A collection of three stories that end mid-thought. One takes place in and around a resort one might happen upon at the end of their given line. One takes place somewhere I've never been, but it's hot and not so safe. One takes place in some section of Brooklyn, not that it matters.Joshua Gray, an explorer forced to become a soldier, may be the only person who can save the human race from utter destruction at the hands of an intractable alien enemy that claims a right of return to Earth. Gray forms a friendship with a leader of the long-dispersed q-Chek - a bond forged through suffering and painful choices. Together, the two blur the lines of loyalty and sacrifice in their desperate quest for peace . . . peace at a price.

The all-time masters of the classic Western cordially invite you to another trip down the aisle with America's mail order brides—and the foolhardy men who thought they could tame them. . . . JOHNSTONE & GUNS. 'TIL DEATH DO THEY PART. Wedding bells are ringing. Let the gunslinging begin! Bo Creel and Scratch Morton are mighty proud. They managed to deliver five mail-order brides to the New Mexico mining town of Silverhill in one piece. The town is so grateful, they want to make Bo their marshal and Scratch his deputy. Bo and Scratch are happy to accept the job—and even happier to attend the weddings of the fine young women they brought here. . . . Cecelia has two young suitors—a well-off rancher and a low-born miner—but but one of them is not...

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE DEATH RIDES FASTER THAN THE WIND. A blazing new series takes you back to the lawless frontier where every stagecoach was a moving target. Where every passenger needed protection. And where every hired gun who rides along better be fast on the draw—or be dead on arrival . . .RIDING SHOTGUN If anyone knows the road to purgatory, it's Red Ryan. As a stagecoach guard, he's faced holdups, ambushes, and all-out attacks from every kill-crazy outlaw, Indian, and prairie rat. But even he's a bit reluctant to take on his next job: riding shotgun with his driver Buttons Muldoon on a stage bound from Fort Concho, Texas, to Fort Bliss. Word has it, the Apaches are on the warpath. They're being led by the vicious war chief Ilesh, which means "Lord of the Earth." And this lord means business, as in slaughtering every Texan from here to El Paso. Red wants to postpone the stage. But an army major's beautiful but...

With Walter Damascus, a psychopath who likes his women well-off, well-built, and dead, loose on the city, the boys of the 87th Precinct must work overtime. Reissue.**Amazon.com ReviewStephen King and Nelson DeMille on Ed McBain I think Evan Hunter, known by that name or as Ed McBain, was one of the most influential writers of the postwar generation. He was the first writer to successfully merge realism with genre fiction, and by so doing I think he may actually have created the kind of popular fiction that drove the best-seller lists and lit up the American imagination in the years 1960 to 2000. Books as disparate as The New Centurions, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Godfather, Black Sunday, and The Shining all owe a debt to Evan Hunter, who taught a whole generation of baby boomers how to write stories that were not only entertaining but that truthfully reflected the times and the culture. He will be remembered for bringing the so-called "police procedural" into the modern age, but he did so much more than that. And he was one hell of a nice man. --*Stephen King Way back in the mid-1970s, when I was a new writer and police series were very big, my editor asked me to do a series called Joe Ryker, NYPD. I had no idea how to write a police detective novel, but the editor handed me a stack of books and said, “These are the 87th Precinct novels by Ed McBain. Read them and you’ll know everything you need to know about police novels.” After I read the first book--which I think was Let’s Hear It for the Deaf Man--I was hooked, and I read every Ed McBain I could get my hands on. Then I sat down and wrote my own detective novel, The Sniper, featuring Joe Ryker. My series never reached the heights of the 87th Precinct series, but by reading those classic masterpieces, I learned all I needed to know about urban crime and how detectives think and act. And I had a hell of a time learning from the master. Years later, when I actually got to meet Ed McBain/Evan Hunter, I told him this story, and he said, “I would have liked it better if my books inspired you to become a detective instead of becoming my competition.” Evan and I became friends, and I was privileged to know him and honored to be in his company. I remain indebted to him for his good advice over the years. But most of all, I thank him for hundreds of hours of great reading. --Nelson DeMille*To read about how Ed McBain influenced other mystery and thriller writers, visit our Perspectives on McBain page.For a complete selection of 87th Precinct novels available from Thomas & Mercer, visit our Ed McBain's 87th Precinct Booklist.About the AuthorEd McBain is one of the most illustrious names in crime fiction. In 1998 he was the first non-British author to be awarded the Crime Writers' Association/Cartier Diamond Dagger Award and he is also a holder of the Mystery Writers of America's coveted Grand Master Award. He has written more than eighty works of fiction, including the heralded 87th Precinct series and the acclaimed Matthew Hope series. His real name is Evan Hunter and he lives in Connecticut.

Johnstone Country. Next Stop: Hell. NO ONE MESSES WITH SHOTGUN JOHNNY. It takes a brave man to ride shotgun for the Reverend's Temptation Gold Mine in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It takes an even braver man to try to rob a coach of bullion when the shotgun rider is Johnny Greenway. Armed with his weapons of choice—two sawed-off, double-barreled shotguns in custom-made holsters for pistol-quick draws—Shotgun Johnny ain't stopping for no one . . . NOT UNLESS THEY WANT TO DIE. Johnny Greenway was once a family man. A well-respected marshal who always played fair. Then his wife and son were killed by cutthroats. Johnny killed the killers. Then he hung up his badge and picked up a bottle. Now a shadow of his former self, he has nothing much to live for. But when he singlehandedly stops a bank robbery, he catches the eye of the banker's daughter. She's impressed by Johnny's gun skills, and offers him...

Honey---a vivacious, wealthy, seventeen-year-old daughter of a politician---has a penchant for drug dealers, mad-dog bikers, booze, sex, crank, and guns. She's run off with Cobra, the leader of a band of motorcycle-gang outcasts who have dubbed themselves the Outriders since they are too hotheaded and reckless for other rival gangs. But her father, who is running for the U.S. Senate, wants her back before she takes his career down in flames along with her hell-bent soul.Enter Scott Weiss and Jim Bishop, Andrew Klavan's star private eyes from Dynamite Road. Weiss is a former cop who is an accomplished detective with a lot of connections. Bishop is a savvy, strong-willed tough guy and ladies' man who does the legwork for Weiss's agency. Bishop's assignment: infiltrate the Outriders and seduce and steal Honey away from Cobra. But has Bishop finally met his match? Cobra is brilliant as well as bad---an oddly intellectual biker who is one step ahead of everyone on his...

A Space Merchant's Tale is the story of Thomas Verch Angharad, the galaxies greatest space merchant and his genetically enhanced talking cat Peaches. A Shotgun Wedding is the story of star fighter pilot Will Snipes, and his unlucky encounter with the superstitious Turner clan.A Space Merchant's Tale is the story of Thomas Verch Angharad, the galaxies greatest space merchant and his genetically enhanced talking cat Peaches. Their continuing adventures to deliver cargo, avoid pirates, maybe fall in love, and find that elusive best tasting fish in the galaxy. A Shotgun Wedding is the story of star fighter pilot Will Snipes, his dearest friend Taita Collins and how on vacation on a very superstitious planet Will is being forced to marry a local backwoods girl.

San Francisco Steel MCBook Two/ Novella SeriesShotgunI'm VP of the MC Steel Renegades...When we come under attack, we don't know who we're up against.The only thing we do know is that a man with a snake tattoo on his hand is killing our brothers. He wants us dead but why… we don't know.Then she shows up. Who she is and what she wants we don't know yet, but we will.When her secrets are revealed she holds a piece of the why and the who, can we figure out the rest of it before it's too late? Our lives depend on finding those answers.RiverI've stayed hidden for too long but now it's time for me to come out of the shadows. I came here to find out about my brother, he died a long time ago and I never really knew why. I came to find answers.The MC finds me after a fire and shots ring out but I didn't have anything to do with either. I never realized the MC didn't believe me. I always thought I would be innocent until proven guilty, guess that didn't work here.

Sold to an aggressive recluse, Max still manages to see the good in life - and his captor. Shotgun Handle Beat is a story of unreciprocated loyalty and the struggle to understand your place in a world that beats you down.After their near fatal meeting at Chalk farm underground station, where Matt escaped using his photographic memory of the tunnels and sewers of old London. Sue was given a fake passport by General Wilson and helped on her way to meet Matt again. (Chronicles of Revenge, the beginning) Sue Young was hurtling through London on the back of a high powered Fire blade, she was heading for a flight for India to meet Matt and tell him her secret, that she was carrying his baby. Commander Featherstone from MI5 had sent men to tail her and Matt’s friend Abhay made sure they didn’t make it. Sue would now follow Matt and Wolf as they searched for the last two remaining men who had killed his two sons. Matt’s keen senses told him that somehow he was being lead, the reason could only be his ultimate death, but by who was still a mystery to him not that he cared anyway. His life was of no importance revenging his sons were and would always be his final goal no matter what the cost. Sue would learn a lot more about him plus have many death defying experiences and come to understand that killing to defend your own is easier than she would had ever thought before. After leaving Abhay they headed for Kathmandu, he had information that Steve Butler was there and with revenge in his eyes and death in his heart they drove on.The confrontation with Butler showed her another side to the troubled man that was Matt North, Sue would shed many tears some in sorrow and some in joy. Taking a cape sized ship they now head for Costa Rica and a final battle with Ed Barker. Sue would learn more about Matt’s past as they travelled on, the return bare knuckle fight with Ray Smith, how he and Wolf met and about his now dead wife Linda and how they became a couple. Matt contacts an old friend Alfie O an arms dealer and quarter master for non-official organisations, he sends him a list of what he needs to be waiting for him when he arrives at the port of Lemon. Alfie said he could organise transport form India by ship, what he doesn’t tell Matt is that there would be a ship to ship transfer involved.Matt and Wolf had done a ship to ship before and hated them so much he swore he’d never do one again, until now his need for revenge always overrode anything even his own life. After his near death ship to ship Matt meets up with Alfie O and to his surprise some old friend is waiting, Along with Mary Weston. Mary Weston was someone Matt never believed he’d see again and never thought for a moment she’d blackmail him. Some days into their journey Matt finds that his old friend has terminal cancer and there only wish is that Matt will give their girls the cash, a promise he will try to keep.The battle with Barker was epic and deadly, the flight back to civilisation had many deadly moments and to Matt’s complete disbelief things take a very strange turn. Back in the UK Matt meets up with Mary Western again in Regents Park. There is one last and strangely unbelievable twist for him, looking up at the top of a block of flats Sue notes his face change she’d seen that look and knew it meant trouble.In the cross hairs of a high powered rifle aimed by an expert marksman is Matt’s head and the shooter whispers. “Got yer, now you’re mine.” As his finger tightened around the trigger.

True love is worth waiting for...WHITE WEDDINGSThe bad boy...Sam Beaumont was a poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Seven years ago he thought he was going to elope with Annie Delacorte. Instead he found himself run out of town.and the virgin bride!Sweet and innocent Annie had a very good reason for jilting Sam. But now, Sam is back, and he has the money and the power to get what he wants. And he wants Annie. Only, the whole town is determined to protect her good name and ensure that Sam's seduction attempts don't end in the bedroom--but begin with a wedding!

Longarm is outnumbered—and outgunned—on a ride straight to hell!Deputy U. S. Marshal Custis Long has had plenty of impossible missions.  But his new undercover assignment riding shotgun for a robbery-plagued stagecoach line started at bad and quickly got worse. The gang he’s after has four stolen stashes and four dead  guards notched on its belt…and is gunning to make him number five. And the beautiful blonde heiress he has to protect and the prissy city lady looking for excitement are only making Longarm’s job twice as hard…   Now the marshal and a coach-full of innocent passengers are pinned down in a remote valley far from help. And with time running out, the only chance Longarm has is to outshoot and outmaneuver the vicious gang in the deadliest showdown of his career…

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU...BODYGUARD AND WIFE? When her real groom is kidnapped, Tanya Chesterfield convinces bodyguard and all-time crush Cooper Payne to marry her in order to fulfill the terms of her inheritance and secure a possible ransom. But when there are no demands for money, only attempts made on Tanya's life, Cooper's protective instincts go into overdrive. Nearly losing her makes Cooper realize he never stopped loving her, and their pretense as husband and wife resurrects the passion between them. Cooper has vowed to honor and cherish her, and he is determined to find the truth--even if it means in the end he must let Tanya go.

Conveniently WedForced to wed to protect their reputations after being trapped overnight in a mine, Emma Jane and Jasper Jackson's marriage is one in name only. Resenting the choices taken from him, Jasper's determined not to lose his heart. But it's not so easy to stay distanced from his new bride when a gang of bandits abducts them both. Other young women might be ecstatic to land Leadville's wealthiest bachelor. But Emma Jane would rather have Jasper's love than his family's money. A true bond with her handsome husband seems impossible…until their ordeal leaves Emma Jane caring for an orphaned baby. In reach now is the one thing neither expected–the chance to turn a convenient marriage into a forever family.

Mama's fixin' to get hitched to Husband #5. But first, she coerces her daughter, Mace, to saddle up for some country-gal bonding on the Florida Cracker Trail. The trek takes a deadly turn when Lawton Bramble-wealthy rancher and one-time beau of Mama's-keels over in his Cow Hunter Chili.Lawton had a horde of enemies and a famously bad ticker. Could a grudge-wielding rival have "spiced" the cattleman's chow? With (or maybe despite) the help of her sisters and her sexy ex-beau, Detective Martinez, Mace sets out to corral a low-down varmint who's determined to kill again.

Shotgun Bride, A Romance book by Karen Lopp

A FATHER'S DUTY Former hostage negotiator Gabe Riggs wanted nothing to do with spoiled socialite Caro Moore, the ice princess who'd left him high and dry after one night of fiery passion. But a year later, she came begging for the rugged Navajo specialist's help -- to protect her and her baby girl from a madman bent on revenge. Telling Gabe the truth about his daughter would only put him in danger, and Caro couldn't handle anyone else suffering because of her. But living under Gabe's close guard at the Double B Ranch was threatening to expose the heart-stopping truth -- that he was a daddy...and the only man she ever loved.

From Publishers WeeklyVeteran romance author Miller braids together numerous storylines in the second entry in her late-19th-century McKettrick Cowboystrilogy (after High Country Bride), yet all of them lack depth. Angus,patriarch of the McKettrick clan, sets his three sons against oneanother with his proclamation that the first to marry and father achild will inherit his Arizona ranch. Kade McKettrick, not to beoutdone by his recently married brother, Rafe, has sent for amail-order bride. Improbably, he gets six, none he would marry, whileMandy Sperrin, who's on the run and masquerading as a nun, tweaks hislibido. Mandy's disguise fools everyone but Kade, even though shetakes a job in a hotel and doesn't know a syllable of Latin when askedto offer a prayer. Though Mandy's plight will inspire sympathy-she'sfrom a broken home and yearns to belong somewhere-the hot-bloodedMcKettrick men, who are always spoiling for a fight, are merestereotypes. Miller compensates with an overstuffed plot involvingrange wars, stolen gold and murder, but these subplots often feelsketchily drawn and unresolved (a threatened range war fizzles; aposse decides to return home mid-chase). A mile wide and an inch deep,this western romp, while charming at times, lacks the richcharacterizations that established Miller as a bestselling author.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. Review“You’ll adore the McKettricks. . . . Get set to enjoy this series.”—_Romantic Times_

GETTING MARRIED MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN COMPLETING HIS MISSION.  Nothing has fazed Logan Payne in his entire career as a bodyguard. That is, until he's tasked with protecting his biggest enemy. Stacy Kozminski isn't too thrilled about having to work with Logan either, but when attempts are made on her life, she knows he is her only hope if she wants to survive.  Soon, a target is placed on both their backs, and they have no choice but to stage an engagement to protect one another. Logan won't let Stacy out of his sight. But is it because he doesn't want to fail his assignment…or because he's come to care for the gutsy and gorgeous woman—the only woman who's ever gone toe-to-toe with him?

A young female doctor, comes to Oregon in hopes things will work out for her career. But the people in Oregon are not much different thinking about doctors than the ones in Boston. Only a few months go by before a man comes in insisting she has to come with him to treat a gunshot wound. Shannon Greer finds herself in the middle of hillbilly country when she's forced to marry a Texas Ranger.

A cowboy returns home a war hero to protect his family in the exciting new Kavanaughs series from Joanna Wayne With his life in shambles and desperate to bond with the five-year-old daughter he barely knows, ex-SEAL Pierce Lawrence returns to his Texas childhood home, the Double K Ranch. There he meets the intriguing Grace Addison, a mystery woman on the run...who is loath to get involved with the ruggedly handsome cowboy. Pierce, instantly attracted to Grace, would do anything to help her escape her living nightmare...if only she'd let him. But how can she allow him to get close, when she fears the killer targeting her could also endanger Pierce—and his innocent daughter? The Kavanaughs

JAMES BRAVO IS MARRYING HIS DREAM WOMAN. THERE'S JUST ONE CATCH... Tied to a chair and staring down the barrel of a shotgun isn't how James Bravo planned on proposing to the woman he's secretly longed for for months. He also isn't the father of Addie Kenwright's unborn baby—even if her grandfather thinks he is. James has never stolen so much as a kiss from the beautiful rancher...but all that changes when he and Addie say "I do." Three times burned is enough to put a single woman off wedlock forever. Addie only agreed to this crazy scheme to appease her ailing grandpa. Now the mother-to-be can't get enough of the hunky, blue-eyed attorney. Are Addie and James ready to take the plunge for real and turn a temporary arrangement into the marriage of both their dreams?

Texas Sheikhs: Though their veins course with royal blood, their pride lies in the Texas land they call home!THE SECOND SONA hurricane of hot remembrance crashed against Mac Coleman. The one-night seductress who'd vanished, then commandeered his dreams, was suddenly at his ranch house door, pregnant, penniless and prettier than ever. Ironclad honor demanded that the wealthy horseman take Abbie Jones into his protection. And her family was not far behind, insisting Mac give Abbie his noble name. No one could force this wild Texas prince to do anything, least of all marry. But Mac would take Abbie as his bride--his heart and soul decreed it. Yet would Abbie see his marriage offer as a mandate...or a loving promise of forever?

What would you do to hold on to the good life? Would you let your man lie and cheat on you? Would you turn your head when the truth is hitting you dead in the face? Akila Jones had a rough childhood growing up in one of Richmond's grimiest projects. She learned early on that she had to boss up, go in savage mode, and take care of herself by any means necessary. Things are starting to look up for her when she falls for Mari, a well-known hitta from Virginia Beach. Little does she know she is destined for all the drama that comes with dating a dude with money. She'll learn fast that good sex and playing the good girl are not enough to keep her wild lover under control. Mari is young, rich, and arrogant. His messed-up mentality toward females only makes it worse when he snatches up this young girl who is desperate for a better life. His ignorant behavior makes him oblivious to the fact that danger is on the way, and his life is about to turn upside down in the...

FBI agent Con Randolph's six-month-old son has been abandoned. The state has arranged an adoption - they just need Con's signature. Con knows they've made a mistake. He's never fathered a baby. But it turns out he's wrong. Horrified and guilty, he tries to claim his son. Yet, as far as the state is concerned, Con doesn't have much to offer a child. He has a risk-filled job; even his marital status is against him. Con doesn't know a single woman who would marry him - or whom he wants to marry. But he does have a best friend - Robyn Blair - who could benefit from a temporary marriage of convenience.

PROPOSITION: BABY Beth Trahan was thirty-five, single...and in desperate need of the most perfect male to father her perfect baby. And she even knew exactly the right man–but did she have the nerve to enlist his help? Jack Kincaid had been her best friend –her hero–ever since he rescued her from a school bully. But Jack was a carefree bachelor who would never go for her crazy plan. Really, marrying her tall, handsome, blue-eyed buddy to spend long, passionate nights together to create a baby? What an utterly wacky–utterly...wonderful–thought!

Marry in Haste. Hell, Yeah Warning: Do not read this book if you dislike weddings. Reid wants a ring on Zarley’s finger, but Zarley doesn’t need a wedding to feel married to Reid. Owen is ready to start a family, but Cara isn’t sure she wants kids. Sarina is pregnant and proposed to Dev and he wants a wedding—by the weekend. Venue, guest list, invitations, the dress, the suit, rings, vows, catering. It’s a lot to get done in a few days. What could possibly go wrong? Only one thing is certain with this shotgun wedding, love is the trigger and hearts will take a direct hit of happiness. For better, for worse, forever. This is for readers who enjoy catching up with the HEAs of couples in the Sidelined series. All the stories in Sidelined can be read independently, in any order, except Shotgun Wedding, which is more fun if read after Offensive Behavior, Damaged Goods and Sold Short. Shotgun Wedding includes a bonus Sidelined Origins story, Running Interference, about how Reid and Dev met Sarina and Owen. **

Final Wedding Details:1) Call caterer2) Pick up dress3) Run off with handsome stranger!Kate Bingham was about to marry the wrong man, but she didn't realize it until sexy fugitive Mitch Connery swept her off her feet and out of the chapel!By helping Mitch clear his name. Kate risked falling for the kissin' cowboy. Once their adventure was over, would Mitch return her to her waiting groom...or marry her himself?The Brides of Grazer's Corners: Who will catch the bouquet next...?

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DUTY, DESIRE AND WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE As a Texas Ranger, it was Jesse Ryder's duty to protect her. As a man, it was all he could do to avoid the temptation of Avery Travis. The Snake Eyes Killer was on Avery's trail, but the independent deputy didn't want Jesse's help. And he couldn't blame her; he had walked away from her the night she'd offered him everything. Avery knew Jesse would always think of her as his best friend's little sister. However, she was fully capable of taking care of herself...and knowing what and who she wanted. Their lives might be in jeopardy, but the true tragedy would be to never have one more chance with the sexy Ranger. Plus a bonus short story by USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen

ODD MAN OUT Big for his age, young and impressionable drifter Charlie Chilton is taken in by the gruff leader of a gang of small-time crooks. While Grady Haskell sees something of himself in kindly, wayward Charlie, the ruffian pushes all feelings aside for a potentially big score. When Haskell's bold daylight bank job in prosperous Bakersfield turns bloody, Charlie attempts to thwart the heist—and ends up the only gang member caught alive. Sentenced to swing, Charlie makes a daring escape, determined to track down Haskell and prove his innocence. But with a mysterious marshal and a party of angry townsmen hot on his heels, Charlie must track the killer thieves through a vicious winter storm in the High Sierras—before the seething posse gets the chance to hang him high.

Product DescriptionFAIRYTALE WEDDINGSElla Montague was invited to a wedding—her own!The inspiration behind the Cinderella Ball was simple—come single, leave wed. By midnight perfect strangers could find themselves married...as if by magic!When Ella Montague's Prince Charming had left her, she lost her faith in fairy tales. But now Rafe Beaumont was back! The Montagues had destroyed his sister's life with their romantic nonsense—he wanted revenge. He'd marry Ella and break her heart....But once wed, Rafe discovered that marrying Ella hadn't broken her dreams of happily-ever-afters, but restored them! She'd married for love—now all she had to do was convince her stubborn husband!"Day Leclaire's books are a joy to read..."—Sandra MartonFAIRYTALE WEDDINGS

A Double-Barreled Avenger Is BornDr. John Bishop thought he'd seen his share of death on the battlefields of America's great Civil War. Then his quiet life was shattered when a gang of outlaws invaded his home, killed his family, and tortured him within an inch of his life. John Bishop's soul may have died that day, but his mangled body lived on. A beautiful Cheyenne named White Fox nursed him back to health--and a gunsmith outfitted him with a special shotgun rig where his left arm used to be. A strap across one shoulder fires it, while the chip on the other fuels his quest for vengeance. Now the man called Shotgun rides deep into the Colorado winter to find and kill the men who murdered everything he once held dear. The hunt will lead him straight to the heart of a fiendish criminal conspiracy--and force him to confront the violent legacy of his own outlaw brother.

When Joel Larson goes out to check on a sick child, the last thing he expects is a shotgun and a marriage proposal he can't refuse! *This historical western romance is rated R.

From critically acclaimed, Edgar-nominated author Steve Ulfelder—Conway Sax is back in a thrilling and heart-wrenching story of how far a father will go to save his sonConway Sax is a man seeking redemption. A man with a deeply checkered past currently paying for his sins by helping Gus Biletnikov stay sober. Wise-ass Gus, son of a wealthy investment banker, drives Conway nuts. But he also reminds him of his own estranged son, and so Conway finds himself deeply invested in his wellbeing.When a brutal triple-murder takes place in Gus's halfway house, Conway suspects Gus was the intended victim, and resolves to find the killer in his usual full-tilt, no-holds-barred fashion. The list of suspects soon includes the longtime organized-crime warlord of Springfield, Massachusetts; Gus's own father, who's a bundle of insecurity despite his fortune; the father's second wife, a stunning beauty webbed in ugly motives; and...

Janina Galvez hadn't asked Russ Levoie to marry her. It was all his idea. What the gorgeous Native American cop didn't know was that she'd loved him since she was sixteen.Russ would never forget the late-night call from Janina, who'd witnessed a terrible crime. Thirteen years later, she had blossomed into the most desirable woman on earth, but the psychopath she'd helped put away was out of jail and now she was in danger again.Keeping Janina safe was his top priority. But Russ also had another mission: to prove to his brave, passionate wife that a wedding made in haste could lead to the most lasting love of all....

For years, Kate Wrangler refused to return to her family's ranch in the small town of West Yellowstone. But after receiving a call that her good-for-nothing father finally dropped dead, she's obligated to sell the decrepit property. As if things couldn't get any worse, Logan Grant, the sexy heart-breaker who ruined her life, is hanging around the barn when she arrives. She's only planning on staying long enough to sell the ranch. He can try all he wants, but Kate's never going to fall for his heated glances and sultry kisses.Cowboy bear shifter Logan Grant takes one look at Kate's curvy figure and makes it his mission to help her repair the ranch—and the bond between them. She still hates him, but that's not going to stop him from claiming her as his mate. When he finds out she hasn't shifted in over a decade, his bear decides to show her what it means to be feral. He only has one week to steal her heart, but with the magic of Christmas on his side, he's ready to do whatever it takes to claim his fated mate.This is the third book in the paranormal bear romance series - Curvy Bear Ranch.

Mike Foley can never forget the night he tagged along with his brother on a job for the mob that ended in a hail of bullets. Now his brother is dead, Mike’s making wine in Oklahoma, and life is almost as good as it gets when you’ve been hiding out for forty years. Until his past comes calling.  Mike’s nephew Andrew needs to disappear, and he needs to do it yesterday. Hanging with the wrong kind of friends, he’s seen something he shouldn’t have, and now he’s running for his life with an assassin on his trail. The consummate professional hit woman, Nikki Enders is the most lethal of a deadly sisterhood. And Andrew Foley is next on her extermination list. Unless Uncle Mike can stop her. As kill teams descend on Foley’s farm, one pissed-off ex—tough guy is about to take a final, all-or-nothing stand with shotguns blazing....

An alien gives a country doctor a vaccine to wipe out mankind's diseases—including a few we never recognized.

Out of the lawless west rises the legend of John "Shotgun" Bishop—half man, half killing machine, and all vengeance . . . Here together for the first time are C Courtney Joyner's acclaimed westerns, SHOTGUN and THE BLEEDING EDGE Dr. John Bishop saw his share of death in the Civil War. Then a gang of outlaws invaded his home, slaughtered his family, and cut off his arm. Vowing revenge, Bishop has a gunsmith attach a special shotgun rig where his left arm used to be. Now the man called Shotgun rides deep into the Colorado winter to find and kill the men who murdered everything he once held dear—a journey that will force him to confront the violent legacy of his own outlaw brother—Devlin, a crazy-mean cuss who'd steal the horns off the devil himself. This time, Dev's got his cold black heart set on taking over John Chisum's land, destroying the cattle king's dream of building a new town and laying down tracks...

Revisit a fan favorite from USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen, about a Texas Ranger and a local sheriff who find themselves fighting a highly inconvenient attraction... Comanche Creek's not big enough for two to investigate a murder. That's the feeling Texas Ranger Livvy Hutton gets when she's sent there as a forensic expert. Yes, she's horning in on Sheriff Reed Hardin's territory and can't ignore a distinct chill in the air between them. But according to evidence Livvy uncovers, she senses the cowboy cop's acting ornery to protect his good ol' boys from arrest for the murder. And backing off is not in her nature. Then, just days into the investigation, Livvy detects bigger trouble: a mutual attraction she and Reed have no business acting on. A torrid affair could compromise the case...or spark some much needed—and very satisfying—cooperation! Originally published in 2010 Book 2 in The Silver Star of...

The greatest AmericansHave not been born yetThey are waiting quietlyFor their past to dieplease give blood Here is the account of a man so ravished by a kiss that it distorts his highest and lowest frequencies of understanding into an Incongruent mean of babble and brilliance...

It’s Evelyn’s turn to drive her friends to work. But are they even her friends? The road to Queenstown is a treacherous one, and as the fog gets thicker, her thoughts get darker.

Comanche Creek's not big enough for two to investigate a murder. That's the feeling Texas Ranger Livvy Hutton gets when she's sent there as a forensic expert. Yes, she's horning in on Sheriff Reed Hardin's territory and can't ignore a distinct chill in the air between them. But according to evidence Livvy uncovers, she senses the cowboy cop's acting ornery to protect his good ol' boys from arrest for the murder. And backing off is not in her nature. Then, just days into the investigation, Livvy detects bigger trouble: a mutual attraction she and Reed have no business acting on. A torrid affair could compromise the case...or spark some much needed -- and very satisfying -- cooperation!

<b>A propulsive, gritty novel about a girl marked for death who must fight and steal to stay alive, learning from the most frightening man she knows—her father</b>Eleven-year-old Polly McClusky is shy, too old for the teddy bear she carries with her everywhere, when she is unexpectedly reunited with her father, Nate, fresh out of jail and driving a stolen car. He takes her from the front of her school into a world of robbery, violence, and the constant threat of death. And he does it to save her life.Nate made dangerous enemies in prison—a gang called Aryan Steel has put out a bounty on his head, counting on its members on the outside to finish him off. They've already murdered his ex-wife, Polly's mother. And Polly is their next target. Nate and Polly's lives soon become a series of narrow misses, of evading the bad guys and the police, of sleepless nights in motels. Out on the lam, Polly is forced to grow up early: with barely any...

MISSION: MAKEOVER It was high time Dusty McCall found herself a boyfriend. The tomboy might have been able to lasso a steer at fifty paces, but she had no idea how to wrangle a man. One thing was clear, a makeover was needed. Goodbye cowboy boots, hello high heels! Rancher Ty Coltrane couldn't believe Dusty's transformation from rough-and-tumble cowgirl to fresh-faced beauty. Had the woman of his dreams been living next door all along? When questions were raised about a competing suitor's sinister and suspicious activities, Ty knew he had to win Dusty's affections before things turned deadly. But no matter the cost, Ty would do anything to protect the woman he loved.

In Lisa Childs's Shotgun Weddings miniseries, a confirmed bachelor must walk down the aisle to protect his newborn son Someone is trying to kill bodyguard Parker Payne. But what's more shocking is the woman who shows up claiming he's the father of her child. The baby boy is Parker's spitting image, but how could he have forgotten a passionate encounter with this woman with caramel eyes? Sharon Wells has raised Parker's son since his birth. Now with a homicidal maniac coming after her and her son, it's Parker's unexpected proposal that may be the real danger. Sharon knows Parker just wants to protect them. But with passion flaring and a murderer intent on completing his personal mission, any distraction could mean the difference between life and death.

Rules were meant to be broken; condoms not so much… Business executive Katie St. John has given up on love, which she sucks at, to focus on her red-hot career. All she wants from Steve Tyler, an ultra-sexy, surprisingly sweet, and much younger Air Force pilot, is help crossing some items off her secret to-do list of sexual fantasies. Sure, the chemistry between them is hotter than the Cayman sun, but once this vacation’s over, she’ll say good-bye and go back to plotting corporate coups. But Steve won’t settle for being her temporary boy toy. He’s lusted after Katie, the glamorous older woman who lived next door when he was a kid, since he was old enough to know what lust was. Now that she’s finally moved from his fantasies to his bed, he’s not about to let her go without a fight– especially once he learns she’s returned home with the mother of all souvenirs! This steamy contemporary romance was a 2013 Golden Heart ® finalist.

Fresh out of prison, Merry McCoy wants nothing more than to stay out of trouble. Until trouble finds her. Merry McCoy has served her time. Convicted of killing the man who raped her four years earlier, Merry returns to the family ranch in Hazel, Montana, where she plans to steer clear of the law. But when her cousin Lauri is accused of murdering an ex-boyfriend, Merry can’t let her be railroaded the same way she was. Setting out to prove Lauri’s innocence, Merry gets close to her former flame, Officer Jamie Gutierrez, the one cop in town she can trust. With Jamie and a no-holds-barred parole officer backing her up, Merry discovers the town’s good old boys—and girls—still like to play rough. Praise: "McRae constructs a satisfying mystery, in the process affectionately portraying rural Montana." —Booklist  "McRae has most definitely delivered a rich, unforgettable tale of sheer...

SHE WAS A WOMAN IN NEED OF PROTECTION.......and Matthew 'Hawk' Hawkins was the only man who could keep pregnant-with-his-child Renee Girourd safe from the hired killer pursuing her. The rugged lawman promised to guard Renee with his life. Trouble was, his best hope to protect his former flame was to marry her...Commitment-wary Hawk had vowed never to let any woman break down the protective walls around his heart. Yet sharing close quarters with Renee had him remembering how natural it had felt to hold her in his arms, how much she'd touched his soul. And soon Hawk wondered who posed the most danger to him - the killer or his lovely wife?

The first stand-alone thriller by critically acclaimed author Charlie Huston, The Shotgun Rule is a raw tale of four teenage friends who go looking for a little trouble - and find it. Blood spilled on the asphalt of this town long years gone has left a stain, and it's spreading. Not that a thing like that matters to teenagers like George, Hector, Paul, and Andy. It's summer 1983 in a northern California suburb, and these working-class kids have been killing time the usual ways: ducking their parents, tinkering with their bikes, and racing around town getting high and boosting their neighbors' meds. Just another typical summer break in the burbs. Till Andy's bike is stolen by the town's legendary petty hoods, the Arroyo brothers. When the boys break into the Arroyos' place in search of the bike, they stumble across the brothers' private industry: a crank lab. Being the kind of kids who rarely know better, they do what comes naturally: they take a stash of crank to sell for quick cash. But doing so they unleash hidden rivalries and crimes, and the dark and secret past of their town and their families. The spreading stain is drawing local drug lords, crooked cops, hard-riding bikers, and the brutal history of the boys' fathers in its wake.

As a trained lawman, Shane Gibson was known for remaining calm, cool and professional, regardless of the situation. But when it came to the danger his best friend's widow and her little boy found themselves in, things became incredibly personal.... Angela Hawthorne's life hadn't exactly gone as planned, but Shane had been there for her even in her darkest days. This time, desperate to stay one step ahead of those threatening to harm her, Angela wasn't sure that relying on Shane was a risk she should take. Though he claimed protecting her was all part of the job, the way his heart raced when he held her said otherwise.

Product DescriptionWomen to WatchA WOMAN NEVER FORGETS HER FIRST LOVER…Handsome cowboy Ryder McCall was everything sheltered virgin Ashley Bennet had ever wanted in a man. His rugged good looks and seductive Texas charm were impossible to resist. Little did she know that nine months after she relinquished her virtue, the stork would be delivering to her two tiny mementos!Ryder would rather eat his Stetson than take a wife. But when he discovered that Ashley carried his babies, Ryder vowed to make the mother of his children an honest woman. Could he hope for marital bliss after he said "I do"?For a sizzling romance that will warm your heart, Shirley Rogers is our Woman To Watch….

Product DescriptionAn engaging exploration of modern-day deals and deal-makingGods at War details the recent deals and events that have forever changed the world of billion-dollar deal-making. This book is a whirlwind tour of the players determining the destiny of corporate America, including the government, private equity, strategic buyers, hedge funds, and sovereign wealth funds. It not only examines many of the game-changing takeover events that have occurred in the past years, but also puts them into context and exposes what is really going on behind the scenes on Wall Street. Gods at War completely covers the strategic issues that guide the modern-day deal, and since they unfold under the shadow of the law, it also focuses on the legal aspects of deal-making and takeovers. Each chapter unfolds through the lens of a recent transaction, from the battle between Yahoo! and Microsoft to the United Rental/Cerberus dispute Provides in-depth explanations and analysis of the events and actors that have shaped this fast-moving field Examines the federal government's regulation by deal approach to saving the financial system and explains the government's biggest "deals", including its bail-outs of AIG, Bank of America, and Citigroup Filled with in-depth insights that will enhance your understanding of this field, Gods at War offers an engaging look at deals and deal-makers in the context of recent historical events. It's a book for those who want to understand deals, takeovers, and the people and institutions who shape our world. From the Inside FlapWhile the financial community looks to regain its footing, dealmakers will continue to do what they've always done—structure deals that drive the fate of corporate America. With powerful professionals competing to create and close better deals, these executives, like gods, will determine the future of companies and our economy. Author Steven Davidoff understands both the intricacies of these deals and the forces driving them. Writing as "The Deal Professor" for the New York Times "DealBook," he provides daily commentary on the latest takeover news and has become a nationally known authority on this fast-moving field. Now, with Gods at War, Davidoff introduces you to this trillion-dollar business—from private equity and government to hedge funds and sovereign wealth funds—and reveals the recent events that have changed the way the game is played. Gods at War is the definitive story of deal-making. Opening with an engaging look at the evolution of this discipline, the book quickly moves into the modern era—where deal-making has become a truly global endeavor—and works its way through the current financial crisis and beyond. Page by page, it skillfully details: The private equity boom and its implosion The return of the strategic transaction and hostile takeover The failure of the investment banking model The government's deal-making during the recent financial crisis And much more Each chapter unfolds through the lens of recent events, from the battle between Yahoo! and Microsoft to the United Rentals/Cerberus dispute. Along the way, you'll also become familiar with the federal government's regulation by deal approach to saving the financial system—which included the serial bailouts of AIG, Bank of America, Citigroup, and others. In describing the dynamic events of this period, Davidoff not only reveals how deals are accomplished in modern capital markets, but he also details the transformation that the takeover marketplace is undergoing and its prospects for the future. In doing so, he puts forth a definitive view and theory of deals and deal-making. The financial revolution, globalization, and financial crises have permanently changed deal-making—creating perils and opportunities for both dealmakers and regulators. With Gods at War as your guide, you'll gain a better understanding of this discipline and discover the various events, individuals, and institutions that continue to shape this competitive arena.

LOVE BEGINS—AND ENDS—WITH A BANG. For IRS Special Agent Tara Holloway, this case is personal... Wedding bells are ringing as Tara and her soon-to-be-husband Nick prepare for their big day. But along with all the RSVP cards are a series of death threats from an unknown source. The culprit must be someone from an earlier investigation—a white-collar criminal with a red-hot grudge—but Tara has run across too many lawbreakers to narrow down the search. And time, like her biological clock, is ticking. Now, while dodging attempts on her life, Tara also finds herself embroiled in a rental scam in which a heartless crook is ripping people off left and right. Will she be able to track down the con artist and make it down the aisle in one piece? Or will "til death do us part" come before Tara can even say "I do"?

SHOTGUN GROOMS by Susan Mallery and Maureen Child Lucas's Convenient Bride Lucas MacIntyre stands to inherit half of a saloon, gold mine, and ranch, but there's just one problem: his uncle created a clause in his will, stipulating that he and his brother must marry if they want to claim their property. So Lucas proposes that Emily Smythe, the hard-edged newcomer, become his wife so that she can manage his saloon and he can inherit. But Lucas never counted on falling for Emily... Jackson's Mail-Order Bride When loner Jackson MacIntyre wakes up from a delirious fever, it's to find that he's not only wedded Miss Molly Malone, but he's bedded her, too! Yes, he'll get his inheritance now that he's fulfilled the terms of his father's will by getting married, but how can he enjoy it when an Irish spitfire's determined to complicate his life? It certainly doesn't help that he can't resist her no matter how hard he...

The author of Venus Envy takes you on a riotous ride back to one woman's future...In a delightful contemporary farce with a riotous twist, Rita Mae Brown welcomes you to Virginia's horse country, where a fox hunt is about to lead a 1990s woman, Cig Blackwood, into a 1690s adventure of the heart. Infidelity, single motherhood, family betrayal, and the thrill of the hunt (in many varieties) are hilariously and poignantly played out in this captivating novel of time travel and self-discovery.From the Paperback edition.

Sheriff Dan Rhodes knows it's going to be a bad day when Bert Ramsey arrives at the jail with a neatly wrapped arm and lays it on Dan's desk. He has another out in the truck, he tells the sheriff, and "a couple of legs, too, but they don't match up." Then there's the tattoo, and the motorcycle gang, "Los Muertos," and Dan Rhodes is in up to his boot-tops.