Cirrus@Austlit

'She bites her nails as she steals a glance at the stranger in the pickup truck beside her. She trusted him when he offered her a ride, but now, as he turns onto a deserted road leading into a dark pine forest, she knows she’s made a huge mistake.

'Special agent Beth Katz races through the dense Montana woodland toward a small, isolated cabin. She’s investigating the disappearance of her partner Dax Styles’s sister who went missing as she walked home from school, and Beth finally has a solid lead. Outside the decrepit building, her heart pounds wondering what she will find on the other side of the door.

'A young woman with long brown hair and cornflower blue eyes, just like Dax’s, shakes in the kitchen. It’s clearly Ginny, but before Dax can speak to his long-lost sister, Beth hears a noise from outside. In a rundown outbuilding, they discover another young girl, reported missing just weeks before. Dressed in a thin nightie, Ava cowers as Beth breaks into the padlocked room. Her captor has fled, but Beth will use every skill she’s got to track him down.

'Working night and day, Beth uncovers more cases of young girls taken from remote roads near their homes. Twelve-year-old Shiloh Weeks vanished as she walked home just days ago. Her story remarkably similar to Ginny and Ava’s.

'Beth and Dax are on a mission to put a stop to this twisted individual and save any new girls from being taken into the woods and lost forever. But when the trail leads them to a man impersonating a police officer to gain the trust of his victims, will Dax hand him over or take matters into his own hands?' (Publication summary)

Her eyes snap open and she takes in the snow-covered forest around her. She can’t remember how she got here, and a dark figure is running toward her. She doesn’t have time to scream before he’s upon her…

'When Sheriff Jenna Alton and her deputy, David Kane, hear reports of a plane crashing into the mountains that surround Black Rock Falls, their hearts shatter. Their friend’s blonde-haired teenage daughter, Julie, was on that flight. They won’t sleep until they bring Julie home to her distraught family.

'A blizzard closing in, Jenna pushes on with the search until, just beyond the snow-capped trees, she finds the plane. She falls to her knees at the sight of the lifeless bodies, still buckled into their seats. But one passenger is missing: Julie has vanished…

'Racing into the remote forest, Jenna finds heavy footsteps around the crash site which are too big to be Julie’s. Someone was here before them. Following the prints, Jenna’s pulse races as she finds the bodies of three young women hanging from the tall pine trees, their limbs frozen, their faces lifted to the sky above.

'When the victims are identified, Jenna notices that each girl had long blonde hair when they went missing, just like Julie. But when they were found in the forest, their hair had been cut, their looks changed forever. Is a twisted killer preying on girls who he can manipulate before their death? Could Julie be his next victim? With snow piling up around them, Jenna doesn’t have long to find Julie alive. Can she track down this monster before he takes his next innocent life?' (Publication summary)

'Stepping into the dark cave just a short distance from the safety of her college friends, the blonde-haired girl immediately senses danger. A tall figure steps out of the shadows, and she knows there’s no time to run…

'When a heavy storm hits Black Rock Falls, it brings a trail of destruction. Sheriff Jenna Alton is more than prepared, but she never expects to find college sweethearts Abby Jaye and Cole Peters floating among the wreckage in the river. Missing for twelve years following an end-of-school party, no clues were ever found and the couple’s devastated parents gave up hope that their beloved children would ever come home. Could the fraternity pin clutched tightly in Abby’s hand be the key to finding out what really happened that night?

'As Jenna and her deputy David Kane speak to the pair’s classmates, they’re struck by how startlingly similar their stories are. They all say that nothing suspicious happened that night—they describe the open fire, the cans of cheap beer and the way Abby and Cole seemed totally in love before they disappeared. Their accounts are word-for-word identical, Jenna suspects the friends are keeping a deadly secret, and she’s determined to find out what it is.

'Days later, Marissa, who still lives in town with her husband and young children, is found dead at a remote farm miles from her cozy family home just hours after answering Jenna’s questions. Jenna’s pulse races as she realizes the killer could be one of the group, and so could their next victim…

'As Jenna inspects the isolated barn, gun shots ring out nearby. Heart pounding, she receives a panicked phone call from the youngest member of her team. She races to the forest, praying that her friend is still alive. But with a deadly storm brewing overhead, and a twisted killer on the loose, will she make it in time to save another life from being taken?' (Publication summary)

'Brooke’s face lights up and the corners of her eyes crinkle as she smiles brightly at her new boyfriend. He gently pulls her in, nestling her cheek on his chest. But when he turns his head towards me, my blood runs cold. I know my sister’s life is in danger…

'I would recognize that face anywhere. Handsome and chiseled. The perfect mask. I prayed I would never see Noel Harwood again, but here he is, sneering at me over Brooke’s shoulder.

'I want to protect her, but I remember the last time I saw her. Voice dripping with venom, she said she would never forgive my betrayal. I want to scream at her to run and tell her that Noel has done terrible things, but the words die in my throat. I’ve lied too often for her to believe me over her knight-in-shining-armor.

'I need to be smart if I want to save my sister. Noel might think he’s one step ahead, but he has no idea what I’m capable of. He could never imagine the darkness that lurks in our family. Or the truth about what happened on the jagged clifftop, all those years ago.

'I nearly lost Brooke once, and I’ll never let that happen again. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her…' (Publication summary)

'Nazi-occupied Italy, 1943. The house looks deserted but Evelina can hear a child whimpering. In the hatch at the bottom of the laundry chute she finds Mario, his brown eyes wide as dinner plates. His parents have been taken and now Evelina is the only one who can keep him safe…

'When the Nazis storm into Venice, Evelina receives a terrified note from her best friend, a devoted Jewish schoolteacher: Help me. Evelina rushes to the rescue, but is devastated to find that her friend has been taken. Now Evelina is responsible for Mario, and she must find a way to get him out of the city.

'The Nazis are rounding up Jewish children, so Evelina hides the six-year-boy in her beautiful house on the grand canal. She sneaks him food and reads to him at night, stroking his brown curls until he falls asleep. Evelina knows there is one person who might be able to help her: a handsome American reporter named Jack Sabo and Evelina begs for his help.

'She is relieved when Jack finds a boat that can take Mario to safety. But with spies on every corner, moving the little boy will be terribly dangerous. Using every ounce of courage Evelina has, she must carry Mario across the city, holding her head high and talking her way out of trouble if she gets caught. She tries to keep Jack’s kind voice and his sparkling blue eyes in her mind as she makes the journey.

'But just as Evelina thinks the danger is over at last, jackboots pound up the stairs and a fist hammers on the door. Evelina fears that someone close has betrayed her. In an instant, the hopeful future that she and Jack planned shatters. Can Evelina and Jack get Mario to safety before it’s too late?' (Publication summary)

'‘If you want your child to come home, your husband needs to tell the truth.’

'My hand trembles as I stare at the anonymous text. On this sunny Saturday morning, our twin ten-year-old boys were playing in the park just down our tree-lined street. But only one of them has come home… and it’s all my husband’s fault.

'I race to Leo’s study and demand answers. As his face turns white, I know: one of his affairs has turned deadly. I always smell the unfamiliar perfume on his shirt. I try to pretend we are a happy family, for the sake of the children… but now, my child is in terrible danger.

'Leo’s double life is destroying my family. I think I know who has my son… but I will do anything to get him back.

'The one thing we can’t do, is go to the police. That would tear us all apart for good. Because Leo isn’t the only person with secrets…' (Publication summary)

'I stare at the photo of my beautiful daughter. Her hair is shining and her face is lit up with a smile. The man with her looks so happy too. But my mother’s instinct is screaming. I know something is terribly, terribly wrong. And I know what I have to do…

'I wish I could hold her tight. See if she still wears the same perfume she always wore. But my daughter blames me for her father’s death. She won’t even talk to me… I just know she isn’t really safe with her boyfriend, Garth. I will keep my distance and I will just watch her. For now.

'But I tremble with fear when the police knock at her door. Garth has gone missing. And my daughter is accused of his murder.

'There’s no evidence that I ever hurt anyone… is there? Do the police know about my past – and what I’ve really been doing?

'Only one thing is certain. My beautiful girl is in terrible danger.

'But from the man she loves?

'From herself?'

Or from me? (Publication summary)

The doorbell chimes loudly. Her husband answers. Muffled voices. Then a crash. The sound of her husband’s body falling to the floor. “Joseph…?” Her voice wobbles. And she knows instantly—she should have stayed silent…

'Ex-cop Sally Fairburn has put the world of crime behind her, but when her old boss contacts her about working her first case as a detective, she can’t resist. The high-profile Austin case will be her first opportunity to prove herself.

'Retired accountant Joseph Austin has been found dead and his wife, Fiona, in a coma, in their exclusive Peakhurst mansion. It’s a suspected burglary gone wrong, but something about the murder scene doesn’t add up: why is nothing valuable missing?

'Nobody seems to know who might want to hurt this sweet old pair, but as Sally investigates, she discovers the wealthy couple weren’t as popular as she first thought. They’d been embroiled in heated arguments with their neighbor, ex-con Salvador Sobral, for months. His is the strongest motive she can find.

'But before Sally can pounce, she receives a chilling call. Sobral has been brutally murdered with a thin strip of wire. Racing to find the missing link between the murders, Sally grows ever more desperate to catch the killer—especially when her violent ex-husband returns to his post with the Franklin police department, determined to discredit her.

'Fiona Austin holds the answers Sally needs. But will she come round from her coma before the murderer strikes again? Or will the killer lead Sally down a dangerous path that will leave her balancing on a knife edge between life and death?' (Publication summary)

'Tuscany, 1944. As Cara runs into the grand entrance hall of the Villa Rosa, she flies to a stop. There is a gun pointing straight at her head, a Nazi staring down at her from the steps above. But even as her heart thumps so loudly she is sure it will jump out of her chest, she keeps smiling, desperately hoping that he won’t spot the precious diary she has hidden under her shirt. Because if he does, it’s not just her life at stake…

'Years later, American chef Annie arrives in the tiny village in Tuscany. She is utterly heartbroken by her beloved father’s death, and his earth-shattering revelation that she was adopted. Why did he never tell her the truth? She clutches his last gift—two ancient brass keys—and directions to the stunning Villa Rosa. As she climbs through the steeply ascending hill gardens covered in fruit trees, she wonders if the peach-coloured walls of the magnificent house are hiding the answers her father couldn’t bear to tell her.

'Annie quickly falls in love with the crumbling villa, and with handsome gardener, Luca, whose eyes sparkle as bright as the Tuscan sun. Searching for any clues about her past, they discover a musty diary from 1944 hidden away in the basement of an old bookstore, written by Cara Cartazzo, the wartime secretary at the villa. Back inside the Villa Rosa’s haunting main bedroom, Annie can barely breathe as she opens the first, yellowing page…

'Her heart begins to race when she finds an entry about a baby, born in the villa at the end of the war. But Annie is devastated when she sees that crucial pages have been torn out. Annie and Luca try to discover more from the villagers, but no one dares speak about the Villa Rosa’s past. What happened there all those years ago? What did Cara have to hide?' (Publication summary) 

'The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?

'Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…

'She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.

'When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.

'Did someone at the party harm her?

'What is her husband hiding?

'Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?

'Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn’s memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart…' (Publication summary) 

(Publication summary)

'I gaze at my husband’s once-handsome face, so still and pale in the hospital bed. The doctors say I should keep talking. He might be able to hear me even after the terrible accident that left him fighting for his life. But all I have to whisper to my husband is this: I know what you did.

'Every day I wave my husband Damon off with a kiss and a smile, drive our precious children to school, and make sure our house is pristine before preparing a delicious meal. I pretend I’m not filled with fury that he once nearly destroyed our perfect life. It’s important to carry on as normal.

'That is, until the accident.

'My husband was hit by a car. It was pouring with rain. Nobody saw what happened. But the police are asking questions…

'Do they know about the terrible argument we had that day?

'Do they know about the text message I sent, telling someone to Delete everything?

'And do they know that no-one is happier that my husband is in a hospital bed, than me?'(Publication summary)

'Her chest tightens, her heart speeding up. The kitchen is chaos. She steps on something hard, and looks down. Toy dinosaurs are scattered everywhere. But her son is nowhere – her baby boy is gone.

'The police arrive. She can’t look at her husband. Instead, she studies the network of lines on her shaking hands.

'Then her phone beeps with a voice message. ‘Listen to it on speaker,’ says the detective.

'A woman’s voice fills the air.

'‘I’m assuming this is the Andrea Gately listed as a contact on the Missing Children of the World website. I’m calling to let you know that I’ve given your details to the police. Why are you using a picture of my son on a missing children’s website? Why are you using it and where did you get it?’' (Publication summary)

'Paris, 1944. “Traitor!” yells the crowd as they push me down onto a stool. “Nazi collaborator.” Tears blur my vision as the razor grazes my scalp, waves of blonde hair falling to the ground. As men paint a swastika across my face, I hold onto one small glimmer of hope. They have no idea who I am.

'Louise Basset works as a housemaid at The Ritz Hotel, home to the most powerful Nazis in France. As she changes silk sheets and scrubs sumptuous marble bathtubs, she listens and watches, reporting all she can to the Resistance. The only secret she never tells is her own.

'Everything changes for Louise on the day a young Allied pilot, hunted by the Nazis, is smuggled into the hotel. As he and Louise share a small carafe of red wine hidden amongst her cleaning bottles, she feels her heart begin to open. But if Louise trusts someone with the truth, what will happen?

'Years later, her granddaughter Nicole looks up at the ornate façade of the infamous Paris hotel. She is reeling from her recent discovery: a black-and-white photograph of her grandmother as a young woman, head shaved, branded a traitor. Devastated by her new legacy and about to start a family of her own, Nicole searches for answers.

'When a French historian calls Louise by a different name, Nicole realizes there must be more to her grandmother’s story. Was the woman who taught Nicole so much about family and loyalty a resistance fighter, or will her granddaughter have to live with the knowledge that she is descended from a traitor? And will Nicole be able to finally move forward with her life if she can uncover the truth?' (Publication summary)

'The little girl fidgets in her seat, wringing the ends of her scarf in a rush of panic. She tugs at the car door handle but it doesn’t open. Tears well in her eyes. “I want my mommy.”

'Four years ago, six young girls were snatched from the streets of quiet, suburban Pioneer Heights—chilling, fake “missing” posters of each victim hung around town just before they were taken. Ex-police officer Sally Fairburn has always been haunted by the case and their inability to bring the girls home. Having lost her own daughter, she knows only too well the pain it brings…

'Four years on, the wide brown eyes and neat braids of twelve-year-old Anna Moorhouse—the last girl to disappear—still plague Sally’s dreams. She has never stopped fighting to bring the devastated families back together, but all leads have gone cold. Until Sally receives a chilling call out of the blue: their former main suspect, in prison for another crime, wants to talk to her… alone.

'Desperate for answers, Sally races to interview him. But a horrifying discovery stops her in her tracks: a missing poster—on her daily running route, in the same style used four years ago—with Sally’s own face on it…

'Not only is Sally in grave danger, but the more threats she receives, the more convinced she becomes that the killer is a lot closer to home than she ever could have imagined… But can Sally finally catch him before any more innocents disappear—and before Sally herself becomes his next victim…?' (Publication summary)

'She stumbles into the street in a thin cotton nightdress, tripping in her haste to get away from her house. Her feet are bare, her movements frantic. “I have to get out of here,” she pleads. “He’s killing me.”

'For weeks, Carolyn Tate’s suspicions that her husband is trying to kill her have been ignored—by her neighbors, her friends and even her family. But just two hours after her last attempt to make someone listen, her body is discovered.

'Carolyn’s neighbor, ex-police officer Sally Fairburn, is determined to seek justice for her friend’s death. But although Carolyn suspected her husband, Sally finds no evidence he was involved. And Carolyn’s best friends are strangely quick to defend him…

'Sally knows one of Carolyn’s friends, Lauren, is hiding something. She can see it in her tear-stained cheeks, averted eyes and tense shoulders: Fear. But just as Lauren’s finally ready to come clean, she is murdered in a brutal hit and run. Reeling from Lauren’s death, Sally is horrified to receive a series of dropped calls and anonymous flowers, leaving her with the unsettled feeling that she, too, is being followed…

'Then, on edge but feeling closer than ever to the truth, Sally watches a stranger threaten her teenage son—a finger drawn across his throat. Her world stops. It’s not just Sally at risk—everyone she loves is in danger unless she finds the truth… Can Sally stop a brutal killer before more innocent lives are lost?' (Publication summary)

'I thought my life was perfect. Cal and I have been together forever, high school sweethearts who share a beautiful son. But when we grow apart, we know it’s best to separate and try to stay friends.

'My best friend, Jo, has been an absolute rock for me. She’s known Cal since school too, and knows all my secrets, understands all my highs and lows. She encourages me to start dating again- though I’m uncertain, I’ve only ever been with Cal. But I decide to give it a go – what harm can it do?

'Then threats start landing at home and at work. At first it’s small things but when I disturb a masked intruder on my doorstep in the dead of night, I know someone is out to hurt me and I’m frightened about what might happen next.

'Jo’s becoming more distant too, and I start to wonder can I trust her? Does she know more about these threats than she’s letting on? Until she comes to my house, completely terrified, and tells me someone has left a menacing message at her house and she fears for her life.

'Everywhere I turn, my world seems to be falling apart. It’s clear someone is coming after my family and oldest friend… Someone that knows us intimately and will stop at nothing to destroy us. But can I stop them before it’s too late?' (Publication summary)

'Jenna Alton was once an FBI agent who would stop at nothing to put those who hurt the innocent behind bars. An addictive short-read about how she became Black Rock Falls’ most loved sheriff.

'He grabs at her hair, pulling hard. She doesn’t scream like he wants her to. Instead, she grits her teeth and waits for her chance to escape. Then she runs harder than she has ever run in her life. As she hears his angry footsteps gaining on her, she prays that she makes it out of there alive…

'Undercover FBI agent Jenna Alton has been playing wife to dangerous criminal husband Michael Carlos for four years. Tonight she plans to make her escape. But as she gathers her belongings together, she hears something that stops her in her tracks – he’s taken a young girl called Mandy, and she’s being held somewhere close. Jenna knows what she must do – find the child and get her to safety – even if it means risking her own life.

'As Michael hosts a party at their secluded home, Jenna pretends to play his doting wife, whilst desperately searching for Mandy. She takes a deep breath as she walks past her husband’s office door. If he catches her, he’ll kill her.

'Jenna’s already sacrificed so much, but innocent lives will be lost if she doesn’t leave the house tonight. With the clock ticking, can Jenna save the innocent little girl and get them both out alive?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Your ex-wife didn’t leave you because of me. She didn’t abandon her little girl because of a couple of love notes in your jeans pocket. She left because she’s twisted, and she wanted to punish you. And she’s not finished yet. You have to believe me. If you don’t, there’s no knowing what she’ll do next…

'Becoming a stepmother is the best thing that ever happened to me. My favorite part of every day is picking Charlie up from school, watching her little rucksack bounce behind her as she skips over for a hug. I love the feel of those thin freckled arms around my waist. After a few rocky months of panic attacks when her mother deserted her, Charlie is flourishing. But the day Charlie’s mother Bronwyn returns without warning—showering Charlie with gifts and making promises she can’t keep—fear ripples through me.

'When I raise my concerns, no one wants to listen. I know I sound like the jealous new wife, but nothing is more important to me than Charlie’s safety.

'Me and Bronwyn have history. We both have dark secrets in our past, and I know the dangerous lengths she will go to get what she wants.

'But Bronwyn doesn’t know me as well as I know her.

'She doesn’t know just how far I will go to protect that little girl…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.