But Button was only dimly aware of the sounds. Her consciousness had shrunk down to focus on the body that was blocking her hole— —and the warm, thick liquid that was dripping onto her hand.” Button is an 11 year old, bubbly and intelligent girl who is haunted in her dreams by a tapping sound… Living with her mother and father in Cottsborough, Vermont, Button had been trained to hide and not ever answer to her secret name, ‘Rachel’. One day, two men arrive at Button’s family home searching for her by this secret name. Refusing to give Button up, things turn violent and the men shoot her father dead. Through a narrow crack in the floor boards, Button bears witness to the murder. Eluding the two men who tried to catch her, Button uses her wits to navigate herself from Vermont to Boston and then to New York. Button has a plan to find her uncle Dromkin. When her search seems hopeless, Button is taken in by a resident of her uncle’s apartment building, Phil, who claims he can help. But when they find Dromkin sprawled on the floor with his throat cut, Button is convinced she is somehow the cause of these family murders... Will Phil be able to keep her identity hidden long enough for her to find out the truth? Praise for Michael Kurland: "A perfect tale of childhood terror." - Tom Kasey Michael Kurland grew up in New York City, attended Columbia University, spent four years in the Army, much of it in Europe, and now lives in California with his partner, novelist Linda Robertson, a dog, a cat, and an occasional visiting family of raccoons. He has been a teacher of obscure subjects to disinterested children, the editor of a magazine even more idiosyncratic than himself, a seeker of absent persons, a magical explainer, and guest lecturer at numerous unrelated events. Kurland has written a dozen or so science fiction novels, a brace of mysteries, and several books that fit into that tenuous genre known as “mainstream.” He has been nominated for an Edgar (twice) and for the American Book Award. His books have been translated into eleven other languages. His other novel with Venture Press is Psi Hunt.

    Who is the demon stalking the streets of London? Lady Agatha takes matters in hand, ably supported by golf fanatic friend, Betty Stevens, former school hockey captain, ‘Sausage’ Gossage and Talleyrand, her unlucky-in-love Basset hound.

    

    What could possibly go wrong? Eve Lloyd has closed the Seabreeze Inn for the holidays. She is all set to entertain her friends and hold her first Christmas party at the now empty inn. She has even written a note to herself: Make this the best Christmas ever! Embracing the spirit of Christmas, she is singing Christmas carols and decking the halls… But then, her aunt Mira receives bad news. Determined to cheer her up, Eve goes in search of the tiny marshmallows her aunt loves. This is nothing but a slight detour… Or so she thinks. Her first Christmas at her inn, in her idyllic little island town is about to be derailed when a body is found floating face down, practically on her doorstep.

     Yet a dark shadow casts its presence over each trip – 28 years ago Annabel’s Aunt Hilary was brutally murdered on a similar holiday when Annabel was just a toddler. With no one found guilty, the subject has been hushed away and is now taboo on their trips. When an over-zealous journalist starts digging around the murder, the suspicion and guilt in Annabel’s family comes back to the surface. Annabel starts researching into the truth, and the discovery of her much-maligned French mother Monique’s diary reveals some alarming details. With the added pressure of her marriage struggling and a series of anonymous phone calls, Annabel is drawn into the middle of a dark family secret. ‘Past Shadows’ is another absorbing murder mystery from crime thriller author Anthea Fraser. Praise for Anthea Fraser: “A superbly crafted, riveting, page-turner of a read" - Booklist “Ms Fraser is her dependable elegant, guileful self withholding the killer's identity till a dying fall" - Sunday Times “A well-mannered, well-plotted and well-told story” - Birmingham Post “Sympathetic, well-executed book, in which full attention is paid to human feelings and failings” - Yorkshire Post “Anthea Fraser is a worthy follower of the traditional whodunit system...The plot is sustained throughout, and her artistic detective who literally "draws conclusions" is an original character.” - Sunderland Echo Anthea Fraser has written all her life but did not begin to take it seriously until after marriage, when she found herself at home with two small daughters and embarked on a correspondence course with the London School of Journalism. She wrote short stories before turning to novels of the supernatural, and then to crime. Her novels include ‘The Seven Stars’, ‘The Ten Commandments’, ‘Death Speaks Softly’ and ‘Pretty Maids All in a Row’.

    

    

    Now, a detective in the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Jackie has dedicated her life to helping those who can’t help themselves.The Becker family is just one in a long-line of cases Jackie is working. She fears that history will repeat itself, and sees herself in their young daughter who is witness to her parents constant fighting. But more important to Jackie is her own sister, Melissa. Jackie fears that Melissa’s “perfect” husband is hiding a dark side. Melissa denies she’s being abused, and resents Jackie for causing friction in her family, but Jackie sees the signs and will not stop until she finds the truth.But Jackie doesn’t see what’s coming next, and she fears her own dark impulses. Everyone has a breaking point …. has she reached hers?* * *Mirror Mirror was originally published in a charity anthology. This revised version also includes an expanded ending and author letter.

    In this first book in a new series, Mrs Montgomery is retained by an archaic well heeled family when its patriarch fails to arrive home at the expected hour. As with all of her writing, Thurbin demonstrates that a book need not contain gratuitous violence, graphic sex or coarse language in order to keep the reader entertained. Set in London and the Home Counties, Thurbin's attention to detail and meticulous research, coupled with an interesting conundrum and a sprinking of quirky characters, are bound to please even the most discerning of readers.

    But where will it lead?BOOK 2: THE MISSING WIFELady Yvette, the beautiful wife of a local MP is found choked to death in a reservoir, robbed of her clothes and antique pearls. Inspector Angel is called in to investigate. But the evidence is scant and he has only his guile to rely on. Can he stop the choker before he strikes again?BOOK 3: THE MAN IN THE PINK SUITCelebrity art critic Frank P. Jones, aka “the Man in the Pink Suit”, shoots a wealthy industrialist. Jones strongly denies the charge, but he has the motive, the opportunity, a Walter PPK/S automatic, and no alibi. DI Angel must unravel the truth from the lies. Was Jones hypnotized, drugged, or is he simply a liar?BOOK 4: THE MORALS OF A MURDERERDuncan McFee is savagely murdered in a distillery where he was chairman. He’s found in one of the vats used to make gin. Yet none of the suspects is burly enough to have delivered the fatal blow. Detective Inspector Michael Angel is called in to unravel the mystery.BOOK 5: THE AUCTION MURDERSAt the auction of Lord Ogmore’s estate, a man is stabbed to death with a silver dagger. Before long, DI Angel finds himself on the trail of a serial killer who leaves behind no clues, no fingerprints and no DNA. Angel has only one eye-witness — and he’s blind. Will Angel solve his toughest case yet?BOOK 6: THE MISSING KILLERA masked man bursts into a quiet country club to confront a young couple. He says, “Your time is up. That girl is mine.” Then he kills one of them. Witnesses cannot identify him and DI Angel’s investigation seems doomed. Faced with vengeful gangsters, crooked police and mentally unstable young men, can Angel work it all out in time and walk away unscathed?BOOK 7: THE UMBRELLA MURDERSAn arsonist threatens to set fire to the luxury home of the local MP. DI Angel has two suspects. One has completely disappeared, the other is locked in a police cell. Will the umbrella man be able to execute his threat while still in police custody? DI Michael Angel must race against the clock to unravel this baffling mystery.

    and Madison's overly exuberant cousin to Texas. Unfortunately, the R.V. breaks down on the edge of Sinful, Louisanna - on a Sunday.

    Deserts, jungles, even held captive by the enemy, and never lost her cool, but when town loud-mouth, Celia Arceneaux, confronts her about her lack of domestic ability in front of her main squeeze Deputy Carter LeBlanc, Fortune let’s her mouth write a check she knows she can’t cash. Now, with Valentine’s Day only a day away, and no idea how to cook a meal fit for a king, or a hunky deputy to be exact, she needs help… and a lot of it. With her partners in crime, Ida Bell and Gertie, and their friend, culinary genius Ally by her side, they’ll help her either create a night Carter will never forget, or one they all wish they could.

    Followed quickly, by a second terrifying, vicious attack on a young woman who’s a family friend of Hardy and his daughters.Shaken and heartbroken, Hardy assists the team leading the investigation into a killer dubbed, the Regent's Park Ripper.Knowing that in all likelihood the killer will soon strike again, the investigating team must put aside their differences, and work day and night to prevent more loss of life.In a nail-biting, fast-paced investigation, Hardy will challenge his own, very personal need for revenge, when he finds himself face-to-face with the suspect in a deadly confrontation.What choices will the heartbroken detective make, when he finds himself alone with the man who so savagely ended the life of a family friend?Buy Walk in the Park today to discover whether Hardy takes justice into his own hands.

    Then he mowed the lawn (again) and knew his life was over. His wife was happy doing her crosswords, but Stanley felt like an old age pensioner with nothing to look forward to apart from sitting in his chair, watching daytime TV, and walking his dog, Roobarb. On a whim, after yet another wet walk with his overweight pooch, he put an advert in the corner shop window: Old Age Pensioner Investigations. No job too big, or small. From murder to missing cats, Detective Stanley can solve it all. He went home, got told off for letting Roobarb get mud on the lino, stared at Custard the cat who stole the only biscuit he was allowed a day (he was putting on weight), and fell asleep in his chair. Then the doorbell rang. He had a case. The old age private eye was in business. Now all he had to do was actually solve a murder. Oh, and get a pad, and a pen, and maybe detectives had cars too, and secretaries, and offices... He wasn't bored any more, that was the main thing. Plus the murder mystery, of course.