SUMMARY:Desperate to free his mother from a caste of ruthless elven assassins, Leesil joins his beloved Magiere, the sage Wynn, and their canine protector, Chap, on a difficult journey through mountains and harsh winter. Should they survive the hardships of wilderness, they still face the perils of the mysterious Elven Territories. Unbeknownst to them, they've been united at the command of Chap's Fay kin to forge an alliance against the forces of dark magic. But now Chap must guard his companions from enemies and allies-not always certain which is which. And as they uncover the truth, they discover just how close the enemy has always been.

From New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak comes Face Off, the next installment of Dr. Evelyn Talbot and her murderous home for psychopaths.SHE VOWED NEVER TO BE A VICTIM AGAIN. BUT NOW A KILLER HAS HER IN HIS SIGHT. . . Tortured and left for dead at sixteen, Evelyn Talbot turned her personal nightmare into her life's work—studying the disturbing psychopathy of some of the world's most vicious serial killers. Now a leading psychiatrist at Hanover House in a small Alaskan town, she tries to believe the past will never come back to haunt her—until a woman goes missing from a cabin nearby, and every clue points to the man who once brutalized her...As her boyfriend, who is the area's only police, begins to investigate—and finds not one but two bodies—Evelyn can't forget that her would-be killer, Jasper Moore, was never caught. But there are no new faces in tiny Hilltop, no one who seems...

Rashed, one of the Noble Dead and a vampire, has killed his maker and master, Lord Corische. Fleeing his master’s keep in Stravina, he takes with him Teesha, Ratboy, and his brother, Parko. At first, all four relish freedom in their separate ways, but they soon learn that freedom has its dangers for their kind.Without a master, Parko quickly loses himself to the Feral Path, that seductive sensuality of being unrestrained in the hunt and the kill. Ratboy feels this call as well but is caught between this desire and his need for companionship and safety. Teesha, reeling much more than she expected at being “homeless,” wants only a new place in the world of their own making.Rashed is tangled in all of this by his sense of responsibility for his companions. Most of all, he’s determined that Teesha never feel lost again. He’ll do anything to create a home for her — anything.Ratboy continues to struggle against his longing to be free of self-restraint, to hunt and kill at will. Sometimes he succeeds against his baser instincts, and sometimes he doesn’t. Then one night, when he loses the battle, his actions threaten everything that Rashed has managed to achieve… including Teesha’s safety.About "Tales from the world of the Noble Dead Saga"...No knowledge of the Noble Dead Saga or related works is necessary to read and enjoy these stories. They are written for fantasy enthusiasts in general and not just our established readership. Readers new to this world can step into it through any of these short works.Tales are organized into “collections” where all stories therein share a theme and/or premise. When one or more link together, subsequent stories will mention “sequel to…” on their covers to guide you. Even so, each is self-contained enough to be your first adventure into this world.—Barb & J.C. Hendee **

EDITORIAL REVIEW: When Harley Nelson got on his motorcycle and drove out of Portland, Oregon, ten years ago, he left behind a bad reputation--and a baby. Audra Worthington was the reason for both. Well, the baby, anyway. The reputation he already had. It's why rich girl Audra fell for him in the first place. Now Audra's dead. His son, Brandon, is being raised by her family--good girl Lauren, the perfect daughter, and her uncompromising parents. But Harley's a self-made success down in California and he's ready to take responsibility for his son. And Harley Nelson's trouble. He's shown up at her door, saying he wants to get to know his son--ten years too late, in Lauren's opinion. Too bad he didn't stick by her sister, Audra, when he got her pregnant. (At least, that's the story Lauren's always heard.) And too bad he still looks so good in that black leather jacket...

Young Jan is stunned when his father, Cadell, the “zupan” and leader of the region’s villages, is offered the vassal lordship of the local keep. His father is about as far from nobility as anyone could be. For some reason, the nobles of the house of Äntes, the rulers of Jan’s province, have been unable to keep a vassal there for twenty years—as those appointed have fled the place in the night—and the Äntes may have grown desperate enough to throw the position at Jan’s father.The last place Jan wants to live is a decrepit, dark little fortress above a village of superstitious peasants.  But when his father accepts the position, Jan finds himself swept off to the abandoned keep above the village of Chemestúk. The situation there is darker and more serious than he, his mother, or his father bargained for. The local peasants won’t go near the keep; something terrible happened up there twenty years ago.  Soon enough, Jan and his mother begin to learn why no vassal has ever remained in that place for more than a moon. And the darkness upon the keep is greater than mere superstition. [Short Story, ~13k words]About "Tales from the world of the Noble Dead Saga"...No knowledge of the Noble Dead Saga or related works is necessary to read and enjoy these stories. They are written for fantasy enthusiasts in general and not just our established readership. Readers new to this world can step into it through any of these short works.Tales are organized into “collections” where all stories therein share a theme and/or premise. When one or more link together, subsequent stories will mention “sequel to…” on their covers to guide you. Even so, each is self-contained enough to be your first adventure into this world.—Barb & J.C. Hendee **

In the New York Times bestselling Noble Dead saga, Barb and J.C. Hendee created an engrossing mix of "intrigue, epic fantasy, and horror."* Now, they present a bold new series set in the same world, where the destinies of two hunters shaped by the shadows of their pasts are about to collide... In the dark reaches of the eastern continent, Tris Vishal travels from village to village, using his power to put unsettled spirits to rest. He works alone, having learned that letting people close only leads to more death. Still, he finds himself accepting the help of the Móndyalítko woman who saves his life—a woman whose gifts are as much a burden as his own. Mari Kaleja thirsted for vengeance since the night her family was taken from her. She has searched far and wide for the one she thinks responsible, known only as "The Dead's Man." But before she can kill him, she has to be sure. Mari hopes traveling with Tris will confirm her...

Each autumn, Jan awaits his aunt and uncle’s arrival, so that he can leave with them and enjoy a season on the open road in freedom, earning his keep with his violin. Julianna isn’t looking forward to his absence, and then Jan’s mother asks her to accompany Jan in traveling with their family of the Móndyalítko, the “world’s little children.”Julianna has never set foot outside her home village, but she is eager if a little wary to see more of the world among this strange traveling people. Jan finds a new joy in showing her that world as his buried feelings for her begin to resurface.  But when the family reaches their first stop to perform, a bizarre series of attacks suddenly plagues the townspeople.Jan’s ever-traveling family is instantly suspected. In their separate ways, Jan and Julianna throw themselves into growing danger as they strive to find the true culprit.  Julianna soon discovers the source of these horrors might too close to the suspicions of the townspeople... close enough that it may be too late to save herself or Jan. [Sequel to Captives; 19k words]About "Tales from the world of the Noble Dead Saga"...No knowledge of the Noble Dead Saga or related works is necessary to read and enjoy these stories. They are written for fantasy enthusiasts in general and not just our established readership. Readers new to this world can step into it through any of these short works.Tales are organized into “collections” where all stories therein share a theme and/or premise. When one or more link together, subsequent stories will mention “sequel to…” on their covers to guide you. Even so, each is self-contained enough to be your first adventure into this world.—Barb & J.C. Hendee **

After Bieja flees her home in the village of Chemestúk, burned to the ground in a civil war, she soon realizes she has only one place left to go. Her niece, Magiere, owns a little tavern in the port town of Miiska—which is unfortunately a long journey away on the west coast. Bieja has never traveled more than a few leagues from her hut in all of her life.Undaunted all the same, she sets off through her war-torn homeland with what she could scavenge from the blackened remains of her village. All too soon, she finds herself on unfamiliar paths and facing the risk of both deserters and conscripted soldiers who are as desperate as she is. She has always been independent, but she might not survive this journey alone... until happenstance trips her up with a most unusual guardian.The problem is, this guardian might be as dangerous as anything else Bieja will have to face.About "Tales from the world of the Noble Dead Saga"...No knowledge of the Noble Dead Saga or related works is necessary to read and enjoy these stories. They are written for fantasy enthusiasts in general and not just our established readership. Readers new to this world can step into it through any of these short works.Tales are organized into “collections” where all stories therein share a theme and/or premise. When one or more link together, subsequent stories will mention “sequel to…” on their covers to guide you. Even so, each is self-contained enough to be your first adventure into this world.—Barb & J.C. Hendee **

Ever since raiders from the north began attacking villages, Lady Nicole Montagna has known that defending her people would come at a cost. The betrothal of her sister Chloe to a neighboring lord seems the perfect solution, forging a powerful alliance. But shortly before the wedding, Nicole is shocked to discover that her sister is with child—and not by her husband-to-be. Now she must make a choice. She has just hours to decide . . . ~Should she tell her soldier brother—who will take swift, ruthless action to ensure the family's safety? ~Should she hold her tongue, let her sister deceive her husband into believing the child is his—and then hope Chloe can get away with the lie? ~Should she tell her family, hoping they will know the right thing to do? With the help of a magic mirror, Nicole lives out each path, fighting to protect herself and those she loves with the weapons she has: wits, herbs, and fortitude. But no matter her...

Alexandra envisioned sailing far from England... Nathaniel Kent's revenge involved a hostage... Nathaniel is tormented by his hunger for Alexandra. She wants no part in this voyage but the truth would unleash the desire threatening to sweep them away. Impressive...this novel has all the elements a reader craves: delicious family secrets, high seas