D. L. Norris (Outskirts Press)
Old Books and Faded Dreams by D. L. Norris is a captivating historical fiction novel that transports you to the picturesque town of Tilden, Nebraska. The story follows Maggie Davis, a strong and hardworking widow living in a grand Victorian estate with her lively nine-year-old daughter Jenna. Maggie’s life revolves around her bed-and-breakfast, a hub of community and conversation, with an eclectic cast of guests. Her business provides a venue for socializing, gossip, and at times, heated discussions. Maggie’s life is about to be upended when a...
Joe Newell (Self published / Marsteles Enterprises)
Reid Franco is a rough-around-the-edges private investigator with a heart of gold. Once a baseball player and stuntman, now a reluctant hero with personal demons, Reid’s business is helping people solve their problems—though he struggles to fix his own. Reckless, stubborn, and a bit of a drinker, he dives headfirst into dangerous cases, from dismantling sex trafficking rings to confronting gangs. The narrative features intriguing episodes that are delivered with wit and humor, beginning with Reid stuck in traffic, pondering the idea of adding “...
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Paula Welch (Paula Welch)
In A Goode Inheritance by Paula Welch, Bartholomew (Bart) Goode, facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, summons his dysfunctional family to his grand estate, Cricklewood Hall, and shocks them with a will that is more a game than a gift. He leaves his fortune not to the most deserving, but to the first who can solve a series of cryptic puzzles—pitting siblings, children, and ex-wife against each other in a weeklong contest. As the family’s greed, old wounds, and betrayals come to the surface, alliances falter, secrets unravel, and the actual cost o...
Peter Briscoe (Palo Verde Press)
Peter Briscoe’s Between Memory and Oblivion follows Michael Ashe, an antiquarian bookseller navigating the shifting landscape of book collecting in an era increasingly dominated by digital technology. After losing his best library client, Michael embarks on a journey through Paris and Mexico, hunting rare volumes and negotiating with librarians, most notably Elizabeth Wyatt, whose embrace of digitization puts her at odds with his reverence for the physical book. His struggle to save printed books takes a unique turn when he uncovers the extraor...
Robert Scott Leyse (Shattercolors Press)
In Adoration and Affliction by Robert Scott Leyse, love and obsession walk a thin line. Each story explores how desire can quickly turn dark, from unwanted attention at a glamorous party to office flirtations gone wrong. Sixteen-year-old Nicoletta refuses to be a victim when her parents’ friend crosses the line, choosing her own path to justice. In another tale, Penelope’s body draws unwanted attention, leading to misunderstandings with dire consequences. Tales explore the unsettling side of infatuation, offering the possibility of romance, onl...
Anne Allen (Sarnia Press)
Anne Allen’s The Ghost of Seagull Cottage is the ninth book in The Guernsey series, and it tells the story of Annabel Easton, a recently widowed artist, and her ten-year-old daughter Emilia, as they relocate from Manchester to Annabel’s native Guernsey in search of a fresh start. They move into Seagull Cottage—a charming seaside home with a storied past and a resident ghost, Captain Daniel Gallienne, the original owner, who died 70 years ago in 1946. Initially unnerved, Annabel finds herself negotiating a truce with the salty but charismatic Da...
MP Summers (MP Summers)
Sketches from the Periphery by MP Summers is a novel set against the backdrop of the Darfur conflict in 2005-2006. Alexander Barr is a young American contractor supporting the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Sudan, and Cassandra is a Belgian journalist navigating war-torn Darfur. Through episodic encounters and multiple perspectives—including those of local rebels like Tariq and everyday Sudanese—the novel explores the intricate relationship between foreign intervention, local resistance, and personal awakenings. As Alex becomes immerse...
Andrew Charles Lark and Donald Levin (Whistlebox Press/Poison Toe Press)
The Devil’s Quill: A Quartet of Halloween Stories delivers a unique experience with four unnerving tales perfect for the haunted season. Within these pages, a reclusive genius unleashes a chilling experiment with deadly consequences; a grieving teen discovers that the line between sorrow and the supernatural is dangerously thin; a hardboiled detective is drawn into a web of ancient curses and secrets; and the arrival of a mysterious new kid at school turns childhood cruelty into something truly sinister. Written by Andrew Charles Lark and Donal...
Griz Calderon (Calliopezen Publishing LLC)
Chronicles of the Grim Reaper, Volume I is a compelling mosaic of stories that explore life, death, and the tenuous threads between them. Griz Calderon crafts a collection of vignettes: from “The Ending” and “The Beginning,” which frame the collection as explorations of transition, to mesmerizing tales such as “The First Harvest,” “The Quilt,” and “The Gift,” which meditate on memory, legacy, and the small acts that define a life. The scope of this collection is vast—the Presence in the Shadows” and “The Visit” offer intimate, spectral encounte...
Daniel Babka (Blue Squirrel Press)
Daniel Babka’s Lightning Bugs and Aliens is a nostalgic coming-of-age novella set in the small town of Twinsburg, Ohio, during the summer of 1959. The story follows thirteen-year-old Ben and his eclectic group of friends—Chip, Bobby, Mark, and Isiah—who experience the joys and anxieties of adolescence against the backdrop of Cold War paranoia, racial divides, and local intrigue. The boys’ adventures range from catching lightning bugs and exploring the woods to grappling with real-world dangers, such as a Mafia car bombing at Ben’s family tavern...
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