Within an hour, the family is torn asunder. While her husband is away, Indians seize her and their sons, carrying them to an unknown fate. Only her teenage daughter escapes. Alone in the world, young Jane fights to make her way, while her father searches frantically for her. Amidst the turmoil of the Revolutionary War, the family struggles to reunite. Soon even greater tragedy erupts. Book club discussion questions included. Also by Sandy Hill: "Tangled Threads," set in a 1890s cotton mill village. The novel tells the story of two strong women whose lives intersect through the years in both painful and joyful ways.

    The only clue, a message, “Those who I have made suffer will become saints and they shall lift me up from hell.” Winter, 1945. Munich is in ruins. Though the war is over, murder still flourishes.U.S. Army investigator Mason Collins enforces the law in the American Zone of Occupation. This post is his last chance to do what he loves most—being a homicide detective.But he gets more than he’s bargained for when the bodies start piling up, the city devolves into panic, and the army brass start breathing down his neck.Then the murderer makes him a target. Now it's a high-stakes duel, and to win it Mason must bring into deadly play all that he values: his partner, his career—even his life.

     A silver pyramid at the centre of the city is emitting a strange energy signal. The race is on to secure the energy source and other treasures of the city. James Cavill and his team of private Special Forces are charged to get there first and secure the treasure for the benefit of all humanity – little do they know what they’ve just walked into…

    She’s blissfully unaware of the rising tensions in Europe even as she travels to Vienna on the eve of the Kristallnacht, The Night of Broken Glass. Stella and her husband, Nicky, witness the night’s atrocities first hand. Even as they watch the horror, they never imagine it will touch them personally, a pair of wealthy Americans on their honeymoon but touch them it does. In the chaotic aftermath, Stella finds passion and purpose in the form of a package with a Paris address. She promises to deliver it, not knowing what it contains or who wants it. Soon Stella must decide who and what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep a secret that has been quietly guarded for five hundred years.

    She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

    He is conflicted because he knows this is their best chance of survival, but he asks himself, will he ever see them again? Ilsa Guhr has a troubled childhood, but as she comes of age, she learns that her beauty and sexuality give her the power to get what she wants. But she craves an even greater power. As the Nazis take control of Germany, she sees an opportunity to gain everything she’s ever desired. Fate will weave a web that will bring these two unlikely people into each other’s lives.

    She arrives to find he's been shot, the bullet piercing the center of his forehead. He's been executed, and that's not all. A mysterious woman is sprawled out on the floor in Darryl's hallway. She's dead too. Who is the woman? Why is she there? And why have they both been murdered?

    Raimond Foix, her friend and mentor in the study of ancient documents. Horrified, Lisa finds clues at the crime scene left behind for her by her mentor—clues to secrets kept hidden for centuries, one of which is Lisa’s own identity, secret even from her.Since she was a child Lisa had suffered from uncontrollable fugue states. Now she discovers just in time that what she always thought was a liability may in fact be an almost paranormal ability to see things in ways others cannot.Who will like it: Fans of intrepid women sleuths will love Lisa, as well as anyone smitten with the romance of the ancient world, and action-adventure in historical fiction and thriller conspiracies, (especially those involving the Catholic church, like The DaVinci Code).A must-read for fans of Steve Berry, Dan Brown and Raymond Khoury!  Vol. 1: THE DELPHI AGENDA THE INQUISITION IS BACK! AND THIS TIME THEY HAVE TECHNOLOGY. Papyrologist Lisa Emmer’s friend and mentor, esteemed Paris historian Dr. Raimond Foix, has been savagely murdered. Now Lisa is not only a prime suspect in the murder investigation, but also smack-dab in the cross-hairs of a deadly commando group that proves to be none other than a contemporary offshoot of the Inquisition. They want an ancient document that reveals a secret so explosive it could change the world—a document they’ve been tracking for centuries. Led by a sadistic priest and a vicious but very accomplished nun with excellent military cred, their mission is to destroy the document—no matter what the cost in blood. Desperate to clear her name and to stay alive, with the help of a handsome yet mysterious banker, Lisa must solve the clues and uncover the millennia-old secret before her adversaries can find and destroy it. The trail leads everywhere from ancient cemeteries and tombs throughout France to Istanbul and Greece, as Lisa and Steve desperately stay one step ahead of their enemies, solving the clues to a dangerous treasure hunt their lives now depend upon.  Vol. 2: TABLET OF DESTINIES JOB DESCRIPTION: DELPHIC ORACLE, CURRENTLY SERVING TO-DOS: STOP APOCALYPSE. ASAP! A clay tablet turns up, containing a prophecy of demons, a snake goddess, and the birth of a “disruptive” miraculous child. A prophecy so dangerous the tablet was smashed to bits, and the shards scattered to all the cities of the ancient world to prevent reassembling, until a Jesuit scholar's vision sets the prophecy in motion in Paris, where the pieces have lain for centuries, half a world and three millennia away from their source. Yet very close to the current home of Lisa Emmer, chosen the Pythia, head of the Delphi Agenda because of her gift of sight, and trained in ancient world studies by a mentor who promised to "teach you life"; more accurately, he might have said "teach you to save the world from evil.

    But before he can cross the Mississippi, the secrets of his family’s grandfather clock and a mysterious French woman put him on an uncertain path. The life Michael knew is about to be left behind as he searches for answers amid a dangerous conspiracy that will lead him from the museums of Paris to Nazi havens in Argentina. The Grandfather Clock is a globe spanning thriller with rich characters, history, action, romance and mystery. "This novel has all the ingredients for one great read: romance, a bit of comedy at times, excitement, suspense and a very satisfying conclusion." "The book is an adventure with vivid locations and interesting plot twists that keep you wanting to read into the night." "A fast paced, globe-trotting adventure that I couldn't put down, the author does a great job drawing you in to each locale with amazing detail and great character development. I recommend it and will keep my eye on more from this author." "I picked up this book to read on a beach vacation and it was perfect. The author's easy storytelling and dialogue take you effortlessly from one end of the world to the other all while making you feel as if you are truly experiencing these fantastic places. Great plot twists and character development - can't wait to see what Michael is up to next! " "What an amazing first book for this new author. Although the saying is cliche, I really didn't want to put it down... I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great read, and I can't wait for the next in the series." "Smartly written and full of unexpected twists and turns! The perfect escape for a rainy weekend! Can't wait for more adventures with Michael Chance!" "...a well-written adventure story that is not only entertaining but also reminds us of the value of time and need to be open to everything life has to offer." Look for the sequel, "The Napoleon Bloom," in Spring of 2016.

    In the Pas de Calais, Nathalie Mercier, a young British Special Operations Executive secret agent working with the French Resistance, disappears. In London, her husband Owen Quinn, an officer with Royal Navy Intelligence, discovers the truth about her role in the Allies' sophisticated deception at the heart of D-Day. Appalled but determined, Quinn sets off on a perilous hunt through France in search of his wife. With the help of the Resistance he finds Nathalie, but then the bitterness of war and its insatiable appetite for revenge, catch up with them in dramatic fashion. Based on real events of the Second World War The Best of Our Spies is a thrilling tale of international intrigue, love, deception and espionage.

    Almost four years after the war’s end, the city is still in ruins, a physical wasteland and a political symbol about to rupture. In the West, a defiant, blockaded city is barely surviving on airlifted supplies; in the East, the heady early days of political reconstruction are being undermined by the murky compromises of the Cold War. Espionage, like the black market, is a fact of life. Even culture has become a battleground, with German intellectuals being lured back from exile to add credibility to the competing sectors.Alex Meier, a young Jewish writer, fled the Nazis for America before the war. But the politics of his youth have now put him in the cross-hairs of the McCarthy witch-hunts. Faced with deportation and the loss of his family, he makes a desperate bargain with the fledgling CIA: he will earn his way back to America by acting as their agent in his native Berlin. But almost from the start things go fatally wrong. A kidnapping misfires, an East German agent is killed, and Alex finds himself a wanted man. Worse, he discovers his real assignment — to spy on the woman he left behind, the only woman he has ever loved. Changing sides in Berlin is as easy as crossing a sector border. But where do we draw the lines of our moral boundaries? At betrayal? Survival? Murder?Joseph Kanon’s compelling thriller is a love story that brilliantly brings a shadowy period of history vividly to life.

    Only one person stands in his way: a lonely Englishwoman on an isolated island, who is beginning to love the killer who has mysteriously entered her life. All will come to a terrifying conclusion in Ken Follett's unsurpassed and unforgettable masterwork of suspense, intrigue, and the dangerous machinations of the human heart.

     But despite multiple searches, twenty-three years have passed without a trace of Becky Ann. When Abigail learns that death row inmate Megan Winnaker is the same age as her daughter, she begins to wonder if the kidnapper had Becky’s Ann’s face surgically altered to prevent identification. Megan Winnaker maintains her innocence, but faces capital punishment if she loses her final appeal. As Abigail launches her own investigation to find out if Megan is truly her daughter, someone wants to stop her in her tracks. Even when facing mortal danger, Abigail refuses to give up her investigation. But can Megan Winnaker really be her long-lost daughter?

    No-nonsense, world-weary Minneapolis lawyer Marc Kadella shines through gritty, street-wise narrative in Dennis Carstens’ action-packed legal thriller series, sure to please fans of courtroom drama and classic noir alike.Marc takes the proverbial road less traveled, going from life as a frustratingly floundering defense attorney to that of a celebrated criminal lawyer, while representing a handful of colorful clients running the gauntlet from vigilante to psychopath. And Marc deftly adapts to each of them. But the hero’s journey is only part of the fun. You can almost see the men sporting fedoras, and the babes would stop traffic even without the cleavage Carstens makes their standard attire. And there’s a contemporary angle sure to please fans of both sexes—the toughest guy in the series is gorgeous investigator Maddy Rivers.BOOK ONE – THE KEY TO JUSTICEFinancially embarrassed, getting a divorce, living in a shabby apartment, and distinctly short of clients, Marc Kadella’s beginning to question why he ever went into the law when a friend brings him the case all Minneapolis is watching--defending an accused serial killer. If he wins, it could turn his life around— if he blows it, he better go into sales.BOOK TWO – DESPERATE JUSTICEAfter winning the case of a lifetime, Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer Marc Kadella welcomes the infusion of energy his career is receiving. Another lawyer asks him to represent the co-defendant in a murder trial resulting from a petty crime that spiraled out of control—the somewhat “accidental” murder of the nephew of Vivian Corwin, grande dame of the influential Corwin family.BOOK THREE – MEDIA JUSTICEAn adorable—and photogenic—two-year-old girl is kidnapped, and, when her remains are found, her twenty-two-year-old widowed mother Brittany is charged with her murder. But before she can even be charged she’s been tried and convicted by the media—with tragic consequences.BOOK FOUR – CERTAIN JUSTICEMarc was torn about representing oft-assumed psychopath Howie Traynor—his first homicide case—but even he was relieved when Howie was put away for forty years… Until, a decade later, his case is re-opened. And now not only Howie, but a handful of wrongfully-accused felons are back out on the streets.BOOK FIVE – PERSONAL JUSTICEIn Dennis Carstens’ fifth hard-boiled legal thriller, we meet the classic black widow. All of Mackenzie Sutherland’s late husbands were millionaires. Each died suddenly and quite mysteriously of massive heart attacks (in spite of no history of heart trouble). And each left their children with nothing—and their young, beautiful bride (of about a year or so) with millions.No one can resist Mackenzie’s charm. Not her current family attorney, not even sharp, successful lawyer Marc Kadella.BOOK SIX – DELAYED JUSTICEMaddy’s new beau, investment analyst Rob Judd, is found brutally murdered in his home—with an unconscious Maddy at the gruesome scene of the crime, clutching the murder weapon. Convinced she was framed, Marc decides to take on the case in spite of his close connections to the client.

    Thistlethwaite and the Magpie: "Super early review on Mrs. Thistlethwaite book from beta reader, Lisa Hudson: AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT!! I've been a fan of J.B. Hawker's fantastic writing for sometime. This book is outstanding!! Her ability to use elderly characters - Matilda Thistlewaite and Slim Bottoms - is brilliant!! These characters (as well as all the other characters) are painted so vividly that you feel as though you would recognize them if you met them in your local church, grocery store, or neighborhood. The story is set in a small town and reflects the devastation and fear brought by the disappearance of a young teenaged girl and the evidence of the return of a serial killer. The author seamlessly weaves the story and has you wanting to read the entire book in one sitting. It's about friendships, families, First Responders, and the criminal element. There are a myriad of surprises scattered all throughout this book. Read it. You'll be so glad you did!! " Fans of Miss Seeton and Mrs. Pollifax will welcome the indomitable Mrs. Thistlethwaite. Like these beloved, mature characters, at the ripe old age of eighty-five Mrs. T. is ready for whatever comes her way. When a beautiful and talented teenage ballet student disappears, rumors fly in the charming village of Tillamook, Oregon. Did she run away to the big city, or is she the latest victim of the notorious serial killer preying upon lonely young women along the coastal highways? Beguiling octogenarian, retired school teacher, Tillie Thistlethwaite, applies her exceptionally sharp mental skills and no-nonsense practicality to the mystery. Petite Mrs. T. and her tall gentleman friend, Slim, reject both theories and launch their own investigation. Will the amateur sleuthing of this unlikely and adorable pair succeed where the police fail, or will they fall victim to foul play?