One good man, one very bad nightDr. James Chenda, a middle-aged (and perhaps middling) academic, had always played it safe. He has a house in the suburbs, a few papers that he’s trying to publish, and though his prospects at receiving tenure are 50/50, he’s trying at least.And that was his life, until—Until one night he goes to a party alone, and on the drive home he sees two girls in another car flirting with him—One moment can change everythingOne moment, one decision, one flick of the wheel, and everything starts to unravel.James will find himself enmeshed in forces beyond his comprehension, coming from every angle possible.And he can’t just go to the police with this, because he has his child to look after.He’ll have to go deeper to get himself out, to deal with the underworld directly and outwit those who play by different rules, or perhaps no rules at all.A note from the editor: When Jonathan Maas submitted Swerve to me, I was surprised. His oeuvre so far has been SciFi and Fantasy, and every tale has had some aspect of either. But this is a Domestic Thriller—no time travel, no references to cosmic powers, and the only ghosts are the metaphorical kind. In true Jonathan Maas style, this tale does have elements of Philosophy and Literary Fiction. But it’s a page turner all right, a Domestic Thriller Crime Noir showing a normal man who finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time, and then must pull himself out of an underworld that wants to grab hold of him at every opportunity, bring him down and keep him there.- J. Shaw, Cynical Optimist PressFor fans of: Chester Himes, A Rage in Harlem, Jordan Harper, She Rides Shotgun, the movie Shot Caller, Noir fiction.Genres: Crime, Crime Noir, Domestic Thrillers, Page-turners, Mystery, Literary Fiction, PhilosophyEdition 1.1 - Resolved some small formatting issues for Kindle.

This Edgar Award–winning collection from the author behind the Peter Duluth novels delivers "a dozen shock treatments for varying degrees of murder" (Kirkus Reviews). Patrick Quentin, best known for the Peter Duluth puzzle mysteries, also penned outstanding detective novels from the 1930s through the 1960s under other pseudonyms, including Q. Patrick and Jonathan Stagge. Anthony Boucher wrote: "Quentin is particularly noted for the enviable polish and grace which make him one of the leading American fabricants of the murderous comedy of manners; but this surface smoothness conceals intricate and meticulous plot construction as faultless as that of Agatha Christie." This Edgar Award–winning short story collection introduces multiple murderers with a myriad of motives: In the title story, which was adapted for an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, a wealthy woman trapped in a vault passes the hours pondering her life and her loves as time—and her oxygen supply—runs out . . . In post–World War II Sicily, a visiting American discovers that his charity toward a young boy has ensnared him in a trap only a child could have dreamed up . . . A cheating husband planning on killing his wife learns that even the best-laid plans can go astray—especially if your wife is a lot smarter than you . . . A child writes down what she's going to say in a court case, revealing the honest, innocent heart of a little girl—and the cold, calculating mind of a monster . . . Quentin's collection of crimes "produces a cool chill and a calculated thrill" (Kirkus Reviews) and includes: "The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow," "A Boy's Will," "Portrait of a Murderer," "Little Boy Lost," "Witness for the Prosecution," "The Pigeon-Woman," "All the Way to the Moon," "Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?," "Thou Lord Seest Me," "Mrs. Appleby's Bear," "Love Comes to Miss Lucy," and "This Will Kill You."

A Good Hanging is packed with twelve remarkable, gritty mystery stories starring DI John Rebus, "probably the most interesting man in detective fiction," in his home city of Edinburgh, as only international #1 bestselling author Ian Rankin can portray it (Kirkus Reviews).Not just the tearooms and cobbled streets of the tourist brochures, but a modern urban metropolis with a full range of criminals and their victims—blackmailers, peeping Toms, and more than one kind of murderer. It's a city like any other, a city that gives birth to crimes of passion, accidents, and long-hidden jealousy, and a city in which criminal minds find it all too easy to fade into the shadows.As dedicated readers of the series well know, nobody is better equipped to delve into Edinburgh's back alleys and smoky pubs than Rebus, and no one better able to illuminate his world than Ian Rankin.Praise for A Good Hanging and Ian Rankin"The king of tartan noir puts his popular Scottish 'heart attack material' supersleuth to work investigating arson, a ghostly vision, a converted ex-con and the 'perfect murder' in A Good Hangings' fast-paced mini-mysteries." —Publishers Weekly"Ian Rankin is a genius." —Lee Child

Crissa Stone is a career criminal who has pulled a number of impressive heists by knowing how to keep her mouth shut and her temper in check. Still, as good as she is, she wants to get out of the life. All she needs is one last big score, enough to bribe her lover's way out on parole, set up a safe and stable new life, and get her daughter back. However, things keep going wrong, like when her last two partners lost their cool and fought over the take instead of walking away $150K richer. The mess they made of the job and each other has put her on the run again.She's not the only one. Benny Roth, a former mobster, has been straight for years, but now he has his own problems. A face from the past has popped up to tell him that boss Joey Dio is finally dead and to ask about the five million dollars that Joey was rumored to have stashed away years ago. Benny denies knowing anything about it and claims he's out of the business. That may be what he says, but he's willing to risk almost everything for one last shot.With the law and mobsters on the lookout and five million dollars on the line, it isn't long before Crissa and Benny find themselves on a collision course that neither of them can avoid. This hard-boiled world, where the stakes---and the risks---are always high, unfolds at breakneck speed in Kings of Midnight, another dark and thrilling masterwork of crime fiction from Wallace Stroby.

The girl in the ballerina dress lies still on the carousel with her face toward the blue sky. In her tutu and slippers, she’s ready for her next performance. But as the morning sun shines down upon her, she no longer feels its warmth on her cheeks. Her bright light is gone forever.When the body of Hailey Tanner is found in a local park, Detective Amanda Steele races to the scene. Interviewing her devastated parents, they confirm that Hailey never made it home from her dance class. Searching for clues in the family home, Amanda discovers that some ballet clothing was taken from Hailey’s room. Could the killer have been close to her?As Amanda and Trent question potential suspects, they’re painfully reminded of a similar case. Julie Gilbert, another gifted performer, was murdered in exactly the same way twelve years ago. Amanda’s former colleague, Katherine Graves, never gave up hope of bringing the killer to justice and now with a clear link between the two victims, she steps back into the investigation.But she’s soon warned off when a threatening note is found in the hem of Hailey’s dress. “This girl’s your fault. Stop looking or there will be more.”With boxes of evidence files and potential leads, Amanda knows that Katherine must have been getting close, but when a third girl is taken soon after, the clock starts ticking again. There’s no way Amanda will let another child suffer at the hands of this twisted killer. But how much will the team be prepared to sacrifice, and can they save this girl before it’s too late?A completely gripping and pulse-pounding crime thriller that will have you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of Mary Burton, Elle Gray and Rachel Caine.What readers are saying about Three Girls Gone:“Wow! I’m lost for words… Had me glued to this eBook… I didn’t stop until 4.30am… Had me hooked!… Gripping… Love!… Amazing!” cathysbooktok, ?????“I read in one sitting as I couldn’t bring myself to put it down, even for a few minutes… Phenomenal!” bookreviewercakemaker, ?????“I could not put this book down. I was up all night… Will have you on the edge of your seat the whole ride!” Goodreads reviewer, ?????“Fantastic! Wow!… Nail-biting!… Jaw-dropping twists!” Sassy Southern Books, ?????“Heart-pounding… All the twists and turns a person could want… A rollercoaster ride start to finish… An edge of your seat thrill ride!” a_likely_storie, ?????“Gripping… Fantastic… I was on the edge of my seat.” B for Book Review, ?????“Carolyn Arnold is one of my go-to authors and never disappoints… I devoured this book in a day as I couldn’t put it down.” shereadbookblog, ?????“A page-turner from start to finish… Had my head spinning… Addictive… Amazing.” Goodreads reviewer, ?????“Gripping… Love… I inhaled this book in two sittings… Will draw the reader in from page one.” Goodreads reviewer, ?????“Left me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of its suspenseful ride… Loved this one!” Goodreads reviewer, ?????

A fanatical group of vigilantes. One local police unit. One international task force. An ex-con with a grudge… Plus a child abduction. It all adds up to a nightmare.Police and a secret group of citizen investigators are locked in a battle for child safety, and Detective Constable Holly Towns finds herself trapped between the two.Holly is paired with a new detective from the Sex Crimes Unit. Detective Danny Cavallo is working with a cross-border task force on human trafficking. And reporter Missy McLaren swears that the underground vigilante crew has the answers.But Holly distrusts the group and its criminal history, and when an explosive takedown rocks the city with accusations and the promise of more violence, she becomes even more convinced that the truth lies hidden elsewhere.Can her notorious combination of hard work and off-beat intuition pay off before the kidnapper circles back to claim victory?If you like complex characters, twisty plots, and a fast-paced story, the Goodbye… series is for you.