Animal Mysteries

Acclaimed scientist and author Bernd Heinrich has returned every year since boyhood to a beloved patch of western Maine woods. What is the biology in humans of this deep-in-the-bones pull toward a particular place, and how is it related to animal homing? Heinrich explores the fascinating science chipping away at the mysteries of animal migration: how geese imprint true visual landscape memory; how scent trails are used by many creatures, from fish to insects to amphibians, to pinpoint their home if they are displaced from it; and more.

A songbird holds the key to a mystery that’s foiled lesser sleuths than this sheepdog Sherlock. An antique birdcage attracts a winged visitor singing sad songs of small-town wrongs. Ivy and Jilly follow a colorful feathered friend to uncover a mysterious stash of love letters. While planning for Jilly’s upcoming wedding, they commit to finding the lovelorn couple, stumbling from one crisis to another as villains old and new try to foil them in their mission. Will they be able to figure out the story behind the bird’s gorgeous tune before it flies… and someone else dies?

Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next door to the zoo. Megan is the first to notice the puzzling behavior of some of the animals. One day Megan disappears, and her brother and their friends realize it’s up to them to find her. Their only choice is to follow a series of clues and sneak into the zoo. But once inside, will they discover there’s much more to the Clarksville City Zoo than they could ever have guessed?

With Old Town's DIY Home Decorating Festival in full swing, Sophie's swamped. Still, when her best friend, Nina, suddenly needs a ride from the airport, Sophie is happy to help...until she sees Nina disembarking in a state of disarray. It's obvious the trip to Portugal soured somewhere along the way. But after one of Nina's traveling companions turns up murdered the following day, Sophie knows something is truly rotten. Though the crime scene is staged to look like an accident, Sophie isn't fooled and peels off to conduct her own investigation.

While studying wolverines on a wildlife sanctuary in Montana, biologist Alex Carter is run off the road and threatened by locals determined to force her off the land. Undeterred in her mission to help save this threatened species, Alex tracks wolverines on foot and by cameras positioned in remote regions of the preserve. But when she reviews the photos, she discovers disturbing images of an animal of a different kind: a severely injured man seemingly lost and wandering in the wilds.

Reporter Vera Vixen is a relative newcomer to Shady Hollow. The fox has a nose for news, so when she catches wind that the death might be a murder, she resolves to get to the bottom of the case, no matter where it leads. As she stirs up still waters, the fox exposes more than one mystery, and discovers that additional lives are in jeopardy. Vera finds more to this town than she ever suspected. It seems someone in the Hollow will do anything to keep her from solving the murder, and soon it will take all of Vera’s cunning and quickness to crack the case.

Everybody loves Mother Paula's pancakes. Everybody, that is, except the colony of cute but endangered owls that live on the building site of the new restaurant. Can the awkward new kid and his feral friend prank the pancake people out of town? Or is the owls' fate cemented in pancake batter?

When wildlife biologist Alex Carter is tasked with locating jaguars on a vast desert preserve in New Mexico, she is ecstatic. While jaguars once roamed throughout the Southwest, they are now endangered, with only a handful remaining, and Alex hopes some of the sleek and elusive creatures have found their way to the protected sanctuary. Meanwhile, an archaeological team is excavating the gravesite of a sixteenth-century Spanish conquistador on a neighboring piece of land.

Bobby thought a weekend getaway at the Hearst Castle would be a refreshing break from murder and movies. But when a storm isolates the party guests and one of the maids is found dead, Bobby and his friends spring into action realizing all their lives could be in danger. It's 1924 and the party never stops with Marion Davis as the hostess with the most coveted invitation to the newly built castle at San Simeon. When Bobby wrangles an invite, of course, he brings along his pals Clara Bow and his not-so-secret crush Rick Suarez. Joyce, Bobby's eccentric mother, even gets to tag along. They ...

Welcome to the weirdest school year of Hector P. Blart’s life. One minute he’s just a regular 11-year-old trying to survive spelling tests and mystery meat lunches. The next? He’s dodging cursed homework assignments, haunted lockers, and a ghost substitute teacher who hasn’t checked out since the ‘90s. Oh, and let’s not forget Slime—the bookworm who’s literally a worm and may or may not eat overdue library cards. This is a suspense-packed, laugh-out-loud adventure perfect for boys (and brave girls) ages 9–12—or anyone with a 5th-grade reading comprehension level who ...

When retired police detective Albert Smith and his dog wander into a small town in the French mountains, no one expects the trouble they will uncover. A body has been unearthed at a nearby archaeological dig and it's clear no one was ever supposed to find it. The locals deny all knowledge; they have no idea who it could be, but there is something disturbing about how they all give the exact same answer. And what of the archaeologists? What were they really looking for? It wasn't the Stone Age settlement they claim to be after. Does everyone in this town have a secret they don't want exposed?

Think Electraweave. Think of fabrics of tomorrow! Textile scientist Eliza Bennett attends a textile conference where she plans to present her work, accompanied by her talking cat, Merlin. Their plans are disrupted by a blackout during which Eliza's presentation banner is stolen, leading them to uncover a complex plot involving corporate espionage, a mysterious surveillance network, and a dangerous rival named Croft who seeks to weaponize Eliza's technology for his own gain. Eliza's revolutionary material called Electraweave nullifies static discharge and has potential applications in space....

Every town has its secrets, but no one has a secret like hers. Amber Blackwood, lifelong resident of Edgehill, Oregon, has earned a reputation for being a semi-reclusive odd duck. Her store The Quirky Whisker is full of curiosities, from extremely potent sleepy teas and ever-burning candles to kids' toys that seem to run endlessly without the aid of batteries. The people of Edgehill think of the Quirky Whisker as an integral part of their feline-obsessed town, but most give Amber herself a wide berth.

Winner of the Firebird Book Award for Summer Beach Read in 2024! If you enjoy Christy Barritt’s Beach Bound Books, you'll adore this cozy mystery set in the Coastal Carolinas… Here’s what reviewers had to say about Murder at Sea Oats Beach: “Those who enjoy reading cozy mysteries with a touch of humor and romance will enjoy Murder at Sea Oats Beach. It makes for an excellent beach read…” ~Crimefictioncritic “Engaging characters, perfect setting and delightful twists kept me guessing.” ~Amazon reviewer “If you love a good mystery, the beach and a bevy of cute, cuddly ...

Every Christmas season Holiday Hills turns into a magical, witchy wonderland filled with snowmen, sugar cookies by the dozen, and bottomless mugs overflowing with hot cocoa and whipped cream. Everyone in town looks forward to the season, but all celebrating comes to a grinding halt when the big guy’s messengers arrive with the worst of news. It seems someone’s stolen Santa’s list and hidden it in Holiday Hills. Without it, Christmas won’t happen, and a world without Christmas can never be the same. But Abby and her familiar cat Cooper won’t let that happen, not on their watch. Can...

Join the legion of fans who have made Erin Hunter’s Warriors series a bestselling phenomenon. More thrilling adventures, epic action, and fierce warrior cats await in Warriors #5: A Dangerous Path.

A slumber party over at Lucille's richie nanna's big giant house is sure to be a dream come true for Junie B.! 'Cause what could possibly go wrong?

Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the good-natured librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel that he walks on a leash. He's returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but soon enough he's entangled in a real-life thriller. A famous author of gory bestsellers and a former classmate of Charlie's, Godfrey Priest may be the pride of Athena, but Charlie remembers him as an arrogant, manipulative jerk—and he's not the only one. Godfrey's homecoming as a distinguished alumnus couldn't possibly go worse: by lunch, he's put a man in the hospital.

Sun, surf and Seriously Amazing Food – it’s a dream destination for Tiffany, Rosie, Stone and Nanna as they head to an exclusive resort in Hawaii. Unfortunately, their work-cation bliss is shattered when a guest staying in the resort is murdered, and Tiff and Rosie are asked to investigate. But was the intended victim actually someone else, and will the killer strike again? The team must work quickly to prevent another death… Praise for A.R. Winters: "The perfect balance of being lighthearted, but still a serious page-turning mystery." - Jaycie D, Amazon.com "A fun cozy mystery with ...

The London cops knocking on the door are looking for a murderer. The American couple who answer the door- aren’t the right Americans. Or are they? They claim to be house sitters Joan and Alen Arny. Alen’s a former Texas sheriff. But the cops aren’t sure what to believe. The homeowners are Addison and Layne Cotton, also the owners of the consignment shop Love it or Thrift it. Their business rival is dead- a victim of murder. The Cotton’s just flew to the United States, for their first trip home in five years. Talk about bad timing. Now they look even more suspicious of murder. Do ...