The Chardonnay Charade


Book Description

Struggling to safeguard her vineyard from an unusual late-season freeze, Lucie Montgomery discovers the body of a controversial local politician near her fields, a case during which a friend is wrongfully accused and Lucie confronts her feelings for a fractious winemaker. By the author of The Merlot Murders. Reprint.




The Merlot Murders


Book Description

Lucie Montgomery is the only member of her family opposed to the sale of the family's vineyard, and therefore the next possible victim of a greedy murderer.




The Vineyard Victims


Book Description

The death of a former presidential candidate in a fiery car crash at her Virginia vineyard has ties to a thirty year-old murder, as well as to Lucie Montgomery’s own near fatal accident ten years ago, as she searches for a killer who now may be stalking her. When Jamison Vaughn—billionaire real estate mogul, Virginia vineyard owner, and unsuccessful U.S. presidential candidate—drives his gold SUV into a stone pillar at the entrance to Montgomery Estate Vineyard, Lucie Montgomery is certain the crash was deliberate. But everyone else in Atoka, Virginia is equally sure that Jamie must have lost control of his car on a rain-slicked country road. In spite of being saddled with massive campaign debts from the recent election, Jamie is seemingly the man with the perfect life. What possible reason could he have for committing suicide . . . or was it murder? Before long Lucie uncovers a connection between Jamie and some of his old friends—an elite group of academics—and the brutal murder thirty years ago of a brilliant PhD student. Although a handyman is on death row for the crime, Lucie soon suspects someone else is guilty. But the investigation into the two deaths throws Lucie a curve ball when someone from her own past becomes involved, forcing her to confront old demons. Now the race to solve the mystery behind the two deaths becomes intensely personal as Lucie realizes someone wants her silenced . . . for good. The Vineyard Victims is a nominee for the 2018 Mary Higgins Clark Award.




Dictionary of the British English Spelling System


Book Description

This book will tell all you need to know about British English spelling. It's a reference work intended for anyone interested in the English language, especially those who teach it, whatever the age or mother tongue of their students. It will be particularly useful to those wishing to produce well-designed materials for teaching initial literacy via phonics, for teaching English as a foreign or second language, and for teacher training. English spelling is notoriously complicated and difficult to learn; it is correctly described as much less regular and predictable than any other alphabetic orthography. However, there is more regularity in the English spelling system than is generally appreciated. This book provides, for the first time, a thorough account of the whole complex system. It does so by describing how phonemes relate to graphemes and vice versa. It enables searches for particular words, so that one can easily find, not the meanings or pronunciations of words, but the other words with which those with unusual phoneme-grapheme/grapheme-phoneme correspondences keep company. Other unique features of this book include teacher-friendly lists of correspondences and various regularities not described by previous authorities, for example the strong tendency for the letter-name vowel phonemes (the names of the letters ) to be spelt with those single letters in non-final syllables.




The White Trash Mom Handbook


Book Description

A mommy manifesto for the mom who proudly strives to be less-than-perfect Michelle Lamar is a wry observer of the politics of elementary schools, the perfect moms who run them, and the kids who are trying to grow up without being embarrassed to death by their parents. This book imparts invaluable advice on how to survive the brutal world of parenting, bake sales, and the PTA. The White Trash Mom Handbook is a welcome and humorous approach to handling the pressures of modern-day motherhood. Readers can get a good laugh while learning the knowledge and skills needed to become a White Trash Mom: Fake Bakin' - transform store-bought treats into bake sale bestsellers! Making Friends - how to spot a fellow White Trash Mom from 50 paces Helping Out - give back to the school without sacrificing your time or sanity. The White Trash Mom Handbook will teach moms to let go of being the best and embrace their inner rebel so they can enjoy their kids more, avoid PTA purgatory, and get a real life.




Dancing in the Blood


Book Description

The book explores the revolutionary impact of modern dance on European culture in the early twentieth century. Edward Ross Dickinson uncovers modern dance's place in the emerging 'mass' culture of the modern metropolis and reveals the connections between dance, politics, culture, religion, the arts, psychology, entertainment, and selfhood.




Ghost Image


Book Description

Political intrigue, greed, betrayal and a high-stakes race against a killer: Photojournalist Sophie Medina is back with a bang Freelance photojournalist Sophie Medina has photographed world leaders, popes and international peace talks. Tonight, the focus of her lens are the 120 guests at a glittering society engagement party in Washington: billionaires, politicians, exiled European royalty . . . and Sophie's old friend Brother Kevin Boyle, controversial environmentalist and Franciscan friar. Rumors are flying about a project that Kevin is working on. A project that could be worth millions, if it falls into the wrong hands. So when Kevin's body is discovered the next day in his monastery's magnificent gardens, Sophie's convinced his death is no accident - even though no else seems to agree. What secrets was Kevin keeping, that were enough to kill for? Sophie embarks on an international treasure hunt that takes her from the US Capitol to London. But with time running out, and a suspect list made up of the rich and powerful, can she find the truth before Kevin's killer finds her? The second Sophie Medina mystery, following Multiple Exposure, is a great choice for readers who like fearless female sleuths and international intrigue.




Something Borrowed


Book Description

Giffin's smash-hit debut novel--basis for the 2011 film--is for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship.




Words You Should Know How to Spell


Book Description

Ceilling. Beleive. Scissers. Do you have trouble spelling everyday words? Is your spell check on overdrive? Well, this easy-to-use dictionary is just what you need! Organized with speed and convenience in mind, it gives you instant access to the correct spellings of more than 12,500 words. Also provided are quick tips and memory tricks, like: Help yourself get the spelling of their right by thinking of the phrase ?their heirlooms.? Most words ending in a ?seed? sound are spelled ?-cede? or ?-ceed,? but one word ends in ?-sede.? You could say the rule for spelling this word supersedes the other rules. No matter what you’re working on, you can be confident that your good writing won’t be marred by bad spelling. This book takes away the guesswork and helps you make a good impression!




The Bordeaux Betrayal


Book Description

One year after taking over her family vineyard in Virginia's Blue Ridge mountains, Lucie Montgomery attends a historical wine lecture at Mount Vernon and is swept up in a mystery when the lecturer turns up dead.