The New York Times–bestselling author of Shattered Innocence reveals the story of a two-time widow leading a double life in this true crime exposé.Miriam Giles ran away to Colorado to escape her violent past. But this seductively charismatic widow had a dark side that could never stay buried. After finding the “sugar daddy” she was looking for in Alan Helmick, her new marriage seemed happy. Then, two years later, Alan met a gruesome fate.R...

The shocking true crime story of one of the most bizarre mass murders ever recorded—and the girl who escaped with her life.In the fall of 2010, in the all-American town of Apple Valley, Ohio, four people disappeared without a trace: Stephanie Sprang; her friend, Tina Maynard; and Tina’s two children, thirteen-year-old Sarah and eleven-year-old Kody. Investigators began scouring the area, yet despite an extensive search, no signs of the missing people were discovere...

Experience the true crime story of a married father and ex-cop with a dark side in this “fast-paced, unforgettable real-life thriller” (Sue Russell).Family On The RunA handsome, married young father and former deputy sheriff, Gabriel Morris looked like the picture of respectability. When his mother and her boyfriend were found brutally murdered in their pleasant Oregon seaside home, authorities were shocked to find a trail leading to him. S...

In May 1998, in the small northern California town of Cottonwood, Norman Daniels, 28, opened a wax-sealed envelope given to him by friend Todd Garton, 27, who claimed to be a paid assassin for an elite organization called the Company. Now the Company was recruiting Daniels. His initiation would be to kill the person named inside the envelope: Carole Garton, 28 - Todd Garton's pregnant wife.On May 16, 1998, Daniels shot Carole Garton five times, killing her and her unborn child. But...

The true crime story of a killer couple from California, their gruesome torture chamber on wheels, and the terror they left in their wake.The true story of one of the most notorious crime couples in recent American history is told. Michelle Michaud and James Daveggio forged a perverse alliance in late 1997. After customizing Michaud's minivan into a mobile torture chamber, the pair hit the road and began a nightmare spree of incest, kidnapping, rape, torture, and m...

This book explores the profound and lasting influence of Plotinus and his Neoplatonism on Western philosophy, theology, mysticism, and spirituality. From the core tenets of his metaphysical system, which centers on the idea of the One as the source of all being and the soul's ascent toward union with the divine, the work traces the development and dissemination of Plotinus' ideas through successive intellectual traditions. Beginning with an in-depth analysis of Plotinus' own philosophy, th...

The Byzantine Empire, often described as the continuation of the Roman Empire in the East, spanned over a millennium, from the reign of Emperor Constantine I in 330 AD to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Despite its eventual demise, the Byzantine Empire played a pivotal role in preserving and transforming the intellectual traditions of antiquity, particularly those of Greece and Rome, while also shaping the course of medieval Christian thought. The intellectual history of Byzantium is t...

The search for happiness has been a central theme in human thought for millennia, and few philosophies have approached this quest with as much clarity and pragmatism as that of Epicurus (341–270 BCE). Born on the island of Samos and later establishing his philosophical school, "The Garden," in Athens, Epicurus crafted a system of thought that sought to free humanity from fear, suffering, and unnecessary desires. His teachings, often misunderstood and misrepresented throughout history, revo...

Follows the journey of a young protagonist who discovers they are destined to be the savior of Dino Isle, a mystical land inhabited by dinosaurs. As the chosen one, they must embark on a perilous quest to unlock their true potential and gather a team of guardians to protect the island from dark forces threatening its existence.Along the way, they encounter various challenges, including fierce battles with ancient creatures and uncovering the secrets of thei...

There are many books on the subject of guitar playing, but none like this book. I have focused on how to mentally and physically practice. Practicing is generally just approached by saying, "practice makes perfect", suggesting the more you practice the better you get, which is not true if you practice the wrong way. Time alone will not make a good player and most people will simply give up when they do not make significant improvement. Learning to play and understand the instrument is diff...

Born AgainSan Francisco Bay area stockbroker Taylor Helzer was young, handsome, and--to all outward appearances--normal. But that was before a three-day self-awareness seminar left him convinced he was a new Messiah. In the interest of funding his own church and "saving" America from Satan, Helzer began making and selling Ecstasy and convinced girlfriend Kerri Furman to pose for Playboy. She eventually left him, only to be replaced by naive, gullible Dawn Godman.

The New York Times–bestselling account of Jaycee Lee Dugard’s remarkable escape from the sexual predator who kept her captive for eighteen years.In 1991, an eleven-year-old-girl was abducted in broad daylight. Eighteen years later, a policewoman at the University of California, Berkeley, confronted a deranged man accompanied by two young girls. During questioning the next day, the girls’ mother blurted, “I am Jaycee Lee Dugard.” Her companion was identifie...