Not dangerous liaisons. But, when she takes a job at a PI agency owned by a French brother and sister team, her life takes on more twists and turns than a Cirque du Soleil performance. Her latest brush with danger kicks off the case of Piedro “Puddles” Bellinni—a deadbeat dad whose disappearance is linked to a dying girl, a socialite about to inherit a fortune, and a would-be thug whose ego ends up nearly as dented as his car. Amid stalkings, shootouts, and kidnappings, Lora must also survive an unexpected houseguest—a flirty old friend of her live-in boyfriend Adam.With a cast of characters that includes Camille Caron—a French PI with sharp boots, an even sharper tongue, and whose confidence and poise come from knowing how to drop a man twice her size—and her brother Laurent, an ex-cop and hockey hottie, The First Faux Pas is more caper-style romp than whodunit mystery.

    She's also sworn never to help solve a murder again -- last time she did both, disaster occurred. She's had it with magic, murder, and men. She's happy with her life now, secluded on the mountainside in the small cozy town of Castlerock. No one bothers her and that's the way she likes it. But when her long lost best friend and police detective Jessica turns up on Zelda's doorstep one day everything changes. Jessica tells her there's been a murder in town and Zelda is the only one who can help. Last time, things ended in disaster. Zelda's life and relationships were destroyed. Zelda however can't say no to her best friend, especially when she hears that the murder victim is someone Zelda knew - a fellow outcast. Now the case is personal in more ways than one. Zelda agrees to help out but only this one last time. Zelda meets handsome but bumbling police recruit Josh, and she gets dragged further and further into the mystery, she might just have to rethink her stance on life. Maybe life back with the mortals might not be so bad after all, but things are not all they seem. Can Zelda solve the case and put her past to rest? Will Josh prove himself to be worthy of a witch's affections? Will this really be Zelda's last spell? Short Story. Volume 1 (approx. 10,000 words) ends with a small cliffhanger. Story concludes in Volume 2 (also approx. 10,000 words), which is available free (linked in the book). Romance is CLEAN.

    However, just before the Halloween grand opening of her bakery, a pesky reporter witnesses an accident in her kitchen and gets a little too close to the truth. If she can’t convince him to keep quiet, not only will she lose her chance at happiness, but they both could lose their lives.

    When her reserved room at a bed & breakfast is flooded, she takes up the offer of camping out in Willoughby Close, the converted stables of the nearby manor house… and is taken under the wing of sexy local carpenter Colin Heath.What starts out as merely helping a neighbor in need turns into far more as Colin and Anna share a surprisingly intense and emotional connection, weaving their own Christmas magic as they spend the holiday together. But Anna has a secret she’s scared to reveal, something that could destroy the fragile bond they’ve just created, and Colin knows she’s only in England for a short time. Can these two sudden soul mates risk their hearts for a love that has yet to be tried and tested?Get swept away by this poignant and heartwarming story, set in beautiful Wychwood-on-Lea, in the English Cotswolds. And look forward to four more books set in Willoughby Close, where everyday miracles and happily-ever-afters are guaranteed.

    (This story first appeared in the Regency fiction magazine, The Reticule in 2000.)In The Disappearance of Miss Sarah Oswald, Lacey is asked to locate a man's missing daughter, though he senses that the family will be just as happy for her to remain missing.The Disappearance of Miss Sarah Oswald was nominated for a Derringer Award for best short mystery in the year 2000. The story first appeared in Over My Dead Body! Mystery Magazine in Summer, 2000.The first story runs 6000 words; the second, 5000 words. While these are standalone stories, the events fall in the series timeline anytime after The Sudbury School Murders.

    Frannie and Larry Shoemaker have busy jobs, two teenagers, and plenty of other demands on their time and sanity. Larry's sister and brother-in-law pester them to try camping for relaxation--time to sit back, enjoy nature, and catch up on naps. After all, what could go wrong? Join Frannie as "RV there yet?" becomes "RV crazy?" and she learns that going back to nature doesn't necessarily mean a simpler life.

    When she sees the car parked at a gas station moments later, she decides to confront the man leaning against it. The handsome man refuses to apologize, and after hearing what Emily thinks about him, watches her leave. The next day, fate plays a joke on Emily when she finds out that the man is her boss’s brother and a prince of a Middle Eastern country. Prince Basil often appears in tabloids because of different scandals and in order to tame his temper, his father sends him to work on a project of drilling a methane well in Dallas. If Basil refuses or is unsuccessful, his financial accounts will be blocked and his title of prince will be revoked. Although their characters clash, Emily and Basil fall in love while working together and Basil’s heart melts. When the project that can significantly improve his family business hits a major obstacle, Basil proves that love has tremendous power and shows a side of himself that nobody knew existed.

    For Addison, it seems like she’s finally found the house of her dreams…until the spirit of Roxanne “Roxy” Rafferty comes to call. Who is Roxanne, why is she haunting Grayson Manor, and how will Addison’s connection reveal a key to her own past that she thought no longer existed?

    The investigation into his murder unearths a more than questionable lifestyle where it seems that everyone who knew him had a reason to see him dead. Detectives Steve Rickets and his partner Detective Sarah Branson follow a trail of dead ends that lead them scratching their heads. Is it the disgruntled business partner, the angry and upset daughter, the woman who secretly loves him, of the crime figure he owes thousands to? This classic who done it murder mystery will keep you guessing to the end. An unexpected twist will lead you right to the killer if you spot it. This short story of 12,000 words (appx) is ideal for lovers of hard boiled detective crime thrillers and murder mystery short stories.

     Book 1 Cat has spent years trying to leave the disappearance of her fiancé in the past when out on a date with a new man, she receives a message that can only be from her former love. Jay immediately falls for a girl like Cat, but how can he win her over with the ghosts of the past still lingering? Moving on isn't easy and even those closest to you may not be who they seem. But through it all, love can always find a way. Book 2 Ethan’s spent his entire adult life haunted by his past. A new cold case file is pulled from the box and Ethan is shocked to see almost the exact same murder scene that he witnessed when he walked into his sister’s murder years before. Certain there’s a connection, Ethan begins to dig deeper into the murders in the hopes of finally putting his horrific memories to rest. Book 3 Another young babysitter had been murdered, that made three in only a short amount of time. Though no one seems to believe there’s a connection, Angie is certain that it can’t be coincidence. Only person she wishes she could confide in is her partner and boyfriend, Ethan, but he’s still working out his own demons. Striking out on her own is the only way Angie believes she can provide justice for these murdered girls. Book 4 Angie had been waiting patiently for her daddy to be released from prison, but not under the terms that he must help Jay in breaking up the mob. Sampson must go undercover to dig up as much as he can in order to send his old bosses to jail. But Angie isn’t going to let that happen without some major precautions.

    Just as the couple begins to adapt, a solicitor arrives with a strange bequest. Nicholas, it seems, has inherited a country house—but only if he and his family are in residence from All Hallows' Eve through Bonfire Night.Neither Lady Julia nor Nicholas is likely to be put off by local legends of ghosts and witches, and the eerie noises and strange lights that flit from room to room simply intrigue them. Until a new lady's maid disappears, igniting a caper that will have explosive results…The fourth in a series of Lady Julia Grey stories set during traditional English holidays, Bonfire Night follows Silent Night, Midsummer Night and Twelfth Night. Look for Deanna's newest 1920s novel, Night of a Thousand Stars, in October!

    This is their first full-length story. When San Francisco Homicide Inspector Rebecca Mayfield arrives at the scene of a deadly shooting, she's shocked to find that the witnesses have caught the killer, and that he's someone she knows. Rebecca's a by-the-book detective, and she's always done her job according to the rules, without hesitation ... until Richie Amalfi comes back into her life. Richie knows his way around everything and everyone in his city. When people say they "know a guy who knows a guy," Richie's the guy they're talking about. He can usually help people out of tight situations, but suddenly finds he can't get himself out of hot water when he's accused of murder. Richie's on the run, and he runs straight to Rebecca to help him prove his innocence. From the nightclubs of North Beach to the scenic heights of Twin Peaks, dangers lurk and more deaths happen. As Rebecca discovers there's a lot more to Richie than she thought, and a lot more to like than she imagined, she soon fears not only for her life, but also her heart.

    and the much-anticipated annual Great Pumpkin Contest. But trouble starts brewing when the front-running pumpkin is sabotaged... and flickering, ghostly lights set island tongues wagging. When the corn maze goes up in smoke, things really start heating up... and it's up to innkeeper Natalie Barnes to get to the bottom of things. Is it really a ghost? Or is it someone's twisted idea of Halloween hijinks -- which may take a deadly turn?

    Sheltered by her overbearing father, Louisa has years of catching up to do and can think of no better person than gorgeous Sam Rawlins to show her. Is she ready for the time of her life? Hell, yes.Ordinarily unflappable adventure guide Sam Rawlins makes his living showing the wealthy how to have fun, but nothing in his experience could have prepared him for the "adventure" Louisa Honeycut asks for. He might be showing Louisa the time of her life, but the quirky little snack-cake heiress is soon turning Sam's own life upside down...and perversely, he likes the new vantage point.

    As a stay-at-home mom, the only danger she comes across is in the true-crime novels she devours at night.But when a house fire results in the death of her two neighbors, Jennifer discovers that things are not always what they seem.By poking her nose in where it doesn’t belong, she puts herself up against a local police chief eager to close the case, a husband desperate to keep her safe, and a killer who wants her out of the way.This cozy mystery begs the question, “How well do you know your neighbors?”Get your copy today!Book One: Red Picket FencesBook Two: Body in the BegoniasBook Three: Death at a Dinner PartyBook Four: Death on Rugosa Bay