Tempestuous and beautiful Wanda Miles, daughter of Ruth and Stephen Miles (or so she thinks), aspires to more than the life of a debutante, but the trouble is she doesn?t know precisely what she wants. Then her aunt Marie, the family?s renowned glassblower, arrives from Lauscha, Germany, and...  more

Tempestuous and beautiful Wanda Miles, daughter of Ruth and Stephen Miles (or so she thinks), aspires to more than the life of a debutante, but the trouble is she doesn?t know precisely what she wants. Then her aunt Marie, the family?s renowned glassblower, arrives from Lauscha, Germany, and Wanda decides that learning about her ancestry may hold the key to her future. When Marie accidentally reveals a long-held secret about Wanda?s parents, Wanda goes to Lauscha to unravel the truth.While Marie finds herself increasingly swept up in New York City?s bohemian social scene?catching the eye of a handsome young Italian in the process?Wanda explores a past she never knew in the village of her mother?s youth?and begins to build a life that she never expected. A sweeping tale that takes readers from the small town of Lauscha to the skyscrapers of New York and the sun-kissed coast of Italy, The American Lady is a tribute to the enduring power of family and what we?ll do in the name of love.

A New York Times bestseller: A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at life on Pennsylvania Avenue with America?s first families, by the man who spent nearly three decades in their midst J. B. West, chief usher of the White House, directed the operations and maintenance of 1600 Pennsylvania...  more

A New York Times bestseller: A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at life on Pennsylvania Avenue with America?s first families, by the man who spent nearly three decades in their midst J. B. West, chief usher of the White House, directed the operations and maintenance of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?and coordinated its daily life?at the request of the president and his family. He directed state functions; planned parties, weddings and funerals, gardens and playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and, with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home. For twenty-eight years, first as assistant to the chief usher, then as chief usher, he witnessed national crises and triumphs, and interacted daily with six consecutive presidents and first ladies, as well as their parents, children and grandchildren, and houseguests?including friends, relatives, and heads of state.   J. B. West, whom Jackie Kennedy called ?one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met,? provides an absorbing, one-of-a-kind history of life among the first ladies. Alive with anecdotes ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt?s fascinating political strategies to Jackie Kennedy?s tragic loss and the personal struggles of Pat Nixon, Upstairs at the White House is a rich account of a slice of American history that usually remains behind closed doors.  

In a matter of seconds, absolutely everything can change ?In this masterfully crafted page-turner, peopled with intense characters and centered on one devastating moment that involves them all, plot-twist queen Penny Vincenzi vividly captures how the actions of one person can dramatically affect...  more

In a matter of seconds, absolutely everything can change ?In this masterfully crafted page-turner, peopled with intense characters and centered on one devastating moment that involves them all, plot-twist queen Penny Vincenzi vividly captures how the actions of one person can dramatically affect many in the blink of an eye.On an ordinary Friday afternoon, on a major motorway outside of London, a trailer truck suddenly and violently swerves across fives lanes of traffic?careening cars into one another like dominoes and leaving a trail of chaos and confusion. Within the space of a minute, an astounding miles-long pileup has amassed, and, as the survivors await help, their stories unfold.Vincenzi expertly maneuvers the plot between the panic-stricken husband trapped in his car with his young mistress, his adultery sure to be discovered; the bridegroom trying frantically to get to the church on time (he won?t); the widow on her way to reunite with the love of her life after sixty years, now forced to ponder whether she?ll ever see him again; the junior doctor waiting to receive the crash victims in the ER ? And at the epicenter of this field of destruction lies the truck driver, suffering from memory loss, while the mysterious hitchhiker, the only person who knows what really happened, has fled the scene.Spellbound by these intimate and evocative tales, we watch as fate takes its powerful course and the far-reaching effects of the crash ripple through the lives of hundreds of people. Written with incredible verve, candor, and wit, Penny Vincenzi reveals human behavior in all its fascinating detail as she challenges her characters to face crisis boldly?and she surprises us with the results at every turn.

In the gentle coastal town of South Cove, California, all Jill Gardner wants is to keep her store -- Coffee, Books, and More -- open and running. So why is she caught up in the business of murder? When Jill's elderly friend, Miss Emily, calls in a fit of pique, she already knows the city...  more

In the gentle coastal town of South Cove, California, all Jill Gardner wants is to keep her store -- Coffee, Books, and More -- open and running. So why is she caught up in the business of murder? When Jill's elderly friend, Miss Emily, calls in a fit of pique, she already knows the city council is trying to force Emily to sell her dilapidated old house. But Emily's gumption goes for naught when she dies unexpectedly and leaves the house to Jill -- along with all of her problems. . .and her enemies. Convinced her friend was murdered, Jill is finding the list of suspects longer than the list of repairs needed on the house. But Jill is determined to uncover the culprit -- especially if it gets her closer to South Cove's finest, Detective Greg King. Problem is, the killer knows she's on the case--and is determined to close the book on Jill permanently. . .

The author of A Gilded Grave returns to Newport, Rhode Island, at the close of the nineteenth century, where headstrong heiress Deanna Randolph must solve another murder among the social elite. With her mother in Europe, Deanna is staying with the Ballard family, who agree to chaperone her...  more

The author of A Gilded Grave returns to Newport, Rhode Island, at the close of the nineteenth century, where headstrong heiress Deanna Randolph must solve another murder among the social elite. With her mother in Europe, Deanna is staying with the Ballard family, who agree to chaperone her through the summer season and guide her toward an advantageous marriage proposal, or so her mother hopes. Relishing her new freedom, Deanna is more interested in buying one of the fashionable new bathing costumes, joining a ladies bicycling club, and befriending an actress named Amabelle Deeks, all of which would scandalize her mother.   Far more scandalous is the discovery of a young man bludgeoned to death on the conservatory floor at Bonheur, the Ballards sumptuous cottage. Deanna recognizes him as an actor who performed at the birthday fete for a prominent judge the night before. But why was he at Bonheur? And where is Amabelle?  Concerned her new friend may be in danger -- or worse -- Deanna enlists the help of her intrepid maid, Elspeth, and her former beau, Joe Ballard, to find Amabelle before the villain of this drama demands an encore.