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Crime Stories: Twenty Thriller Tales

This collection features twenty short stories from humorous thriller writer J.A. Konrath. Included are a few hardboiled tales, some noir, some parody and satire, a few straight-out comedy pieces, and a few stories that didn’t fit into Konrath’s other two collections, Horror Stories and Jack Daniels Stories.

The twenty stories include:

The Big Guys – Flash fiction, winner of the Derringer Award.

A Fistful of Cozy – A satire of the mystery cozy genre.

Cleansing – An ancient crime of biblical proportions.

Lying Eyes – Solve it yourself, given the clues.

Perfect Plan – Another solve it yourself. Don’t you remember One Minute Mysteries and Encyclopedia Brown?

Piece of Cake – Another solve it yourself, originally featured in Woman’s World.

Animal Attraction – Solve it yourself.

Urgent Reply Needed – A cautionary tale about dealing with spammers.

Blaine’s Deal – A parody of hardboiled noir.

Light Drizzle – A light-hearted send-up of hitman stories.

An Archaeologist’s Story – How digging up old bones leads to fresh corpses.

Don’t Press That Button! – An essay about the gadgets in the James Bond universe, and which you need to buy.

Piranha Pool – A writer seeking criticism pays the ultimate price.

A Newbie’s Guide to Thrillerfest – Never been to a mystery conference? Here’s the in-depth dirt.

Inspector Oxnard – He’s either brilliant, or too stupid to breathe.

One Night Only – A sports fan ends up in jail, all for the love of the game.

Could Stephanie Plum Car Really Get Car Insurance? – An essay about Janet Evanovich’s famous character.

Cozy or Hardboiled? – Take the test to find out which type of book you’re reading.

Addiction – What’s the worst drug you can get hung up on?

Weigh To Go – A humor column about health clubs.

Specially formatted for Kindle with an interactive table of contents, this ebook also includes excerpts from Whiskey Sour and Disturb by J.A. Konrath.

About the Author

JA Konrath is the author of eight novels in the Jack Daniels thriller series. They do not have to be read in chronological order to be enjoyed, but for those who want to know it is: Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, Shaken, and Stirred.

Jack also appears in the novels Shot of Tequila, Flee, Spree, Three, Timecaster Supersymmetry, Banana Hammock, and Serial Killers Uncut, as well as the short story collection Jack Daniels Stories, and the novellas Floaters and Burners.

Last Call, the ninth Jack Daniels novel, will be available in spring of 2013.

Other novels include Origin, The List, Disturb, Shot of Tequila, and Serial Killers Uncut.

Konrath writes horror under the name Jack Kilborn, including the bestsellers Afraid, Trapped, and Endurance.

He has sold over a million ebooks.

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On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

History does not repeat, but it does instruct.

In the 20th century, European democracies collapsed into fascism, Nazism and communism. These were movements in which a leader or a party claimed to give voice to the people, promised to protect them from global existential threats, and rejected reason in favour of myth. European history shows us that societies can break, democracies can fall, ethics can collapse, and ordinary people can find themselves in unimaginable circumstances. History can familiarise, and it can warn. Today we are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to totalitarianism in the 20th century. But when the political order seems imperilled, our advantage is that we can learn from their experience to resist the advance of tyranny. Now is a good time to do so.

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The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book: Uncommon Recipes from the Celebrated Brooklyn Pie Shop

From the proprietors of the renowned Brooklyn shop and cafe comes the ultimate pie-baking book for a new generation of bakers.

Melissa and Emily Elsen, the twenty-something sisters who are proprietors of the wildly popular Brooklyn pie shop and cafe Four & Twenty Blackbirds, have put together a pie-baking book that’s anything but humble. This stunning collection features more than 60 delectable pie recipes organized by season, with unique and mouthwatering creations such as Salted Caramel Apple, Green Chili Chocolate, Black Currant Lemon Chiffon, and Salty Honey. There is also a detailed and informative techniques section. Lavishly designed, FOUR & TWENTY BLACKBIRDS PIE BOOK contains 90 full-color photographs by Gentl & Hyers, two of the most sought-after food photographers working today.

With its new and creative recipes, this may not be you mother’s cookbook, but it’s sure to be one that every baker from novice to pro will turn to again and again.

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kate spade new york: things we love: twenty years of inspiration, intriguing bits and other curiosities

within the four walls of kate spade new york, personal style is applauded and cultural curiosity is encouraged. long before the days of pinboards and social sharing, the brand’s in-house creative team began amassing a collection of things we love on their website: a crayon ring, a cocktail doodle, a particularly dreamy photograph.

people began visiting and chiming in with suggestions. now, the things we love have come to life in celebration of the brand’s 20th anniversary. each of the book’s 20 chapters is filled with things we love—from the color red to a well-placed bow to a sense of humor and handwritten notes. part visual diary, part inspirational reference and sprinkled throughout with playful tips and practical advice, things we love is a beautiful compilation that visually represents the spirit of kate spade new york—a place where the colors are bold, smart design is key and fashion is fun.

Praise for kate spade new york: things we love:

“the brand has a vibrant new tome to celebrate.”– Harper’s Bazaar.com