Mysteries
Friday’s Mystery eBooks
Bluebonnet Ballerina
by Carol Kilgore
Rating: 4.6 #ad
Gracie Hofner returns, and chaos reigns – including a couple of ghosts trying to save their granddaughter.
As Gracie dances from problem to problem, she’s unaware the music has been orchestrated into a murderous symphony. When a different melody reaches Gracie’s ears from a guitar played by the new tenant living in her garage apartment, her tension vanishes. She listens unseen, cocooned in the shadows on her patio, and wonders who he’s longing for—and how it would feel for a man to crave her that much.
She can’t dwell on those thoughts, however. Problems of murder and missing prisoners abound.
Check out:
(Amazing Gracie Mysteries)
Time After Tyme
by Kay DiBianca
Rating: 4.7 #ad
WITH TIME ALL THINGS ARE REVEALED
Nancy Drew meets Tom Sawyer in this delightful and thought-provoking romp through the third book in The Watch Series of clean mysteries. Secret codes and university intrigue combine to give Kathryn Frasier and Cece Goldman a new and puzzling mystery to solve. But things get dicey when two misguided young girls wander into the middle of the investigation and decide to solve it themselves.
Can Kathryn and Cece decipher the codes and protect the youngsters before the killer strikes again?
Check out:
(The Watch Mysteries)
The Complete Brink of Extinction Series
by Derek Shupert
Rating: 5.0 #ad
The Sudden Impact started it all… …and soon the skies would fill with ash. How would they survive the apocalypse?
Cory Lawson regretted working for one of the country’s biggest crime lords as an enforcer and looked for a way out. But after a massive tsunami slams the California coast, claiming the life of the mob boss’s son, everything changed. Battered and beaten, Cory wakes to a state in ruins and a bounty on his family’s head. Would they survive the hitmen?
The Victoria Vanishes
by Christopher Fowler
Rating: 4.5 #ad
It’s a case tailor-made for the Peculiar Crimes Unit. A lonely hearts killer is targeting middle-aged women at some of England’s most well-known pubs—including one torn down eighty years ago. What’s more, Arthur Bryant happened to see one of the victims only moments before her death at the pub that doesn’t exist. Indeed, this case is littered with clues that defy everything the veteran detectives know about the habits of serial killers, the methodology of crime, and the odds of making an arrest. Now, with the public on the verge of panic and their superiors determined to shut the PCU down for good, Detectives Bryant and May must rise to the occasion in defense of two great English traditions – the pub and the Peculiar Crimes Unit.
Come With Me
by Ronald Malfi
Rating: 4.5 #ad
Aaron Decker’s life changes one December morning when his wife Allison is killed. Haunted by her absence—and her ghost—Aaron goes through her belongings, where he finds a receipt for a motel room in another part of the country. Piloted by grief and an increasing sense of curiosity, Aaron embarks on a journey to discover what Allison had been doing in the weeks prior to her death.
Yet Aaron is unprepared to discover the dark secrets Allison kept, the death and horror that make up the tapestry of her hidden life. And with each dark secret revealed, Aaron becomes more and more consumed by his obsession to learn the terrifying truth about the woman who had been his wife, even if it puts his own life at risk.
Ambush
by Barbara Nickless
Rating: 4.6 #ad
Railway cop and former Marine Sydney Parnell is on the hunt. So is a killer she knows only as the Alpha. They’re in a race to find Malik, an eleven-year-old Iraqi boy with secrets to guard. Sydney wants to help him. The Alpha wants him dead.
From the dark alleys of Mexico City to the mean streets of Denver, Sydney and her K9 partner, Clyde, use their wits and determination to chase down the ruthless killer. But when their path collides with his, Sydney realizes just how far-reaching and sinister the Alpha’s past is. And how far he’s willing to go to save his secrets.
Check out:
(Sydney Rose Parnell Mysteries)
Love Blooms
by Jennifer Faye
Rating: 4.4 #ad
He’s an injured firefighter. She bakes the most delightful treats. When their worlds collide will the baker help heal the firefighter with a mix of blueberry muffins and her caring way?
The elegant baker, Hannah Bell, has always lived on Bluestar Island with her family. While still grieving for her father, who died in a fire, she focuses all of her energy on making her dream come true—opening her very own bakery. But when a broken water pipe washes away her carefully laid plans, she’s on the verge of losing everything.
New York firefighter Ethan Walker’s life is in a tailspin after he’s injured on-the-job…
Check out:
(The Bell Family of Bluestar Island)
Deja Vu
by Fern Michaels
Rating: 4.7 #ad
Thanks to a presidential pardon, the Sisterhood can put their fugitive days behind them and resume their lives in peace. Still, all the women admit that lately things are a little too calm and peaceful. Meeting up for the first time in months to celebrate Kathryn’s birthday—in the City of Sin, no less—seems like the perfect antidote.
But before they can kick up their heels something too big to pass up is dropped into their laps. The time has come to deal with Enemy #1, aka Hank Jellicoe, who’s wanted by the FBI, the CIA, and Homeland Security for starters.
Thursday’s Mystery eBooks
Murder at the PTA
by Lee Hollis
Rating: 4.5 #ad
Someone is trying to turn Portland High into a school for scandal with a gossipy website called Dirty Laundry. The latest target of ruinous rumors is newly elected PTA president Sandra Wallage. After a heated meeting with outraged parents, Sandra runs into fellow school mom and private investigator Maya Kendrick, who’s discovered the person behind the website. But when the women storm into the venomous gossip columnist’s office they find a lifeless body—along with a confession.
Although the police rule the death a suicide, Maya suspects an injured party hung the Dirty Laundry creator out to dry. Maya already has a PI partner—but she’s pregnant, and sonograms and stakeouts tend to conflict.
Check out:
(Murder at the Bake Sale)
The End of Her
by Shari Lapena
Rating: 4.3 #ad
A long-ago accident–and a visitor from out of the blue. . .
Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin girls. The babies are a handful, but even as Stephanie struggles with the disorientation of sleep deprivation, there’s one thing she’s sure of: she has all she ever wanted.
Then Erica, a woman from Patrick’s past, appears and makes a disturbing accusation. Patrick had always said his first wife’s death was an accident, but now Erica claims it was murder…
Rejectors
by Kyle Watson
Rating: 5.0 #ad
What would you do as last of the Rejectors? They are coming. Run.
Rejecting the system has a price, and the last rejectors are on the run and must outpace the evil forces that are hunting them. Vowing to never bend to the will of evil leader, will the rejectors be able to escape capture and avoid the delusion that overtakes those who are forced to accept the system? Wrestling with the reality that the battle is taking place in both the seen and unseen realms, the rejectors will stop at nothing to fight for their souls and lives.
The Haunting of The Harrington Hotel
by Mason Dean
Rating: 4.2 #ad
Throughout the years, thrill-seekers, ghost hunters, and skeptics have all found their way to The Harrington Hotel. Some found a peaceful night’s rest while others experienced unnatural dreams.
The hotel’s former owner, Stephen Ambrose, described a night at his establishment as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to glimpse into the afterlife. But after Ambrose’s mysterious disappearance, the hotel has shuttered. Still, there are a few who dare to spend one more night at the infamous hotel, even if it might be their last.
Secrets Of A Western Town
by Florence Linnington
Rating: 3.5 #ad
No one is as hopeful, nor as patient and courageous as Lottie Dumont. On a promise to her dying mother, Lottie looks after her father even as he grows unkind and on occasion, violent.
Despite everything, Lottie will not give up hope. She dreams of a better life. When work takes Lottie and her father to a small Colorado town of Red Canyon, no one is more skeptical of the young woman’s seemingly endless optimism as Deputy James Butler. Worn and scarred by what the world has done to those he loves, James sees only the potential in people to do harm to one another. But Lottie is like no woman he’s ever encountered and very quickly affection takes hold.
Twilight Falling
by Paul S. Kemp
Rating: 4.6 #ad
Over one decade ago, the Night Knives placed spy Erevis Cale into the wealthy Uskevren household, tasking him with gathering intel that would tarnish the family’s name. But as Cale’s relationship with his employers deepened with time, he grew tired of serving two masters—and ultimately sided with Thamalon, the Uskevren patriarch.
Now, Thamalon lies dead, and the sun has set on Cale’s service to the family. But just when his future seems more uncertain than ever, a letter arrives from a prominent figure from his past. By day’s end, Cale has dedicated himself to a new master—one who is beyond the petty accumulation of wealth. After all, what is gold to one who trades in souls?
Check out:
(MThe Erevis Cale Trilogy)
The Edge of Dreams
by Rhys Bowen
Rating: 4.6 #ad
Rhys Bowen’s characteristic blend of atmospheric turn-of-the-century history, clever plotting, and sparkling characters will delight readers in The Edge of Dreams, from her bestselling Molly Murphy series.
Molly Murphy Sullivan’s husband Daniel, a captain in the New York City police force, is stumped. He’s chasing a murderer whose victims have nothing in common—nothing except for the taunting notes that are delivered to Daniel after each murder. And when Daniel receives a note immediately after Molly and her young son Liam are in a terrible train crash, Daniel and Molly both begin to fear that maybe Molly herself was the target.
Check out:
(Molly Murphy Mysteries)
One Fine Mess
by Mark Petersen
Rating: 4.6 #ad
It’s time to show some ovaries. All Jules Nichols wants is to off her abusive hubby. But once he’s dead, mobsters and drug dealers are popping out of the woodwork, the staties are suspicious, and her wacko sister won’t go away. There’s also that darn head in a box.
Who could’ve known it’d be so hard to commit one little murder?
Wednesday’s Mystery eBooks
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder
by Joanne Fluke
Rating: 4.3 #ad
Spring has sprung in Lake Eden, Minnesota, but Hannah Swensen doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses – not with hot cross buns to make, treats to bake, and a sister to exonerate…
Hannah’s up to her ears with Easter orders rushing in at The Cookie Jar, plus a festive meal to prepare for a dinner party at her mother’s penthouse. But everything comes crashing to a halt when Hannah receives a panicked call from her sister Andrea—Mayor Richard Bascomb has been murdered . . . and Andrea is the prime suspect.
Check out:
(A Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
Island of Gold
by Amy Maroney
Rating: 4.5 #ad
1454. A noble French falconer. A spirited merchant’s daughter. And a fateful decision that changes their destiny forever…
When Cédric is recruited by the Knights Hospitaller to the Greek island of Rhodes, his wife Sophie jumps at the chance to improve their fortunes. After a harrowing journey to Rhodes, Cédric plunges into the world of the knights—while Sophie is tempted by the endless riches that flow into the bustling harbor. But their dazzling new home has a dark side.
Slaves toil endlessly to fortify the city walls, and rumors of a coming attack by the Ottoman Turks swirl in the streets. Desperate to gain favor with the knights and secure his position, Cédric navigates a treacherous web of shadowy alliances…
Saving Chase
by Irene Onorato
Rating: 4.5 #ad
Three lives on a collision course with destiny… Logan Construction Services CEO Dan Logan desperately wants to get away and lick his wounds after being dumped by his fiancée and suffering through a devastating jobsite fatality on the same day. He retreats to a secluded island alone, but his vacation takes a dangerous turn when he rescues a teenage boy who shipwrecks on the rocky shore. A battle of wills ensues that threatens both their lives.
Dory Devereaux, a widow of six years, flees Massachusetts with her delinquent sixteen-year-old son, Chase, hoping to keep him from being placed in juvenile detention until he’s deemed an adult at eighteen. Her world crumbles when she finds Chase missing the morning after arriving at her former in-laws’ house in South Carolina. Can things get any worse?
The Case of the Lazy Lover
by Erle Stanley Gardner
Rating: 4.2 #ad
Defense lawyer Perry Mason is surprised to receive two checks from a stranger named Lola Allred. And when he speaks with Lola’s husband, he discovers the woman has run off with her daughter’s boyfriend—who happens to be an important witness in a lawsuit. Soon Mason’s caught up in a complicated case involving not only a missing witness but forgery and murder as well . . .
This mystery is part of Edgar Award–winning author Erle Stanley Gardner’s classic, long-running Perry Mason series, which has sold three hundred million copies and serves as the inspiration for the HBO show starring Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany.
Check out:
(The Perry Mason Mysteries)
The Blood Is Still
by Douglas Skelton
Rating: 4.2 #ad
A riveting, immersive thriller from the author of Thunder Bay—”If you don’t know Skelton, now’s the time” (Ian Rankin).
When a man in eighteenth-century Highland dress is found dead on the site of the Battle of Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie led his forces to a rout seared into Scottish memory, Rebecca Connolly takes up the case for the Chronicle. A controversial film about the rebellion and battle is being shot nearby, and it has drawn the ire of the right-wing nationalist movement Spirit of the Gael. Is there some link between the murder—the weapon used to impale the man leaves no doubt it was murder—and Spirit of the Gael or the shadowy militant group New Dawn, thought to be associated with them?
Check out:
(A Rebecca Connolly Mysteries)
Madhouse at the End of the Earth
by Julian Sancton
Rating: 4.6 #ad
In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the good ship Belgica with dreams of glory. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica.
But de Gerlache’s plans to be first to the magnetic South Pole would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters. De Gerlache sailed on, and soon the Belgica was stuck fast in the icy hold of the Bellingshausen Sea. When the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, the ship’s occupants were condemned to months of endless night. In the darkness, plagued by a mysterious illness and besieged by monotony, they descended into madness.
The Silent Witness
by Carolyn Arnold
Rating: 4.7 #ad
In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the good ship Belgica with dreams of glory. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica.
But de Gerlache’s plans to be first to the magnetic South Pole would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters. De Gerlache sailed on, and soon the Belgica was stuck fast in the icy hold of the Bellingshausen Sea. When the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, the ship’s occupants were condemned to months of endless night. In the darkness, plagued by a mysterious illness and besieged by monotony, they descended into madness.
Check out:
(Detective Amanda Steele Mysteries)
Tuesday’s Mystery eBooks
Meet Isabel Puddles
by M.V. Byrne
Rating: 4.4 #ad
The only thing widow Isabel Puddles loves as much as her hometown of Gull Harbor on the shores of Lake Michigan is cozying up to a good mystery—but she never expected to be caught in the middle of one . . .
To the tourists and summer residents, Kentwater County is a picturesque community of small-town charm, fruitful farmland, and gorgeous freshwater beaches. To middle-aged widow Isabel Puddles, it’s where she enjoys breakfast every morning at a local café with her childhood best friend and spends her evenings cozying up with a good book and her devoted Jack Terrier, Jackpot. In between, Isabel makes ends meet through a variety of trades—preserving pickles, baking pies, working the counter at her cousin’s hardware shop, and occasionally helping “fix-up” the hair of corpses at the local funeral parlor.
Star Mother
by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rating: 4.4 #ad
When a star dies, a new one must be born.
The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.
One Step At A Time
by Emmaline Givens
Rating: 4.3 #ad
Merigold hadn’t left her house in years… Not because she was physically unable to or that she didn’t desire to once again run barefoot on the beach… her mind wouldn’t cooperate. It had taken her months to gather up the courage just to walk outside onto her patio, and then a few more to be able to venture out into the yard without being frozen by the panic that had taken root in her chest. And as fate would have it, just as she was beginning to feel comfortable again within her fenced-in space, he moved in. Finn Shepherd, the handsome, flavor-of-the-year, fan-stalked, over-paid actor had bought the beach house next to hers. She should have just bought it herself when it went on the market. If she had, she could have avoided the drama he was undoubtedly going to attract to her once secluded section of the coastline.
Karen Kingsbury True Crime Novels
by Karen Kingsbury
Rating: 4.3 #ad
Four chilling true crime novels by a #1 New York Times–bestselling author and former Los Angeles Times reporter.
Final Vows: Murder, Madness, and Twisted Justice in California
Deadly Pretender: The Double Life of David Miller
The Snake and the Spider: Abduction and Murder in Daytona Beach
Missy’s Murder: Passion, Betrayal, and Murder in Southern California
Game On
by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4.6 #ad
When Stephanie Plum is woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of footsteps in her apartment, she wishes she didn’t keep her gun in the cookie jar in her kitchen. And when she finds out the intruder is fellow apprehension agent Diesel, six feet of hard muscle and bad attitude who she hasn’t seen in more than two years, she still thinks the gun might come in handy.
Turns out Diesel and Stephanie are on the trail of the same fugitive: Oswald Wednesday, an international computer hacker as brilliant as he is ruthless. Stephanie may not be the most technologically savvy sleuth, but she more than makes up for that with her dogged determination, her understanding of human nature, and her willingness to do just about anything to bring a fugitive to justice.
Check out:
(Stephanie Plum Mysteries)
Forest of Shadows
by Hunter Shea
Rating: 4.1 #ad
The dead still hate!
John Backman specializes in inexplicable phenomena. The weirder the better. So when he gets a letter from a terrified man describing an old log home with odd whisperings, shadows that come alive, and rooms that disappear, he can’t resist the call. But the violence only escalates as soon as John arrives in the remote Alaskan village of Shida. Something dreadful happened there. Something monstrous. The shadows are closing in…and they’re out for blood.
Check out:
(Jessica Backman’s Death in the Afterlife Mysteries)
The Secret, Book & Scone Society
by Ellery Adams
Rating: 4.4 #ad
A quirky club in small-town North Carolina holds the keys to health, happiness, friendship—and even solving a murder—all to be found within the pages of the right book…
Strangers flock to Miracle Springs hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain. So when a visiting businessman reaches out for guidance, Nora knows exactly how to help. But before he can keep their appointment, he’s found dead on the train tracks.