New Releases by Clark Howard

At eight years old, Clark Howard''s hearing began to fade.He was too young, then, to realize the implications this would have on his whole life, how it would plant him in the middle of two very different worlds, but he knew it would certainly change everything. Clark always refused to let his deafness alter his outlook on life, even when the fear of the unknown threatened to overwhelm him, and his family and friends saw him and his passion for life as an antidote to the sadness in their own lives. He was their hope and their joy. Clark shares his story in this compassionate and compelling autobiography so that others like him might find their own joy in life through his experience, and know that they are not alone.

The searing novel of a brutal boyhood in 1940s Chicago—and a young man walking the knife’s edge between a life of crime and a brighter future. The son of a single mother addicted to heroin, Richie grows up in poverty and hardship. His adolescence is a constant battle between hope—in the form of a kind boxing coach, a job in a bowling alley where he can sneak a nap, and a determination to track down his disreputable father—and brutality. Desperately lonely, Richie must contend with the criminal justice system, abusive foster homes, and a period of exile with his grandmother in Tennessee. In this gritty, semiautobiographical novel by an Edgar Award–winning author, the fate of this young man hangs in the balance as he finds himself tested by want, war, and the ever-present temptation to give up on the possibility of something better. “Strongly satisfying [and] frequently compelling.” —Kirkus Reviews “Sustains a sense of tension, moving smoothly between flashbacks of the events of Richie’s early years and the traumatic experiences of his adolescence, then on to his return to Chicago.” —The New York Times

A “vividly written” account of the bloody 1971 San Quentin riot by the Edgar Award–winning author of Zebra and Six Against the Rock (Kirkus Reviews). American Saturday traces one man’s path from the slums of Chicago to the California state prison where he embraced radicalism, was charged for the murder of a corrections officer, and eventually, was gunned down during the violent chaos following a failed escape attempt. This chilling account of an infamous prison riot comes from a writer who has been called “a superlative storyteller” (Publishers Weekly). “The Saturday was August 21, 1971 and the headline read ‘George Jackson, 5 Others Slain in San Quentin.’ Howard’s account traces the careers of the inmates and guards whose lives converged and ended that day, but focuses on the pivotal figure of Jackson himself, whose botched escape attempt—just before his scheduled trial in the ‘Soledad Brothers’ murder case—led to a gory riot in which three guards, two other inmates, and Jackson himself were killed. . . . Extensively researched and vividly written.” —Kirkus Reviews

One team of daredevils is planning the ultimate death stunt finale in this novel by a “superlative storyteller” (Publishers Weekly). A team of professional stunt performers are likely to lose their livelihoods as a new law goes into effect, severely limiting their ability to take the risks that have made them who they are. In the meantime, they have a plan to mark a spectacular end to their careers—and possibly their lives—in this action-packed thriller by an Edgar Award–winning author.

A wealthy man has been abducted—but it’s not his money the kidnappers are after—in this inventive thriller by an Edgar Award–winning author. Devlin’s beat is usually organized crime, but now he’s been called to the home of Jennifer Keyes, a redheaded actress whose husband has gone missing. It’s not Devlin’s sort of case, but he finds Jennifer compelling so he agrees to help—and of course, handle the matter with discretion. J. Walter Keyes’s lawyer insists his client is a virtual saint, so a drunken bender or affair is ruled out, and the hospitals have nothing to report. All signs point to kidnapping. But as Devlin puzzles out the disappearance, looking deeper into Keyes’s background, he discovers this is no ordinary abduction. The man has been taken by a mysterious group known as the Eden Movement. And they have plans— not just for Keyes, but for the entire world . . . “[A] superlative storyteller.” —Publishers Weekly

A collection of short fiction, including an Edgar Award–nominated story, about hard-luck characters and the human instinct to survive. A survivor of Little Bighorn faces down the resulting trauma in the decades following the bloody battle. An old man who has lost his late wife’s cat joins forces with an unlikely partner to rescue abused animals. An ex–racecar driver contends with criminals in the midst of the famous Dakar Rally. Challenge the Widow-Maker is a collection of short stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary problems—and fighting back even when life has beaten them down. The title story took second place at Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine’s annual Readers Awards (another story by author Clark Howard won the top spot that year), and was nominated for an Edgar Award. Featuring characters who experience “one more chance at the brass ring: the gift of surviving another day,” this absorbing collection comes from an author whose work has appeared in The Best American Mystery Stories and other anthologies, and earned numerous honors from crime fiction critics and fans (Kirkus Reviews).

A small-town doctor copes with an escalating medical mystery in this thriller by a “superlative storyteller” (Publishers Weekly). Lee Madrigal became a doctor in spite of his difficult working-class upbringing, with a mother who died young and a father who fell under the spell of alcohol. Now Lee serves his neighbors in the California community where he grew up, and has reunited with his high school sweetheart. But the medical cases he’s been handling lately have been bothering him: a baby born with inexplicable birth defects; a young man with symptoms that seem to mimic a venereal disease but whose blood tests come back clean. As the mystery mounts, Lee will discover a terrible secret about his hometown, and a battle to save lives will ensue . . .

“[An] unusual cop story set in Chicago . . . This graphic depiction of urban and emotional decay carries a powerful, lasting punch.” —Publishers Weekly When a topless dancer is beaten to death, police detective Joe Kiley strongly suspects her boyfriend, a mob kingpin’s brother, is the killer. He isn’t—but in the course of trying to track him down, Kiley’s partner winds up dead during an unauthorized stakeout. Now Kiley wants vengeance—if not for the dancer, then for his longtime fellow cop. Despite warnings from the department, he’s about to be drawn deep into the world of gangs and organized crime, and into entanglements with two women that will only heighten his despair, in this novel from an Edgar Award–winning author featuring “moments that glitter with insight and gritty, urban realism” (Publishers Weekly).

As the Vietnam War rages, blood will be shed at a stateside Marine Corps prison, in this novel by a “superlative storyteller” (Publishers Weekly). Siberia 10 is a military prison in California, and tensions are coming to a slow boil within its walls. Inmates are trying to escape; guards are practicing constant brutality; racial tensions are seething. Those confined to Siberia 10 have been trained to fight and kill—and in the midst of chaos, things could turn lethal. Into this tinderbox comes Garth Hannon, pulled out of action in Vietnam and flown back to the States for a special assignment: to solve the problem of Siberia 10. But before Hannon can assess the situation and diffuse a time bomb, it may all blow up in his face, in this suspenseful military thriller by an Edgar Award–winning author.

Two LAPD detectives are at odds over a horrifying case in this “taut shocker” of a novel by an Edgar Award–winning author (The Boston Globe). A pair of twins have been brutally murdered, and Los Angeles detectives George Cascade and Ed Fenner find themselves working a case with puzzling sexual overtones. When a young, intellectually disabled African American becomes the object of suspicion, tensions flare between the two officers—and it will push them to the edge before the truth can be sorted out. “The kind of book you read at the point of a switchblade—seemingly faster than you can turn the pages.” —Kirkus Reviews

This saga about the building of an oil empire and one man’s personal journey is “wonderful . . . A truly exciting novel” (Orlando Sentinel). After Sam Sheridan returns home from the World War I battlefront, he receives an odd inheritance from a man he’s never met: a parcel of land in east Texas. With little to lose, he and his wife set off from Kansas City and find themselves in the dusty town of Dane—where they’re met with inexplicable hostility. When a wealthy local rancher attempts to buy Sam’s hundred acres for an impressive sum, Sam decides to hold on to it instead. And in the years and decades that follow, he’ll find himself dealing with a brutal rivalry, a growing fortune, and a number of shocking secrets. “Conflict, emotion, sex, suspense, joy, sorrow, surprise . . . It’s a truly exciting novel, and the author’s talent and attention to even the smallest detail serve to make it even more satisfying. From the provocative first chapter on, the reader is totally caught up in Sam Sheridan’s world, in his quest for his past, his present and his future.” —Orlando Sentinel “Fast-paced . . . absorbing and real.” —Chicago Tribune “Entertaining and well-written.” —Library Journal “A winner.” —Houston Chronicle

Edgar Award Finalist: The story of the infamous escape attempt and bloody siege at Alcatraz. In 1946, six men attempted to break out of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison on an island off the coast of San Francisco. Their bloody siege lasted two days, and ended with five dead and fifteen wounded—plus two of the perpetrators executed for their role in the endeavor. In Six Against the Rock—the basis for a TV movie—an award-winning crime writer tells the story of this notorious event and the inmates who were involved, supplemented with vivid dramatic recreations that place the reader in the center of the conflict. “The personal clash between Coy and Cretzer over leadership of the desperate little band provides much of the suspense; Alcatraz itself, that logistical marvel of a fortress, provides the rest. And for a backdrop there are two platoons of Marines firing bazookas as well as something of the grim history of that most forbidding prison.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Gritty, suspenseful short fiction about criminals and other characters on the edge from an Edgar Award–winning author. “Not all Howard’s heroes are ex-cons, but they might as well be. They’ve all been around the block, made more than their share of mistakes, and taken their lumps, usually without complaint. A hit man who refuses a commission goes into hiding, afraid that everybody who looks twice at him may be carrying a bullet with his name on it. A Vietnam veteran plots revenge on the commanding officer who sent his troops into a cloud of Agent Orange; a ward of hospitalized WWII soldiers schemes to find the whereabouts of the lost love of one of their mates before he dies. A has-been boxer trains for a big bout without realizing he’s been set up; a New Orleans clarinet player skips around town one step ahead of a creditor’s enforcers long enough to audition for the Jazz Hall of Fame. . . . In every case, there’s no mystery about who’s guilty . . . but only about whether Howard’s protagonists will succeed in their fatal plots, get rescued from their own worst nature, or, in the trickiest of these nine stories, succeed but fail anyway.” —Kirkus Reviews

Edgar Award Finalist: The true story of a string of brutal crimes committed in the name of religious fanaticism and racial hatred in 1970s San Francisco. In the early 1970s, a small band of well-dressed, clean-cut African American men began terrorizing the residents of San Francisco with guns and machetes. Their victims ranged from a teenage Salvation Army cadet to a middle-aged Jordanian grocer to an eighty-one-year-old janitor. The streets became deserted and tourism plunged. It took months before the culprits could be identified, with the help of an informer. They were members of a Black Muslim cult aspiring to earn the title “Death Angel” by slaughtering white victims. Combining history and dramatic recreations, this is the “repellent but riveting” in-depth story of a horrifying killing spree and the fanatical hatred that drove it—and the SFPD’s desperate quest to take the culprits down (Kirkus Reviews). “[Clark Howard’s] pounding narrative meticulously describes the so-called Zebra killings of 1973–74, when 23 white San Franciscans were murdered or maimed by a group of Black Muslim extremists. In the retelling, the cold jargon of police files leaps starkly to life.” —Time

A hit man tries to make a clean break from his murderous career in this chilling novel from an award-winning author. He has no police record, not even a traffic ticket. But he’s killed twenty-seven people during his career as a professional assassin. And sometimes it’s not just the target who takes a bullet—if the bodyguard or mistress is unfortunate enough to be around. When the time comes, it happens fast: assemble the weapon, load, ditch the evidence. Now he wants out—but the people he works for may not allow that—in this suspenseful thriller from a crime writer whose works have earned numerous honors, including an Edgar Award and two Shamus Award nominations, and been adapted for film and television.

One man fights to foil a wild plot for worldwide destruction in this action-packed thriller from “a superlative storyteller” (Publishers Weekly). Herr Inman has a plan and the resources to pull it off.First there will be five assassinations of powerful world leaders—including the pope—then three atomic bombs aimed at major cities. In the resulting chaos, Inman will take over the world . . . Christian Alsen is a mercenary hired by Inman to put the scheme in motion. Instead, he sets out in search of a way to stop this madman . . . Summit Kill is a thrill-a-minute, high-stakes tale from an Edgar Award–winning and Barry, Anthony, and Shamus Award–nominated author

A gritty, action-packed novel about a World War II suicide mission that goes sideways from a “superlative storyteller” (Publishers Weekly). In the midst of World War II, a Japanese submarine base must be destroyed. But someone needs to draw enemy fire while the goal is accomplished and the task would be a suicide mission. Only a certain kind of soldier can handle a job this risky. Now, six men have been chosen to serve as decoys, and a seventh has agreed to lead them. But none of them truly understands just what they are getting into—and will soon be desperate to get out of—in this harrowing tale by an author who has won or been nominated for more than half a dozen major awards. “The reader will find himself completely engrossed.” —Best Sellers

A “gripping, emotionally charged” account of a brutal crime committed by escaped prisoners from an Edgar Award–winning author (Los Angeles Times Book Review). In 1973, six members of the Alday family were brutally murdered in their home in Donalsonville, Georgia, by fugitives who escaped from a Maryland prison and broke in to the Alday’s house. Two of the escapees were brothers, and they picked up another one of their siblings, only fifteen years old, along the way. The governor at the time—future president Jimmy Carter—called it “the most heinous crime in Georgia.” This true account looks at the entire story: not only the unspeakable massacre and its aftermath, but the horrifying backstories and motives of the various perpetrators—one of whom would finally be executed thirty years later.

A suspenseful novel about the last-minute battle to save a man on death row and the uproar surrounding his case as his time runs out . . . Weldon Whitmen was arrested for committing a series of robberies and bizarre sex crimes while out on parole. Now he’s condemned to die. Claiming innocence, he makes headlines with his appeal—and two people decide to come to his aid. One is a journalist who thinks the sentence is unjust. The other is a law librarian who has feelings for Whitmen. Amid public outcry and political warfare, they will fight the execution while the nation watches, unsure whether justice will ultimately be done . . . This edgy, twisting tale comes from an Edgar Award–winning author whose works have been adapted for film and for television programs such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

This is a new release of the original 1948 edition.

The follow-up to Clark Howard''s #1 New York Times bestseller, Living Large in Lean Times, offers no-nonsense financial tips for achieving lifelong prosperity Americans from all walks of life are still feeling the roller-coaster effects of the Great Recession. For many, home values are still too low and unemployment is still too high. Others have prospered despite the ups and downs. In Clark Howard’s Living Large for the Long Haul, the renowned broadcaster examines our new paradigm through the eyes of those whose financial portfolios have beaten the odds, and those whose economic situation has gone off course. Through these fascinating personal accounts, readers uncover amazing opportunities and smart decisions, finding advantages in bleak times for lasting payoffs in the long run.

Clark Howard has written 16 novels, and six books of non-fiction. However, Howard didn''t start out as a novelist. He started out as a short story writer, and he remains a short story writer. He has won numerous awards for his stories, including the prestigious Edgar Alan Poe Award, five Ellery Queen Readers Award, the Derringer Award. His stories have also been nominated for the Anthony, Shamus and Spur Awards.This book - Clark Howard Collected Stories - 1960s is the first of several planned volumes collecting the bulk of Clark Howard''s mystery short stories. This first volume features more than 140,000 words of Clark Howard short stories - stories originally published during the 1960s."I think Clark Howard is one of the two or three best short stories writers in America." Ed Gorman, acclaimed novelist and short story writer

Based off the popular website of the same name, Rock Your Ugly Christmas Sweater celebrates ugly Christmas sweaters year-round and showcases hilarious photos of people and pets wearing some of the ugliest holiday sweaters ever. More colorful than visions of sugarplums and jollier than a sleigh full of inebriated elves, ugly Christmas sweaters are a global holiday tradition celebrated by all ages and walks of life. With more than 200 photos, humorous captions, and chapters like Vintage Sweater Fun, Classic Sweaters from the ''80s and ''90s, Winter Wonderland, and Best of the Best, this book is here to help you spread the holiday cheer and maybe get some new ideas for this year''s ugly Christmas sweater party -- horrid fringe, creepy elves, gaudy snowmen, and light-up reindeer are just the beginning!

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO BUILDING A SMALL WIND POWER SYSTEM FROM THE GROUND UP Written by renewable energy experts, this hands-on resource provides the technical information and easy-to-follow instructions you need to harness the wind and generate clean, safe, and reliable energy for on-site use. Build Your Own Small Wind Power System shows you how to install a grid-connected or off-grid residential-scale setup. Get tips for evaluating your site for wind power potential, obtaining permits, financing your project, selecting components, and assembling and maintaining your system. Pictures, diagrams, charts, and graphs illustrate each step along the way. You''ll also find out how you can help promote wind-friendly public policies locally. Save money and reduce your carbon footprint with help from this practical guide. COVERAGE INCLUDES: Challenges and impacts of small wind energy Electricity, energy, and wind science Determining if wind power is right for you Site assessment Financing small wind power Permits and zoning Wind turbine fundamentals Choosing the right wind turbine for the job Balance of system: batteries, inverters, and controllers Installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting Future developments in wind power

Clark Howard is a media powerhouse and penny-pincher extraordinaire who knows a thing or two about money. A lifelong entrepreneur who is now the hugely popular host of a talk radio program and television show and the bestselling author of several books, Clark consistently delivers expert financial advice to his wide and devoted fan base. Living Large in Lean Times is Clark''s ultimate guide to saving money, covering everything from cell phones to student loans, coupon websites to mortgages, investing to electric bills, and beyond. In his candid and friendly next-door-neighbor manner, Clark shares the small, manageable steps everyone can follow to build a path towards independence and wealth. Chock-full of more than 250 invaluable tips, the book outlines how to: Locate missing and unclaimed money in your name Lower your student loan payment Find legitimate work-at-home opportunities Get unlimited texting and e-mailing for less than $10 per month Know what personal info not to post to social media sites Determine the best mortgage rate, and much, much more As Clark demonstrates, there are myriad ways to reduce debt, buy smarter, and build a future. Follow his lead and he''ll get you there.

In-depth, practical details on geothermal HVAC systems This definitive guide covers commercial and residential geothermal heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies and explains how to take advantage of their money- and energy-saving features. Geothermal HVAC: Green Heating and Cooling reviews the array of choices currently available, offers market values for systems based on varying options and conditions, and describes how to pair the best systems for each application and budget. Whether you''re a contractor or a consumer, you''ll find out what you need to know to implement a geothermal HVAC system in a retrofit or new construction project, and start benefiting from this sustainable, affordable technology. Find out how to: Learn the basic types of heat transfer--convection, conduction, and radiation Understand how geothermal earth-coupled heat pumps work Determine which ground loops to use for earth coupling to best meet the demands of the site Use load sharing to channel the heat differential of one device into useful energy for another Calculate system efficiencies and heat gain and loss Understand geothermal project proposals and system pricing Benefit from incentives, tax credits, and rebates for geothermal HVAC systems Calculate your long-term return on investment Verify that your installed system is working as intended Troubleshoot your system and avoid common problems

One of America''s leading consumer advocates and popular talk show hosts offers his tips and tricks to successfully buying and selling real estate -- in any market Real estate -- whether in a boom or a bust economy -- is still a good investment, but only if you make smart and patient choices. There is a lot of confusing information out there, and many people find it increasingly difficult to navigate the ever-changing world of real estate without losing their shirts, or their minds. In Clark Smart Real Estate, talk show host and bestselling author Clark Howard presents the best of his experience as a consumer advocate. In his simple and clear style, he shows readers how they can build wealth slowly over time through real estate, and how they can capitalize on -- and protect themselves from -- the real estate market''s many fluctuations over the long term. Following his own "save more, spend less, and avoid ripoffs," philosophy, Howard encourages people to get "Clark Smart" and lays out practical and information-packed answers to common questions anyone interested in real estate might have about buying, selling, or financing. When should you buy your first home? Is it better to purchase a preexisting house or one newly built? What are some hidden closing costs, and how can you avoid them? Should you sell your home yourself? How does one shop for a mortgage? What are the costs of refinancing? Sound advice in a handy format -- this is what Clark Howard''s readers have been waiting for, and it''s just in time to help the multitudes flummoxed by today''s conflicting real estate market.

From the bestselling author of Get Clark Smart comes this valuable new resource enabling parents to pass ''Clark Smart'' skills for saving and spending wisely on to kids of every age lark Howard-bestselling author, money-saving expert, and host of the popular syndicated radio program The Clark Howard Show-is back with more of his winning financial wisdom, this time aimed at helping parents teach kids real-world financial skills for today and every day. Parents of children of all ages-from elementary school through high school, college, and beyond-will benefit from Clark''s sound, uncomplicated advice across a comprehensive range of topics. In Clark Smart Parents, Clark Smart Kids, he addresses everything from allowances-when and how much to give-to teaching teens about credit cards and navigating the purchase of a first car-how to get it, pay for it, and insure it-to saving for college, paying off loans, staying out of debt, and much more!