Beneath The Palms

Living under palm trees is not without its consequences . . . J. G. von Goethe, Jacob Gotfried Haafner (1754-1809) was a Dutch citizen who spent more than twenty years of his early life living outside of Europe, in India, Ceylon, Mauritius, Java, and South Africa. On his return to Europe he transformed himself into one of the most popular Dutch writers of the early nineteenth century, for his travel writing in the Romantic mode. Books like his popular Travels in a Palanquin were translated into the major European languages, and his essays against the work of Christian missionaries in Asia stirred up great controversy. Haafner worked to spread understanding of the cultures he'd come to know in his journeys, promoting European understanding of Indian literature, myth, and religion, translating the Ramayana into Dutch. With the help of generous excerpts from Haafner's own writings, including material newly translated into English, Paul van der Velde tells an affecting story of a young man who made a world for himself along the Coromandel Coast, in Ceylon and Calcutta, but who returned to Europe to live the last years of his life in Amsterdam, suffering an acute nostalgia for Asia. This will be compelling reading for anyone interested in European response to the cultures of Asia.

The New York Times bestselling history of the glamour and debauchery of the ultra-wealthy Palm Beach community--from The Breakers to Trump's Mar-a-Lago. For more than a hundred years, Palm Beach has been an exclusive and exotic universe of wealth and privilege in America. And until Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme devastated its eternally sunny world, the reality of this affluent enclave has rarely been exposed to outsiders. Now, in Madness Under the Royal Palms, resident insider Laurence Leamer reveals the secrets and scandals of this South Florida island via a cast of characters that includes social climbers, trophy wives, sugar daddies, glamorous widows and their "escorts," sociopathic multimillionaires, and elegant society queens. Dive into the unbelievable true story of love, lust, money, and murder in a uniquely American paradise.

In 1956, state Senator Charley Johns was appointed the chairman of the newly formed Florida Legislative Investigation Committee, now remembered as the Johns Committee. This group was charged with the task of unearthing communist tendencies, homosexual persuasions, and anything they saw as subversive behavior in academic institutions throughout Florida. With the cooperation of law enforcement, the committee interrogated and spied on countless individuals, including civil rights activists, college students, public school teachers, and university faculty and administrators. Today, the actions of the Johns Committee are easily dismissed as homophobic and bigoted. Communists and Perverts under the Palms reveals how the creation of the committee was a logical and unsurprising result of historic societal anxieties about race, sexuality, obscenity, and liberalism. Stacy Braukman illustrates how the responses to those societal anxieties, particularly the Johns Committee, laid the foundation for the resurgence of conservatism in the 1960s. Braukman is considered and nuanced in her stance, refusing a blanket condemnation of the extremism of a committee whose influence, even decades after its dissolution, continues to be felt in the culture wars of today.

Among the senior citizens of Palm Beach, legendary Oscar-winning actress Charlotte Graham finds love, murder, and a delightful cozy mystery After fifty years on stage and screen, Hollywood icon Charlotte Graham has gone south for the winter. In the glamorous confines of Palm Beach, Charlotte sips rum cocktails, reunites with friends, and rekindles the flame with a former lover. Eddie Norwood was a legendary conductor of the big-band era, and the man who stole Charlotte’s heart aboard the SS Normandie, a fabulously opulent ocean liner that was sabotaged in 1942. Charlotte and Eddie reconnect at a party to honor the memory of the Normandie, and the old sparks are just beginning to fly when their reunion is interrupted by murder. A jewelry designer has been found dead on the beach, and only Charlotte has the poise, wit, and old Hollywood charm necessary to find the killer—and perhaps a little love along the way. Fans of Conrad Allen’s nautical mysteries will be enchanted by Stefanie Matteson’s ability to recreate the glory days of the old ocean liners. Whether sipping champagne or investigating a murder, Charlotte Graham proves that true glamour stands the test of time. Murder Under the Palms is the 8th book in the Charlotte Graham Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Antoinette Caulfield brings her fiance home to Hawaii to meet her grandparents--with her classmate Iris Cooper as a chaperone. Iris is shocked to see a woman in white apparently following Antoinette. Is it the ghost of Antoinette's mother who mysteriously passed away?

Beneath the Black Palms lurks the other side of living. Los Angeles—the siren, the beast—is the central antagonist within these eleven masterful, stylistically-diverse short stories. Nolan Knight maneuvers the City to destroy with open arms, its warm torments ushered for lonesome dreamers, outcasts, squares, con men and have-nots. A couple on the run fouls-up by taking refuge in a Mid-City roach motel; a gambler scrambles to save his life through a gauntlet of loan sharks; a young gang member’s dream of becoming a famous T.V. chef are dashed by turf warfare; these sordid tales and more await. Come for the sunshine, stay for the dread. No one is spared Beneath the Black Palms, the most unforgettable short story collection in recent years. Praise for Nolan Knight: “Knight’s slangy prose is a perfect fit for characters whose dreams die slowly or explosively.” —Publishers Weekly “The Neon Lights Are Veins is a dope-fueled gutter-punk odyssey through a gaudy nightmare version of Los Angeles. With echoes of James Ellroy and Nathanael West, Knight carves out his own bit of L.A. crime-writing turf in this impressive debut.” —Richard Lange, author of Rovers, Dead Boys, This Wicked World, Angel Baby, Sweet Nothing and The Smack “Nolan Knight is at the forefront of Hard-Ass-Noir. He’s the mad hatter of words and dark moody storytelling. He’s a creative crime-pugilist!” —Frank Bill, author of Crimes in Southern Indiana, Donnybrook and The Savage “Nolan Knight has written a dark, dirty and entertaining sewer ride through the neon-lit streets of Los Angeles. Imagine Nathanael West and Darby Crash writing a twenty-first century noir and you’ve got The Neon Lights Are Veins. Highly recommended.” —Jim Ruland, author of Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise and Fall of SST Records, Forest of Fortune, My Damage: The Story of a Punk Rock Survivor and Do What You Want: The Story of Bad Religion “High action. Very fast paced. A great read. Highly Recommended.” —S.W. Lauden, author of Bad Citizen Corporation, Grizzly Season and Hang Time “Nolan Knight’s The Neon Lights Are Veins is unlike anything I’ve read before (and that’s saying something!). The novel’s story is a fast-paced mystery and caper, dragging the reader through the underbelly of the Los Angeles night, but most impressive is Knight’s style: in your face and no-holds-barred.” —Steph Post, author of A Tree Born Crooked, Lightwood, Holding Smoke and Miraculum “Hardboiled as all get out—no noir devotee will want to.” —Barry Gifford “Nolan Knight is at the forefront of Hard-Ass-Noir. He’s the mad hatter of words and dark moody storytelling. He’s a creative crime-pugilist!” —Frank Bill, author of Crimes in Southern Indiana, Donnybrook and The Savage “Amazing, beautiful, heartbreaking work.” —Allison Anders, writer/director of Gas Food Lodging, Border Radio, Mi Vida Loca and Grace of My Heart

New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank takes readers on a rollicking ride in this Lowcountry tale about a woman whose unconventional friends and family show her the real meaning of unconditional love. Anna Lutz Abbot considers herself independent and happy—until one steamy summer when her collegiate daughter comes home a very different person, her wild and wonderful ex-husband shows up on her doorstep, and her flamboyant new best friend takes up with Anna’s father. And the already hot temperatures are cranked up another ten degrees by Anna’s own fling with Arthur, who is, heaven help her, a Yankee. Now Anna must face the fact that she isn’t as in control of her life as she’d thought. And she must find a way to deal with the whole truth—not just the comfortable parts.

Laura Lee Hope's 'The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms. Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida' is a captivating novel that follows the adventures of two young girls who find themselves lost in the vast wilds of Florida while on a movie shoot. The book is written in a straightforward and engaging style, reminiscent of other adventure novels of the time period. The vivid descriptions of the Florida landscape and the girls' struggles to survive in the wilderness make this book a thrilling read for fans of adventure fiction. Hope's attention to detail and ability to create suspenseful situations will keep readers on the edge of their seats throughout the story. Laura Lee Hope, a pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate to publish the popular Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew mystery series, likely drew on her experience writing for young audiences when creating this gripping tale. Her knowledge of what captivates young readers is evident in the fast-paced plot and relatable characters. For those who enjoy classic adventure stories with strong female leads, 'The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms. Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida' is a must-read. Hope's ability to blend action, suspense, and a touch of humor makes this novel a timeless and enjoyable addition to any reader's collection.