Falling in love isn't a crime-but falling in love with a Russian mafia boss could be deadly. Competitive tennis player Carter Cook wants a taste of freedom. Her overprotective father monitors every aspect of her life, so when he becomes employed by Vladimir Ivanov-a sexy Russian with an array of tattoos and an accent that weakens her knees-a bit of danger is within Carter's grasp. Behind her father's back, she enjoys spending time with Vladimir at his lavish estate. But is he really the upstanding businessman she believes him to be? Vladimir Ivanov reigns as godfather of a Russian mafia crime ring. Vladimir spent five years of his life in a Siberian prison camp and has earned every tattoo inked into his skin. He is a powerful man who gets what he wants, and after stalking the gorgeous tennis player for years-he wants Carter. A little charm melts her heart, and behind the scenes, he orders his henchman to track her every move. He's a tattooed stick of dynamite ready to blow at the slightest spark. As their romance reaches deadly levels, Carter senses something's not right. When she's lured into a compromising position at the hands of a shady European drug dealer, she calls in Boris, Vladimir's right hand man, to rescue her-without telling Vladimir. With his authority questioned, he sets out to teach Carter a lesson about loyalty she'll never forget. When Carter realizes she's in too deep, she must fight for her freedom before the attraction turns fatal. But the Russian mafia plays for keeps, and Vladimir's fierce lust to possess her spirals their romance out of control.

This book features over 180 photographs and accompanying texts of Russian criminal tattoos from the Arkady Bronnikov collection. From the mid-1960s to the late- 1980s Bronnikov worked as a senior expert in criminalistics at the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, part of his duties involved visiting correctional institutions of the Ural and Siberia regions. It was here that he interviewed, gathered information and took photographs of convicts and their tattoos, building one of the most comprehensive archives of this phenomenon. He regularly helped to solve criminal cases across Russia by using his collection of tattoos to identify culprits and corpses. The Bronnikov collection was made exclusively for police use, to further the understanding of the language of these tattoos and to act as an aid in the identification and apprehension of criminals in the field. Unimpeded by artistry, these vernacular photographs present a guileless representation of criminal society. Every image discloses evidence of an inmate's character: aggressive, vulnerable, melancholic, conceited. Their bodies display an unofficial history, told not just through tattoos, but also in scars and missing digits. Closer inspection only confirms our inability to comprehend the unimaginable lives of this previously unacknowledged caste.

In this unprecedented work two decades in the making, leading historian Robert S. Wistrich examines the long and ugly history of anti-Semitism, from the first recorded pogrom in 38 BCE to its shocking and widespread resurgence in the present day. As no other book has done before it, A Lethal Obsession reveals the causes behind this shameful and persistent form of hatred and offers a sobering look at how it may shake and reshape the world in years to come. Here are the fascinating and long-forgotten roots of the “Jewish difference”–the violence that greeted the Jewish Diaspora in first-century Alexandria. Wistrich suggests that the idea of a formless God who passed down a universal moral law to a chosen few deeply disconcerted the pagan world. The early leaders of Christianity increased their strength by painting these “superior” Jews as a cosmic and satanic evil, and by the time of the Crusades, murdering a “Christ killer” had become an act of conscience. Moving seamlessly through centuries of war and dissidence, A Lethal Obsession powerfully portrays the creation of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the fateful anti-Semitic tract commissioned by Russia’s tsarist secret police at the end of the nineteenth century–and the prediction by Theodor Herzl, Austrian founder of political Zionism, of eventual disaster for the Jews in Europe. The twentieth century fulfilled this dark prophecy, with the horrifying ascent of Hitler’s Third Reich. Yet, as Wistrich disturbingly suggests, the end of World War II failed to neutralize the “Judeophobic virus”: Pogroms and prejudice continued in Soviet-controlled territories and in the Arab-Muslim world that would fan flames for new decades of distrust, malice, and violence. Here, in pointed and devastating detail, is our own world, one in which jihadi terrorists and the radical left blame Israel for all global ills. In his concluding chapters, Wistrich warns of a possible nuclear “Final Solution” at the hands of Iran, a land in which a formerly prosperous Jewish community has declined in both fortunes and freedoms. Dazzling in scope and erudition, A Lethal Obsession is a riveting masterwork of investigative nonfiction, the definitive work on this unsettling yet essential subject. It is destined to become an indispensable source for any student of world affairs.

The New York Times bestseller that helps you explore whether romance is in the stars. Linda Goodman’s Love Signs addresses the question asked by everyone familiar with astrology: How do I relate to someone of another sign? Each sign is “related” to the twelve signs of the zodiac in a different and unique way. Each section addresses the differences for a male and a female with the same sign matches. This is an updated edition of Linda Goodman’s lively bestseller, which has introduced millions to the concept of astrological compatibility. “What seems to set Goodman’s books apart from other stargazing guides is their knowledgeable approach and comprehensive reach.” —Newsweek

For more than 30 years Danzig Baldayev was a prison warder in Kresty prison in St Petersburg. He collected more than 3000 images of Russian criminals' tattoos. These form the backbone to this encyclopedia that explores one of the world's more unusual art forms.

The incredible story of the Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist and the woman he loved. Lale Sokolov is well-dressed, a charmer, a ladies' man. He is also a Jew. On the first transport of men from Slovakia to Auschwitz in 1942, Lale immediately stands out to his fellow prisoners. In the camp, he is looked up to, looked out for, and put to work in the privileged position of Tatowierer - the tattooist - to mark his fellow prisoners, forever. One of them is a young woman, Gita, who steals his heart at first glance. His life given new purpose, Lale does his best through the struggle and suffering to use his position for good. This story, full of beauty and hope, is based on years of interviews author Heather Morris conducted with real-life Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov. It is heart-wrenching, illuminating, and unforgettable. 'Morris climbs into the dark miasma of war and emerges with an extraordinary tale of the power of love' - Leah Kaminsky

This “marvelously absorbing” book is “a walk on the wild side of words and ventures into the zone where language and mathematics intersect” (San Jose Mercury News). A former Wall Street Journal reporter and NPR regular, Stefan Fatsis recounts his remarkable rise through the ranks of elite Scrabble players while exploring the game’s strange, potent hold over them—and him. At least thirty million American homes have a Scrabble set—but the game’s most talented competitors inhabit a sphere far removed from the masses of “living room players.” Theirs is a surprisingly diverse subculture whose stars include a vitamin-popping standup comic; a former bank teller whose intestinal troubles earned him the nickname “G.I. Joel”; a burly, unemployed African American from Baltimore’s inner city; the three-time national champion who plays according to Zen principles; and the author himself, who over the course of the book is transformed from a curious reporter to a confirmed Scrabble nut. Fatsis begins by haunting the gritty corner of a Greenwich Village park where pickup Scrabble games can be found whenever weather permits. His curiosity soon morphs into compulsion, as he sets about memorizing thousands of obscure words and fills his evenings with solo Scrabble played on his living room floor. Before long he finds himself at tournaments, socializing—and competing—with Scrabble’s elite. But this book is about more than hardcore Scrabblers, for the game yields insights into realms as disparate as linguistics, psychology, and mathematics. Word Freak extends its reach even farther, pondering the light Scrabble throws on such notions as brilliance, memory, competition, failure, and hope. It is a geography of obsession that celebrates the uncanny powers locked in all of us, “a can’t-put-it-down narrative that dances between memoir and reportage” (Los Angeles Times). “Funny, thoughtful, character-rich, unchallengeably winning writing.” —The Atlantic Monthly This edition includes a new afterword by the author.

"You’re getting married. Milos Levin needs a wife. He heads the Russian mafia—Bratva—here in Chicago. It’s time for him to get married, he wants kids and he wants them soon.” Ice slides down my spine. Milos Levin is a man who has haunted my dreams and nightmares for the last four years. As the daughter of the Don of the Outfit, I knew this was a possibility. Yet I hoped since I made it to the ancient age of twenty-three, I was safe from a mob marriage. I’m the weird cat lady, too fat, and my mother is half Filipino. I shouldn’t have anyone asking for me—but Milos isn’t asking for me. All he wants is a woman who fits his needs, someone who will cement his relationship with the Outfit and give him the children he wants. He would take my sister if she were willing because, as he told Carlo, all women are the same in the dark. But Carlo picked me, and I’ll do anything to protect my little sister. Or so I tell myself—but that’s the biggest lie of all. The truth is four years ago I met Milos Levin on a freezing February morning, and I’ve never been the same since. I’ll marry him because I think that day, as crazy as it sounds, I fell in love with him. But I can’t let Milos know that. Ever. He’s mafia, and whatever the name, their ways are all the same: take until there’s nothing left, then leave the enemy broken. I won’t be broken by him, or anyone. I won’t become my mother, willing to endure the affairs and lies in exchange for the money and status. *** **Four years and three months—one thousand, five hundred and forty-seven days—I have known Celia was mine. I have watched over her, listened to her, protected her. There is nothing I have not done and would not do to keep her safe and mine. What it started as. I do not know. but now it can only be defined as an obsession. Celia is mine. Like me, she has known it all this time. Why she is suddenly fighting me as our wedding day draws closer, I do not understand. It does not matter. The day is nothing more than a formality. I have never claimed to be a good or patient man. For her I was. That time is at an end. My kitten is baring her claws. She will find the veneer of civility I show the world is far thinner than she ever imagined—for in the end I am Bratva. We take what we want, ruthlessly and completely, and we never let it go.** ***This is a standalone first in series that does not end in a cliffhanger. While Tony and Dominic Sabatini from the HIS: Sabatini Family series appear, you need not have read them to enjoy this. This novel includes spankings and rough sexual scenes. If such things offend you, please do not purchase. *** *Keywords: dark mafia romance, age gap romance, jealous possessive, OTT alpha, breeding kink, forced pregnancy, obsessive hero, interracial romance, curvy woman, BBW romance

A standalone captive dark romance novel by USA Today Bestselling Author Nikita Slater. THIS BOOK WAS PREVIOUSLY TITLED FEAR IN HIS EYES. Stalked by an admirer with deadly intentions … Addison's sightless world is filled with the colour of music as she successfully navigates a demanding career as a renowned cellist. She doesn’t have time for the dark and dangerous security guy from her building who constantly shadows her every move, yet she can’t seem to escape him. A rough childhood, followed by decades spent as a gun-for-hire mercenary has shaped Daniel into a killer. As he tries to adapt to civilian life, he channels his dark impulses into his work as a security specialist for a billionaire businessman. He has no experience with the softer things in life, like a girlfriend, a home, and a family. Yet, he can’t seem to let go of his obsession with Addison. While chasing after a woman who should never have crossed paths with him, he discovers he’s not the only one falling for the lovely, intelligent, and sensitive musician. As Daniel struggles to accept a love he never thought he deserved, an unstable stalker lurks in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Will Daniel protect the woman he’s fallen in love with, or will he push her into the arms of a love so twisted it can only end in tragedy? Mercenary’s Dark Obsession is a standalone novel within the Kings of the Underworld series. Each book features a separate couple and can be read in any order. Kings of the Underworld Series Information: Kings of the Underworld is a series of dark romance standalone novels that can be read in any order (except for Mafia’s Savage Boss, which is a sequel to Mafia’s Savage Obsession). This series features morally ambiguous anti-heroes with jealous and possessive tendencies, and strong, feisty women who fight their inevitable fate. There is no cheating, and each book ends in Happy Ever After. Warning: These books contain scenes of violence and sexuality, please read with caution. Book 1: Billionaire’s Captive Mistress Book 2: Mafia’s Savage Obsession Book 3: Mercenary’s Dark Obsession Book 4: Bratva’s Captive Assassin Book 5: Bounty Hunter’s Innocent Prize Book 6: Italian’s Captive Beauty Book 7: Bodyguard’s Forbidden Obsession Book 8: Mafia’s Savage Boss (novella) Keywords: possessive alpha male, blind heroine, stalker, musician, dark romance, jealous possessive, gothic romance, seductive romance, alpha hero, antihero dark romance, suffering heroine, obsessive hero, abduction to love, passionate lovers, tortured heroine, captive romance, kidnapping, sexually romantic books, multicultural romance, romantic suspense, capture fantasy, standalone, crime, mafia romance, happily ever after, love books, love stories, contemporary romance, enemies to lovers, guaranteed HEA, no cliffhangers, bestselling, bad boy, no cheating, protective, steamy, abused heroine, dominance submission, caged, captive romance, mercenary

A vicious demonic plot. A curse decades in the making. An epic love that burns hotter than all of it… Charlotte... All Charley’s nightmares are real. Demons. Dark witches. Her murderous uncle. With her soul bound to an ancient demon lord and her sister taken captive by a monster, hope is in short supply. But Charley will not go down without a fight. Not when it comes to her sister, and not when it comes to the vampire king who’s claimed her heart. Even if it means siding with a brutal enemy from her past. Even if it means making a choice that will alter the course of her life… for eternity. Dorian... Dorian never wanted his father’s crown or the secrets that came with it. He never wanted to fall in love with the seductive stranger he’d ravaged in a closet, either. But fate had other plans. Now, with the enemies of House Redthorne lurking in every shadow, demons threatening to destroy his city, and an ancient lord of hell laying claim on the woman who’s set Dorian’s very soul on fire, the vampire king has only one mission: Burn. Them. All. Even if it means betraying his father’s memory. Even if it means making the darkest sacrifice of his immortal life...