Turtle Lake is a gripping tale of revenge, survival, and the intricate
interplay between human nature and the natural world. The story follows Jim
Peters, the comptroller at Ramsey Motors, who uncovers a corrupt scheme by the
company and its insurer, U.S. Underwriters, to defraud employees of their
retirement and insurance benefits before moving operations overseas.
Infuriated, he devises an elaborate extortion plan to expose their corruption
and protect the employees through a spectacular plot that ends up achieving
national headlines. To accomplish his plan, Peters uses simple, everyday
methods and lessons learned from alpha predators in the natural world.
Life is a dangerous place to be. The woods, skies, lakes, and oceans are filled with creatures bent on killing and eating each other. Nothing in nature dies of old age, as the adage goes.
Prey animals are taken down by predators. It’s as if prey animals are made to be food.
Carnivore predators possess razor-sharp canine-like teeth. Carnivores are the watchers from the shadows. All of them, such as lions, tigers, bobcats, and wolves, are wired the same way. They don’t eat lettuce for lunch. To a carnivore, you simply look like another rabbit in the grass.
There’s another carnivore that is often overlooked – humans. Humans have canine teeth. They are born wired with the same instincts as the alpha predators.
We’re taught to control it. Supposedly.
Birds will tell you when the sun is going to come up. At the faintest glimmer of dawn's early light, they begin to converse with each other, presumably to find out where the bugs are that day. Usually, we don't hear them in their earliness. Our day starts later. Usually.
Frogs and insects do the same during the pre-dawn moments, buzzing and croaking in the woods, fields, and swamps. Presumably they do this to find out where the predators are. It's been said that frogs might be telling each other where the rattlesnakes and blue herons are at any given time. We don't usually hear them croaking away in the early hours of the day. Usually.
Today, however, as the woods came to life with this early morning serenade, Jim Peters could hear them very clearly. It was August of 1990. He was in his cabin in mid-Michigan, situated on the edge of a quiet, deep-woods nature refuge known as Turtle Lake. Peters was lyingin bed backwards, that is, with his feet at the head of the bed and his head at the foot of the bed, chin resting on his wrists as he looked at a model train set.
The train set, an ancient Lionel from the 1940s, included buildings, roads, bridges, cars, trucks, a shopping center, and a train running through it. The set looked ordinary enough to the casual passerby or rare visitor to the cabin. But in fact, it was window dressing, a model of the crime scene that was to come. The train had nothing to do with it.
In a short while, when the birds, frogs, and bugs had quieted down, Peters would push a button and Mozart's opera The Magic Flute would float from the speakers connected to his compact disc machine. Peters liked Mozart. The music was pure and uncluttered. It flowed from one section into another so smoothly that it was hard to tell a transition had taken place. The complexities of its composition flowed as smoothly as pouring oil.
As smoothly as the diabolical scam he was planning.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bob Milne has been hailed throughout his 60-year career as one of the
best ragtime/boogie-woogie piano players of all time. A solo concert
performer, he traveled all over the world playing for dignitaries and
celebrities as well as small town audiences. He was given the title of
National Treasure by the Library of Congress and deemed an Ambassador of Music
by the U.S. Department of State.
Bob’s extraordinary musical abilities were the subject of numerous brain
studies, which have inspired a popular RadioLab podcast.
Little did they know that Bob was also a talented writer.
For years he wrote articles about his saloon-playing days for music
publications. Many of these stories were compiled into a book called The
Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining. Bob has written reams
of poetry, some of which became lyrics to songs that he composed. The longest
piece of poetry he ever wrote was the lyric book for The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow, a grand opera he composed and orchestrated.
Mr. Milne has been fascinated by nature his entire life. At a young age he
realized that instincts are present in all species of birds, mammals
(including humans), and literally every living thing in nature. He has used
this information countless times over his lifetime to predict what the human
species will do in future situations.
Bob is now retired from the long piano tours and is enjoying his woodland
home. Today he spends his time studying nature in the woods. Signed copies of
his book may be purchased through his website.
Things are looking up for Maylin Cole and her 4-year-old daughter,
Margo. Fleeing an abusive relationship, the private clinic Heaven’s Hope
offers shelter and the promise of a new life. Led by the charismatic and
beguiling Seraph Nakir, they learn a surprising truth: they’re actually
angels who have lost their way.
Everyone has an angel name and is being prepared to ‘ascend’ when
the time is right. Their angelic identities will play a significant role in
aiding humanity when the world ends.
As the weeks pass, Maylin becomes accustomed to the peculiar confrontational
therapy. The black curtains and bars on the windows no longer trouble her. The
lack of privacy, mystifying theology, and strange rules become commonplace.
She sees Margo less frequently since the children are kept in the basement.
The death of another patient awakens Maylin to dark secrets within the walls,
and soon the horrifying truth about Nakir and Heaven’s Hope is revealed.
Maylin must confront her insecurities, rediscover her individuality, and use
her wits and resources if she hopes to save Margo and the other children.
Inspired by a true crime case, this slow-burn thriller roars to a
pulse-pounding climax, reminding the reader to think independently, ask
questions, and be careful who you trust.
J. Todd Kingrea is the author of With A Blighted Touch and The Deiparian
Saga (The Witchfinder, The Crimson Fathers, and Bane of the Witch). He
has also authored two non-fiction books, two short stories, and role-playing
game scenarios. When not writing, he enjoys collecting and watching movies,
reading, and prowling through dusty old bookstores. He and his wife live in
Galax, Virginia.
For fans of Louise Penny and Robert Dugoni, Illusionist is a
contemporary crime thriller where PI McPherson must choose between killing an
author at a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest or letting a college
student die.
When an illusionist joins the Pines & Quill writing retreat, one of the
owners vanishes without a trace in the middle of everyone, but the surrounding
would-be witnesses don’t see or hear a thing. That’s when crime
boss Georgio Gambino makes a checkmate move against his nemesis, Sean
McPherson. He forces a writer in residence to kill another writer and frame
McPherson. In a video call, Gambino warns the writer, “If you
don’t follow orders, your daughter will die.” Then, he pans the
camera to prove access to her college dorm room.
McPherson discovers that Carmine Fiore, Gambino’s second in command,
covets his boss role and is staging a coup. As Gambino’s soldiers
traffic drugs, weapons, and humans, Fiore plants incriminating evidence
against the notorious Sureños gang. Can McPherson leverage that
knowledge for a temporary truce and the gang’s help?
The writers in residence—a former NASCAR driver, a professional
triathlete, an architect turned house flipper, and a world-renowned magician
who may not be who she appears to be—band together with McPherson to
create the illusion of a lifetime.
Gambino picks up his cell phone and makes another call. His heart races with
anticipation. When the recipient answers, he says, “If you hang up,
I’ll kill your child. Do you understand?”
"Is this some kind of sick joke?”
"I assure you this is no joke. When I disconnect, you’ll receive a video
call from my associate. He’s visiting your child's class—Market
Power in the New Economy. If you don’t do what I say, it will cost the
life of the person you love most.”
"Who is this? What do you want from me?”
"I’m the person who’s going to kill your child if you don’t
do what I say. In two days, you’re heading to Pines & Quill writing
retreat. While there, you will frame Sean McPherson for murder.”
"Frame someone for murder? What do you mean?”
"No, not just someone. You’re going to frame Sean McPherson.
You’re going to kill one of the other writers in residence. I
don’t care which one, nor do I care how you do it. You’re a crime
writer. Figure it out. You arrive at Pines & Quill on October first and
leave on the twenty-first. You have three weeks to accomplish the task.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A blend of Dr. Doolittle, Nanny McPhee, and a type-A Buddhist, Laurie
Buchanan is an active listener, observer of details, payer of attention,
reader and writer of books, kindness enthusiast, red licorice aficionado, and
lover of the Oxford comma.
As a novelist, photographer, and voracious reader, she never travels without
three essentials—a laptop, a camera, and a book.
Growing up, she dreamed of being a magician, an international spy, and a mad
scientist. There’s still time!
Her writing studio is the hayloft of a historic carriage house in the Pacific
Northwest, where creativity thrives. Her husband, Len, a private pilot, and
Henry, their not-so-standard Standard Poodle, join her on daily walks. She
always carries a camera because sometimes, the best word choice is a picture.
A journey that left an indelible imprint on her was a 20-day, 211-mile trek
across the majestic landscapes of Scotland. She, her husband, and their son
hiked from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, with the pinnacle being the
climb of Ben Nevis at the midpoint of their adventure, the highest point in
the British Isles.
"My writing goal is simple: to leave you wanting more." —Laurie Buchanan
When injuries cut short the figure skating career of Angie Fernandez
Parnell, she joins the Peace Corps. She is assigned to Tunis where she finds
her soulmate, U.S. diplomat James Whitcomb. At the conclusion of their tours
of duty, they marry, and within weeks of the wedding, he is taken captive in
the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979-81.
James, held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran, endures the same demons
that afflicted the real-life hostages during the actual crisis 45 years ago.
Deprivation, bad treatment, political manipulation, and above all the
uncertainty of whether or when it would all end.
Angie, biting her nails at home, endures her own demons. How can she support
him? Should she join efforts that pressure the president to negotiate a
release? Or even a rescue? A take-charge person by nature, she follows a path
that will reap huge benefits if it works. Or destroy her life if it fails.
Goodbye Demons is a visceral, emotionally charged exploration of resilience in
the face of adversity. It is the story of a man and a woman struggling to
overcome demons beyond their control.
This was the chance of a lifetime, and Angie swore she wouldn’t
blow it. She did elaborate stretching exercises and weight training. She
followed a dietician’s meal plan and skated five days a week under the
guidance of her coach. Angie concocted a brilliant plan to capture the Gold at
Nationals and guarantee her a slot on the Olympic team.
Her coach objected. “No woman has ever done a triple axel, and
you’re not ready.”
“I did it in practice. You saw me.”
“You fell. A perfect double axel that you’re capable of doing
trumps a triple axel that you screw up.”
Angie was determined to do the triple without falling. She doubled down on her
training regime. Bruising falls came each day. It wasn’t until a week
before the competitions that she completed a triple. She grinned triumphantly
at her surprised coach. Then on the next try she took a nasty fall that left
her limping when she rose from the ice. Her coach sped over to her. After
making sure Angie had broken no bones, she again warned her to stop trying the
triple axel.
“You’re not ready. It’s a riverboat gamble.”
“I have to take the gamble when I’ve got the chance.”
“You’ll have a chance next year. You’ll be stronger and more
experienced. That’ll be the time to do it.”
“In the meantime, some other girl might do it first, and nobody will
ever hear about me. Even if I do one the next day. Can you tell me who was the
second woman to fly across the Atlantic?”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Historical thriller author JJ Harrigan is a former US Service Officer
and political science professor. He scribbles his tales of intrigue on the
banks of the St. Croix River in Minnesota, where he lives with his wife,
Sandy.
Things are looking up for Maylin Cole and her 4-year-old daughter,
Margo. Fleeing an abusive relationship, the private clinic Heaven’s Hope
offers shelter and the promise of a new life. Led by the charismatic and
beguiling Seraph Nakir, they learn a surprising truth: they’re actually
angels who have lost their way.
Everyone has an angel name and is being prepared to ‘ascend’ when
the time is right. Their angelic identities will play a significant role in
aiding humanity when the world ends.
As the weeks pass, Maylin becomes accustomed to the peculiar confrontational
therapy. The black curtains and bars on the windows no longer trouble her. The
lack of privacy, mystifying theology, and strange rules become commonplace.
She sees Margo less frequently since the children are kept in the basement.
The death of another patient awakens Maylin to dark secrets within the walls,
and soon the horrifying truth about Nakir and Heaven’s Hope is revealed.
Maylin must confront her insecurities, rediscover her individuality, and use
her wits and resources if she hopes to save Margo and the other children.
Inspired by a true crime case, this slow-burn thriller roars to a
pulse-pounding climax, reminding the reader to think independently, ask
questions, and be careful who you trust.
Maylin stared at Nakir in disbelief. “I…I can’t do
this.”
“Administer Uriel’s punishment. Now,” he replied.
Maylin looked at the man’s back as he knelt before the fireplace like a
monk at an ancient altar. Then she looked back at Seraph Nakir. “No.
N-no way…”
Nakir tilted his head, his dreadlocks falling to one side. He scowled at her.
“The injury was against you,” he said. “So, it is only right
that you be the one to dispense his punishment.”
She shook her head, eyes still wide, and thrust the poker toward Nakir.
He refused it. “You must, my daughter. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth. His bruises for your bruises. Go ahead. Begin.”
“No, no—this isn’t right. It’s not—”
“Carry out the punishment!” Seraph Nakir bellowed, stepping
forward to tower over her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J. Todd Kingrea is the author of "With A Blighted Touch" and The Deiparian
Saga ("The Witchfinder," "The Crimson Fathers," and "Bane of the Witch"). He
has also authored two non-fiction books, two short stories, and role-playing
game scenarios. When not writing, he enjoys collecting and watching movies,
reading, and prowling through dusty old bookstores. He and his wife live in
Galax, Virginia.
You can find him online at www.jtoddkingrea.com, on Facebook, X, and
Instagram. Stay in touch at jtoddkingrea@yahoo.com.
A riveting psychological thriller set in Antarctica as the world teeters on the edge of destruction.
Whiteout by R.S. Burnett is the riveting tale of a researcher who leaves her husband and toddler daughter at home in England to participate in a hastily launched research mission in Antarctica to collect critical data about the imminent collapse of a massive ice shelf. Based alone at a remote substation in the interior of the continent, Dr. Rachael Beckett suddenly loses contact with the rest of the team at their base camp and begins receiving a daily repeat radio broadcast from the UK that the rest of the world has been involved in a nuclear war. The grim details of the broadcast lead her to believe that the worst has occurred to her family, and the continued silence from the base camp may mean she’s the last survivor on Earth in the most inhospitable location possible. As her situation gets more and more dire, as her supplies dwindle and her shelter begins to fail, Rachael decides she must try to make her way back to the larger back camp, hoping to find others still there.
Rachael Beckett makes a big decision to resurrect her career and follow her conscience to procure the data to help avert an ecological disaster of massive proportions, but the price she pays, leaving her husband and child behind, is huge. Even before disaster struck on the mission, she worried about the ramifications of her choice on her future with her small family. The fear and stress of this decision haunt her psychologically as she journeys back to her team’s base camp. The scenes that play out in her mind are vivid and unsettling. Her determination to get to each new shelter is the only thing that keeps her going. Finding out that she’s not exactly alone is a twist that keeps on turning as the story continues and suspense increases.
Audiobook narrator Billie Fulford-Brown does an excellent job of portraying Rachael and the other speaking characters, giving each a distinct voice that helps listeners recognize who is speaking. Her pacing enhanced the narration, and her flawless pronunciation made the performance suspenseful and believable.
I recommend WHITEOUT to readers and listeners who enjoy thrillers, suspense, and even post-apocalyptic tales, especially those with an interest in stories set in Antarctica.
National Treasure meets Jack Ryan in THE MIDAS TOUCH
July 19, 1799. Napoleon’s armies advance into Egypt. In the steaming desert sands, his explorers unearth an astounding discovery: The Rosetta Stone. The tablet, cracked and incomplete, will eventually answer mysteries about ancient Egyptian history, culture, and science. But in the years since its partial excavation, world leaders, historians, scientists, and adventurers have speculated that the missing fragments could answer another age-old mystery.
THE MIDAS TOUCH is a globe-trotting adventure that follows CIA cryptologist/puzzle solver/savant Brady Donovan as he investigates the murder of his beloved mentor Dr. Hastings Kaufman, only to find that it leads to a search for the missing pieces of the famed Rosetta Stone and the secret it holds: The Alchemist Gold Theory – how to turn ordinary metals into gold.
Protagonist Brady Donovan partners with British archeologist Teppy Flynn and conspiracy theorist Avery Prophet. Only a heartbeat away is a diabolical Silicon Valley tech giant, D’Arcy Lauren Granier, and her henchmen.
The quest takes them through Napoleonic history and into a contemporary race through the streets of London, America’s backroads, the Caribbean, New Orleans’ French Quarter, Napoleon’s last island prison in the Atlantic, the Louisiana Bayou, and a massive, abandoned salt mine where pirate Jean Lafitte hid his treasures.
History, told in vivid flashbacks, jumps back to 1799 Egypt, and forward through the hundreds of years since, with pirates and presidents on the search for better or worse. Now Brady Donovan fights against the fast- ticking clock, relentless bad guys, and a Category 5 hurricane to where past meets present and greed and betrayal become deadly partners.
THE MIDAS TOUCH is written by international award-winning thriller writer Gary Grossman with Charles Segars and Oren Aviv, the creators of the billion-dollar National Treasure movie franchise.
Praise for THE MIDAS TOUCH:
"A perfect piece of entertainment with characters and a story that never disappoints. Poignant in places, nail-biting in others, the plot is accentuated by a take-no-prisoners attitude, similar to speeding down a slalom course with all its twists and turns. It's quite a ride!" ~ Steve Berry New York Times best-selling author
"The Midas Touch is a thrilling ride through history and modern-day, tantalizing the reader with intrigue, action, and adventure across a labyrinth of archaeological secrets and danger." ~ Raymond Benson, New York Times best-selling James Bond novelist
"Fans of The DaVinci Code will love The Midas Touch. Grossman, Segars, and Aviv have created an iconic character in Brady Donovan, a CIA cryptologist who trades in his pen for tradecraft to protect the world from a devastating economic weapon. Gripping prose, unforgettable settings, and non-stop excitement. A real page turner!" ~ K.J. Howe, international bestselling author of Skyjack writes
THE MIDAS TOUCH Trailer:
Book Details:
Genre: Suspense, Mystery, History Fiction, Globe-Hopping Intrigue Published by: Fayetteville Mafia Press Publication Date: June 2, 2026 Number of Pages: 334 ISBN: 9781949024999 (ISBN10: 1949024997) Book Links:Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | BookBub
Gary Grossman:
THE MIDAS TOUCH is written by international award-winning thriller writer Gary Grossman (OLD EARTH, the EXECUTIVE ACTIONS and RED HOTEL series) with Charles Segars and Oren Aviv, the creators and executive producers of the exciting and popular Nicholas Cage NATIONAL TREASURE movie franchise.
CHARLES SEGARS has served as a senior executive at Viacom, CBS, The Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation. Segars is also known as Creator and Executive Producer of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures hit movie franchise, National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
Currently, Segars enjoys a dual role as CEO of Ovation TV, the only multi-platform program service dedicated to the Arts and as President of Segars Media.
Segars is a respected global safety and security analyst. He advises a number of national security-related technology startups and is actively involved in governmental affairs. He has served as a White House Associate as an Advance Team leader for the Office of the President and Vice President of the United States of America, leading a number of secretive domestic and international trips.
Oren Aviv:
OREN AVIV ran Disney Studios from 2006-2010, after heading Disney Marketing for eight years. He became Disney’s first Chief Content Officer, and after leaving Disney he became CMO for 20th Century Fox Studios. In addition to executive producing a dozen films, he also co-created and was Executive Producer of Disney’s National Treasure film franchise.
Aviv was named “Marketer of the Year” three separate times by Advertising Age Magazine. He created breakthrough campaigns for the studio’s NARNIA, STEP UP, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the National Treasure franchises, and launched memorable campaigns for many of Pixar’s animated hits, including Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles and Cars. He also launched blockbusters such as The Sixth Sense; Pearl Harbor; Ransom; The Rock; Signs; The Waterboy; Armageddon; Unbreakable; 101 Dalmatians; Con Air; Crimson Tide; Freaky Friday; and Father of the Bride, as well as hundreds of other films under the Disney, Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures banners. As CMO at 20th Century Fox, Aviv created the campaigns for Rise of the Planet of the Apes; X-Men: First Class; Ridley Scott’s Prometheus; The Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman; and Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning Life of Pi.
As head of production at Disney, Aviv was responsible for greenlighting such hits as THE PROPOSAL starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds; Tim Burton’s billion-dollar-grossing Alice in Wonderland; Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End; National Treasure: Book of Secrets; and the Amy Adams musical-comedy Enchanted.
Review:
4 stars!
Twists upon twists!
The Midas Touch, a new thriller by the writing team
of Gary Grossman, Charles Segars, and Oren Aviv, features the breakneck hunt
for Jean Lafitte's rumored lost treasure, which may include the missing
portions of the famed Rosetta Stone and the key to the creation of gold, the
Alchemist Gold Theory that he retrieved for the defeated Napoleon whom he planned
to rescue from his island prison. When his mentor, Dr. Hastings Kaufman, is
murdered, CIA cryptologist Brady Donovan is determined to track down his killer
by following the clues only Brady could decipher that Kaufman left behind. Desk
jockey Brady, a somewhat socially awkward genius, talks his immediate superior into
letting him go into the field to solve Kaufman's murder, beginning with a trip
to London and the British Museum, where the Rosetta Stone may hide his first piece
of inspiration. He teams up with Teppy Flynn, a young Egyptology student
working on her Rosetta Stone-focused dissertation, and together they uncover that
the killer's true goal was to use Brady's skills to unravel the secret of the
Alchemist Gold Theory. Their research takes them from London back to the U.S., by
car to Texas, and eventually to Lafitte's home port of New Orleans, all while
dodging mysterious, dangerous-looking men in black SUVs. But the closer they
get to solving the mystery, the more dangerous the stakes become, and Brady
soon suspects someone back at Langley is playing for the other team.
Brady Donovan is a sweet, innocent protagonist and a genius
at what he does. Watching him work through the mental puzzles presented and
expand on the cryptic clues Kaufman left him was such a clever part of the
story, tucked between moments of sheer adrenaline as the bad guys tried to get their
hands on him. Teppy Flynn is stalled on her dissertation and is immediately drawn
into what he's pursuing. She finds a gentle, loyal, kindred spirit in Brady. She
tackles every obstacle with her gusto and determination. I was all in on their
growing relationship as the story progressed. The third member of their team,
conspiracy theorist Avery Prophet, is not so game but sticks with the adventure
even when the going gets tough.
The storyline features several twists and action sequences with a bit of an Indiana Jones vibe thanks to the Egyptology
angle. However, the pacing slowed down in between as characters were set up for the next big reveal, and I felt the story got a little overlong. The settings are vividly described with several well-known locations incorporated
into the action, especially in New Orleans. Overheard phone calls between the
major antagonists and unnamed parties heightened suspense, as readers don't
know whom Brady can trust. I was completely engaged by their final push to
discover what Lafitte had squirreled away just as the Category 5 Hurricane
Nadine barreled their way.
With its engaging characters and exciting, action-packed
plot, I recommend THE MIDAS TOUCH to mystery, thriller, and suspense readers, especially
those with an interest in Jean Lafitte, the Rosetta Stone, and the history of New
Orleans.
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It was their final summer together, and nothing would ever be the same.
The Bone Nest is a suspenseful and cleverly plotted murder mystery by Shanessa Gluhm and set in Blusummer, Texas, where almost 40 years earlier, a serial killer had committed a string of murders of young local women, strangled and photographed, the bodies of the first three never found. That summer was the last one that Hayes Sheridan, Chantilly Price, Troy Terrell, and Greer Collins would have together before the four split up to follow their post-graduation college and work plans. But the 4th of July would see the group destroyed as one would die and another would be accused of murder.
Fast-forward to 2024, where a young criminal defense attorney, Joaquin Ramos, out to enervate his new practice and make a name for himself, would take on the death sentence case of Troy Terrell, the convicted serial killer known as "The Songbird Strangler," whose punishment was scheduled to be carried out after the New Year. Working to overturn Troy’s conviction at the behest of the Death Penalty Abolition Program, Joaquin and his team have an uphill battle as the previous petitions on Troy’s behalf have failed.
The story unfolds in dual timelines (1986 and 2024) and from multiple points of view, giving readers a front-row seat to the events of both the past and the present, and personal insight into the characters involved. Because we know Troy Terrell is on death row, with his time running, and that he was there for the murder of his friend, Tilly, the buildup to the night of July 4, 1986, is breath-stealingly suspenseful. There are secrets among all the friends, which develop later into several plausible motives for Tilly’s murder. I was completely certain I knew who the killer was SEVERAL times, only to have one theory after another kicked to the curb by the plot, which would take spectacular turn after spectacular turn.
The resulting tale is full of missed connections and choices that led to unfulfilled dreams and futures that never lived up to expectations. The main female character, Greer Collins Sheridan, one of the four teenagers in 1986, had loved Hayes Sheridan all her life but only got him by default. She gets the life she dreamed of, only to face tragedy and the knowledge that she was always his second choice. Hayes follows his parents’ plans for his future rather than his dream of becoming a farmer. Troy, who just wanted to get out of Blusummer, gets his wish, but life on death row for a murder he swears he didn’t commit was a devastatingly cruel plot twist. Even the attorney, Joaquin, who dreams of winning big in court and is not afraid to put in the work to achieve it, faces a personal roadblock. His attraction to Melrose Reed, the paralegal on Troy’s defense team, feels wrong, and as her boss, it is inappropriate as long as they work together. But he hopes with all his heart that after the case is settled, he can finally approach her as a regular man interested in a legitimate romantic relationship.
With its strong and interesting character development and clever, twisty plot, I recommend THE BONE NEST to readers of suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.
A female sheriff races against time to solve a murder at a carnival that puts her whole town at risk. Thrilling, romantic, and full of suspense!
Sheriff Bet Rivers' inspection of the carnival grounds should have been routine. Murder is certainly the last thing on anyone's mind. Then comes the sound of a gunshot. And a dead body with no signs of trauma, no witnesses and no obvious motive for the killing.
But solving the unexplained death is only part of the challenge. Bet is still grappling with her on-off relationship with town owner Rob Collier, while dealing with her feelings about her late father, the beloved town sheriff she had to replace.
As Bet launches her homicide investigation, she soon discovers the carnival is a place of whispers, rumours, resentments and lie after lie. And as the stakes build, it quickly becomes clear that protecting a deadly secret is something that someone is willing to kill to keep.
Fans of Julia Keller and Sheena Kamal will love this riveting suspense.
Praise for KILL TO KEEP:
"Thrilling . . . romance and suspense. Taylor delivers" ~ Glen Erik Hamilton, award-winning author of Past Crimes
KILL TO KEEP Trailer:
Book Details:
Genre: Police Procedural, Rural Crime Fiction Published by: Severn House Publication Date: July 7, 2026 Number of Pages: 279 ISBN: 9781448317400 (ISBN10: 1448317401) Series: Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery Series on Amazon & Goodreads Book Links:Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Severn House
The air above the blacktop rippled as Sheriff Elizabeth “Bet” Rivers drove west. The tiny town of Collier struggled under a heatwave that had swept through Washington State and turned the last week of June unexpectedly brutal. The sun, barely over the tops of the mountains surrounding the community, already beat down hard. By midday, it would be merciless on the traveling Carnival Roma where they’d set up on the hardpacked dirt at the far end of the valley.
Bet parked the SUV in the makeshift visitor lot and eyed the temporary fencing around the fairgrounds. It didn’t encircle the entire footprint, tempting reckless souls to take a shot at getting in through the back for free.
She sauntered up to the empty ticket booth where Robert Collier Junior stood with an unreadable expression on his face. He cocked an eyebrow. “Mornin’, Sheriff.” His voice was warm and low, teasing her with his formality.
Pretending deference, she tipped the brown campaign hat that covered her auburn curls. “Mr. Collier.”
At thirty-seven, Rob had more than a few care lines etched into his tanned face, and the dark, neatly trimmed beard had begun to show hints of gray. He held out his arm. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” Bet wrapped her fingers around the crook of his elbow, enjoying the tingle that always arrived when she touched him. They had stopped and restarted seeing each other so many times since they’d met last September that her head spun, but the physical attraction was always there—at least for her. Rob played his feelings close to the vest. Recently, there had been phone calls and texts that he ignored in her presence, or left the room to answer, giving Bet the impression she wasn’t the only woman in his life. She worried that they had missed their chance at something wonderful and would fall into the awkward role of “friends.”
It surprised her how much that hurt.
Following Rob through the turnstile, she kept her fingers tucked against his arm. “I feel special getting in before opening day.”
“It’s my role as the person renting the land to do a walkthrough, and as the head of local law enforcement, you should confirm that everything meets your approval.”
“And as a bonus, you get to show off your newfound status as feudal lord of the manor.” She meant it as a joke about his recently expanded fortune but caught Rob’s grimace from the
corner of her eye. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s OK.” He stopped and pulled her around to face him. “It’s not your fault that I’m uncomfortable owning an entire town.”
Not to mention international corporations and properties across the US. His sudden riches had regularly taken him away from their remote high elevation valley, interrupting their progress as a couple and turning him into someone else. Toe-to-toe, she got a better look at the dark circles under his eyes. There was a toll to all the travel his new position forced on him. Rob had left the Collier family responsibilities behind years before to pursue a career with the FBI, but his
father’s death had sucked him back in. As the sole heir, he felt obligated to the people his father’s businesses employed and responsible to various organizations.
He tugged her closer, and she closed her eyes, the heat of his body seeping through their clothing in direct competition with the weather. Standing together, the world felt right, even with a heat dome hovering over their heads.
All too soon, Rob stepped back with a glint of amusement in his eyes. “I wanted to join the circus once.” The brim of his hat cast a shadow across his face and for the briefest of moments, he looked like a stranger.
Bet wasn’t sure if he was joking. “Because you wanted to run away?”
“Because I wanted to be Buffalo Bill.”
“And star in a Wild West show.” Bet could picture him on his big Morgan horse, shooting targets at a full gallop.
“Something like that.” The two continued their walk, and with no one around to see them, Bet kept her grip on his elbow, touching the soft blue denim of his shirt. It made them feel like a real couple. She’d never wanted that until now, when it wasn’t clear if they would ever be committed.
The midway split the meadow in half. Food stalls filled one side while games of skill and chance filled the other, with rides scattered in between. The big blue and white striped tent at the far end promised trick horses and acrobats, shimmering in the heat like a mirage. Carnival Roma combined the food, rides, and fun of a carnival with the live performances of a circus, guaranteeing tourist dollars for her often-overlooked town and spectacle under the big top.
As they made their way along the empty “street,” Bet imagined Rob in a fringed coat, performing with the big horse he’d brought with him to Collier almost a year ago. “You still got to carry a gun to work for the FBI. That’s almost like Buffalo Bill.”
“Does that make you Annie Oakley?”
They reached the first of the games—multi-colored balloons to pop with darts, metal targets to hit with little peashooters, heavy white milk cans stacked into pyramids waiting to be knocked into the dirt by an oversized softball. Memories of the past filled her, the view of those games from a child’s eye level. Her father always waving off trying his hand at hitting the targets. A crack shot, he didn’t believe guns should be used as toys.
The stalls were unattended, but a tall, gangly man stood not far away watching them—his blue polo shirt had GUS stitched in gold letters on the left side and a patch with the carnival’s logo on the right.
Rob gestured toward the shooting gallery like a game show host pointing out the grand prize. “Care to prove your gunslinger skills, Sheriff?”
“Only if Gus’ll let us use the dart game.” Bet didn’t hold the same belief as her father, toy guns didn’t bother her, but she refused to fail at hitting the targets with the carnival rifles because the sights were bad.
Gus started his singsong patter as he climbed over the knee wall in front of the games. “Hit a balloon and win a prize.”
Hefting a dart, Bet readied her shot. The pink balloon popped as the point found its target, but before they could finish the high five she aimed Rob’s way, a sharp crack rebounded down the valley. “That was—”
She caught Rob’s startled expression, and they finished with eyes locked together, “—a gunshot.”
Bet’s hand went instinctively for the gun in her holster. But before she drew, she reached down to her backup weapon and held the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus out to him. Planning a fun morning off, his weapons were all back home in his gun safe. Rob gave her a nod, the micro-compact looking tiny but lethal in his hand. They started toward the far end of the carnival grounds, their steps in sync.
Carnival workers streamed toward them, away from the blast at the north end of the midway. With the carnival opening in two days, performers and other staff had likely been at their various tasks and rehearsals. Now they formed a mob, racing toward the entrance, their voices loud and frightened.
Bet grabbed the arm of a young woman running by, wearing a glittery costume. Her silver tights and gold leotard were draped in spangled scarves and netting, which sparkled in the bright sunlight. “What did you see?” Bet asked her.
“Nothing.” Her wild eyes focused and she took in Bet’s sheriff uniform. “I was inside the big top when I heard the gunshot. It sounded close, like it came from out back where the trucks are parked.”
Bet let the woman go and she slipped into the crowd as Bet picked up speed in the other direction. She caught up to Rob, who had paused a short distance away. “Could have come from behind the tent,” she said.
His expression was grim, his body taut as they jogged toward the far end of the midway. “At least there haven’t been any more shots,” he said.
If this had been a spree, the report wouldn’t have stopped at one. But Bet wasn’t taking any chances. Kane Stand, her sole full-time deputy, answered his cell on the first ring.
“We may have an active shooter at the carnival,” Bet said before he could get a word out. “Call Clayton and get him back here now.” She hoped her part-time deputy was still in the area, his night shift had only recently ended.
Kane’s calm voice came through. “Will do. He just left, so he hasn’t gotten far.” Kane grounded her as she fought to steady her breathing. “Do we need Addy?” he asked.
Addy Jamisen was an EMT who owned the only ambulance to serve the rural valley.
“Yes, please. Call her too. But wait with her and Clayton at the front entrance while Rob and I determine if someone has been injured or there’s still a threat.”
“OK, but if I hear gunshots, I’m coming to back you up.” Kane’s voice said not to argue with him doing his job. “Keep me posted on your location.”
“We’re heading past the southeast corner of the tent to get behind it. I’ll be in touch.”
She made eye contact with Rob, and they moved faster in tandem again, weapons drawn.
The tent blocked their view of all the travel trailers for the crew and performers parked behind it, along with transport vehicles for rides and booths and animals. As they came around the side of the tent, the forest of vehicles and trailers threw angular shadows onto the ground. Danger could hide in the fractured light.
Fifty feet away, a man lay face down in the dirt near the back of the tent—as if the gunman had already hit the bull’s-eye, only to slip away in the crowd.
***
Excerpt from KILL TO KEEP by Elena Taylor. Copyright 2026 by Elena Taylor. Reproduced with permission from Elena Taylor. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Elena Taylor spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. Her first series, the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, written under Elena Hartwell, introduced a quirky mother/daughter crime fighting duo. She is also the author of the standalone suspense novel, The Haunting of Emily Grace.
With the Sheriff Bet Rivers Mysteries, Elena returns to her dramatic roots and brings readers much more serious and atmospheric novels. Located in Washington State, Elena produces tense and suspenseful investigations for a lone sheriff in an isolated community.
Her favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she and her hubby own south of Spokane, Washington. They live with their equines, dogs, and cats.
Steady suspense with plenty of surprise twists as the sheriff
and her department investigate a murder at a traveling carnival.
Kill to Keep is the third book in author Elena Taylor’s
excellent Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery series, which finds Bet and her
team struggling to solve a homicide during the return of the traveling Carnival
Roma to small Collier, Washington. Rob Collier, a former FBI agent and owner of
much of the small town, has leased some of his acreage to Carnival Roma for their
annual two-week operation of rides, games, and performances. Before its
official opening, he and Sheriff Bet Rivers arrive to conduct a site inspection
when they hear a gunshot. They quickly discover the body of an unidentified
white male behind the “big top,” however, the man doesn’t show any signs of
trauma, let alone a wound from a bullet.
The suspense builds steadily as Bet and the members of her
department, including the deputized Rob, work to solve the man’s murder, and
with rampant suspicions of and by the carnies, it is tough going. Much of the
story also focuses on Bet and Rob’s growing relationship and her self-doubt
about whether she is more into him than he is into her. A continuing storyline
is her struggle with her past relationship with her deceased father, the former
sheriff, and her resulting imposter syndrome after taking over his position as
sheriff. Still, with a good group of coworkers on her side, she’s working her
way through that and through this difficult case.
The plot moves at a deliberate pace as the team must
overcome roadblocks in dealing with the carnival community, who are, at best,
reluctant to speak with law enforcement. They are an insular group with trust
issues, and the transient nature of their livelihood creates a suspicious image
for outsiders. Bet is smart and thoughtful, and able to see through her own
preconceptions to reach the truth of the case. There are plenty of twists and
turns along the way, especially toward the latter part of the story, and that
really revs up the pace of the tale.
While this book is the third in the series, it can easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone. However, I believe those who have read the previous novels will connect better with the building relationships and impact of shared past experiences of the main characters. I recommend KILL TO KEEP to readers of mysteries, suspense,
and thrillers.
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A collective of mystery writers, known as the Society of Fibbers, has captivated thousands with their addictive podcast—catapulting each member into the limelight. But when one of their own is found dead under chilling circumstances, the remaining Fibbers realize their newfound fame may have painted a target on their backs.
Rebecca Stanchion, one of the group’s co-founders, is convinced her friend’s murder is a tragic case of domestic violence—until a sinister attempt on her own life shatters that theory and threatens her family. Meanwhile, Zach Hargrove, a fellow writer, becomes obsessed with the cryptic black cards left at both crime scenes. Each card seems to whisper a warning: the killer is watching.
Is this the work of a fan driven to madness, or has betrayal seeped into the heart of the Society itself? As an annual writers’ conference approaches, Zach and Rebecca race against time to unmask the killer before the Society of Fibbers’ headline appearance turns into a deadly final act.
Praise for Those Who Shall Die:
"Michael Bradley has done it again! Those Who Shall Die is a thrilling novel of mystery and suspense, a tense and twisty page-turner that will leave you desperate to learn who is killing mystery authors and why." ~ Lisa Malice, bestselling author of Lest She Forget, winner of the 2023 IBPA Best New Voice in Fiction award.
"A well-written, clever whodunit with crafty twists that will keep readers guessing." ~ Jennifer Sadera, award-winning author of I Know She Was There.
"... keeps the reader's head spinning as secrets emerge, friendships fail, alliances dissolve, and animosities rise to surface until the final betrayal is revealed. A page turner that plumbs the depths of ambition, betrayal, and murder." ~ Jane Kelly, Author of the Meg Daniels mysteries.
Those Who Shall Die Book Trailer:
Book Details:
Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Suspense Thrillers Published by: Initium Books Publication Date: July 7, 2026 Number of Pages: 388 ISBN: 9780986200243 (ISBN10: 0986200247) Book Links:Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub
Read an excerpt:
Chapter One
Zach Hargrove held the serrated hunting knife in a white-knuckled grip as he silently crept forward. No room for mistakes this time. This had to be silent, swift and deadly. Just one fierce thrust into the carotid artery. It would be messy, but she had to die.
Nellie sat—unmoving—in a black leather office chair, facing the third-floor windows that looked out over Old Mill Creek. If she was aware that he was behind her, she gave no sign. Her dark straggly hair hung over the back of the chair in tangled clumps. Zach couldn’t remember the last time he’d run a brush through it. She needed a wash too, but he’d given up on that long ago. Nellie had been exactly what he needed at first, but after so many years, she’d become more of a burden than a help. He hated having to move her heavy, awkward body from chair to chair, room to room. Caring for her had become arduous. No one would miss Nellie if he got rid of her . . .
Her head tilted to the right, blocking her neck from his view, and he hesitated. He wouldn’t be able to strike cleanly from this direction with her head tilted. He swapped the knife from his right hand to his left. The rubber handle felt awkward in his grasp. A few practice swings with his non-dominant hand felt odd and clumsy, so he tried some overhead plunges. Maybe he could stab Nellie in the back of the neck instead. A quick blow to sever her spinal cord, and she’d die in seconds. What if he yanked her head back and ran the knife across her neck, slitting it open from side to side? He shook his head. Too clichéd. Everyone slashed throats these days. He toyed, for a moment, with driving the knife through the back of the chair and into Nellie’s back. I’d never get the knife deep enough to kill her, he thought. She’d survive with a flesh wound—if that happened, he’d never hear the end of it.
With a frown, he shifted the knife back to his right hand and decided to continue with his original plan: one fast jab to the right side of the neck. Zach glanced at his prey. Nellie remained still, oblivious of what he was about to do. He inched forward, his gray Skechers silent on the plush beige carpet. His fingers tightened on the knife handle, and he drew his arm back. The muscles on his shoulder were taut, but his arm had a slight tremble. He had to get this right on the first try.
After two more cautious steps, he stood behind Nellie, staring down at a scalp of unkempt hair. Oh, how he hated that hair. With one barbaric swing, he brought his arm down, but the blow didn’t go quite as planned. The knife tip deflected off her head, tangled in a clump of hair, and plunged into Nellie’s shoulder.
“Damn it,” Zach shouted.
He stood for a moment, studying his handiwork. Nellie slumped forward, the knife standing tall in her shoulder.
He tried to withdraw the knife slowly, but the serrated blade caught on several threads and tore the seam in Nellie’s shoulder. Clumps of polyester stuffing—like giant cotton balls—tumbled out of the hole and fell to the floor. Zach let out a long sigh as he placed the knife on the nearby desk. Now he’d have to sew her up. He spun the office chair around and stared at Nellie. Her featureless face and black button eyes stared blankly back at him. Patches—both big and small—covered her arms, abdomen, head, and legs—scars of the many instances of his mistreatment.
“I’m glad you don’t hold a grudge,” he said.
Zach wrapped his arms around the life-size dummy and lifted her out of the chair, her canvas skin rough on his bare arms. A trail of white filling marked his steps as he manhandled her across the room and propped her up on the sofa.
Dropping into his desk chair, he reviewed the previous few paragraphs he’d written just before he attempted to kill Nellie. The murder scene “seemed” to flow, but he wasn’t satisfied with the way it turned out. His antagonist—the mysterious Mr. Price—had entered the home of Dallas Kincaid with the intention of killing Kincaid’s new girlfriend. But Zach had found the scene difficult to write. There was something about the logistics that bothered him, hence his attempt to “kill” Nellie, his long-time partner for acting out crime scenes. For her part, Nellie had endured a dozen or more stabbings, being thrown from windows, run over by cars, and even shot twice. And yet she never once complained.
Zach stood again, snatched a Bic pen from the desk, and paced around the room, pausing on occasion to glance out the windows that covered all four walls. The third floor of his house, his “Author’s Loft,” as he liked to call it, had a 360-degree view of the surrounding yard as well as the creek that flowed past the back of his property. The small Delaware town of Lewes hadn’t been his first choice of places to call home. But when he’d first toured the house three years ago, the bright openness of the room couldn’t have been more perfect for him. It satisfied his need for a place to write, and the room’s openness was preferred over the more confined spaces he’d seen in every other house he’d toured. He’d put an offer on the place immediately and moved in a month later.
As he paced, Zach furiously clicked the button on the pen with his thumb. He passed the lone bookshelf, stuck in the corner between the adjoining walls’ windows, and paused to study the colorful hardback spines of his previous eight Dallas Kincaid Mystery novels. Five of them had become New York Times bestsellers, but not the last two. His protagonist, Dallas Kincaid, had become increasingly more difficult to write over the past couple years. The character had become too clichéd, too much like every other amateur detective in the market, and Zach was struggling to keep each new book fresh and original. He was ready for something new, something different.
“This will be the last Kincaid novel,” he’d told his agent, Mariah Maddison.
“Don’t be too hasty,” she’d said. “You might regret those words once the book is released.”
With a sigh, Zach slipped the Bic pen into his pants pocket, returned to his desk, and hovered his fingers over the keyboard of his laptop. He stared at the text on the screen, the words fading together into a jumble of pixels that made no more sense than when he’d read them a few minutes ago.
Pushing back from the desk, he growled, “Hell,” and stood, rounding the half wall that hid the stairs from view and descended into the house below.
In the kitchen, Zach grabbed a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from the fridge, twisted the top off and took a long sip. A calendar—tacked to a nearby corkboard—was open to the month of June. A quick glance over the dates made his stomach churn. He had until mid-July to finish the first draft of the next Dallas Kincaid novel. That gave him six weeks. The manuscript was only thirty percent done. He sighed as he eyeballed the next few weeks. There was an upcoming recording session for the Society of Fibbers podcast. A book signing with Jasper Stone and Martina Vargas in Virginia. He flipped up the calendar page and looked over July. The week after Independence Day was blocked out for ThrillNYC in New York City. Damn, that only gives me five weeks to finish the book. His stomach twisted in knots as his anxiety rose.
Zach moved through the open dining room to the sliding glass door, stepped onto his back deck, and gazed out across the creek. The tide was out, and the muddy banks were exposed to the Tuesday afternoon sun. An eagle was perched in the tree that hung over the water. The lush cordgrass stood tall along the edges of the creek, outlining the maze of the twisting waterway. A gentle breeze rustled the tips of the grass. The faint aroma of marsh water punctuated each deep breath. So peaceful. So relaxing. He closed his eyes and listened to the tranquility around him. But it did little to subdue the angst within him. When was his next therapy appointment? Maybe it was time to try some of the meds his therapist had so often suggested.
From within the house, the shrill of his mobile phone interrupted the serenity of the moment. Moving back into the kitchen, he scooped up the phone from the counter where he’d left it.
The voice that greeted him was grave and somber. “Zach? It’s Rebecca. Something terrible has happened. Martina Vargas is dead.”
***
Excerpt from Those Who Shall Die by Michael Bradley. Copyright 2026 by Michael Bradley. Reproduced with permission from Michael Bradley. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Michael Bradley is an award-winning author from Delaware who started life as a radio disc jockey, working at stations in New Jersey and West Virginia. His time in radio provided him with a wealth of fond, enduring, and sometimes scandalous memories that he hopes to one day commit to paper.
After spending eight years “on-the-air,” he realized that he needed to get a real job. He has spent the next twenty or so years working in Information Technology. And yes, he has said “try turning it off and on again” more times than he wants to admit.
Never one to waste an experience, he used his familiarity with life on the radio for many of his suspense novels. His third novel, DEAD AIR (2020), won a Foreword INDIES Award and a IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award.
Those Who Shall Die is a new thriller by author
Michael Bradley and quickly proved to be an absolute page-turner as someone
stalks the five members of the mystery podcast, The Society of Fibbers. Secrets
come to light that even the closest friends don’t know about each other, and no
one knows who they can trust as they dodge a killer and uncomfortable questions
from the lead police detective and a local reporter.
What a great story! Told from multiple points of view,
readers get an inside seat to the thoughts and experiences of the mystery writers
as they try to figure out who is behind the attacks before they become the next
victim, while still meeting the looming deadlines for their next books and
attending book signings and author appearances. The suspense builds rapidly,
tempers flare, and relationships among the writing friends fray. I especially
liked the mysterious black calling cards with cryptic quotes left for each
target. There are secrets and plot twists that keep everyone on their toes. It
was difficult to know who to trust or why the five had been targeted initially.
I couldn’t put this book down, reading it in one absorbing evening!
I recommend THOSE WHO SHALL DIE to readers of mysteries and
thrillers.
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