Collection: Mystery, Thrillers, & Crime

You ever feel like life hands you a script, and you're just playing your part? Well, that was me--Diana, living the life my mom mapped out. Runway walks, posh living, and absolutely zero say in my own Californian story. Crazy, right?

My checklist for a fulfilling life was pretty standard - a dog, a cozy apartment, a car that doesn't hate the environment, a job that feels less like a cage, and, oh yes, fine arts. I was the runway puppet, chauffeured around in a car I never drove, and there was an unwarranted fear of me running over someone. Did I mention Mom's disdain for dogs? Yeah, I never got that either.

Then came this online ad, a whisper of freedom. Three hundred bucks, two bags, and a ticket later, I'm in London. Goodbye, golden cage; hello, spontaneous adventure.

Inkphoric became my refuge, a tattoo haven that felt like home. Who'd have thought a tattoo studio could be so much more than a job? In that buzzing ink-scented space, I found my tribe, my people. They became the family I never knew I needed.

And then there's Ryder, turning my world upside down. Love? Unexpected, but hey, life's a wild ride.

"Some things were meant to be marked on the skin."

This, my friend, is life off-script, and it's pretty darn exciting.

The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?

Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed...

She doesn't remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn't remember the party at all.

When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says 'nothing'. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.

Did someone at the party harm her?

What is her husband hiding?

Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?

Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn's memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart...

This brilliantly addictive read about dark secrets our loved ones keep from us is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.

Read what everyone's saying about The Day After the Party:

'Loved!!!!!... Awesome... I was shocked to my core... OMG. I couldn't believe what I was reading. It left me speechless and wanting more.' Blue Moon Blogger, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Fantastic... Wow, how this played out was amazing... A WINNER... The twists were a roller coaster ride.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Omg what a book... Amazing... Had me gripped from the off until the very end and what an ending it was.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Leaves you wishing it was just starting rather than finishing!... I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout!!... I am left wanting to read another! Excellent!!' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Another jaw-dropping thriller... This book had me hooked from the very beginning.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I loved the book... This book was EXCELLENT! It was juicy, thrilling, twisty, it had characters I loved and loved to hate.' @sabireads1984, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I devoured this book in one sitting, I loved how it was told... I was addicted... Unputdownable... Packed with drama and suspense.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Wow... This book had me on my toes... Loved.' @bookloversanonuk, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I loved the intrigue... I could hardly put it down... It was fantastic!' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Minnie's jelly donut is gone! Moo is sure it's been stolen. Can the cunning cows stop the crime wave before the donut-napper strikes again?

The funniest and sweetest buddies since Frog and Toad, Minnie and Moo will earn giggles from young readers. The Minnie and Moo stories are fun independent reads and also perfect for reading aloud, as they're filled with funny dialogue from these goofy and adorable cows.

Denys Cazet was an elementary school teacher for 25 years, and has also been a school librarian and elementary school media specialist. He was inspired to tell stories about the silly cow best friends when he passed a herd of cows in which all but two were facing the same way. Those two nonconformist cows became Minnie and Moo.

Minnie and Moo: The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.

Judge Kim presides over a case against her beloved pet dog in this second book in the Judge Kim and the Kids' Court Level 3 Ready-to-Read Graphics series!

When Neil's extravagant birthday party is ruined, he blames the mess on Kim and Miles's dog, Digger! Can Miles defend Digger and prove his innocence--or is Digger not the good boy that Kim thought he was?

Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There's even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.

Having discovered a knack for investigation, Stefanie joins Thomas Burkhardt in Milan, Italy, on the Black Market trail of a fabulous sapphire and emerald encrusted pendant known as the Borgia Peacock, missing since it was stolen from the Milan World Expo of 1906.

Undercover as a wealthy heiress, Stefanie has no doubt she'll convince the current owner, Contessa Giuliana Bergamo, to sell to her. But when she shows up at the Contessa's crumbling Venetian palazzo to clinch the deal, it isn't only the glittering gemstones that have Stefanie seeing blue. Others are there vying for the Peacock, including Europe's most notorious jewel fence. In the cut-throat competition, one of the would-be buyers is murdered.

Caught up in murder, with their cover identities and their lives on the line, Stefanie and Thomas dig for the truth and the Peacock while trying to avoid discovery themselves. Then she learns Thomas is keeping secrets of his own, secrets that threaten their happiness, and Stefanie wonders if this Borgia Peacock affair is one opportunity she shouldn't have embraced.

4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK is the darkly comedic story of four burgeoning child criminals and their elaborate plans.

When a group of bumbling criminals show up in her father's life looking to pull one last job, young Paige has two choices - let her father get caught up in their criminal hijinks or enlist her three best friends to do the job first. Paige picks the bad one.

200ish pages of full color comic-booking about friendship, family, growing up, and grand larceny from rising star writer Matthew Rosenberg (WE CAN NEVER GO HOME, KINGPIN, SECRET WARRIORS) and equally rising star artist Tyler Boss (LAZARUS, CALEXIT, Vice Magazine).

This vollume collects the complete series that Kieron Gilled (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, DARTH VADER) described as "Imagine Tarantino does Goonies. And excellent." and Brian K. Vaughan (SAGA, Y THE LAST MAN) said was "Exploding with ambition and love of the medium!"

Collects issues 1-5.

When only a crack shot will do...In the two weeks CIA assassin Fortune Redding has been hiding in Sinful, Louisiana, she's been harassed, poisoned, and shot at...and that was the easy part. But now, she's about to face her biggest challenge since setting foot in the tiny bayou town.When mayoral candidate Ted Williams is murdered, everyone is surprised. Ted was a blowhole and a Yankee, but those usually weren't good reasons to kill someone. When Sinful Ladies Society leader Ida Belle becomes the lead suspect in the crime,

Fortune knows she's got to solve a murder and save one of the only friends she's ever had. But as the investigation begins, more and more secrets surface, and Fortune realizes that sometimes nothing is as it seems.

This place is full of secrets. And they won't leave him alone.

When I look, it disappears. Wait. There it is again, at the cornfield.

Some movement, some thing.

Mom and I have been on the run for years. Every time he catches up with us, we move to a new place and start over.

But this place is different.

"Brilliant, page-turning, and eerie. Had me guessing to the very end." --Joseph Delaney, author of The Last Apprentice series

"It's about ghosts and terrifying danger and going mad all at once. I didn't know what was real and what was imagined until the very last page. I loved it!" --Melvin Burgess, Carnegie Medal and Guardian Prize winning author of Smack

Allan Stratton is an acclaimed internationally published playwright and author. His awards include a Michael L. Printz Honor award, multiple ALA picks, and the Independent Publisher Book Award.

He must infiltrate a dangerous cult...
To prevent an impending disaster.

Rocco Sharp fears he's placed Mercy McCoy in peril. The undercover agent has convinced the cult leader's daughter to get him into the Shining Light's compound. With five days to thwart a violent plot, Rocco's feelings for Mercy put his assignment at risk. As the connection between them deepens, Rocco knows he'll have to be the one to tell Mercy who he really is. Otherwise, they'll never have a chance beyond this critical mission.

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the Cowboy State Lawmen series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:

Book 1: Wyoming Winter Rescue
Book 2: Wyoming Christmas Stalker
Book 3: Wyoming Mountain Hostage
Book 4: Wyoming Mountain Murder
Book 5: Wyoming Cowboy Undercover
Book 6: Wyoming Mountain Cold Case

She has secrets she prefers to keep hidden.
Too bad he's so good at getting to the truth.

When a violent attack puts Maci Ford in the hospital, security expert Chance Patterson learns that she's carrying his baby. Even though she ended their relationship, he's determined to do whatever it takes to protect her and their child. But, as her stalker's behavior escalates, Chance can't shake the feeling that Maci is still hiding something from him...

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the San Antonio Security series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:

Book 1: Texas Bodyguard: Luke
Book 2: Texas Bodyguard: Brax
Book 3: Texas Bodyguard: Weston
Book 4: Texas Bodyguard: Chance

Lana Lee returns for another delectable cozy set in a Chinese restaurant in Vivien Chien's Hot and Sour Suspects.

"Pair your noodles with this steaming mystery, and you have the perfect chilly night combination!"--PopSugar

At the Ho-Lee Noodle House, murder is on the menu.

When Lana Lee's best friend, Megan Riley, asks her to help host a speed dating contest at Ho-Lee Noodle House, she doesn't see the harm in lending a hand. The night goes better than anticipated, and both Lana and Megan are beyond thrilled with the results. But before they can break out the champagne, Rina Su, fellow Asia Village shop owner and speed dating participant, calls to inform Lana that the date she's just matched with has been murdered. Under suspicion of foul play, Rina enlists Lana's help in finding out what really happened that night.

Without hesitation, Lana begins to dig into the man in question. To her dismay, she quickly finds that Rina's date has a rather unsavory past. There's a long line of slighted women, angry neighbors, and perturbed co-workers--all of whom seem to have a motive.

As Lana continues to spiral down the treacherous path of scorned lovers and mistreated acquaintances, she can't help but dwell on how quickly an innocent evening filled with hope and positivity could turn so sour. When the media gets in on the case, Lana must rush to find the killer before more dates turn deadly.

Join Thea Stilton and the Thea Sisters on an adventure packed with mystery and friendship!

The Thea Sisters are visiting a friend in sunny California -- and she invites them to the set of a movie in Hollywood! The mice love being around famouse and fabumouse directors and actors as they're working. But then an important reel of film is stolen from the studio! Can the Thea Sisters catch the thief and save the movie?

Nancy Caldwell relocates to an old sea captain's house on Cape Cod with her husband and four children. When she discovers an abandoned root cellar in her backyard containing a baby's skull and gold coins, she digs up evidence that links her land to the legendary tale of Maria Hallett and her pirate lover, Sam Bellamy. Using alternating chapters between the 18th and 21st centuries, The Old Cape House, a historical fiction, follows two women that are lifetimes apart, to uncover a mystery that has had the old salts of Cape Cod guessing for 300 years.

2014 Winner First Place in Historical Fiction Royal Dragonfly Awards!

Enter the lush world of 1950s New York City, where a generation of aspiring models, secretaries, and editors live side by side in the glamorous Barbizon Hotel for Women while attempting to claw their way to fairy-tale success in this debut novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue.

"Rich both in twists and period detail, this tale of big-city ambition is impossible to put down."--People

When she arrives at the famed Barbizon Hotel in 1952, secretarial school enrollment in hand, Darby McLaughlin is everything her modeling agency hall mates aren't: plain, self-conscious, homesick, and utterly convinced she doesn't belong--a notion the models do nothing to disabuse. Yet when Darby befriends Esme, a Barbizon maid, she's introduced to an entirely new side of New York City: seedy downtown jazz clubs where the music is as addictive as the heroin that's used there, the startling sounds of bebop, and even the possibility of romance.

Over half a century later, the Barbizon's gone condo and most of its long-ago guests are forgotten. But rumors of Darby's involvement in a deadly skirmish with a hotel maid back in 1952 haunt the halls of the building as surely as the melancholy music that floats from the elderly woman's rent-controlled apartment. It's a combination too intoxicating for journalist Rose Lewin, Darby's upstairs neighbor, to resist--not to mention the perfect distraction from her own imploding personal life. Yet as Rose's obsession deepens, the ethics of her investigation become increasingly murky, and neither woman will remain unchanged when the shocking truth is finally revealed.

In the thrilling next novel by New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Winspear, Maisie Dobbs must catch a madman before he commits murder on an unimaginable scale.

It's Christmas Eve 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the prime minister's office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met--and the writer mentions Maisie by name. After being questioned and cleared by Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard's elite Special Branch, she is drawn into MacFarlane's personal fiefdom as a special adviser on the case. Meanwhile, Billy Beale, Maisie's trusted assistant, is once again facing tragedy as his wife, who has never recovered from the death of their young daughter, slips further into melancholia's abyss. Soon Maisie becomes involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict death and destruction on thousands of innocent people. And before this harrowing case is over, Maisie must navigate a darkness not encountered since she was a nurse in wards filled with shell-shocked men.

In Among the Mad, Jacqueline Winspear combines a heart-stopping story with a rich evocation of a fascinating period to create her most compelling and satisfying novel yet.

Winner of the Nero Wolfe Award

It is 1921 and Mary Russell--Sherlock Holmes's brilliant apprentice, now an Oxford graduate with a degree in theology--is on the verge of acquiring a sizable inheritance. Independent at last, with a passion for divinity and detective work, her most baffling mystery may now involve Holmes and the burgeoning of a deeper affection between herself and the retired detective. Russell's attentions turn to the New Temple of God and its leader, Margery Childe, a charismatic suffragette and a mystic, whose draw on the young theology scholar is irresistible. But when four bluestockings from the Temple turn up dead shortly after changing their wills, could sins of a capital nature be afoot? Holmes and Russell investigate, as their partnership takes a surprising turn in A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King.