Portside Screw


Gregory S. Dew - 2018
     A Jack Cubera Novel Retired PI Jack Cubera just wants to drink beer, fish the flats, and live the simple life of a full-time boat bum. One problem: he’s just discovered his old nemesis—the Key’s most notorious real estate developer—floating tits-up in a weenie bikini in the Islamorada backwaters, landing him high on the suspect list. To clear his name, Jack investigates the curious demise and soon discovers the developer’s most outrageous development to date, Coconut Key—a manmade island shaped like a giant daiquiri glass—is “breaking ground” atop a lobster-breeding habitat in the middle of a pristine bay. As Jack sets out to derail the invasive project and save his salty slice of paradise, a host of unscrupulous characters flush from the shadows soon delivering Jack to the most perplexing question of all: Why would anyone build an island in the middle of an archipelago? The answer, which hinges on a baitfish cage filled with breast implants, proves far bigger than mere shady real-estate dealings. Please reach out via my website to join my mailing list, receive discounts and info on new releases, or just stir the pot.

Fireworks in France (A Reverend Annabelle Dixon Mystery Book 7)


Alison Golden - 2021
    

The Russell House


Donna Foley Mabry - 2016
    The young military widow leaves dozens of messages for her father but receives no response. Looking for a copy of her mother’s obituary, Roxie reads an article in the newspaper and discovers her entire life is a web of lies, secrets, and deceit. The story sends her off in search of the truth about the man she idolized. She drives to her father’s birthplace—Manhattan, Kansas—and moves into her grandmother’s huge, three-story, hundred-and-fifty-year-old house. It’s been vacant for decades, but Roxie begins to believe she’s not the only occupant. She doesn’t know if there’s an intruder or if the spirit of her grandmother is watching over her. In only a matter of days, someone has made several attempts on her life. She calls in her best friend, Janice Tallchief—retired on a disability from the Kansas City Police Department—to act as her bodyguard. Can Jan and Roxie unravel the mystery before the killer succeeds?

A Forest with No Trees


Peter Hey - 2015
    It’s a lie, of course. What I mean is, I remember so very little.’ Tom Haworth is struggling against the fragility of his own mind as it surrenders to what seems an increasingly hostile world. He begins to be haunted by vivid dreams that transport him into a different life and to a treeless forest, high in the stark moorland of industrial England around the time of the First World War. There he meets family he never knew existed and a girl called Clara, whom he recognises as the blueprint for every woman he has ever loved. Back in the present, he discovers he is losing days: vaguely remembered yesterdays in which he has acted out of character, as if someone were taking his place. Tom traces back through his family tree and discovers the characters in his dreams to be real and not just products of his unstable subconscious. Where are the ‘memories’ coming from? Has madness finally taken hold? And is Clara lost to him forever, or will she be his salvation? A story of redemption and rebirth that weaves compellingly between different times and different lives. Inspired by a gravestone in a remote Pennine cemetery, this story had been nagging at the author for over a decade. Eventually he gave in.

Caliber Detective Agency - Box Set - Case Files 7-12


Donald Wells - 2013
     CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - Box Set - Case Files 7-12 CASE FILE # 7 The Calibers tackle three new cases.A man believes someone is out to kill him in case one, while in case two, a worried father hires the detective agency to look into his daughter's shady fiancé.The third case is more of a favor, as the old man and Kelli travel to Texas to help out family.Blue Steele makes a cameo appearance. CASE FILE # 8 The old man and Blue Steele engage in a friendly shooting contest, but then the client arrives and Jake gets down to business. Chris and Velma reveal their true feelings for each other, despite knowing that they can never be together. CASE FILE # 9 As Jake learns more about Victor Jansen's inner circle, Chris and Velma set out to sting the target of their investigation.And in Texas, the old man investigates the disappearance of James Preston, and by doing so, he places himself and Kelli in jeopardy. CASE FILE # 10 The old man proves once again that he's the real deal and gets one step closer to solving the mystery of James Preston.Jake uncovers treachery within the Jansen inner circle and later saves his client's life.Meanwhile, Velma learns something meaningful about her husband's nurse. CASE FILE # 11 Chris and Velma run their sting operation on Remmi Harlow, and then later on, Velma makes a confession.Jake becomes jealous over Kelli's new boyfriend, but with help from a friend, he may just win her back.And after the old man visits Remmi Harlow in jail, he solves the mystery of James Preston. CASE FILE # 12 Jake and Kelli reunite, and later, Jake discovers where the illegal guns are coming from.After the old man verifies that his hunch is correct, he brings the hammer down on the man behind the disappearance of James Preston.Velma and Chris share an intimate moment as a fortunate turn of events takes place. COMING SOON! CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - BOX SET - CASE FILES 13-18 Visit the Caliber Detective Agency website at: thecaliberdetectiveagency.com

The Haunting of Kulah


Janet MacLeod Trotter - 2012
    But the women are also hiding a shameful secret…Present Day: When journalist Ally Niven escapes to the remote Scottish island of Battersay after a failed love affair, all she is looking for is a quiet life and a catering job for the summer. But from the outset someone is trying to scare her off and Ally soon discovers that the beautiful surroundings mask tensions among the people who are harbouring 'Birdwoman' - a feral young woman found on rocky Kulah. Ally is increasingly attracted to reclusive artist, John Balmain, who has also taken refuge on Battersay, but is elusive about his past. From John, Ally learns of a sinister prophecy which predicted the shipwreck and how Flora, the Flame-haired leader of the Kulah women, would wreak her revenge. Increasingly isolated and intimidated by bizarre attacks on her house and sightings of a lone woman in a blue headscarf that she cannot explain, Ally sets out to discover the truth behind the Kulah story and the secrets the broodingly handsome John is determined to keep from her; as the two stories converge in a shocking climax. This is MacLeod Trotter's second enthralling mystery.

Rosie's Revenge


Suzanne Floyd - 2014
    In order to inherit the farm and all that goes with it, Parker must live in the house for a year: a house with no electricity, running water or bathroom. While living there she can modernize it, but she can’t move out. Her great-aunt, Rosie, has already selected a handsome contractor, and has drawn up the plans, all Parker has to do is approve them. There is no explanation why Rosie left all this to her instead of her own brothers. Curious about the family she never knew, Parker decides to stay, at least temporarily, and is confronted with her hostile grandfather who would do anything to chase her away, and gain control over the land he considers his birthright. Just walking through the small town proves to be an obstacle course as people step off the sidewalk to avoid her, or run off the road as they stare at her. Rumor has it Rosie has come back to haunt them. While work continues on the house, Parker discovers the journals Rosie kept from the time she was a little girl, telling of her life with an overbearing father and four brothers. Rosie also left letters to Parker instructing her to trust Shep Baker, the contractor, and to find out what happened more than sixty years ago, deepening the mystery for Parker. Shep is a slow talking cowboy with a mystery of his own. His grandfather was adopted as an infant, and Shep is looking for his extended family. But why did Rosie take such a liking to him when she was so nasty to others? Just more questions for Parker to find the answers to. The answers to her questions are in the journals, but finding the answers could prove fatal.

At the River's Edge


D.R. Shoultz - 2018
    The unsolved shooting death of Mayor Hank Richards has a five-year curse hovering over the historic mountain community. Townspeople look over their shoulders in fear as neighbor accuses neighbor. Rumors of buried moonshine money captivate those seeking unearned riches, but haunt Emily Edwards, the strong-willed granddaughter of the purported moonshiner. Shortly following the murder of Mayor Richards, James Wolsey returns from college to help his mom manage the family’s hardware business. James and Emily are traveling diverse paths when they meet, but quickly align on a common course. If not for obsessed treasure hunters convinced Emily possesses a map, it seems their future together is promising. The couple's attempt to dispel rumors of buried treasure leads them to the gravesite of Emily’s ancestor beside the New River. What they uncover at the river’s edge propels them into the path of the mayor's killer, and unleashes a chain of chilling events that forever changes Sunset Peak. Mayor Richards’ murder will not be the last in the previously peaceful town.

The Thursday Murder Club / The Man Who Died Twice


Richard Osman
    

Slice


David Hodges - 2010
     THERE’S A KILLER INSIDE THE POLICE STATION. A police station should be a safe place. But not when there’s a psychotic serial killer working there. THE FIRST VICTIM IS FOUND GRUESOMELY MUTILATED IN HIS MOST SENSITIVE AREA. HE IS DRESSED IN A JUDGE’S WIG. Detective Superintendent Jack Fulton takes on the grisly murder enquiry and discovers that his murderer might actually be one of the police station staff. MORE EMINENT VICTIMS FOLLOW. KILLED IN THE SAME SADISTIC MANNER. The press nickname the razor-wielding assassin “The Slicer.” With the killer stalking the shadowy Victorian building, Fulton has to contend not only with press harassment and police who will stop at nothing to get a result, but also with other problems much closer to home. As the killer leads him on a grim game of cat and mouse, Fulton has little idea of just how personal that game is about to become . . . YOU WON’T WANT TO PUT THIS ONE DOWN Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell. THE AUTHOR A former police superintendent, with thirty years’ service. Since ‘turning to crime’, he has received critical media acclaim, including a welcome accolade from Inspector Morse’s creator, the late great, Colin Dexter, and he is now a prolific novelist with eleven published crime novels and an autobiography on his police career to his credit. His previous police experience has enabled him to provide a gritty realism to his thrillers and his Somerset Murder Series, featuring feisty female detective, Kate, and her partner, Hayden, has gone from strength to strength, attracting interest in the United States as well as in the UK. DETECTIVE KATE HAMBLIN MYSTERY SERIES Book 1: MURDER ON THE LEVELS Book 2: REVENGE ON THE LEVELS Book 3: FEAR ON THE LEVELS Book 4: KILLER ON THE LEVELS Book 5: SECRETS ON THE LEVELS Book 6: DEATH ON THE LEVELS STANDALONES SLICE

Gift of the Witch


K.E. O'Connor - 2019
    Snow is falling, the decorations are up, and the Christmas parties are in full swing. A visit to the Christmas tree lot reveals a gorgeous new arrival. Lowther Zanzibar claims to be in the village to simply sell trees, but whenever a fallen cupid is around, trouble follows. And when relationships start going wrong, Tempest tries to figure out what’s happening. The problem is, she’s distracted by the strange new feelings she has for someone who's not her boyfriend! Wiggles must take on the challenge of figuring out why the village is suddenly full of terrible love matches. If he fails, this Christmas will turn into the weirdest time of the year, not the most joyful. Grab a mince pie and a glass of eggnog, and enjoy this fun cozy mystery. This is a short novel (31,000 words) featuring your favorite Crypt witch characters. Expect red herrings, some unusual suspects, and a fun, festive happy ending.

The Maximum Contribution


Rick Robinson - 2007
    politics. From heady ideals to sexual blackmail, it makes one wonder—when do they have time to govern? The fine line between fact and fiction blurs so quickly, you may think you are reading today's headlines instead of one of the best new novels to break onto the political scene.You will get to know the characters in Robinson's novel so well; you will be surprised not to see their names on the ballot at the next election. The Maximum Contribution is fast paced, spellbinding and one you don’t want to miss.

The Passing of Morse


Susan Masters - 2012
    Its purpose is one of certitude with a little dash of homage thrown in for good measure. For some, it may just be seen as an extended or alternate ending. For others, it may be taken as Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse's final will and testament. Your choice...

The William Kent Krueger Collection #4: Vermilion Drift, Northwest Angle, and Trickster's Point


William Kent Krueger - 2015
    Five are connected to a series of old unsolved disappearances. But the sixth is fresh. What’s worse, two of the victims—including the most recent—were killed with Cork’s gun. As Cork searches for answers, he must dig into his own past and that of his father, a well-respected man who harbored a ghastly truth. Northwest Angle: Amid the wreckage of a violent storm, Cork O’Connor and his daughter Jenny discover a body. Nearby, a baby boy lies hungry and dehydrated but still very much alive. Powerful forces in pursuit of the child follow them to the isolated Northwest Angle, where it’s impossible to tell who is friend or foe. Trickster’s Point: Cork O’Connor sits deep in the wilderness with his good friend Jubal Little—favored to become Minnesota’s first Native American elected governor—who is slowly dying with an arrow through his heart. But this is no hunting accident. The arrow is one of Cork’s. As he works to clear his name and track the killer who set him up, only Cork knows that his complex, passionate, ambitious friend was also capable of murder.

The David Raker Collection Books 1-3


Tim Weaver - 2013
    Five years later he finally turned up - as a corpse in a car wreck. Missing persons investigator David Raker doesn't want the work: it's clearly a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity brought to him by a woman unable to let go of her son. But haunted by a loss of his own, Raker reluctantly agrees.The Dead TracksSeventeen-year-old Megan Carver was an unlikely runaway. A straight-A student from a happy home, she studied hard and rarely got into trouble. Six months on, she's never been found. David Raker knows what it's like to grieve. He knows the shadowy world of the lost too. So, when he's hired by Megan's parents to find out what happened, he recognizes their pain - but knows that the darkest secrets can be buried deep. And Megan's secrets could cost him his life.VanishedFor millions of Londoners, the morning of 17 December is just like any other. But not for Sam Wren. An hour after leaving home, he gets onto a tube train - and never gets off again. No eyewitnesses. No trace of him on security cameras. Six months later, he's still missing. Out of options and desperate for answers, Sam's wife Julia hires David Raker to track him down. Raker has made a career out of finding the lost. He knows how they think. And, in missing person cases, the only certainty is that everyone has something to hide.But in this case the secrets go deeper than anyone imagined . . .