The Pendergast Files: (Relic, Reliquary)


Douglas Preston - 2017
    Hidden deep beneath Manhattan lies a warren of tunnels, sewers, and galleries, mostly forgotten by those who walk the streets above. There lies the ultimate secret of the Museum Beat.Relic — Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human...Reliquary —When two grotesquely deformed skeletons are found deep in the mud off the Manhattan shoreline, museum curator Margo Green is called in to aid the investigation. Margo must once again team up with police lieutenant D'Agosta and FBI agent Pendergast, as well as the brilliant Dr. Frock, to try and solve the puzzle. Books by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child The Pendergast Series Relic Reliquary Other books Mount Dragon Books by Douglas Preston The Kraken Project Impact Blasphemy The Monster of Florence The Codex Jennie At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Shortcut Man


P.G. Sturges - 2011
    In the City of Angels, not everyone plays by the rules. When people need a problem fixed fast, and discreetly, they call Dick Henry. Henry is known as a “shortcut man,” someone who believes that the shortest answer to many problems may not always be legal. As he cuts through the red tape for his clients, who range from an elderly woman ripped off by shady contractors to a landlord with a tenant many months behind on the rent, Henry always gets the job done, no matter what the cost. In Shortcut Man, Henry spends his days hunting down slimy con men and his nights seducing Lynette, an intoxicating, long-legged vixen. But when Henry gets an assignment from porn producer Artie Benjamin, his life suddenly becomes much more complicated. Now Henry must complete the job, avoid being killed, and somehow figure out what to do with Lynette. Filled with dark comedy, whip-smart writing, and a memorable cast of characters, Shortcut Man evokes Chandler and Hammett—hard-boiled crime at its best—and is an exciting beginning to a crackling new series.

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.'

Merrily Watkins collection 1: Midwinter of Spirit and Crown of Lights


Phil Rickman - 2001
    

Zip Ono, Buddhist Detective


John Christian Plummer - 2020
    But his widow, Laila, thinks otherwise. Because Big Bill made enemies—lots of them. And he’d rather fight to the death than take his own life.When the authorities refuse to investigate, Laila turns to the one person who can see connections in the universe where others can’t: Zip Ono, a young private investigator—and practicing Buddhist.Zip quickly learns that there’s no shortage of suspects who might very well want Argosy dead. A foul-mouthed hedge fund operator. A pistol-packing TV anchor. Even the Criminal Investigator for the County Sheriff—who happens to be the only man Zip has ever loved.Following a complex trail of clues, Zip draws on her faith and "the eye of the Buddha" to lead her to the truth. The truth of what happened to Big Bill Argosy. And the truth of her own heart.

High Water


Lynn Hightower - 2002
    A daughter's intuition. A father's terrifying secret. High WaterBeaufort, South Carolina: When the matriarch of the Smallwood family dies of mysterious causes, everybody in town has their eyes on the widower. An ex-marine involved in a local scandal years before, Fielding Smallwood is known as a fierce man with a powerful sense of discipline. He was neglectful of his wife and three children, including Georgie, the youngest, who is convinced her father is the killer...until another tragedy occurs and her sister Claire becomes a prime suspect. Now it's up to Georgie to find the evidence needed to clear her sister's name -- even if what she discovers threatens the survival of the only family she has left.Lynn Hightower entwines deadly deceptions and startling revelations in this rich, intricate work of suspense.

Put On By Cunning / An Unkindness Of Ravens


Ruth Rendell
    

Unknown Remains: A Novel


Peter Leonard - 2016
    Outside his office window, Jack hears a booming sound, and then the worst thing imaginable. He works in the World Trade Center, and it is September 11, 2001.His wife in Connecticut, Diane, is visited the next day by a grief counselor, and then the mob, where she learns her husband owes them $750,000. Their personal bank accounts have been emptied. She’s totally and utterly broke. Lost in grief and now shock, Diane soon learns her husband was not the loving spouse he appeared to be. But neither is she, owing to that Beretta she keeps tucked into her handbag.The perfect summer read, Unknown Remains boasts an exciting crime story, inventive plot twists, and a cast of rogues, who just might be using a national tragedy to cover up their own deep transgressions and greed.

Murderer's Fete


Roger Keevil - 2011
    Throw into the mix a celebrated author, a dodgy solicitor, and a sponging relative, and Constable and Copper really have their work cut out!'MURDERER'S FETE' WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2012 UNDER THE TITLE 'FETED TO DIE'

Murder on Music Row


Stuart Dill - 2011
    Meanwhile, Ripley’s label, Galaxy Records, is preparing a secret merger agreement that would create the largest record conglomerate in the world. Trouble arises when rumors spread that Ripley and Simon are withholding Ripley’s new album in hopes of renegotiating his contract.When Simon and Judd are shot on the famed Grand Ole Opry stage during the filming of Ripley’s new music video, no one is more upset than Ripley—especially as everyone assumes the shots were meant for him. While Simon’s life hangs in the balance, Judd seeks help from Megan Olsen, Simon’s right hand and Ripley’s day-to-day manager. The two set off on a high-powered chase to disclose the real motive behind the shootings and spare Ripley from a second murder attempt.Not unlike John Grisham’s legal thrillers and Michael Crichton’s science-based thrillers, Stuart Dill’s “music industry thriller” can now be added to the literary lexicon. Murder on Music Row leads readers through a maze of twists and turns that connect Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and London in a behind-the-scenes look at an industry where there are no limits in the pursuit of money, power, and fame.

Parker Pyne Investigates


Agatha Christie - 1934
    The Queen of Crime.Curious? Then you're invited to read ... 'Parker Pyne Investigates'. In the US, known as, 'Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective'. Two titles, same great short stories. In fact 12 of them! Our detective's personal ad posed a simple question, 'Are you happy? If not, consult Mr. Parker Pyne'. The answer was a resounding 'I am not happy' for a jealous wife who suspects her husband of infidelity, for a lonely widow driven to assume a new identity, for a distraught mother whose son has been kidnapped, and for a strangely reclusive bride-to-be. But what sort of detective would solicit in the personal column? The sort who has a knack for investigating affairs of the heart. For therein lie the darkest motives for murder. And they are proving most lucrative for the hopelessly romantic, and highly suspicious, Parker Pyne.The 12 stories are: 1. The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife, 2. The Case of the Discontented Soldier, 3. The Case of the Distressed Lady, 4. The Case of the Discontented Husband, 5. The Case of the City Clerk, 6. The Case of the Rich Woman, 7. Have You Got Everything You Want?, 8. The Gate of Bagdad, 9. The House at Shiraz, 10. The Pearl of Price, 11. Death on the Nile, and 12. The Oracle at Delphi. Librarian's note #1. the short story, Death on the Nile in this compilation starring Parker Pyne, should not be mistaken with the novel, Death on the Nile starring Hercule Poirot. Both by Christie.Librarian's note #2: there are two more Parker Pyne stories in other collections. The stories are titled: 'The Regatta Mystery' and 'Problem at Pollensa Bay'. Including these two, there are 14 Pyne stories for your reading pleasure.Librarian's note #3: this is the entry for the collection of 12 short stories, "Parker Pyne Investigates' ('Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective'). Entries for each of the individual stories are located elsewhere on Goodreads. All 14 can be found by searching Goodreads for: 'a Parker Pyne Short Story'.

The Charing Cross Mystery


J.S. Fletcher - 1923
    This novel was originally published in 1922 as "Black Money."

A woman's eye


Sara ParetskyShelley Singer - 1991
    The voices here include  professional crime solvers who take you from the mean  streets of V.I. Warshawski's  Chicago in a case of music and murder... to the  California freeway where Kinsey Millhone's beloved VW  skids into a shooting... to the gang-held turf of  Sharon says mum's the word. And then there are  mothers, grandmothers, battered wives, and social  workers -- ordinary women in extraordinary situations  whose voices reveal contemporary life as seen  through a woman's eye. From the opening tale of a girl  down-and-out in London and what she steals from a  corpse... to the final story of a summer vacation  in the Berkshires, complete with romance and  sudden death... this unique collection brings us great  mystery writing that engages both our intellects  and our hearts.Lucky Dip - Liza CodyFull Circle - Sue GraftonBenny's Space - Marcia MullerThe Puppet - Dorothy Salisbury DavisThe Scar - Nancy PickardMurder Without a Text - Amanda CrossDiscards - Faye KellermanGetting to Know You - Antonio FraserA Match Made in Hell - Julie SmithTheft of the Poet - Barbara WilsonDeath and Diamonds - Susan DunlapKill the Man for Me - Mary WingsThe Cutting Edge - Marilyn WallaceLooking for Thelma - Gillian SlowoDeborah's Judgment - Margaret MaronA Man's Home - Shelley SingerHer Good Name - Carolyn G. HartGhost Station - Carolyn WheatWhere Are You, Monica? - Maria Antonia OliverSettled Score - Sara ParetskyThat Summer at Quichiquois - Dorothy B. Hughes

Dead Times Four


Joel Goldman - 2011
    Fans will set in motion a plea for Mr. Goldman to return with more Mason (Lou not Perry) legal thrillers." Harrriett Klausner Lou Mason is back in The Last Witness and this time it's personal as Mason unearths secrets someone will do anything to keep. Goldman goes Grisham one better! "Fast, furious and thoroughly enjoyable, The Last Witness is classic and classy noir for our time, filled with great characters and sharp, stylish writing." Jeffery Deaver, bestselling author of The Vanished Man A troubled young woman turns herself in for murder in Cold Truth and Lou Mason takes the case. A riveting, page-turning romp in the tradition of James Patterson! "Wanted for good writing: Joel Goldman strikes again with Cold Truth." The Kansas City Star When Lou Mason is hired to prove a death row convict's innocence in Deadlocked, the past and present collide in an explosion of deceit, corruption and murder. "Deadlocked, the fourth Lou Mason case, is the best and...when the action starts it is a real page turner delivered by a pro." Mystery Scene Magazine Think Lee Child's Jack Reacher meets Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller and you'll get Joel Goldman's Lou Mason! Dead Times Four is the perfect gift at a great price! Buy it today for someone you love or treat yourself to four unforgettable thrillers!

Big Trouble


Dave Barry - 1999
    His teenage son, Matt, fills a Squirtmaster 9000 for his turn at a high school game called Killer. Matt's intended victim, Jenny Herk, sits down in front of the TV with her mom for what she hopes will be a peaceful evening for once. Jenny's alcoholic and secretly embezzling stepfather, Arthur, emerges from the maid's room, angry at being rebuffed. Henry and Leonard, two hit men from New Jersey, pull up to the Herks' house for a real game of Killer, Arthur's embezzlement apparently not having been quite so secret to his employers after all. And a homeless man named Puggy settles down for the night in a treehouse just inside the Herks' yard.In a few minutes, a chain of events that will change the lives of each and every one of them will begin, and will leave some of them wiser, some of them deader, and some of them definitely looking for a new line of work. With a wicked wit, razor-sharp observations, rich characters, and a plot with more twists than the Inland Waterway, Dave Barry makes his debut a complete and utter triumph.