"Between A Smile and a Tear" A blackmailing stripper. A self-help preaching hit man. A gangster with a penchant for leeches. The streets of San Francisco have never been so twisty as Jack Waters struggles with powerful and mysterious forces trying to destroy his family, his sanity, his life. "Ransom Dreams" What motivates a sociopath? Elaine Burnett must find out or die. One innocent act sets off a cascade of events that will turn her life upside down and threaten it, as well as that of her lover, psychologist Alan Everson. As Walker relentlessly stalks the couple, they struggle to solve the mystery of what is driving their tormentor before he destroys their love and their lives. "Acapella Blues" Sam Ravello, a singer-songwriter living on Cape Cod, tries to help a young Romanian woman and her little boy and becomes entangled in a sinister plot involving corruption, blackmail, and a violent criminal underworld. The mystery Sam solves is sadder than any song he's ever written, a dirge about innocence forever lost and the extremes of love betrayed.

    It’s all he can do to keep his compassionate but ailing mother and his stepfather—a fanatical grassroots minister with a bruising rhetoric—from ruin. But they have no idea they’ve become the obsession of the girl in the woods.Abandoned and nearly feral, Eve has been watching them, seduced by the notion of family—something she’s known only in the most brutal sense. Soon she can’t resist the temptation to get close. Where Henry’s mother sees a poor girl in need, his father sees only wickedness. When Henry forges an unexpected bond with Eve, he believes he might be able to save her. He doesn’t know how wrong he is.Eve is about to take charge of her own destiny—and that of Henry’s family. As both their worlds spin violently out of control, Henry must make an impossible choice: protect the broken young woman who’s claimed a piece of his soul, or put everyone he loves at risk in order to do the right thing.

    Now he wants her dead.After a failed attempt on her life by vengeful ex-SAS captain John Stratton, a young British woman takes on a new identity and life for herself in Australia as Chloe Clarke. When a chance encounter leads to a whirlwind romance with the charming and wealthy businessman Tom Wentworth, it seems her fortunes have taken a turn for the better. But as her past life quickly catches up with her and her secrets are revealed, will Tom be able to save her from the danger of Stratton’s murderous intentions?Antonia Marlowe is the author of Strange Bodies, a futuristic crime thriller also available from The Book Folks on Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/BLUE-DIAMONDS-A...http://www.amazon.co.uk/BLUE-DIAMONDS...

    He soon gets caught up with a nemesis character that spews death and destruction, hiding throughout the world like a chameleon---causing Winters to leave his serene retirement and take chase.

    OR SO DANGEROUS... PI Dev Haskell wakes up one morning in dire need of an asprin, a cup of coffee, and an hour in the sauna. It seems he's just spent a wild night with his beautiful bombshell of a client, Kerri, and she's left him a note. A smart and sly man who fancies himself just a little more savvy and debonair than reality confirms, Dev thinks he's got it made. But he has absolutely no idea what he's getting into when he agrees to track down Kerri's sister Nikki. Turns out both women are involved in an elaborate human trafficking ring with Braco the Whacko, a notorious Russian mobster, at the helm. Soon Dev finds himself at odds with local police, Homeland Security, and an FBI task force, as well as in and out of the hospital thanks to a gunshot wound and a bit of shrapnel in the rear, not to mention on the run from a neurotic underworld boss and a psychotic killer: it must be love... In a bizarre but compelling mixture of crime and offbeat comedy, Dev proceeds to messily balance both sides of the law in a wacky tale that will keep you on your toes while laughing out loud.

    The worst sin he’s ever committed bubbles up, threatening to destroy his future.Are the Zodiac killings a coincidence or is someone toying with him, and if so… who?

    They were old friends. He knew only one way to deal with pain. Hunt it down and kill it." Police Officer Jack Stratton is hiding. Hiding from the world. From pain. From the memories of losing his best friend, Chandler, in Iraq. Suffering from PTSD and isolated from those he cares about, the last thing Jack expects to hear is his foster sister Michelle, Chandler’s sister, is gone. The words cut straight to his core. Although the police think she just took off, he knows Michelle would never leave those she loved behind–like he did. Now he must take action, find Michelle, and bring her home or die trying. The first novel in the Jack Stratton Collection introduces us to handsome rogue, Jack Stratton. A debt of honor to his dead foster brother drives Jack into a world of deception and lies. As Jack’s walls begin to crumble, he must navigate the quirky characters that seep into the mystery of his foster sister’s disappearance. And in the sleepy community of Darrington, like so many places in this world, nothing is as it appears. The hidden mysteries that often go unnoticed begin to emerge as Jack and his new unpredictable sidekick begin to turn over the rocks. Following a trail that has grown cold, Jack must tread carefully to protect his job, his family, and his life. This stand-alone novel features rogue hero Jack Stratton. Look for other books in the Jack Stratton Collection including Jack Knifed, Jacks are Wild, and now Jack and the Giant Killer. They can be read in any order, however, they are best experienced in sequence.

    With everything poised to go pear-shaped, the embattled cop embarks on a path that could destroy his career, or save him from destruction. One thing you can be sure of, ex-boxer Lisbon never backs down from a fight!The twist at the end will leave you breathless!⭐ A story of evil and redemption⭐ The characters leap off the page⭐ Jack Lisbon is a kick-ass investigator who packs a punch⭐ An action-packed page-turnerFollow Jack Lisbon's journey in the upcoming series: "The Fighting Detective"

    Stories of drugs and violent murders were something occasionally seen on the evening news and had not yet pervaded this somewhat remote part of the world. Their culture was not dramatically different from what it had been at the end of the Big War. But that was about to change drastically. When two barrels containing bodies that have been dissolved with acidic chemicals mysteriously turn up on an impoverished family’s farm, the people of Long Hollow are quick to jump to conclusions. Hugh Williams, who has never harmed anyone, is arrested and his destitute family become outcasts by almost everyone in the community. What the people don’t know is that a couple whose evil knows no bounds are the real culprits. They are extremely intelligent and feed off each others twisted, torturous proclivities. Now that the focus is on the unfortunate Williams family, they are free to carry on with their horrific torture and heinous murders, as well as other crimes. But the bodies in the barrels turn out to be just the tip of the iceberg, and George and Glenn are about to get caught right in the middle of this nightmare. A southern noir crime thriller filled with mystery, suspense, and very creative serial killers.

    A cell phone video of her vicious murder, callously released on the Internet, its popularity a testament to today's depraved society, serves as a trigger, pulled a year later, for a killer.Emailed a video documenting the final moments of a woman's life, entertainment reporter Aynslee Kai, rather than ask why the killer chose her to tell the story, decides to capitalize on the opportunity to further her career. Assigned to the case is Hayden Eldridge, a detective left to learn the ropes by a disgraced partner, and as videos continue to follow victims, he discovers they were all witnesses to the vicious subway murder a year earlier, proving sometimes just watching is fatal.From the author of The Protocol comes Depraved Difference, a fast-paced murder suspense novel with enough laughs, heartbreak, terror and twists to keep you on the edge of your seat, then knock you flat on the floor with an ending so shocking, you'll read it again just to pick up the clues.

    And he likes those odds.SHOT OF TEQUILA by JA KonrathRevenge served straight up...

    They are not cozy or fuzzy, but they do try to be humorous and witty. Sometimes they succeed. Each novel/novella has a stand-alone mystery, but the stories are also about the continuing life saga of a middle-aged Southern woman as she faces many serious obstacles. Josiah faces the world with sarcastic humor and a number of quirky, oddball friends that can only be found in the Southern town of Lexington, the heart of the Kentucky horse country. Some mysteries end with a bang, some are not solved at all and the first one ends with a cliff hanger, but they always entertain in the sassy, humorous and suspenseful world as Josiah goes about sleuthing. The Josiah Reynolds Mystery Series is just like fried chicken . . . finger-licking good! Add some sweet tea and a piece of chocolate pecan pie with a scoop of ice-cream and you got yourself some tasty reading. Description Josiah Reynolds is a beekeeper trying to stay financially afloat by selling honey at the Farmers' Market. She finds her world turned upside down when a man is found dead in her beeyard, only to discover that the victim is her nemesis. The police are calling the brutal death murder and Josiah is the number one suspect! Josiah makes the rounds of quirky characters that can only be found in the lush Bluegrass horse country. Fighting an unknown enemy in the glamorous world of Thoroughbreds, oak-cured bourbon and antebellum mansions, Josiah struggles to uncover the truth in a land that keeps its secrets well. Death By A HoneyBee is the first of an episodic series and as such ends in a cliff-hanger which is crucial to the rest of the series. Attached to HoneyBee is a bonus chapter from Death By Drowning which continues our heroine's story in linear time. I hope you enjoy reading Death By A HoneyBee as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It was a labor of love.

    A terror in the boxing ring, most of his opponents didn't make it past the first round... and those who did lived to regret it. After a careless decision sends him to prison for seven years, Levi returns to a life in ruins: his fiance has split, his friends -- gone.While struggling to pick up the pieces, Levi receives an inheritance from the mysterious figure known simply as K.S. He soon learns that the gift -- an antiquated lamp -- might just have bizarre supernatural powers. This inheritance, however, proves costly as a fearsome enemy now hunts him. Levi's boxing days might be behind him, but the most dangerous fight of his life lies ahead.

    Her husband, a prestigious psychiatrist, has been in an accident. And he isn’t alone.Suddenly Evelyn’s world isn’t as tidy as she thought. And in the midst of it all is Juliette, not only her husband’s secret lover but also his patient. If news of the affair were to get out, it would ruin more than just Evelyn’s marriage. Although it’s a bitter pill for Evelyn to swallow, protecting her family means staying silent—even if, as she begins to discover, the night of the accident has consequences far more dangerous than the unmasking of an affair.But the more Evelyn learns about Juliette’s picture-perfect life—complete with a handsome, unsuspecting husband—the more she yearns for revenge…and satisfaction. Her growing obsession fuels her rage, burning away her complacency. What will be left of her after it flames out?

    A man was the last thing she needed. But that was before Richard Lynch literally crashed into her life.After Reilly and the charismatic Brit are involved in a fender-bender, she's unable to resist the exhilarating romantic freefall. The enigmatic Rick is not who she thinks he is, however, and Reilly finds herself in a twisted maze of sordid secrets and devious manipulations. Navigating this terrifying new reality, can she rally and find a way out before her soulmate-turned-stranger destroys everything she treasures.