MAY CONTAIN MARKUP

STUART MACBRIDE

A new Logan McRae thriller from the bestselling author of 'Cold Granite' and 'Dying Light', set in gritty Aberdeen. In the pale grey light of a chilly February, Aberdeen is not at its best... There's a rapist prowling the city's cold granite streets, leaving a string of tortured women behind. But while DS Logan McRae's girlfriend is out acting as bait, he's dealing with the blood-drenched body of an unidentified male, dumped outside Accident and Emergency. When a stash of explicit films turn up, all featuring the victim, it looks as if someone in the local bondage community has developed a taste for violent death, and Logan gets dragged into the twilight world of pornographers, sex-shops and S&M. To make matters worse, when they finally arrest the Granite City Rapist, Grampian Police are forced by the courts to let him go: Aberdeen Football Club's star striker has an alibi for every attack. Could they really have got it so badly wrong? Logan thinks so, but the trick will be getting anyone to listen before the real rapist strikes again. Especially as his girlfriend, PC Jackie 'Ball Breaker' Watson, is convinced the footballer is guilty and she's hell-bent on a conviction at any cost...

LONDON. HARPER. COLLINS. 2007. 571p

MAY CONTAIN MARKUP

By Patricia Cornwell

Forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia, the state where she launched her storied career, as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she's inherited both an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and potential corruption.

She and her husband, Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria, where she's headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that's been torn apart by civil and political unrest. After just weeks on the job, she's called to a scene by railroad tracks--a woman's body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine--and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.

At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret labo-ratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she remotely works the first potential crime scene in space, an apparent serial killer strikes again very close to home.

This latest novel in the groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series captivates readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that Patricia Cornwell is famous for, proving once again why she's the world's #1 bestselling crime writer.

NY. Harper Collins. 2021. 413p

MAY CONRAIN MARKUP

By Chris Bradford

In a dangerous world, everyone needs protection.

Bodyguard: Hostage is the new thriller from Chris Bradford, bestselling author of Young Samurai. Bodyguard is a bulletproof action-adventure series that fans of Cherub and Alex Rider will love. This is Lee Child for younger readers - a teenage Jason Bourne for the next generation.

With the rise of teen stars, the intense media focus onceleb families and a new wave of billionaires, adults are no longer the only target for hostage-taking, blackmail and assassination - kids are too.

That's why they need a young bodyguard like Connor Reeves to protect them.

Recruited into the ranks of a covert young bodyguard squad, 14-year-old Connor Reeves embarks on a rigorous close protection course. Training in surveillance, anti-ambush exercises, hostage survival and unarmed combat, he's put through his paces and wonders if he will actually survive the course.

But when the US President summons Connor to protect his impulsive teenage daughter, Connor's training is put to the ultimate test. For Connor discovers that the First Daughter, Alicia, doesn't want to be guarded. She just wants to have fun. And with no clue Connor is her bodyguard, Alicia tries to elude her Secret Service agents and lead Connor astray. But unknown to her, a terrorist sleeper cell has been activated.

Its mission: to take the president's daughter HOSTAGE...

Penguin UK, May 2, 2013, 432 pages

USED BOOK. MAY CONTAIN MARK-UP

By Captain W. E. Johns

FROPM THE COVER: “While the Battle of Britain is still at its height Squadron Leader Bigglesworth, D.S.O., D.F.C., is appointed to Number 666 Fighter Squadron. He soon finds that his new Com- mand is likely to be something of a handful, for the Squadron has been formed for the special purpose of accommodating a collection of bril- liant but unstable types whose capacities as fighter pilots are in inverse ratio to their amenity to discipline and the normal routine of a station.”

Oxford University Press. 1951. 252p.

By Captain W. E. Johns

From Chapter 2: “….taking photographs of our defences”

A frown creased Biggles's forehead. 'But that's a scandalous state ofaffairs,' he declared indignantly. 'Do you mean to say that you allow the air force of another power to fly over your country without permission?'

A sad smile crossed the old man's face. He raised his hands, palms outwards. 'Alow? Do you think that we should allow them to do that i f we could stop them? Now perhaps you understand why I've come to you.'

Melbourne. Oxford University Press. 1950. 257p. USED BOOK

By R. M. Ballantyne

"The Young Fur Traders" is a children's adventure novel by Scottish author R. M. Ballantyne, first published in 1856. Set in the American Old West, this exciting tale is full of action and daring-do, making it ideal for children with an interest in the Wild West and American history. .

Melbourne. Australia. A Herald Classic. Colorgravure Publications. Originally published 1851. 1950. 223p

By J. F. C. Westerman

FROM THE COVER: When JohnWentleyunder- took to fly a British Secret Service agent to a forbidden part he little imagined what would result from his escapade. How he foiled an attempt by a dangerous and un- scrupulous enemy to steal the plans of his recently invented aero engine, took part in two thrilling aerial ducls, and fought against terrific odds to regain the safety of the Swiss border--with secrets in his possession on which de-pended the very existence of the British Empireis excitingly told by one of the foremost writers of boys' adventure stories.

London. The Children's Press. 1930s. 211p. USED BOOK

By Arthur Catherall

Classic how-to book for Boy Scouts conveying all the skills needed for leadership, survival and success in war. Inspired, of course, by the writings of Baden Powell who cut his war teething the Boer war. FROM THE COVER: “ They were an odd gang, Af,l Joe, Dick, and Gyp; but once they got the idea of Scouting they were the staunchest friends that anyone could ask for. Their Patrol Leader set a high standard of courage and endurance, and the others one by one played a loyal part in the many daring rescues and thrilling episodes that were to follow- adventures which will be the envy of every Scout.

London. Butterworth Press. 1949. 120p. USED BOOK

By Captain W. E. Johns. Illustrated By Alfred Sindall

A boys’ book from the classic series heralding World War 2, and highlighting the excitement and attractiveness of war..

FROM CHAPTER 1: “ PETER FORTYMORE RECEIVES BAD NEWS. THERE was a pensive, almost wistful, expression on the face of the Honourable Peter Fortymore as, with his chin cupped in his hands, he sat at his study window and stared out across the deserted, moonlit playing-fields of Rundell School, where for five years he had been a pupil. The door be- hind him opened, but he did not turn, for he knew from the heavy, deliberate footsteps that the new- comer washis friend and room-mate, Dick Ripley, known throughout the upper school as Rip…”

London. Geoffrey Cumberlege Oxford University Press. 1950. 245p

By Herman Melville

From Wikipedia: Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whalethat bit off his leg on the ship's previous voyage. A contribution to the literature of the American Renaissance, Moby-Dick was published to mixed reviews, was a commercial failure, and was out of print at the time of the author's death in 1891. Its reputation as a Great American Novel was established only in the 20th century, after the 1919 centennial of its author's birth. William Faulkner said he wished he had written the book himself,[1] and D. H. Lawrence called it "one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world" and "the greatest book of the sea ever written".[2] Its opening sentence, "Call me Ishmael", is among world literature's most famous.[3]

London. Richard Bentley . 1851. 632p.

By Henry James

From Wikipedia: The Turn of the Screw is an 1898 horror novella by Henry James which first appeared in serial format in Collier's Weekly (January 27 – April 16, 1898). In October 1898, it was collected in The Two Magics, published by Macmillan in New York City and Heinemannin London. The novella follows a governess who, caring for two children at a remote estate, becomes convinced that the grounds are haunted. The Turn of the Screw is considered a work of both Gothic and horror fiction.

In the century following its publication, critical analysis of the novella underwent several major transformations. Initial reviews regarded it only as a frightening ghost story, but, in the 1930s, some critics suggested that the supernatural elements were figments of the governess' imagination. In the early 1970s, the influence of structuralism resulted in an acknowledgement that the text's ambiguity was its key feature. Later approaches incorporated Marxist and feminist thinking.

• Plot...

  On Christmas Eve, an unnamed narrator and some of his friends are gathered around a fire. One of them, Douglas, reads a manuscript written by his sister's late governess. The manuscript tells the story of her being hired by a man who has become responsible for his young niece and nephew following the deaths of their parents. He lives mainly in London and has a country house in Bly, Essex. The boy, Miles, is attending a boarding school, while his younger sister, Flora, is living in Bly, where she is cared for by Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. Flora's uncle, the governess's new employer, is uninterested in raising the children and gives her full charge, explicitly stating that she is not to bother him with communications of any sort. The governess travels to Bly and begins her duties…………

NY.London. Collier Macmillan. 1898. 118p.

By Daphne Du Maurier

"My Cousin Rachel" is a novel written by Daphne du Maurier, a British author known for her Gothic and romantic suspense novels. The novel was first published in 1951 and is set in 19th-century Cornwall, England.

The story follows the character of Philip Ashley, a young man who is raised by his cousin Ambrose on their estate in Cornwall. When Ambrose travels to Italy for his health and falls in love with their distant cousin Rachel, Philip is initially suspicious of her motives. After Ambrose's sudden death, Philip inherits his estate and becomes increasingly obsessed with Rachel, who comes to visit him in Cornwall.

The novel is a blend of mystery, romance, and psychological drama, as Philip tries to uncover the truth about Rachel's involvement in Ambrose's death and struggles with his conflicting feelings for her.

London. Gollancz. 1951. 221p.

By Robert Harris

"Pompeii" is a historical novel written by Robert Harris, a British author. It was published in 2003 and is set in ancient Rome, specifically during the final days of Pompeii before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The novel follows the character of Marcus Attilius, a young aqueduct engineer who is sent to Pompeii to investigate the sudden loss of water in the city's aqueduct system. Attilius soon discovers that the problem is due to a blockage caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. As the eruption intensifies, Attilius becomes embroiled in a race against time to save the citizens of Pompeii from the impending disaster.

The story is a mix of historical fiction and thriller, with vivid descriptions of life in ancient Rome and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The novel is also notable for its accurate depiction of the engineering and technological innovations of the ancient Roman empire, particularly with regard to the aqueduct system.

London. Hutchinson. 2003. 347p.

By Daphne du Maurier

"Rebecca" is a novel by British author Daphne du Maurier, first published in 1938. The novel is a gothic romance and psychological thriller that tells the story of an unnamed young woman who marries a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter, and moves into his estate, Manderley.

The new Mrs. de Winter soon realizes that the shadow of Maxim's first wife, Rebecca, who died in mysterious circumstances, still looms large over the house and its inhabitants. She feels like an outsider in her own home and is haunted by the memory of Rebecca, who was beautiful, charismatic, and seemingly perfect. As she tries to uncover the truth about Rebecca's death, the new Mrs. de Winter becomes entangled in a web of deceit, jealousy, and danger.

The novel is known for its vivid descriptions of the English countryside, its atmospheric portrayal of Manderley, and its exploration of themes such as love, identity, jealousy, and the nature of truth. It has been adapted into several films, stage productions, and a television series, and is considered one of du Maurier's most popular and enduring works.

London. Gollancz. 1936. 283p.

By Denis Lehane

London. Transworld Publishers. 2008. 702p.

"The Given Day" is a historical novel by American author Dennis Lehane, published in 2008. The book is set in Boston in the years following World War I, and tells the story of two families from different backgrounds whose lives become intertwined in the tumultuous years of the early 20th century.

The novel explores themes of race, class, and politics, and features a cast of characters that includes police officers, labor organizers, politicians, and ordinary citizens. At the heart of the story are two men, one black and one white, who find themselves drawn into the same struggle for justice and equality in a city that is deeply divided by race and class.

"The Given Day" is notable for its vivid and immersive depiction of Boston during a period of significant social and political change. Lehane's meticulous research and attention to historical detail help to bring the city to life, and his skill as a storyteller keeps the reader engaged throughout the book's sprawling narrative.

By Hjorth and Rosenfeldt. Trans. Marlaine Delargy.

London. Penguin Arrow Books. 2014. 458p.

"The Silent Girl" is actually a crime thriller novel by Swedish authors Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt, originally published in Swedish in 2011 and translated into English by Marlaine Delargy.

The novel follows the investigation of a brutal murder in Stockholm, Sweden, and the subsequent discovery of a string of similar killings. The detective in charge of the case, Sebastian Bergman, is a troubled and emotionally complex character who is forced to confront his own demons as he races against time to catch the killer.

"The Silent Girl" is the fourth novel in Hjorth and Rosenfeldt's Sebastian Bergman series. The book has been praised for its well-crafted plot, nuanced characterization, and atmospheric setting. The authors' background in screenwriting is evident in the book's cinematic pacing and tension, which keep the reader engaged from start to finish.

By John Le Carre

Sydney. Holder Headline. 1995. 405p.

"Our Game" is a novel by John le Carré, published in 1995. The book follows the story of a retired British spy named Tim Cranmer, who is pulled back into the world of espionage when his former lover, Emma, and his former colleague, Larry Pettifer, reemerge in his life.

The novel is set in the aftermath of the Cold War and explores the changing landscape of international politics and espionage. As Tim tries to navigate his relationships with Emma and Larry, he becomes embroiled in a web of conspiracy and betrayal that threatens to upend his life and career.

Through its intricate plot and nuanced characterization, "Our Game" offers a complex portrait of the world of espionage and the personal and political costs of the spy game. The novel also touches on themes of loyalty, trust, and the shifting alliances of the post-Cold War era.

By Ken Follett

NY. Signet. 1990. 1,020p.

"The Pillars of the Earth" is a historical novel by British author Ken Follett, published in 1989. Set in 12th-century England, the novel follows the story of the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.

The novel weaves together the lives of several characters, including the master builder Tom, the noblewoman Aliena, and the monk Prior Philip, as they work to realize their vision of building a great cathedral. Along the way, they must confront numerous challenges, including political strife, personal vendettas, and the technical difficulties of constructing a building of such magnitude.

Through its sweeping scope and vivid characterization, "The Pillars of the Earth" offers a richly detailed portrait of medieval life and society. The novel explores themes of power, faith, and love, and it illuminates the complex interplay between religion, politics, and economics in medieval Europe.

By Patrick Radden Keefe

London. Harper Collins. 2018. 521p.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland" is a nonfiction book by American journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, published in 2019. The book tells the story of the conflict in Northern Ireland, known as "The Troubles", through the lens of one particular crime – the disappearance of a young mother of 10 named Jean McConville.

Keefe uses McConville's disappearance as a focal point to explore the complex and violent history of Northern Ireland, the rise of the Provisional IRA, and the role of secret paramilitary groups like the Irish Republican Army and British Army's Military Reaction Force. He also examines the legacy of the conflict, including the ongoing search for McConville's remains and the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to much of the violence in Northern Ireland.

Through extensive research and interviews with those involved, Keefe creates a gripping and detailed narrative that delves into the lives of those caught up in the conflict, including McConville's family and the IRA operatives responsible for her disappearance. He also explores the ways in which memory and trauma continue to shape the lives of those affected by the conflict.

By Anthony Burgess

From the cover. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE_-Anthony Burgess' most famous novel-is a book of stunning force, the most cogent and terrifying vision of the future since George Orwell's 1984. Adrift in the impersonal, iron-gray society of the superstate, the novel's main character, 15-year-old Alex, leads his gang of teen-age rockers in all-night orgies of random violence and destruction. Told in a slang as electric as the events described, this is Alex's storyo f rapes and stompings and rumbles with the police, of prison life and the frightful "Ludovico Technique" by which Alex is "recon ditioned" into a model citizen, and of his subsequent adventures as a mindless pawn in the cynical hands of the authorities. "A brilliant novel . . . a tour de force in nastiness, an inventive primer in total violence, a savage satire o n t h edistortions o fthe single and collective minds."-New York Times.

NY. W.W. Norton. 1962. 184p.