Jalen Banneker has a confidence problem. As in, too much of it, but what no one knows is that it’s all an act, hiding years of self-doubt.But when an evil monster kidnaps his friend, Jalen must overcome his fears as he travels to a mystical world where he’ll have to defeat the monster, break an ancient curse, save his friend and find his way back home in time for dinner."Lightning-paced transitions and supercharged magic!" -- BookLife (A division of Publishers Week...

The necklace was to die for. Seriously.Kate Albertson is a word nerd, dog lover and high-end diamond thief. A heist-gone-wrong forces her to steal a certain necklace back from a rich man’s mistress. Kate only thought things were out of control before, as she now finds herself the prime suspect in a murder investigation. She quickly learns that while there may be honor among thieves, the same can’t said for those inhabiting L.A.’s most lavish homes and country clubs. It’ll ...

Getting framed was only part of the picture.Bryce Dalrymple is at the top of his game. As one of L.A.’s premier sports agents, he represents only the most elite professional athletes and earns a sweet living doing it. He’s also just taken a bullet. Even worse, Kate Albertson’s best friend has been charged with the murder.While Kate is positive Aubrey wouldn’t even hurt someone’s feelings, much less pull a trigger, there’s compelling evidence against her, and it’ll ...

He returned to a life of crime over his dead body.Ben Wagner is an old friend of Kate’s, one she hasn’t seen in years. So imagine her surprise when he shows up at her door ... dead.After a stint in jail for forging diamonds, Ben went straight, or so Kate thought. Then why was he carrying a phony rock at the time of his demise? And what was it that brought him to her door?To answer those and other questions, she’ll have to retrace the footsteps that led Ben ...

People don’t get into trouble at fundraisers. Kate Albertson does.After a guest who takes a liking to her turns up dead, Kate finds herself getting noticed by plenty others.The cops are one piece of solid evidence away from locking her up. A gun-toting soccer mom has her on a short leash. Someone is tailing her all over town. And she keeps crossing paths with a supermodel-type who picks locks almost as good as she does.Can Kate sidestep any more unwanted at...

What if your TV could "tune in" tomorrow?In sixth grade, Logan Styles was a game show contestant with all the right answers. Two years later, the move to his grandmother’s suburban L.A. home wasn’t his idea, but his show-business father took a job in New York and didn’t leave him a choice. Logan certainly wouldn’t have chosen Thousand Oaks, where boredom and new-kid obscurity pose a hazard to his health…until he discovers the DVR attached to his television records ...

What reviewers are saying about The Odd Job Squad:"I haven't read a book for tweens in a long time that I enjoyed as much as The Odd Job Squad." – The Review Broads"The Odd Job Squad is one of the most fun and engaging reads that I have read this year... "- Ink Scratchers Review Blog"This is another case where the book really had me from the opening line." – Tiger Holland's All Consuming Book ReviewsThirteen-year-o...

In the tradition of M. C. Beaton, Hope Taylor, pastor of a small-town California church, tries to find out who sent a church elder to Heaven.Hope Taylor arrives in Apple Springs to start her new life as the first female pastor of Faith Chapel Episcopal Church. The northern California town's quaint cottages, bungalows, and shops promise a fresh start for the 42-year-old widow and Bogie, her scruffy black Labrador. But where is Father Christopher? The kindly old rect...

Fresh start? Check. Quirky neighbors? Check. Finding a dead body? Absolutely NOT in the plan.Forty-something divorcee Anne Freemont traded her high-pressure city life for the charming mountain town of Carolan Springs, Colorado. Her plan: renovate a Victorian fixer-upper, breathe some fresh mountain air, and enjoy zero drama.Then a runaway chicken changes everything.When Anne's goofy and sweet neighbor, Kandi, is accused of murdering the neighborhood...

She needs a paycheck. A murder creates the perfect job. Can she avoid becoming the next victim?Samantha Kidd recently added an unexpected skill to her fashion-heavy resume: solving a crime. But amateur sleuthing doesn’t pay the bills. A new retailer shows interest in hiring her as their handbag buyer, but there’s one big red flag: the last buyer was killed on the job.Moving back to her old hometown was about leaving that career path behind, but Samantha’s o...

She was already dying. So why does something feel so very wrong?When the Carolan Springs garden club president is found dead, nobody questions it. She had a terminal diagnosis. Caring for her beloved plants may have caused her tragic demise. It was, everyone agrees, simply a horrible accident.Everyone except Anne Freemont.Anne can't explain her feelings. At least not yet. But something about the circumstances pricks at her conscience like a thorn sh...

1 DOWN: A PERSON OF INTERESTQuinn Carr has been quietly creating crosswords for the Chestnut Station Chronicle in her small Colorado town since she was in high school, but she has yet to solve the puzzle of how to make a living from her passion. So she lives with her parents and works at the local diner, catering to regulars like The Retireds, a charming if cantankerous crew of elderly men. The most recent member to join the group is a recently retired tai...