Showing results by narrator "Alex Picard" in All Categories

Piper Woods can't wait to graduate and leave high school—and all its annoying cliques—behind. But when she finds a mysterious notebook filled with the sins of her fellow students, Piper is suddenly drowning in their secrets. And she's not the only one who knows them. An anonymous text invites Piper to choose to punish the cheater, the bully, or the shoplifter. The popular kids with their dirty little secrets. With one text, Piper can make them pay. But the truth can be dangerous . . .

After the experience with her sister, Rebecca is troubled by the growing sense that she should be using her unique ability to find children who have disappeared. When she learns about a boy who vanished a year ago, she becomes obsessed by his case.

Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so when he discovers the girl with a flair for candy making has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he's determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than himself to show her the ropes of letting loose? Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn't exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. 

How do you mark a quarter century? While parties are great—and we'll have those—I wanted to distill the time in a tangible way. To hold it in my hands, and share with you, dear listeners, in celebration and appreciation. But how? A collection! I dove into my published short fiction. Some I included because they were challenging to write. Several show my growth as a writer. I love them all. There's science fiction, fantasy, and, yes, horror. Plus an all-new story from Night's Edge.

As a board-certified family physician, Dr. Laurie Blanscet soon realized that traditional medical care was not about preventing problems. It was about waiting for problems to happen. She experienced this firsthand in 2006 when she almost died after a "routine" surgery at the age of 38. As she fought her way back from the brink of death, weak and bedridden, she dedicated herself to researching a better way to live—promoting optimal health from within. In Live Long, Live Well, Dr. Blanscet shares what she discovered, revealing the seven components of ultimate wellness.

Peer through the windows of Raven Day McShane’s life as she leaves her army life for the civilian world—not an easy task for any military veteran. With undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder, Raven and her son, Aaron, encounter tremendous hardships as they journey through life, not always together, ultimately to learn that life is not how we plan. But together or apart, they realize that they can put life back together with faith in each other and with love.

Across forty years, three continents, and a past incident in 1560 France, Serafina Olegario tests the boundaries of love, power, and corruption as she fights to escape her life of poverty and abuse. Serafina’s quest begins in Brazil when she’s possessed by the warrior goddess Yansã, who emboldens her to fight yet threatens to consume her spirit. Fueled by power and enticed by Exú, an immortal trickster and intermediary to the gods, Serafina turns to the seductive magic of Quimbanda. It’s dangerous to dance in the fire. But when you come from nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Bloomsbury presents A Block in Time by Christiane Bird, read by Alex Picard. Gotham meets The Island at the Center of the World in this dazzling history of a single block in Manhattan from the Age of Exploration to the present. This is the story of New York City, told through the prism of one...

Is your team willing to propose game-changing ideas and offer diverse opinions? Will they take personal risks for the sake of your company and its reputation? Most leaders can't answer yes to these questions, especially during critical times of change.

Decades ago, the Visitors descended on Earth. They claimed to bring peace and prosperity. Their real goal was the total subjugation of humankind. But humanity did not give up its only home without a fight. After a devastating war, the Visitors were driven back to Mars. Their millions of willing human collaborators were left behind. The task of hunting down these former alien collaborators and bringing them to justice falls to Federal Recovery Agents like Nathan Foster.

A delightful vacation. An astonishing dispatchment. Will she uncover why the victim was fatally retired? Leta Parker has rest and relaxation on her social agenda. Arriving at a luxurious Cotswold estate with her friends for a winter retreat, the recently engaged fifty-something is happily...

From the "master of suburban scandal" (Samantha M. Bailey) comes a scandalous twisty thriller about obsession, betrayal, and the price of perfection Just outside Washington, DC, sits Eastbrook, Bethesda—a leafy suburb with top schools, pristine landscapes, and perfect neighbors. It’s not the...

Dolly Hanes has always been rooted in Magnolia Grove—along with the secret she's kept about her son Nash. Running her family's grocery store and raising a boy on her own, Dolly made peace with her decision to let Boone West, the love of her life, walk away all those years ago. Boone West left town chasing rodeo dreams and never knew the price Dolly paid to let him go. Now, after years away, he's back in Magnolia Grove—only to find Dolly, the woman he never stopped loving, right where he left her. But she's not alone anymore.

Help your child understand that they have the power to make others feel seen, included, and loved—with every kind choice they make. What Does It Mean to Be Kind? isn’t just a story, it’s a spark. With simple, powerful moments and vibrant illustrations, this award-winning picture book helps...

Suspicion. Lies. Murder. Barbara Hollis didn't expect to encounter any of these in small town life. With a murky past to hide from, moving to quiet little Cobbsville was supposed to be a perfect escape. But a neighbor who has her own dangerous secret to conceal soon becomes as big a threat as the crazed lunatic who is setting fire to houses around town . . . Even as a terrible new doubt surfaces against her brother, Barbara is intrigued by an attractive new acquaintance who happens to be the local mayor. But will one more distraction prove welcome . . . or deadly?

Mary Mulligan has two problems: her wisdom teeth…and everything else. Her only daughter is moving overseas. Her husband would rather go golfing than spend time with her. And Mary’s left to wonder why she abandoned her career ambitions when loneliness is all she has to show for it. Plus her teeth really, really hurt. But that’s one problem she can fix—never mind the stories that say if she gets her wisdom teeth removed, the last thirty years of her life will be erased. In fact, Mary wouldn’t mind if the Mulligan curse were actually true.

Something strange is going on next door. Suspicious that an elderly neighbor may be in danger, Barbara and her friend Vicky investigate mysterious activities down the street. Barbara also has worries further from home, as a certain attractive but crooked restaurant owner has discovered the part she played in his downfall. Can Barbara uncover the truth next door without being blind to a more shadowy danger across town?

A violent assault on a door-to-door salesman leaves the man's life hanging in the balance as Barbara, Craig, and Deputy Elwood search for answers. Was it the victim's estranged wife? A business competitor? A dissatisfied customer?

For years the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science and Security has curated an interactive online tool for professionals that identifies the activities involved across all phases of an outbreak. The Georgetown Outbreak Activity Library (GOAL) captures what needs to get done, when, and by whom. Now, in The Outbreak Atlas, Rebecca Katz and Mackenzie S. Moore have translated this complex material into a book designed for a public audience. 

A sudden death interrupts what should have been an enjoyable day for Barbara Hollis. Once again, with Craig and Deputy Elwood at her side, Barbara must delve into the unhappy scandals and secrets certain inhabitants of Cobbsville will do anything to hide.