The Murder Mystique

Although they account for only ten percent of all murders, those attributed to women seem especially likely to captivate the public. This absorbing book examines why that is true and how some women, literally, get away with murder. Combining compelling storytelling with insightful observations, the book invites readers to take a close look at ten high-profile killings committed by American women. The work exposes the forces that underlie the public's fascination with female killers and determine why these women so often become instant celebrities. Cases are paired by motive—love, money, revenge, self-defense, and psychopathology. Through them, the authors examine the appeal of women who commit murders and show how perceptions of their crimes are shaped. The book details both the crimes and the criminals as it explores how pop culture treats stereotypes of female murderers in film and print. True crime aficionados will be fascinated by the minute descriptions of what happened and why, while pop culture enthusiasts will appreciate the lens of societal norms through which these cases are examined.

Although they account for only ten percent of all murders, those attributed to women seem especially likely to captivate the public. This absorbing book examines why that is true and how some women, literally, get away with murder. Combining compelling storytelling with insightful observations, the book invites readers to take a close look at ten high-profile killings committed by American women. The work exposes the forces that underlie the public's fascination with female killers and determine why these women so often become instant celebrities. Cases are paired by motive--love, money, revenge, self-defense, and psychopathology. Through them, the authors examine the appeal of women who commit murders and show how perceptions of their crimes are shaped. The book details both the crimes and the criminals as it explores how pop culture treats stereotypes of female murderers in film and print. True crime aficionados will be fascinated by the minute descriptions of what happened and why, while pop culture enthusiasts will appreciate the lens of societal norms through which these cases are examined.

Mystery writers describe their writing techniques and examine the history of fiction concerning crime

A tantalizing tale of a legendary knight and a headstrong lady whose daring quest for a mysterious crystal will draw them into a whirlwind of treachery–and desire. When the fearsome knight called Hugh the Relentless swept into Lingwood Manor like a storm, everyone cowered–except Lady Alice. Sharp-tongued and unrepentant, the flame haired beauty believed Sir Hugh was not someone to dread but the answer to her dreams. She knew he had come for the dazzling green crystal, knew he would be displeased to find that it was no longer in her possession. Yet Alice had a proposition for the dark and forbidding knight: In return for a dowry that would free Alice and her brother from their uncle's grasp, she would lend her powers of detection to his warrior's skills and together they would recover his treasured stone. But even as Hugh accepted her terms, he added a condition of his own: Lady Alice must agree to a temporary betrothal–one that would soon draw her deep into Hugh's great stone fortress, and into a battle that could threaten their lives...and their only chance at love.

A storm. A disappearance. A race against time . . . Mustique is in a state of breathless calm as tropical storm Cristobal edges towards it across the Atlantic. Most villa owners have escaped the island but a few young socialites remain, unwilling to let summer's partying end. American heiress Amanda Fortini is one such thrill-seeker - until she heads out for a morning swim and doesn't return. Detective Sergeant Solomon Nile is just 28 years old and the island's only fully trained police officer. He quickly realises he needs to contact Lord and Lady Blake, who bought the island decades ago and have invested time, money and love creating a paradise. Jasper is in St Lucia designing a new village of luxury villas but Lady Veronica (Vee to her friends) catches a plane immediately. Her beloved god-daughter, Lily, is on the island and this disappearance has alarming echoes of what happened to Lily's mother many years ago. Lady Vee would never desert a friend in need, and she can keep a cool head in a crisis. When Amanda's body is found, a murder investigation begins. Nile knows the killer must be an islander because flights and ferry crossings have stopped due to the storm warning, but the local community isn't co-operating. And then the storm hits, and someone else disappears . . .

On her first day at Frontier Church, Michelle Nader finds it more challenging and exciting than she expected. While learning more about the founder of the church who died over 150 years ago, Michelle is thrown into a web of lies, manipulation and murder and soon discovers that not all churches are created equal.

The Middleburg Mystique has it all: gardening, history, Hollywood actors, local hunks who make off with married women, murders of passion. Complete with photos and recipes from the heart of horse country. - In and Around Horse Country

A romantic suspense writer finds herself trapped in the plots of her own books in this sexy thriller from the New York Times-bestselling author. A failed marriage has shown Sasha Blake exactly what she doesn't want in life: a man; and what she does want: a fulfilling career, good friends, and independence. The introverted author has found a sanctuary on Martha's Vineyard, where she can pen her bestselling romance thrillers in peace and quiet. Until Doug Donohue comes to town . . . A world-renowned men's fashion designer, Doug is ready to put his hard-charging New York City days behind him. He's longing for something--and someone--more. Enter Sasha Blake, though skidding on her motorcycle into his Maserati one rainy night is no one's idea of a meet-cute. The accident is just the latest in a series of strange occurrences that seem to be plaguing Sasha. Being around a man like Doug, who can enflame her desire with just a touch, throws Sasha off-kilter. But they can both agree that the freak accidents taken from the pages of her books are not coincidences. Sasha is used to creating heroines who find themselves in danger, but this time the woman in peril is her . . . Praise for Barbara Delinsky "Delinsky's writing is fluid and makes for a hard-to-put-down book." --Glamour "Delinsky is a first-rate storyteller who creates believable, sympathetic characters who seem as familiar as your neighbors." --The Boston Globe "Delinsky writes about the emotional crises of everyday people and how those trials shape relationships." --The Cincinnati Enquirer