Excerpt from The Mystery of the Thirteenth Floor He must have been seventy years old at least, but, as he sat there dictating his last will and testament, his gray head was erect, his steel-gray eyes never wavered in their fixed gaze, and there was no sign of weakness in his hard, almost cruel, mouth. Only a few wrinkles around the corners of his eyes and mouth betrayed the grim humor that was characteristic of the man - a biting humor which had made many a timid witness wince and the barbed arrows of which had been driven into friend and toe alike and left there, quivering. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

When Buddy Stebbins stumbles onto the thirteenth floor of a shabby old building, he finds himself suddenly transported aboard a leaking pirate ship in a howling storm—three hundred years in the past! Cast adrift with Captain John Crack-stone, Buddy washes up in New England, where his plucky ancestor, Abigail, is caught up in the witchcraft mania. In an adventure filled with ghosts, witches, pirates, and razzle-dazzle treasure, Buddy might be able to save his wayward ancestors. But will he find his way back to the thirteenth floor—and home?

The trailblazing 13th Floor Elevators released the first' 'psychedelic'' rock album in America, transforming culture throughout the 1960s and beyond. The Elevators followed their own cosmic agenda - to change society by finding a new path to enlightenment. Their battles with repressive authorities are legendary. Lead singer Roky Erickson was put away in a maximum security unit for the criminally insane for years. Tommy Hall, their Svengali lyricist, lived in a cave. Guitarist Stacy Sutherland was imprisoned. The drummer was involuntarily subjected to electric shock treatments. This fascinating biography breaks decades of silence of band members and features dozens of never-before-printed photos. ''One of the most exhilarating rock n' roll stories ever told.

Some secrets were never meant to be uncovered... Maggie May Martin hasn’t always been the most reliable woman in the world, and she isn’t the friendliest either, but she tries her hardest to be a good mom. Most days, she falls short on that too, but her three girls mean the world to her and she genuinely tries to do the best by them—so when she goes missing, they’re the first to notice and the only ones who seem to care... Meghan Marie Martin hates the small town she was born and raised in and she can’t wait until she leaves for the Air Force after graduation. Her only concern is leaving behind her irresponsible mother and her two little sisters. Meghan has practically raised them on her own and she only hopes that when she leaves for the military, her mother will finally pull it together. The problem, of course, is that her mother likes to party, so when Maggie May goes missing, Meghan not only has to take care of everything at home, but she also has to search for her mother, because Maggie May has a bad habit of disappearing, so no one else is officially looking. That is until Meghan begins to receive mysterious messages, almost as if someone or something is guiding her to a haunted hotel in Manhattan, where people say an elevator game will take riders to the mysterious 13th floor. Some say it’s an entrance to hell, others a portal to another dimension. Either way, Meghan must brave the game in hopes of discovering the truth behind her mother’s disappearance.

The outcome is anything but predictable when an exhausted hotel guest sets out in search of sleep in this kid-pleasing romp full of visual humor. Will Mr. Snore ever get some shut-eye at the busy Sharemore Hotel? The room on the first floor is too noisy. The room on the second floor is too crowded. The room on the third floor is too damp. Everywhere Mr. Snore goes, with a dutiful bellhop leading the way, he encounters something that’s bound to keep him awake. Why is it so hard to find some peace and quiet? Perhaps Mr. Snore will have better luck on the thirteenth floor. . . . From author and playwright Wade Bradford and award-winning illustrator Kevin Hawkes comes a laugh-out-loud tale that plays with expectations and revelations — and reveals a surprisingly thought-provoking final twist.

Turn off your lights, get ready for frights! When the clock strikes midnight and the moon's full and bright, it's time for dread and fear. For Mr. Midnight is here with two stories, double the danger and twice the terror! STORY #1: DON'T GET OFF AT THE 13th FLOOR! Natasha, her brother and friends are trapped in a mysterious world on the 13th floor. Can they escape from their hideous captors! STORY #2: Ho Kit's new shoes can make him walk up walls. He has fallen under the power of an evil enemy and not even his friends can save him. Don't miss a page of the screams and excitement in MY SHOES HAVE GONE NUTS!

The Pulitzer Prize–winning author’s “astonishing” debut novel, about a son’s struggle to find his own identity and integrity (The New York Times). Michael Chabon, author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Moonglow, and The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, is one of the most acclaimed talents in contemporary fiction. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, published when Chabon was just twenty-five, is the beautifully crafted debut that propelled him into the literary stratosphere. Art Bechstein may be too young to know what he wants to do with his life, but he knows what he doesn’t want: the life of his father, a man who laundered money for the mob. He spends the summer after graduation finding his own way, experimenting with a group of brilliant and seductive new friends: erudite Arthur Lecomte, who opens up new horizons for Art; mercurial Phlox, who confounds him at every turn; and Cleveland, a poetry-reciting biker who pulls him inevitably back into his father’s mobbed-up world. A New York Times bestseller, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh was called “astonishing” by Alice McDermott, and heralded the arrival of one of our era’s great voices. This ebook features a biography of the author.

The Zenith loomed before me, a monolithic testament to human ambition and architectural audacity. Its glass and steel facade pierced the skyline like a defiant obelisk, daring the heavens themselves. As I stood at its base, craning my neck to glimpse its summit, a chill ran down my spine despite the warm summer evening. "Impressive, isn't it?" A voice startled me from my reverie. I turned to see a man in his sixties, his silver hair neatly combed, his suit impeccable. "I'm Harold Weiss, the building manager. You must be the new structural engineer." I nodded, extending my hand. "James Parker. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Weiss." His grip was firm, but his hand was ice-cold. "Please, call me Harold. Shall we begin the tour?" As we entered the lobby, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The high ceilings and polished marble floors seemed to amplify every sound, our footsteps echoing ominously. "The Zenith has quite a reputation," I ventured, trying to break the uncomfortable silence. Harold's lips curved into a thin smile. "Oh? And what have you heard?" I hesitated, not wanting to offend my new client. "Well, there are rumors about its... unique design. The missing thirteenth floor, for instance." Harold's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "Ah, yes. A common superstition in architecture. We simply... skipped the number. Nothing more." We reached the elevators, and Harold pressed the call button. As we waited, I noticed something odd about the panel. "The button for the thirteenth floor is missing," I observed. Harold's smile didn't reach his eyes. "As I said, we skipped it. Shall we start with the lower levels?" As we toured the building, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The temperature seemed to fluctuate wildly between floors, and more than once, I caught glimpses of movement in my peripheral vision, only to find empty hallways when I turned. "Harold," I said as we reached the twelfth floor, "I can't help but notice some... irregularities in the building's design. The temperature variations, for instance." Harold's face remained impassive. "Old buildings have their quirks, Mr. Parker. Nothing to be concerned about." I pressed on. "And the original blueprints? I'd like to review them if possible." For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of fear in Harold's eyes. But it was gone so quickly, I might have imagined it. "I'm afraid those were lost in a fire years ago," he said smoothly. "But I assure you, everything is up to code." As we stepped onto the fourteenth floor, a wave of cold air hit me like a physical force. I shivered involuntarily. "Good God, it's freezing up here," I muttered. Harold seemed unfazed. "Is it? I hadn't noticed. Perhaps we should check the thermostat." As we walked down the corridor, the lights began to flicker. A low, distant hum filled the air, growing louder with each step. "What's that sound?" I asked, my unease growing. Harold cocked his head, listening. "I don't hear anything, Mr. Parker. Are you feeling alright?" Before I could respond, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the hallway. I spun around, heart pounding. "Did you hear that?" I gasped. Harold's face remained eerily calm. "Hear what, Mr. Parker? Perhaps we should conclude our tour for today. You seem... tired."