Lissa Marie Redmond

Three missing girls, no leads, a vault of dark secrets, and a case that's getting chillier by the minute, set the stage for this nail-biting procedural from former cold case homicide detective and acclaimed author Lissa Marie Redmond. Three college freshmen go missing from their rural hometown of Kelly's Falls while on Christmas break. Their cell phones, coats, and purses are left behind, but the girls have disappeared without a trace. As the days turn into weeks and the investigation grows cold, twenty-three year old Buffalo police officer Shea O'Connor is called on to dig up leads undercover. Still bearing the emotional and physical scars of a previous case, O'Connor infiltrates as eighteen-year-old Shea Anderson, a college freshman and the "niece" of the town's police chief. As she begins to immerse herself in the missing girls' world, befriending their friends and family, and doing whatever it takes to maintain her cover, O'Connor realizes the track is far colder than she initially thought. But whoever was behind the girls' disappearance was only warming up, and they have set their crosshairs directly on her. The heat is on for O'Connor as she closes in on the shocking truth about what really happened the night the girls vanished.

A Mystery

The Secrets They Left Behind

Lauren's job as a cold case homicide detective is her life. And life just got complicated. Lauren Riley is an accomplished detective who has always been on the opposite side of the courtroom from slick defense attorney Frank Violanti. But now he's begging to hire her as a private investigator to help clear his client of murder. At first Lauren refuses, wanting nothing to do with the media circus surrounding the case—until she meets the eighteen-year-old suspect. To keep an innocent teen from life in prison, Lauren must unravel the conflicting evidence and changing stories to get at the buried facts. But the more she digs, the more she discovers that nothing is what it first appears to be. As Lauren puts her career and life in danger, doubt lurks on every corner . . . and so does her stalker. Praise: "Recommend this one to anyone who loves courtroom dramas where lawyers tear into witnesses like pit bulls. And to anyone hot for a police procedural where tired cops make mistakes but slowly, relentlessly—and with morbid humor—get the job done. Redmond delivers both in one package...The real attraction here is a keyhole view into a world that turns our expectations upside down—a world where a bullying, quasi-fascist cop can be the only one with a handle on reality. Keep your eyes on Redmond, a retired cop who knows how to write."—Booklist "Redmond, a recently retired Buffalo PD homicide detective, keeps everything moving nicely in this well-constructed crime novel."—Publishers Weekly "An excellent police procedural combined with a psychological thriller."—Kirkus Reviews "A Cold Day in Hell is a fine first novel and Lauren Riley is cool new addition to the world of PI and cop protagonists. A retired detective, Lissa Marie Redmond gives it to the reader without the sugarcoating and lifts the veil off how the system really works...or doesn't."—Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of What You Break "Ex-cop Lissa Redmond has a sure hand with police procedure, which should be no surprise. The joy of A Cold Day in Hell comes from her equally sure hand with storytelling. This is a welcome new voice on the crime scene."—SJ Rozan, bestselling author of Ghost Hero "Redmond has concocted a well-crafted story with plenty of twists, but more importantly good characterization."—Mystery Scene Magazine

A Cold Day in Hell

Catch Your Death

Adam Millard

Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Frances Pauli

Trysh Thompson

Mara Malins

Sara Dobie Bauer

No one is perfect—not even a witch. Witches have amazing power at their fingertips to do unbelievable things. That magic can come in really handy sometimes too. They can make someone fall in love, poison an apple to enact a sleeping curse, banish an enemy to an alternate reality, or just conjure up some Nutella when there is none in the house. But what happens when those spells go horribly awry? SonofaWitch! contains six humorous contemporary fantasy stories of magic spells gone wrong by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Sara Dobie Bauer, Lissa Marie Redmond, Frances Pauli, Mara Malins, and Adam Millard.

SonofaWitch!

When Buffalo detective Lauren Riley gets a request for help from her nemesis, defense attorney Frank Violanti, she's ready to turn him down--until she meets his eighteen-year-old client.

Steven Grimm

Krampus is the cloven-hoofed, curly-horned, and long-tongued dark companion of St. Nick. Sometimes a hero, sometimes a villain, within these pages, he's always more than just a sidekick. You'll meet manifestations of Santa's dark servant as he goes toe-to-toe with a bratty Cinderella, a guitar-slinging girl hero, a coffee shop-owning hipster, and sometimes even St. Nick himself. Whether you want a dash of horror or a hint of joy and redemption, these 12 new tales of Krampus will help you gear up for the most "wonderful" time of the year. Featuring original stories by Steven Grimm, Lissa Marie Redmond, Beth Mann, Anya J. Davis, E.J. Hagadorn, S.E. Foley, Brad P. Christy, Ross Baxter, Nancy Brewka-Clark, Tamsin Showbrook, E.M. Eastick, and Jude Tulli.

Tales of Krampus

He Sees You When He's Creepin'

An atmospheric mystery sees Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley trapped within a hotel during a snowstorm with the prime suspects in an unsolved murder seventeen years earlier . . . and her partner is one of them. When Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley's partner, Shane Reese, runs into an old friend, he's invited to a school reunion at a new luxury spa and resort. Lauren's also invited and it sounds like a perfect weekend getaway, except it brings up painful memories for Reese - like the unsolved murder of his high school friend Jessica Toakese seventeen years earlier. The prime suspects will be at the reunion. Among those suspects is Reese, who has kept his involvement a secret from Lauren and the entire police force. As the friends reminisce an intense snowstorm traps them inside and tensions rise. After a heated confrontation, one of the party is brutally murdered and Lauren believes it's connected to Jessica's death. But who could the murderer be: the jealous husband; the regretful trophy wife; the abused failed actor; the true crime podcast host; the drunken louse; the insecure millionaire; the desperate spa owner . . . or the Cold Case detective?

While on Injured on Duty status, Lauren Riley's hired as a private investigator to travel to rural Ireland in search of a Picasso painting stolen twenty years earlier in this nerve-shredding thriller. An old wound forces Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley onto Injured on Duty leave. Unless she rests she faces the threat of early retirement. However, dreading the prospect of doing nothing for six months, Lauren renews her private investigator license. She's soon contacted by Sharon Whitney, the ex-wife of wealthy Buffalo resident - and suspected mob boss - Howard Whitney. During their bitter divorce twenty years earlier a Picasso painting was stolen from their home and never recovered. After the main suspect passes away from ill health in Ireland, Sharon to hires Lauren to locate the painting - before her ex-husband does. Lauren expects a low-stress, fact-finding trip yet arrives in Ireland to discover suspicions around the suspect's death and his home ransacked. With the clock ticking, uncovering the truth behind the painting's disappearance may be far more dangerous than Lauren imagined.

The Parting Glass

Fans of Michael Connelly and Steve Cavanagh’s courtroom dramas with plenty of twists and turns will love this first entry in the Cold Case Investigation series. It’s an understatement to say Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley and defense attorney Frank Violanti don’t get along. While on opposite sides in the courtroom Frank’s called Lauren a sloppy cop he doesn’t trust. She considers him an obnoxious bully. Now Frank needs her help: he wants to hire her as a private investigator. Frank’s eighteen-year-old godson, David, is accused of the rape and brutal murder of a local woman. Frank’s convinced David’s being set up and he needs Lauren’s help to prove it. Lauren doesn’t want to get involved in another jurisdiction’s homicide case, but things change when she learns the arresting officer is the one man Lauren hates more than Frank . . . her abusive former fiancé, Joe Wheeler. After meeting David, Lauren’s determined to prove his innocence and stand up to Joe in one fell swoop.

David Housewright

Duane Swierczynski

Stuart Neville

Gary Phillips

William Kent Krueger

Nick Petrie

Randy Wayne White

Michael Stanley

Jenny Milchman

Jess Lourey

Michael Bracken

Michael A. Black

Reed Farrel Coleman

Lois Greiman

Eric Beetner

Scott Adlerberg

Jen Conley

Libby Fischer Hellmann

John Gaspard

Kristi Belcamino

Jessie Chandler

Michael Allan Mallory

Terrence McCauley

Don Bruns

Gary R. Bush

Austin Camacho

Dave Case

Case Younggren

Edited by Rick Ollerman. Alphabetical list of contributors: Scott Adlerberg, Eric Beetner, Kristi Belcamino, Michael A. Black, Michael Bracken, Don Bruns, Gary R. Bush, Austin Camacho, Dave Case, Jessie Chandler, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jen Conley, John Gaspard, Lois Greiman, Libby Fischer Hellmann, David Housewright, William Kent Krueger, Jess Lourey, Michael Allan Mallory, Terrence McCauley, Jenny Milchman, Stuart Neville, Rick Ollerman, Nick Petrie, Gary Phillips, Lissa Marie Redmond, Michael Stanley, Duane Swierczynski, Randy Wayne White, and Case Younggren. Many of today’s top writers get together to celebrate the themes of books and bookstores (and even a tuba or two!) As we celebrate the life of Mystery Writers of America Raven Award-winning Gary Shulze, long-time owner of the legendary Once Upon a Crime bookstore in Minneapolis. Gary left an indelible mark on the crime fiction community across the world before he passed away in 2016 due to complications from leukemia. Join as Duane Swierczynski, William Kent Krueger, Randy Wayne White, Jess Lourey, Stuart Neville and more come together in this tribute to a man whose legacy will not be forgotten.

Blood Work

Isabella Maldonado

Alison McMahan

Robert J. Randisi

John M. Floyd

Elaine Viets

Bruce Robert Coffin

Rick Ollerman

Jeffery Hess

Josh Pachter

Leigh Lundin

Laura Oles

Neil Plakcy

M.E. Browning

Jimmy Buffett is one of the great contemporary singer/songwriters, and it’s hard to imagine a citizen of Planet Earth unfamiliar with such classic hits as “Margaritaville.” Jimmy has also written novels, children’s books, memoirs, and a stage musical based on Herman Wouk’s Don’t Stop the Carnival, and his family-friendly concerts almost always sell out to audiences comprised of a mix of dedicated Parrotheads, casual fans, and newbies. In The Great Filling Station Holdup, editor Josh Pachter presents sixteen short crime stories by sixteen popular and up-and-coming crime writers, each story based on a song from one of the twenty-nine studio albums Jimmy has released over the last half century, from Leigh Lundin’s take on “Truckstop Salvation” (which appeared on Jimmy’s first LP, 1970’s Down to Earth) to M.E. Browning’s interpretation of “Einstein Was a Surfer” (from 2013’s Songs from St. Somewhere). If you love Jimmy’s music or crime fiction or both, you’ll love The Great Filling Station Holdup. Mix yourself a boat drink, ask Alexa to put on a buffet of Buffett tunes, kick back, and enjoy! Table of Contents Introduction by Josh Pachter Down to Earth (1970) “Truckstop Salvation” by Leigh Lundin A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean (1973) “The Great Filling Station Holdup” by Josh Pachter A1A (1974) “A Pirate Looks at Forty” by Rick Ollerman Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (1977) “Tampico Trauma” by Michael Bracken Son of a Son of a Sailor (1978) “Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Don Bruns Volcano (1979) “Volcano” by Alison McMahan Coconut Telegraph (1981) “Incommunicado” by Bruce Robert Coffin Somewhere Over China (1981) “If I Could Just Get It On Paper” by Lissa Marie Redmond One Particular Harbour (1983) “We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About” by Elaine Viets Riddles in the Sand (1984) “Who’s the Blonde Stranger?” by Robert J. Randisi Last Mango in Paris (1985) “Everybody’s on the Run” by Laura Oles Hot Water (1988) “Smart Woman (in a Real Short Skirt)” by Isabella Maldonado Off to See the Lizard (1989) “The Pascagoula Run” by Jeffery Hess Don’t Stop the Carnival (1998) “Public Relations” by Neil Plakcy Beach House on the Moon (1999) “Spending Money” by John M. Floyd Songs From St. Somewhere (2013) “Einstein Was a Surfer” by M.E. Browning

Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffett

The Great Filling Station Holdup

In this exciting and atmospheric second entry of this Cold Case Investigation mystery series Detective Lauren Riley is determined to bring the attacker that left her for dead to justice . . . even if it is a fellow police officer. Cold Case Detectives Lauren Riley and her partner Shane Reese are helping the Homicide Squad after a murder earlier in the day left the department short-staffed. As their shift ends, Reese leaves Lauren alone only for her to be savagely beaten and stabbed from behind minutes later. Lauren didn’t see her attacker, but knows it was a fellow police officer from the city-issued boots she glimpsed as she passed out. Stolen during the attack is the Murder Book, which contains evidence on all active cold cases. Without the book, old homicides became almost impossible to track down. Who in police headquarters would try to kill a fellow officer? Why’d they suddenly want the Murder Book? Although hurt and on enforced leave, nothing will stop Lauren from seeking answers . . . but who on the force can she trust and how safe is she within her own home?

The Murder Book

Aimee Ogden

David Turnbull

Alison McBain

Charity Tahmaseb

Kate Wolford

Lissa Sloan

Christina Ruth Johnson

J. Patrick Pazdziora

Tina Anton

Anna Salonen

Amanda Bergloff

Rowan Lindstrom

L.A. Christensen

Gavin Bradley

Winter is not coming. Winter is here. As unique and beautifully formed as a snowflake, each of these fifteen stories spins a brand new take or offers a fresh take on an old favorite like Jack Frost, The Snow Queen, or The Frof King. From a drafty castle to a blustery Japanese villiage, from a snow-packed road to the cozy hearth of a frammhouse, from an empty coffee house in Buffalo, New York, to a cold night outside a university library, these stories fully explore the perils and possibilities of the snow, wind, ice, and bone-chilling cold that traditional fairy tale characters seldom encounter. In the bleak midwinter, heed the irresistible call of fairy tales. Just open these pages, snuggle down, and wait for an icy blast of fantasy to carry you away. With all new stories of love, adventure, sorrow, and triumph.

Frozen Fairy Tales

John Shepphird

Frederick C. Davis

Brian Silverman

Arthur Klepchukov

J. Kingston Pierce

Robb T. White

Issue four closes our exciting first year with the very talented debut of Arthur Klepchukov. His intelligent “A Damn Fine Town” is followed by film director and writer John Shepphird and a prequel to his award-nominated “Shill” trilogy, a bit of a teaser for those of you who may not have discovered Jane Innes…yet. Brian Silverman is up next with a story set on his fictional Caribbean island of St. Pierre featuring his characters, Leonard and Tubby. The featured story this issue is of the most excellent Inspector Kubu by the writing team of Michael Stanley. If “Shoot to Kill” is your first Kubu tale, believe me, he’s only better when he’s in a novel. Our featured historical story is by the very prolific, very good Frederick C. Davis, who became one of Harry Whittington’s “St. Pete Boys,” the group of writers like Gil Brewer, Day Keene, and occasionally John D. MacDonald, that met on Sunday afternoons at Harry’s house. Davis’s story is the first Secrets, Inc. installment, “Blood on the Block.” We close out the issue with an offbeat heist story by Robb T. White called “Inside Man,” and a short piece by the always terrific Lissa Marie Redmond, who first appeared in issue two, called “We Don’t Talk About Lester Anymore.” There’s a good reason for that.

Down & Out: The Magazine Volume 1 Issue 4

Cold case detective Lauren Riley wakes up in the hospital certain of two things: she was stabbed and left for dead...and the person who did it was a cop. After being brutally stabbed at her desk late one night, Lauren Riley works her way backwards through the haze to piece together who attacked her and why. A mysterious phone message forces her to enlist the help of a retired lieutenant to track down a witness who is desperate not to be found. As she digs into the Buffalo Police Department's hidden past she uncovers a terrible secret, one a fellow officer would kill to protect. Packed with suspense and featuring a detective who "relentlessly—and with morbid humor—gets the job done" (Booklist), The Murder Book continues a series praised by Kirkus Reviews as "an excellent police procedural combined with a psychological thriller." Praise for The Murder Book: An Amazon and Barnes and Noble Bestseller "A simply riveting read from cover to cover."—Midwest Book Review "Fans of contemporary police procedurals will want to see more of the plucky Lauren."—Publishers Weekly "A pulse-racing pace, well-chosen details of Buffalo's mixed industrial landscape and characters to bleed for make this a stunningly good second book. Highly recommended."—Kingdom Books Praise for A Cold Day in Hell, Book 1 of the Cold Case Investigation series: "Recommend this one to anyone who loves courtroom dramas where lawyers tear into witnesses like pit bulls. And to anyone hot for a police procedural where tired cops make mistakes but slowly, relentlessly—and with morbid humor—get the job done. Redmond delivers both in one package...The real attraction here is a keyhole view into a world that turns our expectations upside down—a world where a bullying, quasi-fascist cop can be the only one with a handle on reality. Keep your eyes on Redmond, a retired cop who knows how to write."—Booklist "Redmond, a recently retired Buffalo PD homicide detective, keeps everything moving nicely in this well-constructed crime novel."—Publishers Weekly "An excellent police procedural combined with a psychological thriller."—Kirkus Reviews "A Cold Day in Hell is a fine first novel and Lauren Riley is cool new addition to the world of PI and cop protagonists. A retired detective, Lissa Marie Redmond gives it to the reader without the sugarcoating and lifts the veil off how the system really works...or doesn't."—Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of What You Break "Ex-cop Lissa Redmond has a sure hand with police procedure, which should be no surprise. The joy of A Cold Day in Hell comes from her equally sure hand with storytelling. This is a welcome new voice on the crime scene."—SJ Rozan, bestselling author of Ghost Hero

'Fans of police procedurals will want to read all in the series after this compelling, twisted story' - Library Journal Starred Review A murder of an Icelandic man during a Full Cold Moon reminds Lauren Riley of a previous case she failed to solve. She is determined not to let it happen again. Since her partner on the Cold Case team has been out of action after being shot in the line of duty, Lauren Riley has been working Homicide. Her latest case involves an Icelandic man murdered on the streets of Buffalo mere feet from his hotel. The brutality of the case hits Lauren hard. When she realizes the murder was committed on the night of a Full Cold Moon, it triggers memories of the first cold case she investigated that she's been unable to solve. Lauren is determined not to fail again but when she is involved in a shooting with a suspect, she finds the case may be taken out of her hands . . . especially when it gains attention from the Icelandic government.

A Full Cold Moon

Lissa Marie Redmond

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