When she walked out of their marriage without an explanation, he swore he’d never play another role with her, in the bedroom or otherwise. But Fate brings them together to reprise their roles in The Taming of the Shrew, and the sparks begin to fly. Laugh – and cry – as the famous and lively lovers try to untangle a web of misunderstanding and find their way back to the place where they belong.

    Somewhere, Hitchcock is smiling. And to think, this is just the first of the Thea Browne Mysteries.” —J.M. LeDuc, author of the Sinclair O’Malley series “A gripping drama unfolds as Barbara Petty explores the tensions between a woman with Alzheimer’s accused of an unspeakable crime, and her daughter, an investigative reporter determined to clear her mother’s name. Well worth the read.” —Sheila Lowe, author of the Forensic Handwriting Mystery series In a small Midwestern town, on a cold, blustery March day, a man plunges to his death off a high, rocky cliff, setting in motion a string of events that lead to murders and rips open the long-hidden secrets of the town’s most prominent family… The man is George Prentice, and the woman the police suspect of murdering him is his wife, Daphne. But Daphne has Alzheimer’s and, as she is likely to be incompetent to stand trial, has not been arrested. Daphne’s daughter, Thea Browne, is a trained investigative reporter, who is furious that the police haven’t bothered to look any further for a culprit other than her mother. She suspects her stepfather made enemies when meddling in local politics and, according to one of his cronies, George wrote a memoir threatening to “blow the lid off this town.” As Thea follows her own investigation, she discovers a widening circle of suspects, some much closer to home than she expected. Even her best friend from childhood, Annie Biggs, seems to be keeping a deep dark secret that she refuses to share with Thea. More murders push Thea to the point where protecting her mother forces her to put her own life on the line to track down a diabolical killer. “Thea Browne returns to her small hometown to discover nothing is at it seems. Struggling with the death of her beloved stepfather and her mother’s Alzheimer’s, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue as events from the past lead to danger in the present. A must read.” —Mike Befeler, author of “Mystery of the Dinner Playhouse” and the Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit Mystery series “Petty builds a strong character and supporting actors in this compelling story.” —Peg Brantley, award finalist for “The Sacrifice”

    Martin's Press Best First Traditional Mystery Award Forensic historian Simon Shaw likes his murders old and cold, and his first case fits the bill. An archeologist friend has found a skeleton with a bullet hole in its skull under historic Bloodworth House, and Simon investigates with his usual doggedness until he discovers that the corpse is Anne Bloodworth, an heiress who disappeared in 1926. Shaw feels compelled to find out who killed her. But this turns out to be more than an academic exercise when someone who wants to hide past secrets tries to murder him!"Shaber charms us with her personable prof and her warm, vibrant portrait of small-town Southern life." --"New York Times Book Review"

    Every few decades he is given a chance to repent. And fails. Until the totally unsuitable Caly Sawyer accidentally brings him back to life. Nothing is going to prevent him from gaining his freedom, especially some willfully stubborn human determined to kill him. Caly doesn’t trust the mysterious stranger who came out of nowhere and risked his life for hers. As a demon hunter, she knows there is something not quite human about the sexy bastard. Her ability to detect demons is infallible. She should know. She used to be one. War is brewing between demons and humans. The demon infection that Caly had always considered a curse might just be the key to their survival...if Ruman can keep her alive long enough. Despite the volatile attraction between her and her sexy protector, Caly’s determined to do whatever it takes to keep everyone alive. The more Ruman learns about his beautiful charge, the more he questions his duty and loyalty...and dreads the call to return home. If they can’t learn to trust each other in time, one of them will die.

    But the consequences are Deadly. Amy Sholes has a problem. An obsession. She’s a murderer. A talented and prolific serial killer. To most, she is a monster—an evil person with a cancer on her soul. But to many, she is an avenging angel, serving justice and helping those who could not help themselves. Her one rule, she only kills those who prey on others. Amy is beautiful and sexy with a wonderful husband and a family she adores. Her world may seem perfect, but Amy knows it could be better. And she’s willing to do whatever it takes to rid the world of bad people. She’s a killer you’ll want to root for. Book 1 follows Amy’s Affair with Murder. She succumbs to the seductive draw of a dark society, risking everything for a little taste. Her desires lead her into a thrilling world filled with twists and turns so intoxicating that she loses sight of who she is. Soon, Amy is living two lives—a dangerous juggling act in which one misstep could destroy her and shatter the family she loves. But her newfound obsession has bled into her family's lives, jeopardizing everything. Amy’s husband is a police detective and some of her adventures have showed up on his desk. She’s determined to keep her two worlds separate, and finds herself tangled in a deep web of lies, telling one after another to throw off the suspicions of the man she loves and to save who they are. Amy knows people live for the idea that their fantasies can come true. The question she begins to ask: should they?

    Your critics and nay-sayers and those negative voices in your head have defined who you are and stolen your hopeful future for far too long!The insecurity, shame, and judgment--That stops today.This simple guide will show you how your imperfect life matters in ways you never thought possible. It will help you see your scars, flaws, and failures as unfair advantages and gifts that you can bring to the world. Foster's examination of hope is one part challenge, two parts encouragement. He forces the reader to ask the following questions: How did I lose it? How do I get? How do I give it? Each question is broken down into core concepts that are essential to a life devoted to the power of second chances: awareness, discovery, ownership, forgiveness, acceptance and freedom.Packed full of unfiltered honesty and simple next steps, this manifesto for prodigals, imperfectionists, and hopesters will help you discover beauty in the brokenness.

    It can be read at any time during the series. It was part of the Summer Snoops and Cozy Crimes: 12 Mysteries for the Dog Days of Summer anthology. A dog-loving sleuth. A baffling murder. To catch the killer, she’ll have to follow her nose. Nikki Green wouldn’t trade her job as a dog walker and pet sitter for anything. But even she needs an occasional break from the tangled leashes of her daily routes. When she’s asked to pet sit a pair of adorable pugs in a quaint farm town, she thinks she’s found her perfect vacation. But the grass isn’t greener in Pawprint Creek. The crops are as dead as one of the town’s residents. Surrounded by suspects who all seem to be relieved that the victim is dead, Nikki can’t bear to sit around while the killer walks free. Along with her new canine companions, Sunny and Stormy, she searches for clues, but when everyone seems to have a motive, she finds that she might have bitten off more than she can chew. In a town where gossip spreads like wildfire, she’d better catch the killer fast before she becomes the next victim.

    Too ashamed to go back home to Bennett Falls, Jo is living with her aunt clear across the country.But a crime occurs in the coffee shop where Jo works, and it makes Jo rethink what she’s doing with her life. She’s determined to solve the crime and the problems in her own life. Fans of Joanne Fluke and Victoria Laurie will enjoy this culinary cozy mystery series. Scroll up and one-click to start reading today!

    Warriors living on the fringe of civilization, they live by one credo: Strength through Equality. Power through Knowledge.Nya Thalestris is the brightest Scythian of her generation. Strong, capable, ruthless, she is sure to earn a spot in the Trials, a time-honored mating ritual responsible for the evolution of her species. Abducted by their sworn enemy, the Drahzda, Nya is forever altered and spirals out of control. The Society sends in Jax Nickius. Infamous psychologist and one of the most brutal warriors of their kind, he discovers triggers planted in Nya’s mind. As Nya solidifies her spot in the Trials, Jax develops a plan to help—while pursuing her as a mate. But, Nya’s attraction to Jax is at war with her instinct to never let anyone get too close.During the Trials, Nya’s repressed memories surface, revealing a new enemy—one from inside the consulate walls—and a traitorous alliance on the horizon that could irrevocably change the course of history.Since before the Bronze Age, the Society has managed to safeguard humanity from itself … until now.

    . . A WHOLE NEW LIGHT Cyn McCall knew she could always count on her late husband’s friend and business partner, Worth Lansing. He could make her laugh and forget her problems. She could tease him about his many romantic entanglements. The last thing Cyn expected was to find herself longing for a man who could never settle down.When Worth invites Cyn to a getaway weekend in Acapulco, he doesn’t expect to be sharing a room—or to respond to her the way he does to any beautiful woman. While he thinks it’s time Cyn stopped mourning and moved forward with her life, he can’t escape the feeling he’s betraying his friend’s memory. But even guilt can’t stop the desire that overwhelms him—and ultimately overtakes them both.Cyn wants to believe their night of passion was sparked by the exotic locale and intoxicating scent of hibiscus. But Worth knows they share something deeper, something that will outlast the Mexican sunglow. He knows he’s finally ready to stop playing games . . . if only Cyn would open her heart to new possibilities and the promise of love.

    Frannie’s close friends rally around her, and next thing she knows, she is living in a mansion and wearing designer clothes. The only thing missing is a husband. Confirmed bachelor, Clay Coleman, has ulterior motives when he agrees to play the role of loving husband, but Fannie, who nursed a crush on him for years, fears she is flirting with danger in their role of let’s pretend. But Fannie and Clay aren’t the only ones keeping secrets. Sooner or later, the truth comes out, exposing everyone involved. Can Frannie ever get past her hurt when she discovers the truth about Clay?

    Her sister murdered. Can Grace slay her demons and find the killer before she ends up dead?New York City, 1920. Grace Michelle has everything she wants: a home, a family, and a future career as a costume designer for famed showman Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.’s Ziegfeld Follies. Pretty good for a girl who once lived on the streets of New York City. But when her sister, Sophia, the star of the show, is murdered, Grace’s safe and protected life is shattered.Battle-scarred by the war and emotionally scarred by his past, Chet Riker has made it a practice to keep his distance from others; love, after all, leads only to pain. But Chet has a problem—a big one: he’s become indebted to mob-boss Joe Marciano in an attempt to save his estranged mother’s life, and Marciano wants him to pay up or else. Desperate to get the money, he contacts former client Florenz Ziegfeld for work.Soon, Chet finds himself playing bodyguard for introverted Grace, who has reluctantly agreed to be Ziegfeld’s new leading lady—on the condition that Ziegfeld promises to find Sophia’s killer. Upon meeting Grace, Chet quickly finds his hardened theory that love equals pain tested. Grace, meanwhile, is swept up in a life she never wanted as the Follies’ star, and as the pawn in a series of publicity stunts during a transcontinental train trip to California that puts her life at risk. Who would want her and Sophia dead? Together, she and Chet must confront publicity-hungry Florenz Ziegfeld, power-driven Joe Marciano, and their own pasts to find Sophia’s killer—and let themselves love once again.

    Will the Masks of Deception steal their Chance for True Love? Sparks fly when Delaney Brannigan and Blake Morrisson meet at the Glebe Point annual costume dance. Known only to each other as the leopard and the Lone Ranger, Delaney discovers soon afterward that the cowboy she thought had ridden off into the sunset never to tempt her again, is none other than the man she came from New York to find and discredit. Against her will, she is drawn into an overwhelming attraction to Blake, an attraction she can't give in to if she wants to keep the one thing she values more than anything else. During a chance encounter with an old friend, Blake discovered he had a son he never knew existed. Finding the boy has been the only thing he cared about for months---that is until Delaney Brannigan came to town. Now the bewitching woman has him thinking abut settling down---but then he discovers Delaney isn't who she appeared to be, and Delaney's hopes and dreams are shattered as the truth threatens to uproot her world. Will these two lovers lose one another in a web of deception, or will the small town boy and the girl from New York find a way to trust their hearts and discover a once in a lifetime happiness?

    It’s 1853, the heyday of the California Gold Rush. Isabelle is full of hope, staking her claim on the city’s refined clientele and her future on a sweetheart’s promise to marry her when he returns from the gold fields. Then, unexpected guests—fugitive slaves seeking safe passage to the North—force her to confront her past and reconsider her path.While Isabelle learns to trust God’s provisions, a law student in Virginia must confront his father’s cruelty and rescue a young slave from his family’s tobacco plantation. As the two escape to freedom, and Isabelle risks everything to harbor runaway slaves, the past and present are set on an inevitable collision course—one that reveals hidden treasures of the heart.

    But Ed’s already got her hands full with a team who don’t want her, an ex who won’t quit, and terrible guilt over a secret from her past.As Ed investigates the case, she discovers Canterbury has seen this crime not once, but several times before. And when Ed and her detectives encounter missing historic police files, falsified school records, and Ed’s new lover as a prime suspect, it becomes clear that the system has been corrupted. Can Ed find the kidnapper behind these depraved crimes before he strikes again? Or has time already run out?