Mystery Writing Suspense

When Jack’s car breaks down in the middle of a cross-country road trip, the mysterious house at the top of the hill is a beacon of hope. If he can borrow a phone to call for help, he’ll be on his way in no time. But someone - or something - has other plans. Soon, Jack finds himself trapped in a nightmare that defies logic, where a depraved killer on the loose is the least of his problems. Will Jack escape before it’s too late?

Introducing Jack West a tenacious Houston Homicide Detective, a man who believes even the dregs of society deserve justice. After solving an exhausting murder case involving teenagers, Jack and his partner, Dawson Luck are assigned a cold case dating back 25 years. One case: an unsolved murder of a woman, found dead behind a seedy motel; the other about a missing prostitute. Digging into the cases, a fresh murder case is called in. A wealthy couple is found dead in an affluent residential area. It appears to be a murder- suicide and this new case takes precedence.

Gemma never expected to be invited to a total stranger’s will reading, and she’s even more baffled when she receives a vintage set of encyclopaedias and a letter with strict instructions to read it in private. The letter contains a cryptic code; a long sequence of numbers. Wanting to keep a promise to his late wife, but also unburden his conscience, the deceased man wanted to expose a long-hidden family secret connected to a sixty-year-old unsolved murder. Gemma, the owner of The Bookworm Bookshop and her sharp-witted business partner, Mavis, must solve the code and uncover the truth.

Jane Roland and her painter friends are looking forward to a busy, fun-filled holiday season at the town's art center—watercolor exhibits, concerts, and a festive gala. But, when the screams of a child pierce the gaiety at the Halloween reception, Jane discovers a skeleton in the art closet. There's a dark history lurking below the center's charming exterior, and the deeper Jane digs into the secrets of the past, the more she realizes that art can be a deadly obsession.

Gemma loves the quiet life of her bookshop, the Bookworm—a haven for book lovers in a quaint town in the heart of Derbyshire. But everything changes when Gemma discovers the body of local author Dominic Westley during the shop’s latest book signing event. When the police rule the death as an accidental overdose, Dominic’s estranged widow points the finger at one of his past lovers. Gemma and her trusty assistant, Mavis, won’t rest until they uncover the truth. Was it an accidental overdose or something more sinister?

Houston Homicide Detective Jack West is back at work. A fresh case he's working might be connected to a murder case fellow detectives Chang and Severson are working. The medical examiner's report shows some similarities to each murder, but the victims are strangers with nothing in common. A third murder victim found under a bridge on the Buffalo Bayou confirms Houston has a serial killer on the loose. Three very diverse people are dead—are these hate crimes, and if so, how many more will die? The clock is ticking; Jack and his team need to catch this killer before another body shows up.

Unlock the Secrets of Fear. Master the Mechanics of Dread. Whether you’re crafting a pulse-pounding thriller or slow-burning supernatural horror, Writing Suspense and Horror is your complete guide to gripping your reader—and never letting go. This comprehensive handbook takes you deep into the psychology of fear and the structure of tension. Learn how to create unforgettable characters, build dread scene by scene, and design plots that twist, tighten, and terrify. From atmospheric worldbuilding to heart-stopping finales, this book covers everything from genre history to hands-on craft. ...

Grappling with an unplanned retirement and searching for purpose, former Special Agent Mick Nassau heads to Key West for a long-overdue break and finds himself in the path of a looming hurricane — and unexpected danger. What starts as a simple visit with his best friend, Jack, takes a dark turn when Jack is found critically injured aboard his boat under suspicious circumstances.

Cyrus Shelton has spent the last twenty-three years locked up in the Huntsville State Penitentiary with only one thing on his mind - revenge on the arresting detective, Frank Windom, and his lousy defense attorney, Jonell Simone. Now paroled and having learned Windom had the nerve to die, he sets his sights on Windom's former partner, Jack West.

Like other large cities, Miami, known for its beautiful beaches, night life, and cuisine, suffers from an ugly undercurrent of violence. AJ Docker is forced to face off with that subculture when a gang invades the emergency room and brutally murders one of his patients in front of him and threatens Doc himself. After he surmises that a woman and her young son may be next on the hit list, he and Banshee, his well-trained service dog, embark on a search for the killers to protect the innocent woman and child.

A #1 Amazon Best Seller Mystery Writing in a Nutshell Edgar Allan Poe Award Winner John McAleer & Andrew McAleer Edgar Allan Poe Award winner, Pulitzer Prize nominee, and best-selling author John McAleer, Ph.D. (Harvard), taught crime fiction at Boston College for nearly four decades, nurturing authors like George V. Higgins (The Friends of Eddie Coyle), Chuck Hogan (The Town), Margaret McLean (Whitey on Trial), Edward Hannibal (Blood Feud), James Devlin (Elmore Leonard), James F. Murphy, Jr. (Quonset) and Ted Murphy (the Belltown mysteries). Now, in Mystery Writing in a Nutshell, he and ...

Doing Time: For the prison writers whose work is included in this anthology, it means more than "serving a sentence"; it means staying alive and sane, preserving dignity, reinventing oneself, and somehow retaining one's humanity. For the last quarter century the prestigious writers' organization PEN has sponsored a contest for writers behind bars to help prisoners face these challenges. The contest honors the best short stories, plays, essays, and poems among hundreds submitted annually by men and women nationwide.

Julia Malmros is thriving. A former police officer making her way in the world of crime fiction, she’s turning popularity into fame by writing the next book in a world-renowned suspense series. To help her research, Julia connects with Kim Ribbing. More hacker than man, Kim bears a dark past that’s the very antithesis of the promising future she has planned for herself. They share an undeniable spark—yet it’s likely to implode. That’s the least of Julia’s worries. Hounded by publicity, Julia retreats to her cottage in the Stockholm archipelago.

Every night John Cabrelli relives the tragic events that ended his career. While struggling to find himself again, John inherits his uncle's cabin and returns to the lake where he spent much of his youth. Little does John know that danger waits for him when he uncovers suspicious circumstances of his uncle's death. Few people will talk about it as John unravels a mystery that could forever change the landscape.

Olivia is taken from the sidewalk near her college and thrown into a van. Her captors, who she soon discovers are vile, sadistic monsters, abuse her immediately, both mentally and physically. Then she is taken into a house, into a locked room, where everything is cotton candy pink. The pink furniture is designed with rounded edges and corners bolted to the floor, and the seams at the bolts melted. This is where the nightmare begins. She is now a part of their collection.

Nightshift clerk and high-functioning insomniac Jack is back to work, trying his best to keep out of trouble. But when his chain-smoking coworker discovers a mysterious radio signal revealing the guarded secrets of their town, Jack will learn that an annoying new dayshift manager is far from the worst of his problems. In this second installment of the Gas Station saga, Jack finds himself entangled in his most harrowing adventure yet.

Dulapa leaves to go to California, where he was raised. He meets the love of his life and must save the son of his mortal enemy. In the unseen world, the angels Grif and Miguel battle Doeg, the demon. The darkness of fear and death try to wreck his faith and poison his soul. He must battle mafia-connected drug lords, suspicious government agents, and Jim Prince, the ruthless wicked torturer—all to conquer impossible circumstances sacrificing everything for what really matters.

How to Write a Short Mystery Story: A Comprehensive Guide to Intrigue, Characters, and Clues reveals the secrets of compelling storytelling. This comprehensive guide shows aspiring writers how to create captivating short mysteries. Learn the fundamentals of the mystery genre, how to create an intriguing plot, and how to create complex characters. Learn how to plant clues and red herrings, keep the audience guessing, and deliver satisfying reveals. Explore the editing process to improve your narrative, develop your writing style, and successfully navigate the publishing process. Not only ...

When a craft fair turns deadly, Gemma and Mavis investigate a local man’s murder, unearthing many secrets. In the peaceful town of Belper, Derbyshire, Gemma, the owner of the Bookworm bookshop and café, and her trusted assistant Mavis are exhibiting books at the town’s annual fair. But the tranquillity of the town is shattered when the body of a local man is found in the church. A man is arrested amidst the chaos, and the evidence against him is compelling but Gemma and Mavis don’t buy it and set out to clear his name and uncover the truth.

Jane Roland and her painter friends are enrolled in a watercolor retreat at the picturesque Gardens and Horses Resort. They're looking forward to a week of sun-drenched landscapes, sleek racehorses, art instruction, and — best of all — laughter and conversation. Out for their first stroll, the women discover a dead thoroughbred in the pretty reflecting pool. Next evening, they find the handsome young stable man in the horse watering trough. Surely, there's a link between them?