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Catnapped!: A Dead-end Job Mystery (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #13)
by Elaine VietsFrom Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author Elaine Viets—the thrilling mystery series about one woman trying to make a living... while other people are making a killing.If there’s one thing the very wealthy might value even more than their money, it’s their precious pets. So when local socialite Trish Barrymore hires Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont to recover her beloved show cat—named January’s Jubilee Justine—from her ex-husband Mortimer, the case seems simple enough.But when the husband-and-wife PI team show up to take possession of Justine, they’re greeted not by a cute kitten but a murdered Mort—knocked on the noggin by a mahogany cat tower. And the feline is nowhere to be found.To get the scoop on who could have committed the dire deed, Helen takes a job as a cat groomer. But as she navigates the cutthroat world of cat shows—and their equally catty owners—she discovers there is much more to the crime than just a purloined pussycat…
Dying in Style: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #1)
by Elaine VietsSecret shopper Josie Marcus tries sleuthing on for size when she’s framed for murder in this cozy mystery by the Anthony and Agatha Award–winning author.On her latest assignment, Josie mystery shops the stores of St. Louis’s premier handbag designer, Danessa Celedine. A stunning socialite who makes headlines with her hot Russian lover, Serge, Danessa sells exquisite purses to the rich and famous. Unfortunately, Danessa’s shops aren’t nearly as dazzling as her clientele, and Josie’s negative report could kill a lucrative deal to sell the handbag empire. Danessa swears it will also cost Josie her career.Businesses often live and die by Josie’s reviews, but when Danessa and Serge are both found murdered, she’s suddenly linked to an actual homicide—as the chief suspect! Now Josie will need all her subterfuge skills to investigate the crimes, clear her name, and stop the killer from claiming another fashion victim.
High Heels Are Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #2)
by Elaine VietsSecret shopper Josie Marcus checks out an exclusive shop where the shoes are to die for in this cozy mystery by the Anthony and Agatha award–winning author.Josie’s boss just assigned her a coveted gig—mystery shopping at Soft Shoe, one of the hottest boutiques in St. Louis. But trying on their exclusive designer footwear isn’t the treat Josie expected thanks to Mel Poulaine, Soft Shoe’s top seller. His hands-on fascination with feet goes far beyond professional interest. Josie’s scathing report kills Mel’s career . . . and later that night, someone kills Mel.Josie is determined to stay out of it. But when her neighbor’s daughter, Cheryl Malmy, becomes a suspect, Josie decides to investigate. It turns out “Perfect Cheryl” has more than a few dirty secrets in her closet, drawing Josie deeper into the seedy suburban underbelly. But can she trip up a killer who always seems to be one step ahead?
Accessory to Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #3)
by Elaine VietsA secret shopper turns amateur sleuth when her best friend’s husband is accused of murder in this mystery by the Anthony and Agatha Award–winning author.Josie Marcus has an eye for the finer things in life. Unfortunately, her wallet can’t keep up—as a single mom and mystery shopper, she won’t be moving out of St. Louis’s suburbs anytime soon. Good thing her best friend, Alyce Bohannon, doesn’t mind sharing a taste of the high life in her posh gated community, Wood Winds. But the refined neighborhood turns ugly with gossip when Alyce’s neighbor, the well-heeled scarf designer Halley Hardwicke, is murdered.Talk is cheap . . . until the detectives begin questioning Alyce’s husband, Jake, about the crime. So Josie decides to do a little sleuthing of her own, going undercover to unravel the secrets of the cliquey Wood Winds wives. Hopefully she can clear Jake’s name and uncover the truth before the killer snags another victim.
Murder with All the Trimmings (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #4)
by Elaine Viets‘Tis the season for sleuthing when secret shopper Josie Marcus’s ex falls victim to a festive fiend…Josie’s latest mystery shopper report won’t help business at Naughty or Nice, Maplewood’s raunchy year-round Christmas store. But she can’t worry about work when her ex-dealer, ex-convict, ex-boyfriend, Nate Weekler, just came home for the holidays, prepared to fight Josie for custody of their daughter. Josie wishes he’d catch the next sleigh out of town, but instead, Nate is poisoned…and suddenly Josie is a person of interest.With Nate’s criminal past, he’d never make Santa’s “Nice” column, but his own list of enemies also includes plenty of “Naughties” who might want him dead. Josie will need her team of little helpers to wrap up this case, before the killer commits another holiday homicide.
The Fashion Hound Murders (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #5)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus is on the hunt for a killer when a pet store employee mysteriously dies after blowing the whistle on possible puppy mill connections…Josie’s latest assignment is one for the dogs—literally! Pets 4 Luv, a national pet store chain, has hired Josie to mystery shop its St. Louis suburban locations and she discovers possible puppy mill suppliers. When an employee tipster is killed in a suspicious hit-and-run, Josie’s job suddenly gets a lot hairier.Posh pets are a million dollar business for puppy mills; even so, Josie is staggered to think that her sniffing around led to an innocent woman’s murder and may have put her own life at risk. But she’s not ready to tuck her tail and run just yet. Using every bit of her secret shopper savvy, Josie must follow the designer dog trail to expose the illegal breeders, shutter the puppy mills, and finally collar the vicious killer on the loose.
An Uplifting Murder: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #6)
by Elaine VietsSt. Louis mystery shopper Josie Marcus discovers the world of luxury lingerie has more than one secret after her high school teacher is accused of suffocating a former classmate...When Desiree Lingerie hires Josie, she’s delighted to find her high school teacher, Mrs. Hayes, is now a manager at the chain. Less thrilling is the mini-reunion with her mean girl nemesis, Frankie Martin. But after Frankie is killed just steps from the shop—and her beloved ex-teacher is identified as a prime suspect—Josie gets hooked into another murder investigation.Mrs. Hayes is spilling over with motives—years ago, Frankie destroyed her career. Unfortunately, her alibi is pretty skimpy. So, with only her secret shopper smarts and a bit of amateur sleuthing experience to support her, Josie must strip away the lies in order to bust the real killer before anyone else becomes tangled up in this case.
Death on a Platter: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #7)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus digs into another meaty murder investigation when a local restaurant owner is charged with picking off a problem customer…Josie is getting a taste of St. Louis’s foodie scene—Travel America Guided Tours just hired her to test area restaurants for an upcoming package. Their list includes Tillie’s Off the Hill, a classic Italian joint owned by Tillie Minnelli, a former classmate of Josie’s mother. It should be a pretty sweet gig, but the assignment quickly turns sour when an unruly customer dies after eating Tillie’s special sauce.While detectives move to put Tillie on ice for murder, Josie’s mom implores Josie to whip up another amateur investigation. The case has more secret ingredients than anyone anticipated: a jilted lover, a greedy real estate developer, and even a disgruntled employee. But there’s no time for Josie to savor all the possibilities, she must skewer the culinary killer before someone else is served a final course.
Murder Is a Piece of Cake: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #8)
by Elaine VietsBefore mystery shopper Josie Marcus can say “I do” she must solve a matrimonial murder to keep her in-law from becoming an inmate...As a bride-to-be, Josie’s latest assignment is a gift—mystery shopping flower and cake vendors for a popular St. Louis wedding website. She even meets another bride, Molly Deaver, at the local florist. Turns out, Josie and Molly have a lot in common, including the groom! Molly has been stalking Dr. Ted for months, but after his high-maintenance mother, Lenore, confronts the faux fiancée, everyone believes Molly is history. Instead, she’s murdered and Ted’s pistol-packing mama is cuffed for the crime.While it’s tempting to leave her future mother-in-law behind bars, Josie knows she and Ted can’t get married until Lenore is freed. It’s up to Josie and her amateur sleuthing skills to unwrap this case, clear Lenore’s name, and unveil the real killer…or her wedding bells could soon become death knells.
Fixing to Die (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #9)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus unlocks a DIY murder case when her new house’s “good bones” takes on multiple meanings…Josie’s been busy with a personal shopping project—scouring suburban St. Louis for a starter home for her and her newlywed husband, Dr. Ted Scottsmeyer. So she’s thrilled when Ted’s veterinary partner, Dr. Christine Cormac, hooks them up with a beautiful house, which her flaky sister, Rain, inexplicably abandoned months earlier. But before they’ve even picked out the paint, Josie and Ted discover Rain’s body beneath their backyard gazebo and Christine is immediately boxed up for murder.Now, Josie’s new home is a crime scene and Christine is headed for the big house…unless Josie steps in. Good thing she’s handy around a murder investigation, because she’ll need all her sleuthing skills to unpack the clues, flip the case, and nail the real killer.
A Dog Gone Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #10)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus catches a new case when the owner of a popular doggy day spa bites the dust and her mother’s friend is collared for the crime…Josie’s been assigned to sniff around Uncle Bob’s Doggy Day Camp, one of St. Louis’s hottest pet spas. It doesn’t take her long to dig up dirt on the camp’s top dog, “Uncle” Bob Manning himself. Employee Frank Hyzy—Josie’s mom’s new boyfriend—reveals Bob should be in the doghouse for his cruel treatment of the canine customers. But before Josie can write Bob up, someone puts him down…and Frank is the cops’ prime suspect.While Frank definitely had a bone to pick with the animal abuser, Josie doesn’t believe he murdered Bob. So she must doggedly pursue the investigation on her own and hope she can cage the real killer before they fetch another victim.
Orbis
by Scott MackayAward-winning author Scott Mackay delivers an “intriguing alternate history” of conquest, rebellion and the destiny of humanity… (Booklist).Two thousand years ago, as the Roman Empire beat back the rise of Christianity, the saviors of mankind arrived. And they weren’t Jesus of Nazareth or his Disciples.They were the Benefactors.They appeared as heavenly beings on a mission of hope, convincing the people of Earth to accept their kindly dominion by hi-jacking the insurgent Christian Movement and turning it into an instrument of control. When the mighty Roman Empire refused to bow down, it was destroyed.Ever since, the Benefactors have guided and led, and humankind has followed and prospered, but at a price.In an alternate 1947, the truth behind the Benefactors’ origins and motives are about to be discovered. And unless three ordinary people can find the courage to fight against everything they’ve been taught to believe and obey, the end of humanity may already be inevitable…With this “riveting drama,” Scott Mackay once again proves himself a writer of rare talent and captivating imagination in the realm of science fiction (Locus).
Phytosphere
by Scott MackayAll life on Earth is held hostage by a desperate and ruthless alien race in this “hard-hitting apocalyptic thriller” from award-winning author Scott Mackay (Booklist).The Tarsalans came to Earth hoping to settle on the planet alongside a sympathetic human race. But after years of delicate negotiations, their patience reaches the breaking point and they decide to make their case for immigration terrifyingly clear—by enveloping the planet in a green sphere which blocks out all sunlight.Without energy from the sun, the Earth—and every living thing on it—is doomed.Soon, civilization breaks down as the instinct for individual survival shreds humanity’s common bonds. It appears mankind may destroy itself even before the Phytosphere does.The only hope against catastrophe lies in the troubled connection between two brothers—one stranded at a lunar base on the moon, the other trapped on the dying Earth…“Deftly juggling hard sci-fi and a bleak tale of post-apocalyptic survival” Scott Mackay once again offers an electrifying sci-fi tale of “high-tech intrigue and old-fashioned suspense” (Publishers Weekly).
The Last Full Measure
by Jack CampbellFrom the New York Times bestselling author of the epic Lost Fleet series comes a story of a nightmarish America that could have been—and the Civil War that would set her free once more…America, 1863: the dream of the Founding Fathers has become a nightmare. The ideals of freedom and individualism have fallen to tyranny, corruption and greed. Wealthy industrialists of the North and slave-holding plantation owners of the South now hold power through the might of the military and puppet politicians—and all who defy them are declared traitors to the United States of America.Condemned for daring to speak against the government, Prof. Joshua Chamberlain is on his way to a penal plantation when his prison train is captured by the Army of the New Republic—a growing force of courageous soldiers who wish to restore the United States to its original righteous path. Joining a company of heroes with names such as Hancock, Longstreet and Armistead, Chamberlain finds himself joining the fight for freedom. But to win that freedom—and keep it—the rebellion needs a leader who is not a soldier, but a living symbol of the cause with the wisdom and fortitude to lead America back into the light.Chamberlain knows exactly where to find such a leader. A man who is currently being held in the most secure and dangerous prison in the country, where his treasonous ideals cannot be heard. A man whose refusal to bow to those who proudly claim slavery as a way of life has already made him a legend. A man they must rescue at all costs…A man called Lincoln.
Destiny of Dragons (The Legacy of Dragons #3)
by Jack CampbellIn the thrilling conclusion to the Legacy of Dragons trilogy, ancient weapons of mass destruction lie hidden under the city of Pacta Servanda... Remnants of the Great Guilds and rebellious factions of the Empire want to seize those weapons to allow them to regain control of the world of Dematr. Only Jason, brought by the first ship from Earth since the colony failed, might be able to disarm the threat. But he also might know how to employ those weapons, making him a danger for all sides.Standing between those threats is Kira of Dematr. But Kira, who inexplicably has been able to manifest Mage powers as well as technical skills, finds herself being consumed by the mental conflicts between those powers and skills. As rogue Mechanics, Mages, and mercenaries attack with every weapon at their disposal, Kira suffers more blackouts and begins to lose her mind. The fate of her world rests on whether she can stay alive and find answers in time to problems that no one else has ever confronted....
The Secret of Abdu El-Yezdi: The Burton And Swinburne Adventures (A Burton & Swinburne Adventure #4)
by Mark HodderPhilip K. Dick Award-winning author Mark Hodder continues his Burton & Swinburne Adventures with a steampunk adventure set in an alternate England teetering on the edge of annihilation…After barely surviving his discovery of the source of the Nile, explorer Sir Richard Burton returns home to fame, glory, and a knighthood from his highness King George V. But he also receives another title―King’s Agent…for Burton may be the only man who can save England from doom.Once he is brought into the king’s service, Sir Richard is trusted with a shocking truth: ever since the assassination of Queen Victoria, those in power have been guided and advised by a spirit―Abdu El Yezdi―whose wisdom has brought about incredible progress and prosperity.Unfortunately, the voice of El Yezdi has fallen silent just as a controversial alliance is about to be formed with the Central German Confederation. More suspicious still are the disappearances of a number of England’s most brilliant thinkers and builders, with no clue as to who is responsible.Now, aided by his own circle of unlikely and unconventional allies—including the devilishly lewd poet Algernon Swinburne—Sir Richard must delve into the darkest reaches of both the mystical and machine worlds if England is to survive a coming storm unlike anything ever imagined…
The Return of the Discontinued Man: The Burton And Swinburne Adventures (A Burton & Swinburne Adventure #5)
by Mark HodderPhilip K. Dick Award-winning author Mark Hodder continues his Burton & Swinburne Adventures in an electrifying tale in which the future and the past collide―and the world itself may be altered forever…Years ago, a madman from the future assassinated the beloved Queen Victoria―which inadvertently sparked the explosion of scientific and industrial advancement that thrust England into a technological age beyond anything ever imagined. And the effects of that event are about to be felt more than ever.When a renowned scientist attempts to experiment on the assassin’s time-travelling suit, he unleashes a wave of chaos and conflicting timelines, resulting in blood red snow falling from the sky, and the adventurer Sir Richard Burton being tormented by jarring visions of alternate realities that are somehow both unavoidable and yet changeable. Time and reality may have just reached their breaking point.But most disturbing of all, the legendary Spring Heeled Jack has returned―in several different places at the same time! These numerous “Jacks” are all very confused, very irritable, and very dangerous…And they are all looking for Sir Richard Burton.
The Rise of the Automated Aristocrats: The Burton And Swinburne Adventures (A Burton & Swinburne Adventure #6)
by Mark HodderTime is twisted, worlds are changed, and fates are intertwined in this thrilling final chapter of the Burton & Swinburne Adventures from Philip K. Dick Award-winning author Mark Hodder.In 1890 the renowned adventurer and explorer Sir Richard Burton could sense his impending death…Until he was suddenly alive, young and strong in the year 1864—a past that he remembers well, but which is definitely different from what he previously lived through. Burton’s amazement is heightened when he is reunited with his loyal friend, the eccentric poet Algernon Swinburne, who is equally nonplussed at being somehow transported into his former self at the moment of death.Before long, Burton and Swinburne—joined by many of their brave compatriots—find themselves once again being pulled to and fro by the streams of time in an adventure that may decide the fate of humanity.For while Burton, Swinburne and company have employed time travel to save the empire and her subjects, that technology has now fallen into the wrong hands. England’s ruling class are transforming Burton and Swinburne’s beloved England into a nightmare where those in power—along with their merciless clockwork enforcers—oppress and enslave the masses.And now, Burton and his friends will have to find a way to heal the damage time travel has done to the world if they are ever going to save it…
The Star Shard
by Frederic S. DurbinCymbril feels like a bird in a cage. Her task is to sing, to draw crowds to the markets offered by Master Rombol, lord of the Thunder Rake, the only home Cymbril has known. The Rake is a city on wheels, a vast wagon that rolls over the land, its interior a labyrinth of stairways, corridors, chambers, and secret doors.When Cymbril befriends a fellow slave, a boy named Loric, one of the mysterious Fey, she dreams of a life beyond the Rake, and the two begin to plan their escape. But dangers haunt the shadows—the ominous Eye women, the perilous Night Market, the terrors of the Groag Swamp, and something that stalks the night’s dark byways, hunting . . . Survival will depend upon courage, loyalty, and perhaps upon a gift from Cymbril’s long-departed parents—the glowing and magical fragment of a star.
Heroics for Beginners
by John MooreWhen a seemingly crazy, poorly dressed soothsayer tells you not to let a magical talisman fall into the wrong hands, take him or her seriously. DO NOT laugh it off and leave said talisman simply lying around on a side table; you might as well just end the world yourself.—The Handbook of Practical Heroics, p. 134The kingdom of Deserae is in the most direly perilous of dire perils. The realm’s precious magical talisman—Ancient Artifact Model Seven—is in the grimy hands of the evil Lord Voltmeter (He Who Must Be Named)…Only one man can stop him (and, by the by, win the hand of Deserae’s exceedingly well-proportioned princess). Unfortunately, he’s never really done this sort of thing before. But Prince Kevin Timberline is determined to find a way into the Fortress of Doom (perhaps through the gift shop?), resist the advances of a leather-clad, whip-wielding temptress (well, maybe that’s not so bad), and face an army of unspeakable nastiness (okay, that’s bad), armed only with his reasonably pure heart, questionable courage—and most importantly, a copy of The Handbook of Practical Heroics…
Slay and Rescue
by John MooreThere’s always trouble in Illyria: dragons to slay, villains to fight, and one beautiful princess after another demanding to be rescued from a fate worse than death. It’s a full-time job for Charming, noble prince and professional hero. In fact, young Charming thinks he’s just about ready for a leave of absence.But you’re always on call in the Slay and Rescue business, and soon Charming is working overtime when he becomes embroiled in a plot involving an evil sorceress, an enchanted castle, one angry dragon, and no less than three beauteous damsels in distress, each with her own plans for our hero, and none of them to be trusted long enough to shake a sword at…
The Unhandsome Prince
by John MooreAnd they lived happily ever after…Caroline’s plan to live happily ever after has hit a snag. She’s spent months mapping the swamp, building tadpole nets, and kissing every wriggling frog she could get her hands on, and one has finally turned into a prince. Unfortunately, Prince Hal is not, as promised in the fairy tales, particularly handsome. In fact, he’s kind of dorky-looking.Hal himself isn’t very eager to marry a girl so obsessed with appearances, but he finds that a lot of people have a stake in his impending nuptials—including a sorceress in training, an irritating dwarf, and Hal’s own royal family, who seem to have misplaced large portions of the treasury. But the biggest reason for him to marry Caroline, true love be darned, is that if he doesn’t, it’s back to the lily pads for him—permanently…
Bad Prince Charlie
by John MooreWe set our scene in Damask: A kingdom that couldn’t get ransacked if it tried…But now that the king is dead, that’s exactly what his brothers have in mind. All they need is a bad king to take his place. The population will rebel, the neighboring kingdom will be “invited” to restore order, and they’ll be in business…Bad Prince Charlie will do. His reputation for “badness” precedes him, and everyone knows he wouldn’t spit on Damask to save it from Drought. At the mention of Lady Catherine (va-va-voom) Durace, he’s in on the scheme.But his father’s ghost has been skulking around the castle, and we all know that means trouble. If Charlie ever gets around to hearing the old man out, he may learn that his uncles’ mildly sinister scheme is actually a bonafide evil plot. Ransacking Damask is just a cover for the real game: Weapons of Magical Destruction.
Until Relieved (Lucky 13th #1)
by Rick ShelleyThe first thrilling novel in Rick Shelley’s sci-fi military action trilogy following the exploits of The Lucky 13th—in which a simple diversionary tactic may well end in the death of every soldier in the outfit.Three thousand years ago, humanity expanded its presence by settling hundreds of worlds across the galaxy. Yet even as technology allowed them to boldly travel light years, the nature of humanity changed very little. Over time, countless regimes and governments rose and fell in a quest for power. In the end, only two remained—the industrial dictatorship of the Schlinal Hegemony, and the feudal-based Dogel Worlds. The last independent worlds of the Terran Cluster finally united as the Accord of Free Worlds—and fought back against the conquerors as no one had before.So, the war continues…When the Schlinal Hegemony goes on the offensive, the Accord decides to send their forces to several other planets to disperse the Hegemony forces. The planet Porter is where Sgt. Joe Baerclau and his 13th Spaceborne Assault Team are deployed. Unfortunately, what begins as a holding action soon becomes a brutal battle against a relentless foe. And it soon becomes clear that they only have three options left: keep the enemy at bay until backup arrives, hope the enemy decides to quit the fight in frustration, or be buried on Porter…
Side Show (Lucky 13th #2)
by Rick ShelleyRick Shelley continues the adventures of the hard-fighting Lucky 13th Spaceborne Assault Team in an action-packed military sci-fi novel that sends a small force of fighters on a mission that takes them into territory more hostile than they could ever know....The planet of Jordan has become a hellscape of blood, violence, and ever-present death. The world had been conquered by the brutal Schlinal Hegemony years ago. But now the Accord of Free Worlds has decided to make a determined push to retake the territory they have lost to the enemy.Now, as the battle reaches a lethal stalemate, Sgt. Joe “The Bear” Baerclau and his 13th SAT receive orders to leave their perimeter and venture into the wild. Their target: a secret science lab that was in place before the Schlinal invasion. Their orders: find the scientists if they survived and return them to Accord lines. And if that’s not possible—kill them and destroy all evidence of the lab.Now, Bear and his team must fight a running battle across dangerous unknown territory in search of a covert facility that may or not hide a dreadful secret. Even more lethal than the landscape is the equally skilled Hegemony force that’s hot on their trail and eager for the kill. But for the Lucky 13th, that’s just another day on the job…