking of classified documents by the White House to favored reporters, the funneling of taxpayer funds to political allies through collusive settlements, and much more. Obama's Enforcer provides the first investigative look inside the country's largest law enforcement agency and reveals its true and dangerous role in advancing Obama's agenda.

A detective with no one to trustA killer with nothing to loseDetective Emily Baxter is still reeling from the Ragdoll case, and from the disappearance of her friend William “Wolf” Fawkes. Despite her reluctance to jump into another gruesome case, she’s summoned to a meeting of a new FBI/CIA/UK law enforcement task force in New York. There, she is presented with photographs of the latest copycat murder: a body contorted into a familiar pose, strung up from the Brooklyn Bridge, the word “BAIT” carved deep into its chest.As the media pressure intensifies, Baxter is ordered to assist with the investigation and attend the scene of another murder, again with a victim inscribed with a word—“PUPPET.”The murders continue to grow in spectacle and depravity on both sides of the Atlantic, and the team helplessly plays catch-up. Baxter must shake off the grief and fear that have paralyzed her for the last year so she can stop another terrible killer before it’s too late.

一部烧脑的国际政治惊悚小说，讲述调停人彼得 · 雷纳受美国总统委托，调查军事基地爆炸案，由此引发的一系列冲突和阴谋。 An intelligent and propulsive international political thriller in which political fixer Peter Rena is hired by the president to investigate the bombing of an American military base overseasWhen a shadowy American diplomatic complex is attacked in North Africa, the White House is besieged by accusations of incompetence and wild conspiracy theories. Eager to learn the truth, the president and his staff turn to Peter Rena and his partner, Randi Brooks. The investigators dive headfirst into the furtive world of foreign intelligence and national security, hoping to do it quietly. That becomes impossible, though, when it blows up into an all-out public scandal: Congress opens hearings and a tireless national security reporter publishes a bombshell exposé. Now, Rena and Brooks are caught in the middle. The White House wants to prevent debilitating fallout for the president, the military appears to be in shutdown mode, the press is hungry for another big story, and rival politicians are plotting their next move. Rena learns the hard way that secrets in Washington come with a very high price.? With intelligence, style, and a breakneck pace, The Good Lie explores the contours of secrets, lies, and the dangers of a never-ending war.Praise for Shining City:“One of the smartest thrillers in recent memory.” —Dallas Morning News“A debut that will be remembered for years.” —Michael Connelly“Skillful and memorable.” —Wall Street Journal

In this unprecedented book, a paramilitary contractor with more than two decades of experience gives us a firsthand look into the secret lives of America’s private warriors and their highly covert work around the world. Author Jamie Smith has planned and executed hundreds of missions on behalf of government agencies and private industry in some of the world’s most dangerous hot spots—and lived to tell the tale. They are elite warriors who run highly dangerous missions deep inside foreign countries on the brink of war. Jamie Smith knows these men well. Not only is he one of them, but he was the founding director of one of the most successful global, private military contracting firms. For the first time, he breaks his silence, pulling back the curtain to reveal in raw, intimate terms exactly what paramilitary spies and operators like him do when the government cannot act or take public responsibility. Combining the thrilling narrative of an international spy thriller with bracing boots-on-the-ground realism, Gray Work follows Smith through grinding CIA training and his career as an operative, his work with Blackwater Security, and the creation of his own successful company. Here is the grit and gristle of modern warfare, from espionage and assassinations, rescues and renditions, from the dark corners of the Arab Spring and the fall of Qadhafi to black ops from Syria to Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and beyond. Smith has fought terrorists and won; he was ambushed on a mission in Pakistan and took a bullet through his shoulder and to his back, and subsequently survived a grueling mountain trek that almost cost him his life. As founding director of Blackwater Security and then as head of his own company, Smith has helped shape a decade of war. His book powerfully illustrates how the men who serve in this gray area between the public and private worlds are transforming the art and science of modern warfare. Unparalleled in its revelations and riveting in its intensity, Gray Work is as exhilarating as the best novels by Clancy, Cussler, Flynn, and Thor—and all the more so because it’s true.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Plant Paradox comes a guide to one-pot cooking for the whole family, with a special focus how to make the Plant Paradox program kid-friendly.Since the publication of The Plant Paradox in 2017, hundreds of thousands of people have embraced Dr. Gundry’s nutritional protocol—and experienced life-changing results. But most of Dr. Gundry’s readers aren’t cooking for themselves alone. “How can I extend this way of eating to my entire family? And is it safe for my kids?” are the questions he is most often asked.In The Plant Paradox Family Cookbook, Dr. Gundry reassures parents as he sets the record straight, providing an overview of children’s nutritional needs and explaining how we can help our kids thrive on the Plant Paradox program—a diet low in lectins. Dr. Gundry offers shocking evidence of how the Plant Paradox program is not only “safe” for kids, but also the best possible way to set them up for a lifetime of health and responsible eating. As research continues to bear out, a healthy microbiome—or “gut”—is the cornerstone of human health. The foods we eat at the beginning of our lives have a long-term impact on the makeup of our microbiome. Lectin-containing foods—such as grains, legumes, certain fruits and vegetables, and conventional dairy—damage it by creating holes in the gut wall and triggering the kind of systemic inflammation that lays the groundwork for disease. And yet, many of the foods we are routinely told to feed our children—think milk, whole grain bread, peanut butter—have an incredibly high lectin content.The Plant Paradox Family Cookbook includes more than 80 recipes that make cooking for a family a breeze. And since pressure cooking is the best and easiest way to reduce lectin content in foods like grains and beans, the majority of the quick and easy recipes are Instant-Pot friendly. From weeknight dinners to make-ahead breakfasts to snacks and even lunchbox-ready meals, The Plant Paradox Family Cookbook will help the whole family experience the incredible benefits of the Plant Paradox program.

常识告诉我们，你总是可以选择你对待事件的反应。 但是，正如企业顾问Stephen Klemich和临床心理学家Mara Klemich所主张的那样，除非你意识到自己为什么要做出选择，以及内心和大脑如何共同塑造你的行为，否则你根本无法改变根深蒂固的行为模式，这也就是为什么人们总是会重复自己犯过的错误和消极的行为。本书对此进行了深入的探讨并提出改变的可行办法，让你可以对自己和周围做的世界出积极的影响。 A leadership consultant and neuropsychologist identify the universal habits of the heart and mind—the keys to unlocking our true potential, creating our best selves and?eliminating behavior patterns that hold us back.?Why is it so hard for leaders to coach employees who are struggling? Why do we repeat the same mistakes and negative behaviors? Common wisdom says you always have a choice in how you react or respond. But, as corporate consultant Stephen Klemich and clinical psychologist Mara Klemich contend, until you recognize why you make choices, and how the heart and the brain work together to shape your behavior, you can’t change long-ingrained patterns and discover your best self.The Klemichs have developed a model backed by extensive research and data, and paired it with character-led personal development, to help you answer the "Why?" and eliminate behavior that is “below the line.” In Above the Line, they argue that that the quality of your life flows from the attitudes of your heart. Offering wise, compassionate, and practical advice, this book explores the deep, fundamental drivers of human behavior that exist within your heart—the seat of your character. It reveals that all of these behaviors can be explained by four principles—humility, love, pride, and fear—which influence every facet of your life, for better or for worse.We are all designed for greatness, but so often our best self is pitted against our worst. The pressures of life are pulling our character below the line while our authentic self is drawing us to live above the line. When you fully understand that the four principles are at the root of your behavior, you can begin the journey to become your best self and navigate life more effectively and successfully. Filled with proven strategies, Above the Line will create lasting changes in your behavior and improve your life personally and professionally—so you can make a positive impact on the world around you.

The acclaimed author of A Train in Winter returns with the final volume in her Resistance Quartet—the powerful and inspiring true story of the women of the partisan resistance who fought against Italy’s fascist regime during World War II.In the late summer of 1943, when Italy broke with the Germans and joined the Allies after suffering catastrophic military losses, an Italian Resistance was born. Four young Piedmontese women—Ada, Frida, Silvia and Bianca—living secretly in the mountains surrounding Turin, risked their lives to overthrow Italy’s authoritarian government. They were among the thousands of Italians who joined the Partisan effort to help the Allies liberate their country from the German invaders and their Fascist collaborators. What made this partisan war all the more extraordinary was the number of women—like this brave quartet—who swelled its ranks.The bloody civil war that ensued pitted neighbor against neighbor, and revealed the best and worst in Italian society. The courage shown by the partisans was exemplary, and eventually bound them together into a coherent fighting force. But the death rattle of Mussolini’s two decades of Fascist rule—with its corruption, greed, and anti-Semitism—was unrelentingly violent and brutal. Drawing on a rich cache of previously untranslated sources, prize-winning historian Caroline Moorehead illuminates the experiences of Ada, Frida, Silvia, and Bianca to tell the little-known story of the women of the Italian partisan movement fighting for freedom against fascism in all its forms, while Europe collapsed in smoldering ruins around them.A House in the Mountains features black-and-white photographs throughout.

"I wonder if the reverse is not also in some way true. That the artist is constantly working on an elaborate and fantasticated self-portrait, but at the end has drawn, unbeknownst, a picture of the world." -- Clive Barker, "Private Legends: An Introduction"Clive Barker, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, playwright, artist, producer, director, screenwriter, and one of the world's master storytellers, writing in the haunting and moving traditions of Poe and Dickens, invites us to join him on a dazzling, wondrous journey through the worlds of his imagination and to experience visions, dreams, love, terror, heaven and hell, and revenge.As we read, we discover and explore the dream-sea Quiddity and the islands of Ephemeris; the five Dominions of the Imajica, of which the Earth is but an imperfect facet; the rapturous world woven into an ancient, threadbare carpet in a derelict house in Liverpool; Hood's Holiday House where each day contains four seasons and children's wishes may come true; the Sky Room of Galilee, where the creation of the universe may be witnessed; and the clubs and bars of San Francisco and New York, in which all manner of sexual adventures lie in wait.In these stories, the real and the miraculous are within a breath of one another, life gives way to death, and death to life; doorways open into other states of existence, and each doorway leads us back to our own dreams and fears.The Essential Clive Barker is an irresistible narrative compendium that superbly represents the impressive quality and range of Barker's fiction, spanning more than twenty years of writing. It contains more than seventy excerpts from novels and plays and four full-length short stories, all personally selected by Barker, and offers a privileged insight into a remarkable writer and his art.

Dive into the relish life!Daphne Oz, cohost of ABC's hit lifestyle show The Chew, shares the concerns of women everywhere: How can I eat food that is delicious and nutritious, live in a home that feels like mine, develop my personal style, find purpose and love in my life, get out and see the world, and still have me time left overIn short, how do I start living a life worth relishing?In Relish, Daphne shares her essential and practical advice for happy, healthy eating and delicious living—perfect for everyone who wants to start leading a better life right now. Filled with beautiful food and entertaining photos, real-world decorating ideas for achievable inspiration, and lots of creative lifestyle imagery, Relish offers easy ways to fill your life with fun.Relish Food—Life should be delicious! Enjoy happy eating and stress-free entertaining with more than fifty of Daphne's favorite, fail-proof recipes—the ones she turns to again and again: Banana-Pecan Buttermilk Pancakes; Chocolate Mint Chip Smoothie; Grilled Cantaloupe and Vegetable Salad; Chile Jam Chicken; or Spaghetti with Staten Island Special (Marinara) Sauce. And save room for desserts like Strawberry Cake with Caramel Fleur de Sel Whipped Cream Frosting or Chocolate Fudge Pops. Then raise a toast with inspired, festive drinks to suit the occasion, whether it's a Grapefruit Thyme Spritz or Spiced Winter Wine.Relish Style—Life should be beautiful! Daphne makes it easy to cultivate a stylish existence at home, in your wardrobe, and in your beauty kit with expert decorating, styling, and makeup tricks that will simplify your life and help you achieve the professional look on a budget.Relish Life—Life should be full! Getting the most out of life means figuring out how to balance navigating your career, relationships, and playtime with vision and joy. Sharing from her personal experience, Daphne offers simple strategies to help you work smart, play hard, skip town, and enjoy the ride!With Daphne, the goal is not perfection—it is to keep reaching and maximizing the moment. Relish will inspire you to improve every area of your life by making the process easy, inviting, and, above all, fun!

Long before award-winning chef Michel Richardmade his first c?te de boeuf or prepared hisfirst foie gras terrine, he was a pastry chef. InLos Angeles, pastry lovers lined up outside his bakeshopon Wilshire Boulevard, waiting to enjoy the breadsand treats they’d heard were the best in town, maybeeven better than anything in Paris. Now, in this outstandingcollection, the superstar chef returns to hisfirst love, the food that made him famous—desserts.Here are mouthwatering, foolproof recipes forAmerican favorites such as pecan pie and poundcake; Richard’s personal inventions, such as FloatingIslands with Melted Chocolate Morsels and the "coffeecloud"; reinvented French classics, such as profiterolesand the Christmas log (b?che de No?l); fruitfavorites, including tarts and Pavlovas; and, of course,plenty of cookies.Going beyond traditional cookbooks, Sweet Magicshares Richard’s insights into the thinking and craftbehind every aspect of dessert, with brief essaysthat explore, explain, and entice—highlighted by thechef’s own playful illustrations.Creating exquisite dishes with only a few simpleingredients—butter, eggs, sugar, flour, chocolate—demands the instincts of an artist and the soul of amagician. Sweet Magic will unlock the inner dessertwizard in every home chef, guiding both newcomersand old hands past common missteps, to seduce themost flavor and texture from every ingredient.

The first entry in a clever, lighthearted mystery series set in modern Provence—a delightful blend of Agatha Christie and Peter Mayle—featuring the irrepressible Penelope Kite, a young-at-heart divorcee with a knack for stumbling across dead bodies.It’s love at first sight when Penelope Kite sees Le Chant d’Eau—The Song of Water—the stone farmhouse tucked high in the hills above the Luberon valley, complete with a garden, swimming pool, and sweeping mountain vistas. For years, Penelope put her unfaithful ex-husband and her ungrateful stepchildren first. Since taking early retirement from her job in forensics at the Home Office in England, she’s been an unpaid babysitter and chauffeur for her grandchildren. Now, she’s going to start living for herself. Though her dream house needs major renovations, Penelope impulsively buys the property and moves to St. Merlot. But Penelope’s daydreams of an adventurous life in Provence didn’t include finding a corpse floating face down in her swimming pool. The discovery of the dead man plunges her headlong into a Provençal stew of intrigue and lingering resentments simmering beneath the deceptively sunny village. Having worked in the forensics office, Penelope knows a thing or two about murder investigations. To find answers, she must carefully navigate between her seemingly ubiquitous, supercilious (and enviably chic) estate agent, the disdainful chief of police, and the devilishly handsome mayor—even as she finds herself tempted by all the delicacies the region has to offer. Thank goodness her old friend Frankie is just a flight away . . . and that Penelope is not quite as naïve as her new neighbors in St. Merlot believe.Set against the exquisite backdrop of Provence, steeped in history, atmosphere, and secrets, Death in Provence introduces an irresistible heroine and a delightful new mystery series.

From the critically acclaimed author of Crazy '08 comes the thrilling true story of the most colorful and notorious law firm in American history. Scoundrels in Law offers an inside look at crime and punishment in the nineteenth century, and a whirlwind tour of the Gilded Age. Gangsters and con men. Spurned mistresses and wandering husbands. Strippers and Broadway royalty. Cat killers and spiritualists. These were the friends and clients of Howe Hummel, the most famous (and famously rotten) law firm in nineteenth-century America.The partners gloried in their reputation and made a rich living from it. William Howe left London a step ahead of the law to find his destiny defending the perpetrators of murder and mayhem in post-Civil War New York, in an age of really good murders. A dramatic, diamond-encrusted presence, Howe was one of the great courtroom orators of his era, winning improbable acquittals time after time.Abraham Hummel enjoyed a quieter but perhaps more fearsome notoriety, shaking down high society so well and so often that receiving an envelope with the law firm's name on it became almost a rite of passage.The partners bestrode Gilded Age New York with wit and brio, and everyone from Theodore Roosevelt to Lola Montez had a part in their story. In Howe Hummel's prime, it would not have been unusual to see a leading politician, a pickpocket, a Broadway star, a bank robber, and a socialite all crowded together into the waiting room of their offices, located conveniently across the street from the city jail. Howe and Hummel were not particularly good men. They were perfectly ready even eager to lie, cheat, and bribe on behalf of their clients. They did stop short of murder, though, a principle that played a critical role when the famous firm imploded in a truly spectacular web of deceit gone wrong.Through the windows of the dingy premises of Howe Hummel, readers can glimpse the Gilded Age in all its grime and grandeur. Cait Murphy restores this once-famous duo to their rightful place in the pantheon of great American characters.