A great recurring character in a series you love becomes an old friend. You learn about their strange quirks and their haunted pasts and root for them every time they face danger. But where do some of the most fascinating sleuths in the mystery and thriller world really come from? What was the real-life location that inspired Michael Connelly to make Harry Bosch a Vietnam vet tunnel rat? Why is Jack Reacher a drifter? How did a brief encounter in Botswana inspire Alexander McCall Smith to create Precious Ramotswe? In The Lineup, some of the top mystery writers in the world tell about the genesis of their most beloved characters -- or, in some cases, let their creations do the talking.

Haunted by her brother's brutal murder, FBI Agent Sidney Stone races against time to unravel a chilling wave of child abductions that mirror her own traumatic past, pushing her to the brink of sanity as she confronts both ruthless criminals and her own demons.FBI Agent Sidney Stone has dedicated her life to the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, determined to prevent others from suffering the same fate as her kid brother, Ben. They were abducted when she was 16 and he seven. He was killed while she was let go. His death fuels her relentless pursuit of justice while struggling with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.A wave of child abductions bears an eerie resemblance to the patterns of Sidney’s own abduction, pulling her deeper into a psychological battle. Partnering with Special Agent Alex Kane to co-lead the investigation, Sidney must navigate a complex web of clues and confront a network of sadistic criminals.With the support of a dedicated team and her therapist Dr. Emma Blake, Sidney fights to balance her personal demons with her drive to save others. Each breakthrough brings her closer to dismantling the abductors’ sinister operation, but also to her own breaking point.

Two genetic researchers are brutally slain on a remote beach in the Bahamas. The investigation falls to Dr. Natalie Franklin, the small-town Medical Examiner working on her first murder case. She doesn’t mind dealing with dead bodies, but dealing with her boss, the Chief of Police, is another matter entirely. As she struggles to make sense of the forensic clues, she vows to find answers to explain the bizarre evidence.When researcher Greg Cooper is hired to analyze DNA for the Keller Corporation, he initially thinks he has landed in a tropical paradise. After a few days of crunching data, though, he realizes that his dream job is more of a tedious grind than anything else. Out of boredom, he begins to poke around and soon suspects that his employer is up to something unethical.When Greg discovers another dead body, it seems like a horrible accident. At first, that’s what Dr. Natalie Franklin thinks, too. But it isn’t long before Greg and Natalie are racing to unlock the secret of the Mendelian Protocol before it overwhelms the island. Will they succeed or become two more victims of the evil that lurks under the Caribbean sun?

New York Times bestseller: A novel of a messy mob war in Brooklyn that “makes you laugh out loud” (Chicago Sun-Times).   Kid Sally Palumbo has been a loyal servant to the Brooklyn Mafia for years. His specialty is murder, and he is so skilled at it that he has gotten the attention of Mafia boss Papa Baccala. But unfortunately for Kid Sally, murder pays poorly. He wants to make real dough, to get respect, and to be able to tell his colleagues where to sit when they eat dinner. In short, he wants to be boss. The job would be his for the taking—if only Kid Sally weren’t a Grade A moron.  To keep Sally from stirring up trouble, Baccala tosses him an easy assignment: Organize a bicycle race through Brooklyn, and keep the profits. Kid Sally bungles it, setting off a turf war that quickly engulfs the borough. The dimwitted mobsters are masters in the art of murder, and they are about to put on a show. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Jimmy Breslin including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

She lies on the floor, her blue eyes wide and unseeing, arms outstretched as if begging for help. Kneeling next to her, wearing a purple sequinned ballgown and holding a knife in shaking hands, is her daughter… In a quiet kitchen, where two mugs wait by the kettle to be filled, Sheryl Hawne lies in a pool of blood. Her only daughter, Katie, is found at her side, still clutching the murder weapon and apparently incapable of speech. To Detective Kim Stone, the case seems open and shut. But Katie is in no state to be questioned, so Kim and the team must dig deep to understand what triggered this brutal act.Soon, they learn that Katie participated in beauty pageants as a child, and her mother kept a shrine to her achievements. As Kim gazes at the golden trophies and shiny rosettes, she is forced to wonder if this was what set Katie on the path to murder…But then Kim receives a shocking call. Another woman is dead. And with Katie safely locked up, she cannot be the killer. The second victim also entered her daughter in pageants, and a broken tiara is found thrust down her throat. Someone clearly feels that these mothers are guilty – and that they deserve to die. Forcing back the memories of her own monstrous mother, Kim vows to find justice for these women, no matter what pain they caused.Now more than a day behind their killer, Kim races to learn more about a competitive world where appearances are everything and mothers will go to any lengths to ensure their daughters triumph. Buried somewhere in this dark past is the key to unlocking the case… but will Kim be able to find it before another family is destroyed forever?The twentieth book in the international, multi-million-copy bestselling series, Guilty Mothers will have you glued to the pages. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid and Robert Dugoni will devour this gripping crime thriller. Can be read as a standalone.See what everyone is saying about Guilty Mothers: ‘Wow! How do these just keep getting better and better… absolutely loved… I was gripped from the start… couldn’t love it more… a must read!!’ Goodreads reviewer, ?????‘Oh. My. Word!… I loved it so much that I had to stop and go back and reread sections… stunning… a one-sitting read, had me holding my breath, grabbing my cheeks, and holding back tears… amazing… Oh my!’ Robin Loves Reading, ?????‘Who needs sleep when there is a new Kim Stone book!!… I could not put this book down, reading into the early hours of the morning. Am I sorry… not at all!’ mandylovestoread, ?????‘Loved it loved it loved it… Gripping… I couldn’t put this book down and now I’ve finished it I feel a little lost. Read it!’ NetGalley reviewer, ?????‘Just perfect, each little hook keeps those pages turning and I’d actually poke sticks in my eyes to keep reading well into the wee hours!… Readers should be given special leave because once you start reading you really shouldn’t have to stop!’ Chapter in My Life, ?????‘Fabulous… had me hooked to the very last page! I absolutely love Kim Stone… gets a big thumbs up and five big shiny stars from me!’ Stardust Book Reviews, ?????“WOW HOLY MOLY!!!!… God, this woman knows how to write!… I stayed up way too late reading since I couldn’t put down this addictive read.” Book Review Café, ?????“My favorite mystery/thriller/crime series EVER!!!… I absolutely DEVOURED every page!” Firepit and Books, ?????“DI Kim Stone is my literature Pringle! Once I start a book I just can’t stop!… absolutely flawless and totally consuming!” Goodreads reviewer, ?????