Shadow Lives reveals the unseen side of the "9/11 wars": their impact on the wives and families of men incarcerated in Guantanamo, or in prison or under house arrest in Britain and the US. Victoria Brittain shows how these families have been made socially invisible and a convenient scapegoat for the state in order to exercise arbitrary powers under the cover of the "War on Terror."A disturbing expose of the perilous state of freedom and democracy in our society, the book reveals how a culture of intolerance and cruelty have left individuals at the mercy of the security services' unverifiable accusations and punitive punishments.Both a "j'accuse" and a testament to the strength and humanity of the families, Shadow Lives shows the methods of incarceration and social control being used by the British state and gives a voice to the families whose lives have been turned upside down. In doing so it raises urgent questions about civil liberties which no one can afford to ignore.

QUANTUM MYSTERY OR QUANTUM COMEDY? Chilling, surreal occurrences-starting with a monstrous creature on an arch-seize the interest of shy twenty-six-year-old Italian-American scholar Rich Travella and his high-strung Venetian girlfriend, Simonetta. Curiously, the historical Venetian surname "Tron" is coincident with each puzzling event. Could these strange happenings be a series of pranks by Simonetta's wealthy uncle, noted for his elaborate games? Or are they connected to a mysterious book formerly in his library-a 16th-Century "how-to" manual by Leonardo Tron, an author lost to history? Tron's subject is outlandish: the creation and prevention of coincidences. It's a work that seems to prefigure-and even exceed-the mysterious and seemingly supernatural 20th-Century science of quantum physics. And who are the peculiar, murderous people seeking the book for the powerful knowledge it supposedly contains? They draw Rich and Simonetta deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous quest for the secret, mystical volume. Elegantly written, with a strong sense of place, One Week in Venice brings a wondrous city to life, at times in almost travelogue fashion. It's an unusual, exhilarating escapade with appealing central characters and the foulest of villains, a compact literary novel filled with humor (from highbrow to farcical), thought-provoking concepts, mystery, and murder. Also by Peter Lucia: "The Murder at Asbury Park"