First in a brand-new Victorian mystery series featuring steward Matthew Rowsley and housekeeper Mrs Faulkner as an engaging detective duo. Newly appointed as land agent to the youthful Lord Croft, Matthew Rowsley finds plenty to keep him busy as he attends to his lordship's neglected country estate. But he's distracted from his tasks by the disappearance of a young housemaid. Has Maggie really eloped with a young man, as her mother attests – or is the truth rather more sinister? What's been going on behind the scenes at the grand country estate ... and where has his lordship disappeared to? Teaming up with housekeeper Mrs Faulkner to get to the bottom of the matter, Matthew uncovers a number of disturbing secrets, scandals and simmering tensions within the household. Something rotten is going on at Thorncroft – and it's up to Matthew and Mrs Faulkner to unearth the truth.

To find her future, she must embrace her past. It all comes down to this. The last installment of the Valley of Death series races at a rip-roaring pace to a tense ending! After risking life and limb to save Ben in Shadow of Fear (book II), Jorja walks straight into a trap she didn't see coming. Hopeless, her faith wavering, and with no way out, she does the unthinkable to survive, all in the name of freedom. But freedom comes at a price and terror and betrayal are mild compared to what's coming. Facing the ultimate test—by man or by God—a test so great that it might very well push her to the point of no return, Jorja learns what it means to truly trust, and that sometimes one has to take one step back to take two steps forward. With nothing but her faith, skills and resilience to win the ultimate battle between good and evil, no matter the cost, she pushes ahead once more, forsaking all but God to gain her...

A page-turning tale of murder, subversion and vice in which a female medical student in Victorian Edinburgh is drawn into a murder investigation when she recognizes one of the corpses in her anatomy lecture.Sarah Gilchrist has fled London and a troubled past to join the University of Edinburgh's medical school in 1882, the first year it admits women. She is determined to become a doctor despite the misgivings of her family and society, but Sarah quickly finds plenty of barriers at school itself: professors who refuse to teach their new pupils, male students determined to force out their female counterparts, and—perhaps worst of all—her female peers who will do anything to avoid being associated with a fallen woman.Desperate for a proper education, Sarah turns to one of the city's ramshackle charitable hospitals for additional training. The St Giles' Infirmary for Women ministers to the downtrodden and drunk, the thieves and whores with nowhere else...

A terrifying tale about HIV spreading in the early sixteenth century by an author, Publisher Weekly calls "The Master of Alternate History."What if HIV started spreading in the early 1500s rather than the late 1900s? Without modern medicine, anybody who catches HIV is going to die. A patriarchal society reacts to this devastating disease in the only way it knows how: it sequesters women as much as possible, limiting contacts between the sexes except for married couples. While imperfect, such drastic actions do limit the spread of the disease.The 'Wasting' (HIV) has caused devasting destruction throughout the known world and severely limited the development of technology as well, creating a mid-nineteenth century England and London almost unrecognizable to us. This is the world Viola is born into. Extremely intelligent and growing up in a house full of medical books which she reads, she dreams of travelling to far-off places, something she can...

A young prostitute is murdered, and Inspector Peach finds himself with a complex, unpleasant case on his hands. He begins to interview local prostitutes and their customers, including a divorced policeman and a Catholic priest at odds with his beliefs. But did one of them kill the girl or was one of the town's more sinister thugs responsible?

With outlaws wrecking havoc left and right, a cow town in Texas is on the brink of becoming a ghost town. That's when it's time to call in Chicago-based Pinkerton agent Ash Tallman and his partner Vivian Valentine. Going undercover as a handsome, charming drifter, Ash is always ready with his gun and popular with the ladies. And the lovely, vivacious Viv plays the role of a fervent evangelist, offering salvation-with the promise of a sweeter reward-to any sinner who can give her clues to the whereabouts of the man so bent on revenge he gladly kills anyone who crosses his path. But this outlaw has never before encountered the likes of Ash Tallman...

"The Elsie Arnold series deserves to run and run."— Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls and The Killer Next DoorIn rural McCown County, Missouri, a young pregnant woman is found beaten to death in a trailer park. The only witness to the murder is Ivy, her six-year-old daughter, who points to her mom's boyfriend—father of the unborn child. County prosecutor Madeleine Thompson promises the community justice, and in the Ozarks, that can only mean one thing: a death sentence.When Madeleine's first choice for co-counsel declines to try a death penalty case, she is forced to turn to assistant prosecutor Elsie Arnold. Elsie is reluctant to join forces with her frosty boss, but the road to conviction seems smooth—until unexpected facts about the victim arise, and the testimony of the lone eyewitness Ivy becomes increasingly crucial. Against Elsie's advice, Madeleine brings in the state attorney general's office to assist them, while cutthroat trial...

A new investigation for DCI Peach that leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouths When a novice young prostitute is killed in the town of Brunton after only her first night, Inspector Peach sets out to solve the crime by interviewing some of the other local prostitutes and their customers. Discovering that these include a divorced policeman from a nearby station, and a Catholic priest at odds with his beliefs, Peach realises he must tread carefully this time. But however hard he tries, Peach cannot believe that one of these lonely men was capable of murder. Unfortunately, he must delve into the town's most sinister underbelly before he can find out who really is to blame.From BooklistGregson's Chief Inspector Percy Peach books have the rare ability to depict gruesome murders while still giving the reader a good chuckle. His latest is no exception. Peach has been away from the CID for a year, during which solve rates have decreased and the department has faltered under the mismanagement of Peach's boss and nemesis, Superintendent Tommy "Bloody" Tucker. Peach is assigned to the high-profile case of prostitute Sarah Dunne, who's been brutally strangled. Tucker, one of those awful bosses who loves taking all the credit when his subordinates perform well, warns Peach that he'd better solve the case in double-quick time. Peach, whose great delight in life is to insult the pompous Tucker without Tucker quite catching on, continues his campaign to undercut his loathsome boss. But Peach is also a gifted detective who's dedicated to his job, and he's determined to find Sarah Dunne's killer, even with Tucker's bungling attempts to control the case. A compelling, funny, highly entertaining police procedural that makes a fine addition to any mystery collection. Emily MeltonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedAbout the AuthorGregson is a Lancastrian by birth, and taught for 27 years in schools, colleges and universities.

The Star Kingdom's ally Erewhon is growing increasingly restive in the alliance because the new High Ridge regime ignores its needs. Added to the longstanding problem of a slave labor planet controlled by hostile Mesans in Erewhon's stellar backyard, which High Ridge refuses to deal with, the recent assassination of the Solarian League's most prominent voice of public conscience indicates the growing danger of political instability in the Solarian League-which is also close to Erewhon.In desperation, Queen Elizabeth tries to defuse the situation by sending a private mission to Erewhon led by Captain Zilwicki, accompanied by one of her nieces. When they arrive on Erewhon, however, Manticore's envoys find themselves in a mess. Not only do they encounter one of the Republic of Haven's most capable agents-Victor Cachat-but they also discover that the Solarian League's military delegation seems up to its neck in skullduggery.And, just to put the icing on the cake, the radical freed slave organization, the Audubon Ballroom, is also on the scene-led by its notorious and ruthless assassin, Jeremy X.

After seven years, a psychopath starts killing again. He is mutilating women, and hanging them upside down in abandoned buildings with a meat hook through their ankles. Pinned to their breasts are messages in ancient languages.Parish and Richards begin their investigation, but Chief Inspector Trevor Naylor wants revenge on Parish, and the killer wants Mary Richards.Richards must also cope with the pressure of her impending National Investigator's Examination, Parish finding out that she snores, and the lack of men in her life.The investigation leads to a gripping conclusion, which involves DI Ray Kowalski and his partner, Chief Superintendent Walter Day, and Angela Richards. The Head of Forensics, Paul Toadstone, also becomes a hero.

A woman wants only to forget. A man wants only to feel needed. A child disappears without a trace. A kidnapping, a murder or an accident? Among the villagers, fear spreads. There is a sadist in their midst, and it is up to Inspector Konstantin 'Tino' Dühnfort to find him before he strikes again. **

Someone is assassinating the leaders of both the Star Kingdom of Manticore and the recently liberated former slave planet of Torch. Though most believe the Republic of Haven is behind the murders, Anton Zilwicki and Havenite secret agent Victor Cachat believe there is another sinister player behind the scenes. Queen Berry of Torch narrowly escaped one assassination attempt, and a security officer from Beowulf has been assigned to protect her, a task complicated by the young monarch's resentment of bodyguards, and the officer's growing attachment to her. Meanwhile, powerful forces in the Solarian League are maneuvering against each other to gain the upper hand, not realizing or, perhaps, not caring that their power struggle is threatening the League's very existence and could plunge the galaxy into war. Once again New York Times best-selling authors David Weber and Eric Flint join forces in an exciting new novel in the Honorverse. Cover Art by David Mattingly

In the first novel in a juicy and thrilling mystery series, homicide detective Troy Evans desperately hunts down a serial killer. Troy Evans believes in God, but he's seen enough evil on his job to shake his faith. Nonetheless, his loyalty to his family never wavers, and he would do anything to protect them—one of the reasons he is a workaholic. Natalie loves her family, but she's becoming increasingly frustrated with Troy's job. His schedule is often hectic and unpredictable, and she's also helping her best friend deal with some serious issues— and struggling to come clean about a secret she's hiding from Troy. While Natalie deals with her issues, Troy spends the majority of his time searching for a serial killer who abducted and murdered several women without rhyme or reason. Desperate to stop the murderer before more women die, he works diligently, but the killer always seems to be one step ahead of him. Then Troy...

From Publishers WeeklyDet. Daman Rourke is on the case of a murdered priest in this rousing thriller by Williamson (Mortal Sins) set in New Orleans in 1927. Rourke and his partner, Fiorello, have their hands full after a young hood on the run from the mob discovers the "crucified" corpse of Father Patrick Walsh, a popular clergyman who was disliked by Church hierarchy for his flamboyant preaching, which borrowed elements from evangelical Protestant services. When the coroner delivers the news that Father Walsh was actually female, the revelation, and the fear of its potential impact if leaked, fuels Rourke's determination to find the killer and close the case quietly. It seems Father Walsh developed an underground protection network for abused wives that angered Father Ghilotti, a fellow priest. To complicate matters, Rourke's brother Paul is also a priest at the rectory, and he too has something to hide: an affair with a married woman. Parallel to the parish mayhem is Rourke's rekindled romance with glamorous New Orleans-born actress Remy Lelourie, who's been receiving threats written in blood from a stalker who calls himself Romeo. When teenage girls in Remy's fan club turn up murdered, Rourke puts his investigative skills into high gear. Williamson entwines the two murder plots and speeds toward a surprising, exhilarating conclusion. Though much of the vernacular is unabashedly contemporary, she goes far in evoking the giddy atmosphere of Jazz Age New Orleans as well as its dark underside, rife with wanton violence, prejudice and racial tension. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalMortal Sins' Detective Damon Rourke investigates the crucifixion of a priest who turns out to be a woman. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

*** FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR J. ROBERT KENNEDY ***  WHEN IS THE PRICE TO PROTECT A NATION’S LEGACY TOO HIGH? Archaeology Professors James Acton and Laura Palmer are on safari in South Africa, enjoying a vacation away from the bullets and bombs that too often threaten their lives, when a chance encounter leads to a clue that could unlock the greatest mystery remaining of the Boer War over a century ago. The location to over half a billion dollars in gold. It’s a treasure that has claimed dozens of lives, and is about to claim even more. Four-time USA Today Bestselling author J. Robert Kennedy delivers another torn from the headlines thriller with Wages of Sin. Filled with intrigue, suspense, humor and a touch of romance, prepare to lose sleep with this action-packed adventure the likes of which only Kennedy can deliver. With over 500,000 books in circulation and over 3000 Five-Star reviews, it’s time to join those who have compared him to Patterson, Clancy, Brown, Cussler and Rollins.    

In the sequel to Thicker Than Water, Tyr and Loki are placed at odds once again when a vicious former cop finds the body of his daughter bled dry and swears revenge on Thor. With Tyr's human girlfriend locked in their house and Loki publicly proclaiming his heritage on stage at his club, everyone is playing with fire, and things are about to spiral out of control on a level thy never have before.