Seven years ago in Cape Town three young white South African schoolboys were abducted in broad daylight on three consecutive days. They were never heard of again.Now, a new case for the unpredictable Colonel Vaughn de Vries casts a light on the original enquiry; for him, a personal failure which has haunted him for those seven years and has cost him his marriage and peace of mind.A former British government agent, friend to De Vries, provides intelligence on this new case, ...

Most people playing online poker think they are winning players when they're actually losing month after month. But, if you have basic knowledge of the game and follow Paul Mendelson's techniques, you can ensure that you win regularly and consistently.Find out how to:Select the best poker sites for your standard.Analyse your opponents and their games.Adapt your game to combat the styles of play you meet.Counter the costly dangers of 'til...

This is a book for the three million 'social' bridge players (in the UK alone) who know the rules and can play a reasonable hand, but want to refine their skills and improve their understanding of the game.The 121 bridge tips range from simple to more advanced and all offer solid advice on how best to deal with a variety of situations. Tips are clearly explained and are followed by an example hand and a reader's test. There is no simpler way to improve your bridge.

Learn how to play bridge with this simple step-by-step guide.While good bridge classes are, of course, of great value, this book is itself the complete tutorial. It will help you to learn properly without other help and give you a solid foundation on which to start playing this absorbing game.Work at your own paceUnderstand the key basic principlesLearn about the Acol system of biddingDiscover how to play a hand, both as declarer and in defence

Even after the release of Nelson Mandela and the promise of free elections, extremist groups terrorized South Africa, bombing churches, opening fire in bars and restaurants. Nearly twenty-five years ago, as a young Captain, Vaughn de Vries finds himself in pursuit of the suspects of a fatal bombing in his precinct, under the command of one of the most feared white police officers of the time: Major Kobus Nel. Out of radio communication and without clear evidence, the SAPS barge into a town...

In bridge, there are thousands of rules, guidelines, and understandings - but which are golden?Many players enjoy their game without knowing some of the most significant underlying facts about the game, making mistakes which ruin their scores. With some gentle and entertaining reading, all players can improve their game hugely, just by knowing the Golden Rules of Bridge.From thirty years of teaching and playing, Paul Mendelson presents a book containing what he considers ar...

There is such an abundance of hints, tips and advice available to bridge players that when faced with a particularly difficult problem, we find ourselves scrambling to remember that crucial solution. In this book, Paul Mendelson explains that when you stop trying to remember what to do, but simply think instead, the answers to expert problems become more apparent, accessible and easier to apply at the table.Packed with tips, examples, hands to study and practise at the tab...

When the South African Police Service receive a panicked call for help from the wayward daughter of a former Apartheid-era politician, they discover only her body but, within it, a message which will take Colonel Vaughn de Vries and Don February of the Special Crimes Unit on a journey through their country - and their country's past - to decipher and resolve.As organised crime grips South Africa, new players arrive in Cape Town, determined to exploit the poor and hopeless, promisin...

From the author of the acclaimed The First Rule of Survival, praised by Lee Child as 'excellent and uncompromising', comes Paul Mendelson's explosive latest thriller.Apostle Lodge looks out over the ocean, an award-winning mansion built by a renowned architect. Stark and minimal, its black opaque windows hide a terrible secret. As Colonel Vaughn de Vries investigates the depraved crime committed within its walls, he believes there may be more than one killer on th...

This book shows you how to improve your bridge at both a social and competitive level.Clear examples explain the detail of modern Acol bidding. This will enable the reader to plan and reassess their campaign step-by-step and calculate with precision who holds which cards.Guidance is also given on how and when to obstruct or bluff, how to pinpoint the best leads and steal the best contracts, and ways to think strategically under pressure.Unique at-the-table charts - ...

Winning demands control of the bidding. Before a card is played you must fight for the high ground or hustle your opponents beyond their safe level. Pro-active and fearless but not reckless in this hugely exciting partnership arena, you must judge every last auction nuance and, terrier-like, destroy your opponents' communication and confidence whilst enhancing your own. Dodge their snares, resist their ploys but win the high stakes by forcing them to gamble - yourself delivering their misf...

Many bridge books feature magical and inspiring hands but hands that are never seen in day-to-day play at the bridge table. Bridge: Winning Ways to Play Your Cards concentrates on the type of hands that will make a real difference to your scores and which will help you improve your game.Discover how to assess your opponents' strengths and weaknesses - in relation to your own - and win!