Books with author James Mackey

Allan Pinkerton Around the world, his name is synonymous with security and protection. The legendary agency he began nearly one hundred and fifty years ago is still in operation today, as are many of the surveillance and infiltration techniques he originated. His company's trademark symbol, a large, unblinking eye, inspired the term private eye. As befits a man who spent so much of his life working behind the scenes, Allan Pinkerton's life has been shaded in mystery and misinformation. Now, after a decade of painstaking research, award-winning biographer James Mackay pierces the web of contradictions, half-truths, and myths to reveal, for the first time, the true story of the life and career of this colorful, complex, and controversial man. Born in Scotland, Allan Pinkerton arrived in America with a solitary silver dollar in his pocket and―as legend has it―the law hot on his heels. A cooper by trade, he might have spent his life making barrels but for a fateful trip in the summer of 1846. On an uninhabited island, where he had gone to cut saplings for barrel staves, Pinkerton happened upon a thicket where a blackened patch suggested a recent fire. To Pinkerton, it also suggested something was amiss. In what became his very first case, the young cooper employed his acute powers of deductive reasoning, patience, and perseverance that would become the hallmarks of his modus operandi. His dogged determination (and several damp, cold, lonely nocturnal vigils) paid off when a gang of counterfeiters was discovered. The modern detective was born. Through four decades of tumultuous history, Allan Pinkerton left an indelible mark. From the Underground Railroad to the Chicago underworld to Pennsylvania and the civil unrest of the notorious Molly Maguires, he took on bandits, bank robbers, kidnappers, spies, and even Jesse James himself. His role in the Civil War was critical: as Lincoln's spymaster, he managed a network of spies who worked behind Confederate lines and tackled espionage at the highest levels in Washington itself. In particular, James Mackay's scrupulously balanced account challenges the conventional view of the controversy surrounding Pinkerton's role in the Peninsular campaign of 1862. Was poor intelligence responsible for prolonging the war? A man of firm beliefs and principles, Allan Pinkerton could be a fair-minded employer―and an absolute tyrant as a husband and father. As intriguing as any of the detective's countless cases, Allan Pinkerton: The First Private Eye is a masterful look at an extraordinary figure, filled with the rich, revealing details that distinguish the best biographies. "James Mackay, the award-winning biographer of Robert Burns, is the first historian to attempt to shade in both the darker and lighter sides of Pinkerton, and the result is the tightest and most reliable account so far, a portrait of a man at once deeply admirable and quite obnoxious." ―The Times (London). "A fair-minded and thorough analysis of a complex and contradictory man . . . an impressive look at the life of Pinkerton." ―The Daily Telegraph (London).

In My End Is My Beginning is the story of Mary Queen of Scots (1542–87), the tragic heroine par excellence. Queen of an unfamiliar and troubled nation when she was a week old, it was her misfortune to be a pawn in the game of international politics throughout her life. Even in the brief period from 1561 to 1567 when she was ruler of Scotland in fact as well as in name, she was beset with problems that would have defeated a much stronger, more experienced monarch. A talented poet and a charismatic leader, she contended with a treacherous, self-serving nobility, the religious ferment of the Reformation, and the political ambitions of larger and more powerful neighbours. With little real authority and few resources, Mary’s reign was successful, until her disastrous marriage to the dissolute Darnley set in motion the events that brought about her downfall. For the last 20 years of her life she was a prisoner in the hands of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England, and the subject of treacherous plots and conspiracies. A hostage to fortune, she represented a threat and a rallying-point for English Catholics. Her tragic end was inevitable. Yet her life, with all its adventurous, failures and disasters, produced the son – James – who ultimately brought about the union of Scotland and England.In the End Is My Beginning uncovers the true facts of Mary’s life in the context of Anglo-Scottish relations and shows why, after more than 400 years, she remains arguably the greatest character in popular Scottish history.

What if the lights go out—and never come back on?When an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) knocks out all electricity and almost everything electronic, including communication, lights, heat, water, and most transportation, the Gruens find themselves in a quandary. Their oldest daughter, Chrissie, is 180 miles away at college and they have no way to contact her to know if she’s all right, or even to know if she’s alive. When their food and water start to run out and their house is attacked, they decide to leave home to go find her.The story is told by sixteen-year-old Brady Gruen, who is a bit of a slacker in a family of achievers. He’s at first reluctant to leave home and his friends, despite the growing danger. But he comes to realize that nothing will ever go back to the way it was. The Gruens quickly learn that the trip to find Chrissie is not going to be easy. They get trapped on the wrong side of the Ohio River. They’re accosted by gas thieves, shot at and chased by gangs on the interstate, and nearly blown up by a rocket launched from a fighter jet. And that’s just the first day of an adventure that will test them all.RUNNER BOY is the first book in a series following Brady as he navigates a world that has been forever changed.The reviews are coming in:”Life as we’ve known it is over…what do we do now?””This is a fun read.””Great pacing and lots of action.””Loved it! A page turner. Can’t wait for the next one!!!””Guarantee that just a few pages into the book, you'll be asking yourself what in the world would I do if this happened to me!”

A YA Sci-fi AdventureAn assignment becomes a quest which reveals a secret…CJ’s ancestry project gets off to a bad start—something’s wrong with his DNA test. Then he decides to search for his grandmother’s parentage, despite her claim that she is an orphan. How hard could it be? He’s joined by his cousin Penny and his buddy Oval as his search takes him to Las Vegas, where they run into nothing but dead ends until they meet a peculiar old man who seems to know something about CJ’s family. And who is following them?In a separate storyline, in 1964 Gus, CJ’s grandfather, is on a mission for the mob when he becomes involved in a strange gun battle in the desert. A mysterious young woman comes running to him from out of the dark, yelling, “help me, help me.”Years before, a military doctor is working in the base emergency room when several plane crash victims are brought in. He knows immediately that these are not normal patients, but he has no idea how his life will be changed forever.When these storylines intersect, CJ will find himself in conflict with a 70-year-old secret, and he, his family. and his friends will be in mortal danger. The five star reviews are coming in:“Great Read!”“Do not read this book unless you’ve cleared the next 8 hours.”“Spellbinding plot—couldn’t put it down!”“Highly Recommended”“The writing is crisp, the chapters are short, the plot is engaging and I just flew through it.”

A classic sword and sorcery dungeon crawl to hunt a dangerous dragon! After stealing a priceless relic from the Church of the Book, Infidel is the world’s most infamous mercenary. Now she’s got her eyes on a new prize, the fabled treasure trove of the dragon Greatshadow. Joining forces with a band of dangerous rogues, can she survive her own allies long enough to face the dragon? Now available in audio, narrated by Jake Urry! What critics are saying: "This one is worth reading right now." - Orson Scott Card 'Greatshadow's level 30+ adventure is charming, not po-faced, with a group of fl awed, sarcastic, quick-witted and oddball adventurers that are equally comfortable with set-piece battle and rapid fire sarcasm.' Pornokitsch 'A magnificently entertaining romp bursting with charm.' SFX

In the aftermath of the Battles of Khambula and Gingindlovu, a lull fell over the war-torn Zulu Kingdom. Though British forces under Lord Chelmsford emerged victorious during both encounters, earlier defeats, casualties, and supply shortages required them to withdraw back into Natal. Now with waves of long-awaited reinforcements arriving, Chelmsford prepares to launch a second invasion of Zululand.Death and destruction have taken their toll on the Zulu people. Thousands of families mourn for their loved ones, while refugees flee from the devastation of the border regions. Despite the defeats and fearful losses, King Cetshwayo, who never wanted war in the first place, takes heart in knowing that, strategically, his enemies were compelled to retreat from his lands. He hopes this will allow him to come to terms with the British before Chelmsford can renew the war in earnest.Unbeknownst to the king, Lord Chelmsford has received word from London that he is to be replaced by General Sir Garnet Wolseley. His lordship is determined to expedite the invasion and utterly crush Cetshwayo’s forces at any cost, denying Wolseley the chance to usurp him before he can expunge the humiliation that has lingered since the dark days following the defeat at Isandlwana.

A YA Sci-fi AdventureAn assignment becomes a quest which reveals a secret… CJ’s ancestry project gets off to a bad start—something’s wrong with his DNA test. Then he decides to search for his grandmother’s parentage, despite her claim that she is an orphan. How hard could it be? He’s joined by his cousin Penny and his buddy Oval as his search takes him to Las Vegas, where they run into nothing but dead ends until they meet a peculiar old man who seems to know something about CJ’s family. And who is following them? In a separate storyline, in 1964 Gus, CJ’s grandfather, is on a mission for the mob when he becomes involved in a strange gun battle in the desert. A mysterious young woman comes running to him from out of the dark, yelling, “help me, help me.” Years before, a military doctor is working in the base emergency room when several plane crash victims are brought in. He knows immediately that these are not normal patients, but he has no idea how his life will be changed forever. When these storylines intersect, CJ will find himself in conflict with a 70-year-old secret, and he, his family. and his friends will be in mortal danger. The five star reviews are coming in:“Great Read!” “Do not read this book unless you’ve cleared the next 8 hours.” “Spellbinding plot—couldn’t put it down!” “Highly Recommended” “The writing is crisp, the chapters are short, the plot is engaging and I just flew through it.”

The warrior woman known as Infidel is legendary for her superhuman strength and skin tough as chain mail. She’s made few friends during her career as a sword-for-hire, and many powerful enemies. Following the death of her closest companion, Infidel finds herself weary of life as a mercenary and sets her eyes on one final prize that will allow her to live out the rest of her days in luxury, the priceless treasure trove of Greatshadow. Greatshadow is the primal dragon of fire. His malign intelligence spies upon mankind through every flickering candle, patiently waiting to devour victims careless with even the smallest flame. The Church of the Book has assembled a team of twelve battle-hardened adventurers to slay the dragon once and for all. But tensions run high between the leaders of the quest who view the mission as a holy duty and the super-powered mercenaries adding strength to their ranks, who dream only of Greatshadow’s vast wealth. If the warriors fail to slay the beast, will they doom mankind to death by fire? Greatshadow is the first book in an exciting new adventure series, blending superheroes and epic fantasy into a unique take on both genres.

What if the lights go out-and never come back on?When an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) knocks out all electricity and almost everything electronic, including communication, lights, heat, water, and most transportation, the Gruens find themselves in a quandary. Their oldest daughter, Chrissie, is 180 miles away at college and they have no way to contact her to know if she's all right, or even to know if she's alive. When their food and water start to run out and their house is attacked, they decide to leave home to go find her.The story is told by sixteen-year-old Brady Gruen, who is a bit of a slacker in a family of achievers. He's at first reluctant to leave home and his friends, despite the growing danger. But he comes to realize that nothing will ever go back to the way it was. The Gruens quickly learn that the trip to find Chrissie is not going to be easy. They get trapped on the wrong side of the Ohio River. They're accosted by gas thieves, shot at and chased by gangs on the interstate, and nearly blown up by a rocket launched from a fighter jet. And that's just the first day of an adventure that will test them all.RUNNER BOY is the first book in a series following Brady as he navigates a world that has been forever changed.The reviews are coming in: "Life as we've known it is over...what do we do now?""This is a fun read.""Great pacing and lots of action.""Loved it! A page turner. Can't wait for the next one!!!""Guarantee that just a few pages into the book, you'll be asking yourself what in the world would I do if this happened to me!"

Beginning with his early days in Scotland as a member of the radical chartists, this book covers the legend's days as a detective for the Chicago police force and his founding of the Northwest Detective Agency, the first of its kind in the Western hemisphere. His role in the Civil War is also examined, including his relationship with President Lincoln and his establishment of the first military intelligence unit for the United States.