Rapid reads

Radio personality Charlie D hosts ex-escort Misty de Vol Burgh on a special Valentine's Day show, but the mood turns grim when a caller warns of a plot to kill prostitutes across the country at the rate of one per hour.

Letty Dobesh, a petty thief, has the oppurtunity to steal an original Van Gogh.

"Cookie is about to lose her job at the local bakery. She dreams of owning her own bakery but doesn't think she has the skills or money to do it. Most of all, she doesn't have the self-confidence. When she takes a course at the local college, she finds she has much more going for her than she imagined. With the help of her community, she figures out how to make sure no one has to go without her famous doily cookies for long!"--Amazon.com.

When Lucas Smoke learns the Ojibway art of carving from his grandfather, he proves to be a natural. He can literally make people come to life in wood. Then Lucas's growing reputation attracts a mysterious stranger, who offers him a large advance to carve a spirit mask. This mask is to represent the master, but Lucas must find its face in his dreams. As his dreams become more and more disturbing, he feels himself changing. And the mask takes control of his life. Then a chance encounter with an old woman introduces him to the identity of the master. He is an ancient sorcerer named Him Standing, a powerful and dark wizard. The more Lucas works on the mask, the closer Him Standing comes to emerging from the dream world to walk the earth again. What follows is a race against time and the forces of evil in this supernatural thriller.

"Cree Thunderboy has two things he does well: he plays a mean blues guitar, and he has a knack for picking winning horses at the track. Picking winners is just a means to an end; Cree's goal is to be the next great bluesman. When he meets Win Hardy, it looks like he might be able to parlay his special skill with the horses into a shot at the fame and fortune he seeks. So long as he can pick the next sure thing."--P. of cover.

Events on Charlie D's radio show take a bizarre turn when one of his callers threatens to kill not only himself but also the young daughter of Charlie's on-air guest, who happens to be an expert on death and dying.

"It's Father's Day weekend, and it looks like some of the well-intentioned wisdom that Charlie D dispenses on his late-night radio call-in show might blow up in his face. One young listener seems intent on killing his father and the rest of his family. Unfortunately, no one knows where he is. Time is running out, until Charlie's own long-estranged father enters the picture."--P. of cover.