To Be A Friend Is Fatal

In July 2011, billionaire Jonah Shacknai's Coronado, California, mansion was the setting for two horrifying deaths only days apart--his young son's plunge from a balcony and his girlfriend's ghastly hanging. What really happened? Baffling questions remain unanswered. Rule looks at the closed cases through the eyes of a relentless crime reporter. The second probe began in Utah when Susan Powell vanished in a 2009 blizzard. Her controlling husband, Josh, proved capable of a blind rage that was heartbreakingly fatal to his innocent young sons almost three years later in a tragedy that shocked America as the details unfolded. If anyone had detected the depth of depravity within Josh Powell, perhaps the family that loved and trusted him would have been saved. In these and seven other riveting cases, Ann Rule exposes the twisted truth behind headlined and little-known homicides and speaks for vulnerable victims who relied on the wrong people.

"While working on his doctorate at the University of Southern California, Sam Abbott invents two serums: one prevents contagious diseases; the other blocks the harmful effects of air pollution. After being turned down by several drug companies and drowning in student loan debt, Sam seeks financing from David Holloway, the second wealthiest person in America. He quickly builds a new company, and soon meets the love of his life. Sam's life is finally turning around. Minutes before the Abbotts are to leave on a much-needed vacation, Jennifer goes missing. Sam becomes the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance. On the run, and not knowing who to trust, he is kidnapped. The drug companies want Abbott's company slowed down. A prominent U.S. Senator is in their pocket. But who is behind it all?" -- back cover.

Canadians are very polite — but they also commit murder. And those who think that mass homicides and wanton killings are recent phenomena in Canada should treat themselves to Fatal Intentions. Using contemporary accounts, Barbara Smith vividly recreates a number of murder cases from 1920s Nova Scotia to 1980s British Columbia. Some, like the Boyd Gang adventures, are still rememebred often inaccurately or romantically; others, like the murder of Flora Gray in Yarmouth, or the murder of 23 innocents in Quebec in 1949, can now be recalled by only a few. In some cases, the "truth" may exist only in dusty archives; in others, the truth may have gone to the graves of the victims — or the accused. Robert Cook's killing spree — all seven in his family — in Stettler, alberta, will probably be recounted, locally, for generations. But, did he do it? Toronto's Boyd Gang boasted about hot cars and beautiful women — the stuff of folklore. And newspaper writers of that time were only too willing to add to the romantic tales. The last woman to be hanged in Canada, her disabled brother, and his employer all went to the gallows — two for greed, one for lust. These and otehr stories are part of our history — and often part of our folklore. They also can remind us taht human nature doesn't change easily, over decades or distances. Greed, lust, and other deadly sins can lead to fatal intentions, anytime, anywhere.

Jerry Mitchell returns in Fatal Thunder, a gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Larry Bond India and Pakistan are stalemated in a war that India launched to “remove the threat of terrorism, once and for all.” Without the knowledge of the rest of the Indian government, a small but powerful group of senior military officers and civilian security officials have decided to strike at China, Pakistan's backer and India's recent enemy in the Littoral Alliance War. The conspirators’ planned attack will leave Pakistan largely undefended, ensuring the success of India’s military campaign. To conceal the origins of the attack, the group has obtained Russian-made nuclear warheads and torpedos from a renegade Russian arms merchant, which will be delivered covertly by INS Chakra. Girish Samant, until recently the captain of Chakra, discovers hints of the far-reaching conspiracy and seeks aid from an old enemy, the only person he can trust: skipper of the USS North Dakota, Jerry Mitchell. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Washington, D.C., Metro Police Detective Sergeant Sam Holland needs a big win to salvage her career—and her confidence—after a disastrous investigation. The perfect opportunity arises when Senator John O’Connor is found brutally murdered in his bed, and Sam is assigned to the case. Things get complicated when Sam has to team up with Nick Cappuano, O’Connor’s friend and chief of staff…and the man Sam had a memorable one-night stand with years earlier. Their sexual chemistry still sizzles, and Sam has to fight to stay focused on the case. Sleeping with a material witness is another mistake she can’t afford—especially when the bodies keep piling up.

Kate loves her life. At forty-four, she's happily married to her kind husband, Ron, blessed with two wonderful children, and has a beautiful home in San Francisco. Everything changes, however, when she and Ron attend a dinner party and meet another couple, Peter and Jill. Kate and Peter only exchange a few pleasant words but that night, in bed with her husband, Kate is suddenly overcome with a burning desire for Peter. What begins as an innocent crush soon develops into a dangerous obsession and Kate's fixation on Peter results in one intense, passionate encounter between the two. Confident that her life can now go back to normal, Kate never considers that Peter may not be so willing to move on. Not long after their affair, a masked man barges into the cafe Kate is sitting in with her best friend, firing an assault weapon indiscriminately into the crowd. This tragedy is the first in a series of horrifying events that will show Kate just how grave the consequences of one mistake can be.