One Breath Away

In this gripping and emotionally-charged thriller, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf shows how all it takes is a single moment to change everything. In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, a man armed with a gun walks into a school. Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility of the children of Broken Branch in her hands. Will Thwaite stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker will risk her own safety to protect her little brother. As tension mounts with each passing minute, and as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger, small acts of fear and courage reveal hidden truths that will alter the town forever. Previously published. Don’t miss Heather’s upcoming twisty locked-room thriller, EVERYONE IS WATCHING! And don't miss these other great stories by Heather! The Weight of Silence These Things Hidden Little Mercies Missing Pieces Not a Sound Before She Was Found This is How I Lied The Overnight Guest

In her most emotionally charged novel to date, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf explores the unspoken events that shape a community, the ties between parents and their children and how the fragile normalcy of our everyday life is so easily shattered. In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits. Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother. As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage.

In her most emotionally charged novel to date, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf explores the unspoken events that shape a community, the ties between parents and their children and how the fragile normalcy of our everyday life is so easily shattered. In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits. Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite – reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier – stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen–year–old Augie Baker – already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch – will risk her own safety to protect her little brother. As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage.

The true-crime story of a Florida woman's violent downfall from viral fame, by the New York Times bestselling author of She Survived: Jane. When she was fifteenn, Jennifer Mee developed an unrelenting case of the hiccups—hiccupping as many as fifty times a minute for months. Soon the Florida teen's strange story went viral. Dubbed the “Hiccup Girl” by the media, she gained international sympathy and appeared on a slew of popular TV shows. Eventually, Jennifer's hiccups went away—and so did her fame. Depressed and craving affection, Jennifer hooked up with the wrong people and slipped into drug dealing and street life—a downward spiral that led to the murder of an innocent young man. Now, renowned investigative journalist M. William Phelps expertly recounts Jennifer's shocking true story of thwarted desires, betrayed trust, and deadly manipulation. Praise for M. William Phelps “One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter “Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies Includes sixteen pages of dramatic photos

As the Kentucky Derby approaches, a Louisville woman is tormented by a mysterious killer in this suspense novel by the author of Can’t Find My Way Home. Louisville interior designer Kelsey March is thrilled to have her fashion model sister Lorelei in town for Derby Week. But after a night of talking men, family, and horses, the sisters leave a local bar followed by a man with a gun. When Lorelei is shot and killed in front of Kesley’s eyes, the police believe it is the work of a crazed stalker. Yet evidence suggests the man was hired for the job. And he may have killed the wrong sister. As Detective Enzo Pike attempts to identify who paid Lorelei’s killer, people close to Kelsey start dying under mysterious circumstances. Soon the case reaches deep into Kelsey’s past, into her family’s secrets, and into the emotional scars of a young boy who walked away from a fatal car accident twenty years ago. “Thompson provides plenty of viable suspects with plausible motives as she skillfully braids together the various possible answers to the questions who and why.”—Publishers Weekly

A missing woman. A husband suspected. The truth will . . . TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY From the New York Times bestselling author of Find You First and Elevator Pitch comes a gripping psychological thriller about a formerly missing woman who has suddenly returned under mysterious circumstances. One weekend, while Andrew Mason was on a fishing trip, his wife, Brie, vanished without a trace. Most everyone assumed Andy had got away with murder—it’s always the husband, isn’t it?—but the police could never build a strong case against him. For a while, Andy hit rock bottom—he drank too much to numb the pain, was abandoned by all his friends save one, nearly lost his business, and became a pariah in the place he once called home. Now, six years later, Andy has finally put his life back together. He sold the house he once shared with Brie and moved away. To tell the truth, he wasn’t sad to hear that the old place was razed and a new house built on the site. He’s settled down with a new partner, Jayne, and life is good. But Andy’s peaceful world is about to shatter. One day, a woman shows up at his old address, screaming, “Where’s my house? What’s happened to my house?” And then, just as suddenly as she appeared, the woman—who bears a striking resemblance to Brie—is gone. The police are notified and old questions—and dark suspicions—resurface. Could Brie really be alive after all these years? If so, where has she been? It soon becomes clear that Andy’s future and the lives of those closest to him depend on discovering what the hell is going on. The trick will be whether he can stay alive long enough to unearth the answers.

One Breath is a gripping and powerful exploration of the strange and fascinating sport of freediving, and of the tragic, untimely death of America’s greatest freediver Competitive freediving—a sport built on diving as deep as possible on a single breath—tests the limits of human ability in the most hostile environment on earth. The unique and eclectic breed of individuals who freedive at the highest level regularly dive hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface, reaching such depths that their organs compress, light disappears, and one mistake could kill them. Even among freedivers, few have ever gone as deep as Nicholas Mevoli. A handsome young American with an unmatched talent for the sport, Nick was among freediving’s brightest stars. He was also an extraordinary individual, one who rebelled against the vapid and commoditized society around him by relentlessly questing for something more meaningful and authentic, whatever the risks. So when Nick Mevoli arrived at Vertical Blue in 2013, the world’s premier freediving competition, he was widely expected to challenge records and continue his meteoric rise to stardom. Instead, before the end of that fateful competition Nick Mevoli had died, a victim of the sport that had made him a star, and the very future of free diving was called into question. With unparalleled access and masterfully crafted prose, One Breath tells his unforgettable story, and of the sport which shaped and ultimately destroyed him.

Bestselling author Katie McGarry’s trademark wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance is given a new twist in the gritty YA contemporary novel, Only a Breath Apart. They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken. The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year. A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she's psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart. Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head... "A gorgeous, heartfelt journey of redemption and love." —New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins "Gritty and real, Only a Breath Apart is a story of hope conjured from pain, strength drawn from innocence, and love earned from self-respect. Beautiful, poignant, and fierce.”—Kristen Simmons, critically acclaimed author of the Article 5 series At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.