Adult Winter Reading Program 2016
“Thrillers and Killers”
Whether you like your books with a dose of blood, a touch of suspense, or an element of romance, this year’s Adult Winter Reading Program is for you! With the theme of “Thrillers and Killers,” readers will have the opportunity to sample mysteries and thrillers from the beginning of the genres to the modern era. Registration opens on January 11th, 2016 and the program will run January 25th through March 7th. The deadline for submitting the number of books read will be March 14th. To qualify for prizes, patrons must read at least ten titles from the provided reading list.
Included in the program are books from ten categories of mysteries and thrillers, including fiction and nonfiction titles. Patrons may elect to enjoy the program by category or by individual title. Wolfner Library would like to thank the Library Users of Missouri for funding this year’s Adult Winter Reading Program.
Table of Contents
Following are the categories and a list of books for each category.
Detecting from the Grave: Paranormal Mysteries
Ghosts, vampires, and characters with supernatural powers drive the plots of these books.
Be Buried in the Rain by Barbara Michaels
Read by Jill fox. Reading time: 9 hours, 56 minutes.
Download Be Buried in the Rain, DB072056
Medical student Julie Newcomb returns to her family's crumbling Virginia plantation to care for her ailing grandmother. Julie confronts the unexpected, including a fully clothed skeleton found on a country road, a chauvinistic yet charming politician, religious fanatics, a mythical ancestor, and long-suppressed memories. Some strong language. 1985.
Blood Born by Linda Howard and Linda Jones
Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time: 14 hours, 15 minutes.
Download Blood Born, DB071395
Vampire Luca Ambrus, an agent of the Council, uncovers a rogue vampire conspiracy to subjugate the mortal world. As a conduit--a human who can channel ancestral warriors--Chloe Fallon is one of the rebels' targets. Luca rescues her and falls in love. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2010.
Born by Sin by Jenna Maclaine
Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time: 7 hours, 4 minutes.
Download Born by Sin, DB071291
1862. Vampire warriors Cin Craven and her husband Michael, from Grave Sins (DB 70777), hunt renegade vampires with members of the Righteous. But when Cin's cousin Claire is kidnapped, the Righteous change plans to rescue her. Explicit descriptions of sex, some strong language, and some violence. 2010.
Crystal Garden by Amanda Quick
Read by Justine Eyre. Reading time: 10 hours, 16 minutes.
Download Crystal Garden, DB074670
When a second attempt is made on her life, psychic Evangeline Ames flees to the grounds of Crystal Gardens. There she encounters the estate's new owner Lucas Sebastian, who also possesses paranormal talents. They team up to investigate the attacks--and fall in love. Explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2012.
Forever...A Novel of Good and Evil, Love and Hope by Jude Deveraux
Read by Michele Schaeffer. Reading time: 9 hours, 8 minutes.
Download Forever…A Novel of Good and Evil, Love and Hope, DB055065
Darci Monroe considers herself lucky when she is hired as Adam Montgomery's well-paid personal assistant. She is unaware that she has special powers that Adam plans to use to help him discover what happened to his parents. Darci ends up offering more than Adam expects. Forever Saga series, book 1. Strong language. 2002.
Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronvitch
Read by Erik Sandvold. Reading time: 12 hours, 41 minutes.
Download Midnight Riot, DB074012
After interviewing an unlikely witness--a ghost--at a crime scene, probationary constable Peter Grant is reassigned to Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale. Nightingale, who is unpopular within London's Metropolitan Police because he deals with the supernatural and practices magic, takes Grant on as his apprentice. Violence and strong language. 2011.
The Restorer by Amanda Stevens
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 9 hours, 15 minutes.
Download The Restorer, DB074271
Cemetery restorer Amelia Gray sees ghosts, but ignores them. When detective John Devlin, who is haunted by his wife's and daughter's apparitions, asks Amelia to investigate a murder, Amelia discovers she must walk the fine line between the living and the dead. Graveyard Queen series, book 1. Violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2011.
Reunion by Sharon Sala
Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 8 hours, 3 minutes.
Download Reunion, DB059706
Oklahoma City. Security company heir Gabriel Connor awakens from a coma hearing voices and dreaming of gruesome killings. When he learns the envisioned crimes are real, Gabriel consults psychic Laura Dane. And as they get closer, Laura grows suspicious. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1999.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Read by Gregory Gorton. Reading time: 9 hours, 10 minutes.
Download Storm Front, DB067342
Chicago. Harry Dresden, a wizard-for-hire specializing in paranormal investigations, helps the police probe the murders of mob enforcer Tommy and Tommy's lover, Jennifer, an escort who worked for a powerful vampire. Clues indicate rogue sorcery, but there are no leads and no suspects. Dresden Files, book 1. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.
Wild Ride by Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer
Read by Angela Daw. Reading time: 12 hours, 18 minutes.
Download Wild Ride, DB070608
When Mary "Mab" Brannigan is hired to restore Dreamland, a neglected amusement park, she's unaware that it is also a prison for powerful demons. Mab joins locals, including army veteran Ethan Wayne, in hunting down two escapees. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2010.
Elementary, My Dear Fellow: Golden Age Detectives
Selected works from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, including a few modern day tributes to detective fiction and one true story of a Victorian detective.
The Avenging Chance and Other Mysteries from Rodger Sheringham’s Casebook by Anthony Berkeley, Toney Medawar, and Arthur Robinson
Read by George Holmes. Reading time: 7 hours, 40 minutes.
Download The Avenging Chance and Other Mysteries from Rodger Sheringham’s Casebook, DB062057
Nine short stories by Anthony Berkeley, pen name of Anthony Berkeley Cox (1893-1971), a founder of London's Detection Club during the golden age of mystery writing. Includes the classic "The Avenging Chance," in which clues to a murder lead amateur criminologist Roger Sheringham and Scotland Yard to multiple possibilities. 2004.
Cat of Many Tails by Ellery Queen
Read by Christopher Hurt. Reading time: 9 hours, 12 minutes.
Download Cat of Many Tails, DB029356
A strangler called "The Cat," picks his victims at random and terrorizes New York City. Ellery Queen is persuaded from retirement by the mayor and engages in a bitter duel of wits with the criminal. 2006.
Father Brown Mystery Series by G.K. Chesterton
Read by Ray Landers. Reading time: 6 hours, 13 minutes.
Download Father Brown Mystery Series, DB017062
The detective-priest solves crimes and deftly unravels other mysteries in this collection of short stories. 2008.
The Italian Secretary: A Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Caleb Carr
Read by Robert Sams. Reading time: 7 hours, 30 minutes.
Download The Italian Secretary: A Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, DB063029
Detective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate two deaths at the royal palace in Edinburgh, once home to Mary, Queen of Scots. Holmes's brother, Mycroft, fears these killings are part of an assassination plot while Sherlock links them to the three-centuries-old murder of Mary's confidante, Italian secretary David Rizzio. 2005.
The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd by Agatha Cristie
Read by Paul Villani. Reading time: 6 hours, 46 minutes.
Download The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd, DB010641
Roger Ackroyd is murdered one night under particularly perplexing circumstances. Suspicion centers on his stepson who had good motives. Hercule Poirot handles the case skillfully. 1926.
Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham
Read by David Palmer. Reading time: 8 hours, 3 minutes.
Download Mystery Mile, DB045765
American judge Crowdy Lobbett's children bring their father to England to prevent his murder. Four people have already been killed in his stead. Albert Campion is hired by the son to help keep his father alive. Campion brings the family to the village of Mystery Mile where he believes they will be safe, but the stalkers arrive. 1957.
The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl
Read by Conrad Feininger. Reading time: 13 hours, 53 minutes.
Download The Poe Shadow, DB063356
1849. Writer Edgar Allan Poe's untimely demise, widely attributed to alcoholism, leaves many unanswered questions for young Baltimore attorney Quentin Hobson Clark. To uncover the truth and restore Poe's literary reputation, Quentin journeys to France to track down the real-life inspiration for Poe's fictional detective character, C. Auguste Dupin. 2006.
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Read by alexander Scourby. Reading time: 3 hours, 56 minutes.
Download A Study in Scarlet, DB071855
London, 1880s. The brilliant sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his companion, Dr. Watson, confront a pair of gruesome murders in a case that is rooted in Mormon Utah thirty years earlier. Classic novel introducing the Holmes character. Digital restoration of Alexander Scourby's 1939 recording for the American Foundation for the Blind. 1887.
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 10 hours, 47 minutes.
Download The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective, DB067266
Examines the 1860 murder of three-year-old Saville Kent on an English estate. Chronicles the investigation by Scotland Yard detective inspector Jonathan Whicher, who suspected a Kent family member but, due to controversial methods and lack of evidence, found himself widely scorned. Describes this case's inspiration of the detective-novel genre. 2008.
Whose Body? by Dorothy L . Sayers
Read by Graeme Malcolm. Reading time: 5 hours, 19 minutes.
Download Whose Body?, DB061221
Lord Peter Wimsey derives considerable amusement from outwitting Scotland Yard. When a nude corpse, wearing only a golden pince-nez, is found in a timid architect's bathtub, Lord Peter cleverly untangles the mystery with the help of a friend. 1923.
Garden of Deadly Delights: Cozy Mysteries vol.1
Sometimes humorous and frequently set in a small town, you won’t find blood, guts, or extreme violence in these mysteries.
A Beautiful Place to Die by Philip R. Craig
Read by Michael Russotto. Reading time: 6 hours, 24 minutes.
Download A Beautiful Place to Die, DB066122
From the shores of Martha's Vineyard, ex-cop Jeff "J.W." Jackson and his friends--including nurse Zee Madieras--witness a boat explosion that kills a likable island drifter. J.W., who had hoped to spend his retirement fishing and gardening, reluctantly rejoins the investigative trade. Martha's Vineyard series, book 1. Some strong language. 1989.
The Blue Rose by Anthony Eglin
Read by David Hartley-Margolin. Reading time: 10 hours, 5 minutes.
Download The Blue Rose, DB065281
When Kate and Alex Sheppard explore the overgrown two-acre gardens of their newly acquired cottage, they find a rosebush with genetically impossible brilliant blue blooms. Mayhem and murder ensue as word of the discovery leaks out and others try to claim the plant. English Garden series, book 1. Some violence and some strong language. 2004.
The Body in the Belfry by Katherine Hall Page
Read by John Stratton. Reading time: 6 hours, 44 minutes.
Download The Body in the Belfry, DB031471
Gourmet caterer Faith Fairchild's life is turned topsy-turvy by her marriage to the minister of a quaint New England village church. While she adores her husband and new baby, Faith finds the change from her busy life in New York to the quiet of the country hard to tolerate. But her discovery of a dead body and the ensuing investigation--and danger--make her yearn for the quiet life to return. Faith Fairchild series, book 1. 1990.
Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
Read by Colleen Delany. Reading time: 7 hours, 25 minutes.
Download Death at Wentwater, DB072569
England, 1923. Wealthy flapper Daisy Dalrymple takes a magazine job writing about historic country houses. On her first assignment, Lord Stephen Astwick is found dead in the estate's skating pond, and Daisy joins dashing Scotland Yard inspector Alec Fletcher in the investigation. 1994.
Evans Above by Rhys Bowen
Read by Graeme Malcolm. Reading time: 5 hours, 3 minutes.
Download Evans Above, DB050945
Evan Evans, the newly assigned North Wales constable for the village of Llanfair, is searching for two missing hikers who are later discovered murdered. While hunting for a possible serial killer, Evans also contends with two local ladies who are vying for his attentions, as well as with competing ministers' wives. Constable Evans series, book 1. 1997.
Gin and Daggers by Donald Bain
Read by Margaret Strom. Reading time: 9 hours, 6 minutes.
Download Gin and Daggers, DB060616
Jessica Fletcher heads to London to deliver the keynote address at the International Society of Mystery Writers. She pays a visit to her friend and fellow mystery writer Marjorie Ainsworth. But unfortunately, while Jessica is at Ainsworth Manor Marjorie is murdered--and Jessica becomes the main suspect. Murder She Wrote series, book 1. 2000.
Larceny and Old Lace by Tamar Myers
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 6 hours, 22 minutes.
Download Larceny and Old Lace, DB060561
Abigail Timberlake, the owner of a Charlotte, North Carolina, antiques shop, is puzzled when her aunt is murdered. Abigail's son Charlie thinks his aunt's valuable antique lace was the motive. As Abigail falls for investigating policeman Greg Washburn, Charlie receives threats. Some strong language. 1996.
The Lottery Winner by Mary Higgins Clark
Read by Roy Avers. Reading time: 6 hours, 57 minutes.
Download The Lottery Winner, DB039494
Cleaning lady Alvirah Meehan won the lottery and became an amateur sleuth and a writer for the New York Globe. First appearing in Weep No More, My Lady (DB 26004), Alvirah and her husband, Willy, take on new cases in this collection of short mysteries. Alvirah clamps on her recorder disguised as a lapel pin and solves them all, including a murder of which her beloved nephew is accused. Bestseller. 1994.
Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross
Read by Terry Hayes Sales. Reading time: 8 hours, 37 minutes.
Download Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, DB049141
Miss Julia, of Abbotsville, North Carolina, is just recovering from the shock of her husband's death, when Hazel Marie Puckett arrives on her doorstep with a nine-year-old boy. Mr. Springer might have left Miss Julia well off financially (which she is just beginning to enjoy), but he also left her with a stepson. Miss Julia series, book 1. 1999.
Murder on a Girls’ Night Out by Anne George
Read by Ruth Ann Phimister. Reading time: 7 hours, 31 minutes.
Download Murder on a Girls’ Night Out, DB076848
Retired Alabama schoolteacher Patricia Anne Hollowell has a mystery to solve when, shortly after her flamboyant sister Mary Alice buys a country-and-western bar, the previous owner is found dead in a wishing well. Southern Sisters series, book 1. Commercial audiobook. 1996.
Gruesome Ends: Gruesome Killers and Thrillers
This category doesn’t leave out any of the gory details.
Birdman by Mo Hayder
Read by Gregory Gorton. Reading time: 11 hours, 10 minutes.
Download Birdman, DB075607
The discovery of the corpses of five prostitutes with tiny dead birds sewn into their ribcages has London detective Jack Caffery searching for a serial killer who is a doctor wannabe. Meanwhile, Caffery's girlfriend pressures him to commit. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1999.
Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 11 hours, 37 minutes.
Download Blindsighted, DB073865
Georgia coroner Dr. Sara Linton and her ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, race to find a killer rapist in the small town of Heartsdale. Savagely killed victims, starting with a blind professor, proliferate as swiftly as likely suspects. Sara Linton series, book 1. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 2001.
The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean R. Kootz
Read by Martha Pardee Harmon. Reading time: 9 hours, 13 minutes.
Download The Darkest Evening of the Year, DB065227
Southern California. Amy Redwing's personal mission is to rescue abandoned and endangered golden retrievers, including the rambunctious Nickie. Widower Brian McCarthy suspects that Amy is hiding something. Things turn uncanny when someone begins stalking Amy and her charges. Some violence. Bestseller. 2007.
The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner
Read by Annie Wauters. Reading time: 12 hours, 4 minutes.
Download The Perfect Husband, DB057707
Two and a half years ago, Tess Williams helped put her husband, serial killer Jim Beckett, a former police officer, behind bars. Now he's escaped, and as a desperate manhunt mobilizes, Tess hires ex-marine J.T. Dillon to teach her self-defense. Quincy and Conner series, book 1. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 1998.
Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 10 hours, 36 minutes.
Download Postmortem, DB048202
Dr. Kay Scarpetta has two problems. The first one is that a serial killer is strangling women in their own bedrooms, the second is that not everyone is thrilled that a woman is chief medical examiner. She uses computers, fingerprint-matching processors, and DNA-testing equipment to identify the killer. Kay Scarpetta series, book 1. Violence and strong language. 1990.
The Red Dahlia by Lynda La Plante
Read by Erin Jones. Reading time: 13 hours, 14 minutes.
Download The Red Dahlia, DB081280
Now a detective inspector, Anna Travis works another case with Detective Chief Inspector James Langton, with whom she had a brief affair in Above Suspicion (DB 81288). A corpse has been laid out to mirror the 1940s Black Dahlia killing--and the victim's roommate turns up dead. Violence and strong language. 2006.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 10 hours, 6 minutes.
Download Red Dragon, DB017472
The FBI calls one of its best men out of retirement to hunt for a ritual murderer who has butchered entire families in two Southern cities. Unless the killer is caught before the next full moon, another family will die. Strong language and violence. 1981.
Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman
Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 14 hours, 43 minutes.
Download Retribution, DB057811
Miami. As state prosecutor C.J. Townsend builds her high-profile case against the "Cupid" serial killer, police apprehend suspect William Bantling, the man who raped her twelve years before. Despite special agent Falconetti's concern, C.J. vows to see Bantling punished. C.J. Townsend series, book 1. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004.
Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen and Kate Reading
Read by Martha Pardee Harmon. Reading time: 13 hours, 26 minutes.
Download Shadow Man, DB062153
FBI agent Smoky Barrett made a career of tracking serial killers until one killed her husband and daughter. As she contemplates suicide, Smoky receives a murderer's videotape of his latest crime. The case sends her back on the hunt. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2006.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Read by Ann Marie Lee. Reading time: 9 hours, 40 minutes.
Download Sharp Objects, DB063109
Chicago reporter Camille Preaker, recently treated for psychological problems, arrives in her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to investigate the murders of two preteen girls. Camille sees her mother and thirteen-year-old half-sister for the first time in years. But events from the past overwhelm her. Commercial audiobook. Some violence. 2006.
Murder, Missouri Style
Featuring a combination of true Missouri crime stories, mysteries set in Missouri, and whodunits by Missouri authors, these titles were all produced by the Wolfner Library Recording Studio.
The Canaan Legacy by Michael A. Kahn
Read by Mary Beth Broughton. Reading time: 9 hours, 31 minutes.
Download The Canaan Legacy, DBC05373
The senior partner in one of Chicago's prestigious law firms is DOA, and Rachael Gold, a smart and savvy young lawyer is retained to investigate his death. Some violence, some strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1988.
Deaths on Pleasant Street: The Ghastly Enigma of Colonel Swope and Doctor Hyde by Giles Fowler
Read by Keith Kruger. Reading time: 8 hours, 28 minutes.
Download Deaths on Pleasant Street: The Ghastly Enigma of Colonel Swope, DBC05375
Reconstructs the 1909 murder case that shocked early twentieth-century America. Kansas City doctor Bennett Clark Hyde was accused of poisoning his wife's uncle, philanthropist Colonel Thomas Swope, and creating a typhoid outbreak among the Swope family to inherit their fortune. Details Hyde's initial trial and subsequent appeals. 2009.
Dying in Style by Elaine Viets
Read by Laramie Thompson. Reading time: 8 hours, 26 minutes.
Download Dying in Style, DBC01424
Hired to inspect the stores of designer Denessa Celedine anonymously, mystery shopper Josie Marcus's less than stellar report is the least of the designer's problems, after she is found strangled with one of her own expensive snakeskin belts. Some strong language and descriptions of sex. Josie Marcus, book 1. 2005.
East of Peculiar by Suzann Ledbetter
Read by Theresa Sullivan. Reading time: 10 hours, 15 minutes.
Download East of Peculiar, DBC05753
Kissing her high-pressure advertising executive job in Chicago goodbye, Hannah Garvey says hello to Valhalla Springs, a retirement community in the Missouri Ozarks. Thinking she's found a place to rest and recoup, Hannah instead finds herself in the deep-end of a murder with an unlikely victim, and way over her head with the handsome local sheriff! Strong language. Hannah Garvey Mystery, book 1. 2000
Fiddler’s Ghost by Mitch Jayne
Read by Tom Collier. Reading time: 11 hours, 43 minutes.
Download Fiddler’s Ghost, DBC05381
In 1951 Steve Clark accepts a teaching job in a one-room school and moves with his pregnant wife Lacey to the colorful Missouri Ozarks. They move into an ideal house, but are forewarned by the locals that the last folks that lived there claimed it 'weren't natural'... Steve and Lacey encounter their unnatural inhabitant and attempt to unravel the mystery of the fiddler's ghost. 2007.
A Kiss of Adventure by Catherine Palmer
Read by Violet Kurtz. Reading time: 10 hours, 55 minutes.
Download A Kiss of Adventure, DBC06070
Tillie, who lives in Kenya, is betrothed to a businesslike man, Arthur. She is bored with her monotonous life. Suddenly she is into an adventure, almost gets kidnapped, and is thrust into a strange partnership with the handsome Graeme. Mystery, romance and suspense deep in the jungles of Africa. Treasures of the Heart series, book 1. 2000.
Murder on Rouse Hill by Alan Terry Wright
Read by Keith Kruger. Reading time: 16 hours, 35 minutes.
Download Murder on Rouse Hill, DBC06016
On November 22, 1915, Jasper Jacob Francis, a prosperous farmer and leading citizen of Stoutland, Missouri, was found dead in a brush pile on Rouse Hill. He had been savagely murdered. The case helped launch the career of Phil M. Donnelly, who acted as the defense attorney for the accused killer, and later became governor of Missouri, and a U.S. Congressman. 2007.
The Outlaw Album by Daniel Woodrell
Read by Keith Kruger. Reading time: 3 hours, 40 minutes.
Download The Outlaw Album, DBC05408
A collection of twelve short stories by Daniel Woodrell featuring characters motivated by desperation into criminal behavior. Sexually explicit, strong language, violence. 2011.
Roots of Murder by Janis Harrison
Read by Violet Kurtz. Reading time: 6 hours, 55 minutes.
Download Roots of Murder, DBC06065
When Isaac Miller, a quiet Amish farmer, is found dead, his brother asks Bretta Solomon, River City, Missouri florist, to intervene in the investigation. She enters the world of the devout, isolated Amish, their not always-so-understanding neighbors, and a thorny patch of deals between flower growers and purveyors. Bretta Solomon series, book 1. 1999.
Scared Blind by Danny Sisco
Read by John Wegman. Reading time: 4 hours, 20 minutes.
Download Scared Blind, DBC05398
Randy Franklin, a 35-year-old blind newspaper columnist, tries to find logic for everything. After working and saving, he has finally purchased his dream home. He is unaware that there are residents already residing in his humble abode. But who, or what, is in this house? Doors slam. Furniture moves. Pictures fall off walls. Should he be scared? 2009.
Step into the Past: Historical Killers and Thrillers
Find yourself immersed in mysteries and thrillers set in multiple historical eras.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Read by Jill Fox. Reading time: 10 hours, 10 minutes.
Download Code Name Verity, DB075966
During World War II, a British spy plane crashes with best friends Maddie and Verity on board. The Gestapo arrests and tortures Verity for information about her mission. She slowly confesses--but it isn't what her tormenters expect. Violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2012.
Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith
Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 8 hours, 36 minutes.
Download Holmes on the Range, DB063619
Montana, 1890s. Sherlock Holmes stories read around the campfire and the frightful remains of Perkins's body convince Old Red to be a detective as well as a cowboy. Soon he and his brother, Big Red, are applying Holmes's methods and stirring up danger. Some strong language. 2006.
The Impersonator by Mary Miley
Read by Mare Trevathan. Reading time: 9 hours, 59 minutes.
Download The Impersonator, DB077528
1924. Seven years ago Jessie Carr, sole heiress to a vast fortune, disappeared without a trace. Now Jessie's uncle Oliver proposes that vaudeville star Leah Randall--a dead ringer for Jessie--assume her identity to claim the inheritance. Leah reluctantly agrees, but remains determined to discover what really happened to Jessie. 2013.
The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett
Read by Alexander Strain. Reading time: 12 hours, 8 minutes.
Download The Key to Rebecca, DB063542
German spy Alex Wolff steals the British army's secret plans and sends them to Rommel using a code whose key lies in the pages of Daphne du Maurier's novel Rebecca. British major William Vandam sets out to destroy Wolff. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1980.
A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott
Read by Barbara Caruso. Reading time: 8 hours, 2 minutes.
Download A Long Fatal Love Chase, DB041453
Written in 1866, this book is now published for the first time. Rosamond Vivian, eighteen, lives with her grandfather on an island estate off England's coast. She longs to escape the solitude, and the chance arrives in the form of Phillip Tempest, almost twice her age. They marry, and he takes her with him to his villa near Nice. But Rosamond soon suspects that all is not as it first appeared. She even fears that her husband is a murderer. Bestseller. 1995.
Maisie Dobbs by Jaqueline Winspear
Read by Jill Fox. Reading time: 9 hours, 28 minutes.
Download Maisie Dobbs, DB067808
Thirteen-year-old Maisie is lucky to be a maid in the home of a wealthy London suffragette who sees to her education. Maisie becomes a private investigator in 1929 after serving as a nurse during the Great War. Her first case involves a shelter for wounded veterans. 2003.
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Read by Gabriella Cavallero. Reading time: 12 hours, 16 minutes.
Download Mistress of the Art of Death, DB066765
Cambridge, England; 1171. King Henry II sends a plea to the king of Sicily for a crime investigator after four Christian children are murdered--supposedly by Jews. Adelia Aguilar, a medical student with forensic knowledge, arrives with Muslim bodyguard Mansur and Jewish colleague Simon. Adelia Aguilar series, book 1. Violence and some strong language. 2007.
Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal
Read by Donada Peters. Reading time: 9 hours, 47 minutes.
Download Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, DB079346
London, 1940. Maggie Hope, possessing all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, is allowed only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. However, working for the prime minister affords Maggie a level of clearance she could never have imagined. Maggie Hope Mystery series, book 1. Some strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2012.
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
Read by Patricia Kilgraff. Reading time: 8 hours, 47 minutes.
Download Her Royal Spyness, DB066100
London, 1932. Lady Georgiana fails at various occupations but eventually turns detective after finding the body of an unsavory French gambler who attempted to seize her family's Scottish estate. When her half-brother is accused of the murder, Georgie sets out to clear his name, drawing the killer's attention. Royal Spyness series, book 1. 2007.
The Tale of Hill Top Farm by Susan Wittig Albert
Read by Constance Crawford. Reading time: 9 hours, 5 minutes.
Download The Tale of Hill Top Farm, DB061460
Lake District, England; 1905. Author Beatrix Potter, still mourning her fiancé's death, buys a farm in the country. Villagers in nearby Sawrey are suspicious of the sudden passing of local resident Abigail Tolliver. Beatrix and her pets offer to help solve the mystery. Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series, book 1. 2004.
Tough Guys and Gumshoes: The Hardboiled Detective
Cynical private eyes and double-crossing femme fatales populate these gritty and dark crime novels.
Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
Read by Peter Ganim. Reading time: 9 hours, 37 minutes.
Download Death at La Fenice, DB060486
Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice police investigates the death by cyanide of famous German conductor Maestro Helmut Wellauer at the opera house. Brunetti never imagines that he might aid and abet a criminal. 1992.
Hornet’s Nest by Patricia Cornwell
Read by Madelynn Buzzard. Reading time: 12 hours, 47 minutes.
Download Hornet’s Nest, DB043749
Police chief Judy Hammer, deputy chief Virginia West, and young reporter Andy Brazil are perplexed by a serial killer who paints his victims' genitals orange. Pursuing a trail of odd clues, the trio tracks and brings down the culprit in a perilous climax. Judy Hammer and Andy Brazil series, book 1. Strong language and violence. Bestseller. 1996.
I, the Jury by Mickey Spillane
Read by Sam Gray. Reading time: 5 hours, 43 minutes.
Download I, the Jury, DB018608
Private eye Mike Hammer vows to track down and kill the murderer of his best friend. His search leads him into a lurid and deadly underworld of drugs and prostitution. Some descriptions of sex. 1947.
L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy
Read by George Patterson. Reading time: 16 hours, 55 minutes.
Download L.A. Confidential, DB031404
Three policemen each with his own albatross: Ed Exley tries desperately to match or exceed his father's success as a cop; Bud White watched his father murder his mother, and now he is a ticking bomb; and Jack Vincennes has his own little shake-down business going. Los Angeles in the 1950s is the setting for this noir novel. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 1990.
The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley
Read by Jim Zeiger. Reading time: 9 hours, 23 minutes.
Download The Last Good Kiss, DB068138
While retrieving alcoholic writer Abraham Trahearne from a drinking binge, Montana-based private investigator C.W. Sughrue agrees to look for a barmaid's missing daughter. Teenaged Betty Sue ran away to San Francisco ten years ago and has not been heard from since. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 1978.
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
Read by Leon Janney. Reading time: 6 hours, 39 minutes.
Download The Maltese Falcon, DB074949
While hunting for his partner's killer, San Francisco private detective Sam Spade runs afoul of the police and a cluster of eccentric characters looking for the priceless statuette of a black bird. Digital restoration of Leon Janney's original 1961 analog recording for the American Foundation for the Blind. Some violence. 1930.
Poodle Springs by Raymond Chandler and Robert B. Parker
Read by Ray Hagen. Reading time: 5 hours, 24 minutes.
Download Poodle Springs, DB031788
The first four chapters of this book were all that Chandler had written when he died in 1959. Using the tale line set forth in those chapters, Parker has completed the story in which Philip Marlowe is married to Linda Loring and living in the desert in Poodle Springs. Of course Marlowe still has his usual talent for attracting trouble. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 1989.
The Sins of the Father by Lawrence Block
Read by Ray Foushee. Reading time: 5 hours, 13 minutes.
Download The Sins of the Father, DB045105
Cale Hanniford hires private investigator Matt Scudder--not to find out who slashed to death his daughter, Wendy--but why. The prime suspect, Wendy's longtime male roommate, is now dead in a jailhouse suicide. As Scudder learns more about the victim's past, he gets closer to discovering the truth about the murder. Matthew Scudder series, book 1. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1976.
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
Read by Suzanne Toren. Reading time: 6 hours, 58 minutes.
Download The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, DB038703
Bored and depressed after her husband's death, Mrs. Pollifax decides to take her doctor's advice and do something enjoyable. Since she has always wanted to be a spy, Mrs. Pollifax heads to Washington, D.C., to apply to the CIA. She admits that she is quite prepared to offer up her life on assignment. As luck would have it, there is a pressing need for a tourist-type to smuggle a document out of Mexico. Mrs. Pollifax series, book 1. Some strong language and some violence. 1966.
Until Death: Romantic Suspense
Romance is even more exciting when tangled with the intrigues and dangers of a good mystery!
The Black Opal by Victoria Holt
Read by Jill Ferris. Reading time: 11 hours, 42 minutes.
Download The Black Opal, DB037315
Carmel March, found under an azalea bush and raised by Dr. and Mrs. Marline along with their own children, is easily drawn to Uncle Toby, who visits often. When Mrs. Marline dies, Carmel is whisked away to Australia by Uncle Toby, who she learns is her real father. Years later when Carmel returns to England, she discovers that a murder took place long ago and Dr. Marline was hung for the crime. She sets out to clear his name and finds romance along the way. 1993.
Fruits of the Poisonous Tree: A Joe Gunther Mystery by Archer Mayor
Read by David Curtis. Reading time: 12 hours, 35 minutes.
Download Fruits of the Poisonous Tree: A Joe Gunther Myster, DBC03777
After his lover is raped, Vermont police lieutenant Joe Gunther, the hero of four previous mysteries in this acclaimed series, knows that a vagrant ex-con with three rape convictions is the obvious suspect. But despite all the public clamor and the personal pressure to close the case, Gunther can't shake the feeling that he is dealing with tainted evidence. Contains strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1994.
Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown
Read by Martha Pardee Harmon. Reading time: 12 hours, 6 minutes.
Download Hello, Darkness, DB057173
Paris Gibson, host of a popular Austin radio program, receives a call from a man planning to kill the girlfriend who left him on Paris's advice. The hunt is on with the help of Paris's old flame. But are they looking for the right man? Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2003.
Hideaway by Hannah Alexander
Read by Michele Schaeffer. Reading time: 9 hours, 31 minutes.
Download Hideaway, DB060288
On forced leave and facing a lawsuit after her sister's death, Dr. Cheyenne Allison retreats to the Ozark village of Hideaway, where Dane Gideon runs a ranch for troubled teens. Cheyenne is drawn into a feud between Dane and the mayor, who thinks the kids are vandals. Hideaway series, book 1. Christy Award. 2003.
I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time: 9 hours, 10 minutes.
Download I Heard That Song Before, DB063795
Twenty-eight-year-old Englewood, New Jersey, librarian Kay Lansing and wealthy businessman Peter Carrington fall in love and marry after Kay approaches him about a fundraiser. Later Peter is arrested for the murder of a teenaged neighbor that took place twenty-two years ago. Kay believes Peter is innocent and investigates. Bestseller. 2007.
Lie Down with Lions by Ken Follett
Read by Bob Askey. Reading time: 13 hours, 12 minutes.
Download Lie Down with Lions, DB023026
Novel of intrigue and love set in Afghanistan, where mountain-bred natives fight a guerrilla war against Russian invaders. At the center of the battle is the elusive leader Masud, whom the guerrillas must protect and whom the Russians hope to kill. As Masud sweeps from his hidden aerie bringing death to the enemy, a brave, beautiful woman finds herself trapped between two spies--one the man she loves, the other her husband. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1986.
Public Secrets by Nora Roberts
Read by Michele Schaeffer. Reading time: 15 hours, 51 minutes.
Download Public Secrets, DB046013
As the illegitimate daughter of a famous rock star, Emma McAvoy grew up in the public eye. But she has always felt guilty about her infant half-brother's death when she was six. Suspicions fell on someone close to the family, but Emma was the only witness to the crime, so the killer bides his time, hoping she won't remember the truth. Some violence. Bestseller. 1997.
Ransom by Danielle Steel
Read by Jill Fox. Reading time: 10 hours, 32 minutes.
Download Ransom, DB057800
After recently widowed Fernanda Barnes's youngest child is abducted San Francisco detective Ted Lee arrives to run the police operation. The kidnappers, ex-cons Peter Morgan and Carl Waters, mistakenly believe that Fernanda was left wealthy--but she can't come up with the money they demand. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2004.
Razor Wire by Lauren Gallagher
Read by Teresa Willis. Reading time: 5 hours, 34 minutes.
Download Razor Wire, DB080595
Two female cops are drawn together by a terrible crime. Reese discovers that there is more than she knew to Kim, who is dealing with the aftermath of being raped and impregnated by a superior officer determined to keep her quiet. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2014.
The Stone Bull by Phyllis A. Whitney
Read by Lois Smith. Reading time: 8 hours, 33 minutes.
Download The Stone Bull, DB011349
A gracious resort hotel in New York's Catskill mountains owned by a cranky family is the moody setting for dancer Jenny Vaughn's investigation into her sister's suicide or possible murder. 1977.
Violent Truths: True Crime Thrillers and Killers
These books chronicle the human spirit in the face of profound violence and prove that truth is stranger than fiction.
A Child Called “It:” An Abused Child’s Journey from Victim to Victor by David J. Pelzer
Read by David Elias. Reading time: 3 hours, 28 minutes.
Download A Child Called “It:” An Abused Child’s Journey from Victim to Victor, DB045004
A man recounts the years of torture and starvation that he experienced as a child at the hands of his alcoholic mother. Chronicles the incidents of maltreatment, his ultimate rescue from the abusive home, and his recovery. Violence. For junior and senior high and older readers. Bestseller. 1995.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
Read by Bruce Huntley. Reading time: 13 hours, 25 minutes.
Download The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, DB055748
The author of Isaac's Storm traces the crimes of Dr. H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who preyed on young women during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair in the amazing landscape that architect Daniel H. Burnham created in a mere two years. Bestseller. 2003.
Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland by Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Mary Jordan, and Kevin Sullivan
Read by Marisol Ramirez, Arthur Morey, and Jojeana Marie. Reading time: -12 hours, 22 minutes.
Download Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland, DB081802
Drawing upon their recollections and diaries, two of the three victims of Cleveland school-bus driver Ariel Castro share the story of their abductions, their decade in captivity, and their dramatic 2013 rescue. Washington Post reporters Jordan and Sullivan interweave these events with the search efforts. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2015.
In Cold Blood: A True Account of Multiple Murder and its Consequences by Truman Capote
Read by Ray Hagen. Reading time: 11 hours, 54 minutes.
Download In Cold Blood: A True Account of Multiple Murder and its Consequences, DB022726
The author coined the term "nonfiction novel" for this account of the murder of a Kansas family. He reconstructs the crime and the backgrounds and personalities of all the principals, drawing his information from observation, interviews, and official records. 2008.
Lucky by Alice Seabold
Read by Mary Kane. Reading time: 8 hours, 24 minutes.
Download Lucky, DB055335
A woman's brutally honest account of her rape as an eighteen-year-old college freshman. From the crime to the courtroom, Sebold copes with the legal and emotional consequences of the profound violence that changed her life. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 1999.
Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French
Read by Gregory Maupin. Reading time: 8 hours, 25 minutes.
Download Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China, DB075956
Historian reconstructs events surrounding the 1937 murder of twenty-year-old Briton Pamela Werner in Peking, China, just before the Japanese occupation. Chronicles the discovery of Werner's body, the failure of Chinese and British police to find her killers, and her father's own investigation during internment by the invaders. Some violence. 2011.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story by John Berendt
Read by Frank Coffee. Reading time: 13 hours, 29 minutes.
Download Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: a Savannah Story, DB038077
In the 1980s, New Yorker Berendt began visiting Savannah, Georgia. Enchanted by the city and its inhabitants, he spent more and more time there. He introduces Savannah and the hodgepodge of friends he made, especially Jim Williams, an antique dealer active in the restoration of Savannah. He also discusses the murder on May 2, 1981, for which Williams went to trial--four times. Strong language. 1994.
The Monster of Florence by Douglas J. Preston and Mario Spezi
Read by Ray Childs. Reading time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
Download The Monster of Florence, DB066942
Author Preston describes the cold case of a serial killer who murdered seven pairs of lovers outside Florence, Italy, between 1974 and 1985. Working with Italian crime reporter Mario Spezi, Preston details their quest for the man they believe is guilty and their run-ins with authorities. Some violence. Bestseller. 2008.
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
Read by Corrie James. Reading time: 8 hours, 9 minutes.
Download The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, DB046906
An account of the unusual circumstances leading to the friendship between the Oxford English Dictionary's editor, Dr. James Murray, and one of its most prolific contributors, Dr. W.C. Minor, an American criminal. Relates the details of Dr. Minor's crime and its aftermath and how he first began his correspondence with Dr. Murray. Bestseller. 1998.
A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard
Read by Mare Trevathan. Reading time: 6 hours.
Download A Stolen Life: A Memoir, DB073692
The author describes her 1991 abduction at age eleven by parolee Phillip Garrido and his wife. Recounts her eighteen years of captivity, during which she endured sexual abuse and raised two daughters, and her 2009 discovery and rescue. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2011.
Warm, Fuzzy, and Wicked: Cozy Mysteries vol. 2
Crime solving cats? Canines? Knitters and bakers? Only in a cozy mystery would you find such an unlikely set of sleuths!
Catnap by Carole Nelson Douglas
Read by J.P.Linton. Reading time: 8 hours, 2 minutes.
Download Catnap, DB036696
There's been a murder at the American Booksellers Association convention. Also, Baker and Taylor, the feline mascots of a book wholesaler, have been catnapped. Cat detective Midnight Louie pads stealthily through the aisles of the exhibit booths in search of clues. He teams up with human female Temple Barr, the convention's public relations officer, to bring the criminal to justice. Midnight Louie series, book 1. 1992.
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
Read by Bob Askey. Reading time: 5 hours, 23 minutes.
Download The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, DB034788
Jim Qwilleran arrives early for his appointment with the managing editor of the "Daily Fluxion." His recent employment history is not good, and he really needs this job. But they want him to be an art writer. As Jim begins his assignment, he and his sidekick, KoKo, find themselves hot on the trail of a murder at the art gallery. The Cat Who series, book 1. 1986.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Read by Kristen Allison. Reading time: 7 hours, 34 minutes.
Download Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, DB054603
Bakery owner Hannah Swensen of Lake Eden, Minnesota, discovers the body of the local dairy delivery man in her alley. Although her brother-in-law, Bill Todd, is a deputy sheriff, Hannah does some sleuthing of her own. Then another murder occurs. Includes cookie recipes. Hannah Swensen series, book 1. 2000.
Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum
Read by Julie McKay. Reading time: 9 hours, 57 minutes.
Download Death by Cashmere, DB080491
Not long after Isabel "Izzy" Chambers opens up a knitting shop in the sleepy fishing town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, a diverse group of women begins congregating each week to form the Seaside Knitters. When Izzy's renter drowns mysteriously, the women decide to investigate. Seaside Knitters Mystery series, book 1. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2008.
Dog Gone It by Spencer Quinn
Read by Michael Scherer. Reading time: 8 hours, 5 minutes.
Download Dog Gone It, DB068453
After flunking out of police school, canine Chet becomes partners and roommates with private investigator Bernie Little. Though easily distracted, Chet is a good sleuth. He describes Bernie's latest case--the disappearance of fifteen-year-old Madison Chambliss--and his own frustration when trying to communicate clues. Strong language and some violence. Chet and Bernie series, book 1. 2009.
A Pedigree to Die For by Laurien Berenson
Read by Margaret Strom. Reading time: 9 hours, 43 minutes.
Download A Pedigree to Die For, DB071008
After dog breeder Max dies, his widow, Peg, who suspects foul play, asks their niece Melanie Travis to find their missing stud poodle. Melanie, a teacher and single mother, enters the cutthroat world of competitive dog shows and uncovers several suspects--as well as a potential romantic interest. 1995. Melanie Travis series, book 1. 2011.
Repair to Her Grave by Sarah Graves
Read by Martha Pardee Harmon. Reading time: 9 hours, 59 minutes.
Download Repair to Her Grave, DB075842
Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree has filled her Maine island home with guests each summer. But this year she is determined to make headway on repairing the old house instead, which makes Jonathan Raines's arrival vexing--especially since Jake doubts his claim that he is researching the property's past owner. 2001.
Ruffly Speaking by Susan Conant
Read by Catherine Byers. Reading time: 7 hours, 53 minutes.
Download Ruffly Speaking, DB041444
Obsessed with dogs, Holly Winter owns two Alaskan malamutes, writes a column for Dog's Life magazine, and dates her dog's vet. When fellow dog-lover Morris Lamb dies after eating poisonous greens from his garden, a female rector with a hearing dog moves into his house. Interviewing the rector for the magazine, Holly is surprised to learn that the dog has been exhibiting odd behavior in his new house. Some strong language. Dog Lover's Mystery, book 7. 1994.
The Serpents Trail by Sue Henry
Read by Faith Potts. Reading time: 7 hours, 59 minutes.
Download The Serpents, Trail, DB059904
Colorado. Sixty-three-year-old Nora McNabb from Dead North and her dog Stretch arrive from Alaska to help sick friend Sarah Nunamaker. But Sarah's mysterious murder at the hospital means Nora must sort out her friend's secrets and search for a killer. Maxie McNabb series, book 1. 2004.
To Have and to Kill by Mary Jane Behrends Clark
Read by Dawn Ursula. Reading time: 6 hours, 27 minutes.
Download To Have and to Kill, DB077651
When out-of-work actress Piper Donovan returns to her parents' home and begins helping out at the family bakery, her mother Terri tries to hide the fact that she has macular degeneration. Meanwhile, the wedding engagement of Piper's friend is soured first by a threatening note--and then by a murder. Wedding Cake Mystery, book 1. 2011.