Bøger af Steve Leadley

Like many wealthy Philadelphians of the Victorian Era, seventeen year old Kate MacIntyre, her younger sister Julia and their Aunt Clementine have decided to holiday in Cape May. Kate and Julia are excited about the prospect of a delightful summer in the seaside resort, but their aunt has a special purpose: to find Kate a husband from amongst the upper class vacationers. When the handsome aristocrat Frederick Van Riem shows an interest in Kate, Aunt Clementine is ecstatic. However, Kate also meets and enterprising young man from the working class. As she struggles to sort out her feelings about the two men, Kate discovers that all is not what it seems. Kate's romantic adventure comes to a dramatic conclusion amidst the great fire that threatened to consume Cape May in 1878. VISIT STEVE LEADLEY'S WEBSITE: www.steveleadleyauthorpage.weebly.com

Karen Chirelli is a very somber young lady. Although the Christmas holiday should be a joyous time of year, the pandemic quarantine has left the college student confined and alone. As the gloomy girl tries her best to keep up her spirits a mysterious present appears on her doorstep: an old book entitled The Gift of Christmas. Karen begins to read the volume and becomes immersed in its uplifting and inspirational content but little does she realize that the book holds a special magic--one that will involve her directly-- and enlighten her to the true "gift of Christmas."

Could the mysterious death of a young woman hold the key to the outcome of the American Revolution?In the summer of 1777 British general John Burgoyne aspires to execute an elaborate plan to grab control of New York State thereby driving a wedge between New England and the rest of the colonies. If successful, the stratagem could doom the idealistic rebellion. However, north of Albany the general's Indian scouts return to camp with the scalp of a young woman, Jane McCrea. They claim that they only took the scalp after the colonial militia accidentally killed her but the Americans contend that the Indians have committed murder-- proving that the British have no control over their Indian allies who are bent on savaging women and children. If the American claim is true, the girl's murder could be a powerful tool in recruiting men to the cause and stopping General Burgoyne. For this reason General Washington sends the eccentric and enigmatic Mr. Fox to the region to determine the truth. Fox is an urbane Quaker allegedly committed to pacifism, but is also a skilled woodsman and Indian fighter. The bizarre contradiction of Mr. Fox both intrigues and exasperates Captain Shelby, the young officer sent to aid in the investigation. Before long attempts are made on the lives of the investigators and it becomes apparent that there is more to the girl's death then anyone had supposed. Fox and Shelby follow clues and fight off would be assassins as they piece together the true facts of the girl's demise-- a truth that could indeed turn the tide of the war in favor of the Americans.Praise for The Saratoga Deception: "The Saratoga Deception is a magnificent work. Leadley takes an intriguing subject in American history and seamlessly blends in a wonderfully thrilling mystery. This ability to artfully interweave fact and fiction not only keeps the reader captivated, but educates as well."--Professor Sean McHugh, Monmouth UniversityIF YOU ENJOY THIS STORY, CHECK OUT THE NEXT FOX/SHELBY MYSTERY--SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH. ---Beach Reeds Publishing Check out other books by Steve Leadley at: www.steveleadleyauthorpage.weebly.com

When a young prodigy in 1850s Virginia begins to question the morality of slavery, will he have the fortitude to take action? Gideon Covington is embroiled in the bloody siege at Vicksburg during the Civil War and is not confident that he will survive the battle. He has therefore decided to reveal the extraordinary events that brought him here. Gideon's tale begins when he is twelve years old. The boy is considered to be a genius and although he longs for a university education, he seems destined to remain in rural Virginia as he is heir to the ancestral plantation. Family tragedy accelerates his fate and his hope to further his education begins to evaporate. Fortunately he finds a mentor in a visiting professor. The lessons of the eccentric teacher are academic in nature, but so thought provoking that Gideon begins to do the unimaginable for a Southerner: question the morality of slavery. However, these lessons are interrupted when the owner of a neighboring plantation dies under suspicious circumstances. Under the professor's tutelage, Gideon investigates the death using the stories of Edgar Allan Poe as a model. The culmination of the mystery leads the boy to confront not only the murderer, but the institution of slavery itself. VISIT STEVE LEADLEY'S WEBSITE: www.steveleadleyauthorpage.weebly.com

SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH- A sequel to The Saratoga Deception November 1777- A double agent working under the Governor of Connecticut is murdered, but not before muttering a cryptic phrase: "French mission... Charts... Passage below structure..." Who killed the spy? Was his position compromised? Had he stumbled upon a secret too vital to allow him to live? What is the meaning behind the man's dying words? These vexing questions prompt the governor to appeal to his friend General Washington for aid. The Commander-in-Chief assigns the task to the men who had solved the puzzling murder of Jane McCrae before the Battle of Saratoga. Again Captain Shelby and Mr. Fox follow clues and cheat death to unravel a truth that could impact the outcome of the American Revolution.Read further adventures of our heroes in MURDER AT VALLEY FORGE and the short story NOTEWORTHY.

Could the mysterious murder of a British diplomat decide America's role in Word War I? Winter 1917- The Great War has been raging in Europe for two and a half years. The United States has struggled to maintain its neutrality; it's idealistic President longing to mediate an end to the horrific conflict. However when a British embassy worker is murdered in Washington D.C., the American position becomes even more tenuous. With uncanny political instinct Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt realizes that the crime could hold a secret with international implications. He therefore calls in covert agent Frank Wells, a man who is tenacious to the point of obsession. As Agent Wells investigates, he uncovers a tangled web of espionage and intrigue that could shake American diplomacy to its foundations-- if he lives to present his findings.

Wildwood, summer of 1960! It's the heyday of rock and roll and there's no place quite like Wildwood. By day vacationers soak up the sun on the beautiful beaches and by night they thrill to the sights and sounds of the boardwalk or frequent the clubs where the nation's top singers and comedians perform. But has something sinister reared its head in this wondrous playground? When an aspiring vocalist disappears, Rick Walker, a former military policeman is tasked with finding out what happened. Join Rick and his friends from South Philadelphia in a nostalgic romp through the Wildwood of yesteryear as they try to solve the mystery of what became of Johnny Taylor.