Broken Branch Novella

Broken Branch, Alabama, serves as a refuge for the God-fearing, a shelter from the evils of the outside world. But who will protect them from the evil within? Trudy first met Otto and James after World War I, two traveling ministers, preaching the good word to anyone who’d take the time to listen. Together, they founded Broken Branch, a hideaway in Alabama where the faithful would be able to isolate themselves from the impurity of the rest of the world and live blessed lives in the eyes of God. But then the storms came, tearing apart their small compound, God’s punishment for hidden wickedness in their hearts. And when an old man wanders into Broken Branch, ranting about a secret hideaway and uncovers an old storm cellar that’s been hidden for years, Trudy begins to wonder what other secrets lie under the surface of their safe haven… Includes a preview of The Year of the Storm Praise for Broken Branch "The community of Broken Branch in John Mantooth's fine novella enacts the familiar American quest to found a religiously-pure settlement whose members might escape the evils and ills of the larger world—in this case, Depression-era America. A descendant of Hawthorne's Blithedale Farm, not to mention Puritan Plymouth, its inhabitants come the same discovery as their forebearers, namely, that they themselves contain more than sufficient darkness to undo their enterprise. Through a tight focus on the woman whose largesse has made Broken Branch possible, Mantooth portrays the movement from willful ignorance to painful wisdom. In these pages, tornadoes churn, stars fall burning from the sky, and a strange storm shelter offers a glimpse of another world full of awful beauty. Broken Branch offers compelling evidence of John Mantooth's ambitions and abilities as a writer."—John Langan, author of The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies "John Mantooth's Broken Branch is filled with claustrophobic, creeping dread. It's a story of lies and belief, fear and deception, and it will stay with you long after you've finished the last page."—Damien Walters Grintalis, author of Ink

Broken Branches is set in the sophisticated area of Kensington based in London, England and follows Kris through his beautiful and privileged life as everything is ripped from him bit by bit. When he realises that he is left with nothing real in his life, his days become dull and monotone bringing about in him a state of mental autopilot. Deep down he ends up blaming himself for the tragedies that have occurred over the past few years, which doesn’t help his state of mind. A beautiful supernatural miracle helps him to uncover the honesty of not just his actions, but of those around him. When he begins to open up and apply intentions and actions to parts of his life that he used to question, aspects of his world begin to light up and unravel. Magical forces show him the truth about what life is and where happiness truly lays; it reminds him to be thankful for just simply being in the world. Broken Branches presents grandeur, realism, profound relationships, genuine love, simplicity and opulence. This is sprinkled with airy supernatural quirks that also bring about a humour in the form of classic British sarcasm and vivid colour.

From the deep Minnesota woods to the dangerous streets of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis PD investigators KOLIN RAYNES and SIMON TEMPLETON are not afraid to get their hands dirty when it comes to serial killers and human sex traffickers. This omnibus is a compilation of the first four suspenseful thriller novels in the Central Division Series, including the novella titled Training Grounds. This set includes: Book 1: Beholder’s Eye Novella Training Grounds (the first Central Division short) Book 2: Straight Razor Book 3: Discarded Book 4: Shades of Darkness Enjoy this exciting thriller series!

If I Should Die includes Allison Brennan’s chilling novella Love Is Murder, formerly available exclusively as an eBook! A TRIP TO THE DARK SIDE Aspiring FBI agent Lucy Kincaid and her P.I. boyfriend, Sean Rogan, are heading to the Adirondack Mountains for a pleasant romantic getaway when they detour to help troubled friends, owners of a new resort who are battling malicious vandals. After Lucy and Sean pursue an arsonist into an abandoned mine shaft, Lucy stumbles upon an even more heinous crime—and the perfectly preserved remains of its victim. The only thing more disturbing than the discovery of the corpse is its sudden disappearance. While the local police remain skeptical, Lucy is dead certain that there’s a connection between the sabotage at the resort and the murder—one that the less-than-neighborly citizens of Spruce Lake seem to have a stake in keeping hidden. Then, when a cold-blooded sniper targets Sean and Lucy, FBI agent Noah Armstrong enters the fray to ensure that more bodies don’t hit the ground. Now three outsiders race to untangle a violent conspiracy before they end up like the rest of Spruce Lake’s secrets: dead and buried.

New York Times bestselling author Gennita Low adds international intrigue and suspense to Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie family with WICKED HOT... A US operative/businessman had been kidnapped in Indonesia. He has a vital piece of information that would get the US government in trouble. But Indonesia is a country with with over 17000 islands, with plenty of jungles in which to hide. Off-the book NSA fixer, Kirk Ryan, approaches his cousin, Archer, who works at the MacKenzie Securities for help with tracing a phone call. He also needs a translator familiar with Indonesian. Not a problem. MacKenzie Securities' troubleshooter, Jade, has plenty of connections. In fact, there is a translator she knows who is in Indonesia right now. Surya, GEM contract agent, really doesn't want to do anything but lie on the heated beaches of Indonesia and just enjoy her first holiday in years. But she owes Jade Jax a favor and her friend's calling it in. And the favor comes in a six-foot-two package of irresistible and wicked male. It's just a translation job. She would help and maybe get to know the man for a day or two. What could go wrong?

Before you pick up Book 3, please tell us you've already read Book 1 and Book 2. Yes? Good. No? No. Why not? They will only make you feel like you've never felt before. Introduce you to worlds you never knew existed. And make you more joyful than you thought possible. Why? Because these are great stories and great writing that simply do not fit neatly in a box.