When her parents are killed by a drunk driver, Jocie is thrown into an unstable world of hardship and horror that no young girl should have to endure. At the mercy of a broken foster care system, she is left without a roof over her head at the vulnerable age of eighteen. Lost and looking for her place in the world, she is abducted by a half-witted man whose momma told him to "catch a woman." He doesn't understand the implications of what he's done and believes he caught Jocie "fair and square," and now she belongs to him. Caught like an animal, unable to outrun her captor, Jocie must call on her extraordinary courage-though petite in stature, she is a mile tall in her will to survive. Her struggle to escape her kidnapper leads her to Serene Valley Angus and Quarter Horse Ranch, where a promising new life may unfold...if she can survive what awaits her. Fans of The Jewelry and Cat of Serene Valley will be thrilled to welcome familiar characters as Jocie fights to reclaim the life that belongs to her.

LaRain's first novel is called 'The Jewelry', the second is 'Cat of Serene Valley' and the third is 'Jocie of Serene Valley'. The characters in these books play a significant role in this novel of a young spitfire red head named Sheila; as she joins the family at Serene Valley Angus and Quarter Horse Ranch. Sheila's love of German Shepherds started in her childhood and continues to influence her choice of careers; first as a dog handler for the military, and again, working at the 'Tanner Security Agency' in Texas helping Mike to train the security and guard dogs needed for the agency. Two months ago, Mike moved to the new training facility in Kentucky. She met her ex-boyfriend three months ago and after the first few dates decided he wasn't really what she had been looking for in a long-term relationship. He was tall and handsome, but there was just something strange about him. He had a cruel streak and he was way too possessive to suit her. Randy did not want to accept her saying 'no'. He kept calling all times of the day and night. Then about two weeks ago she was coming home to her apartment and finding dead flowers each day and the last one contained a bloody knife inside along with the dead flowers. That was the last straw for her. She couldn't go to the police, since he worked there. She finally told her boss about it. He suggested a change of scenery might be in order for a while. Kentucky looked like a good fit for her. Sheila did not have a lease and a friend wanted to move into her apartment right away so the decision to pack up and start over was an easy one for her. Having been a military brat while she was growing up, she was used to new places, however making new friends was a bit harder. So, she was a bit happier knowing there would be one friend already there at the ranch, Mike. Can her new 'family' and the dogs she trains, protect her from the madman that wants to possess her? Enticing and suspenseful, Sheila of Serene Valley is a perfect blend of romance and intrigue.

Heartbroken over the death of her fiance, Ragweed, Poppy, a deer mouse, journeys west through the vast Dimwood Forest to bring the sad news to Ragweed's family. But Poppy and her prickly porcupine pal, Ereth, arrive only to discover that beavers have flooded the serene valley where Ragweed lived. Together Poppy and Ragweed's brother Rye brave kidnapping, imprisonment, and a daring rescue to fight the beavers. At the same time, Rye -- who has lived in Ragweed's shadow -- fights to prove himself worthy of Poppy's love.

The sixth book in the beloved Poppy series by Newbery Medal–winning author Avi, with illustrations from Caldecott Medal–winning artist Brian Floca Has Ereth lost Poppy forever? Poppy, a deer mouse, has spent the long winter curled up inside her tree snag home in Dimwood Forest. When the ground thaws and life returns to the woods, Poppy sets out in search of excitement. Suddenly, swooped up by Luci the bat, Poppy is flying high over the forest. Meanwhile Poppy’s best friend, Ereth the grumbling porcupine, who was with Poppy when she vanished, is convinced that she has died. He sets out to give her the best funeral ever. Can Poppy find her way out of the bats’ cave to set Ereth straight and return home after the adventure of a lifetime?

"Death is inescapable. I am your penance." FBI agent Olivia Knight has seen her fair share of shocking and gruesome cases. So much so that she trained herself to expect the unexpected. But when she is called onto a case in a sleepy small-town of Beacon Hill. A case involving a brutal stabbing with the words... "Death is inescapable. I am your penance.", written in blood. Olivia finds herself sleepless and unable to shake off the chilling words of a bloodthirsty killer. After a second victim is found. The case takes another bizarre turn. What are the connections between both victims? What is the killer's true motive? And most importantly who will be next? When Olivia gets a personal threat from a cloaked man that calls himself "The Messenger", she realizes that she is being watched. Lives are on the line. A deranged killer is on the loose. Will Olivia be able to save herself and keep the body count from rising? In the small town of Beacon Hill, death may be your only escape.

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner * ALA Notable Book * ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice * School Library Journal Best Book In the second book in the Tales of Dimwood Forest by Newbery Medal-winning author Avi, a tiny deer mouse named Poppy dares to stand up to a tyrannical owl. The story is accompanied by inviting illustrations from Caldecott Medal-winning artist Brian Floca. “This exciting story is richly visual. The underlying messages, to challenge unjust authority and to rely on logic and belief in oneself, are palatably blended with action and suspense.” — School Library Journal Poppy knew she was taking a risk following her beloved Ragweed to Bannock Hill, but a night of dancing with the handsome golden mouse was just too tempting. So when Ragweed is scooped up by the sinister owl, Mr. Ocax, who rules over Dimwood forest, she’s devastated. Her whole life she was warned of Mr. Ocax’s evil ways…how could she have been so foolish to put herself and Ragweed at risk? To make matters worse, when Poppy attempts to move with her family to a different part of the woods where the food supply is richer, Mr. Ocax refuses to let them go. Despite what she’s been led to believe for years, Mr. Ocax is not as strong as he wants the mice to think he is. Armed with the bravery, gumption, and wit of a hero, Poppy embarks on a dangerous quest—joined by the irascible but lovable porcupine, Ereth—to defeat Mr. Ocax and lead her family to a better home. A perennially popular story of courage and determination, Poppy is a fixture on state award lists and in classrooms across the country.

"YOU ARE LIVING A LIE. Everything about you is a lie..." This is a story about an ordinary woman, a mother of two. To most women, to most mothers, her life is relatable in every way. Except behind closed doors her truth comes with unimaginable consequences. Amid a night of fun and festivities, Isabella Walker found herself alone with a bold masked man at her front door. Unable to fight off her would-be abductor, the mother of two, soon found herself a victim of an extraordinary and grim circumstance. FBI agent Olivia Knight has investigated her fair share of bizarre cases. When she and Brock are called to the suburbs of Hidden Hills to investigate a strange abduction. Olivia quickly realizes that there's more to this case than a mere kidnapping. Why was Isabella Walker targeted? Is there more to this housewife and mother than meets the eyes? What is the truth behind the missing pieces of her past? As more questions arise and more questions remain unanswered. Olivia finds that to solve this case, to uncover the truth, she'll have to go undercover and face the Grim Reaper himself. Unfortunately, behind closed doors there are secrets that are worth taking to the grave...