Justified Secrets


Book Description

A dangerous storm, a wounded stranger, and a ghost from the past. Just another Thursday in Whispering Pines. A monster of a blizzard is on the way, but the hardy folks of Whispering Pines aren’t bothered by the weather. Not when there are supplies to gather and neighbors to catch up with. As everyone finally settles in to ride out the storm, Sheriff Jayne O’Shea gets a phone call. A stranger has stumbled into the village. She’s covered in bruises and mumbling about a car crash. Determined to figure out what happened to her, and to rescue any other potential victims still out there, Jayne braves the howling winds and arctic temperatures. Then another call comes in. An elderly villager is missing in the storm. Jayne can handle this. She can handle pretty much anything. But when a ghost from her past shows up at the bed-and-breakfast and tries to uncover Jayne’s long-buried secrets, she may have reached her breaking point.




Justified Secrets


Book Description

A dangerous storm, a wounded stranger, and a ghost from the past. Just another Thursday in Whispering Pines.A monster of a blizzard is on the way, but the hardy folks of Whispering Pines aren't bothered by the weather. Not when there are supplies to gather and neighbors to catch up with.As everyone finally settles in to ride out the storm, Sheriff Jayne O'Shea gets a phone call. A stranger has stumbled into the village. She's covered in bruises and mumbling about a car crash. Determined to figure out what happened to her, and to rescue any other potential victims still out there, Jayne braves the howling winds and arctic temperatures. Then another call comes in. An elderly villager is missing in the storm.Jayne can handle this. She can handle pretty much anything. But when a ghost from her past shows up at the bed-and-breakfast and tries to uncover Jayne's long-buried secrets, she may have reached her breaking point.What Readers Are Saying "I can clearly see the thatched roof houses, their wood and stucco exteriors. It reminds me of Shakespeare's house in London." "I've read them all and just want to go back." "I wish Whispering Pines was a real place" "If you enjoy honest, rather raw characters seeking direction, and the consequences of past mistakes, you'll enjoy this series as much as I have." "My mind is still in Whispering Pines. I can clearly see the thatched roof houses, their wood and stucco exteriors. It reminds me of Shakespeare's house in London." "I really enjoy how the characters continue to evolve in this series and the new eccentrics fit right in!" "I totally fell in love with both the village and the story." "I would gladly plan my next trip to Whispering Pines."The Whispering Pines Mystery SeriesFamily SecretsKept Secrets, Book 2Original Secrets, Book 3Hidden Secrets, Book 4Rival Secrets, Book 5Veiled Secrets, Book 6Silent Secrets, Book 7Merciful Secrets, Book 8Justified Secrets, Book 9




A Justified Murder


Book Description

New York Times bestselling romance author Jude Deveraux continues her breakout Medlar Mystery series with a twisted tale of guilt and revenge… The small town of Lachlan, Florida, was rocked last year when two bodies were uncovered in the roots of a fallen tree. Despite their lack of investigative experience, Sara Medlar; her niece, Kate; and Jack Wyatt found themselves at the center of the mystery, working together to reveal the truth behind a decades-old secret in the sleepy town. After a narrow escape, they vowed to never again involve themselves in something so dangerous—until Janet Beeson is murdered. When Janet’s body is discovered, everyone is shocked by the violence of the attack. The sweet little old woman has been shot, stabbed and poisoned, but no one can imagine who would want to harm one of the town’s kindest, most helpful residents. Sara, Kate and Jack are determined to leave this case to the professionals. But they are soon bombarded by townspeople eager to tell their stories and clear their names with the trio who solved the Morris murders. Even the sheriff is hoping they’ll lend their skills to a crime that seems to have no explanation and no motive. And once the town gets talking, they begin to see that there are more secrets buried in quiet Lachlan than anyone could have imagined…




Protected Secrets


Book Description

Springtime in the village means colored eggs, hot crossed buns, and a corpse. As the vernal equinox brings welcome warmth and the promise of the coming tourist season to Wisconsin's Northwoods, it also brings an invading Wiccan coven. Sheriff Jayne O’Shea isn’t worried about the witches. It’s the fact that her mother is coming for her first visit in nearly twenty years that has her on edge. Their reunion goes well, better than expected, and then a coven member disappears. The other members don't seem concerned. In fact, they're so indifferent to the disappearance, Jayne is sure she's searching for a body, not a missing person. The possibility of another death in the village is bad enough, but this one could mean the end for Whispering Pines. If Jayne can't get her mom to see the lakeside community's charming appeal, it will go up for sale.




Pronto


Book Description

“Speedy, exhilarating, and smooth. Nobody does it better.” —Washington Post “The man knows how to grab you—and Pronto is one of the best grabbers in years.” —Entertainment Weekly Fans of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens of the hit TV series Justified are in for a major treat. The unstoppable manhunter with the very itchy trigger finger stars in Pronto, a crime fiction gem from the one and only Elmore Leonard, “the greatest crime writer of our time, perhaps ever” (New York Times Book Review). The Grand Master justifies the overwhelming acclaim he has received over the course of his remarkable career with an electrifying thriller that sends the indomitable Raylan racing to Italy on the trail of a fugitive bookie who’s hiding from the vengeful Miami mob. The legendary Leonard, whom the Seattle Times lauds as the “King Daddy of crime writers,” proves that all comparisons to American noir icons John D. MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, and James M. Cain are well deserved with this tale of very dirty doings and extremely dangerous men coming together in the birthplace of Puccini, Garibaldi, and La Cosa Nostra.




Merciful Secrets


Book Description

Celebrate the season in Whispering Pines with snow, mistletoe, and murder. Preparations for the Yuletide festival are in full swing, and so is the gossip about a blackmailing villager. Sheriff Jayne O’Shea doesn’t have time or patience for small-town rumors. After two long years overseas, her father is coming for a visit and everything has to be perfect. Then, just as things start falling into place, the blackmailer is found dead. As if that wasn't enough, strange packages start showing up on doorsteps around the village, each containing a clue as to how the receiver will die. Now, Jayne has to decide what’s more important. Focusing on a murder that’s already happened or trying to prevent six more.




Family Secrets


Book Description

Welcome to Whispering Pines, Wisconsin. A place for those who don’t belong. Sixteen years after a family feud drove her from the cozy Northwoods village of Whispering Pines, Wisconsin, former detective Jayne O'Shea returns to prepare her grandparents' lake house for sale. Once there, not only does she find that the house has been trashed, her dog discovers a dead body in the backyard. Jayne intends to stay out of it, but when it becomes obvious the sheriff isn't interested in investigating the death, Jayne can't stop herself. Her list of suspects grows faster than the plants in the commons' pentacle garden. Could it be the local Wiccan green witch with her stash of deadly plants? The shopkeeper who slips into trances and foretells death? The visitor determined to practice black magic? What Jayne knows for sure is that the closer she gets to solving this crime, the more the sheriff wants her to back off. And when a local fortune teller provides a crucial clue, Jayne knows it's up to her to solve this murder.




Hidden Secrets


Book Description

In the village where “all are welcome and those in need may stay,” long-buried secrets keep rising to the surface. With renovations on the house finally complete, Jayne and Tripp are ready to open their B&B. Villagers and tourists gather for their grand opening barbecue. Close friends check in as their first guests. Aside from a minor glitch or two, everything is going to plan … and then someone turns up dead on the side of the road. Unsure if she’s looking for a murderer or a hit-and-run driver, Jayne jumps headlong into figuring out what happened. Her confidence is shaken, though, when some of the locals point out that the rash of murders started when she arrived in the village, insinuating that she brought the darkness hovering over Whispering Pines. Now, in the middle of a possible murder investigation, Jayne must clear her own name as well.




Veiled Secrets


Book Description

In Whispering Pines, Halloween horrors involve more than goblins and ghouls. With only a smattering of tourists visiting the village for the Samhain feast, Jayne is excited … no. She's looking forward to … no. Jayne is guardedly optimistic about spending a few days with her demanding sister. Then a boy goes missing during trick-or-treating and everything changes. The parents aren’t worried. Their son does this, they say. With a storm bearing down on the village, though, Jayne isn’t content to dismiss this as a case of a curious kid off exploring the woods. Organizing a search-and-rescue mission gives her plenty to deal with but then the word "kidnapped" is mentioned and brings her sister’s long-buried nightmare into the light, forcing Jayne to divide her attention at the worst possible time.




Secrets and Leaks


Book Description

Secrets and Leaks examines the complex relationships among executive power, national security, and secrecy. State secrecy is vital for national security, but it can also be used to conceal wrongdoing. How then can we ensure that this power is used responsibly? Typically, the onus is put on lawmakers and judges, who are expected to oversee the executive. Yet because these actors lack access to the relevant information and the ability to determine the harm likely to be caused by its disclosure, they often defer to the executive's claims about the need for secrecy. As a result, potential abuses are more often exposed by unauthorized disclosures published in the press. But should such disclosures, which violate the law, be condoned? Drawing on several cases, Rahul Sagar argues that though whistleblowing can be morally justified, the fear of retaliation usually prompts officials to act anonymously--that is, to "leak" information. As a result, it becomes difficult for the public to discern when an unauthorized disclosure is intended to further partisan interests. Because such disclosures are the only credible means of checking the executive, Sagar writes, they must be tolerated, and, at times, even celebrated. However, the public should treat such disclosures skeptically and subject irresponsible journalism to concerted criticism.