Showing results by author "Michael A. Cook" in All Categories

Trigger Warnings: This book deals with fictional instances of child abuse, sexual assault, and mental illness. Reader, be advised. When broken mirrors and shattered psyches collide at a place called Rockwood, what’s reflected to a killer and his pursuers will mesh time and distance, fact and fiction, sanity and madness, and the irreconcilable paradoxes of the human mind. After a string of murders along the Provincial Route 401, between Montreal and Kingston, spanning five decades, a retired serial killer kills again, but why? As Montrealer, Candace Weatherby, a former Philly Police ...

The Koran has constituted a remarkably resilient core of identity and continuity for a religious tradition that is now in its 15th century. In this Very Short Introduction, Michael Cook provides a lucid and direct account of the significance of the Koran both in the modern world and in that of traditional Islam. He gives vivid accounts of its role in Muslim civilization, illustrates the diversity of interpretations championed by traditional and modern commentators, discusses the processes by which the book took shape, and more.

This book describes and explains the major events, personalities, conflicts, and convergences that have shaped the history of the Muslim world. The body of the work takes listeners from the origins of Islam to the eve of the nineteenth century, and an epilogue continues the story to the present day. Michael Cook thus provides a broad history of a civilization remarkable for both its unity and diversity.

What truths lie in the black void between the stars? It’s late September 2019 when a young astronomer working at the Haleakala Space Observatory in Maui, Hawaii, accidentally spots a black dot in the night sky and is calculated to be closely trailing Earth by only seventy-five million miles…on the same ecliptic plane. NASA launches an unmanned probe to Earth’s nearest neighbor, given the name ILK-87b. The images coming back from the black planet both shock and amaze those inside the halls of NASA. Curiosity, fear, and dread overcome insiders as infrastructure is detected on the black ...

The Abyss. The word evokes a visceral response. It also evokes contemplation and a search for deeper knowledge and understanding. The abyss of despair can feel heavy too from all accounts. It pulls you into a dark, suffocating existence that can feel like you are drowning, prevent you from getting out of bed, or compel desires to end your life. By many accounts I should have drowned in an abyss of despair at the age of six, when I experienced a devastating tragedy. I did not.

FalconClaw - Fraternal is book four in the FalconClaw Detective Series but can also be read as a standalone novel. This continuing saga finds Detective Frank Collazo dealing with loss and the search for the maniacal killers laying waste to the mean streets of North Philly in the fall and winter of 2021. In the words of retired FBI Criminal Profiler Douglas Cantrell, 'A good friend once told me that every relationship has an expiration date. That friend was Frank Collazo, and he was right.' With the loss of his father, Salvatore, at the age of only fourteen, Frank learned far too young that ...

What truths will be revealed? After Erik Erickson, the last resident of Black Earth, arrived in 2024 he was greeted with a hero’s welcome by nearly all people on Earth. Some, however, questioned if he or planet Zenith were real or simply a lie. A fabrication by the United States Government, thought, many conspiracy theorists. As Erik toured planet Earth, telling everyone the truths of Zenith and all the riches that it held, some countries thought they could bypass a U.N. Resolution and go it alone to the black menace. Zenith closely trailed Earth by only seventy-five million miles and the...

Tense and emotional... ...extremely candid poetry. Why does poetry ask probing questions, evoke deep emotions, and elude monolithic explanations? This book is a time capsule of a young man searching for solutions while offering none. These poems represent a maturing mind attempting to understand life and one person's place in it. Poems are photographs of literature where the observer can extract more words from it with each viewing. A must-read for adolescents and young adults! Get it now.

If you like The Shining, The Sixth Sense, or Shutter Island, you'll love this book. In the winter of 1974, Old Man Winter came calling, again. In August of ’74, Detective Penelope Bryce had just won her four-year legal battle with the City of Philadelphia and finally earned her Detective Badge. Her first case ended up being her last. Penny’s new partner, Detective Frank Bruno, was wrestling with his own demons when he came across Old Man Winter himself, Garrison Winter. The grizzled detective would finally meet his match. Detectives Bryce and Bruno would attempt to chase down the man ...

On New Year’s Eve 2016, a Philadelphia Detective, crippled by grief and his endless pursuit to avenge his father’s death, is thrown into a case that could possibly bring him the retribution he seeks. Frank Collazo’s partner, Penny Bristow, will soon seek retaliation of her own. Detectives Collazo and Bristow will be tasked with chasing down the most notorious serial killer that the City of Philadelphia has ever known. Their pasts will become their present, and their present will become their hell, as a monster, both sinister and cunning, will make the detectives question everything ...

Sixth in the FalconClaw Detective Series, but great as a stand-alone. Holed up in a mansion in Montreal, Philly Cop Bones Sullivan is still recovering from a grotesque leg injury after taking down a deranged killer. Not wanting to return to Philadelphia, Bones is visited by his late partner, Frank Collazo. His dead partner has a message for him… “A storm is coming.” Back in Philly, Detective Robert Brooks has a chance meeting with a Ukrainian woman who fled the war with Russia after being separated from her sister and father. The unlikely pair were never meant to be together, however,...

Monsters create monsters; Frank kept telling himself. Since his father was killed by a serial killer when he was only fourteen, Frank was on the path of becoming a monster himself. Then, on Easter Sunday of 2019, less than two years after The Schuylkiller wreaked havoc on the City of Philadelphia, a new killer reared his head and began his own reign of terror. When Frank settles into a quiet life with his former partner, Penny, and their infant daughter, he is pulled out of retirement and must go it alone if he’s to save his family and his soul. What Frank discovers next will have him ...

Detective Jon Bones Sullivan, mourning the loss of his partner, Frank Collazo, moves into Frank’s old house. Was he looking for a reason to stay close to his old friend? Or was Bones running from his past? Bones Sullivan’s father died when he was only eighteen years old. When he did, Bones and his mother were finally rid of the man who had physically and verbally abused them for years. The death of a husband and father would normally create an unfillable void, but not when the decedent was a monster. Bones and his mother could now move on with their lives and try to forget the man they ...

Time is the only thing they are not making any more of. How do we redeem that time? We Remain Vigilant and continue to run our race. You in? Let's go...

On Where Adventure Lives: The Podcast, we explore all of the amazing recreational opportunities of the Greater Cambria County region.

Biblical Teachings

A mixed bag of fun. Like a barrel of monkeys played by lunatics. From Hit Rewind, We Got the Beat, Video Night, Trash Cinema and Next Planet Over we got it all. Sit back and have a nutty time.

"Over 55 And Alive" is a transformative guide for individuals entering the later stages of life, emphasizing the vitality and opportunities that come with age. This book provides practical advice and insightful strategies for those over 55 to enhance their well-being, nurture existing relationships, and foster a positive mindset. With a focus on maintaining physical health, emotional well-being, and a positive outlook, this book is an essential resource for anyone looking to thrive in their golden years.

This is us, doing life in the second act, real, raw, authentic and transparent. Hoping to share our stories, experiences, knowledge and wisdom, adding value and impact, for your personal and professional growth.

This is us, doing life in the second act, real, raw, authentic and transparent. Hoping to share our stories, experiences, knowledge and wisdom, adding value and impact, for your personal and professional growth.