????? Spouse Trap is a blast!
????? Mystery at its best.
????? SPOUSE TRAP is the crème de la crème of mysteries!

Blackmail, sabotage, and blood-chilling suspense converge in this psychological thriller meets detective mystery.

Madeline Ridley’s perfect world collapses in a swirl of sabotage, blackmail and deceit after awakening in a hotel room, naked and alone, with no memory of how she got there. Witnessing a payoff to a shady PI, she discovers who is systematically trying to destroy her life.

From that moment on, Madeline must deconstruct herself in order to salvage what’s left of her life. In the process, she discovers strengths she never knew she possessed. With that newfound knowledge, she steels herself for the battle of a lifetime.

Spouse Trap is the prequel to the Madeline Dawkins Mystery Series.

Full of unexpected twists, a must-read for fans of Ruth Ware, Karin Slaughter, and Mary Stone.

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Meet Brandy Alexander, a young woman from South Philadelphia with a big mouth, an even bigger heart and a little problem with impulse control. It’s not her fault trouble seems to follow her around. Okay, it is her fault, but why quibble over details? When Brandy (a puff piece reporter for a local Los Angeles TV news station) returns to her hometown after a four year absence, she is thrilled to be reunited with friends and family. But her joy is short-lived when her best friend, John, becomes the victim of a tragic accident. Brandy is alone in thinking that the death is “no accident” and as she sets out to prove her theory, she stumbles upon a political scandal of major proportions. Things begin to heat up, when it appears that her former boyfriend, police Detective Robert Anthony DiCarlo, is involved in sabotaging the investigation. The one thing Brandy knows for sure is that people keep turning up dead and if she doesn’t get some answers fast, she could end up on the short list. As Brandy searches out the truth, she gains some unexpected allies including sexy, dangerous, street-savvy Nicholas Santiago and the now-married Bobby, who still holds a torch for his former girlfriend. With humor, guts and determination, Brandy tackles each challenge – be it dodging a bullet or resisting that box of Tastykakes in the cupboard. Murder, mayhem and romance abound in Shelly Fredman’s novel, proving there really is No Such Thing as a Secret.

Candlestick Historical Mysteries cozy gilded age Book 2

May 1893. The residents of the Case mansion continue to pool their knowledge and strengths to endure through difficult times. Of course, their concerns about the comfort and safety of others in the city of Candlestick go beyond that of their own. Even in their current reduced circumstances, they wish to offer whatever help they may. To that end, Mrs. Mattie Case hones her amateur sleuthing skills when the new police chief rebuffs her insights into mysterious disappearances.

Chief of police Garth Hawke embarks on an investigation into the disinterest of his police department. Compelled to prove the Case widow wrong about her suppositions, he is drawn into a magic act involving smoke and mirrors that places his own future in peril. Unable to rely on the men who work for him, he must turn elsewhere for assistance. It doesn’t escape him that the person most intent on giving aid has a mysterious past of her own. One that proves even more sensational than any he had imagined.

Series Summary: Mrs. Henry Case finds her amateur sleuthing skills are tested while searching for clues to mysteries both past and present. Unwilling to take everything she hears at face value, Mattie determinedly works to uncover the truth. Faced with several hurdles along the way, she discovers that it will require all of her intelligence to find the answers she needs. Chief of police Garth Hawke wonders if he can trust anyone around him. One thing is obvious. No one in the city of Candlestick appears to trust him. He hopes that will change over time. His plan to win them over is simple. He just needs to do a better job than his predecessor. Given the sensational circumstances under which Henry Case lost his life, it shouldn’t be that difficult.
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THE TWO MASSACHUSSETS HOMICIDE COPS WONDERED WHY I WAS MENTIONED SO PROMINENTLY IN A MURDERED NUN'S OLD DIARY.

I knew why. Many years before she became Sister Veronica, Ronnie Frost was a vivacious college co-ed -- and my lover. I always wondered what became of her after she mysteriously disappeared. I also knew I had to find out who killed her! Was her murder random? Or tied to something in her past?

IF YOU LIKE STRONG CHARACTERIZATIONS, GREAT DIALOGUE AND SURPRISES, PULITZER-NOMINEE LAWRENCE DE MARIA’S ALTON RHODE MYSTERIES ARE IN A CLASS BY THEMSELVES.” (John Crudele, New York Post); “A LAWRENCE DE MARIA TITLE GIVES YOU MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK THAN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN THE BOOK MARKETPLACE TODAY.” (Florida Weekly); “A MASTER OF THRILLER DIALOGUE.” (Washington Independent Review of Books); “WHILE DE MARIA MAY HAVE BEEN AN AWARD-WINNING FINANCIAL REPORTER, HE'S AN AWFULLY GOOD FICTION WRITER AS WELL.” (Naples Daily News)

INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM

THE UNITED STATES
THE DRONE (A Jake Scarne Thriller): “No matter what the series, De Maria’s characters are sure to act with boldness and courage. When I first discovered this author, I turned to his first book, Sound of Blood, purchased used, a signed copy, now one of many I have read, and I now read each new paperback as soon as it is published. Pleasures to read, sure entertainment, don’t even try to anticipate the twists and turns, as true as the statement about reality — you could never make this up!”
TURTLE DOVE (An Alton Rhode Mystery): “You won’t be sorry reading this humorous, amorous, adventurous book … happy to have discovered this author.”
SPLICER (A Jake Scarne Thriller): “With all the news about the recent pandemic out and about, De Maria has captured the threat of a genetically modified “bug” that could be weaponized.”

GREAT BRITAIN
THE END OF US (A Cole Sudden C.I.A. Thriller): “This is a cracker of a H bomb terrorist plot. A story very well told and written. Great bunch of characters and fast paced. Enjoyable.”
HOPE (A Jake Scarne Thriller): “Another brilliant read in an ever-increasing catalogue of great stories. Never disappoints and with great characters reappearing, this book is highly recommended once again.”
SISTER (An Alton Rhode Mystery): “Yet another classy read from the excellent pen of Mr. De Maria. Brilliant characters, a terrific storyline and would recommend this author without any misgivings. Kept me enthralled from beginning to the end.”

GERMANY
ALAS, PARIS (A Thriller): “I have read many of De Maria’s books, and find them unfailingly entertaining. Engaging dialogue, venues with enough descriptive detail to interest experienced travelers, scenes played out with gastronomic expertise, all while partnering with attractive and attentive characters of both sexes. And finally, for me, the writing in Chapter 14 was perfection.

INDIA
THE VIRON CONSPIRACY (A Jake Scarne Thriller): If you enjoy conspiracy theories, this is the book for you. Well written plot and characters, fast paced, detailed mystery.
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THE PERFECT PATSY – A SWASTIKA TAT AND
A PRISON RECORD – OF COURSE HE DID IT.

5 Out 5 Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Carstens is one hell of a legal thriller writing author. If I ever have a need for a criminal defense attorney, I want Marc Kadella. Carstens weaves a tale that catches you, at least it does me, from the first page. You know out the who, why & how, but it’s how the truth is figured out that leaves you guessing. Great book!! This series needs to be on tv.

Carstens’ new high-octane legal thriller takes more twists and turns than a Monte Carlo Rally, right from the very public assassination of a black community leader through to the author’s customary expert depiction of courtroom finesse.

Top Minneapolis defense attorney Marc Kadella didn’t so much “catch” this tricky loser of a case as it chased him down and tackled him. He could refuse to take it, but he’d be sleeping on the couch for the rest of his life.

His client is the hapless son of a friend of a friend, a young man who landed an unlucky punch in a barroom fight and served a ten-year manslaughter sentence in Arkansas.

Billy looked forward to a fresh start in Minneapolis under the watchful eye of his father’s pal, Marc’s investigator Tony Carvelli. But he soon learned he was expected to pay back the gang that protected him in prison by working for the local drug-running white supremacists.

Oh – and a rogue FBI investigation team who are supposedly out to sever the drug pipeline would also appreciate his services as a mole.

When a prominent black figure is assassinated, somebody makes sure it looks like the murder was perpetrated by the white supremacists – in particular, Billy. And somebody high up – way high up – wants the death penalty on the table.

In other words – it’s all but unwinnable. So it’s all hands on deck, 24/7. Tony Carvelli, with his seemingly endless supply of contacts, will have to call in every favor he’s owed. And, as always, Maddy Rivers, Marc’s investigator and fiancée, will be called upon to teach a few guys a painful lesson in underestimating her.

Stay tuned for great courtroom drama and a last-minute twist.

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