Best of
Murder-Mystery

2008

The Wind Dancer/Storm Winds


Iris Johansen - 2008
    Lionello Andreas is bound by his vow to guard the exquisite statue. But to recover what is rightfully his, he will need the help of a thief—one he can control body and soul. He finds his answer on the treacherous backstreets of Florence, in a sharp-witted young woman whose poverty leaves her no choice. But in the end, the allure of the Wind Dancer, and the ruthlessness of those who would possess her, will catapult them both into a terrifying realm where death may be the most merciful escape. Storm WindsJean Marc Andreas wanted what was rightfully his—and would use any means to get it. Juliette de Clement, a confidante of the royal family, could aid his search for the treasure so many had killed to possess…and died to protect. But in the treacherous world of eighteenth-century revolutionary France, death could come from any direction—none more likely than from the person you trusted most. Still, Jean and Juliette had no choice but to trust each other. Their lives depended on it. Someone else was determined to have the Wind Dancer statue, and the legacy it bestowed. Someone whose twisted genius was already wrecking a path of unspeakable violence.

Deadly Decisions / Fatal Voyage


Kathy Reichs - 2008
    A North Carolina teenager disappears from her home, and parts of her skeleton are found hundreds of miles away. These shocking deaths propel Tempe Brennan from north to south, and deep into a shattering investigation inside the bizarre culture of outlaw motorcycle gangs—where one misstep could bring disaster for herself or someone she loves. Fatal Voyage She has a passion for the truth . . . and this time, it's taking her down.A commercial airliner disaster has brought Tempe Brennan to the North Carolina mountains as a member of the investigative agency DMORT. As bomb theories abound, Tempe soon discovers a jarring piece of evidence that raises dangerous questions -- and gets her thrown from the DMORT team. Relentless in her pursuit of its significance, Tempe uncovers a shocking, multilayered tale of deceit and depravity as she probes her way into frightening territory -- where someone wants her stopped in her tracks.

Three Complete Novels: M is for Malice / N is for Noose / O is for Outlaw


Sue Grafton - 2008
    The award-winning mysteries all feature former cop turned detective, Kinsey Milhone, one of the most loved heroines of modern mystery fiction.

Come Find Me


Debra Webb - 2008
    Now, with a small town's most popular teenager found tortured and murdered—and another girl missing—Sarah arrives to prove it’s not the work of an ancient curse, but a cold blooded killer. But can she keep her own deep dark secret buried while exhuming another's.Youngstown’s newest councilman, Kale Conner, is tasked with the unpleasant task of minimizing the bad publicity from Sarah’s stories and with keeping her in line. But, with time swiftly running out and his own family in the crosshairs of trouble, Kale finds his neighbors’ terrible deeds just might be too deadly to sweep under the rug…and he and Sarah are headed toward a heated endgame with only one shocking way out...

O is for Outlaw & P is for Peril


Sue Grafton - 2008
    Two absolutely cracking books tokeep you reading until all hours. The onlydownside is you get to the end and wantmore. Fortunately there is more.

Compulsion


Jennifer Chase - 2008
    But that hasn’t stopped her from tracking down some of the West’s most dangerous child-killers. Armed with a digital SLR camera, laptop computer and her trusty Beretta, Stone uses her innate gift for detective work to identify the perps — and then anonymously e-mail the evidence to the cops.Now, the hunt for two brazen serial killers on the loose right in her own coastal California town threatens to expose Stone’s identity — unraveling her carefully constructed cover and jeopardizing her life’s work. But when she gets too close to the action, this razor-sharp hunter becomes the hunted. Cooperating with the handsome local police detective could be the only hope for stopping the rampage directed at unsuspecting young women — and saving herself. Can they piece together the clues in time?Compulsion mixes CSI-style investigation with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and a dose of romance for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.

Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" (Screen Adaptations)


R. Barton Palmer - 2008
    Literature and film adaptations studies students will find plenty of material to support their courses and essay writing on how the film versions provide different readings of the original text. Focussing on several film versions and adaptations, the book discusses: the literary text in its historical context, key themes and dominant readings of the text, how the text is adapted for screen and how adaptations have changed our reading of the original text. There are many references to the literary text and screenplays and the book also features quotations from directors, critics and others linked with the chosen film and text.

Detectives and Young Adventurers: The Complete Short Stories


Agatha Christie - 2008
    The mysterious MR QUIN has the knack of turning up unexpectedly to give awkward situations a helping hand. And retired civil servant PARKER PYNE solves unusual and exotic crimes for people with nowhere else to turn.For the first time, this book brings all their short stories together in one complete volume.Also inculdes four early Poirot cases, plus all six Star over Bethlehem stories!

The Death By Bikini Mysteries


Linda Gerber - 2008
    

Decadent Deceptions


Keta Diablo - 2008
    Olivia is outraged but can do nothing to disobey her father's wishes. In love with Morgan Gatewood since the one and only time he kissed her in her mother's rose garden, she's determined to win his love. Olivia lures the decadent man into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. What began as a ploy to force him to commit, tumbles into a world rife with voyeurism, sin and murder. Morgan must not only beat Olivia at her own game but stay one step ahead of a serial killer who has already killed two women and now has his sights on the woman he loves. Enter L’ Amour Immortelles, an affluent brothel, where no one is who they claim to be, and no one is safe. Enter the world of Decadent Deceptions where the hunted becomes the hunter to save Olivia. This novel is scorchingly hot. There is a HEA and no cliffhangers. “Loved, loved, loved this book! Did I say I loved this book? I’m in awe of Keta Diablo’s gifted writing ability. She paints such vivid pictures with her words, and takes us into a beautiful romance with no lulls or heavy back story. The 19th century time period was given justice in Decadent Deceptions and whisked me away to another world with the imagery, setting, and brilliant dialogue between characters.” 5 STARS “Decadent Deceptions is a thoroughly sensuous historical erotic romance. Keta Diablo’s rich backgrounds set off the antics of her characters to perfection. With all the misunderstandings of a good romantic comedy and a terrifyingly menacing subplot, the reader will be entranced throughout. I always enjoy Ms. Diablo’s work and this book was no exception. It made me realize how versatile she is and look forward to her next release.” 4.75 STARS “Ms. Diablo is a master at weaving a tantalizing tale of lust and intrigue and Decadent Deception is no exception to this rule. I just couldn’t put the book down.” C. Waits Blog, Five Stars This was a hot, erotic read, with a little bit of spicy voyeurism thrown into the mix. The characters Ms. Diablo created were fun, witty and even zany at times. They were a joy to read and I found myself sad when the novel ended just because I loved the characters." Moonlight lace & Mayhem Reviews, Five Stars* * * "Simply put, I have found myself a new author. I am so surprised she hasn't been picked up by some big publishing companies. She has the talent and the skills to make it big! She was also a wonderful writer to work with in the review process. I personally can't wait to read her other books now that I have found her. This is one author I will be watching for new releases in the future." My Overstuffed Book shelf - Five Stars

River Bones


Mary Deal - 2008
    Despite battling the memory of the drowning deaths of her younger sister and alcoholic parents, Sara is determined to make peace with her past. However, she soon learns that the elusive psychopath is now stalking her. Sara's attempt to rebuild her life is hindered even more by the discovery of skeletal remains on her property. As the investigation focuses on several suspects, Sara discovers critical clues and bravely volunteers to be a decoy for the sheriff's department. Sara Mason is a woman whose destiny has brought her back home... but her decision leads her down a path lined with danger, and straight into the arms of a madman.

Dead On Arrival


Karen H. Vaughan - 2008
    It was, after all, her ex-coworker, “Velcro” Hodges, a debt collector who was known to leech on his prey until the debt is already paid in full. But why was he dropped insider Laura’s room?Now someone wants Laura to be dead. As the plot thickens, Laura tries to find out on who could possibly want her next to be in cold blood. Lead Detective Inspector Jeff Gibbons helps her, tracking any leads he gets, but that doesn’t seem to help solve the puzzle.Dead on Arrival has its own unique way letting readers laugh, have fun, and it takes out the humor on every individual who gets the chance to read it.Dead on Arrival is highly recommended for readers, and for individuals who just can’t get enough of thrills, twists, and surprises.

Whispering Pines


Mavis Applewater - 2008
    On the morning of October 31, 1916, the servants arrived early to discover Captain Stratton alone in the house, sitting calmly in his study and smoking his pipe. His wife and sister were missing, and what the maid found in the kitchen sent her screaming from the house. Almost one hundred years later, paranormal investigator Shawn Williams agrees to spend the night in the mysterious manor. She finds the stories about Whispering Pines almost as intriguing as her companion for the evening. Faith Charles, former reporter turned professional skeptic, isnt thrilled at the prospect of spending the night in a house where strange things have already begun to happen. Then again, to spend the night with Shawn, Faith might be willing to endure anything. Shawn and Faith begin their adventure together, possibly finding love along the way. The only thing standing in their way is the mystery of Whispering Pines.

The Blood Detective


Dan Waddell - 2008
    Family historian Nigel Barnes is put on the case. As one after another victim is found in various locations all over London, each with a different mutilation but the same index number carved into their skin, Barnes and the police work frantically to figure out how the corresponding files are connected. With no clues to be found in the present, Barnes must now search the archives of the past to solve the mystery behind a string of 100-year-old murders. Only then will it be possible to stop the present series of gruesome killings, but will they be able to do so before the killer ensnares his next victim? Barnes, Foster, and Jenkins enter a race against time – and before the end of the investigation, one of them will get much too close for comfort.

J.G. REEDER COMPLETE SERIES: Room 13, The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder, Terror Keep, Red Aces, Mr. Reeder Returns


Edgar Wallace - 2008
    J. G. Reeder, a former police officer working for the Director of Public Prosecutions, with "the mind of a criminal". The character is one of Wallace best known characters, and have been made into several movies and tv series. The books included in this volume are: Room 13 The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder (Short Stories) Terror Keep Red Aces & Other Stories Mr. Reeder Returns (contains the novelettes The Guv’nor; The Man Who Passed, The Shadow Man, The Treasure House)

Whispers Through Time


Kim Murphy - 2008
    Sarah refuses to speak, and drawings of her father's death become her only means of communication--until she reveals that Geoff continues to read her stories. Are the ghostly whispers a figment of a bereaved little girl's imagination, or can Sarah really speak to the dead? The search for answers leads Sarah's mother, Chris, on a whirlwind journey through time. In the age of Reconstruction, Chris must unravel the web that binds Geoff's murder to the violent demise of his ancestor George Cameron. She leaves a diary for Geoff, hoping to break the chain of tragic events, only to find that Sarah holds the link between the worlds of the living and the dead.