stories in and

Boomsters: An Unexpected Adventure

Boomsters: An Unexpected Adventure by David Marks

In the heart of Chicago, where shadows conceal secrets and organized crime reigns, one retiree embarks on an extraordinary journey. David Blazen spent 50 years comfortable in his work routine but now is retired and desperately searching for purpose in his life. He ultimately finds it in the most unlikely of by becoming a self-proclaimed detective. Travel through a labyrinth of adventure, where suspense lurks around every corner and laugh-out-loud moments break through the tension. Follow along as Davidā€™s search for truth and justice gets him caught in a web of contentious cases, all within his first week on the job. The most puzzling? A murder he witnessed that police are calling a suicide. Will his investigation help identify the killer? Itā€™s up to this amateur sleuth to solve that mystery, prevent a budding turf war between Chicago's two dirtiest crime lords, keep a corrupt candidate out of the mayor's office, and bring peace to a city rattled by crime and violence. The problem is, to succeed, he must become a criminal himself. All net proceeds from this book will be donated to non-profit organizations benefitting senior veterans.


What Grows From the Dead

What Grows From the Dead by Dave Dobson

Morris Drummond is not at his best. Well, he hasn't been at his best for a while now. But having just suffered two crushing losses, he's almost at rock bottom, which for him means driving ride-share in his mom's beat up Chevy, drowning his sorrows in tacos and spray cheese, and avoiding anything related to ambition, self-care, or laundry. Morris is about to learn that he didn't even know what rock bottom looked like, and it's all thanks to his mom. A secret she left behind comes to light, and that brings down a lot of unwanted attention on Morris, the kind that looks likely to send him either to prison or to the hereafter. Blood and treachery from long ago rise to the surface, and Morris has only his lawyer Annie, who's an old high school friend, and a few unexpected allies to call on as he tries to figure out what his mom was up to and why so many people want him out of the picture. A humorous mystery with elements of suspense and thrillers, What Grows From the Dead is set in present-day small-town North Carolina, not far from the mysterious Uwharrie Forest.


Ransom

Ransom by E.R. Yatscoff

"A real page-turner, I couldn't put it down." - Alberta Writing for Youth Competition Three friends face off against a rival gang in a suspenseful story of integrity, bravery, and friendship in a territorial battle. Out manned, out-sized, and outsmarted, they attempt to turn the tables. It totally backfires. They are shocked when Big Bill, their strongest and bravest, is captured and held for ransom by the imposing Fat Harold and his gang. How far will they go to rescue a friend?


Man On Fire

Man On Fire by E.R. Yatscoff

AWARD WINNING author. Ret. fire rescue officer ā€“ the real deal ā€œThe tale has lots of twists and a reveal, that I didnā€™t see coming. This novel offers a fresh perspective into firefighting, arson and revenge.ā€ - Caffeinated Reviewer A fresh angle in the crime/mystery genre. This is no police, lawyer, or PI story. Obsession, a deadly secret, hot romance, murder, revenge, and arson. Captain Gerry Ormond a decorated Vancouver fire rescue captain & national hero returns home to visit his ailing father. His presence unleashes a series of events that threaten his career and life. Old friends are now enemies. The old hometown has become a minefield.


99 Days

99 Days by Keith Ward

They stole everything he had. Big mistake. Kertram is a contented man with a simple life. He likes the dangerous, but rewarding work of shepherding baby dragons. He loves his wife. The day his children are born make him happier than he ever thought he could be. That life is destroyed when his village is attacked in a raid between warring regions. His wife is murdered. His babies kidnapped. Kertram's first thought is suicide, and he nearly gives in. But he learns his newborns will be ritually sacrificed on the 99th day of their lives to satisfy the hideous appetites of others -- unless he can get there first. Thus begins a desperate journey that will end a continent away, and a revelation that will shake the world. Kertram is not alone on his quest. Those who risk their lives to help him include a Span Seer -- a powerful witch who questions the morality of her calling; an ex-soldier with a fatal secret; and a guide whose mind is so warped he canā€™t remember his own name day to day. His mission to save his children may cost Kertram his life. Heā€™s imprisoned, stabbed and viciously betrayed along the way. The pressure builds as he presses on, knowing that each sunrise brings his newborns closer to death. Day 99 is coming. The countdown to death -- or life -- has begun.


With Zombies: Assured Destruction Book #3

With Zombies: Assured Destruction Book #3 by Michael F. Stewart

Jan Rose may already be expunged from the police department's High Tech Crime Unit. Her mother's hospitalized, and Assured Destruction's on the cusp of bankruptcy. But Jan doesn't wait on anything, she seeks out the customers who used to keep the family business afloat. That's when everything starts to go wrong. A computer virus--aka the Zombie Worm-threatens not only her school and Shadownet, but the entire city. A skull with a chain running through its socket links a powerful gang to her former customers, and holds the secrets to why her father left and the identity of her mother's boyfriend. To save her family and the business, Jan must determine who is friend and who is foe. And decide what type of hacker she wishes to become: Gray, white, or black. Not only her life hangs in the balance.


Script Kiddie: Assured Destruction Book #2

Script Kiddie: Assured Destruction Book #2 by Michael F. Stewart

Jan Rose no longer steals data from the old computers she recycles. She doesn't need to. As the newest member of the police departmentā€™s High Tech Crime Unit, the laptop of a murderer has landed on her desk. Her job: to profile and expose a killer. But thatā€™s not all. A creep lurks in the shadows, stalking a friend, and Jan must stop him before the hunt turns deadly. The clock counts down for Jan to save her friend, her job, her boyfriend--maybe even her life.


Assured Destruction

Assured Destruction by Michael F. Stewart

You can learn a lot about someone looking through their hard drive... Sixteen-year-old Jan Rose knows that nothing is ever truly deleted. At least, not from the hard drives she scours to create the online identities she calls the Shadownet. Hobby? Art form? Sad, pathetic plea to garner friendship, even virtually? Sure, Jan is guilty on all counts. Maybe sheā€™s even addicted to it. Itā€™s an exploration. Everyone has something to hide. The Shadownetā€™s hard drives are Janā€™s secrets. They're stolen from her familyā€™s computer recycling business Assured Destruction. If the police found out, Janā€™s family would lose its livelihood. When the real people behind Shadownetā€™s hard drives endure vicious cyber attacks, Jan realizes she is responsible. She doesnā€™t know who is targeting these people or why but as her life collapses Jan must use all her tech savvy to bring the perpetrators to justice before she becomes the next victim.


Services Rendered

Services Rendered by E.R. Yatscoff

Author Shout - Honorable Mention Award Need a pulse-pounding read? Look no further than this crime thriller novel. 4.0 out of 5 stars ā€œA rollicking tale of crime & action!ā€ ā€“ Christina Hoag author of ā€˜The Blood Roomā€™ Ridding neighborhood bullies and troublesome squatters is a good sideline and pays better than their home reno gigs. When the courts or police canā€™t, or wonā€™t help, wellā€¦good luck. Or you can hire Ritchie and Arlan, ex-cop and ex-con. They're the good kinda bad; angels to some, devils to others. But when they stumble on the real bad--a dangerous city gang--there's no one to call when they run out of options.


Fire Dream

Fire Dream by E.R. Yatscoff

ā€œThe tale has lots of twists and a reveal, that I didnā€™t see coming. This novel offers a fresh perspective into firefighting, arson and revenge.ā€ - Caffeinated Reviewer Fire Captain Gerry Ormond, thrust into the media spotlight due to an heroic rescue visits his hometown after a twenty-year absence. His old crime as a teenager in a renegade fraternity comes to light and his life begins to unravel. Old friends are now enemies and an arson murderer seeks revenge for the old crime.


Out of the Shadows

Out of the Shadows by D M Macdonald

In Hannah Tree's flotsam life only two things motivate her, injustice and the desire to destroy the person who ruined her life. Troubled loner Hannah Tree's drifter lifestyle changes forever when she meets the statuesque Gloria Starr. Gloria, who sees something in Hannah that Hannah cannot, pulls her off the streets, gives her a job and puts a roof over her head. She also encourages her to turn her fierce pursuit of justice into a detective business. Hannah isn't so sure, but since ramming justice down abusive peopleā€™s throats is something she's always done she figures she might as well be paid for it.Ā  But when, by a twist of fate, Hannah stumbles across the man who ruined her life, her burning need for revenge takes over. Heedless of the consequences Hannah pursues her obsession down dark and dangerous pathways, exposing appalling abuses at every turn, risking not only her own safety but that of everyone around her. But those responsible do not tolerate meddlers. In the end Hannah's quest to save the victims of these vicious criminals, and bring down her bitterest enemy, threatens to cost her everythingā€”including her life.


Sledge vs The Labyrinth

Sledge vs The Labyrinth by Nick Horvath

SLEDGE. ā€œTHE ULTIMATE ANTI-HERO.ā€ ā€“ Horror Reads When his former lover, Kiira, finds herself the target of a mysterious dark web assassin network, modern-day gladiator, Einarr ā€œSledgeā€ Laukkanen, embarks on a blood-spattered mission to uncover who lurks at its heart. But as he bludgeons his way down to its lowest depths, one thing becomes terrifyingly clear: NO ONE ESCAPES THE LABYRINTH . . . ā€œTHINK REACHER. BUT MEANER AND LEANER.ā€ ā€“ EC Greaves, author of Daughter of the Beast ā€œHORVATH WRITES WITH THE STACCATO PRECISION OF ā€˜50S NOIR.ā€ - Coy Hall, author of The Promise of Plague Wolves ā€œA BONE-CRUNCHING ACTION FLICK WITH ALL THE SMOOTH NUANCE AND NARRATIVE INTELLIGENCE OF A GREAT NOIR MASTERPIECE.ā€ - K.C. Finn, Readersā€™ Favorite 5-star review ā€œSHARP-WITTED, BLOOD-DRENCHED, AND MOVES WITH THE SPEED OF TRACER FIRE. THIS IS THE ONE ACTION FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR." - Dave Buzan, author of In the Lair of Legends


Not Your Mary Sue

Not Your Mary Sue by Rebecca Frost

A not so classic girl meets boy story begins when a televangelistā€™s adult daughter, Marcy, journeys to a secluded island resort where she awakens a captive of a handsome, charming, notorious serial killer who requests she pen his autobiography explaining all of his intentions and crimes in detail. She finds herself horrified that she is intrigued by him and maybe even...infatuated by him. He has more control than she realizes as he slowly begins to brainwash her just as the autobiography is completed. Once she is rescued and he is arrested, Marcy begins to pull her life back together only for her captor to escape and her brother becomes a new suspect in a murder.


Blood Sisters

Blood Sisters by Rebecca Frost

For almost a decade now, Brent Wright has been in prison for the killing of seven women - unless the surviving twin sister of one of his victims is right and Brent didn't kill anyone at all. If the theory is true, a presumed survivor of his is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. No one will be entirely satisfied or safe until they find out for certain.


Devils That Prey

Devils That Prey by David Washburn

Olivia Rose and her friends have just finished their first semester and are planning to raise a little hell on their college break, but have no idea just what hell is to be raised. Hungry for a good time, they provoke a group of locals and find themselves in a nightmare that doesnā€™t seem to ever let up. With their lives on the line this young group of friends fight to escape this hopeless situation while the locals sink their teeth into this sick game of cat and mouse. The only chance at survival is to meet violence with violence. The terror unfolding will have you reconsidering your drive through small-town America.


The Witness Must Die

The Witness Must Die by Alex R Carver

Sofia Torres is the only witness when her employer and his entire household are massacred by a rival druglord. The Spanish police are relieved to have a witness, but they soon discover that keeping her alive to testify won't be an easy job, especially when the man responsible for the massacre is prepared to kill as many people as it takes to keep her quiet. Even with the help of Interpol, keeping Sofia Torres safe is difficult and costly, and with the eyes of the world on Barcelona as it becomes like Chicago in the 1920s they must rely on help from an unexpected source.


The Oakhurst Murders Duology

The Oakhurst Murders Duology by Alex R Carver

A peaceful paradise in rural England is torn apart by murder and mistrust as a serial killer stalks its daughters. Written In Blood: The Oakhurst Murders #1 A peaceful village torn apart by murder, mistrust, and a desire for revenge. When Oakhurst's daughters begin to turn up, brutally murdered and with accusatory words carved into their skin, the residents of the small, close-knit community are unwilling to believe that one of their own might be a killer. Suspicion falls on the village's newest resident, Zack Wild, attractive, charming, author of violent crime novels, and possessor of a dark history; he seems like the perfect suspect. As the investigation continues, the evidence against Wild mounts, but is prejudice against the newcomer affecting the judgment of Sergeant Mitchell, Constable Turner thinks so, and is prepared to do whatever she must to find the killer, whoever it might be. Who will be proved right, the sergeant or the constable? And will they catch the killer before he can strike again? Poetic Justice: The Oakhurst Murders #2 Caught, escaped, and now on the run. The killer has been caught, but before he can see the inside of a cell he escapes, leaving behind a trail of bodies. While Constable Melissa Turner deals with the aftermath of the murders, including the revelation of who was behind them, and a case of vandalism at the local stables, Detective Inspector Martins is given the task of hunting down the killer. As the body count mounts, and the killer becomes more and more desperate to get away, a storm builds overhead. Can Martins and the police catch him before more people die, or will the storm provide him with the cover he needs to make good his escape?


Poetic Justice (The Oakhurst Murders Book 2)

Poetic Justice (The Oakhurst Murders Book 2) by Alex R Carver

Caught, escaped, and now on the run. Kieran Wright, the teen serial killer who terrorised the village of Oakhurst in Written In Blood has been captured, but before he can see the inside of a cell he escapes, leaving behind a trail of bodies. Constable Melissa Turner is engrossed with the aftermath of the murders and the revelation of who was behind them, and a case of vandalism at the local stables. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Martins is given the task of searching for and apprehending the killer. As the body count mounts, and Wright becomes more and more desperate to get away, a storm builds overhead. Can Martins and the police catch Wright before more people die, or will the storm provide him with the cover he needs to make good his escape?


Written In Blood (The Oakhurst Murders Book 1)

Written In Blood (The Oakhurst Murders Book 1) by Alex R Carver

A peaceful village torn apart by murder, mistrust, and a desire for revenge. When Oakhurst's daughters begin to turn up, brutally murdered and with accusatory words carved into their skin, the residents of the small, close-knit community are unwilling to believe that one of their own might be a killer. Suspicion falls on the village's newest resident, Zack Wild, attractive, charming, author of violent crime novels, and possessor of a dark history; he seems like the perfect suspect. As the investigation continues, the evidence against Wild mounts, but is prejudice against the newcomer affecting the judgment of Sergeant Mitchell, Constable Turner thinks so, and is prepared to do whatever she must to find the killer, whoever it might be. Who will be proved right, the sergeant or the constable? And will they catch the killer before he can strike again?


Office Politics: A Story of the Apocalypse

Office Politics: A Story of the Apocalypse by L. R. J. Allen

Richard is the last man alive. He has survived the super-flu known as Shaking Stevens when the rest of the world perished. He has survived when his family has not. He has survived with no survival instincts. He spends his days rummaging through the remnants of society as loneliness and anger set in. That is, until, his wanderings lead him back to his place of work. It is familiar, it is comforting, it is routine. Until, one day, his desk-phone rings. From the author of Among Other Things comes a tale of survival and hope in the most dire of times, and what a man must do to remain sane. Includes two previously unpublished stories Keep off the Grass and Coin Toss at Acheron Station


The Love Song of Nathan Crane

The Love Song of Nathan Crane by E. Reyes

Nathan Crane, a handsome and charming young man, becomes fixated on Christine Romero, a stunning woman who catches his eye. Despite his initial attempts to woo her, Christine repeatedly rejects Nathan's advances, and he spirals into a dangerous obsession. As Nathan's obsession with Christine intensifies, he reveals his dark side. His once-charming demeanor is replaced with menacing and possessive behavior, and he becomes determined to make Christine love him, even if it means keeping her all to himself. Nathan's solution to his problem is extreme and violent, leading him down a dangerous path. As Christine becomes aware of the extent of Nathan's obsession and his true nature, she is forced to fight for her life and her freedom. As the story unfolds, Nathan's obsession with Christine reaches a fever pitch, leading to a final confrontation that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. This gripping novel explores the dark side of obsession and the lengths some people will go to in order to get what they want.


Tracker

Tracker by Bethany Votaw

A young detective desperate to fix his mistake. A recluse pulled from the woods. A murderer on the run. Detective Adam Reis has everything to prove and mistakes to fix. He enlists the help of local search and rescue and an unlikely tracker to help him find a murderer who fled into the winter Montana wilderness. An old recluse, Clay, comes out of the forest when asked to be a tracker. Clay has his own secrets to hide but reluctantly agrees to help the young detective. Will these two unlikely men work together to track a dangerous man through the fierce terrain and snow? Or will their own secrets be their downfall?


Injustice For All

Injustice For All by Jeremy D Savage

Damon, a man on death row, finds himself with little time left. He meets his new psychiatrist, Doctor Emily Zurig, who is there to help him find peace before his final days, and convinces her to help him find the truth. While she is initially reluctant, through their sessions, she begins to see Damon in a different light. With the help of her superstar detective husband, Evan Zurig, they work to find the truth about the murders that Damon has been sentenced for. While Damon works to find peace, through fighting the demons of his past, he struggles to understand what it all means and what it's all for. He begins to lose faith as the time gets closer to his death. The ultimate questions arise: Should he even fight anymore? What's the point? Doctor Zurig and her husband work diligently to put the pieces together, but will it be too late?


Fugitive of Talionis

Fugitive of Talionis by C.J. Milacci

A treacherous journey. A devious enemy. The hunt for the fugitives has begun. Bria Averton and her friends have pulled off an impossible escape after being held captive in the city of Talionis for months. Now theyā€™re on the run and desperate to reach possible allies in Eryndale, but the Commanderā€™s hunt for them is fierce and relentless. Bria fights to keep her friends safe as each day becomes more perilous than the last. With Arkā€™s forces closing in and new dangers arising, she wonders who to trust and battles her growing fears. But one reality becomes clear: thereā€™s a greater peril than being a recruit of Talionis. Itā€™s being a fugitive.


3

3 by T.P. Theyson

Valerie Perittos is a best selling author with three problems. Her writers block has lasted for years with nothing able to inspire her and after her neighbor turns up dead, making the police question if she is responsible, she starts to see the number 3 everywhere she looks. As she watches her life descend into a thriller of its own, her unhealthy sleep patterns and past head trauma leave her wondering if the strange things she is experiencing are really happening or if she is hallucinating through her days and nights that have become a blur in her mind. Until the murderer is found, she cannot trust anyone, not even herself. T.P. Theyson delivers a mind bending, fast paced story full of twists and turns. With some obvious and other hidden numerical structures tucked into the text, your mind will reach to its limits to not investigate every line on it's own, making you feel closer to the main character than you thought possible while you read her inner thoughts and feel her fear rising.


Playback Effect

Playback Effect by Karen A. Wyle

In the near future, new technology records the highlights of emotional experience for others to share. Buy a helmet and you can feel the exhilaration of an Olympic ski jumper, or the heat of a lucid dreamer's erotic imaginings. Commit a crime, and you may be sentenced to endure the suffering you inflicted on others. But such recordings may carry more information than the public has realized. What will criminals learn about their victims? When a husband is wrongfully convicted of injuring his wife, how will their marriage change? And what uses will a sociopath find for recordings of the experience of death?


Gothic Revival

Gothic Revival by Michael Mullin

The Psychological Thriller Inspired by the Creation of Frankenstein Chris, Anne, Fiona, and Lauren were inseparable friends while earning MFAs in Creative Writing. Years later they've grown apart and are surprised to receive an invitation to a reunion from the fifth member of their group, Eric, a successful screenwriter. Eric flies them to a remote lake villa where he reveals his new obsession: their group is a modern version of the famous one from Villa Diodati in 1816, the iconic literary event during which Frankenstein was created. Chris and Anne are their Percy and Mary Shelley. The free-spirited artist Fiona is like Claire Clairmont. Instead of Dr. Polidori, they have Lauren, PhD in Victorian History. That leaves Eric, the Hollywood player, as Lord Byron. Like Byron, Eric proposes they write ghost stories, an homage to their famous predecessors. Laughter, creativity, and reminiscence are soon replaced with deceit, suspicion, and fear. What is the self-proclaimed clairvoyant Fiona seeing and hearing? Why does Eric lie? What does the creepy old housekeeper know about their host? Tensions grow as relationships are tested until a shocking discovery reveals the true intention for the reunion.


Glass Half Broken

Glass Half Broken by Rachel Richards

When the people Annie love mysteriously vanish one by one, how will she uncover the secret that lies trapped inside her own deceptive mind? Annie knows thereā€™s something wrong with her. A child genius with crippling social anxiety and a compulsion for tearing at her wrist, Annie struggles to please her reputation-obsessed mother. Annieā€™s dad is the only one who understands her. But when he runs off on a spiritual quest during a manic episode, Annie blames herself. As she matures, Annieā€™s grief is reignited each time someone she cares about mysteriously disappears without a trace. Suspecting sheā€™s gone insane, Annie learns she canā€™t trust anyone, least of all herself. When she finally discovers the shocking truth, Annieā€™s next move could mean the difference between life and death. Glass Half Broken is a fast-paced domestic thriller packed with mystery and a shocking twist!


Lipstick Covered Magnet

Lipstick Covered Magnet by Amber Herbert

Sheā€™s running from her past. Heā€™s hoping to become her present. Skylar has avoided the past for three years. She canā€™t be plagued by guilt and regret if she never has time to process what happened. When a song triggers the memories sheā€™s tried so hard to bury, she knows she canā€™t run anymore. Despite her ex being gone, heā€™s hiding in the quiet and stillness. Thereā€™s no escape. Connor has always been passionate. If heā€™s into you, he will follow you to the ends of the earth. Sure, his fixation once ended in a restraining order, but that was just one girl. When he meets Skylar, he feels that same itch. Despite her attempts to brush him off, he increases his effortsā€”even if that means tracking her movements and stalking her online. He knows heā€™ll win her over if heā€™s persistent. As Skylar does her best to heal, Connor sinks further into obsession. Lipstick Covered Magnet is a genre-bending debut that weaves the intricacies of healing with delusion and suspense. For fans of You and I May Destroy You *Content warning: contains sexual assault, mentions of suicide, and stalking.


Bedding Down

Bedding Down by Molly Garcia

Adam & Sarah - Book 2 Someone is stalking and then killing members of the homeless community. Adam and Sarah are convinced there's a link, and the team has to dive deep into the past to find it. Colin, Paul, Chris, and Martin have all been rough sleeping for the last 10 years, and now someone is picking them off one by one, and it's only by investigating their past that the killer will be found. What happened to cause these men to turn their backs on their lives and sleep on the streets, and is it linked to their murders? This is a case that brings back some traumatic memories for Abbie and gives her partner an insight into who she is, while the whole team is shocked by how easy it is to slip through the cracks and disappear.


Breach of Trust

Breach of Trust by Molly Garcia

Adam & Sarah - Book 1 Adam & Sarah are drawn together to investigate a spate of murders when it becomes apparent that all the victims were sex offenders. With a long suspect list, can they narrow it down in time to catch a killer before they strike again?


The Mentor

The Mentor by Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli

What if someone you love is a serial killer? DCI Eric Shaw, leading a forensic team at Scotland Yard, together with DI Miriam Leroux from a Murder Investigation Team, is investigating the death of a known offender. Killed by two gunshots: one to his neck, execution style, but preceded by another to his groin, implying a more personal motive. Shaw's attention at work is often distracted by a young forensic investigator, Adele Pennington, who is a beautiful woman over two decades his junior. However, his attraction to her is unreciprocated. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the London police, an anonymous blog describes the details of a very similar crime. The author of the blog signs herself as Mina, like one of the victims in a case Shaw investigated many years ago. Twenty years ago Eric saved her. Who will save him now? Meet DCI Eric Shaw . . . and his pupil.


The Toy Maker

The Toy Maker by Melanie Flynn

A missing woman. A serial killer on the loose. A smart-mouthed private investigator on the case. What could go wrong? Rylee Scott is a New York private investigator with a secret: she's psychic and allergic to her cat. But only one of these secrets has the power to break her. When she's hired to find a missing woman, she finds herself racing against the clock to save her before she becomes the next victim of a prolific serial killer, the Toy Maker, who turns his victims into beautiful and horrific life-size versions of classic toys. After years of living under the radar, Rylee will have to enlist the help of the NYPD if she has any hope of bringing the woman home safe. Calum Reese is an NYPD detective with a southern accent, a chip on his shoulder and a secret of his own. On the hunt for the Toy Maker, he finds himself working with a certain private investigator who knows things she shouldn't and refuses to play by his rules. Can they put aside their differences to catch the killer before more bodies drop? Or will they be drowning in corpses before long?


Textbook Murder: A Frank Hall Mystery

Textbook Murder: A Frank Hall Mystery by Fred Tippett, II

MURDER BY THE BOOK Master crime novelist and creative writing professor Frank Hall is asked by his longtime friend Gillian Morgan to help locate her missing son Damien. Troubled and recovering from a history of drug addiction, Damien had recently found purpose and a fresh start as Frankā€™s pupil and mentee. But Gillian is worried that he may have suffered a relapse, that he may just need help coming home. So, as a favor to Gillian, Frank agrees to help her find him. Frankā€™s search for Damien turns up several hidden details of Damienā€™s personal lifeā€”including evidence of an affair with a most unlikely individual. But the quest ends in tragedy one day later, when Frank finds Damien dead of an apparent drug overdose. To the investigating authorities, Damienā€™s death seems an open-and-shut case of relapse by a former addict who simply could not stay clean. But to Frankā€™s eyesā€”eyes seasoned by years of crime research and intimate friendship with Damienā€™s familyā€”it looks like far more. It looks like murder, craftily concealed and carefully planned. When the police refuse to examine Damienā€™s death as a homicide, Frank decides that heā€™ll just have to do it himself, if only for the sake of Damienā€™s grieving mother. And the more Frank investigates, the more determined he grows to get to the truth. Even if that means incurring the wrath of the fiery and territorial lead detective assigned to Damienā€™s case. But Frank soon finds that heā€™s in for far more than he imagined. A cunning, ruthless sociopath took Damien Morganā€™s lifeā€”a sociopath who does not want the motive for Damienā€™s murder exposed. A sociopath who has killed many times before and who will not hesitate to kill again.


Deus Ex Machina

Deus Ex Machina by Raquel Rich

Grace knew killing her soulmate to save her son Jordanā€™s life would trigger a new plague. She did it anyway. When a plan to stop the man responsible came together, Grace jumped at the chance for redemption, bringing Marc, Charlie, and Kay along to 1930s Germany. However, the plan derails fast when a betrayal lands the group in 2006 Las Vegas instead, leaving them stranded. Refusing to accept defeat, they seek help from others in 2006ā€”namely, Jordan. But he seems to have his own agenda and is reluctant to help. Meanwhile, Marc is unwilling to forgive Graceā€™s selfish decision and turns cold toward her. As the ice thickens between them, and Jordanā€™s agenda begins to unfold, Grace is fraught with regret. If she had known who her son would become, would she still have saved his life? Official Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-dM0tJHWbE


Hacking George

Hacking George by Bob Palmer

Playing God is a dangerous game, even if you do write the rules and think theyā€™re pretty neat. Following a road-rage incident in which he was the victim, middle-aged cynic George Sanderson has an epiphany. He believes he has the power to influence fate and set the world to rights. During a meticulously-planned intervention to help his friend Angela Hayworth, the two fall in love. Georgeā€™s lonely existence looks set to improve. But heā€™s about to discover that playing games with peopleā€™s lives is fraught with danger. And when his life starts to fall apart, heā€™s forced to confront the frightening truthā€¦ Someone is manipulating him. But why? With his freedom and sanity at stake, George must fight for everything he holds dear ā€“ especially his lawn, his meat thermometer, and Angelaā€™s perfect teeth. Perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman, Graeme Simsion, Richard Osman, and Jonas Jonasson, Hacking George will put a smile on your face and a tear in your eye as it drives you towards its startling end. Editorial review "Not To Be Missed. If ever proof were needed that a good book doesnā€™t need a tortuously complicated plot, a high body count and gratuitous sex and violence then this is it." ā€“ Reedsy Discovery


The Figurine

The Figurine by Pepper Effen

At twenty-eight, Joanna Macguire wants a slow and steady kind of love, the kind to build a family on. She knows that intense attraction always burns out too fast. So when a handsome forensic scientist almost sweeps her off her feet, she rejects him. Online dating seems a safer bet, until the perfect guy turns out to be a dangerous choice. Allan Cooper feels an intense connection when he meets Joanna, and he knows the feeling is mutual. So why did she put him in the friend zone? Meanwhile, at the state crime lab, heā€™s investigating an elusive serial killer with a fetish for redheads and antique wedding dresses. Allan and Joanna get to know each other at weekly trivia night, and his patience finally pays off. But when Joanna disappears, the most important case of his career becomes horrifyingly personal.


Blood Empire Avenged

Blood Empire Avenged by C. Thomas Lafollette

Trapped with nowhere to runā€¦ ā€¦sometimes bad choices are all you have. Can Luke save his friends and get everyone safely home to Portland? Betrayed by their werewolf allies and hunted by vampires, Luke and his friends barely escaped from Belgium with their lives and the children they rescued from the vampires. Now theyā€™re trapped in Luxembourg with an army of vampires and werewolves about to descend on them. Luke must rely on the hospitality of Mathis Heinen, the alpha of the Luxembourg werewolf pack. When he offers a couple private jets to fly Luke and his friends out of Europe, they hope itā€™s the answer to their prayers. But after one betrayal, Luke is wary of the offer even if itā€™s a solution for the local packs to remove him, a dangerous agitator, from Europe. Can Luke and his friends trust the Luxembourg Alpha? Or will he betray Luke and his friends and sell them out to the vampires?


Secrets In The Flames

Secrets In The Flames by Ellie Jay

Nadezhda Moroz has spent the last five years trying to put her encounter with the evil Volkov mafia behind her. She faced them at just sixteen, trying to avenge their murder of her father. But now, the ringleaders are behind bars and she is free to enjoy her uncle's wedding. Or is she? An uninvited guest serves as a reminder that it's never that easy to walk away from the past. Her one-time boyfriend turned enemy with an obsessive vendetta has taken control of the local prison and is using his newfound power to endanger thousands of lives. Desperate to stop him, Nadezhda teams up with friends, family and old enemies. She has no choice but to trust them all with her life as they face war. But she doesn't know what she's dealing with. Her nemesis has a dark secret, with which he plans to destroy her and everyone she holds dear.


Dark Fangs Descending

Dark Fangs Descending by C. Thomas Lafollette

Beware he who hunts the hunterā€¦ ā€¦because the predator can become the prey. When vampires infiltrate the police, will Luke and his ragtag band of werewolves survive as Portlandā€™s Most Wanted? Trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Luke and his growing werewolf army of vampire slayers are still a few steps behind the vamps and their vengeful leader, a man Luke once called a friend. This time, itā€™s not only their fanged immortal enemies theyā€™re facing, but the very power structure of Portland itself. Dodging cops and vampires makes for a lethal contest no one wanted to play and leaves all of Portland vulnerable as their invisible protectors are hunted by a corrupted government. Luke will be pushed to the very edge of his abilities with no guarantee of survival. Can they escape the vampiresā€™ clutches yet another time? Or will Lukeā€™s luck finally run out? Youā€™ll love the explosive conclusion to the Dark Fangs arc, because Luke isnā€™t going down without a fight. Get it now! Dark Fangs Descending is the third book in the Luke Irontree & The Last Vampire War urban fantasy series.


Furtherance

Furtherance by Joseph West

"A young couple moves into a new home, looking for a fresh start away from the city. A night intended for celebration with friends turns out to be a bloodbath, with dark secrets revealed. Follow the story of Emma and Carl, as silent, masked killers terrorize them. With no clear motive, the killers play a psychotic game of cat and mouse. With each passing minute, the stakes rise higher, in an increasingly violent battle of survival."


Teeth of the Cocodrilo

Teeth of the Cocodrilo by E.R. Yatscoff

A punch of an adventure novel!" ā€“ Christina Hoag, author of Skin of Tattoos ā€œAaron Landers is in paradise - problem is, itā€™s going to get him killed. Ever wondered what it would be like to have the Mexican mafia, police, and drug smugglers looking for you ā€“ and wanting you dead?.ā€ ā€“ Jeff Buick, bestselling author. ā€œEntertaining, heart-pounding, and realistic!ā€ -Laurie Stevens bestselling author Intrigue, obsession, hot romance, international crime, and murder set along the beautiful Mayan Riviera. Fate plays its hand to bind ex-firefighter Aaron Landers and Mexican state police Commandant Luis Gutierrez, when he saves the lives of Luis' sons in Cancun. Aaron falls hard for the alluring Maria Vasquez who comes with a vengeful, estranged husband and a sordid past with Luis. Opportunity arrives in easy money scams for Aaron and the Commandant, but the small crimes turn on them and explode into murder and revenge.


Realization

Realization by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

THEYā€™VE ALMOST REALIZED THEIR DREAMSā€¦BUT CAN THEY REMAIN THEMSELVES? The indentured labor wars heat up as Ruby Barkley and Gabriel Martiniere struggle with medical complications that interfere with their fight to stop the sinister goals of Gabeā€™s father Philip. Discoveries by their son Brandon about the degree to which Philip and the family corporation, the Martiniere Group, are involved in unethical, interdicted human experimentation push them into accepting a questionable treatment to speed their recovery. Philipā€™s direct challenge initiates Gabeā€™s final push to take over the Martiniere Group. Ruby and Brandon consolidate family support behind Gabe. When a high-profile assassination attempt at a political banquet reveals the existence of cyborged Martiniere descendants and clones of Philip intended to provide him with replacement parts, Ruby and Gabe must take action. One cloneā€”Michaelā€”still survives. Along with their bid to win control of the Martiniere empire, Ruby and Gabe now face the dilemma of what is to be done with Michael. Can they save both the family and Philipā€™s cloneā€”or should they even try? The realization of their dreams is within Ruby and Gabeā€™s reach. Can they fulfill it while still remaining true to themselves?


Ascendant

Ascendant by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

WHAT DOES ASCENSION TO POWER REALLY COST? Six months after the triumphant collaborative conclusion of the AgInnovator Superhero game show, Ruby Barkley and her ex-husband Gabriel Martiniere still struggle with the professional and personal fallout from their victory. The Superhero money allowed Ruby to launch her line of agricultural biobots. But one of the RubyBot spinoffs, the Defender, leads to unsettling revelations about crop tampering using body-modified indentured workers. Their son Brandon uncovers even more disturbing information about the abuse of indentureds as he campaigns to end it. All of these disclosures lead back to the Martiniere Group, the family corporation controlled by Gabeā€™s malevolent uncle, Philip Martiniere. Meanwhile, Ruby and Gabe wrestle with what form their resumed relationship will take, as Ruby contemplates whether she wants to take on the role of a Martiniere wife. The revelation that Gabeā€™s father is not who they thought, and Philipā€™s attempt to force Ruby away from Gabe once again confirms her decision. But the need to rescue one of Brandonā€™s valued indentured informants turns celebration into catastrophe. Will Ruby and Gabe be able to recover from this disasterā€”or will Philip triumph yet again in his campaign to destroy Gabe?


Inheritance

Inheritance by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

YOU CANā€™T ESCAPE THE INHERITANCE OF THE PASTā€¦OR CAN YOU? Rancher Ruby Barkley and her ex-husband Gabe Ramirez are competing head-to-head for the AgInnovator game showā€™s new one-shot award, the Ag Superhero. The winner walks away with $3.75 million per year for five years, with no accountability or need to re-earn the Superhero, unlike the Innovatorā€™s other awards. But issues beyond those raised by their long-ago acrimonious divorce face Ruby and Gabe. Fence cutting. Rogue biobots destructively ranging beyond programmed parameters. Physical attacks. And the realization that they may need to reunite to save their son Brandon from indentured servitude. Then the secret shadow of Gabeā€™s hidden inheritance reveals itself. Will he step up to the Martiniere Legacyā€”and what role will Ruby accept in any future they may share?


A Different Life--What If?

A Different Life--What If? by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

What if Gabriel Martiniere's family didn't die in a plane crash when he was twelve? What if he didn't have to go into hiding after testifying against the atrocities committed by his father, Philip Martiniere? What if he met and fell in love with Ruby Barkley as himself, not as Gabe Ramirez, a broke saddle bronc rider on the run from indenture bounty hunters? Gabe's a billionaire nerd with a conscience, unlucky at love, striving to overcome the shadows of his past while searching for agritech to fight climate change. Ruby's a former rodeo queen, trying to get her degree in agricultural robotics, searching for agritech means to fight climate change, also unlucky at love and struggling with a shadowy past. Can Ruby and Gabe successfully negotiate the complexities of the Martiniere Group and launch Ruby's world-changing biobots without interference from competitors?


Gloria

Gloria by Katherine Shaw

For all intents and purposes, Gloria Harrison has the perfect life: a rich husband, a beautiful home, and all the free time she needs to work on her art. And yet, she is deeply unhappy. Initially resigned to be pushed around by her snobbish, manipulative husband, Greg, she discovers a shocking truth about him she simply cannot ignore, and has to get out. As Gloriaā€™s world unravels around her, she has to team up with friends new and old to escape not only her husbandā€™s clutches, but also the country, even if that means giving up everything. Gloria must rediscover who she used to be and realise her true worth to finally free herself from Gregā€™s stranglehold forever, or risk losing the person she holds most dear in the world ā€“ her daughter.


Vietato

Vietato by Bailey Elizabeth

ā€œWho are you?ā€ I asked when I caught her, grabbing hold of her arms and trapping them at her sides. Violetā€™s cheeks were flushed from exertion, and her eyes twinkled with mischief as she wiggled a hand free and reached into my coat pocket. She withdrew the key, unlocked the door behind her, and tugged me into the suite. ā€œCome find out.ā€ ā€” Vitale Fierro, a mafia Capo in the height of his career, finds himself thrown off balance when a sporadic, Christmas Eve hookup with a fiery art student leads to unexpected feelings. Violet accepts his criminal status in stride, but there's one problem; the two of them come from different worlds, and marrying outsiders is forbidden by mafia law.


V is for Venice

V is for Venice by Bailey Elizabeth

BOOK 2 Violet Harcourt has finally escaped her past. She avenged her sister, regained her love of painting, and ran away from the mafia Estate she was imprisoned in. Now, she has the chance to live the life she wanted before her quest for vengeance. But can she truly be happy when the man that helped her feel alive again is left behind in the very place she fled? Violet may be fast, but she canā€™t run forever. Vitale Fierro lost the love of his life when he let slip that she could never be more than his mistress under mafia law. She left him with heartbreak, and the sole ambition to find her and bring her home, never to lose her again. But when his duties as Underboss of the powerful Salvaggi Family begin to conflict with his search for Violet, it all begins to slip. Someone is killing off members of the Family, and a certain purple-haired woman is hired to find them.


V is for Violet

V is for Violet by Bailey Elizabeth

Vengeance. Vendetta. Violence. These three words are all Violet Harcourt knows. For years, her world has been centered around killing Bill Pfeiffer, the hitman who murdered her father and sister. She's learned the criminal underground inside and out while masquerading as a quiet art student, bringing her closer and closer to her target. Now, it's time to blow her cover, and Bill Pfeiffer's brains out. Vitale Fierro lives a carefree life at the top of the Salvaggi Mafia. Business has been good, and Chicago isnā€™t a bad place to call home when youā€™re a professional criminal. But when a girl with purple hair murders the Familyā€™s prized hitman, heā€™s given the responsibility of what to do with her. To kill, or not to kill seems to be the ultimate questionā€” one he must answer while managing a promotion, taking down a rival Family, and trying not to fall in love.


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