| Big Ben strikes eleven : a London mystery / David Magarshack ; with an introduction by Martin Edwards. |
 "Sir Robert Boniface, the industrial and financial tycoon-and stalwart of the British Cabinet-has been found shot dead in his blue limousine on a warm Friday evening in the Vale of Health, Hampstead Heath. Nearby, a rejected portrait of Sir Robert is found riddled with bullets in the studio of the now-missing artist Matt Caldwell. Called to the scene, Inspector Beckett of Scotland Yard suspects murder. By the time Superintendent Mooney joins the case, the suspects have tripled and the mystery continues to spiral. Delving into the psychology of murder, Magarshack's novel explores the struggle between immense power and corruption, and what it means to be crooked"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| A sea of unspoken things : a novel / Adrienne Young. |
 "The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James's deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuition—she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she's alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life. When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brother's affairs, she's forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He's also the only man she's ever loved. But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn't quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he's not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny's death, but in the end, she'll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever." -- Publisher. |
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| Flesh and blood / David Mark. |
 DS Aector McAvoy is on a family holiday when he gets the news that he has been attacked and left for dead on one of Hull's most well to do streets and the discovery of who has really been attacked is even more shocking. Meanwhile, his superior officer and best friend DS Trish Pharaoh has been keeping secrets that are catching up with her. |
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| The lost house / Melissa Larsen. |
 "In Melissa Larsen's The Lost House comes the mesmerizing story of a young woman with a haunting past who returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to investigate a gruesome murder in her family. Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother's throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a certainty: the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt. Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather's name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life-which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver's invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes's father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter. Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora's investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life-discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets. Set against an unforgiving Icelandic winter landscape, The Lost House is a chilling and razor-sharp thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists that will leave you breathless"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Schooled in murder / Victoria Gilbert. |
 "Jennifer 'Jen' Dalton is an author and educator at Clarion University in Virginia. She loves her job, but some of her petty coworkers look down on her for writing genre fiction. As members of the English department, they wish to encourage students to pursue higher literary aspirations. When a humiliating confrontation between an uppity professor and one of Jen's students, Mia, escalates, no one thinks much of it. Until his dead body is found along with evidence incriminating Mia"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| She doesn't have a clue : a novel / Jenny Elder Moke. |
 "With a colorful cast of characters and a cellar full of wine, anything can happen-from murder to a second chance at love-in Jenny Elder Moke's half mystery, half romance adult debut set at a lavish destination wedding. A high-end wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle sounds like something out of a magazine. But for bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, it's more like a nightmare. Why Kate agreed to attend her ex-fiancé's wedding is its own enigma, but she'll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And because the groom happens to be her editor, she'll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift. But when the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hostralian; aka: Kate's biggest romantic regret. As the wine flows and the weather threatens to hold every guest hostage, bitter resentments and long-held grudges surface amongst the colorful crowd. Anyone could be capable of murder, it seems. What would Loretta do? Unfortunately, Kate doesn't have a clue"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder in the ranks : a novel / Kristi Jones. |
 "Algiers, North Africa, 1943. After her abusive German husband left her for dead and took their daughter with him behind enemy lines, Dottie Lincoln learned that it's better to be a trained soldier rather than a victim. As a newly minted squad leader in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, she spends her days moving men and materials to the front and her nights attending mandatory dances to boost the morale of the men. Despite the grueling nature of her job, she has found a sanctuary amongst the women in the Army. When Ruth, a member of her squad, is murdered, she's devastated and determined to get to the bottom of the murder. Dottie's company is the first group of American women assigned to a combat theater, and with Ruth's death, the entire operation is being questioned. Determined to do everything she can to help win the war, bring justice to her friend, and hopefully reunite with her daughter, Dottie must rise to the occasion before the killer strikes again. But when her past comes back to haunt her, Dottie must prove she's not a German spy and put a stop to a deadly conspiracy that threatens the entire American war effort."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder at Macklyn Cove / G.A. Cockerham. |
 The southern Oregon coast provides great recreational activities, unless you go diving with someone who doesn’t want you to surface. There are witnesses but no one can say “Who?” or “How?”. Their search leads Detectives Patty O’Toole and Rick Starker on a path of lies, deceit, and mortal fear among those who’ll say and do anything to save themselves. |
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| Murder takes all / G.A. Cockerham. |
 A quiet town on the southern Oregon coast becomes the location of a murder-suicide. Or is it? The bodies are mummified and found with no identification. The result-- a forensic puzzle. Detectives Patty O’Toole and Rick Starker are barely into their investigation when a frantic call comes in. A young college student is missing. Is the female corpse that of the student? A diverse group of suspects begins to emerge, and it’s learned they are all joined by the same secret. Is it the drugs that bind them, or something far more sinister? |
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| The cargo from Neira / Alys Clare. |
 "February, 1605. A series of killings shake the quiet life of Devon's Tavy valley. Country doctor Gabriel Taverner, summoned by the coroner to examine the bodies, believes that the murders are somehow connected to a mysterious woman recently discovered in shocking circumstances. Gabriel is determined to solve the mystery, and soon uncovers clues that link his unexpected patient to the brutal killings. Prominent among them is the strange and recurring theme of nutmegs. A precious spice from far-flung islands in a distant sea and already in demand, its high cost is increasing daily since the rumour has spread that it is a cure for the plague ... Gabriel finds himself caught in a deadly rivalry involving a greater prize and more ruthless players than he could have imagined. Fighting to protect his family and friends from dangerous involvement in this savage race, will he be able to emerge alive?"-- Publisher's description |
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| The theft of the iron dogs / E.C.R. Lorac ; with an introduction by Martin Edwards. |
 "While hot on the heels of serial coupon-racketeer Gordon Ginner, Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard receives word of a peculiar incident up in Lancashire-the fishing cottage of a local farmer has been broken into, with an assortment of seemingly random items missing, which include a reel of salmon line, a large sack, and two iron dogs (or andirons) from his fireplace. This incident becomes all the more enticing to Macdonald when a body is found in the River Lune not far from the cottage in question-the body of Gordon Ginner"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Scotzilla / Catriona McPherson. |
 "Lexy Campbell is getting married! But in the six months of planning it took to arrive at the big day, she has become . . . a challenge. Friendships are strained to breaking point, Lexy's parents are tiptoeing around her, and even Taylor, her intended, must be having second thoughts. Turns out it's moot. Before the happy couple can exchange vows, Sister Sunshine, the wedding celebrant, is discovered dead behind the cake, strangled with the fairy lights. Lexy's dream wedding is now not just a nightmare: it's a crime scene. She vows not to get drawn into the case, but the rest of the Last Ditch crew are investigating a bizarre series of goings-on in Cuento's cemetery, and every clue about the graveyard pranks seems to link them back to Lexy's wedding day. Will the Ditchers solve the case? Will Sister Sunshine's killer be found? Will Lexy ever get her happy ever after? Not even Bridezilla deserves this . . ."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| A blood red morning / Mark Pryor. |
 "In this unputdownable WWII series, Paris detective Henri Lefort, must solve a complex case when a man is murdered on the policeman's own doorstep. January 1941: It's cold and still dark when Paris Detective Henri Lefort wakes up to an empty apartment, irritated with his roommate for not even starting the coffee. Irritation turns to suspicion when he starts his walk to work and spots a large blood stain in front of the building. At the office his boss, chief of homicide, is incredulous that Henri didn't hear the gunshot that killed a man right outside his apartment. On the plus side, this means that Henri isn't a witness and can investigate the case. It first appears that the dead man is a nobody - but Henri soon finds out he's a nobody with a classified police file. Henri confronts his bosses and then the Germans, but is stonewalled. So he turns his investigation to the other tenants in his building. Coincidentally, each resident claims ignorance. When Henri learns that the dead man was a German agent, he must face the real possibility that one of his friends and neighbors is a killer. It's his job to find the truth no matter what, but when he does he faces the biggest dilemma of his career - whether in times like these the rules of justice should be, just sometimes, trumped by the rules of war"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Past redemption : a DS McAvoy novel / David Mark. |
 Decland Parfitt, one of Northumberland's most dangerous criminals, is about to be released after 14 years in prison. It's up to DCS Trish Pharaoh and DI Aector McAvoy to prevent this from happening. Parfitt's foster daughter Ruby doesn't believe her father is guilty of some of the worst crimes imaginable and is appealing to the parole board for him. McAvoy has to try and convince Ruby to see the real predator in Parfitt. Meanwhile, Trish has her own investigation which could lead to more answers: tracking down a mysterious, extremely violent vigilante. But will the duo and their team be able to stop Parfitt's release and what does a body in the middle of a deserted road have to do with their investigation? |
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| Good lieutenant / E.J. Copperman. |
 While settling into her new home in Los Angeles together with her boyfriend and TV star Patrick McNabb, attorney Sandy Moss receives a phone call from the LA Men's Detention Center. It's a new client accused of murder: the near-stoic Lt. K.C. Trench! |
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| Pretty dead things : a novel / Lilian West. |
 "A bride-to-be's discovery of long-lost wedding rings at an estate sale reveals the key to a decades-old cold case in a small-town mystery perfect for fans of Louise Penny. 2024. Recently-engaged city girl Cora is new to the small town of Hickory Falls. Still adjusting to the change in pace, she's delighted when she stumbles upon a quaint estate sale. Drawn in by the knickknacks, she buys a jar of colorful baubles and is surprised to find two rings at the bottom of the jar. When she innocently sets out to find the original owner of the rings, she instead stumbles upon a decades-old mystery. 1953. Clarity Grey should've known better than to get involved with a married man, but their connection went too deep to ignore. When he divorces his wife for her, they marry, and she gets the family life she's always dreamed of, with a new stepdaughter and a child of her own. But just as suddenly, her new life slips out of her hands when she simply vanishes, never to be seen or heard of again. Clarity is labeled as flakey and a homewrecker, so nobody in town takes her disappearance seriously--until Cora, seventy years later. Told in dual timelines, this engrossing novel exposes one family's secrets and the twisted lies that are hidden in small towns"-- Dust jacket flap. |
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| Death at an Irish wedding / Ellie Brannigan. |
 "Rayne McGrath's efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget...Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around...When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé...But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori's best friend's assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Irish soda bread murder Carlene O'Connor ; Peggy Ehrhart ; Liz Ireland |
 Irish Soda Bread murder by Carlene O'Connor: There's very little time left before her wedding, but nonetheless Tara Meehan is helping out at her Uncle Johnny's salvage yard for the day. Aunt Rose set up a convention for local psychics, including a bake sale to raise money for charity, but now she's sick and available only via an iPad Johnny is carrying. The event promises to deliver a real pot of gold until Rose's biggest rival shows up. Before Tara can utter a simple "top o' the morning" to the man, he drops dead--with Johnny's soda bread in his hands. It's up to Tara to identify the deadly baker before another victim ends up chasing the rainbow straight into a grave . . . |
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| The Penguin book of murder mysteries / edited with an introduction by Michael Sims. |
 "An anthology of classic murder mysteries - the unfamiliar, the unjustly forgotten, and little-known gems by the most famous practitioners A Penguin Classic These are not the usual suspects. When Edgar finalist Michael Sims formed the line-up for The Penguin Book of Murder, he did not include the familiar classics that you can find anywhere. Although he wanted to explore the first century of murder mysteries (from 1827 to 1924), he sought out the unfamiliar, the unjustly forgotten, and a few little-known gems by famous practitioners. The mystery of a bloody murder has been a perennially classic theme, drawing readers to examine what motivates heinous crimes and how the investigative procedure takes us behind the scenes of tragedy. These stories from the 19th and early 20th centuries introduce the earliest detectives, both male and female, that inspired iterations from BBC radio dramas to American television. Sims's selections showcase evil masterminds, suspect narrators, early female detectives, shipboard murders, and psychological and scientific inquiries. And then, there are Clue-like titles such as "The Case of the Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study" that a modern murder mystery fan can't resist. The Penguin Book of Murder features stories by classic authors such as Anton Chekhov, Louisa May Alcott, and Charles W. Chesnutt along with early crime writing luminaries, such as Austrian novelist Augusta Groner and the prolific American Geraldine Bonner. Surprises include a dark Irish detective story published 14 years before Poe's Dupin investigated the doings in the Rue Morgue-sixty years before the debut of Sherlock Holmes-and a Canadian First Nations detective who investigated a century before Dana Stabenow introduced Kate Shugak"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The chrysanthemum tiger / Alys Clare. |
 March, 1605. Country doctor and former ship's surgeon Gabriel Taverner has embarked on his next adventure. Since discovering that the debilitating injury he sustained years ago has lost its power to induce chronic seasickness, he has been impatient to leave Devon once more, and now it is in the service of Walter Haverleigh, a wealthy and successful merchant, who has engaged Gabriel to tend the crew of the Luipaard on her voyage to the Eastern seas. As the months and years of Gabriel's absence continue, his family and friends are struggling with the replacement physician he engaged before his hasty departure. Doctor Maudsley Cheverell has turned out to be incompetent, arrogant and self-serving. When one morning his dead body is found in a ditch, it seems that nobody will mourn him or regret his untimely death. |
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| A scandal in Mayfair : a Lily Adler mystery / Katharine Schellman. |
 London, 1817. The London Season is beginning once more, and Lily Adler's return to her home on Half Moon Street feels different this year. No longer a recent widow, she has a life and friends waiting for her. Lily also has new responsibilities in the form of her protégée Amelia, the sister of her longtime friend Jack Hartley, who is escaping her own brush with scandal and murder. It doesn't take long for Lily's growing reputation as a lady of quality who can discreetly find what is missing or solve what is puzzling to bring a desperate young woman to her doorstep. But helping her means unraveling a tangled web of family secrets. Soon, a missing will, a dead body and the threat of blackmail leave Lily facing danger every way she turns. The glittering society of Mayfair conceals many secrets, and the back alleys of London hide even more. Lily Adler will need to find the connection between them quickly if she wants to stop a killer before it's too late. -- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder at Glenloch Hill / Clara McKenna. |
 "On a weekend trip to the Scottish countryside, American transplant Stella, and British aristocrat, Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst, learn how sinister bad sportsmanship can be when a prestigious golf tournament becomes a deadly game of murder.."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Turnglass. |
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| The big empty / Robert Crais. |
 When Elvis Cole finds himself shadowed by a gang of vicious criminals, a missing-persons cold case becomes far more sinister, and soon he must call his ex-Marine friend Joe Pike for help. |
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| Knife skills for beginners / Orlando Murrin. |
 "The Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion doesn't quite sparkle the way it used to--a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he'd be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking. Christian is one of Paul's oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he's unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate. Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits--until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he'll have to figure out who's the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered..."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Watershed / Percival Everett. |
 "On a windswept landscape somewhere north of Denver, Robert Hawkes, a feisty and dangerously curious hydrologist, finds himself enmeshed in a fight over Native American treaty rights. What begins for Robert as a peaceful fishing interlude ends in murder and the disclosure of government secrets. Everett mines history for this one, focusing on the relationships between Native American activist and Black Panther groups who bonded over their shared enemies in the 1960s civil rights movement." -page [4] of cover |
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| The case of the missing maid : a novel / Rob Osler. |
 "Harriet Morrow has long been drawn to the idea of whizzing around the city on her bicycle as a professional detective, solving crimes for a living without having to take a husband ... she seizes the chance when the prestigious Prescott Agency hires her as its first woman operative. Only an hour into the job, Harriet has an assignment: Discover the whereabouts of a missing maid from one of the most extravagant mansions on Prairie Avenue. Owner Pearl Bartlett has a reputation for sending operatives on wild goose chases around her grand estate, but Harriet believes the stunningly beautiful Agnes Wozniak has indeed vanished under mysterious circumstances"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder in the dressing room / Holly Stars. |
 "By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene. But when Misty's drag mother, Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room beside a poisoned box of chocolates, Misty and her fellow performers become the prime suspects. Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Echo / Tracy Clark. |
 "Hardwicke House, home to Belverton College's exclusive Minotaur Society, is no stranger to tragedy. And when a body turns up in the field next to the mansion, the scene looks chillingly familiar. Chicago PD sends hard-nosed Detective Harriet 'Harri' Foster to investigate. The victim is Brice Collier, a wealthy Belverton student, whose billionaire father, Sebastian, owns Hardwicke and ranks as a major school benefactor. Sebastian also has ties to the mansion's notorious past, when thirty years ago, hazing led to a student's death in the very same field. Could the deaths be connected? With no suspects or leads, Harri and her partner, Detective Vera Li, will have to dig deep to find answers. No charges were ever filed in the first case, and this time, Harri's determined the killer must pay. But still grieving her former partner's death, Harri must also contend with a shadowy figure called the voice--and their dangerous game of cat and mouse could threaten everything"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| A death in diamonds / S. J. Bennett |
 1957, England. Young Queen Elizabeth II is finding her way in postwar Europe, trying to repair friendships with foreign governments. Advised by her father's old courtiers, the Queen suspects that they may not have her best interests at heart. One of them is trying to sabotage her public appearances: that much she is sure of. When two bodies turn up in Chelsea, the Queen finds herself unwillingly used as the alibi for somebody very close to her. With the reputation of the monarchy at stake, Elizabeth knows she can't face these challenges alone. She needs support from someone she can trust. Therefore, she enlists the help of an ex-code breaker, Joan McGraw, to uncover the truth. But as Elizabeth and Joan are uncovering secrets from the past, the clock is ticking, and they are in more danger than they know. |
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| The coldest case / Tessa Wegert. |
 News of a missing Instagram celebrity brings Senior Investigator Shana Merchant to a frozen island community of just eight people. When the visit turns deadly, her hunt for a killer collides with a cold case she'll never forget. |
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| Death takes the lead / Rosemary Simpson. |
 "Prudence MacKenzie is delighted to attend a riveting rehearsal of Waif of the Highlands with her dear friend, Lydia Truitt, whose cousin, Septimus Ward, stars in the play. But the drama continues after the curtain falls, as the women overhear a ferocious argument between Septimus and the play's famous playwright-director, Barrett Hughes. When confronted about the dispute, Septimus reveals that he actually wrote the script, but allowed Hughes to claim authorship in return for casting Septimus's paramour, Flora Campbell, in the lead. Septimus has come to regret the agreement and vows to reclaim authorship, even if it means the play never opens. But, days later, Prudence and Geoffrey are urgently summoned to Septimus's boarding house, where the thespian lays dying in Lydia's arms. Lydia believes her cousin's death is no accident and wants Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law to look into the matter, going so far as to help Prudence and Flora secure employment undercover in the play's wardrobe department. At first, Hughes's determination to keep the production running seems admirable, but his motives are soon called into question as Prudence hears whispers backstage about his notorious predatory behavior with young women. And when another body turns up at the theatre, it's clear that someone is targeting the play and its company--but why? Prudence and Geoffrey must improvise as they tread into an unfamiliar world where deceit is cultivated for entertainment and deception is celebrated as talent, to expose a darkness lurking behind the glittering stage lights. . ."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| A trinket for the taking / Victoria Laurie. |
 "Dovey Van Dalen has a gorgeous day planned for her 200th birthday: driving her new Porsche, admiring the cherry blossoms abloom in her adopted city of Washington, D.C., and a little pampering. But her boss has other ideas. A powerful artifact has been stolen, and he fears it's causing chaos in the unmagical world... The rich and connected Ariti family has suffered a string of suspicious deaths, with no signs of foul play. Yet each member has died in the way they feared most. As the enchanting agent most skilled at blending in with mere mortals, Dovey must find answers and retrieve the dangerous trinket. There's just one unexpected wrinkle: By the time Dovey arrives at the art gallery where the Ariti patriarch died, FBI agent Grant "Gib" Barlow has taken control of the scene. Dovey needs his cooperation to investigate--but she'll have to hide her abilities, and her true objective, from a man who uncovers deceptions every day. And as they inch nearer a deadly truth, both will face danger even the spellbound would be lucky to survive..."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The Herringbone Harbor mystery / Sally Goldenbaum. |
 "The Yarn Studio's Seaside Knitters have their hands full designing new classes for vacationers, as well as testing each other's originality by creating a single blanket together. Birdie's teenage granddaughter is also visiting for the season and has started a dog-walking business with her friend, Daisy. Meanwhile, the Lazy Lobster and Soup Cǎf's local fare is gaining newfound attention with the addition of a well-known chef. It's sure to be another beautiful, busy time in their tight-knit town... Until Birdie spots a huge blaze from her balcony one evening, frighteningly close to knitter Cass's lobster business. But the morning brings news that it was a house in small Fisherman's Cove, and a familiar fisherman is found dead inside. Not only did the teenagers walk his beloved sheepdog, Squid, they may have been the last people to see him alive. When questions surface about the actual timing of the man's death, it turns out something is more than fishy. As suspicion rocks usually placid Sea Harbor, knitters Izzy, Birdie, Cass, and Nell must pick apart tangled secrets and wrap up false accusations--before the killer hooks another victim..."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Love the stranger / Michael Sears. |
 "Ted Molloy has hit his stride with a foreclosure investment scheme that brings him into contact with a cast of shady characters across New York's most diverse borough, from Hollis to Howard Beach. On the side, he helps his activist girlfriend, Kenzie, with her work to halt construction on "the Spike"--a corporate-backed development project in Corona that would displace the largely immigrant communities surrounding it. Stop the Spike is heating up: Kenzie spends most of her waking hours fending off smear campaigns and touring community spaces in Queens to spread the word, which she can do thanks to Mohammed, Ted and Kenzie's close friend, a recent Yemeni immigrant and most expedient cab driver. But when Kenzie learns that Mohammed's immigration lawyer may be taking advantage of him financially, she decides to snoop around at the law offices--and comes face to face with a dead body and a shadowy figure, fleeing the scene. Now Kenzie is the sole witness to a potential murder. Can Ted and his team get to the bottom of the murder so they can stop the Spike once and for all? Explore every shady corner of Queens in this keen mystery, the second installment of award-winning author Michael Sears's critically acclaimed series"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder on the page / Daryl Wood Gerber. |
 "It's a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients' favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie's cat, Darcy, approves), and it's so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette's Feast and more. Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there's a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie's clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim's sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend's innocence, but how to prove it? Once again, her love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues. With a little luck--and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud--she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder..."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder at Ferry Creek / G.A. Cockerham. |
 "A quaint town on the southern Oregon coast becomes deadly when bones of a dismembered corpse are found in a barrel of lye. With no reported missing person and no possible DNA to match, the death is looking like another cold case for Detectives Patty O'Toole and Rick Starker. That is until a second death, claimed to be an accident, is deemed a murder."--Publisher's description |
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| He who whispers / John Dickson Carr ; with an introduction by Martin Edwards. |
 "When Miles Hammond is invited to a meeting of the Murder Club in London, he is met instead with just two other guests and is treated to a strange tale of an impossible crime in France from years before-the murder of a man on a tower with only one staircase, under watch at the time the murder took place. With theories of levitating vampires abounding, the story comes home to Miles when he realizes that the librarian he has just hired for his home is none other than Fay Seton, a woman whose name still echoes from the heart of this bizarre and unsolved murder of the past"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Two times murder / Adam Oyebanji. |
 Greg Abimbola is many things. He's Black, British and fluent in Russian. He's a snappy dresser, a reasonable teacher, and an unenthusiastic sports fan. But most of all, he's exceptional at keeping secrets. Like, who he really is, and the things he's done. Determined to keep his head down after helping solve a murder in the school basement, Greg fears a trap when Sergeant Rachel Lev of the Pittsburgh police corners him in his apartment. Because his refusal to take credit isn't modesty, it's a survival tactic. |
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| Cutting. |
 In the alleys off San Francisco's Castro Street, young couples are into blood as an aphrodisiac. It was just a matter of time before someone turned up dead. Murdered. Detective Jeff "Dutch" Holland was the wrong man at the wrong time for this investigation. Moving from Houston to San Francisco, he was hoping for a fresh start with the force and his marriage, but his personal demons quickly dovetailed into the classic profile that "cutting" attracted. |
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| Time will tell : a novel / Rita Mae Brown ; illustrated by Lee Gildea. |
 "An eye-wateringly expensive watch is found discarded on the land days prior to a dead body turning up. "Sister" Jane Arnold sets out to find the connection between the two, with a little help from her friends--both two legged and four--in this transportive mystery from New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Murder takes the stage / Colleen Cambridge. |
 Housekeeper Phyllida Bright is comfortable managing Mallowan Hall, but struggles with London's chaos while her employer Agatha Christie is away. With a limited staff and a difficult French cook, Phyllida is further challenged when Archibald Allston is found dead onstage, initially believed to be of natural causes. Soon, more theater-related murders occur, creating panic. Phyllida steps in to investigate the pattern, aiming to uncover the killer before more victims fall. |
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| A case of matricide : an Inspector Gorski investigation / by Raymond Brunet ; translated and introduced by Graeme Macrae Burnet. |
 "From the Booker-nominated author of Case Study and His Bloody Project comes the next adventure of Inspector Gorski. In the unremarkable French town of Saint-Louis, the troubled Inspector Georges Gorski takes the case of a local woman who has called the to report that she suspects her son, a novelist named Robert, of plotting her death. Between the suspicious death of their dog, Robert's callous disregard for his mother's accusations, and her unreliable state of mind, Gorski decides to keep a close eye on their house. He visits with increasing frequency, trying to understand why--and how--a man might murder his mother. As Gorski's closeness to the Duymanns swiftly slips from curious to dangerous, his grip on the case--and reality--irreversibly loosens. In his unmistakably Nabokovian style, in which the line between fiction and reality blurs and narration and truth are questioned at every turn, Burnet constructs an elegant, bizarre, and destabilizing account of the ways guilt moves between mind and body, suspect and investigator, and writer and reader."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The conspiracies of the empire : a Judge Dee investigation / Qiu Xiaolong. |
 "In Tang dynasty China, Empress Wu - seductive, ambitious and vindictive - rules with an iron fist. Her premier minister, Judge Dee Renjie, is honored to be trusted by her. But when she orders him to carry out an urgent investigation into the disappearance of disgraced poet Luo Binwang, he can't see why the matter is of such vital importance. Luo Binwang joined a doomed uprising against Her Majesty, and vanished after the final, bloody battle. Is he missing - or dead? Either way, now that the rebellion has been mercilessly quashed, what harm could a poor, elderly poet do? Traveling out of the great capital of Chang'an, accompanied by his loyal manservant Yang, Judge Dee launches a painstaking investigation, in the hopes of achieving what the empress' secret police could not. But the journey is marred by ill omens, and with death and disaster following his every step, Judge Dee soon begins to wonder if the empress trusts him as much as he thought . . ." -- Provided by publisher. |
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| Burn this night : a novel / Alex Kenna. |
 "Struggling private investigator Kate Myles is shattered to learn her late father isn't her biological dad. She's still reeling when she discovers that an unknown distant relative is the prime suspect in a decades-old murder investigation. Trying to convince her to take on the case for free, an old colleague recommends her as an investigator for a recent arson murder in the same small town. After giving up on a failed acting career, Abby Coburn is starting over as a promising social work student. With her life on the right track, she's determined to help her brother, Jacob, whose meth addiction triggered a psychotic break and descent into crime. But when Abby dies in a fire that kills two other people and destroys part of the town, the police immediately suspect Jacob. As the Coburn family grapples with the tragedy, Kate begins unraveling the cold case but finds herself caught in the middle of an emotional minefield. Pretty soon, she discovers that this town is full of dark secrets, and as she comes closer and closer to figuring out the truth, Kate must solve both murders before she becomes the next victim"-- Provided by publisher |
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| Big breath in / John Straley. |
 "This new stand-alone from the former Writer Laureate of Alaska and author of the acclaimed Cecil Younger series introduces an amateur sleuth with an ax to grind-and a child to save. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, retired marine biologist Delphine is on the brink of throwing in the towel. She has outlived her PI husband and feels like a burden to her son and his growing family. One night, while contemplating how to go on, Delphine witnesses a woman and her young child being victimized by her apparent boyfriend. When Delphine later discovers the woman has gone missing, she embarks on a quest to track her down and help her and the child. What begins as a chance encounter balloons into an at-once zany and heartfelt rescue mission across the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, Delphine encounters the dregs of humanity-grappling with schemers, kidnappers, and murderers-as well as its joys. With the help of a few friends, a retired PI, and a queer biker gang, Delphine becomes determined to stop the bad guys from getting away with it . . . knowing full well it may be her last hurrah. While Big Breath In stands alone, longtime Straley fans will recognize the characteristic wit, heart, and contemplation of life that threads through every one of his books-and discover a new heroine to fall in love with"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Every arc bends its radian : a novel / Sergio de la Pava. |
 "Every Arc Bends Its Radian is an existential detective novel about a private investigator who flees New York City for Colombia after a personal tragedy and finds himself entangled in a young woman's strange disappearance--which may be connected to one of the world's most ruthless criminal organizations"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The best mystery stories of the year 2024 / edited with an introduction by Anthony Horowitz ; foreword by Otto Penzler, series editor. |
 "Anthony Horowitz selects and introduces the best mystery stories from the past year, under the auspices of the world's oldest mystery fiction specialty bookshop. From a pool of over 3,000 considered stories published last yea--anything that touched on crime, mystery, and suspense, from venues as disparate as The Strand Magazine, Dark Yonder, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, The Bellevue Literary Review, and more--these are the very best, selected by series editor Otto Penzler and guest editor Anthony Horowitz. The tales included cover a range of styles, highlighting the diversity of subjects and forms comprising the genre we call mystery fiction. Featuring a mixture of household names, masters of the short form, and newcomers to the field, the collection offers a variety that promises something for every reader. And it's all capped off by a vintage story from the first half of the previous century, sourced directly from the rare book room at the Mysterious Bookshop, the oldest mystery fiction specialty store in the world." |
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| Murder replete...for now / G.A. Cockerham. |
 "A man found hanging in a usually serene Oregon forest sends the town of Brookings into a panic and brings Detectives Patty O’Toole and Rick Starker running. Who is he? What has he done to be murdered in such a way? Uncovering the answers proves to be more complex than they first expect. The man’s past looks like a promising lead, but no sooner do they discover possible motives in his history when they learn of another death. Do the similarities lead back to the same twisted mind? As the body count mounts, the detectives realize that they could be dealing with their very first serial killer. One who is always watching…"--from Amazon.com |
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| Murder on the wind / G.A. Cockerham. |
 "A young woman living alone is found dead in her home when the police do a routine welfare check. Detectives O?Toole and Starker barely begin investigating when an older couple is found bound and murdered. Are the murders related? With little to go on, they appeal to other agencies and learn that similar crimes are being committed further up the coast. What do all these victims have in common? As clues emerge reflecting a calculated murder scheme, the detectives fear the worst and seek help from multiple law enforcement agencies in more than one state.."--Publisher's description. |
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| The serial killer guide to San Francisco / Michelle Chouinard. |
 "The granddaughter of a serial killer shows readers another side of the beloved city. The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she's the granddaughter of serial killer, William 'Overkill Bill' Sanzio. She's always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case. But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri's former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri's daughter's tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill--documenting the process with a podcast and a book--and hopefully earn some money. Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat's latest victim: Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police's investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| A killer Christmas / a novel by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran. |
 "It's Christmastime in Cabot Cove, but there's more homicide than ho-ho-ho in the newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series. Christmas is not an easy time to sell a house, but in Boston tycoon John Bragdon, Cabot Cove Realtor Eve Simpson has found a buyer for the old Jarvis homestead. Unfortunately, Eve gets a lump of coal in her stocking in the form of Kenny Jarvis, who has been missing for years and presumed dead but has now come back to stop his sister from selling their childhood home. Eve presses on, organizing a welcome dinner for Bragdon and his wife, Marlene, to meet the leading citizens of the town, including Jessica Fletcher. Dinner is interrupted by an uninvited guest - not Santa but Kenny, who threateningly promises Marlene she will never live in his house. When Marlene is found dead a few days later, Kenny is the natural suspect. But Jessica isn't so sure he's on the naughty list"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Invisible helix / Keigo Higashino ; translation, Giles Murray. |
 "Detective Galileo, Keigo Higashino's best loved character from The Devotion of Suspect X, returns in a case where hidden history, an impossible crime, are linked by nearly invisible threads in surprising ways. The body of a young man is found floating in Tokyo Bay. But his death was no accident - Ryota Uetsuji was shot. He'd been reported missing the week before by his live-in girlfriend Sonoka Shimauchi, but when detectives from the Homicide Squad go to interview her, she is nowhere to be found. She's taken time off from work, clothes and effects are missing from the apartment she shared. And when the detectives learn that she was the victim of domestic abuse, they presume that she was the killer. But her alibi is airtight - she was hours away in Kyoto when Ryota disappeared, forcing Detectives Kusanagi and Utsumi to restart their investigation. But if Sonoko didn't kill her abusive lover, then who did? A thin thread of association leads them to their old consultant, brilliant physicist Manabu Yukawa, known in the department as "Detective Galileo." With Sonoko still missing, the detectives investigate other threads of association - an eccentric artist, who was Sonoko's mother figure after her own single mother passed; and an older woman who is the owner of a hostess club. And how is Sonoko continuing to stay one step ahead of the police searching for her? It's up to Galileo to find the nearly hidden threads of history and coincidence that connect the people around the bloody murder- which, surprisingly, connect to his own traumatic past - to unravel not merely the facts of the crime but the helix that ties them all together"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| See how they hide / Allison Brennan. |
 "Two people were murdered--at the exact same time, in the same gruesome manner, bodies covered in the same red poppies...but on opposite sides of the country. With Detective Kara Quinn investigating in Oregon and Special Agent Matt Costa in Virginia, the Mobile Response Team digs deep to uncover more about each victim. What is the link between the two, and why were they targeted? Yet their search unearths more questions than answers--until they meet Riley Pierce, the only person still alive who might be able to help them find the killers. Soon, it becomes clear this case is nothing like they've seen before as their investigation leads them to the hallowed grounds of Havenwood--an eerily beautiful place rooted in a terrifying past. As more bodies turn up, all tied to the same community, Kara and Matt are desperate to piece the puzzle together before Havenwood's leader sacrifices everything to keep her secrets buried"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Silent are the dead / D.M. Rowell Koyh Mi O Boy Dah. |
 "While back on tribal land, Mud Sawpole uncovers an illegal fracking operation underway that threatens the Kiowas' ancestral homeland. But there's an even greater threat: a local businessman involved in artifact thefts is murdered, and a respected tribe elder faces accusation of the crime. After being roped in by her cousin, Denny, they begin to investigate the death while also pursuing evidence to permanently stop frackers from destroying Kiowa land, water, and livelihoods. When answers evade her, Mud heeds her grandfather's and great-aunt's words of wisdom and embraces Kiowa tribal customs to find the answers that she seeks. But her ceremonial sweat leads to a vision with answers wrapped in more questions. Mud and Denny race against the clock to uncover the real killer and must face the knowledge that there may be a traitor--and a murderer--in their midst. It's already too late for one victim--and Mud may be next."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Alter ego : a novel / Alex Segura. |
 "Alex Segura, LA Times Book Prize-winning author of Secret Identity, returns with a clever and escapist mystery set in the world of comic books. In the present day, a comics legend is given the chance to revive a beloved but forgotten character. But at what price? Annie Bustamante is a cultural force like none other: an acclaimed filmmaker, an author, a comic book artist known for one of the all time best superhero comics in recent memory. But she's never been able to tackle her longtime favorite superhero, the Lethal Lynx. Only known to the most die-hard comics fans and long out of print, the rights were never available-until now. But Annie is skeptical of who is making the offer: Bert Carlyle's father started Triumph Comics, and has long claimed ownership of the Lynx. When she starts getting anonymous messages urging her not to trust anyone, Annie's inner alarms go off. Even worse? Carlyle wants to pair her with a disgraced filmmaker for a desperate media play. Annie, who has been called a genius, a sell-out, a visionary, a hack, and everything else under the sun, is sick of the money grab. For the first time since she started reading a tattered copy of The Legendary Lynx #1 as a kid, she feels a pure, creative spark. The chance to tell a story her way. She's not about to let that go. Even if it means uncovering the dark truth about the character she loves. Sharply written, deftly plotted, and with a palpable affection for all kinds of storytelling, Alter Ego is a one-of-a-kind reading experience"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| April storm : a novel / Leila Meacham. |
 Katherine Walker enjoys an enviable life. Her husband is an accomplished doctor, her children are bright and successful, and she devotes herself to charity work that uplifts her Suburban Colorado community. Settling into a new year, her life couldn't be better. . . Until April. For Katherine, April has always rained trouble--but this time may be even stormier than the fraught past she's trying to overcome. Already distraught over the child she miscarried in this same cursed month many years ago, the emotionally fragile woman isn't ready to consider the overwhelming evidence that someone may be trying to take her husband--and her life. |
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| Ghosts of Waikīkī : a novel / Jennifer K. Morita. |
 "In this atmospheric debut mystery, an out-of-work journalist and the homicide detective who broke her heart must cipher out a murder before the clock runs out, perfect for fans of Naomi Hirahara and Jane Pek." -- Publisher annotation. |
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| A new lease on death : a mystery / Olivia Blacke. |
 Cordelia Graves, a ghost, must enlist the help of her apartment's current tenant in order to solve the murder of their across-the-hall neighbor. |
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| The note / Alafair Burke. |
 "A vacation in the Hamptons goes terribly wrong for three friends with a complicated history. It was meant to be a harmless prank. Growing up, May Hanover was a good girl, always. Well-behaved, top of her class, a compulsive rule-follower. Raised by a first-generation Chinese single mother with high expectations, May didn't have room to slip up, let alone fail. Her friends didn't call her the Little Sheriff for nothing. But even good girls have secrets. And regrets. When it comes to her friendship with Lauren and Kelsey, she's had her fair share of both. Their bond--forged when May was just twelve years old--has withstood a tragic accident, individual scandals, heartbreak and loss. Now the three friends have reunited for the first time in years for a few days of sun and fun in the Hamptons. But a chance encounter with a pair of strangers leads to a drunken prank that goes horribly awry. When she finds herself at the center of an urgent police investigation, May begins to wonder whether Lauren and Kelsey are keeping secrets from her, testing the limits of her loyalty to lifelong friends. What had they gone and done? A propulsive thriller that explores of-the-moment social issues, The Note is a page-turner of the highest order from one of our greatest contemporary suspense writers"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Misery hates company : a novel / Elizabeth Hobbs. |
 A young woman is invited to a mysterious relative's estate and winds up entangled in a murder investigation. |
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| Perfect storm : a mystery / Paige Shelton. |
 "The next installment in Paige Shelton's Alaska Wild series, a gripping, atmospheric, traditional mystery series with a great wilderness hook. Beth Rivers needs to disappear. Her one-time kidnapper, Travis, is on his way to her town in Alaska, and she's losing time to get out quickly. The perfect spot for Beth and her boyfriend, Tex, to hide, presents itself in a camp in the woods, away from Benedict. But when their trip takes them by Blue Mine, a small community that has seen tragedy over the last couple months, plans get diverted. Beth and Tex bring the widow of a recently murdered man back to Benedict, for Police Chief Gril to investigate, only to find that nothing is quite what it seems. When the woman vanishes, Beth must be on the alert for further danger. Who knows what further unwelcome disappearances--or appearances--might be lurking in the unforgiving Alaska storms"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The Indian rope trick and other violent entertainments / Tom Mead ; introduced by Martin Edwards. |
 "The Indian Rope Trick and Other Violent Entertainments is a single author story collection focusing exclusively on locked room mysteries and other puzzles concerning apparently impossible crimes" -- Introduction. |
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| Booked for murder / P. J. Nelson. |
 "In this atmospheric southern cozy debut, Madeline Brimley returns to the bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets. Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately. But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Holmes is missing : a Holmes, Margaret & Poe mystery / James Patterson and Brian Sitts. |
 "Success has come quickly to Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. The New York City agency led by three detectives--Brendan Holmes, 'the brain,' Margaret Marple, 'the eyes,' and Auguste Poe, the 'muscle'--with famous names and mysterious pasts is one major case away from cementing its professional reputation. But as a series of child abductions tests the PIs' legendary skills, the cerebral Holmes's absence leaves a gaping hole in the agency roster"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The Texas murders / James Patterson and Andrew Bourelle. |
 "Texas Ranger Rory Yates protects his home state wearing a five-pointed silver badge and carrying a Sig Sauer. When a native woman disappears on the summer solstice, clues point to a cold case. Yates, a quick-draw champion, partners with expert archer Ava Cruz of the Tigua Tribal police. The investigation leads to the edges of Texas's most unforgiving landscape, where the officers take dead aim with every shot in their arsenals." -- Amazon. |
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| The incident of the book in the nighttime / Vicki Delany. |
 Gemma Doyle and her friends have packed their bags and headed to London for her sister Pippa's wedding. Waiting for her in the hotel lobby is none other than Gemma's ex-husband, Paul Erikson. Paul has a rare book he wants her to see-calling it "the real deal"-so Gemma agrees to meet him at their old shop, Trafalgar Fine Books, the following day. But when Gemma arrives, accompanied by Grant, a rare book dealer, they find Paul dead in his office. Paul had been down on his luck, but Gemma never expected this. Had he borrowed money from people he shouldn't have? And where is the valuable book he was so anxious for Gemma to see? It's nowhere to be found in the shop. Because of their previous relationship, Gemma feels she owes something to Paul and vows to find his killer. As Gemma and her best friend Jayne Wilson follow Paul's trail of friends, enemies, clients, and ex-lovers through London to Yorkshire, she realizes the puzzle of Paul's last days is more twisted than she originally thought. |
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| Presumed guilty / Scott Turow. |
 "Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that's taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea's young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn't return soon, he will be sent back to jail. Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn't returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first-degree murder. Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is innocent--it's whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty"--Inside jacket flap. |
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| The burning of Rosemont Abbey / Naomi Stephens. |
 "In the sleepy post-war English village of Wilbeth Green, everyone believes Paul Everly burned Rosemont Abbey, then disappeared. Only his twin sister, Louisa, is certain of his innocence. With the aid of Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, Louisa will stop at nothing to clear her brother's name and solve a murder no one else believes was committed"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Those opulent days : a mystery / Jacquie Pham. |
 "Jacquie Pham's transportive debut, Those Opulent Days, delivers a classic historical murder mystery centered around the glamor, violence, wealth, and opium of 1920's French-colonial Vietnam that meshes the structural brilliance of Lucy Foley's The Guest List with the historical vitality of Vanessa Chan's The Storm We Made. Duy, Phong, Minh, and Edmond have been best friends since childhood. Now, as young men running their families' formidable businesses, they make up Saigon's most powerful group of friends in 1928 Vietnam's elite society. Until one of them is murdered. In a lavish mansion on a hill in Dalat, all four men have gathered for an evening of indulgence, but one of them won't survive the night. Toggling between this fatal night and the six days leading up to it, told from the perspectives of the four men, their mothers, their servants, and their lovers, an intricate web of terror, loyalty, and well-kept secrets begins to unravel. As the story creeps closer to the murder, and as each character becomes a suspect, the true villain begins to emerge: colonialism, the French occupation of Vietnam, and the massive economic differences that catapult the wealthy into the stratosphere while the poor starve on the streets. Those Opulent Days is at once both a historical novel of vivid intensity and a classically structured, pitch-perfect murder mystery featuring a robust cast of characters you won't soon forget"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The secret of the three fates / Jess Armstrong. |
 "Following the atmospheric and award-winning gothic historical mystery debut, The Curse of Penryth Hall, USA Today bestselling author Jess Armstrong's heroine, Ruby Vaughn, returns in The Secret of the Three Fates, where the Scottish Hills hold ghosts of the past that threaten Ruby's present. American heiress Ruby Vaughn still hasn't entirely forgiven her octogenarian employer and housemate Mr. Owen for bringing the occult into their lives during her recent trip to Cornwall. He claims their journey to Manhurst Castle in the Scottish Borders is simply to appraise and acquire illuminated manuscripts for their rare bookshop, however when Ruby discovers there are no manuscripts and receives news of a séance to be held that very night, she begins to grow suspicious about the true reason why they have come. The Great War left grieving families willing to sacrifice anything for the chance to say goodbye to a lost loved one. Mr. Owen is no exception. He is desperate to speak to his son, but he doesn't want to face the spirits alone. When the séance-hosted by a trio of mediums billing themselves as The Three Fates-goes awry, Mr. Owen's secrets begin to unravel, threatening to reveal a history that he has been running from for half his life. Something Ruby knows all too well how to do. When Ruby finds one of the Three Fates murdered the night of the seance, she and Mr. Owen quickly become the prime suspects. To clear their names, Ruby enlists the help of Ruan Kivell, the folk healer Pellar who helped her weeks before in Cornwall. As their investigation progresses Ruby and Ruan realize someone is determined to prevent them from uncovering the truth about what happened to the dead medium"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Drop dead sisters / Amelia Diane Coombs. |
 "Three sisters reunite on a family vacation and rekindle their relationship the only way they know how--by covering each other's tracks in a real-life murder mystery not even they can figure out. Remi Finch has spent the better part of her adult life avoiding family--especially her sisters. They just don't click. Besides, her unconventional upbringing and major anxiety have convinced Remi that she can't build a relationship with anyone. Period. When her parents plan a family reunion camping trip to celebrate their anniversary, Remi's willing to reconnect, if only because she doesn't have a choice. But then a dead body turns up at their campsite, and their sisterly bonding kicks into high gear. No one knows the whole story, but the Finch women are prepared to cover up the pieces before anyone tries to put them together. It's a precautionary measure, probably unnecessary. Nobody else was there, so how could they have seen anything? Between old grudges and new dynamics, a handsome park ranger, and a body that won't stay hidden, Remi is about to learn that nothing strengthens family ties quite like crime."-- Amazon.com. |
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| Trouble island : a novel / Sharon Short. |
 "Many miles from anywhere in the middle of Lake Erie, Trouble Island serves as a stop-off for gangsters as they run between America and Canada. The remote isle is also the permanent home to two women: Aurelia Escalante, who serves as a maid to Rosita, lady of the mansion and wife to the notorious prohibition gangster, Eddie McGee. In the freezing winter of 1932, the women anticipate the arrival of Eddie and his strange coterie: his right-hand man, a doctor, a cousin, a famous actor, and a rival gangster who Rosita believes murdered their only son. Aurelia wants nothing more than to escape Trouble Island, but she is hiding a secret of her own. She is in fact not a maid, but a gangster's wife in hiding, as she runs from the murder she committed five years ago. Her friend Rosita took her in under this guise, but it has become clear that Rosita wants to keep Aurelia right where she is. Shortly after the group of criminals, celebrities, and scoundrels arrive, Rosita suddenly disappears. Aurelia plans her getaway, going to the shore to retrieve her box of hidden treasures, but instead finds Rosita's body in the water. Someone has made sure Aurelia was the one to find her. An ice storm makes unexpected landfall, cutting Trouble Island off from both mainlands, and with more than one murderer among them."-- Provided by publisher. |
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| The knife before Christmas / Kate Carlisle. |
 "Contractor Shannon Hammer hopes for a peaceful Christmas with her fiancé, Mac, until murder throws a wrench in her holiday plans in a brand-new installment of the USA Today bestselling Fixer-Upper Mystery Series. Christmas has come to Lighthouse Cove, but business hasn't slowed down for Shannon Hammer. She's been contracted to renovate a local hotel owned by the Garrisons, a family that's so devoted to the holidays they serve a seven-course dinner every night from Thanksgiving through Christmas. Last year's festivities featured a train that transported guests around the breathtaking Cliffside property. This year, Shannon and her crew have been commissioned to build a Victorian-style carnival midway with games and prizes galore. Everyone in town loves the hotel's spirit, except the Garrisons' children and their spouses, who are hum-bugged by the money being wasted on holiday cheer while their inheritance goes up the chimney. Things turn nasty when a mischief-maker close to the family is found dead. It's up to Shannon and Mac to catch a sinister Scrooge before all of Lighthouse Cove receives coal for Christmas"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Their frozen bones / D.K. Hood |
 When Sheriff Jenna Alton and her deputy, David Kane, hear reports of a plane crashing into the mountains that surround Black Rock Falls, their hearts shatter. Their friend’s blonde-haired teenage daughter, Julie, was on that flight. They won’t sleep until they bring Julie home to her distraught family. A blizzard closing in, Jenna pushes on with the search until, just beyond the snow-capped trees, she finds the plane. She falls to her knees at the sight of the lifeless bodies, still buckled into their seats. But one passenger is missing: Julie has vanished… |
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