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Shannon Delaney always lived in the shadow of her twin sister, Sarah. Sarah is brilliant, beautiful, and bound for Berkeley, while Shannon is unsure, overlooked, and heading nowhere fast. The only thing that’s ever been hers is Frankie—her best friend since fifth grade, the one boy who saw her for who she really was. But now Frankie is slipping away, drawn into Sarah’s orbit as they compete together in a high-stakes math tournament. Then something strange happens. A mysterious blue light glows from an old glass paperweight by Shannon’s bed, revealing ghostly visions—of snow, of love, of heartbreak. She tries to convince herself it’s just a dream, but the feeling won’t fade. The glass may be showing her the truth. As Shannon watches her world shift—her sister’s secrets, Frankie’s choices, her own unraveling sense of self—one thing becomes clear: the hardest truths aren’t always the ones others hide. They’re the ones buried inside.

Sebastian Reed is a young, handsome congressman, and heir to a political dynasty. Daria Stewart is the girl who got away. They have tried to forge their own paths and forget their time together on the campaign trail when Daria was the dedicated intern and Sebastian the dashing candidate. Daria escaped to Paris, Sebastian to Washington D.C. Years later, Sebastian has his sights set on the oval office when Daria walks into a high-society party on the arm of Sebastian’s troublesome younger brother, Garrison. In Secrets of the Potomac, author Kimberly Croft spins the tale of Daria and Sebastian as they navigate the dangerous political landscape of Washington D.C. and the path to power. How far will Sebastian go to keep Daria safe from his growing list of enemies?

Most books about Bob Dylan try to explain the man, decode the lyrics, or solve the mystery. Seeking Mirth and Beauty takes a different road. Kevin Kane is not interested in gossip, biography, or proving what Dylan “really meant.” Instead, he asks a stranger and more interesting question: why do certain songs work on us so deeply when they do not explain themselves at all? Written as a series of searching, personal, and often surprising musings, this book treats Dylan’s songs as works of art in their own right — not messages to be translated, but objects to be encountered. Like a painting, a sculpture, or a sudden memory, a song can stand outside ordinary explanation and still change the way we hear, feel, remember, and understand the world. Moving through Dylan, Shakespeare, abstract art, old records, memory, physics, faith, and the creative process itself, Kane reflects on how art separates from the artist, how songs become fixed in us, and how beauty and meaning often arrive without asking to be solved. This is not a biography of Bob Dylan. It is not a lyric guide. It is a book for readers who want to think deeply about music, art, memory, and the mysterious ways human beings make things that last. Seeking Mirth and Beauty is for anyone who has ever heard a song and felt that something permanent had entered the room.

Most books about Bob Dylan try to explain the man, decode the lyrics, or solve the mystery. Seeking Mirth and Beauty takes a different road. Kevin Kane is not interested in gossip, biography, or proving what Dylan “really meant.” Instead, he asks a stranger and more interesting question: why do certain songs work on us so deeply when they do not explain themselves at all? Written as a series of searching, personal, and often surprising musings, this book treats Dylan’s songs as works of art in their own right — not messages to be translated, but objects to be encountered. Like a painting, a sculpture, or a sudden memory, a song can stand outside ordinary explanation and still change the way we hear, feel, remember, and understand the world. Moving through Dylan, Shakespeare, abstract art, old records, memory, physics, faith, and the creative process itself, Kane reflects on how art separates from the artist, how songs become fixed in us, and how beauty and meaning often arrive without asking to be solved. This is not a biography of Bob Dylan. It is not a lyric guide. It is a book for readers who want to think deeply about music, art, memory, and the mysterious ways human beings make things that last. Seeking Mirth and Beauty is for anyone who has ever heard a song and felt that something permanent had entered the room.

In Shadow Lane, prolific short story writer David Dean examines the lives of children who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances. Nominated for the Edgar, Derringer, and Barry awards, as well as twice winning Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s prestigious Readers Award, Dean shows his command of short fiction and his attention to the plight of children left to their own devices. Shadow Lane is a collection of eleven stories that will make you think twice about turning your back on a child. An orphaned teenage girl living with her grandmother discovers something terrifying in the older woman’s past, and gains a new and terrible understanding of her own circumstances; a young boy trying to fill the emotional gap his father’s absence has left takes up stealing, but finds that some things are better left where they are; and a nine-year-old boy’s search for his missing friend turns murderous when he gets too close to the truth. These and other stories of children, both endangered and dangerous, fill the pages of this suspenseful collection.

Enrique Tavish owes Rosa Martinez a life. Months after fifteen-year-old Rosa helped save his abducted daughter, Enrique learns that Rosa has been sold into sexual slavery by her brother. Driven by gratitude, guilt, and an attraction he won’t admit, the high school principal slips secretly away to search the brothels of Nogales, unsure whether he can bring Rosa home, or even find her at all. Rosa refuses to remain a victim, but she has no intention of becoming Enrique’s grateful rescue. Fierce and calculating, she pulls him deeper into a violent struggle involving traffickers, gang loyalties, frightened children, and enemies who do not consider escape the end of an account. As Enrique risks his marriage, career, and life to protect her, he must confront the possibility that his heroism and his hunger come from the same dangerous place. Because the more Rosa claims the right to decide who she will become, the harder it is for him to deny what others can already see. She’s a Lot Like You is a relentless borderland crime novel about moral debt, desire, and the terrible difference between saving someone and believing you have the right to decide what their freedom should look like.

At 221B, the cases ended. Next door, the conversation never did. Sherlock Holmes belongs to the world now. For more than a century, readers, writers, actors, scholars, filmmakers, and devoted fans have carried the Great Detective far beyond the fogbound streets of Victorian London. They have argued over the canon, reconsidered Watson, reinvented Irene Adler, enlarged the roles of Moriarty and Mycroft, transported Holmes across cultures, and returned him to life through novels, films, television, radio, comics, anime, parody, and pastiche. Unlike a guide to Sherlockian stories and pastiches, The Sherlock Adjacent Casebook explores the worldwide culture that has grown around the world’s most famous consulting detective. Across more than eighty essays, Paul Bishop examines Holmes and Watson, Irene Adler and Moriarty, Conan Doyle and the Great Game, international interpretations, changing ideas about race and gender, real-world detection, fandom, adaptation, and the strange cultural immortality of Baker Street. Designed to be browsed rather than obeyed, this is a book for seasoned Sherlockians, curious newcomers, and anyone who has ever wondered not merely what happened after Conan Doyle, but what Sherlock Holmes has become. The fire is stoked. Your armchair awaits. Welcome to 221A.

Imagine a chilly April morning in 1990. A woman walking her dog suddenly stops in her tracks, shocked and disturbed. What made her pause? A human skull blocking a drainage tile. It turns out to be the remains of Joan Webster, a 25-year-old Harvard graduate student who had been missing over eight years ago, leaving the community baffled and investigators puzzled. The prosecutors had a suspect, Leonard Paradiso, who had been tried and convicted for another local woman's murder. The only connection between these tangled cases was that both victims had long, dark hair. Assistant District Attorney Tim Burke was determined to prove Paradiso guilty of both murders. However, with limited evidence and constantly changing stories, the circumstances surrounding Joan Webster's death remain a mystery to this day. But there's hope. Joan's sister-in-law, Eve Carson, has relentlessly pursued her quest for justice. "Simple, Safe & Secret" reveals the disturbing details and flaws in the system that have hindered justice in solving Joan Webster's murder. The truth about the bungled investigation and the wrongful conviction may be even darker than the story of Joan's murder itself. If you're a fan of crime thriller books and crime mystery books, this is a story that will grip you from start to finish.

SMITTY: My Marriage to Serial Killer Charles Schmid, the Pied Piper of Tucson unveils an unforgettable tale of love, betrayal, and survival. Diane Schmid thought she had found her Prince Charming when she met Charles Schmid, a charismatic and mysterious man who swept her off her feet as a teenager in the mid-1960s. But her fairytale quickly unraveled when her husband was arrested for multiple shocking murders that captured national attention.  Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing America, this deeply personal memoir recounts Diane’s journey from a young girl in love to a woman facing unimaginable revelations. Through vivid memories and unflinching honesty, Diane reveals how she navigated a life overshadowed by her husband’s heinous crimes while striving to protect her family and find peace. Written with co-author Marshall Terrill, this book offers a unique perspective on one of the most infamous cases in American history, shedding light on the devastating human cost of living with such a dark secret. Blending gripping storytelling with heartfelt reflection, SMITTY captures the strength of a survivor who chose to share her voice after decades of silence. SMITTY is a compelling and haunting read for those who seek a deeper understanding of resilience in the face of unthinkable events.

SMITTY: My Marriage to Serial Killer Charles Schmid, the Pied Piper of Tucson unveils an unforgettable tale of love, betrayal, and survival. Diane Schmid thought she had found her Prince Charming when she met Charles Schmid, a charismatic and mysterious man who swept her off her feet as a teenager in the mid-1960s. But her fairytale quickly unraveled when her husband was arrested for multiple shocking murders that captured national attention.  Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing America, this deeply personal memoir recounts Diane’s journey from a young girl in love to a woman facing unimaginable revelations. Through vivid memories and unflinching honesty, Diane reveals how she navigated a life overshadowed by her husband’s heinous crimes while striving to protect her family and find peace. Written with co-author Marshall Terrill, this book offers a unique perspective on one of the most infamous cases in American history, shedding light on the devastating human cost of living with such a dark secret. Blending gripping storytelling with heartfelt reflection, SMITTY captures the strength of a survivor who chose to share her voice after decades of silence. SMITTY is a compelling and haunting read for those who seek a deeper understanding of resilience in the face of unthinkable events.

“In his stunning new book Specters in the Gallery, J. Michael Major delivers an intriguing, finely crafted, twist-laden short story collection chock full of clever tales and unexpected outcomes. Major’s stories explore the exhilaration of danger, the sliding scales of justice, and the sardonic laughter of wry wit. In story after story, Major creates compulsively interesting scenarios. He then bends, twists, turns and corkscrews his plots in directions you’ll never see coming. Fast-paced, fiendishly clever, dark, playful, and unsettling, Major’s stories don't just pull the rug out from under you. They redefine the very nature of the floor. I invite you to step into Major’s amazing gallery of wordly delights. Experience the brilliance of his storytelling for yourself. If you dare!” —Gary K. Wolf, Creator of Roger Rabbit  Step inside a gallery where every portrait has a pulse, every joke has teeth, and every ordinary life is one bad choice away from the grotesque. In Specters in the Gallery, J. Michael Major gathers dark, twist-laden stories of ambition, revenge, justice, faith, desire, and punishment. A private investigator follows the murder of a ruined writer and uncovers a creation dangerous enough to kill for. A desperate artist discovers the terrible price of being seen. A town buries its secrets beneath progress. A chain letter becomes a death sentence. Across horror, crime, satire, and speculative fiction, Major turns familiar fears into sharp little nightmares with a grin at the edge of the blade. Fast-paced, clever, viciously playful, and unsettling, these stories do not simply pull the rug out from under you. They make you question whether the floor was ever there at all. Enter carefully. Not everything on display is finished being alive. “A marvelous collection of enchanting short stories, rich in imagination, intrigue and twisty turns of terror. J. Michael Major journeys across genres with skill and verve, producing an immensely engaging and clever concoction of tales that will keep you turning the pages.” —Brian Pinkerton, author of The Perfect Stranger

Stalebread and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band An Origin Story of Jazz in New Orleans In the heart of 1890s New Orleans, where music spilled from every street corner, a group of boys with paper-and-comb instruments, a homemade bass fiddle, and more energy than resources began to draw crowds. They called themselves the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band. At the center was Emile “Stalebread” Lacoume—barefoot, determined, and already a talented musician. After the early death of his father, Emile became a newsboy to help support his family. But it was music that truly carried him. Inspired by the Mexican and Creole rhythms he heard around him, Emile and his friends started making music out of whatever they could find: cigar boxes, stovepipes, tin cans, and dreams. Stalebread and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band tells the vivid, often overlooked story of one of jazz’s early pioneers. Drawing on newspaper accounts, archival interviews, and local legends, Michael Shurtz traces Emile’s journey from street performer to respected musician, even playing for high-society parties and at the infamous Mahogany Hall. Part cultural history, part character study, this is a story about invention, survival, and the beginnings of a new sound in a changing city. Through hard times, segregation, and the uncertain future of early jazz, Emile’s story reminds us how creativity and community can make music out of almost anything.

The stench of death hung in the air as John Altar studied the massacre and tried to convince himself that his younger brother, Bobby, couldn’t have been part of this. Torn apart by the Civil War, the two brothers had fought on opposite sides, and in defeat, Bobby had fallen in with a group of Confederate raiders when released from a prisoner of war camp. Their mother’s wish was for her wayward son to be brought back to her, and Altar has sworn to do it. But how much had the war changed his brother? Riding into the Dakotas, Altar must face an unsavory lawman with a rapacious posse, rampaging Indians, and finally battle the brutal renegades in a climactic showdown.

"If you see something about to happen, get it. Put the camera up and click. Two seconds later you won't have the chance again. You have to look for those stolen moments." Harold Sherrick is a career photographer, capturing musicians and concerts for almost 40 years. He has photographed everyone from Neil Young to Robert Smith, Dave Grohl to Joe Walsh, Tom Petty to Tori Amos. In Stolen Moments, Sherrick has included some of his most iconic photos, including rare images from his extensive body of work.  

In late 2017, Tyler Dean was full of hope and dreams. He had just landed his dream job as an apprentice panel beater in Geelong, Victoria, Australia at the age of 18. He worked in Geelong and commuted home to Winchelsea by train every day. But on October 18, things took a tragic turn. His mom, Jeynelle Dean-Hayes, asked him to stay in Geelong to help set up scenes for a short film her husband Josh was working on. Tyler, feeling tired, wanted to go home instead. That night, when Jeynelle and Josh got home, Tyler wasn't there. Their world shattered when two police officers knocked on their door. Tyler had been struck by a car and left to die. Their beloved son's life was cut short, and the person responsible fled the scene. The pain they felt never went away, and their quest for justice faced many obstacles. Tyler Dean was not the only one let down by hit-and-run laws. This tragedy prompted Jeynelle and Josh to advocate for changes in Australia's laws regarding drivers who flee accidents. They believe there's much more work to be done because, as Jeynelle puts it, "car crime is a joke." If you're interested in reading real-life stories related to crime thriller books, this is a heart-wrenching account of a family's fight for justice and change.

In 1927, a married railroad official and a woman caught in a forbidden relationship were found brutally murdered on a lonely road outside Birmingham, Alabama. The killings of Auburn Moore and Ruby Thornton became known as the Tryst Murders, a sensational case filled with sex, scandal, fear, rumor, and public outrage. But the story did not end with the murders. As newspapers fed the frenzy and investigators chased conflicting theories, the case moved through the machinery of Jim Crow Alabama, where race, class, police power, political pressure, and public morality all shaped the search for someone to blame. At the center of what followed was Horace DeVaughn, the man whose conviction would lead him to Yellow Mama, Alabama’s newly built electric chair. In The Alabama Tryst Murder Mystery, S. Thorne Harper looks beyond the headlines to examine the crime, the investigation, the shifting evidence, the press coverage, and the larger world that made the case possible. This is not a fast, flashy true crime retelling. It is a careful, deeply researched account of a double murder, a questionable prosecution, and a state eager to prove the power of its new instrument of death. The result is a true crime history about more than who pulled the trigger. It is about how a violent event becomes an official story, and what that story can hide. Praise for The Alabama Tryst Murder Mystery “It would be accurate to say S. Thorne ‘Sam’ Harper has written a beautiful, well-researched book about Alabama’s first execution in the electric chair known as Yellow Mama. It would also be accurate to say he has, through the little known case of Horace DeVaughn, captured in dramatic detail the state’s century long love affair with death. I am, frankly, jealous.” — John Archibald, author of Shaking the Gates of Hell and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize  

In 1927, a married railroad official and a woman caught in a forbidden relationship were found brutally murdered on a lonely road outside Birmingham, Alabama. The killings of Auburn Moore and Ruby Thornton became known as the Tryst Murders, a sensational case filled with sex, scandal, fear, rumor, and public outrage. But the story did not end with the murders. As newspapers fed the frenzy and investigators chased conflicting theories, the case moved through the machinery of Jim Crow Alabama, where race, class, police power, political pressure, and public morality all shaped the search for someone to blame. At the center of what followed was Horace DeVaughn, the man whose conviction would lead him to Yellow Mama, Alabama’s newly built electric chair. In The Alabama Tryst Murder Mystery, S. Thorne Harper looks beyond the headlines to examine the crime, the investigation, the shifting evidence, the press coverage, and the larger world that made the case possible. This is not a fast, flashy true crime retelling. It is a careful, deeply researched account of a double murder, a questionable prosecution, and a state eager to prove the power of its new instrument of death. The result is a true crime history about more than who pulled the trigger. It is about how a violent event becomes an official story, and what that story can hide. Praise for The Alabama Tryst Murder Mystery “It would be accurate to say S. Thorne ‘Sam’ Harper has written a beautiful, well-researched book about Alabama’s first execution in the electric chair known as Yellow Mama. It would also be accurate to say he has, through the little known case of Horace DeVaughn, captured in dramatic detail the state’s century long love affair with death. I am, frankly, jealous.” — John Archibald, author of Shaking the Gates of Hell and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize  

Up-and-coming Amsterdam lawyer David Driessen thinks he’s hit the jackpot when a wealthy client showers him with praise, glamour, and plenty of money. But David learns far too late that every gift from the shady realtor comes with a catch—and a price tag. As his gambling addiction, his constant need for cash, and his wife’s infidelities combine to drag him deeper and deeper into his client’s twisted world of money and despair, David struggles to stay ahead of it all… before his time runs out. In The Amsterdam Lawyer, René Appel—two-time winner of the Golden Noose, the Netherlands’ equivalent of the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Allan Poe Award—once again demonstrates the skill that led leading Dutch daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad to proclaim him “the godfather of the Dutch psychological thriller.” “A fascinating novel, bubbling over with greed, mistrust, and ruthlessness.” Gijs Korevaar, Algemeen Dagblad "René Appel is a first-rate Dutch crime writer. The Amsterdam Lawyer is a compelling and twisted legal thriller, the first of what will hopefully be many of his books to appear in English." Steve Steinbock, reviewer for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine The Amsterdam Lawyer is translated from the Dutch by Josh Pachter. 

The Art of Being Found is a clear, human guide to how creators and fans discover each other in the modern world. It is not a marketing manual. It is a practical way to understand how people actually move through the world, what they pay attention to, and why certain voices stay with them long after the moment of discovery. If you make anything—stories, music, videos, art, ideas—you already know the inner tension between wanting to be seen and wanting to stay safe. This book helps you approach that moment with clarity instead of fear. It explains why the “fear of looking foolish” is so common for creators, why consistency matters more than volume, and how small, steady actions build trust over time. You will learn how fans look for the voices that feel like home, how emotional resonance works, and how to create a presence that is sustainable for you, even on difficult days. Instead of pushing you to be louder, this book shows you how to become more visible in ways that fit your personality, energy, and creative weather. It also offers a realistic look at the roles of publishers, curators, reviewers, and the wider ecosystem your work enters—what they can do for you, and what will always remain yours alone. Whether you are at the beginning of your creative life or many years into it, The Art of Being Found gives you a gentle, steady framework for showing up in the world without burning out—and for letting the right fans find you in their own time.

Would you do the unthinkable for your child? Every parent believes they’d sacrifice anything for their children. The Ashes of Us dares readers to explore the true cost of that belief. When Addison McCall, a brilliant college student, is brutally assaulted, she turns to her father with an reprehensible request. She believes that ending her perpetrator’s life is the only way to find peace. Dr. David McCall, a respected clinical pathologist, possesses the means, medical knowledge, and skill to carry out her chilling plea. Driven by love, guilt, and a desperate need to protect his daughter, Dr. McCall steps into a moral abyss that could destroy his soul, and the very bond they share. In her gripping second novel, The Ashes of Us, Dr. Ashley Baker, PsyD (author and clinical psychologist), navigates themes of generational trauma, the power of paternal love, and the devastating price of seeking justice.