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A Cry from the Dust


Carrie Stuart Parks - 2014
    Then cancer struck, her husband left, and her teenage daughter engaged in active rebellion. Gwen's best chance to start a new life was a temporary job in Utah reconstructing faces from an 1857 massacre site.The Mountain Meadows Interpretative Center asked Gwen to reconstruct the faces of three intact bodies that were discovered from the wagon train massacre of more than 120 people by Mormon fanatics calling themselves Avenging Angels. But just as she is nearing completion on her reconstructions, things around the center turn deadly.Gwen discovers the ritualized murder of a young college student with a stolen identity and is called on by the local police to use her forensic art skills to aid the investigation. Soon she discovers an uncanny resemblance between one of her reconstructions and the death mask of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church. And realizes that she's the next target of the recreated Avenging Angels who believe she has an icon from the grave.Gwen must weave through a labyrinth of Mormon history, discovering secret societies and festering grudges in a race against time.Will she be able to stop another massacre?

Where the Evidence Lies (A Mulholland / Strand Magazine Short)


Jeffery Deaver - 2014
    Local authorities are unsure whether the cause of the crash is a bomb or a violent storm. The case seems like it will be an easy one to solve for former NYPD Homicide Detective Lincoln Rhyme to solve. The evidence is inside the cockpit but there is one problem. The wreckage sits at the bottom of the Puerto Rican Trench, the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean that stretches to twenty-eight thousand feet. The plane can't be raised. And there's no way to get to where the evidence lies. "Where the Evidence Lies" by Jeffery Deaver is one of 20 short stories within Mulholland Books's Strand Originals series, featuring thrilling stories by the biggest names in mystery from the Strand Magazine archives. View the full series list at mulhollandbooks.com and read them all!

Wounded


Laurell K. Hamilton - 2016
    Marshal will be the first to show you hers in this sweet and sexy story of celebration and connection from #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton. Anita attends the wedding of her close friend but finds that even on the happiest of days there are wounds that need healing. She and the wereleopards Micah and Nathaniel are asked to talk to the bride’s thirteen-year-old brother, Tomas, who is struggling to recover from a recent gunshot wound. Depressed and demoralized, Tomas isn’t doing his physical therapy and could spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair… How can Anita, Micah, and Nathaniel convince Tomas that he can heal when he’s given up? They tell him about their own scars and how they took back their own lives after they were wounded. And Anita will realize how lucky they are to have not only survived their pasts, but to now be able to make their own formal commitment to each other— and the vampire in her life…

Night Sins / Guilty as Sin


Tami Hoag - 2006
    A young boy disappears and the only clue is a note—taunting and casually cruel. Has a cold-blooded kidnapper struck? Or is this the reawakening of a long-quiet serial killer? For a tough-minded investigator, it’s her first make-or-break case. For a local cop, it’s the fear that big-city evil has come to stalk his small-town home. Together they’ll hunt a madman who knows no bounds and for whom no sin is forbidden.“Nerve-shattering, explosive entertainment, and should not be missed by anyone who reads for the thrill of it.” —Michael PalmerGUILTY AS SINA psychopath has been playing a twisted game with a terrified Minnesota town. Now a respected member of the community stands accused of a chilling act of evil. But when a second boy vanishes, a frightened public demands to know if the police have caught the wrong man. Is the nightmare continuing…or just beginning? Prosecutor Ellen North believes she has the right man—but that he has an accomplice in the shadows. Ellen suddenly finds herself swept into a cruel contest of wits, a dark game of life and death… with an evil mind as guilty as sin. “A chilling study of evil that holds the reader until the shocking surprise ending.” —Phillip MargolinFrom the Trade Paperback edition.

A Hidden Secret


Linda Castillo - 2015
    The newborn is swaddled in an Amish crib quilt, and the only other item found with the child is a hand-carved wood rattle, which Kate also recognizes as Amish. The little girl seems healthy and whole; but who would abandon her and why? Though the quilt and rattle could be purchased, Kate suspects the mother is Amish, possibly young and unmarried, both of which would be powerful motives for such a desperate act. With the rattle and the baby quilt as the only clues, Kate must call upon her own Amish roots, and with the help of state agent John Tomasetti, search the Amish and "English" communities of Painters Mill for clues to unravel the poignant, puzzling mystery.

Ariel


Lawrence Block - 1979
    An unnerving tale woven together with a fascinating, terrifying child at the center of each twist and turn it takes, this book gives new definition to the old conflict of good versus evil, sane versus insane.

A Last Goodbye


J.A. Jance - 2014
    Jance brings her trademark breakneck pace to this fun and exciting e-novella, where fan favorite Ali Reynolds takes on double responsibilities as both sleuth and bride.Ali Reynolds is finally getting married to her longtime love B. Simpson. They wanted a simple Christmas Eve wedding, but nothing is ever simple with Ali. Even as a motley crew of her friends—Leland Brooks, Sister Anselm, and others—descend on Vegas, the bride-to-be finds herself juggling last-minute wedding plans and a mystery in the form of a stray miniature dachshund. Ali’s grandson rescues the little dog, but Ali’s not in the market for a new pet right before her honeymoon, and leaves no stone unturned in hunting for the dog’s owner. But what she finds is more than just a shaggy dog story…Bella’s elderly owner has vanished, and her son seems to be behind it. So it’s Ali and B. to the rescue—and still making it to the church on time!

The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction


Neil Gaiman - 2020
    An outstanding array—52 pieces in all—of selected fiction from the multiple-award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman, curated by his readers around the world, and introduced with a foreword by Booker Prize-winning author Marlon JamesSpanning Gaiman’s career to date, The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction is a captivating collection from one of the world’s most beloved writers, chosen by those who know his work best: his devoted readers. A brilliant representation of Gaiman's groundbreaking, entrancing, endlessly imaginative fiction, this captivating volume includes excerpts from each of his five novels for adults —Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane—and nearly fifty of his short stories. Impressive in its depth and range, The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction is both an entryway to Gaiman’s oeuvre and a literary trove Gaiman fans old and new will return to many times over.

Unwelcome Guests


Anna Willett - 2017
    With Eli’s easy-going brother accompanying them – the party was his idea – the barbeque lit and beers cracked open, everything should be set for a perfect evening.But her husband is cold and dismissive so Caitlin decides to drown her sorrows, and heads into the wine cellar. What she finds there will change their lives for ever.No peaceful sojourn from their daily worries, the house will stage an intense battle of wits: violent, claustrophobic and cruel. The danger the small group are in will put their trust in one another to the ultimate test. The question is, will anyone get out alive?UNWELCOME GUESTS is a non-supernatural horror, a real page-turner thriller with nail-biting suspense.

The Pirate


Jayne Ann Krentz - 1990
    Divorced, overworked, and completely stressed out, her writing buddies decide to surprise her with exactly what she needs--a vacation on a remote island that boasts a rich history and a crumbling castle built by an 18th century pirate. It’s the kind of story Kate can’t possibly pass up and it will allow her to turn her thoughts from the reality of today to the romance of the past. But things don't go according to plan. A long flight, lost luggage, and a missed connection leave Kate wishing she’d stayed home. A knife-wielding mugger is the last straw. Too late to help, but just in time to enjoy the show, Jared Hawthorne catches a harried woman in the act of kicking the local thief into submission. As far as Jared is concerned, Kate is the most interesting tourist to arrive on Amethyst Island in a very long time. Kate, however, has already concluded that a month-long vacation on the island is about thirty days too long. Still, Jared Hawthorne is starting to look very familiar...

Seduction by Design


Sandra Brown - 1983
    But Hailey's tough exterior hides a fragile self-image that dashes any hopes of a love life. Until a minor emergency brings her into contact with Tyler Scott.

Masks


Karen Chance - 2014
    But there are opportunities, too—in the service of a secretive courtesan, in the bed of a beautiful senator, and in the hunt for an ancient assassin.As a vendetta older than Venice itself comes to a climax, Mircea struggles to evade the dangers of his current life, to come to terms with his past, and to uncover the truth hidden behind a city of masks…

Beginnings and Ends


Suzanne Brockmann - 2012
     After years of playing the tormented actor Joe Laughlin on the hit television show Shadowland, Hollywood star Robin Chadwick Cassidy is ready for a change. Joe’s character embodies the real demons of Robin’s past—his struggle with his sexuality, his battle with alcoholism—and portraying the part has taken a heavy toll on his personal life. Robin’s husband, FBI agent Jules Cassidy, has noticed the strain and will do whatever he can to make Robin happy. And what Robin has in mind will forever transform his career, his marriage, and his family. Includes a thrilling excerpt from Suzanne Brockmann’s novel Hot Target, featuring Jules Cassidy. “Openly gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy [is] one of the most charming and original characters in popular fiction today.”—Library Journal Praise for Suzanne Brockmann “Brockmann strikes the perfect balance between white-knuckle suspense and richly emotional romance.”—Chicago Tribune “Brockmann is a master of adventure, drama, passion, and suspense.”—The Tampa Tribune

I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories


Ray Bradbury - 1969
    Yet all his work is united by one common thread: a vivid and profound understanding of the vast set of emotions that bring strength and mythic resonance to our frail species. Ray Bradbury characters may find themselves anywhere and anywhen. A horrified mother may give birth to a strange blue pyramid. A man may take Abraham Lincoln out of the grave—and meet another who puts him back. An amazing Electrical Grandmother may come to live with a grieving family. An old parrot may have learned over long evenings to imitate the voice of Ernest Hemingway, and became the last link to the great man. A priest on Mars may confront his fondest dream: to meet the Messiah. Each of these magnificent creations has something to tell us about our humanity—and all of their fates await you in this new trade edition of twenty-eight classic Bradbury stories and one luscious poem. Travel on an unpredictable and unforgettable literary journey—safe in the hands of one of the century's great men of imagination.

The Flight of the Falcon


Daphne du Maurier - 1965
    The woman, he gradually comes to realise, was his family's beloved servant many years ago, in his native town of Ruffano. He returns to his birthplace, and once there, finds it is haunted by the phantom of his brother, Aldo, shot down in flames in '43.Over five hundred years before, the sinister Duke Claudio, known as The Falcon, lived his twisted, brutal life, preying on the people of Ruffano. But now it is the twentieth century, and the town seems to have forgotten its violent history. But have things really changed? The parallels between the past and present become ever more evident.