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Murder at Beechwood (A Gilded Newport Mystery #3)
by Alyssa MaxwellFor Newport, Rhode Island's high society, the summer of 1896 brings lawn parties, sailboat races...and murder. Having turned down the proposal of Derrick Andrews, Emma Cross has no imminent plans for matrimony--let alone motherhood. But when she discovers an infant left on her doorstep, she naturally takes the child into her care. Using her influence as a cousin to the Vanderbilts and a society page reporter for the Newport Observer, Emma launches a discreet search for the baby's mother. One of her first stops is a lawn party at Mrs. Caroline Astor's Beechwood estate. But an idyllic summer's day is soon clouded by tragedy. During a sailboat race, textile magnate Virgil Monroe falls overboard. There are prompt accusations of foul play--and even Derrick Andrews falls under suspicion. Deepening the intrigue, a telltale slip of lace may link the abandoned child to the drowned man. But as Emma navigates dark undercurrents of scandalous indiscretions and violent passions, she'll need to watch her step to ensure that no one lowers the boom on her...
Murder at Beacon Rock (A Gilded Newport Mystery #10)
by Alyssa MaxwellIn June 1900, reporter Emma Cross discovers the body of a woman in the waters below the Morgans&’ mansion, which threatens to send members of Newport&’s high society floundering . . . As a reporter, Emma is used to covering Newport&’s social events. But this time she is appearing on the arm of her fiancé, Derrick Andrews, at a small but exclusive gathering of the New York Yacht Club at Beacon Rock, the Grecian-inspired summer &“cottage&” of Edwin and Elizabeth Morgan. The members—which include cousin and Yacht Club Commodore John Pierpoint Morgan and widow Lucy Carnegie, the first woman to be admitted to the Club—are there to discuss their strategy for the next America&’s Cup Challenge, to be held in New York Harbor the following summer. But it&’s Emma who must come up with a strategy when she discovers a woman&’s body bobbing against one of the hulls of the boats moored at the base of Beacon Rock. Is it possible she fell from the Newport ferry and was carried by the tide? Or could she have drowned herself or fallen victim to foul play? After the woman is identified as the missing daughter of a yacht designer, the police—with the exception of Emma&’s friend Detective Jesse Whyte—hastily conclude she is a suicide, perhaps to quiet any scandal for the Morgans, since her body was found floating near their property. But Emma suspects the woman was murdered and begins to sort through a who&’s who of sportsmen, boat crews, and the Newport elite in search of a stone-cold killer . . .
Murder at Bayside
by Raymond RobinsMurder at Bayside, first published in 1933, is a fast-paced Crime Fiction by Raymond Robins (1873-1954), a noted expert on weaponry (especially pistols) and ballistics, major themes in solving the book’s mystery. From the dust-jacket: “In a large country estate in Maryland several ugly rumors are afloat. One is to the effect that the place is a rendezvous for rum-runners, another deals with the unsavory reputation of the sons of the owner. The latter, who has a better reputation, suddenly meets his death from a bullet fired by a Colt .45. All the available weapons are checked, but none seems to have fired the fatal shot. While the investigation is going on at the hands of local police and the family lawyers, a series of inexplicable events occur, culminating with another death – and still the wielder of the deadly weapon goes unrecognized. The book’s action moves along smoothly and consistently to a close which will surprise even the most expert solvers of mystery problems and cases.”
A Murder at Balmoral
by Chris McGeorgeThe Crown meets Clue in this delightful locked-room mystery, sure to charm Agatha Christie fans and keep readers guessing to the end. The king is dead. The killer is in the family. Solving this murder will be a royal pain.The royal family has gathered at their Scottish retreat, Balmoral Castle, for a traditional Christmas. As a blizzard gathers outside and a delicious dinner is prepared, the family circles up for a holiday toast. King Eric has something momentous to say—in fact, he is about to name his successor. But as he raises a glass of his favorite whiskey, he drops dead. The king has been poisoned, someone in the family must have done it, and each one of them had opportunity and motive. Eric&’s beloved head chef, Jonathan, must now play detective. Why would one of the king's own family members want to kill him, and how did they do it? What happens in the castle usually stays in the castle, but this secret might be too big for these battlements. Jon is determined to expose the truth, even if it puts him in a killer&’s crosshairs—and shakes the entire monarchy to its core.
Murder at an Irish Wedding (An Irish Village Mystery #2)
by Carlene O'ConnorThe O’Sullivan clan of County Cork, Ireland, are thrilled to be catering the matrimonial affairs of a celebrity couple—until a cunning killer turns an Irish wedding into an Irish wake . . .Any wedding is a big deal in the small village of Kilbane—even more so when the bride is a famous fashion model. It’s also good for business. Not only has customer traffic picked up at Naomi’s Bistro, Siobhán O’Sullivan and her five siblings have a full plate catering for the three-day affair. And Siobhán’s own beau, local garda Macdara Flannery, gladly steps in as best man after the groom’s first choice makes a drunken arse out of himself.Even if he hadn’t been disinvited to the wedding, the original best man wouldn’t have been able to show. He’s been found murdered in the woods, casting a pall over the nuptials. And when a second member of the wedding party is poisoned by a champagne flute engraved with Macdara’s name, the garda goes from being best man to prime suspect.With a killer at large and a string of robberies plaguing Kilbane, Siobhán feels more than a little protective of her village. She vows to clear Macdara’s name, but the suspect list is as long as the guest list. Like the bride walking down the aisle, Siobhán needs to watch her step. For as she gets closer to unveiling the truth, the murderer is planning a very chilly reception for her . . .PRAISE FOR MURDER IN AN IRISH VILLAGE “If Janet Evanovich and Maeve Binchy wrote a book together, Murder in an Irish Village would be the result. This one is delicious fun.” —Laurien Berenson, author of Live and Let Growl “A lively debut . . . The cheeky and close-knit O’Sullivans are sure to appeal to cozy fans, who will also appreciate the warmth and spirit of the people of Kilbane.” —Publishers Weekly “A smart whodunnit in an idyllic locale. I dare you not to be charmed by sleuth Siobhan and her siblings, the O’Sullivan Six.” —Barbara Ross, author of Fogged Inn “This entertaining combination of Maeve Binchy’s old-world Irish charm and Janet Evanovich’s roguish humor is a smart, fast-paced read. Devotees of the Hibernian mysteries of Dicey Deere and M.C. Beaton will toast this debut with a pint of Guinness. Sláinte!” —Library Journal
Murder at an Irish Christmas (An Irish Village Mystery #6)
by Carlene O'ConnorGarda Siobhán O'Sullivan&’s holiday plans hit a sour note when murder rearranges the yuletide carols into unexpected eulogies . . . This December in Kilbane, if you&’re planning to warm up with a cuppa tea at Naomi&’s Bistro, you may have a bit of a wait—the entire O&’Sullivan brood has gone off to West Cork to spend the holidays with brother James&’s fiancée Elise&’s family, including her grandfather, the famous orchestral conductor Enda Elliot. Siobhán is so happy for James and Elise but also quietly disappointed that she must put her own wedding to fellow garda Macdara Flannery on hold. Mac will have to join them later, so he can spend part of the holidays with his mam. When the O&’Sullivans learn everyone will choose a name from a hat to buy a music-related Christmas gift for someone else at the gathering, it seems like their greatest concern—until the cantankerous conductor is discovered crushed under a ninety-pound harp in a local concert hall. With the extended family—including Enda&’s much-younger new wife Leah, a virtuoso violinist—suspected in his murder, it's up to Siobhán to ensure the guilty party faces the music. But as a snowstorm strands both families in a lavish farmhouse on a cliff, Siobhán had better pick up the tempo—before the killer orchestrates another untimely demise . . .
Murder at an Irish Chipper (An Irish Village Mystery)
by Carlene O'ConnorFans of M.C. Beaton and Rhys Bowen, prepare for a delectable page-turner that mixes the charm of the Emerald Isle with the irresistible allure of a classic cozy whodunit. Siobhán and Macdara Flannery's plans for a romantic honeymoon by the sea crumble like battered cod when they discover a dead body in the local fish and chip shop. This charming village harbors secrets beneath its culinary delights, but even a crafty killer is no match for these cunning sleuths. Siobhán&’s brother Eoin&’s new family restaurant, The O&’Sullivan Six, is so close to opening—but waiting on the necessary permits plus the heat of July in the village of Kilbane in County Cork is driving everyone a bit mad. Macdara Flannery comes to the rescue with a plan—take a holiday by the sea and stuff themselves with fish and chips to support the struggling business of the aptly named Mrs. Chipper. But when they arrive, a crowd is gathered in front of the closed shop: a local fisherman with a fresh cod delivery, a food critic, Mrs. Chipper&’s ex-husband who&’s opening a competing fish and chips shop directly across the street, and a repairman to fix the vent for the deep fryer. With Siobhán and Macdara as witnesses, a local handyman gets the locked door open, only to find the proprietor lying dead and covered in flour at the base of a ladder, its rungs coated in slippery fat. Clearly this was not an accidental tragedy . . . Even as the local garda take over the murder investigation, Siobhán and Macdara can&’t help themselves from placing their long-delayed honeymoon on hold—at least until they can help apprehend an elusive killer.
Murder at an Irish Castle (An Irish Castle Mystery)
by Ellie BranniganFans of Hannah Dennison and Carlene O&’Connor&’s mysteries are in for a treat with Ellie Brannigan&’s captivating debut cozy mystery, complete with a sharp and endearing protagonist.Rodeo Drive bridalwear designer Rayne McGrath expected her thirtieth birthday to start with a power lunch and end with champagne, lobster, and a diamond engagement ring from her fiancé. Instead, flat-broke and busted, she&’s on a plane to Ireland where she discovers that she&’s inherited a run-down family castle. Uncle Nevin&’s will contains a few caveats—for example, if Rayne doesn&’t turn McGrath Castle around within a year, the entire village will be financially destroyed. With the fate of the town in her hands, and rumors that Rayne&’s uncle&’s death wasn&’t actually an accident, she can&’t possibly go back to her old life in L.A. As the devastating truth about her uncle dawns on Rayne, it&’s not just her reputation that&’s on the line, it&’s her life.Featuring a sharp and endearing protagonist, a colorful and quirky locale, and replete with twists and turns befitting an old Irish village, the first in Brannigan&’s mystery series transports us to a milieu as romantic as it is deadly.
Murder at an Irish Bakery: An Enchanting Irish Mystery (An Irish Village Mystery #9)
by Carlene O'ConnorSet in a charming Irish village, the latest in this cozy mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Carlene O&’Connor (&“queen of the cozy police procedural&”—Publishers Weekly) sees a reality baking show coming to Kilbane, only to find a killer turning up the heat. In Kilbane, opinions are plentiful and rarely in alignment. But there&’s one thing everyone does agree on—the bakery in the old flour mill, just outside town, is the best in County Cork, well worth the short drive and the long lines. No wonder it&’s about to be featured on a reality baking show. All six contestants in the show are coming to Kilbane to participate, and the town is simmering with excitement . . . Aside from munching on free samples, the locals—including Siobhan—get a chance to appear in the opening shots. As for the competitors, not all are as sweet as their confections. There are shenanigans on the first day of filming that put everyone on edge, but that&’s nothing compared to day two, when the top contestant is found face-down in her signature pie. The producers decide to continue filming while Siobhan and her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery, sift through the suspects. Was this a case of rivalry turned lethal, or are their other motives hidden in the mix? And can they uncover the truth before another baker is eliminated permanently . . . Praise for Murder on an Irish Farm &“Fans of charming Irish mysteries will delight in the ways this convoluted case ensnares the heroine and her supporting cast.&” —Kirkus Reviews
Murder at an English Séance (A Beryl and Edwina Mystery #8)
by Jessica EllicottAmerican adventuress Beryl Halliwell and prim and proper Brit Edwina Davenport team up once again as enquiry agents to investigate a suspicious psychic in this historical English village mystery set just after World War I. Hidden beneath her British reserve, Edwina has a secret: she&’s finished her novel and is bravely mailing the manuscript to a publisher. Beryl also has a secret: as thanks for solving a case, the American adventuress has been gifted an airplane. After swooping over the fields and hedgerows of Walmsley Parva, livestock scattering beneath her, she flamboyantly lands the plane on the village green, prompting a startled Edwina to consider a stiff gin fizz. Beryl&’s aircraft is not the only disruption of village peace. Miss Dinsdale, a psychic medium, has started holding séances. After the church organist resigns to serve as musical accompaniment for the séances, the vicar&’s wife hires the enquiry agents to expose the medium as a charlatan. Beryl is confident she can spot the fraud, having learned from Harry Houdini himself some tricks of the trade. The dubious Miss Dinsdale claims her spirit guide is an Egyptian princess whose mummy resides in a sarcophagus in the room. But the only body in the sarcophagus belongs to a murdered villager impaled with a dagger. As the sleuths begin to investigate, Beryl discovers her plane has been sabotaged and wonders if there&’s a connection. Whether in the air or on terra firma, Beryl and Edwina must go round a circle of suspects to divine the culprit . . .
Murder At The Allotment (Whitstable Pearl Mysteries #13)
by Julie WassmerMurder At The Allotment is the tenth book in Julie Wassmer's popular crime series - now a major Acorn TV drama, Whitstable Pearl, starring Kerry Godliman as private detective and restaurateur, Pearl Nolan'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl' Daily MailPearl's tiny garden of Eden is transformed into a battlefield when the out of towners come to Whitstable...Pearl Nolan's coastal allotment has always been a quiet haven - somewhere for her to relax and cultivate special ingredients for her restaurant, The Whitstable Pearl. But a sudden clamour for allotments by the DFLs - Down From Londoners - causes tension in the local community when the council decides to accommodate them by dividing existing plots into smaller parcels. The harmony that once existed between holders of land previously blighted only by slugs and caterpillars, soon transforms into a bitter turf war as a pushy DFL tries to take over by forming an Allotment Association - with herself as its chair. When anonymous complaints are submitted to the council about each of the local allotment holders -- apart from the DFLs --Pearl's services as private detective are called upon to discover the complainant but before she can do so, what began as a tiff among the turnips soon becomes a hunt for a killer when gardening tools are put to murderous use... Praise for Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl Mysteries...'One of the best episodes in Wassmer's longrunning Whitstable saga' Daily Mail'As light as a Mary Berry Victoria sponge, this Middle-England romp is packed with vivid characters' Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent'All of the thrills without any of the gore' The Sun'This is a quality title...a very entertaining read' The Puzzle Doctor'A wonderful way to explore Whitstable . . . if you love cosy mysteries, then get acquainted with Pearl (and her mum and her cats!) and enjoy a trip to Whitstable through the eyes of this very convincing author' Trip Fiction'Proves she's mistress of her craft' John McGhie, author of White Highlands'Good, solid whodunits, without gruesome details or gratuitous violence, Murder on Sea may be just your cup of tea' Bec StaffordPraise for the TV series...'Scandi noir meets the English seaside in Whitstable Pearl, a murder mystery series based on Julie Wassmer's novels...' Drama Quarterly'...explores all the murder and debauchery in the seemingly perfect English seaside town of Whitstable...' Washington Post'...you never know what might turn up, either on the menu or alongside an oyster boat.' Wall Street Journal
Murder at a Vineyard Mansion: Martha's Vineyard Mystery #15 (Martha's Vineyard Mysteries #15)
by Philip R. CraigThe Vineyard’s criminal du jour, “the Silencer,” is loved by many and hated by some for his campaign to destroy the audio systems in music-blasting party houses and open-windowed vehicles. Owners of said houses and vehicles feel both fear and hate, while some residents who seek silence silently cheer. J.W. Jackson, former cop and now a part-time investigator, finds it difficult to get too excited about the Silencer’s crimes. J.W.’s a classical music man himself, which may explain his reluctance to take the so-called crimes very seriously. The fun stops, however, when someone is killed—a night watchman is thrown over a cliff near a large new Chappaquiddick mansion. Who will be next?
Murder at a Scottish Wedding (A Scottish Shire Mystery #4)
by Traci HallUSA Today bestselling author Traci Hall returns with the latest novel in a new cozy mystery series set in a charming seaside town in Scotland and featuring busy single mom Paislee Shaw, owner of a specialty sweater shop, knitting enthusiast, and reluctant sleuth who must untangle another murderous yarn!As her friend&’s matron of honor, Paislee Shaw vows to solve the mystery of a missing brooch and a dying wedding guest . . . Paislee&’s specialty sweater shop and yarn business Cashmere Crush, in the charming Scottish village of Nairn, is closed today for a special occasion. Her bonnie bestie Lydia is moments away from walking down the aisle of the church at Old Nairn Kirk to wed Corbin Smythe. Gramps and Paislee&’s eleven-year-old son Brody are seated in the pews with the other guests—the only family not in attendance is their black Scottish terrier Wallace. As matron of honor, Paislee is at her friend&’s side when Lydia lets out a frantic cry. The Luckenbooth brooch her betrothed gave her is missing. A traditional Scottish love token, the gold heirloom has been in his family for generations and not wearing it could bring bad luck—according to the superstitious Smythes. But the real misfortune falls on a distraught cousin who suddenly disrupts the ceremony and dies with the brooch in her hand. The Smythes insist it&’s the curse. But Paislee must broach the subject of…murder. And was the intended victim the guest—or the bride? Only Paislee can determine who to pin the murder on . . . Praise for Murder at a Scottish Social&“Our heroine solves her mysteries with aplomb against a delightful Scottish background replete with good friends and a loyal dog.&” —Kirkus Reviews
Murder at a Scottish Social (A Scottish Shire Mystery #3)
by Traci HallSweater shop owner Paislee Shaw puts the yarn in Nairn, but a killer has put poison in some Scottish shortbread cookies . . . Opening her shop Cashmere Crush and making a new home for herself, her son Brody, Gramps, and their black Scottish terrier Wallace in the beautiful Scottish village of Nairn is a dream come true. So Paislee is happy to give back by donating a luxurious cashmere sweater for an auction to raise money for the Nairn Food Bank. She&’s less happy to make the acquaintance of a clique of competitive moms at the charity event, who treat a baking contest like it&’s life or death. It turns out to be the latter for Queen Bee Kirsten Buchanan when a peanut-laced shortbread cookie triggers her fatal nut allergy. Who would poison Kirsten? How about half the town? But when Paislee&’s pal Blaise is suspected, the sweater-selling sleuth leaps into action to unravel the mystery. Along with gruff but handsome DI Mack Zeffer, she has to sort through a batch of suspects without becoming this cookie-cutter killer&’s next target . . .
Murder at a Scottish Castle: A Scottish Cozy Mystery (A Scottish Shire Mystery)
by Traci HallSweater shop owner Paislee Shaw never feels more at home in Scotland than when she hears the bagpipes. But a murderer is about to introduce a sour note . . . With the summer days getting shorter in the seaside village of Nairn, the annual bagpiping competition at Ramsey Castle promises to be quite the end-of-season blowout. Paisley has snagged a special invitation from the dowager countess, who wants to showcase her cashmere goods in the castle gift shop, and she&’s brought her son Brody, Grandpa, and their black Scottish terrier Wallace. There&’s a fierce rivalry between Robert Grant, the Earl of Lyon, and last year&’s winner Jory Baxter, with Grant loudly vowing to show up the blowhard Baxter and claim clan bragging rights. But the reigning champion has barely put the reed to his lips when he turns red and collapses, soon to take his dying breath. DI Zeffer suspects foul play. With a possible murderer in their midst, the rest of Nairn won&’t breathe easy until Paisley applies her sleuthing skills to make sure justice is served and the killer pays the piper . . .
Murder at a London Finishing School (A Beryl and Edwina Mystery #7)
by Jessica EllicottAmerican adventuress Beryl Helliwell and prim and proper Brit Edwina Davenport team up once again as enquiry agents to solve a mystery at their alma mater in this historical English village mystery set just after World War I. Neither Beryl nor Edwina are the least bit interested in attending events at their alma mater, Miss Dupont&’s Finishing School for Young Ladies. Their lives are very full indeed in the village of Walmsley Parva. However, when a letter arrives from Miss Dupont herself requesting their help in a professional capacity, they reluctantly pack their bags for London. Upon arrival, they learn from Miss Dupont that her business has seen a steep decline since the days before World War I and that now she is concerned a saboteur is attempting to damage the school&’s reputation. Students have reported items missing, damaged possessions, and strange noises in the night. Some of the girls even insist ghostly forces are at play. Then a former classmate of theirs and mother of a prospective student is found dead on the school grounds. The roll call of suspects is long, and if Beryl and Edwina are to have a ghost of a chance of solving the murder, they can&’t rule out the possibility that Miss Dupont herself may have finished off the victim . . .
Murder at a Cape Bookstore (A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery #5)
by Maddie DaySet in a picturesque Cape Cod town, the latest in this cozy mystery series by the Agatha Award-winning author will delight fans of Lorna Barrett&’s Booktown series and Kate Carlisle&’s Bibliophile mysteries, as bike-shop owner Mackenzie &“Mac&” Almeida and her fellow book club sleuths solve a bookstore murder. Everyone loves a festival, though Mac has a few concerns about the Spring equinox event organized by the new Chamber of Commerce director, Wagner Lavoie. After all, March weather is unpredictable. Still, there&’s plenty to enjoy, between flower-shaped candies at Salty Taffy&’s, spring rolls at the Rusty Anchor, and a parade of decorated bicycles. But the festivities soon take a stormy turn . . . Mac glimpses conflict between Wagner and other locals during the festival, but it&’s a shock when he&’s found dead in the Book Nook, pinned beneath a toppled bookshelf. It&’s an irresistible case for Mac&’s book group. She and the rest of the Cozy Capers will have to use all their sleuthing skills to bring the killer&’s story to an end . . .
Murder as a Fine Art: A Laura Janeway Mystery
by John BallemArtists, writers, musicians, dancers, and actors come to the Banff Centre for the Arts to work on their craft in the peaceful mountain setting. But when Alan Montrose is found dead, that peacefulness is shattered. Some even go so far as to suspect foul play was involved with the playwright’s death, though most accept the fatality as merely an accident. Then, a second death occurs. Erika Dekter burns to death inside the boat studio. And this time, it is clear that it was no accident. Are the two deaths connected? If so, who wanted these two artists killed? These are the questions that aspiring painter Laura Janeway grapples with as she launches her own investigation of the crimes. One thing is certain: to find out who is responsible for the deaths, Janeway must be suspicious of everyone in the closely knit artists’ colony. And with grudges, professional jealousies, and affairs hanging in the air, there are more than enough suspects.
Murder as a Fine Art: Thomas and Emily De Quincey 1 (Victorian De Quincey mysteries #1)
by David MorrellAn artist of death is stalking Victorian London, recreating earlier masterpieces of murder. Police suspicion falls on the notorious 'opium-eater' Thomas De Quincey, recently returned to the capital, who wrote in detail about the original crimes. Someone is using his essays as inspiration - and he must uncover the truth before the killer completes his work.In MURDER AS A FINE ART, London becomes a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer - whose lives are linked by secrets long buried, but never forgotten.
Murder as a Fine Art: A Thomas And Emily De Quincey (Thomas and Emily De Quincey #1)
by David MorrellGASLIT LONDON IS BROUGHT TO ITS KNEES IN DAVID MORRELL'S BRILLIANT HISTORICAL THRILLER.Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier.The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts." Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.In Murder as a Fine Art, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.
The Murder Artist
by John CaseThe bestselling author ofThe Genesis CodeandThe Eighth Daynow strikes his most harrowing chord, with a chilling novel that pushes suspense to nearly inhuman limits. As a television news correspondent, Alex Callahan has traveled to some of the most dangerous corners of the globe, covering famine, plague, and war. He’s seen more than his share of blood and death, and knows what it means to be afraid. But what he’s never known is the terror that grabs him when, on a tranquil summer afternoon, he ceases to be an observer of the dark side and, to his shock, becomes enmeshed in it. Separated from his wife, and struggling not to become a stranger to his six-year-old twin sons, Alex is logging some all-too-rare quality time with the boys, when they vanish without a trace amid the hurly-burly of a countryside Renaissance Fair. Then the phone call comes. A chilling silence; slow, steady breathing; and the familiar, plaintive voice of a child–“Daddy?”–complete the nightmare . . . and set in motion a juggernaut offrenzy and agony. The longer the police search, exhaustingleads without success, the deeper Alex’s certainty grows that time is running out. And when, at last, telltale signs reveal a hidden pattern of bizarre and ghoulish abductions, Alex vows to use his own relentless investigative skills to rescue his children from the shadowy figure dubbed The Piper. Whoever this elusive stranger is, the profile that slowly emerges–from previous crimes involving twins, from the zealously secret world of professional magicians, and from the eerie culture of voodoo–suggests that The Piper is a predator unlike any other. A twisted soul hell-bent on fulfilling an unspeakably dark dream. A fiend with a terrifying true calling. What Alex Callahan is closing in on is a monster with a mission. From the Hardcover edition.
Murder and the Wanton Bride (The Mike Shayne Mysteries #30)
by Brett HallidayA beachside slaying threatens to put Mike Shayne behind bars No one at the hotel gives a damn about Walter Carson. There aren't any letters for him at the front desk or calls at reception. Bellboys, waiters, and bartenders all ignore him. When he reaches out to strangers, they look away. He's alone in the world--and worse, he's gripped by an icy terror that follows him everywhere. One night, it catches up to him. Carson, unloved and unknown, is found dead with a bullet between his eyes. In the dead man's pocket, the police find a newspaper clipping about Mike Shayne, Miami's toughest private investigator. The local chief is convinced Shayne was connected to the murder, and he will do whatever is necessary to put the detective behind bars. Shayne can handle the cops--it's Carson's widow that he needs to worry about.
Murder and the Moggies of Magpie Row
by Kate High'Animal lovers will delight' Ann Granger'A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine' Barbara NadelWhen Clarice Beech finds her friend Peter Ramsey dead in his kitchen, she believes he's succumbed to a fatal heart attack. Peter, who lived in one of the five cottages on Magpie Row in the Lincolnshire Wolds, was a keen supporter of stray cats - which made him very unpopular with the neighbours. And after Chris Morris, an alcoholic neighbour, disrupts Peter's funeral, insisting Peter was murdered - and he knows who the murderer is - Clarice discovers there's no shortage of possible suspects among the Magpie Row inhabitants. Who, behind Magpie Row's idyllic façade, might have had murder in mind? And, after his outburst at Peter's funeral, where is Chris? And is Clarice, with her mission to tend to Peter's strays, as well as uncover the truth about her friend's death, putting herself in danger's way?
Murder and the Moggies of Magpie Row
by Kate High'Animal lovers will delight' Ann Granger'A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine' Barbara NadelWhen Clarice Beech finds her friend Peter Ramsey dead in his kitchen, she believes he's succumbed to a fatal heart attack. Peter, who lived in one of the five cottages on Magpie Row in the Lincolnshire Wolds, was a keen supporter of stray cats - which made him very unpopular with the neighbours. And after Chris Morris, an alcoholic neighbour, disrupts Peter's funeral, insisting Peter was murdered - and he knows who the murderer is - Clarice discovers there's no shortage of possible suspects among the Magpie Row inhabitants. Who, behind Magpie Row's idyllic façade, might have had murder in mind? And, after his outburst at Peter's funeral, where is Chris? And is Clarice, with her mission to tend to Peter's strays, as well as uncover the truth about her friend's death, putting herself in danger's way?
Murder and the Married Virgin (The Mike Shayne Mysteries #10)
by Brett HallidayMike Shayne investigates an impossible murder in the Big Easy It’s not often that Mike Shayne runs with an honorable crowd, but there is a lieutenant in his office mourning the fiancée who killed herself the day before. Honest and heartbroken, he begs this hardened private investigator for help answering one simple, impossible question: Why? It’s a question Shayne has been asking ever since his wife was murdered in Miami and he moved to New Orleans to escape her memory. For the sake of a soldier, he will put his own mourning aside and try to explain a suicide that looks an awful lot like murder. Katrin Moe was working as a maid in the home of a wealthy New Orleans family when she was found locked in her room, the gas pumping full blast. Coincidentally, a priceless emerald necklace went missing from the house a few days before and the insurance company hired Shayne to find it. On the hunt for a killer, Shayne will find that the necklace and the crook are more closely related than meets the eye.