A PRIEST, AN EX-COP, AND THREE BADASS BABES WALK INTO A BAR…

Lucky for readers, that’s a great opportunity for the kind of rare mystery series with something for everyone—a tough guy, three awesome women, and a classic Golden Age gentleman-detective clergyman. The twist? The cop and the cleric are half-brothers who operate a PI firm out of their bar.

Owen Parr pulls off a crowd-pleasing coup in the first entry in his Joey Mancuso/Father Dominic O’Brian series—a perfect blending of the hard-boiled and intellectual schools of detecting. Joey, who got kicked out of the police department by means of a small frame, is the ex-cop. The women are a fiery FBI agent, (Joey’s elusive Cuban girl friend), a glamorous “researcher”, and perhaps most memorable of all, Joey’s mentor and ex-partner, Lucifer--officially Lucy, but the nickname says it all.

Captain O’Brian’s Pub and Cigar Bar, with its old-world New York warmth and reliably friendly Irish bartender is a character in itself, the kind of place that’s like home to its devotees.

So when one of the brothers’ best customers dies in an apparent suicide —a Wall Street guy celebrating a new client the night before-- they're just not feeling it. They know he wasn’t a guy who wanted to die; and they quickly find out he was someone a lot of people wanted dead.

It’s a made-to-order financial puzzle for a couple of seasoned New York PI’s, with the kind of twists and scams and puzzles that warm a mystery fan’s heart like a shot of Jameson.

Fans of New York detective shows from Blue Bloods to Elementary will find it right up their alley, and devotees of Golden Age mysteries will love it, especially those set in New York, like Ellery Queen and Nero Wolfe; and those starring brainy clergymen, like Father Brown, The Rabbi, and Father Dowling.

In the mood for a handful of deliciously amusing cozy mysteries? It’s as if Stephanie Plum meets Jackie Brown and spars with Amelia Peabody in these five humorous puzzlers, featuring five unique leading ladies: a New Orleans poet-turned-private-eye, a witty Hollywood vampire, an American academic in Provence, a sassy San Francisco lawyer, and a sly divorcee starting anew in the 70s.
Prepare yourself for plenty of laughs, curl up, and devour all 5 cozies for a bargain!
 
LOUISIANA BIGSHOT
 
IT’S QUEEN LATIFAH PLUS DANNY DEVITO IN THIS MULTILAYERED MURDER MYSTERY BY EDGAR-WINNER JULIE SMITH
…Or it would be if this were a movie—in print, they’re Talba Wallis and Eddie Valentino. Talba’s got the beauty, the brains, the computer savvy, the poetic soul, the youth, the right demographic, and the sass. Eddie’s got the detective agency. Also a short fuse and yes, wisdom. Not only do they make it work, they’ve got chemistry.

And they need every skill and ounce of courage they can summon in this intricate tale of a decades-old conspiracy only now coming home to roost, with the murder of Talba’s friend Babalu Maya. Babalu is actually Clayton Robineau, daughter of the local banker in a small Louisiana town that bears her name. And that town has plenty of skeletons in its closet.
 
LOVE BITES
 
NOT YOUR MAMA’S POLICE PROCEDURAL—A COP STORY WITH BITE…AND ROMANCE
IN Adrienne Barbeau's second Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, Ovsanna’s the successful owner of her own Hollywood film studio and the star of 17 blockbuster horror films, plus three, sadly, that went straight to video. (But even vampyres have bad days.) Peter, on the other hand, is a Beverly Hills cop firmly rooted in human affairs, from the domestic issues of his lively Italian family to the romantic ones of his neighbor, snake dancer Suzie Q.

Though Ovsanna’s had flings with everyone from Genghis Khan to Errol Flynn, Peter’s got what it takes to catch her eye and hold her interest. And he’s one hell of a detective. Together, the duo takes on Hollywood in an action-packed mystery with sly satire, spiced and seasoned with paranormal characters that the author manages to turn into metaphors for the monsters we all encounter on a daily basis.

THE 13^TH FELLOW
 
POETRY, MURDER, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE...AND PROVENCE!
American Professor Havilah Gaie has always seen herself as “an academic version of Pam Grier’s characters in Tracy Whiting;s first mystery: smart, quick on their feet, loyal with a keen sense of purpose.” Now she’s got a chance to suit up for action because suddenly she’s a witness in a murder, having spoken with the victim on her phone moments before he was attacked.
 
SOURDOUGH WARS by Julie Smith
 
TO YOU, ITS JUST A FROZEN LUMP OF DOUGH; TO SOME, IT'S LIFE AND DEATH...
Especially to handsome Peter Martinelli, who wants to auction off the fabled sourdough starter from his family’s famous bakery. But who’d buy a frozen hunk of flour and water? Only, it turns out, every bakery in San Francisco, a national food conglomerate, and an upstart ringer with a mysterious backer. Someone would even kill for it. And does.
 
PAPER PHOENIX by Michaela Thompson

FIRST COMES DIVORCE, THEN COMES MURDER…
…or at least sweet thoughts of murder. Maggie Longstreet has plenty of them after slimy, ambitious Richard trades her in for a more recent model. She’s so depressed she can barely get out of bed when Larry Hawkins, a seemingly not-at-all depressed acquaintance, commits suicide out of the blue. Suddenly Maggie goes on high alert, remembering something her evil ex said about Larry—something highly suspicious...

Broke, friendless, and career in freefall--will solving a murder get her life back on track?

An Uncollected Death introduces Charlotte Anthony, a forty-something divorcée, single mother and magazine editor who suddenly finds herself an empty-nester, unemployed, and on the verge of bankruptcy. She gratefully takes the job of editing the journals of Olivia Bernadin, a long-lost nouveau roman author. Things rapidly deteriorate, however, when she finds Olivia left for dead the first day on the job--and herself a suspect in the crime.
Charlotte turns amateur detective as she works out cryptic clues to find Olivia's hidden journals and to clear herself of suspicion, all while reinventing her life by downsizing to a tiny apartment in the small college town of Elm Grove, Indiana.

But efficient and independent Charlotte must also learn to accept the help of a new group of friends when she finds herself threatened by criminals who will stop at nothing--not even murder--to get their hands on something of immense value hidden within Olivia's hoard of collectibles.
The Charlotte Anthony novels are traditional, character-driven mysteries whose overarching theme is how the past informs the present, and how even a small town in the American Midwest can be connected to a much larger world.

A bond stronger than blood. A connection that could end it all.

Madigan Knox and Grace Sheppard became sisters the day they entered their foster home. After living through a childhood nightmare, one brave act set them free, but split them apart into different homes.

As adults, they are reunited in the small coastal town they dreamed of living in as children, but the reality of life in Tall Pines is far from what they had imagined.

When a woman is found dead​ in her home​, Madigan reports on the crime while Grace investigates. A dark connection to the victim is discovered, pulling them both closer to the crime and the traumatic past they are desperate to move on from.
With old wounds ripped open and dark secrets threatening their bond, the sisters must rely on each other more than ever before to survive.

Fans of Rizzoli and Isles will love this first book in a new, unpredictable mystery series by Emerald O'Brien that readers are calling "...a beautiful, harrowing tale." "...with more twists than a red vine!"

Scroll up and one-click your copy of The Girls Across the Bay today!

‘I loved this book… Sucks you in on the first page and doesn’t let you go until the climactic end… kept me hanging on to every word.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars

At least they’d found her. Once the site was processed and the girl’s body removed, they’d be able to identify her so that her family could give her the burial she deserved. This innocent girl was far too young to be lying in a grave, crushed under the weight of someone else’s coffin...

When the body of a teenage girl is found hidden inside a stranger’s grave in a small-town cemetery in The Lake District, an urgent call is made to Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams. One look at the beautiful girl’s broken body is enough to bring Beth out of hiding for the first time since an attempt on her own life…

Beth doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence that the victim was found the same day a threatening gift was left on the doorstep of her secluded home. Her instincts are telling her that it’s a trap, that she should run for safety. But she knows she’s the only one with the expertise to help her trusted friend, Detective Josh Walker, crack the most shocking case of his career.

The tiny traces of material Beth finds beneath the victim’s fingernails is the break in the case the team need to chase down this twisted killer. But this critical lead comes at a dangerous price, exposing Beth’s whereabouts and dragging her back into the line of fire once again.

With Beth’s own life on the line, the investigation is already cracking under the pressure. Then another local girl goes missing… Can Beth stay alive long enough to catch the killer before he claims his next victim?

An absolutely gripping new crime thriller that will grab fans of Patricia Gibney, LJ Ross and Angela Marsons from the very first page and leave them gasping for breath by the last.
 

Readers adore The Girl in the Grave!

‘Outstanding… Well plotted, gripping in the true sense of the word and a real thriller. This story grabbed me from page one and held me all the way through. One of my favourite summer reads to date!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘It was nail biting... I was completely blindsided when the truth was finally revealed… I loved the speed with which I turned the pages… I want book 2 as soon as possible.’ Book Reviews by Shalini, 5 stars

‘A humdinger of a Crime Thriller that grabs you and draws you in from the brilliantly written and powerful opening scene to the nail-biting, butt-clenching finale… Fabulous first in the series, tightly plotted, gritty narrative and very believable, engaging characters… I look forward to more in the series - loved it and would certainly recommend.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Oh wow! This is such a gripping read, I was hooked from the first page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Fabulous start to a new series… the pace just doesn’t let… the wonderful Helen Phifer has a knack of drawing you in to a story with characters… for the life of me I couldn’t work out who the perpetrator was!!… this is definitely going to be a winner!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A one in a million… it’s written well and feels truly original… it’s like nothing I’ve read before. So excited for the next one!’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘An intriguing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Lots of twists that will keep you guessing… will keep you turning the pages!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

A girl on the run. Two men trained to hunt, and an innocent caught in the middle.

Emma’s stayed successfully hidden for six years because of a promise. But when she runs into the handsome Russian by accident, she senses the game will take a disturbing twist. Rohan Andreyev always knew where she was. He just didn’t want to make contact.

What he sees during their chance meeting gives him a reason to track her down and what she’s hiding forces him to get involved.

But someone else is watching. Someone with their own agenda. Emma is still not safe and she doesn’t know it. Rohan’s arrival confuses her and his news causes devastation. Because the help she’s waiting for isn't coming and she might lose the one thing she vowed to protect.

Readers say, “This was hard to put down.”

If you like strong, mysterious men and plucky, female sleuths, you’ll love The Actuary.

Download it today to get hours of sneaking chapters.

Lose yourself in a small English town teeming with dubious risk takers and an Irishman you’ll never forget.

On a blooming May morning, the five bodies of a religious family are found in their apartment in the quiet suburb of Samuel's Hill (Giv'at Shmuel).

Detective Hadas Levinger, the renegade atheist daughter of a religious family, is put in charge of the police investigation. Slowly and skillfullym she peels away the shell protecting this unique community, and reveals hard and painful secrets.

Can she survive them?

Book EIGHT of the hilarious Pineapple Port mystery series from Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY Best-Selling author Amy Vansant has Charlotte awaking to find Mariska and Bob gone, kidnapped from their home. Their disappearance is a message from the a familiar killer --- Help me or your friends will disappear.

To save her loved ones, Charlotte must find a way to clear her boyfriend's crazy ex of a killing. It may be the only crime the woman didn't commit...but things don't get any easier when someone mistakes Charlotte as a traitor and sends a madman with a distinctive "tattoo" and a unusual killing style, to stop her.

Fans of comedic mysteries like The Thin Man, Moonlighting, Monk and Elementary will fall in love with the charming, funny and thrilling world of Pineapple Port!

A gripping financial thriller where corporate greed and corruption abound . . .

When widow and single parent Cynthia Webber discovers a body during the routine financial statement audit of a prestigious and controversial pipeline company, her whole world is turned upside down.

Her career and life are threatened by her boss when he turns up unexpectedly at her son’s daycare, posing as her brother. When she ignores his threats and goes to the police, she finds herself alone and unjustly dismissed.

Cynthia turns to her best friend Linda, an investigative reporter, to help uncover her boss’s true motivation and get her life back, just as a well-known environmental activist is found murdered on the pipeline company’s property.

Book 1 in the Cynthia Webber series. Fans of The Firm and the Women’s Murder Club series will enjoy this fast-paced read

*contains profanity, sex, and violence. Written in Canadian English.

"An explosive and visceral debut with the most terrifying of killers. Wes Markin is a new name to watch out for in crime fiction, and I can't wait to see more of Detective Yorke." – Bestselling Crime Author Stephen Booth

School should be the safest place in the world. Not this winter.

Detective Michael Yorke faces his most harrowing case yet.

When 12-year-old Paul disappears from school, Yorke’s only clue is a pool of animal blood. Fearing the worst, he turns toward the most obvious suspect, recently released local murderer, Thomas Ray.

But as the snow in Salisbury worsens, Ray’s mutilated body is discovered, and Yorke is left with no choice but to journey into the sinister heart of a demented family that has plagued the community for generations. Can he save the boy? Or will the evil he discovers change him forever?

The shocking and exhilarating new crime thriller will have you turning the pages late into the night.

Read what everyone is saying about One Last Prayer for the Rays: 

‘A pool of blood, an abduction, swirling blizzards, a haunting mystery, yes, Wes Markin’s One Last Prayer for the Rays has all the makings of an absorbing thriller. I recommend that you give it a go.’– Bestselling Author Alan Gibbons 

‘Wes Markin has created a really high energy novel that I just want to rave about everywhere.’ Jessica Rachow, 5 stars

‘It’s a stunning book, and a true testament to wonderful crime writing.’ Radzy Writes, 5 stars

‘Bam it’s go go go and it feels like you are on a rollercoaster that you don’t know if it is ever going to end.’ Zoe-Lee O’Farrell, Zooloo’s book diary, 5 stars.

‘Having just finished this book my head is still reeling, and my heart is still thumping,’ Goodreads Reviewer,5 stars

 ‘Jeez Louise, the opener hit bull’s eye straight away and nothing could stop me from being dragged into the story,’ Els, B for Bookreview, 5 stars

‘A WOW evoking opening and keeps the wows coming throughout. Shocking and at times disturbing, this is an intense, disconcerting and gripping tale.’ Bookworms Corner Blog Spot, 5 stars

‘One Last Prayer For The Rays is a dark and chilling read. There were lots of parts that are left to the imagination that shocked and horrified me but I so enjoyed them all.’ Sarah Hardy, By the letter book reviews.

‘An incredibly strong debut… I actually mistook it for one that an author with more published stories behind them would write. There was a moment when I thought wow, I’d so love to read everything this author has written – and I went on Goodreads to see what else is out there. That’s how good it is.’ Dora, Swift Coffee Blog, 5 stars.

‘It’s twisty, dark, gritty, gripping and exciting, the characters are eclectic, complex, sinister, deeply flawed but wow do they get under your skin,’ Dash Fan Book Reviews, 5 stars.

MEET THE ULTIMATE FEMALE SLEUTH!

Ovsanna Moore has no fear, never loses a fight, and always, always says what she thinks—very wittily too. Vampyres are like that. You learn a lot in 450 years, though not necessarily your way around a murder investigation. Due to an extremely hot cop boy friend—and some nasty supernatural murders—she’s all over this new skill, and a good thing too. Only a few things can really threaten a vampyre, and they're all coming at her at once, including some strange and tender feelings she’s kind of forgotten—involving that mysterious thing humans call love.

WHO’LL LOVE THESE:
*Fans of TRUE BLOOD and Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries, J.D. Robb’s “In Death” series, Ann Charles' humorous Deadwood series, and Kay Hooper’s psychic mysteries.
*Fans of witty couple mysteries like Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro series.
*Paranormal and vampire fans, especially those fond of Christopher Moore, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, George R.R. Martin’s FEVRE DREAM, and THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova.
*Anyone who likes witty mysteries with a hint of the police procedural about them.

LOVE BITES

Detective Peter King and movie star Ovsanna Moore are the sexiest tongue-in-cheek crime-solving duo since MOONLIGHTING hit the air waves in the ‘80s. But they may remind you more of TRUE BLOOD’s Sookie and Eric than Maddie and David—because one of them’s a vampyre. And like Sookie’s Bon Temps, their Los Angeles has its fair share of shapeshifting sometime-humans.

Here, they team up in an action-packed mystery, a sly satire, and a lush love story, spiced and seasoned with paranormal characters that the author manages to turn into metaphors for the monsters we all encounter on a daily basis. (There be werewolves out there! We all know that. And wouldn’t you know, the most ruthless ones are in Hollywood.)

MAKE ME DEAD

As always in a Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, the biting wit is sharper than a nip from a passing vampyre—in a word,humor, wit, and satire are what this engaging series is really all about.

Nobody’s better than Barbeau at skewering the foibles of Hollywood and its self-involved denizens, and nobody’s got a smarter mouth than her movie star heroine, vampire Ovsanna Moore, this time in New Orleans for a horror convention.

Traveling with Ovsanna is her human true love, hot LAPD Detective Peter King, Peter’s snake-dancing neighbor Susie Q, and the detective’s memorabilia-selling mom. But unbeknownst to the quartet, someone else is with them—someone from the past who can be extremely dangerous. Even to Ovsanna, and hardly anything is!

Part comic mystery, part police procedural, a little bit supernatural, paranormal, and cccult (with a dash of old-fashioned vampyre romance), MAKE ME DEAD is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud—more than once.

Maggie Newberry is an advertising copywriter who’s fast on her feet and a little stunned to realize that she’s over 30 and still hasn’t found true love. When her long missing sister ends up dead, Maggie flies to the south of France to find the little niece that no one in the family even knew existed. Along the way, she finds handsome, sexy Frenchman Laurent Dernier to help search for the girl. Meanwhile, her sister’s murderer sets his sights on the little girl—and Maggie.
(Alors: Laurent’s classic boeuf en daube recipe at the end of the book!)

This book is a clean read: no graphic violence, sex or strong language
Genre: light culinary cozy mystery, women amateur sleuth, cozy animal (dog)

MAGGIE NEWBERRY MYSTERIES
Murder in the South of France (Book 1)
Murder a la Carte (Book 2)
Murder in Provence (Book 3)
Murder in Paris (Book 4)
Murder in Aix (Book 5)
Murder in Nice (Book 6)
Murder in the Latin Quarter (Book 7)
Murder in the Abbey (Book 8)
Murder in the Bistro (Book 9)
Murder in Cannes (Book 10)
Murder in Grenoble (Book 11)
Murder in the Vineyard (Book 12)
 

Puppies have taken over book NINE of the hilarious Pineapple Port mystery series from Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY Best-Selling author Amy Vansant!

Someone has left puppies on the doorsteps of Pineapple Port's residents, but the adorable balls of fur seem to be connected to the murder of a nearby millionaire with too many heirs of his own. Meanwhile, Mariska's been framed for baking a killer cake, and Charlotte must clear her name

Fans of classic cozy mysteries will adore this whodunnit packed with puppies, baking, horses, sneaky maids and a dead rich man!

A Gold Medal IPPI Winner

Engaging and opulent, The Warsaw Conspiracy unfolds as a family saga set against the November Rising (1830-31), partitioned Poland's daring challenge to the Russian Empire. Brilliantly illustrating the psyche of a people determined to reclaim independence in the face of monumental odds, the story portrays two brothers and their fates in love and war. Michal is a seasoned veteran soldier, cautious of the evolving conspiracy; Jozef, his much younger brother and impassioned cadet, finds himself caught up in the vortex of a daring plot to abduct the Grand Duke of Russia. With Siberia or emigration to France looming as heart-rending contingencies, matriarchs Anna and Zofia stay steadfast in their resolve to steer the clan through ever-muddying waters.

It’s the summer of 1879, and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, is in trouble. Annie’s husband squandered her fortune before committing suicide five years earlier, and one of his creditors is now threatening to take the boardinghouse she owns to pay off a debt.

Annie Fuller also has a secret. She supplements her income by giving domestic and business advice as Madam Sibyl, one of San Francisco’s most exclusive clairvoyants, and one of Madam Sibyl’s clients, Matthew Voss, has died. The police believe his death was suicide brought upon by bankruptcy, but Annie believes Voss has been murdered and that his assets have been stolen.

Nate Dawson has a problem. As the Voss family lawyer, he would love to believe that Matthew Voss didn't leave his grieving family destitute. But that would mean working with Annie Fuller, a woman who alternatively attracts and infuriates him as she shatters every notion he ever had of proper ladylike behavior.

Sparks fly as Anne and Nate pursue the truth about the murder of Matthew Voss in this light-hearted, cozy historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco.

Maids of Misfortune is the first book in M. Louisa Locke’s historical mystery series, see also, Uneasy Spirits, and Bloody Lessons, Deadly Proof, and Pilfered Promises, as well as the novellas, Violet Vanquishes a Villain, Kathleen Catches a Killer, and Dandy Delivers, and the short stories based on the characters from the novels, which can be found collected in Victorian San Francisco Stories.

Evil hides behind the sweetest faces. Even the face of a child.

A dark evil has infected the Huggett house. Hyla and Lizeth Frontenac can feel it. What form has the monster taken this time? A deranged mother? A secret crime? Or maybe it's a little girl, weaving a web of lies.

For nine-year-old Nelly Huggett has quite a story to tell. Maybe she's just precocious, imaginative, and misunderstood… Or maybe that glimmer in her eye is deceit and cold vengeance. Maybe she's the source of the powerful evil that consumed her entire family.

Wherever this evil comes from, it’s dragging Hyla into the abyss faster than she can chase the clues. And she may lose herself before she can save anyone else.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "The book is truly a hand shaking, nail biting, looking over your shoulder thrill ride." - Amazon

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "…doesn't let go til the end. It may even stick with you in the dark of the night afterwards." - Amazon

Women’s detective fiction just got a lot more scary. Welcome to the world of The Frontenac Sisters: Supernatural Sleuths & Monster Hunters, a new psychological fiction/metaphysical mystery series that is guaranteed to keep you up at night.

Wicked Innocents is the first, free installment in a series of three books that combine a good old-fashioned amateur sleuth (two, in fact) with spine-tilling suspense,heart-breaking drama, just enough horror to keep you on the edge of your seat, and the heart-pumping adrenaline rush of a fast-paced thriller.

In book 1 of the series, meet sleuths and sisters Hyla and Lizeth Frontenac, who run their own unique private investigator business from a small town in the Adirondacks. But they’re more often in their 1972 Ford Econoline van, driving across America to investigate the next inexplicable crime.

They’re not technically professionals. The cases they investigate are more dark and disturbing than the average. More…bizarre. Criminals are cloaked as supernatural monsters, occult forces threaten them at every turn, and the confused victims demand justice.

Lucky for the victims, these women sleuths are on the case. And no monster is safe in the path of a determined woman.

For Kindle readers who enjoy a strong female lead protagonist, this thrilling series of paranormal private investigator mysteries will have you hooked from the first word. From the twisted imagination of mystery, suspense and thriller writer S.H. Livernois.

One part cold case, one part axe murderer, and a quart of salty humor—a hard-boiled cocktail of two darkly funny New Orleans mysteries bundled into one!
 

Laid-back New Orleans lawyer Tubby Dubonnet finds himself caught in a twisted trip down memory lane, distracted by a luscious new love, chasing down an axe murderer, and, as usual, surrounded by screwball denizens of everybody's favorite city in these 8^th and 9^th installments of the award-winning Tubby Dubonnet legal thriller mystery series.

Vol 1 – THE NIGHTWATCHMAN - SOME MEAN-ASS CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST in this EIGHTH entry in the Tubby Dubonnet series.

When in the 1970s a young war protester is killed in broad daylight on Canal Street, it appears that his murder will be forgotten, a back page story lost in the big news of an especially violent era. But a youthful Tubby chanced to see it happen, and the tragic event's haunted him throughout his life. Decades later, an established (but not exactly driven) lawyer, yet successful enough to have time on his hands, Tubby decides to conduct his own investigation into the forgotten crime. He quickly stirs up a hornets’ nest of far-reaching political feuds, police corruption, government agents, and old men with secrets to hide.

But as in all Tubby Dubonnet novels, the plot takes a backseat to local color, colorful characters, odes to fine food, wry observations, and a whole lot of humor. It's a little like spending a weekend in da Big Easy, dawlin'--complete with three well-chosen meals a day!

Vol 2 – FAT MAN BLUES – The NINTH installment in Tony Dunbar’s humorous, hard-boiled Tubby Dubonnet mystery series

Ex-con Angelo Spooner is trying to start a legit business, but he just can’t catch a break. Just as his healing Holy Water, “Angelo’s Elixir” is about to go upscale, the sticky strands of the Big Sleazy’s tangled web of crime and corruption reach out to ensnare him. What’s a law-abiding parolee to do? He can’t get caught with a gun, but maybe that axe in his shed could help him extricate himself. But when low-level creep Frenchy Dufour’s henchman turns up nearly beheaded, Angelo’s fate rests in the capable hands of laid-back lawyer Tubby Dubonnet.

Tubby’s been trying hard to lay low, too. As those closest to him are targeted by frightening attacks, he suspects his dealings with the clandestine society of Cuban exiles who’ve plagued him lately are far from over. Tubby would love to have nothing further to do with “that crazy band of geriatric lunatics”. But the old Cuban revolutionaries have taught their sons well. Now their grandchildren, heirs to a substantial cache of weapons and money, burn with a dangerous zeal to prove themselves.

Meanwhile … a man’s got to eat! The epicurean counselor does his best thinking when he’s well-fed. Our good luck! –as we vicariously sample our way across New Orleans’ culinary panorama on the hunt for an axe murderer. But sleuth does not live by bread alone—even in a Tony Dunbar legal thriller. Ignoring his own advice to his client to “keep your head on your shoulders”, Tubby’s lost his to the lovely Peggy O’Flarity. It’s about time Tubby had some steamy sex – and maybe a little happiness? But fortune teller Sister Soulace has her doubts.

WHO WILL LIKE IT: Fans of Tremé, softshell crab po’ boys, Domilise’s, the Upperline Restaurant…wait, let’s start over—ok, legal mysteries, particularly Parnell Hall’s Steve Winslow series and anything by Lia Matera, comic mysteries, Elmore Leonard, funny lawyer movies like My Cousin Vinny, TV shows like Ally McBeal and Night Court; and everyone’s favorite New Orleans yarn, Confederacy of Dunces.

New York Times bestseller

One of O: The Oprah Magazine's 15 Favorite Books of 2018

A Library Journal Best Book of 2018

The internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author returns to the magnificent universe he constructed in his bestselling novels The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel’s Game, and The Prisoner of Heaven in this riveting series finale—a heart-pounding thriller and nail-biting work of suspense which introduces a sexy, seductive new heroine whose investigation shines a light on the dark history of Franco’s Spain.

In this unforgettable final volume of Ruiz Zafón’s cycle of novels set in the universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, beautiful and enigmatic Alicia Gris, with the help of the Sempere family, uncovers one of the most shocking conspiracies in all Spanish history.

Nine-year-old Alicia lost her parents during the Spanish Civil War when the Nacionales (the fascists) savagely bombed Barcelona in 1938. Twenty years later, she still carries the emotional and physical scars of that violent and terrifying time. Weary of her work as an investigator for Spain’s secret police in Madrid, a job she has held for more than a decade, the twenty-nine-year old plans to move on. At the insistence of her boss, Leandro Montalvo, she remains to solve one last case: the mysterious disappearance of Spain’s Minister of Culture, Mauricio Valls.

With her partner, the intimidating policeman Juan Manuel Vargas, Alicia discovers a possible clue—a rare book by the author Victor Mataix hidden in Valls’ office in his Madrid mansion. Valls was the director of the notorious Montjuic Prison in Barcelona during World War II where several writers were imprisoned, including David Martín and Victor Mataix. Traveling to Barcelona on the trail of these writers, Alicia and Vargas meet with several booksellers, including Juan Sempere, who knew her parents.

As Alicia and Vargas come closer to finding Valls, they uncover a tangled web of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime, whose corruption is more widespread and horrifying than anyone imagined. Alicia’s courageous and uncompromising search for the truth puts her life in peril. Only with the help of a circle of devoted friends will she emerge from the dark labyrinths of Barcelona and its history into the light of the future.

In this haunting new novel, Carlos Ruiz Zafón proves yet again that he is a masterful storyteller and pays homage to the world of books, to his ingenious creation of the Cemetery of Forgotten, and to that magical bridge between literature and our lives. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'If you only read one book this year make sure that it's this one. Amazing.’ Goodreads Reviewer

This is a story about Charlotte, who has two sweet children, a stay-at-home job she loves and a drama-free marriage to a caring and successful man. Life is nearly perfect… at least, that’s how it looks from the outside.

But behind closed doors, the marriage is breaking. Every day, after she kisses her husband Tris goodbye, Charlotte works a little more on her plan to destroy his life.

Was it when he stopped looking at her in that way, that she first felt something was wrong?

Or when he lied about where he was going, so he didn’t have to watch their sick children?

Or perhaps it’s the smiling photo of him on a beautiful stranger’s phone. Charlotte can think of only one way it got there…

Charlotte thinks she has every one of her husband’s sins neatly filed away… but there’s something big that Charlotte is missing. And by the time their story is finished, you’ll be questioning if you can ever really trust those closest to you.

From the bestselling author of The Daughter and White Lies comes an unputdownable psychological thriller unlike anything you’ve read before!
 

What readers are saying about Don't Ever Tell:

‘Wow this was just amazing! Like literally couldn’t put it down. So good!… What begins as a typical tale of revenge becomes dark and twisted and completely unpredictable. I loved it. I read it in one night. This author just gets better and better! Highly recommended.’ PsychothrillaBooks, 5 stars

‘WOW, what a fantastic book!!!… This is hands down the best suspenseful psychological thriller I have ever read… I don’t think I could come up with a single thing negative about this book. You seriously need to read this book. You will love it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow! I loved it! Just brilliant. I was totally wrong-footed and I did not see that twist coming at all… Absolute belter!’ SJI Holliday, 5 stars

‘An amazing book… If you only read one book this year. Make sure that it is this one. I promise you, you won’t be sorry. Amazing.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘The best summer holiday read of 2019!… Absolutely loved this storyline… I actually have nothing but praise, you won’t want to put this book down!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I really loved it! Absolutely gripping and hugely entertaining. Another winner by Lucy Dawson!’ Cass Green, 5 stars

‘A superb book that will keep you reading until the early hours! The tangled web that just keeps twisting! A fantastic read… Bravo!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘This one was read in record time… fast-paced, suspenseful and kept me glued to the pages… This is a twisty dark thriller that kept me guessing until the end… I loved every second!’ All The Good Books, 5 stars

Chicago born Luke Cramer loved working on Las Vegas’s huge construction sites. That is until he slugged a mobster working for the union.

With the mob threatening retribution, he has no choice but to run for it. With his wife and baby, he heads to Australia’s Gold Coast, where he gets a lucky break, and help to start his own building business. Within a few years, young Luke is a millionaire but the lawless Builders Laborers and Mining Union (BLMU), which is worse than any American union want its payoff, and there’s nothing it won’t do to get it.

Complaining to politicians and the police doesn’t help because the BLMU’s paying them off. Desperate, Luke returns to Chicago and recruits his best friend and hitman, Joe “Ratsy” Ratsch, to level the playing field.

When the BLMU appoints a powerful new leader with murder on his agenda, the stakes are ratcheted up. Will Luke survive to enjoy his hard-earned success?