In this authoritative study, originally published in 1980, R. J. Bennett examines who receives what benefit, where and at what cost, from the social services. He adopts an integrated approach to taxes, benefits and intergovernmental grants, drawing empirical examples from a wide range of countries, including the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and Europe.

An unthinkable crime. A fatal conspiracy. A suspect without a trace.The heir to one of the Empire's most powerful families sits in jail, accused of murder. His hands are covered in his victim's blood, and he can neither deny his guilt nor explain his actions.If the great detective Ana Dolabra - along with her assistant Dinios Kol - cannot save him, the farming canton of Sapirdad will explode into war, plunging the Empire into famine and chaos....

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Detective Ana Dolabra must prove a condemned man’s innocence and confront a terrifying magical technology in this fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy awards.“Wildly imaginative, sometimes pointed, often hair-raising, and very entertaining, a series that has been a hit with everyone I’ve recommended it to.”—Laura Miller, SlateT...

QUEEN OF EGYPT. WARRIOR OF ROME. THE FATE OF AN EMPIRE.The Roman Republic is crumbling, torn apart by rivalries. Egypt is a wellspring of wealth, but its rulers have squandered their advantage and ended up hopelessly indebted to the protection racket that called itself Rome.Now a woman, as Pharaoh, has a chance to reclaim what Egypt has lost. And a disgraced Roman commander has his chance to reclaim his sword and wield it to build an empire unlike anything ...

'A riveting murder mystery wrapped in a twisty conspiracy' FONDA LEE'A twisty detective story, a weird fantasy, a thrilling adventure' MAX GLADSTONEIn sequel to the Hugo award-winning The Tainted Cup**, an eccentric detective matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant bio-punk fantasy mystery.**An impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer ha...

**HUGO AWARD WINNER • WORLD FANTASY AWARD WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from acclaimed author Robert Jackson Bennett“Like an endearing fantasy version of Knives Out . . . A great murder mystery is hard to pull off, but Bennett structures his perfectly.”—T. J. Klune, The New York Times“Combines the best of Lovecraft and Doyle.”—Matt Dinniman, New York Times

**WINNER OF THE 2025 HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL**A peculiar crime. A brilliant investigator. A mystery of epic proportions.In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead - killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death at once terrifying and impossible.Called in to solve t...

Book 3 of the thrilling The Shadow of the Leviathan series, where Ana and Din unravel another hair-raising, deadly mystery.

'The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists' Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of OathbringerShe thought it was just another job. But her discovery could bring the city to its knees . . .In the city of Tevanne, you either have everything, or nothing. For escaped slave Sancia Grado, eking out a precarious living...

“The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists.”—Brandon Sanderson“Complex characters, magic that is tech and vice versa, a world bound by warring trade dynasties: Bennett will leave you in awe once you remember to breathe!”—Tamora PierceIn a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself—the first...

Spanning centuries, 'The Greats of Sci-Fi: H.G. Wells Edition' emerges as a seminal anthology that traverses the varied terrains of science fiction. The works selected for this collection not only showcase the inventive richness that characterizes the genre but also illuminate the essential themes of exploration, societal critique, and technological speculation. From the haunting depths of psychological manipulation to the exhilarating realms of interstellar travel, the literary styles var...

This holiday, we are offering to you our own Christmas box - filled up to the top with the best Christmas novels, classics to read during holidays, magical Christmas tales, legends, most famous carols and the unique poetry of the giants of literature dedicated to this one and only holiday: The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry) The Holy Night (Selma Lagerlöf) A Merry Christmas & Other Christmas Stories (Louisa May Alcott) A Letter from Santa Claus (Mark Twain) Silent Night The Night After Christm...