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The Absence of Guilt (A. Scott Fenney)
by Mark GimenezMark Gimenez, author the massive international bestseller The Colour of Law, is back, as superstar lawyer Scott A. Fenney takes the stand for an impossible case. An ISIS attack on America is narrowly averted when the FBI uncovers a plot to detonate a weapon of mass destruction in Dallas, Texas during the Super Bowl.A federal grand jury indicts twenty-four co-conspirators, including Omar al Mustafa, a notorious and charismatic Muslim cleric known for his incendiary anti-American diatribes on YouTube and Fox News. His arrest is greeted with cheers around the world and relief at home. The President goes on national television and proclaims: 'We won!'There is only one problem: there is no evidence against Mustafa. That problem falls to the presiding judge, newly appointed U.S. District Judge A. Scott Fenney.If Mustafa is innocent, Scott must set the most dangerous man in Dallas free, with no idea who is really guilty.And with just three weeks before the attack is due . . .
An Absence Of Motive: An Absence Of Motive (a Raising The Bar Brief) / Rescued By The Colton Cowboy (the Coltons Of Grave Gulch) (A Raising the Bar Brief #1)
by Maggie WellsHe was an outsider…and the only man she could trust
The Absence of Sparrows: A Novel
by Kurt KirchmeierStranger Things meets The Stand in this haunting coming-of-age novel about a plague that brings the world to a halt -- and the boy who believes that his town's missing sparrows can save his family.In the small town of Griever's Mill, eleven-year-old Ben Cameron is expecting to finish off his summer of relaxing and bird-watching without a hitch. But everything goes wrong when dark clouds roll in.Old Man Crandall is the first to change -- human one minute and a glass statue the next. Soon it's happening across the world. Dark clouds fill the sky and, at random, people are turned into frozen versions of themselves. There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no one knows how to stop it.With his mom on the verge of a breakdown, and his brother intent on following the dubious plans put forth by a nameless voice on the radio, Ben must hold out hope that his town's missing sparrows will return with everyone's souls before the glass plague takes them away forever. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545}
Absent Friends: A Nell Bray Mystery (A\nell Bray Mystery Ser.)
by Gillian LinscottThe First World War is over, despite victory England is struggling to come to terms with its aftermath and society can never be the same again. Another battle that has been won is by the suffragettes - women not only have the vote they can also stand for Parliament. Nell Bray, flushed with the success of their campaign, is now searching for someone or some party to support her stand for election. Out of the blue she is approached by the widow of a recently deceased Conservative M.P whose husband had been killed by a firework, however the widow is convinced he was murdered by a political opponent. When she offers to cover Nell's election expenses in exchange for her investigating his death, Nell is at first wary of taking the woman's money for a political end, but when she looks more closely at the circumstances of the ex-M.P's death she agrees. In between the hustings and pamphlet printing, Nell discovers more likely suspects than the man's erstwhile political foe, including someone who is trying to undermine her own campaign. As the votes are counted she unmasks the real killer in a most satisfactory denouement to a delightfully serpentine whodunnit.
Absent in the Spring
by Agatha Christie Mary WestmacottA striking novel of truth and soul-searching.
Absent Light
by Eve IsherwoodHelen Powers was once a scene of crimes officer for the West Midlands Police. It’s four years since the case, involving the death of a young teenage girl, shattered her career. In an attempt to rebuild her life, she now works as a portrait photographer.But the past is not so easily left behind…After a series of inexplicable and vicious attacks on her, Helen fears that someone is out to take revenge. For Helen, however, it's only the start of something more personal and sinister.Desperate to confront her demons and redeem herself in the face of a formidable adversary, Helen swiftly finds that neither time nor the elements are on her side...
Absolute Fear: New Orleans series, book 4 (New Orleans thrillers #4)
by Lisa JacksonYOU CAN'T OUTRUN THE PAST ...A spine-tingling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson. A must-read for fans of Nora Roberts and Karen Rose.Eve Renner has struggled to remember the night of her brush with death. She remembers the anxious phone call, the friend lying in a pool of blood and her lover Cole Dennis's face and then the gunshot plunged her into darkness. When she comes to New Orleans her memories start to return and each one is luring her back to the ruins of Our Lady of Virtues Hospital. But someone is waiting to strike. Someone is deadlier than she could ever have imagined and closer than she knows ...
Absolute Friends (Penguin Modern Classics)
by John Le Carré'One of his most enthralling creations' Daily TelegraphBroke and working as a tour guide in Germany, rootless Englishman Ted Mundy catches a glimpse of an old friend hiding in the shadows. A friend he thought was lost to him. A friend who took him from radical 1960s Berlin to life as a double agent. Now, decades later, the Cold War is over and the war on terror has begun. Sasha has another mission for them both, but this time it is impossible to tell the difference between allies - and enemies. Set in a world of lies and shifting allegiances, Absolute Friends is a savage fable of our times.'Thoroughly gripping' Sunday Times
Absolute Midnight: Absolute Midnight (Books of Abarat #3)
by Clive BarkerA dazzling fantasy adventure for all ages, the third part of a quartet appearing at two yearly intervals, richly illustrated by the author.
Absolute Power: The very first iconic thriller from the number one bestseller
by David BaldacciThe first ever pulse pounding novel from the number one bestselling author, David Baldacci.**********Set at the heart of political power in Washington DC, Absolute Power was the book which launched David Baldacci's career as a worldwide bestseller of thrilling fiction. The movie, starring Clint Eastwood, was a major box office success across the world.In a heavily guarded mansion in the Virginian countryside, professional burglar and break-in artist, Luther Whitney, is trapped behind a one-way mirror. What he witnesses destroys his faith not only in justice, but all he holds dear.What follows is an unthinkable abuse of power and a criminal conspiracy, as a breathtaking cover-up is set in motion by those appointed to work for one of the most important people in the world – the President of the United States.**********KILLER TWISTS. HEROES TO BELIEVE IN. TRUST BALDACCI.'Baldacci is the master' Jeffrey Archer‘One of the world’s thriller masters’ Daily Mail‘Baldacci is still peerless’ Sunday Times‘One of the all-time best thriller authors’ Lisa Gardner‘Baldacci delivers, every time!’ Lisa Scottoline‘A master storyteller.’ Associated Press‘Baldacci cuts everyone’s grass – Grisham’s, Ludlum’s, even Patricia Cornwell’s – and more than gets away with it’ People
Absolute Proof: The Richard and Judy Book Club Summer Blockbuster of 2019
by Peter James'Sensational – the best what-if thriller since The Da Vinci Code' Lee ChildFrom the number one bestselling author, Peter James, comes an explosive standalone thriller for fans of Dan Brown that will grip you and won't let go until the very last page.Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn’t answer the phone call that would change his life – and possibly the world – for ever.‘I’d just like to assure you I’m not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I’ve recently been given absolute proof of God’s existence – and I’ve been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously.’ What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences? This question and its answer lie at the heart of Absolute Proof, an international thriller from bestselling author Peter James. The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world’s major religions are all under threat. If Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence . . .
Absolute Trust (True Heroes #3)
by Piper J. DrakeLove is the greatest risk of all...After multiple tours of duty, Brandon Forte returns to his hometown on a personal mission: to open a facility for military service dogs like Haydn, a German shepherd who's seen his share of combat and loss. It also brings him back to Sophie Kim, a beacon of light in his life . . . and the one woman he can't have. But Forte's success means he's made enemies in high places. Enemies who are now after Sophie . . . When Forte enlisted and left without saying goodbye, Sophie did her best to move on. But with her first love back in town, looking sexier than ever, she's constantly reminded of what they could have had. Then after he risks himself for her, Sophie realizes she'll have to put her life in the hands of the man who broke her heart, knowing the danger -and the sparks between them- could consume them both.
Absolute Zero: BookShots
by James PattersonJames Patterson’s BookShots. Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment.Fear the man who has nothing left to lose…Cody Thurston is working his usual shift at the rough East London pub he calls home. When a group of out-of-towners walk in looking for trouble, Thurston sends them on their way using some not-so-gentle persuasion.As a former special forces operative in the Australian military, Thurston can handle trouble. But these men are more dangerous than he realises, and the actions they take will leave Thurston homeless, alone and seeking revenge.
Absolution (Claymore Straker #4)
by Paul E. HardistyIt’s 1997, and eight months since vigilante justice-seeker Claymore Straker fled South Africa after his explosive testimony to Desmond Tutu’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.In Paris, Rania LaTour, Claymore’s former lover, comes home to find that her son and her husband, a celebrated human rights lawyer, have disappeared.On an isolated island off the coast of East Africa, the family that Clay has befriended is murdered as he watches.So begins the fourth instalment in the Claymore Straker series, a breakneck journey through the darkest reaches of the human soul, as Clay and Rain fight to uncover the mystery behind the disappearances and murders, and find those responsible.Relentlessly pursued by those who want them dead, they must work together to uncover the truth, and to find a way to survive in a world gone mad.At times brutal, often lyrical, but always gripping, Absolution is a thriller that will leave you breathless and questioning the very basis of how we live and why we love.‘A trenchant and engaging thriller that unravels this mysterious land in cool, precise sentences’ Stav Sherez, Catholic Herald‘This is a remarkably well-written, sophisticated novel in which the people and places, as well as frequent scenes of violent action, all come alive on the page...’ Literary Review‘Gripping and exciting … the quality of Hardisty’s writing and the underlying truth of his plots sets this above many other thrillers’ West Australian‘Searing … at times achieves the level of genuine poetry’ Publishers Weekly‘A stormer of a thriller - vividly written, utterly tropical, totally gripping’ Peter James‘Beautifully written, blisteringly authentic, heart-stoppingly tense and unusually moving’ Paul Johnston‘The plot burns through petrol, with multiple twists and turns’ Vicky Newham‘A solid, meaty thriller – Hardisty is a fine writer and Straker is a great lead character’ Lee Child‘A fast-paced action thriller, beautifully written’ Tim Marshall, author of Prisoners of Geography
Absolution: An Anderson and Costello Thriller (Anderson and Costello #1)
by Caro RamsayCaro Ramsay's Absolution is the first in her much-loved Anderson and Costello series.The Crucifixion Killer is stalking Glasgow ... leaving victims' mutilated bodies in a Christ-like pose. DCI Alan McAlpine - a renowned and successful police officer - is drafted in to lead the hunt, supported by local officers DI Anderson and DS Costello.But the past holds horrific memories for McAlpine. He last worked this beat some twenty years earlier, when he was assigned to guard a woman - nameless and faceless after a sadistic acid attack - at a Glasgow hospital. An obsession was born at that hospital room that has never quite left McAlpine . . . and now it seems to be resurfacing. For a reason.As the chase to halt the gruesome murders intensifies, so Anderson and Costello find chilling cause for concern uncomfortably close to home . . .Reissued with a stunning new package, Caro Ramsay's Anderson & Costello thrillers have been widely recognised as one of the most significant new series in the genre in recent years and Ramsay's utterly unique investigators are ready to become the nation's favourite Scottish cop duo. Absolution is the amazing opening to this stunning series. Subsequent titles include Dark Water and Singing to the Dead. Fans of Ian Rankin and Val McDermid will love this series.Praise for Caro Ramsay:'Brilliant in twisting the tension tauter with each page' Guardian'Ramsay handles her characters with aplomb, the dialogue crackles and the search for the killer has surprising twists and turns' Observer'Many shivers in store for readers, followed by a shattering climax' The TimesCaro Ramsay was born in Glasgow and now lives in a village on the west coast of Scotland. Absolution is her first novel, which was shortlisted for the CWA's New Blood Dagger for best debut of the year. This success was followed by two further DI Anderson and DS Costello novels, Singing to the Dead and Dark Water. The fourth book in the same series, The Blood of Crows, is also released this summer.
Absolution: A Novel Of Suspense (Anderson and Costello thrillers #1)
by Caro Ramsay'Glasgow comes alive in Ramsay's dark, vivid and daring thriller' VAL McDERMID ‘A cracker of a debut . . . Many shivers in store for readers followed by a shattering climax’ Times The Crucifixion Killer is stalking Glasgow, leaving victims’ mutilated bodies in a Christ-like pose. DCI Alan McAlpine is drafted in to lead the hunt, supported by local officers DI Anderson and DS Costello. But the past holds horrific memories for McAlpine. He last worked this beat some twenty years earlier, when he was assigned to guard a woman – faceless after a sadistic acid attack – at a Glasgow hospital. An obsession was born at that hospital room that has never quite left McAlpine and now it seems to be resurfacing. As the chase to halt the gruesome murders intensifies, so Anderson and Costello find chilling cause for concern uncomfortably close to home . . .
The Absolution: Children's House Book 3 (Freyja and Huldar #3)
by Yrsa SigurdardottirThe new novel from the internationally bestselling, prizewinning, queen of Icelandic crime. All he wants is for them to say sorry. The police find out about the crime the way everyone does: on Snapchat. The video shows the terrified victim begging for forgiveness. When her body is found, it is marked with a number 2...Detective Huldar joins the investigation, bringing child psychologist Freyja on board to help question the murdered teenager's friends. Soon, they uncover that Stella was far from the angel people claim - but even so, who could have hated her enough to kill? Then another teenager goes missing, and more clips are sent. Freyja and Huldar can agree on two things at least: the truth is far from simple. And the killer is not done yet.A brilliantly suspenseful story about the dark side of social media, The Absolution will make you wonder what you should have said sorry for...Praise for Yrsa Sigurdardottir 'Iceland's outstanding crime novelist' Daily Express 'A magnificent writer' Karin Slaughter'The undisputed queen of Icelandic Noir' Simon Kernick 'Believe all the hype - this is crime at its best.' Heat
Absolution by Murder: The first twisty tale in a gripping Celtic mystery series (Sister Fidelma #Bk. 1)
by Peter TremayneABSOLUTION BY MURDER is the brilliant and evocative first novel in Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series, bringing 7th-century Ireland vividly to life.PRAISE FOR ABSOLUTION BY MURDER: 'In the simultaneously sharp-tongued and full womanly figure of Sister Fidelma, Tremayne has created a heroine whom many readers will willingly follow. Even Brother Cadfael might have tolerated her' Kirkus Reviews As the leading churchmen and women gather at the Synod of Whitby in 664AD to debate the rival merits of the Celtic and Roman Churches, tempers begin to fray. Conspirators plot an assassination, while mysterious, violent death stalks the shadowy cloisters of the Abbey of St Hilda. When the Abbess Etain, a leading speaker for the Celtic Church, is found murdered suspicion inevitably rests on the Roman faction.Attending the Synod is Fidelma, of the community of St Brigid of Kildare. As an advocate of the Brehon Court, she is called on to investigate the murder with Brother Eadulf, of the Roman faction. However, the two are so unlike that their partnership is described as that of a wolf and a fox - but which is which?More gruesome deaths follow and the friction among the clerics could end in civil war. Can the solution to the mysteries avert such a conflict?What readers are saying about ABSOLUTION OF MURDER:'Superb storytelling from a usually neglected era. Read this and you will certainly want to read the rest of this excellent series''I was transported back in time; Peter Tremayne brought the location and characters to life''The story moves forward with Fidelma weaving her way through to the end with skill and intelligence. Well worth reading'
Abstraction in Post-War British Literature 1945-1980 (Oxford English Monographs)
by Natalie FerrisIn a catalogue note for the 1965 exhibition 'Between Poetry and Painting' at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the poet Edwin Morgan probed the relationship between abstraction and literature: 'Abstract painting can often satisfy, but "abstract poetry" can only exist in inverted commas'. Language may be fragmented, rearranged, or distorted, abstract in so far as it is withdrawn from a particular system of knowledge, but Morgan was of the mind that to be wholly 'disruptive' was to deprive a poem of its 'point' as an 'object of contemplation'. Whilst abstract art may have come to fulfil or or fortify an impression of post-war taste, abstraction in literature continued to be treated with suspicion. But how does this speak to the extent to which Britain's literary culture was responsive to progress compared to its artistic culture? Abstraction in Post-War British Literature 1945-1980 traces a line of literary experimentation in post-war British literature that was prompted by the aesthetic, philosophical and theoretical demands of abstraction. Spanning the period 1945 to 1980, it observes the ways in which certain aesthetic advancements initiated new forms of literary expression to posit a new genealogy of interdisciplinary practice in Britain. At a time in which Britain became conscious of its evolving identity within an increasingly globalised context, this study accounts for the range of Continental and Transatlantic influences in order to more accurately locate the networks at play. Exploring the contributions made by individuals, such as Herbert Read, Ian Hamilton Finlay and Christine Brooke- Rose, as well as by groups of practitioners. It brings a wide range of previously unexplored archival material into the public domain and offers a comprehensive account of the evolving status of abstraction across cultural, institutional, and literary contexts.
Abstraction in Post-War British Literature 1945-1980 (Oxford English Monographs)
by Natalie FerrisIn a catalogue note for the 1965 exhibition 'Between Poetry and Painting' at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the poet Edwin Morgan probed the relationship between abstraction and literature: 'Abstract painting can often satisfy, but "abstract poetry" can only exist in inverted commas'. Language may be fragmented, rearranged, or distorted, abstract in so far as it is withdrawn from a particular system of knowledge, but Morgan was of the mind that to be wholly 'disruptive' was to deprive a poem of its 'point' as an 'object of contemplation'. Whilst abstract art may have come to fulfil or or fortify an impression of post-war taste, abstraction in literature continued to be treated with suspicion. But how does this speak to the extent to which Britain's literary culture was responsive to progress compared to its artistic culture? Abstraction in Post-War British Literature 1945-1980 traces a line of literary experimentation in post-war British literature that was prompted by the aesthetic, philosophical and theoretical demands of abstraction. Spanning the period 1945 to 1980, it observes the ways in which certain aesthetic advancements initiated new forms of literary expression to posit a new genealogy of interdisciplinary practice in Britain. At a time in which Britain became conscious of its evolving identity within an increasingly globalised context, this study accounts for the range of Continental and Transatlantic influences in order to more accurately locate the networks at play. Exploring the contributions made by individuals, such as Herbert Read, Ian Hamilton Finlay and Christine Brooke- Rose, as well as by groups of practitioners. It brings a wide range of previously unexplored archival material into the public domain and offers a comprehensive account of the evolving status of abstraction across cultural, institutional, and literary contexts.
The Academy of Secrets: A Novella
by S. J. ParrisA novella following Giordano Bruno as a young, rebellious monk in Naples. Naples, 1568 A rebellious young monk… Novice monk Giordano Bruno struggles to follow the strict rules of religious life. He has questions – about God, life, the universe – which could prove deadly… especially at a time when the Inquisition is gaining power and influence. A secret society… One night, Bruno’s mentor invites him to a hidden location outside the city where a group of like-minded men meet to discuss forbidden subjects – a secret society. Bruno is captivated – even more so when he meets Fiammetta della Porta, the niece of the society’s wealthy leader, who initiates him into the ways of love. An enemy who could destroy everything… But Bruno has enemies, and he has been followed to his assignations. Not only is the heretical society at risk of exposure, but Bruno and his new lover are in grave danger. Keeping his secrets has become a matter of life or death…
The Acapulco: The breathtaking serial-killer thriller kicking off an addictive series (Chastity Riley #0)
by Simone BuchholzHamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley becomes involved in the horrifying, perplexing search for a violent serial killer targeting dancers from a club … the first book in an award-winning, wildly original, addictive series…‘Such a revelation’ Laura Lippman‘Gruesome and assured, Buchholz’s work remains as persuasive as ever’ Barry Forshaw, Financial Times‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet**WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger**–––––––––––––––––––––––––––A serial killer is on the loose in Hamburg, targeting dancers from The Acapulco, a club in the city’s red-light district, taking their scalps as gruesome trophies and replacing them with plastic wigs.Chastity Riley is the state prosecutor responsible for crimes in the district, and she’s working alongside the police as they investigate. Can she get inside the mind of the killer?Her strength is thinking like a criminal; her weaknesses are pubs, bars and destructive relationships, but as Chastity searches for love and a flamboyant killer – battling her demons and the dark, foggy Hamburg weather – she hits dead end after dead end.As panic sets in and the death toll rises, it becomes increasingly clear that it may already be too late. For everyone…–––––––––––––––––––––––––––‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver‘The coolest character in crime fiction … Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Doug Johnstone, Big Issue‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ New Zealand Listener‘Dark, atmospheric, and complex, with often surprisingly emotional … a classy piece of fiction from an author who never disappoints’ Jen Med’s Book ReviewsPraise for the Chastity Riley series:'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews’Lyrical and pithy' Sunday Times'Fierce enough to stab the heart' Spectator'A real blast of adrenaline' Big Issue'Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space' Financial Times'A stylish, whip-smart thriller' Russel McLean
Acceleration
by Graham McnameeIt's a hot summer and in the depths of the Toronto Transit Authority's lost and found, 17-year-old Duncan is cataloguing misplaced belongings. And between Jacob, the cranky old man who runs the place, and the endless dusty boxes overflowing with stuff no one will ever claim, Duncan has just about had enough. Then he finds a little leather book filled with the dark and dirty secrets of a twisted mind, a serial killer stalking his prey in the subway. And Duncan can't stop reading. What would you do with a book like that? How far would you go to catch a madman? A chilling, thrilling read for fans of mysteries and suspense - highlighted during World Book Night 2014.
Acceptable Loss: A gripping Victorian mystery of blackmail, vice and corruption (William Monk Mystery #17)
by Anne PerryAs a past case returns to haunt Monk, can he find justice for the innocent? Inspector William Monk once again faces a dangerous foe in Acceptable Loss, the seventeenth novel in Anne Perry's acclaimed series. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Ann Granger.'[An Anne Perry novel can] take us away to the far reaches of our imaginations, to a place and a time about which we can only dream... We see the gaslight, we feel the fog, and in Perry's latest, Acceptable Loss, we experience the horror of murder, blackmail and sordid crime, as well as the shining victory of heroic sacrifice and personal courage' - Asbury Park Press In 1864, Monk and his wife Hester are doing their best to care for Scuff, a homeless boy recovering from a terrifying ordeal at the hands of Jericho Phillips, the runner of a child prostitution ring. Although Scuff's evil abductor is dead, there is no suggestion that the ring has been broken and Scuff is certain that more children are suffering an even worse fate.Monk is determined to find the remaining children and uncover the men funding the operation. And when the body of small-time crook Mickey Parfitt washes up on Mortlake's shore, it fortuitously points him in the right direction. But as Monk's investigation continues, the reputations of respected gentlemen start being called into question and his task becomes fraught with unforeseen dangers. In an illicit world of blackmail, vice and corruption, Monk must follow the trail - and his conscience - wherever it leads, no matter how disturbing the truth may be. What readers are saying about Acceptable Loss: 'There is no one who better captures the Victorian period. From the homes of the wealthy, to the lowest, meanest parts of London, [Anne Perry] creates a fully-realised world''A riveting mystery wrapped up in the dark and seedy side of Victorian London''Anne Perry is the best Victorian crime [writer] I have ever read'
Acceptable Risk (A\medical Thriller Ser.)
by Robin CookFrom the roots of an ancient witchcraft ... a new terror to destroy. With billions of dollars at stake, every scientist in America is fighting to discover the next Prozac, the latest 'feel good' drug. Edward Armstrong believes he has hit the jackpot. He has isolated a stunningly effective anti-depressant from a bacterial mould first uncovered over two hundred years ago. But there is more to the drug than anyone could have imagined. When Edward turns violent and the corpses of mutilated animals appear near the laboratory, his girlfriend decides to investigate the truth about this new 'miracle' drug. Before it claims any more innocent lives...From the best-selling doctor whose high-voltage thrillers regularly quicken readers' pulses comes a harrowing tale of greed, abandoned ethics, and ambition run awry in the newest area of medical intervention: cosmetic psychopharmacology. Prozac-like drugs are being prescribed not only for their original purposes but increasingly to alter individual personalities to currently valued norms. With dead-on accuracy and the pre-science of tomorrow's headlines, Robin Cook explores the perilous intersection where fame and unfathomable lucre waylay and seduce the very best and brightest of those sworn to do no harm. When neuroscientist Edward Armstrong begins dating Kimberly Stewart, a descendant of a woman who was hanged as a witch at the time of the Salem witch trials, he takes advantage of the opportunity to delve into a pet theory: that the "devil" in Salem in 1692 had been a hallucinogenic drug inadvertently consumed with mould-tainted grain. In an attempt to prove his theory, Edward grows the mould he believes responsible from samples taken from the Stewart estate. In a brilliant designer-drug transformation, the poison becomes Ultra, the next generation of antidepressants with truly startling therapeutic capabilities. Acceptable Risk is a story of quest: a researcher's quest for the ultimate drug and a woman's quest for self-understanding. Unbeknownst to either person, the two seemingly separate quests collide with devastating consequences. Once again, the writer who invented high-tech horror has created a tantalizing medical thriller enriched by the disturbing ring of truth.