Books published by Kensington Publishing

The 11th book in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling series--a spinoff of William W. Johnstone's Mountain Man and Preacher series--featuring the legendary Matt Jensen, a man with survival and justice in his blood.On the lawless frontiers of the American West, there is one rule every outlaw should remember: Never cross a mountain man like Matt Jensen. Not if you want to keep breathing. No gun. No horse. No water or food. And worse yet: No idea how he ended up in the middle of a desert with a bullet in his leg and a bump on his head. That's the sorry situation Matt Jensen wakes up to--dazed and confused--until he slowly pieces together what happened. The last thing he remembers: He agreed to help out a friend of Duff MacCallister's. A pretty lady and her husband at a horse ranch. He also recalls their cross-country trip through hell to deliver the horses safely to market. That's when the outlaws showed up. That's when the shooting began. That's when everything went dark . . .But now Matt Jensen is alive and well and living for revenge. No time to lose. No holding back. And before it's all over, no trigger-happy horse thief will be left standing...

"A poignant and touching story of friendship, love and healing. Perfect for your book club!"-#1 New York Times bestselling author, Barbara FreethyA recipe for living . . . New friends can be found in unexpected places. For Bridget and Amy, that place was the cancer ward of an Anchorage hospital. Now, as each struggles to overcome loss, they lean on each other for support-sharing suppers, laughter and tears. Bridget and Amy aren't about to let hardship knock them down-Bridget plans to return to her veterinarian school studies, Amy to her position as a second-grade teacher-but neither feels quite ready. And so the Sunday Potluck Club is born, a way for Bridget, Amy, and other women who have lost a loved one to find solace and understanding. Savoring favorite dishes while sharing memories and the comfort of connection, the members of the Sunday Potluck Club nourish body and soul. As weeks go by and the group grows in unforeseen ways, both Bridget and Amy are inspired to find greater purpose. Amy reaches out to a student whose father bravely faces his own struggle. Bridget volunteers at the local animal shelter, rehabilitating dogs whose unconditional love will bring others a chance to heal. And with the help of two special men, Bridget and Amy are realizing that there's always room at the table for love and rekindled joy . . .

From the internationally bestselling author of Moondust Lake comes an emotional and enriching novel of family, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and self-discovery . . . When the darkness seems too hard to bear, there's only one thing left to do. Six years ago, Daniel was a Los Angeles financial analyst who was too handsome for his own good. Too smart for his anchor job on the nightly news. And too enamored with the heady addictions of the high life. That man died in a tragic accident with his fiancée. With grief and guilt battling for control, Daniel moved to the quiet California seaside town of Miramar Bay with his best friend-a rescue Labradoodle who still sees him through rough times. Daniel's a different man now. Clean, sober, and taking things one day at a time with no commitments to anyone except himself. And just as his solitude begins to chafe, two souls in need of fresh starts unexpectedly enter Daniel's life . . . Realize that it's time to wake up. Daniel's self-centered sister has dissolved several longtime relationships. Theirs included. The latest? Her restless teenage daughter, Nicole, whom she's dropped off in Miramar Bay without a backward glance. For Nicole, who's never felt at home in the world, it only confirms the disconnect she's always had with her mother. Now, left with an uncle she barely knows, Nicole is more adrift than ever. Yet to Daniel's surprise, playing surrogate father is forging a bond that he needs, too. More difficult for Daniel is the possibility of romance with lovely and fragile Stella Dalley. Struggling with a trauma of her own, the single mother is as cautious about love as Daniel is-no matter how healing it could be. But for Daniel, Stella, and Nicole there's still hope for a tomorrow they can call their own. All they have do is to learn to trust in each other, and in themselves. A powerful novel of new beginnings, chances taken, and hearts lost and found, Tranquility Falls is a timeless love story to treasure.

Pamela Paterson and her Knit and Nibble club must clear the name of one of their knitters when he's accused of murdering the mayor . . . The trees in Arborville, New Jersey, have started sporting sweaters. Part of the trend of public knitting art? Not exactly. An anonymous activist has been wrapping trunks in yarn to cover red X's that mark certain trees for removal by the town so they don't interfere with power lines. When the town's mayor-who supports cutting down the trees-is murdered, Pamela wonders if the tree hugger committed homicide to prevent arborcide. A knitter is arrested, but it's one of Knit and Nibble's own-the harmless Roland DeCamp, who was seen arguing with the mayor. Pamela is sure the police are barking up the wrong tree. With the help of her reporter friend Bettina, she branches off on her own investigation to root out the real killer . . . Knitting tips and delicious recipe included!

Johnstone Country. Come and Get It. Mac is back. Framed for a murder he didn't commit, Dewey "Mac" Mckenzie is a wanted man who ends up on a cattle drive heading west-as a chuckwagon cook. Though he's never even boiled an egg, Mckenzie has a natural gift for cobbling together good trail drive grub. Now, with two trail drives under his belt, Mckenzie has proven to be more than a good chuckwagon cook. He's good at serving up justice, too-with a side of hot lead . . . A HILL OF BEANS Mac Mckenzie has enough problems on his plate. He's got bounty hunters on his tail, no one on his side, and no place to hide. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, he hears the rumbling of a cattle stampede-heading straight for his camp. Mac's got two choices: Get trampled like a weed or saddle up and help get the herd under control. At first, the traildrivers ain't too pleased to have a stranger help them out. But once they realize Mac's not a rustler, they ask him to join the team. Mac takes them up on the offer-especially after he meets the cowgirl Colleen-and quickly impresses everyone with his cooking skills. There's just a few more problems: Mac's new employers might be the real rustlers. And Mac's stepped out of the frying pan into the fire . . .

Johnstone Country. A Home Worth Fighting For. Scotsman-turned-cowboy Duff MacCallister traveled far and worked hard to start a new life in America. And anyone who tries to mess with his dream is in for some serious Highland justice . . . KILLER TAKE ALL The cattle town of Chugwater may not look like much to outsiders. But for Duff MacCallister and the determined settlers who've staked their futures here, it's a land of opportunity. That's why the whole town is fired up by the latest news. Young railroad developer Jacob Freemantle wants to run a rail line through Chugwater, making it easier to transport cattle. Everyone is on board with the plan-at first. Duff begins to suspect that Freemantle is only after the most valuable land, and he's using strongarm tactics to force reluctant ranchers to sell. Things only get worse when Freemantle's hired guns show up-and the violence really begins . . . But Duff's got a plan of his own. With a little help from some well-armed friends, he's going to flush this phony out of Chugwater-and run his hired killers out of town on a rail . . . Live Free. Read Hard.

Lucy Berberian is busy preparing her family's Mediterranean restaurant for Easter on the Jersey Shore-but a batch of sweets is to die for . . . Bikers are thundering into the seaside town of Ocean Crest for the annual Bikers on the Beach gathering that raises funds for injured veterans. It's a big boost for the Kebab Kitchen, as well as for local businesses like Melanie Haven's candy shop. But Melanie is about to find herself in a sticky situation. When Melanie and Lucy attend a beach bonfire, a local landlord is found dead after apparently choking on a piece of salt water taffy. Melanie, who was known to have a contentious relationship with the victim, is quickly skewered as the prime suspect. But Lucy is determined to prove her friend's innocence before the real killer coasts free . . . Recipes included! Praise for Tina Kashian's Hummus and Homicide "Clever and charming. . . . A culinary delight." -RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars "Likable characters and a colorful kebab restaurant setting." -Library Journal "A delectable read." -Shelley Freydont

Set against the unexpected splendor of an ostrich ranch in the California desert, April Dávila's beautifully written debut conjures an absorbing and compelling heroine in a story of courage, family and forgiveness. When Tallulah Jones was thirteen, her grandmother plucked her from the dank Oakland apartment she shared with her unreliable mom and brought her to the family ostrich ranch in the Mojave Desert. After eleven years caring for the curious, graceful birds, Tallulah accepts a job in Montana and prepares to leave home. But when Grandma Helen dies under strange circumstances, Tallulah inherits everything-just days before the birds inexplicably stop laying eggs. Guarding the secret of the suddenly barren birds, Tallulah endeavors to force through a sale of the ranch, a task that is complicated by the arrival of her extended family. Their designs on the property, and deeply rooted dysfunction, threaten Tallulah's ambitions and eventually her life. With no options left, Tallulah must pull her head out of the sand and face the fifty-year legacy of a family in turmoil: the reality of her grandmother's death, her mother's alcoholism, her uncle's covetous anger, and the 142 ostriches whose lives are in her hands."Vivid…uplifting…The fascinating details of operating an ostrich ranch elevate this family tale."-Publishers Weekly "Tension mounts in every chapter, and when the difficult forces converge in the satisfying climax, Tallulah discovers clarity. This is an enjoyable, winning, interesting novel for readers of many backgrounds."-Booklist (starred review) "A story told with depth and beauty about the many things we inherit from our families. Dávila's characters are familiar, yet unforgettable, and I'm waiting patiently for what she writes next."-Wayétu Moore, author of She Would Be King

Val's crime-solving club digs into a piping hot new case! A poetry slam at a bakery? Why not! Even though Pie Town proprietor Val Harris would rather be spending time with her newfound half-brother, she knows her employee Abril is beyond excited to be hosting the event. Especially since it stars the apple pie of Abril's eye, poet and professor Michael Starke. But the evening ends on a sour note when Professor Starke is found murdered mere moments after being accused of plagiarism. Just like that, Pie Town is at the center of another criminal inquiry. At Abril's request-and much to Detective Carmichael's consternation-Val and Charlene decide to investigate Starke's death. But the case is as tough as an overworked crust and the Baker Street Bakers are only coming up with scraps. If they don't pinch the cultured killer soon, Pie Town's reputation could crumble.

A new murder victim with an old M.O. puts Mattie Winston on the trail of a killer who gives a grim new meaning to flower power . . . Spring is beginning to brighten Sorenson, Wisconsin, for Mattie and Steve Hurley and their family. While their son Matthew may be in his terrible twos and Steve's daughter Emily a moody teenager, the kids bring light to their lives when their work is dark by its nature-Steve is a homicide detective and Mattie is a medicolegal death investigator, aka medical examiner. They deal in corpses. The latest corpse, a Jane Doe, was clearly an addict, but drugs didn't kill her, at least not directly. She's been stabbed multiple times in a pattern that is disturbingly familiar to Mattie. When she discovers flower petals from yellow carnations stuffed into the stab wounds, she recognizes a very specific M.O.-belonging to a convicted serial killer who's currently serving a life sentence. The details of the flower petals were never made public in the last case, so it can't be a copycat crime. It looks like the wrong man is in prison, and the murderer is still at large. Now it's up to Mattie and Steve to get the case reopened-and catch the real carnation killer . . .

When Micah Miller's brother and sister-in-law are killed in a buggy accident, he's devastated. But he fulfills the promise he made when their twins were born seven years earlier: to raise Jabin and Chloe should tragedy strike. Still, coping with the children's grief as well as his own, requires extra support. He's surprised to find an Amish farm that offers just that . . . Hope Graber had to find a way to save the family farm after her daed's health forced him to stop breeding horses. Providing animal therapy proved to be the answer-thanks to the help of expert trainer Logan Russell. Together, they not only pay the bills, they make positive changes in children's lives. Hope loves working with each child, but she takes a special interest in the Miller twins. She even makes Micah smile again-and he does the same for her. In fact, as Micah emerges from his depression, he longs to make them one happy family. But will Hope's debt to her Englisch trainer, and their close partnership, stand in the way?

In this new novel set in the beloved Oklahoma Amish community of Wells Landing, three generations of women challenge themselves and each other to make a fresh start in faith, family-and love. Jenna Burkhart is tired of being "special" and hearing about what she can't do. Even though she suffered a head injury in a childhood swimming accident, she wants a life of her own just like any Amish woman. But now that she, her mamm, and her mammi have moved to Wells Landing, she's having a hard time fitting in. . . . Until she meets Buddy Miller, a boy just like her, who gives her the confidence to reach for the impossible . . . Like Jenna, Buddy is used to being the boy no one expects much from, the one people see as "different." Still, being around Jenna's lively, kind-hearted ways makes him strive ever-harder to become the self-sufficient Amish man she deserves. But in the face of family disapproval and their own fears, will Jenna and Buddy's courage be enough to give them a forever happiness together? Praise for Amy Lillard and her Wells Landing novels "An inspirational story of romance, faith, and trust . . . will appeal to fans of Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis." -Library Journal "Fans of inspirational romance will appreciate Lillard's vivid characters and positive message."-Publishers Weekly

Many men fought-and many men died-in the Texas Revolution of 1836. This is the story of John Apple. A man who not only fought in the battle of the Alamo, he lived to avenge it . . . THE ROAD TO THE ALAMO John Apple is a simple man. A gardener and preacher who lives a quiet life in Ohio. Then a broken heart sends him south. A chance encounter with a very drunk Jim Bowie leads him to join the Texian Army. And the struggle for independence from the brutalities of Mexican President Santa Ana teaches Apple a valuable new skill: Killing. Working with Bowie, Sam Houston, Stephen Austin and their ragtag army, Apple becomes a secret courier and bloody advocate for the cause. As a calling card, he plants apple seeds in the chests of every soldier he slays-and sparks fear in the hearts of Santa Ana's men. But nothing could prepare him for the fate that awaited them at the Alamo Mission. Nothing could save his brothers in arms from the devastating slaughter that would go down in history. And now, for John Apple, nothing would be sweeter than revenge . . .