"The Alliance woke Captain John "Black Jack" Geary from cryogenic sleep to take command of the fleet in the century-long conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Admiral Geary's victory has earned him the adoration of the people--and the enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very inconvenient thing. The war may be over, but Geary and his newly christened First Fleet have been ordered back into action to investigate the aliens...

Admiral Geary's First Fleet of the Alliance survives the journey deep into unexplored interstellar space, a voyage that led to the discovery of new alien species, including a new enemy and a possible ally.

"Addie Greyborne loved working with rare books at the Boston Public Library--she even got to play detective, tracking down clues about mysterious old volumes. But she didn t expect her sleuthing skills to come in so handy in a little seaside town... Addie left some painful memories behind in the big city, including the unsolved murder of her fianc� and her father s fatal car accident. After an unexpected inheritance from a great aunt, she s moved...

"Addie's getting into the spirit for the upcoming Charity Auction - especially since she's got an 1843 copy of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol to donate. Her former colleagues at the Boston Public Library have confirmed that its worth runs toward the high five figures, which should help with the new pediatric wing. Her mood darkens, though, when a visitor from the past appears - Jonathan Hemingway, the father of her late fianc�e. His presence...