What he finds is the dying and the dead, an entire population suffering from a strange and unnatural plague. Is it possible that every one of the townsfolk have been poisoned? At the heart of the mystery is the local pharmacist, Aiken. He is responsible for summoning young Maxwell to Carrick. He offers motives, explanations, stories, questions. But could he also be guilty of this heinous crime? Maxwell soon realizes that, although a great violence is being done to Carrick, the town itself hides from its own secrets - events from long ago and truths hidden from outsiders at all costs, even their lives. Maxwell interviews the final survivors who are suffering from a disease characterized by a barely recognizable but nonetheless identifiable odour, and a garrulousness unusual in such taciturn people, long accustomed to keeping secrets. yet their confessions lead constantly to more questions and always back to Aiken. As one who knows him well queries, "He's like a stick in water. Is he bent or not?"In The Mysterium, Eric McCormack's second novel, the nature of truth is found to be as deadly as the poison killing the people of Carrick. For at the heart of everything, at the heart of every story and every truth, there is only the mystery.

    But for two adventurous sexagenarians, the sights have a tendency to include dead bodies. Etta and Dora, both newly retired teachers, travel from their home in Southern Italy to a fairy-tale German town for their first home swap holiday, delighted by their neighbours’ warm welcome. But the welcome turns sour when the Night Watchman of Rothenburg is brutally murdered while his tour group takes photographs nearby, a halberd buried in his chest and a peculiar iron mask by his side.When the murderer claims a second victim and the son of their hospitable neighbours becomes the number-one suspect, Etta’s analytical mind goes to work. Why was a shame mask left at the scene of each murder? Is there a clandestine trade going on behind the scenes of apparently upstanding local businesses? And why does every lead take her back to the sinister Devil’s Ale pub and the terrifying gang who lurk within?Meanwhile, Dora has a puzzle of her own – how can she persuade Etta that a loveably disobedient Basset Hound called Napoleon is now a permanent part of their lives?◆◆◆ Pack your bags, jump into the backseat of Etta and Dora’s old Fiat 500, and join them on their travels around Europe. There’ll be mystery, murder and mayhem aplenty wherever they go. ◆◆◆The Night Watchman of Rothenburg Dies is the first book in the riveting The Homeswappers a new travel mystery series from Italian author Adriana Licio.

     Meadow Reese isn't just a mail order bride. She's an outlaw. Wanted for a crime she didn't commit, there's just one way for Meadow to protect her sisters. Run. But just because she runs doesn't mean she can hide. There's someone chasing her, and Meadow's not safe. Booker Hanson thinks he has the perfect bride. Caring for his two girls after his wife died has been hard, and he's grateful he's not alone anymore. But soon he realizes something's not right with Meadow. She's hiding something from him. Meadow's perfect. What could she be hiding? She knows she can't hide the truth forever… When someone shows up looking for her, Meadow knows it's time to go. But how can she leave the family she loves? Can she prove her innocence and earn redemption?

    But when she starts receiving notes, she knows her perfect life is under threat. She thought she’d managed to put the past behind her, but someone seems determined to reveal her secret.Meanwhile, girls are vanishing in the area and Olivia fears for her family’s safety.Has someone discovered the real reason she left Scotland all those years ago?And does her secret have links to the recent disappearances? When someone is out to get you, is there anywhere you can hide? Fractured Winter is a compelling and suspenseful psychosocial mystery it will appeal to fans of authors like LJ Ross, Lesley Kara and Faith Martin.

     “I climbed into this book and lived its plot. I read it at every spare moment.” Margaret “Beautifully written and engaging.” Ratana 1895, SCOTLAND Emma Greig is almost fourteen when her father announces she will be sent to be a maid at Bonnybrae Farm. She has never left her village so she is terrified of the change, especially when she realises she must learn to milk cows. PERFECT FOR FANS OF NADINE DORRIES, GLENDA YOUNG, DILLY COURT OR SHEILA NEWBERRY. Emma goes to work for the Sinclair family. Maggie Sinclair, the oldest of the Sinclair children, is kind and gentle. Her brothers, Jim and William, are friendly and tease Emma, but their mother offers no welcome. Mrs Sinclair is a proud woman with a secret in her past which has left her bitter and without compassion. She is angry when friendship blossoms between a mere maid and her own family. As the bond between Emma and her son strengthens, she dismisses Emma without notice or a reference. And William is banished from the farm he loves and sent away to Yorkshire to make his own way in the world. WILL THIS DESTROY THEIR LIVES AND BURGEONING ROMANCE? DISCOVER A ROMANTIC AND HEART-WARMING TALE ALSO BY GWEN KIRKWOOD SINCLAIR FAMILY SAGA SERIES Book 1: Moorland Mist Book 2: Moorend Farm

    The love of her life was out of reach, so she walked away and never looked back. Now, visiting the beautiful, snowy village of Glen Avich for Christmas, Viola is shocked to find him here, staying only metres away. Can she risk heartbreak again?Inary Monteith's life is at a turning point - a surprise baby has come to upset her plans and open the door to a whole new world. But as her bump grows, fear trumps over love and Inary feels completely inadequate to her new role. As she and her cousins, Eilidh and Viola, gather for Christmas lunch, no one could expect what lies ahead, least of all the arrival of a mysterious visitor who delivers a gift for them all...

    

    Now, Reno Carrigan is out to settle accounts. When Reno Carrigan’s young wife and sister-in-law are brutally murdered, and the local law will give him neither a badge nor a posse, Carrigan determines to pursue the murdering outlaws alone. Before he can gain a step on the desperados, however, he learns that they have found refuge in a hellish town where cruelty keeps the locals in line. It takes little time for Carrigan to decide that—whether he lives or dies dealing out justice—he’s going to make his enemies pay.

    Soon McKay and his team start to identify a disturbing pattern behind the killings.Why are candles and roses placed around the bodies?What is this twisted murderer trying to achieve?While the police follow their own leads, a young woman who discovered the first victim begins an investigation of her own.As the case unfolds McKay will be forced to face his own demons.To catch the killer McKay must discover the true motive and untangle the web of truth and lies.Candles and Roses is the first book in the explosive new DI McKay Series.  Death Parts Us: Twenty years ago, Jackie Galloway was a senior cop with a bad reputation. Then he ended up on the wrong side of the wrong people, and his career was ruined. Sacked and with no pension, he ends up eking out his last days on Scotland's Black Isle, his mind lost to dementia, supported only by his long-suffering wife, Bridie. Then Galloway is found dead. The police assume the death to be accidental until Bridie Galloway reveals that her husband has been receiving threatening letters containing only the phrase: 'NOT FORGOTTEN. NOT FORGIVEN.'DI Alec McKay is struggling to come to terms with life without his estranged wife Chrissie, and is living in isolation on the Black Isle. As a junior officer, McKay had been allocated to Galloway's team and has bad memories of the man and his methods. Now he finds himself investigating Galloway's death.But when suspicion falls on him and more police officers are murdered, the pressure is on for McKay to solve the case.Why would the killer seek revenge twenty years after Galloway left the force?As McKay fights to link the events of past and present, he realizes that time is rapidly running out… Their Final Act: Jimmy McGuire, a washed-up comic, is found dead on the streets of Inverness, his body garroted. Back in the 1990s, McGuire had been half of a promising double-act until his partner, Jack Dingwall, was convicted of rape.Soon after, a second corpse is found in an abandoned industrial site on the edge of the Moray Firth. The body has been there for some days and has also been garroted. The victim turns out to be a former musician turned record producer, who had also been the subject of rape allegations.Meanwhile, DI Alec McKay and DCI Helena Grant are still wrestling with the fallout from one of their recent cases following an acquittal.As the body count rises, the police think they have the killer in their sights. But McKay is concerned that the evidence is too neat so when he realises there will be a final victim, he fears that time is running out. The best-selling DI Alec McKay series are gripping serial killer thrillers set in the Scotish Black Isle. They will appeal to fans of authors like Ian Rankin, Helen Fields and Ann Cleeves.

    

    His father is an abusive drunk with muddled religious views, and his mother, as hard as she tries to defend her son, only ever ends up delaying the inevitable. Things take a turn for the worse one Friday when Bobby brings home a black eye from school. The following day his father brings him out into the woods on a mission to do “God’s Work” and bring him into adulthood. A coming-of-age story about the sins of a father and a son’s chance to absolve himself from them.

    He was living the American dream: a beautiful wife and child, a gorgeous home, a booming business and great friends. And then...in 2.8 seconds...his entire life shattered into small pieces before his eyes. All that remained of his once fairytale life was his fading faith, fractured heart, his dog, Charley and the painful, lingering question of...what now? To answer that question, Charley takes Grant on a twisted journey to an inexplicable coincidence, where he finds love, tragedy and murder on his search for a new life.

    Dayton Gauthier experiences this first-hand when his wife of almost thirty years dies suddenly. Trying to come to grips with what happened and moving on with his life has proven to be harder than he ever imagined. Once his three adult children help him to see that his life is worth living after his wife’s death, he seems to be doing well… until a year later when a woman catches his attention. She not only catches his attention, but she keeps it, holding it hostage. But Dayton still finds it difficult to move on because he’s at war with his heart and his flesh. Ladonna Owens has lived a peaceful life for years and that’s mainly because she shut her family out. Because they were the source of her depression, abuse, and hostility, she chose to move away and not deal with any of them anymore. Being a professional singer afforded her a life that she could live comfortably. Because of her victimization, it made her heart hard toward men. She became somewhat selfish… taking what she desired sexually and moving on. However, that approach didn’t work for Dayton Gauthier. She realizes immediately that there is something between them and tries to prove herself worthy of his affection, but the insecurities of her past rear their ugly heads. Dayton and Ladonna have demons to overcome before than can fully explore a relationship with anyone, let alone each other. But each other is who they want. Will Dayton be able to overcome his grief to pursue a relationship with Ladonna? Can Ladonna trust Dayton long enough to entertain more than a physical connection?

    Getting Geek out of her system is easier said than done, as she try her best to move on and better herself for the sake of her newborn. When tragedy strikes again, Karrueche is now left broken down to her lowest point. With everyone gunning for her, Karrueche finds herself in a compromising situation, as she is forced to face the reality of her unforgettable past.

     Out of his depth, he is constantly working just to stay in the game and match the talents of the other first year trainees. But a chance to shine comes Stewart’s way when he is given the opportunity to partake in an investigation. A client of the firm has recently died. The deceased, Major Robertson, left a substantial estate, and the terms of his will stipulate that his considerable wealth will go to his family – unless the Major died by suicide, whereupon his estate will be donated to a charity. And the conclusion, thus far, has been suicide. Heading up the investigation into the Major’s death is Sebastian Dakar, practicing Zen master and the most unlikely detective that Stewart could imagine. But upon their arrival at the Major’s family home, Stewart begins to realise that perhaps the case of the Major isn’t as cut and dried as first thought. A former criminal prosecutor both in Scotland and at the international level for several years, Euan B Pollock (a pseudonym) is a new author writing murder-mysteries in the classic style. He currently resides in Northern Spain. To find out more, visit his website or follow him on twitter and facebook. www.euanbpollock.com @euanbpollock f/euanbpollockauthor