Books published by Kensington Publishing

With the help of her friends in the Knit and Nibble Club, crafting magazine editor, widower, and amateur sleuth Pamela Paterson must solve the murder of an adulterous professor during a weekend-long knitting bee and fiber arts conference in the eighth Knit & Nibble Mystery from cozy author Peggy Ehrhart. When a professor is poisoned, Pamela Paterson and the members of the Knit and Nibble knitting club must take a crash course in solving his mysterious murder. Pamela has organized a weekend-long knitting bee as part of a conference on fiber arts and crafts at Wendelstaff College. But when pompous Professor Robert Greer-Gordon Critter, the keynote speaker at the conference, crashes the bee, he seems more interested in flirting than knitting. The man’s reputation as a philanderer supersedes his academic reputation. After coffee and cookies are served, the professor suddenly collapses, seemingly poisoned—but how? Everyone had the coffee and cookies. Joined by her bestie Bettina and the Knit and Nibble ladies, Pamela sorts through everything from red socks to red herrings to unravel the means and motives of a killer dead set on teaching the professor a lesson…

A thrilling new suspense novel with shades of The Stand and One Second After from the New York Times bestselling author of the Jonathan Grave series, that fans of Ben Coes and Brad Taylor won't want to miss! In the wake of a global conflict that has devastated America, those who survived live in a world without technology or governance. They look to one woman-single mother and former West Virginia Congressperson Victoria Emerson-to lead and protect those determined to rebuild all they have lost…"Engrossing…Fans of doomsday military thrillers will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap's family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms." -Publishers Weekly They call it Hell Day-a world war that lasted less than twenty-four hours. Nations unleashed weapons that destroyed more than a century's worth of technology. Electrical grids cannot generate power. Communications and computers cannot run. And the remnants of the U. S. government cannot be depended upon. Those who survived must live as their ancestors did, off a land ruled by the whims of nature. One-time congressional representative Victoria Emerson has become the new leader of the small town of Ortho, West Virginia. She has been struggling to provide food and shelter for the town's inhabitants, while coping with desperate refugees. An autumn morning's calm is shattered when her teenage son sounds the alarm with the cry "Blue Fire"-the code phrase for imminent danger. A band of National Guardsmen intends to take Ortho and its resources for themselves. They have enough soldiers and firepower to eliminate anyone who dares to stop them. But Victoria swore an oath to defend and protect her people, and she isn't about to surrender. It's time to tap into the traditional American values of courage, ingenuity, and determination - and fight fire with fire.

With all the intense drama, historical detail and grand sweep of her original New York Times bestselling Calder series, Dailey returns to 1909 Montana, as tensions mount between immigrant homesteaders and cattlemen determined to keep the range free. Adding a Romeo and Juliet romance with shades of Legends of the Fall to a compelling plot that pits farmer against cattleman and brother against brother, Dailey brings fresh life to the story of America's westward expansion.As the countryside explodes in violence, the Calder patriarch has the power to stop the destruction, though some believe Benteen Calder is only stoking the flames for his own gain. One man courageously straddles the divide… That man is Blake Dollarhide, the ambitious young owner of Blue Moon's lumber mill. When Blake's spoiled half-brother takes advantage of the innocent daughter of a homesteading family, Blake steps in as Hanna Anderson's bridegroom to restore her honor and give her unborn child his name. But Blake doesn't count on the storm of feelings he develops for sweet Hanna. When the war between the factions rages anew, everyone wonders if Blake will stand by the close-knit community he serves, or the wife he took in name only… A marriage of love is more than Hanna ever dreamed of. For her family, surviving the rugged trip west, claiming a parcel of land and planting their first crops on the vast prairie are the only things that matter. Which is why the unexpected passion she feels for her husband is all the more poignant. But even as she longs to trust the strong bond growing between her and Blake, Hanna knows it will take courage and grit to overcome the differences between them. And even greater strength of will to put down roots in this wild new country. Praise for The Calder Brand series debut "Dailey highlights the brutal reality of survival in the American West while building a sprawling, emotional love story. . . . Both fans and newcomers to Dailey's novels will be pleased." -Publishers Weekly on Calder Brand

From the award-winning creator of Newark private eye Tamara Hayle, the second installment in a spell-binding cozy mystery series featuring a multicultural cast and starring Odessa Jones, a recent widow with a brand new catering business, a full-time real estate gig, and the gift of second sight. When a wealthy businessman dies during a catered brunch, it’s up to Odessa to find the culprit…with a little help from her spirited aunt, loyal co-workers, mischievous cat Juniper and her own psychic skills…Sometimes even good luck can mean bad fortune. For Odessa Jones—reluctant psychic, part-time caterer, full-time realtor—an elegant affair turned deadly threatens her reputation, and her life… Recently widowed Odessa Jones is sure the exclusive catering job she’s scored from wealthy businessman Casey Osborne will propel her catering career into the big leagues. So when Dessa’s pesky second sight warns her that Osborne is bad news, she ignores it. She wishes she hadn’t when he drops dead at his brunch after sampling her homemade preserves. Osborne’s death is declared a homicide. Dessa and the friends who helped her cook are considered suspects… To clear her name and find the truth, Dessa delves into Casey Osborne’s life. Everyone from his sinister business partner to his tormented ex-wife has reason to kill him—and the opportunity to do it. With the help of her spirited aunt, loyal co-workers and mischievous cat Juniper, she desperately searches for answers. Until a second murder leads Dessa down a frightening path filled with insidious hidden agendas—and someone poised to change her life forever. Praise for A Glimmer of Death “There's crispness in Wesley’s plotting and sparkle in the supporting characters.” —Los Angeles Times “Wesley perfectly captures her protagonist’s emotions, including the lingering melancholy she feels for her late husband. . . . Readers will hope to see a lot more of kind, empathetic Odessa.” —Publishers Weekly

Headlined by blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson, with fellow bestselling suspense stars Alexandra Ivy and Lisa Childs, a trio of never-before-released, linked novellas about dark secrets and revenge, all connected by St. Cecilia's School for Girls. An elite boarding school and a haven for the daughters of the rich and famous, it's a place where scandals are buried and secrets hidden. But for three former students, evil is about to resurface…LUCY Lucy Champagne was sent to St. Cecilia's after her movie-star mother was brutally attacked by her sleazy boyfriend, Ray Watkins. Lucy's damning testimony landed Ray a twenty-five-year sentence. But now, Ray is free. And he's going to find Lucy and make her pay, no matter how far and how fast she runs . . . RAYNE Rayne Taylor found unexpected happiness at St. Cecilia's, until her roommate, Natalie, committed suicide. Only when Rayne finds a box of mementoes from that time does she realize how wrong she may have been about Natalie's death-and how far someone will go to keep the truth hidden . . . ERIN Erin MacDonald remembers little about the long-ago night she and her sister, Anna Beth, were kidnapped. While Erin was found safe, Anna Beth vanished forever. Now Erin has reluctantly come back to the family estate, where Detective Rafe Montego hopes to finally crack the case. But as flashes of Erin's memory reemerge, she learns how deep the danger goes . . .

"Apache renegade Bloody Hand plays a role in each of the Jackals' lives. To bounty hunter Jed Breen, he is man with a price on his head. To retired cavalry segeant Sean Keegan, he is a cellmate after a drunken brawl. And to former Texas Ranger Matt McCulloch, he is the key to a mystery that has long haunted him. When McCulloch breaks Bloody Hand out of jail, his fellow Jackals follow them into Mexico. Now, all four are wanted men. The U.S. Army and bounty hunters cross the Rio Grande in pursuit. Awaiting them south of the border are Mexican rurales led by Confederate expatriate Major Block Frazer seeking revenge against Bloody Hand. But nothing will stop McCulloch from completing his mission--to save his daughter from the Apache band that abducted her years before. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Jackals will stand together to free McCulloch's daughter--or end up hung, drawn, and quartered."--

"There's a storm brewing in Oklahoma Territory, and this time, it's deadly serious. Local cattle ranches are being targeted by Texas rustlers--and the only man who can keep it from turning into a bloodbath is U.S. Deputy Marshal Will Tanner. The newly married lawman hates to leave his beautiful bride Sophie, but duty calls--for better or worse. In Tanner's experience, it's usually worse. An unexpected confrontation with outlaws is just the bloody beginning. Then an escaped convict catches wind of the fact that Tanner killed his brother. Now Will's really in the crosshairs. Tanner knows he's riding straight into a perfect storm of vengeance and slaughter, with only one way to end it--a hailstorm of hot lead"--Back cover.

Max McCoy, the three-time Spur Award-winning author of Damnation Road, continues his American Western saga of the Ghost Rifle as the violence and bloodshed the weapon caused return to haunt the man who created it...THE WEAPON AND THE WILDERNESSTen years have passed since Jack Picaro lost his Ghost Rifle-the firearm he invented, the one that never missed its target. The loss of the rifle calmed the hellraiser in his soul. Instead of returning to the gambling halls and whiskey bars of St. Louis, Jack has spent the last decade as a fur trapper in Wyoming's Wild River Range, married to Sky, the daughter of an Arikara war chief.Then, after helping rescue U.S. soldiers captured by Crow Indians in the Rocky Mountains, Jack hears the familiar bell-like report of his Ghost Rifle. Determined to retrieve his deadly property, he travels deep into Lakota territory, facing down old enemies-and resuming old sinful habits-unaware of what awaits him when he eventually returns home to his family."Few Western writers today can spin a tale with style, wit, and rawness better than Max McCoy."-Johnny D. Boggs, Western Heritage and Spur Award-winning author of West Texas Kill

"Kosoma, Indian Territory. The outlaw Darby brothers have been sentenced to hang until dead. Witnessing the exectution are Amelia Darby, sister of the condemned men, as well as U.S. Deputy Marshal Sam "Trusty" Dawson and Judge Gordon Hadesworth. After justice is served, Trusty hits the trail, escorting the judge--and begrudgingly, Amelia--back to Oklahoma. Ambushed en route, the judge is murdered and Amelia vanishes, leaving Trusty to believe she led them into a trap for revenge. To find Amelia, Trusty will have to put his faith in Father Michael Darby, a fourth brother who gave up his criminal ways to take up the cloth and collar. Unwilling to let his sister continue to fall to the wicked evil that claimed the rest of his family, Michael joins the hunt for Amelia. But as their journey turns deadlier by the day, Trusty starts to doubt that Michael is truly on the righteous path..."--

In a powerful Civil War epic coursing with raw human drama, award-winning author and master historian Jim R. Woolard forges a young man's harrowing coming-of-age journey from Confederate captive to Union prisoner to unchained force of vengeance during the most controversial episode in American history…Autumn, 1864. Rebel bushwhackers have seized and looted a small town in Missouri. Wounded and left for dead by his half-brother, seventeen-year-old Owen Wainwright is captured and conscripted by the Confederate Army. As the troops' blacksmith, he witnesses the horrors of war firsthand: the savagery of General Selby's Iron Brigade, the massacres of Union troops, the bloody battles at Lexington, Westport, and Mine Creek. Against all odds, Owen survives with the help of an unlikely ally-a new friend in arms and the only person he trusts. But if fate is cruel, war can be crueler... Caught in the crossfire of a deadly Yankee ambush, Owen is arrested and jailed in a Union prison. Beaten and brutalized by guards, he begins to give up hope-until a U.S. Marshal comes to him with an unusual offer. Owen's traitorous half-brother is wanted for murder. If Owen agrees to help the U.S. Marshal infiltrate the Texas winter camp of Confederate guerillas-and bring his brother to justice-Owen will have both his freedom and his revenge. But the risks are great. The price of getting caught is death. Filled with raw human drama, blistering battle scenes, and vivid historical details, When the Missouri Ran Red is destined to be a classic in the field and a treasure for Civil War buffs.

"After stumbling upon the dead body of an Elvis impersonator during the celebrity impersonating contest, psychic painter Celeste Cabot is 'all shook up,' and she, with the help of his spirit, sets out to find the real killer among all the fake celebrities"--Provided by publishe

A much-loved early classic from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson, this heartwarming holiday tale is set in small-town Oregon, where a little girl’s letter to Santa ends up bringing the gift of romance to a widowed mom and a single dad.  Christmas wishes do come true… Dear Readers, The type of novels I write may have changed since I was first published, but even an early story like this one still has familiar traits. There’s the location, for one: All I Want from Santa (originally published as New Year’s Daddy) is set in Oregon, a place I truly love and have made the backdrop for many of my other novels… The small town of Cascadia is home to Veronica Walsh and her young daughter, Amy. If Ronni still believed in Santa, she’d ask for a chance to buy the rundown old lodge next door and turn it into a B&B. Amy’s Christmas wish list, on the other hand, includes one item that catches Ronni off-guard: a new daddy.  But four years after losing her husband in a tragic accident, Ronni doesn’t plan to get involved with anyone—least of all the lodge’s new owner. Travis Keegan has moved from Seattle to get his wayward teenaged son back on track. Yet the moment he meets Ronni, he wonders if this could be the fresh start they all need. Healing from loss and melding their two families won’t be easy, but Christmas in Cascadia has a magic that may just prove irresistible… All I Want from Santa is a heartwarming holiday romance—the kind that never goes out of style, and the kind I still love to read. I hope you do too. Happy Holidays! Lisa Jackson

"When the town's beloved theater owner's sudden death brings about drama and murder as the autumn leaves fall, Lilly Jayne and her Garden Squad must rake through the clues to catch a killer"--

Beloved, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe delivers a hopeful and heartwarming story about an impossible Christmas dream, an unexpected act of goodwill—and a surprising chain of events that could gift joy far beyond the holiday season… Free-spirited, living on the fly, Vanessa Hayes is still always down for traditional family holiday fun—until now. She’s making her oft-delayed wish finally come true: Christmas in Paris, the glittering City of Lights. But when her passport gets delayed, it's too late for Vanessa to rebook. Now it looks like the Yuletide she longs for won't happen. Until a stranger suddenly enters her life, and changes it forever… Overwhelmed by responsibility, Judith Guthrie is too busy worrying about her seriously ill brother to have time to celebrate. She's taken a leave from her teaching job to care for him as he's on the waiting list for a life-giving transplant. A trip to France is a kind of happiness she can't imagine. But when she accidentally receives Vanessa's passport, Judith can't resist delivering it in person so Vanessa will at least have her holiday dream. She can’t anticipate that her small gesture will result in a series of big choices, big miracles, and lifelong rewards that all will be thankful for over many Christmases to come...