Synopses & Reviews
Featured in
USA TODAY and named a Best of 2010 Kindle Customer Favorite, the bestselling self-published eBook now available as a trade paperback in time for summer reading, D.B. Henson’s
Deed to Death is a riveting mystery from a major new voice in commercial fiction.
Toni Matthews, a successful young Nashville real estate agent, is only a few days away from marrying Scott Chadwick, an architect with his own booming construction business, and finally having the loving family she always longed for as a child.
When Scott plummets to his death at one of his construction sites, Toni is forced to bury her fiancÉ on their wedding day. Now living all alone in their new custom-made dream house, dealing with her loss becomes even harder when the police rule Scott’s death a suicide. Yet Toni refuses to believe Scott would kill himself even after his business partners and friends start to inform her of devastating secrets and financial problems he was keeping from her.
Without the cooperation of the police and in spite of her friends’ growing concern that she’s in denial and not dealing with her grief, Toni begins investigating Scott’s death on her own. When Toni learns that Scott’s estranged brother Brian has severe financial problems and is contesting the will, threatening to take away her home, and Scott’s business partner Clint and his wife and Toni’s best friend Jill are anxious to buy Scott’s half of the business from her, Toni quickly realizes that her search for truth may have deadly consequences. Sure to appeal to mystery and suspense readers and fans of women’s fiction alike, Deed to Death marks the launch of an exciting new talent.
Review
“A collection of small things and a generous gesture win Violet Mackerel the Blue China Bird shes admired for weeks at the Saturday-morning market….The gentle, present-tense narration reflects the thinking of an imaginative and quite determined 7-year-old, following the model of elders who envision goals and work toward them. Shes not always realistic about her own abilities. Her theory of the importance of small things mirrors the series of small moments that make the story…. Allens grayscale drawings enliven almost every page…. Violet and her family are original and appealing, a lovely addition to any chapter-book collection of characters.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
“Violet is a true original: a complicated heroine for new readers who is neither stereotypically spunky nor silly. She needs her mothers gentle guidance but is able to solve little problems all by herself. Will there be a sequel? Lets hope so.” Horn Book Magazine, September/October 2012
Review
“Violet has a marvelous world view…. Debut author Branford and illustrator Allen offer up a charming new chapter book star, who is sure to appeal to fans of Sara Pennypackers Clementine or Paula Danzingers Amber Brown.” Booklist Online
Review
"7-year-old Violet
Review
"This is a sweet story about a likable little girl who just longs for something small...there is definitely an audience for a quiet but creative heroine. Black-and-white drawings, some full page, add touches of whimsy and humor. A charming easy reader that also serves as a thoughtful, gentle read-aloud." School Library Journal, December 2012
Review
“Large type on roomy pages ushers newly minted chapter book readers into the world of charming and resourceful Violet Mackerel…. Generous artwork--sometimes cameo-size, other times anchoring a two-page spread--provides a window into Violet's daily life.
Violet gives girls what Captain Awesome gives boys: a strong character, a large dose of comedy and a sense of adventure.” Shelf Awareness, November 30, 2012
Review
"7-year-old Violet
Review
andlt;divandgt;"7-year-old Violet
Review
"7-year-old Violet desperately wants a beautiful china bird from the flea market. But to raise the ten bucks to buy it, she'll need to master a new skill: outside-the-box thinking. The results are as warm as VIolet is funny, and the tale ends on the sweetest of notes." FamilyFun Magazine
Synopsis
A heartwarming novel from Glenn Beck, the #1
New York Times bestselling author of
The Christmas Sweater and phenomenally popular radio and television host.
Rachel Price’s one happy memory from her childhood is of playing outside with her father, Mitch, on a cold and snowy day. In that moment he took her hands in his and called her his angel. She felt safe, loved, and protected. Rachel’s mother dies in a car crash a few years later—a sudden and unresolved ending to a complicated relationship. Mitch’s reaction to certain realities surrounding the death pushes Rachel away and confirms her fear that Mitch never truly loved her at all.
Years later, Rachel’s daughter, Lily, is the only light in her dark life. Rachel is consumed by an abusive marriage but too afraid to escape. On Christmas Eve, Rachel’s husband raises a hand to Lily in a moment of aggression that finally snaps Rachel out of her docile state. She realizes immediately that she must protect her daughter in ways her own parents didn’t protect her, and remove Lily from the situation. Through the help of an old and dear friend, Rachel has a safe place to go, but first, she must say goodbye to her father.
As the snow falls on this Christmas Eve, Rachel learns that it’s never too late to start over. The Snow Angel is a tale about family, forgiveness, and learning to treasure our memories while allowing ourselves to move forward.
Synopsis
Introducing Violet Mackerel, a charismatic new chapter book star with a zest for life and an endearing, relatable voice akin to Ramona Quimby and Junie B. Jones. Violet is a seven-year-old with a knack for appreciating the smallest things in life: her “Theory of Finding Small Things” states that the moment of finding a tiny treasure usually coincides with the moment of having a genius idea. This creative little girl always strives to think outside the box, so when she spots a small china bird that she desperately wants, she forms an imaginative plan for getting it—and her methods are anything but ordinary!
Violet Mackerels Brilliant Plot is the first book in an irresistibly charming series starring Violet and her family that has pitch-perfect perspective and plenty of laugh-out-loud humor.
About the Author
Anna Branford was born on the Isle of Man and spent parts of her childhood in Africa and in Papua New Guinea. Now she lives in Melbourne, Australia, with a large black cat called Florence. She writes, drinks cups of tea in her garden, and makes dolls and other small things, which she sells at early morning markets. You can visit Anna at AnnaBranford.com. Elanna Allen is an author/illustrator, the creator of Playhouse Disney characters “Whiffle and Fuzz,” the writer and director of award-winning films for Nickelodeon, and the director of a Moby music video. Elanna wrote and illustrated Itsy Mitsy Runs Away, is the illustrator of the Violet Mackerel series, and splits her time between London and New York. Visit her at ElannaAllen.com.