Amidst the vibrant backdrop of Paris, art teacher Lindsay Parker is thrust into a thrilling mystery when a Picasso is stolen from her school. As she navigates a web of art thefts, kidnappings, and murder, she must uncover the truth behind her enigmatic love interest, Alain Bordeaux, who may be entwined in the chaos. With danger lurking and secrets to unravel, Lindsay's quest for answers leads her deep into the city's underbelly, where she risks becoming the next target.
The story follows sixteen-year-old herbalist Jane Dare, whose sheltered life is shattered when renegade knights attack her convent, killing its inhabitants. The only survivors are Jane, the convent infirmarian, and two patients. They are rescued by noblemen Sir Alan Sanford and Sir John du Fay, who serve King Edward the Fourth. This traumatic event sets Jane on a new path, intertwining her fate with the ambitions of her rescuers.
Death in the Rainy Season follows the experiences of a young American woman assigned to a post at the U.S. Embassy in 1984 Zaire and her passionate love affair with a Belgian businessman, born and brought up in Zaire and deeply committed to the country. A sensuously rendered sense of place firmly roots the novel in the complexities of Africa and brings to life the dissolute community of Westerners in Third World countries where easy living and dangerous intrigue blend together in a deceptive haze. The expatriates live in a privileged world where they drink, flirt, and gossip about who is sleeping with whom, but throughout all of this petty activity important business is getting done. Information is being gathered. Big power plays are being made. As a plot to overthrow the dictator Mobutu gains momentum, power, corruption, and sexual jealousy shatter the idyllic love affair between the two idealistic protagonists.
MEDIEVAL MUSIC, MAGICAL MINDSIt has only been since the Age of Reason that human beings consider music to be strictly an aesthetic experience. Up until that time, however, music was both intended and designed to have a specific effect upon the mind and emotions of the listener. Religious chant was designed to raise consciousness. Dance music was meant to celebrate fertility, both human and that of the Earth, and to bring earthly joy and ecstasy to those both dancing and listening.This groundbreaking book fulfills two purposes. The first is to introduce interested musicians to the increasingly-popular field of medieval music. The second is to trace the history of all music, as well as its effect upon the level of awareness of the listeners. Internationally-noted soprano Mary Devlin, a great lover of medieval music expounds upon both her studies and her experience with that genre to try to recreate the thoughts and feelings of the people in the Middle Ages who once composed, performed, and lived that music.
The asteroids are a series of small, heavenly bodies whose orbits fall mainly between those of Mars and Jupiter. The largest asteroid is 620 miles in diameter, the smallest, less than one mile. The use of the asteroids brings an influx of new symbols, and the addition of new symbols means the number of ideas which may be communicated is increased. It is as if you were working with a language which contained a vocabulary of ten words. You could create many more meanings than ten by combining these words in different ways. But consider how much richer the possible communication becomes if you suddenly have more than twice as many words to play with.
Astrology & Past Lives is the first book to examine birth charts for previous incarnations. Author Mary Devlin shows you how to interpret past-life charts and compare them to your present one. By studying astrological patterns that repeat in chart after chart, lifetime after lifetime, you'll discover that many of your current experiences, relationships and behaviors are rooted in past existences. This unique and original book is the result of ten years of painstaking research and hundreds of case studies. More than sixty charts and corresponding case histories are included here as examples. Some are of ordinary people, others are famous personalities from the past and present.
“Can fortune fail to shine on a face like that?”Hearing rumors of his daughter Diane’s extraordinary beauty, the charming but profligate comte de Fautrière removes the thirteen-year-old from her convent school in the provinces and takes her to Paris. Blossoming in the fashion and excitement of life at court, Diane captures the roving eye of the King himself and seems balanced on the brink of a fabulous career that could save her family’s fortunes. But it takes more than a beautiful face to negotiate the intrigues of court. Caught between the desire to please her father and friends and her own awakening passions, she plays at love with a handsome Swiss baron and is drawn into a dangerous infatuation with a nobleman whose prospects are no surer than her own. Diane struggles to become something other than a pawn in other people’s games but not playing by the rules will have consequences more serious than she can imagine.Drawing on the unpublished memoir of an eighteenth-century countess whose spectacular beauty seemed to promise a charmed life, the haunting story of Diane de Fautrière unfolds among a fabulous cast of characters in the licentious, debauched world of the court of Louis XV.
Set against the backdrop of medieval England, this installment of the Geoffrey Chaucer mystery series follows the renowned poet as he navigates a web of intrigue and danger. Chaucer is drawn into a complex murder investigation that intertwines with his literary pursuits, showcasing his wit and keen observational skills. The narrative blends historical detail with suspense, offering readers a rich tapestry of characters and events that illuminate the era while keeping them guessing until the final reveal.
Set against the backdrop of a pilgrimage to Canterbury, this medieval mystery features poet Geoffrey Chaucer as an unlikely detective. Tasked with solving the murder of the alluring gypsy Sophia, Chaucer must navigate a web of intrigue among his fellow pilgrims, one of whom is the killer. Utilizing his sharp understanding of human nature, spy skills, and astrological knowledge, he races against time to uncover the truth and save himself from the gallows.
Devon Wakefield only wanted to escape the unwanted attentions of her lustful stepfather. Yet her hiding place proved to be a doorway to a new life. Having inadvertently stumbled onto a convict ship bound for New South Wales in 1787, no one would believe her when she said she didn't belong there. So, like it or not, she was on her way to a new home. On the banks of Sydney Harbor, Devon found strange new animals and people who would become her friends. She learned that she had an extraordinary talent and love for farming. And above all, she discovered the love of her Lieutenant Jonathan Lake of His Majesty's Navy. The first few years in Australia brought nothing more pleasant than poverty and starvation. However, as the colony grew more prosperous, so did Devon. Yet as successful as she was as a farmer, Devon's heart was broken. For Jonathan was gone, and she had been forced to marry another man. Sometimes it seemed as though Devon would never find love again-that all life promised her was work, work, and more work. Then, back in London, Jonathan makes a bizarre discovery that sets him and Devon back on the road to reunion and to true love.
