Fiction African American Suspense

In the business of high-end, no-limits desire, Desdemona Dean is the best there is. She fiercely protects the women who work for her and helps them attain the lives they deserve - especially when it comes to her beautiful, troubled new protege, Portia. But for Desi, having it all is no longer enough. She wants everything her shattered childhood denied her. And as she pursues an education and a normal life, she's falling hard for her handsome tutor - and can't resist schooling him in ways that are turning into more than just passion.

Meet the gang; Wynn, Daena, Kaiman, and Teion. They’ve been thick as thieves since the third grade and blood couldn’t make them closer. While time seemed to sail by, friendship turned into love, and lust morphed into infatuation. Unbeknownst to the gang, the sins of their parent’s past have created a prowler that’s willing to do anything he can to obtain his heart’s desires; including kill. On the night deemed as a rite of passage for teenagers, tragedy is struck. Leaving everyone wheeling, friendships torn, and lovers scorned. Buckle up, because this two part series is about to ...

Trudy Bell needs to do something to spice up her life and hopes that her new job with the Bon Voyage Travel Agency will do the trick. But envy for her boss' glamorous lifestyle turns into a downward spiral that could end up costing her more than just her job.

When the organizing committee for her upcoming high school reunion needs a caterer, Halia agrees to help out. Soon she's serving up her signature macaroni and cheese and famous chicken wings to a host of appreciative ex-classmates. Some folks have blossomed since graduation. Others, like manipulative Raynell Rollins, currently married to a former football star, haven't changed nearly enough. When Raynell is found dead the morning after the reunion, the role call of possible suspects could fill the school gymnasium. Extramarital affairs, mega-church scandals and sports secrets...

Twenty- one year old Aja Lanae Masters has been in hiding for four years. She has lost her family, boyfriends, and her peace of mind. She has given up on a happily ever after because everyone she loves has either died or been threatened because of her. When she decides to come out of hiding due to unexpected circumstances, she meets a man just as broken as her. The attraction is undeniable but will her demons come to kill the new love that is developing. Twenty- five year old Roland "Ro" Symir Casey deals in death. His whole world is killing, money, and revenge. He is cold- hearted and ...

Identity thief Lauren Kelly thought she was safe. The millions she stole from her double-crossing accomplice and ex-lover Matt Connors bought a quiet upscale life for her; her unsuspecting new husband, Drake; and their precious baby. But betrayal was just the beginning. When both Drake and the baby go missing, it's courtesy of a vengeful Matt. Lauren has less than 24 hours to give him back the money. She's prepared for any payback - but nothing can keep this exchange from going all-the-way wrong.

For Reece and Qwess, being rap superstars was the dream, but in real life, nothing moved without the money. So they formed the Crescent Crew, an outfit of young, ruthless hustlers who locked the Southern drug trade in a stranglehold. They're at the height of their power when Qwess is offered a record deal from a major label. He accepts and makes plans for his whole crew to go legit, but Reece enjoys his position as king of the streets and has no desire to relinquish his crown.

Now that she’s returned to New Orleans for Thanksgiving break, Viva is charged with figuring out the truth behind a mysterious bout of illness traced back to a local creole restaurant called Madame Bouchard’s. Were customers poisoned on purpose, or was it a simple cooking mistake? And who could be behind the chaos? Viva only has a week to solve the culinary mystery, and to do so, she’ll have to contend with a longtime rivalry, rumors of voodoo magic, and Thanksgiving dinner with her extended family!

Carmen has gotten her wish. Renee is no longer queen. Being stripped of her title and the power that comes with it, Renee must start from scratch and rebuild what she once controlled. Having turned their backs on one another, Renee's once strong circle is now dismantled, and each individual is after what ripped them apart - Carmen. Carmen's making it hard for them to capture her and doing whatever she must to survive. Renee wants revenge along with everyone else, but will she achieve it, or will she die in battle without the help of Julian and Dane?

Three friends. One slim chance to beat the streets. But even when you fight your way out by any means necessary, cold hard cash is still no guarantee you'll escape....

Essence® best-selling authors Kiki Swinson and De’nesha Diamond are two rising stars in the world of urban fiction. Heist presents two novellas starring young women hustling their way to the top of the game through daring robbery schemes. In Swinson’s The Ultimate Heist, pampered Shannon Marshall is accustomed to a big-money lifestyle. Her world is shattered, however, when her man is thrown into prison for gun running.

Gangsta Divas puts listeners on the streets of Memphis, where gang wars are heating up thanks to the arrival of dangerous new players - the Cripettes. Ta’shara is planning to knock her sister off her perch and climbing to the top of the game. Qiana’s deal with the devil places her directly in the crosshairs of forces ready to take her out. And Queen G LeShelle’s list of enemies keeps on growing. But for these gangsta divas, it’s all part of the game - one they’re determined to win.

Stacy has always been the good girl from her Brooklyn neighborhood, balancing her studies and dreams of a better life while navigating the gritty reality of project living. But everything changes when a traumatic event shatters her innocence, pushing her into the depths of a world she wanted no parts of. In the wake of her violation, Stacy’s perspective on life flips upside down; the streets that once seemed dangerous now feel like her only escape. Desperate for connection and understanding, she finds herself drawn to Ace, a charismatic yet hardened boy from her projects who knows the ins...

Ever since he was a kid, Xavier Marshall lived in fear at his grandparent’s desolated home. His life consisted of chores, being abused by his grandfather, and communicating with spirits from the dead. Being raised around evil had lasting effects on Xavier, and it turned his mind so dark he grew up to become evil too. But when karma goes on the prowl, Xavier isn’t the only one hunting the innocent around Savannah. He too becomes a victim after a gruesome accident, which makes him wish he hadn’t given karma a reason to come around. In this chilling tale we see just how horrific karma ...

MEMORIES BECOME THE MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON WHEN YOU CAN'T TRUST YOUR OWN. Willow Harper has been charged with the brutal murder of her friends. But confined to Bordeaux Behavioral Hospital with no recollection of that tragic night, she is left questioning her own innocence. Public defender Donovan Thomas takes on her case, determined to get to the truth. But Willow's convenient amnesia raises more questions than answers. Why can't she recall any details? And why does it seem like she's hiding something? But to comprehend Willow's unstable grip on reality means confronting the cracks in his ...

Thanks to James Johnson's ground-breaking technology, the drug game and oil exports are now on life support. His prophecy has been fulfilled. However, the Saudi Arabian Oil King, Shalik Khalid, has unleashed a vicious death squad on American soil. The message is clear, and now the surviving members of the Johnson clan must regroup, while the architect of their movement lies in critical condition. The reigns have been passed down and now there exists one logical decision for the heirs to the throne. "Bring to them what they brought to us!"

Shannon Mitchell gambled that betraying her husband's biggest heist ever was her way out of the game for good. Losing that bet put her in lockdown - and at the top of Todd Mitchell's revenge-fueled hit list. Now she'll work every seductive move and lethal play to survive. 'Cause when it comes to wreaking her own vengeance, this devious beauty isn't taking any prisoners....

If she could rename herself, Tashay would go by the sex goddess. For her, nothing beat the thrill of seduction and the money that followed. Super thick! Sexy! With a pretty face and a waist that turned heads. Every time! The attention fueled her confidence, and she loved every moment of it. It was such a blessing to be a bad bitch! Raised in Brooklyn among the d-boys, she naturally became entwined in their world, eventually forming a reluctant relationship with a demanding sidepiece known as Slow. Yeah, he took care of her well. Financially. Dicked her down. Stupendously! But he was a nag, ...

What’s done in the dark always comes to the light, doesn’t it? In part two of this jaw-dropping series, Ace's revelation has the family reeling with shock, but Paris is on cloud nine as she finally has the man of her dreams with no interruption—but will her bliss be short-lived as she and Ace struggle with choosing a hard right over an easy wrong? A lucrative record deal promises to bring Majesty the fame and fortune they’ve always dreamed of, but once the money is laid on the table, things take a treacherous detour when Danger’s true motives come spilling forth with a shock-wave ...

Enzo and Angel are back and this time with a vengeance. Micah was hell-bent on forcing their hands and pushing them back into the lifestyle they'd left behind after Damien Orlando's demise. With time ticking away along with Enzo's desire to keep his career and family intact, he will become the monster Micah accused him of being. Enzo will embrace the darkness that flows freely through his veins and make Micah rue the day he awakened the sleeping giant.