60 Essays, Quotations and Poems in Celebration and Remembrance of Our Feline Companions! Cat-loving authors include Cleveland Amory, Mark Twain, Colette, James Herriot, Eleanor Farjeon, Rudyard Kipling, Agnes Repplier, Amy Lowell, and more than fifty others.
Castle Darkest Night is a dark fantasy in the Gothic tradition. It concerns a Medieval castle, a woman on the edge of madness, the paranormal, obsessed scientists, mysterious events, murder, a torrid love affair and an unholy experiment. Amy is led from horror after horror which sinks her into a quagmire of death, madness and sin. And what of the young Ray Smart? Will he save Amy from the horrors that haunts her? Or will he tempt her into a forbidden love affair?
"If you are a fan of H.P. Lovecraft like me, haven't you ever wondered exactly what was in the book entitled The Necronomicon? I know I have. In addition, there were these references to the Cult of Cthulhu, a name impossible to pronounce. Of course, the fun of it is to speculate and wonder, and not know for sure. Of course, as an author of fantasy, science-fiction and dark fantasy, I could not help attempting to imitate the master. What fun it was to write The Laws of Magic which takes some of the elements I used in my other novels, such as witchcraft and the occult and mix in a little Lovecraftian lore. In the Laws of Magic, a detective, called in by a mysterious young woman to solve the case of a missing professor, finds himself transported by the Necronomicon into a fantastic underground other-dimensional world where he menaced by Lovecraftian and other monsters and nightmarish creatures."
- Joe Vadalma
Sherlock Holmes' Female Rivals! This unique collection for connoisseurs of detection done female style brings back six of the greatest fictional women sleuths of the era of gaslights and horseless carriages. Fans of Kinsey Milhone and other contemporary women detectives, as well as of Agatha Christie and Honey West, will love this collection featuring the foremothers of today's fictional female crime-fighters. Long out of print and unobtainable, these celebrated women 'tecs - Baroness Orczy's Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, Anna Katharine Green's Violet Strange, Arthur B. Reeve's Constance Dunlap, C. L. Pirkis' Loveday Brooke, Valentine's Daphne Wrayne, and Edgar Jepson and Robert Eustace's Ruth Kelstern--were once nearly as famous as fictional sleuth of Baker Street himself. Their fame waned in the long decades of the 1930s through the '80s, when female sleuths took a backseat to Sam Spade, Nero Wolfe, and the like. But, they are back to baffle and thrill contemporary readers in The Legendary Women Detectives edited by Jean Marie Stine.
Murder, corruption and intrigue in a world on the brink of chaos! Ruthless gang warfare, salacious dens of vice and fearsome high-tech weaponry! In 2048, the rich live in Protected Zones. Outside the PZ walls, crime flourishes unchecked. Lieutenant Jeri Stone still believes the police can make a difference in the crime-infested slums outside the walls. When a solid citizen from inside the PZ is shot dead in the street by a relatively minor gang, Jeri goes after the killers. But the case quickly leads her to something much bigger and more deadly. Suddenly everyone is against her. The Chief, the politicians and the money men want her to drop the case. The criminals she's facing turn out to have more firepower than the police can handle. If she refuses to back down from the case - well, cops get killed in action sometimes.
First Time in Book Form the Classic Pulp Space Opera! From the hallowed pages of Amazing Stories in 1942, here is the first of the adult space operas. Written by the legendary, and highly controversial science fiction editor Raymond A. Palmer, The Vengeance of Martin Brand has never before appeared in any book edition. In this book, Palmer took a giant stride forward from his contemporaries, replacing the noble, uncomplicated heroes of the first space operas, with the tormented anti-hero, 'Suicide" Martin Brand, one of science fiction's most memorable characters. The half-crazed Brand, who likes to play classical music while rocketing toward a half-dozen enemy ships, atomic cannons blasting, is Earth's only hope. The embittered former spy for the Interplanetary Patrol is the only one who knows about the Martian spaceships waiting in the hidden cavern on the Moon. It would be easy to make himself the most powerful man in the system and become its master. But, to warn Earth Brand would have to forsake vengeance on the man who betrayed him and cost him everything he held dear, then survive two women, one who has sworn to kill him and one who has sworn to arrest him dead or alive, and if he made it that far, he'd have to fight his way to the surface through ten thousand Martians. But that's why the call him 'Suicide' Martin Brand. And even if he does succeed in warning Earth, war will flare across three worlds! From its advanced flashback within a flashback technique, to the adult passions and emotions of the characters, The Vengeance of Martin Brand is superior space opera far ahead of its time! Cover: Original cover The Vengeance of Martin Brand Amazing Stories 1942 by H.W. McCauley.
Lucky Pierre, that well-known cat about town, is back! He was all settled down to enjoy his favorite occupations of napping and snacking when his humans, Jeremy and Linda Austin, land him in the middle of another murderous mess. Honeysuckle House Bed and Breakfast, which the Austins own and run on sweat, tears, and a couple of shoestrings, is the site of a writer's salon organized by science fiction enthusiast Angela Griffin. Honeysuckle House has been the site of several other unpleasant little mishaps, and this may be the last chance for the Austins to redeem their reputation and avoid closing down their business. Things are going fine until one of the writers turns up dead with a shish-kabob skewer stuck through his heart. He was a drunk who beat his wife, so no one misses him much, even if he was a pretty good writer. But when Angela Griffin proposes a toast to his memory and dies after drinking a poisoned glass of champagne, even Pierre has to admit that things are getting serious. For one thing, these killings are interfering with his naps. For another, they mess up his snack schedule. Detective Mark Stoddard joins forces with writer and amateur sleuth Gramps Derry, but neither of them are making much headway. Even Gramps' delectable granddaughter, Grub, is having a hard time seeing through the felonious fog. It's up to Pierre to uncover the vital clue that will keep the villain from killing again. But can he? And once the mystery starts to unravel, will revealing the long-hidden secrets of the past keep the heartless killer from striking again? This light-hearted romp through mischief, murder, and mayhem uncovers the innermost secrets of a writer's life, with everything from light-hearted infidelity through sugar cube bar bets and adventures in one-upmanship.
"A nifty little thriller whose action never flags." -Washington Post. 
A highly-trained team of seven men and women seize a U.S. Navy nuclear cruiser docked at Long Beach and turn its number-one reactor into a weapon aimed at the millions of Southern Californians who live just miles from the dock. Opposing them are the ship's most unorthodox sailor and best reactor technician; the outspoken chief of base security who must decide whether to go in or give up; and the admiral's seventeen-year-old daughter, who discovers just how tough she can really be. Suspense and danger build until the stress�in the people and the reactor�cannot be contained. Here is a unique thriller with profound implications for the more than thirty million Americans who live in the dozen U.S. cities that harbor nuclear-powered ships. Also available in paperback. Irv Eachus served for eight years in the United States nuclear navy as a reactor control operator, technician, and senior instructor in the Reactor Training Division aboard the nuclear-powered cruiser USS Long Beach. He holds degrees in electrical engineering and in political science and is currently at work on a new techothriller, Blackout. "A strong�plausible nuclear thriller. Authentic technical detail, solid characterization � top drawer in this genre." -Kirkus Review. "Action is the key descriptive word for this first novel. Lots of action, a little sex and topical issues." -Library Journal. "...blood, sex, greed and intrigue ... a gripping, suspenseful novel of sabotage, treachery and nuclear blackmail that should keep readers turning pages well past bedtime." -Orlando Sentinel Star. (Check out our Irv Eachus Author Page.)
"Shadow of the Dahlia us a rousing story, compelling told. Forget about it being sent in the 40s; in Jack Bludis's expert hands, this novel transcends all that - it creates its own time, its own place, and is a wonderful read for anybody who loves a good book." -Warren Murphy, Two-time Edgar Winner
"With Shadow of the Dahlia, Jack Bludis proves he is a master of retro noir." -James R. Winter, Private Eye Writers of America newsletter.
"A new twist in a mystery read and kept my interest. The characters were well thought out and the author interwove them nicely within the storyline. There was mystery, adventure and a tad of romance. Well done and recommended." -Shirley Johnson, MidWest Book Review
"Shadow of the Dahlia is a marvelous private-eye novel set in the mid-1940s. The sounds and souls of a generation that survived both the Great Depression and World War II resonate from every chapter, and Rick Page comes across as a realistic and empathetic narrator. The book truly deserves the highest compliment I can pay: I felt that I was reading it in the 1940s, not that Jack Bludis was trying currently to write that way. Shadow of the Dahlia, may be a 'throwback' of a novel, but it is also a 'keeper' as a trophy." -Jeremiah Healy, author of Spiral and Turnabout
A New York Times "Notable" Mystery Thriller. Here is the book that launched journalist turned crime novelist, Jerry Oster's, meteoric literary career and introduced his most unforgettable character, the sad-sack detective, Jake Neuman. When Neuman and his partner, Bobby Redfield, are assigned the murder of a small-time crook to take media pressure off the mayor, it looks a piece of cake for the precinct's two top homicide men. But soon their path through the underworld leads to the upper crusts of the arts and Big Apple society. As bodies pile up around them and clues lead no where, the pair realize that they are being opposed from inside their department and that the only two people they can trust are themselves. If they are right, the killer may be one of their own colleagues! Read Sweet Justice for yourself and discover why the New York Times calls Jerry Oster's detective novels, "Superb work--realistic--the characters fleshed out with conviction--brilliant." And why Women's Wear Daily hails them as "Urbane, witty updates on the 'hard-boiled' detective novel."
"Unique and truly fascinating," writes Mike Resnick! M. Christian isn't as good as his peers say - he's better! This "best of" collection, featuring the cream of his fantasy, horror, and science fiction stories, is a dazzling achievement. Only M. Christian could have imagined what happens when a boy's uncle blows Tibetan days powder in his face, or when a woman gave birth to a new species … but not one of flesh and blood, or when the Goddess of the Road gave the gift of beauty to a mortal man. You will find these and eleven other unforgettable tales from the man Stephen Dedma, author of The Art of Arrow Cutting and Shadows Bite, hails as "A chimera, an amazing combination of tour guide and magician. Whether he's writing science fiction, horror or fantasy, he can take you to places you've never imagined, show you sights no-one else will get to see, introduce you to some fascinating people, and guarantee that the trip will be memorable from start to finish." Among the contemporary classics featured in this stellar collection are: Some Assembly Required, The Rich Man's Ghost, Medicine Man, Wanderlust, Buried & Dead, Nothing So Dangerous, Shallow Fathoms, and Constantine in Love. M. Christian's fantasy and science fiction has appeared in Talebones, Space & Time Magazine, Skull Full Of Spurs, Graven Images, Horror Garage, Song of Cthulhu, and other science fantasy publications.
HERE IS WHAT AUTHORS AND CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE SCIENCE FANTASY OF M. CHRISTIAN:
- "Speaks with a totally unique and truly fascinating voice. There are a lot of writers out there who'd better protect their markets: M. Christian has arrived!" - Mike Resnick, Hugo and Nebula Award winning science fiction author
- "M. Christian's stories squat at the intersection of Primal Urges Avenue and Hi-Tech Parkway like a feral-eyed, half-naked Karen Black leering and stabbing her fractal machete into the tarmac. Truly an author for our post-everything 21st century." - Paul Di Filippo, author of the Steampunk Trilo
- "An amazing combination of tour guide and magician. He can take you to places you've never imagined, show you sights no-one else will get to see, introduce you to some fascinating people, and guarantee that the trip will be memorable from start to finish. Buy a ticket and fasten your seat belt: you're in for a wild ride!" -- Stephen Dedman, author of Shadows Bite
- "Writes like dream whether he's creating fantastic visions or ghastly nightmares. With this collection, you get both!" -- Paula Guran, DarkEcho
Romance, suspense and hi-tech engineering highlight this new science fiction novel. The Pendragon was the ultimate product of 1950s advances in engineering/ A revolutionary steam locomotive, it mysteriously crashed on its first run, claiming many lives., Rachel Ewen stumbles on the story of the Pendragon disaster doing research for a cable television series. Peter Selfridge was an engineer on the Pendragon project, and now, in the winter of 1993, is days away from retirement. Then he receives a call from Rachel, wanting information about the Pendragon disaster, in which Peter was nearly killed. He tries too hard to convince her that there is no story, and his efforts have the opposite effect. Rachel discovers that the locomotive in the accident was the prototype for a fleet of futuristic steam locomotives. The more research she does, the more puzzled she becomes about the purpose of the project. Everyone involved seemed to have been aware that the product would never sell. Another puzzle is the cause of the accident. It takes little effort for Rachel to show that the official conclusion can't be correct. She decides that the true cause of the accident had to be murder or sabotage (would like it to be murder or sabotage), but neither stand up to scrutiny. Rachel becomes convinced Selfridge is hiding something. Then an attempt to recreate the Pendragon and it deadly trial run lead to another death and a shattering series of revelations.
