Mysteries
Saturday’s Mystery eBooks
Coming in Hot
by Deany Ray
Rating: 4.5 #ad
Starting a new life in Florida means year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches, and balmy breezes. For most people, anyway.
But not for thirtysomething Piper and her grandmother, former members of a motorcycle gang in Oregon. For them, it means entering the witness protection program and moving to Bitter End in the Sunshine State. Yes, to Bitter End. It doesn’t get much more ironic than this.
The Locked Room
by Elly Griffiths
Rating: 4.6 #ad
Pandemic lockdowns have Ruth Galloway feeling isolated from everyone but a new neighbor – until Nelson comes calling, investigating a decades-long string of murder-suicides that’s looming ever closer, in USA Today Elly Griffiths’ penultimate novel in the beloved series.
Three years after her mother’s death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious relic: a decades-old photograph of her own Norfolk cottage – before she lived there – with a peculiar inscription on the back. Ruth returns to the cottage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk’s first cases of Covid-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance.
The Ruinous Curse
by Mark K. McClain
Rating: 5.0 #ad
Barrett of Westmore may be a prince, but he’s just like any other teenager. He spends time with his friends exploring their city, a haven for fairies, cyclops, talking doors, and other magical beings. He hopes to get closer to the lovely Zanora, whose fighting spirit has captured his heart. Unfortunately, foretold war may put those ambitions on hold.
The coming battle is no ordinary fight. Even if Barrett’s countrymen defeat the forces of the ancient sorceress Alesta, her Ruinous Curse will condemn them to an endless cycle of violence, forcing humanity to wipe itself out. As invasion forces march on Westmore, the kingdom’s only hope is the Helserian, prophesied ages ago to defeat Alesta. As for the rumors the prince is the chosen one—Barrett thinks they’re impossible. He’s a fighter, not a magic user.
Grave Pursuits
by Elle E. Kay
Rating: 4.4 #ad
Tensions increase as the body count builds.
Join park ranger Emily Davis on a suspenseful and romantic journey in “Grave Pursuits,” a gripping Christian romantic suspense novel set in Hickory Run State Park. When a hiker goes missing and Emily discovers a skull, she finds herself targeted by a dangerous serial killer, putting her faith and love to the test. As the case gains national attention, Emily turns to her high school sweetheart and seasoned detective, Wade Brunner, for help in this Christian mystery thriller. Together, they embark on an exciting adventure, uncovering sinister secrets lurking in the park and solving a small-town mystery.
The Twist of a Knife
by Anthony Horowitz
Rating: 4.4 #ad
In New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz’s ingenious fourth literary whodunit following The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death, and A Line to Kill, Horowitz becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation – and only one man can prove his innocence: his newly estranged partner in solving crime, Detective Hawthorne.
The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. His new play, a thriller called Mindgame, is about to open at the Vaudeville Theater in London’s West End. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne declines a ticket to the opening night.
Slipping Through
by John Grover
Rating: 5.0 #ad
From the mind of John Grover comes a mystery adventure like no other.
Ever since he was a young boy, Cord Lockwood had been fascinated by sightings of Bigfoot. He hoped one day to see the big guy himself…until the night he did. Now, years later, Cord cannot get the encounter out of his head.
Cord and a young protégé with similar experiences embark on a journey packed with action and suspense, mystery and adventure, including an all-star cast of frightening cryptids like the Chupacabra and even the Loch Ness Monster!
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
by Becky Chambers
Rating: 4.6 #ad
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a story of kindness and love from one of the foremost practitioners of hopeful SF.
After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.
They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.
Fear Thy Neighbor
by Fern Michaels
Rating: 4.2 #ad
A thrilling new book from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of No Way Out, that fans of Nora Roberts and Rachel Caine won’t want to miss! One woman’s picture-perfect island sanctuary reveals itself to be filled with dangers in this exciting page-turner…
At twenty-nine, Alison Marshall is ready to find a place to call home. She’s drifted from one small Florida town to another since high school, working odd jobs, saving hard, and building a nest egg. Once she finds the right place to settle down, she’ll know. And when she reaches beautiful Palmetto Island, she thinks she may have found it.
OCELLICON
by A.G. Russo
Rating: 4.4 #ad
OCELLICON is a military science fiction story with elements of legal/detective/mystery/feminist/noir sci-fi. Earth barely survived nuclear battles until the militaries of the world took over from authoritarians. But rebellion was agitating from within. Prosecutor Major Annalisa Farrell, Military Academy honors graduate, war hero, wounded warrior, and child abuse survivor fought to champion justice. An unexpected adversary turned out to be Judge Bennett McCrae, the “Judge Prince.” In his courtroom, the Military, and the general population, he was as popular as Annalisa was hated. Before appearing before Judge McCrae, Annalisa Farrell fought in numerous conflicts, was special ops, and had missions in space where she worked side by side with aliens.
Friday’s Mystery eBooks
The Murderous Type
by Sue Minix
Rating: 4.3 #ad
Crime writer turned amateur sleuth, Jen, has taken over the running of the local bookstore in her hometown of Riddleton.
But balancing the books at Ravenous Readers is nothing compared to meeting the deadline for her new novel.
However, dodging phone calls from her editor takes a back seat when the local police chief dies in a suspected poisoning. To solve the murder, Jen must dust off her detective hat once more.
Broken Rhodes
by Kimber Silver
Rating: 4.7 #ad
Kinsley Rhodes blows into Harlow, Kansas like a tornado, twisting Sheriff Lincoln James’ life into knots. Her grandfather has been murdered and she wants answers.
As if the town’s first homicide in twenty years wasn’t enough, the beleaguered sheriff now has to deal with Henry Rhodes’ bobcat of a granddaughter, plunging his life deeper into chaos. As a dark storm threatens, long-held secrets are exposed, placing Kinsley directly in harm’s way.
First Casualty
by A.W. Powers
Rating: 4.7 #ad
A reluctant psychic, a missing woman, and vengeance from beyond the grave.
Rachel Thompson is missing, and the police have no leads. The serial killer who has taken her is efficient, elusive, and seemingly invisible.
Her only hope is Jacob Daniels, a man tormented by his second sight.
Jacob is driven to search for his friend in the slim hope that she is still alive. However, that means accepting he must use his gift and ask the spirits for their help.
The Nature of Secrets
by Debra Webb
Rating: 4.7 #ad
Legal investigator Finley O’Sullivan has had a difficult year in the wake of her husband’s murder. But in her line of work, there’s no time to grieve. Her job is to protect the firm’s clients and defend their innocence through grueling investigative work.
Ellen Winthrop is a force to be reckoned with in the financial world. In a male-dominated industry, she shattered the glass ceiling by empowering and promoting women. But now her husband is dead, killed in the Winthrop family home—and she stands accused of his murder.
Dangerous Depths
by Colleen Coble
Rating: 4.6 #ad
Sometimes life’s most precious treasure lies at Dangerous Depths.
Leia ditched a promising medical career to settle on a secluded island of Hawaii. She ditched Bane, too, and he’s come to the island to find out why. He’s also in search of a fortune rumored to lie offshore. But an act of sabotage that pushes Bane closer to Leia plunges them both into a tangle of emotion—just as a series of threatening events grip the island.
Arcane
by Sever Bronny
Rating: 4.4 #ad
Warlocks before their time . . .
Fourteen-year-old Augum and friends Bridget and Leera dream of becoming warlocks. But with a kingdom in chaos, it will take courage, sacrifice, and an iron will to make that dream come true.
A vicious tyrant has overthrown the king in a murderous quest for seven mythic artifacts—and Augum’s mentor, the legendary Anna Atticus Stone, possesses one. Forced to go on the run, the aspiring warlocks must learn the arcane arts before the tyrant finds them.
Fatal Rounds
by Carrie Rubin
Rating: 4.4 #ad
Liza Larkin, a recent med-school graduate on the cusp of her pathology internship, isn’t like most people. She would rather study the human brain or pound the heavy bag at the gym than spend time with others, and as an outsider she doesn’t let societal norms confine her.
So when a stranger’s picture sends Liza’s schizophrenic mother deeper into psychosis, Liza does a reverse-image search to identify him. Upon discovering he is a trauma surgeon at a Massachusetts teaching hospital, she impulsively changes her pathology residency program of choice to his center.
The Sister Pact
by Jacquie Biggar
Rating: 4.4 #ad
Two sisters lose sight of what’s most important- family bonds.
Holly Tremaine is living on borrowed time. A life-threatening illness ends her promising musical career and sends her home in the hope of making amends for the past.
Levi Anderson is on the fast track to a successful year within his profession- the last thing he has time for is his twin brother’s shenanigans. But when it includes the one woman Levi hasn’t been able to forget, his conscience won’t let him avoid the temptation to see her again.
Can remorse heal all wounds? Or will past betrayals continue to ruin family ties, one thread at a time?
Thursday’s Mystery eBooks
Wicked Charms
by Janet Evanovich, Phoef Sutton
Rating: 4.4 #ad
Before he was murdered and mummified nearly a century ago, notorious bootlegger Collier “Peg Leg” Dazzle discovered and re-hid a famous pirate’s treasure somewhere along the coast of New England. A vast collection of gold and silver coins and precious gems, the bounty also contains the Stone of Avarice—the very item reluctant treasure seeker Lizzy Tucker and her partner, Diesel, have been enlisted to find. While Lizzy would just like to live a quiet, semi-normal life, Diesel is all about the hunt. And this hunt is going to require a genuine treasure map and a ship worthy of sailing the seven seas . . . or at least getting them from Salem Harbor to Maine.
Zombie Fungus
by Bryan Dean
Rating: 5.0 #ad
Abe thought he was ready for this. He’d watched the movies, read the books, and prepared accordingly. But when the monsters arrived, he realized Hollywood didn’t get all the facts right. Some of these zombies are not your father’s zombies — not even close.
Maybe it’s because the source isn’t a virus, but a fungus? Or that it was synthesized in a laboratory? But who would attempt something so dastardly? How many lives will be lost when humans manipulate what they should have left alone?
The Lake House
by James Patterson
Rating: 4.3 #ad
Six kids on the run must face a villain who threatens the future of human existence . . . but winning comes at a high price.
Six children have escaped horrifying government experiments, a childhood in captivity, and a frightening brush with death. Living out in the world for the first time, they yearn to be reunited with Kit and Frannie, the couple who saved their lives. And Max, the leader of the flock, is seized by an overpowering fear that the kids are about to face a danger greater than any they’ve ever known.
All that the children want is to return to the one place they have ever felt truly protected: the waterfront cabin known as the Lake House.
Newspaper Spring
by Jesse Storm
Rating: 4.6 #ad
John Biles wakes in the back of a strange family’s wagon, and his whole life is in ruin.
John’s family is riding their way to El Paso to establish a newspaper. His father is a newspaper man, and the rest of the family works in the print shop. Descended upon by a group of Indians who talk like white men, John’s family wagon is besieged, leaving his parents and sister dead.
Wounded, John is found by the Jensen family whose wagon is on its way to a massive piece of land they’ve inherited on the outskirts of Whistle Springs.
A Thin Dark Line
by Tami Hoag
Rating: 4.5 #ad
Terror stalks the streets of Bayou Breaux, Louisiana. A suspected murderer is free on a technicality, and the cop accused of planting evidence against him is ordered off the case. But Detective Nick Fourcade refuses to walk away. He’s stepped over the line before. This case threatens to push him over the edge.
He’s not the only one. Deputy Annie Broussard found the woman’s mutilated body. She still hears the phantom echoes of dying screams. She wants justice. But pursuing the investigation will mean forming an alliance with a man she doesn’t trust and making enemies of the men she works with. It will mean being drawn into the confidence of a killer.
The Light of Days
by Judy Batalion
Rating: 4.5 #ad
One of the most important stories of World War II, already optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture: a spectacular, searing history that brings to light the extraordinary accomplishments of brave Jewish women who became resistance fighters—a group of unknown heroes whose exploits have never been chronicled in full, until now.
Witnesses to the brutal murder of their families and neighbors and the violent destruction of their communities, a cadre of Jewish women in Poland—some still in their teens—helped transform the Jewish youth groups into resistance cells to fight the Nazis. With courage, guile, and nerves of steel, these “ghetto girls” paid off Gestapo guards, hid revolvers in loaves of bread and jars of marmalade, and helped build systems of underground bunkers.
King’s Ransom
by Ed McBain
Rating: 4.2 #ad
For a wealthy businessman, a kidnapping puts him in a predicament as troubling as any he has ever experienced. For Detective Steve Carella and the men at the 87th Precinct, their troubles are even worse. Their only hope is that he will play ball—at least long enough for them to catch the perps before the kidnapping turns into a homicide.
Ed McBain delivers another rapid-fire nail-biter in his 87th Precinct series with King’s Ransom, a morally complex weaving of friendship, personal responsibility, and the nature of man hailed by the Daily Mirror: “McBain spins the tightest tale in town…there’s nobody who does it better.
Wednesday’s Mystery eBooks
The Funeral Parlor Quilt
by Ann Hazelwood
Rating: 4.5 #ad
A wedding, burial traditions, and a missing quilt combine to keep the Colebridge Community locals on their toes in this crafty mystery.
The third chapter in the life of Anne Brown and the Colebridge Community! In The Basement Quilt and The Potting Shed Quilt, the first and second novels by Ann Hazelwood, you became familiar with the family and friends of Anne Brown, the plucky florist whose life decisions remind us of our own. In the third book in the Colebridge Community series, even as Anne and her quilting friends welcome newcomers into their lives, they come across strange death practices and unusual (to them) uses for quilts. These events give them pause to consider life’s deeper meanings. But what do they signal for the future?
A Fool For Love & Money
by John D. Ottini
Rating: 4.5 #ad
Love and Money are two important ingredients in a man’s recipe for happiness. Unfortunately, those same two ingredients under the wrong circumstances can be a man’s recipe for disaster.
Unlucky at love, unemployed and drowning in debt, Thomas Murphy is a man in need of salvation.
When an unexpected gift arrives from an unknown source, Tom is confused, yet elated about his new-found fortune. His luck continues when he runs into an old flame he hasn’t seen in years and sparks begin to fly. Strange how a man’s fate can change when he least expects it – one moment he’s miserable and struggling to make ends meet, and the next he’s back on his feet and looking forward to a bright future… or so Tom thinks.
Standing in the Shadows
by Peter Robinson
Rating: 4.3 #ad
The 28th twisting installment in the DCI Alan Banks mystery series that Stephen King calls “the best now on the market.”
In November 1980, Nick Hartley returns home from a university lecture to find his house crawling with police. His ex-girlfriend, Alice Poole, has been found murdered, and her new boyfriend Mark Woodcroft is missing. Nick is the prime suspect. The case quickly goes cold, but Nick cannot let it go. He embarks on a career in investigative journalism, determined to find Alice’s murderer—but his obsession leads him down a dangerous path.
The Aaron Schneider Collection
by Aaron D. Schneider, Michael Anderle
Rating: 5.0 #ad
A fell-handed warrior treads a bloody road. Can Ax-Wed truly leave her people’s crumbling decadence behind her? Or will it haunt her as she wanders a savage world, determined to carve her future one ax stroke at a time? Find out with the Outcast Royal Complete Series!
Enter a darkened world where, so far, no one has won World War I and now dark monsters are choosing sides in the World First Wizard Complete Series boxed set. Dive into a double fisted tale of war, magic, and bloody conspiracies in the grim alternate history of the War to End All Wars with the World’s First Wizard!
Let the Dead Sleep
by Heather Graham
Rating: 4.4 #ad
An Object of Desire? Or of Fear?
It was stolen from a New Orleans grave – the centuries-old bust of an evil man, a demonic man. It’s an object desired by collectors and by those with wickedness in their hearts.
One day, its current owner shows up at Danni Cafferty’s antiques shop on Royal Street, the shop she inherited from her father. But before Danni can buy the statue, it disappears and the owner is found dead….
The Essex Serpent
by Sarah Perry
Rating: 4.0 #ad
“A novel of almost insolent ambition – lush and fantastical, a wild Eden behind a garden gate…it’s part ghost story and part natural history lesson, part romance and part feminist parable. I found it so transporting that 48 hours after completing it, I was still resentful to be back home.” – New York Times
London, 1893. When Cora Seaborne’s brilliant, domineering husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was an unhappy one, and she never suited the role of society wife. Seeking refuge in fresh air and open space, she leaves the metropolis for coastal Essex, accompanied by her inquisitive and obsessive eleven-year-old son, Francis, and the boy’s nanny, Martha, her fiercely protective friend.
Who Killed Jane Stanford?
by Richard White
Rating: 3.7 #ad
In 1885 Jane and Leland Stanford cofounded a university to honor their recently deceased young son. After her husband’s death in 1893, Jane Stanford, a devoted spiritualist who expected the university to inculcate her values, steered Stanford into eccentricity and public controversy for more than a decade. In 1905 she was murdered in Hawaii, a victim, according to the Honolulu coroner’s jury, of strychnine poisoning. With her vast fortune the university’s lifeline, the Stanford president and his allies quickly sought to foreclose challenges to her bequests by constructing a story of death by natural causes. The cover-up gained traction in the murky labyrinths of power, wealth, and corruption of Gilded Age San Francisco. The murderer walked.
Transformation
by Zhao Lihong
Rating: 4.7 #ad
With his highly celebrated collection “Pain,” Zhao Lihong redefined modern Chinese poetry and captured audiences worldwide with its persistent, unrelenting, and affectionate style.
In his latest collection “Transformation,” the multi-award-winning author brings new, powerful poems that offer a unique perspective on society, culture, family, and the self. After more than 50 years of writing, Lihong reflects on parts of his past and, using the classic, prosaic language that defines his work, manages to capture the essence of multiple generations.