The Detective Joe Ezell Mystery Boxed Set, Books 1-3


Book Description

Join Detective Joe Ezell in 1940s Los Angeles As He Solves Three Murder Mysteries With A Woman of Mysterious Identity, a VA Nurse and an Aspiring Actress BOOK 1: Murder Me Twice - Joe Ezell, GI turned gumshoe, pays the bills by catching philandering husbands for rich dames wanting a divorce. When Faye Marten darkens his door, she doesn't quite fit the bill, but she is willing to pay. A few hours later, Hal Marten, the man Faye hired him to dog, arrives asking for help. The cops believe Hal murdered his now missing wife and Hal wants him to prove his innocence. But the deeper Joe digs, the more convinced he becomes that Faye and Hal aren't who they claim to be. The only question is: can he prove it and solve the murder before another victim is knocked off? BOOK 2: Stairway to Murder - World War II G.I. turned gumshoe, Joe Ezell is hunting a murderer. A Los Angeles VA hospital nurse has been found dead, and RN Mary McBride, the love of Joe's life, is next. Has the Black Dahlia killer struck again or was it one of the VA hospital doctors trying to keep a malpractice case under wraps? There are too many suspects, too few leads, and LAPD Detective Lynch is thwarting Joe's every move. If Joe doesn't succeed, he'll never get the chance to slip a ring on Mary's finger. BOOK 3: Murder on Ice - When aspiring actress Cookie Crumble is found dead in a refrigerator in a vacant apartment, the police immediately suspect the landlord's son whose father hires gumshoe PI Joe Ezell to find the true killer. With a long list of suspects from ardent fans, to jealous lovers, to the mobster who Cookie rebuffed, Joe goes undercover as an actor. Did Cookie's dreams of silver-screen fame lead to her murder? But the closer Joe gets to the truth, the more likely he is to get iced. Publisher Note: The Detective Joe Ezell Mystery Series is a "clean and wholesome" read with no sex or vulgar language and will be enjoyed by readers of cozy mysteries and classic detective "whodunit" mysteries in the spirit of Sam Spade and Humphrey Bogart. While not a true noir or hard-boiled mystery, this series captures the charm of film noir without the drugs, sex or beatings. "This is a wonderful series. The period facts are correct, the plots interesting and the characters believable." ~Lori Biever Launder ". . . charming glimpse of Hollywood in the 1940’s. A relaxing read even with the murder and mayhem." ~Tree House Reader, eBook Discovery Reviewer ". . . a gumshoe you'd like to spend time with . . . a sweet love story and a good mystery with a satisfying ending." ~Pete Croisant, eBook Discovery Reviewer ". . . when at last the clues come together, no-one could have imagined the bizarre outcome. This is a superb whodunit . . ." ~Melanie S., eBook Discovery The Detective Joe Ezell Mystery Series, in order Murder Me Twice Stairway to Murder Murder on Ice Murder on Stilettos Eye for Murder About the Author: Always a passionate lover of books, this New York Times bestselling author first answered a call to write in the 1980s and swiftly embarked on her own mythic journey. MURDER ON STILETTOS, the fourth book in her Joe Ezell Mystery series, written as P. J., is her forty-sixth release. With more than seven million copies in print of her historical, contemporary and futuristic books written under her own name as well as her pseudonyms, Cinnamon Burke, and P. J. Conn, she is as enthusiastic as ever about writing. A native Californian, Phoebe attended the University of Arizona and California State University at Los Angeles where she earned a BA in Art History and an MA in Education. Her books have won Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards and a nomination for Storyteller of the Year. Her futuristic, STARFIRE RISING, won a RomCom award as best Futuristic Romance of the year. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Novelists Inc. and Sisters in Crime. She is the proud mother of two grown sons and two adorable grandchildren, who love to have her read to them.




The Whole Story


Book Description

This work is the only comprehensive guide to sequels in English, with over 84,000 works by 12,500 authors in 17,000 sequences.




Noir Fatale


Book Description

NEW SCIENCE FICTION, URBAN FANTASY, AND MYSTERY STORIES WITH A NOIR THEME FROM BEST-SELLING AUTHORS LAURELL K. HAMILTON delivering an Anita Blake series story, LARRY CORREIA, penning a Grimnoir series adventure, an original Honor Harrington series tale from DAVID WEBER, AND MORE. The silky note of a saxophone. The echoes of a woman’s high heels down a deserted asphalt street. Steam rising from city vents to cloud the street-lit air. A man with a gun. A dame with a problem . . . NOIR. From the pulpy pages of Black Mask Magazine in the 1920s and 30s, through the film noir era of the 1940s, to today, noir fiction has lured many a reader and movie-goer away from the light and into the dark underbelly of society. Names such as Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and James M. Cain; titles like The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcon, The Postman Always Rings Twice . . . these have inhabited our collective consciousness for decades. Humanity, it seems, loves the dark. And within the dark, one figure stands out: that of the femme fatale. Here then, Noir Fatale an anthology containing the full spectrum of noir fiction, each incorporating the compelling femme fatale character archetype. From straightforward hardboiled detective story to dark urban fantasy to the dirty secrets of futuristic science fiction—all with a hard, gritty feel. As Raymond Chandler said, “Down these mean streets, a man must walk who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid.” Because, as these stories prove, doing the right thing doesn’t necessarily mean you get the big bucks or the girl. But you do the right thing anyway. All new stories by Larry Correia Kacey Ezell Laurell K. Hamilton David Weber Sarah A. Hoyt Robert Buettner Alistair Kimble Griffin Barber Michael Massa Christopher L. Smith and Michael Ferguson Hinkley Correia Patrick Tracy Steve Diamond At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Larry Correia and the Monster Hunter International series: “[E]verything I like in fantasy: intense action scenes, evil in horrifying array, good struggling against the darkness, and most of all people—gorgeously flawed human beings faced with horrible moral choices that force them to question and change and grow.”—Jim Butcher “[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read.”—Bookreporter.com “If you love monsters and action, you’ll love this book. If you love guns, you’ll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you’ll love this book.”—Knotclan.com “A gun person who likes science fiction—or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction—will enjoy [these books] . . . The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters . . . I read both books without putting them down except for work . . . so whaddaya waitin’ for? Go and buy some . . . for yourself and for stocking stuffers.”—Massad Ayoob “This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts.”—Publishers Weekly on Monster Hunter Vendetta About the work of Kacey Ezell: "Gritty, dark and damp. Much like the war itself."—Michael Z. Williamson, best-selling author of A Long Time Until Now "I loved Minds of Men."—D.J. Butler, best-selling author of Witchy Eye "A lot of good scifi writers write war, but sometimes forget that it is fought by actual people, and even in the midst of war, you don't stop being people while you fight. If you want a good read that dares you to think about what it is like to go to war when you can't hide behind the masks you learn to wear, check it out."—John T. Mainer




Investigating Iwo


Book Description

"Investigating Iwo encourages us to explore the connection between American visual culture and World War II, particularly how the image inspired Marines, servicemembers, and civilians to carry on with the war and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure victory over the Axis Powers. Chapters shed light on the processes through which history becomes memory and gains meaning over time. The contributors ask only that we be willing to take a closer look, to remain open to new perspectives that can deepen our understanding of familiar topics related to the flag raising, including Rosenthal's famous picture, that continue to mean so much to us today"--




No Game for Knights


Book Description

“Knights had no meaning in this game. It wasn’t a game for knights.” —Raymond Chandler In a world of criminals, thugs, con artists, cheats, and swindlers, there must be a man to stand against the powers of darkness and corruption. A man not afraid to walk the mean streets—whether they be those of 1930s Los Angeles, an ancient fantasy realm, or some far-flung planet of a future star empire. He is a man who knows that a “good man” is not always a “nice guy.” But when the chips are down, he understands that a hero does the right thing, even if it means losing everything. He is Sam Spade. He is Philip Marlowe. He is Rick Deckard. He is Harry Dresden. He is all these men and more. Now, join Larry Correia and Kacey Ezell as they present all-new stories of fantasy and science fiction with a hardboiled detective bent by today’s top authors. Grab the bottle of Scotch from your bottom desk drawer. Light a cigarette. Tilt your fedora back on your head. But don’t forget to watch your back. This is No Game for Knights. Stories by: Laurell K. Hamilton, Larry Correia, Christopher Ruocchio, Michael Haspil, D.J. Butler, Kacey Ezell, Griffin Barber, Robert Buettner, Sharon Shinn, Craig Martelle, Chris Kennedy, S.A. Bailey, G. Scott Huggins, Nicole Givens Kurtz, and Rob Howell. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Noir Fatale, edited by Correia and Ezell: “Marvelous is a good word to describe all of the stories in the book. . . . Noir Fatale is a book that will charm both noir fans, and general science fiction and fantasy readers. Correia and Ezell have created a captivating mix of stories.” —The Galveston County Daily News “[A] wonderfully diverse collection of stories from a broad range of authors and it delivers in spades . . . It is a diverse and exciting slice of Noir and Fatale and a great read.” —SFRevu




A Sailor of Austria


Book Description

In this ironic, hilarious, and poignant story, Otto Prohaska is a submarine captain serving the almost-landlocked Austro-Hungarian Empire. He faces a host of unlikely circumstances, from petrol poisoning to exploding lavatories to trigger-happy Turks. All signs point to the total collapse of the bloated empire he serves, but Otto refuses to abandon the Habsburgs in their hour of need.




Forthcoming Books


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Smart Read Easy


Book Description

This child centred, simple route to reading for pre-school children has been tried and tested with great success over a number of years by the author, a psychology graduate and qualified teacher. The scheme, a distillation of sight reading and the currently favoured synthetic systematic phonics approach, encourages children to learn to read with Sam, a character they will find fun and very easy to identify with. This scheme allows children to create their own first reading book which is followed by a series of fifteen short stories gradually extending most frequently used words to include the 45 key words to reading advised by the National Literacy Strategy. With pictures to colour and space for drawing, there is plenty of scope for children to have fun making this book their own. With no punishing schedules to follow, this all inclusive activity book offers a very flexible approach, ensuring an enjoyable and satisfying reading adventure for both you and your child.




The Cat Who Could Read Backwards


Book Description

THE FIRST COZY MYSTERY IN THE BELOVED NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING CAT WHO SERIES! The world of modern art is a mystery to many. But for Jim Qwilleran, it turns into a mystery of another sort when his assignment for The Daily Fluxion leads down the path to murder. A stabbing in an art gallery, vandalized paintings, a fatal fall from a scaffolding—this is not at all what Qwilleran expects when he turns his reporter talents to art. But Qwilleran and his newly found partner, Koko the brilliant Siamese cat, are in their element—sniffing out clues and confounding criminals intent on mayhem and murder. This riveting beginning to the Cat Who series is the perfect cozy mystery for cat lovers to start sleuthing!