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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK • "Sharply, evocatively written and elaborately plotted . . . [Red Square] should find as many friends as did Gorky Park."-The Washington Post Book WorldBack from exile in the hellish reaches of the Soviet Union, homicide investigator Arkady Renko discovers that his country, his Moscow, even his job, are nearly dead. But his enemies are very much alive, and foremost among them are the powerful black-market crime lords of the Russian mafia. Hounded by this terrifying new underworld, chased by the ruthless minions of the newly rich and powerful, and tempted by his great love, defector Irina Asanova, Arkady can only hope desperately for escape. But fate has something else in store. "Gripping . . . Smith at his best."-The Wall Street Journal "A crackling suspense thriller."-The Boston Globe "Fascinating . . . powerful."-The Philadelphia Inquirer "Absorbing."-The New York Times"Extraordinary."-Time

Downsized from her teaching job, Jessie longs for a sense of renewal and decides to spend a year on Cape Cod, seeking to be cleansed by rushing ocean waters and comforted by the lavender hues of the setting sun. While there she volunteers with a local hospice program, where she meets Luke, a once proud fisherman whose life and body have been ravaged by cancer. Jessie's presence is a great help to Luke's mother, who has moved in to take care of her son.After initial misgivings Jessie and Luke forge a deep friendship, and the former teacher is surprised to find herself opening up about her life, the loss of her father when she was a girl, her often difficult relationship with her mother, and her own battle with illness. When Luke makes a critical request of his new friend, Jessie must look deep within herself for an answer, knowing that her actions will have far-reaching effects on Luke's family and forever change the bonds within her own.

WINNER OF THE BOOKS FOR A BETTER LIFE AWARDOne out of every two women will die of heart disease. It is the single greatest health risk for women today-more than stroke and all cancers combined. In the course of her practice, and as chief of Women's Cardiac Care at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital, Dr. Nieca Goldberg has come to a startling realization: Women experience heart disease in a fundamentally different way than men do.The physiology of a woman's heart attack is not the same as a man's, the symptoms of heart disease and signs of impending heart attack differ for women, and once heart disease has been recognized, women often do not get the treatment and medications they require. Now here are detailed, age-specific programs that give women the facts and the guidance they need to recognize, treat, and prevent heart disease, including• how you can rate your risk of heart disease• the effects of menopause on your heart• risk factors you can change-starting today• a heart-healthy exercise plan that works for you• a complete guide to heart-healthy supplements • the truth about hormone replacement therapy and the heart• recovering from a heart attack or surgeryAuthoritative, caring, and up-to-the-minute, this is the women's health book for the new millennium.

"The more you transform your life from the material to the spiritual domain, the less you become afraid of death.” Leo Tolstoy spoke these words, and they became Henry Stuart's raison d'etre. The Poet of Tolstoy Park is the unforgettable novel based on the true story of Henry Stuart's life, which was reclaimed from his doctor's belief that he would not live another year.Henry responds to the news by slogging home barefoot in the rain. It's 1925. The place: Canyon County, Idaho. Henry is sixty-seven, a retired professor and a widower who has been told a warmer climate would make the end more tolerable. San Diego would be a good choice. Instead, Henry chose Fairhope, Alabama, a town with utopian ideals and a haven for strong-minded individualists. Upton Sinclair, Sherwood Anderson, and Clarence Darrow were among its inhabitants. Henry bought his own ten acres of piney woods outside Fairhope. Before dying, underscored by the writings of his beloved Tolstoy, Henry could begin to "perfect the soul awarded him” and rest in the faith that he, and all people, would succeed, "even if it took eons.” Human existence, Henry believed, continues in a perfect circle unmarred by flaws of personality, irrespective of blood and possessions and rank, and separate from organized religion. In Alabama, until his final breath, he would chase these high ideas.But first, Henry had to answer up for leaving Idaho. Henry's dearest friend and intellectual sparring partner, Pastor Will Webb, and Henry's two adult sons, Thomas and Harvey, were baffled and angry that he would abandon them and move to the Deep South, living in a barn there while he built a round house of handmade concrete blocks. His new neighbors were perplexed by his eccentric behavior as well. On the coldest day of winter he was barefoot, a philosopher and poet with ideas and words to share with anyone who would listen. And, mysteriously, his "last few months” became years. He had gone looking for a place to learn lessons in dying, and, studiously advanced to claim a vigorous new life.The Poet of Tolstoy Park is a moving and irresistible story, a guidebook of the mind and spirit that lays hold of the heart. Henry Stuart points the way through life's puzzles for all of us, becoming in this timeless tale a character of such dimension that he seems more alive now than ever.

This holiday season, four bestselling authors give the gift that keeps on giving: gripping tales of special agents in a covert agency, out to protect the innocent . . . by any means necessary.Snowball's Chance by Cherry Adair-Kendall decks the halls, unaware that a serial killer has her on the top of his list. Of course, being naughty with the sexy good guy sent to protect her would be so nice.Santa Slave by Leanne Banks-After her best friend disappears, Hilary takes matters into her own hands and finds herself caught in the throes of danger, while a hunky male operative hopes to mix pleasure with business.Runaway Santa by Pamela Britton-Biologist Kaitlyn Moneypenny's research is finally leading to a big scientific breakthrough . . . and mortal peril. When bullets start to fly, so do the sparks between Kaitlyn and her Santa-clad rescuer.Killer Christmas by Kelsey Roberts-When several Santas are murdered at a swanky department store, the new CEO, Meghan Beckham, had better watch out, had better not cry-because a serial killer has come to town.

In the firmament of great historical novelists, Anne Perry is a star of the greatest magnitude. First there were her acclaimed Victorian mysteries, sparkling with passion and suspense. Now readers have embraced this bestselling new series of World War I novels-which juxtapose the tranquil life of the English countryside with the horrors of war.By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England's youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man's-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford's driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith's brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle-and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.In this mesmerizing series, Anne Perry has found a subject worthy of her gifts. Illuminating the murderous conflict whose violence still resounds in our consciousness-as well as the souls of men and women who lived it-Shoulder the Sky is a taut, inspiring masterpiece.

From the bestselling author of the landmark work Rubyfruit Jungle comes an engaging, original new novel that only Rita Mae Brown could have written. In the pristine world of Virginia foxhunting, hunters, horses, hounds, and foxes form a lively community of conflicting loyalties, where the thrill of the chase and the intricacies of human-animal relationships are experienced firsthand--and murder exposes a proud Southern community's unsavory secrets. . . . As Master of the prestigious Jefferson Hunt Club, Jane Arnold, known as Sister, is the most revered citizen in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain town where a rigid code of social conduct and deep-seated tradition carry more weight than money. Nearing seventy, Sister now must select a joint master to ensure a smooth transition of leadership after her death. It is an honor of the highest order--and one that any serious social climber would covet like the Holy Grail.Virginian to the bone with a solid foxhunting history, Fontaine Buruss is an obvious candidate, but his penchant for philandering and squandering money has earned him a less than sparkling reputation. And not even Sister knows about his latest tawdry scandal. Then there is Crawford Howard, a Yankee in a small town where Rebel bloodlines are sacred. Still, Crawford has money--lots of it--and as Sister is well aware, maintaining a first-class hunt club is far from cheap. With the competition flaring up, Southern gentility flies out the window. Fontaine and Crawford will stop at nothing to discredit each other. Soon the entire town is pulled into a rivalry that is spiraling dangerously out of control. Even the animals have strong opinions, and only Sister is able to maintain objectivity. But when opening hunt day ends in murder, she, too, is stunned. Who was bold and skilled enough to commit murder on the field? It could only be someone who knew both the territory and the complex nature of the hunt inside out. Sister knows of three people who qualify--and only she, with the help of a few clever foxes and hounds, can lay the trap to catch the killer.A colorful foray into an intriguing world, Outfoxed features a captivating cast of Southerners and their unforgettable animal counterparts. Rita Mae Brown has written a masterful novel that surprises, delights, and enchants.

Card sharp and former wild child Hallie Palmer is in college now-and Bernard Stockton, her legal guardian, has suddenly appeared during final exams. He's hysterical about his recent breakup with his longtime boyfriend, Gil, and wants to enlist Hallie in a scheme to win Gil back. So Hallie returns to Cosgrove County, Ohio, for the summer, to her job as live-in yard person for Bernard and his delightfully oddball mother, Olivia. Also present are Ottavio, Olivia's hot-tempered Italian lover, who's desperate for a wedding; Rocky, a chimpanzee who's one Singapore Sling away from an AA meeting for primates; and Hallie's own ever-expanding family, which she fled as soon as she could slide down the drainpipe.Around town, folks assume that since Hallie isn't in jail, she clearly has no problems of her own and can therefore tackle theirs. But Hallie has plenty of troubles-a looming tuition bill, gambling temptations, and an ex-boyfriend who's back in town for the summer to upset any potential if highly unlikely (a girl can dream!) romantic flings.Yet as Hallie and company navigate life's unexpected paths of games lost and love found, the real truth begins to emerge: With friends, family, and a place to call home, your heart's desire is always within reach.

With Entering Normal and Leaving Eden, Anne LeClaire brilliantly probed the interior lives of women-friends, mothers, daughters-bringing to vivid life the conflict, surprises, and resilience of their complex relationships. Now in her new novel, The Law of Bound Hearts, LeClaire focuses her gaze on sisters, with the same compassion, insight, and startling breadth of emotion.Sisters Libby and Sam Lewis were inseparable as little girls, best friends and soul mates. But a terrible event during in their 30s completely shatters their tender connection. Now the sisters live entirely unconnected lives. Happily married, Libby manages a spotless household, clings to schedules, and maintains a vigorous exercise routine; a pastry chef who harbors no romantic delusions, Sam runs a successful decorative cake business out of her newly purchased Victorian home. Neither wishes to be the first to reach out and make amends-until a sobering turn of events forces action.Libby discovers she has contracted a rare kidney disease that could end her life. A transplant will increase her chances for survival. Sam would be the ideal donor. But Libby is stubborn and unwilling to seek help from others. Much to the dismay of her husband, she is resolved to face her illness alone. Sam avoids the sentimental and refuses to allow Libby back in her life. Once she knows the truth, will Sam bury the past and reach out to her estranged sister?Anne LeClaire's The Law of Bound Hearts is an extraordinary story of family that lingers in the mind. It is a novel about courage, betrayal, and forgiveness that penetrates the very core of love.

"AS ENTERTAINING AS SARUM AND RUTHERFURD'S OTHER SWEEPING NOVEL OF BRITISH HISTORY, LONDON.”-The Boston Globe"Engaging . . . A sprawling tome that combines fact with fiction and covers 900 years in the history of New Forest, a 100,000-acre woodland in southern England . . . Rutherfurd sketches the histories of six fictional families, ranging from aristocrats to peasants, who have lived in the forest for generations. . . . But the real success is in how Rutherfurd paints his picture of the wooded enclave with images of treachery and violence, as well as magic and beauty.”-The New York Post"THE FOREST IS MICHENER TOLD WITH AN ENGLISH ACCENT.”-St. Louis Post-Dispatch"TALES OF LOVE AND HONOR, DECEIT AND VIOLENCE, INHERITANCE AND LOSS.”-San Jose Mercury News

The best financial planner Michelle Singletary ever knew was Big Mama, her grandmother. Big Mama raised Michelle and her four brothers and sisters on a salary that never reached more than $13,000 a year. Yet at her death, Big Mama owned her own home, had paid off a car loan, and had a beautiful collection of Sunday-go-to-meeting church hats and a savings account that supplemented her Social Security check and small pension. Most important, she had taught Michelle "7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life." Those mantras serve as the inspiration for this straight-talking book of practical personal financial advice that really works. The 7 Money Mantras are: 1. If it' s on your ass, it's not an asset! 2. Is this a need or is it a want? 3. Sweat the small stuff. 4. Cash is better than credit. 5. Keep it simple. 6. Priorities lead to prosperity. 7. Enough is enough. Michelle Singletary is a syndicated columnist for The Washington Post whose popular personal finance column appears in more than 120 newspapers. She's also a mother of three children who understands what it's like to live on a budget. In a plainspoken, sassy, no-nonsense voice, Michelle provides answers to the financial issues that confront almost every household: how to teach children the value of money; how to address money issues in a relationship or marriage; household saving tips; getting the best loans; and much more. "This book is about saving enough money to have choices," she writes. "It's about feeling free to be cheap if you can't afford to buy a ton of gifts at Christmas. It's about eliminating wasteful spend-ing so you can begin to save and invest. It's full of uncommon commonsense lessons and guidance on the way people should use their money." With humor and down-home financial wisdom, Michelle Singletary offers practical and realistic advice that will help you live well with the money you have. Michelle Singletary on . . . Romance and Money "It's okay to say: 'Honey, I love you and everything, but if you need money, ask your mama.'" Credit Cards "We are minimizing our financial potential by making minimum credit-card payments." Car Buying "If you want to save money, keep your car until you're on a first-name basis with the local tow-truck drivers." Leasing a Car "You, too, can drive a car you can't afford and then have to give it back. It's crazy." Gift Giving "Generosity isn't about how much you spend. It's about how much thought you put into the gift." Penny Pinching "I once bought a stick-shift car because it was $1,000 cheaper than the automatic in the same model. There was just one little problem. I couldn't drive a stick-shift. But at least I saved $1,000!"

Benjamin Weaver, the quick-witted pugilist turned private investigator, returns in David Liss's sequel to the Edgar Award-winning novel, A Conspiracy of Paper."[A] wonderful book . . . every bit as good as [Liss's] remarkable debut . . . easily one of the year's best."-The Boston GlobeMoments after his conviction for a murder he did not commit, at a trial presided over by a judge determined to find him guilty, Benjamin Weaver is accosted by a stranger who cunningly slips a lockpick and a file into his hands. In an instant he understands two things: Someone wants him to hang-and another equally mysterious agent is determined to see him free. After a daring escape from eighteenth-century London's most notorious prison, Weaver must face another challenge: to prove himself innocent when the corrupt courts have shown they care nothing for justice. Unable to show his face in public, Weaver pursues his inquiry disguised as a wealthy merchant seeking to involve himself in the contentious world of politics. Desperately navigating a labyrinth of schemers, crime lords, assassins, and spies, Weaver learns that in an election year, little is what it seems and the truth comes at a staggeringly high cost. Praise for A Spectacle of Corruption"[A] rousing sequel of historical, intellectual suspense. "-San Antonio Express-News "Liss is a superb writer who evokes the squalor of London with Hogarthian gusto."-People "In Benjamin Weaver, Mr. Liss has created a multifaceted character and a wonderful narrator."-The New York Sun

With the insights she has gleaned from her close and subtle observation of parent-teacher conferences, renowned Harvard University professor Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot has written a wise, useful book about the ways in which parents and teachers can make the most of their essential conversation—the dialogue between the most vital people in a child's life."The essential conversation” is the crucial exchange that occurs between parents and teachers—a dialogue that takes place more than one hundred million times a year across our country and is both mirror of and metaphor for the larger cultural forces that define family-school relationships and shape the development of our children. Participating in this twice-yearly ritual, so friendly and benign in its apparent goals, parents and teachers are often wracked with anxiety. In a meeting marked by decorum and politeness, they frequently exhibit wariness and assume defensive postures. Even though the conversation appears to be focused on the student, adults may find themselves playing out their own childhood histories, insecurities, and fears.Through vivid portraits and parables, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot captures the dynamics of this complex, intense relationship from the perspective of both parents and teachers. She also identifies new principles and practices for improving family-school relationships. In a voice that combines the passion of a mother, the skepticism of a social scientist, and the keen understanding of one of our nation's most admired educators, Lawrence-Lightfoot offers penetrating analysis and an urgent call to arms for all those who want to act in the best interests of their children.For parents and teachers who seek productive dialogues and collaborative alliances in support of the learning and growth of their children, this book will offer valuable insights, incisive lessons, and deft guidance on how to communicate more effectively. In The Essential Conversation, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot brings scholarship, warmth, and wisdom to an immensely important cultural subject—the way we raise our children.

IF BABIES CAME WITH A USER'S MANUAL-THIS WOULD BE IT!Here is a lifeline of reliable, reassuring information for those busy days and often sleepless nights from pregnancy through the first year. This trouble shooting, sanity-saving book covers more than five hundred topics-everything from allergies to zoster (commonly known as shingles)-and is filled with warm, comforting advice from an experienced pediatrician and father of two.Wondering about those little bumps or spots? Worried that your baby sleeps or eats too much (or too little)? Coping with colic? Concerned about teething? Confused about car seats, medications, vaccinations? Designed to console even the most stressed-out parents during the always challenging first twelve months, this essential guide includes• Guidelines for a healthy pregnancy (tip: limit fish and avoid peanut butter)-and what supplies to have on hand when baby arrives• Advice on choosing a pediatrician: three vital questions for the prenatal interview• The advantages (and disadvantages) of breast- and bottle-feeding, as well as time-tested tips on feeding schedules• Hints for getting through the night-and avoiding ineffective bedtime rituals, including the "Sneaky” and "Buddy” approaches• Crucial facts about shots, screening tests, and immunizations (yes, kids still do get whooping cough)• At-your-fingertips information on common illnesses, fevers, when to call the doctor, and what to do in an emergency• Special advice for working moms, single parents, adoptive parents, and parents of twins, triplets, and preemiesPlus-handy checklists, growth charts, eye-catching diagrams, "Myths and Truths” about baby care, and Kidfixer FAQs-real questions from parents and Dr. Altman's helpful advice

Raymond "Strong” Carlisle made his mark as an ace sideman to the biggest names in R&B. Now he lies in the mud outside his home, shot dead from behind. He's the first official casualty in a dirty war for control of Rio Mirada: a low-rent "city in transition” at the northernmost point of the San Francisco Bay, beset by drug dealers, arsonists, squatters, and restless developers. And now a murderer.In Rio Mirada, the truth is in short supply. What's plentiful are people with all the reasons in the world to make sure the murder of Strong Carlisle remains unsolved. And the harder Detective Dennis Murchison pushes for answers, the clearer it becomes that this single, brutal homicide is just the tip of an iceberg in a town where small-time crime and big-time corruption are about to collide with explosive consequences.

"A lively story as delectable as a five-pound box of chocolates . . . a thoroughly engaging chronicle of friendship and the substantive place it holds in women's lives."-Anne D. LeClaire, author of Leaving EdenThe women of Freesia Court are convinced that there is nothing good coffee, delicious desserts, and a strong shoulder can't fix. Laughter is the glue that holds them together-the foundation of a book group they call AHEB (Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons), an unofficial "club" that becomes much more. It becomes a lifeline. Holding on through forty eventful years, there's Faith, a lonely mother of twins who harbors a terrible secret that has condemned her to living a lie; big, beautiful Audrey, the resident sex queen who knows that with good posture and an attitude you can get away with anything; Merit, the doctor's shy wife with the face of an angel and the private hell of an abusive husband; Kari, a wise woman with a wonderful laugh who knows that the greatest gifts appear after life's fiercest storms; and finally, Slip, a tiny spitfire of a woman who isn't afraid to look trouble straight in the eye. This stalwart group of friends depicts a special slice of American life, of stay-at-home days and new careers, of children and grandchildren, of bold beginnings and second chances, in which the power of forgiveness, understanding, and the perfectly timed giggle fit is the CPR that mends broken hearts and shattered dreams."It is impossible not to get caught up in the lives of the book group members. . . . Landvik's gift lies in bringing these familiar women to life with insight and humor."-The Denver Post"A guilty pleasure . . . This light, snappy read may be [Landvik's] best yet."-Midwest Living

Thoughtful, provocative, poignant, unforgettable, The Speed of Dark is a gripping journey into the mind of an autistic person as he struggles with profound questions of humanity and matters of the heart.In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy. Lou Arrendale, a high-functioning autistic adult, is a member of the lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the rewards of medical science. He lives a low-key, independent life. But then he is offered a chance to try a brand-new experimental "cure" for his condition. With this treatment Lou would think and act and be just like everyone else. But if he was suddenly free of autism, would he still be himself? Would he still love the same classical music-with its complications and resolutions? Would he still see the same colors and patterns in the world-shades and hues that others cannot see? Most important, would he still love Marjory, a woman who may never be able to reciprocate his feelings? Now Lou must decide if he should submit to a surgery that might completely change the way he views the world . . . and the very essence of who he is. Tenth anniversary edition • With a new Introduction by the authorPraise for The Speed of Dark "Splendid and graceful . . . A lot of novels promise to change the way a reader sees the world; The Speed of Dark actually does."-The Washington Post Book World "[A] beautiful and moving story . . . [Elizabeth] Moon is the mother of an autistic teenager and her love is apparent in the story of Lou. He makes a deep and lasting impact on the reader while showing a different way of looking at the world."-The Denver Post "Every once in a while, you come across a book that is both an important literary achievement and a completely and utterly absorbing reading experience-a book with provocative ideas and an equally compelling story. Such a book is The Speed of Dark."-Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel "A remarkable journey [that] takes us into the mind of an autistic with a terrible choice: become normal or remain an alien on his own planet."-Mary Doria Russell, author of The Sparrow "A powerful portrait . . . an engaging journey into the dark edges that define the self."-The Seattle Times