by Philip Eliot | Aug 19, 2025 | Thriller & Suspense |
THE MORGUE.THE LAST PLACE JERI HOWARD WANTS TO BE – ESPECIALLY IF THE BODY SHE’S THERE TO IDENTIFY IS THAT OF HER KID BROTHER. Missing.That’s not a word the Oakland private eye Jeri Howard wants to hear about her brother Brian.He’s been gone four days. And that body in the morgue? It was found on a burned-out boat at a marina with a dicey reputation – along with Brian’s MedicAlert bracelet.The trail is getting cold. Jeri’s upset and anxious. So is her family. Her divorced parents draw together, seeking comfort from each other. Her aunt has been a source of strength. But her sister-in-law Sheila’s reaction to the crisis has Jeri wondering what the hell is going on.Jeri thought everything was fine in Brian’s life. But it’s not. Deep cracks have appeared in his marriage. Sheila is angry – about Brian’s sudden job change, about the move from their pleasant house in Sonoma to a small rental in Petaluma. And she has her suspicions about Brian’s friendship with a free-spirited potter who calls herself Willow.Jeri goes looking for reasons, tracking down Brian’s friends and colleagues – and Willow.Is Brian involved in a murder? Or is he a victim?The clock is ticking. Jeri races against time to find her brother. Before murder finds him.”There is a great deal of underlying tension and suspense in Cold Trail as Jeri searches for her brother… The pacing of the narrative is relentless as Jeri, together with the reader, fears the worst. With sharply drawn characters and vivid settings, this solidly plotted mystery is a strong entry in this series.” — Mysterious Reviews”Cold Trail brings Northern California’s wine country so alive you’ll want to pack up and move there… Dawson knows how to blend real history and real crime into an intriguing mystery about a missing man and the people, and the land, he loves.” –Betty Webb, Mystery Scene”The eleventh of the series continues to thrill by helping set the standard for female private investigators. The California setting comes alive as well: Dawson has perfected the private detective procedural mystery, and watching Jeri methodically track down her brother using her intelligence and information she receives is a true delight . . . This is a strongly plotted mystery and is sure to satisfy longtime fans of both Jeri Howard and her always-dependable author.” — Cynthia Chow, Kings River Life”An intriguing, modern, and very believable mystery… the book is intelligent, articulate, and engaging.” — Over My Dead Body
by Philip Eliot | Aug 19, 2025 | Historical Fiction |
The atmosphere of Bleak House, the sensuous thrill of Perfume, and the mystery of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell all combine in a story of murder, deceit, love, and revenge in Victorian England.”After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn’s for an oyster supper.” So begins the “enthralling” (Booklist, starred review) and “ingenious” (Boston Globe) story of Edward Glyver, booklover, scholar, and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. A chance discovery convinces him that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. Overwhelmed by his discovery, he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his.Glyver’s path to reclaim his prize leads him from the depths of Victorian London, with its foggy streets, brothels, and opium dens, to Evenwood, one of England’s most beautiful and enchanting country houses, and finally to a consuming love for the beautiful but enigmatic Emily Carteret. His is a story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition. And at every turn, driving Glyver irresistibly onward, is his deadly rival: the poet-criminal Phoebus Rainsford Daunt.The Meaning of Night is an enthralling novel that will captivate readers right up to its final thrilling revelation.
by Philip Eliot | Aug 19, 2025 | Crime Fiction |
A knock at the door reveals a terrifying secret—and a dangerous decision.Newly appointed as the small-town chief of police, Mark Friessen is starting to find his footing when a mysterious woman shows up on his doorstep, unraveling a chilling tale: she was forced to marry the man who killed her family. Desperate for help, she pulls Mark and social worker Billy Jo McCabe into a tangled web of deceit and danger.As Mark and Billy Jo dig deeper into the woman’s claims, they’re faced with unsettling secrets about her past—and their own relationship is put to the test. What starts as a cry for help turns into a high-stakes case that threatens to expose deep fractures in the town and in their lives.With a possessive husband, a powerful fixer, and more questions than answers, Mark and Billy Jo quickly realize they’re in over their heads. And as they uncover layer after layer of lies, they may wish this stranger had never knocked on Mark’s door at all.In The Stranger at the Door, bestselling author Lorhainne Eckhart weaves a gripping mystery of trust, betrayal, and the dark consequences of uncovering secrets better left buried.
by Philip Eliot | Aug 19, 2025 | Historical Romance |
A journey through time that will turn the tide of the American Revolution.Sassy and Owen Winslow were world famous as experts on the Revolutionary War. After Owen dies unexpectedly, Sassy struggles to find new meaning for her life. While exploring the Cohutta Wilderness, she falls through a hole in time to 1778, where she falls in love with big, sexy Will Selk. Can she make a new life with a new love in the distant past as she helps the American cause with her knowledge of the future?Intriguing storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Sharon Middleton’s work.In Beyond McCarron’s Corner, (McCarron’s Corner Book One), Sharon K. Middleton creates a delightful and stimulating story with drama, romance, time travel, suspense, and intrigue. Middleton mingles the Revolutionary War and the present-day into a love story intermingled with history, mystery, and mayhem. This page-turning story introduces famous historical personalities and shows how Colonial Americans lived, showing them for who they were, warts and all. The fast-moving plot proves hard to put down and creates a delightful and stimulating read. Sharon K. Middleton has won multiple awards and commendations for her novels, including the Pencraft Award for Historical Romance for Beyond McCarron’s Corner.
by Philip Eliot | Aug 19, 2025 | Cozy Mystery |
Quirky humor? Small-town crimes? A talking cat? This boxed set has it all.When Angie Russo survives a freak accident involving a rogue coffee maker, she wakes up with a strange new ability: she can talk to animals. Well, one animal in particular—a very spoiled and extremely talkative tabby named Octavius.He insists his former owner was murdered, and Angie is the only one who can solve the case. She doesn’t exactly have experience in crime solving, but it turns out she’s a quick study. Soon, Angie and Octo-Cat are neck-deep in whacky whodunits, from canine eyewitnesses and riddle-speaking Sphynx cats to suspects who are all too human.It’s not your typical mystery series, and that’s kind of the point.If you enjoy clean cozy mysteries with animal sidekicks, small-town secrets, and a touch of magical realism, this USA Today bestselling series is the purr-fect pick for your next binge. Start the adventure with this special collection featuring the first three books in the Pet Whisperer P.I. series: Kitty Confidential, Terrier Transgressions, and Hairless Harassment.Settle in, grab your catnip tea, and enjoy the chaos.
