Books published by Kensington Publishing

When Abby McCree suddenly inherits her favorite relative's property in small town Snowberry Creek, Washington, she soon realizes that the ramshackle home comes with strings attached-one of which is tied to a dead body! After a rough divorce, Abby McCree only wants to stitch up her life and move on. But other loose ends appear after her elderly Aunt Sybil passes away, leaving Abby to tend to a rundown estate, complete with a slobbery Mastiff of questionable pedigree and a sexy tenant who growls more than the dog. As Abby gets drawn into a tight-knit quilting guild, she makes a twisted discovery-Aunt Sybil's only known rival is buried in her backyard! Despite what local detectives say, Abby refuses to accept that her beloved aunt had anything to do with the murder. While navigating a busy social calendar and rediscovering the art of quilting, she launches an investigation of her own to clear Aunt Sybil's name and catch the true culprit. The incriminating clues roll in, yet Abby can't help but wonder-can she survive her new responsibilities in Snowberry Creek and still manage to patch together a killer's deadly pattern without becoming the next victim?

Post-retirement aches and pains can't prevent sixty-five-year-old Lilly Jayne from keeping the most manicured garden in Goosebush, Massachusetts. But as a murder mystery blooms in the sleepy New England town, can a green thumb weed out a killer? With hundreds flocking to her inaugural garden party, meticulous Lilly Jayne hasn't left a single petal out of place. But the picture-perfect gathering turns unruly upon the arrival of Merilee Frank, Lilly's ex-husband's catty third wife. Merilee lives for trouble, so no one is surprised after she drinks too much, shoves a guest into the koi pond, and gets escorted off the property. The real surprise comes days later-when Merilee is found dead in a pile of mulch . . . Lilly wishes she could stick to pruning roses and forget about Merilee's murder-until her best friend and ex become suspects in an overgrown homicide case. Now, aided by the Garden Squad, an unlikely group of amateur crime solvers with a knack for planting, Lilly knows she has limited time to identify the true culprit and restore order to Goosebush. Because if the murderer's plot isn't nipped in the bud, another victim could be pushing up daisies!

Dear Reader, Montana has provided the setting for some of my favorite stories. In the late 1980s I wrote Tender Trap and Aftermath featuring Denver and Colton McLean-two brothers returning to their family ranch after years away, confronting the secrets left behind. I'm thrilled that they're now available in one volume, with a striking new cover and title, Backlash . . . The ranch country of Montana is beautiful, unforgiving, and for Colton and Denver McLean, filled with a whole lot of bad memories. It's been seven years since a fire claimed their parents' lives and drove both brothers away. Now their uncle's death has brought them back to a place where loyalty and love runs deep-but so do grudges. Suspicion still swirls about what caused that tragic fire. It created a rift between Denver and the foreman's daughter, Tessa Kramer. Now Tessa hopes to buy the ranch, if Denver and Colton will agree to sell, but the property is beset by problems. A prized stallion disappears. Other horses start falling sick. Someone seems determined to disrupt-or destroy-the McLean family's legacy by any means necessary. And finding answers will turn this homecoming into a time of reckoning with enemies past and present . . . I hope you enjoy coming back to Montana with me!

The comforting aroma of fresh baked-and-buttered bread. The hearty spice of cinnamon-oatmeal bars and hot coffee. In 1912 Ohio, The Amish Charm Bakery is the sweet sustaining center of a faith-abiding town built on peace, forgiveness-and ever-surprising love . . . Ellie Graber couldn't be happier working at Amish Charm-and making good on a precious chance to reunite with her Amish community. Grief over her mother's death made her rebel and try the Englischer world, but now she's home to start again. And quiet, thoughtful Joel Wenger is one of the few willing to understand her as their unexpected friendship develops into something much more . . . But no matter how hard Ellie tries, Joel's mother resolutely refuses to approve of her-much less accept her as a potential daughter-in-law. And as painful misunderstandings and a beautiful rival for Joel's affections threaten to separate the couple for good, can they bridge the gap between distrust and faith to secure a lifetime of love? Praise for Molly Jebber's Keepsake Pocket Quilt novels "Endearing characters and a delightful story make this a keeper for fans of Amish romance." -Emma Miller "Jebber is a talented author who always gives readers what they have come to expect from her books." -RT Book Reviews

"LUTZ OFFERS UP A HEART-POUNDING ROLLER COASTER OF A TALE." -Jeffery Deaver ROGUE WARS With the U.S. seemingly linked to a terrorist bombing in a Baltic nation and a Russian troop buildup just over the border, the covert Gray Outfit sends Thomas Laker to untangle the mess. But after a second attack leaves him out in the cold, Laker's on his own. Five thousand miles away in Miami, Laker's partner and NSA codebreaker Ava North is investigating the murder of a fellow agent. When tracks lead to a Cuban-American billionaire in bed with the Jersey Mob, Ava's superiors want her to lay off. Not a chance. Though oceans apart, Laker and Ava discover their separate missions are tied to one explosive plot. The only way out is to breach all protocol and play by their own rules . . . JOHN LUTZ IS . . . "A MAJOR TALENT." -John Lescroart "AMONG THE BEST." -San Diego Union "IN RARE FORM."-New York Times Book Review Includes the bonus short story "Paranoid Enough for Two," finalist for the Edgar Award!

Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim's family business has earned them the nickname The Peanut Butter Brothers. But if their matchmaking younger siblings have their way, all three may soon bear another title: husband . . . Handsome, hardworking, and godly, Andrew Petersheim has always been sure of his place in his Wisconsin Amish community. He'll be a welcome catch for the local girl who finally captures his heart. Mary Coblenz certainly isn't that girl. Two years after "jumping the fence" for the Englischer world, she's returned, unmarried and pregnant. Yet instead of hiding in shame as others in the community expect, she's working at the Honeybee Farm, ignoring the gossips-and winning over Andrew's eight-year-old twin brothers . . . For all Andrew's certainty about right and wrong, it seems he has a lot to learn from Mary's courage, grace, and resilience. She's changing his notions about forgiveness and love, but will she in turn accept the challenge of starting over and choose to stay-with him? Praise for Jennifer Beckstrand and her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series "Full of kind, sincere characters struggling with the best ways to stay true to themselves and their beliefs." -Publishers Weekly "A heart-warming story of faith, hope, and second chances. The story will captivate readers who love the Amish culture and enjoy an endearing romance." -Amy Clipston, bestselling author of A Place at Our Table

Some mistakes you have to live with . . . One victim succumbs to an overdose. Another is brutally bludgeoned to death. Each, in turn, will pay. Because you never forget the friends you make in high school-or the enemies . . . And others . . . In the wake of her stepbrother Nick's death, Kerry Monaghan is visiting Edwards Bay. Kerry has just returned to the small town overlooking an arm of Puget Sound that she left before high school, though not before falling hard and fast for Cole Sheffield, now with the local PD. But Nick's death may be more than an accident. And soon there are others-all former teenage friends, linked by a dark obsession. You will die for . . . With Cole's help, Kerry sets out to learn the truth about what happened to Nick. But within Edwards Bay is a shocking legacy built on envy and lust-and a secret that has unleashed a killer's unstoppable fury . . .

Set against the beautiful backdrop of coastal Maine, bestselling author Holly Chamberlin's heartwarming novel tells of friendship, family, lessons learned, and newfound love-all under a summer sky . . . Every June, the quiet beach town of Ogunquit is overtaken by wealthy families who hire local young women like Amy Latimer and Hayley Franklin to care for their children. Best friends since childhood, Amy and Hayley are eager to secure lucrative summer jobs. Amy wants to finance her upcoming move to Boston. Hayley hopes to squirrel away enough money so that her mom can finally leave her abusive husband. Amy is immediately in thrall to her dynamic boss, Cressida Prior, so different from Amy's mother, Leda. Though skilled at creating tapestries and rugs, Leda lacks confidence. But one thing she does know, after a painful summer long ago as a nanny herself, is how damaging a manipulative boss can be. Hayley's employers, Jon and Marisa Whitby, are loving parents to their two-year-old twins. Jon also has a grown son by a previous marriage. Ethan is kind, handsome, and not least, wealthy. For the first time, Hayley, usually so selfless, can't help seeing him as an opportunity. But the passing weeks bring complications and revelations, altering friendships, testing the bond between mothers and daughters, and proving that the ripples from a single season can last forever . . . Praise for the novels of Holly Chamberlin "There is sure to be much clamor for this latest beach read. Recommend it to fans of Claire Cook and Elin Hilderbrand." --Booklist on Home for the Summer "Chamberlin's latest is a great summer read but with substance. It will find a wide audience in its exploration of sisterhood, family, and loss." - Library Journal on Summer with My Sisters

Is love just something you find in books? Six months ago, writer and bookstore owner Maddie Hanson was left at the altar. Since then, she's had zero interest in romance-despite the fact that she runs a book club full of sexy eligible bachelors. But when her latest novel is panned by an anonymous blogger who goes by the name Silver Fox-and who accuses her of knowing nothing about passion-she decides to prove her nemesis wrong by seeking a romance hero in real life . . . There's the smoldering rock musician, the bookish college professor, and her competitive childhood friend who may want to steal her bookstore more than her heart. Even Silver Fox is getting in on the action, sending Maddie alarmingly-and intoxicatingly-flirtatious emails. And that's not all. Her ex wants her back. Now Maddie is about to discover that like any good story, life has twists and turns, and love can happen when you least expect it-with the person you least expect . . Praise for Mary Ann Marlowe's Some Kind of Magic "Marlowe makes a name for herself in this hilarious and sexy debut." -Booklist "Frisky, Flirty Fun!" -Stephanie Evanovich, New York Times bestselling author of The Total Package "Fun, romantic and sexy. . . . This love story will make readers smile!" -RT Book Reviews "Sexy, engaging and original. . . . An amazing first novel." -Sydney Landon, New York Times bestselling author of Wishing for Us

As a professional editor, Mikki Lincoln is used to crimes against the English language. As an amateur sleuth, she's finding catching criminals a lot more dangerous than catching typos . . . Nestled in the picturesque Catskills, the village of Lenape Hollow prepares to celebrate the 225th anniversary of its founding. Freelance book editor Mikki Lincoln has been drafted to update and correct the script, left over from the town's bicentennial, which is housed at the historical society. The building is being renovated for the first time since that last celebration. But when construction reveals a shocking discovery-human remains walled up in a fireplace-Mikki shifts focus from cold-reading to solving a cold case. Just as her investigation seems to have hit a brick wall, a new murder rattles the townspeople. Clearly, someone is hiding a few skeletons in the closet. Now Mikki will need to go off script to make a connection between the bicentennial bones and the current homicide. But if this book editor isn't careful, she may be the next one sentenced to death . . .

JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. WHERE DEATH RIDES FASTER THAN THE WIND.   A blazing new series takes you back to the lawless frontier where every stagecoach was a moving target. Where every passenger needed protection. And where every hired gun who rides along better be fast on the draw—or be dead on arrival . . .RIDING SHOTGUN If anyone knows the road to purgatory, it’s Red Ryan. As a stagecoach guard, he’s faced holdups, ambushes, and all-out attacks from every kill-crazy outlaw, Indian, and prairie rat. But even he’s a bit reluctant to take on his next job: riding shotgun with his driver Buttons Muldoon on a stage bound from Fort Concho, Texas, to Fort Bliss. Word has it, the Apaches are on the warpath. They’re being led by the vicious war chief Ilesh, which means “Lord of the Earth.” And this lord means business, as in slaughtering every Texan from here to El Paso. Red wants to postpone the stage. But an army major’s beautiful but stubborn wife insists they leave—or she’ll go it alone. So Red has no choice . . . Thus begins a nightmare journey into 400 miles of harsh, unforgiving terrain, blood-drunk killers, and one scheming devil who plans to paint the town of El Paso red—starting with Red’s blood . . . Live Free. Read Hard.