Entangled


K. Elliott - 2003
    Entangled is a love story between a major drug trafficker and a history teacher. The subplots include a black DEA agent with divided loyalty. He wants to do his job and rid the streets of drugs but on the other hand he knows that the system is corrupt and it targets minorities, this story has all the elements of a major motion picture.

Me, Myself and Why?


MaryJanice Davidson - 2010
    . . and oh, yeah, love.Sweet and innocent with a twist of girl-next-door, Cadence Jones is not your typical girl and certainly not your typical FBI agent. Just ask her sisters, Shiro and Adrienne. (Wait. . . best if you don’t ask Adrienne anything.) But it’s her special “talent” which makes Cadence so valuable to the FBI and it never comes in more handy than when she and her partner, George, get tagged to bring down the Threefer Killer. A serial killer who inexplicably likes to kill in threes, leave behind inexplicable newspaper clippings, and not one shred of decent forensic evidence, soon starts leaving messages that seem to be just for Cadence and her sisters. Could it be that this killer knows all about Cadence’s special “talent”?In the meantime, love blooms in the most unexpected place when Cadence meets her best friend’s gorgeous brother who is in town visiting—and she discovers that he knows her secret too! When attraction burns hot between them, her best friend isn’t thrilled with the romantic development and this time Cadence just might agree! Suddenly Cadence finds her unbalanced life turned even more upside down as she tries to date a baker who wants to get in her heart and in her bed, dodge a pesky psychiatrist, keep a leash on her sociopath partner, while trying to catch a serial killer who’s now fixated on her. Some days it’s not even worth getting up in the morning.

FeMALE TRAITS "The Trilogy"


Lurea C. McFadden - 2011
    She is married to a successful, loving husband but somehow she requires more attention than this fine upstanding man can offer. She plays hard; in fact she is a playa in her own right. But Grace forgets that Game recognizes Game when she runs into Sonia, her husband’s best friend. This is the tale of Grace’s extra-marital love affair, love and support of good friends, and lessons learned along the way.

The Block


Treasure Hernandez - 2012
    He has a father he looks up to and an older brother who keeps him under his wing--until the day his father crosses a line that changes everything. Tone is forced to enter a world he knew nothing about. Detective Abraham is obsessed with power and money, so he has figured out a way to play on both sides of the tracks when it comes to organized crime. The only thing stopping him from making it to the top spot is Santiago, one of the most feared suppliers in the country. Santiago's only weakness is his daughter, Serena. Detective Abraham develops a plan that involves his son, Tone, getting close to Serena.Against his better judgment, Tone goes along with his father's plan and sets out to win Serena over with his charm. What he hasn't planned on is Serena turning the tables and stealing his heart. Now Tone is faced with choices that leave him questioning his loyalty to his family.

Casanegra


Blair Underwood - 2007
    This story, which chronicles the redemption of a prodigal son, combines the glamour of Hollywood with the seedy hopelessness of the inner city.In this hot and steamy mystery, Tennyson struggles to hang on to his acting career and redeem his sex-for-pay history, which estranged him from his family—especially his father, a decorated LAPD captain who raised Tennyson to call him “sir.” Now, in the wake of his father’s sudden stroke, Tennyson has to save himself from taking the fall for the first murder of a female rapper. In the process he discovers his hidden talents—the hard way.Golden Globe-nominated actor and the author of Before I Got Here, Blair Underwood joins bestselling novelists Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes to create a cool, irresistible character in Tennyson Hardwick. This gritty, provocative mystery will keep readers craving more.

Maintenance Man II


Michael Baisden - 2012
    The original “Maintenance Man” followed a litany of releases, including “Men Cry In The Dark,” “God’s Gift To Women”, “Do Men Know What They Want” and solidified his stance as one of the most successful self-published male authors on the literary scene.With “Maintenance Man II,” Baisden broadens the storyline as Tremell comes out of retirement to not only rebuild his contact list of high-end female clientele, but also franchise a male escort service worldwide. Intrigue, drama and danger quickly come into play when Tremell liaisons with the wife of a powerful and corrupt Republican senator. When they unwittingly uncover the senator’s underhanded deal with the powerful Kross brothers for political control, Tremell will have to tap his military training and street smarts to not only save his life, but also those closest to him.Baisden, once again educates as he entertains, brilliantly engaging his readers. Utilizing Malcolm Tremell as the ultimate Renaissance man protagonist, he brazenly unveils several harsh and dark realities behind the current political process. He skillfully touches on some of the most critical political issues to date, including voter suppression as well as corporate greed, seamlessly interspersing them between a romantic and politically charged plot. The novel’s tone is captivating and inviting, whisking the reader into a non-stop escapade of sex, action and adventure.After years of being out of the gigolo lifestyle, Malcolm has to rebuild his list of contacts and high-end clientele. But he still has his good looks, his Rolodex, and his reputation. This time he vows that nothing will stand in his way of getting back on top and creating a franchise of escort services worldwide. He disguises his gigolo lifestyle as a nightclub owner in Miami—the perfect cover to mix business with pleasure.

True Evil


Greg Iles - 2006
    Chris Shepard, a busy young doctor in Natchez, Mississippi, has never seen his new patient Alex Morse before. But the attractive young woman with the scarred face has come to Dr. Shepards office on a mission to catch a killer. This New York Times bestseller is available in a tall Premium Edition.

Relentless


Dean R. Koontz - 2009
    He makes a handsome living doing what he enjoys. His wife, Penny, a children's book author and illustrator, is the love of his life. Together they have a brilliant six-year-old, Milo, affectionately dubbed "Spooky," and a non-collie named Lassie, who's all but part of the family.So Cubby knows he shouldn't let one bad review of his otherwise triumphant new book get to him — even if it does appear in the nation's premier newspaper and is penned by the much-feared, seldom-seen critic Shearman Waxx. Cubby knows that the best thing to do is ignore the gratuitously vicious, insulting, and inaccurate comments. Penny knows it; even little Milo knows it. If Lassie could talk, she'd tell Cubby to ignore them, too.Ignore Shearman Waxx and his poison pen is just what Cubby intends to do. Until he happens to learn where the great man is taking his lunch. Cubby just wants to get a good look at the mysterious recluse whose mere opinion can make or break a career — or a life.But Shearman Waxx isn't what Cubby expects, and neither is the escalating terror that follows what seemed to be an innocent encounter. For Waxx gives criticism; he doesn't take it. He has ways of dealing with those who cross him that Cubby is only beginning to fathom. Soon Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a relentless sociopath, facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life.

Blind Ambitions


Lolita Files - 2000
    The place people go to fulfill their dreams. But its reality is a cruel one: Opportunities are few and the competition ruthless. Innocent hearts can suddenly turn dark, and the most loyal of friends can become bitter enemies. Desi, Sharon, and Bettina are three black women struggling to make names for themselves amid the glitz, glamour, and deception. Before each woman can be swept away by the intrigue and intensity of the entertainment industry, they must answer to the desperate calls from the ghosts of their pasts. But if they do, will the shadows of infidelity, abandonment, and murder destroy everything they've worked for?

P.G. County


Connie Briscoe - 2002
    Jolene is half of P.G. County’s number-two couple–and she desperately wants what she doesn’t have: namely Barbara’s husband. Pearl owns a hair salon and lives on the outskirts of the posh community with her son, Kenyatta. She’s not only juggling a growing business and a bad divorce, but now she’s has to cope with Kenyatta’s less-than-ideal girlfriend. Candice is white and liberal, but her daughter’s new beau tests her beliefs–and opens a can of worms she never knew existed. Lee is a runaway teen, a girl whose only connection to her father is an old photo and the belief that he’s well-off and waiting for her in . . . P.G. COUNTYFrom the Trade Paperback edition.

The Mourning Hours


Paula Treick DeBoard - 2013
    Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in years-not since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnny-the high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believe-not even those closest to Johnny-but the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion. Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives. Tautly written and beautifully evocative, The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness.

Sexual Healing


Jill Nelson - 2003
    But their career success is matched by their romantic and sexual frustrations. One night, dissecting their dissatisfactions over a bottle of wine, they concoct a plan: why not develop a business that discreetly supplies handsome black men willing and able to serve the sexual needs of black women?Thus is born the idea for Sexual Healing -- a "full--service" spa aimed at meeting all of black women's intimate desires. Launching the enterprise is a struggle, but the conflict is just beginning: even as their delighted customer base grows, they face a firestorm of attacks from hostile media, grandstanding church leaders and other outraged parties.From the most dignified black church in Oakland to sex-positive small-town Nevada, from the racks of Loehmann's to the skyscraping executive suites of San -Francisco, Sexual Healing is a page-turning comedy of outraged manners, a blistering satire on American gender and race relations, and a sexually frank exploration of what women really want. Jill Nelson unleashes the storytelling abandon that captivated readers of Volunteer Slavery and gives it full rein in what's sure to be one of the hottest books of 2003.Jill Nelson is the author of the bestselling Volunteer Slavery (Noble, 1993), which won an American Book Award, and Straight, No Chaser (Putnam, 1997), and the editor of the anthology Police Brutality (Norton, 1999). She is a regular contributor to the Village Voice and MSNBC.com, among other publications. She teaches at the City College of New York and lives in Manhattan."

Playing Dead


Julia Heaberlin - 2012
    The woman who wrote it claims that Tommie is her daughter—and that she was kidnapped as a baby thirty-one years ago. Tommie wants to believe it’s all a hoax, but suddenly a girl who grew up on a Texas ranch finds herself linked to a horrific past: the slaughter of a family in Chicago, the murder of an Oklahoma beauty queen, and the kidnapping of a little girl named Adriana. Tommie races along a twisting, nightmarish path while an unseen stalker is determined to keep old secrets locked inside the dementia-battered brain of the woman who Tommie always thought was her real mother. With everything she has ever believed in question, and no one she can trust, Tommie must discover the truth about the girl who vanished—and the very real threats that still remain.

Momma's Baby, Daddy's Maybe


Jamise L. Dames - 2005
    This Essence bestseller from an author to watch takes an unforgettable look at love, lust, and secrets that can break hearts--and destroy homes.

Midnight Beach: A Port Stirling Mystery


Kay Jennings - 2020