Books published by Kensington Publishing

In the five boroughs of New York City, there are turf wars and rival gangs, but at the top are five families that run things, cooperating with their rivals whenever it means they will all make more money. Through the darkest tunnel comes the light, but for Caesar King, there is nothing but more darkness on the other side. After the failed attempt on his life, he is afraid that the Pact of the Five Families is no more. He can trust nobody. Whoever murdered Barry is now aiming for Caesar’s crown, and the only way to flush them out and figure out who’s responsible is to go to war…with everybody. 

Philly Girl 2 will have you re-evaluating the bonds of friendship and love. It will make you think twice about chasing street money, as loyalty is put to the test with drugs, murder, sex, and mayhem in the mix. This quick thriller will have your jaw dropping. Born and raised in the slums of West Philadelphia, Rita is no stranger to the street life. In fact, she indulges in the fast life, getting money from selling drugs just as hard as the men she competes with. It’s no surprise that her financial growth brings on the drama of having to protect her money from the many wolves bred in the city of Philly. But Rita has no idea what she’s getting herself into when she falls for a man she met only 24 hours ago. Rita doesn’t know the true meaning of loyalty before she meets Dave, a man who, when it comes down to it, would choose loyalty first and make love work second. That’s a decision he will have to make when it turns out the woman he’s falling in love with is also the woman he is supposed to kill. 

Blood is thicker than water! Every grimy hustler will express those words when they are out on the block chasing the bag. But when Flash’s back is up against the wall and he’s being pressured by homicide detectives, all sense of loyalty goes out the window. Flash, the son of Philadelphia drug queen pin Vickie Lopez, decides he isn't going to prison, not even for his own mother. When he’s arrested for a small amount of cocaine, he spills his guts to Philadelphia homicide detectives, resulting in the arrest and federal conviction, under the RICO Act, of his own mother. She’s staring down a life sentence. As the clock winds down on the deal he cut with the Feds, Flash is shipped to Graterford, one of the harshest prisons in the state of Pennsylvania. His baby brother, who is North Philly’s most notorious contract killer, awaits him for a family reunion. With nowhere to run, Flash is forced to lay in the bed he made for himself. His past has finally come back to haunt him. Will his brother make him pay the ultimate price for betraying their mother, or will he forgive him for his sin?

From the Greatest Western Writers of the 21st Century, William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone, the 6th blazing adventure featuring Perley Gates, a new hero in the Old West who’s carving out his own legacy in the violent American frontier. He’s as honest and good as his heavenly name, so when an unholy trio of cutthroat rustlers turn a routine horse drive into an epic showdown between good and evil—with a little divine justice from gunfighting legend Perley Gates… JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. RUSTLERS’ PARADISE.  At first, the job sounds easy: lead a small herd of horses across the Arkansas–Texas border to the Double-D ranch near Texarkana. No problem—at least not for a man like Perley Gates. In fact, he’s looking forward to the 150-mile journey with his old sidekick Possum Smith and young Sonny Rice, and doesn’t expect any trouble along the way. Unfortunately, trouble has a way of finding Perley Gates. This time, it’s a trigger-happy trio of horse thieves who take one look at old Possum, young Sonny, and the low-key Perley, and decide they’re three very easy targets. But in the Old West, nothing comes easy. Except death… So begins one hell of a showdown. On one side are the forces of evil itself, with notorious gunslinger Spade Devlin gunning for blood. On the other side are a few good men, a town under siege—and a merciless angel of vengeance named Perley Gates… 

Johnstone Justice. Get It While It’s Hot. Dewey “Mac” Mackenzie is no ordinary chuckwagon cook. He’s a marked man on the run who works cattle drives to stay one step ahead of his enemies. If these hired killers catch up to him, he’ll be slinging guns instead of hash—with a side order of revenge that’s best served cold . . . HOT BISCUITS. COLD GRAVES. A hot meal, a hard drink, and maybe a friendly hand of poker—that’s all Mac Mackenzie wants when he drifts into the small town of Harcourt City, Montana. What he gets is a fistful of trouble.  When he defends a saloon girl from the unwanted advances of some local toughs, he earns the wrath of the town’s powerful namesake, Oscar Harcourt. Harcourt rules this place with an iron fist—and a steely eyed gang of thugs. Now he has his eyes on a ranch belonging to the saloon girl and her brother. A ranch they won’t give up—without a fight. To raise funds, the brother and sister arrange a cattle drive to Rattlesnake Creek, and they want Mac to join them. As an experienced cattle pusher and chuckwagon cook, he’s sure to be an asset. But as a secret gunslinger with a price on his head, he might end up getting them all killed. Now the cattle are ready to go. Mac is ready for anything. But with so many devils ridng on their tails, Mac is ready to turn up the heat—and send them back to hell . . . 

For animal lovers and fans of The Art of Racing in the Rain, this heart wrenching yet uplifting novel from the bestselling author of An Unexpected Grace tells of one woman’s journey to healing and love after trauma—through the devotion of an unforgettable yellow Lab named Hope.On San Julian Island, across Puget Sound from Seattle, Tessa Jordan works as a bookmobile librarian, recommending books and poems to her patrons. In her spare time, she cares for a colony of feral cats. But Tessa’s simple, satisfying life is shockingly upended after she meets Nick Payne, a respected community leader, and he invites her to dinner. Far from a pleasant first date, Tessa’s evening with Nick leaves her feeling confused and upset. After deep soul-searching, she decides to step forward and accuse him of assault. Her distress grows when local prosecutor Will Armstrong declines to pursue her case, citing lack of evidence. Her main solace is Hope, a courthouse dog, trained to comfort victims through the difficult judicial process. As she lays her head in Tessa’s lap, her gentle brown eyes seem to say, Don’t worry. Everything will be all right.   Will, who is Hope’s primary handler, longs to get justice for Tessa, yet knows how rocky the path will be. It’s Hope who, true to her name, shines a bright ray through the darkness. With Hope by their side, Will and Tessa find surprising strength in each other as they learn just how resilient a heart—whether human or canine—can be.

Fans of The Ex Hex and Payback's a Witch won't want to miss this delightful and entertaining novel featuring three meddlesome fairy godmothers on a mission to restore their hometown's deep well of enchantment by conjuring true love…even in the most reluctant couples. "Readers will be swept away by this enchanting story." - Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEWA PopSugar Best New Book of DecemberCAN YOU SKIP THE STORYBOOK BEGINNING… Novelist Juniper Blossom has romance down to a science in her bestselling books. But she's not about to settle for just any man-a happy ending looks different for everyone, and she needs to find the guy whose idea of forever matches her own. Try telling that to her adorable, meddling grandmothers, though. If she doesn't find a man soon, they're going to find one for her. Which is why Juniper has prepared for a trip home to Ever After by fibbing that her sexy, smart, sweet best friend Tomas is her fiancé! He doesn't believe in love at all, but that doesn't matter if they're just pretending… ON THE WAY TO THE HAPPY ENDING? Divorce attorney Tomas Rivera is as proud of Juniper's authorial success as she is, but that doesn't mean he buys into her books' premise. His career is proof enough that true love is the real fairy tale-and everyone knows fairy tales aren't real. But he can never say no to gorgeous Juniper, and an "engagement" might move him one legal brief closer to partner at his old-fashioned firm. Yet playing the part suddenly starts to mean feeling it, especially when a kiss just for show turns up the heat between them. Is happily ever after possible for two people who aren't on the same page when it comes to love?

A thrilling new book in the wildly popular series from the author of Hidden, legendary #1 New York Times bestseller Fern Michaels! The Sisterhood is reuniting to investigate The Haven, a suspicious spiritual organization that's more dangerous cult than caring commune…Maggie Spritzer's nose for a story doesn't just make her a top-notch newspaper editor, it also tells her when to go the extra mile for a friend. When she gets a strange message from her journalism pal, Gabby Richardson, Maggie knows her services are needed. Gabby has become involved with The Haven, a commune that promises to guide its members toward a more spiritually fulfilling life. But Gabby's enthusiasm has turned to distrust ever since she was refused permission to leave the compound to visit her sick mother. Maggie wants to learn more about The Haven, and the Sisterhood is eager to help. It turns out The Haven's founders are the sons of a disgraced Chicago businessman in prison for running a Ponzi scheme. They also have connections to a Miami billionaire with dubious sidelines. Soon, the Sisterhood gang embark on a search-and uncover a web of crime that runs deeper and higher than they ever imagined. And they'll need all their special skills to bring it down . . . Praise for Fern Michaels"Michaels's highly developed skills as a storyteller are evident in the affable characters [and] suspenseful plot." -Publishers Weekly on Deep Harbor

"When Abigail King stumbles upon a man lying on the beach near her family inn, her every instinct says to help the stranger. With his memory gone, "Jonah" is reluctant to contact the authorities, so Abigail offers him shelter, despite her sisters' reservations. As she nurses him back to health, Abigail helps him recover his lost past, creating a quilt from images of the shattered fragments he recalls. But with every square Abigail adds, she wonders if she is falling for a man who can never truly be hers . . . Jonah feels at home at The Shadow Lake Inn with the lovely Abigail, at peace with the Amish lifestyle she lives. But as the pieces of his past are sewn together, the mystery only deepens--until he knows the only way forward is to turn himself in to the police, to finally discover the truth of who he really is. For the one thing worse than not knowing his past, is not knowing what the future holds for him and Abigail."--Provided by publisher.

Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amy Lillard’s uplifting new series unites a “Widows Club” of women who share solace, friendship, and faith in the Amish community of Paradise Valley, Missouri. In this series starter, a young pregnant widow running a B&B meets a handsome outsider who begins to make her believe in love again.Amy Lillard’s uplifting new series unites a “Widows Club” of women who share solace, friendship, and faith in the Amish community of Paradise Valley, Missouri . . . When her young husband died unexpectedly, Millie Bauman thought her life was over too—until she learned she was carrying his child. Now, as she awaits the baby’s arrival, Millie’s sure her future will revolve around motherhood, the B&B she runs with her Aunt Sylvie, and the beloved Whoopie Pies her Widows Club whips up each week. But when a handsome newcomer arrives in town, Millie is intrigued, and the club wonders if Millie might find a second chance at love . . . Henry King plans to stay in Paradise Valley long enough to take care of some family business, and hopefully mend the heartache of his own lost love. As Henry and Millie cross paths, it’s clear their neighbors are gently trying to play matchmaker. Not wanting to disappoint, the two pretend to play along—but life gets complicated when a true and tender affection grows. As Millie gets ready to welcome her baby, they must rely on faith and fate to decide if they should risk their hearts on love again . . . “Lovely . . . Lillard does an excellent job of depicting with accuracy and compassion the difficulties faced by those with mental disabilities. This affecting tale will surely inspire.”—Publishers Weekly on Loving Jenna (Starred Review)

YOU'RE GOING TO PAY The pressures of fame and an obsessive stalker have driven pop star Olivia Smith to take shelter at Halcyon Hall, an exclusive spa on a remote island off the coast of Maine. Yet from the moment she arrives, there are rumors about women disappearing, and stories about the resort's grisly past. Then a note arrives from her stalker, proving that nowhere is truly safe... It's been twenty-five years since Sheriff Deacon Howell discovered his first dead body on these grounds. Back then, Halcyon Hall was an asylum known as Bainesworth Manor. Others have perished here since, including Deacon's wife. Many locals share his belief that her death wasn't suicide. The difference is, they think Deacon killed her. But he has bigger problems than gossip, because another body has been found ... As Deacon investigates the increasing threats to the singer's life, the danger becomes undeniable. Something evil lurks here-not just in the asylum's grim history, but in the present. And there will be no rest at Halcyon Hall until every sin has been avenged . . ....

Freelance photographer and Yeast of Eden bakery assistant Ivy Culpepper has just scored the job of a lifetime shooting the Dickensian dress-up X-mas party thrown by It Girl film actress Eliza Fox...until an unwanted guest appears. A holiday costume party in the sleepy coastal town of Santa Sofia could be just the boost Ivy needs for her fledgling photography business. At the party, Ivy enters a Victorian fantasy come to life, all courtesy of the fabulous Ms. Fox. Ivy gets to play shutterbug while hanging with Scrooge, Marley, the Cratchits, and more classic Dickens characters.  But what begins as the best of times turns out to be the very worst for one of the party guests—a tabloid journalist with more enemies than Ebenezer himself. When the man’s body is found sprawled across the jagged rocks below the house, the fingers begin pointing at Eliza. Meanwhile, Ivy gets roped into helping prove the starlet’s innocence. Her festive photos are now official evidence—and the Ghosts of Christmas Present could mean the party for Eliza is over, once and for all.