Ungekürztes Hörbuch "Ein Traum in Weiß"

Sophie ist 15 Jahre alt, als ihr geliebter großer Bruder bei einem Motorradunfall ums Leben kommt. Alles hat sich seither geändert: Aus dem fröhlichen Mädchen ist eine einsame junge Frau geworden, die ihr Herz fest verschlossen hält.

Als eines nachts in ihrer Wohnung ein Feuer ausbricht, wird Sophie in letzter Sekunde von einem Passanten gerettet. Danach weicht Ben ihr praktisch nicht mehr von der Seite. Sophie ist dankbar, gerührt - und macht mit Bens Hilfe erste, langsame Schritte zurück ins Leben.

Bist du bereit für die unendliche Kraft der Liebe?

Bis zum Mond und zurück von Bestseller-Autorin Dani Atkins ist ein dramatischer Liebesroman über Verlust, Familie und Hoffnung.

Für Alex bricht die Welt zusammen, als seine Frau Lisa bei einem tragischen Unfall ums Leben kommt. Sie war nicht nur seine große Liebe, sondern auch die Mutter ihres gemeinsamen Sohnes Connor, der erst 6 Jahre alt ist.

Dass etwas von Lisa noch immer da ist, spürt Alex plötzlich ganz deutlich, als sich die herzkranke Molly mit einem sehr emotionalen Brief an ihn wendet: Lisa war Organ-Spenderin, und ihr Herz hat Molly ein neues Leben geschenkt. Nach und nach melden sich drei weitere Organ-Empfänger bei Alex. Von Beginn an besteht eine starke Verbindung zwischen den so unterschiedlichen Menschen.

Als der kleine Connor von zu Hause fortläuft, um seine Mutter zu suchen, und dabei in Lebensgefahr gerät, werden die neuen Freundschaften auf eine harte Probe gestellt.

Wenn der Tod nicht das Ende ist: Dani Atkins, die Meisterin der ganz großen Gefühle, hat einen wunderschönen, dramatischen Liebesroman geschrieben, der zu Tränen rührt und gleichzeitig immer wieder ein Lächeln schenkt.

Können Weihnachtswünsche wirklich wahr werden?

Der winterliche Liebesroman, der Herzen zum Schmelzen bringt...

Manchmal kann nur ein Wunder Weihnachten retten – richtig chaotisch wird es aber, wenn ein schräger Aushilfsweihnachtsmann dieses Wunder nur wenige Tage vor dem großen Fest wahr machen will. Nicht nur verdreht er der Waisenhaus-Leiterin Henriette Jonas gehörig den Kopf und verschafft Erzieher Lukas ein Date, er macht auch der kleinen Lena ein großes Versprechen. Diese wünscht sich seit Jahren nämlich nur eines: ihre Mama. Können Weihnachtswünsche wirklich in Erfüllung gehen?

Vorspeise, Hauptgang, Nachspeise, Mord!

Ein kulinarischer Cosy-Krimi für Fans von Ellen Barksdale

Darina Lisles Cateringunternehmen hat die Ehre, das jährliches Treffen der Gesellschaft für historische Kochkunst zu versorgen. Debatten und Präsentationen rund um das Thema Essen stehen auf dem Speiseplan, doch die Zusammenkunft bleibt nicht lange friedlich. Am nächsten Morgen wird Digby, der Vorsitzende des Vereins, mit einem Tranchiermesser in der Brust aufgefunden und Darina zur Ermittlerin wider Willen. Sie muss dabei nicht nur ihre Unschuld beweisen, sondern auch weitere Todesfälle verhindern ...

Teresa kennt sich nicht mehr aus in ihrem Leben. Gerade noch hat sie sich mit Herzklopfen von Henry verabschiedet, da wacht sie nach einem schweren Sturz im Krankenhaus auf. Die Diagnose: Gedächtnisverlust. Fünf Jahre sollen seit dem Date mit Henry vergangen sein, doch Teresa erinnert sich an nichts. Wieso wohnt sie nicht mehr mit ihrer Schwester zusammen? Was wurde aus ihrem Tattoo-Studio? Wer ist der nackte Mann in ihrem Bad? Und vor allem:

Wo ist Henry?

Teresa muss Ordnung in das Chaos ihres Lebens bringen. Und sie muss Henry wiederfinden. Aber kann es überhaupt eine zweite Chance für ihre Liebe geben - nach allem, was in den letzten Jahren passiert ist?

Zum Weinen schön: Familien-Drama, Liebes-Geschichte und eine Hymne an die Mutter-Liebe von der britischen Bestseller-Autorin Dani Atkins.

Stell dir vor, an deiner Seite steht der Mann, den du liebst. Du spürst seine Hand in deiner, und sie passt perfekt in deine. Es ist sein Lächeln, das dich morgens weckt. Die Zukunft gehört euch beiden, ihr werdet heiraten. Und in deinem Bauch wächst euer Kind heran. Allein der Gedanke daran lässt dein Herz überlaufen vor Glück.

Doch dann: ein unachtsamer Schritt. Ein abgelenkter Autofahrer. Ein schrecklicher Unfall.

Du fällst in einen tiefen Schlaf. Und während du schläfst, geht das Leben einfach weiter. Wenn du erwachst, wird nichts mehr so sein wie zuvor. Denn dein Happy End gehört nun einer anderen...

Brand-new stories by: T. Jefferson Parker, Don Winslow, Luis Alberto Urrea, Gar Anthony Haywood, Gabriel R. Barillas, Maria Lima, Debra Ginsberg, Diane Clark & Astrid Bear, Ken Kuhlken, Lisa Brackmann, Cameron Pierce Hughes, Morgan Hunt, Jeffrey J. Mariotte, Martha C. Lawrence, and Taffy Cannon.

From the introduction by Maryelizabeth Hart:

“The southwestern-most metropolis in the contiguous United States, resting a mere 40 feet above sea level, tends to garner positive national attention. San Diego is home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (with its history reaching back to the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition), temperate climes, and a sunny reputation. It is also the home of shooter Brenda Ann 'I Don’t Like Mondays' Spencer, disgraced Congressman Randy 'Duke’ Cunningham, and San Diego County medical examiner-turned-killer Kristin Rossum...."

"The city is sometimes referred to as San Diego - Tijuana, a conurbation, with all its attendant border issues - illustrated in true noir fashion in Orson Welles’ classic Touch of Evil, adapted from Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson. A ways up the coast from the border lies the grave of Raymond Chandler, who resided in the wealthy enclave of La Jolla from 1946 to 1959; that area masquerades at “Esmerlada” in Playback, his final Philip Marlowe novel.... I hope that enjoying this intriguing collection will result in you not just thinking of Shamu (the whale of SeaWorld fame), but maybe a shamus or two, when America’s Finest City comes to mind."

Brand-new stories by: Daniel Woodrell, Matthew Eck, Catherine Browder, Nancy Pickard, John Lutz, J. Malcolm Garcia, Kevin Prufer, Linda Rodriguez, Nadia Pflaum, Phong Nguyen, Andres Rodriguez, and others. Kansas City: where East and West collide, where naked ambition meets broken dreams, where blues and the night go together like rye whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. Yes, Kansas City is a surprising place of grit, gore, and betrayal, at least in the imaginations of our diverse lineup of contributors. Kansas City Noir, another in Akashic's series of geographically specific anthologies, peels back the aura of civility and captures the raw truths of the human condition as lived in this heartland, third-coast city. Among the collection's contributors are Daniel Woodrell, author of the modern classic Winter's Bone and the recent, much lauded story collection, The Outlaw Album; Matthew Eck, author of the noted war novel The Farther Shore; veteran short-fiction writer Catherine Browder; Edgar Award-winning mystery novelists Nancy Pickard and John Lutz; and J. Malcolm Garcia, whose reporting from the war in Afghanistan informs a disturbing tale of restless angst and dislocation. Kansas City Noir takes a compelling tour of the streets of a vibrant American city, complete with accents of jazz, barbecue, and the deeply rooted blues.

Featuring brand-new stories by: Kathleen Kent, Ben Fountain, James Hime, Harry Hunsicker, Matt Bondurant, Merritt Tierce, Daniel J. Hale, Emma Rathbone, Jonathan Woods, Oscar C. Pea, Clay Reynolds, Lauren Davis, Fran Hillyer, Catherine Cuellar, David Haynes, and J. Suzanne Frank.

From the introduction by David Hale Smith: My favorite line in my favorite song about Dallas goes like this: Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes / A steel and concrete soul in a warm heart and love disguise... The narrator of Jimmie Dale Gilmore's perfect tune "Dallas" is coming to town as a broke dreamer with the bright lights of the big city on his mind. He's just seen the Dallas cityscape through the window of his seat on a DC-9 at night. Is he just beginning his quest? Or is he on his way home, flying out of Love Field, reminiscing after seeing the woman who stepped on him when he was down? In a country with so many interesting cities, Dallas is often overlooked except on November 22 every year. The heartbreaking anniversary keeps coming back around in a nightmare loop, for all of us. On that day in 1963, Dallas became American noir. A permanent black scar on its history that will never be erased, no matter how many happy business stories and hit television shows arise from here. In a stark ongoing counterweight to the JFK tragedy are those two iterations of the TV show. Dallas is not a TV show. It's a real city... For the past 40 years, my capacity to be surprised by it has not diminished one bit. I hope the stories in this collection will surprise you too.

Launched by the summer '04 award-winning best-seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city. Brand-new stories by: Irwin Allan Sealy, Omair Ahmad, Radhika Jha, Ruchir Joshi, Nalinaksha Bhattacharya, Meera Nair, Siddharth Chowdhury, Mohan Sikka, Palash K. Mehrotra, Hartosh Singh Bal, Hirsh Sawhney, Tabish Khair, Uday Prakash, and Manjula Padmanabhan.

The eyes of the world are gazing at India - the world's largest democracy. But the books you read about this Asian giant only show part of the picture. Delhi Noir offers bone-chilling, mesmerizing takes on the country's chaotic capital, a city where opulence and poverty are constantly clashing, where old-world values and the information age wage a constant battle. Delhi Noir's 15 original stories are written by the best Indian writers alive today - the ones you haven't yet heard of but should have. They are veteran authors who have appeared on the Booker Prize short list and budding geniuses who your grandchildren will read about in English class. Delhi Noir is a world of sex in parks, male prostitution, and vigilante rickshaw drivers. It is one plagued by religious riots, soulless corporate dons, and murderous servants. This is India uncut, the one you're missing out on because mainstream publishing houses and glossy magazines can't stomach it.

Step into Indian Country. Enter the dark welter of troubled history throughout the Americas, where the heritage of violence meets the ferocity of intent. Features brand-new stories by: Mistina Bates, Jean Rae Baxter, Lawrence Block, Joseph Bruchac, David Cole, Reed Farrel Coleman, O'Neil De Noux, A.A. Hedge Coke, Gerard Houarner, Liz Martnez, R. Narvaez, Kimberly Roppolo, Leonard Schonberg, and Melissa Yi.

Sarah Cortez, a law enforcement officer, is the award-winning author of the poetry collection How to Undress a Cop. She brings her heritage as a Tejana with Mexican, French, Comanche, and Spanish blood to the written page. Liz Martnez's stories have appeared in Manhattan Noir, Queens Noir, and Cop Tales 2000. She is a member of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, and she lives in New York.

Featuring brand-new stories by: Annie Zaidi, R. Raj Rao, Abbas Tyrewala, Avtar Singh, Ahmed Bunglowala, Smita Harish Jain, Sonia Faleiro, Altaf Tyrewala, Namita Devidayal, Jerry Pinto, Kalpish Ratna, Riaz Mulla, Paromita Vohra, and Devashish Makhija.

Bombay's communal riots of 1992 - in which Hindus were alleged to be the primary perpetrators - were followed by retaliatory bomb blasts in 1993, masterminded by the Muslim-dominated underworld. Over a thousand citizens lost their lives in these internecine bouts of violence and thousands more became refugees in their own city. In a matter of months, Bombay ceased to be the cosmopolitan, wholesome, and middle-class bastion it had been for decades. When the city was renamed Mumbai in 1995, it merely formalized the widespread perception that the Bombay everyone knew and remembered had been lost forever. Today Mumbai is like any other Asian city on the rise, with gigantic construction cranes winding atop upcoming skyscrapers and malls. It continues to have the highest GDP among Indian cities and one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. Mukesh Ambani, the world's fourth-richest man, calls Mumbai home. As do seventeen million other people, for a majority of whom life remains a fine balance, to borrow Rohinton Mistry's description, between survival and penury, between lawfulness and maverick restlessness, and often between life and death. Right-wing violence, failing electricity and water supplies, overcrowding, and the ever-looming threat of terrorist attacks - these are some of the gruesome ground realities that Mumbai’s middle and working classes must deal with every day, while the city's super-rich, like the aforementioned Ambani, zip from roof to roof in their private choppers. Abandoned by its wealthy, mistreated by its politicians and administrators, Mumbai continues to thrive primarily because of the helpless resilience of its hardworking, upright citizens.

Launched by the summer '04 award-winning best-seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. Brand new crime fiction stories from: Jeffery Deaver, Lawrence Block, Charles Ardai, Carol Lea Benjamin, Thomas H. Cook, Jim Fusilli, Robert Knightly, John Lutz, Liz Martínez, Maan Meyers, Martin Meyers, S.J. Rozan, Justin Scott, C.J. Sullivan, and Xu Xi.

From the introduction by Lawrence Block: "Readers of Brooklyn Noir will recall that its contents were labeled by neighborhood - Bay Ridge, Canarsie, Greenpoint, etc. We have chosen the same principle here, and the book's contents do a good job of covering the island, from C.J. Sullivan's Inwood and Charles Ardai's Upper East Side, to Justin Scott's Chelsea and Carol Lea Benjamin's Greenwich Village. The range in mood and literary style is at least as great; noir can be funny, it can stretch to include magic realism, it can be ample or stark, told in the past or present tense, and in the first or third person. I wouldn't presume to define noir - if we could define it, we wouldn’t need to use a French word for it - but it seems to me that it’s more a way of looking at the world than what one sees."

Launched with the summer '04 award-winning best-seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the geographical area of the book. Original stories by: Lena Eltang, Sergei Nosov, Alexander Kudriavstev, Andrei Kivinov, Julia Belomlinsky, Natalia Kurchatova, Ksenia Venglinskaya, Eugene Kogan, Anton Chizh, Vladimir Berezin, Andrei Rubanov, and others.

St. Petersburg boasts to have the strongest spirit of all Russian cities, and indeed the dark metaphysics of this city captivate tourists and locals alike. When you think of St. Petersburg noir, some of the greatest literary names immediately spring to mind - Alexander Pushkin, Nikolay Gogol, and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Modern day St. Petersburg lavishly offers the scenery and conditions for true noir stories, and the writers in St. Petersburg Noir succeed in concocting their own worlds within this city with stories ranging from mystical to outwardly grotesque. Within this collection, you'll meet characters who populate the narrow streets and unlit inner yards in the vast historical center winking at ghosts from pages of Dostoevsky's novels (Nutcracker); you'll hear of criminal activities settled behind the locked doors of magnificent palaces and museums (The Witch Hour and The Last Skinhead); and you'll follow the path of a police officer on his first day of duty maddeningly chasing a doppelganger... of a corpse (The First Duty).

Brand-new stories by: James W. Hall, Barbara Parker, John Dufresne, Paul Levine, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Tom Corcoran, Christine Kling, George Tucker, Kevin Allen, Anthony Dale Gagliano, David Beaty, Vicki Hendricks, John Bond, Preston L. Allen, Lynne Barrett, Jeffrey Wehr.

From the introduction by Les Standiford: "The truth is that Miami, though naturally lovely, is a frontier town, perched on the border between the known and the rarely before experienced. The poet Richard Hugo once said that the natural place for the writer was on the edge, and 'edge' might well be the definitive word when it comes to this city... We are not only on the edge of the continent, we are to this country what New York was in Ellis Island's heyday, what the West Coast was in the middle of the 20th century. This is where the new arrivals debark these days, and it is no mistake that during the last decade of the last century, commentators as diverse as Joan Didion, David Rieff, and T.D. Allman devoted entire volumes to Miami's role as the harbinger for America's future... But for now, the novel of crime and punishment is the perfect vehicle to convey the spirit and the timbre of this brawling place to a wider world."

Launched with the summer '04 award-winning best-seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.

Los Angeles Times book critic David L. Ulin has been vacationing in Cape Cod every summer since he was a boy. He knows the terrain inside out; enough to identify the squalid underbelly of this allegedly idyllic location. His editing prowess is a perfect match for this fine volume.

From the introduction by David L. Ulin: "For me, Cape Cod is a repository of memory: forty summers in the same house will do that to you. But it is also a landscape of hidden tensions, which rise up when we least anticipate. In part, this has to do with social aspiration, which is one of the things that brought my family, like many others, to the Cape. In part, it has to do with social division, which has been a factor since at least the end of the nineteenth century, when then summer trade began. There are lines here, lines that get crossed and lines that never get crossed, the kinds of lines that form the web of noir. Call it what you want - summer and smoke is how I think of it - but that's the Cape Cod at the center of this book."