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The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Novel
by Stuart TurtonFrom the bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water comes an inventive, high-concept murder mystery: an ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop and an audacious solution. Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world.Beyond the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.On the island it is idyllic: 122 villagers and three scientists living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.Until, to the islanders’ horror, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And then they learn that the murder has triggered a lowering of the island’s security system, the only thing that is keeping the fog at bay. If the murder isn’t solved within ninety-two hours, the fog will smother the island―and everyone on it.But the security system has also wiped out everyone’s memory of exactly what happened the night before—which means that someone on the island is a murderer―and they don’t even know it.Meanwhile, the clock is ticking.
The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard: A Novel
by Michael Callahan“I was completely captivated by Michael Callahan’s The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a history mystery you won’t be able to put down, with strong female characters and plenty of secrets. Plus, it takes you behind the scenes in vintage Hollywood and Martha’s Vineyard. A perfect beach read!”—Lisa Scottoline, #1 bestselling author of Loyalty and The Truth About the DevlinsA tantalizing novel of two women bound by blood but divided by a long-buried secret, and the island that holds the key to the fateful summer that changed everything forever.In 1959, Hollywood ingenue Mercy Welles seems to have the world at her feet. Far removed from her Nebraska roots, she has crafted herself into a glamorous Oscar-nominated actress engaged to an up-and-coming director…Until she shockingly vanishes without a trace, just as her career is taking off.Almost sixty years later, Kit O’Neill, a junior television producer in Manhattan, is packing up her recently deceased grandmother’s attic, only to discover a long-lost box of souvenirs that reveal that the grandmother who raised her and her sister was, in fact, the mysterious Mercy Welles.Putting her investigative skills to use, Kit is determined to solve the riddle of her grandmother’s missing life, and the trail eventually leads to Martha’s Vineyard.Mercy retreats to the island nursing a broken heart, only to be drawn to the roguish Ren Sewards, who is not just the simple oysterman he appears to be but a scion of one of the island’s wealthy founding families. With her attraction to Ren quickly growing, Mercy soon finds herself entangled in the intrigues of the tightly knit community and the secrets of the Sewards.Alternating between Mercy and Kit’s timelines, including excerpts from letters Mercy wrote the summer she disappeared, The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard unfurls into a heart-stopping story of love, betrayal, and even murder.
The Main Character: A Novel
by Jaclyn GoldisA bestselling thriller author arranges a luxury train trip that is not what it appears to be in this electrifying modern homage to Agatha Christie from the author of the &“tense and twisty&” (Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author) The Chateau.Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling thrillers: she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy&’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she&’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets. With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra&’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory&’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra&’s books: with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end. Another stylish and compulsively readable mystery from Jaclyn Goldis, this is the perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins.
The Secret of the Bloodred Key (The Stolen Dreams Adventures #2)
by David FarrThis dazzling sequel to the phenomenal The Book of Stolen Dreams that Publishers Weekly compared to the work of Kelly Barnhill and Lemony Snicket sees Rachel shouldering her new responsibility as key keeper when a girl goes missing.After defeating the tyrant Malstain, Rachel and Robert are the heroes of Krasnia…but all is not how it should be. Robert is swept away with his new friends, leaving Rachel alone to take care of their ailing father, who&’s lost without their beloved mother. Rachel has also become the keeper of the hidden blood red key that opens the way into the Hinterland and is sworn to answer when it calls. So when a young girl, Elsa Spiegel, is illegally smuggled into the Hinterland, Rachel has no choice but to use her key to save her. But Elsa&’s fate is linked to Krasnia&’s, and Rachel&’s rescue mission turns into a battle to save her home as she knows it.
Lockdown (NYPD Negotiators #3)
by Sara DriscollWhen a horrific school shooting turns into a hostage situation, only Gemma Capello, the NYPD&’s most skilled negotiator, has a chance to save innocent lives and end the crisis . . . Talking a suspect into sending his hostages out alive is NYPD Detective Gemma Capello&’s specialty. Alerted to a school shooting at her nephew&’s Brooklyn high school, she is one of the first officers on-scene. Detective Sean Logan and the Apprehension Tactical Team arrive next and immediately enter the school to apprehend the two shooters, while Gemma remains outside to help students evacuate. But as time stretches on, and there is no word of her nephew, her fear builds that he is one of the lost. One of the two shooters has holed up with a group of students and their teacher as hostages. Gemma steps in to negotiate for their survival. Floors away and armed with only her wits and the sound of her voice to convince him, Gemma fights for control of the situation even as tactical leadership pressures her for a more aggressive strategy. But for Gemma, it&’s not about a quick solution. It&’s about moving heaven and earth to bring everyone in that classroom home. And she&’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. Praise for the NYPD Negotiators series &“Tense and tightly plotted, Exit Strategy pulls you in and doesn't let go. A compelling page-turner.&” —New York Times bestselling author Marc Cameron
American Gunner 2: Civil Liberties (Gunner #2)
by Eddy Clark D. Andrea WhitfieldMore than a thriller, this pulse-pumping saga offers a captivating glimpse into a treacherous underworld filled with grit and suspense. Fans of crime literature should be prepared for an exhilarating ride as they buckle up and ride shotgun in this gripping page turner. Though battle-wounded and scarred, Raphael has survived the criminal underworld in Benin with the help of the US government. Together with his wife, Essie, and their adoptive son, Kaion, they enjoy a seemingly picture-perfect life. Their harmony is shattered when CIA agent Rhys unexpectedly shows up at their doorstep. No aspect of life comes without a cost, and Raphael soon realizes that even his comfortable existence has a price. In a move to bring down Abaku, the mastermind behind US financial scams and the same man responsible for the international wire fraud that nearly cost Raphael his life, the US government opts to cash in their favor, endangering the lives of those Raphael cherishes the most. To expose the elusive enemy, Raphael must delve deeper than he ever imagined, putting his family at risk and questioning loyalties. Betrayal lurks around every corner as he is coerced into joining an elite government agency, and the stakes are higher than ever before. As the casualties mount in this deadly game of cat and mouse, Raphael must discern friend from foe in order to survive and save his family.
A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants (A Cyclist's Guide Mystery #1)
by Ann Claire&“A delightful blend of mystery, travel, and joie de vivre!&” —Ellery Adams, New York Times bestselling author Vicariously tour the sundrenched Mediterranean Coast in this perfectly escapist new cozy mystery series starring American expat-turned-bike tour company owner in Southern France. Perfect for fans of Donna Leon&’s The Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries, M.L. Longworth&’s Provençal Mystery series, and armchair travel! Nine months ago, Sadie Greene shocked friends and family by ditching her sensible office job in the Chicago suburbs and buying a sight-unseen French bicycling tour company, Oui Cycle. Now she&’s living the unconventional life of her dreams in the gorgeous village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer. Sans souci means carefree, but Sadie feels enough pressure to burst a tire when hometown friends arrive for a tour, including her former boss, Dom Appleton. Sadie is determined to show them the wonders of France and cycling—and to prove she made the right move. She hopes her meticulously planned nine-day itinerary will win them over, with its stunning seascapes, delicious wine tastings, hilltop villages, and, of course, frequent stops for croissants. When Dom drags his heels on fun, Sadie vows he&’ll enjoy if it kills her. That is, until Dom ends up dead. The tragedy was no accident. Someone went out of their way to bring a permanent end to Dom&’s vacation. As more crimes—and murder—roll in, suspicions hover over Oui Cycle. To save her dream business, help her friends, and bring justice, Sadie launches her own investigation. However, mysteries mount with every turn. On an uphill battle for clues, can Sadie come to terms with her painful past while spinning closer to the truth—or will a twisted killer put the brakes on her for good?&“A delicious fast-paced mystery across the French countryside.&” —Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author
Long Time Gone
by Charlie DonleaWhen DNA results reveal a disturbing connection to the mysterious disappearance of a famous baby nearly three decades ago, a woman&’s search for answers draws her to an ominous small town in Nevada and a dangerous web of corruption, power, and lies in this engrossing, propulsive new novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later.For fans of Alice Feeney, Stacy Willingham, Riley Sager, and Megan Goldin.THIRTY YEARS AGO, BABY CHARLOTTE VANISHED.TODAY, SHE WANTS ANSWERS. On the first day of an elite two-year fellowship under the renowned Chief Medical Officer Dr. Livia Cutty, Sloan Hastings receives a research assignment in the emerging field of forensic genealogy. It&’s the exciting, rapidly evolving science behind the recent breaks in high-profile cold cases from the Golden State Killer to the Cameron Young murder, and Sloan enthusiastically begins her research by submitting her own DNA to an online genealogy site. Her goal is to better understand the treasure trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites, but the results she receives are shocking. Raised by loving, supportive parents, Sloan has always known she was adopted. But her DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka &“Baby Charlotte,&” who captured the nation&’s attention when she and her affluent parents mysteriously vanished in July 1995. Despite a large-scale investigation and months of broad media coverage, there were never any suspects in the family&’s disappearance and the case has been cold for decades. Racing to stay ahead of the media and true crime junkies ravenous to know what really happened to Baby Charlotte, Sloan&’s search for answers leads her to Cedar Creek, Nevada, a small town north of Lake Tahoe. There, the Margolis family&’s power and influence permeate every corner of the county, and while Sloan&’s birth relatives are initially welcoming, they&’re also mysterious and tight-lipped. Not everyone seems happy about Sloan&’s return, or the questions she&’s asking. The more she learns, the more apparent it becomes that the answers Sloan seeks are buried in a graveyard of Margolis family secrets. And someone will do anything to keep them hidden . . . Do YOU hold the secrets in your blood?To find out, text &“CHARLOTTE&” to 775-239-0320.
Double Tap (A Helen Warwick Thriller #2)
by Cindy DeesA government assassin. A sociopathic killer. Both hunters—and both hunted—in the ultimate game of deception, double-cross, and death. Former CIA agent Helen Warwick returns in this electrifying thriller by USA Today bestselling author Cindy Dees. . . .She craved the shadows. Invisibility. Seeing but not being seen. As an elite assassin for the CIA, Helen Warwick was trained to keep a low profile. To blend into the crowd. To eliminate her targets swiftly, silently, and efficiently. But now that she&’s retired, Helen is forced to take on a very different, and very public, role—as the proud mother of a rising young politician. At a DC press conference for her son&’s campaign, she sees the ominous green light of a gun laser fixed on her son&’s head—and her CIA training kicks in. She jumps into action, pushes her son down, and saves him from a sniper&’s bullet. In that moment, Helen realizes she will never escape the secrets of her past—or the deranged man she thought she killed. . . .He is still alive—and coming for her family. His code name is Scorpius. A Russian mole embedded in the CIA, he recruits dangerous sociopaths ejected from the military and trains them to kill at command. None of his CIA colleagues—including Helen Warwick—know his true identity. But when members of his kill team begin to disappear, he realizes his entire operation may be at risk. His greatest threat, Helen Warwick, has agreed to rejoin the CIA to help expose Scorpius after the assassination attempt on her son. She suspects that Scorpius may be one of her colleagues, part of a vast conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of government. And now that her family has been personally targeted, she&’s willing to break every rule in the CIA handbook to stop Scorpius and his trained killers. Unless, of course, they kill her first. . . .
A Pose Before Dying (A Cat Yoga Mystery #1)
by Alex EricksonFledgling entrepreneur Ashley Branson is thrilled to open her dream business—a cat yoga studio. But helping clients find balance and felines find homes soon becomes one unhealthy exercise in murder . . . Ashley Branson has a lot to prove with her new cat yoga studio, A Purrfect Pose. It's a place for humans to find inner wellness—and adopt adorable cats from the local shelter. It&’s also a chance for Ash to run her own life, out from under her overbearing mother and a stifling relationship. So far, so successful. Until she discovers one of her new clients, a much-disliked college professor, dead in her studio, locked in child&’s pose . . . To make matters worse, Ash&’s hapless always-in-trouble brother, Hunter, instantly becomes the cops&’ prime suspect. Determined to clear his name and save her business, Ash does a deep lunge into the surprising—and strange—connections the victim had with her other clients. But countless suspects, contradictory leads, not to mention people desperate to see her studio shut down, mean Ash will have to stretch to the max to outthink a clever killer who&’s ready to strike her red in tooth and claw . . .
You Like It Darker
by Stephen King'You like it darker? Fine, so do I', writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life - both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. King writes to feel 'the exhilaration of leaving ordinary day-to-day life behind', and in You Like it Darker, readers will feel that exhilaration too, again and again. 'Two Talented Bastids' explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In 'Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream', a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny's most catastrophically. In 'Rattlesnakes', a sequel to Cujo, a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance - with major strings attached. In 'The Dreamers', a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored. 'The Answer Man' asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful. King's ability to surprise, amaze, and bring us both terror and solace remains unsurpassed. Each of these stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries; each feels iconic. You like it darker? You got it.'As classic as King's novels are, his shorter fiction has been just as gripping over the years' - USA Today 'One of the great storytellers of our time' - Guardian
The Last Hope: A Maggie Hope Mystery (Maggie Hope)
by Susan Elia MacNealAll will be revealed in this no-holds-barred finale of the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated Maggie Hope series as the intrepid spy teams up with fashion designer—and possible double agent—Coco Chanel to bring down the physicist behind Nazi Germany&’s nuclear program.&“Intrepid Maggie Hope&’s high-stakes mission is fraught with danger and moral questions. . . . A heartfelt story.&”—Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author of Three Hours in ParisMaggie Hope has come a long way since she was Mr. Churchill&’s secretary. In the face of tremendous danger, she&’s learned espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance. But things are different now that she has so much to lose, including the possibility of a family with John Sterling, the man who&’s long held her heart.British Intelligence has ordered Maggie to assassinate Werner Heisenberg, the physicist who may deliver a world-ending fission bomb for Germany. She&’s shaken. An assassination is unlike anything she has ever done. How can the Allies even be sure Nazi Germany has a bomb? Determined to gather more information, Maggie travels to Madrid, where Heisenberg is visiting for a lecture.At the same time, couturier Coco Chanel, a spy in her own right with ambiguous loyalties, has requested a mysterious meeting with the British ambassador in Madrid—and has requested Maggie join them. As the two play a dangerous game of cat and mouse, Maggie tries to get a better understanding of Heisenberg, but is faced with betrayal and a threat more terrifying than losing her own life.Maggie desperately wants to find her happily-ever-after, but as the war reaches a fever pitch, the stakes keep rising. Now, more than ever, the choices she makes will reverberate around the globe, touching everyone she loves—with fateful implications for the future of the free world.
The Wealth of Shadows: A Novel
by Graham Moore&“A thriller of a different kind—with an unlikely band of economists and bureaucrats working in the shadows to save the world.&”—Charles Frazier, New York Times bestselling author of Cold MountainAn ordinary man joins a secret mission to bring down the Nazi war machine by crashing their economy in this thrilling novel based on a true story, from the Academy Award–winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game and bestselling author of The Last Days of Night.1939. Ansel Luxford has everything a person could want—a comfortable career, a brilliant spouse, a beautiful new baby. But he is obsessed by a belief that Europe is on the precipice of a war that will grow to consume the world. The United States is officially proclaiming neutrality in any foreign conflict, but when Ansel is offered an opportunity to move to Washington, D.C., to join a clandestine project within the Treasury Department that is working to undermine Nazi Germany, he uproots his family overnight and takes on the challenge of a lifetime.How can they defeat the enemy without firing a bullet?To thwart the Nazis, Ansel and his team invent a powerful new theater of battle: economic warfare. Money is a dangerous weapon, and Ansel&’s efforts will plunge him into a world full of peril and deceit. He will crisscross the globe to broker backroom deals, undertake daring heists, and spar with titans of industry like J.P. Morgan and the century&’s greatest economic mind, Britain&’s John Maynard Keynes. When Ansel&’s wife takes a job with the FBI to hunt for spies within the government, the need for subterfuge extends to the home front. And Ansel discovers that he might be closer to those spies than he could ever imagine.The Wealth of Shadows is a mind-expanding historical novel about the mysterious powers of money, the lies worth telling to defeat evil, and a hidden war that shaped the modern world.
American Noir Classics
by James M. CainA collection of hardboiled crime fiction from the author of Double Indemnity, “one of the greats of American noir” (The Guardian). They call him Lucky—but he’s never had a lucky day in his life. A nineteen-year-old hobo just starting to ride the rails, he is hiding in the coal car when the railroad detective comes through. They get into a scuffle, and Lucky’s hand finds a railroad spike. . . .“Dead Man” is just one of the outstanding stories in this collection by the author renowned for insightful and exciting crime stories. Hailed as a “poet of the tabloid murder” by legendary critic Edmund Wilson and a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, James M. Cain, understood fear in all its forms—and knew better than anyone the terror of a killer on the run. This volume includes:“The Baby in the Icebox” • “Pay-Off Girl” • “Two o’Clock Blonde” • “The Birthday Party” * “Brush Fire” • “Coal Black” • “Career in C Major” • “Death on the Beach” • “Dead Man” • “The Girl in the Storm” • “Joy Ride to Glory” • “Pastorale” • “Mommy’s a Barfly” • “The Taking of Montfaucon” • “Cigarette Girl” • “The Robbery” • “Blackmail”
The Root of his Evil
by James M. CainFrom the author of Double Indemnity, a tale of an ambitious young waitress whose fairy-tale romance may have an unhappy ending . . . Carrie Selden is not at all like the woman you’ve read about in the papers. Though she spent time in an orphanage, she isn’t an orphan. She didn’t finish high school until she was nineteen, not because she struggled to make the grade but because she was waitressing tomake the money she needed. . And though Carrie is very cunning, well, she’s no femme fatale. But her beauty . . . oh yes, her beauty is everything you’ve heard.At twenty-one, Carrie takes her savings and moves to New York City, landing a job at a diner called Karb’s, at the bottom rung of the restaurant chain’s tall corporate ladder. Though she makes minimum wage, Carrie is smart, and it isn’t long before she starts to climb. When her coworkers unionize, they choose her as president, and from there, the sky is the limit. But just as the union gets underway, she meets a mysterious intellectual named Grant—who will either help her rise to the top, or drag her straight down to hell.“James M. Cain is one novelist who has something to teach just about any writer, and delight just about any reader.” —Anne Rice, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Interview with a Vampire
Rainbow's End
by James M. Cain“Vintage Cain . . . it’s all here—the big money, the unusual circumstances, the spare, tight style, and the staccato dialogue.” —The Miami HeraldSince his father died, every Saturday night has been the same for Dave and his mother. She starts to talk, weaving aimless, weird fantasies about get-rich-quick schemes that never amount to anything. But when, finally, she is silent, Dave becomes afraid. Because his mother has a way of getting very close that is repellent and appealing all at once, and he’s terrified of where it might lead . . . One Saturday, a noise outside breaks the silence. A hijacker has parachuted from a stolen plane with a parachute, a hundred thousand dollars in cash, and one very frightened stewardess. Against all the odds, the thief thinks he’s gotten away with it. But he doesn’t know just what Dave’s mother will do for an easy payday—and a chance to make her son a happy man…“[Cain is] one of the greats of American noir.” —The Guardian
Jealous Woman
by James M. CainAn ambitious Reno salesman. A wealthy would-be divorcée. An insurance policy. It’s a toxic combination in this noir thriller by an MWA Grand Master . . . If Las Vegas is a city of lovers, in Reno, the business is divorce. Six weeks in Reno can erase the darkest marriages, and the only question is how to pass the time—craps or roulette? Jane Delavan is a roulette woman, a stately beauty from back East who is too classy for the motel where she’s shacked up. She’s come for a divorce, but her husband has other ideas. He wants an annulment, and in exchange offers to take out a $100,000 insurance policy on himself—just in case something happens to him before their paperwork goes through. Jane is cunning enough to make sure that if she wants something to happen, it will. Ed Horner is the insurance agent sent to settle the agreement, and it doesn’t take long for Jane to settle him. They fall in love over twenty-five-cent roulette and soon have a bigger score in mind. In the Biggest Little City in the World, a king-size scheme is brewing . . . Praise for James M. Cain’s fiction“Cleverly plotted.” —The New York Times“Swift and absorbing.” —The Wall Street Journal
The Enchanted Isle
by James M. CainWhile searching for her real father, a runaway stumbles into a deadly mess in this gritty noir novel by the author of The Postman Always Rings Twice.With just seventy-four bucks in her pocket, Mandy packs her things and buys the bus ticket that will get her away from the stepfather who’s been abusing her for years—and the mother who lets it happen. She plans to head to Baltimore and find her biological father—someone she hopes will finally stand up for her. At the bus stop, Mandy meets Rick—a handsome young thug who’s a few days removed from his last bath. He’s charming and sympathetic, so she buys him a ticket and tells him her story. But wouldn’t it be better, Rick suggests, to greet Daddy in style? Of course, a mink coat would cost a little money, but Rick knows just where to get it. His plan is daring, foolish, and highly dangerous. What teenage runaway could resist?Praise for James M. Cain’s fiction“Cleverly plotted.” —The New York Times“Swift and absorbing.” —The Wall Street Journal
The Moth
by James M. CainA novel of a privileged young man’s twisting, troubled journey through Depression-era America: “A great book by a great author.” —Los Angeles Daily NewsJack Dillon has been a golden child since birth. Blessed with blond locks, glittering eyes, and a perfect voice, he is the most popular child singer in Baltimore. But when puberty robs him of his voice and the stock market wipes out his family fortune, Jack is forced to rebuild. Over the next fifteen years, Jack will see it all. From Maryland to California and back again, he will become a football star, a soldier, and a tramp. Despite all that life throws at him, he never loses his eye for beauty, or his hunger for a woman he has known since childhood. But to find happiness in the face of the Depression, Jack must learn that no matter how the world has changed him, part of his soul remains as pure as the first note he sang.“James M. Cain is one novelist who has something to teach just about any writer, and delight just about any reader.” —Anne Rice, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Interview with a Vampire
Sinful Woman
by James M. CainIn this novel by “one of the greats of American noir,” a starlet comes to Reno to start a new life—and end her old one forever (The Guardian).Sylvia Shoreham’s Hollywood dreams came true long ago. Critically beloved for her beauty, talent, and style, she was on her way to international stardom when a bad contract committed her to seven years of trashy comedies and half-baked melodramas. Her marriage to her producer husband has become a rotten, loveless sham, so Sylvia’s silver screen life is now a nightmare. To escape her celluloid hell, she has only one option: Forget Hollywood. Instead, it’s time for a Reno vacation. She arrives in Nevada hoping for a divorce from her husband and an end to her contract, but the ugly side of the business follows her. To protect herself, she enlists Nevada’s biggest Sylvia Shoreham fan. He’s six feet tall, strong as a mule, and just happens to be Reno’s sheriff. And when her divorce turns into a war, this Hollywood icon will be glad to have him on her side.Praise for James M. Cain’s fiction“Cleverly plotted.” —The New York Times“Swift and absorbing.” —The Wall Street Journal
Galatea
by James M. CainA down-on-his-luck boxing trainer finds a woman worth fighting for in this “assured” novel by an MWA Grand Master Award winner (Kirkus Reviews).It took some doing, but Duke Webster is out of prison. Val Valenty arranged the parole, and now the onetime prizefighter and boxing coach is his puppet, breaking his back on Valenty’s farm in exchange for a pittance. But Valenty is about to find out that boxing men never take orders without a scrap. The trouble begins when Webster meets Valenty’s wife. A barrel-shaped woman whose extreme weight makes her old before her time, Holly stays fat on Valenty’s cooking—meat, potatoes, and endless gravy. Webster puts her on a diet, slimming her down the way he would train an over-the-hill pro in search of a comeback. But as her waistline shrinks and her beauty emerges, Valenty gets jealous—putting them on course for a bloody confrontation where only the hungry will survive.This gritty, surprising tale comes from the acclaimed author of Double Indemnity and Mildred Pierce—a writer with “an empathy for losers and society’s lost souls” (Quad-City Times).Praise for James M. Cain’s fiction“Cain is one novelist who has something to teach just about any writer, and delight just about any reader.” —Anne Rice, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Interview with a Vampire“Entertaining and cleverly plotted.” —The New York Times
Past All Dishonor
by James M. CainA naïve young man follows a fallen woman to a Nevada mining town and risks his life to win her: “Entertaining . . . Cain [has a] flair for realistic detail.” —The New York TimesEarly in the Civil War, the Confederacy sends Roger Duval to Sacramento to keep an eye on the situation in California in hopes of turning the Western territory toward the Southern cause. It’s a plush assignment, well out of the line of fire, but he hasn’t been there long before he comes into mortal danger.Duval nearly drowns in the Sacramento River but is saved by Morina, a quick-witted sex worker, who tosses him a rope. Suffocated by instant, irresistible love, Roger follows Morina to Virginia City, Nevada. For the silver miners, gamblers, and gunfighters who populate this hardscrabble town, her price is negotiable. But for a man in love, she charges a thousand dollars. Roger will sacrifice body, mind, and soul to get that money—but will any sacrifice be enough to make her love him?“A classic.” —Newsweek “[Cain is] one of the greats of American noir.” —The Guardian
Cloud Nine
by James M. CainA twisted tale of heinous crimes and hidden motives by the legendary author of Double Indemnity.Graham meets Sonya outside of his real estate office. She is sixteen, beautiful, and drops a bombshell—she’s there because Graham’s half-brother, Burl, raped her, leaving her frightened, pregnant, and very much alone.All she wants is the $1,111 it will cost to hide out for the next few months in a convalescent home before she gives the baby up for adoption, but Burl won’t give her the money. Sonya’s vengeful father, meanwhile, wants far more from Burl—he is determined to make the scoundrel pay for harming his daughter. Graham offers Sonya a better choice: He’ll marry her so that she can get a legal abortion. The plan will save the family, and the business, from scandal. But Graham has no idea that, as he asks for Sonya’s hand, he will be risking much more than just local gossip . . . Praise for James M. Cain’s fiction“Swift and absorbing.” —The Wall Street Journal“Lean, racing . . . stripped of inessentials.” —The New York Times“Nobody has quite pulled it off the way Cain does . . . not even Raymond Chandler.” —Tom Wolfe
The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Novel
by Stuart TurtonFIRST PRINT RUN WITH SPRAYED EDGES!From the bestselling author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water comes an inventive, high-concept murder mystery: an ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, and an audacious solution.Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.Outside the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.On the island: it is idyllic. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists.Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And then they learn that the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay. If the murder isn't solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island—and everyone on it.But the security system has also wiped everyone's memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer—and they don't even know it.And the clock is ticking.
Liar's Point: A romantic thriller sure to have you on the edge of your seat! (Texas Murder Files)
by Laura Griffin'Griffin's characters leap off the page, and she throws myriad twists, turns, and red herrings into her taut plot as it rockets to a heart-pounding finale. The result is a high-stakes romantic thriller that's sure to please' Publishers WeeklyWith her signature breathless pacing and suspenseful twists and turns, 'Laura Griffin never fails to put me on the edge of my seat' USA TODAYIf you love Karen Rose, Melinda Leigh and Lisa Gardner, you'll be gripped by Laura Griffin!......................................................Can she find the truth in a growing web of lies?Detective Nicole Lawson is fed up with her job and non-existent love life, especially when her first date in months gets cut short by an urgent call from the chief of police. A body has been discovered at Lighthouse Point, and news of the homicide quickly reverberates through Nicole's hometown.Leading the investigation is Emmet Davis, a veteran detective and Nicole's fiercest rival at work. With Emmet calling the shots, Nicole is keen to find a lead, but when another body appears and she starts to see a bizarre pattern, no one believes her.As the stakes grow ever higher, Nicole must put aside her tumultuous feelings and work closely with Emmet to figure out who is targeting her beloved hometown . . . before she becomes a target herself.......................................................Raves for Laura Griffin:'I love smart, sophisticated, fast-moving romantic thrillers and Laura Griffin writes them brilliantly' JAYNE ANN KRENTZ'A nail-biting read from the very first page to the final, shocking twist. I could not put this book down' MELINDA LEIGH'Griffin pulls out all the stops in a phenomenal twist ending that will leave readers stunned' Publishers Weekly'An absolutely must read . . . Full of suspenseful mysterious happenings with a little romance thrown in, this book hits all the right notes' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Everything a reader of romantic suspense could want. Another excellent novel from Laura Griffin' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'What a fast-paced, well-written romantic suspense! . . . I cannot say enough about how good this story was and hope that fans of creepy good romantic suspense will enjoy it as much as I did' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'An exciting, intriguing, suspenseful thriller . . . Last Seen Alone was another edge of your seat adventure' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'A highly suspenseful read with a gripping edge . . . an unputdownable storyline. Laura Griffin is one of my favorite storytellers and her latest work is phenomenal' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review