Part character study and part thriller, The People Downstairs Are Killers follows Darren Wallace from youth to adulthood from the early sixties to the early eighties in the near north side of Des Moines, Iowa. Though a gifted student, throughout his life, hes plagued by his insecurities, a troubled older sister, and a harsh, sometimes appearing, uncaring mother. Once he finally escapes the house that has tormented him, he finds upon his mothers death that he has inherited it as well as the tenants that now occupy it. Newlywed, his wife urges him to take possession with the stipulation of banking their earnings for a down payment of a place of their own. Its when he gives his mothers apartment to Teddie Jessup, a mentor of his and longtime resident, he gets the attention of Blue Callen, a spare but strong man in his thirties whom his mother had verbally promised said apartment to. However, its not until Pearl Johnsona voluptuous femme fatale who has had a prior relationship with Blue Callenappears and soon disappears that sends Darren and Blue on a collision course.

As head of household for none other than Agatha Christie, Phyllida Bright finds her position includes polishing silver, serving luncheons…and drawing inspiration from the crime author’s fictional detectives when mysterious deaths at Mallowan Hall baffle her famous employer… Tucked away among Devon’s rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida Bright manages the large household with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however, Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses. For the manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife—Agatha Christie… Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer, who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction, Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as Mrs. Agatha’s Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library floor… It soon becomes clear that the victim arrived at Mallowan Hall under false pretenses during a weekend party. And when another dead body is discovered—this time, one of her housemaids—Phyllida decides to follow in M. Poirot’s footsteps to determine which of the Mallowans’ guests is the killer. Now only Phyllida’s wits will prevent her own story from coming to an abrupt end…

'The unrelenting tension of this well-crafted debut kept me whizzing through the book . . . I loved the tension, the secrets and the satisfying, unexpected conclusion' KL Slater In a converted Georgian townhouse in south west London, three families live under one roof. The large flat that takes up the top two floors is home to the Harlow family: happily married Paul and Steph, and their bubbly teenage daughter Freya. The smaller first floor flat is rented by Emma, who spends most of her time alone, listening to people coming in and out of the building. And the basement flat belongs to Chris, a local driving instructor, who prefers to keep his personal life private from the neighbours. But their lives are all upended when Freya vanishes. As the police become involved and a frantic Paul and Steph desperately search for answers, they begin to realise that the truth behind their daughter's disappearance may lie closer to home than they were expecting. When everyone has something to hide, can you ever really know those closest to you? Or will some secrets be taken to the grave?

A single night. A dead body. A small mystery.

Michael Shaara reinvented the war novel with his Pulitzer Prize–winning masterpiece of Gettysburg, The Killer Angels. Jeff Shaara continued his father’s legacy with a series of centuries-spanning New York Times bestsellers. Together at last in eBook form, this volume assembles three Civil War novels from America’s first family of military fiction: Gods and Generals, The Killer Angels, and The Last Full Measure. Gods and Generals traces the lives, passions, and careers of the great military leaders—Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Winfield Scott Hancock, Joshua Chamberlain—from the gathering clouds of war. The Killer Angels re-creates the fight for America’s destiny in the Battle of Gettysburg, the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history. And The Last Full Measure brings to life the final two years of the Civil War, chasing the escalating conflict between Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant—complicated, heroic, and deeply troubled men—through to its riveting conclusion at Appomattox. Contains a preview Jeff Shaara’s new novel of the Civil War, A Blaze of Glory. Praise for Michael Shaara and Jeff Shaara’s Civil War trilogy “Brilliant does not even begin to describe the Shaara gift.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Shaara’s beautifully sensitive novel delves deeply in the empathetic realm of psycho-history, where enemies do not exist—just mortal men forced to make crucial decisions and survive on the same battlefield.”—San Francisco Chronicle, on Gods and Generals “Remarkable . . . a book that changed my life . . . I had never visited Gettysburg, knew almost nothing about that battle before I read the book, but here it all came alive.”—Ken Burns, on The Killer Angels “The Last Full Measure is more than another historical novel. It is rooted in history, but its strength is the element of humanity flowing through its characters. . . . The book is compelling, easy to read, well researched and written, and thought-provoking. . . . In short, it is everything that a reader could ask for.”—Chicago Tribune

“A grim catalogue of killings and suspicious deaths that have darkened 130 years of Southport history is laid bare” (Southport Visitor). Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths Around Southport takes the reader on a sinister journey through centuries of local crime and conspiracy, meeting villains of all sorts along the way—cutthroats and poisoners, murderous lovers, baby-farmers and baby-killers, burglars, fraudsters, and the so-called “doctor of death.” The book records crime and punishment in Southport in all its shocking variety. Among the many acts of wickedness Geoff Wright describes are the unsolved murder of Nigel Bostock, the double-slaying of two friends, a fatal brawl at the Shakespeare pub, the wife-killing Dr. Clements, and the baffling murder of businessman Harry Baker. His chronicle of Southport’s hidden history—the history this Victorian seaside resort would prefer to forget—will be compelling reading for anyone who is interested in the dark side of human nature.

In Mark Richard Zubro's Nerds Who Kill, Paul Turner is a widowed father of two teenaged boys, one of whom has spina bifida, rapidly approaching middle age, and used to dealing gracefully with all the challenges these things entail. Turner, however, is slightly different from others in his situation - he's openly gay and a homicide detective for the Chicago Police Department. Despite everything, his personal and family life is relatively placid. Until right now. This time, his life couldn't possibly get more complex and problematic: there's a Science Fiction and Media convention in Chicago this weekend - one of the world's largest such gathering - and his sons are both attending. In full costume. And Paul Turner, like any good father, is going with them. If the prospect of that weren't bad enough, one of the convention's guests - one of the field's most successful fantasy writers - is found murdered, mostly likely by the broadsword found rammed through the corpse's chest. In most circumstances, a broadsword would be a unique murder weapon, but this time there are hundreds of attendees carrying similar ones as part of their costumes. Including his own son. That one gruesome murder is just the beginning - the dead bodies amidst the revelers are starting to pile up - and Turner must sort through a confusing array of suspects in short order if he's to find the killer in time.

At her husband’s funeral, Heather Mallet is publicly accused of his murder. But did she really kill her husband, as many residents of the sleepy coastal town of Fethering believe? To get to the heart of the matter, local amateur sleuths Carole and Jude join the community choir and discover that amidst the clashing egos and petty resentments there lurk some decidedly false notes. At least one chorister would appear to be hiding a deadly secret – and it’s up to Carole and Jude to unearth the truth.

The shocking series of crimes committed by lovers Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez dominated the front pages in 1949. Caught for the double homicide of a widow and her young daughter in Michigan, the first couple of crime became the focus of an intense debate over the death penalty and extradition. Their story climaxed in a sensational trial in New York City and concluded two years later inside Sing Sing's notorious "Death House." Pulp fiction era reporters, who followed every step taken by the accused slayers, christened Beck and Fernandez the "Lonely Hearts Killers"--a nickname that stuck and has since been used to describe an entire category of criminal behavior. Despite the sensationalization of the killer couple's exploits, the story of the Michigan crime that ended their spree has until now remained largely untold. Drawing on rare archival material, this book presents, for the first time anywhere, a detailed account of this lost chapter in the saga of the "Lonely Hearts Killers." Both biography and analysis, this book also attempts to deconstruct the myths and misconceptions and to provide answers to a few unanswered questions about the case.

In the gripping and heart-pounding conclusion to the Alexandra Thriller Series, "Killer," Alexandra stands at the precipice of a life consumed by violence. As the relentless attacks on those closest to her continue unabated, she is faced with a never-ending onslaught that threatens to unravel her very existence. Alexandra, weary of the never-ending cycle of violence that has defined her life, finds herself on the run from both the police and relentless security services. The looming threat of spending many years behind bars hangs heavily over her, but the adrenaline rush of her tumultuous past has a grip on her that she can't easily break. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, calls for her help reach her ears, and she faces an agonizing dilemma. How can she respond to these cries for assistance while avoiding the relentless pursuit of the authorities who seek to bring her to justice? With no one to rely on but herself, Alexandra becomes a lone warrior, battling to escape the clutches of incarceration and the deadly groups that relentlessly hunt her down. In a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, she must muster every ounce of her strength and cunning to survive. In "Killer," Alexandra's resilience is pushed to its limits as she races against time to protect those she holds dear and to uncover the truth behind the relentless attacks. One last, desperate push is needed, but the question remains: Can she stay alive long enough to help her friends and find redemption for the tumultuous life she has led? Join Alexandra as she faces her most perilous challenge yet, confronting the demons of her past and the relentless pursuit of those who would see her silenced. "Killer" is a gripping and explosive thriller that will leave you breathless as Alexandra Drummond battles for her very survival and strives to untangle the web of violence that has defined her life.