BEDLAM AT THE BRICKYARD
Edited by Brenda Robertson Stewart and Wanda Lou Willis
Bedlam at the Brickyard is a collection of fifteen stories written by some of today s best emerging mystery writers. This delightful collection revolves around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway s 400 Mile stock car race and the festivities that surround it. Each story is separated by a historical narrative or statistical chart to enlighten as well as entertain the reader. All the stories are written by members of the Speed City Indiana Chapter of Sisters in Crime.
Contributing Authors
James Alexander Thom (forward) D. L. Hartmann
S. M. Harding Tamara Phillips
Sherita Saffer Campbell Andrea Smith
Jaci Muzamel M. B. Dabney
Marianne Halbert Victoria A. Stewart
Diana Catt Suzanne Leiphart Joan Bruce S. Ashley Couts
D. B. Reddick Brenda Robertson Stewart
Bedlam at the Brickyard is a collection of fifteen stories written by some of today s best emerging mystery writers. This delightful collection revolves around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway s 400 Mile stock car race and the festivities that surround it. Each story is separated by a historical narrative or statistical chart to enlighten as well as entertain the reader. All the stories are written by members of the Speed City Indiana Chapter of Sisters in Crime.
Contributing Authors
James Alexander Thom (forward) D. L. Hartmann
S. M. Harding Tamara Phillips
Sherita Saffer Campbell Andrea Smith
Jaci Muzamel M. B. Dabney
Marianne Halbert Victoria A. Stewart
Diana Catt Suzanne Leiphart Joan Bruce S. Ashley Couts
D. B. Reddick Brenda Robertson Stewart
100 FAVORITE MYSTERIES OF THE CENTURY
by Jim Huang
Agatha Award Winner for Best Nonfiction of 2000!
Anthony Award Winner for Best Nonfiction of 2000!
Macavity Award Nominee for Best Nonfiction of 2000!
BookSense 76 Pick
The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association list of 100 favorite mysteries of the 20th century represents the accumulated wisdom of the most knowledgeable people in the business. These are the books we most enjoy, the books we present to our customers over and over again, and the books that we ourselves return to when we want to visit with cherished friends.
In this book, we journey through our list of 100, with essays contributed by bookselles across the United States and Canada. The book also features individual booksellers' lists of titles that did not make the list of 100 but should have, insights about mysteries and what our favorites mean to us, a directory of independent booksellers specializing in mysteries and, finally, a shopping list with current publication information about our 100 favorites. A late addition to this season's publishing schedule, 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century is IMBA's holiday gift to our friends in the mystery community.
Agatha Award Winner for Best Nonfiction of 2000!
Anthony Award Winner for Best Nonfiction of 2000!
Macavity Award Nominee for Best Nonfiction of 2000!
BookSense 76 Pick
The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association list of 100 favorite mysteries of the 20th century represents the accumulated wisdom of the most knowledgeable people in the business. These are the books we most enjoy, the books we present to our customers over and over again, and the books that we ourselves return to when we want to visit with cherished friends.
In this book, we journey through our list of 100, with essays contributed by bookselles across the United States and Canada. The book also features individual booksellers' lists of titles that did not make the list of 100 but should have, insights about mysteries and what our favorites mean to us, a directory of independent booksellers specializing in mysteries and, finally, a shopping list with current publication information about our 100 favorites. A late addition to this season's publishing schedule, 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century is IMBA's holiday gift to our friends in the mystery community.
AMBUSH CREEK
by Phil Dunlap
When U.S. Marshal Piedmont Kelly is asked by Cochise Sheriff John Henry Stevens to look into the suspicious activity of three unsavory bounty hunters, he rides into what looks like a battle's aftermath, with bullet holes riddling a ranch house, but no sign of those engaged in the gunplay. Kelly finds nothing to indicate that the mysterious rancher living there fit the description of the bounty hunters' quarry, either. Kelly sets out to locate the missing man. Enlisting the tracking skills of his old friend Spotted Dog - the Chiricahua Apache whose life he once saved - they follow four horses from the rancher's house all the way to Desert Belle, a dusty town that holds grim memories for Kelly. They ride straight into a deadly game where $50,000, several lives, and the survival of the Gilded Lily mine are at stake.
When U.S. Marshal Piedmont Kelly is asked by Cochise Sheriff John Henry Stevens to look into the suspicious activity of three unsavory bounty hunters, he rides into what looks like a battle's aftermath, with bullet holes riddling a ranch house, but no sign of those engaged in the gunplay. Kelly finds nothing to indicate that the mysterious rancher living there fit the description of the bounty hunters' quarry, either. Kelly sets out to locate the missing man. Enlisting the tracking skills of his old friend Spotted Dog - the Chiricahua Apache whose life he once saved - they follow four horses from the rancher's house all the way to Desert Belle, a dusty town that holds grim memories for Kelly. They ride straight into a deadly game where $50,000, several lives, and the survival of the Gilded Lily mine are at stake.
ANGELS WHISPER
by Tony Perona
From Booklist: Formerly an investigative reporter for the Indianapolis Standard, Nick Bertetto is now a freelance writer and stay-at-home dad. His last investigation resulted in the kidnapping of his wife, Joan, who now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, necessitating Nick's abandoning his investigative work. That changes when a homeless man makes a cryptic comment to Nick about Indiana state representative Calvin Cahill, who has been missing for several days. With Joan staying with her parents, Nick gets the opportunity to dig deeper. Perona effectively combines an engaging plot, full of the details of investigative reporting, with an appealing hero who must balance his love for his wife against his desire to return to a job he also loves. The second in a series to watch. Sue O'Brien
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Booklist: Formerly an investigative reporter for the Indianapolis Standard, Nick Bertetto is now a freelance writer and stay-at-home dad. His last investigation resulted in the kidnapping of his wife, Joan, who now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, necessitating Nick's abandoning his investigative work. That changes when a homeless man makes a cryptic comment to Nick about Indiana state representative Calvin Cahill, who has been missing for several days. With Joan staying with her parents, Nick gets the opportunity to dig deeper. Perona effectively combines an engaging plot, full of the details of investigative reporting, with an appealing hero who must balance his love for his wife against his desire to return to a job he also loves. The second in a series to watch. Sue O'Brien
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
BLIND-SIDED
by Monette Michaels
Jeanette LaFleur, newly graduated and qualified as an ophthalmic technologist, starts her dream job as Clinical Coordinator for the Epi Project. When she discovers irregularities in record keeping for the project, she chalks it up to her predecessors’ lack of organization and sets about fixing the problems.
But when she finds that records are missing or maybe never even existed, she takes her concerns to her boss, Dr. Byron Rutherford, the charismatic head of the project and a nationally renowned corneal specialist. While he expresses his concern, he assures her that it must all be a matter of poor record keeping and gives her carte blanche to fix the problems.
Except the problems aren’t easily fixed.
As she digs deeper with the help of her current boyfriend, lawyer Charles Carter, and her deceased husband’s best friend, Dr. Scott Fontenot, she becomes convinced that the project is a front for illegal activities. Medical negligence, fraud, and money laundering are just the tip of the ice berg. It is when the trio discovers that illegal body parts, and not just the corneas needed for the Epi Project, are being brokered through a corporation owned by Dr. Rutherford and a South American doctor that murder raises its ugly head.
Now Jeanette is running for her life, as Scott endangers his by traveling to Brazil to find enough evidence to convict the highly esteemed Rutherford.
From the corrupt streets of New Orleans to the steamy plains and jungles of Brazil, Blind-Sided twists and turns as torturously as the snakes that swim the bayous of Louisiana.
Jeanette LaFleur, newly graduated and qualified as an ophthalmic technologist, starts her dream job as Clinical Coordinator for the Epi Project. When she discovers irregularities in record keeping for the project, she chalks it up to her predecessors’ lack of organization and sets about fixing the problems.
But when she finds that records are missing or maybe never even existed, she takes her concerns to her boss, Dr. Byron Rutherford, the charismatic head of the project and a nationally renowned corneal specialist. While he expresses his concern, he assures her that it must all be a matter of poor record keeping and gives her carte blanche to fix the problems.
Except the problems aren’t easily fixed.
As she digs deeper with the help of her current boyfriend, lawyer Charles Carter, and her deceased husband’s best friend, Dr. Scott Fontenot, she becomes convinced that the project is a front for illegal activities. Medical negligence, fraud, and money laundering are just the tip of the ice berg. It is when the trio discovers that illegal body parts, and not just the corneas needed for the Epi Project, are being brokered through a corporation owned by Dr. Rutherford and a South American doctor that murder raises its ugly head.
Now Jeanette is running for her life, as Scott endangers his by traveling to Brazil to find enough evidence to convict the highly esteemed Rutherford.
From the corrupt streets of New Orleans to the steamy plains and jungles of Brazil, Blind-Sided twists and turns as torturously as the snakes that swim the bayous of Louisiana.
BLOOD ON THE RIMROCK
by Phil Dunlap
From Publishers Weekly: In this solid western from veteran Dunlap, Deputy U.S. Marshal Piedmont Kelly is suspicious when drifter George Alvord shows up at his Arizona desert campsite; Kelly ties up Alvord for the night, and the next morning finds Alvord stabbed and his saddle bags gone. He sets out to catch the killer, and on the first day comes across Spotted Dog, an elderly Apache crippled by a bullet who claims to have been shot by his own people, who see him as a traitor. Once Kelly brings Spotted Dog into town, however, Sheriff Drago identifies the old man as one of the Apaches who robbed the Overland Stage of $10,000 and killed four people. Kelly suspects Drago knows more about the money than the Apache ever did, and the story moves ahead steadily, with Drago's vile sidekick, Cloyd, providing some squirms. Dunlap delivers few surprises, but a likable hero in Kelly. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Publishers Weekly: In this solid western from veteran Dunlap, Deputy U.S. Marshal Piedmont Kelly is suspicious when drifter George Alvord shows up at his Arizona desert campsite; Kelly ties up Alvord for the night, and the next morning finds Alvord stabbed and his saddle bags gone. He sets out to catch the killer, and on the first day comes across Spotted Dog, an elderly Apache crippled by a bullet who claims to have been shot by his own people, who see him as a traitor. Once Kelly brings Spotted Dog into town, however, Sheriff Drago identifies the old man as one of the Apaches who robbed the Overland Stage of $10,000 and killed four people. Kelly suspects Drago knows more about the money than the Apache ever did, and the story moves ahead steadily, with Drago's vile sidekick, Cloyd, providing some squirms. Dunlap delivers few surprises, but a likable hero in Kelly. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
CALL OF THE GUN
by Phil Dunlap
One hot summer evening in 1877, the residents of a small Colorado mining town watched in horror as an upstart gunslinger named Creeg Bedloe deliberately goaded an unsuspecting young Mexican into drawing on him, resulting in the man's being cut down in one smoky blast from Bedloe's deadly six-shooter. His death would be but the first in a long line of bloody encounters involving a very special, uniquely-designed .45 caliber Colt Peacemaker that would pass fatefully from one hand to another, and invariably with each transition, someone would end up dead.
From its first owner to its last, the Colt became the instrument of destruction favored by men who were spellbound by the power it held over them, almost as if they drew strength from the nickel-plated revolver with the carved ivory grips. U. S. Marshal "Ivory John" Morgan is driven to break the spell of the Colt, and overcome those who view dealing death as their calling. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
One hot summer evening in 1877, the residents of a small Colorado mining town watched in horror as an upstart gunslinger named Creeg Bedloe deliberately goaded an unsuspecting young Mexican into drawing on him, resulting in the man's being cut down in one smoky blast from Bedloe's deadly six-shooter. His death would be but the first in a long line of bloody encounters involving a very special, uniquely-designed .45 caliber Colt Peacemaker that would pass fatefully from one hand to another, and invariably with each transition, someone would end up dead.
From its first owner to its last, the Colt became the instrument of destruction favored by men who were spellbound by the power it held over them, almost as if they drew strength from the nickel-plated revolver with the carved ivory grips. U. S. Marshal "Ivory John" Morgan is driven to break the spell of the Colt, and overcome those who view dealing death as their calling. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
CHASING GHOSTS
by Lee Driver
What if everything you knew about your past was wrong? What if who you thought you were was all a lie? In CHASING GHOSTS Dagger comes face-to-face with his past in the form of an intruder who first wants to hire him, then tries to kill him. What prompted this response? The answer lies in a series of numbers which triggers Dagger's memory and leads him to a remote city...one mile below the surface, technologically advanced yet abandoned. Or is it? The fourth book in the Chase Dagger series combines mystery with a dash of sci-fi. "Shapeshifters are the stuff of high fantasy but somehow Driver keeps things firmly in the real world." --Booklist
What if everything you knew about your past was wrong? What if who you thought you were was all a lie? In CHASING GHOSTS Dagger comes face-to-face with his past in the form of an intruder who first wants to hire him, then tries to kill him. What prompted this response? The answer lies in a series of numbers which triggers Dagger's memory and leads him to a remote city...one mile below the surface, technologically advanced yet abandoned. Or is it? The fourth book in the Chase Dagger series combines mystery with a dash of sci-fi. "Shapeshifters are the stuff of high fantasy but somehow Driver keeps things firmly in the real world." --Booklist
DEATH BENEFITS
by Monette Michaels
Everybody dies sooner or later. It's the people dying sooner that cause attorney Mici Smith and Dr. Rob Craig to work together to seek answers. Mici's response to Elinor Grace's death and the Grace family's suspicions that she was murdered is, as always, thorough. What she doesn't realize is that obtaining the exhumation order for Elinor's body will be opening the proverbial Pandora's box. Like Pandora, her life will never be the same again. At the behest of the Grace family, Mici hires Rob to perform the autopsy. Rob finds that Elinor has been poisoned with nicotine. His gut tells him it is neither suicide nor an accident. After the police refuse to look into Elinor Grace's suspicious death, Rob and Mici start down the twisted path to discover who would want to kill the elderly woman. Did the person who killed Elinor Grace also kill the Medical Director of the viatical insurance company which had bought her life insurance policy? Was Elinor killed as part of a scheme to make money for an unscrupulous CEO? Or was she killed for something she knew? Who is Master X and why does he want to kill Mici and Rob? How is Mici's evil father involved in the deaths? The answers to these questions lead the couple to a scene right out of Edgar Allen Poe, complete with a dark and stormy night, baying hounds and a crypt.
Everybody dies sooner or later. It's the people dying sooner that cause attorney Mici Smith and Dr. Rob Craig to work together to seek answers. Mici's response to Elinor Grace's death and the Grace family's suspicions that she was murdered is, as always, thorough. What she doesn't realize is that obtaining the exhumation order for Elinor's body will be opening the proverbial Pandora's box. Like Pandora, her life will never be the same again. At the behest of the Grace family, Mici hires Rob to perform the autopsy. Rob finds that Elinor has been poisoned with nicotine. His gut tells him it is neither suicide nor an accident. After the police refuse to look into Elinor Grace's suspicious death, Rob and Mici start down the twisted path to discover who would want to kill the elderly woman. Did the person who killed Elinor Grace also kill the Medical Director of the viatical insurance company which had bought her life insurance policy? Was Elinor killed as part of a scheme to make money for an unscrupulous CEO? Or was she killed for something she knew? Who is Master X and why does he want to kill Mici and Rob? How is Mici's evil father involved in the deaths? The answers to these questions lead the couple to a scene right out of Edgar Allen Poe, complete with a dark and stormy night, baying hounds and a crypt.
DEATH OF A HOOSIER SCHOOLMASTER
by Marlis Day
From Publishers Weekly: Language arts teacher Margo Brown, who tracked down the killer of one of her students in Why Johnny Died, finds herself drawn into amateur sleuthing again in Marlis Day's Death of a Hoosier Schoolmaster, this time because she discovers an old gun buried in her garden. Believing it was used to kill the titular fellow some five decades earlier, Margo and her pal Roxie set out to find the truth behind the unsolved murder but it quickly becomes clear that the case has present-day significance.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Publishers Weekly: Language arts teacher Margo Brown, who tracked down the killer of one of her students in Why Johnny Died, finds herself drawn into amateur sleuthing again in Marlis Day's Death of a Hoosier Schoolmaster, this time because she discovers an old gun buried in her garden. Believing it was used to kill the titular fellow some five decades earlier, Margo and her pal Roxie set out to find the truth behind the unsolved murder but it quickly becomes clear that the case has present-day significance.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
DERBY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
with a story by Brenda Robertson Stewart
Featuring stories by Kit Ehrman, Tamera Huber, Sandra Cerow Leonard, Elaine Munsch, Beverle Graves Myers, P. J. Robertson, Brenda Stewart, and Laura Young, this collection explores a world of danger and deceit against the backdrop of fast horses, beautiful women, and great bourbon; where Churchill Downs becomes the site of a murderous scavenger hunt, horses are threatened with West Nile Virus, and the Derby Diamond disappears from the neck of its current owner.
Featuring stories by Kit Ehrman, Tamera Huber, Sandra Cerow Leonard, Elaine Munsch, Beverle Graves Myers, P. J. Robertson, Brenda Stewart, and Laura Young, this collection explores a world of danger and deceit against the backdrop of fast horses, beautiful women, and great bourbon; where Churchill Downs becomes the site of a murderous scavenger hunt, horses are threatened with West Nile Virus, and the Derby Diamond disappears from the neck of its current owner.
DESTINY'S MAGICK
by Rae Morgan
Drake Morgan is a witch. He is also the leader of the largest and most powerful coven in the United States. As he fights enemies, both without and within, he continues his search for the one woman, his complement, who can help him protect his people from the dark machinations of a twisted follower of chaos magick.
Drake Morgan is a witch. He is also the leader of the largest and most powerful coven in the United States. As he fights enemies, both without and within, he continues his search for the one woman, his complement, who can help him protect his people from the dark machinations of a twisted follower of chaos magick.
ECHOES FROM THE GRAVE
by S. D. Tooley
A construction site is transformed into an archeological dig when skeletal remains and artifacts are uncovered. Former homicide detective, Samantha Casey, turns the case into turmoil when she announces that not all the remains are centuries old. One was the victim of a hit and run three years ago. How does she know? The victim told her. Rich in Native American history of the Illinois/Indiana region with a dash of paranormal intrigue, Echoes from the Grave is the fourth in the award-winning Sam Casey Series.
A construction site is transformed into an archeological dig when skeletal remains and artifacts are uncovered. Former homicide detective, Samantha Casey, turns the case into turmoil when she announces that not all the remains are centuries old. One was the victim of a hit and run three years ago. How does she know? The victim told her. Rich in Native American history of the Illinois/Indiana region with a dash of paranormal intrigue, Echoes from the Grave is the fourth in the award-winning Sam Casey Series.
EDGE OF NIGHT
by Rae Morgan
Security specialist Kai Axton blends into the night, a mist-like shadowy image of his human form. Because of his freakish nature, he feels doomed to live his life alone--until he meets Sian York.
Sian is not who or what she seems; her past shrouded in a veil of mystery. As Kai prepares to make his move to claim her, Sian’s past explodes onto the scene, forcing Kai to reveal his darkest secrets. Can Sian accept Kai’s nature, or will he be doomed to live in the shadow world, forever alone?
Security specialist Kai Axton blends into the night, a mist-like shadowy image of his human form. Because of his freakish nature, he feels doomed to live his life alone--until he meets Sian York.
Sian is not who or what she seems; her past shrouded in a veil of mystery. As Kai prepares to make his move to claim her, Sian’s past explodes onto the scene, forcing Kai to reveal his darkest secrets. Can Sian accept Kai’s nature, or will he be doomed to live in the shadow world, forever alone?
FATAL REVENGE
by Phil Dunlap
US Marshall Piedmont Kelly is looking into a year-old murder after a gold watch with an inscription linking it to a dead rancher, Albert Bourbonette, is discovered by a constable. Intrigued by the first clue in the murder, Kelly's determined to get to the bottom of it.
The watch was found in the pocket of a man killed in a saloon confrontation. Witness descriptions lead Kelly to the two remaining Bourbonette brothers, who may be trying to track down and kill every member of the gang of raiders they think robbed and shot Albert. When Kelly rides into the small town of Purdy, he finds evidence that the gang is still operating, working out of a nearby ranch that acts as a front for their illegal activities. But he is puzzled by the disappearance of Bourbonette and why they stuck around just long enough to seek out and shoot only one of the gang.
US Marshall Piedmont Kelly is looking into a year-old murder after a gold watch with an inscription linking it to a dead rancher, Albert Bourbonette, is discovered by a constable. Intrigued by the first clue in the murder, Kelly's determined to get to the bottom of it.
The watch was found in the pocket of a man killed in a saloon confrontation. Witness descriptions lead Kelly to the two remaining Bourbonette brothers, who may be trying to track down and kill every member of the gang of raiders they think robbed and shot Albert. When Kelly rides into the small town of Purdy, he finds evidence that the gang is still operating, working out of a nearby ranch that acts as a front for their illegal activities. But he is puzzled by the disappearance of Bourbonette and why they stuck around just long enough to seek out and shoot only one of the gang.
FATAL VISION
by Monette Michaels
Having psychic abilities isn't all that great, as Morgan Tarrant could testify. They already cost her a normal family life, several jobs, and lots of moving around. Vowing to keep her psychic abilities a secret, she moves one last time to French Creek, Indiana. However, she didn't count on evil from her past following her.
After his last undercover job almost cost him his life, Detective Gabriel Walsh moves to French Creek to escape big city problems. He soon learns that evil isn't picky about where it lives or whom it threatens. For several years, Darien Storm enjoyed using his minor psychic abilities and a con artist's tricks to bilk the public as the Messiah. By the time he reaches French Creek, he's tiring of the gig and ready to move on. Then, opportunity knocks. Morgan is beautiful, rich and holds the promise of powers he can only imagine. He lusts for her, and nothing will stand in his way to possess her. Forced to confront the evil which invades her world, Morgan triumphs and gains a treasure worth more than gold.
Having psychic abilities isn't all that great, as Morgan Tarrant could testify. They already cost her a normal family life, several jobs, and lots of moving around. Vowing to keep her psychic abilities a secret, she moves one last time to French Creek, Indiana. However, she didn't count on evil from her past following her.
After his last undercover job almost cost him his life, Detective Gabriel Walsh moves to French Creek to escape big city problems. He soon learns that evil isn't picky about where it lives or whom it threatens. For several years, Darien Storm enjoyed using his minor psychic abilities and a con artist's tricks to bilk the public as the Messiah. By the time he reaches French Creek, he's tiring of the gig and ready to move on. Then, opportunity knocks. Morgan is beautiful, rich and holds the promise of powers he can only imagine. He lusts for her, and nothing will stand in his way to possess her. Forced to confront the evil which invades her world, Morgan triumphs and gains a treasure worth more than gold.
FULL MOON BLOODY MOON
by Lee Driver
Froom Booklist: Like its predecessor in the series, The Good Die Twice [BKL O 15 99], this second Chase Dagger novel cleverly combines mystery and fantasy. Dagger, a Cedar Point, Indiana, private investigator, has a special sidekick: Sara Morningsky, an 18-year-old girl with the ability to change into a variety of animals. Shape-shifters are the stuff of high fantasy, but somehow Driver, who (as S. D. Tooley) also writes the Sam Casey mysteries, keeps things firmly in the real world. She has crafted a smart story--a serial killer who's been operating for years may be a shape-shifter himself--and, despite its unusual trappings, it's as satisfying and realistic as any more-traditional mystery. Chase and Sara make a good team (there's just a hint of a will-they/won't-they romantic subplot), and Driver keeps us wondering if the killer really is a shape-shifter. The appeal of cross-genre novels is sometimes difficult to target, but this one should have no trouble attracting readers from either the mystery or the fantasy side of the fence. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
Froom Booklist: Like its predecessor in the series, The Good Die Twice [BKL O 15 99], this second Chase Dagger novel cleverly combines mystery and fantasy. Dagger, a Cedar Point, Indiana, private investigator, has a special sidekick: Sara Morningsky, an 18-year-old girl with the ability to change into a variety of animals. Shape-shifters are the stuff of high fantasy, but somehow Driver, who (as S. D. Tooley) also writes the Sam Casey mysteries, keeps things firmly in the real world. She has crafted a smart story--a serial killer who's been operating for years may be a shape-shifter himself--and, despite its unusual trappings, it's as satisfying and realistic as any more-traditional mystery. Chase and Sara make a good team (there's just a hint of a will-they/won't-they romantic subplot), and Driver keeps us wondering if the killer really is a shape-shifter. The appeal of cross-genre novels is sometimes difficult to target, but this one should have no trouble attracting readers from either the mystery or the fantasy side of the fence. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
GREEN FIRE
by Monette Michaels
2003 Dream Realm Award Finalist!
2003 CAPA Romance Studio Nominee!
She is the MacDougall--guardian of a fabulous treasure and possessor of stone powers. He is an intense DEA agent with a hidden agenda in his pursuit of drug lord Manual Norda. Fate brings them together in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains where they forge a magical union. A union that has the potential to destroy them both.
2003 Dream Realm Award Finalist!
2003 CAPA Romance Studio Nominee!
She is the MacDougall--guardian of a fabulous treasure and possessor of stone powers. He is an intense DEA agent with a hidden agenda in his pursuit of drug lord Manual Norda. Fate brings them together in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains where they forge a magical union. A union that has the potential to destroy them both.
HAUNTED HOOSIER TRAILS
by Wanda Lou Willis
Wanda Lou Willis takes readers on a frightening journey across Indiana, exploring haunted houses, rivers, and other locations. Supplemented with excellent original maps, photos, and illustrations, Haunted Hoosier Trails is a collection of spooky tales and real-life horror stories that doubles as a Halloween travel guide.
Wanda Lou Willis takes readers on a frightening journey across Indiana, exploring haunted houses, rivers, and other locations. Supplemented with excellent original maps, photos, and illustrations, Haunted Hoosier Trails is a collection of spooky tales and real-life horror stories that doubles as a Halloween travel guide.
LOVE KILLS
with stories by Marianne Halbert and D.B. Reddick
MEDIUM OF MURDER
with stories by Dianna Catt, S.M. Harding, and D.B. Reddick
National Best Book Award finalist (USA Book News)
18 Brand-new mystery/suspense short stories involving mediums, mass media, and unusual means of murder. While most are set in the present in diverse cities and small towns across America, there are also glimpses of past eras and exotic locations. Contributors include: Kris Neri, Gay Toltl Kinman, Gary Earl Ross, Frank Zafiro and 14 other talented writers. Latest entry in Red Coyote's anthology series (Medley of Murder, Map of Murder).
National Best Book Award finalist (USA Book News)
18 Brand-new mystery/suspense short stories involving mediums, mass media, and unusual means of murder. While most are set in the present in diverse cities and small towns across America, there are also glimpses of past eras and exotic locations. Contributors include: Kris Neri, Gay Toltl Kinman, Gary Earl Ross, Frank Zafiro and 14 other talented writers. Latest entry in Red Coyote's anthology series (Medley of Murder, Map of Murder).
MOON MAGICK
by Rae Morgan
The Summer Solstice draws near. Soon the line between dark and light, evil and good, will be at its thinnest. For many weeks, Coven of the Wolf witch Brenna Lindsay has sensed evil spreading its foul roots in her little Southern Indiana community. She notifies Drake Morgan, the Coven leader, and he sends Boris and Igor, the twin shape shifters to investigate.
The Summer Solstice draws near. Soon the line between dark and light, evil and good, will be at its thinnest. For many weeks, Coven of the Wolf witch Brenna Lindsay has sensed evil spreading its foul roots in her little Southern Indiana community. She notifies Drake Morgan, the Coven leader, and he sends Boris and Igor, the twin shape shifters to investigate.
MORE HAUNTED HOOSIER TRAILS
by Wanda Lou Willis
Indiana folklorist Wanda Lou Willis is back with all-new ghostly tales in this hair-raising companion to Haunted Hoosier Trails. Wanda explores Indiana's hidden history in spooky locations around the state. Local history buffs will relish the informative county histories that begin each chapter, while thrill-seekers will eagerly search out these frightening spots. More Haunted Hoosier Trails is perfect year-round for raising goose-bumps around the campfire or reading under the covers with a flashlight.
Indiana folklorist Wanda Lou Willis is back with all-new ghostly tales in this hair-raising companion to Haunted Hoosier Trails. Wanda explores Indiana's hidden history in spooky locations around the state. Local history buffs will relish the informative county histories that begin each chapter, while thrill-seekers will eagerly search out these frightening spots. More Haunted Hoosier Trails is perfect year-round for raising goose-bumps around the campfire or reading under the covers with a flashlight.
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
by S.D. Tooley
A staunch opponent of gambling is found murdered on a riverboat casino. The second in the Sam Casey Series and winner of ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award for Best Mystery.
A staunch opponent of gambling is found murdered on a riverboat casino. The second in the Sam Casey Series and winner of ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award for Best Mystery.
ORGANIZING CRIME: THE MYSTERY COMPANY'S GUIDE TO SERIES
by Jim Huang and Austin Lugar
POWER IN THE BLOOD
by Brenda Robertson Stewart
Power in the Blood is the first novel in a series featuring Lettie Sue Wolfe, a forensic artist specializing in facial reconstruction for identification purposes. She has been widowed and has returned to southern Indiana to live close to two nonagenarian neighbors. They find themselves knee-deep in murder and mayhem in their seemingly peaceful community which they inhabit with greedy businessmen and religious snake handlers.
Power in the Blood is the first novel in a series featuring Lettie Sue Wolfe, a forensic artist specializing in facial reconstruction for identification purposes. She has been widowed and has returned to southern Indiana to live close to two nonagenarian neighbors. They find themselves knee-deep in murder and mayhem in their seemingly peaceful community which they inhabit with greedy businessmen and religious snake handlers.
PRIME OBSESSION
by Monette Michaels
Melina Dmitros is a seasoned battleship captain for the Galactic Alliance. Calls from ships in distress are not all that uncommon in the outermost spirals of the Milky Way. Calls from the warlike Prime were. Now that they were allies, Mel figures she’d better get used to working in conjunction with the chauvinistic race. She never expected to be attracted to one of them.
The Prime, one of the oldest species in the galaxy, were known for going their own way. But with problems on Cejuru Prime and increasing attacks by the Antareans, the Prime joined the Alliance to lend their expertise in battling the warlike reptilian species--and ultimately, to survive as a race.
Captain Wulf Caradoc, the eldest son and heir apparent of the Prime leader, looked forward to the trip to the Alliance ambassadorial planet. His mission is ostensibly to deliver the diplomatic team to the new Prime embassy. His real mission is to meet his fated mate, his gemate, one of the Lost Ones. Wulf hadn’t anticipated the diplomatic mission being attacked by pirates--and he especially hadn’t anticipated his gemate, Melina Dmitros, being the one sent to rescue his ship.
Two strong people pulled together by biology and fate. Their union will be forged in a crucible of survival, treachery and duty.
Melina Dmitros is a seasoned battleship captain for the Galactic Alliance. Calls from ships in distress are not all that uncommon in the outermost spirals of the Milky Way. Calls from the warlike Prime were. Now that they were allies, Mel figures she’d better get used to working in conjunction with the chauvinistic race. She never expected to be attracted to one of them.
The Prime, one of the oldest species in the galaxy, were known for going their own way. But with problems on Cejuru Prime and increasing attacks by the Antareans, the Prime joined the Alliance to lend their expertise in battling the warlike reptilian species--and ultimately, to survive as a race.
Captain Wulf Caradoc, the eldest son and heir apparent of the Prime leader, looked forward to the trip to the Alliance ambassadorial planet. His mission is ostensibly to deliver the diplomatic team to the new Prime embassy. His real mission is to meet his fated mate, his gemate, one of the Lost Ones. Wulf hadn’t anticipated the diplomatic mission being attacked by pirates--and he especially hadn’t anticipated his gemate, Melina Dmitros, being the one sent to rescue his ship.
Two strong people pulled together by biology and fate. Their union will be forged in a crucible of survival, treachery and duty.
RESTLESS SPIRIT
by S.D. Tooley
From Library Journal: During a visit to a Chasen Heights construction site, Samantha "Sam" Casey, a suspended Native American cop with psychic powers, "sees" the stabbing of a young woman. Her subsequent sleuthing reopens a 17-year-old, apparently cut-and-dry rape-murder, for which the wrong man is about to be executed. Sam and husband Jake, also a detective, eventually back up her vision with concrete clues, all the while side-stepping intrusive media, disbelieving family, and political maneuverings. An exciting mix of police procedure, spiritual "intuition," creeping suspense, and page-turning narrative, this series (When the Dead Speak) title rates essential. The Chicago-based author also writes the Chase Dagger mysteries as Lee Driver.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal: During a visit to a Chasen Heights construction site, Samantha "Sam" Casey, a suspended Native American cop with psychic powers, "sees" the stabbing of a young woman. Her subsequent sleuthing reopens a 17-year-old, apparently cut-and-dry rape-murder, for which the wrong man is about to be executed. Sam and husband Jake, also a detective, eventually back up her vision with concrete clues, all the while side-stepping intrusive media, disbelieving family, and political maneuverings. An exciting mix of police procedure, spiritual "intuition," creeping suspense, and page-turning narrative, this series (When the Dead Speak) title rates essential. The Chicago-based author also writes the Chase Dagger mysteries as Lee Driver.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
SAINTLY REMAINS
by Tony Perona
From Booklist: Freelance investigative reporter Nick Bertetto and his wife and young daughter are visiting his in-laws in Jasper, Indiana, when his mother-in-law’s cat comes home after having been skinned alive. After a furious Nick vows to find out who tortured the cat, he learns other cats and dogs in the area have turned up missing or hurt. When the body of a teenager who died in a Columbine-like shooting spree turns up missing from her grave, Nick is asked to report on the case for his newspaper. As he investigates, trying to scoop the local reporter, he hears rumors of a cult operating in the area and begins to wonder if the grave-robbing and animal abuse are connected. This third in the series has a well-developed, likable main character and a fast-paced plot with a touch of the supernatural. Pet owners, however, may be put off by the animal torture. --Sue O'Brien
From Booklist: Freelance investigative reporter Nick Bertetto and his wife and young daughter are visiting his in-laws in Jasper, Indiana, when his mother-in-law’s cat comes home after having been skinned alive. After a furious Nick vows to find out who tortured the cat, he learns other cats and dogs in the area have turned up missing or hurt. When the body of a teenager who died in a Columbine-like shooting spree turns up missing from her grave, Nick is asked to report on the case for his newspaper. As he investigates, trying to scoop the local reporter, he hears rumors of a cult operating in the area and begins to wonder if the grave-robbing and animal abuse are connected. This third in the series has a well-developed, likable main character and a fast-paced plot with a touch of the supernatural. Pet owners, however, may be put off by the animal torture. --Sue O'Brien
SECOND ADVENT
by Tony Perona
The shocking suicide of the beloved and wealthy patriarch of his Indiana hometown lures investigative reporter Nick Bertetto briefly out of his new role as a stay-at-home dad to take a closer look. The dead man left a will that bequeathed a huge sume of money to a religious organization called Children of the Second Advent, now run by his granddaughter Martha, a beautiful woman who also happens to be Nick's old flame. Martha is convinced her grandfather was murdered. Nick soon comes to the chilling realization that Martha has the most to gain by a murder investigation--especially since her grandfather's generous bequest to her organization is void if his death is ruled a suicide. Nick receives a warning to back off--or else--leaving no doubt that sinister motivfes are at work. Soon a dark picture of fanaticism, con artists, "miracles" and cold hard cash lead Nick closer to a killer dead set on making sure there will be no second coming. . .or second chances, for Nick.
The shocking suicide of the beloved and wealthy patriarch of his Indiana hometown lures investigative reporter Nick Bertetto briefly out of his new role as a stay-at-home dad to take a closer look. The dead man left a will that bequeathed a huge sume of money to a religious organization called Children of the Second Advent, now run by his granddaughter Martha, a beautiful woman who also happens to be Nick's old flame. Martha is convinced her grandfather was murdered. Nick soon comes to the chilling realization that Martha has the most to gain by a murder investigation--especially since her grandfather's generous bequest to her organization is void if his death is ruled a suicide. Nick receives a warning to back off--or else--leaving no doubt that sinister motivfes are at work. Soon a dark picture of fanaticism, con artists, "miracles" and cold hard cash lead Nick closer to a killer dead set on making sure there will be no second coming. . .or second chances, for Nick.
THE CASE OF THE VIRTUOUS VAMPIRE
by Monette Michaels
A Gooden and Knight Paranormal Mystery
Abigail Merriweather Gooden isn’t your typical Austin, Texas lawyer. Sure she has the so very chic law offices on West 6th Street and the prominent social status that comes from old Texas money, but she also has magic with a "k." Abbie, after all, is a witch. So it isn’t surprising that the preternatural community sends all its legal matters to her. Such is the case with Jurnik Golub, owner of Exotica, a popular Austin gentlemen’s club. Jurnik is a vampire--and someone has attempted to frame him for the murder of one of his strippers. All lawyers like innocent clients--and Jurnik is definitely innocent, being that he was sleeping the sleep of the undead during the time of the murder. Abbie, along with Lucan Knight, the shape-shifter private detective Jurnik has hired, must race to find "whodunnit" before the Austin police haul Jurnik in--and he becomes one crispy client.
A Gooden and Knight Paranormal Mystery
Abigail Merriweather Gooden isn’t your typical Austin, Texas lawyer. Sure she has the so very chic law offices on West 6th Street and the prominent social status that comes from old Texas money, but she also has magic with a "k." Abbie, after all, is a witch. So it isn’t surprising that the preternatural community sends all its legal matters to her. Such is the case with Jurnik Golub, owner of Exotica, a popular Austin gentlemen’s club. Jurnik is a vampire--and someone has attempted to frame him for the murder of one of his strippers. All lawyers like innocent clients--and Jurnik is definitely innocent, being that he was sleeping the sleep of the undead during the time of the murder. Abbie, along with Lucan Knight, the shape-shifter private detective Jurnik has hired, must race to find "whodunnit" before the Austin police haul Jurnik in--and he becomes one crispy client.
THE CURRICULUM MURDERS
by Marlis Day
This killer has his own lethal lesson plan.
Margo Brown’s community is stunned when a teacher’s body is found floating face-down in the school pool. Margo, teacher and amateur sleuth, refuses to accept the official ruling of "accidental death" – especially since now two teachers have turned up dead on Homecoming Day, a year apart. Convinced that a serial killer is stalking his former instructors, Margo attempts to deduce the next victim and intercept the killer before he strikes again. Margo will have to act quickly: Homecoming celebrations are only a few days away. An enticing thriller laced with suspense and humor, The Curriculum Murders is the third in a series featuring academic detective Margo Brown.
This killer has his own lethal lesson plan.
Margo Brown’s community is stunned when a teacher’s body is found floating face-down in the school pool. Margo, teacher and amateur sleuth, refuses to accept the official ruling of "accidental death" – especially since now two teachers have turned up dead on Homecoming Day, a year apart. Convinced that a serial killer is stalking his former instructors, Margo attempts to deduce the next victim and intercept the killer before he strikes again. Margo will have to act quickly: Homecoming celebrations are only a few days away. An enticing thriller laced with suspense and humor, The Curriculum Murders is the third in a series featuring academic detective Margo Brown.
THE DEATH OF DESERT BELLE
by Phil Dunlap
In the dusty Arizona hamlet of Desert Belle, a mysterious explosion levels half of the adobe jail. It appears the notorious Bishop brothers have made good on their threat to escape before they could be brought to trial. At least it had looked that way until two bodies were found crushed beyond recognition beneath the thick slabs of adobe wall. While the sheriff says good riddance, others aren't so sure the Bishops are really gone for good.
Concerned by the details of the blast and for the safety of the townsfolk if the brothers did get out alive, Marshal Piedmont Kelly---the man who put the Bishops away in the first place---rides for Desert Belle, quickly finding himself the target of those who don't want the mystery solved. Meanwhile, not far away, two teenage boys inadvertently come face-to-face with a gunslinger who demands they leave town or get shot. The misadventures of the two boys eventually cause them to cross paths with the marshal. The boys and Kelly will have to trust each other and work together in order to save themselves and the town of Desert Belle.
In the dusty Arizona hamlet of Desert Belle, a mysterious explosion levels half of the adobe jail. It appears the notorious Bishop brothers have made good on their threat to escape before they could be brought to trial. At least it had looked that way until two bodies were found crushed beyond recognition beneath the thick slabs of adobe wall. While the sheriff says good riddance, others aren't so sure the Bishops are really gone for good.
Concerned by the details of the blast and for the safety of the townsfolk if the brothers did get out alive, Marshal Piedmont Kelly---the man who put the Bishops away in the first place---rides for Desert Belle, quickly finding himself the target of those who don't want the mystery solved. Meanwhile, not far away, two teenage boys inadvertently come face-to-face with a gunslinger who demands they leave town or get shot. The misadventures of the two boys eventually cause them to cross paths with the marshal. The boys and Kelly will have to trust each other and work together in order to save themselves and the town of Desert Belle.
THE GOOD DIE TWICE
by Lee Driver
From Library Journal: Thirty-year-old, leanly handsome Chicago-area private detective Chase Dagger employs 18-year-old, reservation-raised shape-shifter Sara Morningsky as his assistant in this series debut. As a sleek hawk, Sara witnesses the murder of a beautiful former model who supposedly died at sea some five years earlier. When Sara and Chase delve into her family background, they uncover hidden agendas, rivalries, and greed. The attendant breezy sex, violence, and action, coupled with bits of Indian lore and Einstein the talking macaw, should have readers clamoring for the projected next novel. Lee also writes as Sandra Tooley (When the Dead Speak).
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the hardcover edition
From Library Journal: Thirty-year-old, leanly handsome Chicago-area private detective Chase Dagger employs 18-year-old, reservation-raised shape-shifter Sara Morningsky as his assistant in this series debut. As a sleek hawk, Sara witnesses the murder of a beautiful former model who supposedly died at sea some five years earlier. When Sara and Chase delve into her family background, they uncover hidden agendas, rivalries, and greed. The attendant breezy sex, violence, and action, coupled with bits of Indian lore and Einstein the talking macaw, should have readers clamoring for the projected next novel. Lee also writes as Sandra Tooley (When the Dead Speak).
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the hardcover edition
THE SKULL
by S.D. Tooley
Three 13-year-olds dabble in "CSI" to reveal a town's long-kept secret. The first in the Remy and Roadkill Series. To help practice facial reconstruction, Remy purchases a monkey skull at an estate sale. Curious how the animal died, she enlists the aid of the school's outcast -- a teen with a strange fascination in dead animals. They team up with a runaway and together take a job in the mansion's library. But they have more than shelving books on their minds, because when Remy completed her reconstruction, she discovered that the skull wasn't from an animal. There are others who know the skull is human. And there is one person who will stop at nothing to keep its identity a secret.
Three 13-year-olds dabble in "CSI" to reveal a town's long-kept secret. The first in the Remy and Roadkill Series. To help practice facial reconstruction, Remy purchases a monkey skull at an estate sale. Curious how the animal died, she enlists the aid of the school's outcast -- a teen with a strange fascination in dead animals. They team up with a runaway and together take a job in the mansion's library. But they have more than shelving books on their minds, because when Remy completed her reconstruction, she discovered that the skull wasn't from an animal. There are others who know the skull is human. And there is one person who will stop at nothing to keep its identity a secret.
THE SECRET OF BAILEY'S CHASE
by Marlis Day
When Grey Bailey's parents are suddenly swept away in a flash flood, making her an instant orphan, she is sent halfway across the country to live with relatives in a town called Bailey s Chase. Fortunately, her new family includes a girl just her age, Sparky. It doesn't take the ten-year-old cousins long to become friends, even though they find each other a bit strange. But strange doesn't begin to explain the magical and mysterious events that happen from the moment the girls meet, nothing making sense until they meet a Gypsy woman. She warns them to only use their power for good, swears them to secrecy, and warns them of evil forces that will be their enemies. Armed with only a charm to protect them, they settle into a life of adventure, mystery, and danger in the small Midwestern town.
When Grey Bailey's parents are suddenly swept away in a flash flood, making her an instant orphan, she is sent halfway across the country to live with relatives in a town called Bailey s Chase. Fortunately, her new family includes a girl just her age, Sparky. It doesn't take the ten-year-old cousins long to become friends, even though they find each other a bit strange. But strange doesn't begin to explain the magical and mysterious events that happen from the moment the girls meet, nothing making sense until they meet a Gypsy woman. She warns them to only use their power for good, swears them to secrecy, and warns them of evil forces that will be their enemies. Armed with only a charm to protect them, they settle into a life of adventure, mystery, and danger in the small Midwestern town.
THE UNSEEN
by Lee Driver
Chase Dagger is pulled into several cases that are linked by the most bizarre common denominator: Not one surveillance camera reveals the assailant. Sergeant Padre Martinez believes the assailant is an old nemesis, a computer savvy ex-con who has manipulated cameras in the past. When the body of a research scientist and his wife are discovered, things get complicated. Not only are the ex-con's prints found in the scientist's home, but the deaths also attract the interest of government agencies. Exactly what was the scientist working on and what connection does he have to the other cases? Are the crimes really the skill of a high-tech genius or is there something more sinister at work? Just when the evidence points strongly to Padre's number one suspect, Padre is accused of planting the evidence and removed from the investigation. Enter Chase Dagger. Unusual cases require unusual detectives. Einstein is a scarlet macaw with a photographic memory. Sara is a young ! Native American woman who is a shape-shifter. Together they are either the driving force behind Dagger Investigations or they are going to drive Dagger crazy.
Chase Dagger is pulled into several cases that are linked by the most bizarre common denominator: Not one surveillance camera reveals the assailant. Sergeant Padre Martinez believes the assailant is an old nemesis, a computer savvy ex-con who has manipulated cameras in the past. When the body of a research scientist and his wife are discovered, things get complicated. Not only are the ex-con's prints found in the scientist's home, but the deaths also attract the interest of government agencies. Exactly what was the scientist working on and what connection does he have to the other cases? Are the crimes really the skill of a high-tech genius or is there something more sinister at work? Just when the evidence points strongly to Padre's number one suspect, Padre is accused of planting the evidence and removed from the investigation. Enter Chase Dagger. Unusual cases require unusual detectives. Einstein is a scarlet macaw with a photographic memory. Sara is a young ! Native American woman who is a shape-shifter. Together they are either the driving force behind Dagger Investigations or they are going to drive Dagger crazy.
THEY DIED IN VAIN: OVERLOOKED, UNDERAPPRECIATED AND FORGOTTEN MYSTERY NOVELS
by Jim Huang
Winner of the Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Awards for Best Non-fiction of 2002!
Can't find a good mystery that's not an overhyped bestseller? Then this is the guide for you: They Died in Vain: Overlooked, Underappreciated and Forgotten Mystery Novels, edited by Jim Huang, editor and publisher of The Drood Review. Mystery insiders from Barbara Peters to Dean James offer their picks in more than 100 essay reviews, covering neglected titles from 1878 (Anna Katharine Green's The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer's Story) to 2000 (Lee Child's Running Blind).
Winner of the Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Awards for Best Non-fiction of 2002!
Can't find a good mystery that's not an overhyped bestseller? Then this is the guide for you: They Died in Vain: Overlooked, Underappreciated and Forgotten Mystery Novels, edited by Jim Huang, editor and publisher of The Drood Review. Mystery insiders from Barbara Peters to Dean James offer their picks in more than 100 essay reviews, covering neglected titles from 1878 (Anna Katharine Green's The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer's Story) to 2000 (Lee Child's Running Blind).
VESTED INTERESTS
by Monette Michaels
Indianapolis attorney Brigit Bauer has always fought for the underdog, whether it’s sitting on the historic preservation board or mediating a gangland truce. But those battlegrounds are nothing compared to the web of deceit she uncovers, leading her through a maze of holding companies to the Chicago mob presence in her city. When a client dies in her place, she realizes she may have followed one lead too many.
Tony Pendrake, a former Navy SEAL and owner of T.P. Security, assists Bree in getting to the bottom of the attempts on her life. While Tony and Bree seek the person or persons behind the attacks, the two find themselves thrown into close proximity. The intensity of the situation leads to a relationship between them, but before they can discover where such a relationship could go, Bree’s newfound trust in Tony is tested in a final lethal encounter with the man who wants her dead.
Indianapolis attorney Brigit Bauer has always fought for the underdog, whether it’s sitting on the historic preservation board or mediating a gangland truce. But those battlegrounds are nothing compared to the web of deceit she uncovers, leading her through a maze of holding companies to the Chicago mob presence in her city. When a client dies in her place, she realizes she may have followed one lead too many.
Tony Pendrake, a former Navy SEAL and owner of T.P. Security, assists Bree in getting to the bottom of the attempts on her life. While Tony and Bree seek the person or persons behind the attacks, the two find themselves thrown into close proximity. The intensity of the situation leads to a relationship between them, but before they can discover where such a relationship could go, Bree’s newfound trust in Tony is tested in a final lethal encounter with the man who wants her dead.
WHAT LIES WITHIN
by S.D. Tooley
For seventy years Sin Strip was the place to be in Chasen Heights, Illinois. It offered liquor, gambling, topless dancing, anything the heart desired. It was an age of self-indulgence that began a decline in 1995. But two weeks before the wrecking ball was to destroy one of the remaining landmark hotels, the police make a grisly discovery. Not all of Chasen Heights' secrets were destroyed when Sin Strip was closed down. The fifth book in the award-winning Sam Casey series, which combines mystery with an element of paranormal. "Sam Casey has an advantage over other cops. The dead speak to her,tell her secrets about their life and death. But sometimes what she learns can get her killed."
For seventy years Sin Strip was the place to be in Chasen Heights, Illinois. It offered liquor, gambling, topless dancing, anything the heart desired. It was an age of self-indulgence that began a decline in 1995. But two weeks before the wrecking ball was to destroy one of the remaining landmark hotels, the police make a grisly discovery. Not all of Chasen Heights' secrets were destroyed when Sin Strip was closed down. The fifth book in the award-winning Sam Casey series, which combines mystery with an element of paranormal. "Sam Casey has an advantage over other cops. The dead speak to her,tell her secrets about their life and death. But sometimes what she learns can get her killed."
WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK
by S.D. Tooley
The body of a U.S. soldier reported AWOL during the Korean War is found encased in a concrete pillar in a suburb of Chicago. Sam Casey has an advantage over other cops: the dead speak to her, tell her secrets about their life and death. But sometimes what she learns can get her killed. The first in the Sam Casey series combines an age-old murder, political intrigue, and Native American mysticism.
The body of a U.S. soldier reported AWOL during the Korean War is found encased in a concrete pillar in a suburb of Chicago. Sam Casey has an advantage over other cops: the dead speak to her, tell her secrets about their life and death. But sometimes what she learns can get her killed. The first in the Sam Casey series combines an age-old murder, political intrigue, and Native American mysticism.
WHY JOHNNY DIED
by Marlis Day
A quiet community is shocked when seventh-grader, Johnny Benson, is found dead. It seems that a poisonous snake crawled into his bed and bit the boy while he slept. The boy's death seems to be an unfortunate and tragic accident that no one could have prevented.
A quiet community is shocked when seventh-grader, Johnny Benson, is found dead. It seems that a poisonous snake crawled into his bed and bit the boy while he slept. The boy's death seems to be an unfortunate and tragic accident that no one could have prevented.