Katherine Black

Menacing texts lead to murder in an English village, in this unmissable, witty mystery by the Dagger Award-nominated author of A Most Unusual Demise. May Morrigan is in her bookshop one morning when she-and everyone else in the shop-receives an anonymous text. It contains a reference to a Shakespeare quotation-and seems to be aimed at the vicar and his partner, Juan. The next morning, one of them is dead. Meanwhile, May's elderly mother, Minty, is staying with her, her old friend Fletcher, and her two dogs. To her dismay, Minty is quite preoccupied with death herself lately. She also keeps reminiscing about her past in ways that make May wonder what secrets she's hiding. As disturbing texts continue to arrive, the Blackheath residents are threatened with further revelations and titillations. Then Fletcher becomes the focus of the tormenting texter . . . and barely escapes an attempt on his life. It's time for May to send a strong message-and block this killer permanently . .

A well-read old dear has an unhealthy interest in murder, in this sharp, witty, and refreshingly original cozy crime novel. Retired librarian and bookshop owner May Morrigan lives in the affluent village of Blackheath with Fletcher, her best friend since they met decades ago, and May’s two dogs. What could be more normal? But May is not your average little old lady . . . After an unpleasant church volunteer and an annoying local butcher meet their untimely ends, Fletcher and May team up to do some sleuthing. Soon, the elderly pair start working with a young journalist to investigate the case of a missing girl and its possible link to previous unsolved crimes. May finds this new project quite intriguing. She’s never met a murderer before—and now she just may get the chance, if they play their cards right . . .

Leverage is testament to how one innocuous ad in the local paper can turn your world upside down.Two people come into Beth's life.ONEGives her a reason to die.THE OTHERGives her no other option.She appears out of nowhere and wants to be Beth's friend. It would be sweet if it wasn't so damned creepy.Beth can't shake her. She won't take no for an answer and Beth's gentle life becomes a vortex that she can't control.Black's trademark knack of delving into the psyche and finding the pockets of humanity that nobody wants to admit to have never been more in evidence than in Leverage. In this book, she bypasses black and goes to whatever black becomes when it gets darker.This is a story about power-how much influence can one person have over somebody else?Be Beth's friend and find out.

When Author Ellie Erikson is diagnosed with a rare incurable illness she fears for her future but worse is to come. Paranoia closes around her as her life is threatened from another direction. She is lured to a disused medical institute where her partner Matt is in danger and what she discovers there surpasses any fears she had already imagined. Somebody knows her every move before she makes it. Somebody is out to get her. The gripping climax to "Rat-a-tat-tat will give her all the answers but only one of them can survive.