August 2010 eBook Preview – Mystery Novels

Be Prepared to don your favorite magnifying glass and E-Reader and head down to the beach! In the month of August there are a veritable boatload of new mystery books that are going to be released! If you want to read or buy any of these ebooks, click on the Title of the Book.

Nevada Barr – Burn – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

In her new novel, the wildly popular Barr takes her crime-solver, park ranger Anna Pigeon, out of her element. Previous installments in the series have found Anna moving from one national park to another, solving the crimes that seem to follow her from place to place, but this time she is in New Orleans, staying with a friend, when, believe it or not, somebody tries to put a hex on her. Anna soon suspects that her friend’s tenant, an abundantly off-putting fellow named Jordan, might have something to do with it—but why? This is not the first time the author has taken Anna out of her usual rustic settings (1999’s Liberty Falling, for instance, is set in New York), but regular readers need not worry: Barr isn’t merely rehashing big-city themes she’s tackled before. There’s a reason why this story needs to be set in the Big Easy, and Barr develops the narrative carefully, never letting the eerie black-magic elements overshadow her solid and suspenseful plotting. A definite winner.

Lorna Barret – Chapter & Hearse – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles has been spending more time solving whodunits than reading them. Now a nearby gas explosion has injured Tricia’s sister’s boyfriend, Bob Kelly, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, and killed the owner of the town’s history bookstore. Tricia’s never been a fan of Bob, but when she reads that he’s being tight-lipped about the “accident”, it’s time to take action.

Cynthia Baxter – Crossing the Lion – Release Date: Aug 31 2010

Veterinarian Jessica Popper is still basking in newlywedded bliss when neighbors Betty and Winston beg her to investigate the suspicious death of Linus Merrywood, king of the corporate jungle. On stormy Solitude Island, the Merrywoods have enjoyed the lion’s share of wealth for generations. But from the suspects to the surroundings, Jess feels as if she’s walked straight into an old-fashioned game of Clue—except here the stakes are life and death.

There’s the butler named Jives, a sexy assistant named Scarlett, teatime in the conservatory, and a house with secret passageways, moving walls, and a wailing aunt locked in the attic. With a storm raging around the island and Jess’s least favorite police detective assigned to the case, things are looking dire until Jess’s lionhearted husband, Nick, braves his way to Solitude to rescue her. Now it’s the two of them against a family steeped in secrets—and a killer on the prowl who’s ferociously determined to protect the biggest family secret of all.

Jessica Beck – Fatally Frosted – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

A local busy body has dropped dead after eating one of Suzanne’s famous treats. A forensic team is soon swarming through the Donut Hearts kitchen, dusting for clues, sifting through sugar, and suspecting the worst of Suzanne. But with the help of police inspector Jake Bishop and her ex-husband Max, Suzanne hopes to clear her good name—before another bad donut is fatally frosted…

Bill Crider: Murder in the Air – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

Sheriff Dan Rhodes faces two big non–crime-related problems in Crider’s winning 18th mystery to feature the Clearview, Tex., lawman (after 2009’s Murder in Four Parts). First, a pair of women authors have written a couple of novels starring Sage Barton, “a two-fisted action hero” supposedly based on Rhodes, to the sheriff’s embarrassment. Second, Lester Hamilton’s foul (or fowl) smelling chicken farm, while legal, provokes endless complaints from Lester’s neighbors. When Lester’s body turns up near a well-known fishing hole, Rhodes has a real crime on his hands. Meanwhile, he also has to deal with a mad bowman locals call Robin Hood, who’s causing mischief by shooting arrows with notes attached, as well as women who protest chicken farming in skimpy feather-covered outfits and the dangers of “noodling,” i.e., fishing for large catfish with one’s hand for bait. Few will be able to resist Crider’s brand of broad humor, eccentric characters, and murder.

Ellen Crosby – The Viognier Vendetta – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

When glamorous Rebecca Natale disappears before a black-tie gala honoring her boss, billionaire Wall Street guru Sir Thomas Asher–who’s donating a collection of architectural drawings, maps, and other documents relating to the design and planning of Washington, D.C., to the Library of Congress–Virginia vintner Lucie Montgomery, who’s Rebecca’s college friend, investigates in Crosby’s enjoyable fifth wine country mystery (after 2009’s The Riesling Retribution). After Rebecca’s clothes turn up at a Potomac boat house, she’s feared to be either a suicide or a victim of foul play. Lucie joins forces with ex-investment analyst Ian Philips, a disgruntled whistle-blower who’s prepared to testify before a government subcommittee that Sir Thomas is running a Ponzi scheme, but Ian “drowns” before he can do so. Full of Washington historical lore, this addictive whodunit also updates Lucie’s relationship with brooding Quinn Santori, her Montgomery Estate Vineyard winemaker lover.

Lonnie Cruse – Fifty-Seven Traveling – Release Date: Aug 11 2010

At the start of Cruse’s appealing second ’57 Chevy mystery (after 2007’s Fifty-Seven Heaven), Kitty and Jack Bloodworth, who are en route from their home in Metropolis, Ill., to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for an antique auto show, are stranded at the side of a busy highway with a leaky water hose. Fortunately, Copper Penny, “country singer/songwriter extraordinaire,” who’s to give a concert at the show, stops her limo and offers the couple a ride to the nearest auto parts store. Once in Pigeon Forge, Kitty and Jack discover Kitty’s dream car for sale in an old barn–a 1937 Chrysler sedan complete with running boards and suicide doors (which open backwards)–but Jack, to Kitty’s dismay, is unwilling to meet the owner’s high but reasonable price. Meanwhile, a purse snatching, a break-in at the cabin where they’re staying, and the murder of the Chrysler owner’s adult son provide a criminal backdrop for the good fellowship and good food that are a major part of this car cozy.

Clive Cussler & Grant Blackwood: Lost Empire – Release Date: Aug 31 2010

With Spartan Gold, a daring thriller that Publishers Weekly proclaimed “solidly in the Cussler tradition, [and] sure to please new fans and old,” Clive Cussler introduced husband-and-wife treasure-hunting team Sam and Remi Fargo. In their electrifying new adventure, the Fargos make a startling discovery that others would kill to keep hidden…

While scuba diving in Tanzania, Sam and Remi Fargo come upon a relic belonging to a long-lost Confederate ship. An anomaly about the relic sets them off chasing a mystery-but unknown to them, a much more powerful force is engaged in the same chase. Mexico’s ruling party, the ultranationalist Mexica Tenochca, is intent on finding that artifact as well, because it contains a secret that could destroy the party utterly.

Through Tanzania and Zanzibar, into the rainforests of Madagascar, and across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the legendary site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion, the Fargos and their ruthless opponents pursue the hunt-but only one can win. And the penalty for failure is death.

Filled with the dazzling suspense and breathtaking action that are Cussler’s trademarks, Lost Empire is a stunning new novel from the grand master of adventure.

Charlaine Harris – Death’s Excellent Vacation – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Katie MacAlister, Jeaniene Frost-plus Lilith Saintcrow, Jeff Abbott, and more-send postcards from the edge of the paranormal world to fans who devoured Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns.

With an all-new Sookie Stackhouse story and twelve other original tales, editors Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner bring together a stellar collection of tour guides who offer vacations that are frightening, funny, and touching for the fanged, the furry, the demonic, and the grotesque. Learn why it really can be an endless summer-for immortals.

Veronica Heley – Murder by Mistake – Release Date: Aug 1 2010

Ellie Quicke, who rescued waifish Mia Prior from her abusive criminal stepfamily in Murder in House (2009), plans on hosting a wedding reception for Mia’s best friend, Ursula Belton, in British author Heley’s entertaining 11th mystery to feature the stubborn amateur sleuth. Against her better judgment, Ellie is also planning the splashy, ill-advised nuptials of her oh-so-demanding daughter, Diana, to Denis “the Menace,” a shady businessman (who might still be married). The week before the weddings, to be held on the same day, a speeding car kills a young mother and narrowly misses Ellie and Mia while they’re out shopping. Further problems develop after Mia begins receiving threatening messages and flowers suggesting she’s still in danger. Avoiding wedding day catastrophe and more, intrepid Ellie injects this high-octane cozy with endearing humor and enduring style. Adding to the fun is Ellie’s impulse to pray for help from higher powers at critical moments.

Faye Kellerman – Hangman – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

Murder, a missing woman, and a sociopath from the past sweep Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus into a labyrinth of mystery and danger in this electrifying new tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author Faye Kellerman. . . .

Tracy Kiely – Murder on the Bride’s Side – Release Date: Aug 21 2010

Elizabeth Parker suspected that fulfilling her duties as maid-of-honor for her best friend, Bridget, was going to be murder. And no sooner is the last grain of rice thrown than she finds herself staring into the dead eyes of Bridget’s Aunt Roni, a woman whose death is almost as universally celebrated as Bridget’s nuptials. The horror only increases when Harry, Bridget’s cousin, becomes the chief suspect. The idea is ludicrous to the family, because Harry is one of the kindest, most compassionate people imaginable. To complicate matters, Elizabeth’s boyfriend, Peter, appears to be falling for an old flame, a gorgeous wedding planner. Determined to clear Harry of the crime, reign in Bridget’s impulsive brand of sleuthing, and figure out where Peter’s heart lies, Elizabeth sets her mind to work.

Victoria Laurie – The Curse of Deadman’s Forest– Release Date: Aug 31 2010

The Curse of Deadman’s Forest is the second book in the Oracles of Delphi Keep—a series with all the timeless charm of classics like the Chronicles of Narnia and all the action-packed adventure of a modern middle-grade blockbuster.

Amanda Lee – The Quick and the Thread – Release Date: Aug 3 2010

First in a new mystery series that will have readers stitching-and itching for more

When Marcy Singer opens an embroidery specialty shop in quaint Tallulah Falls, Oregon, she throws a soiree and a Stitch-In. Soon, Marcy’s sign- up sheet for embroidery classes fills up and everyone in town seems willing to raise a glass-or a needle-to support the newly-opened Seven Year Stitch.

Then Marcy finds the shop’s previous tenant dead in the store-room, a message scratched with a tapestry needle on the wall beside him. Now Marcy’s shop has become a crime scene, and she’s the prime suspect. She’ll have to find the killer before someone puts a final stitch in her.

Laura Lippman – I’d Know You Anywhere – Release Date: Aug 17 2010

Award-winning Lippman continues to send depth charges into the sea of crime fiction, taking measure of psychic pain in the wake of violence, and the mysteries of memory. After living in England, Eliza has returned to the Washington, D.C., area where she grew up with her successful husband and their sneaky 13-year-old daughter and sweet young son. Some might consider full-time housewife Eliza a throwback and oddly passive, yet as Lippman slowly reveals, she is actually a woman of considerable, if covert, wisdom and strength. Eliza’s story unfolds in two time frames. One exposes the profound complexity of her horrifying ordeal in 1985 when, at age 15, she was kidnapped and held hostage by Walter, a brooding, diabolically enthralling mechanic on a bloody spree, raping and murdering young women. The other tracks Eliza’s response when Walter, on Death Row just weeks away from his execution, manages to once again exert his sinister, manipulative powers. Stoked by stinging dialogue and arresting evocations of the fog of fear, doubt, and guilt versus the laser-lock pursuit of survival, Lippman’s taut, mesmerizing, and exceptionally smart drama of predator and prey is at once unusually sensitive and utterly compelling

Debbie Macomber – 1022 Evergreen Place – Release Date: Aug 31 2010

1022 Evergreen Place, Unit B,
Cedar Cove, Washington

Dear Listener,
Guess what? I’m falling in love! With Mack McAfee.
My baby daughter, Noelle, and I have been living next door to Mack since the spring. I’m still a little wary about our relationship, because I haven’t always made good decisions when it comes to men. My baby’s father, David Rhodes, is testament to that. I’m so worried he might sue for custody.
In the meantime, the World War II letters I found are a wonderful distraction. Both Mack and I are trying to learn what happened to the soldier who wrote them and the woman he loved.
Come by sometime for a glass of iced tea and I’ll show you the letters. Plus I’ll tell you the latest about Grace and Olivia, my brother Linc and his wife, Lori (who tied the knot about five minutes after they met!), and all our other mutual friends. Oh, and maybe Mack can join us.…

Nancy Mehl – Missing Mabel – Release Date: Aug 1 2010

Watch the tangled mess a Kansas hairdresser gets herself into when she reports to the funeral home that the body she is to work on is not the same as in her reference photo. Is she being punished when the director accuses her of stealing a diamond ring? Will Hilde Higgins-s former boyfriend help her unravel the issue or only bring more trouble to her life?

Leslie Meier – Wicked Witch Murder – Release Date: Aug 31 2010

Wiccan shopkeeper Diana Ravenscroft and her cat familiar, Piewocket, stir up trouble in Tinker’s Grove, Maine, in Meier’s clever 17th Lucy Stone mystery (after 2009’s Mother’s Day Murder). Soon after Lucy, “a hardheaded reporter” for the town’s weekly newspaper, receives a reading from Lady Diana, high priestess of the Silver Coven, warning her of approaching danger, Lucy and her Labrador, Libby, stumble over a burned corpse during a woodland walk. The victim turns out to be the Silver Coven’s Malcolm Malebranche, a magician whom Diana believed to be in England. Later, Lucy’s two teenage daughters, Sara and Zoe, and Abby, the daughter of Lucy’s new neighbor, religious zealot Ike Stoughton, become entranced by the bewitching Diana. When Ike’s ill wife dies, Ike blames the high priestess. As Abby sickens, Lucy feels increasing pressure to find out what’s going on. The intrepid journalist uncovers no magic in the dark heart of murder in this neat little cozy.

James Patterson & Liza Marklund – The Postcard Killers – Release Date: Aug 16 2010

Paris is stunning in the summer

NYPD detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe’s most gorgeous cities. But the sights aren’t what draw him–he sees each museum, each cathedral, and each cafe through the eyes of his daughter’s killer.

The killing is simply marvelous

Kanon’s daughter, Kimmy, and her boyfriend were murdered while on vacation in Rome. Since then, young couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Stockholm have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to the local newspaper that precedes each new victim.

Wish you were here

Now Kanon teams up with the Swedish reporter, Dessie Larsson, who has just received a postcard in Stockholm–and they think they know where the next victims will be. With relentless logic and unstoppable action, The Postcard Killers may be James Patterson’s most vivid and compelling thriller yet.

Kathy Reichs – Spider Bones – Release Date: Aug 24 2010

A perplexing death in Quebec occupies Dr. Temperance Brennan in Reichs’s fine 13th novel featuring the forensic anthropologist (after 206 Bones). The fingerprints of a man who died during autoerotic asphyxiation indicate that the deceased is John Charles Lowery of North Carolina, but Lowery supposedly died in Vietnam in 1968. Unsurprisingly, Lowery’s father is reluctant to allow Brennan to reopen old family wounds, but she’s determined to find out who’s buried in Lowery’s grave if Lowery died in Quebec. Brennan heads to Hawaii to seek the help of an old friend at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), whose mission is to find the remains of American war dead and bring them home. But instead of clarifying matters, Brennan’s investigation only raises more questions, including parallel inquiries into a series of shark attacks and escalating island gang violence. Reichs, who once again uses her own scientific knowledge to enhance a complex plot and continually developing characters, delivers a whopper of a final twist.

Cynthia Riggs – Touch Me Not – Release Date: Aug 17 2010

Victoria Trumbull, the ninety-two-year-old poet/sleuth, is back in another entertaining mystery, set in beautiful Martha’s Vineyard.

A mathematical knitters group is working on a coral reef quilt for a competition to draw attention to global warming. When a telephone stalker begins preying on their members, they become terrified and distracted and turn to Victoria Trumbull for help. Victoria and Police Chief Casey O’Neill attempt to track down the man the women suspect of stalking, but he seems to have disappeared. To complicate matters, someone gets killed. Victoria must solve the murder and also deal with issues on the home front when her daughter, Amelia, arrives from California, determined to help her mother and concerned that Victoria may be too great a burden on Elizabeth, Amelia’s daughter.

Cynthia Riggs has once again created a suspenseful mystery with a cast of eccentric and memorable Island characters, bringing the rich setting of Martha’s Vineyard to life.

Inspired from: www.cozy-mystery.com