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Restaurateur and sometime sleuth Jane Lawless accompanies her friend Cordelia to Connecticut for her estranged sister's wedding. But the groom, a reclusive 83-year-old film director with a guarded past, has disappeared. In this intricate, juicy entry in Hart's beloved Lambda Award-nominated series, Jane must confront the secrets and lies of Hollywood's golden age.
A pioneer movement is like a building—the foundation is never built for beauty!
England, 1804 Tired of being paraded before every eligible bachelor, Peony Whistleby decides it’s time to find her true love—through the ancient custom of rolling naked in the dew on May Day morning. But the magic goes awry when she is caught in the act—and by an entirely unsuitable man. And yet, the way his eyes linger upon her flesh ignites a sensual craving that can only be satisfied by his touch…Book one of the May Day Mischief duet.
Embark on an extraordinary journey through the life of Walter Thornton, a luminary of the New York City beauty, modeling and advertising scene during the roaring 1920s and beyond. "The Merchant of Venus: The Life of Walter Thornton" explores deep into the captivating narrative of a man whose legacy transcends time. In a tale as captivating as any Hollywood script, Walter Thornton's extraordinary journey comes to life. From a homeless orphan, he soared to prominence as a male model during the Jazz Age, posing for icons like Norman Rockwell and JC Leyendecker. Dubbed "The Merchant of Venus" by the legendary gossip columnist Walter Winchell, Thornton embarked on a pioneering venture in 1930, establishing the first agency for photographic advertising models. His agency became a powerhouse, discovering and representing models who would later become iconic figures of the Golden Age of Cinema, including Lauren Bacall, Susan Hayward, Joseph Cotten, Grace Kelly, and others whose stardom illuminated the era. Among Thornton's other notable achievements is the invention of the "Pin-Up Girl of WWII," a testament to his creativity and patriotism. These pin-up girls not only embodied the spirit of an era but also served as beacons of hope for soldiers overseas, prompting heartfelt letters that underscored their profound impact. However, the glittering trajectory of Thornton's life took a downturn amidst the harsh realities of the McCarthy Era. In 1954, he found himself the target of a corrupt district attorney's accusations, facing false charges of fraud and deception. Today, his daughters unravel the mysteries surrounding their father's enigmatic existence. Their exploration began with a chance encounter—an image in the 2003 film "Seabiscuit," serving as the avatar for the Stock Market Crash of 1929, sparking a quest that spanned over two decades. Through painstaking research, including exploring Thornton's personal archives and interviews, they uncovered a previously overlooked chapter of history, painting a vivid portrait of a man ahead of his time. "The Merchant of Venus" not only celebrates Thornton's triumphs but also his resilience in the face of adversity. His blueprints persist in shaping the modeling and advertising industry, and the 1940 patriotic Pinup girl endures as a cherished American tradition. His 1929 photo graces textbooks and products, yet beneath its surface lies untold depth. Prepare to be enthralled, inspired, and moved by "The Merchant of Venus: The Life of Walter Thornton." Don't miss out on this unforgettable journey through one man's triumphs, courage, and resilience.
Alessandra Cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern Europe to decorate the chapel walls in the family’s Florentine palazzo. A child of the Renaissance, with a precocious mind and a talent for drawing, Alessandra is intoxicated by the painter’s abilities. But their burgeoning relationship is interrupted when Alessandra’s parents arrange her marriage to a wealthy, much older man. Meanwhile, Florence is changing, increasingly subject to the growing suppression imposed by the fundamentalist monk Savonarola, who is seizing religious and political control. Alessandra and her native city are caught between the Medici state, with its love of luxury, learning, and dazzling art, and the hellfire preaching and increasing violence of Savonarola’s reactionary followers. Played out against this turbulent backdrop, Alessandra’s married life is a misery, except for the surprising freedom it allows her to pursue her powerful attraction to the young painter and his art. The Birth of Venus is a tour de force, the first historical novel from one of Britain’s most innovative writers of literary suspense. It brings alive the history of Florence at its most dramatic period, telling a compulsively absorbing story of love, art, religion, and power through the passionate voice of Alessandra, a heroine with the same vibrancy of spirit as her beloved city.
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It is the 20th Century, an advertisement-drenched world in which the big ad agencies dominate governments and everything else. Now Schoken Associates, one of the big players, has a new challenge for star copywriter Mitch Courtenay. Volunteers are needed to colonise Venus. It's a hellhole, and nobody who knew anything about it would dream of signing up. But by the time Mitch has finished, they will be queuing to get on board the spaceships.