Brad Smith

The hunter becomes the hunted: Carl Burns pursues the ruthless gang who targeted him in this fast-paced, suspenseful thriller.Happily ensconced at River Road Farm and planning to start their own maple syrup business, life is good for Carl Burns and his partner Frances, who also stars in her own TV show. But, unwittingly, Frances's TV exposure has attracted unwelcome attention.Targeted by a gang of small-time criminals who need to get their hands on a large amount of cash - fast, Carl and Frances's perfect lives are shattered in an instant. With clues as to the gang's identity thin on the ground, the cops' hands are tied. It's up to Carl to track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice - in whatever way he can.

Carl Burns returns to his hometown to uncover a viper's nest of corruption and dark secrets in this tense and twisting novel of suspense . . . After ten years' absence and a spell in prison, Carl Burns has returned to his hometown of Rose City to offer support to his estranged daughter Kate, currently one of four witnesses testifying against former Mayor Joseph Sanderson III, who stands accused of multiple counts of underage rape. Carl is determined to get justice for Kate, whatever it takes. But with his former sister-in-law Frances his only ally, he finds himself incurring the wrath of powerful enemies as he attempts to uncover the shocking truth beneath the layers of corruption and lies which engulf the town.

Carl Burns returns to his hometown to uncover a viper's nest of corruption and dark secrets in this tense and twisting novel of suspense . . . After ten years' absence and a spell in prison, Carl Burns has returned to his hometown of Rose City to offer support to his estranged daughter Kate, currently one of four witnesses testifying against former Mayor Joseph Sanderson III, who stands accused of multiple counts of underage rape. Carl is determined to get justice for Kate, whatever it takes. But with his former sister-in-law Frances his only ally, he finds himself incurring the wrath of powerful enemies as he attempts to uncover the shocking truth beneath the layers of corruption and lies which engulf the town.

Carl Burns returns to his hometown to uncover a viper's nest of corruption and dark secrets in this tense and twisting novel of suspense: first in a brand-new series. After ten years' absence and a spell in prison, Carl Burns has returned to his hometown of Rose City to offer support to his estranged daughter Kate, currently one of four witnesses testifying against former Mayor Joseph Sanderson III, who stands accused of multiple counts of underage rape. Carl is determined to get justice for Kate, whatever it takes. But with his former sister-in-law Frances his only ally, he finds himself incurring the wrath of powerful enemies as he attempts to uncover the shocking truth beneath the layers of corruption and lies which engulf the town.

From a writer who "rivals Elmore Leonard at his best" (Publishers Weekly) comes the third novel in the Virgil Cain series--a riveting story that opens with the discovery of the body of a movie star near the Hudson River. In upstate New York, Virgil Cain is drawing hay behind his team of massive Percherons when two movie scouts show up and offer $500 a day to use the horses in a film to be shot in the area. Virgil, in need of cash, reluctantly pockets the money, but he soon finds the chaotic set of Frontier Woman to be more trouble than it's worth. Savvy producer Sam Sawchuk is in over her head; when she's not propping up her talent-challenged husband-cum-director, she's trying to keep tabs on a new inves-tor, the Native American casino owner Ronnie Red Hawk, a rambling egomaniac with designs on an infamous starlet. When the film's leading lady turns up dead, Virgil discovers that more is at stake than the carnal interests of a casino magnate and the production of a major motion picture. And although he'd rather leave the whole bunch to stew in their own juices, he realizes he needs to step in before a charming ten-year-old actress named Georgia becomes the next victim.

Brad Smith, a "funny, poignant, evocative" (Dennis Lehane) crime novelist, debuts a new series set in upstate New York featuring jack-of-all trades, Virgil Cain, who must clear his name of two murders while on the run from the law in this spirited country noir. Mickey Dupree is one of the most successful criminal attorneys in upstate New York, having never lost a capital murder case. That is the upside of being Mickey. The downside: Mickey has a lot of enemies and one of them drives the shaft of a golf club through his heart, leaving him dead in a sand trap at his exclusive country club. The cops, led by a dim-witted detective named Joe Brady, focus their attentions on Virgil Cain. Just two weeks earlier Virgil told a crowded bar that "somebody ought to blow Mickey's head off," after the slippery lawyer earned an acquittal for Alan Comstock, the man accused of murdering Virgil's wife. Comstock, a legendary record producer, gun nut, and certifiable lunatic, has returned to his estate, where he lives with his wife, the long suffering Jane. It appears to Virgil that the fix is in when Brady immediately throws him into jail with no questions asked. In order to set things right, Virgil escapes from jail, determined to find Mickey's killer himself. Aside from a smart and sexy detective named Claire Marchand, everybody is convinced that Virgil is the culprit. When Alan Comstock is discovered with six slugs in his body the day after Virgil's escape, his guilt is almost assured. Now it is up to Virgil to convince everyone of his innocence--by finding the killer before he winds up as the next victim.

Back in the Garden, work was fun. Yet, in today's fallen world, joy and work are rarely used in the same sentence. But God really does intend for us to find joy in our work. Join Raymond Bakke, Brad Smith, and Bill Hendricks as they explore what the Bible says about the purpose of business and our right to a joyful workplace. No matter where you spend those 50 or 60 hours during the week--whether it's in business, government, or the nonprofit sector; in church, at home, or anywhere else--God intends for you to find joy in your work. This 10-week study accompanies Joy at Work, a book by Dennis W. Bakke, co-founder and CEO of AES, a worldwide energy giant with 40,000 employees in 31 countries. Shaped by his faith, Bakke recounts his quest to create the most fun workplace ever--using principles established in the Garden. This study provides the biblical map that he used as he charted and led that journey. Starting with the Genesis record of creation and moving through Revelation, this Bible study supplements Joy at Work with: Biblical readings that unveil the principles behind each chapter in Joy at Work A synthesis of theological principles Reflective questions to prepare readers for small-group discussion Questions for small-group discussion Guidelines for immediate and long-term application for business and nonprofit leaders at all levels of corporations and organizations. The Joy at Work experience has the power to profoundly change your workplace and your life.

Legacy is the authors account of the trials he has encountered throughout his life and the lessons he has learned from them.

Like a building site well-stocked with quality raw materials, your church abounds with possibilities--life-changing ministries just waiting to be developed. The Equipping Church Guidebook shows you how. Refining and expanding groundbreaking material, this in-depth approach helps you identify, equip, and empower lay ministers who will profoundly influence your church and your community. Behind this volume lies a massive body of research on hundreds of equipping churches across the country. Now you and your leadership team can reap the benefits with this exhaustive, hands-on resource. Nothing else compares with it. Designed and field-tested by today’s leading architects of equipping ministry, Leadership Training Network, The Equipping Church Guidebook is a blueprint for custom-building the systems and culture that are ideal for your church. Part one, Building an Equipping Ministry Vision and Culture, explains what an equipping church is, walks you through the conceptual stages, and helps your church transition to equipping vision and values. Part two, Building an Equipping Ministry System, helps you lay relational and strategic foundations, and then build on them an equipping system that gives structure and effectiveness to every aspect of church life. The Equipping Church Guidebook includes * Detailed information, clear instructions, and helpful examples * Abundant charts, graphs, and diagrams * Worksheets and assessment forms to help you apply the concepts in this book * Practical suggestions and checklists * "Contractors Conferences" to foster dialogue and decision-making as a leadership team Together with The Equipping Church, this guidebook helps you and your leadership team catch and implement the vision of Ephesians 4:11-13--equipping the saints for works of service that lead to spiritual maturity--in your church. One of the most challenging and exciting journeys in your church’s life lies ahead of you. Let the adventure begin!