Vanishing Act

"I have been painted and painted others with the deep blood-red earth paint, which is the symbol of life. We call this paint ma etom, which is a derivative of the word for blood, ma e. Ma e, blood, is essential for life." Dr. Henrietta Mann, from the foreword A person's blood quantum is defined as the percentage of their ancestors who are documented as full-blood Native Americans. The U.S. federal government uses a blood quantum minimum as a measure of "Indian" identity to manage tribal enrollments and access to cultural and social services. Evidence suggests that if current demographic trends continue, within a few generations tribes will legally disappear. The forces of modern intermarriage and urbanization are resulting in fewer individuals who can legally meet blood quantum requirements. Through essays, personal stories, case studies, satire, and poetry, a lauded collection of international contributors will explore blood quantum as biology and as cultural metaphor. They will explain the history of the law and how it may result in the devastation of tribal culture and the perpetuation of tribal discrimination in the U.S. and beyond. Featuring diverse and talented Native voices representing different generations, backgrounds and literary styles, Blood Quantum Quandaries: Who Are We? seeks answers to the most critical issue facing Native Americans and all indigenous populations in the 21st century and hopes to redefine the meaning of cultural citizenship. "

“A challenging and satisfying thriller . . . [with] many surprising twists.”—The New York Times Jane Whitefield is a Native American guide who leads people out of the wilderness—not the tree-filled variety but the kind created by enemies who want you dead. She is in the one-woman business of helping the desperate disappear. Thanks to her membership in the Wolf Clan of the Seneca tribe, she can fool any pursuer, cover any trail, and then provide her clients with new identities, complete with authentic paperwork. Jane knows all the tricks, ancient and modern; in fact, she has invented several of them herself. So she is only mildly surprised to find an intruder waiting for her when she returns home one day. An ex-cop suspected of embezzling, John Felker wants Jane to do for him what she did for his buddy Harry Kemple: make him vanish. But as Jane opens a door out of the world for Felker, she walks into a trap that will take all her heritage and cunning to escape. . . . Praise for Vanishing Act “Thomas Perry keeps pulling fresh ideas and original characters out of thin air. The strong-willed heroine he introduces in Vanishing Act rates as one of his most singular creations.”—The New York Times Book Review “One thriller that must be read. . . . Perry has created his most complex and compelling protagonist.”—San Francisco Examiner

This is a story about a snow-covered island you won’t find on any map. It’s Minou’s story. A year ago, her mama disappeared. It’s a story about a magician, a priest and a dog called No Name. It’s about Papa’s endless hunt for the truth. It’s about a dead boy who listens, and Minou’s search for Mama’s voice. And it’s about discovering what love is.

Written and drawn in thirteen tones, from comedy and confession to interpretative dance, Vanishing Actis synchronized in time and space on one melancholy evening. A paranoid man rehearses for an upcoming party. A disheveled actor expounds on the conceptual potential of sitcoms. A beloved dog accesses the internet and starts a cult. A couple argues in reverse. A bored seagull excretes the entire known universe.

New York Times bestselling author John Feinstein goes behind closed doors at the US Open . . . When teen sportswriters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson score press passes to the U.S. Open they expect drama. They expect blistering serves, smashed returns and fierce competition. What they don't expect is kidnapping. Russian tennis phenom Nadia Symanova was supposed to win it all, but she never even made it onto the court. Now the whole stadium is in an uproar trying to find her. Can Stevie and Susan Carol get to Nadia before it's too late? "Feinstein expertly combines tennis action, life in the Big Apple, media coverage, and a realistic plot to explore the fierce competition of tennis." —Chicago Sun-Times

Identity theft has consequences. The wrath of the Sisterhood is one of them. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Razor Sharp. For the women of the Sisterhood, planning a lavish reception for their longtime ally, attorney Lizzie Fox, at their lux mountain retreat is the ideal way to unwind after their latest successful mission. The only cloud over the happy occasion is that their mentor, Charles, is still mysteriously absent. But amid the friendly bickering about floral arrangements, cake tiers, and wedding favors, the ladies of Pinewood receive a frantic phone call from Nikki’s fiancé, Jack Emery. Harry Wong—Yoko’s true love and a staunch supporter of the Sisterhood—has become the victim of a ruthless identity theft ring. Harry’s bank accounts have been closed out, his beloved dojo is being foreclosed, and he’s being evicted. Distraught, Yoko is about to rush down the mountain to Harry’s aid when the Sisters intercept her. A situation like Harry’s requires finesse, careful planning, and the Sisterhood’s distinctive brand of vigilante justice . . . Series praise “Spunky women who fight for truth, justice, and the American way.”—Fresh Fiction on Final Justice “Readers will enjoy seeing what happens when well-funded, very angry women take the law into their own hands.”—Booklist on Weekend Warriors “Delectable . . . deliver[s] revenge that’s creatively swift and sweet, Michaels-style.”—Publishers Weekly on Hokus Pokus

From the Costa Award winning, bestselling author of THIS MUST BE THE PLACE and I AM, I AM, I AM, comes an intense, breathtakingly accomplished story of a woman's life stolen, and reclaimed. 'Unputdownable' Ali Smith Edinburgh in the 1930s. The Lennox family is having trouble with its youngest daughter. Esme is outspoken, unconventional, and repeatedly embarrasses them in polite society. Something will have to be done. Years later, a young woman named Iris Lockhart receives a letter informing her that she has a great-aunt in a psychiatric unit who is about to be released. Iris has never heard of Esme Lennox and the one person who should know more, her grandmother Kitty, seems unable to answer Iris's questions. What could Esme have done to warrant a lifetime in an institution? And how is it possible for a person to be so completely erased from a family's history?

Rock star Jesse Slade disappeared under mysterious circumstances several years ago. Now, as Nancy and her friends Bess and George watch a television retrospective on Slade’s life, they notice something strange, and Nancy vows to reopen the case and solve the mystery.