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The Wilt Alternative: (Wilt Series 2) (Wilt #2)
By Tom Sharpe. 1979
Henry Wilt is no longer the victim of his own uncontrolled fantasies. As Head of a reconstituted Liberal Studies Department…
he has assumed power without authority at the Fenland College of Arts & Technology and the fantasies he now confronts are those of political bigots and reactionary bureaucrats - in addition to his wife's enthusiasm for every Organic Alternative under the compost heap and the insistence of his quadruplets on looking at every problem with an unflinching lack of sentimentality. It is only when Wilt becomes the unintentional participant in a terrorist siege that he is forced to find an answer to the problems of power, which have corrupted greater men than he. With a mental ingenuity born of his innate cowardice, Wilt fights for those liberal values which are threatened both by international terrorism and by the sophisticated methods of police anti-terrorist agents. In the confusion that follows, Wilt resumes his dialogue with the unflagging Inspector Flint and is himself subjected to the indignity of a psycho-political profile. Bitingly funny and brilliantly written, The Wilt Alternative exposes the farcical anomalies, which have become the social norms of our time.The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes: A Stewart Hoag Mystery (Stewart Hoag Mysteries #9)
By David Handler. 1992
HARLAN COBEN calls it "One of my all-time favorite series! ...David Handler is so good at writing one smart, funny…
page-turner after another that he makes it look easy." Fans of JANET EVANOVICH and CARL HIAASEN, get ready. If you haven't yet discovered wisecracking sleuth Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag and his faithful basset hound Lulu, you're in for a sharp, hilarious treat.Once upon a time, Hoagy had it all: a hugely successful debut novel, a gorgeous celebrity wife, the glamorous world of New York City at his feet. These days, he scrapes by as a celebrity ghostwriter. A celebrity ghostwriter who finds himself investigating murders more often than he'd like.And once upon a time, Richard Aintree was the most famous writer in America -- high school students across the country read his one and only novel, a modern classic on par with The Catcher in the Rye. But after his wife's death, Richard went into mourning... and then into hiding. No one has heard from him in twenty years.Until now. Richard Aintree — or someone pretending to be Richard Aintree — has at last reached out to his two estranged daughters. Monette is a lifestyle queen à la Martha Stewart whose empire is crumbling; and once upon a time, Reggie was the love of Hoagy's life. Both sisters have received mysterious typewritten letters from their father. Hoagy is already on the case, having been hired to ghostwrite a tell-all book about the troubled Aintree family. But no sooner does he set up shop in the pool house of Monette's Los Angeles mansion than murder strikes. With Lulu at his side — or more often cowering in his shadow — it's up to Hoagy to unravel the mystery, catch the killer, and pour himself that perfect single-malt Scotch... before it's too late.The Man Who Couldn't Miss: A Stewart Hoag Mystery (Stewart Hoag Mysteries #10)
By David Handler. 2018
In the next novel in David Handler’s Edgar award-winning series, Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag and his beloved basset hound, Lulu, investigate…
a murder in a fabled Connecticut summer playhouseHollywood ghostwriter Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag has chronicled the rise, fall, and triumphant return of many a celebrity. At last he’s enjoying his own, very welcome second act. After hitting a creative slump following the success of his debut novel, Hoagy has found inspiration again. Ensconced with his faithful but cowardly basset hound, Lulu, on a Connecticut farm belonging to his ex-wife, Oscar-winning actress Merilee Nash, he’s busy working on a new novel. He’s even holding out hope that he and Merilee might get together again. Life is simple and fulfilling—which of course means it’s time for complications to set in….When the police call to ask if he knows the whereabouts of a man named R.J. Romero, Hoagy learns of a dark secret from his ex-wife’s past. It’s already a stressful time for Merilee, who’s directing a gala benefit production of PrivateLives to rescue the famed but dilapidated Sherbourne Playhouse, where the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Marlon Brando and Merilee herself made their professional stage debuts. Her reputation, as well as the playhouse’s future, is at stake. The cast features three of Merilee’s equally famous Oscar-winning classmates from the Yale School of Drama. But it turns out that there’s more linking them to each other—and to their fellow Yale alum, R.J.—than their alma mater. When one of the cast is found murdered, it will take Hoagy’s sleuthing skills and Lulu’s infallible nose to sniff out the truth…before someone else faces the final curtain call.A Photographic Death: A Delhi Laine Mystery (Delhi Laine Mysteries #3)
By Judi Culbertson. 2013
Bookseller-turned-amateur detective Delhi Laine is back with another atmospheric mystery—but this time, it's a family affair.Nineteen years ago, Delhi Laine's…
two-year-old daughter disappeared. After a frantic but inconclusive search, authorities determined that she must have drowned, her body washed away from the picturesque English park in which she had been playing.Delhi's heart has never healed, yet her family has since soldiered on. But when a mysterious letter arrives containing the ominous words Your daughter did not drown, their lives are once again thrown into turmoil. With her family torn between fighting for the past and protecting the future, Delhi is caught in the middle. For a mother, the choice to find her daughter seems easy. But for a family left fractured by the mistakes of the past, the consequences, and the reality, may be infinitely more costly.Fans of Carolyn Hart will be swept away by this story of a family on the brink—and their hunt for the truth.A Bookmarked Death: A Delhi Laine Mystery (Delhi Laine Mysteries Book 4) (Delhi Laine Mysteries #4)
By Judi Culbertson. 2014
Fans of atmospheric mysteries and amateur sleuths will be swept away by Judi Culbertson's newest Delhi Laine novel.For the first…
time in nearly twenty years, Delhi Laine's family is whole.But that doesn't mean everything is back to normal. With no proof to condemn her daughter's kidnappers, Delhi's family is forced to share Elisa with her "adoptive" parents. But when they suddenly perish in a mysterious house fire, Elisa is heartbroken … and Delhi's husband, Colin, is charged with their murder.Delhi knows it's up to her to prove his innocence, but the deeper she digs, the more it becomes evident that nothing is as it seems. When Elisa goes missing, Delhi fears her nightmare may be repeating itself. If she can't clear Colin's name and find Elisa again, there may not be another chance. Twenty years ago she lost her daughter … and if she fails now, she might lose everything—and everyone—she holds dear.Killer Holiday: A Killer WASPs Mystery (Killer Wasps Mysteries)
By Amy Korman. 2017
Tis the season for mayhem and mystery . . .Kristin Clark and her offbeat crew of Bryn Mawr pals are…
ready for a festive holiday—one that involves sipping Blitzen’s Bourbons by a yule log, hot guys beneath the mistletoe, and a holiday cabaret starring ex-Mafia wife Sophie Shields. But this year, Saint Nick has something more dangerous in store. A stranger dressed as Santa has Kristin’s friends on his naughty list. First, Sophie’s favorite handbag is blasted by a bullet. Then, Father Christmas shatters local golf-shop owner Chip Delaney’s car window with a 5-iron and leaves a threatening note demanding $50,000. When Chip goes missing, the stakes become deadly. Much-hated Powerball winner Eula Morris is also back from a luxury cruise, more boastful than ever and toting a handsome new boyfriend (who looks oddly familiar), as well as a Samsonite filled with gold bars. When the suitcase is snatched, Eula implores Kristin and the gang to track it down. Is Chip on the run, or was he kidnapped? And who stole Eula’s gold? The Killer WASPs and Kristin’s basset hound, Waffles, are on the case—before this white Christmas turns dark . . .Aunty Lee's Delights (Singaporean Mysteries #1)
By Ovidia Yu. 2013
This delectable and witty mystery introduces Rosie “Aunty” Lee, feisty widow, amateur sleuth and proprietor of Singapore’s best-loved home cooking…
restaurant.After losing her husband, Rosie Lee could easily have become one of Singapore’s “tai tai,” an idle rich lady devoted to an aimless life of mah-jongg and luxury shopping. Instead she threw herself into building a culinary empire from her restaurant, Aunty Lee’s Delights, where spicy Singaporean home cooking is graciously served by Rosie Lee herself to locals and tourists alike. But when a body is found in one of Singapore’s beautiful tourist havens, and when one of her wealthy guests fails to show at a dinner party, Aunty Lee knows that the two are likely connected.The murder and disappearance throws together Aunty Lee’s henpecked stepson Mark, his social-climbing wife Selina, a gay couple whose love is still illegal in Singapore, and an elderly Australian tourist couple whose visit—billed at first as a pleasure cruise—may mask a deeper purpose. Investigating the murder is rookie Police Commissioner Raja, who quickly discovers that the savvy and well-connected Aunty Lee can track down clues even better than local law enforcement.Wise, witty and unusually charming, Aunty Lee’s Delights is a spicy mystery about love, friendship and home cooking in Singapore, where money flows freely and people of many religions and ethnicities co-exist peacefully, but where tensions lurk just below the surface, sometimes with deadly results.That Old Gang of Mine
By Leslie Thomas. 1979
At four-thirty one January afternoon a bus returning to Miami and Fort Lauderdale containing tourists who have been visiting a…
Seminole Indian Reservation is held up at gunpoint by five hooded gangsters. The combined ages of the 5 robbers total 320 years…Leslie Thomas’s latest novel is the hilarious account of the adventures of a group of elderly gangsters in Florida – the Ocean Drive Delinquent Society, known as the ODDS for short. The members include Ari the Greek – he of the legendary nose; K-K-K-Katy, the aging dancing girl who can still manage a high kick; and Molly Mandy, whose metal detector uncovers the gang’s arms cache – and it’s the one and only bullet.Along with Sidewalk Joe, Lou the Barbender, and one or two more, they form a daring band who have little to lose, and their audacious – and frequently unsuccessful – enterprises soon have Captain Salvatore of the local police baffled. Salvatore calls in an elderly private eye, George Zaharran, to help him out, but instead of simplifying the mystery, Zaharran’s presence serves only to multiply it.That Old Gang of Mine is both a riotous adventure and an affectionate evocation of the geriatric gang’s bond with the beautiful girl and two younger men who lead it. It is wholly delightful book form the pen of one of England’s funniest storytellers.A Study in Scarlet
By Arthur Conan Doyle. 2011
'There's a scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it,…
and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.'From the moment Dr John Watson takes lodgings in Baker Street with the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, he becomes intimately acquainted with the bloody violence and frightening ingenuity of the criminal mind. In A Study in Scarlet , Holmes and Watson's first mystery, the pair are summoned to a south London house where they find a dead man whose contorted face is a twisted mask of horror. The body is unmarked by violence but on the wall a mysterious word has been written in blood. The police are baffled by the crime and its circumstances. But when Sherlock Holmes applies his brilliantly logical mind to the problem he uncovers a tragic tale of love and deadly revenge . . .A Most Agreeable Murder: A Novel
By Julia Seales. 2023
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • &“A delightful cocktail that mixes elements of the Bridgerton series, Jane Austen&’s Pride & Prejudice and Agatha…
Christie&’s Miss Marple mysteries . . . The payoff is a wealth of wit, hilarity and suspense.&”—People (Book of the Week)When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEARFeisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township: She is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with true crime. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she&’d be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.For her family&’s sake, she&’s vowed to put her obsession behind her. Eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that younger daughter Louisa will steal his heart. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior—a difficult challenge when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear that the guests are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire&’s infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires—before anyone else is murdered.Tourquai: A Novel
By Tim Davys. 2011
"[An] audacious concept. . . . [A] giddy thrill." —Los Angeles Times "Weird? Obviously. . . . There’s more than stuffing here, though, including questions of good vs. evil,…
life vs. death, and sanity vs. insanity. Skip that evening Scotch and read this one stone-cold sober—it’s plenty trippy as is." —Washington Post on AmbervilleA horrific crime sets off a disturbing chain of events in Tim Davy’s Mollisan Town. Like George Orwell’s Animal Farm, as well as the allegorical worlds of Neil Gaiman and Jasper Fforde, this sinister sequel to Lanceheim and Amberville illuminates our reality through a giddy paradoxical conceit—as in Tourquai, the stuffed animals who populate Mollisan Town will be forced to confront the deepest issues of love and servitude, free will and destiny, life and death.An Illustrated Death (Delhi Laine Mysteries #2)
By Judi Culbertson. 2013
It's not every day you get an inside peek at the world of a famous artist. So when bookseller Delhi…
Laine gets the opportunity to appraise the late Nate Erikson's library, she jumps at the chance, despite the mysterious circumstances surrounding the illustrator's death. But as she spends more time with the eccentric Erikson clan at the family compound in the Hamptons, Delhi can't help but wonder what really happened to the lost patriarch.When death visits the family once more and another Erikson is found murdered, dark secrets come to light. Left coping with a charmed family not quite as idyllic as she first believed, Delhi is determined to solve the murders once and for all. But digging up truths can get you dirty . . . and Delhi is about to discover just how far some will go to keep them buried.Killer Party (A Tourist Trap Mystery #9)
By Lynn Cahoon. 2017
A cool California resort turns into a chilling crime scene when a groom-to-be is murdered in this cozy mystery by…
the New York Times bestselling author. Bookstore owner Jill Gardner and her detective boyfriend Greg are still getting used to living together. So it&’s a welcome surprise when they get an invitation to South Cove, California&’s most luxurious resort. Greg and his college pals are gathering to celebrate the upcoming wedding of their buddy Levi, who&’s now a tech millionaire. Meanwhile, Jill finds herself caught in a wives&’ club of women who don&’t approve of Levi&’s standoffish fiancé. Just as Jill is ready to escape the shenanigans with a good book, Levi&’s body is found floating in the resort pool. Not only is the party over, but everyone who knew Levi is a suspect, including Greg. Now it&’s up to Jill to find the killer fast—or she might not have a boyfriend to come home to any more.The Right Wrong Thing (The Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries #2)
By Ellen Kirschman. 2015
&“Highly satisfying . . . Perceptively treats complex racial, feminist, personal, and political issues while providing intimate knowledge of cops&’ shop procedure.&” —Publishers…
Weekly Officer Randy Spelling has always wanted to be a cop. The eager rookie comes from a law enforcement family and, at least as far as police department psychologist Dr. Dot Meyerhoff is concerned, the young woman is up to the challenge. But when Officer Spelling mistakenly shoots and kills a pregnant teen, the community is outraged, and the family of the victim demands justice. Feeling protective of the traumatized cop in her care, Dot tries to stop Officer Spelling from her desperate attempts to apologize to the girl&’s family. But Dot&’s efforts fail, with catastrophic results. Now Dot is taking this into her own hands, despite the police chief demanding that she back off. For Dot, this case feels all too personal for her to walk away, even if it means being in the line of danger herself. Praise for the Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries &“Riveting, compelling and authentic! Ellen Kirschman&’s been-there done-that experience makes this a real standout.&” —Hank Phillippi USA Today-bestselling author of The House Guest &“Psychological thriller writing at its finest.&” —D.P. Lyle, award-wining author of the Jake Longly series &“An inherently absorbing read from beginning to end and marks author Ellen Kirschman as a novelist of exceptional storytelling talent.&” —Midwest Book Review &“Gutsy and emotionally anchored in real life.&” —Hallie Ephron, New York Times–bestselling author of Careful What You Wish For &“Ellen Kirschman is one to watch.&” —Bookreporter.comBurying Ben (The Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries #1)
By Ellen Kirschman. 2015
&“A deftly crafted novel of compelling complexity,&” this first book in the mystery series featuring cop therapist Dr. Dot Meyerhoff is &“absorbing&”…
(Midwest Book Review). As her police department&’s newest hire, police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff has a lot to prove. Especially since everyone on a small-town force doesn&’t see any reason for a shrink on staff. So when the rookie cop commits suicide, everyone&’s looking to blame Dot—even Dot herself. Dot knew Ben Gomez was struggling to adjust to police work, but how had she missed the signs that he was at the end of his rope? Now, with Ben&’s and her reputation on the line, Dot goes looking for answers. What she discovers is the dark underbelly of a town—and a police force—who have very little patience with a woman who asks too many questions. Dot is determined to get to the truth behind the young officer&’s death—even at the risk of losing her job. Or her life. . . . Praise for the Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries &“Riveting, compelling and authentic! Ellen Kirschman&’s been-there done-that experience makes this a real standout.&” —Hank Phillippi USA Today-bestselling author of The House Guest &“Psychological thriller writing at its finest.&” —D.P. Lyle, award-wining author of the Jake Longly series &“Highly satisfying . . . Perceptively treats complex racial, feminist, personal, and political issues while providing intimate knowledge of cops&’ shop procedure.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Gutsy and emotionally anchored in real life.&” —Hallie Ephron, New York Times–bestselling author of Careful What You Wish For &“Ellen Kirschman is one to watch.&” —Bookreporter.comThe Fifth Reflection (The Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries)
By Ellen Kirschman. 2017
Dot Meyerhoff is called to help with an abducted child case that is destroying the investigating officer's own family. …
Dr. Dot Meyerhoff is known for putting her personal life aside in the name of duty. But when she&’s brought in on a kidnapping case, she finds herself drawn into a harrowing crime that cuts deep. A toddler is missing. Her mother is a noted local photographer whose work contains photography of nude children. She's also a family friend. Dot is worried that the cop assigned to the case isn't up to the job. She's going to take this one on herself, come hell or high water. The stakes are too high for the missing toddler, her distraught family, and for Dot, who is ready to risk everything including her relationship with the best man she's ever met. Praise for the Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries &“Riveting, compelling and authentic! Ellen Kirschman&’s been-there done-that experience makes this a real standout.&” —Hank Phillippi USA Today-bestselling author of The House Guest &“Psychological thriller writing at its finest.&” —D.P. Lyle, award-wining author of the Jake Longly series &“An inherently absorbing read from beginning to end and marks author Ellen Kirschman as a novelist of exceptional storytelling talent.&” —Midwest Book Review &“Highly satisfying . . . Perceptively treats complex racial, feminist, personal, and political issues while providing intimate knowledge of cops&’ shop procedure.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Gutsy and emotionally anchored in real life.&” —Hallie Ephron, New York Times–bestselling author of Careful What You Wish For &“Ellen Kirschman is one to watch.&” —Bookreporter.comThe Answer to His Prayers (The Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries #4)
By Ellen Kirschman. 2015
In this mystery series featuring cop therapist Dot Meyerhoff, Dot&’s sleuthing after a tragic fire leads her to a former…
client–turned–criminal mastermind. When a trailer park fire takes the life of a lonely, wheelchair-bound man, police psychologist Dr. Dot Meyerhoff is doing double duty counseling the first responders involved, especially the traumatized dispatcher. But talking with the distraught young 9-1-1 operator about the dying man&’s last words leads Dot to wonder if there&’s more to this fire than meets the eye. Soon the department is looking for an arsonist and Dot is doing some investigating on her own. But when she discovers a former patient is orchestrating crimes from behind bars, Dot is suddenly in over her head. Not that a challenge has ever stopped her before. Only this time, she may put her own mental health—and her mother&’s life—on the line. . . . Praise for the Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries &“Riveting, compelling and authentic! Ellen Kirschman&’s been-there done-that experience makes this a real standout.&” —Hank Phillippi USA Today-bestselling author of The House Guest &“Psychological thriller writing at its finest.&” —D.P. Lyle, award-wining author of the Jake Longly series &“An inherently absorbing read from beginning to end and marks author Ellen Kirschman as a novelist of exceptional storytelling talent.&” —Midwest Book Review &“Gutsy and emotionally anchored in real life.&” —Hallie Ephron, New York Times–bestselling author of Careful What You Wish For &“Ellen Kirschman is one to watch.&” —Bookreporter.comTorn Asunder (A Maine Clambake Mystery #12)
By Barbara Ross. 2024
A short boat ride from Busman&’s Harbor, Maine, Morrow Island is a perfect spot for a wedding—and a Snowden Family…
Clambake. Julia Snowden is busy organizing both—until a mysterious wedding crasher drops dead amid the festivities . . . Julia&’s best friend and business partner, Zoey, is about to marry her policeman boyfriend. Of course, a gorgeous white wedding dress shouldn&’t be within fifty yards of a plate of buttery lobster—so that treat is reserved for the rehearsal dinner. Julia is a little worried about the timing, though, as she works around a predicted storm. When a guest falls to the floor dead, it turns out that no one seems to know who he is, despite the fact that he&’s been actively mingling and handing out business cards. And when an injection mark is spotted on his neck, it&’s clear this wasn&’t caused by a shellfish allergy. Now, as the weather deteriorates and a small group is stranded on the island with the body—and the killer—Julia starts interrogating staff, family members, and Zoey&’s artist friends to find out who turned the clambake into a crime scene . . .Death by Chocolate Raspberry Scone (A Death by Chocolate Mystery #7)
By Sarah Graves. 2024
Summer guests are eager to sink their teeth into tantalizing desserts at The Chocolate Moose, Jacobia &“Jake&” Tiptree and Ellie…
White&’s bakeshop in the island village of Eastport, Maine. But attracting the wrong kind of attention can be deadly . . . With the August heat strong enough to melt solid chocolate into syrup, Jake and Ellie crave a break from the bakery ovens, despite tourist season promising a sweet payday. But they never envisioned spending the last weeks of summer drifting around Passamaquoddy Bay searching for pirate&’s treasure—and a dead body. Sally Coates believes her husband was murdered off the coast, and begs Ellie, a trusted childhood friend, to locate his remains. It&’s unusual that a skilled fisherman would vanish along with the gold doubloon he inherited from his grandfather. And Sally isn&’t the only one coveting the valuable heirloom for her own. As Jake and Ellie&’s island-hop for answers, they find themselves caught between hungry sharks and hungrier suspects. Can the duo tempt fate and dodge danger before there&’s blood in the water—or are they destined to fall into the jaws of a killer&’s trap?Patchwork Quilt Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery #30)
By Leslie Meier. 2024
During a heatwave in Tinker&’s Cove, Maine, part-time reporter Lucy Stone becomes unseasonably entangled in handmade quilts—and a twisted case…
of murder . . . When a community center opens in town, many embrace it as a space where locals of all ages can gather and create. Others view it as a waste of taxpayer dollars. The director, Darleen Busby-Platt, is no less controversial. Intense and showy, Darleen has huge plans for her new role. But Lucy believes the woman isn&’t exactly as warm hearted—or qualified—as she seems. That hunch deepens when Darleen and a young employee vanish . . . and dismembered remains appear! With lots of clues and few concrete answers, Lucy rushes to connect loose ends. First there&’s the disappearance of Tim Stillings, a troubled twenty-something who endured harsh treatment on the job. Next there&’s Darleen herself, who made fast enemies as the highest-paid resident in Tinker&’s Cove. Finally, there&’s Darleen&’s rich ancestry and ties to heirlooms worth either a fortune or nothing at all. The closer Lucy gets to the facts, the more she realizes that solving this murder depends on the lies. Because the truth rests somewhere between wild rumors, a trusted friend&’s emotional new sewing project, and the authenticity of a mysterious three-hundred-year-old patchwork quilt. And Lucy must piece together the big picture—before she becomes part of crafty killer&’s deadly design . . .