Three teens venture into the abandoned Monroe estate one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense? Or murder? Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces…

It's Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off on a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives. But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend's killer, she discovers hard truths about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love. As she awaits the judge's decree, it becomes clear that everyone around her thinks she is not just guilty, but dangerous. When the truth comes out, it is more shocking than one could ever imagine...

The disappearance of a local girl leads Special Agent Graham Grassi right to the doorstep of the sexy redhead that has haunted him since they were part of a thwarted hijacking last week. Questioning Mickey O'Shay cuts through him as he informs her about her missing goddaughter, one of the girls involved in his investigation. He wants to keep her safe, but she won't sit on the sidelines. The life of her goddaughter is in jeopardy and Mickey's determination has him ready to handcuff her—or kiss her—in place. As time runs out though, the stakes run higher. They both struggle to ignore their attraction as they try to unravel a web of deception— before it's too late.

In this horse adventure perfect for fans of Black Beauty, a Connemara pony is pampered and beloved, then abused and neglected, until twelve-year-old Rae brings love to her again.Princess lives a charmed life of brown sugar cubes, crunchy apples, sweet grass, and adoration. But it is a lonely life; her elderly owner keeps Princess separate from other ponies so his show-ring champion will remain pristine. When Princess's owner has a stroke, she is thrust into the care of an unscrupulous trainer and his wife, who steal from the farm and leave. Abandoned to starve with other, tougher ponies, Princess is bereft of all hope. Meanwhile, a girl named Rae wants a pony more than anything and is striving to make her unrealistic dream a reality. Rae and Princess need each other, though neither realizes this when they eventually meet. Rae must learn to see beyond Princess's scars and Princess must learn to trust again in order for them both to find their own hidden strengths...

He's her only protectionFrom a killer's obsession Widowed artist Olivia Hickman starts renting out the Manhattan loft she can no longer afford to live in. When two of her guests are murdered, Detective Jack Stone fears that Olivia might be the real target—and that his attraction to her is clouding his judgment. Will whisking her away from the city save her life, or will it put them both on a collision course with death?From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.

Melanie needs a job, and she needs it now, but the only place hiring is the very last place she would ever want to work.

The Screenwryter's Toolbox offers master level techniques in the art of screenwriting, teaching the reader how to write compelling dialogue, craft compelling action description, generate compelling characters, and compel in general.The guide discusses concepts such as: branding, high concept, character arcs, and how to win screenwriting contests, among others.

Can revealing her secrets stop a murderer...Before she becomes the next victim? When Samantha Gates resists cooperating with a murder investigation, she gets under Detective Max Green's skin. Though the killer's victims all used her dating site, the high-profile CEO is obviously hiding something. Then he targets Samantha herself. Suddenly the stakes are even higher...and complicated by a very deep—and potentially lethal—attraction.From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of the series:

"We call people who run crazy fast and jump extra high superhuman. Where does that leave me?" Thirteen years ago, when she was just a tiny baby, something terrible happened to Lexi Haas. Something criminal. It left her with an out-of-control body and without a voice. Now, as a precocious, superhero-obsessed teen, Lexi is counting down the final 24 hours to a risky brain surgery that might help her talk or—dare she dream it?—to walk and use her hands. As surgery grows closer, Lexi finds an urgent, relentless need to share the story of the year in her life she calls The Year of the Buttered Cat. The Year of the Buttered Cat is based on the real-life story of Lexi Haas. In the spirit of Wonder by R.J. Palacio and Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper, The Year of the Buttered Cat offers empowering, powerful messages about disability, friendship, family, loss, and the art of redefining ourselves.

She had big dreams. But will war, tragedy, and naïveté ruin her aspirations? America, the 1940s. Margaret Rose longs to escape her family's poverty. So against her domineering father's wishes, the determined young woman elopes with an older man. But shortly after the US enters WWII, her grand ambitions sink when her husband's ship is torpedoed. Training to become a nurse to give herself a future, Margaret's grief deepens when she discovers she's pregnant and must quit to have the baby. And now without income to support a child, the desperate widow marries a man who takes her far from home... and into disaster. Will Margaret rise above catastrophic misfortune and create the life she deserves?' Poignant and heartfelt, The Scent of Gardenias chronicles the struggle of a Twentieth-Century woman carving a place in a society stacked against her odds for success. Inspired by her mother's true story,...

Phin Chase was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now he's witness to a murder, and he must run fast and far to escape the Sleepers--the secretive, powerful organization responsible for the crime. With only his own wits to rely on, Phin hops a train to flee his small town. But there's a mysterious man on his trail--a man with a horse that tracks like a bloodhound. He could be working for the Sleepers . . . or he could be working against them. But Phin can't risk finding out. Even if Phin manages to turn the tables on his pursuer, neither hunter nor quarry can imagine what will happen when they inevitably collide.

The latest thriller featuring the sleek and sinister Silver Bear—from leading Hollywood scriptwriter Derek Haas.Columbus has retired. or so he thinks. He and his lover, Risina, a mysterious rare-book dealer, have fled to a tiny Italian coastal village where no one knows their names. And yet Columbus has trouble letting go. His paranoia is justified when, one day, he notices a suspicious man following him, and within days he’s back in Chicago trying to figure out why his old fence has been kidnapped and maybe even killed. The ransom note left behind demands Columbus by name. The Silver Bear must now sever this last link with his dark past if he and Risina are to ever have hope at a new life. yet Risina seems to show a remarkable knack for the kill herself . . . and perhaps there won’t be a chance for turning back.Review"At the start of Haas's solid third Silver Bear thriller, the assassin known as Columbus has retired.  Then Columbus learns that his former fence, Archibald Grant, has been kidnapped, and that a ransom note demands Columbus's return.  Poetic prose helps propel a plot... keeps readers guessing throughout." - Publisher's Weekly"Haas brings his cold, canny professional hit man back in this cold, canny thriller. Intricate and fascinating. Heartless Columbus offers cold comfort on dark nights." - Kirkus Reviews"When push comes to shove, the bullets don't just fly. They find their targets." - New Jersey Star Ledger"The assassin who calls himself Columbus and plies his trade in a devastatingly cool series is back. It's a pleasure to watch him go up against an adversary with a modus operandi even more diabolical than his own." - The New York TimesAbout the AuthorDerek Haas is the author of the novels The Silver Bear and Columbus. Derek co-wrote the screenplays for 3:10 to Yuma, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and Wanted, starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie.  His latest film, The Double, starred Richard Gere and Martin Sheen.  Derek lives in Los Angeles.

In the sequel to Keeping Barney, Sarah's finally going to get her own horse, but there are too many to choose from—and she wants one just like Barney With his broad chest, round rump, and short legs, Barney looks more like a Shetland pony than a big half-Morgan. And his coat is as woolly as a bear's. But thirteen-year-old Sarah loves him to pieces. Caring for him while his owner, Missy, was away at college took work, but eventually, she and the gelding bonded. Now Sarah's folks have promised her a horse of her very own. But Sarah's dad is writing his second novel, her mom is busy tutoring, and Sarah's best friend, Jill, is stuck babysitting. Facing a long, boring summer, Sarah is thrilled when Missy volunteers to help her look for her dream horse. Sarah wants a Morgan just like Barney. Eventually, she narrows it down to two: powerful, spirited Roy or lovable old Thunder, who's bound for the auction block if nobody buys him. Which one should...

A Publishers Weekly Best Book and Parents Choice Gold Award: Following her mother's death, a thirteen-year-old has to adjust to life on a farm—and tame a wild young coltIt's 1910, and Harriet Gibson, orphaned by the death of her mother in a horse-and-buggy accident, is sent to live on a relative's hillside Vermont farm with her two-year-old colt. Grieving her loss, Harry now has to adjust to a new life and make new friends. And Aunt Sarah is a harsh taskmaster. Desperate to get away from her stern, domineering aunt, Harry decides to break in her untrained young Morgan so she can ride the seven miles to her new school. But an accident will force Harry to adapt once more as she makes surprising discoveries about her aunt . . . and a family secret comes to light. This is a stunning novel about love, loss, and blood ties—and about how even when the heart is shattered, the human spirit remains unbroken.

From award-winning author Jessie Haas, nine interconnected tales about kids and their love of animalsIn "The Wake," fifteen-year-old Kris tries to comfort her great-aunt Mil, who is grief stricken over the death of Puttins, her old cat and longtime companion. With her grave, golden-brown eyes and long, graceful paws, "The Greyhound" is almost human . . . and Kris's friend Phillip is determined to save this special, endangered dog. Even if her father doesn't understand her love of animals, Kris realizes that your "Extended Family" can be as big as you want it to be, including cherished pets and not just your (sometimes unlovable) blood ties. "Horse Man" is James MacLiesh, who believes he was "bred to ride," just as horses were "bred to be ridden." And in the title story, James is torn between loyalty to his faithful horse Robbie and his dreams of glory with a sleek, majestic steed named Avatar. Everything changes when horse and rider get lost and James has to depend...

When the corpses of an American couple are found frozen to death on a ski lift in a pristine Alpine village, Brenner is called in to investigate, in his first case as a P.I.When Inspector Simon Brenner leaves the police force, he's looking forward to some peace and quiet, and the lovely Alpine village of Zell seems like just the place. That is, until the corpses of an American couple are found frozen on a ski lift, and Brenner, doing some part time work for an insurance company, is called in to investigate the matter. It turns out that the victims have relatives in the area, and the crime--if it is a crime--seems like it could be a family affair. Except the prime suspect has a solid alibi and no one in picture-perfect Zell is talking.So Brenner, in his inimitable style, draws out all the village's characters--the longtime residents, the resort staff and guests--and uncovers the dirty doings that lurk underneath the pristine snow...and family secrets long...

Based on real-life events, a gripping historical novel from award-winning young adult author Jessie Haas To Sue Gorham, life in Westminster West isn't fair, not at all. It isn't fair that she has to do most of the backbreaking chores on their Vermont farm while her sister, Clare, gets to take exotic vacations with their wealthy aunt. It all started when Clare, who's a year older than Sue, got sick. That was three years ago. Now, Clare is a chronic invalid too fragile to leave the house. One day Sue finds a diary in the attic, written by her father after he came home from the Civil War. After reading it, Sue suddenly falls ill. The sisters switch places as Sue becomes bedridden and Clare takes over her chores. That is, until the arsonist who's been burning barns in their close-knit parish community strikes again—and this time, it's the Gorham farm. Based on real-life incidents in the author's hometown, Westminster West vividly recreates...

Named to the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Master List: A fifteen-year-old copes with a parent's imminent death by nurturing two orphaned kittens in the New England countrysidePhilip Johnson has recently moved with his mother and terminally ill father from his beloved midwestern farm to a New England suburb. He works part time at the local clinic, where he helps the vet put down sick or abandoned animals. What he really wants is to save them, the way he did the endangered greyhound he found a home for with his friend Kris. When a litter of discarded kittens are scheduled to be euthanized, he rescues them—only this time, there's no one to take them in. Hiding the kittens from his family, Philip brings them to an abandoned cottage in the woods. He starts cutting classes to care for them, determined to keep them alive as winter approaches. A novel about a kid who feels alienated from his family, his new community, and most...

He's her sworn enemy...and the one cop who can save her After barely escaping an attack, Lauren Mueller can't forget the assailant's parting words: "I'll teach you a lesson." The NYPD officer assigned to her case thinks it's personal—but so is their prior relationship. Lauren blames Nolan Clayman for the death of her brother and can't forgive the dedicated cop. But a vengeful killer wants her dead, and getting close to Nolan is the only way to stay alive.From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.

Sam Anderson is the new man at the office. An American, sent from the home office to help establish the new branch in London and Marisa can't keep her eyes and hands off the delicious foreigner. Sex between them is amazing and intense, but Sam has a little secret desire.Marisa Seaforth is one hot woman and Sam wants to get to know her better during his brief stay in England. After confessing his fantasy of having two women at once, he's shocked speechless when Marisa arranges for one of her friends to join them.Their connection burns red hot and all consuming and their torrid, but brief affair, affects many aspects of their lives, even after Sam's return to America. What will Marisa do when she finds out Sam's been in a terrible accident and is down lying in a hospital bed, sullen, burned and paralyzed?

Shy farm girl Joni’s new friendship with animal rights activist Chess unravels when Chess’s views push Joni too far in this layered coming-of-age story about two girls and their love for horses. Joni’s world revolves around her beloved horse, Archie, and her family’s Vermont sheep farm. When outspoken, sophisticated Chess moves nearby, Joni is drawn to her, even though Chess questions everything Joni loves—working horses, eating cheese, having pets, and even the farm itself. Torn between desperately wanting a friendship and resenting Chess’s assumptions about horses and farms, Joni mostly keeps her opinions to herself. But when Chess steals their neighbor’s miniature horses to “rescue” them, Joni finds the courage to stand up for her beliefs. With quiet intensity, this timely novel tackles the complex issue of bridging the political divide and building friendships while staying true to yourself.

Ten-year-old Saige Copeland loves spending time on her grandma Mimi's ranch, riding horses and painting. Her school made the tough choice to cut art classes, which means she's lost her favorite subject. So when Mimi decides to organize a "save the arts" fundraiser and parade to benefit the school, Saige jumps on board. She begins training Mimi's beautiful horse, Picasso, for his appearance in the parade. Then Mimi is injured in an accident, and Saige wonders what she can do to help. Can she ride Picasso in the parade and make her grandma proud? Can she still raise money to protect the arts at school?

The only thing twins Fran and Kiera have ever agreed on is thatit would be wonderful to own a pony — a pony they could gallop and leap over jumps.One day their father brings them Jigsaw, a Shetland pony who needs a new family. Jigsaw is the perfect pony. He can do anything — even fit himself into Dad's station wagon for the ride home.But with Jigsaw comes trouble. The more Fran and Kiera like something, the harder it is for them to share. And they love Jigsaw. Worse, Jigsaw won't gallop far and he won't leap more than a couple of jumps. Is something wrong with the way the twins ride? Or is something wrong with Jigsaw?

Food writer and clinical psychologist Scott Haas wanted to know what went on inside the mind of a top chef—and what kind of emotional dynamics drove the fast-paced, intense interactions inside a great restaurant. To capture all the heat and hunger, he spent eighteen months immersed in the kitchen of James Beard Award-winner Tony Maws' restaurant, Craigie on Main, in Boston. He became part of the family, experiencing the drama first-hand. Here, Haas exposes the inner life of a chef, what it takes to make food people crave, and how to achieve greatness in a world that demands more than passion and a sharp set of knives.A lens into what motivates and inspires all chefs—including Thomas Keller, Andrew Carmellini, whose stories are also shared here—Back of the House will change the way you think about food—and about the complicated people who cook it and serve it.

Three teens venture into the abandoned Monroe estate one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense? Or murder?Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces…

Life is changing for Saige. Her grandma is still recovering from the accident, and Saige misses the time they spent together. She takes comfort in riding Georgia, her grandma's youngest horse. She knows her grandma needs cheering up, so Saige comes up with a plan to restore their special art afternoons. Inspired by her grandma, she organizes a "Day of Beige" at her school to show how boring the world would be without creativity and color. Things are finally starting to get better, and then grandma tells Saige of plans to sell Georgia. Can Saige find a way to keep the horse she loves—and help save the arts at her school?

Named to the Sequoyah Award Master List: Experienced rider Lily is ready for a real horse—will Beware the mare bring her good or bad luck? The bright-eyed bay mare in the truck looks very small. Lily's grandfather brought her home to their Vermont farm as a present for Lily. She's shaggy, her mane is tangled, and she looks as if she hasn't been brushed in a long time. To Lily, she's beautiful. But Lily has to solve the mystery of her name. Why is she called Beware? And why did Gramp get her so cheap? Is something wrong with her? Lily can't imagine what—she's already crazy about the little bay. The test will be when Lily takes her out for her first ride. What will happen then? This charming story of a girl and her pony will capture the hearts of horse-crazy young readers everywhere.

With National Socialism's arrival in Germany in 1933, Jews dominated music more than virtually any other sector, making it the most important cultural front in the Nazi fight for German identity. This groundbreaking book looks at the Jewish composers and musicians banned by the Third Reich and the consequences for music throughout the rest of the twentieth century. Because Jewish musicians and composers were, by 1933, the principal conveyors of Germany's historic traditions and the ideals of German culture, the isolation, exile and persecution of Jewish musicians by the Nazis became an act of musical self-mutilation.Michael Haas looks at the actual contribution of Jewish composers in Germany and Austria before 1933, at their increasingly precarious position in Nazi Europe, their forced emigration before and during the war, their ambivalent relationships with their countries of refuge, such as Britain and the United States and their contributions within the radically changed...

The wry and rueful Columbo of Austria investigates a grisly murder at a beloved restaurant where snooty Viennese gourmands go to eat ... fried chicken. At a wildly popular chicken shack in the Austrian countryside, a gruesome discovery is made in the pile of chicken bones waiting to be fed into the basement grinder: human bones. But when former-police detective now private eye Simon Brenner shows up to investigate, the woman who hired him has disappeared ...Brenner likes chicken, though, so he stays, but finds no one will talk. And as he waits for the disappeared manager, there's one ghastly find after another.Perhaps the most raucous book in the series, The Bone Man manages to make fun of institutions from high cuisine to soccer while nonetheless building relentless suspense based in all-too-real social issues. Smart, tense, and funny, the book makes clear why Carl Hiaasen called Wolf Haas "the real deal."

An untamed horse has run away—can Lily and Beware find him and bring him home? After a storm scatters all the livestock on her grandparents' farm, Lily discovers that Gramp's wild black Morgan is missing. Stogie's a horse with a mind of his own, and when he runs, no one can ever catch him. Stogie may be boss of the other animals on the farm, but he's afraid of people. And a frightened horse is a dangerous one. Lily's determined to find the black Morgan and bring him home before he ends up getting hurt—or shot. Since no one can catch Stogie, no one can lead him. But Lily brings a rope anyway. As she and Beware set off on their search, she tries to put herself in Stogie's shoes to figure out where he would go. Then she gets an idea . . . Can she and Beware find and catch Stogie before it's too late?

Set in Wyoming, Chico's Challenge follows a young buckskin quarter horse who is trade to Sierra, a teen who works her father's ranch and dreams of becoming a cutting horse champion. Chico seems to have the makings of a great cow horse, but...he has never seen a cow in his life! Can he and Sierra, both novices, learn to work together as a team?

A Child Study Association of America Book of the Year: Lily's beloved horse Beware is sick—can Lily save her? Something's wrong with Beware. Lily knows the minute she spies the mare standing under the trees, the way Beware does in summer to get away from the heat. But today there's no shade beneath the bare branches, and it's freezing out. When Lily calls for her, Beware doesn't come trotting over. She doesn't move, even when Lily offers her an apple core. She isn't injured, because Lily can't find any cuts or bruises on her. But when Lily tells her to walk, Beware's back legs buckle and she nearly falls down! Beware is sick, but she has no fever and is still eating a little bit. The vet makes a diagnosis, but the treatments don't help. Surgery may be the only answer. But it's expensive—and dangerous. Will Beware survive? Lily needs more than hopes and prayers—she needs a miracle: Somehow, she has to find a way...

James MacLiesh shocks his conventional parents when he chooses to work with horses instead of going to college—can he make it happen? Bucking his parents—and tradition—seventeen-year-old James MacLiesh decides he wants to be a horse trainer. When he arrives at his cousins' farm, James enters a world completely different from that of his privileged, boarding-school upbringing. Not quite prepared for the rambling, ramshackle old house, he knows he made the right decision the minute he goes into the barn. The horses are magnificent. Ghazal, an obedient if aloof white stallion, is to be James's first training project. But first, James has to re-train himself. Taking place over four seasons and filled with appealing characters—James's uncle Tom and second cousin Gloria, and a riding student named Jennifer Bascomb—Working Trot is about following your dreams and sticking to them no matter what.

In the sequel to Keeping Barney, Sarah's finally going to get her own horse, but there are too many to choose from—and she wants one just like Barney With his broad chest, round rump, and short legs, Barney looks more like a Shetland pony than a big half-Morgan. And his coat is as woolly as a bear's. But thirteen-year-old Sarah loves him to pieces. Caring for him while his owner, Missy, was away at college took work, but eventually, she and the gelding bonded. Now Sarah's folks have promised her a horse of her very own. But Sarah's dad is writing his second novel, her mom is busy tutoring, and Sarah's best friend, Jill, is stuck babysitting. Facing a long, boring summer, Sarah is thrilled when Missy volunteers to help her look for her dream horse. Sarah wants a Morgan just like Barney. Eventually, she narrows it down to two: powerful, spirited Roy or lovable old Thunder, who's bound for the auction block if nobody buys him. Which one should...

Henry Bay has his own America going. If there's an offbeat interest or extreme sport that's poised to sweep the nation, chances are there's a magazine for its enthusiasts, and chances are also good that Henry has worked there. He's a modern nomad, associate-editing his way from state to state, exploring the small worlds that make up modern America from Spelunk to Ice Climbing, to Cozy, The Magazine of Tea.But those are other people's interests—Henry's still looking for his own enthusiasm. He ends up finding more than he ever imagined in this energetic, hilarious debut novel from a surprising and promising new voice.

A hitman isn't allowed to have a life... He calls himself Columbus. Some call him the Silver Bear. All know him as one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Now, as he tracks a powerful politician with presidential aspirations, the fragmented pieces of his own life begin to point to a terrible truth that will unmake everything he is, tear apart the shadowy, criminal world he rules-and put him right in the crosshairs.

Named to the Bluebonnet Award and Mark Twain Award Master Lists: Cole isn't happy about his great-uncle coming to live with his family . . . until Daney's in danger of losing his beloved horseCole Tatro has never met his great-uncle Daney. But after he's injured in a logging accident, he comes to live with Cole's family on their Vermont farm. Cole isn't sure how he's going to feel about having a stranger around all the time. Then he meets Daney's horse, Nip. A big red workhorse with a tousled blond mane and a sleepy face, Nip is the pride of Daney's life. Except Daney no longer has a job. Cole's parents work hard—his dad at a paper mill and his mom sewing doll dresses at a local factory—but they aren't sure they have the money to take care of Nip. That's when Daney comes up with the perfect solution. But he'll need Cole's help to carry it out. Uncle Daney's Way is a story of grit, determination, and one family's ingenuity...

A Golden Kite Honor Book: A boy grieving the loss of his dog meets a man who can transform the lives of animals—and peopleChad Holloway feels estranged from his entire family. His tantrum-throwing older sister, Julia, and baby brother, Sky, drive him crazy. His parents don't understand him at all. And ever since his grandfather shot Chad's dog Shep, they haven't been speaking to each other, even though Jeep says it was a mercy killing. Queenie, the new puppy Jeep bought to make amends, will never replace Shep. Not even close. Chad has no idea how he's going to get through this summer. Then he meets his new neighbor. David Burton is a shaper—a dog trainer who changes animals' behavior using positive reinforcement. He hires Chad as his assistant and suddenly, things start to happen. Chad uses Queenie as a guinea pig to try out David's techniques. Except Chad starts to feel like he's the one being shaped. And he really likes David's daughter...

Meet Austin Clay, the CIA's best-kept secret. There has always been a need in the spy game for operations outside the realm of legality-covert missions so black no one in the American government, and almost no one in intelligence itself, is aware of their existence. The left hand can't know what the right hand is doing. Austin Clay is that right hand, executing missions that would be disavowed by his own government were he ever to be compromised. His team consists of only his trusted handler and himself. His missions are among the most important and dangerous in U.S. history.Clay is sent to track down a missing American operative, a man who was captured outside of Moscow, in the Russian countryside. Soon he discovers the missing officer is only the beginning of the mission, and finds himself protecting a desperate woman who believes a mole has penetrated the top levels of the U.S. government, throwing the international...

Columbus is back and as deadly as ever. But the hunter has now become the hunted, in this sequel to the national bestseller The Silver Bear. He told you not to like him. To get close to Columbus, the Silver Bear, means death. Exactly whose death remains to be determined in Derek Haas' highly anticipated new thriller.Recouping in Europe after loosing his fence and best friend during his mission to assassinate his father, Columbus now finds his reverie interrupted by multiple assassins searching for the elusive Silver Bear. As Columbus eliminates each killer, more and more appear - a hydra effect he can only eliminate by finding the origin of the hit, a source connected to his own past. Racing across the globe, as both hunter and hunted, Columbus' travels take him to Italy, where he meets a mysterious woman named Risina. A woman with her own secret past, she may be Columbus' only hope of salvation.

Named to the West Virginia Children's Book Award Master List: In the first horse show with her new mare, Lily competes against her best friend for the blue ribbon Today's the big day. Lily and her horse, Beware, are going to compete in the junior horse show. Lily's best friend, Mandy, is also in the competition, riding her horse, Shane. When Lily and her mother and grandfather arrive, Mandy looks so grown up, like a rider in a magazine. And with his shining copper coat, Shane looks just like a show horse. Worried that Beware looks shaggy next to Shane, Lily brushes her until she's sleek and polished. Then it's time for Lily to get ready. She puts on her breeches and boots and tries to remember everything her grandfather taught her about riding. Will Lily and Beware walk away with the blue? And will Lily and Mandy still be best friends when it's over?

"The intense psychological portrait of a hitman--the anti-Jason Bourne--as he stalks his prey from Boston to LA. He wants you to know him, maybe even admire him, but only for his excellence in his craft. Perhaps he was even born for it. ""A natural killer,"" his mentor--a middleman named Vespucci--said he was. He proved it with his first professional hit: a Fifth Circuit Court judge in Boston, executed with a sheet of Saran Wrap in the stairwell of her own courthouse. He's proved his merit often, usually with a Glock semiautomatic, but he's improvised too, with his bare hands, the heel of a shoe, knives, even a sewing machine. He is the consummate assassin, at the top of his form, immune to the psychological strains of his chosen profession. He is what the Russians call a Silver Bear. He calls himself Columbus. It's the name Vespucci gave him, ten years ago, when he discovered a dark, new world of fences, clients, marks, jobs, jack. Not that his real name meant much to him anyway. He never knew his father or his mother, a prostitute who became dangerously involved back in the seventies with an earnest young congressman named Abe Mann, then a rising star in the Democratic Party. The magnetic Abe Mann has since become the Speaker of the House. He is currently running for the Democratic nomination in an exhausting presidential campaign, weaving his way across the country. Columbus is not far behind. But as he pieces together his past and prepares the seamless assassination of his mark, the criminal underworld he has always ruled begins unraveling violently around him."