City lawyer Beck Hardin hasn't been back to the small town in Texas where he grew up for more than twenty years. He has history there. Bad memories.
But when his wife dies, Beck decides to return to Fredericksburg with his two young children. Leaving the rat race behind, he re-enters a beautiful but troubled small town simmering with ancient feuds, class rivalries and racial tensions.
As he tries to reconcile with his tough, stubborn father, and adjust back to the pace of small-town life, Beck learns of an unsolved case that has haunted Fredericksburg for the past five years. The statute of limitations on the case is fast approaching, and although Beck vowed to leave the law behind him, he can't resist the opportunity to seek justice.
Yet in taking the case on, Beck has made one of the most dangerous decisions of his life …
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Today's featured new hardcover mystery, suspense, or thriller title scheduled to be published during February 2015 is …
A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody, a Kate Shackleton Mystery (4th in series)
Publisher: Minotaur Books
The Woman Unknown: Deirdre Fitzpatrick is married to a man who wants to know where she really goes when supposedly taking care of her sick mother and calls on the expertise of Kate Shackleton, amateur sleuth extraordinaire to investigate.
The Gentleman: Everett Runcie is a banker facing ruin and disgrace. His American heiress wife will no longer pay for his mistakes, or tolerate his infidelity, and is seeking a divorce.
The Murder: When a chambermaid enters Runcie's hotel room, she is shocked to find that he is alone — and dead! Suddenly Kate is thrown into the depths of an altogether more sinister investigation. Can she uncover the truth of her most complex, and personal, case to date?
New on the Mystery Bookshelf during February 2015 …
February Fever by Jess Lourey, A Murder-by-Month Mystery (10th in series)
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Mira James's hot and heavy relationship with boyfriend Johnny Leeson is definitely warming up her winter. But when Johnny has to go to Portland, Oregon, for a month-longth internship, airplane-averse Mira lets her septuagenarian friend Mrs. Berns talk her into a visit. On the plus side, Mira can make the trip a tax write-off by attending the International Private Investigator Conference. On the down side, Mrs. Berns books them — much to Mira's dismay — on the Valentine Train, a place for singles to meet and mingle.
After a few glasses of champagne and Mrs. Berns' encouragement, Mira begins to relax and enjoy herself … until a fellow passenger is murdered and a snowstorm traps the train in the Rockies. If Mira can't track down the killer, she may end up derailed — permanently.
After nearly twenty years in prison on a murder conviction, Jesse Damon has been released, a home detention monitor strapped to his ankle. Determined to make it and mindful of his parole restrictions, he struggles with life outside prison. He finds a basement apartment, a job on the overnight shift at a steel fabrication plant and a few people who treat him like anybody else. Especially Kelly, a woman who works in the shipping department. He seems to be making it.
Until Mitch, forklift driver on the shift, is found murdered in the warehouse. Investigating detective doesn't want to look any further than Jesse to close the case He's not fussy about the methods he uses to gather evidence. If Jesse isn't going down for this, he will have to be the one to figure out who killed Mitch and why.
Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.
Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during February 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …
Running Game by Trevor Scott
A Tony Caruso Mystery (3rd in series)
Publisher: Salvo Press
Price: $2.99 (as of 02/12/2015 at 12:30 PM ET).
When Tony Caruso is hired to go undercover for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he has no idea that his life will change forever in the remote mountains of Oregon. He is tasked to track down an Asian ring of smugglers who are killing black bears for gallbladders and shooting elk and deer in velvet for their antlers. He narrowly escapes with his life, but follows the smugglers to Portland. Eventually, he ends up in the southern Cascades in the mushroom fields, where he must fight not only the Asian game smugglers, but Asian gangs from San Francisco and Seattle.
As Tony tightens the noose around the smugglers, the case becomes personal. Now he must encounter these brutal killers in the remote forest, where his survival depends on his own military training and his favorite sidekick, Panzer, his giant schnauzer and former German military working dog.
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We are delighted to welcome back mystery author Lauren Carr to Omnimystery News.
Lauren regularly visits us with guest posts, but we haven't had a chance to catch up with her directly in quite some time. So it was a thrill to spend some time with her talking about her mysteries, the most recent of which is Three Days To Forever (Acorn Book Services; January 2015 trade paperback and ebook formats), the ninth in her Mac Faraday series.
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Omnimystery News: When you wrote your first mystery, did you know at the time how the characters would evolve over time?
Photo provided courtesy of Lauren Carr
Lauren Carr: I didn't set out to center my books around a recurring character, who has now grown into a group of recurring characters. It simply happened.
My first two books were the Joshua Thornton Mysteries. The primary character was Joshua Thornton, a single father of five children, who returns to his small town in West Virginia where he becomes prosecuting attorney. A Small Case of Murder was released in 2004.
Then, in 2010, I released my new series, the Mac Faraday Mysteries. Mac Faraday is a retired homicide detective who inherits two-hundred-seventy million dollars on the day the divorce from his cheating wife becomes final. He moves to Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland where he starts a new life, solving mysteries instead of playing golf or tennis.
But then, some readers of the Joshua Thornton mysteries asked me to return to Joshua. Keep in mind, this is five years after I had written the last Joshua Thornton Mystery. So, I asked myself, "Where would Joshua be now?" His children are grown and he is ready for romance.
That was when I introduced Joshua to Homicide Detective Cameron Gates and they became the Lovers in Crime.
I guess this answers your question about do my characters stay the same, or do they change. Honestly, I grew up reading Agatha Christie and Earl Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason never changed. Yet, I find that my characters are doing a natural transformation, like real people, as the circumstances in their lives change.
In Three Days To Forever, I introduce Joshua's son Murphy to Mac Faraday's daughter Jessica. These two characters are spinning off into the Thorny Rose Mysteries and, it is a given that their characters will change as their romance progresses and they adjust to their new lives together. It will be quite interesting to watch how these two young adults, off-spring of great detectives, the next generation handle crime in the big-bad city of Washington, D.C.
OMN: Into which mystery subgenre do you place your books?
LC: I started categorizing my books as "gritty cozies." But I find that they are moving more into a police procedural category.
In her review for Three Days To Forever, Glenda Bixler at Book Reader's Heaven wrote in her five-star review, "The reason why this intrigued me was the cross-genres of this latest book! Actually, it has all of my favorites in this beautiful mix: Action, Mystery, Police Procedure, Romantic Suspense, and most of all Thriller. With this book, in my opinion, Lauren Carr has taken a major move in the complexity and diversity of her books. They are certainly not cozies any more …".
OMN: What was your greatest challenge in writing Three Days To Forever?
LC: Raising the bar. The storyline came to me, "What if the war on terror came to Deep Creek Lake?" Because terrorists are a whole different type of criminal, I knew that it would not be a standard cozy like some of my readers have come to expect from me. As one character says in Three Days To Forever, "These guys aren't going to give you a chance to read them their rights."
Also, I am very aware that the whole issue of terrorism is controversial to some. But, I'm fearless when it comes to a literary challenge. Good writers are like athletes. If you want to improve, you need to write every day, or your writing muscles will get weak. If you don't challenge yourself, then your writing will get stale, not just for you doing the writing, but for your readers.
OMN: How true are you to the settings of your stories?
LC: The Mac Faraday Mysteries take place in Spencer, (a fictional town) set on Deep Creek Lake (a real lake) in western Maryland. The Spencer Inn, the five-star resort that Mac Faraday owns, is not real. I based it on Snowshoe, which is located in central West Virginia. I have actually received emails asking for contact information to the Spencer Inn because readers want to go stay there, which is surprising when you consider how many guests I have murdered in that hotel.
While Spencer is a fictional town, I have stayed true to the local environment. Deep Creek Lake is a resort area in western Maryland. There are a lot of seasonal residents from metropolitan Washington DC.
The Thorny Rose Mysteries, which is a spin-off from the Mac Faraday Mysteries, will be taking place in the real location of Washington, DC. Jessica and Murphy will be living in a brownstone on the waterfront along the Potomac River. I'm looking forward to researching that.
OMN: We know you keep busy. What's next for you?
LC: I am working on two books that I expect to be released later this spring, early summer.
Open Season for Murder is the next Mac Faraday Mystery. Summer season is the busiest time of the year at Deep Creek Lake, when the seasonal residents return to their summer homes around the lake.
But all is not sunshine and happiness when a television producer and his protégé-slash-mistress swoop in to reunite all of the suspects in the missing persons case of Ashton Piedmont, a young debutante who had disappeared five years earlier.
What at first appears to be yet another annoyance by a so-called journalist exploiting a tragedy breaks into a major murder case when Gnarly uncovers Ashton's body … after which someone starts killing off the reunited suspects one-by-one.
But wait! There's more!
Kill and Run will be the first Thorny Rose Mystery, featuring the Lovers in Crime.
Chester, West Virginia, is in the throes of preparing for what promises to be the social event of the year — the wedding of Joshua Thornton's little girl to Hunter Gardner.
While the Thornton family is busting with excitement about the big day, Cameron is struggling with pain-filled memories of another wedding day so long ago — followed much too soon by an even larger funeral. All hope to push her grief far into the past is dashed when the FBI arrives with news about her late husband. A recently arrested hit man has confessed to killing her husband as a contract hit. The identity of who had arranged the hit, and why, is unknown — but whoever it was had to have deep pockets to hire this assassin.
Determined to learn the truth about her late husband's death, Cameron sets out for Washington, DC, to interrogate the hit man herself.
Worried for his wife's well-being, Joshua, who is stuck at home due to wedding and professional obligations, reaches out to his newly married son Murphy Thornton (who is up to his ears in his first official murder case) and his bride Jessica Faraday to keep Cameron safe, catch a killer, and get her home in time for Tracy and Hunter's wedding.
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Lauren Carr is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit the Acorn Book Services website for more information.
Lauren lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Three Days To Forever Lauren Carr A Mac Faraday Mystery
With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday's huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.
But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac's and Archie's problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie's mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.
With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer's small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!
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Omnimystery News is pleased to feature a selection of Free MystereBooks found on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 6:30 AM ET …
It's Who You Know by Sean Fitzgerald
A Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Sean Scribe Enterprises
Price: FREE!
The Wilder Side of Chaos by Pete Brassett
A Crime Thriller
Publisher: Not So Noble Books
Price: FREE!
For a summary of all of today's titles, plus any that may have been added since this post was created, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.
Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of the purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.
Review summary: This is a superior police procedural, a complex puzzle that requires the vigilance and patience of one dedicated police detective to solve. It is a thrill to tag along with him as his investigation unfolds. With a solid plot and a strong cast of characters, this is an exceptional entry in this series. (Click here for text of full review.)
Our rating:
And Grant You Peace Kate Flora A Joe Burgess Mystery Five Star (November 2014)
Publisher synopsis: Most people run from fires; firemen and cops run toward them, especially when someone inside is screaming. It began when a boy banged on Burgess's car window. He got a gasped, "Fire at the mosque and someone's in there," and a frantic gesture toward the old commercial building that served as a mosque for Portland's Somali community.
His dash into the building leads to a very young mother and tiny baby in a locked closet, and to his worst nightmare — investigating the death of another child. He must deal with suspicious, uncooperative refugees, members of a motorcycle gang, businessmen engaged in illegal activity, and threats to his family before identifying the mute and terrified young mother and getting justice for a helpless child who never had a chance.
Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during February 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …
Museum director Kate Fontaine made two promises to her dying father — protect her ne'er-do-well brother and return a stolen statuette of the Maya god of earthquakes to its temple. But when her brother is kidnapped and the price to save him is the priceless artifact, keeping one promise means breaking the other. In a no-win situation and facing a dangerous trek through the jungle, Kate is forced to rely on a guide she doesn't trust … yet whose touch makes her yearn for so much more.
The only person Max Rivera can truly count on is himself. That's why he prefers to work alone. Unfortunately his Devlin Security Force assignment to guide and protect Kate includes covertly finding proof her kidnapped brother has sold black-market antiquities. And sticking close to this delectable and vulnerable woman proves more dangerous to Max than all the threats in the jungle.
While following the kidnapper's instructions, Max and Kate must outrun black-market smugglers and a predicted earthquake in a race that takes them from Washington to England and into the Costa Verde jungle. But as perilous as their quest becomes, when desire flares between them, risking their lives seems simple next to risking their hearts.
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This boxed set contains all three volumes of Rose's Dr. Morgan Snow novels from "The Butterfield Institute" series, as well as three stand alones that explore passion and power set in the worlds of art and music.
Included in the bundle is a bonus collection of three short stories featuring Rose's iconic Dr. Morgan Snow who manages to get three of contemporary suspense's greatest heroes on her couch; Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Steve Berry's Cotton Malone and Barry Eisler's John Rain.
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Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during February 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …
Blind Sided by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
The Irish End Game Series (4th in series)
Publisher: Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Price: $3.99 (as of 02/11/2015 at 5:30 PM ET).
After four years of life in a post-apocalyptic world, the one thing that both Mike and Sarah know for sure is that nothing ever stays the same. Just when life has begun to settle down, a threat comes at them from a totally unexpected source.
Not England, nor the US, not rampaging gypsies or even the Middle East. This time it's the land itself — the very bushes and trees of Ireland that they'll have to protect themselves from.
Could the bomb have opened an ancient portal long kept shut? Could there really be fairies and mystical beings running through the woods? Or is the evil that's creeping out of that portal something very, very human?
— Blind Sided by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Find all the books in The Irish End Games Series for $3.99 each. The first book in the series, Free Falling, is currently free on Kindle.
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Omnimystery News is pleased to present you with one of today's titles … but take advantage of this deal now as the price will go up to its digital list price soon! (See the countdown clock on the book product page to see how much time remains on this deal.)
Mathematical genius Daniel Geller has developed a formula to predict a person's date of death, only to have it rejected by the faculty at Trinity College. Totally devastated he turns his back on the world he once loved.
Twelve years on, Daniel's old professor John Redmond and his wife are coming to terms with the death of their ten-year-old son. Could Daniel's formula have predicated his death? Revisiting the thesis, the professor makes an astonishing discovery: out of the five fellow students whom Daniel used the formula on, one of them died on the exact date he predicted.
One more is due to die in six days: Daniel's ex-lover Grace.
The professor draws Daniel back into the world of mathematics where he is suddenly faced with the dilemma of allowing someone he once loved to die to be one step closer to proving his thesis and enjoying a prestige he once dreamed of …
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Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during February 2015 and priced $4.99 or less …
Three Degrees of Murder by Wendy Hird
A Book Club Murders Mystery (1st in series)
Publisher: Greenbriar
Price: $2.99 (as of 02/11/2015 at 4:30 PM ET).
Illustrator Helen Hendricks is trying to be supportive and take the disappearance of her best friends' husband seriously, but Delia's husband, Bill, has done this before.
No-one else is taking it seriously. In fact, the kids have a competition going to find which is the most outrageous sporting event he might have run off to; the Book Club girls are pretending they are the "Women's Murder Club"; the other girlfriends think Bill is no great loss; and best friend Delia keeps trying to set her up with the lead detective. And who is in the black mystery car the kids say is following them everywhere?
Normally Bill brags about where he is going to but this time he has just disappeared. A robbery and two car accidents later, it seems some very dangerous people want to know where Bill is. But Helen is concerned. She knows her friend is worried about Bill's disappearance; she's worried about how it is affecting the kids, and how Bill's parents are feeling, but Helen thinks she is not worried about Bill. It's started Helen thinking: maybe Delia knows exactly where her missing husband is.
As Helen gets dragged into the undercurrents caused by Bill's disappearance one question arises. What would you do for your best friend?
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Omnimystery News is pleased to present you with one of today's titles … but take advantage of this deal now as the price will go up to its digital list price soon! (See the countdown clock on the book product page to see how much time remains on this deal.)
Glenda Lawson believes her husband was the only U.S. serviceman shot and killed on American soil during World War II. But in 1945, investigators ruled that Billy Lawson died in a "mugging turned ugly."
In 2013, Sean O'Brien, learning the ropes of commercial fishing, gets his anchor caught on something underwater. He discovers a German U-boat partially buried in sand, and inside is a frightening cargo. The media pick up the story, and a 35-year-old woman who has a haunting tale, visits O'Brien. Her grandfather, Billy Lawson, was fishing one night on a Florida beach when he saw something very disturbing.
The last thing Sean O'Brien wants is to investigate a sixty-seven-year-old murder. But Billy Lawson's granddaughter and his cancer-stricken widow are desperate for closure. For O'Brien to bring it to them he has to pry the lid off a secret buried with the Manhattan Project. It's information that got Billy Lawson killed, and O'Brien soon learns the old murder and his new discovery at the bottom of the sea are inextricably knotted. O'Brien is thrust into a world where nothing is as it appears, and everything is riding on a secret Billy Lawson took to his grave.
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