New Releases by Michael Robertson

With extreme austerity driving everyone but the super wealthy into poverty, Matt joined the revolutionaries in their fight against the UK government. The previous monuments to political rule were toppled, and London was reduced to rubble ... ... but they didn''t win. It''s ten years later and Matt''s desperate for one last roll of the dice. Tired of spending his life in hiding, he''s made a promise to himself and his twelve-year-old daughter. They''re going to take control. They''re going to fight back again, and this time they''re going to win. To fulfil his promise they must reconnect with the remaining revolutionaries. To find the remaining revolutionaries, they must take to the streets. With The Elite''s drones on patrol, nowhere is more dangerous than the streets of London ... Rat Run is a dark post-apocalyptic novella. What the reviewers are saying: 5 Stars - A definite book not to be missed. Phew, I think I will breathe now! - Lana Turner - Amazon reviewer. 5 Stars - The story is crisp and fast paced while maintaining the humanity of the characters. - Amazon reviewer. 5 stars - Not your typical everyday post apocalyptic story...it has a surprising twist. - Anil - Amazon Reviewer.

Under the Nazi regime a secret program of ‘euthanasia’ was undertaken against the sick and disabled. Known as the Krankenmorde (the murder of the sick) 300,000 people were killed. A further 400,000 were sterilised against their will. Many complicit doctors, nurses, soldiers and bureaucrats would then perpetrate the Holocaust. From eyewitness accounts, records and case files, The First into the Dark narrates a history of the victims, perpetrators, opponents to and witnesses of the Krankenmorde, and reveals deeper implications for contemporary society: moral values and ethical challenges in end of life decisions, reproduction and contemporary genetics, disability and human rights, and in remembrance and atonement for the past.

Alternate histories. Alternate realities. It’s said that every choice creates multiple timelines, each one exploring what could have happened if a different decision had been made. Most of these alternate histories stem from different outcomes to a pivotal battle, or to an assassination attempt, or to the ending or escalation of a war. All violent, all bloody, all brutal. But what about those choices made during peacetime, when there was no monumental, ongoing conflict? After all, everyone knows how significant the flutter of a butterfly’s wings can be, how far-reaching its effects can be felt. In these pages you will find fifteen new branches of history written by some of today’s greatest science fiction and fantasy writers, including Elektra Hammond, Dale Cozort, Harry Turtledove, C.W. Briar, Rick Wilber, Juliet E. McKenna, Michael Robertson, Kat Otis, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Brian Hugenbruch, Stephen Leigh, Elizabeth Kite, Ian R. MacLeod, Mike Barretta, and Kari Sperring, all stemming from a peaceful divergence in our past. Join them as they wander down familiar paths...and then swerve down roads not taken.

There is no darkness that can equal the evil that lies within the human soul. No monster as terrifying as those we find in the ones we trust. No pain as searing as that which comes from betrayal. Step into the world of Zombies, Vampires, Aliens, and Oddities if you dare. Good luck. And pray you don''t get lost...

Hope has spent the past several months in a dark and dank cell; her only comfort, a soiled and sodden mattress. She has accepted that no one is coming to rescue her; she''ll be Lucien''s pet for the rest of her life and continue her existence of servitude and submission. Unless... The path to freedom is clear, but it involves doing the one thing she thought she''d never do—even after everything she''s already endured during her stay. Faced with a choice, Hope must decide just how badly she wants out. What the reviewers say: LOVE LOVE this story!! Another great short story. Loved the visuals. A great fast paced horror thriller with enough blood to get your hands nice and slick.

Revised Edition with three new stories. A bit of magical realism, a taste or two of natural realism, even a bit of fantastic hilarity. Author Michael Robertson presents a sampler of short stories. The perfect length for a morning''s read after breakfast, or an afternoon''s relaxation on the deck or beach of your choice.It''s an odd collection, admittedly, but an absorbing one from the mind and imagination of an aging "Riverbillly," as he describes himself. Welcome to the interior world a man of few words, a lifelong minimalist, Mike Robertson, winner of various awards for short fiction and author of the novel, "The Lazlo Mission."

When entering the gates of hell is only the beginning ...Matilda thought her brother had died until Hugh found her and told her otherwise. He''s still incarcerated, but he''s alive. Returning to Edin with William and Hugh beside her, she''s ready to fight for her brother''s freedom.Anticipating a battle with bureaucrats for Artan''s liberation, it turns into something entirely different when they discover Hugh''s left the city''s gates open. Their worst fears are confirmed when a diseased stumbles out to meet them.Entering the national service area might be like walking through the gates of hell, but with Artan''s freedom on the line, what other choice do they have?What they can''t possibly know is hell''s only the beginning. Over the next few days, things are about to get a whole lot worse ...Collapse: Book four of Beyond These Walls is a post-apocalyptic thrill ride. If you like blistering-paced end of the world fiction where life hangs in the balance, then you''ll love this latest instalment of Michael Robertson''s exhilarating series.

The latest spine-tingling mystery in the bestselling Lance Brody series!A freak blizzard. A roadside motel. A past that refuses to die.When the snowstorm arrives-the one that no weatherman had forecast-Lance Brody is walking along a desolate road in the middle of nowhere. On the brink of freezing, he finally stumbles across the small roadside motel.Thus starts the longest night of Lance Brody''s life. One full of gruesome deaths, spirits with cryptic messages, whirlwind visions from the past, and the terror-inducing realization that the motel is refusing to let Lance leave until he''s finished what it wants him to.And at the heart of it all, there may lie some of the answers that Lance has been searching for his entire life.Dark Vacancy is the fourth novel in Michael Robertson Jr''s supernatural suspense series featuring LANCE BRODY. With a troubled young hero, mysterious foes, and plenty of paranormal action, fans of Odd Thomas, Supernatural, and the dark unknown are sure to love Lance.Pick up DARK VACANCY and join Lance Brody in his latest mystery today!What Amazon Readers are saying about the Lance Brody Series: ★★★★★ "I was totally captivated from page one."★★★★★ "If you like paranormal and mysteries, READ THIS BOOK!!"★★★★★ "The story pulls you in, and makes it hard to put down."★★★★★ "Loved it! Great premise. Very entertaining."★★★★★ "One of the best reads in ages! I was drawn in and felt like I knew the characters personally."★★★★★ "This excellent mystery and ghost story keeps you guessing until the very end."★★★★★ "There are very few book series that keep me interested. THIS SERIES IS FUN AND I JUST CANNOT PUT THEM DOWN. I cannot wait for the next one."BOOKS IN THE LANCE BRODY SERIES: 0: Dark Beginnings (Prequel Novella)1: Dark Game2: Dark Son2.5: Dark Deception (Short Story)3: Dark Shore4: Dark Vacancy

In a world where walls provide safety, Heidi finds herself wanting nothing more than to run free. Trapped in a community with people she despises, she volunteers to be the runner for them. The supply runs offer her relief in an otherwise claustrophobic environment ... They also leave her vulnerable to attack in a broken city.

After witnessing his father''s murder and his home burned to the ground, Michael is left wandering the violent streets of London alone. Having been captured and managing to escape the clutches of the most heinous of men, he''s terrified of recapture. All Michael wants to do is find somewhere safe. Somewhere he can call home. To do that he must survive in a city where he’s the weak and the hunted---with no family or friends to help him. When he meets someone who offers him hope, someone who''s different from all of the other people in this broken and violent world, he realizes he needs to trust someone... But if he lowers his guard to accept that help, he could end up at the warehouse again. He’d rather die than go back there. Crash 3: There''s No Place Like Home is a dark post-apocalyptic tale.

Dean Brown is a survivor. Dean Brown is a father. Dean Brown is a husband. Dean Brown is a brother-in-law. Dean Brown is a psychopath. Before all of this, Dean Brown was just a normal boy. Crash V is the final book in the Crash series. WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS SCENES OF BRUTAL VIOLENCE. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

21st century society has been rendered obsolete and London has fallen into the hands of violent gangs. George had begun to question his membership in a gang of murderers and rapists. Now that blood coats his hands, he can feel his humanity slipping away. All he wants to do is leave, but the leader of the gang is his psychotic brother-in-law and the only one who knows where George''s pregnant sister is being kept. With just a few weeks left until she gives birth, George knows that leaving the gang now would mean condemning her and the child to the life he wants to escape. Not sure if his sister even is still alive, George sits by while innocent people meet their gruesome end at the hands of the gang. With time running out, George needs to make a decision between his family and his conscience. Does he save the lives of people now, or does he hold on in the hope he''ll be reunited with his sister. Whichever decision he makes, someone will suffer. Crash II: Highrise Hell - A post-apocalyptic / dystopian thriller. WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS SCENES OF BRUTAL VIOLENCE. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. What the reviewers say: A scary look into what could happen to this World Once I started I couldn''t put it down This is one of the best post apocalyptic books I have read and I look forward to the next volume. I read this book in one sitting -couldn''t put it down. This guy really has a way with words, I will be looking up some more of his writing next! Highly recommend!

WHEN EVERYTHING''S BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU, SOMETIMES THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS RUN. Chris’s life of luxury is gone, devastated by the collapse of the European economy. Huddled in a small room with his petrified ten-year-old son, Chris made the decision to stay in his lavish and once cherished home. Gas, water, and electricity are all cut off; his wife and daughter have gone, and food is running out. Driven by the need to survive, Chris has decided to keep secrets from his son. Secrets that will make everything else up until this point seem trivial. Secrets that—one way or another—will come out before the day is done. Cowering in his home, he watches as his neighbours are dragged into the street and brutally executed by a small army of psychotic scavengers hell-bent on making the formerly privileged pay. As they methodically purge each home, Chris realizes that staying was the worst decision of his life. Secrets or not, he has to act fast; the murderous pack only has one more house before they reach his... Crash - A post-apocalyptic/dystopian thriller. WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS SCENES OF BRUTAL VIOLENCE. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. What the reviewers say: “There are a quite a few adjectives I could use to describe Crash: frightening, graphic, raw, disturbing... and wonderfully written and brilliantly compelling! But let’s hope it isn’t prophetic! The book really is a great read, and the first time I read it, I couldn’t put it down - simply had to finish it.” Mark Hooper, Angel Editing. This is an incredible novel with extreme social/political relevance which took a lot of guts to produce. I like this book a lot. It''s not one of those books that plays the game of being nice, it''s dark, decisive and hard edged. Well written and suspenseful. Gritty and barbaric. This book, though not for the faint of heart, is excellent.

For most, survival is success. For Spike, it''s just the beginning ...With the month of training over, Spike''s about to start national service and step outside Edin''s gates for the first time in his life. He doesn''t know much about what lies ahead, but there are four things he knows for sure:One - Over the next five months, he will face scores of diseased intent on ending his life.Two - People he knows and cares about will die.Three - To stand a chance of being the next protectors'' apprentice, he must follow orders. One of those orders is for him to hold his ground when other teams are in battle. Even if their lives are in danger. Even if Matilda''s life''s in danger.Four - Ranger Hopkins will do everything in his power to make sure Spike fails.For most, survival is success. For Spike, it''s just the beginning. In five months'' time, his world will be very different. Will it be for the better?Check out National Service now to see if Spike can survive, conform, and help protect those he cares about most while remaining on his path to becoming Edin''s next protector.WHAT THE REVIEWERS SAY:5 Stars ***** - One of the best post apocalyptic books I''ve ever read! - Meenaz - Goodreads reviewer.5 Stars ***** - I found myself so deeply invested in these characters that my emotions were raw by the end ... - David Taylor - Goodreads reviewer.5 Stars ***** - Oh my gosh, this is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. I could say many things that might make you want to read it. But, the most important reasons are 1-it caused me to hold my breath with tension several times 2-one of the characters made me so mad I cried! 3-National Service grabbed me from the first paragraph and did not turn me lose until I read the last page-at 2:36 in the morning. - Ami - Goodreads reviewer.

Bran was one of the most dangerous and revered humans in the galaxy before he vowed never to fight again. His new existence is not accepted and a bounty is placed on Bran''s head. When he''s captured and imprisoned, the only way he can earn his freedom is to fight in The Arena If he fights, his captors will profit from television rights and gambling and he will earn his freedom. But freedom means nothing to Bran...until his captors raise the stakes. The Arena is a Science Fiction Space Opera short story, that looks at how violence can both empower and destroy

Welcome to Eden—the underground, self-sufficient complex that has withstood the zombie apocalypse for over thirty years and is home to the remnants of humanity. Standing in the control room and about to take over his father’s position of running it, Mark quickly realises there is more happening than a simple handover; he''s about to find out that Eden has secrets...dark secrets. Secrets that change the way he looks at his father forever. Secrets that change the way he looks at everything forever. Secrets that will reveal the truth about the apocalypse... Eden is a post apocalyptic tale about surviving the zombie apocalypse. What the reviewers say about Eden: “Eden is deep, dark, and thought provoking.” “The plot and pacing are wonderfully constructed, and the characters’ emotions come through incredibly clearly.” “...stop wasting time reading the awesome reviews, grab this book, and see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!” “It ran the gamut of emotions; anger, surprise, shock and heartbreak. I was in tears at the end of the story.” “Two thumbs up!” “You need to read this, like, now.” “I could not have asked for a better glimpse into this under-utilised facet of the zombie apocalypse.”

Cars, colors, and funny animals abound in this simple Level B I Like to Read book for young readers. The rhino loves his red car . . . which just happens to have a rhino-horn hood ornament. And the alligator loves her green car that has sharp teeth and spikes just like hers! The shark''s car has a fin and a tail. The funny animals in this book match their equally funny cars as they all make their way to a party! With very simple text and detailed, cartoonish illustrations, this is a great read-aloud for kids who love cars-- and an ideal book for beginning readers just learning to read on their own. The award-winning I Like to Read® series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards. Acclaimed author-illustrators--including winners of Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors--create original, high-quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read again and again with their parents, teachers or on their own! Level B books, suitable for kindergarten readers, feature short sentences and high-frequency words. The illustrations provide clues to word meanings. When Level B is mastered, follow up with Level C.

"This book is likely to keep you up at night. It''s the only story I know of where the monster is more scary at the end of the book than when you first meet it - and it''s quite disturbing when you first meet it." MASKED - SOMETIMES IT’S BETTER TO NOT KNOW WHAT''S UNDERNEATH. Jacob Davies is an alcoholic who’s been sober for twenty years. When he watches his dad lose his battle against pancreatic cancer it sends his life into chaos and the cravings return stronger than ever. Lost in his grief, he starts to see visions of a masked man that no one else can see. A man who knows things Jacob is yet to find out. A man who has answers to questions Jacob didn’t realise he had. Lucy, Jacob’s wife, stood by him the first time he fell into alcoholism. As he starts to drink again, she makes it perfectly clear she won’t do it a second time. Not now they have two teenage children. The visions and Jacob’s grief send him on a journey that leads him to the brink of losing both his family and sanity. As he tries to hold everything together, maybe his only way out is to understand why he’s seeing the masked figure. Although maybe it will make everything a hell of a lot worse ... Masked is a psychological horror about grief, addiction, and deceit.

Seb Zodo didn''t sign up to be the chosen one. Burdened by a prophecy claiming he''ll defeat the darkness spreading though the galaxy, he goes on every mission hoping it will be his last. But every time he returned to the Shadow Order''s base, he knew he had more to come. Until now ...The fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance and with chaos ruling supreme, Seb and his Shadow Order friends need to act fast. Their final mission ahead of them, they need to find Enigma and crush them before the damage they''ve done becomes irreversible.The only problem is, they haven''t got the first clue where to start ...The Shadow Order is a fast-paced space opera adventure.Praise for Prophecy - Book Seven of the Shadow Order:5 stars - From start to finish, all seven books in this series have left me wanting more. - Amazon Customer.5 stars - Fantastic writing from a great mind. - Amazon Customer.5 stars - A thoroughly gripping page turner. - Amazon Customer.

Seb Zodo had a hunch from the second he met Moses, but even he understood he needed more than that before he acted upon it. Now he knows the truth, he plans to return to the Shadow Order''s base for a long overdue showdown with the villainous shark.With his friends behind him, Seb''s ready to finally end his affiliation with the Shadow Order and rid himself of the prophecy hanging around his neck. Once he''s defeated the darkness in the galaxy, he can have the quiet life he''s been craving ... ... If only it were that simple.Enigma - Book Six of The Shadow Order is a fast-paced space opera adventure.

The latest novel in the exciting Lance Brody series from the author of the Amazon Kindle #1 Bestselling horror novel, Rough Draft!A family mysteriously murdered. A haunted farmhouse. A town rich with secrets.Still on the move, Lance Brody finds himself in the tiny town of Ripton''s Grove, living in a neglected farmhouse in which, six years earlier, Mark Benchley murdered his wife and teenaged daughter before turning a shotgun on himself. But while the town has accepted the Benchley family''s fate, it doesn''t take long for Lance to realize there might be much more to the night the Benchley family died, and the farmhouse itself, than anybody knows. Anybody alive, that is.While digging for answers and trying to piece together the clues the ghosts of the farmhouse seem to be offering him, Lance discovers something that shakes him to his core. A young boy named Ethan who may carry with him a secret bigger than anything Lance could have ever expected. A secret that may change Lance''s life forever.Dark Son is the second novel in Michael Robertson Jr''s supernatural suspense series featuring Lance Brody. With a troubled young hero, unrelenting mysteries, and plenty of paranormal action, fans of Odd Thomas, Supernatural, and the dark unknown are sure to love Lance.Pick up Dark Son and start unraveling Lance''s latest mystery today!BOOKS IN THE LANCE BRODY SERIES:0: Dark Beginnings (Prequel Novella)1: Dark Game2: Dark Son

Two years ago Kiara was a young untried Battle Maid. In those days her goals were simple: become a battle-tested warrior and wed her foster-brother, Ciaran. Then the Goddess Danu gave Ciaran the quest to find the legendary Sunspear to keep it from falling into the hands of the Shadow. Kiara follows him and is set on a path binding her to a destiny not of her choosing. She soon learns that being a Psian capable of using the vast psionic powers of her inner mind is anything but simple. Her life and that of her beloved foster brother have changed drastically. Ciaran has become the Warrior of the Three Moons and she is the captive of the Dark Gods most powerful Ring Lord. She has to escape before he sets her Darksoul free her conscious mind, turning her into a servant of the Shadow. Her every action becomes focused on escape, but she is alone and surrounded by powerful men who plan to use her for their own dark purposes. One Ring Lord plans to Turn her to the Shadow and make her High Queen of the ireanni Celts. Another wants to use her as bait to draw Ciaran into a trap. A chance meeting with a Scythian Prince in the City of Kiriath sets him plotting to kidnap her and make her his concubine. Unable to use her psionic powers, she is forced to negotiate the treacherous waters of intrigue using only her wit and skills as a warrior. The conspiracies of mortal men, however, are not the only threat she must confront. The Gods of Shadow become aware of her and her relationship to the Warrior of the Three Moons and send deadly Shadowelf assassins and Uruket Bloodwarriors to bring her to the Stone of Tears.

Everyone has their eyes set on the black depths of space...but what about the deep abysses of the ocean? What dark monsters swim unseen beneath the waves? What ancient wonders lie hidden, waiting to be discovered? What sirens call, either here on Earth or in the icy waters of a far off planet...or even at the bottom of a wine glass? So much remains to be explored below the surface, where light fades and the pressure kills. Here are seventeen stories from today’s leading science fiction and fantasy authors that take us into those depths, whether we want to or not. Join Seanan McGuire, Michael Robertson, Esther Friesner, F. Brett Cox, Wendy Nikel, Marsheila Rockwell & Jeffrey J. Mariotte, Jody Lynn Nye, Bill Kte’pi, Jenna Rhodes, Susan Jett, James Van Pelt, J.D. Koch, Misty Massey, A. Merc Rustad, David Farland, Sara M. Harvey, and Nicky Drayden as they explore unfathomable trenches, underwater volcanoes, and abyssal plains. Take the plunge...into the Deep End!

Born into Evil destroys the myth of an unbreakable mother/child bond. It details how a mother emotionally detached herself from her twin sons from the day they were born. This story of parental abuse is supported by evidence of how an abusive mother portrayed herself as the victim, despite the horrendous acts of violence against her children.

Dance music at the courts of seventeenth-century Germany is a genre that is still largely unknown. Dr Michael Robertson sets out to redress the balance and study the ensemble dance suites that were played at the German courts between the end of the Thirty Years War and the early years of the eighteenth century. At many German courts during this time, it was fashionable to emulate everything that was French. As part of this process, German musicians visited Paris throughout the second half of the seventeenth century, and brought French courtly music back with them on their return. For the last two decades of the century, this meant the works of Jean-Baptiste Lully, and his music and its influence spread rapidly through the courts of Europe. Extracts from Lully''s dramatic stage works were circulated in both published editions and manuscript. These extracts are considered in some detail, especially in terms of their relationship to the suite. The nobility also played their part in this process: French musicians and German players with specialist knowledge were often hired to coach their German colleagues in the art of playing in the French manner, the franz‘sischer Art. The book examines the dissemination of dance music, instrumentation and performance practice, and the differences between the French and Italian styles. It also studies the courtly suites before the advent of Lullism and the differences between the suites of court composers and town musicians. With the possible exception of Georg Muffat''s two Florilegium collections of suites, much of the dance music of the German Lullists is largely unknown; court composers such as Cousser, Erlebach, Johann Fischer and Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer all wrote fine collections of ensemble suites, and these are examined in detail. Examples from these suites, some published for the first time, are given throughout the book in order to demonstrate the music''s quality and show that its neglect is completely unjustifi

Dance music at the courts of seventeenth-century Germany is a genre that is still largely unknown. Dr Michael Robertson sets out to redress the balance and study the ensemble dance suites that were played at the German courts between the end of the Thirty Years War and the early years of the eighteenth century. At many German courts during this time, it was fashionable to emulate everything that was French. As part of this process, German musicians visited Paris throughout the second half of the seventeenth century, and brought French courtly music back with them on their return. For the last two decades of the century, this meant the works of Jean-Baptiste Lully, and his music and its influence spread rapidly through the courts of Europe. Extracts from Lully''s dramatic stage works were circulated in both published editions and manuscript. These extracts are considered in some detail, especially in terms of their relationship to the suite. The nobility also played their part in this process: French musicians and German players with specialist knowledge were often hired to coach their German colleagues in the art of playing in the French manner, the franz?sischer Art. The book examines the dissemination of dance music, instrumentation and performance practice, and the differences between the French and Italian styles. It also studies the courtly suites before the advent of Lullism and the differences between the suites of court composers and town musicians. With the possible exception of Georg Muffat''s two Florilegium collections of suites, much of the dance music of the German Lullists is largely unknown; court composers such as Cousser, Erlebach, Johann Fischer and Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer all wrote fine collections of ensemble suites, and these are examined in detail. Examples from these suites, some published for the first time, are given throughout the book in order to demonstrate the music''s quality and show that its neglect is completely unjustifi

Foundations of Clinical Psychiatry is the trusted introductory text for students of medicine and other health professions, including psychiatric nursing, psychology, social work and occupational therapy. It has also been the essential reference for family doctors for over quarter of a century. Foundations of Clinical Psychiatry: Fourth Edition has been revised and updated by five editors, leaders in their fields, in collaboration with a new generation of expert psychiatrists. The four-part structure—an introduction to clinical psychiatry; conditions encountered; specific patient groups and clinical settings; and principles and details of typical clinical services, and of biological and psychological treatments—provides a clear overview of clinical practice. It also explores the causes of mental illness and the ethical aspects of its treatment, and covers the full range of psychiatric disorders encountered by health practitioners. The fourth edition emphasises biological, psychological and social factors in assessing and treating patients, includes the integrated use of DSM-5 classification, and provides further reading suggestions. It is richly illustrated with dozens of clinical stories.

Nothing is known about what happens inside the walls of Cedar Ridge resort except that 95% of troubled married couples leave with all their problems solved. A miracle, some might say, but also a mystery. Ready to give up, ready to finally say the word "divorce," Melissa Keaton receives an anonymous message on an online forum and soon finds herself on the way to Cedar Ridge with her husband, hoping the resort will be the answer she''s been looking for. But the Keatons'' problems have only just begun. They''re no longer only trying to save their marriage. They''re trying to save their lives. With a menacing storm, dangerous escaped convicts, and an abandoned resort with a haunted past, Cedar Ridge will have you holding your breath and squeezing your loved ones tight.

Michael Robertson has delighted mystery readers and Sherlock Holmes aficionados everywhere with his charming and innovative Baker Street mystery series, where brothers Reggie and Nigel Heath are charged with answering letters to Sherlock that arrive at their law office, located at 221B Baker Street. Everyone must do jury duty. Even Sherlock Holmes. A nation’s greatest sports hero has been accused of murder. The trial is approaching, and the public is clamoring—both for and against. And in a desperate, computer-generated quest to fill its quota of jurors, the Crown Court has included on its summons list the known occupants—real and otherwise—of 221B Baker Street. One summons is addressed to Sherlock Holmes; it doesn’t matter to the Crown Court Jury Selection Service whether Holmes is real or fictional, or in which century he existed. The other is addressed to Mr. Nigel Heath—who is living and sleeping on the couch in his office at Baker Street Chambers. With Nigel in the jury selection pool are a lovely young woman with a mysterious tattoo, an elderly widow with piercing blue eyes and a mind like a tack, a slick millennial whose occupation is cornering the market on prescription drugs, and a tall man with an aquiline nose who seems reluctant to say exactly how he received his jury summons. Before the trial is done, Nigel and each of his fellow prospective jurors will wonder not only which of them will be impaneled—and what verdict they will reach—but also who will survive to render it.

This companion volume to The Courtly Consort Suite in German-Speaking Europe surveys an area of music neglected by modern scholars: the consort suites and dance music by musicians working in the seventeenth-century German towns. Conditions of work in the German towns are examined in detail, as are the problems posed by the many untrained travelling players who were often little more than beggars. The central part of the book explores the organisation, content and assembly of town suites into carefully ordered printed collections, which refutes the concept of the so-called ''classical'' suite. The differences between court and town suites are dealt with alongside the often-ignored variation suite from the later decades of the seventeenth century and the separate suite-writing traditions of Leipzig and Hamburg. While the seventeenth-century keyboard suite has received a good deal of attention from modern scholars, its often symbiotic relationship with the consort suite has been ignored. This book aims to redress the balance and to deal with one very important but often ignored aspect of seventeenth-century notation: the use of blackened notes, which are rarely notated in a meaningful way in modern editions, with important implications for performance.