Today's Featured Books

In a world where most wield a Gift, Ranger cadet Declan Rea grapples with his lack of magic’s touch. His ungifted status breeds tension with his brother, Keelan, and fuels deep-seated insecurities. Amidst his struggles, Declan finds solace and strength in a budding romance with fellow cadet, Ayden. When an ancient cult threatens plunges the world into chaos, Keelan investigates, and Declan and Ayden's must navigate treacherous paths of betrayal and uncertainty. An epic m/m fantasy romance adventure. 4.5 stars, 165 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

• Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned (Book 1 of the Reed Lavender Series)
• City of Masks (Book 1 of The Bone Mask Cycle)
• Never (Prequel to the Book of Never Series)

Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned: An Urban Fantasy

At least when you’re Death’s nephew the bad guys literally have nowhere to hide, right?

Meet Reed Lavender, a mostly-human detective with the uncanny ability to hear the final words of the dead. But on this case he’ll need more than his usual tricks to solve the murder of a teen runaway – he’ll need something that just might be more trouble than it’s worth – the help of his ragtag Reaper-cousins.

But the deeper Reed digs the more he realizes there’s something far bigger and darker beneath his city, something vast, something that is ripening to rot...

Praise for Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned
★★★★★ "An interesting use of mythology in a modern urban setting. Finally something new from the old. Thank you for a new universe to play in." ~Goodreads Review

★★★★★ "Great world building." ~Amazon Review

City of Masks: An Epic Fantasy Adventure

Their struggle threatens to tear the city – and the kingdom - into shreds.

When a royal conspiracy topples the noble House Falco, Sofia must take up the burden of her father's mantle and assume guardianship of his Greatmask. Yet the sentient bone mask, powerful enough to compel those around her, will not speak, and Sofia, the first female Protector in a hundred years, is left defenseless.

Hunted by the King, she is driven from the palace and must fight for survival, alone in the cold streets of Anaskar. There, she crosses paths with Notch, a bitter mercenary with problems of his own. Accused of murder, Notch is trying to clear his name while hunted by the city's robed assassins, the very people who are now searching for Sofia.

To take back their city and cast down the tyrant on the throne, Sofia and Notch must face the blades of Anaskar's assassins, the rage of a mighty sea beast, and the mysterious Lupo, a man with a Greatmask of his own, who has masterminded vicious terrorist attacks on the city that spurned him.

Praise for City of Masks
"Every now and then a writer comes along who will make you sit up and take notice. Ashley Capes delivers his stunning epic fantasy novel with a bang." ~Jennifer Fallon, international best selling fantasy author

"A gripping narrative in an uncertain world of magic, injustice, and unsettling class division." ~Aurealis, Australia's Premiere Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine

"An absorbing and fast-paced adventure down twisty streets and across hot desert sands." ~Fantasy Literature, F&SF Book and Audiobook Reviews

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle

Adventure? Check. Magic? Check. Sarcasm? You bet.

Roguish Never is sure he has hunted down every relic and every clue possible on his quest to finally lift the curse on his blood and hopefully learn his true name. However, convincing the wealthy Lord Firmita to part with a map to the sunken city proves to be far more dangerous than he first imagined.

In this prequel story to The Amber Isle, learn how Never meets his enemy, Harstas. 

Praise for Never
★★★★★ "A great introduction to an interesting fantasy landscape and fascinating character." ~Amazon Review

★★★★★ "Fast-paced and a pure fantasy delight." ~Goodreads Review

About the Author

    

Free online: Coffee and a Short Story. Join the New York Public Library for a free online discussion of "Soldier's Home" by Ernest Hemmingway. You can read the short story for free ahead of time via the NYPL website.  Tuesday, June 4, 12 - 1 PM EDT.

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” ~Ernest Hemingway

A lovely coffee table book incorporating poetry and illustration. Written especially for seniors, this book is about all of the caring, hard work, and thoughts still felt by an aging population. "I hope this book will be a keepsake on a bookshelf to read when someone needs some inspiration or comfort. It will bring back some memories of how life flourished years ago." -Arlene Kinnavy. From $28.23 SHOP NOW / 

 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the Howard County Mysteries series from Dale E. Lehman, award-winning author of mysteries, science fiction, and humor:

• Book 1: The Fibonacci Murders
• Book 2: True Death
• Book 3: Ice on the Bay
• Book 4: A Day for Bones 

The Fibonacci Murders by Dale E. Lehman

“I start with zero. Nobody dies today.”

The strange note delivered to Detective Lieutenant Rick Peller of Howard County, Maryland, proves to be a warning shot. Soon Peller and his protégés, Detective Sergeants Corina Montufar and Eric Dumas, are pursuing a cunning killer basing murders on the Fibonacci series, a mathematical sequence in which each number is the sum of the preceding two. And the only thing Peller knows for sure is that the series never ends.

As the murderer switches up methods, locations, and even the meanings of the numbers, questions multiply. Are the murders random, or do they have a purpose? Why is the Pentagon eager to keep a lid on the investigation? Does the killer know Peller? Can the detectives stop him before he commits his final, terrible crime? 

Praise for The Fibonacci Murders
"Total mastery of the storytelling arts... A genuine 'page turner' from beginning to end." ~The Midwest Book Review

"A mind-blowing contemporary murder mystery." ~Julia Wilson, Christian Bookaholic

True Death by Dale E. Lehman

Accident? Or Murder?

Four years ago, Detective Lieutenant Rick Peller’s wife Sandra died on a country road. The driver who rammed her car vanished without a trace, leaving police stunned and baffled. But it wasn’t murder. It was a freak accident, and the statute of limitations has run out. Now a bungled robbery raises new questions. As Detective Sergeants Corina Montufar and Eric Dumas investigate, Peller’s memories awaken, triggering a series of insights that shine new light on Sandra’s death.

The trail leads police to a meddlesome writer, a hot-blooded enforcer, and a cold-hearted criminal mastermind. Yet mysteries remain. Who could possibly have wanted Sandra dead? Was she targeted for murder, or did she just get in the way? And what became of the detective who originally investigated the accident?

Praise for True Death
"A well-constructed, multi-threaded plot, interesting, rounded characters, and a good sense of settings – some of the best American police procedural work I’ve read." ~Amazon UK Review 

"A marvellous contemporary murder thriller." ~Goodreads Review

Ice on the Bay by Dale E. Lehman with Kathleen Lehman

The forecast: Record cold. The crimes: Colder still.

Case #1: Hardworking veterinary technician Jayvon Fletcher was honest, friendly, and without an enemy in the world. But he vanished two Christmas Eves ago, leaving behind only a broken window and smears of blood. Now Detective Lieutenant Rick Peller is asked to take another look at the cold case, although he doubts he can shed light on the young man’s fate.

Case #2: Detective Sergeant Corina Montufar puzzles over a fire in an exclusive area. The details are familiar: two other houses burned the previous year in exactly the same way. But the arsonist is in prison now. Is this a copycat crime, or is the real culprit still at large?

Case #3: It’s only mid-January, and already Detective Sergeant Eric Dumas is staring at Howard County’s first murder victim of the year. Michio Tamai kept an address book overflowing with criminal cohorts. But even his friends were his victims. Not one of them is sorry he’s dead. Any might be his murderer.

While temperatures plummet, cold cases collide with new crimes, and somewhere a killer with blood as icy as the waters of the bay watches and waits.

Praise for Ice on the Bay
"Plenty of nail-biting moments to ratchet up the suspense." ~Laurie Jenkins, Amazon Vine Reviewer

"A cracking crime suspense novel with enough twists and turns to make a belly dancer faint." ~Diane James, BookGobbler

A Day for Bones by Dale E. Lehman

Bones litter the street…

A catastrophic flood in Ellicott City leaves more than damaged buildings in its wake: a human skeleton now lies scattered along Main Street. Did a colonial settler wash out of his grave? Or is it murder? As Detective Lieutenant Rick Peller and his team investigate, the descendants of James Ferring, a local business icon from a bygone era, become the focus, and Peller is sure they’re hiding something.

There are clues aplenty. The gun shop owned by Chuck Ferring is a magnet for vandals and thieves. Art Ferring’s horse was gunned down by an unknown assailant. And the Colonial Bakery, the jewel in the Ferring crown, is the only possible source of the bones. The family has explanations for everything, until a double murder threatens to unravel their secrets. And now, someone lurking in the shadows will stop at nothing to prevent Peller from uncovering the truth.

Praise for A Day for Bones
"A  wholly original and very enjoyable read." ~The BookLife Prize

Recommended Read 2024: Author Shout Reader Ready Award

About the Author

          

Free online tonight: That's Absurd! Join for a wild and wacky online live reading event to hear from a collection of authors from the upcoming That's Absurd! anthology. Friday, May 31, 6:30 PM CDT. 

“In tragedy every moment is eternity; in comedy, eternity is a moment.” ~Christopher Fry