FREE/BARGAIN - Mystery, Suspense, Thriller - 2015

[sufue]

Endeavour Press is at it again with a bunch of US Kindle Countdown titles.

There are three right now from Anthea Fraser, all non-series titles:

The Macbeth Prophecy is $0.99 for about 4 1/2 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Macbeth-Prophe.../dp/B00QV89GFA

Spoiler:

To the casual visitor, Crowthorpe was a pretty Lakeland village, with its stone circle prehistoric monument.

But the village has a strange and troubling history, surrounding the power of the circle of stones, and an old Celtic legend.

When a girl's body is found by the stones with her eyes pecked out, Jason Quinn, a savvy TV journalist who was skeptical about all things supernatural, decides to make the trip up north to the tiny village to investigate.

If he solves the crime, it will be the perfect scoop.

In a village where nothing is as its seems, can Quinn separate the myths and legends from the hard evidence he needs to track the killer?

As he begins his investigations, sudden violent attacks plague the village, and strange stories of mind control trouble the people of Crowthorpe.

The investigator will be drawn into a whirlpool of suspicion and fear and, before long, Jason himself is the victim of a bloody attack by the stone circle.

What dark power is gripping the residents of Crowthorpe?

‘The Macbeth Prophecy’ is a dark and haunting thriller from a master of crime fiction.

Praise for Anthea Fraser:

“A superbly crafted, riveting, page-turner of a read" - Booklist

“Ms Fraser is her dependable elegant, guileful self withholding the killer's identity till a dying fall" - Sunday Times

'A well-mannered, well-plotted and well-told story' - Birmingham Post

'Sympathetic, well-executed book, in which full attention is paid to human feelings and failings' - Yorkshire Post

ANTHEA FRASER has written all her life but did not begin to take it seriously until after marriage, when she found herself at home with two small daughters and embarked on a correspondence course with the London School of Journalism. She wrote short stories before turning to novels of the supernatural, and then to crime. Her other books include ‘Pretty Maids all in a Row’, ‘Eleven Who Went Up to Heaven’, The Ten Commandments’, ‘The Seven Stars’ and ‘One is One and All Alone’.

Home Through the Dark is $0.99 for about 1 1/2 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Home-Through-D.../dp/B00QV89PYM

Spoiler:

Virginia Clements was looking for a fresh start.

Leaving her actor husband, after discovering his infidelity, she travelled under the assumed name of Ginnie Durrell.

When her car crashes in the coastal town of Westhampton, she decides that this is as good a place as any to begin anew.

Her love of the stage draws her to a troupe of actors.

But they have more on their minds than just acting.

Each cast member has a strange interest in her past life; some know her real name, others start asking questions...

When Ginnie accidentally intercepts a phone call demanding a large sum of money to be dropped off in payment for a suspicious act, a trail of unsettling clues begins.

Silent, anonymous phone calls, doorbells ringing in the night, footsteps in the dark, and a figure on her balcony.

What are the actors of The Little Theatre trying to hide?

Who is disrupting the peace she had so desperately hoped to find?

What deadly secrets lie in this sleepy seaside town?

For Ginnie, who had wished for a new life, this is just the beginning...

‘Home Through the Dark’ is a compelling mystery from a master of British crime writing.

Praise for Anthea Fraser:

“A superbly crafted, riveting, page-turner of a read" - Booklist

“Ms Fraser is her dependable elegant, guileful self withholding the killer's identity till a dying fall" - Sunday Times

'A well-mannered, well-plotted and well-told story' - Birmingham Post

'Sympathetic, well-executed book, in which full attention is paid to human feelings and failings' - Yorkshire Post

ANTHEA FRASER has written all her life but did not begin to take it seriously until after marriage, when she found herself at home with two small daughters and embarked on a correspondence course with the London School of Journalism. She wrote short stories before turning to novels of the supernatural, and then to crime. Her other books include ‘Pretty Maids all in a Row’, ‘Eleven Who Went Up to Heaven’, The Ten Commandments’, ‘The Seven Stars’ and ‘One is One and All Alone’.

The Stone is $0.99 for about 4 1/2 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Anthea-F.../dp/B00QV89GJG

Spoiler:

When the Prior family move to the Chiltern village of Ickfield, they come across an old, worn Druid stone, a megalith standing on a hilltop, deep in the twisting paths behind their new home.

But they know nothing of the Stone's dark history.

Fifteen year old Vanessa becomes increasingly obsessed by the stone’s deep magic.

Especially when she finds a hundred-year-old diary from the previous owner of the house, a young woman called Clarissa Henry who became similarly enthralled by the object.

Vanessa decides to seek out local antique dealer Adam Sandys for more information.

He reveals that Clarissa was sentenced for murder but was eventually pronounced insane...

Will Vanessa be getting more than she bargained for?

She finds herself losing part of her own memory, as she becomes more and more involved with Clarissa’s story.

When blood is found on the stone Vanessa is forced to confront its brutal past…

What involvement did the stone have in the murder Clarissa was charged for?

Could it now be affecting Vanessa?

And will it be used to claim another victim….?

'The Stone' is a gripping crime thriller from a master of the genre.

Praise for Anthea Fraser:

“A superbly crafted, riveting, page-turner of a read" - Booklist

“Ms Fraser is her dependable elegant, guileful self withholding the killer's identity till a dying fall" - Sunday Times

'A well-mannered, well-plotted and well-told story' - Birmingham Post

'Sympathetic, well-executed book, in which full attention is paid to human feelings and failings' - Yorkshire Post

ANTHEA FRASER has written all her life but did not begin to take it seriously until after marriage, when she found herself at home with two small daughters and embarked on a correspondence course with the London School of Journalism. She wrote short stories before turning to novels of the supernatural, and then to crime. Her other books include ‘Pretty Maids all in a Row’, ‘Eleven Who Went Up to Heaven’, The Ten Commandments’, ‘The Seven Stars’ and ‘One is One and All Alone’.

[sufue]

Two Inspector Gil Mayo titles by Marjorie Eccles from Endeavour Press are on US Kindle Countdown.

A Death of Distinction is $0.99 for about 2 1/2 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Distinct.../dp/B00LP0ESWA

Spoiler:

Jack Lilburne, governor of Conyhall Young Offenders’ Institution, is generally regarded as a pillar of his community.

He has a respectable job, a beautiful house and a close-knit family – and he’s recently been awarded an OBE.

So it’s shocking and puzzling to everyone, not least Superintendent Gil Mayo and the rest of the Lavenstock police force, when Jack is killed by a car bomb on his own front drive.

Initially, it seems that several of the ex-inmates with whom Jack worked could be suspects.

Soon, however, it becomes clear that there’s more to the case than a young offender with a straightforward grudge against the governor.

When a second victim is discovered, similarities to a historical murder case become obvious.

In order to solve the investigation Mayo and his team realize that they will have to dig deep into Jack Lilburne’s surprisingly shadowy past…

'A Death of Distinction’ is an expertly plotted detective mystery that is perfect for fans of Peter James and Ian Rankin.

‘A tidy plot.’ - Mail on Sunday

Praise for Majorie Eccles:

‘Eccles produces smoothly flowing prose and an atmospheric setting’ - Publishers Weekly

‘Superior police procedural’ - Sunday Telegraph

MARJORIE ECCLES lived for many years in the Midlands, where her crime novels are set. ‘An Accidental Shroud’ also features Detective Chief Inspector Gil Mayo.

Killing Me Softly is a repeat Countdown title at $0.99 for about 1 1/2 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Me-Sof.../dp/B00LP0EWS0

Spoiler:

Detective Sergeant Gil Mayo has a problem on his hands.

Even quiet community of Lavenstock isn't immune from the threat of drugs and his team are getting nowhere in combating the town’s problem.

But their inquiries take a drastic turn when a member of a well-known and respected family is killed.

As both Mayo and DI Abigail Moon plunge into the investigation of this murder, and as more and more of the unsavoury details of the victim's private life are revealed, it becomes not simply a question of who had a motive to kill him, but who didn't.

Things become more and more complicated as Abigail’s personal life begins to interfere with the murder investigation as a man from her past becomes involved in the case.

As Mayo and Abigail start to uncover the truth, it becomes clear the murder was not an end, but a beginning - the first link in a chain that will lead to more deaths...

'Killing Me Softly' is an expertly-plotted crime thriller that will keep readers gripped from the first page to the final twist.

Praise for Majorie Eccles:

‘Eccles produces smoothly flowing prose and an atmospheric setting’ - Publishers Weekly

‘A tidy plot’ - Mail on Sunday

‘Superior police procedural’ - Sunday Telegraph

MARJORIE ECCLES lived for many years in the Midlands, where her crime novels are set. Her novels include ‘An Accidental Shroud’, ‘A Death of Distinction’ and ‘A Species of Revenge’.

[Wearever]

Thanks Sufue ! Some good books again from Endeavor Press.

[sufue]

No Game for a Dame is the first in the Maggie Sullivan mystery series by M Ruth Myers. It's a US Kindle Countdown deal at $0.99 for about the next 1 1/4 days, before going up to $3.99, which appears to be its normal price.

Just as an aside, the third in this series, which was a Countdown deal a while back, was a finalist for a 2014 Shamus Award for Best Indie PI Novel.

link: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Dame-Magg.../dp/B0061063ZE

Spoiler:

A .38, a nip of gin and sensational legs get Depression-era private investigator Maggie Sullivan out of most scrapes – until a stranger threatens to bust her nose, she’s hauled in on suspicion of his murder and she finds herself in the cross-hairs of a crime boss with connections at City Hall.

Moving through streets where people line up at soup kitchens, Maggie draws information from sources others overlook: The waitress at the dime store lunch counter where she has breakfast; a ragged newsboy; the other career girls at her rooming house.

Her digging gets her chloroformed and left in a ditch behind the wheel of her DeSoto. She makes her way to an upscale bordello and gets tea – and information – from the madam herself.

A gunman puts a bullet through Maggie’s hat. Her shutterbug pal on the evening paper warns her off. A new cop whose presence unsettles her thinks she’s crooked. Before she finds all the answers she needs, she faces a half-crazed man with a gun, and a far more lethal point-blank killer.

If you like Robert B. Parker's hard boiled Spencer series and strong women sleuths, don't miss this one-of-a-kind Ohio detective from a time in United States history when dames wore hats -- but seldom a Smith & Wesson.

[sufue]

More Endeavor Press titles on US Kindle Countdown...four J.M. Gregson books from his John Lambert/Bert Hook series, and one in the Percy Peach/Lucy Blake series:

Bring Forth Your Dead is the fourth in the Lambert/Hook series, and is $0.99 for 1 3/4 more days, before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Bring-Forth-Yo.../dp/B00LN4WGJA

Spoiler:

The exhumation of the elderly invalid Edmund Craven proves that he was poisoned, and by one of those closest to him.

But the scents are cold and the traces well covered - until Superintendent Lambert and Sergeant Bert Hook investigate.

The detectives arrive on the scene twelve months after the victim has been buried.

Never before has Lambert had to investigate a murder perpetrated over a year earlier.

Gradually he unearths a network of malice and deceit.

Craven's son and daughter, his housekeeper and the American who was his friend all had reason to wish Craven dead.

And when new evidence conveniently arises, it is up to the detectives to take the case into their own hands.

But the decision almost proves fatal.

‘Bring Forth Your Dead’ is a captivating read that begins with the unearthing of a poisoned corpse, and ends with the unearthing of a deadly secret...

It is perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson.

Praise for J M Gregson:

‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express

‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News

James Michael Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare. His other crime novels include ‘Dead on Course’, ‘Making a Killing’, ‘Stranglehold’ and ‘Body Politic’.

Death on the Eleventh Hole is the fifteenth in the Lambert/Hook series, and is $0.99 for about 18 more hours, before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Eleventh.../dp/B00QV89GKU

Spoiler:

In a busy pub in her local town, Kate Wharton is on edge.

Her good looks are attracting all sorts of male attention. But not from the man she has come here to see.

He waits in a shadowy corner and laughs when she brings him her news.

She wants out.

Kate walks out from the pub, away from her dealer boss and a life of pushing drugs and prostitution.

But she has also signed her death warrant.

Whilst playing his usual round of golf, Sergeant Bert Hook finds an unpleasant surprise at the eleventh hole.

The body of Kate Wharton.

With her murky past, Kate’s killer will be hard to find.

But it seems that it is not just her criminal connections that have a motive for murder.

What can Superintendent John Lambert and Sergeant Hook make of the room-mate who never reported her missing or the junkie boyfriend who talks of a big argument, and an even bigger mistake.

What of the wealthy golfer Richard Ellacott who spent hundreds in return for Kate’s company? Could their meetings have cost her her life?

Back at home, Kate’s mother stands by a new lover with a history of violence. A mother who never asks how her daughter was killed...

‘Death on the Eleventh Hole’ is thrilling crime fiction featuring the popular detective duo, Lambert and Hook.

Praise for J M Gregson:

‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express

‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News
J M Gregson is a Lancastrian by birth and upbringing. He taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before taking early retirement to concentrate on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare.

The Fox in the Forest is the fifth in the Lambert/Hook series, and just appears to be on sale for $0.99 - there is no Countdown clicker on its webpage.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Forest-J-M.../dp/B00Q8LG74I

Spoiler:

When the town vicar Peter Barton is found shot in the woods between two peaceful villages on Christmas Eve, Superintendent Lambert and his CID team are called in to investigate.

His estranged wife herself was missing in the days before her husband’s death, busy with her lover.

Could she be the killer Lambert is looking for?

Or could it be the only man who seems to dislike the victim and owns a matching shotgun?

Or the sweet local boy who travels through the woods every day?

Then a second victim is found, again in the woods, again with a shotgun: a man they had held for thirty six hours before.

It seems that they have a serial killer on their hands, selecting victims at random, a killer who the papers are calling the ‘Fox’.

With an endless list of potential suspects and no real evidence, Lambert struggles to find his culprit.

The rural community closes in upon itself with secrets when another girl is attacked by the Fox and everyone seems to know the details of the two killings.

Can Lambert and his team find a killer amongst the various townspeople with connections to the murders?

More importantly, can they piece together the few clues they have to find the truth before another victim is found?

‘The Fox in the Forest’ is a gripping crime thriller featuring the popular detective duo, Lambert and Hook.

Praise for J M Gregson:

‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express

‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News

J M Gregson is a Lancastrian by birth and upbringing. He taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before taking early retirement to concentrate on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare.

The Lancashire Leopard is the fifth in the Peach/Blake series, and is $0.99 for 3 3/4 more days, before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Lancashire-Leo.../dp/B00QTKYA7O

Spoiler:

On the bitterly cold morning of January 6, a frozen body is found in the Lancashire town of Brunton.

It seems 19-year-old Hannah Woodgate is the latest victim of the serial killer the media have dubbed “the Lancashire Leopard”.

Detective Inspector Percy Peach is determined to find the Leopard before he kills again.

But with no motive, no fingerprints and no clues, that is proving to be a very hard task indeed.

How does the Leopard choose his victims?

And, with a 60-strong task-force going through a painstaking process of eliminating suspects trying to track him down, how is he keeping one step ahead of the police at every turn?

When the next woman’s body is found, the police are as baffled as ever.

Whom should they suspect?

Handsome loner Clyde Northcott, who was found with drugs after a bust-up at a party?

Neo-Nazi thug Paul Dutton, who has shown he can certainly be violent?

What about Terry Plant, recently released from prison, and on the hunt for his ex-wife?

Or Michael Devaney, who certainly has reason to hold a grudge against women?

With no shortage of suspects, or victims, DI Peach faces fatal pressure to find the ‘Lancashire Leopard’ before he makes his next kill.

‘The Lancashire Leopard’ is a chilling, expertly-plotted mystery story. It is perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson.

Praise for J M Gregson:

‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express

‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News

‘. . . Peach is as distinctive as Inspector Morse but less brooding’ - Booklist

J M Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare. His other crime novels include ‘Stranglehold’, ‘Girl Gone Missing’ and ‘Body Politic’.

Malice Aforethought is the twelfth in the Lambert/Hook series, and is $0.99 for about 18 more hours, before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Malice-Aforeth.../dp/B00P92ZZIG

Spoiler:

A body is found in Broughton Ash churchyard.

Male, middle-aged, well-dressed, but with no identification.

Only one fact is certain — he was murdered.

Superintendent John Lambert and Detective Sergeant Bert Hook must set about identifying their un-named victim.

To their surprise, they find he is Ted Giles – a well liked chemistry teacher at the local school.

Beginning their questioning, the pair find that Giles had a secret life, one that he was desperate to hide.

A wealth of female visitors, and an influx of tens of thousands of pounds, lead them to the Rendezvous club.

An escort service that provided Giles with a string of new women - and the police with a wealth of new suspects.

Sue Giles, his ex-wife, from whom he had refused to divorce.

Constance Elson, a divorcée who frequently employed Giles’s services.

And Zoe Ross, the lover who he promised to give up his sideline work for.

Each woman has their own motive, but who committed the crime?

‘Malice Aforethought’ is another Lambert and Hook thriller from a master of British crime writing.

Praise for J M Gregson:

‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express

‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News

J M Gregson is a Lancastrian by birth and upbringing. He taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before taking early retirement to concentrate on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare.

[sufue]

And a bunch of Endeavor Press titles from Roger Ormerod on US Kindle Countdown...two in his Richard Patton series, and two non-series titles, at least a couple of which have been on Countdown before:

Face Value is the first in the Patton series and is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Face-Value-Rog.../dp/B00Q98E7JW

Spoiler:

With three days left until he retires, Detective Inspector Richard Patton doesn't want any more big cases.

Amelia Trowbridge reports her husband missing, and his car is soon discovered.

A burned out car in a ravine should be the perfect way to while away his last days in the force.

After all, there isn't even any proof of a crime.

But strange things begin to turn up.

A threatening message written on the window of convicted rapist Clive Kendall, recently released from prison.

A sinister bearded doll hanging from the branches outside.

When a mutilated body is found in a remote cottage, DI Patton knows his last days of work will be anything but dull.

Who is the dead man?

And where is the missing husband of Amelia Trowbridge, owner of the burned out car?

Will DI Patton discover the truth behind the hanging doll murder?

And can he take anything anyone tells him at Face Value?

'Face Value' is an expertly plotted crime thriller from a master storyteller.

Praise for Roger Ormerod:

"A gripping tale, packed with clues, red herrings, and emotional conflict." - Bradford Telegraph and Argus

"An altogether taut piece of excitement" - The Journal (Newcastle)

"Eclectic, underrated Ormerod can be relied upon to come up with the startling goods" - Sunday Times

"I am glad to announce that the detective novel is still alive and well in Mr Ormerod's skilful hands" - The Spectator

"Fast-moving, with well-orchestrated jiggery-pokery; not unlike an early Dick Francis in tone and method" - Times Literary Supplement

Roger Ormerod worked as a civil servant and as a Social Security inspector - backgrounds which he made full use of in his fiction, as he did with his hobbies of painting and photography.

Published as 'The Hanging Doll Murder' by Scribner in 1984.

Stone Cold Dead is the last in the Patton series and is $0.99 for about 3 3/4 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Cold-Dea.../dp/B00KY4PP4S

Spoiler:

A combined eighteenth birthday and engagement party should be a pleasant occasion, especially one taking place in a canal-side country house quaintly trapped 200 years in the past.

But when Richard and Amelia Patton battle their way through the elements to arrive at Flight House, things immediately take a strange turn when come across an empty red car covered in snow on a rural lane, with the keys still in the ignition.

The water which is home to the houseboat tenants of Flight House has frozen over.

The Pattons find it hard to believe that people manage to live in these conditions.

But do they?

The young woman whom Richard discovers is not dead, though very close to being so.

Prodding ever further into the strange world of Flight House and its string of houseboat tenants, Richard uncovers one uncomfortable truth after another.

He starts asking questions no one wants answered – and starts to feel more and more threatened.

Can he get to the heart of the mystery?

Or will be the one to end up Stone Cold Dead?

Brilliantly evoking the wintry countryside and the frosty silences of a world frozen in time, Stone Cold Dead masterfully handles a slow drip of new clues and twists, as lives half lived give up their secrets.

Praise for Roger Ormerod:

"Eclectic, underrated Ormerod can be relied upon to come up with the startling goods" – Sunday Times

"I am glad to announce that the detective novel is still alive and well in Mr Ormerod's skilful hands" – The Spectator

"Fast-moving, with well-orchestrated jiggery-pokery; not unlike an early Dick Francis in tone and method” – Times Literary Supplement

Roger Ormerod (1920-2005) was a prolific writer of ingenious and densely plotted crime novels - some 35 in all - which were published in the UK and the USA. He lived in Wolverhampton and amongst other things worked as a civil servant and as a Social Security inspector – backgrounds which he made full use of in his fiction, as he did with his hobbies of painting and photography.

The Seven Razors of Ockam is a non-series title and is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Razors-O.../dp/B00QVTWVBA

Spoiler:

How could a harmless raffle for the local hospital put the lives of seven people under threat from a crazed serial killer?

The town of Ockam is proud of its long history. Famed for forging weapons in various wars, its residents are sticklers for heritage and tradition.

When the town's Mayor, Bert ‘Slasher’ Harris, decides to choose the seven winners of a raffle in reverse order, the local crowd demand fair play.

As the angry mob becomes increasingly violent, the town’s most highly prized possession, the historic seven razors of Ockam, are stolen.

These seven cut-throat razors are each engraved with a day of the week... seven razors for seven attacks.

An anonymous killer is targeting the prize-winners, picking them off one day at a time.

It is up to Inspector Ralph Tomkins and Detective Constable Tony Finch to work out the identity of the slasher behind these seemingly unstoppable attacks before all the razors have been used.

Each target is kept under closely-watched police guard, yet the murders continue.

Can Inspector Tomkins and DC Finch find the killer before the week is up?

The Seven Razors of Ockam is a deftly-plotted thriller with moments of dark humour for the small-town Detective duo.

Praise for Roger Ormerod:

‘The story gallops along with an irresistible momentum...always fascinating...the shape is near perfect. The characterisation is splendid, the situations dramatic and compelling, the style economic and energetic. What more can a book offer, or a reader ask?’ - Reginald Hill

"Eclectic, underrated Ormerod can be relied upon to come up with the startling goods" Sunday Times

"I am glad to announce that the detective novel is still alive and well in Mr Ormerod's skillful hands " The Spectator,

"Fast-moving, with well-orchestrated jiggery-pokery; not unlike an early Dick Francis in tone and method” Times Literary Supplement

Roger Ormerod (1920-2005) was a prolific writer of ingenious and densely plotted crime novels - some 35 in all - which were published in the UK and the USA. He lived in Wolverhampton and amongst other things worked as a civil servant and as a Social Security inspector – backgrounds which he made full use of in his fiction, as he did with his hobbies of painting and photography. His books include 'Death of an Innocent', 'Third Time Fatal' and 'Face Value'.

Parting Shot is a non-series title and is $0.99 for about 1 3/4 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Parting-Shot-R.../dp/B00L66V8YO

Spoiler:

When fashion photographer and ex-cop Owen Tanner’s Scandinavian wife Karin vanishes from his apartment, he assumes that she has left him and their marriage is over.

But then his home is ransacked and he begins to wonder if he has jumped to the wrong conclusion.

And when he receives a distressed call from Karin in Sweden, his suspicions are confirmed.

Owen leaves immediately for Scandinavia, determined to find out the truth.

During the crossing, he meets beautiful Finlander Eija Karlsson who seems keen to help him in his quest.

But the couple are not alone.

When Own realises he is being tailed by an old colleague from the force, the Norwegian police and other more sinister figures, he finds himself somehow caught up in the middle of a hunt for international diamond thieves.

As events reach a climax, Owen finds himself falling for Eija, and uncovers a conspiracy behind his wife’s departure that is more terrifying than anything he could have imagined…

Praise for Roger Ormerod:

‘Eclectic, underrated, Ormerod can be relied upon to come up with the startling goods’ - Sunday Times

‘I am glad to announce that the detective novel is still alive and well in Mr Ormerod's skilful hands’ - The Spectator

[sufue]

Two titles by Timothy Harris on US Kindle Countdown, one in the Thomas Kyd series, and one non-series. Endeavor Press, of course...

Unfaithful Servant is the third in the Kyd series and is $0.99 for about 3 3/4 more days before going up to $3.99. It has been on Countdown before.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Unfaithful-Ser.../dp/B00L2KZH1O

Spoiler:

In twenty-first century L.A, the truth is always more interesting than tabloid gossip.

But when 14-year-old Hugo Vine tries to hire private-eye Thomas Kyd, Thomas is not sure he wants know the truth about the famous Vine family.

A recovering alcoholic still haunted by a terrible crime he committed in Vietnam involving a child, Kyd refuses to work for a minor who is apparently mentally unbalanced.

Months later, Hugo's mother, Sally, hires Kyd against his will to keep a close watch on Hugo.

Thrown together with the boy on a daily basis, Kyd discovers Hugo's life is haunted by the possibility his real father was murdered by the man who replaced him. Even worse, Hugo's own mother may have played a role in his death.

Kyd must test the limits of his own courage and humanity to save Hugo from the deadly web in which he's been caught.

And he must resolve to be an 'unfaithful servant'.

'Unfaithful Servant' is a brilliantly entertaining crime thriller that re-creates the atmosphere of classic noir fiction.

Famed screenwriter Timothy Harris brings back one of the most revered private eyes in Los Angeles's literary history. Unfaithful Servant is the third novel starring Los Angeles P. I. Thomas Kyd.

Praise for Timothy Harris:

"No one since Chandler has captured the excess that is L.A. as well as Harris." - Robert A. Baker & Michael T. Nietzel, from Private Eyes; One Hundred and One Knights, A Survey of American Detective Fiction 1922-1984

"Tim Harris burns down the fences separating genre lit from the serious stuff. His great creation, Thomas Kyd...makes a welcome return in this superb book that sets a fresh standard for the field. Tim Harris is writing better than ever." - Jay Cocks, screenwriter, Gangs of New York

"At long last, someone has hit the bull's-eye dead center...Tim Harris has succeeded in bringing Chandler's vision to bear upon a more frightening time than even Marlowe may have been able to stomach." - New West Magazine

"The best of its kind...a must....Goodnight and Goodbye has something for every hard-boiled fan...a strong blending of all the classical elements that earmark the true private eye tale." - Mystery Magazine

Timothy Harris was born in Los Angeles and attended schools in Africa, Europe and New York. His later education was at Charterhouse and Peterhouse College, Cambridge. His three L.A. crime novels featuring Thomas Kyd are considered some of the finest of the genre. Harris' has had an equally successful career as a producer and screenwriter of numerous films including Trading Places, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Space Jam, and Falling Down. He now lives in London with his family.

Heat Wave is a non-series titles and is $0.99 for about 1 3/4 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Wave-Timo.../dp/B00L44ICMO

Spoiler:

1970, Los Angeles.

Bobby Paradise was once a talented photographer dedicated to changing the world with his camera.

But bad breaks and booze have left him snapping the shutter for a sleazy lawyer and a few fast bucks.

One windy day in the middle of a heat wave, Bobby is given a job that introduces him to Tina, a mysterious woman on the run.

In a heat-lashed city, who can tell what’s real, what’s mirage, and what will lead to murder?

Tough times threw them together, with Tina as bait and Bobby behind the lens. The next they knew, a high-ranking city official was dead.

Between them, they had enough to blow the whistle on a scheme that stank from L.A. to D.C.

But Bobby Paradise didn’t want to die…

‘Heat Wave’ is a brilliantly entertaining crime thriller that re-creates the atmosphere of classic noir fiction.

Praise for Timothy Harris:

"No one since Chandler has captured the excess that is L.A. as well as Harris." - Robert A. Baker & Michael T. Nietzel, from Private Eyes; One Hundred and One Knights, A Survey of American Detective Fiction 1922-1984

"Tim Harris burns down the fences separating genre lit from the serious stuff. His great creation, Thomas Kyd...makes a welcome return in this superb book that sets a fresh standard for the field. Tim Harris is writing better than ever." - Jay Cocks, screenwriter, Gangs of New York

"At long last, someone has hit the bull's-eye dead center...Tim Harris has succeeded in bringing Chandler's vision to bear upon a more frightening time than even Marlowe may have been able to stomach." - New West Magazine

"The best of its kind...a must....Goodnight and Goodbye has something for every hard-boiled fan...a strong blending of all the classical elements that earmark the true private eye tale." - Mystery Magazine

Timothy Harris was born in Los Angeles and attended schools in Africa, Europe and New York. His later education was at Charterhouse and Peterhouse College, Cambridge. His three L.A. crime novels featuring Thomas Kyd are considered some of the finest of the genre. Harris' has had an equally successful career as a producer and screenwriter of numerous films including Trading Places, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Space Jam, and Falling Down. He now lives in London with his family.

[sufue]

And finally, a bunch of single US Kindle Countdown titles by various Endeavor Press authors (some are repeat Countdown deals):

Dying to Know is the first (and only, so far, I think) title in Alison Joseph's Detective Inspector Berenice Killick series. Joseph is also the author of the Sister Agnes Bourdillon series. It is $0.99 for about 1 3/4 more days before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Detective-Insp.../dp/B00LOTV49M

Spoiler:

A man’s body washes up on the beach.

It looks as if he threw himself from a lighthouse - but was it suicide, or something more sinister?

Detective Inspector Berenice Killick is used to dealing with minor complaints like parking tickets and lost property, so when she is offered the case she jumps at the chance.

She soon discovers that the dead man was Murdo Macguire, a physicist, and that he and his colleagues were carrying out top secret work on particle collisions.

When more of the scientists are found dead, in the same place and manner as Macguire, it looks like someone has a vendetta against the project.

But what were the scientists working on?

And will someone kill to find out - or to prevent the science being revealed?

As she delves deeper into the mystery, Berenice must fight to get her voice heard in a police department run by men - and she must learn to trust her instincts if she is to have any chance of solving the case.

What is it that the murderer is Dying to Know?

Berenice must find out before it is too late...

"I found this book riveting - I really liked the mix of science and thriller and found it really hard to put down." Peter James

Praise for Alison Joseph's Books:

'Fascinating and complicated...' Val McDermid

'A rich, multi-layered novel that's more than just a crime novel.' Belfast Telegraph

'Instilled with an urgent sense of the complexities of urban existence.' Birmingham Post.

Alison Joseph is a London-based crime writer and radio dramatist. She is the author of the series of novels featuring Sister Agnes, a contemporary detective nun based in South London, and has written numerous plays for radio, including the adaptations of Simenon's Inspector Maigret series broadcast on BBC Radio 4. She is currently chair of the Crime Writers Association.

Sue for Mercy is a non-series title by Veronica Heley, who is also the author of the Ellie Quicke and Bea Abbott series. It is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Sue-Mercy-Vero.../dp/B00Q8LG4K0

Spoiler:

When Sue Stephens comes across a car crash one January night, she finds it hard to believe it was a genuine accident.

She saw the car race past her, and the driver she caught a glimpse of was not the young, handsome man who she finds stinking of alcohol, bleeding heavily and spilling out of the driving seat.

So where is the real driver?

And why did he run off and leave this man unconscious?

When Sue takes the victim, Charles, to hospital he claims he can remember nothing since he left work three days earlier.

But is he lying to her?

She begins to fear he is involved in something illegal…

If so, is the handsome Charles a victim or villain of the piece?

And whose money — or life — is at stake?

Should Sue retreat from the man who is beginning to steal her heart?

Or risk her life to find out the truth?

‘An ingenious series debut…the cast of outrageous characters compliments a complex mystery.’ - Publishers Weekly

'Clever clueing and a shocking solution place what would otherwise have been a routine cozy above the competition.' - Kirkus Reviews

‘a winner that will appeal to fans of British cosies.’ - Library Journal

Veronica Heley has been writing for over 40 years and has written more than 70 books. Her titles include ‘Scream for Sarah’, ‘Cry For Kit’ and ‘Fear for Frances’.

Last Act of All is a non-series title by Aline Templeton, who is also the author of the Marjory Fleming series. It is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Act-All-A.../dp/B00J9DX0YC

Spoiler:

Ugly, remote and inbred, the village of Radnesfield in the Fens has lived with its secrets for centuries.

Inevitably, its inhabitants greet the intrusion of television soap star Neville Fielding and his wife Helena with deep suspicion.

But no one anticipates the storm that will cause havoc in this small, rural community.

Driven by Neville's brutal philandering, Helena divorces him and remarries into one of Radnesfield’s oldest families.

When Neville is murdered she is caught out in a string of lies and confesses to the killing.

But Detective Sergeant Frances Howarth is haunted by a nagging fear for Helena's own safety.

With her release from prison the storm breaks, and Radnesfield’s diseased heart is shockingly exposed…

And 'The Last Act of All' is more shocking than anyone could have imagined.

'The Last Act of All' is a compelling crime thriller that will keep readers hooked from the first page to the last.

Praise for Aline Templeton:

`Templeton's a considerable writer, both intelligent and intuitive' Literary Review

'Atmospheric eeriness . . . [and a] much-too-real feel' Oxford Times

'A creepy combination of detective and gothic' Sunday Post, Dundee

'A tense and atmospheric thriller, which builds up to a crescendo of superb suspense . . . An engrossing tale of tragedy' Bolton Evening News

Aline Templeton lives in Edinburgh with her husband, in a house with a balcony built by an astronomer to observe the stars over the beautiful city skyline. She has worked in education and broadcasting and has written numerous articles and stories for newspapers and magazines. Her books include ‘Shades of Death’, ‘Night and Silence’ and ‘Past Praying For’.

40 Days 40 Nights is the second title in the Sgt Major Crane series by Wendy Cartmell. It is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/40-Days-Nights.../dp/B00L5LC7DG

Spoiler:

For those who enjoy the books of Sharon Bolton, Elizabeth Haynes, Rachel Abbott, and Val McDermid, 40 Days 40 Nights is a taut psychological crime thriller. The Sgt Major Crane crime novels are suspense thrillers, dark, disturbing, police procedural, murder mysteries.

What could be simpler than keeping Team GB safe as they make their final preparations for the Olympic Games? But when the body of a soldier is discovered and supplies start disappearing from the garrison, Sgt Major Crane knows that something sinister is afoot. As a faceless evil infiltrates the Army barracks, Crane sets out to investigate. But what is the connection between these seemingly unrelated events? Can Crane find the source of the looming threat? And can he do it before his 40 days and 40 nights are up?

Read 40 Days 40 Nights if you enjoy police and detective mysteries, crime fiction British, crime mystery and suspense, thriller detective series, contemporary fiction, literary fiction psychological, literary fiction mystery thriller and suspense.

Blackstone and the Heart of Darkness is the sixth title in the Blackstone series by Sally Spencer. It is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99. According to the SYKM website, Sally Spencer is a pen name for Alan Rustage, who wrote several mystery series under that pen name, and also the Inspector Paco Ruiz series using the pen name of James García Woods.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Blackstone-Hea.../dp/B00PB72XJ8

Spoiler:

A sadistic killer is targeting teenage girls.

A horrific pattern is emerging, with each new corpse horrendously mutilated – in precisely the same way.

But the victims aren’t just any girls.

They are the children of England’s aristocracy.

Inspector Blackstone, of the Metropolitan Police, seems to be the only man in the country who stands a chance of catching ‘the Northern Slasher’.

Can Blackstone find the killer before he chooses his next victim?

When Blackstone receives a letter from an old army comrade, he is plunged into the middle of an even darker horror...

'Blackstone and the Heart of Darkness' is the next thrilling instalment in the Blackstone detective series.

Praise for Sally Spencer:

“Vivid characters, a dazzling plot, authentic period details, and plenty of surprising twists make this latest effort by Sally Spencer an outstanding choice for historical mystery fans” - Booklist

“This new series from the author of the Chief Inspector Woodend novels features a nicely captured Victorian ethos, solid prose, and winning subplot diversions. Anne Perry fans and devotees of Victorian-era mysteries will enjoy this new historical. For most collections” - Library Journal

Sally Spencer worked as a teacher both in England and Iran - where she witnessed the fall of the Shah. She now writes full time.

And last that I found, whew (!), Amber Nine is the third in the Boysie Oakes series by John Gardner, which series is recommended by GA Russell in this post upthread. It is $0.99 for about 18 more hours before going up to $3.99.
link: http://www.amazon.com/Amber-Nine-Joh.../dp/B00LFXXJUE

Spoiler:

Just when Boysie Oakes thinks he is out of the liquidating business, he finds himself on the sunny shores of Lake Maggiore. His task? To make sure that a Member of Parliament breathes his last breath.

But a straightforward mission start to go awry when his mark turns up dead without Boysie lifting a finger.

Who killed him? And why?

It is only when he is introduced to a sadistic finishing school, run by the mysterious and dangerous Doctor Klara Thirel, that the mystery starts to unravel.

Surrounded by troubled girls galore, including a certain Petronella Witching, Boysie is pulled into the biggest espionage foul-up of the century.

With the help of Petronella, as well as a handful of self-important, and at times incompetent secret agents, Boysie dives into the mysteries behind the dead Member of Parliament, the sexually charged finishing school, and – most of all – who and what is behind the top-secret Amber Nine.

‘Amber Nine’ is the third in the series of highly acclaimed comic novels featuring the cowardly secret agent, Boysie Oakes. It is perfect for fans of classic British spy fiction, including Ian Fleming, Len Deighton, and Desmond Bagley.

Before coming an author of fiction in the early 1960’s John Gardner was variously a stage magician, a Royal Marine officer and a journalist. In all Gardner has fifty-four novels to his credit, including Maestro, which was the New York Times book of the year. He was also invited by Ian Fleming’s literary copyright holders to write a series of continuation James Bond novels, which proved to be so successful that instead of the contracted three books he went on to publish some fourteen titles, including Licence Renewed and Icebreaker. Having lived in the Republic of Ireland, the United States and the UK, John Gardner sadly died in August of 2007 having just completed his third novel in the Moriarty trilogy, Conan Doyle’s eponymous villain of the Sherlock Holmes series.

'Cool polished story-telling with all the sexy sidelines in the best James Bond tradition' Evening Standard

[Wearever]

Thanks again Sufue ! I just got Roger Ormerod's "Stone Cold Dead " to try the Patton Series. They look good.

[sufue]

Originally Posted by Wearever

Thanks again Sufue ! I just got Roger Ormerod's "Stone Cold Dead " to try the Patton Series. They look good.

YW...hope you like it...

[KentE]

Stuart Kaminsky's The Big Silence is reduced to $0.99 at Amazon US, courtesy of Open Road Media. His books do show discounted from time-to-time from Open Road, usually just in time to destroy my resolve to watch my book budget more tightly....

http://www.amazon.com/The-Silence-Li.../dp/B00AYRI59C

This is the 6th in Kaminsky's Abe Lieberman series of police procedurals, originally released in 2000, featuring 60-something Jewish policeman Abe Lieberman, and his Irish parter Bill Hanrahan.
For those who aren't familiar, Kaminsky received a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award in 2006, and I can't think of anyone who deserved it more. His writing is dark, humorous, and full of hope, ethos & pathos.

KentE

[Fbone]

31 Bond St by Ellen Horan is 99c at Amazon for the moment. They were matching Kobo's price which has since gone back up. Possible pricing error from HarperCollins.

http://smile.amazon.com/31-Bond-Stre...sin=B003C2SP28

[sufue]

Bellows Falls is the 8th in the Joe Gunther by Archer Mayor. It's on US Kindle Countdown at $0.99 for about 2 more days, before going up to $4.99. Mayor seems to cycle his books through Kindle sales/free and so if you are patient, you can probably pick up most of the series at reduced prices. I haven't seen this title on sale before, though.

link: http://www.amazon.com/Bellows-Falls-.../dp/B00C3DUBAG

Spoiler:

Joe Gunther is seconded to the neighboring town of Bellows Falls to investigate harassment allegations against a fellow officer. What begins as a seemingly open-and-shut case comes to look more and more like a frame job as Gunther doggedly pursues the truth, and soon he finds himself feeling around the edges of a statewide drug distribution network. As always, Vermont itself is a major character in Mayor's writing, with Bellows Falls standing in for any number of slowly decaying once-proud mill towns.

"Mayor delivers another superb combination of case, characters and local color and brings it all to life without a wasted word."—Publishers Weekly

"His evocation of a tough, honest cop coping with everyday crime made worse by an unforgiving climate, and towns being brought to their knees by poverty, makes Mayor literally a man for all seasons and all places." — Elaine Budd, Hartford Courant

"The Ragman's Memory [...] is a very tough act to follow, but Mayor succeeds admirably here. As always, though, tiny, seemingly placid Vermont is the real star of the book ... Mayor makes the place come alive for readers from Seattle to Key West." -- Thomas Gaughan, Booklist

[Fbone]

Back on Murder (A Roland March Mystery #1) by J. Mark Bertrand is FREE at all retailers. Pubbed in 2010 by Bethany House. Listed as Christian fiction mystery.

https://play.google.com/store/books/...d=IbFrcwzMOJQC

[sufue]

Blanche on the Lam is the first of four Blanche White titles by author Barbara Neely. According to the SYKM website this won the 1992 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, 1993 Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and 1993 Macavity Award for Best First Novel. It's on US Kindle Countdown at $0.99 for about 2 1/2 more days before going up to $4.99.

link: http://www.amazon.com/Blanche-Lam-Wh.../dp/B00KBCHOQ0

Spoiler:

“One of the best fictional detectives conjured up in years,” Library Journal

BLANCHE ON THE LAM

Barbara Neely’s Smart, Sassy and Groundbreaking Crime Novel
WINNER OF THE AGATHA, ANTHONY & MACAVITY AWARDS

Blanche White is a plump, feisty, middle-aged African-American housekeeper working for the genteel rich in North Carolina. But when an employer stiffs her, and her checks bounce, she goes on the lam, hiding out as a maid for a wealthy family at their summer home. That plan goes awry when there’s a murder and Blanche becomes the prime suspect. So she’s forced to use her savvy, her sharp wit, and her old-girl network of domestic workers to discover the truth and save her own skin. Along the way, she lays bare the quirks of southern society with humor, irony, and a biting commentary that makes her one of the most memorable and original characters ever to appear in mystery fiction.

“Blanche not only solves the crime, but exhibits familiar foibles and strengths, believes in kitchen-table wisdom, and possesses a wicked sense of humor,” Ms. Magazine

“A quirky mystery debut that pits Blanche against a Faulknerian cast of oddballs who may be trying to kill each other off to claim a southern fortune,” Kirkus Reviews

“Endlessly entertaining,” Publisher’s Weekly

“The uproarious Blanche White, the Southern housekeeper who knows her own mind, opened doors to the nuances of black life for readers and writers alike. Barbara Neely is a trailblazer,” Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author