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Inspector John Madden—who debuted in River of Darkness—returns in a gripping post–World War II murder mysteryOn a quiet afternoon in 1947, retired bank manager Oswald Gibson is shot in the head while fishing. In Scotland, a respectable family doctor is killed in the samemanner—and with the same gun. What is the connection? Scotland Yard's Detective Inspector Billy Styles and local detective Vic Chivers are baffled until a letter fromGibson is discovered that might shed some light on the case—a letter concerning former Scotland Yard detective John Madden. Despite Madden's legendary memory, he has no recollection of meeting Gibson or any idea of what their relationship might have been. Madden is happily retired from police work, but agrees to help his former protégé Styles and the clues they uncover only deepen the mystery. When a third man is killed in a similar fashion, Madden and Styles find themselves in a race against time to find the killer before another man ends up dead.A smart, intricately plotted mystery, this is the fourth title in the critically acclaimed and much loved John Madden series.

Carmela Bertrand knows that Halloween in New Orleans means a week of rabble-rousing, costumed craziness—and she can't wait to get the party started. But when a local antiques dealer turns up dead, Carmela suddenly finds herself in a real-life danse macabre…An evening's work deciding on the class schedule for her scrapbooking shop has put Carmela in the mood to kick up her heels. But after some strange noises draw her into Oddities, the neighboring antiques shop, Carmela's night is abruptly put on hold when a bloody body falls out of a curio cabinet—and into her arms.While shop owner Marcus Joubert was known for being an eccentric with a penchant for eclectic merchandise, Carmela never thought he was the kind of man who could inspire the passion required to kill. But when Marcus's assistant—and fiancée—Mavis reveals that a priceless death mask was also stolen, it becomes clear that murder wasn't the culprit's sole intention.Carmela can't resist the urge to investigate the growing mystery, but as the list of suspects increases, she realizes it'll take every trick in the book to unmask the killer thief before there's another night of murderous mischief…

When college professor Ellie McKay walks into the Maverick Bar in Farmington, New Mexico, late one evening, she plans to get drunk, not engaged. But within thirty minutes, she's met cowboy Al Robison, he's proposed to her, and she's accepted. Al only knows that Ellie is attractive, vulnerable, and single; he doesn't know that she has been on the run for weeks from a sociopath who killed her surgeon boyfriend in Pennsylvania and raped and tortured her.Reeling from the ordeal and deeply scarred emotionally and physically, Ellie flees first to Paris, where she seeks refuge in the bottle. Then, coming to her senses, she returns to Pittsburgh to resume her life and her career, believing she will be safe there. When that proves untrue, she takes to the road, no longer caring much what happens to her.Ellie's escape route leads her to Santa Fe and then north to Farmington, where Al seems the safest bet. When she says yes to Al's proposal, she knows only that he is a local rancher. She doesn't know about Al's own dark past, and she doesn't tell him that her heart belongs to Doug Hansen, the detective who originally investigated the case.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

'A lovely smooth read.'—The Washington Post'A witty, affectionately nostalgic masterpiece.'—The Columbus Dispatch'As absorbingly readable, as well-written as anything Peter Dickinson has written.'—The Times Literary SupplementPraise for Peter Dickinson's mysteries:'The works of British Mystery Writer Peter Dickinson are like caviar—an acquired taste that can easily lead to addiction. Dickinson... does not make much of the process of detection, nor does he specialize in suspense. Instead, he neatly packs his books with such old-fashioned virtues as mood, character, and research.'—Time'Dickinson (author of engagingly offbeat thrillers and children's books) does splendidly here with atmosphere, with the eccentric supporting characters, with the occasionally bizarre comic touches.'—Kirkus ReviewsIn 1926 the British government was worried about revolution. Two million people are about to go on strike and class warfare is about to erupt. Tom Hankey is caught between his love for Judy, a bright young thing, and Kate, a fireball agitator. Brought home from Oxford by his father, Tom volunteers to drive a train in the General Strike. When the train is ambushed, Tom is thrust into the darkest and most threatening regions of English politics. Gritty yet sparkling and full of unexpected turnarounds, A Summer in the Twenties resonates and captivates.Peter Dickinson has twice received the Crime Writers'Association's Gold Dagger. His novels include Death of a Unicorn, The Poison Oracle, and many more. He lives in England and is married to the novelist Robin McKinley.

A riveting Southern mystery in which Memphis detective Billy Able descends into the bizarre world of flawed heroes, Santería voodoo, and cold-hearted killings linked to a damning photograph and a stunning betrayal by a civil rights iconBurned by his last case, Memphis detective Billy Able is at a crossroads. He doubts himself. He doubts his career. But he can't turn off instincts honed by a decade on the force. The suspicious deaths of two legendary bluesmen are ruled due to natural causes. Convinced that a crime has been committed, Billy Able and straitlaced female cop Frankie Malone refuse to let it go. A voodoo curse, a Santerían priest, and a decades-old photograph may connect the seemingly unrelated homicides. But the clues don't add up until a third victim is cruelly murdered. Guilt-ridden, Billy swears to dig into the city's dark history for answers, then finds himself caught up in a web of incriminating evidence. Hunter becomes prey. Frankie has his back as they race to solve the deadly puzzle from which Billy may not come out alive.

Winner of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and Nominated for a Macavity Award for Best First Mystery NovelNo two victims are alike.DI Marnie Rome knows this better than most. Five years ago, her family home was the scene of a shocking and bloody crime that left her parents dead and her foster brother in prison. Marnie doesn't talk much about her personal life, preferring to focus on work. Not even her partner, DS Noah Jake, knows much about Marnie's past. Though as one of the few gay officers on the force and half Jamaican to boot, Noah's not one to overshare about his private life either. Now Marnie and Noah are tackling a case of domestic violence, and a different brand of victim.Hope Proctor stabbed her husband in desperate self-defense. A crowd of witnesses in the domestic violence shelter where she's staying saw it happen, but none of them are telling quite the same story, and the simple question remains: how did Leo Proctor get in to the secure shelter? Marnie and Noah shouldn't even have been there when it happened but they were interviewing another resident, Ayana Mirza. They're trying to get Ayana to testify against her brothers for pouring bleach on her face for bringing dishonor the family, and blinding her in one eye. But Ayana knows that her brothers are looking for her, and she has no doubt that they'll kill her this time.As the violence spirals, engulfing the residents of the women's shelter, Marnie finds herself drawn into familiar territory: A place where the past casts long shadows and she must tread carefully to survive.

In Laura Childs's New York Times bestselling mystery series, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni—co-owners of the Cackleberry Club Café—are equally good at serving up breakfast and serving up justice. This time they turn up the heat on a deadly firebug…As Suzanne is getting her hair colored at Root 66, she's stunned to witness the County Services office next door suddenly go up in flames. Concerned neighbors throng the streets, and the fire department does their best. Unfortunately, their best isn't enough to save longtime civil service worker—and friend to the Cackleberry Club—Hannah Venable.Soon enough, it's discovered that an accelerant was used to fan the flames. Someone set the fire on purpose—was Hannah the intended victim? Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to smoke out the culprit.Unfortunately, the list of suspects is as varied as the Cackleberry Club's menu. When Suzanne finds a possible connection between the fire and the nearby Prairie Star Casino, she comes to realize that the arsonist wanted something very big and bad kept secret. And if the ladies aren't careful, they may be the ones gambling with their lives…

Obsessive. Compulsive. Detective. An all-new original mystery starring Adrian Monk, the brilliant investigator who always knows when something's out of place... Of all the things that make Adrian Monk uneasy, change ranks high on the list. So when Natalie completes her P.I. license—and technically becomes Monk's boss—it's not easy for him to accept. Nor can he accept Natalie attending a business seminar at sea without him, even if it means spending a week with her on a cruise ship. Between choppy waters and obnoxious kids, Monk finds himself in a perfect storm of anxiety. Luckily, Mariah, the cruise director, is always able to smooth things over…until someone pulls the man overboard alarm, the ship drops anchor—and the crew fishes Mariah's dead body out of the water. Finding alcohol in Mariah's system, the ship's doctor declares her death an accident, but Monk isn't convinced. He knows that Mariah and the captain were having an affair. Could someone have pushed her overboard? When the captain hires Monk and Natalie to look into a mysterious rash of vandalism onboard, Monk steers the investigation toward murder…

The gruesome murder of a young French physician draws aristocratic investigator Sebastian St. Cyr and his pregnant wife, Hero, into a dangerous, decades-old mystery as a wrenching piece of Sebastian's past puts him to the ultimate test.Regency England, January 1813: When a badly injured Frenchwoman is found beside the mutilated body of Dr. Damion Pelletan in one of London's worst slums, Sebastian finds himself caught in a high-stakes tangle of murder and revenge. Although the woman, Alexi Sauvage, has no memory of the attack, Sebastian knows her all too well from an incident in his past—an act of wartime brutality and betrayal that nearly destroyed him.As the search for the killer leads Sebastian into a treacherous web of duplicity, he discovers that Pelletan was part of a secret delegation sent by Napoleon to investigate the possibility of peace with Britain. Despite his powerful father-in-law's warnings, Sebastian plunges deep into the mystery of the “Lost Dauphin,” the boy prince who disappeared in the darkest days of the French Revolution, and soon finds himself at lethal odds with the Dauphin's sister—the imperious, ruthless daughter of Marie Antoinette—who is determined to retake the French crown at any cost.With the murderer striking ever closer, Sebastian must battle new fears about Hero's health and that of their soon-to-be born child. When he realizes the key to their survival may lie in the hands of an old enemy, he must finally face the truth about his own guilt in a past he has found too terrible to consider....

New in the USA Today bestselling series—Jessica Fletcher finds herself in a tropical paradise where “aloha” means both hello and goodbye. But sometimes, the goodbye is permanent…Jessica is on the Hawaiian island of Maui, giving a lecture on community involvement in police investigations. Her co-lecturer is legendary retired detective Mike Kane, who shares his love of Hawaiian lore, legends, and culture with Jessica. But the talking stops when the body of a colleague is found at the rocky foot of a cliff.Mala Kapule, a botanist and popular professor at Maui College, was known for her activism and efforts on behalf of the volcanic crater Haleakala. Plans to place the world's largest solar telescope there split the locals, with Mala arguing fiercely to preserve the delicate ecology of the area.Now it's up to Jessica and Mike to uncover who was driven to silence the scientist…and betray the spirit of aloha.

When an Edinburgh serial killer is murdered in prison, his deadly legacy lives on to claim more victims in this “engrossing” Scottish detective mystery (Publishers Weekly).For ten years, a gruesome Christmastime tradition terrorized Edinburgh. Each year as the holiday approached, a young woman's body was found—naked, throat slit, body washed clean. The final victim, Kirsty Summers, was Detective Constable Tony McLean's fiancée. But the Christmas Killer made a mistake, and McLean finally put an end to the horror.Now, twelve years later, a fellow prisoner has just murdered the incarcerated Christmas Killer. But with the arrival of the festive season comes a body. A young woman: naked, washed, her throat cut. Is this a copycat killer? Was the wrong man behind bars all this time? Or is there a more frightening explanation? McLean must revisit the most disturbing case of his life and discover what he missed before the killer strikes again.“Oswald's detective gives John Rebus a run for his money in this noirish page-turner.”—Kirkus

A bestseller in the UK, this gripping thriller of a family that vanishes into thin air is Tim Weaver's American debut Emily Kane arrives at her sister Carrie's house to find the front door unlocked, dinner on the table, and the family nowhere to be found—Carrie, her husband, and two daughters have disappeared. When the police turn up no leads, Emily turns to her former boyfriend David Raker, a missing persons investigator, to track the family down. As Raker pursues the case, he discovers evidence of a sinister cover-up, decades in the making and with a long trail of bodies behind it. Tim Weaver's thrillers have been hugely popular in the UK, and now Never Coming Back will introduce his beloved character David Raker to American audiences. Set in Las Vegas and a small fishing village in England, the novel is a smart, fast-paced thriller sure to keep readers guessing until the very end.

Eve Dallas deals with a homicide—and the holiday season—in this thrilling In Death novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author J. D. Robb.Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn't count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest.Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who were loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler's enemies, she's also dealing with her Christmas shopping list—plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband's upcoming holiday bash.Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year's 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer.

Revenge is sweet for a killer on the loose—and it all started with the murder of Warner Pier's most hated clown.... Everyone who knew the bozo wanted him dead. Odd, then, that a complete stranger was accused of bursting Moe Davidson's balloons. But it's been a month since the miserable shop owner of Clowning Around was killed, and everybody's moving on, including Lee Woodyard. Her chocolate shop, TenHuis Chocolade, is next door to Moe's shuttered tourist trap, and it's giving her delicious ideas to expand. But over whose dead body?Moe's widow, Emma, and her two stepchildren list the property for sale, but when Lee tours the building, she finds Emma unconscious. Now Lee wonders whether Moe's real killer is still at large and is taking care of unfinished business. Unfortunately, since the town is celebrating Clown Week, there are so many potential suspects in grease paint and floppy shoes it's not even funny.For Lee, protecting Emma, freeing an innocent man, and rolling out hundreds of her clown-themed chocolates is a pretty tall order. But so is staying alive long enough to find out which one of her neighbors is a killer in disguise.Includes Tasty Chocolate Trivia!

First published in 1948, when it was the best-selling mystery of the year in the author's native Australia, Murder in the Telephone Exchange stars feisty young operator Maggie Byrnes. When one of her more unpopular colleagues is murdered — her head bashed in with a “buttinski,” a piece of equipment used to listen in on phone calls — Maggie resolves to turn sleuth. Some of her coworkers are acting strangely, and Maggie is convinced she has a better chance of figuring out who is responsible for the killing than the rather stolid police team assigned to the case, who seem to think she herself might have had something to do with it. But then one of her friends is murdered too, and it looks like Maggie might be next. Narrated with verve and wit, this is a whodunit in the tradition of Dorothy L. Sayers and Daphne du Maurier, by turns entertaining and suspenseful, and building to a gripping climax.

When a sniper kills four people on Boston Common, Boston homicide detective Mike Houston and his partner Anne Bouchard are sent to investigate the case. Amidst the blood and terror, Houston discovers similarities, likenesses—the killer's positioning, his choice of victims, and his code of ethics—between the crime scene and his own training as a US Marine scout and sniper. And with the staging of the scene set for prime shock value, Houston has to wonder what it is this murderer intends to accomplish.The connection is confirmed in the worst possible way when the sniper strikes again, this time killing Houston's ex-wife, severing what's left of the bond between Houston and his estranged daughter, Susie. It's personal now, and as the death toll rises, Houston and Bouchard will stop at nothing to find the cold-blooded sniper who's making a mockery of their department. In a final gesture of cat and mouse depravity, the killer kidnaps Susie, luring Houston to an island on a remote lake in Maine for a deadly, sniper-to-sniper showdown.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

In the sixth novel in the series that is “sure to hook cozy fans” (Publishers Weekly) the Black Sheep Knitters must work to solve the mystery of the disappearance of their friend—and figure out who is trying to kill her before it's too late.Knitting graffiti, in Plum Harbor? Maggie Messina doubts it could ever happen in her quiet village. Until the new parking meters on Main Street are found covered with cat-faced cozies. In the dark of night, the mysterious Knit Kats have struck again! The infamous gang of stitching graffiti artists are totally harmless, and their pranks all in good fun. Or so Maggie and her friends think. Until a yarn-covered corpse is discovered a few days later—the tangles identical to Knit Kat handiwork. These threads of evidence should be easy to follow. But the clever Knit Kats hide behind a website and secret identities. The murderer could be anyone. A familiar face in town, even a copy Kat. But when Maggie's assistant, Phoebe, becomes the prime suspect, the knitting friends know the police have dropped a few stitches. With no time to rest on their needles, the Black Sheep set out to unmask the crafty killer. No simple task, when all Knit Kats look the same in the dark.

As The New Globe Players bring laughter to audiences with their production of Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night, Suzanne Thornton must bring justice to the tragic victim of a brutal murder… When the body of a young boy—murdered, mutilated, and clothed in women's attire—is found under London Bridge, Constable Pepper believes him to be a member of The New Globe Players, one of the actors who specialize in women's parts. He is not, but Suzanne, summoned to make an identification, does recognize him from an encounter in the tavern the night before—as the alluring doxy who caught the eye of more than a few of the patrons. Suzanne suspects that whoever hired him for the night reacted violently when his true sex was discovered. Moved by the lad's fate, Suzanne determines to find his killer. And first, she must uncover his identity—an investigation that leads her to one of England's wealthiest families and a powerful politician determined to keep the truth from being revealed at all costs.

In the USA Today bestselling Needlecraft Mysteries, Betsy Devonshire, owner of the Crewel World needlework shop, knows how to untangle even the most knotty of mysteries. But a soggy murder case might have Betsy in over her head…Even though running Crewel World keeps Betsy plenty busy, a little extra cash on the side doesn't hurt. So when the local senior complex, Watered Silk, asks her to teach a class on the tricky punch needle technique, Betsy jumps at the opportunity to win over some new customers.Unfortunately, the business that Betsy drums up is not of the needlework variety. A young woman is found floating in Watered Silk's therapy pool, and Betsy's sleuthing skills are immediately called upon to figure out who drowned her. But the list of suspects is more twisted than any Betsy has encountered before. The young woman had three lovers—each with a motive for the murder.It's up to Betsy to sort out the snarl of romantic entanglements and find a killer, or the wrong man is bound to get pinned for a crime he didn't commit…FREE EMBROIDERY PATTERN INCLUDED

A teenaged boy on the run propels Detective Carl Mørck into Department Q's most sinister case yet in the fifth novel in Jussi Adler-Olsen's New York Times bestselling series. Fifteen-year-old Marco Jameson longs to become a Danish citizen and go to school like a normal teenager. Unfortunately, his Uncle Zola forces the children of their former gypsy clan to beg and steal for his personal gain. When Marco discovers a dead body that proves the true extent of Zola's criminal activities, he goes on the run. But it turns out his family members aren't the only ones who want to keep Marco silent...forever. Detective Carl Mørck wants to save the boy, but Marco's trail leads him to a case that extends from Denmark to Africa, from embezzlers to child soldiers, from seemingly petty crime rings to the very darkest of cover-ups.

'Coleman keeps the characters and the somber atmosphere but makes the book his own stylistically.'--BooklistPolice Chief Jesse Stone is back in the remarkable new installment of the New York Times–bestselling series. It's been a long time since Jesse Stone left L.A., and still longer since the tragic injury that ruined his chances for a major league baseball career. When Jesse is invited to a reunion of his old Triple-A team at a hip New York city hotel, he is forced to grapple with his memories and regrets over what might have been.Jesse left more behind him than unresolved feelings about the play that ended his baseball career. The darkly sensuous Kayla, his former girlfriend and current wife of an old teammate is there in New York, too. As is Kayla's friend, Dee, an otherworldly beauty with secret regrets of her own. But Jesse's time at the reunion is cut short when, in Paradise, a young woman is found murdered and her boyfriend, a son of one of the town's most prominent families, is missing and presumed kidnapped.Though seemingly coincidental, there is a connection between the reunion and the crimes back in Paradise. As Jesse, Molly, and Suit hunt for the killer and for the missing son, it becomes clear that one of Jesse's old teammates is intimately involved in the crimes. That there are deadly forces working below the surface and just beyond the edge of their vision. Sometimes, that's where the danger comes from, and where real evil lurks. Not out in the light—but in your blind spot.

Set in the corrupt, unforgiving world of apartheid South Africa, this novel in the Detective Emmanuel Cooper series follows Cooper as he faces a test of loyalty and friendship.Five days before Christmas, Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper sits at his desk at the Johannesburg major crimes squad, ready for his holiday in Mozambique. A call comes in: a respectable white couple has been assaulted and left for dead in their bedroom. The couple's teenage daughter identifies the attacker as Aaron Shabalala— the youngest son of Zulu Detective Constable Samuel Shabalala—Cooper's best friend and a man to whom he owes his life. The Detective Branch isn't interested in evidence that might contradict their star witness's story, especially so close to the holidays. Determined to ensure justice for Aaron, Cooper, Shabalala, and their trusted friend Dr. Daniel Zweigman hunt for the truth. Their investigation uncovers a violent world of Sophiatown gangs, thieves, and corrupt government officials who will do anything to keep their dark world intact.

“An engrossing journalistic thriller.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Thought-provoking thriller...Loaded with tension and full of unexpected twists and turns.”—Jan Burke, bestselling author and Edgar Award winner for Bones “Extremely well-written tale of good vs. evil.”—Huffington Post Half a century after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, someone is killing people on the streets of New York City and leaving behind a bizarre calling card of that tragic day in Dallas.In this bold and entertaining thriller from a true media insider, discredited newspaper reporter Gil Malloy breaks the story of the link between seemingly unconnected murders—a Kennedy half dollar coin found at each of the crime scenes. At the same time, a man emerges who claims to be the secret son of Lee Harvey Oswald and says he has new evidence that Oswald was innocent of the JFK killing. Malloy, who has fallen from grace at the New York Daily News and sees this as an opportunity to redeem himself as an ace reporter, is certain there is a connection between the Oswald revelations and the NYC murders, but first he has to get someone to believe him. Convinced that the answers go all the way back to the JFK assassination more than fifty years ago, Malloy soon uncovers long-buried secrets that put his own life in danger from powerful forces who fear he's getting too close to the truth. Two tales of suspense fuse into an edge-of-your-seat thriller as Malloy races to stop the killer—before it's too late.

Set in a sun-kissed Caribbean paradise, this third book in the Shad detective series explores a love triangle gone wrong—and how class divisions create a perfect storm of trouble.Sarah, a talented but shy artist from England, arrives at the perfect getaway—a small fishing village in Largo Bay, Jamaica. There she falls in love with Danny, a wealthy investor with a hotel in Largo Bay. Soon Sarah runs into trouble with her host as well as Danny's local lover, Janet. Sarah's fate, as well as that of Danny's hotel, become endangered. Meanwhile, Shad Myers—“bartender by trade, investigator by vocation, and unofficial sheriff of Largo Bay” (Publishers Weekly)—has another set of problems to solve, alongside his friend Eric, an American who owns the bar. The two friends entertain a new potential investor in their quest to rebuild their hotel left in ruins by a hurricane. Eric wants to make Shad a partner in the business, not just a worker. But first the two must overcome the class divisions that make it difficult for local partners in the business to accept Shad's new, more important role. With a delicious blend of suspense and soul, The Sea Grape Tree explores the class divisions in Jamaica—and what happens when a love triangle becomes life threatening. Gillian Royes once again delivers a vivid, thought-provoking novel with passion and punch that is sure to leave her fans wanting more.

When former Buddhist monk and private investigator Ten Norbu follows a trail of murder, drugs, and organ trafficking, he finds a familiar foe awaiting him Keep current with the truth: we're only as weak as our secrets—especially the ones we keep from ourselves. —The Third Rule of Ten As the go-to private detective for a bevy of high-profile clients, our beloved ex–Buddhist monk, ex–LAPD officer Tenzing “Ten” Norbu has finally found his stride. With his beautiful pathologist girlfriend, a healthy bank account, and a steady stream of clients—courtesy of middle-aged movie star Mac Gannon and rising political star Bets McMurtry—Ten's life is bursting with activity. But it's not all joy and happiness. The death of his father and a growing abundance of secrets—both personal and professional—leave Ten feeling an unexpected depth of sorrow and confusion. Even with the emotional turmoil, nothing can stop Ten from taking the case when McMurtry's housekeeper goes missing. The investigation leads him down a dangerous path littered with bodies, untraceable prescription drugs, and human organ trafficking. But nothing is as shocking as the realization that the mastermind behind it all is in fact a criminal who has slipped through Ten's fingers once before. The Third Rule of Ten will have you on the edge of your seat, as you learn, along with Ten, that there is a fine line between healthy privacy and unhealthy secrecy. Knowing the difference may just determine whether Ten will stop his archenemy or lose himself.

New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Hart treats readers to another visitation by ghostly gumshoe Bailey Ruth Raeburn as she lends a hand to an ethereal matchmaker who haunts a library...Bailey Ruth's supervisor, Wiggins, is worried about a dear old friend—the ghost of elegant Lorraine Marlow, who haunts Adelaide, Oklahoma's college library. Known as the Lady of the Roses, she plays matchmaker, using the fragrant flowers to pair up students. But someone's making mischief after hours, leaving roses strewn about the library and stealing a valuable book. Concerned with Lorraine's reputation among the living, Wiggins dispatches Bailey Ruth to investigate.Soon trouble begins to stack up. A campus security guard is shot by an intruder, and Bailey Ruth uncovers a catalog of evidence blaming a student for the crimes. But something isn't adding up, so with police preparing to make an arrest, the spirited detective must find the real culprit. Because when justice is overdue, it takes more than death to stop Bailey Ruth Raeburn...

“The novels of Andrea Camilleri breathe out the sense of place, the sense of humor, and the sense of despair that fills the air of Sicily.” —Donna Leon A rash of burglaries has got Salvo Montalbano stumped. The patterns of the crimes are so similar and so brazen that Montalbano begins to think a criminal mastermind is challenging him. This suspicion is confirmed when he starts receiving menacing letters from the gang leader, the anonymous Mr. Z. Among those burgled is the young and beautiful Angelica Cosulich, who reminds Montalbano of the love interest in Ludovico Ariosto's chivalric romance, Orlando Furioso. Taken by Angelica's charms, he imagines himself back in the medieval world of jousts and battles. But when one of the burglars turns up dead, Montalbano must snap out of his haze and unmask his challenger.

Hayward is a sleepy Southwestern town full of cattle, trucks, and tumbleweeds. Virgil Dalton's been the sheriff for over a dozen years and has lived there all his life. It's a place where everybody pretty much knows everybody—but they don't know each other's secrets… Buddy Hinton is just a good ole boy. So when he disappears after a night drinking at the Black Bull, his friends just figure he went down to Mexico to find himself a girlfriend and eventually will come back. But this case quickly becomes a homicide after the sheriff discovers the missing man floating in one of his stock tanks. For a man who wasn't known to have enemies, Buddy clearly upset someone. Figuring out who that was will require Virgil and his deputy, Jimmy, to retrace Buddy's last steps—and to remain a step ahead of a murderer who may have no qualms about killing again …

The New York Times bestselling Cackleberry Club series returns with three intrepid ladies who know their way around a kitchen—as well as a crime scene… Petra, Suzanne, and Toni may have lost their husbands, but they've found new life operating the Cackleberry Club café. It's where the locals head for an amazing breakfast, the good company of friends, and a puzzling mystery or two… THIS KILLER IS TOAST Suzanne and Toni are off to Memorial Cemetery to help prepare for its 150th anniversary celebration. The ladies expect to find the historical society's tent, but instead they discover the body of ex-prison warden Lester Drummond lying facedown in a freshly dug grave. Now, with the town peppered with suspects and the local authorities in over their heads, it's up to the Cackleberry Club to unscramble the clues and sniff out a bad egg.Recipes Included!

Mac's girlfriend, Kate Bell, thinks she's seen a ghost. Wes Harrison, Kate's former boyfriend, supposedly perished twelve years ago in a boating accident. But now she swears a man she spotted in a crowded theater lobby is Wes. Mac has his doubts--it was only a fleeting glimpse. But to calm her shattered nerves, he starts making inquiries. A clue leads him from his home in St. George, Florida, to a Texas orphanage. There he uncovers startling information that turns both his and Kate's world upside-down. Diamond smuggling, sex, deceit, and murder are just part of the twisted tale that emerges from Kate's earlier life. Using wit, grit, and the ingrained military training of a former Marine, Mac starts to fit the pieces of this scrambled puzzle together. Further clues point to the Palmetto Royale Casino and Resort near St. George. He and Kate discover that the casino is a front for big drug deals. When they barely escape a murder attempt, Mac knows he's on the right track. But he better play his cards right–because losing this high-stakes game could cost him his life.

“It's the scenery—and the big guy standing in front of the scenery—that keeps us coming back to Craig Johnson's lean and leathery mysteries.” —The New York Times Book ReviewA sheriff's mysterious death spurs the tenth Longmire novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Land of Wolves In Any Other Name, Walt is sinking into high-plains winter discontent when his former boss, Lucian Conally, asks him to take on a mercy case in an adjacent county. Detective Gerald Holman is dead and Lucian wants to know what drove his old friend to take his own life. With the clock ticking on the birth of his first grandchild, Walt learns that the by-the-book detective might have suppressed evidence concerning three missing women. Digging deeper, Walt uncovers an incriminating secret so dark that it threatens to claim other lives even before the sheriff can serve justice—Wyoming style.

Bram Stoker, business manager for London's Lyceum Theatre, is never surprised to find the supernatural waiting in the wings—especially when a chilling murder appears to have origins in the occult…March 1881. The Lyceum is abuzz with the news that American actor Edwin Booth is going to be sharing the stage with their own Shakespearean star, Henry Irving. But stage manager Harry Rivers has other matters preoccupying him. One of the regular actresses has disappeared, and after a disturbing tarot card reading, Harry's boss, Bram Stoker, is convinced that something wicked is coming their way.When the poor girl's body is found, Stoker's suspicions prove to be founded—the murder scene is riddled with strange clues that Stoker recognizes as the trappings of an occult ritual. Someone is conjuring up a pernicious plot against cast and crew of the Lyceum, and if Harry doesn't track down the slaying sorcerer quickly, it could spell disaster for those he holds dearest…

In the newest mystery in the USA Today bestselling series, Jessica Fletcher is invited to ring in the New Year with British aristocracy. Too bad someone's about to end the life of the party....Jessica Fletcher and her friend Scotland Yard detective inspector George Sutherland are invited to attend a New Year's Eve Ball at Castorbrook Castle, thanks to her British publisher. Shortly after arriving in the idyllic English countryside, Jessica discovers the body of a lady's maid in the garden.While their host, Lord Norrance, his snobbish third wife, other members of the household, and party guests squabble over the tragic death in tight-lipped, perfectly mannered, thoroughly British style, family relations are strained as old wounds are reopened and cutting remarks are freely handed out. And that's only during teatime!As midnight beckons at the ball the next night, the earl offers a toast, complete with fireworks. But the merriment crashes to a halt when he falls ill and dies, apparently poisoned—and the number of suspects with a grudge against the lord of the manor sprouts like English ivy.Now it's up to Jessica and George to find the killer—or killers—before another corpse welcomes in the New Year....

Don't miss the JOE PICKETT series—now streaming on Paramount+A stranger makes trouble for Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett in this gripping thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series. Everything about the rich stranger is a mystery: the massive, isolated ranch in the remote Black Hills of Wyoming, the women who live with him, the secret philanthropies, the private airstrip, the sudden disappearances. And especially the persistent rumors that the man's wealth comes from killing people. Joe Pickett, still officially a game warden but now mostly a troubleshooter for the governor, is assigned to find out the truth. But he finds out a lot more than he bargained for. There are two other men living up at that ranch. One is a stone-cold killer who takes an instant dislike to Joe. He doesn't frighten Joe at all. The other man is another story...

Bo Tully, sheriff of Blight County, Idaho, has dealt with small-town crime throughout his long, storied career. Now, contemplating retirement after years on the job, Tully is faced with perhaps his most perplexing case yet. When area bald eagles start getting picked off by a ghost-like killer, and when a prominent local rancher is murdered by an arrow with eagle fletching, things gets complicated fast. In this fast-paced whodunit, Tully has a vast array of suspects to chose from—including the rancher's gorgeous, bird-loving wife who mysteriously leaves for a ranch in Mexico the day of the murder; the beautiful chef at the local house of ill repute, who is well-known as a budding ornithologist; and the ranch foreman, who is rumored to be having an affair with his boss's widow.Will Tully put the pieces of the puzzle together, yet again? Will sending his dad, the former sheriff of Blight County, along with his number two man, down to Mexico help solve the mystery? And what about the mysterious large circles in the snow that Tully finds around the ranch—with no footprints leading in or out of the area?It all adds up to another engrossing series of twists and turns. And in the end, Tully gets his man... or woman... or does he?Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

In this mystery in the New York Times bestselling Death on Demand series, bookstore owner Annie Darling learns just how much she prefers fictional crimes to real ones… In one tragic week, two acts of violence shake the island community of Broward's Rock. First, a beloved doctor is found shot dead, seemingly by his own hand. Days later, a local artist is arrested after his wife is found murdered, bludgeoned by her husband's sculpting mallet. Convinced her brother did not commit suicide, the doctor's sister turns to Annie and her husband, Max. She has found a cryptic sketch her brother drew, linking him with the murdered woman. Did someone want them both out of the picture? Now it's up to Annie and Max to sort through a rogues'gallery of suspects to see if someone is trying to frame the artist. But if Annie isn't careful, she may have her own brush with death...

As the Nazi war machine is pushed back across Europe, defeat has become inevitable. But there are those who seek to continue the fight beyond the battlefield. German intelligence officer Captain Gregor Reinhardt has just been reassigned to the Feldjaegerkorps—a new branch of the military police with far-reaching powers. His position separates him from the friends and allies he has made in the last two years, including a circle of fellow dissenting Germans who formed a rough resistance cell against the Nazis. And he needs them now more than ever.While retreating through Yugoslavia with the rest of the army, Reinhardt witnesses a massacre of civilians by the dreaded Ustaše—only to discover there is more to the incident than anyone believes. When five mutilated bodies turn up, Reinhardt knows the stakes are growing more important—and more dangerous.As his investigation begins to draw the attention of those in power, Reinhardt's friends and associates are made to suffer. But as he desperately tries to uncover the truth, his own past with the Ustaše threatens his efforts. Because when it comes to death and betrayal, some people have long memories. And they remember Reinhardt all too well.And now, Reinhardt will have to fight them once more.

When coffeehouse manager turned amateur sleuth Clare Cosi roasts “magic” beans for Fairy Tale Week, she brews up a vision that leads to a sleeping beauty in Central Park; a big, bad wolf of Wall Street; and an East Side enclave with storybook secrets... Fairy tale fever has descended on New York City. Broadway fans are flocking to Red Riding Hood: The Musical; museums are exhibiting art inspired by the Brothers Grimm; and Clare Cosi gives her coffee truck a “Jack and the Beanstalk” makeover for a Central Park festival.Clare's coffee hunter ex-husband contributes a bag of African beans with alleged magical properties. His octogenarian mother entertains customers with readings of the grinds, but Clare remains skeptical—until she receives a vision that helps her find a young model's body in the park's woods.The police dismiss “sleeping beauty” as the victim of a drug overdose. Then Clare uncovers evidence that points to a roster of suspects, from a wolf of Wall Street to a New York Giant and a wicked witch of the West Side.Now Clare is really in the woods—with a dangerous predator on her heels and an investigation that leads from a secret Prince Charming club right back to her own NYPD detective boyfriend. If she doesn't solve this mystery, those magic beans predict an unhappy ending.Includes wicked good recipes!

In this decadent installment, Verlaque and Bonnet find themselves hunting a murderer on a remote island in the glittering Mediterranean SeaProvençal Mystery Series #4 Now a series on BritBox, premiering March 1st.On-again couple Antoine Verlaque and Marine Bonnet are hoping for a relaxing holiday at the Locanda Sordou, but someone has other plans.Hoteliers Maxime and Catherine Le Bon have spent their life savings restoring the hotel, which lies in an archipelago of sun-soaked islands off the coast of Marseille. To celebrate the grand opening, a group of privileged guests joins Verlaque and Bonnet: Marine's free-spirited best friend; an aging film star, his much-younger wife, and her disgruntled son; a pair of affable American tourists; and a querelous Parisian couple. But the murder of one of the guests casts a shadow over everyone's vacation, and things go from bad to worse when a violent storm cuts off all communication with the mainland. Will the killer strike again?Like Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri, M. L. Longworth enchants mystery lovers with a taste for good food and gorgeous landscapes in this installment of her acclaimed mystery series.“A charming read with a well-crafted mystery and characters as rich and full-bodied as a Bordeaux.” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The small town of Jarrett Creek is bankrupt. Samuel Craddock thought he was retired but now he's been asked to return as police chief. Gary Dellmore, heir apparent to the main bank, is dead, apparently murdered. Dellmore supposedly had a roving eye, although his wife says he was never serious about dallying. Still, Craddock wonders: Did the husbands and fathers of women he flirted with think he was harmless? What about his current lover, who insists that Dellmore was going to leave his wife for her? Craddock discovers that Dellmore had a record of bad business investments. Even worse, he took a kickback from a loan he procured, which ultimately drove the town into bankruptcy. Many people had motive to want Dellmore dead. Then the investigation turns up another crime. As Craddock digs down to the root of this mess, many in Jarrett Creek are left wondering what happened to the innocence of their close-knit community.

In this second Family History mystery, a professional genealogist realizes the family history she's tracing may be repeating itself after her client's son-in-law turns up dead.A killer makes his final cut.... If there's one thing genealogists Sophreena McClure and Esme Sabatier have learned, it's that every family has a black sheep— sometimes a whole flock of them. Their new client, Olivia Clement, is hoping to uncover the truth about her ne'er-do-well father, who disappeared before she was born. But Sophreena and Esme have barely begun delving into Olivia's past when a present-day murder interrupts their schedule. Someone has decided to prune the Clement family tree by getting rid of Olivia's domineering son-in-law, Blaine Branch. Even without Esme's psychic gift, it was easy to sense the tension between Blaine and his put-upon wife, Beth. Suspicion quickly falls on a young filmmaker and family friend who's creating a documentary about their small town. Yet Soph and Esme become convinced someone else wanted to edit Blaine out, permanently. Buried deep in dusty boxes of memorabilia and 1940s film reels are vital clues, but it will take all of Sophreena's deductive skill to expose the truth—before another victim fades to black.

'An exciting first novel that echoes the best writing of Pete Hamill and George Pelecanos, mixed with bits of The Wire and True Detective.'—The Miami HeraldThe electrifying first novel in a new crime series from a veteran Washington, D.C., reporterSarah Reese, the teenage daughter of a powerful Washington, D.C. judge, is dead, her body discovered in a slum in the shadow of the Capitol. Though the police promptly arrest three local black kids, newspaper reporter Sully Carter suspects there's more to the case. Reese's slaying might be related to a string of cold cases the police barely investigated, among them the recent disappearance of a gorgeous university student.A journalist brought home from war-torn Bosnia and hobbled by loss, rage, and alcohol, Sully encounters a city rife with its own brand of treachery and intrigue. Weaving through D.C.'s broad avenues and shady backstreets on his Ducati 916 motorcycle, Sully comes to know not just the city's pristine monuments of power but the blighted neighborhoods beyond the reach of the Metro. With the city clamoring for a conviction, Sully pursues the truth about the murders—all against pressure from government officials, police brass, suspicious locals, and even his own bosses at the paper.A wry, street-smart hero with a serious authority problem, Sully delves into a deeply layered mystery, revealing vivid portraits of the nation's capital from the highest corridors of power to D.C.'s seedy underbelly, where violence and corruption reign supreme—and where Sully must confront the back-breaking line between what you think and what you know, and what you know and what you can print. Inspired by the real-life 1990s Princeton Place murders and set in the last glory days of the American newspaper, The Ways of the Dead is a wickedly entertaining story of race, crime, the law, and the power of the media. Neely Tucker delivers a flawless rendering of a fast-paced, scoop-driven newsroom—investigative journalism at its grittiest.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas uncovers a conspiracy when she investigates the murders of some of New York City's troubled youth in this thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series.Leading the demolition of a long-empty New York building that once housed a makeshift shelter for troubled teenagers, Lieutenant Eve Dallas's husband uncovers two skeletons wrapped in plastic. And by the time Eve's done with the crime scene, there are twelve murders to be solved.The victims are all young girls. A tattooed tough girl who dealt in illegal drugs. The runaway daughter of a pair of well-to-do doctors. They all had their stories. And they all lost their chance for a better life.Then Eve discovers a connection between the victims and someone she knows. And she grows even more determined to reveal the secrets of the place that was called The Sanctuary—and the evil concealed in one human heart.

Nora Blackbird gets the scoop as she turns the spotlight on a killer in the latest from the author of Little Black Book of Murder....While a pregnant Nora relaxes in her best friend's Bucks County pool, she doesn't have far to look for her next big story. A Broadway show is in rehearsal next door at the home of the legendary late composer “Toodles” Tuttle. His diva widow, Boom Boom, reigns over his estate with an iron fist. She has also racked up a chorus line of enemies, so the old broad's death is a hotly anticipated event. But imagine everyone's dismay when it's her beloved daughter, Jenny, who drops dead just as the lights are set to go on for the lucrative new Toodles musical.Eager to investigate, Nora must first deal with the dramatic interludes of her sisters'love lives and also keep her cool during a visit from her mobster boyfriend's mother. Only then can she finally bring the curtain down on a daring killer....

The seventh in Larry Millett's thrilling mystery series pursues the tangled truth behind the killing of the spoiled young heir to an industrial fortune The place is Minneapolis, the year is 1903, and Michael Masterson has fallen in love, or so he claims, with Addie Strongwood, a beautiful working-class girl with an interesting past and a mind of her own. But their promising relationship quickly begins to disintegrate before reaching a violent conclusion. Amid allegations of seduction, rape, and blackmail, Michael is shot dead and Addie goes on trial for first-degree murder. As the case unfolds in a welter of conflicting evidence and surprise discoveries, a jury must decide whether Addie acted in self-defense or killed her one-time lover with the coldest of calculation. Reconstructing the case through trial testimony, newspaper stories, the journal of Addie's flamboyant defense attorney, and her own first-person account as serialized in the Minneapolis Tribune, Larry Millett builds a suspenseful tale of love, money, betrayal, and death. Sherlock Holmes and Shadwell Rafferty, long known to readers from Millett's previous mysteries, play crucial roles in the unraveling of the case, which also offers a glimpse into the sharply divided worlds of the rich and the poor at the dawn of the twentieth century.

In the next installment in the “compelling, passionate, and gritty” (Daily Mail, UK) suspense series, police Captain Carmine Delmonico is on the trail of not one but two killers.It's August 1969 in the sleepy college town of Holloman, Connecticut, and police Captain Carmine Delmonico is away on vacation. Back at home, first one, then two anonymous male corpses turn up—emaciated and emasculated. After connecting the victims to four other bodies, Sergeant Delia Carstairs and Lieutenant Abe Goldberg realize that Holloman has a psychopathic killer on the loose. Luckily, Carmine decides to come back from vacation early. Carmine's team begins to circle a trio of eccentrics, who readily admit to knowing all the victims, but their stories keep changing. They share family ties, painful memories, and a dark past. One of them is a new friend of Carmine's invaluable sergeant, Delia Carstairs, as is the respected head of the mental hospital, who has been doing groundbreaking work rehabilitating one very difficult patient who is now her trusted assistant. When another vicious murder rocks Holloman, Carmine faces the revelation that two killers are at large with completely different modus operandi even as he barely escapes being next in the body count. Suddenly the summer isn't so sleepy anymore. A riveting mystery series by an author of astounding range and skill, Colleen McCullough's Carmine Delmonico books take you back to an age of classic police work, before DNA analysis and computers. Sins of the Flesh is her finest work yet, pitting her beloved hero against every cop's nightmare scenario in a plot that turns on the sort of science that McCullough herself knows so well.

Louisiana businessman Jerry Earl Leland served only a fraction of his five-year sentence for white-collar crime, thanks to some political connections and a few greased palms. But he won't have long to enjoy his freedom…After Jerry Earl's early release, his wife, Margo—a much-married Garden District doyenne—throws an extravagant Get Out of Jail Free Party, complete with a Zydeco band, champagne ice luge, and waiters in ties and tails. The guest list includes many prominent New Orleans socialites, as well as scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand and her best friend, Ava Gruiex. But sometime during the swirl of partying and drinking, Jerry Earl is brutally murdered—then stuffed inside a clothes dryer. Carmela has earned a reputation around town for solving murders, and when the grieving widow turns to her for help, she can't say no. But Jerry Earl took a lot of people to the cleaners with his underhanded business tactics, so Carmela's going to be hard-pressed to identify which of his enemies was steamed enough to kill him. As she sorts through Jerry Earl's dirty laundry, she needs to collar the killer before another victim is set to tumble dry…Scrapbooking Tips and Recipes Included!

New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Hart's good-hearted spirit just can't say no to an earthly rescue in the fourth Bailey Ruth Ghost novel... As far as emissaries from Heaven's Department of Good Intentions go, Bailey Ruth is far from the top of the go-to list for assignments in the eyes of her boss, Wiggins. So she's surprised when she's dropped off on the outskirts of her old hometown, Adelaide, Oklahoma, at the home of young Nick Magruder. When a window cracks and a rifle barrel is thrust inside, only Bailey Ruth's hasty intervention saves Nick from taking a bullet. But after she materializes to reassure him, she finds she can't go back to vanishing. What gives? It turns out Bailey's been tricked by Nick's late aunt to come to his rescue, which means Wiggins has no idea where she is—and now she may be trapped in Adelaide forever. Unless she can help snare the person who wants Nick dead...

Orlando Edison is a stockbroker using London's infatuation with foreign mining ventures to make a fortune. He has curried favor with the nation's most respected aristocrats, even inviting three influential investors—known as the Merry Gentlemen—to be part of his latest enterprise. Edison is welcomed in the highest circles and moves with ease among the rich and powerful. But a few days before Christmas, he is found murdered.Inspector Witherspoon and his household are looking forward to the festive season. But they all know their duty, and led by the intrepid Mrs. Jeffries, they plan to see justice served for the holidays...Mrs. Jeffries keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon...and keeps him on his toes. Everyone's awed by his Scotland Yard successes—but they don't know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs. Jeffries'polished detection skills are up to the task...proving that behind every great man there's a woman—and that a crimesolver's work is never done.

Molly Pink and her crochet group, the Tarzana Hookers, love an adventure. But when their newest member is accused of turning her wedding into happily-never-after for the groom, Molly's chance to find the truth hangs by a thread...When Molly is invited to a major society wedding, she expects some drama but not this much. The bride, the daughter of Molly's friend Mason, has been planning the nuptials for ages, but at the reception, things go amiss when the groom ends up dancing with the Grim Reaper.To make matters worse, the bride's mother is found holding the murder weapon—and, as a reality show star, she's happy to fuel the media frenzy. Molly agrees to open her home so Thursday, the distraught bride, can have some peace from the paparazzi. But when it's revealed that she and her groom were on shaky ground, Thursday takes the spotlight as the prime suspect.Now Molly and the Hookers must quickly stitch together unrelated clues and high-profile suspects—before a killer strikes again…Delicious recipes & crochet patterns included!