by Philip Eliot | Jan 27, 2026 | Crime Fiction |
A woman exposes her dead husband’s lies in a thriller by the “consistently excellent” author of the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries ( The Times , London). Best known for his Dalziel and Pascoe novels, which were adapted into a hit BBC series, Reginald Hill proves himself to be a “master of . . . cerebral puzzle mysteries” in his stand-alone thrillers as well—now available as ebooks ( The New York Times ). When her husband, Trent, dies in a car accident, shy and agoraphobic Trudi Adamson is unprepared to face the world. She has no choice. After twenty-five years of marriage, she’s just discovered that her life has been a lie. Despite Trent’s prosperous career he’s left Trudi penniless. He’d quit his job without telling her, maintained a rural hideaway, had a possible lover in Vienna, a Swiss bank account, and traveled the world under numerous aliases. But Trudi’s not the only one following a dead man’s trail. So are Trent’s dangerous enemies. Both hunter and hunted, Trudi must go from timid and terrorized mouse to fearless investigator if she’s to discover the truth in the deadly shadows of her husband’s secret life.
by Philip Eliot | Jan 27, 2026 | Cozy Mystery |
At the writers’ conference, murder tops the program. Aspiring murder mystery author Emma Banefield and travel writer Nicole Earp are excited to attend a writers’ conference in their small town during their latest sisters’ getaway. Nic’s birthday should be all about relaxation, writing, and a chocolate martini to toast another trip around the sun, but the climate at the gathering rumbles like a sudden desert thunderstorm. When sparks fly between the keynote speaker and her timid assistant over a handsome mystery author, the subtitle on this anticipated tranquil weekend spells drama. If a heated love triangle, bruised egos, and betrayal aren’t enough to upset the atmosphere, the conference banquet erupts into a drunken brawl and sends the place spinning. After a body is discovered, Nic and Em do what they do best—snoop—and become embroiled in a mystery that jumps off the pages of a true-crime bestseller. With more than enough suspects and little time, the amateur sleuths have their hands full finding the killer. But can the competitive Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime before the prickly chief detective does, or will a murderer outwit them all?
by Philip Eliot | Jan 27, 2026 | Horror & Paranormal |
Don’t read before bedtime or you’ll stay up until the wee hours of the morning to finish’ Reader review ????? ‘I absolutely adored this book. It was compelling from the start. The historical detail was spot-on and the characters well-drawn’ Reader review ????? Meet Alma Timperley. She can: – Run a hotel – Solve a mystery – Talk to ghosts…? December, 1914: After the death of her aunt, Alma Timperley is surprised when she suddenly finds herself the heiress to the Timperley Spiritualist Hotel in a pretty coastal town in Cornwall. But not everything is as it seems… the hotel offers guests a very special service: the chance to communicate with the dead. When the body of one of the hotel’s maids is found, it is considered a tragic wartime accident. But the more Alma and the local police try to fathom what happened, the more they begin to realise this is much more than just a death – there might be a German spy in Falmouth. With the stakes higher than ever, Alma must grapple with her own extraordinary secret if she is going to have more than a ghost of a chance of solving the mystery. Being able to talk with the dead is one thing; solving their murder is positively ghoulish… If you love murder mysteries with a hint of spookiness, then don’t miss this unique and quirky paranormal read! Readers LOVE A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Solving a Murder : ‘If you like historical fiction with a spooky vibe and a thoughtful mystery, this book is definitely worth a read’ Reader review ????? ‘A well-plotted murder mystery wrapped up in an enthralling WW1 spy story’ Fiona Leitch ‘ ‘A thoroughly enjoyable ripping yarn’ TE Kinsey ‘ A great story’ Reader review ????? ‘Cleverly entertaining’ Greg Mosse
by Philip Eliot | Jan 27, 2026 | Contemporary Romance |
Marcus To listeners of The Vers , a queer podcast I host with my three best friends, I’m known as The Realist—I accept life the way it is, believe in honesty over sugarcoating, and okay, I can maybe be a little bossy. If you asked The Vers guys, they’d tell you I’m a caretaker who’s always thinking of others, but they also give over-the-top hugs and don’t believe me when I say feelings are the worst. It’s why I have no business offering Kai Lewis a place to stay when he’s in need. He’s a flirt who makes no secret about wanting in my bed…somewhere I’d like to have him if he wasn’t the employee of one of my closest friends. But he’s too trusting and leaps before he thinks, so at least he won’t get taken advantage of if he’s with me. Now he’s always around, wearing shorts that leave nothing to the imagination and saying he wants to take care of me because I’m always doing it for others. It’s not long before I can’t resist him—a man who likes listening in the bedroom but is stubborn in other situations. Kai is sweet and funny and gets me to open up to him. Maybe this whole relationship thing wouldn’t be so bad…if he wasn’t nine years younger…and leaving Southern California soon…or if I had any idea what I was doing. The Realist is an age-gap, forced-proximity romance with a bossy realist and a sunshiny flirt who has Marcus wrapped around his finger.
by Philip Eliot | Jan 27, 2026 | Horror & Paranormal |
The pilot episode of a massive new urban fantasy series! Give it a try and you’ll see why there are over twenty titles with more being added every year. Salt Mine agent David Wilson—codename Fulcrum—has worked at the black ops agency for more than a decade. He’s faced down demons, devils, faeries, and ghosts, as well as a legion of other things that go bump in the night. But now the Salt Mine has a new recruit, and new recruits need training. Teresa Martinez—codename Lancer—excelled as an FBI agent, but how will she fare in a world where the fiends of Hell are real, magicians do more than card tricks, and karma is a real bitch? During her orientation, a series of deaths among pharmaceutical CEOs takes a bizarre turn, and Wilson must investigate arcane forces with Martinez—still in training—in tow. Welcome to the Salt Mine, the secret organization that monitors and manages supernatural activity from its headquarters in the deep mineral deposits underneath Detroit, Michigan, USA. Money Hungry is the first of an exciting new urban fantasy series featuring covert agents who keep a lid on the wild esoteric world of the occult. If you enjoy the TV shows Supernatural, Grimm, Eureka, The Librarians, Warehouse 13, X-Files, Relic Hunter, or Fringe, you’ll enjoy the Salt Mine. When magic is real, someone has to rein it in.
