The Celtic Cross


T.J. Walter - 2018
    The ensuing murder investigation is plagued with interference from above and several false leads frustrate the investigators. But slowly they unravel the mystery and unveil a story of resentment and greed. The detective team is led by DCI. Matthew Prior and his partner, Siobhan Williams. He is a gritty and determined veteran and she his perfect counterpart. He is happily married and she, despite being physically attractive, frightens most men off with her sharp brain and wit. Despite all the hurdles put in their way they gradually get to the truth. In the process they uncover a world of deviance and cruelty rooted in the deep past.

The Killing Dose (Thomas Cole Book 5)


Scott Jones
    A drug overdose and a vengeful mother lead ex-Army Ranger Thomas Cole into a confrontation with a violent gang, a gang who's vicious tactics exact a terrible toll from Tom, leaving him with little choice but to exact revenge with his own violent aggression.

Shot All to Hell: Bad Ass Outlaws, Gunfighters, and Law Men of the Old West


Nick Vulich - 2016
    Who hasn’t heard of Jesse James, the Dalton Brothers, Black Bart, or Belle Starr? They are as much a part of American folklore as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. There’s something about the west that has brought out the best, and the worst in mankind. The funny thing is, a cult following has developed around many of these bandits, making them out to be something they weren’t. The legend that grew up around Joaquin Murrieta was that he was just a normal guy who moved from Mexico to California, and tried to strike it rich during the gold rush. What he discovered instead, was a big sign that read, “No Mexicans Allowed.” His supporters say, that because of the Foreign Claim Tax, he was forced off his land, and into a life of outlawry. And, then to support that claim, a whole legend has been built up, about how he stole from the rich, and shared his wealth with poor Mexican families. The only problem is the facts don’t support that interpretation. The same stories developed around Jesse James. Legend has it, Jesse only stole from rich bankers and railroad men, and the reason he could disappear into thin air after pulling a bank job or train robbery was because he shared the booty with poor Missouri families. As with Murrieta, that probably never happened. Jesse James was a thief. He stole money wherever he could get his hands on it. He robbed stagecoaches, banks, trains, and you-name-it. And, last, but not least, there’s Belle Starr, one of the most badass female robbers on record. Belle called her pistols her “babies,” and ruled an outlaw kingdom based out of her home in Indian Territory. She lived by the gun, and she died by the gun. The outlaw life was almost always portrayed as a glamorous life, filled with loose women, blazing guns, and saddlebags overflowing with gold, silver, and greenbacks. What a life! The only thing is, all the movies, books, and TV shows painted a distorted portrait of life in the old west. James Dodsworth lived the outlaw life for six weeks while riding as a spy with the Doolin-Dalton Gang. He said the gang was constantly on the move. They rarely spent more than one night in any one place. Dalton and Doolin, both worried they’d end up like Jesse James—shot in the back. At night, the gang always posted at least one man on watch duty. The rest of the gang slept with Winchesters by their sides, and pistols under their heads. Every one of them were ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. And, as for those saddlebags overflowing with riches, more often than not, they were like a Charlie Brown Halloween special—filled with rocks rather than gold. Sometimes the gang would cut off the wrong car during a train robbery, and end up riding away empty handed. Sometimes a posse would chase them off a little too soon, before they could grab their booty. Other times, it was slim pickings, and there was nothing to take. The first train job the Dalton Gang pulled went totally awry. The Express man got away before they could convince him to open the safe, and in their haste to rob the Atlantic Express the boys forgot to bring dynamite to blow the safe. Black Jack Ketchum, and his gang, made off with $100,000 in unsigned bank notes. Pearl Hart’s fame rests upon a single stage coach robbery that netted her under $500, and several years in the caboose after she was captured. The sad truth is most outlaws led a short life that ended, either at the end of a rope, or with a bullet in the brain.

Lawless Desert


C.M. Curtis - 2015
    Martin Chambliss is not a man to be underestimated. A band of renegade Apaches make that mistake when they attack Chambliss and his fellow travelers. And when Chambliss goes on the hunt for two outlaws who have kidnapped the woman he loves, they learn that he is willing to follow them deep into Mexico, or into Hell itself, to save her, and he's not afraid to spill blood if he has to.

Devlin's Ride


Carson McCloud - 2016
    A quiet spot to settle down. He's found the perfect place on the edge of Eastern Oregon's high desert. At the base of the rolling Ochoco Mountains there's a canyon with a steady spring called the Clearwater. Clearwater offers rich grazing for Nate's herd and room to grow. But perfection comes at a cost. Nate isn't the only one who has plans for the Clearwater. Rhett Baron and his crew of gunhands will stop at nothing to take the spring. Nate may have gotten to the water first, but can he keep it? In the tradition of Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey comes Devlin's Ride by Carson McCloud.

Misty Hill Reckoning


R.B. Tetro - 2016
    When that peace is threatened by a corrupt sheriff, and the ruthless drug dealers he’s protecting, they’ll have to stand together with their friends and some unlikely allies if they hope to survive. Jake Dillon has come to Misty Hill looking for answers about his missing brother; who’s been working undercover for the DEA. He finds the Sanders standing alone against the people connected to his brother’s disappearance. He also finds the family that he’s always wanted, and the love he’s never had. The odds are stacked against them surviving, but Laura and her family won’t back down, and Jake won’t back off, until he finds his brother and his new friends are safe. In the Great Smoky Mountains, people have their own brand of justice. It’s been passed down from generation to generation. It’s called a reckoning, and it’s coming to Misty Hill.

Purple Death


Brian L. Porter - 2010
     The victims, all unconnected to each other, are dispatched using a unique poison, previously associated with the notorious Borgia family. As the murders begin to multiply at an alarming rate, Connor finds clues hard to come by, and every lead takes him down yet another blind alley. The killer seems to be one step ahead of the police at every turn. Together with his assistant, Sergeant Lucy Clay, they must piece together the shreds of evidence that will lead them to the mysterious Chocolate Woman, and in turn to the brain behind the horrific murders that soon come to be known as the Purple Death.

A Mail Order Bride’s Hope


Faith Crawford - 2017
    Will love and strength conquer? Grace Owens has always longed for adventure. Being a restless spirit, the stories that came from the West fired her blood. So when her parish in Pittsburg brings a newspaper ad to her attention, her decision is made. She agrees to become a mail order bride and marry a man she has never met. Alonzo Forrester has everything he wants, except a wife and family. When Grace arrives on the train to be his, he thinks that everything will fall into place. But when tragedy strikes under the open skies of Montana, Grace finds herself thrown into caring for a farm and ailing husband with no experience in either. Can she muster the strength and courage to carry out the tasks ahead? Can Grace and Alonzo build a home and family together in this unforgiving land? Will they find love together? AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a 65-page stand-alone story with an HEA, so no cliff-hangers.

Texas Tragedy: The Story of Priscilla Davis: A True Story of Money, Murder and Survival


Greg Brown - 2016
    Worth, Texas. Cullen Davis was one of the richest men in Texas and his second wife, Priscilla Davis, was shot in their mansion. Also shot and murdered were her twelve-year-old daughter and her thirty-year-old boyfriend, Stan Farr. Priscilla and two other people said it was Cullen. The culprit was wearing a wig so his identity was somewhat hidden but not completely. Cullen was arrested in the early morning hours of August 3, 1976, at his girlfriend's house. He later went on trial for the murder of Priscilla's daughter. He was found not guilty but the next year he was put on trial for a murder-for-hire plot to kill the judge overseeing his divorce from Priscilla. He got off from that charge, too. And somehow he finally skirted any murder charge for Stan Farr. Finally in 1979 he and Priscilla were divorced. Priscilla received 3.3 million dollars and Cullen was able to move back into his 19,000 square-foot mansion. Two books have been written and a movie was made describing these events and characters. But nothing has been written about what really happened in the decades after the trials of the 1970's. This book explains the facts of that fateful August night and what happened in the courtrooms of Texas. But the majority chronicles the path Priscilla took after the trials of the 1970's. Priscilla was not done with Cullen yet and she would try tirelessly to obtain some kind of justice. She also decided to have a little fun along the way. The press loved Priscilla but the general public were split. She had been painted as a low-rent gold-digger in the Texas courtrooms but everyone also knew that Cullen was probably guilty of murder. In the end, only the two of them really knew the truth. This is the story of how Priscilla learned to live with the fact that justice was denied her and Cullen would probably never pay. In 1995, a 26-year-old man named Greg Brown moved in with Priscilla, who was now 53. They became lovers and Greg tells how Priscilla learned to make the most of tragic situations which were both of her making and not of her making. It's a story of struggle, love and compromise even in the most dire of circumstances.

Tortillas & Peanut Butter: True Confessions of an American Mom Turned Mexican Smuggler


Linda Sonna - 2016
    An unfortunately common situation...quickly develops into a wonderfully uncommon and heartfelt adventure." - An Erma Bombeck "Hot Tamale" http://humorwriters.org/2016/02/19/ho... - “Spot-on, highly entertaining, and absolutely hilarious” - Lynne Willard, Editor & U.S. expat - - "Jaw droppingly hilarious" Carol Penn-Romaine, award-winning writer - - A wealth of cultural information tucked between the chuckles - - Includes discussion questions for book clubs & classrooms - - As the zany protagonist comes to understand Mexico & appreciate Hispanic culture, readers do the same - - 20% of profits go to the ACLU - - "Holy Cow! This book is hilarious!" - Cynthia Norman, Cosmic Philosopher - “Learning about a new culture can be hilarious – as seen through this book!” – Diane Gilliard, Counselor - An Amazon Top-10 Bestseller in Travel/Mexico (7/17-9/17); Biography/Memoir, Crimes & Criminals, Solo Travel, Single Parenting, Teen & Young Adult Biographies (various dates) - SYNOPSIS A suburban housewife liberates herself from her peanut-butter-and-jelly life and flees to Mexico. While battling the cultural quirks that send less adventurous souls hightailing it back to the U.S., she struggles to learn Spanish, cope with foreign customs, raise her kids, and run a school. To supplement her meager income she smuggles, using her gift for gab and wily wit to outfox the government officials. But not all of her smuggling tricks and tactics go as planned. EMBEDDED MULTICULTURAL ISSUES - The women’s movement - The 1960s cultural revolution - Culture shock - Immigrant adjustment & adaptation - Immigrant parenting issues - Identity development in children of immigrants - Intergenerational value clashes in immigrant families - Diverse customs & mores - Racism - Sexism - Prejudice - Classism - Ageism - Cultural evolution - Expatriate re-integration - Individualist/Independent (e.g., North American) vs. Interdependent/Collectivist (e.g., Hispanic) orientation to: ° Time (past/present/future) ° Activity (being/becoming/doing) ° Social relations (hierarchical/collateral/egalitarian) ° Self-efficacy (fate/destiny vs. personal control)

SLOW DRiP: First in a series of heart-racing thrillers


Gary Polisano - 2019
    Clues and taunts left by the killer along with the knowledge held by the teenager cause the three characters to intersect in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

The Iron Horse


James Reasoner - 2021
    Hired to find out who is stirring up the Sioux and sabotaging the Kansas Pacific line as it builds westward, Faraday sends tough young agent Daniel Britten to the railhead, where he finds himself embroiled with surveyors, track layers, buffalo hunters, and a pair of beautiful young women. But there’s a killer stalking the railhead as well, and not only the fate of the railroad but also Britten’s very life depends on him uncovering the truth.An epic Western adventure full of historical sweep and gun-blazing action.

Strong Convictions


G.P. Hutchinson - 2015
    When she was shoved into the path of his bullet during a dispute over their love, it was enough to make him think twice before drawing his pistol ever again. Now, he must overcome that hesitation when outlaw Charlie Blaylock shoots Strong’s brother dead right in front of him. Strong, now a Texas Ranger, joins up with Gabriela’s brother, Juanito, and the Englishman Granville Sikes to catch the killer and bring him to justice. It’s a ride that gives them more than they bargained for when they learn that Blaylock is hiding out with wealthy and powerful kin. But justice isn’t the only thing Strong is after. He finds love again with Li Xu, a Chinese immigrant’s daughter kidnapped by a band of desperados. That’s double jeopardy for those who stand in Strong’s path, but he must think fast if he plans to both save the girl and avenge his brother. Enjoy the action in Strong Convictions, a fun and entertaining Western by author GP Hutchinson. It’s a wild ride through the West with a multiethnic cast and a surprising twist ending.

Rendezvous Series: Books 4 - 6


Win Blevins - 2017
     From NY Times Bestselling author, Win Blevins, the story of legendary mountain man, Sam Morgan, comes to a roaring climax, filled with narrow escapes, a search for peace, and a home for his mixed-race family. “Blevins has painted an epic saga of life in the early West on a huge canvas of vivid colors. –Tony Hillerman.” “Through clever storytelling, and the seamless insertion of important background information, Blevins has made sure that readers unfamiliar with the series can follow each book on its own.” – Booklist ….... HEAVEN IS A LONG WAY OFF Sam Morgan faces the most daunting task of his adventuresome life. It is 1827 and he, with the trapping brigade commanded by Jedediah Smith, has been expelled from Mexican California. Sam must make a trek to the Wind Rivers for the sake of his Crow wife and their infant daughter, Eperanza.Nursing a broken heart, and in need of income, Sam rides to Santa Fe—and there he meets a beautiful widow. Soon after leaving, the herd of horses belonging to Sam and his companions are sold for a healthy profit. He returns to California to reunite with his daughter only to learn she has been taken captive in an Indian raid.Sam's desperate mission to rescue his daughter, their escape in a frail craft down a rampaging river, and their long trek home, is a harrowing tale told by a master of the historical novel. "Win Blevins's novel about venturesome Sam Morgan, and the fur trade and mountain men, is both authentic and entertaining!" —Dallas Morning News. A LONG AND WINDING ROAD A decade has passed since Sam Morgan took up the rough-and-tumble life of a mountain man in the Far West. In those ten years, Sam has made his mark as a trapper, fighter, and survivor.Sam has also endured tragedy.Distraught, Sam finds a mission for himself when he determines to find and rescue two Mexican girls, Lupe and Rosalita. They have been kidnapped from their village by Navajo raiders and spirited off into the New Mexico wilderness.The search for the captive girls takes him deep into Navajo, Ute, and Blackfeet Indian territory, to Bent's Fort in Colorado, near death at the hands of a companion, and finally to a surprise at the end of the trail, involving the missing girls and a trapper called Pegleg Smith. “The glory years of frontier life, fresh and rich.” — Kirkus Reviews DREAMS BENEATH YOUR FEET Eighteen years have passed since Sam Morgan came West from Pennsylvania and learned the perilous business of trapping in the Rocky Mountain wilderness.Now, in 1840, the world has changed. The fur trade has played out, and he must find other means to make a living.Sam decides to return to California with his daughter Esperanza and start a new life. The great golden land holds a harsh memory, but friends convince him that his destiny, and that of his mixed-race family, lies on the Pacific shore.Meadowlark's uncle, Flat Dog, his family, and Hannibal MacKye, the half-Delaware Indian mountain man, join Sam and Esperanza for the journey west, where they hope to trade for a herd of Appaloosa horses to sell at a profit in California.

Serial Killers: Horrifying True-Life Cases of Pure Evil


Charlotte Greig - 2012
    From perverse acts of cannibalism and dark sexual fantasies to vicious acts motivated by greed and a simple lust for blood, this book reveals the methods and motivations of some of the world's most notorious serial killers, including Juan Corona, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, Pee Wee Gaskins, and Ivan Milat.