Alexis Champon Books

Jean Auel's fourth volume in the Earth's Children sequence is a massive work that retains the sweeping historical saga and detail that characterized the earlier books. Following the groundbreaking The Clan of the Cave Bear, which set a new standard in the genre, the series continued with The Valley of Horses and The Mammoth Hunters, captivating readers with vivid depictions of an ancient world. In this installment, protagonists Ayla and Jondalar leave the safety of their life with mammoth hunters by the Black Sea to embark on a daunting journey across the continent to Jondalar's childhood Cro-Magnon settlement. Their odyssey is filled with peril, accompanied only by their half-tame wolf, the stallion Racer, and the mare Whinney. Auel's evocative scene-setting enhances the high adventure, immersing readers in stunning landscapes. While characterisation may be functional rather than inspired, it complements the vivid descriptions that bring the world to life. The prose captures breathtaking moments, such as the rising sun illuminating a dazzling white plain under a uniquely colored sky, reflecting the red dawn and glacial ice. Auel's ability to create such striking imagery continues to define her work.

Miranda's sister, Kerri, has a new boyfriend. He's a raven-haired, handsome charmer who seems to dote on Kerri. But Brendan isn't the man he says he is. Miranda should know, because she broke off her own affair with him just a few weeks ago when she found him reading her diary. Now Brendan claims that it was he who ended their short-lived relationship—and everyone believes him. When he and Kerri announce their engagement, Miranda's parents are thrilled for their shyer, less confident daughter. Then Kerri and Brendan beg Miranda to let them live in her apartment until their new home is ready. Against her better judgment, Miranda agrees. Like a virus, Brendan starts spreading destruction throughout her life. He invades her privacy and disrupts her relationships with her family and friends. And then the real nightmare begins.… Like the obscenities he whispers into her ear, his onslaughts are as undetectable as they are devastating. Those closest to her begin to doubt her mental stability and accuse her of the very thing she believes drives Brendan: obsession. When Miranda decides to take off the gloves, fight back, and discover what is behind her enemy's bemused, secret smile, the consequences will be terrifying.

Une grande demeure abandonnée sur les rives d'un lac silencieux... Pour Emma, douze ans, petite fille solitaire et pleine d'imagination, quoi de plus fascinant ? Surtout quand cette maison était celle d'une enfant retrouvée noyée dans ces eaux noires quarante ans auparavant. Meurtre ou accident ? L'affaire ne fut jamais élucidée, mais dans ce petit coin de l'Amérique profonde, avec ses bourgades isolées au milieu des bois, ses habitants singuliers et leurs habitudes jalouses, chacun détient une part de la vérité. Aussi, personne ne se souciant d'elle ni de ses questions, Emma entreprend, avec détermination et habileté, de rassembler une à une les pièces de ce puzzle tragique. Jusqu'à ce qu'un nouveau cadavre vienne bouleverser cette innocente enquête et ramener les vieilles histoires à la surface du lac...