Books by Isabel Allende

A profound exploration of the art and magic of writing by New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende. In this deeply personal and insightful book, Isabel Allende delves into her creative process, reflecting on nearly half a century of writing that has captivated millions of readers worldwide. For Allende, writing is more than a craft. It is an addiction, a means of preserving memory, and a way to make sense of life. She offers readers an intimate glimpse into her creative world, where stories take shape through intuition, discipline, and deep connection to the human experience. It is also a glimpse into the life of a writer who views literature as a portal to understanding the chaos of life. Story Telling is not a prescriptive guide to writing. Rather, it is a conversation. In it, Allende shares her triumphs, her mistakes, and the lessons learned through the challenges and joys of writing. She intertwines her own stories with invaluable wisdom for anyone pursuing the craft, making this book equally a memoir, a master class in the alchemy of storytelling, and a celebration of the enduring power of narrative.

Inspired by Allende''s BBC Maestro series, Storyteller is a journey into magical storytelling from a beloved literary legend

In the third children''s book written by critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling superstar Isabel Allende, Perla, the mighty dog, saves her human brother, Nico Rico, after he and his friend, a little girl dressed as a princess, get lost during a Cinco de Mayo party. Perla is a mighty dog who has two superpowers—making people love her and roaring like a lion. When her human brother, Nico Rico, gets into trouble with a girl he refers to as “the princess” while the neighborhood is out celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Perla knows it’s up to her to save them both. But how will she do it? In this charming and poignant story, Isabel Allende continues her series about the bond between a child and a beloved pet.

En la edición en español del tercer libro infantil de Isabel Allende, autora aclamada por la crítica mundialmente y bestseller del New York Times, Perla, la súper perrita, salva a su hermano humano, Nico Rico, y a su amiga, la Princesa, cuando los dos se meten en problemas. Perla es una súper perrita que tiene dos súper poderes: hacer que todos la amen y rugir como un león. Cuando su hermano humano, Nico Rico, se mete en problemas junto a una niña a la que él llama la Princesa, mientras el vecindario celebra el Cinco de Mayo, Perla sabe que le toca a ella salvarlos a los dos. Pero ¿cómo lo logrará? En esta historia encantadora y emocionante, Isabel Allende continúa su serie sobre el vínculo entre un niño y su querida mascota. In the Spanish edition of the third children’s book written by critically acclaimed, New York Times-bestselling superstar Isabel Allende, Perla, the mighty dog, saves her human brother, Nico Rico, and his friend, The Princess, when the two get into trouble. Perla is a mighty dog who has two superpowers—making anybody love her and roaring like a lion. When her human brother, Nico Rico, gets into trouble with a girl he refers to as “The Princess” while the neighborhood is out celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Perla knows it’s up to her to save them both. But how will she do it? In this charming and poignant story, Isabel Allende continues her series about the bond between a child and a beloved pet.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this “stunning” (People), “riveting” (Entertainment Weekly) historical novel, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself. “All of Allende’s books, My Name Is Emilia del Valle included, have the epic feel of a major Hollywood film.”—Associated Press AN NPR AND NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman. To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man’s pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan. As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny. A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name Is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart.

Un libro lleno de vida sobre el oficio de escribir, la magia de la creación y el poder eterno de las palabras. La palabra mágica es mucho más que una guía de escritura, es una conversación. Isabel Allende comparte los triunfos, errores y aprendizajes que los desafíos y las alegrías le han brindado a lo largo de los años. A partir de sus propias vivencias, este libro es una clase magistral para todo aquel que desee iniciar su propio viaje literario. «La literatura es mágica: armar una historia es un proceso misterioso, orgánico, instintivo. Al escribir entro en la dimensión de los sueños, la intuición, las premoniciones; debo rendirme y dejar que los personajes hagan lo que tienen que hacer y que la historia se cuente a sí misma. Paso la mayor parte de mi tiempo sola y en silencio, como un monje en su celda. Escribir es como meditar. En la soledad recuerdo, escucho voces, tengo visiones. Mientras más callada estoy, más oigo y más veo. En el silencio de la escritura a veces me visitan espíritus —¿o serán las musas?—. Lo siento como un roce en la nuca. Al escribir me transformo en médium. La escritura para mí no es una opción, es una adicción». Isabel Allende

From the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea comes “a bold exploration of womanhood, feminism, parenting, aging, love and more” (Associated Press). “The Soul of a Woman is Isabel Allende’s most liberating book yet.”—Elle “When I say that I was a feminist in kindergarten, I am not exaggerating,” begins Isabel Allende. As a child, she watched her mother, abandoned by her husband, provide for her three small children without “resources or voice.” Isabel became a fierce and defiant little girl, determined to fight for the life her mother couldn’t have. As a young woman coming of age in the late 1960s, she rode the second wave of feminism. Among a tribe of like-minded female journalists, Allende for the first time felt comfortable in her own skin, as they wrote “with a knife between our teeth” about women’s issues. She has seen what the movement has accomplished in the course of her lifetime. And over the course of three passionate marriages, she has learned how to grow as a woman while having a partner, when to step away, and the rewards of embracing one’s sexuality. So what feeds the soul of feminists—and all women—today? To be safe, to be valued, to live in peace, to have their own resources, to be connected, to have control over our bodies and lives, and above all, to be loved. On all these fronts, there is much work yet to be done, and this book, Allende hopes, will “light the torches of our daughters and granddaughters with mine. They will have to live for us, as we lived for our mothers, and carry on with the work still left to be finished.”

A search for the Golden Dragon in the Himalayan Mountains becomes a quest for protection in this coming-of-age story filled with international adventure, rich mythology, and magical realism from globally celebrated novelist Isabel Allende. How much would you risk to save a friend? After surviving the dangers of the Amazon, reporter Kate Cold brings her grandson, Alexander, and his best friend, Nadia, on another assignment for International Geographic. Entering a forbidden kingdom tucked in the frosty peaks of the Himalayas, the team’s task is to locate its fabled Golden Dragon, a sacred statue and priceless oracle that can tell the future. In their scramble to reach the statue before it is destroyed by the infamous order of Scorpions, Alexander and Nadia must use the power of their totemic animal spirits—Jaguar and Eagle. With the aid of a wise Buddhist monk, his young royal disciple, and a fierce tribe of Yeti warriors, Alexander and Nadia fight to protect the Golden Dragon and the entire Forbidden Kingdom. Isabel Allende once again leads readers on a voyage of suspense, magic, and awe-inspiring adventure in this riveting follow-up to City of the Beasts.

The discovery of a clan of Pygmies in Kenya becomes a quest for justice in this coming-of-age story filled with international adventure, rich mythology, and magical realism from globally celebrated novelist Isabel Allende. If you faced your deepest fears, would you get out alive? When International Geographic commissions Alexander Cold’s grandmother to write an article about the first elephant-led safaris in Africa, the two of them head to the blazing, red plains of Kenya with Alex’s best friend Nadia to cover the story. Days into the tour, a Catholic missionary approaches their camp in search of his companions who have mysteriously disappeared. Kate, Alexander, Nadia, and their team, agreeing to aid the rescue, enlist the help of a local pilot to lead them to the swampy forests of Ngoubé. There they discover a clan of Pygmies who unveil a harsh and surprising world of corruption, slavery, and poaching. Alexander and Nadia, call on the magical strengths of Jaguar and Eagle, their totemic animal spirits, to fight to restore freedom to the Pygmies and return leadership to its rightful hands. The final installment of Isabel Allende’s celebrated trilogy of the journeys of Jaguar and Eagle is not to be missed.

In the second children''s book written by critically acclaimed, New York Times-bestselling superstar Isabel Allende, Perla, the mighty dog, saves her human brother, Nico Rico, after he gets lost on the way home from school. Perla is a mighty dog who has two superpowers—making people love her and roaring like a lion. When she finds out her human brother, Nico Rico, got lost on the way home from school, she knows she has to step in! But what will Perla do? In a charming and poignant story, Isabel Allende continues her series about the bond between a child and a beloved pet.

In the first children''s book written by critically acclaimed, New York Times-bestselling superstar Isabel Allende, Perla, the mighty dog, teaches her human brother, Nico Rico, how to use his superpowers to stand up to a bully. Perla is a mighty dog who has two superpowers—making people love her, and roaring like a lion. When she finds out her human brother, Nico Rico, is being bullied at school, she knows she has to step in! But what will Perla do? In a charming and poignant story about the bond between child and pet, Isabel Allende makes her children''s literary debut.

The powerful and moving new novel from international bestselling author Isabel Allende, tracing the ripple effects of war and immigration on one child in Europe in 1938 and another in the United States in 2019

THE NEW NOVEL FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR ISABEL ALLENDE, THE WIND KNOWS MY NAME, IS OUT NOW _______________ ''Epic, beautifully crafted . . . Gripping from start to finish'' DAILY TELEGRAPH ''A must for historical fiction lovers'' COUNTRY AND TOWNHOUSE ''A new novel by Isabel Allende is always a treat'' DAILY MAIL _______________ One extraordinary woman. One hundred years of history. One unforgettable story. Violeta comes into the world on a stormy day in 1920, the first daughter in a family of five boisterous sons. From the start, her life is marked by extraordinary events. The ripples of the Great War are still being felt, even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth. Told in the form of a letter to someone Violeta loves above all others, this is the story of a hundred-year life - of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Bearing witness to a century of history, it is a life shaped by the fight for women''s rights, the rise and fall of tyrants and, ultimately, not one but two pandemics. Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion, determination and sense of humour will carry her through a lifetime of upheaval, Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional. READERS LOVE VIOLETA ''Allende is truly a master of storytelling ... I didn''t want to reach the end'' ***** ''A tour de force ... Stunning'' ***** ''Beautifully written and intensely dramatic ... I loved every word'' ***** ''Spellbinding, captivating and absorbing'' ***** ''One of my favourite authors ... I always find myself completely drawn into her richly detailed narratives'' *****

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This sweeping novel from the author of A Long Petal of the Sea tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century. “An immersive saga about a passion-filled life.”—People ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: PopSugar, Real Simple, Reader’s Digest Violeta comes into the world on a stormy day in 1920, the first girl in a family with five boisterous sons. From the start, her life is marked by extraordinary events, for the ripples of the Great War are still being felt, even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth. Through her father’s prescience, the family will come through that crisis unscathed, only to face a new one as the Great Depression transforms the genteel city life she has known. Her family loses everything and is forced to retreat to a wild and beautiful but remote part of the country. There, she will come of age, and her first suitor will come calling. She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others, recounting times of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Her life is shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women’s rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and ultimately not one, but two pandemics. Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion, determination, and sense of humor carry her through a lifetime of upheaval, Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional.

The author describes her lifelong commitment to feminism in a meditation on what it means to be a woman, discussing progress within the movement in her lifetime, what remains to be done, and how to move forward in the future.

A passionate tale of love, freedom, and conquest from the New York Times bestselling author of The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende. Born into a poor family in Spain, Inés Suárez, finds herself condemned to a life of poverty without opportunity as a lowly seamstress. But it''s the sixteenth century, the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Struck by the same restless hope and opportunism, Inés uses her shiftless husband''s disappearance to Peru as an excuse to embark on her own adventure. After learning of her husband''s death in battle, she meets the fiery war hero, Pedro de Valdivia and begins a love that not only changes her life but the course of history. Based on the real historical events that founded Chile, Allende takes us on a whirlwind adventure of love and loss seen through the eyes of a daring, complicated woman who fought for freedom.

Summer Reissues with P.S. The engrossing story of one man’s quest for love and for his soul from bestselling author Isabel Allende, now available with P.S. Isabel Allende’s first novel to be set in the United States and to portray American characters, The Infinite Plan is a vivid tale of one man’s search for love, and his struggle to come to terms with a childhood of poverty and neglect. As he journeys from the Hispanic barrio in Los Angeles to the killing fields of Vietnam to the frenetic life of a lawyer in San Francisco, Gregory Reeves loses himself in an illusory and wrongheaded quest. Only when he circles back to his roots does he find the love and acceptance he has been searching for.

Completing the trilogy that includes her bestselling novels Daughter of Fortune and The House of the Spirits, Portrait in Sepia is a stunning novel about memory and family secrets Set at the end of the nineteenth century, Portrait in Sepia is a richly imagined historical novel featuring the colorful and intrepid del Valle family. The protagonist, Aurora del Valle, suffers a brutal trauma that shapes her character and erases from her mind all recollections of the first five years of her life. Raised by her ambitious grandmother, the regal and commanding Paulina del Valle, she grows up in a privileged environment, free of the limitations that circumscribe the lives of women at that time, but tormented by horrible nightmares. When she is forced to recognize her betrayal by the man she loves, and to cope with the resulting solitude, she decides to explore the mystery of her past.

An Oprah Book Club selection! "Allende has created a masterpiece of historical fiction that is passionate, adventurous, and brilliantly insightful. . . . suspenseful and surprising." —Denver Post From the revered New York Times bestselling author of The House of the Spirits and A Long Petal of the Sea comes a passionate tale of one young woman''s epic journey to save her lover, set against the chaos, greed, and promise of the 1849 California Gold Rush. Raised in the British colony of Valparaíso, Chile, English orphan Eliza Sommers meets and falls in love with the wildly inappropriate Joaquín Andieta, a lowly clerk with ambitious dreams. When gold is discovered in the hills of northern California, Chileans, including Joaquín, head north to seek their fortune. Eliza, pregnant with Joaquín’s child, leaves behind everything she knows to follow her lover. In the rough-and-tumble world of San Francisco, Eliza must navigate a society dominated by greedy men. But with the help of her natural spirit and a good friend, Chinese doctor Tao Chi’en, Eliza soon comes to discover that her search for love has become a powerful coming of age story and a quest of personal freedom.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The House of the Spirits, this epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home. “One of the most richly imagined portrayals of the Spanish Civil War to date, and one of the strongest and most affecting works in [Isabel Allende’s] long career.”—The New York Times Book Review NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Esquire • Good Housekeeping • Parade In the late 1930s, civil war grips Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them desires. Together with two thousand other refugees, Roser and Victor embark on the SS Winnipeg, a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda, to Chile: “the long petal of sea and wine and snow.” As unlikely partners, the couple embraces exile as the rest of Europe erupts in world war. Starting over on a new continent, they face trial after trial, but they will also find joy as they patiently await the day when they might go home. Through it all, their hope of returning to Spain keeps them going. Destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world, Roser and Victor will find that home might have been closer than they thought all along. A masterful work of historical fiction about hope, exile, and belonging, A Long Petal of the Sea shows Isabel Allende at the height of her powers. Praise for A Long Petal of the Sea “Both an intimate look at the relationship between one man and one woman and an epic story of love, war, family, and the search for home, this gorgeous novel, like all the best novels, transports the reader to another time and place, and also sheds light on the way we live now.”—J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Saints for All Occasions “This is a novel not just for those of us who have been Allende fans for decades, but also for those who are brand-new to her work: What a joy it must be to come upon Allende for the first time. She knows that all stories are love stories, and the greatest love stories are told by time.”—Colum McCann, National Book Award–winning author of Let the Great World Spin

"In the late 1930s, civil war gripped Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life irreversibly intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them wants, and together are sponsored by poet Pablo Neruda to embark on the SS Winnipeg along with 2,200 other refugees in search of a new life. As unlikely partners, they embrace exile and emigrate to Chile as the rest of Europe erupts in World War. Starting over on a new continent, their trials are just beginning. Over the course of their lives, they will face test after test. But they will also find joy as they wait patiently for a day when they are exiles no more, and will find friends in the most unlikely of places. Through it all, it is that hope of being reunited with their home that keeps them going. And in the end, they will find that home might have been closer than they thought all along"-- In the late 1930s, civil war gripped Spain. General Franco and his Fascists overthrew the government; hundreds of thousands fled over the mountains to the French border. Roser, a pregnant young widow, finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. To survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them wants; Sponsored by poet Pablo Neruda, they embark on the SS Winnipeg along with 2,200 other refugees in search of a new life. Emigrate to Chile as the rest of Europe erupts in World War, they discover their trials are just beginning. -- adapted from jacket

New York Times and worldwide bestselling author Isabel Allende returns with a sweeping novel that journeys from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil that offers “a timely message about immigration and the meaning of home” (People). During the biggest Brooklyn snowstorm in living memory, Richard Bowmaster, a lonely university professor in his sixties, hits the car of Evelyn Ortega, a young undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, and what at first seems an inconvenience takes a more serious turn when Evelyn comes to his house, seeking help. At a loss, the professor asks his tenant, Lucia Maraz, a fellow academic from Chile, for her advice. As these three lives intertwine, each will discover truths about how they have been shaped by the tragedies they witnessed, and Richard and Lucia will find unexpected, long overdue love. Allende returns here to themes that have propelled some of her finest work: political injustice, the art of survival, and the essential nature of—and our need for—love.

In the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn, 60-year-old human rights scholar Richard Bowmaster hits the car of Evelyn Ortega, a young, undocumented immigrant from Guatemala. What at first seems just a small inconvenience takes a far more serious turn when Evelyn turns up at the professor's house seeking help. At a loss, the professor asks his tenant Lucia Maraz, a 62-year-old lecturer from Chile, for her advice. These three very different people are brought together in a story that moves from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil, sparking the beginning of a long overdue love story between Richard and Lucia.

Atrévete a amar. La gran narradora chilena escribe abiertamente, haciendo un guiño a sus lectores, sobre sus experiencias en el sexo y el amor. «Mi vida sexual comenzó temprano, más o menos a los cinco años, en el kindergarten de las monjas ursulinas, en Santiago de Chile.» Con estas palabras, Isabel Allende inicia este compendio sobre amor y eros compuesto por fragmentos escogidos de sus obras, que esbozan a través de sus personajes la propia trayectoria vital de la autora. Si hay alguien capaz de describir con maestría, personalidad y humor la naturaleza caprichosa del amor, es Isabel Allende. Esta recopilación de escenas de amor, seleccionadas de entre sus libros, son una invitación a sumergirse en la lectura, soñar y sonreír. Reseña: «Un encuentro íntimo con una de las escritoras más leídas del mundo, que revela ese "misterio de lo prohibido" que está tan de moda». El Norte de Castilla

From New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende, a “poignant, powerful” (Boston Globe) love story and multigenerational epic that stretches from San Francisco in the present-day to Poland and the United States during World War II. In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis, young Alma Belasco’s parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There, as the rest of the world goes to war, she encounters Ichimei Fukuda, the quiet and gentle son of the family’s Japanese gardener. Unnoticed by those around them, a tender love affair begins to blossom. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart as Ichimei and his family—like thousands of other Japanese Americans—are declared enemies and forcibly relocated to internment camps run by the United States government. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love that they are forever forced to hide from the world. Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long and eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to come to terms with her own troubled past, meets the elderly woman and her grandson, Seth, at San Francisco’s charmingly eccentric Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, eventually learning about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years. Sweeping through time and spanning generations and continents, The Japanese Lover is written with the same keen understanding of her characters that Isabel Allende has been known for since her landmark first novel The House of the Spirits. The Japanese Lover is a “multi-generational epic of fate, war, and enduring love” (Harper’s Bazaar).

This profoundly moving tale of love, bravery, and tragedy by New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende brings to life a country ruled with an iron fist—and the men and women who dare to challenge it. Irene Beltrán is a force to be reckoned with. As a magazine journalist, an unusual profession for a woman with her privileged upbringing, she is constantly challenging the oppressive regime. Her investigative partner is photographer Francisco Leal, the son of impoverished Spanish Marxist émigrés. Together, they are an inseparable team and—despite Irene’s engagement to an army captain—form a passionate connection. When an assignment leads them to uncover an unspeakable crime, they are determined to reveal the truth in a nation overrun by terror and violence. Together, they will risk everything for justice—and, ultimately, to embrace the passion that binds them.

The Jackson women, Indiana and Amanda, have always had each other. Yet, while their bond is strong, mother and daughter are as different as night and day. Indiana, a beautiful holistic healer, is a free-spirited bohemian. Long divorced from Amanda’s father, she’s reluctant to settle down with either of the men who want her--Alan, the wealthy scion of one of San Francisco’s elite families, and Ryan, an enigmatic, scarred former U.S. Navy SEAL. While her mom looks for the good in people, Amanda is fascinated by the dark side of human nature, just like her father, the San Francisco Police Department’s deputy chief of Homicide. Brilliant and introverted, the MIT-bound high school senior is a natural-born sleuth, addicted to crime novels and Ripper, the online mystery game she plays with her beloved grandfather and friends around the world. When a string of strange murders occurs across the city, Amanda plunges into her own investigation, discovering, before the police do, that the deaths may be connected. But the case becomes all too personal when Indiana suddenly vanishes. Could her mother’s disappearance be linked to the serial killer? Now, with her mother’s life on the line, the young detective must solve the most complex mystery she’s ever faced before it’s too late.

Indiana and Amanda Jackson have always had each other. Though their bond is strong, mother and daughter are as different as night and day. Indiana, a beautiful holistic healer, is a free-spirited bohemian. Teenage Amanda is fascinated by the dark side of human nature—as is her father, the SFPD''s deputy chief of homicide. Brilliant and introverted, Amanda is a natural-born sleuth addicted to Ripper, the online mystery game she plays with her beloved grandfather and friends around the world. When a string of strange murders occurs across the city, Amanda plunges into her own investigation, probing hints and deductions that elude the police department. But the case becomes all too ­personal when Indiana suddenly vanishes. Could her mother''s disappearance have something to do with the series of deaths? Now, with her mother''s life on the line, the young detective must solve the most complex mystery she''s ever faced before it''s too late.

When Isabel Allende's daughter, Paula, became gravely ill and fell into a coma, the author began to write the story of her family for her unconscious child. In the telling, bizarre ancestors appear before our eyes; we hear both delightful and bitter childhood memories, amazing anecdotes of youthful years, and the most intimate secrets passed along in whispers. With Paula, Allende has written a powerful autobiography whose straightforward acceptance of the magical and spiritual worlds will remind readers of her first book, The House of the Spirits.