ONE WRONG MOVE Private detective Claire Morgan has come home from her honeymoon just in time for Christmas at Lake of the Ozarks. And for the sheriff's department, laid low with flu, to hand her a case guaranteed to chill her to the bone. ONE CHANCE TO DIE One of the homes in the local Christmas On the Lake House tour—the mansion of an aging rock star trying to turn his life around—has been "decorated" with the body of a young woman, arranged as a bloody angel on the balcony above his Christmas tree. There's a piece from a board game, gift wrapped and left under the tree, a hint that connects this murder to other deaths. With evidence of a gruesome pattern appearing, Claire suspects she's on the hunt for a serial killer. IN A GAME WITH NO RULES But the closer she comes, the more certain she is that the killer is playing his game with her, just waiting his turn. The next move might be on Claire herself—or worse, the people she loves . . . Praise for Linda Ladd’s Claire Morgan Thrillers “One of the most creepy, crawly, and compelling psychological thrillers ever.” —Fresh Fiction “Chilling, compelling suspense . . . be prepared to lose sleep!” —Eileen Dryer “Exciting, thrill-a-minute!” —Midwest Book Review “Plenty of suspense and surprises.” —Publishers Weekly

Contributors from a range of disciplines explore boundary-crossing in videogames, examining both transgressive game content and transgressive player actions. Video gameplay can include transgressive play practices in which players act in ways meant to annoy, punish, or harass other players. Videogames themselves can include transgressive or upsetting content, including excessive violence. Such boundary-crossing in videogames belies the general idea that play and games are fun and non-serious, with little consequence outside the world of the game. In this book, contributors from a range of disciplines explore transgression in video games, examining both game content and player actions. The contributors consider the concept of transgression in games and play, drawing on discourses in sociology, philosophy, media studies, and game studies; offer case studies of transgressive play, considering, among other things, how gameplay practices can be at once playful and violations of social etiquette; investigate players' emotional responses to game content and play practices; examine the aesthetics of transgression, focusing on the ways that game design can be used for transgressive purposes; and discuss transgressive gameplay in a societal context. By emphasizing actual player experience, the book offers a contextual understanding of content and practices usually framed as simply problematic. Contributors Fraser Allison, Kristian A. Bjørkelo, Kelly Boudreau, Marcus Carter, Mia Consalvo, Rhys Jones, Kristine Jørgensen, Faltin Karlsen, Tomasz Z. Majkowski, Alan Meades, Torill Elvira Mortensen, Víctor Navarro-Remesal, Holger Pötzsch, John R. Sageng, Tanja Sihvonen, Jaakko Stenros, Ragnhild Tronstad, Hanna Wirman

What roles do imaginary games have in story-telling? Why do fiction authors outline the rules of a game that the audience will never play? Combining perspectives from philosophy, literary theory and game studies, this book provides the first in-depth investigation into the significance of fictional games within fictional worlds. Drawing from contemporary cinema and literature, from The Hunger Games to the science fiction of Iain M. Banks, Stefano Gualeni and Riccardo Fassone introduce five key functions that different types of imaginary games have in worldbuilding. First, fictional games can emphasize the dominant values and ideologies of the fictional society they belong to. Second, some imaginary games function in fictional worlds as critical, utopian tools, inspiring shifts in the thinking and political orientation of the fictional characters. Third, a few fictional games are conducive to the transcendence of a particular form of being, such as the overcoming of human corporeality. Fourth, imaginary games within works of fiction can deceptively blur the boundaries between the contingency of play and the irrevocable seriousness of “real life”, either camouflaging life as a game or disguising a game as something with more permanent consequences. And fifth, they can function as meta-reflexive tools, suggesting critical and/or satirical perspectives on how actual games are designed, played, sold, manipulated, experienced, understood and utilized as part of our culture. With illustrations in every chapter bringing the imaginary games to life, Gualeni and Fassone creatively inspire us to consider fictional games anew: not as moments of playful reprieve in a storyline, but as significant and multi-layered expressive devices.

Arizona's favorite superhero, 13-year old Cat-Boy, finds himself in the unusual position of having to fight the dangerous Queen Jonester, the video-game character that escaped from his beloved Game-Cat. All of Team Cat must do battle with her digital army, which is seemingly indestructible. Will Cat-Boy be able to defeat the evil Queen Jonester before it's too late? And just whose side is Cat-Boy really on? A very delightful tale, set in Arizona, Michael Morgan has created believable, lovable characters, such as Janetic, Professor Nutt, Leopard Girl, Magma Man, and Wiggles. It is worth noting that one of the most important characters, 'General Joe', was based on America's most popular lawman, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Indeed, Sheriff Arpaio has been quoted as saying, "It is my delight that Michael Morgan based the character General Joe on me, and I am very impressed by his writing talent and publishing ambitions. Keep up the good work!" Cat-Boy vs. The Fatal Game Glitch is fast paced and action packed from the first page to the last. Cat-Boy and company are sure to take their place among the classics in American literature.

A PI’s honeymoon is interrupted when her husband’s taken hostage by the mafia in this suspense thriller by the author of Devil Dead. A Vengeful Plot His wife is dead, and he knows exactly who’s to blame. Nothing will bring her back, but exacting justice is the next best thing—at least for a grieving mafioso . . . A Vanquished Love Claire Morgan’s life is finally coming together. The newly minted private investigator is about to marry the man of her dreams, psychiatrist Nicholas Black, and embark on an Italian honeymoon. But dreams have a funny way of vanishing into thin air . . . A Valiant Pursuit Claire assumed Black was dead when his plane exploded in Europe, but a disturbing call reveals he’s being held captive by a sworn enemy. Now, the would-be bride and a covert coterie must find and free him—before death’s black veil ensnares them all . . . Praise for Linda Ladd’s Claire Morgan Thrillers “One of the most creepy, crawly, and compelling psychological thrillers ever.” —Fresh Fiction “Chilling, compelling suspense . . . Be prepared to lose sleep!” —Eileen Dryer “Exciting, thrill-a-minute!” —Midwest Book Review “Plenty of suspense and surprises.” —Publishers Weekly

BLEEDING SKULL! A 1980s Trash-Horror Odyssey is the definitive resource on 1980s trash-horror cinema. BLEEDING SKULL! features 300 in-depth reviews of movies that have escaped the radar of people with taste and the tolerance of critics. Black Devil Doll From Hell, A Night To Dismember, Heavy Metal Massacre, The Last Slumber Party — this book gets deep into gutter-level, no-budget horror, from shot-on-video (SOV) revelations (Doctor Bloodbath) to forgotten theatrical casualties (Frozen Scream). Clown midget slashers! The Indonesian Jason! A pregnant woman in a bikini who eats fried chicken before getting her fetus ripped out by a psychopath! It’s all here. And it’s all curated by the enthusiastic minds behind Bleedingskull.com, the world’s foremost authority on trash-horror obscurities. Jam-packed with rare photographs, advertisements, and VHS sleeves (most of which have never been seen), BLEEDING SKULL! is an edifying, laugh-out-loud guide through the dusty inventory of the greatest video store that never existed.

Now a Netflix movie directed by Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush) and starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood. Master storyteller Stephen King presents this classic, terrifying #1 New York Times bestseller. When a game of seduction between a husband and wife ends in death, the nightmare has only begun… “And now the voice which spoke belonged to no one but herself. Oh my God, it said. Oh my God, I am all alone out here. I am all alone.” Once again, Jessie Burlingame has been talked into submitting to her husband Gerald’s kinky sex games—something that she’s frankly had enough of, and they never held much charm for her to begin with. So much for a “romantic getaway” at their secluded summer home. After Jessie is handcuffed to the bedposts—and Gerald crosses a line with his wife—the day ends with deadly consequences. Now Jessie is utterly trapped in an isolated lakeside house that has become her prison—and comes face-to-face with her deepest, darkest fears and memories. Her only company is that of the various voices filling her mind…as well as the shadows of nightfall that may conceal an imagined or very real threat right there with her…

[The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Alternative, Paranormal, Werewolves, Romantic Suspense, MM, HEA] Oscar and Nick Friatt busted their butts to form their own construction company. Oscar is proud of their accomplishments until he receives an email with an attachment. Their company has more money than they should, and the paperwork isn’t adding up. When several attempts are made on Oscar’s life, his cousin, Nick, hires Driscoll Security to keep Oscar safe. But little did Oscar know that his life was about to change when Graham Madden steps into his home. Graham was jealous that one of his team members has gotten the assignment for Greece. Graham could use the vacation in an exotic location, but when he meets the man he’s assigned to protect, he’s glad he wasn’t sent to another country. Oscar is a bit quirky, but the most gorgeous man Graham has ever laid eyes on. He’s also Graham’s mate and Oscar’s in deep trouble when they learn a local crime boss is behind everything and is hell-bent on killing Oscar to keep him quiet. Lynn Hagen is a Siren-exclusive author.