Books with author L.D.B. Taylor

In this harrowing psychological thriller about a missing teenage boy whose mother must expose the secrets within their own family if she wants to find her son—perfect for fans of Reconstructing Amelia.You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She’s not the only one. There isn’t a single member of Billy’s family that doesn’t feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn’t until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.Claire is sure of two things—that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.A mother’s instinct is never wrong. Or is it…?Combining an unreliable narrator and fast-paced storytelling, The Missing is a chilling novel of psychological suspense that will thoroughly captivate and obsess readers.“The Missing has a delicious sense of foreboding from the first page, luring us into the heart of a family with terrible secrets and making us wait, with pounding hearts for the final, agonizing twist. Loved it.”—Fiona Barton, author of The Widow

How a form of play becomes a sport: players, agents, referees, leagues, tournaments, sponsorships, and spectators, and the culture of professional computer game play.Competitive video and computer game play is nothing new: the documentary King of Kong memorably portrays a Donkey Kong player's attempts to achieve the all-time highest score; the television show Starcade (1982–1984) featured competitions among arcade game players; and first-person shooter games of the 1990s became multiplayer through network play. A new development in the world of digital gaming, however, is the emergence of professional computer game play, complete with star players, team owners, tournaments, sponsorships, and spectators. In Raising the Stakes, T. L. Taylor explores the emerging scene of professional computer gaming and the accompanying efforts to make a sport out of this form of play.In the course of her explorations, Taylor travels to tournaments, including the World Cyber Games Grand Finals (which considers itself the computer gaming equivalent of the Olympics), and interviews participants from players to broadcasters. She examines pro-gaming, with its highly paid players, play-by-play broadcasts, and mass audience; discusses whether or not e-sports should even be considered sports; traces the player's path from amateur to professional (and how a hobby becomes work); and describes the importance of leagues, teams, owners, organizers, referees, sponsors, and fans in shaping the structure and culture of pro-gaming.Taylor connects professional computer gaming to broader issues: our notions of play, work, and sport; the nature of spectatorship; the influence of money on sports. And she examines the ongoing struggle over the gendered construction of play through the lens of male-dominated pro-gaming. Ultimately, the evolution of professional computer gaming illuminates the contemporary struggle to convert playful passions into serious play.

How a form of play becomes a sport: players, agents, referees, leagues, tournaments, sponsorships, and spectators, and the culture of professional computer game play.Competitive video and computer game play is nothing new: the documentary King of Kong memorably portrays a Donkey Kong player's attempts to achieve the all-time highest score; the television show Starcade (1982–1984) featured competitions among arcade game players; and first-person shooter games of the 1990s became multiplayer through network play. A new development in the world of digital gaming, however, is the emergence of professional computer game play, complete with star players, team owners, tournaments, sponsorships, and spectators. In Raising the Stakes, T. L. Taylor explores the emerging scene of professional computer gaming and the accompanying efforts to make a sport out of this form of play.In the course of her explorations, Taylor travels to tournaments, including the World Cyber Games Grand Finals (which considers itself the computer gaming equivalent of the Olympics), and interviews participants from players to broadcasters. She examines pro-gaming, with its highly paid players, play-by-play broadcasts, and mass audience; discusses whether or not e-sports should even be considered sports; traces the player's path from amateur to professional (and how a hobby becomes work); and describes the importance of leagues, teams, owners, organizers, referees, sponsors, and fans in shaping the structure and culture of pro-gaming.Taylor connects professional computer gaming to broader issues: our notions of play, work, and sport; the nature of spectatorship; the influence of money on sports. And she examines the ongoing struggle over the gendered construction of play through the lens of male-dominated pro-gaming. Ultimately, the evolution of professional computer gaming illuminates the contemporary struggle to convert playful passions into serious play.

‘Claustrophobic and compelling’ KARIN SLAUGHTER‘A rollercoaster with multiple twists’ DAILY MAIL’A million dollar new story from a million selling author' SARAH PINBOROUGHSometimes your first love won’t let you go…When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused.But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey…The million copy Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gripping psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.Praise for The Fear:‘A skewering portrait of obsessive love and psychological manipulation, this book gets under the skin from the outset and won’t let you go until you’ve gasped at THAT ending. This is Taylor’s best book yet.’CJ Cooke (author of I Know My Name)‘Wow! Such a fast-paced, gripping, tense thriller. My heart was in my mouth at the end. Her best yet!’Claire Douglas (author of Local Girl Missing)

“The Missing has a delicious sense of foreboding from the first page, luring us into the heart of a family with terrible secrets and making us wait, with pounding hearts for the final, agonizing twist. Loved it.”—Fiona Barton, author of The Widow A harrowing psychological thriller about a missing teenage boy whose mother must expose the secrets within their own family if she wants to find her son—perfect for fans of Reconstructing Amelia.You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She’s not the only one. There isn’t a single member of Billy’s family that doesn’t feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn’t until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.Claire is sure of two things—that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.A mother’s instinct is never wrong. Or is it…?Combining an unreliable narrator and fast-paced storytelling, The Missing is a chilling novel of psychological suspense that will thoroughly captivate and obsess readers.

With an incarcerated father and an estranged drug-addicted mother, Shanequa's dreams of higher education feel like a fantasy. When Shanequa gets the chance to attend a prestigious private prep school, she feels like her dreams might become reality. Shanequa finds it easier to lie to her new friends than tell them the truth about her family. When her lies are found out, and Shanequa strikes back in blind rage, her path changes forever.

Three friends set out on a journey to discover the secrets of an old map that was found in their school library. Their curiosity and determination helps them to unlock the mysterious codes to a puzzle located in a very familiar spot-the school gymnasium. To their surprise, they find themselves fighting off the forces of evil in an underworld that is full of adventure and surprises. Will the "Chosen Ones" come out victorious?

This book, Our First Rodeo, is a story about three boys about to attend their first rodeo. They are excited, and in spite of the fact that they hate shopping, they spend all day with their mother buying western duds to wear to the rodeo. Imagine their shock when Daddy and Mother both appear in western duds, as well. The rodeo grounds,entertainment attractions, souvenirs, and autographs are discussed. There is a description of each rodeo event, calf roping, bronc riding, barrel racing, and bull riding. The clowns are entertaining and keep the boys laughing throughout the activities. The boys dreamed about the events, chalked up memories for the future and continued to talk about the events the following morning at breakfast. The younger of the three painted his face like a clown and came to breakfast, making everyone laugh.

With dramatic full-color photos and illustrations on every page, this thought-provoking book takes young readers on a trip around the world, giving them a bird's-eye view of the planet's most endangered animals. Separate sections on two-page spreads describe each animal's relationship to its environment, the threats to its survival, and steps being taken by environmentally conscious men and woman who are trying to save each of these species from extinction. Among the endangered animals shown and discussed are-- Members of the whale family Orangutans of southeast Asia Tigers of southern Asia Pandas of China Mountain Gorillas of central Africa Polar Bears of northern Canada . . . and others The book's attractive added features include an illustrated Planet Animal Fun Quiz, a world map that locates habitats of endangered animals, and illustrated pull tabs and page flaps that present interesting sidebar information about many of the animals. Readers get an extra bonus in the form of an enclosed, full-color, fold-out tiger poster that will look great on kids' bedroom or playroom walls.