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Fantômas
by Marcel Allain Pierre SouvestreThe shocking debut of France’s most ruthless villainAfter dinner, the guests of the Marquise de Langrune amuse one another with tales of the chilling deeds of Fantômas, a fiendish criminal whose reach is limitless, whose thirst for mayhem can never be quenched. The next morning, young Charles Rambert leaves early to meet his father at the train station. When he returns, the chateau is in an uproar. The Marquise has been slaughtered in her bed. She was found not long after Rambert’s departure, her body soaked in blood, her neck severed all the way to the bone. Suspecting his son may be the killer, Charles’s father insists they leave immediately. But Inspector Juve sees the hand of Fantômas in the grisly deed, and in two other dastardly crimes that have Paris in an uproar: the brazen theft of Princess Sonia’s pocketbook and the murder of Lord Beltham, whose body was found stuffed in a trunk. Juve has pledged his life to apprehending the criminal mastermind and will stop at nothing to see Fantômas hang. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Old Man in the Corner
by Otto Penzler Baroness OrczyA brilliant study in the art of logical deduction by the author of The Scarlet PimpernelHe sits in the corner of the A.B.C. café, a length of string in his fingers. As the afternoon winds down, he ties and unties intricate knots—in the string and in his mind. No one in the café knows his name, but the old man in the corner is the most brilliant sleuth in London. No matter how baffling the crime, he need only glance at the newspapers to know the culprit. Skeptical of the old man’s powers of ratiocination, journalist Polly Burton tests him. An industrialist blackmailed? A body found rotting in an abandoned barge? A will forged in far-off Dublin? The man in the corner cannot be stumped. As he eagerly informs the mystified Miss Burton, “There is no such thing as a mystery in connection with any crime, provided intelligence is brought to bear upon its investigation.” This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
A Thief in the Night
by E. W. HornungThe third installment in the irresistible adventures of A. J. Raffles, the thief who gives crime a good nameFor weeks, Bunny Manders has scoured the sporting papers, looking for word of his vanished friend—the cricketer, playboy, and gentleman thief A. J. Raffles. A mysterious message lures Bunny to a darkened side street, where he finds Raffles in filthy clothes, with an unkempt beard. The amateur cracksman has been lying low in the empty townhouse of a vacationing colonel—what better place to take a Rest Cure? He invites Bunny to stay with him, but when the colonel returns unexpectedly, the public school duo is forced to contemplate a crime beyond reason: murder. Pushed to the very brink of disaster, the quick-footed Raffles recovers in style. In these classic stories, England’s most honorable thief and his loyal companion elude criminologists, cops, and ruthless professional villains, stealing whatever they want—and doing it with flair. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Fabio The World's Greatest Flamingo Detective: The Case of the Missing Hippo
by Laura James'Zany ... Even reluctant readers will have a blast' IRISH TIMES In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever.When Fabio and his giraffe associate Gilbert (terrible at disguises) drop in to the Hotel Royale for a lemonade (pink, naturally), Fabio is persuaded to judge the hotel's talent contest. But when the most promising contestant – Julia the jazz-singing hippopotamus – goes missing, Fabio must put his thinking cap back on and solve the mystery!This new mystery series from Laura James, author of Captain Pug, will have animal lovers and would-be detectives in stitches. Perfect for fans of Claude, Foxy Tales and The Pink Panther!
Trent's Last Case
by E. C. BentleyOn Wall Street, the mere mention of the name Sigsbee Manderson is enough to send a stock soaring—or bring it tumbling back to earth. Feared but not loved, Manderson has no one to mourn him when the gardener at his British country estate finds him facedown in the dirt, a bullet buried in his brain. There are bruises on his wrist and blood on his clothes, but no clue that will lead the police to the murderer. It will take an amateur to—inadvertently—show them the way. Cheerful, charming, and always eager for a mystery, portrait artist and gentleman sleuth Philip Trent leaps into the Manderson affair with all the passion of the autodidact. Simply by reading the newspapers, he discovers overlooked details of the crime. Not all of his reasoning is sound, and his romantic interests are suspect, to say the least, but Trent’s dedication to the art of detection soon uncovers what no one expected him to find: the truth. Delightfully irreverent yet ingeniously plotted, Trent’s Last Case is widely regarded as a masterwork of the mystery genre. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries
by Melville Davisson PostThe adventures of a true American original—a detective who puts equal faith in his Bible and his brains In the backwoods of West Virginia, years before the Civil War, a man arrives with gold in his purse and evil on his mind. His land too barren for farming, Doomdorf builds a still and grows rich selling high-proof moonshine to anyone with a bit of change in his pocket. As drunkenness and debauchery run rampant across the countryside, the locals turn against him. They are preparing to exact frontier justice when the bootlegger is found dead, shot through the heart in a room locked from the inside. At the scene is Uncle Abner, a folksy sleuth who uses a keen eye and steadfast beliefs to solve the mysteries of Appalachia. In this landmark story collection, Abner contends with hunchbacks and drunkards, killers and thieves. In a time and a place beyond the rule of law, justice belongs to the Lord—and Uncle Abner is His instrument. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Wisdom of Father Brown
by G. K. Chesterton Otto PenzlerCriminals beware—there is no eluding the extraordinary mind of Father BrownDr. Orion Hood is one of the eminent thinkers of his day, a psychologist whose expert opinion on human nature is sometimes sought by the police. Usually, he is called on to solve only the most spectacular crimes—a nobleman murdered, a diplomat poisoned—but today a more ordinary problem presents itself. An amiable little priest named Father Brown asks Dr. Hood to help a young couple whose families do not want them to marry. Suspicions about the would-be groom abound—dynamite is thought to be his weapon of choice—but Father Brown hopes that Dr. Hood will be able to put the accusations to rest. In the end, however, it is the humble clergyman who picks through the towering evidence of guilt to ensure that love prevails. In this masterful collection of mysteries, including “The Paradise of Thieves,” “The Mistake of the Machine,” and “The Man in the Passage,” Father Brown employs his amazing intuition, developed over years of listening to men confess their sins, to solve crimes large and small. One of the most beloved heroes in all of detective fiction, this unassuming parish priest is as dedicated to the cause of justice as he is to his faith. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins Otto PenzlerThe first and greatest sensation novel, a thrilling story of evil thwarted and love reclaimed The night before he leaves London for a temporary engagement in the North of England, drawing instructor Walter Hartright walks home on an empty, moonlit road. Suddenly a hand reaches out of the darkness and touches him on the shoulder. Terrified, he turns to find a woman, dressed all in white, who begs him for help in getting to a friend’s place in the city. By a strange coincidence, the woman knows Limmeridge House, the country estate to which Walter is traveling in the morning. Stranger still, she refuses to reveal anything else about herself, including her name. Only after he sees her safely into a cab does Walter learn the truth—the woman in white has just escaped from an insane asylum.In Limmeridge, Walter falls in love with one of his students, the beautiful and virtuous Laura Fairlie. An orphan in the care of her invalid uncle, Laura is engaged to Sir Percival Glyde, a baronet. She follows through with the marriage despite her feelings for Walter, but soon realizes her mistake. Sir Percival will stop at nothing to gain complete control of Laura’s inheritance, and his diabolical plot hinges on her astonishing resemblance to the mysterious woman in white. It is up to Walter and Marian, Laura’s devoted half-sister, to rescue fair Laura from a fate worse than death.With its shocking twists and spine-chilling suspense, The Woman in White charted a whole new course for popular fiction. Devilishly entertaining and deadly serious in its indictment of Victorian marriage laws that impoverished women, it is widely recognized as one the nineteenth century’s finest novels.This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Red House Mystery
by A. A. MilneA refreshing blend of wit and intrigue, A. A. Milne’s only mystery novel is a masterpieceMark Ablett is not really a snob—not the worst kind of snob, at least. He simply prefers artists to everyone else, and the discussion of his own creative abilities to any other talk whatsoever. His vanities are easily forgiven especially since he is generous with his money—inherited not from his clergyman father but from a neighborhood spinster who took a liking to him—and he is always willing to play the host at the Red House, his delightful country estate.One lazy summer morning, as his guests enjoy breakfast before a round of golf, Mark opens a surprising letter. His brother Robert, the black sheep of the family, gone some fifteen years now, is back from Australia and plans to call at the Red House that very afternoon. It is the first that Mark’s friends and servants have heard of a brother, but that shock is nothing compared to what happens next: After being shown into an empty office to wait for the master of the house, Robert is shot dead. Mark is nowhere to be found, not unlike the pistol that fired the fatal bullet. It is up to Tony Gillingham, man of leisure, and his young friend Bill Beverley to assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson and solve a crime so clever that Alexander Woollcott pronounced it “one of the three best mystery stories of all time.”Beloved children’s author A. A. Milne was a great fan of detective stories. His first and last attempt at the genre is an absolute delight—one of the most original and charming novels of the Golden Age of crime fiction. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Red Masquerade
by Otto Penzler Louis Joseph VanceFor the sake of a Russian princess, the Lone Wolf makes an enemy for life—and discovers a love he never expected While taking in an auction, the dashing jewel thief Michael Lanyard spies something more appealing than the artwork on the dock: the stunning Princess Sofia. There to purchase an impressionist painting, the ravishing Russian émigré becomes locked in a bidding war with her diabolical ex-husband, who drives the price up so high that no one can afford to top him—except for Lanyard. When he takes the painting home, the Lone Wolf discovers that he has spent 20,000 guineas on a forgery—and regrets it not one bit. It is his excuse to meet the princess. Sofia’s ex-husband is blackmailing her, threatening to tell the world the humiliating truth of their separation, and only Lanyard can save her. But rescuing the beautiful princess makes an enemy of her husband, who years later seeks his revenge—by targeting a woman the Lone Wolf has never met, but who holds the keys to his heart. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
by Otto Penzler Sax RohmerThe second installment in the sinister exploits of Dr. Fu-Manchu Two years after the insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu brought Britain to the brink of destruction, the reverend J. D. Eltham anxiously awaits his return. The devil doctor is presumed dead, but Eltham is an old China hand, rumored to have brought about the Boxer uprisings, and he knows that cheating death might just be the least of Fu-Manchu’s accomplishments. When the reverend disappears, Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie know that the evil genius has struck again.Once again, Smith and Petrie brave death—by torture, quicksand, and poisoned cat—to foil an outrageous plot. The reappearance of the beautiful and mysterious Karamaneh, agent of Fu-Manchu and bewitcher of Petrie’s heart, proves that love might just be the most dangerous poison of all. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
by Otto Penzler Baroness OrczyThe breathtaking debut of the one man brave enough to stand up to the Reign of TerrorThe Revolution has begun, and the streets of Paris run red with blood. Every aristocrat has been declared a traitor; the guillotine awaits them all. At the city’s West Gate, the tyrannical Sergeant Bibot toys with desperate families, allowing them to think for a moment that escape is a possibility. It is not. Every last member of the nobility—man, woman, and child—will pay the ultimate price. Only one man stands in the way of the ruthless mobs. The Scarlet Pimpernel, his name taken from the flower he leaves as a calling card, has infiltrated Paris to bring as many innocent nobles to safety across the English Channel as he can. Savior of the aristocracy, scourge of the executioner, the Pimpernel is a hero like no other. But who is he? Marguerite Blakeney, whose dandy of a British husband has been nothing but a disappointment, would love to find out. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Truth and Lies of Ella Black
by Emily BarrElla Black seems to live the life most other seventeen-year-olds would kill for . . . Until one day, telling her nothing, her parents whisk her off to Rio de Janeiro. Determined to find out why, Ella takes her chance and searches through their things.And realises her life has been a lie.Her mother and father aren't hers at all. Unable to comprehend the truth, Ella runs away, to the one place they'll never think to look - the favelas.But there she learns a terrible secret - the truth about her real parents and their past. And the truth about a mother, desperate for a daughter taken from her seventeen years ago . . .
Mr Lemoncello's Library Olympics (Mr. Lemoncello's Library #2)
by Chris GrabensteinThe second in the puzzle-tastic New York Times bestselling Mr Lemoncello series by Chris Grabenstein, award-winning author and co-author of many bestsellers with James Patterson!This time Mr Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first-ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS. But something suspicious is going on . . . books are missing from Mr Lemoncello's library. Is someone trying to censor what the kids are reading?! In between figuring out mind-boggling challenges, Kyle and the other children will have to band together to get to the bottom of this mystery.Packed with puzzles, clues, and thrilling surprises, this is the deliciously fun, action-packed sequel to Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library. Let the games begin!
Abomination (The Originals)
by Robert SwindellsA powerful, disturbing thriller reissued in The Originals series of classic teenage fiction. Martha is twelve - and very different from other kids, because of her parents. Strict members of a religious group - the Brethren - their rules dominate Martha's life. And one rule is the most important of all: she must never ever invite anyone home. If she does, their shameful secret - Abomination - could be revealed. But as Martha makes her first real friend in Scott, a new boy at school, she begins to wonder. Is she doing the right thing by helping to keep Abomination a secret? And just how far will her parents go to prevent the truth from being known?The Originals are the pioneers of fiction for young adults. From political awakening, war and unrequited love to addiction, teenage pregnancy and nuclear holocaust, The Originals confront big issues and articulate difficult truths
Libra (Vib Ser.)
by Don DeLillo'Think of two parallel lines. One is the life of Lee H. Oswald. One is the conspiracy to kill the President. What bridges the space between them? What makes a connection inevitable? There is a third line. It comes out of dreams, visions, intuitions, prayers, out of the deepest levels of the self.'A troubled adolescent endlessly riding New York's subway cars, Lee Harvey Oswald enters adulthood believing himself to be an agent of history. This makes him fair game to a pair of discontented CIA operatives convinced that a failed attempt on the life of the US president will force the nation to tackle the threat of communism head on.Libra is a gripping, masterful blend of fact and fiction, laying bare the wounded American psyche and the dark events that still torment it.'An audacious blend of fiction and fact' The Times
Maigret and the Minister: Inspector Maigret #46 (Inspector Maigret)
by Georges Simenon Ros SchwartzMaigret has no taste for politics, or politicians, but when he is summoned to a clandestine meeting by a desperate government minister one evening, he finds himself drawn into an unsavoury world of corruption, scandal and cover ups.'Once alone in his office, he went over and opened the window as if being in charge of this case made him gasp for a breath of fresh air... It made him feel almost fond of the petty thieves, maniacs, swindlers and offenders of all kinds that he usually had to deal with.'Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. 'His artistry is supreme' John Banville'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian 'A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness' Independent
Maigret's Doubts: Inspector Maigret #52 (Inspector Maigret #52)
by Georges Simenon Shaun WhitesideWhen a salesman from a Paris department store confides his secret fears to Maigret, the Inspector soon becomes caught up in a treacherous feud between husband and wife that is not as clear cut as it seems.While at this time the previous day he had never heard of the Martons, the train set specialist was beginning to haunt his thoughts, and so was the elegant young woman who, he admitted, had boldly stood up to him when he had done everything he could to unsettle her.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Has Scruples.'A unique teller of tales' Observer'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Maigret in Court: Inspector Maigret #55 (Inspector Maigret #55)
by Georges Simenon Ros SchwartzMaigret receives an anonymous phone call concerning the brutal murder of a woman and young child. The tip off concerns the woman's nephew, a mild-mannered man by the name of Gaston Meurant. At Meurant's trial Maigret is called to testify where he admits to continuing the investigation unofficially as he remains doubtful of the man's guilt. Maigret reveals that he had both Meurant and his wife followed and during the trial he exposes some shocking truths about Meurant's private life that may prove his innocence.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations.'His artistry is supreme' John Banville'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
The House: The BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick
by Simon Lelic***THE OBSERVER THRILLER OF THE MONTH******BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK***----------------------------------------The perfect couple. The perfect house. THE PERFECT CRIME.Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it. So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake.Because someone has just been murdered outside their back door. AND NOW THE POLICE ARE WATCHING THEM.This thriller will hook you and not let you go. Perfect for fans of He Said / She Said, and The Couple Next Door----------------------------------------What authors and readers are saying:'DELICIOUSLY DARK AND CLEVER WITH A SATISFYING TWIST. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED' Mark Edwards'AN INTRICATE AND POWERFUL THRILLER' Tana French'HUGELY GRIPPING AND SPOOKY AS HELL' Mark Billingham'TAUGHT, TENSE AND TERRIFYING, I LOVED IT' Sharon Bolton'O.M.G . I just devoured this gem...Perfect execution of a psychological thriller right here.' Reader review'A brilliantly tense and shocking thriller. I literally couldn't put it down!' Nuala Ellwood, author of My Sister's Bones'This terrifying thriller sent shivers through me' Jane Corry, author of My Husband's Wife'A bundle of creepy chills, perfectly timed for Halloween . . . Read it' Thriller of the Month, The Observer'[A] gripping thriller . . . brilliant characters . . . and a clever, twisty plot' The People'Deeply creepy . . . This clever, twisting plot, told in convincing voices, will haunt you in the very best way' The Sunday Mirror'An intriguing and suspenseful read' Cath Staincliffe'Brilliantly dark and gripping...Plays on the fundamental fear that the building blocks of our existence - home, relationships, family - may not be as secure as we like to think' Thomas Mogford'Clearly influenced by the great Alfred Hitchcock, this is not so much a ghost story as an homage to the master's expert touch with dread' Daily Mail'Creepy and totally gripping. A real page-turner. I loved it' Claire McGowan'Absorbing, convincing and truly frightening ' The Times'Powerful... A gripping, disturbing read' Marie Claire'One of the genre's rising stars' Metro'A writer to whom attention must be paid' Independent
Maigret's Failure: Inspector Maigret #49 (Inspector Maigret)
by Georges Simenon William HobsonWhen a self-made man appeals to Maigret for protection at his lavish home, a years-old grudge from the past resurfaces and the inspector finds himself questioning his own motives.Conflict rather than harmony probably reigned in eight out of ten of the still magnificent houses that surrounded the park. But he had rarely had the opportunity to breath such a strained atmosphere as the one between these walls. Everything seemed fake, grating, starting with the lodge of the concierge-cum-manservant, who was neither a concierge nor a manservant, despite his striped waistcoat, but a former poacher, a murderer turned guard dog.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations.'His artistry is supreme' John Banville'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Maigret Travels: Inspector Maigret #51 (Inspector Maigret #51)
by Georges Simenon Howard CurtisThe attempted suicide of a countess and the death of a billionaire in the same luxury Paris hotel send Maigret to the Riviera and then to Switzerland, as he searches for the truth amid the glittering world of the super-rich.Eyes half-closed, head tilted against the back of his seat, he seemed not to be thinking, as the plane flew over a thick carpet of bright clouds. In reality, he was making an effort to bring names and shadowy figures to life, names and figures that even this morning had been as unknown to him as the inhabitants of another planet.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret and the Millionaires.'His artistry is supreme' John Banville'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Maigret's Secret: Inspector Maigret #54 (Inspector Maigret)
by Georges Simenon David WatsonAt a dinner party, Maigret recounts an old case in which Adrien Josset is found guilty and executed for the murder of his wife, Christine. As the case develops under the controlling hand of the magistrate, all clues point to Josset's guilt yet Maigret is left unconvinced following his one interview with him. Years after the case, Maigret still doubts the true identity of the murderer.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret Has Doubts.'His artistry is supreme' John Banville'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Maigret and the Old People: Inspector Maigret #56 (Inspector Maigret #56)
by Georges Simenon Shaun WhitesideMaigret is called to the home of Armand de Saint-Hilaire, a highly respected official who has been found shot dead in his study by his housekeeper. After interviewing everyone concerned Maigret is at a loss to the identity of the perpetrator until he comes across a series of letters from the past fifty years between the victim and a recently widowed woman. As Maigret uncovers the details behind the two's relationship he gets closer to discovering the tragic truth behind the official's demise.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret in Society.'His artistry is supreme' John Banville'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories' Guardian
Mumbo Jumbo: A Novel
by Ishmael ReedIshmael Reed's inspired comic fable of the ragtime era - hailed by Harold Bloom as one of the five hundred greatest books of the Western canonAmerica, 1920s. A plague is spreading, and it's spreading fast, from New Orleans to Chicago to New York. It's an epidemic of freedom, joy and self-expression, being spread by Black artists, that makes anyone who catches it desperate to dance, sing, laugh and jive. It's the outbreak of Jazz, Ragtime and Blues onto the world scene; the spirit of Blackness overtaking America and the world. And it's threatening to dismantle the whole social order. Working to root out the plague by any means possible - even murder - are the members of The Wallflower Order, an international conspiracy dedicated to puritanism and control. But, deep in the heart of Harlem, private eye and Vodun priest Papa LaBas is determined to defend his flourishing ancient culture against their insidious plans. And so, he finds himself locked in a race against the Order to find an ancient Egyptian text which might just be the key to keeping the virus of freedom alive.Caustic, badass, comic, Mumbo Jumbo is an exuberant explosion of magic, conspiracies, music and myth. It's a novel of outrage, intrigue, and wonder - an anarchic spiritual classic, and a satire for our times.