Cozy Up to Some Great Autumn Books...

Fall is here; the colors are changing on the trees outside my office window, the daylight hours are shorter, the nights and days are cooler and reading choices abound this month.

October 5, 2009:
Patricia Gussin gives readers another riveting, suspenseful novel with THE TEST (Oceanview hardcover). Renowned philanthropist and billionaire Paul Parnell had reached the pinnacle of monetary success, but not without cost. Determined to leave something far more valuable than money to his six children, Paul instructs his lawyers to create an unusual last will and testament. This unorthodox will stipulates that the lion's share of Paul's $2 billion estate be given to the heirs who pass “the test.” The six children have only one year to make a difference. But what a difference it will make. Before these six very different siblings can complete the test, they'll be forced to face their personal demons and the incredibly evil influence that could claim one of their own.

October 6, 2009:
Rebecca York continues her dynamic werewolf Moon series with DRAGON MOON (Berkley Sensation), the story of Talon Marshall, who lives alone and shuns looking for a life mate. But his resolve is tested when a woman from a parallel universe enters his world. Kenna Thomas is being forced to collect data on earth in preparation for an invasion. Will they be able to trust each other enough to change the course of action?

The new Fresh-Baked mystery by Livia J. Washburn is KILLER CRAB CAKES (Obsidian trade-paper). In this bake-off, people get knocked off. When Phyllis's cousin asks her to look after her Oak Knoll B&B for a few weeks, Phyllis jumps at the chance – mostly because the inn is located close to the annual Rockport, Texas, Just Desserts competition. Determined to beat her friendly rival and enjoy some peaceful downtime with her boyfriend, Sam, Phyllis concocts the ultimate sweet treat. But the holiday turns bitter when Phyllis and Sam discover a dead body – and all signs point to murder. As the list of suspects gets too close for comfort, Phyllis has to get involved. After all, when it comes to solving murders, Phyllis is one smart cookie.

BLACKWORK (Berkley Prime Crime hardcover) by Monica Ferris is the latest addition to her Needlecraft mystery series to feature Betsy Devonshire, owner of the Crewel World needlework shop. This Halloween, part-time amateur sleuth Betsy is haunted by murder. In the town of Excelsior, Minnesota, Leona Cunningham, owner of a popular microbrewery, is a practitioner of Wicca, the nature-based religion often mistaken for black magic. After one too many pints of Leona’s brew, a local blames her for the series of "accidents" that happened throughout town. When he ends up dead without a mark on his body, Leona's the main suspect. But Betsy's on the case and that spells trouble for the killer.

WAKING EVIL (Berkley Sensation) is the second installment in Kylie Brant’s new romantic suspense series, The Mindhunters. Buffalo Springs, Tennessee, is a neighborly place where folks leave their doors unlocked and crime is unheard of. But once every generation, a strange red mist settles over the town, and with it comes omens of death. When the body of a young woman is found, forensic investigator Ramsey Clark is called in. She knows about the legend of the mist and about the curse that has the entire town afraid of the dark. But Ramsey believes in evidence, not superstition, despite what she’s told by the parapsychologist who’s been dogging her every step. Then another murder occurs, and Ramsey begins to wonder if the prophecy is indeed being fulfilled.

Sunny gives readers the second erotic installment in her fantasy series, The Demon Princess Chronicles, with LUCINDA, DANGEROUSLY (Berkley). Intimately bonded to both a Monére warrior and a black creature from Hell, demon princess Lucinda has powers no demon dead has ever possessed. Now returned to the world of the living with her two bondmates, she hopes to carve out a new life for herself and her small mixed family. But soon after returning to her territory, Lucinda is kidnapped and imprisoned by a demon enemy – and her new life could be in jeopardy.

THE CHOCOLATE CUPID KILLINGS (Obsidian hardcover) is the ninth Chocoholic mystery by Joanna Carl to serve readers a delectable dish of murder with a side of chocolate. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and things are starting to get busy at Lee McKinney Woodyard’s chocolate shop. But not everyone is feeling the love. When detective Derrick Valentine shows up looking for Lee’s newest employee, a woman she and her Aunt Nettie have been harboring for a secret underground railroad-type organization that aids abused women in escaping their tormentors, she knows she has to keep her mouth shut. She manages not to spill the beans, but things get sticky when Valentine winds up dead. And what’s more, Nettie is found holding the murder weapon! Now Lee has to clear Nettie’s name and find a killer, all without exposing her secret.

October 13, 2009:
Best-selling authors Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter have teamed up to present two never-before-published paranormal stories in the hardcover release DEEP KISS OF WINTER (Pocket). In UNTOUCHABLE, Kresley delivers a breathtaking tale of a brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time…and a Valkyrie aching to be touched. In present-day New Orleans, vampire warrior Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim the woman who makes his heart beat for the first time in hundreds of years. But Danii’s freezing skin cannot be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting immeasurable pain. Desperate for closeness, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. In TEMPT ME ETERNALLY, Gena puts a daring spin on a tale of huntress and hunter – and concocts an explosive sensual chemistry. Aleaha Love can be anyone – literally. Using only skin-to-skin contact, she can change her appearance and assume a new identity. Her newest switch has turned her into an Alien Investigation and Removal agent and sent her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. But when she gets captured instead, Breean Nu, a dangerously seductive commander threatens her new life. For once, Aleaha only wants to be herself.

October 20, 2009:
A COURTESAN’S SCANDAL (Pocket) is the third novel in Julia London’s Regency romance Scandalous series. Beautiful and mysterious Kate Bergeron is the former mistress of a cloth merchant...and the latest beauty to capture the interest of the Prince of Wales. Mired in a disastrous divorce, the Prince attempts to distract attention from his next amorous pursuit by ordering Grayson Christopher, the eligible Duke of Darlington, to pretend to London society that he is having an affair with Kate. When Grayson reluctantly agrees to his Prince's demand, he finds the lady no more willing than he is. Kate will grudgingly act the part in public, but her favors are not for sale to any man. As Grayson and Kate mimic ardor for the world to see, they find what started as a deception becoming all too real. And when passion flames into love, their predicament becomes extreme. For while marriage between a duke and a courtesan could never happen, Kate knows in her heart she will accept nothing less.

October 27, 2009:
The third exciting Gabriel Hunt adventure is HUNT AT WORLD’S END (Leisure). Although these books are credited to “dashing adventurer Gabriel Hunt,” this installment is actually written by Nicholas Kaufmann. Three jewels, lost for centuries and scattered across the globe, hold the secret to a device of unspeakable power, and only Gabriel Hunt can prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. In pursuit of the lost stones that could unleash an ancient power, Gabriel travels to Borneo, Turkey and the Kalahari Desert with the deadly Cult of Anatolia hot on his trail.

SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT (Avon) by Terri Garey is the fourth installment in ongoing series about Nicki Styx, a former Goth girl who has become an unwilling ghoul-friend to the dead. Psychic Nicki survived a near-death experience to find she’s able to see and hear the dead, but she only has eyes for Joe. When a sexy spirit starts haunting Joe’s dreams, he finds himself ensnared by dark passions. What he doesn't realize is the devious demon and her two sisters, otherwise known as the Three Fates, are out to teach the woman he loves a lesson. Nicki and Joe conquered evil spirits, saved lost souls and beat back the Devil himself, but they're about to learn there are more things in Heaven and Hell than they ever imagined. It'll be a Christmas to remember.

Joy Nash continues her Druids of Avalon series, set in Ancient Britain, with SILVER SILENCE (Love Spell), book number three. Drawing on Arthurian legend, she creates an intricate romantic adventure around the identity of the mysterious Merlin, the Lake of the Lake and the birth of the Once and Future King. Dark magic dooms Rhys to wander endlessly, searching for druids strong enough to battle the coming evil. Duty demands he lead a solitary life. Dark passion drives Rhys to commit acts that shame him, especially when he believes they’ve been witnessed by the innocent druidess he’s sworn to protect. Breena is young and pure, and Rhys hates himself for his dark longing. A dark spell steals Breena away, leaving Rhys to follow her through the Lost Lands to Britain’s grim future, when the danger Breena has foreseen threatens to extinguish the Light of Avalon. Only together can they unravel the secret linking their past with a future king.

In ABANDONED (Bantam hardcover), the fourth heart-stopping thriller by Cody McFadyen, FBI agent Smoky Barrett is chasing a serial killer who’s in it for the money – and the ultimate price may be her life. Smoky’s latest assignment involves a criminal mastermind who provides services to men who wish to discreetly dispose of the "problematic" wives. For a substantial sum, he will make their spouses disappear without a trace, until the missing person cases are declared closed seven years later. He’s not in it for the kicks or even for the kill, but he makes sure his transactions are tidy and on time. He’s a pure businessman, precise and amoral and completely terrifying. Smoky and her top-notch FBI team are racing against the clock to figure out how he operates, but trying to outsmart a sociopath at his own game is a very dangerous proposition.

Gemma Halliday leaves behind her hilarious High Heels mysteries as she embarks on a new series dubbed Hollywood Headlines. SCANDAL SHEET (Making It) features Tina Bender, tabloid gossip columnist extraordinaire for the L.A. Informer. Tina is shocked when she learns one of the celebrities she’s reported on wants her dead. Teamed with hunky bodyguard Calvin Dean, a bubbly blonde and an alcoholic obituary writer, Tina sets off to find out which juicy piece of Hollywood gossip is worth killing over.

Keri Arthur continues her Guardian series with BOUND TO SHADOWS (Dell), the eighth sexy urban fantasy novel to feature kick-ass heroine Riley Jenson. Part vampire, part werewolf, Riley knows what can happen when vamps don’t play well with others. But she’s never seen anything like this: a series of brutal murders surrounding the latest hot spot for vampire-human hookups. And the victims aren’t just killed; they’re beheaded. Now Riley is launching into action, toying with a seductive – and highly suspicious – club owner, and finding herself in the middle of another mystery: women being killed one by one, without a trace of violence.

The fourth international intelligence thriller by Haggai Carmon to feature undercover CIA agent Dan Gordon is titled TRIANGLE OF DECEPTION (Leisure). Dan goes undercover to infiltrate and destroy an international Hezbollah funding plot. But when his cover is blown, he wonders if he’s been a sacrificial lamb for the CIA all along. This intriguing spy thriller is written by someone with insider experience and knowledge who’s worked for several U.S. federal agencies in legal intelligence-gathering in over 30 countries. Carmon has also represented the U.S. Department of Justice for two decades and acts as legal counsel to the U.S. Embassy in Israel.

In HOLLY AND HOMICIDE (Dell), Leslie Caine’s newest Domestic Bliss mystery, a gorgeous Victorian mansion is being converted into a lovely Bed & Breakfast in the idyllic town of Snowcap, Colorado…but murder and mystery are around every corner this holiday season. It’s Christmastime in Snowcap, and the town is up in arms. The venerable Goodwin Estate has been sold to enterprising out-of-towners and is getting a major makeover just in time for the holidays. Interior designers Erin Gilbert and Steve Sullivan walked smack into a storm of chaos: the estate’s new owners, including one whose idea of holiday decor involves inflatable elves and a gingerbread facade, are battling among themselves. Erin’s big-talking ex- boyfriend shows up just in time to make Sullivan crazy jealous, and when a local building inspector is found strangled with a strand of Christmas lights, Gilbert and Sullivan begin to suspect it might be time to leave this psychodrama of a project behind. But after an incompetent sheriff accuses Erin of murder and there’s another gruesome killing, the only way out is to turn detective. Her new job: solve a mystery with too many clues…and far too many guilty parties.

Diana Pharaoh Francis begins a new dark and glittering fantasy adventure series with BITTER NIGHT (Pocket). In this first book in her Horngate Witches series, readers are introduced to a headstrong woman who’s imprisoned by a witch – and must come to terms with her enslavement before she can save humanity from complete destruction. Held captive for 30 years, Max has been unwillingly turned into a magical weapon – a Shadowblade. Now, the ancient Guardians of the earth are preparing to unleash widespread destruction on the mortal world, and they want the witches to help them. If the witches refuse, their covens will be destroyed, including Horngate, the place Max has grudgingly come to think of as home. Max thinks she can find a way to help Horngate stand against the Guardians, but doing so will mean forging dangerous alliances – including one with a rival witch's Shadowblade, who’s as drawn to Max as she is to him – and standing with the witch she despises. Max will have to choose between the old life she still dreams of and the warrior she’s become, and take her place on the side of right – if she survives long enough to figure out which side that is.

Return to the fantasy world where powerful immortals battle demons and evil Mages, mystical elves sing prophecy to life and danger dwells in every dark place. QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS (Leisure) by C. L. Wilson is the fourth entry in the Tairen Soul fantasy romance series. As the Fey King and his bride finally complete their truemate bond, they work to defeat their most powerful enemy and discover hidden truths about their world. War rages all around them and the evil mages of Eld stand on the brink of triumph. Rain and Ellysetta must learn to trust completely in their love and in themselves, and embrace a forbidden power that will either destroy their world or save it.

Deb Stover’s previous single-title release was MULLIGAN MAGIC (Jove) back in April 2003. After taking a break from the writing scene to care for her dying husband, Deb returns this month with a new book, THE GIFT (Love Spell), her 12th full-length novel. When Beth Dearborn’s psychic gift turns into a nightmare, it drives her to abandon all she holds dear and remake her life. But fate demands she face her destiny in one special man named Ty Malone. Trading her life as a Chicago homicide detective for a job as a nomadic insurance inspector was supposed to keep Beth safe. Ty is anything but that. What isn’t he revealing about the missing person's claim on his “runaway” wife? What really happened to her? And just how far will Ty take his seduction of the one woman whose special gift can uncover the terrifying truth?

October 31, 2009:
THE KILLING HANDS (Mira) is P. D. Martin’s fourth book to feature Australian FBI profiler Sophie Anderson. Just as Sophie is settling into her job in the L.A. bureau, she’s pulled into a case that’s different from anything she’s ever seen – the victim has had his throat literally ripped out. What weapon could cause such devastating injuries? Who is the guy? And why is there virtually no forensic evidence to be found? When Sophie’s team links the body to an Asian criminal organization, things get even more mysterious. The victim has been missing for 15 years, so where has he been, why has he returned and who wanted him dead? Sophie finds herself drawing on her experience and her developing psychic skills to find a brilliant killer who's carved a trail of death in organized crime across the U.S.

Joseph Teller offers up another suspenseful adventure with Jaywalker Case #3 in DEPRAVED INDIFFERENCE (Mira). An Audi sports car, speeding on the wrong side of the road, forces an oncoming van off the road. The van bursts into flames, killing all nine occupants...eight of them children. Criminal defense attorney Harrison J. Walker, known simply as Jaywalker, is trying to keep his nose clean while serving a three-year suspension. But when a woman seduces him into representing the Audi Assassin, a man who also happens to be her husband, things get messy. Struggling with the moral issues surrounding this case, Jaywalker tries to stay focused on his goal of limiting the damage to his client by exposing the legal system’s hypocrisy regarding drunk driving. But when he rounds a blind corner in the case, he collides with a truth that could turn his entire defense into disaster.

Stayed tuned for more great books next month...Tanzey