The story of liberal democracy over the last half century has been a triumphant one in many ways, with the number of democracies increasing from a minority of states to a significant majority. Yet substantial problems afflict democratic states, and while the number of democratic countries has expanded, democratic practice has contracted. This book introduces a novel framework for evaluating the rise and decline of democratic governance. Examining three mature democratic countries - Britain, Australia and New Zealand - the authors discuss patterns of governance from the emergence of mass democracy at the outset of the twentieth century through to its present condition. The shared political cultures and institutional arrangements of the three countries allow the authors to investigate comparatively the dynamics of political evolution and the possibilities for systemic developments and institutional change.

Andrew Carpenter was a celebrity doctor, a star in his field. Now he''s dead, killed in a hit-and-run on the streets of Manhattan. The police think it was an accident, but his devastated wife is sure it was murder.Private detective Nathaniel Singer agrees to take the case. Singer had once dreamed of being a poet, but he''s discovered that his true calling is the art of saving lives. He soon discovers that Carpenter had powerful, frightening enemies—and powerful, frightening friends. And he soon finds himself caught up in a world of trouble.In The Scent of Blood, the first Nathaniel Singer novel, this literate, funny detective takes his place within the great tradition of the PI novel—a worthy successor to Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser.PRAISE FOR SCENT OF BLOOD:"It''s hard to imagine a reader who won''t be thoroughly satisfied."—Booklist"With this literate and engrossing thriller, Raymond Miller makes an impressive entrance onto the private-eye stage…he will certainly emerge as one of the genre''s major players." –San Diego Times-Union"A welcome addition to the ranks of hardboiled private eyes with a softer side." –Kirkus Reviews"Justice and suffering, guilt and regret are entwined in a plot worthy of Raymond Chandler or Ruth Rendell." -- The Mystery Reader"Intelligent, funny, and compassionate…breathes new life into the PI novel...[A] rare combination of humor and depth." -- Mystery Scene"Raymond Miller understands the classic hardboiled detective novel...The Scent of Blood balances emotional distress, heated violence and philosophical quandaries, but still manages a breezy and light-hearted tone. Miller''s having a grand time playing with the genre." -- The Washington Post"A fresh new take on a classic structure--like hearing a twelve-bar blues played by a great new talent." –Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series

When a college student is accused of killing his girlfriend, his distraught parents ask private detective Nathaniel Singer to look for evidence that might have been overlooked by the police. Unraveling the story of the girl''s last days, Singer discovers that her tranquil-looking little college is a nest of rivalries and intrigues, and that the girl who seemed to be admired by all had many enemies. Fast, violent, and funny, Cold Trail Blues is Raymond Miller''s second Nathaniel Singer novel—the return of a writer Lee Child calls a "great new talent," and of a character Kirkus Reviews calls "a welcome addition to the ranks of hard-boiled private eyes with a softer side."

The story of liberal democracy over the last half century has been a triumphant one in many ways, with the number of democracies increasing from a minority of states to a significant majority. Yet substantial problems afflict democratic states, and while the number of democratic countries has expanded, democratic practice has contracted. This book introduces a novel framework for evaluating the rise and decline of democratic governance. Examining three mature democratic countries - Britain, Australia and New Zealand - the authors discuss patterns of governance from the emergence of mass democracy at the outset of the twentieth century through to its present condition. The shared political cultures and institutional arrangements of the three countries allow the authors to investigate comparatively the dynamics of political evolution and the possibilities for systemic developments and institutional change.

Andrew Carpenter was a celebrity doctor, a star in his field. Now he''s dead, killed in a hit-and-run on the streets of Manhattan. The police think it was an accident, but his devastated wife is sure it was murder.Private detective Nathaniel Singer agrees to take the case. Singer had once dreamed of being a poet, but he''s discovered that his true calling is the art of saving lives. He soon discovers that Carpenter had powerful, frightening enemies—and powerful, frightening friends. And he soon finds himself caught up in a world of trouble.In The Scent of Blood, the first Nathaniel Singer novel, this literate, funny detective takes his place within the great tradition of the PI novel—a worthy successor to Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser.PRAISE FOR SCENT OF BLOOD:"It''s hard to imagine a reader who won''t be thoroughly satisfied."—Booklist"With this literate and engrossing thriller, Raymond Miller makes an impressive entrance onto the private-eye stage…he will certainly emerge as one of the genre''s major players." –San Diego Times-Union"A welcome addition to the ranks of hardboiled private eyes with a softer side." –Kirkus Reviews"Justice and suffering, guilt and regret are entwined in a plot worthy of Raymond Chandler or Ruth Rendell." -- The Mystery Reader"Intelligent, funny, and compassionate…breathes new life into the PI novel...[A] rare combination of humor and depth." -- Mystery Scene"Raymond Miller understands the classic hardboiled detective novel...The Scent of Blood balances emotional distress, heated violence and philosophical quandaries, but still manages a breezy and light-hearted tone. Miller''s having a grand time playing with the genre." -- The Washington Post"A fresh new take on a classic structure--like hearing a twelve-bar blues played by a great new talent." –Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series

When a college student is accused of killing his girlfriend, his distraught parents ask private detective Nathaniel Singer to look for evidence that might have been overlooked by the police. Unraveling the story of the girl''s last days, Singer discovers that her tranquil-looking little college is a nest of rivalries and intrigues, and that the girl who seemed to be admired by all had many enemies. Fast, violent, and funny, Cold Trail Blues is Raymond Miller''s second Nathaniel Singer novel—the return of a writer Lee Child calls a "great new talent," and of a character Kirkus Reviews calls "a welcome addition to the ranks of hard-boiled private eyes with a softer side."