Film noir is more than a cinematic genre. It is an essential aspect of American culture. Along with the cowboy of the Wild West, the denizen of the film noir city is at the very center of our mythological iconography. Described as the style of an anxious victor, film noir began during the post-war period, a strange time of hope and optimism mixed with fear and even paranoia. The shadow of this rich and powerful cinematic style can now be seen in virtually every artistic medium. The spectacular success of recent neo-film noirs is only the tip of an iceberg. In the dead-on, nocturnal jazz of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, the chilled urban landscapes of Edward Hopper, and postwar literary fiction from Nelson Algren and William S. Burroughs to pulp masters like Horace McCoy, we find an unsettling recognition of the dark hollowness beneath the surface of the American Dream. Acclaimed novelist and poet Nicholas Christopher explores the cultural identity of film noir in a seamless, elegant, and enchanting work of literary prose. Examining virtually the entire catalogue of film noir, Christopher identifies the central motif as the urban labyrinth, a place infested with psychosis, anxiety, and existential dread in which the noir hero embarks on a dangerously illuminating quest. With acute sensitivity, he shows how technical devices such as lighting, voice over, and editing tempo are deployed to create the film noir world. Somewhere in the Night guides us through the architecture of this imaginary world, be it shot in New York or Los Angeles, relating its elements to the ancient cultural archetypes that prefigure it. Finally, Christopher builds an explanation of why film noir not only lives on but is currently enjoying a renaissance. Somewhere in the Night can be appreciated as a lucid introduction to a fundamental style of American culture, and also as a guide to film noir's heyday. Ultimately, though, as the work of a bold talent adeptly manipulating poetic cadence and metaphor, it is itself a superb aesthetic artifact.

Exploring lives on the brink of disaster, R. J. Jacobs returns with another compulsively readable novel of suspense for fans of B. A. Paris and Mary Kubica. Do the mistakes of the past mark us as guilty for life? After a childhood marred by neglect, Jessie Duval's finally got it together. With an apartment in Nashville and a job with a catering company, she's thriving. But all that changes when Jessie works an event where celebrities will be in attendance--including the one person from her past she must avoid at all costs: singer Shelly James. Jessie doesn't hate Shelly. Quite the opposite. One summer, she followed Shelly's tour everywhere. Only, Shelly wasn't flattered; she was terrified by Jessie's devotion--especially after Jessie was arrested. But after a year of therapy, Jessie understands what happened. She's not the same person anymore. Jessie keeps her head down, but when Shelly is found dead, Jessie's troubled past comes tumbling out and she quickly becomes a suspect in the high-profile murder. As the police close in on her, ignoring other credible leads, Jessie realizes Shelly's murder will be pinned on her--the perfect scapegoat--unless she finds the real killer. And no one knows Shelly's life and inner circle better than her. But she will have to go deeper into the dark--if ever she wants to find her way out.

Evil lurks beneath the streets of Boston. And only Shane Ryan can stop it… It stalks the shadowy tunnels beneath the city. It strikes without warning. It kills without a sound. But someone has come to end it… Ghost hunter and retired Marine, Shane Ryan. When a contact from a previous case reaches out for help, Shane soon finds himself searching the tent cities and homeless encampments of the sprawling city, hot on the trail of a merciless killer. What he finds is an animalistic spirit, driven into a frenzy by bloodlust. And a connection to the sinister cult of the Endless Night. Shane suspects the cult are seeking to harness this deadly entity for their own nefarious ends. But to stop the killer ghost, he must form an uneasy alliance with a cult member. Can Shane trust this new ally? Or will he meet his end as he comes face to face with the ultimate supernatural predator?

AM I SOMEONE (The Poetry) is best described as a communion of words written from the heart, a place of truth. The author may best be described as the Rod McKuen of the 90's and beyond. He plunges deep into self, deep into glorious and painful memories, and deep into a conscious/unconscious life. And then he begins all over again..... Here is one heart, and one mind, reaching out to touch the hearts and minds of others. Dreams achieved through the words and emotions stirred through and through by never doubting he has loved. Love had! Love lost! Love abused and misused! And love, the substance of miracles when all else fails in a world that seems so lost unto itself. AM I SOMEONE (The Poetry) tells of life as an open invitation to cry, to laugh, to love, to live, and to die. It's a connection with the emotions we all feel and hear. A communion of life from the heart, a place of truth.

Author Patrick Bentley challenges his readers to labor for the meat that will never perish in his new book The Birth of a Song. Many years of trials in Patricks life has created some extraordinary testimonies that include giving birth to hundreds of new songs to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Included in these beautifully written pages, Bentley unveils many hidden mysteries, such as how to count the mark of the beast (Revelation 13: 18) and why the United States of America is in the heart of Jer USA lem. The Birth of a Song is a must read for all believers in Christ Jesus. In these spiritually inspirational lyrics, you can feel the love of the lord through your very soul

This collection of poems and short stories is a journey of self-discovery and growth. The poems explore themes of love, loss, hope and nature of human life and it’s interaction with nature and cosmos, while the short stories delve into the complexities of human relationships mixed with metaphors and symbolism. Through it all, the author's voice is clear and strong, offering readers a glimpse into their own lives and experiences. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves literature and is looking for a deeper understanding of the human condition.