Mysteries

Mysteries

Looking to download free and discounted mystery ebooks? Well then, you sleuth, you’ve found the right place. Satisfy your crime solving needs in this category, and never pay more than what you should. We routinely feature the best authors of mystery ebooks, and they always promote their ebooks to you--for free or for a discount.

 

Definition of "Mystery Genre": Fiction in which a detective resolves a crime or series of crimes.  This genre can also be referred to as detective or crime novels.  The plot of a mystery ebook focuses on the crime that needs to be solved, and the detective that will solve it.  Typical elements include the detective being in danger, a host of suspects with their own motives, and clues, motives and alibis.  The genre can vary greatly dependent on the time in which the mystery is set, as that will drive what tools the detective has at his/her disposal.

 

Some examples of the best mysteries of all-time include Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon), Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express), Caleb Carr (The Alienist), Lyndsay Faye (Dust and Shadow), James Cain (The Postman Always Rings Twice).  Of course, many of these are the best mystery ebooks of all time, as well as classics.  We try to bring you free and discounted mystery ebooks on their way to being the tops in their genre.

Kings and Killers

by E.J. Liston


If you mess with a Devil, there will be hell to pay…

Mike Monroe’s Marine Corps platoon are more than just fellow Devils. They’re family. Rowdy, tough, and tight-knit, despite their differences, they have each other’s backs no matter what. After all, they’ve trained together, fought together, killed together, and celebrated many a drunken night together. Nothing can come between them.

Until a double date turns into an ambush, one with dire consequences for all involved. But who attacked them, and why?

Family and friends of the Devils rush to their side. Bonds and ties are relied on. As the hidden motives behind the incident are slowly revealed, long-buried secrets are exposed that put the lives of everyone involved at risk . . . and threaten the very fabric of the brotherhood itself.

Book One of the Scarlet and Gold Series. Debut novel.
www.ejliston.com

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Bolder Blindsided: A Zack Bolder Supernatural Thriller (Book 1) (Zack Bolder Series)

by Janice Tremayne


An Australian alpine ghost town. A priest turned supernatural detective. A missing persons cold case. Will Bolder track down the voracious demon?

When Detective Wellock hushers in Zack Bolder to investigate a missing person case in the Australian ghost town of Walhalla, they form a formidable tag team of supernatural crime investigators, working for the police branch for unexplained crimes. Perched amongst the alpine area, this tourist backed ghost town is renowned for its gold mining past and stories of hardship, deprivation, and death. It becomes a perfect setting for an unexplained missing person's cold case.

When Bolder realizes every demon has a weakness—it’s blindside, he confronts the demonic presence, head on for an ultimate encounter to save the town. As this evil entity is sly as a fox with more turns that a two-mile racetrack, Bolder must be at his best to overcome the devil that has cursed the town since 1876.

Can Bolder uncover the curse that strangleholds the town and thrust out the evil entity before more innocent people go missing and suffer an imminent fate?

Bolder Blindsided is the first book of the Zack Bolder Supernatural Thriller Series. If you like a fast-moving, energetic, and nail-biting supernatural thriller guaranteed to raise your heartbeat, then you will love this story by 2020 USA Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Finalist in Supernatural Fiction, Janice Tremayne.

Pick up your copy today and meet Zack Bolder!

 

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The Finn Files: The First Three Mr. Finn Cases

by Trace Conger


When finding criminals is your business, it's easy to make a killing. 

This collection contains the first three books in The Finn Files series by the award-winning author Trace Conger. 

Finn Harding (Mr. Finn to his clients) specializes in finding people who don't want to be found. Stripped of his P.I. license, Finn begins working for the type of clientele who operate in the shadows, pay in cash, and don't care if he's licensed or not.

Finn takes on challenging cases and soon finds out that while working with criminals has its advantages, staying alive isn't one of them. Trace Conger delivers sharp-edged and gritty tales of crime, murder, and family. These are fast-paced crime thrillers that hold nothing back.

The Finn Files include:

1. The Shadow Broker (WINNER of a Shamus Award for Best Indie P.I. Novel)

2. Scar Tissue

3. The Prison Guard's Son

"Dark, twisted, and remarkably clever. Trace Conger is establishing himself as one of the most original voices in crime fiction." - Gregory Petersen, author of Open Mike. 

"The Mr. Finn series breathes new life into the P.I. genre...These are some of the most fully realized characters I've encountered in a long time, and this is one of the best detective series I've ever read." - Gumshoes, Gats and Gams 

"Conger's writing is direct. It moves clearly and quickly, perfect for thrillers... With Finn, Conger has created a distinctive and most likely enduring main character..." - Ronald Tierney, author of the Deets Shanahan Mysteries.

 
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Cop or Killer? (A Luca Mystery Book 6)

by Dan Petrosini


Breaking the law to protect your family seems reasonable...until its not.

Detective Luca’s life is shattered when he’s accused of a revenge killing.

A corpse turns up and it doesn’t look good for Luca. The body belongs to someone who harassed his precious Mary Ann, and the circumstances of death point a grisly finger at Luca. Suspicion spreads quickly that he has morphed into a killer and he's black balled.

But Luca's problems don’t end there. While he scrambles to prove his innocence in the murder case, a mortal enemy is on the loose and has him in his cross hairs. Its a vicious serial killer he once put behind bars, a psychopath hell-bent on revenge.

Luca has nowhere to turn for help. With the department closing in one side and an escaped serial killer on the other, Luca is left on his own to clear his name and capture the escapee before he gets to Luca.

Failure means he loses his freedom – or his life.           

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The Widow (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 9)

by Karen Ann Hopkins


Some Amish communities aren’t so cozy.


The Widow is the next installment to the Serenity’s Plain Secrets’ mystery/crime thriller series.

Is it suicide or murder?

A young Amish widow turns up dead in Blood Rock and Sheriff Serenity Adams investigates in this gripping new whodunit mystery.

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ShadowCast

by V.P. Morris


Dakota Kilroy, a 28-year-old investigative journalist, is haunted by the unsolved disappearance of her best friend, Maddy Montgomery who went missing at the age of fifteen. When financial difficulties force her to move back home to Santa Monica, CA, she cannot take the unanswered questions anymore. Determined to find out what happened to Maddy, Dakota starts ShadowCast, a true crime podcast to publicize the case. But little does she know the man responsible for Maddy’s disappearance all those years ago is listening in and tampering with her investigation.

ShadowCast is a psychological thriller with page- turning suspense, a story that praises the value of friendship and the fearless pursuit of justice.

 

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Behind Picketwire

by M. Day Hampton


Behind Picketwire is the book readers are calling “one of the best books I've read,” and raving, “this book draws you in and doesn't let go.”

Red Johnson is a cantankerous sixty-eight-year-old man. After suffering a fall, he wakes to find himself alone in the world with no evidence of human existence other than his house and his dog, Jake. Desperate to find a way back to his family and the world he knew, Red journeys across the country in hopes of finding someone, anyone to help him. As he searches the vast wilderness and struggles for survival, he reflects on the life he took for granted. Meanwhile, his own history begins to unfold before him in the form of strange memories and hauntingly vivid dreams. They make him yearn for what he had, and fall in love with his wife all over again. As Red struggles alone through the wilderness, he comes face to face with a hidden family history that completely changes his past...and his future.

We are all on a journey to find meaning, and Behind Picketwire is one man’s struggle through the wilderness to know himself and to finally see his life in stunning clarity.

 

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Maniacal: A Detective Jade Monroe Crime Thriller Book 1

by C.M. Sutter


A page-turning debut in the fashion of James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series, Maniacal is a police procedural thriller fueled by the drive of Detective Jade Monroe to apprehend the bad guy and bring him to justice—no matter what the cost.

Dime reached into his pocket and felt the cold steel. He thumbed the release on the switchblade as he pulled it out. He reached from behind and, with a hand on Morris’s forehead and a quick, silent swipe, it was over. Dime breathed a deep sigh and shrugged. “Sorry, man, it wasn’t personal. I just needed the practice—it’s been a while. You’re a means to an end, I guess one would say.”

Sleepy little North Bend just woke up.

The newly promoted Sergeant Jade Monroe, and her partner, Detective Jack Steele, have just been informed of an unidentified male body found at a local lake. The town is in an uproar. The victim was nearly decapitated, and murder simply doesn’t happen in North Bend.

As more bodies turn up, the single connection between all of the victims becomes clear—it’s Jade, herself.
With each new victim getting one step closer to Jade, time begins to tick away. She must find the person responsible before her loved ones, or herself, are targeted next.

Note: All Jade Monroe books are standalone stories but since characters carry over, they are best read in chronological order.

Series One - Detective Jade Monroe Crime Thriller Series
#1 Maniacal
#2 Captive
#3 Fallacy
#4 Premonition
#5 Exposed

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Victim of a Delusional Mind: A Dark and Disturbing Thriller

by K. J. North


Tragedy enters the quaint coastal town of New Haven, Oregon when the recently released convict,

Ross Conrad, vows to make good on a ten-year-old threat.
Private Investigators, Troy and Eva Winters take on the case when they realize their good friend, Jasmine, is the object of his delusional obsession.

When the threat becomes deadly and Jasmine turns up missing, Troy and Eva go on the hunt for Ross and his captive.
The chase leads them from the Oregon coast to the dense forest of Puget Sound, Washington. Following clues and evidence of bodies left behind, Troy and Eva must find Jasmine before her time runs out.


Private Investigators Troy and Eva Winters Thriller Series books are listed in chronological order below
#1 Victim of a Delusional Mind
#2 Dead Man's Money
#3 Every Last Drop



Editorial Review
“Husband-and-wife private investigators Troy and Eva Winters split their time between their investigation work and their more leisurely pursuit as innkeepers on the coast of Oregon. They befriend a new guest, Jasmine, and when they learn she’s on the hit list of a newly released criminal, the tension soars. Well-drawn, immensely likable characters and an outstanding sense of place mark this intriguing, fast-paced thriller.” Angela M., Line Editor, Red Adept Editing

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Scavenger Hunt

by Charles Welch


On the morning of Rachel’s wedding anniversary, she finds her husband gone, and an envelope on his pillow. She is to solve the clue in the envelope to find the next clue. Each clue will lead to another until she finds her husband and her anniversary surprise. Excited to celebrate their day, she solves the first riddle and finds the next clue. As one clue leads to another, the tasks become harder and the clues hint at a more devious plan. A terrible reality dawns on her as she realizes she must complete the game to its end to save her marriage and possibly her life. Rachel’s adventure is not the celebration she imagined, and the creator of the game has a different prize in mind. At the end of the game, he waits for her to complete his revenge. But who created the game? Why does he seek revenge? And who will be waiting for her at the end of her Scavenger Hunt?

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Cupcakes and Crime (Gold Valley Mysteries Book 1)

by April Browne


The grand opening of Magnolia Winery is sure to make a splash until the General Manager is found dead in the wine cellar. Sophia Bell, owner of Mama Ginger's Bakery and a not very skilled kitchen witch, is hired to cater the highly anticipated event.


But the job is no icing on the cake, especially when she winds up as the prime suspect in the murder investigation. 

Her mother's legacy on the line, Sophia launches her own investigation. With the help of her southern assistant, some honesty magic, and two fluffy dogs, Sophia uncovers a secret she never thought possible.

A murderer is living in Gold Valley, and Sophia is next on the list. 

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Generation 23: Hallowed Be Thy Noble Name (Goliath Chronicles Book 1)

by Ivan Ertlov


"... with its thrill and the dystopian elements one of the best books I have read so far."
- THE LIBRARIAN AND HER BOOKS

Earth is destroyed, our civilization lost.
But humanity has survived!
Resilient, on giant generation ships, venturing to distant planets, searching for a new home. Built by billionaires and visionaries, they carry mankind to the stars – and the weight of our last hope on their shoulders.
23 Generations into the journey of the colonial generation ship "Trappist", law and order onboard is upheld and executed by a handful of justices. With the powers of police officers, prosecutors and judges combined, they are among the IDs – Indispensables. Respected, feared, and living in modest comfort, they fulfil the Nobles' will and keep the workforce in check.
Maria Gomez is one of them. At peace with the fact that she will never walk on the surface of a planet, she enjoys the perks of her position and the glimpse of power handed down to her by the Nobles themselves. Until one day, the chase after a chicken thief turns into the case of her life. A mission that will challenge her beliefs – and change everything. For herself, for the workforce, for the Nobles in their heaven.

"Generation 23" is the first Australian English edition of any novel by Austrian-Czech bestselling author Ivan Ertlov. Unlike his other more humorous work, this is a dystopian crime novel. A SciFi thriller set in the void between the stars. Vibrant, violent, breathtaking – because in space, no one can hear you scream…

Winner of the "VLP" – Best Crime Novel 2019
"A dystopian, sometimes disturbing adventure that shouldn't be missed."
- VLP reading corner, print supplement 06/2019
"A gripping, exciting crime thriller against a dark future scenario. Recommended!"
- Jean Lohrent - book preview
"An entertaining, exciting novel that can be recommended to adult crime, thriller and science fiction readers alike."
- Fantastic reading

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The Omega Strain (A Mitch Herron Thriller—Book 1)

by Steve P. Vincent


Mitch Herron's business is death and business is good. 

An assassin without equal, Herron’s latest job is no walk in the park, because fanatics hell-bent on cleansing the planet ambush Herron and turn him into a walking bioweapon.

With only days before he's used to spread the most lethal contagion in human history, Herron must hunt down the fanatics and stop their attack, knowing he might be the only person who can.

The clock is ticking....

If you like Robert Ludlam’s Jason Bourne, Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp and Mark Dawson’s John Milton, you’ll love The Omega Strain, the first novel in the addictive Mitch Herron series. 

Get it now!

*******

Also in the series…

The Shadow Enclave (Mitch Herron 2)

The Lazarus Protocol (Mitch Herron 3)

The Capricorn Deception (Mitch Herron 4) - NEW RELEASE!

What reviewers are saying about Steve P. Vincent’s thrillers…

“Great fun. A two-fisted thriller, escaped from five minutes into the future.” – John Birmingham, USA Today Bestseller.

“Masterful, electrifying thrillers that will keep you coming back for more.” – Nathan M. Farrugia, USA Today Bestseller.

“A vibrant thriller series with international appeal, slyly-written and entertaining, which should satisfy fans of the genre.” – Newtown Review of Books.

“It’s power play after high-stakes political power play in the Jack Emery series. This series had us white-knuckling our iPad.” – Apple Books.

“A jet-setting, alarming, bang-pow-kaboom read full of bloodshed and machinations you’ll hope never become reality. Don’t start reading it at 9pm unless you have the next day off!” – ReadingKills.

What Amazon readers are saying about the Mitch Herron series… 

★★★★★ “A must read for those who love fast, action-packed suspense.”

★★★★★ “An excellent start to a new action-packed thriller series!”

★★★★★ “An awesome thriller. I wonder could this really happen?”

★★★★★ “This book kept me on the edge of my seat.”

★★★★★ “The story is well paced; there's no filler fluff. Everything counts.”

★★★★★ “A life and death story that has compassion, danger, thrills, excitement and mystery.”

★★★★★ “Cracking good! Five stars!”

★★★★★ “Full-on action, adventure and drama.”

★★★★★ “Very hard book to put down. Can't wait for the next one. . .”

★★★★★ “Lots of action, twists and turns to keep you guessing.”

★★★★★ “All I can say is WOW!”

★★★★★ “An extremely well written and fast paced thriller. Enjoyed immensely.”

★★★★★ “I was on the edge of my seat - beginning to end.”

★★★★★ “Another wild and exciting ride. Couldn’t put it down.”

★★★★★ “Always looking for a new kick ass hero, found one!”

 

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Colony X

by William Turnage


The ambush came out of nowhere.

Our fleet was decimated.
We were flung deep into uncharted space on the far side of the nebula.
Then the signal came—a mysterious distress call from an unknown planet.
I’m Space Marine Corporal Jeremiah Helgerson and my job is simple. Find the source of the distress call and save whoever is still alive. Get in, get out. Easy work for a space marine. But no matter how well trained you are, missions never go as planned, and this one was a disaster from the start.
Now we’re stranded, and they’re hunting us.
Those nightmares.
Ferocious, unstoppable.
And so very hungry.

 
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Almost Gone (The Au Pair—Book One)

by Blake Pierce


“When you think that life cannot get better, Blake Pierce comes up with another masterpiece of thriller and mystery! This book is full of twists and the end brings a surprising revelation. I strongly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that enjoys a very well written thriller.”

--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Almost Gone)

ALMOST GONE is book #1 in a new psychological thriller series by USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews.

When 23 year old Cassandra Vale accepts her first job as an au pair, she finds herself placed with a wealthy family in a rural estate outside of Paris, and all seems too good to be true. But she soon discovers that behind the gilded gates lies a dysfunctional family, a twisted marriage, troubled children, and secrets too dark to air.


Cassandra is convinced she’s finally found a fresh start when she takes a job as an au pair in the idyllic French countryside. Just beyond the Paris city limits, the Dubois manor is a grand relic of the past, the family its picture-perfect occupants. It’s the escape Cassandra needs—until she uncovers dark secrets that prove things aren’t as glamorous as they seem.

Beneath the opulence lies a dark web of malice, one Cassandra finds all too familiar, triggering dreams from her own violent and tortured past, one from which she desperately runs. And when a grisly murder tears the house apart, it threatens to take down her own fragile psyche with it.

A riveting mystery replete with complex characters, layers of secrets, dramatic twists and turns and heart-pounding suspense, ALMOST GONE is book #1 in a psychological suspense series that will have you turning pages late into the night.

Book #2 and #3--ALMOST LOST and ALMOST DEAD—are also available!

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The Pinebox Vendetta

by Jeff Bond


GOLD MEDALIST (TOP PRIZE), 2020 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS, POPULAR FICTION CATEGORY

From the author of The Winner Maker and Blackquest 40 comes The Pinebox Vendetta: a genre-bending thriller that combines a love story, cold-case murder mystery, and political blood feud — told over the course of a single breathless weekend.

The Gallaghers and Pruitts have dominated the American political landscape dating back to Revolutionary times. The Yale University class of 1996 had one of each, and as the twenty-year reunion approaches, the families are on a collision course.

Owen Gallagher is coasting to the Democratic nomination for president.

Rock Pruitt — the brash maverick whose career was derailed two decades ago by his association to a tragic death — is back, ready to reclaim the mantle of clan leader.

And fatefully in between lies Samantha Lessing. Sam arrives at reunion weekend lugging a rotten marriage, dumb hope, and a portable audio recorder she'll use for a public radio-style documentary on the Pruitt-Gallagher rivalry — widely known as the pinebox vendetta. What Sam uncovers will thrust her into the middle of the ancient feud, upending presidential politics and changing the trajectory of one clan forever.

The Pinebox Vendetta is the first entry in the Pruitt-Gallagher saga: a series that promises cutthroat plots, power grabs, and unforgettable characters stretched to their very limits by the same ideological forces that roil America today.

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The Witch's Handbook to Hunting Vampires (Southern Single Mom Paranormal Mysteries 1)

by Amy Boyles


All Andie Taylor wants is a normal life...



Andie Taylor is your average single mom. She's got a beautiful toddler, a great job at the local preschool, a neurotic best friend and one huge secret—she used to hunt vampires. Now retired, Andie would much rather be wiping kid snot off her clothes than stalking the undead.

But after a meteor rips through her small town, strange things start happening—like the school janitor is found dead with fang marks in his neck.

Andie's retired, it's not her problem.

Until vampires attack Andie on her front lawn. Now she has to figure out who the head bloodsucker is and stop him from taking any more victims—all while juggling single motherhood, a crazy great aunt and Andie's own lust for a fallen angel. Can she solve the mystery before the vampires claim someone else? Or will she become the next target of the bloodsuckers?


 

Don't miss this first book in a brand new series by the author of the Bless Your Witch series.

 
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Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre

by Max Brooks


NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The #1 New York Times bestselling author of World War Z is back with “the Bigfoot thriller you didn’t know you needed in your life, and one of the greatest horror novels I’ve ever read” (Blake Crouch, author of Dark Matter and Recursion).
 
As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier’s eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . . until now. The journals of resident Kate Holland, recovered from the town’s bloody wreckage, capture a tale too harrowing—and too earth-shattering in its implications—to be forgotten. In these pages, Max Brooks brings Kate’s extraordinary account to light for the first time, faithfully reproducing her words alongside his own extensive investigations into the massacre and the legendary beasts behind it. Kate’s is a tale of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity’s defiance in the face of a terrible predator’s gaze, and, inevitably, of savagery and death.

Yet it is also far more than that.

Because if what Kate Holland saw in those days is real, then we must accept the impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks among us—and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.

Part survival narrative, part bloody horror tale, part scientific journey into the boundaries between truth and fiction, this is a Bigfoot story as only Max Brooks could chronicle it—and like none you’ve ever read before.

Praise for Devolution

“Delightful . . . [A] tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.”Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The story is told in such a compelling manner that horror fans will want to believe and, perhaps, take the warning to heart.”Booklist (starred review)

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Roseland Boxed Set: Volumes 1-3

by Eric Ugland


Secret Societies, Serial Killers, and a Seriously Snarky PI.

When Ginger Mitchell finds out her mother committed suicide, she packs up her life as a Vegas "dancer" (hey, somebody's gotta do it) and drives her cherry-red SUV straight home to Portland. Without a disapproving mom to rebel against, what was the point?

When she arrives back in her hometown, she finds a lot more going on than fancy food trucks and put-a-bird-on-it hipsters. 

Murders are being passed off as suicides. 

College-aged women keep going missing. 

And then there's the troubling spate of mobsters who keep inviting her out to eat. 

With a pile of cash saved from her last job and no one around to tell her not to, Ginger decides to become a private investigator, to find out exactly what's gone wrong in the City of Roses. First up: Her mother's "suicide."

Included in this complete seres boxed set are:

  1. Home Is Where the Start Is
  2. The Ruth Is Out There
  3. The Body in the Pool
  4. Amber Alert
  5. Jane Dead
  6. Welcome to Roseland
  7. Typhoid Larry
  8. So Tong, Farewell
  9. Death Comes from Behind
  10. Scratch ‘n’ Snitch
  11. Slightly Off-Killer
  12. To Unleash the Beast
  13. Attack the Doc
  14. Killing Cousins
  15. Gold Riggers
  16. Belittle Women
  17. Dead Be a Lady Tonight
  18. End Her Game

Praise for The Roseland Series:

"This heart-racing mystery is just dripping with snark. Ginger Mitchell is one of the best private investigators to hang up a shingle in years." 

"Ginger is a little bit Veronica Mars with daddy issues, fewer moral hang-ups, and a mom who is a not-so friendly ghost."

"A slice of yummy cake. Quickly devoured and highly enjoyed."

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The Story of the Cloth

by Ken Paterson


“… harrowing moments … engrossing tale … exceptional prose …” – Kirkus Reviews

After a mysterious meeting at dusk in London’s Regent’s Park, Alex finds himself in Oman, where he is drawn, by a chance encounter with the kindly scholar Burhan, into the perilous quest for an ancient cloth, allegedly bearing the image of God.
Burhan sees the cloth as a beacon of hope for mankind. Salah, his ruthless cousin, wants to lock it away forever. The chase that ensues will threaten Burhan’s life, Alex’s life and Carol’s too, his enigmatic new girlfriend.

“… ingenious twists and unexpected tangents have the reader sitting on the edge of his/her seat … a compelling narrative …” – Readers’ Favorite (5 stars)
“Line by line, The Story of the Cloth sparkles. Paterson's prose is scrupulous, elegant, and pleasing, studded with sly turns of phrase and observations worth lingering over.” - The Booklife Prize, Critic's Report

 
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