Element of Secrecy


Heather Slawecki - 2020
    The setting is picturesque with old farmhouses, dirt roads, covered bridges, streams. It's also rich with Native and early American history. What sets it apart is a big secret. Jenny O’Rourke has been haunted by blurred memories of the town's dark secrets for over twenty years. Brick walls and tight lips have kept her from understanding why she was torn from her home and family in the middle of the night. And why her brother’s murder was brushed under the rug. To find the answers, she has to elude two powerful forces standing in her way ... an estranged but lurking father and the watchful eyes of the Witness Protection Program. She's about to break the only rule they have in common: Never go home. Jenny finds an opportunity, giving her access to everything she thought she ever wanted to know. What she discovers changes everything and leaves a small town in need of some major damage control.

A Dandy in Aspic: The Classic Spy Thriller (The Derek Marlowe Collection Book 1)


Derek Marlowe - 1966
    As he nears middle age, he allows himself one luxury - to dress like a Dandy. His superiors send him on a mission to hunt down and destroy a cold-blooded and vicious Russian assassin named Krasnevin, who is responsible for a number of British agents' deaths. But Eberlin has a secret - he is Krasnevin. This is the story of what happens when Eberlin is sent to destroy himself. This classic, gripping spy novel is back in print fifty years after it was written, and is entrancing a whole new generation of readers. *** ‘Like John le Carré at the top of his form’ Yorkshire Post 'A great spy novel: beautifully written and with a melancholy soul beneath its wry humour' Jeremy Duns, author of the Paul Dark novels ‘Near-compulsive reading' Daily Mail 'Brilliant and graceful' Sir Tom Stoppard 'A very well written, intelligent spy thriller' The Observer

Gia Santella Crime Thriller Boxed Set: Books 1-3.5


Kristi Belcamino - 2018
     GIA AND THE CITY OF THE DEAD Gia Santella is a fast-driving, hard-drinking, karate-trained free spirit, who is gorgeous, sexy, and a young heiress. She is living a life without thought for tomorrow until suddenly a letter appears in the mail and everything changes … When Gia Valentina Santella’s parents died four years ago, she fled small town Monterey to pursue the high life in the big city where she could smother her grief by playing house in a luxurious high-rise apartment with sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Armed with a hefty inheritance, it didn’t take long for Gia to carve out an empty life for herself in San Francisco, slumming at art school, racing her red Ferrari up and down the coast, and getting hammered at the city’s finest establishments. Then one day, a letter comes in the mail and everything changes. The death of Gia’s parents was no accident. They were murdered. Now, Gia must find who really killed her parents at the same time she’s frantically trying to keep one step ahead of the murderer who is now intent on making her his next victim. GIA AND THE FORGOTTEN ISLAND She also has a fierce temper and zero tolerance for people in power preying on the vulnerable ... especially when the injustice takes place in her neighborhood. Late one Autumn night, violence breaks out in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, as a hate group and counter-protesters come face to face. Gia Santella rushes to the protest to help find her friend's granddaughter. Sasha Kennedy is a student journalist at U.C. Berkeley covering the protest for the school paper. But when Sasha mysteriously disappears at the protest, Gia learns that the young woman was on the brink of uncovering a story that would blow the whole city wide open. In her efforts to find the girl, Gia finds herself investigating more mysterious disappearances and begins to unravel a string of dark secrets that lie below the surface of her beloved neighborhood, threatening to destroy it. But then her plan goes terribly wrong. When Gia receives a terrifying message, she is caught in a race against time to find the young journalist before it's too late... If she fails, more innocent people will die ... And it will all be her fault. GIA AND THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL Gia Santella, the fast-driving, hard-drinking, karate-trained free spirit, has finally put her dark past behind her. Unfortunately, the past isn't done with her yet. In this suspense-filled page-turner, Gia travels from her San Francisco neighborhood to her mother's native Sicily. There, in her efforts to seek justice for a senseless slaying, she stumbles across a complex underworld that knows more about her than she ever imagined. She soon finds herself face-to-face with a tangled web of deep dark secrets that threaten to destroy everything she ever believed was true. GIA AND THE LONE RAVEN He thought he could get away with it. He was wrong. Gia Santella's hunt for her best friend leads her on a road trip to Mexico where she learns that there is no refuge from evil despite sunny skies and bucolic beaches. Many Americans flee to Baja, California to escape something--the drudgery of a 9-to-5 life. An abusive husband. A hefty tax bill. But others go there to kill.

Steel Breeze


Douglas Wynne - 2013
    It’s been a year since novelist Desmond Carmichael's wife Sandy was brutally murdered. Now, with someone stalking him and his four-year-old son, he fears that the wrong man has been imprisoned for the crime. Sandy’s parents and Detective Chuck Fournier have a different fear: that Desmond, despondent over Sandy’s death, has become too unstable to raise his own son.To prove them wrong, Desmond must work outside the law to defeat a threat born in the dust of an American wasteland, baptized by fire, and hellbent on riding the winds of karma.

An American in Paris Mysteries: Books 1,2,3


Susan Kiernan-Lewis - 2020
    In spite of a genetic brain anomaly that makes it impossible for her to remember faces –even ones she’d seen just moments before—Claire tackles the cases that the cops aren’t interested in solving. She does it with American know-how and dogged perseverance. Along the way she discovers that life in the City of Light can be a new beginning—in every way that makes life pleasurable—even for a woman of a certain age. These books are a clean read: no graphic violence, sex or strong language. An adorable French bulldog is her loyal companion through her adventures.Genre: cozy amateur woman sleuth

High Desert Cozy Mysteries #1


Dianne Harman - 2016
     She has some help from her psychic sister, Laura, and the other residents of the high desert compound she lives in outside of Palm Springs, California. Native Americans, antique Meissen figurines, and a musical festival are all part of this best selling series. If you like food, dogs, quirky characters, and guessing whodunit, along with mouth-watering recipes, you don't want to miss this boxed set!

The First Stella Cole Boxset: The Revenge Trilogy: Hit and Run, Hit Back Harder, Hit and Done


Andy Maslen - 2018
    Forget the law. She wants revenge Meet Stella Cole. An ambitious detective inspector with the Metropolitan Police Service. Her career and her life look rosy until a hit and run driver kills her husband. Grief drives her to booze and pills. Back at work after a year’s compassionate leave, Stella secretly re-investigates his death and begins to suspect a cover-up. The legal conspiracy she uncovers rocks her faith in everything she holds dear, from the law itself to the people enforcing it and those dispensing justice. But the people running Pro Patria Mori have no intention of giving up. They want Stella dead. But they’ve reckoned without Stella’s determination, fighting skills and powerful but increasingly violent alter ego she dubs “Other Stella”. Thriller fans have awarded this nail-biting trilogy hundreds of five-star reviews. This boxset gives you all three novels – over 1,000 pages of unputdownable action. Book 1: Hit and Run Detective Inspector Stella Cole was a rising star in London’s Metropolitan Police. Then a hit-and-run driver killed her husband, Richard, a human rights lawyer. Freelance journalist Vicky Riley was working with Richard to expose corruption buried deep inside the legal system. Unaware that powerful people are out to stop her, she contacts Stella. Vicky’s research confirms Stella’s worst fears. The people who should be upholding the law are turning it on its head. Stella thinks she’s closing in on the truth. Then a horrific discovery threatens her very sanity. What began as a search for justice is now a raging thirst for revenge. “OMG! You don't want to get on the wrong side of this lady. Found this book absolutely riveting. Honestly struggled to put it down. Read it over two days. You'll love it.” Sheila Riddoch, Amazon 5-star review Book 2: Hit Back Harder Detective Inspector Stella Cole only has one case. To find, and kill, the remaining members of a legal conspiracy who turned her world into ashes. But their leader’s pulling in friends from the underworld to take the fight to Stella. Chief among them, an Albanian drug lord nicknamed, The Shark". Regrouping in Spain, Stella makes contact with an old adversary. A retired gangster named Ronnie “The Razor” Wilks. He proposes a deal that tests Stella’s resolve to the limit. “Noooo! That ending twist was so unexpected and that's what I exclaimed when I read it! This book kept me awake at night... it didn't give me nightmares although I suppose the graphic detail could have done. No, it was its gripping storyline that was the problem. I like to read for a short while before settling to sleep at night, but I couldn't put the book down and ended up with some very, very late nights.” Carol E. Bentley, Amazon 5-star review The only problem? Stella is losing her mind to a second, unrelentingly brutal version of herself she’s dubbed “Other Stella”. As the violence escalates, the question is, which one will win? Book 3: Hit and Done Stella has almost completed her bloody quest to avenge the hit and run killings of her husband and daughter. Only one member of the legal conspiracy who murdered them remains. But he’s not going to go down without a fight. Even if it means having Stella sectioned and trying for the third time to murder her.

Ring Around the Rosie


Jullian Scott - 2016
    The Homecoming Dance is just one night away and she can already feel the weight of the crown upon her head. But when she leaves her home that Friday night, it’s for the very last time. When her body is found in a park the next morning, a whole town is turned upside down and a family is torn apart. Fifteen years later, Olivia still hasn’t moved on from her sister’s murder. Not only does she still see the ghost of her dead sister, she is pursuing a career studying the very monsters that destroyed Rosie and hundreds of other helpless victims. Olivia is desperate to find closure, but a new murder with connections to her past has reopened old wounds. Nate Tucker is a successful Chicago detective. He also happens to be Olivia’s best friend. Nate has been fascinated by the Thompson case since the first time Olivia mentioned her dead sister to him. When a dead girl shows up in the city under circumstances eerily similar to Rosie’s murder, he is quick to make the connection. Now, with stale evidence and fifteen-year-old memories to guide him, Nate has the chance to solve the current murder case, as well as the death of the Homecoming Queen that refuses to stop haunting the people she left behind. Dark and haunting, Ring Around the Rosie is utterly suspenseful and surprising to the end.

The Lanvin Murders


Angela M. Sanders - 2014
     But when Joanna finds a key in a 1930s Lanvin coat cast off by an ex-showgirl, everything changes. The elderly woman turns up dead, and Joanna is pulled into a long-ago drama of back room deals, blackmail, and lost love. She must find a very real—and present day—killer before she becomes his next victim. “As you dive into this intriguing mystery novel featuring vintage clothing dealer/sleuth Joanna Hayworth and a quirky cast of characters, prepare for an entertaining ride through long-buried crimes and Portland lore to solve the mystery of 'the woman in the Lanvin coat.' A truly enjoyable read!" --Christine Finlayson, author of Tip of a Bone, a Pacific Northwest mystery "Slip on a pair of pink mules and a silk robe, mix up a shaker of martinis, and relax with this delightful mystery set in a Portland vintage clothing store. Populated by a charming heroine and a flock of odd characters, this engaging tale will satisfy the sleuth in you as well as the fashionista." --Ann Littlewood, author of Endangered, a zoo-dunnit

The Wrong Abraham (Boston Law #3)


David S. Brody - 2006
    Then she receives a baffling letter from her rich Uncle Abraham, a Holocaust survivor: Only she, he mysteriously proclaims, can prevent a major terrorist attack on Boston. Working with Homeland Security, Shelby and her fiancé, Bruce Arrujo, race through the streets of Boston, first attempting to stop a Hiroshima-sized Liquified Natural Gas tanker explosion in Boston Harbor, then fighting to prevent a deadly release of anthrax powder at Fenway Park. Yet the terrorists always seem to be one step ahead of them. Through it all, a question haunts Shelby: Why does Uncle Abraham always seem to be one step ahead of the terrorists?

Bellingwood Boxed Set


Diane Greenwood Muir - 2014
    She is renovating an old school building and while getting to know new friends, two sets of bones fall out of the ceiling. Don't miss this heartwarming first story in a series that makes you want to move to Bellingwood and get to know Polly and her friends. Before you know it, you'll be part of the community. Polly's First Christmas in Bellingwood: This first short story in the series occurs a few months after the end of "All Roads Lead Home." While preparing for Sycamore House's first big Christmas party, an old friend shows up needing help when he gets in trouble with the sheriff. A Big Life in a Small Town: Bellingwood's first barn-raising is coming up and to celebrate, Sycamore House is planning a hoe-down. The idea of a dance makes Polly nervous, but the gorgeous veterinarian is ready to step in and teach her a few moves, much to the chagrin of Henry Sturtz. A close friend of Lydia Merritt left a cryptic message as she died, asking her family to take care of ... what? The 'what' brings new excitement to Polly's life. Treasure Uncovered: Sycamore House is having difficulty finding a good custodian and when the latest man doesn't show up for work, Polly checks on him, only to find that he has been killed. The Sheriff is beginning to worry every time her number shows up on his phone. Does it mean another dead body? Thefts happening around the community are connected to Polly and her friends, but who would do this? Big Pete: Jamie McFarlane introduces Big Pete Hoffen, the father of Liam, the main character from his Privateer Tales. Liam and his friend, Nick James save their mining colony from pirates and find themselves in possession of a ship, tasked with keeping an eye on pirate activity throughout the galaxy. Liam only knows his father as a miner on a lonely asteroid, but in this story, Pete's exciting past led him to choose a quieter life. You will love this introduction to Jamie's rollicking adventures in space.

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.

The Sister Wife's Secret


Anya Mora - 2021
    I’ve even started my own home business.Things are looking up … until I find my friend murdered.I know my ex-husband did this to get back at me. He’s been looking for me since I fled Garden Temple. He wants control — over me and our children.For the last year I’ve been acting the part of a suburban mom, hiding from my past. But it’s catching up to me.I have no choice.I was the sweet sister wife long enough. Now it’s time to be the woman who fights back.The Sister Wife’s Secret is the first book in a new suspense series.

The Hour of Her Death


Rebecca Rane - 2020
    But the horrific crime has gone unsolved for thirty years when a mysterious stranger begs a true crime podcaster to investigate.Kendra Dillon hosts The Cold Trail Podcast. She’s made it her mission to uncover new clues in old mysteries. She’s shocked that this brutal display of evil against an innocent nun has gone unchecked for decades. No suspects. No arrests. No justice.With police and church officials refusing to reopen the investigation, Kendra believes someone’s hiding a vile conspiracy. But right as Kendra gets close to the disturbing truth, another shocking crime derails her investigation. The Cold Trail may be leading Kendra straight into the path of a serial killer. With every podcast episode, Kendra gets closer to waking an evil that’s been lying in wait.And Kendra isn’t alone. A stalker is following her every move, ready to ensnare her in his own twisted fantasy.Can Kendra catch the culprit and serve up justice before she’s silenced forever?The Hour Of Her Death is the first book in the suspenseful Kendra Dillon Cold Case Thriller series. If you like engaging female sleuths, unexpected twists, and cold case crime podcasts, then you’ll love Rebecca Rane’s pulse-pounding tale.Enter the world of a true crime podcaster on the hunt for a serial killer!

True Conviction


James P. Sumner - 2014
    In True Conviction, he takes a job in the sun-soaked city of Heaven's Valley, a paradise of sin and the jewel of Nevada. His contract? Kill a man who has stolen something of value from the local mafia. But when the job turns sour, he discovers a much larger threat looming in the shadows. He finds himself in the crosshairs of a powerful adversary, and he must use his skills to survive while working to stop a terrorist attack that could act as a catalyst for another world war. Adrian is pushed beyond his limits, tested to breaking point and forced to overcome tremendous odds in order to do what's right in this adrenaline-fuelled action adventure... even if it means going against his killer instincts. (Previously published under the title, Crucible)