African American Crime Mystery

Often, the old adage goes “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer…” However, what if the one you love is the one you should be hating? Claire is a widowed single mother who just moved to Alabama from the Big Apple. Having stepped out on faith and the ultimatum that her job gave her, the grieving woman is on a quest for a better life for herself and her teenage daughter, Jonna. But… her life is suddenly flipped upside down when Jonna disappears into thin air, and she’s left wondering: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, and WHY? Ultimately, Claire is plagued by the grueling search for her ...

Harlem is a beautiful, smart, and funny 17-year-old. She lives in the projects with her drug-addicted parents. Harlem must fend for herself and at times do a little hustling of her own to feed their habit. As if things can’t get worse, Harlem’s world is turned upside down when her mother dies from a drug overdose and her father pulls the ultimate betrayal by prostituting her. Harlem is pushed into an adult world and into the hands of a crime and drug lord named Chief, who gives Harlem every luxury she has ever dreamed of, and more pain and suffering than she can stand.

For the last 60 years, fear has seeped into every area of American life: Americans own more guns than citizens of any other country, sequester themselves in gated communities, and retreat from public spaces. And yet, crime rates have plummeted, making life in America safer than ever. Why, then, are Americans so afraid - and where does this fear lead to? In this remarkable work of social history, May demonstrates how our obsession with security has made citizens fear each other and distrust the government, making America less safe and less democratic.

Someone once said, “Power is felt, not seen.” ​ Well, they were right. Power can direct without pointing a finger. It can influence without making a sound, and it can also push without ever having to physically touch anyone. When Ray defies the orders of a secret society made up of thirteen men that weld an unfathomable amount of wealth and power, his punishment is severe. ​ In order to get back the one thing that matters most to him, and to avoid further exposure of the events that led up to Lindsey's death, Don, Walt, and Richard, as well as, Shawn and his father Victor, who ...

Things are going well for Ty until a sudden betrayal sends everything into a downward spiral. In the midst of the unfathomable transgression, Ty loses all control and there's nothing she won't do to rectify the wrong. But will she be able to save her loved ones from I'm imminent death or will time run out, leaving her soul shattered? Meanwhile, Bo finds himself entrenched in a lifestyle that he's not fully prepared for. At every corner, there's a new opponent he must face in order to retain his name and respect. Will Bo finally meet his match or could he refuse to take a "L" no matter what ...

When the police kill her husband in the presence of their young son, Shy McGee becomes a single mother trying to raise boys to men. Her 17-year-old son, Prince, channels his anger into an effort to become king of the streets. Seeing her son try to step up and take his father’s place, Shy has his back. Cherise is Shy’s best friend, but she doesn’t like what she’s seeing lately. Cherise has taught her son, Raequan, only one life lesson: how to run hustles. Now Cherise and Raequan are tired of watching the McGee family prosper while they remain at a standstill.

A ruined wedding, mobsters, and an ex who’s stalking her. Will Tess and Beau ever tie the knot? A voice cries out, stopping Beau and Tess’ wedding. Surprised by this wedding crasher’s announcement, the reverend ends the ceremony. The uninvited guest insists Beau is already married and must come to Las Vegas if he wishes to end their marriage. Beau and Tess reluctantly agree but not before consulting their friends. But they’re not just friends. They are the Initiative, a secret covert operation created to help those in need. The team agrees they must go Vegas with Beau and Tess. Upon...

A vengeful female ringleader heads an expensive show horse kidnapping operation, selling to the black market. One couple loses a much treasured dressage mount. Will Cajun Magic make it back to his rightful owners? Can the Mob push back against the villain's dark ways?

As a low-level enforcer in Los Angeles, Ken Swift knows danger, but nowhere does he feel it more than in his tangled romances. Divorced from one woman, in love with another, and wrestling with a strong desire to get to know a third, his life is far from perfect, and it becomes all the more complicated when his troubled daughter resurfaces on the same day as a major job.

As a hit man from the time he was very young, money, women, and danger have always ruled Gideon's life; but for the first time, the job is taking its toll. Neither Gideon nor the city of Buenos Aires has recovered from the mayhem caused during Gideon's last job. But before the dust has settled and the bodies have been buried, Gideon calls in backup - including the lovely Hawks, with whom Gideon has heated memories - to launch his biggest act of revenge yet...one he believes will destroy his adversary, Midnight, once and for all.

When Billie was eight years old, her father was murdered. Ever since that day, she has vowed to bring every criminal to justice, especially the man responsible for her father's death. Twenty years later, Billie is still on a mission to rid the streets of criminals. If she can't do it legally, then she takes matters into her own hands.

A century after Appomattox, the civil rights movement won full citizenship for black Americans in the South. It should not have been necessary: by 1870 those rights were set in the Constitution. This is the story of the terrorist campaign that took them away.

My world was built on lies and secrets, eating away at the good parts of me. When knowing too much incriminating information could get you killed, your only choices are to adapt or die. There are things about me others would never understand. Yet, one knowing look from her and I realize that my world just got more complicated. She could be my sanctuary in more ways than one. Or she might just be the siren leading me to my demise.

BLACK LOVE finds himself at a crossroads in life, fresh off a missing persons case he’s barely found his footing as a P.I. before he’s tasked with not only finding another missing girl but doing so in unfamiliar terrain. As a favor to an ally of his, SESHAT his hacker he assembles a makeshift team and travels abroad to Lagos, Nigeria to help SESHAT’S cousin AMANA find her stepdaughter who has been abducted by the leader of a militia. Sounds simple right? Find the girl, rescue the girl, don’t get killed. His teammates come with a set of complications of their own that doesn’t make ...

It's 1955 and ex-cop Tommy Smith is working as a crime writer for the only daily black newspaper in America when his boss, a prominent publisher with a politically complex past, turns up murdered, a group of corrupt white cops takes the opportunity to make sure Smith is prime suspect. To clear his name, Smith will need to enlist the help of his old boss, the resilient Sergeant McInnis - who has logged seven difficult years as the only white cop in a black precinct.

For 10 years, something has gnawed at Isaiah Quintabe's gut and kept him up nights, boiling with anger and thoughts of revenge. Ten years ago, when Isaiah was just a boy, his brother was killed by an unknown assailant. The search for the killer sent Isaiah plunging into despair and nearly destroyed his life. Even with a flourishing career, a new dog, and near-iconic status as a PI in his hometown, East Long Beach, he has to begin the hunt again - or lose his mind.

Jake Scarne has retired. But he has mixed feelings about it. He suspects that there is more to life than golf outings and sojourns down the Jersey Shore. Little does he know that some of his old skills will come in handy when the Staten Island Ferry he is on is hijacked! The hijackers claim they are terrorists. But their real motives are more venal. Scarne avails himself of possibly the most unusual ally he's ever had. But there is death and tragedy in this twisty tale that reminds some critics of two classic movies: DIE HARD and THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE-TWO-THREE. “IF YOU LIKE HARD-...

Evelyn Thomas may have bitten off more than she can chew when it comes to her relationship with Brandon Fletcher. It seems he is trying to clone her into an exact replica of his beloved fiancee, Cassandra, who was brutally murdered. He's also still obsessed with finding Cassandra's killer. When Cassandra's aunt Ruby is arrested for murder, she proclaims her innocence. She points the finger at Jabbar, a police officer who was having a secret affair with Cassandra before her death. Accusations fly and secrets are revealed as Brandon seeks the truth.

Essence best-selling authors Kiki Swinson and Noire have attracted huge audiences for their sexy, anything-goes fiction. Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless features a novella from each author. Swinson’s electric “Shamelessly Rich” showcases a spoiled bad girl facing a life-changing choice. And in Noire’s “Puttin’ Shame in the Game,” three gorgeous ladies set their sights on a wealthy cop.

An extraordinary fiction debut: a large, stirring novel of suspense that is, at the same time, a work of brilliantly astute social observation. Publishers Weekly predicts this "will be the talk of the political in-crowd this summer," and Booklist's starred review calls it "a roman à clef with fascinating insights into the behind-the-scenes machinations of racial and power politics." Don't miss this one!