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A Bias for Murder (Queen Bees Quilt Shop #3)
by Sally GoldenbaumWhen their town is blanketed in suspicion and murder, it falls to the Crestwood Quilters to uncover a killer in this latest case from Sally Goldenbaum, the national bestselling author of the Seaside Knitters mysteries . . . Oliver Harrington II was one of the most beloved members of Crestwood’s community. Despite being the picture of health at age 52, he died from a sudden heart attack, leaving behind the family mansion on a sprawling piece of property. His twin sister Adele returned to the town she despises to claim her brother’s home, intent on turning it into a B&B. And she’s hired Po Paltrow and the Crestwood Quilters to craft quilts for the guest rooms. But Adele is not the only one interested in the future of the Harrington estate. A developer wants to put multiple houses on the land. The townsfolk just want their neighborhood to retain its small-town charm and not become a tourist trap. But when an autopsy reveals that Oliver was actually poisoned, suspicion falls on his sister. Po doesn’t believe Adele is guilty, leaving her determined to discover who else harbored deadly designs on the Harrington home . . .Previously titled Murder on a Starry Night Praise for Sally Goldenbaum’s Mysteries “A perfect cozy mystery.”—Nancy Pickard “Goldenbaum’s Queen Bee quilters charm and delight. I hope these intriguing women will continue to quilt—and solve crimes!”—Carolyn Hart
A Bid for Love: An Amish Market Novella (Amish Market Novellas)
by Kathleen FullerHannah Lynne&’s heart is on the market. She just hopes Ezra&’s is the highest bid.Every week, Hannah Lynne brings her home-churned butter to the local market. And every week Ezra stops by to purchase some. Hannah Lynne knows not to read too much into it—Ezra is a confirmed bachelor and barely even glances her way, despite any hope to the contrary. But when Ezra bids an exorbitant amount to win the quilt she had her heart set on, Hannah Lynne can&’t stop her heart from taking over her mind. Could Ezra finally be in the market for love?
A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away
by Christopher BrookmyreThe first book in the Angelique De Xavier series, from author Christopher Brookmyre.Back when they were students, just like everybody else, Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt had dreams about what they'd do when they grew up. In both their cases, it was to be rock stars. Fifteen years later, their mid-thirties are bearing down fast, and just like everybody else, they're having to accept the less glamorous hands reality has dealt them. Nervous new father Ray takes refuge from his responsibilities by living a virtual existence in online games. People say he needs to grow up, but everybody has to find their own way of coping. For some it's affairs, for others it's the bottle, and for Simon it's serial murder, mass slaughter and professional assassination.
A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away (Angelique De Xavier)
by Christopher BrookmyreThe first book in the Angelique De Xavier series, from author Christopher Brookmyre.Back when they were students, just like everybody else, Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt had dreams about what they'd do when they grew up. In both their cases, it was to be rock stars. Fifteen years later, their mid-thirties are bearing down fast, and just like everybody else, they're having to accept the less glamorous hands reality has dealt them. Nervous new father Ray takes refuge from his responsibilities by living a virtual existence in online games. People say he needs to grow up, but everybody has to find their own way of coping. For some it's affairs, for others it's the bottle, and for Simon it's serial murder, mass slaughter and professional assassination.
A Big Fat Greek Murder (A Goddess of Greene St. Mystery #2)
by Kate CollinsSingle mom Athena Spencer is back in Michigan working at her family&’s garden center, raising a pet racoon, and digging up clues in the smart new mystery series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Flower Shop Mysteries . . . The entire family has been put to work when a big fat Greek wedding rehearsal is booked at the Parthenon. All hands are needed for rolling grape leaves, layering moussaka, and keeping the bride calm. But then the groom goes MIA and there&’s far more to worry about then just whether Yiayia&’s lemon rice soup has gone cold. No matter how tangy the tzatziki, everyone&’s appetite is ruined when the groom is found dead, a pair of scissors planted in his back. When the bride accuses Athena&’s sister Selene, a hairstylist, of seducing and stabbing her fiancé, it&’s all-out war—and it&’s up to Athena to dig up the dirt on the suspects and nip these suspicions in the bud . . . &“Kate Collins delivers an entertaining, amusing, and deliciously suspenseful mystery.&” —Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author
A Big Man, A Fast Man
by Benjamin AppelBenjamin Appel is of that rare species, a native New Yorker. Born in 1907, he was raised in the tough, Hell's-kitchen district of the West 50's. Like any other kid in a tough city neighborhood, he had to fight for his self-respect as a human being. At De Witt Clinton high school he was a football, crew, and track star. After graduation, he entered the University of Pennsylvania but later transferred to New York University and then Lafayette. He took a post-graduate course at Columbia. While at Lafayette, he published his first book, a volume of verse. Since then he has written five books and has had more than one hundred short stories published. His books are a study of American crime and lawlessness, beginning with small-time holdups, going on to crime as an organized monopoly, emphasizing it in prostitution, labor racketeering, and finally, crime organized into native fascism. He has held a variety of jobs - bank clerk, factory hand, farm hand, lumberjack, tenement house inspector, professional fisherman. Until recently, when he was called to Washington, D.C. to take a position with the OCD, he was employed as a workman in the plant of the Republic Aviation Corporation on Long Island. He is married and has one daughter.His best-known books are Brain Guy, People Talk, Run Around, and Power House. (1943)
A Big Man, A Fast Man
by Benjamin AppelBenjamin Appel is of that rare species, a native New Yorker. Born in 1907, he was raised in the tough, Hell's-kitchen district of the West 50's. Like any other kid in a tough city neighborhood, he had to fight for his self-respect as a human being. At De Witt Clinton high school he was a football, crew, and track star. After graduation, he entered the University of Pennsylvania but later transferred to New York University and then Lafayette. He took a post-graduate course at Columbia. While at Lafayette, he published his first book, a volume of verse. Since then he has written five books and has had more than one hundred short stories published. His books are a study of American crime and lawlessness, beginning with small-time holdups, going on to crime as an organized monopoly, emphasizing it in prostitution, labor racketeering, and finally, crime organized into native fascism. He has held a variety of jobs - bank clerk, factory hand, farm hand, lumberjack, tenement house inspector, professional fisherman. Until recently, when he was called to Washington, D.C. to take a position with the OCD, he was employed as a workman in the plant of the Republic Aviation Corporation on Long Island. He is married and has one daughter.His best-known books are Brain Guy, People Talk, Run Around, and Power House. (1943)
A Big Man, A Fast Man
by Benjamin AppelBenjamin Appel is of that rare species, a native New Yorker. Born in 1907, he was raised in the tough, Hell’s-kitchen district of the West 50’s. Like any other kid in a tough city neighborhood, he had to fight for his self-respect as a human being. At De Witt Clinton high school he was a football, crew, and track star. After graduation, he entered the University of Pennsylvania but later transferred to New York University and then Lafayette. He took a post-graduate course at Columbia. While at Lafayette, he published his first book, a volume of verse. Since then he has written five books and has had more than one hundred short stories published. His books are a study of American crime and lawlessness, beginning with small-time holdups, going on to crime as an organized monopoly, emphasizing it in prostitution, labor racketeering, and finally, crime organized into native fascism. He has held a variety of jobs - bank clerk, factory hand, farm hand, lumberjack, tenement house inspector, professional fisherman. Until recently, when he was called to Washington, D.C. to take a position with the OCD, he was employed as a workman in the plant of the Republic Aviation Corporation on Long Island. He is married and has one daughter.His best-known books are Brain Guy, People Talk, Run Around, and Power House. (1943)
A Billionaire's Redemption (Vengeance in Texas #3)
by Cindy DeesA billionaire must protect a tortured teacher from a deranged killer in this exciting and suspenseful romance by a New York Times–bestselling author.Kindergarten teacher Willa Merris has never wanted her father’s lavish lifestyle. But when he’s murdered, she becomes the executor of his estate. To add insult to injury, Gabe Dawson—her father’s nemesis—informs her that she’s on the brink of financial collapse. Willa doesn’t trust him—or herself . . . not to run her hands over his chiseled physique.Billionaire Gabe Dawson still remembers the gawky teenager Willa was. But that awkward girl is now a sultry, beautiful woman. Gabe knows he should keep his distance, but he can’t, especially when peril is in hot pursuit. Now he’ll risk his own life to protect the woman he’s dangerously falling for. . . .
A Bird in the Hand: The First George & Molly Palmer-Jones Novel (George & Molly Palmer-Jones Series)
by Ann CleevesBefore Shetland and Vera, Ann Cleeves wrote the George and Molly Palmer-Jones series following remarkable mysteries in a birdwatching community—now in print for the first time in the US.In England’s birdwatching paradise, a new breed has been sighted—a murderer . . . Young Tom French is found dead, lying in a marsh on the Norfolk coast, with his head bashed in and his binoculars still around his neck. One of the best birders in England, Tom had put the village of Rushy on the birdwatching map. Everyone liked him. Or did they? George Palmer-Jones, an elderly birdwatcher who decides quietly to look into the brutal crime, discovers mixed feelings aplenty. Still, he remains baffled by a deed that could have been motivated by thwarted love, pure envy, or something else altogether. But as he and his fellow ‘twitchers’ flock from Norfolk to Scotland to the Scilly Isles in response to rumors of rare sightings, George—with help from his lovely wife, Molly—gradually discerns the true markings of a killer. All he has to do is prove it . . . before the murderer strikes again.
A Birder's Guide to Murder (A Bird Lover's Mystery #8)
by J. R. RipleyA flying visit to the City of Brotherly Love takes a murderous turn for Amy Simms, owner of Birds & Bees. Amy and her bird-loving crew are ducking out of Ruby Lake, North Carolina to attend the annual American Birding Expo in Philadelphia. The event will generate publicity for Birds & Bees, though assistant manager Esther is strangely reluctant to attend. Before she’s even set up their booth, Amy manages to insult JJ Fuller, famed bird photographer and the expo’s guest of honor. An inauspicious beginning, made worse when JJ is found dead as a dodo, his head caved in by a pair of binoculars. The police suspect Esther is mixed up in murder, and her mysterious past starts coming to light. Amy isn’t sure what to believe. JJ boasted that he would be the first to locate a near-extinct woodpecker. Did a rival decide to beat him—literally—to the punch? With a ZombieFest convention taking place in the exhibit hall next door, there’s all kinds of creepiness to contend with. And somewhere among the birders and the walking dead there’s a killer hoping to fly the coop before justice is served . . .
A Birthday Lunch (Bruno, Chief of Police Series)
by Martin WalkerWhen not solving mysteries in his beloved little town of St. Denis, Bruno, the chief of police, likes to cook and share his meals with local guests and dear friend. For his friend Florence’s birthday, Bruno is preparing a surprise. But, like much else in St. Denis, it’s a communal effort, and one that Bruno pulls off with a little help from the countryside and the town. He finds an ancient hand axe in the ground during his morning run with his dog Balzac—it will make a spectacular gift—picks up newspapers for wrapping by the medical center, and gathers fresh nettles from by his chicken coop and thyme from his garden for soup and garnish. It’ll be the perfect day for Bruno and his guests to celebrate their collective history. A Vintage Shorts original. An ebook short.
A Biscuit, a Casket (A Pawsitively Organic Mystery #2)
by Liz MugaveroThe small town of Frog Ledge, Connecticut, has wholeheartedly embraced Kristan "Stan" Connor's new business--preparing quality organic treats for dogs and cats. On a healthy diet, the animals may live longer. . .but one local farmer won't be so lucky. As Halloween approaches, Stan is asked to cater a doggie costume party hosted by the Happy Cow Dairy Farm. Part of a local co-op, Happy Cow specializes in organic dairy products, and farmers Hal and Emmalee Hoffman have started opening up the farm for parties, offering a "haunted" corn maze as an added attraction. When Hal's lifeless body is found in the maze, the police at first suspect his wife, but Stan soon learns the dairy farmer had plenty of enemies--from bitter family members to shady business associates. If Stan can't extract a kernel of truth from the labyrinth of lies, she may be the next one to buy the farm. . .Includes Gourmet Pet Food Recipes!
A Bitch Called Hope
by Lily GardnerAn ex-cop-turned-private-investigator becomes too involved with her work when her new lover turns out to be a murder suspect. A &“bitch called hope&” is the poker term for drawing the queen-eight in Texas Hold&’em. There&’s not enough luck in the world to build a winning hand with those cards, but it&’s so tempting to try. As a smart poker player, Lennox Cooper knows this. But as a detective, Lennox has issues. A year ago, her affair with a married cop got her fired from the Portland Police. Now she&’s trying to build a new life as a private investigator, but all she&’s landed so far are surveillance gigs. The murder of a wealthy developer gives her a chance to reestablish herself as a homicide detective. During the course of the investigation she meets Mr. Right. Only problem, he&’s on the short list of suspects. Lennox bets on her lover&’s innocence, but the odds aren&’t much better than drawing a bitch called hope… &“A well-crafted mystery novel with a heroine you can root for, plenty of action and a satisfying ending.&”―Phillip Margolin, New York Times–bestselling author of Capitol Murder &“A noir with heart…Beware, it's hard to put down.&”―Cara Black, New York Times–bestselling author of the Aimee Leduc mysteries&“Gardner deftly balances the detailed intricacy of the police procedural with a richly nuanced tale of betrayed love, family conflict, and murder. Told with a crisp voice and sharp pacing, the story of private investigator Lennox Cooper packs a wallop from the opening scene.&”―Bill Cameron, author of the Spotted Owl Award–winning Country Line
A Bite of Death
by Susan ConantHolly Winter had her hands full with one dog. Still, when therapist Elaine Walsh is found dead, Holly eagerly adopts the orphaned Kimi and vows to teach her some manners. But when questions arise about Elaine's death, following close on the heels of a patient's suicide, Holly suspects the misbehaving malamute Kimi might be the key witness. Digging for clues all over Cambridge, Holly hopes to untangle a snarl of secrets and collar a killer!
A Bitter Brew (Tearoom Mysteries #26)
by Elizabeth LudwigJan and Elaine are thrilled when Jan is chosen to compete in the Traveling Baking Challenge. Not only is the invitation to compete an honor, it will bring national recognition to their little town, since the contest is televised every year. Things get even more exciting when the producer of the show asks if they can use the tearoom as the backdrop for this year's contest. Things go awry, however, when the trophy--a chest stuffed with the prize money--disappears right from under everyone's noses. Worse, the cousins find themselves as the prime suspects when information is leaked that the tearoom is facing the threat of a financial crisis. Determined to clear their names, Jan and Elaine set out to discover the real culprit. Can they do it before the contest ends, or will they fall faster than Jan's award-winning soufflé? Mix together one stately Victorian home, a charming lakeside town in Maine, and two adventurous cousins with a passion for tea and hospitality. Add a large scoop of intriguing mystery and sprinkle generously with faith, family, and friends, and you have the recipe for Tearoom Mysteries.
A Bitter Chill: An Aurelia Marcella Roman Mystery (Aurelia Marcella Roman Series #2)
by Jane FinnisIn late December 95 AD, Roman settlers in Britannia are preparing to celebrate Saturnalia. Innkeeper Aurelia Marcella's plans for a peaceful holiday are shattered when her brother brings bad news. An enemy in Rome is trying to destroy her family by spreading rumors that they are plotting against Caesar. Her brother has lost his job as a government investigator, the mansio is menaced by a gang of native criminals, and when a party of rich, demanding travelers arrive to stay, their quarrels and violence spill over into Aurelia's household. Then the Saturnalia banquet, highlight of the festival, culminates in tragic death. The second installment in the Aurelia Marcella series.
A Bitter Feast (Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James #18)
by Deborah Crombie"Crombie’s characters are rich, emotionally textured, fully human. They are the remarkable creations of a remarkable writer."—Louise PennyNew York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her “excellent” (Miami Herald) series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder that simmers beneath the surface of a tranquil Cotswolds village.Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a fall weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain’s most enchanting regions, famous for its rolling hills and golden cottages at Beck House, the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s detective sergeant. The Talbot family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful—Melody’s father is the publisher of one of London’s most influential newspapers; her mother socially connected through charity work.The centerpiece of this glorious getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London’s cut-throat food scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her youth and quickly made a name for herself with her innovative farm-to-table meals based on traditional cuisine. Attended by the local well-to-do as well as national press, food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could catapult Viv to stardom.But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv’s pub—and, perhaps, with Beck House itself.Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home, tied up in the tangled, complex relationships between the people at Beck House and Viv’s new pub? Or is it deeply personal, entwined with secrets hidden by Viv and those closest to her?
A Bitter Feast: A Novel (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels #18)
by Deborah Crombie"Crombie’s characters are rich, emotionally textured, fully human. They are the remarkable creations of a remarkable writer."—Louise PennyNew York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her “excellent” (Miami Herald) series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder that simmers beneath the surface of a tranquil Cotswolds village. Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain’s most enchanting regions, famous for its rolling hills, golden cottages, and picturesque villages.Duncan, Gemma, and their children are guests at Beck House, the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s detective sergeant. The Talbot family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful—Melody’s father is the publisher of one of London’s largest and most influential newspapers. The centerpiece of this glorious fall getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London’s cut-throat food scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her childhood and quickly made a name for herself with her innovative meals based on traditional cuisine but using fresh local ingredients. Attended by the local well-to-do as well as national press food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could make Viv a star.But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv’s pub—or, perhaps, with Beck House itself.Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home, tied up in the tangled relationships and bitter resentments between the staff at Beck House and Viv’s new pub? Or is it more personal, entwined with secrets hidden by Viv and those closest to her?
A Bitter Taste: Legend of the Five Rings: A Daidoji Shin Mystery (Legend of the Five Rings)
by Josh ReynoldsGentleman sleuth Daidoji Shin faces his trickiest case yet when he finds himself being framed for murder in this captivating cozy fantasy mystery from Legend of the Five Rings.In the fantasy empire of Rokugan, when a Crane Clan auditor turns up dead in a soy brewery, all eyes turn to nobleman-turned-detective, Daidoji Shin… but not to solve the man&’s murder; rather, Shin is the suspect. Now Shin must attempt to figure out who killed the victim and, more importantly, who framed him, all while outwitting the authorities on his trail – including a dogged Kitsuki investigator with a score to settle. Caught in a spider&’s web of intrigue and with his enemies closing in, time is running out for Dadoiji Shin…
A Bitter Truth
by Charles ToddTrying to help a woman in distress, World War I nurse and accidental sleuth Bess Crawford learns that no good deed goes unpunished When battlefield nurse Bess Crawford returns from France for a well-earned Christmas leave, she finds a bruised and shivering woman huddled in the doorway of her London residence. The woman has nowhere to turn, and propelled by a firm sense of duty, Bess takes her in. Once inside Bess's flat, the woman reveals that a quarrel with her husband erupted into violence, yet she wants to return home-if Bess will go with her to Sussex. Realizing that the woman is suffering from a concussion, Bess gives up a few precious days of leave to travel with her. But she soon discovers that this is a good deed with unforeseeable consequences. What Bess finds at Vixen Hill is a house of mourning. The woman's family has gathered for a memorial service for the elder son, who died of war wounds. Her husband, home on compassionate leave, is tense, tormented by jealousy and his own guilty conscience. Then, when a troubled houseguest is found dead, Bess herself becomes a prime suspect in the case. This murder will lead her to a dangerous quest in war-torn France, an unexpected ally, and a startling revelation that puts her in jeopardy before a vicious killer can be exposed.
A Bittersweet Victory (Life Among the Dead #3)
by Daniel CottonYou can’t outrun the dead and you can’t trust the living as the zombie apocalypse rages on in the third book in the series. Life is a winding road full of twists and turns, one can never be truly prepared for all the unexpected bumps and bends that loom ahead, or the pitfalls that derail us from our path. Vida Calavera is about to learn this first hand when an evening out with her friends turns into a waking nightmare. All of her plans and aspirations for the future will be dashed in an instant, her world will crumble down around her as the dead rise up. Unable to get home she is lost, vulnerable to whatever may lurk around the next turn. Vida is heading straight into danger with death on her heels, but who she trusts with her life just might be the one who takes it.
A Black Sail (The Coleridge Taylor Mysteries #3)
by Rich ZahradnikFrom an Independent Publishers Award–winner comes another “gritty and powerful crime novel” in the Coleridge Taylor series (Library Journal, starred review). On the eve of the US Bicentennial, newsman Coleridge Taylor is covering Operation Sail. While he enjoys watching New York Harbor teem with tall ships from all over the world, Taylor would still prefer to cover real stories, not fluff, and New York City still has plenty of those in July of 1976. Then one surfaces right in front of him. During the festivities, a housewife wearing bricks of heroin is fished out of the harbor. Convinced he’s stumbled upon a drug war between the Italian Mafia and a Chinese tong, Taylor is on fire once more. But as he blazes forward, flanked by his new girlfriend, ex-cop Samantha Callahan, his precious story grows ever more twisted and deadly. In his reckless search for the truth, he rattles Manhattan’s major drug cartels. Taylor must decide if uncovering the truth is worth the cost of being the next victim. In the third of the Coleridge Taylor mysteries, “Zahradnik ratchets up the action, which quickens the pace and keeps readers engaged . . . A truly enjoyable read” (RT Book Reviews).
A Blast with the Past: Puzzling History Mysteries
by Christina WilsdonIn their travels through New York, the Ghostwriter team finds the streets are riddled with clues to the past.
A Bleeding of Innocents
by Jo BannisterWhen Detective Chief Inspector Frank Shapiro loses his right-hand man to a hit-and-run driver, he finds himself with little time for regret. Problem number one is Sergeant Donovan, a broody young Irishman convinced that the policeman's death was ordered by a local crime baron. And if that weren't enough trouble for the already understaffed police force in Castlemere, England, someone has chosen this moment to launch a career as a serial killer. Help comes in the form of Inspector Liz Graham: Intelligent, intuitive, and ambitious, Liz is eager to prove herself worthy of her promotion, and knows she'll have to fight tooth and nail for acceptance in the overwhelmingly male-oriented world of criminal investigation. The resourceful and canny policewoman is determined that no one - especially not an angry young sergeant who resents her very presence - shall stand in her way. With the body count rising and no end in sight, Liz and Donovan finally realize that their status as outsiders on the police force is perhaps their greatest strength. And when Liz discovers a link between the murder victims - a link so ordinary, so innocent that everyone on the force is baffled - the pair devise an unconventional scheme of grace and cunning that's so crazy it just might work...if it doesn't destroy them first. FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly A double murder and two coppers with scores to settle and divergent methods keep Bannister's ( Striving with Gods ) series launch moving at a brisk clip. Sgt. Cal Donovan of the Castlemere CID is assigned to the shooting murder of a young nurse from an old folks' home. Normally an intuitive bobby, Cal is recovering from the death of his former partner and superior officer in a suspicious hit and run that nearly killed Cal too, and for which he blames Jack Carney, a local crime kingpin. Then the shotgun murder of a surgeon suggests the possibility of a serial killer with a medical fixation. As Cal and his new superior Liz Graham pursue leads--resulting in several serious beatings for Cal-- Bannister keeps the suspense tight as a drum. Toward the end, a killer is revealed with surprising sympathy, and Cal, with Liz's help, fools the bad guys (and all but the most attentive readers) with a crafty sleight-of-hand. (Sept.)