While recovering from injuries at a seaside resort, the Yorkshire detective stumbles onto a deadly smalltown scandal in this acclaimed crime series.A bomb couldn't kill Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel—but his convalescence at the Avalon Clinic in the quaint seaside resort of Sandytown ("Home of the Healthy Holiday") just might. Sneaking out to the local pub provides Fat Andy with a bit of necessary diversion, allowing him a pint or two on the sly, plus an update on the world of trouble outside the clinic. Of particular note are the conflicting plans of a pair of powerful landowners who want to put Sandytown more prominently on the map. But when a rather macabre murder calls Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe onto the scene, Fat Andy realizes that Avalon itself is no sanctuary from the lethal secrets of the local elite—or from the death tide that now, suddenly, is rising quite rapidly.

When sixteen-year-old Hannah Sheraton is arrested for the murder of her stepgrandfather, the chief justice of the California Supreme court, her distraught mother turns to her old college roommate, Josie Baylor-Bates, for help. Josie, once a hot-shot criminal defense attorney, left the fast track behind for a small practice in Hermosa Beach, California. But Hannah Sheraton intrigues her and, when the girl is charged as an adult, Josie cannot turn her back. But the deeper she digs the more Josie realizes that politics, the law and family relationships create a combustible and dangerous situation. When the horrible truth is uncovered it can save Hannah Sheraton or destroy them both."This story was inspired by a case my husband handled. As a superior court judge he had to sentence a minor to life in prison. It made me wonder how I felt about minors arrested for violent crimes. Are they most vulnerable among us - capable or horrible violence, perceived as adults and yet emotionally still children?" Rebecca Forster "An enthralling read, with colorful, well-developed characters and the unique atmosphere of the California beach communities." Nancy Taylor Rosenberg"Blending complex psychological character portraits with spot-on accurage courtroom drmaa, Forster's riveting legal thriller keeps the plot twists coming until the last, satisfying page." - Alafair Burke

Is there a connection between the cat found napping in the flour barrel of the newest bistro and the dead American chef in the meat freezer? When it comes to Maggie Newberry and the cranky villagers of St-Buvard, how could there not be? Once more back in Provence, Maggie finds her hands full with village politics ratcheting up to nuclear level, her BFF back on her living room couch—this time with a snotty teenager in tow—and a full blown riot developing over the brand new American-owned bistro. When the fractious American chef ends up dead, Maggie will need to find out who killed her—and fast—before the chef’s killer decides that two dead Americans in the village are better than one. This book is a clean read: no graphic violence, sex or strong language Genre: light culinary cozy mystery, women amateur sleuth, cozy animal (dog)

A private plane explodes, sending Detective Finn O'Brien's partner, Cori Anderson to the hospital and killing both his estranged uncle and the girl Finn once loved. Grief turns to rage when a misdirected insurance payout, a federal probe, and an arrogant ATF agent make it clear that this was no accident and Finn’s involvement is not welcome. Shut out of the investigation, Finn goes rogue and is lead through a deadly labyrinth created by big business and personal passions. The closer he gets to the truth, the more certain he is that someone with a blood tie to his past is willing to destroy him and everyone he loves."So many different plots and twists and hard to know exactly who did what until the end. An excellent read."

On Monday, Grace Reagan meets a teenager who says he is her son. Two days later her world is unrecognizable and there’s a dead woman on her doorstep.She’s been ignoring the warning signs for weeks. Something bad is coming, but until it’s right in front of her, Grace refuses to see it. When three seemingly unrelated disasters hit, her life flies out of control. In the center of the chaos is the stranger who believes she is his mother.Small town gossips say Peter Carlton is a murderer, but Grace believes he’s telling the truth about almosteverything. As a new client of Reagan and Mosley, Attorneys at Law, Peter complicates her life in ways she never could have imagined. Karma has come calling in the form of a boy with a bad attitude.Did Peter kill a stranger in a drug deal gone bad, or is he the innocent, hard luck kid he claims to be? And who is his mother? Grace needs answers, fast, as she searches for a murderer who is dangerously close to the people she loves.

A police officer is murdered, found washed up on the banks of a canal in this gritty, page-turning mystery set in London and featuring DCI Bill Slider – “one of Britain’s most engaging coppers” (Booklist)'When it's one of your own, you pull out all the stops.'DCI Bill Slider and his team are plunged into a city-wide manhunt when the body of a police officer is found dumped in a canal. Murder is always treated seriously, but when the victim is a serving copper, the killer is going to find the whole London force on their tail – and there will be no let up until they're caught.Colleagues say PC Peter Bentley was a quiet bloke who kept himself to himself. But as Slider and Atherton dig deeper, it becomes clear that this likeable bobby had secrets. Was he involved in something that got out of control or had something from his past come back to bite him?Soon, the hardships of ‘the Job’ and the office politics at play make for an intriguing mystery that, this time, feels too close to home . . .This critically acclaimed British police procedural series is a great choice for fans of Catherine Aird, Ann Cleeves and Peter James. If you haven’t met Bill Slider and his team, why not start now?