Meet Hal Challis, Detective for the Mornington Peninsula police force in Southeast Australia, in the first investigation in this prize-winning crime series A serial killer is on the loose in a small coastal town near Melbourne, Australia. Detective Inspector Hal Challis and his team must apprehend him before he strikes again. But first, Challis has to contend with the editor of a local newspaper who undermines his investigation at every turn, and with his wife, who attempts to resurrect their marriage through long-distance phone calls from a sanitarium, where she has been committed for the past eight years for attempted murder--"his."

In this steampunk sequel to The Impossible Cube, two adventurers must find a way inside a kingdom on the brink of war to save themselves and the world. As Gavin Ennock pilots his airship, the Lady of Liberty, to China, his fiancée, Lady Alice Michaels prays they make it in time. The Clockwork Plague consumes Gavin’s body and mind, driving him increasingly mad—and driving a wedge between him and Alice. Their only hope lies in China with the Dragon Men. But a power-hungry general has seized the Chinese throne, intending to conquer Asia, Britain, and the world. He has also closed the country’s borders to foreigners. Meanwhile, the former ruling dynasty is plotting to return the throne’s rightful heir to power. Seeing their opportunity, the two travelers dive into a political power struggle where one false move could spell doom for Gavin and the entire world. “[The Dragon Men] continues to demonstrate its original premise and to showcase the inventive pair who strive to save a world.” —Library Journal “My favorite book in the series yet. I’m not sure whether that’s because I’ve become so enamored with the world of the Clockwork Empire as a whole, or that the action sequences are nearly relentless, which a definite plus in this case.” —That’s What I’m Talking About

Sam the Man is back with not one, but TWO plans in this third hilarious chapter book in the Sam the Man series from Frances O’Roark Dowell. Sam Graham is a dragon fan and a big truck man. Monster trucks to be specific. And when the family minivan needs replacing, Sam has the perfect plan: get a family monster truck instead! But convincing Mom that a monster truck is the way to go may prove to be a little too difficult, even for Sam. So he comes up with plan number two: Turn the minivan into a monster minivan with a super-cool dragon painted on it! First, though, Sam has to convince his family why a monster minivan is the best choice—oh, and learn how to paint a dragon…

Caught in a Cult (The Truth Chasers Part Two) People associated with him have been killed, but Dr. Walter Simmons is a successful man. His books and tapes incorporate psychological principles with New Age, feel-good spiritualism and are a hit on college campuses. But when his top students join him for an intensive “training” program, they are actually joining a dangerous cult. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agent Tim Porter’s daughter, Ruby, is lured in like the rest, the heights of a dream plummeting her to the depths of a living nightmare. Tim and his ex-wife are driven to their knees for their daughter. But what about Ruby? To what lengths can they go to rescue her from Dr. Simmons’s clutches? Complicating matters is an FBI investigation, a corrupt chief of police, and a mounting spiritual battle. How much time do they really have? A desperate escape into the South Florida marshes ends in murder. But the true terror is just beginning… Dr. Walter Simmons is a successful man. His books and tapes blend psychological principles with New Age, feel-good spiritualism and are a hit on college campuses. But when his top students join him for an intensive “training” program, they have no idea what awaits them. Not even the most insightful student of them all--Ruby Porter. Tim Porter, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, knows his daughter is into something strange. He and his ex-wife grow increasingly concerned, but nothing they do or say helps. Then a young man is murdered, and the FDLE are assigned to the case. As Tim grapples for the truth, one fact becomes crystal clear: Ruby is in terrible danger. But can he do what it will take to rescue his daughter from a man she now trusts more than anyone else? Faced with an FBI investigation, a corrupt chief of police, and a mounting spiritual battle, Tim hits obstacles at every turn. As each day goes by, he can’t escape the terrifying truth--His daughter’s time is running out… Join the agents of the FDLE as they seek the truth behind the crime and wrestle with Truth in their personal lives. Dealing with depravity all day, every day, it doesn’t always seem like God is in control. Which just makes victory that much sweeter when it comes. Reader's Guide Included! Story Behind the Book “One day, while driving with my family, I caught a glimpse of my children’s faces in the rearview mirror. I was struck by their innocence and unawareness of anything evil in the world. As a police officer, I was intimately acquainted with evil and wanted to keep my children far from such knowledge. But I knew someday they would leave the comfort and security of our home. And I wondered, Was I equipping them with the spiritual training they would need to face the world ahead of them? Was I truly raising my children in the ways of the Lord? What would I do if one of my children were in the clutches of the evil one? And how far would I go to get them back?” — Mark Mynheir

Graphix's first biography -- telling the astonishing story of martial arts legend Bruce Lee.

A boy goes on the run in this fast-paced fantasy debut. Created by dragons.That's the truth that Al has known all his life: The five mortal races were created by dragons to gather magic. Since then, the dragons have ruled the world, branding mortals according to their worth, shaping their societies, even training a lucky few to handle magic themselves. Now Testing Day is here, the day when Al will be assigned his place in the world. If his rank is high enough, he'll have everything he's ever wanted.But Al is in for the shock of his life. By the time Testing Day is over, he will be shunned . . . and targeted by the ruthless assassins known as Cullers. With no magic, little money, and a sword he's not entirely sure how to use, Al must escape into the wilderness, beginning a journey that will lead him to strange new friends, brutal enemies, and the terrifying truth about the dragons.It's one boy against the world - and some fearsome beasts - in this fun fantasy-adventure!

Magick is the birthright of every child in Arkadia. Power defines a person's name, their skill, their destiny. Brin Menderson is different. Even the simplest spells do nothing for him and he is starting to fear that he might not have magick at all.Little does he know that there are those in the kingdom who would see an end to peace and order; an end to the golden age of magick. They believe in a prophecy, an ancient rhyme about a child foretold to end the kings rule and bring dragons back to the starless sky. Brin is about to learn that having no magick might just make him the most important person in all the land. Heralds the coming of a strong new voice in Australian fantasy. A compellingly readable tale. His hero may not have magick but McKenzie does. - Justin Woolley, author of A Town Called Dust

Frustrated by his father's expectation to follow in his footsteps, Prince Corin prefers sewing to sword fighting. His cousin Elinor has the eagerness for skills at arms which he lacks and, by a stroke of luck, uncovers a plot to overthrow the crown. Both cousins are befriended by a marketplace magician, whom the queen suspects is a master of the black arts and the cause of their Luck Dragon's baffling illness. When their lives and the destiny of the kingdom are at stake, Corin must choose either to trust this mysterious old man or heed the warnings of his parents.

Nineteen fiery dragon stories from the world’s best fantasy writers Whether portrayed as fire-breathing reptilian beasts at war with humanity or as noble creatures capable of speech and mystically bonded to the warriors who ride them, dragons have been found in nearly every culture's mythology. In modern times, they can be found far from their medieval settings in locales as mundane as suburbia or as barren as post-apocalyptic landscapes - and in THE DRAGON BOOK, today's greatest fantasists reignite the fire with legendary tales that will consume readers' imaginations.With stories by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authors Jonathan Stroud, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Diana Gabaldon, Tamora Pierce, Harry Turtledove, Sean Williams and Tad Williams as well as tales by Naomi Novik, Peter Beagle, Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, Cecelia Holland, Kage Baker, Samuel Sykes, Diana Wynne Jones, Mary Rosenblum, Tanith Lee, Andy Duncan and Bruce Coville.

"The world may know Chris Duffin as 'The Mad Scientist of Strength,' but you wouldn't have ever guessed that if you saw the scrawny kid skinning rattlesnakes and chasing dragonflies in the early '80s. The story of his unconventional life will take you from ... tales of murder, trauma, heartbreak, and survival deep in the Pacific Northwest wilderness all the way to an idealization of the self-made man--still flawed, but never broken"--Dust jacket fla