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  Lincoln’s Billy

  Tom LeClair

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  Abraham Lincoln trusted and confided in his law partner William “Billy” Herndon, but his still-influential 1889 biography was censored by his collaborator and publisher. In Lincoln’s Billy, Tom LeClair imagines Herndon’s deathbed autobiography and the “real life” of his partner, revealing secrets about a randy and “rasslin’” Lincoln on his youthful trips to New Orleans, the hidden sources of his depression, and the untold cause of his hatred of slavery. 
  Based on the latest biographical research, Lincoln’s Billy presents a vulgar, tale-telling Lincoln unknown to most Americans and a radical, truth-telling Herndon who was more advanced—and more contemporary—than the president on public education, women’s rights, and most importantly, slavery. The abolitionist and free-thinking Billy contends with his beloved partner for sixteen years, and after the assassination, he conflicts with Lincoln’s family, other biographers, Christian fundamentalists, corrupt Republican politicians, robber barons, and Victorian propriety as he struggles to write his unconventionally frank biography. Just as strong-willed are the novel’s women: the ambitious, emotionally volatile, and mentally ill Mary Todd Lincoln as well as Herndon’s two wives—Mary Maxcy, an active intellectual helpmeet despite being the mother of six, and Anna Miles, a Democrat, Presbyterian, and slavery sympathizer with whom Billy argues issues of the day. Like the story of Lincoln’s life and autobiographies by Franklin, Douglass, and Henry Adams, Lincoln’s Billy is a classic American tale of failure, resistance, persistence, and hard-won success. 
  The author of five novels with contemporary settings, Tom LeClair pairs two vivid historical voices in Lincoln’s Billy—Abe’s “Kaintuck” vernacular and Billy’s lawyerly rhetoric—as the two attorneys duel over biographical truth and historical fiction.

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  A Waiter Made of Glass - Stories...

  Verlyn Flieger

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  Award-winning author Verlyn Flieger takes readers through a series of insightful short stories exploring tragic aspects of human nature. A few of the tales are dark, others a bit lighter, but all celebrate the creativity of storytelling. The second part of the book is a collection of new poetry unearthing the wonders of language, the mundane, and grief and mourning as part of life—the dark spot within the light. Death is the inevitable, inescapable result of mortality, and grief is the price the living pay for that condition. Readers are invited to join in the journey, take some comfort in the knowledge of shared darkness, and know that even within the dark moments, there is always at least a speck of splintered light.

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  The Executive's Secret

  Andrew M. Semple

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  Secrets at Every Turn: A Life Shrouded in Duality
   
  On the surface, Alex Banner lives the life of a successful business executive, a man who juggles family obligations with the demands of his career. Yet hidden beneath this conventional facade is a man who has spent over two decades entrenched in the shadowy world of international espionage. In a life marked by duality, every decision carries the weight of secrets kept from those dearest to him.
   
  Step into a world where every action has profound consequences. Alex's journeys span continents and are marked by encounters that blur the line between ally and adversary. Each face he encounters is a reminder of the complex web of connection he navigates in pursuit of a cause greater than himself. Every choice teeters on the delicate balance between a duty to his clandestine endeavors and loyalty to his family—oblivious to the hidden life he leads.
   
  Imagine the tension of living in constant duality. The faces of allies, turned informants, and friends, turned foes haunt him. As Alex reflects on his path, the true cost of his enigmatic existence becomes clear. A burden of secrets shared with no one; they weigh heavily on his conscience. What began as a mission wrapped in patriotism becomes a personal struggle of moral ambiguity and the sacrifice it demands.
   
  Be drawn into the compelling story of a man who must confront the intricacies of human relationships forged under extraordinary circumstances. Will Alex Banner's alter ego unravel the threads binding his two worlds, or will he master the delicate art of balance? Join him as he stands at the crossroads, with everything at stake and secrets at every turn.

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  Cranberries & Criminals - A...

  Lucinda Race

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  Welcome to Pembroke Cove, where witches and murders are multiplying... 
  Whose half-baked idea was it for bookstore owner and witch Lily Michaels to enter an amateur baking contest in her small town of Pembroke Cove, Maine? Her pie plate’s already bubbling over learning about her witchy powers from her trusted companion and snarky familiar—a talking cat named Milo. Toss in solving a few murders while stirring in wedding planning, and Lily’s stretched thin as an overworked pie crust. 
  Lily doesn’t have the baking skills of her best friend, Nikki, who’s an accomplished kitchen witch. As Milo says, Lily can barely boil water and his dear witch should stay out of the kitchen except when opening a package of smoked salmon. But why shouldn’t she try baking? The crisp November air and approaching holiday season is the perfect inspiration for whipping up some seasonal goodies. It’s not like somebody can die from eating a muffin, can they? 
  With help from Nikki, and the support of Lily’s fiancé, police detective Gage Erikson—a.k.a. Detective Cutie—Lily preps for the Cranberry Bakeoff. But it’s a recipe for disaster when a judge collapses. Was it an allergic reaction, or is someone tired of losing and tart fruits turned into sour grapes. The air is thick with suspicion, and it’s up to puzzle-loving Lily to combine the right ingredients to catch a killer with their fingers in the cookie jar. 
  Cranberries & Criminals is the ninth novel in the A Book Store Cozy Mystery Series; although each book can be read as a standalone, it is best to read them in order. It is a sweet, clean, cozy mystery that guarantees the culprit is caught. Happy listening!

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  Black Annis Year - A Cozy Fae...

  Kim McDougall

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  A magical journey of second chances, hidden mysteries, and the unexpected enchantment of a small village—where love, loss, and the fae collide in the most surprising ways. 
  Elenna Kane gave her heart to Jamie, his farm, his needy rescue animals, and his rambling, impractical house. But after his death, she's left struggling to hold onto a life that feels increasingly impossible.  
  Just when she’s ready to walk away, the village of Mullarkey Mills wraps her in its quirky embrace. As the seasons change, an old plow horse teaches her to hold onto joy. A wind phone becomes her bridge to Jamie’s memory even as she cautiously explores the possibility of new love. And the whispering woods begin to reveal their hidden truths, drawing Elenna into a shocking mystery that will open her eyes to the dark splendor of the fae living right under her nose. 
  Black Annis Year is a new cozy fantasy from the author of the Valkyrie Bestiary. Grab it now for a tale that will leave you believing in second chances, love that transcends time, and the wonder that’s always just beyond the trees.

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  The Blue Pendant - Historical...

  Susan A. Jennings

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  She dared to seek independence and travel the world. But she wasn’t prepared to pay the price… 
  Sussex, England, 1913. Nineteen-year-old Anna Neale longs for an independent life full of adventure. Refusing her father’s wishes to marry his chosen suitor, she convinces him to allow her to take a receptionist position at a prestigious seaside hotel. But her beautiful plan soon turns ugly when the inn’s lascivious manager assaults her. 
  While struggling to recover from the brutal attack, she’s charmed into a heartbreaking love triangle with a kind-hearted chef and a handsome rake. Eventually choosing a husband and migrating to Canada, Anna leaves her career behind hoping for the excitement she’s always craved. But when the hated domestic life thwarts her every move and her heart secretly yearns for another she falls into despair. Frustration and unfulfilled hopes lead her to uproot her family and return to England 
  Will Anna survive more hardship to finally find the life of her dreams?

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