Books published by Kensington Publishing

Small town traditions are celebrated throughout Maine during the holiday season. But when it comes to Halloween, some people are more than willing to reap a harvest of murder...HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER by LESLIE MEIERTinker's Cove newest residents Ty and Heather Moon turn their Victorian home into a haunted house to raise funds for charity. But the Halloween fun turns to horrific fright when Heather overdoses on tainted drugs--and Ty finds himself accused of murder. Digging deep into the story, journalist Lucy Stone uncovers some sinister secrets in the Moons' past linked to a conspiracy in her hometown...DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY MONSTER by LEE HOLLISEveryone attending Island Times Food and Cocktail columnist Hayley Powell's Halloween bash is dressed as their favorite movie monster from the Bride of Frankenstein and Jaws to Chucky and Pennywise the clown. But when partygoers stumble upon Boris Candy's bludgeoned costumed corpse, it falls to Hayley to discover who among her guests wanted to stop the man from clowning around permanently...SCARED OFF by BARBARA ROSSThree teenage girls having a sleepover on Halloween night get spooked when high schoolers crash the house for a party. But no one expected to find a crasher like Mrs. Zelisko, the elderly third floor tenant, dead in the backyard--dressed in a sheet like a ghost. With her niece traumatized, Julia Snowden must uncover who among the uninvited guests was responsible for devising such a murderous trick...

"When a self-proclaimed vampire is murdered during the annual Witch Ball, Charlene has a lot at stake as she tries to solve this strange case with the help of handsome ghost Dr. Jack Strathmore."--Provided by publisher.

"When the would-be owner of her latest rescue, Sheamus, the Maine Coon cat, is murdered, Liz Denton finds the fur flying as she discovers the real identity of the victim, a stalker is fast on her heels and a rival takes a swat at her business"--

"Abé is an exquisite storyteller. Rich in detail and deeply moving." -Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue "One of the most beautifully written books I've ever had the pleasure to read. A gorgeous, phenomenal novel I won't soon forget." -Ellen Marie Wiseman New York Times bestselling Author of The Orphan Collector Perfect for fans of Jennifer Chiaverini and Marie Benedict, this riveting novel takes you inside the scandalous courtship and catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic of the most famous couple of their time-John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Force. Told in rich detail, this novel of sweeping historical fiction will stay with readers long after turning the last page. Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob "Jack" Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack's mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York's most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious-a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and the scandal of Jack's recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love-and becomes the press's favorite target. On their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time-and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art RMS Titanic seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he'll see her soon in New York… Four months later, at the Astors' Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine's most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her, or carve out her own remarkable path… "A touching, compelling, and haunting love story that will delight fans of historical fiction and enthrall those of us for whom the Titanic will always fascinate." -Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of When We Were Young and Brave "An engaging novel told with both heartbreaking care and vivid detail. The Second Mrs. Astor is historical fiction at its gripping and irresistible best." -Patti Callahan , New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis

This friends-to-lovers rom-com from the inimitable duo Tash Skilton, authors of Ghosting: A Love Story, explores the hilarious highs and lows of adulting, Hollywood, and what happens when BFFs are forced to take a hard second look at their favorite fandoms—and each other.ONE PERFECT FRIENDSHIP—ABRUPTLY CANCELED All through college, Nina and Sebastian were sentence-finishing, secret-sharing BFFs, and absolute super fans of Castles of Rust and Bone. It was the kind of show—and the kind of friendship—that demands you’re all in, for the plot twists, the unresolved sexual tension, the weekly coup d’etat—and ultimately, the heartbreak. At least until the big cliffhanger… But when Castles’ season finale turned into the unceremoniously axed show’s awkward farewell, Nina and Sebastian’s friendship ended just as suddenly—and just as awkwardly. And Sebastian’s longed-for chance to woo Nina into something more than friendship was written out of their story. In Hollywood, there’s always a comeback. Five years later, Nina and Sebastian are living their best lives in L.A.—and Castles is being reboot-ed. Nina’s a social media coordinator for the streaming service that will air the show, and Sebastian is a PA for the production company. What could be more perfect? How about running into each other on set…? Fingers crossed for a happy ending… Turns out even the most dedicated fans are due for a wake-up call when they get to peek behind-the-scenes. And suddenly Nina and Sebastian are remembering when they were super fans of each other instead. Will flipping the script from buddy comedy to real romance ruin everything—or deliver the happily-ever-after they both crave? “Hip, hot, hilarious . . . Hollywood Ending is delightful!”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde “Absolute rom-com PERFECTION! A hilarious & angsty, slow-burning friends-to-lovers romance brilliantly set in the world of TV series fandom.” —USA Today bestselling author Priscilla Oliveras

Laugh-out-loud humor, a feminist outlook, and one-of-a-kind romance come together with the continuation of the fan-favorite Honey Badger Chronicles from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelly Laurenston. With more sexy shape-shifting antics and outstanding snark, the unflappable honey badger women go toe-to-toe with three fierce tiger shifter brothers as they race to solve a family tragedy. It's instinct that drives Finn Malone to rescue a bunch of hard battling honey badgers. The Siberian tiger shifter just can't bear to see his fellow shifters harmed. But no way can Finn have a houseful of honey badgers when he also has two brothers with no patience. Things just go from bad to worse when the badgers rudely ejected from his home turn out to be the only ones who can help him solve a family tragedy. He's just not sure he can even get back into the badgers' good graces. Since badgers lack graces of any kind...Mads knows her teammates aren't about to forgive the cats that were so rude to them, but moody Finn isn't so bad. And he's cute! The badger part of her understands Finn's burning need to avenge his father's death--after all, vengeance is her favorite pastime. So Mads sets about helping Finn settle his family's score, which has its perks, since she gets to avoid her own family drama. Besides, fighting side by side with Finn is her kind of fun--especially when she can get in a hot and heavy snuggle with her very own growling, eye-rolling, and utterly irresistible kitty-cat...

When her beloved Great-Aunt Ilse arrives on her doorstep, leaving war-ravaged Germany behind, former Secret Service agent Verity Kent soon discovers that danger has followed Ilse when ant-Germen sentiment is taken to murderous lengths.

Sherry Oliveri is used to competing in cook-offs, but this time she's serving as a judge. The upside is that she gets to taste all the contestants' cookies. The downside is that one of the bakers will wind up dead...It's the long Thanksgiving weekend, and between cooking for her family and working her dad's store for Black Friday, Sherry has a full plate. Next, she has to judge the big cookie contest--and among the many entrants is her old high school home ec teacher, Mr. Currier.For old time's sake, Sherry invites him over for dinner, although sadly, the reunion will be short-lived. The next day, the prizes at the bake-off go missing--and later turn up at the marina, along with her ex-teacher's body. Now Sherry has to find out who would do such a thing...Includes Recipes from Sherry's Kitchen!

From nationally bestselling author Laura Bradford comes a poignant, uplifting novel about a down-on-her-luck journalist whose less than ideal assignment to Pennsylvania's Amish country forces her to re-think her priorities, and her life...Tess Baker thought she had the perfect everything--until her best friend, and (now ex) husband, betrayed her, leaving her with nothing, except her career as an investigative reporter. In her work for a leading magazine, Tess can lose herself in whatever story she's chasing. So she's devastated when her next assignment is far from the exciting location or action-packed quest she anticipated.Thanks to a recent misstep, Tess is handed a bus ticket to Pennsylvania--to Amish country. The story? Write about living in the past in a modern-day world. Determined to prove herself by coming up with something juicier than a run-of-the-mill human-interest piece, Tess makes her way through this strange place, digging for dirt...Yet no matter where she turns, scandal eludes her. Instead, Tess encounters kindness and grace, even striking up unexpected friendships with women who bear a wisdom and capacity for forgiveness she can't imagine. It's only when she meets eighty-something Miss Lottie, beloved by the community even after decades away, that Tess realizes she may have hit upon the story she was looking for. But can she betray the people who have opened their arms--and their hearts--for the sake of a scoop?

While planning her wedding, Sophie "Phee" Kimball gets sidetracked by the murder of a model train enthusiast...Phee's marriage to Marshall Gregory promises to be the wedding of the year in Arizona's Sun City West--that is, if you ask her mother Harriet. But before she can walk down the aisle, it looks like she has to solve one more murder. At a model train exhibit, Phee, Harriet, and their beloved Chiweenie, Streetman, discover the body of Sun City West's railroad club president, with an incriminating tap shoe near his lifeless corpse.Wilbur Maines may have loved model trains but apparently he was not a model husband. There are rumors of affairs with hot-to-trot hobbyists the Choo-Choo Chicks. The police suspect his wife--and Harriet's friend--Roxanne, who dances with the Rhythm Tappers, but Phee's mom is convinced they're on the wrong track. Before the poor woman is railroaded into spending the rest of her life behind bars, Phee, Harriet, and the book club ladies will need to do some fancy footwork, infiltrate the dance group, and find the real culprit before the killer leaves the station...

Robbie Jordan's Pans 'N Pancakes boasts delicious eats and the best vintage cookware finds in South Lick, Indiana. And now, for a limited time, there's a new special featured on the menu--murder!Ever since meeting the wary owners of an antique shop opening across the street, Robbie has been scrambling to manage weird incidences plaguing her café and country store. Pricey items vanish from shelves without explanation, a fully equipped breakfast food truck starts lingering around the area each morning, and loyal diners mysteriously fall ill. When an elderly man dies after devouring an omelet packed with poisonous mushrooms, Robbie must temporarily close down Pans 'N Pancakes and search for the killer with a real zest for running her out of business--or else.

A page-turning new story from the bestselling author of No Way Out, perfect for fans of Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel! Meet a brother and sister who are drawn into a treacherous mystery through an antique with a dark past, as they race against time to help a single mother and take down a ruthless couple bent on taking control of their family's legacy… At first glance, few would guess that Luna and Cullan Bodman are siblings. Cullan is efficient and serious while his younger sister Luna is a free spirit. When the two launch their furniture restoration shop/café-an offshoot of the family's longtime antique business-in an up-and-coming arts center, little do they know their unique talents may be their only defense against a dangerous betrayal. When Luna gets a strange sense about a piece Cullan just acquired, the two find themselves uniting to solve a mystery that has far-reaching consequences-never knowing there are some who'll stop at nothing to claim what they believe is theirs. No matter what, Luna and Cullen know they can rely on each other-and this time, their lives may depend on it…

"It begins in the Pacific Northwest. A deadly wave of massive wildfires are raging out of control, killing hundreds in their path, and showing no sign of stopping. This time, the fires are manmade. In Portland, Oregon, a sleeper cell of terrorists have recruited a disgruntled Forest Service smokejumper to train their army. To spread the fear coast to coast. To make America burn. Those who flee the hot flames are gunned down in cold blood. But one man--Forestry Service smokejumper Cory Cantwell--is fighting back"--Back cover.