Shim

Onaleaveofabsencefromthepoliceforce,LutherislayinglowinarundowncottageontheedgeofEnglandbutavisitfromhisoldcolleaguesattheMetbringsashockingpieceofnewsthatdrawshimbacktoLondoninsearchofthetruth.Meanwhile,agruesomeserialkillerhasstruckthecity.Withatrailofcluesleadingfromonecrimescenetothenext,Schenkandhisteammustworkoutthetwistedlogicthatconnectseachvictimbutthismurderingmastermindismorethanamatchforthepolice,outsmartingthemateverystep.It’snotlongbeforeLutherisbackintheBullpen,determinedtostealamarchonthekillerbeforeit’stoolate.

爱情，从来行动大于言语威伦，一个出生在情人节的年轻人，却从来不知道爱情——甚至连他父母的爱都不知道。他遇到了一个对他表现出同情和温柔的人Valen,ayoungmanbornonValentine’sDaybuthasneverknownlove-noteventheloveofhisparents.Andhemeetssomeonewhoshowshimcompassionandtenderness.

PhotographerCharlesCastleisnumbedwithgrieffollowingthedeathofhisbeautifulbride.Hegoesofftowar,workinginthetrenchesasaphotographer.FollowingthewarandstillingriefCharlesisgivensomephotographspurportingtobeoffairies.HissearchforthetruthleadshimtoBurkinwell,aseeminglypeacefulvillageseethingwithsecretswherehebecomesdrawnintoawebofpassion,romanceandviolence..

Twenty-three-year-oldPeterFosterisanonlychildwholivesathome,whereheconstantlyhearshisparentsarguing.BecausePeterdoesnothingallday,thefamilygoestoaclinicwhereatherapistvideotapesthem.AfterPeterwatcheshistape,heviewsthetapeofatroubledArmenianfamily,whogavetheironlysonawayforadoptionwhentheyarrivedinCanada.Peterdecidestovisitthisfamily,andhepretendstobetheirson,BedrosDeryan.TheDeryanfamilywelcomeshimwithopenarms,andPetertriestopatchupthepoorrelationshipbetweenGeorgeDeryanandhisdaughterAzah.

ThealphasrescueDr.Rosen’sestrangedalphadaughterfromanassassin.ShecarriesacarefullycodedmessagestolenfromRedFlag.ButDr.Rosensuspectsit’sarusewhichleadshimtowww.77mi.cctakeprecipitousaction.

'HOUSEOFDARKNESS'followsamanwhodrivesawomanhomeaftertheymeetoverdrinksinalocalbar.Whensheinviteshimintoherhomeforanightcap,however,theeveningdoesn'tfollowthefamiliarpathtowardseduction.Doorscreakandlightsflickerandgooutasthemankeepspushingforromance,evenwhenunexpectedoccurrencesoffsethisattemptsataromanticconnecti...

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebothareprospectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexpedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerbrotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughbrave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts-andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodespiteheryouthisversedintheu搜索引擎优化fhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelpingtheprince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag-butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hopingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingpowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialpriesthoodandalsotherespectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,supportAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone-eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoapotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-experiencedJoabregardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershipthekingdomwouldsoonfallapart.WhentheprophetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconspiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestopassthatpreparationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSpringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamped,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiveprocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandthepeopleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.ThepeoplepromptlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost-forthetimebeing.Humblyheplaceshislifeinhisbrother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisbrotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedployonbehalfofhisbrothertoreclaimthethrone-Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhispoliticalpositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownpower.HehashisbrotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstopresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordappearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom-inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgyptislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitspowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughterofthepharaoh.TheEgyptianprincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforpoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhepreservespeaceforhispeople,andcreatesgreatprosperity.ByallowingthewomentocontinuepracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththepriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofapproval.OneofthemostimportanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTempletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemplesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HeplacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscompleted.Theexpensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenbroughtfromfar-offlands,andthepeopleofIsraelhavepaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomplaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTempleinatriumphantprocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredpossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeoplestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytocelebratethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandbringsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongthepeopleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemplemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,captivatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeeplyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobedeprivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththepassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,skepticaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtorepresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadoptanykindofsteadypolicy,especiallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathofthepriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamappealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghispeople,asimplefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:"Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme."Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfspeakstoSolomonandannouncesthepunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollapseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththepeopleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcompanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversinceaprophetpredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings-hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,andprovokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoparts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Theprophecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.

GuyForkstakesplaceonthebuild-uptobonfirenightinScatterbrook,whereWorzelfindshimselfinperilafteranargumentresultsinhimagreeingtoswapjobswithhiscousin,aGuyFawkeseffigy.

InJuly2016,IslamicterroristsstormedapopularcaféinupscaleDhakaandhelditspatronshostage,killingmorethan20peopleandsendingshockwavesacrossthesubcontinent.Faraazistheyoungestsonofarich,politicallyconnectedfamily.Thatevening,hemeetshisfriendsatthecaféandfindshimselfcaughtinthecrossfire.Howhereactstothenightmarishsituationformstheheartofthestory.Offsettingnail-bitingtensionwithunexpectedhumour–oftenattheexpenseofineptlaw-enforcementofficials–HansalMehta(Aligarh,LFF2015)bringshistrademarksensitivity,nuanceandempathytothisfictionalisedretelling.ItisparticularlystrikingforthewayitlooksatreligiousextremismfromtheperspectiveofMuslimswhohaveseentheirfaithquestionedanddemonisedbecauseoftheactionsofradicalextremists.

Ayearhaspassed,LordGlendenninghasdiedandMorayisworkinginParis.RecentlymarriedtothephilanderingTomWeston,whohasayoungdaughterFlora,Katherine,nowowneroftheParadise,summonsMoraytoreturnandrevitalizethestore,whichislosingtrade.OnarrivalbackheproposestoDenise,whoisstillemployedattheParadise,andAudreyproposestoEdmund.Newstaffnumbershop-girlSusyandstore-manNathaniel,theformerinlovewiththelatter,unawarethatheisasaboteurforFenton,arivaltradesmanseekingtobuytheParadise.KatherineisawarethatWestonalsowantsthesaleandurgesMoraytomakeasuccessofthegrandreopening.SuspiciousofNathaniel’sactions,Deniseexposeshim,leadingtohisdismissalandahugelyprofitablefirstdayunderMoray’smanagement.SeeingitspotentialWestoncallsoffhisdealwithFenton.