Suspense Mystery Twist

Whether you’re plotting your first whodunit or revising your tenth thriller, this comprehensive guide is your trusted partner in crime. Packed with practical advice, real examples from bestselling mystery novels, and a touch of wry humor, Writing Mysteries That Matter walks you step-by-step through the entire writing process—from crafting a gripping opening to planting clues, building suspense, and delivering a twisty, satisfying ending. You’ll learn how to: • Structure your story for maximum tension • Create complex, compelling protagonists • Plant clues (and red herrings) that...

Dr. Margaret Richter has it all. She’s rich, thanks to her best-selling self-help books. She has a beautiful home in Cape Cod overlooking the beach. And she has a monthly book club that everyone is dying to get invited to. Literally. Because behind the crystal wine glasses, the fine linens and the catered hors d'oeuvres lies a tangled web of secrets, of deceit, of murder. No member of the book club is innocent—and many are guilty. And the person with the most to hide is Margaret Richter herself.

Milwaukee bar owner Mackenzie "Mack" Dalton has a unique neurological condition that gives her extra perceptive senses, and police detective Duncan Albright is convinced Mack's abilities can be used to help catch crooks. Mack may be at pro at mixing drinks, but she's still an amateur when it comes to solving crimes - and she's not sure she should mix business with pleasure by working with a man who stirs up such strong feelings in her.

“I’m sorry but the answer’s no.” Reluctant author, Anthony Horowitz, has had enough. He tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne that after three books he’s splitting and their deal is over. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. His new play, a thriller called Mindgame, is about to open at the Vaudeville Theater in London’s West End. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne declines a ticket to the opening night. The play is panned by the critics. In particular, Sunday Times critic Margaret Throsby gives it a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing.

A private detective, down on his luck. A bus crash in the middle of nowhere. A murderer, hiding in plain sight. When Sydney Cartel investigates a murder, he usually stands on the other side of the police tape. Trying to escape the limelight of his career, he boards a night bus in rural southern Britain. But when the bus loses control and falls into a valley, Sydney and the survivors scramble to find shelter at a local inn by the side of the road. In the dead of night, with a storm preventing anyone from getting in or out, the survivors of the crash prepare for a long stay at the Roadside ...

Lauded for his daring rescue of a medical team captured by Islamic State terrorists, Navy SEAL Enrico “Rico” Cortez feels like anything but a hero. His friend and fellow teammate lost his life during that rescue. Plagued by PTSD, Rico leaves the Navy. Reluctantly, he accepts his only job offer, joining the Brotherhood Protectors in Colorado. War veteran Laurel Layne came home to Fool’s Gold Colorado, the only place she’d ever felt safe. Having survived terrorist torture and captivity, she only wants to feel sunshine on her cheeks and be surrounded by beautiful flowers and the people she loves.

Charming, deadly and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman. He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can't deny the strange pull he feels towards the woman living just one floor below him. She's the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can't solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can't refuse. Every monster has their weakness. She's his. His obsession. His addiction. His only exception.

After leaving a decade ago, Angie Curtis has been called back to Harbor Haven, Maine, by her grandmother, Charlotte, who raised her following her mother's disappearance when she was a child. Her mother has been found, and now the question of her whereabouts has sadly become the mystery of her murder. The bright spot in Angie's homecoming is reuniting with Charlotte, who has started her own needlepointing business with a group called the Mainely Needlepointers.

She was supposed to get married. Instead, she vanished. On the morning of her wedding, Olivia Lakewell stood outside a picturesque California chapel, ready to say “I do.” She never made it inside. Vanished without a trace, Olivia became the subject of local legend—a tragic love story with no ending. Her fiancé was shattered. Her daughter left without a mother. And after years of searching, the town finally let her memory fade. Until now. Ten years later, Olivia returns. But nothing is how she left it. Her home is gone. Her husband has moved on. And the people she loved have spent a ...

Prepare to be captivated by acclaimed crime writer Candice Fox’s gripping audio thriller, Hunting Game. Featuring an all-star cast including Krysten Ritter, Anthony Mackie, and Tony Goldwyn, you’re about to enter a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. NYPD Detective Esme 'Es' Compran (Krysten Ritter) finds herself torn between her duty and her own desperate circumstances when a child is kidnapped. The victim's father, Jack Dengate (Tony Goldwyn), is a controversial big pharma CEO whose company's price hikes on life-saving drugs have dire consequences for Es' ailing daughter.

When a father vanishes with his two-week-old daughter, leaving behind a frantic wife and their eight-year-old son, forensic psychologist and FBI agent Alexis Forrest is called in to investigate. The man's blood-stained truck is discovered abandoned on a dirt road, but there's no trace of him or the baby. As Alexis delves into the case, she uncovers a tangled web of secrets and lies. With the serial killer responsible for her sister's death now behind bars, Alexis hopes for a fresh start in the small New England town where she grew up. However, peace is hard to find. Alexis tries to move ...

Uncovering her husband’s family secrets could cost her everything… Ally’s perfect marriage to Tim Hawthorne is crumbling under the weight of one trial after another. Forced to visit Tim’s mother on her secluded island off the coast of Maine, Ally uncovers a sinister secret: years ago, a member of the family was the prime suspect in a young woman’s disappearance from the same island. Now, history is repeating itself. Another woman has vanished without a trace. Ally digs into all the dark secrets of the Hawthorne family’s past, but what she discovers may cost her more than her ...

Former FBI agent Kendra Donovan's attempts to return to the 21st century have failed, leaving her stuck at Aldridge Castle in 1815. And her problems have just begun: in London, the Duke of Aldridge's nephew Alec - Kendra's confidante and lover - has come under suspicion for murdering his former mistress, Lady Dover, who was found viciously stabbed with a stiletto, her face carved up in a bizarre and brutal way.

'I've written three books and our deal is over.' That's what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward meeting. The truth is that Anthony has got other things on his mind. His new play, a thriller called Mindgame, is about to open at the famous Vaudeville theatre in Shoreditch. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne declines a ticket to the opening night. The play is not enjoyed by the critics. In particular, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives it a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LIED? The first lie: MONSTERS DON’T EXIST. When the body of a man is discovered in the Boston Common, Martina finds herself entering a horrific nightmare. She discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of ancient methods of persecution being carried out by a Puritan-indoctrinated serial killer who believes the devil walks among us. The second lie: YOU WOULD KNOW A MONSTER IF YOU SAW ONE. After the first victim is dismissed as gang-related, Martina fears there is more to the murder than meets the eye. Her instincts are soon proven correct when another...

Silent snow, deadly snow… In the new suspense-filled instalment of the Baker & Tate series, Ruth’s courage is pushed to the brink in a gripping battle of survival and deception. Texas Ranger Ruth Baker is no stranger to danger, but nothing could prepare her for what she finds at a remote winter cabin deep in the frozen heart of Caldwell County. Called in to investigate a couple’s unexplained disappearance, Ruth and her partner, Aaron Tate, uncover a chilling scene that hints at a pattern of brutal killings hiding beneath the snow-covered wilderness. As a vicious storm traps them in ...

Forensic psychologist and rookie FBI agent Alexis Forrest returns to her hometown of Broken Hill to investigate the disappearance of a missing teenage girl. Returning to this snowy New England town is the last thing Alexis wants to do. She has a strained relationship with her divorced parents whose relationship did not survive the disappearance and murder of Alexis’ older sister, or her dad’s prison sentence. The circumstances of this girl’s disappearance are surprisingly similar to her sister’s yet the local police aren’t exactly welcoming to an inexperienced FBI agent sent to ...

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to a coastal island in Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie. But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night.

If you like cozy mysteries with strong heroines, yummy food, lifelong friendships and plots that keep you guessing till the end, you will love the Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series. 44 year old Jenny King's suburban utopia comes crashing down when her husband dumps her for a younger model. Jenny accepts her eccentric aunt's offer and moves to the remote island of Pelican Cove. After moping around and licking her wounds for months, she starts working at the local cafe at her aunt's urging. Jenny's delicious food makes the small town famous. The rest is history. Jenny befriends a motley group ...

A great writer knows when to deliver a juicy plot twist. But for one author, the biggest twist of all is her own murder. With twenty hit titles, and a highly anticipated movie tie-in, celebrated novelist Columbia Jones is at the top of her game. Fans around the world adore her. But on the final night of her latest book tour, one face in the crowd makes the author collapse. And by the next morning, she’s lying dead in a pool of blood.