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Live Wire (Myron Bolitar Series #10)
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben exposes a different side of sports agent Myron Bolitar in this explosive thriller...
When former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, encounter an anonymous Facebook post questioning the paternity of their unborn child, Lex runs off. Suzze, who is eight months pregnant, asks their agent, Myron Bolitar, to save her marriage—and perhaps her husband's life. But when Myron finds Lex, he also finds someone he wasn't looking for: his sister-in-law, Kitty, who, along with Myron's brother, abandoned the Bolitar family long ago.
As Myron races to locate his missing brother while their father clings to life, he must face the lies that led to the estrangement—including the ones told by Myron himself...
Product Details
|Penguin Publishing Group
|Publication date:
|Myron Bolitar Series , #10
|Product dimensions:
|6.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.50(d)
|Age Range:
|18 Years
About the Author
With more than seventy million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thirty novels, including the Myron Bolitar series and a series aimed at young adults featuring Myron's newphew, Mickey Bolitar. His books are published in forty-three languages around the globe and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries. The winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, he lives in New Jersey.
Hometown:Ridgewood, New Jersey
Date of Birth:January 4, 1962
Place of Birth:Newark, New Jersey
Education:B.A. in political science, Amherst College, 1984
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Play Dead
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For Anne, because the best is yet to come
The ugliest truth, a friend once told Myron, is still better than the prettiest of lies.
Myron thought about that now as he looked down at his father in the hospital bed. He flashed back sixteen years, to the last time he had lied to his father, the lie that caused so much heartbreak and devastation, a lie that started a tragic ripple that, finally, disastrously, would end here.
His father's eyes remained closed, his breathing raspy and uneven. Tubes seemed to snake out from everywhere. Myron stared down at his father's forearm. He remembered as a child visiting his dad in that Newark warehouse, the way his father sat at his oversized desk, his sleeves rolled up. The forearm had been powerful enough back then to strain the fabric, making the cuff work tourniquet-like against the muscle. Now the muscle looked spongy, deflated by age. The barrel chest that had made Myron feel so safe was still there, but it had grown brittle, as though a hand pressing down could snap the rib cage like dried twigs. His father's unshaven face had gray splotches instead of his customary five o'clock shadow, the skin around his chin loose, sagging down like a cloak one size too big.
Myron's mother—Al Bolitar's wife for the past forty-three years—sat next to the bed. Her hand, shaking with Parkinson's, held his. She too looked shockingly frail. In her youth, his mother had been an early feminist, burning her bra with Gloria Steinem, wearing T-shirts that read stuff like "A Woman's Place Is in the House . . . and Senate." Now, here they both were, Ellen and Al Bolitar ("We're El-Al," Mom always joked, "like the Israeli airline") ravaged by age, hanging on, luckier by far than the vast majority of aging lovers—and yet this was what luck looked like in the end.
God has some sense of humor.
"So," Mom said to Myron in a low voice. "We agree?"
Myron did not reply. The prettiest of lies versus the ugliest truth. Myron should have learned his lesson back then, sixteen years ago, with that last lie to this great man he loved like no other. But, no, it wasn't so simple. The ugliest truth could be devastating. It could rock a world.
Or even kill.
So as his father's eyes fluttered open, as this man Myron treasured like no other looked up at his oldest son with pleading, almost childlike confusion, Myron looked at his mother and slowly nodded. Then he bit back the tears and prepared to tell his father one final lie.
Please, Myron, I need your help."
This was, for Myron, a bit of a fantasy: a shapely, gorgeous damsel in distress sauntering into his office like something out of an old Bogey film—except, well, the saunter was more of a waddle and the shapeliness was coming from the fact that the gorgeous damsel was eight months pregnant, and really, sorry, that kind of killed the whole fantasy effect.
Her name was Suzze T, short for Trevantino, a retired tennis star. She had been the sexy bad girl of the tour, better known for her provocative outfits, piercings, and tattoos than for her actual game. Still Suzze won a major and made a ton in endorsements, most notably as the spokeswoman (Myron loved that euphemism) for La-La-Latte, a chain of topless coffee bars, where college boys loved to snicker for "extra milk." Good times.
Myron spread his arms. "I'm here for you, Suzze, twenty-four/ seven—you know that."
They were in his Park Avenue office, home of MB Reps, the M standing for Myron, the B for Bolitar, and the Reps because they represented athletes, actors, and writers. Literal-Monikers-R-Us.
"Just tell me what I can do."
Suzze began to pace. "I'm not sure where to begin." Myron was about to speak when she held up her hand. "And if you dare say, 'Start at the beginning,' I will rip off one of your testicles."
"Just one?"
"You're engaged now. I'm thinking of your poor fiancée."
The pace turned more into a stomp, picking up speed and intensity so that a small part of Myron feared that she might go into labor right here in his recently refurbished office.
"Uh, the carpet," Myron said. "It's new."
She frowned, paced some more, started biting her exuberantly polished fingernails.
She stopped. Their eyes met.
"Tell me," he said.
"You remember when we first met?"
Myron nodded. He was just a few months out of law school and starting up his fledgling firm. Back then, at the inception, MB Reps had been known as MB SportsReps. That was because initially Myron represented only athletes. When he started representing actors and writers and others in the field of the arts and celebrity, he dropped the Sports from the name, ergo, MB Reps.
Again with the literal.
"Of course," he said.
"I was a mess, wasn't I?"
"You were a great tennis talent."
"And a mess. Don't sugarcoat it."
Myron put his palms toward the ceiling. "You were eighteen."
"Seventeen, whatever." Quick memory flash of Suzze in the sun: blond hair in a ponytail, a wicked grin on her face, her forehand whipping the ball as though it had offended her. "You'd just turned pro. Adolescent boys hung your poster in their bedrooms. You were supposed to beat legends right away. Your parents redefined pushy. It's a miracle you stayed upright."
"Good point."
"So what's wrong?"
Suzze glanced down at her belly as though it had just appeared. "I'm pregnant."
"Uh, yeah, I can see that."
"Life is good, you know?" Her voice was soft now, wistful. "After all the years, when I was a mess . . . I found Lex. His music has never been better. The tennis academy is doing great. And, well, it's just all so good now."
Myron waited. Her eyes stayed on her belly, cradling it as though it were its contents, which, Myron surmised, it kind of was. To keep the conversation going, Myron asked, "Do you like being pregnant?"
"The actual physical act of carrying a child?"
She shrugged. "It's not like I'm glowing or any of that. I mean, I'm so ready to deliver. It's interesting though. Some women love being pregnant."
"And you don't?"
"It feels like someone parked a bulldozer on my bladder. I think the reason women like being pregnant is because it makes them feel special. Like they're minor celebrities. Most women go through life without the attention, but when they're pregnant, people make a fuss. This may sound uncharitable, but pregnant women like the applause. Do you know what I mean?"
"I think so."
"I've already had my share of applause, I guess." She moved toward the window and looked out for a moment. Then she turned back toward him. "By the way, did you notice how huge my boobs are?"
Myron said, "Um," and decided to say no more.
"Come to think of it, I wonder whether you should contact La-La-Latte for a new photo shoot."
"Strategically angled shots?"
"Exactly. Might be a great new campaign in these puppies." She cupped them in case Myron wasn't sure what puppies she was referencing. "What do you think?"
"I think," Myron said, "that you're stalling."
Her eyes were wet now. "I'm so damned happy."
"Yeah, well, I can see where that would be a problem."
She smiled at that. "I put the demons to rest. I've even reconciled with my mother. Lex and I couldn't be more ready to have the baby. I want those demons to stay away."
Myron sat up. "You're not using again?"
"God, no. Not that kind of demon. Lex and I are done with that."
Lex Ryder, Suzze's husband, was one half of the legendary band/ duo known as HorsePower—the much lesser half, to be frank, to the supernaturally charismatic front man, Gabriel Wire. Lex was a fine if troubled musician, but he would always be John Oates to Gabriel's Daryl Hall, Andrew Ridgeley to Gabriel's George Michael, the rest of the Pussycat Dolls next to Nicole Scherz-i-something.
"What kind of demons then?"
Suzze reached into her purse. She plucked out something that from across the desk looked as though it might be a photograph. She stared at it for a moment and then passed it to Myron. He took a quick glance and again tried to wait her out.
Finally, just to say something, he went with the obvious: "This is your baby's sonogram."
"Yep. Twenty-eight weeks old."
More silence. Again Myron broke it. "Is there something wrong with the baby?"
"Nothing. He's perfect."
Suzze T smiled now. "Going to have my own little man."
"That's pretty cool."
"Yeah. Oh, one of the reasons I'm here: Lex and I have been talking about it. We both want you to be the godfather."
Myron said nothing.
Now it was Myron who had wet eyes. "I'd be honored."
"Are you crying?"
Myron said nothing.
"You're such a girl," she said.
"What's wrong, Suzze?"
"Maybe nothing." Then: "I think someone is out to destroy me."
Myron kept his eyes on the sonogram. "How?"
And then she showed him. She showed him two words that would echo dully in his heart for a very long time.
An hour later, Windsor Horne Lockwood III—known to those who fear him (and that was pretty much everyone) as Win—swaggered into Myron's office. Win had a great swagger, like he should be wearing a black top hat and tails and twirling a walking stick. Instead he sported a pink-and-green Lilly Pulitzer tie, a blue blazer with some kind of crest on it, and khakis with a crease sharp enough to draw blood. He had loafers, no socks, and basically looked as though he'd just gone yachting on the SS Old Money.
"Suzze T just stopped by," Myron said.
Win nodded, jaw jutted. "I saw her on the way out."
"Did she look upset?"
"Didn't notice," Win said, taking a seat. Then: "Her breasts were engorged."
"She has a problem," Myron said.
Win leaned back, crossed his legs with his customary coiled ease. "Explain."
Myron spun his computer monitor so Win could see. An hour ago, Suzze T had done something similar. He thought about those two small words. Harmless enough on their own, but life is about context. And in this context, those two words chilled the room.
Win squinted at the screen and reached into his inside breast pocket. He plucked out a pair of reading glasses. He'd gotten them about a month ago, and though Myron would have said it was impossible, they made Win look even more haughty and stuck-up. They also depressed the hell out of him. Win and he weren't old—not by a long shot—but to use Win's golf analogy when he had first unveiled the glasses: "We are officially on the back nine of life."
"Is this a Facebook page?" Win asked.
"Yes. Suzze said she uses it to promote her tennis academy."
Win leaned a little closer. "Is that her sonogram?"
"And how does a sonogram promote her tennis academy?"
"That's what I asked. She said you need the personal touch. People don't just want to read self-promotion."
Win frowned. "So she posts a sonogram of a fetus?" He glanced up. "Does that make sense to you?"
In truth, it did not. And once again—with Win wearing reading glasses and the two of them whining about the new world of social networks—Myron felt old.
"Check out the picture comments," Myron said.
Win gave him the flat eyes. "People comment on a sonogram?"
"Just read them."
Win did. Myron waited. He had pretty much memorized the page. There were, he knew, twenty-six comments in all, mostly various good wishes. Suzze's mother, the aging poster child for Evil Stage (Tennis) Mom, for example, had written: "I'm going to be a grandma, everyone! Yay!" Someone named Amy said, "Aww cute!!!" A jocular "Takes after his old man! ;)" came from a session drummer who used to work with HorsePower. A guy named Kelvin wrote, "Congrats!!" Tami asked, "When's the baby due, sweetie?"
Win stopped three from the bottom. "Funny guy."
"Which one?"
"Some turdlike humanoid named Erik typed"—Win cleared his throat, leaned closer to the screen—" 'Your baby looks like a sea horse!' " and then Erik the Riot put the letters "LOL."
"He's not her problem."
Win was not placated. "Old Erik still might be worth a visit."
"Just keep going."
"Fine." Win's facial expressions rarely changed. He had trained himself in both business and combat to show nothing. But a few seconds later, Myron saw something darken in his old friend's eyes. Win looked up. Myron nodded. Because now Myron knew that Win had found the two words.
They were there, at the bottom of the page. The two words were in a comment made by "Abeona S," a name that meant nothing to him. The profile picture was some sort of symbol, maybe Chinese lettering. And there, all in caps, no punctuation, were the two simple yet wrenching words:
Then Win said, "Yowza."
Win took off his glasses. "Need I ask the obvious question?"
"That being?"
"Is it true?"
"Suzze swears that it's Lex's."
"Do we believe her?"
"We do," Myron said. "Does it matter?"
"Not on a moral basis, no. My theory? This is the work of some neutered crank."
Myron nodded. "The great thing about the Internet: It gives everyone a voice. The bad thing about the Internet: It gives everyone a voice."
"The great bastion for the cowardly and anonymous," Win agreed. "Suzze should probably delete it before Lex sees it."
"Too late. That's part of the problem. Lex has sort of run off."
"I see," Win said. "So she wants us to find him?"
"And bring him home, yes."
"Shouldn't be too difficult to find a famous rock star," Win said. "And the other part of the problem?"
"She wants to know who wrote this."
"The true identity of Mr. Neutered Crank?"
"Suzze thinks it's something bigger. That someone is truly out to get her."
Win shook his head. "It's a neutered crank."
"Come on. Typing 'Not his'? That's pretty sick."
"A sick neutered crank. Do you ever read the nonsense on this Internet? Go to any news story anywhere and look at the racist, homophobic, paranoid 'comments.' " He made quote marks with his fingers. "It will make you howl at the moon."
"I know, but I promised I'd look into it."
Win sighed, put the glasses back on, leaned toward the screen. "The person who posted it is one Abeona S. Is it safe to assume that's a pseudonym?"
"Yep. Abeona is the name of a Roman goddess. No idea what the S stands for."
"And what about the profile photograph? What's this symbol?"
"I don't know."
"You asked Suzze?"
"Yep. She said she had no idea. It looks almost like Chinese lettering."
"Perhaps we can find someone to translate it." Win sat back and re-steepled the fingers. "Did you notice the time the comment was posted?"
Myron nodded. "Three seventeen A.M."
"Awfully late."
"That's what I was thinking," Myron said. "This could just be the social-networking equivalent of drunk texting."
"An ex with issues," Win said.
"Is there any other kind?"
"And if I recall Suzze's rambunctious youth, there could be—conservatively speaking—several candidates."
"But none that she imagines doing something like this."
Win continued to stare at the screen. "So what's our first step?"
Myron moved around his renovated office. Gone were the posters of Broadway plays and Batman memorabilia. They'd been taken down during the paint job, and Myron wasn't really sure if he wanted to put them back up. Gone too were all his old trophies and awards from his playing days—his NCAA championship rings, his Parade All-American certificates, his College Player of the Year award—with one exception. Right before his first professional game as a Boston Celtic, as his dream was finally coming true, Myron had seriously injured his knee. Sports Illustrated put him on the cover with the tagline, IS HE DONE? and while they don't answer the question, it ended up being a big fat YUP! Why he kept the framed cover up he wasn't quite sure. If asked, he said that it was a warning to any "superstar" entering his office how quickly it can all go away, but Myron somehow suspected it went deeper than that.
"That's not your usual modus operandi," Myron said.
"Oh, do tell."
"This is usually the part where you tell me that I'm an agent, not a private eye, and that you don't see any purpose in doing this because there is no financial benefit to the firm."
Win said nothing.
"Then you usually complain that I have a hero complex and always need to rescue someone in order to feel complete. And lastly—or I should say, most recently—you tell me how my interfering has actually done more harm than good, that I've ended up hurting and even killing maybe more than I've saved."
Win yawned. "Is there a point?"
"I thought it was pretty obvious but here it is: Why suddenly are you willing—enthusiastic even—about taking on this particular rescue mission when in the past—"
"In the past," Win interrupted, "I always helped out, didn't I?"
"For the most part, yes."
Win looked up, tapped his chin with his index finger. "How to explain this?" He stopped, thought, nodded. "We have a tendency to believe good things will last forever. It is in our nature. The Beatles, for example. Oh, they'll be around forever. The Sopranos—that show will always be on the air. Philip Roth's Zuckerman series. Springsteen concerts. Good things are rare. They are to be cherished because they always leave us too soon."
Win rose, started for the door. Before he left the room, he looked back.
"Doing this stuff with you," Win said, "is one of those good things."
It did not take much to track down Lex Ryder.
Esperanza Diaz, Myron's business partner at MB Reps, called him at eleven P.M. and said, "Lex just used his credit card at Three Downing."
Myron was staying, as he often did, at Win's co-op in the legendary Dakota building, overlooking Central Park West on the corner of Seventy-second Street. Win had a spare bedroom or three. The Dakota dates back to 1884 and it looks it. The fortresslike structure was beautiful and dark and somehow wonderfully depressing. It's a hodgepodge of gables, balconies, finials, pediments, balustrades, half domes, cast iron, archways, ornate railing, stepped dormers—a bizarre blend that was somehow seamless, hauntingly perfect rather than overwhelming.
"What's that?" Myron asked.
"You don't know Three Downing?" Esperanza asked.
"Should I?"
"It's probably the hippest bar in the city right now. Diddy, supermodels, the fashionista, that crowd. It's in Chelsea."
"It's a little disappointing," Esperanza said.
"That a playah of your magnitude doesn't know all the trendy spots."
"When Diddy and I go clubbing, we take the white Hummer stretch and use underground entrances. The names blur."
"Or being engaged is cramping your style," Esperanza said. "So do you want to head over there and pick him up?"
"I'm in my pajamas."
"Yep, a playah. Do the pajamas have feetsies?"
Myron checked his watch again. He could be downtown before midnight. "I'm on my way."
"Is Win there?" Esperanza asked.
"No, he's still out."
"So you're going down alone?"
"You're worried about a tasty morsel like me in a nightclub on my own?"
"I'm worried you won't get in. I'll meet you there. Half hour. Seventeenth Street entrance. Dress to impress."
Esperanza hung up. This surprised Myron. Since becoming a mother, Esperanza, former all-night, bisexual party girl, never went out late anymore. She had always taken her job seriously—she now owned 49 percent of MB Reps and with Myron's strange travels of late had really carried the load. But after a decade-plus of leading a night lifestyle so hedonistic it would have made Caligula envious, Esperanza had stopped cold, gotten married to the uber-straight Tom, and had a son named Hector. She went from Lindsay Lohan to Carol Brady in four-point-five seconds.
Myron looked in his closet and wondered what to wear to a trendy nightspot. Esperanza had said dress to impress, so he went with his tried and true—jeans-blue-blazer-expensive-loafer look—Mr. Casual Chic—mostly because that was all he owned that fit the bill. There was really little in his closet between jeansblazer and all-out suit, unless you wanted to look like the sales guy at an electronics store.
He grabbed a cab on Central Park West. The cliché of Manhattan taxi drivers is that they are all foreign and barely speak English. The cliché may be true, but it had been at least five years since Myron had actually spoken to one. Despite recent laws, every single cabdriver in New York City wore a mobile-phone Bluetooth in his ear, twenty-four/seven, quietly talking in his native tongue to whoever was on the other end. Manners aside, Myron always wondered whom they had in their lives that wanted to talk to them all day. In this sense, one could argue that these were very lucky men.
Myron figured that he'd see a long line, a velvet rope, something, but as they approached the Seventeenth Street address, there was no sign of any nightclub. Finally he realized that the "Three" stood for the third floor and that "Downing" was the name of the quasi-high-rise in front of him. Someone went to the MB Reps School of Literal Business Naming.
The elevator arrived on the third floor. As soon as the doors slid open, Myron could feel the music's deep bass in his chest. The long queue of desperate wanna-enters started immediately. Purportedly, people went to clubs like this to have a good time, but the truth was, most stood on a line and ended up with a sharp reminder that they still weren't cool enough to sit at the popular kids' lunch table. VIPs walked right past them with nary a glance and somehow that made them want to go in more. There was a velvet rope, of course, signaling their lower status, and it was guarded by three steroid-stuffed bouncers with shaved heads and practiced scowls.
Myron approached with his best Win-like swagger. "Hey, fellas."
The bouncers ignored him. The biggest of the three wore a black suit with no shirt. None. Suit jacket, no shirt. His chest was nicely waxed, displaying impressive metrosexual cleavage. He was currently dealing with a group of four maybe-twenty-one-year-old girls. They all wore ridiculously high heels—heels were definitely in this year—so that they teetered more than strutted. Their dresses were skimpy enough for a citation, but really, that was nothing new.
The bouncer was examining them cattle-call style. The girls posed and smiled. Myron half expected them to open their mouths so he could examine their teeth.
"You three are okay," Cleavage told them. "But your friend here is too chunky."
The chunky girl, who was maybe a size eight, started to cry. Her three waiflike friends gathered in a circle and debated if they should go in without her. The chunky girl ran off in sobs. The friends shrugged and entered. The three bouncers smirked.
Myron said, "Classy."
The smirks turned his way. Cleavage met Myron's eyes, offering up a challenge. Myron met his gaze and did not look away. Cleavage looked Myron up and down and clearly found him wanting.
"Nice outfit," Cleavage said. "You on your way to fight a parking ticket in traffic court?"
His two compadres, both sporting tourniquet-tight Ed Hardy T-shirts, liked that one.
"Right," Myron said, pointing at the cleavage. "I should have left my shirt at home."
The bouncer on Cleavage's left made a surprised O with his mouth.
Cleavage stuck out his thumb, umpire-style. "End of the line, pal. Or better yet, just head out."
"I'm here to see Lex Ryder."
"Who says he's here?"
"I say."
"And you are?"
"Myron Bolitar."
Excerpted from "Live Wire"
by .
Copyright © 2013 Harlan Coben.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
What People are Saying About This
"A master storyteller."—New York Times Bestselling Author Luanne Rice
"Quite simply, Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors. His books have it all: nail-biting suspense, roller-coaster plots, relevant social issues, and pitch-perfect characters."—New York Times Bestselling Author Kristin Hannah
"Rich and compelling."—The Associated Press
"Mr. Coben spares his reader no emotional extreme...a fast-moving action tale."—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Live Wire is a stunning achievement in all respects—everything a thriller, and a novel, is supposed to be."—The Providence Journal
"Delivers a deceptively complex plot and illustrates why Myron is such an intriguing character…Coben…deftly shows that he has more stories to tell about his long-running character."—South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"One of Coben's most exciting and multidimensional tales yet…Gripping."—The Columbus Dispatch
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Okay, seriously. Harlan Coben doesn't set the price, the publishers do. The man worked hard to write the book, and the book critics have already been singing its praises and calling it his best book. Those are big words, considering the success he's had. The rating system is for the book itself, to give prospective customers an idea if it's any good. Don't throw up 1 and 2 star ratings because you think it's too expensive. I agree, the ebook does seem overpriced, but come on, use your heads! I got an advanced copy and must say it was great. Classic Harlan Coben/Myron Bolitar. I'm recommending it to all my friends. Readers -- Don't be turned off by all the people who want to rate a book based on it's price.
Former tennis star Suzze Tervantino visits MB Reps to ask her agent Myron Bolitar for help. Eight months pregnant, Suzze is hysterical as her husband rock star husband Lex Ryder, also a client of Myron, has vanished. She shows Bolitar an entry on Facebook claiming the child she carries is not sired by Ryder. Although other inline innuendos make the same proclamation, Suzze T swears to Bolitar that Ryder he is the dad (thanks to Maury). Bolivar has family issues so he feels for his client. With Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III at his side, he begins the search for Ryder at a time his father is dying and wants to see his estranged other son Brad. The inquiry into finding Brad leads Myron to his abandoned sister-in-law Kitty and his fifteen years old nephew Mickey whom he never met. Neither wants him in their lives. Live Wire is an exciting investigative thriller in which Bolitar works two family oriented cases. The insight into his past enhances what long time fans know of his first and second quarters of his life while the Suzze T inquiry forces the agent to look into her family's darkest secrets. With Win causing havoc, a great late twist, and a powerful look at family, fans will see a different compassionate side to the wise cracking agent. Harriet Klausner
Myron Bolitar is an agent who represents both former tennis star Suzze Tervantino and her rock star husband Lex Ryder. Suzze, who is about to give birth, asks Myron to locate her missing husband. Lex has vanished when a posting on Facebook says that the Suzze's child is not his. While searching for Lex, he sees the wife of his long estranged brother. Myron certainly has his plate full with not only dealing with his clients and the secrets they keep but with also his family and the hopeful reconciliation with his brother. This novel investigates family dynamics and the painful struggle we all face. I enjoyed the suspenseful searches and the exciting characters that a part of Myron's team. I will have to read more of these stories.
We first met Myron Bolitar back in 1995 in the book Deal Breaker. He was an athlete knocked out of the game by an injury right before his first professional start so he became a Sports Agent to keep him in the game if only from the sidelines. But he was more than an agent, he was a friend, a confidant, a problem solver, and a guy with an enormous heart that to protect his clients he also eventually becomes a private eye. With the help of his friends, Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win), and two gals who were a former tag team with the Fabulous Ladies Of Wrestling (FLOW), MB Reps has grown into a firm that not only handles athletes, but authors, actors, artists, and musicians. In this book we learn more about Myron's family and his past as he is forced to deal with some family issues. He is also trying to help former tennis star Suzze T (Trevantino) and rock star husband Lex get to the bottom of a paternity issue being posed about their unborn child on a Facebook page. Myron also learns that his family issues and these baby issues are intertwined in a way that leads him down a very dangerous path as he tries to find the truth that has been hidden for more than 15 years. I LOVED IT!!!!! I LOVED IT!!!!! I LOVED IT!!!!! If you have read the previous 9 Myron Bolitar novels and you think you know Myron Bolitar you will realize early into this book that you didn't know him at all. Harlan Coben is by far the best author ever of the suspense thriller. He grabs you from the first word and like the title of one of his previous novels HOLD(s on) TIGHT until the very last word and leaves you wanting more. The difference between this novel and others in this series is than we learn more about Myron Bolitar than we ever have before and Coben ties it into the latest mystery brilliantly. What starts out as a simple question of who posted the anonymous Facebook comment builds into the thriller Coben is famous for, and brings to light the things Bolitar has kept hidden or to himself in the other books. This is definitely a book you will want to read in one sitting, so plan accordingly and be prepared for a few surprises. This book proves than even Harlan Coben still has plenty up his sleeve to thrill and entertain us. Coben himself is the LIVE WIRE!!! Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Dutton, A Division of the Penguin Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
I loved this book. I read this book in two days. I could not put it down. Talk about being shock and plot twisting. The ending will really shock and suprise you. Also very touching. What a bunch of great charchters in this book. This is my favoirte book in the series. This is a must read!
Obviously I didn't get the free advance copy, nor did I buy the ebook. The old-fashioned, paid for hardcover suits me just fine. And so did Live Wire, a suspenseful story about interesting people full of twists and turns. It's so hard to imagine anyone not liking this novel.
could not put it down. between yu and mee, this was the best myron yet!
On a plus side it is a very fast paced and makes you trying to get to the end as quick as possible ( as good thriller should do). On a negative side, it suffers from using the same characters (Myron Bolitar, et al) for so long. I love Bolitar and Win characters but I don't remember any mention in previous novels of Bolitar's brother. Bringing this subject now - especially when it's supposed to affect Boplitar's family so much - made me cringe a bit. It definitely broke the mood of this novel for me.
What Hercule Poirot was to Agatha Christie, what Sherlock Holmes was to Conan Doyle, so is Myron Bolitar to Harlan Coben and Harlan, following in their esteemed footsteps, seems to have grown tired of his beloved sleuth and although Bolitar shows no evidence of wanting to become a bee-keeper or an avenging slayer, it seems Live Wire will be his final outing. While investigating a problem for one of his clients, Myron runs into his sister-in-law Kitty: since she is the cause of his decades-long estrangement from his brother, he is naturally anxious to talk to her. Before long Myron is emeshed in a maelstrom of madness and needs the combined efforts of his team, Win, Esperanza and, of course, Big Cyndi, to rescue him and his new-found nephew. The book ends with Myron's retirment: the business is sold, Esperanza - en-route to a divorce and showing signs of returning to her lady-loving ways - will run waht's left of it with Big Cyndi's help, Myron's parents, El and Al, will return to Florida, the New Jersey house sold, leaving him free to go to Angola to join fiance Terese. We are warned of a new series of books for young adults featuring nephew Mike [real name Myron] who has taken after his uncle in many ways - not only the name and smart mouth but also the supurb basketball skills. So perhaps Myron Bolitar, super agent and superslueth, is not completely lost to readers. Through Mike we will, hopefully, keep au fait with his doings, those of Esperanza and lovable Big Cyndi and, of course, everyone's favourite sociopath, the urbane and blue blooded homocidal maniac Win.
An enjoyable read in the Bolitar series, the characters are back on track and some events in this version really leave some what will become of the characters in your head.Also a really smart segway into the Mickey Bolitar series
Hurray! A new author to pursue! I picked this audio book up reluctantly, since I am not a big fan of sports. However, I found so much more in this story. The main character Myron, an agent for sports figures and celebrities, is far from perfect. He tries to fix everything for his clients; but when he starts on a simple road to figure out who posted something hateful on Facebook, his good intentions soon have events and his friends spiraling out of control. The mystery is a good one, with several layers to it. There is nice humor and background between Myron and those he works with.I listened to the audio version of this, and I'm thinking Steven Weber may be the best narrator I've heard yet. He did many voices and accents flawlessly, even females.
When you get a good one of this ilk you realize what skill it takes to write a throw away novel. Live Wire will never be confused with Crime and Punishment. What it will do is bring you several hours of entertainment with characters that you really care about. Lately I've read so much bad popular fiction that it really made me appreciate Mr. Coben. This one is not that different from his others. Myron gets involved in some kind of predicament involving one of his sports agent clients. Win supplies the muscle and we enjoy the ride. Like Dolly Parton used to say, its hard wok looking this cheap. Another solid entry from Harlen Coben
Coben back at the top of his game. Plot twists abound in another mystery featuring Myron Bolitar. One of his best page turners.
I love, love, love this series I wait and wait until Coben comes out with a new book and then I gobble it up as if I've been starving. This book was no exception. Fantastic!
Myron Bolivar and the one-of-a-kind Windsor (Win) Horne Lockwood III are two of my favorite characters in fiction today. In Live Wire, Harlan Coben again brings them to life in all their glory.What do you get when you mix a brother and sister-in-law who have been out of touch for 15 years, a pregnant ex-tennis star and her rocker husband, and modern day gangsters?...A great story!I literally could not put this book down¿I tore through it in one day.This is definitely at the top of my list of recommended reads.
LIVE WIRE by Harlan Coben is the tenth book in his Myron Bolitar series.A few years ago I went to a Harlan Coben event in St. Joseph, Michigan. At that time he mentioned that he was considering ending this series. I spoke out from the audience to say, please don¿t. He¿s written two Myron Bolitar (with his indispensable friend Win) novels since then, so I guess he was listening.But is this the last in the series?As a former basketball great and now co-owner of an agency that represents sports and entertainment personalities, Myron is visited by a client, Suzze, former tennis star. She wants Myron to find her husband, Lex, rock star and also Myron¿s client. Lex ran out on Suzze, pregnant and all, when he saw an anonymous post on Suzze¿s Facebook page: ¿NOT HIS.¿Right off the bat this book disappoints. Who would take seriously an anonymous post on the Internet? Everyone knows that anyone can say anything on the Internet.But if you just go with it and not think about that, LIVE WIRE does have Coben¿s typical plot and subplot, twists and turns, and Win. So Myron Bolitar fans can count on that even if the book doesn't quite measure up to Coben's others.Myron, who can¿t help but become involved in his clients¿ lives, finds Lex in a nightclub and, coincidentally, also finds his long-lost sister-in-law, Kitty. Or is it a coincidence?Kitty, another former tennis star, is now a mess. She's a heroin junkie so far gone she¿ll do anything, I mean ANYTHING, to get a fix. And she¿s at this nightclub without Myron¿s (also long-lost) brother, Brad. Where is he?Myron¿s father wants him to find out. One thing we love about Myron Bolitar is that he loves his parents. So Myron, in spite of great danger, finds out. After all, he has Win.While Myron looks for Brad, Myron finds his 15-year-old nephew, Mickey. And, wouldn¿t you know it, Mickey is tall like Myron and a basketball player.Does this introduction to Mickey signal the end of the Myron series? Is Myron now retiring? Clues seem to indicate that.I love Myron, and I love that he¿s getting older just like me. But could his age be reason to retire him?Lots of readers have loved this series, and I think they should read this. It¿s not Coben¿s best, but they¿ll want to know what happening with Myron. I think they, like me, will not be happy that Myron might be banished to the sidelines in favor of a teenager.
Best-selling writer Harlan Coben, author of close to two dozen superb, exciting, well-written crime novels, wrote two such books in 2011. This one is for his usual readers staring Myron Bolitar and featuring his zany friends: Big Cynti, the grossly overweight ever-helpful ex-wrestler with zany makeup; Esperanza, the beautiful sometime lesbian expert with computers, who is Myron's partner; and, of course Wyn, his devoted friend, multi millionaire, with a frightening ability to hurt people, which he enjoys, who has two oriental girlfriends Yu and Mee. The second novel called Shelter, which should be read after this one, is focused toward young readers, Coben's first such novel, which can be enjoyed by adults.The two books describe different incidences that occur at about the same time. This mystery is called Live Wire because this is the name of a musical band that plays a major part in this tale. Six foot four ex-basketball player Myron is an agent for entertainment people but he frequently stumbles upon situations where people need help and like a sensitive white knight he rides in to help despite the threat of personal danger. Myron's younger brother Brad who he loves dearly goes missing. Myron hasn't seen him for about fifteen years. The two very close siblings got into a fight about Kitty whom Brad was determined to and did marry. Where was Brad? Was he still alive? Why does Kitty refuse to tell him where Bad is?Kitty has become a drug addict. Myron sees a tape showing her committing degrading sex to obtain drugs. She is scared of something and runs. She and Brad have a son Mickey Bolivar, the hero of Shelter. Although Mickey is only fifteen years old, he is also six foot four, confronts his uncle Myron, and insists that Myron leave him and his mother alone. What is he hiding? Can't he realize that his mother needs help? Can't he understand that he can't handle all the problems he is facing by himself?Myron's client, ex-tennis star, and wife of one member of Live Wire is eight months pregnant. She receives a message on her facebook page that her baby is "Not His," meaning not her husband's. The message is signed with an unusual word and there is a strange symbol next to it. She insists that the child is her husband's. Her husband sees the posting and disappears. What does the name and symbol signify? What's going on with her husband? Myron soon realizes that the current events are tied to the apparent murder of a girl by Gabriel Wire, the band lead singer, about a dozen years ago. Soon there are many thrilling events traveling at car chase speed, including other deaths and Myron being attacked and Win taking brutal revenge. Readers will enjoy the book.
This was a good mystery and the first book in the Myron Bolitar series that I have read. The story was good and the characters were interesting. Overall an enjoyable story.
I read a lot. I've found some good writers and not so good writers. Harlan Coben is one of the best. As soon as I picked up Live Wire, I was engaged in the story. I like the characters; even Win and I look forward to HC's next book. The reasoning that some would give this less than 5 stars because they were afraid this would be his last book in the series escapes me. I realize that everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion, but why an author would end a great series also escapes me. We just went through this with Lee Child and Jack Reacher. Of course, if they allow Tom Cruise to play the part of Jack Reacher, that alone may very well end the series for me. The same for Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum. I sometimes think it's better to leave a book as a book. Making a movie out of a great character is about picking the right actor to play that part. You're never going to please all of us. I see Live Wire as a new beginning for Myron and I'm wondering how the relationship between Myron and Win is going to change. Too much to write. No time for the series to end. Relax everyone. They'll be back.
A mystery book that revolves around great hero's that exist as sports agents in New York. Myron Bolitar was a great basketball player who had promise for a professional career until he blew out his knee. His best friend Windsor Horne Lockwood III is a rich blue blood from the right side of the tracks and self described Rake. He owns the Dakota building where their office is located. His family has memberships to all the best clubs and he knows all the important people. Most importantly, Myron and Win love each other and would do anything to help and protect each other. They are also young, big, athletic and dangerous (especially Win). Coban is an author who tells an engaging story and peoples it with characters that are easy to visualize and either love or hate. The office receptionist, Big Cindy, is a tall large women who having been an intercontinental Women's Wrestling Federation Tag Team member can pull off wearing a shimmering purple Bat Girl costume while following someone through the streets of New York and (in her words), blending in. Her former team mate is now a recently law school graduate, 49% partner in the Sports Agency and was an extremely hot, compact foil for Big Cindy who went by the moniker, Pocahontas during her wrestling days. Coban also describes the physical attributes of the area his characters are occupying, with enough detail to make you feel if you are there. His descriptions also lend an atmosphere that contributes to the joy, fear, tenseness or other emotional content of the scene. The action never drags and the family warmth makes you want to join Myron's extended family (all of his clients he treats as family, interested in their lives and concerned for their welfare, he is loyal to them and they in return respect him for his attitude and loyalty). The story has lots of twists with characters that range from really evil mobsters to hormone enhanced muscle who love to be bullies. Myron and Win deal with either with equal aplomb. The running dialog is humorous and entertaining. Watching the extremes his players are subjected to and the endless drama they bring upon themselves and others, makes you glad to be a reader and not a player. Harlan Coben is an author who has come into his own and ranks among the very best. Reward yourself by spending time with one of his books!
Many readers have come to know Harlan Coben through the stand alone thrillers he writes - most of which are bestsellers. And really really good. But he also writes a great series featuring recurring character Myron Bolitar - a sports and entertainment rep who is also a lawyer - and his sidekick the enigmatic Win.hi Win is a very dapper, very wealthy, very scary kind of guy.Live Wire finds Myron dealing with problems much closer to home than ever before. His estranged brother's wife ends up on a video in a club, showing her shooting up and more. When Myron approaches her she runs. Two of his high profile clients - Lex, a musician and Suzze, a tennis star. are expecting their first child. But Lex has disappeared and online postings insist the child isn't Lex's. As he digs deeper, he finds an unlikely connection between the two mysteries.This is a fun series. The witty banter between Win and Myron is amusing. It's an unusual pairing that really works. Myron's ability to get himself in (and sometimes out) of problems using his silver tongue is always entertaining. The cases themselves are well plotted and move quickly. In Live Wire though, we get to see beneath the shiny surface of Myron and see some emotional underbelly.A great set of recurring characters to get hooked on.
Live Wire was a rare, successful story of murder with delightful sprinkles of sarcastic humor. The more I read from Harlan Coben, the more impressed I become. His characters are the type I usually eschew, the tough guy investigator: rich, handsome, perfect. What's interesting about that? But these guys are actually, well, guys who have depth beyond their profile. Its their personal history, the glimpses of sadness and regret that I identify with, that pulls me through the story. It is also a fresh storyline, with impossible twists. I can acceptt that, though, because the overall experience is all so very entertaining.
Another excellent Harlan Coben read. Read this one, then read Shelter. Although Shelter is classified as YA, it gives you the next step in the story. Highly recommend both books
I read this after Shelter. That's the wrong order. But it's not important. The stories are independent enough (and aimed at different audiences) to be read in reverse order. Somehow, Live Wire didn't seem up to the standards I expect from Coben. Don't ask me why - I'm not that smart. But that changed at the end of the book. In my opinion, a better than average ending managed to set up more than one book to follow, sequels for both Shelter and Live Wire. Coben's a pretty clever guy. Too bad he's not working on the national debt or something equally as complex.


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Afghan official: 9 workers killed in attackNine people, including a woman, who were working on a reconstruction project in a remote part of northern Afghanistan were shot dead in an attack on their guesthouse on Tuesday.
The attack took place in the Zari district of Balk province at 2 a.m., when gunmen burst into the workers' rooms as they slept, said Abdul Basset Ayni, director of the province's rural development department.
Seven of the dead were workers and the other two were security guards, Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said on his official Twitter feed.
The spokesman for the Balkh chief of police, Shir Jan Durrani, said that the workers were employed by the National Solidarity Program, which oversees rural development projects across the country.
All the dead were Afghan nationals, he said. An investigation team had been sent to the area and the motivation and perpetrators of the attack were still unknown. Durrani said.
Balkh has recently been beset by insurgent activity and a spike in violence since the Taliban launched its warm-weather offensive in late April.
A revitalized insurgency appears to be using a new strategy of sending much larger numbers of men on the battlefield to fight and hold territory, and has, according to Afghan officials, linked up with other anti-government and extremist groups including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the East Turkestan Independence Movement.
The deaths in Balkh come as a new report concludes that war in Afghanistan has killed almost 100,000 people, and wounded the same number, since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion overthrew the Taliban regime and sparked an insurgency.
The study, called Costs of War and produced by Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies, looks at war-related deaths, injuries and displacement in Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2001 to last year, when international combat troops left Afghanistan.
Civilian and military deaths in both countries total almost 149,000 people killed, with 162,000 seriously wounded, the report's author, Neta Crawford, found.
Noting a rise in annual figures for killed and wounded in recent years, she said the figures show that the war in Afghanistan is not ending. "It is getting worse," she said.
The U.N. said civilian casualties rose 16 percent in the first four months of 2015, with 974 people killed and a further 1,963 wounded.
While military deaths are logged with precision, Crawford said, civilian figures are difficult to source. The report's figures are based on statistics from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, as well as other sources, she said.
Most civilian deaths happened after 2007, with more than 17,700 civilian deaths recorded by UNAMA between 2009 and 2014. Most civilians were killed by militants, she said.
Breaking the figures down, the report finds that 26,270 Afghan civilians have been killed and 29,900 injured as a direct consequence of the war.
The overall figure includes civilians, Taliban and other militants, U.S. and allied forces, aid workers and journalists.
A downward trend in civilian deaths that began in 2008 had reversed, she said, and last year it became clear that insurgents were not distinguishing between civilian and combatants. Deaths that are impossible to attribute have also begun to rise.
As a consequence, "the health care system remains burdened by war and stressed due to the destruction of infrastructure and the inability to rebuild in some regions," Crawford said.
An ongoing humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by attacks on humanitarian workers by militants, she says in the report.

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Uh, yeah. Oops. I forgot to paste the link in originally. I fixed it. Coincidentally, I saw this link today in the LIFE section of USA Today.
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After a barren 20 years, Morocco's "Lions of the Atlas" are on their way to Russia to compete in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
They achieved this by finishing unbeaten in qualification, dominating a group which contained 2015 African champions, Ivory Coast, as well as Mali and Gabon.
The North Africans are drawn in Group B, where they will resume rivalries with European champions Portugal, against whom they achieved their most famous result in the competition, back in 1986, after qualifying for only the second time in their history.
Other teams in the group include 2010 world champions Spain, as well as Asian powerhouse, Iran who they meet in their tournament opener in Saint Petersburg on 15 June.
Morroco's history at the World Cup
Mexico 1970
The Lions of the Atlas' first attempt at qualifying for the showpiece was for the 1962 edition held in Chile, but it would only take them until their third time of trying to finally strike success, when they booked a place to Mexico as Africa's sole representative.
The were placed in Group Four, alongside eventual semifinalist, West Germany, Peru and Bulgaria.
They kicked off their campaign against a West Germany side which featured a host of big names such as Gerd Müller, Franz Beckenbauer, and Helmut Haller.
The gulf between the debutants and the 1954 champions was initially not evident, as Mohammed Jarir stunned the more fancied opponents with an early strike, just after the 20th minute – sending his side to the break leading 1-0.
Eleven minutes into the second half, the Germans' legendary skipper, Uwe Seeler restored parity, as he provided the equaliser, before Müller, gave them the lead with just 10 minutes left to play, destroying any chances of a dream debut, as the Lions suffered a 2-1 defeat.
Next up was Peru and, after a goalless first half, Morocco would endure somewhat of a nightmare after the hour mark, as three quick goals from the Peruvians – all within 10 minutes – meant a second defeat for the African outfit.
With Peru and West Germany occupying the top two spots in the group at six points apiece, Morocco vs Bulgaria was more for pride than anything else.
Neither side could come out victorious on the day, as both sides were forced to share the spoils after Maouhoub Ghazouani's strike in the second half cancelled out Dobromir Zhechev first half goal to finish the game at 1-1, ending a disappointing debut for the Lions.
2018 World Cup: A history of Nigeria at the World Cup
Mexico 1986
Three consecutive unsuccessful qualifying campaigns followed, before the World Cup ws back in Mexico again in 1986, and Morocco managed to do well enough to book a place in the tournament once again.
Coached by Brazilian, Jose Faria, they finished fourth in the African Cup of Nations played prior to the global showpiece, they were one of the continents better side – but a bigger stage posed a bigger challenge.
Group stage
They were drawn with European powerhouses in England, Poland, as well as Portugal in Group F.
Their campaign kicked off against Poland, and would end in disappointment for both sides, as neither could find the breakthrough, eventually ending goalless.
Morocco next took on an England side captained by Bryan Robson, boasting the likes of Gary Lineker, Ray Wilkins and Peter Shilton.
The result was however similar to their previous outing, as both sides had to settle for a stalemate with no goals forthcoming.
Going into their final group fixture in second place on the standings with just two points, their next task was against Portugal, who were making their first appearance in the competition in 20 years, having last appeared in 1966, when it was hosted and won by England, whom they beat in their opening fixture of this edition.
The encounter would prove to be Morocco's finest moment in their World Cup history, as they raced to a 2-0 lead, via a quick brace from Abderrazak Khairi in the first half.
Krimau made it 3-0 early in the second half, and not even an 80th minute strike from Diamantino could spur the Portuguese into a late resurgence, as the Lions booked their place into the next round with a 3-1 victory, sending their opponents back home as they were the only side in the Group not to progress.
Second round
If the group stage was tough on paper, the knockout stages would prove even tougher as they were drawn against an old foe, West Germany in the round of 16.
The North Africans put on a valiant effort, as they managed to run the European giants close, keeping them quiet for 87 minutes, before Lothar Matthaus' decisive late strike ended the Lions campaign, with West Germany going through to the quarterfinals.
Also read: A 2018 Russia World Cup stadium looks a lot like a South African one
Morocco failed to qualify for the Italy World Cup in 1990, but were back at it again four years later.
The Lions eased past the first round of qualification unbeaten, before being drawn with Senegal and Zambia, who were rebuilding from the tragic 1993 plane crash where their entire squad – including the coaching staff were killed in the Atlantic Ocean.
The North Africans were in top form in qualification, losing once to Chipolopolo, as they pipped them by one point to book their tickets to the US of A.
World Cup finals
Representing Africa alongside Nigeria and 1990 quartefinalists, Cameroon, Morocco were drawn alongside the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Belgium.
They wouldn't get off to the best start, as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Belgium in their opening game, before going down 2-1 to Saudi Arabia.
Things would not improve, as they next faced the Netherlands, with Dennis Bergkamp opening the scoring two minutes from the break, before a quick response in the second half from Hassan Nader leveled matters.
Second half sub, Bryan Roy would break Moroccan hearts, as he scored just 10 minutes after taking the field to give his side a 2-1 victory, and round off his opponents' worst World Cup campaign to date.
2018 World Cup: Why are Bafana Bafana not competing?
France 1998
For the first time in their history, the Lions managed to qualify for two consecutive World Cups.
They booked their place alongside a five-strong African contingent of Cameroon and Nigeria – who had both respectively advanced to the quarterfinals in each of the previous two editions – as well as Tunisia, who were competing in their second tournament, joined by debutants, South Africa.
World Cup finals
In the finals, they were drawn alongside, defending champions, Brazil, as well as Norway and Scotland.
Morocco kicked off their campaign against Norway in Stade de la Mosson in Montpelier, going up against the likes of Manchester United legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Chelsea's Tore Andre Flo, while boasting one of Africa's best players at the time, Mustapha Hadji in their ranks.
Hadji would show his worth in the first half as, with less than ten minutes before the break, he opened the scoring, before his goal was cancelled out by an unfortunate own goal from Youssef Chippo.
Abdel Hadda restored Morocco's lead, but it was only for a minute, as Dan Eggen made it 2-2, which remained the final score.
Next was a daunting task of facing the world champions, and it would prove too big of an assignment, as the contest was pretty much over by halftime.
Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto provided the goals as Brazil raced to 3-0 before the break, giving the North Africans their worst World Cup defeat in history.
They would however bounce back in their next game, dishing out the same treatment to Scotland as they themselves ran off 3-0 winners, a brace from Salah Bassir, with Hadda netting his second of the tournament.
That would not be enough to see them through to the next round, as they once again failed to emulate the heroics of 1986.
2018 World Cup: A history of Senegal at the World Cup


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Now showing items 1-10 of 13
Improving hole injection efficiency by manipulating the hole transport mechanism through p-type electron blocking layer engineering
The p-type AlGaN electron blocking layer (EBL) is widely used in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for electron overflow suppression. However, a typical EBL also reduces the hole injection efficiency, because holes ...
Improved InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes with a p-GaN/n-GaN/p-GaN/n-GaN/p-GaN current-spreading layer : errata
The errata consists of the correction to one typo of the reach-through breakdown voltage for each p-GaN/n-GaN/p-GaN junction [Opt. Express 21, 4958-4969 (2013)].
On the mechanisms of InGaN electron cooler in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes
Electron overflow limits the quantum efficiency of InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes. InGaN electron cooler (EC) can be inserted before growing InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) to reduce electron overflow. However, ...
InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well light-emitting diodes with a grading InN composition suppressing the Auger recombination
In conventional InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs), thin InGaN quantum wells are usually adopted to mitigate the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE), caused due to strong polarization induced electric field, through ...
Polarization self-screening in [0001] oriented InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes for improving the electron injection efficiency
InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) grown along the [0001] orientation inherit very strong polarization induced electric fields. This results in a reduced effective conduction band barrier height for the p-type AlGaN ...
Low thermal-mass LEDs : size effect and limits
In this work, low thermal-mass LEDs (LTM-LEDs) were developed and demonstrated in flip-chip configuration, studying both experimentally and theoretically the enhanced electrical and optical characteristics and the limits. ...
Enhanced hole transport in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well light-emitting diodes with a p-type doped quantum barrier
We study hole transport behavior of InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes with the dual wavelength emission method. It is found that at low injection levels, light emission is mainly from quantum wells near p-GaN, indicating ...
p-doping-free InGaN/GaN light-emitting diode driven by three-dimensional hole gas
Here, GaN/AlxGa1-xN heterostructures with a graded AlN composition, completely lacking external p-doping, are designed and grown using metal-organic-chemical-vapour deposition (MOCVD) system to realize three-dimensional ...
Improved InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes with a p-GaN/n-GaN/p-GaN/n-GaN/p-GaN current-spreading layer
This work reports both experimental and theoretical studies on the InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with optical output power and external quantum efficiency (EQE) levels substantially enhanced by incorporating ...
PN-type quantum barrier for InGaN/GaN light emitting diodes
In this work, InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with PN-type quantum barriers are comparatively studied both theoretically and experimentally. A strong enhancement in the optical output power is obtained from the ...


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What Is Strategic Sourcing ?
Strategic Sourcing is Supply Chain Solutions.
We need to understand the meaning of "sourcing" and "Strategic" before answering the question about what is strategic sourcing.
"Sourcing" means the buying of components or products from an outside supplier, often one located abroad.
"Strategic" means relating to the most important, general aspects of something such as a military operation or political policy.
Strategic sourcing is also call strategic purchasing in some cases. It is an approach to supply chain management that formalizes the way information is gathered and used so that an organization can leverage its consolidated purchasing power to find the best possible values in the marketplace.
Strategic sourcing requires analysis of what an organization buys, from whom, at what price and at what volume. It differs from conventional purchasing. Because it places emphasis on the entire life-cycle of a product, not just its initial purchase price.
For example, products made in China is famous as lower price. If you are planning to importing most of the main products from 2~3 suppliers or manufacturers in China, that is the strategic purchasing or sourcing.
Strategic sourcing is a complete procurement solutions, it includes supplier development, products sourcing, and relating issue solutions. The core of it is cost down and safety.
- Find a good manufacturer is easy, but it is not the best one for your projects or products.
- Discover products at low price is easy, too. However, it is not easy to find products at low price and good quality.
Along with the fast fierce development of the industry of manufacturing and supply chain, China have become the destination of strategic sourcing.


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A few months ago I began life drawing. It's fun, creative and challenging all at the same time. There is only one problem. I can't draw. Despite loving art, I have never drawn in my life (unless you count school art classes). So when I sit down to draw there is always a voice inside me that says 'you can't do this, you are not an artist, you can't draw'. My answer to that voice is 'I know but I am going to try anyway'.
Writing is the same. Whenever I'm about to begin writing there is a voice that tells me 'you can't do this, you are not a writer, you don't even know where to begin'. Again, my answer is 'I know but I am going to try anyway'. I have to block that voice out and ask myself: what is this story about? What am I trying to say? what is the best way to write this? I don't bother to argue with the voice. I concentrate on the doing rather than thinking about the doing. I put down one word after another and before long I'm writing. It's not until I finish that I stop to think, 'I did it' and then, good or bad, it's done. My drawing is terrible but I'm seeing improvement every week and the most important thing is I'm enjoying the process. I'm embracing the difficulty rather than running from it.
One of my favorite quotes from our author interviews is from fantasy writer Jennifer Wilson who said 'I stopped saying I can't and started doing it. I have been writing with fervent passion ever since. Sometimes we are the biggest thing holding ourselves back'. Far too many of us get in our own way. Self-doubt tricks us into inaction. It makes picking up that pen so much harder than it needs to be. The fear of putting yourself out there never really goes away but you can get used to dealing with it. Start it now. Before you feel ready. Before you have a chance to overthink it.
Analyzing what you have to do, making more plans for your plans, lists of your lists, will simply freeze you up. Start small and scrappy and keep going. It doesn't have to be the best book in the world. It just has to be written. Next time you find yourself holding yourself back, procrastinating, telling yourself you can't or questioning your ability, don't bother to argue with your own inner voice. Simply take action. Do it anyway.


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Lepidium meyenii or maca is an herbaceous biennial plant or annual plant (some sources say a perennial plant) native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru. It is grown for its fleshy hypocotyl (actually a fused hypocotyl and taproot), which is used as a root vegetable and a medicinal herb. Its Spanish and Quechua names include maca-maca, maino, ayak chichira, and ayak willku.
The growth habit, size, and proportions of the maca are roughly similar to those of the radish and the turnip, to which it is related. The stem is short and lies along the ground, with only the tips curling up. The frilly leaves are born in a rosette at the soil surface, and are continuously renewed from the center as the outer leaves die. The off-white, self-fertile flowers are born on a central raceme, and are followed by 4-5 mm siliculate fruits, each containing two small (2-2.5 mm) reddish-gray ovoid seeds. The seeds, which are the plant's only means of reproduction, germinate within five days, given good conditions, and have no dormancy.
Maca is the only member of its genus with a fleshy hypocotyl, which is fused with the taproot to form a radish- or inverted-pear-shaped body roughly 10-15 cm long and 3-5 cm wide.
Maca is traditionally grown at altitudes of approximately 3,750-4,350 m (12,500-14,500 ft). It grows well only in very cold climates with relatively poor soil. Although it has been cultivated outside the Andes it is not yet clear that it has the same constituents or potency when this is done. Hypocotyls do not form in greenhouses or in warm climates.
For approximately 2000 years maca has been an important traditional food and medicinal plant in its growing region. It is regarded as a highly nutritious food and as a medicine that enhances strength and endurance and also acts as an aphrodisiac. Maca roots are eaten in various ways locally. It can be roasted or boiled in water to form a sweet dish. The dried roots can be mixed with milk to make porridge, or used as flour for baking. If fermented, a weak beer called "chicha de maca" can be produced. The leaves can be eaten as a vegetable, or as a salad, and taste similar to cress.
In addition to sugars and proteins, maca contains uridine, malic acid and its benzoyl derivative, and the glucosinolates, glucotropaeolin and m-methoxyglucotropaeolin. The methanol extract of maca tuber also contained (1R, 3S)-1-methyltetrahydro--carboline-3-carboxylic acid, a molecule which is reported to exert many activities on the central nervous system. The nutritional value of dried maca root is high, similar to cereal grains such as rice and wheat. It contains 60% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 8.5% dietary fiber, and 2.2% fats. Maca is rich in essential minerals, especially selenium, calcium, magnesium, and iron, and includes fatty acids including linolenic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acids, and 19 amino acids, as well as polysaccharides. Maca's reported beneficial effects for sexual function could be due to its high concentration of proteins and vital nutrients, though maca contains a chemical called p-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate, which reputedly has aphrodisiac properties.
Small-scale clinical trials performed in men have shown that maca extracts can heighten libido and improve semen quality, though no studies have been performed on men with sexual dysfunction or infertility. Maca has not been shown to affect sex hormone levels in humans. In addition, maca has been shown to increase mating behavior in male mice and rats.
Maca works as an adaptogen, instigating the production of certain minerals essential to health, and analysis reveals a brain-powering profile of amino acids, minerals, sterols, and fatty acids. Because Maca is a vegetable rather than a medicine, it can safely be eaten in any quantity by men and women of any age group.
In Peruvian herbal medicine, the maca root is reported to be used as an immuno-stimulant, for anemia, tuberculosis, menstrual disorders, menopause symptoms, stomach cancer, sterility (as well as other reproductive and sexual disorders), and to enhance memory.
Maca has been known to be beneficial for:
- Energy - by balancing the endocrine system - thyroid, pituitary, pancreas and adrenal glands.
- Wellbeing, vitality, emotional balance and stamina
- Change of life discomfort such as hot flushes, breast tenderness, sleeplessness, mood swings and brain fog.
- Low Libido - Maca's aphrodisiac qualities increase sex drive and may relieve other low libido effects like decreased vaginal lubrication.
- General menstrual irregularity - it is well known that menstrual irregularity, like short and long cycles, too little or too much bleeding, spotting, pain etc. can stem from poor nutritional absorption ie, Vit B6, magnesium, EFA's, which in turn upsets the body's delicate hormonal system. As Maca is a whole food organically grown it retains maximum nutritional value, unlike many of the foods on the supermarket or green grocer's shelf.
- Healthy Fertility - Pregnancy demands extra nutrients for a healthy baby. Unfortunately, many of today's women are overworked, stressed and/or have a long history of taking the Birth Control Pill find that their fertility is compromised. Eating Maca Powder can be an affordable, excellent nutritional addition to every woman's diet. Peruvian women start to take maca at the age of three, then gradually include it as a staple part of their diet. They are fertile well into later life.


text: Background Check Consent to Perform Criminal History Background Check in Compliance with the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) Date*Driver's License #Camp Fire Staff ContactLast Name*Middle Name*First Name*Maiden Name / AliasesStreet Address*Apt. #City*County*State & Zip*Date of Birth*Gender*MaleFemaleAuthorization StatementThis authorization and consent for release of personal information acknowledges that Camp Fire Snohomish County and/or its agent, Trak-1 Technology, may now, or at any time I am assigned to, volunteer with or am employed by this Company, conduct investigations whether the records are of a public, private or confidential nature. These investigations might include, but are not limited to, searches of educational institutions attended, state driving records, financial or credit institutions, including records of loans, records of commercial or retail credit agencies, other financial statements, records of previous employment, including work history, efficiency ratings, complaints and grievances filed by or against me, records and recollections of attorney-at-law or of other counsel, whether representing me or any other person (in either a civil or criminal case in which I have been involved), records from the U.S. Veteran's Administration, criminal history information of file in local, state, or federal agencies, and motor vehicle records, and following an employment offer, worker's compensation reports from either the Department of Labor, National Personnel Records or the Industrial Commission of National Personnel Records Center, or other custodian of my military service record, to release to Trak-1 Technology, the following information and/or copies of documents from my military service record: DD124, service record, and any disciplinary records.I understand that these searches will be used to determine work assignments or employment eligibility under the Company's employment or volunteer policies. Therefore, I authorize and consent for full release of records (either orally or in writing) to the authorized representatives of the Company. In addition, I release and discharge the Company and its agent and associates to the full extent permitted by law from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs expenses or any other charge or complain filed with any agency arising from retrieving and reporting this information. I understand that according to the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, I am entitled to know whether employment was denied based upon the information obtained and to receive, upon written request, a disclosure of the background report. I also understand that I may request a copy of the report from: Trak-1 Technology / PO Box 130159 / Houston, TX 77219 at telephone number 1-800-600-8999. After reading this document, I fully understand its contents and authorize the background verification.Are you applying for employment in California, Minnesota, or Oklahoma?*YesNoIf so, do you want a copy of any Consumer Report prepared concerning you?YesNoI understand that California law required Company to give me a copy of any report requested within seven (7) days of the date the information was obtained and that failure to do so will expose Company to liability )Section 1786.29).*AS SHOWN ON ORIGINAL APPLICATION **TO BE USED ONLY FOR CRIMINAL HISTORY SEARCHES, AND NOT PART OF THE PERSONNEL FILE.The following are my responses to questions about my criminal record history (if any) with descriptions to any question with a Yes answer: 1) Have you ever been convicted or plead guilty before a court of any federal, state, or minicipal criminal offense? (Excluding minor traffic violations)*YesNoIf yes, please provide an explanation below.2) Have you ever received deferred adjudication or similar disposition for any federal, state or municipal criminal offense? (Excluding minor traffic violations)*YesNoIf yes, please provide an explanation below.3) Have you ever received probation or community supervision for any federal, state or municipal criminal offense?*YesNoIf yes, please provide an explanation below.4) Have you ever been arrested for molesting or abusing a minor?*YesNoIf yes, please provide an explanation below.5) Have you ever been convicted of any criminal offense in a country outside of the jurisdiction of the United States?*YesNoIf yes, please provide an explanation below.6) As of the date of this authorization, do you have any pending criminal charges against you?*YesNoIf yes, please provide an explanation below.This section is to be used to list all the counties and states of residence since age 18 or High School graduation. You must be specific about dates of residence.Residence #1City/Town*County*State*Date From*Date To*Additional ResidencesResidence #2) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #3) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #4) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #5) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #6) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #7) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #8) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToResidence #9) City/TownCountyStateDate FromDate ToI HEREBY CERTIFY THAT ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS AUTHORIZATION IS TRUE, CORRECT AND COMPLETE. I UNDERSTAND THAT IF ANY INFORMATION PROVES TO BE INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE THAT GROUNDS FOR THE CANCELLING OF ANY AND ALL OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT WILL EXIST AND MAY BE USED AT THE DISCRETION OF CAMP FIRE SNOHOMISH COUNTY.By checking this box, I am agreeing to the above statement.* YES


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Sometimes you don't need a big, huge bag to schlep around your things in. Sometimes, you just need to carry the essentials. This perfect
can go from weekend, to work, to cocktails in a snap.
Below, I've paired it with a few of my essentials for each situation. The best part is that it looks chic in all three scenarios and helps to make the outfit feel a little more sophisticated.
No. 1 - Weekend
I imagine myself grabbing these essentials and heading to the nearest park to read. I threw in the charcoal juice because on the weekends, one can't help but add a little detox after a night of fun. Just grab your comfy, well-worn denim shirt and your favorite sneaks and enjoy a no-screen afternoon in front of a new book.
No. 2 - Work
When it comes to work, this little envelope is already perfectly polished. Add a blouse, a nude lip and some smart glasses and you will be ready for the boardroom in no time. Even if you need to carry a lot, this clutch can fit in a larger bag and hold your credit cards, spare hair clip and your phone. Then you can grab on your way out to get lunch and not have to take the gargantuan bag.
No. 3 - Cocktails
Let me be honest, I have worn this combo to work as well. But add lashes and a bold lip and you are ready for cocktail hour. I love the little sparkle of the shoe that adds to a more playful, cocktail-ready look. The clutch is right at home with the glamour of the necklace and the flirty lashes. I like that it is big enough to hold more than just essentials. You might even be able to sneak in a small scarf to keep you warm.
Needless to say, my
will be by my side come spring. Make sure to also check out their seriously adorable saddle bags they just came out with.
This post was brought to you by
. Thank you for supporting the brands featured on this blog.


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Beautifully studio completely reformed in Casares Pueblo.
Charming studio in the centre of Casares Pueblo where you can enjoy the atmosphere of this captivating traditional Andalucian white village set in the hills surrounded by a nature reserve. Sunshine can be enjoyed all day on the terrace with sea views.
Sold furnished inclusive of storage bed.
Community swimming pool, gym and tennis courts for community use. Low community fees 42 per annum. No management fees. Free public parking nearby.
It has mountain views and all day long sunshine. Very central location, just two minutes walk to all local amenities and 15 minutes drive to the coast of Sabinillas and Estepona.
Prices do not include taxes, legal fees, stamp duties nor notary fees associated with purchase. Rates may vary.


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Family Guy is the first Canceled Show to be Resurrected because of its great DVD sales.
US$2 million are spent to make each episode of Family Guy.
Chris' voice in Family Guy is based on Buffalo Bill from "Silence of the Lambs".
The unattractive Meg Griffin is actually voiced by the beautiful Mila Kunis.
Family Guy is banned in Indonesia, Taiwan, Iran, Vietnam, Egypt, South Korea, South Africa, and Malaysia.
Family Guy started as a Cartoon Network short in 1997.
Family Guy's creator had a ticket for a 9/11 plane but came 10 minutes late.
The Simpsons crew sent flowers to South Park studios when they parodied Family Guy.


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