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The Byzantine Fire is much more than a flawless ninety-carat ruby. As a stone it's worth over a million dollars, a value vastly increased by its pure gold band - but its history is what makes it priceless. A ring that has been fought for with sword and pen and passed from nation to nation by all manner of theft and trickery, has finally made its way to the United States. The US agrees to return it to Turkey, but it's about to be stolen twice more.

A mix of paranormal mystery, dark humor, and supernatural crime-solving, The Dead Detective box set follows Richelle Dadd, a cop who wakes up to find herself in the middle of a murder scene—her own. Book 1: The Dead Detective Detective Richelle Dadd has seen plenty of crime scenes, but she never expected to wake up in one. Now, as an undead investigator, she’s dealing with more than just a bitter divorce—she’s also on a mission to solve her own murder. But being reanimated comes with a catch: she’s been turned into a zombie assassin, forced to carry out dangerous assignments while...

If you like cozy mysteries with strong heroines, yummy food, lifelong friendships and plots that keep you guessing till the end, you will love the Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series. 44 year old Jenny King's suburban utopia comes crashing down when her husband dumps her for a younger model. Jenny accepts her eccentric aunt's offer and moves to the remote island of Pelican Cove. After moping around and licking her wounds for months, she starts working at the local cafe at her aunt's urging. Jenny's delicious food makes the small town famous. The rest is history. Jenny befriends a motley group ...

Tom Angleberger scored two critical and popular hits with his Star Wars–inspired The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back. In the hilarious Fake Mustache, young Lenny Flem Jr.’s friend Casper disguises himself with a shockingly convincing handlebar mustache and begins robbing banks, quickly amassing a fortune. Setting his sights on the presidency, Casper is working on plans for world domination—and only Lenny stands in his way.

Dr. Siri Paiboun, the ex-national coroner of Laos, may have more experience dissecting bodies than making art, but when he manages to smuggle a fancy movie camera into the country he devises a plan to shoot a Lao adaptation of War and Peace. The only problem? The Ministry of Culture must approve the script first. That and he can't figure out how to turn on the camera. Meanwhile, the skeleton of a woman has appeared under the Anusawari Arch in the middle of the night. Siri assists his friend, the newly promoted Senior Police Inspector Phosy Vongvichai, with the ensuing investigation.

When snobby candle maker Darcy Bloom ends up dead outside Junie Carmichael's bookshop, all signs point to local antiques dealer Walter Fitch. But Junie knows he's not the one with a guilty heir. Junie came to Thistleberry Point to pack up her late aunt's bookstore-not stumble over a dead body during the Midsummer Market. Darcy Bloom had a fake lineage, a real brooch, and a knack for making enemies. Now she's dead, and Walter Fitch is the prime suspect. But Junie isn't buying it. With her chatty parrot Edgar, her aunt's spirited best friend Flo, and a stong cup of local gossip, Junie digs ...

Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf's moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn - a leading player in one of Sweden's right-wing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates.

James Flynn is an expert shot, a black belt in karate, fluent in four languages, and irresistible to women. He’s also a heavily medicated patient in a Los Angeles psychiatric hospital. Flynn believes his locked ward is the HQ of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. When the hospital is acquired by a new HMO, Flynn is convinced that the Secret Service has been infiltrated by the enemy. He escapes to save the day, and in the process, Flynn kidnaps a young Hispanic orderly named Sancho. This crazy day trip turns into a very real adventure when Flynn is mistaken for an actual secret agent.

After the notorious 'Middle Street Massacre' of 1951, when the majority of Brighton's criminals wiped one another out in a vicious battle as the local police force enjoyed a brief stop en route for an ice cream, Inspector Steine rather enjoys life as a policeman. No criminals, no crime, no stress. He just wishes Sergeant Brunswick would stop insisting that perhaps not every criminal was wiped out that fateful day. So it's really rather annoying when an ambitious - not to mention irritating - new Constable shows up to work and starts investigating a series of burglaries.

Welcome to The Berry Home: where the food is to-die-for! Life is sweet for Kylie Berry: rebranding Sarah’s Eatery into her very own The Berry Home, tackling new recipes one step at a time, juggling two gorgeous suitors, and surviving near-death experiences by the skin of her teeth! "Winters will have you giggling into your book!" When another murder mystery lands smack dab on Kylie’s doorstep—in the most literal way—she swears off her sleuthing in favor of safer pursuits. But then her gorgeous suitor Brad comes calling with a highly unusual request: “I need you to investigate ...

Kelp has a plan, and John Dortmunder knows that means trouble. His friend Kelp is a jinx, and his schemes, no matter how well intentioned, tend to spiral quickly out of control. But this one, Kelp swears, is airtight. He read it in a book.

In county lock-up for a traffic charge, Kelp came across a library of trashy novels by an author named Richard Stark. The hero is a thief named Parker whose plans, unlike Kelp and Dortmunder's, always work out. In one, Parker orchestrates a kidnapping so brilliant that, Kelp thinks, it would have to work in real life.

What’s worse than a self-centered beauty queen? A cruise chock full of them! “Winters will have you giggling into your book!” But what if the self-centred beauty queen is also a murderer? When the Swan of the Seas hosts a beauty pageant, Adrienne is forced to spend her time dealing with narcissistic judges, oblivious contestants and a feminist protest. The event seems hectic enough, when Diana Penn, the esteemed beauty queen and headlining judge, is found murdered! Now, it’s up to Adrienne and her friends Cece, Sam, and First Officer Hot Stuff—er, First Officer Ethan Lee—to sort...

Adrienne is looking forward to the scrapbooking cruise, especially when she learns that her friend Minnie’s daughter, Vanessa, is joining them as a guest! However, Minnie and Addi's friends Cece and Greg Washington all seem to be acting rather strangely, and Addi can’t understand what’s gotten into them. Before she can figure out the bizarre behavior of the crew, this cruise’s guest of honor, scrapbooking superstar Irina Clark is murdered, and all signs point to Vanessa as the culprit. Could Minnie's daughter really have done it? Unfortunately, the Captain finds out what Minnie, ...

The Heritage Hall book fair was my chance to showcase my bookbinding techniques. Instead, I become the main suspect in a murder. Paper flowers and leather bindings filled my Heritage Hall book fair booth. This was my chance to showcase traditional bookbinding techniques. Instead, I found a dead authenticator in my space. Mark Henderson, known for exposing forgeries, lay sprawled among tools stolen from my exhibit. Making me the prime suspect. Book preservation is my passion - being a murder suspect, not so much. I teamed up with Fitzgerald, my Maine Coon cat and journalist Jennifer Walsh to...

“Steve Rockfish is back and kicking militia ass. In fact, the whole crew is back, busting balls as they solve crimes and track down the bad guys. The wisecracks fly fast and furious. So do the twists and turns. The bad guys are badder, the danger more dangerous, and every character as endearing as they are dysfunctional. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” –Haris Orkin, award-winning author of The James Flynn Escapades Private investigators Steve Rockfish and Jawnie McGee's loyalty is tested when they are called upon to rescue a friend whose plan to grift a local militia goes ...

A captivating spy story, brimming with more twists and turns than a Golden Ager’s hula-hoop convention, Hornett’s debut comedy novel introduces the world to Britain's latest, and most endearing, special agent, Maggie Matheson. Fans of Richard Osman's Murder Club books and The Hundred Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson will simply love this book. “A laugh-out-loud spy thriller with a twist. Maggie is a thumping good story which keeps you guessing to the end” “Hilarious... you’ll fall in love with eccentric Maggie in minutes..." “Maggie ...

When cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black is asked to investigate a suspicious book club member, she never expects her client to disappear under mysterious circumstances. But when Violeta Redgrave goes missing, Tiffany and Ian find themselves trying to uncover just what happened to her, and why she hired them in the first place… Meanwhile, Tiffany is house-sitting for her friend Jack Weber, and she and Ian find themselves entangled with an unusual secret society. Praise for A.R. Winters: "Fans of Stephanie Plum, meet Tiffany Black, A.R. Winters's new heroine." - Rea, Amazon.com "You fall...

What could go wrong with a classic cinema themed cruise? Especially when the guest list includes former movie stars, a well-known movie critic and semi-retired producer… "Winters will have you giggling into your book!" Unfortunately, a lot does go wrong. From minor mishaps to more serious issues, from vandalized posters to missing jewelry… Adrienne and her friends find themselves juggling one mini-crisis after the other. Just when things seem to be improving, Addi discovers the dead body of a one of the special guests, a former scream queen with a slasher-movie-worthy knife in her chest...

Fletch, now newly engaged and happily living out his days in Italy, finds himself embroiled in yet another scandal. His soon-to-be father-in-law has been kidnapped and is now presumed dead, and the priceless collection of rare art that belongs to his fiancée’s family has been stolen. Ever the investigative reporter, he receives a tip about the missing art that lands him in Boston, where he walks right into a murder scene in his apartment. What clearly looks like a setup to the unfazed Fletch looks quite different to the detective assigned to the case, Mr. Francis Xavier Flynn.

When a gambling debt puts him between a rock and a swim in the Hudson with concrete shoes, Smithy has no choice but to take the worst job imaginable. The gig - as prey in a leprechaun hunt for a bunch of Wall Street jerks - goes as badly as it sounds. He could leave it there and write it off as a harsh lesson learned, but 14 months later when Smithy comes up with a plan to take his revenge on the man behind it all, it is too good to resist.