Showing results by author "William Preston" in All Categories

Jean-Luc Gerard and his apprentice Thaddeus Rose continue their studies of the occult and of practicing witchcraft when a mysterious old tome arrives at their bookstore. When the impromptu delivery points toward works of the famed horror author H.P. Lovecraft, they find themselves facing cosmic terrors and fragile boundaries between insanity and reality. Meanwhile, a new member of the Knights Templar embarks on her first assignment, but her partner, Cedric McKellan, is acting strangely and making her question everything she thought she knew. As tentacles are summoned by clandestine rituals ...

David Purdue spent many adventures facing off against the secret society, the Order of the Black Sun, and has finally defeated them. Now, taking up leadership of the order and redirecting their resources to be used for good rather than evil, he is hopeful for the future. When evidence of the lost tomb of Genghis Khan is unearthed, Purdue puts together a team of new recruits and old veterans to take part in the first big expedition for the new Order of the Black Sun.

After losing everything he owned in a swift defeat from his greatest enemy, David Purdue is not the man he once was. Broken and beaten, the once great adventurer David Purdue must rebuild his life to try and reclaim what was taken from him. Forming uneasy alliances with modern-day pirates, Purdue seeks the buried treasure of a once infamous buccaneer, seeing it as the only way to start restoring his lost wealth. He quickly learns that things aren't nearly as easy when you have no money and sail with a crew of criminals who might mutiny at any moment.

Dr. Nina Gould has always been fascinated by the history of Ancient Rome, but never expected to have to deal with it so directly. When an old scroll points in the direction of the fabled lost sword of Julius Caesar, Nina embarks on a search to recover the weapon, but learns that finding the sword might not be as easy as she hoped. A trio of masked thieves have targeted the museums of Rome and now have their sights set on Nina and her expedition.

Occult expert Jean-Luc Gerard has heard legend of an infamous book once owned by a powerful witch; a tome of magical knowledge that's pages have been split apart for centuries. He has dreamed of some day being able to see the book restored but those dreams never seemed possible, until the day he met billionaire adventurer David Purdue.... Aligned with a common goal, the two men must navigate the strange, the cursed, and even the enchanted in their quest to read the contents of the lost book of shadows.

When a watery threat makes its presence known, demanding the return of one of David Purdue's artifacts, he sends one of his closest allies, Sam Cleave, to embark on a voyage to set things right, where he must contend with old grudges, a very different partner, and the sea itself. Meanwhile, Purdue continues to investigate the Order of the Black Sun's mysterious new enemy, but it may be Dr. Nina Gould who finds the answers that Purdue is looking for....

In the dimly lit corners of New Orleans, where magic whispers secrets to those who dare listen, Thaddeus Rose's study of witchcraft and the occult has always been just a fascination. That is, until a cryptic exorcist arrives at his bookshop, carrying a perilous package and seeking the elusive Jean-Luc Gerard. Suddenly, Thaddeus is thrust into a world far darker and more dangerous than he'd ever imagined. When the unimaginable occurs, and demons seem more than just tales spun in the shadowy hours, Thaddeus, along with the formidable former Templar knight Katherine Piers, finds himself on the...

The sea off the coast of Spain holds a secret, buried under centuries of superstition. It has a reputation for being some hellish territory, where crews disappear and ships inexplicably drown in its sublime waters. This is where billionaire explorer David Purdue takes his new yacht out for its maiden voyage. He discovers something under the water that sets into motion an ancient Inca prophecy that would apparently open the hidden city of El Dorado.

In the heart of New Orleans, a brutal attack shatters the tranquility of Thaddeus Rose's occult book shop. Determined to unveil the identity of the assailant and seek justice for the beloved fortune teller, Thaddeus embarks on a perilous quest, accompanied by the enigmatic Templar Knight, Katherine Piers, and a witch with an uncanny connection to the city. As they delve into the secrets of New Orleans, the trio uncovers a web of deception that extends far beyond their initial suspicions. With each relentless assault, it becomes evident that they are confronting a formidable adversary, one ...

With a terminally ill wife, Glasgow mechanic Court Callany is desperate for money. When an acquaintance from work asks him to help him rob a wealthy antiques collector’s home, he reluctantly agrees. However, the robbery goes wrong, and when Court tries to sell his stolen artifacts at a local pawnshop, he unwittingly enters into the underworld of international relic hunting.

Olivia Newton is plunged in a hole of international espionage again following an indoor plea bargain she strikes with the FBI. It begins with an anonymous letter someone drops at her door, and a message that reads, "The Chameleon never died."

In his little bookshop in New Orleans, Occult expert Jean-Luc Gerard is used to people coming to him with questions about the supernatural, the paranormal, and the unexplained. When a chance to explore the Winchester Mystery House, one of the world's most haunted houses in the world, falls into his lap, he can't resist the chance to explore it. Across the world, a new inductee into the Knights Templar also finds himself drawn to the den of the undead, to carry on the knights' modern crusade. The inevitable collision between Jean and the Knights Templar may come with dire consequences for ...

In England, a museum curator is murdered in his home. An old priest is found dead in his upper-room apartment in Morocco. In Florida, a renowned artist is found floating in his private pool, dead. Three deaths that, as the occurrences go, appear unconnected. Until Olivia Newton, former employee and journalist at Miami Daily, gets a call that her brother, Andrew Gilmore, has been abducted.

Most of what are referred to as Korean martial art styles are actually derived from Japanese/Okinawan karate systems or find their roots in Chinese boxing. The Korean peninsula has existed as a fragile territory between China and Japan and thus shared many cultural elements from their neighbors. To what degree has the Japanese and Chinese arts influenced those practiced in Korea over the centuries? Can we distinguish any original Korean martial art style?  Chapters in this anthology are derived from the Journal of Asian Martial Arts specifically in response to such questions as asked ...

While on assignment in England, investigative journalist Sam Cleave helps to avoid a woman being stoned to death in a Muslim residential area, leading to the killing of the men who stoned her. Rescuing the woman, he had no idea what kind of world he had just invaded. Thinking nothing of it, Sam returns to Scotland. Only when the bodies of the men are taken to the local morgue, do the medical examiners realize that the corpses are part of a sect that all share the same sigil tattooed on them.

The long-awaited trial of the notorious Arkady, the mastermind behind US President Prescott's assassination, finally begins. For John "Doc" Holiday, the hearing turns into a nightmare: His loyal ally Zane is also on trial, forced to face the sins of his past as a former assassin. The public turns against Zane, and the situation escalates as the trial takes an unpredictable turn. As old alliances break and long-buried secrets come to light, Doc struggles to trust his friend, despite the world being against him. Meanwhile, the mysterious Project Rasputin – a secret Soviet immortality ...

Belgian physicist Dr. Jacobs learns that an infamous version of the Einstein Equation, thought to have been destroyed, had been discovered by billionaire genius David Purdue. Knowing how deadly the equation’s application would be, he tries to contact Purdue to warn him, but Purdue is frantically busy trying to solve the equation. Little does Purdue know that the Order of the Black Sun is using him to solve the equation for them, to set the ball rolling on a terrible experiment that could cause mass scale destruction.

Desperate to unlock the secrets within the Iron Vault, Doc Holiday decides that he must work with Zmeya, the master of disguise that nearly killed the people Doc cared about most, if he wants any chance of actually being able to unearth the latest mystery. However, working with an assassin like Zmeya comes with a lot of issues, including a frustrated and distrusting team and a new ally that might not even be an ally at all. Their latest clue brings them to Las Vegas, where the President's Dozen are tested beneath the dazzling lights of the city of sin. From high stakes card games, ...

Michael Bello has dedicated his life to helping others. Born into a home filled with turmoil, he's held on to his one blinding gift, and that's to do good. Now, as a father and a husband, he's finally happy. But when bodies turn up on his doorstep at the height of his prestigious career, things start to unravel...and the high profile detectives from the Federal Capital Territory start to look at him more closely.

When the President of the United States is targeted in an attempted assassination when giving a speech seen around the world, his loyal Dozen led by Doc Holiday rush to find the shooter and the motives behind the unexpected attack. Joined by his new ally, the former assassin now known only as Zane, Doc works with his team to catch the assassin as President Prescott's life hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Quinton Marshall continues to try to avoid retirement but his efforts might prove to be costly. With a single gunshot, the stakes are raised and not everyone is going to be able to make it ...