C.S. Poe

Everett Larkin works for the Cold Case Squad: an elite—if understaffed and overworked—group of detectives who solve the forgotten deaths of New York City. Larkin is different from others, but his deduction skills are unmatched and his memory for minute details is unparalleled. So when a spring thunderstorm uproots a tree in Madison Square Park, unearthing a crate with human remains inside, the best Cold Case detective is assigned the job. And when a death mask, like those prominent during the Victorian era, is found with the body, Larkin requests assistance from the Forensic Artists Unit and receives it in the form of Detective Ira Doyle, his polar opposite in every way. Factual reasoning and facial reconstruction puts Larkin and Doyle on a trail of old homicide cases and a murderer obsessed with casting his victims’ likeness in death. Include some unapologetic flirting from Doyle, and this case just may end up killing Everett Larkin.

Madison Square Murders

It’s Christmas in New York City, and all antique shop owner Sebastian Snow wants is for his business to make money and to save his floundering relationship with closeted CSU detective, Neil Millett. But when Snow’s Antique Emporium is broken into and a heart is found under the floorboards, Sebastian can’t let the mystery rest. He soon finds himself caught up in murder investigations that echo the macabre writings of Edgar Allan Poe. To make matters worse, Sebastian’s sleuthing is causing his relationship with Neil to crumble, while at the same time he’s crushing hard on the lead homicide detective of the case, Calvin Winter. Sebastian and Calvin must work together to unravel the mystery behind the killings, despite the mounting danger and sexual tension, before Sebastian becomes the next victim. In the end, Sebastian only wants to get out of this mess alive and live happily ever after with Calvin.

The Mystery of Nevermore

Gregory Ashe

Rufus O’Callaghan has eked out a living on the streets of New York City by helping the police put away criminals as a confidential informant. But when Rufus shows up for an arranged meeting and finds his handler dead, his already-uncertain life is thrown into a tailspin. Now someone is trying to kill Rufus too, and he’s determined to find out why. After leaving the Army under less than desirable circumstances, Sam Auden has drifted from town to town, hitching rides and catching Greyhounds, until he learns that a former Army buddy, now a police detective in New York City, has died by suicide. Sam knows that’s not right, and he immediately sets out to get answers. As Rufus and Sam work together to learn the truth of their friend’s death, they find themselves entangled in a web of lies, cover-ups, and accelerating danger. And when they witness a suspect killed in cold blood, they realize they’re running out of time.

A Friend in the Dark

Life has been great for Sebastian Snow. The Emporium is thriving and his relationship with NYPD homicide detective, Calvin Winter, is everything he’s ever wanted. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Sebastian’s sole concern is whether Calvin would enjoy a romantic date. It’s only when an unknown assailant smashes the Emporium’s window and leaves a peculiar note behind that all holiday plans get pushed aside in favor of another mystery. Sebastian is quickly swept up in a series of grisly yet seemingly unrelated murders. The only connection tying the deaths together are curiosities from the lost museum of P.T. Barnum. Despite Calvin’s attempts to keep Sebastian out of the investigation, someone is forcing his hand, and it becomes apparent that the entire charade exists for Sebastian to solve. But with each clue that brings him closer to the killer, he’s led deeper into Calvin’s official cases. It’s more than just Sebastian’s livelihood and relationship on the line—it’s his very life.

The Mystery of the Curiosities

Aubrey Grant lives in the tropical paradise of Old Town, Key West, has a cute cottage, a sweet moped, and a great job managing the historical property of a former sea captain. With his soon-to-be-boyfriend, hotshot FBI agent Jun Tanaka, visiting for a little R&R, not even Aubrey’s narcolepsy can put a damper on their vacation plans. But a skeleton in a closet of the Smith Family Historical Home sure does throw a wrench into the works. Its identity drags Aubrey and Jun into a mystery with origins over a century in the past. They uncover a tale of long-lost treasure, the pirate king it belonged to, and a modern-day murderer who will stop at nothing to find the hidden riches. And if a killer on the loose isn’t enough to keep Aubrey out of the mess, it seems even the restless spirit of Captain Smith is warning him away. The unlikely partnership of a historian and special agent may be exactly what it takes to crack this mystery wide-open and finally put an old Key West tragedy to rest. But while Aubrey tracks down the X that marks the spot, one wrong move could be his last.

Southernmost Murder

1881—Special Agent Gillian Hamilton is a magic caster with the Federal Bureau of Magic and Steam. He’s sent to Shallow Grave, Arizona, to arrest a madman engineer known as Tinkerer, who’s responsible for blowing up half of Baltimore. Gillian has handled some of the worst criminals in the Bureau’s history, so this assignment shouldn’t be a problem. But even he’s taken aback by a run-in with the country’s most infamous outlaw, Gunner the Deadly. Gunner is also stalking Shallow Grave in search of Tinkerer, who will stop at nothing to take control of the town’s silver mines. Neither Gillian nor Gunner are willing to let Tinkerer hurt more innocent people, so they agree to a very temporary partnership. If facing illegal magic, Gatling gun contraptions, and a wild engineer in America’s frontier wasn’t enough trouble for a city boy, Gillian must also come to terms with the reality that he’s rather fond of his partner. But even if they live through this adventure, Gillian fears there’s no chance for love between a special agent and outlaw. Based on the short story, "Gunner the Deadly." Entirely revised, newly expanded, and Book One in the exciting new steampunk series, Magic & Steam.

The Engineer

Subway Slayings 

Down on his luck is Gideon Joy’s default state. He doesn’t know why he expected a different outcome on his cross-country trip, but unsurprisingly, the hits keep coming—literally this time. Gideon strikes a moose with his car in New Hampshire, not only totaling his own vehicle, but damaging one belonging to local construction worker, Silas Bright. He has no choice but to stay in Lancaster and take on a job that’ll pay for the repairs. And in a town so small, Gideon’s constantly running into Silas. What starts as annoyance between them soon blooms into something much more intimate. But when Gideon’s notorious bad luck rears its head yet again, how many disastrous dates will Silas be willing to weather before realizing Gideon’s not worth the effort? The quaint community has accepted Gideon as one of their own, but past fears of inadequacy threaten the very joy he left Los Angeles to discover. If he’s to find a happily ever after with Silas, Gideon must learn to accept that sometimes it’s okay to not be the best. And true happiness might be an everyday life in a small town. Entirely revised and freshly edited 2nd edition.

Antique dealer Sebastian Snow and Homicide detective Calvin Winter have been happily married for a year and a half. In that time, there’s been nary a mystery in sight, and for a recovering sleuth like Sebastian, an uneventful life is exactly what he needs. That is, until Calvin’s lieutenant enters the Emporium and demands insight on a bizarre object known as a spiritoscope, hailing from the early days of the Spiritualism movement. Sebastian’s extensive knowledge of Victorian curiosities leads him to consulting for the NYPD—putting him at odds with his husband. And as the bodies begin to stack up, so do the seemingly dead-end clues, which if Sebastian can’t make sense of, might result in a whole lot more death. Mystery, murder, and marriage… Sebastian’s back.

The Mystery of the Spirits

Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage

Christopher Hughes is new to the small New England town of Lancaster, New Hampshire. He’s been hired to save an old library from closing, but his obstacles include not only fighting for state funding, but a Selectman who wants to tear the building down in favor of a shopping center. Christopher is introduced to Miles Sakasai, a charming tattooed repairman on site to restore the historical interior of the building. Working in close proximity has both men falling hard for each other. It also provides Christopher with an opportunity to learn about Miles’s passion for baking. And as it turns out, Miles’s skills in the kitchen may end up being the key to saving the library—but only if his bread can rise to the occasion.

Kneading You

Interlude is a collection of short stories spanning the complete timeline of the Snow & Winter series, beginning with The Mystery of Nevermore, to after the conclusion of The Mystery of the Bones. They feature the point of view of Sebastian Snow and Calvin Winter and consist of mini mysteries, as well as scenes from daily life. Please note: While many of these titles were previously made available for free to readers, they have all since been rewritten, expanded, and edited for this collection. Several shorts are brand-new and exclusive, including Someone’s in the Wall, St. Louis What Now?, and Trope: Only One Bed.

Interlude

Josh Lanyon

Meg Perry

S.C. Wynne

Z.A. Maxfield

Dal Maclean

LB Gregg

Nicole Kimberling

The snick of a lock. The squeak of door hinges. The creak of a floorboard... Nothing is more mysterious than footsteps in the dark. Are those approaching steps that of friend or enemy? Lover or killer? Authors L.B. Gregg, Nicole Kimberling, Josh Lanyon, Dal MacLean, Z.A. Maxfield, Meg Perry, C.S. Poe and S.C. Wynne join forces for Footsteps in the Dark, eight sexy and suspenseful novellas of Male/Male Mystery and Romance.

An M/M Mystery Romance Anthology

Footsteps in the Dark

The Cold Case Squad has a problem: Someone won’t stop taunting Detective Everett Larkin. He’s been able to apprehend some of the worst criminals to ever stalk the streets of New York City, thanks in great part to forensic artist and boyfriend, Ira Doyle, but after their last case, events have taken a turn for the worse. A body recovered from the Hudson River bears a message addressed to Larkin and another token from Victorian mourning culture. As nineteenth-century hair jewelry leads Larkin deeper into the growing tangle of interconnected crimes, it becomes evident that solving these mysteries will come at a profound cost. To be a good detective, Larkin will have to endure sleepless nights—lest the sender act on their threat against his partner—as well as put his relationship on the line when clues lead in the direction of Doyle’s past. What began as a game of cat and mouse has turned into a fight for love and life itself. Memento Mori series reading order: #1 Madison Square Murders #2 Subway Slayings #3 Broadway Butchery #4 Hudson River Homicides Same Universe Spin-offs: Southernmost Murder (standalone) Snow & Winter series reading order: #1 The Mystery of Nevermore #2 The Mystery of the Curiosities #3 The Mystery of the Moving Image #4 The Mystery of the Bones #5 The Mystery of the Spirits #1 Interlude (Snow & Winter short story collection) An Auden & O'Callaghan Mystery series reading order: #1 A Friend in the Dark #2 A Friend in the Fire #3 A Friend in the Glass Keywords: gay romance, police procedural, slow burn, opposites attract, detective, whodunit, serial killer, partners-in-crime, mm romance, medical condition, grumpy sunshine

MM Slow Burn Romantic Mystery

Hudson River Homicides

It’s summer in New York City, and antique shop owner Sebastian Snow is taking the next big step in his relationship with homicide detective, Calvin Winter: they’re moving in together. What should have been a wonderful week of playing house and celebrating Calvin’s birthday comes to an abrupt end when a mysterious package arrives at the Emporium. Inside is a Thomas Edison Kinetoscope, a movie viewer from the nineteenth century, invented by the grandfather of modern cinema, W. K. L. Dickson. And along with it, footage of a murder that took place over a hundred years ago. Sebastian resists the urge to start sleuthing, even if the culprit is long dead and there’s no apparent danger. But break-ins at the Emporium, a robbery, and dead bodies aren’t as easy to ignore, and Sebastian soon realizes that the century-old murder will lead him to a modern-day killer. Even with Sebastian’s vast knowledge of Victorian America and his unrelenting perseverance in the face of danger, this may be the one mystery he won’t survive. Also available as an audiobook! Snow & Winter series reading order: #1 The Mystery of Nevermore #2 The Mystery of the Curiosities #3 The Mystery of the Moving Image #4 The Mystery of the Bones #5 The Mystery of the Spirits #1 Interlude (Snow & Winter short story collection) Same Universe Spin-offs: Southernmost Murder (standalone) Memento Mori series reading order: #1 Madison Square Murders #2 Subway Slayings #3 Broadway Butchery #4 Hudson River Homicides An Auden & O'Callaghan Mystery series reading order: #1 A Friend in the Dark #2 A Friend in the Fire #3 A Friend in the Glass Keywords: gay romance, spicy, amateur sleuth, opposites attract, age gap, detective, whodunit, mm romance, law enforcement, serial killer, Victorian, medical condition, lgbt mystery, workplace romance

Disability Spicy Gay Romance Sleuth Mystery

The Mystery of the Moving Image

Bowen Merlin—yes, that’s his real name—accepts a position in the quaint town of Lancaster, New Hampshire, as the high school band director. He leaves New York City for the snowy countryside of New England just in time for the holidays. With class, homework, after-school activities, and a surprise Christmas concert to plan and rehearse, Bowen is plenty busy. And since he’s never had much luck with romance, factoring in time to find Mr. Right isn’t a priority. Until he meets the proprietor of Snowy Ridge Apple Orchard, Felix Hansen. Suddenly, true love seems like a possibility for the first time in Bowen’s life. The two are a perfect match and fill the skipped beats of each other’s hearts. But as wonderful as Felix seems, he’s harboring old scars that could bring an end to their budding relationship after someone in town goes to great lengths to sabotage their careers. If Bowen is to survive, he’ll need to lean on old friends and new, convince Felix he’s worth any hardship, and prove they can come out of the catastrophe stronger if they do so together. Also available as an audiobook! A Lancaster Story series reading order: #1 Kneading You (FREE) #2 Joy #3 Color of You Keywords: gay romance, age gap, opposites attract, single parent, single father, small town, blue collar, sweet and steamy, new boy in town, mm romance, Christmas, spicy, heat

Spicy Steamy Age Gap Small Town MM Romance

Color of You

Aubrey Grant lebt im Stadtviertel Old Town des tropi-schen Paradieses Key West, hat ein hübsches Häuschen, eine schnuckelige Vespa und die großartige berufliche Aufgabe, das denkmalgeschützte Anwesen eines ehemaligen Kapitäns zu verwalten. Beim Besuch seines angehenden Freundes, dem erfolgreichen FBI-Agenten Jun Tanaka, der sich bei ihm etwas Erholung gönnen möchte, kann selbst Aubreys Narkolepsie die Vorfreude auf ihre Ferienpläne nicht trüben. Doch dann macht ihnen ein Skelett in einem Schrank einen Strich durch die Rechnung. Obwohl Aubrey und Jun sich vorgenommen hatten, die gemeinsame Zeit zu genießen, führt sie die Identität des Skeletts zu einem über hundert Jahre alten Geheimnis. Sie entdecken die Geschichte eines Piratenkönigs und seines verloren geglaubten Schatzes sowie einen Mörder der Gegenwart, der vor nichts haltmacht, um die verborgenen Reichtümer aufzuspüren.

Mord in Key West

Nor O’Brien spends his days in sunny Key West caring for and rehabilitating sea turtles. He doesn’t need anything else in life, expect maybe a significant other to cuddle with after a long day. But recent heartbreak has left Nor salty, and he’s not in the mood for anything, Christmas included. Then Eugene Montgomery walks into Turtle R&R, claiming to have found a clutch of eggs in distress. Nor is smitten with the tourist at first sight, and at the suggestion of his screwball colleagues, indulges in some no-strings-attached fun. Nor and Eugene are quick to get along, happily enjoy each other’s company, and take in the island’s unique holiday pleasures together. But Nor would never leave his turtles, not for any man. So when his rebound fling turns into strong romantic feelings for Eugene, it’ll take a Christmas miracle to keep the two together forever in Key West.

That Turtle Story

Private investigator Rory Byrne has gained a reputation as someone the elite of New York City can trust to solve their problems quickly and quietly. So when a hotshot television producer hires him to recover a stolen script, Rory will have to go undercover on the set of a historical drama to complete the job. He has his hands full trying to investigate a skeptical crew while they work around the clock on The Bowery, a new show that promises to shake up the television industry. To make a delicate situation more complicated, the production is led by out-and-proud actor Marion Roosevelt, and Rory is downright smitten. But every member of the cast and crew is a suspect in the theft. And the deeper Rory delves into their on-set personalities, the more suspicious Marion’s behavior becomes. If Rory is to uncover the theft without sacrificing the fate of The Bowery, he will have to trust his identity and his heart to Marion. Previously featured in the Footsteps in the Dark anthology.

C.S. Poe

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