FICTION
Voyage to Oblivion
By Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
Seven unforgettable dinner companions convene at table 13—all living the dream of cruising the world's most colorful ports. $27.50
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Advanced critical acclaim
"Gardner's best novel yet: With engaging humor, his diverse characters are stunningly drawn..."
—Robert Lindsey, bestselling author
of The Falcon and the Snowman
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He's Back
By Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
Awarded Best Overall Fiction Book 2000*
A stranger claims to be Jesus returned to earth to eliminate hate from the world.
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"Peppered liberally with irreverent jokes, Biblical phrases and quotes from philosophers, the book is humorous and tongue-in-cheek with a totally unexpected ending." $26.
—Today's Librarian
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Enemy of the Average
By Margaret Nicol
A remarkable roman-a-clef about an ersatz opera diva who grew to marry six of the world's richest, most accomplished men and to ultimately create a world-class garden. $25.
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"A beautifully written, Byzantine tale of money, sex, music and the velvet-gloved, ruthless ambition of a remarkable woman." —Robert Lindsey, best-selling author of The Falcon and the Snowman
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The Paper Dynasty
By Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
A spellbinding family saga about a Los Angeles newspaper family spanning five generations. $23.45
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"Gardner's robust saga provides crackling entertainment...references to the Chandler family are scarcely veiled." —Publishers Weekly
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Love Stories By Theodore Gardner II
(listed newest to oldest) |
All Lost Time: A Novel of Baby Fever
A woman nearing 40 wants more than anything to have a baby, but she doesn't have a man. Suddenly she has two. $25.
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"A witty story about a charming woman who wants to have it all." —Booklist
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Give Gravity A Chance: A Love Story
Meet Maybelle and Clyde—Two unlikely candidates for romance thrown together in a prank that grows into true love—but not without its ups and downs. $20.
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"Against all odds, two misfit lonely people normally kept apart by race and culture find each other. Their touching and amusing decision to share their lives makes an off-center, good read." —Giulio Anfuso, story editor, 20th Century fox, CBS Television
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The Real Sleeper: A Love Story
An enchanting story of Edgar, a book editor pushing sixty, and Kelly; beautiful, sensuous and tenderhearted. Despite the obstacles they face, a warm refreshing relationship results. $14.95
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"The tongue-in-cheek title tips off the subtle charm of this captivating and bittersweet novel about an unlikely love affair. Gardner handles it with skill, compassion and whimsy."
—Publishers Weekly
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MYSTERIES
Con and Sindy Detective Series by A.T.R.
His Warranty Expired When He Did
Lexington Concord Bissle VI (Con) and his troublesome personal assistant Sindy Duguid are forced to become detectives when Con finds himself the prime suspect in the murder of his neighbor, with whom he was embroiled in a bitter lawsuit. Con and Sindy each go about solving the case in their own way. $23.
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The Bomber Hanson Mystery Series by David Champion
(listed newest to oldest)
Bomber Bombs
When a popular college football team is accused of rape, bombastic trial lawyer Bomber and his amiable son Tod delve into the case, with Tod reluctantly gaining trial experience in the shadow of his father. Ninth in the popular Bomber Hanson Mystery series. $23.
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Bomber Bombs is also available as an ebook.
"Champion's knack for mixing mystery with the absurd gives his work
an edge akin to Hiaasen and Evanovich. This continues to be a t00-little-known
series. A little hand-selling might make all the difference."
—ALA Booklist
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To Die For
A young student is accused of killing her landlord, found dead in her bed, and it's up to Tod to convince Bomber to take the case. $23.
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"With witty dialogue, oddball characters, and unique situations, Champion keeps this series, now in its eighth installment, utterly engaging." —Booklist
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Easy Come, Easy Go
A beloved family doctor is jailed for the murder of her swindling husband Easy. $23.
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"With an engaging plot, very well-named characters, a sly sense of humor, lack of violence and strong language, Easy Come, Easy Go is easy to recommend." —Mystery News
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She Died for her Sins
Bomber defends a self-styled communist accused of murder who is so offensive he couldn't be guilty. $23.
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"A quick moving plot, great dialog, and steadily engaging prose make this sixth Bomber Hanson mystery a real winner." —Library Journal
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Too Rich and Too Thin
Bomber's son Tod sets out to prove the stunning supermodel is innocent of murdering her boss and former lover. $22.
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"Champion delivers an old-fashioned murder mystery. His best writing shows through in Bomber's sassy courtroom dialogue...making it evident why readers return to Bomber Hanson continually."
—ForeWord magazine
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Phantom Virus
Did the cure for the disease kill the patient? Was her diagnosed virus a Phantom Virus? $23.
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"Champion's brisk plot, colorful characters and sly sense of humor make this a notable mystery."
—Publishers Weekly
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Celebrity Trouble
Unspeakable accusations of child molestation against mega-star Steven Shag prompt Bomber Hanson, world-famous attorney, to take the case. $20.
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"Mesmerizing... This too-little-known series is a hoot, guaranteed to produce giggles, belly laughs, and even a sympathetic tear or two." —Booklist
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Nobody Roots for Goliath
Mega-lawyer Bomber Hanson and his son Tod try to smoke out "Big Tobacco" in this timely tobacco suit novel. $22.95.
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"An impressive and inspiring story...this wonderful book captures the essence of why the tobacco industry is on trial in the courtroom." —United News Syndicate
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The Mountain Massacres
Mysterious deaths in the mountains of Angelton send the accused to Bomber as Tod explores the perplexing details of the case. $14.95.
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"A grudge, a murder, an investigation, a trial, a surprise ending all in 161 pages? Yes, indeed...An agreeably goofy charm in this first of the Bomber Hanson series." —Kirkus Reviews
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The Gil Yates Private Investigator Novels By Alistair Boyle
(listed newest to oldest)
The Ice Maiden Cometh Not
An egotistical surgeon hires amateur P.I. Gil yates to determine whether his amiable son-in-law's fatal fall was suicide. $23.
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Also available as an ebook.
"Amusing…noir by way of Wodehouse, Boyle's light concoction will most appeal to readers looking for whimsy…" —Publishers Weekly
"There's a real mystery to be solved here, but the greater pleasure for readers is listening to Gil's quirky voice and meeting Boyle's cast of weird and wonderful characters. This book was a long time coming, but oh boy, was it worth the wait!" —ALA Booklist, starred review
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They Fall Hard
Gil Yates, P.I. tackles the twenty-five year old case of the mysterious death of a prize fighting world champion. $23.
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"Boyle remains true to his peculiar form (think Carl Hiaasen in Southern California); in fact, the banter is so much fun one wishes Boyle would give Gil another 100 pages or so per outing." —Booklist
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The Unholy Ghost
An offensive movie mogul hires Yates to track down his wife and daughter, who are caught in the tentacles of the mysterious Techsci cult. $23.
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"A nicely worked plot and slick dialogue complement the characters in this offbeat P.I. novel."
—Mystery Scene
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What Now, King Lear?
An obscenely wealthy entrepreneur is murdered and the prime suspects are his three daughters—with the division of a billion dollars at stake. $22.
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"Hilarious adventures. Gil, with his quirky sense of humor, tendency to mangle the English language, and innate intelligence, manages to finally unravel a mystery with a surprising solution."
—Mystery Scene
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Ship Shapely
A shapely all-female crew sails the Pacific with the salty skipper who ends up dead, an alleged accident. $20.
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"Boyle offers a wonderfully comic, mixed metaphor-spouting hero who combines awkward charm with cunning instinct. Fun reading." —Booklist
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Bluebeard's Last Stand
This Gil Yates adventure combines a rich widow, a gold-digging boyfriend and a luxury cruise to New Zealand. $20.
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"Boyle's off-the-wall humor and unadorned, concise prose is refreshing...the book moves along swiftly as a good mystery should, and should satisfy those who enjoy Alfred Hitchcock or Ellery Queen anthologies." —ForeWord magazine
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The Unlucky Seven
Someone thinks seven powerful people rule the world and is sending bombs to kill them—three are dead already by the time contingency P.I. Gil Yates arrives on the scene. $20.
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"Another lighthearted and amusing romp...Yates' fantasy life is geared just right for mystery fans."
—Publishers Weekly
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The Con
Yates is caught up in the high stakes art world. The assignment: locate and return a Monet that was switched with a fake. $19.95.
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"This book is an easy read and just quirky enough to hold the reader's interest."
—Books of the Southwest
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The Missing Link
A conniving and obscenely wealthy father who desperately needs to find his daughter, signs amateur P.I. Gil Yates up—with a catch. $19.95.
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Also available as an ebook.
"Inventive, quirky...charm oozes from his pages."
—Publishers Weekly
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JUVENILE MYSTERIES
The Bones and the Duchess Mysteries by Alexandra Eden
(listed newest to oldest)
The Duchess to the Rescue
When Bones is accused of a mysterious crime, it's up to the Duchess to solve the mystery and clear his name. Third in the series. $16.
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"the relationship between Bones and the Duchess is quite touching."—Booklist
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Holy Smoke
Bones and the Duchess are at it again! When a neighborhood church burns to the ground, they team up to discover who started the fire and why. Second in the series. $16.
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"Readers aren't likely to miss the goodhearted, inspirational message about forgiveness that's the real point of the story." —School Library Journal
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To Oz and Back
Bones Fatzinger, a former police officer, teams up with his friend Verity, a bright twelve year old with Asperger's syndrome, to solve the case of two missing girls. Nominated for the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award. $16.
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"An enjoyable, entertaining and mysterious read."
—Rachel Newcombe, freelance reviewer
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STAND-ALONE SUSPENSE NOVELS
Flip Side: A Novel of Suspense
By Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
A novel unique in content and format, Flip Side gives us two heart-stopping versions of the same high-profile multiple-murder case. $22.
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"An excellent offbeat courtroom drama that takes a twist of the wrist to finish. Its verdict is a surprise, the first of several that come before Gardner wraps up this topnotch thriller." —Associated Press
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The Snatch
By David Champion
Two cops whose methods are polar opposites, in love with the same kidnapped woman, race against time and each other to save her. $19.95.
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"A police procedural and kidnapping revenge story that had us on the edge of our seats...a powerful first book." —The Mysterious Bookshop, Los Angeles (a Crime Writer of the Month pick)
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GARDEN BOOKS
The Hermitage Santa Barbara at 20 Photos by Stephen G. Schott, Susan Levin, Robert Haller, Mary Andrews, Marlene Khoury, Nancy Vivrette and Wayne McCall
Text by Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
The Hermitage Santa Barbara, a whimsical private garden, celebrates its 20th anniversary with this beautiful book featuring more than 500 stunning photographs of the gardens, sculptures and outdoor art. The Hermitage Santa Barbara is not open to the public, but can be seen in this book. $75.
Purchase on Amazon.com
Available locally at
The Book Den (962-3321) and
Chaucer's Bookstore (682-6787)
"A ten
acre wonderland few have ever seen."
—The Los Angeles Times
"An elegant book...a tantalizing mystery of art and botanical wonders in Santa
Barbara's backyard. An inspiration for gardeners determined to decorate their
yards using a personal touch with colorful plants and whimisical art."
—The
Santa Barbara News Press
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Lotusland: A Photographic Odyssey
by Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
Lotusland, the private garden in Montecito, CA, is one of the most dramatic gardens in the world. This coffee table book eloquently chronicles the gardens and the woman who developed them. $70.
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"Containing by far the most breathtaking photography of any book this season, Lotusland is an exquisitely executed work of art."
—San Diego Union-Tribune
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Nature's Kaleidoscope: The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Nestled in the foothills of idyllic Santa Barbara, CA, this native plant garden has breathtaking views, majestic redwoods, spectacular wildflowers and much more. $22
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"A photographic tribute to one of California's crown jewels conveying the beauty and diversity of the native plants in the Garden's collection...a lovely book."
—Southern California Gardener
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California Gardens
by Winifred Starr Dobyns
California Gardens beautifully documents, through rare and artistic photographic portraits, the development of many of the greatest gardens created in Southern California in the first two decades of the 20th century. $59.
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"A superb collection of black and white photographs of many of the greatest gardens created in California in the teens and twenties...Photographs are works of art in their own right."
—David Streatfield, author of California Garden: Creating a New Eden
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Southern California Gardens: An Illustrated History
by Victoria Padilla
The prime source book for horticulture historians and landscape preservationists. The only work of its kind,it is a comprehensive and engaging overview of more than two centuries of horticulture. $59 and up, limited quantities available from the publisher.
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"Though written nearly 40 years ago, this gardening classic is anything but dry or dusty...a real page turner."
—Sunset Magazine
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CHILDREN'S
Something Nice To See
Illustrated by Peter Hamlin
A delightful story of tolerance set during the creation of the awe-inspiring Watts Towers, magical full-color drawings. $15.95
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"Lovely and charming...right-minded, and so good for the children."
—Marvin Bileck, Caldecott Medalist for Rain Makes Applesauce
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ESSAYS
A Touch of Crazy: The Memoirs of Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
Publication Date: August 2014
Theodore Gardner loves pretension. And what is more pretentious than writing one's memoirs? Follow Gardner from his run-in in grade school that almost decapitated him to his attempt at writing his own obit. $23.45
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 Wit's End and Off The Wall
by Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
A collection of humorous essays that take on everything from cloning to pregnant cheerleaders, the royal family and politically correct greeting cards. $14.95 and $20
Purchase Wit's End or Off The Wall from Amazon.com
"Bursting with Gardner's irreverent and outrageous humor... it's a blast."
—Jack Smith in the
Los Angeles Times
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Momma Baby & Judgie: A Memoir
by Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II
Through celebration and conflict, weddings and funerals, Gardner recounts his family history with honesty and wit. $25.
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WRITING / REFERENCE
Expressionary/Expresionario: A Dictionary of Spanish/English Expressions
by Guillermo I. Racines and Paul E. Egelhaaf
Contains more than 15,000 expressions and covers more than 1,000 topics, making this the most comprehensive expressionary available. Designed for those who wish to become truly bilingual. $39
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"The authors' love of language is obvious. They want you, the reader, to have fun discovering how the two languages handle the thousands of expressions contained in this handy volume."
—John T. Pearce, Ph.D., Retired Head of Muhlenberg College Language Department
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Double Your Creative Power
by S.L. Stebel
An erudite, step-by-step guide to creating fiction. $20.
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Double your Creative Power is also available as an ebook.
"S.L. Stebel is the best writing teacher that ever was."
—Ray Bradbury
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The Two-Step Diet Book
by Anonymous
How to lose weight in two simple, foolproof steps. Be healthier, stronger, and more attractive without a lot of folderol. $5.
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