THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

One of...
Parade’s “Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019 ” and “Best Beach Reads of Summer 2019” • Good Housekeeping’s “Best New Books for Summer 2019” • PureWow’s “The Best Beach Reads of Summer 2019” • BookBub’s “Books That Will Make the Perfect Addition to Your Beach Bag This Summer”

The next heart-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager follows a young woman whose new job apartment sitting in one of New York’s oldest and most glamorous buildings may cost more than it pays.

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story...until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

A PRIEST, AN EX-COP, AND THREE BADASS BABES WALK INTO A BAR…

Lucky for readers, that’s a great opportunity for the kind of rare mystery series with something for everyone—a tough guy, three awesome women, and a classic Golden Age gentleman-detective clergyman. The twist? The cop and the cleric are half-brothers who operate a PI firm out of their bar.

Owen Parr pulls off a crowd-pleasing coup in the first entry in his Joey Mancuso/Father Dominic O’Brian series—a perfect blending of the hard-boiled and intellectual schools of detecting. Joey, who got kicked out of the police department by means of a small frame, is the ex-cop. The women are a fiery FBI agent, (Joey’s elusive Cuban girl friend), a glamorous “researcher”, and perhaps most memorable of all, Joey’s mentor and ex-partner, Lucifer--officially Lucy, but the nickname says it all.

Captain O’Brian’s Pub and Cigar Bar, with its old-world New York warmth and reliably friendly Irish bartender is a character in itself, the kind of place that’s like home to its devotees.

So when one of the brothers’ best customers dies in an apparent suicide —a Wall Street guy celebrating a new client the night before-- they're just not feeling it. They know he wasn’t a guy who wanted to die; and they quickly find out he was someone a lot of people wanted dead.

It’s a made-to-order financial puzzle for a couple of seasoned New York PI’s, with the kind of twists and scams and puzzles that warm a mystery fan’s heart like a shot of Jameson.

Fans of New York detective shows from Blue Bloods to Elementary will find it right up their alley, and devotees of Golden Age mysteries will love it, especially those set in New York, like Ellery Queen and Nero Wolfe; and those starring brainy clergymen, like Father Brown, The Rabbi, and Father Dowling.

In the mood for a handful of deliciously amusing cozy mysteries? It’s as if Stephanie Plum meets Jackie Brown and spars with Amelia Peabody in these five humorous puzzlers, featuring five unique leading ladies: a New Orleans poet-turned-private-eye, a witty Hollywood vampire, an American academic in Provence, a sassy San Francisco lawyer, and a sly divorcee starting anew in the 70s.
Prepare yourself for plenty of laughs, curl up, and devour all 5 cozies for a bargain!
 
LOUISIANA BIGSHOT
 
IT’S QUEEN LATIFAH PLUS DANNY DEVITO IN THIS MULTILAYERED MURDER MYSTERY BY EDGAR-WINNER JULIE SMITH
…Or it would be if this were a movie—in print, they’re Talba Wallis and Eddie Valentino. Talba’s got the beauty, the brains, the computer savvy, the poetic soul, the youth, the right demographic, and the sass. Eddie’s got the detective agency. Also a short fuse and yes, wisdom. Not only do they make it work, they’ve got chemistry.

And they need every skill and ounce of courage they can summon in this intricate tale of a decades-old conspiracy only now coming home to roost, with the murder of Talba’s friend Babalu Maya. Babalu is actually Clayton Robineau, daughter of the local banker in a small Louisiana town that bears her name. And that town has plenty of skeletons in its closet.
 
LOVE BITES
 
NOT YOUR MAMA’S POLICE PROCEDURAL—A COP STORY WITH BITE…AND ROMANCE
IN Adrienne Barbeau's second Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, Ovsanna’s the successful owner of her own Hollywood film studio and the star of 17 blockbuster horror films, plus three, sadly, that went straight to video. (But even vampyres have bad days.) Peter, on the other hand, is a Beverly Hills cop firmly rooted in human affairs, from the domestic issues of his lively Italian family to the romantic ones of his neighbor, snake dancer Suzie Q.

Though Ovsanna’s had flings with everyone from Genghis Khan to Errol Flynn, Peter’s got what it takes to catch her eye and hold her interest. And he’s one hell of a detective. Together, the duo takes on Hollywood in an action-packed mystery with sly satire, spiced and seasoned with paranormal characters that the author manages to turn into metaphors for the monsters we all encounter on a daily basis.

THE 13^TH FELLOW
 
POETRY, MURDER, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE...AND PROVENCE!
American Professor Havilah Gaie has always seen herself as “an academic version of Pam Grier’s characters in Tracy Whiting;s first mystery: smart, quick on their feet, loyal with a keen sense of purpose.” Now she’s got a chance to suit up for action because suddenly she’s a witness in a murder, having spoken with the victim on her phone moments before he was attacked.
 
SOURDOUGH WARS by Julie Smith
 
TO YOU, ITS JUST A FROZEN LUMP OF DOUGH; TO SOME, IT'S LIFE AND DEATH...
Especially to handsome Peter Martinelli, who wants to auction off the fabled sourdough starter from his family’s famous bakery. But who’d buy a frozen hunk of flour and water? Only, it turns out, every bakery in San Francisco, a national food conglomerate, and an upstart ringer with a mysterious backer. Someone would even kill for it. And does.
 
PAPER PHOENIX by Michaela Thompson

FIRST COMES DIVORCE, THEN COMES MURDER…
…or at least sweet thoughts of murder. Maggie Longstreet has plenty of them after slimy, ambitious Richard trades her in for a more recent model. She’s so depressed she can barely get out of bed when Larry Hawkins, a seemingly not-at-all depressed acquaintance, commits suicide out of the blue. Suddenly Maggie goes on high alert, remembering something her evil ex said about Larry—something highly suspicious...

Broke, friendless, and career in freefall--will solving a murder get her life back on track?

An Uncollected Death introduces Charlotte Anthony, a forty-something divorcée, single mother and magazine editor who suddenly finds herself an empty-nester, unemployed, and on the verge of bankruptcy. She gratefully takes the job of editing the journals of Olivia Bernadin, a long-lost nouveau roman author. Things rapidly deteriorate, however, when she finds Olivia left for dead the first day on the job--and herself a suspect in the crime.
Charlotte turns amateur detective as she works out cryptic clues to find Olivia's hidden journals and to clear herself of suspicion, all while reinventing her life by downsizing to a tiny apartment in the small college town of Elm Grove, Indiana.

But efficient and independent Charlotte must also learn to accept the help of a new group of friends when she finds herself threatened by criminals who will stop at nothing--not even murder--to get their hands on something of immense value hidden within Olivia's hoard of collectibles.
The Charlotte Anthony novels are traditional, character-driven mysteries whose overarching theme is how the past informs the present, and how even a small town in the American Midwest can be connected to a much larger world.

A bond stronger than blood. A connection that could end it all.

Madigan Knox and Grace Sheppard became sisters the day they entered their foster home. After living through a childhood nightmare, one brave act set them free, but split them apart into different homes.

As adults, they are reunited in the small coastal town they dreamed of living in as children, but the reality of life in Tall Pines is far from what they had imagined.

When a woman is found dead​ in her home​, Madigan reports on the crime while Grace investigates. A dark connection to the victim is discovered, pulling them both closer to the crime and the traumatic past they are desperate to move on from.
With old wounds ripped open and dark secrets threatening their bond, the sisters must rely on each other more than ever before to survive.

Fans of Rizzoli and Isles will love this first book in a new, unpredictable mystery series by Emerald O'Brien that readers are calling "...a beautiful, harrowing tale." "...with more twists than a red vine!"

Scroll up and one-click your copy of The Girls Across the Bay today!

Special New Release Price!

Serenity Lodge is haunted. Don’t ask the residents suffering dementia if that’s true. Ask the nurses.

Amanda Ennis is the new nurse at Serenity Lodge nursing home. It’s a dream job after years of the hectic pace in the emergency room of a large hospital. Better yet, she’s on the short-list for an upcoming Supervisor position!
The only stumbling block to working there is the constant undermining from Linda Harper, a battle-axe nurse. They both want that Supervisor job. Linda believes her decades of experience entitles her to it.

Working with Linda was the only downside until the new resident, Carmel Turner arrived.

Now, shadow people lurk in the hallways. Unseen hands play with the lights turning them on and off. Carmel, a psychic with stage four dementia, claims she’s even being attacked!
Amanda never believed in the supernatural until her own chilling encounters. When mysterious claw marks are slashed on Carmel, she can no longer deny their dire presence. Each new incident escalates the danger. But how can Amanda tell anyone? Ghosts? Spirits? If she so much as mentions this crazy stuff, not only will her promotion vanish, she'd lose her Nursing license!

All hell breaks loose on All Hallow’s Eve--that night when the barrier separating the afterlife is weakest.
No one is left unscathed. Not everyone is getting out of there alive.

Graveyard Shift is the latest installment of The Haunted Ones Paranormal Suspense, ongoing tales of ordinary people confronting unspeakable evil. If you enjoy Darcy Coates, Wendy Wang and JL Bryan, you'll love the Haunted Ones Series.

Read this eerie, fast-paced tale today!

‘I loved this book… Sucks you in on the first page and doesn’t let you go until the climactic end… kept me hanging on to every word.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars

At least they’d found her. Once the site was processed and the girl’s body removed, they’d be able to identify her so that her family could give her the burial she deserved. This innocent girl was far too young to be lying in a grave, crushed under the weight of someone else’s coffin...

When the body of a teenage girl is found hidden inside a stranger’s grave in a small-town cemetery in The Lake District, an urgent call is made to Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams. One look at the beautiful girl’s broken body is enough to bring Beth out of hiding for the first time since an attempt on her own life…

Beth doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence that the victim was found the same day a threatening gift was left on the doorstep of her secluded home. Her instincts are telling her that it’s a trap, that she should run for safety. But she knows she’s the only one with the expertise to help her trusted friend, Detective Josh Walker, crack the most shocking case of his career.

The tiny traces of material Beth finds beneath the victim’s fingernails is the break in the case the team need to chase down this twisted killer. But this critical lead comes at a dangerous price, exposing Beth’s whereabouts and dragging her back into the line of fire once again.

With Beth’s own life on the line, the investigation is already cracking under the pressure. Then another local girl goes missing… Can Beth stay alive long enough to catch the killer before he claims his next victim?

An absolutely gripping new crime thriller that will grab fans of Patricia Gibney, LJ Ross and Angela Marsons from the very first page and leave them gasping for breath by the last.
 

Readers adore The Girl in the Grave!

‘Outstanding… Well plotted, gripping in the true sense of the word and a real thriller. This story grabbed me from page one and held me all the way through. One of my favourite summer reads to date!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘It was nail biting... I was completely blindsided when the truth was finally revealed… I loved the speed with which I turned the pages… I want book 2 as soon as possible.’ Book Reviews by Shalini, 5 stars

‘A humdinger of a Crime Thriller that grabs you and draws you in from the brilliantly written and powerful opening scene to the nail-biting, butt-clenching finale… Fabulous first in the series, tightly plotted, gritty narrative and very believable, engaging characters… I look forward to more in the series - loved it and would certainly recommend.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Oh wow! This is such a gripping read, I was hooked from the first page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Fabulous start to a new series… the pace just doesn’t let… the wonderful Helen Phifer has a knack of drawing you in to a story with characters… for the life of me I couldn’t work out who the perpetrator was!!… this is definitely going to be a winner!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A one in a million… it’s written well and feels truly original… it’s like nothing I’ve read before. So excited for the next one!’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘An intriguing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Lots of twists that will keep you guessing… will keep you turning the pages!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

A girl on the run. Two men trained to hunt, and an innocent caught in the middle.

Emma’s stayed successfully hidden for six years because of a promise. But when she runs into the handsome Russian by accident, she senses the game will take a disturbing twist. Rohan Andreyev always knew where she was. He just didn’t want to make contact.

What he sees during their chance meeting gives him a reason to track her down and what she’s hiding forces him to get involved.

But someone else is watching. Someone with their own agenda. Emma is still not safe and she doesn’t know it. Rohan’s arrival confuses her and his news causes devastation. Because the help she’s waiting for isn't coming and she might lose the one thing she vowed to protect.

Readers say, “This was hard to put down.”

If you like strong, mysterious men and plucky, female sleuths, you’ll love The Actuary.

Download it today to get hours of sneaking chapters.

Lose yourself in a small English town teeming with dubious risk takers and an Irishman you’ll never forget.

On a blooming May morning, the five bodies of a religious family are found in their apartment in the quiet suburb of Samuel's Hill (Giv'at Shmuel).

Detective Hadas Levinger, the renegade atheist daughter of a religious family, is put in charge of the police investigation. Slowly and skillfullym she peels away the shell protecting this unique community, and reveals hard and painful secrets.

Can she survive them?

Book EIGHT of the hilarious Pineapple Port mystery series from Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY Best-Selling author Amy Vansant has Charlotte awaking to find Mariska and Bob gone, kidnapped from their home. Their disappearance is a message from the a familiar killer --- Help me or your friends will disappear.

To save her loved ones, Charlotte must find a way to clear her boyfriend's crazy ex of a killing. It may be the only crime the woman didn't commit...but things don't get any easier when someone mistakes Charlotte as a traitor and sends a madman with a distinctive "tattoo" and a unusual killing style, to stop her.

Fans of comedic mysteries like The Thin Man, Moonlighting, Monk and Elementary will fall in love with the charming, funny and thrilling world of Pineapple Port!

A gripping financial thriller where corporate greed and corruption abound . . .

When widow and single parent Cynthia Webber discovers a body during the routine financial statement audit of a prestigious and controversial pipeline company, her whole world is turned upside down.

Her career and life are threatened by her boss when he turns up unexpectedly at her son’s daycare, posing as her brother. When she ignores his threats and goes to the police, she finds herself alone and unjustly dismissed.

Cynthia turns to her best friend Linda, an investigative reporter, to help uncover her boss’s true motivation and get her life back, just as a well-known environmental activist is found murdered on the pipeline company’s property.

Book 1 in the Cynthia Webber series. Fans of The Firm and the Women’s Murder Club series will enjoy this fast-paced read

*contains profanity, sex, and violence. Written in Canadian English.

Titus thought it would be a simple rescue mission. He was wrong.

Book IV in the Titus Ray Thriller series, featuring CIA intelligence officer, Titus Ray.

It wasn’t simple . . .

Days after preventing a sarin gas attack on the nation’s capital, CIA operative, Titus Ray, arrives in Santiago de Cuba on a mission to rescue fellow operative, Ben Mitchell, from the hands of the Los Zetas drug cartel.

It wasn’t simple . . .

After discovering Ben’s abduction was more than a simple kidnapping, Titus joins forces with an unconventional operative whose peculiar ideas threaten to destroy the mission. As the search for Ben reaches a critical stage, Titus is suddenly called back to Langley.

It wasn’t a rescue . . .

When he arrives back in the States, not only does he learn his mission has changed, he also learns he has a rival for Nikki Saxon’s affections. Now, he must make a decision about their relationship. Do they have a future together, or would she be better off without him?

It wasn’t a mission . . .

With Ben’s life in imminent danger, Titus decides to risk everything—his career at the Agency, his future with Nikki Saxon, even his own life—in order to bring Ben Mitchell home.

It wasn’t a simple rescue mission. It was much more . . .

More about his survival. More about his faith. More about himself.

What People Are Saying About Titus Ray Thrillers:

“The characters are very well-developed and believable. I enjoyed the way the author described Titus Ray's internal struggles and character flaws creating a very authentic main character. The story was action-packed and one is left wondering how the author could be so knowledgeable of the CIA and the work of their covert operatives.”

“Excellent read full of action and intrigue, with a dash of soul mixed in for good measure.”

“A fast paced story line full of cliffhangers, conspiracy and romance!”

“I'm definitely hooked on this series. Much suspense, twists and turns.”

“ I recommend these books for all who enjoy good clean fiction, especially involving current events in the world. I like the development of the characters and their relationship.”

Purchase this international fast-paced thriller TODAY!

"An explosive and visceral debut with the most terrifying of killers. Wes Markin is a new name to watch out for in crime fiction, and I can't wait to see more of Detective Yorke." – Bestselling Crime Author Stephen Booth

School should be the safest place in the world. Not this winter.

Detective Michael Yorke faces his most harrowing case yet.

When 12-year-old Paul disappears from school, Yorke’s only clue is a pool of animal blood. Fearing the worst, he turns toward the most obvious suspect, recently released local murderer, Thomas Ray.

But as the snow in Salisbury worsens, Ray’s mutilated body is discovered, and Yorke is left with no choice but to journey into the sinister heart of a demented family that has plagued the community for generations. Can he save the boy? Or will the evil he discovers change him forever?

The shocking and exhilarating new crime thriller will have you turning the pages late into the night.

Read what everyone is saying about One Last Prayer for the Rays: 

‘A pool of blood, an abduction, swirling blizzards, a haunting mystery, yes, Wes Markin’s One Last Prayer for the Rays has all the makings of an absorbing thriller. I recommend that you give it a go.’– Bestselling Author Alan Gibbons 

‘Wes Markin has created a really high energy novel that I just want to rave about everywhere.’ Jessica Rachow, 5 stars

‘It’s a stunning book, and a true testament to wonderful crime writing.’ Radzy Writes, 5 stars

‘Bam it’s go go go and it feels like you are on a rollercoaster that you don’t know if it is ever going to end.’ Zoe-Lee O’Farrell, Zooloo’s book diary, 5 stars.

‘Having just finished this book my head is still reeling, and my heart is still thumping,’ Goodreads Reviewer,5 stars

 ‘Jeez Louise, the opener hit bull’s eye straight away and nothing could stop me from being dragged into the story,’ Els, B for Bookreview, 5 stars

‘A WOW evoking opening and keeps the wows coming throughout. Shocking and at times disturbing, this is an intense, disconcerting and gripping tale.’ Bookworms Corner Blog Spot, 5 stars

‘One Last Prayer For The Rays is a dark and chilling read. There were lots of parts that are left to the imagination that shocked and horrified me but I so enjoyed them all.’ Sarah Hardy, By the letter book reviews.

‘An incredibly strong debut… I actually mistook it for one that an author with more published stories behind them would write. There was a moment when I thought wow, I’d so love to read everything this author has written – and I went on Goodreads to see what else is out there. That’s how good it is.’ Dora, Swift Coffee Blog, 5 stars.

‘It’s twisty, dark, gritty, gripping and exciting, the characters are eclectic, complex, sinister, deeply flawed but wow do they get under your skin,’ Dash Fan Book Reviews, 5 stars.

MEET THE ULTIMATE FEMALE SLEUTH!

Ovsanna Moore has no fear, never loses a fight, and always, always says what she thinks—very wittily too. Vampyres are like that. You learn a lot in 450 years, though not necessarily your way around a murder investigation. Due to an extremely hot cop boy friend—and some nasty supernatural murders—she’s all over this new skill, and a good thing too. Only a few things can really threaten a vampyre, and they're all coming at her at once, including some strange and tender feelings she’s kind of forgotten—involving that mysterious thing humans call love.

WHO’LL LOVE THESE:
*Fans of TRUE BLOOD and Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries, J.D. Robb’s “In Death” series, Ann Charles' humorous Deadwood series, and Kay Hooper’s psychic mysteries.
*Fans of witty couple mysteries like Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro series.
*Paranormal and vampire fans, especially those fond of Christopher Moore, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, George R.R. Martin’s FEVRE DREAM, and THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova.
*Anyone who likes witty mysteries with a hint of the police procedural about them.

LOVE BITES

Detective Peter King and movie star Ovsanna Moore are the sexiest tongue-in-cheek crime-solving duo since MOONLIGHTING hit the air waves in the ‘80s. But they may remind you more of TRUE BLOOD’s Sookie and Eric than Maddie and David—because one of them’s a vampyre. And like Sookie’s Bon Temps, their Los Angeles has its fair share of shapeshifting sometime-humans.

Here, they team up in an action-packed mystery, a sly satire, and a lush love story, spiced and seasoned with paranormal characters that the author manages to turn into metaphors for the monsters we all encounter on a daily basis. (There be werewolves out there! We all know that. And wouldn’t you know, the most ruthless ones are in Hollywood.)

MAKE ME DEAD

As always in a Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, the biting wit is sharper than a nip from a passing vampyre—in a word,humor, wit, and satire are what this engaging series is really all about.

Nobody’s better than Barbeau at skewering the foibles of Hollywood and its self-involved denizens, and nobody’s got a smarter mouth than her movie star heroine, vampire Ovsanna Moore, this time in New Orleans for a horror convention.

Traveling with Ovsanna is her human true love, hot LAPD Detective Peter King, Peter’s snake-dancing neighbor Susie Q, and the detective’s memorabilia-selling mom. But unbeknownst to the quartet, someone else is with them—someone from the past who can be extremely dangerous. Even to Ovsanna, and hardly anything is!

Part comic mystery, part police procedural, a little bit supernatural, paranormal, and cccult (with a dash of old-fashioned vampyre romance), MAKE ME DEAD is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud—more than once.

Maggie Newberry is an advertising copywriter who’s fast on her feet and a little stunned to realize that she’s over 30 and still hasn’t found true love. When her long missing sister ends up dead, Maggie flies to the south of France to find the little niece that no one in the family even knew existed. Along the way, she finds handsome, sexy Frenchman Laurent Dernier to help search for the girl. Meanwhile, her sister’s murderer sets his sights on the little girl—and Maggie.
(Alors: Laurent’s classic boeuf en daube recipe at the end of the book!)

This book is a clean read: no graphic violence, sex or strong language
Genre: light culinary cozy mystery, women amateur sleuth, cozy animal (dog)

MAGGIE NEWBERRY MYSTERIES
Murder in the South of France (Book 1)
Murder a la Carte (Book 2)
Murder in Provence (Book 3)
Murder in Paris (Book 4)
Murder in Aix (Book 5)
Murder in Nice (Book 6)
Murder in the Latin Quarter (Book 7)
Murder in the Abbey (Book 8)
Murder in the Bistro (Book 9)
Murder in Cannes (Book 10)
Murder in Grenoble (Book 11)
Murder in the Vineyard (Book 12)
 

Puppies have taken over book NINE of the hilarious Pineapple Port mystery series from Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY Best-Selling author Amy Vansant!

Someone has left puppies on the doorsteps of Pineapple Port's residents, but the adorable balls of fur seem to be connected to the murder of a nearby millionaire with too many heirs of his own. Meanwhile, Mariska's been framed for baking a killer cake, and Charlotte must clear her name

Fans of classic cozy mysteries will adore this whodunnit packed with puppies, baking, horses, sneaky maids and a dead rich man!

A Gold Medal IPPI Winner

Engaging and opulent, The Warsaw Conspiracy unfolds as a family saga set against the November Rising (1830-31), partitioned Poland's daring challenge to the Russian Empire. Brilliantly illustrating the psyche of a people determined to reclaim independence in the face of monumental odds, the story portrays two brothers and their fates in love and war. Michal is a seasoned veteran soldier, cautious of the evolving conspiracy; Jozef, his much younger brother and impassioned cadet, finds himself caught up in the vortex of a daring plot to abduct the Grand Duke of Russia. With Siberia or emigration to France looming as heart-rending contingencies, matriarchs Anna and Zofia stay steadfast in their resolve to steer the clan through ever-muddying waters.

Detective Reed Mattox, just three months removed from the death of his partner, has turned invisibility into an art form.

Switching to the K-9, taking over the graveyard shift, moving to a farmhouse miles outside of Columbus, his every move has become predicated on putting as much distance between himself and the outside world as possible.

That distance is shattered though when bodies begin turning up in The Bottoms, the poverty-stricken section of town he is assigned to patrol. Grisly, horrific scenes start to pop up in the middle of the night and the overburdened precinct has no choice but to put Reed on it.

Now operating far outside of his comfort zone with a Belgian Malinois for a partner that attracts attention wherever they go, Reed is forced to unravel the murders, taking him clear across the city and back years in time, to an event that some very influential people will do anything to keep buried...

It’s the summer of 1879, and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, is in trouble. Annie’s husband squandered her fortune before committing suicide five years earlier, and one of his creditors is now threatening to take the boardinghouse she owns to pay off a debt.

Annie Fuller also has a secret. She supplements her income by giving domestic and business advice as Madam Sibyl, one of San Francisco’s most exclusive clairvoyants, and one of Madam Sibyl’s clients, Matthew Voss, has died. The police believe his death was suicide brought upon by bankruptcy, but Annie believes Voss has been murdered and that his assets have been stolen.

Nate Dawson has a problem. As the Voss family lawyer, he would love to believe that Matthew Voss didn't leave his grieving family destitute. But that would mean working with Annie Fuller, a woman who alternatively attracts and infuriates him as she shatters every notion he ever had of proper ladylike behavior.

Sparks fly as Anne and Nate pursue the truth about the murder of Matthew Voss in this light-hearted, cozy historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco.

Maids of Misfortune is the first book in M. Louisa Locke’s historical mystery series, see also, Uneasy Spirits, and Bloody Lessons, Deadly Proof, and Pilfered Promises, as well as the novellas, Violet Vanquishes a Villain, Kathleen Catches a Killer, and Dandy Delivers, and the short stories based on the characters from the novels, which can be found collected in Victorian San Francisco Stories.

‘A brilliant, breathless thriller that kept me guessing to the last shocking page’—Erin Kelly, Sunday Times bestselling author of He Said/She Said

A vicious assault. A devastating accusation. Who should she trust, her husband or her best friend?

It was supposed to be the perfect reunion: six university friends together again after twenty years. Host Ali finally has the life she always wanted, a career she can be proud of and a wonderful family with her college boyfriend, now husband. But that night her best friend makes an accusation so shocking that nothing will ever be the same again.

When Karen staggers in from the garden, bleeding and traumatised, she claims that she has been assaulted—by Ali’s husband, Mike. Ali must make a split-second decision: who should she believe? Her horrified husband, or her best friend? With Mike offering a very different version of events, Ali knows one of them is lying—but which? And why?

When the ensuing chaos forces her to re-examine the golden era the group shared at university, Ali realises there are darker memories too. Memories that have lain dormant for decades. Memories someone would kill to protect.