During and after dinner he had nothing to excite him save the receipt of a letter which somewhat annoyed him, and that his wife consumed rather more wine than he considered to be good for her health. Immediately after retiring to his room he was seized with symptoms of irritant poisoning, and despite every effort made on his behalf, he succumbed to its effects. An inquest was held, which vexed the minds of the Coroner’s jury to a degree without precedent in Coroners’ Inquest Law, and an open verdict was returned. However, the matter will not rest there, for after questions in Parliament, a second inquest has been called under suspicion that Mr Charles Petrie was murdered. * * * Who poisoned Charles Petrie? Dr James Collymore, a man familiar with poisons, a man harbouring a dark secret that, if exposed, would ruin his career; Florrie, the maid who supplied Charles with his bedtime drink; Bert Kemp, a disgruntled groom, who used poisons in his work, who four months previously had predicted Charles’ dying day; Mrs Jennet Quinn, a lady’s companion with a deep knowledge of poisons, and a deep fear of dismissal; or Grace Petrie, Charles’ wife of four months, a woman with a scandalous past, a woman shunned by polite society. With crowds flocking to the courtroom and the shadow of suspicion falling upon Grace in the shape of the hangman’s noose, could dashing young advocate, Daniel Morgan, save her?

    And now that Bethany's proposed a marriage of convenience to Tony, Christopher may have an instant family.Tony's having second thoughts about the wedding since Bethany confessed her secret. It shouldn't make a difference—their marriage is supposed to be temporary anyway. But he's finding it harder to imagine a future without her. What dreams must he give up to make the marriage work?The story concludes in Marriage by Contract Part 3.

    Now fate's giving them a second chance. But when Alesha asks Derrick to save her brother, she never dreams what the scorned multimillionaire will demand in exchange: becoming his wife—in name only.Even after Alesha shattered his trust, Derrick never stopped loving her. His strings-attached proposition was supposed to be strictly business: revenge for her cruel betrayal as he rebuilds his public image. Until desire reignites—hotter than ever.As the ex-lovers give in to their passion, a marriage of convenience is about to become inconvenient. And Derrick realizes just how far he'll go to keep Alesha in his bed, in his arms, in his heart—forever.

    When she loses the love of her life to the streets, she vows to never love a dope boy again, but some promises are meant to be broken…. Demetrius is a product of the streets and has spent the last five years in jail because enough was never enough. When he is released from prison, he tries hard to turn his life around, but as the saying goes…old habits die hard. Only settling for jump offs, he is mesmerized when he meets Kamora and instantly makes up his mind that he will do whatever it takes to win her over. Will Kamora be able to keep the promise that she made to herself after she meets the charming and persistent Demetrius? Will Demetrius be able to leave his dope boy ways alone to get Kamroa or will he be forever tied to the streets?

    

    Despite the ache that once lived in her heart due to her and Tedric’s bad breakup, Makayla was able to find the strength and courage to move on, thanks to Jeff who’d helped her to love again. Jeff knew that linking himself to a king of the drug world like Tedric would change he and Makayla’s lives forever; he just had no clue how big of a change Tedric would bring after being reunited with Makayla. No matter how much she tells herself that Jeff is her everything and Tedric needs to remain in the past, Tedric makes it loud and clear that he doesn’t feel the same way. Will Makayla give in to temptation and allow Tedric to awaken a love she chose not to tell Jeff about, or will her love and loyalty for Jeff cause her to remain faithful and let the past remain just that, the past? All Tamar wanted was one night of hot, passionate sex with the notorious, Fabian Grant, a well-known drug dealer in Miami and also Tedric’s right hand man. Fabian had numerous one-night stands in his lifetime but had never come across a woman who made him want to go back for seconds. Tamar had broken the mold. Yet, because of his affiliation with drugs and her being a school principal, Tamar has no desire to see Fabian again. Little does she know, Fabian is accustomed to getting what he wants and refuses to let her break the mold twice. Quanna and Tuck have what seems like the perfect relationship. However, Tuck can’t ignore the feeling that something is preventing Quanna from giving him her all. Just like her best friend, Makayla, Quanna is having a hard time shaking her past, but the last thing she wants is for it to cost her future. While she thinks it best she handles everything on her own, she finds herself faced with an ultimatum that leaves her wondering where her loyalty truly lies. In Forever Mine, Tynessa takes you on a rollercoaster ride with this circle of friends and the drama that surrounds them. Sometimes love has a way of not letting you fully walk away, and some people just can’t help who they love.

    But with the very first song they discover their voices are magic and Nessa falls hard when she find’s Andre’s touch is too. There’s only one problem - he’s not human. Andre knew Nessa was his true mate the first night they met. Reintroduced to the human world after years in the wild his communication skills are rusty, fortunately, his music is not. When Nessa helps him write the song of their hearts, they must decide if their love is more than beautiful music. Adrian - Ginny thinks playing keyboards in a garage band is just for fun. But when a talent scout offers her a recording deal, the prospect of fame is too good to resist. There’s only one problem — Ginny just became a werebear and mated to Adrian. Signing the contract means playing on human terms, and that risks exposing what they really are. Adrian can’t believe his good fortune. Moving to Maine led him to his true mate and a music opportunity of his dreams. But Ginny is a new werebear, and the stress of a rock star career is testing her control. He has to decide if the chance of a lifetime is worth endangering an entire kingdom. Aleck - Noel loves her job as talent scout’s assistant. Traveling and searching for the next big star with her boyfriend is the perfect mix of business and pleasure - until they land in Brunswick, Maine. Sent to scope out an underground sensation, Noel meets a Nordic god of a man that rocks her world beyond her wildest dreams, and all she ever wanted is no longer good enough. Aleck lives life behind the scenes. As a talented composer and lyricist, it’s not often he has to deal with more than a few people at a time. But when his brother is thrown into the limelight, fame shines on Aleck too. He’d turn it down in a heartbeat if the deal didn’t include time with the sexy brunette who happens to be his true mate. Now he’ll do anything to convince Noel she’s the one. Aaron - Olivia might have a little problem with control. She maintains a perfect GPA, has a flawless wardrobe and can bend people around her to fit her needs - until she meets the guy that throws her off beat with one glance. When the sexy drummer flashes his crooked smile her way, she comes undone at the seams and struggles to regain order. Fate has other ideas, making Olivia question everything she ever knew. Aaron was drawn to the fiery redhead, Olivia the first time he laid eyes on her. Her good girl appearance didn’t fool him for a minute. One touch of her hand was all it took to make sparks fly between them. But as his polar opposite, she refuses to let her animal out. Jared - Courtney has had a crush on Jared Vachon since they first met. She may have painted a few images of him too; so when she sees him jogging she takes a moment to notice his - ahem - artistic lines. The flash of a gun interrupts her muse and makes her take action to save his life, using a side of herself she didn’t know existed. Once Courtney discovers what lurks within, she’s not so sure she wants it to break free. Jared is in love with Courtney the human and Courtney the bear. But his true mate fears her animal side will ruin everything, except that’s not the real danger…. Jax - Sasha is an assassin with one thing on her mind -- eradicate werebear at all costs. When she's captured and held as a prisoner, she's rescued by Jax Vachon. Her savior wants her for something, and the truth she finds out might be worse than death.

    An unexpected temptation. And stakes so high no one will walk away unscathed…   Gorgeous Nicole is about to get everything she's hustled for. She's having her rich, married lover Rashad's baby. And a lucky break has made her a media heroine—and the perfect new wife material. With one more deception here, a couple more little seductions there, she'll finally push Rashad's wife, Kiara, completely out of his life. With her formidable competition gone, Nicole will lock down Rashad's ever-wandering interest, and be the next Mrs. Eason for sure… But there are some temptations even this sexy schemer finds tough to pass up. Especially her first love, ex-con Ajalon, who's just walked back into her life. His intense hunger, chiseled body, and mind-blowing endurance are throwing Nicole off her game and reigniting emotions way too hot to control—or resist. But he’s also handed Kiara, and another interested ex, the perfect ammo to expose Nicole and blow her world apart once and for all. Now the only guarantee for all involved is shattering scandal—and mutually assured destruction…Praise for the novels of Cydney Rax   “The book we can’t put down.”--Essence® on My Husband’s Girlfriend   “Fascinating, witty, and thought-provoking.” –Zane on My Daughter’s Boyfriend   “Filled with family drama.”--APOOO Book Club on My Sister’s Ex

    When it felt like the world had finally changed the hand that she d been dealt, reality continued to creep up on her. With a mom on the verge of becoming an alcoholic and an alcoholic crack-addicted father who use to beat her mom in front of her, who could blame Tiara for finding a family on the streets. Tiara s loyalty to her friends was undeniable. The crew consisted of, Tiara, Tamika, Shavon, Renee, Ke Ke and Karen. They jumped, robbed and fought other girls who stood in their way. When trouble surfaced, the crew had no problems with getting their hands dirty. Tiara was faithful to her crew handling any drama that presented itself. But when jealousy get s the best of friends, things continued to get ugly. With an older brother Tre James wrapped deeply into the streets becoming a drug dealer at 13, their younger brother Sharod had no choice but to admire both Tre and Tiara s lifestyle. Tragedy continued to hit home and Tiara s life continued to go down hill. She lost people who she loved and trusted the most to death, jail or betrayal. From welfare, section 8, jail, drugs, abusive relationships and lies, Tiara s future seems uncertain. Will she finally rise above the drama that meets her at every corner, or remain trapped in the jaws of the hood? Brace yourself as Tiara James takes you on a rollercoaster ride in her footsteps, in her hood, telling her story.

    And everything she might just need.Intelligence Officer Karan Bhatnagar has only vengeance on his mind. Nothing will stop him from seeking justice for his murdered parents.Not even almost losing his own life. And certainly not the doctor who healed but couldn’t save him. The woman he can’t afford to fall for. And the killer's next target.There's only one thing left to do...find the killer and end him before he ends them. Will Karan and Aria risk everything for a love that is all kinds of wrong? And yet, is the right kind of wrong.

    She keeps her feelings closely guarded and is good at pretending that everything is fine, even when it isn’t. When she finds herself seated next to Luqman Ahmed on an international flight, she knows why has avoided men like him all her life. But she also remembers everything that had drawn him to her the previous times she met him. Luqman is tired of travelling for his job and is seriously considering relocating to the US. But his plans go awry when he’s seated next to his friend Ayub's sister-in-law Ana. He considers himself lucky to get some time talking to pretty Ana whose eyes have always captivated him from the moment he met her for the first time. It isn't too long until they discover their feelings for each other but Luqman is travelling to the US and by the time he returns, their lives are thrown far apart and brought dangerously close at the same time. Will they be able to get back their love for each other again? Will they survive the double whammy that fate has planned for them? Loving you Twice is the second romance in the Jasmine Villa series by Andaleeb Wajid, author of acclaimed novels such as More than Just Biryani, My Brother’s Wedding, The Crunch Factor and House of Screams.

    The four Crawford siblings might know all there is to know about their chosen careers, but they have no idea how relationships work. Growing up in a small town full of nosy neighbors, hilarious antics, and family that never butts out, you'd think they'd figure it out.Between the axe throwing, the apology chickens and competitive Scrabble, our heroes just might find true love. Eventually.This complete series features four full-length romantic comedies that will have you snorting with laughter as you follow Hunter, Diana, Archer and Fletcher Crawford up the creek with broken paddles.Can the Crawfords get their act together and figure out how to love? Dive into this steamy series (try to avoid the mating skunks) and escape with feel-good fiction.This set includes:The Nerd and the NeighborThe Botanist and the BillionaireThe Midwife and the MoneyThe Planner and the Player

     Harper Browning has it all, but it didn’t come without struggles. She’s put it all behind her and turned over a new leaf with her extremely romantic, good-looking and billionaire matchmaker boss, Mason Asher, but not to the liking of his personal assistant and right-hand girl, Natalie. Mason Asher is known for his ability to find a match for anyone, including the hundreds of wealthy clients that pay him handsomely for his services. But when he makes a promise to Harper’s best friend, Avery Gains, he’s taken on more than he can handle and now risks not only losing his business, but Harper’s love too. Connected Hearts is the follow-up series to It Takes Two and can be read as a stand-alone series or you can follow along from the start by downloading the complete series.

     When Xander Locke gets on his motorcycle and rides from Texas to Alabama, his plan is simple—go undercover to gather intel on the Bell family so his brother can orchestrate a seamless takeover of the Bell’s small-town newspaper. Xander never expects to meet Juliana Bell face-to-face, and he certainly doesn’t anticipate the sparks that run like a blowtorch through his veins when they touch. Juliana is everything Xander never even realized that he wanted … until now. Too bad she’s going to hate him when she learns the truth. Can Xander find a way to satisfy the demands of his high-powered family while still being true to the woman he loves? The Blue Collar Boss is the first of Jennifer’s new Locke Family Romance Series. It’s also part of the Billionaire Boss Romance Series, featuring bestselling authors, Cami Checketts and Sarah Gay. Don’t miss Jennifer’s next book, The Lost Chance Boss. Coming soon! You’ll also enjoy the O’Brien Family Romances: The Impossible Groom The Twelfth Hour Patriot The Stormy Warrior

    Instead of wallowing in her sorrows and basking in humiliation she changes the plans and decides to take off on a flight with her girls to Trinidad. What's supposed to be a girl's trip turns into so much more when she comes face to face with the owner of Island Raak. Not only is he paid, but he is soul snatching and panty dropping fine. Raakesh Basset is a bad boy with words smooth like butter. The kicker is, his words match his actions, and Seveyn is left wondering if he can and will own her body if she gives him a chance. The two-day trip was supposed to be for fun, but there's no fun in questioning if you should throw your already planned life out the window and own the moment or continue to allow your plans to play puppet master. While they both are completely aware that they want each other, the feeling of running is ever so present. Will Seveyn succumb to Raakesh's wishes, or will she run back home because it's not a part of the already laid out plan?