His life is in her hands. Seth Wellington needs protection, but he never expects for that protection to arrive in the ever-so-sexy form of Harley Adaire. Their initial meeting is electric, and each time that he is around the deceptively delicate Wilde agent, his attraction to her grows. But this isn’t the time for Seth to be falling for someone. The world thinks he’s a master criminal. Just because his father maybe, sorta, okay, yes, was a master criminal. Now the FBI wants Seth to take over his father’s organization. The Feds want him to work undercover and bring down some very, very bad people. The problem is that those bad people want to destroy him. So in strolls Harley. A woman with a thirst for adventure, a smile meant to tempt, and a body that will rule his fantasies for years. She can be his bodyguard and his partner. She’ll stay by his side, and they’ll trip up the criminals surrounding them. Sounds easy. But…it isn’t. Because Seth has to pretend to be someone completely different. Someone dark and dangerous, and the more he pretends, the more he starts to lose sight of his real self. And the more he wants her. Possessive, passionate, deadly—that’s the man Seth has to be. Only when he’s with Harley, the possessiveness and the passion are all too real. Too bad they are surrounded by criminals who are hell bent on wrecking Seth’s world. The danger is mounting, the desire Seth feels for Harley is raging out of control, and, unfortunately, the body count may be starting to rise. Because when you try to con a crime boss, you’re playing a very, very dangerous game… Step one: Show no fear. Step two: Prepare to fight dirty. Step three: Become the man everyone fears. Everyone, but her… A man isn’t supposed to get territorial when it comes to his bodyguard, but Harley is no ordinary bodyguard. She’s the woman who is quickly coming to obsess Seth. In this new, dark world around him, she’s also the only person he trusts. Now, if they can just stay alive and bring down the bad guys, maybe he can get his bodyguard to fall for him. Maybe.

A Jersey boy with a knack for numbers, a gift for making people trust him, and an all-consuming hunger to rule the business world, Tom Giacomaro could convince anyone of anything. As a teenager, Tom Giacomaro began working in the mob-laden New Jersey trucking industry. A charming, brash-talking salesman with a genius-level IQ, he climbed the ranks and let his lust for money and relationships with New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Chicago crime families send him spiraling into a world of drugs and violence. And that's only the beginning. In The King of Con, Tom details how he hashes out a deal with the FBI, agreeing to become a crime informant in an effort to avoid jail time—only, he continues his high-finance, white-collar scheming, luring celebrities and other high-profile contacts to invest multimillions in his new business ventures. When it all comes crashing down, Tom is thrown in prison for over a decade, yet, even behind bars, he's able to get what he wants from anyone . . . and he eventually finds a way to get released early. Cowritten by journalist Natasha Stoynoff, The King of Con is the unforgettable true story about a man who became hooked on living life to thrilling and dangerous excess, until he was humbled by the FBI, by the US Attorney, and by life itself. Now, Tom is back in his old New Jersey neighborhood. His old business cronies and mob contacts are calling, his palms are itching to make billions again, and the US Attorney's office is watching. Will he stay on the straight and narrow, or will he steal back his crown of crime as the King of Con?

This book examines a broad range of infamous scams, cons, swindles, and hoaxes throughout American history—and considers why human gullibility continues in an age of easy access to information. Covering American cons and hoaxes past and present, including the Great Moon Hoax of 1835, the controversy over "subliminal messaging" (do bands, filmmakers, and advertisers really put secret messages in their works?), the panic about "satanic" daycare operators in the 1980s, and recent Internet scams, this book provides a fascinating, fact-based look at infamous frauds across the centuries. Offering an engaging mix of history, sociology, and psychology, author Nate Hendley gives readers an appreciation of how prominent scams, cons, "confidence men," and hoaxes have impacted American society, past and present. Each entry details the scheme or hoax and the pertinent con artist/schemer involved, examining the sociological, cultural, political, and/or economic effect of the scams. Each topic is accompanied by a short bibliography of further reading selections. As the old saying goes, "There is a sucker born every minute"—and there has always been a keen-eyed swindler to take advantage of the situation. The Big Con: Great Hoaxes, Frauds, Grifts, and Swindles in American History explores this sordid underbelly of American civilization and invites readers to revel in the felonious experience.

She never expected her hero to be the bad boy from her past… They hate each other. Or at least, Smith Sanders always believed Madelyn Lake hated him. But when the city plunges into darkness and he finds himself trapped in an elevator with the prim and ever-so-reserved Madelyn, he realizes that hate and desire can be twined dangerously close together. The simmering tension that has existed between them since they were sixteen years old explodes in a sensual frenzy that sweeps past their control. It won’t ever happen again. Power returns. So does sanity. They go their separate ways except…he can’t get her out of his head. Madelyn is haunting him, and Smith already has more than enough ghosts dodging his steps. But he goes back to her, helpless against a desire that won’t end, just in time to save her from a vicious attack. He never knew her at all. Madelyn’s whole life has been a lie. A carefully orchestrated cover to protect her from the monster in her past. Only now that monster has found her once more. Protection from the past comes in a most unlikely form—the ever so sarcastic and far too sexy Smith. Former Special Ops, Smith is vicious, deadly, and, quite possibly, the answer to her prayers. Needing him is dangerous. Falling for him? That’s so much worse. Madelyn is ready to stop the killer who has taken so much from her, but she can’t do it alone. She needs Smith’s help—Smith and the Ice Breakers, a diverse group of hunters who excel at solving cold cases. Madelyn has spent years pretending to be someone else, and Smith is her key to finally ending her nightmare. But ending that nightmare means returning to her blood-soaked past, fighting an enemy who thrives in the dark, and putting all of her faith in Smith’s callused hands. Her faith, and her heart. Because with every moment that passes, she finds herself starting to fall deeper and deeper for her unlikely hero…The bad boy from her youth is now the vicious protector who swears he will do anything to keep her safe. A cold case is about to get brought back to red-hot life as Madelyn and Smith team up to stop a killer. TRAPPED IN ICE is a steamy romance with twists, danger, and a hero who enjoys laughing in the face of danger. Smith is sarcastic, fierce, and totally about to fall for the good girl from his past. Years ago, Madelyn was always out of his reach—even as she starred in his fantasies—but this isn’t a fantasy any longer. She’s his now, and he will do whatever it takes to protect her. Buckle up and get ready for the ice to melt…

Perspective Criticism sets out a new and illuminating biblical methodology designed to help the reader of biblical narratives in which there is a character engaged in action but no explicit indication from the storyteller on how the action is to be evaluated. Gary Yamasaki argues that in these cases we are receiving cryptic guidance from the author through the narrative technique of point-of-view. In such cases the methodology of Perspective Criticism may be applied to reveal this abstruse guidance. Gary Yamasaki provides a series of frames of analysis within the theory of Perspective Criticism which may be applied to biblical stories: the spatial, psychological, informational, temporal, phraseological, and ideological perspectives. Because the majority of the point-of-view devices found in biblical narratives are also used in cinematic storytelling, the book includes accessible analyses of film scenes, providing pop-culture illustrations of the workings of the point-of-view perspective. Gary Yamasaki concludes by applying his method to two case studies: the New Testament story of Gamaliel, and the Old Testament story of Gideon. In his work Yamasaki creates a valuable foundation for the deeper understanding of biblical narrative, a gift to anyone who has struggled with the concealed messages that should be divined in biblical point-of-view narratives.

"Reminiscent of Wiseguy, this compelling biography from two prominent mob experts recounts the life and times of the first acting boss of an American Mafia family to turn government witness As top boss of the Luchese crime family, Alfonso "Little Al" D'Arco was the highest-ranking mobster to ever share Mafia secrets when he changed sides in 1991. His testimony sent more than fifty mobsters to prison, and prompted others to make the same choice, including John Gotti's top aide, Salvatore "Sammy Bull" Gravano. Yet up until the day he renounced the mob, Al D'Arco lived and breathed the old-school gangster lessons he learned growing up on the streets of Little Italy. But after he narrowly escaping an assassination attempt, D'Arco decided to quit the mob. Taking the family down as he left, some of the spilled secrets are: One of New York's most famous pizza parlors, Ray's Pizza, was a major Mafia center for multi-million-dollar heroin deals A pair of Mafia hitmen carried out dozens of murders dressed as women, including one hit inside a funeral limousine wearing a black dress and veil Crazy Joe Gallo planned to kidnap the son of newsman Jimmy Breslin as revenge for Breslin's mocking novel, "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" about Gallo With the full participation of D'Arco, New York reporters Jerry Capeci and Tom Robbins detail a New York dominated by strutting gangland personalities in this riveting narrative that takes readers behind the famous witness testimony for a comprehensive look at the Mafia in New York City"--

Investigate 100 of the world's most notorious crimes, including the Great Train Robbery, the Lindbergh kidnapping, and the murders of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Were the perpetrators delusional, opportunist, or truly evil? Find out what really happened and how the cases were solved. Discover conmen with sheer verve, such as Victor Lustig who "sold" the Eiffel Tower to scrap dealers in 1925, adrenaline-fuelled escapes, and mind-bending exploits of pirates, kidnappers, and drug cartels. The Crime Book demystifies malware, cybercrimes, and Ponzi schemes and sets out the terrifying ploys of mass murderers from 16th-century Elizabeth Báthory who drained young girls' blood to the more recent exploits of Rosemary and Fred West. Like a virus, crime mutates and adapts. The Crime Book explains how pivotal moments in history opened up new opportunities for criminals, such as the smuggling of alcohol during the American Prohibition era. It also charts developments in justice and forensics including the Innocence Project, which used DNA testing to exonerate wrongly convicted convicts. It examines how the forces of law and order have fought back against crime, explaining ingenious sting operations such as tracking down the jewel thief Bill Mason and the final capture of murderer Ted Bundy. With a foreword from bestselling crime author Cathy Scott, The Crime Book is an enthralling introduction to humanity's darker side. Series Overview: Big Ideas Simply Explained series uses creative design and innovative graphics, along with straightforward and engaging writing, to make complex subjects easier to understand. These award-winning books provide just the information needed for students, families, or anyone interested in concise, thought-provoking refreshers on a single subject.

Danger. Romance. Steam. Fun. Get ready for Wilde Ways: Gone Rogue…romances with heroines and heroines who make the rules…and break them. How To Protect A Princess - Book One She’s royalty. He’s the wrong guy. But he’s the only one who can keep her safe. Constantine Leos can’t believe his new assignment. He’s supposed to protect a princess. Seemingly overnight, Juliet Laurent went from being a nobody to being the lost princess who now has her face splashed across social media. The new fame comes with danger because someone seems intent on making sure that Juliet never gets to wear her promised crown. Constantine knows a guy like him won’t ever get a happy ending, but he will do whatever it takes to make sure that Juliet stays safe. Because Juliet doesn’t need a Prince Charming. She needs a bodyguard who will eliminate every threat and who will destroy anyone who tries to hurt her. How To Heal A Heartbreak - Book Two He’s never run from a fight, and he’s not about to start now. Holden Blackwell, former MMA fighter and current all-around problem solver for the rich and famous, never expects for his ex to appear in his office, asking for his help. Sure, Claudia Fairmont haunts his dreams—and his waking hours—but she hates him, with good reason. Once upon a time, she swore that he’d be the last man she ever needed. The fighter with the tats and muscles for days broke her heart. Crushed it in his powerful fist. She’d vowed never to go back to him, but, now she has no choice. Danger is stalking her. And if there is one thing that Holden can handle? It’s danger. After all, he was the one person who always made her feel safe. She could very much use some safety in the madness of her life. But safety comes with a heavy price. How To Con A Crime Boss - Book Three His life is in her hands. Seth Wellington needs protection, but he never expects for that protection to arrive in the ever-so-sexy form of Harley Adaire. Their initial meeting is electric, and each time that he is around the deceptively delicate Wilde agent, his attraction to her grows. But this isn’t the time for Seth to be falling for someone. The world thinks he’s a master criminal. Just because his father maybe, sorta, okay, yes, was a master criminal. Now the FBI wants Seth to take over his father’s organization. The Feds want him to work undercover and bring down some very, very bad people. So in strolls Harley. A woman with a thirst for adventure, a smile meant to tempt, and a body that will rule his fantasies for years. She can be his bodyguard and his partner. She’ll stay by his side, and they’ll trip up the criminals surrounding them. Sounds easy. But…it isn’t. Because Seth has to pretend to be someone completely different. Someone dark and dangerous, and the more he pretends, the more he starts to lose sight of his real self.

The Rough Guide to True Crime tells the stories of criminal acts ranging from the absurd to the appalling, using a light touch with the former and illuminating the psychology in play behind the crimes. A compilation of crime's greatest hits, preposterous occurrences and heinous acts, the Rough Guide to True Crime will satisfy the armchair voyeur and amateur criminologist alike.

In the 1930s the gangster film in the United States coincided with a very real and very sensational gangsterism at large in American society. Little Caesar (1931), The Public Enemy (1931), and Scarface (1932) borrowed liberally from the newspapers and books of the era. With the release of just these three motion pictures in barely more than a year's time, Hollywood quintessentially defined the genre. The characters, the situations, and the icons-from fast cars and tommy-guns to fancy fedoras and fancier molls-established the audience expectations associated with the gangster film that remain in force to this day. As with their Film Noir Reader series, using both reprints of seminal articles and new pieces, editors Silver and Ursini have assembled a group of essays that presents an exhaustive overview of this still vital genre. Reprints of work by such well-known film historians as Robin Wood, Andrew Sarris, Carlos Clarens, Paul Schrader, and Stuart Kaminsky explore the evolution of the gangster film through the 1970s and The Godfather. Parts 2 and 3 comprise two dozen newer articles, most of them written expressly for this volume by Ursini and Silver. These case studies and thematic analyses, from White Heat to the remake of Scarface to "The Sopranos," complete the anthology.