The Contessa Lines cruise ship, the Nerissa, is the nexus for a disparate cast of nefarious factions. Two cunning and cold-blooded killers have smuggled themselves aboard, disguised as their murder victims, their motives unknown. And members of the Foundation, a mysterious cult, have infiltrated the passenger list, with their own sinister agenda to take over the ship. When they strike, they disrupt the on-board wedding ceremony of police officer David Spaulding and his fiancee Deborah Corliss. ...
Long-undisturbed Tenebrion Wood, identified in the Domesday Book and named by the Romans after a kind of «night-sprit,» stands in the way of a road development. Environmentalist Steve Pearlman recruits a number of investigators to examine the site in order to find some justification for its defense, including entomologist John Hazard. At first, the wood does not seem to be of any special scientific interest, despite the occasional profusion of its beetle population, but Hazard makes a surprising...
"Fish Out of Water," the fourth installment in the Guppy Anthology series, presents 22 mystery and suspense stories that will hook you and reel you in! These rising stars of the mystery field take you cruising through deep waters teeming with danger, thrills, and the unexpected. Features an introduction by James M. Jackson.<P>Included are:<P> INTRODUCTION, by James M. Jackson<BR> PLAN A: KILL THE FISH, by Beth Green<BR> THE MISSING CONCUBINE, by P. A. De...
In sunshine the old deserted house is a friendly landmark, and Gail even uses a shed on its grounds as a secret haven where she can write her poems. But by moonlight the house becomes eerie and terrifying. One night as Gail walks past it, a sudden sharp sound of knocking makes her whirl around. Someone seems to be trying to catch her attention, yet there is nothing but moonlit lawns and ghostly white walls to be seen. Where did that knocking sound have come from? And the weird voices – whose can...
"Michael McCarty's 'A Little Help from My Fiends' truly shines. His collection of short stories is a lovingly created, watered with blood and harvested at the peak of ripeness kind of work. The approach to the collection is so fresh that – were it a steak – you would note still a bit of warmth and even a faint pulse. You see, each story in this collection is co-authored with another excellent storyteller. Mark McLaughlin, Terrie Leigh Relf and Dave Miller, to name a few, make...
For Ross Elliot, the summer held no promise. With his teaching duties over until fall, he found himself facing boredom, with time on his hands. Which was why he didn’t hesitate to involve himself in the affairs of one Barbara Erickson, ex-student and accused murderess. <P> As far as Elliot was concerned it simply wasn’t possible for one so young – and so lovely – to be capable of such a horrendous crime. And what if he was the only one who believed in her innocence? A couple of months...
Mathieu Galmier, formerly of the Pasteur Institute, has to leave Paris under a cloud when one of his pioneering experiments in hematology goes awry. He is given refuge—of sorts—in London by Sir Juliam Templeforth. Unfortunately, the rewards both men hope to reap from continuing the experiments are slow to materialize. The research hits snags, and its human costs are beginning to weigh on Mathieu’s conscience. <p> Complicating matters further, some of Sir Julian’s unruly Irish tenants have...
When the radio operator on a luxury cruise ship is murdered, Lt. Valcour takes charge. While investigating the crew and the passengers, especially a lovely but lethal man-eater, the killer strikes again – and it's up to Valcour to solve the crimes before anyone else falls victim! <P> Rufus King (1893-1966) was an American author of Whodunit crime novels. He created four series of detective stories: the most famous being Lieutenant Valcour. Modern critics are rediscovering Rufus...
From sleuth to victim, from sinner to saint and everything in between, women take center stage in this collection of eleven stories by award-winning author B.K. Stevens. Dying for detective stories? Rooting for revenge? Craving suspense? There's something for everyone in these tales of murder and mystery.<P> "These finely crafted stories have it all – psychological heft, suspense, subtle humor – and the author's notes on each story are especially illuminating. A treat for...
The morning after the season's worst blizzard of the year, Deputies Frank «Frack» Telusky and Robely Danner of the small farming community of Abundance, Wisconsin, are called to a remote section of woods, where they find a handcuffed man frozen to a tree. Since no one local has been reported missing they wonder if The Iceman is the driver of the overdue van out of Minnesota, reportedly carrying a fortune in silver fox coats. If so, where's the van and where are the coats? On the far...