Kirjahaku

Horse people tend to be unusual, ranging from strikingly lovable to shockingly irritating. Each one has a story-or several-to tell, both happy and sad. Horse Scents presents a collection of thirteen intertwined stories that explore a year in the lives of boarders at one dusty old stable in suburban Atlanta. The tales within reveal a microcosm of humanity within the tiny but varied world of the stable, among the horses. They depict happiness and heartbreak, laughter and tears, romance and intolerance. As the characters-some that might appear to have familiar aspects-make their way through the year, their hopes, fears, secrets, dreams, plans, disasters, and nightmares all come out in ways that they could never have imagined. With horse scents, horse sense, and nonsense in abundance, this collection of short stories follows an interconnected set of people over the course of a year, through triumph and tragedy.

"Stable Affairs" picks up immediately where the book "Horse Scents" ended. There will be new beginnings and there will be new endings. Many familiar faces return, along with the addition of several brand new, interesting characters. Those readers of the previous book will learn a little more about Mary Pat Phillips and her family; Marty Howce reveals a surprising hidden talent; Stet Brandson's grand ambition materializes with a lot of love and support; we are introduced to a Zumba instructor with energy and patience to spare; a strikingly beautiful African-American artist has a very unique way of painting; and a new boarder at the stable who loves to read thrillers will have an encounter she never could have imagined. One year, month by month, in the lives of the boarders at CedarView Stable will bring humor and sadness, euphoric successes and devastating tragedy, life and death, romance and surprises, horse sense and nonsense. As with "Horse Scents", the tales within reveal a microcosm of humanity and readers just might recognize themselves, or someone they know.

This is the story of Baxter Janus, a professional photographer, told from two viewpoints, in two voices; both of them are his. First, an imaginative, precocious, optimistic young boy growing into adulthood looks forward to an exciting life, telling of his dreams and ambitions. Then Baxter, nearing the end of his life, looks back at what went right...and what went wrong along the way. A startling revelation in his later years sends his quiet, albeit boring retirement into a tailspin. Spanning nearly seventy years, from the end of World War II to present day, it chronicles his many adventures and misadventures, highs, lows, laughter and tears, as well as meeting several diverse, memorable and influential characters that help shape Baxter's life, even when he least expects it.

London, England...1952. The country is quickly recovering from the ravages of World War II, but a certain group of people won't let the hatred die. The fight continues. Murders are being committed throughout Europe as a result of a particular heroic action taken during the recently ended war. We will soon discover that there is more than one murderer and more than one reason. But who are the "good guys" and who are the "bad guys"? Three Americans, two former army pilots and an American actress who is now living in London, are swept up into the action almost by accident. Their lives are forever altered when they learn of the deadly plot. They realize that not everyone is who they appear to be and they, too, now have targets on their backs. Along with suspense, humor, and a bit of romance, this thriller poses a very intriguing and controversial question: can murder ever be justified?

1953: On a trans-Atlantic flight from London to New York City, Devon Stone, best-selling author of murder mysteries, strikes up a friendly chat with a fellow passenger in first-class. A murder in a Manhattan hotel later that evening connects Devon to the victim. Out of idle curiosity, Billy Bennett, Veronica Barron, and Peyton Chase, friends of Devon Stone, get themselves embroiled in nefarious doings involving the murder. A soldier who was involved in a highly classified operation during World War II has been missing for seven years and is now drawn into the plot. An old oil painting with contentious beginnings (and meanings) brings the story into sharper focus. Along with deceit, truths, lies, chance meetings, happenstance, humor, and a hint of romance we will also discover that one murder wasn't enough.

1955: London, England and Hong Kong, China Devon Stone, best-selling author of murder mysteries, receives a cryptic note from beyond the grave. Is it a warning or a clue to a murder? A startling murder on a Star Ferry in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour takes place at almost the same time as a suicide is discovered in London. These two events are connected...but how? Veronica Barron, an American actress friend of Devon Stone's, returns to the London stage to great acclaim, but at what price? An opera singer in Hong Kong is transformed by the role of a lifetime, albeit in a very deadly and violent way. A volatile father-son dynamic is the catalyst for a devastating and heart-breaking revelation. But once he solves one crime, Devon Stone comes to the realization that the mystery is not yet over. With multiple storylines that converge in unexpected ways, along with scenes of graphic violence, scenes of humor, and a touch of romance, we will discover that devious deceptions and lies prove that one can never be certain about who, or what, someone might be.

1952: New York City; Cairo, Egypt; Swaffham, England Marcus Darke, young New York City-based author of murder mysteries, his wife Valencia, and their best friend, Sebastian Reckling, travel to Egypt to gather historic information and seek out actual intriguing locales for his next thriller. Baako Mustafa, a handsome young Egyptologist, will be their tour guide for their expedition. Aside from vast amounts of Egyptian history, he will teach them lessons they least expected, shattering some of their long-held beliefs and behaviorisms. A beautiful young Egyptian woman working at a famous hotel is harboring a family secret that could prove deadly. They will all cross paths with a couple of octogenarian British tourists who have a surprising history of their own. Diligent police inspectors, one in Egypt, the other in England, work to uncover and solve the true stories behind two unrelated murders. Add to the mix, political unrest that suddenly explodes into catastrophic and violent riots on the streets of Cairo and our travellers are faced with turmoil and danger. With multiple storylines and diverse, unforgettable characters in differing locales, this is a travelogue and a history lesson with a couple murders thrown in just for fun. The reader might want to give a few thoughts about just who their fellow travelers might be while rubbing shoulders with them on their next vacation. Just...be wary.