Astrid Book III: The Early Missions

Astrid Peterman is fighting with regular forces and has already shown herself to be a skilled fighter, driven in her desire to push back the invaders and seek revenge. She proves herself and is taken on by Captain DeSalva to become an assassin. She must further prove herself as a young woman in a male-dominated world. She decides that she will have no red lines, and nothing will be off limits when she is on a mission.

Riedel enters the enemy country as a deep cover spy, easily able to pass himself off as a native, and whose sole mission is to find out what the wonder weapon is.

Brigit Malaya, the enemy officer also has to prove herself, not only by fighting against her enemies, but in fighting against the deep-rooted misogyny in her country that devalues women. She works her way up through the ranks by virtue of brutal combat and is hardened by it; her ambition overriding her humanity, and all the while she is unaware that she is being watched and admired by the country’s dictator.

At Night, the Lanterns Cry

As the relentless war draws to a close, Oulyia’s fate hangs in the balance. With one final chance to repel the Covenant and save their land from the invading hordes, Oulyia rallies its last remaining army. But what if they fail? The weight of uncertainty looms heavy as their ultimate destiny teeters on the brink.

Pesan understands the slim odds and the painful reality that he was denied the chance to join the fight, unlike his brother. Yet, regardless of the war’s outcome, he knows he cannot remain with a family that neglects him and life itself. As the war for Oulyia nears its conclusion, Pesan’s own journey is about to unfold, with its own trials and tribulations.

In the gripping narrative of At Night, the Lanterns Cry, the ceaseless escalation of conflict unveils the profound impact of rulers’ pursuits on nations and their people. Allegiances are tested, friendships strained, and ideologies challenged as the characters navigate a world pushed to its limits. Prepare for an enthralling tale where the stakes are high, and the consequences of personal ambitions reverberate through the lives of nations.

Audrey

‘Hello?’

‘I bet anything that you are pacing up and down right now, thinking of excuses to cancel on me tonight. Am I right?’ It’s Veronica. Audrey looks out the window as if expecting to see Veronica with a pair of binoculars.

‘No!’ Audrey is not at all surprised at how well Veronica knows her.

‘Great, pick you up in fifteen, babe. Mwah.’

Audrey Mills resides in New York City, The Parkway, a grand old building that has become home for Audrey, for almost four years. Known to be somewhat of a recluse, Audrey works at a small florist just a few blocks from where she lives, and except for a few close friends, she generally prefers to keep to herself, spending most of her spare time reading and playing her grandmother’s piano.

As Audrey stands there, mesmerised by the intricacy of the artwork, she is entirely unaware that a stealthy William has walked up behind her.

With his eyes fixated on her flawless profile, William allows several moments to pass before deciding to announce his presence.

Backchannel: rabt

Imagine a world where not just teenagers, but governments use secret social media channels to communicate – and to target. Meet Doug McKenzie, a charismatic Black Irish investigative reporter for the New York Daily, a man whose fearless journalism has attracted international enemies with the resources to neutralize him. In response to his incendiary reports, a clandestine ‘Backchannel’ is activated, manipulating the U.S. government itself to take him down.

But Doug isn’t alone. His fiery daughter Rachel, an emerging journalist in her own right, stands by his side, as do allies from the global stage. Journey with Doug from the power corridors of Washington, DC to the bustling streets of Osaka, Japan; from the political heart of Ankara, Turkey to the fraught border crossing of Bazargan, Iran.

Caught in a web of international intrigue is Doug’s tumultuous personal life – his marriage to Turkish-born Nukhet hangs by a thread, complicated by their one-year-old daughter Sirin, and the reemergence of his enigmatic lover, Dr. Laurie Reynolds.

Get ready to dive into a world of political suspense, international espionage, and intricate relationships. Welcome to Backchannel. Trust us, you won’t want to put it down.

Bag of Dolls

I hope those of you reading this book who require it will find courage through the strange and sometimes exciting world of Julia Darby, she will lead you to unexpected avenues.

Because of Ye Bleedin' Spanner

Although Sean once worked for the United Kingdom’s secret intelligence service, MI6, he now finds himself on death row, sentenced for what the judge at his trial described as ‘the most heinous of crimes.’

Abandoned by his colleagues, friends, and even his family, he reflects on the events of his life which took him from humble beginnings to a career that brought him into conflict with powerful people at the heart of government. Unexplained happenings, mysterious deaths, and individuals hellbent on thwarting at every turn his aim of keeping the democratic process alive made it difficult for him to trust anyone, even the girl he loved.

His mission to rid the world of a new and dangerous drug takes him to distant lands where he encounters the better sides of human nature, kindness and generosity.

Betrayal

Can you mourn someone and despise them at the same time?

Anna believes she has the perfect life. Happily married with four beautiful children, she is content spending her days looking after her family whilst her husband focuses on his career.

Stephanie, a career-driven businesswoman, thrives on her independence but is fiercely loyal in her relationship.

When tragedy strikes one cold December night just before Christmas, it is revealed that Anna and Stephanie’s lives are more entwined than either of them could have ever imagined. Are they both able to overcome lives full of deceit and learn to trust again?

Black Ghosts

Dan Chiponda earns a scholarship to study in China and reluctantly leaves Zimbabwe for an uncertain future. While stoically dealing with racial abuse in a country where Africans are known as black ghosts, he is too timid to engage in the money-making schemes available to students. Yet he remains haunted by the weight of his mother’s expectations, encapsulated by the image of the African fish eagle. But the best he can do is a safe job in a bar run by the enigmatic Wang. Things take a dramatic turn when Chinese students pour into the streets in an orgy of violence to drive Africans out of town. Dan’s first impulse is to escape to Zimbabwe but the pressure from his family and the love for his girlfriend Lai Ying force him to stay put. In the aftermath of the riots, tight rules force the foreign students to create innovative ways to see their girlfriends, and in the midst of all this, Lai Ying gets pregnant and secretly procures an abortion. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Blame the Blacksmith

Following in her aunt Maria’s footsteps, Bella vet nurses at the Sandford clinic and also becomes great uncle Morgan’s protégé, learning all his horsemanship skills.

Then she leaves it all behind and nobody, not family or even her best friend, knows why.

Only when tragedy strikes does she return. But her resolve to deal with the past is easier said than done.

When her secret is found out by the last person she expects, her life begins to unravel.

Will she run again or stand her ground?

Blank Facers

Counsellor to consultant in three short steps to murder!!!
Retired Social Services Associate Mental Health Director Robert Stanton reluctantly became a private counsellor. However, he got his compensation when he met Carol, a lady from his past, whose skills in administration made them an effective business team. Will the past remain the past?
Wanting to be a professional magician was his childhood passion – solving a World War 2 murder, catching a modern-day killer and making the Pope happy was not!!
Nonetheless, he will need to have a few tricks up his sleeve to keep ahead of what’s
going on around him.
All this happened because his first client disappeared, as did her brother. Then there is
the Hines house on the hill and an Italian internment hut.
All this began happening in a Tomato Nursery in a quiet suburban town!!!

Carnal Atrocities

What makes a killer emerge? Could it be genetics or are we shaped by our environments from

childhood onwards?

Lurking in the recesses of the mind is a dark cruelty, cupped in the hands of pleasure and

nurtured by the need for power. Does this exist within us all and if so, how do some control it

and others allow it to consume them?

The detached coldness of a clinic waiting room, the deafening silence that illuminated your

vulnerability. Who’d have thought from such desperation, friendships would flourish.

Starting with a simple hello, a group friendship was forged that would grow from within

adolescence into adulthood. With the strains of trauma beginning to show, the group becomes

aware that the normality expected in the society around them is a far cry from how this group

functions and the cracks begin to appear.

With torture, murder, control and grief only a stone’s throw away, where will the darkness take

this troubled group of individuals?

Colour Coded: The Black Bullet

Having a dark past, she left it all behind… At least she tried to. When Bullet moved from Prismatic to Colour Coded, her previous boss, Neon, did everything in his power to win her back. But, knowing the kind of man he was, she did not accept any of his pleas. After his begging turns into threats, Bullet and the rest of Colour Coded are forced into a dangerous chess game as a means of not only protecting their own, but protecting their pasts. In the end, a choice must be made. What means more to her, her Colour Coded family… or her horrific history she has shielded for so many years?