“Deliciously devious and absolutely delightful, these marvelous stories will keep you captivated! Sweeter than sweet tea on the surface, but with smartly sinister secrets only a true southern writer can provide. What a joy to read!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan best-selling Agatha and Mary Higgins Clark Award winner This volume collects original tales by Frances Aylor, Mollie Cox Bryan, Lynn Cahoon, Judy Chalkey, Stacie Giles, Barb Goffman, Libby Hall, Bradley Harper, Sherry Harris, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, Samatha McGraw, K.L. Murphy, Genille Swope Parente, Deb Rolfe, Rod Sterling, S.A. Warwick, and Heather Weidner.

Author of the books that inspired True Blood on HBO and Midnight, Texas on NBC Newspaper reporter Catherine Linton ignored her investigative instincts when her parents died in a mysterious car crash six months ago — grief obscuring the warning signs that something was amiss. But when she discovers the beaten body of her father’s nurse on Linton property, Catherine quickly realizes her parents’ death was no accident. Though the sleepy Southern town that Catherine’s family has called home for generations still prickles with racial tension and decades-old classism, Catherine never expected that Lowfield, Mississippi, could harbor a murderer. Now, it seems everyone has a terrible secret. But how many people in Lowfield would kill to keep them hidden? Catherine finds herself both the sheriff’s lead suspect and the killer’s next target. With the help of her handsome editor, Randall, and her quirky fellow reporter, Tom, Catherine must untangle the dark roots of the murders and stop the killer who wears a neighbor’s face. Sweet and Deadly is the thrilling stand-alone mystery debut from Charlaine Harris, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse vampire series, as well as the award-nominated Aurora Teagarden Series, Lily Bard Series, and Harper Connelly Series.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder features nineteen juicy tales of revenge, betrayal, bad breakups, and a few I dos and some I don’ts. Each short story takes ruthless relationships to an all-new level in all kinds of places like destination weddings, riverboat cruises, wineries, bachelorette parties, creepy stalkers, cheating spouses, and sneaky friends trying for their own version of happily ever after. So, settle in for some love stories with a twist of revenge, infidelity, and murder. Featuring the writing talents of Teresa Inge, Heather Weidner, Debra H. Goldstein, Grace Topping, Maggie King, Ellen Butler, Kristin Kisska, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Marilyn Levinson, Sandra Murphy, Mary Dutta, Diane Fanning, Libby Hall, Frances Aylor, K.L. Murphy, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Leah St. James, Sheryl Jordan and Allie Marie. Nineteen talented authors have lent their pens to whisk you away to a variety of venues in search of who done it. Woe to the man or woman who places the heroes and heroines in harm's way as they solve these mysteries. Clever twists and turns make this a delightful read. What foul means has joined together - let the clever reader unveil the clues. -Nan O'Berry, USA Today's Best Selling Author

When a cantankerous Sweet Briar resident ends up six feet under, the ladies of the sewing circle have to deal with a town full of suspects… With the library’s budget dwindling, Tori Sinclair is forced to let go of her predecessor, and fellow sewing circle member, Dixie Dunn. After losing her job a second time, Dixie decides to volunteer for Home Fare, delivering meals to the homebound. Less than a week after Dixie starts, her client Clyde Montgomery is found dead. The police think he died of old age, but with most of the town badgering Clyde to sell his picturesque land, his passing seems a little too convenient. Determined to prove that Clyde was murdered, Dixie asks Tori for some sleuthing assistance. But with so many Sweet Briar residents in possession of a compelling motive, the sewing circle ladies will have to needle out the truth to find the killer…

The members of South Carolina's Sweet Briar Ladies Society sewing circle are as loyal and close-knit as the day is long. But when the richest and meanest woman in town turns up murdered, the new Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair finds that some threads can bind dangerously tight.

When Tori Sinclair's philandering ex turns up dead, the police chief believes it was murder-and that Tori may have been involved. Now, only the girls from the sewing circle will be able to help keep her life from coming apart at the seams...

SHE KNOWS WHERE TO FIND THE BODY When Raina Hamish tries on a dress in a Miami boutique, she has a terrifyingly accurate vision of a murdered corpse in the murky shadows of the Everglades. She wants to help, but who would believe her when she can hardly believe herself? Special Agent Axel Tiger has returned to Florida to help hunt a serial killer, but the investigation doesn’t have much to go on. Raina’s vision is their best chance to uncover more. Axel’s experience with the FBI’s elite paranormal team will nurture Raina’s abilities, and she may be able to help save a life—but it puts her directly in the crosshairs of a killer who is closer than they would ever suspect.

A January 2023 Once Upon a Book Club Pick "You'll get nothing done until you've reached the end of this excellent book." &―Lisa Regan, USA Today and WSJ bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series "[A] riveting tale . . ." &―Library Journal She wanted the truth. She should have known better. When her sister is found dead in a Baltimore hotel room, reporter Val Ritter's world is turned upside down. An empty pill bottle at the scene leads the police to believe the cause of death is suicide. With little more than her own conviction, Val teams up with Terry Martin, a retired detective who has his own personal interest in the case, to prove that something more sinister is possible. In 1921, Bridget Wallace, a guest on the brink of womanhood, is getting ready to marry an eligible older man. But what seems like a comfortable match soon takes a dark turn. Does the illustrious history of the stately Franklin hotel hide another, lesser known history of death?

From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Gemma Halliday comes sass, lies, and rock 'n' roll in a humorous mystery that's sure to leave you guessing! Her name is Bond. Jamie Bond. And her life has never been more dangerous... Clients are usually beating down LA private investigator Jamie Bond's door, looking to hire her and her crew of Bond Girls. But lately business has been slow, causing Jamie to take on some unusual clients. Case in point: the aging rock star who is sure his young alien-enthusiast wife is cheating on him. While Jamie has a feeling three decades of rock 'n' roll may have clouded his vision, she takes the case anyway—hey, money is money, right? Only when her client ends up dead under suspicious circumstances, Jamie is rethinking her career choices. Especially when a second band member hires her, this time to put to rest an argument over the rights to the band's one hit song, "Hot Waitress." The song was mildly popular in the eighties, and after being recently used in a millennial-aimed TV commercial it's started generating big royalties—possibly big enough to kill over? Did the drummer with a temper finally snuff out his bandmate? Or was it the guitarist with a secret? The keyboard player with a decades-long grudge? Or did the younger wife simply decide she'd make out better as a widow than a divorcee? Between more suspects than she can trail, a side case involving frisky senior citizens, and two hot men both vying for her attention and demanding a decision, Jamie has more than she can handle. Can she make it out alive? Or will this be the case that finally breaks her? The Jamie Bond Mysteries: Unbreakable Bond (book #1) Secret Bond (book #2) Lethal Bond (book #3) Bond Bombshell (short story) Dangerous Bond (book #4) Bond Ambition (short story) Fatal Bond (book #5) Deadly Bond (book #6) Here's what critics are saying about Gemma Halliday's books: "A saucy combination of romance and suspense that is simply irresistible." ~ Chicago Tribune "Stylish... nonstop action...guaranteed to keep chick lit and mystery fans happy!" ~ Publishers' Weekly, starred review "Smart, funny and snappy… the perfect beach read!" ~ Fresh Fiction

Yeardley Love was a star athlete and student with her whole life ahead of her. Born into a world of privilege, Yeardley was exceptionally modest and generous. She was adored by many, especially the members of her lacrosse team at the University of Virginia, where she won the heart of another lacrosse player: George Huguely V. As champion athletes, Yeardley and George were a celebrity couple at UVA. But George's hard partying, hostile behavior, and jealousy proved too much for Yeardley. Then, just one month before graduation, Yeardley's lifeless body was found in her campus apartment... According to an affidavit, George admitted to bashing down her door and hitting her head against a wall. Did he intend to kill her? His lawyer claimed Yeardley's death was at most an accident. But as investigators uncovered more about George's past, they learned he was no stranger to violence: He was involved in at least two prior episodes of alcohol-fueled assault. And despite George's elite origins and seemingly perfect young life, police insist he was a time bomb about to explode...This is the true story of two young lovers and one All-American Murder.