Mix thoroughly for the perfect Christmas murder.Well, almost perfect.It’s one month until Christmas in Dunbarton and the town is buzzing with the news that a famous celebrity chef is coming to judge and televise the gingerbread competition at the new community centre. Confident that the event will attract hordes of food-loving visitors to town, the mayor has Dunbarton decked out in all its Christmas finery and directs Alicia and the deputy mayor to make sure everything runs smoothly.All is going as planned until a body is found in the life-sized gingerbread house outside the community centre, with a gingerbread dove stuffed in the victim’s mouth. The distraught mayor once again calls on Alicia and Chris to solve the murder before it sounds a death-knell to the holiday festivities.It’s not long before Alicia and Chris discover that it’s not all sugar and spice in the world of big-time baking and that one too many cookies can be the death of you.

    But when he finds himself on the wrong end of a knife, everything changes. He should have died. Instead, he acquires a unique ability - he harbors two souls in his body. If he dies, he loses one soul yet continues on. As long as he replenishes his second soul, he cannot be killed - he's immortal.But gaining immortality throws him into a world of government spies, crime syndicate couriers, and elite assassins. A world in which mankind is second class. A world where one has all eternity to master anything, and he is not the only one.Nathan wants nothing to do with such a dangerous world. He wants to help people, not destroy them. But when he tries to leave, he learns that freedom will be a lot harder to gain than he thinks.

    She sits in a psychiatric ward for the criminally insane, and her therapist believes she’s as dangerous as the predator she stopped. When an FBI agent shows up with tales of another elusive killer and in need of Lucy’s special expertise, she’s yanked back into a world where the need for justice rivals the lust for revenge coursing through her veins. Lucy helps hunt a deadly predator whose M.O., and bread crumb of clues, suggest that he’s waiting for her to join his twisted game. Tethered with a tracking device to watch her every move and without weapons at her disposal, she’s in for the chase of her life. The only question left is whether she can outsmart the killer and survive when her name is sitting at the top of his hit list.

    When Hattie hosts the Saints & Sinners Ball & someone kills the lead prosecutor in her yard, her niece Harper has no choice but to help find the killer.At 40, this wasn't the do-over in life Harper expected. Now Hattie is insisting Harper learn the Ryan family magic. Psychic powers at forty? Harper isn't so sure. But Harper has a murder to solve and her aunt's reputation to protect. The Ryan women are the only two standing in the killer's way.With help from their sinfully attractive new neighbor, Harper & Hattie must decide who is friend or foe if they have any hope of unraveling the mystery. Uncovering secrets and scandal at every turn, the two unlikely sleuths must unmask a killer before the next body drops.If you like charming characters, an entertaining blend of cozy mystery and paranormal women's fiction, and a hint of romance, you'll love Saints & Sinners Ball. Read Book #1 in the Harper & Hattie Magical Mystery series as a standalone or part of the series.

    The day his stepfather dies, however, his world will suddenly turn upside down. Even though Shaun grows increasingly suspicious of his stepfather's death, believing that something treacherous has happened to him, no one wants to listen to his fears.Will Shaun manage to unravel the truth behind the enigmatic and shocking death?While Shaun is still haunted by the mysterious loss of his father, he will soon have to confront another daunting obstacle; his stepbrother Clayton's decision to sell the family ranch. Moreover, Shaun is allowed to keep one horse but must leave the ranch, never to return. With nothing to live for and no place to call home, Shaun crosses paths with a horse enthusiast. Little does he know that together they're about to change the rules of horseracing forever... Will Shaun finally have a chance to make his way in the world, or will his hostility toward his stepbrother destroy a chance at a new life and success?With Shaun's move to Prescott and start in horse racing, his life will finally begin to improve. Moreover, a beautiful and sophisticated woman will soon steal his heart. Nonetheless, ghosts from the past continue to pursue him and lead him down a dark path... Will Shaun be able to overcome the lies and deceit that could undermine his chance for a good future? Or will forces beyond his control rob him of his smile once and for all?An action-packed story, featuring complex and fascinating characters, and twists and turns that will take your breath away. A must-read for fans of Western action and romance.

    What could possibly go wrong?Spinoza is a private investigator who specializes in finding the missing. He’s good at what he does. Damn good. But he’s also got a secret past that haunts him. In the short story, THE VAMPIRE ON THE TRAIN, Spinoza takes on a different kind of investigation when he’s hired to ride a train with a vampire whose dreams predict the future. Spinoza is in the vampire’s dreams. And so is the train…“The Vampire on the Train” is a mystery thriller and a paranormal adventure for an intrepid private detective who finds out he is the key to one vampire living...or dying. Now Spinoza must make the decision of a lifetime before the train reaches its final destination...**Acclaim for J.R. Rain and Samantha Moon** “J.R. Rain’s Samantha Moon, private investigator, is a vampire heroine to cheer for. The VAMPIRE FOR HIRE urban fantasy series has sparkling dialogue, quirky mystery, paranormal thrills and chills, fun romance and humor, and a great ensemble cast of characters. Get hooked with MOON DANCE and be swept away into the mystique of an unforgettable vampire saga.” —Eve Paludan, bestselling author of the WITCH DETECTIVES series “I enjoyed Moon Dance immensely. The protagonist, Samantha Moon, is a female vampire with a husband and children. Those predate her condition; six years ago, she was attacked by a vampire and rendered into one. Now she’s trying to carry on with family and private eye business, and she’s a feisty, skilled person, so is doing mostly okay. It is not a horror story; she buys animal blood to eat and doesn’t generally prey on humans. But her husband has an increasing problem with her coldness—not of spirit, but of body. ‘You sicken me and scare the hell out of me,’ he tells her. ‘And when I touch you it’s all I can do to not gag.’ She replies, ‘Words every wife wants to hear.’ I love this! What makes it special are her character and nature.” —Piers Anthony, bestselling author of the XANTH series “J.R. Rain delivers a blend of action and wit that always entertains. Quick with the one-liners, but his characters are fully fleshed out (even the undead ones) and you’ll come back again and again.” —Scott Nicholson, bestselling author of the AFTER series “Is it possible to redefine two genres in one book? I don’t know, but J.R. Rain has left a lasting impression for the vampire and mystery genres.” —P.J. Day, bestselling author of the JACK KING vampire thrillers “Impossible to put down. J.R. Rain’s Moon Dance is a fabulous urban fantasy replete with multifarious and unusual characters, a perfectly synchronized plot, vibrant dialogue and sterling witticism, all wrapped in a voice that is as beautiful as it is rich and vividly intense as it is relaxed.” —April Vine, bestselling author of UNBOUND

    But even Livy has never envisioned trees slinging splinters big as swords at her. Or falling off a giant moth five-hundred feet in the air, commanding the elements to stand still, or battling a throng of birds. And she’s certainly never been tasked with defeating an enemy bent on the destruction of her world. Until now. When elfin warriors escort Livy to Broams Eld, she discovers a world where imagination is power, tadpole soup is what’s for dinner, and trees whisper secret enchantments. There she finds not only friends, a welcome home for her dare-devil antics, and magic, but an astounding destiny to inherit—if she can survive her first night.

    When detectives arrive, they find not only the broken body of the victim, but a child who remembers nothing of who she is or how she came to be at the scene. Because the little girl has no known home, a gentle-hearted detective inspector named Charles St. Clair takes her to his home, and from that point on, his life will never be the same. Over the course of the next ten years, he’ll learn not only all about the girl but also about himself. And St. Clair will learn the truth about a supernatural battle that has been raging across England for four hundred years. The Redwing Saga presents an alternative telling of history, pulling back the veil of secrecy put into place by those who would deceive and destroy. Geopolitics, criminal investigation, and science merge with secret societies, angelic warfare, and human free will. Book One of the series, Blood Lies , introduces the characters—both human and non-human—as well as their backstories, and it starts us on a journey that will eventually lead from Whitechapel to World War.

    

    Here are just a few of his stories!The Letter: When Smudge's friend, Twistypaws, comes to him for help he can't say no to the beautiful girl cat he has a major crush on. Her owner is in trouble and it seems that Smudge is the only one that can get him out of it, with Darcy's help of course.The Rat's Trail: It's Smudge to the rescue when Rolo the timid cat has a rat problem. Why would a rat be trying to evict Rolo from his home? Smudge is on the case to find out.The Sparkly: Corvin the crow is beside himself when he loses a special sparkly people feather he was going to give his new girlfriend. Smudge must find out what happened to it and get it back for Corvin.Stealing Heidi: Twistypaws enlists Smudge's help when she receives an SOS from Jocko the guinea pig. It seems that his owner's belongings are going missing one by one. It's up to Smudge to work out what's going on.The Circle of Life: Smudge the cat has only eight lives left. We learn how he lost the ninth life and it's not how you might think.

    The Kransens live in an expensive, elegant home in the small town of Flening, Florida. Majestic and private, the grounds are surrounded by lush trees and colorful flowers. But there is an ugliness underneath the manicured and perfect facade... Secrets hide within the walls and curses whisper through the air. Newlyweds Ben and Ana Kransen are moving into the house with their in-laws. They’ve got high hopes and expectations for a better life. But soon after they move in, strange things start to happen. Noises fill the air, dark rooms unlock nightmares of the past, and it becomes clear that some people are not welcome in the Kransen House. Their lives are infiltrated by death, evil, and an unspoken religion. Ana knows something is wrong and her family is in danger. Left with few choices, she must find a way to save the ones she loves or face the consequences of an evil legacy.

    Now I’m on my way home to a mother who disapproves of me and four sisters who barely know me. Is it possible for a witch like me to find space in a place she doesn’t belong?I didn’t think they’d dismantle the paranormal military with a wave of their bureaucratic magic wand, but they did. Everything I’d spent the previous fifteen years of my life doing and being was ripped away from me in an instant, out of my reach.And now that the paranormal military’s gone, I’ve got nothing left to fight for.So I’m on my way back to Forkbridge, Florida, to the family coven of the goddess Athena, which is led by high priestess Minerva Arden. My mother’s name. The hippie witch mother I left thirteen years ago, against her explicit wishes, to join the military rather than take my place at her side.Mother no doubt expects me to return home to claim my birthright and fulfill my destiny to the goddess Athena.Not a chance.Or so I think.Because when the goddess Athena sends you a talking owl that slaps you with a divine superpower and tells you to go save someone with it, it’s really hard to say no.

    It does not need to be read first to maximize the series. Enjoy.How in the name of the goddess’s favorite sports bra am I going to do this Magical Librarian job? I have no idea what I’m doing. And the woman who’s supposed to be training me is…well, let’s just say she’s distracted and leave it at that. I guess I’ll bumble through. It’s become something of a trademark move for me.My name is Naida Griffith and I’m a sorceress. I actually found that out not too long ago. I’ve lived with an undefined something burning in my belly for a while, feeling as if something wasn’t quite right under my skin. Then, on my eighteenth birthday I started getting headaches. Bad ones. And random stuff started following me around.Recently I was approached by a group called the Société of Dire Magic to become Keeper of the Artifacts. A magical librarian. Given that magical artifacts have taken to following me around, I decided I might have an aptitude for the job. So I said yes.But in the first few days, I’ve been flogged by flip flops, bludgeoned by gnomes, and discovered a corpse in a suitcase. Then there’s the woman who’s supposed to be training me. She’s…interesting.Will I survive the training long enough to get the job as an artifact librarian? You might as well ask me if a caterpillar gets manis or pedis. Who knows? But I know one thing for sure. This gig is hard.I’m going to do my best to succeed. Or die trying.

    Unfortunately, the consequences of being hexed by the only immortal Lich Queen has kept Lou a little too busy to find a solution to her problem.What's the hex, you ask? In Lou's tragic case, her curse gives her the foresight of murders yet to be committed. It's the ultimate race against time--can she discover the culprit prior to the actual deed or can she save the victim and catch the murderer in the act?This poor hexed witch is going to need all the help she can get. Unfortunately, her help comes in the form of a warlock who is obsessed with conspiracy theories, an overly optimistic yet naïve healer, and a rather pretentious familiar who has an obsession for proper etiquette. Come join this traveling mystery band while they try to solve another murder as they're faced with powerful druids, two odd magical hares, and a mysterious man who definitely knows more than he's willing to say.

    . . Eleri Eames didn’t think she’d ever be allowed to work for the FBI again, so the special FBI division of NightShade seems like an amazing opportunity. But all too soon, her chance to start over starts to disturb her. When the FBI offers Donovan a chance to leave his job as a medical examiner and try his hand at something new, he takes a chance on the NightShade division. Somehow, he has to try to escape from his shadows, but can he trust Eleri with the truth? Thrown together on their first case, Eleri and Donovan must deal with a charismatic cult leader and his true-believers. The cult is mixed up with several decade-old kidnapping cases and the missing daughter of a prominent FBI Agent. As Eleri and Donovan dig deeper, they discover that NightShade’s mysteries aren’t coincidence. Their secrets will save them . . . or destroy them.