Lethal in Old Lace


Book Description

Before bride-to-be Reagan Summerside can tie the knot, she must first untangle a web of mysterious retirement home murders—and prove her neighbors are innocent There are two social functions in Savannah guaranteed to get people talking: weddings and funerals. And just as consignment shop owner Reagan Summerside agrees to marry the hunky Walker Boone, her neighbors, sisters Annie Fritz and Elsie Abbot, step up their business as professional mourners. They are so successful that the Sleepy Pines Retirement Center has hired them as a part of their retirement package. But the celebration over good business is cut short when the residents at Pines suddenly begin dying at an alarming rate. And the sisters are the first suspects. Reagan has her doubts, however, and begins to look into the strange phenomenon. But then something even stranger happens: a body winds up in the sisters’ pink Caddy. The evidence begins to pile up and the suspicious case of Willie Fishbine, who swindled the sisters out of a fortune and coincidentally died prior to the Pines case, is reopened. Not wanting Willie to be buried until they can find the killer responsible for the murders, Reagan must catch the culprit in time to walk down the aisle. Witty, fabulous, and full of charm, Lethal in Old Lace is perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Jenn McKinlay.




Iced Chiffon


Book Description

There’s always something to gossip about in Savannah, Georgia, and Reagan Summerside always seems to be in the middle of it. She’s busy enough running her consignment shop, The Prissy Fox, with her vivacious Auntie KiKi, but now the gossip—and the sales—are about to pick up after a gruesome discovery… Reagan’s messy divorce has left her with nothing but a run-down Victorian and a bunch of designer clothes. Strapped for cash, Reagan makes use of the two things she has left, turning the first floor of her home into a consignment shop and filling it with the remnants of her rich-wife wardrobe. Thanks to his cunning lawyer Walker Boone, her ex got everything else, including the Lexus—not to mention a young blond cupcake. When Reagan finds the cupcake dead in the Lexus, she’s determined to beat Boone to finding the murderer. As it turns out, the gossip fiends flooding Reagan’s shop will give her a lot more than just their unwanted clothes—they have information more precious than a vintage Louis Vuitton…




A is for Arsenic


Book Description

Agatha Christie's detailed plotting is what makes her books so compelling. Christie used poison to kill her characters more often than any other murder method, with the poison itself being a central part of the novel, and her choice of deadly substances was far from random; the chemical and physiological characteristics of each poison provide vital clues to discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but not so with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts?Christie demonstrated her extensive chemical knowledge (much of it gleaned from her working in a chemists during both world wars) in many of her novels, but this is rarely appreciated by the reader. A is for Arsenic celebrates the use of science in Christie's work. Written by Christie fan and research chemist Kathryn Harkup, each chapter takes a different novel and investigates the poison (or poisons) the murderer used. A is for Arsenic looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. This book is published as part of the 125th anniversary celebration of Christie's birth.Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because its fiction doesn't mean its all made-up ...




Lethal Leaf Peepers


Book Description

When good friends Wendy and Amie embark on a fall foliage tour of New England, they don't expect much excitement from their quirky, over-fifty group of tourists. However, the pair find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery that leads them to a most unexpected conclusion. When a member of Wendy and Amie's tour group suddenly dies, the two friends learn that when you always expect the unexpected, you will never be disappointed. With some amateur sleuthing and Wendy's deductive nosiness, she is able to put together the pieces of the puzzle and help solve the case. Part travelogue and part tongue-in-cheek commentary on the human condition, Lethal Leaf Peepers is the perfect tale for those who love an old-fashioned murder mystery.




Pressed to Kill


Book Description

The young woman has a new but mysterious boyfriend she met at Dyer Cleaners' open house party. But when Ardith turns up dead a couple of days later, Mandy suspects the worst.




Filthy Rags


Book Description

Religion: The term religion is used by most to describe a person that seeks and strives to work their way into a state of worthiness and acceptance before a Holy God, with their goodness and efforts of works put forth as the offering. Sadly enough religion is not understood by most people and Christians as well. The natural mind will always rationalize its behavior in hopes it will convince the Creator, of the universe, to accept the goodness of deeds or overlook the pettiness of mistakes. If that is the case then there is no need for the New Testament Bible. Grace: Grace is un-merited favor, or in other words, the complete opposite of religion. Grace provides forgiveness, of every sin with the assurance of no recall. “Their sins and lawless deeds will be remembered no more”. Hebrews 10:17. Grace is what has already been done for mankind. The payment of the sin debt is too costly for mankind to consider paying. The shed Blood of Christ is the only reason we have the forgiveness of sin. Without the shedding of His Blood there is no hope!




Lethal Performances


Book Description

This book provides an in-depth analysis of representations of female murderers in modern American drama. Paying close attention to the plays' plot, form, and style, the study seeks to come to terms with the dramatic and cultural function of this phenomenon. Given the rarity of female murder in real life, the popularity and prevalence of this theme in culture is striking and unsettling at the same time. After all, a woman who kills not only violates against basic social rules, but also upsets gender norms. This potential to break with an ideology that rests on hierarchically structured gender binaries equips the figure of the female murderer with the power to symbolically 'kill' established views about gender and sexuality. It is this ideologically disruptive potential that makes the female murderer a fascinating object of study, as her cultural figuration may provide information about the meaning assigned to women at a certain historical moment.




Lethal Bond


Book Description

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Gemma Halliday... Her name is Bond. Jamie Bond. And her luck may have just run out. P.I. Jamie Bond knows there's corruption in the Los Angeles County D.A.'s office. What she doesn't know is how far it runs and if her on-again, off-again love interest, A.D.A. Aiden Prince, is involved. Is he aware of the danger lurking in his halls of justice? Is he dating his exotic beauty of a co-chair? And why are drug dealers making middle of the night calls to the D.A.? Jamie is determined to find out. But between one case of an "open marriage" wife who fears her husband is secretly monogamous, an Elvis obsessed musician crushing on her employee, and an over-sexed baby-boomer father, Jamie has her hands full. Not to mention one hot photographer, Danny Flynn, who seems determined to take their relationship from "best friend" to "best night of her life." The boundaries between personal and professional blur in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, where no one can be trusted...and not everyone will make it out alive. The Jamie Bond Mysteries: Unbreakable Bond (book #1) Secret Bond (book #2) Lethal Bond (book #3) Dangerous Bond (book #4) Fatal Bond (book #5) Deadly Bond (book #6) Here's what critics are saying about Gemma Halliday's books: "A saucy combination of romance and suspense that is simply irresistible." - Chicago Tribune "Stylish... nonstop action...guaranteed to keep chick lit and mystery fans happy!" - Publishers' Weekly, starred review "Smart, funny and snappy… the perfect beach read!" - Fresh Fiction




Killer in Crinolines


Book Description

It’s August in Savannah, Georgia—hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat—or from a cake knife in the back... Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But when her dear friend Chantilly Parker is arrested for murder, Reagan vows to clear her name. The victim is Simon Ambrose, who’s found lying in his own wedding cake with a knife in his back. Chantilly has motive (Simon broke her heart to marry wealthy Waynetta Waverly) and opportunity (crashing the wedding in her UPS delivery truck). And she has cake on her face, and the stolen bridesmaid dress the killer wore is in her truck. But Chantilly would never wear crinoline to kill a man! With the help of her flamboyant auntie, KiKi, and vexing but attractive attorney Walker Boone, Reagan is determined to save her friend—before she’s forced to turn in her brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit…




There's a Body in the Window Seat!


Book Description

There’s a Body in the Window Seat! is a detailed history of one of the most beloved American murder-mysteries and comedies, Arsenic and Old Lace. Actor, director, and playwright Charles Dennis investigates the mystery behind the play: how did a true-life crime in Connecticut turn into a comedy? And who are the real writers that deserve credit for its long-lasting success? Dennis brings an insider’s view to Joseph Kesselring’s attempts to write Arsenic and Old Lace and how producers had to step in to save the play from his heavy hand. He also follows the actors, both on the stage and on the screen, as they handle the demands of the roles and behind-the-scenes relationships. Why didn’t Boris Karloff recreate his stage role, even though Jean Adair and John Alexander did? Why did Cary Grant hate his performance in Arsenic—was it because Frank Capra deceived him or because of costume designer Orry Kelly? And why did the movie never receive Academy Award consideration? Learn the answers to these intriguing questions and more in There’s a Body in the Window Seat!