Considered "slow" by his father, Lonzo tries his best to help his family in Culpeper, Virginia, during the Civil War and, in the process, comes to some decisions about how to live his life.

'Passing Out. Fantastic. Best day. Nothing's ever come close. All your mates around you and you're looking forward to your next step and our next step was Deepcut!' 18 year old Private Cheryl James from Llangollen was one of four young soldiers who died from gunshot wounds at Deepcut Barracks between 1995 and 2002. Cheryl’s parents wanted answers from the people responsible for their daughter’s care. But how do you begin to grieve when no-one seems to have a proper explanation? What would give you the determination to continue asking awkward, demanding questions? Taken from original source material and powerful first hand testimonies, Deep Cut is a bold and compelling account of one family’s journey through a time they thought they’d never experience, to places they hoped they’d never be.

"Binge-reading at its best." Book Two of the best-selling Deep Series. Divemasters Boone Fischer and Emily Durand find themselves in perilous situations in a variety of Caribbean islands. Action adventure, thriller, and mystery elements.

Originally published: Honesdale, Pa.: Front Street, 2000.

Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Horn Book Magazine, the News & Observer, BookPage, Chicago Public Library, and more The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices. A fresh cut makes boys fly. This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.

Nicholas Blake QC was appointed on 15th December 2004 to review the circumstances surrounding the deaths of four soldiers at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002. The Review covers in detail the deaths of three soldiers, Sean Benton, Cheryl James and Geoff Gray: the fourth death, that of James Collinson, was subject to an outstanding inquest and so was not investigated in detail, nor are the inquest results. The Review also deals with aspects of Army policy on recruitment and training over a ten year period, and matters relating to the Training Regiment at Deepcut. The review has concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, the deaths of Sean Benton, Cheryl James and Geoff Gray were self-inflicted, and that the opportunity for self-infliction was afforded by the policy of frequently assigning trainees to armed guard duty at Deepcut, unsupervised by experienced soldiers or members of the Military Provost Guard. The Review does not feel that a public inquiry into the immediate or broader events surrounding the deaths is necessary. Sean Benton, who had attempted self-harm on at least two occasions in the months before he died, had had disciplinary problems in his Army career, had been notified that his discharge from the Army was being applied for, and had previously been denied access to a weapon on guard duty; on the day of his death he obtained the weapon from another trainee under false pretences. There was no evidence that Cheryl James or Geoff Gray posed a risk of self-harm, and no certainty as to what might have led them to their actions. They had both performed frequent armed guard duties at remote locations, which might have made them unhappy, and combined with other personal factors may have made them more susceptible to self-harm at the time of their deaths. There was no evidence of bullying in any of the three cases. Factors contributing to the deaths might have been: the training environment at Deepcut, causing low morale through poor accommodation, limited recreational facilities, and the balance between privacy and dormitory life; unsupervised access to weapons; supervision of trainees; discipline, bullying and informal sanctions; ventilation of grievances; poor instructors. The Review makes 34 recommendations covering: recruitment, screening of recruits and parental involvement; training for minors and the length of training; provisions for minors during training; supervisory ratios; the quality of instructors; information on standards of conduct; collective responsibility; making and responding to complaints; investigating complaints; record-keeping; an ombudsman for the armed forces; guard duty; sudden deaths; disclosure and confidentiality; whether there is a need for a public inquiry.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In J. R. Ward’s thrilling finale to her Bourbon Kings series, the Bradford family dynasty teeters on the edge of collapse after the murder of their patriarch—and a shocking arrest. At first, the death of William Baldwine, the head of the Bradford family, was ruled a suicide. But then his eldest son and sworn enemy, Edward, came forward and confessed to what was, in fact, a murder. Now in police custody, Edward mourns not the disintegration of his family or his loss of freedom . . . but the woman he left behind. His love, Sutton Smythe, is the only person he has ever truly cared about, but as she is the CEO of the Bradford Bourbon Company’s biggest competitor, any relationship between them is impossible. And then there’s the reality of the jail time that Edward is facing. Lane Baldwine was supposed to remain in his role of playboy, forever in his big brother Edward’s shadow. Instead he has become the new head of the family and the company. Convinced that Edward is covering for someone else, Lane and his true love, Lizzie King, go on the trail of a killer—only to discover a secret that is as devastating as it is game-changing. As Lane rushes to discover the truth, and Sutton finds herself irresistibly drawn to Edward in spite of his circumstances, the lives of everyone at Easterly will never be the same again. For some, this is good; for others, it could be a tragedy beyond imagining. Only one thing is for certain: Love survives all things. Even murder. Praise for J. R. Ward’s Bourbon Kings series “A most sinful indulgence . . . The gorgeous Kentucky backdrop will sweep you away.”—Susan Wiggs “Breathless fun!”—Lisa Gardner

Real stories. Real teens. Real crimes. A backyard brawl turned media circus filled with gang accusations turns a small, quiet town upside down in this second book in the new Simon True series. On May 22, 1995 at 7 p.m. sixteen-year-old Jimmy Farris and seventeen-year-old Mike McLoren were working out outside Mike’s backyard fort. Four boys hopped the fence, and a fight broke out inside the dark fort made of two-by-four planks and tarps. Within minutes, both Mike and Jimmy had been stabbed. Jimmy died a short time later. While neighbors knew that the fort was a local hangout where drugs were available, the prosecution depicted the four defendants as gang members, and the crime as gang related. The accusations created a media circus, and added fuel to the growing belief that this affluent, safe, all-white neighborhood was in danger of a full-blown gang war. Four boys stood trial. All four boys faced life sentences. Why? Because of California’s Felony Murder Rule. The law states that “a death is considered first degree murder when it is commissioned during one of the following felonies: Arson, Rape, Carjacking, Robbery, Burglary, Mayhem, Kidnapping.” In other words, if you—or somebody you are with—intends to commit a felony, and somebody accidentally dies in the process, all parties can be tried and convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole, even if nobody had any intention of committing a murder. What really happened that day? Was it a case of robbery gone wrong? Gang activity? Or was it something else?

Divemaster Boone Fischer thought he had seen it all after spending three years on the island of Bonaire. But on a routine afternoon dive, he spots something that will turn his tranquil life upside down.