Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense Titles for June 2011

eHarlequin.com has released the list of June 2011 titles in their Love Inspired Suspense series. Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love.

For more information about the book from eHarlequin.com, click on the title or cover; other purchase options are also provided.

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Behind the Badge by Susan Sleeman

A killer is threatening the life of rookie cop Sydney Tucker's sister—unless Sydney turns over evidence from a drug bust. But she doesn't have the evidence. Not that the thug believes her. Now she and the sibling in her care are under the watchful eye of Logan Lake police chief Russ Morgan…but will his protection be enough? The killer is closing in, picking off the people and places that mean the most to Sydney. A list that now includes Russ. To protect her loved ones, will she pay the ultimate price—her life?

— ◊ —

Lawman-in-Charge by Laura Scott

Former crime-scene investigator Megan O'Ryan helped convict the St. Patrick's Strangler, who killed Megan's sister. Now she's trying to heal in a small Wisconsin town. But a copycat killer is at work in Crystal Lake, and Sheriff Luke Torretti needs Megan's help … on the case and at home, where the widower's troubled teenage son has become a suspect. The boy claims he's innocent—and Megan believes him. Because the more she and Luke investigate, the more Megan becomes convinced that her own past has brought the killer to Crystal Lake. And without Luke's help, the next victim will be her.

— ◊ —

Out of Time by Shirlee McCoy

Someone plans to disrupt the 175th anniversary celebration of the Battle of the Alamo—and it's Alamo Ranger Susannah Jorgenson's job to stop the culprit. But that means partnering with Levi McDonall, who skipped town years ago with her heart. Levi's now a Texas Ranger, sworn to protect her at any cost, but Susannah knows she'll pay the price if she falls for him again. She has to stay focused on their goals—to eliminate the threat and solve the murder of Levi's captain. But an unknown killer is watching … ready to eliminate them.

— ◊ —

Protecting Her Own by Margaret Daley

hing short of her dad's stroke could bring professional bodyguard Cara Madison back to Virginia. But her homecoming turns explosive with a pipe-bomb package addressed to her father. Cara knows two things for sure. First, someone's after either her father or her … or both. And second, this job is too big to handle on her own. Unexpected help comes from agent Connor Fitzgerald. Years ago she'd walked away from him…and love. Now, despite their unresolved feelings, they must join forces—and settle their scarred past—to survive.

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Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner to subscribe for free.

Review: The Sloth's Eye by Linda Lombardi

The Sloth's Eye by Linda Lombardi. A Hannah Lilly Mystery. Five Star Hardcover, May 2011.

The murder mystery plot is both topical and well developed and includes a number of credible suspects to keep readers guessing. But the real star here is small mammal zookeeper Hannah, an appealing amateur sleuth that readers will want to get to know better.

Read the full text of our review at Mysterious Reviews: The Sloth's Eye by Linda Lombardi.

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Mystery Bestsellers for May 20, 2011

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending May 20th, 2011 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

The 11th Southern Vampire mystery, Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris, retains its spot atop this list this week. Another title, which debuted last week, moves into the top 15.

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Moving up from 26 to 9 is The Snowman by Jo Nesbo, the 7th mystery to feature Norwegian police detective Harry Hole (though only the 4th to be published in English).

Oslo in November. The first snow of the season has fallen. A boy named Jonas wakes in the night to find his mother gone. Out his window, in the cold moonlight, he sees the snowman that inexplicably appeared in the yard earlier in the day. Around its neck is his mother’s pink scarf.

Hole suspects a link between a menacing letter he’s received and the disappearance of Jonas’s mother—and of perhaps a dozen other women, all of whom went missing on the day of a first snowfall. As his investigation deepens, something else emerges: he is becoming a pawn in an increasingly terrifying game whose rules are devised—and constantly revised—by the killer.

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For more mystery books news, please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Opens in Theaters Friday, May 20th

The fourth film in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, On Stranger Tides, opens in theaters this Friday, May 20th, 2011.

Adapted from the 1988 action/adventure book On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers, the film stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, who crosses paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz). He's is not sure if it's love—or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge," the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past.

Watch a trailer for the film below.

Winners of the 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards Announced

The winners of the 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards, better known as the IPPYs, have been announced by Independent Publisher. The awards are given out in many categories; the winners of the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller category are listed below. Medalists will be honored at a gala awards ceremony in New York City on May 23rd, 2011.

◊ Gold: The Tavernier Stones by Stephen Parrish (Midnight Ink)

◊ Silver (tie): Children in the Morning by Anne Emery (ECW Press)
◊ Silver (tie): The Marriage of Silence and Sin by Jacqueline M. Lyon (Literary Legends)

◊ Bronze: The Trust by Sean Keefer (Old Line Publishing)

Harlequin Romantic Suspense Titles for June 2011

eHarlequin.com has released the list of June 2011 titles in their Love Inspired Suspense series. Love Inspired Suspense books combine suspense, romance, hope and faith to create a unique page-turning series that today’s readers love.

For more information about the book from eHarlequin.com, click on the title or cover; other purchase options are also provided.

— ◊ —

Behind the Badge by Susan Sleeman

A killer is threatening the life of rookie cop Sydney Tucker's sister—unless Sydney turns over evidence from a drug bust. But she doesn't have the evidence. Not that the thug believes her. Now she and the sibling in her care are under the watchful eye of Logan Lake police chief Russ Morgan…but will his protection be enough? The killer is closing in, picking off the people and places that mean the most to Sydney. A list that now includes Russ. To protect her loved ones, will she pay the ultimate price—her life?

— ◊ —

Lawman-in-Charge by Laura Scott

Former crime-scene investigator Megan O'Ryan helped convict the St. Patrick's Strangler, who killed Megan's sister. Now she's trying to heal in a small Wisconsin town. But a copycat killer is at work in Crystal Lake, and Sheriff Luke Torretti needs Megan's help … on the case and at home, where the widower's troubled teenage son has become a suspect. The boy claims he's innocent—and Megan believes him. Because the more she and Luke investigate, the more Megan becomes convinced that her own past has brought the killer to Crystal Lake. And without Luke's help, the next victim will be her.

— ◊ —

Out of Time by Shirlee McCoy

Someone plans to disrupt the 175th anniversary celebration of the Battle of the Alamo—and it's Alamo Ranger Susannah Jorgenson's job to stop the culprit. But that means partnering with Levi McDonall, who skipped town years ago with her heart. Levi's now a Texas Ranger, sworn to protect her at any cost, but Susannah knows she'll pay the price if she falls for him again. She has to stay focused on their goals—to eliminate the threat and solve the murder of Levi's captain. But an unknown killer is watching … ready to eliminate them.

— ◊ —

Protecting Her Own by Margaret Daley

hing short of her dad's stroke could bring professional bodyguard Cara Madison back to Virginia. But her homecoming turns explosive with a pipe-bomb package addressed to her father. Cara knows two things for sure. First, someone's after either her father or her … or both. And second, this job is too big to handle on her own. Unexpected help comes from agent Connor Fitzgerald. Years ago she'd walked away from him…and love. Now, despite their unresolved feelings, they must join forces—and settle their scarred past—to survive.

— ◊ —

Keep up to date by subscribing to eHarlequin.com's free newsletter that contains the latest information about their series of books as well as informing you about subscriber-only special offers and new products. Click on the banner to subscribe for free.

OMN Welcomes Suspense Novelist Lisa Dewar

Omnimystery News is delighted to welcome Lisa Dewar, whose debut suspense novel is Kiss Her, Kill Her (iUniverse, September 2010 Hardcover, 978-1-4502-5999-6).

Today Lisa writes about evil characters.

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Photo provided courtesy of Lisa Dewar

Are people born evil or are they a product of their environments? Are children born innocent and their caregivers somehow, purposefully or inadvertently, steer them to a path of murderous rage?

I was struck by a song (which reminds me of a few people that I have met over the years) and it sparked my novel:

Before you hand me over
Before you read my sentence
I’d like to say a few words
Here in my own defence ...
Some people struggle daily
They struggle with their conscience
Till the end
I have no guilt to haunt me
I feel no wrong intent
(Gowan, “A Criminal Mind”)

The song goes on to say, "A criminal mind is all I've ever had, Ask one who's knows me if I'm really so bad, I am". I personally know individuals who have made some bad choices and have done some crazy things but I also know that they have good traits as well. Many of the world's serial killers are loving parents, good neighbours, and good friends to those around them (John Wayne Gacy was a well loved member of his community, dressing up as a clown and throwing parties in his neighbourhood).

There are thousands of examples of men and women who were raised in the most horrendous homes yet they still rise above. Were they missing the "evil" gene? Yet there are others that came from loving families with middle class backgrounds that find themselves committing the most heinous crimes (Jeffery Dahmer came from a seemingly normal family who stood by him until the day he died in prison). Were they genetically hardwired to kill?

As I was doing countless hours of research on real life serial killers for Kiss Her, Kill Her, I had an epiphany of sorts ... I started to see that there is a seed of evil in everyone but not all of us act on it. Ask the average person on the street if they have ever been angry and of course the answer would be yes. Ask them if they have ever been so mad that they wanted to kill someone and in most cases the response would be yes, even if just in the figurative sense. But they didn't act on those thoughts. Most people are able to keep their emotions under control, finding another outlet for their anger. However, what interests (and scares) me are those that can't.

Take Tarryn Cooper Love, the main character in Kiss Her, Kill Her. His drug addicted mother was obsessed with serial killers, spending hours comparing their attributes, number of victims, and the complexity of their kills. Tarryn literally grew up idolizing the most evil men on the earth, after all that was what his mother valued most, a juicy murder. When her drug abuse starts to take control of her life, leaving him alone and hurt, he sees murder as a way to bring her back to him. Was the killing gene already in him or was it his mother's love for Ted Bundy that made him murder 36 women?

Tarryn talks about this in a passage from the novel:

When he looked back, Tarryn knew that by the time he was eighteen, the thoughts of attempting a kill had been festering for over five years. At first it was a little annoyance, like a mosquito buzzing in his mind. Then the tiny mosquito turned into a beetle, scuttling around his brain. Then by eighteen, the beetle had grown into a full-sized condor, soaring into every corner of his skull on a daily basis. He wondered if maybe saving his mother was just an excuse to fulfill the fantasy.

With the next kill he is set to pass Bundy's record and make his mother proud. But meeting Carmen Halder, a suicidal woman with an equally coloured past, reminds him of his mother and complicates the task. He has to decide if he should take her life or save her but the choice is far from easy.

Kiss Her, Kill Her explores three separate but intertwined stories: Tarryn's rise to be a serial killer, Carmen's rise to riches and subsequent decent to suicide, and the tale of Tarryn's 37th kill. But perhaps the bigger question is are we born evil or are our actions a result of our interactions with those people that surround us?

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Lisa Dewar was born in Southampton England and immigrated to Canada in 1973. An avid reader and writer of psychological thrillers, she now lives in Calgary, Alberta with her husband and three cats. She is currently working on her next novel based on the Las Vegas strip.

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About Kiss Her, Kill Her: New York City has a monster on the loose and his name is Tarryn Cooper Love.

No one had given a second glance to the handsome taxi driver, but in reality he had been molded to be a killer since early childhood. His mother, who valued a juicy murder above all else, had taught him well. Just one more trophy and he is set to reach his goal, surpassing his mother’s idol, the infamous Ted Bundy.

When a beautiful young woman gets into his cab flashing a wad of cash, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot. As she starts confessing her plans for ending her own life he decides to listen to her story, hoping to charm her back from the brink of death, to heighten his game.

What he discovers is a twisted tale that has taken her from the hardened streets of LA to the upper crust of New York … a story that might even rival his own.

Kiss Her, Kill Her is available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and popular eBook formats (see icons below book cover).

Read the first chapter of Kiss Her, Kill Her below; use the Aa settings button to adjust font size, line spacing, and word density.