Best of
Suspense

2005

The Dying Hour


Rick Mofina - 2005
    At The Seattle Mirror, he is competing for the single full-time job being offered through the paper's intense intern program. But unlike the program's other young reporters, who attended big name schools and worked at other big metro dailies, Wade put himself through community college, and lacked the same experience. Wade struggles with his haunting past as he pursues the story of Karen Harding, a college student whose car was found abandoned on a lonely stretch of highway in the Pacific Northwest. How could this beloved young woman with the altruistic nature simply vanish? Wade battles mounting odds and cut-throat competition to unearth the truth behind Karen Harding's disturbing case. Her disappearance is a story he cannot give up, never realizing the toll it could exact from him. The Dying Hour is a bone-chilling, mesmerizing page-turner that introduces readers to an all-too-human young hero who journeys into the darkest regions of the human heart to confront a nightmare. The International Thriller Writers (ITW), selected The Dying Hour as a finalist for a Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original, 2006. Rick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He's also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait's border with Iraq. His books have been published in nearly 30 countries, including an illegal translation produced in Iran. His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper. The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award, a three-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business."

The Lincoln Lawyer


Michael Connelly - 2005
    But what he should have been on the watch for was evil.Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car, traveling between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers — they’re all on Mickey Haller’s client list. For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence — it’s about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it’s even about justice.A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney’s dream, what they call a franchise case. And as the evidence stacks up, Haller comes to believe this may be the easiest case of his career.Then someone close to him is murdered and Haller discovers that his search for innocence has brought him face-to-face with evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, he must deploy every tactic, feint, and instinct in his arsenal — this time to save his own life.

Danger in the Shadows / The Negotiator / True Devotion


Dee Henderson - 2005
    This boxed set includes the introductory books to each of Dee's series, including the prequel to the O'Malley series "Danger in the Shadows." Included in each set is an exclusive first chapter sampler of "The Witness/" free What a great way to get hooked on Dee Henderson and just in time for the release of her brand-new book, "The Witness," in February.

The Beginning


Catherine Coulter - 2005
    "Catherine Coulter can always be counted on to write an exciting thriller" (BookBrowser), and now here are the first two thrillers in the FBI series - The Cove and The Maze - in one volume for the first time ever.The Cove - In this "fast-paced" (Publishers Weekly) page-turner, the daughter of a murdered high-powered lawyer seeks sanctuary in a quaint little town, only to learnthat she can't escape her past or the FBI agent hunting her.The Maze - "full of twists and turns" (Rocky Mountain News), this cliffhanger teams Savich and Sherlock for the first time in a case that leads them back to the murder of Sherlock's sister seven years ago - and puts both their lives on the line."Coulter is a one-of-a-kind author who knows how to hook her readers and keep them coming back for more." - The Best Reviews

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo


Stieg Larsson - 2005
    All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.

Last Light


Terri Blackstock - 2005
    She's not about to let her dream of marriage go as well.But keeping it alive will require extraordinary measures. Yesterday's world is gone. All Deni and her family have left is each other and their neighbors. Their little community will either stand or fall together. But they're only beginning to realize it - and trust doesn't come easily.Particularly when one of them is a killer.Best-selling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if novel in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts - and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.

Angelica And Francesca


Kenneth Jarrett Singleton - 2005
    Doretay is a state within a kingdom called Vidien, which Angelica's and Francesca's great uncle, King Oscar, rules. Pellrue attempts to keep control of his wicked, evil daughters as they keep entering his city and raising havoc by torturing and murdering the common citizens within. Angelica and Francesca is an excellent, dramatic play, which will never be forgotten.

Blood Memory


Greg Iles - 2005
    Praying the attack is a one-time event, she continues working, but when the same killer strikes again - raising fears that a serial killer is at large - Cat blacks out over the victim's mutilated corpse. Suspended from the FBI task force, Cat returns to her hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, to regroup.Though her colleagues know her as a world-class forensic odontologist, Cat lives a secret life. Plagued by nightmares, and deeply involved with a married homicide detective, Cat holds herself together with iron nerves and alcohol, using her work as a substitute for life.But her family's secluded antebellum estate provides no sanctuary. When some of Cat's forensic chemicals are spilled in her childhood bedroom, two bloody footprints are revealed. This discovery sets in motion a quest to piece together Cat's past - buried memories that could tie her father's murder to the grisly deaths occurring in New Orleans in the present. For only by finding this remorseless killer can Cat save her sanity - and her life.

Tall, Dark and Dangerous: Prince Joe / Forever Blue


Suzanne Brockmann - 2005
    Tall, Dark and Dangerous by Suzanne Brockmann released on Nov 29, 2005 is available now for purchase.

Windigo Twilight


Colleen Rhoads - 2005
    Taking a position as research assistant to her late cousin's husband, Max Duncan, enabled Becca to investigate secretly on the family island. Yet the mullioned windows of Windigo Manor hid more than just the broodingly handsome widower. Someone, or something, seemed eager to drive Becca away, raising fears that a creature known only through Ojibwa legends stalked the island. As events spiraled out of control, Becca's strong faith sustained her, but could she trust Max with her life and her love?"

Fear Has a Name


Creston Mapes - 2005
    More than a stalking. It was personal. When a stranger targets his wife and two daughters, journalist Jack Crittendon must uncover who the person is and what his motives are — if he's to protect the ones he loves. The investigation leads Jack into a world of behind-closed-door secrets and into a news story about a missing pastor whose apparent suicide is more than it appears. Each move Jack makes weaves him tighter and tighter into a web of lies, greed, hypocrisy, and danger. Holding onto his faith and keeping his family safe might require Jack to cross lines he never fathomed crossing. With tension on every page, Amazon #1 Best-Selling author Creston Mapes demonstrates why he is a "Top Pick" among mystery, fiction and thriller lovers. Praise for FEAR HAS A NAME “It takes a lot for a suspense novel to impress me, but this one definitely did. Anyone who likes my books will love Fear Has a Name. The plot is skillfully woven, and the story has a spiritual depth that will resonate with readers. Creston Mapes is an author to watch in the suspense genre.” Terri Blackstock, author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Predator “Fear Has a Name is an exceptional treat, a story of unrelenting tension that dares to stare evil in the face. Mapes has a gift. He reveals wickedness and vice yet sprinkles it with something rare that kept me riveted: the hope of redemption.” Harry Kraus, MD, best-selling author of The Six-Liter Club “Creston Mapes is one of my favorite authors. Fear Has a Name mesmerized me from the first page. Multiple plot twists and terrific characters kept me glued to the page. I loved it and highly recommend it!” Colleen Coble, author of the Rock Harbor series and the Lonestar series “Captivating from breathless start to throat-clenching finish, Fear Has a Name possesses everything a great thriller should, and more. A must-read for fans of Terri Blackstock and Brandilyn Collins.” Tamera Alexander, USA Today bestselling author of To Whisper Her Name and A Lasting Impression

Every Waking Moment


Brenda Novak - 2005
    Taking her five-year-old son, she has fled across the country -- seeking freedom, safety, and a fresh start. But Max's father isn't giving up so easily.Preston Holman understands the lengths a parent will go for his child. He's given up everything to pursue the man he believes killed his son.When Preston meets Emma, he wants nothing to do with her or the boy who reminds him so much of his own child. Yet he can't abandon them -- and as he's drawn into the danger that surrounds them, Preston begins to wonder if he's finally found something to live for beyond revenge.

Flee the Night


Susan May Warren - 2005
    Too bad his heart won't stay out of the way. With a little girl's life and national secrets hanging in the balance, Jim and Lacey must trust God to help them flee the secrets of the night.

The Survivors


Dinah McCall - 2005
    Twenty miles from the crash site, Deborah Sanborn has a vision of two survivors, cold, hurting and scared. Over the years she has learned to trust her gift, and she senses these strangers are in terrible danger. She sees a hunter, moving in for the kill.Four generations of O'Ryan men have gathered at the crash site, ready to search for the missing boy, Johnny O'Ryan. His forty-five-year-old grandfather Mike O'Ryan isn't sure what to make of Deborah, but with the snow coming down, sh's all they've got to lead them through the mountains. Because not only are they racing against time and the elements...they're up against a killer desperate to silence his only living witnesses to murder.

Final Scream


Lisa Jackson - 2005
    When she was only 16, Cassidy Buchanan fell for the 19-year-old bad boy in town, Brig McKenzie - who'd had his share of run-ins with both the law and the local women. Then a terrible fire killed Cassidy's sister, and Brig was the chief suspect. Seventeen years later, an eerily similar fire seriously injures Cassidy's husband Chase, who happens to be Brig's brother. With the earlier fire still an open case, suspicion turns to Cassidy, the only person connected to both tragedies.

Survive the Night


Diana Duncan - 2005
     Bookworm Bailey Chambers is a pacifist who believes there’s good in everyone. Falling for daring SWAT door-kicker Conall O’Rourke wasn’t in her plan. A glimpse of Con’s risky, violent job scares Bailey into breaking up with him…just when he was about to propose to her. Con never surrenders, and is determined to woo, win, and wed the woman he loves. After all, he smashes barricades for a living. But he can’t win this battle with his usual weapons. Sidelined to await the outcome while Bailey fights to slay her fears is the hardest thing Con’s ever done. When the couple are trapped in a deserted mall with a crew of ruthless bank robbers—who’ve taken their friends hostage—they must work together to overcome formidable odds. As the clock ticks toward the final countdown, Bailey and Con each offer the ultimate sacrifice, desperate to ensure the other will survive the night. But even if they live…will the terrifying battle be the final kill shot that dooms their relationship? Just 24 hours can change your life. Book 1 of 4 in the "24 Hours - Final Countdown" Series. Previously published as Midnight Hero.

Unforgiving Shadows


Ray Flynt - 2005
    The tragedy transformed his life. After helping the police catch their killers, and with the aid of his mentor, Philadelphia Detective Nick Argostino, Brad opened his own private detective agency vowing to help bring justice to others whose lives had been turned upside down. UNFORGIVING SHADOWS opens eleven years later when Brad is invited to the execution by lethal injection of Frank Wilkie, one of two men responsible for the death of his mother and sister. Thinking that Wilkie might have something to say, Brad reluctantly attends. Wilkie remains silent, but as Brad exits the prison the chaplain races after him, thrusting the condemned man’s Bible into his hands.Within hours another man is anxious to get his hands on Wilkie’s Bible, and Brad suspects the motivation could involve the still-missing ransom money. But as the reason becomes clear, Brad’s world is once again turned upside down. Aided by his associate, Sharon Porter, Brad unravels an eleven-year-old mystery that casts new suspicion on family, neighbors and business associates alike.Also included is a preview chapter of TRANSPLANTED DEATH, the next Brad Frame Mystery.

The Camel Club


David Baldacci - 2005
    Led by a mysterious man known as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to attempt to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions.Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder, and becomes embroiled in an astounding, far-reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. All that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.Librarian's note: this is one of five volumes in the author's Camel Club series.

The Prey


Allison Brennan - 2005
    Then a killer made it real.Rowan Smith is living in a borrowed Malibu beach house while her bestselling novel is made into a Hollywood movie. A former FBI agent with a haunted past, Rowan thinks she has outrun her demons. But fiction and reality collide when a dismembered body is found in Colorado: the real-life victim had the same name, occupation, and looks as a character in Rowan’s novel. By the time the FBI, the LAPD, and her own private bodyguard gather around her, another person is killed–again, the murder ripped from the pages of Rowan’s book.In the company of a former Delta Force officer with secrets of his own, Rowan faces an excruciating dilemma: the only way to chase down the tormenting killer is by revisiting the darkness of her past–and by praying for some way out again.After the prey is chosen, the hunt is on and the kill is certain.From the author's website:Each book stands alone. The story is complete (no continuing mystery) and there is a separate hero, heroine and villain. However, I do have recurring characters throughout my books, so someone may be introduced as a minor or major secondary character in one book, then come back as the hero or a secondary character in another book.THE PREY (12/27/05)Setting: Malibu, CaliforniaHero: John Flynn, former Delta Force turned mercenary/DEA drug informantHeroine: Rowan Smith, former FBI agent turned crime fiction writer

A Triple Shot of Spenser (Spenser, #18-20)


Robert B. Parker - 2005
    In  Double Deuce, when Spenser is drawn into a war against a Boston street gang. And in Paper Doll, a perfect suburban wife and mother is found murdered. A random act? Spenser's isn't convinced.

The Last Victim


Kevin O'Brien - 2005
    But everything changes when Bridget is reminded of the secret she and Brad have been keeping since high school, a secret that could destroy the campaign—and their lives. Someone else knows what they did. Someone who's been picking off the members of their little group one by one...Will Be PaintedHis job keeps him busy, but he loves every moment of it. Following them, photographing them, and immortalizing them on canvas. He knows exactly how they'll look when the last breath is drawn, because he has planned out their deaths with perfect precision. And the best is yet to come: Bridget Corrigan. He has very special plans for her portrait—she just doesn't know it yet...In Cold BloodWith every "accident" that befalls the members of her old clique, Bridget feels danger edging closer to home. Yet uncovering the truth about the killer would mean revealing what really happened that horrible night years ago. She'll have to find someone to trust—the question is, who? Because turning to the wrong person could be the last mistake she ever makes...

On the Run


Iris Johansen - 2005
    Watching Frankie grow into a talented and confident young girl has made Grace as happy as any mother could hope to be. Happy enough, even, to forget the past. But the past never quite goes away. Which is why a certain charismatic man also moved to Tallanville eight years ago to watch over her. But when violence threatens to shatter Grace and Frankie's idyllic home, the waiting is over. The ghosts of the past have returned. And they're hungry for blood. Now Grace must resume an identity she thought she had cast off forever, and match wits with an opponent as deadly as he is cunning. The prize: an extraordinary secret that only she can unfold. The forfeit: losing the thing more precious to her than life itself.From the Hardcover edition.

Breaking Cover


Jenny Walker - 2005
    Although Steve has a reasonably successful career as an analyst at MI6, he harbours greater ambitions. Miranda Carlos, a glamorous field officer, suffers an incapacitating injury and is unable to undertake an important intel-gathering assignment. The mission is so important that a suitable imposter must be sent in her place. Surprisingly, the computer picks Steve as having the strongest resemblance to the sexy Miranda. Although keen to take the assignment, he has to consider if he is willing to pay the necessary price in the line of duty. His loyalty to his country is tested as he faces the transformation that is required - especially given the warnings that some of it may be irreversible. As Steve begins to unearth plans for a devastating terrorist strike, he finds himself fighting for his life and, not knowing who he can trust, he is thrust into a terrifying race against time to prevent a horrific atrocity. “Jenny Walker does it again! With an improvement over her hit classic ‘No Half Measures’, she continues her traditional slow build, introduces memorable characters and provides plenty of surprise twists that will keep you guessing until the end, all well-contained within the framework of an excellent spy thriller.” “I’ve been waiting to see if Jenny Walker would write a second novel to match the superb ‘No Half Measures’, and ‘Breaking Cover’ is, if anything, an even better read. Jenny handles the characters beautifully . . . I loved the suspense, the violence and the gentle romance, but, perhaps most of all, I loved the changing relationships between all the main characters. I can hardly wait for the next one.”

In Sheep's Clothing


Susan May Warren - 2005
    What she doesn't know is that she has in her possession a medical secret that will save millions of lives -- or cost hers. Trying to keep her alive is an FSB agent, a man pursued by his own demons, including a killer who destroyed his father's life. He and Gracie find themselves in a decades-old mystery of betrayal and Cold War secrets. Only with the help of their friends -- a group of Americans and Russians committed to freedom -- can they outwit the old guard . . . and save Gracie's secret, as well as her life.

Abiding Darkness


John Aubrey Anderson - 2005
    Set in Mississippi cotton country, the story anchors itself in the relationship between two children. It’s 1945… and the war in Europe has just ended. Missy Parker is the crown princess of the Parker family. At seven years of age she’s beautiful, wealthy, willful, and tough as a tractor tire. Junior Washington is an eleven-year-old black child. He lives in a small cabin across the lake from Missy; his parents work on the Parker Plantation. And in the midst of the most defined segregation in our nation’s recent history – Missy Parker and Junior Washington are best friends. When a disciple of Satan sets his heart on destroying the girl, the forces of good and evil meet in bloody combat… and these two children find themselves at the epicenter of a conflict that will forever be called The War At Cat Lake.

Bloody Point


Linda J. White - 2005
    When her former partner, Jake, is assaulted and nearly killed and then her marina is torched, Cass knows she must find out why. She believes the crimes are connected and unofficially investigates, not knowing that she is both the hunter and the hunted. She must connect the evidence, help Jake deal with his brain injury, and find the perpetrator before she becomes the next victim.

To Trust A Stranger/Whispers At Midnight


Karen Robards - 2005
    Two of Karen Robards' recent sensual & suspenseful novels under one softcover.

Fate's Redemption


Keith Lee Johnson - 2005
    Jericho is a drug and munitions dealer, the leader of an elite group of former military personnel. Sterling is an attorney who finds himself fired from his prestigious San Francisco law firm on the same day he's expecting a verdict on a nationally televised case that was supposed to make his career. And William, a widowed psychologist and the youngest Wise brother, has spent the past five years alone but is finally imagining what it might be like to love again. Only trouble is, Terry Moretti, the woman he's dating, is white, and she can't seem to understand the societal and familial taboos that keep William from getting too closely involved. Jericho has a whole other dilemma to deal with—one that could see him ending up in jail for a very long time. Meanwhile, Sterling's luck seems to turn around when he meets a mysterious woman who offers him the world, but in return, he would need to comply with her racial prejudices—is he willing to pay her price? Keith Lee Johnson's twisting, riveting plot and crackling dialogue will captivate the reader from page one, and the extraordinary Wise Brothers’ choices will lead them inexorably toward a stunning and unforgettable climax.

The Medusa Project


Cindy Dees - 2005
    But there was one bit of classified information the military hadn't shared with her--their trainer, tough-as-nails Lieutenant Colonel Jake Scatalone, was under orders to prove women had no place in Special Forces. No matter how well Vanessa and her team performed, they would fail.Then Scatalone disappeared on a crucial mission in hostile territory. And Vanessa made the military a deal it couldn't refuse: send in the Medusas. If they succeeded, they would become an official team. If they died, no one would ever have to know....

Blue Smoke


Nora Roberts - 2005
    Now an arson investigator, she finds her strength and wits constantly tested, although sometimes the job seems like a snap compared to her love life. But she can’t always blame the men. After all, a soot-caked woman barking orders and smelling of smoke isn’t the biggest turn-on in the world. Then she meets Bo Goodnight, who seems different. He’s been trying to find Reena for years, and now that she’s close enough to touch, he has no intention of letting go.Nor does the man who has begun to haunt Reena’s life—with taunting phone calls and a string of horrifying crimes. And as Reena tries desperately to trace the origins—of the calls, the fires, the hatred aimed in her direction—she will step into the worst inferno she has ever faced...

Distant Echoes


Colleen Coble - 2005
    She’s enlisted to help the U.S. Navy find out what really happened – utilizing her specially trained dolphins to helpKaia and Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews team up in the investigation – but as they edge closer to the truth about the incident, their own lives are threatened. Will a spirit of grace and forgiveness prevail or will it be overshadowed by the distant echoes of past pain and the imminent danger from a cold-blooded killer?Set on the breathtaking Hawaiian island of Kauai, this novel provides an intoxicating mix of romance and suspense with the rhythms of island life.

The Rosary Girls


Richard Montanari - 2005
    Now Montanari has written an astounding novel that pits two besieged detectives against a fiercely intelligent serial killer.Sprawling beneath the statue of William Penn, Philadelphia is a city of downtrodden crack houses and upscale brownstones. Somewhere in this concrete crazy quilt, one teenage Catholic girl is writing in her diary, another is pouring her heart out to a friend, and yet another is praying. And somewhere in this city is a man who wants these young women to make his macabre fantasy become reality. In a passion play of his own, he will take the girls–and a whole city–over the edge.Kevin Byrne is a veteran cop who already knows that edge: He’s been living on it far too long. His marriage failing, his former partner wasting away in a hospital, and his heart lost to mad fury, Byrne loves to take risks and is breaking every rule in the book. And now he has been given a rookie partner. Jessica Balzano, the daughter of a famous Philly cop, doesn’t want Byrne’s help. But they will need each other desperately, since they’ve just caught the case of a lifetime: Someone is killing devout young women, bolting their hands together in prayer, and committing an abomination upon their otherwise perfect bodies.Byrne and Balzano spearhead the hunt for the serial killer, who leads them on a methodically planned journey. Suspects appear before them like bad dreams–and vanish just as quickly. And while Byrne’s sins begin to catch up with him, and Balzano tries to solve the blood-splattered puzzle, the body count rises. Meanwhile, the calendar is approaching Easter and the day of the resurrection. When the last rosary is counted, a madman’s methods will be revealed, and the final crime will be the one that hurts the most.Relentlessly paced and vividly told, The Rosary Girls is a smart, emotionally complex, fiercely gripping thriller from an author who takes chances, breaks new ground, and leaves readers haunted and moved long after the last page is turned.

Noble Vision


Gen LaGreca - 2005
    Her only hope lies in an experimental procedure pioneered by young Manhattan neurosurgeon David Lang.But David’s revolutionary treatment---a way of re-growing damaged nerves to cure brain and spinal cord injuries---requires the approval of New York’s health system, CareFree. Wracked with budget overruns and other priorities, CareFree is skeptical of David’s claims and rejects the new technique.Moved by Nicole’s desperate pleas for the treatment, David does the unthinkable. Believing his procedure safe to try on humans, he performs the first of two brain surgeries on Nicole. A second operation must follow within weeks, if she is to regain her sight.David’s defiance of CareFree unleashes a firestorm. His license is suspended, and he is ordered to discontinue Nicole’s treatment or face jail. He implores the one man who can bend the rules to allow Nicole’s treatment, the head of CareFree---his father. But the father is running for lieutenant governor, and an act of favoritism would foil his vast political ambitions.Pulled together in the turbulence are David and Nicole. He vows to complete her treatment, no matter what price he must pay. She, mortified at the trouble she is causing him, refuses to continue her treatment, no matter what price she must pay. Will she ever see again?A visionary doctor, a courageous patient, an intense family conflict, and an exciting medical discovery converge in one explosive case.This novel won two national awards: ForeWord magazine’s Book of the Year and Writer’s Digest’s 13th Self-published Book Awards. The author, a former pharmaceutical chemist, offers a romantic thriller and insider’s look at the conflicts we face in healthcare today.

No Justice No Peace


Brenda Hampton - 2005
    After the judicial system fails to keep him behind bars, Kiley Jacoby Abrams in How Can I Be Down?, can be described as a weapon of mass destruction. Almost ten years later, he's made his way back home and searches for the ones who deceived him and plotted to bring him down. Staying on the right track, this time around, is not on his agenda. When Quincy's release date is near, due to the detective's screw-ups that led to his arrest, all hell is going to break loose. Without no justice, there certainly won't be no peace. Desmon, Kiley's now fifteen-year-old son, is determined to make sure there is no peace. He's furious about the life that was chosen for him, but continues to follow in his father's footsteps. Unable to keep his own self out of trouble, Kiley's life is bound to take a turn for the worst. His trust and love for women continue to be his downfall, but will he allow it to bring him down once again? He'll realize the power of his freedom, but by then, it just might be too late. About the author: Brenda M. Hampton is making waves in the African American literary world with her bold and addictive style of writing. Being the versatile writer that she is, her novels include: No Justice No Peace, How Can I Be Down?, Two's Enough Three's A Crowd, My Way Or No Way, Change Don't Always Come, and SLICK by Black Pearl Books, Inc.

A Shred of Evidence


Kathy Herman - 2005
    When Ellen goes to the husband’s employer and cannot get answers, she digs through old newspaper articles and stumbles onto information too frightening to keep to herself. Will Ellen become enmeshed in speculation and gossip—or will she take the lead and become a catalyst for truth and healing?Story Behind the Book“My novels don’t come to me ahead of time; each book flows off the tips of my fingers as I sit down and begin to ‘feel’ the issues deep inside myself. For me, the most intriguing aspect of my writing style is that I don’t plan and outline the stories. I turn my fingers loose and get inside the characters and instinctively know where I need to go. After all the suspense is said and done, my hope is that each story will give us pause. That in the deepest part of our souls, we’ll embrace the depth of what it means to be believers and then be moved to share its powerful simplicity with those who struggle without hope. I want to take my readers inside my characters’ hearts and minds so they will ‘experience’ just how destructive gossip really is and see that it never accomplishes anything God-honoring, whether or not it’s true.”-Kathy Herman

Deep Freeze


Lisa Jackson - 2005
    . .When she wakes up, she's very cold. Colder than she's ever been in her life. She can't move or speak. And then she sees him. The one who took her. And before she dies, she wishes she could scream. . .Is About To Become. . .Former movie star Jenna Hughes left Hollywood for an isolated farm in Oregon to get away from fame. But someone has followed her--an obsessed fan whose letters are personal and deeply disturbing. And while Jenna's already shaken up by what she's seen on paper, she'd be terrified if she knew what Sheriff Shane Carter is investigating. It's a shocking case that started with the discovery of a dead woman in the woods. Now two more women are missing, one of whom bears a striking resemblance to Jenna. . .Her Worst Nightmare. . .

Rider on Fire


Sharon Sala - 2005
    All the while, she is haunted by dreams of a man whose place in her life she is yet to discover.When she literally comes face-to-face with the man of her dreams, it’s as if time stands still. Her long-dormant heart is finally awakened. But will she ever be truly free from the dangerous life she left behind?

Sin and Vengeance


C.J. West - 2005
    The fallen college superstar joins the family winemaking business, but working alongside his parents is not the future he had planned. He escapes work whenever he can and soon finds a new friend named Randy Black. Randy is part stunt-pilot, part Casanova, and part drunken Pied Piper. Randy introduces Charlie to Deirdre Deudon, the provocative wife of a French farmer. They come together in an ill-conceived stunt that explodes into consequences that chase Charlie and Randy back home to Massachusetts and change Deirdre's life forever. The after-effects of this tragic mistake bind the three of them together and threaten everything they hold dear.

Covert Action


Dick Couch - 2005
    Now IFOR, the surgical strike team led by former Navy Seal Garrett Walker, returns in an adventure charged with authenticity and suspense.

The Culling


Anthony Hulse - 2005
    This is the second edition and alternative cover.

Idle Playgrounds


Sheralyn Pratt - 2005
    But when Rhea agrees to do a simple, harmless favor for Kay, she unwittingly sets off a series of events that ends up with a secret society appearing right at her door. The stakes are higher than ever - solving the case means more than just collecting her weekly paycheck. This time, it's a matter of life and death.

Rise of the Iron Eagle


Roy A. Teel Jr. - 2005
    “The Iron Eagle” appears to only hunt and capture serial killers. Time is of the essence as with each passing day “The Eagle” gets more brazen. The deeper O’Brian and Hoffman dig into profiling the killer, the more they realize that this is more than a race against time – it’s a race laden with the realization that the killer may be one of their own. From the inside flap: The city of Los Angeles is no stranger to violence. It has both a colorful and grotesque history with it. Sheriff’s Homicide Detective Jim O’Brian and FBI Profiler Special Agent Steve Hoffman are also no strangers to the violence of the sprawling metropolis, but in the past decade something has changed. There’s a serial killer preying on other serial killers – some known by law enforcement, others well off radar. “The Iron Eagle,” a vigilante, extracts vengeance for the victims of Los Angeles’ serial killers. His methods are meticulous and his killings brutal. With each passing day, “The Iron Eagle” moves with impunity through the streets of Los Angeles in search of his prey. O’Brian and Hoffman create an elite task force with the sole purpose of catching “The Eagle” and bringing him to justice. But the deeper they delve, the more apparent it is that he may very well be one of their own. As the two men stare into the abyss of their search, the eyes of “The Iron Eagle” stare back.

Partner-Protector


Julie Miller - 2005
    Merle Banning vowed to conduct the Holiday Hookers homicide investigation based on cold, hard evidence, not psychobabble from the department's "crackpot" consultant. So, despite their smoldering attraction, he scoffed at Kelsey Ryan's unsettling visions of one of the murders. But even he couldn't discount the truth when Kelsey provided a break in the case that had stymied the Fourth Precinct for years. As their pursuit of the twisted killer led them down the seedy back alleyways of Kansas City, the flamboyant beauty bewitched T's battle-scarred heart...and propelled him to breach her isolated world. Could these partners in passion unravel the killer's web of darkness before it ensnared them both?

The Seventh Seal


Ian A. O'Connor - 2005
    “I’m the chief of staff for the papal nuncio to the United States, Francis Cardinal Kettering. Your name was given to me as someone to be trusted, someone who can help. And I very much need your help.” “Why, has your cardinal murdered somebody?” Justin asked with a deliberate lightheartedness meant to convey to Capelletti that his use of dramatics was not necessary.“That’s exactly what’s happened, Mr. Scott,” the priest said, his words barely audible. After hearing that utterance from a terrified priest, ex-FBI agent Justin Scott soon finds himself in the fight of his life. Hired by the Vatican to ferret out the truth – or so it says, Justin uncovers a hair-raising conspiracy involving powerful Vatican prelates and Italian and Russian crime syndicates, all racing against the clock and each other to take possession of the richest prize in Christendom. With time fast running out, Justin’s high-stakes quest leads him to the very steps of the Throne of Peter, then back to Washington DC where he confronts a psychopathic murderer in a cat-and-mouse stalking that plays out to its deadly finish on the mean streets of the nation’s capital.

Dead Reckoning


Linda Castillo - 2005
    Kate Megason is about to prosecute the case of her career when someone starts sending her terrifying messages. Someone who obviously knows her deep, dark secret. Now, she needs the help of Frank Matrone--an investigator with his own shadowy past--or else Kate may have no chance of surviving a killer's brutal wrath.

Chill Factor


Sandra Brown - 2005
    Not so, lately. Four women have disappeared from Cleary over the past two years. And there’s always a blue ribbon left near the spot where each of the women was last seen. There are no bodies, no other clues, and no suspicion as to who their abductor might be. And now, another woman has disappeared without a trace. It is to this backdrop that Lilly Martin returns to close the sale of her mountain cabin, marking the end of her turbulent eight-year marriage to Dutch Burton, Cleary’s chief of police. Dutch’s reluctance to let her go isn’t Lilly’s only obstacle. As she’s trying to outrun a snowstorm, her car skids on the icy road and strikes a man who emerges from the woods on foot. She recognizes the injured man as Ben Tierney, whom she’d met the previous summer. They’re forced to wait out the storm in the cabin, but as the hours of their confinement mount, Lilly begins to wonder if the greatest danger to her safety isn’t the blizzard outside, but the mysterious man right beside her. Is Ben Tierney the feared abductor? Or is he who he claims to be...her rescuer from harm and from the tragedy that haunts her?

The Alien Mind


V.L. Jennings - 2005
    The Aunantet, a benevolent race of aliens, rescue the children and adopt them into their culture and raised them as if they belong. The children's new families teach them how to harness the full capacity of their minds, enabling them to defy the laws of physics and develop special mental abilities. The past returns to haunt them as the Aruk plot revenge and regain control of their former captives. The fate of the entire galaxy depends on whether the children can maintain their freedom.

The Protector


T.L. Gardner - 2005
    Convinced that love and happiness will only be found in death, he ends his life - only to wake three days later, framed for murder.

Storm Gathering


Rene Gutteridge - 2005
    Suddenly he is the prime suspect in a murder case. And his estranged brother may be his only link to the truth.As Mick runs from the police - and his past - he finds himself entangled in the dangers of life on the run. Only God knows the truth. And only God can truly set him free...

Whales for the Wizard


Malcolm Archibald - 2005
    Drugged by sinister gangster John Wylie, Douglas wakens on board the steam-whaler Redgauntlet bound for the Artic, and discovers that his companions believe the ship is haunted and do not expect to return. After an initial clash, Douglas befriends the ship's mate, "Bully Houston", and together thay begin to unravel a year-old mystery.Narrated by Robbie Macnab

Memory of a Murder


Earl Staggs - 2005
    When a rash of new killings erupts, he must call upon all his resources to keep those around him as well as himself alive. Past and present collide even more when he is forced to collaborate with homicide detective Brenda McCort. His attraction to her challenges his sacred devotion to his beloved late wife and the life they shared. In a suspenseful, action-filled race toward a climactic showdown with the killer and the revelation of murderous secrets of the past, Adam is forced to face truths about his own personal future. "Earl Staggs has created a fascinating puzzle with plenty of action. His "baddies" are very bad indeed, and his sleuths delightfully human. Sparks fly when Adam and Brenda meet. Will Adam Kingston dismantle his picture wall of memories and start life anew with Brenda?" -Margaret Searles, author of the Mrs. Millet & Mrs. Hark Mysteries

House Of Secrets


Tracy Montoya - 2005
    House of Secrets by Tracy Montoya released on Oct 11, 2005 is available now for purchase.