Forty Thieves

Married sleuths cross paths with married assassins in this “priceless” mystery by the bestselling author of the Jane Whitefield series (The New York Times). Sid and Ronnie Abel are a first-rate husband-and-wife detective team, both ex-LAPD. Ed and Nicole Hoyt are married assassins-for-hire living in the San Fernando Valley. Except for deadly aim with a Glock 17, the couples have little in common—until they’re hired to do damage control on the same murder. The body of research scientist James Ballantine has been pulled from a storm sewer, with two bullet holes in the back of his head. With the case turning cold, Ballantine’s former employers bring in the Abels to succeed where the police have failed. As for the Hoyts, their mysterious contractors want to make sure that the facts about Ballantine’s death stay hidden. Now the Abels must try to survive as they circle ever closer to the truth, and to a dangerous pair guarding it with their lives. From “a master of nail-biting suspense” (Los Angeles Times), comes a “propulsive, darkly humorous” (Publishers Weekly) “double-barreled Southern California thriller that moves almost faster than a speeding bullet” (The Wall Street Journal).

A satirical tale of the fall of a fabled empire.

Unlock the more straightforward side of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, a classic tale of magic, greed and cunning set in Persia. Ali Baba is a poor but kindly woodcutter who stumbles across a band of thieves and overhears them opening a mysterious cave with the magic words “Open Sesame!”. When he repeats the words, he enters the cave, which turns out to be packed with unimaginable riches. However, when the thieves discover that someone has helped themselves to their treasure, they set out to hunt down the culprit, setting in motion a dangerous battle of wits. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is one of the best-known stories in The Thousand and One Nights, a collection of popular tales of Indian and Middle Eastern origin. Find out everything you need to know about Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

A shrewd servant. A penniless young woodcutter. A priceless stolen treasure. Melisende joins a crusade, her head full of glory and victory, only to flee from her first battle. Forced to hide as a housemaid while the enemy army occupies the city she'd hoped to save, she despairs of ever finding her way home. Mithra plans to settle down with the girl of his dreams, but when the war spills into his city, all dreams of the future are shattered. When he finds a Crusader maiden in the woods and they stumble across a priceless treasure, he thinks his luck might have turned…until he discovers the penalty of stealing from the Forty Thieves. Can Melisende and Mithra save his family from the Forty Thieves? Fans of the following authors will enjoy reading these steamy medieval fairytale romances: Lindsay Buroker Neil Gaiman Skye MacKinnon Kiera Cass Amanda Hocking Sarah J Maas Lidiya Foxglove Anne McCaffrey Tamsin Ley Holly Black Juliet Marillier Kylie Chan Leigh Bardugo Laura Thalassa Elise Kova Cassandra Clare George RR Martin Kathryn Le Veque Andrzej Sapkowski