7/7-Beth Raymer, Shirley Bovshow, Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen, R.J. Ellory

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Beth Raymer-Lay the Favorite

Lay the Favorite is the story of Beth Raymer’s years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting—a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the rise of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. As the business explodes, Beth rises—from assistant to expert, trusted and seasoned enough to open an offshore booking office in the Caribbean with a few associates, men who leave their families up north to make a quick killing, while donning new tropical personas fueled by abundant drugs and local girlfriends, and who one by one succumb to their vices. They lie, cheat, steal, and run, until Beth is the last man standing.

Shirley Bovshow-Garden Designer, TV Host, Speaker

Shirley Bovshow is an in-demand landscape designer in Los Angeles and the designer/co-host of the television show, “Garden Police” airing on the Discovery Home Channel. Shirley appears regularly on NBC's "iVillage Live" show as their garden and outdoor living expert and on HGTV as a guest designer on the national cable show, “Outer Spaces" and the upcoming HGTV special, "25 Biggest Landscape Blunders" slated to air in late 2007. She has also contributed to USA Network's “Ready for the Weekend Movie” (aired with Blue Crush and aired with GoldenEye). A dynamic garden communicator and blogger, Shirley is a popular speaker at consumer home and garden shows and writes "Eden-Makers Blog" featured in GardenWeb.com.


Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen-"The Real Housewives of New York"

As breakout stars of Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City, Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen have inspired, infuriated, and entertained parents everywhere. Their new book continues that trend, with the added bonus of educating families dealing with the daunting task of raising children in an urban environment. Writing with unique and humorous insight into the challenges facing city parents today, Alex and Simon use their own hard-won experience as a springboard to discuss a host of parenting topics, including baby's first six months, traveling with infants, hiring caregivers, disciplining, dealing with accidents, dining out, making the most of urban life, and scheduling time for non-urban escapes. Their informative and often hair-raising stories of life in the concrete jungle make Little Kids, Big City a must-read for urban parents, as well as for any fan of the show.

R.J. Ellory-"The Anniversary Man"

Twenty years ago John Costello's life, as he knew it, ended. He and his beautiful girlfriend, Nadia, became victims of the deranged 'Hammer of God' killer who terrorised New Jersey City throughout the summer of 1984. This murderer went after young courting couples in an attempt to 'save their souls'. Nadia was killed by the first blow of the hammer. John survived, but was physically and psychologically scarred to an extent that few people could comprehend. He withdrew from society, hid in his apartment and now only emerges to work as a crime researcher for a major newspaper. Damaged he may be, but no one in New York knows more about serial killers than John Costello. So, when a new spate of murders starts - all seemingly random and unrelated - John is the only one who can discern the complex pattern that lies behind them. But could this dark knowledge be about to threaten his life?