But at the exhibition opening,
there’s a panicked shout of ‘Fire!’ In the confusion, the main
attraction―an extremely expensive book―is stolen from under everyone’s
nose, as is a valuable painting lent by Sir Hector Farley-Stroud. Then
the race, which starts as a charming day out, ends in a shocking death.
And to top it all off, the Farley-Strouds reveal they’re in debt and
might lose their house.
The sleuthing duo soon find
themselves torn between a murder investigation, an art theft mystery,
and trying to help their pals. All with a suspicious figure from Flo’s
past, a supercilious insurance investigator, and a pair of rather
bizarre treasure hunters on the loose…"
Title:
Reefs, Royals, ReckoningsSeries: #4 in the Constable Teddy Creque series set in the British Virgin Islands.
269 pages
Synopsis: "When Constable Teddy Creque is assigned to the security detail at a
grand reception on the little island of Tortola for Princess Portia and
her husband Lord Sutherland, he's prepared for a British royal night
out. He's less prepared for an evening of dreary small talk about bond
prices and tax havens. But at least the event is going smoothly, he
tells himself . . . That is, until it's cut dramatically short by a shot
ringing out from the direction of the garden.
Anxious that one
of the royals is in danger, Teddy springs into action. He has to get the
royal pair to safety, but first he has to find them. And they're not
the only ones missing - where is his superior, Deputy Commissioner
Howard Lane?
Soon, in the depths of the tropical darkness, Teddy
has his answer - and is confronted by his worst nightmare. Plunged into
his most high-profile investigation yet, Teddy knows he has to solve
this case fast . . . or heads will roll."
=== September 19 ===
Title:
Blessing of the Lost GirlsSeries: #20 in the Sheriff Joanna Brady series set in Cochise County, Arizona.
352 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books.
Synopsis: "
Driven by a compulsion that challenges his self-control, the
man calling himself Charles Milton prowls the rodeo circuit, hunting
young women. He chooses those he believes are the most vulnerable,
wandering alone and distracted, before he strikes. For years, he has
been meticulous in his methods, abducting, murdering, and disposing his
victims while leaving no evidence of his crimes—or their
identities—behind. Indigenous women have become his target of choice,
knowing law enforcement’s history of ignoring their disappearances.A
cold case has just been assigned to Dan Pardee, a field officer with
the newly formed Missing and Murdered Indigenous People’s Task Force.
Rosa Rios, a young woman of Apache descent and one-time rodeo star,
vanished three years ago. Human remains, a homicide victim burned beyond
recognition, were discovered in Cochise County around the time she went
missing. They have finally been confirmed to be Rosa. With Sheriff
Joanna Brady’s help, Dan is determined to reopen the case and bring
long-awaited justice to Rosa’s family. As the orphaned son of a murdered
indigenous woman, he feels an even greater, personal obligation to
capture this killer.
Joanna’s daughter Jennifer is
also taking a personal interest in this case, having known Rosa from her
own amateur rodeo days. Now a criminal justice major, she’s
unofficially joining the investigation. And as it becomes clear that
Rosa was just one victim of a serial killer, both Jennifer and Dan know
they’re running out of time to catch an elusive predator who’s proven
capable of getting away with murder."
Title:
Dark Ride Standalone thriller
256 pages
Synopsis: "
Twenty-one-year-old Hardy “Hardly” Reed—good-natured,
easygoing, usually stoned—is drifting through life. A minimum-wage scare
actor at an amusement park, he avoids unnecessary effort and
unrealistic ambitions. Then one day he notices two
children, around six or seven, sitting all alone on a bench. Hardly
checks if they’re okay and sees injuries on both children. Someone is
hurting these kids.
He reports the incident to Child Protective Service.
That
should be the end of it. After all, Hardly's not even good at looking
out for himself so the last thing he wants to do is look out for anyone
else. But he's haunted by the two kids, his heart breaking for them. And
the more research he does the less he trusts that Child Protective
Services —understaffed and overworked—will do anything about it.
That
leaves…Hardly. He is probably the last person you’d ever want to count
on. But those two kids have nobody else but him. Hardly has to do what's right and help them.
For
the first time in his life, Hardly decides to fight for something. This
might be the one point in his entire life, he realizes, that is the entire point of his life. He will help those kids.
At
first, trying to gather evidence that will force the proper authorities
to intervene, Hardly is a total disaster. Gradually, with assistance
from unexpected allies, he develops investigative skills and discovers
he’s smarter and more capable than he ever imagined.
But
Hardly also discovers that the situation is more dangerous than he ever
expected. The abusive father who has been hurting these children isn’t
just a lawyer—he also runs a violent drug-dealing operation. The mother
claims she wants to escape with the kids—but Hardly isn't sure he can
trust her.
Faced with a different version of himself
than he has ever known, Hardly refuses to give up. But his commitment to
saving these kids from further harm might end up getting the kids, and
Hardly himself, killed."
=== September 26 ===
Title:
Murder in an Italian Village Author: Michael Falco
Series: #1 in the Bria Bartolucci cozy series set in Positano, Italy.
384 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books.
Synopsis: "On the surface, Bria’s Mediterranean life radiates beauty—the kind
her late husband, Carlo, dreamed about when he concocted the romantic
idea to start a bed and breakfast on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. With
the grand opening of Bella Bella approaching six months after Carlo’s
tragic death, Bria and her eight-year-old son Marco brace for a
bittersweet new beginning by the sea . . .
Before celebratory
vino flows on opening day, a stranger appears in an otherwise pristine
guest room, lifeless and covered in blood. Bria can’t understand why
murder would check into Bella Bella. And police are just as puzzled. As
suspicions fall on a B&B employee, what’s certain is that saving her
reputation—and surviving—depend on catching the real killer before it’s
too late.
Flanked by her feisty best friend, Rosalie, and
well-traveled sister, Lorenza, Bria vows to prove to everyone in
Positano that no one at Bella Bella was involved with the crime. But as
the women expose a scandal that stretches across their dazzling tourist
village, it will take everything they’ve got to name the murderer and
avoid becoming the next target of someone’s deadly vendetta . . ."
Title:
Murder by Invitation OnlySeries: #3 in the Phyllida Bright historical series set in England.
272 pages
Synopsis: "“A murder will occur tonight at Beecham House . . .”
Who could resist such a compelling invitation? Of course, the murder in
question purports to be a party game, and Phyllida looks forward to
using some of the deductive skills she has acquired thanks to her
employer, Mrs. Agatha, who is unable to attend in person.
The
hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Wokesley, are new to the area, and Phyllida gladly
offers their own overwhelmed housekeeper some guidance while events get
underway. Family friends have been enlisted to play the suspects, and
Mr. Wokesley excels in his role of dead body. Unfortunately, when the
game’s solution is about to be unveiled, the participants discover that
life has imitated art. Mr. Wokesley really is dead!
In the
absence of Inspector Cork, Phyllida takes temporary charge of the
investigation, guiding the local constable through interviews with the
Murder Game actors. At first, there seems no motive to want Mr. Wokesley
dead . . . but then Phyllida begins to connect each of the suspects
with the roles they played and the motives assigned to them. It soon
becomes clear that everyone had a reason to murder their host—both in
the game and in real life. Before long, Phyllida is embroiled in a
fiendishly puzzling case, with a killer who refuses to play by the rules
. . ."
Author: Barbara Nadel
Series: #25 in the Inspector Çetin Ikmen series set in Istanbul, Turkey.
352 pages
Synopsis: "When Ates Bocuk, son of a feared Istanbul gang leader, is arrested
for the brutal murder of his Roma lover, feelings of vengeance are
ignited among rival Turkish gangs and the Roma community. Forensic
evidence is stacked against him, but Ates refuses to speak, and
Inspector Suleyman suspects that there is more to the case than meets
the eye. Then Cetin Ikmen discovers that Ates is psychotic and believes
that everyone in his life is an imposter, which suggests that Ates might
in fact be a victim of a far more sinister game . . .
As
violence erupts, Suleyman and his team work tirelessly to expose a
shocking tale of corruption, power and betrayal - but not before more
blood is shed on these dark and dangerous streets."
Wow! September is certainly an embarrassment of riches with a little something for everyone (in other words, a book budget buster month)!
Which books are you looking forward to the most? Did I tempt you with any that you hadn't already heard of? Inquiring minds would love to know!
