{"title":"Mystery, Thriller \u0026 Suspense","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-jade-tiger-9781735244907","title":"The Jade Tiger","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2021 National Indie Excellence Award Finalist, Mystery\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cb\u003e BookLife Prize Finalist, Mystery\/Thriller\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Set in 1928, Cooper's promising debut and series launch introduces aspiring opera singer Penelope Harris...Cooper reveals intriguing secrets about her lead that make the prospect of future books welcome. Fans of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher will enjoy Penelope's adventures.\"\u003cem\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e—Publisher’s Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"…an engrossing and polished historical mystery that wins high marks for authentic settings, a multi-layered plot, and vibrant characters enhanced by clever dialogue and differentiating voices. Set in 1928, descriptions and vernacular phrasing reminds the reader of time and place but never gets trite.” —\u003c\/span\u003eMary Amati\u003cem\u003e, BookLife \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Jade Tiger \u003c\/em\u003etransports the reader to the 1920s, when opera singers and adept piano players graced high-end social events...The 1920s atmosphere, the well-developed characters, and the murder-mystery thread make this novel a worthy read.\"\u003cem\u003e —InD'Tale Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNEW YORK, OCTOBER 1928. The Big Apple teems with the glitter of Bright Young Things, Prohibition, and scofflaws\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e—the \u003c\/span\u003eperfect place for Penelope Harris to start her life over.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a former opera singer turned Shanghai nightclub owner, she's seen and done a lot, maybe too much. With any luck, she'll leave more than The Jade Tiger casino behind her\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003ea murdered husband, a blackmailing torch singer, and Thom Lund, the ex-cop who stole her heart. But Penelope has never had that kind of luck; her past is already waiting for her in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen someone murders her chiseling blackmailer at an out-of-control party and Thom is accused of the crime, Penelope must face down her darkest memories to prove his innocence. Is the murderer her cousin Charles, suckered into a hasty marriage by Penelope's blackmailer? Or is it Penelope's over-protective mother, who can't remember a thing after a blow to the head? Or was it Thom after all, ready to commit murder to save Penelope from the blackmailer's wicked plans?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the opulent mansions of the obscenely wealthy and the grit of a Hell's Kitchen speakeasy, Penelope and Thom must navigate double-crosses, bad liquor, bootleggers, and dark, obsessive love to find the murderer before the past reaches out to put a noose around both their necks. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor Bio:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE.W. Cooper is the author of the award winning Penelope Harris historical mystery series—\u003ci\u003eThe Jade Tiger \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eMurder at the Met. \u003c\/i\u003eA lifelong fan of classic whodunit mysteries and Grand Opera, Ms. Cooper lives quietly with her partner, children, three dogs, and one cat in a very noisy house in South Texas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\u0026amp;q=jade%20tiger*\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\u0026amp;q=jade%20tiger*\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eShop the Penelope Harris Mysteries series\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ink Dog Press","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716162330794,"sku":"9781735244907","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_1b1d6226-9317-499e-a772-8ebf21e32e6d.jpg?v=1636991324"},{"product_id":"dont-say-a-word-9780990695189","title":"Don't Say a Word","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Powerful and absorbing … Sheer hold-your-breath suspense.” \u003cem\u003e—NY Times, USA Today,\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eand Publishers Weekly bestselling author, Karen Robards\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e12 weeks on the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e Bestseller List!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom #1 \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author Barbara Freethy comes an award winning tale of romance and suspense.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverything she's been told about her past is a lie...\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJulie De Marco is planning a perfect San Francisco wedding when she comes face-to-face with a famous photograph, the startling image of a little girl behind the iron gate of a foreign orphanage—a girl who looks exactly like her. But Julia isn't an orphan. She isn't adopted. And she's never been out of the country. She knows who she is—or does she?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaunted by uncertainty, Julia sets off on a dangerous search for her true identity—her only clues a swan necklace and an old Russian doll, her only ally daring, sexy photographer Alex Manning. Suddenly nothing is as it seems. The people Julia loved and trusted become suspicious strangers. The relationships she believed in—with her mother, her sister, and her fianc\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eé—are shaken by new revelations. The only person she can trust is Alex, but he has secrets of his own. Each step brings her closer to a mysterious past that began a world away—a past that still has the power to threaten her life...and change her future forever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore Reviews:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A page-turner that engages your mind while it tugs at your heartstrings...\u003cem\u003eDon't Say a Word\u003c\/em\u003e had made me a Barbara Freethy fan for life!\" \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e—NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Diane Chamberlain\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"An absorbing story of two people determined to unravel the secrets, betrayals, and questions about their past. The story builds to an explosive conclusion that will leave readers eagerly awaiting Barbara Freethy's next book.\" \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—NY Times bestselling author Carla Neggars\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Dark, hidden secrets and stunning betrayal boil together in a potent and moving suspense. Freethy's story-telling ability is top-notch.\" \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Romantic Times Magazine Top Pick of the Month\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What drew me to \u003cem\u003eDon't Say a Word\u003c\/em\u003e was the fear of the unknown. Everybody has questions about who they are and where they came from,, but to come face to face with the answers is scary. Ms. Freethy created a world full of suspense that is as thrilling as it is tragic. Julie serves as a beacon that from some of life's darkest moment can rise many of the brightest.” \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e—I Love Romance Blog\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBarbara Freethy is a #1 \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of 41 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened her own publishing company in 2011 and has since sold over 4.8 million copies of her books. Nineteen of her titles have appeared on the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e USA Today\u003c\/em\u003e Bestseller Lists. In July of 2014, Barbara was named the Amazon KDP bestselling author of ALL TIME! She was also the first indie author to sell over 1 million copies at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon. An author known for writing emotional stories about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations, Barbara has received starred reviews from \u003cem\u003ePublishers' Weekly \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e Library Journal\u003c\/em\u003e and has also received six nominations for the RITA for Best Single Title Contemporary Romance from \u003cem\u003eRomance Writers of America.\u003c\/em\u003e She has won the honor twice for her novels \u003cem\u003eDaniel's Gift \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e The Way Back Home. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?page=2\u0026amp;q=barbara+freethy%2A\u0026amp;type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShop all Barbara Freethy books\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48023852843178,"sku":"9780990695189","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_3db1818e-7502-473f-bc01-b36114ac142b.jpg?v=1636991184"},{"product_id":"the-martini-club-mystery-9780997676150","title":"The Martini Club Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSmart. Savvy. Retired. Bored. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe members of The Martini Club include a former CIA operative, a one-time Washington ad man, an ex-journalist, a retired brothel owner, an ex-airline pilot, and a non-practicing rabbi. This eclectic group assembles once a month to drink gin martinis, debate great issues and tell stories that may or may not be true. When an enigmatic financier offers them a chance to get “back in the game” and turn one-million dollars into untold riches, the retirees jump at the opportunity. But their plans are quickly stymied by the suspicious death of a local landowner, forcing The Martini Club to sober up and investigate potentially deadly hidden agendas.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSCROLL FOR SAMPLE!\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor Bio:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlan Eysen wrote for many years about real-world financial and political corruption. At \u003cem\u003eNewsday\u003c\/em\u003e, he served as a prominent member of the investigative team that won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for exposing misconduct involving Long Island public officials. After more than thirty years in journalism, he became a political consultant and experienced the other side of the story. Today, Eysen resides in the lowcountry of South Carolina, where he continues to write and be inspired by the colorful characters and harrowing situations he experienced firsthand as a reporter. He can often be found crafting his strong fictional characters with the help of an equally strong dry gin martini.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Excerpt:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cu\u003eChapter 1: Flying\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJay Corrigan flew lazy circles over the Parrot’s Caw subdivision. The sky was azure blue; the golf course below a winding strip of brilliant green. This was the time the retired airline pilot had been waiting for—no schedules, no responsibilities, just the pure joy of making lazy circles in the sky.\u003cbr\u003eThe tiny two-seat Cessna 152 responded instantly to Corrigan’s touch. He was hands-on flying in this little high winged bird. He and the plane were one body linked by touch. Corrigan no longer was managing a computer-driven commercial plane, responsible for hundreds of passengers. He was just having fun.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eOops\u003c\/em\u003e, he thought, remembering he did have one responsibility today. He had promised the Parrot’s Caw Property Owners Association that he would take photographs of the fifteen-hundred-acre development, with its thirty miles of roads and drains, its seventy-five drainage ponds, its twenty-plus miles of walking and biking trails, and many acres of carefully trimmed flowers, bushes and trees. The association board had requested the photos as part of its preparation for negotiations with the property’s developer.\u003cbr\u003eYet he hesitated.\u003cbr\u003eInstead of shooting photos, he climbed to thirty-five hundred feet to get a more panoramic view of the area. There was Parrot’s Caw, a complex of more than two thousand homes, town homes and condominiums. Its residents were upper middle class, mostly a mixture of successful businessmen and professionals—doctors, lawyers, accountants and engineers. Of course, he had met some offbeat souls, retired college professors, an ex-CIA operative, even a former journalist. Good folks to drink with.\u003cbr\u003eThe neighborhood’s manicured lawns, landscaped gardens and rolling golf course painted a sharp contrast to what Corrigan saw when he looked to the southeast. There, he spotted a distinctly different neighborhood. It was made up mostly of rundown shanties and mobile homes sitting on concrete blocks. Poor blacks lived there. He could make out several of them riding bikes on the slender, two-lane roads—\u003cem\u003enot for the exercise\u003c\/em\u003e, he thought, \u003cem\u003ebut because they can’t afford cars. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo the south lay the city of Stuarton, known to many as The Miracle City because the colonial seaport town had survived a British siege and blockade during the Revolutionary War by trickery as much as grim de­termination. Its militiamen intermixed real and artificial cannons on their ramparts to give a more formidable appearance and poked numerous unmanned rifles out of windows and over parapets to further the impression of a greater number of defenders. Some of their dead were propped up behind these weapons to add authenticity. After weeks of bombardment, the British fleet withdrew rather than test Stuarton’s defenses further by landing troops.\u003cbr\u003eToday, Stuarton residents were largely middle class, earning their living from small businesses that catered either to the tourist trade or the sale of farm products. A small section was filled with venerable mansions, some still occupied by the heirs of their original builders. Most of these architectural jewels, however, were now in the hands of successful entrepreneurs and celebrities who enjoyed a certain anonymity among Stuarton’s polite, look-the-other-way citizenry.\u003cbr\u003eFlying in a slow turn to the north, Corrigan was able to peer out his window far to the west. There he saw miles of farms and small ranches. \u003cem\u003eDamn\u003c\/em\u003e, he thought, \u003cem\u003eI think I see some cattle and real cowboys down there. Now it’s time to play. \u003c\/em\u003eWith that, he pushed the throttle in to full power and pulled the control wheel into his gut. The Cessna’s engine roared as its nose pointed straight up to the sky. For a tantalizing moment, the plane remained motionless, stalled, as if hung on an invisible string. Then, its left wing dropped precipitously, and the plane began to spin— slowly at first, then more rapidly. It looked to Corrigan as if the earth, not the plane, was spinning more and more rapidly as it rose up toward him. He laughed, shoved the control wheel forward, leveled the wings, pressed hard on the right rudder and reduced power. As the spin stopped, he eased off the right rudder and gently pulled back on the control wheel, putting the plane back in level flight. \u003cem\u003eFun’s over. \u003c\/em\u003eThe altimeter indicated he had lost 150 feet.\u003cbr\u003eHe turned back to the southeast toward Parrot’s Caw and began a slow descent. He reached for his camera, an old German Leica, banked the plane over to a for­ty-five-degree angle, and began shooting. By the time he tied down the little rental plane, he was ready for a drink. \u003cem\u003eWhere the hell are Brady, Smyth and Ginsberg when you need them?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cu\u003eChapter 2: In the Beginning\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMany of Brody Brady’s personal daily rituals were the result of his creative imagination. There was, for example, his Tuesday and Thursday walking schedule. On those two days, Brady wore a towel around his neck and a headband that said FEDERER. He would start his walks at precisely 10:00 a.m., which allowed him to reach his halfway point, the development’s tennis courts, a half hour later. This coincided with the conclusion of the regular women’s doubles tennis matches. Brady would offer his towel to any attractive lady who seemed in need of such assistance. Soon the players expected Brady to arrive, and some struck up an acquaintance with “that charming man.”\u003cbr\u003eOn Wednesdays, Brady would borrow his neighbor’s Yorkshire Terrier for a walk. He had learned that women were attracted to small, fluffy dogs. Though the Yorkie was a male named Brute, on their walks Brady called him Lover Girl. A heavy coat of hair concealed the distinguishing male member until the dog was picked up to be cuddled. This made for lengthy conversations with women concerning male and female anatomy. After each walk, Brady returned the dog promptly to its owner, borrowing it off schedule only if a Yorkie-loving woman decided to pay him a personal visit.\u003cbr\u003eMondays and Fridays were set aside for what Brady called “conversation walks,” strolls with a special group of men more or less his age. He was seventy-eight. All the men invited on these walks were bright, well educated, mostly retired, and above all interesting. They also shared a kindred taste for martinis.\u003cbr\u003eThe Brady walkers, as they began calling themselves, met at the entrance to the Parrot’s Caw Clubhouse, an English Tudor structure that fed and lubricated golfers, pinochle players and those interested in spending a day away from their spouses. It was after one such conversation walk that The Martini Club was born. To say it was formally created would be an overstatement. Best to say it simply evolved from a discussion between Brady and Nathan Ginsberg on the merits of drinking, and their inability to do so while walking.\u003cbr\u003eGinsberg was slightly younger than Brady, and could discuss anything from philosophy to baseball scores with wit and wisdom. He was tall, nearly as tall as Brady. Unlike Brady, though, Ginsberg was broad shouldered and muscular with a perpetual three days growth of beard. He could have passed for one of those mature male mod­els featured in erectile dysfunction commercials.\u003cbr\u003e“What I admire about you, Nathan,” Brady said, “is that you can hold your liquor so well. In my ethnic persuasion, that would be considered a badge of honor. In yours, probably not so much.”\u003cbr\u003e“True, especially since I am a rabbi.”\u003cbr\u003e“A rabbi?” Brady responded in disbelief. “During my days in Washington, I ran into lots of Jews who could drink with the best, but none of them was a rabbi.”\u003cbr\u003e“A heavy drinking Jew is the quintessential assim­ilationist. If he can drink like a goy, he can pass for a goy, so deep is the Jewish inferiority complex,” Ginsberg replied. “But passing for a goy doesn’t work well in the rabbi business. Congregations want rabbis not only to be Jewish, but to look Jewish and smell Jewish. That means, horseradish on your breath…yes; liquor on your breath… no. Fortunately, I am retired. I took up drinking after my working years. All that being said, there is precedence for having a drunken leader in the Bible.”\u003cbr\u003e“Is this going to be a sermon on the virtues of drinking?” Brady asked in expectation of some witty Talmudic offering. “Being of Irish heritage and having labored in some of the best bars in D.C., I can say I need no conversion.”\u003cbr\u003e“In your case, no conversion, just a little Jewish perspective,” Ginsberg responded. “I think you already understand the sins and virtues of alcohol. In Genesis, God decides he doesn’t like the life He has created on earth with Adam and Eve, so He tries again. He floods the world, and drowns everybody except for one righteous man, his family and a bunch of animals—there is some dispute as to their number—but in the end, all are saved, and life begins again on this lonely planet.”\u003cbr\u003e“Touching. So what’s the point?”\u003cbr\u003e“The point is this: the one righteous man He picks to lead the little band of start-overs is a vintner named Noah. Immediately after he finds dry land, what does Noah do?”\u003cbr\u003e“I know.” Brady responded with a wink. “He lets all those creatures off the ark to go copulate.”\u003cbr\u003e“My question was rhetorical, smart guy. The Bible says, ‘And Noah, the farmer, began and planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine and was drunken.’ Things get a little sloppy after that, but Noah lived nine hundred and fifty years and started a whole line of descendants, including you and me. My point is that if it weren’t for a drunken pre-Jew, none of us would be here.”\u003cbr\u003e“Hallelujah,” replied Brady. “And that explains why Jesus turned water into wine. He just wanted to keep the party going.”\u003cbr\u003eBefore Ginsberg could reply, Gerald Smyth joined them with a healthy clap on both their backs. “So boys, what are we going to argue about today?”\u003cbr\u003eIt was then that Brady had an epiphany. “The three of us love to drink martinis, tell wild stories and argue about everything from politics to women. Why don’t we meet at each other’s homes instead of on the street, so we can imbibe while we altercate? The host will supply the martinis and some food. We can call it The Martini Club. Each of us can bring in an additional member as long as he is a kindred spirit.”\u003cbr\u003e“There must be only one rule,” Ginsberg responded, “that there are no rules, no passwords, no secret handshakes or special number cards with our faces on them, nothing that will bring order out of the chaos we are seeking.”\u003cbr\u003e“Agreed,” Smyth said.\u003cbr\u003e“Whoa,” Brady objected. “You have suggested a rule that cannot be put in place unless there are rules for voting a rule in or out of place. Without such formative rules, there can be no way to adopt primal rules for barring rules.”\u003cbr\u003e“I would suggest that does not have to be the case,” Ginsberg countered. “The religious and scientific laws that govern us did not require an a priori mechanism to put them in place. These laws are givens. They are inherent to the universe, like gravity and magnetism. God made them all out of nothing, a void.”\u003cbr\u003e“Are you, rabbi, suggesting that God created gravity and magnetism?” asked Brady.\u003cbr\u003e“Yes, exactly. Science can’t explain what set this all in motion. I am suggesting that God is our convenient name for the universality that put all these laws in place without benefit of outside jurisdiction or requirement of a majority vote. When Moses stood before the burning bush and asked God his name, God answered, ‘I am what I am,’ or as the Greeks translated it ‘I will be what I will be.’ How much more universal can you get? How can that be challenged?”\u003cbr\u003eSmyth raised a large, hard hand, silencing the de­baters. “Enough,” he cried. “It is clear we are standing atop Mount Sinai at this very moment—though there isn’t a hill in sight—and we have just received revealed truth. The Martini Club has been called forth as a revelation. The first meeting will be held at my place within the week.”\u003cbr\u003eThe Martini Club was born and grew to ten mem­bers, each bringing a special personality and branch of knowledge to the assemblage—the theater arts and fine arts, politics, business, aviation, journalism, espionage, sex and psychology.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cu\u003eChapter 3: Brody Brady\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSam Grieger’s first encounter with the manipulations of Brody Brady came as he was unpacking boxes and placing items where his wife Sheila had dictated—dishes in the cabinets near the refrigerator, toaster oven on the counter near the coffee maker, automatic can opener to be screwed into the base of the cabinet overhanging the dishwasher. \u003cem\u003eIf I let my mind go blank\u003c\/em\u003e, he thought, \u003cem\u003eI won’t remember that I failed shop in high school and that my teacher called me tool disadvantaged. I have twisted myself like a circus contortionist into the twenty-two inches between the dishwasher and the overhanging cabinet and am trying to rotate screws into remarkably hard wood. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSomeone began aggressively banging on the front door.\u003cbr\u003e“Who is it?” Grieger called.\u003cbr\u003e“Your neighbor, Brody Brady. It’s an emergency.”\u003cbr\u003e“Hold on a minute.”\u003cbr\u003e“I don’t have a minute. It’s an emergency.”\u003cbr\u003e“What’s the emergency?”\u003cbr\u003e“I’m bleeding.”\u003cbr\u003e“Hold on.” Grieger untwisted himself carefully off the dishwasher, mindful that his skull could be penetrated at any moment by partially driven steel screws.\u003cbr\u003eHe opened the door to see Brody Brady looking like a gaunt parody of the Statue of Liberty, right hand held high, wrapped in a towel sodden with blood. As a retired newspaper reporter, Grieger had seen his fill of bloody bodies, but Brody Brady looked different. \u003cem\u003eProbably because he’s still alive. \u003c\/em\u003e“I’ll call 911.”\u003cbr\u003e“No time for 911,” Brady replied. “Do you have some large bandages?”\u003cbr\u003e“Yes, somewhere in one of these boxes,” Grieger answered, pointing at a hallway filled with half-opened boxes. “My wife would know where, but she isn’t home.”\u003cbr\u003e“Then you will have to do. Start going through the boxes,” Brady commanded.\u003cbr\u003eGrieger began rummaging through them without success. He looked up to see Brady dripping blood. “You are bleeding on my boxes and on my new parquet floor,” Grieger shouted.\u003cbr\u003e“I don’t want to bleed on your boxes and floor, so get me some bandages quickly,” Brady snapped back.\u003cbr\u003eIn desperation, Grieger grabbed Brady by his blood tipped arm and rushed him to the kitchen sink. \u003cem\u003eAt least now he won’t bleed to death on my new floor\u003c\/em\u003e. He pulled away the blood soaked towel revealing a gash that ran from Brady’s middle finger, across his palm nearly up to his wrist. “This needs stitches. A bandage won’t do it,” Grieger said, trying to feign compassion.\u003cbr\u003eGrieger recalled the cops slipping on plastic gloves and booties before touching the victims of mob hits. \u003cem\u003eWhat if this guy has AIDs or hepatitis? Am I going to die from a horrible disease I haven’t even derived in some perverse pleasure? \u003c\/em\u003eAloud, he said, “Why don’t you go to the emergency room? There’s a hospital nearby. I’ll drive you.”\u003cbr\u003e“I can’t go,” Brady replied. “See the 18-wheeler down at the end of the block. It’s full of my stuff. They’re unloading it into my place right now. I have to tell them where to put things.”\u003cbr\u003e“I still think you should go to the emergency room. Just let them dump the furniture wherever. My wife will be home soon, and I’ll tell her to tell the movers where to put things. She knows that sort of stuff. She puts things in all the right places. Her mother taught her.”\u003cbr\u003e“She doesn’t know where I want to put my things, nor does her mother,” Brady responded, agitation creeping into his voice.\u003cbr\u003e“Sheila has great instincts about that kind of stuff,” Grieger replied knowingly. “It’s in women’s genes. When we lived in caves, they put all the rocks in all the right places. That’s how we learned to sit down. By the time we come back from the emergency room everything will be right where it should be.”\u003cbr\u003e“No,” Brady replied resolutely. “I will stay with my furniture to the end, even if I bleed to death and it’s your fault.”\u003cbr\u003eGrieger realized his situation was hopeless. Brady was prepared to die just to make sure his furniture was properly placed, and would blame him with his dying breaths. He rushed to the closet and grabbed a large beach towel emblazoned with the image of a very large crab. He twisted it around Brady’s wound and secured it with several turns of packing tape. The flow of blood was slowed but not stopped.\u003cbr\u003e“You are still bleeding,” Grieger said hopelessly.\u003cbr\u003e“I take Coumadin. It’s a blood thinner. You see, I have a bad heart,” Brady explained like some patient teacher. “It’s very hard to stop the bleeding.”\u003cbr\u003e“I think we should go to the emergency room,” Grieger answered.\u003cbr\u003e“I’m already scheduled to go in tomorrow for some minor heart surgery. I’ll have them stitch up my hand at the same time, a kind of two for one,” Brady countered, smiling.\u003cbr\u003e“Heart surgery tomorrow?” Grieger questioned, no longer surprised at his neighbor’s answers. “I don’t think they combine such things.”\u003cbr\u003e“I’ll talk to them,” Brady said confidently. “I can be quite persuasive. Besides, I have Medicare. It’s all covered.”\u003cbr\u003eGrieger knew Brady had won. It was time to soldier on. Grieger marched him to the door. “Keep your arm elevated. As soon as my wife gets back we’ll find some real bandages and bring them over to your place,” he said. “By the way, how’d you get this cut?”\u003cbr\u003e“They were bringing in a case of my very good wine, and they dropped it. I reached inside the case to check the damage and was stabbed by a bottle of Argentine Malbec,” Brady replied with a grin.\u003cbr\u003e“What a waste of good wine,” Grieger sympathized, smiling back.\u003cbr\u003e“I knew I’d like you,” Brady answered as he left, towel and hand held high.\u003cbr\u003eAnd thus their friendship began. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cu\u003eChapter 4: The Chant\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The next time Sam Grieger saw Brody Brady was at the get-to-know you meeting of the newly formed Parrot’s Caw Condominium Owners Association, or PCCOWA, as it came to be known. The event was held in an all-purpose ballroom at the development’s central building, quaintly called The Domain. The ballroom itself was named The Dunk since it also served as a basketball court. The backboards were pulled up on this occasion, serving as anchors for the strings attached to large red, white and blue balloons that caromed off the coffee-colored ceiling. Periodically, they would snag on the folded hoops and make gaseous sounds as they pulled free. Their flat­ulence was overwhelmed now by the powerful voice of Chris Bideau, the property manager and developer’s son.\u003cbr\u003e“I personally want to thank each of you for being the first settlers in a row of unique condominium structures that RB\u0026amp;S Homes hopes to fill with comfortable retirees from the north, just like yourselves.” Recalling his reli­gious education at Goodness of God College, he added, “You are on the frontier of the Promised Land. Thanks to RB\u0026amp;S Homes, you have at long last escaped the cold, the shoveling of snow, the driving on ice, the wearing of heavy winter coats, the chill of icy winds and the huge heating bills…and you deserve it.” Mixing his biblical ge­ography, Bideau went on to proclaim, “You are no longer East of Eden. You are \u003cem\u003ein \u003c\/em\u003eEden. Amen, brothers and sisters!”\u003cbr\u003eHis audience responded to his revival meeting oratory with polite applause, but not a single Hallelujah.\u003cbr\u003eUnshaken, Chris Bideau switched to a more down-to-earth approach. “Each table has bottles of wine and delicious chocolate chip cookies. And there is more to come. We have chicken wings waiting in the kitchen oven and ice cream in the freezer.”\u003cbr\u003eWarming more to his master of ceremonies role, he added, “But before we get to the eating and drinking, RB\u0026amp;S Homes is going to treat you to something really special. We have created a Parrot’s Caw chant,” he shouted. “Chant it with me. It goes this way: PEE-SEE-SEE-OH-WHO-WAWA. The P not only stands for Parrot. It stands for perfect,” he yelled into a crackling microphone. “Remember, accent on the first PEE and the WHO.” He began rocking and rhythmically shouting:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ePEE-SEE-SEE-OH-WHO-WA-WA.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ePEE-SEE-SEE-OH-WHO-WA-WA.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ePARROT’S CAW HAS ALL THE POW-WA.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nA scantily dressed female, clearly wearing little or no underwear, jumped on the stage next to Bideau and began wiggling her bottom and waving pom-poms. She was slender, bosomy and pretty, but clearly years beyond her high-school cheerleading days.\u003cbr\u003e“PEE-SEE-SEE-OH-WHO-WA-WA,” she cheered. “C’mon, folks,” she cried out. “Let’s all join in.”\u003cbr\u003eHer low-cut top and mini skirt had awakened interest among the male condo owners. “Not since my high-school basketball days have I seen a wiggle like that,” shouted a recently retired Wall Street lawyer sitting close to the stage. “But I left the cheering to the cheerleaders. I just tried to score—one way or the other.” His remarks drew a round of applause and whistles from the men in the audience. His wife whacked his arm with her handbag.\u003cbr\u003eNobody joined in the chant. The pom-pom girl stopped wiggling.\u003cbr\u003e“Ah, c’mon folks,” a frustrated Chris Bideau pleaded into the microphone. “We’re all on the same team here. We should have a cheer. We’ve got to have a cheer.”\u003cbr\u003e“We’d rather have the chicken wings,” someone yelled from the back of the room.\u003cbr\u003eThen Brody Brady jumped up. “In the meantime, why don’t you let the young lady play some music and do some singing. I understand she’s a got a great voice.”\u003cbr\u003e“Okay, okay,” Chris Bideau responded, getting Brady’s message. “RB\u0026amp;S Homes wants you to have a good time tonight.” He signaled for the waiters to start bringing out the chicken wings. Turning to the pom-pom girl, he announced, “Get your other equipment on the stage, honey. It’s time for you to entertain us.” The girl quickly put two turntables, an amplifier and two speakers on the stage.\u003cbr\u003eBideau was about to hand her the microphone when a big man with a heavy beard walked in and shouted, “Hold it! She don’t sing. She don’t play music. She don’t strip. And she don’t wiggle, unless I say so. And I ain’t said so, so I’m taking her home.”\u003cbr\u003e“Who are you?” Bideau asked.\u003cbr\u003e“I’m her manager, her boss and her pimp,” the big man said as he walked passed tables of gawking condo owners on his way to the stage.\u003cbr\u003e“What the hell is going on, Brody?” Chris asked. “I thought you paid her.”\u003cbr\u003e“I did,” Brady answered from his seat only a few feet away. Some heads turned toward him with curiosity, but most remained fixated on the big man in the T-shirt, leather vest and large tattooed arms as he headed toward the girl.\u003cbr\u003e“Just a moment, sir,” Bideau said as he stepped between the two. “If this is about money, we can straighten this out.”\u003cbr\u003eThe big man stopped and looked at Chris, who at six feet four inches stood two inches taller than the big man and at two hundred and forty pounds was twenty pounds heavier.\u003cbr\u003e“This ain’t about money. The broad tried to go into business on her own. She needs to be taught a lesson,” he said. He attempted to move around Bideau, but Bideau moved with him.\u003cbr\u003e“Out of my way before I bust your skull,” the big man said, pulling out a sharpened steel rod from a side pocket in his leather pants. Within seconds, Bideau smashed his knee into the thug’s groin. As the big man doubled over, Bideau brought his right fist down on the back of his head, seized his right wrist in an iron grip and spun him around. The steel rod went flying. The bearded man screamed as his shoulder snapped, and he collapsed in a moaning heap on the floor. This would be the last thing the big man remembered before waking up in the Stuarton Hospital emergency room.\u003cbr\u003eBideau seized the microphone. “This is all some kind of misunderstanding, folks. Just stay seated and we’ll go on with the evening. We still have ice cream sundaes coming.” The image of sundaes didn’t change the mood. The condo owners were streaming toward the doors.\u003cbr\u003eThe pom-pom girl was packing her equipment hastily and crying. “He’ll kill me!”\u003cbr\u003e“If he comes near you, tell him he’ll answer to me,” Bideau responded.\u003cbr\u003eHe saw Brody Brady leaving with the crowd. “Brady, we have to talk, now!”\u003cbr\u003eBrady stopped and turned to face Bideau, who was stepping over the big man.\u003cbr\u003e“You sold me on the chant. You sold me on the girl. You sold me on the night, Mr. Public Relations Man. And look what’s happened. The condo owners are fleeing; some pimp tried to kill me, and I have to explain all this not only to the cops but also to my dad. I’m also out the five hundred bucks I paid you for your ideas and another two hundred and fifty for the cheerleader.”\u003cbr\u003e“They would have come around to chant after a few more glasses of wine and some dancing,” Brady replied in a reassuring voice. As for the girl, I met her at a strip club downtown. She was pole dancing, playing music and singing. Seemed very talented, so I set her up with you. I didn’t know we were supposed to go through her manager. You’d better call 911,” Brady added as he headed for the door before Bideau decided to put him next to the big man.\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bublish, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48055824777386,"sku":"9780997676150","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_1e6822e8-90ae-4f2a-af59-f62bde916794.jpg?v=1636991188"},{"product_id":"a-jazzy-little-murder-a-violet-carlyle-cozy-historical-mystery-9781070722559","title":"A Jazzy Little Murder: A Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mystery","description":"\u003cb\u003e June 1925. \u003c\/b\u003e Violet and Jack have returned home from their honeymoon and are back to their old lives. Jack is taking cases again. 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Their romance may be a off-kilter, but he knows them well enough to be sure neither twin killed the victim. So just who killed this person and why? In finding the killer, will Jack and Violet also discover just what the future holds for them?The Violet Carlyle Mysteries 1- Murder \u0026amp; The Heir2- Kennington House Murder3- Murder at the Folly 4- A Merry Little Murder*5- Murder Among the Roses6- Murder in the Shallows 7- Gin \u0026amp; Murder 8- Obsidian Murder 9- Murder at the Ladies Club 10- Wedding Vows \u0026amp; Murder11- A Jazzy Little Murder12- Murder by Chocolate *There are two short stories that fall between\u003ci\u003e A Merry Little Murder\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMurder Among the Roses\u003c\/i\u003e. 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They pack a liberal amount of alcohol and call on their friends to rally round. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey've been outed as writers of sensational fiction  Of falling in love with unapproved individuals  They've bought houses while drunk and had the gall to get sucked into murder investigations  And, it was Violet who was credited with helping to find the killers  The explosion is a story for the ages. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo say that no one expected a body soaked in gin is a stretch after what these friends have been through. The real shocker is when the earl asks Jack, Violet, Victor, and their friends to solve the murder and save what remains of the family's good name. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBook SEVEN in The Violet Carlyle Mysteries.\u003c\/b\u003e Are you ready for the roaring twenties? For a spunky young woman determined to craft her own life? If so, you'll love Vi, her indulgent twin Vic, and their friends. You might even find your imagination caught by the detective Jack Wakefield. For fans of Carola Dunn, Jacqueline Winspear, Georgette Heyer, Leighann Dobbs, and Lee Strauss.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA light, cozy mystery with a fun peek into life in the life of a bright young thing. No swearing, graphic scenes, or cliffhangers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUp Next: Obsidian Murder\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716158693546,"sku":"9781096038245","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_521418a3-c5d3-4f69-99a7-db5459307ec1.jpg?v=1636991234"},{"product_id":"murder-among-the-roses-a-violet-carlyle-cozy-historical-mystery-9781096422044","title":"Murder Among the Roses: A Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMay 1924\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSpring has arrived, the roses are blooming, and Violet and Victor are off to discover the state of his recent purchase. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhen Violet decides to explore a local ramble through the woods, she believes she knows how her day will go. Who would expect to stumble over a body? Or just how scandalous the life of a gardener could be? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eBook FIVE in The Violet Carlyle Mysteries.\u003c\/b\u003e Are you ready for the roaring twenties? For jazz, dancing, night clubs, style, and wit? Violet and Victor are rich, spoiled, and utterly fun. You'll love Vi, her indulgent twin Vic, their friends, and their hi-jinks. You might even find your interest caught by the handsome Detective Inspector Jack Wakefield. For fans of Carola Dunn, Jacqueline Winspear, Georgette Heyer, and Lee Strauss. A light, cozy mystery with a fun peek into life in the life of a bright young thing. No swearing, graphic scenes, or cliffhangers. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cem\u003eUp next: Murder in the Shallows\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716158759082,"sku":"9781096422044","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_2ab98248-1ff8-421b-b70b-208867ccaf4e.jpg?v=1636991235"},{"product_id":"wedding-vows-murder-a-violet-carlyle-cozy-historical-mystery-9781096472605","title":"Wedding Vows \u0026 Murder: A Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mystery","description":"\u003cb\u003e April 1925. \u003c\/b\u003e Violet and Jack are finally getting married  The date has been saved, the flowers have been bought, the baker is working on a creation of layers upon layers. With all of the parties and teas to satisfy Violet's stepmother, no one could be more ready for the wedding day to arrive than these two. When, however, Vi and Jack find a body at one of the pre-wedding parties, they expect their wedding plans to be a little askew. Only the victim is someone they both despised. Now Violet and Jack must solve the murder before their joyful day is ruined. Will they be able to solve the crime, say their vows, and get on with their lives? Or is their happily ever after ruined?\u003cb\u003eBook TEN in the Violet Carlyle Mysteries. Are you ready for the roaring twenties? Not having money gave Violet a measure of freedom, she's got to learn how to claim that independence once again. You'll love Vi, her indulgent twin Vic, and their friends. You might even find your interest caught by Detective Inspector Jack Wakefield. For fans of Carola Dunn, Jacqueline Winspear, Georgette Heyer, and Lee Strauss. A light, cozy mystery with a fun peek into life in the life of a bright young thing. No swearing, graphic scenes, or cliffhangers.\u003c\/b\u003eThe Violet Carlyle Mysteries1- Murder \u0026amp; The Heir2- Kennington House Murder3- Murder at the Folly 4- A Merry Little Murder*5- Murder Among the Roses6- Murder in the Shallows 7- Gin \u0026amp; Murder 8- Obsidian Murder 9- Murder at the Ladies Club 10- Wedding Vows \u0026amp; Murder11- A Jazzy Little Murder12- Murder by Chocolate13- A Friendly Little Murder14- Murder by the Sea*There are two short stories that fall between\u003ci\u003e A Merry Little Murder\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMurder Among the Roses\u003c\/i\u003e. They are: \u003ci\u003eNew Year's Madness and Valentine's Madness. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716158791850,"sku":"9781096472605","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_0195145c-ffe5-4ddb-b1cf-9f2cef2e0474.jpg?v=1636991237"},{"product_id":"an-uncollected-death-a-charlotte-anthony-mystery-9781496163370","title":"An Uncollected Death: A Charlotte Anthony Mystery","description":"Broke, friendless, and career in freefall - can a murder get her life back on track? Things appear to be looking up for Charlotte when she is offered a new editing job. Finding her new boss battered and left for dead on her first day, however, was most definitely not in the job description. She turns amateur sleuth in an attempt to continue with her editing assigment but complications set in from the start. The notebooks that she needs are well hidden and the only clues to their whereabouts are extremely cryptic. To add to Charlotte's problems, she is not the only one with an interest in the notebooks. The town's criminal element will stop at nothing, up to and including murder, to get their hands on the prize.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeg is a long-time nonfiction writer, most recently of The Minimalist Woman blog and its related self-help and cookbooks. She now focuses almost exclusively on fiction, and has written and published two mysteries, An Uncollected Death and An Unexamined Wife. A third, An Undisclosed Location, is slated for release in Summer of 2015. Meg has an MA in English. She lives in Northwest Indiana with her husband, writer and photographer Steve Johnson. .\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Createspace Independent Publishing Platform","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716159512746,"sku":"9781496163370","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_18c0ae68-f2a5-4100-b787-d9d95d65c805.jpg?v=1636991251"},{"product_id":"an-unexamined-wife-a-charlotte-anthony-mystery-9781508463702","title":"An Unexamined Wife: A Charlotte Anthony Mystery","description":"Is love worth killing for? In the second book of the Charlotte Anthony series, plans for an idyllic holiday in Aspen are disrupted by the discovery of a dead professor in his lab full of suspicious-looking plants. Once again, Charlotte joins forces with Detective Barnes to solve a murder that is anything but straightforward. Potential motives and suspects are many and the prof's complicated love life only adds to the confusion. Her investigation reveals unexpected connections between husbands, wives, friends, and lovers, and between past and future events. But information can be deadly, and Charlotte's discoveries put both herself and her friends in great danger. As if all of this this wasn't enough, Charlotte is swept off her feet by the most unlikely of suitors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeg is a long time nonfiction writer, most recently of The Minimalist Woman blog and its related self-help and cookbooks. She now focuses almost exclusively on fiction, and has written and published two mysteries, An Uncollected Death and An Unexamined Wife. A third, An Undisclosed Location, is slated for release in Summer of 2015. Meg has an MA in English. She lives in Northwest Indiana with her husband, writer and photographer Steve Johnson. Contact: megwolfewrites@gmail.com Web: megwolfe.com\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Createspace Independent Publishing Platform","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716159807658,"sku":"9781508463702","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_5396b204-711b-458b-b017-0bad9854a6ca.jpg?v=1636991254"},{"product_id":"an-uncharted-corpse-a-charlotte-anthony-mystery-9781541021464","title":"An Uncharted Corpse: A Charlotte Anthony Mystery","description":"The strange appearance of a mummy at a conference sets off a chain of events with repercussions that go far beyond the staid world of academia. A suspicious death, a secret code, and a powerful sect combine to intimately connect the past to the present. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As in the previous Charlotte Anthony mysteries, the action takes place in Elm Grove and features characters both new and familiar. Charlotte's daughter, Ellis, returns to the typical small Midwestern town much more grown up than when she left, attracting the attention of both Tread, the scion of a political dynasty, and the handsome and slightly mysterious Selim. But she is plagued by an inexplicable sense of dread-and wonders if the answer lies in mysticism. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Charlotte again teams up with Detective Barnes to solve the present-day crimes, with the hope that she will finally unravel the remaining mysteries of her partner Donovan's colorful ancestry. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An Uncharted Corpse is the fourth installment of the Charlotte Anthony Mystery series, preceded by An Uncollected Death, An Unexamined Wife, and An Undisclosed Vocation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Createspace Independent Publishing Platform","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716160102570,"sku":"9781541021464","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_ceb1dd97-8f98-4081-8f6b-4273c86791d6.jpg?v=1636991262"},{"product_id":"the-martini-club-mystery-the-treasure-chest-9781647040147","title":"The Martini Club Mystery: The Treasure Chest","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Another winner from Alan Eysen. If you like interesting characters, all with their own stories, this second novel in the \u003cem\u003eMartini Club\u003c\/em\u003e series is for you.\"\u003ci\u003e —Beverly Lawn, Author, Poet and English Professor Emerita Adelphi University\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThere they go again—a couple of them getting shot at—this time while flying over a dead-beat farm they were conned into buying for a million dollars. Smart, savvy, retired and bored, the Martini Club guys go looking for a little adventure and a bunch of their money back. What possibly could be valuable enough down there for somebody to shoot at them? The answer will take The Martini Club on a wild ride through space and time. But will they solve the mystery before someone gets killed?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAuthor Bio:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAlan Eysen wrote for many years about real-world financial and political corruption. At \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNewsday\u003c\/em\u003e, he served as a prominent member of the investigative team that won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for exposing misconduct involving Long Island public officials. After more than thirty years in journalism, he became a political consultant and experienced the other side of the story. Today, Eysen resides in the lowcountry of South Carolina, where he continues to write and be inspired by the colorful characters and harrowing situations he experienced firsthand as a reporter. He can often be found crafting his strong fictional characters with the help of an equally strong dry gin martini.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Bublish, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716160364714,"sku":"9781647040147","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_9a964f3c-9977-426c-bb28-1a09d2f1ae51.jpg?v=1636991271"},{"product_id":"just-holler-bloody-murder-9781647043568","title":"Just Holler Bloody Murder","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Here's a new kind of sleuth with an ecological bent and an unlikely sidekick, a sometimes tense, sometimes funny murder mystery with a touch of romance.” \u003cem\u003e—P.B. Parris, author of Waltzing in the Attic and His Arms are Full of Broken Things\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCallahan Banks returns to her beloved Timicau Island near Charleston, South Carolina, to settle her mother's estate. Her grief is compounded by Pepper Dade's plans to develop the island and destroy the only home she's ever known. When the body of a bikini-clad blonde washes up on the beach, Callahan is pulled into a web of intrigue that has her questioning all she thought she knew about her own life. Struggling to resist her attraction to Pepper, Callahan suspects he may be involved in the death of the blonde. She ignores her misgivings until nine-year-old, freckle-faced Harry Applegate, her sidekick, disappears. Now Callahan must muster all her skills as a naturalist and tracker to find the little boy before it's too late.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDershie McDevitt, a Wilma Dykeman Writing-Excellence Award Winner at UNC-Asheville, lives outside Asheville, North Carolina with her rescue dog, Sassafras, her opinionated calico cat, Orphan Annie, and her first and second husbands. Dershie and Larry, who have had the good fortune to have married each other twice, own a whimsical vacation home off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina on a buried island teeming with wildlife—the perfect setting for the fictional biology professor Callahan Banks to use her knowledge of nature to solve challenging mysteries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\u0026amp;q=Callahan%20banks%20mystery%20series*\" target=\"_blank\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\u0026amp;q=Callahan%20banks%20mystery%20series*\"\u003eShop the Callahan Banks Mystery series\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bublish, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716161347754,"sku":"9781647043568","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_e6c3e9a5-6812-4f5f-af16-05939db4738d.jpg?v=1636991285"},{"product_id":"murder-by-midnight-9781651037973","title":"Murder by Midnight","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMurder and mystery in a Scottish castle...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Alice Beckingham boards a train for Edinburgh in 1929, she begins a journey that will test everything she thinks she knows about her past and her family. 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They were two tortured souls, looking for escape, and they weren't supposed to see each other ever again...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFour years later, Sophie's FBI father, who is also Damon's mentor, is killed in a suspicious car crash after leaving Sophie a cryptic message to trust no one from the agency. When Damon shows up looking for her, she isn't sure if he's friend or enemy, but she knows he could easily rip apart what is left of her heart.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe last thing Damon wants is to get involved with Sophie again. It was hard enough to walk away the first time. But she's in trouble, her father's reputation is under attack, and the lives of his fellow agents are at stake if there's a traitor in their midst.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen someone starts shooting at them, they have no choice but to go on the run and off the grid. Everyone in their world becomes a suspect. They want to uncover the truth, but will it turn out to be the last thing they expect? Proving her father's innocence might just cost them their hearts...and their lives...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGet the complete trilogy \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerilous Trust #1\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReckless Whisper #2\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesperate Play #3\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE FOR BARBARA FREETHY BOOKS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Powerful and absorbing...sheer hold-your-breath suspense.\" --\u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Karen Robards on Don't Say A Word\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A fabulous, page-turning combination of romance and intrigue. Fans of Nora Roberts and Elizabeth Lowell will love this book.\" -- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Kristin Hannah on Golden Lies\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"In the tradition of LaVyrle Spencer, gifted author Barbara Freethy creates an irresistible tale of family secrets, riveting adventure and heart- touching romance.\" -- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Susan Wiggs on Summer Secrets\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Freethy has a gift for creating complex characters.\" -- \u003cem\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"An absorbing story of two people determined to unravel the secrets, betrayals, and questions about their past. The story builds to an explosive conclusion that will leave readers eagerly awaiting Barbara Freethy's next book.\" -- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Carla Neggars on Don't Say A Word\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Freethy is at the top of her form. Fans of Nora Roberts will find a similar tone here, framed in Freethy's own spare, elegant style.\" -- \u003cem\u003eContra Costa Times on Summer Secrets\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716163543210,"sku":"9781944417321","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_a81f4928-c98c-4a1b-ae62-3d336183ba10.jpg?v=1636991344"},{"product_id":"reckless-whisper-9781944417369","title":"Reckless Whisper","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn RECKLESS WHISPER the suspense continues with the second novel in the Off the Grid: FBI Series by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFBI Special Agent Bree Adams has a personal secret, something she has managed to keep hidden for the past ten years-at least she always thought so... But a chance encounter on a train, and whispered words of chilling consequence change everything. Is the truth about to come out or is someone playing with her mind and her life?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNathan Bishop knew Bree when she was a street kid like him. Their dark past once put him in her debt, and he had to pay up. The last thing he wants to do is help her again. He has a new life now--a life he could lose with one wrong move. But the beautiful Bree is desperate--how can he walk away?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo get to the truth, protect innocent lives and their own, they'll have to fight their way through the past, as danger stalks their every move, and heartbreaking choices must be made.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDon't miss this emotionally deep and haunting story  A thrilling psychological romantic suspense novel \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCheck out the other books in the series \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Perilous Trust #1\u003cbr\u003e Reckless Whisper #2 \u003cbr\u003e Desperate Play #3 - Coming Soon \u003cbr\u003e Elusive Promise #4 - Coming Soon \u003cbr\u003e Dangerous Choice #5 - Coming Soon \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE FOR OFF THE GRID: FBI SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"What I love best about Freethy's books are the characters and the depth she puts in them, the story can be as good as ever, but if you don't care about the characters you can't help but be unbothered by the events unfolding. This story has so many twists and turns that I read it in one sitting.....a must read for everyone, I don't want to ruin anything so I will just say.....WOW\" Booklovers Anonymous Blog on Reckless Whisper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Perilous Trust is a non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last...Readers will be breathless in anticipation as this fast-paced and enthralling love story evolves and goes in unforeseeable directions.\" \u003cem\u003eUSA Today HEA Blog on Perilous Trust\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Getting tangled up with Perilous Trust is a rush. Barbara Freethy sets the adrenaline level so high that it takes a while to come back down to solid ground. A tortured love affair sets off a chain of events that are explosive and deadly. The suspense is killer, the danger is intense and the electricity generated between Sophie and Damon is off the charts. All come together to a create a lethally seductive thriller.\" \u003cem\u003eIsha Coleman - I Love Romance Blog on Perilous Trust\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The adventure that Barbara Freethy takes us on in PERILOUS TRUST is full of twists and turns. It is a perfect suspense that will keep you guessing until the very last moment. This book definitely deserves 5 stars.\" \u003cem\u003eReading Escape Reviews on Perilous Trust\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE FOR BARBARA FREETHY BOOKS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Powerful and absorbing...sheer hold-your-breath suspense.\"- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Karen Robards on Don't Say A Word\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A fabulous, page-turning combination of romance and intrigue. Fans of Nora Roberts and Elizabeth Lowell will love this book.\"- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Kristin Hannah on Golden Lies\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A page-turner that engages your mind while it tugs at your heartstrings...Don't Say A Word has made me a Barbara Freethy fan for life \" -- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Diane Chamberlain on Don't Say a Word\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716163608746,"sku":"9781944417369","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_40e0dad1-e50b-47fd-83c3-2cadc6790cfa.jpg?v=1636991345"},{"product_id":"desperate-play-9781944417406","title":"Desperate Play","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDESPERATE PLAY brings you the third book in #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy's new romantic suspense series: Off The Grid: FBI Series. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Special Agent Wyatt Tanner has always worked undercover. He thrives in the dark of the night. He survives by turning himself into someone else. But living so long in the shadows can make a man forget who he really is. When people start dying, when he finds blood on his own hands, he questions the choices he has made, the people he is with. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Can he find his way back to the light? Can he trust the beautiful woman who needs his help? Or does she also have a secret life? \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e He'll have to make one desperate play to find out...\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eDon't miss this page-turning, heart-stopping romantic suspense novel...coming soon \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Check out more books in the series \u003cbr\u003e Perilous Trust #1\u003cbr\u003e Reckless Whisper #2\u003cbr\u003e Desperate Play #3 \u003cbr\u003e Elusive Promise #4 \u003cbr\u003e Dangerous Choice #5 \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE FOR THE FBI SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Perilous Trust is a non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last...Readers will be breathless in anticipation as this fast-paced and enthralling love story evolves and goes in unforeseeable directions.\" USA Today HEA Blog \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Barbara Freethy's first book in her OFF THE GRID series is an emotional, action packed, crime drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat...I'm exhausted after reading this but in a good way. 5 Stars \" Booklovers Anonymous\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"It's been a while since I have had the fun of reading a brilliant romantic suspense book - Perilous Trust gets me back into this genre with a bang \" For the Love of Fictional Worlds\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Getting tangled up with Perilous Trust is a rush. Barbara Freethy sets the adrenaline level so high that it takes a while to come back down to solid ground. The suspense is killer, the danger is intense and the electricity generated between Sophie and Damon is off the charts. A lethally seductive thriller.\" Isha Coleman - I Love Romance Blog\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716163641514,"sku":"9781944417406","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_e5082b5e-3528-4dd7-ac65-1824cecba1b3.jpg?v=1636991347"},{"product_id":"elusive-promise-9781944417475","title":"Elusive Promise","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen tragedy strikes an engagement party, Special Agent Parisa Maxwell becomes the sole survivor and the only witness to a kidnapping and the theft of a legendary diamond. With her friend now missing, Parisa makes a promise to save the other woman, no matter the cost.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJared MacIntyre's entire life is a carefully cultivated set of lies. He wasn't looking for the beautiful brunette when he ventured into the private rooms at the consulate, but he couldn't ignore the woman fighting for her life. Now their lives are inexplicably intertwined. The kidnapping and theft may be part of a bigger, deadlier plot--one that he's on a mission to stop before someone else he loves ends up dead. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwo strangers, each with their own secrets. Two strangers who never expected to find love amidst the danger. Two strangers who will have to take the ultimate risk: trust each other--or lose everything. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDon't miss this thrilling, chilling, new romantic suspense by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso Available in the OFF THE GRID: FBI SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerilous Trust #1\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReckless Whisper #2\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesperate Play #3\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElusive Promise #4\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDangerous Choice #5 \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE FOR THE FBI SERIES \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Perilous Trust \u003c\/em\u003eis a non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last...Readers will be breathless in anticipation as this fast-paced and enthralling love story evolves and goes in unforeseeable directions.\" \u003cem\u003eUSA Today HEA Blog \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Barbara Freethy's first book in her OFF THE GRID series is an emotional, action packed, crime drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat...I'm exhausted after reading this but in a good way. 5 Stars \" \u003cem\u003eBooklovers Anonymous on Perilous Trust\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eReckless Whisper \u003c\/em\u003eis intriguing, complicated and chilling. Bree finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that has close personal ties. What makes this tale so scary is that the pieces to the puzzle are lying in plain sight but putting them together is a confusing mind game. The twists are endless, the danger is far reaching, and the thrills are nonstop.\" \u003cem\u003eIsha C. Goodreads\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eDesperate Play \u003c\/em\u003eis flat out wonderful and will have you gasping, twitching, frantically turning pages, and hoping our favorite author writes the next story quickly  Undercover FBI agent, astrophysicist whose best friend has been murdered, a boatload of potential suspects, complicated family dynamics and lots of danger and yes, some heat all add up to a very satisfying read.\" \u003cem\u003eJane - Goodreads\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"What I love best about Freethy's books are the characters and the depth she puts in them, the story can be as good as ever, but if you don't care about the characters you can't help but be unbothered by the events unfolding. This story has so many twists and turns that I read it in one sitting...a must read for everyone, I don't want to ruin anything, so I will just say...WOW\" \u003cem\u003eBooklovers Anonymous Blog on Perilous Trust\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716163674282,"sku":"9781944417475","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_f78c5aa7-914f-4ad7-895c-0985461b8cc2.jpg?v=1636991348"},{"product_id":"dangerous-choice-9781944417499","title":"Dangerous Choice","description":"\u003cp\u003eFBI Special Agent Diego Rivera is searching for his family when a clue leads him to a quaint Colombian village, which suddenly erupts into violence. Diego is caught in a shooting and discovers an explosive family secret. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTara Powell comes to Colombia to look for her missing friend. When the village priest who's supposed to have information for her is gunned down, she finds herself entangled with Diego, who is on a personal mission of his own.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDanger follows Tara and Diego from Colombia to the US, and it's not clear which one of them is the target. As they search for the people they love, shocking details emerge. Will their fierce loyalty blind them to the truth...or will their trust in each other save them?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDon't miss this new thrilling, chilling, romantic suspense by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso Available in the OFF THE GRID: FBI SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerilous Trust #1\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReckless Whisper #2\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesperate Play #3\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElusive Promise #4\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDangerous Choice #5 \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE FOR BARBARA FREETHY'S BOOKS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePowerful and absorbing...sheer hold-your-breath suspense.\"-- \u003cem\u003eNYT Bestselling Author Karen Robards on Don't Say A Word\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Barbara Freethy is a master storyteller with a gift for spinning tales about ordinary people in extraordinary situations and drawing readers into their lives.\"-- \u003cem\u003eRomance Reviews Today\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Freethy is at the top of her form. Fans of Nora Roberts will find a similar tone here, framed in Freethy's own spare, elegant style.\" -- \u003cem\u003eContra Costa Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Freethy's skillful plotting and gift for creating sympathetic characters will ensure that few dry eyes will be left at the end of the story.\" -- \u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly on The Way Back Home\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Freethy (Silent Fall) has a gift for creating complex, appealing characters and emotionally involving, often suspenseful, sometimes magical stories.\" -- \u003cem\u003eLibrary Journal on Suddenly One Summer \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"PERILOUS TRUST \u003c\/em\u003eis a non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last...Readers will be breathless in anticipation as this fast-paced and enthralling love story evolves and goes in unforeseeable directions.\" \u003cem\u003eUSA Today HEA Blog \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eRECKLESS WHISPER \u003c\/em\u003eis intriguing, complicated and chilling. Bree finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that has close personal ties. What makes this tale so scary is that the pieces to the puzzle are lying in plain sight but putting them together is a confusing mind game. The twists are endless, the danger is far reaching, and the thrills are nonstop.\" \u003cem\u003eIsha C. Goodreads\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"What I love best about Freethy's books are the characters and the depth she puts in them, the story can be as good as ever, but if you don't care about the characters you can't help but be unbothered by the events unfolding. This story has so many twists and turns that I read it in one sitting...a must read for everyone, I don't want to ruin anything so I will just say...WOW\" \u003cem\u003eBooklovers Anonymous Blog on PERILOUS TRUST \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716163936426,"sku":"9781944417499","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_1c2c8a24-36d4-4635-91f7-2f2da5a659eb.jpg?v=1636991349"},{"product_id":"ruthless-cross-9781944417666","title":"Ruthless Cross","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEveryone has a secret. 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RUTHLESS CROSS had me holding my breath and biting my nails as I sat on the edge of my seat. Caught in an epic battle of good versus evil, two strangers risk everything to get to the truth.\" Isha C\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"RUTHLESS CROSS is another adrenaline-filled story, with well written and developed characters, \u003cstrong\u003eBarbara Freethy is a master of her craft\u003c\/strong\u003e \" Booklovers Anonymous\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Barbara Freethy writes a \u003cstrong\u003ebeautiful, edge of the seat story, full of intrigue, mystery and romance. This is my favorite FBI series\u003c\/strong\u003e  Can't wait to read the next book \" Christine \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716164329642,"sku":"9781944417666","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_31249e3e-c13a-4eb2-8d44-a92794abe00c.jpg?v=1636991354"},{"product_id":"risky-bargain-9781944417833","title":"Risky Bargain","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"Barbara Freethy writes a beautiful, edge of the seat story, full of intrigue, mystery and romance. This is my favorite FBI series! Can't wait to read the next book!\" Christine - Goodreads\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nFBI Agent Lucas Raines is a man on a mission, desperate to find a kidnap victim, the billionaire CEO of a video game company, who disappears during a horrific home invasion that leaves two people dead and others terrorized.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nKat Parrish never thought that sneaking into a billionaire's party would end with her hiding in a closet, her clothes spattered with blood, her ears ringing from the sound of gunshots. But her problems don't end with the arrival of the police. In fact, they are just beginning, especially when a handsome but ruthless FBI agent starts asking the hard questions. She has to decide whether a lie or the truth will not only save her life, but that of her friend.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nAs Lucas and Kat dive deep into the world of gaming, it quickly becomes clear that there are games being played on different levels. The players keep changing. The goal posts are constantly moving. No one is who they appear to be. There's a bigger mystery behind each door they open, and soon they can only trust each other. But should they?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nIs their reality a game, or is the game their reality? Will love keep them alive or be their final play?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cb\u003eAlso Available in the Off The Grid: FBI Series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nPerilous Trust #1\u003cbr\u003e\r\nReckless Whisper #2\u003cbr\u003e\r\nDesperate Play #3\u003cbr\u003e\r\nElusive Promise #4\u003cbr\u003e\r\nDangerous Choice #5\u003cbr\u003e\r\nRuthless Cross #6\u003cbr\u003e\r\nCritical Doubt #7\u003cbr\u003e\r\nFearless Pursuit #8\u003cbr\u003e\r\nDaring Deception #9\u003cbr\u003e\r\nRisky Bargain #10\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cb\u003ePRAISE FOR THE OFF THE GRID: FBI SERIES\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\"PERILOUS TRUST is a non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last.\" USA Today HEA Blog\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\"You will love Reckless Whisper. From the first sentence of the book until you end, you are on a suspense filled ride.\" J. Stryker - Goodreads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\"Words cannot explain how phenomenal this book was. The characters are so believable and relatable. The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat and flying through the pages. This is one book you should be desperate to read.\" Caroline on Desperate Play\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\"For me a good romantic suspense book needs a good story, strong characters, honest dialogue, chemistry between the hero and heroine and believable suspense. Elusive Promise checks off all the boxes for me. Thank you Barbara Freethy for another great read!\" Trude - Goodreads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\"Dangerous Choice is a clever blend of mind games and breathtaking emotion. I felt the story come alive and twist my stomach into knots, but never did I even think about walking away.\" Isha - Goodreads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\"My gosh...what an exhilarating ride CRITICAL DOUBT was... I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night than losing myself in one of Barbara Freethy's books. I love the Off The Grid series but I honestly think this one is my favorite. I have no doubt her next book will be awesome, too!\" Booklovers Anonymous\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716164460714,"sku":"9781944417833","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_22011699-6145-4efd-abbd-da30dbc367cc.jpg?v=1636991355"},{"product_id":"the-garden-house-9781946229120","title":"The Garden House","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Mahkovec has written a story that defies the reader to put it down before the end, and the end is impossible to guess. \u003cem\u003eThe Garden House\u003c\/em\u003e is…the sort of beautifully-written story I associate with literary fiction.” \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Readers’ Favorite \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e2017 Awards Finalist in Women’s Fiction\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"\u003e”Mahkovec's prose is sharp and fluid…The premise is a fun one, and Miranda is a finely drawn character...An engrossing, if subdued, psychological tale.” \u003ci\u003e—Kirkus \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eA story of love, family, and home set among the lush summer evenings of Seattle. Themes of gardens and buried secrets bring to mind the novels of Kate Morton, while the importance of home and family is reminiscent of Maeve Binchy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWhen Miranda's two children leave home, her sense of loss is intensified by a void in her own life journey. She has set aside her dreams of becoming an artist for far too long. In an attempt to rekindle the beauty and passion of her youth, she fixes up the garden house as a studio\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eonly to discover her husband has rented it out for the summer to a shy, somewhat mysterious young man.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eSoon after his arrival, Miranda begins to have disturbing dreams. Her friends dismiss them. Her husband blames them on the teen shelter Miranda has recently visited. Is she simply experiencing a mid-life crisis? Perhaps empty-nest syndrome? But Miranda is convinced her dreams have meaning, especially when she notices her new tenant's increasingly suspicious behavior.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWhen her dreams become more urgent, Miranda can no longer ignore her fear that someone is in danger. Is something sinister lurking right outside in her beloved garden?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThere's only one way to find out... \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCROLL FOR SAMPLE!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Bio: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLinda \u003cspan\u003eMahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThemes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Excerpt:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eChapter 1\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda awoke to the darkness of early morning. A barely-there breeze softly swelled the curtains, causing the sheers to billow as if in slow motion. Before going to bed, she had opened the window and parted the curtains, to better hear the sounds of the night and the morning birdsong. But at this hour all was hushed, except for the rhythmic breathing of her husband. The troubling sense of yearning, that of late had kept her company, had awakened with her. She slipped off the comforter, and walked to the window.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe lightly rubbed her bare arms. In the garden below, only the white flowers were visible\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003econe-shaped hydrangeas, discs of Queen Anne’s lace, full-blossomed peonies\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003edream flowers of night. They appeared weightless, as if they hovered in timelessness, and would not attach to the stems and root until the fuller light of morning connected them. Further down, the garden house loomed out of the darkness\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003elike the flowers, not yet anchored, still in silent communion with the night. As she rested her eyes on it, almost imperceptibly it shifted\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003efrom pale gray to the beginnings of white, gaining in shape and substance as dawn gave way to day. Now she could make out the blue trim, the window boxes. Soon it would stand firm in the bright light of morning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverything was right there\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003ein the tenuous linking of night with dawn, in the garden house full of memories, in the flowers and paths of the garden, in the longing that spilled out into it all. It was as if she were looking at a puzzle, and almost had it pieced together while it lingered at the edge of night\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003ebut then it completely disappeared with the morning light, as if it had never existed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBreakfast. She would make breakfast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe dressed quietly, washed up, and went downstairs. As she got out the eggs, milk, and butter, she tried to brush away the webby sense of discontent that clung about her. A nudging that she should be doing something more now. That her old role had changed and she must also change, or risk slipping into vagueness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInto a large blue bowl she cracked the eggs, and added milk, vanilla, a touch of sugar. Then she began dipping slices of bread into the mix and placing them in a pan sizzling with butter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile they browned, she turned on the tea kettle. She reached for the coffee press, and opened the bag of coffee\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003elifting it to her nose and taking in the rich aroma before measuring it out. The scent alone warmed her to morning, made her eager to begin the day. She took out several oranges and began slicing them to squeeze for juice. While she prepared breakfast, she heard the shower running. She smiled. The scent must have drifted upstairs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCooking grounded her, rooted her, in the same way gardening did. And Ben. And the kids. She caught the spray of citrus mixing with the aroma of fresh coffee, and moved more briskly as she began to set the table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe filled a few ramekins with jams and sour cream, and poured maple syrup into a small beaker. Then she took out a bowl and filled it with strawberries and blueberries. She looked at the table and wanted it to be fuller, richer. She lifted the bright pink kalanchoe from the window shelves, and set it on the table. Too bad the kids weren’t there to enjoy  it. Clara  would  love  the  way  the  flowering plant matched the quilted placemats. And Michael would appreciate the mound of French toast dusted with powdered sugar; he had his father’s love of big breakfasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith one hand on the counter, she gazed at the table, secure now in the routines of her kitchen, of good food, of color and light, a prettily laid table. She leaned her head to one side and studied the setting as if it were a painting, and briefly imagined herself sitting at the table, wearing a long kimono-like robe\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003epeacock blue, or perhaps a pattern in pinks and orange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe glanced down at her sweat pants and t-shirt. Well, they were more practical for cooking, she told herself. Still, she wished she blended more with the arrangement\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003ethe one of the table, as well as the one in her head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda smiled at Ben’s quickness of step coming downstairs. She could always count on his appetite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Smells wonderful!” Ben said, entering the kitchen and giving her a quick kiss. He stared at the table. “All this for us? On a weekday?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda lifted and dropped one shoulder. “I was up early so I thought I’d make breakfast.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m not complaining.” Ben took his seat at the table and poured the steaming coffee into their cups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda sat down and looked at the ceiling-to-floor shelves behind Ben, a sort of small green-house that jutted out into the garden. It always filled her with happiness\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003ethe photos of the kids among the flowering plants, painted boxes and vases and tiny candles scattered throughout. But this morning, as a backdrop to the breakfast table, it filled her with melancholy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe took a slice of French toast and poured some maple syrup over it and added a few strawberries. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to cooking for just two.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’ll just take some time,” said Ben, as he drizzled syrup over his French toast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I suppose so.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen looked over at Miranda, her tone at odds with the enthusiastic breakfast spread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I think I’ll get started on the cupboards and closets,” she said. “Paula has been asking me to hand over any of my old pieces that are gathering dust. I told her with the kids gone, I was going to clean house and get rid of things. She seems to think my old paintings and sculptures will sell at her stores. You know how she can make anything look good. I doubt if they’ll sell, but I guess it’s worth a try.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m sure she’s right. Your work is great. I always tell you that, but you never believe me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s because you’re partial, Ben.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Can’t fault me for good taste.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hmm,” Miranda responded with skepticism. “I guess I’ll show her my old stuff, but what I really want to do is set up the studio and get started on some new things.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, that reminds me,” said Ben. “I think I found a renter for the garden house for the summer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda put her fork down. “I thought we decided against it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen looked up. “We did? I thought the plan was to rent it out until we were ready to put up that wall, make some of those changes we talked about.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ben, that was months ago. I told you just last week that I wanted to use it as a studio this summer. I want to finish that screen, for one thing. And I haven’t done any painting in years.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Miranda, I cut the boards for that screen two years ago.” Ben’s hand hesitated over the berries. Berries or jam? He decided on a few mixed berries and sprinkled them over another piece of French toast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know. And now that I have some time, I can finally finish it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“So I’ll tell the guy it’s not available.” He lifted the coffee press and refilled his cup. “Oh, remember to set out Michael’s camping gear if you come across it. He wants us to take it to him the next time we’re down. Apparently, his new girlfriend\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003eCasey?\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003eis a hiker and camper.” He raised his eyebrows at Miranda and grinned. “He sounds pretty happy. Portland was definitely the right choice for him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Caitlin,” said Miranda. She placed an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand, lightly tapping her lips with her knuckles. She took a deep breath and resumed eating. “No. Don’t tell him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen raised his head. “Tell who what?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The tenant. The guy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh. You sure? I thought you just said – ”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No. That can wait. The rent will help with the renovations.” She took another slice of French toast and spread on some sour cream and raspberry jam. “So who is he?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Somebody Doug knows. Or his wife, rather. A teacher or journalist or something.” He looked up, trying to remember if there was anything else he knew about him. “From out East. New York, I think,” he said, as if that summed it all up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda made a small sound of exasperation. “Is that all you know about him? How old is he? Is he married? Kids? What’s he like? What does he teach?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen drew a blank at each question.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What’s his name?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“William. Something. Been teaching for thirty years. I don’t think he’s arriving until next week. I’ll find out more today and let you know.” He tried to read the expression on Miranda’s face\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003efar-off look, slight frown. He had been sure that his news of a tenant would make her happy. “What?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nothing. It’s just that\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003eI thought that\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eif\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003ewe rented it out, it would be nice to have a woman. An artist. Maybe someone with a small child or two. Wouldn’t that be nice? To have kids down there? Just on a temporary basis.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You can always turn it into a daycare center if that’s what you want.” His suggestion, as he knew it would be, was met with a sharp glance from Miranda. “I mean it,” he continued. “The kids are gone, and now you finally have some time to do what you want to do. If it’s a daycare you want – ”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t want to run a daycare.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well,  you  did  a  few  years  ago.  Don’t  you remember? You had plans to – ”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, I  don’t  now. That’s  the  whole  point, Ben. I want to start doing some of the things I’ve been putting off for the last twenty-five years.” As soon  as  the  words  were  out, she  regretted  them. Ben  would  think  she  was  blaming  him  for  why she hadn’t pursued her dreams, even though it had been her idea to leave school when they got married and work while Ben finished his degree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen looked down at his plate, and then up at Miranda. “I know. I’m behind you on that. Just\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003etell me what it is you want to do, and I’ll help you with it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda’s eyes filled with worry. “That’s just it, Ben. I don’t know. I really don’t. How can I have gotten to this age and not know what I want to do?” She glanced about as she searched for an answer. “What if all those things they say about middle age are true? What if I get foggy-brained and too tired to accomplish anything ever again? And I just keep gaining weight and – ”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen laughed and leaned over to rub her shoulder. “Aw, c’mon. What are you so worried about? You just keep getting better and better. I never could keep up with you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ha!  You  haven’t  gained  a  pound.  While I – ” she shook her head at the unfinished thought. “Though  I  do  think  the  dry  cleaner  is  partly  to blame\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003eeverything comes back smaller. More coffee?” she asked, preventing any chance of a rebuttal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen smiled and held up his cup. “Take your time and think about the tenant. You can always say no. It’s completely your call.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe watched him fix another piece of French toast. “No. It’s a good idea. I’m not quite ready to paint or whatever, anyway. It’s going to take me weeks, maybe months, to really clean out closets and organize everything. A tenant makes sense. I’ll work on the garden house today, get it ready for him. It needs a few things.” She heard herself and almost cringed, as if another delay in her plans was exactly what she wanted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen caught the wistful tone behind her words. “Hey – how about dinner tonight?” he asked. “At McMillans – watch the sun set on the lake. You’ll have your hands full today; this way you won’t have to think about cooking.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You know me well,” she said, stretching her legs and resting them on his lap. Miranda loved the restaurant’s seasonal menu and always looked forward to a new culinary experience\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003ea fresh way of preparing a vegetable, an unusual combination of herbs or spices, or a completely new dish that she would later try to recreate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen’s phone rang and he glanced at the number. “Sam.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe chatted with his old friend, rubbing Miranda’s legs as he talked, stopping and starting in pace with the conversation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda picked a few berries from the bowl, eating them one at a time, and watched Ben, always so  animated  and  energetic. After  all  these  years, she thought, I’m still wild about him. He doesn’t even  have  to  do  anything. He  can  just  sit  there and eat and talk on the phone and laugh\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003eand it all makes me love him so much. He was agreeing to something, raising his eyebrows at her at some good news. She just hoped it didn’t involve fishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen  speared  one  last  slice  and  shrugged  at Miranda, as if it was so delicious he couldn’t help himself. He poured out some syrup, gave a chuckle, and  nodded  again. “Sounds  good.  I’ll  tell  her – she’ll love it. See ya, buddy.” He slipped the phone into his pocket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What will I love?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“He invited us to his new place on the peninsula.  Another  month  or  so  and  it’ll  be  ready. Doesn’t  that  sound  great?” He  cast  an  imaginary fishing line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA weak smile formed on her lips.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hiking, fishing, sitting around the fire pit at night. He said he’s discovered a local berry farm that you’ll love.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda smiled at the cozy vision. “That does sound nice.” Dear ole Sam, she thought. Always sure to include something she would enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBen took one last bite and scooted his chair from the table. Then he took his jacket from the hall tree and headed out the door.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda followed him outside, rubbing her arms against the chill. “I’ll make a reservation. What time should I say?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Better make it 8:00. See you there.” He squeezed her goodbye, intensifying his embrace until he got the laugh he was looking for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe walked out on the flagstones and watched him drive off. A trip to the peninsula might be a good idea, after all. It would be beautiful there. She loved the deep forest walks, the smell of wood fire at night. And Sam was always good company. Though only ten years older than Ben, Sam was in many ways his mentor. She would always be grateful to him for helping Ben through a tough time. The memory of those years, of the stress Ben was under, still filled her with pain. At one point she feared he was heading for a breakdown. Long hours, corporate politics, an ever-increasing work load. It was Sam who convinced him to leave the firm and work with a smaller architect company. And it had changed their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA weekend with Sam would be good for them. She could walk along the shore while they fished. After all, she’d been wanting to exercise more, get back into shape. Here was her chance. Why did she always meet everything with such resistance? Like the idea of a tenant. That, too, might be a good thing. I used to be more open, more adventurous, she thought. When did that change?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda lifted her face to the sun. She loved the way the garden smelled in the early morning, the earthy dampness from the light Seattle rain, the whiff of pine, the sun just beginning to release a hint of jasmine from the trellis. And if she leaned in close enough to the roses\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003eshe cupped her hands around the dewy pinkness, buried her face in the flower, and closed her eyes at such sweetness. She often wished they could move their bed out here, sleep under the stars, put up a little canopy against the rain –\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, neighbor!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was Paula, waving to her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Good morning!” called Miranda, and crossed over to where Paula was planting flowers along her wooden fence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaula stood and held up a potted flower. “Just look at this clematis\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eit’s as big as a saucer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda reached out to touch the pale purple flower. “It’s beautiful.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Just got it at the nursery yesterday. They still have some left.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll go this morning. I need to get flowers for the window boxes,” she said, gesturing to the garden house. “I think we’ve found a renter for the summer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaula inclined her head. “I thought you were going to use it as a studio.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We changed our minds. I want to organize the house first. Then think about what I want to do with the garden house.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I  hope  that  doesn’t  mean  you’re  going  to postpone  your  plans  again.  I  remember  a  time when you were always working on some painting or sculpture or something.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, well – that was ages ago.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What is it you’re afraid of? What’s stopping you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda laughed at the ridiculous notion. “I’m  not  afraid  of  anything,  Paula. It’s  just –  I haven’t done anything for so long, and…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaula put a hand on her hip. “Does this have anything to do with turning fifty?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No, of course not. No. Not at all. It’s just – I’m not sure if I can tap into that part of myself again. I think it might be gone.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t believe that for a moment. It’s in there. You just need to dig.” And with that, she knelt back down and shoved the trowel into the ground. “So who’s the tenant? A young painter with a five-year old child?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda laughed at the details of her earlier vision. “No, an older man. A teacher.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well,  you  can  still  move  ahead  with  your plans. No reason you can’t paint outside or in the garage.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“First I want to organize the house. Now that the kids are gone, I can clear out old stuff, get rid of things. And then think about painting or whatever.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaula gave a skeptical raise of her eyebrows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda pushed her foot at a clump of grass along the fence. “I think it will help me to focus, to start with a clean slate. I have so much stuff – old pieces I’ve held onto, half-finished projects. I want to lighten my load, and start fresh, you know? Then maybe by the fall or so I can be ready to really work.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hmm.  Well,  don’t   throw   away   anything without letting me check it out first. The new shop opens  in  a  month. I  need  to  fill  it  up, and  your things would add just the right touch.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I doubt if there’s anything you can use, but I’ll start going through things.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You really should start on something new, as well. You’ll have the time now.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah.” Miranda nodded and looked around. “Well, I better get started with everything. See you later.” She began to walk back to the house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don’t wait too long, Miranda!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiranda turned and waited for a final word of reprimand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Paula was holding up the pale purple clematis. “They’re sure to go fast.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?page=1\u0026amp;q=Linda+Mahkovec%2A\u0026amp;type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eShop all Linda Mahkovec books\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bublish, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716164886698,"sku":"9781946229120","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_df7bfea6-37d3-4141-b369-a8cfb8572c00.jpg?v=1636991363"},{"product_id":"the-bystander-9781950282661","title":"The Bystander","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Anyone who enjoyed [the] thrilling tales of 'Indiana Jones' will enjoy this book…”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e—David A. McCormick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Saudi king is dying, and a successor must be chosen from the next generation, the grandsons of the assassinated Abdul Aziz and the founder of the kingdom. One prince, His Royal Highness Rashid Abdul Aziz is determined to rule, but royal blood is not enough. He needs to demonstrate he is worthy of the crown. If his wife can find the first Qur’an, used by the Prophet, Prince Rashid will be the next king. The prince fears, however, that the exquisite find won’t be enough. Secretly, he orders terrorists to eliminate his half-brothers and cousins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRashid needs someone he can trust. He asks Amy Prowers, to assist his wife, Princess Hassa, on the excavation and to validate the finding. Though Amy is not an archaeologist, her aunt’s private international organization, the Committee, has access to experts in the ancient city of Ubar in the Empty Quarter. Eager to help her deceased husband’s friend, Prince Rashid, Amy arrives and discovers there is more at stake than ancient cultures.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe kingdom is a breeding ground for a new generation of terrorists. A secret sect called the Black Princes put Amy’s life at risk as she becomes a participant in her friend’s quest for the Saudi throne.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor Bio:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eKatherine Burlake qualified as one of the first women Air Force Officers to attend the Air Force Navy Intelligence School and serve in the Vietnam War. Living in Thailand, England, and Germany led her to the Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors reporting on embassy operations globally. She has traveled to over 130 countries including Afghanistan and Iraq. Her vast experiences plus her four years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia bring in the trench action to her engaging novels. Colorado is now her home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\u0026amp;q=amy%20prowers*\" target=\"_blank\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/bublishbooks.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage%2Ccollection\u0026amp;q=amy%20prowers*\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eShop the Amy Prowers Thriller series\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bublish, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716165509290,"sku":"9781950282661","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_d22bfe5f-cca2-42c4-afc2-9e4a8f39d573.jpg?v=1636991381"},{"product_id":"critical-doubt-9781951656003","title":"Critical Doubt","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThey met in a war-torn city on the other side of the world and shared an anonymous night of passion. They didn't intend to meet again. Nor did they think they'd be reunited by sinister secrets... \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFive years later, FBI Agent Savannah Kane is headed to a small town in Georgia for the funeral of her best friend's husband. Going home is fraught with complications, but Savannah never imagined one of those would be Ryker Stone, the stranger she'd shared an unforgettable night with.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHaunted by an ambush that took the lives of two men in his unit, Ryker now copes by living a solitary civilian life. Attending the funeral of yet another soldier, this one lost to a senseless accident, he is shocked to run into the beautiful stranger he has never forgotten.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen another man in Ryker's former unit dies under suspicious circumstances, it's clear that someone is targeting his team. He's determined to get the truth; Savannah is just as determined to get answers for her friend. Neither wants to work with the other, and as they struggle with trust and attraction, the truth grows murkier...and more dangerous. Will finding answers reveal secrets neither one of them is ready to know? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDon't miss this twisting, suspenseful, romantic page-turner by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716165935274,"sku":"9781951656003","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_42cbb049-8f53-48f2-afa2-2649ed857104.jpg?v=1636991393"},{"product_id":"fearless-pursuit-9781951656126","title":"Fearless Pursuit","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecrets and lies...strangers and spies...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter the death of an asset, Special Agent Jax Kenin goes undercover bartending at an exclusive Hollywood club in hot pursuit of a spy ring. His mission gets complicated when a beautiful brunette begins asking questions about an old murder. She's making people nervous, and he needs to get her out of the way before she blows up his operation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaya Ashton is on a mission of her own, determined to make a movie about the mysterious death of her famous grandmother, Natasha Petrova, a Russian-born movie star who died before her thirty-sixth birthday. Unfortunately, Maya keeps running into roadblocks, including one particularly sexy and attractive bartender. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen danger follows Maya home, Jax has no choice but to protect her. Their missions become entangled, their pursuit of two separate truths suddenly becomes one. And what they discover will shake up their personal lives in ways they never expected. To survive, they must find the truth, before it kills them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDon't miss the next book in the OFF THE GRID: FBI SERIES by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso Available in the Off The Grid: FBI Series\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerilous Trust #1\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReckless Whisper #2\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesperate Play #3\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElusive Promise #4\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDangerous Choice #5\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRuthless Cross #6\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCritical Doubt #7\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFearless Pursuit #8\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat the readers are saying...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"This was such a gripping story. Not only were Jax and Maya fantastic characters, the story was really complex and fascinating. Freethy's books are always well developed and her characters jump of the page.\" Booklovers Anonymous\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Fearless Pursuit will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. What an intriguing, mysterious story. Jax and Maya have immediate chemistry  The twists and turns that this story takes keeps guessing. The Off The Grid: FBI series is a fabulous series but Fearless Pursuit is by far my favorite one \" Cindy - Goodreads\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fog City Publishing, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41716166066346,"sku":"9781951656126","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0440\/3626\/0000\/products\/img_489369e4-c36e-4666-a3cf-20d51e1b23ae.jpg?v=1636991396"},{"product_id":"daring-deception-9781951656157","title":"Daring Deception","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHe didn't just break her heart, he broke her soul...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen a bomb exploded at her college, Caitlyn Carlson's life changed in an instant. Ten years later, she's no longer a vulnerable, trusting girl, but a tough, ruthless, FBI agent. But her hard exterior covers a deep, aching hole in her heart. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuinn Kelly has changed his life, too, trying to make up for the horrific mistakes of his youth. But some mistakes can't be outrun or forgiven. Some feelings don't stay buried, no matter how hard you try. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn explosion at a local university takes them back to the past, to the one place they never wanted to go again...and to each other. They barely survived loving each other the first time around. The secrets and lies almost killed them. 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