Allen A. Knoll, Publishers: Books for Intelligent People Who Read for Fun

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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 Purchase on Amazon.com 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
*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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
*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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
The Paper Dynasty By Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II A spellbinding family saga about a Los Angeles newspaper family spanning five generations. $23.45 Purchase on Amazon.com “Gardner’s robust saga provides crackling entertainment…references to the Chandler family are scarcely veiled.” —Publishers Weekly
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “A witty story about a charming woman who wants to have it all.” —Booklist
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
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 Purchase on Amazon.com “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

Mysteries
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The Bomber Hanson Mystery Series by David Champion (listed newest to oldest)
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “With witty dialogue, oddball characters, and unique situations, Champion keeps this series, now in its eighth installment, utterly engaging.” —Booklist
Easy Come, Easy Go A beloved family doctor is jailed for the murder of her swindling husband Easy. $23. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
She Died for her Sins Bomber defends a self-styled communist accused of murder who is so offensive he couldn’t be guilty. $23. Purchase on Amazon.com “A quick moving plot, great dialog, and steadily engaging prose make this sixth Bomber Hanson mystery a real winner.” —Library Journal
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
Phantom Virus Did the cure for the disease kill the patient? Was her diagnosed virus a Phantom Virus? $23. Purchase on Amazon.com “Champion’s brisk plot, colorful characters and sly sense of humor make this a notable mystery.” —Publishers Weekly
Celebrity Trouble Unspeakable accusations of child molestation against mega-star Steven Shag prompt Bomber Hanson, world-famous attorney, to take the case. $20. Purchase on Amazon.com “Mesmerizing… This too-little-known series is a hoot, guaranteed to produce giggles, belly laughs, and even a sympathetic tear or two.” —Booklist
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 Purchase on Amazon.com “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
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 Purchase on Amazon.com “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)

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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “A nicely worked plot and slick dialogue complement the characters in this offbeat P.I. novel.” —Mystery Scene
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
Ship Shapely A shapely all-female crew sails the Pacific with the salty skipper who ends up dead, an alleged accident. $20. Purchase on Amazon.com “Boyle offers a wonderfully comic, mixed metaphor-spouting hero who combines awkward charm with cunning instinct. Fun reading.” —Booklist
Bluebeard’s Last Stand This Gil Yates adventure combines a rich widow, a gold-digging boyfriend and a luxury cruise to New Zealand. $20. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “Another lighthearted and amusing romp…Yates’ fantasy life is geared just right for mystery fans.” —Publishers Weekly
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. Order from Publisher “This book is an easy read and just quirky enough to hold the reader’s interest.” —Books of the Southwest
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 Purchase on Amazon.com “Inventive, quirky…charm oozes from his pages.” —Publishers Weekly

Juvenile Mysteries
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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.
Purchase on Amazon.com

“the relationship between Bones and the Duchess is quite touching.”—Booklist

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.
Purchase on Amazon.com

“Readers aren’t likely to miss the goodhearted, inspirational message about forgiveness that’s the real point of the story.” —School Library Journal

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.
Purchase on Amazon.com

“An enjoyable, entertaining and mysterious read.”
—Rachel Newcombe, freelance reviewer

Stand-Alone Suspense Novels
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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.
Purchase from Amazon.com

“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

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
Purchase from Amazon.com

“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)

Garden Books
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Lotusland: A Photographic Odyssey 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. $65. Purchase on Amazon.com “Containing by far the most breathtaking photography of any book this season, Lotusland is an exquisitely executed work of art.” —San Diego Union-Tribune
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 Order from Publisher “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
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. Purchase on Amazon.com “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
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. Order from Publisher “Though written nearly 40 years ago, this gardening classic is anything but dry or dusty…a real page turner.” —Sunset Magazine

Children’s
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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
Purchase on Amazon.com

“Lovely and charming…right-minded, and so good for the children.”
—Marvin Bileck, Caldecott Medalist for Rain Makes Applesauce

Essays
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Wit’s End and Off The Wall
by Ted Gardner
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

“Bursting with Gardner’s
irreverent and outrageous
humor… it’s a blast.”
—Jack Smith in the Los Angeles Times

Off the Wall

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.

Writing / Reference
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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

“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

Double Your Creative Power
by S.L. Stebel
An erudite, step-by-step guide to creating fiction. $20.

“S.L. Stebel is the best writing teacher that ever was.” —Ray Bradbury

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.