There’s no one and nothing the great detective Nero Wolfe wouldn’t take on if the price was right. That’s something wealthy society widow Rachel Bruner is counting on when she writes him a check for a whopping hundred grand. But even Wolfe has a moment’s doubt when he finds out why the prize is so generous. For the oversize genius and his able assistant Archie Goodwin are about to lock horns with the FBI—and those highly trained G-men have a way with threats, tails, and bugs that could give even sedentary sleuth Nero Wolfe a run for his money.   Introduction by Stuart Kaminsky   “It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”—The New York Times Book Review   A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained—and puzzled—millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout. Read more

P. D. James, the undisputed queen of mystery, gives us an intriguing, inspiring and idiosyncratic look at the genre she has spent her life perfecting.   Examining mystery from top to bottom, beginning with such classics as Charles Dickens's Bleak House and Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White, and then looking at such contemporary masters as Colin Dexter and Henning Mankell, P. D. James goes right to the heart of the genre. Along the way she traces the lives and writing styles of Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, and many more. Here is P.D. James discussing detective fiction as social history, explaining its stylistic components, revealing her own writing process, and commenting on the recent resurgence of detective fiction in modern culture. It is a must have for the mystery connoisseur and casual fan alike. Read more

In a perfect marriage of author and subject, P. D. James—one of the most widely admired writers of detective fiction at work today—gives us a personal, lively, illuminating exploration of the human appetite for mystery and mayhem, and of those writers who have satisfied it.P. D. James examines the genre from top to bottom, beginning with the mysteries at the hearts of such novels as Charles Dickens’s Bleak House andWilkie Collins’s The Woman in White, and bringing us into the present with such writers as Colin Dexter and Henning Mankell. Along the way she writes about Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie (“arch-breaker of rules”), Josephine Tey, Dashiell Hammett, and Peter Lovesey, among many others. She traces their lives into and out of their fiction, clarifies their individual styles, and gives us indelible portraits of the characters they’ve created, from Sherlock Holmes to Sara Paretsky’s sexually liberated female investigator, V. I. Warshawski. She compares British and American Golden Age mystery writing. She discusses detective fiction as social history, the stylistic components of the genre, her own process of writing, how critics have reacted over the years, and what she sees as a renewal of detective fiction—and of the detective hero—in recent years.There is perhaps no one who could write about this enduring genre of storytelling with equal authority and flair: it is essential reading for every lover of detective fiction. Read more

Looking to add an authentic edge to your crime fiction? Ride along with a real-life sergeant to give your story the accuracy your readers crave. Are you a civilian crime writer who wants to use picture perfect law enforcement details? Do you worry that your mystery novel or screenplay lacks credibility? Fiction and nonfiction author Sergeant Patrick O’Donnell has seen it all in his 24 years working for one of the largest police departments in the country. Now he’s here to help your writing honor the men and women who risk their lives in the line of duty. Cops and Writers: From the Academy to the Street is your in-depth field guide for navigating the path from new recruit to seasoned patrol officer. Through O’Donnell’s accounts, you’ll get up close and personal with day-to-day challenges and out-of-the-ordinary emergencies including homicides, hostage situations, and bomb threats. Armed with this invaluable resource for decoding police jargon, tactics, and standard-issue gear, you’ll be well equipped to breathe new life into your stories. In Cops and Writers, you’ll discover: Stories from O’Donnell’s years on the force to help give your book credibility How the academy and field training shapes rookies so you can mold convincing charactersPatrol officers' daily routines and working conditions to infuse your fiction with added depthDifferent techniques for arresting and defending against criminal threats to bring readers even closer to the actionDifferent patrol units such as SWAT, K-9, Air Support, and Bomb Squad to add another layer of realism, and much, much more! Cops and Writers is your all-in-one reference guide for giving your novel or screenplay much-needed street cred. If you like candid stories told with cop humor, technical details, and peering into the minds of those who serve and protect, then you’ll love Sergeant Patrick O’Donnell’s must-have handbook for crime fiction writers. Buy Cops and Writers to make your storytelling more authentic today! Read more

Which would you sooner betray, your country or your child?Fifteen years after retiring as a Navy SEAL, Mason Walker has gone into reclusion, focusing on the mission his dying wife gave him—to raise his daughter to become the best woman she can be. Though burdened by his past, Mason has found contentment in the anonymity of his family life in Baltimore, Maryland.And then his daughter gets kidnapped.Upon returning home for lunch one day, Mason comes home to find his house destroyed, his daughter gone, and security footage of her in an anonymous bunker. A voice advises that she will only be safe if Mason does exactly as he’s told.Will Mason be able to reclaim his old skills to save his daughter? Can he use his ingenuity to save her before he’s too late?What will it cost him? Read more

Poisoning occurs in over half of Agatha Christie's many novels and stories. In fact, she used a larger number and broader selection of poisons and medicines, for a wider variety of purposes, with greater frequency, ingenuity, and scientific accuracy than any other detective fiction writer. Yet very little has been written on the use of drugs, poisons, and chemicals in Christie's fiction.The Poisonous Pen of Agatha Christie entertainingly and authoritatively fills this gap. Michael Gerald explores the use of poisons and drugs in Christie's fiction not only to commit murder and suicide but also to incapacitate a victim, alter behavior, treat disease, or support addiction. He also analyzes her views, as expressed in her fiction and autobiography, on drug addiction, the health professions, the value of medicines, and scientific discoveries.Especially valuable is Gerald's exhaustive listing of all drugs, poisons, and chemicals mentioned in Christie's novels and stories, with references to the work(s) in which each appears and the ways in which each is used. Other tables list all the novels and short stories and the chemicals that are used in each. Throughout, the properties of all drugs are clearly explained so that the reader needs no special scientific or medical knowledge.The Poisonous Pen of Agatha Christie illuminates the fictional uses Christie made of her real-life experiences as a hospital drug dispenser and as a provider of nursing care. It will be of interest to fans and scholars alike. Read more

I didn't plan on killing people when I walked across America.I made a list of things I wanted to do, and murder was not on it.Yes, I killed people. A lot of people.Now I'm going to tell you a story, a (somewhat) true story, about two killers and a hunting adventure like no other. A story of a man whose entire life was turned upside-down by a frozen, floating head and balls and a woman he'd never slept with. A story of a man so broken he rescued a dog and set out across America on foot to mend his soul and hunt that bitch down. A story of death, discovery, and carne asada. A story that should never, ever, encourage you to walk across America.However, if it does, for some sick reason, inspire you to lace up some sneakers and attempt to do what only a dozen or so people accomplish each year, I'll throw in some pointers to help you out.I am a murderer, but I am also a giver. Read more

Aplucky "titian-haired" sleuth solved her first mystery in 1930. Eighty million books later, Nancy Drew has survived the Depression, World War II, and the sixties (when she was taken up with a vengeance by women's libbers) to enter the pantheon of American girlhood. As beloved by girls today as she was by their grandmothers, Nancy Drew has both inspired and reflected the changes in her readers' lives. Now, in a narrative with all the vivid energy and page-turning pace of Nancy's adventures, Melanie Rehak solves an enduring literary mystery: Who created Nancy Drew? And how did she go from pulp heroine to icon? The brainchild of children's book mogul Edward Stratemeyer, Nancy was brought to life by two women: Mildred Wirt Benson, a pioneering journalist from Iowa, and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, a well-bred wife and mother who took over as CEO after her father died. In a century-spanning story Rehak traces their roles-and Nancy's-in forging the modern American woman. With ebullience, wit, and a wealth of little-known source material, Rehak celebrates our unstoppable girl detective. Read more

Full of fascinating how-to skills and evocative illustrations, this must-have guide will appeal to Baker Street Irregulars of all ages.This reader’s companion to the casework of Sherlock Holmes explores the methodology of the world’s most famous consulting detective. From analyzing fingerprints and decoding ciphers to creating disguises and faking one’s own death, readers will learn how Holmes solved his most celebrated cases—plus an arsenal of modern techniques available to today’s armchair sleuths. Along the way, readers will discover a host of trivia about the master detective and his universe: Why did Holmes never marry? How was the real Scotland Yard organized? Was cocaine really legal back then? And why were the British so terrified of Australia? For die-hardSherlockians and amateur investigators alike, this handbook is nothing less than . . . elementary. Read more

Emerson, author of the Lady Appleton and Diana Spaulding mystery series, turns her hand to how it's done in this useful guide to writing historical crime fiction. Drawing on her own works and those of her fellow historical-mystery writers (Kerry Greenwood, Alan Gordon, Carola Dunn, and others), she lays out, in commonsense sequence, the stages of planning and writing a historical mystery. Chapters on choosing setting and character, research, crafting a plot, and selling your book offer much of the same information as similar chapters in other how-to books for mystery writers, but the information is nicely tailored for this particular genre. The core of the book is Emerson's personal take on writing and selling historical mysteries, but it also includes contributions from over forty other historical mystery writers ―practical advice, anecdotes, and suggestions for research―and input from assorted editors, booksellers, and reviewers. For both historical mystery writers and readers. Read more

There is no larger collection of ornament in print anywhere today. This more than 600 page volume contains 3765 different illustrations on 400 full page plates! Indispensable for artists, designers, illustrators, architects, craftsmen, students, and anyone else searching for distinctive, authentic design, individual illustrations are royalty-free—buy the book and thousands of unusual drawing are yours for the using.Where are the ornaments from? The vanished civilizations of ancient Egypt, Babylonia, Persia, Phoenicia, Judah, India, Greece, Rome, Pompeii, the Celts, the Etruscans; from China, Japan, Arabia, India, Cambodia; from Russia, Scandinavia, the United States, Germany, France, Italy, England, Austria, Spain, and other countries.What periods are covered? Prehistoric and primitive; antiquity; the Middle Ages, including early-Christian ornaments of the Lombards, Visigoths, Franks, and Byzantines, Romanesque ornament, Mohammedan ornament, and Gothic ornament; Renaissance ornament in Florence, Venice, Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland; Rococo ornament throughout Europe; Colonial style in the United States: nineteenth century classical revival, with designs of Sheraton and Hepplewhite; Empire; and Biedermeier and Neoclassical ornament in Germany.What design elements and objects? Gargoyles; Buddhas; dragons; capitals, bases, and shafts of columns; necklaces, rings, other jewelry; urns, vases; friezes; buildings of brick, wood, stone; tables, chairs, mirrors, chests, hardware; tapestries and cloths; statues; suits of armor, helmets, lances; mitres; fantastic animals, centaurs, cupids; religious objects; keyholes; sedan chair; bridges; coats of arms; and hundreds of others. This wide spectrum of styles will almost literally be a bottomless treasury of source material that you will use again and again, each time finding something different. Read more

The world’s greatest mystery writers on the world’s greatest mystery novels: Michael Connelly on The Little Sister . . . Kathy Reichs on The Silence of the Lambs . . . Mark Billingham on The Maltese Falcon . . . Ian Rankin on I Was Dora Suarez . . . With so many mystery novels to choose among, and so many new titles appearing each year, where should a reader start? What are the classics of the genre? Which are the hidden gems? In the most ambitious anthology of its kind yet attempted, the world’s leading mystery writers have come together to champion the greatest mystery novels ever written. In a series of personal essays that often reveal as much about the authors and their own work as they do about the books that they love, 119 authors from 20 countries have created a guide that will be indispensable for generations of readers and writers. From Agatha Christie to Lee Child, from Edgar Allan Poe to P. D. James, from Sherlock Holmes to Hannibal Lecter and Philip Marlowe to Lord Peter Wimsey, Books to Die For brings together the cream of the mystery world for a feast of reading pleasure, a treasure trove for those new to the genre and for those who believe that there is nothing new left to discover. This is the one essential book for every reader who has ever finished a mystery novel and thought . . . I want more! *** “Why does the mystery novel enjoy such enduring appeal? There is no simple answer. It has a distinctive capacity for subtle social commentary, a concern with the disparity between law and justice, and a passion for order, however compromised. Even in the vision of the darkest of mystery writers, it provides us with a glimpse of the world as it might be, a world in which good men and women do not stand idly by and allow the worst aspects of human nature to triumph without opposition. It can touch upon all these facets while still entertaining the reader.” —From the introduction of Books to Die For Read more

Fifth-grader Cliffie feels that nothing has been right in his life since his parents got their divorce and his front teeth began growing out over his lower lip. Read more

Who populates the pages of crime and mystery writing? Who are the characters we willingly follow into the mystery genre's uneasy imaginative territory? And who created those characters in the first place? What life experience and expertise informs their work? What are the sources of their themes, regional accents, and even the axes that some grind? Why do some wish to give us a good laugh, while others seem hell-bent on making us shudder? Whodunit? answers these questions and more. Here mystery expert Rosemary Herbert brings together enlightening and entertaining information on hundreds of classic and contemporary characters and authors. Some--such as P.D. James, Ian Rankin, Sherlock Holmes, and Kinsey Millhone--appear in individual entries. Still more keep company in articles about characters we admire, such as the Clerical Sleuth, and in pieces about those we love to hate, including the Femme Fatale and Con Artist. There is even an article on a figure that haunts so many great works of mystery--The Corpse.Drawing on the Edgar Award-nominated volume The Oxford Companion to Crime & Mystery Writing, Herbert adds 101 new entries on the hottest new names in works ranging from puzzling whodunits to chilling crime novels. Read more

From the execution sermons of the Colonial era to television programs like The Wire and The Sopranos, crime writing has played an important role in American culture. Its ability to register fear, desire and anxiety has made it a popular genre with a wide audience. These new essays, written for students as well as readers of crime fiction, demonstrate the very best in contemporary scholarship and challenge long-established notions of the development of the detective novel. Each chapter covers a sub-genre, from ‘true crime' to hard-boiled novels, illustrating the ways in which ‘popular' and ‘high' literary genres influence and shape each other. With a chronology and guide to further reading, the Companion is a helpful guide for students of American literature and readers of crime fiction. Read more

A Talent to Deceive: An Appreciation of Agatha Christie Includes the definitive bibliography and filmography Read more

One of the novels featuring Inspector Luke Thanet, of which "Last Seen Alive" won the 1985 Crime Writers' Silver Dagger Award. Thanet is anonymously alerted to the murder of a young man, and soon another body is found - that of an elderly prostitute whom he had picked up the night before his death. Read more

"The character at the heart of the novel is both terrifying and realistic. For fans of dark thrillers and crime fiction, this novel will not disappoint." Self-Publishing Review"The characters are expertly drawn. The story builds toward an explosive conclusion." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Trigger warning: caution is advised, the book contains graphic content. Do not read this if you are at all weak-stomached or easily sickened / offended. Reader discretion is advised. After Jason is committed to a mental institution, he begins to uncover things he never knew before or things his mind shut out to protect him. He finds himself questioning what's real and what's not. What happened to his wife, Lisa? Where is Lea? Why can't he remember what happened?Meanwhile, Jerry is dangerous and unpredictable. He envisions a world where boundaries are broken down and he is free to enforce his narcissistic belief that he has a divine mission.An explosive ending that is anything but expected, forgive yourself for shuddering throughout and after you close the book.Drawing inspiration from real cases, and with well-researched, realistic characters, this thriller is not for the soft-hearted.Readers speaking about A Predator and A Psychopath:"A must read thriller that will have your head spinning.I'd definitely read another by this author, his imagination is wild, impressive, and addictive." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"It is a very intense book that will raise your curiosity." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Excellent thriller, in a creepy way. Well written with a vivid description of the attacker's motive and devices. I will remember this novel often, especially when a stranger knocks on my door." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"This author is brilliant at what he does and certainly kept me guessing." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Incredible Story. A fast-paced,gripping novel that will leave you breathless and absolutely taken." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"This is a wonderful story and I highly recommend it to everyone." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A must read brilliant psychological thriller. An exciting experience getting inside a psychopath's mind."Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Wow... just wow. I am part terrified, part disturbed, and part amazed at this book." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"I really enjoy thrillers and this one is absolutely exceptional, I can't wait to read more by Jay." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A great book and actually really disturbing. It left a big impact on me and I couldn't stop thinking about it constantly for days."Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"One of those reads that I will never ever forget."Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A tough subject to read... but wow! Jay is an excellent new entry to the thriller genre. I for one am glad to have found him."Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Holy Crap what a book! Very very disturbing and oh so hard to put down once you start this roller-coaster of a ride!" Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"A really heavy, twisted, psychological thriller."Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Chilling and excessively dark - and the phenomenal ending, a devastating one, completes this superlative book... the craftsmanship of Jay Kerk's writing is superb. Highly recommended." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"And that ending wauw. I honestly thought I had it figured out but boy was I wrong." Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read more

The Elements of Mystery Fiction: Writing the Modern Whonunit has guided and inspired mystery writer veterans as well as beginners―for nearly a decade. Here William G. Tapply, with more than 20 popular mystery and suspense novels under his belt, isolates the crucial "elements" of the mystery novels that publishers want to publish and readers want to read―original plots, clever clues, sympathetic sleuths, memorable villains, multi-dimensional supporting characters, true-to-life settings, sharp narrative hooks, and, of course, smooth writing. In clear readable prose using examples from many of our best contemporary mystery novelists, Tapply shows how the writer can create the pieces and fit them together to make a story you can't put down.This new expanded edition of Elements contains original chapters by some of our best contemporary writers and most prominent personalities in the publishing world discussing writing and business issues that are vital to mystery writers in the 21st century. Read more

Of all the skill sets that support the shift from a traditional management role to a more collaborative approach, none is more relevant than that of the role of the facilitator. The beliefs, behaviors, and practices of facilitation are precisely what all leaders need to acquire and put into action. In Facilitating to Lead! renowned facilitation expert Ingrid Bens applies her proven concepts of facilitation to the leadership role and demonstrates that facilitation is an effective work style, not merely a meeting technique. Throughout the book, Bens outlines the organizational and personal benefits of facilitative leadership and includes useful checklists to help leaders determine the situations when facilitative leadership is most appropriate to apply. Because empowerment is a core issue in the implementation of facilitative leadership, the book presents a four-level model that reframes empowerment from a vague concept to a concrete structuring tool. Read more