Towns Middle Ages

In 1349, one small town in Germany disappeared and was never resettled. Tom, a contemporary historian, and his theoretical-physicist girlfriend, Sharon, become interested. By all logic, the town should have survived, but it didn't. Why? What was special about Eifelheim that it utterly disappeared more than 600 years ago?

A groundbreaking reappraisal of medieval femininity, revealing why women have been written out of history and why it matters The Middle Ages are seen as a bloodthirsty time of Vikings, saints and kings; a patriarchal society that oppressed and excluded women. But when we dig a little deeper into...

From the author of… GUESS I GOT CARRIED AWAY and… THE GOOD SPORT Lindsay Staunton had many pleasant things in her life. In fact, that life was peaceful and secure for the fifty-five-year-old woman who turned the heads of men half her age when she walked down the sidewalk in a short denim skirt. She had a good job working as the Treasurer for the small city of Haversham, Ohio. She also lived in the small quaint house that she had so loved since her childhood while visiting her great aunt who had once lived there. And alongside her were her beloved calico cats Magpie and Xeno. What had ...

They didn’t say anything about pointy ears. So. Not. Cool. Now I feel like I should be walking around splitting my fingers and saying “Peace, live long, and prosper.” But this isn’t science fiction. This is my life and apparently, I’m Fae. I thought I was having a midlife crisis when I left my husband and ran off with a guy twenty years younger than me. Turns out he wasn’t twenty years younger than me; he was like five-hundred years older and a fae who wanted me to “wake up to who I really am.” Like that was his decision to make. Regardless, it’s too late now. I ran away ...

Tragedy has a way of striking when the spotlight is brightest. And in a town full of secrets, even a staged accident can hide something far more sinister. When Allie Blanchard agrees to bake cookies for the community theater’s fundraiser, she never expects to find herself center stage in a murder investigation. The Sandy Harbor Playhouse has been closed for a decade and is finally set to reopen, and the town is buzzing over the return of B-list celebrity Kinsey Kensington. But excitement turns to shock when the former theater director is found dead on his own stage. With her detective ...

Three lifelong friends embrace a new chapter in life as their dreams come true in Paradise Cove. Elizabeth Grant has devoted the last twenty-five years of her life to her career. When she is passed over for a long-deserved promotion she realizes it is time for a change. But now what? With the help of a little Boeuf Bourguignon she finds her way. Becky Lee has a huge tenant problem in the form of a six-foot tall son who just graduated from college, is writing a screenplay and won’t move out of the house. A second chance at love with her High School crush just may be the solution to all of ...

Kandace needed a big break. But this was not the one she wanted. Kandace Kent has played by the rules her entire life. Discipline and patience have been her constant companions as she rose through the ranks to Interim CEO. She’s only one big break away from getting the job permanently. Stumbling into handyman Buck Naylor’s life was not the break she wanted. But when he agrees to let her move in with him, it is exactly what she needs. Will these opposites build on their attraction? Or will her career goals demolish their chance at forever? If you want an easy read with memorable midlife ...

Taliyah: The last person I expect to ask me a favor is the headmistress of Blood Rose Academy, Aurea Grimsbane. But when she tells me her daughter, Vivian, has been brutally murdered, I can guess what’s coming next… Yep, Aurea wants me to figure out what happened to Vivian. Of course, my first answer is a resounding ‘no’ because I want nothing to do with that backstabbing witch. But when she threatens the safety of my family, claiming she’s stolen a bone dagger from the would-be Queen of Winter, Janara, my ears perk up. Why? Because that dagger will kill me, and I don’t want to ...

In this indispensable volume, one of America's ranking scholars combines a life's work of research and teaching with the art of lively narration. Both authoritative and beautifully told, The Middle Ages is the full story of the thousand years between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance - a time that saw the rise of kings and emperors, the flowering of knighthood, the development of Europe, the increasing power of the Catholic Church, and the advent of the middle class.

Her life was once filled with love and the promise of new beginnings. But she'd given up on her hopes and dreams of marriage and a family and instead buried herself in her big city career and the small home in her quiet home-town neighborhood. Then everything changed. Even as Katherine learns more about the intriguing mystery at her soon-to-open flower shop in Madeira Park Square, she is also learning more about herself and especially her feelings when it comes to Tom Waters. He’s never made it a secret that he wants a future including marriage and a family with her…a future that ...

Welcome to Maple Ridge, where porch lights double as beacons, a beagle named Pudge believes he’s head of security, and a kid named Calvin discovers that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stand still together. When a sneeze-prone baby dragon—Blaze—crash-lands into Calvin’s ordinary life, the trio stumbles into an old mystery: cave carvings that act like instructions, a “consultant” with nets and nice manners, and a town that has to decide what kind of story it wants to live in. With humor, heart, and a dash of DIY science, Calvin, Pudge, and Blaze learn to turn light into...

Something dark lurks in the swamp behind Emily’s new home. When twelve-year-old Emily moves into her late grandfather’s house in Whispering Pines, she expects the usual new-kid struggles. Instead, she finds herself caught in a decades-old mystery surrounding her grandmother’s disappearance. Her mother’s desperate warnings to stay away from the swamp only fuel Emily’s curiosity about what really happened all those years ago. But as strange events begin to unfold, Emily discovers an ancient presence watching from the shadows—one that has been patiently waiting for her family’s ...

When Calvin and his faithful beagle Pudge stumble upon a forest that breathes, whispers, and remembers, they find themselves tangled in a covenant older than the town itself. A powerful corporation arrives with shiny shoes and sharper contracts, determined to strip the land of its secrets. But the bell in the steeple, the wells in the woods, and the very floor beneath their feet know a different story—one bound by three simple verbs: Ask. Keep. Return. In a world where progress wears the mask of profit, Calvin and Pudge must anchor their town against forces that would steal its very ...

Allie Blanchard is a beloved figure in the seaside town of Sandy Harbor. Known for her delectable desserts that make every town event a little sweeter, Allie’s life is a blend of sugar, spice, and everything nice. Beneath the serene surface of her perfect pastries and her happy marriage to the town’s dedicated detective, Alec Blanchard, lies a sharp mind with a knack for uncovering secrets. Allie is tasked with preparing a spread of her famous desserts for socialite Penny Braxton’s annual garden party, expecting a day of sweet treats surrounded by flowers and shrubs. However, the ...

This life-affirming novel explores marriage, community, and the power of dignity for a fifty-seven-year-old woman forced to rebuild her life, unexpectedly and alone, in 1960s Texas—perfect for readers of Elizabeth Strout, Paulette Jiles, and Anne Tyler. It’s 1964 and Eliza Kratke is mostly...

If you want to discover the captivating history of the Middle Ages, then pay attention...One of the least understood periods of European history occurred between the 6th century and the 14th or 15th century (depending on which historian you ask). Commonly called the Middle Ages, this was a time period of extreme change for Europe, beginning with the fall of the Western Roman Empire. To a continent that had seen a drastic shift in the power structure, the world seemed to be particularly harsh. Rome had been a major player across Europe for well over a millennium. Then it was gone.

Everyone who knows me knows I love quality fabrics—there’s really nothing better with which to create my enchanted clothing. So, imagine my surprise and excitement when Lorcan and I attend an auction in Seattle, and I become the proud owner of the most beautiful silk that just happens to be a few hundred years old. And I know just what I’m going to make with it. Yes, there’s a protection spell safeguarding the silk from any sort of damage, but my blood magic will make quick work of that. As soon as my shears cut through the silk, though, it ages immediately, and I’m left with ...

When love burns this hot, even demons fear the flames... I thought getting through my ongoing messy divorce was hard enough. Then, a magical accident left me sharing my body with Indigo—a witch with a dark past and even darker enemies. Since then, my life has been anything but ordinary. I’m currently living in Haven Hollow, running an occult bookshop, dodging my petty ex-husband, and trying desperately not to fall for Angelo, the devastatingly handsome incubus who’s become my unlikely protector. But soon, I find myself caught in a dangerous game of magical cat-and-mouse with a shadowy...

When Allie Blanchard and her best friend Lucy Gray join a local book club in the seaside town of Sandy Harbor, they expect an evening of literary discussion and homemade treats. Allie, an accomplished baker with a flair for creative confections, prepares a special dessert to share with the group. The atmosphere is warm, the members are welcoming, and everything seems picture-perfect. However, the tranquility shatters when they discover the club's charming host dead under mysterious circumstances the following morning. Shocked and intrigued, Allie and Lucy find themselves at the heart of a ...

Returning to his Missouri home is bittersweet for Kirk Darnell. Over twenty years ago his life plans changed when the girl he planned to marry broke their engagement. Now he has returned to sell the property left to him and his siblings by their deceased parents—and runs into trouble. Successful attorney Shannon Howell is blindsided when Kirk Darnell—the man she sent away per her father’s wishes—returns and makes her realize that what has been missing from her life is standing before her. But he says he’s here for legal help, nothing more. Can the present overcome the past—and ...