A Zen for Murder


Leighann Dobbs - 2014
    but that's about to change. When local psychic Zoila Rivers is found dead at the zen garden, retired police consultants Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins are forced to team up to catch the killer. Too bad Claire and Dom don't always see eye to eye. But with an island full of locals who all have secrets, Claire and Dom have to put aside their differences in order to solve the case before the police arrest the wrong person and a killer goes free. Will Claire and Dom figure out whose secret was worth killing for in time to stop the killer from claiming another victim?

Shadow Kill


David Caris - 2021
    Betrayed by his employer and left for dead, Kovac decides to lie low in Tokyo.His plan? Revenge...But when a young woman asks him to protect her from the yakuza, Kovac feels duty-bound to help. She’s a victim of abuse, and long experience tells him if he doesn’t step in tonight she’ll be a corpse before dawn.As Kovac works to uncover the truth of his last job, he finds himself drawn into a conspiracy which goes well beyond the yakuza to a new and terrifying multinational cartel. One that will stop at nothing to control the global drug trade.The kingpins are certain they’ve covered all bases. They're well-funded and utterly ruthless. But they’ve failed to account for one man – John Kovac.SHADOW KILL is the first in a fast-paced, unflinching thriller series that won't in any way shortchange you on action. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Mark Greaney and Mark Dawson.

While the Auto Waits


O. Henry
    

A Story to Kill


Lynn Cahoon - 2016
    Now it's an authors' getaway, but Cat won't let anyone get away with murder . . . The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn't know why he came all the way from New York, but she's glad to have him among the quirkier-and far less famous-attendees. Cat's high school sweetheart Seth, who's fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat . . . some of them a little overpowering. But it's her uncle, the local police chief, whom she'll call for help when there's a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?

Switchblade


Michael Connelly - 2014
    Cold cases are often the toughest: With no body, no murder scene, and no fingerprints, Bosch nevertheless gets lucky when DNA evidence from the murder weapon points to a known killer. But the DA insists that science alone is not enough - he needs the case to be bulletproof before he'll take it to court.Determined to speak for those who can no longer speak for themselves, Bosch has one chance to wrench a confession out of a cold-blooded killer, or risk letting him walk free for good.

A Case of Identity - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story


Arthur Conan Doyle - 1891
    He disappeared on the very day they were to be married. It's a challenge Holmes can't turn down.This is #3 in Doyle's first collection of Holmes' short stories, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes."Librarian's note: this entry is for the story, "A Case of Identity." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere.

The Caper


Janet Evanovich - 2013
    Later published online via Janet's email newsletter (August 2015).

All the Lies That Are My Life


Harlan Ellison - 1980
    Introduction by Robert Silverberg. Afterwords by Norman Spinrad, Vonda N McIntyre, Robert Sheckley, Philip Jose Farmer, Thomas M Disch, and Edward Bryant.

The Breathing Method


John Escott - 1982
    The years pass but no one looks any older. One night a doctor tells the story of a young woman who gives birth to a baby in the most horrible way! Evil psychic powers, obsession and the supernatural in the most ordinary, everyday places. A spine-chiller from the master of horror.

In Dark Company


Linda Castillo - 2018
    It’s the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a scene where a mysterious young woman, battered and terrified, has sought shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can’t remember her name or where she’s from, but she knows one thing: someone was trying to kill her. Kate suspects that “Jane Doe” remembers more than she’s letting on, but when Jane is attacked again on Kate’s watch, Kate resolves to find the truth. As Jane’s memories start flooding back and Kate dives deeper into her murky past, they must race to discover what Jane was running from—and who is still pursuing her.

The Exit Door Leads In


Philip K. Dick - 1979
    And when one had been in the vicinity small valuable objects disappeared. A robot's idea of order was to stack everything into one pile. Nonetheless, Bibleman had to order lunch from robots, since vending ranked too low on the wage scale to attract humans.

Fractured Persona


Harry Krebs - 2013
    A glimpse in a mirror and the evidence of a driver's license prove that Fornek is trapped in the body of warehouse worker Daniel Curtis. Terrified, he insists that he's Richard Fornek, but when faced with the prospect of admittance to a psychiatric hospital, he is forced to assume a new role to buy time to figure out what’s going on. Alone and confused, things go from bad to worse as he struggles to regain control of his life. A little romance, a little murder, and a whole lot of hair-raising suspense unfold as he scrambles to stay one step ahead of the mayhem.

High Heels: The Year of Short Stories – May


Jeffrey Archer - 2018
    Released as one of a limited number of digital shorts released to celebrate the publication of Jeffrey Archer’s magnificent seventh short-story collection, Tell Tale.Taken from And Thereby Hangs A Tale, Jeffrey Archer’s sixth collection of short stories, High Heels is a fantastic short read featuring Archer’s trademark wit and deft plotting.Loss Adjuster Alan Penfold has a case he will never forget when a family owned shoe manufacturer burns to the ground. With no signs of arson it seems like an open-and-shut case. But Penfold becomes suspicious when the owner reacts calmly to the devastating loss of a business that has been in his family for generations. Penfold, with his wife’s help, vows to uncover the truth . . .

Flight 12


Brett BattlesCheryl Bradshaw - 2015
    The body they’d been hired to make disappear had been dealt with exactly to the required specifications, so, by all rights, they should have been at the airport, catching their flights home. But a last minute call puts a crimp into their plans. Another assignment has come up, one that must be dealt with immediately, and will prove considerably more difficult than the last as they are not the only ones who’ve come for the corpse. An already long night dealing with the dead is just about to get a little longer. The novella FLIGHT 12: A Jonathan Quinn Thriller is part of the FLIGHT 12 project, featuring stories from best selling authors featuring some of their most popular protagonists. Read all 12 of the Flight 12 Project books and then help The Twelve create the final epilogue! What do you get when a dozen bestselling, award-winning mystery/thriller authors write brand-new material centered on one heart-stopping event? You get FLIGHT 12, the revolutionary followup by The Twelve to the New York Times and USA Today bestselling DEADLY DOZEN. The groundbreaking FLIGHT 12 series will feature a new release from each member of The Twelve, plus very special guests, with a conclusion so thrilling it could only come from the minds of our readers. Join The Twelve in the ongoing FLIGHT 12 project. Don't just read about your favorite characters, participate in the story, win prizes, and see storytelling in a totally new way... The Flight 12 books, in order of publication, are: Flight 12: A Kristin Cunningham Thriller by Allan Leverone Flight 12: A Laura Cardinal Thriller by J. Carson Black Flight 12: A Jess Kimball Thriller by Diane Capri Flight 12: A Sloane Monroe Thriller by Cheryl Bradshaw Flight 12: A Kirk Weston Thriller by Aaron Patterson Flight 12: A Dick Moonlight PI Thriller by Vince Zandri Flight 12: An Evie Preston Thriller by Michele Scott Flight 12: A Kylie Cain Thriller by A.K. Alexander and J.R. Rain Flight 12: A Xandra Carrick Thriller by Joshua Graham Flight 12: A Jonathan Quinn Thriller by Brett Battles Flight 12: A Jessie Night Thriller by Carol Davis Luce Flight 12: Nick Jennings Thriller by Robert Gregory Browne May 12 New York (AP): A Skyway Airlines flight carrying 375 passengers and 13 crew bound for Rome’s Fiumicino airport from New York’s JFK International Airport has disappeared off the radar overnight according to airline spokespersons. Skyway Flight 12 had left New York at 12:00 midnight Monday evening and was said to be operating normally and in good weather conditions. According to sources on the ground, the plane, a Boeing 767, was piloted by an experienced flight crew who issued no alarm of any kind prior to vanishing somewhere over the Atlantic ocean east of Newfoundland. The 767 is said to be a reliable twin engine carrier that’s been in service since 1982 with an excellent safety record. While a catastrophic mechanical failure is presently being investigated, says an FAA spokesman, a criminal event is not being ruled out. Both sea and air rescue crews have been dispatched from the US, Canada, Newfoundland, and Ireland. This is a developing story. So, thriller fans, it’s time. Fasten your safety belts. Return your seat backs and tray tables to their full upright and locked position. Review the safety information card in your seatback pocket once more before take off. Ready? Here we go! Enjoy the ride on each of the 12 books in the exciting new series where Flight 12 Begins.

Slice of Life (Singles Classic)


Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - 2016
    Rose was about to go into the classroom, where she’d left her purse, when she saw a sign on the door—a crude sign in pencil, on a ragged sheet of paper. “Collapse of Western Civilization — Dr. Norbert Beilstein,” it said. “Visitors welcome.”Previously unpublished, Slice of Life—about a college coed’s winter-induced dream—is an early testament to Kurt Vonnegut’s original voice and curious imagination. Cover design by Adil Dara.