Lani

As candles flickered, she pulled out a small stool then sat, resting her palms gently on the surface of the smooth wood. Then, again reaching into her robe pocket, she pulled out a small, sepia-colored photograph, resting it against a plain, black urn. With candle flames mirrored in her eyes, Amelia lit the cigar with one of the candles, blowing its thick, acrid smoke at the photo—and, it was then she spoke, her words unintelligible. Chanting her desires, she gently picked up the photograph, raising it to her God.

When Decklin Kilgarry decided to accept an adjunct professorship at a prestigious, East Coast university, he never imagined he'd be embroiled in a mystery staged to challenge the most brilliant criminal minds. Nor did he think he might in a murderer's crosshairs . . .

She stood quietly for a few moments, enjoying the brief tranquility until a sudden, loud noise and bright, flaring light reflected from the buildings a few blocks away. What on earth? What is that? The light slowly diminished after pulsating several times in timed succession. She watched as it flickered out, quickly realizing she shouldn’t dally - there would be hell to pay if he discovered her taking a break.

Harry, too, was anything but trustworthy, a trait his son dutifully carried with a certain amount of pride. When a young lady - Harry called her a "gold-digging tart" - accused his son of fatherhood shortly after Halloween two decades prior, only a select few within the Stanton social circle had any idea of such a false atrocity. All rumors and gossip were quashed, of course, by the heavyweight politico no one chose to confront. Not only that, no one had the guts to call Harry Stanton exactly what he was....

A hike. A portal. A journey. It was time. She retreated to her position directly in front of the archway feeling the immense void of the light’s source drawing her toward its opening, filling her with an almost physical compulsion to step inside. The voices! Closer now! With little time to think, her mind formed a picture of her mother looking back at her, smiling. “Oh, what the hell!”

Relics. Riddles. Reality. Nathan Moss stood, false bravado tanking with each passing second. It never occurred to him Clifford Rasmussen wouldn't agree to his new terms, and leaving without a briefcase full of cash wasn't exactly what Moss had in mind. When Colbie's Yucatan vacation for self-discovery shifts in an unexpected direction, she can't refuse when an old colleague suggests working together to solve the murder of archaeologist, Richard Sanderson.

Armond turned to him, his face refusing to disguise obvious disdain. As far as he was concerned, his directive was simple - one that should not have secured authorities' attention. Surely, now that the damage was done, there would be questions - a position he didn't relish. As he considered the issue, he also considered - again - if it were time to make changes within his organization. In that moment, Armond Coniglio made a decision. It was, indeed, time for a change.

In her fifth book, Chill of Deception: A Colbie Colleen Cozy Suspense Mystery, award-winning author Faith Wood transports listeners to the Deep South where Colbie tackles a mystery of murder and intrigue. In life, there are two constants - time and change. One begets the other - so, when Colbie's life shatters in the middle of a high-profile case, she reacts by retreating to her shadow world, closing off herself and her intuitive mind.

When Colbie learns her uncle in Wyoming is accused of a double murder, she vows to help as much as she can. She and Brian fly to Gillette, planning to stay a couple of weeks. But weeks turn into months as she partners with one of the finest attorneys in the West to free a family member she barely knows. Trial research reveals family secrets long held, urging Colbie to follow her ancestral trail. Not for the first time, she questions who she is and where she belongs.

In Apology Accepted, Colbie's confidence falters when she accepts a life-altering case, forcing her to step into her shadow world seeking comfort and safety. Fearful of losing her intuitive abilities, she feels fractured and incomplete as she struggles to regain control of her personal and professional lives.