Death's Witness by Paul Batista
(Sourcebooks, 2006)

A well-loved former football star, now a high-profile lawyer, is murdered while jogging in Central Park . His unfinished trial involves the indictment of a Congressmen and a dozen truckers on racketeering charges, and it grows apparent to his widow that he was involved with laundering money. Her search for his killer leads to an international crime syndicate, her contacts start losing their lives, and she begins to fear for her own. The author is a one of America 's best known trial lawyers due to frequent appearances on CNN, Court TV, and MSNBC. Batista has authored several books on racketeering and has had articles published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The National Law Journal. In addition, his poetry has appeared in national literary magazines such as Press and Parnassus. Endorsement blurbs from Alan Dershowitz, Nancy Grace of CNN. Film and television rights available. Independent Publisher Book Awards 2007 - Silver Medalist in the Mystery Category, Given By IPPY.

Jumping Over Fire, by Nahid Rachlin
(City Lights, 2006)

Jumping Over Fire is the story of a forbidden love affair with a sweeping backdrop of recent history in Iran and between Iran and America. Publishers Weekly said "Rachlin illuminates the private and public consequences of the Islamic revolution in her latest novel of 20th-century Iranian life. Nora Ellahi, the daughter of an Iranian doctor and his American wife, lives a sheltered life among the economic elite of the oil city Masjid-e-Suleiman in the 1970s. While dissatisfaction with the ruling Shah and resentment of foreign influence spills over into street demonstrations, Nora grows increasingly attracted to her adopted brother, Jahan, a full Iranian, and their sexual affair blossoms during a summer at their country house in Meigoon. Nora and Jahan's illicit relationship plays out against the backdrop of a restrictive society, and the burgeoning revolution lends tension to each daily activity." Her first novel, Foreigner, followed by two other novels and a short story collection, Nahid Rachlin has been widely reviewed in newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times and The New Yorker. She has been interviewed by Terry Gross at "All Things Considered." Film and TV rights are available. Her short story collection, Tehran Stories, is also available.