Mystery Reads

A collection of horror/thriller stories for readers who would enjoy a stroll through a graveyard after midnight. Hark! Don’t read this book if a deranged maniac has escaped from the local asylum. Otherwise, enjoy the horror.The creepers include: THE MASQUERADE CURSE: Five master criminals are abducted and brought to a decaying island hotel, where the vengeful son of a ruined tycoon tries to determine which one is responsible. THE IMPOSSIBLE KILLER: A detective discovers a series of brutal murders are the work of a supernatural entity that kills anyone whose name it hears. TWICE DOOMED: ...

A tale of magic, mystery and determination which is also in development for film adaptation. Emily longs to be ordinary. But when her parents disappear, she stumbles into the secret world of the Midnight Hour. A Victorian London frozen in time, the Midnight Hour is a haven for all things spooky, including monsters determined to end the world. What secrets have her parents been hiding? There's only one way Emily can find out and rescue her mum and dad: she must be brave enough to embrace her own inner magic....

My wedding was perfect--until it wasn't. A lost ring and a dead body could ruin even the happiest of days. Picture this: I, Glinda Goodall, soon to be Glinda Harrison, was standing at the altar, moments away from saying "I do." And that's when it happened. In the midst of the ceremony, my faithful companion, Iggy, a talking pink iguana and my trusted familiar, managed to misplace the ring. How, you ask? Well, in the process of investigating the shocking discovery of a lifeless body beneath a church pew, he accidentally swallowed the ring. Talk about wedding day drama! Naturally, the wedding...

A scary night. A really weird theft. And some very unexpected helpers—or not-so-helpful helpers. Picture this: Halloween night at the cemetery. Full moon with fog creeping along the ground mixed with the intermittent sound of owls. Scary, right? It was nothing compared to what was to happen next. Hi, I’m Glinda Goodall, part owner of the Pink Iguana Sleuths, and I’m not afraid of death. Heck, my parents own the town’s funeral home. But when someone takes the pink granite tombstone of one of the town’s richest widows, I can’t help but wonder what kind of evil person or being did ...

This is the 6th and final story in the VANISHING LAWYER SERIES about John Carverton, a retired Canadian attorney who found himself plunked into an alternate world in which he had never been born. In this novel, John remains in deep cover for well over a year before he comes to believe that his services might again be required to protect President Donald Trump from harm. The clues are so murky that John begins to think that he must have misinterpreted them. Nothing could be further from the truth. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Donald W. Desaulniers is a retired Canadian lawyer who has penned more than ...

When Tabitha Clive is on the case, nothing stays hidden for long. Question: What does a rusty old tin box, peach cobbler and a dead ex-boyfriend all have in common? Answer: Tabitha Clive! When the citizens of her hometown of Kornville, Nebraska, are shocked by a murder, amateur sleuth and part time reporter Tabitha Clive takes it upon herself to investigate. Tabitha’s case proves more complicated than she anticipated. She must deal with a strange cast of characters, from a suspicious new farmhand to a rude baker with a shady past. With each new twist and turn, the mystery deepens, and the...

* * * A gripping suspense in the tradition of Tess Gerritsen, Robin Cook and Alex Kava, The Slaughterhouse Secrets is the debut of Dr. Jessica Bergstrom, a smart and resourceful veterinarian thrust into a quagmire of corruption, crime and drug smuggling. * * * DR. JESSICA BERGSTROM has job pressures—deadlines, a cranky boss and a meth-addled co-worker out to kill her. As a public health veterinarian at a meat packing plant she knew the place would be rough and dirty. What she didn’t know was the depth of the corruption between industry and government. As she fits the puzzle pieces of ...

Holly is all set to enjoy the Independence Day fireworks show in her hometown of Milltown, CO. She's also ready to make some fireworks of her own afterward with her ex-boyfriend, Clint, before he leaves for Marine boot camp the following day with their friend, Titus. One thing leads to another and Holly decides that the patriotic thing to do would be to give both boys a proper send-off before they go off to risk their lives for their country. Little does she realize that a indulging in that three-way will alter the course of her life forever, in the best possible way. Happy 4th of July! ...

A Chef's Last Course at the Food Festival: A Heartwood Haven Cozy Mystery (Book 2) Murder is on the menu in this deliciously suspenseful cozy mystery! When celebrity chef Vincent Moreau arrives at the Heartwood Haven Food Festival, herbalist Liv Pomeroy sees it as the perfect opportunity to showcase her handcrafted sage-infused products. But her hopes turn to horror when Moreau collapses face-first into his plate after tasting her creation. As suspicion falls on Liv and her herbs, she discovers that Moreau had a severe sage allergy—information conveniently omitted from the festival ...

Everyone has a story…and a dream. Patricia didn’t trust easily. Her ex-husband had taught her all the reasons not to. But Daine didn’t give up easily. Andrew wanted to make certain his granddaughter was happy with her life…then his daughter showed up. Jillian was determined to learn more about her family’s history and the mystery surrounding the woman in the painting at Daine’s house…she didn’t count on Nic being just as interested in it as she was and willing to spend so much time with her at the township's small library. Hannah couldn’t be happier with her new husband…...

Homicide detective Tyler Odom and Daphne Janet team up once again - this time to search for a baby no one is quite sure actually exists. Tensions arise when their approaches to the case (and their apparent sympathies) diverge. AUTHOR'S NOTE: This 8500-word short story was originally published on the Kindle Vella platform.

Idyllic neighborhood, perfect family, meaningful career. CIA analyst Beth Bradford has it all—until she doesn’t. Now, facing an empty nest and a broken marriage, Beth is moving from the cul-de-sac she’s long called home, and the CIA is removing her from the case that’s long been hers: tracking an elusive Iranian intelligence agent known as The Neighbor.

“If you love romance, intrigue and mystery, then this series is for you." Amazon Reviewer A troubled daughter. A heinous crime. A vengeful woman. When Matt’s daughter, Kayleigh takes a job in Souvia to escape her abusive ex, she’s horrified to be a victim of a malicious crime that goes disastrously wrong. Matt has no idea why his daughter and her new boss have been targeted, but he’s determined to protect Kayleigh and to ensure her safety from those who want to harm her. Elena and Kayleigh find themselves right in the firing line as the investigation progresses. Will they err on the...

Welcome to a magical and enriching journey! Marvel your little explorer with "The Incredible Adventures of the Crab", a literary work designed to nurture the young reader's imagination and ignite his desire to explore magical worlds. The captivating illustrations will not only catch his attention but also awaken his curiosity, guaranteeing an exciting journey into the fascinating universe of reading. This book is a gateway to a cultural and spiritual universe. You will discover a beautiful story passed down through generations in the Afro-Latin culture. Accompanying each story, you will ...

Book #6 in the Phoenix Detective Series finds Ann Essex along with her cohorts, Bill Dancer, Suzanne Beck, Husband John, daughter Robin and her ever present companion Caela, Tom Van Pelt and a few others helping to solve murder on the wedding day of Bill and Suzanne's wedding day. Bodies abound. Who will be next? And will they be able to stave off any threats to young Robin and her friends? And why are the victims looking surprisingly like Bill Dancer?

Three darkly funny thrillers from USA Today best-selling author Angela Pepper writing as Gia Pere! A mysterious woman on the run joins an aging A-list actor on a tropical film set where a sudden tragedy puts everyone in jeopardy. A woman who always wanted her sister's life finally gets it. A young woman steps out of the shadows and into a role as a private investigator.

This Christmas, Callie Aspen returns to her childhood hideout Heart's Harbor, Maine, where her great aunt runs Book Tea, a vintage tearoom where every sweet treat contains a bookish clue. Upon arrival in the fairy-tale snowy town, Callie is drawn into the preparations for a special tea party at Haywood Hall, the rambling house of Heart's Harbor's oldest resident, rich but lonely widow Dorothea Finster, who invited her estranged relatives, old friends, and the elite of the town to make a mysterious announcement about her will.

It's New Year's Eve and the stage is set for a lavish party in one of Edinburgh's best postcodes. It's a moment for old friends to set the past to rights-and move on. The night sky is alive with fireworks and the champagne is flowing. But the celebration fails to materialize. Because someone at this party is going to die tonight. Midnight approaches and the countdown begins—but it seems one of the guests doesn't want a resolution. They want revenge.

After volunteering to wrap presents for charity, Mike and Kate get a special thank-you: a sleepover at the Baseball Hall of Fame! But when they’re sneaking around the museum late at night, their flashlight reveals that one of the famous baseball cards on display is a fake! Can they find the real card, catch the crook, and get the presents to the charity’s Christmas party on time? It’s up to Mike and Kate to turn this Christmas mess into a Christmas miracle!

Abi attends a murder mystery play and dinner at a local hotel with friends and family but the evening soon takes on a real sinister turn when one of the actors is found sprawled on the floor backstage. With a blizzard raging outside, it could take a while for the emergency services to battle through the weather to reach the hotel, so Abi dives into investigating what happened, why and who caused things to take such a deadly turn. As the snow falls and the story unfolds, Abi is soon unravelling a true mystery. With a bunch of convincing actors to question, will she be able to decipher who is...