Houston Public Library

"From rodeos to rustlers, from ranch life to the outlaw trail, Elmer Kelton’s take on the human condition shows us life in Texas as it was back then: simpler, but harder, with danger always present." -- Publisher

When a convict who swears he's innocent comes to town, violence breaks out.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the High Sierras. But Smoke Jensen and his children, Louis and Denise, won’t let a little snow stop them from heading to Reno for the holidays. There are two ways for them to get there: the long way, going around the Sierra Nevada Mountains, or the short way, going right through them. Smoke decides to take a gamble. They’ll follow the trail that, decades earlier, brought the legendary Donner Party to a gruesome, tragic end...

"If anyone can smell an investment opportunity, it’s railroad men and big city bankers. They’re not the kind of folks that Sheriff Mackey is used to dealing with. But greed is greed, and if anyone knows how money can drive men to murder, it’s the sheriff of a boomtown like Dover Station. But when Mackey is forced to gun down a pair of saloon rats, it brings a powderkeg of trouble—with a quick-burning fuse of vengeance named Alexander Duramont. This bloodthirsty psychopath wants to kill the sheriff for killing his buddies. And he plans to get his revenge using a highly combustible mix of fire, fear, and dynamite . . ." -- Publisher

Do not open fire until Christmas... T'was the week before Christmas and all through the ranch, not a creature was stirring - because Shad Parker would fill it full of buckshot. Emittered by the loss of his wife and children in the Civil War, Shad relocated his sorry self to Gilead, Texas, where he planted a DO NOT TRESSPASS sign on his land, his heart, and his soul. Intruders beware... Enter the Coats children: three scrappy runaways from the Faith, Hope, and Charity orphanage. Austin, Pet, and Davy are hiding out in a cave on Shad's land. When the lonely rancher begrudgingly saves their lives, he's stuck taking them in. But when a gang of bank robbers show up, they're going to need a Christmas miracle - to stay alive 'til New Year's...

"There aren’t many options for an eighteen-year-old girl in the Old West. Especially an orphan like Tennessee Smith. She can either sell her body in a seedy saloon or take her chances as a mail-order bride. Tennie chooses the latter. Joining a wagonload of women across Indian territory, she arrives in the God-forsaken town of Ring Bit, Texas. Her husband-to-be is surprisingly decent. But after tying the knot in a quickie ceremony, he pops even more surprises on her. First, he introduces Tennie to his three young sons. Then he drops dead on their wedding night . . ."--

"Keisha Taylor lived a quiet life with her wife, Alice, until the day that Alice disappeared. After months of searching, presuming she was dead, Keisha held a funeral, mourned, and gradually tried to get on with her life. But that was before Keisha started to see her wife, again and again, in the background of news reports from all over America. Alice isn't dead, and she is showing up at every major tragedy and accident in the country. Following a line of clues, Keisha takes a job with a trucking company, Bay and Creek Transportation, and begins searching for Alice. She eventually stumbles on an otherworldly conflict being waged in the quiet corners of our nation's highway system, uncovering a conspiracy that goes way beyond one missing woman."--Provided by the publisher.

"When Alex's father is assassinated by the KGB, he and his mother flip a coin to decide whether to flee to America, or Great Britain. This epic tale spans thirty years, as we follow Alex's struggle to conquer his new world as an immigrant, and his eventual decision to face the past in Russia."--

"With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero Augustus commands the Roman empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendor. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is unquestioned.But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumors of Nero’s complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace–and the politicians…For better or worse, Nero knows that his fate is now tied to Rome’s–and he vows to rebuild it as a city that will stun the world. But there are those who find his rampant quest for glory dangerous. Throughout the empire, false friends and spies conspire against him, not understanding what drives him to undertake the impossible.Nero will either survive and be the first in his family to escape the web of betrayals that is the Roman court, or be ensnared and remembered as the last radiance of the greatest dynasty the world had ever known."--

"Atlee Pine, an FBI special agent assigned to the remote wilds of the western United States. Ever since her twin sister was abducted by a notorious serial killer at age five, Atlee has spent her life hunting down those who hurt others. And she's the best at it. She could be one of the Bureau's top criminal profilers, if she didn't prefer catching criminals in the vast wilderness of the West to climbing the career ladder in the D.C. office. Her chosen mission is a lonesome one--but that suits her just fine. Now, Atlee is called in to investigate the mutilated carcass of a mule found in the Grand Canyon--and hopefully, solve the disappearance of its rider. But this isn't the only recent disappearance. In fact, it may be just the first clue, the key to unraveling a rash of other similar missing persons cases in the canyon."

"Satire meets slasher in this short, darkly funny hand grenade of a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends. "Femi makes three, you know. Three and they label you a serial killer." Korede is bitter. How could she not be? Her sister, Ayoola, is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola's third boyfriend in a row is dead. Korede's practicality is the sisters' saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood, the trunk of her car is big enough for a body, and she keeps Ayoola from posting pictures of her dinner to Instagram when she should be mourning her "missing" boyfriend. Not that she gets any credit. A kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where Korede works is the bright spot in her life. She dreams of the day when he will realize they're perfect for each other. But one day Ayoola shows up to the hospital uninvited and he takes notice. When he asks Korede for Ayoola's phone number, she must reckon with what her sister has become and what she will do about it. Sharp as nails and full of deadpan wit, Oyinkan Braithwaite has written a deliciously deadly debut that's as fun as it is frightening"-- Provided by publisher.

"Paris, 1939 -Torn apart by war, Saffron Courtney and Gerhard von Meerbach are thousands of miles apart, both struggling for their lives. Gerhard - despite his objections to the Nazi regime - is fighting for the Fatherland, hoping to one day have the opportunity to rid Germany of Hitler and his cronies. But as his unit is thrown into the hellish attrition of the Battle of Stalingrad, he knows his chances of survival are dwindling by the day.Meanwhile Saffron - recruited by the Special Operations Executive and sent to occupied Belgium to discover how the Nazis have infiltrated SOE's network - soon finds herself being hunted by Germany's most ruthless spymaster. Confronted by evil beyond their worst imaginings, the lovers must each make the hardest choice of all: sacrifice themselves, or do whatever they can to survive, hoping that one day they will be reunited."--Provided by the publisher.

A leader has fallen, and Alex Cross joins the procession of mourners from Capitol Hill to the White House. Then a sniper's bullet strikes a target in the heart of DC. Alex Cross's wife, Bree Stone, newly elevated chief of DC detectives must solve the case or lose her position. The Secret Service and the FBI deploy as well in the race to find the shooter. Alex is tasked by the new President to lead an investigation unprecedented in scale and scope. But is the sniper's strike only the beginning of a larger attack on the nation?

"Sally Walther feels like her world is imploding. Publicly humiliated after her husband, a local councilman, is arrested for bigamy, and her subsequent divorce, she has isolated herself from the world. When her only friend insists that Sally climb out of her hole, and embrace the season to get her out of her funk, Sally decides to put up a Christmas tree and heads off to buy one - albeit reluctantly. She is immediately taken by Andrew, the kind, handsome man who owns the Christmas tree lot and delivers her tree. She soon learns that Andrew is single and new to her city and, like her, is also starting his life anew. As their friendship develops, Sally slowly begins to trust again - something she never thought possible. Then, just when she thinks she has finally found happiness, she discovers a dark secret from Andrew's past. Is there more to this stranger's truth than meets the eye?"

"It wouldn’t quite be Christmas without a holiday mystery decorated with all the Victorian trimmings, as only New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry can render it. Now the tradition continues as mayhem is once again found under the mistletoe, and intrigue stalks the cobblestone streets and gaslit parlors of old London Town. Formerly a river urchin living on the banks of the Thames, nine-year-old Worm has never experienced a family Christmas. But thanks to a job at Hester Monk’s clinic in Portpool Lane, he’s found a makeshift family in kindly volunteer Miss Claudine Burroughs and curmudgeonly old bookkeeper Squeaky Robinson. When Worm witnesses the abduction of a beautiful woman by a pair of ruffians just days before Christmas, he frantically turns to Squeaky for help. A one-time brothel owner, Squeaky knows the perils of interfering in nasty business, but he can’t bear to disappoint Worm—or leave the boy to attempt a rescue on his own. What neither of the would-be saviors expects, however, is that the damsel in distress already has her dilemma well in hand . . . and is taking steps to bring her captors to justice for crimes far worse than kidnapping. But the rogues, as cunning as they are deadly, are not to be underestimated. The aid of cynical old Squeaky and hopeful young Worm just might make the difference between a merry triumph over evil or a terrible yuletide tragedy."

"This is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros. Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen-the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria-took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart. What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys-three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed."--Publisher.

"Victorian England is a country of sharp divides between rich and poor, but James Lionel Falconer is everything a self-made man should be: handsome, ambitious, charming, and brimming with self-confidence. Even as a boy working in his father's market stall in Camden, he was determined to become a merchant prince. Through hard work and a single-minded determination, James rises quickly through the ranks, with a loving wife, devoted children, and a lofty position in the Malvern & Malvern Company. But when back-to-back tragedies strike the Falconer home, shattering this idyllic life, it seems as though James might never recover his former glory... until a royal summons gives him the chance to prove that he truly is a master of the game."--Provided by the publisher.

“Time travel” -- and its hazards -- are made literal in this astonishing new novel in which a recklessly idealistic girl dares to test the perimeters of her tightly controlled (future) world and is punished by being sent back in time to a region of North America -- “Wainscotia, Wisconsin” -- that existed eighty years before. Cast adrift in time in this idyllic Midwestern town she is set upon a course of “rehabilitation” -- but cannot resist falling in love with a fellow exile and questioning the constrains of the Wainscotia world with results that are both devastating and liberating.

Lucille Howard is getting on in years, but she stays busy. She has begun to teach baking classes. When a new family moves in next door and tragedy strikes, Lucille begins to look out for Lincoln, their son. Lincoln's parents aren't the only ones in town facing hard choices and uncertain futures. In these difficult times, the residents of Mason come together and find the true power of community - just when they need it the most.

"Beauchamp Hall is perfect for the holidays, a delightful novel about a young American woman who finds love and fulfillment in the course of her involvement with a Downton Abbey-style TV show in England."

"Family secrets come back to haunt Jack Reacher in this electrifying thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child, "a superb craftsman of suspense" (Entertainment Weekly). Jack Reacher has extended his thumb and hit the pavement. His plan is to follow the autumn sun on an epic trip across America, from Maine to California. He doesn't get far. On a country road in rural New Hampshire, deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been: The town where his father was born. He thinks, What's one extra day? and takes the detour. At the same moment, in the same isolated area, a car breaks down. Two young Canadians are trying to drive to New York City to sell a treasure. Now they're stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. The owners almost seem too friendly. It's a strange place. but it's all there is. The next morning in the city clerk's office, Reacher asks about the old family home. He's told no one named Reacher ever lived in town. He knows his father left and never returned. Now Reacher wonders, Was he ever there in the first place? As Reacher explores his father's life, and strands of different stories begin to merge, he makes a shocking discovery: The present can be tough, but the past can be tense. and deadly"-- Provided by publisher.

Marine officer. CIA analyst. President. Jack Ryan has devoted his life to protecting the United States. What if this time, he can't? President Ryan and the Campus return in the latest entry in Tom Clancy's #1 New York Times-bestselling series.

"As the shadows of World War II gather, the SS Lichenfield is westbound across the Pacific carrying eighty thousand barrels of highly explosive naphtha. The cargo alone makes the journey perilous, with the entire crew aware that one careless moment could lead to disaster. But yet another sort of peril haunts the Lichenfield. Even beyond their day-to-day existence, the lives of the crew are mysteriously intertwined. Though each has his own history, dreams and jealousies, longing and rage, all are connected by a deadly web of chance and circumstance. Some are desperately fleeing the past; others chase an unknown destiny. A few are driven by the desire for adventure, while their shipmates cling to the Lichenfield as their only true home. In their hearts, these men, as well as the women and children they have left behind, carry the seeds of salvation or destruction. And all of them—kind or cruel, strong or broken—are bound to the fate of the vessel that carries them toward an ever-darkening horizon. Inspired by Louis L’Amour’s own experiences as a merchant seaman, No Traveller Returns is a revelatory work by a world-renowned author—and a brilliant illustration of a writer discovering his literary voice."--Provided by the publisher.

"Linden Malegarde has come home to Paris from the United States. It has been years since the whole family was all together. Now the Malegarde family is gathering for Paul, Linden’s father’s 70th birthday.Each member of the Malegarde family is on edge, holding their breath, afraid one wrong move will shatter their delicate harmony. Paul, the quiet patriarch, an internationally-renowned arborist obsessed with his trees and little else, has always had an uneasy relationship with his son. Lauren, his American wife, is determined that the weekend celebration will be a success. Tilia, Linden’s blunt older sister, projects an air of false fulfillment. And Linden himself, the youngest, uncomfortable in his own skin, never quite at home no matter where he lives―an American in France and a Frenchman in the U.S.―still fears that, despite his hard-won success as a celebrated photographer, he will always be a disappointment to his parents.Their hidden fears and secrets slowly unravel as the City of Light undergoes a stunning natural disaster, and the Seine bursts its banks and floods the city. All members of the family will have to fight to keep their unity against tragic circumstances. In this profound and intense novel of love and redemption, de Rosnay demonstrates all of her writer’s skills both as an incredible storyteller but also as a soul seeker."--Provided by the publisher.

When TV producer Laurie Moran investigates an unsolved murder, she becomes entangled in a web of long-buried secrets and begins to wonder if her own life is in grave danger as a mysterious stalker plots revenge.

John is the youngest of seven boys and is constantly overshadowed by his big brothers who seem to all be stronger, smarter, and better looking than he is. As a teenager, he knows he's overweight and is sure he'll never be popular like his brothers are. But those struggles are nothing compared to the battle he is about to fight. After weeks of feeling exhausted, depressed, and achy, he has no idea what's wrong with him and begins to wonder if he'll be miserable for the rest of his life. By the time he is finally diagnosed with Lyme disease, his body is failing and his spirits are nearly at rock bottom.

"Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn't answer the phone call that would change his life, and possibly the world, forever. 'I'd just like to assure you I'm not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I've recently been given absolute proof of God's existence, and I've been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously.' What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences? The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life's work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world's major religions are all under threat. Can Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence?"

"Gwyn Weaver is as resilient as anyone could be. Having survived an attempted murder, she has rebuilt her life and reclaimed her dignity and strength. She's always known about her feelings for defense attorney Thomas Thorne, but as her friend and a colleague there could be no chance of anything more... or could there? Thorne has known violence and pain all his life. He's overcome the hardships thanks to his own steel, and the love of his loyal friends. Now he's thinking it might finally be time to let his guard down, and allow himself to let in the woman he's always admired from afar. Then Thorne's whole world is torn apart - he is found unconscious in his own bed, the lifeless body of a stranger lying next to him, her blood on his hands. Knowing Thorne could never have committed such a terrible crime, Gwyn and his friends rally round to clear his name. But this is just the beginning - the beginning of a brutal campaign to destroy Thorne, and everything he holds dear..."--Provided by the publisher.

Mary and Dr. Watson are called in to investigate a serial killer in Battersea, a rough neighborhood in London. They discover that many more women are missing than have turned up actually dead. Meanwhile, their colleagues Nan and Sarah are tracking down a villain who is causing scandal by seducing young ladies of quality and then vanishing. Nan, Sarah, and the Watsons discover that they are hunting the same man - who isn't a man at all. It will require Elemental Magic, Sarah's mediumistic powers, and all of their combined wit and cunning to destroy the Golem - before all of London succumbs to its powers.

Paul Gallo saw the report on the news: a mass murderer leading police to his victims' graves in remote Dread's Hand, Alaska. It's the same bit of wilderness where his twin brother went missing a year ago. As the bodies are exhumed, Paul travels to Alaska to get closure and put his grief to rest. But the mystery is only beginning. What Paul finds are superstitious locals who talk of the devil stealing souls, and a line of wooden crosses to keep what's in the woods from coming out. The more he searches for answers, the more he finds himself becoming part of the mystery...

"For years things have run smoothly at Cavendon Hall, with very few quarrels, dramas, or upsets among the Inghams and the Swanns. But since the end of World War II, things have changed. The Secrets of Cavendon picks up in the summer of 1949, with the new generation of the estate at the forefront of the scandal and intrigue. With romance, betrayal, heartbreak, and possible murder threatening to tear them apart, the Inghams and Swanns will have to find a way to come together and protect each other in the face of threats they never could have predicted."--Provided by the publisher.

Pal, a rural youth who can wield weapons of the ancient civilization, heads to the capital, Dun Add, to seek out the Leader and to become a Champion and maintain law and justice in this universe and beyond.

As heir to a chain of luxury hotels, Sean Wyse III always gets what he wants. So when he sees a freeloading roommate taking advantage of his spunky best friend, Molly Brandt, he doesn't hesitate to step in. He kicks out the roommate...and moves himself in. Molly loves quality time with Sean, but spending nights with him one wall away threatens to wake the crush she thought she'd gotten over. A crush Sean knows nothing about, which might be a problem...considering how hard Sean's been working never to think of Molly that way.

For more than a hundred years, all of Earth's nations focused on one goal: defeat the Formic aliens who nearly destroyed the entire world. Then Ender Wiggin won the war. Colonel Hyrum Graff now runs Fleet School on the old Battle School station and still recruits the best and brightest kids to train as leaders for distant colonies. Dabeet Ochoa is a very smart kid. But he doesn't think he has a chance at Fleet School, because there is a preference for the children of Fleet personne. But then Colonel Graff himself arrives at Dabeet's school to interview him. Dabeet is going to Fleet School; can he measure up to greater challenges than he has ever faced before?

"Sadie Whitaker is determined to be a good daughter, but her stepmother, Rachel, has made no secret of her overwhelming jealousy--or her desire to get Sadie out of her life. Rachel's latest plot involves marrying Sadie off to a widower in need of a mother for his unruly children--and she has convinced Sadie's beloved father to agree." -- page [4] of cover.

Longing for the man she left behind when she ran from a drug lord's family, former cat burglar Sola Morte returns to her past when he falls into a coma, but his secret may have her running again.

When eleven-year-old Holly Greenwood knocks on her door, Ivy Macintosh's self-imposed exile is shattered. Holly has an extraordinary voice, and wants nothing more than to perform in an upcoming Christmas musical. Ivy has no idea how closely she and Holly's father Daniel are linked by their tragic pasts, yet she's drawn to the warmth she senses beneath his gruff exterior. And as Christmas nears, their shared concern for Holly begins to draw Ivy back into the world again - and toward a family who may need her just as much as she needs them.

As summer gives way to fall in Rustlers Gulch, widow Maddie McLendon begins to have second thoughts about uprooting her life to move there with her son and grandson. Contractors have yet to break ground on their new house, leaving them-- along with four horses, three dogs, and six cats-- to live in a makeshift camp of trailers, tents, and sheds, while a brutal Montana winter looms on the horizon. Millionaire rancher Sam Conacher doesn't take kindly to his foolish new neighbors, but then he hasn't taken kindly to anyone since his wife died six years earlier. Then Sam's daughter goes and falls in love with Maddie's no-good son. As the first snowflakes begin to fall, they'll discover the secrets and slipups that have brought each of them to this point in their lives-- to when an open heart is the biggest gift of all.

"Lady Ainsley Matthews, heiress and darling of the ton, was expected to make a magnificent match. Instead she’s hiding on a remote Scottish estate, terrified that her vicious former fiancé will use her pregnancy to force her into marriage. One man can help her—Royal Kendrick, son of a distinguished Highland clan. Though a mistake drove them apart long ago, Royal is the only person Ainsley trusts to protect her baby—even if that means agreeing to never see either of them again . . ."

"Lethal assassin Victor lands in the middle of a Guatemalan cartel war in the latest nonstop thriller from the international bestselling author of The Final Hour. KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE... Victor is the killer who always delivers...for the right price. And Heloise Salvatierra, patron of Guatemala's largest cartel, is ready and willing to pay him just that to eliminate the competition: her sister. Heloise has been battling Maria for control of the cartel in an endless and bloody war. Now Victor decides who survives. An easy job if it weren't for the sudden target on his back. ...AND THEIR ENEMIES CLOSER. Victor's not the only one on the hunt. Someone else has Maria in the crosshairs and will do anything to get the kill. In the middle of cartel territory with enemies closing in from all sides, Victor must decide where to put the bullet before one is placed in his head...." - Back cover.

Lucy Kincaid is assigned to investigate the death of a mentally unstable man during a hostage situation who used to be an upstanding citizen, and whose story proves more complicated and dangerous than she initially imagines.

"From New York Times bestselling author and "grand master of the game" (The Providence Journal) J.A. Jance, an electrifying new thriller featuring Ali Reynolds. After taking down the man responsible for his best friend's death, Stuart Ramey thinks the case is finally closed. That is, until Stu finds himself left with a multimillion dollar fortune in Bitcoin in a desperate bid by Frigg, a rogue A.I. program created by the killer, to keep itself from being fully deactivated. To sort out his situation and take Frigg down for good, Stu enlists the help of Ali Reynolds and the rest of his cyber security colleagues at High Noon Enterprises. But they are not the only ones who know about Frigg's existence. Graciella Miramar, an unassuming accountant to all appearances, is actually the right-hand woman to El Pescado, the leader of a dangerous drug cartel. She'll do anything to get her hands on that program. With Frigg's help, Graciella hopes to take over her father's criminal underworld and become wealthy beyond her wildest dreams. But Stu--and El Pescado and his henchmen--may not be so easily defeated. Written in J.A. Jance's classic "take-no-prisoners" style (Kirkus Reviews), in this thriller, Stu, Ali, and their team will come to realize that everything has its price"--

Since moving to Haven to help out her closest friends, Melanie Ramsey has begun to reclaim her strength after a difficult divorce. Through Mel's Motivational Blog, she's inspiring other women too. Then a wild, one-night fling with Haven's gorgeous deputy leaves her shaken, stirred - and pregnant. But Melanie's not giving up her newfound independence for another powerful man.

Athena Trappes thinks she's in love until she discovers the scoundrel only wanted her as his bit on the side. Enraged, she does what any spirited Englishwoman would do, set fire to his belongings, incur his dangerous wrath, and flee immediately. With nowhere else to turn, she seeks freedom in the wilds of Scotland. Highland Laird Symon Grant lost his wife years ago, and it's his duty to find another. Athena is not exactly what the clan has in mind for him, but Symon's heart burns with unexpected passion for the woman who would risk everything to be free.--

"Recently jilted by his fianc©♭e, David Gray, Earl of Ravenport is not in the market for a wife. Even if Gray didn't have his hands full renovating his crumbling country house, it would take more than a bold marriage proposal from a headstrong young beauty to thaw his frozen heart. Gray is confident that spending a week at his ramshackle estate will change her mind about marriage, but every passionate moment he spends with her tempts him to change his...A talented artist, Miss Fiona Hartley desperately needs her dowry money to pay off a blackmailer set on ruining her sister. The handsome earl seems a sensible choice for a husband...if only she can convince him that romance will play no part. But marrying in name only may prove difficult for Fiona. Gray can't help but be dazzled by her genuine warmth. Yet as their feelings deepen, Fiona's deadline looms. Will her secrets destroy them, or is true love their final destiny?"--

The electrifying debut thriller that asks the question: To save the one you love, is there any price you wouldn't pay? His wife is sick. He needs $200,000 to save her. A mysterious man offers to give him the money with just one catch: He has to murder someone to get it. Gary Foster's life is finally heading in the right direction. After years of trying, his wife, Beth, is pregnant, and he recently opened a business with his brother. But one phone call changes everything.... After collapsing suddenly, Beth has been rushed to the hospital. Tests reveal a devastating diagnosis: an inoperable brain tumor. Their only hope is an expensive experimental treatment available abroad, with a cost that's out of their reach. And Beth's time is running out.... Then a strange man approaches Gary and offers the money he needs, on one condition: that he kill someone, no questions asked. End one life to save another. In this nail-biting debut novel of domestic suspense, one man makes a choice that forces him to confront the darkest reaches of his soul and betray those closest to him. As he's swept up in a nightmare of escalating violence, he must question his own morality--and determine just how far he's willing to go to save the woman he loves.

When three hundred people simply vanish from a research facility in Limetown, seventeen-year-old Lia Haddock discovers that her uncle, Emile Haddock, is among the missing and her parents refuse to discuss what might have happened. As a student journalist, Lia begins an investigation that will take her far from her home, discovering clues about Emile's past that lead to a shocking secret, one with unimaginable implications not only for the people of Limetown, but for Lia and her family. The only problem is...she's not the only one looking for answers.