The Memory Journal


Steena Holmes - 2015
    Just when she thought it was safe to dream about a future again, Charlie Peters world came crashing down when she received word her sister was in the hospital. She left her fiancé in a small village in the Congo where they both work for Doctors Without Borders and rushed home to take care of her sister. She wants to believe that love will conquer all and all that other nonsense hopeless romantics believe, but can love overcome the lies she’s kept from Marcus about her past?Charlie wasn’t meant for happily-ever-afters, even though Marcus was her Prince Charming. This novella follows the story of Charlie Peters, sister of Diane in The Memory Child and is sure to touch your heart as The Memory Child did.

A Secondhand Lie


Pamela Crane - 2018
    Things that you can never un-know. Things that will change the course of your life…and the fate of the ones you love. I found her in our living room, bleeding and close to death, but alive. Barely. Until morning stole her last breath. The media called her killer the “Triangle Terror” … and then forgot about her. But I never forgot—my murdered sister, and an investigation that led to my own resurrection from the dead. Twenty-two years ago, on a cold February night, Landon Worthington lost his father for the last time. After an armed robbery gone wrong, evidence and witness testimony pointed a shaky finger at Dan Worthington—deadbeat dad and alcoholic husband. But before the dust could settle over the conviction, Landon’s preteen sister, Alexis, is murdered in their home, plunging Landon’s life into further despair. Two decades and a cold case later, Landon is dogged by guilt over their estranged relationship and decides to confront his incarcerated father-of-the-year about what really happened the night of the robbery. But the years of lies are hard to unravel. And the biggest question of all haunts him: How does everything tie into his sister’s murder? And so begins Landon’s journey to piece together the puzzle of secrets, lies, and truths that can free his father, avenge his sister, and perhaps save himself. A short mystery perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni's Third Watch and Dean Koontz's The Neighbor. Read as a standalone or as the companion book to A Secondhand Life.

Fatal Destiny


Marie Force - 2011
    In the aftermath of a tragic loss, they struggle to reconnect as the big day draws near and their work keeps pulling them apart. When a new clue in a cold case surfaces, Nick asks Sam not to take any foolish chances before the wedding and to leave it alone for the time being. Sam agrees, but she can’t let it go entirely and winds up trapped in an explosive situation. Then an unwelcome visitor from her past threatens her future happiness. With trouble at every turn, will Sam survive long enough to walk down the aisle?

Vow of Silence (The Jill Shannon Murder #2)


Chris Patchell - 2018
     Five years after the brutal slaying of her husband, software executive Jill Shannon is ready to take the next step in her life. But with her wedding to prosecuting attorney Conner Manning just eight weeks away, her future father-in-law’s political ambitions for her fiancé threaten all her hopes. Jill’s past holds dark secrets. Secrets she can’t afford to have exposed under the relentless lights of a political campaign. When Phoenix Detective David Shaw turns up at Jill’s door asking questions about a reporter's murder, he has no idea what a lethal Pandora’s Box he’s just opened. Was the womanizing reporter killed by a jealous husband, or was it related to his drug use? Or did it have something to do with the secret expose the reporter was working on? Jill Shannon looks like a dead-end lead but Shaw can’t shake the feeling the beautiful widow has secrets she’s not sharing. Jill is caught between the sins of her past and the shattered hopes for her future. Shaw finds himself drawn deeper into a twisted labyrinth of lies and danger. One thing is clear: some vows are made out loud in front of witnesses. But some vows are made in silence, and witnesses can’t be left alive.

Seeds of Deception


Linda Castillo - 2016
    It’s just another day filled with chores—until her best friend Mattie arrives to help. Somehow, boredom transforms into fun and games whenever the girls are together. The innocent fun comes to an end when Billy Marquardt and his gang of friends interrupts. Katie is no prude, but she knows better than to associate with the older English boys, especially since they’re known troublemakers. Mattie has no such compunction. Thumbing her nose at the Ordnung and all of the Amish rules, she disappears into the old barn with Billy.Moments later, the Zimmerman’s barn is consumed by fire. Katie suspects Billy had something to do with the blaze, but he denies it. When the facts don’t add up, Katie begins her own investigation—and she doesn’t like what she finds. Will her friendship with Mattie survive the truth?

Serial


Jack Kilborn - 2009
    #2: Don't pick up hitchhikers, because the traveler you pick up could be raving nutcase.So what if, on some dark, isolated road, Crazy #1 offered a ride to Crazy #2...

Christmas in High Heels


Gemma Halliday - 2010
    It's their first Christmas together, and Maddie wants it to be perfect. But between her zany family and wacky friends, Maddie's having a hard time finding alone time with her man. But come Christmas morning, this is one holiday she'll be sure to remember - naughty or nice!

Pretty, Nasty, Lovely


Rosalind Noonan - 2017
    . . Pledging to Theta Pi at Merriwether University seemed to offer Emma Danelski a passport to friendship, fun, and popularity. But the excitement of pledge training quickly fades, as does the warmth of her so-called sisters. What's left is a stifling society filled with petty rules, bullying, and manipulation. Most haunting are the choices Emma makes in the wake of another sorority sister's suicide . . .It doesn't matter that no one else needs to know what Emma did, or how vastly different life at Theta House is from the glossy image it projects. Emma knows. And now, with her loyalties tested, she must decide which secrets are worth keeping and how far she'll go to protect them-and herself . . .Praise for Rosalind Noonan's Domestic Secrets"This suspenseful read is Noonan at her best. Fans will be eager to get their hands on her latest, and it doesn't disappoint." -Booklist"Noonan delivers another page-turning thriller whose deeply flawed characters draw you into a web of family secrets." -Kirkus Reviews"Recommended for readers wanting stories of dysfunctional families, scandal, and violence that involve entire communities." -Library Journal

Don't Say a Word


Barbara Freethy - 1998
    But Julia is not an orphan, nor was she adopted. She knows where she comes from-or does she? Suddenly, the people she has loved and trusted are tainted by suspicion. The one person who is willing to help her is reckless photographer Alex Manning, who will journey with her toward the dangerous truth-while trying to hide a secret of his own.

The Whispering Hollows


Lisa Unger - 2016
    This in-depth exploration of Eloise Montgomery is a perfect way for newcomers to be introduced to The Hollows, and experience the sense of place Unger is building that "rivals Stephen King's Castle Rock for continuity and creepiness." (The News & Observer - Raleigh) It is also a treasure trove of insight and greater understanding of connections for those already drawn deep into The Hollows. Includes an author introduction to The Hollows, and an excerpt from the new bestseller Ink and Bone--a chilling coming of age story for Finley Montgomery and The Hollows, voted a Best Book finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Part One: The WhispersOn an ordinary day in The Hollows, a terrible accident claims the lives of Eloise Montgomery's husband and oldest daughter and leaves Eloise in a coma. While recovering, she experiences her first psychic vision. Struggling to understand her frightening new abilities, Eloise is torn between helping her grief-stricken younger daughter move on and the work she feels compelled to do now--heed the tortured whispers of lost women and girls calling for her.Part Two: The Burning GirlTen years on, Eloise is a renowned working psychic who has resigned herself to her role in The Hollows and to "The Work." She's discovering some disturbing things--secrets about her genealogy and the dark history of The Hollows, and that her granddaughter, nine-year-old Finley, has her own powerful gifts. Most disturbing of all, Eloise realizes that not all of the whispering voices are calling for help. Some of them are looking for trouble.Part Three: The Three SistersWhen Finley, now nineteen, comes to live with Eloise, Eloise's abilities transform. Her load is somehow lighter, and rather than chasing down people she needs, they are coming to her. She teams up with a detective to help a desperate father bring his daughter's killer to justice. Meanwhile, Finley has bigger problems than she's willing to admit. Can Eloise help her see the difference between justice and revenge--and the dark truth that nothing stays buried in The Hollows?

Waking Kate


Sarah Addison Allen - 2013
    One sticky summer day as Kate is waiting for her husband to come home from his bicycle shop, she spots her distinguished neighbor returning from his last day of work after six decades at Atlanta's oldest men's clothing store. Over a cup of butter coffee, he tells Kate a story of love and heartbreak that makes her remember her past, question her present, and wonder what the future will bring. A magical story on its own, Waking Kate is also a short fiction tie-in to Allen's 2014 bestseller Lost Lake.

Mountain of Lies


Jayne Evans - 2016
     Pinned by a rock slide while conducting an environmental impact study in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, Mia Blackmore figures karma has finally caught up to her. Actually, she’s surprised she got away with her crime this long. When a rough-looking man with a French-Canadian accent nearly steps on her head, rescue seems just a fingertip away—then the slope shifts again, sending them both hurtling down the mountain. The slide may have freed the auburn-haired woman, but undercover cop Hudson McClure still needs to keep her safe from the thugs who think he’s one of their own. The gang isn’t going to give up looking for their downed helicopter full of drugs. And, as it turns out, Mia and her decidedly wolfish dog, Neville, are his best shot getting to the crash first. Mia’s descent into Hudson’s dangerous world is like a landslide she is powerless to stop. Though her talent staying cool under pressure exceeds even Hudson’s own, there’s a hunted look in her evergreen eyes that warns him she’s hiding something—or from something. He just never anticipated her secrets could decide whether they get off the mountain alive…or in body bags.

The Academy


Robert Dugoni - 2014
    While most of her classmates and instructors at the academy want her to succeed, Detective Johnny Nolasco is hell-bent on keeping the boys’ club intact. The training sessions offer plenty of opportunities for humiliation, but Tracy’s not the type to give in. Fueled by a confrontation with her in the middle of a class, Nolasco is determined to see Tracy fail. Tracy, harboring memories of the loss of her sister and the disintegration of her family, has too much at stake to let one pigheaded detective stand in her way. With so much to lose, will she make the cut in this competitive world?

Be Careful What You Hear


Paul Pilkington - 2014
     Georgina Adams has battled through the trauma of postnatal depression as a new mother. But when she overhears her husband James threatening their six month old daughter over the baby monitor, she begins to question everything she once believed in. Did she imagine it? Or are their lives really in danger? Be Careful What You Hear is a nail biting 20,000 word suspense mystery novella, from the author of the bestselling Emma Holden trilogy. Prepare to be shocked by Paul Pilkington’s trademark twists, turns and cliff-hangers, and an ending that will leave you breathless. Another great page turner from Paul the suspense was great could not put it down love the way Paul writes you get right into the characters and you really feel for them… Mrs. Ailsa Wood "Ailsa" A short thriller that kept me guessing until the end. Brilliantly written short story. Natalie Lovatt Once again Paul has not let his fans down. A real page turner, the ending was certainly not what I'd prepared for, but then I should know better as his previous books have been a real tense and exciting page turner, then BANG there's the blow not what you expect. Absolutely love Paul's books have read all of them. I know this is only a short read but don't let that put you of purchasing it. Once again a cracker thank you Paul. Kay Just downloaded this and thought I'd read the first chapter and carry on with it tomorrow. No chance! It was fast paced and I just couldn't stop as I was so keen to get to the end to see what happened. Really really great short (tish) story! Looking forward to reading more from the author who has a real knack for a page turning book. Jo Loved it, very hard to put down until I had finished it, so had 2 very late nights!!! Looking forward to more from Paul Pilkington, a brilliant writer! Anne

Dark Hearts: Four Novellas of Dark Suspense


Jeremy Bates - 2015
    For twelve-year-old Brian Garrett, a weekend camping trip in the park promises to be an opportunity to bond with his aloof parents. But after his father suffers a horrible accident during a hike to the chasm's floor, events spiral quickly out of control, and over the next twenty-four hours Brian will uncover a terrifying dark side to his father-and an even darker side to himself.Rewind - When a man wakes in a rundown apartment, hooked up to a strange machine, a dead body in the next room, he has no memory of who he is, or what he is doing there. Over the next forty-eight hours, however, as he works to unravel the mystery of his identity, he'll come to realize that some things are better left unknown.Run - When a former soldier recently released from prison comes looking for his longtime girlfriend, and discovers she has moved on with another boyfriend, he vows to kill her. Now, it seems, she only has one option: Run. Neighbors New York City. Eight million people. You never know what kind of psycho may be living next door.Neighbors - New York is a city of eight million strangers. For twenty-five-year old Buddy Smith, who values his privacy, it's the only place he would call home. Yet his simple life is flipped upside down when a new neighbor moves in next door. She's young, beautiful, a bit nosy...and might just be a cold-blooded killer. Against his better judgment, Buddy spends the night with her--a decision that will prove to be the biggest mistake of his life.Praise for Jeremy Bates and his books:"Bates' approach to the story is surprisingly restrained, cultivating impressive frights in the unnerving environment...an understated horror story that will remind readers what chattering teeth sound like."-- Kirkus Reviews on Suicide Forest"Bates takes an intriguing premise to shocking lengths, revealing the outcome only in an epilogue. A graphically violent story with building suspense and a moral about where weaving such a web may lead."-- Booklist on White Lies"The Catacombs is easy to consume whole, like a shocking, but delicious, pint of ice cream, as Bates never shies away from the bad or the ugly. If you are looking for something to give you chills before you go to bed or make you think twice about turning off your light, then The Catacombs is the book for you."-- San Francisco Book Review on The Catacombs"Jeremy Bates has written a great book that would make a great Hollywood screenplay!"-- Suspense Magazine on The Taste of Fear"The story culminates in a tense situation and a surprising yet satisfying ending...well written and an exciting thriller."-- Suspense Magazine on White Lies"The Catacombs is a thrilling descent into the unknown, peeling back the dark layers like a rotting onion, tears running down your face as you try to climb your way out. A hypnotic story of buried truths, disfigured creatures, and lost histories told with an authoritative voice full of heart and insight."-- Richard Thomas, Bram Stoker nominated author on The Catacombs"Big on suspense...think of The Blair Witch Project with the exception being that this takes place in...a real haunted setting."-- HorrorAddicts on Suicide Forest"Here's an enjoyable book to lose yourself in. Jeremy Bates doesn't miss a trick, teasing and misleading, ratcheting up the tension as the heroine...loses traction on a slippery slope of deceptions."-- Glenn Kleier, New York Times bestselling author on White Lies"A horror story like none other...makes for a read that will delight horror fans who want their novels steeped in psychological suspense as well as action."-- Midwest Book Review on The Catacombs