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Out of the Woods

Out of the Woods

By Gregg Olsen

From a girl’s abduction by a serial killer to the harrowing aftermath—a gripping and heart-wrenching true-crime story by Gregg Olsen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of If You Tell.

In May 2005, authorities discovered the Groene family murdered in their Idaho home. The family’s youngest members—eight-year-old Shasta and her brother, nine-year-old Dylan—were nowhere to be found.

As a community prayed for their return, Shasta and Dylan were already miles away in the woods of Montana at the hands of serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan. After a harrowing forty-eight day ordeal, Shasta was rescued. In many ways, her survival story was only beginning.

In the following years, while Shasta struggled to outrun her trauma, a pattern of self-destructive behavior shadowed her like an ever-worsening thunderstorm. She still had hope buried deep inside. Every bit as much as the little girl who had been held captive in the woods. This would be an all-new battle for Shasta. And she was determined not to lose.

Out of the Woods is the haunting and intimate true-crime story of one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history—and a young woman’s journey to reclaim her life in its wake.

Beast of Littleton Woods, The

Beast of Littleton Woods, The

By T E Kinsey

They’re used to solving murders. But until now the killer has always been human…

October 1912. The inhabitants of Littleton Cotterell emerge from their homes after a week of torrential storms to the gruesome news that one of Sid Hyde’s prized sheep has been mauled to death. As rumours abound of a vicious beast stalking the Gloucestershire countryside in search of prey, Lady Hardcastle and her fearless lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, set out to find what is surely a rational explanation.

Then Hyde himself is brutally killed in a similar attack, and the villagers go from curious to terrified. Littleton Cotterell isn’t exactly unaccustomed to murderers—but a ferocious animal capable of tearing a man to shreds? That’s entirely different.

When another man dies and a third is injured, it’s clear that whatever is behind the attacks needs to be caught, and fast. But are the villagers really seeing what they think they are? Is there actually a beast on the loose? Or is what’s out there something more sinister—and much more human?

In the Woods

In the Woods

By Steven E. Wedel, Carrie Jones

New York Times bestselling author Carrie Jones teams up with acclaimed cowriter Steven Wedel in the supernatural mystery, In the Woods

It should have been just another quiet night on the farm when Logan witnessed the attack, but it wasn’t.

Something is in the woods.
Something unexplainable.
Something deadly.

Hundreds of miles away, Chrystal’s plans for summer in Manhattan are abruptly upended when her dad reads tabloid coverage of some kind of grisly incident in Oklahoma. When they arrive to investigate, they find a witness: a surprisingly good-looking farm boy.

As townsfolk start disappearing and the attacks get ever closer, Logan and Chrystal will have to find out the truth about whatever’s hiding in the woods…before they become targets themselves.

Daring Vow, A

Daring Vow, A

By Sherryl Woods

Zelda Lane…her very name made the local gossips raise their eyebrows. She'd scandalized an entire town and filled upright Taylor Matthews with enough young love to burst all bounds of propriety. But that was long ago. Now a pillar of the community, Taylor privately rued the day he'd let Zelda go.

But not as much as he dreaded her return! Because Zelda was back—as beautiful and bold as ever. She was carrying a torch—as well as a grudge. And from the tips of his polished shoes to the top of his starched collar, Taylor knew he'd never quite gotten her out of his system.…

Destiny Unleashed

Destiny Unleashed

By Sherryl Woods

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods concludes the Perfect Destinies series with this beloved, sassy tale of revenge with an unexpected twist.

For twenty years Destiny Carlton has put family and duty ahead of her own hopes and dreams. Now, with the orphaned nephews she raised grown and married, it's time for the once free-spirited artist to reinvent herself yet again, this time as a savvy businesswoman out for revenge. Her target: William Harcourt, a man she once loved, a man who now seems hell-bent on destroying her family's business.

For William, going after Carlton Industries is a high-stakes gamble. He's gotten Destiny's attention, but he has also infuriated her family. Now they stand firmly between him and his real goal—winning Destiny's heart.

William has set the corporate game in motion, but suddenly he's playing by Destiny's rules. And when an unpredictable woman's fury has been unleashed, who knows what unexpected twists life might take?

One Step Away

One Step Away

By Sherryl Woods

One step forward…

In Berry Ridge, Vermont, Beth Callahan had found a place to start over. She'd started a successful real estate and design business in the quaint, picturesque town, and she'd even found her perfect house…where she dreamed of someday living and raising a family. Until a reckless bachelor bought it out from under her.

Two steps back

Ken Hutchinson loved the charming Victorian on sight, and once he got the town's best designer to make it his, it would be perfect. But Beth Callahan seemed to disapprove of everything he wanted to do with the house—and of him. Ken wasn't sure why Beth's opinion was suddenly the only thing that mattered, but one thing he was sure of was that only Beth could make the house a home…for both of them.

Twilight

Twilight

By Sherryl Woods

In this reader-favorite tale, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods demonstrates that when faith and love are tested, they often emerge stronger than ever.

For former private investigator Dana Miller, there can be no peace of mind until she finds the person who killed her husband. Now a single mother to three boys, Dana wants closure. But it turns out she’ll need to form an alliance with the man she holds responsible for the death. And uncovering answers may mean bringing down the program her husband believed in.

Rick Sanchez has no intention of letting Dana destroy all the good he and Ken Miller worked for. As he and Dana try to learn the truth about what happened, he discovers that he and his old friend have something else in common—an undeniable attraction toward this intrepid, high-spirited woman who fights for the people she loves.

Patrick's Destiny

Patrick's Destiny

By Sherryl Woods

From the author of Feels Like Family, a Netflix Book Club Pick!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods brings readers the fourth chapter in the classic tales of the Devaney’s… five brothers torn apart in childhood, reunited by love. Previously published in The Devaney Brothers: Michael & Patrick.

Devastated by the discovery of a terrible family secret, Patrick Devaney has shut out the world. But enchanting kindergarten teacher Alice Newberry sees the hurt in his eyes and is determined to help Patrick find peace. She knows it will take a lesson in love and forgiveness to coax the brooding fisherman out of hiding. Soon, Patrick begins to hope, but before he can truly claim Alice as his own, he has to face the greatest challenge of his life—his past.

Wind Chime Point

Wind Chime Point

By Sherryl Woods

When life gets complicated, New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods proves family—and love—can make all the difference

Facing a personal crisis, ambitious and driven Gabriella Castle retreats to the welcoming arms of her family. Everything she's worked for has been yanked out from under her, and she seeks the serenity of her grandmother's home on the North Carolina coast. With difficult decisions to make about her future, the last thing she wants is an unexpected love.

Wade Johnson fell for Gabi the first time he saw her. It's not the only time he's found himself in the role of knight in shining armor, but Gabi isn't looking for a rescuer. To get her to stay, Wade will need a whole lot of patience and gentle persuasion…and maybe the soothing sound of wind chimes on a summer breeze.

Keeper, The

Keeper, The

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding—again—she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.
Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

Full of the plot twists and surprises her fans love, The Keeper is the first in a new series by bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher. Through touching family relationships and trials of the heart, Fisher's vivid characters grapple with yielding to God's will when it doesn't match their own.

Kindness of Neighbors, The

Kindness of Neighbors, The

By Matthew Iden

No one likes Jack. His wife is gone and his neighbors avoid him. He’s a recluse and a creep, and that’s just the way he wants it; he can ignore what they say behind his back if they leave him to his work and his daily walks. But when ten-year-old Emma goes missing in the nearby woods, the eyes of his neighbors turn toward him, their fear and accusations escalating as the days go by. Jack proclaims his innocence, but what the neighbors--and the reader--find out is the last thing anyone would suspect.

Previously published as Finding Emma.

Summer of the Drums

Summer of the Drums

By T. V. Olsen

Life was hard on the remote farm on the Blue River in the Wisconsin territory of the 1830s, but to fifteen-year-old Kevin Trask, it was a young man's paradise. As hard as his pioneering family worked to carve out a homesite, there was still plenty of time for hunting, fishing and roaming the woods. But, while the Trasks were at peace with their surroundings and content to reap the benefits resulting from their labours, other white men were more interested in persecuting the local Sac Indians in a series of violent acts and treacherous dealings. And when the once peaceful Sacs struck back to regain their lost homelands, under the leadership of their famous chief Black Hawk, the scene was set for violence and tragedy.

Temple of the Winds

Temple of the Winds

By Terry Goodkind

Book Four of The Sword of Truth—the series first begun in Wizard's First Rule—returns listeners to the world of Richard Cypher, a simple woods guide who never dreamed he would be named the Seeker of Truth and become caught up in magic, war, and dangers so extraordinary that the fate of his entire world would hang on his actions and decisions.

The dangerous, fanatical Imperial Order, under the leadership of the power-mad Emperor Jagang and his multitude of demonic underlings, unleashes a deadly plague. To find a cure Richard Cypher and his beloved Kahlan Amnell must seek out the legendary Temple of the Winds, a fortress of evil sealed away for three thousand years. But the path of the Seeker of Truth is never an easy one—even if he can reach the Temple at all, there is no guarantee he'll ever return.

Pull of the Moon, The

Pull of the Moon, The

By Elizabeth Berg

“Reading The Pull of the Moon is like sitting down for a long, satisfying chat with a best girlfriend…. [It] pleasantly encourages readers to recover a little life-embracing enthusiasm themselves.” —Orlando Sentinel

In the middle of her life, Nan decides to leave her husband at home and begin an impromptu trek across the country, carrying with her a turquoise leather journal she intends to fill. The Pull of the Moon is a novel about a woman coming to terms with issues of importance to all women. In her journal, Nan addresses the thorniness—and the allure—of marriage, the sweet ties to children, and the gifts and lessons that come from random encounters with strangers, including a handsome man appearing out of the woods and a lonely housewife sitting on her front porch steps. Most of all, Nan writes about the need for the self to stay alive. In this luminous and exquisitely written novel, Elizabeth Berg shows how sometimes you have to leave your life behind in order to find it.

“This is not a novel about a woman leaving home but rather about a human being finding her way back.” —Chicago Tribune

“When was the last time you thought about running away?…. In The Pull of the Moon, Berg shares her strength, the wonderful widening of her soul so that we, too, can take the journey in the ease of our chair.” —Greensboro News & Record

“Berg’s gift as a storyteller lies most powerfully in her ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, the remarkable in the everyday.” —The Boston Globe

Sculthorpe Murder, The

Sculthorpe Murder, The

By Karen Charlton

Northamptonshire, 1810: As a new canal network snakes across the landscape, a vicious mob stakes its claim to the county. Every local constable is out on the hunt for the ruthless Panther Gang. When an elderly man is robbed and murdered in sleepy Middleton, the beleaguered magistrates send for help from London’s Bow Street Police Office.

Detective Stephen Lavender and Constable Ned Woods soon discover there’s more to William Sculthorpe’s demise than meets the eye. Mystery surrounds the old man and his family, and the stench of revenge hangs heavy in the air. Are the Panther Gang really responsible or is something more sinister afoot? As Lavender delves further into long-hidden secrets, Woods has demons of his own to contend with: ghosts from his past that stalk him through the investigation.

Uncovering decades of simmering hatred and deceit, Lavender and Woods must use all their wit and cunning to solve this evil crime.

Hollows, The

Hollows, The

By Mark Edwards

From the bestselling author of The House Guest comes a chilling story set deep in the woods…

With his marriage over and his career in freefall, journalist Tom decides to reconnect with his fourteen-year-old daughter, Frankie. Desperate to spend precious time together now that they live an ocean apart, he brings her to Hollow Falls, a cabin resort deep in the woods of Maine.

From the outset there’s something a little eerie about the place—strange whispers in the trees, windchimes echoing through the forest—but when Tom meets true-crime podcasters David and Connie, he receives a chilling warning. Hollow Falls has a gruesome history: twenty years ago this week, a double slaying shut down the resort. The crime was never solved, and now the woods are overrun with murder-obsessed tourists looking to mark the grim anniversary.

It’s clear that there’s something deeply disturbing going on at Hollow Falls. And as Tom’s dream trip turns into a nightmare, he and Frankie are faced with a choice: uncover the truth, or get out while they still can.

In Search of Tiger

In Search of Tiger

By Tom Callahan

Tom Callahan has written the seminal book on golfing great Tiger Woods. Woods, who has gone out of his way to protect his privacy, has never allowed himself to get close enough to a writer to be properly examined on the page. And, as a consequence, his fans know relatively little about him except what's divulged in quick tournament interviews or the scarce information parsed out on occasion by one of his handlers. Which is to say, we know next to nothing about one of the most famous people in the world. Callahan, commonly regarded as one of the best all-round sports writers in the country, has followed Tiger around the world of golf for more than seven years, enjoying a certain access to the man and his family. He even went so far as to travel to Vietnam to learn the fate of the South Vietnamese soldier who was Earl Wood's best friend during the war—and his son's namesake.

Tiger is twenty years old when the book opens and twenty-seven when it closes. During those years, Callahan covered Woods at all the Majors, including the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British Open, culminating in Tiger's heart-stopping race to make history by clinching the string of Majors affectionately nicknamed the Tiger Slam. As the pulse of golf was measured by the curve of his swing, Tiger made everyone's heart skip a beat as he attempted to win the Grand Slam a year later.

Along the way, Tom Callahan hears from everyone who is anyone in the world of Tiger Woods, including Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, David Duval, Butch Harmon, Ernie Els, and, of course, Tiger's rather ubiquitous mother and father. As much as we learn about Tiger—how he sees himself in relation to the courses he plays on and the players he has learned from and competed with—we also enjoy a bird's-eye view of golf as it is now with Tiger on the scene, and as it was for
centuries before.

In Search of Tiger catalogs and dissects moments and influences in Tiger's guarded life and unprecedented career—moments that unveil him, his awesome drive, and his enormous talent. Tom Callahan has written a classic of its kind, a book to rank with the best in its genre. He has done what few have even attempted—
he has found the real Tiger Woods.

After Midnight

After Midnight

By Richard Laymon

When Alice’s friend Serena goes away she stays in her house, with its sunken bathtub and big-screen TV. Best of all is the outdoor swimming pool. But one night a stranger walks out of the woods and jumps naked into the pool. Alice hopes he won’t be coming to get her, like so many have done before.

One Step Too Far

One Step Too Far

By Lisa Gardner

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a chilling thriller about a young man gone missing in the wilderness of Wyoming…and the secrets uncovered by the desperate effort to find him

Timothy O’Day knew the woods. Yet when he disappeared on the first night of a bachelor party camping trip with his best friends in the world, he didn’t leave a trace. What he did leave behind were two heartbroken parents, a crew of guilt-ridden groomsmen, and a pile of clues that don’t add up.

Frankie Elkin doesn’t know the woods, but she knows how to find people. So when she reads that Timothy’s father is organizing one last search, she heads to Wyoming. Despite the rescue team’s reluctance, she joins them. But as they hike into the mountains, it becomes clear that there’s something dangerous at work in the woods…or someone who is willing to do anything to stop them from going any further.

Running out of time and up against the worst man and nature have to offer, Frankie and the search party will discover what evil awaits those who go one step too far…

Murder in Park Lane

Murder in Park Lane

By Karen Charlton

London, 1812. At a fashionable address in leafy Mayfair, a far cry from Detective Stephen Lavender’s usual haunts, a man is found dead in his room. He has been brutally stabbed, but the door is locked from the inside and the weapon is missing.

The deceased is David MacAdam, an Essex businessman with expensive tastes. As Lavender and Constable Ned Woods travel between London and Chelmsford seeking to understand MacAdam’s final hours and unearth the grisly truth, they uncover a tangled web of deceit behind his stylish facade. The unusual circumstances of MacAdam’s death are nothing compared to the shady nature of his life and it seems the house on Park Lane is at the heart of a dark conspiracy.

But when a second body turns up, everything they think they’ve learned is thrown into doubt. Can Lavender and Woods find out who’s behind these shocking murders before more lives are ruined?

Toby

Toby

By David Johnson

Symphony Nelson has weathered more than her share of hardships—in part thanks to the faithfulness and affection of her adopted puppy, Toby. Her formerly chaotic life seems to be settling down, until a peaceful walk in the woods leads Symphony and Toby to the reclusive cabin of Caleb Showalter, who knows more about her past than he’s telling.

When an old friend resurfaces and expresses his affection, Symphony warily longs for love, and it is Toby that nudges her toward pursuing a reconnection. But when violence strikes at the hands of her possessive boyfriend, Symphony’s trust is shattered once again.

Just when Symphony’s faith in humanity seems lost, Toby is injured in the woods, and she has no choice but to reach out to Caleb for help. Together, they face their fears and lost trust head-on. If they can save Toby, they might be able to let go of the past and to believe in the goodness of others—and themselves—once again.

Secrets Below, The

Secrets Below, The

By Viveca Sten, Camilla Sten

On an icy Swedish archipelago, a girl is entangled in a dark mystery that only she holds the key to unraveling, in this fantasy thriller from the wondrous minds of Camilla Sten and Viveca Sten.

What happened out there in the woods?

Twelve-year-old Tuva couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than the Stockholm archipelago and her island home of Harö. Even if she mostly keeps to herself at her small school. Even if she sometimes gets kind of lonely.

But when a classmate goes missing, Tuva finds herself at the center of the mystery, along with Rasmus, the new boy at school. Neither one of them can understand what they saw that day in the woods near the water: Is something magical at work? Something evil?

And it’s not just their classmate who has gone missing. Other people around the islands have gone missing this fall, disappearing from their boats on the water, never to be heard from again. Can Tuva and Rasmus discover what secrets are lurking below…before it’s too late?

Unremembered Girl, The

Unremembered Girl, The

By Eliza Maxwell

An Amazon Charts bestseller.

In the deep woods of East Texas, Henry supports his family by selling bootleg liquor. It’s all he can do to keep his compassionate but ailing mother and his stepfather—a fanatical grassroots minister with a bruising rhetoric—from ruin. But they have no idea they’ve become the obsession of the girl in the woods.

Abandoned and nearly feral, Eve has been watching them, seduced by the notion of family—something she’s known only in the most brutal sense. Soon she can’t resist the temptation to get close. Where Henry’s mother sees a poor girl in need, his father sees only wickedness. When Henry forges an unexpected bond with Eve, he believes he might be able to save her. He doesn’t know how wrong he is.

Eve is about to take charge of her own destiny—and that of Henry’s family. As both their worlds spin violently out of control, Henry must make an impossible choice: protect the broken woman who’s claimed a piece of his soul, or put everyone he loves at risk in order to do the right thing.

How To Reach the Moon

How To Reach the Moon

By Nicolás Schuff

Emilio and Abuelo: two adventurers off to see the moon!

Emilio loves spending vacations out in the forest at his abuelo’s house. The woods are mysterious, and Abuelo and Emilio can dine outside by the light of a lantern every night. And then, best of all, Abuelo tells his fantastical stories! One night, when there’s a full moon, Abuelo suggests they go and meet the moon. At first, Emilio isn’t sure he’s serious—but Abuelo is a true adventurer! And so the two, boy and grandfather, set off on their mission. But what creatures might await them in the forest? And will they really get to see the moon?

Lover, The

Lover, The

By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

During a brutal winter, a young woman longing for love finds more than she expected in the woods, in this wickedly sensuous short story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

Judith knows her sister, Alice, is the pretty one—but that doesn’t stop her from wishing for love. When a handsome and gentlemanly hunter appears in their village, seeking lodging from the cold, she believes her lover has finally arrived. He does, indeed, choose to stay—but as Alice’s husband, not her own. When another stranger comes out of the woods, looking every bit a vagrant, he offers Judith something mysterious and enticingly strange. Against reason and decency, she welcomes both men into her life, in different ways. As forbidden longings ensnare each of them, an unrelenting winter storm and an evasive wolf on the prowl have everyone on edge…and ravenous. By spring thaw, will any of their hungers be satisfied?

World of Trouble

World of Trouble

By Ben H. Winters

“A genre-defying blend of crime writing and science fiction.” —Alexandra Alter, The New York Times

The explosive final installment in the Edgar® Award winning Last Policeman series.

With the doomsday asteroid looming, Detective Hank Palace has found sanctuary in the woods of New England, secure in a well-stocked safe house with other onetime members of the Concord police force. But with time ticking away before the asteroid makes landfall, Hank’s safety is only relative, and his only relative—his sister Nico—isn’t safe. Soon, it’s clear that there’s more than one earth-shattering revelation on the horizon, and it’s up to Hank to solve the puzzle before time runs out...for everyone.

Wowzer, The

Wowzer, The

By Frank Wheeler Jr.

In the Arkansas Ozarks, old-timers spin tales of the Wowzer, a giant panther-like creature that decapitates those who wander too far into the woods. County sheriff’s deputy Jerry was raised on Wowzer stories, but they aren’t enough to stop him from carrying out his own business in the remote hills. Jerry’s more than a sheriff’s deputy; he moonlights as muscle for local drug traffickers, who sometimes need people to get hurt—or get dead. Fortunately, Jerry’s pretty good at his job. And since Tom Haskell runs the sheriff’s office and the drug-protection racket, Jerry doesn’t see much of a moral dilemma. That is, until he starts thinking about getting out of the trade, and then things get complicated fast. For starters, Jerry’s girl Maggie flees the state after learning about a disturbing diagnosis tucked inside Jerry’s psych report. And now Sheriff Haskell is dragging his feet paying Jerry his cut of the drug money. Is Haskell just reluctant to lose his top muscle? Or is he plotting to take out the man who knows his dirtiest secrets? Fans of hardboiled, “country noir” fiction will love gnashing on Frank Wheeler’s violent and darkly comic debut, sneaking a glimpse into the mind of a killer whose inner monster is about to be unleashed.

Litani

Litani

By Jess Lourey

The Amazon Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things and Bloodline explores the darkness at the heart of the rural Midwest in a novel inspired by a chilling true crime.

In the summer of ’84, fourteen-year-old Frankie Jubilee is shuttled off to Litani, Minnesota, to live with her estranged mother, a county prosecutor she barely knows. From the start, Frankie senses something uneasy going on in the small town. The locals whisper about The Game, and her mother warns her to stay out of the woods and away from adults.

When a bullying gang of girls invites Frankie to The Game, she accepts, determined to find out what’s really going on in Litani. She’s not the only one becoming paranoid. Hysteria burns through the community. Dark secrets emerge. And Frankie fears that, even in the bright light of day, she might be living among monsters.

Big Bad

Big Bad

By Chandler Baker

For a family trying to make an isolated farmhouse into a home, fear and rage are getting harder to control in a primal short story by the New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network and Cutting Teeth.

The Strauss family is on knife’s edge. Sam is a resentful stay-at-home dad. Rachel feels the restlessness in her blood returning. Their children are getting out of hand. And a recent mudslide has forced the wolves out of the woods to look for food. As dusk falls and tensions rise, the family must come together to survive the night—from the threats outside and those within.

Chandler Baker’s Big Bad is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

Seventh Mansion, The

Seventh Mansion, The

By Maryse Meijer

One of The Millions's Most Anticipated Books of the Second-Half of 2020, one of Library Journal's 35 Standout Summer/Fall 2020 Debut Novels, and one of Shondaland's 11 New Books That Will Change How You Think About the Climate Crisis

From the author of the story collections Heartbreaker and Rag comes a powerful and propulsive debut novel that examines activism, love, and purpose

When fifteen-year-old Xie moves from California to a rural Southern town to live with his father he makes just two friends, Jo and Leni, both budding environmental and animal activists. One night, the three friends decide to free captive mink from a local farm. But when Xie is the only one caught his small world gets smaller: Kicked out of high school, he becomes increasingly connected with nature, spending his time in the birch woods behind his house, attending extremist activist meetings, and serving as a custodian for what others ignore, abuse, and discard.

Exploring the woods alone one night, Xie discovers the relic of a Catholic saint―the martyred Pancratius―in a nearby church. Regal and dressed in ornate armor, the skeleton captivates him. After weeks of visits, Xie steals the skeleton, hides it in his attic bedroom, and develops a complex and passionate relationship with the bones and spirit of the saint, whom he calls P. As Xie’s relationship deepens with P., so too does his relationship with the woods―private property that will soon be overrun with loggers. As Xie enacts a plan to save his beloved woods, he must also find a way to balance his conflicting―and increasingly extreme―ideals of purity, sacrifice, and responsibility in order to live in this world.

Maryse Meijer's The Seventh Mansion is a deeply moving and profoundly original debut novel―both an urgent literary call to arms and an unforgettable coming-of-age story about finding love and selfhood in the face of mass extinction and environmental destruction.

Angel for Christmas, An

Angel for Christmas, An

By Heather Graham

Christmas has never brought out the best in the MacDougal family. Still, year after year, they gather together in the Blue Ridge Mountains to try to make the season merry and bright. But this year is an especially strained one, with Shayne's impending divorce, Morwenna's slavish devotion to work and Bobby's reluctance to face what life has to offer. They've never felt less like a family.

Then, in the midst of a snowy sibling shouting match, a mysterious stranger appears. He could be a criminal, a madman—or something far more unexpected. Despite their fears and the growing danger in the dark woods around them, the MacDougals take a leap of faith. But when another stranger arrives on the mountainside, they don't know which of them to believe. One of these men can't be trusted. And one is about to bring Christmas into their hearts.

Billionaire's Secrets, The

Billionaire's Secrets, The

By J. S. Scott

An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller.

Former rock star Xander Sinclair may be out of rehab, but he’s not out of the woods. Still haunted by his parents’ murders, he has secluded himself in his Amesport mansion and dodges any attempted contact from his two brothers. Struggling not to fall into relapse, he believes he’s battling his demons alone.

That is, until Samantha arrives to work as his live-in housekeeper. Effortlessly charming and cheerful and wickedly sexy, she challenges Xander to abandon his isolation. The two embark on a fiery relationship—one that could change them both forever.

Just when Xander is on the verge of reclaiming his life, he discovers that Samantha has been hiding things from him—things that could shatter the fragile future they’ve begun to build together. For Xander, escaping the past is no longer an option. It’s time to face it…even when some secrets seem too heavy for the heart to bear.

Reckoning, The

Reckoning, The

By Megan Crane

Life among the pack isn’t easy for a rebellious woman fated to be the wolf king’s mate in an apocalyptically thrilling paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author Megan Crane.

On a full-moon night, fate takes what it wants. That’s you, Maddox Hemming.

It was known before I was born what destiny had in store. It’s in my blood. I am the fated mate of Ty Ceridwen. The alpha and king of the Western Wolves. The bane of my existence. And whether in skin or fur, the love of my life.

He wants the ritual that will bind us forever. All I want is more time—but unfortunately that’s running out. Ty needs me in line for what’s coming.

The Wolf Moon is rising, and if the gruesome sacrifices in the woods are any indication, an ancient foe has returned: Vinča, the goddess of filth and death, who is driven to wipe out the world as we know it.

Not to mention my mated destiny with Ty.

Defeating Vinča would certainly make for a happy ending…if we can just survive long enough to see it come true.

Under Dark Waters

Under Dark Waters

By Bernadette Calonego

Driven by lingering pain and grief, historian Sonya Werner leaves her home in Switzerland to travel across the world. Officially, she’s tracking down the German author Else Seel, who had left Berlin in the 1920s to marry a Canadian trapper and homestead in the wild woods of British Columbia. But the real reason for her trip is much more difficult to face: three years before, her husband took off to this part of the world on one of his usual mountain-climbing adventures, and never returned. Only after the police brought her word of his death—and the mysterious circumstances in which they found him—did Sonya discover the simultaneous disappearance of her beautiful best friend, Odette, and the possibility that her husband had been lying to her all along.

Now, haunted by sorrow and jealousy, Sonya sets out on a dangerous mission to discover the truth, and to try to put back together the pieces of her broken heart.

Don't Look Back

Don't Look Back

By Gregg Hurwitz

Eve Hardaway, newly single mother of one, is on a trip she’s long dreamed of—a rafting and hiking tour through the jungles and mountains of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico. Eve wanders off the trail, to a house in the distance with a menacing man in the yard beyond it, throwing machetes at a human-shaped target. Disturbed by the sight, Eve moves quickly and quietly back to her group, taking care to avoid being seen. As she creeps along, she finds a broken digital camera, marked with the name Teresa Hamilton. Later that night, in a rarely used tourist cabin, she finds a discarded prescription bottle—also with the name Teresa Hamilton. From the camera’s memory card, Eve discovers Teresa Hamilton took a photo of that same menacing looking man in the woods. Teresa Hamilton has since disappeared.

Now the man in the woods is after whoever was snooping around his house. With a violent past and deadly mission, he will do anything to avoid being discovered. A major storm wipes out the roads and all communication with the outside world. Now the tour group is trapped in the jungle with a dangerous predator with a secret to protect. With her only resource her determination to live, Eve must fight a dangerous foe and survive against incredible odds—if she's to make it back home alive.

Wolves Come at Night, The

Wolves Come at Night, The

By J.T. Ellison

A detective on the brink.
An assassin out for revenge.
A desperate mother racing against the clock.

While the high-profile murder of a young country singer turns Nashville inside out, danger lurks in the woods beyond the city’s border. There was a witness to the terrible crime, a college student who stumbled onto the scene. When the girl goes missing, the police don’t know if she’s run for cover or been taken…or if something more sinister is happening.

The truth will shatter Taylor’s career and bring her face to face with a deadly assassin who wants nothing more than to finish what they started.

Taylor Jackson is back. And you’ve never seen her quite like this.

This audio edition also includes the prequel story “Whiteout,” in which Taylor Jackson races to find a deadly assassin after a ferocious blizzard isolates the attendees of a foreign intelligence conference.

"Powered by unexpected twists, intriguing characters, a high-stakes plot, and the ultimate enemies-to-friends story, The Wolves Come at Night is a true thrill ride. I loved it." —Jayne Ann Krentz, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Hell Is Open

Hell Is Open

By Gard Sveen

Sixteen years ago, rookie cop Tommy Bergmann was on the scene when a teenage girl’s mutilated body was discovered in the woods. Schoolteacher Anders Rask confessed to the murder, along with five others. He was sentenced to live out his days in a mental institution outside of Oslo, and the case appeared closed. That is, until now…

Amid a brutal Norwegian winter, now-detective Bergmann is called to the scene of the assault of a young Lithuanian prostitute. Her injuries bear a shocking resemblance to those of Rask’s victims. Tommy cannot ignore the unsettling questions this crime raises: Is Rask involved or, worse, inspiring a copycat? Or is the real serial killer still out there, roaming the shadowy, frigid streets of Oslo, poised to commit another murder?

Faced with the new attack and Rask’s recently recanted confession, Tommy is forced to reopen the old case that still haunts him and confront the demons of his own grim and complicated history. As he works to untangle the complex web of connections between the past and present, his closed case just might become a cold case—with a truth more chilling than he could have imagined.

Before Goodbye

Before Goodbye

By Mimi Cross

A RITA Award finalist, Best First Book.

Music means more than anything to high school student Cate Reese; it’s also what unites her with Cal Woods. Devoted classical guitar players, Cate and Cal are childhood friends newly smitten by love—until a devastating car accident rips Cal out of Cate’s life forever. Blaming herself for the horrific tragedy and struggling to surface from her despair, Cate spirals downhill in a desperate attempt to ease her pain.

Fellow student David Bennet might look like the school’s golden boy, but underneath the surface the popular athlete battles demons of his own. Racked with survivor’s guilt after his brother’s suicide, things get worse when tragedy darkens his world again—but connecting with Cate, his sister’s longtime babysitter, starts bringing the light back in.

As Cate and David grow closer, the two shattered teenagers learn to examine the pieces of their lives…and, together, find a way to be whole again.

Dummy Line, The

Dummy Line, The

By Bobby Cole

Avid hunter Jake Crosby is thrilled that his nine-year-old daughter Katy shares his love of the outdoors. His wife, Morgan, on the other hand, does not, which means Jake and Katy enjoy an abundance of hunting, fishing, and camping trips together. So when they head off into the Alabama woods for a spring turkey hunt, Jake expects nothing out of the ordinary. But even his worst nightmares could not prepare him for what befalls them that evening, when a band of drug dealers attempts to break into their remote camp. Desperate to protect his daughter and himself, Jake makes a gut-wrenching decision. His quick thinking enables him and Katy to escape…but brings the gang of vengeful criminals hot on their trail. Gambling on his knowledge of the land and hunting skills, he leads their bloodthirsty pursuers on a perilous cat-and-mouse game deep within the Noxubee River swamp. Jake knows they all won’t come out alive—but he will do whatever is necessary to make sure Katy does. Taut and engrossing, The Dummy Line explores what happens when an ordinary man is pushed to extraordinary lengths to protect the one he loves most and those for whom he feels responsible.

Secrets You Can't Keep

Secrets You Can't Keep

By Debra Webb

From USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb comes crime analyst Vera Boyett’s next case—a triple homicide that tears a small town apart…and an accident that could do worse to her family.

A cabin in the woods. Three dead, one in critical condition. Property owned by not just any Tennessee local, but one of the richest men in the country.

Vera Boyett isn’t quite sure what it means. But that’s why Sheriff Gray “Bent” Benton called her: to figure it out. Criminal analysis is what she does best. Even when the town is in panicked shambles, even when the case is more delicate than most…and even when it’s not the only case on her plate.

Vera’s family is caught in a deadly mess of its own. And while her pregnant sister seems an unlikely culprit, each new detail seems to point to her guilt. Desperate to protect her, Vera vows to find out what really happened.

As evidence emerges in both cases, Vera and Bent work to unravel a dangerous web of secrets to get to the truth. But their investigations reveal more than they ever expected…