Best Selling Books by Raymond Benson

New revised digital edition of the classic 007 reference book from the 1980s, complete with a new Foreword by the author. THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION is an encyclopedic celebration of 007, who is still the world’s most popular secret agent. The only book to cover all aspects of the James Bond phenomenon in a single volume, it includes: a) An intimate portrait of Ian Fleming as remembered by his friends and colleagues; b) a character study of James Bond—his background and early life, his clothing and other personal habits, his preferences in food and drink, his attitudes toward women and marriage; c) The by-products of Bondmania and the merchandising of 007; d) Detailed analyses of every James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, as well as those written by other authors through the 1980s; e) A critical look at the 007 film series—the producers, screenplays, directors, actors, soundtracks, and special effects; f) over 100 photographs; g) An Introduction written by Ernest Cuneo, perhaps Fleming’s closest American friend; h) And enough facts, figures, and miscellaneous Bondian trivia to satisfy even the most ardent fan. THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION covers the Bond films through The Living Daylights (1987) and the novels through John Gardner''s Scorpius. BIO: Raymond Benson is the highly acclaimed author of twenty-five books, six original James Bond 007 novels, three film novelizations, three short stories, and two anthologies on Bond. He is a sought-after lecturer on film genres and history. Writing as David Michaels, Benson is a New York Times best-selling author, an Edgar Alan Poe Award nominee, and a Readers'' Choice Award winner.

From the New York Times bestselling author and former James Bond novelist comes a gritty, riveting tale of modern crime, featuring a female FBI agent embroiled in a Russian human trafficking case. Chicago Special Agent Annie Marino examines the case of a dead young woman who possesses a tattoo Annie has come across before—that of bloody bear claws. Several deceased women with the tattoo have turned up over the past few years, all suspected of being involved in a vast human trafficking operation. Annie’s neighborhood friend, Jason Ward, is a young writer engaged to be married into an upper-class family from a posh Chicago suburb. Jason believes his future brother-in-law, a war veteran, is definitely a bully—but does he also have ties to the Russian mob? Yana Kravec, a woman from St. Petersburg, Russia, has been fraudulently lured into a trafficking scheme and thrown into a horrid and seemingly hopeless situation. She is, however, determined to fight back and escape her captors. Annie’s investigation eventually uncovers a sordid plot of procuring slaves overseas and marketing them in the US. Her interests soon coincide with those of Jason and Yana, bringing the trio together to fight against a deadly network of criminals. As the separate lives of these characters collide, their paths ultimately converge in a night of terror and survival in a Michigan forest, where they become the prey of evil men who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are concise, lively, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as expert opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction, history, and more. This pocket-sized reference book looks at this legendary rock band and analyzes its place in music history. Looking at each and every Jethro Tull album from a comprehensive perspective, as well as including concert trivia and biographical information and a look at the solo careers of band members past and present, this book for both the casual and hard-core fan offers insights that will enhance one''s listening pleasure.

Agent 47 might be the best assassin the Agency has ever had, but he''ll need all of his skill, cunning, and ruthlessness if he is to survive his toughest assignment yet. Since the devastating conclusion of Hitman: Blood Money, Agent 47 has been MIA. Now fans awaiting the return of the blockbuster video-game and film phenomenon can pinpoint the location of the world''s most brutal and effective killer-for-hire before he re-emerges in Hitman: Absolution. When the Agency lures him back with a mission that will require every last ounce of his stealth, strength, and undercover tactics, they grossly underestimate the silent assassin''s own agenda. Because this time, Agent 47 isn''t just going to bite the hand that feeds him ... he''s going to tear it off and annihilate anyone who stands in his way.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the continuation James Bond novels comes a new novel of suspense about coming-of-age in the 1960s, and the neighborhood street where first love, a child abduction, and abuse collide. Sixty-one-year-old Shelby Truman, a romance novelist, has received a request to visit her childhood friend, Eddie, who is on Death Row. Though mentally ill, Eddie is scheduled to be executed for the disturbing, brutal murders of his wife and unborn child. As Shelby travels home to Texas for the unnerving reunion, she steps back into memories of her past, recalling her five-decade-long relationship with Eddie in order to understand what led the beautiful but troubled boy who lived across the street to become a murderer. Shelby and Eddie used to visit an abandoned fallout shelter in his backyard, their “secret hiding place" where they could escape Eddie’s abusive father, enjoy innocent playtime, and, later, adolescent explorations. As they grow increasingly close, a tragedy occurs one July fourth, an event that sets in motion a lifelong struggle against an Evil—with a capital "E"—that has corrupted their all-American neighborhood. With only a few days left for Eddie to live, Shelby braces herself for a reunion that promises to shed light on the traumatic events that transpired on her street, changing everything Shelby thought she knew about the boy on Chicory Lane.

From the New York Times bestselling and internationally acclaimed author comes a Hollywood crime drama set in the 1940s and present day that tackles racism, sexism, and murder. Karissa Glover is a movie producer who moves into a decrepit but functional old mansion in the West Adams Heights area of Los Angeles, where black celebrities of yesteryear—Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers, and others—once resided. The former owner was a white actress, Blair Kendrick, who often starred as the "bad girl"—a femme fatale—in films noirof the 1940s. However, Blair’s career was cut short when she was tragically killed by the mob after allegedly witnessing the slaying of a corrupt studio head in 1949. As Karissa and her producing partner decide to develop a modern film noir about Blair Kendrick, malevolent forces from the past attempt to stop them—first with intimidation, and then with the thread of murder. Is this because Karissa has learned that Blair was involved in a then-taboo interracial relationship with jazz musician Hank Marley? What really happened on the night that death struck in a dimly lit studio mogul’s office? The consequences of Blair and Hank’s doomed love affair still resonate in the present day as Karissa attempts to unravel Blair’s secrets. Seeping with mystery, intrigue, Hollywood history, and forbidden romance, Blues in the Dark is Raymond Benson at his most insightful and page-turning best.

James Bond deals with beautiful allies, dangerous enemies, and assassins as he tries to uncover a traitor and prevent a catastrophic war.

Pierce Brosnan (Tomorrow Never Dies) as Agent 007 is about to learn that the world is not enough for a twisted mind.Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty) unveils his sinister side as the brain-damaged egomaniac who can feel no pain.With Sophie Marceau, Denise Richards, and Judi Dench. Directed by Michael Apted. Screenplay by Neil Purvis and Robert Wade with Dana Stevens and Bruce Feirstein. Novelization by acclaimed Bond author Raymond Benson...

A new era of high adventure, intrigue, and danger begins for James Bond with Raymond Benson''s eagerly awaited 007 thriller. This is a story of sensuality and nonstop excitement--for the clock is ticking for Hong Kong.

The death of British businessman and his family in Japan leads James Bond to a terrorist organization that has developed the perfect biological weapon.

This explosive Metal Gear Solid novel ventures beyond the thrilling videogame and delves into the dark heart of Solid Snake’s world! Highly skilled former FOXHOUND agent Solid Snake is called out of retirement to do what he does best–neutralize a crisis of epic proportions. A deadly team of renegade FOXHOUND operatives has taken over the nuclear disposal facility on Shadow Moses Island in the icy Aleutians. If their demands aren’t met, a powerful, top-secret weapon will be unleashed upon the world. Solid Snake’s mission is to breach the heavily fortified base to rescue hostages and to destroy the superweapon. His only obstacles are brainwashed commandos, DNA-enhanced troops, and six first-rate killers with extraordinary abilities. All alone in hostile territory, armed with nothing but his wits, Snake has only a snowball’s chance in hell of taking out his target and keeping nuclear nightfall from descending on the earth. But nothing is as it seems. Somebody is hiding something. Somebody has a hidden agenda. And somebody wants Snake to learn secrets about his dark past–secrets that would shake any man to his core.

During a dinner party with an old friend, James Bond encounters a criminal organization called The Union that may be responsible for the theft of information vital to Britain''s national security.

From internationally acclaimed and best-selling author RAYMOND BENSON comes a wry and darkly comedic work in which a quaint suburb of Chicago finds itself rocked by more than just the uncertainties of 2020. Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and the twisted prose of Tom Perrotta. For Scott Hatcher, a former television writer turned struggling novelist with a failing marriage to boot, social-distancing and mask-wearing feel like fitting additions to his already surreal life. When his wife Marie and neighbor John Bergman disappear in the middle of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Scott is naturally mystified and disturbed, but he is also about to learn that his picturesque neighborhood hides more than just the mundane routines of suburban life. When a fire claims the empty house for sale next door, the entire community is shocked when the charred remains of Marie and John are found inside. Stranger still, stockpiles of valuable Personal Protection Equipment, clearly stolen, were destroyed in the blaze alongside them. As the neighborhood reels from the loss, Scott and Bergman''s earthy and enticing widow, Rachel, not only find themselves under investigation for the crime, but also inexorably drawn to one another. As tensions reach a fever pitch, the tale—which is at once familiar and ordinary, yet bizarre and eerie—shows that, just like life in 2020''s uncertain times, dread and danger lurk below the hidden underside of everyday suburbia. Fans of Thornton Wilder''s classic Our Town and films by the sardonic Coen Brothers will be captivated by the warped Americana of The Mad, Mad Murders of Marigold Way.

James Bond thwarted the last coup of a criminal conspiracy into a dangerous alliance intent on reclaiming Gibraltar.

New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Author Suppose you found out—just too late—that your mother had been a superhero crime fighter Could Martin Talbot''s mother, Judy, really have been the Black Stiletto? When Martin discovers several volumes of diaries hidden by his mother, he is stunned beyond all imagination. His mother, the underground heroine of yesteryear? The famed, still-unidentified woman who battled Communist spies, took on the Mafia, and preyed on common crooks? The woman who exacted punishment on evildoers without mercy? But it is all described, in great detail, in the diaries. What caused her to begin her quest for justice. Her decision to act outside the law. Her feats as the famed and feared vigilante. How her reputation exploded. In short, how it all played out. Could it be true? Talbot is filled with doubt and disbelief. But the reappearance of one of the Stiletto''s old enemies with a thirst for merciless revenge makes the story more than real and could imperil the life of not only the Stiletto, but her son and granddaughter as well. Perfect for fans of vigilante justice While all of the novels in The Black Stiletto Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is: The Black Stiletto The Black Stiletto: Black & White The Black Stiletto: Stars & Stripes The Black Stiletto: Secrets & Lies The Black Stiletto: Endings & Beginnings

More than 160 short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors. This volume will introduce you to horror, mystery, fantasy and thrills, from the dark worlds of Lovecraft to the cutting-edge suspense of the mean streets of the cities of the world. This monster collection speaks in the voices of some of today''s leading masters of the short story, with something certain to appeal to every reader. Find a new creative voice to follow. Find a new world to love. An amazing wealth of fiction and imagination. Included in Corruption at the Crossroad: 12+1: Twelve Short Thrillers And A Play — Raymond Benson The Devil Made Me Do It Again And Again — Paul Dale Anderson Seeing Red — David J. Schow Bedbugs — Rick Hautala Destinations Unknown — Gary Braunbeck The Call Of Distant Shores — David Niall Wilson Falling Idols — Brian Hodge In The End, Only Darkness — Monica J O''Rourke 13: A Collection Of Horror And Weird Fiction — Michael Boatman Vapors: The Essential G. Wayne Miller Fiction, Vol. 2 — G. Wayne Miller Scars And Other Distinguishing Marks — Richard Christian Matheson

Solid Snake and his partner Otacon are lost at sea in the wake of a terrorist attack while rookie FOXHOUND operative Raiden is working to rescue the president from terrorist captors.

New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Author All five Black Stiletto books in one stunning saga This USA Today and New York Times best-selling five-book saga tells the entire amazing story of Judy Cooper, the famed Black Stiletto of vigilante fame. The story is told by Martin Talbot, the Stiletto''s son, in the words of the Stiletto herself through her diaries. Martin does not discover these diaries until his mother, suffering from Alzheimer Disease, is confined to a nursing home. Imagine his utter shock when he realizes that his mother''s diaries—and other revealing discoveries—bring the Black Stiletto''s—his mother''s—past into the present. This awe-inspiring five-book saga takes the reader through the parallel lives of Judy today and the young masked crime stopper from the 1950''s and ''60''s. From New York to Los Angeles to Texas, Judy—the Stiletto—is a hero to the public, but a hunted enemy of law enforcement and criminals, including the Mafia. As she relentlessly fights for justice, her life is in constant danger. And that danger returns to the present to threaten Martin, his daughter, and Judy, herself. The Black Stiletto Saga covers the entire story. The old Judy, the young Judy, and the Black Stiletto. All five books in one package: The Black Stiletto, The Black Stiletto: Black & White, The Black Stiletto: Stars & Stripes, The Black Stiletto: Secrets & Lies, and The Black Stiletto: Endings & Beginnings.

New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Author The Stiletto Faces Racial Injustice—Up Front and Personal It''s 1959, and Judy Cooper, the Black Stiletto, sets out to confront a dangerous gangster known as the heroin king of Harlem when the teenage daughter of her beloved martial arts instructor ends up a prisoner in an uptown narcotics den. And the Stiletto has troubles of her own—a shady filmmaker is threatening to reveal her identity to the world—a close friend of her landlord and substitute father may be in cahoots with the Harlem criminals—she''s fighting for racial equality—and she has fallen in love again . . . this time with an FBI agent who has standing orders to arrest her. Meantime, in the present, the Stiletto''s son, Martin, faces his own blackmail crisis when he finds out that there is a second copy of an 8mm film he found in his mother''s strongbox—showing the Black Stiletto unmasked in a film studio dressing room. As he tries to stop the filmmaker''s son''s extortion plot, he learns that his daughter, Gina, has been brutally assaulted in New York City. The past and the present meet as two shattering climaxes converge. Perfect for fans of vigilante justice While all of the novels in the Black Stiletto Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is: The Black Stiletto The Black Stiletto: Black & White The Black Stiletto: Stars & Stripes The Black Stiletto: Secrets & Lies The Black Stiletto: Endings & Beginnings

Wir schreiben das Jahr 1960. Judy Cooper, die sich freiwillig im Wahlkampf für John F. Kennedy engagiert, stößt auf ein geheimes Komplott, welches den Verlauf der Geschichte verändern könnte. Ist es möglich, dass selbst der gut aussehende Osteuropäer, in den sie sich gerade verliebt hat, darin involviert ist? Eine zufällige Begegnung mit einem jungen Teenager führt sie in ihrer geheimen Identität als Black Stiletto zudem auf die Spur gefährlicher organisierter Banden, die das Leben in Manhattans Chinatown terrorisieren. In der Gegenwart kämpft Martin, ihr Sohn, mit psychischen Problemen und dem immer stärker werdenden Druck, sein Wissen um sein Familiengeheimnis mit jemandem teilen zu wollen – bestenfalls der neuen Liebe seines Lebens. Und auch seine Tochter Gina versucht die Geschehnisse des zweiten Bandes auf eine ganz eigene Weise zu verarbeiten ...

New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Author The past and the present meet as two shattering climaxes converge Raymond Benson''s The Black Stiletto: Endings & Beginnings is the startling, climactic finale to the five-book, critically acclaimed saga of The Black Stiletto. It''s 1962. Judy Cooper, the Black Stiletto, is devastated at the betrayal by her nemesis and former lover, mobster Leo Kelly. Additionally, Leo and his psychotically dangerous sister, Christina, have set out to ruin the Stiletto''s reputation in L.A. with a series of crimes that are made to appear as if the crime-fighter is responsible. The very pregnant Judy must fight back only with her wits and cunning—until disaster strikes and she is forced to flee to her old hometown in Texas for the final showdown with destiny. Meanwhile, in the present, the Alzheimer''s that afflicts elderly Judy is in its last stage, but her son and granddaughter, Martin and Gina, must continue to protect her from the past''s last remaining assault, culminating in a cathartic and explosive conclusion. Perfect for fans of vigilante justice While all of the novels in The Black Stiletto Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is: The Black Stiletto The Black Stiletto: Black & White The Black Stiletto: Stars & Stripes The Black Stiletto: Secrets & Lies The Black Stiletto: Endings & Beginnings

WHAT IF YOU, AS A GHOST, HAD TO SOLVE YOUR OWN MURDER? From internationally acclaimed and New York Times best-selling author Raymond Benson comes a novel that is a ghost story with a distinctive noir sensibility mixed with David Lynchian surrealism. The year is 1985. Manhattan’s Times Square area is sleazy, and the streets are full of what Coleman Sackler calls “New York Street Skunk.” Cole is the night manager and self-proclaimed hotel detective for the transient Hotel Destiny, which has been plagued with scandals over the century, including several murders, gangster occupation and ownership, and fleabag status during the 1960s and 70s. Five recent slayings in the building have been attributed to—the police believe—one killer. During the gala grand re-opening Halloween party, Cole Sackler himself is murdered by a masked man. But hold on! Cole “awakes” and is still in the hotel—as a ghost. Prior to his death, a mysterious woman had told him that hidden portals located throughout the building can lead one to other time periods, and that the key to Cole’s destiny is in the hotel’s past and embedded in its many secrets. Thus, Cole’s spirit sets out to solve his own murder by dropping in on living characters throughout Hotel Destiny’s history and observing and/or interacting with them. His goal is to discover the identity of his killer, as well as learn the ironic truth about his own family, his heritage, and himself!

From the towers of Manhattan to the jungles of South America, from the sands of the Sahara to the frozen crags of Antarctica, one man finds adventure everywhere he goes: GABRIEL HUNT. Backed by the resources of the $100 million Hunt Foundation and armed with his trusty Colt revolver, Gabriel Hunt has always been ready for anything--but is he prepared for the adventures that lie in wait for him?