Strolling around town, she ducks into a new bookshop in a renovated chapel. But just as she does, a skeleton is discovered in the old baptismal font. Soon, a decade old mystery is revived, and Vera must uncover secrets long buried before this case once again goes cold.

    In New Orleans' French Quarter, the Tooth Fairy isn't a benevolent sprite who slips money under your pillow at night....he's a mysterious old recluse who must be appeased with teeth--lest he extract retribution. When young Diogenes Pendergast loses a tooth, however, his skeptical older brother Aloysius is determined to put the legend to the test...with dire consequences. *Includes a special preview chapter of Preston & Child's new full-length novel TWO GRAVES, available December 11, 2012.

    Occult detectives. Ghost hunters. Monster fighters. Humans who unravel uncanny crimes and solve psychic puzzles; sleuths with supernatural powers of their own who provide services far beyond those normal gumshoes, shamuses, and Sherlocks can. When vampires, werewolves, and things that go "bump" in the night are part of your world, criminals can be as inhuman as the crimes they commit, and magic can seep into the mundane - those who solve the mysteries, bring justice, or even save the world itself, might utter spells, wield wands as well as firearms, or simply use their powers of deduction. Some of the best tales of the last decade from top authors of the 21st century's most popular genres take you down mean streets and into strange crime scenes in this fantastic compilation.Contents (alphabetical by author):“Cryptic Coloration” by Elizabeth Bear“The Key” by Ilsa J. Blick“Mortal Bait” Richard Bowes“Star of David” by Patricia Briggs“Love Hurts” by Jim Butcher“Swing Shift” by Dana Cameron“The Necromancer’s Apprentice” by Lillian Stewart Carl“Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell” by Simon Clark“The Adakian Eagle” by Bradley Denton“Hecate’s Golden Eye” by P.N. Elrod“The Case of Death and Honey” by Neil Gaiman“The Nightside, Needless to Say” by Simon R. Green“Deal Breaker” by Justin Gustainis“Death by Dahlia” by Charlaine Harris“See Me” by Tanya Huff“Signatures of the Dead” by Faith Hunter“The Maltese Unicorn” by Caitlín R. Kiernan“The Case of the Stalking Shadow” by Joe R. Lansdale“Like a Part of the Family” by Jonathan Maberry“The Beast of Glamis” by William Meikle“Fox Tails” by Richard Parks“Imposters” by Sarah Monette“Defining Shadows” by Carrie Vaughn

    Parker's Spenser and Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, Dark Horse and The Mummy Case introduce a hard-hitting, wise-cracking hero with a modern twist.DARK HORSEWhen high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn't take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone's hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case. As the investigation continues, Knighthorse's personal life is shattered by the discovery of new evidence relating to his mother's unsolved murder, a murder dating back twenty years. Reeling from the discovery, a determined Jim Knighthorse sets out to bring two killers to justice.THE MUMMY CASEPrivate investigator Jim Knighthorse takes on a very, very cold case. When historian Willie Clarke dies of mysteriously of dehydration in the California deserts, ex-football hero Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper―and discovers a shocking connection to one of the West's oldest mysteries. Over a hundred years ago, an unnamed cowboy was murdered in the California desert and, due to freak weather conditions, would become mummified within twenty-four hours. Now known to the world as Sylvester the Mummy and displayed in a creepy curiosity shop, Sylvester and historian Willie Clarke will be forever linked in mystery. That is, unless private investigator Jim Knighthorse can survive long enough to untangle one of the West's greatest unsolved murders. **Acclaim for the Novels of J.R. Rain**"Gripping, adventurous, and romantic―J.R. Rain's The Lost Ark is a breakneck thriller that traces the thread of history from Biblical stories to current-day headlines. Be prepared to lose sleep!"―JAMES ROLLINS, international bestselling author of Altar of Eden and The Doomsday Key"Dark Horse is one of the best books I've read in a long time! A great classic detective story with a modern twist. Unique and interesting characters (I think I'm half in love with Jim Knighthorse now!), a great plot that kept me guessing until the end, and some of the funniest lines I've read anywhere."―GEMMA HALLIDAY, author of Deadly Cool and Play Dead"Impossible to put down. J.R. Rain's Moon Dance is a fabulous urban fantasy."―APRIL VINE, author of The Midnight Rose and Blindfolded by Lust"Moon Dance is absolutely brilliant!"―LISA TENZIN-DOLMA, author of Understanding the Planetary Myths and The Dolphin Experience"Moon Dance is a must read. If you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, be prepared to love J. R. Rain's Samantha Moon, vampire private investigator.

     Ess wasn't aware that a momentary encounter during her childhood had made her the object of obsession nearly twenty years later. Not just the artist’s obsession, but also the art collector’s. The artist had to kidnap her to keep her safe. The truth doesn't always set you free. How do they go on?

    This positively addictive anthology is full of surprises -- a patchwork of settings and characters not soon forgotten, and mysterious twists and revelations not quickly shaken! 18 includes: "Devotion" Agatha Award nominee for Best Short Story "Unharmed" Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Award and Macavity Award winner "The Man in the Civil Suit" Agatha Award winner "The Abbey Ghosts" Edgar Award nominee ...and also features her first Irene Kelly story, "A Fine Set of Teeth."

    The promise of a cleaner tomorrow and the economic impact on world markets could be staggering. Then she makes an alarming discovery: someone has tampered with the production process, resulting in toxic waste leaking into the Florida waterways and the Gulf of Mexico.Fighting mounting terror fueled by too many accidents and untimely deaths, Sabrina pieces together the grim puzzle. The evidence points to a cover-up orchestrated by the chief executives of EcoEnergy. Now her determination to expose the company's secret has placed her in the crosshairs of a conspiracy that reaches further than she could ever imagine—America's biggest traitors are lurking behind the doors of one of the highest offices in the land.Desperate, Sabrina flees the company with damning evidence, aware that an enemy with eyes and ears everywhere makes each move a gamble. Running for her life with nowhere to hide and no one to trust, Sabrina knows her next step could be her last….