Enter the era of medical research using mobile devices with the help of this guide on ResearchKit!About This BookCreate a simple clinical research app using most aspects of ResearchKitBuild a simple survey with various data types with the results printed on the screen.A step-by-step guide introducing Apple's ResearchKit and techniques to incorporate it into various apps.Who This Book Is ForThis book is aimed at medical researchers with basic iOS coding knowledge and iOS developers looking to create clinical research apps.What You Will LearnLearn to create customized consent formGet introduced to two backend services: a simple backend server using Sinatra and Sage BridgeBuild a custom task (a conditional survey example) and a navigable taskGet an Overview of ResearchKit's open source repository and App CoreInteraction with the hardware of the device including the gyro and the motion sensorsLearn the basics of this revolutionary technologyGet introduced to the barebones app and learn to write your first codeIn DetailResearchKit is an open source software development framework from Apple that lets you easily create mobile applications for clinical research studies. ResearchKit provides you the ability to orchestrate the administration of tasks and recording of the results. ResearchKit provides tasks in order to perform informed consent, active tasks, and surveys.Starting with the basics of the ResearchKit framework, this books walks you through the steps of creating iOS applications that could serve as the basis of a clinical research mobile app.This book will introduce readers to ResearchKit and how to turn your iPhone into into a clinical research tool. The book will start off by installing and building the research framework in line with the researcher's needs; during this, the reader will learn to embed ResearchKit in the application and create a small task.After this, the book will go a little deeper into creating modules for surveys, consents, and so on. The book will also cover the various aspects of privacy and security with regard to participant data, and how to build dashboards for visualizing medical data and results in line with the researcher's requirements: data backends, JSON serialization and deserialization, and so on.Readers will be able to fully utilize ResearchKit for medical research, will be able to get more and more patients to participate in their surveys, and will gain insights from the surveys using the dashboards created.Style and approachA hands-on guide with ample screenshots for you to follow and learn about ResearchKit. Each topic is explained sequentially and placed in context so that you can get a better understanding of every step in the process of creating clinical research apps.

Develop games for iOS and Android using Cocos2d with the aid of over 70 step-by-step recipesAbout This BookLearn to efficiently use Cocos2d to develop cross-platform games, and have them work on iOS as well as AndroidGet acquainted with industry-wide professional tools such as Glyph Designer, Texture Packer, and Physics Editor, as well as using the Swift/ Sprite builder implementation of Cocos2dUse the easy-to-follow recipes to develop as well as deploy games to the Playstore and the App StoreWho This Book Is ForThis book is for intermediate game developers and especially the ones who are generally curious to find out what’s new in Cocos2d v 3.3.What You Will LearnBuild custom sprites with custom animations for the gameBuild interactivity into your game by adding gestures and touch interactionsUnderstand AI enemy programming and path finding to make games more excitingAdd physics to your game to make it more lively and interactiveGet familiar with the Swift and Sprite builder implementations along with Objective-C programmingPerform hassle-free deployment of games built in iOS onto AndroidAdd effects and particle systems to make the game more colorfulIn DetailCocos2d is the world’s leading game development framework for developing iOS games. With the introduction of Swift and Spritebuilder, it has become easier than ever to develop the games of your dreams without much effort. With Cocos2d, you can also deploy the game on Android, thereby maximizing profit and reducing development and porting costs.The book starts off with a detailed look at how to implement sprites and animations into your game to make it livelier. You will then learn to add scenes to the game such as the gameplay scene and options scene and create menus and buttons in these scenes, as well as creating transitions between them. From there on, you will get an understanding of how to program user interactions such as tapping, holding, and swiping. You’ll then add accelerometer inputs and physics to the scene, and make objects respond back to the inputs. A game is practically incomplete without audio being added, so this will be covered next.The next section will include ways to add Artificial Intelligence to enemies in the game, allowing them to patrol, chase, and shoot in a projectile manner. You will then learn to use NSUserDefault to save and load game progress, and create and access files using JSON, Plist, and XML files for custom storage and retrieval of data. Then you will learn to add dynamic lighting to your game and will use industry-wide tools such as Texture Packer, Glyph Designer, Physics Editor, Particle Designer, and Sprite Illuminator to create more visually appealing and performance-optimized games.Towards the end of the book, we dive into Apple’s latest programming language—Swift, highlighting the major differences between Objective C and Swift. The book culminates with taking your existing game developed for iOS and porting it to Android, showing you how to install the Android Xcode plugin as well.Style and approachThe book is written in an extremely lucid and step-by-step manner; it can be understood easily by anyone. The topics included are broken down into individual chapters so you can refer to the specific chapter to get answers on the subject you are interested in.

Create fully-featured and highly functional iOS apps by writing tests firstAbout This BookLearn test-driven principles to help you build apps with fewer bugs and better designsBecome more efficient while working with Swift to move on to your next project faster!Learn how to incorporate all of the principles of test-driven development (TDD) in to your daily programming workflowWho This Book Is ForIf debugging iOS apps is a nerve-racking task for you and you are looking for a fix, this book is for you.What You Will LearnImplement TDD in swift application developmentGet to know the fundamentals, life cycle, and benefits of TDDExplore the tools and frameworks to effectively use TDDDevelop models and controllers driven by testsConstruct the network layer using stubsUse functional tests to ensure the app works as plannedAutomate and streamline the building, analysing, testing, and archiving of your iOS appsIn DetailTest-driven development (TDD) is a proven way to find software bugs early. Writing tests before your code improves the structure and maintainability of your app.Test-driven iOS Development with Swift will help you understand the process of TDD and how it impacts your applications written in Swift. Through practical, real-world examples, you’ll start seeing how to implement TDD in context. We will begin with an overview of your TDD workflow and then deep-dive into unit testing concepts and code cycles. We will showcase the workings of functional tests, which will help you improve the user interface. Finally, you will learn about automating deployments and continuous integration to run an environment.Style and approachThis is an easy-to-follow example-driven tutorial, packed with lots of tips and tricks that explore TDD bit-by-bit in the process of making an iOS application.

Learn the fundamentals of Cython to extend the legacy of your applicationsAbout This BookLearn how to extend C applications with pure Python codeGet more from Python – you’ll not only learn Cython, you’ll also unlock a greater understanding of how to harness PythonPacked with tips and tricks that make Cython look easy, dive into this accessible programming guide and find out what happens when you bring C and Python together!Who This Book Is ForThis book is for developers who are familiar with the basics of C and Python programming and wish to learn Cython programming to extend their applications.What You Will LearnReuse Python logging in CMake an IRC bot out of your C applicationExtend an application so you have a web server for rest callsPractice Cython against your C++ codeDiscover tricks to work with Python ConfigParser in CCreate Python bindings for native librariesFind out about threading and concurrency related to GILExpand Terminal Multiplexer Tmux with CythonIn DetailCython is a hybrid programming language used to write C extensions for Python language. Combining the practicality of Python and speed and ease of the C language it’s an exciting language worth learning if you want to build fast applications with ease.This new edition of Learning Cython Programming shows you how to get started, taking you through the fundamentals so you can begin to experience its unique powers.You’ll find out how to get set up, before exploring the relationship between Python and Cython. You’ll also look at debugging Cython, before moving on to C++ constructs, Caveat on C++ usage, Python threading and GIL in Cython. Finally, you’ll learn object initialization and compile time, and gain a deeper insight into Python 3, which will help you not only become a confident Cython developer, but a much more fluent Python developer too.Style and approachThis practical and a fast-paced guide gives you all the information you need to start programming using Cython.

Master the basics of Unreal Engine 4 to build stunning video gamesAbout This BookGet to grips with the user interface of Unreal Engine 4 and find out more about its various robust featuresCreate dream video games with the help of the different tools Unreal Engine 4 offersCreate video-games and fully utilize the power of Unreal Engine 4 to bring games to life through this step-by-step guideWho This Book Is ForIf you have a basic understanding of working on a 3D environment and you are interested in video game development, then this book is for you. A solid knowledge of C++ will come in handy.What You Will LearnDownload both the binary and source version of Unreal Engine 4 and get familiar with the UIGet to know more about the Material Editor and how it worksAdd a post process to the scene and alter it to get a unique look for your sceneAcquaint yourself with the unique and exclusive feature of Unreal Engine 4—BlueprintsFind out more about Static and Dynamic lighting and the difference between various lightsUse Matinee to create cut scenesCreate a health bar for the player with the use of Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG)Get familiar with Cascade Particle EditorIn DetailUnreal Engine 4 is a complete suite of game development tools that gives you power to develop your game and seamlessly deploy it to iOS and Android devices. It can be used for the development of simple 2D games or even stunning high-end visuals. Unreal Engine features a high degree of portability and is a tool used by many game developers today.This book will introduce you to the very popular Unreal 4 engine with hands-on instructions to build stunning video games. You will begin by creating a new project or prototype by learning the essentials of Unreal engine, then you’ll get an understanding of how the World Browser can help to improve performance of our game. Next, we’ll create a level of detailed models and materials to further improve performance. After that, you’ll see how to import textures, create different materials, and see what materials can do in terms of post-processing. Finally, you will get acquainted with the Paper2D tool and the blueprints system to further increase our project's performance with Engine’s scalability tools.Style and approachThis step-by-step guide will help you gain practical knowledge about Unreal Engine through detailed de*ions of all the tools offered by Unreal Engine.

Design, process, and analyze large sets of complex data in real timeAbout This BookGet acquainted with transformations and database-level interactions, and ensure the reliability of messages processed using StormImplement strategies to solve the challenges of real-time data processingLoad datasets, build queries, and make recommendations using Spark SQLWho This Book Is ForIf you are a Big Data architect, developer, or a programmer who wants to develop applications/frameworks to implement real-time analytics using open source technologies, then this book is for you.What You Will LearnExplore big data technologies and frameworksWork through practical challenges and use cases of real-time analytics versus batch analyticsDevelop real-word use cases for processing and analyzing data in real-time using the programming paradigm of Apache StormHandle and process real-time transactional dataOptimize and tune Apache Storm for varied workloads and production deploymentsProcess and stream data with Amazon Kinesis and Elastic MapReducePerform interactive and exploratory data analytics using Spark SQLDevelop common enterprise architectures/applications for real-time and batch analyticsIn DetailEnterprise has been striving hard to deal with the challenges of data arriving in real time or near real time.Although there are technologies such as Storm and Spark (and many more) that solve the challenges of real-time data, using the appropriate technology/framework for the right business use case is the key to success. This book provides you with the skills required to quickly design, implement and deploy your real-time analytics using real-world examples of big data use cases.From the beginning of the book, we will cover the basics of varied real-time data processing frameworks and technologies. We will discuss and explain the differences between batch and real-time processing in detail, and will also explore the techniques and programming concepts using Apache Storm.Moving on, we’ll familiarize you with “Amazon Kinesis” for real-time data processing on cloud. We will further develop your understanding of real-time analytics through a comprehensive review of Apache Spark along with the high-level architecture and the building blocks of a Spark program.You will learn how to transform your data, get an output from transformations, and persist your results using Spark RDDs, using an interface called Spark SQL to work with Spark.At the end of this book, we will introduce Spark Streaming, the streaming library of Spark, and will walk you through the emerging Lambda Architecture (LA), which provides a hybrid platform for big data processing by combining real-time and precomputed batch data to provide a near real-time view of incoming data.Style and approachThis step-by-step is an easy-to-follow, detailed tutorial, filled with practical examples of basic and advanced features.Each topic is explained sequentially and supported by real-world examples and executable code snippets.

Over 90 hands-on recipes that will employ Nagios Core as the anchor of monitoring on your networkAbout This BookMaster the advanced configuration techniques of Nagios Core to model your network better by improving hosts, services, and contactsFilter and improve the notifications that Nagios Core sends in response to failed checks, which can greatly assist you when diagnosing problemsPull Nagios Core's data into a database to write clever custom reports of your own deviseWho This Book Is ForIf you are a network or system administrator and are looking for instructions and examples on working with Nagios Core, then this book is for you. Some basic shell command-line experience is required, and some knowledge of *ing would be helpful when we discuss how plugins work.What You Will LearnManage the configuration of Nagios Core with advanced techniques to achieve fine detail in your checksFind, install, and even write your own check pluginsFilter notifications to send them to the right people or programs at the right timeWork around difficult network accessibility issues and delegate checks to other machinesTweak a Nagios Core server to achieve both high performance and redundancy in case of disasterProcess the results of checks performed by other machines to monitor backups and similar processesExtend Nagios Core to allow advanced *ing, reporting, and network visualization behaviorIn DetailNagios Core is an open source monitoring framework suitable for any network that ensures both internal and customer-facing services are running correctly and manages notification and reporting behavior to diagnose and fix outages promptly. It allows very fine configuration of exactly when, where, what, and how to check network services to meet both the uptime goals of your network and systems team and the needs of your users.This book shows system and network administrators how to use Nagios Core to its fullest as a monitoring framework for checks on any kind of network services, from the smallest home network to much larger production multi-site services. You will discover that Nagios Core is capable of doing much more than pinging a host or to see whether websites respond.The recipes in this book will demonstrate how to leverage Nagios Core's advanced configuration, *ing hooks, reports, data retrieval, and extensibility to integrate it with your existing systems, and to make it the rock-solid center of your network monitoring world.Style and approachEach chapter contains a set of step-by-step recipes to perform an example of a commonly performed task related to network administration. The book begins by focusing closely on the properties and configuration of Nagios Core itself, and gradually moves on to other pieces of software that can support, manage, and extend the system.

An administrator’s guide to configuring, securing, customizing, and extending MoodleAbout This BookLearn how to plan, install, optimize, customize, and configure MoodleGuarantee a cutting-edge learning experience in a secure and customizable environment while optimizing your day-to-day workloadA one-stop guide with a problem-solution approach and a wide range of real-world examplesWho This Book Is ForIf you are a technician, systems administrator, or part of academic staff, this is the book for you. This book is ideal for anyone who has to administer a Moodle system. Whether you are dealing with a small-scale local Moodle system or a large-scale multi-site Virtual Learning Environment, this book will assist you with any administrative task. Some basic Moodle knowledge is helpful, but not essential.What You Will LearnInstall and update Moodle on multiple platforms manually and via CLI and GITManage courses and categories, users and cohorts, as well as rolesGet Moodle hooked up to repositories, portfolios, and open badgesConfigure Moodle for mobile usage, accessibility, localization, communication, and collaborationGuarantee backups, security and privacy, and achieve maximum performance via the Moodle Universal Cache and the new cron systemConfigure the Moodle events system to generate comprehensive reports, statistics, and learning analyticsNetwork Moodle with Mahara and extend it with third-party add-ons and via LTICustomize Moodle web services to enable mobile learning and integration with other IT systemsIn DetailMoodle is the de facto standard for open source learning platforms. However, setting up and managing a learning environment can be a complex task since it covers a wide range of technical, organizational, and pedagogical topics. This ranges from basic user and course management, to configuring plugins and design elements, all the way to system settings, performance optimization, events frameworks, and so on.This book concentrates on basic tasks such as how to set up and configure Moodle and how to perform day-to-day administration activities, and progresses on to more advanced topics that show you how to customize and extend Moodle, manage courses, cohorts, and users, and how to work with roles and capabilities. You’ll learn to configure Moodle plugins and ensure your VLE conforms to pedagogical and technical requirements in your organization. You’ll then learn how to integrate the VLE via web services and network it with other sites, including Mahara, and extend your system via plugins and LTI. By the end of this book, you will be able to set up an efficient, fully fledged, and secure Moodle system.Style and approachThe book takes a problem-solution approach to fall in line with your day-to-day operations. This is a one-stop reference for any task you will ever come across when administering a Moodle site of any shape and size.

Write efficient, clean, and reusable code with ScalaAbout This BookUnleash the power of Scala and apply it in the real worldIncrease your efficiency by leveraging the power of Creational, Structural, Behavioural, and Functional design patternsBuild object oriented and functional applications quickly and effectivelyWho This Book Is ForIf you want to increase your understanding of Scala and apply it to real-life application development, then this book is for you. We’ve also designed the book to be used as a quick reference guide while creating applications. Previous Scala programming knowledge is expected.What You Will LearnImmerse yourself in industry-standard design patterns—structural, creational, and behavioral—to create extraordinary applicationsFeel the power of traits and their application in ScalaImplement abstract and self types and build clean design patternsBuild complex entity relationships using structural design patternsCreate applications faster by applying functional design patternsIn DetailScala has become increasingly popular in many different IT sectors. The language is exceptionally feature-rich which helps developers write less code and get faster results. Design patterns make developer’s lives easier by helping them write great software that is easy to maintain, runs efficiently and is valuable to the company or people concerned.You will learn about the various features of Scala and be able to apply well-known, industry-proven design patterns in your work. The book starts off by focusing on some of the most interesting features of Scala while using practical real-world examples. We will also cover the popular "Gang of Four" design patterns and show you how to incorporate functional patterns effectively. By the end of this book, you will have enough knowledge and understanding to quickly assess problems and come up with elegant solutions.Style and approachThe design patterns in the book will be explained using real-world, step-by-step examples. For each design pattern, there will be hints about when to use it and when to look for something more suitable. This book can also be used as a practical guide, showing you how to leverage design patterns effectively.

Learn to design and 3D print organic and functional designs using BlenderAbout This BookLearn how to make complex shapes by editing basic onesMake printable objects from multiple shapes and partsLearn how to design from scratch, without a reference to physical objectsWho This Book Is ForYou should have basic knowledge of Blender and 3D printing and be interested in printing your first object.What You Will LearnGet to know the guiding principles required to create 3D printer-friendly modelsUnderstand material characteristics, printing specifications, tolerances, and design tipsMaster the art of modifying basic shapes with Blender's powerful editing tools: extrude, loop cuts, and other transformationsLearn techniques of editing complex meshes, smoothing, combining shapes, and exporting them into STL files for printingIn DetailThis book will cover the very basic but essential techniques you need to model an organic and functional object for 3D printing using Blender.Starting with pen and paper and then moving on to the computer, you will create your first project in Blender, add basic geometric shapes, and use techniques such as extruding and subdividing to transform these shapes into complex meshes. You will learn how modifiers can automatically refine the shape further and combine multiple shapes into a single 3D printable model.By the end of the book, you will have gained enough practical hands-on experience to be able to create a 3D printable object of your choice, which in this case is a 3D print-ready octopus pencil holder.Style and approachThis is a starter project designed to introduce you to your first real-world 3D printing designs, where you'll learn how to handle the fundamental principles of 3D printing design and have your hands on your reward in no time.

Over 80 recipes on how to identify, exploit, and test web application security with Kali Linux 2About This BookFamiliarize yourself with the most common web vulnerabilities a web application faces, and understand how attackers take advantage of themSet up a penetration testing lab to conduct a preliminary assessment of attack surfaces and run exploitsLearn how to prevent vulnerabilities in web applications before an attacker can make the most of itWho This Book Is ForThis book is for IT professionals, web developers, security enthusiasts, and security professionals who want an accessible reference on how to find, exploit, and prevent security vulnerabilities in web applications. You should know the basics of operating a Linux environment and have some exposure to security technologies and tools.What You Will LearnSet up a penetration testing laboratory in a secure wayFind out what information is useful to gather when performing penetration tests and where to look for itUse crawlers and spiders to investigate an entire website in minutesDiscover security vulnerabilities in web applications in the web browser and using command-line toolsImprove your testing efficiency with the use of automated vulnerability scannersExploit vulnerabilities that require a complex setup, run custom-made exploits, and prepare for extraordinary scenariosSet up Man in the Middle attacks and use them to identify and exploit security flaws within the communication between users and the web serverCreate a malicious site that will find and exploit vulnerabilities in the user's web browserRepair the most common web vulnerabilities and understand how to prevent them becoming a threat to a site's securityIn DetailWeb applications are a huge point of attack for malicious hackers and a critical area for security professionals and penetration testers to lock down and secure. Kali Linux is a Linux-based penetration testing platform and operating system that provides a huge array of testing tools, many of which can be used specifically to execute web penetration testing.This book will teach you, in the form step-by-step recipes, how to detect a wide array of vulnerabilities, exploit them to analyze their consequences, and ultimately buffer attackable surfaces so applications are more secure, for you and your users.Starting from the setup of a testing laboratory, this book will give you the skills you need to cover every stage of a penetration test: from gathering information about the system and the application to identifying vulnerabilities through manual testing and the use of vulnerability scanners to both basic and advanced exploitation techniques that may lead to a full system compromise. Finally, we will put this into the context of OWASP and the top 10 web application vulnerabilities you are most likely to encounter, equipping you with the ability to combat them effectively. By the end of the book, you will have the required skills to identify, exploit, and prevent web application vulnerabilities.Style and approachTaking a recipe-based approach to web security, this book has been designed to cover each stage of a penetration test, with de*ions on how tools work and why certain programming or configuration practices can become security vulnerabilities that may put a whole system, or network, at risk. Each topic is presented as a sequence of tasks and contains a proper explanation of why each task is performed and what it accomplishes.

Master Puppet for configuration management of your systems in an enterprise deploymentAbout This BookThis book is an advanced guide to using and deploying Puppet 4 in your organization with a special focus on issues faced in larger enterprise deploymentsFrom an experienced author, learn to deal with scaling, performance, and multiple developers with the help of real-world examplesThis is the most up-to-date guide on Puppet, and covers the advanced concepts of Puppet 4Who This Book Is ForThis book is for those who have intermediate knowledge of Puppet and are looking to deploy it in their environment. Some idea how to write simple modules for configuration management with Puppet is a prerequisite for this book.What You Will LearnScale out your Puppet infrastructure using proxying techniquesAutomate your code promotion workflow using Git and r10kSolve real-world problems using public modules from the Puppet ForgeUse Hiera to separate the data of your configuration from the code of your configurationWrite your own custom facts in RubyExtend Puppet with your own custom facts, modules, and typesUse exported resources to orchestrate change between machinesDebug a puppetserver using Java techniquesIn DetailPuppet is a configuration management system and a language. It was written for and by system administrators to manage large numbers of systems efficiently and prevent configuration drifts.Mastering Puppet deals with the issues faced when scaling out Puppet to handle large numbers of nodes. It will show you how to fit Puppet into your enterprise and allow many developers to work on your Puppet code simultaneously. In addition, you will learn to write custom facts and roll your own modules to solve problems. Next, popular options for performing reporting and orchestration tasks will be introduced in this book. Moving over to troubleshooting techniques, which will be very useful. The concepts presented are useful to any size organization.By the end of the book, you will know how to deal with problems of scale and exceptions in your code, automate workflows, and support multiple developers working simultaneously.Style and approachThis book is a step-wise guide packed with examples to help you configure complex systems in Puppet.

Getting what you want is just the beginning. Now you have to discover what you truly need. . . . Georgia Bing and Alice Kinnaird have always been there for each other. Eager to help her best friend have another baby after several miscarriages, Alice donates one of her eggs. When Georgia learns she's going to have the baby boy she's always wanted, she's thrilled—until a devastating discovery destroys her dreams.While Alice is happy to help her friend get pregnant, she also feels a twinge of disappointment that her own life is missing something . . . something she desperately craves. On the surface, Alice has everything—a busy social life, a great job, a faithful husband, an amazing teenage daughter. But her well-ordered world is knocked off its axis when she's tempted by a forbidden passion that threatens the bonds of friendship, marriage, and motherhood that sustain her.As the safety of their past is shattered, Georgia and Alice must embark on journeys of self-discovery—odysseys filled with surprising challenges that will test them and force them to confront the truth about their lives . . . and the choices they've made.

Get to know the colorful cast of characters at the Granite State Trailerpark, where Flora in number 11 keeps more than a hundred guinea pigs andscreams at people to stay away from her babies, Claudel in number 5 thinks he is lucky until his wife burns down their trailer and runs off with Howie Leeke, and Noni in number 7 has telephone conversations with Jesus and tells the police about them. In this series of related short stories, Russell Banks offers gripping, realistic portrayals of individual Americans and paints a portrait of New England life that is at once dark, witty, and revealing.

Bethany Griffin continues the journey of Araby Worth in Dance of the Red Death—the sequel to her teen novel Masque of the Red Death. Lauren DeStefano, author of the New York Times bestselling Chemical Gardens trilogy, called Masque of the Red Death "luscious, sultry, and lingeringly tragic."In Dance of the Red Death, Araby's world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she will fight for herself, for the people she loves, and for her city. Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball. It could destroy her and everyone she loves . . . or it could turn her into a hero.With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death saga about a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.

Madeline Usher has been buried alive. The doomed heroine comes to the fore in this eerie reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's classic short story "The Fall of the House of Usher." Gothic, moody, and suspenseful from beginning to end, The Fall is literary horror for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Asylum.Madeline awakes in a coffin. And she was put there by her own twin brother. But how did it come to thisIn short, non-chronological chapters, Bethany Griffin masterfully spins a haunting and powerful tale of this tragic heroine and the curse on the Usher family. The house itself is alive, and it will never let Madeline escape, driving her to madness just as it has all of her ancestors. But she won't let it have her brother, Roderick. She'll do everything in her power to save him—and try to save herself—even if it means bringing the house down around them.With a sinister, gothic atmosphere and relentless tension to rival Poe himself, Bethany Griffin creates a house of horrors and introduces a whole new point of view on a timeless classic. Kirkus Reviews praised it in a starred review as "A standout take on the classic haunted-house tale replete with surprises around every shadowy corner."

It's bold. It's dangerous. It's the kind of maverick operation that has made Mark Beamon both the FBI's best agent and its least-likely-to-succeed screw-up.A top-secret FBI file -- buried in an anonymous government warehouse since J. Edgar Hoover's death -- is missing. The unlucky grad student who uncovered it is dead, and now his ex-girlfriend is on the run, accused of the murder. The only man everyone agrees can find the young woman and turn up the explosive document is "off-duty," suspended and under the threat of prosecution by the bureau itself.Beamon knows better than anyone that this is his last shot to save his career -- and his country. Tracking the young woman down, though, will be the hardest assignment he's ever tackled, for she's a gutsy world-class rock-climber who can drop out of sight anywhere in the world. And even if he finds her and the file, who can he trust when the FBI itself is under suspicionBeamon has no room for wrong guesses -- or moves. If he blows this one, he'll free fall straight out of the bureau -- and straight into prison....

Just out of prison after serving time on a drug charge, Roper Rackard comes across a woman's body while mowing the tall grass at the far end of his new boss's property, and although he is innocent of her death, Roper panics. Terrified that he will be charged with murdering a white woman and sent back to jail, he decides to hide the body where it won't be found. As days and then weeks pass, and the search for the missing woman continues, Roper begins to doubt himself. Did he do the right thingWhy didn't he call for helpWill anybody believe he is innocent and, most important, how can he possibly come forward now?

Love Asian food but too intimidated to make it at homeDo you find yourself flipping through an Asian cookbook, and then going out for Thai noodles or Korean Barbecue, rather than going into your kitchenWhen Marnie Henricksson gave up her noodle shop in Greenwich Village, and settled down to raise her kids in the 'burbs, she had difficulty finding her favorite Asian ingredients at the local supermarket. So, Marnie tweaked her recipes to work with readily available ingredients, allowing her and her family to enjoy Asian food everyday. In Everyday Asian, Marnie shares seventy-five of her favorite dishes with home cooks.As the recipes draw on the traditional cuisines of Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and India, Marnie begins the book with a chapter detailing how to find, make, and store necessary ingredients, as well as giving advice on invaluable kitchen equipment for Asian cooking.Here's your opportunity to master classicdishes such as Pad Thai, Chinese Pork Roasts, Spring Rolls, and Vietnamese Pho, and expand your imagination with Marnie's innovative recipes for Asian Pesto (replace pine nuts with peanuts and Italian basil with Thai basil, cilantro, and mint) and Spicy Chicken Wings (an American classic with a good dose of Asian spices).It's clear from the abundance of Japanese, Korean, Indian, and Vietnamese restaurants that Americans are crazy about Asian food; however, cooking the real thing at home has always been a problem if you don't live near an Asian market. Now, with Marnie's easy-to-follow recipes, enjoying Asian food as often as you like is just a supermarket aisle away.

Stowaway...In the year 1718, Daniel Collins, a well-brought-up young Philadelphian, can only dream of exchanging his orderly existence as a shipyard apprentice for a life at sea. Daniel is certain he'll never find a way to make his dreams a reality, especially since there's a chance he'll inherit his uncle's successful shipping business one day. When the opportunity arises, Daniel is surprised to find that he has the courage to stow away on a ship bound for southern waters; a ship in search of the pirates who are terrorizing merchant vessels all up and down the Atlantic coast. The Sea Turtle may look docile, but hidden beneath her decks is an arsenal of weapons, and her crew's assignment is to bring down pirates by any means. As a Quaker, Daniel has sworn not to take up weapons against any man. But it's possible that the most dangerous enemy of the Sea Turtle may be someone Daniel knows all too well. Will he cast aside his Quaker principles in order to help defeat the most notorious pirate of his time?Robin Moore deftly weaves a tale of treachery on the high seas in this coming-of-age adventure that is as exciting as the era in which it is set.

From the acclaimed author of Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name and The Lovers comes a taut, spellbinding literary thriller that probes the essence and malleability of identityIn vendela vida's mesmerizing novel of ideas, a woman travels to Casablanca, Morocco, on mysterious business. While checking into her hotel, the woman is robbed of her wallet and passport—all of her money and identification. Though the police investigate, the woman senses an undercurrent of complicity between the hotel staff and the authorities—she knows she'll never recover her possessions. Stripped of her identity, she feels burdened by the crime yet strangely liberated by her sudden freedom to be anyone she chooses.A chance encounter with a movie producer leads to a job posing as a stand-in for a well-known film star. The star reels her in deeper, though, and soon she's inhabiting the actress's skin off-set too—going deeper into the Casablancan night and further from herself. And so continues a strange and breathtaking journey full of unexpected turns, an adventure in which the woman finds herself moving irrevocably, thrillingly, away from the person she once was.Told with vibrant, lush detail and a wicked sense of humor, The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty is part literary mystery, part psychological thriller—an unforgettable novel that explores free will, power, and a woman's right to choose not her past, not her present, but certainly her future. This is Vendela Vida's most assured and ambitious novel yet.