Murder On The Hill

Around noon, November 22, 1915, everyone in Stoutland, Missouri, who could walk or ride rushed to view the mortal remains of one of the area's most prosperous farmers and leading citizens. Hidden in a brush pile on nearby Rouse Hill, the victim's body displayed the marks of a determined and vicious killer.Six years later, a dozen lawyers, four doctors, one hundred witnesses, four jury trials, a Missouri Supreme Court decision, and the only eyewitness--a Missouri fox-trotter horse named "Sam"--had not resolved the brutal murder of Jasper Jacob "Jap" Francis.Alan Terry Wright's suspenseful tale of greed, fraud, political influence, and cold-blooded murder will keep you riveted. His descriptions of the predawn killing, carried out in pitch darkness on a public road, and the agony of "Sam," Francis's prized horse, tied by the killer and left to starve, are both frightening and moving. The accused killer, Charlie Blackburn, nearly lynched by townsfolk, died in his bed in a California nursing home in 1964 at the advanced age of 91. The victim, Jasper Francis, had been dead for 49 years. Wright's account of a young girl's unwitting visit to the murder scene in 1928 is chilling. Her return there as a feisty 84-year-old accompanies events so bizarre and puzzling they verge on the paranormal.Recent interviews with the accused killer's family, the opinion of a renowned medical examiner, and the report of a handwriting expert shed important new light on this nearly forgotten case.Wright's skillful weaving of the story line with gently humorous vignettes of backwoods living sets this book apart from typical "true crime" stories. His love for the history and lore of Missouri helps craft a tale that rings with authenticity.

‘Superb sleuthing! I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Dedley End and can’t wait to go back!’ Heidi Swain, author of The Cherry Tree Café Once Upon a Crime... Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane Hunter run the Dedley Endings Bookshop, selling crime, thriller and mystery books, in a small, quiet Cotswold village where nothing ever happens... That is, until the wealthy and reclusive Roth family open up their mansion for the first time in thirty years, inviting the people of Dedley End to a lavish engagement party. While everyone is thrilled to finally look around the mansion on the hill, the festivities are quickly cut short when beautiful Lucy, recently married to young Harry Roth, is found dead after being pushed over the first-floor balustrade. But who among the guests could have been capable of her murder – and why? Nancy and Jane decide to investigate – after all, not only do they own a crime themed bookshop, they were also both named after famous literary detectives – but soon wonder if they’ve taken on more than they can handle. Especially when it seems the killer has worked out that they’re hot on their heels... Can they catch the murderer before the murderer catches up with them? Or will there be a deadly ending to this story? Praise for Murder at the House on the Hill: ‘Such a fab book - really puts the cosy in cosy crime!’ M. A. Kuzniar, author of Midnight in Everwood ‘This is a brilliant ‘whodunnit’ which gave me some serious Miss Marple feels...it’s absolutely brilliant and a pleasure to read’ Head in a Book18 ‘I loved this brilliant cozy read...it felt very Christie-esque. Nancy and Jane were fab, I loved their relationship. And I can’t wait for more.’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review ‘Even gave me some Murder, she wrote vibes... I truly enjoyed reading this funny, cosy mystery’ Tizi’s Book Review ‘A cosy crime story with lovable characters and a gripping storyline, perfect for curling up with’ Kelly T’s Space ‘I really enjoyed this cosy crime, I was hooked with the storyline but also charmed by the characters’ Kraftireader ‘A very well written story with a crime to solve but also with characters that the reader really starts to care about.’ Reader Review ‘What an absolute delight this was to read... I was still guessing whodunnit until the end.’ Wrong Side of Forty UK ‘I loved the characters of Nancy and Jane...a gripping read, which certainly held my attention and kept me guessing.’ Ginger Book Geek ‘A delightful detective duo, a charming and clever cosy mystery.’ Diane Jeffrey, author of The Silent Friend ‘A cosy, satisfying and enjoyable murder mystery full of intrigue...and even better, with a bookshop too!’ Ella Allbright, author of The Last Charm ‘A well-executed murder mystery...I loved every second of it.’ Reader Review ‘A blast! It’s fast paced, fun and it keeps you guessing till the end!...The story is filled with lots of characters and unusual twists.’ Reader Review

When facing injustice, the residents of nineteenth-century New York City’s tenements turn to midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy to protect their rights. Now, as the Edgar® and Agatha Award–nominated series continues, the two must track down a cruel criminal preying on the hopes and dreams of innocent women… A Gaslight Mystery Frank Malloy has never known any life other than that of a cop, but his newfound inheritance threatens his position within his department. While trying to keep both his relationship with Sarah and his fortune under wraps, he’s assigned to a new case—finding a missing young woman for her worried father, Henry Livingston. It seems the girl had been responding to “lonely hearts” ads in the paper for months before she disappeared. Her father thinks that she’s eloped with a deceptive stranger, but Malloy fears the worst, knowing that the grifters who place such ads often do much more than simply abscond with their victims. But as Sarah and Malloy delve deeper into a twisted plot targeting the city’s single women, it’s their partnership—both professional and private—that winds up in the greatest peril…

Murder at Wrotham Hill takes the killing in October 1946 of Dagmar Petrzywalski as the catalyst for a compelling and unique meditation on murder and fate. Dagmar, a gentle, eccentric spinster, was the embodiment of Austerity Britain's prudence and thrift. Her murderer Harold Hagger's litany of petty crimes, abandoned wives, sloughed-off identities and desertion was its opposite. The texture of their lives and the impression their experiences made on their characters fated their meeting on that bleak autumn morning - and determined the manner in which both would meet their death. Featuring England's first celebrity policeman, Fabian of the Yard, the celebrated forensic scientist, Keith Simpson, and history's most famous and dedicated hangman, Albert Pierrepoint, this is a gripping and deeply moving book.

When the affluent Lintons of Lenox Hill summon Sarah Brandt to examine their teenage daughter, their worst fear is confirmed: she is with child. The pregnancy is a mystery, however, as the young woman—mentally still a child herself—is never left on her own and denies that any man has ever hurt her. It’s a delicate situation, casting suspicion on those close to the Lintons, including their beloved minister, the Reverend Oliver Upchurch. But as Sarah and a reluctant Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy investigate, fate deals their inquiry a harsh blow. The reverend falls dead during a service—poisoned by cyanide-laced wine in his chalice. Now, they must not only uncover the truth behind the Linton girl’s pregnancy, they must track down Upchurch’s killer before this entire sordid affair wreaks havoc on more innocent lives…

"A really fun cozy mystery with lots of laughs, twists, and memorable characters. Harley Hill is my new favourite woman sleuth." Look out London, there's a new investigator in town! Harley Hill is a twenty-five year old woman in need of a new identity. Until now she's been know as many things: Thief, Bandit, The girl dressed like a ninja... When she's offered an investigative position at the Silvers Finders Agency, she decides it's time to go straight. But when a jewelry store break-in she's investigating turns into a murder case, Harley will need all her skills to find the killer and avoid the attentions of a Russian crime boss. With the help of her new friends, and some from her underworld past, Harley faces a race against the clock. She'll need to uncover the secret behind the artifact left at the jewelry store if she's to catch the murderer. If she fails, it won't just be the job she loses-but her life. "Set in London's Notting Hill, the Harley Hill Mysteries are a blend of mystery, humor, and romance that promise a fast-paced, entertaining read."

A senator’s death sends shock waves through Washington, DC, in this mystery by the New York Times–bestselling author and presidential daughter. Sen. Cale Caldwell and his blue-blooded wife maintained a far-reaching and powerful grip on Capitol Hill society, but not powerful enough to save him from foul play. The influential senator’s life is cut short in brutal fashion at a glamorous reception held in his honor. It happens just two short years after tragedy struck the Caldwell family in the form of the unsolved murder of his niece, but when attorney Lydia James suggests a connection, she’s shut down, and fast. Who stands to benefit from the Caldwells’ tragedies, and James’s silence—the senator’s political rivals, the media, or perhaps even the family’s closest allies? “A dazzling series.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Murder on Capitol Hill proves that the author is much more than a one-term mystery writer . . . All the insider’s knowledge and gossip that made Murder in the White House so captivating.” —Booklist “Truman has settled firmly into a career of writing murder mysteries, all evoking brilliantly the Washington she knows so well.” —The Houston Post

It was the most brutal murder in the history of Coffey County, Kansas. On May 30, 1925, Florence Knoblock, a farmer's wife and the mother of a young boy, was found slaughtered on her kitchen floor. Several innocent men were taken into custody before the victim's husband, John, was accused of the crime. He would endure two sensational trials before being acquitted. Eighty years later, local historian Diana Staresinic-Deane studied the investigation, which was doomed by destroyed evidence, inexperienced lawmen, disappearing witnesses, and a community more desperate for an arrest than justice. She would also discover a witness who may have seen the murderer that fateful morning.