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New Mysteries

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Poison spring / LaVonne Griffin-Valade.
cover imageWhen the murder of a beloved ranch owner shocks the entire county, Maggie Blackthorne must unmask a killer hiding in plain sight... Ranch owner Mike Drake is a fixture in Grant County, beloved and respected by friends and neighbors alike. So everyone is shocked when his prize bull is found mutilated on his property near Poison Spring just outside of the village of Kimberly. Residents throughout the county demand answers as Maggie and Hollis must watch their step as they dig up dark secrets about one of the county's most upstanding residents. Particularly when their search takes them into the craggy, luminous fossil beds surrounding Poison Spring Ranch - it's dangerous terrain to wander around in...and the perfect place for a killer to hide.

Where they lie : a novel / Claire Coughlan.
cover imageDublin, 1943. Actress Julia Bridges disappears. She was last seen entering the house of Gloria Fitzpatrick, who is later put on trial for the murder of a woman whose abortion she facilitated. But it's never proven that Gloria had a hand in Julia's death - and Julia's body has never been found. Gloria, however, is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane, where she's found dead a few years later from an apparent suicide, and the truth of what happened to Julia Bridges dies with her. Until... Dublin, 1968. Nicoletta Sarto is an ambitious junior reporter for the Irish Sentinel when the bones of Julia Bridges are discovered in the garden of a house on the outskirts of the city. Drawn into investigating the twenty-five-year-old mystery of Julia's disappearance and her link to the notorious Gloria Fitzpatrick, Nicoletta becomes immersed in the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry, stirring up long-buried secrets from her own past. A beautifully atmospheric, timely debut novel, Where They Lie uses a mystery as a lens to focus on the long struggle of women fighting to achieve autonomy and succeed in a man's world.

A mansion for murder / Frances Brody.
cover image"1930, Yorkshire. Intrigued by a mysterious letter from a stranger offering important information, Private Investigator Kate Shackleton arrives in the mill village of Saltaire. At nearby Milner Field mansion, overshadowed by its reputation for misfortune and untimely deaths, she expects to meet the letter writer, Ronnie Creswell. Kate soon hears the shocking news that Ronnie has been killed. At first his death appears to be a tragic accident at the mill, but soon it becomes clear that Ronnie's demise was no mishap. Kate is enlisted to help investigate the murder. Kate moves into the tower rooms at Milner Field, as she tries to uncover resentments, industrial espionage, and old secrets in the close-knit village. Although she doesn't believe in curses, she wonders what sinister truth lies behind this latest in the litany of deaths connected to the infamous Milner Field.Then just when things couldn't get any worse, a young girl in the village goes missing, and Kate must use all her strength and skill to unravel the mystery around the mansion once and for all."--Publisher.

Desolation ridge / LaVonne Griffin-Valade
cover imageWhen a small town in the Pacific Northwest is rocked by a shocking murder, Maggie Blackthorne hunts a killer still lurking in the surrounding forest. After a state trooper is killed under mysterious circumstances, Oregon State Police sergeant Maggie Blackthorne is assigned to the case. The investigation takes her to Desolation Ridge in the Umatilla National Forest, where the suspect is reported to be hiding out with a possible hostage. It's late fall. Daylight is scarce, and there is a fierce chill in the air. To make matters worse, a deadly cougar has been spotted nearby. But as Maggie and her partner Hollis trudge on, uncovering clues and dealing with their own tense past, one thing is clear: Somewhere amongst these towering pines, a murderer is watching them.

Murderers creek / LaVonne Griffin-Valade
cover imageSergeant Maggie Blackthorne's latest case gets personal as she risks everything to prove her innocence and bring a killer to justice. The highly anticipated second novel in the compelling Maggie Blackthorne series. After an unexpected and unpleasant visit from her ex-husband, Oregon State Police Sergeant Maggie Blackthorne is called to a grisly crime scene. Her ex has been found dead - the victim of a vicious attack. Her earlier confrontation with the deceased places Maggie squarely on the list of suspects, and she is soon the subject of an internal investigation. Desperate to clear her name and uncover the truth, Maggie and her partner, Trooper Hollis Jones, have no time to waste. With a couple of townspeople acting suspiciously, reports of missing or stolen property, and evidence of drug deals gone bad, the case is proving to be a difficult one to crack. And just when Maggie and Hollis think they've finally caught a break, the lone eyewitness turns up dead. As the personal and professional pressure mounts, Maggie struggles to catch a remorseless killer who has nothing to lose, And one wrong move could cost Maggie her career... or her life.

Dead point / LaVonne Griffin-Valade
cover imageWhen Maggie Blackthorne returns to her hometown after nearly twenty years to serve as an Oregon State Police Sergeant, she expects to deal with the usual suspects - drunk drivers, oxy slingers, and the occasional rural scofflaw. But after she stumbles up on the bullet-ridden bodies of twin brothers, she realizes she's stepped into something much more sinister. With little homicide experience, Maggie and her partner, Trooper Hollise Jones, find themselves thrust into the murder investigation. And when a third man turns up dead, Maggie and her partner, Trooper Hollis Jones, find themselves thrust into the murder investigation. And when a third man turns up dead, Maggie fears it's only a matter of tiem before th ekiller strikes again. As they race to piece together what happened, Maggie and Hollis discover a tangled web of theft, deceit and deals gone bad. Faced with multiple motives and several persons of interest, maggie and Hollis finally catch a break - but are they willing to risk everything to put the murderer behind bars?

The killing parade / TG Reid.
cover imageWhen the body of a local reality show winner is discovered, on the eve of headlining Kilwinnoch's annual Civic Week celebrations, it throws the festivities into chaos and threatens to tear the close-knit community apart. For DCI Bone, the death is personal. Days earlier, he'd received a call from the victim, warning that she was about to be killed. He'd dismissed it as a hoax. With threats of more to come, a town on edge, and a ruthless killer evading detection with ease, Bone knows from hard-won experience that, in a case like this, one kill is never enough.

Night comes falling / TG Reid.
cover imageWhen a morning jogger discovers a dead body on the outskirts of Cullenbrae, a remote hamlet deep in the heart of the Campsie Fells, DCI Bone and his team are called out to what appears to be a straightforward hit and run incident. But the victim's horrific injuries and a murder weapon found at the scene suggest a far more sinister motive. With the spectre of a notorious forty-year-old murder still haunting the isolated community, a second brutal attack quickly following the first, and a cast of suspicious locals all with equal reason to kill, Bone and his team face a race against the odds to catch a deranged killer before Cullenbrae rips itself apart, and Bone with it.

Dead man's stone / T G Reid.
cover image"When DCI Duncan Bone is contacted by a terminally-ill psychiatric patient and given clues linking a forty-year-old unsolved murder to high-profile public figures, he finds himself locked into a conspiracy at the very heart of the Scottish criminal and political establishment. With his bosses stonewalling the investigation lives under threat, and his career on the line. Bone faces a race against time to hunt down a group of men who will stop at nothing to cover their murderous crime. Can DCI Bone catch the killer before the killing starts again?"-- Page 4 of cover.

Dark is the grave / T G Reid.
cover imageA dead cop. A damaged detective. A copycat killer on the loose. When the chief suspect in the notorious Peek-a-boo cop killer case blew himself up, almost taking lead investigator DCI Duncan Bone with him, the psychologically damaged detective thought his days on the force were over. But when another PC is abducted and murdered in the same deranged Peek-a-boo fashion, Bone is persuaded to return to lead the new investigation. But as Bone and his team hunt a copycat killer, and with time running out before yet another cop is slain, Bone's terrifying past returns to tear open old wounds and push him to very edge of the abyss. Can DCI Bone end the killing before the killing ends him? Set among the dramatic hills and glens of Scotland's Campsie Fells, Dark is the Grave is the first in a series of edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers that will keep you guessing right up to the nail-biting, heart-stopping climax.

Blood Water Falls / T G Reid.
cover imageWhen the brutally murdered body of a local geography teacher is discovered at Kilwinnoch's famous beauty spot, Blood Water Falls, the community is rocked to its core. For DCI Duncan Bone, the killing appears to be an open and shut case. But it's not long before a sinister clue unleashes dark and deadly forces, blowing the investigation wide open, and putting Bone and his team in grave danger. With the town baying for blood, and too many suspects and not enough answers, DCI Bone faces not only the toughest case of his career, but the battle of his life to defeat the psychological demons determined to destroy him once and for all.

Isle of the dead / T G Reid.
cover image"Enjoying a rare break in his remote lochside cabin, DCI Bone suddenly finds himself cut off when the mother of all snowstorms hits the Campsie Fells. Intrigued by the flickering lights from one of the loch's uninhabited islands, Bone commandeers a local boat and heads out across stormy waters to investigate. There, amongst the island's ancient Celtic gravestones, Bone makes a grisly, surreal discovery: a mutilated bride and groom, bound together in frozen union. Unable to contact his team at Kilwinnoch Police Station and ill-prepared for the weather, Bone faces one of the most gruelling cases of his career, as he battles fierce elemental forces to catch an ingenious killer with a heart far colder than a Scottish winter." --Amazon.com.

A deadly endeavor / Jenny Adams.
cover image"In a historical mystery, a serial killer is on the loose in Jazz Age Philadelphia. Philadelphia, 1921. When Edie Shippen returns home after spending years in California recovering from Influenza, she's shocked to discover her childhood sweetheart is engaged to her twin sister. Heartbroken and adrift, Edie vows to begin living her life as a modern woman--and to hell with anyone who gets in her way. But as young women start to disappear from the city, her newfound independence begins to feel dangerous. Gilbert Lawless returned home from the Great War a shell of his former self. He hides away in the office of Philadelphia's Coroner, content to keep to himself until a gruesome series of corpses come into the morgue. And when his sister, Lizzie, goes missing, he risks his career to beg help from the one person Lizzie seemed to trust: her employer, Edie Shippen. Fearing the worst, Edie and Gilbert desperately search for clues. It soon becomes clear that Lizzie's disappearance is connected to the deaths rocking the City of Brotherly Love... and it's only a matter of time until the killer strikes again."-- Provided by publisher.

Hungry death / Robin Blake.
cover image"When a blackened body is discovered buried beneath a hot-house, Coroner Titus Cragg uncovers a tale of scandalous secrets stretching back almost twenty years. Coroner Cragg. You think you can find out what happened at this house? You are mistaken. You can never find out. November, 1747. County Coroner Titus Cragg has been called to the scene of a gruesome slaughter at a rural farmhouse: a mother and her four children brutally murdered in their own home. Were they killed by the man who should have protected them: their husband and father? And what role is played by the peculiar religious cult the family belongs to? Perhaps the mute boy who lives in the dog kennel knows the truth. Meanwhile, Titus's friend Dr Luke Fidelis is a guest of wealthy landowner and local magistrate John Blackburne at nearby Orford Hall. When a blackened but well-preserved body is discovered deep beneath Blackburne's hot-house, Cragg and Fidelis are asked to investigate. But how can they make headway when, as they soon learn, this corpse might have been in the ground for centuries? Gradually, Titus pieces together a tale of secrets, scandal and thwarted passion - and uncovers a shocking connection between the body under the hothouse and the slaughter in the farmhouse." -- Provided by publisher.

A gentleman fallen on hard times / Grace Burrowes.
cover image"Lord Julian Caldicott has come home from the war in ragged health and with a reputation in tatters. All he wants is to recuperate in private without bringing any further scandal on the family's name. His godmother inveigles him into serving as her escort to a rural house party, whereupon circumstances conspire to prevent Julius from resuming his reclusive existence. Julian becomes the subject of rumors, lies, and whispers, and soon he's faced with a choice: Wage one more battle for honor's sake, or be branded a traitor to all that he holds dear. He will enlist unlikely allies, face old demons,and vex every other guest on the premises, but he will not stop until he's brought a criminal to justice-or dies trying" -- Page [4] of cover.

Watch where they hide / Tamron Hall, with T. Shawn Taylor.
cover image"After dropping her child off at preschool, Marla Hancock, a stay-at-home mother, disappears. She had recently left her verbally abusive husband in rural Indiana and moved in with her sister, Shelly, who simply can't believe that her sister would ever willingly vanish without her children. But with limited support from the town's police department or media resources, Shelly fears that Marla's disappearance won't get the attention it deserves, or worse, will go unsolved. So, several weeks after filing a missing person's report, she reaches out to TV journalist Jordan Manning for help. After her investigative and reporting skills helped solve multiple murders, Jordan Manning's career in the newsroom is on the rise. She has gained a reputation as more than your typical news reporter: a "fixer" with a vigilante edge, dogged and undeterred to seek the truth. But even with this new status, Jordan still feels pressure to prove herself as a young Black professional. When Shelly reaches out, she feels compelled to do all she can to find Marla. Jordan's search twists and turns in ways she could never have imagined, illuminating scandals and secrets that place her own life in grave danger"-- Provided by publisher.

Twice the trouble : a novel / Ash Clifton.
cover imageA private investigator follows a trail of blood and bodies to find his latest target--or die trying.

Speculations in sin / Jennifer Ashley.
cover image"To save an innocent man's life, amateur sleuth and cook Kat Holloway must expose a financial scam that could ruin the most powerful aristocrats in Victorian-era London, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret of Bow Lane. Kat Holloway is distressed to learn that Samuel Millburn, husband of the woman who looks after her daughter, has been accused of embezzling funds from the bank where he works as a clerk. The accusation is absurd, and Samuel's wife fears that her husband will not only lose his post but be imprisoned. Kat vows to uncover the truth. When she discovers the bank is involved in shockingly murky business dealings, Kat realizes she's treading in dangerous waters. She turns to her confidante and handsome suitor, Daniel McAdam, for help. To exonerate Samuel, Kat and Daniel may have to expose the unseemly financial dealings of prominent aristocrats and government officials, and even those working to bring down the royal family. Kat will risk everything to protect the man who has sacrificed so much for her daughter, even if it means endangering herself and the friends she has come to love"-- Provided by publisher.

Murder visits a French village / Susan C. Shea.
cover image"Ariel Shepard is devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, but nothing could have prepared her for inheriting the rundown French château they'd visited on their honeymoon four years ago. With finances tight she has no choice but to swap her Manhattan apartment and city lifestyle for a renovation project in a peaceful French village. When Ariel hires an expert to help her uncover the legacy of her beautiful ruin, life only becomes more complicated. Christiane, the historian, is found dead in the moat, and although the local police aren't suspicious, Ariel is. She joins two other ex-pats, Pippa and Katherine, to investigate, but with plenty of workmen--and errant tools--around the château, many people had the means, but who had the motive? Why would anyone want to kill a historian? Ariel begins to suspect that her French village life will be anything but peaceful! Can she solve the suspicious murder and make her château in Burgundy the perfect new home?"--Amazon website.

Murder and the missing dog / Susan C. Shea.
cover image"Ariel Shepard has spent the last year renovating her beautiful French château, while also ingratiating herself into the lives and hearts of the quirky locals of Noyers-sur-Serein. The shocking business of the murder of the local historian is behind her and she is finally feeling at home. However, it's not long before murder and mystery once again seek Ariel out, when she and her friend Katherine find the body of the elderly Madame Toussaint in the doorway of Katherine's flea market shop. Who would want to harm this lonely soul? Where is the bag the woman never leaves home without? And more importantly, where is her loyal, loving dog who never leaves her side? Could Raoul, Ariel's stoic gardener, really have something to do with it? And could Madame Toussaint have been mixed up with the robberies increasing around the idyllic villages of France? Despite warnings from the rather handsome Brigadier Allard, Ariel, with help from Katherine and Pippa, once again dons her sleuthing hat . . ."-- Provided by publisher.

Murder at the college library / Con Lehane.
cover imageAn invitation from a prestigious liberal arts college to buy their mystery-novel collection comes as a welcome surprise for Raymond Ambler, crime-fiction curator at New York City's prestigious 42nd Street Library. But his pleasure quickly turns sour when the collection's curator - Ambler's friend Sam Abernathy - tells him he plans to fight the acquisition tooth and nail. Why would Abernathy kill - and was it for his collection, for college politics, or for some dark secret yet to be revealed? Ambler's not sure his old friend's a killer, but he is sure he wants justice - for both the living and the dead.

Black coffee : a Hercule Poirot novel / by Agatha Christie ; adapted as a novel by Charles Osborne.
cover imageA novel based on a 1930s play in which detective Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of a British scientist and the theft of his formula for an atomic explosive. Suspects range from his son, heavily in debt, to an Italian lady spy.

Death and the chevalier / Robin Blake.
cover imageAs the Young Pretender and his Jacobite army approach, Coroner Titus Cragg must solve a brutal murder - and prevent himself being executed for the crime. November, 1745. Preston, Lancashire. Rumours abound that Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, has landed in Scotland, intent on marching south to claim the English throne. Meanwhile Coroner Titus Cragg must investigate a headless body discovered in an icy pond. There is evidence to suggest a connection with the approaching rebel army - unless someone is deliberately using the Highlanders' invasion as a cover for murder. As simmering tensions, conflicting loyalties and open hostilities engulf the town, Cragg finds himself arrested for murder. In order to clear his name and escape execution by firing squad, Titus must team up with his old friend, Dr Luke Fidelis, to expose the real killer.

All the rage : a novel / Cara Hunter.
cover image"After being abducted and assaulted, a teenage girl somehow managed to escape from her captor. She is traumatized and needs to heal, but the police need her help to catch her assailant-information she clearly knows, but is unwilling to give. Without the girl's assistance, DI Adam Fawley's investigation is at a dead end. When another girl vanishes under the same circumstances, he recognizes a disturbing pattern-and a link to something long buried in his past. . ."-- Provided by publisher.

Once upon a murder / Samantha Larsen.
cover image"1784 England. Officially hired as the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort, Miss Tiffany Woodall is through with masquerades and murders for good. That is, until she stumbles upon the frozen dead body of former footman Mr. Bernard Coram. The speed with which her peaceful new life is upended is one for the record books: the justice of the peace immediately declares her the primary suspect in the murder. As Tiffany hunts for the truth to clear her name, she learns that Bernard got into a fight over a woman at the local pub the night of his death-but he was also overheard blackmailing Samir. The justice of the peace arrests Samir, and Tiffany realizes that her life may have more in common with a tragic play than a light-hearted romance. With her love locked up in jail and her own reputation on the line, Tiffany must attempt to solve the murder before the book closes on her or Samir's life"-- Provided by publisher.

The mystery writer : a novel / Sulari Gentill.
cover image"Theo Benton decides to move to the United States to finally finish her novel, and she is soon drawn into a literary labyrinth where identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of sales and readership. When her mentor and lover is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. But when the prime suspect turns out to be her older brother, Gus, Theo does what is necessary to protect him-to save him. Then she disappears. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. When Gus finds that thread, he follows it, and in attempting to find his sister, inadvertently, or perhaps recklessly, threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. In order to protect the carefully constructed deceit, Theo Benton, and everyone who ever looked for her, will have to die."-- Provided by publisher.

Off the air / Christina Estes.
cover image"Equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining, Emmy Award winning reporter Christina Estes introduces Jolene Garcia in her Tony Hillerman Prize winning debut, Off the Air. Jolene Garcia is a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, splitting her time between covering general assignments-anything from a monsoon storm to a newborn giraffe at the zoo-and special projects. Stories that take more time to research and produce. Stories that Jolene wants to tell. When word gets out about a death at a radio station, Jolene and other journalists swarm the scene, intent on reporting the facts first. The body is soon identified as Larry Lemmon, a controversial talk show host, who died under suspicious circumstances. Jolene conducted his final interview, giving her and her station an advantage. But not for long. As the story heats up, so does the competition. Jolene is determined to solve this murder. It's an investigation that could make or break her career-if it doesn't break her first"-- Provided by publisher.

A midnight puzzle / Gigi Pandian.
cover image"Secret Staircase Construction is under attack, and Tempest Raj feels helpless. After former client Julian Rhodes tried to kill his wife, he blamed her "accident" on the home renovation company's craftsmanship. Now the family business - known for bringing magic into homes through hidden doors, floating staircases, and architectural puzzle walls - is at a breaking point. No amount of Scottish and Indian meals from her grandfather can distract Tempest from the truth: they're being framed. When Tempest receives an urgent midnight phone call from Julian, she decides to meet him at the historic Whispering Creek Theater - only to find his dead body, a sword through his chest. After a blade appears from thin air to claim another victim, Tempest is certain they're dealing with a booby trap... something Secret Staircase Construction could easily build. Tempest refuses to wait for the investigation to turn to her or her loved ones. She knows the pieces of the puzzle are right in front of her, she just has to put them together correctly before more disaster strikes. Multiple award-winning author Gigi Pandian and her sleuth Tempest Raj return in A Midnight Puzzle, where an old theater reveals a deadly booby trap, secrets, and one puzzle of a mystery"-- Provided by publisher.

Murder on Mustang Beach / Alicia Bessette.
cover image"Cattail Island in the Outer Banks is a popular destination for honeymooners and nature lovers alike. So it is a huge blow when the murder of a newlywed grinds the pre-summer season to a screeching halt. Bookseller Callie Padget launches her own investigation, after mysterious customer Geri-Lynn Humfeld, caretaker of the island's protected wild horses, brings in an irresistible piece of information. Determined to restore order and safety to her beloved hometown, Callie searches for answers-even as those answers cast suspicion on her soon-to-be boyfriend, Toby Dodge, whose martial arts studio was the scene of the crime. As she digs deeper, Toby becomes the police's prime suspect. The truth raises troubling questions and sends her scouring the bookshop's shelves for guidance. Meanwhile, a well-loved member of the mustang herd-a pregnant mare whose anticipated foal is a symbol of summery hope for locals and visitors alike-may be facing dire circumstances. With help from Geri-Lynn, Callie unearths startling secrets surrounding not only the compromised mare, but the murdered newlywed, too. And when another body shows up, this time on isolated Mustang Beach, she must race against time to stop a killer from claiming any more innocent lives"-- Provided by publisher.

Nosy neighbors / Freya Sampson.
cover image"Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, and especially not in crumbling Shelley House. According to her neighbors, she's prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past. Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling is Shelley House's longest resident, and if you believe the other tenants, she's as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Except there's a good reason Dorothy spends her days spying on her neighbors-a closely guarded secret that no else knows and the reason Dorothy barely leaves her beloved home. When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home. But when someone starts to play dirty and viciously targets one of the residents, Dorothy and Kat suspect foul play in their community. After the police close the investigation, it's up to this improbable pair to bring a criminal to justice."-- Provided by publisher.

The murder of Mr. Ma / John Shen Yen Nee, SJ Rozan.
cover imageIn 1924 London, when shy academic Lao She meets larger-than-life Judge Dee Ren Jie, these unlikely allies investigate the murders of Chinese immigrants, all stabbed to death with a butterfly sword and must connect the dots to catch a killer before they become victims themselves.

Sleeping giants : a novel / Rene Denfeld.
cover image"Twenty years ago, a nine-year-old boy was swept away by powerful waves on a remote Oregon beach, his body lost to the sea. Only a stone memorial remains to mark his tragic death. For most of her life, Amanda Dufresne had no idea she had an older brother named Dennis Owens, or that he had died. Adopted as a baby, she learned about him while looking into her late birth mother, and is curious to know more about this lost sibling. A solitary young woman, Amanda has always felt distanced from the world around her. Her brain works differently from others, leaving her feeling set apart. Her one true companion is the orphaned polar bear she cares for working at the zoo. By getting to know her birth family, she hopes to understand more about herself. Retired police officer Larry Palmer is a widower with nothing but time and in need of a purpose. He offers to help Amanda find answers. The search leads to shocking and heartbreaking discoveries. Dennis Owen had been a forgotten foster child abandoned to a home for disturbed boys off the coast. As Amanda and Larry dig deeper into the past, the two stumble upon decades of cruelty and hidden crimes--including a barbaric treatment still used today"-- Provided by publisher.

Black wolf / Juan Gómez-Jurado ; translated from the Spanish by Nick Caistor, Lorenza Garcia.
cover image"Antonia Scott has an unusually gifted mind, able to see what others miss, able to solve the crimes that baffle all others. The only thing she fears is herself. Antonia is the lynchpin of the Red Queen project, created to work behind the scenes to solve the most devious and dangerous crimes. But she is unwilling to move past the last case, convinced it's related to a personal tragedy, until a series of deadly events pulls her back in. In southern Spain, in the Costa del Sol, a key mafia figure is found brutally murdered in his villa, his pregnant wife, Lola Moreno, barely escapes an attempt to kill her in a shopping mall and is on the run. A shipping container from St. Petersburg arrives in port in Spain containing the corpses of nine woman, all who suffocated. Now Antonia, with the help of her helper and protector, Jon Gutierrez, must track down this missing Lola. But they aren't the only ones on Lola's trail - a dangerous contract killer, known as the Black Wolf, is also on her trail. And Antonia Scott, still plagued by her personal demons, must outwit, out-maneuver, and, ultimately, face this terrible, mysterious rival"-- Provided by publisher.

How to solve your own murder : a novel / Kristen Perrin.
cover image"A dual narrative, feel good mystery in which a woman, Frances, spends a lifetime trying to prevent her murder as predicted by a fortune teller at a country fair when she was just 17. When she is in fact murdered nearly 60 years later, her great niece Annie must solve the crime to avenge her great aunt's death, and in so doing uncovers the dark heart of the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, where she might just find herself in the path of the killer"-- Provided by publisher.

Ash dark as night / Gary Phillips.
cover image"Los Angeles, 1965. Tempers have boiled over in the Watts neighborhood, sparked by the traffic stop of two Black motorists, the Frye brothers, by the Highway Patrol. Freelance crime photographer Harry Ingram is on the scene, capturing images of the cops as they unleash batons, dogs, and water hoses on the predominantly Black crowd. When he snaps proof of an unarmed man being shot down by the LAPD, he winds up in the hospital, beaten, his camera confiscated. Proof of the killing seems lost--until Ingram's girlfriend, Anita Claire, retrieves the film roll in a daring rescue, and the photo makes front-page news. A recuperating Ingram is approached by Betty Payton, a comrade of Anita's mother, who wants Ingram's help tracking down her friend Moses "Mose" Tolbert. Ingram follows the investigation down a rabbit hole of burglary rings, bank robberies, looted cash, and city-wide conspiracies--all while grappling with his newfound fame, which puts him in the sightlines of LAPD's intelligence division. Boiling over with wry humor, fascinating historical details, and intimate atmosphere, Ash Dark as Night is a nail-biting ride-along through midcentury Los Angeles with a crime fiction legend in the driver's seat."-- Provided by publisher.

Bye, baby : a novel / Carola Lovering.
cover image"Best friends don't always have the best intentions. On a brisk fall night in a New York apartment, 35-year-old Billie West hears terrified screams. It's her lifelong best friend Cassie Barnwell, one floor above, and she's just realized her infant daughter has gone missing. Billie is shaken as she looks down into her own arms to see the baby, remembering--with a jolt of fear--that she is responsible for the kidnapping that has instantly shattered Cassie's world. Once fiercely bonded by their secrets, Cassie and Billie have drifted apart in adulthood, no longer the inseparable pair they used to be in their small Hudson Valley hometown. Cassie is married to a wealthy man, has recently become a mother, and is building a following as a lifestyle influencer. She is desperate to leave her past behind - including Billie, who is single and childless, and no longer fits into her world. But Billie knows the worst thing Cassie has ever done, and she will do anything to restore their friendship... Told in alternating perspectives in Lovering's signature suspenseful style, Bye, Baby confronts the myriad ways friendships change and evolve over time, the lingering echoes of childhood trauma, and the impact of women's choices on their lifelong relationships"-- Provided by publisher.

The unquiet bones : a novel / Loreth Anne White.
cover image"When human bones are found beneath an old chapel in the woods, evidence suggests the remains could be linked to the decades-old case of missing teen Annalise Jansen. Homicide detective Jane Munro--pregnant and acutely attuned to the preciousness of life--hopes the grim discovery will finally bring closure to the girl's family. But for a group of Annalise's old friends, once dubbed the Shoreview Six by the media, it threatens to expose a terrible pledge made on an autumn night forty-seven years ago. The friends are now highly respected, affluent members of their communities, and none of them ever expected the dark chapter in their past to resurface. But as Jane and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ella Quinn peel back the layers of secrets, the group begins to fracture. Will one cave? Will they turn on each other? The investigation takes a sharp turn when Jane discovers a second body--that of the boy long blamed for Annalise's disappearance. As the bones tell their story, the group learns just how far each will go to guard their own truth." provided by publisher.

The silver bone : a novel / Andrey Kurkov ; translated by Boris Dralyuk.
cover imageA perplexing mystery introduces rookie detective Samson Kolechko in Kyiv as he is tackling his first case, set against real life details of the tumultuous early 20th century.

Finding Sophie : a novel / Imran Mahmood.
cover image"Two parents, desperate to find their missing daughter, stand accused of murder. How far will they go to find the truth? Someone is guilty. For the last seventeen years, everything Harry and Zara King have done has been for their crown jewel, Sophie, their one and only daughter. When she goes missing, Harry and Zara will stop at nothing to find her. Someone knows what happened. The police have no leads, and as the weeks pass there's little news. Harry and Zara's suspicion of a neighbor and his involvement in Sophie's disappearance quickly becomes an obsession-and they'll do anything to get the answers to their questions. Someone will pay. When the neighbor is found dead in his apartment, Harry and Zara are arrested and charged with murder. They deny everything. Meanwhile, their precious daughter is still missing.."-- Provided by publisher.

The bull of Mithros / Anne Zouroudi.
cover image"Drawn to the sun-drenched island of Mithros by the myth of its fabled bull, Hermes Diaktoros arrives on the day of a violent and troubling death. The mysterious circumstances surrounding it have echoes in Mithros's past, in a brutal unsolved crime from years ago which, it seems, is neither forgotten, nor forgiven. Hermes sets out to solve a complex puzzle where shadowy secrets and unspoken loyalties are intertwined. And before long it's clear that the fate of the mythical bull may be the last of the island's mysteries."--Page 4 of cover.

The doctor of Thessaly / Anne Zouroudi
cover imageA jilted bride weeps on an empty beach. A local doctor is attacked in an isolated churchyard. Trouble arrives at a bad time to the backwater village of Morfi, just as the community is making headlines with a visit from a high-ranking government minister. Fortunately, where there's trouble, there's Hermes Diaktoros, the mysterious fat man whose tennis shoes are always pristine and whose investigative methods are always unorthodox.

The taint of Midas / Anne Zouroudi.
cover imageNamed as a suspect in his best friend's murder on the beautiful Greek island of Arcadia, detective Hermes Diaktoros searches for the real killer by investigating the crooked developers snapping up land and threatening the island's most ancient sites.

The whispers of Nemesis / Anne Zouroudi.
cover imageIt is winter in the mountains of northern Greece and as the snow falls in the tiny village of Vrisi a coffin is unearthed and broken open. But to the astonishment of the mourners at the graveside, the remains inside the coffin have been transformed, and as news of the bizarre discovery spreads through the village like forest fire it sets tongues wagging and heads shaking. Then, in the shadow of the shrine of St Fanourios (patron saint of lost things), a body is found, buried under the fallen snow - a body whose identity only deepens the mystery around the exhumed remains. There's talk of witchcraft, and the devil's work - but it seems the truth, behind both the body and the coffin, may be far stranger than the villagers' wildest imaginings. Hermes Diaktoros, drawn to the mountains by a wish to see an old and dear friend, finds himself embroiled in the mysteries of Vrisi, as well as the enigmatic last will and testament of Greece's most admired modern poet. The Whispers of Nemesis is a story of desperate measures and long-kept secrets, of murder and immortality and of pride coming before the steepest of falls.

The Feast of Artemis / Anne Zouroudi.
cover image"The olive harvest is drawing to a close in the town of Dendra, and when Hermes Diaktoros arrives for the celebratory festival he expects an indulgent day of food and wine. But as young men leap a blazing bonfire in feats of daring, one of them is badly burned. Did he fall, or was he pushed? Then, as Hermes learns of a deep-running feud between two families, one of their patriarchs dies. Determined to find out why, Hermes follows a bitter trail through the olive groves to reveal a motive for murder, and uncovers a dark deed brought to light by the sin of gluttony."--Page 4 of cover

The gifts of Poseidon : a deadly sins mystery / Anne Zouroudi.
cover image"When a lucky fisherman hooks a fabulous golden-scaled fish, it seems the future prosperity of the island of Liteos is assured. Fifteen years later, the golden fish are all but gone and the fisher's nets bring up increasingly poor catches from an almost barren sea. Then a young couple discover a body in a remote cove and the dead man is identified as Tassos Hardouvelis, an entrepreneur who envisioned a new future for Liteos's fishermen a vision not everyone welcomed. Was Tassos's death an accident? How could he have died at two different times? Is there more than one killer at the heart of this baffling mystery? In his eighth case, enigmatic investigator Hermes Diaktoros enters a world of lively red herrings where the ties of blood are strong and the truth is painstakingly obscured." -- Provided by publisher.

The great deceiver / Elly Griffiths.
cover imageMagician Max Mephisto, now divorced and living in London, is on his way to visit daughter Ruby and her new-born baby when he is hailed by a voice from the past, fellow performer Ted English, aka the Great Deceiver. Ted's assistant, Cherry, has been found dead in her Brighton boarding house and he's convinced that he'll be accused of her murder. Max agrees to talk to his friend, Superintendent Edgar Stephens, who is investigating the case. What Max doesn't know is that the girl's family have hired private detective duo Emma Holmes (aka Mrs Stephens) and Sam Collins to do some digging of their own. The inhabitants of the boarding house, most of whom are performing in an Old Time Music Hall show on Brighton pier, are a motley crew. The house is also connected to a sinister radio personality called Pal. When a second magician's assistant is killed, Edgar suspects a serial killer. He persuades Max to come out of semi-retirement and take part in a summer show. But who can pose as his assistant? Edgar shocks the team by recommending someone close.

The last word / Gerri Lewis.
cover imageObituary writer Winter Snow is no stranger to grief, and writing obituaries for the citizens of Ridgefield, Connecticut, is her way of providing comfort to those who have been in her shoes. But funerals and eulogies are meant for the dead, so when the very much alive Leocadia Arlington requests her own obituary by the end of the week, Winter’s curiosity is piqued. Even more so when she finds Mrs. Arlington dead soon after. Officer Kip Michaels and his relentless partner Tom Bellini make it clear that Winter is under suspicion for the death. Drafting an obituary for someone who hadn’t died yet certainly looks bad, but Winter knows that it wasn’t her, and she becomes obsessed with trying to figure out the real killer. She dives headfirst into the investigation to give Mrs. Arlington and herself some peace. When Winter realizes Mrs. Arlington was working on a revealing memoir that has now gone missing, Winter begins to wonder if the death wasn’t exactly random–accident or otherwise. With the help of her foodie Uncle Richard, her wise octogenarian neighbor Horace, her best friend Scoop, and Diva, the Great Pyrenees puppy she inherited from Mrs. Arlington, Winter must uncover the killer before the next obituary written is her own.

Death in Hilo : a novel / Eric Redman.
cover image"It's been twelve long years since Detective Kawika Wong was tasked with solving the brutal murder of the infamous real-estate developer Ralph Fortunato-a case that led to more bodies than answers and a slew of complicated and ancient secrets, a case that made his career. Now, the once rookie detective is next in line to be Honolulu's next Chief of Police. But all is not well on Oʻahu or the Big Island. For weeks, Kawika and his team have failed to catch an elusive serial killer known as the "Slasher." He strikes quickly and efficiently, and he doesn't make mistakes. But when a freshly decapitated body is found at a previous dump site, Kawika's gut tells him something isn't quite right. Who is this victim, and why does Kawika feel that this one doesn't belong to the Slasher? To make matters worse, a hungry young journalist, Zoë Akona, is investigating the questionable outcome Kawika and his then-superior Terry Tanaka produced in the Fortunato case, and her snooping leads to an official review that jeopardizes everything Kawika's worked so hard for. But Detective Wong knows that, no matter what, he must find a second murderer even while the "Slasher" continues to strike. The investigation takes him back to the Big Island - and to the long-dormant case the reporter Zoë Akona won't leave alone. Kawika is about to discover what happens when the secrets of the past catch up with the promises of his future"-- Provided by publisher.

The woman who lowered the boom / David Handler.
cover image"Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag is walking on cloud nine after a meeting with his editor, Norma Fives, where she predicts his new book is sure to establish him as the next great American author. It has been years since he has even dreamed of such success after a crippling case of writer's block limited his literary aspirations to ghostwriting celebrity memoirs. But his happiness is short-lived when at his next meeting with Norma she asks for his help in discovering who is behind a series of increasingly threatening letters sent to her attention. Norma herself is not overly concerned about the letters but her boyfriend, Detective Lieutenant Romaine Very of the NYPD, thinks the threat of violence against Norma should not be so easily dismissed. Very feels the combination of Hoagy's detective skills and knowledge of the underbelly of the publishing world make him the perfect person to investigate the matter. Plus, Hoagy is a friend he can trust to take care of the love of his life. Hoagy agrees if for nothing else than to ease the minds of two people he cares about very much. After all, this is likely to be nothing more than a dramatic gesture from a frustrated writer. But as Hoagy and his trusty basset hound Lulu investigate, the threats move beyond the written word, making it clear that someone out there is determined to write a vicious ending to Norma's life. Could it be the wealthy aging children's author? The unethical snake of a literary agent? Or the handsy historian? This is not the return to the literary world that Hoagy dreamed of, but he is determined to unravel the mystery before the author of these crimes gets the last word"-- Provided by publosher.

Murder at an Irish chipper / Carlene O'Connor.
cover image"Siobhán’s brother Eoin’s new family restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six, is so close to opening—but waiting on the necessary permits plus the heat of July in the village of Kilbane in County Cork is driving everyone a bit mad. Macdara Flannery comes to the rescue with a plan—take a holiday by the sea and stuff themselves with fish and chips to support the struggling business of the aptly named Mrs. Chipper. But when they arrive, a crowd is gathered in front of the closed shop: a local fisherman with a fresh cod delivery, a food critic, Mrs. Chipper’s ex-husband who’s opening a competing fish and chips shop directly across the street, and a repairman to fix the vent for the deep fryer. With Siobhán and Macdara as witnesses, a local handyman gets the locked door open, only to find the proprietor lying dead and covered in flour at the base of a ladder, its rungs coated in slippery fat. Clearly this was not an accidental tragedy . . . Even as the local garda take over the murder investigation, Siobhán and Macdara can’t help themselves from placing their long-delayed honeymoon on hold—at least until they can help apprehend an elusive killer."-- Provided by publisher.

Gone with the witch / Angela M. Sanders.
cover image"Small-town Wilfred has turned into a quaintly cozy Oregon destination—but it also keeps turning up corpses! As the bones pile up, librarian and apprentice witch Josie Way will need to use all the sorcery at her disposal to stop a killer . . . When human bones are discovered beneath an old outhouse covered in blackberry vines, no one knows who they once belonged to. But elderly Helen Garlington wants Sam the sheriff to test the remains, suspecting they may solve the mystery of her long-vanished husband. It’s not a match, and Helen takes it hard, drowning her disappointment in sherry at the tavern—where she sees a contestant on a game show who she swears is her missing spouse, Martin. To ease the woman’s mind, Josie contacts the show to track down the look-alike guest, who kindly agrees to travel to Wilfred—and is then found dead the next morning. Horrified by this fatal turn of events, Josie asks the spellbound books for help, seeking the aid of Sherlock Holmes. But strange things continue to happen—frightening images flash on the screen of a long-abandoned movie theater and flocks of crows seem to appear wherever she goes. Is Josie about to meet her own Moriarty? It will take all her courage to untangle the twisted vines of this mystery before this chapter in the colorful story of Wilfred claims another life . . ." -- Goodreads.com

The hapless milliner : a novel / Jessica Bull.
cover image"Jane Austen-sparkling, spirited, and incredibly clever-is suddenly thrust into a mystery when a milliner's dead body is found locked inside a cupboard in the middle of a ball. When Jane's brother Georgy is found with some jewelry belonging to the deceased, the local officials see it as an open-and-shut case: one which is likely to end with his death. Jane is certain that he is innocent, and there is more to the murder than meets the eye. Her investigations send her on a journey through local society, as Jane's suspect list keeps on growing- and her keen observational skills of people will be put to the test to solve the crime and save her brother"-- Provided by publisher.

The tumbling girl / Bridget Walsh.
cover image"1876, Victorian London. Minnie Ward, a feisty scriptwriter for the Variety Palace Music Hall, is devastated when her best friend is found brutally murdered. She enlists the help of private detective Albert Easterbrook to help her find justice. Together they navigate London, from its high-class clubs to its murky underbelly. But as the bodies pile up, they must rely on one another if they're going to track down the killer - and make it out alive . . . The first in a sharp, witty series of Victorian mystery novels, The Tumbling Girl is sure to delight fans of Sarah Waters, Elizabeth Macneal, and Miss Scarlet and the Duke."-- Provided by publisher.

Under the storm : a novel / Christoffer Carlsson ; translated from the Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles.
cover image"On a cold November night in 1994, a farmhouse burns to the ground. Inside, a young woman is found dead--murdered. To the people in the rural community of Marbäck, it becomes a reference point: a before and after. For ten-year-old Isak Nyqvist, the fire sets in motion something he cannot control, as if a stray spark has found its way inside him, igniting his future into an inferno. The police quickly focus their attention on Edvard Christensson, the boyfriend of the murdered woman and Isak's beloved uncle. After a quick investigation where the evidence speaks for itself, Edvard is sentenced to life in prison and Marbäck believes it can return to its innocence. Vidar Jörgensson, the rookie police officer who was one of the first responders to the fire, prides himself on having contributed to solving the murder. Little does he know this will become the defining case of his career, or that it will drive him to the brink of professional and personal disaster--and link his fate to Isak's"-- Provided by publisher.

Murder in masquerade / Mary Winters.
cover image"Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury's secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before; after all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome Marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately needs her assistance. His beloved younger sister Marielle has written Lady Agony seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade her from the ill-advised gambit. But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi's Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there's much more at stake than saving a young woman's reputation from ruin. It's going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!"-- Provided by publisher.

Once upon a seaside murder / Maggie Blackburn.
cover imageThere's no place like home for the holidays, even if home is sleepy, beachside Brigid's Island, NC. During this season for giving, the town wakes up to a welcome throng of shoppers--and Beach Reads is no exception. But bookseller Summer Merriwether's Christmas cheer turns to cringing fear when she uncovers a deadly secret about her late mother--a secret someone will kill to keep. When the local library hosts a cozy mystery panel discussion, Summer learns that one of the authors on the panel based her book on an actual murder that shook Brigid's Island thirty-five years before. Worse, she soon learns that her dearly missed mother, Hildy, took a disturbingly deep interest in the case, going so far as to collect clippings and keep a journal of the dark doings. This doesn't jibe with Summer's memories of her usually cheery mother at all. Tidings get worse when Summer learns of her long-lost biological family's involvement in the crime...and still worse when the life of the book's author is threatened. With the help of Hildy's plucky book club, Summer puts her scholarly smarts to work on protecting the cozy author and solving the decades-old murder. But this ghost from Christmas past may still be deadly in the present, and if she can't find the killer, Summer's future will be brief.

Miss Blaine's prefect and the vampire menace / Olga Wojtas.
cover image"Never underestimate a librarian. Readers learned that lesson with the Prefect's first adventure (Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar: "marvelous" and "a laugh-out-loud farce" [Publishers Weekly, starred review]). Now a certain Count from Transylvania is about to learn it as well, when the intrepid Shona McMonagle (comfortably padded, in her middle years, and a whiz at obscure martial arts) time-travels to 19th-century France to help a village being menaced by a mysterious killer. It's true that Dracula's name has for more than a hundred years been a byword for terror, but nothing can stop an agent trained by the Marcia Blaine School for Girls."-- Book flap.

Catch your death / Lissa Marie Redmond.
cover image"When Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley's partner, Shane Reese, runs into an old friend, he's invited to a school reunion at a new luxury spa and resort. Lauren's also invited and it sounds like a perfect weekend getaway, except it brings up painful memories for Reese - like the unsolved murder of his high school friend Jessica Toakese seventeen years earlier. The prime suspects will be at the reunion. Among those suspects is Reese, who has kept his involvement a secret from Lauren and the entire police force. As the friends reminisce an intense snowstorm traps them inside and tensions rise. After a heated confrontation, one of the party is brutally murdered and Lauren believes it's connected to Jessica's death. But who could the murderer be: the jealous husband; the regretful trophy wife; the abused failed actor; the true crime podcast host; the drunken louse; the insecure millionaire; the desperate spa owner... or the Cold Case detective?"--Book cover.

A pie to die for / Gretchen Rue.
cover image"Este March runs the family-owned Lucky Pie Diner on Split Pine Island in Northern Michigan. The pies at Lucky Pie aren't just good, they're magical, with a family recipe that grants certain customers their greatest hopes and dreams when they eat the pie. The remote island is closed to outsiders over the winter months, but on the last day of the season, the unpopular new produce vendor, Jeff, turns up dead on his boat, and Split Pine Island's peace goes up in smoke. Tom Cunningham, the local sheriff, casts suspicion onto Este, who may have been the last person to see Jeff alive. Not to mention several people witnessed her getting into an argument with the rude vendor in some of his final hours. Este decides to clear her name and her diner's reputation by launching her own investigation, which means she must turn suspicion on her friends and neighbors, because only a local could have murdered the victim. As Este investigates, she uncovers a deeper web of secrets, finding that many of the locals had reason to either frame her, or kill the victim. The clock is ticking to figure out the killer, and the clues in the case are flakier than an apple pie. Este will have to uncover the killer before her future crumbles"-- Provided by publisher.

A killer romance / Maggie Blackburn.
cover imageWhen Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine's Day event, "Romance by the Sea," bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband's murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it's natural causes-there were plenty of people who wanted her dead. As Summer searches for the truth about the author's stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author's belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer's friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name. As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.

The stranger in the asylum / Alys Clare.
cover image"Private investigators Lily Raynor and Felix Wilbraham have to hunt down an escapee from a French asylum, in this new, gripping World's End Bureau Victorian mystery from critically-acclaimed author Alys Clare. London, April 1882. When cool-headed Phyllida visits the World's End Investigation Bureau to offer a curious case concerning her fiance, proprietor Lily Raynor is intrigued - and privately excited. For accepting the case means taking an unexpected trip abroad, to France. Phyllida's fiance, Wilberforce, is currently in an asylum in Brittany, after a tragic incident which resulted in the death of his father. Did he kill him on purpose - or was it an accident? Wilberforce's innocence looks increasingly in doubt when another murder happens at the asylum - and the evidence points to Wilberforce being the culprit. Phyllida fears for Wilberforce's wellbeing, but she can't marry a murderer! With the engagement hanging in the balance, Phyllida wants to know the truth before it's too late. Lily and her assistant, Felix Wilbraham, journey to rural France to uncover the truth, but the case takes an unexpected turn when they discover that the accused man has escaped the asylum and is nowhere to be found. Soon the intrepid investigators are in over their heads with much greater and unexpected powers at play . . ."--provided by publisher.

Final appeal / Remigiusz Mróz.
cover image"When criminal justice lawyer Joanna Chylka is tasked with defending the son of a prestigious law firm’s biggest client, she is stumped for the first time in her life. She’s handed a case with a foregone Piotr Langer Jr was charged with murder and has pled guilty. Assisted by the firm’s newest trainee, Kordian Orynski, Kordian and Joanna find a maze of tangled evidence. Piotr is alleged to have sat in his apartment for ten days with two corpses before calmly opening the door to the police as though nothing had ever happened. He has confessed to the murders, but the truth is far more complex and shocking than anyone could have imagined. Kordian is everything Joanna is not, and in their very first case together, they are in the spotlight. With Joanna and Kordian’s personalities clashing, will they be able to put aside their differences and clear Piotr’s name?" -- Goodreads.com

The framed women of Ardemore House : a novel / Brandy Schillace.
cover image"Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism. After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history. With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper’s wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…" -- Book jacket flap

Murder in postscript / Mary Winters.
cover image"When one of her readers asks for advice following a suspected murder, Victorian countess and agony aunt Amelia has no choice but to investigate in this first book in a thrilling new historical mystery series. Amelia Amesbury--widow, mother, and countess--is bored, crushingly so. In an attempt to fill the days, Amelia becomes an "agony aunt" for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners. But when a lady's maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes her mistress has been murdered--and then ends up a victim herself--Amelia is determined to solve the case. With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London's docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation--and her life--on the line"-- Provided by publisher.

Scaredy cat / Sofie Ryan.
cover image"Secondhand store owner Sarah Grayson and her affectionate rescue cat, Elvis, will scare up a few leads to find a killer in the newest installment of this series. After a long, cold, and snowy winter, it seems as though spring may be arriving early in Maine. Sarah Grayson is busy at her store, Second Chance, and she's looking forward to an afternoon break from the hustle and bustle, tagging along to the North Harbor Spring House Tour with her friend Detective Michelle Andrews. But it turns out one of the houses has a haunted history, and when a ghost hunter is found dead on the premises, Sarah knows the best way to uncover the killer is by investigating the not-so-dearly departed. With help from Elvis and Charlotte's Angels, the crew of senior citizen private detectives who work out of the store, she'll close the case on this creepy crime"--Page 4 of cover.

Fur love or money / Sofie Ryan.
cover imageWhen she and her canine companion stumble upon the dead body of a sticky-fingered financial adviser who swindled millions from investors, Sarah Grayson and Charlotte's Angels, the senior citizen sleuths who work out of her secondhand shop, find the fur flying as they try to untangle the truth.

Little bookshop of murder / Maggie Blackburn.
cover image"Summer Merriweather's career as a Shakespeare professor hangs by a bookbinder's thread. Academic life at her Virginia university is a viper's pit, so Summer spends her summer in England, researching a scholarly paper that, with any luck, will finally get her published, impress the Dean, and save her job. But her English idyll ends when her mother, Hildy, shuffles off her mortal coil from an apparent heart attack. Returning to Brigid's Island, NC, for the funeral, Summer is impatient to settle the estate, sell her mom's embarrassingly romance-themed bookstore, Beach Reads, and go home. But as she drops by Beach Reads, Summer finds threatening notes addressed to Hildy: 'Sell the bookstore or die'. Clearly, something is rotten on Brigid's Island. What method is behind the madness? Was Hildy murdered? The police insist there's not enough evidence to launch a murder investigation. Instead, Summer and her Aunt Agatha screw their courage to the sticking place and start sleuthing, with the help of Hildy's beloved book club. But there are more suspects on Brigid's Island than are dreamt of in the Bard's darkest philosophizing. And if Summer can't find the villain, the town will be littered with a Shakespearean tragedy's worth of corpses--including her own."--Provided by publisher.

Original sins / Erin Young.
cover image"A brilliant and addictive thriller for fans of Tana French and Liz Moore, FBI rookie Riley Fisher must navigate a brutal serial killer as well as a kidnapping plot against the governor. It's a brutal winter in Des Moines, Iowa, and the city is gripped by fear. A serial attacker known as the Sin Eater is stalking women and has just struck again. It's a tough time and a tough place for Riley Fisher, a former small-town sergeant, to be reporting for duty as an FBI agent on her first assignment. Teamed with a man she's not sure she can trust and struggling to prove herself - while fighting the pull of her old life and family dramas - Riley is tasked with investigating a vicious death threat against the newly elected female state governor. Gradually, she traces a disturbing connection between this case and the hunt for the Sin Eater. Through snow, ice, violence and lies, Riley Fisher is drawn towards a terrifying revelation. Erin Young follows up her acclaimed crime debut, The Fields, which has drawn comparisons with Mare of Easttown, Silence of the Lambs, and True Detective, with another stunning thriller full of dark menace, surprise and suspense"-- Provided by publisher.

Murder road / Simone St. James.
cover image"A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases. July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They're looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them. When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all"-- Provided by publisher.

A catered quilting bee / Isis Crawford.
cover image"For sisters and business partners Bernie and Libby Simmons, catering a quilting showcase is about as tame as it gets—until murder put them in a bind! Quilts, quiet, and delicious food. That’s exactly what Bernie and Libby expect as they build the menu for the Longely Sip and Sew Quilting Circle’s first-ever exhibition hosted at the local library. The eclectic ladies of the group couldn’t appear more harmlessly wholesome if they tried, especially mild-mannered kindergarten teacher Cecilia Larson, who hired A Little of Taste of Heaven to cater the event. So it’s a complete shock when disturbing news drops about member Ellen Fisher, found hanging from a plant hook in her otherwise pristine sewing room . . . All are very quick to deem the tragic death a suicide. All except for Cecilia. She believes something else happened to her best friend—who was busy adding the finishing stitches on her greatest work yet in hopes of displaying it at the exhibition—and looks to Bernie and Libby to expose the truth . . . and the killer. As Ellen’s patchy past comes into focus along with a mysterious connection to a missing seven-hundred-year-old quilt fragment, can the sisters unravel the victim’s final thread before another turns up dead?" -- Goodreads.com

The boy who cried bear / Kelley Armstrong.
cover image"In The Boy Who Cried Bear, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong keeps readers on the edge of their seats while detective Casey Duncan tries to locate the threat before it's too late. . . Haven's Rock is a well-hidden town surrounded by forest. And it's supposed to be, being that it's a refuge for those who need to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton already feel at home in their new town, which reminds them of where they first met in Rockton. And while they know how to navigate the woods and its various dangers, other residents don't. Which is why people aren't allowed to wander off alone. When Max, the town's youngest resident-taught to track animals by Eric-fears a bear is stalking a hiking party, alarms are raised. Even stranger, the ten-year-old swears the bear had human eyes. Casey and Eric know the dangers a bear can present, so they're taking it seriously. But odd occurrences are happening all around them, and when a dead body turns up, they're not sure what they're up against"-- Provided by publisher.

Blessed water / Margot Douaihy.
cover image"Sister Holiday is back with a newly minted PI apprentice certificate, a twisty mystery to solve, and something to prove. Tattooed from her neck to her toes, and sporting a gold tooth as sharp as her wisecracks, Sister Holiday struggles to stay on the righteous path. Never one to make things easy for herself, she's committed to taking her permanent vows with the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and joining former fire inspector Magnolia Riveaux's latest venture, Redemption Detective Agency--both in service of satisfying her eternal quest for answers. When Sister Holiday and Riveaux are stood up by their very first client, they arrive at the rendezvous location, only to find the body of a priest floating in the swollen Mississippi River, and with it, Redemption's next case. It's significantly more gruesome than their original mission to catch a philandering husband in the act, but Sister Holiday feels called on by God to hunt down the murderer and keep her community safe. As a torrential rainstorm drowns New Orleans for three harrowing days over Easter weekend, Sister Holiday and Riveaux uncover extortion, murder, kidnapping, and corruption. With the stakes rising alongside the relentless floodwaters, Sister Holiday finds herself into the deep end yet again. Solving this puzzle will require divine intervention." -- Book jacket.

Listen for the lie : a novel / Amy Tintera.
cover image"What would you do if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thinks so too? What if the truth doesn't matter? As Lucy Chase's Texas hometown begins to tell versions of what happened and who Lucy is to a nationwide, true crime obsessed audience, at the bequest of her grandmother, she returns to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend's murder, even if she is the one that did it"-- Provided by publisher.

Finlay Donovan rolls the dice / Elle Cosimano.
cover image"Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls' weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are-seeing as it's actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero's childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car-it won't be all fun and games. When Finlay's ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride. Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi's kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi's life. But that's not all-he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back. But when they sneak into the loan shark's suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for-Marco's already dead. They don't have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike-and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he's a little too eager to keep her close to his side. If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother's marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero's missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she's done, or be forced to double down?"-- Provided by publisher.

Fatal first edition / Jenn McKinlay.
cover image"Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a popular library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey looks under her seat and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train, inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director, not wanting to stir up any trouble. But just hours after the pair boards the train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. And worse--the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully's room next door, making them prime suspects. Now, they must uncover the murderer and bring them to the end of their line, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn't commit"-- Provided by publisher

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