It’s been five years since Detective Amanda Steele’s life was derailed by the tragic death of her young daughter Lindsey. The small community of Dumfries, Virginia, may have moved on, but Amanda cannot. When the man who killed Lindsey is found murdered, she can’t keep away from the case, despite knowing how personal and dangerous this investigation will be. Fighting her sergeant to work on a case this close to her heart, Amanda races to prove she can uncover the truth without letting grief cloud her judgment. 💔The deeper Amanda digs into the past of the man who destroyed her future, the more shocking discoveries she makes. A silver bracelet in his possession links him to the brutal unsolved murder of a young woman five years ago—around the same time Lindsey died. Amanda realizes she’s caught up in something far darker than she imagined and suspects more girls could be in danger. What started as a quest for answers about her daughter’s killer becomes a desperate race to stop a predator who’s been operating undetected for years. 🔍

As Amanda edges toward the truth, she gets closer to a secret as personal as it is deadly. She’s stumbled upon a dangerous killer, and to catch him—and save his next victim as she couldn’t save her own daughter—she must face some terrible truths about what really happened five years ago. Carolyn Arnold launches the Detective Amanda Steele series with a protagonist who’s broken but not beaten, driven by grief but not consumed by it, and determined to find justice even when it means confronting her most painful memories. 👮‍♀️

What makes this a gripping series launch: Arnold creates a deeply personal crime thriller where the detective’s emotional stakes are as high as the criminal stakes. Amanda isn’t just solving a murder—she’s confronting the trauma that’s defined the past five years of her life while racing to prevent more deaths. For readers who love emotionally complex female detectives, cold cases that heat up, and series that promise long-term character development alongside compelling mysteries, this delivers both procedural detail and genuine heart. The connection between her daughter’s death and the current investigation creates devastating tension throughout. 🎯

Oakland sleuth Jeri Howard is the whole package: a traditional gumshoe who’s no stranger to the all-night stakeout, the deft disarming blow to a gun hand, or the methodical examination of documents and secret hiding places that leads to where all the bodies are buried in a supremely hostile takeover. Her newest client was poised to blow the whistle on a large food manufacturer just before he took a header out his fifth-floor apartment window. One catch—he hadn’t yet told her what it was about. Jeri’s already cashed his retainer check, and her heart goes out to the teenagers to whom he was The World’s Best Uncle. Plus she’s pretty sure he had some assistance out that window, and the police agree. 🔎So Jeri suits up, dusts off her formidable legal secretary skills, and goes undercover in the gray cubicles of his former office. The locally-owned business, built with painstaking care over decades and managed with integrity by the founder and then by his children, has become unstable and corrupt. Morale is through the floor, and the place is so squirmy with viperous corporate raiders it’s tough to know what rock to look under. Janet Dawson creates a mystery that’s equal parts detective work and corporate espionage, where Jeri must navigate office politics, hostile takeover schemes, and hidden corruption while maintaining her cover. 💼

The title takes on literal meaning as Jeri discovers that the whistleblower’s death is connected to far more sinister corporate crimes than simple financial fraud. Someone has been burying evidence—and possibly bodies—to protect a takeover that’s destroying both the company’s integrity and the lives of anyone who gets too close to the truth. Dawson writes old-school PI fiction with a modern sensibility, giving readers a detective who combines street smarts, investigative skills, and the patience to wade through corporate documents looking for the smoking gun. 📊

What makes this essential PI fiction: Dawson delivers a classic private investigator mystery with a fresh take—corporate corruption as the backdrop for murder. Jeri Howard is the kind of detective who does the unglamorous work of going undercover in office cubicles, building cases through methodical document review, and earning trust from witnesses who know something’s wrong but don’t know who to trust. For readers who love traditional gumshoe mysteries with complex plotting, this offers both the satisfaction of watching a skilled investigator work and the suspense of knowing the corporate raiders will stop at nothing to protect their scheme. 🕵️‍♀️

Nina Lavendar is ready for something to happen in her life—she just isn’t quite sure what. So when something a bit different lands in her lap and she sends a spontaneous, off-the-cuff email to house-sit at an old rural hotel in a town with a towering lighthouse, she wonders what, if anything, will happen at all. She has no clue what’s coming and certainly doesn’t think it’s going to completely and utterly change her life. Polly Babbington understands that the best adventures begin with spontaneous decisions made on a whim, when you’re ready for change but haven’t yet defined what that change should look like. 🌊As Nina arrives in Lovely Bay to house-sit at The Summer Hotel, she realizes within a very short time that her silly spontaneous jaunt wasn’t quite what she thought it was going to be. But with fate playing its hand, she runs with it anyway, and things start to happen in every area of her life—none of which she’d seen coming, especially the man that makes her tingle. Babbington writes the kind of life-change romance where a single impulsive decision opens doors the protagonist didn’t even know existed, where leaving your comfort zone leads to discovering what you actually want rather than what you think you should want. 🏨

The Summer Hotel and Lovely Bay become characters in their own right—the old rural hotel with its history and quirks, the small town with its towering lighthouse serving as both literal and metaphorical beacon. Nina’s house-sitting arrangement transforms from a temporary escape into something more permanent and meaningful as she discovers community, purpose, and romance in a place she never expected to matter. The man who makes her tingle represents not just romantic possibility but the promise that life can surprise you in the best ways when you’re brave enough to say yes to uncertainty. ⚓

What makes this a delightful escape: Babbington delivers feel-good contemporary romance with a charming coastal setting and a heroine ready for transformation. This is perfect for readers who love stories about fresh starts, small-town romance, and protagonists who find themselves by getting lost in unexpected places. The combination of The Summer Hotel’s atmospheric location, Lovely Bay’s picturesque charm, and Nina’s journey from restless to fulfilled makes this the kind of romance that reminds readers that sometimes the best plan is no plan at all—just openness to whatever fate delivers. 💕

Barbary pirates spread mayhem and terror in the Mediterranean, and Ralph Wrenn—who went to sea at age ten—now finds himself at nineteen recently promoted to fourth officer on the HMS Kingfisher. But the Kingfisher isn’t what it appears to be. It masquerades as a merchant ship to lure Barbary pirate vessels into traps, making Ralph and his crewmates the bait in a dangerous game of maritime deception. Christopher C. Tubbs launches The Decoy Ships series with a thrilling premise based on true exploits: British warships disguised as vulnerable merchants, hunting the hunters in the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean. ⚓On one such mission, Ralph meets a beautiful and intriguing young woman who immediately complicates his already dangerous life. Now he must contend not just with battles at sea and the constant threat of Barbary corsairs, but with a beguiling stranger who is not what she appears to be—much like the ship he serves on. Tubbs understands that the best naval adventures combine high-seas action with personal stakes, giving readers both spectacular ship-to-ship combat and intimate character moments that make them care about who survives. 🌊

Based on the true exploits of HMS Kingfisher and culminating in the battle of the seven Algerines, this thrilling novel delivers authentic historical detail, period-accurate naval tactics, and the kind of swashbuckling adventure that made Patrick O’Brian and C.S. Forester beloved. The decoy ship concept adds an extra layer of tension—every merchant vessel they encounter could be friend or foe, and revealing their true identity too soon could mean death. Meanwhile, Ralph’s mysterious woman adds intrigue that extends beyond naval warfare into espionage and hidden agendas. ⚔️

What makes this perfect for naval adventure fans: Tubbs combines historical accuracy with page-turning action, creating a series launch that promises authentic Age of Sail adventure with unique tactical scenarios. The decoy ship premise sets this apart from traditional naval fiction—these aren’t ships of the line slugging it out in open battle, they’re hunters using deception and surprise to trap prey. For readers who love Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series at sea or Dudley Pope’s Ramage novels, this delivers that same combination of military action, historical authenticity, and a young officer learning his craft under fire. Ralph Wrenn’s journey from boy sailor to officer fighting Barbary pirates begins here. 🏴‍☠️

Bones in the water. Two skeletons are discovered in Lamentation Tarn, a mountain lake with a name that proves grimly prophetic. Talented detective Mike Nash and his team have little evidence to work with initially, until a surprising discovery prompts them to contact law enforcement agencies in Eastern Europe. What begins as a local mystery quickly expands into an international investigation revealing a criminal network involved in prostitution, drugs, and human trafficking. Bill Kitson launches the Detective Mike Nash series with a case that starts with bodies in a lake and escalates into something far more sinister. 🏔️A joint task force is formed to uncover the criminal network, but Nash’s preoccupation with internal politics and with an attractive Russian detective proves to be a distraction at the worst possible time. Kitson understands that even talented detectives are human—subject to office politics, attracted to the wrong people, and capable of losing focus when personal complications intersect with professional duties. The investigation becomes increasingly complex as Nash tries to balance the demands of international cooperation, departmental rivalries, and his growing connection to someone who may or may not be entirely trustworthy. 🌍

Finally, a young victim escapes the gang’s clutches, providing Nash with much-needed evidence. A search of the neighboring tarn yields evidence of even more heinous crimes, expanding the scope of the horror Nash has uncovered. The title takes on layers of meaning—what lies beneath the water’s surface, what lies beneath the criminal organization’s front operations, and what lies beneath Nash’s professional facade as he struggles with attraction and ambition while bodies keep piling up. Who else will die before the criminals are brought to bitter justice? ⚖️

What makes this a compelling series start: Kitson delivers British noir crime with international scope, creating a detective who’s talented but flawed, professional but distracted by personal complications. The human trafficking angle gives the story moral urgency beyond typical murder mysteries, while the discovery of multiple victims in mountain tarns provides genuinely disturbing imagery. For readers who love Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks series or British crime fiction that combines police procedural detail with noir atmosphere, this offers a detective worth following and a series that promises complex cases with human costs. Mike Nash’s first case establishes him as a skilled investigator who sometimes gets in his own way. 🇬🇧

Survival used to mean being able to pay the rent. Now it’s more about having a target on his back. Celebrated criminal attorney Marc Kadella is playing in the big leagues now, and as his renown grows, so does the epic size of the personalities seeking his representation—along with the complexity and often the distastefulness of the cases. Dennis Carstens’ volumes 8-11 find Marc increasingly at the center of explosive events, representing clients whose cases make headlines and whose enemies make threats. This collection catches readers up on Marc’s evolution from struggling defense attorney to someone whose courtroom victories have made him both famous and vulnerable. ⚖️Marc might be mellowing slightly as many men would when gorgeous investigator Maddy Rivers becomes much more than an associate—and more than a friend. But Carstens consistently delivers intricate, twisty-turny plotting and gripping courtroom drama that keeps the stakes high even as Marc’s personal life stabilizes. The cases grow more complex as Marc’s skills sharpen, involving personalities and crimes that would have been beyond his reach in earlier volumes. The target on his back isn’t metaphorical—representing the kind of clients Marc now attracts means making powerful enemies who don’t limit their opposition to the courtroom. 🎯

Carstens writes legal mysteries that appeal to both classic and noir readers, combining the intellectual satisfaction of legal strategy with the darker elements of criminal defense work. Marc represents defendants who are often guilty, sometimes sympathetic, and always complicated. The evolution of his relationship with Maddy adds emotional depth without softening the hard edges of cases involving organized crime, political corruption, and violence. The intricate plotting ensures that even as Marc gains experience, the cases never become easy or predictable—each volume in this collection presents new challenges that test both his legal skills and his survival instincts. 💼

What makes this collection essential: Four volumes of Marc Kadella mysteries means extensive courtroom drama and character development in one package. For readers who love legal thrillers with morally complex protagonists, intricate plots that reward attention, and courtroom scenes that capture the intellectual chess match of trial work, this delivers. Carstens has built a devoted following by writing defense attorney fiction that doesn’t shy away from the messy reality of representing criminals while maintaining genuine suspense about outcomes. Marc’s playing in the big leagues, and these volumes show both the rewards and the costs. 📚

Three women. Three reasons for coming to New York. One lifeline they never expected to find in each other. Cate has just been named features editor of Gloss, a high-end lifestyle magazine—a professional coup that comes with complications she never anticipated. Renee will do anything to nab the beauty editor position at the same magazine, but snide comments about her weight send her into a dangerous spiral involving black market diet pills that signal real danger ahead. Then there’s Abby, the third roommate who abruptly fled a seemingly happy life in the D.C. suburbs. No one knows what shattered her or why she ran. 👭Sarah Pekkanen understands that the richest stories aren’t always about romantic love—sometimes they’re about the complicated, essential bonds between women navigating career ambitions and personal demons in a city that promises everything and guarantees nothing. Cate discovers her dream job involves treacherous office politics. Renee’s quest for professional success becomes entangled with body image issues threatening her health. Abby’s mysterious past haunts her present. As their individual crises intersect and escalate, they discover that the support system they need has been living under the same roof all along. 🌆

What makes this essential women’s fiction: Pekkanen delivers the most compelling and true-to-life exploration of how women support each other through career chaos, health crises, and emotional trauma. This isn’t light city-girls-brunching fiction—it’s an honest examination of how hard it is to ask for help and how transformative it is when someone offers it anyway. For readers who love character-driven fiction about female friendship and the messy reality of building a life in New York, this delivers emotional depth and authentic relationships. Family secrets may shape us, but friendship can save us. 💪

For the Colleys of southeastern Missouri, the War Between the States is a plague that threatens devastation despite their avowed neutrality. Eighteen-year-old Adair Colley watches helplessly as the conflict tears her family apart and forces her and her sisters to flee. Then the treachery of a fellow traveler brings about her arrest, and she finds herself caged with the criminal and deranged in a filthy women’s prison—punished not for any crime, but simply for existing in a war zone where neutrality is treated as treason. ⚔️But even in a place of horror and despair, love finds a way. Adair’s interrogator, a Union major, falls in love with her and before leaving for battle bestows upon her the precious gift of freedom. Now an escaped “enemy woman” with no papers and no protection, Adair must make her harrowing way south through a landscape torn apart by war, buoyed only by a promise from a man who may not survive to keep it, seeking a home and family that may be nothing more than memory. 💔

What makes this a powerful read: Paulette Jiles illuminates a forgotten aspect of the Civil War—the women who were imprisoned and punished for their family connections or refusal to pledge allegiance. The novel explores how war destroys entire communities, how neutrality becomes impossible when both sides demand loyalty, and how love can survive even brutal circumstances. For readers who appreciate historical fiction focusing on untold stories, strong female protagonists, and romances that feel earned rather than easy, this delivers emotional resonance and historical authenticity. Jiles doesn’t romanticize the war or Adair’s journey—this is survival fiction where being in the wrong place at the wrong time means imprisonment or death. 📖

Ottilie Oakcroft never imagined living in a place like Wordsworth Cottage—a charming home nestled close to the river in tiny Thimblebury, where all her patients are just a stone’s throw from her front door. As the village nurse, she finds herself ignoring unpacked suitcases in favor of cups of tea and cozy chats with neighbors. After her husband Josh’s death left her heartbroken, offering advice and hot soup to villagers who need a helping hand gives Ottilie a sense of purpose she desperately needed. Tilly Tennant understands that healing others can be the first step toward healing yourself. 🏡Then disaster strikes. A terrible storm floods Ottilie’s ramshackle cottage, threatening the home she’s sunk every penny into. Faced with losing everything, Ottilie discovers the village refuses to let her face this crisis alone. The villagers rally to save her house, led by handsome Heath, who rolls up his sleeves to help with repairs. As they work together, Ottilie and Heath begin opening up about their losses—she shares her grief over Josh, and he reveals the pain of a marriage that ended in heartbreak. 💔

What makes this a heartwarming must-read: Tennant delivers small-town romance that earns its emotional beats through genuine character development and community support. This isn’t just about falling in love—it’s about learning to live again after loss, accepting help after spending so long being the helper, and finding home in unexpected places. For readers who love British village settings, second-chance romance, and stories where the entire community becomes invested in the protagonist’s happiness, this offers warmth, hope, and the satisfying journey from grief to new beginnings. Could Heath be the man to make Ottilie feel life is worth living again—not just for her patients, but for herself? ☕

Two families. A small munitions factory. A global empire built on bloodshed and ambition. Taylor Caldwell’s sweeping saga spans from 1837 to the eve of World War I, chronicling how Joseph Barbour immigrates to America with his family to make his fortune in the nascent artillery business. A man of ruthless vision, Joseph foresees wars won not with courage but by nations with superior firearms. While his wife Hilda longs to return to England and his younger son Martin is sensitive and troubled, Joseph partners with Armand Bouchard to form Barbour & Bouchard, a gunpowder firm that will grow into a dynasty built on death. 💰The real engine of the story is Ernest, Joseph’s older son—ruthless, ambitious, and utterly without conscience. As years pass, Ernest proves himself invaluable to the growing weapons empire, taking what he wants with violence and cruelty that terrifies his brother Martin. Beautiful Amy Drumhill continues to elude him, becoming the catalyst in a war that will estrange the brothers forever and leave Ernest haunted by blood on his hands. Caldwell traces the psychological and moral cost of building fortunes on instruments of destruction. 🏭

What makes this epic and unforgettable: Caldwell delivers a family saga spanning decades that asks uncomfortable questions about the price of wealth and power. The munitions industry backdrop gives the story moral weight—these families profit from human death, and Caldwell never lets readers forget it. For fans of sweeping historical fiction like The Thorn Birds or The Winds of War, this offers intimate family drama on a broad historical canvas, with the added bite of exploring how American industrial dynasties were built on morally questionable foundations. The partnership between the Barbour and Bouchard families becomes a microcosm of American industrial ambition—the willingness to profit from human suffering on a massive scale. 📚

Elizabeth Abbott has survived heartbreak at the hands of her deceitful ex-husband and is determined to provide a happy, stable life for her daughter. That’s exactly why she should stay away from Travis Haynes, the sheriff of Glenwood, with his trademark Stetson and sexy smile. Susan Mallery launches her beloved Hometown Heartbreakers series with a single mom who’s built walls around her heart for very good reasons and a legendary lawman who makes her want to tear those walls down. With all of her broken heart, Elizabeth longs to trust Travis, to let him past the defenses she’s constructed so carefully. But will her shattered past forever hold her hostage, even from a love that could make her whole? 💕Mallery understands that the hardest romances to write are where the heroine’s reluctance is completely justified. Elizabeth isn’t playing games—she’s protecting herself and her daughter from further hurt. Her ex-husband’s betrayal didn’t just break her heart; it shattered her ability to trust her judgment about men. Enter Travis, who represents everything she wants and everything she’s afraid to reach for: stability, kindness, a man who sees her daughter as a blessing rather than baggage. The Stetson and sexy smile catch her attention, but it’s his consistency, respect for boundaries, and genuine affection for her daughter that slowly break through her defenses. 🌟

What makes this a perfect series starter: Mallery delivers single-parent romance with emotional depth and a hero who understands that loving a woman with a child means committing to both of them. For readers who love protective sheriffs, heroines healing from past trauma, and romance that acknowledges love requires courage, this hits every satisfying note. Elizabeth’s journey from self-protection to self-permission—allowing herself to want happiness again—is beautifully rendered, making this not just romance but a story about reclaiming life after betrayal. 💖

Tasty. Healthy. Plant-based. Protein-packed. Foodie influencer, vegan nutrition coach, ultra-marathon runner, and personal trainer Gigi Grassia merges her love of cooking with her expertise in fueling an active lifestyle powered entirely by plants. The challenge for many people considering plant-based eating is the protein question—how do you get enough without relying on animal products? Grassia demystifies how protein works and shows how easily we can incorporate it into our diets through strategic ingredient choices and creative cooking. This isn’t about sad salads or boring tofu—it’s about chocolate brownie protein baked oats, harissa tofu ciabatta, and sneaky protein coffee chocolate mousse. 💪The cookbook opens with practical foundations: a handy list of pantry and fridge staples that form the building blocks of high-protein vegan cooking, plus tips for batch-cooking to get organized for busy weeks. Then come the 80+ recipes proving plant protein can be just as satisfying and varied as any omnivorous diet: corn fritters with smoky baked beans and avo smash, sweet potato gochujang soup with crispy chickpeas, marry me lentils, butter tofu curry, and smoky three-bean chili no carne. Every recipe is designed to deliver both nutrition and flavor. 🌱

What makes this cookbook essential: Grassia bridges the gap between athletic nutrition and plant-based eating, proving you can fuel serious physical activity without animal products. As an ultra-marathon runner and personal trainer, she’s not theorizing—she’s living it at the highest level of athletic performance. For anyone concerned about protein on a vegan diet—whether you’re an athlete, trying to build muscle, or just want to feel satiated—this provides both nutritional foundation and practical recipes to make it work. The combination of batch-cooking tips and genuinely appealing recipes makes this useful for both vegan veterans and people just exploring plant-based eating. 🥗