Books in Thorndike Large Print Crime Scene series

A New York Times Bestseller Part One of The Lord of the RingsIn a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins is faced with an immense task as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the One Ring of Sauron to his care. Frodo must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the all-powerful Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

“I took the skull from its evidence bag and gently set it on the stainless steel table. ‘Tell me who you are. . . .’ ” With this silent plea, forensic expert Dr. David Hunter ignites a harrowing murder investigation on a windswept Scottish island, and a tale of menace, sexuality, and revenge unravels—along with the chilling message that a killer has…Dr. David Hunter should be in London with the woman he loves and a past he can’t quite shake off. Instead, as a favor to a beleaguered cop, Hunter travels to a remote island in the Outer Hebrides to inspect a baffling set of remains. A forensic anthropologist, he has seen bodies destroyed by all forms of violence, but even he is surprised at what he finds: human remains burned beyond recognition—all within the confines of an otherwise undamaged, unoccupied cottage. Local police want to rule the death accidental. But Hunter’s examination of the victim’s charred skull tells him that this woman, no doubt a stranger to the close-knit island of Runa, was murdered by someone nearby.Within days, two more people are dead by fire. Hunter’s job is to coax the dead into telling their stories—but now that he’s beginning to hear them, he is staggered by the truth. Working with only the barest of clues, he peels back the layers of mysteries past and present, exposing the tangle of secrets at the heart of this strange community—from the deceptions of a wealthy couple to the bitterness of an ex-cop and the secrets of a lonely single mother—as a tale of rage and perversion comes full circle…then explodes in a series of violent acts and shocking twists.

Fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and unconventional smarts.—Kirkus ReviewsAlly has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there's a lot more to her-and to everyone-than a label, and that great minds don't always think alike.The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who's ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn't fit in. This paperback edition includes The Sketchbook of Impossible Things and discussion questions.

You've probably heard of Anna Gristina, the notori-ous "Soccer Mom Madam," who allegedly operated a multimillion-dollar escort service with clients from the Forbes billionaires list to Capitol Hill. But you haven't heard of the woman who helped bring the Soccer Mom Madam down--until now. "Call Girl Confidential" is Rebecca Kade's compelling, intimate account of her career as an escort . . . and her work as an undercover agent for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Strictly raised as a Southern Baptist, Rebecca Kade never dreamed she would compromise her values by someday becoming a high-priced escort. But when her rock star former lover took her to court in a drawn-out custody battle for their daughter, Rebecca's legit day job barely covered her exorbitant legal fees. She needed to make money and lots of it--fast. Rebecca first became an escort for Kristin Davis, aka "The Manhattan Madam," and her classic beauty made her an instant favorite with the host of wealthy, powerful men who were willing to pay thousands to sleep with her. When she went to work for Anna Gristina, the stakes were even higher and the clientele more prominent. From Wall Street bankers and CEOs to famous U.S. politicians and Middle Eastern princes as well as Grammy winners, Rebecca met the world's most influential movers and shakers. Then her deepest fears came true. Kristin Davis was arrested, and Anna Gristina also landed on authori-ties' radar after going undetected for fifteen years. Rebecca had two choices: refuse to cooperate and go to jail--risking never seeing her daughter again--or com-ply fully, even if it meant giving up Gristina, who trusted Rebecca implicitly. She agreed to go undercover for the DA's office. Though authorities were trying to nab Gris-tina for illegal prostitution, they still expected Rebecca to continue working as a call girl. And the more incriminat-ing evidence she collected, the more she placed herself in danger. Candid and fascinating, this revealing memoir gives readers a glimpse into the little-known life of a high-priced escort turned confidential informant.

On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as policemen broke into Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and walked out with a dozen masterpieces worth $500 million. To date, not one painting has been recovered. Before he died, Harold Smith, one of the world's greatest art detectives, believed he was close to cracking the case. After Smith's family gave journalist Ulrich Boser access to his research, Boser explored Smith's unfinished leads.