With This Ring


Margaret Maron - 2012
    Hart and Martin Harry Greenberg (1993) and republished in “Shoveling Smoke: Selected Mystery Stories by Margaret Maron”, Crippen & Landru (1997).“The whole subject of bridesmaid’s dresses amuses me immensely. No one dress could be equally flattering to any bride’s six best friends, so someone’s nose is always out of joint. And as for their usefulness as a party/cocktail dress? In my lifetime, I have only seen two that might actually be worn after the wedding.”

The Holdouts (Detective Buddy Lock #2)


James Tucker - 2018
    Homicide cop Buddy Lock knows there isn’t a chance in hell that this is some tragic accident. But as soon as his investigation begins, so do the warnings to back off. They’re not only coming from within the NYPD; they’re hitting close to Buddy’s heart: his new family has become the killer’s target.When people start disappearing from Chinatown, Buddy finds himself on the trail of a killer whose motives are more twisting and far-reaching than the detective imagined. A killer who knows just how to get to him—by pursuing everyone he loves. Now Buddy can trust only himself—even as his relentless pursuit of justice plunges him into the most brutal waters of his career.

Up, Simba! Up, Simba!


David Foster Wallace - 2000
    They wanted to know why McCain appealed so much to so many Americans, and particularly why he appealed to the "Young Voters" of America who generally show nothing but apathy. The "Director's Cut" (three times longer than the RS article) is an incisive, funny, thoughtful piece about life on "Bullshit One" -- the nickname for the press bus that followed McCain's Straight Talk Express. This piece becomes ever more relevant, as we discuss what we know, don't know, and don't want to know about the way our political campaigns work.

Fencing With Death


Elizabeth Pewsey - 2014
     Londoner Larry Dunne divides his time between writing bad avant-garde poetry, working in a Bloomsbury bookshop, arguing with his upper-class girlfriend Pamela and putting the world to rights in a dive off the Strand named Joe’s Club in honour of Stalin. Until one day he applies for a job in Hungary, where he imagines he will at last breathe the purer air of an ideal Socialist State and enjoy universal fellowship and equality. Off he goes to Budapest, to find that the State runs on envy, paranoia and two-stroke. And soon, despite the attractions of an elegant Hungarian ballerina, Larry wants nothing more than to get back to cosy Bohemian London. Not so easy, when a neighbour is stabbed to death with a fencing sabre. On the run from ultra-clever investigator Major Nagy, Larry realises he might be in Budapest for a very, very long time. Unless the murderer is caught. A man in a long grey coat stood there. At the sight of Larry he clicked his heels together, extended a hand, announced that he was Major Nagy and strode past Larry into his apartment. Larry was rooted to the spot. ‘What is it? Has something happened?’ ‘Indeed you may say it has, Mr Dunne. A body has been found in an apartment in this block, and it is necessary to ask you some questions.’ ‘A body? What kind of body?’ ‘A dead body, Mr Dunne. This is the only kind I am interested in.’ ‘No, I mean, whose body? And how, has someone had a heart attack?’ ‘Not at all, Mr Dunne. Please sit down. This is a case of murder.’ Originally published as LOSING LARRY by Elizabeth Pewsey

The Callaways Boxed Set - Books 1-3


Barbara Freethy - 2015
    This special boxed set offers the first three full-length novels in the series. Each book is filled with Barbara Freethy's unique blend of page-turning romance, family and mystery—unforgettable stories that will touch your heart. ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS: The second oldest of the Callaway clan, Aiden Callaway veered from the family tradition of urban firefighting and became a smokejumper, never questioning his choice until the job took the life of his friend, Kyle, and left Aiden with injuries and fractured memories. Everyone blames Aiden for what happened, but he doesn't remember, nor is he sure he wants to remember. The truth may clear Aiden of blame but destroy Kyle's reputation and hurt the people he left behind. 
 Aiden seeks help from an unlikely ally. Sara had always been untouchable, sweet, innocent, his sister's best friend, and the girl next door. But one reckless night in their youth took their relationship to a new level. Sara has never forgiven or forgotten the way Aiden brought it crashing down, but she's no longer that girl with the crazy crush. She's a woman in search of her own truth. The sparks between Aiden and Sara have been smoldering for a very long time. Sara is afraid to take another chance on a man who broke her heart, and Aiden knows better than anyone how dangerous an intense fire can be. As teenagers they weren't ready for each other. Are they ready now? SO THIS IS LOVE: Emma Callaway, a hot fire investigator clashes with Max Harrison, a cool homicide detective in SO THIS IS LOVE, the second book in the Callaway Series. For Max Harrison, love seduces and then destroys. His brother went to prison for love. His father left his family for love. And Max is determined not to follow in their footsteps, until he meets Emma… Emma runs into burning buildings without an ounce of fear and embraces life as if every day is a new adventure. But while she's fearless on the job, Emma is a coward when it comes to love. Betrayed by an ex-boyfriend, Emma has no intention of putting her heart on the line again, until she meets Max… As the fires around the city rage, the heat between them ignites in a blaze of passion that's far more dangerous. Will it destroy them or will they finally get everything they ever wanted… FALLING FOR A STRANGER Ria is as sexy and sultry as a warm tropical night and as beautifully dangerous as the island drinks she serves at the beachside bar on Isla de los Suenos -- The Island of Dreams. But Ria is not as carefree as she appears, and the pretense is wearing her down. One night she risks everything to escape from reality. Drew Callaway is a former Navy pilot looking for his own escape from a life that has seen too much tragedy. Meeting Ria is like embracing the sun, and their single night together is life-changing. But the dream quickly fades when Ria is killed in a tragic accident at sea. Months later, thousands of miles away from where they first met, Drew sees a woman who looks just like Ria. She claims her name is Tory, and that they've never met before, but he can see that she's in trouble, and he can't walk away. He's going to save her whether she wants it or not. Drew isn't afraid of a little danger, but can he risk losing his heart to a beautiful stranger? Also Available in the Callaway Series: Between Now and Forever (#4) Nobody But You (A Callaway Wedding Novella) All A Heart Needs (#5) That Summer Night (#6) W

A Part of the Pattern: A Jeff Resnick Mysteries Companion Story (Jeff Resnick's Personal Files Book 7)


L.L. Bartlett - 2017
    His brother, Richard, thinks that could be the basis of a paying business. Reluctantly, Jeff agrees, and their first case is about a child who vanished more than two decades before. Meanwhile, Jeff bumps into an acquaintance whose history is very similar to that of the missing girl. Is it coincidence or is there a pattern that links him to her and his future?

The Escort Collection


Leigh James - 2017
    When billionaire mogul James Preston hires an escort as a date for his brother’s wedding, he knows he’s taking a risk. One thing he won’t be taking? The escort’s clothes off. He just wants a date—not a girlfriend. Not a relationship. No strings. No ties. No games. No sex. He has his reasons. He lost someone he loved, and isn’t interested in trying again. Too many opportunities for mistakes or worse, heartbreak. Audrey Reynolds became a high-end escort to keep her brother in his expensive group home. James Preston is the client of her dreams—he’s offering to pay her more money for two weeks than she’s ever made before. But James is... difficult. He’s gorgeous, troubled and all too human for Audrey's business-like tastes. Determined to complete her assignment and collect the money, Audrey tries to play by James’s rules. But before she knows what's happening, he's rewriting the contract. When Audrey ends up in James’s bed, he realizes that she’s everything he’s wanted… and everything he’s been running from. Escorting the Actress He was my party-boy billionaire stepbrother... Now he's my disinherited, sexy escort? FML! Kyle: She was my geeky, brace-faced stepsister. Now she's a stunning Hollywood actress. And she just became a client at the upscale escort agency where I work. Things might finally be looking up. Lowell: I had a PR disaster on my hands. I needed a pretend boyfriend--so I called the escort service. But then stepbrother bad boy showed up. Now I'm all sorts of screwed. Or wishing I was. Wait--I take that back! I take it back! Kyle: My powerful father will do anything to keep me away from Lowell, including dangling my fortune in front of me. But I just might be more interested in what my sexy ex-stepsister has to offer. That is, if I can convince her to give it to me. Escorting the Player Win or Lose... Winning is important but this is championship quarterback Chase Layne's last chance for glory. All he wants for his final season is to win the Superbowl. But dreams of ending his career on a high will be sacked if his soon to be ex-wife has her way. She and her new boyfriend have plans to ruin Chase in a media smear, stealing everything he's worked to achieve. He just has to show the press he's still in control and on top of his game, in business and his private life. It's How You Play the Game... Avery Banks knows all about being played. Life has done that to her for years now and she's tired of being the loser. All she needs is a big score...a job paying enough money to allow her stop turning tricks for good and to get her sister into rehab. Then it happens! She gets the dream job pretending to be a star football player's girlfriend. All she has to do is make him look good, help him keep up his All American Boy image for the next few weeks. Easy, right? Except her sister sees an even bigger payoff: Blackmailing Chase. As Chase and Avery play offense to everyone trying to bring them down, Avery must also face the hard truth: she's made the ultimate rookie mistake...falling in love with a client. Escorting the Groom TO HAVE AND TO HOLD… Ruthless technology billionaire Lucas Ford has run out of time. The rules of his trust make it clear: be married by thirty-five and stay married for one year. Otherwise, bye-bye inheritance—and the family fortune will be inherited by his sister, who might very well blow it on Botox and funding her sorority alma mater.

It's Killing Jerry


Sharn Hutton
    For treachery, blackmail and murder.He might be saving the world in his imagination as an MI5 agent, but Jerry's real life boss, wife and ex are all sick of his shenanigans and figure they’d be better off without him.More use dead than alive, he winds up on the news, reported missing and presumed murdered, his fate a mystery to all but one person. Lies used to make life easier, but now one thing’s for sure: being Jerry is murder.

The Two Towns


J.J. Salkeld - 2014
     It is DC Jane Dixon's first week on Kendal's CID team. Her new boss, DI Andy Hall, gives her an open file to review, and it's a far from straightforward case. A woman has died in suspicious circumstances in a Windermere caravan park, and although her husband is suspected there's not a shred of solid evidence against him. Can Jane move the case forward, or will a cold-blooded killer really get away with murder? The rest of the team is busy too, because a vulnerable teenager from a troubled family has gone missing from home. There's nothing to suggest that the boy has been abducted, so what could have caused him to run away from home? DS Ian Mann, a tough ex-military man, and DC Ray Dixon are both heavily involved in the investigation. This story introduces key members of the investigative team, as well as many of the themes that are developed in the full-length Lakeland Murders novels: including a strong sense of place, and an understanding that while justice usually prevails it is rarely complete, or completely fair. Reader reviews for the full-length novels in the Lakeland Murders series include: 'Well developed, realistic, relatable characters, great plot, believable detailed scenes, good action sequences. Recommend to those that appreciate British detective novels. Always devour Lakeland murder mysteries.' 'Love J J Salkeld's books, his understanding of police procedure, his ability to draw his characters out into real people is, I believe, up there with the best of them and it is good to find crime stories set in Cumbria for a change.' 'Salkeld is good. Not just as a writer of gripping detective stories; but even more for his feisty exposure of the lunacies of institutions, hierarchies, and power. A refreshing and enlightening anarchist - much needed in these jaded, compliant and consumptive times.'

The Bad Nanny


Emily Shiner - 2021
    She believes that a nanny is just what she needs to let her be a better mother and get back to work.At first, her husband isn’t so sure. But after Abigail gets what she wants and hires Haley to take care of her daughter, she knows that her life is about to get better.She can work. Get a full night’s sleep. Be the mother she wants to be.But then she starts losing time. And when she finally finds out the truth of what’s happening, it may all be too late.She trusted Haley to take care of her daughter. She never thought it would go this far.

Irresistible Attraction


Brenda Jackson - 2017
    So when she runs into him in New York City on business, they both see this as an opportunity to explore their undeniable attraction. But can a whirlwind of passion turn into long-lasting love?

Tulips Too Late: A Flower Shop Mystery Novella


Kate Collins - 2018
     After arriving late for a tulip delivery, Bloomers Flower Shop owner Abby Knight Salvare stumbles upon a homicide in action. When her long-time friend, Sgt. Sean Reilly accidentally releases information to the press, he is forced to step away from the case, and even his position. Having nowhere else to turn, and armed with a list of evidence that the detectives refuse to investigate, Sgt. Reilly enlists the help of Team Salvare, Abby and Marco, to solve this case and set things right. Abby will not only struggle with the case, but also with her own body as she and Marco engage in a rigorous healthy regimen, making sure they are in shape for a family cruise taking place in three short weeks. Abby’s emphatic cousin Jillian makes it a point to help Abby shed those extra pounds, promising that no one will ever call Abby by her former high school nickname ever again. In order to solve this mystery, Abby and Marco must defy strict orders from a powerful old foe – a bull-headed corrupt detective - who promises that one wrong move will have them wrapped up in legal fees, courtroom battles, and possibly even worse. Abby’s passion for truth and unquenchable thirst for justice drives her forward even while the odds stack up against her. This will not only be Abby’s greatest challenge but also her greatest redemption, believing she may have been able to save someone’s life, had she not delivered those tulips…too late.

Her Billionaire's Bargain


Yvette Hines - 2016
    Whether in business or his personal life. Not many people tell him, “No.” Until Kourtney Deen, a striking beauty, refused to sell her business to him so that he could put up a luxury spa and golf course. Business is business that’s what Zac has always believed. He refuses to get caught in the marriage trap like his cousins. However, the day he meets the feisty shop owner face to face, he can’t resist the attraction he has for her. Kourtney refuses to allow herself to get distracted. No matter how tall, grey-eyed and handsome he maybe. That road has already been traveled. Years ago, she made some mistakes and had to make some tough choices. Now, the only two things she cares about are her daughter and the success of her shop. In Zac’s structured life, things have always gone how he planned it, but one unexpected event leads to another. When he discovers that nothing is what it seems and there are secrets, yet revealed, he learns quickly that it is not his wallet he has to lean on, but his heart.

Thriller Thirteen: 13 Bestselling Thriller Novellas Packed With Mystery, Action, & Adventure!


Mark DawsonL.T. Ryan - 2016
    Their mission: RESCUE THOUSANDS. PROTECT MILLIONS. PROVE THAT JUSTICE FOR THE POOR IS POSSIBLE. *** BOOKS INCLUDED: ONE THOUSAND YARDS (A John Milton Novella) By Mark Dawson LOW LIFES (A Crime Mystery Novella) By Simon Wood LIGHTNING RIDER (Arthur Ellis Award Winner for Best Short Story) By Rick Mofina CHASING IVAN (A Kyle Achilles Novella) By Tim Tigner THE GUARDIAN (A Marty Singer Short Story) By Matthew Iden THE UNEXPECTED HERO (An Evan Nash Novella) By Michael Grumley ORIGINS (A Black Flagged Short Story) By Steve Konkoly BOUND IN BLOOD (A Ray Fletcher Novella) By Abraham Falls A KILLING TRUTH (A Leine Basso Novella) By D.V. Berkom CHOSEN By (A Corps Justice Short Story) C.G. Cooper NOBLE INTENTIONS (A Jack Noble Novella) By L.T. Ryan THE WAY OF THE WOLF (A Noah Wolf Novella) By David Archer THADDEUS MURFEE (A Thaddeus Murfee Novella) By John Ellsworth This boxed set will only be available for a limited time. So don't hesitate to grab your copy now, and make sure to it share with your friends and family!

Bird Box: free sampler (chapter 1)


Josh Malerman - 2014
    The doors are locked, the curtains are closed, mattresses are nailed over the windows.They are out there. She might let them in.The children sleep in the bedroom across the hall.Soon she will have to wake them. Soon she will have to blindfold them.Today they must leave the house. Today they will risk everything.