Bøger udgivet af Crooked Lane Books

Orphaned young and raised with chilly indifference at an all-boys boarding school, Bronte Ellis has grown up stifled by rigid rules and social "norms," forbidden from expressing his gender identity. His beloved novels and period films lend an escape, until a position as a live-in tutor provides him with a chance to leave St. Mary's behind. Greenwood Manor is the kind of elegant country house Bron has only read about, and amid lavish parties and cricket matches, the Edwards family welcomes him into the household with true warmth. Mr. Edwards and the young Ada, Bron's pupil, accept without question that Bron's gender presentation is not traditionally masculine. Only Darcy, the eldest son, seems uncomfortable with Bron--the two of them couldn't be more opposite. When a tragic fire blazes through the estate's idyllic peace, Bron begins to sense dark secrets smoldering beneath Greenwood Manor's surface. Channeling the heroines of his cherished paperbacks, he begins to sift through the wreckage. Soon, he's not sure what to believe, especially with his increasing attraction to Darcy clouding his vision.

In the third installment of the Caribbean Kitchen mysteries, for fans of Mia P. Manansala , Miriam Quiñones, cooking show sensation and amateur sleuth, has sand between her toes and a murderer nipping at her heels.A surprise trip to Miriam's parents in Punta Cana, which should be filled with arroz con pollo and breezy days under the tamarind tree, quickly becomes a hunt for a possible property saboteur. But before Miriam can begin to uncover the person damaging the vacation rentals her parents manage, she’s called away to Puerto Rico to film a Three Kings Day special. She's welcomed to the blue ballast-stone streets of Old San Juan by crime scene tape, and things only get worse from there.An anonymous personal gift on Miriam's doorstep on New Year's Eve screams stalker, and the 400-year-old guesthouse creaks and moans like there is something trapped in its walls. Luckily, her BFF, Alma, and their mutual friend Jorge are in town to keep her distracted between filming cultural segments for the network. But private chef tables and spa days come to an abrupt halt when Jorge's telenovela heartthrob novio goes missing. And there is something worrisome about Alma's too-perfect boyfriend--specifically, his duffle bag full of cash.Will demon masks, African drumbeats, and dark alleys lead to Miriam's demise? Or will the mysterious events come together like the delicious layers of a pastelón?

"Spring, 1890. The long New York winter is over, the buds are blossoming, and romance is in the air. But not all's right in Gilded-Age Manhattan. Genevieve, a society journalist, and her fiancâe, Daniel, are working with photographer Dagmar Hansen on an investigation into the House of Refuge, a children's workhouse, inspired by Daniel's near incarceration when he was young. Genevieve is also working on her own piece for the Globe about the Sunflower Mission House, which burned down in a suspicious fire. When a blaze consumes Dagmar's studio-and Genevieve barely escapes with her life in another-Daniel urges her to stop her investigation. But Genevieve is determined to finish the story, and her leads take her deep into the heart of the Bowery. When Genevieve suddenly goes missing, Daniel searches the city in a desperate effort to find her. When their new Fifth Avenue home is also set ablaze, Daniel fears the worst. Someone has their sights on Genevieve-and if she can't escape, she could be the next to go up in flames"--

Perfect for fans of Wendy Walker and Samantha Downing, in this thrilling domestic suspense novel, a woman fights to hide her secrets as her life's idyllic façade begins to fall apart.Cape Morgan, Maine, is the utopian ideal for a charmed life, and Beatrice Wicker knows it. The multi-million-dollar house on the sea coast. The joint bank accounts. The safety and security that go along with being married to an esteemed architect and community leader. The scenic coastline, perfect for her ambitious plan to turn an abandoned asylum into an artists’ retreat. So what if her husband sneaks off to see his second family now and again? Beatrice is willing to look the other way. It’s simply the price she must pay to keep their life together.Josh doesn’t realize that Beatrice knows about his other life. That’s just one of Beatrice’s secrets. And now, that truth—along with a deadly host of other secrets from the past—is about to upend their false paradise.When there’s an explosion at the local elementary school playground, and a two-year-old boy is abducted, it doesn’t take Beatrice long to make the connection between the missing boy and her husband. It was the son from Josh’s other life who was kidnapped, and Josh can’t do anything about it without revealing the truth.Helping Josh find his son would destroy the façade of her perfect marriage and could put more children’s lives in danger. But that’s not all. It would reveal her deeper secret: Beatrice Wicker is not who she claims to be.

"Tabby Winslow will help her twin sister Sage with anything and everything--and that includes putting out the flames of suspicion when Sage's boss is found murdered. Soon, Tabby realizes that this is just one of the many problems they have. If being a suspect for murder wasn't enough, there are more magical problems that they have to fix: Sage's boyfriend is having a paranormal experience of his own he can't control, there's an energy vampire searching for his supposedly lost cousin, her cat suddenly dislikes her, and oh--every time Tabby hiccups, she turns completely invisible. The suspect list grows with each day and it seems everyone has a reason or a connection to Loren Lee." --

Southern California is where dreams come true-or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That's not the only thing she has to worry about--she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookshop that she didn't outline for her life's story: the dead body of a book-buying customer. After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she's left with more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn't look good. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners, but for all the wrong reasons - curious tourists don't want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer. Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she's going to have get creative--and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.

"While back on tribal land, Mud Sawpole uncovers an illegal fracking operation underway that threatens the Kiowas' ancestral homeland. But there's an even greater threat: a local businessman involved in artifact thefts is murdered, and a respected tribe elder faces accusation of the crime. After being roped in by her cousin Denny, they begin to investigate the death while also pursuing evidence to permanently stop frackers from destroying Kiowa land, water, and livelihoods"--

"Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School's reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn't play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night. Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect--someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She'll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him. But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can't melt under the pressure--they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory."--

In the vein of Kathleen Barber and Julia Heaberlin comes an electrifying debut suspense that pits the inhabitants of a small town against each other.Nine years ago, July Weaver’s little sister was one of the first victims of the Pacific Lake Killer, a serial killer in Georgia. When other girls began to disappear and were found dead, it was July’s testimony that put her own father into prison for the crimes. After the sentencing, she fled to Nashville to focus on her music career and to try to forget the horrible past. But when her brother tries to kill himself, July is forced to come back home and reunite with her four remaining siblings.What she isn’t expecting is to uncover new evidence that makes her question everything that happened to her sister nine years ago. Is it possible that July blamed the wrong person? Is it possible that the Pacific Lake Killer is still out there? As the linchpin to the case against her father—and the reason the Pacific Lake Killer case is closed—July knows it isn’t long before the killer will set their eyes back on her.If they’re really still out there.

"Annie Hamilton is a single mother of two and veterinarian whose family is on the verge of falling apart. Her husband has passed away, her teenage son is finding trouble at every turn, and she's desperately struggling to keep it all together. When she decides to leave the city for Fortune's Cove in a last-ditch search for peace and togetherness, she's welcomed by her late husband's best friend, Matt-a friend who swore he'd always be there for them. Surrounded by majestic ocean, the island's famous red sand dunes, and a glowing holiday spirit, Annie and her family are embraced by a warm community more than willing to welcome them. As she joins Matt's veterinary practice and her son begins to stabilize, Annie feels hopeful for the future, beginning to realize that true family is all about love and not just about blood. Annie could never have imagined that a thousand hundred miles from the city could feel the closest to home that she's ever been. But this cozy enclave harbors a trove of secrets that could undo the life of a vulnerable young woman. When the past threatens the family Annie is rebuilding, she finds the courage to fiercely protect all of them-and discovers just how far she'll go to save her family and herself"--

"Perfect for fans of Sonali Dev and Uzma Jalaluddin, Noreen Mughees's immersive debut novel reunites star-crossed childhood sweethearts against all odds, only for their second chance to clash with theiir parents strict beliefs."--Publisher's description.

"When a dying elderly man makes a deathbed confession too unbelievable to be true, journalist Heloise Kaldan becomes immersed in a dark and complicated investigation connected to a string of decades-old disappearances, and with everyone lying to her, turns to her friend, detective inspector Erik Schèafer for help."--

"Contains darker thematic material including references to sexual assault, on page emotional and physical abuse, suicide, and graphic violence. Please read with care."

Returning home with her young son, Blue Shea, settling back into the community, is drawn time and time again to Enzo Castellari, her forbidden first love, and together they fight to find out the truth behind the destructive clash between their families to put the past behind them.

Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Ashley Weaver, the second Pinnacle Hotel mystery finds another murder that strikes too close to home, and hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy knows she’s the only one who can save the hotel before it’s lights out.New York, 1958. Even though Evelyn Murphy has made progress conquering her agoraphobia by leaving the Pinnacle, she still feels most comfortable in her father's hotel. With Malcolm Cooper, her new boyfriend and fellow employee at the hotel, Evelyn feels prepared for whatever happens next. In this case, it’s throwing a big fundraiser with the who’s who of New York City.The night is a success, and Evelyn finally takes up Malcolm’s offer to finally visit his apartment in Yonkers. As the party ends, they sneak away to the garage to get Evelyn's car. But Evelyn's always been good at finding things, and she discovers the dead body of a guest, Judge Baker, in a car—with a needle in his arm.Detective Hodgson and his new partner, Detective McJimsey, arrive on the scene, but before they can begin to question Evelyn, they are startled by another mysterious discovery: there’s a woman in the trunk of the car, and she screams as soon as she sees Evelyn’s face. Tangled up in the police investigation, Evelyn’s got another problem, too—her father insists she break off her relationship with Mac. The next day, her father is found attacked just like the judge, only this time the detectives find a dead woman nearby.With Mac accused of the attacks and in police custody, Evelyn will have to find the killer on her own before she’s checked out of the hotel—this time, for good.

"Carrie Singleton has more than her fair share on her plate: her job at the Clover Ridge Library, preparing for her wedding to Dylan Avery, and hoping that the local art gallery doesn't steal away one of her part-time employees. Her fiancâe Dylan accompanies her to the beautiful home of Victor Zalinka art collector and successful businessman to select paintings for an art show at the library. While Carrie muses that Victor's home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor's collection. Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. With the assistance of Evelyn, the library ghost; the resident cat, Smoky Joe; and the office manager of Dylan's private investigation company, Carrie comes up with a suspect list long enough to rival the size of an encyclopedia. During her investigation, Carrie stumbles across a terrible truth: Martha's murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. And it all leads back to the art gallery. How far will Carrie go to find the killer and uncover the truth? If the killer finds her first will Carrie finally be taken out of circulation?"--

"The annual fishing tournament and festival in Hokes Folly, North Carolina, is the high-water mark event of the year. Antiquarian bookseller Jenna Quinn, owner of the Twice Upon a Time bookstore, is ready to catch some new customers with her fishing-themed book display at the festival. That is, she was...until a local author was found dead in his booth. All fingers point to Frank Sutter, a former detective with the police department. His soon-to-be ex-wife had been dating the victim, and Frank had been seen having an argument with him earlier that day. When Keith Logan, Jenna's boyfriend and detective with the local police, asks Jenna for help to solve the case, she's shocked. Frank was Keith's former partner and someone who had been determined to pin more than one murder on Jenna. Frank doesn't want Jenna's help any more than Jenna wants to help him, but the two will have to put aside their animosity for each other if they want to reel in the killer. This bookselling sleuth knows she will have to cast a wide net in order to catch the killer, even if means dangerously luring them in. Will her novel idea help her catch the killer, or is she bound for a more deadly ending?"--Provided by publisher.

In the tradition of Barbara Kingsolver and perfect for fans of Mostly Dead Things, in this powerful debut novel, a young woman searches for the truth about her childhood, and what she finds forever alters her beliefs about home, identity, and family.Sky Fielder is a typical college student, except that she is a product of the foster care system, lives in a halfway house, and meets with her caseworker on a weekly basis. While failing to balance her grades and erratic social life, she receives a call from a hospital, asking her to make medical decisions for her brother Ben—who died more than a decade before.  The call must be a scam, and besides, Sky has a new life now. None of her classmates know about her desperate and feral childhood in West Texas, where her brother kept her mind off hunger with adventures along the riverbeds and cliffs surrounding their trailer—or about the rash decision that cost him his life and almost ended hers.In fact, only one person truly knows Sky, because it’s her job. But Sky’s assigned caseworker, Laura, is an employee of social services, which surely means she can’t be trusted. As Laura helps Sky unravel the mysteries surrounding the man in the hospital, Sky remembers the risks it takes to love and be loved. When the past and the present collide   and long-kept secrets are revealed, Sky must decide how far she’s willing to go to have a home and family again.   The Wind Will Catch You is an eye-opening, gritty, and hopeful novel by GLAAD media award nominee Michelle Theall about upheaval and resilience, forgiveness and family, love and unexpected allies, all set in motion by issues of social justice and a broken American foster care system.

Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to a quiet Christmastide away from the schemes and secrets she witnessed daily in London. Not only will she be visiting the family of her late husband, she will be reunited with Captain Jack Hartley, her friend and confidante, finally returned after a long voyage at sea. But secrets aren't only found in London. Jack's younger sister Amelia is the center of neighborhood scandal and gossip. She refuses to tell anyone what really happened, even when an unexpected snowstorm strands the neighborhood families together after a Christmas ball.

Perfect for fans of Paige Shelton, an Alaskan tour guide is bracing for winter when she realizes that the wolves aren’t the only predators on the prowl.With boat tours off the coast of Alaska shut down for the winter, tour guide Stacie Calder is joining the dedicated team at the Juneau Wildlife World, a wild animal sanctuary.  Along with Sasha, her husky companion, she’s prepared to spend the long season in the scenic park. But not everyone is so chipper about the newcomers—least of all, Stacie’s new manager, Oliver Brownling. He constantly gives Stacie a hard time, specifically because she brought Sasha along with her. That is, until his mauled body is found in a remote part of the sanctuary containing wolves.When it becomes clear that a human was responsible for the brutal murder, all eyes are on Stacie. Encouraged by her friend, Officer Liam Amaruq of the Alaskan State Troopers, Stacie is resolved to find the murderer but knows that her investigation will be difficult with the long suspect list she’s made. Did the sanctuary director plot to get rid of Oliver? Or maybe it was one of Oliver's coworkers, upset over a missed promotion? Stacie wonders about some of the newer employees, especially since Oliver’s personality made it easy to make enemies.With the weather worsening, Stacie and Sasha are forced to stay at the sanctuary with the wolves—and her colleagues. As the storm gets worse, it’s clear that this killer has a taste for blood and may strike again. Will Stacie be able to find the murderer, or will the hunter become the hunted?

"Adam is having a hard time adjusting to the stay-at-home-dad life. The sleepless nights and the constant diaper changing are not what he expected after he was abruptly fired from his job. Then again, Adam wasn't prepared for his relationship with his wife Sarah to slowly come apart at the seams either. One thing, however, keeps him going--his growing obsession with his neighbor, Ali. But one night, something changes. While staying up with his baby, instead of seeing Ali in the window across the way, he sees her ex-boyfriend, Crispin, lurking around her house before disappearing within. When Adam hears that Ali doesn't show up for work the next day, and she doesn't seem to be home, he fears the worst--that she's been abducted, or possibly killed. His search for the truth will lead Adam on a path filled with deceit and lies. Adam knows the answers are lurking somewhere in the shadows of his small suburban town--the trouble is, the truth is hard to find when everyone has something to hide"--

When Camille Taylor's husband dies unexpectedly, the carefully constructed life she worked so hard to build in Washington, DC, shatters. After struggling for almost a year, she reaches a breaking point, packs up her daughter, and heads for the Alabama coast where she grew up. The salt air and slow rhythms of the coast soothe Camille's spirit, but when she meets local fisherman Mack Phillips, she learns that things have changed in her hometown. Runoff from an abandoned development site is polluting the water, and Mack has brought a suit against the site's owners--Camille's father among them.

"As a child, Faith acquired the ability to see when and how people would die--a "gift" she neither wanted nor could get rid of. After foreseeing a family tragedy and being ostracized, Faith learns to control her visions, and returns to perform in her family's traveling carnival. But when an unruly customer attacks her, she has a vision in full view of a crowd. She is banned from the carnival she loves--and loses her only source of income to support her dying mother. Desperate to support her mother and with only one friend standing by her, she sees no reason to continue hiding her ability and goes to dangerous lengths to earn money. But when she sees herself in a man's future death, Faith must face her own fears of her powers and tune into her gift to fight against a future that would ruin her life--and end someone else's" --

"Seven courses, seven guests, twenty-four hours that will obliterate everything. When recent NYC transplant Liz Brinkley and her husband are invited to an exclusive soiree by their neighbor, 'lifestyle guru' Britta Harris-Che, Liz's immediate thought is hell no. Britta is insufferable, and Liz is wary to leave her young children with a barely teenage babysiter.And yet she RSVPs anyway, trying to extend an olive branch to her withdrawing husband, who seems desperate to get in with the cliquey elite. They've barely made it through their first round of champagne when a 'red alert' comes through their phones, and every channel on the television tells the same story: strange atmospheric masses, reported to look like 'glimmering clouds,' have been spreading through major US cities and killing anyone they touch. Authorities have just one clear directive: Find shelter. Immediately. A collective panic seizes the dinner party; all the guests have children at home. In the mad dash to their cars, they see it: a shimmer net floating over the town. The street is littered with wrecked cars and dead bodies. Leaving now is not an option. Instead, the group launches into survival mode, grabbing supplies to take shelter in the hosts' wine cellar. But everyone has very different opinions about the best plan from there. Liz becomes increasingly willing to do anything it takes to get back to her children. As the glimmering clouds continue to kill anyone who steps outside, the tensions and suspicions among the party guests near a boiling point. But she begins to realize that there may be others in that cellar even more desperate than she is." -- Jacket fla

"Ever since she moved to Raven Creek, Washington, Phoebe Winchester knew she would have to grow accustomed to having a lot on her plate. She's beginning to make the Victorian manor she inherited from her dear and adventurous Aunt Eudora feel more like home, successfully running the bookstore and tea shop, The Earl's Study, and learning to harness her recently discovered magical powers. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale--even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much. Rumors of Phoebe's involvement force her to take action; she needs to find the killer and clear her own name, once again. She enlists Rich Lofting, the handsome private detective and her childhood friend, in her investigation, all while she sorts out her unresolved feelings for him. Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out? With a dash of magic, a pinch of sleuthing skills, and a spoonful of friendly assistance, Phoebe needs to uncover the killer to keep Raven Creek safe once again. But if she doesn't--will she find herself in even more hot water?"--

FULLY REVISED AND UPDATEDNational BestsellerWinner of the Canadian Authors Association Birks Family Foundation Award for BiographyFinalist for the Writers' Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political WritingThe investigation that helped Truscott get a new appeal.In 1959, a popular schoolboy, just 14 years old, was convicted and sentenced to hang for the rape and murder of his 12-year-old classmate. That summer, Canada lost its innocence and the shocking story of Steven Truscott became imprinted on the nation's memory. First published in 2001, "Until You Are Dead” revealed new witnesses, leads and evidence never presented to the courts. Now this national bestseller is fully revised and updated, and takes readers from that fateful night in 1959 up to the new appeal granted to Truscott in 2006. Julian Sher's award-winning and insightful chronicle details Steven Truscott's dramatic final battle - with the help of his family, investigative journalists and lawyers - to clear his name once and for all.

The hotel was her refuge, but scandal is afoot—and a killer stalks the halls in this charming series debut perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Ashley Weaver.It’s 1958 and Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy has not left the Pinnacle Hotel in fourteen months. She suffers from agoraphobia, and what’s more, it’s her father’s hotel, and everything she needs is there. Evelyn’s always been good at finding things, she discovered her mother dead in a Manhattan alleyway fifteen years earlier. Now she’s finding trouble inside her sanctuary. At a party for artist Billie Bell, his newest work is stolen, and Evelyn’s fake boyfriend (and real best friend), movie star Henry Fox, is accused of the theft. But just as Evelyn sets out to prove Henry’s innocence, she finds Billie Bell dead. The murder weapon links the crime to the hotel’s chief of security. But why would he use a knife with his initials on the handle? With her beloved home in disarray, Evelyn joins up with hotel employee (and her secret crush) Mac Cooper to get to the bottom of the case. As Mac picks locks and Evelyn snoops around the hotel, they discover the walls around them contain more secrets than they previously knew. Now, Evelyn must force herself to leave the hotel to follow the clues—but when she and Mac set off to chase a lead, their car crashes and they barely escape with their lives. Someone snipped Evelyn’s brake lines, and now the stakes have become dangerously high. Evelyn’s knack for sleuthing—and her playful imagination—are always hard at work, and she throws an elaborate party at the hotel where every guest is a suspect. But will the killer emerge from the glamorous lineup? If not, Evelyn just might find herself…next in line for murder.