Texas Sheriff Dan Rhodes' cases usually concern the bad boys of rural Blacklin County or the slightly wacky citizens who are causing trouble that tends to be funny rather than criminal. But although at first the dead man floating in the old swimming pool at the edge of town seems to have been an accident victim—a staggering drunk tumbling into the water—Rhodes and his small but colorful staff soon uncover murder.It's the second strange death in two weeks. The other was that of John West, killed when he blew up carrying a gasoline can across a field. But where was the Cherokee wagon John was carrying the gas to? And why is his widow so jaunty? West was a solid citizen; Pep Yeldell, the swimming pool decedent, was a man with many enemiesIn his quiet way, Rhodes goes about looking for a connection and a killer—a quest that takes Rhodes, no athlete now in spite of his wife's efforts to keep him on a diet of little meat and lots of greens, up a tree and puts him at the mercy of a vicious killer. Views: 32
In this 7th delightful culinary mystery from Joanne Pence, dilettante chef Angie Amalfi gets entangled with a group of UFO–chasers and government conspiracy nuts, while trying to get her new business off the ground.Always thinking of new and better business ideas, culinary queen Angie Amalfi is sure she's got a winner with "Fantasy Dinners," one–of–a–kind thematic feasts specifically created to suit a client's unique tastes. Unfortunately no one's biting except the Prometheus Group, a crackpot cadre of UFO–chasers and conspiracy geeks. Still, even a wacko customer's better than none, and designing an otherworldly repast should keep Angie busy while her overworked policeman beau Paavo investigates a series of bizarre murders.But the more time she spends dealing with these alien abduction enthusiasts, the more Angie believes that maybe there is some kind of conspiracy afoot and that the Prometheans and Paavo's cases are somehow... Views: 32
The bestselling author of The Surgeon returns—and so does that chilling novel’s diabolical villain. Though held behind bars, Warren Hoyt still haunts a helpless city, seeming to bequeath his evil legacy to a student all-too-diligent . . . and all-too-deadly.THE APPRENTICEIt is a boiling hot Boston summer. Adding to the city’s woes is a series of shocking crimes, in which wealthy men are made to watch while their wives are brutalized. A sadistic demand that ends in abduction and death.The pattern suggests one man: serial killer Warren Hoyt, recently removed from the city’s streets. Police can only assume an acolyte is at large, a maniac basing his attacks on the twisted medical techniques of the madman he so admires. At least that’s what Detective Jane Rizzoli thinks. Forced again to confront the killer who scarred her—literally and figuratively—she is determined to finally end Hoyt’s awful influence . . . even if it means receiving more resistance from her all-male homicide squad.But Rizzoli isn’t counting on the U.S. government’s sudden interest. Or on meeting Special Agent Gabriel Dean, who knows more than he will tell. Most of all, she isn’t counting on becoming a target herself, once Hoyt is suddenly free, joining his mysterious blood brother in a vicious vendetta. . . .Filled with superbly created characters—and the medical and police procedural details that are her trademark—The Apprentice is Tess Gerritsen at her brilliant best. Set in a stunning world where evil is easy to learn and hard to end, this is a thriller by a master who could teach other authors a thing or two. Views: 32
Moscow, May 1876. What would cause a talented student from a wealthy family to shoot himself in front of a promenading public? Decadence and boredom, it is presumed. But young sleuth Erast Fandorin is not satisfied with the conclusion that this death is an open-and-shut case, nor with the preliminary detective work the precinct has done–and for good reason: The bizarre and tragic suicide is soon connected to a clear case of murder, witnessed firsthand by Fandorin himself. Relying on his keen intuition, the eager detective plunges into an investigation that leads him across Europe, landing him at the center of a vast conspiracy with the deadliest of implications.From BooklistThree million copies of Akunin's Erast Fandorin historical mystery series have been sold in Russia, where the author is a celebrity. This volume--the first of nine installments so far--should get the series off to a rousing start in the U.S. It's set in Czarist Russia and stars the naive but eager Fandorin as a young investigator with the Moscow police. Why would a university student shoot himself in the middle of the Alexander Gardens? Fandorin sets out to find the answer and soon lands in the middle of a far-reaching international conspiracy. Yakunin effectively juxtaposes the comical innocence of his hero against the decadence of nineteenth-century Moscow--aristocrats idling in gambling clubs while the winds of revolution freshen. In his debut, Fandorin comes across as an odd but appealing mix of Holmesian brilliance and Inspector Clousseauian bumbling. Occasionally, Akunin's style seems a bit affected, aping the manner of, say, Thackeray, commenting on the foibles of his characters, but at the same time, that nineteenth-century tone is part of the book's appeal. Anne Perry fans, in particular, will enjoy this series. Bill OttCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedReview“A galloping story of murder, suicide, deception, and disguise.”–Entertainment Weekly“As international as caviar and vodka! A crafty tale full of atmosphere, character, and action.”–Anne Perry“Marries old-fashioned manners to a nonstop array of plot twists to rival the best detective tales . . . The Winter Queen is an energetic hands-down winner.”–People“There are secret panels, hidden tunnels, a false mustache, intercepted letters, gunfights, and a glamorous female villain. . . . Akunin knows how to build suspense.”–The Boston Globe“A wondrous strange and appealing novel . . . Elaborate, intricate, profoundly czarist, and Russian to its bones, as though Tolstoy had sat down to write a murder mystery. Not quite like anything you’ve ever read before.”–Alan Furst, author of The Foreign Correspondent Views: 32
A Viking chieftain and his modern day bride get tested by the goddess of love on their first Valentine’s Day. This short is a follow on to ALL FIRED UP and features Alrik and Calleigh on their first Valentine's Day. ** Views: 32
Lincoln's story... I don’t do redheads, I don’t do virgins, and I don’t do anyone related to the Cannons. Period. When Macy O’Conner shows up in my office with those long legs, and wild crimson hair, I can’t look away. Usually when I use the service, and ask for a girl, they know what kind of woman to send me, and Macy is on the no-fly list. Views: 32
Inspector Heimrich gets embroiled in a small-town conspiracy in this mystery from the coauthor of the “excellent” Mr. and Mrs. North series (The New Yorker).Inspector M. L. Heimrich of the New York State Police may not have the flash of hard-boiled city detectives, but there’s no lead the intrepid investigator won’t follow until his every hunch is satisfied . . . Tensions have been rising in the conservative community of North Wellwood, New York, ever since African American lawyer Thomas Peters moved to town with a plan to open a desegregated country club. Those in opposition are determined to see Mr. Peters’s plan fail at all costs—going so far as to harass liberal newcomers like Eric and Ann Martin, and commit vile acts against those who dare to support equality, like widow Faith Powers. Called in to investigate Mrs. Powers’s shocking murder, recently promoted Inspector Heimrich soon finds himself caught in the storm that has taken over North Wellwood. Now, if he wants to see justice served, he’ll have to make it out of a hate-fueled powder keg that’s ready to explode . . . With Option to Die is the 18th book in the Captain Heimrich Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. Views: 32
