Pageants of Despair is a story of a boy caught in a battle between good and evil. After unknown assailants attack his mother, Peter is sent by train to stay with his grandparents. On that ride an uncanny figure leads him back in time to the fourteenth century village of Dunfield, where Peter will take part in a mysterious play in which the actors become the characters they portray. Peter believes he has been brought there to counter an unearthly, menacing influence, but a succession of terrifying experiences leads him to suspect, instead, that he might be destined to cause the disaster he is trying to avert. He needs courage to face the crisis and intelligence to solve the mystery. In this tale where ancient pageants morph into horrific realities, the author draws on the actual medieval Townley Cycle of Mystery Plays—which were performed annually at Wakefield, England—to give Peter's experience in the imaginary village of Dunfield a vivid true-to-life."The history is fascinating…Hamley has hit on the right road back to such lace-edged, antique virtues as honesty, gentleness, vision, and love."—Best Sellers"The ancient tussle between God and the Devil seems to lie at the heart of this tale of sinister skullduggery in the Middle Ages. A good deal of background information on the Mystery Plays and extracts from some of the performances crystallise the setting; the atmosphere of religious superstition and its hold over simple folk are captured with a grim reality and a sense of lurking foreboding. [Readers who]…allow the tensions of time and mystery to work will share a strange experience in an unfamiliar world."—The Junior Bookshelf"Hamley does create a lively picture of how the audiences and actors must have responded to the powerful messages of the miracle plays."—Kirkus Reviews"The pageants are a frightening battleground—replete with medieval images of corporeal and spiritual corruption—from which Peter and his friends emerge triumphant."—BooklistDennis Hamley was born in 1935 in Kent, England. He read English at Cambridge University and worked for many years as a teacher, a teacher-trainer, and an adviser to schools. He also founded the Lending Our Minds Out creative writing courses for children. Hamley's first book was published in 1962, a modern version of three Miracle Plays. Pageants of Despair, his first children's novel, was originally published in 1974. In 1992 Hamley turned to writing full-time. His latest title, Ellen's People, is published in the UK by Walker Books. In between, he wrote more than fifty other books, including short stories, books for schools, and non-fiction for all ages. Hamley lives with his wife in Hertford, England.

Readers of mysteries and cat–lovers alike will devour this second whodunit in the Jacques & Cleo, Cat Detectives series by bestselling author, Gilbert Morris. Hollywood comes into the lives of the newest residents of Gulf Shores, Alabama. Jake Novak and Kate Forrest have settled into the beautiful beach house left to them by a distant relative. Cat–hating Jake busies himself working on his novel in his upstairs apartment, while Kate gets involved in a beach ministry to young people. When New Leaf Productions arrives to film a movie, the locals are fascinated by the glamour of the actors. But when a cast member is murdered, followed quickly by a second killing, the town of Gulf Shores becomes worried. Jacques the Ripper has solved one murder and when he and Cleo are recruited to be in the movie, Jacques throws himself into nosing around for clues—and a murderer. About this series: For years, mystery readers and cat lovers alike have devoured the suspense novels by Lillian Jackson Braun, Rita Mae Brown and others, in what has developed into the bestselling cat–mystery genre. Now, veteran fiction author Gilbert Morris joins the ranks of those prestigious novelists with his Jacques and Cleo, Cat Detectives series, destined to become a welcome addition to this genre by feline fanatics everywhere.

Orphaned at the age of three, brought up by his Uncle Virgil, a con man, Jack Morgan has done things that are unusual even in the future in space. But when he rescued Draycos, a dragon-like symbiont, from certain death, his life became a series of breathtaking adventures. With the help of Draycos, who can leap onto Jack's back and become what looks like a tattoo, Jack has been doing everything he can to find out who ambushed the scout-fleet of Draycos's people, the K'da and Shontine, leaving Draycos the sole survivor. Now Jack thinks he may finally be on the trail of the information he needs. But before he can act on what he knows, he's kidnapped by aliens, who ask him to be a judge for them, as, they reveal to him, his parents had once been. Jack's friend Alison Kayna and her newly acquired K'da symbiont are also kidnapped, by the people trying to ambush the K'da/Shontine fleet. Her captors will do almost anything to learn from Alison where the fleet will rendezvous. Jack and Draycos must rescue her before Alison is hurt--or worse. Using every trick in the book, Jack and Draycos race to her aid, but they aren't able to eliminate the threat to the endangered fleet...and precious time is running out!

New York Times Bestselling author Peter Lerangis sets the stage in this first book in the Drama Club series. It’s a new school year, and for Casey Chang it’s a chance to make a fresh start away from the bad memories in her old town. But for the Drama Club of Ridgefield High, it means a chance to recruit new members. And Brianna Glaser—the Type A co-president of the club—has her sights set on the new girl. But Casey soon finds herself sucked into the excitement and drama. For these kids, Drama Club isn’t just about a school play, it’s about passion and dreams and the future. All Casey wanted was a new life for herself, but Drama Club has opened up a whole new world."Overall, a solid and well-cast production."—School Library Journal on The Big Production